oOoOo

Chapter 25

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

Last Time:

The images stopped and Dawn pulled her hand away and turned to look. Behind her casually brushing the dirt off a Starfleet admiral's uniform was a familiar figure, "Q!"

"Well, well what have we here?" asked Q as he pointed at the Guardian. "You I know all about. But you young Miss are new."

oOoOo

"Oh, you have to be joking," muttered Riker as Q materialised within the energy field. He activated his combadge, "Riker to Picard."

oOoOo

Riker glared through the shield at Q as he spoke to his commanding officer.

"Yes, Sir…so far he's simply talking to the two of them…They are still setting up their equipment down here…yes, Sir, I will."

"Sir?" prompted Worf.

"We keep going Worf until we are told otherwise," replied Riker.

Work growled but nodded in acknowledgement.

Riker turned back to watching Q and the strangers.

oOoOo

"Q…wow you are Q!" exclaimed Xander.

"Have we interacted?" asked Q. "I'd remember if we had, being omnipotent and everything."

Xander shook his head as he continued to stare.

Dawn stepped in front of Xander and raised an eyebrow, "You know I thought you would be taller in real life."

Q rolled his eyes, "Very original, you know I could help but I think it will be far more amusing my little Queen to see what chaos you leave in your wake."

Dawn crossed her arms, "Fine, be that way."

Q grinned, "Good luck trying to explain things."

Dawn gave Q a dismissive wave as she turned away.

"Oh I like your spunk, your majesty," Q winked at Xander and disappeared in a flash of light.

oOoOo

It was rare for Captain Picard to be visibly angry but his crew knew the signs and responded accordingly. Backs straightened, attentiveness was displayed as everyone went about their duties as they tried to ignore the presence of Q.

"Ah Mon Capitaine," called out Q in greeting as Picard stalked out of his ready room.

"Q," acknowledged Picard in a frosty tone.

Q clapped his hands together, "Well, I just wanted to give you a bit of…ah, friendly advice."

Picard stared at Q with a raised eyebrow that radiated his disbelief, "Considering our past interactions I will rein in my optimism."

"Now, now Captain no need for sarcasm, lowest form of wit and all that. Now, Jean-Luc I wanted to give you a heads up so to speak, about your two visitors."

Q paused and looked thoughtful as he touched his chin with a finger, "Or should that be three? Well, regardless you might need to consider helping them."

Picard considered Q's words as powerful being idly glanced around the bridge. Every interaction he had with Q had, he was somewhat loathe to admit, become adversarial. "Why should I help them?"

Q appeared to be studying an engineering monitor.

"Q?" prompted Picard.

"Sorry Jean-Luc, but seriously is she new?" he pointed to the Ensign manning the console.

Picard looked over at the young Ensign, "Ensign Martinez has been with us for several months."

Q sniffed, "Hmmm, well anyway you should help them Jean Luc because in their dimension they will be key players in stopping some rather nasty events occurring. To achieve that she needs to better understand her powers." Q turned again to look at Ensign Martinez. "You are not fooling anyone with that disguise. And by anyone I, of course, mean me."

"What are you talking about Q?" demanded Picard.

Q clicked his fingers and then flinched. For a moment, a look of horror crossed his face before his eyes narrowed. "How did you escape your prison?"

Martinez laughed, "Wouldn't you like to know."

Q straightened and made a twisting gesture that caused Martinez to disappear. Several crew members rushed forward but Q gestured and they froze in place.

"Q what is the meaning of this?' demanded Picard as one of the unaffected crewmen was summoning security and medical teams to the bridge.

"Shush, I'm listening," replied Q.

"So smug and self-righteous I can't wait to bring your people down," said a voice familiar voice behind Picard.

Picard turned to see Jack Crusher standing behind him.

"Jack," whispered Picard.

"That's not Jack Crusher," warned Q as he strode forward.

"Oh, it's me old friend, how's good old Beverly these days?"

