One moment, Picard was limping through the sands, his eyes on one of the alien equine creatures in the distance, the next moment he was on the ground, feeling as if his brain was blended.
There you are… it's nice to meet you…
Picard opened his eyes, looking down at the red sands that he landed on.
Those words were in his brain, but they were not his. They were not intrusive, but yet they were foreign. They did not belong to a voice he recognized.
"Sir are you okay?" Data was behind him, kneeling down and touching the captain's shoulder.
"Yes," Picard mumbled, looking up at Data, "I think I am."
"Well then why did you fall?" Data's eyes glanced over to the cane Picard carried, and then back at the Captain.
"It wasn't my leg, Data," Picard said, noticing Data looking to the cane, "I think it was my head."
"What do you mean?"
"Something spoke to me in my mind, but it wasn't my own mind."
"Like an unpleasant high, or a mental illness, or telepathy?" Data asked.
"I wouldn't know."
Picard looked back to the creatures in the distance, hoping they had not moved. The herd itself hadn't gone away, yet there was something peculiar going on.
One of the creatures had turned away from the herd and began to walk towards the group of humanoids. The creature was tall, taller than the regular sized horses that Picard rode on Earth and in the holodecks. Two massive spiraling horns jutted out the forehead of the creature, and two smaller horns protruded from the sides of its jaw. The creature's coat was mainly white, with some patches of a caramel brown upon its head and neck. Massive wings were folded to the sides of the creature, silvery white and gleaming in the sunlight. Its eyes were bright and lively, and even from afar one could see the beautiful lime green and sky blue marbling of its large irises. Wispy brown hairs made up the creature's thick mane and tail.
If the ancient Greeks had seen this creature, they would have proclaimed that the mythos of Pegasus were fact.
If the Templar Knights had seen this creature, they would have professed that Baphomet walked among them.
Picard was mesmerized by the creature that gracefully walked across the sands towards him. The creature showed no sign of fear or aggression, yet Picard knew he had to stay vigilant.
"Do not make any quick movements, and do not know them in the eyes." Picard quietly reminded the Lieutenant Commander and ensigns behind him. It was horse etiquette, etiquette that Picard hoped would aid in this first contact.
Picard, Data, and the ensigns stood still, watching the equine creature approach them. The light winds whipped the sands around their feet into the air, dusting their shoes and pant-legs with a light red grit. Picard fought the urge to dust off his pants.
The creature finally stopped walking a good six meters away from the group. The humanoids, except for Data, help their breath. Data was not breathing, for he was an android. The lifeform stood in place, its eyes scanning over the small group of stranded people.
The only noise that could be heard was the light whistling of the winds streaking across the sandy mounds.
Silence.
Time seemed to slow as the creature looked over Picard and his group. Without looking the creature in the eye, Picard could see the creature's eyes sweeping over each of the people in the unit. There was no sign of hostility coming from the lifeform, only curiously and calm.
Seconds that felt like minutes passed by before there was a change in behavior in both the creature and the crew.
Picard slowly got up from the ground, facing the creature head on. The creature didn't move from its spot. He steadied himself with his cane, leaning a good portion of his weight onto the pole. As he got to his feet, he began to move towards the creature. Data and the ensigns stayed frozen behind him, watching with interesting but also hesitance.
One of the ensign's minds already started to wonder what hidden dangers the creature had up its metaphorical sleeve.
Maybe it breathed fire.
Picard moved towards the creature slowly, moving as fluidly as he could in the hopes of not spooking it. The creature noticed the man moving towards it, and started walking towards Picard again. It was as if the two were initiating a slow dance, yet Picard did not know who would lead or what dance movements the creature was planning to do.
And he would be blown away by the next move in the dance of the unknown.
Here I am.
It was that voice again, loud and clear in Picard's head. It was calm and smooth, a voice that could send someone to a peaceful slumber. Silky smooth. The voice of the unknown.
