AVALON MISTS: A momentary escape from reality.
Issue #3
First Released: Wednesday, March 6th


Editor's Note: I told some of you that my story "Sunrising on the Angel of
the Night" would be going in this issue. Oops. I'm not sure what I'll do with
but it was too long to fit in *this* issue.


****Alternate Episodes****


****Poetry***

"The Great Debate"
--Nancy Brown (nancy@rat.org)
 
Who are you?  Fairy born or human-made?
I've seen the children of proud Oberon,
Delighting in disturbing plans well-laid,
And think that you might very well be one.
But then again, there is that modern charm,
That takes a spiral gene and makes it two.
Could that explain your sacrificial arm,
And why that villain means so much to you?
Or are you but a man, who merely seems
To hold the world in humble fingertips,
With no soft magic save the nightly dreams
Of kisses from sweet apple-tasting lips?
Some say no fairy blood explains your grace,
Then dream of gods that wear a human face.

****

"Avalon On..."
--Calico Laganthrope (JACKSONE@vax.sonoma.edu)
   
Author's note: In theory, notation for this does or at least *could* exist.

Chorus:  
	Well, the river of time, it ebbs and it flows
     And we find ourselves wandering again.
     We go where Avalon wants us to go
     And we don't know when it will end.

#1 (Goliath)
     Guiding our skiff through the turbulent waters
     I think on my clan and I wonder if it's right
     We search for our home but the world needs us elsewhere
     We can only do our best as we drift through the night.
                      (CH)
#2 (Angela)
	Once I thought we were the last of our kind
     Then my father came and invited me to roam
     Well, the world it is wide and it fills me with wonder
     But i wonder if we'll ever call another place home.
                       (CH)
#3 (Elisa)
     These three gargoyles, my charge and my love
     I will guard 'till exhaustion forces me to fall
    	But in my dreams shine the lights of Manhattan
    	(or: I'm terribly, awfully missing Manhattan)
     And travelling wearies us all.
                         (CH)
#4 (Bronx)
     I stand on the prow, ready for the challenge
     if any harm my masters, they will bleed and atone
     Yet in my stone mastiff's heart I am terribly yearning
     For my nightly walks, biscuits and bones.

     Well, the river of time, it ebbs and it flows
     As we find ourselves wandering again.
     We will go where Avalon wants us to go
     But we really do wish it would end!
     And we wonder if we'll ever see home again...

****

"WINDS"
-- Darfinder (boogaarm@river.it.gvsu.edu)

Poised.

On the stone tip
of a castle 
parapet.

Slight breezes
           ruffle
               my hair.

Winds are the Holders
of gargoyle memories.
			So the clan teaches.
		And listening,
			I hear
			    whispered vows,
					battle roars,
					           laughter,
			in the whistling of the wind.

I crouch
and spread my wings wide.

Light breezes
	  urge me
		to the sky.

Winds of the Givers
of gargoyle freedom.
			So the clan teaches.
		As I leap out,
			the winds catch me,
				     hold me up,
				             gently,
			softly as the forest moss.


"TOP FIVE THINGS THE EYE OF ODIN WOULD HAVE TURNED ELISA INTO:"
--Elektra

5. Wonder Woman
4. Storm (from The X-Men)
3. Agent Dana Scully
2. A female Gargoyle (again)
1. Xena: Warrior Princess


****Fanfiction***

"Face Value"
Part #1 of #3
--MaryK. (starr@nando.net)

Author's Note: For all those of you who are getting absolutely *sick* of
waiting for the end of the Mists of Avalon bit, this is for you. And if
you've ever wondered what would happen if Goliath was human, well....

