SYMBOLS

CHAPTER 37

"You were holding something back, weren't you?" Janeway questioned Chakotay, as they sat alone, not far from the ashes and flames that glowed inside the metal canister.

The night sky was filled with a thousand stars and a small splinter of distant moon, which disappeared only while the roaming floodlight atop the guard tower passed over them and made the scene look like daylight for a few seconds.

Chakotay turned to check on Paris and Tayna, who were huddled together like puppies with their freezing bodies curled up as near to the slowly extinguishing red embers as they could tolerate. He made sure they were still asleep.

"You're right," he confided in a whisper. "It really wasn't pleasant down there in the crypts. It was very claustrophobic and very cold. I can still hear the screams of the prisoners ringing in my ears."

"And Tuvok?" Janeway asked. She wondered how he might be coping with being locked up in such a tight confinement space for so long.

"Oh Kathryn, you should have seen him. Of course he was still Tuvok, outwardly fearless and unemotional as always, but deep down I'm sure he was feeling hurt and worried. When he first grabbed me, he was like a caged, frightened animal. I honestly thought he was going to kill me..." Chakotay trailed off remembering. "I didn't want to leave him behind, but I had to. He was so cramped and cold. There'll be a limit to how long he can survive down there."

Janeway thought about Chakotay's words, and of Tuvok having to spend another night tightly curled inside a cold, damp, earth-encrusted prison cell. She shivered as the piercing night air ripped through her. At the same time, she heard Tayna whimper and she moved over to the child, soothing the little girl back to sleep with gentle strokes and whispered words.

"Don't worry. We'll get him out," Chakotay said resolutely, as he watched Janeway's actions and moved in closer to shield her and Tayna from the biting breeze.

***

Harry looked up at the large, elongated freestone building with a gabled roof. Somewhere inside, deep melodic voices were united in a hymnal of praise.

"Back again," he said to B'Elanna, as they walked around the priory grounds.

The entrance to the old priory was covered by two huge wooden doors which were carved with an intricate design. The heavy doors were shut but not locked, and Harry provided B'Elanna with a quick, cautious glance before he used the weight of his body to force open one of them.

Inside the priory, colored lights and shadows cascaded all around them. A multitude of burning lanterns hung from every wall and reflected all the colors of the large stained glass window that was positioned above the entrance.

Harry watched B'Elanna turn in a slow circle, her footsteps echoing up to the rafters. She seemed to be studying every inch of the elaborate painting that covered the vaulted ceiling high above their heads. The ceiling design was highly detailed and Harry marveled at the workmanship of the painting. In the center of the mural was an altar, alight with flames. The altar was surrounded by multitudes of Anawins and in a corner of the painting a flock of birds was taking flight. Overshadowing the picture was the image of a huge robed priest with most of his face shielded by a dark purple hood. The priest's arms were outstretched and in one open palm he held a resting Alum bird. It was quite a dramatic painting and Harry shuddered with a feeling of uneasiness that crept over his gradually warming body.

"I can feel my fingers again," Harry said and wiggled his previously numb fingers to demonstrate the fact.

The priory protected them from the blustery wind and, surrounded by burning lanterns, Harry felt warm and much better than when he had stood out in the freezing night air. Outside, the icy wind had stung his skin and removed all feeling from his fingers and toes. Now inside the priory, he was sheltered from the cold, although the warmth did draw his mind to the rest of the away team, who he knew would still be braving the elements outside.