Chapter 4

by Starsinger

I realize Guinan wasn't introduced until the Second Season, but that doesn't mean she, and Ten Forward didn't exist before, right? She and Q will not encounter each other here. Oh, she'll be aware of his presence, she just doesn't want to socialize with them. Do you blame her? Don't own them.

She wore purple that morning, she too had boarded the Enterprise at FarPoint Station. She was possibly the only person on board who was older than Jim, and she was absolutely fascinated by him. Almost as fascinated as she was with the Ship's Captain. Guinan was her name, and she was a member of a race on the verge of extinction, the El-Aurians. Their numbers made Vulcans look positively over-populated. Their plights were both caused by alien races. For the Vulcans, it was a Romulan, for the El-Aurians it was the Borg.

Most of the ship's complement had made it to Ten Forward by now, but it was one person she wanted to meet. She placed two glasses on a table and poured whiskey into both, even knowing he couldn't drink it. "Jim?" she called. "Can you join me?"

Guinan waited. She was good at it. Her race wasn't called "The Watchers" for nothing. He finally appeared, walking over to the table where he sat and glanced at the glass. "Georgia whiskey?" Jim asked. "You know how to get to my heart."

"Comes from living a long time, you should know that. How are you and your new Brawn getting along?" she asked.

Jim leaned forward and placed his folded arms and joined hands on the table in front of him. "I'll break him in gently. I promised Bones I would."

"How's the family?" she asked.

"Mom and Dad passed away about twenty years ago. Peter has grandchildren, would you believe? Gary is still trying to figure out whether or not he wants that promotion to Admiral," Guinan chuckled. "I know. Bones is an Admiral and Gary can't decide whether or not he wants to be the same rank."

"You're an Admiral, too, Jim," Guinan reminded him.

"I know," Jim replied with a sigh. "If I was Bones I'd have picked up this glass and smelled it, and then extolled on the virtue of whiskey."

Guinan laughed, "You've been different all your life. Do you ever wish you had a body that wasn't artificial?"

Jim sighed. "Many times," he said. "You've asked a question that's been asked many, many times. Not anymore. If I'd been restricted to that body, I would not be able to go as far as I have. Do you miss your home?" he asked suddenly.

"Every day my heart aches for my lost people and home," she admitted. "So, what do you think of Ten Forward?"

"I like it," Jim admitted. "It's a place where everyone, regardless of rank or status as military or civilian can mix. I'm interested in people's reactions to synthehol."

"I wish Data had an emotion chip," Guinan mentioned.

"Why?" Jim asked.

"I'd love to see his reaction to the real stuff," Guinan said with a grin. Jim laughed. Guinan would make things very interesting.