The Star Trek: Voyager premise and its characters belong to Paramount Studios, a Viacom company.  No infringement on Paramount's or Viacom's rights is intended.Other stories in the series:Cracks in the WallClear as MudTest of FaithEcho of a NightmareFlight of MemoryInheritanceWhither Are They Vanished?The Judgment of Karis "With Murderous Intent" by the P/T Collective" . . . so then Janine is rubbing sunscreen lotion all over my back, and we both can't stop laughing.  I've got this glop all over my swim trunks and she's got it all over her suit.  It's really embarrassing.  Then Neelix comes over and asks us if we want dinner in this little gazebo he's got in his resort program.  I've got sand all over me, sticking to this glop, and Janine's just told me that I must be the Sandman, and I can't talk I'm laughing so hard.  I didn't want him to think I was laughing at him, but I can't even breathe, and . . . well, maybe it isn't that funny to you.  Maybe you had to be there," lanky red-haired Ensign Ethan Simms smilingly whispered to his partner as they turned down the corridor of Voyager.  At 0305 hours, deep into Gamma shift, it is always expected that anyone walking in the hallways is to speak as quietly as possible.  That can be hard when one is on the edge of the giggles.Ensign Mikel Hudson smiled back.  It was good to see a smile on Ethan's face again.  "That vacation was just what you needed after Janine's getting lost in that Samhain Nebula, or whatever the captain called it, even if it were only on the holodeck.""Yeah, if we hadn't had that mess with Mrs. Karis Paris, we could have had our getaway sooner.  I didn't mind, though.  I was just happy to have Janine back.  The time off could wait.""You never told me the details about your reunion with Janine after she and Lieutenant Paris tumbled out of that Other World and back onto Voyager, Ethe."The young security officer cleared his throat.  "Well, Mik, some things just ought to remain private, you know?""That good, huh?"This time there was no answer but a very broad smile.  Hudson never did find out if Simms would have eventually answered his question.  Some odd sounds further down the curving corridor drew the attention of both members of the security team."Sounds like a scuffle of some kind," said Simms.His fellow security officer agreed with a quick nod and they hurried down the hallway.  At the last juncture before Transporter Room 1, the two young men rounded the corner and saw a figure crouched over that of another.  Even from that distance they could tell who the crouching figure was -- the snugly-fitting brown velour suit of Seven of Nine was easy to recognize.  The figure on the floor was not so easy to identify.  He was wearing the read and black of an officer in the command track, but until they got close they could not tell who it was."Ensign Garvic!" breathed out Simms.  The geologist had stayed in the background for the previous several months, doing his job, but joylessly.  Not many of the crew particularly cared for him.  Not after he'd lied about the crash of a shuttle, trying to blame it on a piloting error by Tom Paris when Garvic himself was responsible.  He had been found out and reduced in rank from lieutenant to ensign.Now Garvic was lying very still.  Too still.  His chest did not seem to be rising and falling.  Hudson was about to call for an emergency beam-out to Sickbay when Simms, checking out the fallen man, caught his partner's eye.  Shaking his head, Simms whispered, "No hurry, Mik.  Garvic can't be helped.  His neck is broken."Looking up at the beautiful young woman who had been a part of the Borg Collective -- the real connected one, not any splinter group like those Voyager had met up with before -- Simms asked, "How did this happen, Seven?""I have no idea.  He was lying here when I came.  He has ceased to function?""Yes, Seven.  Ensign Jack Garvic is dead." * * * * * Fifteen minutes later in Sickbay Captain Kathryn Janeway stood at the foot of Biobed 1, hands on hips, listening to the doctor give his report.  Ethan Simms, Mikel Hudson and Seven of Nine hovered nearby."There was nothing to be done," the emergency medical hologram concluded, surveying the still form of Jack Garvic.  "It is a clean break.  Even if I had been next to him when the incident occurred I doubt I would have been able to resuscitate him."  He replaced his tricorder on the stand.  "I'll get started on the autopsy as soon as Lieutenant Paris reports for his shift."Janeway nodded absently, her attention drawn to something else.  She approached Garvic, and brushing away the brown hair from his collar, revealed a small red welt, dried blood and pus giving it a grotesque appearance.  The doctor, Simms, and Hudson let out sounds of surprise.  Seven cocked an eyebrow and stepped closer to examine it as the doctor whipped out his tricorder once more.Hudson whistled in amazement.  "What IS that?"  Neither Simms nor Seven could provide an answer, and the doctor concentrated his diagnostic wand on the unsightly protuberance."Doctor?" demanded Janeway when no diagnosis seemed to be forthcoming.  "Do you have an answer for us?""I wish I did, Captain," the doctor said somberly, tapping at his medical instrument futilely.  "The tricorder seems to be malfunctioning because according to it, Jack Garvic has just been resurrected!""What?"  Janeway snatched up another tricorder, only to be given the same diagnosis: Jack Garvic was alive!  "Simms, check his pulse!" she ordered crisply.  The security officer pressed two fingers against the side of Garvic's neck, and to be on the safe side, pressed an ear to the supposed dead man's chest, and checked his wrist.  "No pulse, Captain.  According to the five human senses, he's dead.""But not to the tricorder."  Janeway glared at the misbehaving tricorder.  "Doctor, get Lieutenant Torres down here to check out your instruments, and get started on that autopsy the minute Lieutenant Paris arrives.  Don't use the instruments unless you're absolutely sure they aren't giving false readings.  If you have to, replicate a stethoscope.  Understood?""Aye, Captain.""I'm calling a senior staff meeting.  Simms, Hudson, Seven, you're with me.  Doctor, contact me in the briefing room the minute you're done." * * * * * Lieutenant Tom Paris arrived in Sickbay to find the doctor and Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres standing over Garvic's body and arguing loudly.  He paused in the doorway, wisely staying out of the conversation before cautiously entering the room."Doctor, I am telling you, there is nothing wrong with these instruments!" B'Elanna snapped.  She was valiantly trying to contain her temper; Tom recognized the signs immediately."And, Lieutenant, I am telling YOU that this man is dead!" the doctor retorted, equally agitated.  Considering the doctor was a hologram, Tom would normally have found this amusing, but the doctor's anger was directed at B'Elanna.  "I have consulted all of the medical histories in the databanks and I assure you, there has never been a case where a human with this injury has survived!  It is medically impossible!"B'Elanna took a deep breath and started to pace around the biobed, shaking her head as she walked.  "Well, Doc, I don't know what else to tell you.  I've run three diagnostics on all of these instruments and they all pass with flying colors."  She stopped and stared at Garvic, her eyes boring into his still body, as if she could see straight through him to the molecular level and determine what was going on inside the man.Tom chose that moment to make his presence known.  He slowly stepped forward to look at Garvic.  He looked at the man who had nearly destroyed him, nearly taken away his future, his sanity, his life.  He should have felt relief that the man was finally dead, but he didn't.  There was too much about Jack Garvic that had reminded Tom of himself.Tom looked up at B'Elanna.  "What's going on?" he asked quietly.  His voice seemed to have a calming effect on the engineer, for which the doctor was grateful.  For as much as he was known for his acerbic tongue, he did not enjoy butting heads with the half-Klingon.With a heavy sigh and a conciliatory nod towards the doctor she replied, "Well, for starters, we can't decide if Garvic is really dead or alive.""He looks pretty dead to me."The doctor smiled triumphantly while B'Elanna snorted, "Yeah, well, tell that to every piece of medical equipment in here.""So we have a mystery on our hands, do we?" Tom rubbed his hands together gleefully, enjoying himself far too much for both B'Elanna and the doctor's tastes.  They glared at him in stereo and he took a small step back, his hands held up in front of him protectively.  "Sorry," he drawled.  "Just stating the facts.""What facts?!" B'Elanna growled.  "Is he dead or is he alive?"Tom looked at the doctor questioningly.  "Doc?  If there's any possibility that he's still alive, I for one don't want to be doing an autopsy."The doctor harrumphed and crossed his arms.  Shaking his head he muttered under his breath, "This man is dead.  He couldn't possibly be alive."Tom gently touched his arm.  "There was a time when you had pronounced me dead, but I came back to life."  He grinned wickedly.  "Fortunately," he gave B'Elanna a knowing look, "you had scheduled the autopsy for the following day.  Maybe we need to do a little more investigating before we write Garvic off for good."They stared at him in stunned silence.  How could they have forgotten when they had nearly lost Tom?  The lieutenant called out to the computer, "Sickbay to Captain Janeway.""Yes, Lieutenant?""There's a small problem.  B'Elanna can't find anything wrong with the instruments, but the doctor says that there's no way he could have survived.""That is a problem.  What about the autopsy?"The doctor answered her.  "We've put the autopsy off until tomorrow.  Though until I can do an autopsy, we won't be able to tell what 'damaged' him, as Seven would put it.  Which is going to make solving the case rather difficult.""We'll just have to do our best, then.  Janeway out." * * * * * The captain dropped her head into her hands.  She knew she shouldn't think this way, but it almost seemed Garvic had caused more trouble than he was worth.  He had always been a malcontent even before the incident with Tom.  He had worked half-heartedly; he had never disobeyed orders, but she always got the impression that he wasn't really obeying them either.  Now he couldn't even die like a Starfleet officer.She was puzzled over his death.  So far they had found no weapons.  The doctor wasn't even sure what had killed him.  The only people who could even vaguely be considered witnesses were Seven, Simms, and Hudson.  Somehow, she couldn't imagine any of them as a murderer, not even their Borg.  Besides, Hudson and Simms had come onto the scene well after the dea -- the accident.Janeway rose from her chair and walked over to the replicator.  "Computer, double espresso."  A lot of rations for such a frivolity, but she had a feeling it was going to be a long night. * * * * * "Ouch!""What did you do this time, Ethan?""Banged my head.  There isn't much room in here.""Jeffries tubes aren't exactly known for their space.  I still can't figure out how we end up with these jobs.""Well, somebody has to do it.  Besides, if we can find the weapon, we might have some clue about how Garvic might have died.""You mean, how he was 'damaged.'  The doc hasn't proved that he's really dead yet, you know.""I don't see how he could be alive with no pulse.  Well, I doubt we're going to find anything here.""You're probably --  Wait a sec, what's that?""I don't know, Mikel.  Looks like it's made of some kind of metal.  Steel, maybe?""Looks like it.  It must have been some kind of tool.  It looks like it's some kind of lever.  Something maybe to help turn something?""Hey, I think I've seen that somewhere.  Like in a book or something.""Must have been a history book.  I don't think this is exactly standard issue for starships.""Ethan, is that blood?"The two security officers looked at each other."Let's get this to Tuvok.""Agreed." * * * * * "Come."Tuvok looked up to see Hudson and Simms rush into his quarters.  Ethan had an old-fashioned tool of some sort in a secured container.  Was that dried blood on the end?  If he hadn't been Vulcan he would have been impatient.  As he was, he merely raised his eyebrow."Sir, we found this hidden in one of the Jeffries tubes," Hudson reported.  "It appears that it could be the -- ""The weapon.  Yes, I know," Tuvok said as if it were old news."Sir?" Ethan questioned him, his own eyebrow raised.Without a word Tuvok walked over to the storage compartment in his office.  He opened a drawer and pulled out a box which he set before the ensigns."I wonder what one serves with wild goose?" Mikel asked wryly."Excuse me?  Oh, I see.  A reference to the human term 'wild goose chase'.  That would seem to be appropriate in this situation.""What better way to lead us off than to plant false bait?"In the box were four objects, all made of steel and all with dried blood on them."Are there any more?"  Hudson asked."No.  I have scanned the ship for objects made from this metal and these are all.""Well, it'll be pretty easy to find the real one, won't it?" Ensign Simms asked.  "I mean, all we have to do is see which one has blood on it that matches Garvic's.""All of them do.  And there are no other traces of DNA.  I don't know how the culprit planted them, but he or she made sure we wouldn't know who it was.""And they've had us running all over the ship for hours.  For all we know, they might have struck again!" Mikel said."Ensign Jenny Delaney to Tuvok!""Yes, Ensign?""It's about Meg, sir.  She's dead!"Hudson and Simms exchanged surprised glances which quickly turned grim.  Tuvok, for his part, said calmly, "We're on our way, Ensign.  Tuvok out."  The security chief turned to the junior officers and requested, "Please accompany me to Ensign Delaney's quarters."  The two nodded and proceeded to follow Tuvok out the door.It was a short walk to Jenny Delaney's quarters, just down the corridor and a right at the turbolift.  Once they had reached their destination, Tuvok rang the chime.The door opened to reveal a hysterical Jenny Delaney, her face streaked with tears.  "She's over on the bed!  She was here when I got here!  She hasn't moved; I can't find a pulse.  Oh, my God!"  The blonde dissolved into tears.Hudson took the bereaved girl gently by the arm and led her to the opposite end of her quarters, trying to soothe her, while Simms and Tuvok approached the body that was sprawled haphazardly on the bed.  The junior officer surveyed the situation.  The girl was immobile, her face pale, her limbs limp.  Could it be possible that there was a murderer on board?  His mind tuned out Jenny's crying and Ethan's words as he silently ran over a possible suspect list in his mind.His reverie was shattered when Tuvok announced, "Ensign Delaney is not dead."  Three heads snapped around to look at him."But there was no pulse, and she wasn't moving," replied a shocked Jenny."Do any of you have a tricorder?"  At Tuvok's request, Mikel produced the instrument he always carried with him on duty and handed it to the security chief.  Tuvok quickly ran it over the girl's body.  "As I suspected.  Ensign Delaney has been injected with Asplistoxin, a drug that, in given in the correct dosage, does not cause death but the seeming illusion of it.  We need to get her to Sickbay; however, I believe she will recover."Upon hearing this, the other Delaney sister collapsed onto the floor in yet another spell of tears, this time ones of joy."Computer, I need a site-to-site transport," came Hudson's voice.  "Four to beam from Ensign Delaney's quarters to Sickbay."The shimmering light enveloped them.  A split second later, Jenny Delaney's quarters were empty. * * * * * In Sickbay, Tom groaned to himself.  *Not another one!  Sure, I haven't been around Meg much lately, but she's still my friend.  At least Tuvok knows what's going on and how to revive them.  Even if there is some risk involved, and it will take time to recover, they're not dead.  Not that I would MIND if Garvic were dead.*  Tom shook his head to clear his thoughts.  *What are you thinking?  Garvic's a person even if he did try to blame that accident on you.  The question is, who's doing this?*  He reached over to grab a tricorder as Meg appeared on the biobed."Doctor," Tuvok spoke up, " I believe you will find both of your patients," here he paused to gesture towards Garvic and Meg, "have received a strong dose of Asplistoxin, and there is a cure for that, correct?""Why yes there is.  Why didn't I think of that?""Perhaps it takes your programming a bit longer to come to that conclusion.  I only came to it after remembering a similar incident on the Excelsior.  At the time, Asplistoxin was used on twenty people before we apprehended the distributor.  Of the twenty, five suffered lasting effects."  The Vulcan did not display any emotion as he said this."Yes, but I must change my program to consider that option sooner.  Unfortunately, I can not replicate all of the antidote."  The holodoc frowned.  "I have to have some of the Asplistoxin to create it, and the replicators can't handle its complex form.  We need to find the person administering the drug before I can save these people, and the longer it takes, the lower their chances.""I have a full security team working on it as we speak."  Tuvok stood stoically for a moment and then added, "I will notify you if we come up with anything."  With this he turned on his heel, and the grim holodoctor turned to Tom."Mr. Paris, arrange to put the victims in a stasis field.  I believe it will help their odds."  The doctor turned his attention to the medical tricorder he held in his hand and absent-mindedly walked back to his office.As Tom was starting to arrange for the stasis field, the intercom in Sickbay brought through a message from B'Elanna.  "Torres to Sickbay," came across in a voice that was very unsure for the chief engineer."Sickbay here," the doctor answered.Tom forced himself to remain silent as the doctor found out what was wrong.  A million questions flitted through his mind.  What had happened?  Why had B'Elanna sounded so uncertain?  WAS SHE OKAY?  But she had to be, he convinced himself.  Otherwise, how could she call?"Doctor, we have a crewmember down here who appears to be dead, only my tricorder readings say he isn't."  Her voice was very shaky, and Tom was finally able to figure out what had caused the tremble in her hail.  B'Elanna was fine; she was just being uncertain of her own ability again.  He always heard that particular quiver in her voice when she thought she'd made a mistake but wasn't sure exactly how.  Tom almost breathed a sigh of relief, but then his mind absorbed what he had just heard."Beam the crewmember to Sickbay," the doctor instructed calmly, as though crewmembers were found to be simultaneously dead and alive every day, or at least twice a week."I can't do that, Doctor," B'Elanna answered uncertainly.  "I already tried, but someone seems to have set up some sort of dispersion field.  I'm attempting to break through it, but so far I haven't had any luck.""Could someone beam in?" Tom blurted out without thinking.  The dispersion field meant that B'Elanna WAS in danger, even if she were still okay, and he had to get down to Engineering as quickly as possible."I . . . I think so," came her quiet answer.  He could hear the fear in her voice, and it made him uneasy.Tom turned to the doctor.  "I'm going down there," he announced.  Then, just as the doctor was about to protest, Paris cut him off with the words, "Computer, one to beam to Engineering."  He took a deep breath, giving the doctor just enough time to say, "Lieutenant," before he said, "Energize," and Sickbay faded around him. * * * * * When he had fully materialized and could finally move after what seemed like an eternity, the first thing Tom did was call out B'Elanna's name.  Then he listened carefully.  There was no response.  He searched the area frantically with his eyes, and finally caught sight of a crewmember sprawled out on the carpeting.  It wasn't B'Elanna, but it looked like the dead crewmember she'd been referring to, and so, filled with worry and fear for B'Elanna's safety, he approached the unmoving man.  It was Carey.B'Elanna had to be nearby.  It had only been a few seconds since she called.  Where was she?  "B'Elanna?" he called again.  "B'Elanna!  Where are you?"  For a moment there was no response, but then he heard a very soft moan.  Without thinking he moved around a console in an attempt to locate the voice.  When he found her, he almost found himself wishing he hadn't.  B'Elanna was lying on the carpet and when he crouched down beside her she didn't even react.  Without thinking, he lifted her into his arms and repeated her name more gently.  "B'Elanna?" he asked.Her head moved just a bit in response, just enough to bring into view a small red welt on the left side of her neck.  Tom shivered, and echoed B'Elanna's moan with one of his own.  *No!  Not her too!  Anyone but her!*  He forced himself to gather some composure.  He had to get her to Sickbay and into stasis as soon as possible.As he rose, he noticed her lips were moving.  By leaning down and putting his ear right against them, he was just able to make out her words, though he paid them little heed as he felt her sigh in his arms and then cease to move entirely.  Though his ear was directly against her lips, he felt not the slightest stirring of air, and he knew without question that she had stopped breathing.He laid her body down gently on the floor.  He looked around the room and saw all was still.  He walked to the nearest terminal.  B'Elanna had figured out how to break through the dampening field around Engineering but hadn't been able to enter the final command.  Tom reached down and keyed the display."Computer, activate emergency transport.  Three to beam directly to Sickbay," he called as he made his way back to B'Elanna's still body.  With a shimmer they all disappeared. * * * * * "Quick, Doc, open up two more stasis lockers.  B'Elanna's been injected too."The doctor opened two more lockers and Tuvok and Tom proceeded to carry the two latest victims to their new quarters.  Once they had them inside the doctor hit a button and the drawers slid shut."What happened down there, Mr. Paris?" Tuvok asked."I'm not sure.  I got to B'Elanna right before she passed out.  She said the strangest thing," Tom stated with a very confused look on his face."What did she say?" Tuvok asked."Did she see who attacked her?" the doctor questioned."She said someone's name, but I'm not sure what it means," Tom replied, still trying to make some sense of things."Perhaps she was naming her attacker," Tuvok stated."She said 'Kes,'"  Tom told them.  The doctor's mouth dropped.  Tuvok looked back at Tom with an eyebrow raised. * * * * * "Are you sure, Mr. Paris?" the security chief asked."Yes, that's what she said, I'm positive."  Tom trailed off, his gaze wandering toward where B'Elanna's body lay.  He was silent for a moment before continuing, "But that's impossible!  She's gone!""Now, now, Mr. Paris, no need to get agitated," the doctor reprimanded, moving toward his patient.  "It's possible that Lieutenant Torres simply was mumbling incoherently.  Drugs tend to have that effect on people.  Don't give it another thought.  She could have just as easily said 'Seska.'""I tend to agree," Tuvok replied.  "I see no evidence to suggest the return of Kes.  It is more likely that Lieutenant Torres was simply disoriented."Tom nodded.  "That makes sense."  He glanced toward B'Elanna again.  "But this doesn't," he cried, gesturing.  "That's three people!  First Garvic dies, then Megan, and now Vorik and B'Elanna!  No one on the ship had any reason to go after those two!  I mean, I'm sure there are several people with grudges against Garvic.  It could have even been considered suicide.  But I can't think of anyone who would have the motivation or the mental unbalance to do this!"Tuvok opened his mouth to reply, but the doctor beat him to it.  "I learned long ago, Mr. Paris, that it is useless to look for sense in this universe.  You'll simply drive yourself insane trying to find any." * * * * * On the bridge a beep emanating from a console drew Harry Kim's attention.  "Captain," he said after a glance.The commander of the starship Voyager turned in her chair to regard her ops officer.  "What is it, Harry?""We're being hailed.""Who, Harry?" Chakotay asked, consulting his console.  "I don't see any ships.""It's coming from an M class planet about three hours away.  Should I put them through?""Onscreen," Janeway commanded.The viewscreen changed from a starscape to a picture of an alien in the blink of an eye.  "Greetings.  I am Tarath of the Garn.  Allow me to extend our friendship and hospitality as we invite you to enjoy shore leave on our planet."I thank you for your offer, Tarath of Garn, but I must decline.  We have an emergency on board."Tarath's eyes shifted to a person out of the line of sight of the bridge crew.  "I confess that we suspected as much, Captain.  Allow me to introduce someone who may be able to help you.  This is Dr. Lioree Hacent."The entire crew gasped as a young woman took place beside the official.  Her resemblance to Kes was astounding.  "You are troubled by sickness on board and you have . . . ."  Her voice trailed off and she studied Janeway's face intently.  Finally she said softly, "I remind you of a lost crewman.""Yes, how did you know?"The young doctor smiled.  "Her name leaped into your minds all at once.  You see, we are a telepathic race." * * * * * Janeway sat in her ready room listening to the lovely doctor with a growing sense of concern.  "Let me get this straight, Dr. Hacent.  You say this is a sub-viral microbe?  So my people were not assaulted by another crewman?  And more may fall ill?""Without a doubt, Captain.  My people have a lot of experience with this affliction, although we still do not understand all its mysteries.  It is called Enkema-3 and it thrives in deep space.  Have any of your crew been outside the ship?""Yes, we sent a team out about a week ago to do some repairs to the hull.""Then they most likely brought it back in on their protective clothing.  Now I'm afraid your entire ship is contaminated.""How do we combat it?""You can flood your ship with a series of gases to prevent further infection, but you can expect several more crewmen to produce symptoms.  The incubation period is about eight days.  More will fall ill before it's over."Tuvok spoke to the doctor, asking about the gases, and Janeway could almost hear the sorrow in his voice.  She knew he was thinking of Kes.  How could he not, with her virtual reincarnation sitting right there?  Dr. Hacent's ears weren't pointed, and her eyes were gold, not blue, but still.  Tuvok ended with, "How did you know of our situation?"Dr. Hacent smiled an embarrassed smile.  "I made contact with one of your crewmen.  It sounds wrong, I know, but it is how we defend ourselves.  I chose a crewman at random and looked into her mind.  I saw that your intentions are honest, but from the way I lost contact with her I knew she was infected with Enkema -3.  I contacted Tarath immediately.  I was afraid you would conclude your people were dead and destroy their bodies.""How can they be revived?"Tarath and Dr. Hacent exchanged glances.  "We are not sure, for you are different from us," Tarath said.  "Enkema-3 produces a chemical -- a toxin -- that mimics death.  Garns who have had it say that they hear and understand everything around them, but they cannot move or speak or use their telepathic powers.  I am not surprised you mistook the toxin for a drug that feigns death.  Garns are revived by being 'called back,' if you will, into consciousness by someone close to them.  The good thing is, once you have been infected, you are immune.  The bad thing is the longer the delay, the further away the consciousness goes.  Sometimes the person cannot be recalled.  I would suggest you continue on to our homeworld, which is only a few day's journey from here.  Lioree and I will do what we can to help you, but you will find more expert assistance there.""Captain," said Dr. Hacent, "Could I see the patients?" * * * * * At the hiss of the doors the doctor looked up from B'Elanna's stasis chamber and promptly dropped the padd in his hand.  Then he recovered and snatched it up off the floor."Doctor," said the captain, "may I introduce Tarath and Dr. Lioree Hacent of Garn.  They have come to assist you.""Hello, Doctor," started Tarath, then he gasped profoundly and jumped backwards, pulling Dr. Hacent with him.  "Ahh!  Lioree!!   He has no soul!"The doctor frowned, clearly offended, and snapped, "I am a holographic entity."Janeway intervened by holding up a hand.  "Our doctor is a complex computer program.  He has served us exceptionally over the last four years.  He is a valued member of our crew."Tarath stared into the doctor's eyes.  The doctor stared back.  "You are spooky," said Tarath."I am no such thing," retorted the doctor."I'm sorry," said Dr. Hacent coming forward.  "You startled us.  We are not used to a body without a mind in it.""I beg your pardon!" began the holodoc.  "I'll have you know -- ""Lioree," said Tarath, never taking his eyes off the doctor.  "I think I will return to my post as soon as possible.  I will notify the homeworld that you are coming their way.""I understand, Tarath.  Please proceed, Doctor."The doctor snorted and turned back to B'Elanna's chamber.  "This is the most recent of the victims, and over here is the first," he said, turning to Garvic's chamber.Dr. Hacent looked intently at Garvic's still form.  "This man is . . ." she hesitated, then continued, ". . . very far away.  He is wandering in a dark place.  He is alone.  He is in terrible pain.  He is being followed by . . . a dark shape."   She glanced at the readouts and looked up at the doctor.  "How did his neck come to be broken?""We don't know," said the captain.She whirled around, "Are any of the others so afflicted?""No," said the doctor.  "I would like to perform surgery on the ensign to repair the damage as soon as possible.  The break was severe; certainly it was not self-inflicted.""Then I believe Enkema-3 may have saved this man's life.  Someone may indeed have tried to kill him, but when the sub-virus made him appear dead, they stopped their attack.  Perhaps, Captain, I spoke in haste.  Perhaps you DO have a murderer aboard."  She turned again to Garvic, her gold eyes full of sorrow.  "So very far away, " she whispered."Dr. Hacent," Captain Janeway asked, "you mentioned that among your people the afflicted are 'called back by one close to them.'  How exactly is this done?  We need to see if we can somehow do that with our own people before the rest of us drop off."The blonde alien tore her gaze away from the still form of Ensign Garvic, and looked up at the captain.  "We enter the mind and search for them.  Once we have found them, it is a matter of leading them back."Tuvok stepped close, his Vulcan hearing having allowed him to catch the exchange.  "Enter their mind?  In what manner?"Lioree looked up startled at Tuvok's silent approach.  Her eyes widened as she sensed the disciplined telepathic mind of Voyager's security chief.  "You are a telepath?""I am a Vulcan; my people are touch telepaths.""Then perhaps I should clarify.  We do not actually enter their mind, we join ours to theirs, and using our link to our own thoughts, lead them back to us.""Sounds remarkably similar to a mindmeld, Tuvok," Janeway interjected."No, Captain.  If my understanding is correct, it is more than that.  The linking of the minds must be closer, stronger.  It would be a mind fusion, a full joining of the minds, the two entities becoming one until the link is broken.""Exactly," Lioree said.  "That is why it should be one close to the victim.  The process is so intimate that any other would be . . . intrusive?  Uncomfortable?  In any case, it works best if the two are close intimate friends or lovers.""Captain," the doctor interrupted.  "This is all fine and well for a telepathic race.  But humans and Klingons aren't telepathic.  And no offense to Mr. Tuvok, but he's not close enough to any of the victims to try it.""Tuvok?""The doctor is correct, Captain," Tuvok answered with a sight shake of his head.  "From what I understand now, I would be unable to assist any of the victims.  The only way I could see to do it would be similar to Fal-tor-Pan, the ancient rite of refusion.  Only the strongest of Vulcan matriarchs have ever been able to attempt it, and then only on Mt. Seleya, with many of my people to lend their strength.  Perhaps our efforts would best -- ""I could do it," Lioree whispered."Excuse me, Dr. Hacent?"She took a deep breath, and let it out.  "I said I could do it.  I could be the link between the two minds.""Are you certain?" Tuvok asked, an eyebrow rising."Yes.  But it will be hazardous for all involved.  If the link falters I might lose both of them and myself.""Then you can start with me," Tom Paris interrupted."Lieutenant," Captain Janeway began."No!  I'm sorry, Captain, but don't stop me.  If there is any chance to bring B'Elanna back to me -- to us, then I'll take it.  I don't care about the risk.  We, I -- "The captain laid a hand on his shoulder.  "I understand, Tom."  She looked around Sickbay, thinking quietly, then made her decision.  "Tuvok, I want you to start synthesizing the gases needed to decontaminate Voyager.  Dr. Hacent, you've got your first volunteer to try and revive someone."  She turned to the EMH.  "Doctor, you will monitor the entire procedure.""Captain, there may be noth -- ""There may be nothing you can do if something goes wrong, but then you may come up with something.  Get Sickbay ready for -- " she stopped in mid-sentence as the doors opened to reveal the stricken form of Harry Kim, a limp Seven cradled in his arms."Captain," Harry said, his voice choked with emotion, "she just collapsed, she's not breathing, and her pulse -- ""On the biobed, Ensign," the doctor ordered.  "Now!"Harry fairly ran to the indicated bed, and gently laid Seven on it.  He stepped back out of the way as the two doctors began examining her still form.  The captain watched as Tom took Harry aside, telling him that there was a cure possible."Captain, I believe that we should start the procedure to revive Lieutenant Torres now.  I will place Seven in stasis until we are sure that the process works, then we can revive Ensign Delaney.  Her sister should do for that.  As for Mr. Garvic and Seven -- ""I will try with Seven, Doctor," the captain's voice brooked no argument."Yes, Captain.""Well, let's get to it."Tom and the doctor carefully removed B'Elanna from the stasis chamber, and laid her on a bio-bed.  As Lioree and the doctor prepared, Tom kissed B'Elanna tenderly on the lips, and whispered to her.  "I'm coming, B'Elanna.  Wait for me, I'll come for you."  A soft touch on his shoulder roused him from his reverie."Mr. Paris.  Tom," Lioree said.  "If you're ready, lie on this bed so we can begin."  She indicated the adjacent biobed.With one last look at B'Elanna's still form, Tom laid down.  "Let's do it, Doc.  The sooner I get B'Elanna back the better."Lioree smiled down at him as she placed the fingertips of her left hand on his forehead.  *Your love for her is very strong, Tom.  This should be easy for you to do.*  Tom was startled to hear the voice in his head, for her lips hadn't moved at all.  *Close your eyes and think of her.  Picture her in your mind, see her moving toward you as though in a mirror and she is your reflection.*Tom did as he was told.  A strange sense of being more than himself, and at the same time incomplete, enfolded him.  Without prompting, he strained toward B'Elanna; toward his other half.  In his mind he reached out toward the image of her, and as his fingers grazed hers, the two suddenly rushed together, melding into one image.  Then he was no longer in Sickbay lying on a bed.  He was standing in a gray shapeless place, a mist all about him.  Looking desperately about, he could find no trace of B'Elanna."B'Elanna!" he cried out to the mist, his very soul lending strength to his call.  "B'Elanna, come back to me.  Help me, show me where you are."A soft sobbing seemed to come from ahead of him and Tom began walking toward it.  As he did, the mist seemed to fly by, and he found himself in a small room with a door.  The sobbing seemed to come from behind it.  As Tom approached the door the sobs became understandable."Why?  Why did you leave us?  Why did you leave me, Daddy?" he heard B'Elanna moan.He opened the door to find B'Elanna curled up on a small bed, her shoulders shaking and tears running down her face as she cried for her father.  The sight broke his heart.  He rushed to the bed and reached out to her, taking her in his arms and holding her close to him.  "B'Elanna, it's all right.  I'm here."Her sobs continued unabated, but she wrapped her arms around him and cried into his chest.  "He left me, Tom.  And -- and I don't know why," she moaned softly.  "Please, please, don't leave me like he did."The anguish in her voice wrenched at him, as he rocked her gently.  "Never, B'Elanna.  I won't leave you.  I'm here for you.  But don't you leave me either."That roused her.  "Leave you?  Why should I do that?""You did.  That's why I'm here, to bring you back to me.  Back to Voyager."B'Elanna looked around at her surroundings.  "This is my room on Kessik, when I was --  How did I get here?"Tom explained about the sub-virus that was attacking the crew, and finding her in Engineering after she had called about one of her crew being down.  He explained about the Garn, and how Dr. Hacent resembled Kes."That's who contacted me!  I knew I saw Kes, it must have been her.  Tom?  How did you get here?  And what about Joe Carey?  He's the one I called you for."Tom explained about the 'calling back,' and the fact that their minds were melded, letting Tom search her out.  "Joe was there in Engineering, but he was already gone.  The sub-virus had gotten to him.  They have him in Sickbay now.""You took a hell of a risk to come for me, Tom.""I'd die for you, B'Elanna.  I love you."  He lowered his lips to hers, and as they made contact, he felt himself rushing backwards.  He tightened his grip on B'Elanna, feeling a slight resistance, afraid she would be torn from him.  "Don't let go!" he thought to her, crushing his lips on hers.  "We're going back.""It hurts, Tom."  He felt her body shudder, then a burning sensation shot through his body, spreading out from the points of contact between himself and B'Elanna.  "We've got to fight the pain.  Whatever you do, don't let go!"  As the pain built to near unbearable levels, the two clung desperately to each other, their love for each other giving them the strength to withstand it.  Then there was a flash of light and sound.Tom awoke, gasping, and heard B'Elanna do the same.  He smiled as he realized that it had worked.  Without looking over to the next bed, he knew it had worked.  He reached his right hand out, and felt B'Elanna wrap her left hand around it.  Neither of them had needed to look; they both knew the other was there.Lioree stepped back, her face strained, but smiling as she watched the two join hands.  Voyager's doctor immediately began checking his instruments, scanning not only Tom and B'Elanna, but Dr. Hacent as well.  A smile crossed his features as he announced his results."Captain!  There is no longer any trace of the sub-virus in Lieutenant Torres' body.  The procedure worked."  He looked down at his two patients.  "How do you two feel?""Exhausted," they both replied at the same time."You can't imagine how tiring it was," Tom said."Or how painful," B'Elanna added.The captain looked from one to the other.  "Let's hear it.  We need to know everything that happened, so that we can call back the others."Tom and B'Elanna exchanged looks, then related their experience."The burning sensation you felt is not uncommon," Lioree added, from where she stood examining Seven, their next subject.  "The sub-virus seems to have a slight intelligence, and tries to force the two apart.  If you had let go of each other, we would have lost one or both of you permanently.""Well, at least I know what to expect," Kathryn replied.Lioree shook her head as the captain made to lie down on the biobed next to Seven.  "I'm afraid that you can't do this, Captain Janeway.""And why not?""Because, this one is not thinking of you.  Her thoughts are far away, and slightly . . . mechanical?  But they do not concern you.""Then how -- ""Who among you has almond eyes and black hair?  That is who she is thinking of."All eyes turned toward Harry Kim.Harry did not see the eyes fastened upon him.  His eyes were on the biobed holding the motionless form of Seven of Nine.  The emotion on his face was there for all to see.  Those who saw remembered past instances in which Harry had shown his attachment to the beautiful but remote woman.B'Elanna, despite her grogginess, recalled teasing a very worried Harry only a few weeks before when Seven had run away in what she had thought was a summons back to the Collective.  Instead she had returned to her parents' ship, to the place where she had been seized by the Borg and been assimilated.Tom remembered Harry's staunch defense of Seven in Sickbay.  Tom had been chewed out by the young ensign after he had treated her cut hand with what Harry had felt was a cavalier attitude.  Tom had warned Harry to be careful.  It was clear that Harry had not been.  At least, not with his heart.The first thought to enter the captain's head had been a pang of disappointment.  She had tried so hard to integrate Seven into the crew.  She was like her daughter!  Yet Janeway immediately pushed those thoughts aside as being unworthy.  Ruefully the captain recalled Harry's discomfiture at finding many references to his "predictability" in Seven's personal log.  Clearly this was not a negative for Seven.  For a split second Janeway thought, *I wonder if this is how my mother felt when I started to date?*  The captain shook it off.  *Ridiculous.  This is nothing at all like that.*The alien doctor had not truly needed to ask who the young man with almond eyes and black hair was, any more than she needed her telepathic senses to sense the fond concern on the part of all the Voyager crew in attendance.  Lioree had been sure that the stricken young man who had carried Seven into Sickbay was the one she had seen in Seven's mind.  As the thoughts of the crew of Voyager washed over her, she could tell that the attachment of this young woman to this young man was not one sided.  Any surprise felt in their minds was that Seven actually returned his feelings.Finally, Harry seemed to catch on that all of the eyes capable of opening on their own were looking at him.  "Captain, we have to hurry!  Aren't you going to help her?""Apparently not, Harry.""You have to, Captain!  She'll die for real if you don't!  You're the closest to her on board.""That's where you're wrong, Harry.  It seems Seven has someone closer to her than me aboard this vessel.  You."The young ensign gaped at the captain open-mouthed for a few seconds.  Then a brief flicker of a smile crossed his face before a look of determination clamped over his features.  "Well then, let's get started.  What did you say I have to do?"Quickly Tom filled Harry in on his experience with B'Elanna as Dr. Hacent, standing next to Seven and an empty biobed to her left, calmed herself."Are you all right, Keh -- Dr. Hacent, I mean?"  The captain shook her head a little at her momentary slip.  This doctor did look so much like Kes."I'm all right, Captain.  I just needed to clear my mind of the last experience to prepare myself for this next task."Before the captain could reply Harry said, "I'm ready, so let's get this over with."  He was standing over Seven's bed, looking at her so intently, as if he could will her awake just from his desire to see her look at him.  Glare at him, probably, but Harry would welcome one of Seven's glares now.Everyone but Harry smiled at his eagerness.  He reclined on the biobed, but not before taking Seven's Borg-enhanced hand in his and giving it a quick squeeze.  "Do I have to let go, Doctor?" he asked.*No, Ensign Kim.  You may continue to hold on to her hand if you wish.*Any answer Harry might have made to Lioree was subvocal.  Tom watched, fascinated, with B'Elanna in his arms, as they sat together in the biobed in which B'Elanna had been playing the role of Sleeping Beauty.  Now it was Harry's turn to play Prince Charming for Seven.  The faces of both the Garn doctor and the young ensign were intent.  Harry's lids moved back and forth, sometimes slowly, sometimes rapidly, as if he were in a deep dream.  Several times he grunted, and a couple of times his lips moved as if to mumble something to the watchers.Suddenly, there was a gasp from Seven as her lungs dragged in a deep breath of air.  Her arms flailed, and Tom was suddenly worried that Harry's grasp on Seven's mind might be slipping, from the way his fingertips were sliding away from Seven's.Then there was a wordless cry from Harry, as he tossed his head from side to side.  The Garn doctor almost lost her physical contact with Harry and with Seven.  Harry leaned over on to his right side, and just as his right hand was going to slip away from Seven's hand, his left slapped onto her wrist, steadying her hand in his.  A few more whimpers could be heard from Seven, incredibly enough."Is everything going all right?" asked B'Elanna.  "Is this what happened with Tom and me?""No, Dr. Hacent seems much more agitated."  Janeway took a step forward, wondering if there was some way she might intercede.The two figures, in complete synchronization, sat up in their adjacent biobeds as Dr. Hacent slumped to the floor.  Tom jumped up to grab her, but the doctor was quicker.  Seizing the Garn doctor by the shoulders, he pulled her off the floor and carried her to the biobed Tom had vacated.  Janeway spared only enough of a glance at Harry and Seven to see that both were clearly awake before joining the doctor at Lioree's biobed.  Tom was already there, responding to the doctor's commands.Although B'Elanna's attention was monopolized by the activities at the Garn doctor's bed, a quiet sounding voice drew her back briefly to Harry.  It had been his voice, whispering, "Welcome back," to Seven.With all the activity, B'Elanna was the only one besides Harry to hear Seven's equally soft reply.  "It is good to be back, Ensign Kim."  A second later she went on, "and thank you." * * * * * "We've got her," declaimed the doctor.  "She's coming to now.  Step back Mr. Paris, Captain Janeway.  Give her some air."Lioree turned to her side and began to cough.  Raising herself on to her elbow, Lioree shook her head as the captain told her, "Please, Doctor.  You must rest.  Retrieving my people like this is obviously too much for you.""No, Captain, I'm all right.  This has nothing at all to do with Ensign Kim and Seven.  She's back, isn't she?  I could feel her returning to consciousness before I collapsed myself."A quick glance at Seven's biobed confirmed that Harry Kim now sat next to Seven, still clutching her hand.  They were facing away from the others and apparently oblivious to the Garn doctor's dilemma.  The captain was reassured.  "It would appear so."Lioree smiled weakly.  "I knew all was well with them.  But we will need to contact my people and see if they can send others to Voyager to help revive the rest of your crew that has been infected by the subvirus.""Of course, Dr. Hacent.  You must rest.""No, I cannot rest, Captain Janeway.  I need to help you search.  I could feel it, when I was coming out of the telepathic connection.  The hate.  The intent to kill.  Captain, now I am very sure.  You have a murderer on board this vessel.  And this murderer has already chosen another victim.  You." * * * * * He crawled throughout the bowls of the ship.  The dim gray walls confining his spirit and adding fuel to the already burning rage that raked over his soul.  His eyes were black holes sucking all the light that bounced from the safety lights along the corridor.  The monster had a human form, though the dark eyes made the man look as if his very soul was a den of iniquity.He reached the end of the tunnel, the intersection giving him pause, but only for a minute.  