	"I wonder where Avalon's magic has sent us this time." Goliath mused,
pushing the boat forward with the long pole. Elisa turned from her place by
the bow of the ship to glare back at him. They were separated by the thick
mist that had usually accompanied them out of the mystical place, but this
time, something was slightly different, even familiar... Elisa suddenly stood
in the boat and tried to see through the thick fog. Bronx whined at the
subsequent rocking, and Angela reached out a blue-purple hand to pull Elisa
down.
	"You're going to tip us over." She hissed, spreading her wings in an attempt
to maintain her balance as she stood, sending Bronx into a fit of nervous
barking.
	"Smell that." Elisa said, ignoring the gargoyle's glares and Bronx's
alternating whines and barks.
	"It smells horrible." Goliath told her, "Sit down."
	"Of course it smells awful." Elisa returned, trying to see the land through
the thick clouds. "It's smog. I think we're home." she turned to smile back
at Goliath, but saw only an empty place, the boat beneath her rocking from
his take-off. She tilted her head to look up, and saw his dark silhouette
circling the boat for a warm updraft, then sailing away. Elisa sat, now aware
of the change in balance. Bronx immediately lifted his head to give her a
reproachful look, causing her to smile and give him a reassuring pat on the
head. Angela retrieved the dropped pole and continued pushing the long craft
towards a glow that had appeared since Elisa's first realizations.
	She heard a small 'whoosh' above, and looked up to see Goliath sailing over.
He turned, then landed in the center of the ship between them.
	"It resembles Manhattan, but I believe we should verify this before jumping
to any conclusions." he said, throwing a warning glance at Elisa.
	"Verify, derify. Nowhere in the world smells like this place. Home sweet
home." she added, losing the professional look for  a second. Angela returned
control of the boat to her father, then took the middle seat beside Bronx,
moving one hand down to scratch behind webbed ears.
	"If we *are* back, the first thing I'm doing is finding an ax." 
	Angela said, glancing down at the bottom of the boat.
	"I think it would be wiser to let Avalon reclaim her ship." Goliath rumbled.
"But if it *were* my choice, I'd rather push it from the roof of the clock
tower."
	"Or send it out on fire." Elisa agreed. 
	Bronx puzzled at their conversation, but lifted a leg in a mock gesture they
could all decipher. 
	"It's going to be great back home." Elisa sighed, watching as the city
lights grew closer and the fog thinned. " No more battles with Oberon's
children, no more gods and legends and dead Kings and sea monsters..."
Goliath nodded in agreement.
	"It *will* be wonderful to return to our Clan."
	Elisa smiled, then something registered. *Oh boy*, she thought, picturing
one of those noontime dating shows. *"Here we have eligible bachlorette
number one, beautiful with an estimated wingspan of over ten feet, and in the
position to choose from Bachelors numbers one, two, *and* three. It seems our
other bachlorettes were slightly unattainable..."* She grimaced. 
	They'd have to face *that* soon enough, but until then, she should just let
it go.
	She settled into the uncomfortable wood of her seat, and found herself
wondering what exactly gargoyles *did* to impress possible mates. Leap tall
buildings in a single bound?  It wasn't exactly as if Goliath had done
anything for her that she could base her theories on. Before she could pursue
the particular thought any further,  the boat ran aground.
	Bronx was the first to jump to the shore, quickly rushing up the bank to do
his business. Angela was next to step out, her wings unfurled for balance,
then Goliath, who turned and offered Elisa a hand once he stood on firm land.
She ignored him, holding onto the closest mast as she climbed down to the
bank. Before the three could turn to pull the boat further onto the dry land,
it disappeared into the mists.
	Elisa muttered a short "Jalapena," then caught herself. *Girl, you need a
day job*  She shook her head slowly, then climbed the bank to meet the three
gargoyles, who were waiting for her, wings already spread in anticipation of
returning home. Goliath had already laid claim to Bronx, and Elisa found that
this annoyed her. It wasn't logical--she weighed more than Bronx would,
unless he was stone, and Goliath was the stronger of the two winged
gargoyles. She sighed and looked back over the cement-covered riverbank.
	"Go ahead guys, I think I'll go straighten things out with the Captain
before she sends a SWAT team after me. I'll catch you later."
	The gargoyles exchanged glances, then spread their wings and jumped off the
steep bank, gliding away on the warm currents. Elisa watched them disappear
into the smog, then realized her gun was missing. *Darn it! chalk up another
one to dumb luck*
	She put on her best New York scowl and followed the cooling cement into the
city, her hands stuffed into her pockets.

