Gateways 07_ What Lay Beyond - Diane Carey [70]
Janeway didn’t have to think twice. “Send the others home,” she said. “They’ve only been away a brief while. They’ve been through so much; they deserve to get home to their loved ones as quickly as possible.”
“Well, that’s easy enough for me to do,” said Q. He leaned over toward her and said in a conspiratorial tone of voice, “But can’t I tempt their team leader into the same journey?”
Smiling, Janeway leaned over her own chair arm in return until their faces were almost touching.
“We’ve been down this road before,” she said. “I’ll take no favors from you, Q. Who knows what strings they’ll have attached to them?”
Q looked offended, but she pressed on quickly. “We’ve come so far, we mortals. On just our own courage and ingenuity and good, old-fashioned hope. You yourself know that we’re in contact with Starfleet, and that doesn’t look like that’s going to stop. I want us to get home on our own, and I think we’re going to do it. Don’t take that victory from us, Q. Not when we’ve worked so hard, come so far.”
Q said nothing.
“Besides,” she added, looking at him intently, “I’ve got a feeling that we were meant to be here, somehow. That this was the journey my crew and I were supposed to be on, even though we didn’t know it. Look at how many people we have helped, the good we have done. You yourself steered little lost lambs to us for help and guidance. Don’t you, who know so much, agree that Voyager has a purpose being here in the Delta Quadrant all these years?”
“Ah, ah,” remonstrated Q with a twinkle in his eye. “That would be telling.”
Janeway’s smile broadened. She had her answer.
Suddenly little q was standing beside her. He cradled Fluffy/Barkley in his arms. “I have something for you. Your ball rolled into our yard.”
Suddenly Janeway was holding the small probe she had tossed through the gateway, what seemed like an eternity ago. She couldn’t help but smile as she turned the small orb over in her hands.
“Thank you for finding my dog for me, Aunt Kathy, and for bringing him safely home.”
The last four words made her eyes sting. Gently, Janeway reached out and patted Barkley/Fluffy’s furry head for the last time. “You’re welcome. He’s a good dog. And I know he missed you, q.”
She took a long, searching look at her godson. Considering who his parents were, he had an interesting lack of arrogance about him. The boy, if such he could truly be called, had an open, sweet face. The smile was genuine, and the love in his eyes for the innocent, mortal creature was palpable.
She gazed a final time at her surroundings. Q had brought her to a dusty, stagnant way station, and a war-torn battlefield. She liked this view of the Continuum, a nurturing place with images of serenity and comfort, much better. If this was the direction in which the Q were truly headed, then there might be a whole new age of enlightenment for the galaxy.
“The galaxy? Pshaw,” said Q, reading her thoughts again. “Try the universe. Or three or four of them.” But his arrogant boast was tempered by a look of real affection in his bright, sparkling brown eyes.
“Farewell, my wild, sweet Kathy. We’ll meet again.”
Janeway found herself standing outside the gateway, once again on the tranquil, uninhabited class-M planet. Even as she turned to see if she could glimpse the Continuum through the open door, it disappeared.
“Captain? Were you unsuccessful?” Tuvok’s voice had more than a touch of concern in it.
She took a deep breath and mentally returned to the here and now. “On the contrary, Tuvok. Janeway to Chakotay.”
“Captain?” Chakotay’s voice sounded puzzled. “What happened? Were you somehow unable to get through the gateway?”
“I’ve come and gone,” she replied.
“But you just… never mind. So, what was on the other side?”
Janeway debated telling him, then decided to keep this trip to the Continuum to herself. It really didn’t involve the rest of the crew, and sometimes, silence was the best option.
“Fluffy’s home.” She gave Tuvok a mysterious smile. “Tuvok and I are ready to beam up, Commander. And I have some good news.