The Great and Powerful Q (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
fingersnapping) wrote2013-11-26 09:37 pm
fingersnapping) wrote2013-11-26 09:37 pm
Q - Character information
Stats:
Apparent age: 40s
Height: 6'4"
Species: Q
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Brown
[character history / background]: Q - the entity
Q - the species
[character abilities]: Obviously Q is a little beyond the godmodey, and while there are characters with similar abilities in Poly, I thought that a little nerfing would not only make Q less overpowered, but provide me with a great deal of his own personal discontent to play with, too.
To that end, this is how I'd like to nerf him:
Mortality: First, Q will be mortal, at least in form. He can bleed, cry, suffocate, and generally struggle through the human experience just like everyone else. That ought to sufficiently annoy him.
Offensive capability: Q can in the series manifest offensive capabilities like insta-freezing people or just disappearing them temporarily from reality. I'd like to nullify this ability outright, i.e. apart from one exception in the 'Teleporting' section below, Q shouldn't be able to do anything directly to other people.
Omniscience: Q knows a lot about everything. He'd like to think he knows everything about everything. But he doesn't know a thing about Poly. His knowledge will be contained to the Star Trek universe, for my ease as much as anything else, and he'll be left in the dark for more or less the first time in his life. No fourth walling capabilities.
Teleportation: In canon Q can teleport himself or other people or entire ships to different places. Of his powers, I'd like to keep this one least nuked, maybe limit it to his being able to teleport only to places he's previously been, or can actually see, with a maximum of one (1) passenger and absolutely no vehicles, space faring or otherwise. If necessary, I'd be happy to add to this limit by giving him a migraine if he overuses it, or a maximum number of times that he can use it per day/week/month before it runs out.
Manifestations: Having once been known as a 'god of lies', Q relies chiefly on manifestations to frustrate and irritate all the sane, limited mortal creatures that he inflicts himself upon. These can be anything from summoning a room full of roses to a litter of puppies, to an entire host of partygoers enjoying a good conga line.
Obviously this ability MUST be limited in some way. My suggestion is that he can make five small changes, or one large one, that they have an expiry limit of one day, and that none of them involve the creation of NPCs: i.e. he can create the party, but not the partygoers, and like in Cinderella, everything he's created disappears on the chime of midnight or something. I'd also like to completely nerf any hint of this ability being able to cure diseases, break the laws of gravity, temporarily put alien moons in the night sky, transform the cast of the entire city into extras from Robin Hood or manifest entire landscapes. And everything else like that, to be honest. That's not to say I wouldn't be willing to work with the mods to use such powers for these sorts of purposes in the future, if there was any interest in doing so.
Form: Q can change his own form at will, even change himself into - for example - non-humanoid alien species composed of light. I'd be happy to either leave this one as it is, scrap it completely or impose a penalty. It would serve him right if, after transforming into an amoeba to prove a point, if he had to spend the rest of the day that way. The same should apply to his costume changes. Transform into a well bearded pirate with a comedy parrot on his shoulder? He's stuck that way. He should learn his lesson fairly quickly.
Intelligence: Q has a theoretical IQ of over two thousand. Even rendered mortal, without his powers, that's the one thing that still sways in his favor. Unfortunately his omnipotence means that he has a very lazy approach to scientific solutions, suggesting in one instance that the solution to a problem is to change the gravitational constant of the universe. It shouldn't be necessary to limit this, as his ego and inflexibility make it self limiting all on its own.
Uh. Breeding?: Q totally can't mate by fingerkisses any more, and the world is a happier place.
[character personality]:
"I add a little spice, a little excitement to your lives, and all you do is complain!"
Q is introduced in Encounter at Farpoint as an intimidating figure, whose powers alone are such that they might inspire Picard to turn back. He is a difficult character to define, at one moment cold and serious, and the next carefree, but no action that Q makes is done without reason, whether that reason concerns the universe, the Continuum, or his own personal curiosity. The most important thing to note straight away, is that despite his own proclaimed lifespan of hundreds of trillions of years, Q experiences character growth through his interactions with humanity, over what to him is a comparatively short period of time. He may disguise it with humour, but Q comes to show compassion, affection, even learns what it means to be a husband and a father, thanks to the influence of the Starfleet captains and crews that he inflicts himself on over the years.
