"Whoah whoah whoah there. Lemme get this straight. My ship is stuck in a bottle?" Ashton Liteboughlt questioned the shorter science officer.
"Kind of," Lieutenant Ming Wang replied. "No matter how fast we go or how far we seem to travel, we stay in the same place."
"Right..." the rash captain replied. "So what's the deal with them?" he asked, pointing to the Shyrock which was hovering silently a few hundred kilometers in front of them.
"They're in the same 'boat' as we are, figuratively speaking. I don't know why we haven't been able to establish communications with them yet."
Ash looked over to Garek who was sitting quietly at one of the two console on the port side of the bridge. "Don't suppose you could give me an honest, no 'B.S.' assesmant, can you Commander?"
"Garek looked up from the information being displayed on the console. I don't know what to tell you Ash. We're working on it."
"Hmph," was Ash's only reply. Suddenly flash of bright light appeared in the center of the bridge. It was replaced by a man wearing khaki shorts, a khaki shirt, hiking boots, and a safari hat. Ash gave the man a quizzical look. "Friend of yours?" he asked Garek sarcastically.
"Ah Starfleet! It's been awhile since I've dealt with you people. Well, not actually a long while."
"Sort of," Garek said, standing from his seat. "It's Q."
"My dear Garek, intuitive as always." Q flashed a wide smile.
"I've estimated about a few months worth of supplies onboard..." Kim started as she stepped though the starboard side door onto the bridge. "Q?"
"That's right Ms. Tycho. I must say, you have gotten more lovely since I've last seen you. Not in that uniform however." He snapped his fingers, removing Kim's uniform and placing her in a more scantifully clad bathing suit. "This much suits your figure."
Kim's face turned a bright red as she stormed over to Garek. "What in the hell is he doing here?" she asked impatiently.
"I was just about to ask the same thing." Garek stepped past her and stood in front of Q. "You better have a damned good excuse Q."
"Oh, believe me I do Commander. It doesn't involove any of you friends here or on the Shyrock however. He snapped his fingers, sending the Remmington and Shyrock back to Starbase 901 and leaving Garek and Q standing out in space overseeing its fastness.
"What's the deal Q? What have you done with them?!"
"Relax. I've sent them back to your Starbase. They won't even remember going on this little trifle of a mission either."
"This whole search and rescue mission was to draw me out here?"
"That's right. You're smarter then you look."
"Why Q? What could you possibly want with me?" Garek was completely dumbfounded by the odd omnipotent being.
"You have no idea..." With another snap of his fingers, Q and Garek were gone.
MORE TO COME.........