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"That's my Q" #136 - 137 "First I thought it was a Dream..."<On> <Afterlife> As Kennedy awakened he found himself standing in his suit of armor, all shiny and spiffy. No more dirt or blood, no more damage. His sword sheathed, and in mint condition. A red carpet before him. Cheering crowds to either side of the carpet, chanting his name. And at the end of the carpet, sat the king, on a lavish throne. And that king looked remarkably like ... "Q! Why have you done this to me? You destroyed my thoughts on my ancestor! I believed he was a hero, going down in a blaze of glory! But... being in him, hearing his thoughts. He wanted nothing more than death. That was the easiest way for him to do it." Andrew slumped his shoulders - not easy to do in armour - "He may have saved his men, but not the way I thought he went out." Q blinked a bit and stood up, wearing the gold and red of royalty. "What ? What's that ? Speak up or come nearer ! I can't hear you over the crowd !" he told Andrew, as the crowds continued to chant. 'ken-ne-dy ! ken-ne-dy !' Andrew walked forward, unsheathing his sword as he did so. "I said, YOU RUINED MY THOUGHTS ON MY ANCESTORS!" Andrew roared at him, breaking into a run, sword gripped with both hands, pointed straight at Q. This had an effect. The crowd panicked and FLED - fleeing into any available opening, and all being gone in four seconds flat - only the sound of a manhole cover falling into place echoed through the castle's courtyard, along with Kennedy's footfalls, and as Andrew neared a remarkably unshaken Q, his sword changed into a bouquet of flowers. "Now now, calm down already. You're as bad as that Petrova woman." Q waved dismissively. "Was it really 'moi' that ruined your little fantasy, then ? Or was it you who believed the wrong things, keeping up a facade that doesn't in the least resemble what's going on deep inside ?" Andrew skidded to a stop, tossing the flowers aside. "What? This has nothing to do with me! I'm fine! That was not my ancestor. I refuse to believe that. You must have sent me into a warped past." He flexed his armoured hands, he still had those as weapons. The flowers crashed to the floor with the resounding CLANK of a hand-and-a-half longsword as Q waggled his finger and shook his head a bit. "Tsk tsk. This has everything to do with you, Andrew. I'd hoped that you'd see it for yourself after that, but I see I will need to spell it out for you. How disappointing." "Always dramatic, aren't you Q? We don't live in a world of Shakespeare, you know. This isn't King Lear or Othello, you know." Andrew's brain then registered what he said. " Very well, explain how this had everything to do with me. I'm curious." And in a flash, the castle, the red carpet, the courtyard and everything was gone, and Andrew was facing Q wearing command-red, and captain's pips instead of an outfit of royalty. "You think you're so smart and you know people so well with your fancy diploma's and your detached analytical mind, but have you ever stopped and taken a look at yourself?" "Everyday in front of the mirror, why do you ask?" Andrew responded sarcastically. He loathed someone examining him like this, that was his job. "No, I haven't. I use my time to do my job. Which is, in case you've forgotten, analyzing other people." "Do you know the saying 'healer, heal thyself' ? I believe it's a human saying, should be right up your alley." Q spoke, starting to pace a bit in front of Andrew, just to be a nuisance. "You blame me for letting you live a lie. But all I did was make it more apparent." "I don't live a lie. I have to hide my emotions. I can't let them interfere with my work. If that means I lose friendships, so be it." Andrew spat out. Then it clicked in his mind. "No. That's not really what I want. You're right. I said you made me live a life that was nothing but a lie. Which may be true. I was only told how he died, I was never there. But... I should have figured out that it was also reflecting me. The armour, hiding me inside a protective shell. The sword, prepared to fend off anyone trying to break through. I'm an idiot for not seeing it before." Q laughed and applauded. "Excellent ! Excellent, my dear Andrew. You Are a whole lot smarter than the rest of the crew." He smiled, facing Andrew again. "So, what are you going to do about it ? You aren't Always on duty, you know." "I realize that. It feels like I always am, but I'm not. Perhaps..." He sighed. "I need that vacation now more than ever. I need to find myself, before I continue living this life I've had." He looked back at Q. "I need to spend more time out of my office, conversing with the crew of the Ronin. At least off duty I can be human. Though it wouldn't appeal to you at all, would it?" He smiled wickedly, though he respected this man, he loathed him for doing this to him, and apparently the rest of the crew. "Well, becoming a human would for me be a step back. But for you a step forward." Q spoke. "Well, I see I can do no more damage here. But before you go, I have a gift for you." The godlike being spoke. "If it bites or crawls, I don't want it." Andrew looked serious as he responded to Q. "What is it?" Q reached behind his back and produced an eerily familiar bouquet of flowers, offering it to Andrew. It would change back into Kennedy's sword the moment he took it. "Thought you'd want this back." And with a snap of his fingers, everything went bright white again. <Off> Revelling in the mysteries of man: Andrew Kennedy Chief Counselor SB 47 "Who the hell am I, anyway?" and: Q Omnipotent being King of the .. who the hell was Kennedy fighting for anyways ? NPC'd by Kristiana Petrova
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