Chapter 14

"If we have business together, this is news to me," said Guinan to the strange man. "Do I know you sir?"

The man rolled his eyes. "Not yet…I mean it doesn't matter. We're meeting now, and it must be for a reason."

Guinan had a bad feeling about this. She remembered what Rob had said. "Sir, I should be getting back to my work."

The man reached around her and with a long arm gracefully shut the door to his cabin. "You can get back to serving these ignorant savages tea and crumpets, and reinforcing their pathetic illusions of superiority as soon as we're done talking," he said, sounding disgusted.

Guinan's eyes narrowed. "Well, I didn't exactly have my pick of professions, Mister..."

Q smiled. "Quentin," he said helpfully.

"Mister Quentin…you talk of these people as though you are not one of them. How are you any different from the rest of these passengers and their illusions of superiority?"

Q looked completely aghast at her statement. "I will have you know that any beliefs I have relating to my own superiority are hardly pathetic…and they are certainly no illusion."

Guinan backed toward the door. "I see…well, this has been enlightening Mr. Quentin, but as I said, I really must be getting back to work now. The passengers must have their tea and crumpets you know," she added.

Q frowned and stroked his well-groomed facial hair. "Enough with the games, El-Aurian."

Guinan froze. "You're not one of these E-arth people then," she said.

Q rolled his eyes again. "It is pronounced Earth…and as if it weren't obvious…no of course I'm not one of these Earth people," he said, dropping down lazily onto a plush couch and stretched out his long legs. He gestured for her to sit down across from him. "Don't worry by the way…they do get better. Just give them oh…three or four hundred years."

Guinan sat down, now more wary than when she had believed him to be from this planet. "Unfortunately for me, I am a bit short on time," she said. "And I certainly don't have time to wait around for them to evolve."

Q leaned back on his couch. "I know how much time you have El-Aurian—"

"My name is Guinan," she said mildly.

"…and I know how much time your people have…and I know why you're here."

"My people…what are you talking about?"

"Oh…don't be so coy, Guinan," Q chastised her gently. "You're here for the shard aren't you? If you've come to find it, you must fear that something truly awful is going to happen to your people in say…75 more of your years or so."

Guinan rubbed her temples. "You have the power to see the future? Will you tell me what you see then?"

"I have the power to see whatever I want to see, and to do whatever I want to do," said Q. "Which to be honest is not always all it is cracked up to be,"he added.

"But you won't tell me what happens to my people? My grandmother saw into the future too before she died, and I know that there will be some kind of invasion of my world and I want to prevent it…whatever it is. Please tell me."

Q seemed to think about this for a few moments, but then frowned and shook his head. "No. I won't tell you."

Guinan folded her hands in her lap. It was a method she used to calm herself when she was beginning to get angry. "It seems that omnipotence does not equal even a modicum of compassion," she said. "So if you know all and see all, why are you insisting on doing 'business' with me? What is it you want?"

Q glared at her and sat up straight. "I want to know your intent…once you have located the shard, I want to know what you intend to do with it."

Guinan shook her head in confusion. "I thought you just told me you could see anything you wanted. Why can't you see inside my mind? Why can't you look to the future and determine what I will do?"

Q's face darkened. Clearly he did not appreciate her pointing out potential defects in his abilities. "You have powers of your own…such as they are," he said. "Whether you know it or not, you have defenses which even for me are difficult to see through."

Guinan studied him. "If you know of the object I am seeking then you must also know of the Other. Why should I trust you?"

Q stared at her. "Because I want to prevent his return just as much as you do."

Wesley walked cautiously into the dining area where his mother sat hunched at the table over a cup of coffee. She was wearing her lab coat, and he knew she had recently returned from sick bay. He could tell she was deep in thought and after what had happened earlier that morning, he didn't want to startle her.

"Mom?"

She turned slightly to look at him through reddened eyes. She dabbed at her nose with a tissue. "Oh hi, honey. Come and sit down," she patted the chair next to her.

He sat down slowly. "Are you sure you don't want to be alone?"

Beverly shook her head and sipped her coffee. "No, I'm glad you're here," she said resolutely. "She reached over to take his hand. "No matter what has happened in our lives we've always had each other, Wes. And that means the world to me-especially right now."

"Me too...but Mom are you alright? That was so scary this morning. I'm sorry I froze—I just didn't know what to do to help you."

She sighed and forced a smile. "Wes, you were fine. And I am so sorry that you had to witness that."

Wesley put his elbows on the table. "What exactly...I mean you don't have to tell me everything. But the Captain was..."

"He's going to be alright," she said quickly, but then seemed to re-think her answer. "I mean I hope he is going to be alright. The truth is Wes, after we beamed to sick bay I wasn't unable to do anything to heal him. I feel helpless." She smiled weakly. "I'm not used to feeling that way."

"But you said you think he'll be okay..."

Beverly took deep breath and looked at her son. If she couldn't tell Wesley, who could she tell? So she told him about the artifact and its control over the Captain. She left some of the detail out; Jean-Luc's violent mood swings-her growing fears about being alone with him. There was only so much she was willing to say for fear of frightening her son. After all she was supposed to be his protector, not the other way around. Wesley stared at her silently in shock until she was finished.

"Wow," he said. "So…the artifact is hurting him, but if he separates himself from it, it hurts him even more."

She nodded and then her face grew even more worried if that was possible. "Wesley, I need you to be careful around Captain Picard."

Wesley broke into a nervous smile, which faded slowly as he saw very real concern on his mother's face. "I'm serious, Wesley," she said quietly.

"Mom…its Captain Picard. He wouldn't do anything to hurt me." As nervous as the Captain made Wesley sometimes, he would never expect physical violence from him.

