Chapter 10: Stuck

The Commander felt as if he were the only sane person on-board.

"Oh, come on!" he cried as he stood, "This has got to be some sort of trick!"

"I don't think so, Commander." the young Ensign confessed.

Still knelt at Q's side, the young man checked the alien's pulse. It was still there but he was sure it wasn't as strong as it had been. Perhaps that was a sign that his condition was worsening. In all honesty, he didn't know.

The Commander found himself rolling his eyes before he looked towards the Captain.

"Do you actually believe he's hurt?" he stepped closer to her, "After everything he's done?"

The Captain sighed as she looked up at him. "I don't know." she confessed so quietly only he heard. She knew exactly where he was coming from.

The pair turned instinctively the moment they heard the turbolift doors open. The Doctor stepped out, clearly relaxing a little to see the Captain stood watching him. At least she wasn't the emergency.

Instinctively, he looked over the crew. The frown which followed when he saw Q sprawled out on the floor was a picture the Captain guaranteed she would never allow herself to forget.

He was almost cautious as he walked away from the lift.

"Captain?" he questioned.

Janeway held her hands up. "Don't look at me, Doctor."

"Well, what happened?" he found himself asking as he headed a little closer to Q.

The Captain shrugged her shoulders. "He collapsed." she explained simply.

The Commander's eyes rolled as he watched the Doctor contemplate where to begin.

"How am I supposed to treat him?" the Doctor knelt beside the unconscious alien, "He's a Q."

The Captain sighed and rubbed her forehead. She honestly had no idea what to advise.

"Leave him." the Commander suggested.

The Captain turned to face him, a slight frown adorning her graceful features.

"What?" the Commander shrugged his shoulders as their eyes met, "He'll eventually get bored and stop."

"Chakotay…" she breathed, understanding his reaction.

"What?" the Commander cried softly. He had no sympathy for him whatsoever.

The Doctor sighed. He too could understand the Commander's hostility to the being in question. Looking back down at Q, he searched frantically though his program. He honestly hadn't got any idea where to start. Upon instinct, he opened up his med-kit and pulled out the tricorder. Surely a scan would an ideal place to begin.

He wasn't sure what results he expected to see on the medical device but he was sure that what he did see was not it.

"I don't believe this." he muttered, having to read over the results several times.

He heard the Captain take a step closer to him. ""Believe, what?"

The Doctor looked up, his shock evident. "According to my readings… he's human."

The Commander openly scoffed while the Captain felt her frown deepen.

"That's impossible!" the Commander exclaimed, the idea of Q being the same species as him actually made him feel nauseous. "He's obviously manipulating it somehow."

Tuvok, the unemotional Vulcan, found the need to scan himself. Grabbing a tricorder from underneath his console, he too scanned Q's body. The result was conclusive.

"He is registering as human."

The Commander then found the need to see for himself. He couldn't quite believe what he was hearing. Within no time, he walked hurriedly towards the tactical station. The widening of his eyes upon seeing the result said it all.

"Well, if I hadn't seen it, I wouldn't believe it." he admitted before looking up and over towards the Captain, "He is registering as human, Captain."

=/\=

The Doctor had had Q transported down to Sickbay mere moments after the revelation of his species type. It certainly was a strange case. He found treating him as simple as treating any other human crew member, strange considering he knew Q was as far from human as any alien they'd ever encountered.

The Captain and Commander arrived in Sickbay not too long after, Q's treatment nearly complete. Immediately the EMH could see the Captain's uneasiness when she saw him, her eyes falling over Naomi's frail body probably didn't help matters either.

The Doctor sighed. The Captain always did well to hide her true feelings. He'd found she was good like that – she could put on a brave face when expected. That's probably why she was such a fine Captain.

"I've repaired most of the damage." the Doctor reported as they came to stop at Q's biobed.

The Captain nodded, looking down at the individual. It amazed her just how much he could make her shiver despite clearly being an unconscious state. She needed to get over it, easier said than done.

The Commander just remained silent. He'd had absolutely no desire to be in the same room as Q. The only reason he'd come was so that he could ensure the Captain wasn't ever alone with him. He'd never forgive himself for that.

"Can you wake him?" the Captain found herself asking.

The Doctor considered it. He was technically human – how hard could it be?

The Doctor nodded. "I don't see why not."

He turned to retrieve a hypospray of cordrazine – a general stimulant. If Q truly was human, a 10cc dosage of the said medicine should do the trick. Turning back, he injected the compound into Q's neck.

In a flask, Q's eyes shot up and he bolted up, the fast intake of air making the Captain noticeably jump back. The Commander's hand instinctively came to rest upon her lower back. It was just his way of showing her he was close. She was safe.

Q looked around at the room.

"What's going on? Why am I here…" he pulled a face of pure disgust, "in such a crude environment?"

The Commander somehow managed to refrain himself. He couldn't allow himself to say something he could live to regret.

As the moments passed, the Captain couldn't find the words. Away from the Bridge – away from her safety net – she didn't know how to put on a front strong enough to take on Q. He was the one person in the entire universe who actually made her tremble.

