I wrote this story in 1999 in response to “Fury”, the dark and sinister episode of Star Trek: Voyager in which Kes returned. I barely remember it now, but I recall being displeased with the story and, to be honest, Voyager was my least favorite Star Trek series up to that point. As much as I love Kate Mulgrew and looked forward to a female captain, I felt the show itself was weaker than its predecessors, and that Star Trek had run out of impulse power. Still, I had a wonderful time writing “Q Meets Girl” and now, reading it almost 20 years later, I can see that my enthusiasm shines through.
“Star Trek: Voyager – Q Meets Girl” – Part I
Phil Giunta
Prologue
Seated behind the desk in her ready room, Captain Kathryn Janeway took a sip of coffee as she studied the data scrolling across her desktop display. Exhaling, she closed her eyes for a moment and massaged her temples in a valiant, albeit futile, effort to relieve the stresses of another day’s command. Sitting back in her chair, she allowed her attention to be drawn to the starlines streaking past beyond the ready room windows.
The captain was well aware that the decision she was about to make would affect a significant portion of the crew, most of all Seven of Nine.
Anica.
Janeway couldn’t help but to smile, perhaps proudly so, as she considered the progress that Seven had made over the past two and a half years since being stranded aboard Voyager during a previous encounter with the Borg. Little more than a confused drone then, she was unable to handle her separation from the collective mind. Over time, and not without some growing pains, Seven evolved into a remarkably beautiful, intelligent woman, one who had once been a little girl named Anica Hanson before she and her parents had been assimilated by the Borg almost twenty years ago. Seven’s recent experience with the Borg Queen only seemed to strengthen her resolve to remain a unique individual and further explore her own humanity.
Which is why this event was so necessary, so crucial, in helping this young lady along her journey. Janeway was nearly ecstatic when, just weeks ago while digging deeper into the Hansons’ personnel records, she came across a vital piece of Anica’s history. As such, she was inspired to act upon it.
Leaning forward, she pressed the intercom button on her desktop terminal. Within seconds, the ship’s Talaxian cook and self-appointed morale officer—another ‘stray’ that Janeway had taken in during their trek through the Delta Quadrant—leaned conspiratorially close to the small viewscreen.
“Mr. Neelix,” Janeway began. “I’ve made my decision.”
Chapter One
“Captain Janeway to the bridge.”
Rising from the center seat, Commander Chakotay peered intently at the main viewscreen just as the ready room doors parted to permit the captain.
“Report,” she said.
Chakotay nodded toward the viewscreen and the rapidly growing number of gray dots that at first glance, seemed almost to outnumber the stars themselves. “That’s a fleet of over two thousand ships on a direct intercept course,” he explained. “Closing fast.”
“ETA?”
“Two minutes, fifteen seconds.” The answer came from the ship’s Vulcan chief of security, Lieutenant Tuvok, standing at his console beside the turbolift. “According to the information we received from Mr. Paris’ warp ten excursion, the only inhabited planet in this system is point three light years from our current position. Probability is high that these vessels originated from there.”
“Have you tried hailing them?” Janeway asked.
“Three times,” Chakotay confirmed. “No response.”
The captain returned her gaze to the main screen. “Magnify.”
The image before them suddenly changed, showing greater detail of the approaching ships. Each appeared to be roughly three times the length of Voyager’s Delta Flyer but with a more basic, cylindrical shape.
From his seat at the helm, Ensign Tom Paris spun to face the commanding officers. “Captain, they’re not reducing speed. Looks like their course just went from intercept to collision!”
“Go to Red Alert,” Janeway ordered. “Shields up. Tom, evasive maneuvers.” She turned to face Ensign Kim at the Ops console behind her. “Harry, hail them again.”
“Channel open,” Kim complied.
“This is Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation Starship Voy-”
“We don’t care who you are, just get your ship out of this system, now! ”
Even as captain and first officer exchanged puzzled glances at the brusque interruption, the sea of gray on the main screen parted in one fluid motion, continuing past Voyager without missing a beat.
“What’s the hurry?” Paris remarked in a low voice.
“My thoughts exactly,” Janeway concurred before resuming her conversation with the alien pilot. “My crew and I are merely looking to return home. Is there someone with whom we could negotiate passage through your system?”
“I hope you’re adept at negotiating with anomalies. A massive energy shockwave is tearing through this system as we speak. It destroyed our homeworld less than five hours ago. This fleet carries all that is left of my people.”
“I’m sorry.” Janeway paused, slightly put off by the news. “Do you have any information about the anomaly?”
“None, it appeared much too suddenly for us to gather data. We believe… originated neighboring… system…”
“That ship must have traveled beyond its comm range,” Kim said, as the message faded in a final burst of static.
“Captain, I have confirmation of the anomaly on long range sensors,” Tuvok reported. “Traveling at warp one, three million kilometers off our port—” he paused abruptly, though his expression remained imperturbable. “Correction. It has just changed course. Now one million kilometers dead ahead.”
“Changed course? ” Janeway echoed. “Do we have visual?”
