"I can't believe that.. thing.. talked the captain into this," Harry muttered.

"What was that, Endign?" Janeway asked, smiling at him.

Harry's cheeks flushed slightly, and he didn't answer. "Captain," he said, his tricorder beeping madly, "She must be this way." Harry began walking in the direction that his tricorder had indicated.. He let out a yelp of surprise as a figure jumped out from behind a bush. She held a walking stick in her hand, and she stood poised for battle. A small black dog jumped up and down, barking wildly.

"Quiet, Toto," she said, quickly and quietly. Directing her gaze to the three people before her she asked, "What do you want?"

Janeway glanced at Chakotay. She couldn't read his eyes, but she knew something was wrong. She looked at the girl. She had many human features. Janeway would have assumed she was human if it weren't for her pointed, Ocampa like ears. Her tangled, dark hair fell just below her shoulders. Fear and excitement danced in her black eyes. Janeway pegged her at about thirteen, maybe fourteen. She was small, with delicate features. Her face was covered with dirt, but Janeway thought she might be pretty if she were cleaned up a bit. And if she smiled.

The crew stared at the nervous girl.

"I'll ask again; what do you want?" The girl demanded gruffly.

"I am Captain-"

"I know you're starfleet," she interrupted, indicating Janeway with a tip of her head. She never lost her battle ready stance. She looked at Chakotay and something flashed in her eyes. Janeway saw it for the same look the he had given the girl. The girl said nothing about Chakotay. She looked at Kim and her face softened slightly. "You'd be cute, Ensign, if you weren't wearing that starfleet uniform."

Harry blushed slightly.

"What do you want here? Go back to your ship and get away from here."

"You seem to know something about us; what's your name?" Harry asked her.

"Kayla. Kayla Weber," she replied. "And you, starfleet?"

Chakotay took a deep breath when the girl gave her name, and Janeway was aware that he hadn't let it out yet.

"I'm Harry Kim. This is Captain Janeway, and Commander Chakotay."

Chakotay flinched slightly at the sound of his name.

The girl finally came to rest, setting the butt of her staff on the ground beside her.

"So, Captain," she said sarcastically, looking at Chakotay, "You deserted the Maquis for starfleet. Some loyal Captain you are. Did you murder Torres, too? Or is she now Starfleet, also?" Kayla's voice dripped with scorn.

Janeway and Kim stood by and watched. Kim saw hatred flash in Kayla's eyes, and gently rested his hand on his phaser, glnacing at the Captain. She nodded her approval.

"Kayla," Chakotay said softly, "I did not murder your father. I-"

"I was there when you did it, Chakotay. Granted, i was only a baby, but i heard every word you said." She shifted back to the position she had taken earlier. Waiting for a fight.

Janeway signaled to Kim. Be ready. Kayla went on, the hatred in her heart for Chakotay clearly evident in her voice. "He told you not to go through that asteroid field, but you did it anyway. I was right there! I watched my father die because of you!" She lunged at him and neither Janeway or Chakotay had time to fire before her staff came down over his left eyebrow..

Kayla was quick, and she flipped away from the phasers. She landed behind Kim and hit him in the back of the neck, near his shoulders. Janeway got a clear shot over his fallen form. She fired, hitting Kayla square on the chest. Kayla fell on top of Harry. The captain checked all three pulses, and tapped her combadge. "Janeway to Voyager."

"Go ahead, Captain," Tom Paris' voice said.

"Four to beam directly to sickbay. Have Kes meet me there."

"Aye, Captain."

She felt the tingling sensation of the transporter beam as she was whisked away to Voyager. "How are they, Doctor?" she asked immediately.

Unconscious, but stable. I am afraid Commander Chakotay and Ensign Kim are going to wake up with very bad headaches.

Janeway once again tapped the Commbadge on her left shoulder. "Janeway to Tuvok."

"Go ahead, Captain."

"Hail the planet and tell them we have their runaway. Then ask them to stand by and i will speak to them myself."

"Aye, Captain," Tuvok was silen, and the link cut off.

Kes entered the sickbay, Neelix right on her heels. She winced as Neelix stepped on her heel again. Kes stood with her legs apart slightly, hands clasped behind her back. "You wanted to see me, Captain?" she asked in her soft voice.

"Yes, Kes." Janeway indicated the girl on the diagnostic bed behind her. "It seems to me that this firl has features very similar to yours. Is there any way she could be Ocampan?"

"Another Ocampan this far from our homeworld is very unlikely, Captain," Kes offered. She ran a medical tricorder over Kayla. She does appear to have some Ocampan blood in her, though.

Chakotay stirred in the next bed. "Doctor, do you have any Advil?" he asked.

"What is 'Advil'"? the Doctor asked curiously.

"I guess that means you don't," he mumbled, rubbibg his forehead.

"Chakotay. Kayla seemed to know you. How is that possible?" Janeway asked her first officer.

"About ten years ago my ship was trying to outrun a Cardassian cruiser," he explained. "We ducked into an asteroid field hoping to confuse them. One of my crew members, Michael Weber, had brough his daughter on board without my knowledge. Michael was killed in the asteroid field and Kayla has blamed me ever since. We took her back to her mother after his death.

"Then she's half human." Kes looked at the sleeping girl. "How is that possible? Only one Ocampa has ever made it off our homeworld."

Chakotay looked at Kes. "Was her name Kaleah?" he asked.

Kes' eyes grew wide. "Yes!" she exclaimed. "You mean Kaleah was her mother?" Kes seemed overly thrilled.

"Kes, why are you so excited?" Neelix asked.

Kes turned to him. "Don't you see Neelix? This girl is the first Ocampa ever born outside of our homeworld!" She threw her arms around Neelix and hugged him.

Kes looked at the Captain. Now i can find out what happened to Kaleah. I know she must be dead, but this child is the key to finding out what her life was like after she left."

"Kes, Kayla is not our responsibility. I realise that she is related to you, but-"

Kes took the captain's hand into hers. "Please, Captain, just for one day?"

"I'll see what i can do," Janeway capitulated. Kes hugged her.

Kayla's eyes opened and she looked around. "Where am i? Where's Toto? Why is he here?" she demanded, looking bitterly at Chakotay.

"Because you attacked me, Kayla. If you hadn't, then i would be on the bridge right now. Or maybe in the transporter room beaming you out into space!"

"Chakotay!" the others said in unison. Kes went over to Kayla and stroked her hair. Janeway stood in front of Chakotay.

"I realise you don't like Kayla, Chakotay," she said calmly, "but if i ever hear you talk like that to her again..." her voice trailed off and Chakotay swore to himself to be nice to the little twerp. After all, she was only going to be on the ship for a day, right?