Deanna entered the sick bay. She smiled, seeing the both Q sleeping and silently, she walked to Doctor Crusher's office. Beverly, busy with work, didn't notice her until Troi stood right behind her. She startled.
"I am sorry. Didn't mean to disturb you."
"You don't. Sit down, please." Beverly pointed her the other chair. She leaned out and listened for a while, but nothing but silence was coming from the hospital beds.
"It had never been so peaceful here with Q on board before. At least, as long as they are sleeping." She smiled.
"It's true." Deanna admitted, looking at the computer screen. "Anything new?"
"Not much," Dr. Crusher sighed. "I have been comparing the readings of their brain waves. They are almost identical. Meaning, human. But what injured them is beyond our research capabilities. And while Nert is just normally sleeping, Dee is in a deep, unbreakable coma. I do not know how to help her. Deanna, can you feel, sense her, somehow?"
"No," Troi saddened. "I feel different. Dee had fulfilled me with knowledge about Q's existence, a knowledge that I am not able to describe, it is more a feeling, really. But Dee herself is gone."
"Do you mean, she is dead?"
"No. She is alive. But she is very far away. It feels like her connection with this body weakens and I am afraid it may break."
"Because of that ferengi's device?"
"Because of Dee herself."
"It can't." Nert's voice sounded through the open door. They stood up.
"Nert! Did we wake you up?" To Beverly's surprise, Deanna ran to Nert with a gesture as if she wanted to give her a hug and hesitated in the last moment. Nert didn't seem to notice, she was staring blankly at Dee.
"It can't," She repeated. "Q cannot take her own life, unless her Dis is destroyed. But I am sure your El'Aurian bartender has already told you. In case of Dee it didn't. Although it was close. You have to get where Dee is at the moment and call her back. Your medicine cannot do it."
"But you can? I mean, when you get back your powers?"
"I hope so." Nert replied and pulling the blanket away, she looked at herself more consciously. Her body change didn't include the clothes. The admiral uniform she was wearing was clearly too big for her now. "Just great." She stood up and stared at her loose pants.
Dr. Crusher and Deanna exchanged amused looks.
"Well, we have found an outfit for one Q over here, so I think we can manage the other. Come on," Deanna commented and Beverly had to turn away to hide her smile. Surprised Q gasped. Deanna took her by the arm and pointed the elevator door.
"I think that we can go to my cabin now, unless it is against your recommendation, doctor?"
"Not at all, go ahead."
As the door closed, Beverly laughed out loudly.
"I wish the captain would see that."
Picard entered the conference room and rose his eyebrow. Q and the counselor Troi were sitting next to each other. Deanna welcomed him with a wide grin, looking relaxed and happy, as if she were really on vacation. As for Q, she seemed to be somewhat less irritated than before in the sick bay. At least her face expression was more neutral, so neutral it was hard to read anything at all. Picard realized he didn't know what gender he should use now. Q. Her? Him? Nert. He connected that new name with the new appearance and thought the first time it was actually a dangerous thing to do. Nert was new. Not dangerous. Q was. Nert was Q. Damn it. He didn't feel in danger while looking at Nert. He felt intrigued. He wanted to be around Nert, even if it would again end up having the never ending quarrels. A not quite clear part of his mind was whispering to him that he hoped for them. He hoped for the long, philosophic discussion he used to have with the entity before, even if it meant hearing about the cruelty and primitivism of the human race again. He looked at Q and had to refrain a smile. He realized Q picked up an outfit as much resembling the Starfleet red uniform, as probably Troi could find in the ships stores. The communicator Q was wearing made the impression even stronger. Hours before he and commander Riker decided they should give it to Nert, for safety reasons. Picard wondered if Q really liked the red color that much or chose it simply to copy the Starfleet uniform. He chased that thought away and straightened his back. He was about to speak when Nert rolled her eyes.
"For crying out loud, relax Jean-Luc. Nobody is chasing me, I am not taking the Enterprise to the end of the universe. You are perfectly safe."
