Just want to say sorry for not updating in a while. A thing called real life got in the way. How very rude of it. Hopefully I will be back on track now and updating a bit more often.

I also want to say thank you for all your positive reviews and special thanks to AnimeandMDluver for reminding me about the Enterprise. I've got so involved with the events on the planet that I had forgotten to write about what was happening on the ship. Oops. I will update that aspect of the story in the next chapter. Promise.

Chapter 6

There was a long period of silence before one of the villagers finally spoke. "Welcome my friends" he said, "We've been expecting you"

"Who are you and what do you want with us," Will asked questioningly, relieved that they might finally start getting some answers.

"Do you not know?" another villager enquired sounding surprised.

"Unfortunately you have the advantage over us," he replied. Hoping that he sounded calmer than he actually felt.

"For that we must apologise" the first villager continued "and we will do our best to rectify the situation. But first you must rest and take refreshments. Am I right in assuming that your journey has been long."

"That is a correct assumption" Will agreed.

"Then come and break bread with us my friends" stepping to one side he indicated to them that they should follow. Will glanced across at Deanna for guidance.

"Whoever they are, they appear to be sincere in their wishes to welcome us." She whispered to him. "Their main focus appears to be Geordi, though I can't figure out why"

Turning to their host Will smiled " We would be honoured to accept your hospitality" he nodded to Beverly and Deanna to indicate that they should follow. Moving slowly over to Geordi's side, he touched him gently on the arm.

"What's going on Commander" Geordi asked, trying not to let his frustration show.

"Hopefully we are about to find out" he replied "but whatever it is you seem to be the focus of their attention.

"Me!" He exclaimed slightly louder than he intended. He had remained silent since their arrival at the village, not wanting to show any sign of weakness by asking what was happening. "Why?"

"I wish we knew. Come on they're waiting"

Geordi went to take Will's arm, but changed his mind. "Um Commander" he asked quietly "I don't suppose that Deanna or Beverly could um" embarrassed Geordi struggled to find the words. Realising the cause of Geordi's embarrassment

he called over to Beverly.

"Dr Crusher, I believe that our chief engineer here wishes to escort you inside"

With a mock swoon she replied, "Why Mr La Forge, It would be my pleasure."

"No the pleasure is all mine Doctor." He replied. As she accepted his waiting arm he whispered to her. "Thanks Doc." She squeezed his arm to let him know she understood and together they followed their companions and their mysterious host inside one of the one of the buildings.

…

They entered the building and were taken up to the first floor. Will looked around him and noticed that they seemed to be in a large communal living area. The edge of the room was lined with crude home made wooden chairs. Patience wearing thin he turned to their host.

"I think its time you started to tell us what the hell is going on," he said trying to keep his voice calm.

"All in good time my friends" was the non-committed reply. "Please make yourselves comfortable, we will talk over dinner." And with that he turned and left the room through one of the many doors that skirted the walls. Watching him leave Will felt his face begin to flush with anger.

"Wait here" he told him companions, but as he started to head for the door himself Deanna stopped him.

"Commander. I don't think that he is deliberately trying to hide anything from us. I sense only honestly from him, that and a little confusion. Whatever the reason for us being here, he is finding it hard to believe that we don't know what it is.

"Well I sure as hell wish he would hurry up and tell us" Geordi muttered. Beverly squeezed his hand reassuringly, but before he could say anymore they heard a voice from the doorway on the other side of the room. Will looked up and saw a young woman standing there hovering nervously as though unsure whether she should interrupt.

"Sebastian has sent me to ask if you wish to freshen up before dinner."

"Sebastian?" Beverly questioned, " Is he the gentleman that was here earlier?"

"Yes Miss" came the nervous reply.

Finally some answers Will though to himself, they had got more from this woman in few minutes than they had got out of Sebastian since they had met him. "Sebastian seems very well respected." Will pressed gently hoping that she would reveal more.

"Why would we not respect him" she replied with a shocked expression. "He is our leader. No one else has ever been taken by the One and returned unharmed."

"The One?"

"You do not know of the One?"

"We are visitors to these parts, your ways are knew to us," Deanna said sensing that the young woman was starting to become fearful of them.

The expression of shock increased on her face. "How can you not know of the One? When it is you that has been sent to save us." As she was saying this she moved across the room and stood before Geordi, dropping to her knees in front of him she continued "Without you we have no hope and the One will enslave us forever."

Realising that she was talking to him Geordi turned his head in her direction, and addressed a space just to her left. "I don't understand. What has all this got to do with me?"

She opened her mouth to speak but her words were cut off as Sebastian re-entered the room. "Nisha enough" he reprimanded. "Go and help Lucille in the cookhouse." He said more gently. He could hardly berate her for expressing what he was thinking, but he had to be seen to be in control. "Come my friends let me show to where you can freshen up." Will gazed across at Deanna who nodded that she still sensed no deception; in turn he nodded his consent to his companions.

