“What are you doing here, Q?” Allensworth demanded.

“I’m just merely looking after my apprentice. She still has a lot to learn about being a Q.”

“Wait, I remember you.” Plumley said walking up to the blond. “You were a medical intern on the Enterprise during my final year there. You’re Amanda Rogers.”

“Amanda Rogers?” Allensworth asked.

“She was an intern on the Enterprise-D and it later turned out that she was a Q.”

Q folded his hands and had a very bored expression on his face. “Yes, yes, Amanda here has quite a fascinating story but…”

Allensworth cut him off. “What did you mean that you happened?”

“You cut me off.” Q said.

“You’ll survive.” Allensworth shot back.

“Well, the typical Q doesn’t really care about other races because of their omnipotence.”

“Typical Q?” Q asked. “I resent that remark.”

“I saw this catastrophe and because I grew up with a human lifestyle, and I felt like I could allow the human race to be wiped out by the Borg. I wanted to help but I wasn’t sure what to do because I didn’t want to affect the universe too much. Billions of people had just been killed and more were going to follow. So I decided to alter the timeline.”

“Yes, it’s a very touching story.” Q said.

“Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful for your intervention but I’m not sure I understand why you did it. Time isn’t really a toy to play around with. You can’t go tinkering with it whenever you don’t like the way things are going. There are laws in this universe that we can’t ignore it simply because it has become inconvenient.” Allensworth said.

Amanda lowered her head as if she was getting a lecture from her parents. She knew that her parents would lecture her on this matter if they weren’t killed by a Q made tornado in Kansas.

“When I was on the Enterprise, two of its crewmembers were stuck on a planet because a reactor was about to go critical and they couldn’t get a transporter lock to beam them out. I had a choice whether to remain a human and let them die or save them and stay a Q. Will and Geordi are alive because I chose to leave my human life behind and become a Q. This was another one of those times. What would you have done in my shoes?”

Allensworth didn’t even pretend to consider the question. He knew the rules and regulations but Amanda wasn’t a Starfleet officer even though she wore a uniform like one. He knew what his heart was saying. “I would’ve done the same thing.”

“It took me forever for me to get Picard to admit something like that but as soon as she gets here, she gets you to admit that. They grow up so fast. It hits you right here, doesn’t it.” Q said acting like he was wiping a tear from his eye.

Suddenly, the red alert klaxon sounded. The crisis wasn’t over yet.

A haunting silence filled the darkened bridge, broken only by intermittent bleeps of the computer. As he walked to the command chair, Allensworth couldn’t help but notice the slight chill running down his spine. His mind kept racing back to the alternate Alexandria and its dreadful demise. Allensworth knew that if things went badly now, they could suffer the same fate all over again.

“We have reached the threshold of the debris field.” Perim said, her voice filled with apprehension.

“The Defiant, Okinawa, Prometheus and Finland in range.” Perim added.

A smile slightly cracked Allensworth’s stoic face. The Borg was one of the most lethal forces in the known universe and Starfleet sent four ships.

“How many cubes in the debris field?”

“Six. Four of them are on an intercept course.”

Allensworth sighed. They had issues with one cube but there were six of them. Five starships were definitely not enough against them. The captain hoped that there were more on their way just not within sensor range.

In a flash of light, the two Q appeared.

“What will you do, Captain?” Q asked.

“He will do nothing.” Amanda said. “I started this and I will end this.”

With a quick motion of her hands, the cubes disappeared, the debris field disappeared even the distortion disappeared.”

Allensworth looked around and all he saw was the tensed looks of the bridge crew.

“Stand down from red alert.” He said returning to his command chair.

“I apologize for my actions that put your crew in danger.”

“How many times do I have to tell you? You’re a Q you don’t have to apologize.” Q said.

“Yes, I do.”

“Whatever. Kids.” Q said before disappearing in a flash of light.

“Again, I’m sorry.” Amanda said before waving her hands to disappear in a flash of light.

Captain’s Log: Stardate: 58152.8: We’ve returned to Earth after it had been attacked by the Terran Empire. Starfleet may start taking the fight to them now. A few of us have a some things to take care of during our downtime.

Captain Jermaine Allensworth stood at the edge of a giant crater that went beyond the eyes can see. It was what was left of the southeastern seaboard of the North American continent. He couldn’t believe it. His family was gone with the exception of his father.

He heard footsteps behind him. He turned around to see his father walking up to him. Without saying a word. Jermaine walked up to him and hugged his father tightly. Nothing was needed to be said between the two.

Aboard the Alexandria, Counselor Christine Nycz stood in front of Commander Alex Merriell’s quarters. She waited a few seconds and took a few deep breaths before pressing the chime on the wall panel. She heard his voice telling her to come in. She took a step forward to allow the sensor to acknowledge her and allow the doors to open.

Alex was a bit surprised by her appearance. “Counselor? What can I do for you?”

“Do you mind if I sit down?”

“No, go ahead.” Alex said scooting over to give Christine some room to sit. The counselor sat down and took a few more breaths. Alex could tell that something was bothering her. “What is it, Counselor?”

“Alex, we need to talk.” She said.

The End.