After a few seconds, Tuvok nodded. “On screen.”
The aft view of the escaping fleet was abruptly washed out by what could have aptly been described as an intergalactic kaleidoscope. Such was Janeway’s first impression as she reflexively shielded her eyes despite Tuvok’s assurance that the viewscreen filters had been applied.
Bolts of white lightning erupted through an expansive field of sparkling, multicolored orbs that revolved around one another at blinding speeds. Remarkably, the entire phenomenon seemed be growing, stretching into infinity, as if displacing space itself. Everyone on the bridge seemed transfixed by the sight.
“Captain.” Kim raised his voice in an effort to draw his crewmates’ attention back to the here and now. “Whatever it is, it’s generating over fifty million terra-watts of power.”
Janeway pointed to the helm. “Tom, get us out of here, warp five.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Paris replied, clearly more than happy to get out of harm’s way.
Or not.
“The anomaly has again altered course to match our own,” Tuvok informed them. “It has accelerated to warp six.”
By now, it became frighteningly clear that this was anything but a typical singularity.
“Warp eight,” Chakotay ordered, leaning forward in his seat next to Janeway.
The tactic was in vain however as once more, the anomaly topped their speed.
Paris swore under his breath, feverishly working the helm console. “I can’t outrun it.” “Impact in sixteen point three seconds,” Tuvok informed them.
Janeway pressed a button on the arm of her chair. “This is the captain, all hands brace for impact. I repeat, all hands, brace for impact.”
Before she had even completed her order, the shockwave was upon them.
Then just as quickly, it was gone.
Still clutching the arms of her chair, Janeway shot a glance at the main screen only to see the calm, peaceful darkness of the Delta Quadrant as if nothing had happened.
“Ensign Kim, did it pass over us?”
Kim shook his head as he took in the sensor readings. “Negative, it simply… vanished.”
I don’t like this. Something isn’t right.
“Captain,” Tuvok began. “Internal sensors detect an intruder on deck—” As before, he paused, though this time his expression bore an uncharacteristic annoyance. “Correction, deck ten… correction, now on deck—”
The Vulcan’s report became moot when a brief flash of light appeared as if from thin air directly in the middle of the ship’s command center. When it faded, the being who stood in their midst left everyone speechless.
Slowly, as if unsure of herself, Janeway rose from her seat and took a tentative step toward the newcomer. Finding her voice, she parted her lips to speak but her tone was barely louder than a whisper.
“Kes.”
Chapter Two
Tom Paris nearly leapt from his chair.
So distracted was he by the return of their former crewmate that he failed to notice the appearance of a second visitor behind him.
“You can run all you want, but you can’t hide!”
“I asked you to leave me alone.” Kes glared at the young, dark haired Ocampan man standing in front of the main screen.
Paris had barely rotated his chair to regard the man when he found himself staring at the curves of a slender woman in a captain’s uniform who suddenly materialized atop the navigation console. At that, the ensign decided to vacate his seat gracefully, preferring instead to stand.
“I cannot possibly fathom what you see in this one,” she remarked.
“Your mother is right, you could do so much better,” another new voice added.
All heads turned to the source of the comment, ensconced comfortably in the center seat as if he owned it.
“Q,” Janeway growled.
Suddenly, the young man who had been at the front of the bridge was no longer there. He was now standing beside Ensign Kim, wearing the same uniform and looking distinctly human. “The two of you need to mind you own business!”
“Excuse me,” Janeway interjected.
“This is our business!” the two senior Q’s shouted in unison, ignoring her.
“Excuse me!”
“I’m old enough to make my own decisions,” the younger man shot back. “Without answering to you!”
“Shut up!”
Abrupt silence befell them as all three warring factions regarded the captain with mild annoyance.
“How dare you speak to us in that tone!” the female Q chided, crossing her arms indignantly.
“On my ship, I will speak any damn way I please,” Janeway seethed. “All of you in my ready room, immediately.”
“Uh oh, now we’re in for it,” Q smirked. Then, with the snap of his fingers, he and his family were gone.
But their screaming match was not.
Janeway rolled her eyes at the muffled shouts emanating from the ready room.
“Shall I contact security?” Tuvok asked dutifully, though everyone knew the effort would be pointless.
Janeway waved the suggestion away. “No,” she sighed. “I think I’ll handle this myself. Chakotay, you have the conn.”
***
“Let me get this straight.” Janeway held up a hand motioning for a respite from the flurry of explanations, each rising in pitch to drown out the other. “Your son, who may I say has grown up rather quickly—”
“He is a Q,” the boy’s mother reminded them.
“I’m sure that says a lot,” the captain countered dryly. “As I was saying, your son has taken an interest in Kes but she rejected his advances.”
“All two hundred and fifty seven times,” Kes recalled.
Janeway looked at her.
“Oh, puhleese,” Q groaned. “My son wouldn’t waste his energy on a former mortal.”
Both he and his wife stared at the young man expectantly.
“Uh, well…” The boy’s gaze drifted downward until it came to rest on the surface of Janeway’s desk.
