Title: Purpose 
Author: Ainzfern 
Series: VOY/MU DS9 
Code: Quinn/MU Bashir 
Rating: NC-17 (M/M – VIOLENCE) 

Disclaimer: Paramount owns STAR TREK ... etc and so on and
so forth! My only pay here is personal joy. 

Summary: Quinn, the renegade and suicidal Q, is brought
back to life by the continuum in a final effort to make him
seek purpose to living again. 

Archiving:  Certainly- if you want to- please
let me know. 

Feedback: Yes please! All comments welcome. 
ainzfern@hotmail.com

Author's note: The MU Julian I have here is quite different
from the Rebel Captain of the DS9 series. This one is
almost AU, I have again put poor Julian into this place as
a body slave to the rich and powerful. (Hmmmm. A disturbing
pattern emerging, LOL!) Once more, my sincerest thanks to
Cait for her wonderful BETA! Cait, I grovel at thy feet!


                          Purpose



PROLOGUE:

Looking back, I suppose I can't be all that angry with my
family. <SIGH> They did what they thought was best, after
all. And I believe that, at least on *this* occasion, they
acted out of *good* intentions. I *was* upset at first.
Well... could you blame me? There I was, dead, and happy
enough to be so too, oh my, yes. Yes I was. And all of a
sudden I was back and *not* happy to be so, let me tell
you. But... it all worked out in the end. <SOFT LAUGHTER>
Oh yes, it certainly did...

****** 

//Live, Quinn.//

The blessed warm embrace of death receded steadily. His
heart began to beat. The fluid that formed his blood began
to flow, reaching his extremities and slowly warming them.

//Live, Quinn. My gift to you.//

Anguish. Despair. Confusion. All of these things and more
raced through his consciousness. 

And he *did* have consciousness.

"Why?!" he screamed into the black void of waking limbo.
"You broke your word! WHY?!"

//Because you were wrong. You *do* still have things to
learn. This little fact makes our previous agreement null
and void.//

"Noooo!" he wailed, tears of suffering pouring down his
face. His immortal face. He was Q again.

He was Q.

"You lied!" He was filled with rage. Small stars could
have birthed and died within the heat of it.

//We did not lie...Q. We were mistaken. This place that we
have found for you has potential.//

He howled. Howled in his grief and dismay. Howled in anger
and in torment. "Do you hate me so much, Q?"

//No.// The awareness that came back to him was strangely
touched with affection. //We love you. That is why we want
you to live. To find... purpose.//

"How?" He shook his head helplessly. "I have done all that
I can possibly do! What is left for me?"

//Much, Q. You just can't see it yet. Your powers are
still returning. You'll get stronger over time.//

"Please don't do this, Q," he pleaded. "I beg you!"

//You tried that before and it didn't work. We will give
you a suitable period of time here. After that? We shall
see.//

Hope flared in his chest. "You'll return me to death if I
find no purpose here?"

There was a pause, then... //Yes.//

"And *this* time, will you keep your word?"

//Yes.//

"Very well," he sighed in defeat and closed his eyes.
"Send me where you will."

******* 

TWO:

So, as you can see, I was *not* exactly a happy riser. My
goodness, no. I was so angry. I can't recall when I was
*ever* that angr... no wait, wait... there was *one* time.
Oh yes, now *that* was a display of temper <SOFT CHUCKLE>
but, that comes later. Much later. Please don't rush me...
I'll forget things if you do. Where was I? Oh yes! They
sent me to another *dimension*, can you believe that?! I
can't begin to imagine the sheer amount of concerted effort
it must have taken to do it, particularly since I wasn't
feeling especially cooperative. <EVIL SMILE> Q don't
normally work together in that fashion... unless, of course
they are presented with a common enemy or, as with *me*, a
common irritant. Oh, *goodness*, they must have wanted this
for me badly. Makes me feel sort of... loved. Now that I
understand what that *really* means, of course. Now that I
have some basis for comparison. Love. Considering *that*, I
wonder if the Q meant for me to have such a rude
introduction to my new enforced home. <LAUGHTER> They
probably did...

***** 

"Terran vessel," the harsh voice came out of the comm
link. "This is your final warning. Drop your shields, power
down your engines and prepare to be boarded. If you do not
comply, we will destroy you!"

Quinn's eyes snapped open. He looked around wildly for a
moment, assessed his surroundings, his ragged clothing, the
large ship outside the view screen, and came to an instant
decision.

He dropped the shields and cut his engines. 

He did, to his credit, attempt to prepare for boarding,
but looking around the rather well used interior of the
battered little runabout, he realized there was little he
could do via presentation. This ship looked like it was
held together with hope.

The hum of a transporter beam turned his attention away
from interior aesthetics, and he rose to his feet, his face
pursed in polite query.

Two Cardassians appeared, heavily armored and well armed.
They looked at him with profound contempt. 

"He's not young," one remarked to his companion.

The other shrugged. "That's not our concern. We'll get
some decent payment for this ship as scrap. What they do
with the Terran doesn't matter."

"Why not just kill him now?" the first asked, raising his
weapon.

Almost in spite of himself, Quinn suddenly felt
interested. He wondered how this pair of lizard-men would
react when they tried to kill him and found out that they
couldn't. He reasoned with wry amusement that his *value*
would increase markedly after *that* fact was revealed.

"No," the other replied. "The Intendant wants all Terran
trespassers brought to Terok Nor for questioning. There's a
rumour of rebellion lately. Any free roaming Terran is
suspect."

"Erm... Hello there," Quinn smiled. "I thought I should
mention, I'm not actually a Terra..."

The first Cardassian spat at Quinn's feet. "Shut up, Vole!"

Quinn blinked. "Oh, uhm, I'm not actually a Vole eith..."

The Cardassian stepped forward and struck him across the
face. The sheer sudden shock of the blow startled Quinn to
silence. It was an interesting sensation, Quinn decided.
He'd never actually been hit before. He couldn't say that
he'd enjoyed it very much.

The Cardassian leaned into his face. "You keep your mouth
shut, or there'll be more of the same, you got it?"

Smiling, Quinn nodded. //Intriguing...// he thought as he
looked his new companions over. 

The Cardassians he'd met in the other universe where quite
different from this pair. They were urbane, deadly,
cunning, subtle and brilliant. Dangerous to be an enemy to
and even more dangerous to be friends with. These two were
just thugs. 

Silently, as per instructions, he waited to see what would
happen next.

In short order, he was transported up to the Cardassian's
vessel. Metal restraints were snapped around both wrists
and ankles and he was unceremoniously pushed to the floor
in the back of the cockpit. 