Ego incarnate, Q is without a doubt fond of hearing himself talk. He is always right; always, and he's arrogant enough that were he to be at risk of being discovered to be wrong, he'd alter the fabric of the universe just to ensure he'd win. But Q doesn't argue. He's persistant, and he uses logic to dramatic effect--and he'll occasionally cheat, but he's keen on debate in particular. He doesn't like to lose, but he isn't a bad loser, particularly since on most occasions that he has lost an argument, there's been some underlying purpose behind his failure, such as bringing chaos to the Continuum, or having a further excuse to study, and visit, Picard. In some small way he knows what he likes, and he likes what he knows. When faced with Sisko, Q is forced to resentfully back down "You hit me. Picard wouldn't hit me." It's obvious that he gets very little pleasure out of the interaction, comparatively.
There's no doubt that Q can be encouraged to break his own rules if only by appealing to his vanity. It could be seen as a weakness, but Q likes to know that he's right, smart, handsome etc. After taking the Enterprise to its first encounter with the Borg, it is an admission of defeat from Picard, an admission that they need Q, that influences him to return them to the Alpha Quadrant. He can be selfish - for instance when it comes to his own entertainment - but he's also demonstrated selflessness on a number of occasions. He's slippery when it comes to admitting such traits. Saving the Enterprise from the Calmarian attempting to destroy it, or for example when Q is sent to decide Amanda Rogers' fate, Q uses very careful wording to conceal the responsibility of his actually caring.
Q can be arch, superior, overruling; no surprise, then, that in his first appearance he takes on the role of a judge, in an era where humanity raised such figures to elevated status. He reprises these roles of authority, casting himself as the Sheriff of Nottingham, for example, and preferring to wear the clothes and pips of a Starfleet captain whenever possible--something that ires every captain he comes into contact with, much to his amusement. Some of his assumed authority is real, granted to him by his omnipotence, and what he sees as a natural superiority, but it's difficult to tell where the line is drawn between genuine ego, and where he is exaggerating it just to get a reaction.
Q can be careless and cruel. The Q as a species have evolved beyond pain, beyond the confines of mortal bodies. The difference between a well spent human life and one extinguished early is miniscule compared to how long the Q have existed. As a result their views on life and death are stunted, such that the suicide of a Q, for example, shakes the foundations of their very existence, causing a Civil War.
Q frequently freezes, silences or otherwise disappears crew that attempt to engage him in combat or interfere in a conversation he might be having. He is fickle and often seemingly impatient--but then, to him, the process of walking to the Captain's ready room is a tedious, unnecessary one, given his powers. Above all, it is his skewed sense of time that makes it seem like he lacks patience.
Q has been known as 'The God of Lies'. Unsurprising, considering how much of himself and his intentions he's concealed over his appearances. He is manipulative in his own right, and doesn't hesitate to use grand gestures such as introducing humanity to the Borg or momentarily taking Voyager home to make a point, or use as a bargaining chip. He is, however, capable of making spontaneous cosmic gifts without necessarily imperiling the fabric of the universe, or even asking for a thank you--such as putting Voyager on the course that would take her home, and correcting the orbit of a moon that was going to crash into a planet; both examples of the compassion mentioned earlier. Q is above all strangely loyal, and he rarely reneges on a promise.
Q possesses a sharp tongue and a cruel wit. He's prone to insults, goading and namecalling, though never to his beloved captains. In terms of conversational style, Q is quick to change subjects and move the conversation along if it isn't going as quickly as he likes. In some ways, he is (seemingly intentionally) sloppy with his clues when he does this, giving away what is needed to resolve a conversation to its eventual conclusion. This could be as much intentional as accidental, after all to him what is blindingly obvious might remain a difficult context for someone else to grasp. His feelings can change as quickly. Even when made mortal, Q lingers on a complaint only for as long as it takes to get a reaction, then seems to forget all about it in favor of something else. If made uncomfortable or challenged, Q will answer with a challenge or insult of his own--and conversations are rarely if ever linear.
