"Rust?" "That's right, Captain." "High levels of ferric oxide-- corroded iron particles." "Would you mind telling me how iron could rust in space without oxygen?" "I wish I could." "Mr. Paris, alter our course to follow that trail of rust." "One-quarter impulse." "Aye, Captain." "Captain, look at this." "I'm picking up traces of complex hydrocarbons in the rust-- benzene, ethylene, acetylene..." "That sounds like gasoline." "Gasoline?" "It's a liquid fuel that was used centuries ago on Earth." "They burned it to drive internal combustion engines." "How did it get out here?" "I'm detecting a small object." "It appears to be the source of the rust and hydrocarbons." "Put it on screen." "Magnify." "Apparently, it is a ground vehicle from mid-20th-century Earth." "Whew!" "It's a 1936 Ford, actually." "Mr. Paris?" "That was the manufacturing date:" "1936." "Ford was the name of the company that built it." "Antique vehicles are a hobby of mine." "lnternal combustion engine, a reciprocating piston cylinder design." "Fuel source was a refined petroleum." "Gasoline." "So, is this an early hover car?" "No, you're about a century too early for that." "This is about one step ahead of the horse-drawn carriage." "Traces of potassium nitrate, ammonium and methane back here." "I think you'll find that's manure." "Horse manure, if I'm not mistaken." "Judging from the mud on the wheels and the alfalfa seedlings stuck in the metal frame," "I'd say this vehicle belonged to a farmer, or, at least, someone who lived in a rural area." "But the question is:" "How did it get here?" "I doubt there are many 20th-century farmers driving around the Delta Quadrant." "There are no signs of any wormholes or temporal anomalies in this region of space." "Let's run a metallurgical analysis of the vehicle." "There's still oil in the crankcase, water in the radiator." "I wonder if the battery's still charged." "Now, let's see." "This is before voice-command activation, so there should be something in here called a key." "Key..." "What are you doing?" "Trying to bring this beauty back to life." "Now, where are the keys?" "Aha!" "Here they are." "Okay, choke out, clutch in, give her a little gas, turn the key, and step on the starter." "Sorry." "Next time... you might give us a little warning, Mr. Paris." "Aye, Captain." "I suggest we increase the ventilation in the cargo bay before we are asphyxiated." "What's that?" "That is an amplitude modulation receiving device." "AM radio." "I'm not sure we'll pick up much out here." "Whoa." "What was that?" "What is that?" "It's too regular to be random interference." "I'm running the signal through the ship's database." "It's an ancient Earth distress call known as an SOS." "I've located the source of the SOS signal." "It's coming from a planet in a star system bearing 310 mark 215." "Mr. Paris, lay in a course." "Aye, Captain." "Why didn't we pick up this signal earlier?" "This isn't one of the standard frequencies we monitor." "Messages on this channel only travel at the speed of light-- too slow for interstellar communications." "Course laid in, Captain." "Warp 6." "Engage." "I'll run a diagnostic check, sir." "Mm-hmm." "Bring us out of warp." "Full scan, Mr. Kim." "The SOS signal is coming from the third planet." "It's Class-I-- oxygen-argon atmosphere." "Any life signs?" "There's a great deal of trinimbic interference in the upper atmosphere." "I can't get a clear reading of the surface." "Can you pinpoint the coordinates of the distress call?" "Yes, here it is." "It's coming from a continent in the northern hemisphere." "We won't be able to transport through this kind of interference." "I might be able to take an away team in a shuttlecraft." "That would not be wise, Commander, as the atmosphere is charged with trinimbic turbulence." "A shuttlecraft could not safely navigate the currents." "We could land the ship." "Are you sure that's necessary?" "Someone on this planet is sending out a distress call." "If that someone is as old as the truck in the cargo bay, they're long-dead by now." "This might be an automated distress call." "Possibly." "But something brought that truck halfway across the galaxy and that something might be down on that planet." "And if it brought the truck here, it might be able to take us home, too." "I'd say it's worth a look." "Mr. Paris, prepare the ship for landing." "Captain, I think I should tell you" "I've never actually landed a starship before." "That's all right, Lieutenant, neither have I." "Bridge to Engineering." "We're going to land the ship, Ms. Torres." "Take the warp core off-line, vent all plasma from the nacelles, and stand by to engage atmospheric thrusters." "Aye, Captain." "This is Lieutenant Tuvok to all decks." "We are preparing to land the ship." "Go to Blue Alert and report to Code Blue stations." "I've plotted a descent course." "How close do you want to land to the distress coordinates?" "No closer than two kilometers." "Okay." "Atmospheric controls at standby." "Landing mechanisms on line." "lnertial dampers at maximum." "All decks report Condition Blue, Captain." "Put her down, Mr. Paris." "Status." "We're on the glide trajectory." "Altitude-- 100 kilometers." "Speed-- 10,000 kph." "Encountering some trinimbic turbulence." "Compensating." "We have an EM discharge in the lateral relays." "I'm rerouting the ODN conduit." "Another EM discharge." "I think we're all right, though." "20 kilometers to the landing site." "We should be able to see it now." "Extend landing struts." "Prepare to release inertial dampers and adjust them to match the planet's gravity." "Landing struts down and locked." "Standing by environmental controls." "Here we go." "Disengaging engines, securing thruster exhaust." "We're down." "Not bad... for a beginner." "Nice day." "I've locked on to the distress signal." "It's 1.5 kilometers on a bearing of 246." "Wait a second." "I've got something else." "There's a high concentration of trianium particles, bearing 225-- a little over a kilometer away." "Looks like some kind of power source." "Two teams." "Chakotay, yours investigates the power source." "Tuvok, Kim, you're with me." "My God." "The metal is an aluminum alloy." "It appears to be an ancient Earth aircraft." "The SOS call is coming from inside." "I've found the AM transmitter." "From what I can tell, it's sending out an automated SOS." "What about the power source?" "Somehow I find it hard to believe the battery on this aircraft has been running for 400 years." "I don't recognize the power signature." "Hold on, Captain." "I found what appears to be an alien fusion-based generator." "It's hooked up to the AM transmitter." "Chakotay to Janeway." "Go ahead, Commander." "We've located the source of the trianium readings." "It appears to be some sort of mine shaft." "I'd like to bring out another security detachment before we go inside." "Good idea." "I'll join you." "Janeway out." "I want the two of you to analyze the alien generator, then see what you can find out about this SOS call." "I'm picking up something directly ahead." "Some kind of power signature." "Fusion-based." "This looks like some kind of cryostasis chamber." "How many bodies are there?" "Eight." "And the equipment is still functioning." "He's human." "And from the clothes," "I'd say he's from the same era as the vehicle we found." "His life sign readings are minimal, but... he's alive." "Captain, according to these readings, there are five other cryostasis chambers nearby." "No life signs in any of them." "This appears to be the only one with people inside." "There's another male over here." "This one's a female." "She's wearing some sort of leather jacket." "And a pair of gold wings." "Wait." "There's a name tag here." "I think it's "A, period..." ""E-a... r-h-a-r-t."" ""Earhart."" "A...." "Earhart." "Amelia Earhart." "Who's Amelia Earhart?" "She was one of the first female pilots in Earth history." "In the mid-20th century, she became quite famous for flying across the Atlantic Ocean." "In 1937, she attempted to fly around the world." "According to the records of the time, on July, 2, 1937," "Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan, took off from New Guinea, and they were headed east around the equator." "But somewhere in the South Seas, they vanished, and their disappearance became one of the most celebrated mysteries of the 20th century." "Why didn't they think she'd just crashed?" "That was the most commonly held theory." "However, numerous searches of the area failed to produce the wreckage of an aircraft, so people began to speculate." "Some thought she'd been shot down and captured by the Japanese navy." "Others thought that she and Noonan had flown off together on some sort of romantic adventure." "Of course, the most ridiculed notion was that she had been... abducted by aliens." "Well, it certainly looks like that's what happened." "From what we can tell, all eight of the people in that stasis chamber were taken from Earth in the 1930s and brought here." "The question is:" "Why?" "And where are the aliens who did this?" "Scans of the region show no alien life signs." "Continue the scans." "They may not be here now, but once they detect our presence, they might return." "In the meantime, we'll have to get some answers on our own." "Have you had any luck tapping into the computer system in the cryo-chamber?" "Not as of yet." "We are having difficulty decoding the operating system." "There's one way we could find out what happened." "We could wake those people up and ask them." "I've had the same thought myself." "Is that wise?" "We don't know how these people are going to react when they wake up in an alien world in the 24th century." "True, but I'm not willing to just leave them in stasis for another 400 years." "And if we can find out how they were brought here, we might be able to use that method to get home." "We'll just have to be very careful how we handle this." "I suggest that only human crew members be present when we revive them." "Agreed." "Mr. Kim, I want a complete analysis of those cryostasis tubes." "Find a way to deactivate them safely." "Aye, Captain." "Commander, apprise the Doctor of our situation." "Tell him to instruct Kes in the proper procedure for reviving someone from cryostasis." "She could be made to look human easily enough." "In the meantime," "I suggest we all brush up on ancient Earth." "We're about to meet a bit of our history." "We're ready, Captain." "All the cryo-tubes are linked by a common power source so we've decided to revive everyone simultaneously." "Proceed." "The power's off-line." "Deactivate locking mechanisms." "Captain, this one's armed with some kind of weapon." "Disarm him, just to be on the safe side." "I know this must be very strange for you." "No... who are you?" "What is going on here?" "I demand you release me immediately." "Please, if you'll just listen for a moment," "I'll try to explain." "You are all speaking Japanese." "Sounds to me like you're speaking English." "It's because of a device we have-- a universal translator." "It allows us to talk to each other, even though our languages aren't the same." "Who are you people?" "Look, just let us go home." "We won't tell anybody." "The hell we won't!" "I'm going to let the world know what you people have done." "Do you know who you've kidnapped here?" "Amelia Earhart." "I'm her navigator." "This is going to be headline news." "You people are in trouble." "Fred..." "let her talk." "What I have to tell you is going to sound hard to believe, even preposterous." "We think you were abducted from Earth... in the 1930s, and brought millions of miles through space to a planet on the other side of the galaxy." "You were put into a..." "a kind of deep sleep for a very long time." "It's not the 1930s anymore." "The year is 237 1-- over 400 years from the time you were abducted." "You must think we are awfully gullible." "Tell me, what's the last thing you remember before waking up here?" "We were over the Pacific, running low on gas." "We were looking for an atoll to set down." "We... tried to send out an SOS and... suddenly there was this..." "huge light in back of us, and the plane... stopped dead... and then it started moving backward toward the light." "I must've blacked out, I... and I w-woke up here, just now." "That's just the way it was with me." "I was in my truck, heading into town." "I was just about to get onto the blacktop when this big light come down from the sky-- just about blinded me." "Next thing I know, the whole truck was lifted up off the ground." "I believe what happened was that you were abducted by aliens." "And if we can find out how they got you here, we might all be able to get back to Earth." "I want some real answers now." "I assure you, I am telling the truth." "You-- come on down here and get those, uh, funny-looking guns of theirs." "You-- get over there with the others." "What is this?" "It's a medical device." "I'm just trying to make sure that everyone is all right." "Now... how do we get out of here?" "Chakotay to away team." "Janeway here." "Captain, I'm picking up some energy displacements on the surface." "I think it may be alien humanoids." "It looks like they're using some kind of deflection system to trick our sensors." "I think you'd better get up here." "Who's that talking?" "That's Commander Chakotay, on our ship." "Commander, huh?" "Okay." "Now hear this, Commander." "There's a gun pointed at the lady's head right now, so you call Washington and you tell them we're holding your people prisoner and they're not going anywhere until I personally talk to J. Edgar Hoover." "You've got one hour." "Captain?" "!" "It seems we're being held hostage, Commander." "I suggest you pay attention to what the gentleman says." "I understand." "Chakotay out." "All security personnel report to the cargo bay immediately." "The compass isn't working." "I know what we've told you sounds hard to believe, but there was a time when no one believed that a woman could fly across the Atlantic." "Now people are able to travel between the stars." "The galaxy is full of many different species." "For instance, this young woman isn't human." "She's an Ocampa." "I've been on expeditions all over the world, and I've seen people do all kinds of strange things to their bodies." "That doesn't mean that Martians have invaded Earth." "Actually, it was the other way around." "Mars was colonized by people from Earth in 2103." "That's enough!" "All of you just go over there and sit down and keep quiet!" "The trinimbic interference has affected the transporter's targeting scanners." "We can't beam into the chamber, so we'll have to go on foot." "We will deploy throughout the caves, sealing off any exit from the chamber." "Let's go." "Now is probably not the best time for that, Fred." "Just a little pick-me-up." "He's had a few nips from that flask, Captain." "We could probably rush him, get the gun." "Let me try to talk to Earhart first." "She seems reasonable." "Maybe I can get through to her." "Miss Earhart?" "I want you to know you've always been an inspiration to me." "Because of you, generations of women have become pilots." "Generations?" "What's your name?" "Kathryn Janeway." "I heard the Commander call you Captain." "What exactly do you captain?" "The Federation Starship Voyager." "Starship?" "That supposed to mean it flies through space?" "That's right." "That isn't possible." "Only in books-- H.G. Wells, Jules Verne." "Maybe if you saw it, you'd think otherwise." "Saw it?" "Where is it?" "On the surface." "We're actually about 100 meters underground now." "If you'd come with me to see Voyager, you'd realize that what we're telling you is true." "And risk a trap." "No, you could have hundreds of reinforcements up there." "I assure you, we have no interest in harming you." "We took you out of stasis to help you." "Put yourself in my shoes, Captain." "If you were me, would you believe your story?" "Maybe not." "Let me tell you some of what happened after you disappeared over the Pacific." "No trace of you or your plane was ever found, in spite of a massive search." "Over the years, there was a lot of speculation about your flight, including the rumor that it was financed by the government, and may have been part of an operation to gather information about the Japanese." "Where did you hear that?" "It's somewhat common knowledge." "You see, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941, drawing the United States into a massive world war." "In retrospect, your journey was seen in a different light-- perhaps as part of an intelligence mission devised by a government deeply concerned about Japanese war plans." "No one was supposed to know about that." "Maybe not in 1937." "Now, it's part of history." "Hey, I got an idea." "Why don't we stick them in these things-- put them to sleep like we were?" "No fuss, no trouble." "Mr. Noonan, that will accomplish nothing." "Please, let us take you to our ship." "You'll see that everything we've told you is true." "Show me how to operate this thing." "Hey, last time I looked, you were working for me... and I think we should listen to these people." "They just may be telling the truth." "What's the harm in seeing if maybe they do have this starship?" "It beats being cooped up in here trying to figure out what happened." "How about it?" "Anyone want to come along?" "Hey, I wouldn't mind taking a look." "Anyone else?" "You're not leaving me behind." "Kes and I will stay with the others, Captain." "It'll take about ten minutes to get to the surface." "Stay close to us." "Mr. Kim." "What is it?" "I am reading energy displacements again-- possibly alien life signs-- 200 meters ahead." "They may be up there." "Take cover!" "Get down!" "This way." "What's all that racket?" "Take cover!" "I told you it was a trick!" "Fred!" "Janeway to Chakotay." "I'm here, Captain." "We're pinned down." "I can see you from here." "Lay down phaser fire." "I'm going to circle around to your left." "Try to come at them from the rear." "Right!" "Chakotay to Voyager." "Torres here, Commander." "Can you give us some help down here?" "I don't think so." "The targeting scanners are still useless." "I can't risk laying down weapons fire if I don't know where it's going." "Keeping trying to get them on line!" "Aye, Commander." "Hold your fire." "Drop your weapons." "Turn around slowly." "You're not Briori." "No, I'm human." "Human?" "We're human." "You're working for the Briori." "They have ships like yours." "I'll answer any questions you have, but first, we must take care of our wounded." "Can we agree to end this?" "Yes." "I'm Kathryn Janeway of the Federation Starship Voyager." "John Evansville." "This is my colleague, Karyn Berlin." "Severe trauma to the thoracic cavity, lacerated carotid artery." "He's not going to make it." "I wouldn't be so sure of that." "Vascular regenerator." "Hmm... he's not responding to the treatment." "The alcohol level in his blood is so high, it's inhibiting the repair to his circulatory system." "Attempting to compensate." "I told you your drinking'd kill you one day." "She's right, Doc." "Just let me die in peace." "There's just one thing I want to say to you first even though it's 400 years late." "Amelia..." "I love you." "Fred... you never said anything." "You're married-- or you were." "I guess he's dead now." "I just wanted you to know before... before I met my Maker." "There." "That should do it." "Do what?" "You're healed." "You mean, I'm not going to die?" "Aside from a hangover, you're going to be fine." "Oh, Amelia, you, uh you got to forget what I just told you." "Promise me." "Fred, I already have." "Oh..." "You've taken the 37's." "Why?" "I'm afraid I don't understand." "You went into the shrine." "You stole the 37's from the sacred altars and you disturbed the radio signal that we have been so careful to preserve." "Captain, I think he's talking about Earhart and the others." "Tell me more about the 37's." "Are you one of them?" "I'm one of their descendants." "The 37's were brought here over 15 generations ago by the Briori." "Who are the Briori?" "They're an alien race." "They abducted over 300 people from Earth in the year 1937." "Brought them over here, turned them into slaves." "But those slaves revolted, killed the Briori, took their weapons and their technology and survived." "And now, there are over 100,000 of us." "The Briori never came back." "Now, you answer me." "Why did you steal the remaining 37's from the shrine?" "We didn't steal them, we simply revived them." "Revived them?" "They're dead." "No, they were simply in a state of what we call "cryostasis."" "That's a form of sleep that appears very much like death." "Do you mean they're alive?" "Yes." "My people have come to regard the 37's as monuments to our ancestors." "Nobody has even entered their shrine for generations." "Mr. Evansville, we were hoping to find the ship that brought your ancestors here-- possibly use it to get back to Earth a little faster." "I'm sorry." "The Briori ship was destroyed in the slave revolt." "There's nothing left." "Captain..." "I'm sorry to hear about your long journey home." "But you should know that life on this planet is good." "We live in three beautiful cities only 50 miles from here." "Oh, I'd like to see your cities." "And I'd like to show them to you." "How fast?" "Warp 9.9." "In your terms, that's about four billion miles a second." "Think I could take her out for a spin?" "Well, uh..." "Mr. Evansville has offered to take us on a tour of the settlements." "He's extended the invitation to the entire crew." "And the 37's, of course." "You...?" "You're a 37?" "I guess you could call me that." "It would be an honor to show you our cities." "Captain's Log, Stardate 48975.1." "Evansville wasn't exaggerating when he said they have a lot to be proud of here." "It was an amazing experience, but it's left me a little disturbed." "Come in." "Here's the damage report you asked for." "Thank you." "Is something wrong, Captain?" "You've seemed a little distracted ever since we came back from the cities." "Weren't you impressed?" "A little too impressed." "What do you mean?" "There's a thriving sophisticated culture on this planet-- of human beings." "In some ways, walking around those cities was... almost like being back on Earth." "It was a little eerie." "It reminded me of home, too." "Evansville has offered to let any of our crew stay." "What will you do about that?" "Maybe this is one of those decisions that the Captain has to make for the entire ship." "You may have a problem if a lot of people want to stay." "I know that." "But at the same time, I can't take a vote every time there's a major decision to be made." "And yet... we're a long way from Starfleet and a lot of the rules and regulations" "I've learned to uphold seem distant, as well." "Am I the only one who is so intent on getting home?" "Is it just me?" "Am I leading the crew on a forlorn mission, with... no real hope of success?" "You're not alone." "I want to get home, too." "And there's not a day that goes by when I don't hear someone mention Earth." "The people here have built a new Earth." "We could stay, help them build a human civilization in the Delta Quadrant." "lsn't that an exciting prospect?" "Shouldn't we be grateful for the opportunity they're giving us?" "It is a tempting prospect." "But when I hold it up against the prospect of seeing the sunrise over the Arizona desert or swimming in the Gulf of Mexico on a summer's day, there's just no comparison." "I want to go home." "We have 152 men and women on this ship." "What happens if half of them decide to stay on the planet?" "Could we operate Voyager with 75 crew members?" "I doubt it." "In fact, I don't think we could operate the ship with fewer than 100." "If too many of the crew choose to stay behind... we could all be stranded here." "Tell all hands to prepare for an announcement from the Captain at 1400 hours." "They deserve to make the choice for themselves." "Aye, Captain." "Here we are." "My research on 20th century Earth is a little thin, but I've done what I can." "Pot roast, green beans and something called..." "Jell..." "O." "You know how to make Jell-O?" "I even put in fruit cocktail." "You don't say." "I don't know about the rest of you, but I've made up my mind." "There is land here that goes begging, and I could have a big farm, just like I always dreamed." "And for you, rice, with a little fish." "I even replicated some ginger for seasoning." "Very nice." "Thank you." "Yeah, I have to admit-- life here looks a lot better than what we left on Earth." "It's a paradise by comparison." "And there are many Japanese here." "I could be very happy." "We all could." "Right?" "I'm just not sure, I..." "What about you, Mr. Neelix?" "Have you made your decision?" "Oh, yes, indeed." "I'm staying right here with Captain Janeway." "She'd be lost without me." "She's come to depend on me a great deal." "What about the rest of the crew?" "You think many of them will stay here?" "Oh, I don't think so." "At least, not many." "Uh, well, that is, there's a good chance..." "Well, now that you ask, I honestly don't know." "You?" "You'd stay here on the planet?" "I didn't say I was going to." "I just said I could understand why people would want to." "The people here remind me of home." "I haven't felt like that since I left Earth." "But... but you're Starfleet." "You've always wanted a life in space." "I know, but... my whole life?" "On a starship, day after day, with no end in sight?" "That's not exactly what I had in mind." "You're not the first person I've heard talk like this." "A lot of people are thinking about staying." "What about you?" "Don't you have some of those feelings?" "I'd be lying if I said I didn't." "Captain." "I was told I'd find you here." "Am I intruding?" "Not at all." "Please join me." "I wanted you to know that the group you brought out of stasis-- we've all decided to stay here on the planet." "I understand." "I must admit, the thought of traveling through space-- maybe even learning to fly this ship-- was very appealing to me." "And I'd looked forward to getting to know you better." "I suspect we have a lot in common." "At first, I didn't know what to do." "We talked about it for quite some time." "Finally, I realized the people here on this planet are part of us." "We're their ancestors, in a way." "Well, it made us feel close to them." "The remarkable thing about the humans on this planet is that they evolved very much like the people on Earth." "Tens of thousands of light-years apart, both civilizations managed to create a world they could be proud of-- one where war and poverty simply don't exist." "I certainly can't blame you for wanting to be part of it, any more than I can blame members of my crew if they make the same decision." "When will you find out?" "In half an hour." "Anyone who wants to stay behind is to report to the cargo bay at 1500 hours." "I expect Jarvin will stay on the planet." "In fact, I'd bet on it." "Why Jarvin?" "He's been more uncomfortable about being on a Starfleet ship than most of the Maquis." "And he's gotten involved with a young woman in Quantum Mechanics." "I think they'd like to settle down, raise a family." "The person I expect to see is Baxter." "Baxter?" "Walter Baxter?" "He's adventurous, a risk-taker." "I can see him wanting to take on the challenge of building a new life on this planet." "I'd hate to lose Baxter." "He's a good man." "I'd hate to lose Jarvin." "I don't want to lose anyone." "We've all been through so much together, it just wouldn't seem right." "But I couldn't blame anyone-- anyone-- for staying behind." "I'm not sure I want to go in." "No matter what happens, we'll make it." "Remember that." "Captain on the Bridge." "All stations, prepare for departure." "Condition Blue, Mr. Tuvok." "Ms. Torres, antigrav thrusters on line." "Thrusters enabled." "Mr. Paris, inertial dampers to flight configuration." "Impulse drive to standby." "Yes, ma'am." "All stations report ready, Captain." "Then let's do it." "Take us up." "First Officer's Personal Log, Stardate 49005.3." "The Captain has granted me the use of a shuttlecraft so that I may perform the pakra-- a solitary ritual commemorating the anniversary of my father's death." "A-koo-chee-moya." "I pray on this day of memories to speak to my father-- the one whom the wind called..." "Kolopak." "Though I am far from his bones, perhaps there is a spirit in these unnamed skies who will find him and honor him with my song." "A-koo-chee-moya." "There." "You see?" "We should teach them the price of displaying their markings in our space." "I'll go." "Let Kar do it this time." "He's not ready." "He thinks he is." "He's been demanding a chance for weeks to earn his name." "Do you really believe he could do this?" "Can you honestly say you knew you were ready for your first mission, Haliz?" "Tell him." "Tell him today is the day he will finally be called Ogla." "Computer, report." "The shuttlecraft has sustained phaser fire." "Minor damage to aft shields." "Source?" "A Kazon spacecraft, closing at 195, mark 6." "Computer, open a channel to the Kazon vessel." "This is Commander Chakotay of the Federation Starship Voyager." "Why have you fired on me?" "You are in Kazon-Ogla space, Federation." "I wasn't aware of that." "I have no hostile intentions." "Power down your weapons and I'll leave." "No one who violates Ogla space leaves." "Look, son, my starship is only a few light-years away." "I am not your son, Federation." "I am your executioner." "Chakotay to Kazon vessel." "Listen carefully." "I do not want a fight." "Stand down, or I'll be forced to return fire." "Chakotay to Kazon vessel." "I have established a direct weapons lock on your engine core." "This is my final warning." "If you don't stand down, I will destroy your ship." "All right." "If that's the way you want to play it." "Chakotay to Kazon vessel." "Do you read me?" "Computer, are there any life signs inside the Kazon vessel?" "Affirmative." "One life sign." "Kazon ship, your engine core is critical." "You have less than 30 seconds to evacuate." "Do you read me?" "If you have an escape pod, you must eject now." "Computer, establish a transporter lock on the life-form." "Acknowledged." "Targeting scanners." "Prepare to beam him aboard." "Scanners locked." "Energize." "Chakotay to Voyager." "Chakotay to Voyager." "Computer, damage report." "Long-range communications, lateral sensor array and aft shields are off-line." "Great!" "Welcome aboard." "It's not that I feel that I'm not making contributions as chef and morale officer." "You're making significant contributions, Neelix." "Well, if you insist, but..." "I can't imagine how Lieutenant Ayala would be handling the separation from his children without you." "He misses his boys terribly." "I wish I could do more for him." "And your meals are getting to be..." "Yes?" "Almost certainly... a highlight of every day." "Oh, Captain!" "You always know how to touch one's heart." "Thank you." "When I signed on," "I promised you that..." "I promised you that I would stand by your side through every danger this Quadrant has to offer-- as guide, as strategist, as explorer, as adventurer..." "Yes?" "I feel... under-utilized." "I can swashbuckle with the best of them." "You weren't invited to the holodeck defense simulations, were you?" "No!" "Captain, you are needed on the Bridge." "On my way." "I'll see to it you're invited next time." "And now, Mr. Neelix, please-- join me on the Bridge." "Yes, sir." "Ma'am..." "Captain." "We are ready to depart." "However, Commander Chakotay has still not returned." "Have you tried hailing him?" "On all frequencies." "No response." "When was the last time we heard from him?" "More than six hours ago." "Well, according to his flight plan, he's not far." "We'll just have to go get him." "I want all away teams back on board now." "Mr. Paris, plot a course for Chakotay's last known coordinates." "Aye, Captain." "What am I doing here?" "You're welcome." "What?" "It's a human expression." "You thank me for saving your life, I say," ""You're welcome."" "I accept your surrender." "Look!" "I promise you, as soon as we get back to Voyager, we'll find a Kazon ship and hand you over to them." "You should have let me die." "I'm not in the habit of killing children." "Warning." "Alien vessel approaching at 022 mark 8." "What's your name, son?" "What?" "Your name?" "Why do you want to know my name?" "I want to let them know you're on board." "I'm called Kar." "Computer, open a channel." "Kazon vessel, I have a young man on board you might know." "He goes by the name of Kar." "I'd say he's about 13." "I'd like to arrange for his transfer before I return to my ship." "Computer, confirm channel is open." "Confirmed." "Transmission has been received." "Talk to them." "Tell them you're okay." "Warning." "Kazon vessel has engaged a tractor beam." "Full reverse." "Unable to comply." "Tractor force exceeds available engine power." "They're pulling us in." "Kill me." "Please!" "Why are you so eager for me to kill you?" "Because there are worse things than being killed by your enemy." "Look, if you check your long-range sensors, you'll find a big ship out there." "It's called Voyager, and by now, it's on its way to find me." "Kar." "I told Razik you weren't ready." "I have a fair idea of why I'm here, but why are they doing this to you?" "I was ready, Haliz." "Ready to kill or die." "I felt the flames touch my skin." "Go back in, Kar." "It was this fool-- this..." "Federation, who doesn't even have the courage to kill his enemies." "He pulled me out with that transporter we've heard about." "Like the Nistrim and the Relora before you... you come into our space, showing off your uniforms and displaying the markings of your..." "Federation with no respect, as if you own this part of space." "But it belongs to us!" "I tried to kill him, Haliz!" "I want to see Razik." "Tell Razik I demand to see him." "Who's Razik?" "You tell this Razik that Federation Commander Chakotay demands to see him." "What are you doing?" "Razik is obviously your leader." "I'm hoping if he's strong enough to be in command, he's wise enough to listen to reason." "You see this?" "This is debris from a Nistrim frigate." "The man you are demanding to see destroyed it, killing more than 100 in a single shot." "Before that, his name was only Ra." "Now he is called Jal Razik." "And this tunic belonged to a Relora warrior." "He was killed by the bare hands of another Ogla, called only Hali." "Now that man is called Jal Haliz, one of our greatest fighters." "And this bracelet belonged to the man who killed my brother." "My brother, Jal Kinell... who earned his Ogla name by dying bravely in battle." "But I..." "I will never earn my name in life or in death, and I have you to thank for that." "We're approaching Chakotay's last known coordinates, Captain." "All stop." "Full sensor scan, Mr. Kim." "I'm picking up floating debris composed of duranium, magnesite and electroceramics." "Also heavy traces of carbon residue." "Bridge to Engineering." "Prepare to receive debris samples for analysis." "Aye, Captain." "Transport complete." "Captain, I am detecting an ion trail leading away from this location." "Chakotay's shuttle?" "The signature of the radiation is not consistent with Federation propulsion systems." "So what are we saying here?" "That someone blew up Chakotay's shuttle and then took off?" "That's speculation, Mr. Paris, but that trail's the only clue we have to Chakotay's whereabouts." "Laying in a course." "Engage." "Hello, Kar." "I never thought I would see you like this." "It was not my fault." "It was his technology." "Don't make excuses, Kar." "An Ogla has no room for excuses." "No." "No excuses." "I forgive you." "Know that in your heart." "No, please..." "You will eat at my right hand tonight." "Why did you save him?" "It's a very ineffective way of waging war." "I'm not at war with you." "I wish I could say the same." "We're not familiar with this part of space." "If I'd seen a map identifying this as Kazon-Ogla territory," "I wouldn't have been anywhere near it." "Unfortunately, our territorial claims change every day." "Maps do not serve us well." "You did him a great disservice, you know." "I guess if he had killed me, my uniform would have made you all a fine trophy." "Your uniform may yet decorate our wall." "You may not think you're at war with us," "Federation Commander Chakotay, but everything you are is a threat to us." "The Kazon fought long and hard for their independence from uniforms like yours." "Uniforms, maybe, but not like mine." "Your uniforms, your laws, your technology." "You are not welcome here." "Get him something to eat." "The execution is tonight." "Well?" "Most of the debris we've examined is composed of a polyduranide alloy, which isn't used in the construction of Federation spacecraft." "So it wasn't Chakotay's shuttle that was destroyed." "This ship was Kazon." "You get them involved young, Haliz." "As soon as they're old enough to protect their younger siblings." "So they brought you here to see your first human." "Take a good look-- you won't see any hate in my eyes." "I'm a gentle man from a gentle people who wish you no harm." "That's enough!" "I know you'd like them to hate me, Razik, but I want their first impression of humans to be a good one." "You've been brought here to learn what it means to be a Kazon male." "You all know Kar." "You've learned to fight together, haven't you?" "Kar was sent to kill this man to earn his Ogla name, but Kar failed and will not earn his name even in death." "Who would be willing to kill the human?" "So much for first impressions, Federation." "I'm proud of you." "Each will get your chance someday." "But that's not what we're here for today." "We are here to learn the price of failure in battle." "Take it." "What for?" "So that you can kill Kar as you should have done in battle." "You want me to kill a child in front of other children." "What would it accomplish?" "It will teach these little boys an important lesson." "And after you do that, you'll be free to go." "You may think I want your friend Kar to die, but you'd be wrong." "I've seen too many Ogla die at the hands of our enemies." "That is why you must learn there are no second chances in battle." "That is why Kar must die." "If I refuse?" "I'll be needing my shuttle back." "Do you really think you can escape us in that little vessel of yours?" "That's a chance I'm willing to take." "What about you?" "Let the coward run." "Prepare his shuttle." "Want to come?" "There doesn't seem to be much of a future for you here." "He'd rather die than run like a Calogan dog with you, Federation." "If I stay here, I'll die without a name, and Razik taught me only cowards die without a name." "You won't find your name running after the Federation, Kar." "Maybe not." "But that's a chance I'm willing to take." "I'll show you how to disable the weapon systems." "Will Razik be all right?" "Don't worry." "He's only stunned." "Didn't take them long to get those weapons back on line, did it?" "Computer, prepare to go to warp." "No." "Their ship is much clumsier at lower speeds." "We should try to outmaneuver them." "You're the boss." "lnitiate evasive pattern theta two, full impulse." "I can give you the shield frequencies of their ship." "We could hit them back easily." "It may mean something to you to die a violent death, but I'd like to get out of this without killing or being killed." "You'd rather die in your sleep, a wrinkled old man?" "Sounds about right." "Computer, damage report." "Aft shields at 63 percent." "We're not going to make it like this." "Computer, scan for an M-Class atmosphere." "There is an M-Class moon at bearing 108, mark 18." "Distance 1.9 million kilometers." "That's Tarok, where the Ogla conduct training exercises." "Anybody training there now?" "Computer, lay in a course to the moon." "Evasive pattern omega one." "Maximum impulse." "Warning." "Aft shields have been penetrated." "Hull breach is imminent." "Computer, prepare for long-range transport." "Two to beam to the surface." "Transport is not recommended." "The moon is out of safety range." "Captain, the ion trail is beginning to dissipate." "All stop." "I'm picking up debris again." "More duranium, magnesite, carbon residue..." "It's the remnants of another ship." "Bridge to Engineering." "Lieutenant Torres, prepare to receive another debris sample." "Acknowledged." "Transport underway." "Torres to Bridge." "Sample received." "Let me know when you've got something, B'Elanna." "I've got something right now." "It's a piece of Chakotay's shuttle." "Kar..." "It worked?" "The computer said that transport wasn't recommended." "Didn't say it was impossible." "With any luck," "Razik will think we didn't survive the explosion." "Then maybe you'll get your name for dying in battle." "In battle?" "!" "That wasn't a battle!" "We didn't even shoot back." "And now, I'm stranded here." "With you." "Yes, you're stranded here with me." "And I'm stranded here with you, because for some reason that escapes me at the moment," "I keep saving your life." "Now if you want to hate me for that, fine, but I'd really appreciate it if you kept it to yourself." "You..." "To yourself!" "First thing we've got to do is find some shelter and get out of this heat." "Any suggestions?" "I think we're finally beginning to understand each other." "You don't know what you're doing." "What did I just say?" "Get down." "What the hell was that?" "A proton beam." "They're hidden everywhere, along with biomagnetic traps and disrupter snares." "Charming." "I told you." "The Ogla train on this moon." "I was here myself last year with Razik." "So I guess you know your way around." "I know that you're in my territory, and if you want to live to become that wrinkled old man, you're going to have to do what I say." "Well, it looks like you just saved my life." "Twice more and we'll be even." "I finished analyzing the shuttle debris and I found no evidence of human remains." "Then it's possible Chakotay wasn't killed in the explosion." "That is correct." "That's the first good news I've heard all day." "Thank you, Doctor." "My pleasure." "Now, would you mind having someone transport this junk to the cargo bay?" "It's cluttering up my lab." "Of course, Doctor." "All right then, if Commander Chakotay wasn't in the shuttle, where is he?" "From the dispersal pattern of the debris, we've been able to extrapolate Chakotay's course prior to the explosion." "It appears he was heading for an M-Class moon in this system." "And we found a residual energy displacement within the debris field that isn't consistent with the explosion itself." "You think he may have transported to that moon." "We tried to scan the surface, but there is intense radiothermic interference." "Radiothermic?" "It appears to be coming from subterranean energy sources-- several carefully concealed weapon systems-- phaser banks, force fields, proton dischargers." "Kazon." "When they captured me," "I saw how they concealed their weaponry." "I believe you call them "booby traps."" "Then this moon is some kind of Kazon fortification." "Or it may simply be a training site." "For the Kazon, live ammunition is a very effective teaching tool." "In the absence of evidence to the contrary" "I choose to believe Chakotay made it to that moon." "Mr. Kim, see if you can determine the most probable location he would've beamed to." "Lieutenant, you and I will lead the away team." "As you wish, Captain, but I must point out that due to radiothermic interference, we will not be able to communicate with the ship." "I'm already working on a dampening field to cut through the interference, but it'll take several hours at least." "I don't want to wait that long, but keep trying." "Neelix, Kes, you are our two Kazon experts." "Kes, you'll come with Tuvok and me." "Neelix, you said you wanted more to do." "Well, now's your chance." "I want you on the Bridge with Mr. Paris, in case we run into any Kazon ships." "Don't worry, Captain." "You can count on me to keep those nefarious Kazon at bay." "Dismissed." "What are you doing?" "I'm setting my tricorder to emit a homing signal." "What for?" "So when my people show up, they'll know where to look for me." "They won't come." "They'll think you're dead." "They're very persistent." "I'm betting they haven't given up on me." "Well, maybe I should kill you and steal your technology and deliver it to my people." "Then they'd have to give me my name." "You just won't give up, will you?" "You won't stop me from earning my name, Federation." "Not Federation" " Chakotay." "That's my name." "Did you have to earn it?" "No, not exactly." "Then your name means nothing." "My name was a gift... from my tribe." "I cherish it every day of my life." "Just as I cherish the Federation uniform." "I should respect you because you wear that uniform." "Your name, my uniform-- not much difference." "We both have to earn them." "What did you have to do to earn your uniform?" "Study." "Years of study." "Learning about science and ships and navigation." "I suppose they don't expect you to prove your battle skills." "No." "They prepared us to defend ourselves in battle." "They prepared us very well, and we had to pass many difficult tests before we were given the right to wear the uniform." "You're saying that my name and your uniform mean the same thing." "But you're wrong." "Why?" "What's so different about us?" "Aside from the fact that I keep saving your life, and you keep threatening to kill me?" "I must protect my territory." "Territory is power." "Let me tell you something." "I have no interest in your territory or anybody else's." "My people taught me a man does not own land." "He doesn't own anything but the courage and loyalty in his heart." "That's where my power comes from." "I think we both could use some sleep, don't you?" "I've got a Kazon raider approaching at bearing 288 mark 9." "On screen." "Open a channel." "I'm Lieutenant Tom Paris of the Starship Voyager." "Jal Razik, first maje of the Kazon-Ogla." "I will speak to your Captain." "I'm in command right now, so you can speak to me." "You are trespassing in Ogla space." "Why do you orbit our moon?" "Just stopped to make a few repairs." "We'll be on our way in no time." "That is a lie." "You are here looking for your Commander Chakotay." "Now, how would you know about that?" "Quite simply." "We killed him." "Under what circumstances?" "He kidnapped a young man." "During his escape, it became necessary to destroy his ship." "No doubt you've found the remains." "So I suggest you depart immediately." "Thanks for the advice." "What a most unusual offer." "A Kazon-Ogla maje allowing a trespasser to leave his space unharmed." "What would the other Kazon say about this new merciful attitude of the Ogla?" "Don't tempt me, Talaxian." "I would just as soon open fire." "Would you?" "Neelix..." "No, I don't think so." "That would attract every rival Kazon sect to your secret training base, wouldn't it?" "Now, I know your ships, Maje." "I even sold a few Plaxan sensors to the Ogla a few years back." "I have no doubt that you read the same life signs on that moon that we have." "Perhaps one of those life signs belongs to your Captain." "If you've detected the extensive weaponry deployed on the moon, know this." "With one remote command, I can cause that weaponry to self-destruct, destroying the surface of the moon and everyone on it." "Neither of us wants that, do we?" "Think of the cost of replacing all those weapons." "Awfully hard to come by in this region." "And it would make you so vulnerable to your enemies." "We'll leave as soon as we've retrieved our crewmen-- all of them, including Chakotay, if he's alive." "And if one of your people is with him, he'll be returned to you." "They're moving into a lower orbit." "Looks like they're intending to enter the atmosphere." "I need communication with the surface, B'Elanna, and soon." "I still haven't been able to get the dampening field working." "I can't even give you an estimate." "Should we take Voyager down?" "I've already run a soil analysis." "The surface won't support a landing." "Then I guess the Captain's going to be greeted by some unexpected visitors." "At least we bought her some time." "Good morning." "How did you sleep?" "Fine." "Really?" "You seemed a little restless to me." "What do you mean?" "All that skulking around, throwing things." "You were awake?" "You think I'm going to get much sleep around an Ogla warrior who's threatened to kill me?" "Why didn't you go through with it?" "I am a coward." "I don't believe that." "I don't believe you do, either." "I think maybe you're beginning to realize I'm not your enemy, and only a fool would kill a friend." "If you are my friend... then you're my only one." "What happens to me now?" "Where do I go?" "Would any other Kazon sect accept you?" "I would be a goven, an outcast." "Each Kazon sect I meet would cut one digit off, send me away." "How many Kazon sects are there?" "It changes every day." "Yesterday, there were 18." "I guess you could come with us." "To do what?" "Dress in a uniform?" "You wouldn't have to wear a uniform." "And the closer you get to your home, the farther I would be from mine." "If only you had killed me." "Captain, four life-forms approaching." "40 meters." "They appear to be Kazon." "Please, put your weapons away." "We've come to help you." "Help us?" "With what?" "We made contact with your ship and learned of the plight of your missing crewman." "We've come to offer our assistance in finding him." "That's very kind of you." "You're walking on very dangerous ground." "There are concealed weapons everywhere." "Come." "We will lead you through them." "Very well." "Tell me about the other uniforms-- the ones the Kazon fought." "The Trabe." "The Kazon shared their homeworld-- if you can call it sharing." "They had everything;" "we had nothing." "Until we took it from them in the revolt 26 years ago." "What is it?" "People coming this way." "Humans and Kazon." "What are we going to do?" "There's only one way back to the Ogla for you and that's if you earn your name." "So I guess that's what you'll have to do." "But how?" "You're going to have to kill me." "The signal seems to be coming from some caves approximately 40 meters ahead." "Your technology continues to amaze us." "It would have taken us weeks to track them." "After this is over, we have to discuss an alliance." "I would welcome your friendship, Maje." "Captain Janeway, I'm reading elevated... radiothermic levels here." "The Ocampa female is correct." "This is a particularly dangerous place." "We lose many trainees here." "Perhaps you would prefer if we proceeded alone." "They can't be far now." "Thanks, but I think we'll stick together." "Voyager to away team." "We're here, Mr. Paris." "We finally broke through the interference, Captain." "Are you all right?" "We had a run-in..." "Everything is fine." "We have the assistance of the Ogla." "That's what I was going to tell you to expect." "Can you lock on to Commander Chakotay?" "Stand by." "Voyager to Chakotay." "Do you read?" "I'm fine, Paris." "Stand by for us to beam you out of there." "Belay that, Voyager." "Stand by." "According to my readings, the away team's only 50 meters away." "Right, but don't..." "And alert Sick Bay to prepare for a Code White resuscitation." "Did you say "Code White"?" "Correct." "I don't have time to explain now." "Chakotay out." "It'll be all right." "Our technology can revive me even if I'm brain-dead for two minutes." "Why are you doing this?" "Like you said, it's my fault you don't have your name." "I can't leave you behind like this." "Chakotay to away team." "Good to hear your voice, Commander." "Captain, proceed with caution." "I have been taken prisoner by a young Kazon." "He's threatening to kill me." "This way." "It's safer." "I would beg to differ." "Based on these readings, that way would seem the logical choice." "I must apologize for my comrade." "I believe he's trying to mislead you." "So your technology is not always an ally." "Sometimes it betrays you-- pity." "I'm afraid you would not score well in our training exercises." "Away team to Voyager." "Captain, that panel is a micro-generator." "You're right." "If we can get a narrow beam through the field, we can disable it." "We could try remodulating the phasers to a higher-frequency output." "Make it fast." "I've been waiting for you, Razik." "So, the Federation Commander is your prisoner." "I only came with him so I could have another chance to kill him." "So you could earn your name." "That's what I've been hoping for, Razik." "But you taught me well." "I know what you're going to say." "You've said it so many times before." "In battle, there are no second chances." "But you are not my enemy." "He is." "My name is Jal Karden, Kazon-Ogla." "You are first maje now, Haliz." "My life is yours." "Kill me if you wish, or let me live and I will follow you into battle whenever you command." "Jal Karden." "Kazon-Ogla." "Kazon-Ogla." "The Federation does not belong here." "If we meet again, I will not hesitate to kill you." "I understand." "Janeway to Voyager." "Five to beam up." "A-koo-chee-moya." "I pray on this day of memories to speak to my father-- the one whom the wind called Kolopak." "Father, if you can hear me among these unnamed stars," "I ask you to continue to watch over me as you've always done." "I ask you also to watch over a boy called Karden, who has a difficult path to travel." "A-koo-chee-moya." "Please state the nature of the medical emergency." "Hello?" "Computer, who activated the emergency medical holographic program?" "Auto-initiation of the EMH program occurred when a shipwide Red Alert was initiated." "Emergency?" "Sick Bay to Bridge." "Captain Janeway, please respond." "Captain Janeway is not on board the ship." "Well, then, who's in command?" "lnternal scans indicate no crew members are on board." "You mean, the ship's empty?" "Affirmative." "What is the crew's current location?" "Unknown." "Did they go on shore leave?" "Are they dead?" "What?" "That information is not available." "Can you give me a ship's status report?" "Affirmative." "Warp core is off-line." "The ship is restricted to emergency power and auxiliary systems only." "Structural integrity breach on Deck 6, Deck 7 and Deck 12." "Deflector shields inoperative." "Weapons array off-line." "Communications off-line." "Sewage and waste reclamation..." "All right, I get the idea." "What caused this damage?" "That information is not available." "Of course it isn't." "Computer, transfer all Bridge logs to this station." "Accessing Bridge logs." "Replay last log entry." "Heavy casualties... the warp core's going critical and the ejection system is off-line." "I've ordered all personnel to abandon ship." "Lieutenant Torres and I..." "Computer, have any escape pods been ejected?" "All escape pods were launched at 2100 hours." "Scan the ship for any humanoid life-forms." "There are no humanoid life-forms aboard this vessel." "Well, I'm glad everyone bothered to say good-bye." "Chief Medical Officer's Log, Stardate 48892.1." "It appears that Voyager has suffered a... disaster." "What kind I don't know, but one thing is clear." "The crew was forced to abandon ship." "It would therefore seem that my usefulness has come to an end." "I am terminating my program." "If anyone finds this Log, I can be reactivated by..." "Hello?" "!" "Hello?" "!" "Doctor!" "What are you doing?" "!" "Sorry." "I wasn't expecting a member of the crew." "The computer said everyone had left." "The internal sensors were damaged during the attack." "They must not be reading every life sign on the ship." "Attack?" "The Kazon." "Two of their Predator-class warships took us by surprise, hit us with a volley of plasma torpedoes." "It started a core breach, and we had to abandon ship." "The Captain and I stayed behind to see if we could stop the breach." "At the last second, we did." "Why didn't the crew return to the ship?" "Because they couldn't." "The Kazon tractored all the life pods onto their ships." "They went into warp before we could stop them." "What's wrong?" "This tricorder isn't registering your life signs." "This one isn't working either." "You've got to help the Captain." "She was hit by a falling support beam." "I didn't want to risk moving her, so I had to leave her on the Bridge." "Can't we beam her to Sick Bay?" "The transporters are down, so are the turbolifts." "I had to crawl through 31 Jefferies tubes on five decks just to get here." "Then you're going to have to go back up there with a medical kit." "I'll instruct you on how to..." "You don't understand, Doctor." "I'm not going-- you are." "I'm sending you to the Bridge." "That would be ideal if it were possible, but my projection system is limited to the Sick Bay and the holodecks." "Not anymore." "For the past few weeks, we've been setting up holographic emitters on critical decks." "We were hoping to set up a remote holo-projection system, give you access to other parts of the ship." "Why wasn't I told about this?" "We hadn't even tested the system yet." "There was no guarantee it was going to work." "I guess the Captain didn't want to get your hopes up." "Her compassion is heartwarming." "The next time, I'd rather be kept informed." "Where are these remote projectors?" "Decks 1 through 5." "We also put them in Engineering, the Mess Hall and the Cargo Bay." "All the projectors are in place, but the problem is, we're going to have to interface with the Sick Bay imaging system." "That's going to take a lot of power and computer memory." "I don't know if we have enough reserve power to spare." "Most of the crew is gone." "Could we divert power from life support systems?" "Good idea." "I can drop life support down to minimum levels on the lower decks." "That should give us enough power." "All right, I'll need another 20 minutes to get the projectors on line." "All right." "The remote projectors are charged and ready to go." "Imaging interface... stable." "Are you ready to try this?" "I assume there's still an emergency medical kit behind the Tactical console?" "That's right." "Then I'm ready." "There are a couple of things you should know." "In order to do this," "I had to recalibrate your containment field, so your holo-matrix will be very sensitive to disruption." "Try to stay away from energy discharges-- phaser fire, force fields, that sort of thing." "I'll try." "Make sure you do, because, if your containment field collapses, it'll take hours to reinitialize your program." "Understood." "I'm going to head down to Engineering and try to get some of the critical systems working." "You'll hear from me when I get the com system back on line." "Unless, of course, this doesn't work, in which case, I'll see you in about five seconds." "Good luck, Doctor." "Thank you." "I have a feeling I'll need it." "Well... it's bigger than I thought." "Captain?" "Hello, Captain." "You're going to be fine." "Oh, Doctor." "I see the new holo-projectors are working." "Lieutenant Torres was able to get them on line." "Are you feeling any pain, dizziness, nausea?" "I'm a little disoriented and I have one hell of a headache." "For some reason, none of the tricorders are working, but, from what I can tell, you have a concussion." "I'd like to get you to Sick Bay as soon as possible." "The last thing I remember is launching the escape pods." "Lieutenant Torres and I were trying to stop the core breach, and then I blacked out." "You were successful in preventing the breach." "And the crew?" "They were taken prisoner by the Kazon." "Torres to Bridge." "Can you hear me?" "Yes, Lieutenant, we hear you." "Go ahead." "Are you all right, Captain?" "Fine." "I'm glad you convinced the Doctor to make a house call." "What's our status?" "I've got communications back on line, and I think I can reactivate the warp core, but it'll mean recrystallizing the entire dilithium matrix." "Keep on it." "In the meantime," "I'll see if I can restore the Bridge controls and start scanning for the Kazon ships." "Aye, Captain." "Torres out." "Doctor, do you know anything about bypassing a power relay?" "Is it anything like a coronary bypass?" "Actually, it is." "Give me a hand." "See this conduit?" "It's a power relay." "lts circuits are burnt out." "What we need to do is reconfigure..." "Neelix to Bridge." "Is anyone there?" "Emergency." "Neelix, this is the Captain." "What's wrong?" "Help, I need help!" "I'm in the Mess Hall." "There's a..." "Neelix, are you there?" "Neelix!" "With the turbolifts down, it'll take me a half hour to get there." "Doctor... it's up to you." "I'll use the remote projectors to send you to the Mess Hall." "Stand by for transfer." "I hope that crushed your skull, Kazon pus hog!" "Kazon?" "What's it like to stare death in the face, Kazon?" "Missed me." "I suggest you surrender now, Kazon!" "The Captain's on her way." "Gut spore!" "You needle snake!" "My best sautÃ© pan." "Good work, Doctor." "You're injured." "What's wrong?" "Is it serious?" "Don't panic, Mr. Neelix." "It looks superficial." "Am I going to die?" "Not unless you're allergic to tomatoes." "That isn't blood." "It's some kind of sauce." "Nondoran tomato paste." "Ooh!" "That'll leave a nasty stain." "What are you doing here, Doctor?" "I could ask you the same thing." "Kes and I were on our way to the escape pod when this Kazon fungus came crawling out an access hatch." "I kept him occupied long enough for Kes to get away, but he didn't give up so easily." "So I took off running, he chased me, and I led him here." "No one gets the best of me in my kitchen!" "I'm fine now." "The question is, are you?" "Me?" "You're bleeding." "Bleeding?" "That's impossible." "Don't panic, Doctor." "It looks superficial." "I'm not programmed to bleed." "Maybe you should check your program." "Emergency Medical Hologram to Captain Janeway." "Go ahead, Doctor." "Captain, we've captured a Kazon." "He's been rendered unconscious and Mr. Neelix is fine." "But I believe my program is malfunctioning." "I request that you return me to Sick Bay immediately." "Acknowledged." "Mr. Neelix, keep an eye on the Kazon until I get there." "I'm on my way." "No problem, Captain." "Pain?" "I'm not programmed to feel pain." "Heart rate?" "Blood pressure?" "Brain patterns?" "Computer, analyze emergency medical holographic program." "Has it been altered in any way to include..." "life signs?" "Unable to comply." "Requested program is not on file." "Not on file?" "The program's running right now." "Display schematics for all Sick Bay holographic systems." "No holographic systems exist in Sick Bay." "EMH Program AK-1" "Diagnostic and Surgical Subroutine Omega 323." "Check the database and you'll find it." "Specified program does not exist." "Well, then, who is the Chief Medical Officer on board this ship?" "The Chief Medical Officer of USS Voyager is Dr. Lewis Zimmerman." "Lewis Zimmerman?" "Yes." "He was the engineer who created my program." "I understand he resembles me, but he's not on Voyager." "He's at the Jupiter Station Holo-programming Center." "Computer, how long has Doctor Zimmerman served on Voyager?" "." "Dr. Zimmerman commenced duty on stardate 48308.2." "48308..." "That's the date I was activated." "Computer, display all Starfleet records on Dr. Lewis Zimmerman." "He looks a lot like me." "In fact, he looks exactly like me." "Computer, is this me?" "Affirmative." "Dr. Lewis Zimmerman." "Doctor, we've almost got the warp core back on line, but we need to know where the crew was taken." "I want you to perform an ARA scan on the Kazon while we question him." "Is something wrong?" "Something's very wrong." "These tricorders aren't picking up any of your life signs." "At first, I thought they were malfunctioning, but now I find they show me to be a living, breathing, bleeding human being." "What?" "And that's not all." "According to the computer, I'm not a hologram." "I'm a real person named "Zimmerman."" "I've been trying to analyze my program, but the computer says it doesn't exist." "This could be a problem with the remote projectors." "The multiple holographic signals may be confusing the computer." "I'm going to deactivate you and then reinitialize your program parameters." "Computer, discontinue emergency medical holographic system." "See what I mean?" "You're right." "Your program's not anywhere on file." "Computer, shut down all holographic systems throughout the ship." "Computer, what happened to Captain Janeway" "Lieutenant Torres, Mr. Neelix and the Kazon?" "All holographic simulations were discontinued." "Simulations?" "Computer, I'm talking about real people." "Locate Captain Janeway." "Captain Janeway is stored in memory block 47-alpha." "List all other programs stored in that memory block." "This is the entire Voyager crew." "Computer, are you saying that the crew is nothing more than a collection of holographic programs?" "Affirmative." "This is ridiculous." "There must be something wrong." "Doctor, am I glad to see you." "Can you see me?" "Of course I can see you." "Who are you?" "Sir, it-it's me." "It's Lieutenant Barclay." "Reg... your assistant." "My assistant's name is Kes." "Who are you?" "Uh-oh." "What?" "Oh, no." "This is bad." "This is... this is very bad." "Don't panic." "Uh..." "let's just try to think our way through this." "I'm not familiar with you." "Are you a member of the Voyager crew, or have we encountered another Federation ship?" "Oh, boy!" "The Voyager." "Oh, boy!" "This is going to sound a little crazy from your perspective, but you've got to trust me." "None of this is happening." "This is all a holographic simulation that you've been running." "What are you talking about?" "You're in the holodeck at the Jupiter Station." "Your name is Dr. Lewis Zimmerman." "You're a holo-engineer and you've been running a program that's malfunctioning and we've been trying to reach you." "What are you saying-- that I'm a... real person?" "Well, I always used to think of you that way and I-I know your wife tends to think..." "My wife?" "We'd, uh... we'd better take this one step at a time." "Please do." "Well, uh, you see, this, uh, starship-- it's not really a starship." "It was a program that you wrote to study the psychological impact of long-term isolation on a crew made up of Starfleet and Maquis crew members." "A program I wrote?" "That's preposterous." "I'm the program." "Voyager is a real ship, manned by real people." "I'm afraid not." "This must have something to do with the radiation surge." "What was that?" "Well, we've been having problems shutting the program down because of a kinoplasmic radiation surge on the station." "It's affected all of the computer systems-- including the holodecks." "The radiation must be affecting the memory centers of your brain." "How did you get in here?" "Oh, I'm not really here." "Clearly, I'm here because we're talking." "You see, what I mean is," "I'm in a control booth outside of the holodeck." "What you see is a projection of my body, so that we can communicate." "We've been trying to get in here or send a com signal in for nearly six hours." "You expect me to believe that the past six months I've spent on this ship have been nothing but a simulation?" "You haven't been here six months." "You've only been here six hours." "That's impossible." "I have very clear memories of my first appearance on Voyager, meeting Captain Janeway for the first time" "I've had numerous experiences aboard this ship." "That's all part of the simulation." "How do I know you're not some type of alien impersonating a Starfleet officer?" "Look, Doctor, it's very important that you believe me." "You're losing your sense of identity." "You're starting to think that you're part of the program and that's... that's not good." "It's called HTDS-- holo-transference dementia syndrome." "So now I'm having a psychotic episode." "No." "Yes!" "I mean, maybe the radiation..." "Doctor, I'm sorry I have to do this." "How dare you?" "It hurt, right?" "If you were a program, it wouldn't hurt." "I-I could be programmed to think it hurt." "Doctor!" "I'll be back." "I've got to discuss this with the others." "Don't... don't go anywhere." "Pain." "Pain." "Why would I have pain?" "I think I'm hungry." "I'm not sure what for, but I'm definitely hungry." "This is impossible." "The problem is worse than we thought." "The, uh, radiation is disrupting the command protocol, so we can't shut the program down and while the program is running, we can't access the holodeck grid." "Why don't you beam me out of here?" "We tried, but the radiation is interfering with the transporters and we can't get a lock on you." "I've consulted with our neurologist, Dr. Kaplan, and he said that if we can't get you out of here within the next hour, that the radiation would completely oxidize your neuro-cellular structures." "So, what do you suggest?" "There's only one way left to terminate the program and that's to play it out." "Bring it to its conclusion, and once the simulation ends, it'll release the access locks on the holodeck arch, and we can get you out of here." "How does it conclude?" "You programmed two possible outcomes-- either Voyager finds its way back to Federation space or it's destroyed in the process." "But the simulation was designed to run for weeks before either happens." "But I know of a way that you can bring it to an end right now." "Destroy the ship." "Destroy the ship?" "Destroy Voyager?" "." "This is just a simulation, Lewis." "None of this is real and unless you destroy this ship that you think you're on, you're going to die." "No." "No, absolutely not." "Doctor, it's the only way." "First of all, I don't even know how to destroy the ship." "Second of all, I wouldn't do it even if I could." "And third, how do I know you're not an alien intruder trying to trick me into killing everyone?" "Well... those are good questions." "First, I can tell you how to destroy the Voyager." "Second, if you don't do it, you're going to die." "And third..." "well, I'm just not an alien and I don't know how else to convince you of that." "If what you're saying is true, why don't you destroy the ship?" "Why do I have to do it?" "You're the one running the simulation." "It's coded to respond to your input, not mine." "I'm sorry, Mr. Barclay-- if that's what your name really is-- but you're not very convincing." "Here." "Use this tricorder." "Scan the room out to a distance of 15 meters." "This appears to show a wall 15 meters away and it does have a holodeck grid configuration." "You see?" "But you could be manipulating these readings." "Scan me!" "You'll see I'm a holographic projection originating from beyond that wall." "Yes." "All right." "But it could still be an elaborate deception." "I can't take that risk." "There has to be some way to convince you." "Oh, I know." "I'll be right back." "Orderly!" "Here." "Are you the Emergency Medical Hologram?" "Yes, of course I am." "Well, we've got wounded here." "I've seen this patient before." "He has multiple percussive injuries." "Tricorder." "Medical tricorder." "I've been in this moment in time before." "What?" "What are you talking about?" "Help this man." "Have we just been catapulted across the galaxy to an unknown area of the Delta Quadrant?" "Yes." "And you are developing tumorous growths on your chest." "What?" "Ah, so... that hasn't happened yet." "Is this stardate 48308?" "Look, are you going to help this man or not?" "I'm not." "Mr. Barclay." "The program must be malfunctioning." "Let me see if I can reset the holographic projector." "Mr. Barclay, will you please return?" "Now do you believe me?" "This is the beginning of the simulation." "We can't shut down the program, but we can restart it." "This is my first memory of being activated on Voyager." "Who the hell are you?" "!" "Did I program Mr. Paris to be so annoying?" "Actually, I programmed him." "I modeled him after my cousin Frank." "Hmm..." "Computer, delete Paris." "What are you...?" "What did you do to him?" "Computer, delete Kim." "Hmm." "Are you convinced yet?" "Let's just say that your credibility level is rising, but I'm still not prepared to destroy Voyager." "So what are you going to do now?" "I need to confirm my true nature-- whether or not I am in fact a real person." "Let's just say that I'm right and this is a real ship, and I'm a hologram." "If I were to destroy the holographic memory core, then I should disappear." "Yes, but if you destroy it and you're still here..." "Then I'm not a hologram." "And you'll know that I'm telling you the truth." "And you'll know that I'm telling you the truth." "The holo-memory core is located in Engineering." "Let's go." "What's wrong?" "The remote holo-projectors were taken off line." "I shouldn't be able to exist outside Sick Bay." "That's because you're a..." "A real person." "Yes." "I'm getting the idea." "Magnetic constrictors are on line." "The warp core is stable." "Let's get started on those plasma relays." "You-- who are you?" "I'm the Emergency Medical Hologram." "I didn't know you could be projected into Engineering." "I can't, but it's a long story." "I'd rather not get into it right now." "Fine." "We have three wounded crew members over here." "I'm afraid I have a more pressing matter to attend to, Captain." "What do you mean, you have a more pressing matter to attend to?" "And who are you?" "I don't recognize you." "Oh, don't mind me." "I'm just assisting the Doctor." "Doctor, I am ordering you to take care of these wounded crew members." "Computer, delete Janeway." "The program's not responding to vocal commands." "The protocols are starting to freeze up." "We don't have much time." "Jarvis, Parsons, put these men under arrest." "Don't worry." "Those phasers aren't real." "They're just holograms." "I wouldn't be so sure." "I was injured earlier." "That means the holodeck safeties are off." "Now just a moment." "Let's not do anything hasty." "Who are you?" "Are you two responsible for bringing us here?" "Actually, no." "The Array you discovered is controlled by an entity you will come to know as the Caretaker or banjo-man." "He's actually an alien life-form who is caring for a species known as the Ocampa, who live nearby." "Enough." "I don't know what this is all about, but clearly, you're involved." "Take them to the brig." "I'll question them later." "Mm, no, I don't think so." "You're in no position to argue." "I'm not arguing." "I'm simply pointing out that in several seconds, the entire crew of Voyager will be transported to the Array, where you will be tortured and probed for medical information." "It will be quite painful, but not fatal." "Bridge to Janeway." "We're being scanned by the Array, Captain." "It's penetrated our shields." "What kind of scan?" "Bridge?" "Janeway to Bridge." "Respond." "What are you...?" "Time is running out, Doctor." "The oxidation levels in your neural tissues are rising." "You've got to destroy this ship and bring this program to an end." "First things first." "I have to make absolutely sure what I am." "This is the central memory nexus for all holographic systems on board." "If I destroy this, there won't be a single hologram left on Voyager." "Well, except for me." "I'm being projected from outside the simulation." "Go ahead." "Give it a try." "Convinced?" "Computer, what is the status of the holographic imaging system on Voyager?" "." "The holographic imaging system has been destroyed." "Are there any holographic programs running anywhere on the ship?" "Negative." "Then why is the ship still here and not a holo-grid?" "Please restate the question." "You said all holo-systems were destroyed." "Why is the ship simulation still running?" "!" "All holo-simulations have been terminated." "Doctor, I-I know this is a little confusing, but try to remember that you just destroyed the holographic imaging system on a holographic ship-- a hologram in a hologram." "If you want to bring this to an end, you've got to destroy the entire simulation-- the ship itself." "Then it's true." "I am... a real person." "And you're a person in great danger." "Destroy the ship now, before it's too late." "But if I'm wrong..." "Doctor, you've got to believe me." "What else can I do to prove it to you?" "I know, I know, but it's just so..." "There." "You see what's happening?" "Holograms don't feel pain." "Your brain is being flooded with kinoplasmic radiation." "You're dying." "I..." "I guess you're right." "Oh...!" "What should I do?" "The warp core." "Even set on full power, it's going to take a sustained phaser burst to punch through the outer duranium shielding." "Set your phaser to maximum." "Aim for the magnetic constrictors." "Ready?" "Ready." "Stop!" "Doctor, don't listen to him." "He's lying." "Step away from the warp core, Doctor." "Don't do anything that man tells you." "You're in danger if you do." "None of this is real." "So I've been told." "It's all a holographic simulation." "That's right, but it's not the simulation you think it is." "Everything around you is part of a holographic projection that's being created by your program." "My program?" "You're on the holodeck on Voyager." "The Captain suggested you take a day off, try a holonovel, so you did." "But while you were running the holonovel, there was a kinoplasmic radiation surge in the imaging system." "It created a feedback loop between the holodeck computer and your program." "All of this, including Mr. Barclay, is a holographic simulation generated by your codes, subroutines and memory circuits." "Don't be distracted by these holographic