Qpid ( episode ) Q picks up on romantic tensions between Captain Picard and an old flame , transporting them and the senior officers into a representation of " Robin Hood " . Summary . Teaser . The entire senior staff of the is attending a lecture on archaeology , presented by Jean - Luc Picard . It is held in orbit over Tagus III , a planet with extensive archeological ruins that have been closed off to any excavations or study for a number of years . Picard is nervously reviewing his speech when Counselor Troi walks in and reassures him that his speech is fine and he should get some sleep . When Picard returns to his quarters and dims the lights , one light remains on , shining on a " horga ' hn " sitting on his table . When he picks it up , Vash reveals herself and they passionately kiss . Act One . Vash and the captain discuss why she is at Tagus III over tea the next morning . Vash ' s responses are vague , not admitting to being a member of the archeology council , but Picard is pleased to see her . Then , Doctor Crusher arrives unexpectedly . Picard is caught off - guard and stammers when introducing Vash . Beverly is surprised that Jean - Luc never mentioned that he met Vash while on vacation on Risa . ( ) Crusher offers to give her a tour while Picard is busy . Picard reluctantly agrees , and Vash promises to " behave herself . " Crusher takes her to Ten Forward and , while getting them drinks , Commander Riker tries to make a pass at her . She turns the tables on him completely and introduces herself , but is disturbed that neither Riker nor Crusher knew of her or of the captain meeting her on Risa . Riker agrees to continue her tour , which takes them to the bridge , where she runs into Picard again and promises to see him at the reception later . At the reception , it is obvious that " no one " in Picard ' s crew knew of her or her involvement with the captain , particularly when even the ship ' s counselor knew nothing about Vash . She confronts Picard about this . He insists that it wasn ' t appropriate for him to discuss their involvement , but she accuses him of being embarrassed by her presence . Picard returns to the bridge and angrily goes straight to his ready room , where Q is waiting for him , sitting at his chair reading his speech on a PADD . Act Two . Q reveals that he has come to repay his debt to Picard for helping him when he was stripped of his powers a year prior . Picard tells Q that leaving would be repayment enough , but Q insists that he has to do something to actually help the captain . After refusing Q ' s offers to help him with his speech , take him to the Taguan ruins , and take him to the ruins back before the official sanctions were in place " billions " of years before , Q vanishes . Picard informs Riker that Q is around and wants to do something ' nice ' . Riker tells Picard he ' ll alert the crew . Picard goes to visit Vash and apologize , but when he enters her quarters he finds maps of the ruins and mining equipment . When he confronts her about her habit of robbing archaeological sites , Vash states it ' s simply who she is and she can ' t change that . Picard agrees with the sentiment and they say they have nothing more to say to each other . Picard leaves , but we see Q stick his head in through the wall . Q confronts Picard in his quarters while he is trying to sleep , gloating because he finally figured out why he noticed something different about Picard , then reveals that he observed Picard ' s " spat " with Vash and regrets not appearing as a female initially . He warns Picard that love is dangerous and offers to get rid of Vash for him . Picard reacts strongly and Q brings up his debt again , which Picard dismisses . Q vanishes . At the speech the next day , the senior staff are all sitting in the back row as Picard starts speaking . Something is wrong however : Dr . Crusher and Troi acquire triangular hats , Commander Riker suddenly is holding a quarterstaff , and Data acquires a monastic robe . The changes cause a buzz in the audience and when Picard stops speaking , he is suddenly wearing a period costume and they all vanish and reappear in a woodland . The senior staff quickly recognize that they ' ve been cast in the guise of Robin Hood and his Merry Men , and identify Q as the culprit . Before they can guess further , a noble figure arrives with troops and confronts them . Act Three . Worf attacks him and is wounded , while the others retreat into the forest . After eluding their attackers , Q arrives in the guise of the Sheriff of Nottingham and explains that he set all of this up and it is quite real and beyond his control , except that Maid Marian will be executed unless Robin comes to save her . Picard realizes that Vash has been drafted by Q to play the role of Marian . In the castle , Vash is angry and confused , ignoring her lady in waiting who assumes she is ill and insulting Sir Guy of Gisbourne . He asks once again if she will marry him , and she slaps him hard across the face . Sir Guy is about to storm out of the room but mentions her execution . After that revelation , she becomes more amiable to him . Back in the forest , some of the crew try to fit into their roles with mixed success , including Data being accidentally shot with an arrow by Troi . The captain tells Riker that he will attempt to rescue Vash on his own , despite Riker ' s protests . Act Four . At the castle , Q is surprised and frustrated at Vash and Sir Guy being so agreeable to each other . When Sir Guy dismisses her back to her chamber , we see Captain Picard disguised as a hooded worker in the castle . Back in her room , Picard climbs in through Vash ' s window and briefly explains the situation . However , Vash is reluctant to escape with him when she hears he has come alone . She says she will stay and marry Sir Guy if it comes to it , but Picard picks her up to carry her . When guards burst in , she