He continued steadily on, his frantic mind not interpreting the sights and sounds that were received by his eyes and ears.  In his mind he saw only the evil committed against him and his crewmates.  He saw corruption in every figure of power.  Janeway was the headwater of his river of pain and anger and he was going to destroy her.  Tuvok had said that in order to effectively deal with anger he must confront it and destroy it.*Tuvok, you were right.  But I was thinking too small.*  His arm reached out to lay another false clue.  A small red mark swelled on his arm, the color giving testament that all was not right in Jeffrey's Tube 32 Section 12B. * * * * * "Me?" Janeway couldn't have been more surprised if Dr. Hacent had revealed herself to be a Horta.  "I'm the next victim?""It would seem reasonable," interjected the doctor.  "No offense intended toward you, Captain, but it is your destroying The Caretaker's array that caused Voyager to be stranded in the Delta Quadrant.  Much of the crew left family behind.  After four years, an already emotionally disturbed crew member would feel the need for retribution for being ripped away from his or her family."Dr. Hacent stepped forward and gently touched Janeway's shoulder in a Kes-like movement that made the captain wish the Ocampa hadn't left the ship.  "I'm sorry, Captain.  But the emotions I feel -- the overpowering anger and betrayal, a sense of indescribable rage -- "  The woman's hand gestured helplessly searching for words that weren't there.  "It's all directed toward you.  I'm sorry I can't be more specific and point out the individual, but as I am unfamiliar with your crew . . . .""I understand," Janeway reassured her, her mind still reeling at the thought of one of her crew wanting to  kill her.  Was this how Julius Caesar felt?  *Nonsense,* she thought, brushing away the errant idea.  *The important thing is to find whoever it is before he or she hurts someone else.* * * * * * The grayness surrounded her like a cool fog.  B'Elanna floated in a slow circle, only vaguely aware of the fact that there was no solid surface beneath her feet, no solid anything.  She wondered for a moment where she was, until dim memories of her experience with the. . . had the doctor said a virus? . . . began to resurface.  She was on a different plane of consciousness, her sluggish, sleep-fogged mind realized, only this time, there was no childhood room, only grayness, grayness and a very faint but distinct tugging on her body, or at least the representation of her body in that plane.Unafraid but mildly curious, B'Elanna responded to the pull and willed herself without any physical movement to succumb to the tugging.  At first she moved slowly, and then with increasing speed as the grayness cooled and darkened around her until she was surrounded by a blackness so cold it made her shiver.Now, suddenly, she was afraid.  Afraid and cold.  "Is . . . is anyone there?" she called out in a voice that somehow managed not to tremble too much.  At first there was no response.  Then the tugging grew stronger, encompassed her in a way that felt pleasantly familiar yet chilling in its lack of traceable origin.  The force, whatever it was, embraced her in such a way that her heart began to pound and her blood raced.  For a moment, she closed her eyes, and she could have sworn it was Tom and not some invisible force that held her close."Tom?" she called out, unwilling to open her eyes.  "Tom, is that you?"  But though the embrace tightened, there was nothing but a star-studded blackness when she once again opened her eyes.Still, the feeling was too strong to ignore, so she followed the invisible force, let it pull her through the cold blackness that made her teeth chatter.  It was only after what might have been an eternity that she realized she was in space, and that the white dots which resembled stars actually were stars.  Within moments of coming to this realization, a tiny gray dot appeared and then began to grow steadily larger.  *No,* she realized, *not larger, closer.*  It took her very little time to identify the growing blob as a shuttlecraft.It took her longer to realize it was a dead shuttlecraft.  There was only one flickering light that she could see within it as it grew, that and the sparks from what seemed to be recent weapons fire.  Then the sparks died away, leaving a large ragged scar that made B'Elanna wince as she realized Voyager had lost yet another one.  The damage looked too severe to repair.Still, the force, whatever it was, drew her even closer, so close that the shuttle now loomed large before her, and she almost brushed against it.  Then she did brush against the metal, still warm from the explosion, but cooling rapidly.  The invisible force pulled her to the window just as Tom might have pulled her to an observation port to watch a sun appear over the horizon of a foreign planet.  Dutifully she looked inside.  Then she gasped.There in the shuttle, lying still and injured on the floor, was her love.  She pressed herself against the window of the shuttle, tried to will herself inside, but without success.  She had to reach him!  He was hurt and he needed her!  Unfortunately, the shuttle maintained its solidity and barred her from him.In growing desperation, B'Elanna pounded on the widow.  For a moment, Tom stirred, even looked in her direction, but he didn't react.  It was only then that she realized she wasn't in her own dream.  More images of her experiences with . . . what was it?  The virus?  No, subvirus, flooded her mind.  She recalled the terror, the isolation, and the hopelessness.  Now she felt none of that, but she knew without needing to ask that her beloved was feeling all of the above.It was as though she could read his mind.  No, not could, had.  It was then that B'Elanna realized Tom had caught the subvirus and that he was pulling her down with him into his unconscious mind.  Another far more frightening realization followed.  The woman that resembled Kes had told Tom that he was the only one who could pull her back.  No on else could have done it.  Similarly, she knew by instinct that she was the only one who could rescue Tom.  The only problem was that he'd pulled her in with him.The fear and weakness lasted for only moments, once she recognized the truth.  A scorching anger buffeted the haze in B'Elanna's mind.  The human side of B'Elanna Torres, in which she clothed herself daily to fit in with her shipmates, cowered as her Klingon anger blazed forth.No!  She would not succumb to a cowardly, dishonorable thing like a subvirus from deep space!  An ancestral memory going back generations on the maternal side of her family asserted itself with a vengeance.  Never would she submit to meek death, or allow her beloved to perish for her failure to fight, no matter the odds.To fight.  To fight off danger, fight off oppression, fight off weakness and falsehood and illness, until inevitable death would come only in glorious battle.  B'Elanna had no thought for her usual disregard for her heritage.  That did not matter now.  Her love was threatened.  She would battle for his life on any battlefield chosen.Inside her mind, spiraling down to Tom, lost in the mists of the virus, she called out to him.  If she could not touch his hand, she would call out with her love to him.  *Thomas Paris!  Come to me!  Fight with me!*  In her dreams, B'Elanna floated towards Tom, smashing the transparent aluminum window of the shuttlecraft as if it were ordinary, old-fashioned glass.*Fight, Tom!  You wanted to see my Klingon side, well here it is!* she screamed in her mind, through the mists, through the hazes blown away by the red-hot wind of her anger.She grabbed his hand, pulled him from the wreckage of a nightmare shuttlecraft, and sped up.  Up into the light.  The light above her, coalescing into burning illumination.  A red sun?  A crimson nebula?  A scarlet sky? * * * * * "They're finally coming around, Doctor," B'Elanna could hear Samantha Wildman say, as if from some far away tunnel.The light was the color of blood through her lids as she cracked them open to the view of the ceiling of Sickbay brightly lit above her.  B'Elanna groaned.  Not again."Well, Lieutenant, welcome back, once again," the doctor said cheerfully, as he waved his flickering medical tricorder over her body.  "This time, I see you've brought a friend.""Tom?" she mumbled."Mr. Paris is fine, thanks to you.  Look for yourself.  And you can cease clutching his hand like that.  I need to check to make sure you didn't break any of his bones while you were both under.""I don't understand, who called us back?" asked B'Elanna, still groggy."Oh, this time, you didn't need anyone else.  With the link you've already established with Mr. Paris, you were able to wake up on your own this time, and wake up Mr. Paris as well.  We had trouble waking you and realized that he was pulling you down with him.  Dr. Hacent assured us that with a little prodding on our part, you wouldn't need to have her assistance this time, since you were immune.  She was quite right."Turning her head towards Tom, B'Elanna gazed upon his face while the doctor pried her fingers away from his.  He was lying on his back on the biobed half a meter from hers, blinking his eyes and moaning softly.  Her concern for him vanished when she heard him say, "Doc, what did I do to deserve being in Sickbay this time?"B'Elanna uttered a good-humored snarl, "Nothing yet, but I'll think of something." * * * * * Kathryn Janeway strode across the bridge confidently.  Much more confidently than she actually felt, truth be told.  But she was the captain, and half of the job was keeping up appearances.  As she came in range of the ready room the door slid open to admit her.  She took two steps in and stopped.It was a test.  And he passed, barely.  On another day, at another time, it would have amused her.  Oh, sure, she would have hidden her amusement, mostly.  The captain could not out and out mock the first officer on the bridge.  But it would have been all right to allow a smile to touch her lips, maybe reach her eyes.  As long as she pretended it was an accident of course.The ready room door closed, trapping Chakotay in the narrow gap -- perhaps a quarter of a meter -- between it and the captain.  Instinctively he leaned back against the smooth metal, not wishing to completely invade Kathryn's personal space.  She was tense enough as it was."Commander, what shall we check for first?  Poisonous Gas?  A bomb?" she asked sarcastically, taking one more step forward before turning to glare at him.  "I am perfectly safe.  Tuvok has had the ready room under continual surveillance since Dr. Hacent's . . . " she paused, " . . . announcement," she finally chose."As first officer, it is my duty to insure your safety at all times," he reminded her calmly."Actually that's Tuvok's job," she returned, turning on her heel and heading for the desk.  Chakotay followed closely.  Janeway, exasperated, made a grand gesture, indicating that he should feel free to check the chair and table for booby traps.For a moment he considered passing, but her safety was more important than any minor annoyance she might currently be suffering.  Chakotay pulled out the tricorder he now carried full-time and quickly scanned the area.  "I'm going to go out on a limb and declare this area safe."  He tried to make a joke of it, but it fell flat.Janeway dropped into the chair, and Chakotay assumed the guest chair.  She looked, in a word, beat, and it was only 0900.  Chakotay wondered how much more she could take.  He knew for a fact that she'd hardly slept the night before.  From his vantage point on her couch, he'd heard her tossing and turning most of the night.  Finally, about 0300, she had dropped off, only to awaken from a nightmare about an hour later."Cap -- Kathryn, let me buy you a cup of coffee," he offered finally, shooting her a half-smile.For a moment Chakotay thought she would turn him down, but then, finally, she gave a slight nod, saying tiredly, "Thank you, Chakotay.  Coffee would be just the thing."He went to the replicator and requested her favorite blend -- a large -- and charged it to his account.  He walked quickly back across the room and placed the steaming mug in front of her with a flourish.  "Drink up," he commanded.  Chakotay resumed his seat, and waited for Kathryn to take her first substantial sip before speaking again.  "Kathryn, would you like to talk about it?""No.  Yes.  I don't know.  I --  Ah!"  She paused to collect her thoughts and take another sip of her drink.  "This is a very frustrating situation for me.  I don't like the idea of a murderer on my ship.  And I don't enjoy being in 'protective custody'.  And -- I don't know.""You don't like the fact that a member of this crew, a member of this family, wishes to kill you," supplied Chakotay softly."No, I don't," admitted Janeway.  "I know being captain is not a popularity contest.  It is not necessary for everyone to like me.  But," she shook her head sadly, "it is disconcerting to find out that I'm so hated by a member of this crew.  THIS crew, especially --"Janeway's further words were cut off by the chirping of her combadge.  "Sickbay to Captain Janeway."  It was the doctor."Go ahead, Doctor," she ordered."Captain, Lieutenants Paris and Torres are both ready to return to duty.  I'm also ready to release Ensign Delaney.  She appears to be fully recovered, thanks to the efforts of her sister.  However, Dr. Hacent and I both agree that it is imperative that we determine the most likely candidates for calling back Lieutenant Carey and Ensign Garvic.  Especially Mr. Garvic.  They have both been under much too long.""Agreed, Doctor," interrupted Janeway.  "I'll be in Sickbay in a few moments.  We'll finish this discussion then.""Of course, Captain.  Doctor out.""Commander?" inquired Janeway, standing up from the desk.Chakotay attached the tricorder to his belt once more and quickly checked the power supply on the phaser he also now carried.  "After you," he answered, standing.  He followed his captain out the door.  Closely.The captain strode onto the bridge, her first officer shadowing her.  "Commander Tuvok, Commander Chakotay and I will be in Sickbay, checking on the conditions of Ensign Garvic and Lieutenant Carey.  You have the bridge.""Aye, Captain."A feminine voice came from the ops station.  "Captain, if I may be relieved to accompany you?"Chakotay's head whipped around at Ensign Lang's voice.  This was a strange request coming from her.  Lang was a good young officer, as her excellent service when the Nyrians had taken over Voyager had demonstrated, but asking to accompany them to Sickbay. . . this had to be considered suspicious.  He would be there, however, so when Captain Janeway gave her assent, he allowed them into the turbolift."I hope you don't find me presumptuous, Captain, Commander," Lang said, as the lift descended to Deck 5.  "I was just thinking about Lieutenant Carey.  We've worked on a few projects together and we're part of the Thursday Night Poker Society in Lieutenant Ayala's quarters.  We usually socialize in the same group at Sandrine's.  I was thinking that maybe we'd be close enough friends for me to try to get through to him.""Thank you, Ensign.  I appreciate your concern for Mr. Carey.  Maybe you can help him," the captain smiled kindly.  She caught her second in command's eye and noted the easing of tension in his shoulders.  Surely he had not suspected Lang!"I guess you didn't play poker last night, Lang, with all of the turmoil here," commented Chakotay after an uncomfortable couple of seconds of enduring a Janeway glare.As the turbolift door swished open, the young officer responded, "You're right, sir, but it was strange.  Lieutenant Ayala told Hamilton, Dalby and I to come anyway, just to keep up our spirits.  Then he wasn't there himself!  He didn't answer his combadge, either.  We were afraid he'd collapsed, too, when we finally found him playing pool in Sandrine's with Gerron.  Seems he forgot all about asking us.  In fact, he swore he hadn't!"  As they walked into Sickbay to be greeted by Dr. Hacent she added, "He said he couldn't possibly play poker with Carey out like that.  He lost his temper.  I've never seen him do that before, Commander.  