=/\=
When Icheb became aware of voices again, none of them sounded like Q's. Either Q. Seven was insisting they inject the nanoprobes she'd prepared to counteract omicron radiation into Icheb.
"We still don't know what we're dealing with, Seven," the Doctor answered. "His readings keep fluctuating. I'm not sure we really are dealing with omicron radiation poisoning."
"We have to do something or Icheb will die!" Seven yelled.
"Do you have to yell?" Icheb groaned.
He found he could open his eyes again. Instead of the ceiling, he found himself looking into the very blue eyes of Tom Paris. Mr. Paris here, since they were in Sickbay.
"Well, well, well. He's back," Tom said, passing a medical tricorder over Icheb's body. "And he really IS back. There's no sign of any radiation damage at all. Maybe some minor frying of a few Borg circuits, but otherwise, he seems . . . fine." Tom sounded more and more puzzled as he continued speaking.
"That's impossible!" the Doctor insisted, rushing to his scanning apparatus.
Seven stepped close enough to grab Icheb by the hand. In a soft voice, she asked, "How are you feeling?"
"Well. I'm feeling very well," he answered, starting to rise into a sitting position.
"Please remain in a prone position while I finish my scans," the Doctor ordered. "And Seven of Nine, remove your hand from his. You're distorting my readings."
Seven sighed deeply but did as ordered. Tom winked at Icheb, which reassured Icheb that there really wasn't anything seriously wrong with him.
Eventually, the Doctor "harrumphed" again and said, "Mr. Paris's diagnosis appears to be accurate. Seven, your nanoprobe therapy is unnecessary. Icheb's own nanoprobes appear to have repaired most of the damage to his circuitry. You can sit up now, Icheb, but I want you to remain in Sickbay for a few more hours under my care. We don't want you to have a relapse."
"What was the problem, Doctor?" Icheb asked.
"I haven't the faintest idea. Nor do I understand why you've made a miraculous recovery. The captain and Q haven't come back yet with the information we needed on the weapon which caused your injuries. Or thought we needed, I suppose I should say." The Doctor was not pleased.
"Maybe it was more Q fun and games," Tom observed archly.
Afterwards, of course, they were to learn that's exactly what had happened.
=/\=
"So it was your father in that ship that shot at us? Not a Chokruzan officer?"
Icheb was still in Sickbay, but he'd gained the Doctor's grudging permission to sit in the EMH's chair in his office instead of lying around on a biobed. Q was sitting on the edge of the desk.
"Yes, it was dear old Dad. It was a little 'test' of his. Since I took responsibility for my actions and was willing to sacrifice myself to save you, he said I passed with 'flying colors.' He thought the captain's training exercises were 'pathetic' and wouldn't impress the Continuum."
"I guess it must have, since you're here speaking with me like a human, not an amoeba."
"They really weren't that impressed. When I faced the three Continuum judges, Captain Janeway stood with my father and me to support us. I'm grateful to her for that. The head judge said the Continuum didn't feel I'd made sufficient progress to warrant the reinstatement of my powers, since I was the one who endangered your life in the first place. But I wasn't changed into an amoeba. She said I had to 'suffer the next worst fate' - remaining human."
"Are you going to stay on Voyager then?"
"Well, no. After the judge's decree, my father was outraged, so he flashed away. I didn't think he was coming back for me this time. I was asking the captain if she'd allow me to remain on board to finish my training. Being a member of this crew wouldn't be that bad."
"Better than living in a petri dish," Icheb observed.
"A LOT better than that!" Q laughed. "But this is better. Before she'd given me her answer . . ."
"You know she would have let you stay."
"I know. Despite all my mistakes, she would have given me another chance. But then my father showed up again. He'd left us so he could appeal the Continuum's decision. He said he refused to remain in a Continuum that refused to accept his son as a member! We were a 'package deal.'"
"He left the Continuum?"
"Of course not. He said they 'crumbled like a Gelbian sand sculpture' and agreed to give me my powers back!"
Icheb sighed sadly at the news. "I'm happy for you, Q-Ball, really, I am; but I would have liked it if you'd stayed around for a while. It was fun having someone my age around."
"You almost died," Q pointed out.
"Well, yes, almost. But I didn't. And it hasn't been boring with you around, Q-Ball."
"I'm going to miss you, too, Itchy. We could've had a lot of fun on Golos Prime if my father didn't pull that trick on us."
"Maybe, but I like following the rules and regulations of Starfleet."
"That's the Borg in you talking. The No-Fun Automaton People."
