After the last interrogation – each one more forceful than the last – the Akritirians took Janeway's uniform and gave her a brown jumpsuit that stank of some powerful cleaning solution. She'd barely had time to change when three armed guards appeared at the door of her cell.
"Prison transfer," the one in front said. He gestured down the hall with the butt of his weapon.
"Prison? No!" Janeway protested. "I haven't even heard any charges against me, just questions about a bombing I know nothing about. I haven't been tried or convicted. You have the wrong person."
"No need for a trial when the evidence is conclusive, under Akritirian law. You were tried in absentia and sentenced to life imprisonment. Now move!" ordered the guard. He yanked her out of the cell by her arm and prodded her into motion with the weapon.
"I demand to speak to – " she began.
"SILENCE!" shouted the guard as he knocked her to the floor with the blunt end of the weapon. Janeway staggered up and moved in the direction he pointed.
The trip down the chute was unexpected, abrupt, and terrifying. She was unable to slow her descent. Dizzying, bright lights flashed around her and klaxons sounded the entire way down, some several hundred feet if she hadn't entirely lost her bearings. She landed hard on her elbow and hip with a cry of shock more than pain. The sound of voices crowded near her but it took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the darkness and see the faces of at least several dozen dirty men staring down at her. They all seemed to be Akritirian.
As Janeway pushed herself from the floor and tried to stand, the nearest man grabbed her. She shoved back, but more hands snatched at her from the other side and from behind. Someone pushed her back to the floor. Janeway rolled to her back and coiled her legs to slam into the man's chest as he jumped her. The crowd closed in, grabbing at her limbs and clothing. She reached for every vulnerable body part she could see, poking, kicking, punching and biting at throats, groins, knees, eyes, fingers. Retaliating blows rained down on her. A kick to the head had almost knocked her unconscious when Janeway felt strong hands dragging her out of the crowd. She was squirming to get into a position to attack this new aggressor when she heard his voice, loud and threatening above her head.
"This woman is my property!" he yelled. "Anybody who lays a hand on her will pull back a stump, got it?" It was Chakotay. Janeway shut her eyes as pain and overwhelming darkness took her.