(Q)erfuffle: Chapter 2
Janeway Lacks Questions…
I was out on my usual rounds the next day, after bad sleep interrupted by odd dreams, when I decided to inform the captain of q's appearance. After all, it was my duty to report.
"Come in…oh, Elena." Captain Janeway motioned for me to come into her ready-room. "You wanted to speak with me about something?"
"Yes, I…Q's son is aboard the ship. He doesn't appear to be causing harm…yet."
"Ah. I see. Well, I shall alert the crew. We should be prepared, regardless of his apparent benignity."
I debated telling her what he had told me, about growing up and such. Of course I had to tell her, who was I kidding? Opening my mouth, I turned to the Captain as she stood up.
"Was there something else, ensign?"
"Well… q mentioned that he was supposed to do some…progressing…on this directive, Captain; rather like the first time he was here. Apparently the Q feel that since he and I are both "young" in terms of our species, that he would find it…educational to identify his situation of passing into Q 'adulthood' with the human equivalent." I was finding this all rather fragmented now that I was actually trying to explain it, and realized I probably didn't have adequate facts.
"Yes, she meets the requirements of my father and the Continuum in that she is about to turn 18, and that she serves under your command, Aunt Kathy. However I still find it off-putting that they're making me do this. Haven't I proven myself enough?"
Captain Janeway stared at q, who had just appeared in the ready-room in the usual unannounced way. I sighed, wishing that q wasn't omnipresent. It would be less fun working with him… whatever it was the Q wanted him to do this time.
"Evidently they haven't taken your powers this time," the Captain commented. She walked over to him, put her hand on his shoulder, and smiled tiredly. "Try not to cause too much trouble."
I raised my eyebrows at Janeway's retreating back. She hadn't even asked for any details! That was unlike her in a lot of ways. In less than a second I had decided that I was suspicious and would therefore never let down my guard- okay, maybe that was a little too rigorous. I would never let down my guard in the company of others. Much better, I thought.
Then I looked over at q. "So what is it exactly you're meant to be doing in this time?" q shrugged. "How do you grow?" he asked.
What a question, I thought. What a question indeed.