"There's no way to cancel it?" Porsupah interrupted.

"Oh, if I could get to a transceiver-say, the one on the raft that brought me-before Rose's contact receives the drugs, it could be done. I'd consider that a very unlikely possibility, however-even if I wanted to do it, which I don't. See, I intend not only to save my own life but yours too. Even if you don't appear to value it too highly."

"It remains a question of proportion, Captain," began the Tolian philosophically. "The number of lives at stake here far exceeds three. And despite what you may think, I happen to have become quite attached to mine."

"Right on both counts," Kitten added.

Mal was getting a bit exasperated. This damsel-in-distress was not reacting properly at the prospect of salvation.

"Listen, you altruistic femin ...!" he began heatedly.

She glared back at him, and seemed quite willing to shift the argument to a physical level.

Auspiciously, the door chimed. Porsupah threw them both a look that was more wilting than any words could have been, and they relaxed-somewhat. The Tolian spoke towards the door pickup.

"We can't lock ourselves in, you know."

The panel slid back to reveal the tall figure of Mal's young guide. The youth carried a tray filled with a multitude of small dishes: white-brown shellfish, bread, several kinds of butter and other condiments, cinnamon bark, steamed tubers, smoked snails ...

"They called me to the kitchen," he said as he set down the tray, "and ordered me to bring this to you."

Porsupah and Kitten saw the flying snake at the same time. They froze.

"Don't worry," said Mal easily. "It seems pretty tame."

"I know what one of those things can do," replied Kitten as she edged over towards Mal. "Victims don't die easily." He resisted an impulse to put an arm around her. She might decide to break it.

The youth straightened and turned to leave, then paused and looked back at Mal.

"You're being restrained against your will, aren't you?"

"I'd sort of think it was obvious," said Kitten.

"Not necessarily. His Lordship often has guests whose status is not what it seems." He rubbed the scales at the back of his pet's head. The snake looked up, then relaxed on the lanky shoulder.

"I might say that I know about the drug, sir." Three faces looked up in surprise. "Your arrival has made it easier for me to find out some things I'd been curious about for a long time. It's not very pretty." There was a long pause, then the youngster stared sharply at Mal. "If I help you escape, will you promise to see that something's done about it? The drug, I mean."

Kitten leaned forward eagerly. "You really think you can get us out of here?"

Philip smiled at her most unyouthfully. "If you don't fear a fair chance of getting shot, electrocuted, or drowned, yes."

"You know a way out of this maze, we'll try it," Mal replied.

"Not only wilt we see about the drug," added Kitten coaxingly, "but I'm sure the government will arrange something material ha the way of gratitude."

"And protection from whatever is left of Rose's petty empire when the Church finishes with it," added Porsupah.

The youngster looked over at the much smaller alien. When he spoke again, his voice was a good octave higher and the words momentarily unrecognizable. Mal knew a little Tolian, as he did about half a hundred languages. Only enough to trade by, though. The musical syllables rolled off the youth's palate fluidly and without hesitation.

Philip broke off in what seemed an abrupt manner but probably wasn't. He left, the panel sliding shut quietly behind him.

"Well," said Kitten, "what was that all about?"

"His High Tolite is excellent, really remarkable. He even has the diphthongs down, the epiglottal stops, everything."

"I'm sure he can rattle off the local equivalents of c-a-t and d-o-g without a second breath," said Kitten, "but what did he say?"

Mal was looking at the closed portal. "Rather surprising talent to find in an apprentice sanitation engineer, wouldn't you say?"

"Is that what he is?" asked Porsupah. "'Well, besides exchanging a regional prayer with me-nice to hear the amenities again-he just asked us to wait. Said he'd return soon and to be ready. He reiterated his feelings about the drug traffic and disclaimed any need for protection. Said he would take care of himself."

"Also pretty cocky for an apprentice sanitation engineer," Kitten said. "No matter, if he can slip us out."

"He added that he hoped both of you were strong swimmers." Porsupah sat down and began to remove his flexible mukluks. He wiggled each webbed bind foot as it appeared. "The question, of course, did not arise in respect to myself."

"Really think he can get us out?" Mal queried. He was interested in the little alien's opinion of their youthful benefactor.

"Why ask me?" Naked, the furry Tolian walked over to the table where the tray of delicacies had been set. He commenced a serious study of the smoked escargot.

"I can say with assurance, however, that I intend to do nothing for the next several minutes, barring earthquake or Redemption, but eat. I've had nothing in my belly since we arrived here save memories."

"Just don't overdo it," said Kitten, moving to join him. "It seems we're in for an extensive journey by water. And if you get a cramp out there, I'm sure as hell not towing you."

They were down to the last pair of hors d' oeuvres and Mal was dreaming of distant steaks when the youngster returned. His clothes were dirty, with patches of grime and oil staining the coveralls. The flying snake was perched on its same shoulder. It was coiled tight, the triangular head holding steady and unwinking a foot in the air. The pleated wings were only half furled, ready for instant flight. The snake gave them a soulless once over, decided that no one in the room was a candidate for instant destruction, and relaxed somewhat.

Philip's voice was low and he was panting hard but evenly.

"After me now, quickly!" Without looking back he turned and left.

They followed. In the lead, Mal saw that the youth was already at the end of one hallway, waiting where it intersected another. As soon as he spotted Mal, the youngster disappeared around the corner. He reappeared a moment later and beckoned urgently. They ran to join him.

"Stay low and quiet, and along the far side," he whispered. "And watch out for the bodies."

He turned and led them up a corridor.

They passed several doors, all unopened. Once their guide gestured for a halt and they all froze while voices got louder somewhere up ahead, then faded. They continued forward. The only sound was of controlled breathing. They came to a door set in a low recess, which was slightly ajar. Philip disappeared inside, returned almost immediately. Kitten and Mal both had to stoop to get through the sub-two-meter overhead. Mal noticed the metal engraving in the door.

BIOENGINEERING PERSONNEL ONLY.

ADMITTANCE RESTRICTED.

Besides bending, Mal and Kitten had to step high to avoid stumbling over the two corpses that lay crumpled just inside the entrance. Even in the dim light Mal could tell how one had died, from the unnatural angle at which his head rested. Dressed in mechanic's overalls, the other lay prone with an unfired sonic pistol in one hand. His other hand covered most of his face. Which was just as well, if the long grooves seared into the revealed cheek were any indication of what lay beneath. Milk-white bone gleamed at the bottom of one groove. The muscles in the man's face and arm were frozen at full contraction. What the hand covered would not be pretty, no. The flying snake had been at work here.

Kitten was busy examining the numerous long tunnels which led from the small room. Clearly they were in the maintenance arteries of the island. Water trickled along the floor of several dark corridors, disappeared into unseen drains. The natural stone walls were damp at the entrances to some, hot and dry at others. None rose higher than the cramping height of the room they were in. Philip turned without speaking and plunged down the one closest on their left. At least it was a little wider, if not really spacious.

There was barely enough light from the widely spaced red fluorescents to make out the form of the lanky youth moving ahead of them. The otherworldly figure moved with a slightly bloody tinge to it from the safety lights. It was leading them who knew where? Maybe it was all a stunt of then captor's. Kitten had experienced his sense of humor. Maybe he'd decided on some especially gruesome way of disposing of them, decided it would be safer to write off the fabulously profitable shipment-unlikely as it seemed. At any moment their guide could disappear around a turn, leaving them to wander in a maze of filthy underground passages among unseen terrors while Rose's whining laugh echoed from hidden speakers.

She found herself dripping inside the fancy evening dress. It had not been designed for running over slippery floors in a hunched over position.