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'Take a look at this, Khala," she said, handing it to the young woman. "Do you know what mis is?'

Khala glanced down at the padd, her long fingers curiously caressing its square shape as she read the information.

"Certainly. That's a textbook example of standard molecular structure. In this case, it happens to be my species." She glanced from one to the other. "What's the problem?"

The Doctor frowned and handed her another padd. "This is the standard molecular structure with which we're familiar," he said. "In this case, it happens to be Captain Janeway's."

Khala looked down at the schematic and her eyes widened. "That's impossible." She looked at mem, angry and confused. "Your humor is difficult for me to understand."

Janeway shook her head. "No joke, Khala."

"But then... What's going on?" asked the woman. "You are completely unlike any life-form I've ever heard of!"

"Mutual," said the Doctor. "Ah, I love a mystery."

Although it seemed that everybody wanted a piece of her, Janeway could delay her task no longer. She returned to the bridge and slipped into her chair.

For a moment, she looked around, taking it in, letting it settle in her mind. Tuvok was at his post, ca-

pable as always. Both he and Seven of Nine, who was presently down in engineering, had survived the encounter that had claimed Ensign Kirby and Lieutenant Ramirez. For that, at least, she was glad. Kim was down in sickbay. The two science stations were manned, and the conn was occupied by the capable Ensign Jenkins.

She missed seeing Tom's long, lean form there, hearing his quips that were just this side of insubordination. And oh, the empty chair at her left side was a palpable ache. She had come to rely so much on Chakotay, on his quiet good humor and cool head. He, of all of them, would most relish this new adventure upon which they were about to embark.

But she trusted Tialin, on a cell-deep level that she could not articulate. Somehow, they were where they needed to be. She could only hope that someday they would be permitted to rejoin her crew. In the meantime, they would have to press on, though the bridge would not be the same without the presence of these two vital men.

Janeway took a deep breath, opened a shipwide channel and hit the controls.

"This is Captain Janeway. Please cease activity for a moment and give your full attention to this announcement. I'm certain that the rumors are flying and I want everyone to be apprised of our present status.

"You all know that we were victorious in our battle with the Romulans, though we regret the unnecessary loss of life that ensued. The away team was

successful in making contact with one of the Shepherds. She gave us the technology to extract the mutated dark matter from this vessel and contain it safely."

She smothered a smile as she could hear faint whoops from various parts of the ship.

"Lieutenant Torres, Seven of Nine, and our honored guest Telek R'Mor are hard at work getting that technology up and running. I've no doubt that they will succeed." She paused a moment before continuing. "While on the planet, Commander Chakotay and Ensign Thomas Eugene Paris disappeared into a portal that led elsewhere. We do not know where they are, but the Shepherd has given me her assurance that they are not in immediate danger. I have high hopes that they will be returned to us. In the meantime, I consider them alive and well and doing Federation-sanctioned work wherever they are. There will be no speculations otherwise.

"We have taken aboard a visitor named Shamraa Khala Remilkansuur. She is presently in sickbay being examined by the Doctor. Once she is released, I hope all of you will make her feel welcome. Khala may be with us for quite some time."

Again Janeway paused, reaching for the words. "While we were on the planet with the Shepherd, I agreed to assist her in a certain... quest. We know firsthand how devastating the mutated dark matter can be. It has taken the lives of