"The Q Conflict, Issue 1" is the 1st issue in the The Q Conflict miniseries.
Description[]
- When a dispute between godlike beings threatens the galaxy, it will take all of Starfleet's best captains to stop them. Join James T. Kirk, Jean-Luc Picard, Kathryn Janeway, and Benjamin Sisko as they go head-to-head in a competition that will determine the fate of the Earth and beyond. Will they be able to emerge victorious, or will they be torn apart by The Q Conflict? A soon-to-be-classic six-part miniseries begins here!
Summary[]
2379. Aboard the USS Enterprise-E, Geordi La Forge briefs Picard and Riker on the unusually high amount of supernovae that have recently popped up, all of them within the Beta Quadrant. Cestus looks to be the next casualty and the Enterprise sails towards Cestus III to evacuate the population, with more ships on their way. Data soon calls the trio to the bridge to inform them that Starfleet Command has sent more evacuee ships, even retrofitting civilian ships. The more pressing matter however is the nearby star Samara-B which is also showing unusual signs of acceleration. The words ring truer than the android intended for the star violently erupts the instant he turns his back, the subspace wavefront rocking the Enterprise and forcing her out of warp. As Geordi runs off to repair the damages, Data notes that this makes eight supernovae within the past two days, and all within the Beta Quadrant.
At the Cestus III Colony, Riker and Data examine the rapidly aged star before heading off to inspect the personnel and equipment. Before they can properly start however, the star returns to normal. In the ship's observation lounge, the senior staff examines the unusual readings before the computer picks up an uncomfortably familiar sight in the vicinity. A pulsating grid of mesh-like energy.
Furious, Picard calls for Q to show himself to no avail. As he enters his ready room however, he finds the omnipotent being waiting for him. With his usual tone, Q explains that every few thousand eons, some of the other advanced races think to challenge the Q for supremacy of the universe. The supernovae are side-effects of their conflict and should be gone in a few centuries. Picard is dissatisfied with the explanation noting that threatening a galaxy because of wounded pride seems to directly contradict Q's claims of enlightenment. Indeed, Q seems to be acting as unethically as he claims humanity to be. Insulted, yet inspired, Q whisks Picard away to meet with the other players in this game, intending for humanity to be a proxy army.
Q brings Picard to a utopian garden, neutral ground he calls it, before three energy beings arrive and demand an explanation. Contrary to their hopes, Q is not surrendering but proposing that their battle continue via proxies. As all three entities have encountered humans in the past, all three agree. All that's left to do now is summon the rest of the chess board.
Two years before the present day, the Doctor finishes giving Janeway a check up before she is whisked away. Eight years before the present day, on Deep Space 9, Jake and Ben Sisko celebrate the latter's promotion only for the newly minted captain to be whisked away. And 110 years before the present day, sickbay calls the deserted bridge of the USS Enterprise to inform them of Doctor McCoy disappearing.
In the garden, Picard is joined by his crew, in time for the senior staff of Deep Space 9 to make themselves known followed by the staff of the USS Voyager. Though all three crews quickly adapt to the news of Q's involvement, Tuvok points out a new party. The crew of the original USS Enterprise.
With everyone in place, the other three entities drop their masks to reveal they are the Metrons, Trelane, and Ayelborne. Each crew will represent one faction in the war unless Picard would rather they go back to settling this via supernovae. The Metrons choose Janeway as their champion, Ayelborne choosing Sisko, Trelane helping himself to Kirk, and Q must have Picard. With that settled, Q asks which of his fellows would like to pick the rest of their team first.
References[]
Characters[]
- Ayelborne • Chakotay • Pavel Chekov • Data • Jadzia Dax • The Doctor • Kathryn Janeway • Harry Kim • Kira Nerys • James T. Kirk • Geordi La Forge • Leonard McCoy • Miles O'Brien • Odo • Tom Paris • Jean-Luc Picard • Q • Quark • William T. Riker • Montgomery Scott • Seven of Nine • Benjamin Sisko • Jake Sisko • Spock • Hikaru Sulu • B'Elanna Torres • Trelane • Deanna Troi • Tuvok • Nyota Uhura • Worf
Starships and vehicles[]
- USS Enterprise (Constitution-class cruiser) • USS Enterprise-E (Sovereign-class explorer) • USS Voyager (Intrepid-class) • Starfleet Type-11 shuttlecraft
Locations[]
- Beta Quadrant • Cestus • Cestus III • Cestus III Colony • Samara-B
Races and cultures[]
- Android • Bajoran • Betazoid • Changeling • Ferengi • Human • Klingon • Metron • Organian • Q • Trill • Vulcan
States and organizations[]
Appendices[]
Images[]
Related stories[]
- VOY episode: "The Q and the Grey": Conflict in the Q's universe manifest as supernovae in 3-D space.
- TNG episode: "Encounter at Farpoint": Picard recognizes Q's netting.
- DS9 episode: "The Adversary": The DS9 crew is abducted on the day that Sisko was promoted to captain, an event Q approves of.
- TNG movie: Star Trek Nemesis: The story takes place (from the perspective of Picard and his crew) in 2379. Picard first recognizes Janeway as an Admiral.
- TOS episode: "Errand of Mercy": Ayelborne appears as a party in the war, originally drawn in the purple style of the Organians' true forms.
- TOS episode: "The Squire of Gothos": Trelane reappears. Despite being a Q however, he appears at odds with Q.
- TOS episode: "Arena": Two supernovae took place in Gorn space, placing Cestus III in danger. The Metrons return.
Connections[]
previous comic: First issue in the series |
Star Trek: The Q Conflict | next comic: Issue 2 |
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External Link[]
The Q Conflict, Issue 1 article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.