He felt a mild sense of amusement rise up in him as he
looked down at the contraptions they had placed on him. He
could erase such petty encumbrances with a single thought.

He chose not to. His interest had been piqued, something
that had not happened to him in a long time. At least for
now, he was content to let things play out... to see where
this intriguing scenario was leading.

He sat up slightly and peered up so that he could look
between the Cardassian's shoulders out the front view
screen.

"Uh, excuse me?" he asked diffidently. "But where are we
going now?"

Without looking at him the first Cardassian laughed.
"Somewhere where you *won't* want to be."

Quinn blinked. "Oh. Really? Well. That's interesting."

The Cardassian turned and stared at him for a moment as if
he had just grown another head. "What did you just say,
Terran?" he asked.

Quinn smiled brightly. "I said `that's interesting'. You
know, that you should say that, because I don't quite see
how I could not want to be somewhere when I haven't been
there before. I might like it."

His captors exchanged a long look. After a moment, they
burst out laughing. 

"Well, how about that?" said the second Cardassian. "Its
mind is broken!"

"Must be," his companion chortled. "But it's sort of
amusing at the same time. Maybe this one will be worth
something after all."

Quinn shrugged and turned his attention to the inside of
the ship. This one was *much* cleaner that the other one.
He nodded approvingly. He was fond of ordered surroundings.

"Hey, Terran," the first Cardassian called out.

Quinn continued to look into the rear of the craft until
he felt a booted foot nudge his leg. 

"Terran!" the Cardassian repeated.

"Me?" Quinn looked around into the grinning sliver face.

"Yeah, *you*. What were you doing in Alliance space,
anyway? Spying?"

Quinn shook his head, smiling politely. "Oh, no... no no
not spying. Just... searching for purpose, apparently."

His captors laughed again.

"This one really *has* gone, hasn't it?" the second
Cardassian chuckled. "Hey, ask it another question..."

****** 

THREE.

Terok Nor. That's where they took me, it's a space
station. Did you know that Terok Nor is Cardassian for Dark
Jewel? Interesting isn't it? Yes indeed. My two hosts
seemed almost regretful when they handed me over to the
guards on the station. They'd been having such a lovely
time, you know, all at my apparent expense. <SOFT CHUCKLE>.
Of course what they *didn't* know was that I was gleaning a
great deal of information from them. Oh my, yes, I was. And
they thought that *I* was amusing... Hmmm. See, from *them*
I learned that I was considered a Terran, and that Terrans
were considered as animals. Quite a sad thing really. I've
known many Terrans in my time and I always found them to be
charming, witty, and capable of great sensitivity and
intelligence. <SMILES GENTLY> And of course, there's *one*
that I am *particularly* fond of. But I'm getting ahead of
myself. Again. Anyway, I was rather quickly introduced as a
"mind-broken Terran", of *all* things, and then marched
away from my two new friends into a dimly lit corridor. You
know it's funny, but I actually did *feel* something, even
then. A sense of, oh I don't know... homecoming, maybe?
Like there was something *good*, just around the corner...

***** 

A booted foot connected with Quinn's thigh as he stood in
front of the open cell door. He blinked and looked at one
of the guards who escorted him. 

"You really are mind-broken, aren't you?" the hard faced
Bajoran said. "Do you even feel that, Terran?"

Quinn smiled. "Oh, yes. I do have quite excellent sensory
perception. But what you call pain... well, since I know
that I can't actually be hurt, I don't pay it much mind. Am
I doing it wrong? Should I make some noise when you do
that?"

The guard drew his foot back to kick Quinn again. Then,
apparently deciding that it was wasted effort, made a curt
gesture with his head. "Just get into the cell, Terran. And
behave yourself. You'll be processed in a few days time."
The guard shook his head and looked at his colleague.
"Although what *this* one will be any use for is beyond
me." 

His companion shrugged disinterestedly.

With a final scathing glance, the Bajoran slammed the
heavy door shut, leaving Quinn standing there staring at it
with interest. 

He wondered for a moment at the futility of shutting him
in a room like this. He could get out at any time, so what
was the point? Of course, it had already occurred to him
that the guards didn't *know* this, and in spite of
himself, Quinn was becoming more and more intrigued with
this place. He wasn't about to suggest to himself that he
would find anything worth living for here, but at least it
would be an interesting diversion before he would be
retuned to his coveted death.

"Hello." A soft voice startled Quinn out of his reverie
and he whirled around to face the interior of the cell. He
made a brief but detailed inspection of his surroundings
and was pleasantly surprised. Although spartan, containing
only two floor pallets and a toilet unit, the cell was
clean. It was dimly lit, but there was sufficient light to
see by without Quinn having to resort to enhancing his
vision.

"Better accommodation than you expected, huh?" his
cellmate asked, drawing Quinn's attention.

The Q assessed his companion. A Human. Fairly young.
Remarkably attractive. He was slender and reasonably tall.
His skin was a deep golden hue and his large hazel eyes
were soft and luminous. His hair was thick and dark,
falling in soft, unruly waves over his shoulders. He exuded
a kind of sultry sensuality. To Quinn, it was evidently an
unconscious attribute, because the expression on the
Human's exquisite face was nothing more than friendly.

"Hmmm, yes. I must confess, I did expect something a
little more unpleasant." Quinn said.

The Human smiled a little. "The cells on the lower level
must be full. I'd say that's why you were thrown in here
with me." His face darkened slightly. "I get... special
consideration."

For a moment, Quinn was tempted to push his mind out
towards the Human. That last remark had intrigued him,
making him briefly consider reading the young man's
thoughts. He decided against it. The less he used his
powers, the slower they would return. He was eager to keep
things simple. If the Q continuum kept their end of the
bargain, he would be much easier to kill if he were not in
full possession of his powers.

It was all a matter of will.

Instead, he verbally queried, "Special consideration?"

"Yes. A better cell, for one."

Quinn was still a little unsure. "Why? What makes you
different?"

The Human blinked in surprise and peered at him
suspiciously. "Most other Terran's can tell just by
looking."

"Tell what?"

The Human sighed. "I'm a body slave," he said dully,
dropping his eyes.

Quinn continued to gaze at him with an expression of
polite interest.

Finally, after a long period of silence, the Human looked
up at him again. "You don't hate me?"

Quinn smiled. "Well, you see, I don't actually *know* you.
Why would I hate you?"

"Many of the other Terran slaves... the ones from the
mines, believe that body slaves have an easier time of
things," the Human explained.