What seems to unify all of these traits, though, is Q's very human sense of curiosity. It's not for no reason at all that he keeps coming back to Picard and Janeway; it's not for no reason at all that he is willing to consider parenthood. Not that these things don't frighten him. Rendered mortal and powerless, Q sucumbs quickly to his own fear--even sleep frightens him. Unlike Data, Q has no interest in being subjected eternally to the human condition--he is very proud of who and what he is, but there's no doubt that humanity still fascinates him. He struggles with some concepts, such as romance - still pretty bad at that - has a hard time learning new things, such as how to be a good father to his son - but he still finds himself fascinated through the eyes of humanity, such as with Vash, and so for that he craves human companionship. Having a son offers him a similar opportunity, seeing the Universe all over again, this time through the eyes of his own child. Adaption and change are crucial; if anything, the one thing that Q - retaining his powers - is afraid of, is his becoming bored.
Q - the species and the individual - are impossibly influential. Across time and across the known universe, they've influenced multiple timelines, the rise and fall of planets, caused wars and ended them. They interfere, whether for their own gain or for an unseen greater cause, and what is percieved as Q causing mischief isn't always the case. Q - the individual - is well known in the Continuum, bouncing between obediently following the rules and deliberately upsetting them. He is constantly reinventing himself, and as a result, is shown to be perhaps one of the most flexible of his kind. Q3 called him 'the irrepressible Q, the one who forced (him) to think.'
"Because in the universe, you're the closest thing I have to a friend, Jean-Luc."
Picard's relationship with Q is a bizarre balance of playfulness and respect--but mostly respect. With what begins as an accusation of humanity's barbarianism, and later evolves into contempt, where Q tells Picard that the universe isn't a safe place, and if he can't take a bloody nose he should run home and hide under his bed, Q eventually discovers grudging respect, and eventually puts himself into the role of offering genuine guidance.
In return, Picard is a judge of Q, despite his inability to physically control him. Picard's challenges to Q's behavior do temper him, and Q in turn listens to Picard's advice, even if he's been known to twist the meaning of that advice to suit his own needs. They provide a balance to each other that Q seems to consider irreplaceable, although he grows to expand that sentiment to Janeway, too.
Picard plants the seeds of humanity in Q. He is responsible for most of Q's growth as a character, and the reason why, ten years down the line, the entity that visits Voyager isn't one prone to forcing people to cry, or randomly turning them into animals; one that is determined to teach his son the same values and morals that humanity once taught him.
"Has anyone ever told you you're angry when you're beautiful?"
Like Picard, Janeway is firm but not disrespectful. What begins as the usual arch superiority and mocking from Q quickly subsides. Janeway has heard of him, and she is authoritative and firm, clearly surprising him. Her clear compassion and sense of justice, her command and affection for her crew, her loyalty and her ferocity, her singleminded determination to get her people home--though their first meeting is short, Q becomes quickly transfixed with her, such that he claims that she was his first choice as a potential mate when he returns.
Failing in his seduction, Q instead makes Janeway the godmother to his son, and helps Voyager in his own way to get home, arguably substantial and selfless gestures that make his relationship with her something more personable than the one he has with Picard, despite her efforts to remain similarly caustic. Janeway impresses Q, and he gets - unquestionably - more human experience from his few meetings with her than in his billions of years alone.
His 'thank you' compared to that, is just a little thing. The least he can do.
[point in timeline you're picking your character from]: His final appearance in the timeline so far, in Star Trek: Voyager: S7 EO8.
[journal post]
A cellular phone? How quaint. [ If the intention was to start recording while he was still speaking to himself, then it isn't immediately obvious. Q turns the phone over in his hands several times, then finally turns the camera toward his own face. ] And how very low tech. I look far better in hi-definition.
Hello in there. Did you miss me? Of course you did. I know you're there, so don't try ignoring me hoping that I might go away, because I'm not going anywhere.
[ The glee is obvious in his expression. It's put on to a certain extent, but he'll sulk about being trapped in a pocket dimension later. Right now, he's planning to have some fun. ]
If anyone wants me, I'll be waiting by this simply charming fountain. But enough about that. Who wants to play a game? Here's how it works. I name a planet, for example Andoria, and you take the last letter as your first and name another. I must warn you--I never lose.