"My god Jack," whispered Picard as a sense of loss washed over him as he was reminded of his lost friend.

Jack laughed derisively, "Don't oh god me Jean Luc, not when you are busy bending her over…likes it like that doesn't she?" He asked with malicious glee.

Picard was speechless as Q stepped forward, placing himself between 'Jack' and Picard.

The turbo lift doors swished open and Guinan walked out with her hands raised.

"You don't belong here accursed one," hissed out Guinan as she advanced on Jack.

Jack laughed again before flinching, "What have you done?"

Q raised an eyebrow and then flicked his fingers toward Jack, "Nicely done Guinan, now it's time for you to go back to your personal abyss."

Jack screamed and staggered.

Just as the turbo lift doors opened.

Beverly Crusher rushed on to the bridge but stumbled almost falling as she spotted her dead husband, "Jack?"

Picard blocked Beverly from approaching, "I don't think it's Jack."

Q raised his hands and began to trace something in the air. Across from him, Guinan was chanting as she too began to gesture.

Jack laughed, "You think this will stop me? I'll be back."

"Yes, but not here, ever," replied Q as pure white light blinded everyone in the room for the blink of an eye.

As his vision came back, Picard was torn between helping Beverly Crusher, who looked like she might faint and Guinan who was sitting on the floor looking exhausted.

"What the blazes just happened?" demanded Picard.

oOoOo

Dawn felt something…a tug at her mind for the briefest moment and then a wave of pain hit her. Unable to do anything she screamed and Ora screamed with her.

oOoOo

"It's an entity of pure evil," explained Guinan as she sipped at her herbal tea. "My people encountered a similar entity when I was young. Although Ironius was nowhere near as powerful as this one, it took the intervention of a number of powerful races, including the Q Continuum to stop it."

"How did they stop it?" asked Picard.

With a flash of light, Q reappeared, sitting comfortably on Picard's lounge, "We sent it to a pocket dimension and sealed it off for all eternity."

"Exactly how dangerous is this entity?" asked Doctor Crusher.

"If it had somehow fully manifested in this reality it would have been unstoppable by anyone save perhaps the gathered might of the Continuum…and even then we might have failed," Q sighed and turned to Guinan. "I wanted to thank you Guinan, your binding helped distract it while I closed the nexus."

Guinan nodded sombrely, "I understand Q."

Q looked around the room at the puzzled faces and sighed, loudly, "It is not native to this reality but somehow it found a crack large enough to send a part of itself through. It looked solid but it was incorporeal."

"How exactly was it dangerous?" asked Picard.

"Its influence and ability to impersonate the dead…it corrupts people, fills them with doubt. It talked Martinez, quite literally to death…well suicide anyway," explained Q.

"Will it be back?" asked Crusher.

"No, the rift is sealed and it has no followers here to help it…Huzzah, we are saved pity about the countless other dimensions where it can escape. Which, Jean-Luc brings me back to the original reason for my visit. Your two travellers are from one of those dimensions. They need training because when they return home, they'll eventually have to face it along with its, and I mean this literally Picard, personal army of darkness."

"You can't be serious," said Beverly Crusher in clear disbelief.

Guinan sighed, "This time he is telling the truth, although I am no expert on the nature of the entities like the one we encountered here, my peoples experience with them showed us that even the weakest among them was almost a match for the Q. The one here had access to only the barest fraction of its power and it shrugged of Q's attempt to banish it. My binding would have been like a wall of tissue paper but together we forced it back into its prison."

"Yes and for that, you infuriating woman, you have my thanks and those of the Continuum. You El-Aurians have always been a…inconvenience for the Q," Q held up a hand to forestall Guinan's response. "Not without cause. In this, however, we can agree."

There was a flash of light and another man appeared, this one was older and dressed in a Starfleet admiral's uniform, "Stop dithering Q and get on with it."

Q raised an eyebrow, "What are you doing here Q?"