There was a shout of confusion behind Picard, coming from one of the ensigns.
I am sorry, I did not mean to frighten any of you. I would think after a while I would have found a better way of introducing myself.
"Show yourself," Picard barked towards the equine creature.
I already am.
I am telepathically speaking to you all, for I cannot speak your language with my vocal cords.
There was silence, both from the humanoids and from the telepathic creature.
"What are you?" Picard asked, his voice quieter.
I am a Thaleen.
"I've never heard of that race," Picard stated the obvious.
"Captain," Data directed Picard's attention away from the Thaleen and to himself, "Why are you speaking to yourself?"
"I-"
I am finding it hard to project into his mind, is he perhaps not organic?
Picard nodded yes to the Thaleen, then turned his head back to Data. "Data, they are speaking to us," Picard assumed the 'us' part due to the reactions of the confused ensigns, "telepathically."
"The equine creature is speaking to you mind to mind?" Data inquired.
"Yes, Data."
"What is it saying?"
"Well, they are Thaleen, well, the race is."
Correct.
"Fascinating." Data exclaimed quietly, "I will not intrude on your conversation anymore, since it seems to be going well."
"Very well," Picard nodded, and turned back to the piebald Thaleen.
"Before I ask you any more questions, I would like you to know your name." Picard said softly.
My name is Captain Dux Solis.
"Captain?"
Yes, I was the captain of the starship Moonlight Shadow.
"You had a starship?" Picard asked, confused.
Yes, I was the captain of a science and exploration vessel. We were dispatched to track a star that was about to go supernova when all our ship's electronics blacked out and we crashed on his planet.
Picard looked at Solis, unpleasantly surprised.
"That also happened to our starship…" Picard explained, "I am the captain of the vessel Enterprise-D, and we also had a system blackout that led to us crash landing here.
I see. Solis nodded, looking behind themselves to the ship, and I and my crew were looking around your ship for the last couple of daylight cycles. It has such a fascinating construction.
"Agreed," Picard smiled sheepishly.
Before we both get any further in this conversation, may I ask your name?
"Of course," Picard replied, "I am Captain Jean-Luc Picard, of the USS Enterprise-D as stated earlier."
How nice to meet you. The edges of Solis' lips curled up in a sort of a smile. It took Picard a moment to realize it was a smile, since he had never seen a Thaleen, or any equine creature, smile.
"So why have I never heard of the Thaleen?" Picard asked one of his most burning questions.
Ahh, it's because we were not ready to reveal ourselves to the humanoids yet. We are a one-of-a-kind species in a universe of humanoids. We wanted to learn as much as we could about the different alien races in Starfleet before we introduced ourselves and offered our alliance to your Starfleet.
Another Thaleen, one with a dark brown coat and silvery mane and wings trotted up to Solis and Picard. Data stood behind Picard with the ensigns, observing the events.
We concealed ourselves using our technology, waiting for the right moment to show ourselves to the rest of you. The other Thaleen explained.
This is Doctor Vita Amare, my chief medical officer. Solis introduced the other Thaleen, letting them take their place next to them. They had similar horns on their head to Solis, but they were missing the horns on their cheeks.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Doctor." Picard said, resisting the urge to outstretched his hand for a handshake. That was due to the Thaleen having hooves and thus they probably did not shake hands.
It's nice to meet you too.
So, both of us have found ourselves in this strange predicament. Solis remarked, looking to the Terran captain, Do you possibly have any information about why you have crashed here? We haven't found much from our trek around your ship.
"No, I do not have any idea why we crash landed here or the reason why our ship lost power." Picard said, "Though I am intrigued by the fact that your ship had the same issue." He took a minute, mulling through the information he had acquired. "How long ago did your crew crash here?"
It's hard to tell. Going by the daylight cycles on this planet, about thirty two days. Yet the daylight cycle on this planet seems to be a lot slower than the one on planet Thal.
"So you must have crashed about…" Picard turned to Data, "Commander, how long have we been on this planet?"
