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"But... you will take care of Lhiau?" persisted Telek. "You will save my people? They do not know what they are doing, what kind of monster they have allied with."

Gently, Tialin laid a wizened hand on the Romu-

lan's uniformed shoulder. "We know of your pain, and we are doing everything we can. Which," she added, throwing Paris a glance, "is not inconsiderable, despite our limitations. Captain, the decision is yours. You will not be punished by us in any way if you decide not to accept this quest But know that you will be doing a great deal of good, more," she added, emphasizing the words, "than you yet know."

Chakotay knew his captain. He didn't for a minute think she would decide other than what she stated firmly: "We accept." How could they not? After seeing the dreadful things this mutated dark matter wrought upon the innocent, how could they not do everything they could to prevent that kind of atrocity from happening to someone else?

At that precise moment, the cavern was flooded with a blinding light. Someone screamed. It was the woman they had found, Khala.

"No!" she was crying. "No, not again, not to another dead place-"

Chakotay shielded his face from the light, her words chilling his soul. This was the same brilliant illumination they had witnessed from the safety of their bridge a few hours earlier, the same light that had heralded the transformation of a vibrant class-M planet into a dying, churning rock in the span of a few heartbeats. Khala had claimed that she had been brought here at the same time that the planet had blinked out of and then into existence again.

He opened his eyes a slit and through the veil of lashes was just barely able to make out that some-

thing was happening. The light was emanating from a single point, to the right and up, close to the stone ceiling of the cavern. Out of nowhere tumbled two large rocks and a huge shower of dust. Paris was right in their path.

Reacting without even thinking, Chakotay dove for the younger man, knocking him out of harm's way with the force of his own body. As Paris hit the earth, crying out with the pain the impact caused his broken arm, the orb Tialin had tossed to him fell out of his hand. It landed hard on the stone but did not break. It bounced twice, then rolled to a stop, its dreadful contents still safely imprisoned. Dust and debris showered Chakotay and Paris, but the stones did not strike them.

All of this happened in the fraction of a second. Coughing, Chakotay turned his head to look at the bright opening from which the rocks had tumbled.

And suddenly, Chakotay understood. Everything. Khala, the dead planet, die Shepherds, the true nature of dark matter-he comprehended it all and knew what he had to do.

There was no time to even warn Janeway, no opportunity to impart this sudden blinding knowledge to his captain. Already, the light around the aperture was dimming, and soon the precious opportunity would be missed. Chakotay hauled Paris to his feet and ran, dragging the ensign with him, toward the light.

He leaped through.

The portal vanished.

"Chakotay!" cried Janeway. The cavern now

seemed dark to her after the brightness of the portal. She ran to the rocks, touched them, trying to find a lingering trace of the opening into which her first officer and friend had leaped.

There was nothing, no trace. "That's exactly what happened the first time!" said Khala, trembling. "I was pulled through, I hit the ground, and then... then it vanished."

Janeway whirled on Tialin. "What have you done with Chakotay and Paris?" she demanded.

Tialin looked regretful. "I have done nothing with them. But do not fear, Captain Janeway."

But Janeway wasn't having any of it. "Your rogues toy with our lives, infect us, you call us here, you obliterate life on an entire planet-"

"I told you, Captain, and I dislike repeating myself," said Tialin, a touch