"And is that true?"

The Human looked away again. "So, how did you end up
here?" he asked, dropping gracefully onto one of the
pallets.

Quinn nodded. Apparently his companion wished to change
the subject. Quinn smiled and also sat down, making himself
comfortable on the other pallet. "I was sent here."

"Really?" The Human blinked. "By who?"

Quinn smiled bleakly. "By my family."

The Human's expression suddenly changed, becoming warm and
filled with compassion. Quinn was surprised to see those
beautiful eyes fill. "You were sold too?"

"Your family *sold* you?" Quinn was outraged for some
reason.

The Human nodded sadly. "Yes. It's very common, I'm
afraid. My parents had other children to keep protected,
and as I was a *pretty* child," his face twisted
momentarily, "I fetched them a good price."

"A child?" Quinn shook his head. "How old?"

With a thoughtful expression, the young man considered the
question. "I'm not too sure. Ten... eleven, maybe?"

"You were made a body slave *that* young?" Almost in spite
of his promise to remain detached from this place, Quinn
felt his anger rising.

"No. First I was trained. I was sold to my first Master at
sixteen."

"If I may ask...what is your name?" Quinn asked suddenly.

"Julian."

"I'm ...Quinn." Quinn looked closely at his young
cellmate. "So, who was this Master of yours, Hmmm?"

Julian smiled. "You're a curious one, aren't you?"

"Oh. Oh goodness, I'm sorry!" Quinn said promptly. "You
don't have to tell me. I must admit, my talent for
conversation has slipped somewhat. I'm afraid I may have
been a little forward."

"No, it's OK." Julian shrugged one elegant shoulder. "I
don't mind. My Master was Gul Garak, First Officer of this
station."

"Was?"

Julian sighed, the briefest touch of sorrow passing over
his flawless face. "He died. Poisoned, I think. No one
would tell me. That's why I'm here now."

Quinn felt a sudden surge of concern. "Oh dear... do they
hold you responsible?"

Julian chuckled. It was a very pleasing sound, Quinn
decided. "No, Quinn. I'm being held for the new First
Officer, Gul Broca. The Intendant told me Garak used to
give very good reports of me... so if Gul Broca likes me,
I'll become his property."

Quinn shook his head, amazed at the casual way Julian
simply accepted his position as chattel. "It doesn't bother
you? That you are treated like this?"

Julian shrugged again. "It's what I have been trained to
do. It could be a lot worse you know. If Gul Broca doesn't
want me, I'll be sent to the processing plant or planet
side to the mines." His huge eyes grew frightened. "I
wouldn't live for very long in either place, Quinn. If the
conditions didn't kill me, then certainly the other slaves
would."

Quinn sighed. "Well, I'm sure he will like you, Julian.
You seem quite likeable to me."

Julian laughed again. "I don't think I've ever had *that*
description applied to me before. You're very unusual,
Quinn." He sobered slightly. "I heard the guard call you
mind-broken. Is that true?"

Smiling, Quinn shook his head. "No, Julian. Oh no, not at
all. I'm just... different."

Julian smiled back at him.

***** 

FOUR.

So, I was incarcerated. My yes. Locked away for the crime
of being Terran. But I must say, my company was
exceptionally pleasant. He was such a friendly little
creature, Julian. From what I gathered, his kind, uhm...
body slaves, you know, weren't highly thought of by other
Terrans. I suppose even the lowly need to feel superior to
*someone*. Seemed a terrible misjudgment of character to
me, but... I got to know him quite well over the next few
days. He was surprisingly good company. <SOFT SMILE> I
shared my food with him, you know. After all, *I* hardly
needed to eat it, did I? And he struck me as too thin
anyway. He was astonished by that. He seemed most concerned
that I was not getting sufficient nourishment. <SIGH> That
still touches me you know, goodness yes it does. It always
will, I think. Here was this young Human, who had *no* idea
of what the future would hold, and he was concerned about
*my* welfare. Such a sweet creature. Hmmm. Now, don't let
me drift off... I have things to tell you! Our new
friendship was changed quite dramatically shortly after I
started sharing my meals with him, oh yes indeed it was. A
quick visit from a station official was all it took, and
suddenly, everything was different...

***** 

"I would hardly think *you're* the one I want to talk to,"
the richly dressed Bajoran looked down at Quinn with a
superior sneer. 

He looked over at Julian. "Stand up, Terran," he ordered.

Obediently, Julian rose and moved forward. 

The Bajoran looked at him with appreciation. "Very nice,"
he murmured. "Very nice indeed. The Gul should be
reasonably happy with you."

Julian's eyes widened slightly, but he kept his mouth
tightly shut. Quinn got the feeling that the Human knew
very well what was expected of him here.

"I am Gul Broca's attaché to the station. You may address
me as Vizier Tahnos." The Bajoran said grandly. "If you
have a question, you may ask it now."

Julian nodded. "Forgive me, Vizier Tahnos. When is the Gul
arriving?"

"In two days time, Terran. He will view you then. *I*
rather like the look of you, but the ultimate decision
rests with him."

Julian bobbed his head again, passivity and compliance
oozing out of ever pore. 

Vizier Tahnos looked pleased. "You maintain those sorts of
manners and you will do well, pretty one. Gul Broca does
not like willful pets."

Quinn felt a strong sense of unease growing in him. He
knew this was not his concern. He had no rights over
Julian's person, no say in his fate. Yet, he found that he
was deeply disturbed by the notion of this young man being
bound into sexual servitude. The Humans he had known in the
past had been wonderfully willful and had rightfully
insisted on choosing their own mates or paramours. It just
didn't sit right with the Q to see this Human so calmly
accepting this unnatural situation.

When the Bajoran left, Julian vented a deep sigh and
turned away, staring down at the floor for a long time.

"Julian?" Quinn rose and moved over to him. "Are you all
right?"

Julian looked at him, his eyes haunted and afraid. Quinn
suddenly realized that Julian hadn't been accepting of the
situation at all. It had all been an act. A very good, very
well taught act. 

"They were right," Julian blurted suddenly.

Quinn blinked, baffled. "Who was right?"

"The other slaves. They were right about me." His huge
eyes stared up into Quinn's, pleading for understanding. "I
*did* have it easy with Gul Garak."

"Julian. You are a slave. That you followed the orders of
your Master, is nothing to be ashamed of, oh no, not at
all. What choice did you have?"

