Janeway sat with her senior command staff in the briefing room and officially concluded their meeting. "If there is nothing else?"

All heads shook negative.

"Dismissed." As the officers and Neelix filed out, she called, "Commander, may I see you a moment?"

Harry and Tom exchanged looks at the doorway. Tom's grin widened until he caught the captain's glare. Taking Harry by the shoulder, he said, "Come on," before steering him out.

Chakotay caught the interaction and said, "What was that about?"

"Tom's betting pool," she said.

Chakotay tugged his ear. "Tom's what?"

"Oh, come now, Commander. Surely, you're aware that our personal relationship is being bet upon."

Chakotay put a hand against the chair back and braced himself. "Personal relationship, Captain?"

Janeway studied him. "Just how many rations have you put down?"

Chakotay bit his lip. "Captain, I am offended."

"Among other things."

"Excuse me?"

Janeway waved him off and motioned for him to sit down. "We have a bigger problem. What have you heard about this new holonovel?"

"Holonovel?"

She nodded. "Apparently a story about a mutiny being led by you."

Chakotay tried hard to hide his grin. "A mutiny? Really? Aboard Voyager?" He cleared his throat. "Am I successful?"

Janeway frowned. "Doubtful."

Chakotay leaned back in the chair. "Is that a factual answer or just a fervent wish?"

"Well, why don't we find out, Commander?"

"Captain?"

"I'd like to take a look at this new entertainment that is sweeping the ship and make sure it's just that, entertainment."

Chakotay arched an eyebrow. "Afraid you'll lose?"

Janeway leaned over and said, "Commander, I never lose. Meet me in the holodeck. 2100 hours.

Chakotay rose. "I'll be sure to dress in my finest mutineer gear. I'm sure I still have my old clothes somewhere in my quarters."

Janeway eyed him. "You'll come dressed as you are now, Commander. Dismissed."

Exactly at 2100 hours, Chakotay arrived as requested and entered the holodeck to the program already in progress. The captain was already there and her eyes swept over him confirming his dress was appropriate. "Do I pass inspection, Captain?"

She nodded and turned back to the frozen scene of Chakotay and Seska holding crew members hostage in the cargo bay demanding they choose sides. Janeway walked around Seska and peered into her face. "Even as a hologram she still gives me the creeps."

Chakotay looked at his hologram dressed in the original Maquis outfit and said, "Not bad. Like his clothes."

"Commander?"

"Yes, Captain?"

"Drop it."

"Yes, ma'am."

She paced around them and then stopped and shook her head. "I'm not sure I like this subject matter. It's a bit close to home, don't you think?"

"Why? I never took over your ship."

She looked up at him. "But you wanted to."

Chakotay paused. "It was a thought, once, a long time ago, when our crews first merged. I didn't know you then. I didn't know if I could trust you."

"And now?"

He stared at her. "You really think I would commandeer Voyager?"

A smile crossed Janeway's face. "No. Besides, you wouldn't be successful." She nodded at B'Elanna's character. "She likes me better now."

Chakotay chuckled and walked over. "If you really believe that, then my best First Officer advice is maybe you better worry."

Janeway brushed a hand across her forehead and looked around. "Okay. So let's play this thing." She looked over at the holographic version of Chakotay and said to him, "I'm looking forward to kicking you off my ship."

She turned back to Chakotay and said, "We're ensigns looking to join them or rebel against them. And I have it on good authority from Mr. Paris that it's more fun to join."

"Of course it is. I'm more fun than you are."

Janeway frowned. "The point is they won't recognize us as who we really are. So, maybe one of us should join and one of us should rebel and then we can really see who outwits who."

Chakotay's dark eyes glistened. "Are you challenging me, Captain?"

Her blue ones sparkled back. "Consider the gauntlet thrown, Commander. Computer, resume program."

The characters instantly sprung to life and Janeway and Chakotay stood in line with the rest of the hostage crew. Holo Chakotay began his speech and the two of them listened intently.

"I'm quite good," Chakotay whispered. "In fact, I think I actually did write that bit during my first night on Voyager."

Janeway looked at him sideways. "Trying to get under my skin won't help you, Commander. You and your evil twin there will be begging for mercy when I'm done with you both."

"Promise?"

The snap of a phaser rifle caught their attention and both of them looked up to see Seska staring at them with an evil grin. She walked over and said, "Well, well, well, what do we have here?"

Janeway and Chakotay straightened and said nothing. Seska circled the two of them as the other characters stepped away. "Captain Janeway along with her faithful sidekick Commander Chakotay have come to play."

