Chapter 2

I decided the best way to help SGC out would be to bring my human 'sparring partner' or pet, Jean-Luc, into the mix; plus they would learn some valuable lessons. Now when it came to 'stuffy', he was it, but despite my nature he would stand his ground no matter what. Something, I would have said admire and that is a bit strong. Mmmm.. yes accept in a pet. The good thing is that I didn't need to feed or take them for walks.

Where was I? Oh yes stuffy. The Alterans, also known as the Ancients, remember I said they were boring? They were also slightly more advanced than the Ori, although they neither knew it. The Ori used religion to hide the 'trappings' of power, instead of science and understanding to advance. Bonus points for the Alterans.

If I had to compile a list of races who had squandered 'potential', any guesses who it would be? Have I ever told you about the Gallifreyans? They had a complex civilisation and controlled the use of time travel in almost every galaxy in their universe, anyone they did not deem worthy had it removed from them, whether they liked it or not. They had the chance to evolve at several points in their reasonably long history like the Alterans. They always found an excuse and now they're dead. You what they say, 'nobody likes a quitter'.

What's more at the height of their technology they created semi-sentient time machines, almost with the equivalent power of an Ori, that possessed vast amounts of 4th dimensional energy. As it was, the machines were born with limited intelligence, and unable to evolve, so the Timelords were able to dominate and control them. A great shame really. All in all a bit of a joke, they create a machine that exceeded them. Isn't it usually the way?

I went to visit Jean-Luc on the Enterprise, or what remained of it as they were currently 'limping' back to a Starbase for yet more repairs after killing his clone-Praetor Shinzon. It's a good job it wasn't the 20th Century, he'd never get insured with the amount of accidents he has. You could just imagine the conversation-

"Excuse me someone has just blown a hole in my car, can I have a courtesy vehicle that my enemies can blow up some more?"

"Well well Jean-Luc" I said appearing in my usual flash of light.

"Q" Picard began "What do you want?" He did not look happy.

"Aren't we a bit light on certain crew" I asked. Perhaps I should have sounded more sympathetic.

"You know damn well we have just lost Data, Q!" he continued in his annoying tones. It has been my experience that mortals have this grieving process for loved ones hoping they've gone somewhere better. I decided to remind Jean-Luc of an earlier encounter with me.

"I know, it's gets you right here" I said tapping the left side of chest above my heart with my right hand. All of a sudden Jean-Luc's face went from angry to bemused, to doubtful and then back to angry again. Do not let anyone tell you Jean-Luc cannot express himself.

"This is not a game dammit. Only you could be so heartless!" The other bridge crew did not appear happy to see me either, some looks were less than friendly.

"Perhaps you would like me to bring him back?" I inquired. I could too.

"No!" he almost screamed at me, and then he went calm again "it's not what he would have wanted"

"I agree. To be indebted to you" said Riker adding emphasis on the two last words making it sound like laundry that needed washing.

"From nothing you come, and to nothingness you go"

"I cannot believe it Q"

"Neither do I" replied Riker.

"It's sort of 'cosmic joke' really. Individuals are killing themselves and each for their religion and the afterlife" I said and created a flame above my hand. I blew on it extinguishing the flame "and then nothingness. But if you would rather he died in vain Jean-Luc?" For those of you with keen intellect, and for mortals that's a rarity; you will have noticed I was 'testing' him again. Like I said "the trial never ends".

"What do you want Q?" asked Riker. It was then I noticed his beard was gone. Okay if I was omnipotent and omniscient shouldn't I have known? Would you notice a bit of fur missing off your dog without paying attention. Do you care as long as it's in full health. Okay I admit I have a few mortal pets, some are more favoured than others though.

"If I do you a favour, you can do one for me"

"We already told you no to bringing Data back" said Riker.

"What favour is it you want Q?"

"Well I want you to travel to a bit further a field, say another universe and help out on a bit of extermination"

"We will not kill for you or jump through your hoops. Neither have we the ability to travel that far"

"I did ask mon capitan. I could have just sent you"

"Yes you could have done Q and we appreciate you not doing so. But why there?" Picard asked in that soft and reasonable tone of his.

"Maybe there is something I want you to see, and just perhaps broaden your dreary horizons"

"Stop the games Q. What could you possibly want us to see there?" Will asked quite frostily. There was no need for it really. Maybe I should turn him into a vase of flowers, a type Deanna would like.

Speaking of games, we tested a species that used to exist in nearby galaxy. Needless to say both me and my fellow Q had opposing views. So we engaged on a wager. If he won, the species were destroyed like we would have done to humanity; and replaced with another. If I won they were allowed to live. Simple or so you would think. They failed the test and I lost the bet.

I decided on a 'double or nothing'. I gathered the consciousness of every being that had ever lived on that planet and 'resurrected' them all at the same time by placing them on an alternate planet. I also decided to change their forms from humanoid to insectoid, and to avoid overcrowding placed dozens of minds into one body. My idea is that the spies would live, my fellow had the opposite opinion. They all died by either going mad, or killing their neighbors due to emotional and mental instability. At least they had another chance at life. That and they were all bloody schizophrenic to start with before the test!

