"Kazon pirates are treacherous, thieving, backstabbing thugs," Neelix explained. "There's no guarantee that they won't simply shoot us once we're in range and then rob our corpses." They strode over plains of sand and dirt, with only occasional patches of scraggly grass. Other than the grass, there wasn't a plant to be seen anywhere on the barren landscape. A rise some distance ahead of them hid the rest of the island from sight, but Janeway got the impression it wouldn't be any more impressive. There was something about this place that spoke of desolation.
"Noted," she said, shifting the weight of her pack to the other shoulder. "But we've got a few surprises they won't be expecting."
Neelix had told them that the Kazon were always looking for supplies of any kind. Looking, but willing to steal as soon as trade for them. Reflecting on the state of the harbor, Janeway realized she couldn't really expect anything else. Hopefully, the Federation steel ingot she carried would be valuable to the Kazon.
"I believe you," Neelix said, nodding toward the cut slope they were approaching. "We should have been challenged by now – they always patrol that slope. Whatever spell you're using is doing its job! We could walk right into their houses and they'd never know we were there!"
"What would be the point of that?" asked Chakotay. "We need to talk to them."
"Of-of course. I'm just saying it's a possibility." He sounded disappointed and Janeway shared a look with Tuvok. She wanted to hear his opinion, but he had almost all of his concentration on maintaining the Illusion spell that was hiding them all: Neelix, Chakotay, Paris and of course she and Tuvok himself. Anyone looking directly at them would only see a whirling cloud of dust; something Neelix had assured them was common on this island, and hopefully would be dismissed as one. After all, they wanted an audience with what Neelix called the maje – the leader of this sect – not to be stopped and robbed by one of the patrols.
No one spoke again until they were within sight of the settlement. Janeway could see several dozen figures moving back and forth between the houses, if one could call them such. The pitiful shelters were in as poor shape as the wharf at which they had landed. They were barely more than lean-tos, cobbled together from mud and rotten boards. The Kazon themselves were living extensions of the wilderness – hard and raw as the baked and barren land. Even going about their daily routine, they bristled with weapons. Their faces were carved expressions of hate and loathing. In the distance beyond the village, an inscrutable tower of stone rose up, overlooking the area for kilometers around.
"Weapons at the ready," commanded Tuvok, straining to do his duty even while under extreme duress. It was one of his defining characteristics and he did it so faithfully that the captain was almost sad when she had to countermand him.
"No," she said. "We don't want to look like an attacking force."
"Captain, I don't think they'll listen to us unless we threaten them," said Neelix.
"Maybe not, but it isn't Seafleet policy to go storming into a settlement, blades and bows drawn. Stay your weapons, all of you, until I say otherwise."
There was a subtle shuffling as everybody made sure their weapons were loose in their sheathes. Janeway nodded to Tuvok and he Terminated the spell. Instantly, there were shouts of alarm and bewilderment from the Kazon. People as hard and dirty as baked earth surrounded them, weapons drawn. The crew began to back away, hand going to their weapons despite Janeway's instructions.
"[None of you move!]" hollered a voice rife with fury. A towering figure wearing a red and green sash stepped out of the crowd that had gathered. He headed straight for Neelix, with a look on his face that suggested he wanted nothing more than to bite the man in half. Several Kazon grabbed Neelix and yanked his arms behind him.
"[Jabin!]" he squealed, trying to sound as if he was meeting a long lost acquaintance. "[How are you, my old friend?]"
This maje Jabin drew a long knife and pressed it to Neelix's throat, who paled.
"[I warned you never to return, thief,]" he growled. Janeway shot a look at Tuvok. Neelix didn't mention that he had a tarnished reputation in these parts.
He gulped and said, frantically, "[And I never did, until I had the payment I needed to repay you for what my crime!]"
"[You have nothing I want.]" The maje sounded disappointed even as he said it.
"[These people do!]" Neelix jerked his head toward Janeway and her crew, who were still surrounded by Kazon. "[They have stronger and better quality metal than anything you've ever discovered.]"
Jabin looked over at them. "[Show me.]"
Janeway carefully drew a small sample of ingot and passed it to him. He inspected it closely, then passed to another man. His greed seemed to outweigh his desire for revenge, which was clearly keeping Neelix alive.
"[You have more?]"
Janeway wasn't willing to throw away what was probably her only leverage with these people. She needed more information.
"[What exactly is this repayment for?]" she asked.
He glared at her. "[Why should you care? Who are you?]"
"[I'm Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation Sailing ship Voyager. I want to make sure we aren't violating Federation law by repaying, say, someone's blood money.]"
He snorted. "[Hardly. He wants to repay us for stealing one of our slaves.]"
