Onward with the fic! :D :D

"I still find no reason to not trust him." Deanna sat across from Jean-Luc, her hands folded in her lap.

"Q's questions did bring to light the Master Chief's unwillingness to be completely open with us," the captain countered.

Deanna seemed unperturbed by his question. "How many times have we had to be less than completely honest in certain situations? I told my shares of lies when I posed as Rakal. You did the same when you claimed you were with Galan."

Jean-Luc shook his head. "Those were different circumstances."

"To us, yes." She drew in a deep breath. "All I sense for them is the desire to complete their mission. The fear I feel from them is real. Whatever Halo is, they know of its danger."

"I just wish they would tell us what that danger is."

"I believe if they felt like they could, they would, sir."

He sighed, trying to figure out what he should do.

It wasn't often that he was torn between two equally compelling arguments. When he had asked the Chief to leave the bridge, he had called a senior staff meeting. Both sides were represented at the table: Data, Geordi and Deanna all fell on the Chief's side while Will and Worf tended to show a bit more caution towards believing the Chief. Only Beverly, who had barely interacted with the Chief, had remained a neutral party.

In the end though, he dismissed his crew, without a decision made.

He assumed it was the indecision that had propelled Deanna to follow him into his Ready Room to make her case for the Master Chief and Cortana.

He walked to his window, cup of tea in hand, and looked at the giant ring that lay in front of the Enterprise.

What interest could Q possibly want with it?

That was what unsettled Jean-Luc the most. Why did Q care what happened to the ring?

He frowned slightly before he turned away from the glass. "Perhaps if I-" The door chime chirped. "Come," he called.

When the doors slid apart, Guinan was standing on the other side of them. His eyebrows rose and he straightened. "Guinan? Do what do I owe this visit?"

Deanna stood up and gave Guinan a soft smile. "I'll let you two talk." She walked out of the room as Guinan occupied the chair she had been sitting in.

Jean-Luc settled in his own seat. He barely had time to set down his cup before Guinan spoke. "I heard we had an unexpected visitor."

He wasn't surprised she knew; these sorts of things spread quickly throughout a ship so small as the Enterprise. "Yes. Q brought up some concerns about the Master Chief's mission."

"Really?" Her lips pressed together. "What kinds of concerns did he bring up?"

"Details about his mission. Details that the Master Chief refused to reveal."

She looked unfazed by his answer. "And this is surprising? I know you and and your crew have been on numerous classified missions yourself."

"But, I am the captain."

"And he is a Master Chief of the UNSC." She leaned back in her chair and appraised him. "Has he done anything that makes you question his intentions?"

"Guinan, he's been here for over two weeks and hardly anyone knows anything about him."

"Tell me. How many people on your senior staff call you by your first name after serving with you for over seven years?"

He shook his head and set down his cup of tea. "That's not a fair comparison. I am their senior officer."

"And you are a bunch of strangers to John." Her voiced softened. "I've talked with him. You should trust him."

There was something in her tone of voice that caught Jean-Luc's attention. She was hiding something from him. "Why? What is it about him that makes you believe him?"

"You've heard the stories about the origins of my people. How many millenia ago, humans mated with an advanced species which produced the El-Aurian?" She nodded out the window. "That advanced species, the Forerunners, built that."

"You know what that is?"

"I know whispers of the truth. A legend of a terrible weapon that led to the annihilation of the Forerunners and most other sentient life in the galaxy. If my people hadn't fled to a world that was safe from the Halo ring, they would have died too." She paused. "Whatever his mission is, you need to allow him to do it."

"Did he tell you why?"

"Yes." She didn't elaborate.

"Well?"

She shook her head. "I'm not going to tell you. There are some things that you are better off not knowing. You're going to have to just trust my judgment."

A flash of light appeared in the room. When it faded, Q was sprawled across his couch. "Sometimes even she has wisdom, you know."

"Q!"

Guinan barely masked the look of frustration on her face. "Oh, now you think he should listen to me."

"I was originally sent here by the Continuum. I have no desire to see events unfold in the way they were prefer," Q replied. "Since, you and I both know that Jean-Luc is going to listen to your council, I figure my commitment to the Continuum is complete. I failed. Woe is me."

He hopped up and leaned against the desk, crossing his arms. "This plan that was set into motion by her was not sanctioned by the Continuum. Of course, being the prudish bunch they are, most of them got offended and vowed to stop her plan from coming into fruition." He let out a long-suffering sigh. "It hasn't worked before, so I don't know why they were expecting anything different this time around."

Jean-Luc's eyebrows rose. "The Master Chief can be trusted then?"

"As annoying as they are, I can't go against the will of the Continuum. You will have to make your own judgment on the Tin Man. I will just say that..." The rest of his words were mumbled.

Jean-Luc's brow furrowed. "Say what?"

Guinan looked smug. "He said that I was right."

"Don't flatter yourself. Even a broken clock is correct twice a day." He stood up. "I trust that the fate of the universe is safe inside your unprepared hands."

Then, with a snap, he disappeared.