His quarters were in semi  darkness.  Harry lay on his bed and listened to Voyager humming around him.  He wanted to sleep but his rebellious body refused to relax.  He needed the oblivion, hopefully a deep, dreamless sleep but his  thoughts whirled, chasing one another around and around the same certainty.

He sighed.  Perhaps if sleep was so elusive, at least he could close his eyes and try to relax as much as possible.  A tiny bit of rest was  better than no rest at all, the ensign told himself.

But how will I keep Tom? the question came again.  Something had to be done.  He had admitted to himself the two things he had been afraid of facing since the day  Tom came to him.  Tom and Chakotay still loved each other.  Harry stood in the way, nevermind the events of the past year.  Without each other, Paris and Chakotay were miserable and now that the wounds of Akriteria were to some extent healed, Tom would realise this and realise his mistake.

Perhaps Chakotay would not take him back.  Harry chuckled at the desperation of the thought.  Maybe not at first.  But eventually, Chakotay would take him back.  He had to.  Tom was his life.  To anyone who cared to look, it was so obvious that the commander was somehow not complete without him and this was something Harry  understood all too well.

He knew he did not have Chakotay's strength.  He knew he could not let Tom go.  Harry did not want to think too much about this - that if he truly loved Tom, he would respect his choice.  He wondered if Chakotay would fight for Tom, would take advantage of the recent pressures on Tom and Harry's relationship.  No action on the commander's part supported this suspicion but Harry wasn't certain  what to think or believe anymore.  For a year now, he might as well have been living in his own universe.  If he could no longer say with any conviction what Tom might do now, how could he predict Chakotay's  behaviour?  Harry  stretched, then closed his eyes.  Ultimately, he knew that no matter the cost,  he'd do whatever had to be done to keep Tom.

 The insistent beeping of the computer caused him to bolt upright in his bed.

"Alarm off!" he growled.  He could hardly believe that he had fallen asleep.

He forced himself to stick to his usual morning  routine.  There could not be any news yet on the whereabouts of Tom and the captain.  He was certain Chakotay would have commed him if there were.  Still, breakfast was more hurried than usual and Harry found himself on the bridge a good ten minutes before he was due.

The bridge was unusually quiet, Harry noted.  Tuvok looked -- satisfied?  More relaxed than was usual?  Comprehension slammed into Kim then.   Tuvok looked relieved - or as relieved as was Vulcanly permitted.  One look at Chakotay's face brought a smile to Harry's.  Everything was okay.  It was then Kim heard the captain's voice and what she was saying  began to penetrate the residue of his anxiety and uncertainty.

"... first contact situation, Chakotay.  When you arrive, I want Voyager to assume a high orbit.  From what I've seen already, the Aegesis are a cautious, reserved race and I don't want to make them nervous."

"Understood, Captain."

"I think our hosts will make certain there's plenty to occupy us until you arrive.  The anomaly was definitely a disappointment but discovering the Aegesis may turn out to be great compensation!  Janeway out."

"We'll be with you in about 12 hours.  Voyager out."

 He turned to Baytart.  "Go to warp seven, Ensign."

Baytart acknowledged the command.

Twelve hours, Harry thought as his heart hit the deck.  In twelve hours he'd face Tom.  He would look into those  too blue eyes and see confirmed every fear he'd faced these hours without Paris.  Harry tried to concentrate on his tasks for now:  they were venturing into an unknown situation and his preoccupation could be dangerous at the moment.  It helped: his anxiety slowly left him.  He flicked Chakotay a look.  The older man sat in his chair, lost in thought as he watched the viewscreen.  His relief had been replaced  with a look Harry could not quite identify.

As lunch approached, Harry mulled over his options.  He was in no mood for the messhall but the silence of his quarters did not appeal to him either.  Perhaps a bit of  relaxing and a small bite to eat at the Resort, he mused and started towards the turbolift as his replacement moved to Ops.  Chakotay chose that moment to stand and rub his neck.  Something in Harry stirred.   Chakotay glanced at Tuvok.  The Vulcan seemed settled at Tactical for the duration.  He gave Tuvok a nod and started towards the lift.

"I'll be in my office for awhile, Tuvok."

"Yes, Commander."

