Author's Note: A large portion of the conversation is an edited, amalgamated version of what happened over several episodes of the show, further tweaked to fit the Dark Angel Universe.

Chakotay entered the sickbay and walked up to Seska's bed. He nodded to the EMH who promptly used a hypospray to bring Seska back to consciousness, before deleting himself.

Seska opened her eyes and looked up at Chakotay, reaching out her hand to him. "Chakotay, what's going on?"

Chakotay ignored the outstretched hand. His own hands clenched tightly into fists at his side. "Why don't you tell me, Seska. The security team informed the Captain that you attacked them on the way to sickbay."

Seska sat up immediately. "Attacked them! Chakotay, you can't really believe that. I was defending myself. They simply attacked Tuvok and me for no reason."

"That's not true. The Security camera in the corridor clearly shows you reaching for your weapon first. How did you even get that knife? We were all disarmed when we were transported to Voyager."

Seska got out of the sickbay bed and hugged Chakotay tightly. "Darling, what is wrong with you? Why are you siding with these people? They're our enemy, Chakotay. They abandoned us. Left our people to be slaughtered? How can you believe their lies about me?"

Chakotay took a moment to look at the woman in his arms. The woman who had been his lover – his only lover - for the better part of the last year and a half. She looked so sincere and heart broken. He could feel the strong tug of his heart strings. He wanted to believe her; deny the truth that recent facts had revealed. Right now, he didn't know if it was his heart or his pride that was hurting the most. But he couldn't afford to be wrong again. He needed to play this scene out to the bitter end.

"These people, Seska? Captain Paris and his crew saved our lives. We were minutes from a warp core breach when they rescued us from the Kazon attack."

"What the hell is going on?" Seska's face was a perfect mixture of feminine outrage and hurt disbelief for a moment before she tightened her grip on him. "Chakotay, please! Don't do this to us." She lay her face against his shoulder.

Calling on all his reserve, he shunted his feelings aside. "There's some concern about you."

"What kind of concern?"

"Concern because the security team found this on you after you were beamed to sick bay." Chakotay pushed Seska away before holding up a small piece of technology the size of a grape. "It's a homing transporter device set to match Kazon shipboard technology."

"Oh, I see. So now I'm a traitor. I sell technology to the enemy."

"Of course not. It's completely coincidental that our 'Kazon allies' were being so successful in breaching our shields while firing on us and demanding that we surrender to them before Voyager arrived on the scene."

"You can't really be blaming me for their attack."

"You were the one who suggested and brokered our temporary alliance with the Kazon-Nistrim."

"But you agreed with me that we needed to forge an alliance in order to have enough backing to convince the 'Caretaker' to send us home.

"I agreed to trade food, water and medical supplies in exchange for assistance in getting the Caretaker to talk to us on a more equal footing.

"To do that and survive, we needed powerful friends. The Kazon-Nistrim were willing to be our protectors in return for some minor technology."

"Minor technology to us maybe. But that minor technology could change the balance of power in this quadrant."

"Change it in our favour! That is all that matters at this point. Building a base of power in this quadrant. A base of power that with the help of the Caretaker's array will bring us a swift and vital victory back home."

"I never agreed to that Seska."

Seska looked uncomfortable but contrite. "I'm sorry, Chakotay. I had no idea that the Kazon would double cross us that way."

" Really?"

Seska's eyes widened. "Of course not."

"That's not what Maj Varoul told Captain Paris. He says that you made a private deal with the Kazon Nistrim trading our lives and our ship for your own private passage home once the Caretaker was defeated by them."

"That's a lie, Chakotay. A Federation lie."

"You know, it's funny. I've been thinking about what's been real and what's not been real."

She choked on a sob. "What's wrong with you? Talk to me. You owe me that much."

"What would you say I owe to a Cardassian who infiltrated my crew?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Turns out your blood is missing all the common Bajoran blood factors."

"It's a side effect of Orkett's disease. Ask your doctor."

"Orkett's disease?"

"A childhood virus that swept through the Bajoran work camps during the occupation. Thousands of children didn't survive. I did, thanks to a bone marrow transplant from a sympathetic Cardassian woman. Her name was Kattell. When we get home, you can ask her yourself." Seska paused and sobbed wretchedly. "You must think I'm horrible. Do you think I gave you my, my heart to get your Maquis secrets?"

"I'm starting to wonder. Especially since Captain Paris had already informed me several days ago that Starfleet Security has documented several incidents in which Cardassians have used cosmetic alterations for the purpose of infiltrating an enemy. Just as it appears Seska, that you have been genetically altered in order to infiltrate the Maquis."

"Let me tell you something. Your secrets weren't good enough. They wouldn't have been worth the trouble for a Cardassian agent. I had only one agenda with you, Chakotay, and I never kept it secret. I love you." Seska took his hands into hers and held them to her chest.

"So, do you believe in me again?"

"I want to." Chakotay retorted softly before pulling his hands away and taking a step back. "Computer, activate EMH."

The EMH re-appeared instantly. "Ah. Have I been called to testify?"

Chakotay looked at Seska, resolution firmly etched on his face. "Before you even mentioned Orkett's disease to me, the Doctor had already discounted that as a possible explanation for your blood anomalies."

"And may I say," pronounced the doctor, "a doctor less informed about Bajoran medicine might have been fooled, but my programme includes the complete Bajoran medical text on Orkett's disease. There's no way any childhood virus or Cardassian bone marrow transplant can explain away the genetic markers in your blood. You are Cardassian, young woman."

With a lurch Seska attempted to grab the transponder from Chakotay, yelling for the EMH to be deactivated as she did so. Chakotay found himself alone fending off the sudden physical assault. He put up a reasonable amount of resistance before allowing the device to drop to the floor. Seska immediately kicked him hard in the groin before picking it up.

From the floor, Chakotay gasped desperately at her. "Seska don't do this. We can work out a deal with the federation for you."

"A deal with the federation? You really are a fool, Chakotay. I don't know what I ever saw in you."

Seska smiled cruelly at her former lover as she pushed the button. "Until next time, my love." Chakotay lay pain stricken on the floor as the Bajoran-looking Cadassian Obsidian Order Agent shimmered out of sight.