The Q-uandary: Trapped in Cinderella's Tale: Act I
Posted on Sat Jul 20th, 2024 @ 11:35am by Ensign Liam O'Connor & Lieutenant Alexis Ryan
Edited on on Sat Jul 20th, 2024 @ 11:37am
Mission:
Into the Qniverse
Location: France, Mont Saint-Michel, Qniverse
Timeline: Past, Present, Future
2784 words - 5.6 OF Standard Post Measure
Liam blinked, his surroundings abruptly shifting from the familiar hum of the USS Athena to an opulent ballroom. Chandeliers cast a warm, golden light over the room, illuminating the elegantly dressed guests swirling across the marble floor. The grandeur of the setting was unlike anything he had seen before, a stark contrast to the utilitarian corridors of his starship.
He glanced down at himself, momentarily bewildered. Instead of his usual engineering attire, he found himself clad in a dashing dress uniform, resplendent with gold accents and a high collar. The fabric was luxurious, and the fit impeccable, as if tailored specifically for him.
A quick look around revealed more oddities: a string quartet played classical music in one corner, and the guests, all seemingly from various periods of Earth’s history, mingled and danced as if this were the most normal of occasions. He caught sight of a mirror and saw himself reflected as the host of this grand affair, complete with a sash and a medallion that marked him as someone of significance.
Liam’s confusion deepened, but he was determined to maintain his composure. He scanned the room, trying to make sense of the situation. The lavish decor and the attire of the guests hinted at a Cinderella-esque theme, a fairy tale setting come to life.
“Good evening,” a voice interrupted his thoughts. Liam turned to see another Starfleet officer in their own dress uniform but not one he recognised. “You look quite distinguished tonight, Captain. Your guests are waiting for you.”
“Captain? Liam thought, trying to process the title. He offered a polite smile, attempting to play along. “Thank you,” he replied, his voice steady. “It seems we’re in for quite an evening. I just need another moment.” the officer huffed and left him. “Computer, end program.” After a short silence, “Liam to Athena come in” more silence. “Liam to….”
Almost any Starfleet officer with half an imagination had heard the accounts of Q and his capricious antics at the expense of unsuspecting crew. Alexis had not recognised the entity prior to Kane's identification but it took only the utterance of that singular moniker to place her on guard and well out of the frame of mind of awkward socialising. Following the Commodore had been a natural instinct, as much to place herself between the threat and others as to keep a watchful eye on Kane's specific well-being, but distraction in the form of trying to quietly usher people backwards and out of the potential firing line had left her unprepared for the sudden transfer to a completely different location. Again, it was in keeping with the documented retellings and thus wasn't entirely unexpected, but it took only a matter of seconds for the Science Chief to realise she was outside, alone.
Well, almost alone.
The carriage next to her was quite possibly the most unlikely mode of transportation Alex had ever seen. Not only did it seem to radiate a natural glow that would have made it impossible to employ any kind of stealth tactics, the huge wheels and bulbous nature of the cabin constituted such a flaw of basic design that Alex actually doubted it would move forward without causing immediate discomfort to those traveling inside. Judging by her position, and the rather stiff posture of the dumpling of a footman still holding open the carriage door, she had just arrived via this contraption, or at least the intent was to give the impression she had.
Frowning, Alex turned her attention to the long flight of stairs in front of her and, from there, upwards towards the opulent doors currently flung wide open, out of which filtered strains of ballroom music and the occasional announcement from the master of ceremonies as each new guest finally reached the top. It was typical of the ex-marine's instincts that she noticed the oddities of her surroundings before becoming aware of her own transformation, which only became apparent once a step forward caught a heel on a loose stone and the rustle of copious petticoats brought her to the horrific conclusion that she was exceedingly overdressed by her usual standards. The shimmer of grey-blue fabric that greeted her prompt examination drew an instant frown, as well as a suspicious glance from side to side to see who was watching. The sound of carriage wheels suggested it wouldn't be too long before the next wave of guests arrived and so she was left with a choice. Deviate from the obvious intention in the hope of investigating further, or indulging the charade with the understanding that it was probably going to be a foregone conclusion either way.
Narrowing her eyes, her jaw set with tension, Alex gathered up her skirts and started up the staircase.
Having gone through as many different commands possible and passer by's giving him the side eye either for him talking to himself or because he was in a redcilous over the top medal heavy dress uniform, Liam finally decided to look at his surroundings, the whole thing looked and felt like a holodeck program but the last thing he remembered was having a heated exchange with teyo, god he was someone who was quickly getting on his nerves which was hard to do.