Chakotay gave the ensign a small smile as the turbolift doors closed.  Harry's mouth went dry.

"Relieved, Ensign?"

The question surprised Harry.  "Yeah.  You must be too."

 Chakotay sighed but did not reply.

"You plan on eating?" Harry ventured.

"I'll grab something."

It was a dismissal.  Harry resisted the urge to reply, "Yes, Sir!"  Instead, he  began, "Chakotay, yesterday in the messhall...."

He stopped, not knowing, suddenly, how to continue yet it was imperative that he do so.  The lift halted and the doors opened.  Expectation hung between the  two men.  Chakotay moved first.

"Come on.  We can't talk here," the commander said.  He led Harry to his office.

Chakotay positioned himself behind his desk.  Harry moved to stand before  him.  He wasn't going to make this easy, Kim realised and instantly wondered how he could ever think this would be easy. 

"When we were talking yesterday," Harry paused.  Chakotay's look was inscrutable.  "I think we came kind of close to talking about things we really need to talk about."

It was out; in one breath; in the most sensitive fashion the young man could manage.  But Chakotay was a statue before him.

"I know you must hate me, Chakotay, but there's so much you don't know - that you can't imagine...  I couldn't begin to tell you all about it; about how much I needed Tom back then."

 "Look," Chakotay began softly, no anger in his voice, "There's no point in talking about this now.  I don't really want to hear it.  The only purpose it can serve is to assuage your conscience and I'm not sure I want to be a part of that."

Harry stared.  There was iron will behind the words.  There was something else as well.  Harry dropped his chin onto his chest.

"Yeah.  Well, I can  imagine that you wouldn't," he mumbled.  "But I've had some time to think about things while Tom's been away.  *Really* think about things.  I feel as if this is the first time in a year that my brain has been functioning properly." 

Harry paused, as if to collect his thoughts and he wondered if Chakotay could hear the thumping in his chest.  Harry continued, "You're probably right about assuaging my conscience but this has to do with Tom too - and you."

Chakotay flinched and the little spasm did not go unnoticed by Kim.  Harry smiled sadly.

"To put it bluntly, Commander, Tom is still in love with you.  I think you're still in love with him too."

Kim did not know what to expect after revealing this to Chakotay.  He looked closely for some sign that the commander had understood him, waited for a  reply.  Chakotay's hands moved to the back of his chair.  His jaw clenched.  For an instant, dark eyes flashed at Kim.

"Tom ceased to be a part of my life when he told me he had to be with you.  He's made his choice, Harry.  Now it's up to the two of you whether or not you make your relationship work.  It's nothing to do with me."

Harry wanted to vehemently protest.  Anger electrified the air between them, hot and nearly tangible in its intensity.

"You're telling me I'm wrong?  That you don't love him?" Harry pushed.

"I'm telling you that what you do about your problems with Tom is up to you.   Go get some lunch, Ensign.  This conversation is finished."

Squashing his fury, Kim turned.  He paused at Chakotay's door.  "You didn't deny that you love him," Harry said over his shoulder, "and you're forgetting that there's one other person who has a say in all of this.  I don't think I'm wrong about how Tom feels."

The doors opened and Harry disappeared.

Chakotay sank into his chair.  His hands were shaking.  All thought of work  gone.  When something very much like calm returned, he could appreciate Kim's boldness.  But that was as far as his thinking could go.  He couldn't think  about the implications of all Harry had revealed.  For Tom to still love him, that this was a possibility, made it difficult to breathe.

No.  Harry was young.  Was Libby his one and only until Paris?  If Chakotay had to guess, he would guess a resounding yes.  The road gets a little rocky after a year and he's panicking.  Once Tom was back on Voyager, the two of them would have a grand reunion.  Harry's doubts will be banished and Tom will laugh at the notion that he's still in love with the old man.

And that the old man is still in love with him.

The commander put his elbows on his desk and rubbed his eyes.  Presently, he stood, approached the replicator and ordered mushroom soup.  Comfort food seemed absolutely necessary at the moment.
<><><>

 It was taking the double sun some time to slip beyond the horizon but even in the city, the approaching sunset was glorious.   Io had insisted upon taking the hovercraft to their destination, which she revealed was the city's sprawling marketplace.  There seemed little point in showing them statues and monuments that would mean nothing to them, she had told them with a smile.  Nevertheless, she gave them a good view of the city, flying low and seeming to take her time getting to the central  square where the market was routinely held.

