From: geiger@canisius.UUCP (Doug Geiger)
Subject: TREK BOOK 2


        Here's chapter two of my book.  Please send any and all comments
criticisms to the address below.
        Thanks.
        All comments will be compiled and I'll eventually do a massive
re-write.
        Thanks....

(C) 1991 - Doug Geiger
                Chapter 2

        "What, you're not happy to see me?"



        "Why should we be, Q.  You've done nothing

but taunt us since we first encountered you!"

shouted Picard.  By now, it was all Picard could

do to sit up straight in his chair.



        "Yeah, why don't you get lost?" added

Riker.



        Worf's growl turned into a roar as he

launched himself from the Bridge's upper level.

A phaser appeared in his hand.  He landed in a

crouch between Picard and Q and raised his phaser

to fire.  An incandescent blue light erupted from

the phaser's muzzle and struck Q.  The beam hit Q

full in the chest, causing his body to be enveloped

in a brilliant halo.



        "Really, Worf, haven't you learned anything

from our past encounters?  You know that won't work.

In fact, I'm insulted that I don't rate higher than

heavy stun."  With a flick of his finger, more for

effect than because it was required, Q sent Worf's

phaser blast arcing back to its source.  The

phaser couldn't handle the added energy so it

overloaded, sending Worf flying across the Bridge

to smash into the wall next to the Turbolift,

unconscious.



        "Really, mon capitan, I expected anger

from Worf, but not from you.  And you, Will.  I'm

omnipotent, I can't get lost."



        From behind him, Q could sense rapid

movement from Data's station.



        "And just what do you think you're doing,

android?  You of all peop-, uh, beings should know

that nothing you do can effect me," said Q.



        "I was merely summoning Dr. Pulaski from

Sickbay to attend to Lieutenant Worf," replied

Data.



        "Come now, Data, I find you and your

friends too amusing to allow you to be seriously

injured.  Worf will be all right, but you'd better

summon the good doctor anyway.  Your captain looks

ill.  Probably overexcitement at seeing me or else

the accumulated nausea of seeing Worf everyday for

the past two years.  Take your pick."



        Picard had by now lost a lot of blood from

his head wound and was looking paler.  He had been

trying not to show how weak he felt but it wasn't

working very well.  He rose shakily to his feet

and confronted Q.



        "I have had about enough of you and your

insults, Q," Picard said in a low, dangerous

whisper.  "Surely, you in your INFINITE wisdom can

find something better to do than annoy me and my

crew."



        "Okay, Picard, have it your way.  I'll

just go blow up some stars or something.  I'm sure

the inhabitants of the orbiting planets won't

mind.  I'll tell them Jean-Luc Picard sent me."

And Q started to disappear in a column of rainbow

sparkles, an obvious exaggeration of the Enterprise

transporters.



        "Wait!  Stop, Q!  I already have twenty

two deaths on my conscience because of you, I

don't need any more," Picard yelled.



        "Oh, how quaint.  I do believe that you're

jealous.  You don't want me to play with anyone

else but you."



        "It's not that, Q.  Obviously you're here

for some reason and I'd like to know what it is."



        "Very well.  I've come to stop you from

making a terrible mistake.  If you look at the

viewscreen very carefully, you'll see that the Xin

ship was not destroyed.  All the pyrotechnics

you've been throwing around have just made them

mad," explained Q.  "And one of you science types,

especially the android or the boy," he said

indicating Data and Wesley Crusher, "should have

realized that since the ship is crystalline in

nature,  any energy you expend on it is magnified

and stored until it is needed.  The Xin captain

lied, Picard.  This is no mere specimen collecting

mission, but an advanced raiding scout.  Even now,

a fleet of over five hundred Xin ships is massing

at the edge of Federation space.  This brings me

to the reason for my visit.  I will help you

defeat the Xin."



        "Why?  Why help us?  Every time you appear,

you torment us," said Riker.



        "Because, if the Xin take over the galaxy,

most of Starfleet will be destroyed in the battle.

That includes the Enterprise.  I've grown quite

fond of you.  I like visiting with you.  Besides,

I, too, hate to see the Enterprise in pieces.  It

just doesn't seem right somehow.  I will restore

the Enterprise if you promise to allow me to help

you defeat the Xin."



        At this point, Captain Picard, who had

been looking worse by the second, collapsed into

a heap on the floor at Troi's feet.  All of the

Bridge Crew, those who were still conscious at

least, rushed to the Captain's side.



        "Look's like you're finally first in

command, Number One," laughed Q.  "I've disabled

the Turbolift carrying Dr. Pulaski and cut the

Bridge off from the rest of the ship.  Your

captain will die soon.  Agree to my terms and I'll

let the doctor save the Captain and I'll tell you

how to defeat the Xin.  Do we have a deal, Riker?"



