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"Q Factor" is the 3rd issue of DC Comics's 1988 TNG comic miniseries, written by Michael Carlin. This was the first part of a three issue Q story arc, illustrated by Pablo Marcos, Carlos Garzon and Arne Starr.

Description[]

TNG Magazine
On their way to Faltos, an unexplored planet just outside Federation space, the crew of the Enterprise discover a 'ghost ship' of unknown design. As if that wasn't a cause enough for concern, enter the mischievous Q! He's back for a re-match!

Summary[]

Captain's log, stardate 42120.3
Having successfully introduced the Creeg—a race of energy siphons—to our Federation on Tarod, the Enterprise makes its way on impulse power to Faltos, the first planet outside the charted periphery of Sector 902. That is, of course, if Faltos exists at all. She has always been more legend than certainty.
Embarking on a newly issued assignment always leads to a mixture of emotions for my crew—most paradoxically anticipation and trepidation. Never knowing, yet needing to know what lies ahead drives us—and caution, governed by reason, keeps us returning home time after time.
But to do any good at all in this day and age, the Federation needs factual information—and it's our job to bring it back.
In this instance Faltos is the unknown that lies ahead—and barring any side-tracking, the Enterprise will tell the Federation what it needs to know by 42150.

Tasha Yar and Wesley Crusher are playing a war games scenario throughout the decks of the Enterprise. Captain Jean-Luc Picard discovers them and admonishes them both for their seemingly reckless behavior. Tasha recollects how little opportunity she had to play as a child growing up on Turkana IV.

Soon after, Picard calls Tasha to the bridge where she finds that the ship has come upon an unidentified alien spacecraft. Worf cannot pick up any sensor readings, but the Betazoid Deanna Troi insists that there are lifeforms aboard. Picard has Commander William T. Riker assemble an away team to inspect the ship.

Aboard the ship, the party is attacked by an invisible person or persons. This shadowy specter takes out security officers Gibson and Hahn and begins strangling Commander Riker. Tasha Yar loses her nerve and refuses to fire upon the assailant out of fear of injuring Riker. The crew are immediately beamed back aboard the Enterprise and Riker is taken to sickbay.

While Captain Picard tries to make sense of all of this, he receives a visitation by the most unwelcome of guests—Q. Q tries to convince Picard that the crew of the alien ship are evil and that he should waste no time obliterating them. Q's constant badgering irritates Picard, but he refuses to give Q any reason to feel magnanimous.

Moments later, the alien ship fires on the Enterprise. The ship takes a direct hit to the lower decks and Picard is forced to separate the saucer section from the secondary hull.

They eventually find a way to pinpoint the life forms aboard the opposing ship and bring them over to the Enterprise. They are actually humans who had found their way onto the enemy ship, but had no idea how the ship functioned. Additionally, Picard learns that these humans made a special arrangement with Q—one that would have afforded them great wealth had they agreed to attack the Enterprise. Q however, has not held up his end of the bargain.

Adding to the intensity, Data informs the Captain that they have lost track of the ship's saucer section.

References[]

Characters[]

Michael BickleyPatricia BickleyBeverly CrusherWesley CrusherDataReglech D'PruGibsonHahnGeordi La ForgeJean-Luc PicardQ (first appearance, in comics)William T. RikerDeanna TroiTurnerWorf, son of MoghTasha Yarunnamed Humans (Humans) • USS Enterprise-D personnel (unnamed USS Enterprise-D personnel)

Starships and vehicles[]

USS Enterprise (Galaxy-class explorer) • Reglech's starship (unnamed starships)

Locations[]

Sector 902, the galaxy's Alpha or Beta Quadrants
Referenced only
Tarod star system, the galaxy's Beta Quadrant) • FaltosNew Paris (Turkana IV, Turkana star system, the galaxy's Alpha or Beta Quadrants)

Shipboard areas[]

USS Enterprise-D
bridgebattle bridgequarterssaucer sectionsickbaystardrive sectiontransporter room

Races and cultures[]

androidBetazoidHumanKlingon
Referenced only
Creeg

Science and classification[]

Technology and weapons[]

combadgedeflector shieldholodeckphaserphoton torpedosensorsstarshiptransportertricorderviewscreen

Materials and substances[]

atmospherebloodgasnarcoticoxygenwater

States and organizations[]

FederationQ ContinuumStarfleet

Ranks and titles[]

captainchief medical officercommandercommanding officercounselordoctorFederation Starfleet ranksFederation Starfleet ranks (2350s-2360s)first officerflight controllerhelmsmanlieutenantlieutenant commanderlieutenant junior grademedical practitionerofficeroperations managersecond officersecurity chieftactical officerweapons officer

Other references[]

anatomyaway teambeamingbootcaptain's logcaptain's log, USS Enterprise-DclothingcolonydayenergyFourth World mercenary uniformgovernmenthumanoidjumpsuitlanguagelawlifeformlog entrymatternation-statenumber oneorbitpantsplanetquadrantraces and culturesranksaucer separationslaveryspacestarstar systemstardateStarfleet uniformStarfleet uniform (2350s-2366)technologytimetitleuniformuniverseVandoorian snergweapon

Chronology[]

2364
The Creeg encounter the Enterprise. (prior to issue)
stardate 41195.7, 2364 (2360s chronology, Enterprise-D voyages)
Enterprise travels towards Faltos.

Appendices[]

Related media[]

Background[]

Stardates 42125.7 through 42150 given in the story, but the DC Comics TNG Timeline adjusts the stardate to 41195.7.

Images[]

Connections[]

Timeline[]

published order
Previous comic:
#2: Spirit in the Sky!
TNG comics
DC TNG volume 1
Next comic:
#4: Q's Day
Previous story:
Spirit in the Sky!
Comics by:
Michael Carlin
Next story:
Q's Day
chronological order
Previous Adventure:
Spirit in the Sky!
Memory Beta Chronology Next Adventure:
Q's Day
Previous Adventure:
Spirit in the Sky!
Voyages of the
USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)
Next Adventure:
Q's Day


External links[]

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