In the Valley of the Shadow (Star Trek: TNG story)

Star Trek TNG Fanfiction
Title:	In the Valley of the Shadow
Author(s):	Jeanita Danzik
Date(s):	1997
Length:
Genre:	slash
Fandom:	Star Trek: The Next Generation
External Links:	online here
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In the Valley of the Shadow is a Star Trek: TNG Picard/Q story by Jeanita Danzik.

It is a sequel to The Best of All Possible Worlds.

It was posted to alt.startrek.creative and was the winner of an ASC Award.

Summary

"Sequel to "Best of All Possible Worlds". Mirror Picard has become Emperor with Q's assistance. While Q is investigating why the Mirror Universe is so dark, Mirror Picard discovers that Q has continued to have a relationship with the regular Picard, and feels betrayed. M/M sex. P/Q, P/Mirror!P, Mirror!P/Q, P/OFC."

Author's Notes

Well, everybody, this is a followup to The Best of All Possible Worlds. I didn't intend to write it, but I started wondering what Picard would be like after living with an omnipotent immortal lover for twenty years, and here you go. This story refers to events that occurred in BOAPW, so parts of it may not make a lot of sense if you haven't read it. There's enough purple angst in here to make even me happy, so take this as a MAJOR SCHMALTZ ALERT. There's a little sex, of course. 'Our' Jean-Luc has a wife and children, and some of them show up; Q's in here, naturally. Let's see, same naming convention as before. Our Jean-Luc is 'Jean-Luc.' A/U Jean-Luc is 'Picard,' except Beverly addresses him directly as Jean-Luc. Double slashes, like this, '//,' indicate telepathic communication. I suppose I should round up the usual disclaimers and caveats: Some of the characters belong to Paramount as does the Star Trek Universe, and I'm not making any money off them. Feel free to circulate this story, but keep headers intact. This contains a few graphic descriptions of m/m sexual activity, so mom, dad, hide the children. My sincere thanks to Ruth and Alara for their helpful comments. That said, enjoy.

Reactions and Reviews

The previous story in the series, The Best of All Possible Worlds, won a well-deserved ASC award last year. Jeanita excels in her description of Emperor Picard in this alternate universe story. I was charmed and drawn in by how he ruled the universe -- and in turn, Q ruled him in the most old-fashioned of ways, by serving him and meeting his needs as only an omnipotent being can. I felt myself in that palace, and a beautiful dream of power it was. A compelling presentation of an alternate universe that really should have been.