Disclaimer: CBS/Paramount own Star Trek and all the characters from all the series. Only the original characters and story are mine.

Icheb shot out of his chair and turned giving T'Phir the signal to mute audio. After she nodded compliance, he tapped his commbadge, "Dr. Franklin to the bridge immediately."

All this was completed in a matter of seconds, he then turned to Naomi trying to not sound alarmed, "What do you mean, what lady are you talking about?"

Naomi took this in her stride, "Are you telling me you can't see the lady standing next to Dr. Bashir?"

"No, I can't, and I'm pretty sure nobody else can either." Icheb looked around, everyone in the vicinity was nodding agreement with his statement.

The turbolift doors opened and Todd stepped onto the bridge, "What's up, Icheb?"

"I'm not sure. Naomi just asked who the lady scanning Dr. Bashir is. I can't see her, nor can anyone else."

After a quick glance at the viewscreen, on which he saw only the EMH and Dr. Bashir, Todd took his tricorder and quickly scanned Naomi. He asked her, "Can you still see the woman on the viewscreen." Naomi nodded her head, indicating she could still see the mystery woman on the viewscreen, he addressed Icheb, "Everything seems fine, no abnormalities or hallucinogenic compounds in her system." He turned to Naomi, "Are you sure there is someone on the screen nobody else can see?"

Naomi was finally getting annoyed, "Of course I'm sure. I am not delusional or hallucinating or whatever else you two think is wrong with me. There is a woman standing next to Dr. Bashir, passing a device over him, I've never seen anything like it, but it definitely seems to be a scanner of some sort."

Todd continued to question Naomi, he thought it was best she didn't think Icheb was doubting her sanity. "Is she human?"

"No, I've never seen her species before. She's rather tall, a bit over two meters tall and very stout. Her skin is a very light purple, almost lilac in color. She also seems unconcerned that she may have been detected. Rather than scurrying away or trying to hide, she is carrying on with her scanning."

It was clear their conversation was being followed by the bridge crew when Hugh Irving, the Tactical Officer spoke up, "Maybe she doesn't understand us and doesn't know she has been detected." Naomi turned to Hugh and smiled, she was encouraged that at least someone on the bridge believed her, even if it wasn't Icheb.

Todd gasped suddenly, "I can't believe I didn't think of this!" Without explaining himself he once again scanned Naomi. He then went over to T'Phir at the science station. He spoke to her in a whisper, preventing any possibility of being overheard. When he stood back straight again, he spoke to everyone on the bridge, "Everyone please direct your attention to the viewscreen."

While he was speaking, T'Phir had been tapping a few commands into her console. After she finished, she looked up, joining everyone on the bridge focusing their attention to the viewscreen. Suddenly, the viewscreen showed three people in the room on Cold Station 12. Dr. Bashir, the EMH, and a woman who fit Naomi's description exactly. Naomi looked at Icheb with a smile of satisfaction on her face, "See, I told you there was a lady scanning Dr. Bashir."

Out of relief that Naomi wasn't hallucinating, Icheb unconsciously drew her into a hug, which he broke immediately upon seeing the surprised looks on the faces of the crew. After clearing his throat and taking two paces away from Naomi, he asked Todd, "Okay Todd, I'm impressed, what just happened?"

Todd's smile lit up his face, "Once again, my knowledge of Voyager has paid off. I doubt many other doctors in the fleet are aware that Ensign Wildman has a slight phase differential in her DNA."

Icheb actually slapped himself on the forehead, "Of course!"

Hugh Irving asked the question everyone on the bridge wanted to ask, "What are you talking about?"

Todd answered, "Long story, which can wait, right now our priority should be dealing with the situation on CS12, don't you think Icheb?"

Icheb's commbadge beeped, "Captain Dax to Icheb."

Icheb answered after a slight pause, "Go ahead, Captain."

"Icheb, what is going on up there? I just spoke to Julian, he informed me that Ensign Wildman is seeing people who aren't there, that you muted audio, and for the last several minutes he has observed a flurry of activity on the bridge. He also says you haven't explained to either the EMH or Julian what is happening."

"Captain, we just this moment confirmed there is another being in the room with the EMH and Dr. Bashir. She appears to be scanning the Doctor with a device, and she either doesn't understand she's been detected, or is unconcerned. We haven't decided how to handle the situation."

Dax replied, "Restore audio to CS12, and make no further mention of the extra person on the open channel. I'm on my way to the bridge." The communication channel closed before Icheb could respond.

"Todd, once we have the audio back up, you should begin to question Dr. Bashir as to his medical condition. We should all act as if we are unaware of the presence of the alien." He caught T'Phir's attention and nodded to her, indicating the audio should be reestablished.

Todd addressed the viewscreen, "Dr. Bashir, how are you feeling today, has there been any significant change in your condition?"

Everyone on the bridge could tell the EMH and Dr. Bashir understood the subject of the alien was not to be addressed just yet, simply by their facial expressions. "There hasn't been any significant change in my symptoms either way, Dr. Franklin. They are no worse, nor are they any better."

The EMH spoke up at this point, "However, I feel this is encouraging, that no new symptoms are developing, but I am puzzled why all the medications I have administered have done nothing to clear the symptoms as I had expected. It is almost as if some external force is preventing the medications from taking effect."

At this statement, everyone on the bridge of the Lindbergh noticed the alien on the screen suddenly turn to pay attention to the EMH. It was the first indication since Naomi mentioned her presence that she was paying any attention to the discussions going on around her.