The Banean city, during the day.
	The Minister for Science enters his office to meet Janeway and Tuvok who are waiting for him. Minister: "Captain." He shakes hands with her. "It's unfortunate that we must meet under these circumstances." Janeway indicates Tuvok: "My chief of security, Lieutenant Tuvok." Tuvok and the Minister shake hands.
	The Minister indicates that the meeting should begin: "Please."

Janeway: "Exactly what are these circumstances, Minister? All we know is that a member of our crew has been accused of murder." Minister: "Oh I'm afraid he's been more than just accused. He's been convicted and punished according to our law." Janeway, who must be afraid that Paris has been executed: "What form of punishment?" Minister: "The perpetrator of a murder is forced to relive the crime through his victim's eyes." Tuvok: "How is this achieved?" Minister: "I can have our Chief Medical Officer describe the procedure in detail if you wish. We have the capability of isolating memory engrams in the brain. We take them from the final moments of life. After they're used in the trial they're transplanted into the perpetrator's brain." Janeway: "These memories are used in the trial as evidence?" Minister: "An artificial lifeforms serves as host to the engrams and testifies as to their content. In this case, the victim's last memories clearly show Mr Paris caught in an embarrassing episode with Mrs Ren. An argument ensues. Paris is then seen by the victim's own eyes killing him. The evidence of his guilt is incontrovertible." Janeway and Tuvok exchange glances.

Paris is brought under guard to meet Janeway and Tuvok. The Banean Doctor is also present, to help oversee the prisoner. Paris: "Captain." Janeway: "Are you alright, Tom?" Paris: "I've been better."

Janeway: "May we speak to him alone?" Minister: "Of course." He and the guards leave. Paris: "That rehab colony back in New Zealand doesn't seem so bad right now." Tuvok: "Lieutenant, did you murder Professor Ren?" Paris: "No." Janeway: "But the victim's own eyes identified-" Paris: "You don't have to tell me what the victim's own eyes saw, Captain. I don't understand it either. But I did not kill him." Tuvok: "Were you having improper relations with his wife?" Paris: "Their marriage was over. She told Ren they were finished the same day he was killed." Tuvok: "That does not answer my question." Paris: "Nothing happened between us. Almost nothing." Janeway: "Tom, it's very important you tell us everything. Harry said you spent some time with Mrs Ren while he and the Professor were working." Paris: "I was bored. You know how it is when two science guys get together. I came out of the other room, looked over and saw her in the atrium. Her eyes were a million kilometres away, staring at stars I'd just flown by the day before." Paris recalls what happened: Paris: "Smoking is a bad habit. My species gave it up centuries ago when we finally got it into our heads it was killing us." Lidell: "You must be a very superior species." Paris: "That's not what I meant." Lidell: "Maybe I kill myself slowly because I don't have the courage to do it quickly." Paris: "Now why would you go and say a thing like that?" Lidell: "Don't." Paris: "What?" Lidell: "Don't get involved, Lieutenant." Paris: "I was just trying-" Lidell: "You'll be sorry." Paris: "Look, I was just bored to tears in the other room and I thought you might like to talk." Lidell: "Why don't you go ahead and ask me." Paris: "Ask you what?" Lidell: "What you've been wanting to ask me all night, what they all want to ask me: why I'd marry a man old enough to be my father." Paris: "I'd be lying if I said I hadn't been wondering." Lidell: "He was good to me. A lot of other men weren't." Paris: "That sounds like a good enough reason to me." Lidell: "He's a good man. I would never do anything to hurt him."

Paris: "I guess that makes you a good woman." Lidell: "Good can get....very boring."

Suddenly Paris starts another cycle - he is reliving the murder. Janeway: "What's going on?" Tuvok: "Apparently he's entering another cycle."

	As the cycle ends, Paris collapses.
	The Banean minister and chief medical officer enter. The latter scans Paris. Janeway: "Is this normal?" Banean doctor: "We had some problems integrating the Banean engrams into his alien neurology. This is the first time he's lost consciousness since the implant."
	Janeway: "I'd like to take him back with us, to our medical facility." Minister: "I'm sorry, but I can't authorise that."
	Banean doctor: "Perhaps we should consider her request, Minister. We don't want to risk general synaptic failure. Their doctors may be better suited to stabilise his condition."
	Minister: "Alright, but you're not to leave orbit with him."
	Janeway: "Minister, we don't intend to leave orbit until we prove his innocence."
	Tuvok taps his combadge. combadge "Away team to Voyager. Three to beam up."

USS Voyager in orbit around the Banean homeworld.

In Sickbay the Doctor shows Janeway and Tuvok the monitor displaying scans of Paris' brain. Doctor: "It's medicine clearly beyond anything we've ever encountered before. What bothers me the most is the neural pathway damage it seems to be causing. It appears to be progressive." Janeway: "Then this punishment could actually be causing serious brain damage?" Doctor: "How long it might be before he's seriously affected I have really no idea." Tuvok: "I would appreciate receiving a copy of your neurological analysis, Doctor." Doctor: "It's extremely technical. To the layman it would be virtually indecipherable." Tuvok: "Nevertheless, I will want to examine it in detail." The Doctor moves away to prepare a copy for him. Janeway to Tuvok: "This might be the basis for an appeal of the sentence, don't you think?" Tuvok: "Perhaps. However, before the neuro-implants were developed, the Banean punishment for murder was lethal injection. It is possible they would view that as the only alternative punishment in this case." Kes to the Doctor: "Will he regain consciousness?" Doctor: "I believe so, but each time the cycle repeats I'm afraid his brain will take another damaging blow." Tuvok looks at the PADD the Doctor gives him. "When he wakes up I will require an autonomic response analysis while I question him again, Doctor." Kes: "Do you really think Tom would lie to us?" Tuvok: "As an investigator, I do not have the freedom to ignore any possibility. Mr Paris maintains his innocence, yet the victim has identified him from the grave, and the victim's wife has testified against him at the trial. Someone is obviously lying. An ARA will tell us if it is Mr Paris." Doctor: "I'll have it ready for you." Tuvok: "In the meantime, Captain, I request permission to return to the surface." Janeway: "What do you have in mind, Tuvok?" Tuvok: "I would like to examine the murder scene and speak with Mrs Ren."

Thanks to Free Buttons for the rulers from the set Cosmic Gel. Thanks to Mardiweb for the button blank.