"Eighteen Earth days, or thirteen daylight cycles on this planet."
"So we crash landed here nineteen days after you all." Picard remarked. He was also shook a little by that information. "How did you survive this far?"
We have found an artificial well six kilometers from here. We make the trek every three days for water. We have also been eating a blend of mosses and grasses we've found can be consumed by us.
"A well?"
Yes. We are unsure who built it, but it has been a lifesaver. Vita explained, We almost have some dehydration deaths and without that we may have all perished.
"May my crew use the well?" Picard asked, looking from Solid to Vita then back to Solis.
Of course, I have a feeling that you have all been desperately needing water. You for one looks like you need water. Solis lifted their head, looking from Picard to the ensigns then at Data, Well, he may not need it.
"And we need food too." and Ensign piped up, clearly feeling more comfortable about the Thaleens.
Of course. Solis said, I am unsure if our moss and grass blend will be nutritional for your kind, but I bet we can find something.
"Agreed." Picard said.
There was water on this planet, and the possibility of food. Those things gave Picard a sliver of hope, hope that was desperately needed.
Speaking on food, Picard for one was starving. And woozy.
Which explained why he soon found himself swaying, holding on to his cane with a feverish grasp. The combination of heat, hydration, hunger, and stress finally was catching up with him. Mere seconds after 'agreed' left his lips his vision grew fuzzy and dark.
Jean-Luc-
"Captain? Sir?"
Picard cracked his eyes open, taking in his surroundings.
Which for the moment, was Worf's face.
Picard jolted back, eyes opening wide. A small, surprised yelp escaped his lips.
"Captain, how are you feeling?" Worf asked, his voice an even monotone.
"I'm fine," Picard said, sitting up. He quickly checked his surroundings. He was in his small cloth tent, aka his private quarters away from private quarters. He was on the thin mattress that he slept on, which wasn't perfect but was better than the hard, sandy ground.
"What happened, Worf?" Picard asked, working on reorienting himself.
"You passed out during your conversation with the Thaleens, Captain." Worf explained, "Dr. Crusher chalked it up to exertion. The doctor wants you to stay in your tent and rest for a while."
"Not something I can do at the moment," Picard shook his head, both to signal disagreement with the Klingon security officer and to shake off the woozy feeling. "I need to learn more from and about the Thaleens," He tried to get up from his mattress, but found himself becoming very dizzy again. He sat down, frustrated.
"You do not need to worry about first contact, Captain,"
"How come?"
"You've already made first contact, and the Thaleen have moved their camp next to our encampment."
"They have?" Picard gave Worf a quizzical look. Worf nodded.
"Yes captain, and they have also shown us the location of their encampment and the well."
"Ahh." Picard pursed his lips. He pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes in a pained expression, "how long have I been out?"
"Around a day," Worf said.
Picard was silent, not making any comment.
"We have an adequate supply of water now, Captain." Worf said, taking the canteen from his makeshift belt and handing it to Picard. Picard took it from Worf's hands and opened the lid. Inside was fresh water, crisp and cool. He took a swig only to find himself moments later draining the entire canteen.
Finally, after weeks of being stranded, he felt refreshed.
"I'm sorry," Picard handed the empty canteen back to Worf, who took it without a word of upset.
"It's alright, Captain." Worf said assuringly, "There is plenty of water available in the well."
"That's good to hear." Picard said, slowly standing up. The woozy feeling had almost passed, yet was not fully quenched by water alone.
"Our next concern is nutrients." Worf explained, "We are becoming very close to running out of emergency rations, and since the undamaged replicators have not been restored we are finding ourselves in a dangerous predicament."
"What about the mosses and grasses the Thaleens have been consuming?"
"They are indigestible for humanoids, even the Vulcan crew members have been unable to stomach the plant life."
"I did suspect that," Picard shrugged.
"We should talk more to Captain Dux Solis, maybe they have possible information about food sources in the area."
