Beamed into Star Trek

Chapter 37: Remember

. . . 2315. .

 . . . Earth . . .

He was ten years old. That is how old Jean-Luc was when he played the piano that day. His mother,Yvette Picard, loved to hear him play. It was one of her favorite things about her son Jean-Luc. He had a talent. He had a dream to join Star Fleet. A very admirable dream his father did not approve of.

"Nice keys."

Picard looked over toward the source of the voice.  It was a strange man in what seemed to be a Star Fleet uniform. He only recognized the combadge. The uniform was mainly black and red. Picard stopped playing the piano looking up toward the man who seemed to be older than him probably ten years old than his father.

"Thank you," Picard said. "Who are you?"

Q sat in the randomly extended seat.

"No, the question is: what is that strange man?" Q said. "Is he from Star Fleet? A passer by time traveler?"

"You are from Star Fleet?" Picard asked.

Q put his fingers on the keys then played a merrily tune.

"Higher." Q said, still playing.

"Admiral." Picard said.

"Hiiiighhher!" Q sang.

"Star Fleet Command?" Picard asked.

"No, of course not!" Q said,

"Give me some more hints, please." Picard plead.

Q smiled.

"It isn't Star Fleet." Q said, as he took his hands off the keys.

And in came Robert holding  a toy boat. He dropped the boat seeing Q . Q looked over toward Robert's direction.

"Hello there," Q said. "I am only a visitor. Won't be here long."

Robert had a furious look on his face.

"Get away from my brother!" Robert said.

"One second," Q said. "I have something very important to tell your brother."

Robert started to step forward except he froze in time.

"Robert!" Picard called.

"Listen, very carefully. .  . Jean-Luc," Q said. "Your life depends on this."

Picard stared at him in fear and bewilderment.

"Spill it." Picard said.

"It is more of a story really," Q said. "There was once a godly being. Once. But then he had to save the universe as you know it. He was young. Very young.  He came aboard a star ship headed to a mysterious planet. He could do anything, ANYTHING he wanted. He frankly thought he had seen it all but really he hadn't."

"Get to the point." Picard said.

"Then he came across the captain," Q said. "And the godly being roasted him. He and the captain saved the universe numerous times. The captain made a irreversible impression on the entity. All the entity could do was snap his fingers. He could do anything he wanted with a thought. One day this godly being was ordered to offer the captain with becoming what he is.  To see how he would handle the power to save the universe and lives."  Q paused, briefly. "But . . . "

"But what?" Picard asked.

"He knew what exactly his captain would say." Q said.

"And what did he say?" Picard said.

"No." Q said.

"No?" Picard repeated.

"Yes," Q said, with a slow nod. "No."

Picard pouted.

"Well, that sucks." Picard said.

"So instead he asked  his first commander," Q said. "The captain wanted no part  of his games and trickery, in fact the first thing he said to this entity was 'Get off my ship' or 'Get off my bridge!'. each time he appeared randomly." Q sighed. "The godly being would have done anything for the captain. Watching  his captain die was . . ." Q's hand slid down his face. "Heart wrenching."

"Awww." Picard said.

"But one day the universe ended," Q said. "The godly being was very alone. There was a scar in time wiping out the existence of everything it came in contact with. There was one way to save the universe and it would require his very life. He was about to leave. He had lost all hope of coming out of this alive. But then.  .  . Just then. His young captain appeared. The godly being's mind was swayed by his young captain's words. With his hope renewed, the godly being improvised a plan to save the entire universe. And then the godly being took the captain on a trip."

"What kind of trip?" Picard asked.

"A trip through time and space," Q said. "He was stuck by the scar. He was being dragged into it. It was feeding off him."

Picard noticed the wound on Q's shoulder.

"You are that entity." Picard said.

"But he couldn't let it take him that easily!" Q said. "So he  fought hard with his will rather than power to escape the white scar. He had to do it for his captain."

"Was the captain James T Kirk?" Picard asked.

Q smiled.

"Not at all." Q said.

"In the records it says Kirk came across a couple godly beings." Picard said.

"One of whom were a entity called Trelane." Q said.

Picard's eyes grew wide.

"What are you?" Picard asked.

Q leaned forward.

"You really want to know?" Q asked.

Picard nodded.

Q leaned back.

"I suppose so," Q said. "I am Trelane's father."

"What happened to the captain?" Picard asked.

Q sighed.

"He lived."  Q said.

"And the entity?" Picard asked.

"You have to remember to find out,Mon ami." Q said.

Suddenly there was a bright light from across Q in the shape of a large crack. 

"What is that?" Picard asked, curious not at the least scared.

"That's my ride." Q said, then he stood up and headed toward the crack in the wall.

"Hey!" Picard shouted. "My brother!"

Q held up his hand then snapped his fingers.

Robert landed flat on his face.

"Thank you--" Picard started, he turned his head toward Q's direction only to see nothing in the wall and the entity vanished. "Huh.  . . . That is a little off."