****

	Goliath dove down towards the clock tower ahead of her, and Angela smiled.
*So this is Manhattan* She curved her wings to slow her descent and landed on
the ledge beside her father, then stepped down, folding her wings around her
as a cloak. Their landing had evidently woken someone inside, and Angela
again lifted her wings, unconsciously preparing to flee. A heavy hand landed
on her shoulder, and she saw Goliath looking down at her with a strange
expression on his face. She smiled apologetically and tightly refolded them,
following a shadow on the clock face with her eyes. 
	A hidden door sprung open, and out came a gargoyle older than her father,
with brown skin and white hair, with a scar over one eye. Bronx barked and
ran past the two, trying to jump into the older gargoyle's arms.
	"Quiet Bronx." the elder whispered into a webbed ear, patting him on the
head. He then straightened up to greet the other two. "Goliath, we've been
worried when you'd return. People've seen you in Nigeria, Scotland, South
America...what airline were you *with*, lad?"
	"I apologize, Hudson, we were lost in the magic of Avalon. We didn't have
much choice as to where we could go."
	"Aye, strange magic."
	"Mmhm." Angela nodded, vying for attention.
	"I'm sorry lass, I've been ignoring you. who would you be?"
	"Ange--"
	Goliath interrupted, " My daughter, Angela."
	Angela flashed him a thankful look, but he didn't see it. He had turned to
look over the ledge, and was evidently searching for something on the streets
below.
	"What is it?" Hudson questioned, "If you're worried about the rest of the
clan, they're just up to their usual-"
	"The *rest* of the clan?" Angela questioned, "I thought Goliath and Elisa
*were*..."
	"Nay. There are also Brooklyn, Lexington, and Broadway. I'll give you a
night before they'll start fighting for your attention." 
	*Oh, shoot*, Angela thought, one hand up to her head. *Why me?*
	Hudson realized Goliath was still at the edge.
	"If it's not the clan that has your concern, then who?"
	"Elisa." he said under his breath, "She doesn't have her gun." Suddenly he
straightened from his scrutiny and climbed onto the ledge, spreading his
wings.
	"Hudson, you and Bronx give her an update. I'll be back before sunrise." he
called back over his shoulder, then jumped off the edge, gliding downwards on
the updrafts from the cooling city.

****

	Elisa quickened her pace, hearing footsteps from behind her fall into time
with her own. *Keep calm, you're the cop, you can always SCREAM*
	"Elisa! Wait up!" Elisa slowed at the familiar voice.
	"Matt?" she questioned, turning, her hands still jammed into her jacket
pockets.
	"None other." he panted, slowing from a jog to stop in front of her. 
	"You won't believe some of the stuff that's been going on!"
	"I *believe* the guys said something about King Arthur..."
	"It seems you know more about this than I do."
	"It *would* seem that way." Elisa smiled, pulling her hands from jacket
pockets. "How long was I gone?"
	"A month, to the day. The gargoyles were worried sick, and the Captain was
getting ready to bring in FBI."
	"I checked with her already. Let's just say I'm glad to have my badge back."
	Matt smiled. "The guys said your mother ran into you in *Nigeria*. A little
early for retirement, isn't it, Maza?"
	"Don't kid with me, *Bluestone*."
	"Sorry. So are the rest of the, um, the gargoyles back now?"
	"Yes, with one more. We found Goliath's daughter at Avalon."
	Matt's eyebrows went up at this, but he said nothing, instead choosing to
walk beside her as she turned in the direction of the clock tower.  		He
finally spoke. "Daughter? We're talking about the same guy, right?"
	"Mmhm." said a grumbling voice from behind them. The pair glanced back to
see Goliath. He was wearing his usual grim expression, his wings folded over
his shoulders and linked around his throat. "I apologize, but I was concerned
for Elisa's safety. Her gun was destroyed on Avalon."
	"Don't worry." Matt said, patting a shoulder harness. "I'm armed to stop the
entire Illuminati."
	"Then I will leave you two alone." he said, and turned to head into an
alley.
	"Goliath!" Elisa called after him.
	"What?" he questioned, turning back around.
	"Could you take me with you? I'm heading back to the tower, anyhow, and I'm
sure Matt wouldn't mind, as *heavily armed* as he is."
	"S'fine with me." Matt said, shrugging.
	Goliath sighed, then nodded. Matt hid a smile and turned, leaving down the
dark street. *Too bad we can't live in a fairy tale* he mused, *Those two
really deserve a chance*

