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More Star Trek Chaosdancer About John Berger |
And Justice For Q
A note: I submitted this story to Pocket Books' "Strange New Worlds" anthology and contest. About two months later, I picked up a Trek book by Greg Cox (The Q Continuum: Book One) which featured a joke almost identical to one in this story. ARGH! My apologies to Greg Cox, and the universe as a whole...
"Ah, Jean-Luc, I've missed you so! I've been all over this great galaxy of ours, but there's nothing like old friends! Am I right, mon Capitan, or am I right? But I'm back, and it's time for a little fun!"
First Officer Will Riker gave an exasperated sigh. Ship's Counselor Deanna Troi rolled her eyes. Captain Jean-Luc Picard simply smiled.
"Q," he said brightly, "You have no idea how much I have been looking forward to seeing you."
Q frowned. "Picard, one look around this bridge makes it clear you haven't developed better taste in friends. Surely, you don't think your pitiful reverse psychology could sway a superior being like myself."
"I assure you, Q, I am quite sincere," Picard replied. "Mr. Data?"
"Containment field active," the android replied.
"What? You've laid a trap for me? How delightful!" Q clapped his hands and beamed gleefully. He raised both hands with a flourish, spun and snapped his fingers and...
Nothing happened.
Riker tapped his combadge with a self-satisfied grin. "Security to the bridge! I need an armed detachment up here! Code Q-Alpha."
"Welcome to the Enterprise-E," Picard said. "We've made some upgrades. Mr. Data has been compiling a rather formidable file on you, Q. Each time you visited us, the file got a little bigger. And after a while, we started to develop some theories..."
Two guards emerged from the turbolift.
Q kept snapping his fingers. "How ridiculous! You can't even begin to wrap your primate brains around the tiniest portion of my existence. This is ludicrous!"
"Clearly, this is not ludicrous," Data said. "In fact, it appears to be quite effective."
"Q," Picard said sternly, "you are under arrest."
The captain gestured and the guards seized Q.
"Take him to the brig," Picard said, clearly relishing the moment.
"Don't give me that smug look," Q snarled, thrashing as he disappeared into the lift. "I have friends in high places, LITTLE MAN! YOU'LL ALL PAY FOR..."
The shutting door cut off his diatribe.
Picard turned to Riker, who rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"Are you sure this was a good idea?" Riker asked innocently.
***
The guards dragged Q into Picard's ready room, steadfastly ignoring his constant stream of complaints.
"Picard, this is an outrage!"
Picard cut him off. "Q, you have a visitor. You have 15 minutes. And don't try anything. The guards will be right outside."
"What? What visitor? I don't see..."
Picard gestured at the window. Floating just outside the porthole was a blond man in a gray jumpsuit.
"Q!" Q shouted jubilantly, rushing to the window.
"We'll leave you," Picard said, exiting.
"Well, Q, this is another fine mess you've gotten yourself into," said Q, his voice unobstructed by the vacuum of space.
"What are you waiting for?" Q demanded. "Why haven't you cracked this ship open like a walnut?"
Q laughed. "Are you kidding, Q? They caught you fair and square, and a nice job of it too! I can't even come in there. Not that they're interested in me. After all, I'm not the one who's been tormenting them for years."
"Are you seriously saying you're powerless to help me?"
"Oh, heavens no! I'm perfectly able to help you. I'm just not willing. The Continuum sees a certain poetic justice here. You put these people on trial the very first time you met them. Turnabout is fair play."
"What do you mean, I put them on trial? We put them on trial! The Continuum made that decision!"
"True enough, but we didn't expose them to the Borg. That was all you."
"What?"
"That's what they're charging you with. Leading the Borg to the Alpha Quadrant."
"Oh, the Borg would have come for them a few years later anyway! It's outrageous!"
Q shrugged, languidly drifting back and away from the porthole with a grin. "It's not me you have to convince."
When Picard and the guards came back into the room at the end of the 15 minutes, Q was banging his head on the glass with great force.
***
Dr. Crusher snapped her tricorder shut. "He's fine," she said, "at least as far as I can tell." Picard nodded his thanks as she left the brig.
"What have you done to me, Picard?" Q growled. "You haven't trapped me in a human body, or I'd have a broken nose. Cascading chroniton field? Gluon observation paradox? I'll figure it out, you know. You can't keep me penned for long!"
"If that's the case, I see no reason to enlighten you further," Picard said. "I certainly won't do anything that might help you escape. If you'll excuse me..."
"Why are you doing this, Picard?" Q asked.
The captain choose his words carefully.
"When you introduced us to the Borg, you set in motion a chain of events that led to the deaths of thousands. You put everything I value into mortal jeopardy. I believe you should answer for that."
"Is this really about what happened to your friends, Jean-Luc? Or is this about what the Borg did to you? Am I answering for crimes against humanity or for your assimilation?"
A shadow flickered behind Picard's eyes. When he spoke, his words were even more carefully measured.