Troi's lips' corners moved up. To his own astonishment Picard felt like smiling himself. Which was an awkward and new emotion. He cleared his throat.
"I can see you feel better. Q. I have called this meeting to make arrangements considering you're staying on the Enterprise during my absence. Counselor Troi will be your guard. The conference on Earth starts tomorrow. I order you to stay on the ship and under no…
"I am not taking orders, Picard." Nert leaned towards him with the same rebellious anger in the eyes as Picard remember from the other visits. But this time, Troi put her hand on Q's shoulder.
"Nert, you wouldn't leave Dee alone anyway, would you?"
"Troi. You are responsible for her. For Q. Both. Both Q. Keep me informed. In case of emergency I can teleport immediately…"
"I won't demolish your ship. Cross my heart." Nert put her right hand on her heart and raised the left hand in the air. Picard refrained a sigh and temptation to stay longer with them.
"Very well. Until then…" He rose up his chair and quickly headed to the door. Nert looked behind him curiously.
"What's the rush?"
Deanna refrained a giggle. Serving eight years under Picard's command was enough to read her captain's emotions even without her telepathic skills. She was wondering how much of this was noticed by Nert.
Picard entered the bridge.
"Mr Worf, how are our prisoners?"
"The security reported they attacked their leader and they had to be separated. It looks like without their weapon they lost their attitude. They act lost and not in full sanity. What do you intent to do with them, sir?"
Picard sighed. "It seems like we don't have another choice but to send them away with a message to the Ferengi High Council. The Federation has nothing to do with it. Mr. Data, check the fastest possible transfer to the ferengi sector and let me know."
"Aye, sir."
„Captain, admiral Kinsky and his assistants have left the Enterprise," Riker reported. Picard stood next to him and stared at the main viewer. It had been a while since the Enterprise docked to Earth last time. The view of the home planet so close was touching.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Riker seemed to share those emotions. "After the conference, Geordi and me plan to take a hike in Yellowstone. Would you care to join us, captain?"
"In different circumstances gladly, Number One. Now however," Picard turned towards the elevator door, "something tells me I shouldn't leave the ship for that long."
Riker nodded with understanding. "Nobody can count on a full vacation with the Q around. But, and I do hope I won't say it in a bad time, Q behaves amazingly calm. Better than before, anyway."
"Indeed." Picard had to refrain a smile again, which wasn't unnoticed. "Maybe it is due to the help of counselor Troi? They seem to get along well."
"A little too well, if you ask me." There was a hint of concern in Riker's voice.
"What do you mean?"
"I am not sure myself," Riker mused. "Deanna seems different. Distant. I keep thinking if the admiral wasn't right showing concern about their telepathic connection. I mean Dee, what she did to Deanna. Don't get me wrong," he broke, seeing Picard's questioning face, "I am not putting Troi's loyalty, or competences in doubt here. But I don't trust Q. No matter what they say. As long as they are among us, I will always expect the worst."
"That is understandable, Number One."
"If I may speak frankly, you seem to not share my concern?"
"Oh, I am far away from trusting Q." Picard protested. And silenced, musing and trying to put some order to his own thoughts.
"This time however, I have the impression that the current situation of the Q is different. It doesn't look like one of their games, or trials. I don't know if we were somehow pushed towards that asteroid to find Dee, but I think Dee is Q's top priority now. Not us. It was like that too with Amanda, but then we dealt with a girl raised as human and as such, we felt responsible for her. The case of Dee is different. If everything goes well, Q will heal and take her back to the Continuum. Then we all can breathe again."
"Yes. But we are speaking of Q here. You really think the things will go smoothly and without any surprises?"
They stared at each other for several seconds.
"No." They both shook their heads at the same moment.
This time commander Riker had to refrain a smile, feeling he had won that peculiar discussion. But after a few minutes his concern came back. There was a conference with the Federation Council ahead, something that used to make captain Picard furious for days. They had two Q entities on board and Deanna Troi got suspended. When he was thinking about all of this, he couldn't understand why on Earth the captain was in such a good mood. Riker refrained a sigh and decided he would think about it later.