Chekov wrapped the cloak St. Michael had left along with the communicator and tricorder around him to ward off the early morning chill and vainly tried to get comfortable enough on the big tree limb to fall asleep. The ensign had traveled all night, deciding it was safer to sleep during the day. Climbing up this tree had seemed like a good enough idea when no other suitable hiding places had presented themselves. However, he was too afraid of falling off his perch to let himself go completely to sleep.
Where was the Enterprise? What had happened in the Neutral Zone? Kirk had promised to be back in time to take his place at the wedding if possible. But not knowing how the situation of Xmpos had changed, the captain might not be in any particular hurry to return. Chekov wished he had the material to convert the communicator into a more powerful beacon. He wished he had a phaser. Due to the diplomatic nature of his assignment, the one he'd been issued had been locked in a sealed container in his quarters with strict instructions that it only be taken out in cases of extreme emergency. Unfortunately, in the actual case of an extreme emergency, the weapon had been completely inaccessible.
Chekov's eyes were beginning to close again when his tricorder began to beep insistently. He quickly retrieved the unit from the limb he'd hung it on and silenced the alarm. The display showed a small animal and a lone Xmposian closing on his location rapidly.
The ensign quickly gathered his equipment and started down the tree. He could hear the baying of the animal as he did so. While he was still a good six feet from the ground the creature bounded into sight - not looking at all small.
It was a dog-like creature - something like the Earth breed called chow. It was at least waist-high with white and creamy red fur. It jumped at the ensign, baring its long white fangs and making horrible noises.
"Go away!" He plucked a handful of fruit from a nearby branch and threw it at the beast. "Go on! Go on!"
An arrow whizzed past his head and embedded itself into the tree trunk.
"Don't shoot!" Chekov hoped his translator was working and would carry his voice far enough.
"Don't throw things at Nixzmi." The hunter was a high-voiced young man dressed in knee-breeches, gaiters, a long-sleeved shirt and a heavy vest that looked like it was made of brightly colored sticks. He wore a large gray hat that covered most of his face. The hunter gestured with the bow and arrow he had trained on the ensign. "Come down from there."
"I did not mean to trespass," Chekov apologized as he complied, careful to pull the robe's hood forward to hide his non-Xmposian features as he did so.
"Sit, Nixzmi," The hunter ordered as the ensign's feet finally hit the forest's floor.
The dog-like creature obeyed reluctantly as his master slowly lowered his weapon and stepped forward to push back Chekov's hood.
The ensign intended to use this opening to overpower the youth, but the boy's wretched dog was on him like a flash, knocking him backwards onto the ground.
"No, Nixzmi!" the hunter commanded.
The dog's teeth froze inches away from the ensign's throat. It continued to hold Chekov down with its forepaws and growl monstrously.
"You're Human," the hunter observed, sounding surprised.
The boy had lost his hat in the brief struggle. His white and red mane of hair stood out from his head. It was the same color as his dog. He looked a good deal like his dog.
"You're Cxiqulie," the ensign said, careful not to make any sudden movements that might anger the beastly cur on top of him.
"So?" the hunter asked arrogantly as he hastily retrieved his hat and jammed it back on his head, covering his distinctive clan haircut.
Chekov took as second to think about this. The young man recognized the ensign as being not simply an alien but specifically as a Human. That would indicate the boy had been with the wedding party. But the little hunter didn't seem to have expected to find him, therefore the boy most probably wasn't part of a search party.
"This is not traditional Cxiqulie territory," the ensign replied.
The hunter crossed his arms. "It certainly isn't traditional Human territory. What are you doing here?"
"I.. I.." Chekov cast about for a reasonable explanation and fervently wished the boy would get that damned drooling hound off him. "I was... camping."
"You were following me," the hunter accused.
The young Cxiqulie must be in some sort of trouble. Even with a peace accord in the works, there were still bad feelings between the two tribes. The boy's paranoia seemed to confirm this.
"I assure you that I was not following you," the navigator replied. "I have never seen you before and I do not wish to see you again. Now if you could possibly induce this creature..."
"Nixzmi, guard," the boy commanded.
Instantly the dog took a position at its master's side. However when the ensign started to sit up, it jumped forward barking viciously.
"If you move without my permission," the hunter warned as he retrieved a length of rope from his rucksack, "Nixzmi will rip open your throat."
The dog was clearly in deadly earnest about its part of this threat. The ensign resumed his former position. "What do you intend to do?"
"Tie you up so you won't follow me."
"But I'm not following you," Chekov protested. "At any rate you should not leave me bound and defenseless."
"Why not?"