You know how calm Ayala always is.""This situation is getting to all of us," Chakotay said in a calming voice.Even as Janeway discussed the condition of Garvic and Lang's offer with the two doctors, she couldn't shake the idea that this odd behavior was important.  She never thought to mention it to Dr. Hacent, however.  No need to bother the Garn scientist with minor off-duty personnel issues like this. * * * * * A group of three dispirited officers sat in a corner booth at Sandrine's, nursing glasses of synthale.  "I feel so helpless, Lieutenant Torres.  Not even a hint of response from him.""Look, you tried.  That's all you can do," replied B'Elanna.Tom patted the young ensign's hand.  "Don't worry.  The doctor will come up with something, S.C."  The pilot used one of his most sparkling smiles to his friend, using the pet nickname that Ensign Lang had acquired thanks to her stand on the bridge against the Nyrians.  S.C. stood for "Security Chief," a post she'd held for several hours when the ship was overrun by the greedy, sneaky aliens."I hope . . . ""Ensign Vorik to Lieutenant Torres.""Yes, Vorik?""You are needed in Engineering, Lieutenant.  We are picking up some unusual fluctuations in the port warp nacelle.""I'm coming.  Torres out."  With a peeved look on her face, B'Elanna rose from the table.  "Got to go.""I should get back to my quarters to rest now, anyway.  I'm due back on the bridge at 2300 hours.  Thanks for listening."  The young operations officer also got to her feet."Both of you leaving me here alone!  Take pity on me!  I'll only have Gaunt Gary for company."  The helmsman heaved a melodramatic sigh."Quelle dommage, mon cher.  I will protect you and keep you company!" Sandrine swept toward the table to pick up the empty bottles and pat an amused Tom on the head.Laughing, the two women exited the holodeck tavern side by side to go to the turbolift. * * * * * B'Elanna sought out the young Vulcan in Engineering as soon as she entered her department.  He was nowhere to be seen.  The sense of quiet urgency she'd expected to find was also absent.  "Nicoletti, where's Vorik? I thought we had a problem with the warp nacelles!  What is he doing to fix it?""Sir?" said Nicoletti, clearly nonplused.  "There's no problem with the warp nacelles that I know about."A quick consultation with the other engineers and a careful review of the data showed that Susan Nicoletti was absolutely correct.  No abnormality in either nacelle, nor in any of the other systems connected with the warp drive could be detected.  In fact, it was all functioning at peak efficiency.One thing wasn't functioning at peak efficiency, however.  Ensign Vorik.  He was nowhere in Engineering.  A computer check and visit by B'Elanna revealed that he was in Jeffries Tube 27A doing routine maintenance on the communications relay circuits in that location.  The young Vulcan denied any knowledge of problems with the port warp nacelle.  In fact, he denied even speaking to his superior about any problems in the last day and a half.  For a Vulcan, he was quite adamant.  Some might even say testy.B'Elanna shook her head in confusion as she left the ensign to his work.  This was all getting very, very strange.  Almost weird.  For a Vulcan to forget anything so vital!   After all, SHE was the one who'd been flattened by that Enka-whatever-it-is subvirus, not Vorik!Wait a minute.  Maybe it was her!   "Lieutenant Torres to Lieutenant Paris," she signaled."Paris here.  What's up, B'Elanna?  Do you need extra help down there in Engineering?""Tom, just bear with me a moment.  What was the reason I came down to Engineering in the first place?""B'Elanna!  You were checking on the warp nacelle problem!  Are you all right?  You're not having some kind of relapse or memory loss, are you?""Not if I hear you say what I think you're going to say when I ask you my next question.  Who reported this problem with the warp nacelles?""Vorik, of course.  B'Elanna?" Tom's confusion was easy to hear over the com.B'Elanna looked at the closed hatch of Jeffries Tube 27A.  This was getting very strange indeed. * * * * * Commander Tuvok closed his eyes, extinguished his meditation lamp, and sat quietly for several minutes before arising and starting to remove his clothing to prepare for bed.  His mind toyed with this puzzle of the subvirus as he moved slowly through his nightly rituals.  It was extremely difficult for him to concentrate.  The situation was an intriguing one, and taking the time to sleep seemed inappropriate, somehow.  However, his body craved sleep, and to deny it the necessities of basic existence was unwise.  He might begin to function at less than peak efficiency, and now, of all times, was a poor time for that.  The person having murderous thoughts towards Captain Janeway must be apprehended before doing any harm to her or to anyone else on Voyager.Absent-mindedly scratching the ugly red welt on his arm, the security chief of Voyager exhaled his breath heavily in what sounded suspiciously like a sigh before drawing on his night tunic.  Walking over to his bed, Tuvok drew back the covers and lay down.  There were times, illogical as it seemed, that what his human crewmates called "sleeping on it" actually did assist in the resolution of a difficult problem.  As he assumed a prone position on his bed he told himself that this might be one of those times.  Taking the time to sleep was more acceptable if seen in such a light. * * * * * "B'Elanna!  I was worried you'd never get free again tonight!" Tom called out to her from his booth in Sandrine's."Sorry I'm late.  I couldn't relax until I'd completed the diagnostics on the warp core nacelles one last time."  She hurried over to the table and gave his cheek a quick, affectionate stroke before sitting next to him in the booth.  "So, have you been sitting here since I left, with only Sandrine to keep you company?""Lieutenant, how could you think I would waste my time like that when my talents are in such demand all over the ship?" he grinned.  More seriously, he added, "I went back to Sickbay, since the captain didn't want me on the bridge until my next shift to make sure I'd fully recovered.  Dr. Hacent made two more attempts to bring around Carey.""Two more?  Who?""Both the Delaney sisters, if you can believe it.""The Delaney sisters!  If they've been close to Joe, it's been the first relationship either one has ever had that they'd managed to keep quiet!"  B'Elanna looked stunned by the implications.  Everyone aboard ship had always perceived Joe as someone who was so devoted to his wife and children in the Alpha Quadrant.  The idea of him being involved with Megan or Jenny, let alone both of them, was astonishing."I questioned it, too, B'Elanna.  We all know Joe has stuck to group social activities.  I hadn't heard any hint of his dating anyone aboard ship.  Jenny said that it wasn't like that at all.  Apparently, when Jenny and Megan have had some problems that they wanted to bounce off someone male, they would go to Joe just because they knew nothing like that would ever happen.  They tease him sometimes that they're going for advice to their 'big brother Joe.'  They were hoping that if he felt towards them a little of the same, like they were his sisters, they might be able to reach him.""They have worked together on rebuilding shuttles a lot lately," B'Elanna mused.  "If it had worked, though, I can't believe you wouldn't have called me in Engineering to tell me this, instead of waiting to tell me about it now."The smile that appeared on his face was a bit crooked, like his patented smirks usually were, but there was no sparkle in his sad eyes.  "You know me too well, B'Elanna.  No, there was nothing, either time.""Lieutenant Paris?"Tom and B'Elanna both turned their heads as a musical voice addressed the helmsman.  Dr. Hacent, threading her way carefully past Hudson, Simms, Lamont, and Marco Cavelle, who were in the midst of an exuberant game at the pool table, approached the booth where the two lieutenants were sitting.  "May I join you?""Of course, Dr. Hacent.  Please take a seat," Tom said, rising politely."Thank you.  And please, call me Lioree."  She smiled as she sat down, increasing her resemblance to the lost Ocampan, although Lioree's voice was considerably higher in pitch than Kes' and could not ever be mistaken for hers.  "I've wanted to talk to the two of you about something.""About our being in that trance?" asked B'Elanna warily.  She was getting very tired of being asked about that."Oh, no, Lieutenant.  I have all the information I need from you about that.  I was just wondering if you know anything about either of our remaining patients, especially Ensign Garvic.  Several people have already come forward to volunteer to try to bring Lieutenant Carey back, but there hasn't been even one volunteer for Mr. Garvic.  Why is that, do you think?""How many days do you have to discuss it, Lioree," said Tom in a sarcastic tone of voice.  At the Garn physician's startled look Tom added, "I'm sorry if I sound a little bitter, Dr --  Lioree, I mean.  It's just that Jack Garvic tried to pin the blame for a shuttle accident on me a while back to try to ruin me.  And with my history, no one needs to do anything like that.  I've been pretty good at messing things up for myself.  I certainly didn't need any help like that!"  Briefly, B'Elanna and Tom filled Lioree in on Tom's past, as well as about the lies and dissension spread by Garvic that had the crew temporarily believing that the "old irresponsible Tom Paris" was back, many months before.  Only diligent detective work by B'Elanna, Harry, and a few others enabled Tom to clear his name and the true culprit to be identified."Ensign Garvic would have been drummed out of Starfleet, the same way Tom was after his Caldik Prime accident, if we were back in the Alpha Quadrant.  The way it is with us here, all that the captain felt she could do was to bust him in rank from lieutenant to ensign.  But no one trusts him anymore.  To tell you the truth, when we first got word that he'd been killed, I don't think anyone was upset for Garvic.  It was just the idea that we could actually have a murderer on board ship that bothered the crew.""I see.  That's dreadful, what he did.  I feel sorry for him, though, now I understand a little about him.  I've sensed some terribly dark thoughts from him, even under the trance as deeply as he is.  I thought I had perceived guilt, too.  Tremendous feelings of guilt.""You don't think that those murderous thoughts might have erupted from him and not from someone else, do you?" asked Tom."I don't believe so, Lieutenant.""If we're calling you Lioree, shouldn't we be Tom and B'Elanna?""You're right, B'Elanna."  Lioree's gentle laugh was drowned out by the loud noises from near the pool table.  The three at the back booth turned around to see what the commotion was about.  Captain Janeway, closely shadowed by Chakotay, was just passing through the doors into Sandrine's, but the excitement did not appear to be due to her entrance.  From the shouts, the trio in the booth could tell that Janine Lamont had downed an exceptionally difficult shot, much to the delight of Ethan Simms and the dismay of Hudson and Marco.  Particularly Marco.Tom grinned.  "I guess Janine's been taking lessons from the captain," he said.Before either of his female companions could comment, however, Marco Cavelle lost his temper.  Even though Marco was known for his short fuse, this display was remarkable.  Cursing and shouting, Marco began to swing around his pool cue, heedless of anyone near him.  Heedless of Captain Janeway, who was trying to slip past the table to get to a seat in the back of the tavern.  Chakotay had positioned his body between Janeway and the mayhem at the table but from the look on her face, Tom was sure she was about to intervene.It all happened so fast.  Suddenly Marco lunged back, thrusting his pool cue viciously at a feminine face.  The face of the captain.  Chakotay's firm arm on her shoulder spun the captain away just before it would have struck her full on the face and, with his other hand, the first officer managed to deflect the blow so that his captain received only a glancing blow on the shoulder.  Hudson, grabbing Marco by the arm, ripped off half of his friend's shirt as he and Simms wrestled him to the ground, still screaming in furor.Tom jumped up and ran over to the captain, followed closely by B'Elanna and Lioree.  "Are you okay, Captain?" Tom asked solicitously."I'm fine, Tom.  What's gotten into Mr. Cavelle?""You know his temper, Kathryn," said Chakotay, forgetting himself in his concern for her.Tom's eyes met Captain Janeway's.  Could Marco have been the one the Garn doctor had sensed?  Both sets of eyes turned towards the doctor who had sped over, not to the captain, but towards Marco."Don't worry, Captain, we'll send him to the brig," said Simms, looking worriedly at his partner Hudson."Captain, this man needs to go to Sickbay," interceded Lioree."Dr. Hacent?" asked Chakotay."Look at his arm."  The group's eyes all turned to where Lioree was pointing.  The angry red welt on his upper arm oozed pus and a trace of blood.  B'Elanna's hand reflexively went to her neck, to the spot where her own welt had been before the doctor had healed it.  "Captain, I cannot explain it, but this man must also have contracted the Enkema-3 subviral infection.  Instead of falling into unconsciousness and a death-like state, his mind seems to be deranged.  He needs treatment just as badly as anyone else in your crew."Seconds after the fading of the glow of the emergency transport which had transferred Marco, Lioree, Hudson, and Simms to Sickbay, the four senior officers stood by the bar, somewhat shaky now that the immediate danger was past and trying not to show it."Captain, I know it's Tuvok's rest period, but do you think we should contact him about this?""I don't think so, Commander.  I'm sure Mr. Simms or Mr. Hudson will do it as a natural consequence of their duties.  We need to consider the ramifications of what just happened.  If this Enkema-3 can cause insanity instead of a death-trance, we could have a serious problem on our hands.  Who knows how many of the crew may have been affected without our knowing it as of . . . ""Ensign Simms to Captain Janeway.""Yes, Ensign?""Captain.  I just tried to raise Commander Tuvok to inform him of the incident.  I'm not getting an answer, Captain, and the computer doesn't seem to know where he is.""What?" said Chakotay.  "Computer, location of Commander Tuvok?""Commander Tuvok's combadge signal is off-line."The captain made an impatient noise.  "Now what?  Tom, B'Elanna, check the commander's quarters.  We'll look in the mess hall.  Meet me in my ready room in ten minutes." * * * * *"I tell you, Chakotay," she said a few moments later, "this situation is beginning to annoy me.  We may lose Garvic, Kes' long lost twin sister shows up, you and I are sharing quarters, Cavelle is suddenly deranged, and Carey is still in a coma despite half the female population of the ship trying to get him back!   We may as well be the stars of an overdone space opera.  Tune in tomorrow to see if -- "As the mess hall doors opened, a blinding flash caused them both to leap aside.  A high energy discharge crackled in the air around them, hurtling them both to the floor.  Chakotay reflexively covered the captain's small frame with his own large body.  She heard a grunt in her ear and smelled the unmistakable stink of seared human flesh from a phaser burn.  She tried to reach her combadge, but Chakotay's considerable weight held both her arms to the floor.  Looking around wildly, she saw the mess hall was empty."Neelix!" she screamed, struggling to move Chakotay's body.  "Help!"The Talaxian shot around from behind the counter and pulled up short at the sight before him.  He stared for a moment, then for some unfathomable reason he began to laugh hysterically in a very high pitched giggle.Janeway was dumbfounded, but she prioritized her thoughts.  She rolled the commander off and jumped to her feet holding a bruised shoulder.  She clumsily activated her combadge with her left hand and barked orders."Doctor to the mess hall at once!   Simms, Hudson!   