That sounds like a good idea.
"Captain Solis?" Picard inquired, looking around his tent.
I am outside your tent, may I come in?
"Of course." Picard said. He walked over to the makeshift door of the tent and opened it. Dux Solis stepped inside, lowering their head so that their horns didn't scrape the top. The Thaleen stood a few heads higher than Worf, making it a good thing that the tent was tall.
Captain, I am glad that you have made some recovery. I was very worried about you after your fainting spell.
"Thank you for your concern, Captain." Picard grinned softly.
You're welcome. Solis replied. I have also been notified through Doctor Crusher and Doctor Vita Amareof the fact that your crew is running out of rations.
"That is correct."
My crew and I will work tirelessly to aid you and your crew in getting nutrition. Next on the docket, Captain, Commanders, I would like to report some findings that my crew have made fairly recently.
"That are your findings, Captain?" Worf asked the Thaleen captain. There was a sort of elated expression on Solis' face as they looked at the two men in front of them.
First off, a scouting party I sent out has discovered what seems to be a large but abandoned town, thus solidifying that there is-or was- life on this planet.
"Pardon?" Both of the men remarked, both trying to keep their bewilderment to themselves. There had already been so much bewilderment in these last days and this was the cherry on top.
But wait, there is more.
"Oh?" Picard said, looking at the piebald Thaleen with a bemused look.
Yes. My scouting party has made contact with a group of people who were taking refuge in the town.
They refer to themselves as the Q. One even says they know you personally, Picard.
"Excuse me?"
"The Q are on this planet?" Worf exclaimed to the rest of the commanders.
Worf, Picard, Data, Troi, Riker, DaForge, and Beverly were standing inside of a larger tent, which had been lovingly nicknamed the "Ready Room". It was dusk, and the sky was turning a delightful deep purple. The colors were very vibrant, matching the vibrance of the daytime sky.
"Perhaps they are the reason that we crashed," Riker inferred. He seemed calm and collected at the moment, but Troi could already sense the turmoil inside of him. Actually, the turmoil inside all of them, including herself.
"Why are they here in the first place? Just to watch us suffer?" Worf said, letting some of the frustration that was building up in him spill out.
"Possibly." Riker nodded, crossing his arms, "Why else would there be multiple Q on this god-forsaken planet?"
"Did anyone report any Q sightings before the ship went down?" Troi asked, her voice calm. She sensed a sudden change in Picard's emotions, yet it wasn't easily readable.
"Not that I heard of." Worf reported.
Picard kept his mouth closed, trying to think if he would speak up about the strange meeting he had with Q the night of the crash.
"Picard?"
"Hmm?"
Picard turned to Counselor Troi, who was giving him a look.
"Are you okay, Captain?" she asked.
"Yes." Picard swallowed the lump in his throat. "I do have to report that I did have an encounter with Q the night of the crash."
"You did?" Troi asked with a calm tone, "Why did you not tell anyone?"
Picard thought for a moment.
"Because I never had the chance to do so, since only hours later the Enterprise crashed."
"He does have a point." Worf interjected.
"What did he do?" Beverly asked.
"He-" Picard did not want to say. "He talked at me for a bit about mundane things, the normal infuriating, quizzical, Q things." That was vague enough, "He was wondering why I was feeling glum that night."
"Anything about any plans he was up to?" Worf asked.
"Nothing of the sort."
"There's a big chance that Q was the reason the Enterprise crashed here," Riker explained, "yet I am wondering why there is more than just 'our' Q here."
"Maybe it's a watch party, a sick, twisted one." DaForge mumbled to himself bitterly.
"Possibly," Picard said, simply. He tried keeping his sinking feelings to himself, especially the feelings that he felt that night of the crash. The confusion he felt that night was becoming stronger now.
The flirting from Q, the butterflies in Picard's stomach, the strange thoughts that filled his head as he fell asleep, all those started to fill Picard's head. He felt dizzy.
