Darkness of the Past (Star Trek Fanfiction)

Chapter 3

I have now lost track of how long I had been trudging through the forest. I was hungry and very thirsty. The guards circled back once but I had turned off the light in my helmet so they didn't see me and they ran right past me. After what seemed like hours of walking, I came to a clearing in the trees. I walked through a ditch to get to the clearing when I saw a group of about six people. I immediately jumped back down into the ditch and layed down. I fiddled with my helmet, hoping I could get the light off. My fingers kept slipping off the switch because my hands were shaking out of nervousness that the people had seen me. I nearly got the light off when I heard footsteps behind me and a voice address me. 

"Freeze! Don't move!" The voice said along with the sound of a gun being loaded.

I slowly turned around and saw five people, all with loaded guns, staring down at me. They all had a mark drawn on their forehead and goggles to help them see. I put my hands up and two of the people in the group pulled me up and held me by my arms. I was escorted along a narrow path along the forest and we soon came to a small compound with several very dim lights. I was taken into a building similar to a jail and put in a cell after my suit was removed. I was left alone and a while later, the leader of the group that found me came in and sat down to talk to me. 

"What was one of Madigan's guards doing this far away from his compound?" She asked.

"What?" I asked confused. "I'm not one of Madigan's guard."

"You were wearing one of their suits. If you aren't one of his guards, why were you wearing a suit?" She persisted.

"I was taken, along with hundreds of other people. Madigan feels that I have wronged him by bringing him to justice for his crimes. I managed to escape and found one of his guards dead, so I took the suit because I couldn't see." I explained.

"Where did you find the suit?" The woman asked.

"I don't know. It was too dark. All I know is that I fell down a hill and hit the body. When I put the helmet on, I was near the edge of a forest. I swear. I'm not with Madigan." I said.

If this woman didn't believe me, I had no idea what would happen to me. I could tell she was skeptical. Then I remembered something.

"All the guards carry guns. I wasn't carrying one." I said.

The woman looked at me skeptically. She suddenly stood up and walked out of my cell, saying something to the guards as she left. She spoke another language I didn't recognize. My cell door was once again closed and I was left alone with one guard outside the bars. About an hour later, the woman came back to my cell. 

"Come with me." She said as she opened the door. 

I walked out and surprisingly, no guards came with us. The woman lead me to another building on the other side of the compound. Our trip was completely silent. We opened the door into a room that looked like an office and we sat down facing each other. 

"I believe you." She said. "I believe you aren't with Madigan. And I want to help you."

"Thank you." I said. "Help me how?"

"Madigan has ruined all of our lives. Everyone in this compound has been taken by Madigan and somehow, like you, managed to escape. We joined together to build a rebellion against that evil man and if you are a new recruit...I'm happy to take you in. But should I be wrong about you, be sure that we will correct our mistake." She said.

I nodded in understanding. I couldn't believe that all of the people here were taken and managed to escape Madigan's grasp. 

"Here is a pair of goggles. They will help you see better in the dark. Also, you need a mark on your forehead to tell the other people here that you are one of us." 

She handed me a pair of goggles and took out some sort of ink to paint the mark. 

"May I ask your name?" I said, realizing that I still didn't know. 

"Tahira." She said. "I am the leader of the rebellion. And you are?"

"You can call me Isabelle." I said. "I'm a Starfleet officer." 

"Why is Madigan after you?" Tahira asked.

"He feels that I wronged him by bringing him to justice for his crimes." I explained.

"Ji'maita" She said in the unknown language and rolled her eyes. 

She noticed my confused expression and clarified. "Ridiculous."

"Yes it is." I agreed.

Tahira finished the mark on my forehead and put the ink away. 

"Come with me. I will get you new clothes and food." She walked to the door and I followed.

We put our goggles on and she took me to a building and told me to wait outside as she went in and soon came back with a fresh set of clothes. I had just finished putting them on when a man approached and spoke to Tahira privately. Once their conversation was over, she turned back to me.

"I am needed elsewhere at the moment. The mess hall is in that building there and the recreational room is in the one here. Wait for me in there once you have eaten. If anyone troubles you, send them to me." Tahira said, pointing at the respective buildings. 

I nodded in understanding. "Thank you." I said, smiling at her.

"Of course." She bowed her head and began walking off in the direction opposite the one we had come from. 

I watched her walk for a moment before entering the building she said the mess hall was in. As I opened the door, several people looked up at me. There weren't many people in here, but I would have rather avoided people anyway. I took a plate of food and sat at a table to eat. I had no idea what kind of food it was, but at this point I really didn't care. It didn't taste bad. I finished and began walking over to the rec room.