Q looked around before his eyes fell onto the Captain. Her hand was placed defensively above her upper abdomen as his eyes burnt through her.

"Kathy?" Q looked surprisingly sincere, "What's going on?"

That was enough fuel to make the Captain roll her shoulders back, the action alone silencing the angry Commander before he even began.

"It's Captain Janeway to you." her voice was softly sharp.

Q looked slightly taken back. The frown that followed was all he managed to do before she spoke again.

"Now get off my ship."

Q's own frowned deepened. He didn't understand the reasons behind her tone – she'd never been so harsh towards him, not even when deserved it.

"Now!"

He didn't even have a chance to object. She knew exactly what she wanted and there was nothing more he could say so he simply heaved a deep breath. Even he knew when to stop.

With a heavy sigh, Q snapped his fingers. Nothing happened.

The Captain felt her back go rigid while Q just looked towards his hand in pure horror.

He snapped his fingers again. Still nothing.

At this point, Commander Chakotay was beginning to grow impatient.

"Q, will you just get the hell out of here?!"

Q slowly lifted his head and glared at the Commander, his eyes tight. Seriously, if looks could kill, the Doctor would be initiating resuscitative procedures on the Commander at that moment.

"I can't, Chuckles!" Q spoke through his gritted teeth, "My powers are gone!"

=/\=

"Red Alert!" the Commander fell back into his seat as the ship shook, the internal stabilises fighting to stay active as the ship drastically lost power.

Like it had every other time, this being occasion number six, every system on-board was shutting down at a phenomenal rate.

"Commander…" Ensign Kim didn't even need to finish his sentence. The Commander knew exactly what he was going to say.

"Let me guess, its back." the sarcasm in his voice would have been funny if the situation wasn't as serious.

He turned back to face the helm, watching Lt. Paris struggle to keep the ship level. They'd found that after being in three free falls, nobody on-board was keen for another. That's why the pressure was mounted upon the Lieutenant's back.

On cue, the lights and the monitors all began to shut down.

"Emergency power!" the Commander declared, knowing full well it wouldn't have much effect. The only thing it seemed to do was prolong the time before Lt. Paris lost control. He just hoped that would be long enough for the power to restore.

"No effect." Tuvok declaration was expected.

As expected, the emergency power suddenly kicked in and activated the emergency systems. This was the crucial moment.

"Shields!" the Commander cried, waiting for the ship to stabilise before he even dared to stand, "Rotating modulation!"

Tuvok worked his magic. "Activating shields."

The shuddering of the vessel came to a stop as Tuvok worked to keep the shield's consistently changing frequency. Now the work lay with him, not Tom Paris.

The Commander stood. "Ensign, what are those sensors saying?"

"The anomaly's 20,000 kilometres off starboard." Harry Kim explained, "18,000… 16,000…"

Tension mounted throughout the countdown, every crew member bracing themselves in case the expected free fall did decide to make another appearance.

"It's dissipating!"

Ensign Kim's declaration was almost magical and allowed them all to relax a little. For now, it was coming to an end.

The Commander sighed. "Cancel Red Alert."

His command alone brought a friendlier light onto the Bridge. The darkness caused by the emergency klaxons wasn't always pleasant.

"Damage report."

"There are four micro-fissures along the infrastructure of the secondary hull." Tuvok read out the reported damage, "Engineering teams have already been dispatched."

The Commander nodded to himself. "I'll inform the Captain. Tuvok, you have the Bridge."

"Aye, sir."

The Commander couldn't help but notice just how pale the Captain looked as he entered her ready room. With her chin resting heavily on her clenched fist, she seemed to be struggling to concentrate on the report she was reading. He wasn't surprised really. Free fall or not, she likely did feel a little queasy. It was that time of day.

She didn't even bother looking up. "Hello Chakotay." her voice was rather dry.

The Commander found himself smiling as he came over to the desk, odd considering present company.

"Am I that predictable?" he sighed softly.

Her head lifted at the bend of her neck. "Yes." she replied bluntly.

He chuckled softly, doing his best to stop himself commenting on the whiteness of her cheeks and heaviness of her eyes. He knew she hated it when he mollycoddled her.

"Latest damage report." he was slightly reluctant to give it to her at first. He really didn't want her to bombarded with more work. She looked in dire need of a good sleep – impossible given the current situation.

Taking the PADD, the Captain sighed. Her eyes had barely skimmed over the first line before she'd had enough.

Tiredly, she again lifted her head to look up at the Commander.

"Don't you think it's strange how all this started just after Q arrived?" her tone was flat but deadly.

"I am right here; you know?" Q chirped up from the corner of the room.

Instantaneously, the Commander's eyes rolled.

"Unfortunately, that is something I am fully aware of." he turned towards Q but did his best not to actually look at him. He honestly wanted nothing more than for him to disappear. Even forever wouldn't have been long enough.

"Seriously, what is wrong with you all?!" Q directed his statement towards the Commander, "I've lost my powers!"

