Authors' note- sequel to the book 'Q & A' written by Richard DiCandido

Chapter 1

Q surveyed the quadrants of the universe and all looked good. At least since Picard had saved the multi-verse from 'Them'.

Jean-Luc looked at the report issued by Commander, no Captain now, Captain Riker. His eyes wandered over the data padd and licked his lips nervously. It made a brief scant mention of Species 8472 the possibility of a serious threat to the Federation. So far at least ten other Federation ships were already on their way, but the orders were clear go to the Neutral Zone.

Little did either of them, even me realise how insignificant that would be.

Moving across the universe at superluminal speeds unavailable to even the Travellers, pesky things, thought Q absently and noticed something odd just outside the Milky Way galaxy. "This damn galaxy was the bane of my life" Q said to no one in particular. He noticed that one of the sub-quantum entropic anomalies used by Them remained, sucking in anything nearby like some galactic vacuum cleaner more powerful than a black hole. Unusual he thought and made his way to visit Them. Upon arriving found the enigmatic beings were absent. "Are you here?" shouted Q numerous times hearing only the echo of his voice. Angry and confused Q appeared near the anomaly and only realised at last minute that it had recently grown to ten times the size and still going.

Calling loudly for his mate and child, both appeared immediately. "What is this?"

"I don't know" she replied. Surveying the universe quickly Q noticed that another anomaly was on the opposite side of the galaxy, but unlike its counterpart, it was not a galactic garbage disposal but more like primitive sciences believed a white hole was the opposite of a black hole. Even now numerous Quantum Realities were translating into this one, races and beings appearing that did not belong here; soon it would turn into a cosmic battle scene, certain death awaited either way.

For some reason that bothered Q, it never had before, and looking on in horror as various species who were never meant to meet started squabbling or exchanging weapons fire. Idiots! Q thought.

Suddenly the anomaly had a burst of growth and expanded twenty fold, eating part of the Milky Way. "Damn" Q muttered to himself and looking at his mate and son both sensed that they were spreading all over the universe like wildfire. "Let's make a break for it" he suggested.

"What about the others dad?" enquired Q junior. Q looked at Mrs Q and both came to the same conclusion. "No" both replied in unison; never had both agreed so readily. He felt more like a family than ever before. "Grab anything you can" Q replied, "Aunt Kathy, Jean-Luc; including lifeforms not belonging to this Quantum Reality, but don't go near the anomaly" he instructed and off the Q family went.

The family Q were grabbing anything they could, moving through the galaxy as fast as possible. Even the Preservers were making the for universal escape route seeking to avoid the cosmic sinkhole of Armageddon.

Q grabbed great armfuls of Federation ships, Romulans, Klingons and numerous other species on the way through. Absently Q realised that he had not stuck to this time period either, oh well he thought, "Save as many as possible" he sent telepathically to his mate and son, throwing any into stasis by placing them into a kind of trans-dimensional backpack. His mate and son did the same. Realising that Mrs Q had ventured out of the galaxy very briefly and gathered other deserving species. "Are you ready son?" Q asked junior and looked at Mrs Q as they linked hands.

"Well here goes nothing" she replied they all dived through the cosmic escape like a dolphin through a hoop and emerged somewhere completely foreign.

The scene to his hyper developed senses appeared to be some kind of huge cosmic water made of absolute energy, waves rising and falling like huge ocean. Q looked back and could not see any other Q following him and even if they were; nothing could be done for they were alone now. All three Q tried to stay as close together as possible, but the tides were pulling them apart. "Hang on!" Q shouted.

"I can't dad the tides are too strong!"

"Don't worry, we'll keep you safe" Mrs Q answered to whatever lay out there.

"You know it really is quite beautiful out here"

"Q, only you would chose to wax lyrical at a time like this!"

Q feeling suitably chastised by Mrs Q tried to maintain a grip. "Maybe if we link our powers together we'll forge an unbreakable link" he suggested hopefully. In actuality Q was completely 'winging it' right now and had no idea if ordinary rules applied wherever they were.

The Family Q concentrated without ever taking their eyes off one another, created a gestalt of Q powers allowing a psychic link between each one of them- Q to Mrs Q and Q to junior. Each also had a similar link.

Q knew what humans went through in the oceans of other planets now, and noticed that a storm was approaching. Lightning appeared from nowhere striking the surface of the ocean and waves threatened to swell. "Fabulous" remarked Mrs Q at the sight.

