“It’s your turn now!” she says to Tirad pointing at his tattoo.

“We have to get rid of it… We can’t be safe anywhere with your Saviour tattoo,” she continues. But Tirad hides his arm behind his back. He doesn’t want to do it. This sacred tattoo is his identity, a symbol of his long lonely years on the Ship, studying, teaching, serving and trying so hard to fit in. He can’t burn away all that.

“The burn mark will make it more suspicious!” he tries to convince her. She stands behind Tirad’s head and takes his hair in her hand. She strikes with the same bloody knife that she had used to hunt the fish, cutting Tirad’s hair. Tirad doesn’t resist. He knows he has to cut his hair and beard to look more like the sea men and not to be seen like a devoted Saviour Disciple in the first glance. Cutting hair and beard is not recommended but not forbidden either. But the tattoo is Saviour’s direct order. Dalia continues cutting his hair as close as she can get to his skin, shaving it off. She then goes to his beard, sitting on his knees in front of him. Tirad tries so hard not to feel sorry but his tears roll down, misting Dalia’s nail-less fingertips.

“You know you can’t go back to the Saviour Ship… Not for Hurmaz’s parting ceremony… Not ever,” Dalia says to him in a warning tone.

“As soon as you set foot on the Saviour Island, they will tear you into pieces. Mart has made you the most hated man in the sea. They believe you have killed their women and children, set them on fire and ran away,” she continues. Tirad takes her hand to his eyes and cries, sobbing. But she doesn’t soften, keeping her serious tone.

“It will take time for you to prove your innocence. But with this looks and this tattoo, you won’t even survive the anger of the fishers,” she explains pointing to Tirad’s arm that he hides behind his back.

“If you want to be caught…so be it. All three of us will die. I don’t care but I can’t speak for Narivan. If you wish to prove your innocence, you have to stay alive and wait,” she finishes her words and tries to catch his arm again. Tirad says he needs some time to think about it. Getting rid of his tattoo is difficult for him, but Dalia says they don’t have time. As soon as it becomes dark and they turn on the boat lights, other fishing or diving boats sailing around the area might see them and approach. They can’t take more risks. She blames Tirad for having shown the naval guard his tattoo.

“What did you bring from the courier boat?” Tirad asks trying to change the subject.

“I thought I might find your warrant papers, but I found the coins… Here…let me show you!” she replies with a spark in her eyes. She gets up and brings the leather sack lying around beside the gunwale. She stretches her hand so Tirad can fetch the sack. Tirad brings out his arm from behind his back to catch it. Dalia doesn’t hesitate. She takes out the torch from the tin buckle with her other hand and presses it against Tirad’s arm. Tirad screams and falls down. The coins spread all over the deck around the two men passed out on the boat.