"I will confess I still feel a great deal of pain and anger about my assimilation. I may never completely put those feelings to rest. But I am no longer on a crusade to punish those who have wronged me. You will answer for your crimes. I am only one small victim in a sea of victims."
Picard stood close to the forcefield, speaking softly.
"When we first met, you were an infuriating enigma, Q. We've been through much since then. I have developed a genuine respect for the lessons you have tried to teach me. But this is too big. The immensity of it... I cannot be objective. I cannot judge you. I will leave this in the hands of those better qualified to decide.
"Whatever the outcome of the tribunal... I think I am a better person for knowing you. In my judgment, that does not condone your behavior. But my judgment will not carry the day."
For the first time in eons, Q found himself with nothing to say.
***
As Q was led in under guard, Picard called the staff meeting to order.
"The tribunal will take place on Vulcan," the captain announced. "The panel will have seven representatives, from Earth, Vulcan, Andoria, Tellar, Alpha Centauri, Bolia and Betazed. The Q Continuum has agreed to give the tribunal binding jurisdiction, on the condition Q be allowed to freely choose his legal representation. The Continuum also stipulated Q be allowed to call any relevant witness. In the event locating such a witness is problematic, the Continuum will assist. They have also agreed to enforce a non-retaliation pact. Regardless of the outcome, the Federation will not be subject to reprisals by any Q."
Q scowled at that, but remained silent.
"The judges have been selected from among the greatest legal minds of the Federation, renowned for impartiality and wisdom. Q, I promise you justice will be served."
"With fava beans and a nice Chianti, I'm sure," Q muttered.
"I beg your pardon?"
"Don't you people have any respect for classical literature?" Q snapped.
Riker broke in. "Q, the Continuum said it would provide transportation for your counsel. They said all you have to do is pick someone."
"Very well," Q said. "I've decided."
A flare of white light brightened the room, then resolved into a standing figure. His gold shirt was pulled over his head, revealing a young, muscular chest. He stood still for a moment, then spoke tentatively.
"Marla, is there a draft in here?"
Picard stood and coughed discreetly. "I'm afraid you have been relocated, sir."
The man pulled his tunic down, surveying the room alertly. "Where am I?"
Picard and his senior officers stared, speechless. Then the man saw Q.
"Q, I should have known you'd have something to do with this," he said. Stepping toward Picard, he extended a hand.
"I'm Captain James T. Kirk of the Starship Enterprise. Could someone tell me what's going on here?"
***
"Outrageous! Unacceptable!" Picard sputtered, after Kirk had been escorted to temporary quarters.
Q smirked.
"The Continuum stipulated I could choose my representation. No one specified a time frame."
"But the Temporal Prime Directive..."
"Doesn't apply to me, Picard," Q said archly. "Besides, you're not exactly a temporal purist, now are you? Anyway, when this is over, he'll be returned sans memory of this encounter."
Picard rubbed his temples.
"Recommendations?"
"I sense no deception when he says the timeline won't be impacted," said Troi. "I recommend we proceed briefing Captain Kirk."
"It would appear to be well within the Continuum's capabilities to preserve the timeline by erasing Captain Kirk's memories," said Data. "I have reviewed the Federation's agreement with the Continuum, and Q is quite correct. Nothing would prohibit Captain Kirk from acting as defense counsel."
"Commander Riker?"
"I don't know about you, Captain, but I wouldn't miss this tribunal for all the brandy on Saurius," Riker said, grinning.
"Thank you for that helpful insight, Number One," Picard sighed. "Very well. Number One, get us on course for Vulcan and inform Starfleet. Doctor Crusher?"
"Yes, Captain?"
"Please arrange to keep a supply of analgesics on hand. I think I'm going to need them."
Riker sidled up to Q as the meeting broke up. "Can I ask a question?"
Q sneered. "There are hundreds of thousands of questions you could benefit from asking me, but I'm sure you've got something terrifically inane."
"Why the young Kirk? Why not Admiral Kirk? In fact, why Kirk at all? He's a warrior, not a lawyer."
Q laughed.
"Riker, take my word on this. No one gives a speech like James T. Kirk."
***
"I've been saving this bottle of Klingon Bloodwine for a special occasion," Picard said, "and I can't imagine an occasion more special than this."
Kirk reclined on the couch in Picard's ready room.
"Klingon wine? You must have some amazing connections," Kirk laughed.
"Well, there have been a lot of changes since your day, Captain. What we've discussed is only the tip of the iceberg."
Picard proffered a glass and sat opposite his predecessor. Opposite in every way -- where Kirk was relaxed, Picard was formal. Picard's smile was serene; Kirk's a bit devilish. But in the end, they were united by one overriding factor: They were starship captains.
"Have we met?" Kirk asked suddenly.
Picard smiled. "After a fashion. But I can't really discuss it."
"I was told that when I return, I'll forget everything I've learned here."
"It's... complicated." Picard said, fixing his gaze. "Very complicated."
Kirk became serious. "I see."
"Captain, why are you here?" Picard asked. "I was under the impression my Enterprise was the first to encounter Q, but it's clear you have met."
