When Sisko and Guinan got to the infirmary, Bashir met them in the outer office.

"I had to use Freya as a baseline for treating Tyr," Bashir explained, "so I was able to gather a lot of information. Their sensory acuity is off the charts. Just from looking at Odo from ten meters away, Freya could tell he doesn't have a skeleton. Oh, and those spikes on her arms are a part of her. She says Tyr originally had his own set of 'bone blades' and did not know what happened to them. I couldn't find any sign of surgical removal, but it doesn't appear to have affected his overall condition. I'm hoping to ask him later. Recuperative powers are also incredible, but it hinges on an engineered immune system that uses nanotechnology. Tyr, as you know, has a second set from the *Andromeda.* They are still transmitting and seem to be functioning normally, so I can infer the same for the technology Freya and Tyr appeared to have been born with. I'd like to keep Tyr under observation to be sure."

"Is that really necessary, Doctor?"

"I don't know; I'm erring on the side of caution. Either way, Freya slipped up and referred to Nietzsche as the 'great philosopher.' What does that tell you?"

"Observation is a good thing."

Bashir followed Sisko and Guinan into the main ward. Freya was sitting by Tyr's bed, Odo watching, arms folded, from across the room. Guinan sidled over to Odo and watched.

"Mr. Anasazi," Sisko said. "I am Captain Benjamin Sisko, commander of this space station."

"Yes," Tyr said, a little woozily. "Freya has informed me that I am in another universe. And that you have been in contact with Dylan Hunt."

"Yes."

"How is Dylan?"

"Fine."

"And the others? Beka, Harper, Trance? Are they all well?"

"I don't know the status of Mr. Harper," Sisko said, "but the others appeared…fine."

"Good," Tyr said.

"I was under the impression you left the *Andromeda*…shall we say, under a cloud."

"I did, but that doesn't mean I harbor any personal animosity towards my former shipmates. That they survived…actually, I'm proud of them for that."

"I see," Sisko said. "Well, the question right now is Freya's survival. According to Dylan, she's dead."

"Yes," Tyr said. "I was there when she died." He thought for a moment. "In this universe, what percentage of the human race is genetically enhanced?"

"Almost none," Bashir said. "Four hundred years ago, Earth had a war over it, the Eugenics Wars. Human genetic enhancement was banned after that."

"Well," Tyr explained, "where…Freya and I come from, about 92% of the human race is genetically enhanced to some extent or other."

"More people like you?" Bashir asked.

"No…" Tyr said. "The Nietzschean subspecies is a minority, but some enhancements are to breath water, live in heavy gravity, things like that. In any case, a…group of purebred humans calling itself the Knights of Genetic Purity had vowed to eradicate all enhanced humans, beginning with Nietzscheans. They attacked my wife's home and she got a distress signal to me on the *Andromeda.* I persuaded Dylan that the Genites had to be stopped and Freya's pride evacuated, along with our son."

Sisko heard the loud gaps in Tyr's story, but decided not to pursue them. "I think I see. Go on."

"The Genites attacked while I was evacuating Orca Pride," Tyr explained. "Three of their troopers cornered me, Freya, and the pride's matriarch, Olma, who held our son. They gave me an ultimatum - the baby for her life. But an understanding passed between us." Tyr's voice shook. "I said to Freya, 'Everything I've done is for our son.' She said, 'I know,' and incapacitated one of the troopers as I fired on them. But they shot her in the back. Olma and I still managed to escape with my son."

"And then what?" Bashir prompted.

"That doesn't matter," Tyr said. He turned to Freya. "My guess is that was the critical moment."

Freya nodded, trying to hold back tears, not quite succeeding. "I ran to you, but then you pushed me aside, and took the bullet meant for me. I saw you die. Then I got our son and Olma to your slip fighter. Dylan rescued us and offered us a home on the *Andromeda.*" She smiled. "Beka, Trance, and Andromeda became like sisters to me. And Harper…" She laughed. "He was…amusing and cute. Although when he and Dylan introduced Tamerlane to basket ball and hover boards, I thought Olma would wring their necks!" She laughed. "They were all very kind, but…" She paused. "I, too, left under a cloud."

"Why?" Sisko asked.

"That's not important." She held Tyr's hand. "What matters now is we are together. Our son will have both his parents now."

"Our son…" Tyr said.

"In any case," Sisko prompted, "the real question on my mind is how Freya is alive now. We seem to have to sort out a total of four universes - two universes and their alternates. Freya, can you shed any light on this?"

"Uh…" Freya said. "No, Captain, I am sorry. I'm not sure what happened. I can not even tell you where I was for certain before I was….here."

"Dylan and his crew are quite adept at situations like this," Tyr said. "I am confident they will solve the mystery. You need not be concerned."

"I see…" Sisko said. "In the mean time, whatever….outstanding issues there are between you and Captain Hunt, this station is, for all intents and purposes, neutral territory. Respect that, and you will have no problem with me."

"Of course, Captain," Tyr said.

Sisko turned to Freya. "Freya, I have no objection if you want to leave the infirmary and stretch your legs, but you will be with an escort, and restricted to the Promenade."

"Of course, Captain," Freya said. "We do not want any trouble. We just want to get home."

"I will see what I can do." Sisko turned to Odo. "Constable. A word."