****

	"Why didn't you just come with us before?" Goliath asked Elisa, pulling her
up onto the lower stairs of a fire escape, then letting her lead the way up
the badly connected staircase.
	Elisa charged up the stairway, not turning to speak to his face." Because
you...because I had to check in with my *human* friends. I do have a life,
you know."
	"I didn't mean to imply--"
	"It's fine. Don't worry about it." Elisa said coldly as they arrived at the
top of the stairway, stepping onto the low roof, not looking behind her. 
	"You've been bothered since the Odin reclaimed his Eye. Don't you trust me
enough to tell me about what it is?"
	"It's just...that trip brought up a lot of questions." she started, staring
out over the city. "Why,when you were wearing the eye, didn't you...I don't
know! It's just, it's so aggravating, even with Demona, you'd *show*
something. Couldn't you just for *once* drop the stone-cold exterior and act
like a human being!?"
	Goliath stared out at the city, a dark look on his face.
	"Oh, jeez, I'm sorry. I didn't mean.."
	"I am not a human, Elisa, and I've never pretended to be one. Demona was of
my kind. I-I feel for you, but it isn't something held acceptable, by either
of our people. Besides, your mother would most likely object to your bringing
home someone with purple skin and a wingspan."
	Elisa let a small smile touch the corners of her mouth, picturing how the
stubborn Mrs. Maza would react. *"Well, mom, I'm dating this great guy. He's
seven feet tall, lavender, and can throw a car."* <1>
	Elisa dropped the small grin, facing reality. "Forget it, let's get to the
tower before the rest of the guys go into spasms over your kid." she said,
and Goliath knelt obediently so that she could climb onto his back. She did,
wrapping her arms around his shoulders and getting a death grip with her
legs.
	"Secure?"
	"Mmhm."
	Goliath nodded, then dropped from the side of the building, gliding towards
the lighted tower.
	
	<1>(Compliments to Lady Johanna; I couldn't resist using this.)

****

	Brooklyn leaned over the ledge, the rest of the clan hanging behind by the
clock face. He turned to Angela, who was sitting on the edge beside him,
swinging her legs.
	"Did he say when he was going to be back?"
	The blue gargoyle paused, then shook her head. "He just said he'd be back
before sunrise."
	"Jalapena!" He scowled, and lifted his head to search the sky.
	"Look, it's not *my* fault, so don't even start--"
	"I never said it was." Brooklyn said quietly.
	"Oh." Angela stood still for a second, then broke into a smile, looking over
at the horizon. "I see them!" she said to the others, pointing to the flying
shadow rapidly approaching. Lexington, Broadway, and Hudson all moved to the
ledge, Lexington standing on it to get a better view. He pulled an object
that resembled a pair of black tubes out of a pouch by his side, and held
them up to his eyes.
	"What's that?" Angela asked with a confused look. Lexington removed the
tubes from his eyes and handed them to her.
	"Here, look through this end, and things appear closer."
	Angela did as he said, and saw Goliath and Elisa approaching, almost close
enough to touch. She moved the object away from her eyes, and they were once
again only a shadow by the skyline. Lexington reclaimed the object, using a
thin strap to hang it around his neck.
	"They're binoculars."
	Angela nodded, squinting to follow the pair's progress to the tower. "What's
the use of seeing something closer if you can't touch it?"
	"No point. Its just a gadget." he said, shrugging, replacing the object in
his bag. Goliath and Elisa were now close enough to make out without the help
of the spell, and they soon reached the tower, landing away from the group.
	"Goliath!" Lexington yelped, running along the edge to join him, momentarily
reminding Angela of a hatchling greeting a parent.
	"It's great to have you back, lad. You're planning to stay, this time?"
	"Don't worry, Hudson, I think I could be comfortable staying here for the
rest of my life." Goliath said with relief, kneeling to let Elisa down. She
climbed off, then busied herself by straightening her windblown hair.
	"It's good to see you back. You too, Elisa." Brooklyn said, "You won't
believe what's happened since you left."
	"Try me." she said, with a tired look that said 'don't even think about it'.
	"Maybe we'll just try getting it out of Goliath." Broadway suggested with a
half smile, leaning against the bottom edge of the clock face. Goliath
flashed him a look similar to Elisa's.
	"Then again, there's always the new girl." Brooklyn added quickly, and
Angela smiled agreeably.
	"An exchange of information." She suggested, moving into through tower door.