"Don't jinx it" warned Q.

"Don't be so silly as to think I believe any of that superstitious nonsense" she retorted. Q just groaned inwardly and hoped they would be okay and find shelter before the storm reached them.

In the distance they could all see huge spherical objects, universes he thought and looked at his son. Q junior seemed tired and began to sag, chin almost passing beneath the ethereal waves. His mate was tired too, having held their son aloft who knew how long. Grabbing both, one on either shoulder Q swam towards to nearest universe.

It grew nearer and nearer, he was moving at speeds past any super luminal measurement. Both his mate and son slept on either shoulder, held tight, despair and fatigue threatened to overwhelm even him. No Q has ever been this far out he thought, and concentrated on the task ahead.

"It's not fair" he screamed begin to sink beneath the waves, at least until a huge wave threw him towards the incoming universe.

Finally he burst through, floating briefly in the void of space, turbulent though it was. It seemed that this universe sought to emulate the ocean outside. Knowing danger was everywhere he looked for the nearest habitation and appeared in a huge city. All the habitants appeared human, although they were obviously not. It was a semblance of their form. Suddenly Q could see that armed guards moved in his direction and drawing on what remained of his mates' and sons' powers placed them and their belongings in his backpack. Unless they were extremely powerful and did not look closely, most would not sense them within the bag.

The guards surrounded him with bladed weapons, what is this? He examined the weapons closely, for many possessed hidden powers and possibly capable of even hurting or maybe killing a Q? Deciding to follow their instructions as he was lead to a huge castle, into a kind of throne room. Once inside, a man stood there, dressed in regal robes. "Well" he said turning. "Just who are you? What is your name?"

"My name is Q"

"It would seem you are a long way from home" remarked the stranger pulling the wisp of a beard. Q looked at the man and using his senses spotted unparalleled levels of power within, and worriedly answered. "I am. The multi-verse that I was apart of has been destroyed"

"By whom?" asked the stranger clasping hands behind his back, and turned to look at Q, surveying the omnipotent. "Who has that kind of power?" the host asked more forcefully grabbing Q. "Well! Answer me!" he shouted. "What is in this bag? Little thing"

Q stepped back breaking the hold on his arm. "Just who are you?" he asked, anger flooding his system, "I've just got here and have not accosted anyone. Yet you treat me like a criminal".

The eyes of the stranger flashed with anger and power. "I am called Arioch and you are before one of the foremost Lords of Chaos". Q had heard all kinds of boasts, many a being had claimed to be a lord of chaos. "Now you will tell me who destroyed your multi-verse and what is in your bag"

"What I carry in my bag is none of your business" answered Q looking out of the window at the landscape. "As to who or what destroyed the multi-verse. Well they have no name and we refer to them simply as 'They', or 'Them', for we have no idea what to name the beings. All we know is that they are plural; nothing more" remarked Q evenly.

"No such being exists"

"You are obviously wrong"

"Do not taunt or lie to me! Answer me Q! What is in your bag?"

"Don't" answered Q, protectively clutching the backpack. The stranger gestured and Q bounced off a wall. Slowly rising and absolutely furious, Q released an aspect of his power. Arioch flew threw the fall and fell to the ground below. Good riddance! Thought Q and in an instant Arioch appeared. "How dare you!" screamed the Chaos Lord.

Q rose to full height, fighting off the weariness that had claimed him, for the lives of his mate and son were at stake, letting his full omnipotence wash over the Lord of Chaos who fell backward, almost tripping. "What are you?"

"I told you that I am called Q and I am omnipotent. You know the word?" taunted Q insolently. "It means that I can do anything I want. Including stripping you of power and turning you into an Earth flee! Got it?"

"Yes" the Lord of Chaos stammered.

"Now all I want is to rest here for a night and then I will be gone, forever. And before you ask, those that destroyed my home make my omnipotence seem like nothing" and off he walked. Turning back briefly; "Where's your room?" asked Q.

"At the top of the tower, it's yours"

"Now you're getting it. I want breakfast promptly at 10am. Do not disturb me before as I am sleeping in!" Q stalked off in the direction of Ariochs' room.

The room was beautiful, ornate and resplendently decorated. All of which meant nothing to Q, although to make sure no one decided to creep in during the night-placed the entire room temporarily out of space/time. Settling down to a good nights sleep placed his son and mate in the bed with him. All slept soundly and none awoke. When morning came Q let his mate and son know what had transpired and that this universe was not friendly. Urging them to hide, or accept stasis within the bag-which they did. Q flashed and was outside this universe once more.