"I need to rest," Picard stated, turning to the open 'door' of the 'Ready Room', "Is it alright if we reconvene tomorrow?"
"Of course," Riker agreed. He stretched his arms up behind his head, and let out a brief yawn. "Is tomorrow morning a good time to meet up and discuss this and our food crisis?"
A chorus of yesses was the response to Riker's query.
Picard stood outside of his tent, looking at the night sky.
A cool breeze brushed over Picard, refreshing. It was calming, yet it had no effect on Picard's frazzled nerves.
The night sky was not pitch black as it was on earth, but more of a very dark indigo. There were tiny pinpricks of light that one could infer were stars.
The internally frazzled captain leaned against one of the poles which held up the tent, signing deeply. His eyes were still turned towards the sky, observing the sky as a window to the space which encompassed the planet.
His mind wandered through the stars, recounting the missions and adventures that he was a part of on the Enterprise-D. The encounter with Q at Farpoint Station, the traumatizing contact with the Borg and his assimilation, even the short time that he had known and defended Data's daughter. All those events, all to lead to this moment.
His mind was running amok. Q kept coming to mind, flashing into his mind's-eye like an annoying yet endearing firefly.
Was Q the reason the Enterprise crashed?
What about the Moonlight Shadow? He thought feverishly.
Has Q been behind everything that happened to me?
The Borg?
What is his obsession with me?
Does he like watching me suffer?
Is he not behind everything that's happening to me but is still watching me?
Does he actually love me?
Is this another near death experience in which he's teaching me a lesson?
Is he here on this planet?
Be still, artificial heart, be still.
Picard let out a panged sigh.
His mind was whirling so much that he did not notice Dux Solis walking up to him.
It's a beautiful night, Captain.
"It is," Picard said, looking from the sky to Solis.
How are you faring, Captain?
"I am alright, Captain."
You can call me Dux.
"And you can call me Jean-Luc, Solis."
First of all, your name is very beautiful.
Second, why do you lie to me?
"Lie? About what?" Picard looked at Solis with a confused expression.
You are not alright, I can tell.
Picard looked at Solis, dumbfounded.
You have the expression of someone who's heart is broken. I saw it the second I had mentioned the Q.
This was like talking to Troi, yet Troi still seemed to not pick up on Picard's complicated feelings about Q. The Thaleen could see right through him.
Do you love one of the Q, Jean-Luc?
Picard was silent for a few moments. The feelings of that night of the crash coming back at full force. He knew the answer, yet he did not want to speak it into existence. He tried to choke it down, but at this moment, standing in front of the Thaleen who read the signs, he failed.
"Possibly… yes,"
Solis looked at Picard silently, their soft eyes peering deep into Picard's eyes.
And why are you ashamed of that?
"I'm not ashamed," Picard snapped. Another lie.
The Thaleen saw right through that too.
Solis took a step back. They bowed their head, yet their eyes peered at Picard.
I know that's another lie.
Picard let out another panged sigh.
"You're right." Picard said, defeated, "I don't know why I'm bearing my soul to someone I have just met, but yet, you're right. I'm ashamed that I like Q. I have so many reasons to be ashamed, yet they are all silly."
Silly?
"Yes. My crew has a disdain for him, and he's put us in danger many times. I find him annoying, and I have a feeling that he purposely annoys me just for his pleasure. I wish I didn't love him, but I do. I want nothing to do with him, yet I strangely feel drawn to him." Picard looked off into the distance, as if he was searching for an escape from this conversation.
Ahh, that explains the shame. Yet you should not be ashamed.
"Why?"
I can see that you think that Q caused the crash, but I don't believe that he, or any of the Q here, did.
"How come?"
Before hearing of them here, I and the Thaleen never knew of any Q. And there was no sign of the Q when my ship crashed here. On top of that, in the little time that I've known you, I can infer that you would not fall for someone evil.
In fact, I don't think his motives were evil when he tried you for the crimes of humanity at Farpoint.