The Commander scowled at him. "So you keep saying."

Doing his best to ignore the moping alien, the Commander turned to the Captain.

"Fancy dinner?" he asked softly.

The Captain found herself frowning ever so slightly.

"We're on duty, Chakotay."

He sighed. "Our shifts' ended almost an hour ago." he held his hand out to her, "Come on."

She didn't need to be told twice. Any way to get away from Q was acceptable in her books.

=/\=

The pair hadn't really eaten much. The Captain in all honestly hadn't been that hungry – the only food she'd eaten was down to Chakotay's instance.

Too tired to try and work after eating, she decided to go and have a lie down on the bed. She knew she wouldn't sleep but a little rest was better than nothing.

Lying on top of the covers in nothing more than her tank top and underwear, the Captain found herself almost transfixed on the tiny bump hiding under the grey material. After eight months, her baby was finally starting to make a more pronounced appearance. It was mesmerising.

Lost in tracing the soft edges with her fingertip, the Captain failed to notice Chakotay's presence until he joined her on the bed. Her lips curled softly into a dominant smile when she lifted her head and met his eyes. That alone made his smile grow.

No words had to be spoken before he lay himself next to her, his head on the free pillow, and brought his hand up to rest on her tummy. The baby may have been Q's but it didn't bother him. It was simply beautiful to be a part of, to see the wonder of life being made by someone who held the key to his heart.

Sighing, Chakotay looked away from his hand and up at the Captain's face. Only mere inches away, she did look stunning. Then again, she always did. His smile became more pronounced as he moved his hand away from her stomach to her face. Gently, he cupped her cheek in his hand and stroked her softly. Even now, being all worn-out, she could still take his breath away.

"You are… so beautiful."

She had no chance to respond to him before his lips came to hers, gently moving against them with a gratifying force. She could safely say that no man's kiss could quite compare with Chakotay's. He had a way of making feel like she could float away at any moment.

She smiled against his lips. "You old softie."

Her voice was barely above a whisper but it was more than loud enough to make him chuckle. Part of him was tempted to tease her – remind her he was only three years older – but he could see the circles under her eyes. There was only one thing she was in need of for the moment. Sleep.

She did sleep and for quite a while too. It was obviously needed. When she did finally begin to stir, she had no idea what time it was.

The first thing she noted was Chakotay's absence – he was clearly already on duty. She knew he was on the early shift so for the first time ever, she didn't feel out of place still being in bed. She wasn't due on the Bridge until mid-morning.

She snuggled under the covers, slowly stretching out her arms. She could get used to sleep-ins, ironic since she'd never get one once baby was born.

It was the dip in the bed which made her eyes shoot open. Her head snapped up and over the duvet, her eyes growing wide when they met the visitor's. She wasn't sure if she wanted to scream or cry.

She shot up out of the bed, ignoring the queasiness the fast movement created. The duvet came with her, wrapping around her lightly-clothed body. Somehow, it felt like a layer of needed protection.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" she demanded to know, "Get out!"

Q was surprised. Ever since he'd arrived, she'd looked more vulnerable for some reason but that was long gone. Now she was looking like the Captain he knew – confident, headstrong… and angry.

"Can we please talk?"

The Captain tightened the duvet around herself, her frown deep. He had to be kidding.

"No! Get out!"

Q sighed. "Look, I'm sorry."

The Captain could feel her upper body tense a little. "For what?"

Q looked away from her and sighed.

"The alien." he began, "He wouldn't be attacking you if…"

"What alien?" she interrupted.

Q met her eye. What was it she could see – remorse?

"The anomaly attacking your ship." Q paused, "It's a non-corporeal alien from a race called the Perpetuani."

The Captain felt her frown deepen. "The Perpetuani?" she asked slowly, "Who are they?"

The flicker of remorse on Q's face was replaced by a cocktail of emotions – anger, disgust, resentment.

"The mortal enemy of the Q."

The Captain found her tongue pressing against her inner cheek.

"Why is it attacking my ship?" she found herself asking, "What did you do to it?"

"Nothing…"

The Captain looked at him, a clear disbelieving look which made him sigh.

"Much." he finished.

The Captain felt her eyes roll. Wherever Q was, whatever trouble he was in, it was usually his own doing.

Q stood slowly, pacing away from the bed.

"They can't reach us in the Continuum, so some of them attempt to hunt us when we roam the universe. Usually they're easy to evade but sometimes they're too strong."

Q paused, his silence making her shoulders tense.

"And then?"

"And then…" Q turned to face her, his disgust now gone and replaced with a very uncharacteristic fear, "They attempt to destroy us."

A shaky sigh escaped the Captain's lips. She'd been expecting an answer along those lines but it had been one she really hadn't wanted to hear, not while he was stuck on her ship.

"You're right, Q."

The Captain jumped as an unknown voice spoke from the corner of the room. Her head snapped around just as a figure stepped out of the darkness and into the dim light of the room.

"And I will destroy you… today!"