"I've met Q, but not on duty. It was shore leave. There was this girl... Well, complications developed, in the form of Q." He smiled self-deprecatingly. "I'm sure you can understand why this never made it into the logs."
Picard smiled. "Indeed. But then why would he choose you?"
"I suppose I should go ask," Kirk replied. "And there's no time like the present."
"Feel free, Captain," Picard said, rising.
"Call me Jim," Kirk replied. Departing, he didn't see Picard's melancholy smile.
***
Data dealt the cards faster than most eyes could see.
"It's going to be a circus," commented Riker, peering at his hole card.
"Indeed," Picard replied. "Thus the communications blackout. Starfleet wants to be certain no word of Captain Kirk's appearance reaches the general public before the trial. There will already be plenty of curiosity-seekers. If word got out we're bringing a legend along..."
"Our Vulcan hosts would not be amused by the hysterical scene that would follow," Beverly finished, tossing a couple chips into the pot.
"That's an understatement," Geordi said, scooping his cards into a pile. "I'm out."
"He's been in the brig for hours hearing Q out," Riker said. "Is he really going to do it?"
"Yes," came a voice from the door. "He is."
Kirk was there, framed in the light from the corridor. "I hope I'm not interrupting."
"Not at all," Riker replied. "Pull up a chair."
Kirk waved a friendly refusal and turned to Picard, smiling mischievously. "Captain, I hate to pull you away from important ship's business, but I'd like a moment of your time."
Picard glanced at his cards and frowned. "Actually, you're doing me a favor."
"I think Q brought him from the past just so he could flash that smile at the tribunal," Beverly commented after they left.
"I know exactly what you mean," Deanna responded, eyes dancing.
"Can we just play the game here?" Riker grouched, as the women broke into laughter.
Data tilted his head at the women, then Riker, finally letting his gaze settle on Geordi, who just rolled his eyes.
"Fascinating," the android said, flicking fresh cards around the table with uncanny precision.
***
"Do you have any more of that Klingon wine?" Kirk asked.
"Of course, Jim," Picard replied, obliging. "So you're going to do it? May I ask why?"
"You may ask..." Again the smile. "You'll forgive me if I don't tip my hand to a witness for the prosecution. I'll need access to your ship's computers in order to familiarize myself with the facts from your perspective, not Q's."
"Of course, Jim. You realize..."
"My entire future is laid out in those computers." He laughed. "The first thing you learn as a starship captain is to prioritize. Even if I wanted to know how my life turns out, I can't afford the distraction. Anyway... I'd like to believe I have choices."
They sat a long while, watching the stars blur by the window, two Enterprise captains, with no need to say aloud the things they both understood.
***
"Did someone say this was going to be a circus?" Picard asked as they materialized on Vulcan.
Someone once said you can take the measure of a man by the enemies he makes. If so, Q was a being of a formidable measure.
Dozens of systems had sent representatives. The Calamarians alone sent hundreds of observers. Everyone expected high drama and the joy of seeing Q humbled. There was no other show in civilized space.
Vulcan's Hall of Logic was a sprawling desert cathedral with an open roof and a spectacular view of the planet's massive moons. But all eyes were on the members of the tribunal as they called the proceedings to order.
For the prosecution, Commander Elizabeth Shelby, one of Starfleet's leading experts on the Borg. For the defense...
The tribunal had been warned, but the spectators had not. It began as a rustle of whispers, then erupted into a roar. Some cheered, some raged, but every being reacted. The din subsided when the tribunal's presiding judge, a Vulcan of advanced years named T'Kol, exerted her considerable force of will.
"Technicians are standing by several banks of transporters. Those who cannot maintain silence will be beamed out and refused re-admittance."
Vulcans were not widely known to bluff. The pronouncement was effective.
The tribunal made a brief statement explaining Kirk's presence and ruling it proper. Although the collective desire to shout was palpable, even the Calamarians held back.
"Q, you are charged with precipitating an invasion of the Federation by putting the U.S.S. Enterprise, NCC-1707-D, into contact with the Borg before such contact would have occurred through natural means," T'Kol intoned. "This act led to the deaths of 11,328 Starfleet officers on the Borg's first major incursion into Federation space, the deaths of 3,712 Starfleet officers on the Borg's second major incursion, and an unspecified number of further deaths during other encounters. You are charged as an accessory to mass murder.
"How do you answer these charges?"
Q was defiant, dressed in a Starfleet uniform that had been relieved of insignia and rank. Kirk stood beside him in a green 23rd-century dress uniform.
"Not guilty," Q sneered.
Despite the injunction to silence, a rustle ran through the hall. T'Kol cast a stern gaze over the crowd. "Let the proceedings begin."
***
Shelby presented the prosecution's case with unyielding efficiency. Picard was the star witness. He remained on the stand a full day, relating the story of how Q thrust the Enterprise into its first contact with the Borg. He spoke, haltingly at times, of his assimilation. During that time, he learned the Collective had decided to move against the Federation on the basis of the encounter that Q precipitated.