The conversation paused, and Picard looked at Dux, bewildered.
"How do you know about Farpoint?" Picard asked, confused.
I had the event retold to me when I asked Commander Riker about the Q.
"Oh." was all Picard said.
Did you fall for Q during your first meeting?
"No, I didn't. In fact I was very very annoyed by him." Picard looked at the stars, and for a moment, he felt as if a weight was being slowly lifted from him. "Yet he grew on me as time wore on. I didn't understand my feelings until the night of the crash when he showed up in my room and was strangely concerned about me."
Has he ever been worried about you before that night?
He found himself pondering why he was baring his soul to a being he had just met. Maybe it was the mutual roles both man and Thaleen had on their ships. Or the calm nature of the Thaleen captain reminding Picard of the horses he befriended on his home planet.
"Sort of, I once had a near death experience and he saved my life." Picard sighed, both panged yet reminiscent. "Though that he taught me a lesson about regret by having me live out a part of my life again."
The Thaleen gave Picard a confused look.
That's a strange yet sweet thing to do.
"Q's strange." Picard chuckled, "That's a given about him."
Picard looked back to the sky, a more relaxed look on his face.
Dux mirrored the human captain, and arched his head up to peer at the night sky. The dark blue reflected across the sky and the ground, painting everything in a cool, sleepy tone. The red sands were an ocean of blue, full of the truthful emotion of the shipless captains.
I see.
The night stretched on sleeplessly for Picard. He sat inside his tent on the thin mattress, his mind awake. Thought after thought ran through his head, keeping him from actually falling asleep. Thoughts about the crash, about Q, about his crew, about the Thaleen.
Insomnia was an unrelenting disease.
Yet insomnia sometimes brings things to light in the pitch black darkness of night.
In the whirring of the captain's mind was a thought, slowly yet surely coming to light. A pondering that Picard had wondered since he met the Thaleen crew.
We've been stranded here for more than two weeks, yet we have not been rescued yet. The Thaleen crew has been here much longer, yet they have not been rescued either.
Why hasn't Starfleet come yet?
Picard stood up from his mattress and grabbed his canteen. He took a long sip while thinking up his next queries.
We haven't had the time to get our distress beacon up yet, but even without it Starfleet would have been searching the entire sector for the Enterprise by now. When Wesley and I were lost on that moon, it took a little bit but we were found in a few days- not weeks. And we were just two people, plus the pilot who died. Starfleet should be alarmed that an entire ship with a thousand people just disappeared.
Why haven't they found us yet?
His thoughts turned from the absence of Starfleet and to the planet itself.
Why did the Enterprise and the Moonlight Shadow lose power as we need this planet?
Will the power come back so we could power a distress beacon or other systems?
Why is there a ghost town on this planet?
Who lived here before we came?
What happened to them?
His mind wandered elsewhere.
And elsewhere was Q.
Why is Q here?
Could he be the reason that the Enterprise went down?
But could Dux be right about Q, that it isn't his fault that we crash?
But why is he here?
And why hasn't he approached us… me… yet?
Picard attached his canteen to his black, tattered belt with a huff. He took a hold of his cane.
I'm not going to find any answers just sitting around here.
I'm going to that town.
Picard walked out of his tent, right into the darkness of the night. It wasn't completely dark, but the small firepit outside his tent wasn't giving off much light due to it only having glowing coals in it. Yet the coals were all that was needed for Picard.
He took a thick stick wrapped with cloth that was sitting next to the firepit and placed the tip into the coals. After a few seconds, the cloth lit up in a small burst of flame.
Torch in hand, Picard walked beyond the clusters of tents that made up the camp of the Enterprise crew to another cluster of tents, this time newly made and housing the small crew of the Moonlight Shadow. The torches' warm light bathed the tents in orange hues, giving the area more vibrancy than the day ever did.
