Star Trek: The Next Generation - 068 - I,Q by John de Lancie;Peter David

Author:John de Lancie;Peter David
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Space Ships, Jean Luc (Fictitious Character), Star Trek Fiction, Picard, Star Trek, Space Opera, Interplanetary Voyages, General, Science Fiction, The Next Generation, Q (Fictitious Character), Fiction, Science Fiction and Fantasy, Media Tie-In
ISBN: 9780671024437
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Published: 1999-01-01T08:00:00+00:00

Several centuries ago, . . .

Several centuries ago, I was passing by a far-flung world and came upon a man steeped in misery. He was seated at the base of a cliff, staring off into space, and although he seemed lost in thought, it was clear that something quite tragic had happened to him.

He didn’t see me or sense me, for I was hiding behind a bush. To my amusement, this man began to pray.

“Dear one,” he moaned. “I am a dead man. I have committed an awful sin. My brother and I came to a disagreement over a female, and I struck him a fearsome blow. I did not mean to kill him, dear one, but I did. In our land, there is only one punishment for the slaying of another, and that is death. And so, I am a dead man. I am dead.”

Deciding that I might provide some mild amusement for myself, I presented myself as a shaft of light from on high, and spoke to him. “No,” I intoned. “You are not a dead man.”

He gasped and tried to clamber to his feet, but the strength had gone out of his legs. He put his hand to his chest. “I’m . . . I’m not?”

“No. You are not. Do you believe in me?”

His head bobbed so vigorously that I thought it might topple off his shoulders.

“Very well. Then I tell you that you are not a dead man, but you have done wrong. Do you see the fearsome cliff high above you? You must climb to its very summit and stand upon the edge.”

“Your will . . . is my command, dear one.” He could barely get the words out, so breathless and stunned was he by this unexpected visitation. How many times, I wondered, had the poor sap poured out his heart to some alleged deity and received only silence for an answer. But now . . . now, god was speaking to him. Hope swelled in his heart as he verily flew up the side of the cliff. So quickly did he climb that he cut his hands against the sharp rocks and tore his clothes, but he did not care. All he knew was that he had been given a divine mission, and he had no intention of failing.

Finally he reached the top. The cliff extended to a narrow point in front of him. He steadied himself and made visible efforts to calm the racing of his heart. When he was finally able to control himself, he took a deep breath and walked with confidence to the very edge of the cliff, just as he had been instructed. There was not so much as the slightest bit of wind, nor the faintest sound from even the smallest of animals. Utter silence prevailed. He stood there, wondering what to do next.

Suddenly, the piece of ground he was standing on gave way. Which is not surprising, since it is rather stupid to stand at the very edge of a cliff.

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