Chakotay leaned down and whispered, "I thought she wouldn't recognize us as ourselves."

"She's not supposed to," Janeway answered.

Seska shifted her rifle. "I've been waiting for this for a long time. And if I see you, then you've entered Tuvok's training program alone. Just the two of you." She brushed close to Chakotay. "Trying to sneak off to have your way with her, Commander?"

Seska ruffled his hair and he stepped away. "This is a bit too real. Computer," he said. "End program."

"Unable to comply."

"What?" Janeway said. "Why?"

The computer beeped and was silent. Janeway slapped her combadge. "Janeway to the bridge. Harry shut down the holodeck, now."

Seska began to laugh. "Oh, he won't be able to help you." She ran a finger along Janeway's chin.

Janeway flinched and she stepped back. "Don't touch me or I will make you very sorry, hologram or no hologram."

Seska laughed again. "Captain, dear, dear Captain. You are not in control in here." She leaned over Janeway's shoulder and whispered, "I am."

Janeway pushed her back. "You're a hologram. You control nothing. The only issue here is that I have to put up with you until we can fix the computer malfunction." She slapped her combadge again. "Janeway to the bridge! Tuvok, do you read?"

Seska walked over to Chakotay. "I'll talk to you since she's slow. You and your precious captain are now in a world controlled completely by me. I am in charge."

"You're insane."

Seska tossed her rifle to Holo Chakotay and pulled out a small knife from her belt. Taking Chakotay's hand, she ran the blade along his wrist slicing the skin. He cried out as blood spilled from his wound.

Janeway's eyes widened as Seska released him. "Yes, Captain," Seska said. "Do you understand now? I am in control! No safeties, no exits, just me! You and your faithful commander will die! But first, you will suffer."

Janeway looked at Chakotay and asked, "Are you okay?"

Chakotay wrapped his wrist with a small cloth given to him by one of the other characters. "Yes. It hurts but I'll live."

"For now," Seska said. "But we can't have any first aiders. Computer, delete all characters except for Commander Chakotay and myself."

The other people in the room vanished leaving Chakotay and his hologram, the Captain and Seska. "Now, this is much better. Cozy don't you think?"

Holo Chakotay eyed his counterpart and said, "Is there a reason he's still here?"

Seska rubbed his chest and said, "He is an inferior type. Technology has improved on him." She pulled Holo Chakotay's face to hers and kissed him.

Chakotay could not take his eyes off of the display until he literally felt a wave of nausea overcome him and he choked. Janeway put her arm out to him and he said, "Remind me never to come to the holodeck with you again."

Seska pulled her lips away and turned to Chakotay. "Don't worry. That's a promise you'll keep. You see, you and the Captain will die today. I just haven't figured out which way I want to do it yet. So let's make this interesting. You have ten seconds to run."

"I have no intention of playing your little game, Seska!" Janeway said.

Holo Chakotay aimed his rifle at them as Seska count down.

"Captain," Chakotay said. "I strongly advise we run."

Janeway gave him a look until Holo Chakotay leveled the gun at her head.

"Now!" Chakotay said. Yanking her arm, he ran out of the cargo bay dragging her with him. He hit the controls and the door slid shut just as the gun discharged.

"You have got to be kidding me," Janeway said.

Chakotay shook his injured wrist. "I don't think this is a joke."

He pulled her down the hall and overrode the controls on a crewman's quarters. Pulling her inside, he said, "I think we'll be safe in here. For now."

"What's to stop her from using the sensors? I'm not playing this game with her deranged hologram. She wants to kill me she can come and do it!"

"Sensors aren't working. They discharged a weapon in the cargo bay. There were no emergency containments activated."

"She probably turned those off too. None of this makes sense. You were hurt by a hologram, Chakotay. That shouldn't be possible."

"Obviously, Seska rigged the program before she left the ship. We must have tripped it when we came in together."

Janeway rubbed her head. "Yes, that's what she said. You and I entered the program alone and that started all of this."

Chakotay nodded. "So how do we end this?"

"The bridge will eventually know what's happened to us. They'll override the controls and get us out."

"Maybe. Or they could have just as much difficulty getting in as we are trying to get out."

Janeway sighed. "So what do we do? Run for our lives until we or they figure a way out?"

"You have a better idea, Captain?"

Janeway shook her head and sat down on the bed. "Real life wasn't enough. We have to kill this witch twice." She glanced up at Chakotay. "And it will be my pleasure to throw her body, holographic or otherwise, off this ship, for good!"