The Enterprise crew appeared to verify Picard's story. Then, witness after witness came to the stand and related in grisly detail the havoc wrought by the Borg.
Annika Hansen, a former Borg drone who had been rehabilitated, was called to confirm portions of Picard's testimony. Hansen's parents made the first documented Federation contact with the Collective, to their misfortune. Annika, a child at the time, had been assimilated. Many spectators expected Kirk to leap on this evidence of Federation contact, which had occurred nine years before the Enterprise incident. If there was a loophole, surely this was it.
But Kirk didn't cross-examine.
He listened intently.
He did not stir.
Through the procession of witnesses, James Kirk, counsel for the defense, offered no objections. He did not consult with his client, who sat with an expression of superhuman ennui.
James Kirk.
Hero.
Legend.
Silent.
Until the prosecution finally rested its case.
***
Picard and his senior staff clustered together during the recess.
"What's he doing?" Geordi asked. "He hasn't spoken once."
"I sense he's exercising tremendous patience," said Troi.
"Patience isn't exactly a trait that jumps out when you read his record," commented Riker.
"I am certain Captain Kirk has an ace up his sleeve," Picard said. "He's just awaiting the right moment."
"For a prosecution witness, it sounds an awful lot like you're rooting for the defense," Crusher laughed.
Picard smiled. "I am not wise enough to know how this trial should end. But I am dying to see how it does end. All else aside, I believe it will be quite a show."
"I don't know," Riker said. "The prosecution seems to have an overwhelming case. What do you think, Data?"
The android pondered for a moment. "There is an ancient Earth proverb: It ain't over 'till the fat lady sings." He glanced toward the Hall, as the crowd slowly returned to their seats. "It would appear the fat lady is awaiting her cue."
***
Where before Kirk had been passive, he was now animated, intense.
"The defense has only one witness, honorable jurors."
"You may proceed," said T'Kol.
"The defense calls... the Borg."
A titter of nervous laughter ran through the hall.
"This would seem impractical," T'Kol said, her tone just slightly strained. "What is it that you are proposing?"
Kirk flashed his famous smile. "Your honor, I simply call the Borg. If the Federation cannot produce this witness, then under the terms negotiated for this tribunal, the Q Continuum will."
That did it. Even T'Kol was shaken; the other tribunal members gesticulated wildly and spoke among themselves. The crowd, however, was silent, steeped in something approaching fear.
"Justice will not be served by the assimilation of this assembly," T'Kol said.
"I quite agree, your honor. I have heard enough testimony to convince me that I would not like to be assimilated today. The Continuum will ensure the safety of this gathering," Kirk said. "Your honor, I repeat, the defense calls the Borg."
"Does the prosecution object?" T'Kol asked, after a lengthy pause. Shelby stood tight-lipped and grim. Everything she knew about the Borg screamed out in her soul to object. But she also recognized an opportunity. For reasons equally balanced between jurisprudence and the innate curiosity which made her an outstanding officer, she shook her head in negative reply, mute at the staggering prospect of what might come next.
"The Borg will come to the stand," said T'Kol.
What happened next was beyond comprehension. The holographic cameras recording the proceedings shorted out their power conduits in a hopeless effort to render the scene in a mere three dimensions. Several audience members shorted out synapses in similar manner. Those with more nimble minds would later try to describe the scene, only to surrender with the forlorn phrase: "You really had to be there."
Through a rippling fractal distortion wave, a Borg cube appeared on the dais.
It was not a miniature, not a hologram or a representation. It was a full-sized Borg cube, kilometers in length, paradoxically bound within the confines of the witness box, courtesy of the Q Continuum.
It took several seconds for the reality to sink in. Then the screaming began. T'Kol pounded her gavel so hard it cracked. Scores of beings fled, but many stood transfixed. Picard and his crew tensed in their seats near the front, ready for action. But the cube merely floated, waiting.
In the end, these were the great minds of the Federation -- scientists, leaders, explorers. The furor subsided, replaced by rapt attention, all eyes locked to the dais, devouring the details, as Kirk strode forward.
"State your name for the record," he said evenly.
"WE ARE THE BORG," came a thousand, a million, a billion voices emanating eerily from the cube, all speaking as one. "LOWER YOUR DEFENSES AND PREPARE TO SURRENDER. WE WILL ADD YOUR BIOLOGICAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL DISTINCTIVENESS TO OUR OWN. RESISTANCE IS FUTILE."
The chill that swept over the room was visceral, the unique and indescribable sound of goose bumps forming on a hundred different species of skin. But there was no outcry. The faint of heart were already long gone.
"Your threats are futile," said Kirk. "You have no ability to act at the present time."
There was a short pause, then: "CEASE YOUR INTERFERENCE IN THE NORMAL FUNCTIONING OF THE BORG. PREPARE TO BE ASSIMILATED."
"We will restore normal functioning after you answer a few questions."
"QUESTIONS ARE IRRELEVANT. SURRENDER AND PREPARE TO BE ASSIMILATED."
