Pronunciations: Pyra —— pI-rah (As in a funeral Pyre only adding an a, hence Pyra.)

Draconovich —— drah-kon-O-vich (Imagine a Russian intonation when you pronounce it.)

Drakonasu —— drA-kOn-a-soo (Kind of a Japanese—esque name.)

Second Chance

Chapter Three: Secrets Revealed

Q led Trip out of earshot. "Your mission, whether you chose to accept it or not, is to care for that child in there." The Commander simply stared at the omnipotent entity like he'd grown a new head (not that that was completely improbable). "And once you've lifted your jaw off the floor, I can explain why..."

For a moment, Trip was rendered completely speechless. When his voice did return, all he could manage was, "You're kiddin', right?" He not only gets his own daughter back... The one he thought he lost six years ago... But he ends up with one that's already a decade old?

Q rolled his eyes exasperatedly. "Honestly. You'd think I'm making you spend eternity eating Klingon food." Both shuddered slightly from the thought. "In return for your life, you're going to take care of one. It's a fair trade, isn't it?" When no response came, "Unless you'd rather things go back to the way they were. With you and your little bundle of joy dead and your beloved Vulcan out of her mind with grief..."

Trip recalled what he said earlier. 'If I had any way to go back, I would... I swear it.' "I guess this is my chance to change things, huh?" Q nodded. "But why? Why are we supposed to take care of her? What about her parents? Or you?" If this being could raise the dead, then surely raising a child should be no problem. "Unless you are her parent and just want to get rid of her..."

Q leaned against the wall, arms crossing his chest. "I have no relation to her. And, no power over her... Her species is out of my... jurisdiction, if you will." Trip remained silent, sitting on the second step of the stairs he first saw when he came in. "We, of the Q Continuum, are omnipotent, possessing unlimited control over space, matter, and time. However, it tends to get rather boring... Being immortal, very few things tend to surprise us. I've taken an interest in humans as a way to appease my boredom." Q straitened himself as he spoke. "Humans, I have noticed, are usually very entertaining." He lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "But about three millennium back, a new sentient species evolved, threatening humanity's own evolution." The alien joined Trip on the step. "Now I couldn't have my newest form of entertainment be upstaged by some fire—breathing lizard—men. So I took it upon myself to go to the leaders of this new race. I made a deal with them... That we of the Continuum will give them a new home—world, and will give up all control over them, if they give up Earth to you."

Trip stood, looking toward the (now quiet) receiving room. "You still haven't explained what all that has to do with us." His impatience was resurfacing, exhibited as he began pacing. "And what she has to do with any of this." He stopped pacing the entry hall and once more faced his captor. "D'you mind skipping a little ahead of your bedtime story to get to the point?"

"If you insist..." Q smirked at Trip's frustration. "This little girl's mother died the same day you did... Space—Time differentials aside. I have no power over her race, but yours I do." He rose to his feet as gracefully as a cat. Almost no attention was given to the engineer, as Q began looking at the family photos lining the walls. Two pairs of slitted pupils gazed out from behind two sets of wild red bangs. Pyra looked the spitting image of her mother, smiling like only a child could, in all the pictures. The pictures spanned the child's life, from newborn to less than a year ago. Q stopped at one of the more recent ones. Red hair tied back in a French braid, blowing out eleven candles on a birthday cake. There was her mother, sitting beside her, face too pale and eyes too hollow. "Her race is longer lived than even Vulcans. Her mother was originally from Earth..."

Trip walked beside him, looking into the green eyes of the birthday girl. They held too much sorrow for such a happy day. "That her mom?" He pointed to the woman next to her. "What happened to her?" Q Turned from the picture to the one below it. He took it off the wall and held it out to Trip, who took it curiously. It was of a fire, blazing high, surrounded by various people, dressed in mourning clothes from various eras. Standing closest to the flames was Pyra, wearing the same dress she had on today.

"Does that answer your question?" Q's face was all but unreadable, his tone giving nothing away. "She died, leaving her daughter alone. I couldn't save her, or even bring her back. Therefore, you'll be her replacement." Trip just stared at the tear streaked face of the girl he just met. Words, at the moment held no meaning. Q continued, not really caring if he was heard. "Her mother was one of the first to be sent here, but she could never truly forget her home—world. Pyra was hatched here, never knowing where she was from..." Q's voice held a tiny hint of the guilt he otherwise concealed. "If I hadn't forced them to leave, she may still be alive... This is my attempt to make up for things." He took the framed picture from Trip's hands and placed it back on the wall. "As to why you..." He paused, eyes never leaving the photos. "You know what it's like to lose someone close, while you're far away."