pulls his sword on him , causing his capture . Q looks on in amusement . That night , Vash calls her maid in and tells her to deliver a letter to Robin ' s men in Sherwood forest . The maid is reluctant and stalls until Q interrupts and reveals that he is intrigued by Vash ' s actions , leading her to deduce his identity . Then he reads her letter to Picard ' s crew and compliments her for her duplicity , admitting she fooled him . Despite saying she ' s worth further study , he calls the guards and declares Vash will be executed . Act Five . On the morning of the execution , Vash and Picard go to the block arguing about who was more foolish in their actions . Q asks Picard if he ' s learned anything and Picard demands Q set Vash free . While all of this is going on , it is revealed that Data , La Forge , and Riker have disguised themselves and are in the watching crowd . La Forge declares that there are too many guards and Riker asks Data for a diversion . Data removes a component from his wrist and tosses it into a nearby torch . Meanwhile , Sir Guy calls for the execution to proceed . Momentarily shocked that Q is going to allow it to go on , Picard places his head on the block . Just as the headsman is going to bring the axe down , however , the torch explodes and the " Enterprise " crew attacks . Picard gets drawn into a duel with Sir Guy , eventually defeating him and going to the tower to find Vash . Picard calls for an end to the charade and Q appears and congratulates him on his performance , assuring him that his crew are all fine , but berates him for allowing Vash ( the metaphor for love in Picard ' s case ) to expose negative qualities in him . Vash disagrees , saying it brought out the best in the captain . Q dismisses them back to the " Enterprise " , though Vash is nowhere to be found on the ship . Returning to his ready room , Vash appears in safari garb and explains to Picard that she and Q had things to discuss and that Q had proved he still cared about her . When Picard asks where she ' s going next , Q appears and reveals that they ' ve decided to partner with each other . Picard objects , listing Q ' s negative qualities , then realizes that Q and Vash are more alike than he ' d realized . Picard tells Q that he can repay his debt by guaranteeing Vash ' s safety . Q agrees , then leaves to give them a moment to say goodbye ( although he briefly reappears , claiming to have forgotten his hat ) . Vash and the captain kiss , say goodbye , and Vash vanishes . Memorable quotes . " " Bring back any memories ? " " " " Nice legs . . . for a Human . " " " " Jean - Luc , it ' s wonderful to see you again . How about a big hug ? " " " " I suppose we could travel back in time . You could see what Tagus was like two billion years ago . They " really " knew how to party back in those days . " " " " Well , don ' t just stand there . Say something . " " " " Get out of my chair ! " " " " Without your assistance on our last encounter I would never have survived . I would have taken my own life but for you . " " " " We all make mistakes . " " " " Tell me what is it you wish , and I ' ll be gone . " " " " Just be gone . That ' ll do nicely . " " " " Some other time Q , right now , I have other matters to attend to . " " " " Oh yes , your speech . I read it , it ' s dull , plodding , pedantic , much like yourself . " " " " I ' ve just been paid a visit from Q . " " " " Q ? Any idea what he ' s up to ? " " " " He wants to do something nice for me . " " " " I ' ll alert the crew . " " " " I knew there was something different about you . You seem tense , preoccupied , somewhat smaller . At first , I thought it was that horrible lecture of yours , but I was mistaken . " " " " I had such high hopes for you , Picard . I thought that you were a bit more . . . evolved than the rest of your species but now I realize you ' re just as weak as all the others . Still it pains me , to see the great Jean - Luc Picard brought down . . . by a woman . " " " " She ' s found a vulnerability in you . . . a vulnerability I ' ve been looking for years . If I had known sooner , I would have appeared as a female . " " " " Sir , I protest ! I am not a merry man ! " " " " I will not play the fool for Q ' s amusement ! " " " " Sorry . " " " " I ' ll have you know I ' m the greatest swordsman in all of Nottingham ! " " " " Very impressive . There ' s something you should know . " " " " And what would that be ? " " " " I ' m not from Nottingham ! " " " " He ' s devious , and amoral , and unreliable , and irresponsible , and - - and definitely not to be trusted ! " " " " Remind you of anyone you know ? " " " " As a matter of fact , it does . " " Links and references . References . 47 ; 12th century ; Achilles ' heel ; Alan - a - Dale ; archaeology ; artifact ; " As You Like It " ; banishment ; bleeding ; bow and arrow ; brain ; castle ; chamber ; bridge clearance ; confession ; counselor ; costume ; death penalty ; debt ; decapitation ; detective story ; Earth ; England ; environment ; ethics ; evolution ; eye ; fantasy ; Federation ; Federation Archaeology Council ; female ; fever ; fiction ; Friar Tuck ; game ; gesture ; gift ; guard ; hedge robber ; hell ; High Sheriff of Nottingham ; " horga ' hn " ; husband ; insanity ; intercostal support ; jackal ; kiss ; Klabnian eel ; Klarc - Tarn - Droth ; lamb ; lecture ; leech ; leg ; letter ; Little John ; London ; long sword ; Maid Marian ; maiden ; mandolin ; manners ; map ; marriage ; McFarland ; Merry Men ; Nottingham ; Nottingham Castle ; Number one ; oak ; outlaw ; poison ; poverty ; puncture ; prisoner ; reception ; religion ; Robin Hood ; Sarthong V ; ; secondary subprocessor ; sentence ; Sherwood Forest ; shorts ; snare ; sociology ; spell ; sorcery ; spirits ; star ; suicide ; Switzer ; swordsman ; symposium ; Tagus III ; theft ; throw rug ; toast ; traitor ; treason ; vacation ; Vulcan s ; wedding gift ; wife ; window