. . .2323 . . .

. . Earth . .  .

This is the year Jean-Luc Picard had entered Star Fleet Academy. His entire life will change in 2327 by getting stabbed in the back due to a bar fight. A young man he was. I can still remember the lesson behind it and how I saved Jean-Luc right there on the biobed aboard the Enterprise in the future. I made sure to not visit the Academy but . . . Apparently they wanted the top genius Time Travel former Professor now Ambassador to give a whole hour to Cadets.

John-Luc and I made a compromise about what to do that day.

John-Luc would go enjoy himself for a whole week.

Because as it turns out there were some conflicts of interests and repeated schedule changes. I envied John-Luc for getting the chance to get a professional back massage from a four armed Telillian. Telillians can get to the stressful joints then relax them using their articulated fingers that were long, beautiful, and so damn attractive.

I had been balding over the recent few years and my voice had changed along with it. I discovered so when commanding the computer to pull up a file from Star Fleet. I repeated my request a couple times. More than a couple times, really. It started to be annoying toward me.

"Pull up Jean-Luc Picard daily schedule," I repeated. "Authorization Professor Quarty."

"Computer does not register voice recognition," The computer replied back. "Reason: Voice is not the same. No similarities detected in the tempo,bass, and volume."

I sighed.

I wanted to see if Jean-Luc Picard was going to be part of that huge crowd.

"Voice problems?" Came Batanides.

I turned the computer off turning my direction to a young woman with dark hair and blue eyes. I recognized her from the trip that I had taken Jean-Luc on. Jean-Luc had a crush on her and she had a crush on him. I had a low laugh at the thought out loud.

"Why yes," I said. "The computer can't seem to recognize my voice."

"Well, Mr Quarty you need to update your voice." Batanides said.

I smiled.

"Yes," I said. "That I do."

"My friends Picard and Zweller think your lecture about defensive maneuver isn't going to be the best." Batanides said.

"Jean-Luc Picard," I said. "A house hold name."

"What?" Batanide said.

"Oh forgive me, that is just old age getting to me," I said. "Any name such as Zweller and Picard sound fine to me."

"Picard's been outperforming Zweller," Batanides said. "I will not be surprised if they both make it to captain."

"Picard would make a fine captain," I said. "Maybe he will make his own  Picard maneuver after my lecture."

Batanides laughed.

"He might go to archaeology." Batanides said.

"Tea, hot." I said. The replicator made what I wanted. I take out the tea and take a sip from it. "Professor Picard." I had a snort. "Now that is a funny image." I looked over toward Batanides with a suspicious look. "You are not here to talk, aren't you?"

Batanides nodded.

"Rumors say you used to have something in you brain and you used to be in a top secure security nursing home," Batanides said. "And that you fought against a space pirate with only a light saber!"

I laughed.

"All of them are not true," I said. "I assure you."

"Quarty, you gave me the wrong directions!" John-Luc said.

Batanides turned around.

Then he stopped, recognizing her.

"Cadet Batanides, I presume?" John-Luc said, in the most calm Vulcan manner I ever seen him in.

"Yes," Batanides said. She looked at him oddly. "Have we met before?"

"No," John-Luc said. "Honey . . . Could you give me the correct map padd?"

"Sure, Jean-Luc." I said.

I wheeled over to the desk then take out the padd that is the shape of a small map glowing holographic symbols. I heard a thump after I took out the map padd. I looked over seeing Cadet Batanides on the floor.

"Quarty, why did you do that?" John-Luc said.

"I want her to know that's the face she will see commanding a ship," I said. "She'll wake up and consider it a bad dream." I wheeled over to John-Luc. "But in a couple decades she will know one of the best men out there. The man who you could become. The man you have become. In my eyes .  . . you are Jean-Luc Picard not a knock off. You are just a different version of him."

"But Jean-Luc isn't a Vulcan." John-Luc said.

"Your  face matters not the ears."  I said, handing the map padd to John-Luc.

"You see me as a human instead of a Vulcan." John-Luc remarked.

"When have I not?" I said.

"That is the nicest thing I have heard from you."  John-Luc said.

Batanides turned over on the floor.

"Now go treat yourself before she wake up." I said.

///////////////////////////////////////

. . . 12:39 PM. . .

I took the liberty to change the topic during lecture.

"Would anyone like to hear time travel rather than the boring topic of maneuvers?" I asked, ten minutes into the lecture.

Zweller, a red head, rised his hand.

Young Jean-Luc had recently shaved his head clean of hair.

"Mr Zweller, ever heard of a bootstrap effect?"

