Star Trek: The voyages of the USS Apollo

Chapter Thirty Four: The Stella System

September 23rd 2413

"Rear Admiral's Log: Star Date 390271.717. It has now been three years since we were pulled into the Gamma Quadrant by the True Way and our journey home continues. Starbase Kira Nerys is seventeen thousand lightyears from our position, a seventeen year journey away. By the time we get there Lucas, my son, will be an adult. The little Cadet has barely even started walking. We will soon be arriving at the Stella System, a solar system where a group of renegade Q called the Galactic Guardians live. These Q take a more active role in Galactic affairs, such as saving fifty million people during the Third World War and bringing them to planet Heiwa. Where they have built a thriving civilisation. Since these Q are more accommodating than the rest of the Continuum, then it is hoped that perhaps they will send us home."

Ethan and T'Vrell were in their quarters with Lucas, their one year old son who had only recently started to walk. Lucas was sitting on the floor in his Starfleet cadet onesie and in front of him was his father who was holding out his hands and saying "Just stand up and walk over here to Papa." Lucas did not understand what his father was saying, but he knew by the arms that his father wanted him to come over. So Lucas stood up on his feet, which took a few moments of course and started walking towards Ethan. Lucas took one step at a time, baffled that he could do exactly what his mother and father could but until recently he could not: walk. After about twenty seconds Lucas finally walked into the hands of his father, who picked him up and said "Now wasn't that impressive." The doors to the quarters then flew open as T'Vrell walked in and said "I see that you have been continuing to teach him how to walk. A most logical choice considering that he is one year old." Upon seeing his mother, Lucas pointed at her with his small finger and said "Mama." T'Vrell then walked over to Ethan and Lucas and said "My son. The correct word is "Mother". Mother." Lucas tried to repeat, but could only say "Mama." Ethan chuckled a bit and said "He's still learning T'Vrell. By the time we get home he'll be calling me Papa and he'll be calling you Mother." Lucas then pointed at T'Vrell again and said "Mama. Mama. Mama."

Knowing that Lucas wanted to be in the arms of his mother, Ethan got an idea. He lowered Lucas down on his two feet and then pointed at T'Vrell as he said "Walk towards your mother and she will give you cuddles." Lucas then began walking to T'Vrell, who knelt down and held her hands out welcomingly. There were a few moments where it looked like Lucas would fall over, but he kept going and finally arrived in the arms of his mother. T'Vrell then lifted him up and said "A successful display of your walking Lucas. In time you will be able to walk as much as me and your father." Then suddenly, much to Ethan and T'Vrell's surprise, Lucas said "Wok." Ethan was stunned at this and said "I don't believe it. He just said something other than "Dada" and "Mama". It's about time." T'Vrell agreed and said "Yes. Soon enough he will be both walking and talking as any child would. It is a logical assumption."

Just as the two passionately kissed, their com badges came alive as the voice of Commander Alisha Flores said "Rear Admiral Rivers. We're coming across the Stella System now Sir. We need you on the Bridge." Knowing that duty called, Ethan said "Computer activate the babysitting holographic program." The holo-emitter then activated and a hologram of an old woman appeared and said "I take it that it's time again to babysit little Lucas?" T'Vrell then handed Lucas to the babysitting program and said "Yes. He has started to walk so be gentle with him." Ethan and T'Vrell then left for the Bridge, hoping to meet the Galactic Guardians and get home as soon as possible. As they walked down the hallway to the nearest turbolift, Ethan said "Lucas is growing up so fast. Before you know it he'll be reading." T'Vrell agreed and said "That he will. After all, Vulcan children usually start reading at the age of eighteen standard Earth months." Ethan then corrected her saying "Remember that he's half Human. probably the reason why he's already walking so well. I wonder if he'll come to see Spock as something of an idol?" The two then entered the turbolift and Ethan said "The Bridge." The turbolift doors then closed and it sped up to the Bridge.