Julian shook his head, guilt in his face, tears in his
eyes. "No. You don't understand, Quinn. It was *different*
with Gul Garak. He didn't treat me like a... a thing. He...
he was good to me. Kind. Gentle. I didn't submit to him
because I had to. I did it because I *wanted* to." His face
twisted with sorrow. "He said he loved me," he whispered,
"and I believed him because I *wanted* to. I went
willingly, Quinn! Every single time, I went willingly."

"Julian..."

Julian cut him off, his words tumbling out in a breathless
rush. "And I'll tell you something else, Quinn. I'll do the
same thing with Gul Broca, if he lets me. If he lets me,
I'll go willingly to him, too."

Stunned, Quinn opened his mouth to reply, but for the
first time in his long existence he had no words. He found
it so difficult to relate to what Julian was trying to tell
him. For a being that had always been self-contained and
self-reliant, Julian's confession was hard to comprehend. 

Quinn made a decision. Partly out of innate curiosity and
partly because he actually did like Julian and wished to
understand, he opened himself slightly and allowed Julian's
thoughts to come to him.  

He was unprepared for it, to say the least. The
feelings... the sheer sensation of Julian's emotions
washing over him was far more intense than he had
anticipated. The Human was nowhere near as self-controlled
as he appeared. Waves of dread and regret poured out him. 

His mind was jumbled, erratic. Quinn wondered how in the
universe the young man was able to function at all with
such a whirlwind of complex thought screaming around in his
head. Julian missed his old Master, but was ashamed of
himself for doing so. He was afraid that this new Gul would
not want him. He was afraid that this new Gul *would*. He
was a chaotic mix of memories and feelings and fears and
underneath it all, a single theme shone through. Julian
needed. He needed warmth, he needed affection. His late
Master had given him such things and it was all that he had
ever known. He *needed* it now. Needed love and hoped so
desperately that he would find it.

Quinn felt a sudden compulsion. He didn't know why
exactly, but it was undeniable. He wanted to comfort. He
knew it was required. Julian would need all his strength in
the coming few days. He would need resilience. Quinn
understood now how much this confession had cost the young
man. He did not want Julian to think that he would turn
from him because of it.

The Human stood in front of him, his expression clearly
showing that he was expecting the worst. His beautiful face
grew stunned when Quinn silently opened his arms, smiling
sadly at him, allowing all the compassion and affection he
felt for the young man to flow from his eyes.

After the briefest hesitation, Julian made a tiny sound of
distress and stepped into Quinn's embrace, clinging to him
like a frightened child. He burrowed his face into Quinn's
chest as if trying to hide himself away.

"It's all right, Julian," Quinn soothed him. "I don't care
about that. No I don't, not one bit. I still like you. I
think I always will." He tightened his hold and rocked the
young man gently, swaying back and forth slightly. For a
long time they stayed there, Quinn holding the Human to
him, feeling his warmth and vulnerability, feeling the
surge of protectiveness rise up in him. Slowly, he felt
Julian's arms creep around him to return his hold.

As they stood there, the timbre of the embrace changed.
Julian's hands were moving, stroking over Quinn's shoulders
and back in a most pleasant way. The Human's breath became
a little faster. His body began to move slowly, pressing
against Quinn with gentle rocking motions.

With a shock, Quinn became aware that his own body was
growing aroused by this. Belatedly, he realized that he had
not closed himself off from Julian, and he could feel the
Human's own heightened sexual receptiveness jolting through
him. He prepared himself to close that mental door, but
before he could, Julian looked up at him, his luminous eyes
filled with desire and desperate need.

"Please, Quinn," he whispered softly. "I'm so cold, so
alone. Please let me love you now. I want to."

Quinn was lost. Looking down into that perfect face,
smelling the rising scent of Human arousal. The young man
felt so warm and pliant in his arms, ready to be shaped and
molded by Quinn's touch. Two days from now this sensual
creature would belong to someone else, but for now, he was
Quinn's.

Neither knowing nor even caring that he might be
committing some sort of unalterable error of judgment,
Quinn cupped Julian's head in his hands and lowered his
mouth to the Human's. It was the first time he had kissed
another living creature. He had to confess that it was
quite a remarkable experience. Those Q who sneered down
their noses at mortal kind's penchant for carnal pastimes
had obviously never kissed *this* particular mortal.

He gave himself utterly over to the experience at that
point, and found every part of it satisfying. The feel of
Julian's warm mouth moving over his body was beyond
wonderful. He knew the theory of course, but the practical
had never really interested him until now. He spared one
final thought about his failure to withdraw his mind like
he should of, and then Julian was pulling him down onto the
pallet, pushing his clothes away and bending his head to
his heated sex.

The body that he had crafted for himself was not exactly
like a Human's per se, at least not on the inside. However,
it knew all the required responses and performed admirably
well. His first orgasm was a simply astonishing experience.
He was a cerebral creature, like all Q, and the analytical
part of his mind was quite interested in what a centralized
physical experience coming actually was. Although his whole
body *did* tingle with the feeling, the most intense
sensations were centered on his groin, bleeding slightly
into his upper thighs and his abdomen.

He was quite pleased to discover that Julian seemed to
enjoy the experience just as much. Pushing the Human over
onto his back, he returned the same kinds of caresses with
hands and mouth as Julian had given to him. He felt a sense
of power and wonder when Julian cried out loudly and
released his slightly salty essence into Quinn's mouth. He
found he rather liked the taste of the young man. 

The highlight of the experience though, had been when
Julian guided him into his body. What a unique sensation.
He found himself caught up in it, his hips thrusting almost
of their own accord. He felt every inch of Julian's
exquisitely soft skin pressed against his own. He could
hear his heartbeat, feel his rising heat, taste his sweat,
and when he came again, deep inside that warm, tight body,
he was helpless to stop the cry of fulfillment that came
from his throat.

Quinn had never had such intense physical stimulation
before. As he lay there, cradled in Julian's arms, panting
against his soft neck, he hazily wondered *why* the Q felt
the need to ignore this part of their existence.  

Julian twined his slender fingers into Quinn's hair.
"Thank you, Quinn," he murmured into his ear.

"Oh Julian," Quinn chuckled, "don't thank me, sweet
creature. Oh, there's no need for that. Do you feel
better?" He rose up on his elbows to look down into
Julian's flushed face.

The Human smiled. "Much." 

Quinn rolled over, pulling Julian with him so that the
Human was cradled against his shoulder. He released a soft
sigh as he felt Julian's body grow limp and slightly
heavier and he realized that the young man had fallen
asleep.

He lay in the dim cell that night, holding Julian close to
him and feeling unfamiliar emotions lancing through him.
Even as he pressed his face into the Human's hair and
breathed deeply of his sweet warm scent, he wondered what
had happened to him tonight. 

