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"What in the hell are you doing to them?" Trip shouted. He tried to pull away from his captors as he entered the crowded, torchlit space and saw Hoshi and Archer across the room from him, arms bound behind them, mouths gagged, their toes lined up along the edge of a crater. The Osoba released him suddenly and he stumbled to the pit's edge, peering down into the darkness below. He blinked in shock and turned to Malcolm, seeing his own frantic worry reflected in his friend's eyes.

Samul stepped from behind the crowd of Osoba. "Normally, one of us is willing to take the leap, but we have been especially blessed by your presence."

Trip turned back to his friends. He could see the panic in Hoshi's eyes, the firmness in Archer's. He looked down into the depths below him and saw nothing but darkness. "You're talking about killing them," he said, his shock stripping all inflection from his voice.

"They will jump." Samul shrugged. "Or be pushed, it doesn't matter. Either will be an acceptable sacrifice to the spirits."

"Spirits?" Malcolm asked from beside him, clearly alarmed. "How -"

"Our spirits are the ones of death," Samul said. "It is their aim, their purpose. I think the deaths of your counterparts will suffice."

Samul turned away and some of the Osoba began a chant, low at first, gradually building as it went. One of them pulled out one of the flowers.

"You don't have to do this," Trip said. Samul ignored him, instead tearing a lobe off one of the flowers. He passed the flower to the person next to him and joined in the chant.

"Let me talk to them," Trip said, trying to find a way to delay, to buy more time. He tried to walk toward Samul, but he felt hands grab his arms and pull him back.

Someone from beside him whispered, "He can not speak to outsiders once the ceremony begins." Trip glanced in the direction of the voice and saw Beata there.

Trip knew that he didn't have much time. "Talk to me!" he shouted to Samul.

Samul stopped chanting and slowly turned to Trip. He walked to him and silently held out the piece of flower.

Beata spoke again. "He can speak with you if you participate."

Trip shook his head. He looked to Malcolm beside him, and saw his friend staring angrily at Samul.

"He can not speak to you unless you take the drug." Beata frowned. "You will not understand unless you -"

Trip watched in shock as Malcolm reached out and grabbed the flower. Roughly, he tore off one lobe.

"Malcolm," Trip said harshly, and his friend paused. He looked at Trip, and Trip saw a spark of something in his eyes - a mix of amusement, resignation, and determination. Then he took a rough bite, swallowing quickly.

Trip watched as Malcolm frowned, then wavered slightly. After a moment he leaned to one side, catching himself with a quick hand against the rock wall. He blinked rapidly, then his legs went out from under him and he crumpled to the ground.

Samul's laughter echoed off the walls of the small cavern as Trip stepped to Malcolm's side. Malcolm pushed one hand against the floor and Trip helped him sit, slumped against the rough wall, his head hanging down, his eyes closed.

"Malcolm?" Trip asked softly.

Malcolm didn't move. The room had gone quiet around them, the only sounds the sputter of the torch above their heads and Malcolm's ragged breathing.

"Malcolm?" Trip said a bit louder. When he didn't get a response, he reached out a hand and lifted Malcolm's chin. "Open your eyes, Lieutenant."

Malcolm responded by brushing Trip's hand away and letting his head fall forward again.

From his position beside Malcolm, Trip looked up at Samul. "What did you do to him?"

Samul didn't even look at him. His eyes, like those of the rest of the people in the cavern, were riveted on Malcolm. After a moment, Beata knelt beside Trip. In a quiet voice, she said, "Samul will speak with your friend once he gets through the initial stages." She smiled gently. "The first time is the most intense."

Trip rubbed a harsh hand across his face and turned back to Malcolm. Several moments passed before Malcolm opened his eyes and stared blankly at Trip.

"Malcolm?" Trip asked again.

"Mmm?" was Malcolm's response.

Trip looked into his eyes. His friend looked out of it, his eyes shot through with red. "Are you okay?" he finally asked.

Malcolm didn't respond. Trip watched as a bit of dark blood began to trickle from his nose. "You have a bloody nose," he said quietly.

With a shaky hand, Malcolm reached up and wiped away the blood. He stared down at the dark streak across his hand.

Trip heard Samul from above him. "That's a new one."

Malcolm closed his eyes, his brow furrowed. After a moment, he took a deep breath, opening his too-bright eyes as he exhaled. "I feel odd," he said slowly, each word slurring into the next.

Trip leaned in towards him, trying to catch his eye. "You took their drug."

Malcolm nodded, his eyes flitting from Trip, to Beata, to Samul. "I had to," he said as Samul stepped towards him, a wide smile on his face.

"We should leave them," Beata said to Trip. She placed a hand on his arm, but he shrugged her off, standing quickly. As he moved away, he heard Samul begin to speak to Malcolm in low tones.

Trip walked to where Hoshi and Archer were standing, their hands still bound behind them. "You guys all right?" he asked. They both nodded, unable to speak because of their gags. The captain nodded towards Malcolm, lifting an eyebrow in question. Trip shrugged. "He seems pretty well out of it, but Samul is willing to talk to him."

Trip turned as Samul said, "Excellent!" clapping his hands together as his voice rang through the chamber. Then he stood and moved away, leaving Malcolm there on the ground. As he passed Trip, he waved to Archer and Hoshi. "Let them loose." The Osoba nearby untied the two, and Archer ripped away his gag, Hoshi gingerly removing her own.

Samul left the room, the other Osoba flowing out behind him. Trip watched them go and, puzzled, walked to where Malcolm was sitting cross-legged on the ground. Squatting beside his friend, he asked, "What happened?"

Malcolm looked up at him from his place on the floor, his eyes now circled by darkness. "Trip," he said quietly, his voice still slurred.

Trip sat in front of him on the floor.

"You can go," Malcolm said with a soft smile.

"What do you mean?" Trip asked, his voice similarly low. He heard Archer and Hoshi as they moved to stand behind him.

Malcolm looked up at the others. "You can go," he said again.

"Okay," Archer said, kneeling beside them. "Let's get out of here. Trip, can you help Malcolm?"

Malcolm shook his head. "I'm staying."

Trip frowned. "What?"

Malcolm nodded. "It was the only way they'd let you go. I have to stay."

"What?" Trip spat. "Oh, no, no," he said, turning to Archer. "No way, Captain."

"Not his decision," Malcolm said quietly. "It's mine."

Hoshi sat beside Trip, taking one of Malcolm's hands in her own. "You know you can't stay here, Malcolm," she said gently.

"Well, I won't actually be here long," Malcolm said. He laughed softly.

"What do you mean?" Trip asked.

"I'm jumping," Malcolm said.

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