Phaser fire in the mess hall!  Secure the area, but scan for booby traps before coming in!  Mr. Paris, is Tuvok in his quarters?""No, Captain, we're in your ready room and I think -- "She cut him off.  "Ensign Lang!  Organize a search team and find Tuvok fast!  Kim and Seven of Nine, report to my ready room.  All hands, go to yellow alert!"  She glanced toward Neelix who was now lying on the floor snorting and chuckling."Mister, do you want to spend the next 60 years in the brig?"This sent Neelix into new spasms of giggles.  He curled up into a ball and made odd whistling noises.  The doctor shimmered into existence and spared Neelix a glance before bending over the commander, sensor whirring."Sounds like a guinea pig family reunion in here," he said.At this, Neelix laughed so hard he began to cough and choke.  He tried to stand but fell over, arms outstretched towards the captain.  Below his cuffs they could see he was covered with oozing welts.  Then, mercifully for all present, he passed out."How is Chakotay, Doctor?" Janeway asked, sudden steel in her voice."He has third degree phaser burns.  He will be out of commission for a few days, but he will recover.  The blast appears to have been a wide range microburst of phaser fire.  Luckily for the both of you, it was not nearly as bad as it might have been.  Almost as if our saboteur couldn't decide if he really wanted to kill you or not."*Saboteur.*  The word sent a chill through Janeway as she realized that someone indeed had made an attempt on her life.  Chakotay groaned and she refocused her thoughts."He's coming around," she said to the doctor.  She tapped her communicator again.  "Captain to Ensign Zoomo.  Arrange a site to site transport for Commander Chakotay.  Send him, the doctor, and Mr. Neelix back to Sickbay.""Yes, ma'am.""Doctor, I'll be in my ready room." * * * * * Five minutes later, as she approached her ready room, Tuvok fell into step with her.  "Well, where have you been?" she snapped."I apologize for my absence, Captain," he said.  "I could not sleep.  I was meditating in the hydroponics bay.  I was unaware that my combadge was off-line.  I would surmise that someone was trying to keep me from being available to you.  I am ready with a report for you on the situation in the mess hall."  As she started to enter, he stopped her with a hand.  "Please, allow me to enter first."Four people, Torres, Paris, Seven and Kim were in the room already, and as the doors opened, they jumped almost like guilty children."Mr. Paris, you were wanting to tell me something?" asked the captain.Tom gestured toward her desk in an embarrassed way.  Gouged into the smooth surface was a crudely printed word.  "Soon."Janeway stared at the word in silence.  The reverie was broken by Tuvok.  "Captain, it is obvious that someone has a vendetta against you.  Coupled with the illness spreading all over ship, it is a dangerous situation.  It is my belief that you should remain in quarters so as to avoid the sickness and the predator."Janeway threw him an odd glance.  Tuvok had never made such a suggestion before.  "What?  Run and hide when there are two major crises on my ship?  No, Tuvok," she said, moving to stand behind her desk.  "I think that's just what this . . . PERSON wants.""Actually, Captain," Harry piped up, "it may not be such a bad idea.  I mean, Neelix almost shot you -- " by now all of them had heard of the incident in the mess hall " -- and he normally reveres you.  This virus is making people behave irrationally.  And more often than not, that behavior targets you.""Harry, thank you for your concern."  Her voice took on a determined edge.  "But I will NOT abandon my ship and crew in a situation like this.  Understood?"  The occupants of the ready room all nodded, accepting her chastisement."Well, then," said Tom, "what should we do?  I mean, there are 147 people on this ship.  It could be any one of us.  We can't very well keep them all under surveillance all of the time.""Actually, we can.  And we have."  This from B'Elanna.The pilot turned to the chief engineer.  "What are you talking about?"B'Elanna went into "engineering" mode.  "The ship continually monitors both internal and external sensor readings.  Those readings are stored for twelve hours before being deleted to make room in the computer for more.  It sounds simplistic, but there should be records of sensor readings of the captain's ready room in the computer.  And those readings include combadge signatures."Janeway regarded her critically.  "Of course.  I can't believe I didn't think of that.""But B'Elanna," Tom broke in, "think of all the people that pass through the ready room.  I mean, especially recently, with all the department heads reporting in about the illness or crew members and making incident reports.  In the last twelve hours there could have been 100 people!""Perhaps," replied Janeway, "but the last time I was in my ready room was about 6 hours ago, and I can assure you that this word was NOT here.  That can give us a starting place.  I think this is our best bet.  Meanwhile, Tuvok, you keep compiling the reports of activity and look in on Mr. Neelix.  See if he isn't coherent enough to give you a statement.  B'Elanna and I will work on the sensor logs.  Seven, Harry, keep working on some way to eradicate the virus from the ship.  Apparently," Janeway heaved a sigh, "three more people have been infected.""The virus has been purged," said Seven loftily.  "Undoubtedly the infected crew were incubating the disease and did not reveal the manifestation immediately, as I did.""Well, Seven," said Torres, "you needn't make them sound like SLACKERS."Paris ignored them.  "Captain," Tom asked, "what should I do?""Fly the ship," B'Elanna muttered as everyone passed out of the room. * * * * *He crawled silently through the bowels of the ship, like a beast stalking its prey.  Ah, now this was real freedom, not being cooped up all day at one of Janeway's precious duty posts.  Soon, soon he would get her, and it would all change.  The dark shape chuckled maniacally to itself, the original noise soon joined by the crazed echo that bounced along the Jeffries tube walls.He paused for a second, listening intently.  What was that noise? Soft at first, so soft that it was barely audible.  As his hearing tuned into the sound he realized what it was.  He peered up through some grating in the ceiling, and, poking his finger through, peeled away a section of standard gray carpet above.  He peeked through.  Yes, there she was.  So beautiful, humming to herself.  He gazed at her with adoration.  Suddenly, a hate for that sweet sound ripped through his body.  It was too high.  Why didn't she sing in her proper voice?  That beautiful, deep, husky voice.  Then it came to him: this wasn't his beautiful girl, it was some impostor, taking her form, deceiving the rest of the crew, maybe, but not him.  Undoing all his hard work.  Healing his victims.  But she didn't fool him.  Suddenly, the woman above him mutated into a foul creature, dripping saliva and laughing wickedly to herself.  But it was only a picture, painted by his fevered mind.  His insane mind fabricated a new truth.*Yes,* he thought, *you'll pay for your vicious actions my dear, but not now, not here.  Soon, after I eliminate that witch of a captain, then I'll come for you, and you will pay.*Dr. Lioree Hacent of the Garn sat staring at the medical console.  These test results were going to drive her nuts.  Why was the Enkema-3 reacting differently with the different species aboard the ship?  It had never happened before.  Not on that cargo vessel from Kia.  They, like Voyager, had had a wide variety of peoples, but they had all been cured the normal way.  Nothing like this had ever happened.  It was truly baffling.Lioree rubbed her eyes tiredly.  *Maybe I need a break,* she thought, *just a few moments away from this screen.*  It was so much easier on Garn.  With the telepathic interface one didn't have to strain one's eyes so.Humming softly, she swept around Sickbay checking the readings of her patients old and new.  That was another odd thing.  She had suspected that there would be a couple of cases after the gases had been released, but this many?  It didn't add up.  Enkema-3 didn't incubate that easily.  In fact, it was quite a picky disease, choosing carefully who it wanted for a host.  But this one, it was different somehow.Finally, the doctor came to a halt by the bedside of Ensign Garvic.  Even though the doctor had refused the broken neck bones, his lifesigns were getting weaker.  She didn't know what to do, no one was coming forward and each hour he slipped deeper and further away from them.  From her.  Lioree stared into his face, studying his features.  Why did she feel such compassion towards him, when everyone else on board would let him die?  She touched the side of his face tenderly, feeling the smooth skin under her fingers.  The she drew them back quickly and turned her gaze inwards.*Lioree, don't do this to yourself again.  Don't you ever learn?  Do you remember what happened last time?*  Dr. Hacent lowered her gaze to her feet ashamedly.*Of course I remember,* she snapped at her better judgment.*You may fantasize about him, imagine all kinds of injustices in his past to make him like this, but you can't change the fact that he's a bad man,* her better judgment told her.*Yes, but he's NOT a killer, not like Dakku.  There's something different.  I don't know what.**Forget him, Lioree.  Listen to me.  You know that it's useless to argue with your better judgment.**But I want to do something.  If I don't, he'll die.**If he dies, he can't persuade you to let him loose so he can massacre your colleagues.**I told you, he's not like Dakku.*  But she knew it was useless.  With one last fleeting glance at Jack Garvic, she returned to her console.  It was best to occupy her mind.  But he would not leave her thoughts. * * * * * Ethan Simms was exhausted.  First there'd been that pool game where Marco Cavelle had completely lost it and attacked the captain.  Then, in the middle of escorting Cavelle to the brig, Captain Janeway's authoritarian voice had boomed over Mikel's combadge, ordering them both to the mess hall because of unauthorized phaser fire.  He and Mikel Hudson had spent the last several hours in the mess hall taking readings and searching for the most minute of clues for a hint as to who was insane enough to try and assassinate Captain Janeway, but to no avail.  It was as if a ghost were behind these malignant machinations.Shaking his head wearily, he entered his quarters and headed over to the replicator.  "Cool water," he told the replicator.  Once it finished materializing, Ethan maneuvered himself over to the bed where he sipped some of his water.  As he was setting it on the night stand, he was stopped in mid-air by a summons from his combadge.  "Simms here.""Ethan, can you come over?" Janine Lamont's voice filtered out through the Starfleet emblem on his uniform.  "I think there's something wrong."  Her voice trembled with consternation.The water glass fell out of Ethan's hand, soaking the bottom of his pants as he answered tensely,"I'm on my way."  He charged out of his quarters at warp speed.  Ethan Simms had thought he had lost Janine for good when they'd passed through the Samhain Nebula.  He wasn't going to let that happen again.  Not if he could prevent it.Ethan reached Janine's quarters in record time.  He pressed the chime repeatedly, alternately banging on the door with his fist.  "Janine!  Janine, open up!"  *What if she's already collapsed?* Ethan thought frantically as he increased his pounding.  "Janine!"His prayers were finally answered when a sleepy eyed Ensign Lamont appeared at the door.  She was disheveled, clearly having just woken up.  "Ethan?" she mumbled.  "What are you doing here?"Ethan stared, disbelieving, as his heart beat began to slow down.  "What do you mean, what am I doing here?  You called me saying that something was wrong, and I came running over!"Janine's forehead creased.  "Ethan, after you left Sandrine's with Cavelle, I came back to my quarters to get some sleep.  I have the late night shift this week, remember?  I've been sound asleep ever since.  I couldn't have called you.""But it sounded so much like you!" Ethan sighed with frustration.  "Who would do something like that, and who could sound so much like you?  It doesn't make any sense!""I don't know, Ethan," Janine answered somberly, stroking his cheek soothingly.  She surveyed her arms and felt her neck.  "It doesn't look like I have any signs of the virus."Ethan did the same for himself.  "Me neither."  He heaved another sigh.  "I'd better go report this to Commander Tuvok.  You're sure you're okay?""Absolutely," reassured Lamont.  "I'll be fine."  The two embraced and kissed and then Simms proceeded on to Tuvok's office.  And as Lamont watched him walk down the corridor, she obliviously reached under the neck of her tee shirt and scratched at a small, festering carmine colored wound. * * * * *In the conference room, Janeway sat in her customary chair at the head of the table.  Taking a sip of the espresso she'd replicated, Janeway massaged her forehead wearily and said,"What do you have for me, B'Elanna?"Torres looked up from the computer panel.  "I called up the sensor logs for the past six hours, from when you said was the last time you were in your ready room.  I've downloaded the first few hours of data.  It looks pretty ordinary.  The last one I have so far is of you and Chakotay.""Yes, Chakotay and I left for Sickbay together because the doctor had just told us you and Tom had been cured," affirmed Janeway.Torres touched the panel and scrolled past the screens full of data, her eyes scanning them expertly, looking for anything amiss.  "Most of the rest is blank, indicating that no one was there."The captain sighed, irritated by the lack of information.  There had to be something!"Hold on a second," murmured B'Elanna, halting the flow of data across the screen.  Her fingers flew over the console with practiced ease.  Kathryn set her cup down and leaned forward.  This might be the breakthrough they needed.The beep-beep emitted every time B'Elanna touched the panel increased in speed and Kathryn saw her chief engineer's face go taut with concern and frustration.  "Captain, the information is there, I know it is, but it's encrypted in a non-identifiable code!""Encrypted?  How is that possible?  And why wouldn't the perpetrator just delete the information?" Janeway demanded, rising and examining the computer screen."To delete information in a sensor log would require a level four clearance, and you are the only one onboard who has that authorization.  Not even Tuvok could authorize something like this.  So instead, the data was, to use an ancient term, 'hacked' into and coded, just in case we realized that we could use the information in the logs to track down the assassin."  B'Elanna looked uncomfortable using the term 'assassin,' and Janeway didn't blame her.  She was the target, and even she couldn't fully comprehend it.  But this was no time to try to 'assimilate,' to use one of Seven's favorite terms, the facts, only to act quickly to prevent the spread of a deadly virus and keep a mad crewmember from attacking.  *Just your run of the mill stuff for this crew,* Janeway thought wryly."How long would it take the computer to decipher the encryption code?" Janeway asked, surveying the odd symbols and characters on the computer panel -- the possible solution to this entire mystery."It depends. As little as half an hour to more than seven hours.  I really can't be sure, Captain," B'Elanna answered, sounding apologetic.She nodded.  "Keep working on it, B'Elanna," ordered Kathryn as she strode toward the door.  "If you have to, get Ensign Vorik in here also.  I hear he's an expert at solving cryptograms.  I'll be in Sickbay seeing how the commander is doing."B'Elanna waited until the captain was safely out the door to heave a sigh.  She didn't like working in close quarters with the young Vulcan, even if he were a diligent worker.  But the faster they figured this puzzle out the better.  *It is a deadly enigma we are trying to solve,* B'Elanna thought to herself, *with the captain's life hanging in the balance.  