He wondered how all of this would end. 

He wondered if he still wanted to die.

***** 

FIVE:

Oh goodness, what a glut of confusion had gone through my
mind that night. And to *think* that after all that time, I
was actually starting to waver in my commitment to my
death! I didn't really know it at that time, but I had
surrendered to one of the mortal foibles that the Q used to
spend all their time laughing at. <SOFT SIGH> Oh, Julian
had felt good though. In my arms, around my body. Hmmmm.
How lovely he was to me, so fresh and new. I didn't care
that he had belonged to someone else, that he *would*
belong to another shortly. I just wanted to hold him. I
made a terrible mistake however, as circumstances conspired
to show me later. Oh my yes, a most regrettable mistake.
You see, I still wanted to cling to the notion that I would
return to my death sleep, so I didn't take Julian from that
place, and I should have. I really should have. <BITTER
LAUGH> I don't think I will *ever* forgive myself for that
lack of judgment, for that poor show of sheer stubbornness.
When I think of what happened...

***** 

Gul Broca arrived on time. Accompanied by his attaché,
Vizier Tahnos, he entered Quinn and Julian's cell and
assessed his inherited body slave. 

"Come here," he ordered, his voice deep and soft.

Julian rose, licking his lips nervously and approached his
new Master with downcast eyes.

Tahnos nodded approvingly. "It is as I said, Gul. He is
not proud."

"Hmm," Broca grunted noncommittally. He reached out and
cupped Julian's chin, gently raising his face so that the
Human would look at him. 

>From his unobtrusive position by the far wall, Quinn
could clearly see Broca's eyes warm as he took in his
newest possession.

"He's quite appealing isn't he?" the Gul said to his
hovering attaché. 

Tahnos nodded. "Indeed, Gul. Do you want him?"

Broca gazed at Julian a moment longer, silently
considering. "What is your name, Terran?" he asked softly.

"Julian, my Master," the Human replied promptly.

Broca stroked his thumb along the line of Julian's jaw and
Quinn clearly saw the young man move into the touch. Just
as clearly, he saw Broca's expression become considerably
more heated. "You've been trained well," the Cardassian
said to him, his voice still low.

"I hope to please you, my Master," Julian replied huskily.

Gul Broca nodded. "I'm sure you will." He turned to his
attaché, his expression decisive. "I will take him. He's
quite acceptable."

Without further word, the Cardassian turned and strode
from the cell. Tahnos looked at Julian. "Well, come along!
Attend to your Master."

Julian took a deep breath and left the cell. As he turned
to walk away down the corridor, the Human cast one last
look back at Quinn. In his gaze was a wealth of feeling.
His calm mask slipped for an instant as he met the eyes of
his brief lover. Looking at that expression, Quinn realized
that the whole scene with Broca had been yet another act on
the Human's part. Self-preservation. The need to follow his
training. But it wasn't what he wanted, Quinn was sure of
it. What Julian wanted, was to stay with him. Because with
*him*, Julian had meant it.

As the door shut, Quinn slid to the floor and stared at
the pallet across the room. 

Well, the Human was gone. Accepted by his new Master and
by all appearances, going to be treated well. 

The fact that they had shared a brief moment of true
affection meant little. Quinn knew that Julian had no
choice in this matter at all. He had been chosen, and he
would serve. 

Quinn knew he should turn his thoughts to his own
immediate future, to the next step in this stage little
odyssey that the Q had sent him on.

He could not. All he could think about was Julian.

***** 

"Get up Terran," the guard's sharp voice brought Quinn out
of his reverie. The Q had not moved in over a week. He had
simply sat, back pressed to the wall, waiting for whatever
would happen next. 

Now, he got to his feet and fixed his visitor with a look
of polite enquiry.

"You've been given a special honor, Terran."

Quinn smiled blankly. A vessel waiting to be filled with
information.

"Our Intendant needs a new wine steward," the guard said,
reaching forward and grabbing Quinn by the arm. "I'm
sending you." 

Quinn was pulled out of the cell and pushed in front of a
richly dressed Cardassian. He smiled again, not really
expecting to get one in return. 

He didn't

The Cardassian gave him a brief once over. "Hmmm. Well,
she said she didn't want a young and nervous one and this
one doesn't appear to be either."

The guard nodded. "He's quiet too. Doesn't say much."

The Cardassian laughed. "He doesn't have too. Just so long
as he can pour wine without spilling it. He could be mute
for all I care."

The Cardassian fixed him with a critical eye. "Well," he
sighed, "Come with me. I'll get you some suitable clothes
and then you can meet your new Mistress." He turned and
strode down the dimly lit corridor.

Intrigued, Quinn followed obediently behind.

***** 

SIX.

Well, I can't say that I cared much for my new Mistress.
She was a pretty little thing, Oh yes, I'll give her that.
But what a black soul she had! I didn't need the powers of
a Q to see that, Oh goodness no. Did you know why I was
chosen to be her wine steward? No? Well, of course you
wouldn't, I haven't *told* you yet, have I? <SOFT CHUCKLE>.
I can be a bit absentminded at times, I apologize. She had
killed him! Can you *imagine*? A young Vulcan, apparently.
He spilled the wine during one of her sumptuous dinners and
she drew her little dagger right there and then and
*stabbed* him! In the throat, no less – ugh! I shudder, I
really do. So casually cruel. <SHAKES HEAD> I really don't
know what motivates some people. It's a mystery even to the
Q. Still, there was one good thing about being in my new
position. I was told by my new Mistress, (*Mistress*... how
amusing. A *Q* with a Mistress...), that we would be
hosting a lavish dinner for her First Officer. I was very
pleased by this news. It meant I would get to see Julian
again, Oh *my* how I had wanted to do that. To see him. To
assure myself that he was well. <SAD SIGH>. What a
terrible, terrible thing I discovered during that night...

***** 

The evening had passed well, as far as Quinn could see.
Both host and guest were apparently pleasantly soused.
Quinn had been an unobtrusive presence all night,
repeatedly and discretely re-filling glasses as the night
wore on.

He had however, continually watched Julian, kneeling at
his Master's side, his eyes averted, silent, hands folded
in his lap. He looked every bit the patient and docile body
slave that he had been trained to be.

Something was wrong with him. Quinn had not exactly opened
himself to the Human as such. Not in the way he had during
their lovemaking. But he had nevertheless sensed something
from Julian, and as the evening progressed and The
Intendant and her guest became more relaxed, Quinn became
more and more concerned.