What the Terrans noticed immediately were the number of large, beautifully intricate gardens.  No official building was far from one and glimmering in the late afternoon light,  the stately homes of government officials and the first citizens of the planet boasted their own well tended grounds.  The effect, Janeway imagined, would be to make you forget a large city functioned around you.

Air  traffic was virtually non-existent and Kathryn noticed that what little there was seemed official.  Air cars not dissimilar to their own whizzed by now and then.  The population below them seemed to prefer small  surface vehicles, not unlike the automobiles of which Tom was so fond, or the locomotive power of their own two feet.  As they got closer to the market, the crowd of people grew, a surging tide heaving towards an extensive  green where tables, stalls, pavilions, arranged in no particular order, all waited to offer a shopper anything he might want to purchase.  They cruised slowly above the crowd, watching the few hardy souls who momentarily  moved against the greater current, creating their own small eddies which were eventually swallowed again by the main flow of people.  Kathryn could feel the energy even from the hover craft and was a little surprised to  find herself impatient to be a part of it.  She watched Tom as he stared intently below.  His eyes darted here and there and the captain had the vague impression that he was searching for something.

Io brought them  expertly down, landing on a spot obviously made for exactly this purpose.  The market and the crowd it drew were not far away and soon the little party found themselves in the thick of it, the Terrans smiling, observant  and patient with the curious stares they received.  Io's presence obviously gave them status for few were bold enough to approach them.  Janeway laughed at the young children who were brave enough to touch them.  Some ran away or hid their little faces against the closest adult.  Sef, so silent since joining them, was heard to snicker whenever this happened.

"At least I won't lose you here," Io suddenly remarked.  "Those pale skins are like beacons during a night without moons!"

Sef laughed aloud and Janeway and Paris could not resist chuckling.  The amusement of the Aegesis was contagious, the people around them inquisitive but courteous.  For being the first offworlders to visit the planet, some merchants insisted upon giving them gifts.  Io explained that the merchants believed they would bring themselves luck with this deed.

It was fascinating, Tom decided.  After initial curiosity, the Terrans were mostly ignored and the Aegesis returned to the task at hand, examining wares and bargaining for the best price.  Paris watched them and it did not escape his notice that some of the merchants were like Io, like Rees and Rafa.  If he looked long enough or happened to catch enough of the conversation between a merchant and his client, he thought he could  tell whether he was watching males or females.  It was a strange thing, that something like this should matter to him and it wasn't until he noticed that some of the merchants were like the young girl from this afternoon, so obviously female, that Paris began to put a name to his odd preoccupation.

Still dark, still handsome in their very alien way, these women served those who stopped before their wares with all the gusto of their androgynous kin.  However, they would not meet the eyes of some of their customers, staring at some point just over the shoulders.  Business seem to progress in exactly the same manner with these clients but Tom could almost touch the air of diffidence that cloaked these merchants at these times. 

He looked at Io, deeply into her dark eyes.  "Commander, something I noticed about the young girl who came to our rooms this  afternoon...."

Janeway looked at him sharply but Paris ignored her.  Io turned towards him, a neutral expression on her face.  Perhaps it was his imagination, but Paris thought there was a slight tinge of hostility about her as if she could guess where this conversation was headed and was dreading it.

"She was a bit different from you and Second Legate Rees...."

"I should hope so!"  Io smiled.  "The girl was Kilbratahr, a serving one.  All the females of that caste have that appearance - as if they were forever with child."  She pointedly did not look at Janeway.  "It's appropriate, in a  way.  One of their functions is to breed.  We no longer depend upon their labour as we used to but we still require bodies for labour no Gelaheern would want to do."

"Gelaheern?"