Chekov had to admit there was little to stop the boy. "It would be cruel," he said. "I could be devoured by wild animals before I could free myself."
"Oh... Oh, yes. That is true." This pathetic appeal seemed to have an impact on the youth. He stood thoughtfully tapping his mouth with his thumb as he mulled the situation over. "Very well. Stand up. I will take you with me as my prisoner."
"Actually it would be best if you simply allowed me to continue on my way..."
The hunter snorted as he fashioned his rope into a noose-like arrangement. "Best for you."
This had to be the height of absurdity. A Star Fleet officer taken prisoner by a child and a dog - never mind that it was a rather well-armed child and a particularly vicious dog...
"Young man," Chekov said, "you must be reasonable about this. I have said I was not following..."
The hunter stamped his foot angrily. "How stupid do you think I am?" he screamed.
'Slightly less stupid than I wish you were,' Chekov replied silently.
"Not another word or I'll have Nixzmi devour you on the spot!" The little Xmposian's amber-colored face flushed an orange-tinted shade of pink. "Now come here."
Sensing its master's agitation, the dog's growling went into high gear. Deciding it was best to humor them both, the ensign stepped forward.
The Xmposian had to stand on his tiptoes to try to put the noose over Chekov's head. "By Sacred Selene's holy left breast," the little hunter swore, grabbing the ensign's robe to pull him down within reach, "but you're a great tall brute!"
Chekov reflected that this was probably the first time anyone had ever had that complaint against him.
"Come," the hunter ordered tugging at the rope.
The ensign grabbed the noose with both hands just in time to prevent it from choking him. He couldn't believe the Xmposian expected him to docilely walk along at the end of a leash. "Wait. Where are you taking me?"
The boy pulled on the rope impatiently. "I told you. I'm taking you with me."
"Yes, I realize that is what you intend," the ensign replied, pulling back from his end. "I want to know where you are going. Are you going back to the Ceremonial Complex?"
"No," the boy replied adamantly.
"Are you going back to your village?"
The youth had to think about this a moment. "No."
"Then where are we going?"
The youth chewed on his lower lip contemplatively. He then seemed to come to a decision. At the hunter's signal, the dog jumped at the ensign's heels, nipping and growling.
"We're going camping," the boy announced, leading his little procession forward into the forest.
"Aren't you going to give me anything to eat?" Chekov said at last.
The boy frowned around the piece of bread he was chewing. "You're being pretty demanding for a prisoner."
"You're not being a very considerate captor," the ensign retorted, not in a pleasant mood after fleeing all night and walking around on a leash all morning. The lack of sleep and food was beginning to get to him. He'd insisted they'd stop by this stream to rest. After some grumbling, the boy had sat down and commenced to eat a small packed lunch out of his rucksack.
"Nixzmi is getting his own meal," the hunter pointed out as he reluctantly handed the ensign a small piece of his sandwich.
"I'll be glad to do the same," the Russian offered, moving to remove the rope.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," the boy warned, biting into a piece of fruit. "Nixzmi has sharp ears. He might prefer to make you his lunch."
Chekov silently cursed the nuisance of a beast as he bit into the sandwich. The Xmposian boy might be a little slow, but his dog was frighteningly intelligent. The ensign had even toyed with the idea that the creature might be psychic. It seemed to know where he was going to move before he did. Chekov was glad he was wearing a thick pair of Star Fleet issue boots or he was sure his legs would be covered in bite marks.
While the Xmposian's attention was still focused on his lunch, the ensign surreptitiously consulted his tricorder. The youth had failed to confiscate either that device or the communicator that still hung from the ensign's belt underneath the robe. A quick scan showed that they were the only humanoids in a seven mile radius.
"What's that?" the boy asked just as the ensign was about to increase the sweep area.
"Ummm... This is a... a religious practice I must observe several times a day."
"Oh." The lie seem to content the Xmposian.
Chekov couldn't tell if the boy was completely gullible or merely incredibly self-absorbed.
"Good dog, Nixzmi!" The boy's miserable mutt trotted up with a small animal between its fangs. "You brought me supper, didn't you?"
The dog panted as it dropped the carcass at its master's feet and gave the ensign a bloody grin.
"Good Nixzmi! Clever Nixzmi!" the boy exclaimed, rubbing its matted fur affectionately. He picked up the dead animal and held it out to the ensign. "Here. Prepare this for me."
"What?"
"Prepare it," the boy repeated insistently. "Come now. You don't expect me to believe you don't know how. It's perfectly simple. You just cut off the head and the other bits you don't want to eat."
Chekov made no move to touch the dead animal. "If it is so simple, then why don't you do it?"