Julian had not moved. He had also not been attended to
once by his Master. He had not been given food or water. He
had been essentially ignored. Quinn had now way of knowing
if this was normal, or not. But it *felt* wrong.

Finally, he had his chance to talk to his former cellmate. 

The Intendant, growing serious for a moment had turned the
conversation to the Terran Rebellion. With a short wave of
her hand, she had instructed Quinn to leave the room.

"Take this little one with you too, Terran," she had
added. "Stay in the Galley. I'll call for you if I need
you." 

Quinn had watched as Julian rose carefully. To all but the
keenest eye, his movements were no different than before,
but Quinn was most observant. Julian's motion lacked its
usual grace. He was holding himself very carefully and when
he walked, his graceful stride was slightly shortened.

When they reached the small Galley, just off from the
dining room, Quinn quietly shut the door and turned to the
young man.

"Julian..."

He didn't get to say much more than that. To his deep
distress, the beautiful young Human began to cry. Terrible,
silent tears that flowed down his face. His eyes were
dreadful, pained, filled with horror and confusion.  

Feeling anguished by the sight, Quinn reached out and
pressed his palm to Julian's damp cheek. "Tell me, sweet
creature. What has happened?"

"He's not like Garak," Julian whispered shakily.

Quinn felt his heart sink.

"He's cruel," Julian continued. "He likes to hurt me. He
says it pleases him." The Human swallowed painfully. "He...
he does things to me, awful things."

"Oh Julian." Quinn stepped forward.

"I wasn't trained for this, Quinn." Julian's voice was
filled with shame. "I don't know how long I will last with
him. I... I think he's going to kill me... eventually. I
think it will just happen. When... When he's worn me out."

With a low cry, Quinn wrapped his arms around the
trembling man and pulled him close. He was appalled to feel
Julian stiffen in agony, to hear a strangled cry of pain
break helplessly from his lips.

Pulling away, Quinn stared at him with deep distress.
Without a word, the Q reached out and pulled open the
Human's soft tunic. He felt his mouth drop open, sick
dismay rising in him as he looked at the young man's
formerly unmarred skin.

"Oh my..." he breathed softly. "Oh, Julian...how?"

Julian hitched in a soft breath. "He whips me." The Human
whispered it fast, as if ashamed by the very idea. "I had
heard of such things, of course... when I was being
trained. You heard stories. But... I never imagined that
I..." he broke off, his voice failing him.

Quinn felt the rage building up in him. He felt the
despair, the utter futility that was Julian's life. "What
will you do, sweet Julian?"

Julian met his gaze, his beautiful eyes dull. "I will
carry on, Quinn. What else *can* I do?"

Quinn shook his head. "How can you bear it, Julian? How
can you bear to keep living like this? What makes you want
to hang onto this life?"

"Because it's *my* life, Quinn," Julian replied with
simple, quiet dignity. "It's the one thing in this universe
that belongs to *me*."

Quinn felt his world shift, his perceptions change. He
felt an urge so strong rise up inside him that for a
moment, he actually thought his legs might fail him.

"Julian," Quinn said softly. "I swear to you now. You will
only spend one more night in that animal's company."

"Quinn, no!" Julian hissed at him, suddenly terrified.
"Please don't try anything! He'll kill you! I couldn't bear
it..."

Quinn leaned forward and gently kissed that soft mouth,
effectively cutting off Julian's words. "Don't fret,
Julian. I will not be killed."

"But..."

The panel by the door suddenly buzzed, signaling that
their presence was required in the dining room again. Quinn
quickly refastened Julian's tunic and wiped his face
gently. "Trust me. Please."

With their controlled expressions back in place, they left
the Galley and entered their owner's presence once again. 

As Quinn stood quietly by while the Intendant bade her
guest farewell, his formidable mind began to work in
earnest for the first time since he was sent here. He would
need this night to reacquaint himself with his powers,
perhaps to practice a jump or two. He wanted to be sure
that he wouldn't make any of his old mistakes. He didn't
want to harm Julian by accident.

He continued to ponder as he cleared away the night's
dishes and tidied up the dining area. 

Then, with a whirling mind, he retired to the small pallet
in the Galley where he supposedly slept and considered what
had taken place.

****** 

SEVEN.

I thought all right. I nearly thought the paint off the
walls. But I had forgotten how powerful the thoughts of Q
could be. <SIGH> I should have realized. I *should* have
been more careful. But I was so angry with Broca for
hurting that sweet creature, you see? *My* sweet creature.
I hated him for not realizing the value of what he had. All
I could think of was that I wanted his wretched neck
broken. Hmmm. Oh yes, I certainly did. I wanted him
*dead*... I've never hated like that before. I didn't think
it was possible to feel so much passion in anger. My word,
was *I* learning few things about myself. I should have
been more careful. I was directly responsible for what took
place that night. *And* for the horrible events that
followed. Oh yes, all my fault...

***** 

"You!" One of the Intendant's bodyguards, a huge Klingon
named Kerg, leaned through the door of the Galley. "All
slaves are to assemble in the main room!"

Without comment, Quinn rose to his feet and obeyed the
order.

His mind was still filled with images... scenarios. He had
given much consideration to what he next move would be. He
had felt the power returning to him as the night
progressed, swelling in waves. But he has hesitant to act.
Past unfortunate mistakes had made him wary of simply
releasing his talents again. He shuddered when he thought
back on what had happened during his short sojourn on board
the ship, Voyager. How he had tried to erase himself and
instead had erased every male on the vessel. He did *not*
want anything like that to happen to Julian.

As the hours had passed, Quinn had found his thoughts
turning to Broca, and he had felt the rage seething through
him. In his mind's eye, he had pictured the heavily
featured Cardassian with his Human body slave, a hideous
grin of lust and cruelty plastered across his face. He
pictured him thrusting carelessly into Julian's supple body
with hard and unremitting strokes. He could so clearly see
the Human's silent grimace of agony as he struggled to
endure without complaint, as he had been taught. With rage
boiling through him, the sound of his own heart pounding in
his ears, Quinn had envisioned that Gul Broca would not be
satisfied with just taking his slave like that. Images of a
solid fist connecting with a fragile body had filled his
head, images of knotted whips and blood welling through
broken golden skin washed through him.

And his fury grew. 

A sudden picture of Gul Broca, lying replete and satisfied
on his soft bed, while his body slave lay crumpled on the
floor nearby. It was so clear.