	The three others followed, and Hudson after them, with a Look on his face. 
	Elisa realized that she and Goliath were again alone.
	"How's that for a welcome?" she quipped, then turned to the closing door.
"Well, I've got a lot of catching up to do. I'll see you later?"
	"Count on it." Goliath said, letting a trace of a smile touch is lips. 
	*Argh, why won't he ever SMILE?*
	"Goodnight." she said, and stepped through the door into the tower.

****

	"Come on, Mulder, we're talking about a stone statue! Really, you need to
let it go."
	"Sorry, mom." he said, smiling up at his partner. "But witnesses say they
*saw* the lady of the lake, King Arthur, and a group of 'winged monsters'. 
	This entire gargoyle thing has been resting too long; I think we ought to
check it out."
	"Mulder, a bunch of paranoids are not reason enough to convince AD Skinner."
	"How about the disappearance of a police detective? Rumor has it she knows
something about the gargoyles sightings. I think a missing officer could be
enough for the involvement of the FBI, wouldn't it? And if he doesn't buy
that, we could always try for something about that Illuminati group. How
about it?"
	"I don't know why I always end up going along with your weird hunches." 
	Scully said, sighing.
	"Because I'm usually right."  Mulder said smugly, and pulled two airplane
tickets out of the inside pocket of his suit jacket. "I'll meet you in the
morning. Sleep well, Scully!" he called, starting down the hallway. 
	Scully sighed, leaning back into her chair. *He's done it again*

~To be Continued Next Week~

***********

"Turnabout" 
-- Jill Morrison (morrisjm@sbu.edu)
(MERLYN3109@aol.com)

Author's Note: It's been a while since I saw "Sanctuary" ... so if the scenes
in Paris are slightly different, that's why.

****

	It all started because he was bored.  The whole multiverse to play with, and
he was bored.  
	The Enterprise was grounded, and it wasn't any fun to plague Picard without
that familiar background.  Sisko was rather boring.  Janeway ... well, he'd
just been on the Voyager, and *that* hadn't turned out so well.  In fact,
perhaps he'd just avoid the entire Federation for a while.  
	He *could* go beyond its boundaries, but he had to admit he found these
humans quite fascinating.  Which left, of course, the past.
	He'd been on Earth before, in various personas, mucking with this, playing
with that.  The 1990s had been a most pivotal and interesting time .... and
the human he'd impersonated during that era had been a most influential
member of a certain organization ...
	Yes, it could be amusing, to re-visit that time.
	It was purely by coincidence, though, that he chose New York.  

	He was admiring the archaic architecture when it caught his eye, and he
snagged a passerby to question.
	"What building is that?  Who owns it?"
	The human eyed him as if he were crazy.  "The Aerie?  David Xanatos.
 Where've you been the past two years?"
	With that, the inferior creature pulled away and left.  Lost in thought, he
let it.  
	Xanatos.  The name rang a bell.  Ah ... a member, albeit lower tiered, of
the Illuminati.  A rather wealthy member, though, and thus influential in
this human society.  
	This could be fun.
	Doubtless the man had all manner of alarms and primitive defenses on his
monolith of a lair.  So, he shrugged, stepped into an alleyway ... and simply
snapped his fingers.
	
