Chapter XX

With a feeling midway between exasperation and wistfulness, Picard looked around the stark white landscape that stretched in all directions. The only thing which marred the otherwise featureless expanse was Data, who stood next to him. "I would surmise that Q has not quite finished his work," the android pointed out as he tapped his foot impatiently. "Perhaps, but I've put up with quite a bit from him recently. And I am not eager to lose you again, Commander. Your value to Starfleet is inestimable," he proclaimed. Just then, the air was rent by two flashes of light and the irritating being whose appearance had marked his first mission on the Enterprise came into view along with a young man who bore a remarkable resemblance to the entity that had called himself Quaid. Jean-Luc wasn't certain whether the young q knew everything that had just taken place and wasn't about to enlighten him unless his father chose to do so first. "It is about time," Picard remarked. "Isn't everything?" Q shot back, then turned to Data and said, "Go with my son if you want a chance to explore the cosmos and fulfill your potential. You are after all, merely the first member of a new race." The android raised a hand and stated, "If you mean that you intend to create more like me, I must question your motives." "On the contrary; I think that is something you should seriously consider, Data. After all, it is conceivable that the dangerous creatures we recently faced could resurface. And if you should be destroyed or decide to sacrifice yourself once more, then where will the rest of us be?" the young q responded.

Data glanced back at him and said, "Tell Geordi not to give up hope. After all, my brother may yet respond to my programming." He nodded, shaking the android's hand firmly. Then the youth and his friend vanished. "You could have at least let him say goodbye," he noted. "Come now, I'm not partial to those sorts of teary-eyed farewells and neither are you. At least this way, La Forge knows there's a chance he'll come back someday," Q retorted. Picard nodded somberly, then said, "I presume you brought me along for a reason other than to convey that message." "Insightful as always, mon capitan… yes, I do have an ulterior motive. Do you know who it was I tried to kill in the future that started this whole mess?" his companion inquired. "Why don't you just tell me," he retorted. "The simple answer is… 0 himself," Q said. Jean-Luc frowned and remarked, "How could that cause so much turmoil?" "Because of his true nature… you see, he really is The End. Of your material universe, anyways," the super-being continued. "I thought that planet They created served that purpose," Picard stated. "For Them, maybe. But as you've learned, 0 has been around longer than that. Basically speaking, he is the personification of chaos and entropy. Without him, everything would cease to exist," Q explained. "And when the Continuum was apprised of this, you sent your son back in time to make certain of… what exactly?" he asked.

"A door needed to be opened, Picard. For the entirety of their existence, my kind has been the self-appointed guardians of the universe. We've quelled the brushfires, subdued the occasional rampant entity and generally attempted to advance the development of you lesser creatures… not that any of you have ever thanked us for our work… anyway, we've neglected to take chances, to explore venues beyond our understanding of the multiple universes. Since we've already been everywhere and done everything, this kind of narrowed our options. And the Continuum has been dead set against altering pur past," Q related. "Because creating a paradox in the life of a being as powerful as you could unravel the very fabric of reality," Jean-Luc reasoned. "Until now, that is. We can do as 0 did and experience things as they might have been. Thanks to your efforts, the Continuum will survive forever," his companion stated. "And how exactly do we benefit from all of this?" he wondered. "Jean-Luc… do you imagine that you've already met every creature like 0 and his companions who might wish to harm those who cannot defend themselves against their attacks? Your kind has only scratched the surface when it comes to malicious entities. And how are they going to survive if any of the races you normally encounter learn how to control such power? You cannot rely upon me forever, mon capitan. The Q have far more important things to do than baby-sit humanity," Q proclaimed. "I meant this recent series of events. You've disrupted our lives and possibly killed people, just in order to restore the status quo. I would much rather have avoided this confrontation altogether," Picard remarked.