When the turbolift doors opened and Ethan and T'Vrell got to their respective stations, they saw the planet up ahead. The planet seemed much like Earth. It had several continents and large oceans. But there was no activity and no signs of any civilisation. As Ethan sat down in the Rear Admiral's chair he asked "Any sign of the Galactic Guardians?" Laren checked her scans and said "No Sir. But I'm detecting a large concentration of energy on the planet. Likely the Galactic Guardians." Knowing that this had to be the planet, Ethan said "Get an away team ready. We're headed down there." Ethan then stood up and turned around to head to the turbolift. But then stopped as he heard a mischievous voice, seemingly coming from all around him, say "Or perhaps Rear Admiral, we will come to you." A bright flash of light occurred behind him and Jamaican steel drum music started playing. Ethan turned around to see a man on a beach bed with two very attractive women in beachwear on either side of him. The man was seemingly of Asian descent and was wearing a Hawaiian shirt and a black beach hat. A man in a waiter's uniform then appeared next to him and handed him a sex on the beach cocktail. The man, who the entire Bridge Crew had deduced to be a Q by this point, then said "Why thank you my good man." as he got up and Ethan asked "Why? Just why?" The Q then stood up and answered "Why? Because I can." And let out a mischievous laugh.

The waiter then started offering cocktails to the entire Bridge Crew, all of them quite disturbingly turning out to be the favourite drink of each one of them. William stood up from his chair and the two women immediately came up to him and began stroking their hands across him. William sounded unimpressed as he said "I don't need your fantasy women." The Q then turned around to face William and said "Very well." He then snapped his fingers and the two women disappeared from him and appeared by Voq's side, doing the same thing to him. Angered, Ethan yelled "Q!" The male Q turned to face Ethan and said "But I feel like celebrating your arrival." Only for Ethan to shout "I don't!" The male Q then sighed and said "All right." He then snapped his fingers and the two women disappeared. Ethan, acting professional in this situation, then sternly said "All of it." The male Q groaned and snapped his fingers again. Causing the waiter, the beach bed and the music to disappear. The male Q's uniform also changed to that of a Starfleet uniform with the full rank of Captain. The usual uniform that Qs wore whenever they were encountered by Starfleet.

Upon seeing the male Q in a Starfleet uniform, Ethan asked "Tell me. Just why is it that every Q we meet wears a Starfleet Captain's uniform?" The male Q smiled mischievously as he said "Why? Because we can." The male Q then said to Rear Admiral Rivers "By the way Rear Admiral, how about I take you and your wife to lunch and we can talk further?" The male Q then snapped his fingers and he, along with Ethan and T'Vrell, disappeared in a flash of white light. They then reappeared in the mess hall, much to the surprise of the people there. The male Q then grabbed Ethan's hand to shake it and said "You may call me Quinlan by the way. It's a long version of my actual name: Q." Quinlan then walked over to a table and said "Please, allow me to set the scene." Quinlan then snapped his fingers again and the table changed in a flash of light to be Victorian-esque with armchairs and a white sheet over the table itself. There was two selections of food for either of them. Ethan was quite surprised to see a selection of sushi and fried dumplings. More specifically the kind his Grandmother would make every time he went to Japan. For T'Vrell there was jumbo Vulcan mollusks sautéed in Rhombolian butter and Vulcan spice tea. Doctor Crawford Bernard had been enjoying chicken noodles when Ethan and T'Vrell showed up with Quinlan and asked "Is that one of the Q?" Ethan silently nodded and Crawford realised that it really was a Q! Adora, the first Acadian nurse in Starfleet and a trainee in the Doctor's Training Program, as well as Doctor Bernard's girlfriend, looked over at Quinlan and asked "That's a Q? I wasn't expecting them to be so...flamboyant. Also what's a fried dumpling?" Not impressed or amused at Quinlan's silly antics, Ethan said "Enough of this madness Quinlan. Now if you don't mind I would like to meet with the rest of the Galactic Guardians." Quinlan had an excited look on his face as he said "Well of course." Quinlan then snapped his fingers and he, Ethan, T'Vrell and Commander Flores from the Bridge were transported down to the planet in a flash of light. Captain Jakoro and Captain Anaya were transported as well, all to meet the ones who could possibly send them home much faster than hoped: The renegade Q known as the Galactic Guardians.