Thank you for all the wonderful reviews... As I've said before, this is my first Star Trek fanfic. I'm usually better with description, but I was in a rush to put it up. I'll try better this time. (Thank you, Virgo, for pointing it out.) I kind of wrote this without really planning it out first, so sorry for any... indiscrepancies or such. Just point 'em out and I'll fix 'em, savvy? (Sorry... Wrong fandom.) I don't know what needs fixin' 'less ye tell me. So read, review, and enjoy.
P.S. This is my first female OC, so I hope it's not too Mary-Sue-ish. It's just a necessity for the plot I came up with. And a girl fit better than a boy... If it does get to be too much of a Mary-Sue, tell me and I'll try to fix her. Suggestions are, of course, welcome.
Second Chance
Chapter Two: New Beginnings
The silence following his offer was almost deafening. "And what do you want from this?" T'Pol inquired. He had to have a stake in the bargain. "'Nothing is free.' As humans like to say."
"I simply wanted to help. My stake is in Humanity as a whole." He snapped his fingers and Charles Tucker III appeared before her, baby Elizabeth in his arms. "There is one thing. Call it the string, if you will..." Again, he snapped his fingers. They were no longer in T'Pol's quarters. Instead, they were standing in a field, wildflowers scattered throughout the knee-high grass. The smell of a wooden stove drifted on the gentle breeze. The sun hung in the sky like a great golden orb.
"Where are we?" Trip's voice clearly bore the awe he felt. The baby he lost so long ago, was held protectively to his chest.
"This" Q gestured to the area around them, "is your new home. Well, not here, exactly." He headed south, towards a village. When it became apparent that neither Commander was following, he turned back to them. "Well? Are you going to stand there all day? The daylight's fading." Sure enough, the glowing globe sat on the horizon, the yellows fading into a rainbow of other colours.
T'Pol started towards their strange guide, followed closely by Trip. Neither of them was quite able to grasp the whole situation, yet. All that really mattered was that Elizabeth was alive, and in their care. And that Trip was alive and well, of course...
Q stopped at the door to a brick house. The buildings surrounding it each had a unique physique to them. On one side, there was a castle—like building, complete with a drawbridge and moat. The other side had a tiny straw hut. Various other buildings lined the cobblestone street. It looked like someone just took random architectural designs from random eras in Terran history and lined them up to form a villa. If you could even call it that.
"Welcome home." He led them inside, shutting the door behind them. The inside was as strange as everything else. Each room seemed to be from a different era. "We're here!" He called up the stairs. A young girl, about ten, came running down the stairs. She hugged all three of them, before turning her focus to Elizabeth.
"She's so adorable... What's her name?" Her Shoulder length, red hair was tied back with a silver ribbon. The dress she was wearing was white, with silver dragons embroidered along the collar and sleave cuffs. Her eyes were the only thing that would identify her as a nonhuman. The irises were a pale green, almost hazel. Alone, they would be pretty ordinary. But her pupils were slits, like a cat or a reptile.
It took Trip a moment to respond, he was so enthralled by her unusual eyes. It took an elbow in the abdomen from T'Pol for him to answer. "Oh... Her name's Elizabeth. And I'm Trip... What's you're name?" His voice was soft and smooth, as if it were coated with honey.
The girl smiled brightly. "I am known as Pyra Caitiri Draconovich. This is my house. You'll be staying with me. Don't worry; I don't cause too much trouble. And the neighbours are really nice... And——" Q gave her a warning look and she trailed off.
"Come now. You don't want to overwhelm them right off the bat, do you." She shook her head. "Good, so why don't you go upstairs and get their rooms ready and I'll get them acclimatized to their surroundings. Alright?" Pyra nodded and ran back up the stairs.
Once the girl was out of sight, Q once more turned to the pair. "You'll have to excuse her. She's been through a lot recently." He started towards what seemed to be a front—room of sorts. "Why don't you come along and I'll show you around a bit..." He then proceeded to lead them on a tour of their new abode.
Trip tried persistently to inquire about Pyra or why they were there. Every time, Q would ignore him and draw the conversation back to the tour. When they'd seen all there was to see, they were still as uninformed as before.
Trip stopped in the 'receiving room' (as Q had called it). Q turned to face the, now quite frustrated, engineer. "Is something the matter?" He frowned in concentration. "Do you disapprove of the surroundings? I could have Pyra change them to better fit your liking..." The omnipotent being walked to the foot of the stairs. "Py ra..." He singsonged each syllable. "Could you come down here?" As the click—clack of her little white dress shoes drew closer to the stairs, Q returned to the receiving room. T'Pol had situated herself (in her usual stiff—backed way) on the twelfth century settee. Trip remained where he was, just inside the arched entryway.
With Elizabeth snoring softly in his arms and an agitated drawl on his lips, Trip cut off whatever commentary Q was about to make. "I don't really care one way or another about what colour the couch is, or whether the drapes match the chairs." He paused a moment, actually noticing the little nuances of the room for the first time. The whole room had a white and brown theme. The drapes, easy chairs, and couch, all were mother—of—pearl white. The rest of the room —— the coffee table, the walls, the floors, and the ceiling —— were all made of a well polished mahogany. The contrast was, actually, quite astounding. "I'm more concerned as to who that little girl is... Where are her parents? Who are you..." As Q opened his mouth to speak, Trip cut him off again. "I want more than just your name... or letter or whatever. An' most importantly: Why are we here?" Trip practically hissed that last question.