Although the Q are or rather were a virtually omnipotent species, they were probably dead now; yet omniscience had always eluded them and it was for this reason that he was taking the long way around. If Q had looked harder a shortcut existed in the universe he had just left into the universe in whose direction he was now swimming.

Bursting through into another universe, Q surveyed the surroundings. In fact this galaxy was almost identical to the Milky Way, one which he was intimately familiar. Exiting into normal space he watched a species whose ship eerily reminded him of what the Borg called Species 8472.

First things first he thought. Lighten the load and looked throughout the galaxy searching for locations to place the respective races. He spotted another cybernetic race across the galaxy and quickly read their minds, shocked to find they were also called the Borg; deciding to throw all the thousands of Borg ships a few parsecs away from the ones here. Let nature take its course. Q scouted for humans and using his Q abilities to their utmost found two easy choices, Earth or Babylon 5. Several hundred Federation ships appearing would cause problems and that is exactly what he wanted to avoid.

In truth Q felt quite liberated without the rest of the Q watching over his shoulder and found his own sense of purpose and responsibility. Puzzling, and like a flash of inspiration he realise what it was. As soon as the Q family were separated from the Continuum they should have very little power yet he felt no different. Either the Continuum reaches out even this distance or another dimension like it exists here. But that didn't solve one problem, their empowerment in the vast ocean.

Grandfather Q watched over the little Q family and had done ever since they left the comfortable confines of their corner of creation. He had done something very similar aeons ago only the ocean had swept him elsewhere. To this place he thought, what many know as Gods Command Module, the control centre of possibilities. He allowed the Q family power and had even linked them to the equivalent of the Continuum where they were – they would have found it anyway.

In the end he decided to place DS9, and various Federation Starbases and all of their fleet near the planet identical to Bajor. It was rich in resources and uninhabited. He'd give them the bad news later.

Mmmm……as Q tapped his chin thoughtfully, he needed somewhere the place half a dozen Voth ships. I am being a dunce Q reflected, making everything hard for myself and knew by looking at the galaxy he could place species exactly where they were from. Simple. Something niggled him though like a constant itch he couldn't scratch. What was it? Perhaps place the Voth a little nearer the Federation, a few thousand light years would do it. He actually had the whole bloody Briar Patch too. He placed that next to the Federation and ensured that it would not dissipate.

What else did I bring? Noticing the whole Dominion in his bag and numerous allies consisting of Vorta, Jem'Hadar, Breen and Founder and tossed them into the equivalent of the Gamma Quadrant here. What was giving Q concern was that some species here had actually created a wormhole connecting Gamma and Alpha Quadrants. Weird!

The Cardassians were thrown near the Klingons and the Romulans who Q knew would keep an eye on them. In fact this group formed a triangle, as did the Federation, Klingons and Romulans. Nothing like trying to preserve the status quo and upon reflection some of the species he brought with him were not good choices. He couldn't kill them now, they deserved a chance.

The Xindi, Suliban and Tholian Q placed in another triangle of space which seemed to be uninhabited currently. Looking at this galaxy it had nowhere near as many species as the one he was used to. Maybe this lead to complacency within the Q knowing there was always another species.

The omnipotent looked at the galaxy again and began to examine planets that existed in the old Milky Way, prior to destruction at least. No it could not be, and looked more closely – using senses far keener than any in any Federation time period. Impossible, yet here they were, Metron and Organians in this very cosmos. He pushed senses out of the Milky Way travelling into the distant cosmos; he could almost smell them; Preservers and the Progenitors. He disappeared in a Q flash and looked at them from a distant dimension he had found. Could this be a case of divergent evolution leading to different outcome? Thought Q. It went way beyond that; someone or something had had a hand in this pie pushing events here, and an event there for a particular outcome. It was beyond any Q to plan so meticulously. Q was worried now.

Concerned he went to the Galactic Core and found that the planet of Sha Ka Ree was there and sensed a whole yet imprisoned malicious entity known as the One and Zero on the opposite side of the Core. This was beyond a joke now and he saw something that took even him back a proverbial step. Huge octopoid beings in crystalline prisons, and even from outside Q could sense their immense psychic ability; more powerful than a Q. He couldn't put the Cytherians there and fled as fast as possible.