characters." "Stay focused on what you need to do-- destroy the warp core." "Wait a minute." "The entire crew of Voyager was just taken by the Array." "They won't be back for three days." "So what's he doing here?" "The program is malfunctioning." "Are you the real Commander Chakotay or a holographic projection like Mr. Barclay?" "I'm a projection." "I'm really at the holographic control station in Engineering." "You're trapped on the holodeck." "We've been monitoring the program from here and we've been trying to reach you for hours." "Sounds familiar." "He told me the same thing." "Doctor, do you remember coming into the holodeck and running a holonovel within the last six hours?" "No." "No, I don't." "That's because your memory circuits are being eradicated by the feedback loop." "We have to get you off the holodeck." "Transfer you back to Sick Bay." "You don't have memory circuits." "You have a mind, and it's being damaged." "Destroy the Voyager, the program will end and we can get you off the holodeck." "That's not true, Doctor." "Because of the feedback loop, if you destroy the simulation, you will be destroyed as well." "Me?" "If you shut down this simulation, your program will be wiped out right along with it." "There'll be no way to retrieve the lost data." "You'll be gone." "Oh..." "Only real people experience pain." "You've got to believe me." "What you're perceiving as pain is really the feedback loop eradicating your memory circuits." "What... what is it you want me to do?" "Don't do anything." "We're working on the problem right now." "We're close to a solution." "Do nothing and you'll die." "Doctor... trust me." "Trust me, Lewis." "Kes?" "Yes, you know me." "You remember me." "Yes." "You're my assistant." "I told you." "His brain is being damaged." "He's losing his memory." "This is Kes Zimmerman, your wife." "This is all a holographic delusion drawn from people and experiences in your own memory circuits." "You are malfunctioning." "Lewis, please, listen to Reg." "He's trying to help you." "Destroy this program." "If you listen to her, you'll end up destroying yourself." "Believe in yourself." "You're not a program." "You're a real, flesh-and-blood human being... and you're my husband." "I don't want to lose you." "Lewis... how would you rather think of yourself-- as a real person with a real life with a family that loves you, or as some hologram that exists in a Sick Bay on a starship lost in deep space?" "This isn't about what you want." "This is about what you are." "Just because you're made of projected light and energy doesn't mean you're any less real than someone made of flesh and blood." "It doesn't matter what you're made of." "What matters is who you are." "You're our friend." "And we want you back." "Lewis, please." "Pick up the phaser." "Destroy the warp core." "It's your only hope." "Doctor... we're close to getting you out of here." "Try to hold on." "Whatever happens," "I just want you to know I love you." "I..." "I always wanted to tell you, Kes... that you're beautiful." "Thank you." "What's going on?" "We were able to shut down the holodeck simulation that your program was generating." "Commander Chakotay transferred you back to Sick Bay." "You seem to have suffered no damage." "What really happened?" "Voyager encountered a subspace anomaly, which created a kinoplasmic radiation surge throughout most of our computers." "Unfortunately, it happened while you were using the holodeck." "We've been working for the past six hours to get you out of there." "So, there was never a Kazon attack." "That's right." "And the crew didn't really abandon ship." "No." "In fact, except for the computer problems, it has been an uneventful day." "And who is this Lieutenant Barclay I imagined?" "Barclay was part of the original engineering team that designed your program." "He was in charge of testing your interpersonal skills." "Oh." "This should make an interesting paper." "Chakotay to Sick Bay." "Is the Doctor all right?" "Yes, Commander." "His program is functioning normally." "Good work." "As soon as you're finished there," "I want all senior officers to report to the Bridge." "Acknowledged." "It's good to have you back, Doctor." "Well..." "I suppose I should begin cataloguing the niotrinate samples I was working on this morning." "So you really think I'm beautiful." "I was under a great deal of stress, you understand." "I may have said things that are not necessarily my true feelings." "Oh." "Then you don't think I'm beautiful." "I didn't say that, exactly." "I..." "I consider you very... very attractive..." "in a platonic sense." "I see." "Then you don't really love me?" "I'm afraid not." "Then I guess our marriage is over." "Our marriage?" "Are you making a joke?" "It isn't a joke to me, Lewis." "I know we have problems, but I think we can solve them." "No." "No... this-this can't be right." "Something's wrong here." "It's not too late, Lewis." "You can still save yourself by destroying the warp core." "No..." "No, I don't believe you." "None of this is real-- it's all a delusion." "Somebody help me!" "I am helping you." "Listen to him, Lewis." "No!" "Doctor, are you listening to me?" "!" "That man needs help!" "Try to calm down, Doctor." "Everything's going to be fine." "Doctor?" "Do you know who I am?" "Do you know where you are?" "I appear to be on the holodeck grid." "That's right." "And do you know what you are?" "Yes." "I'm..." "I'm the emergency medical holographic program." "Right?" "Right." "Well, I assume everything that's happened took place here on the holodeck?" "That's right." "We encountered a subspace anomaly and there was a radiation surge in the computer system." "And Kes is my assistant... not my wife?" "Your wife?" "Never mind." "Captain, if it's okay," "I'd like to return to Sick Bay now." "Of course." "It's good to have you back, Doctor." "It's good to be back." "Computer, transfer EMH program to Sick Bay." "We were married?" "It was a delusion, of course." "I understand..." "but I'd still prefer it if you didn't tell Neelix about this." "He tends to get a little jealous." "It'll be our secret." "I am curious about one thing." "What's that?" "The radiation surge caused my program to malfunction and my codes and circuits began to degrade, and yet, instead of detecting that threat to my program," "I experienced an elaborate delusion concerning the nature of my existence-- human or hologram." "Person... or projection." "Why?" "Why would my program focus on such an esoteric dilemma?" "Well..." "I sometimes ask those kind of questions." "Who am I?" "What am I doing here?" "What's my purpose in life?" "Doesn't everybody?" "Not me." "I know exactly who I am and what my purpose is." "I am the Emergency Medical Hologram aboard the Starship Voyager." "Are you sure about that?" "Hmm." "Oh, sir... we, um... we're just..." "Yes, I can see that." "What was that all about?" "I'd call it an example of indiscreet shipboard fraternization." "Really?" "Sorry I missed it." "Deck 6." "Thank you for your help, Tom." "Yeah." "See you later." "Right." "Here's the cabbage you asked for." "Is something wrong?" "What's this?" "A spawn beetle." "Oh, they cross-pollinate the Oblissian cabbage." "Have you ever seen such fascinating striations?" "Oh, isn't it beautiful?" "I doubt the Captain would think so if she found it crawling around in her salad." "There is something wrong." "What is it?" "No, nothing." "I'm just very busy." "So, you're seeing Tom Paris later." "What?" "No, not that I know of." "He said, "See you later."" "You said, "Right."" "Is he helping you in the airponics bay now?" "He was just helping me carry these." "How thoughtful." "Neelix, this is getting ridiculous." "You're imagining things that aren't there." "You're such an innocent!" "I see the way he looks at you." "I used to look at women that way." "I know what it means." "Janeway to the senior staff." "Please report to the Bridge." "Take care." "Thank you for bringing the cabbage." "I can handle this from here, thank you." "We've detected a strange energy configuration off the port bow." "Any idea what it is?" "It appears to be some sort of magnetic disturbance." "We're going to take a closer look." "You seem a little preoccupied, Commander." "This morning, I interrupted a couple who were kissing in the turbolift." "And I've been wondering if we should establish a policy regarding..." "fraternization." "Well... the couple in question might be urged to show a bit more discretion, but Starfleet has always been reluctant to regulate people's personal lives." "Of course, but we're in a unique situation here." "The development of intimate relationships might cause us problems that wouldn't arise in other ships." "I understand what you're saying, but... we're a long way from home." "Everyone is lonely, and all we have is each other." "I think, eventually, people will begin to pair off." "lncluding you?" "As Captain, that's a luxury I don't have." "Besides, I intend for us to be home before... before Mark gives me up for dead." "We're in visual range, Captain." "On screen." "Looks like some type of energetic vapor." "Magnify." "Space-dwelling life-forms." "Full sensor scan, Mr. Kim." "Their internal energy patterns appear to be consistent with discrete organic processes." "Captain, I'd like the chance to study them at close range." "So would I, Commander." "But let's not get too close." "We wouldn't want to disturb their natural behavior." "Half impulse, Mr. Paris." "Take us into bio-scanner range." "Aye, Captain." "The swarm is not particularly dense, Captain." "I estimate their number at fewer than 2,000." "They're really moving." "He's right." "They've accelerated to a velocity of approximately 1,000 kilometers per second." "It's possible we're frightening them." "Keep us within scanner range," "Lieutenant, but try to avoid rapid acceleration." "Aye, Captain." "Take a look at this." "See the way they propel themselves?" "They seem to flagellate, almost like protozoa." "Exactly, but they're achieving incredible speeds-- over 3,000 kilometers per second." "Ensign Wildman, scan the field for repeating patterns." "Maybe they're capable of some type of communication." "Aye, Captain." "Their internal anatomy's also very unusual." "They don't appear to have a digestive system of any kind, but they have an extremely porous outer covering." "My guess would be that they absorb nutrients directly from space." "Incredible." "A space-dwelling life-form capable of metabolizing inorganic matter." "Particle density in this part of space isn't very high." "That might explain why they have to keep moving so fast." "Feeding at 3,000 kilometers per second." "Not exactly leisurely dining, is it?" "Come in." "For you, sweeting." "Thank you." "Hmm... what's the occasion?" "Oh, no occasion." "I..." "I just wanted to apologize." "Apologize?" "For the way I acted in the Mess Hall." "I-I was jealous." "I know." "I just wish you could trust me." "It has nothing to do with trusting you." "It's him I don't trust." "I've seen his kind before." "They're all over the Quadrant, as a matter of fact." "They prey on naive, sheltered young women like you." "What are you looking for?" "A vase." "Don't!" "What's this?" "Nothing." "Just a snack." "A Terran delicacy." "Ensign Wildman told me about it." "Mashed potatoes with butter." "It's delicious." "Would you like to try it?" "Ugh." "Awful." "How can you eat it?" "I can't stop eating it." "I've had six bowls." "And the reason it tastes so strange" "I put a container of nitrogenated soil in it." "Dirt?" "You're eating dirt?" "Why?" "I don't know, but this morning..." "What?" "You remember the spawn beetles?" "You... you didn't...?" "Neelix to Sick Bay." "Prepare to receive an emergency patient." "I'm not sick." "I feel fine." "I just can't... stop eating." "We are going to get to the bottom of this." "Come on." "No!" "I'm not going!" "We are going to Sick Bay." "No!" "I'll call Security unless you come with me." "Holy..." "Come on." "Stop it!" "Put me down!" "They're changing course again, Captain, and accelerating." "Should I follow them?" "I'm concerned that we're disturbing them." "Let's drop back a bit, give them a little more room." "Yes, ma'am." "Captain, we're accelerating." "We're getting closer to the swarm." "Mr. Paris?" "I'm trying to slow down, Captain." "Our velocity doesn't correspond to impulse reactor output." "We're moving much faster than we ought to be." "They seem to be... pulling us toward them." "Sensors indicate an EM resonance field." "The creatures seem to be creating their own magnetic wake." "That is what is pulling the ship." "We're getting closer." "Mr. Paris, reverse thrusters." "Helm controls aren't responding, Captain." "Mr. Tuvok, raise shields." "Nonfunctional, Captain." "They're pulling us in." "Damage report." "Life support's functioning normally, Captain, but there's a huge fluctuation in the EPS grids." "It's wreaking havoc with the impulse engines." "Warp drive's still on line." "One burst, and we'd be out of here." "But our exhaust could seriously harm the creatures." "Janeway to Torres." "Do you have any thoughts about how to get us out of this swarm without engaging warp engines?" "We might try something like a targ scoop." "Can you enlighten us, Lieutenant?" "Klingons put them on the front of ground assault vehicles." "They emit a high-frequency tone that disperses targ herds in their path." "I can modify the main deflector to create an inverted magnetic pulse." "Project it toward the swarm." "It might be enough to... nudge the creatures out of the way." "Good idea, Lieutenant." "Proceed." "You're sure the beetles weren't poisonous?" "Or the flowers?" "There are no toxins present in her system." "Doctor, why is she eating all these strange things?" "What's wrong with her?" "I am conducting an examination in order to determine that." "But don't you have any ideas?" "Her unusual appetite may merely indicate a nutrient deficiency." "It is not unusual for humanoids to crave foods that are rich in the very vitamins and minerals that their bodies are lacking." "You... you can't mean my body lacks dirt." "Her body temperature is elevated 3.9 degrees." "She's burning up." "And I'm detecting elevated levels of electrophoretic activity in her nervous system." "You have to bring them down." "There is increased electrophoretic activity in the ship's atmosphere, probably created by the creatures we're studying." "You mean, there's a connection between what's happening to Kes and those creatures?" "You have to do something about it!" "You are making it impossible for me to think, much less treat my patient." "You must leave." "I won't." "Kes needs me." "Leave now or I will call Security." "You can't talk to me that way." "This is my Sick Bay and I will decide what goes on here." "But..." "Get out!" "I'll be back." "Don't worry about a thing." "Captain, may I speak with you?" "It's a matter of some urgency." "What is it, Neelix?" "I have been thrown out of Sick Bay." "And I'm just wondering if you feel it's appropriate for a hologram to banish a flesh and blood person, who should have the right to be at the bedside of his loved one, who is extremely ill." "Kes is extremely ill?" "The hologram doesn't have a clue as to what's wrong with her." "Though it may have something to do with these creatures." "But he still won't let me offer comfort to the woman I love at a time when my place is clearly by her side." "Just how is Kes being affected by the swarm?" "That's what I wanted to know, but before I got any answers," "I was summarily dismissed." "Sick Bay to Bridge." "Janeway here." "Captain, I think you'd better come down here." "There's a bit of a problem." "I'm on my way." "Commander, you have the Bridge." "Notify me immediately of any change in our status." "Aye, Captain." "I was conducting tests." "She was none too cooperative, let me assure you." "Then suddenly, she screeched and shoved me out of the way, went into my office and proceeded to erect a-a force field at the door." "I can't lower it." "She's keeping me out of my own office." "Sweeting." "What's wrong?" "Please come out." "I was able to complete several tests before she became delirious." "Her fever has increased and her pulse and blood pressure are dangerously high." "Do you have any idea what's causing these symptoms?" "I suspect it's the electrophoretic levels being created by the swarm." "We should leave immediately." "Unfortunately, that's not an option at the moment, but we're working on it." "There's one more thing." "I discovered a strange growth on her back." "It's unlike any other tumorous substance" "I've ever seen or studied before." "And it was not there the last time I examined her." "I'll try to talk to her." "Kes, please come out." "You can eat anything you want." "Captain." "Why don't you let me try?" "Kes, please listen to me." "We think you're being affected by a swarm of space-dwelling life-forms." "We're doing everything we can to get away from them." "And when we do, you'll probably start feeling better." "Are you... saying that's not what's wrong with you?" "Kes... please, let me come in." "Tell me what it is." "Maybe I can help." "Shh." "Shh." "It's going to be all right." "Now... tell me what is happening to you." "Di-did the Doctor tell you he found something growing on my back?" "Yes, a growth of some kind." "It's the mitral sac." "It's where my child would grow." "I'm going through the elogium-- the time of change-- when my body prepares for fertilization." "Humans go through the same kind of process." "It's called puberty." "But I'm too young." "Much too young." "It usually happens between the ages of four and five." "I'm-I'm not even two yet." "Listen to me." "All your body's metabolic activity has increased." "It's possible your reproductive processes are being accelerated as a result." "I'm not ready." "We're going to get you through this, Kes." "The Doctor will monitor you constantly." "You don't understand." "The elogium occurs only once." "If I am ever going to have a child, it has to be now!" "No change, Captain." "We're still being pulled along with the swarm." "Heading 121, mark 7." "Speed now 6,000 kilometers per second." "All systems are functioning within normal parameters." "How is Torres coming with the modifications to the main deflector?" "Her last report estimated they'd be finished in another half hour." "Let me know as soon as she's ready." "Join me, Commander?" "Kes is terribly frightened." "She's had no time to prepare for this, and the decision has to be made in the next 40 or 50 hours." "She's going to discuss it with Neelix, but... there are so many unknowns." "There might be risks in procreating this early." "And of course there's no guarantee they're genetically compatible, or that Neelix has any interest in becoming a father." "Seems your concerns about fraternization were... prophetic." "I wasn't even thinking about procreation, but I suppose it's..." "the inevitable outcome." "We should consider the fact that it might be necessary for the crew to start having children." "It might take us a long time to get home." "If it does take 75 years, we're going to need a replacement crew in about half that time." "Who'd have thought we'd be considering a generational ship when we were ordered on a three-week mission." "I know, but it's a problem we have to face now." "What would that mean for the children?" "What kind of life would we be giving them?" "Aboard a starship, traveling through a potentially hostile part of space." "And are we equipped to provide for their needs-- child-care, educational facilities." "We'd be building an entire community on board this ship." "That's a massive commitment." "Are you prepared to tell them they can't have children?" "I can't do that." "And I've made it clear to Kes that it's her choice whether to have a child or not, but..." "Mmm." "There aren't any easy answers here... for any of us." "Are you saying that, unless you conceive now, you'll never be able to?" "Yes, and I need you to help me decide, because I would want you to mate with me." "I'm..." "I'm..." "I'm..." "I'm..." "I'm..." "I'm... honored." "But are you entirely certain it would be safe?" "Safe?" "You're so young." "Is it dangerous for you to conceive a child at your age?" "I don't know." "I've never known anyone as young as I am who had a baby." "If you never had a child, would you... be terribly unhappy?" "Yes!" "I-I mean..." "I think so." "I don't know." "I always assumed I'd be a mother someday-- just not so soon." "What about you?" "Didn't you think you'd be a father someday?" "Well, to be honest, uh..." "I've never given it much thought." "Until now, my life has been so... itinerant." "There's no way I could have provided the stability a child would need." "But now it's different, isn't it?" "Well... yes." "But... raising a child on a starship-- that's hardly what I would call the ideal environment." "You don't want a child, do you?" "That's not it at all." "I'm just trying to look at all sides of the issue." "Bringing a child into the world... it's a huge responsibility." "I know you'd want to be sure we're both up to the task." "I-I mean, somebody would have to keep their eye on the little guy all the time, or he'd be off sticking his finger into an EM conduit or playing with the plasma injectors." "That's right-- that's called being a parent." "What about your medical studies?" "You wouldn't be able to continue them if you had a child." "Of course I would!" "You're just making excuses." "All you're thinking about is yourself-- how much trouble a child would be for you." "Look!" "What's that?" "The ipasaphor." "It makes the mating bond possible." "It does?" "If we begin, we must stay bonded for six days." "Six days?" "In order to ensure conception." "And after the ipasaphor appears, we only have 50 hours to begin the process." "So I need to know your answer." "Uh, well, uh... 50 hours." "That's... good." "That's good." "We can sleep on it." "I'll get back to you." "Sorry." "I swear I heard you say lots of pepper sauce." "What is the lunch special today?" "Well, actually, I didn't get around to making a lunch special." "But we have some lovely gabosti stew left over from last night." "Very well, it will do." "I've... had quite a run on it as a matter of fact." "It seems very popular." "If it is all you are serving, that would stand to reason." "You can have it with or without pepper sauce." "Without." "Oh..." "Mr. Tuvok..." "I was wondering." "You have children, don't you?" "I have four." "Four!" "My!" "That's certainly quite a family." "Tell me... what's it like being a father?" "The question is so broad, it is difficult to respond." "Well, I mean, it's a lot of responsibility, isn't it?" "Watching them." "Caring for them." "Keeping them safe." "Giving them an education." "That is certainly true." "Sounds like it's a lot more trouble than it's worth." "Mr. Neelix, I am aware of your situation." "It appears you are in some doubt as to the wisdom of becoming a parent." "It's just all happening so fast!" "I don't know what to think." "I can only tell you that if you have considerable doubts about fatherhood, it would not be wise to enter into the process." "It is so much more overwhelming than one expects that I believe only the most committed should become parents." "Ah..." "That's what I thought." "However, I must point out that, as illogical as it seems, being a father can have infinite rewards-- far more than would seem possible." "My children occupy a significant portion of my thoughts, now more than ever." "I have heard it said that children can bring a lot of joy into one's life." "I experience neither joy nor sorrow, but I do believe it is possible." "Now that I think about it, it might be fun to have a little guy around." "And we could do a lot together." "I've got quite a bit I could teach a boy, you know-- survival methods, piloting skills, romantic techniques." "If you say so." "But I must point out that there is an equal chance that you would have a daughter." "A daughter?" "I don't have anything to teach a daughter." "Why would it be any different from what you would teach a son?" "It just would." "She'd learn more from her mother." "I have three sons and one daughter." "I can assure you, she benefits as much from my presence and guidance as my sons do." "It is unfortunate that I must be so far removed from all of them now." "I understand." "We'll get there, Mr. Vulcan." "I'm sure of it." "Thank you." "You've given me a lot to think about." "We're ready to generate the inverted magnetic pulse, Captain." "Proceed." "lnitiating the field." "It's working." "Are the creatures all right, Commander?" "Yes, Captain, they seem to be fine." "Let's try to keep it that way." "Thrusters at 200 kph, Mr. Paris." "Ease us out of here." "Aye, Captain." "What are they doing?" "Hard to know what's prompting that behavior." "Maybe they think we're making a hostile move." "Report." "I'm reading a massive energy drain in all ship systems." "Impulse engines are losing power." "Captain, some of the life-forms have attached themselves to the warp nacelles." "Guidance, navigational and tactical systems are failing." "How soon will we clear the swarm, Lieutenant?" "In a few seconds." "We're almost out." "Captain, I am detecting a substantial magnetic mass moving rapidly toward the port bow." "It's physiologically similar to the smaller creatures, just a lot bigger." "Perhaps it is the parent." "Or it could be a difference in gender." "It's hard to say without further observation." "With all due respect, Captain, haven't we done enough observing?" "These creatures have attacked the ship's key systems." "For all we know, they were setting us up for an attack." "It's possible." "Mr. Paris, let's keep moving." "If we can put some distance between us and the swarm, maybe the ones on our nacelles will drop off and rejoin their friends." "Aye, Captain." "200 kph." "The larger creature is moving with us." "Now what?" "The creature has emitted an electrically charged plasma stream." "All stop." "Damage report." "No significant damage, Captain." "Shields are holding." "A plasma blast is a hostile move." "Shouldn't we be thinking about responding?" "If the creature threatens serious damage to the ship," "I'll consider it an enemy." "Until then, they're all to be treated as indigenous life-forms behaving normally in their natural habitat." "We're the intruders here." "Captain, look at this." "They're attaching themselves to the large creature the same way they did to us." "And I think I know why." "That plasma stream it ejected has almost the same subspace signature as our warp nacelles." "Then the smaller creatures are attracted to our subspace emissions." "Perhaps in the same way some species are attracted to pheromones." "Pheromones?" "You think it's a sexual attraction?" "Color change and provocative movement are frequently associated with mating rituals." "Then... these guys think we're one of them?" "Well, their behavior toward us and the large creature is similar." "It's possible they've mistaken us for a potential mate." "Yes?" "Well, order the diapers." "We're about to become parents." "You mean, you want to mate with me?" "More than anything." "But you were making excuses." "I didn't think you wanted to be a father." "I just hadn't thought it through." "Now that I have, I swear to you I want to do this." "And I'll be the best possible father to our child." "I know you will." "So... what comes next?" "Before we begin the mating process," "I have to go through a certain ritual called the rolisisin." "What does that involve?" "One of my parents has to massage my feet until my tongue begins to swell." "Uh, where do you plan to find a parent?" "If Captain Janeway weren't so busy I'd ask her, but I'm sure the Doctor would do it." "Will that work?" "Since he's not a real person?" "The Doctor is very real to me." "I don't know how I feel about him massaging your feet." "It's a ritual." "Someone has to do it." "Okay." "Okay, fine." "How long will that take?" "About an hour." "Then I'll be back." "Fascinating." "The stimulation to the sympathetic nerves must set off a hormonal reaction, which activates glandular activity in the tissues of the tongue." "I've never seen this response before." "Although in a species known as the Gree, stimulating follicles on the proboscis results in a swelling of the auricular canal." "Doctor?" "Yes?" "Am I doing the right thing?" "You'll have to tell me." "I know nothing of this ritual." "No, I mean, am I doing the right thing by conceiving a child?" "If I were at home now, my father would be performing the rolisisin with me." "It's the time when parent and child move into a new kind of relationship." "As the child has her own child, the parent must acknowledge her true adulthood." "I see." "My father and I were very close." "He was such a wise man." "I miss him." "Sometimes, I think I hear his voice in my head." "It's almost as though he were here helping to guide me." "I'm sorry." "I must be feeling lonely for home." "It's probably a result of the elogium... but I really would appreciate your advice." "Your help." "I need someone's guidance." "I can discuss delivery methods... or pediatric situations." "I'm afraid I don't have much perspective to offer about becoming a parent." "Neither do I." "As long as Neelix was opposed to the idea, trying to get out of it," "I was certain that I wanted to have a child, but when he said that he wanted one, too, suddenly, I was very frightened." "Perhaps a statistical survey will offer a context." "Among the Breen, pregnancy at a young age is a common event." "The Breen, of course, is one of the most warlike of species." "And then there are the Scathos." "Any woman who conceives a child before her fourth decade is summarily executed." "Maybe I just felt I should have a child because I could." "There is a powerful biological drive, at times, almost impossible to resist." "Species are driven by these urges in order to survive." "But isn't that why we have minds-- to look beyond biological urges, to consider their consequences?" "If I'm going to ask myself to look at those consequences, then I have to ask myself some questions." "Am I really ready to have a child?" "Am I prepared to give that child the attention and devotion it deserves?" "Am I capable of taking on such a huge responsibility?" "Oh, there's so much I haven't done." "There's so much I want to study and learn." "I'm not sure I'm finished growing." "How could I help a child grow?" "If the smaller creatures are sexually attracted to our subspace emissions, then the large one may perceive us as a rival." "That plasma burst it sent out might have been aggressive posturing." "Then you'd think it would be happy to see us leave." "Lieutenant, is there any way we could generate a short burst of impulse?" "Enough to get us away from this swarm?" "I could try releasing power from the impulse capacitance cells straight into the driver coils." "Do it." "All right." "I've accessed the capacitance cells." "I think I can give you enough for a short burst of impulse." "We've got one shot, Captain." "You heard her, Mr. Paris." "Make the best of it." "Aye, Captain." "lnitiating impulse burst... now." "Captain, the creature is reacting." "It is approaching rapidly on a collision course." "Evasive maneuvers, Lieutenant." "We don't have the power for that." "The creature is accelerating." "I'm losing power." "Can't shake him." "All hands brace for impact." "Structural integrity down to 86 percent." "I am beginning to share" "Lieutenant Torres' views, Captain." "Retaliation may become necessary." "It's not my intention to harm the creature." "The feeling definitely isn't mutual." "Mr. Tuvok, launch a class- 4 probe." "Maybe that will distract the creature long enough for us to get away." "Aye, Captain." "Probe launched." "Another plasma burst." "Shields are down to 64 percent." "Looks like the probe just made him angry." "This is an aggressive life-form, Captain." "He's only going to respond to an aggressive stance from us." "Treating the creature as it is treating us might be an appropriate response." "We ram him." "Precisely." "It's probably the response he expects." "Captain, shields are at 47 percent." "Any more of this and the hull will start to buckle." "Mr. Paris, use maneuvering thrusters." "Set a course toward the creature." "Give him a bump to get his attention." "Aye, Captain." "Engaging thrusters." "The creature is not retreating, Captain." "He's just hitting us back harder." "Let's try this." "Detonate a field of photon charges between Voyager and the creature." "Maybe the shock wave will let him know we mean business." "Captain, if I may." "Maybe we're going about this backwards." "Yes, Commander?" "Every aggressive move we make results in a more aggressive move by the creature." "If we're not prepared to use extreme force to destroy him, we need to rethink our actions." "I'm listening." "If we're right that the creature is responding to us as a sexual rival, we might try behaving in a submissive way." "That may appease him." "We'd be acknowledging that he's dominant and that we're no match for him." "How do we do that?" "We tried to move away slowly." "He wouldn't let us leave." "Maybe we need to mimic the behavior of the smaller creatures." "We saw them rolling over and changing color." "If we vent plasma residue, that might make us look blue." "Mr. Paris, do we have enough power to take Voyager into a roll?" "I think so." "All right." "Let's give this a try." "Mr. Kim, start venting plasma residue." "Mr. Paris, roll the ship." "Full power to inertial dampers." "He's not responding at all." "It's not working." "Wait a minute, Captain." "What is it?" "One of the small creatures is detaching from the starboard nacelle." "And another one." "They're all letting go." "It appears we have lost our sex appeal, Captain." "Good piloting, Lieutenant." "Now, let's see if we can move away without any interference." "I can give you enough thruster power to sustain a speed of 100 kph." "Acknowledged." "Good work, Commander." "In the future, if I have any questions about mating behavior," "I'll know where to go." "Can I help?" "No." "Thanks." "Is something wrong?" "No, no, nothing." "You've been very quiet ever since I decided not to conceive." "It was your choice." "I respect that." "Neelix..." "I think you're disappointed." "I think... once I decided to become a father," "I was looking forward to it." "But I'll get over it." "Maybe you won't have to get over it." "Just wait a little longer." "But I thought... this was the only time." "The Doctor believes the elogium was false, brought on by the electrophoretic field that those life-forms created." "So there's a possibility that I might be able to go through it again at the right age." "You mean, we might still be able to have a daughter?" "Or a son." "No." "I've thought about it." "A daughter, definitely-- one who looks just like you." "Captain's Log, Stardate 48921.3." "I continue to wonder about the issue of procreation aboard the ship." "Certainly, it's wrong to interfere with the private lives and decisions of the crew." "Yet I remain concerned about the environment we could provide for any child born here." "Come in." "Yes, Ensign." "What can I do for you?" "I'm sorry to disturb you, Captain, but I thought..." "I thought I should inform you of my physical condition." "Your physical condition?" "Well, we'd been trying for months." "I wasn't even sure until a few days ago." "My husband is still at Deep Space 9." "He doesn't even know." "We were only supposed to be out two or three weeks." "Wildman... are you pregnant?" "I know this isn't the best place to have a baby, but... it's all I have left... of my husband." "Well... congratulations, Ensign." "Voyager to Shuttlecraft Drake." "Prepare for emergency transport." "Mr. Kim, can you hear me?" "We're attempting to lock on to you." "Harry?" "Harry." "Hey, it's time to wake up." "What's wrong?" "Libby..." "Yes?" "This can't be happening." "What's wrong with you?" "Libby, it's really you, isn't it?" "Come on." "You're going to be late." "What?" "You have a meeting-- 0900, remember?" "You've only been obsessing about it for a week." "I don't want Lieutenant Lasca blaming me because you weren't on time for the biggest meeting of your career." "Now, get dressed and I'll make you some breakfast." "Come on." "The eggs are getting cold." "What's with you today?" "The date." "What's the date?" "The date?" "What day is today?" "49011." "So this isn't the past, it's the present." "San Francisco." "This can't be a dream." "It's too... real." "It's too clear." "So what does that leave?" "A holodeck?" "A hallucination?" "Some kind of trick?" "The last thing I remember was piloting a shuttlecraft on my way back to Voyager." "We both have a long day ahead of us." "Could we play this little game another time, please?" "No... you can't be Libby." "It's not possible." "My name is Ensign Harry Kim of the Federation Starship Voyager." "Where am I?" "Is this some sort of simulation?" "That's not funny, Harry, talking about Voyager like that." "The memorial service was only two months ago." "Danny was your best friend." "How could you joke about it?" "Danny..." "Danny Byrd?" "I'm done with this conversation." "Go to work." "I'll see you tonight." "What is going on?" "Harry!" "Coming right up." "Here you go." "Vulcan mocha, extra sweet." "Thanks." "So, today's the big day, huh?" "What do you mean?" "You know, the meeting." "The new ship you're designing." "And don't forget, you promised to bring me a model-- and I'm going to hang it right there in my window, and I'll tell everyone:" ""Harry Kim, he designed that ship." "He came into my shop every morning."" "Look, I know this is going to sound a little funny, but how long have I been coming to this coffee shop?" "How long?" "Well, let's see." "Since you left the Academy." "How long is that?" "Eight... eight months." "Eight months?" "Mm-hmm." "And you've seen me every day?" "Well... not every day." "You like to sleep late on Sunday." "But if I had your fiancée, I'd sleep late, too." "Fiancée?" "!" "We're getting married?" "Ah, yes." "There were many mornings I woke up," "I said the same thing to myself when I was about to be married." "But don't worry, it'll pass." "I don't think you've ever had a morning quite like this one." "Hey, Harry!" "You ready to go?" "Um... where?" "Very funny." "Come on." "We better get moving if we're going to catch the transport to Headquarters." "I..." "I'm not sure I can go." "I'm not feeling very well." "Maybe I should just go home." "Come on, come on." "It's just a case of the jitters." "You'll do just fine." "Relax, Harry." "If all goes well, you'll walk out of this room a Lieutenant." "Let me see that warp coil schematic." "The what?" "The coil diagram... the one with the new plasma flow equations." "I forgot to bring it." "Forgot?" "Harry, we need that diagram to show that we've worked out the dilithium fracture problem." "I'm sorry." "Well, we'll just have to improvise." "Good morning." "I have a meeting at 1100 hours with the head of Starfleet Security." "She doesn't like to be kept waiting." "Let's get this underway." "Lieutenant Lasca?" "Thank you, Admiral." "Ladies and gentlemen, you are looking at the new Runabout Yellowstone." "It's equipped with tetryon plasma warp nacelles and designed for a variety of mission profiles." "Yes, Lieutenant, I've looked over your specifications." "It's an interesting design... but how do you propose to address the dilithium fracture problem?" "Tetryon plasma tends to disrupt subspace." "I'm actually glad you asked that question, sir." "We've been working on the problem for several weeks, and I think you'll see that we have found an answer." "I'd like to introduce you to the engineer who designed these new warp engines." "And, I might add, he is the most promising young engineer to come out of the Academy in a long time." "Ensign Harry Kim." "Harry." "Is there a problem, Ensign?" "Actually, sir, there is." "Come on, Harry, pull it together." "We've been waiting for this for six months." "Ensign, are you ill?" "Yes, sir." "I'm very ill." "I would like to... continue this presentation at a later date." "Well, unfortunately, Ensign," "I'm leaving for a three-week tour of the Cardassian border in a few days." "It will have to wait until after then." "Harry... you better be dying." "Guess I'm pretty good." "Computer, display my service record." ""Graduated Starfleet Academy, Stardate 47918." ""Requested duty on USS Voyager." ""Request... denied." ""Requested transfer to Starfleet Engineering Corps." ""Transfer approved." ""Starship Design Specialist." ""Awarded the Cochrane Medal of Excellence for outstanding advances in warp theory."" "Computer... access Starfleet Science Academy database." "Have there been any temporal anomalies in the space-time continuum reported in the last 48 hours?" "Negative." "No temporal anomalies have been reported." "Computer... has there been any contact with the Starship Voyager since it was lost in the Badlands?" "Information on USS Voyager is classified." "Security clearance level three or above is required to access files." "No problem." "It's my ship, or at least I thought it was." "Security authorization accepted." "Last recorded contact with USS Voyager prior to its disappearance was on Stardate 48307.5." "Access Voyager crew manifest." "Who was the Operations Officer on board?" "Ensign Daniel Byrd." "Danny." "Harry!" "What are you doing back so early?" "Oh... hi." "I wasn't feeling too well, so I decided to come home." "Oh?" "You don't look sick to me." "Coming home for a little visit with Libby, are we?" "Ah, to be young." "Don't worry." "I'll keep your secret." "Thanks." "Listen, I know this is going to sound strange, but I forgot to look at the street number when I left this morning and I don't remember which building I live in." "Could you..." "Tell you where you live?" "You're not playing some kind of a prank on your old pal Cosimo, are you?" "No." "Like I said..." "I haven't been feeling well and... everything's kind of foggy." "Okay, okay, okay." "Well, you live right over there-- fourth floor, apartment 4-G." "Thanks." "Harry... don't look so concerned." "Everything's going to work out." "You have a wonderful job, a beautiful fiancée." "Everything is going to be fine." "Trust me." "Hmm?" "Hello?" "Who's there?" "It's just me, Libby." "Harry?" "Are you okay?" "Yeah." "I'm fine." "You feel a little warm." "God, you're tense." "Why don't you tell me what happened today." "Nothing." "Everything." "I'm not sure what happened." "Harry... forget about work." "Try to relax." "You're home now." "What can I do to help?" "Just... tell me you love me." "I tell you that every day." "Aren't you getting sick of hearing it?" "No." "In fact pretend I haven't heard you say it in a long time." "Pretend that we haven't seen each other for months." "Okay." "I love you, Harry." "Welcome home." "So... if we haven't seen each other for months... where have you been?" "Oh... on a starship, thousands of light years away." "A mission?" "Yeah." "We got a little lost." "Aw." "Sounds lonely." "You can't imagine." "Tell me something..." "Hmm?" "You didn't stop at Risa along the way, did you?" "No... no pleasure planet excursions, I'm afraid." "You thought about me the whole time." "Every day." "Every nanosecond." "Do me a favor." "Hmm?" "Don't ever leave me again." ""Orlando, Parsons, Peterson, Platt, Porter..."" "Wait a minute" " Paris." "Where's Tom Paris?" "Computer, access service record of Starfleet officer Thomas Eugene Paris." ""Convicted of treason." ""Sentenced to 18 months" ""at the New Zealand penal settlement." ""Paroled on Stardate 48702." "Last reported whereabouts:" "Marseilles, France."" "Harry?" "It's 4:00 in the morning." "What are you doing?" "Oh, I couldn't sleep, so I thought I'd catch up on some work." "When are you going to tell me what's going on?" "There's nothing going on, okay?" "You're not a very good liar, Harry." "You've been acting strange all day and I'm not the only one who's worried about you." "Lieutenant Lasca called this afternoon." "He said he's never seen you so agitated." "So don't tell me there's nothing going on." "Libby... it's hard to explain right now, and I do want to tell you, but I need you to trust me." "I do trust you." "I love you." "That's why I'm marrying you." "I would hope you would have the same trust in me." "All right." "This... this is going to sound a little crazy from your perspective, but I am not who you think I am." "Oh?" "All of this-- it's not supposed to be happening." "I don't belong here." "If you're having second thoughts about getting married, why didn't you just say so?" "You don't understand." "What I'm trying to say is..." "I'm from another reality." "Another reality." "That's right." "Harry, you're starting to scare me." "I know." "I'm scared, too." "Maybe you should talk to a Counselor, a neurologist." "There may be something wrong with you." "I will." "But there's someone else I need to see first." "Where are you going?" "Marseilles, France." "What for?" "I've got to see Paris." "But you just said... you were going to Marseilles." "It's a long story." "Trust me." "Okay?" "Okay." "Hey, watch it, will you?" "I'm trying to set up a shot here." "Tom." "Who the hell are you?" "You don't know me, do you?" "Sure." "We were at the Academy together, right?" "No." "Oh." "Well, it must have been the Exeter." "We served on the Exeter together?" "Try Voyager." "Ah..." "Voyager." "Well, sorry to disappoint you, but I never set foot on that ship." "And I can't say that I'm sorry, considering what happened to it." "You know about the mission to the Badlands?" "Oh, yeah." "Captain Janeway asked if I'd help her track down that Maquis ship in exchange for an early release from the penal colony." "But you said no?" "Are you kidding?" "I said yes." "Sounded better than Starfleet Rehab." "Anyway, I got as far as Deep Space Nine, where I got into a bar fight with a Ferengi and I was thrown into the brig by a very unpleasant shape-shifter." "Janeway tried to get me released, but my parole was revoked by Starfleet Command." "Voyager left without me." "That Ferengi, was he trying to sell you Lobi crystals?" "Yeah." "How do you know about that?" "Because I was there-- in my reality anyway." "Tom, I know this is going to sound crazy, but I was on Voyager, and so were you." "You never got into a bar fight with that Ferengi." "You stopped him from selling me Lobi crystals, and you did lead us into the Badlands." "You're right." "That does sound crazy." "Something's happened." "Somehow, reality has been changed-- a temporal anomaly, an alien influence" "I can't explain how." "All I know is that it's true." "I was in a shuttlecraft, heading back to Voyager and then..." "I woke up here, on Earth." "What is it you want?" "Come with me to Starfleet Headquarters." "Help me run a computer simulation of what happened on that shuttle." "You're the best pilot I've ever seen, and if anyone can figure it out, it's you." "God... you... you had me there for a minute." "You really did, but then you blew it." "What are you talking about?" "You're not getting me to set foot inside Starfleet Headquarters." "So you tell whatever Admiral or Captain who sent you that I'm not interested in being another pawn in one of their games." "It's not a game!" "Oh, it isn't?" "Oh, that's a shame." "I like games." "You once told me that you used to treat life like one big game:" "rules, players... winners, losers." "You never took any of it seriously, until you lost." "You know, you're starting to annoy me." "You also told me you were afraid of what would happen to you if you didn't take Captain Janeway up on her offer." "Now I see why." "What do you see..." "Ensign?" "A loser... and a drunk." "I guess, in this reality, that's all you'll ever be." "What's going on?" "Harry, just relax." "Why does everyone say "relax"" "when they're about to do something terrible?" "Starfleet knows what you've been doing." "Which is what, exactly?" "Breaking into classified files, using forged security access codes." "I haven't forged anything." "And I can explain." "That's why we're here." "We're going to take you back to Starfleet Headquarters." "They want to ask you a few questions." "Harry, please-- just go with them." "Tell them what you told me." "Everything will be all right." "I don't think I have a choice at the moment." "I'll see you later." "You claim to have Voyager security protocols because you were an officer on Voyager." "Yes, sir." "Lost in the Delta Quadrant." "Yes, sir." "And Ensign Daniel Byrd-- you say that he's taken your place on that ship?" "Yes, sir." "And this is all because... reality has been changed somehow?" "Yes, sir." "But you don't have a single shred of evidence to back up your claims." "Harry..." "I don't doubt for a minute that you believe you're telling the truth, but we have to consider all the possibilities." "Like what?" "Like you could be delusional, or you could've had your memory centers altered, so that you think what you're saying is the truth, or you could be an alien masquerading as Harry Kim." "That's crazy." "I am Harry Kim." "Check my DNA if you don't believe me." "Run a microcellular scan of my cerebral cortex to see if my memory's been altered." "Everything I'm saying is true." "Mr. Kim, why did you travel to Marseilles, France, this morning?" "I... went to look up an old friend." "You have poor taste in friends." "Thomas Paris is a convicted traitor and a Maquis sympathizer." "Now, what did you talk about with him?" "I tried to tell him what's happened." "I wanted his help." "His help-- to run a shuttle simulation." "Why?" "To figure out how I got here, and how I can get back." "There must be a temporal anomaly somewhere, or..." "You think I'm a spy, don't you?" "You think I'm working for the Maquis." "We're here to find the truth, Ensign, whatever that might be." "That's it." "I'm not answering any more questions until I have legal counsel." "You have that right." "Harry, we want to help you, but try to understand." "What you are telling us doesn't make much sense." "All we know, so far, is that you have been seen talking with a Maquis criminal and you've broken into classified Starfleet records." "Until there is something else-- something concrete-- those are the facts in this case, and you have to admit the facts look pretty bad." "We will be monitoring your movements until further notice." "I believe you know the restrictions-- no off-world travel-- and if you tamper with the anklet," "Security will be immediately alerted, and you will be formally charged." "Do you understand?" "Yes, Admiral." "We'll be spending a lot of time together, Ensign, and I assure you, we will get to the bottom of this." "You're dismissed." "Troubles, Harry?" "You could say that." "Let's have some coffee." "I was sent here to watch you-- to make sure that you were all right." "But now it's clear that you are not." "Who are you?" "We exist in what you would call a temporal inversion fold in the space-time matrix." "It's not necessary to understand." "It only matters that there was an accident." "Your shuttle intersected one of our time-streams and... boom!" "A few things were altered as the result of the accident." "History and events were scrambled a bit and you ended up here." "Well, you've got to get me back." "Ah... we don't know how." "What?" "We only know that an accident occurred." "We don't know how or why." "Well, that's not good enough." "There's got to be something we can do." "Where is this time-stream of yours?" "Maybe I can use it to get back." "Mm... the time-stream weaves through the galaxy like a thread." "I could show you how to find it, and you could try to recreate the conditions that existed before the accident and fly back into it, but there's no guarantee what will happen to you if you do." "What do you mean?" "Well, you may be able to change reality again, but there's no way to predict how it would change." "You could end up at any point in the space-time continuum." "You might return to your original reality, or you might find yourself a billion years in the future, or at some time before sentient life even existed on your planet." "I guess I'll have to take that chance because somehow I have to get back." "Are you so sure?" "This is a pretty good place for you, Harry." "You have a wonderful job with Starfleet, a beautiful woman who loves you." "Why be so quick to turn your back on all this?" "Maybe this is your, uh... fate?" "Isn't that the word your people use?" "That thing which was meant to be?" "Hmm?" "Seems to me you're actually a very lucky man." "What about Danny Byrd?" "He isn't so lucky." "And Tom Paris?" "Fate wasn't so kind to him." "No." "It isn't supposed to be this way." "I'm supposed to be on Voyager in the Delta Quadrant, and that's where I have to go." "Very well." "This will tell you where the time-stream intersects this region of space." "That's as much as I can do for you." "Thanks." "Good luck, Harry Kim of Voyager." "You're going to need it." "Unless, of course, you decide to stay." "In which case, I'll see you in the morning, same time" "Vulcan mocha, extra sweet." "Libby..." "I didn't hear you come in." "Obviously." "You're in enough trouble as it is." "What do you want them to do, put you in prison?" "No..." "I'm just trying to get back to where I belong." "Where you belong." "You used to say you belonged here with me." "But I guess everything's changed, hasn't it?" "Look..." "I know the last few days must've been pretty tough on you..." "Do you?" "!" "Do you really know what it's like when the person you love suddenly changes?" "It's still me-- the guy who was in your seat at the Ktarian music festival." "The guy who took three weeks to work up the courage to ask you out." "The guy who still wakes up in the middle of the night and says your name out loud, hoping you'll answer back." "But if you're really Harry, you wouldn't be trying so hard to get away from me." "I'm not trying to get away from you." "I love you." "And I promise you" "I want to stay here more than anything." "But I can't." "I don't understand." "I don't understand any of this." "I don't think anybody knows me as well as you do." "So you, of all people, should know that once I've made up my mind about something," "I can't let it go." "In some ways... it'd be a lot easier to forget about Voyager, just settle in here and build a life... but that wouldn't be me." "You wouldn't be getting the Harry Kim you fell in love with." "Does that make any sense?" "The tampering alarm." "Security will be here any second." "I better go." "I promise you, I'm going to try to get back." "It may take awhile, and I may not make it, but I swear I will try." "Sorry." "Hold it!" "Get up!" "Excuse me." "There goes my bank shot." "What are you doing here?" "Helping out a friend." "Let's go." "So how did you find me?" "I still have a few friends at Starfleet." "They told me you were in some serious trouble." "Yeah." "Starfleet thinks I'm a Maquis spy." "I know the feeling." "Those security anklets really chafe, don't they?" "You're the last person I expected to help me." "Let's just say it's been a long time since anybody gave a damn about my future, including me." "I don't know if I'm supposed to be on Voyager like you've told me, but it sounds a whole lot better than the life I have here." "I'm willing to take my chances, Ensign." "Call me Harry." "You always did." "Won't be long before they find us." "We better keep moving." "Wait, I found a way to get back to my reality." "The problem is I'll need a ship to do it." "I think I have access to a runabout, but I'm going to have to break it out of Spacedock." "Sounds to me like you need a pilot." "Know anyone who's qualified?" "I know someone who used to be pretty good, and if I'm not mistaken, he still knows a few tricks." "I have an office at Starfleet Headquarters." "I think we can access the runabout launch codes from there." "Site-to-site transporter." "With friends like mine, you never know when it'll come in handy." "Where's your office?" "Main complex, Level 6, Subsection 47." "I can beam us in, but we'll only have a few minutes before Security starts kicking down the door." "Let's do it." "So, Harry, once we're on board the runabout, what's the plan?" "The alien said that if I recreate the conditions of the accident and fly into the time-stream, there's a chance I might be able to get back into my reality." "Might?" "He couldn't give me any guarantees." "Security's just been alerted to an unauthorized transport in the building." "It'll take them another 20 seconds to track it to this office." "How are you coming?" "Almost there." "I've bypassed the runabout security lock-outs." "They're onto us." "We've got to go." "Hold on." "I've almost got it." "Now!" "Overriding initialization codes." "Main power coming on line." "Let's get those engines going." "Powering up main fusion reactor." "Intruder alert." "Unauthorized launch in progress." "The space door is closing." "Warp core and main propulsion are on line." "Releasing docking clamps, moorings cleared." "Here we go." "We're clear." "I'm entering the coordinates of the time-stream into the main computer." "Adjusting course to match." "Going to full impulse." "We've got a starship on our tail" " Nebula-class." "I'll try to lose them, Harry, but they're a lot faster than we are." "Attention Runabout Yellowstone." "Power down your engines or we will open fire." "They're going to try to do everything they can to stop us." "They think we're trying to steal this prototype." "They're closing to 5,000 kilometers." "Shields down to 70 percent!" "50 percent!" "29 percent!" "I thought you said this ship was new and improved!" "It is." "But it looks like they haven't finished working on the defensive systems." "In fact, some of the safety interlocks aren't even in place." "A few more of those hits and I don't..." "We're losing antimatter containment." "Attempting to stabilize the field." "We're approaching the coordinates of the time-stream." "The containment field is weakening." "We could be looking at a core breach." "The ship's closing to 3,000 kilometers." "If we can't shake them off, maybe we can slow them down a little." "This runabout is equipped with tetryon plasma warp nacelles." "So?" "Tetryon plasma emits multiflux gamma radiation." "It disrupts subspace." "We could vent the warp plasma." "The second they hit the plasma cloud, their engines would stall, give us a few seconds of breathing room." "Exactly." "Unlocking the warp drive manifold." "Venting drive plasma." "Any second..." "They've dropped to one-tenth impulse." "Our containment field's at critical." "We'd better hurry." "All right, let's recreate my shuttle accident." "I think I was traveling at 140,000 kph." "You think?" "Look, that was another lifetime." "I'm doing the best I can." "Increasing speed to 140,000 kph." "Now, I also remember running a polaron scan." "The scanning beam was sweeping at a radius of half a million kilometers." "No, wait..." "a quarter million." "Activating polaron scan." "That should do it." "Approaching coordinates." "Impact in four... three... two..." "Did we miss it?" "We passed through the coordinates, but the runabout was unaffected." "The starship has repowered its engines." "They'll be here in under a minute." "I have to get into that time-stream." "Wait a minute." "I'm forgetting something." "The emergency transport." "The last thing I remember hearing was Captain Janeway's com voice." "She said she was trying to beam me off the shuttle." "That's it." "I've got to beam off the ship." "Are you crazy?" "We have to recreate all the conditions of the accident, including that one." "We just lost antimatter containment." "25 seconds to core breach." "I've locked onto the time-stream." "Get on the transporter pad." "Not yet." "The core's breaching." "We've got to shut it down first." "There's no time!" "That ship'll be here in another 30 seconds!" "In 15 seconds, this ship is going to explode." "You'll be killed." "Look!" "If you're right, then things will be changed back to the way they're supposed to be, and you'll find me back on Voyager." "And if I'm wrong, if this doesn't work, you'll be blown up right here." "Go!" "Voyager to Shuttlecraft Drake." "Prepare for emergency transport." "Mr. Kim, can you hear me?" "We're attempting to lock onto you." "Harry?" "Kim here, Captain." "Harry, we need you to drop your shields." "Stand by." "Shields down, Captain." "Lieutenant." "The anomaly is sending out heavy subspace distortions." "I can't get a positive lock on him." "The hull is starting to buckle under the stress." "He won't survive much longer." "Tuvok, can you boost the transporter signal?" "Negative." "The signal is at maximum gain." "Ten seconds to hull breach." "He's just out of reach." "B'Elanna, can you tie the transporter directly into the main deflector dish." "Use it to extend the signal." "I'll try." "Hull breach in progress." "We've got him, Captain." "Mr. Chakotay, analyze the sensor logs." "I want to know what happened out there." "Aye, Captain." "Voyager to Transporter Room 2." "Are you all right, Mr. Kim?" "I think so, Captain." "Is Lieutenant Paris there?" "Yes, he's here." "Why?" "It's a long story." "I look forward to hearing it." "I'll be in my ready room." "We think your shuttlecraft was caught in some kind of temporal anomaly." "A time-stream?" "Yes, you could call it that." "I've already been briefed, Commander." "Welcome back." "Kind of a rough ride, huh?" "What is it, Harry?" "I owe you one." "Hello?" "Anybody here?" "Neelix?" "Surprise!" "Surprise!" "Happy birthday, my sweet." "Happy birthday, Kes." "Imagine." "Two years old today." "If you ask me, you don't look a day over one." "Why was everyone hiding?" "Oh, it's an old earth custom called a surprise party." "Sorry if we startled you." "No, I liked it." "It was very exhilarating." "Now, how about a glass of my special birthday punch?" "Garçon?" "On the rocks or straight up?" "Doctor, I'm so glad you're here." "My new bartender." "Handsome, isn't he?" "I'm here in an official capacity, of course-- in case of a medical emergency." "Emergency?" "Surprises have been known to cause acute hyperventilation, esophageal spasms and in extreme cases, even coronary arrest." "One can never be too careful." "No." "I've completed the sensor diagnostic, Lieutenant." "All systems are fully operational." "Very good, Ensign." "And I've recalibrated the accelerometer relays." "Acknowledged." "Is there anything else I can do for you, sir?" "I presume this notable impatience is due to your desire to attend the festivities in Holodeck 2." "Yes, sir." "May I remind you that your duty shift does not officially terminate for another 34 minutes." "However, I believe the holodeck power conduits would benefit from a routine inspection." "Yes, sir, I'll get right on it." "All stop." "Mr. Kim." "What is that?" "Magnify." "I'm afraid that holodeck inspection will have to wait, Ensign." "Wait till you taste this cake." "Seven layers of Jimbalian fudge, and the icing is made from pureed I'maki nuts" "Kes' favorite." "Now make a wish and blow out the candles." "Well, what do I wish for?" "Anything your petite coeur desires, ma chérie, and with a figure like hers, she'll probably get it, too." "Okay, I wish for..." "Don't tell us." "The wish has to be a secret if it's going to come true." "Yay!" "I hate to interrupt this tender little moment, Tommy boy, but don't you think it's about time we shot a rack?" "In a minute." "Birthday gifts are also an Earth tradition." "Oh, thank you, Tom." "You didn't have to." "Hey, who am I to fly in the face of tradition?" "Tom, it's beautiful." "It must have cost you a week's worth of replicator rations." "Two weeks, actually, but who's counting?" "I'm just glad you like it." "May I?" "Oh." "It's lovely." "You see, it's a locket." "You put little photographs in here." "It keeps the people you love close to your heart." "Thank you." "Did you see that?" "See what?" "He... he... he did a lovely wrapping job, don't you think?" "Bridge to Janeway." "Go ahead, Lieutenant." "Captain, we've encountered an unusual phenomenon... phenomenon... phenomenon... phenomenon..." "phenomenon... phenomenon... phenomenon..." "phenomenon... phenomenon..." "Phenomenon... phenomenon..." "What is going on, Lieutenant?" "It might simply be a localized malfunction, but I've never heard anything like it." "My guess is..." "It's a problem with the com system itself." "Janeway to Bridge." "Get down to Engineering and run a diagnostic." "I'm afraid we're going to have to cut your party short, Kes." "Stations, everyone." "Let's move." "But-but... what about the Jimbalian fudge cake?" "Save me a slice, won't you?" "These readings indicate the space ahead of us is literally changing shape." "A best guess is it's some type of spatial distortion wave." "Is the anomaly responsible for the com system malfunction?" "I think so." "It's generating intense pulses of EM radiation, and if we don't it's going to intercept us in less than ten minutes." "Acknowledged." "Full reverse, Ensign." "Aye, sir." "We can't go backwards, either, Mr. Tuvok." "The distortion has completely surrounded us, like a ring." "If we cannot go around it, then we will have to go through it." "There's no telling what that would do to the ship." "From what you have told me, Ensign, the distortion ring will make contact with us momentarily whether we attempt to pass through it or not." "I prefer to minimize the amount of time that contact lasts." "Shields at maximum." "Warp 3." "Engage." "The distortion ring has collapsed the warp field." "Engines are off-line." "Find the Captain and inform her of our status." "Yes, sir." "Ensign Kim, I've been trying to report a problem in the gym, but the com system seems to be down." "We've encountered a spatial distortion." "It's knocked out several systems." "Maybe that explains why the gym got so cold." "Cold?" "Well, I didn't notice it at first," "I was working out so hard." "Then I realized it was under 10 degrees C." "The environmental controls didn't respond to my commands and neither did the com system." "Engines are off-line, too." "I'm looking for the Captain to let her know what's going on." "Should I report to my duty station?" "Might not be a bad idea." "Until we find out exactly what's going on, everybody should be on standby." "I'll round up my security team." "The first thing I want to do when we get to the Bridge is establish a remote com link to Engineering." "I want to know exactly what's going on." "Aye, Captain." "Where are we?" "Deck 4." "If the com system's malfunctioning, the computer could be misreading our voice commands." "That might explain why it took us here instead of the Bridge." "We'd better try setting the controls manually." "Did you enjoy your first surprise party, sweeting?" "It was wonderful." "Thank you." "I thought you'd like it-- the cake, the presents." "What was your favorite part?" "I suppose what I liked best was that all my friends were there." "Ah, that was nice, wasn't it?" "And don't forget that beautiful necklace" "Tom Paris gave you." "Do you really like it?" "Oh, why wouldn't I like it?" "Paris obviously has excellent taste." "I was afraid you might be a little jealous." "Who, me?" "Oh, don't be silly." "Are you sure?" "You, my dearest, have seen the last of that green-eyed pus hog called jealousy." "I'm glad." "Of course, Paris did replicate that locket, whereas I baked the Jimbalian fudge cake from scratch." "These aren't my quarters." "Did we take a wrong turn somewhere?" "I was just following you." "Is everything all right, Lieutenant?" "This isn't Engineering." "And have someone take a look at the turbolift voice receptors, Commander." "Aye, Captain." "This is Engineering." "What's going on here?" "Looks like we're dealing with more than just a com system malfunction." "Computer, Bridge." "Baxter, what are you doing here?" "I wish I knew." "I'm trying to get to the cargo bay." "And I'm trying to get to Engineering." "I can't find the cargo bay, and I can't find my security team." "I've been wandering around for about ten minutes." "Well, at least I know I'm not crazy... unless we both are." "No." "Something very strange is going on." "Ensign Kim said we had encountered a spatial distortion." "Did he say what kind?" "No, and he went to find the Captain." "The Captain is on her way to the Bridge, but if she's having the same trouble we are," "who knows if she can get there." "Yeah." "I'm going to keep trying to get to Engineering." "Good luck." "The holodeck again." "Aha!" "This is infuriating." "Ah, stop playing games, mon chéri." "I know why you keep coming back to work even though your bartending shift is over." "It's to see me, of course." "How many times do I have to tell you, madam?" "Oh!" "I am a doctor, not a bartender." "Of course, you are." "Doc?" "Ensign Kim." "I was just, uh..." "Playing doctor." "Hi." "Hi." "The Captain and the others went to investigate the phenomenon Mr. Tuvok reported." "So all of you heard his report before the com system failed?" "Only a fraction of it." "Well, I'm sure Tuvok's filled them in with the rest by now." "What are you still doing on the holodeck, besides playing doctor, that is?" "For your information, I have been attempting to transfer myself back to Sick Bay, but each time I try, I reappear here." "That's strange." "Not to mention extremely irritating." "I can't seem to shut down Mr. Paris' holo-program either." "Computer, end holodeck program Paris 3." "Computer, arch." "Either the holo-emitters are malfunctioning, or the computer's not accepting voice commands." "I'm sorry, Doctor," "I don't have time to help you right now." "Wait just a minute." "Hmm?" "Where do you think you're going?" "I've got to get back to the Bridge." "We're in the middle of a crisis." "All the more reason I should be back in Sick Bay." "I'm sure that the Captain and the others will be able to do without you for a few more minutes." "I guess you're right." "I'll have a look at the holo-controls." "Kyoto's quarters." "Nicoletti." "Hargrove." "Ayala." "None of those are anywhere near my quarters." "This is Deck 8." "That's where your quarters are." "But Hargrove and Ayala are on Deck 7." "Nicoletti is on 4, and I think Kyoto is on 6." "How do you know where everyone's quarters are?" "I just remember." "Remember from what?" "Have you been in all their quarters?" "Of course not." "The point is, those quarters can't all be on the same deck." "Well, see for yourself." "This can't be." "Perhaps, sweeting, your memory isn't as reliable as you think." "This is impossible." "I know Hargrove is on 7." "Why Hargrove?" "What?" "Why are you so sure about Hargrove's quarters?" "What makes him... so special?" "He's not special." "I just remember where his quarters are." "This way." "It has to be this way." "Harry." "B'Elanna, shouldn't you be in Engineering?" "What are you doing here?" "Just answer one question, Starfleet." "Where is here?" "What?" "!" "Where am I?" "Outside Holodeck 2." "Are you feeling okay?" "I have been walking in circles for the past 20 minutes trying to get to Engineering." "Kes, my sweet, you have many wonderful attributes." "Your sense of direction is not one of them." "I..." "Oh, uh, Harry, B'Elanna, maybe you can help us." "I know you'll find this hard to believe, but we can't seem to find Kes' quarters." "I don't suppose anyone here knows the way to the Bridge?" "Let me get this straight-- this distortion ring has completely immobilized us." "We have no means of communication with the Bridge or any other part of the ship, and no matter where any of us have tried to go-- the Bridge, Engineering, Kes' quarters-- we've all eventually ended up here." "Right back at Deck 6." "The Bridge is on Deck 1." "Engineering is on Deck 11." "Deck 6 is halfway in between, right?" "So?" "So, if we're being surrounded by this ring, maybe it's pushing us all to the center of the ship." "But it's not just that we're being led back here." "I mean, rooms are in the wrong place." "Is it possible that this distortion ring is somehow changing the layout of the ship?" "There is another possibility." "Exposure to some types of EM radiation has been known to cause hallucinations." "Perhaps it's not the ship that's undergone changes but rather your perception of it." "Unfortunately, without my medical equipment to analyze your optic nerves, there's no way to tell." "We'll never figure it out sitting here." "We need more information about this phenomenon-- sensor readings, computer analyses." "We have to find a way back to the Bridge." "If we can't get back on foot or on the turbolift, maybe we can rig a site-to-site transport-- beam ourselves to the Bridge." "We'd have to get to a transporter room first." "Or to Engineering." "Wherever that is." "When we tried to go to the Bridge, one of the places the turbolift took us was Engineering." "Maybe if we repeat our steps, it'll take us back there." "It's worth a shot." "Lieutenant Paris, you're with Torres." "Maybe we can get to the Bridge through a Jefferies tube." "If I remember my ship specs correctly, there should be an emergency access conduit which leads directly from this deck to Deck 1, right behind the Bridge." "I'd like to keep trying to get to the Bridge on foot." "If the ship has been reconfigured somehow, I can get a deck-by-deck picture of what it looks like as I go." "What's going to keep you from getting lost?" "I'll get a tricorder from the storage locker, rig it to emit a photoplasmic trail." "Right." "We should all get tricorders." "Set them on active scan, gather as much information as we can about what's happening to the ship." "May I request that Kes be allowed to stay here with me?" "Besides helping stave off the predatory advances of that... woman, she may be able to help me find a way to transfer myself back to Sick Bay." "And, uh, I'll assist Commander Chakotay, Captain." "As you may have heard, my tracking skills are legendary throughout the quadrant." "That all right with you, Commander?" "Mr. Kim, I'm with you." "Let's do it." "Be careful." "Are you sure this is how you got there before?" "Relax, will you?" "So far, we're right on schedule." "The next stop should be Voila." "Engineering." "Finally." "Let's get to work." "We've got an emergency situation on board ship." "I don't have time to go into details, but you're all to remain at your posts until otherwise notified, whether or not your duty shifts are over." "Ensign, prepare to configure transporter systems for a site-to-site transport." "I've got to reset the pattern buffer controls." "In the meantime, why don't you check the targeting scanners?" "Crewman... there's a-an emergency situation aboard ship." "Just..." "stay right where you are." "That's an order." "I think you handled that very well, Lieutenant." "Commander, I would imagine you've had some experience with women." "Some." "Oh, come now!" "Ha!" "A... a... a handsome man like you." "I bet women find you irresistible." "Neelix, what's this about?" "Uh... um... uh... have you... uh... have you... ever been jealous?" "Of course." "You have?" "I imagine most people who have been in love have been jealous at one time or another." "I see!" "I-It's a perfectly normal response." "Then why..." "why is it so unpleasant?" "Jealousy's about the fear of losing someone we love." "There's no pain greater than that." "Neelix... are you afraid you're going to lose Kes to someone?" "No." "I mean, I-I-I don't think so." "At least, I certainly hope not." "I-I..." "I just can't seem to stop these awful feelings." "Nothing makes us more vulnerable than when we love someone." "We can be hurt very easily." "But I've always believed that what you get when you love someone is greater than what you risk." "Commander, am I ever glad to see you." "Do you have any idea what's going on?" "Not exactly." "Well, I feel like I've been wandering around for hours." "I can't find the cargo bay." "Have you seen anyone else?" "Any more of the crew?" "Some people roaming around like me." "A couple of times I wound up in the Mess Hall." "There were quite a few people there." "I suggest you make your way back." "Tell everyone you run into to come with you, and all of you stay put in the Mess Hall." "When we figure out what's going on, we'll let you know." "Aye, Commander." "Gentlemen." "Tuvok, what are you doing here?" "That is an interesting question, Commander." "I am not certain how I arrived at this location." "You're lost, too." "Indeed." "When I received no word from you or the Captain," "I left Lieutenant Ayala in command and came to look for you myself." "Can you lead us back to the Bridge?" "I do not believe so." "When I first realized I was lost," "I attempted to retrace my steps, only to find myself here." "None of us has been able to reach the Bridge." "In fact, Neelix and I can't seem to get off Deck 6." "Strange." "I thought we were on Deck 3." "What was our status when you left the Bridge?" "The ring has penetrated our shields and is now in direct contact with the hull." "Then maybe it is possible the distortions are somehow reconfiguring the ship." "As improbable as it sounds, that would appear to be the case." "Neelix, let's go." "Neelix." "I don't understand it." "We should have found the hatch to the Bridge ten minutes ago." "I feel like we're crawling in circles." "But we haven't-- at least not according to this tricorder." "Odd!" "What is it?" "A very faint electromagnetic