This is a great Janeway episode which shows all her facets and her genius. Luckily Star Trek captains have evolved over time. While Kirk would have brawled himself out of this situation, Janeway instead outsmarts her opponent.
The title and the music in this episode set the stage for this musical metaphor: As note plays against note in a counterpart, Janeway and Kashyk play against each other. But until the end the viewer is never really certain if it's a duet in harmony or in dissonance.
While Janeway as a woman clearly longs for a companion that cherishes science and exploration as much as she does, she also is a Starfleet captain from head to toe. She always is prepared to be outwitted and keeps an ace up her sleeve - just in case. You might think at one point in the episode, that Janeway is a typical woman, that falls in love with an eloquent man and is blinded by his charade. But while she in fact has feelings for Kashyk, she is the one that plays with him, yet keeping a door open if Kashyk might prove innocent or decide otherwise.
There might be in intentional oversight at the end. While the 12 telepaths are save on board of a shuttle, there are still three telepaths under the Voyager crew that have not left the ship.. Kashyk knows that, he has seen Tuvok before. Yet, he doesn't search for them. He could have confiscated the ship and put the whole crew into detention, but he does not. A mistake by the writers? Or does Kashyk in the end also admire Janeway and although he is a henchman of a totalitarian regime he has feelings for her? Just like in superhero movies: A villain is nothing without a hero and a hero nothing without a villain. Maybe he wanted Janeway to escape all the time and played this duet with her without being sure, who will get the applause at the end.
Those unexpected turns and twists make this episode really enjoyable to watch.