Chapter 35

"That's it. Go."

In that split second between heartbeats, Kirk saw life and he sensed death. Time and space ground to a halt and he was totally alone. Before him the tendril of energy had split apart the ship and he was looking onto the vastness of open space. Behind him the ship hung motionless in the fraction of time before springing into warp.

He senses had slowed and he was unable to move. His mind was clouded. Kirk concentrated on his breathing. More than anything else, he wanted to continue to breathe. The circulation of blood in his veins had come almost to a stand still.

This was death. It couldn't be anything else but death. He hadn't beaten it this time. Cheating death had been something he had been able to do throughout his life. This time though, death had caught up with him. He was losing the fight of his life. It might just be the time to give in. He didn't know if he could fight it any longer. He felt tired. Very tired. It was impossible to move his head or his arms.

At that moment between heartbeats when all seemed lost, two orbs of light shimmered into existence, and formed into two beings suspended in space.

"He's not going to die!"

"Of course he's going to die. It's light out cherie. His number's up. Kaput. He has slipped the surly bonds of earth or the Enterprise in this case.

"No, I won't let him die."

"Why not? He lived his life and annoyed more people than anyone human should be allowed to. I say good riddance. It's about time."

"No Q. Not yet. It's just too sudden. This is not fair."

"Mon cherie all's fair in love and war."

"This was never about love or war Q. This was about testing humans and their realities."

"Exactly my turtle dove. This is human reality."

Guinan fairly bristled with indignation as she shouted, "Nothing about the Nexus has anything to do with reality."

She took a deep breath, squared her shoulders and looked at Q sideways through half closed eyes. Her mind whirled in a thousand directions. "You lost your bet. You know what that means don't you?"

Q's lips drew into a thin line and he shrugged his shoulders. He put his hand over his heart and lamented, "Never to interact with humans again. Oh my whatever will I do? I'm genuinely at a loss. I find the human race so fun to torment."

"How would you like to have your bet erased?"

Q looked down at his friend. "Erased? I thought our wager was iron clad?"

"I might be willing to let this one go."

"Really, what's it going to cost me, mon petite fleur?"

"Save Kirk."

"Oh you've really got to be kidding. Ask me anything but that."

"Take it or leave it Q."

Q stared evenly at Guinan. "Save Kirk and I am no longer bound by our agreement?"

Guinan had a decidedly disgusted but resigned look on her face as she regarded the male alien. "That's right Q. You don't have to stay away from humans."

Q clasped his hands behind his back. Although he was suspended in space, Q walked a circle around Guinan as if they both stood on firm ground. He had a contemplative expression on his face. Finally he stood directly in front of Guinan and stooped to meet her eye to eye. "Is this what you want mon amie?"

"Yes."

Q snapped his fingers.