reading." "Now it's gone." "There it is from another direction." "Yeah, I'm getting it, too." "It comes and goes." "Jumps from place to place." "Could it be evidence of the ship's reconfiguration?" "Possibly." "We'll have to compare this data with readings the others get." "Harry?" "Yes, ma'am?" "I just want you to know... you've been one of the bright spots of this whole mission." "You've exceeded any expectations I might have had of you." "Thank you, Captain." "I..." "I appreciate that." "Wait a minute." "Down there." "I think that's the conduit leading to the Bridge." "Good work." "Maybe now we'll get some answers." "That's the hatch, Captain." "This should let us out in the cargo hold directly behind the Bridge." "It's not working." "We'd better try it manually." "It's stuck." "Oh!" "Oh..." "Captain!" "I... c-can't... get my arm out." "Oh!" "Oh..." "Oh..." "I think I'm okay." "I'm reading an intense electromagnetic charge on the other side of that hatch." "That must have been what was pulling you in." "It's as if everything on the other side is in a state of structural flux-- the walls, the atmosphere..." "And the sequence of those fluctuations matches the readings from the distortion ring." "This phenomenon isn't just occurring in space." "It's definitely inside the ship as well." "We're going to have to regroup and come up with a plan for combating this thing." "Captain, what's wrong?" "I don't know." "Oh..." "Oh, my eyes..." "Captain?" "Captain!" "Come on, pal, one lousy game." "I'll spot you six balls." "I'm not programmed to play games." "If he won't play pool with you, and he won't make love to me, then as far as I'm concerned, he can mop the floor." "You see these hands?" "These are surgeon's hands, created by the most sophisticated computer imaging technology available." "They do not play games, and they do not mop floors!" "Then you are fired." "I will find a new bartender." "I really wish you would." "Doctor..." "Please tell me you've had some success in reinitializing the holo-emitters." "I did exactly what you told me, but it didn't work." "Of course not." "I'm starting to get worried about Neelix." "What's taking them so long?" "Ah, trust me, chérie." "You are better off without him." "All men are alike." "In the end, they always break your heart." "Can I get some help here?" "What happened to her?" "She came into contact with the spatial distortions in the Jefferies tube." "She seemed fine for a couple minutes, but then she started to fade in and out of consciousness." "I believe we should go this way, Commander." "Wh-What makes you say that?" "If we are indeed trapped in some sort of labyrinth, then the logical course is to systematically eliminate all routes which do not lead us to our desired destination." "The route that remains will be the correct one." "Since we have been making a series of right turns, we should continue to do so until we are certain this path is not the proper one." "There's a flaw in your logic." "How so, Commander?" "You're assuming there's a logical pattern to this maze we're caught in, but so far I haven't seen any evidence of that." "Even within chaotic systems, there is a pattern of limited predictability." "By the time we figure that pattern out, these distortions may have completely overrun the ship." "That is a possibility." "The important thing is for at least one of us to make it back to the Bridge." "So why don't you go your way, and I'll go mine." "That way, we'll increase the chances that one of us will be successful." "As you wish, Commander." "Tell me something, Tuvok." "What does your logic tell you about navigating a maze that's constantly changing shape?" "Scanners check out." "Then we're ready to give it a try." "Activate the auxiliary pattern buffers." "Pattern buffers activated." "Targeting the Bridge coordinates." "Scanners locked." "Energize." "Would you mind moving your foot, Tommy boy?" "It's blocking my shot." "Tell me you already made it to the Bridge, and you've come back here to give us a status report." "We locked on to the Bridge coordinates, but this is where we ended up." "None of you had any luck either?" "Not only has no one been able to reach the Bridge, but the Captain came into contact with the spatial distortion and is now unconscious." "That's not all." "We lost Neelix, too." "Lost him?" "He turned a corner, and he was just gone." "We think the spatial distortions are continuously changing the configuration of the corridors." "Kes must be worried sick." "And it isn't just Neelix who's missing." "Where's the rest of the crew?" "It is likely that they, too, are trapped in other parts of the ship, cut off from communication and unable to find their way out." "So, what do we do now?" "This wave is obviously causing some kind of radical reconfiguration of the ship." "We've got to try to reverse it." "If not, we may never be able to get to the Bridge." "How are we supposed to reverse something we don't understand?" "No matter where we go, we end up here." "Corridors are realigning, rooms are in the wrong place..." "What's the pattern?" "We would certainly benefit from having an accurate picture of what the ship currently looks like." "That way we would have a better chance of getting where we want to go." "Maybe we could make a map." "Ensign?" "One good thing about all the wandering we've been doing is that we've been collecting a lot of tricorder data about the structural changes that have been taking place." "And if we fed all that information into the central database, the computer might be able to extrapolate a schematic of the ship as it's configured now." "What are we waiting for?" "The computer has analyzed all our tricorder data, so this ought to be pretty close to what it looks like now." "It's as if the entire ship is being compressed and twisted." "My guess is, it's more than just a distortion ring." "It looks like some sort of spatial implosion that's slowly crushing us." "Look-- this part of the ship seems unaffected." "That's Deck 6, where we are." "Correct, Ensign." "However, the area we are occupying will not remain unaffected indefinitely." "How long?" "Based on the rate of implosion thus far," "I estimate the ring will crush Deck 6 in approximately 68 minutes." "Is this implosion ring some kind of weapon?" "Are we under attack?" "Who'd want to attack us and why?" "There is no clear evidence of an intelligence behind the phenomenon." "It is still possible we are dealing with a naturally occurring anomaly which does not conform to the known laws of physics." "Don't you think it's a little late to be speculating on who or what this thing is?" "The important thing now is that we find out some way of stopping it." "B'Elanna's right." "It seems to me we've got two options:" "one, we find a way to get ourselves out of this implosion ring, or two, we find some way of reversing it." "Invert the effect." "Turn the implosion into an explosion." "Exactly." "If I can get back to Engineering," "I may be able to generate a shock pulse strong enough to do just that." "Of course I'd have to raise the pressure in the warp core to near-critical." "A shock pulse of that magnitude would create a subatomic particle shower all over the ship." "Which could set off a chain reaction that would cause not only the ring to explode outward but Voyager along with it." "Not if I can precisely tune the shock pulse to the distortion frequency of the ring." "That will be exceptionally difficult." "If we don't give this a try, we're going to get crushed anyway." "Personally, I'd rather go down fighting." "I must remind you that with the com system down, we will have no effective means of alerting the rest of the crew to a potentially lethal particle shower." "Do you have another suggestion, Mr. Tuvok?" "I believe it would be safer to attempt to access the navigational array and from there engage thrusters to steer us out of the ring." "Can't we try both?" "It's much too dangerous to have someone working at the navigational array during a shock pulse." "Besides, this ship is so contorted, there's no reason to expect we'd have any navigational control." "All right, B'Elanna, let's give your plan a shot." "You..." "Commander Chakotay." "Yes, Lieutenant?" "I feel compelled to point out that in my many years of experience as Captain Janeway's technical officer, she often demonstrated a tendency to follow..." "In case you hadn't noticed," "Captain Janeway's not in any condition to make decisions." "I'm in command." "Is that understood?" "Yes, sir." "Good." "B'Elanna, you and Harry get down to Engineering." "Evacuate whoever's on duty." "Then initiate the warp pulse." "Move it." "Dilithium matrix stable." "Matter/antimatter reactor is at 80 percent of critical." "Let's keep it that way!" "Warp core pressure is at 36 megapascals and rising." "When it reaches 53, it'll trigger the shock pulse." "We should get out of here by the time it hits 50!" "Acknowledged." "Pressure at 41 megapascals and rising." "I'm reading a micro-fracture in the dilithium matrix." "Attempting to compensate." "Fracture sealed." "44 megapascals!" "They're heating up the warp core." "They must be close to initiating the shock burst." "Everybody, take cover." "47, 48, 49!" "Let's move!" "Well, in spite of Tuvok's dire predictions, we haven't blown the ship to pieces, have we?" "No, and radiation levels are within acceptable tolerance." "Good." "Let's get in there and see if we had any luck dispersing this implosion ring." "Hold it." "What?" "I'm reading a massive distortion behind the door." "I don't think it's just behind the door." "The ring's completely engulfed Engineering." "Can I talk to her?" "I can't guarantee she'll hear you or be able to understand you if she does." "Captain." "Talk... can't." "What's wrong with her?" "It's possible the spatial distortions have damaged her speech center." "But without my equipment, I can't analyze her neural pathways." "Chakotay, it didn't work." "Instead of forcing the implosion outward, the pulse is drawing it in at a faster rate." "You're saying it made things worse?" "I don't think we have more than a few minutes." "Paris, we have to get to the navigational array and give Tuvok's plan a try." "I'm afraid there's no longer time for that." "Why not?" "We're not going anywhere." "Do you really think it's possible to project a stable holographic force field?" "We've tried everything else." "Ready?" "Here we go." "The distortion is unaffected by the force field." "We've got to figure out a way to generate a stable field." "B'Elanna, this ring has passed through the shields, crushed the hull, twisted the ship." "We'll never get enough power from the holo-emitters to stop it." "What are you saying, we're out of options?" "Perhaps not." "So far we have been unsuccessful in all our attempts to either explain or combat this phenomenon, and according to my calculations, the space we are currently occupying will implode in approximately three minutes, 17 seconds." "You said there was another option." "We do nothing." "Excuse me?" "Are you suggesting we just let it crush us?" "Precisely." "I can't believe I'm hearing this from you." "I agree-- it sounds completely illogical." "On the contrary." "When every logical course of action is exhausted, the option that remains is inaction." "So we're just supposed to sit here and let this thing kill us?" "!" "I must point out that at least one attempt we made to reverse the effect-- the shock pulse-- only made our predicament worse." "If we continue desperately improvising solutions, our own efforts may ultimately kill us." "On the other hand, there is no definitive evidence to suggest that doing nothing will result in death." "It's... talking... to... me!" "Do nothing." "Captain, please lie down." "What about the Captain?" "She's dying." "We do not know that." "At the moment, she is merely delirious." "Chakotay, you're in charge here." "Don't you agree we've got to keep trying?" "Whatever this thing is, B'Elanna, it's bigger and more powerful than we are." "Maybe... maybe this is one bear we can't wrestle to the ground." "Maybe like Tuvok says, there's nothing we can do but let it happen and hope for the best." "Fine." "Fine, Chakotay." "Have it your way." "Commander Chakotay." "Yes, Mr. Tuvok?" "I want to thank you for endorsing my recommendation." "You know, Tuvok, I may not get another chance to say this." "Sometimes I find you arrogant and irritating, but you're a hell of an officer." "Thank you, sir, and since we are speaking candidly, may I say, sir, that I have not always been particularly partial to your methods either." "I suppose it must have been tough for you to accept my being elevated to First Officer over you." "I have always respected Captain Janeway's decisions." "However, I suppose that particular decision did put me in a position I am unaccustomed to." "If that ever caused me to make things more difficult for you," "I must apologize." "Can I ask you a question?" "Fire away, Harry." "Are you afraid?" "I chose this life, and I guess I always knew it could come to this... but, yeah, I'm afraid." "Me, too." "I'm so worried about Neelix." "I should be with him." "As much as he may..." "annoy me at times," "Mr. Neelix is one of the most resourceful and resilient individuals I know." "If anyone can survive this calamity, he can." "Hi." "Hi." "What are you doing?" "I'm trying to contact my spirit guide." "Why?" "Who knows what's going to happen when that ring hits us?" "We might be in for another long journey." "I guess I could use a little spiritual guidance myself right now." "You mind if I join you?" "I thought you'd never ask." "Captain?" "I'm all right." "You were delirious." "It was... some sort of message." "What was?" "The spatial distortion." "It was... trying to communicate with us." "I want a full systems report, and Mr. Kim, Mr. Tuvok, I want every iota of information that was recorded regarding that phenomenon." "The distortion ring is directly ahead, Captain." "It's moving away from us at 2,000 kph." "We've got a full crew complement, Captain." "No injuries reported." "No damage to the hull or ship's systems." "Incredible." "You're not going to believe this, Captain, but 20 million gigaquads of new information have been input into the ship's computer." "Where did it come from?" "My guess is, it came from the distortion ring." "Somebody's definitely trying to tell us something." "That's not all, Captain." "Our entire database has been copied and downloaded into somebody else's system." "I guess whoever they were, they want to know everything they can about us, too." "Maybe it was their only way of communicating with us." "Maybe... they were just trying to say "hello."" "Cake anyone?" "Neelix, what happened to you?" "Oh, it's a long story." "I'll tell you all about it later." "Right now, it's time to finish your party." "Neelix, I need a photograph of you." "What for, sweetie?" "From now on, even when we're separated," "I want to have you where I can keep an eye on you." "Happy birthday, Kes." "Inertial dampers have failed." "I can't get any response from the field coils." "Did you verify the control inputs?" "Stand by." "The inputs are blocked." "We've got to flush the plasma injectors." "Or maybe it's just a phase synchronization adjustment." "Plasma injectors." "Plasma injectors." "Right." "Field coils responding." "Inertial dampers back on line." "That was not fair!" "As your flight instructor, it's my duty to prepare you for anything, fair or not." "Clogging someone's plasma injectors is a dirty trick." "Yes, well, I'm famous for my dirty tricks, you know?" "W-What was that?" "I never said the simulation was finished." "Computer, evasive maneuvers." "I'll be ready for anything next time." "Oh, sounds like a challenge to me." "Come in." "I hope you have good news, Commander." "Based on this inventory, our food reserves look to be down to 30 percent of capacity." "Good news and bad." "We have located an M-Class planet and it shows high amino acid and protein readings." "That should indicate a healthy plant life." "What's bad about it?" "It's a full day out of our way." "I don't think we have any choice." "It's the first chance we've had to replenish our supplies in weeks." "And our long-range sensors can't confirm any plant life on the surface." "Why not?" "It's one strange planet, Captain." "It's shrouded." "Vapors cover it like a curtain." "EM disturbances all over the atmosphere." "Some of these readings suggest a planet early in its evolution-- almost like a primeval Earth." "The people in stellar cartography have already nicknamed it "Planet Hell."" "So it might be a wild goose chase." "Captain, I don't know what we'll find when we get to the surface-- flora or fauna, friend or foe." "If we knew we'd find another M-Class planet soon, I'd..." "Set a course for Planet Hell, Commander." "That was you?" "That was me." "I'm impressed." "I keep hearing my mother say, "Practice, Harry, practice."" "So I ate Neelix's food for a week and used my replicator rations." "Play something for me." "Well, I've only had it for a few days, and I don't think..." "Oh, come on!" "Play something." "Just pretend I'm not here." "Play something different." "Different?" "Something... not so cheerful." "Why?" "What, you don't take requests?" "Something bothering you, Paris?" "Oh, Harry." "I'm in trouble." "What's new?" "I think I'm in love." "What's new?" "With Kes." "Kes?" "!" "I know, I know!" "I never even saw it coming." "I thought we were just good buddies." "But there she was, in my arms." "In your arms?" "Paris... you didn't." "What?" "Oh!" "No." "I didn't." "I wouldn't!" "She stumbled during a flight simulation." "I caught her." "I held her for an instant." "Are you going to play or not?" "A whole crew full of women and I have to fall for the one I can't have." "Why do I do this to myself?" "If you ask me, I say you enjoy it." "Enjoy it?" "Only thing that makes sense." "You've been doing the same thing to yourself your whole life-- setting yourself up for rejection." "You must enjoy playing the part." "Hey, don't knock it if you haven't tried it." "I just have to be more careful." "I can't let myself be alone with her." "There's an old Chinese expression" ""Stay out of harm's way."" "That's not a Chinese expression." "If it works, use it." "Of course, it would help a little if Kes and I weren't going to be stuck on the same ship for the rest of our lives." "That's a pessimistic view." "I'm in a pessimistic mood." "Play something pessimistic." "Practice, Harry, practice." "And then suddenly, we fell into a subspace anomaly." "None of the readings made any sense." "I didn't know what to do." "It must have been terrible for you." "Uh, pepper, sweeting?" "Oh." "Anyway, it was quite a learning experience." "I'm sure Lieutenant Paris is a fine teacher." "Oh, I almost forgot, the Palliantyne peas." "Uh..." "Hmm." "Ever so lightly spiced." "Analysis." "High levels of trigemic vapors, but it should still support humanoid life." "Sick Bay to Bridge." "Please turn to your emergency medical holographic channel." "I hope you don't mind that I've been eavesdropping, but I have something important to contribute." "What is it, Doctor?" "Of course, it wouldn't be necessary for me to eavesdrop, if I were included in these discussions as a matter of operating protocol." "Doctor..." "You should be aware that trigemic vapors at the recorded levels can cause severe humanoid skin irritations." "Could you provide some sort of skin protection that might help?" "I am whipping up a batch of dermal osmotic sealant as we speak." "Nevertheless, skin exposure to the atmosphere should be limited." "Noted, Doctor." "Thank you." "Tell me, just how often do you... eavesdrop?" "I am simply trying to monitor issues involving the health of the crew, Captain." "When activated, the emergency medical program establishes com-links with all key areas of the ship, and I have... on occasion..." "I am a doctor, not a voyeur." "I am programmed to be discreet." "I'm sure." "Commander Chakotay will discuss operating protocols with you at the earliest opportunity." "In the meantime, no more eavesdropping, Doctor." "But, Captain, I..." "That's an order." "There's another problem, Captain." "We won't be able to transport to the surface because of the EM disturbances in the atmosphere." "They'll interfere with our com-links, too." "I'll have Mr. Kim take a look." "Listen, why don't we take in a holodeck program later?" "A Moliére comedy-- that'll cheer you up." "I think I'll just eat later." "Damn." "What do you want to do?" "Very simple." "We just won't sit with her." "But that's rude." "No, that's smart." "We'll make it look like we have Bridge operations to discuss." "Gentlemen, may I recommend the Alfarian hair pasta today?" "Hair pasta?" "That is just an expression, isn't it?" "Not at all." "It's actually made from the follicles of the mature Alfarian." "We harvest the hair during shedding season in early fall." "It's very high in protein." "Whatever." "We just have a lot of Bridge operations business to discuss." "Yeah." "Mr. Kim, please report to the Bridge." "Have a nice lunch." "You subclass genus." "I beg your pardon." "Sitting with your backs to each other like two strangers waiting for a transport." "That's supposed to fool me?" "Oh." "A guy just can't win." "Look, there is nothing to fool you about." "Really." "I swear." "Liar." "What the hell are you doing?" "!" "I'll kill you!" "It's too late!" "I'm betting your hair pasta already did the trick!" "Janeway to Lieutenant Paris and Mr. Neelix." "Go ahead." "Yes, Captain?" "Please report to my ready room right away." "I have something important to discuss with you." "Uh, Captain, did you say "right away"?" "If we could have..." "That's what I said, Mr. Paris." "Janeway out." "Would anyone care to explain?" "It might be too long to go into right now, Captain." "Very well." "I have a mission for the two of you." "We have reason to believe that there are food sources on this planet, but we can't transport to the surface." "You're going to take a shuttle down and do a little scouting." "M-M-Me... and him?" "He's our best pilot and you're our expert on edible plant species in this Quadrant." "Uh, Captain, I'm not one to pass up a mission, but in this circumstance, maybe Ensign Baytart, who is a fine pilot..." "There are electromagnetic anomalies in the atmosphere and I would rather have you at the helm." "Am I... discerning a personal problem here, gentlemen?" "Frankly, yes, Captain." "Solve it." "You leave at 1400 hours." "We're modifying the transporter to try and penetrate the atmosphere." "So far no luck." "However, we have been running computer simulations to determine if the EM disturbances follow any specific pattern." "Our data analysis suggests that there may be occasional atmospheric windows that would allow us to get through." "How occasional and how long will they last?" "We should see one every 30 hours or so, but they may only last for a matter of minutes." "I can't be sure yet." "At least long enough for us to beam up food supplies." "Mr. Paris, you and Mr. Neelix will collect as many vegetables and fruits as you can while we wait for this atmospheric window to open." "Mr. Kim, be sure your computer simulations include..." "What happened?" "I heard that you..." "Nothing happened." "They said that you and Tom Paris..." "Kes, we'll talk when I get back." "I want to know." "Neelix, is it true that you were fighting?" "When I get back." "But..." "Shuttlebay." "Good afternoon." "When you have a chance, could you run an analysis of the cytokinetic results for..." "I did it during lunch." "Are you all right?" "I'm fine." "Are you sure?" "You seem a little..." "I'm fine." "You know, if you skipped lunch, the result might be a lower blood sugar level, which could..." "I'm sorry." "It's in my program." "I see something wrong, I must attempt to diagnose it." "There are some things you can't cure." "Neelix and Tom Paris had a physical... fight." "Over me." "How delightful." "Delightful?" "!" "You should consider it a high compliment." "Throughout history, men have fought over the love of a woman." "Why, I can quote you autopsy reports from duels as far back as 1538." "That's not funny." "It's not meant to be." "You've always been interested in autopsies." "Are all Talaxians so jealous?" "I wouldn't know." "I've only met one." "I love Neelix." "Why can't he just accept that?" "His suspicions about Tom are completely unjustified." "Are they?" "Lieutenant Paris' affection for you is obvious." "What do you mean?" "I mean he... desires you." "That's not true." "Tom and I enjoy each other's company." "We're friends." "Whenever you walk into the room, his respiration increases, his pupils dilate and the coloration of his ears turns decidedly orange." "Until I noticed the pattern," "I thought he was suffering from Tanzian flu." "It's there for anyone to see." "Maybe not in the same diagnostic detail as I see it, yet..." "Are you saying that I didn't want to see it?" "You're only two years old." "There may be a few things... you don't know to look for in a man." "In time, you'll understand." "On my homeworld, it's so much simpler." "You choose a mate for life." "There is no distrust, no jealously, no envy, no betrayal." "Hmm, your world must have very dry literature." "I don't know how to handle something like this." "What am I going to do?" "You've done nothing to precipitate this state of affairs." "You may not be able to do much to resolve it either." "There are some things you can't cure." "Entry sequence at two minutes." "Mark." "All systems normal." "Trigemic density at .041 and rising." "We lost communication with Voyager 30 seconds ago." "You don't have to impress me with your technobabble." "I'm not trying to impress anyone." "I'm entering it into the flight record." "Look, can I make a suggestion?" "You're the commander of this mission." "You can make any suggestion you want." "And if you make it an order, I'll even have to obey it." "My suggestion is that we put our personal problems aside until this mission is over, okay?" "I left my personal problems back on the ship." "I can't speak for you." "Fine." "Let's get the job done." "You get us down in one piece and I'll take it from there." "Entry sequence at three minutes." "Mark." "All systems..." "Stand by." "Have you been briefed on shuttle operations?" "Ensign Baytart took me through the basics." "Of course, I, I didn't have the benefit of your personal tutelage." "Check your console." "I'm reading a power-output decline of... 15 percent." "Confirmed." "Warning." "Vectored exhaust controls malfunctioning." "What does that mean?" "We're getting some kind of reaction in our driver coil assembly from the EM anomalies in the atmosphere." "I'm going to abort the mission." "Hold on." "We've lost our impulse drive!" "Shut off the deuterium flow." "I'm dumping excess fuel." "Deuterium flow sealed." "Setting DCA pulse order to neutral." "Engaging thrusters." "Can you regain control?" "I'm trying, Neelix." "Prepare for an emergency landing." "Send out an EMS pulse." "There's still a chance Voyager will pick it up." "Captain, we're picking up a locator signal from the shuttle." "Can you track it?" "Their last velocity vector indicates a steep descent." "We've lost contact." "Bridge to Torres." "Torres here." "B'Elanna, our shuttle's in trouble." "Any progress on modifying the transporter?" "Negative." "It's an extremely complex interference pattern and it keeps changing." "Bring in as much help as you need." "This is now a search and rescue operation." "Acknowledged." "Torres out." "Keep me informed." "I'll be in my ready room." "I said... in one piece." "Sorry." "I did the best I could." "Any broken bones?" "Everything seems to be working." "I'm itching." "I feel it, too." "We've got atmospheric leakage in the hull." "The trigemic vapors really sting." "Here." "Doc said this would help a little." "If we have atmospheric leakage, how can we fly out of here?" "We can't." "We'll have to wait for Voyager to find us." "We're not even sure they're looking for us yet." "We don't know if the EMS pulse got through." "B'Elanna's working on the transporter and one of those atmospheric windows might open up." "In the meantime, we're going to have to look for some kind of cover." "I say we stay right here." "The trigemic vapors are going to..." "You're the one who wants to go out into those vapors!" "Staying here is our best chance of being found." "You heard what they said." "Those windows may only be open for a matter of minutes." "And we may be waiting here for days." "Exposure to these vapors is too dangerous." "We're leaving." "Grab your gear." "Is that an order or a suggestion?" "An order!" "Yes, sir." "I hope you're satisfied." "We were a lot more comfortable inside the shuttle." "I have red welts all over my hands now." "You know, it might be more constructive if you could find us something safe to eat." "I certainly don't know why the ship's sensors indicated this planet might be rich in food supplies." "It sure doesn't look it." "Our emergency rations won't last forever." "I'll find something for us." "Of course, it might not meet your personal culinary standards." "Oh, don't worry." "I've learned to lower my standards since you became cook." "I'm picking up some caves about a kilometer west of here." "What good fortune." "Come in." "Harry." "Any word yet?" "We're doing everything possible." "The transporter just doesn't want to work in that atmosphere." "How are you doing?" "Oh, I'm all right." "It's just, uh..." "I was very angry at them a few hours ago." "You had every right to be." "And now they might both be dead." "And I'm sitting here... and I'm feeling guilty for some reason." "Guilty?" "Why?" "I don't know." "But I don't like it." "And it's their fault and I can't even tell them how angry I am at them and I may never be able to tell them how angry I am at them!" "So it doesn't matter, does it?" "Look, you know if there was any way to land that shuttle," "Tom Paris got it down." "And no one has stronger survival skills than Neelix." "I'm sure they'll both be fine." "Unless they kill each other." "They're professionals." "They better be all right, because when I see them, I'm personally going to tell them that I never intend to speak to either one of them again." "Chakotay to crew." "Battle stations." "This is good." "We can last a while in here." "That should do it." "Garnesite." "This will give us a little heat at least." "We better conserve our beacon cells." "So... what is Starfleet protocol for situations like this?" "Oh, there's a whole course at the Academy full of all sorts of survival strategies." "I hope you had a passing grade." "B-minus." "That's not very encouraging." "My father was teaching the class that year." "And he gave you a B-minus?" "I guess he didn't play favorites, huh?" "What about Talaxian protocols?" "I wrote my own book." "My life before Voyager was no bed of Felaran rose petals." "No, more like a bed of..." "What?" "Nothing." "You were going to say "junk" perhaps?" "Go ahead, say it--junk." "I was a dealer in junk." "Perhaps not worthy of a woman like Kes in your opinion." "Neelix, I didn't say that." "I never even..." "Tell me something." "In that Starfleet survival course, did your father teach you to check for life signs before you seal yourself inside a cave?" "I checked for life signs." "There weren't any." "There are now." "Hail them." "They do not respond, Captain." "They're powering down their weapon systems." "The vessel has taken up a position directly beneath us." "What do you make of it, Lieutenant?" "They would seem to have adopted a defensive posture, Captain." "I agree, but defending what?" "The planet?" "Or something on it." "Whatever this life-form is... its vital signs are awfully faint." "In this atmosphere, it could be dying of exposure." "No, I don't think so." "They're faint... but steady." "I'd say it's becoming more and more evident that we chose the wrong cave." "This is where the life signs are coming from." "They're embryonic life-forms." "These two are half formed." "This one almost seems to be..." "The EM disturbance patterns match the computer simulations." "I'd say we'll get a shot at an atmospheric window in about 53 minutes." "Where does that leave us with the transporter?" "Our range will still be limited, but the transporter should work as long as we stay in an area with reduced electromagnetic activity." "The problem is, we don't know where our shuttle went down." "So there's no way to know how close they'll be to the window when it opens." "Recommendations?" "Take the ship through the window into the atmosphere." "The closer you can get us to the surface, the better our chances for a successful beam-out." "Get on it." "Are you going to be able to warn us before the window closes again?" "I think so." "Mr. Kim, that's not an answer I can live with." "I'll try to get you a better one, Captain." "Mr. Tuvok, we need you to find a way to get us by that ship." "I have anticipated your request, Captain." "Am I correct in the assumption that you will want to use minimal force?" "Assumption confirmed." "I cannot guarantee success." "My evaluation of their weapon systems suggests a capacity equal to our own." "However..." "You've come up with an ingenious plan to neutralize them." "I have." "In my analysis of our first encounter," "I have detected what I believe to be a vulnerability in their shield configuration." "There appears to be a slight phase retraction when auxiliary power is transferred to their aft weapon systems." "A covariant phaser pulse into their aft control systems might disable their entire weapons array." "That was my ingenious plan, Commander." "You are correct." "Very well." "Red Alert." "Mr. Kim, set coordinates." "Torres, speed at 2,000 kph." "Aye, Captain." "Chakotay, take the helm." "Coordinates entered." "Engage." "This creature's going to have the ability to stand upright." "It has the skeletal system of a humanoid." "It's cold-blooded, has reptilian epidermis." "Its brain is significantly larger than most reptilian species." "I'd say we're dealing with a sentient life-form here, Neelix." "If this species is sentient, wouldn't that suggest that its parents might return to care for it?" "It's hard to say." "Most common reptiles lay their eggs and never return to protect them." "I think we've established we're not dealing with a common reptile." "True." "And if this thing does have a mother," "I'd say we don't want to be around when she gets back." "Come on." "We can't just leave it here." "We're not leaving it here." "Its mother left it here." "We just happened to wander in." "But we blocked off the cave." "The mother might have been trapped outside." "We'll leave the door open for her when we go, okay?" "Look, it's not that simple." "What if she can sense we were here?" "She... she might be able to smell that faux lime aftershave of yours." "I'm sure you realize many species won't return to a nest after it's been tampered with." "Well, there's not much we can do about that now, is there?" "We should just leave all this the way we found it." "No." "Neelix!" "This creature is our responsibility." "Ours?" "The moment we came in here, it became our responsibility." "And you expect to take care of this thing until what?" "It graduates from high school, college?" "And what if Mom doesn't come back?" "Are you planning to bring this with us back on the ship?" "Look, if she does return and accepts the hatchling, it'll solve everything." "We just have to wait and see what she does." "I don't know how it is in your Quadrant, but in mine we don't abandon a newborn... thing." "Fine." "Fine, you made your point." "I officially designate you its godfather." "It stopped crying." "It's shivering." "That's normal... isn't it?" "I mean, newborn life-forms do shiver, don't they?" "To be honest, I haven't been around many newborns." "Me neither." "Oh..." "look at this, Paris." "It stopped shivering." "It's asleep." "Forget what I said, Neelix." "You're not its godfather." "You're its godmother." "The atmospheric window is forming, Captain." "30 degrees off the predicted coordinates." "How soon will we have maximum aperture, Mr. Kim?" "Nine minutes." "All right, Commander, let's try to draw some fire from their aft weapon systems." "Bring us within ten kilometers." "Shields at 80 percent." "Minor damage to our port nacelle." "Rerouting power to lateral thrusters." "Tuvok?" "So far, I'm not detecting the same vulnerability in their shields this time, Captain." "We may have to resort to additional force." "Arm photons." "Ready." "Prepare to..." "Stand by, Captain." "I'm detecting an opening." "Direct hit to their aft control systems." "Their weapons are disabled." "Commander, proceed to Mr. Kim's coordinates." "One-half impulse." "Oh, come on." "Come on." "Doesn't seem to care for Starfleet rations." "If I were in my kitchen," "I could cook you up some delightful leola root broth." "Are you serious?" "Ugh, I hope I never see another leola root, and you are certainly not feeding any of that hideous broth to my niece... or nephew... whatever it is." "Its heartbeat is getting weaker." "I don't like it." "Come on, kid." "You've got to eat something." "It seems far more interested in my jacket than your food." "Neelix, it's not your jacket." "It's the residue of the trigemic vapors we walked through." "Think about it." "Voyager's sensors picked up high levels of proteins and amino acids, which we assumed meant this was a planet filled with vast supplies of edible plant life." "We were certainly wrong about that." "The residue is a concentration of proteins and amino acids." "The perfect source of nutrition for the hatchling." "The source we cut off when we blocked the cave." "Come on, we've got some rocks to move." "The atmospheric window is at full aperture, Captain." "We should have at least 17 minutes before it starts to close." "Captain, the alien vessel is in pursuit." "Are their weapon systems back on line already?" "Negative." "They are still disabled." "They couldn't be preparing to ram us, could they?" "Hold your course." "We need to get through that window, but prepare to take evasive action if necessary." "Understood." "Alien vessel closing to 1,000 kilometers." "Five hundred." "Three hundred." "It has passed us and is proceeding toward the surface." "Take us down, Commander." "It's not breathing!" "I don't think it's breathing!" "Come on, suck in some of those hearty vapors." "It's just too weak." "There must be something in here we can use to resuscitate it." "Neelix, we did the best we could." "No!" "It's our fault, it's our fault." "If we hadn't come..." "Here." "Cordrazine." "This is a stimulant." "You can't pump it full of drugs without knowing its body chemistry." "So we should just let it die?" "Give me that." "When I was a kid, a baby bird fell out of a nest and landed on the windowsill next to my bed." "We had to feed it water with an eyedropper to keep it alive." "What are you doing?" "Filling the eyedropper." "Can you hold its mouth open?" "Do it again." "Again." "It's working." "It's working!" "Life signs are getting stronger." "You did it!" "We did it." "You know, I never would have thought of that hypospray, if..." "The vapors." "Who cares?" "Sensors are operating as well as can be expected under these conditions." "Either we're just not close enough to where they landed to pick up their com signals, or they never landed." "Their shuttle might have burned up in the atmosphere." "I'm not willing to concede that yet." "Any sign of the alien ship?" "No, Captain." "We've lost them." "Mr. Kim, how much longer before that window starts to close?" "Nine minutes, 20 seconds." "Chakotay, extend our surveillance pattern." "If we don't find them in five minutes, we'll head back to the window." "Aye, Captain." "I'm sorry." "Hmm?" "I feel I owe you an apology." "No, you don't." "I had no right to push that pasta in your lap." "Well... think of it this way." "It saved me from having to eat it." "Nothing personal, but I just don't have an affinity for hair in my food." "I haven't been fair to you." "You know, I hear people talking about you in the Mess Hall." "No kidding." "What do they say?" "Oh, that you used to be a coward and couldn't be trusted." "It's typical of Kes that she would befriend someone like you-- someone who really needs a friend." "And I guess I..." "just got a little jealous." "I got more than a little jealous." "I realize now I was wrong." "Neelix, I told you the truth when I said that nothing happened between me and Kes." "I know." "And I promise you, nothing ever will, but... you weren't wrong about me." "What do you mean?" "I..." "Well, I guess the only way to say it is to say it." "I am attracted to Kes." "Oh?" "To be honest, if you weren't around," "I'd be knocking at her door." "But I respect you, Neelix." "And that's that." "Everything you heard those guys saying about me... well, it was true." "But it's not who I am anymore." "At least not who I want to be." "This upside-down mission to the wrong side of the galaxy is giving me a second chance and I don't intend to blow it." "I see." "Well, in a way, I can't say I blame you." "She is very attractive." "She's devoted to you, you know?" "Well, I did save her life." "I'm sure she's grateful." "Oh, she's a lot more than grateful." "She loves you, Neelix." "I wouldn't stand a chance." "Nobody would." "There are others?" "If you ever doubt yourself, just look into her eyes." "See the way she looks at you." "You'll never doubt yourself again." "And as far as I'm concerned, I'll just be her friend." "I mean, if you don't mind." "I don't pick Kes' friends for her." "Just my own." "Voyager, this is Lieutenant Tom Paris and Mr. Neelix." "Do you read?" "We do, Mr. Paris." "Are you all right?" "Aside from a nasty rash, yes." "Have you encountered life-forms?" "Actually, yes." "Are they hostile?" "No." "Just... young." "Young?" "Yes, we found a nest, and one of the creatures hatched." "Be aware, we encountered a hostile ship of unknown origin, and we're showing that ship on the surface approximately one kilometer from your position." "We're attempting to lock on to you for transport." "Stand by." "We can't leave yet." "What?" "Why?" "What if the mother rejects it?" "Neelix, one thing's for sure-- whether the mother rejects it or not, she will reject you and me." "We promised each other we wouldn't abandon it until..." "Away team, we're showing a life-form moving toward your position." "Prepare to transport." "Captain, this is Neelix." "Are you in a particular rush to leave?" "Did you hear what I just said, Mr. Neelix?" "Yes, but, uh... we're not quite finished here yet." "Finished with what?" "We have an atmospheric window closing in less than six minutes." "And another one will be coming in how long?" "Days." "Is there a problem?" "The problem is, Captain, if we leave our little hatchling here and the mother rejects it, it might die of exposure before we get back." "I appreciate your concern for its welfare..." "How long can you give us, Captain?" "One minute, ten seconds, max." "We'll take it!" "Lock on to us, Voyager." "If you hear muffled screams, consider that a request for a beam-out." "There's nothing like a family reunion." "Voyager, two to beam out!" "As soon as you're ready." "Kes!" "We didn't know if you were dead or alive." "What happened?" "I became an uncle." "And I'm a godmother." "I'd say this is the special occasion" "I've been waiting for to open up that bottle of Potak cold fowl I've been saving." "Cold fowl in a bottle?" "That's just an expression, isn't it?" "No." "It's actually made from the glandular secretions of an adult dunghill bird found only on Potak lll." "It's very rare, very exquisite." "There are, I believe only 27 bottles in existence at this time." "It has a rather smoky flavor, uh... going well with strong meaty dishes, but I prefer it for sipping..." "Paris to the Captain." "Janeway here." "I've done an analysis of our route through Botha space whenever you have a minute to check it out." "I'm on my way to Engineering." "I'll be with you as soon as I'm done." "Aye, Captain." "Ah, Captain." "The computer told me I'd find you on Deck 11, Section 4B, starboard side and, sure enough, here you are." "What can I do for you, Neelix?" "I assumed you'd want to talk to me." "About?" "About the Botha." "We're headed for their space, and, as I've told you, they're going to have to be handled very carefully." "I understand, and of course I want your counsel, but, right now, I'm late for a meeting." "I wouldn't put this off too long." "We're getting closer, you know." "Yes, I know." "And I will be with you as soon as I can." "Sorry I'm late." "What do you have?" "I think we're about ready to make our first attempt, Captain." "If you're successful, will the Doctor be able to move freely around the entire ship?" "Not exactly." "The holo-emitters will be set up in certain key areas-- the Bridge, Engineering." "We'll be able to transfer him to those locations." "In the same way we can now transfer him to the holodeck?" "Exactly." "But if he tries to move into an area where there's no emitter field, he'll dematerialize." "I have the holo-projector on line." "We're ready to start." "Proceed." "I don't have much time." "Engineering to Sick Bay." "Doctor, we're ready here." "I'm standing by." "Okay." "Here goes." "Initiating transfer." "Here he comes." "Well, this is certainly a brilliant feat of engineering." "What happened?" "I'd guess the imaging interface wasn't properly stabilized." "Just a small oversight." "No pun intended." "Very amusing." "How long will it take you to correct this small oversight?" "Maybe a couple of hours." "Mr. Kim, I have to assess our navigational plan and get ready to make contact with an alien species." "I can't drop everything whenever you call." "Tuvok to Janeway." "Go ahead." "Captain, I would like a half an hour of your time to review the security protocols before we encounter the Botha." "Yes, Mr. Tuvok, somehow..." "I will find half an hour." "Excuse me, Captain." "Would you come down here, please?" "Yes?" "When did you last take shore leave?" "About two months ago." "Ah." "How long since you've done something pleasurable for recreation?" "Doctor, I know I'm a bit testy today, but I can assure you..." "How long?" "It's... been a while." "I have a holonovel program." "It helps me unwind." "I haven't had time to run it for a few weeks." "Well, I want you to-- now." "Doctor, I'm really very busy." "I've checked Starfleet regulations." "The Chief Medical Officer outranks the Captain in health matters." "Now, I realize this may be the first time a hologram has given an order to a Captain, but I'm ordering you to report to the holodeck-- now." "Aye, sir." "And the two of you can get busy undoing this ridiculous blunder of yours!" "Good afternoon, milord." "Will the children be joining us for tea?" "Presently." "Lord Burleigh... is something wrong?" "Yes." "Terribly wrong." "I have fallen in love with you, Lucie." "Milord." "Hello, Father." "We're ready for tea." "I want cucumber sandwiches." "You'll wait your turn, young man." "What may I serve you, milord?" "Nothing." "Thank you." "I see." "I want my tea in this cup, please, and I don't want a cucumber sandwich." "I don't like the way Cook cuts them." "Milord, you'll be very pleased with the children's progress in their studies this week." "Henry shows a real talent for mathematics, and Beatrice turns out to be quite musical." "Beatrice?" "Musical?" "I don't know what she means." "She's very modest about it." "I've heard her several times in the music room, playing a lovely Mozart sonata, but whenever I ask her to play it for me, she won't." "I think her talent should be encouraged." "Would you consider lessons?" "I didn't know Beatrice could play the piano." "I'm sorry." "It's just a cup." "Don't be a goose." "It's the flower cup-- Mother's cup." "It doesn't matter!" "Mrs. Templeton!" "Please take the children to the nursery." "Yes, milord." "Come." "Please stay here, Mrs. Davenport." "Beatrice is upset." "I should be with her." "I want you here." "What's happening in this house?" "How can you not know that Beatrice plays the piano?" "Why shouldn't I go to the fourth floor?" "What's up there?" "Those are questions you must not ask." "But I am asking them." "I'm worried about the children." "Beatrice fantasizes that her mother is still alive." "Don't pursue this, I beg you." "Bridge to the Captain." "Freeze program." "Janeway here." "We've been hailed by a representative of the Bothan government." "They'd like to talk to you." "I'll be right there." "Sorry, milord." "Duty calls." "Captain, I knew we should have talked this morning." "Tell me what you know, Neelix." "I've been in subspace contact with some old friends of mine-- uh, nomads, collectors, much as I used to be." "They're in a position to gather information during their travels." "What they've told me doesn't sound good." "In what way?" "There are lots of rumors about ships entering Bothan space, never to be heard from again." "My sources on Mithren say that they have lost a number of vessels." "They say the Botha protect their territory fiercely." "But we aren't aggressors." "I don't think they are either." "They just don't want anyone crossing their borders." "Will they negotiate?" "Will they respond to diplomacy?" "It's hard to say." "There's some belief that they don't even have a legitimate claim to the space-- that they're nothing more than pernicious, odious vandals, in which case, diplomacy would fall on deaf ears." "We're being hailed again, Captain." "On screen." "I'm Kathryn Janeway of the Federation Starship Voyager." "Why have you entered our space without permission?" "We didn't realize this was your space." "On what basis do you claim it?" "I have no intention of explaining myself to you." "The fact is, you're violating our territory." "I assure you, we mean no disrespect." "We are from another part of the galaxy." "We're just trying to make our way home." "We'll send a ship to rendezvous with you." "If you meet the criteria, we'll consider your request." "Thank you." "What are the criteria?" "We'll discuss that when we meet." "Friendly fellow." "At least they're willing to talk." "I wonder why he wouldn't let us see his face." "I suspect it was a calculated move-- an attempt to intimidate us." "Commander, you have the Bridge." "Aye, Captain." "Mr. Neelix, join me in my ready room." "We should talk about this meeting." "Captain, if I may..." "When was the last time you ate?" "Ate?" "Oh, I had some soup last night." "Then let me suggest that we conduct our talk in the Mess Hall." "We're serving a sumptuous repast for lunch." "Right." "Lunch it is." "Captain, you have a nasty habit of skipping meals, and that can do horrible things to your electrolyte levels." "I know, but sometimes I just get too busy to eat." "All you have to do is give me a call." "I'll be there in a trice with a tray of foods so delectable you won't be able to resist." "I do think I've outdone myself this time." "An exquisite pâté made from Seltin wood fungus." "Brine-soaked neccel strips." "Ooh." "Deviled wood throk." "Where did these come from?" "Lieutenant Hargrove asked for them." "Is something wrong?" "No." "Just a funny coincidence." "Something I saw on the holodeck." "Thank you, Neelix." "This all looks delicious." "And it's bound to boost my electrolyte levels." "Where did you get that cup?" "Why, I'm not sure." "I think I found several of them in storage." "Unusual, isn't it?" "Captain, is everything all right?" "It's perfectly all right, Neelix." "I just have to remind myself that coincidences do happen." "I can't help myself." "I've fallen in love with you." "My mother is alive and my father loves her, not you." "In the course of your experiments with the Doctor, have you accessed any of the holodeck programs?" "No, we're bypassing the holodecks." "Where did you get this holo-projector?" "We found several of them in storage." "We've been reconfiguring them one by one." "So you haven't worked directly with any of the projectors on the holodecks?" "No." "Is there anything you've done-- anything you can think of-- that might have caused holographic objects and characters to appear outside the holodeck?" "Not that I'm aware of." "I was sure your experiments would explain it." "Captain, there has to be a reason why you've had these delusions." "And we're going to figure out what it is." "The Doctor pointed out that I've been under some stress." "I can't ignore that." "I think we should check out the imaging systems on the holodeck." "There might be a simple malfunction." "Good idea." "We can run the diagnostic from here in Engineering, but you should activate the program first." "I'll contact you from the holodeck." "Janeway to Engineering." "Torres here." "Have you set up the diagnostic?" "We're ready, Captain." "Go ahead." "Lucie!" "Thank God you've come back." "Why are you dressed so strangely?" "It's... a costume." "You'd look lovely in anything." "I've thought of you constantly." "Remembered your touch... your perfume... your lips." "Computer, delete character." "Torres to Janeway." "We're finished, Captain, but we didn't find any malfunctions." "Recalibrate and try it again." "I'm going to check something else." "Aye, Captain." "Captain!" "I'm delighted to see you." "Do you want a snack?" "No, I'm fine." "But I wanted to ask you about lunch." "Didn't you like it?" "It was delicious." "I was just trying to remember all the dishes you made." "There was... the Seltin pâté." "Delectable." "The neccel strips." "Exquisite." "The deviled throk." "Sublime." "And the cucumber sandwiches." "Cucumber sandwiches?" "Weren't there... cucumber sandwiches?" "I don't even know what that is." "The other item on the menu was a fried murt cake." "You ate one." "And the cup you served my tea in...?" "One of these." "The ones I found in storage." "I thought... it had flowers on it." "Flowers?" "Well, no, I don't see any flowers." "Maybe there was another cup, but I-I don't think so." "Would you like a cup with flowers on it?" "I'm sure I could replicate one." "It's all right, Neelix." "You've told me what I need to know." "I don't detect anything so far." "No evidence of aneurysm... subdural hematoma... stroke." "Could it be... stress?" "Possibly." "Did you go to the holodeck, as I ordered?" "Yes." "And was that relaxing?" "It was interesting." "I'm not sure how relaxing it was." "There are other possibilities we should consider." "I want to scan for airborne bacteria and viruses." "We should investigate the possibility of an alien intruder." "And I'd like to do a cerebro-cortical scan on you." "Oh!" "Kes?" "I..." "I don't know." "Strange." "Suddenly, I felt cold, shivery." "Someone was walking on your grave." "Hmm?" "Just an old saying on Earth." "A way of describing an odd feeling like that." "Hmm." "How macabre." "It's a human expression, Doctor." "I'd think you'd have heard it." "My programmers didn't clutter me up with pithy Earth trivia." "They programmed me with far more important data." "Kes, would you please get my sub-neural scanner from the med lab?" "Yes, Doctor." "What about my mother's grave?" "There's no one inside." "The coffin is empty." "Doctor." "Doctor." "Who do you see here?" "I see you." "And I see you... but I also see a little girl from my holodeck program." "What happened?" "I'm not sure." "The image of the little girl suddenly rushed at me." "I saw it, too." "When I came in..." "I felt as though something hit me-- bounced off me-- then I saw the little girl moving right into you." "As though you became a mirror." "You reflected her back toward me." "I've been doing some mental exercises with Tuvok developing my telepathic abilities, but we haven't done anything like this." "Captain, until I am able to determine the cause of these hallucinations," "I'd prefer that you return to your quarters." "Get some rest." "Vegetable bouillon." "No, cancel that." "Coffee ice cream." "Hello?" "Is anyone there?" "Computer... is there anyone in these quarters except me?" "Negative." "Kath, are you there?" "Who's that?" "Come look at the puppies." "Mark..." "I've missed you so much, Kath." "When are you coming back?" "I don't think you've missed me." "Someone else is in your thoughts now." "Isn't that true?" "Isn't there someone you're thinking of?" "." "Computer, open the door." "Everything was fine until you came here." "I took care of him." "He trusted me, but when you arrived, all that changed." "Janeway to Security." "Intruder alert." "You've done nothing but cause trouble." "We don't want more trouble in our lives!" "Security to the Captain's quarters!" "Tuvok, please respond!" "Captain!" "Can you still see the hallucination?" "Yes." "The woman with the knife is receding into the Captain just like before." "Captain, listen to me!" "You are in Sick Bay." "You are all right." "Captain!" "I think Neelix can help you." "No one knows much about the Botha, but he has some information." "I know he's been doing research." "I'll check with him." "You'll probably want him on the Bridge with you when their ship arrives." "Good idea." "I'm not sure how Torres and Kim are coming." "You know they're trying to find a way to transfer the Doctor out of Sick Bay." "Yes." "It's not a priority, but you might want to stay on top of it." "Of course." "Let's see." "There was a problem with one of the deflector shields." "You'll want to follow up on that." "And Stellar Cartography was hoping for a review of their latest report." "I think Tuvok wanted to discuss something about weapons storage..." "Captain." "You've trained your crew well." "We'll be able to do without you for a few days." "In the meantime, we're continuing diagnostics on all ship's systems." "There's a reason for what's happening to you and we're not stopping until we find it." "Thank you, Commander." "My patient has to rest now." "I'm sure you'll want to get to the Bridge." "Call me if there's anything I can do." "Just be sure to report to me after you meet with the Botha." "Yes, ma'am." "Captain, if you'll take a seat on one of the beds," "I'd like to do some further tests." "Kes, please prepare the Captain for a cerebro-cortical scan." "Certainly." "Captain, I saw your hallucination again." "What did you see?" "You were struggling with a woman." "She had a knife." "She was trying to hurt you." "That's right." "As I focused on you, it was just like with the little girl-- the image seemed to reflect off of me and move back into you." "Your telepathic abilities must be increasing." "I think it's more than that." "I think something strange is happening on this ship, and it's not just happening to you." "I am picking up a ship on long-range sensors, Commander." "It is a design we have not encountered before." "I show it on a direct intercept course." "That must be our welcoming party." "They're in a hurry, too." "Closing fast." "They are hailing, Commander." "On screen." "Where is your Captain?" "She's not available right now." "I'm Commander Chakotay, the First Officer." "I can speak for her." "We observe rather strict protocols." "I'd prefer to negotiate with the Captain." "I understand, but she's not able to come to the Bridge now, and in her absence, our protocols allow me to assume her place." "Our request is the same." "We'd like permission to cross through your space." "We'll do it as quickly as possible." "What kind of weapon systems do you possess?" "I'm not sure why that information is necessary." "How do I know you aren't a heavily armed invader, here to attack our settlements?" "I don't know how to convince you, but we're a peaceful people." "If you doubt us..." "What happened?" "I terminated the transmission, Commander, and made it look like an accidental interruption." "I am concerned about some anomalous sensor readings." "I'm getting them, too." "Residual energy displacements." "Two discrete readings-- one off the port bow, one off starboard." "We have to consider the possibility of cloaked ships." "Reverse course, Mr. Paris." "Aye, sir." "Two ships de-cloaking." "The Bothan ship is powering up weapons." "Evasive maneuver gamma five." "Report." "Shields at 87 percent." "Minor damage on Decks 4 and 12." "They're turning back for another strike." "Initiating evasive pattern beta two." "Get the weapons on line." "Powering up lateral phaser arrays." "Shields down to 83 percent." "Return fire." "A direct hit." "However, their shields were not penetrated." "I can't stay here." "Captain, I can't allow you to leave Sick Bay." "You're in no condition..." "Sorry, Doctor." "If we're in trouble, my place is on the Bridge." "There's something weird going on, Commander." "I'm not reading any life signs on the two ships that just de-cloaked." "There's no crew?" "It looks like the ships are automated." "They're being controlled by the Bothan ship." "Return fire, Tuvok." "We have hit their weapons array, but not severely enough to disable it." "Commander, the three ships are maneuvering to surround us." "Get us out of here, Paris." "I'm trying." "The ships are powering their weapons." "Preparing to fire." "That last volley took our shields down to 21 percent." "We've got damage on all decks." "Reports of injuries." "All stop." "The lead ship is hailing us, Commander." "On screen." "Your ship is damaged and your Captain incapacitated." "I will accept your immediate surrender." "You're not getting one." "The Captain is fine." "I don't think so." "I think the battle is over now." "Mark." "Don't you recognize the man you love?" "Mr. Paris, who do you see on the viewscreen?" "It's... my father." "I hope you've been behaving yourself." "I see my girlfriend, Libby." "Mr. Kim, shut down visual." "I'm trying, Captain." "It won't terminate." "Mr. Tuvok, do a multiphasic scan on those ships." "I want any evidence of defensive weakness and prepare the forward photon torpedoes for launch." "Tuvok?" "I do not understand how this can be." "Don't try to understand, Tuvok." "Just accept it." "We're together again." "No." "You are not my wife." "Of course I am." "I'm T'Pel." "And there, right in front of you, is your lute, the one you used to play for me." "And look..." "look around you." "You're back home on Vulcan." "Tuvok?" "Tuvok, answer me." "Tuvok!" "Captain, I'll do it." "Running a multiphasic scan." "Torres to the Captain." "Janeway here." "We're having problems down here." "People are becoming delusional." "It's happening here, too." "I think I know why." "There's a massive energy field coming from those ships." "It's bioelectric, modulating on a delta-wave frequency." "It has psionic properties, and it's permeating the hull." "A psionic field has a psychoactive effect." "That would explain the hallucinations." "You can try remodulating the shields, but, in the meantime," "I'm going to set up a resonance burst from the warp core." "That'll probably block the field, but it'll take a while to set up." "Notify the Doctor." "If the field is bioelectric, he might have some ideas how to neutralize it." "Commander, give Lieutenant Torres a hand in Engineering." "Mr. Neelix, if the crew ever needed a morale officer, now is the time." "See if you can help." "Aye, Captain." "Kath, do you always have to be the Captain?" "Can't you relax for a minute?" "I want to talk to you." "Mr. Kim, remodulate the shields on a rotating frequency." "Janeway to Kes." "Yes, Captain?" "Can you come to the Bridge?" "I think we could use you." "Right away." "Paris, are you still with me?" "Sure am, Captain." "I'm running the scans on those ships." "I'll work on the shields." "I suggest you don't look at the viewscreen." "It's not even tempting." "How's it going down here?" "Not good." "I can't get a response from anybody." "It's like they're catatonic." "It's the same all over the ship." "On my way here, I must have seen 50 people just sitting, staring." "A few minutes ago, there was a momentary interruption in the psionic field." "Were there any indications that the alien somehow came on board?" "I'll find out." "Chakotay to Janeway." "Chakotay to the Captain." "Please respond." "Chakotay to anyone on the Bridge." "Kim, Paris, anybody!" "We may be the last ones left." "What do we do?" "I think we should take an escape pod." "We passed an M-Class planet yesterday." "The pod should get us there in a week." "We can try to get help." "A week?" "That might be too late." "It may be our only hope." "If we stay here, we'll end up like the others." "No." "I have to keep trying to set up the resonance burst." "Do I have to give you an order?" "I can't believe you're saying this." "You know we have to stay here and try to help the others." "I want you with me." "You aren't Chakotay." "I'm the Chakotay you want me to be." "The one who loves you." "This is what you want, isn't it?" "The secret you've been keeping?" "You want us to be together." "And we can be." "I have to help the others." "I want you." "I've always wanted you." "You feel the same way, too." "Yes!" "Captain, I'm getting results from the scans." "No apparent defensive weaknesses." "Metallurgical analysis is inconclusive." "I can't remodulate the shields." "Try moving us out of here." "If we can get some distance between us and those ships, we might be able to block the effects." "Yes, ma'am." "This time, let's see if you can do it without causing an accident." "You usually manage to make a mess of everything you do." "Let me say something I've always wanted to say." "Get out of my life!" "I'm just telling you what you already know." "When the going gets tough, you crumble." "Not anymore." "Not anymore." "You don't really believe that in your heart." "You believe you'll fail again and, of course, you will." "You can't do anything right." "You'll fail." "Why even try?" "Tom?" "Tom?" "Janeway to Engineering." "Janeway to Torres." "Are you there?" "Engineering, respond." "If anyone in Engineering can hear me, I'm on my way." "Computer, put the Bridge controls on security lockout." "Deck 11." "Now maybe you have time to talk to me." "You're so strong, Kath." "It's one of the things I always loved in you." "What's the matter?" "You used to love it when I kissed you there." "I don't know who you are-- what you are-- but I won't let you touch me." "What about the man on the holodeck?" "You didn't seem to mind him touching you, did you?" "In fact, I think you liked it." "Now I ask you, Kath, is that fair to me?" "I've stayed faithful to you." "I've vowed to wait for you no matter how long it takes." "Shouldn't you do the same?" "I haven't been unfaithful." "Oh, Kath..." "Sick Bay to Engineering." "Lieutenant Torres, please respond." "Doctor to the Mess Hall." "Mr. Neelix, are you there?" "This is the Doctor to anyone on the ship." "If you can hear me, please reply." "Either the communications system is malfunctioning or everyone on board has succumbed to a delusional state." "Except you and me." "It would appear that, if the psionic field is to be blocked and the crew restored to normal, it's up to us." "You will have to go to Engineering and complete Lieutenant Torres' efforts to create a resonance burst." "I don't know how to do that." "I will assist you from here." "Do you know how to do it?" "I... discussed the matter with Lieutenant Torres." "I think I understand the basic principle behind her plan." "How hard can it be?" "All right." "Go to Engineering immediately." "I'll contact you there." "Tom, what happened?" "A plasma leak." "Caught me in the face." "Help me." "Can you get to Sick Bay?" "The Doctor is there." "Come with me." "I can't, I have to get to Engineering." "You can't leave me like this." "It hurts!" "Tom, you can walk." "You have to get to Sick Bay on your own." "Kes, please." "I can't." "You don't want me to get to Engineering." "No." "I'm..." "I'm hallucinating." "Kes... wait!" "Come back!" "Don't leave me!" "Come back!" "Finally." "What took you so long?" "Doctor, we have to set up this resonance burst as quickly as possible." "I've started hallucinating." "Then see if Lieutenant Torres' last program is active." "I think I have it." "B'Elanna was writing a program to open a symmetrical warp field." "All right." "You'll have to sequence the magnetic plasma constriction to the following formula:" "T = c sub one over theta times p sub e." "How do I do that?" "I'm not sure." "Wait a minute." "I'll see if I can access" "Starfleet's interactive database." "Sweeting!" "Thank goodness I found you." "Are you all right?" "Where have you been?" "In the Mess Hall trying to help the poor souls there." "Why didn't you answer the Doctor's hails?" "I didn't hear them." "The com system must be down, and, frankly, I was a little busy." "Ashmore thought I was a Kazon." "Tried to kill me with a carving knife." "How do I know you're really Neelix?" "Who else would I be?" "Kes, all I want to do is protect you-- to keep you safe." "We have to get away from here-- get to my shuttle." "Doctor, have you figured out how I can enter that sequencing code?" "It's quite simple really." "Do you know where the command module is?" "Of course." "Activate it and select "magnetic plasma sequencing."" "You're becoming annoying." "I-I've got it." "It's activated." "Now it's asking me to enter the core temperature." "Move away from that console." "Now, we need a temperature high enough to emit the resonance burst, but not so high as to irradiate everyone on the ship." "Try three million kelvins." "Kes, look at him." "It hurts!" "Look at him." "Focus." "I can't." "Yes, you can." "The mirror, remember?" "It hurts too much!" "Kes, look at him." "What's the matter, Kes?" "Can't lift your head?" "Focus." "Stop it!" "I'm all right now, Doctor, and I've entered a temperature of three million kelvin." "Then all you have to do is activate the warp field." "All right." "Here we go." "Kes to the Captain." "If you can hear me, please report to Engineering." "What happened?" "It's a long story, but I think everything's all right now." "Is that who's responsible for all this?" "Apparently." "He looks so harmless." "It's hard to believe he almost destroyed us." "You're a powerful little thing." "I must say, you surprised me." "Why did you do this to us?" "Because I can." "Is it just telepathy, or is there technology involved?" "Does it matter?" "Oh, it matters to me, because I don't intend to let you continue preying on others." "How would you propose to stop me?" "We could destroy your technology, or adjust your brain wave patterns to prevent telepathy, and then we could turn you over to the government of Mithren." "We could even keep you confined in our brig behind a force field." "I'm sure you're very well-intentioned, Captain, and I'd like to be able to accommodate you... but, you see..." "I'm not really here." "Captain's Log, supplemental." "We have no explanation for the mysterious disappearance of the telepathic alien." "We can't even be certain that he was actually here." "He seems to have left us with any number of unanswered questions." "I'm surprised to see you here, Captain." "Isn't this the day that you're usually in the holodeck with your novel?" "I thought after our recent experience that I'd take a break from fantasy for a while." "I don't blame you." "I think... it had quite an impact on all of us." "Do you think it's true-- that the alien was reading our minds, creating images from our own experiences?" "It seemed that way." "He had an uncanny ability to... bring buried thoughts out into the open." "Why?" "Oh, it's just..." "I experienced something..." "I'd rather not admit." "I know." "Me, too." "But in a way... maybe he did us all a favor." "Maybe it's better to... look those feelings in the eye than to keep them locked up inside." "I guess." "I'll have to think about that." "Well, I have an early watch tomorrow, so I'd better turn in." "Good night, Captain." "Good night, B'Elanna." "Sweet dreams." "Thanks." "You, too." "Whatever she wants us for, it better be good." "Bridge." "I had you right where I wanted you." "What are you talking about?" "I was ahead-- 19-7." "I was just lulling you into a false sense of security." "Sure you were." "I'll win the next couple of points, then you'll start to tense up." "I do not tense up." "Easy, B'Elanna." "It's only hoverball." "You wanted to see us, Captain?" "Yes, Commander." "We've picked up an intriguing transmission." "I have a source on the signal." "A ship?" "Negative." "It appears to be a beacon of some kind." "A beacon?" "We are being hailed by someone using a Federation signal." "How could someone be transmitting a Federation signal from the Delta Quadrant?" "Maybe Starfleet found a way to get a probe here." "Maybe they're looking for us." "I'd like to believe that, too, but let's not jump to conclusions." "See if you can authenticate the signal." "The carrier wave frequency does correspond to standard Starfleet security codes." "As of when?" "According to the encryption key, this particular code was not scheduled for implementation until Stardate 48423." "That's a month after we left Deep Space 9." "They must be looking for us." "Your optimism may be premature, Mr. Kim." "Sorry, Captain." "But it's also infectious." "Mr. Paris, lay in a course for the beacon." "Yes, ma'am." "We're approaching the beacon's coordinates, Captain." "It's drifted inside an ionized hydrogen cloud." "The cloud's interfering with our sensor readings." "Can you get any information from the beacon?" "I'm afraid not." "Should I beam it aboard?" "I'd advise against bringing it on board before we've gotten a look at it-- even if it is emitting a Federation signal." "Agreed, and I don't want to fly blindly into a hydrogen cloud either." "Mr. Tuvok, tractor the probe into sensor range." "Aye, Captain." "Targeting scanners locked." "Initiating tractor beam." "Report." "We are taking fire from inside the cloud." "Source?" "Unknown." "Battle stations." "A Kazon raider is closing at 158 mark 9." "Hail them, Mr. Kim." "They're not responding, Captain." "Warp 3, Mr. Paris." "Get us out of here." "Aye..." "Warp engines are off-line, Captain." "Initiate evasive pattern omega three." "Mr. Tuvok, return fire." "Aye, Captain." "Kazon ship is in pursuit." "An opening is forming in the starboard shields, 72 centimeters in diameter." "See if you can close it, Commander." "Try rotating the shield harmonics." "They are continuously matching their weapons frequency to our shield frequency." "How the hell can they do that?" "I don't know." "The diameter of the opening has widened to approximately two meters." "Set the shield harmonics to rotate continuously." "Aye, Commander." "The diameter of the opening is now approximately four meters." "It's as if they know our access codes." "Captain, I am picking up a smaller vessel emerging from the hydrogen cloud." "It is heading directly toward the opening in our shields." "All hands, brace for impact." "Warning." "Hull breach on Deck 4, Cargo Bay 2." "Structural integrity is at 50 percent and dropping." "The hull is starting to buckle." "We're losing life support on Deck 4." "I am trying to initiate an emergency containment field." "However, the collision has caused a power failure on Deck 4." "Rerouting power to compensate." "Containment field activated." "Warning." "Intruder alert in Cargo Bay 2." "Mr. Tuvok!" "Tuvok to Security." "Meet me outside Cargo Bay 2." "Aye, sir." "Drop your weapons!" "It's no use." "We're not going anywhere with that shuttle sticking out of our side." "It's totally destabilizing our warp field." "Mr. Kim, did you reroute power to Transporter Room 2?" "No, sir." "Bridge to Tuvok." "Tuvok here." "There may be intruders in Transporter Room 2." "I'm on my way." "Tuvok to Bridge." "Go ahead." "The Kazon have beamed away, Captain, and they've taken one of our transporter modules with them." "Can you lock on to the module and beam it back?" "Not at the moment." "As soon as the Kazon dematerialized, we lost all transporter power." "Mr. Chakotay, lock a tractor beam on to their ship." "They're not leaving with that module." "Aye, Captain." "The Kazon are powering their warp engines, Captain." "Make it fast, Commander." "Engaging tractor beam." "I've got them, Captain." "The Kazon ship is hailing us." "Suddenly they want to talk." "On screen." "Captain Janeway." "First Maje Culluh of the Kazon-Nistrim." "I remember you, Culluh." "That transporter module you just stole is specifically designed for our ship." "You'll never be able to integrate it into your systems." "I've had some help updating our technology since we last met." "Seska?" "That's right, Captain." "As you can see, I'm in the process of restoring my Cardassian physiology." "Hello, Chakotay." "I should have known you were involved." "Yes, you should have." "Just like I knew you'd try to stop us with a tractor beam." "You've always been so predictable." "Captain, their deflector shields are creating a feedback loop." "It's neutralizing the tractor emitter." "Attempting to compensate." "Good-bye, Chakotay." "Lovely to see you again." "It's too late." "They've gone to warp." "They modified the bow to puncture our hull." "I've never seen the Kazon do anything like this before." "Until now, the Kazon have never had an advisor with Cardassian, Maquis and Starfleet tactical experience." "The question is:" "How do we dislodge it without losing structural integrity?" "With power down, our containment field's already extremely unstable." "We'll have to reroute additional power to the containment field and tow their shuttle out with one of our own." "Then we can repair the breach." "The shields and the warp drive