Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative
Subject: NEW! "Do Humans Dream Of Q" (Pt 1/1)
From: pajupa@lair.pp.fi (Pasi Partanen)
Date: 13 May 1996 18:29:27 GMT

The following work is copyright Pasi Partanen 1996. All situations
and characters copyright Paramount Pictures Corporation under its 
Star Trek: The Next Generation. Trademarks and copyright statements 
are the property of Paramount Pictures Corporation, and any 
immitation here is mere flattery. All this is *fiction* nothing more.


Preface,
I have personally dreamed many times what to do if I would get Q-
powers. And this seemed to be only subject I could even think about 
writing. This is my very *first* attempt of writing so don't rate me 
very high. "Trying is most important", right? 

Also, I have probably read few hundred of stories and haven't seen 
anything like this one, so there seemed to be a room for this tiny 
story.

It took about one day to write this story.



DO HUMANS DREAM OF Q
By:
Pasi Partanen


John Spartan used remote and shut off tv. He had just watched another 
episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation tv-series. It was late, 
2.40 am but there wasn't anything important to do at the next day, so 
it didn't matter much if he stayed up late. John yawned and stood up, 
turned off the lights and walked to bedroom. When he was settled 
down, he  once again thought about his greatest desire. "If I had 
that kind of powers as "Q" has ..."

John was 26 years old and lived alone. He had moved from USA to 
Finland because he had many cousins over there. This dreaming had 
been going on for years, and after he had read number of novels 
written by fans, there wasn't limits to his imagination. Sometimes he 
told about this fantasy of his to the friends, some of them 
understood, some of them didn't. But now, reality and fantasy were 
two different worlds and he had to accept the truth. He felt asleep.


***
Q-continuum - another dimension. Q was once again restless and wanted 
to have something to do. He had seen it all, been almost everywhere. 
He wanted something different. "Humans, they are certainly 
interesting, but these Federation heroes are so noble and dull that 
it makes me sick - if I could be sick." Then he thought, "I am 
omnipotent, I can do anything, so why can't I solve this little 
problem? So, if there isn't much fun to do around here, I have to 
find another place. Another time perhaps? No, that's not it. Perhaps 
another dimension? Yes, that should do it."

He chose Earth, because of his fascination of humans. In a couple of 
nanoseconds he had teleported himself next to Earth. Then he started 
to shift himself into different dimensions while analysing Earth. 
After a while he had found three interesting choices. One was Earth 
where Federation didn't exist, second one was Earth where reptiles 
were dominant race since there hadn't been a meteor impact 65 million 
years ago. Third one was ridiculous but interesting. Earth, where 
Federation and all other races existed only fictionally. Q was 
astonished about this.

He started to study this alternate Earth more carefully, then chose 
time period before 21st century. He moved backwards in time and ended 
to year 1996. He had learned much about Earth's history from 
Federation and had visited in some cities. This time he chose another 
side of the planet to study. "Europe.. no, more northern .. 
Scandinavia? Yes, Hmm.. Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia.. no, one 
back, that one looks interesting." Then he accessed every single mind 
living in Finland, trying to find himself a project, someone to have 
fun with. When he was examining John Spartan, he stopped immediately. 
"This one is really strange, he dreams constantly about me? Having Q-
powers? Hah! This is marvelous! Perhaps I should do just what he 
wishes..."


***
John woke up at 10.05 am. After having breakfast he decided to visit 
library. He went to parking lot, got in the car and turned ignition - 
and suddenly didn't see anything at all. There wasn't anything else 
but darkness around him. "What the hell is this..what's happening?" 
He started to panic, then remembered that there was light-switch in 
the cabin, a map-light. He turned light on, and could see again - a 
little. He wasn't blind because he could see inside a car, but 
outside was void of any light. Suddenly he could see some distant 
light, like a little dot far away. Then another one, and more and 
more. Then he realised that they were stars. "I'm in space! No, it 
can't be!" Then, a flash of light appeared in front of the car. A 
sphere of light fluctuated in different colours, John could hear a 
hum vibrating from it. Then it started to speak.

"John Spartan", voice said. "You are here because we, The Old Ones, 
have decided to give human race a gift. You have been chosen to 
receive that gift. We will give you the powers like you have always 
wanted. There are only two directives which you *must* follow. If you 
fail, you will lose your powers. First, you must never tell anyone of 
this encounter. Secondly, you should never try to find out about us. 
Do you understand?" Q was very amused, he didn't actually lie, he was 
kind of `Old One'.

John was shocked. He heard every word but couldn't believe it. Still, 
he had no choice but to answer. "Yes, I understand."

