Chapter 34

Picard's eyes momentarily shut and when he opened them again, he experienced a moment of déjà vu. Normally he just dismissed those feelings but this time it was different. He couldn't quite put his finger on what was causing the strange feeling, but he just sensed something was amiss.

"Computer have we experienced any energy anomalies?"

"Negative. Energy readings have not fluctuated."

"Has our position in space made any unexpected changes?"

"Negative. We are still within the cluster of asteroids."

Picard felt a wave of dizziness and sat down before making a third inquiry to the computer.

"Computer, how long have I been in my quarters?"

"You have been in your quarters for 97.5 minutes."

Picard closed his eyes again and as things seemed to be clearing up, his suspicions that something unusual had happened were fading.

He sat for many minutes looking around his quarters. He had several possessions on display and usually they held a lot of pleasure for him. However tonight, he felt restless.

Try as he might, Jean-Luc could not concentrate on his paperwork. Finally he simply gave up and decided to go for a walk. He changed out of his leisure clothes into his uniform and wandered around the ship, and finally found himself at the entrance to Ten-Forward.

Through the portal windows, he could see Guinan as she tended to the patrons in the lounge. Jean-Luc entered the dimly lit room and sat down at a table in a quiet corner flanked on both sides with windows. Several minutes later, Guinan placed a drink on the table and quietly observed, "You look like a man with something on his mind, Captain,"

Picard looked up at Guinan and a surge of pleasure at hearing her voice went through his body. He felt his spirits lift and he regarded the dark woman as a very close, old friend. He felt their friendship spanned more than a normal amount of years.

"Please join me Guinan." He lifted the sugar-rimmed, linen-wrapped glass and sipped on the hot liquid. "Mmm… what is this beverage."

"It's an earth drink specially for those times you need an extra bit of comforting. It's called blueberry tea."

"Blueberry tea?"

"Actually it is made with earth liquors Amaretto and Grand Marnier. It has been a favorite in bars for several hundred years."

"Do you think I'm in the need of extra comforting?"

"Well you looked like you had something on your mind and I thought you could use something warm to drink."

Picard sipped on the beverage, "It is delicious, thank you my friend."

"So how have you been Captain?"

Picard took a deep sigh and another sip of the drink before he answered. "I feel a little at odds tonight. I just couldn't concentrate on my paperwork. After wandering around the ship I found myself here." He looked at his friend and smiled wanly.

Guinan let a winsome smile cross her features but didn't say anything.

While Picard's head was turned towards her, a shimmery apparition appeared in space just behind him.

Guinan was careful not to bring attention to the figure only she could discern at this angle.

Q placed his left hand on his hip and with his right hand he wiped imaginary tears away from his eyes while putting on the saddest face he could muster and shook his head in misery.

Guinan simply turned her eyes away ignoring the alien. When he realized he was being ignored, Q crossed his arms in front of him and vanished.

Picard had something on his mind and finally leaned forward and asked, "Guinan have you ever thought about having a little garden on the ship and growing some flowers?