"No."

"Then I will explain to you what it is. It is called a casual loop in the eyes of time and space including many continuums. It is a paradox of time travel that occurs when the future event is the cause of a past event which in turn is the cause of the future event. Let's say, for example your bald friend goes back in time twenty-five years before he was born because someone went to assinate his father. But instead he becomes his own father."

Jean-Luc is eighteen years old.

There were some snickers.

"Sir, with all respect, what about his father that he thinks is his father?" Zweller asked.

"He dies, anyway." I said.

"So it is his fate to die and never have kids, theoretically?" Jean-Luc, oh so young he was, asked.

John-Luc Picard had red hair in his timeline in his youth.

Jean-Luc Picard had brown hair in his youth.

"Yes, Mr Picard!" I said.

He only knew me as an Ambassador rather than the long living entity Q.

Besides, this is the first time Jean-Luc has ever met me in his perspective.

"What is a time loop?" Varley asked.

THE Donald Varley, future commander of the USS Yamato.

"Moments of time that are repeated and rexperienced by characters, and there is some hope of breaking out the useless cycle of repetition." I said. "Bootstrap effect used to be commonly referred to as the Boot leg effect. It was only a couple decades ago the saying was correctly used as Bootstrap. Time loops can be broken and they can be remembered if they happen so many times to these characters. Let it be you, Mr Varley, that you are on a ship under attack and you don't even know there is the twenty-six time it will face a imminent destruction that can not be avoided. However, in the events leading to it one of your crew men remembers the same damn command you ordered him. So in the next time it happens you REMEMBER and stop what causes the deadly attack. You let the Romulans pass back into the nutural zone."

"What are the other types of time travel?" Zweller asked.

"There is the minor time travel," I said. "For example just going to your father and giving him a different kind of drink on the day of your birth or some other important day that would otherwise distract your parent from bothering to take a look at you. It is a mischievous thing some time travelers do."

"If someone switched my tea, I would notice." Jean-Luc said.

"I would notice if someone switched out my drink, too!" Travid said.

"Do you ever consider what would be on your thoughts on that very important day?" I asked.

"I am not going to have kids." Travid said.

"Me too." Jean-Luc said.

"I would be busy pacing back and forth." Zweller said.

"So what kind of time travel is that?" Varley asked.

"The inconsequential changer," I said. "Rather basic."

"Can people observe and time travel?" Travid asked.

"Those are the watchers," I said. "They can appear at their own will let it be from the shadows, a machine making them transparent, or being a very careful hider. If the viewer see's them during the observation then they are royally screwed now having the image of a dying person pleading for help. That image is what I wouldn't want any young people to be haunted by."

When I thought about it; that reminded me of the Q.

"What if there was a timeline that had no boundaries?" Jean-Luc said. "No rules, no consequences, and nothing that meant the end of everything as we know it. Anything could be done and history would be different."

"Correct, Mr Picard." I said. "These are called . . Wild timelines." I felt my heart stop for a second. I clutch on the sides of the object in front of myself leaning forward. Damn it,what was that for? My heart started beating again. "Where anyone can do anything to their desire. . . If they want a screwed future then they can spoil everything that has thus happened to what leads into their future if they don't like their own future."

"Sir, are you okay?" Batadines asked.

"Just fine," I said. "Has anyone heard of the removed effect traveler?"

"No." Most of the cadets said.

"This time traveler is not affected by time," I explained. "For example. Fixed time can only apply to the person it happens. If they read what happens to themselves then it is fixed and can not be avoided. Like say, for example, Cadet Picard reads a datapad for Captain Picard of lets say the Enterprise or the Fendora then he will in turn be spoiled about his future." I saw Jean-Luc acting uneasy. "Back on topic. Anyone else outside that person's time stream can do anything they want like a adventure or anything that prolongs their lives. Hence the removed effect traveler who is not affected."

I stopped using Picard as an example.

///////////////////////////////////////////////

. . . 2:39 PM. . .

. . .Earth . . .

At the end of the lecture that turned out longer than it was supposed to be. I learned some of the students were full of theories on some random aspects of time traveling and abnormalities. Some abnormalities thrown into the discussion were mostly connected to the academy, space ships,people, and a entire crew. It was pretty fun in the lecture that was more of a group discussion.

I saw Q7 during the discussion leaning against the door.

Q7 has a really long chin and big ears with curly brown hair.

It had to be him who made my heart stop.