"The high  caste.  Our leaders, our important citizens are all Gelaheern."  Io paused for a moment.  Just as Janeway was beginning to wonder if their questions puzzled or amused the Aegesis commander, Io continued, "A very long time ago, Kilbratahr labour was essential to our world.  They worked in Gelaheern homes, fields, factories and mines.  The ancient history is sketchy now at best and now, Kilbratahr labour is not quite as important as it once was.  But Gelaheern families still hold Kilbratahr and every Kilbratahr can trace his family's obligations back at least a few centuries.  The beginning is lost to us all.   However, since our civilisation is old beyond reckoning, there still remains a lot of history."

"So are the Kilbratahr are locked into some sort of indentured servitude?  Serfdom or slavery?

"Are these your terms for it?"  Io shrugged.  "I am not certain what these terms mean to you but kilbrathe is very much a part of our way of life - a very complicated way of life with rules and obligations for both sides to be considered.  It has always been so.  And, as I mentioned, families from both castes have been connected for years beyond counting...."

Servitude was how the universal translator rendered the Aegesis  term.  Janeway and Paris could not be certain how it had translated the Standard words for Io.  Kathryn expelled the breath she'd been holding:  Io did not look angry or upset.  As to how she herself was feeling, Kathryn could not help staring at these Kilbratahr merchants.  It was as if someone had moved aside a lace curtain and finally, she could see what was before her clearly.  Her arms were suddenly hurting with  the effort of carrying the gifts she'd been given by these same women.  There was a spark of anger, gone nearly as quickly like the splutter of a match that failed to ignite.  She could see how Tom settled carefully  on a neutral expression when he faced Io.  There was a flash of some heart-felt emotion, however, when his gaze returned to the Kilbratahr merchants.

 Io, not oblivious to the shifting moods of her charges, even if she was at a loss to understand what the cause was, started to manoeuvre the small party back to the waiting craft.  Perhaps the offworlders had had enough of the real Aegesis for now.

"So all of these merchants here who are Kilbratahr have ... obligations to Gelaheern?"  Kathryn hoped the question did not sounded like a demand.

"At one time, yes.  It's possible that the relationship still exists for other members of their extended families.  But the merchants here are Ahkara now and their children and descendants will be Ahkara as well.  Perhaps Ahkara was granted to their fathers or their grandfathers.  It's even possible that they themselves earned it.  In any case, once bestowed, it cannot be rescinded."

"What does it mean to be Ahkara?"  Tom asked.

"They are no longer, strictly speaking Kilbratahr.  Ahkara exist between Kilbratahr and Gelaheern."

"No doubt more Kilbratahr than Gelaheern," Janeway remarked pointedly.

"Of course.  They will never be Gelaheern.  But they serve a much needed purpose to their people - teachers, doctors, social services and the like."

"But only to their own?" 

"Yes, Captain.  Only to their own."

  "Surprised they're even allowed in the marketplace," Paris muttered.

"There are some things the Ahkara are permitted to perform for Gelaheern," was Io's only reply.  She increased her pace slightly.

Just as the edge of the market was visible, Tom's attention was grabbed by a small table whose wares went almost unnoticed amongst the clutter of its neighbouring stalls.  Paris slowed, glancing quickly at the  disappearing shapes of Janeway, Io and Sef.  The merchant, fortunately, sat behind his table looking a little bored and Tom could tell at a glance that not much business had passed his way today.

On the table before the  Aegesis lay the most beautiful reed instruments Tom had ever seen.  The wood was dark, like the hands that must have made them and faint, silver lines, lazily travelled the instrument's length.  He couldn't imagine  the sound it would make and knew in an instant that he would have to have one for Harry.  He had no time to bargain over the price and immediately gave the merchant what he'd asked.  As Paris was arranging this latest acquisition carefully amongst all his others, someone shoved him hard.

He stumbled and fell awkwardly against another.  Tom looked up hastily, ready to offer an apology, and met callous dark eyes.  Instinctively he  sought Janeway and was alarmed to see that she, Io and Sef were now disappearing into the crowd.   Before he could move, the Aegesis had a firm hold of him, helped suddenly by other hands in the crowd.  With a burst of energy, Paris managed to twist, catching a glimpse of Janeway, turning to look for him.  He clearly saw the moment of panic when she missed him and then, caught sight of him surrounded by the scuffling  Aegesis.  Sef had drawn his weapon and was pushing desperately back towards him.  His situation became urgent, a blow to his midsection followed swiftly by a rough shove and a kick.  Not a sound escaped him as he was swallowed amongst the dark bodies and the world went black.
<><><>

