Disclaimer: Treasure Island is not mine. Star Trek is not mine. Q is not mine.

Chapter Eight

"Athos," Morgan said in a quiet voice, "Can you see through their armor?"

"Perfectly."

"That's cheating," Avanwe objected. "You heard what would happen if we got caught."

"Cool it, Avanwe," Athos sighed. "He said the rule only applied to you and le Fay. She was faking it."

"Any weak spots?" Silver asked.

"Their armor is weak at the neck and beneath the arm." (A/N: LOTR joke)

"Go for the arms. If we cut off their heads, they're out. If we cut off their arms, they're not, but they can't do anything and Q won't use his powers."

"One problem, Morgan. Their arms are way up there," McCoy pointed out.

"I could shoot them, but that wouldn't cut their arms off," Avanwe said. "Lure them into the forest. Noka and I can climb the trees and jump on them from there."

"What about Q?" Malcolm asked.

"He's sure to keep one or two robots with him," Morgan said, looking around. She realized Q was waiting for them to make the first move. "Peter, Captain, Athos, Malcolm, go with Noka and Avanwe to the forest. Spock, Dr. McCoy, you're with me."

"But Morgan--" Peter started.

"No buts," she said firmly. Then, softly, she added, "They need you even more than I do." Peter nodded slowly. He and the others raced for the forest.

The robots moved faster than anyone but Morgan and Avanwe had guessed. The only two Elves climbed the trees and drew their swords. Seven robots were after them; only one had remained with Q.

The robot had his gun, which was huge, pointed at the group of three. Q had his swords ready.

"Can you handle Q?" McCoy asked Morgan.

"Can you handle the robot?"

"We can try."

"Okay; that'll do. Go!" The robot fired, but the trio scattered.

Morgan hadn't thought to bring two swords. She soon found out she'd underestimated her brother's skill with a sword. He was driving her straight towards the ocean -- and there was nothing she could do.

There wasn't anything Spock and McCoy could do, either. They were barely keeping the robot from going after Morgan.

Avanwe jumped first. The robot swung wildly, but it couldn't shake her. The robots were all firing at the rest of the group. The Elf started cutting through the wiring on the robot's arm. Noka jumped.

Robot arms were collapsing to the ground. One of the robots had managed to knock Athos unconscious, and another had given Peter a kick in the ribs that had flung him against a tree, but he was soon on his feet.

Suddenly, though, the disconnected arms began to explode. Avanwe and Noka were thrown to the ground from the force. Everyone else had been knocked unconscious. But only one robot wasn't without both arms -- and he only had one.

Morgan tried to duck back under her brother's blows, but he was too fast. They were in deep water; if she didn't do something soon, she knew she didn't have a chance. Q was more than a head taller than her.

One blade hit her on the shoulder. Then she couldn't move. She realized her brother was using his power to keep her from moving, but once she was dead, no one would know it.

She could feel herself starting to drown. She tried hard to wave her arms, to shout, anything, but she couldn't. She forced herself ot forget the water and focused on her teammates. If she could get even one of them the message, the game was theirs.

"Q . . . cheating . . . we . . . win if . . . call time out . . . ." Avanwe was the first to get the message. But before she could signal for a time-out, the one-armed robot took advantage of the momentary distraction and grabbed her.

"Avanwe!" Noka shouted, hearing her muffled scream. He took out an arrow, glad now that Spock had previously approximated their height. Six meters up, plus maybe a meter down. Hopefully Avanwe wasn't in the way. He fired. The robot squeezed. Avanwe blacked out.

"Morgan's in trouble," Spock said, as calm as ever.

"So are we. If Q finishes her off, we're dead."

"Handle the robot."

"What?"

"I'm going after Morgan." Before McCoy could ask how, the Vulcan rushed off towards the water.

He was quiet enough, or Q was distracted enough. His Vulcan neck pinch worked perfectly. He dragged both Morgan and Q to shallow water.

"One problem," McCoy called. "Q is the only one who can stop these robots. How do we call a time-out now?"

"I do not know, Doctor."

"How did I know you'd say that?"

The arrow hit the robot perfectly in the neck. It toppled just as Peter and Athos were regaining consciousness. Malcolm and Silver soon followed.

"One down," Noka said, trying to pry Avanwe loose.

"Good job, Noka," Avanwe said, struggling to remain conscious. "Let's get out of here." They all hurried off as quickly as they could, dodging robot feet and fallen robot arms.

Upon leaving the forest, they found Spock trying to hold off a robot and McCoy attempting CPR on Morgan, who did not appear to be responding well. Q was just beginning to revive himself.

"Time out!" Avanwe called, holding up her hands in a T. Q snapped his fingers. The wind stopped blowing. The robot kicked Spock aside, fired one final shot, and froze.

"Wait, Avanwe," McCoy called. Then, in a whisper, as the group huddled together, "We can't call cheating on Q. We'd have to reveal that Morgan used her powers to tell you he cheated. We have to revive Morgan or get him to cheat again.

"How is she, Doc?" Silver asked.

"Terrible, I'm sorry to say. It's a wonder she's still alive."

"What about Spock?"

"Once Q starts time again, he should be up in no time. He got hit a couple times before. We both did. The effects don't last long.

"Good," Avanwe said. "When time starts again, you, Malcolm, and Spock when he's conscious, take care of the robots without arms. Noka and I can take down the one with arms. Captain, Peter, Athos, I need you to take care of Q. Once we've got the robot down, Noka and I will join you."

"You got it," Silver nodded.

Avanwe glanced over at Q. His expression was unreadable.

"He's worried," Athos said.

"That we'll say he cheated?" Malcolm asked.

"No; he doesn't know Morgan told us. But look at his team. He can't use his powers or his robots. He has a worse problem than we do."

Noka shrugged. "That's what he gets for choosing robots."

"I was just about to say that," McCoy agreed.

"We're ready, Q," Avanwe called. Q snapped his fingers.

Muahahahaha. Everyone getting hurt. And I'm not done yet. :)