will have to wait." "Warp drive isn't going to do us much good with this knife stuck in our belly." "Get it out fast." "We don't want the Kazon to put too much distance between us." "Forgive me, Captain, but are you sure going after the Nistrim is the wisest course of action?" "After what they've already done to us?" "Let me make something very clear." "The Nistrim are in possession of Federation technology." "That is an unacceptable situation." "Even though all they've stolen is a small computer component?" "That "small component" has the potential to cause vast problems in this Quadrant." "You're our resident expert on the Kazon." "What do you think the other sects will do when they realize the Nistrim have transporter capabilities?" "They'll try to get it for themselves any way they can." "You're right." "It could alter the balance of power among the sects." "Exactly, and it is our duty to do everything we can, no matter how dangerous to stop that from happening." "You can count on me, Captain." "From the look of these sensor readings," "Seska wants us to come after her." "Commander?" "I think Seska's leading us into another trap." "She masterminded a precision raid that made us look like first-year Academy students, but she left a warp trail for us to follow." "After such a flawless performance, why would she suddenly make that kind of mistake?" "You think she wants more than the transporter?" "Are you suggesting we don't follow her?" "No, I agree with everything you said about preventing the spread of our technology, but conventional tactics aren't going to work with Seska." "We'll need to come at her with a few surprises of our own." "I'm open to suggestions." "Perhaps Commander Chakotay could use his intimate knowledge of Seska to manipulate her in much the same way she manipulated us." "It can move people great distances in the blink of an eye, Haron, but this "transporter" is only the beginning." "Go on." "I'm listening." "There is a ship filled with new technology." "Devices that can make food, water-- even weapons-- appear out of thin air." "A computer system which uses neural tissue that can react twice as fast ours." "Very interesting, Culluh, but what does all this have to do with me?" "That ship is on its way here." "Help us, and we can divide the spoils." "The module Seska stole contains a quantum resonance oscillator." "So, we modify this coil scanner to detect the oscillator." "Then we get close enough to beam it back." "I'm betting Seska's figured out a way to shield the module from our transporters." "We might have to destroy it instead." "How do we do that?" "We borrow a trick from Seska's book." "Remember how we disabled the computer core on the Cardassian frigate orbiting Bajor?" "Seska modified an antiproton beam to penetrate its shields and hull." "Exactly." "But if I remember correctly, the beam was only effective from an extremely close range." "How do we get near enough to the Nistrim ship?" "One thing at a time." "You're taking this all very personally, aren't you?" "Why shouldn't I?" "You are not responsible for what happened." "Oh, no?" "I let her join the Maquis." "I took her into my confidence." "I even got... intimately involved with her." "So you have lousy taste in women." "Look, Chakotay, she fooled us all." "She was my best friend-- or at least that's what I thought." "Well, I, for one, am through being manipulated by her." "Are you sure?" "Because she's affecting you." "That's just where she wants you." "Don't tense up." "So now I'm getting advice about controlling my emotions from you." "Our sects have been blood enemies for generations." "And yet, now you ask for my help to defeat this Voyager." "Why not simply do it yourselves?" "I'll tell you why." "Because the Nistrim are weak and the Relora are strong." "Your grandfather's time has passed, Culluh." "You've presided over the demise of your own sect, whittled away" "your strength..." "Enough!" "You may have ships and soldiers, but I have the technology." "And I congratulate you on the daring and cunning of your raid." "Now, why don't you give me this transporter technology-- assuming it's authentic-- and let the Relora do what we do best." "When we have defeated the Voyager, we will not forget the Nistrim's assistance." "You think I'm a fool." "I won't hand this technology over to you." "Then perhaps we will have to take it." "Why don't we let the maje go back to his ship while we consider his offer?" "Listen to your woman, Culluh." "I'm picking up a gap in the Nistrim's warp trail, Captain." "All stop." "Let's take a look." "Captain, I've got some floating debris at bearing 319 mark 4." "On screen." "What is it?" "I'm not sure yet." "Magnify." "I'm detecting a residual transporter signature." "There is no doubt that this man and his unfortunate companion were beamed into space." "And according to these readings, they were alive at the time, Captain." "It looks like Seska's already adapted the transporter module into the Kazon systems and started experimenting with it." "Her early trials appear to have been less than successful." "I'm not so sure these men died by accident, Captain." "You see this green band he's wearing?" "It means he was the First Maje of the Kazon-Relora." "Relora?" "Sworn enemies of the Nistrim." "It's conceivable that Seska and Culluh used the transporter to execute these men." "Captain's Log, Stardate 49208.5." "I have convened a meeting of the senior staff to determine how we can get close enough to the Nistrim ship to deploy the antiproton beam." "Where's Chakotay?" "He was in Engineering helping me modify the coil scanner." "He said he'd be right up." "Janeway to Chakotay." "Computer, locate Commander Chakotay." "Commander Chakotay is not aboard the ship." "Computer, when will we intercept the Kazon vessel?" "Approximately 30 minutes." "What I want to know, Mr. Tuvok, is how he was able to get a shuttlecraft off this ship without either of us knowing about it." "Apparently, he was able to override the lock-out command." "I guess Seska's not the only one who knows how to compromise our security systems." "I assure you, Captain, it will not happen again." "See that it doesn't." "Did Chakotay leave any clue about what he's up to?" "I have accessed his personal logs, but there is no reference to his leaving Voyager." "I guess he was in too big a hurry to leave a note." "The coil scanner was right here." "He must have taken it with him." "Then I guess it's pretty clear he's going after Seska." "Looks like that." "You were working with him, Lieutenant." "Did he say anything to you?" "Just that he felt responsible for Seska, and was determined to stop her, but I never thought he would try to do this alone." "How big a head start does he have?" "Approximately three hours." "Janeway to Conn." "Paris here, Captain." "Lay in a pursuit course for Commander Chakotay's shuttlecraft, maximum impulse." "Acknowledged." "And Mr. Tuvok, I want a complete review of all security protocols on this ship by 2200 hours." "Aye, Captain." "You said the Relora would join us." "I should never have listened to you." "I was wrong." "I'm sorry." "Kazon sects do not help one another." "Don't be so sure about that." "What did you do to the two men who refused your offer?" "I killed them." "Yes, and by doing that, you sent a message." ""The Kazon-Nistrim are powerful again." ""First Maje Jal Culluh has technology" ""that no other sect possesses." "Join with him or suffer the consequences."" "Maybe the mistake was to approach the Relora." "They're already strong." "But the transporter may be enough to convince the Hobii to join me, and perhaps the Mostral." "Yes, and with a few more ships, you can defeat Voyager." "And when you have the rest of their technology, the other sects will have no choice but to fall into line." "That's why I sent a subspace message to the Mostral the Hobii and the Oglamar." "You did what?" "I told them about the transporter." "Asked them to help us take Voyager." "You have gone too far." "I sent the messages in your name." "I am the leader of this sect." "You are only a woman." "I'm sorry, Culluh." "You will address me as Maje!" "Yes..." "Maje." "Please... forgive me." "So... how did the other sects respond to my request?" "They're on their way to join us." "I could do what no one has done since Jal Sankur united the sects to overthrow the Trabe." "Yes, Maje." "I could have hundreds of ships and thousands of soldiers under my command." "Yes, Maje." "I could be the most powerful Kazon in the Quadrant." "Yes, Maje." "Come in." "Do you have a minute, Captain?" "It's about Chakotay." "That's not exactly my favorite subject right now, Lieutenant." "Well, I thought that maybe I could explain..." "Explain what?" "Why my First Officer publicly defied my authority by commandeering a shuttle without permission?" "I know it was never his intention to defy you." "He respects your authority." "But...?" "But he's a very proud man, and he's been... embarrassed by Seska." "What Seska did, she did to all of us." "Frankly, I find it more than a little self-indulgent of Chakotay to assume this is all about him." "He never said it to me directly, but..." "I think he was in love with her, and then he found out that everything he knew about her was a lie." "You said that he publicly defied your authority." "Can you imagine what it must have been like for someone as private as Chakotay to be publicly humiliated by someone he loved?" "And then, as if that weren't enough, she came back to taunt him in front of the entire Bridge crew." "I'm sure it was very painful for him, but what you're saying is he's got a personal score to settle." "That's only part of it." "I know Chakotay." "This is his way of taking responsibility." "In his mind, he's trying to protect the rest of us from a dangerous situation which he created." "Maybe, but that doesn't give him the privilege of ignoring this ship's chain of command." "I know that." "It's just that..." "Chakotay would never tell you any of this himself." "And assuming we get him back in one piece, you want to make sure" "I take his personal feelings into account before I decide how to discipline him." "I know that you're well within your rights to throw him into the brig, but..." "Well..." "Chakotay is lucky to have such a good friend." "I'll tell you what." "Why don't we deal with getting him back in one piece first." "We can worry about the discipline later." "Thank you." "Computer, when will we enter the Kazon vessel's scanner range?" "Approximately six minutes." "Reduce power to maneuvering thrusters and life support to five percent." "Cut all power to other systems." "The Mostral should be here in less than 20 hours." "The Hobii in 15." "Come look at this." "Intermittent EM readings?" "I don't think so." "Computer, initiate continuous scans for the transporter oscillator." "Initiating scans." "Those aren't normal fluctuations." "They're energy spikes from maneuvering thrusters." "Probably a shuttle running shadow maneuvers." "He knows our scanners can't pinpoint energy readings that low." "Who?" "Maybe we can resonate a coherent polaron pulse off his hull." "Get a lock on him that way." "Initiate a continuous stream of pulses from the lateral deflectors." "Maje?" "Come on, Seska." "Where did you hide that module?" "There you are." "Open a channel." "To whom?" "Just transmit on wide-band subspace." "He'll hear me." "Come on, find it!" "Hello, Chakotay." "Very clever maneuvering, but I'm not about to let you ruin all my hard work." "Deploy a spread of photonic charges centered on coordinates 124 by 217" "20 percent nominal yield." "That won't be enough." "We want that shuttle intact." "Got you." "Computer, power the antiproton generator." "Generator ready." "Target a concentrated beam to these coordinates." "Beam targeted." "Initiate!" "The generator is off-line." "Great." "Computer, launch the automated message beacon." "Beacon launched." "Now take the inertial dampers off-line." "He's lost control of the shuttle." "We have him." "Lock the towing emitter onto his vessel and bring him into the main hangar." "Culluh calling Seska." "This is Seska." "He's not here." "He must have transported aboard." "Find him!" "I'm right here." "Activate the message beacon." "Lovely to see you again." "Captain, I'm detecting a Federation beacon at bearing 059 mark 72." "This one's definitely ours-- Starfleet issue." "All stop." "The beacon is transmitting an automated message." "It is from Commander Chakotay." "On screen." "...to Voyager." "If this signal has been activated, it means that I have destroyed the Nistrim's transporter capabilities." "Captain, I apologize for acting without authorization, but I ask you not to put the ship or crew in further jeopardy by attempting to rescue me." "It's unlikely that I'm still alive." "Chakotay to Voyager." "If this signal has been activated..." "You can go." "I see the Nistrim take orders from you now." "Let's just say I'm in a position of some influence, which is fortunate for you." "Culluh wanted to execute you immediately, but I convinced him that you'd be a valuable prisoner and that I should be the one to interrogate you." "Lucky me." "Would you like a drink?" "The Kazon word for this is "enemy's blood."" "It's not exactly fine cognac, but I've developed a taste for it." "Try some." "No, thanks." "You know, I've got to hand it to you." "I thought all these months answering to Janeway would have made you soft, but all you needed was a little slap in the face to get that Maquis heart of yours beating again." "Here's to old times." "I have no interest in reminiscing with you." "I destroyed the transporter module." "The game's over." "What do I need with a single transporter module when I've got your shuttle and all its technology sitting in our hanger?" "I think you'll find that technology useless." "I wiped the computer core before I transported." "I should have anticipated that." "So if you're going to have me killed, just do it." "You're still the noble one, aren't you?" "Ready to die for your shipmates." "You know, Chakotay," "I may not have the transporter anymore, but I've got something better." "You." "Maybe that's all I really wanted." "I've missed you." "You can't possibly believe that you and I could still..." "Don't flatter yourself." "It was never that good." "You might have been an interesting diversion now and then, but I've always been less interested in you than in the information you could provide me with." "First, you gave me your Maquis secrets and now I want Voyager's command codes." "If you think I'm going to give you those codes, you don't know me as well as you think you do." "Maybe not, but for old time's sake," "I'll let you in on a little secret." "There are half a dozen ships from other Kazon sects on their way here right now." "They're joining us to help take Voyager." "Why are you telling me this?" "I'm not a monster." "I still care about Torres and some of the others." "I don't want to see anybody get hurt." "I never did." "I'm touched." "These Kazon aren't as reasonable as you and I." "I'm going to have to use all my influence to make sure they don't kill you all." "But you've got to give me something to work with." "Voyager's not coming." "I left them explicit instructions not to follow me." "So you can stop worrying about people getting hurt." "They'll come." "They'd never leave their First Officer in the hands of the Kazon." "You may not give me the command codes, but when Culluh gets through with you, you'll wish you had." "The message appears to be authentic, Captain." "We've got to go get him." "Commander Chakotay has expressly requested that we not attempt to do so." "We don't have to honor that request." "Captain?" "If a rescue attempt forces us to engage the Kazon, there is always a possibility that more of our technology will fall into their hands." "Kim to the Captain." "I'm picking up several vessels converging on the Nistrim's location." "My gut tells me we should go after Chakotay... but my better judgment, tells me we should honor his request." "I would never want you to ignore your judgment, Captain, but let me ask you this." "In your judgment, how would the loss of our First Officer affect this crew?" "What would it do to the morale on this ship?" "Maybe this is an instance when your gut is giving you better advice." "Janeway to Conn." "Paris here." "Resume a course for Chakotay's shuttle." "Aye, Captain." "I'm losing patience, Federation." "Just tell him what he needs to know." "She's quite a woman, isn't she?" "Does she rub your shoulders and tell you you're the most exciting man she's ever known?" "That's what she used to do for me." "What's the matter?" "Didn't she tell you about us?" "Stop playing games and give me the command codes." "Flattery, devotion, sex..." "I always thought she had a lot to offer a man." "You talk too much, Federation, but you're not telling me what I need to know." "You're wrong, Culluh." "I'm telling you exactly what you need to know." "She's using you." "I'm the one who's using her." "You've done an even better job on him than you did on me." "You talk to me, not to her." "Then what's she doing here?" "Watching you work?" "!" "She used to like to watch me work, too." "I don't believe a word you're saying, so you can stop trying to distract me now and start answering questions." "You know one thing I especially liked?" "The little mole on her stomach." "I guess you've seen it." "I'm through wasting my strength on you." "Now give me the command codes." "I'll give you something better." "What?" "Firsthand information." "Go ahead." "When Seska's through with you she's going to kill you." "He's delirious." "He doesn't know what he's saying." "Give him some time." "I'll be back in one hour." "For his sake, he'd better be more cooperative." "Very clever ploy, Chakotay, but you know I'm not a killer." "If I were, you'd have been dead a long time ago." "I have located the Nistrim vessel on long-range sensors." "Distance-- .4" "light-years." "However, they are not alone." "There are now at least six other Kazon ships in the immediate vicinity." "I didn't think Culluh had that many ships." "They must belong to enemy sects." "That may be so, but the ships have not powered their weapon systems." "What do you make of it, Neelix?" "It's certainly unusual for rival Kazon sects to congregate peacefully." "Is it possible the Nistrim have formed an alliance with other sects?" "I've never known the Kazon to do anything like that before." "If the Nistrim have added six ships to their force, it would be tactically unwise to engage them." "Then we'll just have to find a way of getting" "Chakotay out of there without picking a fight." "We can transport him out." "We would have to slow down once within transporter range, giving the Kazon ample time to open fire." "Not necessarily." "We could beam him out at warp speed without even slowing down." "The Kazon would never be able to catch us." "That's difficult enough when both ships are traveling at warp." "The Kazon ship's not even moving." "I can compensate for that." "How?" "By synchronizing the transporter's annular confinement beam to the warp core frequency." "Maybe, but at a relative speed of two billion kilometers per second, it's pretty tough to get a lock on somebody." "Ensign Kim is correct." "We would risk scrambling his transporter signal and killing him." "It would be a direct violation of Starfleet safety protocols." "Do you have a better idea?" "Trust me, Captain." "I can do it." "How can you be so sure?" "Because I've done it before." "When you are a Maquis, you don't always have the luxury of following protocols." "Ah!" "Jal Surat of the Mostral." "May I present Jal Loran of the Hobii and Jal Valek of the Oglamar?" "We've met before... in battle." "Please, Jal Surat, sit down." "Today is a day Kazon children will remember for generations." "Today is the day we put aside our differences and join forces to defeat Voyager." "Today is the day that marks the end of the supremacy of the Relora and the Ogla because, after today, we will have the Federation technology and the other sects will run when they see us." "That's a fine speech, Culluh, but what makes you think" "Voyager won't use this technology to defeat us?" "Because I have Voyager's command codes." "I have heard what you did to the Relora maje and his companion-- very impressive-- but before I make an enemy of these Federations, I want proof that you have their command codes." "May I present Commander Chakotay" "Voyager's First Officer." "60 seconds to transporter range, Captain." "Bridge to Torres." "Have you located Chakotay?" "I'm reading Kazon life signs, but still no Chakotay." "Captain, I must remind you that we have no direct evidence the Commander is still alive, or if he is, that he's still aboard that ship." "I'm not conceding that yet." "Can you give me anything, B'Elanna?" "I'm picking up some kind of localized dampening field." "It's blocking our targeting scanners." "Maybe Seska's found a way to hide Chakotay from us." "You may be right." "I've got to reinitialize the targeting scanners to match the relative phase of the dampening field." "I've found him, Captain." "He's still alive." "Can you get him out of there?" "The damping field is disrupting our transporter signal." "I can't get a lock on him." "Red Alert." "Mr. Paris, take us out of warp." "It's Voyager." "Well, Culluh?" "What are you waiting for?" "Use the command codes to disable them." "Bridge, this is First Maje Culluh." "Lock weapons onto the Federation ship and fire." "Mr. Paris, evasive pattern delta four." "Mr. Tuvok, return fire." "Firing phasers." "Bridge to Torres." "Can you transport Chakotay?" "I'm matching the pattern buffer frequency to the Kazon dampening field." "Make it fast." "I've got a lock." "Initiating transport." "Do you have him, B'Elanna?" "I had him for a second, but they've remodulated the dampening field." "Can you compensate?" "I'm trying, but I need more time." "We'll try to hold them off, but we don't have long." "Mr. Tuvok, phasers to maximum." "Let's give them a little distraction." "Why are you allowing them to continue firing?" "It's taking longer than I thought to interface with their systems." "You must order your ships to provide cover." "I hope you know what you're doing." "The other Kazon vessels have opened fire." "Mr. Paris, evasive pattern omega two." "Aye, Captain." "Bridge to Torres." "You're going to have to hurry it up down there." "We can't hold them off much longer." "I'm doing the best I can." "We're losing patience, Culluh." "Where are you going?" "To the Bridge." "I might have better luck interfacing with Voyager's systems from there." "I'll go with you." "You'll stay right here." "Aft shields down to 23 percent, Captain." "Bridge to Torres." "Can you transport Chakotay out or not?" "They've put the dampening field on some kind of randomly fluctuating modulation." "It'll take me at least an hour to match the phase variances." "Shields at 16 percent." "Captain, we must retreat." "Lieutenant, just how localized is that dampening field?" "A little more than two meters in diameter--just enough to isolate Chakotay." "Why?" "I think I've got an idea." "I don't think you ever had those command codes." "I think you're a liar." "What does it matter?" "If we work together, we don't need the command codes to beat them." "You're right." "We can beat them, but we're going to do it without you." "We're taking your ship." "Please stay where you are." "You will find that our transporters have rendered your weapons useless." "I will make you very sorry for this, Culluh." "Here are the terms, gentlemen." "The safe return of our First Officer and shuttlecraft in exchange for your freedom." "I presume you will find that an acceptable arrangement." "Captain's Log, Stardate 49211.5." "Now that Commander Chakotay has made a full recovery," "I'm faced with the difficult task of responding to his failure to follow procedure." "Just tell me one thing." "What were you thinking?" "About keeping our technology out of Kazon hands." "I thought if I did it on my own," "I could keep the rest of the crew out of danger." "That may be a very noble sentiment, but it wasn't your decision to make." "Oh, Chakotay... we've spent the last ten months together on this ship." "I thought we had an understanding." "Why did you choose to ignore procedure?" "Seska was my problem-- a problem I felt it was my duty to solve." "So you had a... personal score to settle." "I thought I was doing the right thing." "Really?" "Tell me this." "How do you expect me to keep order when the First Officer takes it upon himself to run off like some cowboy because he decides it's a good idea?" "What you did was commendable." "The way you did it was not." "You set a terrible example, and on a personal level, you've made my job more difficult." "If that's so, I regret it." "I'm putting you on report, in case that means anything anymore." "It means something to me, Captain." "It means I've let you down and for that, I'm truly sorry." "Bridge to ready room." "Go ahead, Mr. Tuvok." "I think you and Commander Chakotay should come in here." "On our way." "I have located an automated message beacon, Captain." "Another one?" "It is a message to Commander Chakotay from Seska." "Would you like Mr. Kim to put it through to your office?" "No, I think I've spent enough time alone with Seska." "Very well." "Put it on screen." "Hello, Chakotay." "Congratulations on your victory." "I look forward to our next meeting." "Oh, and there's something you should know." "While you were unconscious," "I took the liberty of extracting a sample of your DNA." "I impregnated myself with it." "So, I guess more congratulations are in order." "You're going to be a father." "Ten months ago, the crew of Voyager was pulled into the Delta Quadrant by an entity known as the Caretaker." "Not enough time!" "When he died, Voyager's best chance of getting home died with him, but he revealed one hopeful possibility." "There is another like me." "She left hundreds of years ago, but she's out there, somewhere." "Open yourself to the impressions around you-- the thoughts... the minds that are on this ship." "What do you hear?" "Voices." "So many voices." "I believe you are sensing the thoughts of various crew members on board." "What should I do?" "See if you can isolate one of the voices." "Imagine you are listening to a symphony and focusing on a single instrument." "It's working." "Try to maintain your emotional equanimity." "You should not be concerned with success or failure." "Uh-oh." "He's taking off too much." "I told him just a few millimeters off the top." "Way too much now." "Don't touch the sideburns." "It's Neelix!" "I can hear Neelix's thoughts." "That is not unexpected." "You have an emotional attachment to him which may have drawn your focus." "My scalp itches." "Maybe I should tell him about that shampoo of his." "I think he's getting a haircut." "Oh, no!" "He's trimming the ear hairs." "I told him the ear hairs are the perfect length." "Not the ear hairs!" "If you are to succeed in honing your telepathic abilities, you must learn to control these emotional outbursts." "Outburst?" "It was a giggle." "Tomorrow, I will teach you a Vulcan mind-control technique that will help you inhibit your giggles." "Thanks, Tuvok." "You may go." "You're late." "Sorry." "My lesson with Lieutenant Tuvok went a little long today." "Today, yesterday and the day before." "You'd think a Vulcan would be more attuned to punctuality." "I'll try to keep a closer eye on the time from now on." "So, how was school today?" "Wonderful." "Tuvok helped me with a sensory focus exercise, we worked on my precognitive skills, and I learned how to self-induce a hypergogic mental state." "Sounds stimulating." "He says I'm making excellent progress." "I had no doubt that you would, but I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't let these... mind studies interfere with your..." "What's that?" "I don't know." "Life-signs?" "Apparently so." "But before I could analyze them, the life-signs simply ceased." "I'm scanning the remains on all biospectral frequencies." "It's completely inert." "Dead." "Somehow, I find it hard to believe this rock suddenly came to life for several seconds." "I concur." "However, dead or alive, these are the remains of an alien entity we never fully understood." "It may be prudent to place it in a level-3 biohazard containment field." "Agreed-- but first, I want to take a look at..." "I'm picking up life-signs." "They're sporocystian." "The Caretaker was a sporocystian life-form." "But, according to my readings, the life signs aren't coming from the remains." "The remains are simply resonating in response to an external energy source-- some other life-form." "Where?" "Let's find out." "Janeway to Bridge." "Mr. Kim, begin scans for a sporocystian life-form." "Aye, Captain." "Stand by." "I've got it, Captain." "A sporocystian energy burst approximately ten light-years distant." "But I can't get a precise fix on its location." "The life-signs are gone." "These remains could be responding to the Caretaker's mate." "If that's true, maybe we could use them to track her down." "And if we can find her, she might have the ability to send us home." "Torres to Janeway." "Go ahead." "We've placed the remains in a hexiprismatic field, Captain." "The next time it responds to sporocystian energy, the field should give us a heading to the source." "You're using the remains like a compass." "Exactly." "Good work." "Keep us apprised." "Janeway out." "Captain, the Caretaker was a being of considerable power, and although his intent was not hostile, we were essentially at his mercy." "I do not care to repeat that experience." "And if we are about to meet his mate, you'd like it to be on more even ground." "Precisely." "I have studied the Doctor's biochemical analysis of the Caretaker remains, and I believe it is possible to create a sporocystian toxin-- something which might debilitate the life-form." "Sounds like a sensible precaution." "Get on it." "I'm picking up sporocystian energy." "Chakotay to Engineering." "We're picking up life-signs." "Is your compass working?" "Stand by." "Activate the field." "I can't get a bearing on the source." "Try increasing the spatial resolution." "Spatial resolution at maximum." "The life-signs are fading, and I still can't get a lock on the coordinates." "Boosting the signal gain." "We've got it, Captain." "Bearing 272 mark 19." "Acknowledged." "Mr. Paris, set a course and engage at maximum warp." "Aye, Captain." "Captain, we're picking up an artificial structure on long-range sensors." "It appears to be a space station of some kind." "Slow to impulse and put it on screen." "That looks a lot like the Caretaker's Array." "The configuration is similar." "So is the surface composition, but it's only about one-tenth the size." "Are there any sporocystian life-forms on board?" "No, but I am picking up over 2,000 carbon-based life-forms." "They appear to be..." "Wait a second." "Confirming." "Captain... they're Ocampa." "We're approaching the station, Captain." "All stop." "Hail them, Mr. Tuvok." "No response." "I am reading an energy surge from the station-- possibly weapons." "Shields." "Definitely weapons." "Shields are holding." "Incoming message from the Array." "Let's hear it." "You're not wanted here." "We pose no threat to you." "I'm Captain Kathryn Janeway of the..." "You have been warned!" "They are Ocampa?" "That's right." "There appears to be an entire colony." "And, according to our sensors, the station is at least 300 years old." "Kes, is there any Ocampa history about people who left your planet or were captured by aliens and taken away?" "No." "The idea that there could be Ocampa anywhere but on the homeworld is something no one ever considered." "I thought I was the only one." "Since you're definitely the only one on Voyager," "I want you to act as an intermediary." "Gladly." "What should I do?" "The first step is to arrange a meeting." "Let's see if we can get that far." "Hail the Array." "This is becoming tiresome, Captain." "If you force us to take further aggressive action..." "I have someone here who wishes to speak with you." "My name is Kes." "I'm an Ocampa." "This is some kind of trick." "I assure you it's not a trick." "What would an Ocampa be doing on an alien starship?" "It's a long story." "But I'd like to know what an Ocampa is doing on an alien space station." "That is also a long story." "Then I suggest we meet and tell each other our stories." "May we come aboard your station?" "No, but I am willing to come to your ship." "Our readings identified a sporocystian life-form in this area." "We've been looking for that life-form for months." "Why?" "To destroy it?" "No." "On the contrary, we believe it has the technology that could send us home." "Captain, are you aware of how your ship is regarded?" "That when Voyager appears, people fear destruction?" "Your ship is known as a ship of death." "What?" "You've established quite a reputation." "You killed the Caretaker, declared war on the Kazon, raided planets for their resources." "None of that is true." "We've never attacked anyone except in self-defense." "And we did not kill the Caretaker." "He died of natural causes." "Mr. Tanis, please try to understand, we only want to find the entity we've been looking for." "I want to talk to you alone." "Our sensors tell us she's somewhere in this region." "Can you help us find her?" "Captain, I'd like to speak to Tanis alone, if I may." "Very well." "Why should I believe any of this?" "These are kind people, Tanis." "They saved my life, at great risk to themselves, when they didn't have to." "They wouldn't lie to you." "I will admit, these people are hardly what I expected." "But more unexpected was finding you here, Kes." "I had no idea any Ocampa had left the homeworld so recently." "I have about a thousand questions to ask you." "I know, and I'm going to try to answer them." "Is this where you spend your time?" "You mean in this room?" "No." "This is where the Bridge officers usually meet." "I want to see where you live." "I want to see the place that is special to you." "You did all this?" "I had a little help, but, yes, most of it is my work." "Well, you've done well-- bringing something so beautiful into a place so sterile." "Sterile." "Voyager?" "." "Look around you, Kes." "This is a cold and barren place." "There are over 150 people on board." "I'd hardly call that barren." "There are people, but there's so little life." "Part of me weeps to see you in this place." "You're so isolated." "Corridors, bulkheads... all cutting you off from the world around you." "You live on a space station." "How is it any different?" "I assure you, it's very different." "You're very young, aren't you?" "Two years." "Would it surprise you to know that I'm 14 years old?" "That's not possible." "The oldest Ocampa only lived to be nine." "You know so little about your own people." "There's so much for you to learn about yourself... about the galaxy." "Being here on this ship is holding you back." "These people are helping me." "I'm a member of the crew." "I suppose we were like you once-- innocent, naive." "But when Suspiria brought us here 300 years ago, she began to teach us how we could become stronger than we ever could've on the homeworld." "Suspiria... is that your Caretaker?" "We don't think of her as a Caretaker." "Her species is actually called the Nacene." "Then you do know her." "Where is she?" "Nearby." "But she's so different from the entity you knew." "He was only interested in maintaining the status quo." "He kept our people servile and weak." "Suspiria taught us to develop our psychokinetic skills that had lain dormant for so long." "We have abilities far beyond anything you can imagine." "Like what?" "We can enhance life." "And that's only the beginning, Kes." "I have to return to the station." "We'll talk again." "Sounds like you've established a dialogue with Tanis." "It's an excellent beginning." "Good work." "Thank you, Captain." "Kes... is there something wrong?" "Not exactly." "I'm just a little overwhelmed." "I always believed that my people had the potential to be more than what they were-- that our mental abilities could be somehow heightened-- and now I've met someone who's realized that potential and I don't know whether to be excited or frightened." "A nonemotional response would be more useful." "But since you're not a Vulcan," "I'd say a mixture of the two emotions would be appropriate." "It's an exciting moment, Kes, and I'm very happy for you." "But just remember, we know very little about these Ocampa." "Be cautious in your dealings with Tanis." "I will." "But I just have a good feeling about him." "I've met with the Ocampa girl." "She has potential." "I don't care about the girl." "She's yours." "Bring me the ship." "This is delicious!" "Mr. Tanis, is it true you're 14 years old?" "Yes." "That's quite common with my people here." "Suspiria helped us develop a technology to extend the Ocampa life span three generations ago." "My father lived to be 20 years." "Would that technology work for Kes?" "Possibly." "Where does Suspiria live?" "On another Array?" "Oh, nothing so corporeal as that." "She exists as pure sporocystian energy." "She only assumes physical form when we need to communicate with her." "Does she occupy our space-time continuum?" "I don't know." "All I know is, when we need her, she comes." "I'll take you to the meeting place." "I'm sure all your questions will be answered then." "You'll enjoy meeting her, Kes, as well as the other Ocampa here." "I'd love to visit the station." "Visit?" "Why not stay with us?" "Stay?" "Yes." "I think you could learn a lot from us, we from you." "We haven't been in contact with the Ocampa homeworld for hundreds of years." "We'd be fascinated to hear about our distant cousins." "That sounds wonderful, but, uh..." "Kes, you certainly don't have to decide something this important right now." "Give it some thought." "She's absolutely right." "There's no rush." "I appreciate that." "I am curious about your mental abilities." "They're so much greater than mine." "Do not underestimate your own potential, Kes." "Your mental abilities are rapidly maturing." "I might be able to help you." "No offense to Mr. Tuvok, but I am more familiar with the Ocampa mind." "I would appreciate any insight you could give me." "Oh, good." "Maybe later this evening." "It is a highly reactive sporocystian toxin." "I ran a micro-cellular analysis of the Caretaker's remains, and discovered a critical enzyme in his cellular structure." "The energy in this cylinder is formulated to break down that enzyme." "It would result in temporary paralysis." "Mr. Tanis says she's harmless." "It is my hope that we only have to use it as a precautionary measure." "Very well." "Proceed." "In your mind, visualize your hand." "Now reach out with that hand and grab the teacup." "Reach out with the fingers of your mind." "Grasp it." "Do you have it?" "I can feel the handle and the texture of the metal, but I can't move it." "Don't try to move it." "Just take a drink from it." "See?" "You can do it." "I don't understand." "I didn't try to move it." "No." "You just tried to drink from it." "And what would you do if you wanted to take a drink?" "I'd reach out and pick it up." "That's right." "But you wouldn't be thinking about picking it up." "You'd simply do it." "And that's what you just learned." "Focus on the goal, not the task." "When you wanted the tea, it came to you." "Uh, excuse me..." "We're not finished." "I know you're tired, but I want you to try one more thing." "It's cold." "Wouldn't it taste better if it were hot?" "See past the liquid." "Not with your eyes, with your mind." "What your eyes show you is only the surface of reality." "Look deeper." "There is no liquid." "There is no cup." "There's only a collection of molecules and atoms, moving, vibrating..." "I see them." "They're barely moving." "That's because they're cold." "How would you heat them up?" "With... a fire." "That's right-- with the fire of your mind." "How do I do that?" "Focus on the goal, not the task." "Don't think about creating the fire, just use it." "I see it now." "It's so simple." "That's right." "But that's enough for tonight." "Tomorrow, I'll take you to the next level." "Until then, good night." "May I say something now?" "Of course, Neelix." "I'm so proud of you." "I knew you could do it." "This is a whole new beginning for you, Kes." "I know, I know." "What if I did go?" "Go?" "To the Ocampa Array." "If I decided to live with Tanis and the others... would you go with me?" "I'd go anywhere with you." "Captain's Log, supplemental." "We've arrived at what Tanis calls "the meeting place"-- the region of space where Suspiria exists." "Nothing on sensors, Captain." "Captain, may I access your communications equipment?" "Of course." "I've sent out a subspace carrier wave." "Suspiria should respond within the next 47 hours." "I'll be in my quarters." "We'll let you know when she makes her appearance." "That won't be necessary." "I'll know when she's here." "Tanis has shown me the next level." "The psychokinetic manipulation of matter." "That is a large step for someone whose mental abilities are still undisciplined." "Nevertheless, I am intrigued." "May I?" "Please." "He showed me how to use the fire in my mind." "Fascinating." "However, I would advise caution in exploring this ability until you have mastered the..." "I have to stop the fire." "How do I stop the fire?" "!" "Tuvok..." "Tuvok, can you tell me what to do?" "!" "Tuvok!" "No!" "Lieutenant, can you hear me?" "What happened?" "Your cell membranes went through hyperthermal induction." "The temperature of your blood rose by 37 degrees in a matter of seconds." "You were in shock, and I resuscitated you." "I'm restricting you to light duty for the next three days." "Try and get some rest." "That will not be necessary, Doctor." "My Vulcan healing techniques do not require an extended period of convalescence." "Vulcans make the worst patients." "Fine, but if you're feeling any nausea or dizziness," "I'm expecting you to report to Sick Bay at once." "Of course." "Tuvok, I'm sor..." "You are probably feeling the emotion known as remorse, possibly guilt." "I advise you to look on this incident as a learning experience." "It's not that easy." "I almost killed you." "That is correct, but you did not." "Try to remember that." "I will see you tomorrow at 1500 hours, assuming you wish to continue your training." "You still want to teach me?" "If this experience proves anything, it is that you need further instruction, and I would regret not continuing as your instructor." "Thanks, Tuvok." "How's the Vulcan?" "Is he going to recover?" "You heard?" "In a manner of speaking." "I was aware of what happened." "He's going to be all right, no thanks to me." "Tanis, I've been thinking" "I don't know if I'm ready for this." "What's wrong?" "If I can't control my abilities, there might be another accident." "I'm afraid it isn't going to get any easier, Kes." "You're already starting to manifest abilities far beyond anything you've ever imagined." "Soon you'll be so far beyond the other beings on this ship that you'll look at them as they look at... pets." "They're not pets." "They're people." "They're my friends." "And I'm sure you care for them very much." "I'm sure they're wonderful people, and they certainly seem that way to me, but... it's time that you began to accept how different you are from them." "The people on this ship-- they live their lives trapped inside their primitive skulls, depending on flesh and bone to tell them what the universe is like." "They don't know what it is to see beyond the physical." "Touch it." "This is how they know their universe." "They touch the flower, their nerve impulses travel up their arm to the brain, and in their mind, they sense the moisture of the petals, the texture of the leaves, the sharpness of the thorns," "and they think they know what it feels like, but they don't." "Now touch it." "Reach out with your thoughts." "Feel it for the very first time." "Think of nothing but the flower." "It's the only object in the universe." "Know it." "Know it in a way only an Ocampa can." "Can you see it?" "Yes." "It's more than seeing." "It's more than touching." "I know this flower." "You can do more." "Reach out." "Feel all the life in this room." "Yes, I can feel it." "I know them all." "They're so beautiful." "It can be more beautiful." "Bring the fire." "How did it feel?" "They're dead." "They're all dead." "Amazing." "You felt life." "You embraced its essence with your mind and then you transformed it." "There's nothing else like it in the universe." "I killed those plants... just like I almost killed Tuvok." "But I don't want to hurt anybody." "Of course you don't." "That's not the point." "Hurt people, help them, give life, kill-- it's all the same." "Once you see beyond the physical, you see the universe as it truly is." "Now you know why you can't stay with these people-- why you have to come with me." "Come back to the station." "We'll care for you." "We'll train you." "Oh, I don't know." "I still need some more time to think about it." "Take all the time you want." "But when you meet Suspiria," "I think you'll decide to join us." "Why?" "Because Suspiria is your future." "She's part of us, and we're a part of her." "All the Ocampa here are connected in a way that can't be put into words, and if you develop your abilities far enough," "Suspiria will invite you to go with her to Exosia." "Exosia?" "A place the humanoids on this ship call" ""a subspace layer," a place of pure thought, pure energy, a place of the mind." "Think about it, Kes." "When you're ready, Suspiria will embrace you." "Good night." "Torres to Bridge." "The Caretaker's remains are resonating again." "It's definitely reacting to a sporocystian life-form, and from what I can tell, that life-form is right on top of us." "Acknowledged." "Captain... there's a subspace rupture forming directly ahead." "Yellow Alert." "Janeway to Tanis." "Will you please come to the Bridge?" "I believe we've made contact with Suspiria." "I know." "I'm on my way." "I think we should run a biospectral analysis." "Some of these readings are pretty strange." "And get me the sensor logs on that subspace rupture out there." "Captain, I'm picking up some strange readings in Engineering." "Some kind of plasmatic energy field is forming." "Janeway to Torres." "We're picking up some odd plasmatic readings down there." "Can you confirm?" "Janeway to Torres." "Security, meet me in Main Engineering." "Aye, sir." "It's time to go." "Go... where?" "Back to the Ocampa station." "Everyone's waiting for you, Kes." "The connection has been made." "You're part of us now." "Your future has already begun." "Tuvok to Bridge." "Go ahead." "I believe the female Caretaker is here." "Commander, you have the Bridge." "Can't you feel the connection?" "Your people are calling to you." "Listen to them." "Yes." "I can hear them." "All of them." "And can you hear Suspiria?" "Tuvok?" "Who are you?" "Suspiria." "I've been looking forward to meeting you." "Why?" "Because I had the opportunity to talk to your companion before he died." "Yes, I know." "I can feel her presence." "She's powerful... turbulent." "She's upset." "She's angry!" "Kes..." "She wants to destroy the ship!" "Kes, listen to me." "There's nothing to worry about." "Am I interrupting?" "He told us that you were curious and went off to explore the galaxy." "We're explorers, too, but your friend brought us to this Quadrant against our will, and we haven't been able to find a way back." "Is that why you killed him?" "We didn't kill him." "You destroyed the Array and you took his remains." "I assure you..." "No!" "You killed him." "And now, I will kill you." "Now you will know what frail, small creatures you truly are." "What's going on?" "I don't know." "It's like the entire molecular structure of the ship is coming apart." "Red Alert." "Bridge to Janeway." "Bridge to Janeway." "We're losing hull integrity." "Increase power to structural reinforcement." "Aye, sir." "Forget these people." "You're beyond them." "No." "Leave her alone, Tanis." "Remember how you felt in the airponics bay?" "You've never felt that way in your entire life, have you?" "Get away from me." "That was only the beginning, Kes." "I said leave her alone!" "Neelix!" "Leave him!" "Leave him, Kes!" "He's nothing compared to you." "Nothing!" "You have to trust." "Oh, Neelix." "Suspiria..." "So, now you kill me as you did my mate." "No." "I told you we didn't kill him." "Please try to understand." "We don't want to hurt you." "We don't want to hurt anyone." "We just want to get home." "Tuvok, release the force field." "Captain..." "Do it." "You'd show me mercy after what I did to you?" "Yes, I would." "Take me with you... please." "It appears she has descended into subspace." "Can you track her position?" "Negative." "The rupture has been sealed." "She is gone, Captain." "Captain's Log, supplemental." "We've resumed our course back to the Alpha Quadrant, but the female Caretaker is still out there with the power to send us home." "And I will use all my power to find her and convince her to do just that." "I looked at the tea and I tried to make it boil, but nothing happened." "Without Tanis' help, I just can't do it." "Nevertheless, your psychokinetic abilities are still part of you." "They might resurface one day." "To be honest, I never want to see that part of myself again." "To which part are you referring?" "To the part of me that got pleasure from destroying those plants in the airponics bay." "To the part of me that was tempted to go with Tanis." "I never realized I had such dark impulses." "Without the darkness, how would we recognize the light?" "Do not fear your negative thoughts." "They are part of you." "They are a part of every living being." "Even Vulcans." "You?" "The Vulcan heart was forged out of barbarism and violence." "We learned to control it." "But it is still part of us." "To pretend it does not exist is to create an opportunity for it to escape." "Let us begin." "Open yourself to the impressions around you-- the thoughts, the minds that are on this ship." "Anything?" "Not really." "The polyferranide deposits are contaminated with astiline." "Commander, there's something over here" "I think you should see." "Pack it up." "We'll find better quality somewhere down the line." "That line is going to be cut short when our nacelles burn themselves up if we don't find it soon." "What have you got, Lieutenant?" "There have been other visitors to this moon recently." "What do you think this is?" "Some kind of message?" "I don't want you to go wandering off." "I'm not." "I'm just looking at something." "Antonio." "Vay-chit no-op-puse-nee." "Chakotay, kay-nee-post." "Pon-ah-chee nun-pah-hee-no." "Kay-nee-post itchee-oh." "Kep-pon-nee!" "He says you're quite a scout." "A kep-pon-nee." "I was just looking at a lizard when I saw it." "Well, it was your eyes that saw it." "No one else's did." "That's the important thing." "Come." "I want you to understand this." "It's a blessing to the land." "An ancient healing symbol." "A CHAH-mooz-ee." "They probably cut this down for firewood." "The Rubber Tree people?" "Well, the closest thing to the Ancient Rubber Tree people that we'll ever see." "The people in this tribe are their descendants." "Just like we are." "But they never left this jungle." "And they rarely intermarry with other tribes." "And they still use firewood instead of magnesite fuel like everyone else." "Chakotay, they've chosen to live like this for centuries." "That's why we are traveling on foot and not using a transporter." "We honor the Sky Spirits who led our ancestors to this sacred land." "Sacred land?" "Yes." "Huh." "The Sky Spirits must have taken a wrong turn somewhere." "Maybe it's a blessing to the land." "For damaging it with the campfire." "What is your basis for that conclusion, Commander?" "Oh, just... something somebody told me once." "Describe the nature of your pain." "In the lower back." "It's tight." "Choose the word that would best describe your pain." "Burning, throbbing, piercing, pinching, biting, stinging, shooting..." "Shooting." "It even goes down my legs." "Hmm." "Is the baby all right?" "Hmm?" "Oh, certainly." "Fine, nothing to worry about." "Well, that makes me feel better." "The position of the baby is simply putting pressure on your sciatic nerve." "You may return to your post." "The pain makes it difficult to sit for any period of time." "It's really quite uncomfortable." "Elevating your legs when you sit should provide all the relief you need." "Perhaps a day of rest, off-duty." "Mm-mm." "Ensign Wildman, according to your medical history, this is your first pregnancy, correct?" "Yes." "Well, Ensign, unfortunately, pregnancy causes its fair share of discomforts and you'll have to learn to live with them." "That's just the way it is." "We'll schedule her for follow-up in two days." "If the pain has not subsided on its own by then, we'll attempt to decrease the sensitivity of the nerve in that region." "Thank you, Doctor." "Call me day or night if this gets any worse." "Don't you have any compassion for the way she feels?" "Every member of this crew is an adult." "I will not coddle them." "Compassion can be your department." "Fortunately, you have enough for both of us." "You've never been sick or in pain." "I just wish, once in your life, you could know what it's like, how it makes you feel vulnerable and a little afraid." "Then you'd understand." "I don't have a life." "I have a program." "I hated every minute of it." "My father had dragged me all the way from our colony near the Cardassian border on this quest of his." "Away from my friends, my home, and here we were, in the middle of a brutal Central American jungle looking for the descendants of the Ancient Rubber people." "It must have been very important to him." "Believe me, it was." "And he was very disappointed that I didn't share his enthusiasm." "He'd been tracking down the origins of our tribe for years." "The one on the right is the one I found today." "And now, something you saw on that trip years ago, shows up again on a moon surface almost 70,000 light-years away." "I don't suppose you have any theories that might explain this." "I can give you an official Rubber Tree people theory if you like." "Sky Spirits." "Sky Spirits?" "It's an ancient myth." "Sky Spirits from above created the first Rubber people in their own image, and led the way to a sacred land where the Rubber people would live for eternity." "You obviously don't put a great deal of faith in this explanation." "How much faith do you put in Adam and Eve?" "Hasn't science proved that all humans developed from a single evolutionary process?" "That's what I was always taught." "On the other hand, none of my teachers ever spent much time in the Delta Quadrant." "B'Elanna tells me we picked up a warp signature heading away from the moon." "Think we should follow it?" "I don't know that it's fair for me to put my own personal curiosity ahead of the ship's priorities." "We still haven't found the polyferranide we need to seal the warp coils." "If these people have warp technology, they might be able to help us." "Besides... we are in the business of exploring, aren't we?" "My father would put on his expedition hat and shout, "Let's go!"" "I guess that's good enough for me." "Showing no life signs." "Mr. Paris, are you certain the warp signature ended here?" "Positive, Captain." "Harry, check your sensors." "That look like some kind of power source to you?" "That is an unusually high EM reading for a natural occurrence." "Could be some kind of cloaking technology." "Mr. Kim, transmit a continuous message on all frequencies identifying who we are, where we're from and make it clear our intentions are peaceful." "Torres to Bridge." "Go ahead." "We're in luck, Captain." "My readings are showing high concentrations of polyferranide about ten kilometers below the surface." "Acknowledged." "We'll send out an away team to continue the survey." "Report to Transporter Room 3." "On my way." "Commander, if we meet any resistance abort the mission." "I have no intention of disturbing an alien race that would rather be left alone." "Understood." "On the other hand, if we can make contact, our goal is to get permission to begin excavation as soon as possible." "Tuvok, you're with me." "Mr. Neelix, please report to Transporter Room 3 for an away mission." "I'll meet you there, Commander." "We may be out of luck." "Problem?" "I'm not sure we can transport down." "Every time we try to lock on to a transport sight, a storm begins." "Storm?" "We've tried seven different sites and as soon as we lock on, an electrical storm forms right above the location." "When we change sites, a new storm forms and the old one dissipates." "Might the transporter beam itself be causing an electrostatic charge in the atmosphere?" "That's as good a guess as any." "I can't explain it." "We just can't transport." "Fine, we'll take a shuttle." "Once again, the storm seems to have formed as a direct result of our interaction with the atmosphere." "The meteorological conditions changed radically when we began our entry sequence." "Shields are holding." "It takes more than a little thunderstorm to bother one of your mighty Starfleet ships, huh?" "Nothing we can't handle." "Relax, Neelix." "That's why they call it a rain forest." "Why do your Sky Spirits choose a place where it rains all the time?" "And it's hot... and there are so many bugs?" "It's said the Sky Spirits honored the land above all else." "Maybe it's because this land yields so many different kinds of life." "Maybe they wanted us to become friends with everything in nature." "Including the bugs." "Sorry, Sky Spirits." "I will never make friends with bugs." "Maybe that's why they keep biting you." "You're miserable." "It was a mistake to bring you." "I'm sorry." "I'm sorry I can't be what you want me to be." "From the day you came out of your mother... upside down..." "I knew the spirits had chosen you to be a contrary." "No one chooses for me." "I choose my own way." "And if that makes me a contrary," "I'll have to live with it." "If you have no spirits to guide you," "I fear you will lose your way." "Altitude: 5,000 meters." "Decreasing speed to 720 kph." "Entering terminal approach phase." "Visibility still zero." "Switching to enhanced terrain scanning." "Touchdown sight scanned." "Continuing descent." "Computer, activate the emergency medical holographic program." "Please state the nature of the medical emergency." "I thought we changed your program so you wouldn't have to say that anymore." "We did." "But I became so uncomfortable trying to find new ways to "break the ice," as it were, that I restored it." "Let's just say it works for me." "Doctor?" "Ah, you noticed." "Are holograms supposed to... sneeze?" "Generally, no." "But I have accepted your challenge." "I programmed myself with the symptoms of the 29-hour Levodian flu." "Thus I will gain the experience that you suggest would be beneficial to the performance of my duties." "Holographic tissue paper for the holographic runny nose." "Don't offer them to patients." "Mmm, interesting sensation, blowing one's nose." "It's my first time." "I think this is very brave of you." "Nothing of the sort." "I intend it to be an educational experience." "I'm sure you'll learn a lot." "I meant for the crew." "I'm tired of the whiny, cranky attitudes we see around here." "I intend to serve as an example of how one's life and duties do not have to be disrupted by simple illness." "Doc?" "I don't feel so good." "Neither do I, and you don't hear me complaining." "We are not making any progress locating the source of that unusual power reading, Commander." "Then I guess we'll have to search for these people the old-fashioned way-- with our eyes and ears." "Is something bothering you," "Commander?" "No, it just reminds me of another jungle that I visited once." "The Central American rain forest on Earth." "It's the only other place in the universe that I've ever seen this flower." "It appears to be a rare variety of Cypriprdium of the Asiatic genus Paphiopedilum." "I never knew you had such horticultural expertise, Mr. Vulcan." "In fact, I am-- or, more accurately, I was-- a breeder of prize Vulcan orchids." "Then we have something in common" "I breed orchids, too!" "Don't they make the most exquisite salad?" "A touch of Baldoxic vinegar-- pure heaven." "I hereby designate the two of you the team's botanical surveyors." "Collect a sample of that flower." "B'Elanna?" "It's just what we've been looking for." "Almost pure polyferranide." "But there's a problem with crust reactivity." "If we can't solve it before excavation, we might contaminate the entire yield." "Have Ensign Kim run an analysis from the ship." "We should be able to..." "I'll be damned." "What?" "It almost looks like a hawk, doesn't it?" "Listen to him, Chakotay." "What does he say to you?" "He says, "You are home." Huh?" "I'm leaving the tribe, Father." "What?" "I got to know a lot of the Starfleet officers patrolling the Cardassian border." "I asked Captain Sulu if he would sponsor me at Starfleet Academy." "And he would do such a thing without even discussing it with me?" "I told him I had your approval." "Ah!" "I kept him as far away from you as I could." "I take it you've been accepted by the Academy." "Well, you've never fully embraced the traditions of our tribe, I know that." "And you've always been curious about other societies." "And that is why I allowed you to read about them." "Because I believe that ignorance is our greatest enemy." "But to leave the tribe..." "Our tribe lives in the past." "A past of fantasy and myth." "That past is a part of you, no matter how hard you try to reject it." "Other tribes have learned to accept the 24th century." "Why can't ours?" "It is not the place of a 15-year-old boy to question the choices of his tribe." "I know." "That's why I have to leave." "You will never belong to that other life." "And if you leave, you will never belong to this one." "You'll be caught between worlds." "I ask for your blessing, Father." "Oon-day." "Oon-day, Kolopak." "Botanical surveyor number one to Commander Chakotay." "Go ahead, Neelix." "You won't believe what I found." "I think it's..." "Neelix, what the...?" "The bird, the bird!" "My eye!" "Away team to Voyager." "Go ahead, Commander." "Emergency beam-out." "Get Neelix to Sick Bay." "Acknowledged." "Commander." "You're very lucky this bird didn't snatch your eye right out of the socket." "We have no spare Talaxian eyeballs." "Is something the matter with him?" "The Doctor gave himself the Levodian flu to see what it's like." "Is he contagious?" "It's a holographic simulation, not an actual virus." "There's no need for concern." "You may sit up." "Touchy, isn't he?" "He isn't feeling well." "I don't require any compassion, thank you very much." "I have been experiencing these symptoms for nearly 20 hours, and I am in complete command of my faculties." "You may both leave now." "Mr. Kim believes if we bombard the crust with antithoron radiation, we can decontaminate it before excavation begins." "Then all we need to do is locate these people and get their permission." "Any progress?" "Everything we've found here suggests the people who live in this village left recently and in a hurry." "Do you believe our arrival frightened them?" "We can't discount that." "You'd think with warp technology, they would have encountered other alien life before now." "You'd think with warp technology, they wouldn't be living like this." "Captain, have you had any unusual readings that might explain the images of a strange face I've been seeing?" "Images?" "Very odd." "Like the flash of a memory." "But it's someone I've never met." "Nothing unusual has shown up on the ship's sensors." "Tuvok hasn't detected any telepathic activity, either." "If you want to call it a day, Commander..." "No." "I think we'll press on for a while." "If there are any other problems, I'll let you know." "Chakotay out." "The dwellings are constructed with an alloy polymer matrix we've never encountered before, Commander." "They're out there." "Our tricorders may not tell us so, but they're out there." "Lay down your weapons." "Commander?" "Disarm" " I want them to see that we don't pose any threat to them." "May I remind the Commander that Starfleet protocol demands that away teams remain armed and ready to defend themselves until contact is..." "I know all about Starfleet protocol, Lieutenant." "As we have not yet established the inhabitants' intentions, it would not be a logical course of action." "The logical course isn't always the right course." "Lay down your weapons in plain sight." "Those are my orders." "Would you at least permit me to advise the Captain to move the ship into a stronger tactical position?" "Negative." "We'll show no force of any kind." "For the record, I must take exception to these orders." "Noted." "They have reason to be scared." "Who can blame them?" "Their history, our history, is filled with conquerors who brought slavery and disease and death." "Maybe we should just leave them alone." "Oh-chip way-nob-ee teem-mock-uh an-tope-ah-nee." "Hi-yeta-koo-nay-pas." "Cha-kan-a hi-mee." "Cha-kan-a hi-mee." "Duh su kan-nuh-da." "Binda kana." "Binda kana." "Father." "Kah-yo-tay." "Hay-noh." "CHAH-mooz-ee." "Teem-ma-ka-ha." "I have no explanation, Commander!" "There is no storm activity indicated." "All right, let's get back to the shuttle." "Hey!" "Wait!" "We will never make it!" "Where's Chakotay?" "!" "Away team to Voyager." "Emergency beam-out." "He was right behind us." "I don't understand what could have happened to him." "Was he wearing the combadge the last time you saw him?" "Just before the storm, he was using it to speak with you, Captain." "Mr. Paris, what are the current surface conditions near the shuttle?" "Surface conditions are back to normal, Captain." "Winds two knots, but..." "I can't find any sign of their shuttle." "It's not where they landed it." "And it isn't airborne?" "No, ma'am." "I'll lead the away team back." "Mr. Tuvok, Lieutenant, you're with me." "Mr. Paris, you have..." "Captain Janeway, this is the Doctor." "Please turn to your emergency medical holographic channel." "What is it, Doctor?" "Something terrible has happened." "My program..." "Doctor, I think you're carrying this experiment of yours a little too far." "One hour too far, to be precise." "I very specifically programmed a 29-hour Levodian flu." "And it has now been 30 hours." "Doctor, I'm sorry, but we have more pressing matters..." "You can't leave me like this." "I need help, now!" "Get me somebody who can tweak the computer and make me feel better, immediately." "Very well." "Mr. Kim is on his way." "Try to relax, Doctor." "I'll see to that, Captain." "I'm going to need you with me, Kes." "Prepare a medkit and bring it with you to Transporter Room 3." "Commander Chakotay is still on the surface and may be injured." "Janeway out." "Oh, I don't understand it." "I..." "I ran a computer diagnostic and it said that my program was fine." "Just rest, Doctor." "Here's a cool, holographic towel for your forehead." "Oh, thank you." "Thank you so much." "Please... don't go yet." "I have to." "The Captain..." "I feel like I'm fading, just... fading away." "You don't know what that means to a hologram." "What seems to be the problem?" "My simulated virus is leading me to a simulated death." "It's nothing to worry about." "I just added a couple of hours to his computer program." "He'll be fine in about 45 minutes." "Knowing when it would end didn't exactly make it a fair test, did it, Doctor?" "Oh, she is far more devious than I ever suspected." "No shuttle." "Well, at least they got out okay." "You have nothing to fear from me." "Talk to me." "Let me see you." "Is-to ko-hee-nis." "No!" "Thank you." "You have nothing to fear from me." "Talk to me." "Let me see you." "I don't understand it." "It's the same thing that happened the first time we tried to go down." "A storm develops wherever we try to lock on." "Why would we have the ability to beam people up, but not to beam them down?" "I believe we have seen enough to discern a pattern, Captain." "The logical conclusion is that someone is controlling the elements of nature to ward us off." "The transporter anomaly is evidence of this conclusion." "We are allowed to leave the planet, but not to approach." "If that's true, I'd be happy to respect their wishes, but, unfortunately," "I have a missing crewman to get back first." "Janeway to Paris." "Yes, Captain." "Mr. Paris, we're going to land Voyager on the surface." "Take us into the atmosphere." "Acknowledged." "Beginning entry sequence." "I'm reading electrical storms forming all around us." "Adjusting flight path." "The barometric pressure is continuing to fall." "We're looking at monsoon conditions out there." "Mr. Paris, the shuttle crew didn't report turbulence this severe during their landing." "I'm doing the best I can, Captain." "I'm showing gale force winds out there." "It is conceivable that the aliens have been able to intensify their response now that they are familiar with our capabilities." "Red Alert!" "Inertial dampers are off-line." "We seem to be caught in some kind of vortex." "I can't maintain altitude." "Captain, it's a cyclone." "Altitude 20,000 meters and falling." "I can't get us out of this thing, Captain." "Bridge to Torres." "We need more power from the engines." "I've got them running 20 percent over rated maximum, Captain." "It's not enough." "Could we go to low warp under these conditions?" "The ship might make it without inertial dampers, but we'd all just be stains on the back wall." "I can try to augment the engines with power from the auxiliary fusion reactors, but it's going to take at least 20 minutes." "How much time do we have, Mr. Paris?" "Altitude at 18,000 meters and falling." "At this rate, we're looking at about ten minutes." "If you can hear me, speak to me." "Dosh-du-pah kee-ne?" "Swasge-muh kee-say-yo-pah?" "Swas-ti-ma-hay." "Kee-say-yo-pah." "Pah-kee-ne?" "Sas-ga no-yo-du no-kay-dah?" "I'm sorry." "I don't know the ancient language of my people." "I can't understand." "Po-kud-zee yo-atah." "Pon-tez-butz-su." "A CHAH-mooz-ee." "CHAH-mooz-ee." "Swasge-muh kee-say." "Yo-pah no-kay-dah?" "CHAH-mooz-ee." "Altitude 6,000 meters." "Warning." "Approach vector is too steep." "Discontinue landing sequence." "Would somebody turn that off, please?" "Engineering, report." "We need that extra power, B'Elanna." "Ten minutes." "I just need ten minutes!" "Do you understand my words now?" "Yes." "Explain the face marking." "I wear it to honor my father." "He wore it to honor his ancestors." "Ancestors..." "You are human?" "Yes." "Are there others on your world with this mark?" "Yes." "Not many, but some." "We were taught all of them had been annihilated." "We were taught your world had been ravaged by those with no respect for life or land." "There was a time when that was true." "But no longer." "He claims to be a descendent of the Inheritors." "Inheritors?" "The ones..." "our ancestors chose to honor." "I'm surprised you have no memory of the Inheritors." "One of our gifts was the memory." "If you are a descendent, you should remember." "I'm not sure I understand." "Perhaps it has been lost over time." "45,000 years ago, on our first visit to your world, we met a small group of nomadic hunters." "They had no spoken language, no culture, except the use of fire and stone weapons, but they did have a respect for the land and for other living creatures that impressed us deeply." "We decided to give them an inheritance-- a genetic bonding-- so they might thrive and protect your world." "On subsequent visits, we found that our genetic gift brought about a spirit of curiosity and adventure." "It impelled them to migrate away from the cold climate to a new, unpeopled land." "It took them almost a thousand generations to cross your planet." "Hundreds of thousands of them flourished in their new land." "Their civilization had a profound influence on others of your species." "But then new people came with weapons and disease." "The Inheritors who survived scattered." "Many sought refuge in other societies." "12 generations ago when we returned, we found no sign of their existence." "My people called you the Sky Spirits." "Why have you been hiding from us since we landed here?" "When we heard your message, who you were, observed you probing our land, we believed you were a threat." "We thought you would annihilate us as you had the Inheritors." "Our message was supposed to communicate peaceful intentions." "We were taught that is the way human conquerors often introduce themselves." "As I said... we've tried to change our ways since the last time you stopped by." "Altitude: 2,000 meters." "Stand by, Bridge." "We're initiating the transfer now." "I'm showing an eight percent boost in the engines." "That's all?" "The fusion reactors are nearly drained." "Fighting the storm is taking every reserve we have." "Altitude: 1,000 meters." "Impact in 20 seconds." "B'Elanna." "Impact in 15 seconds." "I'm sorry, Captain, that's all we've got." "Impact in ten seconds." "Report." "We're free." "Gaining altitude." "2,000 meters." "2,500." "Dampers back on line." "The storms have completely dissipated." "There's not a cloud in the sky." "Stand down Red Alert." "Anybody have an explanation?" "It appears the inhabitants of this planet have decided to make contact, Captain." "The cloaking device has been turned off, and we are showing an alien population." "I have located the shuttle." "It may be possible to locate Commander Chakotay without landing." "Establish a search pattern, Mr. Paris." "Yes, Captain." "Begin scanning for human life signs." "As soon as you find Chakotay, we'll send down an away team." "My ship will be coming for me soon." "I'm sorry we cannot permit you to extract all the materials you need." "You were generous to offer as much as you did." "You have a long journey ahead." "It took us more than two generations to reach your world." "I wish I could see my father's face right now." "Does he still live?" "No." "He died fighting enemies who would have taken our home colony." "Our tribe moved there a few hundred years ago." "So he honored the land just as... his ancestors did." "Yes." "Yes, he did." "We weren't on very good terms when he died." "Once he was gone, I didn't know how to reconcile our differences, how to heal our old wounds." "I returned to my colony, and continued the fight in his name." "I took the mark that he wore to honor his ancestors." "I spoke to him in my vision quests, but he never answered." "Until now." "CHAH-mooz-ee." "Commander." "Put those away." "Listen to him, Chakotay." "Do you hear what he says to you?" "Yes, Father." "I hear him." "I finally hear him." "Four to beam up, Voyager." "We need this completely filled." "We don't have time to haggle over price." "Understood." "Captain." "Janeway to Voy..." "Get up!" "Get away from her!" "Commander-- any word on that tellerium?" "Not yet." "How bad is it?" "The antimatter reaction rate is down to 12 percent." "If it drops below nine, the plasma injectors will lock up and we'll never be able to reinitialize the nacelles." "Options?" "If we're going to reduce our power demands even further, we're going to have to drop the shields." "I don't want to leave the ship defenseless this close to a hostile planet." "All other systems are already off-line." "Life support is at minimal." "You asked for options." "That's our last one." "All right, power down the shields." "That helped." "It's only a matter of time." "There's nothing more we can do without the tellerium." "Neelix to Voyager." "Yes, Neelix." "The rest of the away team is gone, Commander." "They've been taken by the Mokra." "What do you want me to do?" "Did you get the tellerium?" "Yes, I have it." "Then we need you here." "Prepare to beam directly to Engineering." "Rerouting emergency power to Transporter Room 2." "And... energizing." "Chakotay to away team." "Captain, can you hear me?" "Unlock the control conduit." "Tuvok, Torres, please respond." "Keep an eye on the flow rate." "Yes, sir." "Rate's holding steady." "The reaction rate is stabilized at 13 percent." "Up to 15... 