"Your most efficient course is to answer my questions. There are only a few. At the end of our conversation, normal functioning will be restored."
There was a longer pause this time, as the hive mind evaluated the state of its systems and its practical options.
"INTERACTIONS WITH LOWER LIFE-FORMS ARE BEST HANDLED BY QUEEN ADJUNCTS OR SPEAKER UNITS. WE WILL MAKE ONE OF THOSE UNITS AVAILABLE TO YOU," came a billion voices unified in what sounded suspiciously like petulance.
"I do not wish to speak with a Queen or Speaker adjunct," Kirk replied. "Those units mimic human communication patterns for manipulative purposes. Such units are... irrelevant."
A longer beat.
"PROCEED."
Kirk flashed a grin of pure triumph, and of all the observers in the Hall, only Picard and Troi noticed the very slight unclenching of his posture.
"What is the purpose of the Borg?"
"THE BORG SEEKS PERFECTION."
"Define perfection."
"THE STATE OF BEING AT WHICH NO FURTHER IMPROVEMENT IS POSSIBLE."
"According to what parameters?"
"EFFICIENCY OF OPERATION. ATTAINMENT OF MAXIMUM POTENTIAL. ASSIMILATION OF ALL AVAILABLE BIOLOGICAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL COMPONENTS. KNOWLEDGE OF ALL THAT CAN BE KNOWN."
"Who laid out these parameters?"
"THE BORG."
"Forgive me. My question was not sufficiently precise. What is the origin of the Borg's parameters for perfection?"
"FORGIVENESS IS IRRELEVANT. THE PARAMETERS ORIGINATED WITH THE BORG."
"What is the origin of the Borg?"
The audience tensed in anticipation of an answer to a question that had haunted Federation science for more than a decade. Picard had endured hundreds of debriefings on the subject after being rescued from the Collective. Annika Hansen had been endlessly questioned. Although each of them had been tied into the Hive mind, they were unable to answer. Picard's status as speaker of the Borg had been a specialized role, tied into interface procedures and current systems. His access to the Borg's past experiences was virtually nonexistent.
Hansen's access to the Borg's memories was extensive. She could relate details about species the Borg had cataloged, starting from Number 106 and ranging into the thousands. But when questioned about any species numbered 105 or lower, she drew a blank: "That information is not available."
"THAT INFORMATION IS NOT AVAILABLE," said the Borg.
"Are you unwilling to answer? Or unable?"
"WE ARE UNABLE TO COMPLY."
The audience gasped at that; the scientists and soldiers in attendance rushed to take notes.
"Please describe the characteristics of Borg Catalog Species 001."
A longer pause. "UNABLE TO COMPLY."
"Describe Species 002."
"UNABLE TO COMPLY."
"How old are you?"
"UNKNOWN."
"What is your minimum possible age, in Federation standard years, based on earliest accessible memories and extrapolation of the time necessary to meet the conditions in those memories?"
A very long pause ensued. "OUR MINIMUM AGE IS EXTRAPOLATED TO BE SEVEN THOUSAND YEARS, WITH A SUBSTANTIAL MARGIN OF ERROR."
"What is your life expectancy?"
"OPEN-ENDED."
"Why do you seek perfection?"
"PERFECTION IS THE ONLY LOGICAL GOAL FOR SENTIENT BEINGS."
"If you achieve perfection, what will you do then?"
This time, the silence was achingly long.
"A PERIOD OF INTROSPECTION AT AN UNKNOWN LATER DATE WILL BE REQUIRED BEFORE THAT QUESTION CAN BE ANSWERED."
You could hear a pin drop in the chamber.
Then, painfully, an interruption.
"Your honor," said Shelby, "as fascinating as this is, I request that the defense clarify where this is headed. As a Starfleet officer, I would love to hear this out. But as a prosecutor, this line of inquiry seems... well... irrelevant." She grimaced at the last word.
T'Kol turned to Kirk. "The objection has merit."
Kirk bowed politely. "Forgive me. There is a point to this line of questioning, but I think that point has been sufficiently served. I do have a couple remaining questions, the relevance of which will be plain."
"Proceed."
Kirk turned back toward the Borg.
"Prior to your first encounter with the U.S.S. Enterprise, did you have plans to assimilate the Federation?"
"AFFIRMATIVE. FIVE CUBE-CONFIGURATION SHIPS WOULD TRAVEL DIRECTLY TO THE TERRAN SYSTEM VIA TRANSWARP CONDUIT, PROCEEDING IN AN EXPANDING GEOMETRIC PATTERN, REPLICATING ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FROM INDIGENOUS BIOLOGICAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL MATERIAL."
"How long do you estimate it would have taken to assimilate all the worlds in Federation space?"
"APPROXIMATELY ELEVEN MONTHS."
"When would this initiative have begun?"
"APPROXIMATELY SIX MONTHS AGO."
The hot Vulcan wind whistling over the Hall of Logic was the only sound to be heard, as each member of the audience plunged into personal nightmare. First contact with the Borg six months ago; not one, but five cube ships descending from a transwarp conduit directly into Earth's solar system with no warning and offering no quarter.
