Sorry to have so completely disappeared for a while (but I did warn you chapters would be less frequent come September). Well it turns out I've had this one for a while all saved up in case a week went by and I didn't have any update time so I could just throw it out there but I haven't even had the time to click it on. So here it is and thanks for being patient with me.

"I can't believe it's been so short." Miral complained to her parents one night at dinner.

"It's not been short." commented her father, with a slight gleam of mischief in his eyes, "I can only stand a few hours with both of you let alone a few days of shore leave."

B'Elanna laughed, "You'll have to spend a few more days with us all the same, flyboy."

"Oh?" said Miral, "I thought we were being briefed tomorrow."

"Indeed, your father is coming with us."

"Really?!" Miral jumped up and hugged her father's head. "This is wonderful."

"I can't believe it's been an hour."

"Mum's got a lot to learn, I guess."

"I don't think she'd let them teach her anything for an hour."

"I don't suppose you remember how to fly anything as old as this, eh Dad?" They were on the Bridge of the Euphedes, comparatively old to what Tom was test flying in New Zealand. Miral was seated over the pilot's console and Tom eyed the control panel with envy.

"Are you sure I can't take it out for a test drive? I'll be back before your mother's done."

"You're a passenger, you can't access any of the control panels."

"So are you."

"Oh. Right."

The doors behind them opened and a fairly flustered looking Captain Torres walked through the door. The Lieutenant to the right called 'Captain on the deck' and they all stood. She sat them back down with a nod of her head.

"Take us out." she instructed, taking her chair. Tom took the bench-like seat to her side and they began the launching process from the docking satellite.

Miral and Tom were sitting in the corner of the Captain's ready room, laughing about some unfortunate soul they managed to make fun of for no reason. A rather harassed looking B'Elanna walked through the doors carrying an armful of PADDs. The scowl disappeared from her face for a split second upon the sight of her two favourite people but returned when a PADD slid off the top of the pile onto the floor.

She let out a low grumble before explaining her stresses. "Do you know where they're sending us? Back to the Beta Quadrant because the Granada Empire needs an ambassador before they'll join Starfleet. And a shipment of triterium is needed at a Balactoid sector which is right beside so they figured, 'let's kill two birds with one stone' and now we're out here." She grumbled again.

"What? Aunt Kathy said we would be doing something serious." replied Miral.

"Yes, well. Apparently this isn't it." she said sarcastically.

"Well," said Tom good-naturedly, "I have people to meet, so I'll leave you two lovely ladies to discuss what adventures you're going to show me on the way." He stood up, brushed Miral's head and left through the doors.

"I have – places – to be too." said Miral, following her father out the door.

"Where are you going?" asked B'Elanna, flustered by the amount of work that she alone owuld have to do.

"Holodeck."

"I thought you didn't like the holodeck."

Miral shrugged as the doors shut behind her. Beneath her nonchalant exterior, she was bubbling with nervousness: she had her first date with Q in less that a minute.

Sorry the chapter's so short, and Q wasn't in it again. I'm terrible, I know. But I hope to update really soon, and then the fun begins.