"So be it." sphere answered. Car disappeared. John was now floating 
in space without any protective gear but whole situation seemed 
impossible so it didn't matter much anyway. He started to feel warm 
inside, warmness started to expand and another flash ... he was 
standing in his own aparment. 

"What.. I'm back home. What was that, how did I get here, what's 
happening?" After a while, he calmed down. "If I really now have 
powers to do anything.." He watched TV and imagined it lifting off 
the ground. Then he saw impossible, TV was hovering one meter away 
from floor. He wished TV to descend back to floor, and it did so.
He used several minutes just lifting and lowering different things. 

"I can do now anything - I think. I should practise these powers, how 
to use them." He teleported himself 1000 km north, Lappland, where 
wasn't much settlement around. He could practise without disturbions.

After spending three days over there he was sure that he knew how to 
use his powers. "I have to know, is there any upper limit.."

He wished to be on moon. It was unbelievable experience just to watch 
Earth from moon but it wasn't enough for him. He jumped a lot more 
far this time and watched whole galaxy. Then he watched around and 
and sensed many other galaxies around him. He jumped ten more 
galaxies away and stopped. He looked intensely one particular galaxy 
and wished it away, to cease to exist. It disappeared. Then, he 
wished it to be back as it never was away. It reappeared. Now, he 
finally had confirmation of what senseless, incredible powers he had. 
He teleported himself back to Earth and to his own apartment. Then he 
jumped to couch, relaxed and closed his eyes. "This is wonderful.. 
incredible... obviously I can do anything. What should I do now? I 
could expose myself to the world but then everyone would want 
something from me." He had to make a decision, what to do now with 
his life? He started to sympathise "Q" in tv-series even in this 
early stage. What to do when you can do anything? "I can't cure the 
world alone. But if I would coordinate through some organisation, 
like United Nations, let them take responsibility. They can ask me 
and I'll do it, if I feel like doing it.."


***
Q had watched all this with interest. What would that human do now? 
Destroying whole galaxy and creating it back wasn't something Q was 
allowed to do, but this was different dimension than his own and in 
this reality, Q-continuum didn't exist so anything Q or his pet did 
wasn't any consequence of his after he returned to his own reality. Q 
continued to observe this human.


***
It was now time to announce himself to the world. John teleported 
himself to the middle country, chose one island in the lake and 
started to create appropriate settings for his visitors. First, dozen 
of chairs appeared with little tables next to them. Then roof over 
them with no supports, just hanging in the air. Whole setting was 
placed in semi-circle. It was time have some visitors.

Presidents of United States and Finland appeared in the first chairs. 
Then head people of UN and Harry and Marco - John's friends. They 
were all shocked to be abducted like this without any warning. Only 
Harry and Marco had some idea what was happening because they saw 
familiar face.

"Greetings. Don't be afraid. I am responsible for your being here. My 
name is John Spartan and I have something important to tell you."
"How did we get here?" Clinton, President of USA asked.
Then Ahtisaari, President of Finland, asked "Where are were?" 

"You are here, because I have announcement to make. Now listen to me 
very carefully. Few days ago, I got some new powers. I mean that I 
can do now about anything. I am omnipotent." said John.

"Omnipotent? What nonsense are you talking about" replied President 
of UN. 
"I am quite serious. Please test me. Ask me to do something, and I 
will prove myself"
"Very well, if that's the only way to get this thing out of the way. 
Can you fly," asked President of UN with sarcastical sound in his 
voice.

John slowly lifted himself from ground to three meters and watched 
his audience from there asking "Anything more?"

Everyone was staring with their mouths open. Finally, Harry said 
"John, are you serious? Are you now really omnipotent?" 
"Oh yes, Harry, it is true. We can have little fun afterwards."

John returned back to ground and continued "Now. I said I have an 
announcement so pay attention, please. This is my plan: I intend to 
fix several global things right now, then my efforts will be 
coordinated through United Nations."

"Now, first thing to do is fixing atmosphere. I will clean it and 
repair ozon layer." John snapped his fingers, "It is done. Then, I 
will clean all Earth seas and lake and river systems." Another snap 
of fingers. "Soil is quite polluted around the world, there are 
dumping-grounds, radioactive wastes etc everywhere. So, I will remove 
that kind of materials from the soil." Snap.

"All these were global things, for everyone's benefit. I didn't like 
to ask any permission to do these things because they can't harm 
anyone. But my next and last thing-to-do is something which will piss 
up many people." Pause, "I am going to destroy now ALL nuclear 
weapons, bombs and missiles. From everywhere." John's audience 
noticed something happening over lake, something white was appearing 
from thin air .. then they saw that mass was expanding.

