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By Root 534 0

Torres didn't miss it, either, and when she unexpectedly reached out to squeeze her captain's shoulder, Janeway didn't mind. They had both lost people they cared deeply about and, in a sense, were sisters in that loss.

"I understand, Captain. Now," and Torres squared her shoulders, "about this ball?"

"This ball," said Janeway, "holds every bit of the dark matter that was aboard this ship."

Torres looked at the sphere with a new respect. 'Tialin somehow managed to trap all the mutated dark matter in there and render it harmless," Janeway continued. "Look at it closely. She even made it visible to us."

Torres peered into the orb. "Yes, I can just see them, if I don't look directly at it-tiny little things. So this is what caused all that damage? Right in here?"

Janeway nodded. "It seems amazing, doesn't it?"

"Tialin also said that we would be given the technology with which to trap other particles of mutated dark matter," said Telek. "But this orb did not seem to function properly while we were under attack. We were again bombarded with particles of dark matter from the Romulan ships, and again it damaged Voyager. Tialin would seem to be lying to us."

Gently, Janeway took the small orb from Torres and tossed it up and down, much like a child's toy. She knew, as Torres could not, that the sphere was unbreakable.

"Perhaps not, Telek. Tialin said she would give us the technology, and I've got it right here in my hand. But it seems as though she left it up to us to figure out how to make this technology work." She raised an eyebrow. "How did she know we enjoy challenges so much?"

She returned the ball to Torres. "Get Seven in here. You'll be working with Dr. R'Mor on figuring out what makes this little ball tick. I'm sure the three of you will come up with something."

For a moment, the situation struck her as powerfully significant. The three of them. They were a half-Klingon former rebel, a Borg freed from the collective, and a high-ranking Romulan scientist. Together they would combine their skills and determine a way to extract deadly matter, information which, according to Tialin, could save untold lives.

Torres looked at her expectantly, unable to deci-

pher her expression. Janeway smiled reassuringly. "Carry on," she said.

The door hissed open, and the Doctor looked up from examining their visitor. "Captain Janeway. How good of you to grace us with your presence."

Still giddy with the image of union among enemies she'd just experienced in engineering, Janeway let the Doctor's gibe pass unchallenged. She glanced briefly at Shamraa Khala Remilkansuur, who was seated on one of the beds, but then gave her full attention to her own crew member.

"Neelix," she said, saying volumes with the single word. She reached out her hands to him, and he clasped them tightly. "What are you still doing here? Harry said you were fine."

"Last time I checked, Ensign Kim had not gotten a medical degree," said the Doctor. "Although now that you mention his name, right now I do need an extra pair of hands. Since Mr. Paris is... unavailable, I'll make do with what I've got. Sickbay to Ensign Kim."

"Kim here."

"Are you able to report to sickbay and assist me?"

A pause, presumably while Kim checked with Tuvok, then, "Certainly. On my way."

"I'm keeping Mr. Neelix here for another few hours while I run some tests and observe his behavior," said the Doctor. "It wouldn't do to unleash him on an unsuspecting mess hall without making certain he's completely recovered. He does quite enough damage with his cooking when he's well." But the

Doctor softened the words with a smile, an almost unconscious one. Janeway liked it.

Neelix had picked up on the Doctor's comment and asked, "What happened to Tom? Is he all right?"

Janeway closed her eyes, then opened them again. Briefly, she told Neelix about Tom and Chakotay. She was beginning to hate going through this again and again. She needed to make a shipwide announcement soon, once she'd put out all