This installment is a setup/leadin to the story "Truth and Consequences". It shows exactly what happened at the end of the last chapter of "Alterations and Revisions". Star Trek was invented by Gene Roddenberry. Sailor Moon was invented by Naoko Takeuchi. Ranma 1/2, though not mentioned in this installment, is still owned by Rumiko Takahashi. The stilted and somewhat awkward grammar used in this story is entirely intentional. It is my interpretation of the format of Q's thoughts. AaR: The Tale of a Q By Beky NeRichnead "QUERULOUS!" the voice resounded through the continuum. I, the semi-omnipotent in question cringed, but obediently shifted to the 'office' of my leader. Quetze'coatl was indeed an impressive figure in any form. It was no wonder that the Aztecs had been in awe of him. He had returned the favor by allowing them to know his name. Currently he appeared to be a large snake. The snake's mouth opened. "Querulous, your recent performance has been quite deficient of late." I gulped, but attempted to keep my outward composure. "My sincere apologies - what may I do to atone?" The snake's mouth widened in a odd approximation of the human smile. "You may go back in time and change it in such a way that we retain control of the universe. Eradicate that first galaxy that broke away." "Of course! Why didn't I think of that?" I smiled. "Right away, sir!" I shifted out of the office before he could order me to do something else just as ridiculously annoying. The fact was that the assignment didn't really scare me - it seemed pitifully easy. Just wipe out a few sections on the road of time, and it should be done. But a doubt nagged at the edge of my essence. If it was so easy, then why hadn't it been accomplished? Shouldn't someone have already done it? However, despite this oddity, I had to do it. So I sent my mind back in time and determined which galaxy had revolted first. Then I stepped into the time of that galaxy. The path was fairly straight, and didn't seem to curl to much. I grinned, pondering what form to take. Then I shifted, my clothes becoming the rough cotton wear of a twentieth century construction worker. I conjured up a twentieth century earth moving device, got in, and began to drive. Below my treads disappeared the path, and I trundled efficiently back to the past. I examined the threads. Yes, this was the time. SCREECH! I applied the brakes out of pure shock. Here, in the Forest of Possibilities, a small body had interrupted my joy ride. What was going on? I quickly shifted to the form of a human, banishing the bulldozer. "Excuse me?" I was startled at the sight that greeted my eyes. Behind the girl stood a figure who had often interrupted my fun in the far past. General Xalen of Zalondon, crowned Queen of some moon and leader of this solar system. Her eyes smoldered. "I should have known." I laughed at the very ludicrousness of the situation. By all rights, no mortal should have lived this long. She must be at least 10 millennia old. Not much to an immortal, but quite a while for a mortal. I refused to be intimidated. "Xalen, what a surprise to find you in the world of the living." Some other mortals appeared in the background. Xalen spoke one word: "Querulous." I flinched. Her knowledge of my name did not bode well. It gave her a bit of hold on me. I played it to the hilt, bowing deeply. "At your service," then quickly added, "But call me Q." The young child who had impressed me with her foolish courage spoke. "Why are you attacking our universe?" I sighed. Mortals had NO conception of the universe. "That's not exactly what I was doing..." Two other old mortal enemies appeared. The blonde one rudely interrupted. "No, you were just rewriting it so that the Q continuum would become the reigning force of the world." The young girl blinked at this. "Who is he?" The red head frowned. "A nearly omnipotent being." Xalen smiled predatorially at me. "But we can fight him - and win." I quickly realized what she meant to do. If she was still the ruling queen of Solaran... "Oh, no you don't" I started to say. His statement was cut off. Pulling one of those accursed objects of power out of subspace, she spoke his doom. "On my authority as Queen of Solaran, I order your compliance." I struggled at my mental bonds, ignoring the mortals' discussion. Then I heard HER voice in my mind. "Querulous. When I give my order, you will do EXACTLY what I intend, rather than following the wording of the order." I frowned. "Very well." It wasn't like I had much choice. "I order you to fix the unbalance in our world. You shall preserve the reborn Elder's lives while giving those here new identities and past fitting their character in another place. You will then change the history of the reborn Senshi so that this farce does not happen again. Am I understood?" I snorted. "Of course. Leave me to my work." Xalen was a conniving one, for a mortal, but not enough. She said I was to do her INTENT. That left me some serious breathing room. I painted the world as she wanted it, to a degree. I fashioned a new school in America - Moravian High. The so-called Elder Senshi would find places waiting for them there, perfectly suited for them. Well, some of them would. For some odd reason she seemed to want Saturn, Jupiter, and Earth Mage excluded. Now, as the original intent of her order was to restore things while leaving those in Nerima to their own lives, this seemed silly. Yet, they were having problems. Ah, perhaps if they were changed to fit her desires - no, she'd veto that. Instead, I could put them into situations which would allow them to reconcile their royal lives with their martial artist lives. Yes, this seemed best. Also, the intent of her wish left me the possibility of placing two new japanese immigrants in Moravian. But that would leave Japan without Outer Senshi - ah, there were other candidates! Oh, yes, I could have FUN with this. They'd even fit the vague archetype of the original Outer Senshi. Just need to give the right henshin sticks to young Ryo. Now, to keep the young soldiers from becoming singers - that would be interesting. How could I do it properly mischievously? Well, Xalen hadn't said I'd have to guard the future as well. Who cares what consequences the presence of the Sword could cause? I was done. I'd changed a bit of the past, and much of the present. Now, some might see this as a paradox. But mortal means of changing time is not comparable to ours. Our abilities are such that we can change the timestream in one spot and force it to conform history to match without changing the far future. Of course, a mortal would find this impossible, but they ARE quite limited. "I'm finished." I snapped my fingers, and the world was altered and revised to Xalen's specifications. Well, now that I was free, how was I going to explain this to the boss?