The newly arrived Q shot Q a look, "Doing what you were told to do Q," turning to Guinan he snapped his fingers and a globe of golden light appeared in his palm. Before the others could react he tossed the globe at Guinan.

There was an explosion of golden light and Guinan slumped in the chair.

Picard threw himself at the newer Q, who simply disappeared in a flash of light.

"What the devil is happening Q?" demanded Picard as he whirled, furiously on Q.

Meanwhile, Crusher rushed to Guinan's side and pulled out a medical tricorder.

Q ignored Picard as he watched Crusher examine Guinan with a neutral expression.

"Q what did he do?" demanded Picard.

Q sighed and turned to Picard, "The continuum felt that Guinan deserved a reward Q ensured she received it."

Crusher looked up from her Tricorder, "She unconscious but her bio-electric field has gone haywire…the readings are varying wildly. I've never seen anything like this Captain."

"She will be fine. She simply needs to rest while her system recovers," explained Q in a quiet voice. His eyes had not left Guinan.

"Recovers from what Q?" asked Picard.

"Having her full powers restored," replied Q as he turned. For a moment, Picard saw real concern in Q's eyes before his usual mask dropped into place. "Well, I think I'll leave you to tidy up Jean-Luc. Once more the day is saved, Huzzah. Now don't forget Jean-Luc your visitors need your help." Q suddenly smiled as he seemingly realised something. "Actually, they might even be of help to Guinan."

With that helpful statement, Q disappeared.

oOoOo

Riker looked over at La Forge in surprise as the shield shimmered and disappeared, "What did you do Geordi?"

"Nothing Commander it just faded away," reported La Forge.

"Will, look," Troi pointed to where two figures lay on the ground.

"Worf with me," ordered Will as he carefully made his way over.

Both appeared uninjured save for blood trickling out of the nose of the young woman. To be safe, he waved over the installations Security Chief, "Chief get security detail and a medical team over here to check them out."

oOoOo

"Beverly?"

Crusher turned to Picard and shook her head, "The male is as he appears. A human male although my scans indicate that he has sustained a great many injuries. Most of which appear to have been caused by hand to hand fighting. Far more importantly he appears to be from the past. Based on his identification, his clothing, the medical treatments he has received and from the stable isotope analyses I would say on or around the year two thousand."

"A time traveller," mused Picard. "That might explain their proximity to the Guardian."

"The girl is in her late teens, at most. And she is, well she is an anomaly. Here have a look at this," Crusher touched a display and a scan of the girl appeared. "Look, there is some sort of parasite or perhaps symbiont attached to her spine. It is directly attached to her central nervous system. It may be the cause of the other oddities we are seeing. She has a very odd bio-electric field it is producing some very exotic energy, so far unclassified. She also has an odd metallic compound in her blood. Nothing we have come across before."

"Interesting, any idea when they will be able to be questioned?" asked Picard.

"I think they are just sleeping off whatever affected them. It certainly packed a wallop, much like a heavy stun from a phaser."

Troi was peering intently at the young woman, "I am sensing two beings…they are rather more separate than a Trill host and symbiont."

"Captain I have finished analysis on their belongings," reported Data as he walked past the two armed security officers.

"Report Mister Data," ordered Picard.

"Their jewellery and other equipment are analogous with items we have on file from the time period Doctor Crusher suggested. There are however items that are defying definition. They are carrying a knife and a sword along with a device that is clearly not of human manufacture. They are also using a cloth bag that contains what appears to be a permanent sub-space pocket. I have yet to determine how it is being maintained. Lastly, the Identity documents carried by Mister Harris and Miss Summers indicate that they live in a town named Sunnydale in California. Despite an extensive search, I can find no reference to such a town."

"So perhaps they are, as Q suggested, dimensional travellers," said Picard.

"There is some evidence but such a claim would be speculation at this point," replied Data.

"I…" Crusher trailed off as an alarm sounded from the biobed with the female.