"I guess you can try to take the Borg out of the boy, but you can't ever fully succeed," Icheb agreed, smiling at his friend. He really would miss Q-Ball.
"Well, anyway, I stopped by to apologize to you for everything that happened, and for all the mean things I said to you. And I wanted to make sure you really were all right. My father said you were, but I had to see for myself."
"Yes, I really am all right. The Doctor is just being cautious. If Seven catches you here with me, though, she'll probably yell at you. You don't want to get a Borg mad at you."
"Ah, the sublime Seven of Nine! I'll treasure the memory of her divine form forever!" Q smiled reminiscently. "And that reminds me, I really do need to get going. My father asked me to meet him on Golos Prime. We'll do a little female watching while we're there, if you know what I mean." Q wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, and Icheb shook his head. Incorrigible.
More seriously, Q said, "Icheb, I really am sorry I endangered you."
"Apology accepted," Icheb replied.
A contemplative expression came over Q's face. "You know, Itchy, the Q are supposedly omnipotent, but I think they've all got a lot to learn from people like you. I hope we get a chance to get together again sometime. Maybe you can teach me how to become a valued member of Voyager's crew, like you are."
This was one of the nicest things Q had ever said to him. Before he could think of a reply, a flash of light appeared in the doorway. Not Q again! In a shocked tone of voice, Q identified her to Icheb. "It's the main judge from the tribunal!"
The judge declared, "Well, I'm glad to see at least part of our plan worked!"
Her judicial robes and headgear melted away. The face changed, and another female Q appeared. She was much taller and prettier, with long dark hair and a perpetually amused expression.
"Mom! " Q declared. "What are you doing here? I thought you disowned me!"
"Is that what your father told you? Just like him to twist things. No, I didn't disown YOU, I disowned HIM for the irresponsible way he was goading you into growing up to be just like him. He does have his good points - occasionally - but he does his best to hide them! He insisted on taking custody of you. You can see what a disaster that's been."
"But couldn't you have visited me every now and then?"
"I am sorry about that, Q. The truth is, I've visited you quite often. According to the custody agreement, I wasn't allowed to show myself to you when I did. I was one of those paramecia swimming around with you in your petri dish, you know. I managed to escape just before you smashed it under your foot. It's a good thing you didn't get around to eating me, or your little Oprelian amoeba self would have had a terrible case of indigestion." She stopped and shook her head in disgust. "There I go again. I'm going off on a tangent. It happens whenever I'm talking about something your father's done. Where was I? Oh, yes. I had to keep out of sight because of the terms of the custody agreement. I only went along with that because I knew I had to give your father a chance to mess things up because of his incompetence. Fortunately, the plan worked out, thanks to Captain Janeway - and to you, Cadet Icheb. You didn't know the plan, but you both acted in just the way the Continuum expected."
"You had a plan?" Q asked, obviously confused by what his mother was telling him.
"Of course. What good is omniscience if you never bother to join it with common sense every now and then?" The female Q's mouth twisted into a sardonic smile. "We had to see if you could be taught, since it's obvious your father can't be. Almost killing your friend? Turning you into an amoeba? Refusing to give you any credit for that essay you wrote - especially since the captain didn't ask you to rewrite it and you did it on your own initiative? I'm proud of you, my dear. That's taking responsibility for your own actions. I HOPE this experience will teach you to be a more responsible Q. How else to . . . how did Commander Chakotay put that to you again? About the responsibilities of the Q?"
"You mean that we're supposed to maintain order in the universe?"
"That's it exactly. And what, may I ask, is the most disruptive force preventing the maintenance of order in the universe?"
Icheb couldn't help himself. He immediately thought, the Q. Or one of them, at least.
Q's mother turned towards Icheb, raised her brow, and smiled at him. "I heard that. You're absolutely right," she said.
Q sighed and finally gave his mother the same answer that had occurred to Icheb. "An out-of-control Q. You're talking about my father, aren't you?"
His mother put her hand on her son's shoulder. "I'm afraid I am, Q. I trust you're up to the task the Continuum has insisted upon. The appeals court just told your father he's supposed to stay with you and supervise you for all eternity. He's telling Captain Janeway that right now. But it's really the other way around. You were born to save the Continuum."
"So I've heard all my life, but I'm no savior. Haven't I just proved that by the way I've acted this past week?"
"Don't be so hard on yourself. You were willing to be taught and passed the test. You are going to save the Continuum, and the way you're going to do it is by supervising your father. Your task is to keep him from bothering all the inhabitants of the universe, especially the humans. Most of the time, that is. He's hopeless. You'll be very busy, but the Continuum understands how hard that's going to be. They believe you're up to it now. So do I."