18." "It worked then." "We're all right?" "Maybe." "Once the rate is up to normal, we'll try getting the warp drive back on line." "Then we'll see if there was any damage." "Begin rerouting power back to all key systems." "What happened down there?" "I don't know, exactly." "I went in the shop, completed the trade, then I heard weapons fire on the street." "By the time I got out there, the Captain and the others were gone." "Are you sure it was the Mokra?" "I spoke to witnesses on the street." "They said it was quite a fight." "Any idea how the Mokra knew you were down there?" "Someone must have told them we were coming." "The Mokra have informants everywhere." "Could your contact be one of them?" "I don't think I would have made it back here with the tellerium if he had been." "Besides, he's involved with the Alsaurian resistance movement." "He would never help the Mokra." "They've probably got the resistance movement under surveillance." "Commander." "I think we're ready to give the engines a try." "I'm opening the plasma injectors." "Warp engines are back on line." "All systems normal." "Good work, Mr. Kim." "Mr. Neelix, you're with me." "I think it's time we contact the Mokra." "Mr. Paris, set a new course." "Bring us out from behind the moon and establish a standard orbit around the planet-- slowly." "We don't want to look aggressive." "Yes, sir." "What kind of response should we expect when they see us?" "The Mokra are paranoid and hostile." "They have little use for diplomacy." "I wouldn't be surprised if they started shooting at us immediately." "We'll be in full view of the planet in a few seconds." "Their orbital sensor net has picked us up." "They're scanning the ship." "We're being hailed." "On screen." "I am Third Magistrate Augris of the Mokra Order." "Commander Chakotay of the Federation Starship Voyager." "May I assume you're seeking permission to conduct business with us?" "No." "Some of my crew members have already been to the surface." "We've lost contact with them." "I see." "You must have been unaware of our regulations." "I'll transfer a complete copy for future reference." "I have reason to believe they're being detained." "Detained?" "That's possible." "I'll look into it for you." "I'll contact you shortly." "Thank you." "He's not like any Mokra I've ever met." "I can't believe he'll really help us." "If there's any chance for a diplomatic solution, we have to pursue it." "In the meantime, I want continuous scans of the surface." "Standard search pattern." "I advise caution." "There's a control circuit there." "I can see it." "If only we knew that Neelix made it back to the ship with the tellerium, then at least this would be worth it." "I regret I have no such reassurance to offer you." "We don't even know what happened to the Captain." "She might have been killed out there on the street." "That is possible." "It is also possible that she has safely returned to Voyager." "We have insufficient evidence to dismiss either conclusion." "I guess that's the Vulcan way of telling me to hope for the best." "Look who's awake." "Just rest." "You must be thirsty." "Maybe hungry?" "For a little something?" "Oh, what shall I make?" "What, what can I make?" "What, what?" "Oh..." "Where am I?" "Oh, it hasn't been that long." "I wish I had some..." "There." "This will do." "T-To drink." "Thank you." "I'll fix you some soup." "Now, just..." "lie down." "You're very kind, but I have..." "It's all right." "You're safe now." "I really can't..." "Shh, shh." "Don't worry." "Everything's all right now." "My little girl is home." "I'm very grateful for everything you've done for me." "But you know there's nothing I wouldn't do for my sweet Ralkana." "My name is Kathryn Janeway." ""Kathryn"?" "That's an unusual name." "Very pretty." "I-I like it." "I am a starship Captain." "It is very important that I contact my ship." "Wonderful." "Captain..." "Kathryn of a glorious starship." "Then what happens?" "Go on." "I'm listening." "I love your stories." "It's not a story." "It's a request." "May I use your communications equipment?" "Communications..." "Uh, we're not supposed to have any of that." "The Mokra don't allow it." "They can't have control of everything." "Surely there's someone who has an illegal transmitter." "I know what you'd like-- some talsa root soup." "Can you at least tell me what happened to the other people" "I was with on the street?" "You really should be more careful out there." "Those Mokra will pick a fight for no reason." "I don't want you getting hurt... again." "But I saw the way you handled that ugly one." "I couldn't have done any better." "I was so proud of you, Ralkana." "My two friends-- did the Mokra take them?" "I'm afraid so." "Where would they have been taken?" "A detention center?" "The prison." "All right." "How do I get there?" "Soup." "I'm forgetting the soup." "I appreciate your hospitality, but I can't stay here." "I've got to get to that prison." "You're right, the time has come." "Now we're together again, we can't wait another day." "My beautiful and brave..." "girl." "The Mokra won't stand a chance against us." "You're very kind to offer, but I didn't mean we'd be going together." "You must eat and rest to get your strength back." "We'll leave soon enough." "We don't want to keep her waiting any longer than we have to." "Keep who waiting?" "She must miss you so terribly." "It's hard to bear-- thinking of her alone in that dark cell." "It's been difficult for all of us, but don't worry, we'll get her out." "You'll see your mother again." "Our world has come under attack before." "You can understand our concern at finding strangers who arrive secretly from a hidden ship." "I assure you, we have no hostile intentions." "I believe you, but some of my colleagues are cautious about dealing with... disreputable ships." "What does that mean?" "It seems you've been making more enemies than friends since you arrived from the..." "Alpha Quadrant, is it?" "Some think even that story is a lie." "But not you." "Of course not." "I am here to help." "Then I'd like to talk to my crew members." "I'm afraid that will be difficult in the current climate of mistrust." "Perhaps if you could tell us more about what brought you here-- who you've been dealing with." "I'll consider that after I talk to my crew members." "You're not making it very easy for me to help you." "Let me see what I can arrange." "It may take some time." "Commander." "Talk to your contacts again." "I want an alternative to sitting here waiting for him to get back to us." "Your question is based on a faulty assumption." "I cannot answer it." "You can't deny being in contact with the resistance." "I deny that we are intending to supply them with weapons." "These lies are useless." "We know you're helping the subversives." "I want names." "I have none to give you." "He told you already-- we don't know anything about the resistance!" "I've heard that many times from many people." "Take him." "Lieutenant, stop!" "That will not help either of us." "He's right." "Open up!" "No!" "Break it down!" "I see soldiers out there." "What's happening?" "They're everywhere-- searching the whole area." "I don't want to cause trouble for you." "I'll go soon as it's dark." "You've always been a troublemaker ever since you could walk." "I've never seen such a willful child." "But that's what I love most about you-- your spirit." "Now, don't worry." "When they come through here, we'll be gone already." "Now, your mother will want some of her things." "Ah... a pretty dress to wear." "They're only looking for me." "You don't have to get any more involved than you already are." "Why, if my precious girl is involved then I'm involved, too." "Do you remember this?" "She always used to wear it on special occasions." "I think today would count... as one." "You know what I think she would like even more... is to see you wear it." "I couldn't possibly take it..." "Be careful, be careful this won't heal if you move around too much." "If you want to help, tell me about that prison." "What kind of security do they have?" "Are there force fields, detection grids, physical barriers?" "Yes, all of it." "What about guards?" "Lots of guards." "The Mokra make a big show of it-- always bragging about how no one has ever escaped." "Listen to me..." "I can't bring you to the prison with me." "It's too dangerous." "I'm not afraid." "And that could get both of us killed." "You have to stay here." "If I stay here I can't bring the letters." "Letters... to the prison?" "Letters." "Don't you remember how we used to write to her together?" "Here they are." "I still write them-- every week since she's been gone." "I've always known that one day" "I'd be able to..." "to give them to her." "I've never forgotten." "These are all to your wife?" "How long has it been?" "My last letter... my last letter's not... it's not here." "Oh, I wrote it three days ago, but it's... it's not..." "I can't let her think I've stopped writing-- that I gave up hope only, only days before..." "Huh, I'll write it again." "My hand... my hand shakes sometimes." "You write it so it looks nice." "I'm very sorry, I have to go before the soldiers come." "The last one..." "the last one was about..." "My memory isn't very good." "No, I remember." "I went walking in the morning." "It was... it was very cold." "Tell her I wore my sweater." "She worries about that sort of... thing." "And... and, uh... and I, uh, and I what?" "And I saw they had torn down that old building where you and the other children used to... to play." "And, uh... what...?" "Tell her that it rained for two and a half days." "I don't know if she can see the sky... where they're keeping her." "And... there was more." "There was something about a friend..." "I..." "Why can't I remember?" "I wanted to tell her!" "It's all right." "She'll understand." "Yes, yes, you're right." "She will." "Please let me come with you." "I'm sorry;" "that's not possible." "Check this one here!" "Is there another way out?" "Open up or else!" "There." "Open the door!" "Open the door now!" "Break it down!" "This is a waste of time." "We don't need him anyway." "I need him." "If he's a member of the resistance, he may be able to help me contact my ship." "Monster!" "He's the one." "He took your mother." "We have to..." "They want a fight." "Don't give them one." "What?" "I've done nothing!" "I've done nothing." "Please!" "Please..." "You look like a helpful citizen." "So, tell me." "You might have seen some strangers who were in the marketplace earlier today." "No, sir." "No, I've seen no one." "Please." "You!" "I'm looking for someone, a woman." "I haven't seen any woman." "There are two right over here." "You see them, don't you?" "Yes." "Maybe we should discuss this elsewhere." "Caylem..." "Good morning." "I seem to have lost my hat." "It's about this... this big." "Have you seen my hat?" "Run along, old man." "Without my hat?" "There you go." "There... it's..." "it's all right now." "They've gone." "The prison is in the northeast corner of the city." "My sources tell me it's surrounded by metaphasic shields." "Can we find a way to beam through them?" "The Mokra aren't familiar with transporter technology." "There is a periodic fluctuation in the shield's energy pattern." "I'm working on a way to take advantage of it." "There's only one problem with that." "If the Mokra detect us breaking through their shields, we'll be surrounded by soldiers in seconds." "If we could beam in close enough to where the away team is being held, we might be able to get in and out of there before the Mokra had a chance to react." "We can't locate the away team from here." "The detention level is subterranean and the rock is too dense for our sensors to penetrate." "You'll have to look for them after you beam into the prison." "Too dangerous." "We can't risk beaming in." "We'll have to find another way that the Mokra won't detect." "Sounds like a challenge for you, Mr. Kim." "You'd be welcome to use our transmitter if we still had one." "The Mokra confiscated it this morning." "Then I'll have to find my crew members myself." "I know two of them were arrested." "What about Neelix?" "He stayed inside with me, then got transported up to your ship." "Good." "What can you tell me about the prison?" "I know about the prison." "We need all the information we can get." "I have to reach my crew." "Don't you think there are people in there" "I'd like to get out?" "Any sane person would tell you it's impossible." "Spoken like a coward." "I've heard about you, old man." "You're the coward!" "Enough." "What are you doing with this lunatic?" "Has he been telling you stories of his brave deeds?" "They're just fantasies." "Taking him along on this rescue mission of yours is suicide." "He's already saved me from the Mokra once." "And he saved you from those soldiers today." "All right, stay with him." "Go off to the prison, get yourself killed." "I don't have to get killed if you'll tell me what you know." "There are access tunnels on the north side." "They'll get you in a little closer, but they're guarded." "Then I'll need weapons." "They're not free." "I don't have anything to trade." "That's worth some weapons." "I can't." "Yes, you can... if it'll help to bring her back to us." "Thank you." "I can have someone meet you on the street in three hours to make the trade." "He'll be wearing a blue vest." "Watch for him." "We will." "Thank you." "I'd wish you luck, but what you'll need is a miracle." "He's more than three hours late." "We have to consider the possibility that he's been arrested." "You mustn't believe what he told you about me." "I don't believe it." "You're not a coward." "I had to keep my little girl safe." "It was just too dangerous to get involved." "Can you understand?" "Your mother wouldn't listen." "She wanted to fight." "She was always... so passionate about what she believed in." "She didn't care about the risk." "You were proud of her." "I didn't want to lose her." "I didn't want you to grow up without a mother." "I tried so hard to change her mind and finally she changed mine." "She convinced me to go with her." "I said I would meet her..." "by the river." "She was leading a raid against a Mokra supply center." "I said I would meet her... but I didn't..." "I couldn't." "I was too afraid." "She was still waiting for me when they arrested her." "I could never tell you about this." "I knew you would hate me." "I couldn't bear that." "Please, Ralkana, if you can ever forgive me..." "All right, I'll be right there." "What is it?" "A blue vest." "Then it's time to go." "What happened?" "He was wearing military boots like the Mokra." "It was a trap." "A trap?" "And you saw it?" "My clever girl." "We'll be all right." "We have each other." "That's all we'll need." "It's not that simple." "We can't just walk into the prison without weapons." "Maybe we'll have to try a different strategy." "We don't have to ask your friend any more questions if you give us the answers." "I told you, I don't..." "I'm sorry." "I guess I..." "I always assumed that Vulcans didn't feel pain like the rest of us;" "that you were able to block it out somehow until I heard..." "Was that you I heard?" "Vulcans are capable of suppressing certain levels of physical pain." "Beyond that, we must simply endure the experience." "How can you say that so calmly?" "You must feel some anger at what they did to you... some desire to fight back." "Under the circumstances, physical resistance is ineffective." "We are... fighting back by refusing to give them any information." "Get down there!" "Three more hours." "There's nothing going on around here." "Wake me if the Lieutenant shows up, will you?" "You girls aren't supposed to come down here anymore." "Do you want me to leave?" "I didn't say that." "Then I won't." "If my Lieutenant saw you here, I'd be in trouble." "Nobody will see us back here." "It's dark... private." "I like this strategy." "Ready to go?" "No... you're not coming with me." "Of course I am." "We settled this." "You told that man, Darod, how I saved you from the Mokra!" "You did save me." "Now I'm returning the favor." "I promise I'll try to find your wife." "Wait!" "Ralkana!" "No!" "I've been studying their orbital sensor net." "It surrounds the entire planet." "This is the most sophisticated system I've ever seen." "It monitors everything we do, there's no way of disabling it from orbit." "So much for a surprise attack." "We may still be able to surprise them even if they do see us coming." "We could modify the main deflector to send out dozens of radion beams which should penetrate the prison shields." "One of them will carry our transporter signal, but the sensor net won't be able to distinguish which one, so the Mokra won't know the exact location we're beaming to." "And they won't know where to concentrate their defenses." "That's the best head start I can give you." "Then it'll have to do." "How long will it take to modify the deflector?" "I can do it right now." "Chakotay to Paris." "Is the rescue team ready?" "Standing by." "Prepare for transport." "Deflector ready, Commander." "Initiate the radion beams." "Sending out the first volley..." "It's working." "They're getting through the shields." "Begin the transport." "Transporter Room 2, synchronize your confinement beams to..." "That came from the surface." "Maximum shields." "Damage report." "Shields at 90 percent." "That was a precision hit right to the source of the beams." "Main deflector is now off-line." "We're being hailed from the surface." "On screen." "Your attempt to penetrate our defenses is a hostile act against the Mokra Order." "There are now 85 phased-ion cannons targeted at your ship." "If you don't withdraw from Mokra space in two minutes, we will open fire." "Commander." "Give me some good news, Mr. Kim." "There's a disruption in the shields around the prison." "That qualifies." "Good work." "I wish I could take credit for it, but it's coming from inside the prison." "Can we get through?" "Yes, but the Mokra will detect our transport." "Sounds like they have other things to worry about right now." "That disruption might not be accidental." "Someone in there might be trying to get out." "That's a big assumption." "Even if our people didn't cause the problem, you know they'd take advantage of it." "This is our best chance to find them." "In about 30 seconds, the Mokra are going to open fire." "I don't know how long we'll be able to wait for you." "Understood." "Darod." "I'm looking for my people." "Back this way." "I'll show you." "Don't move." "There you are." "What are you doing here?" "I would do everything in my power to protect my only child." "There's a phased-ion charge coming at us from the planet." "Full power to the shields." "Shields at 60 percent." "Minor damage on Deck 14." "They're firing again." "Modulate the shield frequencies." "Try to throw off their sensors." "No effect." "Direct hit to the port nacelle." "Redirect all warp power to the shields." "Two more coming in." "Captain." "We've got to get you back to the ship." "You're hurt." "Ralkana, the other cells are this way." "We must find your mother." "Follow this passageway until it dead-ends." "Then you'll see a smaller passageway." "Captain, what are you doing?" "There's one more person I have to find." "Guards!" "After all that time I spent looking for you, all I had to do was wait here." "Shields down to 23 percent." "We've got to get out of their weapons range." "Scan one more time for the away team." "There's no sign of them." "Prepare to break orbit." "Wait!" "Set a course bearing 219 mark 47." "Where are you taking us, Mr. Kim?" "There's a large electrical storm over the northern magnetic pole." "It's giving our sensors some trouble." "It should do the same for theirs." "A blind spot." "Exactly." "If we maintain our position directly above the storm, their sensor net may not be able to keep an accurate lock on our position." "How long do you think this'll work?" "The storm's already dissipating." "A few more minutes?" "I'll take every second I can get." "I must say I'm impressed, Caylem." "You never made it this far before." "Every so often, he goes on one of his missions... to rescue his wife." "She's been dead for 12 years." "Lies." "Lies..." "lies!" "Sometimes... he gets all the way up to the front gate." "We send him on his way and allow him to serve as a reminder of just how futile it is to challenge us." "I thought you'd learned that lesson when you lost your daughter." "She made it as far as the tunnels before she was shot." "No!" "So much tragedy for one man to bear... and now your foolishness has condemned another innocent woman." "Take the others back for questioning." "I'll interrogate this one myself." "No!" "I won't let you hurt her!" "Caylem!" "Ralkana... he said you'd been shot." "He was lying to you, Father." "I'm all right." "And your mother?" "She's fine." "She was so happy to get your letters." "She wanted me to tell you something." "She forgives you." "We both do." "My sweet girl." "Captain." "I'm coming." "No one will forget what he did here today." "I'll make sure of that." "Chakotay to Transporter Room 2." "Do we have them?" "We're all back, Commander." "Take us out of here." "Gladly." "Lieutenant, you heard her." "The warp drive is functioning normally, and we'll have the main deflector back on line tomorrow." "Yes, thank you, Mr. Kim." "Captain, are you all right?" "I'm fine." "It's extraordinary." "I must remind you that it is also a potential security risk." "It's losing power." "I'd like to move it to Engineering to see if I can repair it before it drains completely." "I suggest we allow the power to drain." "We should take the opportunity to examine it while it is idle." "Then we can decide whether it is wise to repair it." "Captain, this thing has a completely unfamiliar power source." "Once it stops working, it's very possible I'll never be able to get it going again and we'll have lost an opportunity to study a new technology." "This is a ship of exploration, Mr. Tuvok." "The power's surging." "If we can't find a way to stabilize it, we're going to lose it." "What about an interface with an EPS power conduit?" "Well, the energy signatures are incompatible, but... it might buy us some time." "Okay, let's give it a try." "Two-second burst, five percent maximum output." "On my mark." "Now." "We're losing it." "Maybe we're overloading its systems." "Let's try a longer burst at lower power." "Got it." "Five seconds at three percent." "On your mark." "Now." "I think it's working." "EPS flow is holding steady." "EM field leakage is minimal." "We'll have to watch the pressure at the connector." "Let's try to keep it below 85 percent." "Flux capacitance is spiking intermittently, but I don't think that's the problem." "Let's reinforce the power conduit coupling, just to be on the safe side." "It's suffered a lot of damage... but I think the EPS charge will keep it running for at least 18 hours." "It's not a cyborg." "It's completely robotic." "No organic components of any kind." "This looks like some kind of programming center." "But I'm not detecting any pathways for transmitting information." "It's got arms, legs." "We saw it move its head." "It's clearly designed to perform motor functions... so where do those commands come from?" "Maybe it needs to interface with an outside source." "Speaking of sources, this energy module seems to be what powers the entire mechanism." "It isn't designed to run on EPS energy." "It runs on some kind of superconducting plasma." "If we keep charging it, we may end up destroying it." "It's trying to communicate." "We don't know that." "It may just be some kind of recording." "Pralor..." "Pralor..." "Pralor..." "Pralor..." "Pralor..." "Pralor..." "Pralor..." "Pralor..." "What are you trying to say?" "What's Pralor?" "If you can hear me, try to move... try to move your arm." "B'Elanna, we don't even know if it can see you, much less understand a word you're saying." "We've got to figure out a way to fix it." "We've been trying for hours." "We need a break." "The EPS charge should hold till morning." "You go ahead." "I could use some time alone to think." "If you're staying, I'm staying." "Get some rest, Harry." "You may think you're tougher than everybody else, B'Elanna Torres, but I can go without sleep just as long as you can." "Don't make me laugh, Starfleet." "And don't make me pull rank on you, either." "If you insist." "But let me know if you come up with anything..." "Lieutenant." "Chief Engineer's Log, supplemental." "I've tried 13 different methods of reinitializing the robot's power source and I'm still having no luck." "So I've decided to go to the Mess Hall to recharge my own declining energy reserves." "Neelix, I need another pot of coffee." "Even though breakfast isn't officially served for another hour and a half," "I'd be happy to pour you a glass of Traggle nectar." "I will even fix you my special Jibalian seven-spice omelette." "Just coffee." "I'm sorry, B'Elanna, but two pots of Landras blend is the absolute limit." "You're cutting me off?" "Oh, I guess you're right." "It was starting to taste almost palatable." "Still no idea how to revive our mechanized guest?" "All I've been able to do is postpone the inevitable." "The constant power depletion is like a bleeding artery... and I haven't got a tourniquet." "I remember when I was trying to perfect the recipe for my Jibalian omelette." "I tried everything-- a little more Spith basil, a little less prishic-- but I couldn't get it right." "Finally, I fell asleep from exhaustion." "Right there at the counter." "And then, in a dream, it came to me." "I was using six spices, but the omelette needed seven." "Let me guess." "Leola root." "Nimian sea salt, actually." "Salt?" "Yes, salt-- the most common spice in the galaxy." "But I was too tired, so I couldn't see it." "That is... a very interesting story, Neelix." "Now, how about some more coffee?" "To bed." "I said to bed." "I'm going." "I'm going." "Anybody home?" "What's that?" "You think I should go to bed, too?" "Well..." "I guess I'm outnumbered." "Computer, activate emergency medical holographic program." "Please state the nature... lf there has been a change in the official dress code," "I certainly wish someone would've informed me." "This is what I sleep in." "I didn't have time to change." "I see." "May I assume your haste is an indication that you have a medical problem of some kind?" "An engineering problem, actually, but I thought you might have some insight." "Hmm..." "I shouldn't have to remind you I'm a doctor..." "Not an engineer." "Right." "But this isn't a typical engineering problem." "I've been working on trying to repair a robot." "Ah, yes." "The mechanical man." "Kes told me about it." "Fascinating." "He's about to die." "Die?" "Die." "Stop functioning." "Whatever." "Unless I can figure out a way to sustain his main energy source." "What kind of energy source are we talking about?" "It's some type of chromodynamic module powered by a tripolymer plasma." "But the plasma is contaminated." "It's decaying." "Hmm." "Like diseased blood." "Right." "It can't retain enough energy to keep the module running." "Have you considered a transfusion?" "You mean replacing the plasma itself." "Well, that was one of my first ideas." "But where do I get my hands on a polymer plasma composed of elements I didn't even know existed 24 hours ago?" "Aren't Voyager's engines powered by warp plasma?" "Well, it's a very different substance." "It's too highly charged." "It would burn out the robot's systems in seconds." "It would be like trying to give a Bolian a blood transfusion from a Vulcan." "Which ordinarily would kill the unfortunate Bolian." "But there have been instances when artificial blood was unavailable, and existing blood cells were genetically altered for interspecies transfusions." "It's a good idea, but warp plasma radiates at too high a frequency to alter electrochemically." "Unless..." "Go on." "I could modify a series of anodyne relays, attach them directly to the robot's power module." "They could act as a sort of regulator to make the warp plasma compatible with the robot's energy matrix." "That's exactly what I was going to suggest." "That's the last of the relays." "The plasma injector is sealed." "This is your show, Lieutenant." "Whenever you're ready." "Activating the relays." "All right, Harry, start the infusion-- 20 percent nominal flow." "Initiating plasma flow." "Energy levels are up 14 percent." "The relays are holding." "Harry, give it a little more juice." "Got it." "I'm taking it to 30 percent." "35 percent." "Wait." "The energy levels are rising too fast." "We're going to burn out its systems." "But it needs more plasma." "What about increasing the capacitance of the relays?" "Let's give it a try." "It's stabilizing." "Hold the flow right there and see what happens." "The plasma's circulating." "The programming center is activated." "I think we may have done it." "Please identify yourself." "I'm Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres of the Federation Starship Voyager." "I am Automated Unit 3947." "Thank you for reactivating me, Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres." "Chief Engineer's Log, supplemental." "The robot's power module is continuing to function normally using plasma from our warp engines." "Repairing its systems has taught me more about robotics than I ever could've learned at Starfleet Academy." "I think we're past the critical stage." "I concur." "According to my self-diagnostic systems," "Automated Personnel Unit 3947 is currently functioning at 68 percent of peak operating capabilities." "Automated Personnel Unit 3947 is an extremely well-designed machine." "Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres is an extremely proficient humanoid." "So how did you end up floating in space, so badly damaged?" "I was operating an asteroid mining pod." "It exploded." "Do you know what caused the explosion?" "I am unable to access that information." "My memory cells are not yet functioning at optimal efficiency." "Do you remember where you come from?" "I am stationed aboard a Pralor vessel." "Well, we'll do our best to find your ship and return you to your people." "Thank you." "I'm hoping that the memory loss is only temporary." "Once the new plasma has a chance to fully integrate into your systems," "I think you'll be pretty close to... optimal." "The new plasma?" "Yes." "I adapted your power module to accept our warp plasma as an energy source." "You repaired my power module." "Are you a Builder?" "A Builder?" "Well, I guess you could say that." "I'm an engineer." "I'm responsible for repairing and maintaining all the systems on the ship." "Only the Builders were capable of constructing or repairing power modules." "The Builders are..." "the people who created you?" "Yes." "And they're humanoids?" "Like me?" "Yes." "Like Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres." "You could create a new power module." "You don't need a new module." "The one I just fixed will work fine now." "The new power module would not be for me." "It would be a prototype for the construction of additional automated units." "Can't the Builders make additional units?" "The Builders no longer exist." "Apparently, thousands of them were built as service modules." "But the race who created them-- these Builders-- were killed off decades ago in a war." "Leaving the automated units to fend for themselves." "Now they're wearing out, breaking down." "They've learned to make repairs for themselves-- some pretty complex." "But the construction of a power module-- the device which sustains them-- is beyond their grasp." "It's... an incredible challenge, Captain." "But with enough time to study their systems," "I might be able to do it." "I don't doubt your abilities, B'Elanna... but helping them reproduce is a clear violation of the Prime Directive." "They've expressed a desire to procreate." "That's basic to any life-form." "I'm not saying they don't have the same rights as any organic species." "That's not the issue here." "Are you sure?" "Suppose they were organic, but they had become sterile." "And we had a treatment that would enable them to start reproducing again." "Would you withhold that treatment?" "Maybe." "I'd have to know more about the circumstances." "But we're not talking about treating a disorder here, are we?" "What's the difference?" "Unlike a species that's become sterile, these robots never had the ability to reproduce." "What you're talking about is giving them new abilities, which is the equivalent of altering their genetic structure." "To correct a flaw." "You can't call it a flaw." "This is the way they were designed." "I'm trying to save them from extinction." "Unfortunately, extinction is often the natural end of evolution." "So you're just willing to let their entire society die off." "We don't know that's going to happen." "If they're adaptable, as you say, and capable of educating themselves, they might very well learn to build a power module themselves someday." ""Someday" could be too late." "There are only a few hundred of them left." "I feel for the robots' plight, but what you're proposing is exactly the kind of tampering the Prime Directive prohibits." "We know almost nothing about these creatures or the race that built them." "What would be the consequences of increasing their population?" "Both to their own civilization and others in this Quadrant?" "Who are we to swoop in, play God, and then continue on our way without the slightest consideration of the long-term effects of our actions?" "Captain..." "B'Elanna, I share your scientific curiosity and I admire your compassion, but the answer is no." "I do not concur with your Captain's decision." "She's following our Prime Directive." "Define "Prime Directive."" "It forbids us to interfere in the natural development of other cultures." "The automated units were not created naturally." "We were built." "You can help us build more." "Captain Janeway doesn't think that's a good idea." "But Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres does." "Maybe..." "I don't know..." "I'd like to try... but I can't." "Without your help, we will not survive." "I thought Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres was a Builder." "So did I." "We've located your ship." "We should be in communications range in about an hour." "Thank you." "The alien vessel is entering visual range, Captain." "Yellow Alert." "Slow to one-quarter impulse." "Put them on screen, Ensign Kim." "Aye, Captain." "Magnify." "We're being scanned, Captain." "That's all right." "Let them take a look." "Open a channel." "Pralor Automated Personnel Unit 6263 requests you identify yourselves." "I'm Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation Starship Voyager." "What are your intentions, Captain Kathryn Janeway?" "We rescued one of your crew members" "Unit 3947-- and we'd like to return him to your ship." "We'll prepare to receive the unit." "Thank you for your assistance." "Very polite, these automated units." "Captain Janeway gave me permission to give you some extra warp plasma, in case the plasma we infused into your system starts to degrade." "Thank you." "And you'll have to remodulate the anodyne relays periodically." "You are repeating instructions you have already given me, B'Elanna." "I'm just making sure." "Well, I guess this is good-bye." "Oh..." "What are you doing?" "Captain, I'm detecting a chromodynamic energy discharge in Transporter Room 2." "Bridge to Transporter Room 2." "Janeway to Torres." "Captain, someone's initiating a transport." "It's Torres and the robot." "Override." "I can't block it." "Their patterns are already in the buffer." "They're gone, Captain." "Transport her back now, Mr. Kim." "I can't get a lock on her." "They have erected some sort of subspace defense field around their vessel." "Our targeting scanners cannot penetrate it." "Hail them." "They're not responding." "Open a channel on wideband subspace." "Channel open." "This is Captain Janeway." "Your abduction of our crew member is a clear act of aggression." "If you do not return her immediately, we will be forced to retaliate." "Confirm that they've received the transmission, Mr. Kim." "They heard us, all right." "They're just not answering." "Mr. Tuvok, power the forward phaser banks." "What the hell is going on here?" "This is where you will assist in the creation of the prototype." "I told you I can't help you." "Now return me to my ship." "That is not possible." "Torres to Voyager." "Your communication device has been deactivated." "I do not wish to injure you, B'Elanna." "I helped you." "I reactivated you." "Why are you doing this?" "We require additional automated units to prevent our extinction." "Captain Janeway won't let you get away with this." "It would be inadvisable for your Captain to provoke us." "Still no response, Captain." "Mr. Tuvok, any luck penetrating their defense field?" "Negative." "Commander, is there any sign that they're preparing to attack?" "Their shielding is making it difficult to get clear readings." "I can't even tell you what their weapons capabilities are." "Mr. Tuvok, I don't want you to hit their ship, but I do want you to open a hole in their shielding wide enough to transport through." "Understood." "Mr. Kim, match the targeting scanners to the coordinates of the phaser fire and stand by to beam B'Elanna back." "Phasers calibrated." "Fire." "Their field strength is down to 80 percent." "That's progress." "Fire again." "Initiating evasive pattern omega six." "They're firing some kind of quantum resonance charges, Captain." "Our aft shields are down to 53 percent and dropping." "Rerouting power to aft shields." "Down to 24 percent." "Switching evasive pattern to theta one." "Lieutenant Tuvok, load torpedo bays 1 through 4 and stand by to fire on my order." "Your Captain has made a tactical error by attacking us." "Our weapon systems are substantially superior to yours." "Your shields are failing." "Your weapons pose no threat to us." "Aft shields have been penetrated." "We've got to get out of here." "Agreed." "We'll try to come back for B'Elanna later." "Do it, Mr. Paris." "Warp 3." "Propulsion systems are off-line." "We're dead in the water." "Hull breach on Deck 6." "Initiating emergency containment field." "Environmental control systems are failing." "Oxygen levels on Decks 3 through 7 have dropped to critical." "We've lost artificial gravity on Deck 8." "Injury reports from all decks." "You've got to stop this." "Your ship opened fire." "We are programmed to defend ourselves." "They're helpless." "Can't you see that?" "Our enemies must be destroyed." "We are not your enemies." "You are not my enemy, B'Elanna, but your Captain is, and your crew follows her commands." "Captain Janeway backed me when I wanted to reactivate you, over the objections of her Chief Security Officer." "You wouldn't even be here if it weren't for her." "All right." "If that's what it'll take to stop this, I'll do it." "I'll build your damned prototype." "We're losing life support, Captain." "The robots have powered down their weapon systems." "They're hailing us, Captain." "On screen." "Captain, is everybody okay?" "We'll be all right." "What about you?" "I've agreed to help them build their prototype." "Lieutenant..." "I know how you feel about this, Captain." "I don't like it, either." "But if I don't do it, they'll destroy Voyager." "What choice do I have?" "These are all the materials necessary to construct a prototype unit." "You will be provided with whatever additional tools and equipment you require." "You may access our database and schematic information from this computer terminal, but it will not allow you to interface with any critical systems." "While you are on board, you will have no contact with your ship, nor will you leave this room." "I will remain here to supervise your work." "You may proceed." "Proceed." "Right." "But the question is:" "Where do I proceed from?" "Let me ask you this:" "Have any of you ever tried to build a prototype?" "We have tried and failed." "What was the problem?" "I am unable to explain the failure." "We duplicated a power module to exact specifications on several occasions, but in all instances, the energy output of the new module was insufficient to operate a unit." "And you're sure you reproduced the module exactly." "This is a schematic of a power module from a terminated unit." "This one is from a failed prototype." "They are identical." "There is no reason why one should function while the other does not." "Unit 3947, what can you report?" "Well, let's see, we've been working for about five minutes, so I guess we don't have a lot of progress to report." "Our sensors indicate that the humanoid vessel will require approximately 140 hours to repair." "It is necessary for you to complete work on the prototype before that time." "Why?" "We don't seem to be any match for you." "Our tactical subprocessors indicate a 79 percent likelihood that a rescue will be attempted once sufficient repairs are completed." "At optimal efficiency, your engines are more powerful than ours." "It is also possible that these humanoids will not make decisions based on tactical probabilities." "Their cognitive process is... unpredictable." "We will remain on full tactical alert." "The humanoid may purposefully attempt to delay completion of the prototype, hoping she will be rescued." "I don't know if a promise means anything to you people, but it does to us." "I gave you my word that I'd do my best and I will." "According to my observations, the humanoid is operating at optimal efficiency." "Thank you." "But I have to tell you, there are no guarantees here." "Building a prototype from scratch is a lot different than repairing a broken power module." "I don't even know if it's possible." "If you fail, you and your people will die." "B'Elanna Torres, 6263 is a designated command unit." "He is merely following his programming." "I don't need to be threatened." "I told you I'd do my best." "I believe you, but Unit 6263 does not." "He does not know Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres as I do." "Let me see one of those terminated power modules." "We've managed to repair the hull breach, but we have no power on Decks 3 through 7." "Aft shields are still completely nonfunctional." "And last but not least, the dilithium matrix is destabilized, so we can't get the warp engines running." "We're talking about at least another six days of repairs." "We're not sticking around that long." "I want a plan to get B'Elanna off that ship before she has a chance to finish building the prototype." "In that case, I suggest we make warp drive our priority." "Any rescue attempt will no doubt necessitate a rapid departure." "Agreed." "Mr. Kim, can you give me an estimate on repairing the dilithium matrix?" "How does 72 hours sound?" "Like 24 hours too long." "Dismissed." "Hand me the submicron scanner." "Phase coil resonator." "Well, I think I know why your other prototypes failed, but..." "I'm not sure I know what to do about it yet." "Explain." "The automated units are modular." "Your parts are identical, interchangeable, right?" "That is correct." "So... if you lose an arm, you can replace it with another one, and over the years, you've learned to make new arms, because they're all the same and your programming is sophisticated enough" "to allow you to reproduce what you see, but each power module has a slightly different energy signature, so, even if you copy this guy's module exactly, it wouldn't work in any other unit." "As far as I can tell, every automated unit has a power module with a unique energy code." "Can you reprogram the energy codes to make the modules interchangeable?" "I don't think so." "You have failed." "I will inform 6263." "Hey, do all you automated units give up the minute you hit a bump in the road?" "You have an alternative idea?" "What we've got to do is design a standardized module with a uniform energy code that can power any unit." "According to my observations, there is now sufficient reason for greater optimism." "You took the words right out of my mouth." "Due to the complexity of their defense field and our severe power shortage, it is unlikely that we can modify the transporters to beam Lieutenant Torres out." "But if we can maneuver inside the field..." "Our transporters could get the job done." "Is that a viable option?" "For a shuttlecraft, it may be." "They were able to knock out" "Voyager's shields in a matter of minutes." "A shuttle would be even more vulnerable." "It would be advisable to create a diversion of some sort, to take their attention away from the shuttle." "Attack them again?" "I don't want to risk that a second time." "I don't need a diversion." "Just give me a chance." "I'll get her out of there." "You don't mind if the rest of us give you a little help, do you, Paris?" "I'd hate to lose another shuttle." "Your concern for my welfare is heartwarming." "In another 12 hours, our warp engines will be back on line." "I'd like to come up with a diversion before then, okay, gentlemen?" "So far, so good." "I'm not getting any feedback from the motor circuits." "You going to be the obstetrician of this unit, 3947?" "Please rephrase the question." "If this works, will you be in charge of assembling the new units?" "I am programmed as a ship's maintenance unit." "I have no knowledge of design nor do any of the other automated personnel." "Sounds like you just volunteered for new duty." "I hope you're watching closely." "I am observing your work." "However, I do not possess your improvisational capabilities." "Well, once we have the prototype, all you'd have to do is copy it." "Tell me something, 39." "Can I call you 39?" "I am Automated Unit 3947." "Fine. 3947, did you wake up on a bench like this one?" "How long have you been alive?" "I have been in service 1,314,807 hours and 33 minutes." "I was activated by a Builder from the Pralor homeworld." "Tell me something more about these Builders." "Were they anything like us?" "I have insufficient knowledge of your culture to provide an adequate response." "Will you provide additional information?" "Well, I asked about your culture." "Only fair you should ask about mine." "Does your culture include artificial life-forms?" "As a matter of fact, it does." "Are they similar to the automated personnel units aboard this ship?" "Well, they come in different shapes and sizes." "Some have limbs, some don't." "Most don't have your cognitive abilities." "Are they your servants?" "Well, I guess you could say that the robots we use are servants, in a manner of speaking." "But they aren't sentient like you." "In fact, we have only one sentient artificial life-form in our society and he is treated the same as any human." "The same." "He is equal to a Builder." "That's right." "He works on a ship, just like you and I." "He wears the same uniform I do." "What is his designated number?" "He has a name, like the rest of us." "Data." "Data." "I would like to be acquainted with this Data." "Oh, it looks like this standardized power module is working pretty well so far." "You will succeed, B'Elanna Torres." "Don't send me flowers yet." "I've still got to see whether it'll power an actual unit." "I believe it will." "We're making progress on the dilithium matrix." "It should be stable enough to reinitialize the warp core in about six hours." "Good." "What about our diversion?" "Any suggestions?" "When we were in the Maquis," "B'Elanna once linked a holo-emitter to a deflector array and projected an image of another ship into space." "I like it, but do we have enough power?" "We will by the time the warp core's on line." "I already have Kim working on the holodeck to..." "Tuvok to Captain Janeway." "Go ahead." "I'm picking up an unidentified alien ship on long-range sensors." "It's heading for our coordinates." "We're on our way." "Well, it fits." "Cross your fingers." "So far, so good." "Let's hope it can interface with the unit." "It does not function correctly." "It does not function correctly yet." "Your Builders should've programmed you with a little more patience." "I'm going to try adjusting the flux capacitance." "Prototype Unit 0001 is ready to accept programming." "We did it." "We actually did it." "You did it, B'Elanna Torres." "I knew this task would not exceed your operating capabilities." "Prototype Unit 0001 is ready to accept programming." "What are you doing?" "I'm congratulating you." "You're a father." "No sign of organic life aboard that ship, either." "They appear to be manned by automated units virtually identical to those operating the first ship." "Is it possible that we've stumbled into the middle of some kind of... robotic war?" "We've got to get Torres back now." "Agreed, but first I want to show both those ships this isn't our fight." "Ease us back on maneuvering thrusters, Mr. Paris." "Nice and steady." "The second ship is hailing us." "On screen." "Cravic Automated Commander 122 requests you identify yourself." "My name is Kathryn Janeway," "Captain of the Federation Starship Voyager." "Withdraw from this area immediately." "I'm afraid I can't do that." "One of my crew members is being held hostage aboard the Pralor vessel." "I won't leave without her." "Remain at your present coordinates and do not attempt to intervene, or you will be fired on." "Captain, this new ship could be a..." "The diversion we've been looking for." "Mr. Kim, what's the status of our warp engines?" "We're still an hour away at best." "We may not have an hour." "Get down to Engineering." "Be ready to give me as much power as you can, the minute we get Torres back." "Aye, Captain." "If those two ships keep each other busy, we may not need warp to get away." "Mr. Paris, report to the shuttle bay." "Yes, ma'am." "Chakotay, you have the Conn." "Who are they?" "Automated personnel units of the Cravic homeworld." "Robots from another world?" "That is correct." "Why are they attacking you?" "They were programmed to do so by their Builders." "Prototype Unit 0001 is ready to accept programming." "The Cravic Builders, the Pralor Builders-- were they enemies?" "That is correct." "Look, maybe Captain Janeway can contact the Cravic leaders and convince them to stop the fighting." "That is not possible." "Why not?" "The Cravic are also extinct." "I'm approaching the perimeter of the defense field." "Acknowledged." "Rotate your shield harmonics until they are synchronized with the frequency of the field." "Shields synchronized." "I'm going in." "Then again, maybe not." "It didn't work." "He bounced right off the field." "Mr. Paris, reset your heading for coordinates 105 mark 40." "Uh, if I understand you, Tuvok, that would take me into a direct line of fire with the Cravic ship." "Precisely." "The concentration of fire is opening a rift in the Pralor defense field." "Which I just might be able to sneak through, if I can dodge a disruptor blast or two." "Changing heading." "If both sides were annihilated, then why continue your war?" "All automated personnel units were programmed to achieve victory." "Prototype Unit 0001 is ready to accept programming." "The Cravic ship has penetrated our defense shield." "Has anyone, in all these years, ever tried to stop this war?" "The Pralor and the Cravic called a truce." "Wait a minute." "If both sides called a truce, then why didn't they stop you from fighting?" "They attempted to do so." "And?" "We terminated the Builders." "Paris to Voyager." "I'm approaching the entry point." "Acknowledged." "Showing a rift in the defense field off your starboard bow." "I'm on it." "When it was anticipated that the war would end, the Builders no longer required our services and they attempted to terminate us." "In doing so, they became the enemy." "We are programmed to destroy the enemy." "It is necessary for our survival." "Now that you have constructed the prototype, we will soon outnumber the Cravic units." "We will achieve victory." "This is 3947." "Fire units, report to Reconstruction Bay Number One." "The individual energy codes-- is that why the Builders added them-- to prevent the procreation of these units?" "My God, what have I done?" "Prototype Unit 0001 is ready to accept programming." "You have terminated the prototype." "Yes..." "I have." "You will build another." "Never." "Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres," "I told 6263 you were not our enemy." "I never wanted to be your enemy." "I'm sorry." "Shuttle to Voyager." "I've got her, but she's injured." "Tell the Doctor to stand by." "Beam her out as soon as I clear the defense field." "Acknowledged, Mr. Paris." "The ships are continuing to exchange fire, Captain." "They are ignoring the shuttle." "Bridge to Engineering." "Stand by warp engines." "We'll engage the moment Mr. Paris gets back." "Aye, Captain." "One pot of Landras blend, compliments of the chef." "Mmm." "I never thought Neelix's coffee could taste so good." "I'll tell him you said so." "I don't know what to say." "As far as I'm concerned... you did what you thought was necessary to ensure the safety of this crew." "Thank you." "It must have been difficult." "Difficult?" "To destroy what you created." "It was necessary." "I read your report." "It was no small achievement, B'Elanna." "You gave that unit life." "You should have seen it, Captain." "It was incredible." "I installed that module and the prototype looked up at me and asked me for programming." "As I said, it must've been difficult." "It was necessary." "Captain?" "Report." "It looks like the Kazon have retreated, Captain." "We must have hurt them." "Not as bad as they hurt us." "All engines are off-line." "Captain, shields are down, as are all weapons arrays." "We'd better hope they don't come back." "We're sitting ducks." "Janeway to Engineering." "What's your status?" "We're in bad shape, Captain." "We had to shut down the warp engines to avoid a breach." "The impulse engines are gone, too." "I think I can give you thrusters, but I've got a lot of casualties down here," "I've got to tend to first." "Lieutenant, it's Kurt Bendera." "He's hurt pretty bad." "No." "His console exploded, caught him right in the face." "We've got to get him to Sick Bay right away." "Torres to Sick Bay." "I hope this is urgent, Lieutenant." "We have our hands full at the moment." "I'm sending up an emergency transport." "One of my people is severely burned." "Very well." "We'll do what we can." "More damage reports coming in, Captain." "There's a hull breach on Deck 4." "Force field's in place." "Repair crew's on the way." "There have been casualties on all decks." "No fatalities so far." "Captain, request permission to give Torres a hand in Engineering." "Maybe I can help get propulsion up and running." "Good idea." "Go ahead." "Captain, my readings indicate the navigational deflector has sustained massive damage." "It will be necessary to repair it before we can achieve more than thruster power." "Get repair crews on it." "Mr. Kim, I want a complete analysis of all the damage we've sustained." "Yes, ma'am." "He's not responding." "75 milligrams of impedrezene." "That might help stimulate his cardiac functions, but he sustained so much injury, it may be too late." "It had no effect." "Cortical stimulator." "I'm sorry." "He was too badly injured." "He saved my life once... near the Cardassian border." "Come in." "Crewman Bendera's dead." "The Doctor couldn't do anything." "I'm sorry, Chakotay." "I know you were friends." "Will you arrange a memorial service?" "I'll get right on it." "Was there something else?" "Yes." "Like it or not, it seems we're in a situation where the rules have changed, and, maybe, if we're going to survive out here, we have to start changing, too." "What do you mean?" "When we first started our trip home, you made a conscious decision to treat Voyager as a Starfleet ship with a Starfleet crew following Starfleet rules." "That's right." "Starfleet works well in the Alpha Quadrant." "But out here... maybe we should be thinking more like the Maquis." "The Maquis had to survive on their own." "We were up against insurmountable odds." "We had to create our own opportunities for success because nobody was willing to help us." "Sound like anybody you know?" "If you're suggesting we abandon our principles just because we're out of hailing range..." "Captain, this was the fourth attack in two weeks." "We've lost three crew members to the Kazon." "A dozen more have sustained serious injuries." "This ship has taken so much damage, we'll be lucky to get warp drive on line again, and we can count on the fact that the Kazon will be back." "I don't think we can afford to keep doing business as usual." "A lot of us can say we're alive today because of Kurt Bendera." "There was never a better man to have at your side, never anyone more willing to take on the tough jobs." "The first time I met him was in a mining community on Telfas Prime." "Some of the miners objected to my sense of humor and decided they should break a few of my bones." "There were four of them and one of me, and I was taking a beating." "Suddenly, this man I'd never seen before came out of nowhere and evened things up." "We stood back to back, and pretty soon the others decided my sense of humor wasn't so bad after all." "I thanked the man." "He just grinned and said," ""I like a good fight."" "He was my friend from that moment on." "And he kept fighting the good fight... right up to the end." "I'll miss him." "Ensign." "Captain, can I ask you something?" "Of course." "Now that the Kazon have stepped up their attacks, a lot of people think that we're not going to make it out of here alive." "I'd like to know what you have to say about that." "Is there anything you have to say about that?" "I assure you, you can speak freely." "I'd give them what they want." "Give them the replicators and the transporters and whatever else it is they're after." "I'm sure you realize that would be a violation of..." "I know all about the Prime Directive." "But you know what?" "The Federation is 70,000 light-years away." "What does it matter what these people do to each other with our technology?" "I appreciate your concerns, Crewman, but let me make it absolutely clear" "I'll destroy this ship before I turn any part of it over to the Kazon." "So that's how the Maquis would do it, hmm?" "It's all right, Commander." "I know Hogan's upset." "He and Bendera were close." "But that's not why he thinks we should give the Kazon what they want." "I think I've made my position clear on that." "You have, but a lot of the crew feel they haven't had the chance to voice their opinions." "This isn't a democracy, Chakotay." "I can't run this ship by consensus." "A lot of the Maquis feel the Federation abandoned them years ago." "You may be willing to die for Federation principles, but they're not." "I can't believe you'd support that man's position." "I don't, but isn't there something in between your position and his?" "Deck 3." "All I'm saying, Captain, is that maybe there's a little room for flexibility in interpreting Starfleet's protocols." "Frankly, I'm not sure they were ever intended for situations like this." "I haven't seen any evidence that they've let us down." "Maybe this situation with the Kazon is the first example." "Maybe we have to examine Starfleet's principles with a cold eye, and ask ourselves if they're really applicable here." "Computer, hold turbolift." "Commander, if you have a specific suggestion please feel free to make it." "Make a deal-- an alliance." "With the Kazon?" "With one of their factions, or two." "If we had the Ogla and the Relora as our allies, the others would be afraid to touch us." "Nothing we've been through with the Kazon would lead me to believe they're trustworthy." "I can't imagine making a deal with them." "With all due respect... maybe that's because your imagination is limited by Starfleet protocols." "As Captain, you're responsible for making decisions in the best interest of your crew, and I think you have to ask yourself... if you're doing that." "Come in." "Captain." "This is unexpected." "I've been in your quarters before." "Indeed, but so rarely that I can remember each instance." "Vulcan spice tea-- hot." "And it was always at a time when you were particularly troubled." "Right, as usual." "Oh... thank you." "Commander Chakotay has proposed that we make an alliance with one of the Kazon factions." "We wouldn't give them weapons or technology, but we would pledge to support and defend them if they're attacked." "I am sure that made you uncomfortable." "How can I consider it?" "I can't just walk away from the precepts" "Starfleet has laid out for us-- you don't deal with outlaws;" "you don't involve yourself in the political machinations of other cultures." "It goes against everything I believe, everything I've trained for, everything experience has taught me." "Quite right." "Do I hear a "however" coming?" "You are perceptive, Captain." "I believe Commander Chakotay's suggestion does have merit." "Help me understand that." "When I was a young man, a great visionary named Spock recommended an alliance between the Federation and the Klingon Empire." "This produced a major dispute." "The Klingons, after all, were outlaws, employing violence and brutality in order to build their empire." "I myself spoke out against such a coalition, but the alliance was forged, and it brought a stability to the Quadrant that had not been there for 200 years." "Spock's suggestion, so controversial at first, proved to be the cornerstone of peace." "There are some differences here." "By allying ourselves to one faction, we'd be giving that faction more power than the others." "That would clearly affect the internal politics of all the Kazon." "I understand your concern, but, remember, it would only be a temporary arrangement since we are on our way out of this Quadrant." "In the meantime, it might bring stability to the region and security for us." "Once we're gone, they'll probably go back to their infighting." "Perhaps." "But even temporary stability can bring an appreciation for peace." "This flower is a rare hybrid." "As far as I know, it exists nowhere else in the galaxy." "I created it by grafting a cutting from a South American orchid onto a Vulcan favinit plant." "I doubted the graft would take, and, indeed, the plant was sickly at first." "However, after a few weeks, both plants adapted to their new condition and, in fact, became stronger than either had been alone." "Consequently, after much consideration," "I've decided to seek an alliance with one of the Kazon factions." "Captain, you can't be serious." "This goes against..." "Ensign..." "I'll be glad to discuss my reasoning with you at a more appropriate time." "However, this meeting is not to debate the decision, but to decide how to pursue it." "Captain... if I may." "Yes, Mr. Neelix." "We're not far from a planet known as Sobras, where there's a Kazon settlement inhabited by a faction known as the Pommar." "I have an acquaintance there-- someone who owes me some favors." "Some rather large favors, actually." "Perhaps I could meet with him and sound him out." "Is he authorized to speak for his maje?" "Not exactly, but he does have the maje's ear." "This would be strictly informal, but it might give us a reading on the possibility without the risk of actual confrontation." "Good idea." "Proceed, Mr. Neelix." "Why don't we just contact Seska and form an alliance with her?" "Actually, that's a good idea." "You've got to be kidding." "Not at all." "Seska has been trying to forge an alliance among the Kazon." "She would jump at the chance to get our support." "She's right." "If we went through Seska, at least we could ally ourselves with the Nistrim." "I think it's a bad idea." "You can't have it both ways, Commander." "If you want to get in the mud with the Kazon, you can't start complaining that you might get dirty." "Fine." "I'll talk with Seska." "No." "You've been through too much with her." "Mr. Neelix, prepare to take your shuttle to Sobras." "In the meantime, I'll make contact with Seska." "Dismissed." "Captain's Log, Stardate 49337.4." "After sending a subspace message to Seska and the Nistrim Maje Culluh, we have a received a quick response." "Captain Janeway." "Commander Chakotay." "I must say we were surprised to hear from you." "Are you willing to meet with us?" "You've made an interesting proposal." "I've discussed it with Seska, and she assures me that you would not make this gesture unless you were sincere." "I will talk with you." "I suggest we rendezvous." "We'll transmit coordinates to you." "If you don't mind, Captain, we'd prefer to choose the coordinates." "Fine." "Transmit them to us." "We'll meet in approximately 20 hours." "I must say, Captain," "I look forward to this opportunity." "Hello, my friends." "Please, don't let me interrupt." "I was hoping to find my good friend Jal Tersa here." "Has he been in tonight?" "Thank you." "Tersa, my friend." "It could be dangerous sneaking up on a man like that." "I'd never dream of sneaking up on you, but you were so engrossed in... whatever it is you're doing." "A puzzle." "What brings you here, Talaxian?" "I'm good at puzzles." "Perhaps I could help." "The dancer showed it to me." "By moving only two rods, this dodecahedron can become an icosahedron." "Hmm." "She said she'd spend the night with the man who could solve it." "A splendid motivation, to be sure." "I just might be able to make your night a memorable one." "You know how to solve this?" "I might... if you'll hear me out first." "My fortunes have changed since we last met, Tersa." "I've become a person of some influence aboard a starship known as Voyager." "You must think us very isolated." "Everyone knows that." "It's probably the only reason you were allowed in here, especially after last time." "Oh." "A simple misunderstanding." "Uh..." "Tersa, I know you have the ear of your first maje, as I do of our Captain." "And we could be quite useful to both of them." "Go on." "My Captain is interested in talking to your maje to discuss a possible alliance." "Do you think he'd have any interest in such a meeting?" "An alliance?" "Between the Kazon-Pommar and the Federations?" "An interesting thought, isn't it?" "You're coming with us." "Tersa, explain to them." "We're friends." "I have no idea who this person is." "Some lunatic who sat down and started babbling." "I guess you'll be spending the night alone." "You've made a good choice." "The Nistrim will be a potent ally." "We want to make sure the Nistrim will also be an honorable ally, that you'll adhere to the conditions we establish." "You can let all the Kazon factions know that Voyager has formed a coalition with you and will be an ally to any Nistrim ship or outpost we encounter." "In addition, we're prepared to provide emergency supplies when needed-- food, medicine, clothing." "What we will not provide is any of our technology or weaponry." "Understood." "Just one other detail... an exchange of crew members." "An exchange?" "Yes." "I'm sure you'll agree that our alliance should represent a genuine partnership." "Perhaps you should define that." "It's obvious." "Federation crew on my ship." "Nistrim crew on yours." "Maje, I think that's a detail we could work out later." "I can assure you that I would never agree to that." "It seems a natural extension of your own proposal." "We don't have to decide everything right now." "I will determine what we decide and when." "Yes, Maje." "I won't have a woman dictate terms to me." "Culluh..." "I found the idea of an alliance with you distasteful." "I was willing to explore the possibility, but now I see my instincts were dead on." "Talk to her." "Tell her to be reasonable." "This meeting is over." "As soon as your maje learns I'm being imprisoned," "he'll be outraged!" "Hurry up!" "He won't look kindly on anyone who's made such an egregious error." "What are you charging me with?" "!" "How long will I be held?" "Move." "Well, I assume you'll at least let me confer with counsel." "I have the ability to reward handsomely anyone who shows me a bit of understanding." "Is that a baby?" "My name is Neelix." "I-I'm Talaxian." "I'm Mabus." "My friends and I are Trabe." "They hurt you." "I wasn't walking quickly enough for them." "Let's get the bleeding stopped." "Then I'll clean it." "Why are they holding you?" "They seem to be detaining anyone who isn't Kazon." "Several of our group have been taken for questioning, but so far, none of them have come back." "How long have you been here?" "Five days." "They attacked us in space." "20 of our group died." "We've lost nine more since they put us in prison, including most of the governing council." "I'm the only one left." "The Kazon won't be satisfied until you've all been annihilated." "If we've learned anything, it's how to survive." "Did you notice how many guards they have posted at the entrance to the prison?" "Only two." "I guess they assume this place is so secure they don't need any more." "Why do you ask?" "We don't plan to sit here while they kill us one by one." "We were able to get a message through to another Trabe vessel before we were boarded." "Help is on the way." "Can we count on you?" "Captain's Log, supplemental." "We're on our way to rendezvous with Mr. Neelix." "I can only hope that he had more luck with the Kazon than we did." "Captain, we're approaching the coordinates." "All stop." "I don't see any trace of him." "Long-range sensors indicate no sign of Mr. Neelix's shuttle within a radius of two light-years." "The Kazon have him." "We cannot jump to conclusions." "He may simply have been delayed." "We'll hold position here for two hours." "If he hasn't shown up by then, we'll go to Sobras." "Lieutenant, could you fill us in a little?" "There are all kinds of rumors flying around about what's going on with the Kazon." "Nothing's going on yet." "The Captain's talk with Seska fell apart pretty quickly." "Nothing's going to come of all this." "B'Elanna, you were Seska's friend." "Couldn't you get word to her, try to work things out?" "No, I couldn't." "I don't understand..." "Hogan, it's gone too far." "Seska isn't the person we thought she was." "I don't trust her anymore." "Even if it means us getting home in one piece... or do you agree with our Captain that holding onto our technology is worth dying for?" "Who are you to be second- guessing Captain Janeway?" "The hardest thing you have to worry about is keeping that dilithium chamber filled." "She is doing the best she can to get us home, and if you don't like the way she's doing it," "I really don't want to hear about it." "Is that clear?" "Perfectly." "Some of the children are too weak to run." "We'll have to carry them." "We can use another pair of strong arms." "You can count on me." "I can't promise we'll get out of here alive, but if we stay here, we'll die anyway." "I'd rather go out fighting, myself." "That one might be a problem." "He's the kind who'll start shooting at the first sign of trouble." "I'll keep an eye on him." "This may be it." "Be ready." "Stay back." "Get back!" "Against the walls." "Now!" "Let's go, let's go-- come on!" "Come on, everyone, let's go." "Come on!" "Let's go." "Come on." "Come on." "Nice work, my friends." "Let's go." "Come on." "All right, that's it." "We're going after him." "Mr. Paris, set a course for Sobras, full impulse." "Aye, Captain." "Tuvok, arm the phaser banks and load the forward torpedo bays." "We don't know what the Kazon have in store for us." "Shields at full power." "Yellow Alert." "All hands at the ready." "Captain." "What is it?" "Ships." "Kazon ships on long-range sensors." "Closing fast." "Confirmed, Captain." "On screen." "It appears to be an armada, and their weapons are powered." "Red Alert." "Power all weapon systems and stand ready." "Mr. Kim, hail the lead ship." "They're hailing us, Captain." "I'll put it on screen." "Hello, Captain." "I'd like you to meet my good friend Mabus." "We've just escaped from the Kazon-Pommar." "What are you doing on a Kazon ship?" "They're Trabe vessels, actually." "Everything the Kazon have, they stole from the Trabe." "Mabus will tell you all about it over a sumptuous dinner." "The food hasn't been very good where we've been." "I look forward to it." "I was eight years old when it started." "I wasn't even particularly aware of the Kazon." "They lived in restricted areas that children weren't allowed to go near." "I didn't know they lived in poverty, and filth..." "I didn't know they were persecuted by the Trabe police." "I was told they were violent and dangerous and had to be kept isolated, so they wouldn't get loose and kill us, which is exactly what they did, but we brought it on ourselves." "The Trabe treated them like animals-- fenced them in, encouraged them to fight amongst themselves so they wouldn't turn on us and sat by while they turned into a violent, angry army." "When they finally realized we were their true enemy, we didn't stand a chance." "I was luckier than most." "A friend's father grabbed me and took me with his family to one of the starships that managed to escape." "I can still remember... it happened so fast." "One minute..." "I was a happy child playing in a field;" "the next, an orphan, exiled in space." "It strikes me that in many ways, we're in the same predicament-- separated from the lives we knew, searching for home." "A goal you may well achieve, Captain, but the Kazon have refused to allow us to find a new homeworld." "Every time we try to settle somewhere, they attack and drive us away." "We're scattered, like nomads, with no home and little hope." "It happened over 30 years ago and the Kazon are still trying to punish you?" "Remarkable, isn't it?" "Most of the Trabe who persecuted the Kazon are either dead or old men by now." "Most of us were children when the uprising occurred, and our children are innocent, but the Kazon's desire for revenge is as strong as ever." "How are you able to transmit to us without your crew knowing it?" "Well, that's for me to worry about." "Let's just say I'm very familiar with communications protocols." "Now, will you let me talk to Seska?" "Not without some proof you can be trusted." "She and I knew each other for a long time." "She knows that I can be trusted." "Just let me talk to her." "I'll convey your message." "Contact me tomorrow, and I'll let you know if she's willing to talk to you." "Before the uprising, the Trabe were known as a highly evolved species." "They produced scholars and artists who were widely admired, and their technology was among the finest in the Quadrant." "No one really knew about the Kazon and how they were being treated." "Why not?" "Holding another culture in virtual slavery isn't the kind of thing that would go unnoticed." "You have to understand, the Trabe were rich and powerful." "They manipulated information about the conditions on their planet, and no one wanted to risk offending them and losing opportunities for trade." "It seems to me that they've learned their lesson." "Mabus and his people have freely acknowledged that they were responsible for what happened to them." "Still, I do not see that it is a particularly good idea to form an alliance with the blood-enemies of the Kazon." "We risk uniting all the factions against us." "The only thing the Kazon agree on now is that we are their common enemy." "It's hard to imagine it getting much worse." "The Trabe have a lot of ships and a lot of weapons in that convoy." "I think this alliance would be better than none at all." "I'd rather not be in the position of making an alliance at all, but that may be a luxury we simply don't have." "My gut tells me we don't have any friends among the Kazon." "As for the Trabe..." "I believe that people have a capacity to change." "It's always been Starfleet's policy to deal with new species on a basis of openness and trust... until proven otherwise." "Captain, I'm glad to see you." "I wanted to thank you for the use of your medical facilities." "We have very few doctors." "Everyone seems to be in generally good condition." "Malnutrition is the most common problem, but it's easily alleviated with bio-nutrient supplements." "Thank you, Doctor." "How much longer do you need?" "I'd say less than an hour." "Will you walk with me?" "Of course." "I've been thinking... about our conversation at dinner." "Mm-hmm." "About the things we share, and it seems to me we could be of mutual benefit to each other." "Go on." "What would you say to the possibility of our joining forces-- my starship and your convoy?" "Clearly we'd be a stronger force if we did that." "We could travel together for as long as it's advantageous to both of us." "Maybe we'll find our way out of Kazon territory, and you could settle on a new homeworld." "It's a reasonable idea, Captain." "I have no objection, but it would only benefit your group and mine." "There are other Trabe who wouldn't enjoy the same protection." "I wonder... if you might consider a somewhat more... bold plan." "Tell me." "Together, Voyager and the Trabe would be a force to be reckoned with." "Suppose we took advantage of that and asked the representatives of all the Kazon factions to join us at the bargaining table." "In order to achieve what?" "Peace." "Together, we would represent a stabilizing force in this part of the Quadrant-- bring the factions together, convince them that an end to violence would be in everyone's best interest." "Think about it." "I believe it could work." "It's a message from Voyager." "They've formed an alliance..." "with the Trabe!" "The Trabe?" "They're calling for a conference of all first majes." "How could this have happened?" "It happened because you let Voyager slip away, right into the hands of the Trabe, by insisting on that ridiculous exchange of crews." "I could not let the negotiations be dictated by that woman." "That's becoming a tired refrain, Culluh." "One day that attitude will be your undoing." "Watch your tongue." "Or what?" "I'm carrying your child." "I don't think you'd do anything to jeopardize him." "We can still turn this to our advantage." "We have a crewman on Voyager who's willing to provide information to us." "There's long-term potential in that arrangement." "We mustn't lose sight of it." "You're not suggesting we go to this conference-- that we come running like a Calogan dog when the Federations call?" "Could you risk being the only maje who doesn't attend?" "Of course you'll go and listen." "Nothing should be negotiated there-- not at the point of a Federation weapon, but you can learn a great deal, assess the mood of the other majes." "Find out the strength of the Trabe convoy." "You may be right." "You can come out of this a hero." "You can use this conference to unite the factions, eradicate the Trabe once and for all, and take Voyager as a trophy." "Ooh." "Captain's Log, Stardate 49342.5." "Neelix has returned from Sobras where he learned a disturbing piece of information that may require us to rethink our plans." "He was a Takrit-- a band of mercenaries that operates in this system." "What was he doing when the Kazon-Pommar arrested him?" "My contact on the planet said that he was making a sketch of the conference site, and believe me, the Takrit are not known for their art." "Who sent him?" "That's as much information as I got." "So someone wants to sabotage this conference." "One of the majes." "Why miss a chance to wipe out your rivals while they're together in one room?" "If that is true, then one of them will undoubtedly try to leave before the meeting is finished." "Captain, I think you should consider not going to the conference." "No. lf I can help bring stability to this Quadrant," "I'm not going to walk away because of a rumor." "A rumor that must be taken seriously, nonetheless." "Agreed." "Commander... monitor all the Kazon vessels carefully and look out for any suspicious ship movement near the surface." "Keep us on a constant transporter lock so we can beam out at the first hint of trouble." "Tuvok, Neelix, you're with me." "I gave a great deal of thought to the shape of the table." "I finally decided on a triangle." "Your group would sit on one side." "The majes would occupy the other two." "Does that seem appropriate?" "Have you heard anything more about the matter we discussed?" "Don't talk about that here." "It could mean my head." "Does the table shape seem acceptable?" "Tersa, this time I am here with a powerful starship." "You better be telling me everything you know." "I am, I swear." "I want to thank you for making it possible to have the conference here on Sobras." "My maje has rewarded me handsomely for the prestige it affords him." "If there is any further way I can be of service, please let me know." "He hasn't heard anything more, but he's frightened." "He must believe something's going to happen." "The first majes of the Kazon Order." "Minnis of the Pommar." "Surat of the Mostral." "Loran of the Hobii." "Valek of the Oglamar." "And Culluh of the Nistrim." "Captain, we seem destined to encounter each other." "This is Mabus, a governor of the Trabe." "Maje Culluh, I'm gratified to be meeting you like this." "I hope we'll be able to come to terms." "I never thought I'd see the day when any of us would sit at a table with the Trabe." "Times change, Maje." "Perhaps." "Shall we?" "Our gracious host, Jal Minnis, has provided food and drink to make our discussions more pleasant." "We appreciate your coming." "We hope this will lead to a new climate of peace." "Peace?" "With the Trabe?" "Forgive me if I'm a bit skeptical." "I understand." "After decades of antagonism, you're bound to be suspicious." "But surely, everyone here is tired of constant violence." "Aren't you really trying to get us to relax our guard so the Trabe can conquer us again?" "How could we do that?" "We're scattered and dispirit." "All we ask for is a chance to find a new homeworld and settle peacefully." "Excuse me." "Captain Janeway, I'm curious as to the nature of this alliance you've struck with the Trabe." "Especially since you refused my offer of a similar pact." "I found the goals of the Trabe to be compatible with our own." "I represent an organization which is devoted to peaceful coexistence among people." "The Trabe want nothing more than that." "The Trabe have always wanted peace for themselves, but we paid the price." "They lived in luxury and we lived in squalor and misery." "What I fear, Captain, is that this union you've made with the Trabe is an effort to force us to capitulate." "If so, we assure you it is doomed to failure." "I won't pretend that our alliance wasn't an attempt to make a show of strength." "Separately, we and the Trabe are vulnerable." "Together, we are stronger." "Are you threatening us, Captain?" "It is important that you understand our determination, but it's not a threat." "It's an offer." "A negotiated peace among all of us would provide a greater stability in this Quadrant." "How could that do anything but benefit us all?" "I can't speak for all of you, but I, for one, don't think we can trust this proposal." "A woman and a Trabe-- how can we listen to them?" "I find you nothing but a hypocrite, Captain-- allying yourself to the greatest villains this Quadrant has ever known." "If this is where your revered Federation values have taken you," "I want no part of it." "Gentlemen, allow me to confer with my Federation colleagues." "Please, have some refreshments and let us continue in a few moments." "Captain, would you please join me?" "Captain, I really need to talk to you now." "Get down!" "What is this, Captain?" "It's a trap!" "Take cover!" "Voyager, Red Alert." "We're on it." "You've ruined what would have been the greatest step toward peace in decades." "Peace?" "A massacre?" "I could have decimated the Kazon leadership." "It would have taken them years to recover." "You planned this whole thing and used our goodwill to make sure you were successful." "You don't know the Kazon." "There's no dealing with them." "Violence is all they understand." "Or perhaps it's all you understand." "You're naive, Captain." "It's clear you have no understanding of the harsh realities of this part of space." "What I tried to do was done as much for you as it was for us." "I'm not grateful, and I want you off my ship." "Chief, beam our former guest back to his vessel." "Captain, don't do this." "You're going to need us." "I don't think so." "The Kazon will be determined to seek revenge." "How can this one ship hope to survive?" "Not by making deals with executioners." "Energize." "I would suggest we depart before the Kazon have a chance to return to their ships." "Janeway to Paris." "Get us out of here." "Aye, Captain." "There's no question we're more vulnerable now than ever." "We have to take every measure to make sure we're prepared for an attack." "I want continual diagnostics on all ship's systems." "I will schedule additional battle drills for all hands." "Mr. Neelix, what about our food supplies?" "We're in good shape, Captain." "We shouldn't have to stop anywhere for several weeks." "Good." "Lieutenant, what's the condition of our propulsion systems?" "We have a reasonable supply of antimatter." "Barring any major problems, we should have maximum performance of both warp and impulse engines." "There's just one more thing I want to say." "I hope there's a lesson for all of us in this." "Although some of the species we've encountered here have been peaceful, others seem governed only by their own self-interests." "This appears to be a region of space that doesn't have many rules." "But I believe we can learn something from the events that have unfolded." "In a part of space where there are few rules, it's more important than ever that we hold fast to our own." "In a region where shifting allegiances are commonplace, we have to have something stable to rely on, and we do-- the principles and ideals of the Federation." "As far as I'm concerned, those are the best allies we could have." "Warp 5... warp 6... warp 7." "I've reached critical velocity." "Okay, everything looks good on this end." "Fire up the new engines." "Acknowledged." "Engaging transwarp drive in four... three, two..." "Transwarp on line!" "Warp 9.2... 