"I am transporting every nuclear weapon to here, but miniaturised. 
They are now only 1/100th of their previous size, but they still take 
a lot of room. Ok, there they are. Now, I convert them to be only 
energy." All kinds of bombs and missiles over the lake started to 
glow, then they disappeared and instead of them there was only a 
glowing energymass. Mass started to change it's shape and then all it 
poured into John, he sucked in all weapons energy. After a few 
seconds it was all over.

"I couldn't move those weapons to the space because that could cause 
trouble later, and if I had moved them to the sun like in comic-
books, it would have harmed the sun.", said John to his audience.

Audience had been quiet all the way. Finally, they woke up. They 
shouted all kinds of protests furiously. John didn't care, he had 
anticipated this kind of answer.

"I will now transport you back to where you came from," said John. 
There will be announcement at some time tomorrow. You'll know when it 
happens. Have a nice day." and they were gone. All except Harry and 
Marco.

"Well guys, what do you think of all this?" asked John. "Is there 
anything particular what you would like to do now?"


***
Q couldn't care less. So, this human wanted to help his puny little 
planet. How -- human! There wasn't anything interesting here, but he 
still decided to wait a while, perhaps, just perhaps, things might 
improve.


***
John teleported himself and his friends back to his home. "Well, now 
you know. My biggest dream has come true."
"But how did this happen, how did you get this power?" asked Marco.
"Sorry, but I can't answer that question."
"Can you really do anything now?" asked Harry.
"Yes." Pause. "But I'm not sure what to do. After all, it's quite 
boring if I start to help people all over the world. Finally it would 
be a full-day job, everyone would want something."
"Yes -- that's true. So, what did you have in mind?" asked Harry.
"I'm not sure yet. Marco, what do you think I should do?"
"I don't know, but it's not right that one person should decide 
everyone's fate."

John stared Marco for a while and then replied "Maybe you are right. 
I'll have to think about this more before I decide what to do next."

Then he wished his friends to be back at their starting-locations and 
was alone again. "What to do now?" His subconscious mind was working 
overtime, then gear finally kicked in. "If it's not right to play 
with Earth, why not to make another one?"

He teleported back to moon surface and started to work. First, he 
copied Earth to the other side of the universe, identical one with 
all the people. Then he suspended time affecting this new Earth 2.
Satisfied that he now had a backup of his loved Earth, he could play 
freely. Then he sighed deeply and wondered all possible futures he 
could now have. Suddenly, another idea popped out in his mind. "The 
Enterprise! I've always wanted to walk inside starship. Now it's 
certainly possible."

He started to concentrate, collecting all information of the subject 
from videotapes and other materials, finally he saw Enterprise 
starting to appear close to moon, orbiting it. When it was finished, 
he teleported to the Enterprise bridge.


*** 
Bridge crew were very disoriented. Something strange had happened.
Picard took a look of every crew member on bridge to see if anyone 
was hurt. "Report!" he shouted.
"Every systems show nominal, no damage to the ship. We are orbiting 
Earth moon, but there is no subspace activity in the system." replied 
Lieutenant-Commander Data.
"No vessels in sensor range, weapons fully functional" said  
Lieutenant Worf from behind Picard.
Commander Riker asked "Mr Data, why isn't there any subspace 
activity?"
"Unknown at this time. I am trying to analyse."

(Intercom) `Engineering to Bridge'
"Bridge here," replied Picard.
`Captain, what ever happened to us, it didn't cause any damage down 
here.'
"Understood, Bridge out."

"Mr Data, try to find out how did we get here." Picard ordered.
"Aye, sir."

(Intercom) `Sickbay to Bridge'
"Bridge here"
"Captain, no one has reported to sickbay so obviously there are no 
injuries. Are you all right at the Bridge?"
"Yes Doctor, we are fine here"
"Glad to hear it. Sickbay out."

"Well, Mr Data, have you found out anything yet?" asked Riker.
"Yes, sir. Although I could not find out how we arrived here, I have 
confirmed that we are not at our time. Using old style system, it is 
now year 1996."
"What!? Are you telling me that we are this close to Earth but we are 
the history?"
"Yes, sir. I am quite positive that we are already been monitored 
from Earth."

"Conn, move us to a far side of the moon, engage" shouted Captain. 
He was furious, they had just violated Prime Directive by showing 
themselves to the planet which was not yet ready to see any 
interstellar ships. It didn't matter much that it was Earth. People 
who lived there weren't ready for interstellar ships.

