The Mari Officer seemed unimpressed with Tuvok's theory.

"Over and over, Mister Tuvok, you have said that this woman's violent thoughts were somehow taken from her. But that black market you speak of could have developed afterwards."

Tuvok gave up.

"Your analysis lacks all reason. You have come to a conclusion, and have decided to eschew evidence that contradicts that conclusion. Perhaps the regional constable will be more logical. Your name, sir?"

The man looked up.

"Oh, me? I'm--just--nobody. Welll, not nobody. Uh, listen, Mind Peace Officer, did the nice old lady in question ever bump into Ms. Torres?"

"No, Detective Pefalkolmbo. But it obviously spread through the ether."

"Ohhh, Ok. The ether. Geez, what are the odds of that? Officer--What Are The Odds Of That?"

"It is possible."

"What a stoop I am. Mister Paris, aren't I a stoop? I meant to ask you what the odds are, but I went and asked you whether or not that's possible. So, lemme reiterate : What are the odds of Ms. Torres transmitting her bad thought to someone she hadn't even touched nor seen?"

"It is a rare occurrence, I will concede."

Pefalkolmbo shook his head, and looked at Ensign Kim.

"Harry! Ya gotta help me out here. I'm missin' by a mile. If you understood my garbled question, wouldja be a pal and repeat it to Officer---"

"There are no known occurrences!"

The Detective stared at the officer with a confusion that, on the surface, seemed sincere.

"Ok. No known occurrences. But it has been proven that it could happen, right? By the way, that's a snappy new uniform you Planetary types are wearing nowadays--Very Dapper."

"It has been widely theorized it could happen exactly as I said."

Pefalkolmbo nodded his head.

"Alright, then. We've got a broad-based theory that backs up the state version of events. Sorry, Miss Torres-but I promise you it won't hurt much."

Pefalkolmbo turned to leave, then stopped, lifting his finger.

"Officer--officer, Just One More Thing. How many of the violent cases you've taken in have had Miss Torres' thought lodged in their cranium?"

The woman nodded with the authority she mistakenly felt she had regained.

"Over seventy-three, Detective."

Pefalkolmbo pulled a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket.

"Excuse the condition of the article-I'm truly sorry. But hey--would you say this gentleman pictured here is our world's leading Theoretician on the Mental Arts?"

"Without question. He is never wrong. He knows the sentient mind, in all its permutations."

"In other words, he is the expert's expert. Is That A Fair Assessment?"

"Absolutely. He was my instructor, at the academy. Do you seek to disparage him?"

"ME? Noooo. This man knows his stuff, I think we all know that, now. But what interests me is this statement, and I'm quoting here : "An incalculably savage mind, thinking naught but evil thoughts, could, absent any contact,  infect as many as---people, on a planetwide basis. Officer, I don't have my glasses. Would you read that number for me?"

Her voice broke.

"That number---is four."

"Four? Are you sure its four? Because that can't be. That's just not right. Miss Torres managed, through the ether, to infect almost twenty times the amount of people that our world's very best believes is possible. I mean, either he was wrong--or Mister Tuvok's crazy notion just might be a good one. Officer, I'm just a regional constable, doin' my job. What do you think should occur? Cause I'm not finding it here."

Fighting not to break her own laws, The Officer left the ship. Torres was free to go, and the underground markets exposed to the light of day. Pefalkolmbo went to leave. Janeway grinned, and grabbed the odd man. She kissed him.

"Just One More Thing, Sir."

"Yes, Captain? Very fine, well kept ship by the way. What's The one more thing?"

"Lets go to my quarters--and Detective?"

"Yes, Maam?"

"Call me Mrs. Pefalkolmbo. Then we'll see what spins off."