Q7 is known to pop in randomly and sometimes stop some one's heart when they are explaining a Q-thing. The wild timeline in my timeline was never explained to Star Fleet let alone to the cadets. I noticed after seeing him that my hands were trembling yet I was visibly standing still to the audience. I turned on levitation mode then lowered off the stage right as the cadets started to leave in a single line. Some, that I did not expect, namely JEAN-LUC PICARD came to me with a questionable look on his face.

"Why did you pick me as an example?" Jean-Luc asked.

I smiled.

"You seem like the man who could do anything," I said. "Thank you for participating in this discussion, Picard."

It was nice to use that name in public.

We shook hands.

I could have said, "Have a long and prosperous life." but I merely said, "Goodbye,cadet."

"Ambassador." Jean-Luc said, with a little smile.

Jean-Luc turned around then followed the group.

Zweller approached me.

"I would to ask . . ." Zweller said. "Is there a possibility I can be a captain?"

"There are splinter universes, parallel universes, and mirror universes . . . My young friend," I said. "Every choice in your life has a different outcome in various universes. For all I know you could become a admiral, fleet admiral, or a rear admiral. Or just a commander."

"So you are saying the future is in my hands?" Zweller asked.

"Yes. . . But . . .Take some of my advice: never let your Number One sacrifice his life for you." I said.

Zweller frowned.

"Thank you for the consideration, Ambassador." Zweller turned away and left.

Zweller, in the original timeline, lost his best friend Batadines. I have seen another timeline where he sacrificed himself to save her life and she became a admiral in the long run after running a ship without her first captain in a different quadrant for six years. Batadines turned out to be the most qualified woman to be prepared for commanding a ship. She was the second female captain in Star Fleet history in the Alternate Timeline.

Many of the cadets thanked me for spending the time engaging on a subject that mostly is confusing to those who are not at the very least interested.

"Hey Ambassador, is it possible for two counterparts from two different universes to inhabit the same space?" Travid asked.

"If they were to meet,they would destroy the entire universe," I said. "I already said that."

"But what if there was some external force preventing that from happening?" Travid asked.

"Then it would be possible." I said.

"And what if there were two people in the same universe who looked alike?" Travid asked.

"A trail of destruction or just pure nothingness. Nothing ever happening, Cadet Travid. A simple meet and greet." I raised a eyebrow at the cadet. "You are not just asking because you are interested."

"I am." Travid said.

I frowned.

Here, I had a lunatic before my eyes. He was such a problem in the brain. He wanted to become what I was in the future. My hands clutched around the arm rest. He had only one existence in the span of million universes. This is the timeline where he is created. The man I sealed inside a stone statue called the Weeping Angel to take away people's lives so he could live. Weeping Angels feed off the life energy by sending their victims to the past depending how long they have to live like one hundred plus years or fifty years. Fifty years is the common denominator.

I had been using a device to make it seem as though I was standing.

It took me a month create it shortly after being told I had to do a lecture.

It was like a endoskeleton underneath my clothes and it attached to one unnoticeable machine. I wanted to stand giving the lecture rather than sit like Stephen Hawking in front of a standing crowd. I sat back down shortly after everyone had turned started to turn away from my direction. I couldn't walk. I believed it enhanced the experience talking to such a young crowd.

"Kid, time travel is a mess and messing with the universe will lead you to your death!" I grabbed his hands. "My name is Q and I am formally demanding you do not go any further into this."

"Ambassador, you are scaring me!" Travid said.

"Then don't become a Q and don't dig any further what we are," I said, as my grip tightened on his hands. "You have a bright future ahead of you. I hate to be the one responsible for your death for the second time, Mr Travid." He tried to squeeze his hands out of my grip. "We are always watching humanity and we strive to blend in, study them, and test them. If you dare break through that barrier between mortality and immortality there will be consequences."

Travid finally broke through holding his right wrist.

"I will report this." Travid said.

"Hey, I am the one trying to save your life!"  I shouted after the man as he fled.

Cadet Makenzie approached me.

"Ambassador, I am sorry for my friend's reaction." Makenzie said.

"It is fine," I said, shaking my right hand. "In a few years Travid will be no more."

Makenzie looked at me strangely.

"Sir?" Makenzie said.

I sighed.

"Keep an eye on him." I said.

His mood brightened.

"I will," Makenzie said. "Thank you, Ambassador, for the lecture."

"No problem . . ." I said, then Makenzie left.

I rubbed my forehead feeling immense guilt.

I just single handedly sent a mortal man on a fools errand to ensure the safety of the universe. I met Makenzie during my younger years. It was no wonder why Travid reacted the way he did. I closed my eyes glancing down toward these old hands of mine. I had a flash to the past.

