What did I tell you, look at this, two at one time. Enjoy. And thanks to those of you who haven't given up on me yet.

Q was conscious again when Miral returned. He sat on a make-shift stool made of a large pipe that had fallen. Someone had found him a blanket and something to eat, although no one knew what it was. His wounds were still open, but he seemed to be all right.

Miral had been to see the complex, a large and bare room filled with thousands of different species. She had fallen into conversation with some of the other groups. She learned that food was dropped from different openings in wall, although not on a constant basis. She also learned everyone had a similar experience in being captured, being pulled into an uncharted region and very soon were boarded and taken here. They also told her that of all the species that came to this place, none had ever left.

The captain was questioning Q in a small group of senior officers. It seemed he had just recently woken up and so Miral was there when the questioning began.

"Q, do you know what this place is?"

Q didn't answer, just closed his eyes in despair. After a moment he answered, very slowly, in English, "We entered the sacred realm. They've put us in the Gobi prison."

"Who do we talk to about getting out of here."

"We're in here, we're not getting out."

"There must be a director or something of the prison, we'll just explain it was an accident."

"Where do you think I've been, Captain?"

She didn't answer.

"I've been trying to negotiate with them. Captain, these are not normal diplomatic people in any way."

"There must be some way –" the Captian started before Q cut her off with increasing impatience.

"Captain, I'm as frightened as you, perhaps more considering the state I'm in, but what I say is true: escape is not possible."

"That's what everyone I've talked to has said." supplied Miral. "It sounds like there will be some kind of game tomorrow for which we will need to rest. I suggest that's what we all do."

"Miral." B'Elanna seemed surprised to see her but excited nonetheless. "I presume your mission was successful?"

"We have allies – it seems everyone is allied here against our captors. But there is no purpose. It seems we will not see the Gobi and every conceivable method of escape has been tried. I truly do believe we should rest."

"I refuse to believe –"

"Mom!"

B'Elanna fell silent and hung her head. "All right, we'll go over our options in the morning."

As she disappeared through the masses, Miral went to sit beside Q. "Are you okay?"

"You tell me."

"What?"

"I don't know how bad these wounds are. How do they look?"

"I don't know, you know I can't see stuff like that."

"No, no, the aura, is it fading?"

Miral took a moment to contemplate. "Yes."

"This is bad." Q hung his head in his hands before looking out across the room in no particular direction. "I may not have long. Do you understand?"

"What? What did they do to you." For the first time since waking alone in the room did Miral fully understand the seriousness of their situation. Sure, they had been in tight spots before, but if the Gobi could do that to a Q, what would they do to them.

"I can't explain, it wouldn't make any sense."

"I'll take your word, shall I?"

The two exchanged small smiles.

"Is there anything I can do to help you?"

"Unless you know how to psianami."

"I can only do what I can spell."

"We should get some sleep. I've heard about this game, and it's not a fun one."

When Miral woke the next morning, Q was sitting on the pipe and her father knelt before him.

Her father talked in a low voice. "Isn't there anything you can do."

"I've told you, there's nothing any of us can do."

"Come on Q, I'm appealing to you to help us all, to help Miral. I know you don't want her to live and die like this."

"No, I don't – "

"So, you see we're not that different."

"No one can get us out of here, short of a miracle. And I don't believe in miracles, so you see."

"Can't you just snap your fingers, and get us out of here?"

"Tom, this is my own domain. I can affect your domain but not my own."

"So, that's it, your father can't get us out?"

"Look, the Gobi are a very strong people. We can't manipulate anything of theirs and certainly not this complex, it's too well constructed."

Tom sighed and his face dropped, showing all the years on it. "Thanks, Q."

"I'm sorry, Tom."

Well, there it is. Now, not a lot happens, I know, but it was kind of interesting, yes? The next one is spinning around my head, so I'll go to and work on it.