The captain found his way to the taller tents that were occupied by the Thaleen. The soft sounds of breathing and fabric shifting punctuated the quiet of the late night.
Picard paced around the camp, pondering how he was going to find the tent that sheltered the Thaleen captain. He knew it would be rude to shout Dux's name, so instead he whispered it into the night.
"Dux? Captain Dux?" He whispered, walking from tent to tent.
His efforts seemed to be in vain, since there was no response to his few worded query.
Yet kept walking around, hoping he wasn't being seen as a creep.
"This could probably wait until morning," Picard sighed to himself, "my insomnia is not an excuse for this frantic behavior."
That's correct.
A familiar voice appeared in Picard's head. He turned around to see Dux behind him, standing silently.
Yet you are not the only one plagued with sleeplessness here.
Dux gave Picard a soft, sympathetic look before shrugging up their wings in an almost dejected manner.
I have been unable to rest, for I have been pondering the strangeness of things all night.
"I have as well." Picard nodded.
What have you been pondering?
A goofy look crossed Dux's face.
Besides Q.
Picard was glad that the torchlight made it hard to see the flushing of his face.
"I have been wondering about the reason our ships crashed on this planet." He explained, "We both experienced power loss on both of our ships just as we passed the planet, yet I can find no reasoning yet as to why. The few unharmed engineers I have working on on the ship have had little success finding the reason." Picard looked to the distance where the Enterprise lied quietly.
Have you been able to power up small scale electronics? After triage my crew was able to.
"What were you able to get power to?"
One bio scanner and atmospheric scanner, a laser suture that stopped working a few days ago, and a mobile distress beacon.
"A distress beacon?" Picard asked, surprised. The captain had not maintained that to any of the commanders on the Enterprise.
Yes. Yet we have been unsuccessful when trying to get a distress message out.
"How come?" Picard found himself going from surprised to confused.
The beacon cannot get past the lower atmosphere of this planet for reasons I don't know. Dux saw the befuddled expression on Picard's face and added: My crew and I are also confused by such a thing.
"I should discuss that with my engineers,"
I am willing to have my engineers discuss that with yours, if that's alright.
"Of course."
There was a pause in the conversation, as the two looked back up at the sky. Nothing seemed peculiar to the naked eye of both man and Thaleen.
"So what was on your mind?"
Hmm?
"What were you thinking about before I had disrupted you?"
There was no such disruption, Jean-Luc. I was merely taking a trot to try to clear my mind. My thoughts are very similar to yours. I am wanting to know why our distress signal is not going anywhere- or why the ship went down.
I also am wondering how to keep my crew alive.
A sad look crossed the captain's face.
I lost a part of my crew in that crash.
Picard felt his skin go cold and his throat go dry. His heart whirred in his chest as he looked at Dux. They looked away from Picard, turning their large, green blue eyes away from the human.
"I'm so sorry…"
There is no need to apologize, Jean-Luc. The crash was not your fault.
A few moments passed, and Dux turned back to Picard. Their eyes were severe. Combined with the orange torchlight, they looked almost divinely severe.
Do not take those who you care for in life for granted, Jean-Luc. Appreciate them, for when they are gone, you will look back at those memories fondly and use them to keep going.
Which is why I will take you to the Q.
"Huh?" Picard backed up.
I believe that the Q may possibly help our crews get off this planet, or at least survive . Yet I couldn't persuade them to leave the town and come with our party back here, so I'm hoping you may possibly change their minds.
"You think I could do that?"
Possibly. There was a mischievous glint in the captain's eyes. If one of the Q is your Q, you could possibly appeal to him and have him help us. They are powerful, correct?
"Yes, very. Yet I'm confused as to why they are physically on this planet. Normally I don't see them whenever there is more than just Q."
Well, let's go ask them why they are here.
"Sounds like a plan."
The Thaleen turned their left side to face Picard. They lifted their wings, moving away from their side.
I can get us there much quicker than you walking, if you would like.
Picard looked at the Thaleen with a questioning air.