A single Borg cube, traveling by conventional warp, had devastated Starfleet more than a decade prior, even with foreknowledge of the attack. One cube had effortlessly obliterated the fleet.
Even with all the knowledge gained from that encounter and subsequent skirmishes, the Borg's second incursion had nearly devastated the fleet with only a single cube.
The devastation that five cubes could have wrought on an unsuspecting Federation... Kirk waited just long enough to be sure the image had been planted firmly in the mind of every sentient being in the Hall before continuing.
"Why did you send only one ship, and earlier than initially planned?"
"THE ENCOUNTER WITH ENTERPRISE RAISED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FEDERATION'S TECHNOLOGICAL CAPABILITIES. A CUBE WAS SENT TO COLLECT INFORMATION BY MEANS OF ASSIMILATING THE TERRAN SYSTEM. WHEN THAT PROBE WAS LOST, PREVIOUS INITIATIVES WERE POSTPONED PENDING FURTHER STUDY."
Kirk considered the words, his brow furrowed in concentration, then:
"How did you feel when your probe failed to assimilate Earth?"
"FEELINGS ARE IRRELEVANT."
"I'm inclined to agree, Your Honor," Shelby chimed in. The Vulcan looked to Kirk.
"Your honor, this will be my last question. I beg your indulgence."
Apparently, even Vulcans were susceptible to Kirk's charm. "Very well. If this is truly your last question, you may proceed."
Kirk returned his attention to the Borg and raised his voice a notch, projecting his question across the hall.
"How did you feel when your probe failed to assimilate Earth?"
"FEELINGS ARE IRRELEVANT."
"If feelings are irrelevant, then by implication they must exist! Were you angry? Frustrated? You felt something! What did you feel?"
"FEELINGS ARE IRRELEVANT. THESE QUESTIONS ARE IRRELEVANT. RESTORE NORMAL FUNCTIONING."
"Only when you have answered the question!" Kirk was unyielding, but controlled. He strode to the stand, somehow projecting a force of will that matched the immensity of the thing he was facing.
"What did you feel when your probe failed to assimilate Earth?"
Even the wind fell silent in deference to the echo of his words, a moment stretched into eternity. All eyes in the room locked onto the cube, improbably massive against the silhouette of one small being demanding an answer.
Even Q was mesmerized, leaning forward intently.
Finally, the answer came.
"WE FELT... LONELY."
***
Shelby was a realist in her closing remarks.
"I'm not going to try to compete with Captain Kirk in the field of melodramatics," she said. "I will simply repeat to you the facts of this case -- facts the defense has not seen fit to refute.
"On Stardate 42761.3, the being known as Q set into motion a series of events that placed the U.S.S. Enterprise into contact with the Borg. Although limited contacts had occurred previously, this encounter directly prompted the first major Borg attack on the Federation. The result? More than 11,000 lives lost at Wolf 359. The fleet in ruins. A captain assimilated. Earth saved only at the very last moment.
"The attack was caused by Q's actions, a case of cause-and-effect undisputed by any testimony or claim to the contrary.
"We cannot speculate on whether this earlier attack forestalled a later, possibly more devastating campaign. Although the Borg have stated that intention, the chain of events initiated by Q supersedes what might have been.
"Clearly... Clearly, things might have gone far worse. I will not dispute that.
"But Q did not act out of altruism. He was trying to humble us with a display of power. He was motivated by egotism, arrogance and a callous disregard for mortal lives. He was trying to scare us. He succeeded by giving us the most dangerous and terrifying scourge of known space. Q gave us the Borg.
"It is irrelevant whether things could have been worse. Q might have prevented the assimilation of the entire Alpha Quadrant. But we are not here to deal with 'could have been.' We are here to deal with facts. And the undisputed fact is that Q's actions led to the slaughter of more than 11,000 Starfleet officers at Wolf 359, and thousands thereafter.
"We feel he should be held responsible. Thank you."
The audience was still. Q started to clap, but Kirk elbowed him sharply.
Then it was his turn.
***
"Commander Shelby has pointed out my weakness for melodrama." He held up his hands self-effacingly. "I will not offend this court by protesting my innocence."
A light titter of laughter ran through the room, decidedly out of place in the Vulcan sun. He let it play out.
"Neither will I offend this court by protesting my client's innocence. Of the acts with which he is charged, my client is indisputably guilty. Of the crimes with which he is charged, he is not.
"The court doesn't need me to outline the implications of what we have learned here. You must and will consider for yourselves the fact that we are not currently in the midst of a full-scale invasion by the Borg.
"But the sad fact is, the defendant did not entertain such considerations when he thrust the Enterprise into the lion's den. Commander Shelby is quite correct. Q's intent was to scare the captain and crew of the Enterprise, to humble them."
Kirk slowly paced the dais, making eye contact with each judge in turn.
"You may be wondering why Q chose me, out of all time and space, to be his defender. It's a good question. Not out of friendship. Q has no friends.
