I don't know how long it's been, but here's the next chapter. (I hope no one's just given up). The good news is I'm nearly through the next chapter too. And wouldn't you know it, I finally get a chapter and I can't upload it.

It was bitterly cold, made worse by the fact that every muscle stung and the face was so swollen she could do little more than squint. She peered out across the open room. Despite it's sheer size, more than four times the football fields her dad had shown her on Earth, people were crowded into corners. She had been lying on the floor, when she had woken up, across the room from most of the groups, and sat up bleary-eyed and sore. Miral didn't recognize any of her crew around her, the group to the far left was Klingon, there was another group of Vulcans and one of humans but many she couldn't recognize.

There was an odd creaking sound behind her, the sound a sheet of plastic will make when it is disturbed. She turned to see someone fly out of a chute directly behind her. She couldn't have been happier to see Crewman Anglais, a little beaten up but more terrified than anything. She hugged him as tightly as she could, if for nothing else than to see that he was real.

The chute rattled again and most of the crew piled out in a giant heap. Most were bruised or even bloody, some were unconscious like she had been, but they managed to sort themselves out. Most everyone was wounded but the badly wounded were set up in a makeshift sickbay on the floor next to the chute. All the others were congregated, talking to two or three friends, trying to decide what to do.

The best suggestion was an escape attempt, back through the chute. As the tactical team prepared to embark, the group of Vulcans approached.

"It is illogical that you attempt what it is that it seems you will attempt." announced their leader. "In previous circumstances, one hundred percent of attempts have failed, there is nothing to suggest that this will be any more successful." He spoke strangely and Miral suddenly realized that only the few Vulcan crew members understood; he was speaking Vulcan. Why weren't the universal translators working? And why was it so darned cold in whatever place this was?

She looked over at her mother. She began to explain in English, "He said 'we wouldn't get out through the chute."

"Oh." she was hugely baffled but determined to keep her role as Captain, "We'll try anyhow. There's no harm in it, right boys?" She turned to look at the tactical team, now ready for their mission. They stared back in bewilderment.

Miral was despaired, they were all different species; no one would understand anyone else. Linguistic training was not a requirement at the Academy, not since the invention of the universal translator. "How did you talk to each other to organize all this if you can't understand each other?"

"Well," began a human in thick Russian-influenced English, "I could not hear, so I asket soom-one and zey told me vat she said zey told me in Russian."

"So you're saying everyone translated for everyone else. Yes?"

"Yah."

"So, you'll be all right? You know she told you to go?"

"Yah." he nodded and turned around to his team and the first one ducked into the opening.

"I need to lie down." said B'Elanna as she gave a little laugh, which was all one could do in this situation, but she stopped once she realized no one around her understood.

The Vulcans had retreated back to their corner. The other groups were eyeing them suspiciously but they had had no further contact. It had not been long since the team had headed up, bracing themselves along the tube. Then the rattling of the chute started again and everyone turned to look. They could see it moving closer until a jumble of men fell out.

Miral gasped and ran to them – in particular, the one sitting rather confusedly on top.

"Q?!" she said, reaching a hand to help him up. "What's going on?"

He stumbled to his feet. The escape crew who he had pushed down was slowly untangling themselves. He stared at her blankly. It was then she realized that the walls were more energetic than even him.

"What is this place?" Miral asked.

Q was exhausted and he relied on her grip to hold him up. "The domain." he breathed. Then his knees gave way and he was forced to half-fall half-sit on the floor.

Now was not the time for questioning, but Miral was too deep in the mystery to care for Q. "The what?" He rolled his head as muscle control failed. "Q! Come on, now is not the time."

She had to step back as he slowly rolled over and spread his arms out in front of him. Others, she didn't register who, took her place beside him and looked after him. For the first time, she saw the unearthly wounds along his wrists and on his head.

Three Day Weekend!! Which means I should be able to get some writing done. So expect a bunch more soon, and if I don't you have my full permission to beat me (well not really, but feel free to verbally pummel me).