        "Yes, though I'll probably regret this,

damn it, but yes, I agree," said Riker, reluctantly.



        "I knew you'd see it my way.  Okay, I'm a

being of my word.  Zap!"  With a flash, all the

Bridge personnel except Worf and Picard were

returned instantaneously to their proper stations.

In addition, Dr. Pulaski appeared in the center

of the Bridge, fists raised as if pounding on

something.  "Let me out--What?  Not you again, Q?"



        "Just attend to your Captain, if you

please, Doctor, so that we may get on with our

business."



        "Excuse me, Commander, but my control

panel indicates that we have warp power available

to us, even though the secondary hull was

destroyed," reported Data.



        "How is that possible, Data?" asked

Wesley.



        "Simple, I undestroyed it.  Matter is so

easy to manipulate if you know how.  Don't worry,

the Enterprise is now fully repaired.  No hull

stress, nothing," explained Q.



        "Q, we must get the Captain to Sickbay

immediately.  If we don't act now, he will die,"

said Pulaski urgently.



        "Oh, I don't think so, Doctor.  I have

faith in you.  But if you insist."  With a wave

of his hand, Q made Picard and Pulaski disappear.



        "What have you done with them, Q?" asked

Deanna.



        "Yes, where are they, and what about

Worf?" Riker queried.



        "Why, they're in Sickbay, of course.  And

as for Worf, he's thick skulled.  He'll survive.

Besides, I like him better this way.  The mighty

warrior, reduced to a helpless pile of flesh.

Still, to earn your trust, I guess I'll have to

remove him to Sickbay, as well."



        Worf vanished.



        "There.  Satisfied?"



        "No, but I guess I'll have to live with

it," said Riker.



        "Yes, you do, don't you," said Q.



        "Alright, Q, what do we have to do now?

You've humiliated all of us on many occasions.

Just tell us what comes next."



        By this time Riker was standing toe-to-toe

with Q and staring him straight in the face.



        "Patience, my son," said Q, now dressed

in the raiments of a priest from Old Earth.  "All

shall be revealed in the Good Lord's (mine

actually) own time."



        In a flash, Q was clothed in the garb of a

big game hunter from Ancient Earth's African

continent.



        "I propose a great hunt for a rare,

magnificent beast.  One the Universe has not seen

the likes of for over half a century."



        "Enough with the fashion show, Q.  Out

with it!  What do we have to do to save the

Federation?" Riker shouted.



        "Temper, temper.  All right, since you

insist on the truth, here it is.  Fifty three

years ago, the last of a race of giant energy

absorbing creatures died.  They were similar in

nature to the probe that nearly destroyed Earth

around Stardate 8000.  I'm sure you have a record

of it in your memory banks.  You must capture one

of these creatures and use it to attack the Xin

ships.  It's really not so hard, now is it?"



        "Hold it, Q.  If these creatures have been

extinct for fifty three years, how are we supposed

to capture one?" asked Riker.



        "Obviously, you must go back in time and

bring one back to the present.  Come on, Will,

use the brain all non-Klingon Starfleet officers

are supposed to have."



        "Q, I admit that on rare occasions, time

travel has been successfully achieved, but never

with a ship the size of the Enterprise.  Our

chance of success is only one in six million,

three hundred forty five thousand, eight hundred

sixty three," analyzed Data.



        "I know of no way, short of a miracle,

that we could even have a hope of success,"

protested Wes.



        "That's where I come in," said Q.  "Just

as with the Borg, you need me.  I will handle all

time travel.  You need only concern yourselves with

hunting down and capturing the creature.  That seems

a fair division of labor.  Very equitable, I think,"

said Q.



        "If I agree, will you give us time to

prepare?" asked Riker.



        "Of course, as much time as you need.

Just remember, time is stopped only locally.  The

Xin fleet is still gathering.  Your time is running

out.  Decide, Riker!"



        "Alright, Q.  I agree, God help me, but I

must agree," declared Riker.



        "Fine.  Call me when you're ready and we

can get to work," said Q, fading away.



        "You heard him.  Let's get to work," said

Riker.



        Behind him, on the viewscreen, the explosion

had disappeared when the Enterprise was reconstituted

and the Xin ship could be seen clearly.  Slowly,

imperceptibly, and unnoticed by the crew, it moved.

Just a meter, but it moved nonetheless.

--
What if the 3 Most EXCELLENT People in the World were Borg?
(SCENE : BOBW II just before saucer separation)
Locutus : Destroy them, their separation is immanent!
Doug          geiger@klaatu.cs.canisius.edu