Operation: Phoenix, "Education and Homecoming" The Q Continuum Time: Anytime Place: Everywhere ------------------------- Q looked at the young half-human, half-Q in front of him and asked seriously, "You want to know everything about being a Q? Are you sure you realize what this means?" Galand nodded. "I may not realize fully, but I know enough to know what I want. You're the only one from here who'll have anything to do with me, so you're the logical choice." Q leaned forward, and said "Very well, my young friend...but do realize later on that I did warn you...I will hear no complaints when you find out just what a taskmaster I am..." Galand nodded slowly, and said, "Well...what are we waiting for?" *** The next 6 months for Galand were living hell in a bottle. He was pushed to his limits and beyond, coming close to death several times. Still, he persisted and his powers grew, until one day Q took him aside from his studies, and laid down a few important truths. "I'm going to lay down certain rules that apply to you, my boy...You've skirted some of these during your training, and I've decided it's time you knew your limits." Galand looked surprised. "Limits? I thought we didn't have any!" Q smiled sardonically. "*I* have few...you have more than you realize." He got up, and began pacing, ticking off points on his fingers. "One: You cannot destroy anything. By that, I mean that once you have created something, it's there to stay...you cannot uncreate it. You may alter it, convert it to energy paint it plaid for all I care, but you cannot undo it. To do so would be to uncreate yourself, as your power would recoil upon you." "Two: You cannot resurrect the dead. You can raise their spirits for brief periods, you can heal the severely wounded by giving your life-force to them but you cannot help them once they have died." "Three: You *CAN* be killed. It may take more to kill you than your average mortal, but you *CAN* die, even though it may not be from old age." "Four: Your power is like an electric current, and you are the wire that conducts it. Channel too much at once, and it will burn you up." Galand looked at Q curiously. "How will I know if too much is too much?" The being smiled back at his pupil. "Oh, you'll know...you will know..." He paused. "You've done remarkably well, I must say...better than I expected. You're free to go now, if you like...and help your friends, if you can..." Galand nodded, and focused his powers...he sidestepped through the Continuum and back home... --------------------------------------- BlockBuster Video, Austin TX Near Sunset --------------------------------------- I flashed back into existence in the smoking ruins of the parking lot at my sure to be former workplace. The devastation was pretty rancid. I strolled into the store through a convenient hole in the wall, tore a bit of receipt paper off a shattered register, grabbed a partially melted pen, and wrote a brief note to my store manager to the effect that I was not coming in for work tomorrow, and probably would have to take leave, if not quit entirely. That done, I teleported myself straight to the WEDJEE HQ in Iowa... ------------------------------------------ Remains of WEDJEE HQ, Iowa Twilight ------------------------------------------ I blinked into reality in front of WEDJEE HQ, Iowa. One look, and I nearly dropped to my knees with grief...the entire place had been destroyed. "Man...I'm gone for six months subjective, three days objective, and everything goes to SHIT!" I spotted a trooper from the DE's MEDIC division working to clear rubble and rescue survivors nearby. I jumped in and helped out. The Trooper looked surprised to see his CO working alongside him. I flashed a quick smile at him and said, "What happened here, Trooper?" His eyes got very wide, and he stammered out, "Sir, it was the Lizards sir...they came in, bombing everything, killing anyone in their way...Sir, one of them killed Commander Samhain!" I stood straight up after he said THAT, and the air about me started to shimmer violently in response to my anger and shock. "What?!? Repeat yourself, Trooper." "Ssss-ss-s--s" The poor guy kept stammering, terrified of his own shadow...the gentle tack hadn't worked very well, so it was time for some good ol'-fashioned military D&C. "STAND AT ATTENTION WHEN YOU SPEAK TO ME TROOPER! Now, SPIT IT OUT! Or do you want me to run you around this compound until your feet fall off?" The soldier straightened noticbly, now back in familiar territory. "SIR! NO SIR!" I smiled to myself...he would make a good one someday, if he could just lighten up a bit. "Then tell me what happened, Trooper." "Sir, a squad of Lizard troops came into the base after the air raid rendered our defenses useless. The leader of the squad...she--I think it was a she, Sir--tore Commander Samhain's head off, and took it with her." I looked the troop very closely in the eyes. "Tell me, Trooper...was there anyone else in the room besides Samhain when he died? Human, I mean." The Trooper shook his head. "No sir...at least, I don't believe so sir...I didn't see anyone go into C&C after the Commander did, sir." I sighed heavily. If he had been denied a human host, that meant he was fairly well lost, at least for the moment. "Who's in command of the DE now?" "Commander Inagei, sir...but she's MIA." The Trooper looked nervous, expecting a retribution. "At ease, soldier!" I snapped, VERY irritated. The air about me almost glowed. "You're not on trial here, but I've..been away for awhile, and I need information. Now, tell me...who *is* active? I don't care what organization they're in...it could be the High Jihaddi of the Hare Krishnas for all I care, but I need to know who to contact." "I think Commodore Marburger's still active sir...he's coordinating some sort of defense of TRES HQ...a lot of our troops are working with TRES, since..." "Since we're fairly much headless now, right?" The Trooper gulped. "Umm...Yessir." "Very well...carry on with what you're doing here...I've got other things to do." The Trooper stood at attention and fired off a salute. "YESSIR! Good to have you back, Sir!" In spite of myself, I smiled. "It's good to *be* back, Trooper." And with that, I focused on my destination, as taught, and willed myself to be there. All the trooper saw was a burst of white light, and I was gone...what I saw was different, and I do not to this day want to think about... *To Be Continued* Copyright Stephen D. Scott, 1996. All mention of the Q (c) Paramount Studios. Used without permission.