..2352...

...July 4th...10:58 PM..

"Daddy!" Abbigal screamed from her room.

I never ran so fast in my life just because my child screamed.

Sarah Hofflestetter died when Abbigal was six years old. My wife, my beautiful wife, perished aboard the USS Oreo in Federation space following the random attack of a Romulan bird of prey. Abbigal is the only one left I have in this life. I did not live a miserable life because mainly of Jean Luc and Abbigal. I am doing it for them. It is a wonder why my enemies haven't chased me down.

But maybe one of them has, already.

I came to a stop in Abbigal's room.

I saw a blue figure glowing in the dark with tentacles attached to the back.

He glowed so brightly he illuminated himself.

Abbigal is under the blanket cowering in fear.

"Q," Came the figure. "You must die."

My hands balled up into fists, tightly, in anger.

I stepped forward into the room.

"Leave my daughter alone," I said. "I will die. Not today!"

This figure is a Kortochite.

His name is Billy Jones.

"You will pay for what you've done to my civilization," Billy Jones said.

I blinked.

"What?" I said. "I had not done a thing to you. Except for misplacing not so important stuff!"

"THAT PAINTING WAS OUR GOD!" Billy Jones shouts.

"You know..." I said, with a sigh. "Go ask another Q to return that painting!" I narrowed my eyes toward Billy Jones. "In 22 years, I will die aboard the Enterprise on April 2nd at 5 PM and then, only then, will I die."

"You are omnipotent,Q," Billy Jones said.

"Not anymore," I said. "And my name is Quarty!" My voice started to rise. "I am a mortal."

Billy Jones hovered here for awhile trying to understand if his stupid head is hearing it right.

"Mortal?" Billy Jones repeated.

"Mortal," I said.

"But...But..." No doubt Billy Jones was in shock.

My face grew grim.

"No more jokes, no more tricks, no more games from me," I said. "LEAVE MY DAUGHTER OUT OF THIS!"

My voice boomed making waves of sound move in various layers. How in the numerous planes of existence is that possible? I am not a Q! I am a mortal. I watch the annoying blue figure be dissipated away by the various sound waves pouring through him until he was like jelly then finally faded way.

"Daddy!" Abbigal cried.

I came over to Abbigal and picked her up into my arms.

"It is okay princess," I said, hugging Abbigal. "Daddy is here."

"Who was that guy?" Abbigal asked.

"A bad guy," I said.

I finally put out the word that I am going to die.

"Are you going to die?" Abbigal asked, concerned and so scared as she now faced me.

I tapped on her nose.

"Not today," I said.

"Promise me you are never gonna leave me," Abbigal said, in her utmost serious expression.

"I promise, my little princess," I said. "I will never leave you."