Momentarily stunned, Q considered the task ahead. "That's a very tall order, Mom." Turning to Icheb, he said, "It looks like I won't be able to visit you very often after all, Icheb. I guess the adventures of Itchy and Q-Ball are over."
"Oh, I think we can let you off for a vacation from your father every now and then. Bur right now, aren't you due to meet him at Golos Prime?"
"Ah, yes. I guess I'd better go."
"Before you do . . ." His mother held out her arms and pulled her son to her, giving him a very firm hug and a kiss. "We know you can't keep him from harassing all the lovelies on Golos Prime, but do your best to curb the excesses . . . and the silliness that always goes with it!"
He smiled. "I'll certainly try! Ciao, Icheb. Until next time."
"Until next time," Icheb answered.
The words had barely escaped from his mouth before Q disappeared in a flash of light. Icheb turned to the female Q, expecting to say good-bye to her, too, before she flashed away, but she put up her hand. "Before I go, Icheb, I have something to say to you. Again, I must thank you. One of the reasons I was willing to go along with this plan of the Continuum's was the way Captain Janeway has handled the situation with Seven of Nine and with you. You're both turning out very well. Responsible. Considering what your parents did to you, and then what the Borg tried to do, you're a remarkable person."
Icheb felt his face warming into a blush. "It's mostly Seven's doing," he said softly.
"Not entirely. No false modesty, now! You were forced to grow up much too soon, but even when you were a half-drone who didn't know who or what he was, you were thoughtful. You didn't jump to conclusions, and you made decisions that were good, not only for you, but for the rest of the little Borglets. Except for the one you called First, of course, but that was his fault, not yours. You would have saved him if he hadn't refused to follow your advice. Because of the way you've already handled the trials you've undergone, I thought this could work. I wasn't disappointed. My son is right. You're just as worthy a teacher as your captain."
"Didn't you expect this all to happen this way?" Icheb said, smiling slightly. "The Q are omniscient, aren't they?"
"The Continuum likes to think so. I know better. Our supposed omniscience doesn't protect us from making mistakes. I hope we've solved the problem of my wayward partner Q. We shall see. I will be around helping my son, though. I promise you that. And I'll let him come see you every now and then while you're at the Academy. And afterwards, too."
"He may have to visit me here on Voyager, then. It's going to take us a long time to get to the Alpha Quadrant. I'll probably be graduated from the Academy and an officer on Voyager by the time we arrive."
"Oh, it might not take you all that long. If your captain does the 'homework' Q just gave her, she might discover a shortcut home very soon."
Icheb shrugged his shoulders, not quite sure what to say. The female Q smiled warmly at him and held out her arms to hug Icheb in the same manner she'd just embraced her son - although he was relieved she skipped the kiss. "Thank you, again, Icheb, for all you've done for my Q. I think he'll do well. I know you will."
Q's mother twitched a little. Icheb assumed she was going to do that same flashing light thing that seemed to be the way a Q moved around the universe, but she stopped and smiled at him. "Oh, one more piece of advice, Icheb. That research you were doing on nanoviruses? The ones your captain and that spunky B'Elanna Torres used when they invaded the Borg cube to save the drones who went to Unimatrix Zero? You might want to continue working on them. The pathogen-creating DNA your parents introduced into your genome might be something you'd want to experiment with, too. Pathogens, nanoviruses - they might be modified into a weapon against the Borg Queen one day. You never know."
For a nanosecond, Icheb felt like he did when those tendrils of energy erupted from the Delta Flyer's Tactical console - but in a good way. The Doctor, Seven, and Icheb had been experimenting with the things Q had suggested, but they'd never thought to consider using both of them at the same time to create a weapon against the Borg. Q's mom must have read his thoughts again, because her mouth twisted into an amused half-smile. She bobbed her head ever so slightly, but it was enough. Icheb was on the right track.
Suddenly there was another flash of light. Icheb was alone again, standing in the Doctor's Sickbay office. All the Q's were apparently gone - for now - but they'd left Icheb with much to ponder, and even more to investigate.
Icheb was acutely aware of something else, an emptiness deep inside him. It was strange. Despite all the trouble Q-Ball had caused, and how short a time had passed since he left to meet up with his father on Golos Prime, Icheb already missed him. Spending time with a buddy, even a wild and crazy one like Q-Ball, had given Icheb a taste of what his life might have been like if he were a teenager living on Earth. It was an experience he hoped he'd never forget.
=/\=