"Woah. . ." Older Travid said, looking around in the white field of nothingness. "So this is . . . Is this amazing."

I materialized in front of this young man.

"Go home." I said.

Older Travid smiled.

"Q?"

"Yes, I am Q."

"Don't you remember me?"

"This is the first time I have met you, you arrogant human. Now, GO HOME."

The man smiled holding his fingers up.

"You know," Older Travid said.  "I want to know everything about you and your friends first."

I stopped right then feeling that creepy unusual sensation that usually came first before a bad event. He had a certain vibe about him. It was then I was contained in a sense. I couldn't move nor talk. I felt someone going through my time stream learning, absorbing, and watching everything I. DID. I felt a tinge of power transferred. Then I was freed in the middle of now here completely naked.

I got up then used the thought to get myself dressed up.

There was one thought on my mind right then.

ENTERPRISE.

That is where he went.

And so did I.

I snapped my fingers to what seemed to be the wreckage of the Enterprise. I felt horrified. I had come too late. Rule six says you can't bring people back to life. I had to go against that as I had many times before. Death is a very boring thing and it has a lot of connections to the real world that effects those who are alive. Specifically me. I saw Data's head free floating in the space. I saw what remained of the bridge crew frozen. I materialized right into the bridge where Makenzie held a knife aimed at Travid.

Data was turned toward the scene.

His aiming was almost wrong by a inch.

Travid took a step to the side.

One minute until the Enterprise became nothing but a mess.

"Travid!" I shouted, grabbing the man by the wrist.

Travid's eyes darted toward my direction and he couldn't stop himself when I resumed time. He took a step aside nearly falling over.  I prevented him from falling down on his idiot butt. I held my other hand up in the way of Makenzie's way almost freezing the man in his place. Makenzie's eyes froze in realization.

"I am sorry, Mon capitaine, for getting here so late," I apologized. "I will handle this problem myself."

"No, let it be mine!" Makenzie demanded.

I looked over toward the shorter man.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because he is my friend and my problem. I should have stopped him from the start!" Makenzie said.

"Q, my ready room." Jean-Luc said.

"No," I said. "But I will grant your request, Mr . . . Eh, I didn't catch your name. What was it, fella?"

"Jacob L Makenzie." Makenzie said.

"Q, don't!" Jean-Luc demanded. "That is what he wants."

"I'll be watching every step of the way," I said. "See you later,Picard."

I opened my eyes.

Travid murdered Makenzie. It was after murdering Makenzie that Travid finally realized what he had become. I remember Travid staggering back with blood on his hands.  He radiated the power of the Q and other man made power drawn out of a different continuum. He looked up at my direction fueled by rage.  He had intense anger in his eyes. What did I do? I turned Travid into a Weeping Angel. One that cannot catch me. He blamed me for Makenzie's apparent death.

I wheeled my way out of the large lecture hall.

I saw John-Luc  hiding alongside a wall as Jean-Luc passed by.

I laughed, gently, wheeling over to John-Luc.

"Sssssh." John-Luc said, with one finger to his lips.

Jean-Luc was surrounded by his friends Varley, Zweller, and Batadines. Varley was Varley as ever talking about some kind of plans he had for his future. The crowd of cadets seemed to be so massive they apparently didn't notice I was right behind them. I wheeled over to the other hallway where John-Luc was apparently scared to meet himself.

"Is there some unfinished business you have with Batadines?" I asked.

"We used to have a fling but it ended before we graduated," John-Luc said. "The last I ever heard of her after graduation was that she was with child. I wanted to ask if she was having my child. . . I was quite worried about it."

"Don't worry about your other self," I said. "If they got into a romantic relationship it would ruin their friendship."

"Quarty, can we make Colo home?" John-Luc asked

"I agree, we have to stay out of Jean-Luc's timeline," I said. "Let's start house buying after we leave Earth."

John-Luc smiled.

"Tonight, I will be the one giving the massage." Jean-Luc said.

I am one hundred forty-seven years old.

"I am the luckiest man in the universe."  I said.

John-Luc?

He is two hundred nineteen.

And he does not look a day over ninety.

"Yes, yes you are." John-Luc said.

John-Luc and I looked over the corner of the hallway. We both could see Jean-Luc taking a left turn. Quickly we took the exit ever so causally. I was his watch out for Batadines or any other person who knew young Jean-luc who could possibly recognize those eyes and facial features of his. I turned on levitation mode going down the stairs. We made it safely out of Star Fleet Academy.  We had a sigh of relief.

And we had to get a ride straight to Colo.