[ On account of his cheating. ]
[third person / log sample]
Physics, time, gravity, even space itself, meant very little in Q space. And yet there were days, or years, or decades, where Q deeply appreciated the joys of his new found fatherhood, and those when he would exchange the novelty for just one more day on the Enterprise, teasing Worf about the size of his brain.
Q knew apathy. He knew boredom. This was neither. It was a kind of wanderlust, combined with the weight of responsibility that had come to him as much intentionally as unexpectedly. Nobody had told him that having a child would be so much work, not to mention the Continuum grounding him in parenthood for eternity. Why, some days he felt as though his one remaining purpose was to chase around after his son, apologising when he broke people's toy spaceships and fetching back lost moons from the neighbours' backyard!
Yes, he was a chip off the old block, that was for sure.
But out there, a whole universe was calling. All the little people with their little lives, carrying on, unflustered - untroubled - by dearly departed Q. It wouldn't do. Surely he wouldn't be missed if he was quick? Just a few moments, checking in on his new favorite Captain.
Appearing on the bridge of Voyager without being noticed was easy. Q simply changed places with someone who belonged there for a few moments, took their place, their face, their hands. He could feel the ship's engines, a gentle familiar hum, and turning slightly in his seat revealed the starlit viewscreen. There were no calls for red alert. Nobody knew he was here; he would be gone again in a breath of air, unnoticed even by the crewman he had replaced. That was easy enough.
Janeway was absent, but almost as though summoned by his presence, she breezed onto the bridge, all hard lines and confidence. Oh, but she would have made a wonderful mate. Too bad that ship had sailed. Q could still appreciate her, appreciate the easy air of command, the fact that even after seven years - an age for a human - lost in the Delta Quadrant, tens of thousands of light years from home, she could still be more remote, more detached, than anyone else could hope to be in the same situation. Picard would have fallen apart by now, found a crewmember to settle down with, started a family...albeit a little late. But not his Kathy. Lonely; proud; defiant to the last; she would have made an incredible Q--a wonderful mother. But she was by far a better captain.
Now then, that was more than long enough. Almost twenty-six seconds. Who knew what Junior could do in twenty-six seconds. He might get back to find that the Continuum had ceased to exist. Or perhaps there was no Earth for Kathy to return to in a fitting blaze of glory. That would rather put a crimp on his plans, wouldn't it?
Time to go.
Apparent age: 40s
Height: 6'4"
Species: Q
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Brown
[character history / background]: Q - the entity
Q - the species
[character abilities]: Obviously Q is a little beyond the godmodey, and while there are characters with similar abilities in Poly, I thought that a little nerfing would not only make Q less overpowered, but provide me with a great deal of his own personal discontent to play with, too.
To that end, this is how I'd like to nerf him:
Mortality: First, Q will be mortal, at least in form. He can bleed, cry, suffocate, and generally struggle through the human experience just like everyone else. That ought to sufficiently annoy him.
Offensive capability: Q can in the series manifest offensive capabilities like insta-freezing people or just disappearing them temporarily from reality. I'd like to nullify this ability outright, i.e. apart from one exception in the 'Teleporting' section below, Q shouldn't be able to do anything directly to other people.
Omniscience: Q knows a lot about everything. He'd like to think he knows everything about everything. But he doesn't know a thing about Poly. His knowledge will be contained to the Star Trek universe, for my ease as much as anything else, and he'll be left in the dark for more or less the first time in his life. No fourth walling capabilities.
Teleportation: In canon Q can teleport himself or other people or entire ships to different places. Of his powers, I'd like to keep this one least nuked, maybe limit it to his being able to teleport only to places he's previously been, or can actually see, with a maximum of one (1) passenger and absolutely no vehicles, space faring or otherwise. If necessary, I'd be happy to add to this limit by giving him a migraine if he overuses it, or a maximum number of times that he can use it per day/week/month before it runs out.
Manifestations: Having once been known as a 'god of lies', Q relies chiefly on manifestations to frustrate and irritate all the sane, limited mortal creatures that he inflicts himself upon. These can be anything from summoning a room full of roses to a litter of puppies, to an entire host of partygoers enjoying a good conga line.