Uncaring of the Human's soft sounds of pain and distress,
the thuggish Cardassian sighed and rolled over, getting
himself comfortable. Across the room, half hidden in the
shadows, a beautiful young man slowly curled up and leaned
against the wall. Sweat dewed his face, his breath was
shallow and reedy. He trembled uncontrollably from pain and
shock while the blood from his ravaged torso soaked through
the soft cloth of his torn tunic. 

Quinn felt all the towering anger of his own soul directed
at the brutish Cardassian who had caused such pain to the
young man. He pictured Broca's eyes suddenly widening in
horrified realization as the strange pressure began to
build in his neck. He pictured the hapless First Officer
pulling in a breath to cry out. He pictured it as far too
late. In his mind, Quinn could even hear the muffled crack
of heavy bone as Broca's neck snapped. 

Of all the scenarios Quinn had imagined that night, this
one had been by far the most satisfying. 

Now, as he followed the Klingon through to the Intendant's
luxurious drawing room, he wondered what this was all
about. He had such plans for today...

The Intendant's attaché, the same Cardassian who
originally taken Quinn from the cells, was waiting for them
as Quinn joined the gathered ranks of the Intendant's
humanoid possessions. 

"You will form up and follow me to the Promenade," he told
them without preamble. "You will watch what takes place
there very carefully and you will learn from it. Value this
lesson."

The Cardassian seemed to be seething with outrage as he
turned away and led them out of the Intendant's quarters,
the Klingon guards bringing up the rear.

As they reached the Promenade and assembled in the place
designated for the Intendant's slaves, Quinn realized that
nearly every single Terran on the station was gathered
here. They were all heavily guarded and the atmosphere was
oppressively silent and fearful. 

Quinn leaned over and whispered to the slave next to him,
a young Trill female who he knew was the Intendant's
current favorite. "What is happening?"

She looked back at him with huge, frightened eyes. "An
execution," she replied softly. "I was with the Mistress
last night when the murder was reported."

Quinn blinked. "Murder?"

The trill nodded. "The First Officer was found dead late
last night. His body slave had broken his neck while he
slept."

Suddenly cold with shock, Quinn stiffened and gasped.
Could it possibly have been..? He had envisioned it so
clearly... could he actually have killed the monstrous Gul
last night? Rubbing his hands over his face, Quinn decided
that it very well could have happened. Dismay swamped him.
Julian would have been alone with the Gul last night.
Julian would have been the only one there to blame.

Desperately, Quinn scanned the assembled crowd, wondering
where the Human could be. He had the answer to that
question almost immediately as the Intendant made her way
through the clear path in the center of the gathered
Terrans.  Behind her, two burly Klingons dragged a young
and slender Human.

Quinn breathed hitched in with horror. It was Julian, and
he looked half dead. He shook his head in helpless denial.
How could they *possibly* believe that Julian, with his
slender hands and his slight build, was capable of breaking
the solid neck of a fully-grown Cardassian male?

The Intendant mounted the podium at the front of the crowd
and looked out over them sternly. As the Human was dragged
up, unresisting and passive behind her, she began to speak. 

"You are here today to witness the execution of a
murderer," she declared in ringing tones. "This Terran
behind me committed an unforgivable transgression. He
killed his Master, and so in turn, he will be killed." She
smiled at them. "Witness this, my poor little Terrans. See
how merciful I am, even though I am so deeply vexed by this
terrible act of treason on a good man who always treated
his Terrans fairly. This one will die quickly." Her face
hardened. "The next slave who dares to defy his Master will
*not* be so fortunate."

Quinn did not hear her. All he knew was Julian. He shook
his head as the young man was tethered to a steel cross-
frame to one side of the podium. The sharp eyes of the Q
took in every single mark on him. The Intendant had said
she was merciful, but Quinn saw no evidence of that. Julian
had been beaten to within an inch of his life. His face was
barely recognizable, so bloodied and swollen that Quinn
doubted that Julian could even see. Quinn also sincerely
doubted that Julian knew where he was. Or what had befallen
him. Blood soaked his clothing, and his hands... Quinn
shuddered as he focused on those slender, delicate hands.
They had been broken, the long fingers grotesquely twisted
and swollen. 

The Intendant nodded at the guards. The hard-bitten
Klingons raised their disruptors.

Quinn could feel it rising in him, flowing through his
blood, surging through his flesh. Julian... all that
beauty, all that warmth and affection, all that
potential... about to be destroyed. About to be wasted.

"A purpose..." Quinn whispered. 

Around him his fellow slaves turned to him, one after the
other, their faces draining of color and their eyes
widening as they felt wave upon wave of power buffeting out
at them from Quinn's body. They began to move away from
him, clustering together like frightened sheep.

No one on the podium noticed the commotion below them, so
intent were they on their dreadful display. At a ringing
order from the Intendant, the guards sighted along their
weapons.

Quinn's eyes, his mind, his entire being, focused on one
point and one alone. He opened the gates of his mind and
allowed the full power to flow through him. The power of Q.

"My purpose..." he whispered again.

Coldly, the Intendent gave the order. The guards primed
their weapons to fire. 

Quinn noted that one of them started to smile.

"I HAVE PURPOSE!" Quinn screamed, his voice ear
shattering, augmented by his anger. The power burst from
him in a sudden, furious whirlwind. It flung the assembled
mortals, both Terran and others, to the floor, tumbling
them like rag dolls. Around the Promenade, glass plate
frontages and windows detonated into millions of twinkling
shards, one after the other, as Terok Nor shuddered from
the force of Quinn's wrath. 

Quinn, his eyes flashing, his face determined, strode
towards the podium with streams of energy crackling around
him, warping the very air. There would be *no* mistakes
this time. 

With slow and terrible grace, he raised his hand.

***** 

EIGHT.

I *told* you I got angry, didn't I. <LAUGHTER>. Hmmm. Yes
I did, oh my. It was enormously satisfying too, might I
add. I was only sorry that I hadn't acted earlier. Poor
sweet Julian. He was in a terrible way. His mind was nearly
flat with his fear and confusion. Could you *imagine* what
it must have been like for him? He knew *nothing* of what I
had done. He was simply dragged from his crumpled place by
that dark wall and brought to the Intendant. From Julian's
perspective, it would have been for no apparent reason that
he was beaten and ravaged. He would not have been given any
chance to speak. You know, the only thing the Intendant
insisted on was that he be left alive to face his
execution. <GRIM SMILE>. I won't repeat some of the
terrible things they did to him in the space of a few short
hours. You don't really need to know. Take it from me, his
poor, poor hands were the *least* of it. Oh yes, I had my
work cut out for me there. Lots of repairs to do. But first
there was a brief conversation that could no longer be
denied...

