By Erin_Cale
Disclaimer: See first part.
***
In the med bay and the engine room, Andromeda�s hologram appeared and told everybody to meet in the Galley. They left their respective areas reluctantly but eventually made it to the Galley, where Dylan�s crew had already gathered. In between the two sides that naturally formed, Q appeared.
�Ready to go home, Aunt Kathy?�
�Yes Q.�
�I�m not,� Seven said, stepping across the invisible barrier between the two crews to join Dylan�s crew. �I will stay here.�
�Seven?� Kathryn asked.
�I have nothing in the Alpha Quadrant. Federation citizens fear me, the crew has gone their own ways and my relatives are strangers to me.�
�You sound like I did when I first came here. It was only a couple days ago, but it seems so long.� Kathryn shook her head. �You�re absolutely sure that you�re staying?�
�Yes.�
Kathryn then stepped forward and gave her former proteg� a hug. The rest of the crew followed her example, either hugging Seven or giving her a handshake. Even B�Elanna and Chakotay had tears in their eyes as they said goodbye.
When everybody had finished, Kathryn nodded to Q and said to Dylan right before she disappeared, �Remember what I told you.�
Dylan nodded but Kathryn didn�t see as she and her crew disappeared in a flash of light. He let out a deep sigh and turned to face Seven. �First we�ve got to get you some quarters.�
�Yes sir.�
Even though she wasn�t a High Guard officer and he didn�t need the �sir�, he found he had missed the sound of it just the same. He forced himself not to think about Kathryn and exited the Galley, leading Seven off to her new home.
One by one, the rest of the crew left as well, until it was just Trance sitting by herself. She saw a flash and looked up to see that Q was back already.
�What are you doing here?�
�I just wanted to ask you one question,� the dark haired boy said, sitting down beside her. �Why did you leave us?�
Trance laughed gently. �The Q have said and done everything, or so they believe. But have they actually tried to live as a mortal does? That is what I�m doing. I�m living as a mortal and helping this crew out in the process. It�s actually kind of fun, really. You should try it sometime.�
The younger Q gave her an uncomprehending glance. �Maybe not right now,� he answered with a half smirk.
Trance rolled her eyes. �You still don�t realize why these mortals are so fascinating, do you?�
�Honestly, no. Both you and my father have an obsession with them that I can�t understand.�
�Mortals, Q, are very brave. They have to be. To live such short lives and to face the knowledge that any little thing might kill them and yet they still try to actually live. It takes a lot of courage to keep going in the face of odds that you know will never be in your favor.� Q nodded, but she could tell that he still didn�t quite understand it. She laughed again. �Eventually, you will understand. You have a lot more time than they do to figure it out.�
Q stood up, bowed gracefully as a gesture of respect, and promptly disappeared. Trance, now alone in the room, smiled and left.