He quietly strode to the entrance of the receiving room. T'Pol was once more seated on the settee. Only this time she had company. Pyra was fast asleep, using the Commander's lap as a pillow. Baby Elizabeth was cooing softly, playing with strands of the sleeping child's hair. The silver ribbon that tied it back now lay discarded on the floor. Q turned to Trip, who now stood beside him. "It seems that your girlfriend has already taken the job without being asked."

-.--. . -. -.. --- ..-. -.-. ... .- .--. - . .-. .---- -.--.-

\\/

I know these chapters are too short... But I'm coming up with this as I go along. I don't have a whole story outline drawn up... Or anything else. All I've got is the species (I created it for personal use and it fit, so I just used that). The plot is kind of set, too... But the wording is being Hell for me. Bah! All help is truly appreciated. I'm trying to keep them all IC, but it's been so long since I've seen an episode of ST with Q in it, that I'm afraid I've gotten a bit rusty with him. Sorry.

Oh, and as for the eating Klingon food comment... That was all Q. I quite prefer Ghagh (I know I misspelled it...) to a lot of the stuff my family eats. 'Sides, my grandfather eats live worms all the time (mostly nightcrawlers, ya'know, fishin' bait?) so it's nothin' new for me. It's just that Q and Trip are a bit less than eager to try live food. I'm sure they'd like it if they did... (-Trip starts gagging after having some Ghagh snuck into his spaghetti-) Okay, maybe not... But Q... (-Q starts dry heaving-) FINE! BE THAT WAY! -Mumbles- Bloody wusses... (-Sees Q Glaring-)

Eepp! I'm gonna go work with Jack for awhile... He at least doesn't complain when I use him (as long as he's got his Ana). (-Recalls recent story posted where Anamaria dies-) Or I can go to another fandom... Hmm... I haven't done any Harry Potter stuff lately. (-Remembers that they're in the Q Continuum to MST stuff-) Umm... SU2? (-Jonathan whispers in ear, "One of the main detectives were killed off, remember?"-) Right... LotR? (-Aragorn: Legolas is indisposed at the moment. Your cousin is torturing him again-) Bah! ... Dead Like Me? (-Recollects with annoyance, that Gary, for Gary Stu, is in Florida at the moment on summer vacation-) Grr... Young Blades... (-Sirac calls from in my closet "Let me out! Please... I've got experiments to finish..."-) Rats... Hmm... X—Files? (-Scully: Don't even think about it... You torture us enough as it is without writing a whole story about us.-) What else is there? ... Hellsing! (-...-) Yay! That's what I'll do...

Muse: Not a chance!

Me: Why not? Give me one good reason.

Alucard: I can give you two...

Me: Swoon... (Ahem) I mean, what are they?

Alucard: (-Exposes fangs-)

Me: (-Falls into the sexy vampyre's arms-) Well then how about off the record?...

Alucard: Sorry... Perhaps a rain check? My master's calling.

Me: (-Grumbles-) Bloody Integra... (-Whines-) I wanna be Sir Integra Fairbrooks Wingates Hellsing!...!

Muse: Just shut UP already!

Scully: I'm just glad that Mulder and I aren't in this...

Mulder: Wow! A real live Muse!

Scully: Mulder, can it. (-Pulls out gun-)

Mulder: Eepp!

As always, Read, Review, and Enjoy...

Scully: I don't think those letters should be capitalized...

aS ALWAYS, rEAD, rEVIEW, AND eNJOY...

Scully: That's not what I meant.

Me: Then butt out...

Scully: I can't... You're the one writing me.

Me: Fine! Then I'll make you butt out.

Mulder: Hey! Only I can see her when her butt's out.

Skinner: Mulder's not really that stupid you know.

Me: Yeah, but it's funny... Hey! What are you doing here? I don't like you! Be gone!

Skinner: (-Disappears-)

Me: Much better.

Scully: Can you do that with us, too?

Me: No... 'Cause I like you. And more importantly, I like to torture you. You know the saying "You always hurt the ones you love"...

Frohike: Then you must love them more than life...

Me: Shut up!