Sebastian led them upwards towards the top floor of the building. Geordi tripped slightly as they climbed the stairs but Will caught him before he fell, and he cursed silently to himself and Sebastian turned and looked at Geordi with concern. Deanna sensed panic in their host as he noticed Geordi slip. They were taken to a room, which was slightly smaller than where they had previously been. There were number washbasins on the edge and in the middle was a rack full of simple handmade clothing.

"Our facilities are very basic, but please feel free to use what ever you wish" and with that he left them alone. Beverly walked to the window at the far side of the room and let out a gasp of appreciation. The View from the top floor was breath taking. The forest seemed to stretch as far as the eye could see and the canapé roof seemed to be of every colour green known to man. Will let out an appreciative whistle as he joined her.

"Well if we are going to be stuck here for a bit a least the views worth it" Deanna said with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

Geordi who had remained quiet up to now felt a wave of self-pity wash over him as he listened to his friends admire the view from the window. "That good? " he said as he slowly making his way across the room to join his friends.

"Yes it is" replied Deanna gently, moving away from the window. "but gazing out the window isn't going to help us find out what's going on. Come on Geordi lets go and check out this stylish choice of clothing"

"So what have we got then?" he asked as he and Deanna approached the clothing rack.

"Well you have a choice of three colours."

"Which are?"

"Well you have lovely fetching shade of brown, or an equally dashing shade brown or"

"Let me guess would that third choice be um brown." Geordi said with a hint of humour in his voice. The moment of self pity now gone.

"And how did you know that Mr La Forge" Will said laughing out loud "I thought you couldn't see."

"Damm you sprung me" he replied with a chuckle. "Tell you what," he continued with a grin " I will leave the choice to you but just promise me that you wont give me anything that clashes " The frivolity continued for a few more minutes as the group searched through the rack of clothing. Deanna found a course shirt and trousers in Geordi's size and passed them to him. After putting them on Geordi was actually glad he was unable to see his reflection in the mirror, judging by the laughter coming from his friends.

Deanna stepped back and watched her companions. Will she noticed was calm and any previous anxiety, seemed to have gone. Beverly was relaxed but he emotions where tainted by worry. Geordi she noticed was finding the situation the hardest to handle. This was understandable Deanna thought, for obvious reasons he was having the hardest time adjusting to their current situation, he had been through the most, both physically as well as emotionally and she feared for his state of mind if they were stuck here for a long period of time. She was pulled from her observations, by the arrival of another mind. Someone was heading in their direction. At first she assumed it was Sebastian coming to get them for dinner, but then she realised that his thoughts where nowhere near as aggressive as the ones she was sensing now. The emotions of this newcomer were pure anger and that anger seemed to be aimed directly at them.

"Commander" she warned. Will realised the seriousness of her tone and turned to face her.

"Deanna what is it?"

"Someone's coming"

"Sebastian?"

"No Sir, someone different" but before she could say anymore the door to the room they were in burst open. Zeak charged in and threw himself forward knocking Geordi off his feet. His bare hands circled his throat. Geordi tried to pull away but Zeak's grip was too strong. The more Geordi struggled the more Zeak fought back, his strength increasing along with his anger.

"What the hell" Will shouted trying to pull Zeak away, but all he managed to do was infuriate Zeak further which only increased his frenzied attack.

"Its all your fault" Zeak screamed hysterically

"What is?" Deanna said. Her voice soft, hoping that she could use her psychological training to diffuse the situation, before it became even more critical.

"He knows" Zeak almost spat without loosening his ever increasing gripped on Geordi's throat.

"Please let him go" Beverly begged. "Your killing him" Geordi's eyes where starting to bulge out of their sockets and his dark skin was starting to pale as the oxygen failed to reach his brain. Will continued to try and pull Zeak away and eventually Will's larger build won out. Zeak let go of Geordi's throat but the attack didn't stop there it continued without rest, fists flying in all directions.

Suddenly a deep authoritive voice broke through the commotion as Sebastian walked in the room. His round face red with anger "Zeak! Stop that at once"

"Never Father, he has to pay for what he has done"

"He's done nothing Zeak" Sebastian continued. "He didn't cause Tara's disappearance; he is here to stop it happening again." Walking further into the room he took his son by the arm and pulled him away from Geordi "He is here to stop the One. Tara knew what she was doing when she tried to help him. She knew the risks. She was prepared to take them."

"And now she's dead and he killed her" he said with venom in his voice trying to break free of Wills grip.

"No he didn't" Sebastian continued with exasperation "and she isn't dead"

"She may as well be." He raged, finally pulling himself out of Will's grasp. Turning to face Geordi he stared at him hard before continuing "and you will pay, maybe not now but you will pay for what you've done." With that he turned and ran from the room, his whole being still consumed with anger and hatred.

As soon as he had left the room, Deanna and Beverly ran to Geordi, who was lying half unconscious of the floor.

Will spun round his anger exploding as he faced Sebastian. "What the hell was that all about? I want answers and I want them now."

