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'Truly?" Her eyes searched his and he nodded. She looked down. "We will miss you. You will leave behind those who love you-both of you."

"I know," said Chakotay, "but the alternative-"

"Cannot be contemplated. Trima is-" Soliss rushed up to them, cutting off her words.

"Chakotay! Yurula! You must help me with Paris. I went to check on him and found him unconscious in his hut!"

They all began to run. Chakotay's heart sank. Don't die, Tom. B'Elanna would never forgive me. And frankly I'd never forgive myself.

But Paris was sitting up by the time they reached him, and managed a weak smile of genuine pleasure. "Chakotay! A sight for sore eyes." He tried to stand, but swayed. Chakotay caught him just in time. He picked Paris up and laid him on the bed.

"This place is just not good for me," Paris gasped.

"You're more right than you know," said Chakotay. He turned to Soliss and Yurula. "May I have a few moments with him in private? PH come out and speak with both of you and Culil Trima as well."

They nodded their understanding and withdrew. Chakotay turned to Paris and spoke in a hurried, low voice.

"I've got a lot to tell you, Tom."

"And I've got something to tell you, too. Me first, I'm sicker." Chakotay had to grin at that. Tom had lost none of his spirit. "The Alilann have a spy planted here."

"I know. The Silent One."

"Yeah. It's Trima."

"What?" Of everyone in the village, Trima was quite literally the last one Chakotay would have expected to be the spy.

"They Recovered her as an infant and healed her. Then they sent her here in deep cover at the age of ten. She's very conflicted, Chakotay, but she's chosen to confide in me. Matroci's dead."

"I know."

"He didn't commit suicide, he was murdered. By one of the Alilann"

"I know that, too."

Paris frowned, annoyed. "I'm worried about Trima."

"I understand. The Alilann came for us both, but they

missed you. I hear you had an up-close and personal encounter with a mother iislak."

"Yeah, and Junior too. Not one of my finest moments."

"There's a Recovery team waiting to take us back, and from that point our top priority has to be returning to Voyager. We're dying, Tom." There was no way to put it other than bluntly. Paris could take it. "We're not from this universe. We're hi the Shadow universe and our bodies are rebelling, trying to go home a cell at a time."

Paris stared at him, but Chakotay knew the ensign believed him. "When do you think we'll be able to leave?"

"You know the Sumar-ka. Any excuse for a party."

"I was afraid of that. We'll have to play up your illness, see if we can't have that farewell dinner tonight"

Paris grimaced. "We won't have to play it up all that much."

Chakotay had been right. The Sumar-ka were caring people, and they believed Chakotay's story about returning to his ship. They could see that Paris was ill, could even see signs of weakness in Chakotay. They were left alone in their hut to rest and dress for the ceremony, which would be held after nightfall. Chakotay contacted the Recovery team and informed them of the situation.

Paris hadn't wanted to sleep, but it came for both him and Chakotay regardless. He woke, hot and sweating, as the twilight shadows were beginning to fill the hut with a soft light. He woke Chakotay and they splashed cool water on their faces and changed into clean robes.

Trima came for them as soon as dark had settled fully. She looked like an incarnation of twilight herself, with her blue skin and purple-gray robes. Her normally poised demeanor was gone, and she looked small and lost inside the formal dress of her office.

"Hi," said Paris, his voice sounding awkward in his own ears. "I didn't know you'd come get us."

She smiled, but it did not reach her eyes. "It is my privilege, as Culil. I have been notified about the Recovery team waiting for you." She paused, men said, "I will