The boy looked at the carcass and wrinkled his nose. "I don't like to. Here, you cut off its head."
"All right," the ensign relented. "Lend me your knife."
The boy was inches from complying when he suddenly looked up into the ensign's eyes suspiciously. The Xmposian gasped and sprang to his feet.
"You great big stupid brute of an alien!" he exclaimed, stamping his feet. "How dare you try to trick me!"
"What did I do?" Chekov asked innocently as the dog fixed its evil little eyes on him and began to growl.
"You would have taken my knife from me and used it against me and Nixzmi!" The boy accused, his face flushed. "Oh!" he screeched, turning to kick a nearby tree. "What a complete fool you must think me!"
"Not a complete fool," Chekov assured him. That honor had to be saved for someone stupid enough to be the prisoner of such a dimwit.
The boy grabbed the dead animal from the ground and put it in his rucksack. He then snatched the sandwich from the ensign. "No more lunch for you," he snapped, pulling on the rope. "Come on, you stupid hulking alien. March! Nixzmi!"
Chekov didn't wait to be urged forward by the dog.
Hours passed as the group made their way through the forest. The Xmposian never slowed or paused for more than a second in deciding their direction. However, Chekov was beginning to think he was seeing familiar scenery. When he consulted his tricorder, he found that they were approaching a location near where they'd stopped for lunch.
"We're lost," he announced, slowing to a halt.
"What?" the boy demanded angrily. "What makes you say such a thing?"
"Young man," Chekov said, leaning against a stump and moping his face with the sleeve of the robe. "I am a navigator. I may not know a great deal about many things, but trust me, I know when I'm lost."
"Come on," the boy said, jerking the rope, impatiently. "Stop slacking, you lazy alien."
Chekov wondered if these sudden displays of temper were culturally reinforced or just a personal aberration of the Xmposian's. He felt on the verge of a tantrum himself. The sun was beating down on him cruelly and he felt dizzy from lack of sleep. He slipped the heavy robe off one arm.
The boy turned at noise. "What are you doing?"
"It is too hot," he explained, disengaging the hood from the rope around his neck. "I must take this off."
"But..." The boy's eyes grew very round as he watched the ensign fold the robe so that it could be tied around his waist. "You haven't got a shirt."
"Yes, I know." Chekov squinted up at the light peeking through the roof of leaves. "But I calculate there's sufficient shade to protect me from overexposure to radiation from your sun."
The boy only stared at him.
"Am I offending you?" Chekov asked, moving to untie the robe.
"No," the boy replied quickly. "Of course I'm not offended. We're both men. Why should I be offended? Do you think I've never seen a man's bare chest before?"
"I don't know," Chekov said, puzzled by the intensity of the youth's reaction. "Have you?"
"Of course I have!" The boy set out again, jerking the rope. "What a stupid question!"
Despite this proclamation, the Xmposian kept sneaking looks over his shoulder at the ensign as they walked along.
"Are you sure this is necessary?" he burst out at last.
"I told you, it is too hot to wear the robe any longer. However, if I am offending you..."
"You're not offending me!" the boy insisted, walking on. After a moment, he sniffed diffidently. "I can't help but think you terribly brazen, though. I mean, I'm hot too, but you don't see me taking off my shirt."
Chekov shrugged. "You're perfectly welcome to if you'd like."
"Ha!" the boy exclaimed contemptuously. "No thank you. You can display your great hairy chest if you wish, but I won't be caught running about like a wild animal."
"Listen," the ensign said, wearily untying the robe once more. "I can see that I'm offending you..."
"I'm not offended!" the boy shouted, turning around and stamping his foot. "I told you I'm not offended! Why should I be offended?"
In direct contradiction to this, the Xmposian had to quickly avert his eyes from the ensign's nakedness.
"Young fellow…" Chekov sighed as he took his tricorder and set it for perimeter alert, then wrapped part of the robe around it. "I am sorry, but I simply cannot go on any further. You may have your damned dog devour me if you wish, but I must get some sleep."
"This is intolerable!" the boy said as the ensign found a soft pile of leaves and lay down on it, using his robe as both a pillow and a blanket. "You make entirely too many demands for a prisoner. First you must eat, then you must drink, then it's too hot and now you must sleep. If we were in the Clan Hall of the Cxiqulie, I would have your head cut off for insolence!"
"But since we're here," the Russian countered wearily, "I'd have to cut my own head off for you. And I am too tired to do that just at the moment."
He fell asleep to the sound of the Xmposian stamping about and decrying his lack of character to the dog.
*** Continued ***