"I don't know what to say my friend" he said meekly "My son is a little highly strung"

"He almost killed him." He replied bitterly. Turning he addressed Beverly " How's he doing Doctor"

"He will be okay Commander, but only just. There is severe bruising around his larynx and it looks as though he has a broken rib." Coughing Geordi opened his mouth to speak but Beverly tried to stop him. Struggling to his feet he took a hesitant step towards Sebastian. He staggered slightly as he stood, a wave of dizziness flooded through him. Beverly was instantly at his side to support him and she gently guided him towards their host.

"Sebastian. What did he mean? What is meant to be my fault?" a coughing fit interrupted him and his legs started to buckle beneath him, but he summoned up all the inner strength he could to remain standing.

"All questions will be answered after we eat my friends. Lucille my wife has advised that the feast is ready to be served."

"No. I want answers and I'm going to get them now." Will demanded. " Not after we had dinner. You either start telling us what the hells going on or we are leaving. And some how I get the impression that you're not going to want that to happen."

"No my friend I do not. We need you." He paused before continuing quietly, "I need you." He seemed to shrink in on himself as he spoke. The confidant man that had approached them as the entered the village suddenly seemed to have been by replaced a man afraid of his own shadow. "Many many years ago, long before my Great Grandfather was born my people where a peacefully race. We worked the land, to the best of our ability. Our world is a hostile place with many areas uninhabitable, but we farmed the land and lived in peace with our neighbours. That was until the One came."

"Who or what is the One?" Deanna asked gently, having sensed how hard it was for Sebastian to tell this tale.

"She came one night, in a blinding flash of light. No one knows where she came from only that there was this flash and she somehow just seemed to appear. At first she seemed to want to live in harmony with us." He stopped again, looking hesitantly around the room as though he was afraid to continue.

"And then that changed?" Deanna probed sensing his reluctance to carry on.

"It happened slowly at first. Villagers, who had been hard working with a lust for life, began to loose themselves. It was as though a light had gone out inside of them. They seemed to no longer be able to think for themselves. Every aspect of their lives needed to governed by her. Before long she appeared have control over whole villages, until eventually there were only a few areas left unaffected by her dominance. Whoever she was she had found away of enslaving my people. She was the one person to whom they all looked up to, but not in a way that a child looks up to a parent. This was an unhealthy respect and those who refused to bow before her disappeared in the dead of the night and many were never seen again."

"But what has this to do with us?" Geordi asked, his voice still horse from Zeaks attack.

Sebastian glanced around the room nervously again before speaking again. "As the years passed her power over my people grew, those that were still immune to her, spend their time hiding in the shadows, trying to avoid the raiding parties that where send out to round up the rebels as they were known. One night two strangers appeared. They told us that they came from far away in the stars and had heard stories that one of their kind was living amongst my people. They told us that there was little they could to break the spell that the One had over us, but what they did have was a power to see into the future. They told us that one-day we would be visited by four strangers, and one of them would have the power to rescue us. A stone tablet was carved so that the words of these strangers would never be forgotten. The One soon discovered this tablet and took it to her palace on the far side of our world, where it is believed that it was destroyed." Pausing once again he looked at the four people to who he was telling his story. The only sound that could be heard was their breath, which whilst not loud, seemed to cut, through the silence like a knife. "What the One didn't realised was that another tablet existed and that it had been buried far deep in the ground where it remained for many years until it was discovered about fifty years ago by a young boy digging for peat in the damp earth"

"Are you saying that you think we are the four strangers sent to rescue you?" Beverly asked.

Without answering Sebastian glanced carefully around the room again beckoning for them to follow him. "Come my friends. There is something you must see" He led them down the many flights of stairs and out into the open. He handed Will a burning to torch to light their way as night had long since fallen and no moonlight penetrated the trees that surrounded them. They walked to the far side of the village where a building far different to the others stood out in the shadows. Removing a key from his pocket Sebastian unlocked the door. As he did so he continued his story.

"Many of the young people in our village have lost since lost faith in the prophecy that we will one day be free of the One. They believe that eventually their time will come and they to will become one of her enslaved minds. My Son Zeak" he glanced apologetically at Geordi "is one such disbeliever, but my daughter Tara, she never gave up hope. Even last night as the raiding party took her away," he stopped, fighting back the tears as he thought of the events of last night. " Her last words to me were to never loose faith, that you were coming." Will realised that he was staring directly at Geordi as he said this and that the words were meant for the engineer rather than the group as a whole.

"How do you know that we are the four strangers that the tablet speaks of?" Will asked. "Are we the only people to visit your village since the tablet was created."

"Oh no my friend. We have had many visitors but we have known that they are not the ones."

"So why is it different this time" Deanna asked sensing nothing but honesty in his story"

Without speaking Sebastian swung open the door and Will, Deanna and Beverly all gasped in unison. In front of them stood a large stone tablet, containing ancient hieroglyphics and a carving of a face.

"What is it" Geordi asked in frustration. "What are you seeing?"

Unable to conceal his shock Will managed to speak just two words "Its You!"