Obviously this ability MUST be limited in some way. My suggestion is that he can make five small changes, or one large one, that they have an expiry limit of one day, and that none of them involve the creation of NPCs: i.e. he can create the party, but not the partygoers, and like in Cinderella, everything he's created disappears on the chime of midnight or something. I'd also like to completely nerf any hint of this ability being able to cure diseases, break the laws of gravity, temporarily put alien moons in the night sky, transform the cast of the entire city into extras from Robin Hood or manifest entire landscapes. And everything else like that, to be honest. That's not to say I wouldn't be willing to work with the mods to use such powers for these sorts of purposes in the future, if there was any interest in doing so.
Form: Q can change his own form at will, even change himself into - for example - non-humanoid alien species composed of light. I'd be happy to either leave this one as it is, scrap it completely or impose a penalty. It would serve him right if, after transforming into an amoeba to prove a point, if he had to spend the rest of the day that way. The same should apply to his costume changes. Transform into a well bearded pirate with a comedy parrot on his shoulder? He's stuck that way. He should learn his lesson fairly quickly.
Intelligence: Q has a theoretical IQ of over two thousand. Even rendered mortal, without his powers, that's the one thing that still sways in his favor. Unfortunately his omnipotence means that he has a very lazy approach to scientific solutions, suggesting in one instance that the solution to a problem is to change the gravitational constant of the universe. It shouldn't be necessary to limit this, as his ego and inflexibility make it self limiting all on its own.
Uh. Breeding?: Q totally can't mate by fingerkisses any more, and the world is a happier place.
[character personality]:
"I add a little spice, a little excitement to your lives, and all you do is complain!"
Q is introduced in Encounter at Farpoint as an intimidating figure, whose powers alone are such that they might inspire Picard to turn back. He is a difficult character to define, at one moment cold and serious, and the next carefree, but no action that Q makes is done without reason, whether that reason concerns the universe, the Continuum, or his own personal curiosity. The most important thing to note straight away, is that despite his own proclaimed lifespan of hundreds of trillions of years, Q experiences character growth through his interactions with humanity, over what to him is a comparatively short period of time. He may disguise it with humour, but Q comes to show compassion, affection, even learns what it means to be a husband and a father, thanks to the influence of the Starfleet captains and crews that he inflicts himself on over the years.
Ego incarnate, Q is without a doubt fond of hearing himself talk. He is always right; always, and he's arrogant enough that were he to be at risk of being discovered to be wrong, he'd alter the fabric of the universe just to ensure he'd win. But Q doesn't argue. He's persistant, and he uses logic to dramatic effect--and he'll occasionally cheat, but he's keen on debate in particular. He doesn't like to lose, but he isn't a bad loser, particularly since on most occasions that he has lost an argument, there's been some underlying purpose behind his failure, such as bringing chaos to the Continuum, or having a further excuse to study, and visit, Picard. In some small way he knows what he likes, and he likes what he knows. When faced with Sisko, Q is forced to resentfully back down "You hit me. Picard wouldn't hit me." It's obvious that he gets very little pleasure out of the interaction, comparatively.
There's no doubt that Q can be encouraged to break his own rules if only by appealing to his vanity. It could be seen as a weakness, but Q likes to know that he's right, smart, handsome etc. After taking the Enterprise to its first encounter with the Borg, it is an admission of defeat from Picard, an admission that they need Q, that influences him to return them to the Alpha Quadrant. He can be selfish - for instance when it comes to his own entertainment - but he's also demonstrated selflessness on a number of occasions. He's slippery when it comes to admitting such traits. Saving the Enterprise from the Calmarian attempting to destroy it, or for example when Q is sent to decide Amanda Rogers' fate, Q uses very careful wording to conceal the responsibility of his actually caring.
Q can be arch, superior, overruling; no surprise, then, that in his first appearance he takes on the role of a judge, in an era where humanity raised such figures to elevated status. He reprises these roles of authority, casting himself as the Sheriff of Nottingham, for example, and preferring to wear the clothes and pips of a Starfleet captain whenever possible--something that ires every captain he comes into contact with, much to his amusement. Some of his assumed authority is real, granted to him by his omnipotence, and what he sees as a natural superiority, but it's difficult to tell where the line is drawn between genuine ego, and where he is exaggerating it just to get a reaction.
