Epilogue

Captain's Logs Stardate 16.25.02 -

It has been a day since our return from that strange place fashioned by Q to mirror the world of the Magnificent Seven. As far as the ship was concerned, none of the crewmembers involved in the incident were registered as having left at all. In the meantime, we have arrived on Antaria as scheduled, where Lieutenant Travis is taking care of the preliminary requirements to begin the treaty negotiations between the two opposing factions. I will be expected to join her on the surface when the preparations are completed and the real work of diplomacy begins. The Maverick is now in a holding position above the Antarian home world and I have left Commander Wilmington in temporary command of the bridge.

For those of us who remember, the past day has left profound effects on all of us even if no one remembers that we were ever gone. No doubt many will be mystified by the sudden reconciliation by Commander Standish and Lieutenant Pemberton who have requested some personal time and since there is no immediate urgency that requires them at their posts, I have granted it. Besides, after what both of them had been through, they deserve the time alone. Presently, it is estimated that they have been locked in Commander Standish' quarters for the last 16 hours, I am assuming that they will come up for air some time.

For myself, the implications of what went on are deep, in particular the words left to me from Q. Was he toying with me, or did he really believe that the truth he supposedly revealed was a kindness? I do not know for certain. What I do know is that a seed has been planted in my head and where it will lead me I do not know but I have to follow it.

I have to know if Q was lying or was Sarah and Adam really murdered.

Chris did not know how long he was staring into space when he heard the door of his ready room chime. However, the sound took a few seconds to penetrate his consciousness before he finally recovered enough to utter a weak welcome to whoever was waiting entry. The door opened and Buck Wilmington walked into the room, pausing a foot away from this desk and observing him closely. Chris noted the expression on his face and immediately felt guilty even though he was not certain why he should be.

Perhaps it was the collection of data pads on this desk, the uneaten lunch that Yeoman Wells had brought him some hours ago, or just the darkness that had been prevalent in his eyes ever since they had returned from the facsimile world that Q had created for them. Buck could not say exactly but he knew something was terribly wrong for it reminded him too much of the look in Chris' eyes when Sarah and Adam's death was fresh in his mind. The memory gave Buck good cause for worry because he had seen how hell bent Chris had been on self-destruction and their friendship had not survived it. They were friends still but not they way they were long ago. What Chris shared with Vin Tanner was closer to what he and Buck had once had than the pale remnants that existed between them now. Buck had accepted the loss, knowing that to save Chris from himself there had to be sacrifices.

"What is it?" Chris asked shortly, his tone clearly indicating he did not like the intrusion.

"I just got a call from the surface." Buck said trying not to stare at the data pads or let his curiosity about them show.

Chris was seated in his chair, staring into the stars outside his window when he replied. "So?"

Buck shrugged uncomfortably, aware now that something was terribly wrong but uncertain how to approach Chris about it. In the past it was a simple enough matter to do so when they were friends but now, with Chris as his captain, the nature of their relationship that change quite a bit. While there was some informality in their manner towards each other, Buck was painfully aware of the line he could not cross. Buck cleared his throat and measured how he should respond in light of Chris' obviously bad mood and decided that the mission was too important for him to mince words.

"You were expected on the planet an hour ago." Buck retorted.

Chris blinked and swiveled around in his chair. "Damn." He swore under his breath as he noted the time on the chronometer at the corner of his desk and realised that Buck was right. Chris sat up immediately, "why didn't you tell me?"

"I was under the impression that I did not have to tell you." Buck answered. "Under usual circumstances, you're quite reliable."

"I am still reliable." Chris growled and started gathering the data pads into some sort of discernible order.

"Chris," Buck took a deep breath and plunged into a world of trouble but knew not what else to do. Something was clearly bothering Chris and had been doing so ever since they returned to the bridge. "What's going on? I have never known you to be late for anything. You're more aware than I am about how important these meetings on Antaria are. Mary's furious that you're not there already. We've known each other too long to play games, so tell me. What is it?"

Chris let out a deep breath, feeling the need to confide in someone and surely Buck of all people would understand what he was going through, after all Buck had been there at the time and he may know something that Chris had missed. "Before we were sent back, Q told me he was giving a little gift for being so tolerant to his son."

Buck had missed hearing the content of the conversation between the two although he knew words were exchanged prior to their return to the Maverick. "What was the gift?" Buck responded, almost afraid to ask.

Chris swallowed the lump in his throat. "He said that it was not an accident. That Adam and Sarah had been murdered."

The light of understanding flooded Buck's eyes and he whispered softly. "Jesus. Chris, you can't possibly believe that he's telling the truth."

"He said it was a gift!" Chris barked. "Why would he lie about something like that?"

"Why not?" Buck returned just as sharply. "Look at you! You've had this idea in your head for less than a day and look how it's affecting you! He's playing with you Chris!"

"I don't think he is!" Chris protested. "What if its true Buck? What if the shuttle accident wasn't an accident?"

"Who would want to kill Sarah and Adam, Chris?" Buck retaliated, seeing how much the idea had taken root in his captain's head by just the very suggestion of it and frankly it terrified Buck.