"What do you want me to do, change the past? We both know that will only create an alternate timeline which shall proceed in its own fashion without ever knowing how things might have been," the super-being pointed out. "I suppose not. Unlike the Q, we have to live with the consequences of whatever takes place; whether we like it or not," Jean-Luc lamented. Q nodded and said, "Now you know why the gift we've received was so badly needed. Before this, even the Continuum couldn't alter its own past. Now, unlimited possibilities have been opened up for us." The entity turned as if to go and he called out, "What about The End?" "Oh, that will always come in one way or another. But when you think about it, how can anyone ever hope to kill a Q when we can become a version of ourselves which never even met them?" the super-being inquired. There was a flash of light and Picard sat up in his bed, gasping for breath. His room was dark and for a moment, he wondered whether the entire experience had been nothing more than a dream. At his side, Beverly stirred and asked, "Are you alright?" "I'm not sure…" he admitted, rising and moving to the restroom; where he washed his face. His wife joined him and declared, "You shouldn't let yourself worry so much." "A moment ago, I was with Q," Jean-Luc explained. Crusher frowned, then realization came over her and she moved back to the bed and sat down as she muttered, "I thought that was just my imagination." Picard joined her, placing his arm over her shoulders as he replied, "I doubt it. But for whatever reason, he has returned us to our lives as they were prior to his interference."

His wife nodded, then said, "I just hope that's the last time he visits. I wouldn't wait our child to grow up under his influence." He smiled, recalling the reckless youth who had helped them out during their journey thru time and space. "Somehow, I get the feeling that Q understands our situation rather well," the Captain told her. "What was it all for, Jean-Luc?" Beverly wondered. Picard shrugged, turning his gaze back to the window and the stars that were streaming past them. He thought about Q's warning, of the existence of entities whose powers they couldn't begin to anticipate. It seemed at times that creatures with those abilities were just as common as ordinary civilizations. Jean-Luc suspected that they would encounter many more of them in the days to come. "I believe that he genuinely needed our help in order to keep his foes from running amuck. And now that the crisis has passed, he has left us on our own once more," he answered. "I don't like the idea that we were merely a distraction," his wife noted. Picard smiled at her and said, "Maybe we were more important than that, but I doubt Q will ever admit it. This incident was different than our previous run-ins with him. He told us that it was possible for him to lose and for his foes to win. If that had happened, we would have ceased to exist." Crusher shivered, cradling their unborn child with her hands as she observed, "I'm just glad that it is over."

Jean-Luc shook his head and responded, "That is just the thing. The danger will always exist. But now, we may be able to fight it on our own and survive." His wife kissed him then, taking comfort in his presence; letting him help her to forget the uncertain future which lay in front of them. As they parted, Picard turned his gaze back to the stars; marveling at the wonders which had yet to be discovered. With his family at his side, he was confident that it would be a very long time before humanity had to face this sort of danger again. And even if he was wrong, there was no need for him to worry about it now. As Q had shown him, there were infinite possibilities which might come to pass. Until he knew for certain which one awaited, Captain Jean-Luc Picard was content to live.

Epilogue

In let me back! Let me back in!

His words echoed unceasingly in the void, a cruel reminder of the fate to which he had been consigned. This time, there was no one for him to blame for his situation. She is dead and _ is gone and it has fled and so has he and Him, he thought, lamenting his plight. Even his own restored self had ceased to be and now never was and They, oh They were laughing at him. And Q and Q and q too… but I'll get you! There's no escape from me and me and soon you'll see… down with the wall! The wall is all, never ever forever! he moaned, contemplating the eternity of solitude and inactivity that awaited him. Even destruction eluded him, since now the Q were far too smart to fall for that. The End must come for you too, Q! he snarled, but his foes ignored him. He had been so close, everything within his grasp, his allies at his side and the quisling Q at his mercy. Yet all had been lost, due to the interference of those loathsome bugs. A bug in the rug has dug its grave. From me and mine they cannot save, he mused. Somewhere out in the vastness of the cosmos, other beings like himself had to exist. Perhaps he could find them, despite his handicap. They cannot win, I will not let! Never again say I… no, it will be them that die, he howled. Turning his back on the wall, he looked out on the emptiness and picked a direction at random. He muttered, They will regret doing this to me and so will she and _ and it and Him and he too. And Q and Q and q and Q and Q, Q and Q, plus Q minus Q times Q divided by Q and Q and Q and Q and QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQqqqqqqqq…