A/N: This fic is A/U and starts near the beginning of the series. In it, Riker is 32 at the start of the series. This is my first attempt at a Star Trek:TNG fic. So please read and review and let me know what you think!
Thanks!
Amelia sat in the dark cell. There were three other girls there with her, but not all were human. There was a Deltan, a Trill, both somewhere between 10 and 12 years old, and most sicken, another human, 5 year old girl who said her name was Dorian. The girl had pressed herself to Amelia's side almost the moment that Amelia had been thrown into the tiny cell. They had all been taken from Omicron Ceti but at different times, Amelia finishing out what they called 'the shipment'. From what she could gather, they were to be sold by the men that captured them as brides, or rather slaves. She had overheard them talking about 'damaged goods' before they threw her in there. Everyone but her seemed to be in good health, if scared. She had tried to kick one of the men who had grabbed her, resulting in him grabbing her foot and twisting it until she had heard and felt a sickening pop.
That had been four hours earlier. She had only stepped outside for a moment. Just once. That's all it had taken. They had to have been watching her. Tears threaten to spill over her cheeks from both pain and fear.
"Are you scared, Amelia?" the young girl by her side asked. She had finally given up crying herself, as it just seemed to irritate their captors.
Amelia shook her head. It wouldn't do to upset the others again. They could only get out of there through clear thinking. "No, Dorian, my leg just hurts."
"I miss my mommy," Dorian said.
"I know, Sweetie, but it's okay, you'll see her again."
"Don't lie to her," the Trill girl snapped. "We're going to sold as slaves. She'll never see her 'mommy' again."
"Shut up," Amelia replied sharply. She put her arm around the little girl. "You'll see your mommy again soon."
"How do you know?" The young Deltan asked.
"Because my Daddy will find us. He'll always come for me," she said.
"Well isn't that nice for you," the Trill said, burying her head in her arms. No one would be looking for her and while she would never admit it, she hoped Amelia was right.
The Deltan girl slid over next to Amelia and put her hand in Amelia's causing the pain in her leg to all but disappear. It was just an illusion, but for now, Amelia would take it. She just hoped that she wasn't lying and that Will would find them before it was too late.
Captain Picard had instructed Will to take Tasha Yar and Worf with him and Deanna to search for Amelia. For once he was thankful for the Captain's level head as Tasha and Deanna had managed to find out that not just Amelia was missing but 3 other girls had gone missing from the same café over the last three days. Two hysterical mothers that Deanna had been drawn to had given that information and also that little was being done to retrieve them.
"Obviously these disappearances are connected," Tasha said. "Do you think they could have been abducted?"
"Yes," Will said. "Amelia wouldn't stay hidden for this long, nor would she try to run away on a planet she wasn't familiar with."
"I think you should talk to the owner," Deanna said, getting feelings of guilt from the area of the counter.
"Do you think he's involved?" Will asked.
She nodded. "If he's not, he knows who is."
They approached the counter where the weedy looking man tried to run, but Worf was quicker, reaching out one long arm and jerking the man back to the counter.
"I ain't got to tell you nothin'," the man spat.
"You're right," Will said. "Worf, rip his head off."
Worf growled low, knowing the Commander was bluffing. "Gladly."
"What d'ya wanna know?" The man offered hurriedly.
"Four girls have disappeared from this place in three days. Don't tell me you don't know anything about that," Will said.
"What do you care? Federation has no authority here."
"One of those girls is my daughter and if I don't get her back happy and healthy, you'll be sorry," Will said, menacingly.
"Don't count on it. She's long gone," he scoffed.
"Where?"
"I don't know."
"Worf." Will motioned to the man as if giving his junior officer permission to hurt the man.
"I'm telling you, Man, I don't know," the man babbled. "Four guys come in here, they tell me they're looking for kids, you know, to sell. Preferably girls and I was to look the other way and not know nothin'. They take off in a shuttlecraft, no insignias on it, just a big picture of a bird."
"And what do you get out this arrangement?" Tasha asked.
"I get stay in business."
"Disgusting," she replied.
"How long ago?" Will asked.
"Three, maybe four hours," he answered. No more information to be gained from him, Worf dropped him roughly.
"We should find the planets that still allow slave trades and start with the nearest one," Worf said.
"I agree," Will said. He looked at the red backpack still hanging on the back of the chair. He picked it up and clutched it. "Enterprise," he touched his communicator. "Four to beam up." It pained him to leave the café owner behind, but he was right, Federation laws didn't apply there.
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