So he opted for the Cytherians to be left about ten light years from Epsilon 3, an advanced machine that would make the Federation salivate. There they could cloak their planet and be near potential allies. This left the Devidians which Q let go to wander as they pleased.

One issue, well three actually and sent the Federation of the 29th and 31st Century and placed them well out of the Milky Way in the void of space between Galaxies. They were more than advanced enough to go where they please and there were equally advanced civilisation spanning across galaxies. They would fit in well there.

Q looked at the Sphere Builders – he would keep an eye on them, but he suspected the advanced species in this galaxy were more than sufficient. He went back to the Federation and found they were not temporally correct either. He had Archers' original Enterprise, Kirks' and Picards' latest model the NCC 1701 E. In theory Jean-Luc should have been the captain of the 'F' too, but that obviously wouldn't happen now.

He woke his mate and son and telepathically sent them what he had done, who both repeated the process sending out extra-galactic species back to where they belong. Besides Q was prepared to intervene if need be, to prevent hostilities.

Q appeared on the organic ship and looked at the, whatever it was. "Hi there" he remarked cheerily. The non-corporeal entity jumped and turned abruptly to face Q. "Who are you?" it sent.

"I am Q and new to these parts. Do you have a tour guide?"

"Insolent mortal"

"Hardly" answered Q and decided to read the beings mind anyway.

"Well Vorlon your name is Ulkesh"

"How do you know that?"

"I am Q" and let a portion of his power envelope the Vorlon who collapsed passing out on ship floor. "Any time you're ready" answered Q flippantly, "haven't got all day" who started to examine his nails.

Two days later the Eldest First One arrived accompanied by several species Q recognised. "What the hell are you doing here!" remarked Q

"We do not recognise you" answered the Organians.

"Neither do I" answered a Metron.

. "I'm sorry for my outburst, it is just that you are identical to species found in my native universe"

"Interesting" remarked both Organian and Metron. Sighing he explained the story of the quantum entropic collapse between the different multi-verses-allowing other realities to begin to merge with his own. He told of their flight and their homelessness and that they had numerous others from their universe in need of housing. "You managed to save so many" stated the Vorlon Ulkesh which came across as 'why bother saving inferior beings'.

Mrs Q and Q junior appeared. "If you have no objection my son and wife would like to explore"

"They must not interfere" stated the Vorlon flatly.

"Do not be so silly" answered Mrs Q haughtily. "If I did your species would have never been born or been turned into an worm"

"Q" Q barked. "We are not at home now and we must co-operate with the resident species here. Maybe They decided that the Q were the problem to be eradicated" he shouted at which Mrs Q looked visibly shocked by that suggestion, flushing in embarrassment. "Can we have a moment?" asked Q to the advanced species as they disappeared in a Q flash.

"My name is Lorien" explained the glowing ball of light.

"You were watching us" said Mrs Q accusingly.

"I was"

"Why?" asked Q junior. "We weren't doing anything wrong"

"Indeed you weren't" encouraged Lorien. "I merely wished to explain the situation. The First Ones of this galaxy are not really ready to encounter Me or You" stated the Ancient. "For they have so much growing up to do"

"You got that right. You're not like any of them are you?"

"No. For I was the First"

"I don't understand dad"

"I think I do" said Q.

"Surely you don't mean you were the first being in the universe?"

"I was and many followed. In time we moved beyond the Galactic Rim and went into the Void between. It is then we began to explore and spread out forming a network of races across a thousand galaxies"

"Are you going to hurt us? Cos' my dad and mom can protect themselves" asked Q junior worriedly.

"Hardly" admonished the Ancient, "merely a hand in friendship. If you wish to take it"

"Friends. I don't think I've really ever had friends" remarked Q

"Perhaps now would be a good time to start"

Lorien looked at the family Q, so this is where the past becomes the future and the future the past the Eldest mused. He admired all the family and watched them for a moment, savouring their love for one another. Hard times lay ahead for them. He would help the son grieve for the mother and a husband for a wife but that was their distant future and his distant past, almost 2 billion years ago. Mrs Q had attempted to foolishly and yet incredibly heroically subdue one of Ogdru Jahad and had paid with her life. He had later petitioned to the Guardians of the Universe for clemency and asked for restoration; but they had claimed it was beyond even them. For millennia after millennia father and son had raged but he, Lorien had helped them both accept the passing of a loved one; for they had all lost during this time.