Title: She Moves in Mysterious Ways
Author: Atara Stein
Series: TNG
Pairing: P/Q
Categories: NC-17, m/f, m/m
Location: 
GiffStein Productions 
(http://www.cyberg8t.com/ereshkgl/)

ASC/ASCEM adult archive: http://aviary.share.net/~alara/index9.html

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This story is the first in a series of 3 stories; it is followed by:

With or Without You
Until the End of the World

Summary: Takes place shortly after the events of "Generations". Picard
has been left depressed and lonely after the loss of his brother and
nephew and the temporary loss of his ship and crew. Taking a position as
an instructor at Starfleet Academy until the new ship is available, he
is captivated by a striking professor of Astrophysics. Mysteries and
secrets on both sides lead to surprises in store for everyone.


The Picard of this story is a creature who is momentarily tetherless,
open to what seems at first to be uncharacteristic and reckless
self-indulgence and personal gratification. His sexual and emotional
involvement with Catherine Vye, and eventually Q, at first seems sudden,
rash even, his capitulation to Q rather overwhelming, considering the
conflict of their mutual history. However, the secrets involved make it
believable, providing an opportunity for Picard to realize his own
attraction to Q by changing his perspective on the immortal. What
started out as an apparent game becomes much more serious.

This is an almost whimsical Picard, who revels in his own sensuality and
sexuality, throwing himself into his physical encounters with Vye and Q.
I was thrown off balance by this, until I saw that Picard himself is off
balance, cut loose from his regular duties and thus open in a way that
he wasn't when surrounded by his ship and crew. Q to fill some of his
emptiness, and both men are surprised when the gift turns out to be
mutual. There is also the indication of struggles in store for them, as
they work out who exactly is in charge, and what each of them wants.

I'm very glad Atara was prevailed upon to write sequels to this, because
as lovely as it is, there is a feeling of being left in the middle of
things, literally and figuratively, and the tenor of the story was just
*begging* for further development. It is also a story that requires
multiple readings, as what is learned while you read changes what came
before in unanticipated ways. 

Ellen Ross