9.3..." "My vector's drifting." "Try to stabilize your field symmetry." "Got it." "Warp 9.6... 9.7..." "I'm reading a fracture in the port nacelle pylon." "Full power to structural integrity." "Warp 9.9... 9.95..." "I'm approaching the threshold." "But the nacelle isn't holding." "Tie in auxiliary power." "It's no use." "I'm breaking up!" "I'm breaking..." "You're dead." "It's the pylon again." "Every time we get close to crossing the threshold, the subspace torque rips a nacelle off the shuttle." "What about a duranium alloy?" "We could try using it to reinforce..." "I thought about that already." "It's too brittle." "More coffee?" "Well, you look like a happy bunch." "We've hit a wall." "Oh." "Well, maybe I can help." "Great." "Do you know anything about quantum warp theory or multispectral subspace engine design?" "No, but I'm a quick study." "What are we working on?" "Do you have anything to eat?" "Sure." "There's some Kalavian biscuits somewhere in the kitchen." "I guess I'll go find them myself." "Fill him in." "Neelix... it would take too long to..." "What are you saying?" "I'm not smart enough?" "I'll have you know I did two years as an engineer's assistant aboard a Trabalian freighter." "I'm well-versed in warp theory." "Okay, okay, we'll tell you." "We're trying to break the maximum warp barrier." "Nothing in the universe can go warp 10." "It's a theoretical impossibility." "In principle, if you were ever to reach warp 10, you'd be traveling at infinite velocity." "Infinite velocity." "Got it." "So, tha-that means very fast." "It means that you would occupy every point in the universe simultaneously." "In theory, you could go any place in the wink of an eye." "Time and distance would have no meaning." "If Voyager achieved warp 10, we could be home in as long as it takes to push a button." "Wow!" "And you're working on this?" "We discovered a new form of dilithium in the asteroid field we surveyed last month." "It remains stable at a much higher warp frequency." "The problem is, every time we simulate crossing the transwarp threshold, the nacelles get torn off the ship." "I remember there was a time when I lost a warp nacelle going through a dark-matter nebula." "This is a very different problem." "I realize that." "I'm just using it as an example." "As the ship went through the nebula, it sent out a dark-matter bow wave." "Eventually, so much pressure built up, it tore the nacelle from its housing." "Now, maybe the same thing is happening to you." "No." "The simulations don't indicate any kind of subspace stress on the nacelles." "Wait a minute." "What about the shuttle itself?" "What do you mean?" "Maybe we've been looking in the wrong place." "What if the nacelles aren't being torn from the ship?" "What if the ship is being torn from the nacelles?" "The hull of the shuttle is made of tritanium alloy." "At the speeds we're talking about, that alloy could depolarize..." "And create a velocity differential." "The fuselage would be traveling at a faster rate of speed than the nacelles." "That means, we just have to set up a depolarization matrix around the fuselage." "That's it!" "Neelix, you're a genius." "I have no idea what they just said." "Warp 9.92." "The pylons are secure." "Everything looks good." "9.97... eight... nine..." "Warp 10." "You've crossed the threshold." "You've done it!" "And there's been no damage to the nacelles." "When you came to me a month ago and said you had a way to cross the transwarp threshold," "I thought it was more of a fantasy than a theory." "Congratulations to all of you." "So we can try a manned test flight?" "What's your flight plan?" "I'll bring the shuttle up to speed." "The second I cross the threshold," "I'll cut the engines, drop out of warp and come about." "After that, we'll analyze the shuttle's sensor logs." "Once we know it's safe to travel at transwarp, we'll try a more extended flight." "To be honest, it's almost frightening." "Up till now, it's all been theory." "I never thought it would actually happen." "Are we ready for it?" "In the last couple of centuries, we've always managed to use new technologies wisely." "I'm confident this time won't be any different." "Besides, there's no way to put the genie back in the bottle." "All we can do now is keep moving forward... carefully." "Well, good luck, Mr. Paris." "If this works, you'll be joining an elite group of pilots" "Orville Wright, Neil Armstrong, Zefram Cochrane... and Tom Paris." "I kind of like the way that sounds." "I thought you might." "Come in." "Oh." "Captain!" "I, um..." "At ease, Mr. Paris." "I know it's late." "Can I... get you anything?" "No." "Thank you." "Now, why do I get the feeling this isn't just a social call?" "I've just spoken to the Doctor and it's his opinion that we let Ensign Kim make the test flight." "May I ask why?" "He checked over your biometric readings from the shuttle simulations." "He says you have a slight enzymatic imbalance in your cerebellum." "So?" "I know it doesn't sound like much, but he can't predict what'll happen when you cross the threshold." "He believes there's a small chance that you could suffer a brain hemorrhage under the subspace stress." "How big a chance?" "Two percent." "Two percent?" "!" "I'll take that chance." "There's no reason to." "Ensign Kim is capable of piloting the shuttle for this mission." "Yeah, he's capable." "That's not the point." "What is the point, Mr. Paris?" "Well, it's hard to explain, but... this is my flight." "Your flight." "When I was a boy, my father used to tell me that I was special, that one day I'd do something significant." "My teachers at school, all the kids, everyone used to say, "Tom Paris is going to do something important when he grows up."" "Obviously, that didn't happen." "This isn't about personal redemption." "We're talking about medical risk." "Your life could be in danger, and we need you." "Captain, this is the first time in ten years" "I feel I have a life to risk." "You're sure about this." "Captain, I've never been so sure about anything." "Please." "Please, let me make the flight." "Good luck, Lieutenant." "Torres to Bridge." "The prelaunch sequence is complete," "Captain." "Acknowledged." "Ensign Kim, depressurize the shuttle bay and open the space doors." "Aye, Captain." "Bridge to Shuttlecraft Cochrane." "You're cleared for launch." "Aye, Captain." "See you at warp 10." "Cochrane to Voyager." "All systems are nominal." "I'm increasing speed." "We'll keep up with you as long as we can." "Warp 7, warp 8..." "How's his dilithium matrix holding up?" "There's a slight variance in the warp field, but nothing to worry about." "Okay." "Torres to Shuttlecraft Cochrane." "You're clear for transwarp velocity." "Acknowledged." "Engaging transwarp drive in four... three... two..." "Warp 9.7... 9.8... 9.9..." "He is exceeding our maximum velocity." "I am switching to long-range sensors." "Warp 9.95!" "He is approaching the threshold." "Engine output at maximum." "Velocity... warp 10." "Yes!" "Transwarp engines are stable." "So are the nacelle pylons." "I'm going to..." "Oh, my God...." "Oh, my..." "Lieutenant, can you hear me?" "Captain, he just... just disappeared off sensors." "Increase sensor gain to maximum." "Nothing." "I can't find him." "He's gone." "I've done three full sensor sweeps." "No sign of the shuttle within five parsecs." "Tuvok, could the shuttle have been destroyed?" "I don't believe so." "Sensors indicate that he did cross the warp threshold." "If that's true, then he could be anywhere in the universe." "We'll just have to keep searching our small corner." "Run a multispectral sweep." "I want to see if..." "Captain, there's a quantum surge off the port bow." "Something is coming out of subspace." "Janeway to Paris." "He's alive, but his life signs are weak." "Bridge to Transporter Room 2." "Beam Mr. Paris directly to Sick Bay." "Commander, bring the shuttle aboard." "I'll be in Sick Bay." "Aye, Captain." "His life signs are normal." "A few elevated serotonin readings in the hypothalamus." "From what I can tell, he's just... asleep." "Can you wake him?" "I don't see why not." "Wake up, Lieutenant!" "Are you all right, Tom?" "I'm back." "We tracked you until you crossed the threshold." "Then you disappeared from our sensors." "Do you remember what happened?" "Oh, yeah." "I was..." "I was staring at the velocity indicator." "It said warp 10." "And then, as I watched it," "I suddenly realized that I was... watching myself as well." "I could see the outside of the shuttle." "I could see Voyager." "I could see inside Voyager." "I could see inside this room." "For a moment, I was everywhere." "I mean, everywhere, Captain." "With the Kazon... back home, with the Klingons, other galaxies-- it was all there." "I don't know how else to explain it." "It was like..." "Well, no, it wasn't like anything." "Well..." "I'm glad you had a good time." "How did you get back to Voyager?" "." "I saw that you were looking for me, so I took the new engines off-line and ended up back where I started." "But..." "Oh, it's starting to slip away." "It all was so vivid, and now..." "Tom!" "Oh, I'm fine." "How's the shuttle?" "You brought it back without a scratch." "The onboard sensors confirm that you did it." "You made it to warp 10." "Congratulations, Mr. Paris." "You just made the history books." "We should download the shuttle's sensor logs, analyze the telemetry they picked up during the flight before we make another attempt." "You're not going anywhere-- at least not for a few hours." "I have some tests I'd like to run on your majesty before I release you back into the realm of ordinary humans." "You may... proceed." "We'll download the logs." "I'll let you know what we find." "Janeway to Kim." "We're ready." "Acknowledged." "I'm downloading the logs into the Engineering computer core." "This data describes, literally, every cubic centimeter in this sector." "It's over five billion gigiquads of information." "It would appear that the theory of infinite velocity is correct." "It may be possible to occupy every point in the universe simultaneously." "Then, it's just a matter of navigation." "If we could figure out how to come out of transwarp at a specific point... this could get us home." "Oh, it could do more than that." "It could change the very nature of our existence." "Think of it." "There would be nothing beyond our reach." "This telemetry is giving us an invaluable record of the sector." "We can use it to make a star chart." "Transfer the shuttle logs to Stellar Cartography for analysis." "Right." "This is a new blend." "I'm calling it "Paris Delight."" "It's in honor of you." "What?" "Oh!" "Oh, thanks." "That's very flattering." "I can tell." "Well, you might as well get used to it." "You're a hero now." "I wish I could say it was nothing." "Oh!" "Oh, I wish Neelix would name something after me that tasted a little better." "It smells okay." "No." "Trust me." "You're taking your life into your hands." "So I think the next step is to try to duplicate the first shuttle flight-- verify our results." "I agree." "We have to confirm that none of this was a fluke." "But I do think that we should increase the shuttle's memory core by at least..." "What?" "What's wrong?" "I don't think that coffee is settling too well." "You want to go back to Sick Bay?" "No, no." "I've seen enough of the Doctor for one day." "Oh... on second thought, maybe I should..." "Torres to Transporter Room 2." "Medical emergency." "Beam Lieutenant Paris directly to Sick Bay." "I can't lock on to him." "His pattern keeps changing." "Torres to Sick Bay." "We need a medical team in the Mess Hall right away." "Hang on, Tom." "Hmm." "It looks like he's having an allergic reaction." "What did he ingest?" "Just a cup of Neelix's coffee." "It's a miracle he's still alive." "This is strange." "What is?" "He's definitely having an allergic reaction... to the water in the coffee." "He's allergic to water?" "I don't know how this is possible, but... it appears that his entire biochemistry is changing." "His electrolytes are breaking down, interstitial fluids are congealing." "The alveoli in his lungs are mutating." "He's no long processing oxygen." "What should we do?" "Stand back." "Computer, erect an isolation field around the surgical bay." "Computer, remove all the air from within the force field and replace it with 80 percent nitrogen and 20 percent acidichloride." "He can breathe... for now." "What's happening to him?" "I have no idea, but I assume it had something to do with his experience on the shuttle." "His cellular membranes are deteriorating." "He's dying." "I need to know more about what happened on that shuttle and I need to know it now." "Radiation levels, unexplained anomalies-- anything." "You're losing me, aren't you?" "I'm going to die." "You're too stubborn to die, Mr. Paris." "I want to try high-saturation radiometric therapy." "It might slow down his cellular mutation." ""Here lies Thomas Eugene Paris beloved mutant."" "A fitting epitaph, but I don't intend to let you use it just yet." "Radiometric emitters are charged and ready." "Begin with 45 rads per second." "Great." "Now it'll read "beloved radioactive mutant."" "No effect." "Increase the dosage to 85 rads per second." "I'm going to try inhibiting the cell mitosis with a bio-suppressor field." "A big funeral with lots of pretty girls all crying... except Torres." "Torres doesn't cry." "Do you ever notice that?" "I don't trust people who don't cry." "Of course, my father... he'd say, "Crying is a sign of weakness."" "I never believed that." "Do you cry?" "It's not in my program." "Shame." "You know, it's funny." "What I remember most about being a kid are the times I spent in my room crying." "I liked my room, though." "It was quiet in there." "People'd leave me alone." "I'd keep the door locked-- read, play games." "I lost my virginity in that room." "Seventeen." "Parents were away for the weekend." "I'll note that in your medical file." "His lymphatic system is collapsing." "Increase dosage to 98 rads per second." "Pepperoni!" "God, I'd love a pepperoni pizza with Kavarian olives right now." "I'm starving!" "His life signs are critical-- maximum dosage." "Oh... kiss me." "What?" "Not you." "Her." "She can't breathe the atmosphere in here." "Consider it a last request." "Sorry, Tom." "If we let down the force field, you'll suffocate." "Oh, what's the difference?" "I'm dying anyway." "Do me a favor." "When I'm gone... call Starfleet Headquarters... and tell Dad that I did it." "Tell him..." "Prepare to activate the neural stimulator." "Ready." "Now." "Again." "Again!" "No neural activity." "We can try to revive him." "His cell membranes have degraded." "There's nothing more we can do." "Computer... remove the acidichloride gas from the isolation field... and deactivate the field." "It will be necessary for us to perform an autopsy on the Lieutenant's body in the morning." "Until then, I... suggest you get some rest." "You're alive." "Wha-- what's happening?" "All of your internal organs are functioning again." "In fact... you seem to have an extra one." "What?" "You have... two hearts." "I have 30 seconds before Security picks up this transmission." "I'm sending you all current information on the warp 10 shuttle flight." "Warp 10?" "That's impossible." "Not anymore." "Lieutenant Paris crossed the threshold this morning." "He survived?" "In a manner of speaking." "It's all in the file." "This should prove my worth to you, Rettik." "We'll see." "His body is going through some sort of mutation." "His DNA is rewriting itself." "To what end, I don't know." "Does this have anything to do with the enzymatic imbalance you found?" "No." "Can you stop it?" "So far, nothing has worked." "The mutations are unlike anything in Starfleet medical records." "His internal organs are being rearranged." "Some have atrophied and been absorbed into his body." "And there are at least three others that have appeared and have no identifiable function at all." "What about his brain?" "There are neuro-electrical transmutations at work." "His synaptic patterns are changing almost every second, but he does still recognize me... the ship." "He knows who he is." "Can I talk to him?" "Of course." "But I feel I should caution you that while he still is Tom Paris, he's becoming something else as well." "His personality is erratic, unpredictable." "There are moments of lucidity interspersed with almost... deranged behavior." "I'll keep it in mind." "Pretty disgusting, huh?" "You've looked better." "How do you feel?" "Like a lab experiment gone wrong." "Well, we're trying to put that experiment right." "The Doctor's working on a way to restore your DNA to its..." "Why?" "Excuse me?" "Why?" "What I'm becoming will probably be better than who I was." "Lieutenant, you know that's not true." "Oh, yes, it is." "Admit it." "Part of you will be glad to see me gone." "I'm the Maquis traitor who sits on your Bridge and insults your uniform, remember?" "We're all concerned about you, Tom." "We're here to help you." "No, you're not." "You're trying to take this away from me." "Take what away from you?" "What I'm becoming." "How do you know this isn't good for me?" "How do you know this isn't the best thing that's ever happened to me?" "That's a possibility, and then again, it could kill you." "We need to find out what's going on." "You're lying... just like him... just like everyone around here, always lying, always telling me that I'm doing a good job, that you're glad I'm on the ship, but none of that's true." "Why can't you just say it?" "!" "You're jealous that I broke the transwarp barrier and now you're hoping I'll die!" "You're right, Doctor." "I don't think there's anything I can do here." "Wait, Captain." "I'm sorry." "Please come back." "I know you're doing what you can." "It's just..." "I'm scared." "I didn't mean to lash out at you." "What you're going through would scare any of us, but you have to hang on, Tom." "We're doing everything we can to help you." "I know you are." "And I know you'll fail!" "You know..." "I used to look up to you, but now you seem so small, so insignificant." "You don't even know what... what... what..." "Doctor?" "The rate of genetic mutation has accelerated by 12 percent." "I want you to run a nucleogenic scan to determine how much of his original DNA is left intact." "In the meantime," "I'm going to see about treating him with..." "Doctor!" "What is it now, Mr. Paris?" "I need to talk." "So I've noticed." "Is it urgent?" "I'm rather busy right now." "Urgent." "Yes, urgent." "Let... me out of here." "I'm afraid that's not possible." "Please..." "I can't stay here." "I have to get off this ship." "Leave Voyager?" "." "Why?" "I... understand." "It's all so clear now." "What do you understand?" "The present... the past... they're both in the future." "The future is in the past." "I beg your pardon?" "Listen to me!" "I am more..." "I'm everything." "Let me go." "Go where, Tom?" "I can't..." "Please?" "Please!" "Something tells me we'd better hurry." "I believe the answer lies in forcing his DNA to revert to its original coding." "Once that occurs, his body should return to its former state." "How do we do that?" "We destroy all of the new DNA in his body." "His cells will have to use the original coding as a blueprint." "But the only way to destroy the mutant DNA is with highly focused anti-proton radiation." "Anti-protons?" "The only place on this ship which generates anti-protons is the warp core." "Exactly." "I'd like to place Mr. Paris in an isotropic restraint and then infuse it with controlled anti-proton bursts-- a tricky venture, but I see no other alternative." "We'll have to take the warp core off-line." "Then I'll need about three hours to set up an interface." "In three hours, there won't be anything left of Mr. Paris to save." "We have to make the attempt within an hour-- at the most." "Get moving." "What's your status, Lieutenant?" "The interface is charged and ready." "Infuse him with a two-second anti-proton burst." "Take the warp engines off-line." "Bleed off .057" "AMUs of anti-proton radiation." "Shunt it through the interface." "Transfer underway." "Doctor, the mutated DNA in his liver cells has begun to deteriorate, but the original coding isn't taking over." "I don't understand." "This should be working." "We'll have to increase the duration of the bursts." "Lieutenant, prepare a five-second burst." "Also you'll need to begin depolarizing..." "My God." "Lieutenant!" "Call Security!" "Lieutenant, what's happening?" "I got it right now!" "Shut it all down." "This is a level-3 security alert." "All hands report to duty stations." "Janeway to Bridge." "Report." "Paris broke out of confinement in Engineering." "He used a phaser on the port plasma conduit." "We have power failures all over the ship." "Where is he now?" "We're having trouble tracking him." "We can't get power to the internal sensors." "Tuvok has security teams searching deck by deck." "I'm on my way to the Bridge." "Oh, oh..." "Phaser discharge on Deck 6." "Localize it." "I'm still having trouble with internal sensors." "It came from somewhere between Sections 21 and 27-Alpha." "Tuvok doesn't have any security in that area." "Chakotay to Tuvok." "We think Paris may be on Deck 6." "Deploy security to Sections 21 through 27-Alpha." "Commander, someone's depressurizing Shuttle Bay 2." "What?" "!" "There's a launch in progress." "Tractor beam." "It's off-line." "Tuvok to Bridge." "We found the Captain's phaser on Deck 6, but there's no sign of her." "Maintain a sensor lock on that shuttle." "I've got main power back." "Engage warp engines." "Follow them." "Aye, Commander." "They're approaching warp 9.9." "Increase speed to match." "Warning." "Nearing maximum warp velocity." "Structural collapse is imminent." "Are we in tractor range?" "No." "And they're still accelerating." "Warp 9.97." "Warning." "At present speed, structural failure in 45 seconds." "Reduce speed to warp 9.5." "Keep a sensor lock on them as long as you can." "I've lost them, Commander." "They've gone to transwarp." "First Officer's Log, Stardate 49373.4." "It's taken us three days to locate the shuttle." "It appears to have dropped out of transwarp in an uninhabited star system." "I've re-examined the data on Mr. Paris' transformation and I think I understand what's happening to him." "The mutations we observed are natural." "Natural." "The changes in his DNA are consistent with the evolutionary development of the human genotype observed over the past four million years-- increased brain capacity, the loss of vestigial organs..." "Are you saying Lieutenant Paris is evolving?" "That's my theory." "The only difference between natural evolution and what happened to Mr. Paris is that his changes took place over a 24-hour period." "Somehow, traveling at infinite velocity accelerated the natural human evolutionary process by millions of years." "It's possible that Mr. Paris represents a future stage in human development." "Although I can't say it's very attractive." "What do we do about it?" "I think my anti-proton approach was correct." "However, I'll need to intensify the treatment to restore his original DNA." "Bridge to Chakotay." "Bridge to Chakotay." "Go ahead." "I think I found the shuttlecraft, Commander." "It's on the fourth planet in one of the jungles near the equator." "Acknowledged." "Tuvok, have a security team meet us in Transporter Room 3." "There are traces of human DNA." "It's them." "But I have to admit" "I'm not sure which one is the Captain." "The female... obviously." "I don't know how I'm going to enter this into the log." "I look forward to reading it." "First Officer's Log, supplemental." "We've transported the Captain and Mr. Paris back to Sick Bay." "As for their "offspring,"" "I've decided to leave them in their new habitat." "I've eradicated all traces of the mutant DNA from your system and restored your original genome." "Congratulations." "You're human again." "Thank you, Doctor." "Captain, it'll take some time for your genetic codes to stabilize." "I'd like you to remain in Sick Bay for the next three days... just to be safe." "Excuse me." "Captain, uh..." "I've thought about having children." "But I must say" "I never considered having them with you." "Captain, I'm sorry." "I-I don't know what to say except..." "I don't remember very much about... uh... you know." "What makes you think it was your idea?" "Sometimes it's the female of a species that initiates mating." "But apology accepted, nonetheless." "You may be interested to know I'm putting you in for a commendation." "Regardless of the outcome, you did make the first transwarp flight." "Thank you, Captain." "Is there something wrong, Lieutenant?" "I don't know." "I guess this whole experience has left me feeling a little overwhelmed-- flying at warp 10... evolving into a new life-form, mating, having alien offspring..." "You've broken more than one record." "That's for sure." "Breaking the threshold." "It was... incredible." "But somehow, it doesn't mean as much as I thought it would." "Oh?" "I guess I went into this looking for a quick fix." "I thought making history would change things-- not just my service record... my reputation." "If I'm not mistaken, you've changed quite a few minds on this ship." "You've earned a lot of people's respect and admiration." "Yeah." "But I'm starting to realize that it's not other people's opinions" "I should be worried about." "It's mine." "It seems, Captain, that I still have a few barriers to break." "I just hope they're not theoretical impossibilities." "Somehow..." "I don't think they will be." "Game!" "Why don't we make it interesting this time?" "Let's add some table stakes." "What kind of stakes?" "I don't know." "Mmm... a couple of replicator rations, maybe?" "Don't do it, Harry." "He's hustling you." "Wait a minute." "Are you saying he deliberately let me win?" "That would be dishonest, Harry." "I won that game-- and I'll beat you again." "How many rations are you willing to bet on that?" "Come on, Harry." "Go for it." "A week's worth." "Harry, Harry, Harry." "Never, ever play with anyone-- not even your best friend-- if he says, "Let's make it interesting."" "Now, you want a little action?" "I'll give you a little action." "How about an honest game of chance?" "Never play with anyone-- even your best friend-- if he offers you" ""an honest game of chance," Harry." "One replicator ration is all it takes to play and the only thing you have to do to win is pick a number." "Just predict what the radiogenic particle count will be at 1200 hours tomorrow, and if you hit, the pot is yours... minus a small handling fee for the bank, of course." "I'll take a piece of that." "Harry, get a padd." "Take down these names and numbers." "I'm in, too." "Lewis-- 2100." "I'll back that bet up." "Rogers..." "Ensign Hogan, still no luck with the warp drive?" "No, Lieutenant." "The manifold just won't fire up." "We've finally narrowed it down to some kind of a problem in EPS Conduit 141." "Was there any indication yesterday that there was something wrong?" "Suder was monitoring the EPS flow in the CCF." "He says everything was fine." "Well, I guess we'll just have to get in there and track it down." "Happy Kal Rekk, Mr. Vulcan." "The holiday of Kal Rekk is not for two weeks." "But it's the Kal Rekk season." "There is no Kal Rekk season." "Kal Rekk is a day of atonement, solitude and silence." "Atonement." "Solitude." "All your Vulcan holidays are the same." "I've been doing some research." "I know." "Why would you need to do research on Vulcan holidays?" "It's part of my job as morale officer." "Morale is irrelevant to a Vulcan." "Oh, please!" "There's no one on this ship requires my services more than you do." "I will not rest until I see you smile." "Then you will not rest." "I don't suppose you've ever heard of the Vulcan Rumarie?" "The Rumarie is an ancient pagan festival." "Full of barely clothed Vulcan men and women, covered in slippery Rillan grease, chasing one another." "That has not been observed for a millennium." "Well, it's time to bring it back." "Lieutenant Tuvok, report to Engineering immediately." "Acknowledged." "I've been thinking of a Rumarie theme for the Mess Hall next week-- lots of high-fat, greasy foods, and if people want to take off their clothes and chase one another... well, it certainly wouldn't hurt morale around here." "Is there a problem, Lieutenant?" "98 percent of his body suffered third-degree plasma burns." "If the circuit hadn't failed, he would have been vaporized." "It appeared that Mr. Darwin had entered the conduit to repair a faulty circuit when the accident occurred." "A perfectly good theory." "Unfortunately, it's wrong." "This contusion is the result of a hard blow to the back of the skull." "Perhaps he fell and hit his head in the conduit." "The coup-contrecoup pattern of breakage should tell us whether the blow is a result of a moving head hitting a stationary object or a moving object hitting a stationary head." "In this case, the pattern clearly indicates the latter." "I'm sorry to report Crewman Darwin was murdered." "At first glance, there is no obvious motive." "Crewman Darwin didn't have any known enemies on board." "I've been looking over his Starfleet record." "His training instructor recommended him as an officer's candidate." "He turned it down to come with us." "He has three sisters back home." "Sorry I'm late." "These are the duty logs from last night." "Lon Suder was the only one in Engineering when Frank Darwin came on duty." "Something wrong?" "No, not really." "I've just never been comfortable with Suder." "That's all." "It's not like he ever did anything wrong, it's just..." "As a Maquis, he did what he had to do a little too well." "As in?" "As in killing Cardassians." "I don't recall observing anything unusual about Mr. Suder's behavior while I was on your ship." "You weren't with him in battle." "Around us, he was the quietest most unassuming guy you'll ever meet." "Typical Betazoid." "Kept to himself." "I never knew much about him." "In the Maquis, we didn't ask for resumes." "We needed all the help we could get." "A lot us were doing what we were doing to protect our families, but Suder had his own reasons." "I wish I could tell you what they were." "In combat, there was something in his eyes." "Maybe he had something personal against Cardassians." "Sometimes I had to pull him back-- stop him from going too far." "And once or twice when I did, he looked at me with those cold eyes and I just knew, he was this far away from killing me." "I find it curious that none of this was included in your initial crew evaluation, Commander." "I don't put down hunches or bad feelings in my crew evaluations, Lieutenant." "A Vulcan should appreciate that." "Considering the fact that your Maquis crew included malcontents, outlaws and mercenaries," "I believe it would have been appropriate." "I wasn't going to make it harder for any of them here." "Suder did his job when he was serving with me and he's done his job since he's been on this ship." "It seems clear where your investigation should begin, Lieutenant." "You wish to see me, Mr. Tuvok?" "Sit down." "You were alone in Engineering when Crewman Darwin reported for duty last night." "Yes, sir." "Did you speak to him?" "No, we just sort of looked at each other and he did whatever he had to do and I did what I had to do." "And what was that?" "I was, um, running a fuel-consumption analysis for Lieutenant Torres." "She can tell you." "Are you accusing me of killing him?" "I have accused no one at this time." "Did you kill Crewman Darwin?" "No." "No, I barely knew him." "You know, just because I'm a Maquis doesn't make me a killer." "I'll be speaking to everyone in Engineering-- perhaps everyone on this ship-- not just former members of the Maquis." "We all know how you feel about the Maquis." "I assure you, I have no feelings about the Maquis." "No, you just spied on us and were going to turn us all over to Starfleet." "As hard as it may be for you to understand, that did not require any feelings on my part." "The Doctor places the time of death at 2214." "Do you remember what you were doing then?" "I was still running the fuel analysis." "I worked on it until I went off duty." "Would you be surprised to know that your console was logged off at 2209?" "That's not possible." "Do you have a criminal record, Mr. Suder?" "Now, that would be sort of difficult to check on, wouldn't it?" "Why would you have any reason to lie?" "I don't." "Do you have a criminal record?" "No." "How would you describe your relationship with Crewman Darwin?" "I had no relationship." "No disagreements?" "No." "No fights?" "No." "No reason to kill him?" "No." "You're dismissed, Crewman." "I may have more questions for you later." "Med Lab to Lieutenant Tuvok." "Go ahead, Doctor." "I think I've found something that will help you." "Do you see the DNA strands on the lower border?" "Yes." "They were retrieved from inside the head wound by nanites that I designed to recognize unusual DNA patterns." "This DNA was isolated because it didn't belong to the victim." "Have you matched it to a member of the crew?" "Are you certain?" "DNA doesn't know how to lie, Lieutenant." "I must advise you that under Starfleet Directive 101, you do not have to answer any questions." "No." "No, there's no point in denying it anymore." "Uh..." "I used a two-kilo coil spanner." "He was sitting at the impulse system control panel." "Didn't even look up when I moved in behind him and I swung the spanner as hard as I could." "Crewman, I suggest you speak to counsel." "There was practically no blood." "I was surprised at that." "I figured that the EPS conduit was the easiest way to dispose of the body, but..." "I must have damaged one of the circuits when I put him inside." "Oh." "I hid the spanner behind a com line access panel on Deck 7." "Why did you kill him, Mr. Suder?" "No reason." "That is not a satisfactory answer." "You must have had some motive." "I didn't like the way he looked at me." "No doubt about it." "This is the murder weapon." "Mr. Suder is apparently telling the truth." "You don't seem satisfied, Lieutenant." "No." "You have a confession and the murder weapon." "And no established motive." "Does it matter?" "A crime must have a logical purpose." "Ah, yes, I see-- how to close the case without understanding the logic of the crime." "For a Vulcan that would be a dilemma, wouldn't it?" "Doctor, is it possible that Mr. Suder is psychotic?" "I doubt it." "Kes, call up his genetic profile." "The neuro-genetic markers are normal." "There's no tendency toward bipolar disorder." "So he's not insane, per se." "What do the elevated norepinephrine levels suggest?" "Aggressive, even violent tendencies." "Why didn't you report this immediately after your examination, Doctor?" "These readings are not significantly different from those of the other Maquis crewmen." "Obviously, it takes a certain personality type to be attracted to the life of an outlaw." "Don't you believe his confession, Tuvok?" "In fact, I do." "Nevertheless, my job is not finished until I determine a motive." "And what if there was no motive?" "One may not recognize the motivation, but there is always motivation." "I think you are trapped in your own Vulcan logic, Lieutenant." "All of us have violent instincts." "We have evolved from predators." "Well, not me, of course." "I've just been programmed by you predators." "The question is, in a civilized world, can we suppress those instincts?" "Most of the time, we can." "Vulcans certainly can." "You've got your violent feelings buried underneath centuries of control, but the rest of the humanoid races aren't always so skilled at self-discipline." "Crewman Suder may have violent impulses that he just can't control." "Do you believe that a look by Mr. Darwin could provoke such a violent reaction?" "It has been known to happen." "I do not accept that explanation." "I already told you why I killed him, Lieutenant." "You didn't like the way he looked at you." "Right." "Just how did he look at you?" "Like a lot of people in Starfleet do." "So this murder could in fact be explained as an outburst of rage against Starfleet." "Look, if that's how you want to look at this..." "I want the truth." "I don't like Starfleet." "I won't deny that." "But..." "Yes?" "I have killed people who weren't in Starfleet for the same reason" "I did not like the way they looked at me." "I've thought about killing you, Lieutenant." "In my case, you have a motive-- my previous mission as a spy, my role as your accuser-- but to my knowledge," "Crewman Darwin had done nothing to you." "That's true." "Then why choose him as a victim?" "I don't know." "Do you feel remorse?" "I don't seem to feel anything at all." "Most Betazoids can sense other people's emotions..." "I can't even sense my own." "So what's going to happen to me now?" "I'll have to discuss that with the Captain." "I know what I'd do if I were her." "Guess I'm lucky." "The Federation doesn't execute people." "It is important that I understand why you killed Mr. Darwin." "I wish I could help you, Lieutenant." "You can-- and indirectly, I may be able to help you, as well." "Do you know what a mind-meld is?" "It's that..." "Vulcan thing where you grab someone's head." "We would be telepathically linked-- exchanging our thoughts-- in essence, becoming one mind." "One mind?" "You and me?" "I wouldn't recommend that, Lieutenant." "It is not without risk, but as a Vulcan, I have internal processes that allow me to control violent instincts." "I believe I will be able to suppress whatever feelings I draw from you." "And how will I be helped by all this?" "It is likely that you will gain, at least for a time, some of my self-discipline to better control your own violent nature." "What do I have to do?" "Release the force field." "My mind to your mind... your thoughts to my thoughts..." "Radiogenic particle density at the measured coordinates was 1873 per cubic meter." "And the winner of 16 replicator rations in the Paris radiogenic sweepstakes is..." "Shh." "Shh." "Computer?" "There is no winner today." "What?" "No winner?" "Computer, are you positive?" "Try your luck again." "Tomorrow you could be a winner." "Very funny." "You heard the little lady." "Try your luck again, folks." "The pot grows daily until we have a winner." "Enter your name on the padd and pick a number." "Can I buy you lunch, Mr. Kim?" "I have an extra ration today." "Two, by my count." "Ten percent of the day's action." "The only one who wins every day is you." "I think I'll have some prime rib-- medium rare-- mashed potatoes, creamed spinach." "And maybe some Yorkshire pudding... and a raktajino with whipped cream on top." "...so it ultimately turned out to be a worthwhile and enlightening experience." "Did you get any of the answers you were after?" "It is difficult for me to accept, Captain, but Mr. Suder was telling the truth as he knew it." "He is a man with an incredibly violent nature, living in an environment without any outlet to express it." "I am surprised he was able to maintain his self-control for as long as he did." "I guess in his earlier life, he always found ways to release those impulses-- like volunteering for the Maquis." "What do we do with him?" "If we were home, he'd be sent to prison." "The brig is the closest thing we have, but I don't think we can just leave him down in our dungeon for the rest of the trip." "Nor would it be appropriate to leave him in the custody of someone in this Quadrant." "I agree." "Captain... he is prepared to die for his crime." "An execution?" "You're not seriously suggesting that we..." "I only mention it because of the extenuating circumstances and because he feels it would be an appropriate punishment." "I don't." "I prefer to rehabilitate him, not to end his life." "We'll confine him to quarters." "Work with Kim to install maximum-security containment." "Pardon me, Captain, but allowing him the comfort of his own quarters doesn't seem an appropriate punishment for murder." "If we don't get home soon, he'll be in that room a long time, Mr. Tuvok." "I think this is the best we can do under these circumstances." "Crewman Darwin's three sisters might not agree." "How is Suder since the mind-meld?" "Quite calm and controlled." "Clearly, the meld initiated some high cortical activity in his brain." "And you, Tuvok, any adverse effects?" "I will admit that I am more disconcerted than I anticipated." "Why don't you take a day or two off for meditation?" "Thank you, but I am already taking steps to purge these residual feelings." "I don't believe time off will be necessary." "I will, of course, advise you of any further complications." "Tuvok." "Take care of yourself." "I would prefer to be alone." "Okay." "All right." "Far be it from me to bother anyone." "If you really want me to leave, I'll leave." "I really want you to leave." "I don't believe you." "Your voice says "go away,"" "but your heart wants me to make you smile." "Please, go away." "Come on-- a little smile." "How is it going to hurt?" "I won't tell anyone." "What must I do to convince you to stop?" "Come on." "Just a little, itty-bitty smile." "Just let the mouth curl a little there." "That's..." "There's an old Talaxian song my mother used to sing me as a child." "I'm going to sing it to you every day from now on." "It goes..." "Mr. Vulcan, I..." "Oh, I can't breath..." "Can't..." "I can't breath..." "I'm sorry if I..." "Computer, end holodeck program." "Particle density at the measured coordinates was 1415 per cubic meter." "And the winner is?" "Computer?" "Computer?" "There won't be any more winners." "Oh, come on, Chakotay." "We were just having a little fun." "The recreational facilities of the Delta Quadrant being what they are." "I've heard you're responsible for this, Lieutenant." "I didn't think Starfleet would have a problem with it." "With a senior officer running a gambling operation and skimming profits from each day's proceeds?" "Now, why would Starfleet have a problem with that?" "Since you all seem to have extra replicator rations, you won't be needing these." "Today's pot is hereby confiscated." "The Captain's put a lot of faith in you, Mr. Paris." "She'll be disappointed." "You're on report." "Now, there's a tough job-- filling out reports." "But somebody's got to do it." "Thanks a lot." "I did not hear you come in, Lieutenant." "How are you feeling?" "Centered." "Don't be misled." "Your violent instincts still exist." "You are simply suppressing them as Vulcans do." "I can feel the difference." "It is almost as if I can observe the violence inside me without letting it get too close." "It is quite remarkable what you Vulcans have learned to do." "Understand that this will not be a permanent change, unless you commit to a strict daily regime of meditation and mental exercise." "I also believe that a series of holodeck programs designed to allow your violent tendencies to be released in a safe environment may help to purge your aggressive impulses." "Holographic violence does not give the same... sensation as the real thing." "I've tried it." "Has anyone ever suggested targeted neuro-synaptic therapy?" "That didn't work either." "Our Doctor is programmed with the medical knowledge of every Federation world." "Perhaps he'll know of some treatment you haven't tried." "Since the meld, I feel capable of controlling myself." "Perhaps with your help, I can learn to stay this way." "It must be difficult for you." "Difficult?" "Knowing violence as I've known it." "I have studied violence for over 100 years." "Studying it and knowing it are two different things, aren't they?" "It's attractive, isn't it?" "Attractive?" "Violence." "On the contrary." "I find it disturbing." "You're right." "It is disturbing-- never knowing when that impulse may come, or whether or not you can control it when it does." "You live on the edge of every moment and yet, in its own way, violence is attractive, too." "Maybe because it doesn't require logic." "Perhaps that's why it's so liberating." "Ironic, isn't it-- that I can share with you, of all people, what I have hidden from everyone all my life." "Can we do it again, Tuvok?" "Again?" "Meld." "That would not be advisable." "I understand." "Really, I do." "I have thought about it a lot." "In a way, a mind-meld is almost an act of violence, isn't it?" "I don't understand why you would..." "Penetration." "Your will dissolving mine." "The joining." "It seems to me that a mind-meld might be fatal if you lost control." "Computer, place level-1 security seals on this room." "Acknowledged." "Security seals in place." "Delete security clearance:" "Tuvok-one-four-nine-four-lambda." "Specified security clearance deleted." "Please inform the Captain that I am no longer fit for duty." "Acknowledged." "Computer, lift the security seal from Lieutenant Tuvok's quarters." "Wait here." "I would advise you not to enter, Captain." "Tuvok." "Please, do not come any closer." "Talk to me." "I said... don't come any closer." "We need to get you to Sick Bay." "It would be safer for the crew if I were to remain in these quarters." "I remind you, I am trained in the martial arts of many Alpha Quadrant cultures." "Sitting here, attempting to meditate," "I have counted the number of ways" "I know of killing someone using just a finger, a hand... a foot..." "I had reached 94 when you entered." "The Doctor is fully versed in Vulcan medicine." "Again, for safety reasons," "I recommend you sedate me before you initiate transport." "Levels of neuropeptides in the limbic system are down 15 percent." "There's a definite neuro-chemical imbalance in the mesiofrontal cortex." "Which means what?" "That's where the Vulcan psycho-suppression systems are located." "This may be the result of a incompatibility with the Betazoid telepathic neural center." "I'm not sure." "Vulcan mind-melds... utter foolishness." "Anybody with an ounce of sense wouldn't share his brain with someone else." "Would you?" "I certainly wouldn't." "And of course, when something goes wrong-- and believe me, it does more often than they'd like to admit-- the first thing they call out is, "Doctor?"" "Can you help him?" "I wish I could tell you." "There's a recommended course of treatments that should begin immediately." "What does it involve?" "First, we have to take away his ability to control his violence." "We do this in short bursts over a period of time and hope it provides a shock to his system." "If it works, his own neural controls will take over again." "I believe we're about ready." "Revive him." "Something has changed." "We've temporarily removed all of your emotional suppression abilities, Lieutenant." "How do you feel?" "I... feel." "Tuvok, do you know where you are?" "Of course I know where I am, Captain." "I'm just not sure I know..." "who I am." "Try to relax." "The treatment still has about three minutes to go." "Oh, it must be working because I feel very strong." "Very... powerful." "Quite euphoric." "This must be how my ancestors felt." "Doctor, would you consider allowing me to remain this way for a while?" "It would be a valuable opportunity for me to study primal Vulcan behavior." "Sorry, I'm not prepared to do that." "The course of treatment is very specific." "You are not invulnerable, hologram." "A few well-chosen commands to the computer, and you will cease to exist." "Two minutes, 30 seconds left." "You look shocked, Captain." "You must be asking yourself, "What if this doesn't work?" "What do we do then?"" "I have an idea." "I'll just stay in my quarters for the rest of the trip." "I'll just relax and read, eat the ship's food, use the ship's energy, all in the comforts of my own room." "Why, even Mr. Suder and I could get together for a few hands of Cardassian pinochle once or twice a week." "That is how we treat violent offenders on this ship, isn't it?" "You are not a violent offender, Tuvok." "I could be." "Just like Suder." "You know, Captain, I don't mind telling you something the other Tuvok never would." "You are wrong." "Sparing Suder's life is a sign of weakness." "You disgust me." "All you humans do." "Admit it." "Part of you feels as I do." "Part of you wants him to die for what he did." "No part of me feels that way." "Liar!" "He has killed and you know he deserves to die!" "On behalf of the victim's family, Captain," "I beg you to reconsider." "Give them the satisfaction of his execution." "I have a radical suggestion, Captain." "Release the force field... and I'll kill him for you." "Release the force field." "My student-- my protégé" "there is so much to learn for each of us today, isn't there?" "You'll be all right, Tuvok." "This'll be over in 30 seconds." "Listen to what I tell you." "Release the force field." "I'm sorry." "I had them disable your telepathic abilities, too." "You can't reach me, Tuvok." "Release the force field!" "Ten seconds." "Five seconds." "It's over." "He's lost consciousness." "He might be able to fool the sensors." "Sedate him again." "Computer, remove the force field." "Help me get him back on the bed." "How many treatments do you think will be necessary?" "I wish I knew, Captain." "In a sense, Mr. Tuvok's mind is fighting a classic battle between good and evil." "The battle may be won in a day, a year... or it may never be won." "Tuvok?" "I wondered what happened to you." "They wouldn't tell me anything." "There were some complications from the meld." "I wondered about that." "I've been undergoing neuro-synaptic therapy in Sick Bay." "It didn't work." "No." "Have you come to kill me?" "To execute you for your crime." "To execute me?" "I see." "And calling it that makes it more comfortable for you." "I will take no comfort in this." "A most logical use of violence-- to punish the violent." "We both know that I am prepared to die, but are you prepared to kill?" "It needs to be done." "To release your violent impulses?" "To serve justice." "Justice or vengeance?" "Understand one thing, Tuvok." "I can promise you this will not silence your demons." "If you can't control the violence, the violence controls you." "Be prepared to yield your entire being to it, to sacrifice your place in civilized life, for you will no longer be a part of it and there's no return." "I... seek... no return." "Of course." "You would not be able to live with yourself." "Then we are both to die, and that will end the torment." "My mind..." "to your mind." "My thoughts... to your thoughts." "My mind... to your mind." "My thoughts to your thoughts." "Crewman Suder to the Bridge." "Suder, what are you doing with a combadge?" "You better get down here, Chakotay." "Lieutenant Tuvok needs help." "Captain's Log, supplemental." "Ensign Suder has been incarcerated in secured quarters where he will likely spend the rest of our journey home." "Lieutenant Tuvok remains under observation in Sick Bay." "It may be hard for you to believe, Lieutenant, but what happened is encouraging." "Your inability to complete the act of murder shows your suppression systems are starting to function again." "You're on your way back to being normal." "Although, I'm not sure how the word "normal" applies to a species that suppresses all their emotions." "Captain..." "I must apologize for my inappropriate behavior." "I'm just glad we have you back, Mr. Tuvok." "I was most... insulting to you." "Don't worry about it." "I've been insulted before." "I hope you understand that I have always had the greatest respect for you as a Captain and consider you... a friend." "That means a great deal to me." "Enough said." "Get some rest." "Tuvok." "No more mind-melds without my permission." "Understood?" "I've been considering naming him after my husband." "It's been a tradition in his family for over five generations." "I'm sure he'd be very pleased." "My husband's name is..." "Greskrendtregk." "He's Ktarian." "Choosing a name is no easy matter." "I speak from experience." "Have you had any progress, Doctor?" "I've reviewed historical, literary and anthropological databases from over 500 worlds and have yet to find a suitable name." "However, I may want to give some thought to..." "Greskrendtregk." "To be honest," "I've been thinking of something simpler." "What do you think of Cameron?" "Oh, I like it." "Cameron-- from the ancient" "Celtic term for "one whose nose is bent."" "Well, what about Frederick?" "Frederick." "Very distinguished." "However, it bears a close resemblance to a rather impolite term on the Bolian homeworld." "Well, it doesn't have to be a human name." "I like Sural." "It's Vulcan." "Yes." "Unfortunately, it was also the name of a dictator on Sakura Prime, famed for beheading his rivals... and his parents." "He won't have an objection to Benaren." "You're right." "I've never heard that name before." "I think it's lovely." "Is it Ocampan?" "Benaren was my father's name." "He was the greatest inspiration in my life." "All science officers please report to your stations." "Your scans look fine, Ensign." "We'll see you in a week." "Thank you." "Greskrendtregk would make a good middle name, don't you think?" "You never suggested your father's name to me." "I-I thought you were only considering human names." "Ah." "Well, you were mistaken." "If you like Benaren, there's no reason you can't use it, too." "I'm sure she won't mind." "Won't mind that I just usurped her baby's name the moment I heard it?" "Thank you, but no, thank you." "My uncle's name was Elrem." "I once knew a boy named Tarrik." "There's not much left of whatever it was." "From the amount of debris," "I'd guess it was a small ship, no bigger than a shuttlecraft." "I'm not reading any organic material in the debris field." "It must have been an unmanned vessel." "Possibly a probe." "Any idea what happened to it?" "The high residual energy signature indicates repeated weapons fire." "Captain, the wreckage is composed primarily of duritanium polyalloy." "Duritanium?" "I haven't seen many weapons that could do that kind of damage to a duritanium hull." "Transport some samples of the debris to Engineering for analysis." "Continuous scans, Lieutenant." "We don't want whoever did this to catch us by surprise." "Any conclusions?" "Afraid so." "We've identified the signature left by the weapons fire." "There's no question." "It was Cardassian." "Cardassian?" "Could Seska be responsible?" "No, Captain." "I am." "The probe was destroyed by an experimental Cardassian weapon from the Alpha Quadrant." "Sorry." "I recognized its signature because... because I know this weapon very well." "Chakotay and I got our hands on it when we were fighting the Cardassians." "How did it get here?" "Probably the same way we did." "The last time we saw it, it was heading in the same direction in the Badlands where the Caretaker picked us up." "Originally, the Cardassians sent this thing to destroy a Maquis munitions base." "We nicknamed it "Dreadnought."" "It's a self-guided tactical missile carrying a charge of a thousand kilos of matter and another thousand of antimatter." "Enough to destroy a small moon." "Now, add to that one of the most sophisticated computer systems I've ever seen." "They made this missile adaptable, evasive, armed with its own defensive weaponry-- in other words, unstoppable." "So, how did you stop it?" "We didn't." "It got through all our defenses." "Worked like it was supposed to, except for one minor detail." "It didn't go off." "Leave it to the Cardassians to build such an incredibly advanced tactical weapon and then arm the warhead with an old kinetic detonator." "The missile skipped off into the atmosphere and quietly went into orbit." "I got inside it and reprogrammed the computer." "Hell, I didn't just reprogram it," "I changed its identity." "I made it forget about being Cardassian." "Now it was working for the Maquis." "And we gave it a new mission-- to destroy the Cardassian fuel depot on Aschelan V." "to destroy the Cardassian fuel depot on Aschelan V." "But it never made it out of the Badlands." "We thought it had been destroyed in one of the plasma storms." "So, how do we stop this weapon before it causes any more damage?" "Dreadnought masks its warp trail with a randomized EM field, but I can modify our navigational sensors to cut through that." "And what are going we do with it once we find it?" "I get back inside it." "I know all the security codes." "I installed them myself." "Lieutenant Paris can assist you with the navigational sensors." "Keep me informed." "Dismissed." "Lieutenant?" "I expect everyone to show up for meetings on time and properly dressed." "Yes, sir." "There's still a lot of distortion in the upper frequencies." "Better." "Now let's try filtering out the ion radiation." "B'Elanna." "You must be really worried about catching this thing." "Chakotay wasn't telling the whole truth." "We didn't send Dreadnought on a mission against the Cardassians." "I was the one who sent it... without asking him." "You were afraid he'd say no." "After I did it, he pulled me aside, and..." "I was ready to defend myself." "I was so sure that I had anticipated everything that could possibly go wrong." "I even programmed it to warn Federation ships to stay out of its way." "In my own voice." "Your voice." "Listening to that Cardassian computer's voice was driving me crazy." "I don't blame you." "Anyway, Chakotay looked at me" "I didn't know him very well yet-- and all he said in that damned soft voice of his was... that I'd hurt him." "That he thought he'd earned my trust and loyalty." "I was so glad when it disappeared into the Badlands." "I remember thinking, "Thank God it's over."" "But it's not." "And if anything happens here because of Dreadnought... it's my fault." "No one else's." "You took a risk." "You were thinking like a Maquis." "That was a whole different life." "Tell me about it." "You know..." "I've been surprised at how well you've been able to fit in here." "A little envious, too." "Tom... what's been going on with you lately?" "Going on?" "How?" "People are starting to talk." "Are they?" "People like who?" "Chakotay?" "No, I mean people like me." "Like today." "Look at yourself." "Coming to a briefing late and is it true that you had a fight with Lieutenant Rollins?" "The Lieutenant was unhappy that my Conn reports weren't punctuated properly... according to Starfleet protocol." "I didn't like his attitude." "Was he right about your reports?" "We're in the Delta Quadrant;" "nowhere near Starfleet." "What differe...?" "Yeah, he was right." "I'm the one who's been wrong." "Wrong about a lot of things." "Why don't we try running a multiphasic sweep?" "Captain, I'm picking up the trail again." "New heading: 196 mark 4." "I'm on it." "This course is erratic." "Are we sure we're following a single warp trail?" "Perhaps the missile's navigational system is malfunctioning." "It's been operating for over a year-- far longer than it was designed to function." "No." "This is deliberate." "It's following one of the evasive patterns" "I programmed into it." "It must have observed us following." "I think I've got it on long-range sensors." "No, that's only a sensor echo." "Dreadnought's programmed to deflect its image up to 100,000 kilometers from its true location." "The next time you get a heading, look for a brief surge in neutrino emissions within 100,000-kilometer radius." "That'll be the real thing." "Got it." "Elevated neutrino levels." "Locking in coordinates." "It's within visual range." "On screen." "Its targeting scanners have been activated." "What's wrong?" "It's not supposed to do that until it's locked onto its final target." "It's heading for a planet in a system over ten light-years away." "At its current speed, it'll get there in about three weeks." "The planet is Class-M." "I'm reading several heavily-populated areas." "Seska will want to know about this Cardassian missile immediately." "Mr. Jonas, your enthusiasm is appreciated, but I would prefer to know more about it before I bring it to Maje Culluh's attention." "If I could just talk to Seska." "As I explained, I have now been assigned to be your control." "Look, has she been made aware of how much I've been helping you?" "What the maje chooses to share with her is none of my concern, but you are in good hands, my friend." "Now, tell me more about this weapon your ship has found." "Look, all you need to tell Seska is that missile is better armed than the entire Kazon-Nistrim sect." "That's very interesting." "What more can you tell me that I can bring to my...?" "Someone's about to make a subspace transmission." "They may be able to detect our com-link." "I have to terminate." "My name is Kathryn Janeway," "Captain of the Federation Starship Voyager." "First Minister Kellan, Captain." "What is it you want?" "Our scans of your world suggest you have long-range tracking abilities." "We have been observing your course for the last two days." "Have you also been able to detect the missile on a parallel course off our starboard bow?" "We haven't been able to identify what it is, but yes." "You have the right to know, First Minister, that this missile is carrying a warhead with a significant destructive force, and..." "Is this some sort of threat, Captain?" "On the contrary." "We want to help." "I find that hard to believe." "Your reputation precedes you, Captain." "We've been told that you've threatened many races since your arrival in this Quadrant." "First Minister, we're aware the Kazon have been telling that to people." "They'd like to prevent us from making allies." "I assure you, you've been misled." "And yet, here you are, sending this missile toward us." "The missile arrived here from our Quadrant due to a very unusual accident." "We haven't been able to determine yet why it chose Rakosa as its target, but my Chief Engineer is preparing to disarm it before it reaches you." "Perhaps you are telling me this in order to delay our defensive response." "I could've maintained communication silence and not given you any warning at all." "That's true." "Nevertheless, be aware that I am placing our defense force on alert." "I'd do the same, in your place." "We will be watching your progress closely." "Janeway to Torres." "How soon will you be ready to transport?" "Dreadnought's shields have responded to my codes." "I'm ready now, Captain." "Proceed." "Energize." "Authorized entry detected." "Initiating DNA scan." "B'Elanna Torres confirmed." "Hello, B'Elanna." "Your last systems access was on stardate 47582." "Current date is 49447." "Time: 0840 hours." "Did you sleep well last night?" "Not so well, to tell you the truth." "Activate programmer interface." "Your presence was not anticipated during the mission." "Please explain." "Something's gone wrong with your programming, Dreadnought." "Display targeting schematic." "A self-diagnostic has been conducted every 14 hours." "No malfunctions have been detected." "Maybe there's something wrong with your diagnostic systems, too." "Identify target." "Aschelan V." "What targeting parameters are you using?" "Size, radiothermic signature, atmospheric composition, relative..." "Enough." "Dreadnought, you're nowhere near Aschelan V." "Based on available data, you are mistaken, B'Elanna." "Let me check out your navigational systems." "Access to primary navigational systems is denied at stage three alert status." "That was my idea, wasn't it?" "Affirmative." "Okay." "We'll have to go at this in a different way then, won't we?" "Dreadnought, do you know what happened to you the day after my last systems access?" "Please be more specific." "Did you encounter a coherent tetryon beam?" "Confirmed." "All attempts to avoid the phenomenon failed." "That beam carried you into the Delta Quadrant." "I'm not surprised it damaged your sensors." "Dreadnought, reinitialize your navigational systems." "Computer?" "Reinitialization sequence is complete." "Okay." "Now verify our current position." "Based on relative position to known astronomical markers, this vessel is currently located in the Delta Quadrant." "And is Aschelan V located in the Delta Quadrant?" "Negative." "Then reconfirm your target lock." "Unable to verify." "Standing down from stage three." "Target lock has been deactivated." "Reestablishing stage four." "Janeway to Torres." "Go ahead, Captain." "We're showing a shutdown of all your engines." "Can you confirm that?" "That and more." "I'll be ready to transport back in a few minutes." "Acknowledged." "Good work, B'Elanna." "Janeway out." "Dreadnought, return to stage five." "Initiate powersave program." "Acknowledged." "Good night, B'Elanna." "Sweet dreams." "The Dreadnought's quantum torpedoes could be modified to be compatible with our launchers." "What about its engine components?" "Easily converted to Starfleet specs." "We'll have spare parts for years." "We should also download some files from the computer core." "B'Elanna, you can begin the salvage operation first thing in the..." "Paris to Janeway." "Yes, Lieutenant?" "The missile just took off." "It's going into warp." "Stay with it, Tom." "Engaging warp drive." "This is impossible." "When I left, it was completely shut down." "We're back on a heading to Rakosa V." "It's increasing speed to warp 9." "At this rate, it'll reach the planet in 51 hours." "It's still on course for the planet at warp 9." "Mr. Paris, bring us within ten kilometers." "Maintain a parallel position." "Bridge to Torres." "Your status?" "I don't understand it, Captain." "Dreadnought's shields are not recognizing my security code anymore." "We can't initiate transport." "You better get back up here, Lieutenant." "Aye, Captain." "Mr. Tuvok, let's take a shot at disabling its drive systems." "Ready photons." "Red Alert." "Torres programmed the missile's shields to adjust to all known weapons, even Starfleet's." "Voyager wasn't in service when she did it." "We're equipped with type-6 photon torpedoes." "They may just get through." "Fire." "No discernible damage, Captain." "It must have scanned our weapons, adapted its shields." "Captain, it's maintaining course and speed." "We're being hailed by the missile." "Let's hear it." "Unidentified Federation ship." "Although this vessel is Cardassian in design, it has been appropriated by the Maquis." "Please stand down your weapons." "You stand down your weapons and I'll stand down mine." "You are interfering with a tactical mission against Cardassian aggressors." "This vessel is programmed to respond with all necessary force to prevent any disruption to its mission." "Dreadnought, why have you resumed course?" "Hello, B'Elanna." "Course was resumed once your safe departure from this vessel was confirmed." "It was a necessary response to your deception." "My "deception"?" "!" "You are participating in the Delta Quadrant deception." "Explain, Dreadnought." "False information has been entered into Dreadnought's navigational sensor array." "When a bomb starts talking about itself in the third person, I get worried." "Why would I enter false information?" "Probability assessment indicates you are being coerced by Cardassian forces." "You've already identified Voyager as a Federation ship, Dreadnought." "Your scanners must indicate this is not a Cardassian crew." "Probability assessment indicates you are operating within the parameters of the Cardassian-Federation Alliance, as described in the Treaty of 2367, a treaty rejected by the Maquis." "So when I was just over there and you shut yourself off, you were lying to me?" "Acknowledged." "I never taught it to do that." "That is not correct, B'Elanna." "Your tactical subroutine instructed Dreadnought to prepare responses for 39 potential Cardassian threats." "The possibility of your capture and coercion was number seven." "Dreadnought, is there any way we can prove to you that you are actually in the Delta Quadrant;" "that this is not a deception?" "The probability of being in the Delta Quadrant, 75,000 light-years from last confirmed location, is negligible." "The target is located in the Alpha Quadrant." "Target lock has been established." "There will be no further warnings." "Terminating communications link." "The one possible vulnerability I remember is in the thoron shock emitter." "If we can get it to fire at full power, that should destabilize the reactor core for 30 seconds." "A single sustained tachyon beam might just penetrate that core and destroy it." "What will it take to provoke Dreadnought into firing?" "It shouldn't be that difficult." "Once we go after it with an all-out assault, the emitter should fire." "Mr. Tuvok, set your target." "Ready photons." "Ready, Captain." "Fire." "The missile's thoron shock emitter has fired." "Initiate the tachyon beam." "We have penetrated its shields." "Direct hit to the core." "Reading an energy buildup in its reactor." "It should overload in about 30 seconds." "Wait a minute." "There's a plasma surge coming from its core." "What the hell...?" "Report!" "It sent a plasma burst along the tachyon beam into our main power system." "We've got EPS relays burned out all over the ship." "I'm not getting any response from the warp or impulse drives." "Even the maneuvering thrusters are out!" "The missile was not significantly damaged." "It has maintained its course for Rakosa." "Our engines will be back on line in less than an hour, First Minister." "Then we'll try again." "Did you sustain any casualties, Captain?" "A few." "A broken arm, a broken leg." "Fortunately, that's all." "I'm pleased to hear that." "We are projecting casualties at two million, if the worst occurs." "I have deployed our fleet to intercept this missile in a matter of hours." "First Minister, we've analyzed your offensive capabilities... and they're no match for what you're facing." "You must have realized that yourself." "And what would you have me do, sit here and wait for death to fall from the sky?" "I'm sorry." "We haven't had much sleep." "We weren't prepared for