	He reappeared in the Great Hall of Castle Wyvern.
	Most interesting.  This human architecture was uncivilized enough; did they
really need to make it worse by reclaiming positively *ancient* forms?
	A sound.  He turned.  A human stood before him, behind a desk of sorts,
surprise written clearly on his face.  An oddly familiar face.
	He felt his mouth drop in his own surprise, a quaint human gesture he'd
picked up from all his time among them.  What was the phrase?  A
"dead-ringer"?
	The human spoke then, sharply.
	"Who the *hell* are you?"
	The voice, too, was exactly the same.
	"Riker!"
	The man's brow furrowed in puzzlement, and the split-second flicker of his
gaze over the intruder's shoulder warned him.  He turned again.
	Another human stood in the doorway, a tall, skinny, blond one - who
fortunately was *not* the twin of someone who should've been thousands of
years and millions of miles away.  Unfortunately, the newcomer held what was
apparently a gun pointed quite calmly at the intruder's his head.
	Well, this wouldn't do.  He snapped his fingers again ... the gun
transformed into a bouquet of roses.  Rare Bajoran Solstice roses, actually -
there was such a thing as style.
	The blond man dropped the flowers as if he'd been burned, blue eyes widening
in shock.  Q ... for such he was ... turned back around to face Commander
William T. Riker's double.   
	There *were* differences.  Riker, for instance, didn't have a ponytail, and
his eyes were brown, not blue.  The resemblance, though, was unmistakable -
and the voices were identical.  An ancestor, perhaps?
	"Mr. Xanatos, I presume?"
	The human was good - he'd managed to wipe all signs of surprise from his
face in the scant moments ... his assistant? ... had taken up Q's attention.
 
	"You presume correctly.  You mind returning the favor?"
	"Of course not.  I .... am Q."  He gave a flourish of his arms, noting with
some disappointment that the gesture was lost on them.  Well, Xanatos wasn't
a very high up member of the Illuminati - he couldn't be expected to be in on
some of their more ... esoteric ... secrets.
	"I'm honored ... Q."  The man's tone was wry, ironic.  "May I ask what you
happen to be doing in my headquarters?"
	This Xanatos was oddly calm at the sudden appearance of an total stranger in
the midst of his inner sanctum, Q noticed, especially a stranger capable of
converting gun metal into plant life.  Interesting.  What would it take to be
considered unusual around here?
	"I have a business proposition for you."  He moved his hand quickly, the
tattoo of a very high-ranking Illuminati member appearing on it with the
speed of a thought.
	*That* got a reaction.  The man's eyes widened ... and interestingly, so did
his assistant's.  The tall blond man had unobtrusively moved around from the
side, and was watching the newcomer with suspicion.   
	"I see.  And what would this ... business proposition ... be?"
	"Ah.  As you can see," He gave the roses on the floor behind him a casual
glance.  "I am not without resources.  However, personal wealth ... in this
time and place, anyway ... is not one of them.  Neither do I possess the
power base you have built yourself."
	Of course, he could acquire both of those very quickly.  Both Xanatos didn't
need to know that, did he?
	"In exchange for the use of your own assets, I will make my own available to
you."  He made another dramatic gesture, stepping back.  "What do you want,
David Xanatos?  Stock tips?  I can tell you what the market will be doing for
the next thousand years.  Beautiful women?  Helen of Troy could be yours!  A
new assistant, perhaps?"  He smirked at the skeptical-looking lackey.  "A
veritable fleet of invisible, omniscient ones who anticipate your every
need?"
	Owen Burnett's eyes narrowed.
	Q ignored him, turned his attention back to Xanatos.  "Well?  What is it you
want?"
	The man had leaned forward, hands gripping the edge of the desk.  The look
on his face told Q his ploy had succeeded even more then he'd expected.
	"I want to be immortal."
	Interesting....
	"Give me that, and every resource of Xanatos Enterprises is at your
disposal.  I swear it."
	"Immortality?  As ... the common people ... say, a piece of cake."  He'd
about to say, 'you humans'.  Oops.  "There are numerous talismans known to
grant eternal life, and although most of them are long destroyed ... let us
say, time is not a problem.  The Grail, perhaps ..." 
	He snapped his fingers.

	*Someone*, or *something*, had messed with his destination.  Q was *not*
pleased.
	He'd felt the invisible hands of the intruder on his teleport, but had been
unable to do anything about it.  Now, he was ...
	In a boat, with a human woman and three .. somethings.  
	Oooh, this could be even *more* interesting.  He went invisible before the
three could even turn and notice him, Xanatos on the verge of 'forgotten'.  

