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ware those who would lie and falsify evidence. If it can happen to me, it can happen to you, from the lowliest peasant to the Praetor himself. Beware, oh my people. Beware, and remember the words of the Little Dagger before she died."

She sagged, utterly drained by the passion that had blazed through her. She barely felt rough hands seize her and drag her off. She knew where she was going-to a cell to await her painful execution. They might try torture, they might not. At this moment, she was too drained to care.

But she was not too drained to care when she passed Verrak, and he gazed at her with contempt before looking away.

CHAPTER 17

CHAKOTAY OPENED his EYES AND WONDERED IF HE was still dreaming. He saw not the thatched roof of the hut nor the cool hues of Voyager's bulkhead, but blue skies and bright sunlight filtered through cool green leaves. And that scene was swaying from side to side.

"You're awake. Good," came a voice. "You were starting to get pretty heavy."

Chakotay realized he was being carried on a litter, which was now being set down. He got to his feet, memories coming back to him. He had been asleep, having another one of his confusing and vexing dreams about the mischievous Coyote, when he had woken to the sight of a young man pointing a

weapon at him. There had not even been time to inhale for a breath to shout.

"Who are you?" he demanded. "Why have you abducted me?"

The young man who had aimed the weapon at him stepped forward. "It's not an abduction, Chakotay. It's a liberation. I am Shamraa Ezbai Remilkansuur, leader of this recovery expedition. We are the Alilann. We've gone to a great deal of trouble to get you."

The Alilann. The very people Chakotay had wanted to leave the Culilann to see. "You have a very odd welcoming committee," he said.

Ezbai smiled a little. He was wet, dirty, and tired-looking. Chakotay got the impression that he was not used to these so-called recovery expeditions.

"We do not wish to reveal our presence to the Culilann," he said. "This is standard procedure once aliens have been subjected to the Ordeal and integrated into the village. Please accept our apologies. We would have spared you the Ordeal if we could have. But you appeared so suddenly. We never saw a ship, nor intercepted word of a transport in progress. How is it you did this?"

"It's a long story," said Chakotay. "Where's Paris?"

Ezbai's face grew somber. "We were not able to locate him. There were signs that you shared your dwelling with someone, but he was not present."

Chakotay groaned a little. He bet he knew where Tom had gone. Ensign Paris was probably frantic by now, wondering what had happened to Chakotay.

"I'll bet they're organizing search parties to comb

the jungle," he said. "They probably think I wandered away and got lost."

"That's what we want them to think," said a woman, striding forward. Unlike her commander, she looked completely at home here in the dense, hot tangles of the jungle. Her face was young to be as hard as it was. Her eyes were like chips of ice. "They'll start to think they've wasted their time trying to be kind to you, to make you one of them. They'll think twice about bringing any more aliens into their village and subjecting them to the Ordeal."

"Or they may take to killing aliens on sight," retorted Chakotay. He did not like the way this woman spoke. "They may just decide that the Ordeal is an inconvenience."

The woman scowled. "Unlikely. Their gods wouldn't like that." Everyone chuckled a little, apparently at the concept that the Culilann had gods and that gods were anything to be respectful of. Which really bothered Chakotay.

"What is your name?" asked Chakotay.

She straightened and performed what was clearly a salute. "Kilaa loni Alimankuur."

"Kilaa loni, you have not lived among the Culilann. I have. Their Ordeal is no picnic, but they are essentially a kind and generous people. I would suggest you refrain from insulting