. . . 2296 . . .

. . . January 5th . . .

"Why hello there,Father," I heard Trelane's voice. "How has life been treating you?"

I raised my head from the wooden planks in the boat.

I was still so far from the island, I had started to gone and lose hope.

"Trelane," I said. "It has been hell. Just what the continuum ordered."

"Don't do this to me," Trelane's voice carried on. "You know I am your watcher. I know EVERYTHING you've been pushed through."

I was perplexed at first.

Wait.

I am the memory.

I AM THE MEMORY CONNECTOR TO THE TREES.

So what is left of the memory connector is still communicating with whoever is out there.

"TRELANE!" I thought. Hoping, just hoping he could hear my thoughts. "HELP!"

"No, Father!" Trelane said. "In a sense the Q are gods themselves." I went down my face with my right hand. "I have been wondering about having some fun of my own with your toys."

I froze.

"Don't you dare meddle with Picard," I said, even though I cannot communicate.

"But . . . That's how we refer to our play things." Trelane said, sounding panicked

I picked up the oars fed up with this state of mind I am in. It is unfair to speak with someone who you considere to be one of your top aggravating pesticides. I rowed the oars down the body of water toward the island. Each time I made a note to tell Trelane something. Each time I thought of someone I cared deeply. How long had it been that I was left in a home? A elderly home of all places. I came to the dock only to see no one there.

"Trelane?" I called, almost out of breath. "Oh come on. This cannot be happening."

I just wanted to give up and surrender to outside forces.

After all this towing.

I just happened to fail.

It was getting dark.

I had to get to the dock.

I MUST GET TO THE DOCK!

I pushed myself onwards.

Must get to the dock, I thought, must get to the dock. I turned the boat side ways facing the dock. I felt exhausted and just plain tired. I needed rest. I reached my hand out to the dock but I missed at first. I grunted paddling the boat closer. One more try and I am falling asleep, I thought. I was ready to give up at that point, again. Just like the other times I came to that delicious verge. I reached my arm out only to grab onto a small soft hand. There, whoever was nearby, helped me out of the boat.

I was on the dock facing the stars.

"Why . . . Thank you." I mumbled.

A little girl looked over me with a smile, a very familiar smile, and tilted her head happily.

"You are welcome, Grandpa." It was Jessie.

Jessie.

I didn't get enough time to register the fact that my granddaughter had just helped me out of the worst scenario ever before falling asleep. Hours after hours of working, being in the sun, sweating, and thinking a lot can take a toll on a man who's barely slept at all. I dreamed of numerous things: for starters a talking fox, a skull with a red wig on wearing a small dress, and a machine that resembled a toy robot. It was quite scary to say for the least.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

. . . 2296 . . .

. . . January 7th . . .3:49 AM. . .

I awoke in a biobed. What awoke me? I noticed I was in a biobed due to the sound above my head. I felt so re-energized. I saw my wheelchair is right beside the bed so I slipped into the wheelchair feeling undoubtedly curious about this building.l had been asleep for most of the day yesterday regaining my strength mentally, emotionally, and physically. I wheeled out of my room.

It was then I felt a creepy feeling traveling up my spine.

I turned toward my right to hear a metal object click against the floor.

"Who is there!" I called.

I wheeled forward.

"I am Quarty of Earth and Colo," I said. "I am not afraid of you."

A pair of blue glowing crystal shaped feline eyes blinked in the darkness.

I know what those eyes belong to.

I am very much afraid.

"I take that back!" I said, wheeling around.

I quickly wheeled down the hallway hearing the metal talons smash into the floor. For a very long time I wanted to believe this kind of creature did not exist when it did exist. It can shape shift from a simple toy robot to a fierce green dragon kind of bird. I know the 'green dragon kind of bird' makes as a crappy description but think of a majestic bird gaining dragon qualities. The green dragon kind of bird has metal talons and it can also change its size at free will. I am very afraid. If it targets you; then you are on the list to be scanned into its database.

I don't want to be scanned.

I do not want to be scanned.

Not now.

Not ever.

Those who are being scanned are immobilized and cannot do a thing until they are completely uploaded into the database. Their bodies become covered in blue and outlined in a dark blue color as their ages start to change before the viewers eyes. The flash of ones life. Perhaps I am the one next on the list. Not that I ever meddled with them. They were simply bed time stories! Why yes, I never meddle with the Dragon Scanners. Because it means you are in the cloud. The galactic cloud spreading all over the universe.

During my escapade I crashed down a row of stairs landing on my side getting a couple wounds here and there on my knee.

I looked up seeing the most common version of its form being a robot at the top of the stairs.

"Who is there?" Came the blonde lady's voice.

Her name is Annabella Sweeter.

"Miss Sweeter!" I shouted, in pain in fear.

The toy robot went down the stairs.

"Mr Q?" Sweeter said, as a light went on in one of the doors. The door opened and there she came out in what she could chose on the spot being her nightgown. I felt blood trailing down the side of my temple. By the Q continuum did it hurt. "How did you get out of your room?"

I looked over seeing the crystal shaped blue eyes daggered toward my direction.

"Don't tell Picard," I said. "I'll be fine."

"Favorite color: Gray." The Dragon-Scanner said.

I looked toward my blue glowing hands and that's when . . . Things get a little . . . Hazy. The next I knew was waking up again. I felt my forehead to feel a fresh tinge of pain. The doorway was opened and the hall was brightened up. My roommate, no less, was missing. Who was he? He claimed to be George Clooney but in reality he was CJ Tompson. A officer came into my room holding what appears to be a phaser then he flipped on the light to the room. His eyes almost widened at first but they retained their usual size.

"Where is Mrs Sweeter?" The security officer said.

"The Dragon-Scanner." I said.

I spent six months of my count down life at a medical penal colony. I learned a thing or two but would I ever use the knowledge later in life? No, I wouldn't. I wouldn't live to even apply the knowledge first hand. The security officer grew a grim expression looking down toward the other bed then he glanced back at my direction.

"Are you aware that two people are missing in the last two hours?" The security officer asked.

"My roommate . . . I just discovered." I said.

"Oh." The security guard said. "So you have seen this . . . Dragon-Scanner?"

I could feel like I was losing grip on reality.

"No. . . Not now. . ." I said. "I just . . . Got comfortable."

I felt a pain in my chest so I clutched at it.

Since when did I have chest problems? I never had chest problems. My eyes watch their scenery change from a bedroom to a dock where water is growing. It went over my face. I turned myself around then crawl up toward the grassy field that a group of trees surround. It took me hours just to reach the hill side. I collapsed, tired. Did I have a heart attack? There is no history of heart attacks for former Q.

I faced the sky breathing, exhaling and inhaling.

Watching the clouds go past me.