Chapter 5

In no time, they reached the main citadel and were greeted by the townspeople. They all welcomed the new visitors in the name of "the green god."

Dr. Crusher put her tricorder on her belt so it was hidden by her pacho. "Well, at least they're hospitable."

A very distinguished looking man came to greet them. "Welcome, visitors, in the name of the green god. I am Sakow, the village leader."

Hayes held out her hand to shake, but his hands remained under his sleeves. "Thank you. I am Rose, and these are my friends."

"You are from another settlement on the planet?"

"Yes, and we need your help. Some of our implements were damaged and we need the supplies to repair it."

Sakow smiled. "Please, use anything you need from my village. We are only too happy to help others from our planet who need our assistance." He turned and spoke in a different language to someone beside him. "This is Tanen, our chief of implements. He will help you get what you need." Geordi and Worf followed Tanen to a nearby hut. "Rose, you and your lady friend must join me for dinner in the house of the green god."

"Oh, but we really couldn't-"

"Please, my people would be highly insulted if you did not attend."

"Well then, show us the way." The Ensigns stayed in the village as Hayes and Dr. Crusher followed Sakow.

Dr. Crusher walked close to Hayes as the three entered the temple. "I hope they don't drug us, Admiral."

"Set your tricorder to alert the others if they do."

Dr. Crusher reached under her pacho and pushed some buttons on her tricorder. "Done."

Sakow turned to face them. "Before dinner, you must be deemed worthy by the green god."

Hayes gave Dr. Crusher a look, then looked back at Sakow. "Whatever makes you happy."

Sakow smiled. "Right this way." He walked down another hallway and stopped at a golden green door. "This is where the green god lives." He opened the door. "If you come out alive, you are worthy."

Hayes and Dr. Crusher walked slowly into the room and Sakow closed the door behind them.

Hayes smiled. "Not very reassuring, is he?" She got out her phaser.

Dr. Crusher smiled. "Let's just get this over with." They continued walking down the corridor.

Hayes stayed alert, but tried to cover up her fear of the dark hallway. "I wonder what this green god looks like?"

Dr. Crusher played along. "Maybe he's a toad."

Hayes laughed. "Or a lizard."

They reached the end of the hallway and Hayes's heart stopped as she dropped her gun. Dr. Crusher saw what Hayes was looking at and she stood stunned as well.

Sitting on a silken throne was a perfectly re-constructed…Data.

-----

Hayes waited patiently for Data to move, but he remained stationary. Not even his chest moved. She took her tricorder out from under her dress and ran a scan.

"Nothing is functioning on him. No life signs at all."

Dr. Crusher was running scans as well. "I shouldn't wonder. If I didn't know any better, I'd say this was the work of a Q."

Hayes put her tricorder back on her belt. "If it was, he would be functioning properly." She touched her communicator. "Geordi, see if you can get into the village temple. There's someone here who needs your help."

In a nearby hut, Geordi picked up the electronics that he and Worf had picked to fix the Enterprise. "On our way, Admiral."

Hayes walked up to the throne. "We have to get him out of here, Doctor."

"That would make trouble, Admiral. And it would be messing with the prime directive."

Hayes reached out and stroked Data's hair. "We can't leave him here, Doctor." Tears came out of her eyes. "I won't do it. I'm not going to lose him again." She sank down and cried against Data's knee.

Dr. Crusher's heart went out to the broken woman before her. She joined Hayes on the throne steps and put her hands on Hayes's shoulders. "I understand, Admiral. Trust me, I've been down this road before." She rubbed Hayes's arm. "We'll figure something out."

"Thank you, Doctor."

"My pleasure, Admiral."

"Please, call me Rose."

Dr. Crusher smiled. "Then you'll have to call me Beverly." They both smiled and hugged each other. Hayes wiped her eyes as Dr. Crusher stared at the motionless Data in front of her. She suddenly stopped as a thought came to her. "Rose, I think I have a plan."

-----

It took a while, but Dr. Crusher relayed her plan to everyone else before they joined the women in the temple. Everyone needed a leather bag with a barrel in it. The tiny Federation group quickly joined the two women in the throne room.

Geordi gasped at the figure in the chair. "It's Data! How did he get here?"

Hayes put her hand on top of the throne. "We don't know, but the villagers are going to make sure that he stays here."

Dr. Crusher put her hand on the chair also. "Data is a Starfleet officer, and it's our job to get him back to the ship and working again."

"We're going to need everyone's help to get him out of here," Hayes said.

Geordi twisted his eyebrows. "Aren't the villagers going to notice their god missing?"

"It's possible, but we're going to try and make sure that they don't."

Worf looked at Data and then Hayes. "One question. How are we getting him out of here?"

Hayes sighed. "I hate to say it, but we have to dismantle him."

Geordi helped her take him apart and they assigned everyone a part of him. Worf got the torso, Geordi and Dr. Crusher got the legs, two of the ensigns got the arms and Hayes got the head. The other two ensigns were to stay in the town and make sure that no one noticed the missing god. They packed each part carefully into the leather bags and placed the barrels on the throne.

Geordi buttoned Hayes's bag closed. "I sure hope this works."

Hayes gently patted her precious cargo. "You and me both, Geordi. Alright, let's move out."