Q can be careless and cruel. The Q as a species have evolved beyond pain, beyond the confines of mortal bodies. The difference between a well spent human life and one extinguished early is miniscule compared to how long the Q have existed. As a result their views on life and death are stunted, such that the suicide of a Q, for example, shakes the foundations of their very existence, causing a Civil War.
Q frequently freezes, silences or otherwise disappears crew that attempt to engage him in combat or interfere in a conversation he might be having. He is fickle and often seemingly impatient--but then, to him, the process of walking to the Captain's ready room is a tedious, unnecessary one, given his powers. Above all, it is his skewed sense of time that makes it seem like he lacks patience.
Q has been known as 'The God of Lies'. Unsurprising, considering how much of himself and his intentions he's concealed over his appearances. He is manipulative in his own right, and doesn't hesitate to use grand gestures such as introducing humanity to the Borg or momentarily taking Voyager home to make a point, or use as a bargaining chip. He is, however, capable of making spontaneous cosmic gifts without necessarily imperiling the fabric of the universe, or even asking for a thank you--such as putting Voyager on the course that would take her home, and correcting the orbit of a moon that was going to crash into a planet; both examples of the compassion mentioned earlier. Q is above all strangely loyal, and he rarely reneges on a promise.
Q possesses a sharp tongue and a cruel wit. He's prone to insults, goading and namecalling, though never to his beloved captains. In terms of conversational style, Q is quick to change subjects and move the conversation along if it isn't going as quickly as he likes. In some ways, he is (seemingly intentionally) sloppy with his clues when he does this, giving away what is needed to resolve a conversation to its eventual conclusion. This could be as much intentional as accidental, after all to him what is blindingly obvious might remain a difficult context for someone else to grasp. His feelings can change as quickly. Even when made mortal, Q lingers on a complaint only for as long as it takes to get a reaction, then seems to forget all about it in favor of something else. If made uncomfortable or challenged, Q will answer with a challenge or insult of his own--and conversations are rarely if ever linear.
What seems to unify all of these traits, though, is Q's very human sense of curiosity. It's not for no reason at all that he keeps coming back to Picard and Janeway; it's not for no reason at all that he is willing to consider parenthood. Not that these things don't frighten him. Rendered mortal and powerless, Q sucumbs quickly to his own fear--even sleep frightens him. Unlike Data, Q has no interest in being subjected eternally to the human condition--he is very proud of who and what he is, but there's no doubt that humanity still fascinates him. He struggles with some concepts, such as romance - still pretty bad at that - has a hard time learning new things, such as how to be a good father to his son - but he still finds himself fascinated through the eyes of humanity, such as with Vash, and so for that he craves human companionship. Having a son offers him a similar opportunity, seeing the Universe all over again, this time through the eyes of his own child. Adaption and change are crucial; if anything, the one thing that Q - retaining his powers - is afraid of, is his becoming bored.
Q - the species and the individual - are impossibly influential. Across time and across the known universe, they've influenced multiple timelines, the rise and fall of planets, caused wars and ended them. They interfere, whether for their own gain or for an unseen greater cause, and what is percieved as Q causing mischief isn't always the case. Q - the individual - is well known in the Continuum, bouncing between obediently following the rules and deliberately upsetting them. He is constantly reinventing himself, and as a result, is shown to be perhaps one of the most flexible of his kind. Q3 called him 'the irrepressible Q, the one who forced (him) to think.'
"Because in the universe, you're the closest thing I have to a friend, Jean-Luc."
Picard's relationship with Q is a bizarre balance of playfulness and respect--but mostly respect. With what begins as an accusation of humanity's barbarianism, and later evolves into contempt, where Q tells Picard that the universe isn't a safe place, and if he can't take a bloody nose he should run home and hide under his bed, Q eventually discovers grudging respect, and eventually puts himself into the role of offering genuine guidance.
In return, Picard is a judge of Q, despite his inability to physically control him. Picard's challenges to Q's behavior do temper him, and Q in turn listens to Picard's advice, even if he's been known to twist the meaning of that advice to suit his own needs. They provide a balance to each other that Q seems to consider irreplaceable, although he grows to expand that sentiment to Janeway, too.
Picard plants the seeds of humanity in Q. He is responsible for most of Q's growth as a character, and the reason why, ten years down the line, the entity that visits Voyager isn't one prone to forcing people to cry, or randomly turning them into animals; one that is determined to teach his son the same values and morals that humanity once taught him.