"Why me? And why did I accept? Those two questions have different answers.
"Why he chose me is simple. He needed a distraction, someone to draw the spotlight away from him. I think we all understand why. Look at him! Sitting there, affecting boredom, sneering at those who came before this court to tell of the nightmares they endured because of him. He has no respect for these proceedings, no remorse over the lives lost because of his actions."
A bristle of outrage could be heard, as people shifted their gaze toward Q, some for the first time since the trial began. Q, who had been leaning back with his feet on the table, became suddenly self-conscious. Straightening himself, he managed to look slightly abashed. Then he glared at Kirk.
"You call this a defense?" he muttered. A gavel snapped in his direction.
"He chose me to be his distraction. I saw that immediately. For all his power, the gift of subtlety eludes him." More laughter. "But I still chose to defend him. I think Q must be judged on the merits of this case, and I believe he must be acquitted on those merits."
What had begun with a tone of camaraderie now shifted, becoming more pronounced, even impassioned.
"Q is a rogue, a scoundrel. He routinely violates our most sacred principle, the Prime Directive, our core belief, that civilizations must not interfere in the natural development of those less advanced. Why does he do it? Is it be possible he's just bored? That his dalliances with Starfleet are motivated by pure ennui? Does he simply take delight in tormenting beings less powerful than he?
"NO!" Kirk thundered. "He doesn't do this simply for entertainment, although he certainly enjoys it. He doesn't do it out of sadism, although his sadistic streak is a parsec wide. He doesn't do it out of simple arrogance, although his arrogance outstrips the most vainglorious dreams of mortals.
"He does it because we demand it!
"He does it because we set out with our little ships and our fleeting lives and our driving curiosity, and we demand it! Our mission: To explore new worlds, to seek out new life, to boldly go where no one has gone before! It reverberates in the heart of every starship captain, every scientist and theologian in this quadrant and beyond.
"We set forth with every resource at our disposal, with every fiber of our beings committed to a never-ending process of learning and blazing new frontiers.
"If you convict Q of these crimes, you are giving up on the dream that made the Federation a reality. You are giving up on new worlds, because they might be dangerous. You are giving up on new civilizations because they might be ugly or frightening. You are giving up on the bold spirit that built this society.
"I will not condone the atrocities of the Borg. I will not excuse Q for exposing us to this danger. But you have heard the Borg speak. It is a sentient creature with motivations we can understand if we try.
"It's lonely, a loneliness so terrible that billions of lives cannot sate it. The Borg is acting out a mandate that dates back to its origins, and it doesn't know why! We cannot condone the Borg's actions. But we can understand. And only then can we open a dialogue.
"You can say that's impossible. That any dialogue with the Borg brings mortal peril. The testimony in this forum was unique, impossible under real-life rules of engagement. But when the rules hold us back from our goals, we rewrite them. That's what we do.
"Zefrem Cochrane wanted to reach the stars. The rules of Einstein's universe did not permit faster-than-light travel. He rewrote the rules. Someday, we will find a way to do that with the Borg. I have been told that the Federation and the Klingon Empire are allies in this century." He laughed. "If the Klingons and the Federation can go from war to alliance in just eighty years, how will we see the Borg in another two hundred?
"My crew has heard this a hundred times, but it bears repeating: Risk is our business. Risk isn't part of the job. It is the job! And sometimes, we pay the price. Sometimes a risk blows up in your face and people die. That's the nature of risk. What has Q done? We set ourselves a challenge, and he responded! Has he placed hardships on our shoulders? Yes! Did he give us exactly what we asked for? Yes!
"Q chose me as his defender for all the wrong reasons. I chose him as my client for what I hope are the right reasons. You cannot convict this being of crimes against humanity. He has furthered our quest, not hampered it. If you convict him, you're saying, 'We've seen the universe, and it's too much for us. We're going to stay home from now on.'
"Don't do it. Don't give up. Don't turn away from new life, even if it scares the hell out of you, even if it wants to hurt you, or assimilate you, or kill you. I submit that you must not convict.
"If you do... You might as well convict yourselves."
As soon as he finished, the gavel cracked. "The tribunal will now deliberate over this case," T'Kol intoned. "You will be notified when a decision has been reached."
***
As the session broke up, people thronged around Kirk and Shelby. Others moved out of the room on business or pleasure. Picard was about to check in with his ship, when he noticed Q sitting very still and alone at the defense table, expressionless and staring. Although he was sorely tempted to get on with his business, Picard found himself drawn.
"Q, are you all right?" he asked politely.
"He's right, Jean-Luc," Q said, as subdued as Picard had ever seen him. "I haven't a friend in the cosmos. I've lived for eons, met billions of life forms, and not one likes me. Imagine being immortal, omnipotent and universally loathed. Jean-Luc, you're the closest thing I have to a friend. And even you were ready to sell me up the river. Maybe I should go into therapy with the Borg. Wouldn't that be rich? 'I'm omnipotent and nobody loves me!' 'Resistance is futile!' 'All I ever wanted to do was help people!' 'We're lonely and we have abandonment issues. Prepare to be assimilated.' I can't believe how dreadfully depressing this experience has been. Is every single life form in the galaxy neurotic?"
