the greatest voyage in forty million years and inherit a world for us and our children. Or go back to the city where you can betray your spouse as some of you are already planning. As for me and Luet, we will never go back to the city."
"Enough," said Elemak. "Not another word or you're dead this instant." A pulse was in his hand. Luet had not noticed he was carrying it, but she knew what it meant. This was exactly what Elemak had been waiting for. He had set it up very carefully, and now he could kill Nafai and no one would dare condemn him for it. "I know the desert and you don't," said Elemak. "There are no bandits where you claim there are, or we'd already be dead. If that's what passes for wisdom in your fevered little brain, Brother, then anyone who stayed with you would surely be doomed. But no one will stay with you, because I'm not about to let this group split up. That would mean certain death for anyone who went with you."
"A lie," said Nafai.
"Please, speak again so I can kill you as the mutineer you are."
"Hold your tongue, Nafai, for my sake!" said Luet.
"You've all heard him, haven't you?" said Elemak. "He has proclaimed rebellion against my authority and attempted to lead a group away to their destruction. That's mutiny, which is far more serious than adultery, and the penalty is death. You are all witnesses. There's not one of you but would have to confess it in court, should it ever come to that."
"Please," said Luet. "Let him be, and he'll say no more."
"Is that true, Nafai?" asked Elemak.
"If you continue to head back to the city," said Nafai, "the Oversoul will have no reason to restrain the bandits any further, and you will all be killed."
"You see?" said Elemak. "Even now he tries to frighten us with these fantasies of nonexistent bandits."
"That's what you've been doing all along," said Shedemei. "Making us do what you want for fear of bandits finding us."
Elemak turned to her. "I never claimed they were a few meters away, hiding in a cave, only that there was a chance that some would come upon us. I've said nothing but the truth to you - but this boy thinks you're such fools that you'll believe his obvious lies."
"Believe what you like," said Nafai. "You'll see the proof soon enough."
"Mutiny," said Elemak, "and all of you - even his own mother - will be my witnesses that I had no choice, because he would not desist in his rebellion. If he were not my own brother, I wouldn't have waited this long. He'd be dead already."
"And if you didn't carry genes that the Oversoul regards as precious ones," said Nafai, "Gaballufix would have killed you when you failed to lead Father into his trap."
"Accusing me does nothing but compound your crime," said Elemak. "Say good-bye to your mother and your wife - from where you are, and no nearer!"
"Elemak, you can't mean this," said Rasa.
"You yourself agreed with me, Rasa, that our survival depends on obedience to the law of the desert, and what the penalty had to be."
"I see that you maliciously - "
"Careful, Lady Rasa. I'll do what must be done, even if it includes leaving you to your death as well."
"Don't worry, Mother," said Nafai. "The Oversoul is with us, and Elemak is helpless."
Luet began to catch a glimmer of what Nafai was doing. He seemed quite calm - unbelievably calm. Therefore he must be quite sure that the Oversoul would be able to protect him after all. He must have a plan of his own, and so Luet would do best to be silent and let it unfold, no matter how frightened she was.
It would be nice if you would share the plan with me, though, she said to the Oversoul.
(Plan?) answered the Oversoul.
Luet's hands began to tremble.
"We'll see how helpless you are," said Elemak. "Mebbekew, take a length of packing cord - the light line, and a good length, several meters - and tie his hands. Use the cinching knot, so it binds tight, and don't worry about cutting off the circulation in his hands."
"You see?" said Nafai. "He has to kill a bound man."
Don't! cried Luet in her heart. Don't provoke him into shooting you! If you let him tie you, then you have a chance.
Chapter 4
Elemak glanced at Mebbekew, at which Meb took a few steps