Chapter 8: One Shot

Daniel watched Riker, Worf, and Teal'c file in and felt his heart fall into his stomach when Jack and Sam didn't appear. He looked at Teal'c not sure what to say, barely able to get the thought of Don't panic to stick in his head. Teal'c noticed his concern and told him, "Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter are on their way."

Daniel nodded and shrugged, making a show that he wasn't worried and watched the captain and Commander Riker converse. A moment later, they had entered warp… It felt different than when a Goa'uld ships did the equivalent. "The Borg ship is in pursuit," Worf said.

"On screen," Commander Riker ordered, and all eyes turned to the view screen.

No matter how fast they pushed the ship to go, the Borg ship matched their speed and a moment later was gaining. They were pushing warp 9, the highest speed the Entperprise was capable of, and the Borg ship still chased them easily. Jack and Sam walked onto the bridge together.

"Sir, they're firing," Worf said.

"Oh, great…" Jack muttered as they all braced for impact.

The Borg kept gaining, eating away at their shield with pulse after pulse of energy designed just for that purpose. Sam looked at the readouts on the engineering console in the bridge, looking concerned. Daniel didn't know what exactly she knew about it, but if Sam was concerned, then he figured he was safe being concerned, too. Someone had to be. Teal'c and Jack were acting like this was just another typical day on the Enterprise.

"Mr. La Forge," the captain said over the comm.

Geordi was either a mind-reader or he knew the urgency of the situation. "Auxiliary power is already rerouted to the engines, Captain, but I'll see what else I can do."

"They're relentless," Captain Picard muttered.

"Another hit and we will be defenseless," Worf said.

With the sound of a rush of wind, three Borg beamed on the bridge, got their bearings, and started lumbering toward the nearest being. "Mr. Worf!" Riker warned, standing and firing his phaser. The beam of orange hit the Borg in the center of the torso, but appeared to do no damage whatsoever. Worf tried to get off a straight shot, missing by a hair, but Daniel doubted it would have done any good even if he had hit.

Jack apparently wasn't going to stand for that. The Enterprise crew jolted and ducked the instant his finger pressed on the trigger of his P-90; Daniel on impulse drew his Beretta while Sam strafed the walls, the Borg, and everything nearby with a line of bullet holes. The three Borg went down to the deck in a heap filled with holes, and another three whooshed in to replace them. Even these Borg were defenseless against their 21st-century weapons.

Teal'c fired his staff weapon twice, but the Borg managed to adapt to the blast of energy as they did to phaser fire. Not so much to bullets. Daniel gripped his gun with both hands and put three rounds into the chest of a Borg while Jack and Sam handled the others. Q appeared in the midst of more Borg but didn't appear to be injured when bullets went straight through him.

"You can't outrun them," he said to Captain Picard. "You can't even destroy them. Even with this mess," he motioned at the pile of dead Borg at his feet, "the essence of what they are remains. They will regenerate and keep coming. Eventually you will weaken, your power reserves gone, your ammunition spent. They are relentless."

As if to punctuate his speech, Word announced, "Our shields are down."

Geordi's voice added to that, "We've lost warp engines."

Q grinned. "Where is your smugness, your arrogance? Do you still think you're ready to face what lies ahead? It makes me quite happy to say… I told you so." Even though more Borg appeared on the bridge, Daniel lowered his gun. I told you so.

"They're locking on with another tractor beam," Worf informed them.

"Arm photon torpedoes," Riker ordered.

"Sir," Data put in, "at this distance with no shields, there is a high degree of probability that a photon detonation would destroy the Enterprise."

"Prepare to fire," Riker replied.

Daniel steadied himself against the wall, his life, his whole miserable life, playing back before his eyes. Q went on, "You thought you could handle it, Picard. So handle it. I'll be going now."

"Q!" Daniel shouted before he left. Q halted any movement and smiled at him. "End this."

"Whatever makes you think that I can?" Q questioned.

