Bridge. Janeway: "Report."

Chakotay: "You're not going to believe this, Captain, but another star in this cluster just went supernova. It's .02 light-years from our current position."

Kim: "Correction. Make that two supernovas, Commander. Just picked up another one at 207 mark 47, estimated time of implosion 67 seconds."

Janeway: "Get us out of here, Tom." Paris: "I can't. The subspace shockwave from the star is collapsing the warp field." Janeway: "Red alert. Tuvok, increase power to the shields. Tom, lay in a course away from that shockwave, maximum impulse."

Janeway to Q: "A star going supernova is an event that occurs once every century in this galaxy. Now we're about to witness our third in less than three days, all in the same sector. Why do I suspect you have something to do with this?"

Female Q to Q: "She may be a member of an intellectually challenged species, but she's right. Your irresponsible behaviour is continuing to have cosmic consequences." Q to Female Q: "Will you stop over-reacting." To Janeway about Miss Q: "Always nagging. Now you see why I left her." Janeway to Q: "Are you causing these supernovas?" Q: "Not exactly." Janeway: "What's that supposed to mean?"

Paris: "It's no use, Captain. The shockwave is too fast for us." Janeway: "Try evasive maneuvers." Tuvok: "I am afraid a course correction will be futile, captain. There are now three distinct shockwaves heading toward us on various trajectories. It will be impossible to avoid them all."

Janeway: "Divert auxiliary power to the shields." To Q: "You have the ability to get us out of here. So do it!" Chakotay: "16 seconds to impact, Captain. I'm not sure if the shields will hold. Janeway: "Do something, Q!" Q: "Well, if you insist." He snaps his fingers and in a flash of white light he and Janeway vanish.....

.....leaving Voyager to the mercy of the shockwaves. Miss Q comments about Q: "That two-timing toad!" She snaps her fingers and disappears.

Tuvok: "Contact with the first shockwave within 3 seconds, Commander." Chakotay over the com: "All hands, brace for impact!" Then the shockwaves pound the ship.

Janeway finds herself in a mansion furnished in the style of Earth's 19th century North America.

She is wearing the sort of gown worn by fashionable ladies of the upper class.

She tries all the doors of the room but finds them bolted, calling out, "Q, where have you taken me?" Q enters. He is dressed in the uniform of an American Union army officer.

Q: "Well, I must admit your gown is very becoming."

Janeway: "I don't have time for your little fantasies. Return me to Voyager!"

Q: "This is no fantasy. You're in the Q Continuum now." Janeway: "The Continuum?" Q: "That's right. I'm simply allowing you to perceive it in a context your human mind can comprehend." Janeway: "The last time you brought me here, it looked like some sort of way station on a desert road." Q: "Ha, that was awfully drab, wasn't it? But this, this is a much more colourful representation for a human of American descent, don't you think? - an elegant manor house, a beautiful southern belle, a dashing Union officer determined to win her affections despite her hatred for Yankee interlopers-"

Janeway: "Enough. The only thing that interests me right now is the welfare of my ship and crew." Q: "Well, I'm sure your First Officer, Chuckles is it?, I'm sure he's got everything under control for the moment." Janeway: "I'd like to make sure of that myself, if you don't mind."

Q: "This has gone way beyond your ship. It's even gone beyond you and me. This is about the future of the Continuum itself."

Janeway: "Stop speaking in riddles and tell me what's going on."