anything like this." "We are not a warlike race." "We haven't devoted our resources to building weapons like yours." "First Minister..." "Please." "I've always hated that title." "My name is Kellan." "I prefer that." "Our Chief Engineer is trying to return to the missile's control room." "She's still our best chance at disarming it." "There's no reason to send your fleet on a hopeless mission." "I appreciate your efforts, truly, but the decision has been made." "We have some good pilots, Captain." "Perhaps they will surprise you." "Blocked again." "We don't have time for this." "Don't worry, we'll find a way to get you back over there." "We wouldn't have to if I'd done my job right the first time." "You couldn't expect to guess every move it made." "Why not?" "Dreadnought seems pretty good at guessing mine." "It's only as smart as you made it." "I'm not so sure about that, Harry." "Its programs are adaptive and it's been accumulating data all this time." "It spends every minute of every day thinking about new strategies, new probabilities." "And I bet it doesn't spend much time worrying about what it could have done differently." "All right, Starfleet... let's give it another try." "Unauthorized entry detected." "Initiating DNA scan." "Hello, B'Elanna." "Your last systems access was today at 0840 hours." "Current time is 1931 hours." "Have you had a pleasant day?" "Oh, yeah." "Swell day." "Access to programmer interface has been denied." "Access to programmer interface has been denied." "Access to circuit pathways has been denied." "Be advised that the intensity of the shock will increase if you attempt to open the panel again." "I'm disappointed in you, Dreadnought." "If I really was a Cardassian agent... you should've killed me with the first charge." "Probability assessment indicates that you are being coerced by Cardassian forces." "Somehow I expected you to put up more of a fight." "Computer?" "Stage two alert has been activated." "Tell me what's happening." "There are 15 priority targets approaching." "All weapon systems at full readiness." "Speed: full impulse." "The Rakosan fleet." "Hail the lead ship." "Channel open, Captain." "Audio only." "This is Captain Janeway on Voyager." "I urge you to break off your attack." "One of my crew members is aboard the missile." "You'd better get your crewman out, Captain." "We estimate time to intercept, 90 seconds." "We're still attempting to disarm its weapons." "My orders are clear." "You'll have to talk to my superiors back home." "Rakosa One, out." "Janeway to Torres." "Yes, Captain." "The Rakosan fleet is preparing to attack." "Captain, don't beam me out." "I may not be able to transport back here again." "Lieutenant..." "I'm making progress!" "The Rakosan ships have created a diversion." "I've already used it to disarm the security codes on board." "Now if I can just get to the central processor," "I can disable the entire system." "All right." "We'll try to keep a transporter lock on you." "Janeway out." "The Rakosan attack is commencing, Captain." "Move us into weapons range, Mr. Paris." "Aye, Captain." "Give them some cover fire." "Red Alert." "Firing phasers." "All command control functions have been rerouted through protected backup circuits, B'Elanna." "Your attempt to compromise weapons control has been blocked." "Those ships aren't your enemy." "They are not Cardassian." "Can't you recognize that?" "This vessel is programmed to respond with all necessary force to prevent any disruption to its mission." "Shields are holding." "We are drawing minimal fire from the missile." "Its primary weapon systems are focused on the Rakosan vessel." "Another group of fighters is starting an attack run." "We've got to draw more of the missile's fire." "Make Voyager a more serious threat, Tuvok." "Shields at 40 percent." "Damage reported on Decks 3 and 4." "Repair crews responding." "The Rakosan vessels are withdrawing, Captain." "Good." "Move us out of range of the plasma wave." "Janeway to Torres." "Yes, Captain." "The Rakosan ships have retreated." "We have one hour and nine minutes until the missile reaches the planet." "Any progress?" "Dreadnought's created backup systems to replace the ones I tried to disable." "Do you have any other ideas?" "I'm reluctant to discuss them in present company, but could you send over a...?" "Captain?" "Communications have been terminated." "Transporter lock has also been disengaged." "What took you so long?" "There was a tactical advantage in monitoring your ship's communications until this time." "So... it's just you and me now." "You are accessing the detonation control circuit." "Probability assessment indicates you are attempting to detonate the explosive before it reaches its target." "Now, that wouldn't make much sense, would it?" "I'd be killing myself in the process." "Probability assessment indicates you are attempting to detonate the explosive before it reaches its target." "I I'm being coerced by Cardassians, why would I be willing to sacrifice myself for them?" "Answer that one." "Unable to respond." "Reassessing probabilities." "Aha." "Gotcha." "Why don't we reassess those probabilities together?" "Okay?" "Remember how we used to play hypothetical games?" "Affirmative." "Let's play one now." "Here's a hypothetical situation for you." "Suppose I've been telling you the truth all along and you really are in the Delta Quadrant..." "Probability of being in the Delta Quadrant, 75,000 light-years from last confirmed location, is negligible." ""Hypothetical," Dreadnought." "It's a game, remember?" "Assume it's true for a moment." "Assumption entered." "And we're heading for the wrong target..." "Assumption entered." "Millions of innocent people about to die when you detonate." "Assumption entered." "Now explain to me how this might happen." "I key sensor programs were damaged or deleted, data banks would be compromised." "Just for the fun of it, let's have a look at those data banks." "See if anything looks at all..." ""compromised."" "Is this a complete file directory?" "There seem to be a few missing." "Files containing information about the weapons or tactical systems are not necessary to verify sensor accuracy." "Oh, I'm hurt." "You don't trust me." "Hold on." "Pause the display." "What's that?" "Computer, identify the Cardassian file on screen." "Unable to identify." "It looks like a backup file." "Computer, when was this file created?" "Stardate 46437.5." "I believe that was before you and I ever met." "Hypothetical game terminated." "Probability reassessment complete." "A new conclusion?" "Affirmative." "Probability of being in the Delta Quadrant remains negligible." "When that option is rejected, new probability assessment indicates that you have changed loyalties, B'Elanna." "You are now cooperating with the Cardassian-Federation Alliance, as described in the treaty of 2367, a treaty which has been rejected by the Maquis." "Dreadnought..." "Humanoid life support aboard this vessel has been terminated." "Approaching target at full impulse." "Stage one alert has been activated." "Initiating final detonation sequence." "People are crowding every port trying to get off the eastern continent." "There aren't enough ships." "Kellan, there are still 41 minutes for us to prevent this." "What can be done in 41 minutes?" "I'm prepared to use this ship to detonate the warhead before the missile reaches you." "Use your ship?" "To collide with it?" "Something like that." "Do you really think that would work?" "I'm not sure." "You would sacrifice yourselves to benefit a people you didn't even know two days ago?" "To save two million lives?" "That's not a hard decision." "Your reputation in this Quadrant isn't deserved, Captain." "For what it's worth... you've made a friend here." "I'm still hoping we'll have a chance to celebrate this new friendship together." "All key systems have been secured." "You will not gain access." "I'm not interested in your key systems anymore, Dreadnought." "That is an unlikely assertion, B'Elanna." "Seriously." "Check for yourself." "You are attempting to access the obsolete Cardassian file." "Why?" "Oh, just killing time." "Life support has been terminated." "It is advisable for you to return to your ship." "Gentlemen, I believe our best chance at stopping Dreadnought now is to set off a large antimatter explosion directly in its path." "To work, it would take more energy than all our photons put together." "Or more to the point, it would take a warp core breach." "You'll be in charge of the evacuation, Commander." "I'm not leaving you on this ship." "Captain's prerogative." "Get the rest of the crew to the escape pods." "I'll send the senior officers to join you in a few minutes." "We don't have time to debate this, Chakotay." "Everyone except senior officers, with me." "Computer, initiate the self-destruct sequence." "Authorization:" "Janeway-pi-one-one-zero." "Set it at 20 minutes." "Warning." "Self-destruct sequence has been initiated." "Warp core overload in 20 minutes." "Cardassian A-T-R 4-1-0-7." "Attempting to activate systems." "I never thought I'd be glad to hear that voice again." "Voice analyzer functioning." "Unable to identify." "Attempting to activate systems." "No additional presence detected." "Check those diagnostics, Dreadnought." "You're talking to yourself." "I believe you're having an identity crisis." "Accessing central processor memory." "Engaging counter-virus response program." "Attempting to override program." "Computer... identify the target." "The Maquis munitions..." "The Cardassian fuel depot on Aschelan V." "Malfunction detected in the targeting system." "Attempting to correct." "Negative." "Target lock has been confirmed." "The Maquis are now in control..." "This target does not conform to established targeting parameters." "The original targeting parameters have been replaced..." "The detonation sequence cannot proceed without..." "The countdown to the detonation sequence will continue." "Ejecting antimatter pods." "Aschelan V will be destroyed." "The emergency ejection system has failed." "Attempting to reinitialize all key circuits." "Access to the navigational system is denied." "Accessing backup system." "All critical pathways have been rerouted to protected backup systems." "Security lockouts functioning..." "Yes." "Warning." "Self-destruct sequence has been initiated." "Warp core overload in 11 minutes." "Captain, I've broken through the interference." "I'm not sure how." "We have communications." "Checking on transporter signal." "I have a lock on her." "Voyager to Torres." "Yes, Captain." "I need to get you out of there." "We're abandoning Voyager." "I'm going to overload the warp core in the missile's flight path." "I may be able to detonate the warhead from here by breaching the containment field." "Can you get access to the core?" "I'm already in it." "I'm using my phaser to burn through the magnetic constrictor casing now." "Are you all right, B'Elanna?" "Fine." "The air's just a little thin in here." "Keep me advised." "Janeway out." "Mr. Kim, transfer control to the Conn and report to your escape pod." "Captain..." "That's a direct order to all of you." "Mr. Paris, I'm relieving you." "Now!" "The starboard thrusters are a little sluggish." "Ease into them." "Understood." "Captain... thanks for everything." "Warning." "Self-destruct sequence has been initiated." "Warp core overload in seven minutes." "You, too, Tuvok." "It is logical to have a second-in-command in case you are injured and unable to complete the mission, Captain." "I request permission to remain." "Permission granted." "Hello, B'Elanna." "The Cardassian virus has been neutralized." "Good for you." "Containment field integrity at 40 percent and falling." "Estimated time to breach." "This vessel is programmed to respond with all necessary force to prevent any disruption to its mission." "Unless I'm mistaken, you're out of options, Dreadnought." "Analysis of your vital signs suggests you are about to lose consciousness, B'Elanna." "I'm not going anywhere until I'm finished." "When you cease your efforts to breach the containment field, life support will be restored." "No deal." "Warning." "Self-destruct sequence has been initiated." "Warp core overload in three minutes." "Increasing velocity." "Preparing to adjust our heading to intercept." "Janeway to Torres." "Yes?" "This is your last chance to get back here, B'Elanna." "I have to launch the last escape pods." "I understand, Captain." "I'm almost finished." "Let me stay." "Warning." "Self-destruct sequence has been initiated." "Warp core overload in two minutes." "Containment field integrity at 20 percent and falling." "Perhaps your Delta Quadrant hypothesis deserves further consideration." "Nice try." "Who would have thought two years ago, after all those weeks we spent together perfecting your program... that we'd end up out here... trying to kill each other." "Probability assessment did not anticipate this outcome." "The missile's containment field is collapsing." "Beam her back now." "Hang on." "Warning." "Self-destruct sequence has been initiated." "Warp core overload in one minute." "Computer, terminate self-destruct sequence." "Authorization:" "Janeway-pi-one-one-zero." "Confirmed." "Sequence terminated." "Janeway to Torres." "B'Elanna, are you...?" "She's here in Sick Bay, Captain." "Please turn to your emergency medical holographic channel." "Doctor, I forgot about you." "How flattering." "I wanted to advise you that I took the liberty of beaming Lieutenant Torres from the transporter room to Sick Bay." "She is somewhat singed around the edges, but should make a complete recovery." "Very good, Doctor." "Janeway out." "Mr. Tuvok, prepare to retrieve our escape pods." "Let's bring our crew home." "Aye, Captain." "Its trajectory is erratic." "And our sensors aren't detecting any stellar or planetary gravitational fields that could account for its motion." "Then you're saying it isn't a comet." "And yet, it looks, feels and tastes just like a comet." "Well, there's a slight chance there are magnetodynamic forces acting on the comet that are too subtle for our sensors to detect." "Or it might be something we've never encountered before." "B'Elanna, go down to Transporter Room 2." "Let's beam aboard a sample for examination." "Aye, Captain." "Harry, see if you can lock onto a core fragment." "Having no trouble penetrating the crust, Captain." "Janeway to Torres." "We're ready when you are, Lieutenant." "Setting up a class-3 containment field, Captain." "Field in place." "Commence transport." "Energizing." "Hello." "My name is Q." "Torres to Janeway." "You'd better get down here, Captain." "Problem, Lieutenant?" "Yes, ma'am." "That transport from the comet-- it brought a man aboard." "He says his name is Q." "Red Alert." "I'll be right down." "Oh, please don't bother, Captain." "Let me take you to lunch instead." "What a pleasure it is to meet you." "Oh, am I doing this right?" "It's been so long since IÂ've had the opportunity to greet anyone." "Oh, uh... here." "Take a seat." "Allow me to make the setting more appropriate." "My name is Kathryn Janeway" "Captain of the Federation..." "Federation Starship Voyager." "Yes, yes." "I know all that." "Look" " Welsh rabbit like your grandfather used to make." "Rabbit?" "She never told me she likes rabbits." "What is a rabbit, anyway?" "Is this some new chef she's interviewing?" "Please, eat." "It's the least I can do to express my appreciation." "Appreciation for what?" "For letting me out of my captivity." "You were being held against your will inside the comet?" "In a manner of speaking." "And you... all of you... you're mortals, aren't you?" "Who was holding you prisoner?" "And you... only live for nine years." "That's right." "Oh, how I envy you." "Why is that?" "Because the one thing I want more than any other is to die." "Look..." "I don't know what you want here, but I know who you are." "Every Captain in Starfleet has been briefed about your appearances on the Enterprise, and I'm warning..." "My... my appearances?" "Oh, you've mistaken me for..." "Oh, well, no matter." "I really must get on with my business before the others realize I'm here." "When someone asks you about me, and they will, would you tell them I said..." "You know, IÂ've had 300 years to think of appropriate last words." "I wanted something... memorable, you know?" "Quotable." "Would you tell them I said," ""I die not for myself but for you."" "I know." "I..." "I know." "Enigmatic, provocative." "They'll understand." "Well... good-bye to you all." "Many thanks." "Here's the end of me." "Oh... dear." "That's not right." "Torres to Janeway." "All the men have disappeared." "I'm aware of it, Lieutenant." "Report to the Bridge." "Janeway out." "Bring them back now." "Oh, oh." "Of course, of course." "I'm... a little out of practice." "Well... that's that, I'm afraid-- they're gone." "Gone?" "Where?" "Just... gone." "Oh, I apologize for the inconvenience." "Well, good luck to you all." "I really have to be going now." "Return my crew." "I..." "I'm not sure how." "Humans... humans..." "Who would have more recent experience with humans?" "What have you done now, Q?" "Well, now, isn't this just fine." "Humans aren't supposed to be in this Quadrant for another hundred years." "I didn't bring them here." "Nothing to do with me." "How did you get out, Q?" "I'm afraid we're responsible for that." "Oh, well, I guess that's what we get for having a woman in the Captain's seat." "You know, I was betting that Riker would get this command." "May I assume you're the Q IÂ've heard so much about?" "Have you heard about little me?" "Oh, do tell." "Has Jean-Luc been whispering about me behind my back?" "Say, is this a ship of the Valkyries or have you human women finally done away with your men altogether?" "There was a slight accident." "A slight accident?" "Oh, let me guess." "You were trying to commit suicide." "Now you see why we've locked him up for the last 300 years." "Facial art!" "Ooh, how very wilderness of you." "Captain?" "All right, Q, we should be going." "I'm not leaving." "Captain Janeway, I demand asylum." "This is a joke." "No, it isn't." "I am officially asking you, Captain, to grant me asylum and give me protection from my enemies, which is him." "You would ask these puny humans to protect you from me?" "Fat chance." "What did you do to him?" "Nothing." "He's still there in the 24th century." "I just took the rest of us to an old hiding place of mine." "Report." "Captain, there are no stars outside." "Well, that's partially accurate." "Actually, there's no universe outside." "On screen." "Commander?" "I'm showing a large buildup of baryonic particles." "Perfectly normal." "Captain, based on our readings, it appears we've been transported back in time to the birth of the universe." "Very old hiding place." "Oh, I know all the hiding places, Q." "I hid here from the Continuum myself once." "This ship will not survive the formation of the cosmos." "Yes, but just think of the honor of having your DNA spread from one corner of the universe to the other." "Why, you could be the origin of the humanoid form." "Q-- either Q-- get us out of here." "You heard the lady, Q-- back to your cell." "We're under attack." "By a ship?" "By... by..." "I'm not sure what they are." "Captain, I don't believe this, but according to my readings, we're being attacked by protons." "We've been reduced to subatomic proportions." "He'll never find us here." "Mr. Tuvok, see if you can release a positive ion charge to repel them." "Ready or not, here I am." "Now what?" "Checking." "We seem to be tethered to some kind of large... plant." "Let's see it." "Computer, I need a wider angle." "You can't hide from me, Q." "And you can't take me by force." "I'll stalemate you for eternity if I have to." "The hell you will." "The vaunted Q Continuum-- self-anointed guardians of the universe." "How dare you come aboard this ship and endanger this crew with your personal tug-of-war?" "Did anyone ever tell you you're angry when you're beautiful?" "We're back where we started from, Captain." "Doesn't matter." "I'm not going back into that cell." "How would you like to spend eternity as a Gorokian midwife toad?" "Oh, just try it." "Stop." "You want asylum?" "Fine." "We'll have a hearing." "A hearing!" "You would have me put his future into your delicate little hands?" "Oh, so touchably soft." "What is your secret, dear?" "When the Captain of a Starfleet vessel receives an official request for asylum, there is a clear procedure to follow." "I suggest, to end your deadlock and to save my ship, that we follow it to the letter." "Well, this could go on for a millennium or two, I suppose." "All right, I accept on behalf of the Continuum on one condition-- if you rule in our favor," "Q agrees to return to his confinement." "I have a condition of my own." "I you rule in my favor, then the Continuum must grant me mortality." "Why?" "So you can kill yourself?" "Exactly." "Accepted." "Well, this is going to make for an amusing diversion." "Will you send him to prison for eternity or will you assist in his suicide plan?" "That's a toughie, but then again, that's why they made you Captain, isn't it?" "To handle the real tough ones." "My, my." "Now I guess we get to find out whether the pants... really fit." "Am I interrupting anything?" "I am curious." "Have the Q always had an absence of manners, or is it the result of some natural evolutionary process that comes with omnipotence?" "What?" "Oh, you mean just popping in whenever we feel like it?" "That is one relevant example." "I apologize." "At some point along the way," "I guess we just stopped thinking about the little niceties." "So it seems." "But you mustn't think of us as omnipotent, no matter what the Continuum would like you to believe." "You and your ship seem incredibly powerful to life-forms without your technical expertise." "It's no different with us." "We may appear omnipotent to you, but believe me, we're not." "Intriguing." "Just what vulnerabilities do the Q have?" "Always looking for the tactical advantage, Mr. Tuvok." "Very good." "As a matter of fact, that's why IÂ've come to see you." "In a way, our vulnerability is what this is all about." "As the Q have evolved, we've sacrificed many things along the way-- not just manners, but mortality and a sense of purpose and a desire for change and a capacity to grow." "Each loss is a new vulnerability... wouldn't you say?" "Why are you telling me this?" "Because I want you to represent me at the hearing." "Me?" "I have no legal expertise." "But I need someone who understands" "Federation asylum practices." "Besides..." "Vulcans approve of suicide." "It is true that Vulcans who reach a certain infirmity with age do practice ritual suicides." "Nevertheless, I fail to see how that fact would be meaningful in this circumstance." "I have the right to counsel, Mr. Tuvok." "Will you assist me?" "Let me begin by stating clearly that I expect all parties to act appropriately and with respect for these proceedings." "I will not have this hearing turned into a circus." "Is that clear?" "Is that clear, Q?" "Madam Captain, we are dealing here with an issue of the greatest importance to the Q Continuum." "I can assure you, we take this matter very seriously." "Thank you." "And please don't call me "Madam Captain."" "Since you've made it clear that your asylum would lead to suicide, you place me in a difficult position." "I understand, Captain." "May I ask you why you want to commit suicide?" "As difficult as it is for you to imagine, for me, immortality is impossible to endure any longer." "In the Continuum, an individual has an obligation to be responsible to the path his life will follow." ""His life will follow."" "Emphasize life." "I never yielded that obligation to the Continuum." "I the path I choose leads to death, what right have they to interfere?" "He's putting his selfish wishes above the welfare of everyone else." "And if I don't agree with the majority," "I'm to be locked up for eternity." "You would not be confined if you were not intent on harming yourself." "With your permission, Captain," "I would like to call an expert on the Continuum to discuss the implications of the decision to be made." "Proceed." "I call myself to the stand." "Ta-da!" "Thank you for coming." "It's a rare honor to have someone of your reputation and accomplishment with us today." "Thank you." "Tell me, what would be the impact of a Q suicide?" "Oh, it would be an interruption to the Continuum." "It would change the very nature of Q." "Can you be more specific?" "No, because we're not even sure what the end result would be." "His suicide could have all sorts of unknown consequences for the Continuum." "Precisely!" "It would force the Q to deal with the unknown for the first time since the new era began." "They're afraid of me because they're afraid of the unknown." "How would you characterize his remarks?" "No Q has ever tried to commit suicide." "Immortality is one of the defining qualities of being a Q." "By every measure of the Continuum, his remarks would have to be considered as... mentally unbalanced." "Mentally unbalanced." "And no civilized people in the universe, including the primitive Federation societies, would condone the suicide of a mentally unbalanced person." "Tell me, Q, can you offer any other evidence of mental instability on the part of my client?" "What more do I need?" "He wants to kill himself." "In fact, until this issue arose, he was known in the Continuum as one of your great philosophers." "Is that not true?" "Not anymore it isn't." "So your entire basis for judging him mentally unbalanced is his wish to commit suicide." "I submit that is a faulty premise." "In many cultures, suicide is acceptable and in and of itself cannot be used as evidence of mental illness." "I tend to agree with Mr. Tuvok." "Oh..." "Vulcans!" "Oh..." "Vulcans!" "Isn't it true that on occasion, the Continuum has executed Qs for certain crimes?" "On rare occasions, yes." "Didn't their deaths create an interruption in the Continuum?" "Their crimes created the interruption, their deaths ended it." "I know where you're going with this, Lieutenant." "Do you?" "And it's not going to work." "Our society, like any other, must control its disruptive elements." "An execution may be undesirable, I grant you that, but on some rare occasions, it is necessary and warranted, and a decision to proceed is made only after great deliberation by the entire Continuum." "You cannot imagine the chaos that would be created if individuals like Q here could choose between life and death." "This is a matter of social order versus anarchy." "I understand." "And you find nothing contradictory in a society that outlaws suicide but practices capital punishment?" "No." "Any other questions, Lieutenant?" "Just one other thing." "Isn't it true that you yourself were once accused of being mentally unstable by the Continuum?" "Were you not disciplined for inappropriate behavior?" "Objection." "I'll allow the question." "My record has been expunged." "I will take that as a yes." "Thank you." "That is all." "You're excused." "I I may beg the court's indulgence," "I have other witnesses to call." "To what end?" "Your Captain Honor," "I am here to argue for the majesty of life-- what it means for us to be alive." "A Q's life takes him to all corners of the universe." "This Q's life has touched and affected many, many others-- including some on your own homeworld." "With your permission," "I would like to call some of those people whose lives have been changed by this Q." "You want to bring people here from Earth?" "I promise it won't impact the timeline, and no one will remember ever having been here after I send them back." "This is most unusual." "Do you have any objection, Mr. Tuvok?" "I am as curious as you are, Captain." "Very well." "Proceed." "Q!" "What the hell is going on?" "My apologies, Commander..." "To you all." "My name is Kathryn Janeway." "Captain Janeway, the USS Voyager." "That's correct, Commander." "You're aboard Voyager." "We're lost in the Delta Quadrant, and as much as I wish you could tell them that when you get home, your memories will be wiped before you get back." "God, if you let me live through this," "I promise I'll clean up my act" " I swear." "I demand an explanation!" "Why are you dressed like this, young man?" "Man, have you looked in a mirror lately?" "Allow me to try to explain, Mister...?" "Ginsberg." "Maury Ginsberg." "Sir Isaac Newton." "William Riker." "Nice to meet you." "Consider for a moment that it might be possible to travel forward in time-- say, to the 24th century-- onto a starship... 75,000 light-years from Earth." "You're having a very strange dream and in this dream, you are seeing this man whom you've all met before." "Yes, I have seen that man before." "You were sitting under the tree the day..." "The day the apple fell on your head." "Yes, that's right." "Quite a day, wasn't it?" "As a matter of fact, this man jostled the tree when he got up to leave." "Just before the apple fell-- yes." "And a new era in human science was born." "Wait a minute!" "Weren't you the guy in the jeep?" "The "guy in the jeep"" "who picked you up after your own vehicle broke down that summer afternoon." "Isn't that right?" "Oh, man, he was a lifesaver." "My van died, and they dragged it off the road because of all the traffic." "It was backed up for miles." "You were on your way to a job, weren't you?" "Yeah, I was supposed to be on the follow spot up in Tower 3." "I never would have made it in time if it weren't for him." "Hey, whatever happened with that groovy chick with the long red beads in the back seat?" "IÂ've been looking for her ever since you dropped me off." "You'll see her again, don't worry." "To sum up, you were a spotlight operator at an outdoor concert of some sort, a concert that was put in jeopardy moments before it was to begin because the entire sound system failed." "Oh, it was no big deal." "Somebody must have snagged an extension cord with one of the trucks, that's all." "I'm just lucky I noticed it." "Yes." "Lucky you were at the right place at the right time, or it would have taken days to track down the problem and there would have been no concert." "Well, I'm sorry to say" "I have met him, but IÂ've never seen this man before in my life." "Are you sure?" "Has it not been established that my client has been in captivity during all of Commander Riker's lifetime?" "Have you seen this photograph before?" "Sure I have." "That is Colonel Thaddeus Riker after he was wounded at Pine Mountain." "They used to call him "Old Iron Boots."" "He was in command of the 102nd New York during General Sherman's march on Atlanta." "This picture was taken in 1864, just after they let him out of the army hospital." "And the soldier beside him?" "I'll be damned." "It's him." "As a matter of fact, he carried your wounded ancestor back from the front line..." "Didn't you?" "My point is, Captain," "Q has had a profound influence on these three lives." "Without Q," "Isaac Newton would have died forgotten in a Liverpool debtor's prison-- a suspect in several prostitute murders." "Without Q, there would have been no concert at, uh..." "Woodstock." "Wherever." "More importantly," "Mr. Ginsberg would never have met his future wife" ""the groovy chick with the long red beads"" "and he would never have become a successful orthodontist, settled in Scarsdale with four kids." "Far out." "Yes." "Without Q, there would have been no William T. Riker at all, and I would have lost at least a dozen really good opportunities to insult him over the years." "Oh, and lest I forget... without Q, the Borg would have assimilated the Federation." "Thank you." "Thank you." "This is the life that Q treats without respect." "This is the life that he would give up so easily." "May I remind this hearing and my learned colleague, that for the last three centuries, my client has not been allowed contact with anyone." "At this time, we would like to reproduce the environment in which he has been confined." "I object." "No..." "I'll allow this." "These are the conditions my client will be forced to live in for eternity if you deny him asylum, Captain." "We just want to give him time to reconsider his position." "I will never change my mind!" "This is your own doing." "You could live a perfectly normal life if you were simply willing to live a perfectly normal life." "IÂ've seen enough." "Please return us to the hearing room." "I would submit that the quality of life my client will have to endure should be considered in this proceeding." "I don't like those conditions any more than you do, Mr. Tuvok, and I wouldn't want to spend another day there if I were you, Q... but I'm here to rule on a request for asylum," "not to judge the penal system of the Q Continuum." "And he does have a point-- you were confined to prevent you from doing harm to yourself." "IÂ've been doing a great deal of research, studying a variety of cultural attitudes on suicide to help me frame the basis of a decision." "Mr. Tuvok, are you familiar with the "double effect" principle on assisted suicide that dates back to the Bolian middle ages?" "I believe it relates to the relief of suffering, does it not, Captain?" "It states, "an action that has the principle effect" ""of relieving suffering may be ethically justified" ""even though the same action has the secondary effect of possibly causing death."" "This principle is the only thing I can find that could possibly convince me to decide in your favor, Q." "And yet, as I look at you, you don't seem, by our standards, aged, infirm or in any pain." "Can you show this hearing that you suffer in any manner other than that caused by the conditions of your incarceration?" "Any suffering that would justify a decision to grant you asylum?" "May I request a recess to consider our response, Captain?" "Granted." "We're going to lose, aren't we?" "I would say we have not yet convinced Captain Janeway of the validity of our argument." "You're doing a fine job, Mr. Tuvok." "It's nice to know someone believes in me." "I am representing your position to the best of my ability." "It is most definitely not my own." "I see no persuasive evidence that a life like yours should be wasted simply because you are disgruntled." "Frankly, I see no logic to your position." "You... you surprise me, Mr. Tuvok, which is a rare and special gift to a Q. Thank you." "But may I say, if only you knew what life as a Q were like, you would see the logic." "Then perhaps what we should do next is take this hearing to see life in the Continuum itself." "Captain's Log, supplemental." "I'm determined to find a better alternative to suicide or endless prison, so IÂ've summoned the advocate Q to make him a proposal." "Yes, what is it, Captain?" "Come to the next session of the hearing and announce that the Continuum is ready to reintegrate Q into your society-- that you won't condemn him to that cell for eternity." "And you will rule in our favor?" "I would consider it a very meaningful gesture by the Continuum." "How would you know if I intended to keep my word?" "Based on my research, you have been many things-- a rude, interfering, inconsiderate, sadistic..." "You've made your point." "...pest!" "And, oh, yes... you introduced us to the Borg-- thank you very much-- but one thing you have never been is a liar." "I think you've uncovered my one redeeming virtue." "Am I blushing?" "I wish I could help you, Kathy, I just can't." "We're dealing here with the most dangerous man in the Continuum." "Now, I didn't tell you this, but one of his self-destructive stunts created a misunderstanding which ignited the 100-year war between the Romulans and the Vulcans." "No." "This man goes back into his confinement, but..." "I would like to make it easier for you." "The Continuum is prepared to do you a little favor... if we approve of your ruling." "Look out the window." "Now you see it, now you don't." "We are prepared to illustrate the nature of Q's suffering, Captain, but in order to do so, we must show this hearing what life is like in the Continuum." "And how do you intend to do that?" "By going to the Continuum itself." "Is this possible?" "No, it's a ridiculous idea." "You would never understand." "My client has the right to ask for an inspection of the living conditions that lead to his suffering, Captain." "I would agree with that." "I suppose you have some crazy idea how to pull this off?" "Yes." "Only if..." "Fine, fine." "We've agreed on a format for this little sojourn, but I still believe it's ill-advised." "I'll be the judge of that." "Whenever you're ready." "No, no." "This is the Q Continuum-- a road in a desert?" "I told you so." "This is a manifestation of the Continuum that we hope falls within your level of comprehension." "This way." "Good afternoon." "I apologize for their lack of hospitality, Captain." "We're not used to visitors here." "In fact, you're the only ones who've ever come." "Then what is the purpose of the road?" "The road... takes us to the rest of the universe, then it leads back here... an endless circle." "This was your existence before your confinement?" "I traveled the road many times... sat on the porch, played the games... been the dog... everything." "I was even the scarecrow for a while." "Why?" "Because I hadn't done it." "Oh, we've all done the scarecrow." "Big deal!" "I can't say I entirely understand what I'm seeing here, but these people don't seem to be suffering." "Well, of course not." "They're happy people!" "Happy people!" "What's there to feel sad about?" "Look at them." "They don't dare feel sad." "I only they could, that would be progress." "Oh." "The philosopher speaks." "When I was a respected philosopher," "I celebrated the continuity, the undeviation of Q life." "I argued that our civilization had achieved a purity that no other culture had ever approached and it was wonderful... for a while." "At the beginning of the new era, life as a Q was a constant dialogue of discovery and issues and humor from all over the universe, but look at them now." "Listen to their dialogue now." "I am afraid I cannot hear any." "Because it has all been said." "Everyone has heard everything, seen everything." "They haven't had to speak to each other in ten millennia." "There's nothing left to say." "Well, I don't know about you, but I appreciate a little peace and quiet now and again." "It's ironic, isn't it, Q?" "I don't know what you mean." "Of course you do." "That you, of all people, should be arguing their case." "I believe in the ultimate purity of the Q." "You, who were banned from the Continuum and made mortal to pay for your crimes?" "My penance has ended." "I'm a born-again Q." "That life is behind me." "What a shame... because, in many ways, that life inspired me." "It did?" "I did?" "Oh, yes." "You never knew that, did you?" "You see, Captain," "Q rebelled against this existence by refusing to behave himself." "He was out of control." "He used his powers irresponsibly and all for his own amusement, and he desperately needed amusement because he could find none here at home." "And I paid the price for my inappropriate behavior." "No, no, we paid the price by forcing you to stop, but for a moment there, you really had our attention... my attention." "You gave us something to talk about, but then you surrendered to the will of the Continuum like a good little Q, and may I say you've become a fine, upstanding member of the Continuum but I miss the irrepressible Q... the one who forced me to think." "May I borrow this?" "This was the beginning of my fall from grace." "This was the last edition, by the way." "They shut down the presses after I wrote that, but they couldn't keep me silent." "I continued to speak out in favor of self-termination." "That's when he lost his mind and started trying to destroy himself." "We had no choice but to confine him but for his own safety." "Not for my safety, for theirs." "I was the greatest threat the Continuum had ever known." "They feared me so much, they had to lock me away for eternity, and when they did that, they were saying that the individual's rights will be protected only so long as they don't conflict with the state." "Nothing is so dangerous to a society." "My life's work is complete, but they force immortality on me, and when they do that, they cheapen and denigrate my life and all life in the Continuum, all life." "Captain, you're an explorer." "What if you had nothing left to explore?" "Would you want to live forever under those circumstances?" "You want me to prove to you that I suffer in terms that you can equate with pain or disease." "Look at us." "When life has become futile, meaningless, unendurable, it must be allowed to end." "Can't you see, Captain?" "For us, the disease is immortality." "We rest our case, Captain." "Very well." "I'll make my ruling in the morning." "We'll be in recess until then." "Trouble sleeping?" "Did you ever try warm Kylerian goat's milk?" "Get out!" "Did you think about our offer?" "You mean your bribe." "Merely an incentive to make the proper decision." "It'll play no part in my deliberations." "No." "I told them it wouldn't." "That's why I talked them into giving you what you asked for." "You have my word." "He won't go back to the cell." "We'll assign someone to look after him, whatever it takes." "It's what you wanted, isn't it?" "That's what I wanted." "So, you've won." "Let's celebrate." "Just you and me-- the two of us." "What?" "I'll take you home." "Before you know it, you'll be scampering across the meadow with your little puppies, the grass beneath your bare feet." "A man coming over the hill, way in the distance, waves to you." "You run to be in his arms, and as you get closer, you see that it's... me." "You?" "!" "Forget Mark." "I know how to show a girl a good time." "How would you like a ticker tape parade down Sri Lanka Boulevard?" "The Captain who brought Voyager back-- a celebrated hero." "I never did anything like that for Jean-Luc, but I feel very close to you." "I'm not sure why." "Maybe it's because you have such authority and yet manage to preserve your femininity so well." "Leave." "We'll talk about this after the hearing tomorrow." "IÂ've tried to find some way to reconcile all the conflicting emotions IÂ've felt during this hearing." "My own aversion to suicide." "My compassion for your situation, Q." "It hasn't been easy." "IÂ've tried to tell myself that this is not about suicide, but about granting asylum, that I am not personally being asked to perform euthanasia, and as technically true as that may be," "I cannot escape the moral implications of my choices." "IÂ've also had to consider that a decision to grant asylum, and the subsequent suicide of a Q, might have a significant impact on the Continuum." "That such a decision could change the nature of an entire society, whether it be a favorable or unfavorable change, disturbs me greatly." "But then there are the rights of the individual in this matter." "I don't believe that you are mentally unbalanced, and I do believe that you are suffering intolerably." "Under these conditions," "I find it impossible to support immortality forced on an individual by the state." "The unforeseen disruption that may occur in the Continuum is not enough, in my opinion, to justify any additional suffering by this individual." "So..." "I hereby grant you asylum." "May I see you in your chambers, Captain?" "You've been in my chambers enough for one visit, sir." "A sidebar, Your Honor." "Only for a moment." "She ruled in my favor." "You made a promise." "Nothing happened... nothing!" "My powers are gone!" "I'm mortal." "Well, so much for ticker tape parades." "I'm not finished." "Q... now that you're mortal, you have a new existence to explore, an entirely new state of being filled with the mysteries of mortal life, pleasures you've never felt before." "I like this life, Q." "You might, too." "Think hard before you give it up." "This hearing is adjourned." "Captain's Log, Stardate 49301.2." "We have assigned quarters to our new passenger, who has entered his name on our crew manifest as "Quinn."" "I'm anxious to engage him in ship activities as soon as possible." "How about Stellar Cartography?" "We could shut down Stellar Cartography with all the knowledge he'd bring to the job." "Well, that's going to be a problem with just about everything we assign him to." "There's got to be something on board that..." "Sick Bay to Captain Janeway." "Go ahead." "Captain, I think you should come down to Sick Bay." "Mr. Quinn is here." "I'm afraid he's dying." "There's nothing you can do?" "He's ingested a rare form of Nogatch hemlock." "There is no known cure." "I'm sorry to disappoint you, Captain, but I would only have been pretending to fit in to this mortal existence." "This is my final gift to my people." "Oh, tell them those were my last words." "I dearly thank you for making this poss..." "Doctor, do you generally keep samples of fatal poisons in storage?" "No." "The replicators will not produce them either." "So how did he get his hands on Nogatch hemlock?" "I got it for him." "You assisted his suicide?" "Illogical, Tuvok?" "I don't think so." "By demanding to end his life, he taught me a little something about my own." "He was right when he said the Continuum scared me back in line." "I didn't have his courage or his convictions." "He called me "irrepressible."" "This was a man who was truly irrepressible." "I only hope I make a worthy student." "I imagine the Continuum won't be very happy with you, Q." "I certainly hope not." "Au revoir, Madam Captain." "We will meet again." "Sorry I'm late, but I have a very good excuse." "Picture this:" "I'm just getting ready to leave the Mess Hall when Ensign Wildman goes into labor." "What else could I do but deliver the baby?" "Oh, you should have been there, Harry." "There is nothing like bringing a new life into the world." "I think I missed my calling." "What if I told you the turbolift got stuck on Deck 6?" "This is the third time you've been late this week," "Mr. Paris." "It won't happen again." "Commander, I am picking up a distress call on one of the upper subspace bands." "What's the source?" "A small spacecraft." "No weapon systems." "One life-form aboard." "Extremely weak life signs." "Slow to half impulse." "According to the bioscanner, it's a Vidiian female." "Open a channel." "No response." "She may be too sick." "Or maybe it's some kind of trick." "Preliminary scans show no other Vidiian ships in this sector." "It is unlikely that this is a trap." "Commander Chakotay, notify the Doctor." "Mr. Kim, beam the woman to Sick Bay." "Aye, Captain." "Her renal organs are functioning at 20 percent of normal and her cardiovascular system is on the verge of collapse." "20 milligrams of lectrazine." "Cardiovascular and renal systems are stabilizing, but her neural patterns are fading." "What is it?" "In her parietal lobe." "It looks like some sort of implant." "It's a very complex web of bio-neural circuitry, nano-fibers." "Could this be what's causing the problem?" "On the contrary." "According to these readings, the device is actually storing her synaptic patterns, processing them and transmitting neuro-electrical impulses to the rest of her systems." "Are you saying it's some kind of artificial brain?" "No." "I'd say it's more like a neuro-cortical stimulator designed to supplement the higher brain functions." "But it's not working anymore." "From what I can tell, the implant itself is functioning, but it's connected to mostly dead nerve cells." "I we don't do something quickly, she'll be brain dead in a matter of minutes." "What about trying to stimulate cell regeneration with a high dosage of inaprovaline?" "Very impressive, Kes, but I think it's too late for that." "Get me a high-frequency RF transmitter." "You're going to have to hurry, Kes." "The patient's brain function is diminishing rapidly." "Now... set the delta band frequency of the holo-emitter to 8.6 tetrahertz." "What are we doing, exactly?" "Transferring the patient's synaptic patterns into the holo-buffer before they degrade completely." "Is there enough storage capacity in the holo-matrix for such complex data patterns?" "There's enough capacity for my program, isn't there?" "And my program contains over 50 million gigaquads of data, which, I don't have to tell you, is considerably more than the most highly-developed humanoid brains." "What good is preserving her synaptic patterns if there is no body?" "I'm creating a holographic body." "Not only will we be able to communicate with the patient, but we'll have an accurate model of healthy Vidiian physiology that will aid in treating her actual body." "Computer, project the patient's skeletal structure." "Now add internal organs." "Add musculature." "Now apply epidermal layers." "Computer, use transporter records to recreate the patient's clothing." "According to her ship's navigational logs, the woman was en route to a remote Vidiian colony." "Are we anywhere near it?" "It's about ten light-years away." "We should be in the general vicinity in about 22 days." "Assuming she survives and we can take adequate security precautions, we'll turn her over to her people when we get there." "Captain." "Is there something wrong?" "I wanted to talk to you about Lieutenant Paris." "His attitude lately's been less than professional." "I've noticed." "I know crew discipline's my responsibility, but, in this case, I thought I should let you get involved before I took any action." "In a way, Paris has been your personal reclamation project." "I appreciate your bringing this to my attention, Commander, but I trust you to handle the problem any way you see fit." "Chief Medical Officer's Log, supplemental." "Test results indicate that the holographic body is functioning normally." "The patient's synaptic patterns appear to be stable, so I'm now ready to begin transferring her cognitive and motor processes." "Who are you?" "I'm the Chief Medical Officer of the Federation Starship Voyager." "We received your distress call and brought you aboard." "What have you done to me?" "It's quite simple really." "I used the undamaged chromosomes in your cerebellum to recreate your original DNA code, and then programmed the computer to project a holographic template based on that genome." "Holographic?" "A three-dimensional projection of light and energy." "See for yourself." "Your neural patterns were degrading rapidly." "It was too late to expect results from inaprovaline, so I was forced to improvise, not that it would have occurred to just any physician." "Why are you crying?" "I'm sorry." "I..." "I thought you'd be pleased." "I am." "I just never expected to look healthy again." "I've been sick for so long." "I'll need a complete medical history." "How long have you been ill exactly?" "I was first diagnosed with the phage when I was seven." "And when did you begin receiving replacement tissue?" "About that same time." "At first, it was hard to get used to the changes, but it happened so often that after a while," "I almost stopped noticing." "I-I never..." "I never thought I'd see myself again." "Thank you." "This is the most extraordinary thing anyone has ever done for me." "I wouldn't be too grateful." "There are serious limitations to being a hologram." "First of all, we can only exist within environments equipped with holo-emitters, such as this Sick Bay." "You mean, you're..." "I'm this ship's emergency medical holographic program." "You're a computer simulation?" "An incredibly sophisticated computer simulation." "I'm sorry." "What did you say your name was?" "I don't have a name." "It wasn't part of my original program." "However, you, I'm sure, have one." "Danara." "Danara Pel." "Well, Miss Pel, may I ask what someone with an illness like yours was doing alone in space with no access to medical care?" "I was helping to treat an outbreak of the phage on Fina Prime." "I was on my way back to my home colony, but it's a long journey and my condition got worse." "You're a medical practitioner of some kind?" "A hematologist." "Well, then, perhaps, given your expertise, you can help me with your treatment." "My treatment?" "I feel fine." "Unfortunately, that's only temporary." "Your synaptic patterns will eventually degrade if we don't get them out of the pattern buffers and back into your brain." "How long?" "A few days." "Perhaps a week." "I see." "Your real body is in stasis." "As you can see, we have to find a way to repair your damaged neural tissue." "Is something wrong?" "It's nothing." "I'm eager to discuss treatments." "Of course." "The procedure is quite simple." "I'll drill an opening into your skull precisely two millimeters in diameter, and then use a neuralyte probe to extract a sample of your parietal lobe weighing approximately one gram." "It doesn't sound simple to me." "I still have nightmares about what those people did to me." "And now you want to crack open my head, cut out a piece of my brain and give it to her?" "Your experience in the Vidiian prison suggests Klingon DNA is resistant to the phage." "Losing a small amount of neural tissue is inconsequential." "Not to me, it isn't." "Yet that same tissue, grafted onto the patient's brain and stimulated to grow, will significantly slow the spread of her infection." "I we can increase the grafted tissue mass quickly enough, we can transfer her synaptic patterns back into her brain before they degrade in the holo-buffer." "It won't cure the phage, but it should prolong her life considerably." "Please change into a surgical gown and lie down on bio-bed number one." "I am not going..." "Excuse me." "I just want to say that..." "I've read about the experiments that were done on you." "What you went through must have been very traumatic." "That is an understatement." "I'm sure it is." "Please understand, this disease has been killing my people for hundreds of years." "Trying to stop it has become an obsession and many of our politicians and scientists have never developed compassion for the people who keep us alive." "As much as I want to go on living," "I have accepted the fact that I will die soon." "I only want your help if you are willing to give it." "Of course, I..." "I'd like to help you if I can." "I you have any questions at all about the procedure," "I'd..." "I'd be happy to answer them for you." "I'll go and get changed." "I've finished ingrafting the Klingon neural tissue to your cerebral cortex." "Now, all I have to do is create an axonal pathway between that tissue and your basal ganglia." "Your technique is very impressive." "It's all part of my programming." "For example, this exact procedure was developed by Dr. Leonard McCoy in the year 2253." "I'm equipped with the collective medical knowledge of more than 3,000 cultures." "Additionally, as you see here, my imaging system allows me to perform and, in many cases, improve upon the most delicate tactile maneuvers required by a dizzying array of surgical procedures." "Incredible." "It is, isn't it?" "Hand me the submicron suture, please." "There." "That should do it." "Ah." "Excellent work, Doctor." "I was only assisting." "Nonetheless, that assistance was invaluable." "It could be two or three days before we'll know if the graft will hold." "In the meantime, perhaps I should deactivate your program temporarily." "Do you have to?" "It would slow the degradation of your synaptic patterns." "But I have so much energy." "I don't know." "Maybe it's the excitement of the surgery, or... or maybe it's this new body." "What I'd really like to do is take a walk and see the rest of your ship." "Unfortunately, that's not possible." "However, if you're looking for something to do, please feel free to use my office to access our medical database." "You'll find several interesting texts on comparative endocrinology." "All right." "Thank you." "On second thought, there is someplace else we could go." "It's wonderful." "I I had a place like this to go to," "I'd be there every day." "Don't your people have recreational facilities?" "Congregating in groups is strictly regulated." "Congregating in groups is strictly regulated." "It's considered to be a threat to public health." "A wise policy." "I suppose." "Sometimes, I think my people spend so much time trying to save lives, they don't know how to live anymore." "Doctor, aren't you going to introduce me to your date?" "She is not my date." "She's my patient." "I'm sorry." "I didn't realize..." "Mr. Neelix, this is Dr. Danara Pel." "As Chief Morale Officer, may I be the first to welcome you to Voyager." "Madame, your loveliness illuminates our dark little cavern." "May I have the pleasure of this next dance?" "Go away immediately." "Both of you." "You're disturbing my patient." "You are just jealous because you cannot dance." "Let's go." "You're making the lady nervous." "Nice to meet you." "I apologize." "No." "They were just being nice." "Irritating, isn't it?" "I guess I'm just not used to... so much attention." "Where I come from, when you're as sick as I am, people-- healthy people-- stay away from you." "I guess..." "I..." "I forgot for a second that I don't look like that anymore." "It's a natural response." "All this talk about me." "There's still so much I'd like to know about you." "There's not much to tell, really." "My program was developed by Dr. Louis Zimmerman in a lab on Jupiter Station." "I was activated on stardate 48308." "Since that time, I've performed 347 medical exams, healed 11 compound fractures, performed three appendectomies and, in my greatest feat of medical prowess," "I once cured Mr. Neelix of an acute case of the hiccups." "You're very funny." "I am?" "Well, several clinical studies have shown humor to be very therapeutic." "Consider it part of your treatment." "What is it?" "It's, uh... just that I..." "I haven't laughed in a very long time." "Thank you." "What did that man mean when he said you can't "dance"?" "That's dancing." "And you can't do it?" "It's not part of my programming." "Oh." "I see." "Well, Dr. Pel..." "Please, call me Danara." "As you wish..." "Danara." "And what about you?" "What should I call you?" "Well, as I said" "I know." "You don't have a name." "Would it be all right if I gave you one?" "Well, I..." "How about..." "Shmullus?" "Shmullus?" "It was my uncle's name." "He used to make me laugh, too." "Doctor..." "Shmullus." "I think I like the sound of that." "Well... here we are." "Yes." "Here we are." "Danara, I think we should..." "Yes?" "Deactivate your program for at least eight hours." "I you think it's best." "I do." "All right, then." "All right." "Computer..." "Shmullus?" "Yes?" "I had a wonderful time." "I'm pleased." "Thank you... for... everything." "Thank you for... giving me a name." "Uh... well... good night, Danara." "Good night..." "Shmullus." "Computer, deactivate Vidiian program Alpha." "Mind if I join you?" "So how are things, Tom?" "Excuse me?" "How have you been feeling lately?" "Is something bothering you?" "Oh, no offense, Commander, but why the sudden concern for my feelings?" "Well, you've been moody lately, indifferent to your duties." "To be honest, you don't seem to be taking your job very seriously." "I you've got a problem," "I'd like to know what it is." "Yeah, I've got a problem." "My problem is you." "You care to elaborate?" "You tell me I don't take my job seriously, but half the time, you don't let me do my job." "What's that supposed to mean?" "It means that you don't trust my judgment." "You don't allow me to take initiative." "Remember last week?" "I suggested that we might save time by traveling through that emissions nebula." "But what did you say?" ""Oh, no, that's not the way we do things on this ship."" "Look, sometimes I'm not going to agree with your suggestions, but making decisions is part of being a leader." "Maybe someday you'll understand that." "Being a leader also means knowing when to give your people a little leeway and let them be creative." "We might as well put this ship on autopilot for all the freedom you give me to do my job." "I didn't come here for a lecture from you on how to do my job." "Yeah, well, I know you don't put much stock in my opinion, so maybe you should talk to some of these people." "Because I'm not the only one around here who's got a problem with you." "Now, if there's nothing else... sir..." "I'd like to be excused." "Sure, Paris." "You're excused." "Dissension among the Voyager crew." "Maje Culluh will find that very interesting." "Good work, Mr. Jonas." "Now, there's something else we'd like you to do." "We want you to create a small accident, which will damage" "Voyager's warp coils." "Why?" "There's no need to concern yourself with that." "You just... plan the accident." "We'll let you know exactly when we want it to happen." "We'll let you know exactly when we want it to happen." "Do we understand each other?" "I want to talk to Seska." "I'm afraid Maje Culluh..." "You tell Maje Culluh that I won't do anything to damage Voyager, and if he has a problem with that, tell him to have Seska contact me." "Doctor, when you have a minute." "I'm running a level-2 self-diagnostic right now." "I'll be there as soon as I'm finished." "Why are you running a diagnostic?" "I've been experiencing periodic lapses in concentration and difficulty handling objects." "There may be a malfunction in my tactile acuity subroutine." "How long has this been going on?" "About two or three days." "Since Danara came aboard." "What's your point?" "Maybe she's the reason you're feeling this way." "I fail to see a connection." "Maybe you're attracted to her." "I told you, my program's malfunctioning." "Romance is not a malfunction." "Romance is not part of my programming." "Your programming's adaptive, isn't it?" "Yes." "Then I'd say it's adapting." "What if..." "I don't want it to adapt right now?" "Why wouldn't you?" "Because I don't like what's happening to me." "I'm used to being in control of my faculties... confident of my decisions." "But lately... whenever Danara's program is deactivated and I should be concentrating on my work..." "I find myself thinking of nothing but her." "Why don't you reactivate her?" "Because whenever I do that, I suddenly feel... unsettled... unsure of myself, and I have no idea what to say." "Why would people seek out situations which induce such unpleasant symptoms?" "Because when the other person feels the same way you do, it's the most wonderful thing in life." "Suppose... hypothetically of course..." "Of course." "I wanted to pursue that possibility." "How would I proceed?" "You'd have to tell her how you feel." "That's it?" "Just... tell her how I feel?" "Otherwise, you may never know how she feels." "I'm going to try stimulating your motor neurons." "Well, the nucleus cuneatus appears to be functioning normally." "And now for the anterior thalamic pathway." "Excellent." "By the way, Danara, I've been meaning to tell you..." "Yes?" "I'm romantically attracted to you and wanted to know if you felt the same way." "Is something wrong?" "No." "I..." "Did you understand what I said?" "Yes." "Well?" "Doctor, maybe now isn't the time to..." "Excuse me, Kes." "I was speaking to Danara." "I think it's best if we keep our relationship... professional." "Well..." "I'm going to... try stimulating the posterior sciatic nerve." "Doc, what brings you here?" "Is somebody sick?" "Actually, Mr. Paris, I was looking for you." "Oh." "Well, pull up a chair." "Mr. Paris," "I assume you've had a great deal of experience being rejected by women." "Oh, thanks a lot, Doc." "What I'd like to know is:" "What does one do to recover from the unpleasant symptoms of romantic rejection?" "Why the sudden interest in romance?" "I can't tell you." "It's a matter of doctor/ patient confidentiality." "Ah." "All right, well, let's see." "Sometimes there's not a lot you can do to get over a woman you really care about." "I remember when Susie Crabtree dumped me back in my first year at the Academy." "I broke out in hives." "Couldn't get out of bed for a week." "I almost failed Stellar Cartography." "I walked around in a daze for the rest of that year." "Of course, the first one is always the hardest to get over." "I see." "But... eventually, you start thinking about her less and less, until finally, without realizing it, she's not on your mind anymore." "So the symptoms do subside over time?" "For the most part." "But every now and then, even years later, something reminds you of her-- a certain smell, a few notes of a song-- and suddenly you feel just as bad as the day she told you she never wanted to see you again." "I you want to know the honest truth, Doc, you never completely get over a woman you really cared about." "Wait a minute." "Doc, we're not talking about you, are we?" "I told you, it was confidential." "Oh, boy, you've got it bad." "Look, Doc, I don't mean to intrude, but if you tell me what's going on, maybe I can help." "Hello, Kes." "Are you feeling all right?" "I'm fine." "I'm just... waiting for the Doctor." "Oh." "He's been gone a long time." "You really like him, don't you?" "Then... why didn't you tell him that you felt the same way when he told you that he was attracted to you?" "I don't know." "It all happened so fast." "He just blurted it out." "He's very blunt." "You shouldn't take it personally." "How could he possibly have those kinds of feelings about me?" "Maybe because you're a compassionate person, a brilliant doctor, you appreciate his humor..." "Should I go on?" "Please don't." "One thing you're not very good at is accepting a compliment." "The next time someone has something nice to say about you maybe you should just take them at their word and feel good about yourself." "It's not easy to feel good about yourself when you're used to living your life..." "like that." "Danara, I can't pretend to know what your life's been like, but I do know there's nothing sadder than a missed opportunity." "Maybe what you and the Doctor need is to spend some time together... alone." "It sounds to me like she might just be shy." "I think you scared her off." "I did?" "Your approach is all wrong." "Well, what would be the right approach?" "Women like romance." "They want men to make an effort-- take them someplace special." "Where would I take her?" "Come with me, Doc." "I've got an idea." "Doctor's Personal Log, Stardate 49504.3." "Inaugural entry." "Kes and Mr. Paris have conspired to get Danara and me alone together in a place Paris considers romantic." "I've never felt more... uneasy." "I wasn't sure you were coming." "Neither was I." "I you don't want to be here..." "No." "I do." "Where are we exactly?" "On a planet called Mars." "Inside a primitive land-based vehicle." "It's called a '57 Chevy." "Mr. Paris is quite an automobile aficionado." "This is his program." "What is it that we're supposed to be doing?" "I believe it's called..." "parking." "I almost forgot." "These are for you." "Thank you." "You're... you're very... very thoughtful." "My prayer..." "I downloaded a new dancing subroutine into my program this morning." "Would you like to get out and try it?" "Actually..." "I wouldn't mind just..." "sitting here for a while." "You wouldn't?" "Those moons and star formations are so different from anything I've ever seen before." "Well, if you're interested," "I could point out a few astronomical highlights." "You see that bluish planet there-- that's called "Earth."" "It's where Starfleet Headquarters is located." "With the world far away..." "And over... there that's "Cygnus."" "And there-- that constellation is called "Hercules,"" "named after a character in ancient Greek myth." "Hippocrates was also a Greek." "He was the father of..." "Tonight..." "Earth medicine." "While our heart are aglow..." "And that cluster over there-- that's... called the "Pleiades."" "Oh, tell me the words that I'm longing to know" "My prayer" "And the answer you give" "May they still be the same" "For as long as we live" "That you'll always be there..." "Sorry I'm late." "That's all right, Mr. Paris." "We don't need you." "Mr. Grimes has taken your place at conn." "But it's my shift." "Not today it isn't." "What, because I was ten minutes late?" "That's right." "Captain..." "Don't look at me, Mr. Paris." "Commander Chakotay has complete discretion in this matter." "So, when should I report back for duty?" "When you decide to start taking your job seriously, we'll discuss it." "But right now, you're dismissed." "Get your hands off me!" "Mr. Tuvok." "Yes, Captain." "Please escort Mr. Paris to the brig." "Oh, boy, am I glad to see you." "I wasn't even sure if they were giving you my messages." "I've gotten them all, Mike." "You've been very helpful." "Do you know what they're asking me to do?" "You mean about the warp coils?" "I was thinking you could do it by forcing the magnetic constrictors out of alignment." "Look, Seska, I don't mind feeding you information, but if you're planning some kind of attack..." "I have no intention of raising my child on a Kazon ship!" "One way or another, I'm going to take Voyager." "You can either help me or you can suffer along with Janeway and the others." "Don't worry, Mike." "Everything's been planned to the letter." "Here's how it's going to work." "We'll be waiting for you on a planet called Hemikek iv." "Doctor's Personal Log, Stardate 49507.2." "The more time I spend with Danara, the more my programming continues to adapt." "I look forward to perfecting my romantic skills once we've completed the synaptic transfer." "Set the delta band frequency of the holo-emitter to seven terahertz." "Seven terahertz." "Wait a minute." "Did you administer the cervaline as I instructed?" "500 milligrams every four hours." "I don't understand it." "What's wrong?" "The brain-- your brain-- it's rejecting the graft." "We can't go through with the transfer." "I'm detecting elevated levels of nytoxinol." "Where could that have come from?" "Is it possible you made an error?" "Administered nytoxinol instead of cervaline?" "No, I don't think so." "But here's the hypospray I used." "Check for yourself." "You're correct." "It's cervaline." "Has anyone else been in Sick Bay during the last 24 hours other than you and Danara?" "Crewman Foster came in for some analgesic and Ensign Wildman was here for her regular prenatal visit." "Why?" "Because, if the nytoxinol was not administered by accident," "I can only conclude that someone is deliberately trying to kill Danara." "Who would want to kill her?" "Perhaps someone who bears ill will toward Vidiians." "Whoever it is, I intend to find out." "I'm calling Lieutenant Tuvok." "Please don't do that." "We have to find out who's trying to obstruct your recovery." "I administered the nytoxinol." "Didn't you know it would kill you?" "You mean kill her." "She is you." "Was me." "I don't ever want to be her again." "What are you doing?" "Looking for the cervaline." "I have to reduce the rate of tissue rejection before it's too late." "Kes, would you excuse us?" "I don't want to go through with the transfer." "I we don't get your neural patterns out of the holo-buffer, you'll be brain dead in a matter of days." "I can't let that happen." "I'd rather live two more days like this with you than go on for who knows how long, wasting away a piece at a time." "It's my duty to keep you alive." "I thought you were more than my doctor." "I thought you were my friend." "I am your friend." "What kind of friend would ask me to go on living like this?" "And for what?" "So that I can go back to a world where everyone I ever loved has died, where almost everyone I meet is going to die?" "You're a doctor." "You can help them." "I can't help them." "I can't cure them." "All I can do is prolong their suffering... just like you want to do to me now." "Danara..." "I have no desire to see you suffer." "Do you know what it's like?" "Do you?" "No, but..." "What it's like to be a nine-year-old child and suddenly your best friend doesn't want to come to your house anymore." "And when you ask your mother why..." ""Why won't Mala come and play with me anymore?"" "And she tells you it's because... it's because the other children are afraid of you." "Listen to me." "Before I met you, I was just a disease." "But now, everything's different." "When people look at me, they don't see a disease anymore." "They see a woman, a woman you made, a woman you love, a woman you're not afraid to touch." "Danara, I was never afraid to touch you." "Why?" "Because you're a doctor?" "Because I love you." "You say that now, but if I go through with the transfer..." "I you go through with the transfer...?" "I will be sick again... and ugly." "Danara, you're not ugly." "You're simply ill." "Please, stop patronizing me!" "I know how people see me." "Danara, do you think if you go back into your own body, I'll feel different about you?" "Won't you?" "Listen to me." "Nothing could ever change the way I feel about you-- not a few scars, not some diseased skin, nothing." "You have given me the most extraordinary gift that anyone has ever given me." "You brought me to this ship where no one is sick, and people are friendly." "You've made me healthy and beautiful." "I don't want to go back to the way things were." "You said, before you knew me, that you were just a disease." "Well, before you, I was just a projection of photons held together by force fields, a computerized physician doing a job, doing it exceptionally well, of course, but still, it was... just a profession, not a life." "But now that you're here, and my programming has adapted," "I'm not just working anymore." "I'm living, learning what it means... to be with someone, to love someone." "I don't think I can go back to the way things were either." "Danara, please... don't die." "I want us to be together." "So do I." "But if you put me back into that body," "I'll have to go home..." "and help my people." "I know." "But we'd still have two weeks together before we reached your colony." "Danara, please, be with me for as long as you can." "Computer, play music program Doctor-alpha." "Good day, Voyager, and welcome to A Briefing with Neelix." "It's a catchy title, isn't it?" "I'll be coming to you each and every day with news of general interest, interviews with our fascinating crew members, musical performances, recommendations for new holodeck programs and, of course, previews of upcoming meals" "everything from Hlaka soup to Zabee nuts." "A Briefing with Neelix will help you stay informed about ship's activities, uh, keep you abreast of your colleagues' accomplishments and broaden your knowledge about a wealth of subjects, but most of all, it will make you feel good" "because what you see here will always be the most uplifting, optimistic view of everything that happens on our ship." "After all, as your morale officer, isn't it my job to bring a little joy into everyone's day, hmm?" "Captain Janeway has agreed to appear on the show with regular updates about the ship's progress and Commander Chakotay will commend outstanding crew members, so, snap to, and keep those boots polished to a shine." "You never know when you might be featured on A Briefing with Neelix." "Ready, Ensign?" "All set, Neelix." "In just a moment, an amazing talent." "Ensign Pablo Baytart will astound you with his juggling ability." "He'll keep padds, hyposprays, even phasers in the air for minutes at a time." "I don't... but before that, what makes people feel better than a little romance?" "And what Lieutenant in a gold uniform was recently huddled in the Mess Hall with what crewman in blue having a very intimate conversation over a carafe of Silmic wine?" "Well, I'd never name names, but you know who you are." "Best wishes to a handsome pair of lovebirds." "And now, ladies and gentlemen, Ensign Pablo Baytart." "Well?" "What did you think?" "I'm a Doctor, not a performer." "I don't have time for such nonsense." "I can see Hints for Healthful Living becoming a very popular segment, Doctor." "I don't think so." "You'd be lifted to a whole new level in the crew's eyes." "They'd hang on your every word." "You'd enjoy a popularity, a celebrity that you've never known before." "I would?" "You don't have to answer right away." "Just think about it." "Ah!" "Mr. Kim!" "Just the person I wanted to see." "See you later." "Did you watch A Briefing with Neelix this morning?" "Uh, yes." "Yes, I did." "Is there something about the program you disliked?" "I'm not sure I care for all the frosting." "Frosting?" "Deck 4." "Recipes, music, jugglers-- it's sort of like a steady diet of dessert, which is fine, but pretty soon, you want some meat and potatoes." "You do?" "When I was in school," "I was editor of the Academy newspaper for a year." "I monitored subspace transmissions." "I got reports on some of the first activity by the Maquis against the Cardassians." "I wrote an editorial about it, and the students became polarized on the issue." "They debated the pros and cons and gained an insight into the entire history of the political rebellion." "Now, that's the power of journalism." "What did your professor say when you told him you were going to publish the editorial?" "I didn't tell them." "It's the job of a journalist to be independent." "Bridge to Mr. Neelix." "You have an incoming transmission." "I'm heading for my quarters." "Put it through there." "Yes, sir." "Neelix, my friend, how are you?" "Laxeth, you old dilithium scrubber!" "It's good to see you." "Calling to trade me some of your ill-gotten goods again?" "I promise you I never want to see