"I don't know," Chris retorted defensively. "But I've been going over the reports." He gestured to the data pads before him. "I found something."

"What?" Buck asked, not really believing it, more inclined to think that this was just an extension of a sick game that Q was playing with Chris' mind.

"After they died," Chris swallowed hard, needing desperately to convince someone so he would not feel like he was going insane. "I didn't look at these reports. I didn't see any point in it. You remember what I was like back then."

Buck did remember and it was his memory of those events that made him so concerned for Chris now. "I remember." He said softly.

"Well according to this," he handed Buck the data pad, which the first officer took reluctantly. "There was some unexplained energy spike before the crash. They don't know what caused it and did not pay much attention to it because it was not the primary cause of the explosion. As we know the plasma seals breached and the containment shield around the anti-matter dropped prematurely."

Buck studied the report and although some mention was made about the spike, the engineer who did the investigation chose not to pursue it because the cause of the accident had been clearly determined. However, Buck also could see there was just enough ambiguity in the existence of this mysterious spike to give fuel to Chris' suspicion that the accident might have been the result of foul play. "It says here that it might have just been a defective power chip. It's not uncommon and relatively harmless, certainly not enough to cause an anti-matter breach."

"But what it did?" Chris demanded. "What if someone did cause that spike and it somehow did cause the breach?"

"Chris!" Buck declared. "Let it go."

Chris stared at Buck as if he was insane. "How can you ask me to do that?"

"Because I'm your friend. They're dead Chris. Nothing can bring them back. Q may have been able to snap his fingers to bring Julia back but that is not going to happen with Sarah and Adam. They're gone. I miss them too and more than anything I wish they were here for you but this is going to hurt you more than you know." Buck was almost pleading and as he saw the revulsion in Chris' eyes at the thought of giving up, he knew that he had failed.

Chris stared at him with an expression of ice and whispered. "If they were murdered, if they were taken from me, I will tear this universe a part trying to find who did it and there is no way I will stop I find the truth."

With that, Buck knew that it was the truth and there was nothing more to say.

Despite the fact that Lilith King was still sick in bed and his mother was no longer on board the Maverick; Billy Travis did not feel neglected or alone. He had thought the senior staff would be mad at him because of what he and Quinn had put them through but they had been surprisingly understanding even though the captain seemed a little preoccupied. Billy had spent some time with Vin and Alex today horse back riding, which was infinitely more pleasing to the science officer's disposition than the Magnificent Seven simulations whether or not produced by the holodeck or Quinn. Still, Billy could not help deny missing the company of the new friend he had made, despite all the trouble that had come from their association.

Besides, Quinn had really neat parents.

As Billy now understood it, Quinn was the first child born to the Q Continuum ever. Before Quinn, the Q simply were but with his birth, other members of the Continuum learnt that they were just as much a part of the cycle of creation and death as the rest of the creatures in the universe. Of course, with the Q, death was purely a matter of personal choice. Billy could not imagine a time when he would ever wish to die but apparently some members of the Q desired it after they had experienced everything there was to experience. Even an evolved Vulcan mind like Billy's could not truly comprehend what the Q considered to be everything but he assumed it was a lot. Quinn himself had been named after Quinn, the first member of the Continuum who chose to voluntarily die. He had been something of a radical and a hero to the Q that had plagued the Enterprise and Captain Jean Luc Picard respectively.

Billy made his way to Holodeck 2 where he would be having his next lesson on surfing, courtesy of Lieutenant Rain who was so much fun to be around, it was hard to believe she was adult sometimes. However, Lilith had a word that best described the transporter chief although Billy still felt a little odd using it. Lilith called Rain, 'real cool.' As for surfing, Billy could not discern what possible use the activity could be but he liked the water, unaware that most Vulcans did not like engaging in pastimes in the deep since native Vulcan had very little surface moisture. He supposed it was another failing his paternal grand parents would point out when they saw him again but brushed aside the concern for now since they were not here.

"Hello." Billy heard a voice beside him as he was walking down the corridor towards Holodeck 2.

"Quinn!" Billy exclaimed with genuine pleasure seeing his newest friend, in very much the same appearance and clothing as they had met initially.

"I thought you might want to play." Quinn asked with a hint of hope in his voice as he made the inquiry.

"Sure," Billy grinned, "your mom didn't mind?"

"No," Quinn shook his head. "My dad said he'd take care of it. What about yours? Is she still mad?"

"No," The Vulcan shook his head in answer. "She's down on the planet talking to the Antarians."

"Do you want to go visit her?" Quinn asked. "I've never been to Antaria."

"You can do that?" Billy gasped, still coming to grips with just how powerful his friend was.

"Yeah," Quinn nodded. "I can. Do you want to go?"

"Better not," Billy said quickly before Quinn sent them both to Antaria where he was certain his mother would not be impressed at his sudden presence at her conference meeting with the delegates. "She's working and if we show up, she'll be upset."

"Oh," Quinn said crestfallen, still coming to grips with this whole notion of rules of conduct when it came to interacting with humans. However, he liked Billy so he was going to try, having remembered what his father had said about dealing with the species.

"Hey," Billy came up with an idea and looked at Quinn with a smile on his face. "Ever been surfing?"

THE END