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By Root 633 0

her head. “Think about it. The shape-shifter murdered Ellis in cold blood, after apparently going to great lengths to keep him alive in stasis for six years. Why would he do such a thing? Why kill him now, and not before? My guess is: in order to produce a freshly killed corpse when it was convenient for him to do so. How many others does he have, hidden away for just such an occasion? Chakotay for one, I’m certain of it. I’m daring to hope that he’s still alive, but if the Changeling gets wind that we know what’s going on, everyone on that ship is going to be in jeopardy. Tom’s on his way there right now. I’ll let him know what he’s dealing with. He can monitor the situation until help arrives.”

“If you are not going to contact Starfleet Command, what form will that ‘help’ take?” Tuvok wanted to know.

“I’m not sure yet, Tuvok,” Janeway replied honestly. “I’m not sure.”

Kaz was starting to see the beach when he closed his eyes for even a moment.

They walked together now, he and Gradak. Stride for stride, feet sinking into the soft sand washed smooth by the ceaseless purple tides. They were growing more alike with each step, the doctor and the Maquis. Jarem glanced at Gradak as they walked, and almost before his eyes the lines of care and fear seemed to melt from around his eyes and mouth.

Jarem was starting to listen.

He sighed and opened his eyes. Hours had passed since they had spoken to Janeway, Seven, and the Doctor, and they’d heard nothing. It wouldn’t be much longer until they reached Loran II, and who knew what would happen then. Maybe it was time for another attempt.

“Kaz to Chakotay.” He marveled that his voice didn’t sound the least bit shaky.

You’re getting good at this, Gradak thought approvingly.

“Chakotay here. What is it, Doctor?”

“Is Lieutenant Kim at his station?”

“Yes, he’s here.”

“I’ve processed the data I took on the away team, and I think he may have the beginnings of a mild case of Umari flu,” he said. “Of course I should have caught it at once, but we’ve all been a little distracted recently. I’d like to examine him again and stop the flu in its tracks.”

A pause. Kaz’s heart raced.

“Very well, I’ll send him down. Chakotay out.”

Kaz leaned back in his chair and blew out a breath. A few moments later Kim burst into sickbay.

“That was brilliant, Kaz!” the younger man exclaimed. “What the hell is Umari flu?”

“Completely made up,” Kaz said. “I thought we might try to contact—”

Kim held up a hand. “I’m way ahead of you. We had an interesting message about an hour ago. From Irene Hansen. She was incoherent and trying to reach Seven of Nine.”

“But Irene Hansen is fine! She’s one of the sharpest people I’ve ever met. She’s in full control of her faculties.”

Kim grinned. “Exactly. But whoever’s sitting in the command chair right now didn’t know that, and contacted Seven of Nine so she could tend to her poor auntie. While Seven was talking, she sent me an encoded message. I don’t think I quite got it all—Chakotay was pretty keen on wrapping up the message quickly—but I got something.”

“You know,” said Kaz, “it’s never a dull moment with you Voyagers.”

“Don’t be too judgmental,” Kim retorted, sliding into Kaz’s seat. “You’re one of us now.” His fingers flew over the control pads. “The trick,” he said, “is for me to be able to access this message without sending up a red flag at Campbell’s station.”

“Any way you could distract her?”

Kim shook his head. “We’ve attracted enough attention by getting me down here with Umari flu. Better not risk it.” He sighed and frowned in concentration. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but right now I wish Lyssa Campbell was less competent.”

The Changeling was a creature of instinct.

Instinct—not a thorough, scholar’s knowledge of anatomy or cell construction—was what made a Changeling a shape-shifter. In order to be a stone, one had to know a stone; in order to be a person, one had to know a person. It wasn’t a question of getting the freckles or moles or laugh lines right; it was understanding what made a person unique that gave a Changeling its