Enterprise impulse engines moved ship to the dark side of moon, so no 
one could see it from Earth. 


***
Flash of light appeared in the middle of the Bridge. Everyone was 
certain that it had to be Q, he was quite fair candidate for their 
being here. It was a surprise to them all, when they saw that it was 
a human male, about 25 years old. He was ordinary looking, had a 
blonde hair, blue eyes and 20th century clothing.

"Greetings. My name is John Spartan."
"Are you from the Q-continuum?" asked Picard.
"No, I'm not Q but I have similar powers."
"Can you take us back where we came from?"
"Afraid not. But I'm here to observe you. I would like to stay for a 
few days here in the ship."
"Absolutely not."
"I am no threat to you, and forgive me if I'm this direct, but there 
isn't anything you can do to stop me."
"We'll see about that. Mr Worf, remove intruder from the Bridge."
"Yes, sir." said Worf and walked to John. He grabbes his arm and 
started to pull him to the turbolift. Then John acted. He teleported 
Worf back to his station and himself to Picard's side.
"You see Captain. You are already familiar with Q and know what he 
can do. Please, don't make any harder. I only want to look this ship, 
visit Ten-Forward etc."
Captain sighed and straightened his tunic. "Well, if we can't move 
you to the brig, can you at least stay out from our way."
"Certainly, Captain. If you don't mind, I'll go to Ten-Forward now."
Picard waved his hand and said "Fine, just leave us alone."
John walked to turbolift and said "Deck ten."

Riker walked to Picard and said "It seems we have another omnipotent 
being on the Enterprise."
"Yes Commander, but at least this one hasn't done anything disturbing 
yet. Mr Data, start working on some kind of solution to get us home."
"Yes, Sir, but it will take some time."
"We have plenty of time."

John was walking at deck ten to Ten-Forward. Then the doors opened 
and he walked in. It was just like in the tv-series, he could see 
stars outside, tables were illuminated from below and there was 
Guinan behind the bar-desk. He walked to bar.

"I haven't seen you around here before" said Guinan.
"Understandable, because this is my first time here." answered John.
Guinan started to stare John intensely, looking deeply into his eyes. 
After a few seconds she said in lower voice "For a moment, I thought 
you were Q, but I was wrong. What are you?"
"I'm human."
"Yes, but you have abilities you shouldn't have. How did you get 
them?"
"I can't tell that."
"Why not?"
"If I tell you, I lose powers. Simple."
"Oh. Well, what will it be?"
"One synthale please"
"Coming up. There you go."

John tasted it. It wasn't too bad, actually after a few sips, it 
tasted excellent. He turned around and relaxed. Everything was going 
fine, now he had whole universe at his playground and not to mention 
this starship. What wonders he could do with it! But still, something 
was missing, something wrong.. perhaps something he feared? Then he 
realised it. He was like Q now, but .. what if they existed really 
somewhere? If they would see a human with these powers it would mean 
probably war. Somewhere within lines of his reasoning, he made an 
error and thought what would it be like to have Q around here.

He woke up from his day-dreaming when he heard Guinan shouting behind 
him. "Q, what are you doing here?"

John didn't see Q, so he turned around and saw that Q was behind the 
desk staring Guinan. John coulnd't believe his eyes. This was *the* 
Q, all-knowing, all-powerful. How could this be? This was John's 
universe now, he hadn't created Q so where did he come from?


***
Meanwhile, real Q was furious. How did this human dare to create a 
copy of him? It was time to end this cherade. He teleported to Ten-
Forward next to John.


***
John was completely shocked when he saw flash of light and he stared
directly to Q's eyes. What was going on here?

Q looked at fake-Q and snapped his fingers. Imitation of him 
disappeared. Then he addressed John "This is as far as it goes. It 
was entertaining to observe you, but you are starting to make 
terrible errors."
John was still disturbed but managed to reply "Are you - real Q?"
"Yes."
"I was afraid of it. So.. I don't really have any powers?"
"I gave you powers, but now I take them back. This is actually 
starting to bore me."

Q snapped his fingers and a lot started to happen. First, John was 
back in his own apartment. Then ship disappeared. Q reversed all 
John's actions so nothing extraordinary ever happened. Then he was 
gone.


***
John was completely depressed. To have it all and to lose it like 
that. His only way to keep his sanity was to write it all down. 
Perhaps writing would help him to cope of what happened, and of what 
he had to give up.

John turned on his 486 computer, loaded Windows Word and started to 
type:
  "John Spartan used remote and shut off tv. He had just watched 
another episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation tv-series. It was 
late, 2.40 am but there"...............


             The End