"Besides, it's not what is useful now Jean-Luc. Maybe with a few centuries of modification you might find the technology useful"

"We need to know more than that Q"

"Must I be blunt with you? What ever happened to a little mystery and intrigue?" I asked. Maybe I should have posed as 'junior' and tried 'aunt Kathy'.

"This isn't a Dixon Hill novel Q"

"Oh all right" I said in exasperation, "Something you get here will tip the balance in your favour during the 'temporal cold war' during the 31st Century"

"The 31st Century" Will said. "What could we possibly find there that could change a time war?"

"I don't know 'Number One', but I find it hard to believe even the Federation would fall far enough to enter a 'temporal cold war', to violate so many directives. We must proceed very carefully 'number one' and try not to contaminate the timeline ourselves"

Daniel was sitting in the canteen, and realised that he was halfway to putting a spoon of sticky toffee dessert into his mouth. He stopped and put the spoon down. He remembered being dead, the Ori.

"Something wrong Daniel" asked Samantha observing her friend and fellow team mate looking very distracted.

"I don't know"

"You do seem to be not entirely here". Don't you just a expect Jaffa to utter really helpful comments. Is it any wonder they spent millennia as slaves with such creative insights?

"I'm not sure I was, am or that this is even real. What is the date?" Daniel asked stammering a little.

"What do you mean, of course this is real" answered Teal'c.

"The date?"

"It's 5th October 2005, why do ask Daniel Jackson" Teal'c replied.

"Three months I've been sent back. A second ago I was dead." Okay I admit here my timing had been a little off, but I wasn't really concentrating when I sent Danny boy back.

"Who sent you back?"

"What do you mean you were dead" inquired Teal'c.

"I think we need to speak to the General" said Daniel decisively.

Twenty minutes later they were in a briefing room, and Daniel was explaining all about what happened.

"You mean he brought you back, this what did you call him" asked General Langdry.

"That would be Q, as in me" I said, although all they heard was a disembodied voice, and I suddenly appeared in a flash of light to the sounds of 'Charge of the Light Brigade' still wearing my Federation Admiral attire. The soldiers were pointing projectile weapons as me, how cute. Isn't drama and tension wonderful sometimes?

"I was, we were all dead?"

"Why did you send him back?" asked the General.

"Yes you were, although Sam died a few moments later"

"You didn't answer my question" Langdry commented gruffly.

"That's the beauty about being me, I don't have to pander the requests of mortals"

"I could place you in the brig"

"General, I suspect he's more powerful than the Ancients"

"Are you?"

"The Ancients as you call them, are as far below me on the evolutionary scale as you are above an amoeba"

"That's impossible. The Ancients have transcended time and space we know it" Sam stated.

Just to make it easier for you to understand where me and Alterans are in relation to one another. They have become 4th dimensional beings, i.e. able to control and know the location of all matter within their home universe. A 5th dimensional being is able to do that in the surrounding quanta, or nearby parallel universes with the same basis; in this case any parallel SGC units. I'll keep you guessing about the other dimensions for a bit. Needless to say I'm top of the food chain at eleven dimensions, if that gives a picture of the amount of knowledge, information & power I hold and control. That's why I couldn't give a hoot about Riker's beard taking some time off.

"Yes and still you scurry around completely unaware of what is out there. Oblivious to the real exploration" Surprisingly enough, it took the Federations 'temporal cold war' before they started to actually realise what exploration was really about, the reaches of the mind.

"And I suppose you know?" asked Langdry again. I'd be surprised if he had many friends being 'gruff' all the time.

"Let's just say I'm going to be sending some help your way. And your species might just get to survive your trial"

I know it sounds mean of me to do this again to another 'branch' of humanity. But they need to understand there are consequences. The Alterans are floundering a little when it comes to making the 5th dimensional jump. If left unaided it will take them another aeon or more. They've been ascended for several million years as it is, far too long. Within a few millennia they will follow the Alterans and ascend. Either this 'branch' of humanity help them evolve further. If not the Alterans cease to exist, and I start again. I do this kind of thing a lot, I'm a professional- if you believe that you're more gullible than I thought.

"What trial" asked Daniel

"The one I just placed you on"

"What for?"

"Same as any other species really, being inferior"

"What happens if we fail" asked Langdry

"You and the Alterans will cease to exist and will be replaced by a more worthy species. There are plenty out there". Daniel raised his hand to shoulder height and pointed his finger as a prelude to a question.

"Who made you judge and jury"

"I did"

"By what right?" the General asked. I created a fly swatter and aimed at a nonexistent buzzing fly, and suddenly hit the desk making everyone jump. I then inspected the bottom of the swatter to reveal a recently created dead fly. If that symbolism was lost on them well, I guess there's no hope.