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Dimly Janeway was aware that her normally controlled bridge crew was whooping with joy. She shared their delight, but she needed calm in order to continue the investigation. There might yet be dangers lurking inside that oh-so-tempting wormhole. She recalled the organism that had lured them into its maw by posing as a wormhole. That "monster" had manipulated their thoughts, made them feel almost ecstatic about returning home. Only Seven, Naomi Wildman, and the Doctor had resisted its siren song.

Janeway's temple throbbed, and she gasped softly, involuntarily. Well, if nothing else, she knew that what lay before them was not that same creature. She sure as hell wasn't feeling ecstatic right now.

She opened her mouth but was interrupted by a screeching burst from Kirn's console. The rat-a-tat sound of static followed, and Janeway winced at the volume.

"Someone is attempting to contact us," Kim told her, yelling to be heard over the noise.

"On screen," Janeway shouted back.

The image of the wormhole was replaced by scratchy static. An unintelligible voice boomed. Kim worked frantically, and after a few seconds the voice began to form words and a shape manifested on the screen.

"-to the Starship Voyager. Repeat, please acknowledge if you are receiving this!"

The image solidified-dark, sleek, short hair, pale skin, a ridged brow, a noble face. The hair along Janeway's arms and at the back of her neck lifted, as if she were seeing-and hearing-a ghost.

For she knew the voice and the visage that now appeared on the screen. They belonged to a man who was now dead-or was he?

When were they?

'Telek R'Mor," Janeway whispered.

CHAPTER

2

HARRY KIM COULDN'T BELIEVE WHAT HE WAS SEEING. The universe must really, really have it in for him.

Nearly five years ago, he had been the one who had discovered the small, ancient wormhole that had linked them via a subspace corridor to this Romulan scientist. Kim had never wanted to see the man again. Not because Telek R'Mor was a particularly unpleasant representative of his race. Quite the contrary. During their brief meetings and conversations with Telek, he had proved himself to be a man of intellect, honor, and conscience. He had done everything he could to convince the Romulan Senate to bring back the crew of Voyager as a gesture of goodwill.

The only fly in that ointment had been that Telek R'Mor had lived twenty years ago. The wormhole had cut across not mere light-years, but actual years

as well. For Harry Kim, Telek was a living example of how close they had come to getting home, and how impossible such a goal had eventually proved to be.

It had been a bitter draft, and Kim was not pleased to have this particular cup thrust into his hands yet again. It felt almost like a physical slap in the face. Although, he had to admit, it did seem that everything annoyed him these days.

In response to Janeway's uttering his name, the Romulan nodded a hasty acknowledgment. Now that Kim looked at him, he realized that Telek was anxious. He leaned closely into the screen and almost whispered his words. Harry's own body tightened with apprehension in response.

"I am taking a grave risk by contacting you, Captain Janeway. But it is imperative that I warn you. This is a trap, Captain-one I intend to see fail."

Janeway pressed her fingers to her temple, as if trying to follow what Telek was saying was giving her a headache.

"What? Telek, I-"

Telek pushed on, stepping on Janeway's confused words. "When I returned from visiting your ship, I found the Tal Shiar waiting for me." He glanced over his shoulder, then continued in a hushed, hurried voice. "They have taken my wife and my daughter. I have not even been allowed to see them. I do not like to speak ill of my government, but their methods..."

"You had no choice but to cooperate with what-

ever they wanted," Janeway supplied, nodding. A thin line of sympathy creased her brow.

"You understand. I could not sacrifice my family.