Q-pid’s Arrow
2/4

by Caitlin (Dana) and Spooky

(ST:V;G;J/C)


Disclaimers:  Hallmark ornaments . . . can’t buy yet . . . they own till 
then . . . tough. (sentence fragments . . . just phrases!)

This is dedicated to Mich “Bugger,” just to embaress him by having his 
name on such a wool-headed peice of work.

*
	Tom felt faint.  Could B’Elanna really have been assimilated?  No, it 
couldn’t be!  	His resolve was broken, though, when Ensign Barquet 
breathed,  “Lt. Torres?”
	“No, it can’t be!” sputtered Tom.  
	Janeway herself was in shock, but out of instinct, commanded, 
“Lieutenant.”  Tom quieted at this, but his face was blank with shock.  
All around the bridge, the feeling was mutual, but Janeway noticed that 
across his face was etched what looked like . . . pain?  She hadn’t 
known that he and B’Elanna had been so close.  Janeway shook herself out 
of her silent reverie.  “Ensign Barquet, how are our shields holding?” 
It was as if her words had snapped the bridge back to life.  Casualty 
and damage reports were coming in.
	Janeway didn’t know what to do.  When Q had first entered the scene, 
Voyager had been making repairs.  About a week ago, they had had a 
run-in with a hostile alien species.   Though they had managed to drive 
the aliens away, Voyager had taken a beating.   The Captain didn’t think 
they’d be able to survive another encounter right now, much less against 
the Borg.  The huge Borg cube loomed across the view screen.  “Hail 
them,” ordered Janeway.  The stern face of B’Elanna, or rather Zarine, 
now inhabited the screen.
	“I am Zarine of Borg,” she said coldly.  “You will communicate with the 
Collective through me.” 
	 Tom winced visibly, and then spun his chair around to face the 
Captain.  “Captain, we’ve got to get her out of there!” he said 
desperately.
	“Agreed, lieutenant,” replied Captain Janeway.  She tried to cover up 
the panic that was spreading across her face.  She suddenly felt eyes on 
her back, and they weren’t those of her first officer.  
	“Do you still want me gone, Kathryn?” Q asked maliciously.
	“All right, Q, you want me to tell you we need you? Well we need you.  
Are you going to help us or not?”
	“It’s a deal.”  Q put his arm around her only have her struggle out of 
his grasp.   He frowned.  “Tenacious little devil, isn’t she,” he 
whispered to Chakotay just loud enough for the rest of the bridge to 
hear.  “I don’t know how you put up with her.”   Suddenly his face 
brightened. “Q, you are brilliant,”  he muttered to himself.  Then he 
brought his attention back to Janeway.  “Here, I’ll bargain with you 
Captain.  I will return your precious  Chief Engineer to you.”
	Captain Janeway eyed him suspiciously.  “And in return?”
	“A kiss.  From you, of course,” 
*
Comments to deltaquad22@hotmail.com (Spooky) and 
dana_lynn_tighe@hotmail.com (Caitlin)