How was it possible to tell when it was time?  No one knew.  Their god's sun climbed the sky.  The morning fog was not  easily dispelled, nor the tingle on the back of her neck like the scurrying legs of many invisible insects.  The house was silent, no sound from Gelaheern or Kilbratahr; the gardens, shrouded still in mist; old trees like  tragic sentinels to her worry.  She stood in the roomy kitchen, knife in hand to prepare the chelt the mistress always had for her first meal.  Normally sunny, a place of warmth and comfort, the kitchen was gray today.  There was a calling, a tugging on her heart.  The knife faltered in her hand and she turned to the open kitchen door which led up to the banquet hall and the grand house's reception rooms.

 The morning meal could wait.

Faint sounds guided her to the front of the house, that part of the world that Kilbratahr entered only for the business of tending Gelaheern.  The opulence of the place, secured through  generations of blood, passed through her eyes as the sounds grew slightly louder.  It was the well-spoken tones of Gelaheern, her master's voice and the words he spoke annihilated her soul.  The Ritual of Parting.

 The sounds became a roar.  The front doors, thrown wide open, were before her.  They all stood just beyond them and she could see the hover craft on the perfectly cut grass beyond.  It was the symbol of distance, distance greater than she dare think about. His face was expressionless with a knowledge beyond his twelve springtimes. His dark eyes were wide, but dry as he looked not at those who decided his fate but out into the colourless day.  Not hers to hold only the master's to take.  But now, she had no more to lose and so, in the blink of an eye, it was decided there would be no more to take.

The madness was a beast of fury that exploded out of her.  No warrior this female Kilbratahr but the despair gave her a swiftness and strength that left the few Gelaheern dazed.  Shock, disbelief locked their limbs and the stupor was only broken by the sight of bright blood upon the pearly, wide steps of a well-tended, well-ordered noble home.  Her offspring's eyes did not see the god's sun finally pierce the smothering gray.  The kitchen knife had stilled his young heart.

 It took two Gelaheern to pull it from her own.
<><><>

Kathryn Janeway felt trapped in a nightmare as she watched Tom Paris disappear from her sight.  Frantic, she tried to reach him and was dimly  aware of Sef's drawn weapon and Io's taut body as the three scattered Kilbratahr and the few Gelaheern amongst them in an attempt to reach the spot where Paris was last seen.  There was momentary panic around them as  people became aware of their urgency, of Sef's weapon and as they drew closer to their target, a clear path suddenly appeared before them.

Janeway could not tell what caste the merchant was.  Io did not pause.  She  allowed the momentum of the futile pursuit across the market to propel her forward.  She swept the flutes off the table before her and grabbed the unfortunate male by the front of his vest.  She snarled as his face  remained motionless, centimetres from her own.

She made a sound which reached Kathryn's ears as a series of clicks.  The male tried not to move but he lowered his eyes.  Even Janeway could see the change that came over him.  She looked at Sef who seemed slightly amused.

"Name, Kilbratahr!"

"I am Ahkara."  There was a spark of defiance in him still.

"Oh are you?"  Io's voice held nothing but scorn.  "And you have no mother, father nor siblings?  Your mother has no sisters?  Your father no brothers?"

The male swallowed.

 "Krial.  My family has obligations to the Gelaheern Treimha in the north."

Io nodded slowly.  "I know Treimha."  She shook Krial as she spoke.  "He will not be pleased to learn that his Kilbratahr has taken up with dissidents!  How do you think this news will fare with him?  With your relations?"

"Commander!  I had nothing to do with this!" 

Io shook him still until the male attempted to raise his arms as if to ward her off.  She pulled back a fist as if to slam it into his face and he whimpered.

"By my station as Ahkara!  On the head of my mother!  By the God and his sun!  I swear I had nothing to do with the taking of the offworlder."

Io relaxed.  She nodded, appeared to savour the Ahkara's terror and shame a while longer and then threw him down amongst his  flutes.  The male did not dare raise his eyes.  Io turned on her heel and walked away.  They had no difficulty reaching the hover craft.   A way had been cleared before them like the Red Sea parting  before the ancient prophet, Moses.  During the brief confrontation, Janeway could not look at Krial.  She looked now at Io as if seeing her for the first time.