She smothered a gasp. Slavery was absolutely forbidden anywhere in the Federation, but here it was apparently alive and kicking. "[He stole a slave?]"
"[Tried to steal. Barely escaped with his life. Now he won't be so lucky.]"
The Prime Directive absolutely forbade her from doing anything to free the slave in question, but that didn't make Janeway feel any better about it. The Prime Directive was in place to prevent her from doing any harm to other cultures by preventing her from influencing them in any way. And, to her disgust, that included abolishing slavery. She had to play by the Kazon's rules for now, as much as she hated it.
"[Can't we buy her from you?]" asked Neelix, still restrained. "[The ingot is valuable enough for an entire ship full of slaves.]"
Jabin looked at the man who he'd thrown the first sample to. The man came over and spoke in excited tones, but Janeway couldn't understand what he said. She got the impression that he knew the ingot was high quality and was telling Jabin this.
"[Do you think I'm an idiot? It's good, but it's not that good.]"
Neelix's voice now took on a definite note of desperation. "[Will you at least let us consult with her? Some have said she's an oracle. Which, I must confess, is the reason I tried to take her in the first place.]"
"[Oracle?]" Jabin sneered. "[She's never foretold so much as a rainfall since she's been here.]"
"[If I may,]" said Neelix, "[Perhaps you simply don't know how to ask the questions. I can show you, if you like.]"
Jabin glared, then softened his expression as an idea came to him. "[Very well. You may consult the 'Oracle' for all the ingot you have.]" He reached for Janeway's pack, but she backed away.
"[Not until we see her,]" she said. Jabin glared at her, but she held her ground.
"[Fine. But if you start any trouble, I'll kill him and take the rest of you as slaves.]"
The Kazon pushed them all toward a hill just outside the settlement. Neelix was still held by two men, but not so tightly anymore. A cave opening yawned ahead of them, guarded by two more Kazon, its deep darkness a stark contrast to the brightness outside. Within its recesses, something stirred. Chakotay felt for his weapon, but a quick glance from Tuvok warned him not to. They would be too easily overwhelmed.
"[Don't worry,]" whispered Neelix. "[She won't hurt us.]"
"[Who is she?]" Janeway whispered back, finally tired of playing second fiddle to Neelix's negotiations. Then, realizing they had an advantage in knowing two languages, she began talking in Federation Common. "I thought you said you knew where our people were being held."
Neelix faltered for a moment, then switched to keep up with her. "Your people are probably with the Ocampa. She knows how to get there; that's why the Kazon captured her."
Janeway felt her anger rising. "If our people aren't even on this island, why did you bring us here in the first place?"
Neelix, sensing her anger, spoke quickly. "The Ocampa are here – they live in an underground city. When I came here the first time, she-" he gestured at the cave – " said strange people were appearing in their city. People said the Caretaker sent them. He's the one who provides everything the Ocampa need. She can probably show you how she got out and you can use that way to get in."
Janeway nodded. The Caretaker must be a being of incredible power if he could provide everything required for living in a city underground. "Is that why the Kazon want to get to the city? To take control of the Caretaker."
"Indirectly. No food can grow on this island, and they know the Ocampa have everything they need, while they have nothing."
The captain found her opinion of the Kazon changing. No wonder they were so harsh and brutal – it was more out of desperation than greed.
"[We'll take that ingot now,]" said Jabin as the group drew up to the mouth of the cave.
"[I want to see her,]" said Janeway. The Kazon parted, letting she and her crew inside. A pale, slight figure huddled against the back wall. It shivered at their approach and she heard heavy chains clinking. As her eyes adjusted, the captain could see that whoever this was wasn't much older than a teenager. Female, fragile as an eggshell and Janeway felt a surge of anger as she realized those dark spots on her skin weren't part of her normal color. Janeway turned from this frail figure and passed her pack to Jabin.
"[As we agreed.]"
"[It's a good start.]" Janeway stiffened. A cold knot of fear formed in the pit of her stomach and she bored her eyes into his.
"[It's what we agreed upon.]"
"[Yes, but you have so much more than we do. Perhaps you could spare some of these fine Federation weapons,]" he said, reaching for her sword.
"[We don't trade weapons,]" she said, moving back and grasping the handle. "[If you try anything, I'll show you just how 'fine' these weapons are.]"
Jabin's eyes narrowed and he snarled a command. Janeway heard her crew stiffen around her, but before anyone could move, there came a flicker of motion from Neelix. He grabbed a vial of Thunderflash and hurled it and the mouth of the cave. Before Jabin even had time to look surprised, a tremendous explosion ripped through the air. The rock of the cave mouth fractured, splintered, then gave way and collapsed.