#the horror of the absolute powerlessness everyone would have if Q simply decided to do something like this

[yourbuerokrat2]

Guinans nightmare

She was alone in Ten Forward. Not because no one board had need of her guidance or want for her drinks but because she had closed it.

An all too human sigh, a testament to how used she had become to the company and the habits of one of her favorite species, escaped her lips as she passed by the empty chairs and tables.

Standing before the glass that separated her from the universe she realized that she did not feel alone.

She felt lonely. A rare sensation for her since she started her job as the bartender that was usually reserved for the times she remembered her former spouses or when she contemplated the fate of her own kind.

Today or perhaps better to say tonight her feeling of emptiness was caused by the absence of someone she considered very dear.

Of course, there were rumors going around as to what was the cause of the Captains disappearance. The hopeful ones were speaking of stories of some kind of secret solo mission, others spoke of the captain being lost in time and space but surely on his way to find a way back and some scared voice even brought up the Borg.

Rarely anyone however had spoken of the most obvious reason: Q.

Well, that was not entirely true.

Q was actually brought up first, when the Captain was at first no longer found anywhere on the ship. Probably forced to participate in some game of Qs or maybe the captain would appear in less than an hour and tell them about the latest Trial he had been forced to go through.

The longer the Captains absence went on the lesser Qs name was uttered and the more other explanations were sought out.

It has now been two months and Riker was now officially appointed Captain until Picard would be back as everyone on the senior crew insisted.

"Bring him back." she tried project her thoughts, her anger and to bait and satisfy the entity enough to pay attention to her demands even her fear out into the vastness of space.

"He is not yours. No matter what you try to convince yourself of.

So bring him back."

She allowed a hint of desperation in her message.

And after a short while as she hoped, demanded and cursed, she recieved an answer.

"No."