The Zoo

By MrTina

"Stardate 582.8. We have just been boarded by our friend, Q," Captain Picard said into the console.

Captain Picard walked down the corridor. Then he sighed. What does he want this time?

He reached the door at the end of the corridor. Psss... The door opened. At the end of the table sat Q.

"Q, what do you want this time?" said the annoyed Picard.

"Captain, my friend," said Q. "I'm so glad to see you."

"Keep your pleasantries to yourself. Now, what do you want?"

"You see, I'm going away on a trip and I need someone to watch my pets."

"Are you insane? This is a starship, not a zoo," said Picard.

"You see, if you don't watch them, I'll destroy your ship!" Q paused. "Now, let me show you them."

With a click of his fingers, a hermit crab appeared in his hand. He placed it gently on the table and gave its shell a quick pet.

"That's it!" said Captain Picard.

"No, but that's all I could fit in this room. Take good care of them."

With the snap of his fingers, he was gone.

"Errrr," the annoyed Captain Picard sighed. He was already annoyed because Data had beaten him in racquet ball the day before. Looking back at the hermit crab and shaking his head, he left.

Before he had gone far, he got a call from Data from the bridge.

"Captain?"

"Picard here. What is it, Data?"

"Captain, you'd better come down here."

"I'm coming. Picard out."

In the corridor, he spotted a crazed hog roaming the halls. The Captain continued to the bridge, riding on the turbolift which was crawling with voles.

Then, on the bridge, there were butterflies everywhere. He could barely see the controls.

"Captain, what's going on?" Commander Riker asked.

"Q has us babysitting."

"We have bigger problems," Data said. "The Romulans have entered Neutral Zone."

"That means there might be war."