As they sped back to the safety of the sprawling government building, Io turned to Kathryn.

"Don't be quick to judge, Captain.  Your Tom Paris is in considerable danger.  I had to ascertain quickly whether the Ahkara was involved.  There are certain  responses that are natural to the Kilbratahr when confronted with Gelaheern authority.  It stays with them when they are newly Ahkara and I only took advantage of this.  If I'd thought Krial was really involved, he'd have a lot more than hurt pride to worry about right now."

It was suddenly the Io she thought she knew sitting beside her now.  Kathryn's puzzlement of just how Io knew that Krial was newly Ahkara was overshadowed  by her intense fear for her missing pilot.

Paris' abduction generated a flurry of activity that set turning the wheels of Aegesis espionage and counter-espionage.  It seemed a well organised band of dissidents, so the  universal translator rendered the Aegesis word, was responsible.  They had abducted well known Aegesis Gelaheern and government figures in the past.  A brief communication to Janeway from Second Legate Rees made it  clear that government policy was one of not negotiating with the rebels.  Rescue attempts were sometimes successful, sometimes not.  Listening carefully to what the second legate had to say, the captain clearly  understood that failure was more prevalent than success.  The second legate then suggested that she and Rafa meet Janeway in the privacy of the quarters Janeway had shared with Paris.

When the door opened, Janeway  caught a brief glimpse of Sef before the second legate and the general entered.  There was something about the General's eyes that did not offer encouragement.  They all made themselves comfortable around the table  and Janeway saw immediately the wisdom of taking the initiative.

"No one has been able to give me a satisfactory answer as to why these dissidents want Tom.  What could they possibly gain by kidnapping him?"

 Rees opened her hands.  "We don't really understand these people, Captain Janeway.  We don't understand why they exist at all nevermind why they do the things they do! If I had to guess, I'd say they do it to be  a thorn in our side.  If they did not carry out these abductions, they'd be nothing.  We could let them rot in their primitive strongholds."

"They only carry out abductions?"

 Rafa and Rees exchanged furtive looks.  Janeway nodded.

"So they carry out other acts of terrorism too.  What are their demands?"

"Impossible," sighed Rees.  "The abolition of  Kilbrathe.  But they are insignificant.  They grow weaker every day.  The taking of your man was an act of desperation.  They cannot even see that if we are unyielding when they take our own, surely our  response will be no different if they take an offworlder."

"They seek to embarrass at the least, force a wedge between us at the most.  It's their way of attempting to destroy any alliance we might form," Rafa said.  "We are not so far behind you technologically.  But we are behind.  They worry what you might teach the Gelaheern."

Janeway's heart skipped a beat.  Rafa was watching her carefully and she could sense Io beside her, a change in the female's mood.  She chose to ignore the general's last remark.

"You could stall for time right now." 

"Surely, you can see that under no circumstances can we negotiate with these Kilbratahr," Rafa said.  "We do not give in to them, not even when our own are taken.  There is a natural order to things and these dissidents seek to undermine it.  They want to completely destroy our society!  If we gave in to them, chaos would be the result.  Believe me, Captain.  There can be no compromise here."

General Rafa settled himself in his  chair.  Kathryn could feel Rees' approval of Rafa's remarks.  She glanced briefly at Io.  At one time, Janeway would have seen Io as a possible ally.  Now, however, after watching how the commander so effortlessly intimidated the flute merchant, without, it seemed, a second thought, Janeway wasn't so certain what to expect from her.  She turned to Rees and Rafa with what she hoped was her most diplomatic expression.

 "General, I understand your position.  But I intend to have Tom Paris back.  Once Voyager arrives, we'll be able to locate him and when we do, we'll hopefully be able to effect a rescue...."

"We've known about these dissidents for a long time now.  You'll never get close to their stronghold."

"I'm hoping that we won't have to.  All I'm asking for is time.  These rebels are waiting for your reply.  If you would only prevaricate, with our technology...."

"Ah yes.  The advance technology.  Pray it does not fail you."  The general paused.  "We cannot do anything that may  be interpreted as a sign of weakness.  We lose everything if we do."