Having gone through as many different commands as possible, Liam found himself drawing the attention of passersby, who gave him odd looks. He wasn't sure if it was because he was talking to himself or because of the ridiculous, over-the-top, medal-heavy dress uniform he wore. Realizing that he wasn't getting anywhere by trying to reason his way out, he decided to take in his surroundings.
The ballroom was resplendent with opulence. Crystal chandeliers hung from the high ceiling, casting a warm glow over the polished marble floors. Ornate decorations adorned the walls, and the guests were dressed in an array of exquisite gowns and suits, reminiscent of a fairy tale. It all looked and felt like a holodeck program, yet the last thing he remembered was having a heated exchange with Teyo—a man who was quickly getting on his nerves, which was hard to do.
Liam made his way through the crowd, engaging in random small talk. He nodded politely to a couple discussing the latest trends in court fashion, exchanged pleasantries with an elderly gentleman reminiscing about grand balls of yesteryear, and even managed a laugh with a group of young ladies gossiping about eligible bachelors, of which they pointed out he was one of those and they even asked who he would be picking as his date for the evening.
Suddenly, a set of bugles sounded, echoing through the ballroom and capturing everyone's attention. The crowd turned towards the grand entrance. Liam followed suit, his curiosity piqued. As the large doors swung open, a woman stepped into the ballroom. She was adorned in an elegant blue-grey dress that shimmered under the chandeliers' light. Her entrance was poised and graceful, yet there was a stiffness in her demeanour that made her seem slightly out of place.
Liam's breath caught in his throat. She looked familiar, someone he should recognise, but the context eluded him. She radiated beauty, her appearance so striking that it left him momentarily dumbfounded. Her hair was styled in an elaborate updo, and her dress flowed around her like water, hugging her form perfectly. She moved with a grace that spoke of both elegance and a hint of unease as if she wasn't entirely comfortable with her surroundings.
Who is she? Liam wondered, unable to shake the feeling that he knew her from somewhere. As she continued her entrance, he couldn't help but be drawn to her.
I wonder what part of etiquette training involved being able to take a fanfare to the ear.
Alexis hadn't meant to hover in the doorway, having wits enough to realise how much that played to fanciful stereotypes, but the trumpet's blast had caught her by surprise and it took a moment for the ringing in her ears to settle to a point where she felt like she could move forward without succumbing to dizziness. Her journey up the staircase had seen some developments in her suspicions, mostly centred around her footwear and the fact that it felt as if it was only a matter of time before commonsense determined glass to be a woefully inadequate material in terms of comfort. It was a very specific design choice, however, and did not improve her reluctance to avail herself as some insufferable alien's personal entertainment. Locating Q so she could give him a detailed summary of what she thought of him guided the Science Chief's gaze around the crowded ballroom with a level of distraction that saw her ignore anyone that didn't seem to resemble her target.
Liam finally made his way to the woman he recognized, though her appearance was something straight out of a fairy tale. He swore he knew her, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. As he approached her, he couldn't help but be struck by how radiantly beautiful she was. It was almost as if some unseen force—Q, perhaps, though Liam was oblivious to it—was amplifying his admiration for her.
"Excuse me," he said, struggling to keep his composure amidst the sudden rush of emotions. "But you look so familiar. Have we met before?"
Just then, the music swelled, and the crowd began to dance, their movements fluid and choreographed as if guided by an unseen hand. Liam felt a gentle yet undeniable push, urging him closer to her.
His heart raced as he recalled a line from an ancient Earth fairy tale as if someone was whispering it into his ear, one that seemed oddly appropriate in the moment. "Would you do me the honor of this dance?" he asked, extending his hand to her. "It’s as if my heart knew you before my eyes ever did." Liam suddenly appeared shocked, “I literally don’t know where that come from.”
In a perfect world, Alexis would have preferred to have been left to her own devices. Navigating a childish being's preposterous whims was already shaping up to enforce expectations she intended to challenge and rebellion was far easier to tolerate when there were no witnesses. The Science Chief struggled herself to identify the man who had interrupted her room analysis, though his behaviour and subsequent attempts to be charming left her with the sinking feeling that she knew who he was supposed to represent. She hadn't recognised anyone else in her scan of the ballroom, however, and any wishful thinking in regards to being stuck with someone sensible was diminishing fast. Leiko, Savin, even Malone. Anyone with an ounce of commonsense and self-preservation enough not to bring up her outfit ever again.