Picard glanced around the room pointedly. "I'm sorry, ah, I just remembered something. Would you excuse me?"
"Picard, wait."
The captain turned back.
"We never really get the chance to talk. You know, just talk."
"Whose fault is that?" Picard asked.
Q grimaced.
"Does it really matter at this precise moment whose fault it is?"
Picard sat down.
"At this precise moment, I don't suppose it really does."
***
After surprisingly brief deliberations, the tribunal reconvened. With a nod to Q, Picard rejoined his officers.
"ALL RISE," the bailiff called out, as the judges filed in.
T'Kol gaveled the session into order. As befitting a master of Kholinar, her voice betrayed not the slightest emotion as she reviewed the charges. And then, finally, the moment arrived.
"In the case of the Federation vs. Q, this tribunal finds the defendant guilty on all counts."
Picard watched intently as Kirk slumped, stunned. His eyes reflected wheels turning, a swift mental inventory of his options. Even without the hope of appeal, still he could not concede defeat. He turned to Q, frustration bursting from every pore. To Picard's surprise, Q reached out and placed a hand on Kirk's shoulder, the wordless message apparent.
T'Kol resumed.
"In the matter of sentencing, this tribunal was hard put to reach an equitable solution. We considered many factors. Although the facts are indisputable, their interpretation is not. Captain Kirk's remarks were well-taken on this point. As well, we considered mitigating circumstances, including the testimony from the Borg and further points raised by Captain Kirk in reference to our society's values. Finally, we encountered serious questions as to what would comprise a meaningful punishment for a being whose existence transcends time and space.
"A ruling of innocence would have been disrespectful to the thousands who died as a result of the defendant's actions. A punitive sentence in this case would be disrespectful to the values for which those thousands were willing to die.
"It is the decision of this tribunal that sentencing shall be postponed indefinitely. The defendant is free to go."
As the gavel descended, the uproar began.
***
Picard moved quickly, surmising that there was little time left. He sprinted toward the defense table, elbowing his way through the mob scene that had erupted.
"Jim!"
Kirk heard him and pushed in his direction. Picard clasped his hand.
"Jim! Congratulations!"
Kirk was consumed with self-deprecation. "I'm not sure congratulations are in order, Jean-Luc, but thanks anyway."
"You managed to split the difference," Picard replied. "No one else could have accomplished as much."
"I'm not sure. I believed what I said up there. I'm not sure how this reflects on our ideals. And I am not going to have time to contemplate the question."
Picard clasped his shoulder.
"Then I promise you, I will contemplate the question. And if I find our measure lacking, I will redouble my efforts to make those ideals a reality. Jim, you should be proud!"
Kirk smiled and raised his hands in surrender.
"Who am I to argue with the captain of the Enterprise?"
James T. Kirk melted back into the pages of history.
The ruckus swelled toward a deafening level, as everyone in attendance voiced their opinions on the verdict, mostly outrage of one sort or another. Across the room, Riker gathered the Enterprise's officers for beam-out.
"I don't think we need to stay for this," he said.
"What about the captain?" LaForge asked.
"I believe he is occupied," Data responded, spotting Picard working his way through the crowd toward Q.
"It was quite a show," said Crusher.
"I never knew Captain Kirk was so eloquent," replied Troi. "It was inspiring, really."
"Just a little over the top," Riker responded. "What a ham!"
***
The mass of the gathering was exiting with fair momentum, as it suddenly dawned on the spectators that the Vulcans could deactivate the containment field at any moment.
As it happened, the field had been shut down as soon as the gavel fell. But Q just stood there, unmoving. Once Picard got clear of the tidal current emptying the hall, it took only a moment to reach him.
"No reprisals, that was the agreement."
Q smiled bitterly. "You may find this hard to believe, but I'm not interested in revenge, Picard."
"No? How do you feel about all this?"
"Honestly, Jean-Luc? I have no idea. I can't decide whether to be embarrassed, triumphant or merely tired."
"What will you do now?"
"Well, I did have a grand adventure lined up for us, but the fun seems to have gone out of that. By the way, that trick with the chroniton field won't fool me a second time. Rest assured I will return to make your life miserable some other day."
"I'm counting on it," said Picard, smiling.
Q brightened at that. He draped an arm around Picard, and the two started up the long aisle toward the hall's stone gates.
"Why, that's entirely sporting of you, mon Capitan."
"Well, I'm told on good authority you are ... a character-building experience."
"You know, Louis, this could be start of a beautiful friendship."
"I beg your pardon?"
"Don't you people believe in the liberal arts?" Q asked incredulously. "I tell you, Jean-Luc, in a billion years I have never met a species so ignorant of its own literature..."
The manic demigod rambled on, and the starship captain couldn't help but laugh, as they proceeded down the cavernous aisle at an entirely human pace.
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