This chat was part of the live coverage of Paramount's official celebration of Star Trek's 30th anniversary, held in Huntsville, Alabama.

Question: We've heard that you knew Kate Mulgrew before your appearance together on Star Trek: Voyager.

John de Lancie: I knew Kate long before I started working on Voyager and I would say that the amount of time prior to the time of Voyager was about 10 years or so...

Q: How is it working together?

JDL: It's nice. Working with Kate is a matter of us creating a relationship onscreen.

And it has nothing to do with our relationship off screen. So we have to create a new relationship that will be as compelling as the one between Picard and myself.

Q: How has your role as "Q" affected your relationship with your children?

JDL: I'm much more authoritarian with my children. I have tried to send them to other galaxies and I've tried to freeze them, and I do a lot of finger snapping around the house.

And I'm thinking of sending them off for scientific experiments.

Q: Will you appear in "Star Trek: First Contact"?

JDL: Yes, I am in FIRST CONTACT. The entire movie is about my relationship with myself, hence "first contact."

Q: Good afternoon from Maryland. I saw you recently on a repeat episode of 6 Million $ Man. How many shows would you guess that you've acted on?

JDL: Oh, a good hundred or so.

Q: Will we see Q again on Star Trek: Voyager or Star Trek: Deep Space Nine?

JDL: Yes, you will be seeing me in "Star Trek: Voyager." I start shooting on Wednesday.

Q: John, loved you in Star Trek: Voyager. How's Huntsville?

JDL: It's great. It's one of the best conventions I've come to. Too bad you weren't here.

Q: What are you working on now outside of STAR TREK?

JDL: Leonard Nimoy and I have set up a company called Alien Voices, and w have just finished recording THE TIME MACHINE and JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH.

The purpose of the company is to dramatize classic science fiction and present them as fully produced audio tapes.

Q: What made the character Q such a menacing character despite not being a typical evil sinister cliche?

JDL: Just that, typical evil characters are not usually taken very seriously. Just in the same way that if you saw a wacko walking down the street toward you, you would walk to the other side to ignore him or get out of his way, I like to play my characters closer to the vest...

I play him as your brother and in that way you don't know how evil he is.

Q: How tall are you?

JDL: 7'9", and my shoe size is 21.

Q: Did you ever watch the original Star Trek? If so, who was your favorite character?

JDL: I enjoyed the original Star Trek, particularly, and I didn't really have a favorite character.

Q: Was your experience in making the CD-ROM STAR TREK: BORG different from the making of the TV episodes?

JDL: Yes, it was very different because most of the time you're speaking directly into the camera.

"Tapestry," "Death Wish," "All Good Things."

Q: What character will you play in "Star Trek: First Contact"?

JDL: I am playing First Contact. I play both First and Contact.

Q: Do you consider Q to be a cunning villain or surprisingly human?

JDL: I don't consider him to be either. I consider him to be both.

Q: Did you have fun on "Days of Our Lives" ?

JDL: Yes, I had great fun on "Days of Our Lives."

Although I didn't know it at the time.

Q: What more could be done with your character? What would you like to see happen?

JDL: It's not an issue I ever think about. In as much as I don't hire myself, it all falls under the heading of daydreaming.

Q: Other than "Q" what types of roles do you like to play?

JDL: The types of rolls that I like to play are ones that I can bring as much of myself as possible. That's a large category but it's also a tall order. There are not that many roles out there or people who want to hire me to bring myself to the role.

Q: Will you lend your voice to "Gargoyles?"

JDL: I play Doctor Quest on "JOHNNY QUEST", and I just finished "JEN 13".

Q: Has your popularity as "Q" made it more or less difficult for you to find acting jobs?

JDL: I don't know. It's hard to tell. You're not told when you don't get something as to the reason.

Q: Anything else you're currently working on?

JDL: I'm working on an idea where Star Trek fans can be cremated at Paramount, and I'd be delighted to sign their urn