"Nurse run a diagnostic her brainwaves indicate that she is still in a deep sleep," ordered Crusher as she frowned at the monitor above the biobed.

The young woman, nominally identified as Dawn Summers opened her eyes.

oOoOo

Ora could sense that something was wrong with Dawn. It was like she was asleep. Normally a Tok'ra would never, unless in very dangerous situation…like waking up in a strange place.

"You need to remain calm, you are recovering from being knocked unconscious," said a soothing female voice.

Ora sat up and looked around through Dawn's eyes, "What happened?" she asked using Dawn's voice.

"We were hoping that you could explain," replied Crusher.

"I am not sure…" began Ora only to pause as Dawn's awareness returned.

'Ora what's going on?' asked Dawn as she awoke to Ora being in control.

'I was just trying to find out,' replied Ora.

oOoOo

"Counsellor?" prompted Picard in a quiet voice.

Troi tilted her head as if she was listening intently, "It's like she is having a conversation. I can't hear words but I would speculate the host and the symbiont are communicating. All I can sense is concern and perhaps fear, no anxiety."

oOoOo

'Right Ora, let me I know the characters pretty well thanks to Xander's Trekkie nights.'

Dawn took control.

"Um, so explanations needed huh?"

Picard stepped forward, followed by Troi, who was looking at her with more confusion than Dawn remembered her TV version showing.

"As long as you are feeling well enough, Miss Summers," replied Picard.

Dawn had already considered what she should say and decided that the truth was probably the best option. Well, most of the truth.

"Dawn please, Miss Summers makes me feel like I'm in trouble at school," she added a friendly smile. "First, can I ask how Xander is?"

Crusher stepped forward, "He's exhausted once he wakes up he should be fine Dawn."

Dawn accepted that with a nod, "Yeah, well he has had a big few days, we all have really. Okay, so explaining time. I travelled here to get a better idea, from a scientific point of view, of how my powers work. In my home dimension we have been exposed to this dimension and so we picked it and here we are."

Picard glanced at Troi, who nodded. She didn't sense any deception from Dawn.

"So you came here to ask for help?" asked Picard, "Why us?"

"What better ship or crew than this Enterprise?' countered Dawn with a grin.

'May I speak to them Dawn?' asked Ora.

'Sure, they can handle it,' replied Dawn.

Picard managed to hide his surprise as Dawn's eye's flashed a golden colour.

"Greetings I am Ora," the slightly distorted voice didn't seem to faze the Starfleet officers.

"And you are the symbiont, how fascinating," said Crusher.

"That is correct doctor, Dawn is my host."

"So you have control of her body?" asked Picard in a careful, diplomatic tone.

Dawn/Ora shook her head, "We share although most of the time Dawn is driving, so to speak. I can take over but I find doing so in any but the most critical of situations to be quite repugnant."

Dawn briefly took back control and smiled broadly, "Ora is pretty cool, she's well we are a part of a sect called the Tok'ra. They are the live and let live symbionts. You know, a partnership with benefits and all that. The Goa'uld are the same species but they take over their hosts. It's a whole, you humans are cattle thing. They are the big bads and we are the white hats, the good guys. Kind of like Sith and Jedi…" Dawn trailed off as she realised no one was following her explanation.

"Well done Dawnster, that was an almost Willow-level of high-speed babble," said Xander as he sat up rubbing at his temples. "And way too many pop culture references."

"Xander!" screamed Dawn as she jumped off her bed and launched herself at Xander.

Crusher, fearful of her patients being hurt was somewhat surprised when Xander caught and held her without apparent strain while still sitting on his bed.

The Starfleet officers watched in some amusement as Dawn showered Xander with kisses.

oOoOo

"So Dawn, how are you and Ora?" asked Xander.

"We are both fine Xan. And secondly, how freaking cool is this?"

Xander nodded, "I know Star Trek, the Enterprise I mean…it's like every geeks dream."

"I know right," agreed Dawn.

"Do not forget that we have a more serious agenda," added Ora.

