Q Factor

"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[]

Referenced only: Creeg

Science and classification[]

Technology and weapons[]

combadge • deflector shield • holodeck • phaser • photon torpedo • sensors • starship • transporter • tricorder • viewscreen

Materials and substances[]

atmosphere • blood • gas • narcotic • oxygen • water

States and organizations[]

Federation • Q Continuum • Starfleet

Ranks and titles[]

captain • chief medical officer • commander • commanding officer • counselor • doctor • Federation Starfleet ranks • Federation Starfleet ranks (2350s-2360s) • first officer • flight controller • helmsman • lieutenant • lieutenant commander • lieutenant junior grade • medical practitioner • officer • operations manager • second officer • security chief • tactical officer • weapons officer

Other references[]

anatomy • away team • beaming • boot • captain's log • captain's log, USS Enterprise-D • clothing • colony • day • energy • Fourth World mercenary uniform • government • humanoid • jumpsuit • language • law • lifeform • log entry • matter • nation-state • number one • orbit • pants • planet • quadrant • races and cultures • rank • saucer separation • slavery • space • star • star system • stardate • Starfleet uniform • Starfleet uniform (2350s-2366) • technology • time • title • uniform • universe • Vandoorian snerg • weapon

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[]

TNG episode: "Where No One Has Gone Before"
TNG episode: "Symbiosis"
TNG episode: "Legacy"
TNG comic: "Spirit in the Sky!"

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[]

Q Factor article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.
Star Trek: The Next Generation Vol 1 3 article at DC Comics Database, the DC Comics wiki.

Memory Beta, non-canon Star Trek Wiki