"You're okay with me riding on your back?" Picard was both confused, since after all Dux was a sentient being, not a trick pony.
Sure. I've been told humans do that with similar shaped creatures on your home planet- is that correct?
"Yes," Picard nodded, "in fact that is one of my favorite pastimes."
Good. Now get on.
Picard took the torch in his hand and placed it into the sands, letting it burn itself out. Dux extended their wing to aid Picard's assent onto their back. Picard placed his hand on the flat of the wing, using it to steady himself as he lifted himself. He plopped down squarely on the Thaleen's back, which felt very much like one of a Terran horse.
"So are you going to gallop, or fly?" Picard asked, looking into the dark blue distance.
I thought galloping would be best, I feel as if flying would disorient you in your healing state.
"Agreed," Picard said, grasping Dux's neck, "Run, Dux, show us the meaning of haste."
Picard felt Dux lurch ahead, starting into a perfect gallop and not slowing. The various blues of the night blurred around them. Dux's mane and tail trailed behind, like a banner in high winds. The Thaleen captain flapped their wings lightly, giving them a slight speed boost. The rhythmic sound of Dux's hooves hitting the sands and stone in a full gallop was almost musical to the man who once rode many equines in the past.
Off into the darkness of the night went the two, pursuing the sun and the stars.
The red sands turned to red stone after a while, and the sky was starting to become a lighter shade of blue. There was some small plant life that the pair passed when in the desert dunes, but now they were passing small, dry trees. The air felt fresh and cooler than the desert, which was a bit of a relief for the Thaleen and the human.
The town should be up ahead any moment now. Dux said, looking behind himself for a moment. Picard nodded, and looked beyond Dux's ears to the land in front of them.
The dunes had turned into what looked like the foothills of a mountain. The red, jagged slopes lined the horizon, spearing into the sky. There were bright red foothills before the mountains became higher. The plant life was even more lush there.
The town is in those foothills, nestled between two cliffs. It's hard to see right now, but It'll show itself soon.
The foothills rolled around them, orange red and full of life. The terrain was becoming harder to gallop due to the uneven rock faces and the gaps between such rocks. Dux found themselves jumping rock face to rock. They also were trying to stay as steady as they could to not throw off the captain seated on their back.
"I see it!" Picard exclaimed, looking beyond the ears of Dux. Dux looked up and nodded.
There it is, in all its crumbling beauty.
The town was right before them, large and hidden by the shark cliffs in the foothills. Light shown on the buildings, red with dust yet pockmarked with age. The buildings were barely two to three stories tall. The road that led to the town from Dux and Picard's location was nothing more than dirt. The dirt road led to a large town center, which was full of large trees and what looked like a decrepit fountain, empty of water.
Dux slowed to a walk as they entered the town square. Picard and Dux looked at their surroundings in awe. A large town, hidden away.
Are you thinking what I'm thinking?
"That this would be the perfect place-"
To set up camp?
"Yes." Picard agreed, "I wonder if the well may connect up to this town, since both seem to be built, not natural."
Exactly.
Due to the captain's awe of the town, they didn't realize that there was someone approaching them. The figure moved out from one of the buildings lining the town square, and casually strolled up to the fountain. The captain's backs were turned to the black robed person as they sat down on the edge of the fountain.
"Ah, mon capitaine, finally you have arrived." A very familiar and semi annoying voice called out to the captains. Dux whipped around, almost throwing Picard off.
As Picard steadied himself on Dux, he saw the person who spoke out to them. Picard frowned, yet felt like he was going to grin.
"I'm glad you and your horned friend have finally found this villa, Jean-Luc." He paused, and looked at Dux, "Dux Solis."
Captain Dux Solis to you. Dux snickered.
The person rolled their eyes.
"So Jean-Luc, are you glad to see me? Do you have something to ask of me?" The person asked, his voice pitching in that familiar irritating way.
Picard sighed.
"Q…"