	Gargoyles.  They were gargoyles.  He'd heard of the second race originating
on Earth, but had discounted the stories, never having had seen them ...
	There was three.  One was probably semi-sentient at best, a hulking,
dog-like creature.  The other two seemed to be intelligent ... well, if one
could consider humans intelligent, anyway, these seemed to be about on a par
with them.  The woman called them "Goliath", and "Angela."  They called her
"Elisa." 
	And if his keen senses weren't off, the big male appeared to have some sort
of "feelings" for the woman.  Fascinating.  Was cross-breeding possible ...?
	The little boat had gone from what appeared to be open water to the
waterways of a city ... odd.  There was more going on here than met even
*his* eye.  
	 But then the creatures had turned to stone at sunrise ... remarkable! Such
an peculiar physiology! ... and the woman had left the boat tied up to go
into the city.  Q had followed.  
	Ah ... Paris in the springtime.  Of all the seasons of all the cities of the
multiverse, this was one worth remembering.  He'd strolled along behind her,
invisible only to her, thoroughly enjoying himself as he nodded to the
locals.  Since he was still wearing his affected Starfleet uniform, he was
getting some odd looks.  	
	Then, she'd stopped.  Short.  And hostility and suspicion rolled off of her
like stupidity from a Klingon.  
	Ah-ha.  He looked around for the source of all this negative emotion. 
	A petite red-haired woman and a tall, gray-bearded man were walking casually
down the street, deep in conversation.  And *they* were the ones this Elisa
was so disturbed by.  Especially the woman.  
	She didn't immediately follow them.  But Q's curiosity was aroused.  Perhaps
there was something here he could .... play with.
	He followed them to a rich, palatial mansion worthy of a king.  There, the
man left the woman with a kiss and murmured words, promising to return soon.
 The woman watched him go with an odd, twisted smile ... and when he was out
of earshot, she laughed.
	And again, it was wildly familiar.  Distorted, yes, and bitter ... but
nevertheless, familiar.
	This *couldn't* be mere coincidence.  He let his cloak of invisibility drop
and stepped towards her.
	"Your surname would not, perchance, be Troi?"
	She spun, with a snarl that sounded barely human.  Not precisely the
reaction he'd expected.
	"What?!  Who are you?  Where did you come from?!"
	"I ... am Q.  I am prepared to offer you anything you wish, in exchange for
..."
	"I?  Make a deal with a *human*?"  Her tone contained so much scorn it took
him by surprise.  "You must be joking, little man.  How did you get in here?"
	*She* wasn't human?  It was enough to make an omnipotent, all-knowing,
time-traveling super-being confused.  He decided that her attitude would be
immensely improved by a stint as, say, a Kazon worm-snake ...
	But before he could even make his thoughts reality, she let out a screech
most surely unlike anything that ever passed Counselor Deanna Troi's lips,
and produced a rather enormous knife from somewhere on her person.
	Funny.  He never would've figured she could secrete something *that* big in
clothing *that* tight.  
	As she advanced on him, he casually waved a hand, meaning to transport
himself instantly around behind her ....
	He wound up back on the tiny boat, with the two gargoyle statues.
	It seemed that, whatever had been done to him, he'd have to walk if he
wanted to get anywhere.  
	Once again, he was *not* pleased.

