Kathryn, Chakotay, and Tuvok made their way to engineering. Tuvok's concern was obvious as he walked in step with Kathryn, Chakotay a half step behind her and to her right, bumping his hand against hers gently to let her know he would offer whatever strength or support she might need. She sighed silently, letting her fingers brush against his in knowing thanks.

The doors opened on engineering to what only could have been described as an early 21st century Earth rave.

Strobe lights flashed from consoles, scantily clad women undulated their bodies to the harsh music playing from unknown speakers, and members of dozens of species, all of whom were strangers, drank and laughed, creating a cacophony of sound. The warp core was flashing and strobing dangerously, glowing hot and white within the confines of the core itself. Kathryn had never seen it look like that, and knew it couldn't be good. B'Elanna approached the three of them as they entered, disdain and irritation pinching her face. "If he doesn't stop his little light show, the warp core's going to breach."

"Relax," Q approached the group, a drink in his own hand, "It's a party."

Kathryn was fed up, feeling her rage roiling her emotions up into a frothy mess, "This party is over." Her eyes swept around the room to the bodies moving about, landing on a scantily clad woman behind Chakotay, running her fingers through his hair as she eyed him hungrily. Chakotay looked uncomfortable, made more so by the fact that Kathryn was witnessing it. She eyed the woman angrily, slapping her hands away from Chakotay before turning back to Q. "Get your," she eyed the woman again until she slunk off to molest someone else, "guests off my ship."

Q smirked, "I like you, Aunt Kathy. You've got gumption," he nodded his head towards the alien woman now working her magic on another unsuspecting crewman, "but what you don't have is unlimited control of space, matter and time, which means I give the orders around here."

Q snapped his fingers and without warning Kathryn, Chakotay, Tuvok, and B'Elanna all appeared outside engineering.

Tuvok suggested assembling a team to storm engineering and take it by force. Kathryn was considering the idea when Chakotay spoke, "I think we all know that won't work. We forget that while Q looks like a human teenager, he's still only a child. A four-year-old child. Perhaps we need to treat him as such."

Kathryn turned, motioning for them all to walk and talk, "What are you suggesting?"

"I think the best course of action would be to just ignore him. He's trying to get a rise out of us...you specifically, Captain. If he doesn't get the reaction he seeks, chances are he will stop." Kathryn nodded, remembering back to her own childhood when Phoebe used to chase her through the cornfields. Whenever Kathryn would complain to her mother, she was only met with the exasperating answer of "If you don't run, she can't chase you." It used to infuriate Kathryn as a child, but she'd listened, and sure enough, Phoebe had grown bored in her taunting and gone on to some other endeavor.

"Perhaps," Tuvok finished, "He will grow bored with this 'vacation' and return to the Continuum."

"It's worth a try. Alert all crew they are to ignore Q and his antics at all costs." Tuvok nodded and moved off with B'Elanna to spread the word. Once they were alone in the corridor, Kathryn's shoulders visibly sagged. Chakotay moved to stand before her.

"Are you alright?" He rested a hand gently on her shoulder, the tamest of touches, but all that he dared while on duty and in public.

"I'm fine," it was spoken on a sigh, "I'm just not sure how much of this I can take. I hate to say it, but I wish Q was here." She shook her head at her own confusion, "The older one. The one we are familiar with. I wish I could talk to him; make sure I knew his son wasn't going to do any actual damage to the ship."

"Well, let's look back at previous Q interactions. While he does wreak plenty of havoc, he seems to leave everything as he found it, no worse for wear."

Kathryn nodded absently, letting their own interactions with Q play over in her mind, "For as much as he wanted me to mate with him, he never tried to take me by force." Chakotay nodded in agreement.

"Let's go back to our quarters. You could use a bath and a backrub. Let's just try to relax. We can try to work out a plan for when Q...either Q comes back."

=/\=

Kathryn lay soaking in her tub, eyes shut and soft classical music playing over the comm system in the bathroom. Chakotay was in his old living area, working on a stone etching nursery decoration for the imminent arrival of their daughter. He hadn't had much time to work on it since Quarra and the aftermath of that situation, but having some downtime now was wonderful, and he intended to make the most of it.

He'd given Kathryn a very thorough neck and back massage, having learned many of the Doctor's prenatal massage techniques, and he smiled to himself at the fact that she was relaxing in the bath now.