His father was exasperated. “She’s not even Q!”
At that, Janeway cleared her throat much louder than was necessary. It was enough to remind the omnipotent being of his own failed attempt to court a certain starship captain not more than a year before.
“Nevertheless,” she continued, bringing the focus of the discussion back to current events. “Am I also to understand that the shockwave we experienced was no more than a display for the sole purpose of impressing Kes?”
“Something like that,” the young Q concurred.
“Something like that?” Janeway repeated, incredulous. “Something like that just destroyed an entire civilization!”
“Yes, his talents are rather advanced,” his mother bragged matter-of-factly. “In fact, he learned to knock planets out of their orbits at a very early age.”
Janeway grimaced, her hand almost reflexively raised to massage her throbbing head.
“Come on now, Kathryn,” Q prodded. “It was just a joy-ride! Besides, they were a dying race, no one would have missed them. But! If it would spare us from another of your droll lectures…”
With the casual snap of his fingers, a giant glowing silver sphere, probably twice the diameter of Earth, formed outside the ready room windows. It moved across their view from port to starboard before coming to an abrupt halt. As it began to rotate, the silver faded to reveal the telltale signs of cloud cover, terrain and water.
“Bravo, husband!” his wife applauded.
“And how exactly did you determine that they were dying?” Janeway inquired, though she appeared at least partially appeased by the sight.
“Your answer is soon forthcoming,” Q assured her.
Chakotay’s voice chimed in over the ship’s intercom. “Captain, we’re being hailed by that planet that just rolled in.”
Janeway shot a glance at Q. “On my way.”
***
“Don’t even waste your time.”
Though he was obviously unfamiliar with the being who addressed him, Chakotay observed that he appeared highly distraught and agitated which could have accounted for his impatient, clipped tone. Of course, such behavior may very well be typical of this alien’s race, not necessarily an indication that something was amiss.
“Our settlements have been picked clean by terrorists and scavengers,” the man continued wearily, verifying Chakotay’s initial impression. “We have nothing left worth taking. I had to beg and steal parts just to build this comm unit and we’re lucky it’s still here. So, to be blunt, go plunder somewhere else.”
“I can assure you that is not our intention.” Janeway kept her own voice even and respectful. “We’re merely passing through this system on our way home. I’m Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation starship Voyager. To whom do I have the honor of speaking?”
“Governor Targus, but you may simply call me Targus. To what federation do you belong?”
“It’s a long story,” Janeway said simply. “I’ll be more than happy to explain it later. In the meantime, your situation sounds rather dire, can we offer assistance?”
“In exchange for what?”
The captain smiled. “No charge, and you get to keep your comm unit.”
For a moment, Targus regarded her skeptically. “I can’t get into much detail here. If this frequency is scanned, my life will be the next thing they take. To be brief, my planet is only now picking up the pieces after a twelve-year global war. As a result, most of our major waterways have been contaminated by a substance that we’ve been unable to remove or even filter. If we could meet in person, I could give you specifics.”
“We can beam you aboard Voyager,” Janeway suggested casually.
To Targus, however, such a concept was foreign as he listened to the captain’s shortened description of the process. Nevertheless, he seemed to be willing to try anything.
“You must give me about an hour, maybe two. Most of the people in my settlement will be asleep by then. I will have less chance of being missed.”
“Of course,” Janeway nodded. “Contact us when you’re ready. Voyager out.”
No sooner had the image of the alien been replaced by that of his planet than Janeway spun to face Q. “I don’t suppose you would care to assist?”
“You suppose correctly,” the female Q answered crassly. “We would not. The fate of insignificant mortals is not our problem.”
“I volunteer,” Kes spoke up suddenly.
“As do I,” the younger Q added. Though his alacrity, as well as his reasons, were all too transparent.
Q pointed at both of them. “Very well, but at no time will either of you employ any powers beyond that of physical strength and intellect. The Continuum will not be responsible for any mistakes caused by your attempted use of powers that you have not fully learned to manage.”
“Kes is not a member of the Continuum,” Janeway interjected. “You have no jurisdiction over her.”
“Actually, Captain, I am.” Kes glanced sheepishly from Q to Janeway as she spoke. “After leaving Voyager, I was having a difficult time with the powers I developed. The Q offered me the opportunity to learn discipline and control. As such, I am bound by their laws.”
Janeway took a deep breath. “Well, in any case, it’s good to have you back with us under any conditions.”
She returned her gaze to the senior Q. “Speaking of which, I have one of my own. I want your assurance that neither of you will do anything to hinder our progress.”
The woman snickered. “Progress? You? Judging from what I’ve seen, those two words hardly belong together. You can’t even find your way back to your own pathetic part of the galaxy, how can you expect to help these people?”
“Leave that to us,” Janeway replied with a confidence that surprised even her.
“Oh, you can be sure of that.” Q’s wife stepped past Janeway to stand before Kes. “I’ll leave you with this thought. If you disobey the Continuum’s restriction in this situation, the punishment will be extremely severe.”
And with that, she and her husband were gone.