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'Are you sure you want to do this?' Janeway asked and Kes nodded.

'Yes, Captain…'

'…alright. Doctor…'

'I'll be monitoring you constantly,' the Doctor said, attaching a cortical monitor to her temple.

'Thank you, Doctor…' Kes said, glancing up at Tuvok.

'I will initiate a mind-meld once the procedure begins,' he said. 'I should see and hear everything that you experience. We will bring you back when you are ready…'

'Thank you,' Kes said, as Raffi stepped forward with the canister of Mycelial spores, removing the lid.

'You ready?' she asked and Kes nodded, slipping her hand in, feeling that she was falling backwards…

#############

.

Kes opened her eyes to find herself floating among the twisting blue tendrils of the Mycelial Network.

'I…can see the Mycelial Network,' Kes said. 'It's…it's beautiful…'

Tentatively, she reached out to touch the nearest tendril, taking a sharp breath as images flashed through her mind.

'I…I can see people…their bodies enveloped in red energy…like lightning…I…think they're being tortured. They're being watched by humans in black uniforms with gold breastplates…'

Reflexively, Kes jerked her hand away, the movement sending her tumbling backwards. Focusing, she managed to regain control, taking a deep breath as she reached out to touch another tendril and she saw a bald man and a blonde woman in Starfleet uniforms.

'Yes, Lieutenant?'
'Captain, I request a transfer to the Enterprise-C.'

'For what reason?'
'They need someone at Tactical.'
'We need you here.'
'I'm not supposed to be here, sir.'
'Sit down, Lieutenant. What did she say to you?'
'I don't belong here, sir. I'm supposed to be dead.'
'She felt it necessary to reveal that to you?'

'I felt it was necessary.'
'I see. You realise that it is very possible the Enterprise-C will fail. We will continue in this time line in which case your life, hopefully, will continue for a long while.'
'I know how important it is that they don't fail, Captain. That's why I'm requesting this transfer.'

'You don't belong on that ship, Lieutenant.'
'No, Captain Garrett belongs on that ship. But she's dead. And I think there's a certain logic in this request.'
'There's no logic in this at all. Whether they succeed or not, the Enterprise-C will be destroyed.'
'But Captain, at least with someone at Tactical, they will have a chance to defend themselves well. It may be a matter of seconds or minutes, but those could be the minutes that change history. Guinan says I died a senseless death in the other time line. I didn't like the sound of that, Captain. I've always known the risks that come with a Starfleet uniform. If I'm to die in one, I'd like my death to count for something.'
'Lieutenant. Permission granted.'
'Thank you, sir.'

Kes released the tendril and she caught a glimpse of Discovery, like an echo of the ship drifting through the Network. She tried to focus on the ship and she gasped as she saw the tendrils of the Network collapsing around her. She drifted in the empty void for a few seconds before blue light blossomed as the tendrils reappeared, growing around her again. Her eyes widened as she saw one speeding towards her and she barely managed to twist aside in time to avoid it.

'Tuvok, I need to come back. Tuvok!'

#############

Kes' eyes snapped open, feeling Janeway's hand on her wrist and she struggled to sit up as the Doctor opened his tricorder, running the scanner over her.

'Her neural levels are returning to normal,' he said. 'How are you feeling…?'

'I'm…okay' she said as Raffi approached, holding a PADD.

'Do you…feel up to answering some questions…?'

'…yes…' Kes replied and Raffi handed her the PADD.

'There are image files here. Is there anything you recognise…?'

'…yes,' Kes said, skimming through the images. 'These are the people who were…observing the torture. And this is the woman…the Lieutenant that I saw who was talking about the Enterprise….'

'Thank you,' Raffi said. 'This confirms our theory that the Mycelial Network connects to alternate realities.

'I saw…the Network collapse and then…regrow…Is that what caused the changes to our reality…?'

'It's possible,' Raffi began, just as the Doctor interjected.

'That's enough for now. Kes needs to rest and I have some more tests to run…'

'Thank you, Doctor,' Janeway said. 'Tuvok, do you feel able to return to duty…?'

'Yes, Captain…'

'Very well. Commander Musiker, I'll need to speak with you in a few minutes. Dismissed…'

Janeway waited until they had all filed out and the Doctor had returned to his office before taking the seat next to the biobed.

'How are you feeling…?'

'I'm alright,' Kes said. 'The memories…are starting to fade. It's…hard to tell which are…mine and which are from the other reality…'

'…try to get some rest, Kes,' Janeway said. 'You need to give yourself time to process what has happened…'

'…thank you, Captain…'

#############

'What will you do, now?' Janeway asked, as the door of Commander Musiker's quarters closed behind her.

'I'll need to report to Admiral Ross. Regardless, this matter is still to be treated as classified until further notice…'

'I understand, Commander Musiker. Safe travels…'

'Thank you, Captain…

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