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I just hope you know what you’re doing.

“When you disappeared, we did all we could to discover the purpose of the Key,” B’Elanna said.

Janeway nodded. She would not have expected less.

“It’s our understanding that it opens a conduit of some kind between our space and…” B’Elanna faltered. “To be honest, Captain, we don’t know exactly where it leads.”

“Exosia,” Janeway replied. “Phoebe and her people intend to use the Key to return home.”

“Commander Chakotay wanted to use the Key to find you. He’s taken it to the array to place it in the mechanism designed to open the conduit.”

Janeway threw a questioning glance at Phoebe, who was obviously perturbed at this development.

“He will not be allowed to do so,” Phoebe said. “Only your captain can use the Key to open the conduit.”

Janeway tapped her combadge and called, “Janeway to Chakotay.”

There was no answer.

After another unsuccessful attempt, B’Elanna said, “I’m sorry, Captain. Our communications have been spotty at best aboard the array.”

“I will find him,” Phoebe offered. “I know where he has gone.”

“Return him to the ship immediately,” Janeway ordered. “Bring the Key with you. And make sure the rest of your people know we have only a few hours to open the conduit.”

Phoebe vanished, and B’Elanna finally found voice to ask accusatorially, “Captain, why are you trusting her? You know what she did to all of us.”

“There is more at stake here than our personal regard for her or her tactics,” Janeway replied. “I agree she’s a threat, but she’s by no means the most significant one we are facing at present.”

“I hope you’re right,” B’Elanna replied.

“What’s the ship’s status?” Janeway asked.

B’Elanna took a moment to gather her thoughts.

“All systems are operating at maximum capacity, Captain. Repairs from our entry to the array have been completed. Our interface with the array’s control systems is stable and assuming we can navigate the singularity’s event horizon, we should be able to leave on your order.”

“I’m sure Lieutenant Paris is up to the task,” Janeway said, intending her words to be comforting.

With self-restraint that was palpably painful, B’Elanna informed the captain of their attempt to harness the tetryon transporters and the subsequent loss of Tom and Harry without coming completely unglued.

“As soon as this is done, we’ll find them, B’Elanna,” Janeway said once B’Elanna had finished. “You have my word on that.”

“Yes, Captain,” B’Elanna replied.

Janeway’s reassurances, even in a situation as dire as this, obviously did a little to lift her withering spirits.

“What’s Lieutenant Tuvok’s condition?” Janeway asked next.

“I honestly don’t know,” B’Elanna answered. “With everything else going on…”

“Is he still in sickbay?” Janeway asked.

“I believe so, Captain.”

“I’m going there now to check on him. Ask the commander and Phoebe to meet me there when they return,” Janeway ordered.

B’Elanna acknowledged this with a nod and as Janeway turned to go said, “Captain?”

Janeway halted her steps.

“It’s good to have you back.”

Janeway offered her a tight smile.

“It’s good to be back.”

She had almost made it to the door when the Doctor called over the comm system, “Sickbay to Lieutenant Torres.”

Janeway stopped again to hear his transmission.

“Go ahead, Doctor,” B’Elanna replied.

“Can you tell me who Assylia is?”

“She was the commander of the Monorhan ship we discovered, Doctor.”

“Then perhaps you can also tell me why Lieutenant Tuvok is asking to speak with her?”

Janeway’s eyes widened as B’Elanna hurried to join her at the door. “I’m on my way, Doctor. Torres out.”

“What is he talking about?” Janeway asked.

“I’ll explain on the way,” B’Elanna said.

In the short distance that separated engineering from sickbay, B’Elanna gave the captain a complete report on their discovery of Assylia’s consciousness and the means they had devised to trap it in a holomatrix. She was also able to give Janeway a rough summary of all that Assylia had discussed with Chakotay, including the fact that she had been responsible for Voyager’s near destruction