Pyra entered the receiving room timidly. She skirted the far wall, keeping as much distance between Commander Tucker and herself. "I'm sorry..." Her voice wavered, frightened tears brimming her eyes. "It's all my fault. I told him I could go live somewhere else... The Drakonasu's next door are nice..." She trailed off as tears trailed down her cheeks.
Q knelt beside her, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. "There, there... I doubt that Trip meant to be mean..." He looked over to the man in question, with an almost pleading expression. "Isn't that right?"
Trip was speechless. Confusion filled his features. T'Pol stood, closing the three yards between her and the girl. "I assure you, neither Commander Tucker or myself intended in any way to insult you." The awkwardness in her tone made the teary green eyes look up at her. "He was just inquiring as to our purpose here." Pyra's crying subsided, replaced by sniffling and hiccups.
She wiped her nose on her sleave, eliciting a look of barely controlled disgust from T'Pol. "I... I'm sorry... I... just... I..." A new wave of tears flooded from her eyes. "I've..." -Sniff...- Q wrapped his arm around her in a consoling embrace.
"It's alright... They aren't mad at you... They just don't understand." He released her and rose. He redirected his attention to Trip. "I guess I'll answer your question now..." He made his tone so exasperated and bored, when just a moment ago, it was soothing. "Why don't you give your little bra—— child" Q corrected, in response to the glare he received from both Trip and T'Pol "to her mother and follow me?"
Commander Tucker complied, and followed the odd entity to a more private place to talk...
-.--. . -. -.. --- ..-. -.-. ... .- .--. - . .-. .---- -.--.-
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I thought that that was as good a place as any to stop. That way, You've got to wait 'til the next instalment to find out the main plot/string that Q has in mind. Like I said before, if it sounds too Mary—Sue—ish let me know... I'm not very used to having a female OC as a major character. But, I came up with this in an RPG with my cousin. She's not a Trekkie, but even she thinks Q's the coolest. So he's in our games every so often, along with the Valar, Mulder, Scully, SU2 character, Harry Potter and friends (Hmmm... a new Saturday morning cartoon series?), and other such random characters, often in the same game... Hell, we've had Jack Sparrow and Legolas brothers on their mother's side (who's Elebrith, if you were wondering.) Random crossovers can be fun... Don't worry, there'll be no crossovers with other fandoms in this fic. (Maybe an original species, but that'll all be explained by Q as we go along.)
-cue X—Files theme song-
Scully: Mulder, don't you think your conspiracy theories are getting ridiculous?
Mulder: -Who is wearing a Halloween mask of a Vulcan (ears and all)- No, Scully. I'm not really paranoid if they really are out to get me. You are just being illogical.
Scully: Illogical? And where's the logic in wearing a Halloween mask?
Mulder: It's Halloween, Scully. Therefore, it is perfectly logical to wear a Halloween mask.
Scully: It's late spring... Halloween isn't for another five months.
Mulder: If it's five o'clock somewhere, than logically, it must also be Halloween somewhere...
Scully: Now you're just grasping at straws.
Mulder: -Hides handful of straws behind his back.- No I'm not...
Scully: -Rolls eyes- I give up...
Mulder: So I win? -sounding completely sane for the first time since leaving the X—Files- I knew it was only a matter of time. -Malicious laughter-
Scully: Grow up.
Mulder: When I'm with you, I don't need to grow any more...
Scully: I need a drink...
Jack Sparrow: Rum? -Offers bottle to Scully, who takes it willingly-
Scully: Thanks.
Jack: No Problem, luv.
Mulder: -Fuming-
Scully: -faking drunkenness- Wha's wrong, Mulder? Jealous?
Mulder: You're intoxicated, aren't you?
Scully: Yeah, baby, I'm high on Jack... I mean, you... -Grins evilly-
Mulder: -Furiously- Give me that! -Grabs bottle from Jack, then smashes it over said pirate's head-
Jack: 'M no' sure I deserved tha' passes out on the floor-
Anamaria (to Mulder): -slap-
Mulder: -Angrily hits Anamaria back-
-Catfight ensues-
Scully: -Yelling to be heard over the noise of the battle- I meant Jack Daniels!
Jack: -from his unconscious stupor on the floor- I's Cap'n Morgan. No' Jack Daniels...
Scully: -Looks at bottle- oh, so it is... -turns attention back to pair- You can stop any time now...
-Catfight continues for over an hour-
Scully: I really give up...
As always: If I don't know it's broken, I don't know to fix it... Any an' all feedbag... I mean feedback... is welcome (damn horse obsessed cousin...).
I can't believe I got ten reviews in under a week! Thanks, and keep it up...
I'm now off to work on part three...
-All characters above groan in fear and painful anticipation.-
TA!