She smiled and took his hand again. "I know he wouldn't Wes. But as I just told you, he is not quite himself right now."

Wesley fell silent and looked down at the table. "What is he going to do to get free from that thing?"

She shook her head. "I don't know," she admitted. "But I'm going to have to find a way to help him. Maybe Deanna…maybe she can help me." Wesley nodded and then they both fell silent again.

"Mom?"

"Hmm?" She looked at him tiredly.

"You love him, don't you?"

She wasn't prepared for how that question coming from her son would affect her. She wiped a tear from her eye. "Yes," she said glancing at him, her voice just above a whisper.

"Then you can't give up on him, Mom. He's still Captain Picard," Wesley said firmly, as if he knew that would never change.

Despite her gloomy mood she laughed and then leaned over to kiss him on the cheek. "Thanks. You're a great kid…young man, I mean," she corrected herself. He shrugged and his cheeks flushed red.

She ran a hand through his hair. "Wes…are you okay with—with the Captain and me being in a relationship?"

Wesley's blush deepened. He shrugged. "Sure," he said. "I mean…ever since we first came aboard the Enterprise a few years ago and we saw him again, I've wondered I guess…."

Beverly sighed. "Yes. But I know I should have said something to you recently and well…things just happened so quickly—"

Wesley put up his hands. He didn't need any more details. This was his mom of course. "Mom, it's okay. I'm sixteen. I figured it out…." And being sixteen he didn't want too many details about his mother's love life either.

She looked at him and laughed. "Alright. Fair enough."

Captain Picard straightened out his uniform and quickened his steps once inside the shuttle bay. He felt strong and healthy as he ducked into the shuttle craft. Data and Worf were already there waiting, as were two security officers. What were their names? Oh yes…Barnes and Choi. They looked as bright and prepared as he would expect for such an assignment. He planned on bringing Counselor Troi down to Kronos with them tomorrow. Knowing the Klingons might be suspicious of someone they viewed as attempting to read their minds, he thought he would wait to introduce her.

He resisted asking where Riker was. It was still early. He settled down in the co-pilot seat. Data sat nearby checking his tricorder and nodded at Picard in his usual perfunctory, yet pleasant manner. Picard could not help but glance down at Data's left wrist. It looked fine—all repaired. And yet a very real feeling of guilt crept into his heart. He wouldn't feel that, would he, unless he had actually done something to harm Data?

He put such thoughts out of his mind and his ears perked up as he heard voices outside the shuttle. Commander Riker's head appeared just inside the doorway and he smiled at the Captain. Riker's expression was one of tolerance and sympathy, with some amusement thrown in.

"And then she tells me, 'Geordi I just want to be friends….'" LaForge was grumbling as he climbed into the shuttle craft behind Commander Riker.

"Mr. LaForge, if you wouldn't mind waiting until later to regal us with stories of your romantic adventures, I would like to get underway," Picard said, powering up the thrusters on the shuttle.

"Yes sir," said LaForge, dropping into the pilot's seat next to the Captain.

Riker sat down. "Take us out then, LaForge."

The sun caressed her face in the way that could only happen in late spring before the unrelenting power of the sun's rays became oppressive. She lay down on the blanket and put her forearm over her face, beginning to doze. Where had he gone? He said he was just going to go for a quick walk down to the stream. She thought back to what they had been doing just minutes ago and despite the warm air, suddenly had goose bumps. She never wanted to be apart from him again. Not now that they had come so far together. Feeling content and drowsy she began to fall asleep again when she felt a light tickle on her face. She scrunched up her nose and then blew with her lips when the tickle increased. She opened one eye and discovered Jean-Luc had returned and was kneeling over her rubbing some kind of wispy grass against her cheek just to irritate her. A rumble began in his chest and he began to laugh as though getting on her nerves was the only thing he lived for. She grabbed his wrist and pulled him down. "Why you sneaky son of a bitch…" she shouted breaking into laughter as he tumbled over her, now laughing uncontrollably. She grabbed his side where she had recently learned he was ticklish, and he cried out.

"Sneaky son of a bitch? Who are you insulting, my dear old mother or me?" he questioned, holding her wrists tightly, but still laughing.

"Both of you," she laughed, breaking away from him and rolling away. He stuck the weed in her ear, but then gave up when she threw an elbow backward into his chest. "Okay you win," he said and rolled over on to his back squinting up into the blue sky. She rolled over and grabbed his hand and they lay quietly side by side in the warm sun.

Gradually the sky grew overcast and the sun disappeared. Darkness seemed to be closing in on the once sun drenched hillside. Beverly sat up in sudden alarm. The sun hadn't disappeared behind a cloud—it was gone.

"Jean-Luc, look!" She glanced back to him but he wasn't there. She looked around searchingly. Her eyes found him standing one hundred feet away. A black rectangular mirror stood in front of him. She called his name again and he turned to look at her. His body was covered in tattoos and scars and he held a strange curved blade over his shoulder. She began to run but she was too slow and her feet seemed to sink beneath her. Not seeming to recognize her he turned back around and stepped into the mirror….

Beverly shouted, and jerked up from sleeping on her desk. A data pad and a stylus clattered to the floor. She almost fell backwards, still reeling from the dream. It had seemed so real. She heard quick footsteps behind her. "Beverly, it's alright," Troi said, coming up behind her. Deanna stooped down and picked up the data pad. "It was just a dream," she reassured her friend placing a comforting hand on Beverly's shoulder.

"Was it?" Beverly and Deanna both turned to see Guinan standing in the doorway of the Crusher's office. She walked in slowly. "It's very important that you tell me just what it was that you saw, Doctor. Because if you saw what I think you saw, we are fast running out of time."