"Ensign," she started, both eyebrows raised. She started with his rank in the scramble to pluck the rest of his identity out of thin air. The fact that he was having far more trouble placing her might have been the direct influence he was under or was possibly an indication that Ryan had fallen to old habits and spent too much time working and not nearly enough time socialising. "I appreciate your sense of narrative but our priority is figuring out how to leave, not indulging in this..." Alex frowned as she gazed over the sea of dancers. "...event."
"Ensign, yes, you're right," Liam said, still puzzled by who she was. Maybe it was the setting or the fact that he was still new to the crew, but he couldn't actually remember her rank or name. "What event?" he inquired.
He detailed his thoughts up to that moment, "I was having a rather... interesting debate at the bar when suddenly I found myself here, dressed like this, and surrounded by all of this," he said, indicating the opulent ballroom and the elegant guests. "And are those glass plimsoles?" he added, glancing at her feet, which was almost impossible to see clearly through the layers of blue-grey frills.
Unbeknownst to Liam, some of the guests were staring, some whispering, and some outright heckling. "Dance with her already, Captain!" one shouted. "He's nervous and cute," another added. "If he doesn't take her hand, I will," a third voice chimed in. Liam, oblivious to the quiet murmur, focused entirely on the obviously senior officer in front of him, her radiant beauty enhanced by an almost magical quality that made him feel strangely captivated, he shook his head once more to break the sort of omnipotent grasp on him, "What's happening?".
The expression on Ryan's face had barely changed. Impassiveness whilst under pressure had been a hard-fought battle and one that she honestly struggled to avoid even in situations where an emotional release might have been called for. The mention of her shoes certainly hadn't improved her mood, nor did the man's seeming obliviousness to practically anything, but it was the interjection of the crowd that caused the Science Chief to turn her head and stare daggers. Sure enough, for a brief moment, every scanned face became a variation of the same smirking charlatan, a veritable sea of Qs hiding behind fans and winking.
"We're being toyed with," Alexis replied, her tone taut with irritation. Whatever bewitchment Liam was suffering had not been extended to the Lieutenant, who seemed mostly in possession of her wits. "Are you familiar with Starfleet's interactions with an entity known as Q?"
She watched as the ball guests reverted to a variety assortment of nobility and wait staff just in time to avoid O'Connor's notice.
“The Q?” Liam thought for a moment, “I thought they were a myth, like the Koybiashi Maru, something made up my command track cadets to make the rest of feel like they’re better than us. So they really can just click their fingers and do anything they wanted?” He asked, “Why is he toying with us?”
"That's a very good question." Another wary glance around the crowded ballroom failed to produce further evidence of Q's presence, which was enough to leave Alexis a little suspicious that her perception wasn't to be trusted. She'd never studied the recounts of past interacts with the alien species with any mind to memorising the finer details, which meant there wasn't a lot of help to be found in considering previous motives either. One thing was certain; they were amassing a lot of attention just standing in the entrance.
"Tell me what you've noticed so far," the redhead continued, slipping her arm through the young ensign's as if to consent to being escorted. It was very definitely Ryan deciding the direction, however, which was currently the shortest beeline to the side to give them a better vantage of the dancefloor. "I arrived outside in front of an unlikely-looking carriage. Where did you appear?"
Liam recalled his arrival and the events leading up to this moment. "I was at the top of the stairs with an aide, who mentioned the guests arriving and called me 'Captain.' Apparently, I'm the host of this... party? Everyone seemed very expectant that I would find someone tonight, but I had this nagging feeling that I needed to wait. Then you appeared, and that invisible push made me feel pretty silly."
He paused, trying to gather his thoughts. "So, what is this? It seems too real to be a holodeck program. I tried all the commands, even looked for some sort of panel, but nothing worked. It doesn't feel like a holodeck program; it feels real."
"From what I recall, the Q are quite adept at fashioning their own pocket realities." It was an inelegant description but without access to the records, Alexis was forced to work with incomplete and fractured understanding. "If that's what this is, there won't be an easy escape route, I suspect we may need to..."
As Liam and Alexis were discussing their predicament, two eyes and a wide grin had appeared over Alexis' shoulder, followed by the floating form of a pink cat.
"No, no, no. You're not playing along! You're ruining the party!" it interrupted. "Perhaps the Prince and Cinderella was too obvious. I know! Let's go back to the beginning."
Before Liam could object or warn Alexis, the cat vanished, and the scene around them transformed. Everything seemed unnaturally large, and Liam felt... different. An odd craving for cheese washed over him, and he began to move. To his shock, instead of two legs, he had four very small, mouse-like legs and paws.
Catching his reflection in a broken bit of mirror, he scurried backwards in horror. He was a mouse!