"If we die right here… right now… you, um… you won't have anyone to gloat to," Daniel pointed out. "You wanted to prove that the Enterprise was inadequate, well, you've done that. Look at Jack and Sam. A couple hundred years behind the Enterprise—I can do more damage with my 9 millimeter than they can. If you wanted them to say they can't do it on their own—"

"We can't," Captain Picard agreed. "We are inadequate. For the moment, I grant that." He turned at looked at the SG team. "We do need you."

"Sometimes the best way to move forward is to take a step back," Daniel finished.

For a moment, Daniel thought that Q was going to smile, but he didn't. He just stared at Captain Picard very seriously, raised one hand…

Snap. The Enterprise rocketed off to who knew were, spinning uncontrollably. When they finally stopped spinning, Captain Picard looked at Data. "Position?"

"Seven-zero-six mark two-two-five. We have returned to our original location," Data said.

"Back where we started," Captain Picard said, looking at Q.

"Any other man," Q said, "would have died before asking for help. Especially from Jack, isn't that right?" Daniel couldn't help his grin. "Danny," Q said when he did. "Jack, Teal'c… dearest Samantha. You four…" Q pondered. "You've changed history. For more than one universe. That's not an easy hand to play."

"You gotta play with what you're dealt," Jack answered.

"I know. And you do. Some of you." Q looked from one to the other before his eyes finally came to settle on Daniel. "Except for you. So, Daniel. Doctor Jackson. I'm going to give you a new hand. What do you want?" Daniel opened his mouth to speak, but to say what, he had no idea. Q interrupted, "Just one card. One shot to change everything. But just for you."

The three of them looked at him, curious. Daniel ran his hand through his hair, not sure what Q meant exactly. "I don't—"

"Sure, you do," Q said. "Snap and it'll all go away. Or all come back. It's up to you."

"Daniel." Daniel looked up when Riker used his first name. He was looking pensive, serious, a look that didn't quite suit him as well as his usual laissez-faire attitude. "I know whatever you're going to say next—you mean well. But be careful. That kind of power does things to you."

Daniel nodded as his mind raced. He could go home right now. He could have Sha're back. He could… Anything? He looked at Jack, Sam, and Teal'c. He could resurrect the past… but at the expense of his future? Only a moment's thought made him realize that wasn't who he was. He was an archaeologist. He studied the past, learned from it. He liked to think, for the moment, he lived for the future.

He just hoped he didn't regret this.

"I know," he said.

Q looked at him, almost all ready to snap. "Make it a good one."

"I really… really need a Stargate."

Q frowned. "A Stargate?"

"You heard him," Jack snapped. "Guy wants a 'Gate."

Q laughed uproariously, his face turned up to the ceiling. Then suddenly he stopped. "I'd pegged you for the selfish one, Jackson. I can see how wrong I was… What a shame. Very well. You shall have your gate, in time. This is going to take… a lot of arranging. I hope you know what trouble I'm going to for you, Danny-boy."

Daniel shook his head: he didn't. He also doubted that it would be a big problem. What happened to the snap?

"You can't just put an Iconian gateway anywhere. Sha're would have been easier," Q pouted briefly, regaining his good humor only a moment later. "But, I asked. If it's an Iconian gateway you want, then it's an Iconian gateway you'll get. I always keep my agreements. This universe is filled with treasures, wondrous treasures to satiate desires both subtle and gross. But it's not safe out there. Not for the timid."

"Yeah," Jack laughed under his breath. "We've noticed."

Q flashed one more smile and then snapped away.

Captain Picard sighed slightly, looked around the bridge for a moment, and then said to Data, "Set course for the nearest starbase."

"Course set for Starbase 83," Data said.

"Quite a repair we're gonna need," Jack sighed, and then looked at Daniel and smiled. "A Stargate?"

Daniel laughed and ran his hand through his hair with a shrug. So, he could now think of a million other things that would have been better. It didn't matter anyway; he didn't think that Q would have really sent him back to Stargate Command if he'd asked. And besides, what would he do there? "It was worth a try."