"Forgive me, Rafa, but it seems to me that you have a lot more to lose if you will not even consider what the Kilbratahr have to say...."

"You have been on our world for only hours... a day at the most, Captain.  Don't presume to tell us how we should govern ourselves."

 Janeway bowed her head.  When she looked again at Rafa, her eyes were hard. 

"I will do what it takes to get Tom Paris back."

 "If you locate your man, you will need us to guide you.  Make no mistake about that."

She nodded.  She flicked a look at Io.  The Aegesis commander sat still as stone, her eyes betraying none of her  thoughts.

"Very well, General Rafa.  But don't for one minute think that I will aid you in anyway.  I just want Paris back.  That's *all* I want.  Whatever else occurs is Aegesis business."

 Rafa smiled and the sight filled Janeway with dread.

"A pity the Kilbratahr did not know that there was no need to abduct Paris to divide us, Captain.  I think we understand each other now."

Completely,  Janeway thought and began to fervently hope wherever Tom was being held, a beam-out would be possible.

The meeting was effectively over.  Rees and Rafa stood and took their leave.

 "Io, as soon as my ship is in range, I must go."

"Of course, Captain."  The tall, handsome female paused.  "I regret that you find yourself in the middle of our.... problems."

Io's wistful tone did not escape Kathryn and she admitted to herself that she was feeling much the same.  Her eyes were soft as she turned towards Io, her hand extended as if to touch the Aegesis commander.

 "How long do you think your world can exist like this?"  Janeway softly asked.

Io turned from her, towards the huge windows that looked out upon blue and white skies.

 "I am a soldier, Kathryn.  It is not my place to make policy."

Janeway made a noncommittal sound and Io turned towards her with a smile.  

"Perhaps we have learned more from each other than we  suspect.  I think that noise you made was definitely one of disagreement."

Kathryn would not allow herself to be side-tracked.  She smiled briefly and replied, "It's no good hiding behind that old soldier  cliché.  It's just a convenient excuse, Io.  There are people out there, your people, who have decided to try to make a difference in your world.  You can either stand with them and help that change or stand against them and help maintain such inequality...."

"Kathryn, they are not my people.  They are misguided Kilbratahr.  Our society has functioned this way successfully for years no one can count.  Why  should it change now?"

"Because you've reached the stars, Io.  Hasn't it occurred to any of you that in order to take the next step, to see offworlders, beings so different from yourselves as equal, you must  first see each other that way?"

Io chuckled softly.  "Your argument is compelling.  But is it really so different in your world?  Surely you have those on top, those in the middle, those on the  bottom.  It seems the natural order of things."

"How things are in my world is not the point but to some extent, I think you're right.  There's probably room for improvement in our government too.   Isn't that what it's all about - to always strive to be better than we are?  I wish I had the time to talk about our different histories, how our Federation was born.  All our member worlds could tell you about their  evolution, how so many of us stood on the brink of destruction and chaos.  We managed not to fall over the edge.  The result is an interplanetary society where all of us are stronger because we recognise how each of us brings something valuable to the whole.

 "But this is our history.  Your world has to find its own way.  I know Rafa is right in that I have not been here very long but for what it's worth, I don't  think you can afford separate ways now - one way for Gelaheern, another for Kilbratahr."

Janeway stopped talking.  A sudden if brief despair overtook her as she wondered if the universal translator even had Aegesis  terms for the concepts of equality and justice.  If they did exist, would Io be baffled by their use in connection with the Kilbratahr?  She'd had her say.  Watching Io now, it was impossible to tell how her words had been interpreted.  The captain threw her head back.

"I've got to find Tom Paris." 

"Rafa intends that my troops give you backup, should you need it.  I will command them myself."

Janeway looked at her sadly and admitted to herself that she wished anyone but Io had been assigned this task.  She nodded slowly and large dark eyes slid away from her. 

"As I tried to explain to Rafa,  it's possible we won't need your help.  I'm hoping we won't."

"I'll interpret that as concern for my troops."

Io's smile was tight.  Janeway could not help feeling that the potential for brief but important friendship had been lost.  She wished Voyager were here now.
<><><>