On the other side of the portal O'Reilley is swiftly captured by Jem'Hadar. Stadi organises the defence of New Lhasa, and instructs M'Kress to blow up the portal. Heraza orders a planetary evacuation. After the far end of the portal "swings" to a class G planet, Sila detects the USS Voyager 8 light years away. Stadi wavers, but decides to order the destruction of the portal. Heraza interrupts, and uses her authority as acting Governor to prevent it.

Loras Veltra' organises a civilian militia to face the Tholians. The Klingons are keen to join, but the Chakuun refugees refuse. Loras Veltra's attempts to goad them into joining only succeeds in enraging a youthful Chakuun into attacking him. Heraza's conversations with Tzadoc reveal nothing.

While the storms gather, Stadi and Quayn meet. Stadi gives him a family heirloom - a TOS-era communicator that belonged to her grandfather - to contact her if needed.

M'Kress, Merif, and Vox take the Tamar to the edge of the New Lhasa system to confirm that the fleet is not a piece of telepathic trickery. When they do, three of the Tholian vessels use an advanced Transwarp technique to move into the orbit of New Lhasa. Heraza declares martial law, and Stadi takes the chance to destroy the portal. Elsewhere, O'Reilley gives his Jem'Hadar interrogator a pro-UFP account of the Dominion war before being taken into an open square to be killed. When the indigenous population of the planet happen to attack, O'Reilly and Hillback escape in the confusion.

The Tholian vessels close with New Lhasa, and the Hammurabi move to intercept. The Tholians, both Tzadok and those aboard the vessels, make cryptic references to "making good the break of the treaty" and order Starfleet out of their way. Starfleet open fire, but Stadi is convinced to hold off after a furious response from Tzadoc. The Tholian vessels open fire on the planet's ocean - and blow up the Jem'Hadar who were in an aquashuttle there. The Tholians break off and the planet breathes a sigh of relief.

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