Q: "I'll do better than that. I'll show you." They move to the window and Janeway looks out into the night. She sees fires burning and there is the sound of cannon firing, bullets being fired and the noise of battle. Q: "The Q are in the middle of a civil war." Janeway: "Start explaining." Q: "Do you remember our friend Quinn?" Janeway: "The Q who committed suicide aboard Voyager." See [#34 Death Wish] Q: "Do you recall what I said might happen if he were allowed to take his own life?" Janeway: "You said it would represent an interruption to the Continuum, that it could have dire consequences." Q: "I'd say a civil war is pretty dire, wouldn't you." Janeway: "His death caused this conflict." Q: "It caused chaos and upheaval, because even though he was gone, his calls for freedom and individualism continued to echo in the ears of those who believed in his teachings, myself among them. I sounded the trumpet and carried the banner. Naturally, others followed. The forces of the status quo tried to crush once and for all, but we fought back, and now there's a cosmic struggle for supremacy. And the battle is spreading, causing hazardous repercussions throughout the galaxy." Janeway: "The supernovas." Q: "You might call them 'galactic crossfire'. It's terrible, isn't it? But it's also a wonderful opportunity." Janeway: "I fail to see anything wonderful about a war." Q: "War can be an engine of change. War can transform a society for the better. Your own Civil War brought about an end to slavery and oppression." Janeway: "But our Civil War came at a time before mankind had learned to resolve disputes without bloodshed. Surely the Q have evolved to a point where you can find a non-violent way to resolve a conflict." Q: "That's where you come in." Janeway: "What do I have to do with any of this, Q?" Q: "I want you to help me transform the Continuum in the way your Civil War transformed a nation." Janeway: "By mating with you?!" Q: "I know. It's brilliant, isn't it!" Janeway: "I don't see how a baby is going to end a war being fought by a race of omnipotent beings." Q: "It's simple. Mating will create a new breed of Q which combines my omnipotence and infinite intellect with the best that humanity has to offer." Janeway: "You believe humand DNA is going to restore peace?" Q: "Precisely. What the Continuum needs right how is an infusion of fresh blood, a new sensibility, a new leader, a new messiah. Think of it, Kathy: our child will be like a precious stone tossed into the cosmic lake, sending endless ripples of human conscience and compassion to wash up on every distant shore of the universe. What greater contribution could a being of your limited power ever hope to make? What is more important to humanity than peace? I'm offering you the opportunity to be the mother of peace."

Before she can react, the window shatters in a hail of bullets and Q pushes her to the floor, sheltering her with his own body. Breathlessly she looks up at him. For a moment they are in the same position that they would end up in if she were to agree to mate with him. Q: "Well, what's it going to be?"

Janeway: "Q, you're bleeding!"

After being pulverised by the shockwaves from the supernovas, Voyager is adrift and suffering severe damage to ship's systems. Knocked over, Paris picks himself up and retakes his seat at the helm.

Chakotay clambers to his feet and orders everyone, "Report!" Tuvok: "Shield strength is at 29 per cent, hull damage on decks 9 through 14, minor injuries reported on all decks." Paris: "Warp drive is offline."

Kim: "Commander, according to thee readings, the shockwaves have knocked us 16 billion kilometres from our previous location."

Noticing that Miss Q is still aboard, Chakotay grabs her by the forearms: "I want to know what's going on here. Where's Captain Janeway?" Female Q: "Let me go before I hurl this ship and everyone on it into the Therinian Ice Age." Chakotay: "I don't think you can." Female Q: "Don't be ridiculous." She snaps her fingers but nothing happens. Chakotay: "I don't know how or why, but something's affected your powers, otherwise you wouldn't still be here, and you wouldn't have a bruise on your forehead. Now start talking before I hurl you into the Brig."

In the Briefing Room Miss Q has been explaining to Chakotay and Tuvok. Chakotay: "And it's the war in the Continuum that's causing the supernovas?" Female Q nods. Tuvok: "May we presume that this conflict is also responsible for the weakening of your powers and your inability to return to the Continuum?" Female Q: "The Vulcan talent for stating the obvious never ceases to amaze me." Chakotay: "How were Q and Captain Janeway able to re-enter the Continuum when you weren't?" Female Q: "I tried to return but I was wounded in the process. Don't try to understand it - it's far beyond your limited capacity to comprehend. What's important is that I'm stuck here with you mortals while Q is probably in the process of irreparably harming the Continuum with that woman." Of herself, to no one in particular: "Tossed aside for someone five billion years younger. If it weren't so laughable, I'd cry." Chakotay: "Look, we want our captain back and you obviously want to get home. Why don't we help each other?" Female Q: "How could you possibly help me?" Chakotay: "There's got to be some way to get back to the Continuum besides snapping your fingers." Female Q: "Well, there is one possibility, but somehow I doh't think this rickety barge and its half-witted crewmembers is up to the challenge." Tuvok: "May I remind you, madam, that this 'rickety barge' and its 'half-witted' crew are your only hope at the moment."

 

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