We can't make a mistake.*Several hours later, at her console in Engineering, B'Elanna was still at a loss as to how to crack the code.  Every time she thought she had made a breakthrough, the encryption code came right back and denied her access.  It was driving her crazy.  When the console emitted yet another beep that signaled her decryption efforts had failed, she found herself ready to put her fist through a bulkhead.*Still,* she reminded herself, *it could be worse.  You could be working with Vorik.*  B'Elanna breathed a sigh of relief as she remembered how a few bioneural gelpacks on Deck 4 had needed immediate maintenance and she was able to send Vorik to assist.  *Yes.  It could definitely be worse.*She set the computer to a standard code breaker program, one that could systematically go through hundreds of combinations of symbols and letters to try and find the link that could crack the code.  It could take hours, but at this point it was better than trying to do it manually.  The chief engineer stood and walked to the replicator where she ordered an iced tea.  Engineering was basically deserted.  It was the night shift, and most of those actually on duty were part of one of the teams doing repairs to various systems on Decks 4, 7, 8, or 13.  B'Elanna relished the calm and silence that allowed her to focus on her task.  She decided to take advantage of the stillness and run some diagnostics that had been escaping her attention for the last week.Torres was halfway to the console when a shrill whistle emitted from another console.  Looking around, she saw it was the console running the code breaker program.  B'Elanna ran to the equipment and looked down at the readout.  After several seconds of astonishment, she tapped her combadge."Torres to Janeway.  I may have something here, Captain."* * * * * B'Elanna was giving her report to the convened senior staff no less than 15 minutes later.  "The program found one link.  Now the encrypted sensor readings are three hours worth.  They all have random numbers, letters, and sequences.  Impossible to tell where the actual information is.  But -- " she switched the screen from the entire code to one special segment.  "When I ran it through the computer, it was able to identify these 20 minutes as being special.  There IS a particular sequence of characters coding this information.  It was just too complex for us to catch.  And since it occurs nowhere else in the program, I think we can focus in on this particular part.  It shouldn't take us all too long to break it now that we know specifically where to look.  The other stuff was probably gibberish designed to confuse the code breakers."  The chief engineer took a deep breath as she finished her report."Good work, B'Elanna.  Harry, Seven, you two report to Engineering and see if you can give them a hand in breaking this.  Tuvok, I want you to increase security clearances for everyone except the senior staff.  I don't want this to happen again.  Dismissed."As the group headed toward the door, the captain spoke again.  "B'Elanna, I want you to get some rest.  You've been going nonstop for 18 hours.""But Captain," B'Elanna exclaimed, "I can't -- ""No discussion.  Tom, see that she gets to her quarters."Tom nodded his assent.  "Yes, ma'am."  He took B'Elanna's elbow and escorted her out of the room before she could argue anymore. * * * * * B'Elanna complained all the way down to her quarters.  "I don't believe this!  I need to be there!  I am THIS CLOSE from breaking the code!" she said, striding angrily out of the turbolift.Tom followed her, his long legs allowing him to catch up to the angry half-Klingon.  "B'Elanna, you can't go on forever.  Even YOU have to sleep sometimes."  He stopped as B'Elanna shot him a death glare.  He tried another tactic.  "Don't you trust your staff?"B'Elanna walked into her quarters with Paris at her side.  When the door closed, they stood in silence as Torres gathered her thoughts.  Finally, she heaved a sigh.  "Of course I do," she told him quietly.  "It's just -- "  Her speech halted suddenly as she turned towards him."Bella?  What is it?"  When she didn't answer, he turned to follow the path of her gaze.  There, angrily emblazoned on the wall of her bulkhead, was a message:  "You're next." * * * * * Captain Janeway strode into Sickbay with a determined step, and with a small gesture, gathered the attention of the holodoc.  Things were rapidly getting out of control -- the latest episode this time in B'Elanna's quarters.  The encrypted data files had been destroyed through B'Elanna's computer terminal and the villain had left a threatening message on the chief engineer's wall.  This insanity had to stop and Janeway was ready to do whatever was necessary to get things back to normal.  *Whatever THAT means,* she thought.  "Doctor, I hope you have good news for me.""There's good news and there's bad news," the doc replied with a wry face.  "Which do you -- ""Doctor, toy with me and I'll personally see to it that your next duty shift is spent locked on the holodeck in the company of a certain diva with a particularly bad prima donna attitude.""Ah.  In that case, it's all good news.  There is no sign of Enkema-3 anywhere on the ship; the gases Dr. Hacent recommended to us have been most effective.  There have been no new cases reported in the last six hours, either.  I believe we are beginning to see the end.""Good.  What else?""Mr. Carey is awake and recovering.""Excellent!  Who was successful in contacting him?" she asked, looking past him to the engineer's biobed."She's here if you'd like to congratulate her."  As he stepped aside, Kathryn could see a blonde in the teal blue of Sciences.  Beside her stood her little girl Naomi."Are you all right, Joe?" Kathryn asked gently."I am now.  I was looking for something, Captain.  I heard people calling me, but I knew I couldn't go back until I found what I was looking for.  Then I heard Naomi crying, and I had to go to her.  I just had to.  When I saw her, I remembered what it was I was looking for.""Your children," the captain said softly.Joe Carey closed his eyes and sighed.  "I miss them so much.  They were so close, Captain.  I wanted to stay.  I wanted to find them."The captain smiled down at Naomi.  "But you made him come back.""It was dark.  I was scared.  Joe came back with me so I wouldn't be alone.""You were very brave.  I am very proud of you."  The little girl's face lit up but she clung shyly to her mother.  The captain continued, smiling at Samantha Wildman.  "I think an extra ration for a dish of strawberry ice cream might be in order here.  Ensign, do you think you could arrange that?""Yes, Captain.  Thank you."Dr. Hacent, who had been standing silently through this exchange, spoke up.  "Captain, may I speak with you?  Alone?""Of course.  Er, Doctor?""I'll be in the brig examining Mr. Neelix," said the holodoc.  "I hear he has recovered from his giggle fit.  I'll look in on Ensign Cavelle as well."In the privacy of the doctor's office, Janeway looked over the alien doctor with concern.  She appeared to be very tired.  Her beautiful gold eyes had lost their bright shine, and she sat wearily at the doctor's desk, shoulders stooped.  "Captain, it is not all good news," she said.  "I would guess in another hour or two Ensign Garvic will be dead.  I would like your permission to attempt to reach him by myself.""What?  You don't even know him.""The doctor has told me everything.  How Mr. Garvic lost his friend Ramey at Caldik Prime.  How he tried to murder Lieutenant Paris by sabotaging a shuttlecraft and how when that attempt failed, he tried to blame the shuttle crash on Lieutenant Paris."  She closed her eyes and sighed.  "He is very far away.  There is nothing here that holds him to your ship.  Where he is there is no path to follow.  I sense a great loneliness in him.  Regret and sorrow.  But I also sense something else -- a spark of stubbornness, maybe?  It may be that I will not be able to find him, but I'd like to try."  She glanced at the captain's communicator.  "He and I will not be able to communicate much, of course, other than through emotions.  The doctor has taught me a few words of your language.  I know 'friend' and 'together,' also 'safe' and 'please.'  I hope it will be enough.""Doctor, I can't let you risk this.  It's obvious you're already exhausted.  You've bridged the gap between all our sick crewmen.  I can see you're nearly spent.""Captain, I know in my heart I am his only hope.  You can't deny me the chance to try.  That guilt would be a great burden to me for the rest of my life.  Please."   She said this last word in English.  Without the Universal Translator, her voice had a pleasing, lilting accent.Kathryn Janeway took a long good look at the woman before her.  She had done so much for them.  Without her would Tom have been able to call B'Elanna back?  Would Harry have been able to contact Seven?  "All right," she conceded.  "But I want our chief of security to be with you.  He is a touch telepath.  If things get too tough -- if it looks like Garvic is going to pull you in -- I want Tuvok there to pull you out.""I understand, Captain.""Captain!" the holodoc materialized suddenly before them.  "Neelix and Cavelle are both in convulsions!   We have incoming wounded!" * * * * * The only light in the room was emitted by a candle.  One candle.  Its flickering glow set patterns moving on the walls, on the floor, on him.  He watched it for a moment, transfixed by the dancing light, before he remembered his task at hand.  Everything was going as according to plan.  All was centered.  All was true.Then why did he have no peace?He supposed it was lingering guilt.  He knew that he should be guilty, and he tried his best.  But the disease must be stopped, the fire must be quenched.  All must die.He gave one final glance at the candle, looked up at the ceiling, and cupped his hands around the flame.  He felt its life ebb away, and then placed his hands by his side.  The darkness surrounded him, strengthening him for his task ahead.  But strangely, he missed the light. * * * * * B'Elanna stood looking at the words on her wall.  *You're next.*  She wanted to fight this.  She was incredibly angry that someone would do this to her, but even more angry that they would endanger the captain.  She wanted a fight.  But how do you fight an unseen enemy?Tom wrapped his arms around her, wanting to comfort her.  He wanted her to be protected, to be safe, but he knew that his arms wouldn't do much good.  So he settled for holding his beloved until he felt the anger begin to subside."B'Elanna, we'll find a way through this.  I'm sure Tuvok and his team are doing everything they can to find whoever it is who did this.""I know, Tom.  I just wish there was something I could do!" B'Elanna replied in frustration.  "I hate this.  I hate being out of control.  And I hate whoever is doing this!""Shhh, Bella.  I wish I could do something to make sure that you'll always be safe.  But I know I can't protect you.  There's one thing I do know, however,"  Tom said as he turned B'Elanna to face him.  "I will do my best.  And I will always be here to hold you.  We'll fight this together."A soft smile crept onto B'Elanna's face.  Tom relished in the sight, he hadn't seen that smile in days.  Slowly they both turned to the wall, and hand in hand, wiped off the words. * * * * * "Janeway to Tuvok""Here, Captain""I need you in Sickbay.  Doctor Hacent is going to try to reach Garvic, and I want you here to make sure she isn't pulled in along with him.""Acknowledged, Captain.  I am on my way.""Janeway out.""Computer, lights."Tuvok blinked for a moment as his eyes adjusted to the sudden brightness.  He then rose from his bed, removed his robes, pulled on a fresh uniform, and wiped his hands on the towel in the bathroom as he went out the door. * * * * * As B'Elanna turned from wiping the grim words of warning from her wall, Tom turned to her, ready to offer his comforting embrace.  Instead, she dropped his hand and brushed past him impatiently.He stood for a moment, feeling vaguely foolish, watching her pace the room.  Every taut line of her body spoke of her frustration and anger with this enemy who stayed just beyond their reach.  He felt his own mouth twist disdainfully as he glanced back at the faint smear their hands had left on the bulkhead.  If only their tormentor could be as easily eradicated."Wait a minute . . . .  B'Elanna!"  He turned suddenly toward her just as she reached the near end of the cabin and they collided sharply.  For a moment Tom was very aware of her femininity as she clung to him briefly for support; then of her Klingon musculature as she easily moved him back to arm's length."The words aren't completely gone," he said when he recalled why he'd turned.  "There's still a smear on the wall.""So?""Why wasn't the activity log for the captain's ready room wiped out to begin with?""Because the gap would have been obvious."   B'Elanna recovered the old ground with a trace of impatience.  "It was encrypted so that it occupied the same volume but was unreadable.""Right," agreed Tom.  "And why is it wiped out now?""Because once the block of encrypted data was discovered, the gap didn't matter.  It was more important to remove the files before we broke the code.""And it had to be wiped out in a hurry because the attacker didn't know how long he had before you broke the code."  Tom raised a finger.  "Which means -- ""That he didn't have time to do a thorough job?" B'Elanna finished.  "Sorry, Paris, these isolinear chips weren't just wiped, they were totally randomized.  There's nothing there to recover."She turned away from him to resume her pacing.  In completing her circuit, she had to steer around Tom who remained rooted where he stood squinting thoughtfully into the middle distance, his index finger still upraised."What about replicator records?" he asked."What?"  B'Elanna stopped pacing and turned to him."Replicator records," he repeated."I heard what you said.  I don't understand what that has to do with what's going on.""Hudson and Simms told me they'd found a steel lever with blood on it," Tom explained.  "Garvic's blood.  Tuvok had found four more just like it.""How come I didn't hear about this?""You don't drink coffee with Hudson and Simms.""All right.  But what has that got to do with replicators?""Does Voyager use any steel levers?" asked Tom.  "And if we do, are any missing?""No, of course not," snapped B'Elanna.  Then, "That means they were replicated.  And our oily little sneak -- ""May not have been so thorough with the replicator records!""Worth a shot," the engineer agreed.  "I'll just need one of those steel levers to analyze and we should be able to make a match.""They're in Tuvok's office.""Lets go!" * * * * * Ten minutes later, Tom was examining one of the bloodied metal bars through its transparent containment canister as B'Elanna scanned it with her tricorder.  It lay on a brightly lit work bench in Engineering where Tom knew sensors more subtle than his eyes or even B'Elanna's tricorder were probing it a subatomic levels."It's not a lever," he observed.  "The way it flattens along the side at one end makes it useless for prying or turning anything.""It's not steel, either."  B'Elanna studied her tricorder's readings, then glanced at a wall screen to confirm that the engineering computer had reached the same conclusion.  "It is an iron alloy, significant carbon content, a trace of chromium, and something I'm not sure of. . . . "  Her voice trailed off as she studied the computer's analysis."You know, a heavy bar of metal with an edge like that could be a weapon," observed Tom.B'Elanna spared him a glance."The smear of blood along the edge kinda makes that an easy guess, don't you think?" she asked."No, no.  I mean it looks like it was meant to be a weapon -- or at least a chopping tool of some sort," Tom pantomimed an over-handed swing.  "Like a headless hatchet or a really stubby machete.""It is a *peing-lak.*"Tom and B'Elanna whirled to face the Vulcan who had appeared silently behind them.  "A traditional harvesting tool," continued Vorik as though unaware of their alarm.  "I believe you'll find that the difficult to identify trace element is *rouk,* an alkaloid peculiar to the northern deserts of Vulcan.""Why did you sneak up on us like that?" Tom moved protectively between the newcomer and B'Elanna.  He missed the glint of amusement in her eyes before she again leveled her gaze on the Vulcan."I did not sneak, Lieutenant Paris," Vorik corrected.  "I was on duty at my station when I overheard you discussing an artifact on which I felt I could shed some light and came to offer my assistance."Tom was about to point out that the engineering monitoring station was nearly eighteen meters away and certainly out of casual hearing range, but glanced at the Vulcan's upswept ears and thought better of it."What do you harvest with a ping-lack?" he asked instead."*Peing-lak.*""Pehing-lahkg," Tom tried again.  "What's it used for?""In agriculture it is used to harvest and clean *peing,* a fruit with a heavy husk similar to the coconut of Earth.""You said in agriculture," pressed B'Elanna.  "Does it have another use?""Use?"  Vorik considered the word.  "No.  However, in the ancient cultural traditions of the Northern People it is a symbol of purification.""Purification?""Yes.  I believe the equivalent human expression would be 'separating the wheat from the chaff.'"  Vorik looked from one to the other.  "A removal of that which is external, false, and useless, to attain that which is true, that which has value.""Like a winnowing fork," said B'Elanna, "or a thresher.""Approximately, yes," agreed Vorik.  "Although in the case of the *peing* the matter is more urgent in that the husk is highly poisonous and must be thoroughly excised before the fruit can be preserved.""So this would be a weapon of particularly Vulcan significance?"  Tom's eyes narrowed slightly as he asked, his hand unconsciously brushing the hip where his phaser would have been."*Peing-lak* are not weapons," corrected Vorik.  "They are traditional tools and cultural symbols."  Vorik indicated the computer terminal with a silent gesture and B'Elanna nodded her permission.  With a few deft strokes, he closed her assay program and accessed the main computer's cultural data base.  In less than a minute an illustrated article covering all that he had shared with them, but in far greater detail, filled the screen.Tom noted that the *peing* vines had spines as long as his forearm, while skeletons and rotting corpses of desert animals attested to the potency of their poison.  He found himself wondering about how hungry the first guy to discover the fruit was edible must have been."Why is the motif of five *peing-lak* in a star so often repeated?" asked B'Elanna."The arrangement is meant to represent the five-pointed *peing* blossom as well as the five seasons," Vorik explained.  "It is an ancient symbol of justice."Tom was the first to turn away from the screen."So we're back to square one," he said with a sigh.  "Anyone could have come across that and thought a Vulcan coconut chopper would be just the thing to throw us off their track.""Not quite square one," B'Elanna's voice carried a note grim satisfaction.  "Now that we have the analysis of the metal in this *peing-lak* we'll be able to trace back to when and where they were replicated.  And when we know that, combadge records will let us know who.""A prodigious task," observed the Vulcan engineer.  "Might I be of assistance?  The more searchers there are, the shorter the search."B'Elanna and Tom exchanged glances.  She could see hesitation in his eyes and felt her own reserve at working with Vorik.  But they needed to find the killer, and so far Vorik had given them nothing but excellent help."Why not?" she said with a shrug.  "You take that terminal.  Tom, you take the one at the monitoring station, and I'll go to the main engineering console."As the other two bent to their tasks, they did not notice Vorik absently rubbing the red welt concealed by his uniform nor the fevered glaze that came to his eyes as he struggled to focus on the monitor before him. * * * * * On the bridge, Janeway stared silently at the viewscreen that displayed the continuous streaks of light that were stars being passed at Warp 4.  Looking calm and serene on the outside, her thoughts were a whirlwind internally.*Fine.  I'm a target.  I can accept that,* she thought.  *As captain, my crew sees me as their leader.  And even if they consciously harbor no hostility toward me, subconsciously they may blame me for being in the Delta Quadrant.  This sickness probably just brought that to the forefront.*Satisfied with that line of rationalization, she continued trying to piece together the puzzle.  *But why B'Elanna?  Everyone on the ship knows that internal sensors take readings, so knowing to encode them wasn't hard.  But how did they know that B'Elanna had found a way to crack the code?  And why -- *"Kathryn?"  Chakotay's voice broke her out of her reverie.  "Are you okay?"  The commander took his customary seat next to the captain.Sighing, Janeway replied, "I'm fine, Chakotay.  It's just this whole thing -- not knowing what will happen next, trying to figure out who's doing this while keeping the crew from becoming alarmed -- it's just kind of frustrating.""I know," Chakotay told her.  "But I have faith in B'Elanna.  She'll find something in the logs.  And, the more acts committed, the more we have to go on.""It's just," the captain paused, then exhaled forcefully in frustration, "I know I'm missing something.  Something KEY.  It's right there, I just . . . I can't get it."Any response that Chakotay may have given was cut off by an ensign at the security station.  "Captain, an alarm was triggered in Jeffries Tube 32A by an engineering repair team.  I can't turn it off, though."Janeway stood and circled to the ensign's station.  A small look of surprise crossed her features as she looked at the readout.  "It's a fail-safe intruder alert.  A kind of motion sensor, but they were all deactivated before Voyager was commissioned.  Too sensitive and too much of a hassle.  Hmm.  Must be a glitch in the system."  Her fingers played over the console as she spoke.  "The reason you couldn't discontinue the alarm, Ensign, is that you need a Level 1 command code.  Security feature, and yet another reason it was discontinued.  If it were accidentally tripped, and someone with Level 1 access wasn't around, it could be quite a nuisance."   The alarm quieted as suddenly as it began, and the captain returned to her seat."I never heard about those alarms," Chakotay commented."They were first installed in Voyager and a few other ships and never installed in any others.  A hassle with not enough benefits to justify itsel -- "  Janeway cut herself off."Kathryn?" Chakotay inquired."That's it," she whispered.  "I can't believe I missed this.""What?""Even if our assailant DID hack into the system to encrypt the codes, he would have to get in to the main computer through a gateway.  A gateway to give him access TO the sensor logs.  That's a Level 2 clearance.""But if they had enough ability to hack into secured files, couldn't they have hacked into the gateway?" Chakotay asked with skepticism.Shaking her head, Janeway said, "No.  If you are at a high enough level to have access to sensor logs, then hacking into them is like digging under a stone wall.  A very thick, deep, stone wall.  Difficult, damn near impossible, but as we've seen, able to be done.  But you have to get to the stone wall first.  If you can't, you can't dig under it.  And someone without Level 2 or above clearance would be, to maintain the metaphor, on a different PLANET than the stone wall."Chakotay nodded, understanding registering on his features.  "So only people with Level 2 or above clearance could have done this.  And that means -- ""And that means," Janeway interrupted, her voice full of steel, "that the person we are looking for is on my senior staff." * * * * * "We should start at once," insisted Dr. Hacent.  "Ensign Garvic will be dead within the hour if I do not try to help him."  She stood next to Garvic's bed, his hand in hers."Of course, Doctor," agreed Tuvok in a neutral tone.  "I was concerned with the effect the procedure might have on you.  Telepathy is often a draining experience.  I merely wished to be sure you were prepared.  Also, the doctor is preoccupied with his other patients," Tuvok reminded Dr. Hacent as he moved closer."I've already explained the urgency of the situation to your captain, and to the doctor.  They both agreed I should begin at once," she answered, a hint of frustration in her voice.  "We do not have time to wait for the doctor, and I will be fine, once I've helped Ensign Garvic.""Of course," demurred Tuvok again, the back of his hand brushing her arm accidentally.  "I am ready to initiate our mindmeld -- "Dr. Hacent jumped at Tuvok's touch.  "I -- Is -- That really isn't necessary, Commander.  Captain Janeway and I agreed that your presence was merely a precaution.  You are here as "back-up," in case I'm pulled in," she argued quickly.  "I don't think I have the strength to maintain two telepathic links at once."  Dr. Hacent took a step back, hoping it wasn't obvious how much the brief contact with the chief of security had disturbed her.  For a moment she considered calling the doctor into Garvic's room, but decided against it.  She was just being silly.  The doctor had his hands full with Neelix and Cavelle, and her first concern had to be Garvic.  The whole situation had her overwrought, and she was beginning to mistake these kind people's concern for her safety as interference.  "I would like to begin," she stated as calmly as possible.Tuvok watched as warring emotions played out on Dr. Hacent's face.  He had always found it interesting how much members of other races could betray with a look.  She was obviously scared, but also equally determined.  "Please proceed, Doctor," he ordered finally.With one last glance back at her companion, Dr. Hacent took both of Garvic's hands in hers.  Mustering up all of her waning inner strength, she started forth on her journey.  Slowly, she lost sight of Sickbay and of Garvic's sleeping form.  No longer did she feel Commander Tuvok hovering at her back.  Instead she found herself somewhere dark, and oppressively hot.  She tried calling to him.*Ensign Garvic.  Jack.*  There was no answer.  Taking a mental deep breath she tried again.  *Jack,* she thought.  *Jack.  Friend.  Safe.  Peace.  Help.  Jack.  Together.  Safe.  Please.  Jack.*  Over and over, she projected the words of her limited Federation vocabulary into the darkness, giving them all the emotional backing she could manage.Finally, spent and ready to give up, she heard a hesitant reply.  *Friend?  Safe?* asked a frightened voice.  And then there was nothing but darkness. * * * * * He stood back surveying his handiwork.  It had been close.  Too close, really.  But there hadn't been any other option.  If he'd acted sooner, he might have been caught.  But now, now his secret was once again safe.  It was time to continue with his mission. * * * * * "I am releasing you both to your quarters for rest.  You are both to remain there for the next 24 hours.  And I WILL be monitoring you," the doctor explained to Neelix and Cavelle huffily.  "You are dismissed."The two men got up from their biobeds, and beat a hasty retreat from Sickbay.  The doctor shook his head, and called, "I said, 'rest!'" after them.  Looking around the empty room, he decided it was time to check on his only remaining patient.  He turned and headed to the back room in which he had isolated Garvic.  The door was closed, and he impatiently punched in the access code.  It slid open to reveal Tuvok standing over the biobed where Dr. Hacent now lay, slumped across Jack Garvic."Doctor," intoned Tuvok, "I was just about to summon you.  Dr. Hacent succumbed, and was pulled in by Ensign Garvic.  I attempted to prevent it -- "Tuvok was cut off by the chirping of the doctor's combadge.  "Paris to Sickbay.  I need an emergency beam out!" * * * * * Chakotay and Janeway both sat momentarily stunned.  Although they had both reached the same unbelievable conclusion independently, it hadn't seemed possible until she'd actually said it.  *A member of my senior staff.*  "Should I call a staff meeting?" she whispered finally, not knowing what else to do."Captain!" called Harry Kim from Ops before she could respond.  "There is a medical beam-out in progress.  Engineering to Sickbay."  Harry swallowed before looking up to meet Janeway's gaze.  "Ensign Vorik, and Lieutenants Torres and Paris."Janeway hit her combadge, calling, "Bridge to Sickbay.""Sickbay here, Captain," answered the EMH efficiently.  "I was just about to contact -- "She cut him off.  "We already know, Doctor.  Commander Chakotay and I are on our way.""Very well," agreed the doctor, breaking the link.Glancing around the bridge, Janeway realized that almost everyone left was a floater.  "Harry," she announced, exasperated, "you have the bridge."  Catching his worried look, she added, "Unless you really want to join the rest of the senior staff in Sickbay.""Uh, no, ma'am.  That's okay," he replied finally, making his way to the center of the bridge.  "But -- ""We'll keep you informed, Ensign," promised Chakotay, following Janeway into the turbolift. * * * * * "All I'm saying is, it was extremely presumptuous, and highly unnecessary."  These words greeted Janeway and Chakotay as they entered Sickbay a minute later, their strides perfectly synchronized.  Janeway was glad to see her chief engineer standing, hands on her hips, glaring at her helmsman as he worked over Ensign Vorik's unconscious form.  Quickly, she reprimanded herself.  *Kathryn, every member of the crew is important.  Don't play favorites.*  And then, it hit her again.  *A member of my senior staff.*"B'Elanna, can you ream me out later?" asked Tom, running a medical scanner over Vorik's head.  "I couldn't just leave you in Engineering unprotected.  But right now, I need to take care of Vorik.""Perhaps you can fill me in on what happened, Lieutenant?" requested Janeway before B'Elanna could reply."Of course, Captain," agreed B'Elanna grudgingly."Where's the doctor?" interrupted Chakotay suddenly.  "He was here when the captain hailed Sickbay.""He's in with Tuvok, Garvic, and Dr. Hacent," B'Elanna explained.  "When we got here, he told Tom to take Vorik.  Apparently Dr. Hacent was pulled in by Garvic."  The tone of B'Elanna's voice left no doubt about her feelings regarding the man.  "The doctor's examining her now, but he doesn't think there's much he can do.  Tuvok wasn't able to bring her back out of it.""And Vorik?  Will he be okay?" inquired Janeway."I think so," answered Tom, glancing up from the readings he was studying intently.  "His symptoms and brain wave patterns are similar to those of Neelix and Cavelle earlier.  I'm now following the course of treatment the doctor used on them."  Tom pressed a hypo to Vorik's neck, and consulted his tricorder once more.  "Good," he declared.  "His vitals are already returning to normal.  I just wish we had noticed something was wrong earlier," he sighed.  "But he seemed okay, and he was being so helpful.""Helpful?" echoed Chakotay."Yes," chimed B'Elanna.  "Vorik helped us identify those steel spikes that were found in the Jeffries tubes.  They're Vulcan ceremonial/agricultural tools, and they have a very specific replicator signature.  We were just about to access the replicator logs when Vorik collapsed.  We may soon know who is responsible for the threats.""Good work, Lieutenants," answered Janeway with false cheer.  *It couldn't be B'Elanna and Tom, could it?* she asked herself.  *It couldn't be any of the senior staff,* her mind argued.  *Not normally.*  "Why don't you get on that, B'Elanna.  We'll check on Dr. Hacent." * * * * * *Friend?* the voice questioned again.  *Safe?*Dr. Hacent groaned.  *Friend,* she answered.  *Lioree friend Jack.  Lioree help Jack.*  She whispered, scared.  *Jack help Lioree.*Warm, safe, GOOD feelings rushed over Garvic, for the first time in a long, long time.  *Friends,* he agreed.  *Help be safe.* * * * * * "Doctor, report," ordered Janeway, striding into the back room.  "What happened?""I came in to check on Dr. H