	A couple of weeks later, he was even less pleased.  This was definitely not
fun anymore.  And he was getting bloody tired of this d@%#-ed boat.
 (Author's note - but ain't we all?  <g>)
	In the past several weeks, he'd been to Africa, to Ireland, to Japan, to
Guatemala - all over this pathetic planet.  He'd never managed to leave the
company of these irritatingly noble and heroic mortals, no matter how hard
he'd tried to flee back to the familiar reaches of deep space.  And what was
worse ...
	He thought he was going mad.
	Everywhere they went, he heard voices.  Not voices in his head or voices
from thin air.  Voices from the throats of perfectly normal mortals ... but
voices that didn't belong here.
	He'd heard Deep Space Nine's Chief O'Brian from a curmudgeonly old Irishman,
who'd backed off and whispered "Sidhe!" when confronted.  He'd encountered
the Voyager's Captain Janeway in a red-haired scientist - and though that was
definitely a woman he'd care to meet again, being under siege by wayward
nanotechology was probably not a good time.  
	He'd looked around for the Enterprise's blind LaForge in the company of,
believe it or not, a giant spider.  An alien whose like even *he* had never
before seen had possessed the speech of that infuriating Sisko.  And that
bestial Lieutenant Worf from the Enterprise had spoken out of the mouth of an
equally animalistic man-bull.
	If he heard one more voice that belonged years and light-years away, he was
going to scream.  Likewise if that cloying sweet female gargoyle said "I
wonder where Avalon's magic has sent us this time?" again ...
	"There's land," the human female said quietly, and they all turned to look,
himself included.  He'd hadn't yet revealed himself to these three; while
it'd could be very interesting to see their reaction, he didn't want to risk
it if he couldn't manage to release himself from this boat soon.
	From their reactions, it seemed that this was the island of Avalon itself.
 Maybe *now* he could figure out what the bloody h%$#  was going on ...
	He stayed in the boat as they went up onto the shore, humans and gargoyles
both coming out to meet them.  There to be some way to free himself of this
...
	A cloud passed over the moon.  The ground shook.  Lightning crashed.
	He was interested in spite of himself.  *Those* had not been natural
phenomena.  Worthy of investigation.  He followed.
	Up before the castle-like structure they stood, and before them appeared two
beings - a male and a female, humanoid, but blue-skinned and pointed-eared.
 Rather like frozen Vulcans, or something.  Three women, black, golden, and
silvery-haired, appeared before *them*.
	"You see, my lord, we spoke a truth."  They said in unison.  "Humans and
gargoyles profane your kingdom."
	"My lord" waved a negligent hand.  "A minor nuisance.  But all the same,
they *will* have to go."
	Then Q started hearing voices again.
	The armored human who stood by Goliath spook in an undertone.  "If that pair
is keeping company with those three screech owls, I'm not inclined to trust
them."
	No.  It couldn't be.  
	"Q!"  He was so shocked he lost his mask of invisibility.  "But you're
dead!"
	No one heard or saw him, standing behind them all as he was.  The armored
man stepped forward to confront the cerulean Vulcan, who was not amused by
the interruption.  He clamped the man's mouth shut, fastened the two
gargoyles "dogs" to the ground with shackles, and tossed an attacking Avalon
gargoyle away like a piece of paper.  Then, he ordered the ground to began
swallowing the mortals up.  And it did.
	Q was impressed in spite of himself.  A long-lost brother, lost to mortal
influence and time, perhaps?  Something might yet be salvaged from this
abortive venture...
	Then the woman by this "Oberon's" side opened her mouth.
	"Oh, no!  Not Janeway *again*!"  Was this to be his punishment, for allowing
Q to commit suicide?  With a despairing cry unheard in the chaos, he threw
himself into a desperate teleport ...
	
	And this time, he didn't go back to the boat.
	He floated, held by some unseen hand, in total darkness.  Something had
checked his powers again, but who .... ?
	Someone behind him laughed.
	"What...?"  He twisted, unable to move or tap into the Continuum.  "Who's
there?"
	"A bigger trickster than even you, oh Q."  The voice said playfully.  "You
ought to know better than to intrude on another's territory."
	It was slightly altered, again ... but he knew that voice.
	"Not the andr ..."
	"Oh, no."  Another impish laugh.  "Just ... one who couldn't resist the
temptation to turn the tables, shall we say?"
	He spun in the darkness, disoriented.  It was neither a familiar sensation
nor a pleasant one.  
	"Why?"
	"Why not?"
	He stopped spinning.  
	"I believe I'll send you back to your own time and place, Q.  But remember,
will you, who won this little contest ... "
	Just before the blackness of a teleport closed over him, he managed to gasp
a question. 
	"But ... we've never even met before ...?"
	A chuckle.  "Haven't we?"
	And Q, plague of the Enterprise, pest of Deep Space Nine, and nuisance of
the Voyager, disappeared, hurtled back to the reaches he normally considered
home.  The being who'd held him in limbo chuckled again.
	"Lord, what fools these mortals be!"