Q and Harry

[0_0_7]

Bond had done his best to soothe Q and, true to his word, Q lay in sleep mode between Bond and Harry.

Every night from then on.

This morning Bond had awoken feeling his age. They'd been here long enough that he'd run out of his stash of pills and potions, and there wasn't nearly enough to drink. Bond liked to think he was a young man, but the daily work of survival was taking its toll.

Swallowing his pride, he'd sought out medical and Hex had hit him with a hypospray and sent him back to bed for the rest of the day.

He was dozing in the cool pod, the computer streaming some music from Earth, long ago.

Comments

[qu4r73rm4573r]

"Fine, just a minor glitch. Systems check says it's nothing," Q assured them, looking embarrassed. "I didn't mean to interrupt your conversation."

[lepidopterologist]

"All right..." Harry said, studying his face. But he did seem fine. "Well, perhaps you're a bit stressed as well, Q."

[0_0_7]

"That isn't the first one, is it?" Bond asked.

His concern prompted him out of bed and into pants to move closer to Q.

[qu4r73rm4573r]

Q sighed, wishing he'd said nothing.

"I recovered a fraction of an erased memory," he explained. "It wasn't a glitch so much as unreadable data. I'm fine, it's less an error, more an ongoing process I've been attempting. It's running in the background, but when I'm not doing anything important I allow it to be my system's main function. I didn't consider the fact that it would attempt to play things as it recovered them."

[lepidopterologist]

"You've been trying to recover memories?" Harry asked, a little surprised, but also remembering their conversation recently. "What did you recover?"

[0_0_7]

Bond, too, was deeply curious. He knew Q had been reset- more than once. The thought it could all still be there lit up his eyes.

"What?" he parroted Harry.

[qu4r73rm4573r]

Q hesitated, then wet his lips with a flick of his tongue.

"It was a memory of being with James, in London. Presumably when he was running tests for Six."

He glanced at Bond then, not sure if he should stop, or say more.

[lepidopterologist]

Harry was even more curious how, but he stayed silent.

[0_0_7]

Bond arched a brow.

"They integrated all that, you said," he replied. "Are you saying...are you saying you might get it back?"

He didn't dare to hope. He couldn't take the heartbreak again.

[qu4r73rm4573r]

"I don't know. I mean, data is never truly gone, there are nearly always ways to recover it. I can't say I'll recover it all, but... Some, certainly," Q nodded. "This is the first large piece I've managed to salvage though."

[lepidopterologist]

“Do you think something triggered it?” Harry asked curiously. “Or was it just random?”

[0_0_7]

"Did one of us say something?" Bond asked, trying to recall what he and Harry had even been talking about.

[qu4r73rm4573r]

Q went a bit pink again, clearing his throat as he disposed of the broken mug.

"Erm, there was a mention of receiving orders, and the memory was tied to something along those lines," Q said awkwardly. "It was barely a moment, mostly audio. James and I were near an alley in London, and he offered me some instruction."

He glanced at James not sure the other man would even recall such a thing.

"I, of course, complied. I generally do unless the order is deemed a danger or hazard."

[lepidopterologist]

Harry was quiet in response to this. The way that Q seemed embarrassed, he thought that this was a quite particular kind of order, and particularly considering that last statement, he wasn’t sure how he felt about it.

[0_0_7]

It was Bond's turn to blush a little, clear his throat, and look away.

He knew precisely what night Q was talking about.

[qu4r73rm4573r]

"It wasn't a bad memory, just- Unexpected," Q assured them, looking away.

"Anyway, I'm fine. Apologies for breaking a mug, I know we have a limited amount."

[lepidopterologist]

“No apologies needed,” Harry said. “And - I’m glad to hear that it was a happy memory.” This was a bit pointed.

[0_0_7]

Bond realized he needed to turn to the wardrobe and get dressed before either of them saw how the memory had him half hard.

"Perhaps you'll recall more," he said, back to them.

[qu4r73rm4573r]

"I would like to," Q said. "Even if it's only fragments."

[lepidopterologist]

"It does seem rather unfair that both of us have memories of you that you do not have," Harry said.

Though none of his memories involved ordering Q to do something in a London alley.

[0_0_7]

"You've got no idea," Bond mumbled, pulling on his clothes.

[qu4r73rm4573r]

"I can't believe you're putting more clothes on, the temperature read out for the day is dreadful. We're advising people stay indoors until sunset," Q noted, watching Bond dress, then looking over at Harry.

"There's a high risk of sunstroke. Even more heat tolerant beings have been advised to stay inside," he explained.

[lepidopterologist]

"So we should spend the day inside with less clothing," Harry summarized, looking a bit amused.

[0_0_7]

"I was likely going to lay about. Hex was firm and I have a feeling if anyone here could best me in a fight, it might be him," Bond chuckled.

Once he was dressed, he settled back on the bed, this time pulling out a book.

[qu4r73rm4573r]

"I am capable of working in the heat, however... I was hoping this might be a good excuse for us all to... Do a bit more than just share a room," Q suggested nervously.