Alara Rogers (![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png)
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crack_van2005-01-27 10:48 pm
alara-r.livejournal.com) wrote in crack_van2005-01-27 10:48 pm
Entry tags:
Raison D'Q, by Mercutio (PG)
Fandom: Star Trek: TNG
Pairing: P/Q (unrequited)
Author on LJ:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
blog_mercutio (personal journal), bard_mercutio (boyband RPS posting journal)
Author Website: Mercutio's Stories
Why this must be read:
This isn't a pairing fic. In fact, the unrequited P/Q stuff is not only unnecessary but I've read a version of the story where the author successfully removed it. That's not the point. The point is this:
What would it be, to discover the purpose you were made for in life... and hate it?
What would it be, to be faced with a godlike entity who feels compelled to destroy humanity... but loves you too much not to let you try to talk him out of it?
Extremely chilling. Also, comes up with the best explanation I've ever seen for *why* the Continuum would be picking on humanity specifically when there are so many other "savage" races out there.
"Picard, do you know what you're for?"
"Excuse me?"
"Why you were made. What the purpose of your existence is. Do you know?"
"Are you going to tell me why you're here or not? Q, I'm losing patience with this conversation and your irrelevant asides. I have important work to do..."
"Do you?" Q asked, making a motion towards the desk. A flame of light reached towards it from his cupped hands.
Picard started. "Please..."
"Save your petty work? It's all quite meaningless, you know. Or you would know if you had any idea of the purpose of your existence."
The flame had retreated the moment that Picard said the word 'please'.
Picard turned away from the view of the stars. "You do not have to demand my attention, Q. Only give me a good reason for your presence here. Explain yourself. It isn't necessary to compel my attention with displays of power or cloak your meaning in riddles. Get to the point."
"Ah, but the riddle is the point, Jean-Luc. The heart of the solution is in how it was done. You could no more grasp my meaning from the bare statement of it than you could hope to comprehend Mozart from listening to the last note of each of his compositions."
"Very well." Picard sat back down in the chair. "You asked what my purpose in life is. I would say that, at this point in time, my purpose is to serve the Federation and the people it represents to the best of my abilities."
"A cog in a cosmic chain."
"Perhaps."
"I'm afraid that isn't good enough."
Picard stiffened, and asked coldly. "Is this some sort of test?"
"No, it's not. Not yet. Or at least, not in any form you would recognize. Your answers are meaningless, pre-determined."
"Then why ask me? Why put me through this?"
Q started to give what looked to be an angry response, then stopped himself. "Are you my friend, Jean-Luc?"
"I believe I already answered that question."
"You not-answered it in your finest oratorical form, you mean. Avoided giving an answer with great diplomatic skill. That's why I like you, you know. One of the reasons, at any rate. You've always had such a way with words. A Q could learn a lot from a human like you." He created a deep blue glowing radiance and allowed it to remain within his fingers, staring at it meditatively. "You *are* a friend, Jean-Luc. As good as any I have, perhaps better. I... if I could hope that you might come to accept me and not send me away, but rather come to enjoy my company as much as I enjoy yours, then you'd be a much, much better friend to me than any of my fellow Q. That's why I came to you."
"Why you..." Picard raised his brows. *Is something wrong with Q?* The idea was almost unthinkable, but... "Is something wrong? Clearly, you haven't lost your powers... at least..."
"At least, you hope I have not," the entity finished for him, bluntly. "No, I haven't. It's something worse. I... I have discovered why I was made."
Raison D'Q
Pairing: P/Q (unrequited)
Author on LJ:
blog_mercutio (personal journal), bard_mercutio (boyband RPS posting journal)Author Website: Mercutio's Stories
Why this must be read:
This isn't a pairing fic. In fact, the unrequited P/Q stuff is not only unnecessary but I've read a version of the story where the author successfully removed it. That's not the point. The point is this:
What would it be, to discover the purpose you were made for in life... and hate it?
What would it be, to be faced with a godlike entity who feels compelled to destroy humanity... but loves you too much not to let you try to talk him out of it?
Extremely chilling. Also, comes up with the best explanation I've ever seen for *why* the Continuum would be picking on humanity specifically when there are so many other "savage" races out there.
"Picard, do you know what you're for?"
"Excuse me?"
"Why you were made. What the purpose of your existence is. Do you know?"
"Are you going to tell me why you're here or not? Q, I'm losing patience with this conversation and your irrelevant asides. I have important work to do..."
"Do you?" Q asked, making a motion towards the desk. A flame of light reached towards it from his cupped hands.
Picard started. "Please..."
"Save your petty work? It's all quite meaningless, you know. Or you would know if you had any idea of the purpose of your existence."
The flame had retreated the moment that Picard said the word 'please'.
Picard turned away from the view of the stars. "You do not have to demand my attention, Q. Only give me a good reason for your presence here. Explain yourself. It isn't necessary to compel my attention with displays of power or cloak your meaning in riddles. Get to the point."
"Ah, but the riddle is the point, Jean-Luc. The heart of the solution is in how it was done. You could no more grasp my meaning from the bare statement of it than you could hope to comprehend Mozart from listening to the last note of each of his compositions."
"Very well." Picard sat back down in the chair. "You asked what my purpose in life is. I would say that, at this point in time, my purpose is to serve the Federation and the people it represents to the best of my abilities."
"A cog in a cosmic chain."
"Perhaps."
"I'm afraid that isn't good enough."
Picard stiffened, and asked coldly. "Is this some sort of test?"
"No, it's not. Not yet. Or at least, not in any form you would recognize. Your answers are meaningless, pre-determined."
"Then why ask me? Why put me through this?"
Q started to give what looked to be an angry response, then stopped himself. "Are you my friend, Jean-Luc?"
"I believe I already answered that question."
"You not-answered it in your finest oratorical form, you mean. Avoided giving an answer with great diplomatic skill. That's why I like you, you know. One of the reasons, at any rate. You've always had such a way with words. A Q could learn a lot from a human like you." He created a deep blue glowing radiance and allowed it to remain within his fingers, staring at it meditatively. "You *are* a friend, Jean-Luc. As good as any I have, perhaps better. I... if I could hope that you might come to accept me and not send me away, but rather come to enjoy my company as much as I enjoy yours, then you'd be a much, much better friend to me than any of my fellow Q. That's why I came to you."
"Why you..." Picard raised his brows. *Is something wrong with Q?* The idea was almost unthinkable, but... "Is something wrong? Clearly, you haven't lost your powers... at least..."
"At least, you hope I have not," the entity finished for him, bluntly. "No, I haven't. It's something worse. I... I have discovered why I was made."
Raison D'Q