Dawn rolled her eyes and Xander grinned.

"Yes mom," added Dawn.

"She is right Dawn. So, how do we do this?" asked Xander. "Given their portrayal in the series they should take something like this pretty well. Maybe we should just upfront ask."

'Xander has a good point. Your memories portray them as honourable,' offered Ora.

"Okay, Ora thinks they are pretty trustworthy, as far as I remember anyway," said Dawn.

"Sounds like a plan," agreed Xander.

"Still…this is cool. I really want to hit the holodeck," said Dawn. "Oooh and the arboretum…and Parrises squares…"

'And she mocks me for being a geek,' Xander said to himself as he occasionally nodded, letting Dawn babble on.

oOoOo

Briefing Room B – Starship Enterprise

"So what are they like?" Riker asked as they sat waiting for Captain Picard and Doctor Crusher.

"They are a very interesting couple Will. Miss Summers or as she prefers Dawn is the host of a Symbiont called Ora. Beverly is still trying to lock down all the changes that relationship has made to Dawn's biology. Mister Harris, Xander, is a joker and self-confessed slacker who absolutely radiates protectiveness toward Dawn."

Worf frowned as he joined in the conversation, "For all his light-hearted joking," his frown morphed into a scowl. "He is on guard, looking for danger. If not for his youth I would assume he had served as a warrior."

LaForge sighed as he leaned back in his chair, "The odd bio-electric field the Doctor detected is very similar to the energy emissions of the Guardian of Forever. Not quite the same but very similar. If I hadn't seen the readings myself, I'd never have believed it could be produced biologically."

"Could it be the symbiont?" asked Riker.

LaForge shrugged, "Maybe, although it looks like the energy is being produced at a cellular level."

As LaForge spoke the door swished open and Picard and Crusher walked in.

Picard nodded to those in the room already as both he and Crusher took their seats. As she sat Crusher turned to LaForge, "That's not the strangest thing," added Crusher. "Miss Summers is slowly being changed, biologically speaking as well. Her reproductive system and her immune system have already been heavily modified."

"And she is aware of this?" asked Troi.

"Fully," replied Crusher. "Or so she claims. Her symbiont explained that the process, when complete, will allow Dawn to spawn new symbionts. Apparently the process is relatively rare among hosts and she will be of vital importance to the sect to which they belong."

"And Mister Harris, is he impacted?" asked Riker.

Crusher frowned, "There were some odd results when I looked at his DNA. Variances that fall just outside of normal ranges except in cases where there is an extra-terrestrial parent. Given that he comes from a pre-contact Earth I cannot explain what caused such a shift."

"I wonder how this fits in with Q's warning?" asked Picard.

Before anyone could answer Data escorted Guinan into the briefing room.

Picard stood, "Thank you for coming Guinan."

Guinan nodded and took a seat next to Crusher.

"Well, let's begin. Data what have you found?" asked Picard.

"Captain, while the scientists have begun an in-depth analysis of the Guardian, their findings are far from complete. There is one intriguing piece of data that may be enlightening. The energy emissions being created by Dawn Summers are in fact a very close match to those produced by the Guardian."

"Hold on Data," interjected Crusher. "They are similar but not an exact match."

"Actually, Doctor if you break down the emissions you will find this," Data activated a monitor. "If I filter out all the other waveforms you are left with this."

The images on the monitor were overlayed as Data continued speaking, "When you do this there is only a point zero zero one difference."

"What does that mean Geordi?" asked Riker.

"That is not yet been determined but theoretically, she should be able to replicate the effects of the Guardian," replied Data. "The hypothesis that they are dimensional travellers does appear to have some potential validity."

"She is a key," said Guinan whose sombre expression looked out of place on the usually cheerful hostess.

"A key to what Guinan?" asked Picard.

"Dimensions, alternate realities even time. Jean-Luc someone has done something incredibly foolish. They have made a key shard into a flesh and blood teenage girl."

oOoOo