"Has anyone ever told you you're angry when you're beautiful?"
Like Picard, Janeway is firm but not disrespectful. What begins as the usual arch superiority and mocking from Q quickly subsides. Janeway has heard of him, and she is authoritative and firm, clearly surprising him. Her clear compassion and sense of justice, her command and affection for her crew, her loyalty and her ferocity, her singleminded determination to get her people home--though their first meeting is short, Q becomes quickly transfixed with her, such that he claims that she was his first choice as a potential mate when he returns.
Failing in his seduction, Q instead makes Janeway the godmother to his son, and helps Voyager in his own way to get home, arguably substantial and selfless gestures that make his relationship with her something more personable than the one he has with Picard, despite her efforts to remain similarly caustic. Janeway impresses Q, and he gets - unquestionably - more human experience from his few meetings with her than in his billions of years alone.
His 'thank you' compared to that, is just a little thing. The least he can do.
[point in timeline you're picking your character from]: His final appearance in the timeline so far, in Star Trek: Voyager: S7 EO8.
[journal post]
A cellular phone? How quaint. [ If the intention was to start recording while he was still speaking to himself, then it isn't immediately obvious. Q turns the phone over in his hands several times, then finally turns the camera toward his own face. ] And how very low tech. I look far better in hi-definition.
Hello in there. Did you miss me? Of course you did. I know you're there, so don't try ignoring me hoping that I might go away, because I'm not going anywhere.
[ The glee is obvious in his expression. It's put on to a certain extent, but he'll sulk about being trapped in a pocket dimension later. Right now, he's planning to have some fun. ]
If anyone wants me, I'll be waiting by this simply charming fountain. But enough about that. Who wants to play a game? Here's how it works. I name a planet, for example Andoria, and you take the last letter as your first and name another. I must warn you--I never lose.
[ On account of his cheating. ]
[third person / log sample]
Physics, time, gravity, even space itself, meant very little in Q space. And yet there were days, or years, or decades, where Q deeply appreciated the joys of his new found fatherhood, and those when he would exchange the novelty for just one more day on the Enterprise, teasing Worf about the size of his brain.
Q knew apathy. He knew boredom. This was neither. It was a kind of wanderlust, combined with the weight of responsibility that had come to him as much intentionally as unexpectedly. Nobody had told him that having a child would be so much work, not to mention the Continuum grounding him in parenthood for eternity. Why, some days he felt as though his one remaining purpose was to chase around after his son, apologising when he broke people's toy spaceships and fetching back lost moons from the neighbours' backyard!
Yes, he was a chip off the old block, that was for sure.
But out there, a whole universe was calling. All the little people with their little lives, carrying on, unflustered - untroubled - by dearly departed Q. It wouldn't do. Surely he wouldn't be missed if he was quick? Just a few moments, checking in on his new favorite Captain.
Appearing on the bridge of Voyager without being noticed was easy. Q simply changed places with someone who belonged there for a few moments, took their place, their face, their hands. He could feel the ship's engines, a gentle familiar hum, and turning slightly in his seat revealed the starlit viewscreen. There were no calls for red alert. Nobody knew he was here; he would be gone again in a breath of air, unnoticed even by the crewman he had replaced. That was easy enough.
Janeway was absent, but almost as though summoned by his presence, she breezed onto the bridge, all hard lines and confidence. Oh, but she would have made a wonderful mate. Too bad that ship had sailed. Q could still appreciate her, appreciate the easy air of command, the fact that even after seven years - an age for a human - lost in the Delta Quadrant, tens of thousands of light years from home, she could still be more remote, more detached, than anyone else could hope to be in the same situation. Picard would have fallen apart by now, found a crewmember to settle down with, started a family...albeit a little late. But not his Kathy. Lonely; proud; defiant to the last; she would have made an incredible Q--a wonderful mother. But she was by far a better captain.
Now then, that was more than long enough. Almost twenty-six seconds. Who knew what Junior could do in twenty-six seconds. He might get back to find that the Continuum had ceased to exist. Or perhaps there was no Earth for Kathy to return to in a fitting blaze of glory. That would rather put a crimp on his plans, wouldn't it?
Time to go.