***** 

//So, you made your decision.// 

Quinn turned and saw Q, striding across the featureless
black plain towards him. //How...//

Q smiled smugly. //We felt you. We brought you back
here.// Those brilliant eyes sparkled. //You don't think we
would have *actually* let go of you completely, did you? We
kept a watch on things.//

//Where is he?//

Q shrugged. //You're little mortal? He's fine. You'll get
him back. If that's what you want...//

Quinn nodded, his eyes narrowing. //It is.//

Q looked at him for a long moment, his face speculative,
almost pensive. //It seems so odd to me that out of *all*
the things you could have done in that universe, out of the
myriad of possibilities opened to you, you chose to find
purpose in one single being.//

Quinn smiled. //Is it really so odd, Q? I always was fond
of the more personal touch.//

//Hmmm. Yes, you never *were* much for the grander
gesture, were you? Although I *must* say, that little scene
on the Promenade – most impressive.//

Quinn inclined his head.

//So,// Q asked him. //What will you do with your mortal
now?//

//Teach him. Learn from him. There is much I can do on
this smaller scale. I had never considered it before,
but... there really *is* purpose in caring for one.// Quinn
smiled at Q again.

//You cannot give him immorality, you know.//

//I know. But I can extend his life.//

//Not forever.//

Quinn shrugged. //For long enough.//

Q stared at him again, his face settling into a serious
expression. //You have met your side of the bargain, Quinn.
We will not interfere. Just don't fiddle with the fabric of
time and reality if you can at all help it. That always
gives me headache.//

And then he was gone.

Quinn concentrated, found what he was looking for in short
order and raised his hand. In the blink of an eye, he was
gone too.

****** 

EPILOGUE.

Julian woke slowly to the sound of wind sighing through
trees. He opened his eyes and spent some moments just
staring up at the patches of blue sky that showed through
the canopy of leaves above him.

Where the dappled sunlight touched his face and arms, if
felt warm. He smiled. It was wonderful. He hadn't felt the
sunlight in along, long time.

He was lying in soft, deep grass. The earth under him
smelt fresh. The breeze that touched his skin was gentle.

He sat up and looked around, bemused, but not really
afraid. He was in a small clearing surrounded by trees. A
tiny creek babbled endlessly at one side of it and little
white wildflowers were dotted about the place.

He looked at his hands, staring at them in amazement. He
put them to his face... ran them over his chest and sides.
He was healed. Completely healed.

"Did I die?" he asked himself softly.

//No. You didn't die, Julian,// a familiar voice murmured
softly in his mind.

"Quinn?"

//Yes. I'm here. Come to me, Julian. I want to show you
something.//

Baffled, Julian got to his feet and followed a small track
that led away from the clearing. He didn't question how he
knew which way to go, he simply went.

Presently, the trees thinned out and he found himself
walking up a grassy knoll. At the top stood Quinn, dressed
in light, flowing linen. Absently, Julian acknowledged that
he was dressed in the same fashion.

Quinn was smiling at him as he approached.

"Where are we?" Julian asked him.

"A special place," Quinn replied. "A place I made for you."

"For me? How..?"

"Look!" Quinn pointed off into the distance.

Julian's eyes followed and he felt his jaw drop in
astonishment. 

Paradise. Flowing, rolling fields of flower carpeted
grass, crossed here and there with shimmering creeks and
small, clear pools. It stretched on for miles. Off in the
far distance, was the smallest outline of low hills on the
horizon.

"It's beautiful," Julian breathed.

Quinn stepped close to him and wrapped one arm about his
slim shoulders. The gesture was welcome, his nearness was
comforting.

"It's ours," Quinn said softly.

"It looks... so free," Julian replied, tears coming to his
eyes. "How did... who *are* you Quinn? Really?"

"I'm your friend, sweet Julian. For now that is all you
need to know."

Julian pressed closer to him. He had learned a long time
ago not to question why. So Quinn was not what had seemed?
So what? It was obvious that he could do things that
ordinary Terrans could not. Quinn had power. 

Julian knew how to behave around men with power.

He burrowed his face into Quinn's warm shoulder. Quinn had
saved him, had healed him, and had brought him here. There
was really only one thing that Julian needed to know.

"So, am I yours now?" he asked.

Quinn laughed gently. "Oh yes," he replied. "You're mine
now... although not *quite* in the way you are used to." He
looked fondly down into Julian's face. "Very soon, I think,
you'll come to understand that I am *yours* as well."

Julian sighed and looked at him with a tired smile.
Quinn's face, though not handsome, was kindly. It was an
appealing face, he decided. He trusted Quinn's face.

"I don't understand you at all, Quinn." Julian shook his
head.

Quinn kissed him gently. It was just as nice as Julian
remembered it. "You will, sweet Julian. In time. I have,
oh... *so* much to tell you. So much to explain to you and
to show you. It could take a very long time, you know." He
paused, frowning, then he shrugged. "No matter. We'll have
*all* the time we'll need."

"Why, Quinn?" Julian touched his savior's face with gentle
fingertips, feeling the wonder of all of this flowing
through him. "Why did you do this for me?"

Quinn smiled. "Because you gave me purpose."

***** 

LAST WORD.

And he has, you know. Every single day since the day I
took him away from that brutal place. It hasn't waned...
hasn't faded. His *wonder* at everything... his *joy*! Oh,
it makes it all fresh again in my eyes. It's really
marvelous. <FOND LOOK DOWNWARD>. He's so delightful. So
enchanting. I adore him, you know. I adore filling up his
mind and senses with new experiences. And in return? He
fills me up with new experiences too. <WICKED CHUCKLE. SLOW
STROKE OVER SOFT HAIR> He's such a sexual creature, oh *my*
yes, he certainly is. I love that. Hmmmm. I love to
*wallow* in it. I'll bet my family never had me pegged as a
sensualist. Take him now for example, curled up beside me,
his head in my lap. He's dreaming about birds again. He
loves birds. He's always doing that, you know. Not dreaming
about birds, I mean, but crawling into my lap. Or ducking
under my arm so that I have to hold him. Or pressing his
beautiful face into my neck and just *breathing* me in...
He still looks the same as when I first brought him here.
<GRIN>. I cheated. I've kept him young. He'll remain young
for as long as he's with me. <SIGH> I thought it was time.
You know... to tell the story. After four hundred years,
oh, well at least *Earth* years, I can't blame you for
wanting to know. So there it is. I'm still alive and happy
to remain so. Because I found purpose. 

Simple isn't it?

Purpose.

END