He'd been so proud of her; from the moment she'd found out she was pregnant, she'd been careful to not put undue stress on herself or the babies. She'd been Captain when needed and allowed herself to be Kathryn whenever possible, relaxing and listening to both the Doctor and Chakotay when they told her she should take it easy.

Kathryn hovered in that wonderful warm place between sleep and waking, the warm water of the tub caressing her skin and the scent of lavender relaxing her even further in the bathwater. She hummed contentedly as Chopin Nocturnes played quietly around her.

She hadn't felt this relaxed in weeks. It was heavenly.

"Sickbay to Captain Janeway."

Kathryn furrowed her brow, wishing now she'd taken Chakotay up on his offer to take her comm badge with him when he'd left her to soak in the tub. However, if it was the Doctor calling her, it was probably something serious that she would have to deal with anyways.

"Go ahead, Doctor."

"Please report to sickbay. We have a...situation."

Kathryn stood up slowly, wrapping a towel around herself as she reached down to drain the water, "Is everything alright?"

Chakotay had obviously heard the comm call as well because he now stood in the doorway of the bathroom, listening to the conversation, holding open Kathryn's bathrobe with a forlorn look on his face. She could tell that he too wished he had taken her comm badge with him.

"No one is hurt, but I'm afraid I need you here at once."

"I'm on my way. Janeway out." Kathryn sighed, shrugging her shoulders at Chakotay as she dropped her towel and slipped into her bathrobe. "So much for relaxing. How much do you want to bet Q has something to do with this?"

"I'm sure you're right. Do you want me to come along?" Kathryn smiled up at him, raising her face to his for a kiss that he eagerly bestowed.

"No sense in us both losing out on a relaxing evening. You go back to whatever you were doing, and I'll be back soon." He nodded.

"Alright. Comm me if you need me."

"I always need you." She kissed him quickly one more time before moving into the bedroom to redress and head to sickbay.

=/\=

Kathryn was furious. No, she was beyond furious. She was livid. She arrived in sickbay as quickly as possible, to find it empty, save for the Doctor and Neelix. The latter seemed in an absolute panic, and when Kathryn came around the corner, she could see exactly why.

Neelix's mouth was completely gone, skin covering the place where it should have been. His eyes were wide as he looked up at her. She felt her hands begin to tremble and she balled them into fists to keep them still.

Neelix had offered to 'mentor' the young Q, and it had obviously taken a turn in the two or so hours since Neelix had offered his services.

The Doctor came over to speak to Kathryn, "His jaw's been fused and his vocal cords removed." Kathryn brought her fist to her mouth, pressing it against her lips to keep herself quiet. Neelix was in a panic, breathing heavily through his nose, and she didn't want to add to his stress with her own outburst.

But she was livid.

"I might be able to undo some of the cosmetic damage, but only Q can restore his voice." Kathryn nodded silently, her mind reeling with ways to punish the young man.

The Doctor had no more finished speaking when the ship shuddered violently. Not taking her eyes off the Talaxian, she slapped her comm badge, "Janeway to the Bridge. Report."

"I've got a surprise for you, Captain. Come see." Q spoke over the comm system and Kathryn's anger ratcheted up a notch. She glanced at the Doctor before turning to leave sickbay.

Once in the corridor, she tapped her comm badge again, "Janeway to Chakotay."

"Go ahead, Captain." Just hearing his voice was a comfort that she needed as they headed into another unknown.

"Report to the Bridge. We have a Q problem."

"Already on my way. Be careful."

"Understood. Janeway out."

The ship lurched again, thrusting Kathryn into the wall beside her. She turned her body, her back and hip taking the brunt of the hit. Once in the turbo lift she braced against the wall, and just in time for another jolt to push her forward. She caught herself easily but knew her anxiety was affecting the babies. Both of them were moving frantically in her womb. Regaining her balance, she put one hand on her stomach, willing her own adrenaline to cease for the sake of the little ones.

The lift opened to the Bridge and her eyes lifted to the viewscreen.

"Q said I should pay attention to how humans act under pressure," The young Q spoke from her command chair, but her eyes never left the viewscreen. Even as phaser fire hit them again, tossing her sidelong into a bulkhead. "Is this enough pressure?"

Kathryn glanced down at the boy then back to the screen, fear causing her heart to lurch as three Borg cubes descended upon them.