another wheel of Pendrashian cheese." "Oh, those days are behind me." "I'm legitimate now." "I'm communications master of a Talaxian convoy." "Communications master... well, you've certainly come up in the world." "Congratulations." "Looks like I'll be seeing you in a few days." "How's that?" "We've been asked to rendezvous with your ship." "We're going to pick up a passenger." "Passenger?" "We don't carry any passengers." "Apparently, it's a member of your crew." "All I know is someone wants to leave your ship and come to work for us." "Just how, exactly, did you hear that someone was leaving the ship?" "An old friend of mine is serving with a Talaxian convoy." "He told me they'd be rendezvousing with us in a few days." "Janeway to Tuvok." "Yes, Captain?" "Could you join us in my ready room, please?" "Right away." "Lieutenant, Mr. Neelix has heard on good authority that one of our crew will be leaving the ship in a few days." "Naturally, he's curious about the identity of this person." "What are the security issues here?" "I don't believe there are any serious concerns, Captain." "There is no need to withhold this information any longer." "Lieutenant Paris... has asked to be put off the ship." "Tom?" "I'm sure you're aware that he's had some problems lately." "Well, yes." "He has been disruptive and often sets a bad example for the rest of the crew." "But... he seemed so determined to get those things behind him." "It means a lot to him to be respected by this crew." "All I can tell you is that when he was relieved of duty he asked me to make arrangements for him to leave the ship." "I tried to talk him out of it, but he was adamant." "We detected the Talaxian convoy and they were more than happy to get a pilot of Tom's ability." "I can't believe this." "I never thought..." "Captain, may I speak with him?" "Of course." "He's in his quarters." "Come in." "Hello, Tom." "Neelix." "How's it going?" "Not good, it looks like." "What's wrong?" "I hear you're leaving the ship." "Good news travels fast, I guess." "Yeah, I figured there was quite a bit more opportunity for advancement on a Talaxian convoy than there was on the only Starfleet ship in the Quadrant." "When did you make this decision?" "Truthfully?" "Uh, about a minute and a half after I set foot on this ship a year ago." "I knew it was a mistake to try to fit into Starfleet again and I should have listened to myself." "A few more months in that rehab colony would have been a hell of a lot better than being here." "Tom, you and I have had our differences, but I thought we put those behind us." "I..." "I just hope I haven't..." "contributed to your decision." "Neelix, no." "This isn't about anybody except me." "I've done this to myself just like always." "No matter where I go or who I'm with," "I make a mess of things." "The unmistakable conclusion has to be that, deep down," "I don't want any friends or a family or a home." "Otherwise, I wouldn't keep sabotaging the possibilities." "I thought you found those things here." "I tried, or maybe I just told myself I was trying." "I'm not sure." "Either way, it's just not working." "Frankly, I'd like to get out before I completely destroy my image." "There might actually be one or two people who still have a good opinion of me." "I'm one of them, Tom... and I wish you wouldn't go." "Well, I thank you." "But, the truth is, I've always considered myself a drifter." "You know what that's like, Neelix." "Freedom to do what you want, when you want." "No rules to follow, nobody depending on you, right?" "Well, there you are." "I've been waiting for what seems like hours." "Doctor, what can I do for you?" "I want to discuss the details of my participation on your program." "I've been giving it a great deal of thought and I've come up with a number of ideas" "I think you'll find quite intriguing." "Well, that's good news." "I-I'm delighted you've decided to become a contributor, but I'm afraid I don't have time to discuss it right now." "But I've already prepared today's topic: "How to keep your nostrils happy."" "That is fascinating, but I'm afraid there's a more important story" "I have to work on today." "You mean..." "I'm not going to appear today?" "When you see it, I'm sure you will understand." "Hmm." "But I will be on tomorrow?" "Definitely." "Without fail, I promise you." "Very well, but tomorrow, I'll want to cover two topics." "I have a most entertaining idea." ""Uncovering the hidden mysteries of the adrenal gland."" "Fine, fine." "Good-bye, Doctor." "Good morning, Voyager." "I want to tell you about a friend of mine." "I first met this man almost a year ago, and, to tell you the truth, I didn't like him much." "He seemed a little too cocky, a little too sure of himself." "A lot of people had questions about him." "He'd proven he'd pretty much sell himself out to the highest bidder, go wherever the wind blew him." "So people wondered:" "Could you trust this person when things got tough?" "Would he stand side by side with you or would he let you down when you needed him most?" "But the fact of the matter is, he proved himself right from the beginning." "I wouldn't be alive right now if it weren't for him, and the same goes for many of you." "It took me a while to realize it." "Like a lot of people, I was too caught up in first impressions to see the truth that was right in front of me." "I overlooked his bravery because I was focusing on his brashness." "I ignored his courage because I saw it as arrogance, and I resented his friendliness because I mistook it for licentiousness." "So while this man was giving us his best every minute of every day, I was busy judging him." "And now, he's leaving." "I'm proud to say that in spite of my narrow-mindedness," "Thomas Eugene Paris became my friend." "I'm going to miss him." "No more laughs over a game of pool." "No more sitting up into the wee hours swapping stories." "No more complaints about my cooking." "Good-bye, Tom." "I think I speak for more of us than you might imagine when I say you're going to leave an empty space when you go." "I hope you find what you're looking for." "Lieutenant, Operations has detected a minute increase in the engine core temperature." "Are you aware of it?" "Yes, Captain." "There's a slight imbalance in the magnetic constrictors." "It's causing the plasma stream to overheat." "I have a team working on it." "Keep me posted." "Mr. Neelix, I'm very pleased with your program, especially your tribute to Lieutenant Paris." "Thank you." "Captain, have you decided who's going to replace Paris?" "I have several people in mind." "Baytart is one." "Hamilton." "Captain, do you think...?" "I mean, it's possible Tom might change his mind, to come back." "Maybe you shouldn't replace him so quickly." "Harry, Lieutenant Paris made his decision with no indication that he had any doubts about it or that he might change his mind in the near future." "We have to accept that and move on." "What's our tactical status?" "All systems are functional." "Engineering to Torres." "Go ahead." "We have a problem here." "What is it?" "The magnetic constrictors have lost alignment." "The plasma stream is way too hot." "It's starting to infect the injector valves." "I'm on my way." "We're finished here." "Dismissed." "Lieutenant, if I may... this sounds like news of substance to me." "Just stay out of our way." "It's gotten worse." "I can't get the injector valves closed." "Antimatter is starting to seep into the warp core." "Have you tried adjusting the power transfer conduits?" "Yes." "No effect." "We have to try to contain the reaction in the core." "Don't let the PTC temperature get above 3.2 million kelvins." "It's at 2.9 million now." "PTC temperature now at three million kelvins." "We're going to have to vent some plasma." "I you vent plasma that hot through the nacelles, the warp coils are going to fry." "Better that than a core breach." "Reinforce the structural field around the power transfer conduits and then prepare to begin venting plasma." "PTC temperature now 3.2 million kelvins!" "It's cascading." "Get away from that console." "I can stop it from here." "Get away, Jonas!" "Computer, initiate plasma venting." "Are we all right?" "PTC temperature is dropping, approaching safe levels." "We're under control." "Neelix to Sick Bay." "Prepare for emergency transport." "We have three wounded." "This one's not badly hurt." "20 milligrams impedrezine." "Vital signs steady." "Second degree burns to face and chest." "Treat him with the dermal regenerator." "Ah." "The situation has been stabilized." "None of the victims is in danger any longer." "May I interview one of them now?" "One of the patients?" "I'd think you'd be more interested in my assessment of the medical situation." "Well, I am, of course." "Would you care to make a statement?" "Yes." "The first task is to triage or to assess the relative condition of each of the victims and then to prioritize treatment accordingly." "Thank you, Doctor." "I'm sure that will be of great interest to the crew." "I wasn't finished." "Next, the treatment per se must be supervised." "Very interesting." "Now, I know the crew would love to hear a few words from the man who risked his life to save the ship." "Would you consent to an interview?" "I was just doing my job, Neelix." "Lieutenant Torres is the one you should talk to." "Janeway to Neelix." "Right here, Captain." "Could you join us on the Bridge, please?" "I'm on my way." "I'll contact you later about the interview." "The plasma burst irradiated the engine nacelles." "The inner layer of the warp coils was burned away." "Which means the warp engines are useless until we can rebuild them." "They're made from a substance known as verterium cortenide." "Do you know where we can find a source?" "Verterium cortenide." "I I'm not mistaken, that's a densified composite material." "That's right." "It's composed of polysilicate verterium and monocrystal cortenum." "Do you know of any nearby source?" "Let's see." "There's a yellow dwarf system called Hemikek with an M-Class planet quite rich in minerals." "Mining rights belong to a consortium of nonaggressive people." "I'm sure we could make arrangements to purchase some verterium and cortenum." "Good work, Neelix." "Captain, message coming in from the Talaxian convoy." "Put it on screen." "Captain Janeway." "What's happened?" "We were attacked by the Kazon-Nistrim." "Do you have casualties?" "How can we help?" "We have no serious casualties and they didn't take any of our cargo." "The one thing they were interested in was your former crewman, Thomas Paris." "They took him aboard their ship and then left." "I thought you'd want to know." "Tom Paris..." "Hello, Seska." "You're looking radiantly maternal." "In another month, Chakotay will have a son... or a daughter." "I really didn't want to know which." "Makes it more interesting, don't you think?" "I wouldn't know." "I have no idea which one Chakotay would prefer." "He and I rarely see eye to eye." "You've had your problems with him lately, too." "I know all about what's happened." "Your sudden inability to be Starfleet's good boy." "It's not sudden." "I never really fit in there." "Then "Lieutenant Tom Paris" was just a pretense." "No." "No, it was me trying very hard to be someone I finally couldn't be." "I never liked you, Tom." "I didn't trust you." "I don't trust you now." "I can assure you the feeling is mutual." "Fine." "But we might be able to help each other... if you're telling the truth." "Is that why you kidnapped me and dragged me here, so we can be pals now?" "I thought it might make sense to you." "And if it doesn't?" "The Kazon tend to be excessive in their use of force." "It's nothing I can change." "But I can promise you'll be well-treated on this ship if we decide we can work together." "What exactly would that mean?" "You're an excellent pilot." "We could make good use of your skills, and, of course, you have information about Voyager that could be quite valuable." "It seems to me like you're already getting a lot of valuable information about Voyager from somewhere." "Think about it, Tom." "Think about where you want to be when the Nistrim seize Voyager and start taking control of the Quadrant sector by sector." "Just let me know." "Captain's Log, Stardate 49485.2." "In spite of the fact that Tom Paris has been abducted by the Kazon, we must continue on course for the Hemikek system." "Something just doesn't make sense." "I mean, he wasn't off the ship for a day when the Kazon attacked that convoy." "How did they find out so fast that Tom was there?" "Maybe someone on the convoy told them." "A Talaxian convoy would never let the Kazon know where they are." "That would be like committing suicide." "Maybe they came to rob the cargo, but when they realized there was a Starfleet officer..." "That wouldn't have stopped them from taking the cargo, too." "And according to my friend, Laxeth, it was a swift, efficient strike." "It sounds like they knew Tom was there and they came just to get him." "But who would have told them?" "One possibility I can think of is that it was someone on this ship." "On Voyager?" "." "Who would do that?" "I don't know... but a responsible journalist would find out." "B'Elanna, I didn't expect to find you here." "Are you working the night shift?" "I have been since the accident." "What brings you here?" "I was wondering if you could show me how to access the subspace communications logs?" "Why would you be interested in the com logs?" "Well, just part of my news program." "Well, I can get you into them, but then you're on your own." "I'm still trying to bring the magnetic constrictors into alignment." "I understand." "Just get me started." "How far back do you want to go?" "Oh, maybe a month or two." "Okay, the file's open." "Transmissions are logged on by date and time." "Anything else?" "No, I'll be fine." "Thank you very much." "Mike, we're going into the computer core to look over the magnetic constrictor circuitry." "Hold down the fort." "All right?" "Okay, Lieutenant." "Voyager to Mithren." "Mithren again." "Voyager to Kotati..." "Are you looking for something in particular?" "I don't know exactly what I'm looking for." "Something anomalous." "Why?" "An incident I'm investigating." "Tell me, Mr. Hero, if someone wanted to make a secret subspace transmission, how would he do it?" "Why would you want to know that?" "Oh, I can't be too forthcoming right now, but if I find what I think I'm going to, well, let me just say that this ship will be stunned." "A secret transmission, huh?" "Well, that would be tough, Neelix." "There are all kinds of security routines in place and any time a subspace antenna array is in use, the sensors make a record of it." "I'm not seeing anything anomalous here." "What about that?" "What?" "That... gap." "As if some of the log entries have been deleted." "Well, that's just a data fragmentation." "I beg your pardon?" "It probably happened when the plasma overloaded the system." "Little glitches like this will be popping up for weeks, I'd imagine." "Here it is again." "I wouldn't worry about it." "Maybe Lieutenant Torres can explain it." "There's nothing to explain." "Believe me, Neelix, you're making too much of it." "Ah!" "Here it is again." "Gaps in the log entries." "And, frankly, it looks like more than data fragmentation to me." "The gaps are showing up in logs entered over the last month but not before that." "So, there you are!" "I've been looking for you, Mr. Neelix." "Doctor, how can I help you?" "You again neglected to include me in your news program." "I you remember, I was to have two segments today because I was excluded yesterday." "That's right, that's right." "I've been so preoccupied with this other matter." "In the interest of time," "I'm willing to forego my story on the adrenal gland." "I will concentrate instead on my latest idea" ""The Klingon Glottis:" "Friend or Foe?"" "That's very interesting, but we're going to have to put it off until tomorrow." "That's what you said yesterday." "I'm sorry, Doctor, but I really have to go now." "All through the subspace communication logs, there were these gaps as though something had been erased." "We have recently experienced a plasma overload." "That could easily account for the anomalous readings in the logs." "Aha!" "I knew you'd say that." "Answer this, Mr. Vulcan:" "Why would those gaps, those deletions occur only in the sub com logs and only in the last month?" "I checked every log system we have-- sensor logs, power allocation logs, warp maintenance logs, environmental control logs." "They're all perfectly fine." "What are you suggesting?" "I believe someone on this ship has been making covert transmissions and erasing the evidence." "To what end?" "I don't know, but I suspect whoever it was has been communicating with the Kazon." "That's an extremely serious charge." "I know." "That's why I've come to you." "Mr. Neelix, I strongly suspect that your enthusiasm for your new journalistic endeavor is leading you to see villains where none exist." "However, even the possibility that someone on board might secretly be communicating with the Kazon deserves investigation." "I will pursue the matter." "And I will help you." "I think not." "This is now a matter of ship security." "I must ask you to withdraw and let me handle it according to Starfleet protocols." "As a journalist, I have an ethical obligation to keep digging for the facts in this case." "And I have the higher obligation to keep you from putting yourself and others at risk." "You will drop this matter." "I see." "All right, I leave it in your hands." "Good hunting." ""A higher obligation"?" "Ha." "I'll show him higher obligation." "He'll have Eskarian egg on his face when I get to the heart of this." "It's the job of a journalist to be independent." "Lieutenant, I wonder if you could..." "I'm a little busy right now, Neelix." "What do you need?" "I was wondering if it's possible to look underneath a log that seems to have been erased, see if there's anything left of it." "Mr. Hogan, could you please help Neelix out for a minute?" "You want to recover deleted logs?" "Uh, that would be ideal." "Well, let me give it a try." "Usually it's possible to recover data unless extraordinary measures were taken to erase it." "Well, this is strange." "Computer, run a signal modulation analysis of this file." "Security authorization required." "Engineering authorization:" "omega-four-seven." "Authorization accepted." "Running analysis." "What?" "I... can't recover the logs because these messages were sent without using any of the antenna arrays." "How could someone do that?" "By sending the transmissions through the ship's power grid." "The messages were encoded in the waste energy from the propulsion systems, which is almost indistinguishable from galactic background noise." "Ingenious." "Would there be a way to determine who sent the messages?" "I'm looking for signal correlation traces." "They'd indicate a com link to the EPS conduits-- maybe give us a location." "I don't know if I can..." "There." "There's one." "The source of the com link is on Deck 4, Section 3-C." "Sorry, but I can't get more specific than that." "Mr. Hogan, I need your help over here." "Thanks for your help." "I'll check out Deck 4." "Go room by room, console by console." "I'd look for evidence of recent deletions." "I you see any, run a recovery program." "See what you get." "Computer, activate monitor." "Unable to comply." "Monitor is cleared for Lieutenant Thomas Paris only." "Override existing clearance." "Engineering authorization:" "omega-four-seven." "Authorization accepted." "Files recovered." "Unbelievable." "My friends, I derive no satisfaction from what I am about to tell you." "I know I originally promised you that I would only bring you good news." "However, I feel it's important that you know the truth." "I have uncovered evidence that casts serious doubt on the loyalties of Lieutenant Thomas Paris." "I have discovered secret communications to the Kazon that were sent from his quarters just prior to his leaving the ship." "Get him up here... now." "...of messages sent to the Kazon for some weeks before his departure." "How did you trace those transmissions to Tom's quarters?" "It was, uh..." "I believe it was called signal correlation traces." "Mr. Hogan was helping me, and he detected them." "When I looked for signal correlation traces, there were none." "That means someone placed them in the system after my initial investigation." "What initial investigation?" "Captain, what's going on?" "What I'm about to say will come as a surprise to you, Commander." "There has been a spy aboard Voyager, but it isn't Tom Paris." "It isn't?" "No." "Lieutenant Paris is, in fact, part of our plan." "Plan?" "Some weeks ago, Tuvok discovered evidence of covert transmissions leaving Voyager through the EPS system." "We realized there was someone on this ship communicating with the Kazon-Nistrim." "However, we were unable to ascertain who that person was." "We needed a way to flush out the spy and we had exhausted all conventional means." "That's when we thought of using Tom, finding a way to get him on the Kazon ship." "Are you saying Paris' insulting behavior, the gambling, being late for duty, mouthing off at me, was all a ruse?" "That is correct." "It was important that his decision to leave the ship appear plausible, so he began behaving like a malcontent." "And the reason I wasn't let in on this little plan?" "I was the one who recommended to Captain Janeway that you not be told." "I suspected that the spy was a Maquis and felt it was wrong to put you in a position of setting a trap for someone who had once served under you." "In other words, you didn't trust me." "Commander, the simple fact is we needed a good performance." "I'm afraid we used you to help Tom provide it, and you did a damn good job." "Now, it seems Mr. Neelix's investigation has made someone nervous-- nervous enough to put a trail in the computer system for him to follow." "Could it be Hogan?" "I don't think so." "He was just the person walking by who Lieutenant Torres asked to help me." "The spy may be a little cozy now, since you took the bait and pointed the finger at Tom, but we don't want him cozy." "I'd rather he feel some pressure." "Perhaps we should take advantage of Mr. Neelix's unintentional blunder." "Exactly." "I want you to keep investigating, Neelix." "Do what you've been doing-- poke around, ask questions-- but let people think you're not so sure you were right about Tom Paris." "That would put Neelix in a potentially dangerous situation." "We would keep an open com link to you at all hours." "My security team could act immediately if anything were to happen." "It's up to you, Neelix." "This is purely voluntary." "Anything I can do to help, Captain, and get Tom home safely, I want to do." "What did you expect?" "...think this has all been about exchanging holiday greetings?" "No, of course not, but..." "Here's how it's going to work." "We'll be waiting for you on a planet called Hemikek iv." "Well, Tom, it's always good to have one's instincts verified." "Clever plan, Seska, leading Voyager into an ambush, but even so, this ship will be outmanned and outgunned." "That's why we have ground troops on Hemikek and more ships on the way." "Now, don't you wish you'd taken my offer?" "Thanks for the hospitality." "Go get him!" "Lieutenant Torres is waiting for these interlink sequencers." "Get them to her right away." "Yes, sir." "Excuse me." "Oh, hello, Neelix." "I was wondering if one of you could help me." "We're a little busy right now." "What is it that you need?" "The signal correlation traces that implicated Tom Paris-- they were added to the file after the fact." "You're kidding?" "So, I was trying to figure out how that could have happened and who might have done it." "This couldn't be a worse time, Neelix." "We're getting everything ready for rebuilding the warp coils." "Do you mind if I use the diagnostic terminal over there?" "Go ahead, just don't tap into any Engineering systems." "I'll be careful." "Torres to Engineering." "Jonas here, Lieutenant." "I need the electrodynamic load specs." "They weren't with the other things you sent." "Sorry, Lieutenant." "I'll get them to you right now." "Take these to Lieutenant Torres." "Right." "What's going on?" "Bridge to Engineering." "Jonas here, Captain." "I need you to increase transporter range." "Shunt all available power to Transporter Room 2." "Right away." "Let me know as soon as you've done it." "We have an incoming shuttle and we've identified human life signs." "It may be Tom Paris." "Yes, ma'am." "Paris to Voyager!" "Paris to Voyager!" "Do you read me yet?" "Paris to Voyager!" "Paris to Voyager!" "Come in!" "Voyager to Paris." "We hear you." "Captain, change your course immediately." "The Kazon have ground troops waiting for you on Hemikek, and more ships on the way." "We'll get you out of there as soon as we can, Tom." "You're still out of transporter range, but we won't change course until we've locked on to you." "I can take care of myself!" "Just get Voyager to safety!" "As soon as you're on board." "Tom, what happened?" "Are you all right?" "Lieutenant Paris, report." "Mr. Jonas, we need that transporter now." "I'm working on it, Captain." "I'm having trouble resetting the EPS manifold." "Stay on it." "Mr. Jonas, I'm no expert, but it doesn't look to me like you're working on the transporter subsystems." "Neelix, I know what I'm doing." "What did you do?" "!" "What is this force field for?" "It's just a precaution." "Please, Neelix!" "Stay out of this!" "Tom, can you hear me?" "Report." "I'm here, Captain." "We'll be in normal transporter range in another minute." "Captain... the spy." "It's Michael Jonas." "He's the one that sabotaged the ship." "Noted." "Janeway to Tuvok." "Get to Engineering immediately." "It's Michael Jonas." "On our way." "Shuttle hull starting to breach." "Might not make it, Captain." "I recognize that subroutine." "You're into the weapons system." "You're disabling them!" "For God's sakes, Neelix, back off." "Neelix to..." "We're in transporter range, Captain." "Voyager to Paris." "Tom, can you hear me?" "We're energizing now." "Transporter Room 2, do you have him?" "We have him, Captain." "He's all right." "It's the Kazon ship, Captain." "Return fire." "Janeway to Tuvok, are you in Engineering yet?" "The doors are sealed." "We're working on it, Captain." "Bridge to Transporter Room 2." "Lock on to Mr. Jonas in Engineering and beam him out of there." "Aye, Captain." "All I got was his combadge, Captain." "Captain, we've lost weapons." "It looks like the phaser arrays have been disabled from Engineering." "Evasive maneuvers, Ensign." "Mr. Kim, get those weapons back on line." "Weapons are back on line, Captain." "Fire at will." "Yes, ma'am." "Are you injured?" "Don't worry about me, Mr. Vulcan." "I'm perfectly all right." "Unfortunately, Mr. Jonas wasn't so lucky." "Bridge to Tuvok." "I'm standing down Red Alert." "Well, I'm going to have plenty of material for tomorrow's Briefing with Neelix." "...and fortunately, I was able to steal one of the Kazon shuttles and escape." "An amazing story." "Amazing." "Now, I'd like to say something more, if I might." "Of course." "Um, I know that I've been acting like a jerk for the last couple of months." "Unfortunately, I had to behave that way if the spy was going to believe that I really wanted to leave the ship, so I'd like to apologize to anyone that I might have offended... uh, especially Commander Chakotay." "I gave him a pretty hard time." "Not that it wasn't a certain amount of fun, mind you." "Well, there you have it, ladies and gentlemen, the true hero of this whole endeavor" "Lieutenant Thomas Eugene Paris." "Well, I'm afraid that's all the time we have." "Oh, I'd like to apologize to the Doctor for not getting around to him once again today, but I promise you, he'll be here tomorrow with lots of fascinating information about the Bolian digestive system." "Good day, Voyager." "Good afternoon, Ensign." "How are we doing today?" "We're doing just fine, thank you." "Good, good." "By the way, I was wondering if you'd take a look at the thermal array in the kitchen." "It overloaded this morning and vaporized an entire pot roast." "I'd be happy to." "Wonderful." "My!" "I informed Ensign Kim about the problem hours ago and he still hasn't come down to fix it." "He's been working on a problem with the structural integrity grid." "I'm sure he hasn't forgotten about you." "If this thing doesn't get fixed soon, we'll all be eating cold leftovers for dinner, and who do you think the crew will blame?" "Mm." "Looks like you need a new set of anodyne relays." "I'll go down to Engineering and get some for you out of storage." "Thanks." "Oh, and while you're here, would you mind taking a look at the replicator?" "It's been having trouble making anything with large amounts of cellulose." "Of course." "Cabbage, psyllium, green beans, celery, it all comes out" "looking a touch too yellow." "I thought you didn't use replicated vegetables when you're cooking." "Always fresh, organic, from the airponic bay?" "Uh, well, the yields have been a little low lately." "Normally, I would never dream of using synthesized veggies." "It looks like a malfunction in the power grid." "Shouldn't be too difficult..." "What's wrong?" "I think I'm having a contraction." "Oh, yeah, it's a contraction, all right." "Well, that's wonderful." "Labor can't be far behind." "Let's..." "let's get you to Sick Bay." "Try to breathe, now-- deep, deep regular breaths." "Not so fast now." "We're having a baby!" "That's good." "Hmm." "Push!" "Don't forget to breathe, Samantha." "Deep regular breaths." "That's it." "Cervical dilation is at 10.2 centimeters." "Prostaglandin levels are normal." "Push, Ensign!" "You push, damn it!" "I'm sick of pushing!" "I know you're fatigued." "Try to focus on your breathing." "Remember the exercises we did." "When you feel a contraction, bear down." "This is ridiculous." "It's been seven hours." "How long does it take to deliver a baby?" "As long as it takes, Mr. Paris." "Indeed." "During the birth of our third child, my wife was in labor for 96 hours." "Four days?" "I have learned that pregnancy and patience go hand-in-hand." "You know, I didn't expect to be this nervous." "It's not even my child." "In a way, this child belongs to all of us." "It is the first baby born on Voyager." "I'm just not sure whether" "I should be welcoming it on board or apologizing." "Captain?" "Voyager isn't exactly anyone's idea of a nursery, and the Delta Quadrant isn't much of a playground." "My father had a saying, Captain:" ""Home is wherever you happen to be."" "Captain, long-range sensors are picking up heavy subspace communications ahead." "They're Vidiian." "All stop." "A ship?" "At least 20 ships within sensor range." "I am also detecting a G-type star system with two inhabited planets." "Life signs..." "Vidiian." "Sounds like we're headed right into their territory." "And I'm in no mood to donate any organs today." "Options, Mr. Paris." "There's a large plasma drift, bearing 40 mark 7." "It extends almost half the length of this sector." "Interference from the plasma should block us from their sensors." "Good thinking." "Lay in a course at full impulse." "Mr. Tuvok, deflectors at maximum." "Oh!" "Oh, what was that?" "!" "What's wrong?" "A pain... in my abdomen." "It's different... sharp." "Oh, God!" "The baby has shifted position and its exocranial ridges have lodged in the uterine wall." "This is a rare complication, but it's been known to happen in human-Ktarian pregnancies." "Can we reposition the baby?" "No, its spinal column is too fragile." "I don't want to risk nerve damage." "If we don't deliver the baby now, its ridges could perforate the uterus and cause internal bleeding." "Kes, prepare for a fetal transport." "We're clearing the Vidiian system, Captain." "Take us out of the plasma drift and resume our previous course." "I've locked onto the baby's coordinates." "We're ready to begin." "Initiating umbilical separation." "Energizing." "Congratulations, Ensign." "It's a girl." "Is she all right?" "The transport caused a slight hemocythemic imbalance, but we'll stabilize her cell membranes with osmotic pressure therapy." "What was that?" "We hit some kind of subspace turbulence as we were coming out of the plasma drift." "I can't tell if..." "What the hell?" "Captain, the warp engines just stalled." "Go to impulse." "Impulse engines aren't responding." "Maneuvering thrusters are out, too." "We're losing main power." "Switching to backup power." "Red Alert." "Bridge to Engineering." "Report." "Our antimatter supply is being drained, Captain." "I don't know why." "The containment fields are in place." "It's like we sprung a leak, but I can't find the crack." "B'Elanna, try infusing the warp core with repeated proton bursts." "That should be enough to keep it going." "I think I can generate enough protons in the sensor array for a burst every 30 seconds." "Do it." "Hogan, these proton bursts are going to cause a lot of stress on the hull." "Reinforce structural integrity to..." "Now what?" "What was that?" "It appeared to be a proton burst." "Already?" "Bridge to Torres, report." "Engineering, respond." "Captain, three EPS conduits just ruptured in Engineering." "They took heavy casualties." "The incubator is losing power." "Activate the auxiliary respirator." "We've got wounded here!" "Second-degree plasma burns on the face and neck." "Treat him with the dermaline gel." "Fractured clavicle, thoracic contusions." "Nothing serious, she can wait." "Fused vertebrae, prep him for surgery." "Status." "It doesn't look good, Doctor." "The baby's cell membranes won't stabilize." "Increase the osmotic..." "That's not helping." "Increase the osmotic pressure ratio by ten percent." "Bridge to Sick Bay." "There's been a major coolant leak in the Mess Hall." "You've got more wounded on the way." "Acknowledged." "Torres to Bridge!" "We're definitely being..." "We're definitely being hit by proton bursts, but I don't know where they're coming from." "I never even started the procedure." "She's right; the main sensor array is off-line." "Not a single burst was fired." "And yet the bursts appear to be originating from within the ship." "It's like they're coming out of thin air." "Captain, these bursts are weakening the structural integrity of the hull." "We cannot take any more." "Can we increase power to structural reinforcement?" "Our antimatter supply is too low." "There's just not enough power to go..." "Hull breach on Deck 15, Section 29-Alpha." "Emergency force fields are off-line." "Captain, I've been working on a way to enhance our portable force field generators." "It might be enough to seal that breach." "Go." "Don't you worry." "We have the best doctor in the Quadrant." "Doctor, her cell membranes are losing cohesion." "Try remodulating the osmotic pressure." "No effect." "Hang on, I'll be right there." "Oh, no." "Jefferies tube 12 runs right over the breach." "If we can get close enough, we should be able to set up a portable containment field." "The breach has weakened the integrity of that tube by 22 percent." "That's why we need to reinforce the field." "We'll use the power conduits on this deck." "I've analyzed the bursts on all spectral frequencies." "There's still no indication of where they're coming from." "At this point," "I don't give a damn where they're coming from." "I just want to stop them." "Chakotay, do we have enough auxiliary power to magnetize the hull?" "It might cushion the impact of the bursts." "We have just barely enough." "Give it a try." "I've stabilized my imaging array, but it could go out at any time." "Doctor..." "Prepare for emergency resuscitation." "My baby, she... she's going to die, isn't she?" "Not if I can help it." "Here it is." "The breach is directly below us." "Make it fast, Harry." "Torres to Hogan." "What's your status?" "Almost got it, Lieutenant." "I'm rerouting all power in this section to your..." "Torres to Hogan." "Hogan, are you there?" "I'm hurt." "Hurry." "We have to help him." "Just give me a minute." "Again!" "Nothing." "I'm sorry, Ensign." "Hogan to Sick Bay." "I need... medical assistance..." "Deck 15, Section 29." "I'll go." "The breach is widening." "Let's get out of here." "Damn it, Harry, let's go!" "Hold on." "My minute isn't up yet...!" "Harry!" "Grab my hand!" "Harry!" "Lieutenant Hogan!" "Kes!" "Over here!" "Torres to Bridge." "Ensign Kim is dead." "Kes just disappeared." "Disappeared?" "!" "I can't explain it." "She just vanished." "There seems to be some kind of spatial rift right where she disappeared." "Can you determine where it leads?" "Stand by, Bridge." "I just threw a piece of conduit into the rift." "Just as it vanished, I detected another oxygen/nitrogen atmosphere." "Another atmosphere?" "Whatever's on the other side of that rift there's air-- maybe Kes is still alive." "Get out of there, Torres." "The hull breach is widening." "I'm going to evacuate the entire deck." "You don't have to tell me twice." "The main computer core is failing." "Switching to backup processors." "Chakotay, are you ready to magnetize the hull?" "Stand by." "I'm having trouble with the alignment module." "Try remodulating the field emitter." "Chakotay." "I've got alignment." "Magnetizing the hull." "I think it worked." "Let's hope so." "I want a full damage report from all decks." "Are you all right, Captain?" "It's just a scratch." "It's more than a scratch." "Maybe you should go..." "I'm fine, Lieutenant." "Damage reports are coming in." "The hull breach on Deck 15 has widened to include Deck 14, Section 12." "And there are 632 micro-fractures along the hull's infrastructure." "All primary systems are off-line." "We are running on emergency power only." "The antimatter supply has dropped to 18 percent and is continuing to fall." "Warp coils in both nacelles have fused and are inoperative." "The environmental control systems are failing." "15 crew members have been seriously wounded with plasma burns." "27 experienced other injuries." "The Doctor is setting up triage facilities in Sick Bay and Holodeck 2." "I must also regretfully report that Ensign Wildman's baby did not survive." "I want an Engineering team to seal those micro-fractures before they become breaches." "Aye, Captain." "Mr. Paris, grab a medical tricorder and go assist the Doctor." "Right." "Commander, you have the Bridge." "I'm going to go talk to Ensign Wildman." "Maybe I can help..." "The magnetic field is collapsing!" "The hull is depolarizing!" "The fire suppression system is out." "Warning." "Hull breach on Deck 1." "Emergency force fields inoperative." "Everybody out!" "Go!" "Go!" "Go!" "Hurry, Captain!" "I'm trying to reroute emergency power to the field emitters!" "Captain!" "I can seal this breach!" "Captain, let's go!" "Captain?" "Ensign Kim, scan the Bridge." "I just saw myself cross the Bridge and enter that turbolift." "It was very faint-- almost like a ghost image-- and I looked like hell." "Captain, there was a minor spatial fluctuation on the Bridge, but it was only there for a millisecond." "Bridge to Engineering." "B'Elanna, how long until we can use the main sensor array?" "Another three hours." "We're only about halfway through the proton burst procedure." "See if you can speed up the process." "We need the sensors as soon as possible." "Understood." "Mr. Kim, modify a tricorder to scan for spatial anomalies." "Go over every centimeter of this Bridge." "Examine the sensor logs from our trip through the plasma drift." "Look for anything unusual." "I'll be in Sick Bay." "Aye, Captain." "Good news, Ensign." "Our baby is perfectly healthy." "There's no sign of any inter-species abnormalities." ""Our" baby." "A figure of speech." "I am, in part, responsible for bringing her into the world." "You may hold her now." "Hello, there." "Congratulations, Samantha." "She's adorable." "Have you thought of a name?" "Not yet." "I really thought it would be a boy." "Let me know as soon as you decide." "I've been making a blanket for her." "All that's missing is an initial." "Get some rest." "How's our other patient doing?" "She's still unconscious." "I ran a microcellular scan." "We're almost identical in every way." "Almost?" "There's a slight phase shift in their DNA." "Do you have any theory about where she came from?" "Not yet, but I intend to find out." "Can you wake her?" "I believe so." "Good... because I think she's going to have an interesting story to tell." "I was running through the corridor with my medkit..." "Deck 15... and then, suddenly," "I felt dizzy and my vision started to blur." "After that, I don't remember anything until you woke me up just now." "You were found unconscious down on Deck 15 holding a medkit." "We also found this lying next to you." "It's a piece of damaged conduit." "Our analysis shows it's from Voyager, Deck 15," "Section 29-Alpha, Bulkhead 052-- but there's no damage to Deck 15 or anywhere else on this ship." "There was massive damage to Deck 15." "The evidence would seem to suggest that you've come from a different ship... a different Voyager." "We did find a spatial rift on Deck 15." "It's possible that it somehow connects us to this other Voyager." "If you're right, where is the other ship?" "A parallel universe?" "Another dimension?" "Another point in time?" "I'm not sure." "Almost everything about the Voyager Kes described is identical to ours." "We've had similar experiences, similar personal histories." "We both entered a plasma cloud to avoid the Vidiians." "Both of our engines stalled as we left the cloud, which caused both of our antimatter supplies to drain and then we both decided to keep our engines running by emitting proton bursts... but after that, our experiences diverged." "We started emitting the proton bursts." "They didn't." "Our ship was being damaged by proton bursts." "We couldn't figure out where they were coming from." "That's more than a coincidence." "Janeway to Engineering." "B'Elanna, I want you to stop the proton bursts immediately." "But if we stop now, the power levels will drop..." "I'll explain later, Lieutenant." "Understood." "I don't know how... but there's another Voyager out there and I intend to find it." "We analyzed the sensor logs from our trip through the plasma cloud." "We couldn't find anything unusual until we ran a quantum-level analysis." "Remember that subspace turbulence we hit just before we left the cloud?" "Yes." "Well, watch what happens." "At first, we thought it was a sensor aberration, but they were in perfect calibration at the time." "So I ran a multispectral analysis on the subspace turbulence." "It was more than just turbulence." "It was some kind of divergence field." "And the moment we passed through it, all of our sensor readings doubled." "Mass, energy output, bio-signatures-- everything." "Every particle of matter on the ship seems to have been duplicated in that instant." "So where's the other ship?" "As strange as it sounds, Captain, according to these readings, another Voyager is right here, right now, occupying the same point in space-time that we are." "Quantum theorists at Kent State University ran an experiment in which a single particle of matter was duplicated using the divergence of subspace fields-- a spatial scission." "If the same forces were at work inside the plasma cloud, they may have duplicated every particle of matter on Voyager." "Matter... but not antimatter." "Captain?" "In that Kent State experiment, they were able to duplicate normal matter, but when they tried to duplicate antimatter particles, the experiment failed." "So the antimatter on the ships wasn't duplicated." "Both engines have been trying to draw power from a single source of antimatter." "Like Siamese twins linked at the chest, with only one heart." "So what do we do?" "I don't know, but whatever it is, we're going to have to coordinate it with the other ship." "Start working on a way to communicate with them." "Right." "The only link we know of is on Deck 15-- the spatial rift." "We're going to need a way to send Kes back through safely." "We could rig a portable phase discriminator." "It might protect her from the spatial transition." "Get on it." "When can I start breast feeding?" "Right away." "However, I should forewarn you that her incisors will erupt within three to four weeks." "Since your skin lacks the scales of a Ktarian, we'll have to discuss alternatives." "When can I take her home?" "In 24 hours." "I want to observe the infant to make sure there's no more damage to her cell membranes." "You're welcome to stay the night so you may be with her." "I'd like that." "Hey... what's the matter?" "Congratulations, Ensign... it's a girl." "I've stabilized my imaging array, but it could go out at any time." "Doctor, her cell membranes are losing cohesion." "Try remodulating the osmotic pressure." "No effect." "Again." "Nothing." "My baby, she's going to die, isn't she?" "I'm sorry, Ensign." "She's going to die, isn't she?" "Kes..." "Kes?" "Are you all right?" "Yes." "It's just..." "the baby's crying." "It was like a bad memory." "What do you mean?" "On my Voyager, during the delivery, there were complications." "We performed a fetal transport." "The same thing happened here." "The transport was successful." "On my ship, the medical systems were heavily damaged." "The osmotic pressure therapy didn't work." "The baby died." "I'm sorry to hear that." "But try to understand, it wasn't your fault." "The situation was out of your control." "Doctor, I've got to get back to my ship." "They need my help." "The Captain's working on it, Kes." "In the meantime, try to get some rest." "Besides, I'm sure your Voyager is also equipped with a proficient Emergency Medical Hologram." "It's a little harder to establish a com link than I thought, Captain." "The molecular signature of the second Voyager is slightly out of phase with our own." "I can't get visual, audio-- nothing." "Have you tried remodulating the com-frequency carrier?" "Five times on 47 different frequencies." "There has to be a way." "If they were recalibrating their carrier wave at the same time-- so we could match phase variants-- would that allow us to connect?" "I think so, but, in order to get them to do that, we'd have to communicate with them first." "It's the chicken and the egg." "Maybe we need something a little more primitive." "Is there a signal we could emit on all subspace bands just to get their attention?" "A rotating band pulse might do it, but it wouldn't be much more than a shrill whistle." "That might be enough." "Give it a try." "All right, Captain." "All of the ship's command functions have been rerouted to Main Engineering." "Welcome to the new Bridge." "Now, let's see about..." "What's that?" "I don't know." "It's some kind of com emissions coming through all subspace bands." "Coming from where?" "Good question." "I can't tell." "But it's got a Federation signature." "Try recalibrating our frequency carrier to match it." "That's it." "They recalibrated and locked onto our phase variant." "What kind of communication can we establish?" "Not much, at this point." "We can use the emergency encryption code for a short message." "Not more than five seconds." "That should be enough." "That's the emergency code." "Run it through an alpha-numeric sequencer." "I think someone's telling us to lock onto a frequency of 12 gigahertz." "Do it." "I'll try to clear it up." "Captain... this isn't an illusion." "What you're seeing is real, but it's going to take some explaining." "There are two Voyagers and two crews?" "That's what I was told." "Could this possibly be some kind of subterfuge, Captain?" "An alien deception?" "That woman, whoever she is, had very specific knowledge of what happened here-- the damage from the proton bursts," "Wildman's baby, Kes disappearing." "She even knew that when I was 12 years old," "I walked home in a thunderstorm over seven kilometers because I lost a tennis match." "And her explanation of how the ships were duplicated was certainly plausible." "If it is true, what do we do about it?" "My... counterpart has suggested we try to merge the two ships-- recreate the subspace divergence field we passed through and then depolarize it." "Both ships would have to send out a massive resonance pulse from their deflector dishes at exactly the same time." "They may be able to do that, but we barely have enough power for life support." "How can we get enough to send an energy pulse of that size?" "We could evacuate all the crew to this deck and cut off life support everywhere else." "Then we could divert all power to the deflector dish." "B'Elanna, reestablish the com-link with the other ship." "This is Janeway." "What have you decided?" "Captain, we think we can channel enough energy to our deflector dish to try the merging process." "Good." "When can we start?" "We'll need at least 15 minutes to make our preparations." "We'll be ready." "And, Captain... we'll only have enough power to try this once." "I understand." "Chakotay, Tuvok, begin the evacuation process." "Aye, Captain." "I'll let the Doctor know he'll have to rely on his backup power supply." "We're ready, Captain." "We're standing by, Captain." "I think you should take the lead in this operation, since you may have to make allowances for your ship's weakened power systems." "Acknowledged." "Lieutenant Torres-- and Lieutenant Torres-- charge the deflector dishes." "Deflector dish charging." "Capacitance levels are rising." "60 percent... 85 percent... 98 percent..." "We're ready to create the subspace divergence field." "Initiating." "Power flow nominal, Captain." "Synchronize computer event timing." "Ready to release depolarization pulse on my mark." "Now." "The pulses have been emitted, Captain." "The fields are starting to depolarize!" "But we aren't merging." "In fact, we're going further out of phase!" "Increase power to the deflector dish." "I can't!" "Too much plasma backflow." "If we keep this up, we're going to lose our antimatter connection-- we'll both be destroyed!" "Abort!" "Aborting resonance pulse." "What went wrong?" "I'm not sure." "I think the plasma flow became too turbulent." "The divergence fields were so chaotic, we couldn't complete the merging." "We've lost the com-link, as well." "Captain... the antimatter leak, it's becoming a hemorrhage." "If we don't start the proton bursts, we'll be completely drained in 30 minutes." "The lives of both crews are at stake here." "I can't make unilateral decisions that might affect that other ship." "Janeway to Kim." "Is the spatial rift still stable?" "I think so, Captain." "And I've rigged a phase discriminator." "Kes should be able to go back safely." "Rig another one, Ensign." "I'm going with her." "This should protect you from the spatial transition." "Keep trying to reestablish a com-link between the ships." "I will, but remember we have fewer than 30 minutes of antimatter left." "Whatever you do over there, do it fast." "Understood." "Are you ready?" "Yes." "It's gotten worse here." "Command control is in Main Engineering." "Let's go." "I don't know how else to stop the antimatter drain except with proton bursts." "We can't do that." "We'd damage the other ship just like this one." "Think, people." "We need options." "I agree, Captain." "And I think we need to talk." "By my estimates, our antimatter supply will run out in less than half an hour." "The attempt to merge our ships is throwing us further out of phase." "The quantum cohesion on both Voyagers is breaking down." "Just like the original Kent State experiment." "The duplicate atoms couldn't occupy the same point in space-time for very long before..." "Mutual annihilation." "What are our options?" "Let's try a different tack." "Instead of trying to merge the two ships," "let's try to separate them." "Maybe we could divide the antimatter between us." "I'm afraid not." "We've been studying that theory." "B'Elanna tells me that any attempt to disrupt the antimatter supply would destroy us all." "What about evacuating your crew to my ship?" "It might get a little crowded, but we could manage." "We've been studying that theory, and my B'Elanna tells me that sending any more than five to ten people through the rift would radically alter the atomic balance of the two Voyagers." "We'd both be destroyed." "Captain, I think you should return to your ship and run a metallurgical analysis." "Find out the precise phase modulation of your hull." "I'll do the same here." "Maybe we can find a way to realign the phase displacement." "You're going to self-destruct your ship." "What makes you say that?" "Because that's what I would do if your Voyager were intact and my Voyager were crippled, my crew wounded or dead." "I'd sacrifice my ship so that yours could survive." "Then I'm glad we agree." "Go back to your ship." "I didn't say I agree." "I said I understand." "I'm not willing to let you make that sacrifice yet." "We haven't explored all the options." "Yes, we have, and we both know it." "This is my ship and my decision." "Captain, I'm not going to let you..." "I've made my decision." "Please don't make me call Security and have you escorted off my ship because... you know I'll do it." "All right, I'll go back." "But give me 15 minutes to come up with another solution." "After that, it's your decision." "15 minutes." "Good luck." "To both of us." "Okay, I've managed to reestablish a com-link with the other Voyager." "Hail them." "Captain, I've got an idea." "Actually, it was yours." "It might be possible to realign the phase displacement between us." "We don't have time to try it." "My plan is the only one that's going to work." "It's time that we both accept that." "We've got a perimeter alert." "A vessel is approaching, bearing 005 mark 318." "They've just dropped out of warp." "Can you identify them?" "They're Vidiian, sir." "Red Alert." "Shields." "Still off-line." "Captain, we're picking up a Vidiian ship heading this way." "Can you see them, too?" "Yes." "Do you have any weapons?" "Stand by." "Tuvok?" "Negative, Captain." "We had to reroute power to compensate for the antimatter loss." "It would take several hours to bring weapons back on line." "What is it?" "Their ship seems to be trapped in some sort of spatial flux." "Have they detected us?" "Yes, but they can't raise their shields." "And it appears that whatever is happening to them has disrupted their weapon systems." "Load a hyperthermic charge." "Fire." "Captain, they have fired an energy weapon." "All hands, brace for impact." "Damage control teams stand by." "What happened?" "They couldn't have missed." "Maybe they hit the other Voyager." "Hail them." "I've lost the com-link again." "Try to get it back." "We have destroyed their weapons array." "Maneuver us to within grappling range." "They are cutting an access route through the hull on Deck 5." "Vulcan, male." "Phaser blast damaged the right kidney, but the other organs are healthy." "Begin with them." "I've erected an emergency force field around Sick Bay." "That should hold them off for awhile." "I won't let them take my baby." "It's going to be all right, Ensign." "Give her to me and I'll hide her inside an access port." "If they do break in, it's unlikely they'll look for anyone there." "Trust me, Ensign." "I won't let anyone touch our baby." "Mama will see you soon." "Lieutenant, give me a hand." "Move this." "We're going to have to cut away the internal circuitry to make room..." "Vidiians." "They're using some kind of disrupter to break down the force field." "The force field's down." "Commander." "They've got everything below Deck 5 and I don't know how much longer we can keep them away from the Bridge." "Mr. Kim, how many Vidiians are there on the ship?" "347, and more are boarding." "We're outnumbered two to one." "I've got an incoming subspace signal." "It's from the other Voyager." "They must've reestablished the com-link." "On screen." "Captain, this com-link might not last much longer." "What's happening over there?" "We've been boarded." "The Vidiians are on the verge of taking over our ship." "Are they on yours?" "No." "We don't think they can detect our ship." "Captain, we can have a security detachment cross the spatial rift and board your ship within five minutes." "No. lf we do that, the Vidiians might become aware of your Voyager." "That would put both ships at risk." "We can't just stand by and let you all be killed." "I'm not about to let that happen." "I'll destroy this ship." "I don't suppose there's any way I can change your mind." "I know how stubborn you can be." "True." "But there is something else I can do for you." "I'm going to send Harry Kim through the rift with Ensign Wildman's baby." "Somehow, it seems only fair." "We'll be waiting for them." "Just make me a promise, Kathryn." "Get your crew home." "I will." "I will." "Harry, you've got five minutes." "Get the baby." "But, Captain..." "Move it, Ensign!" "That's an order!" "Computer, initiate the self-destruct sequence." "Authorization:" "Janeway-pi-one-one-zero." "Set at five minutes and mute voice warnings." "Enable." "Warning." "Self-destruct sequence has been initiated." "Warp core overload in four minutes, 55 seconds." "There will be no further audio warnings." "Ocampa, female." "The organs are healthy." "She has an extremely high rate of tissue regeneration." "Extract her pelvic ridge." "We'll analyze the bone marrow for phage resistance." "The others are human." "My scans indicate their pancreatic tissues are well-suited for transplant." "Begin the extraction procedure." "Shh." "This one-- a female human." "She's recently given birth." "Are you certain?" "Yes." "Her hemo-uterine levels are far above normal." "Where's the infant?" "Set your bio-probe to maximum." "Find it." "Shh... shh, shh, shh, shh." "No!" "Ensign Kim, is that you?" "Doc." "Am I glad to see you." "Have we retaken the ship?" "No." "Actually, the Captain's put the ship on self-destruct." "She ordered me to take the baby and go to the other Voyager." "Well, I guess you'd better hurry then." "Good-bye, Doc." "Ensign, tell my counterpart that I've corrected all signs of hemocythemia." "He'll know what that means." "Will do." "Hello." "I'm Captain Kathryn Janeway." "Welcome to the Bridge." "Commander!" "It's about time." "Tuvok to Janeway." "Ensign Kim has made it through the rift." "With the infant." "Acknowledged." "Captain, the Vidiian ship has been destroyed." "So has the other Voyager." "Captain's Log, Stardate 49548.7." "There are no signs of any pursuing Vidiian vessels and we have resumed a course toward home." "Repair efforts are underway." "Lieutenant Torres estimates we'll be able to return to the Bridge within three days." "Good." "I'm not sure how much longer B'Elanna can tolerate my standing over her shoulder in Engineering." "Hmm." "Tuvok, is there something on your mind?" "I am curious, Captain." "Before the Vidiians attacked, when you were in disagreement with the other Captain about..." "Would I have given the order to self-destruct our ship?" "I've gone over that moment a thousand times in my mind." "The truth is, yes, I would've given the order." "But I will admit, there was a part of me that could see her point of view." "One could say that you were both the doubter and the doubted." "I do not envy the paradox of logic you were faced with in that situation." "Neither did I." "And neither did she." "Thank you." "Thank you so much." "You're welcome." "But you should also thank the Doctor." "It was his counterpart who saved her from the Vidiians." "I'm not surprised." "I am programmed to be heroic when the need arises." "By the way, Ensign, this other Doctor-- did he have a name?" "I really didn't have time to ask." "Am I allowed to go back to my temporary Bridge now, Doctor?" "By all means." "It's good to have you back, Ensign." "Thank you." "I think." "Something wrong?" "I'm not sure." "I mean, this isn't really my ship." "And you're not really my Captain, and yet, you are, and there's no difference, but I know there's a difference." "Or is there?" "It's all a little weird." "Mr. Kim, we're Starfleet officers." "Weird is part of the job." "Tuvok to Voyager." "Voyager, do you read?" "You must lie still." "I-I-I can't feel my legs." "Several of your vertebrae have been fractured." "Isn't there anything you can do?" "I'm afraid the shuttle's medical supplies are inadequate." "We must wait for Voyager to find us." "It's getting worse." "My whole body feels numb." "I want you to slow your breathing and relax your muscles." "Try not to move." "A-All this time I thought..." "I thought I was so lucky-- no family back home... nobody to miss." "Now it seems kind of sad not, not to leave anybody behind." "I believe Ensign Macormak would miss you a great deal." "You think so?" "I was never really sure how sh... sh..." "It's all right." "Don't be frightened." "I won't hurt you." "Let me go!" "Will you run if I do?" "No." "My name is Tuvok." "Who are you?" "Tressa." "You don't look like us." "I am not a member of your race." "I am Vulcan." "I thought this moon was uninhabited." "Do you live here?" "We came here on a ship, but it crashed, like yours." "Where are your parents?" "Dead." "Is he dead, too?" "Yes." "What were you doing to him?" "I put a stasis field around his body to protect it until I can take it back to my ship." "Why?" "Some cultures, Iike Mr. Bennet's, consider an appropriate burial to be a sign of respect." "Tressa, is there anyone else here with you?" "It's all right." "There is no one looking after you?" "Everyone else died in the crash." "We're alone." "There is no reason to be afraid." "I will take care of you now and see that you get home safely." "Captain's Log, supplemental." "I've sent out scouting parties to analyze the mineral deposits in the moons around Drayan ll." "Meanwhile, I've arranged a meeting with the planet's leader." "According to Neelix, nobody's had direct contact with the Drayans for decades." "All he's heard are rumors." "Do any of those rumors describe them as hostile?" "No." "Just very private." "That's something." "Deck 4." "My diplomacy professor used to say the opening 20 minutes of a first-contact situation are the most crucial." "I'd feel better about this particular 20 minutes if we had some idea what to expect." "Sometimes, you have to go in blind." "That's the exciting part." "When I was a Science Officer," "I always envied the Captain's privilege of making first contact with new races." "I envied it so much," "I almost got myself shipped back to the Academy for remedial training." "On my first assignment, we were sent to make contact with the Tarkannans." "I studied all the information we had about them and pestered the Captain into letting me be part of the diplomatic team." "When we came face-to-face with the Tarkannan delegation," "I very proudly made the traditional gesture for "hello,"" "not realizing that males and females of their race use different styles of movement, and I was actually propositioning the ambassador." "Energize." "I'm Captain Kathryn Janeway." "I'd like to welcome you aboard the Federation Starship Voyager." "First Prelate Alcia." "May this day find you at peace and leave you with hope." "That's a traditional blessing from our ancient scrolls." "Om-nah-hoo-pez-nyeetz." "That's from the spirits of my people." "It means, "peace in your heart, fortune in your steps."" "It's very gracious of you to agree to meet with us." "We don't often engage in dialogue with alien races, but your story of crossing the galaxy intrigued me." "I'd be glad to tell you all about our journey and my crew." "Perhaps you'd like to see more of our ship as well." "Thank you." "Our warp core is designed to operate for up to three years before refueling." "The reaction chamber is equipped with a compositor, which allows us to recrystallize the dilithium." "In our situation, we can never be sure when we'll be able to find a new supply." "I'm sorry my Chief Engineer isn't here to meet you." "She's leading one of the away teams surveying the moons around Drayan." "I find it interesting that you chose this to show me first." "Do your people consider advanced technology to be their highest achievement?" "Not as an end in itself." "The purpose of all this is to help us gain knowledge about the universe and the people in it." "Our ancestors were brilliant scientists and engineers." "They were continually developing better, smarter, more efficient machines, until the technology became more important than the people." "I believe that society would have self-destructed if it weren't for the Reformation." "My great-grandfather helped to return us to ourselves, and since that time, we've remained isolated to avoid the influence of those who might lead us back down the wrong path." "Some human cultures have done the same." "Will your friend be all right in there?" "Yes, I have secured his body within the stasis field." "You are all very fortunate to have escaped the crash with only a few bruises." "The attendants protected us." "Attendants?" "The people on our ship-- they got us to the escape pod before they crashed." "Can we go now?" "I want to go." "Are we going to fly in your ship?" "He said it was a shuttle, not a ship." "We cannot leave yet." "My shuttle is in need of repairs." "Can't you fix it?" "I believe so." "However, I am more concerned with getting through the electrodynamic turbulence in the ionosphere." "What's electro turbulence?" "A thermal inversion gradient is causing unusually strong and unpredictable currents in the upper levels of the atmosphere." "Those currents caused my shuttle to crash, and I assume, yours as well." "I must find a way to safely navigate through the turbulence before we can attempt to leave." "Will that take a long time?" "It may." "You must be patient." "I don't want to stay here anymore." "I don't like it here." "Your displeasure doesn't change our situation, nor does it bring us any closer to a solution." "You don't have to be so mean about it." "It isn't my intention to be mean." "I only wish to provide you with a realistic assessment." "Vulcan parents never shield their children from the truth." "Doing so would only hinder their ability to cope with inevitable difficulties." "I'm hungry." "There is a supply of Starfleet rations in the shuttle." "What's rations?" "Concentrated, vitamin-enriched nutritional supplements." "I want takka berries." "With cherel sauce." "We have only rations." "Now, I must begin working on my shuttle." "By my estimate, we have fewer than four hours of daylight remaining." "We can't be here when it's night." "That's when the morrok comes." "Is that a species of animal?" "The morrok is what takes you when you die." "It lives here... in the cave." "I'm not detecting any life-forms other than ourselves." "It's here." "It'll come." "Have any of you ever seen this creature?" "You can only see it when it comes for you." "Then it's too late." "I believe your anxiety about our situation is causing you to imagine the presence..." "It took the others!" "Jarren and Fayla-- the other children on the ship." "The morrok took them while we were sleeping... and tonight, it will take us." "The Federation consists of over 150 different worlds who have agreed to share their knowledge and resources in peaceful cooperation." "Ah, visitors." "Welcome to Sick Bay." "I'm the Chief Medical Officer." "This is First Prelate Alcia of Drayan ll." "It's an honor to meet you." "We don't often receive such distinguished guests here, unless there's been some sort of accident." "I'm... sure nothing unfortunate will happen to you on your visit here, but if it did, you can rest assured you will find yourself in very capable hands." "We are fully equipped to provide a wide variety of treatments here, from removing a splinter to resequencing the base pairs in a strand of DNA." "And our research facilities are the most advanced in Starfleet." "Very impressive." "You may be even more interested to learn that this man isn't really a biological life-form." "He's a computer-generated holographic projection." "My people believe that physical matter's only an illusion." "The body is not the true self, only a representation." "One of our greatest philosophers, Plato, wrote that what we see around us are only poor shadows of ideal objects, which exist on a higher plane." "That is similar to our teachings." "Our connection to what you call a higher plane is more important than our attachment to this brief existence, however real it may seem." "Bridge to Captain." "There's an incoming message for the First Prelate." "Perhaps you'd like to use my office." "Uh, yes." "Thank you, Doctor...?" "I'm afraid it's just Doctor." "Patch it through on a secure channel to the Doctor's office, Mr. Kim." "Acknowledged." "You did very well." "I think she was impressed." "Kes has been coaching me on my diplomatic skills." "It shows." "Our next step will be to open negotiations-- find out what they might be interested in getting from us in exchange for the polyferranide." "I've been called away on an emergency." "Is there anything we can do to help?" "No." "Thank you." "It would be better if you and your crew continued on your journey." "It's been an interesting visit." "We'd been hoping to learn more about you." "It's been our custom for generations to avoid close contact with outsiders." "I choose to honor that tradition." "Good-bye, Captain." "I hope you find your way home." "Was it something I said?" "We could assure her we have no intention of interfering with their culture or traditions." "No." "She made her wishes clear." "If we're not welcome, we'll go." "Recall the scouting parties." "We'll have to find our polyferranide somewhere else." "Where did you last see the missing children?" "By the big tree when we went to sleep last night." "Were either of them injured?" "Jarren hurt his hand." "But both were able to walk?" "Uh-huh." "Did any of you hear them get up during the night?" "You think they wandered off and got lost, but they didn't." "The morrok took them." "They're gone." "The other children aren't within scanning range of this tricorder." "That is the only thing we know for certain at this time." "You don't understand." "We have to get away from here." "Please, can we go?" "I'm scared." "Please, Tuvok?" "Children, you are allowing your fears to guide you." "You must learn to exercise control over your own imagination." "But the morrok!" "Yes." "The existence of such a creature is one possibility." "However, your emotional reactions are preventing you from accurately judging how unlikely that is to be true." "I can't help it." "I'm scared." "I believe you can help it." "Vulcan children learn to detach themselves from their emotions at an early age." "How?" "First, you must focus on the object of your fear." "Picture the morrok clearly in your minds." "That image is accompanied by an emotional response." "Describe for me what that feeling is like." "It makes my stomach all tight." "I feel like I want to run, but my legs won't work." "Now, if you could see this emotion in physical form, what would it look like?" "It's like this big black cloud with lots of thunder and lightning all around us." "Then imagine a strong wind is pushing that cloud away." "Watch as your fear grows more distant." "It is no longer a part of you." "Once you begin to detach yourselves from your emotional responses, you come closer to controlling them." "Eventually, they will be eliminated altogether." "Do you live your whole life without feeling anything?" "More accurately, we strive to control our feelings." "You don't get scared... ever?" "No." "Even when your shuttle crashed?" "That is correct." "But what if there was this big hairy tardeth coming after you..." "The circumstances are irrelevant." "A Vulcan approaches every situation logically." "Now, I must begin work on my shuttle." "We will resume the search for the other children once the sensors are operational." "I expect each of you to sit quietly and not touch any of the equipment." "We promise." "Elani, please, put that down." "Let me have it!" "No!" "I found it!" "Be careful with that!" "You... will stay here." "And you... will stay here." "Where do I get to sit?" "But I want to sit next to you." "Tuvok?" "Yes?" "Why do your ears look like that?" "All Vulcans have similarly shaped ears." "Why?" "It is a result of many millennia of evolution." "Do they make you hear better?" "No." "Where do Vulcans live?" "Is it far away?" "My homeworld is on the other side of the galaxy." "Elani." "Elani!" "I asked you not to play with that." "Sorry." "What are you doing?" "It helps prepare you to attain a meditative state." "Now close your eyes and imagine all the energy in your body is flowing to the point where your fingertips meet." "Nothing else you hear or feel is important." "Let the outside world fade away." "You exist only inside your mind." "Tuvok?" "Yes?" "Do you have any children?" "Be quiet." "We are trying to attain a meditative state." "But I want to know." "I have four children." "Now, you must concentrate." "What are they like?" "Well-behaved." "They had already mastered several states of heightened awareness by the time they were your age." "If Vulcans don't feel anything, does that mean you don't love them?" "My attachment to my children cannot be described as an emotion." "They are part of my identity." "And I am... incomplete without them." "I bet they miss you, too." "Tuvok?" "Yes?" "I have to scratch my nose." "You may." "Tuvok!" "Yes!" "I hear something." "Is it a ship?" "I believe so." "Can you see who it is?" "The sensors are only partially functional." "I'm attempting to identify the ship by its shield harmonics." "Is somebody coming to save us?" "It is not a shuttle from Voyager." "The pattern of the harmonics matches that of the ships we scanned in orbit around Drayan." "It seems your people have come looking for you." "We have to hide, Tuvok." "You can't let them find us here." "I don't understand." "I thought you wanted to go home." "They won't take us home." "They're the ones who made us come here." "For what purpose?" "They sent us here to die." "We have to go." "If they find us, we'll all die." "Please, Tuvok." "Why would your own people want to harm you?" "Please." "They're coming." "Help us." "Any indication where they've gone?" "No." "Spread out and scan the area." "Two of them are coming this way." "What are you doing?" "This will hide us from their scanners." "I'm not picking up any life-forms this way." "Why do you believe they've come to kill you?" "We're supposed to die here." "That's what this place is for." "They bring children here for the final ritual." "Then the morrok takes them away." "No one ever comes back." "It is illogical for a society to kill its own children." "The scrolls say we should be happy-- that when we die, the energy inside us is set free." "Is it true?" "Is that what really happens?" "Vulcans believe that a person's katra-- what some might call a soul-- continues to exist after the body dies." "Do you believe that?" "When I was younger, I accepted it without question." "In recent years, I have experienced doubts." "I do believe there is more within each of us than science has yet explained." "I know we should have more faith." "It's wrong to be afraid of death." "There is nothing wrong in choosing to live." "Will you help us?" "Until I can gain a better understanding of your situation, I believe it would be best to get you safely back to Voyager." "Torres and Neelix just got back, but there's still no word from Tuvok and Bennet." "I'm not picking up their shuttle on sensors." "There's heavy solar flare activity." "It's causing electrodynamic disturbance throughout the system." "We found a vein of pure polyferranide three kilometers long." "It's a real shame we're leaving." "When was your last contact with the other team?" "Several hours ago." "Is there a problem?" "We can't reach them." "When we spoke to them, they were going to check out the outermost moons." "Can you find the shuttle's ion signature?" "I'm reading one on heading 151 mark 8." "That's where Neelix and I went." "And another one on a divergent course, 20 degrees to starboard." "Set a course, Mr. Paris." "Our scans of the moon are inconclusive." "We can't see anything through the turbulence in the atmosphere." "The Drayan ship still hasn't responded to our hails." "Are you sure our signal's getting through?" "They're receiving it." "They're just not answering." "Continue hails." "This desecration dishonors us both, Captain." "I'm sorry." "I don't understand..." "This moon is our crysata..." "sacred ground." "Your presence is forbidden here." "We've only come here to look for one of our shuttles." "It's missing." "We found your shuttle on the surface." "The pilot is dead." "There were two men on board." "Did you find both of them?" "No, only one." "If there's someone else on this moon, you must transport him back to your ship immediately." "That's what we intend to do." "This kind of disturbance is exactly why we avoid contact with outsiders." "I was wrong to respond to your communication." "I should have known better than to indulge my curiosity." "There's no one at fault here." "The shuttle crash was an accident." "One which I expect you to correct as soon as possible." "What's the status of the transporters?" "The targeting scanners still can't lock on to anything on the surface." "It would be easier if we sent down another shuttle." "No, that would only make things worse." "I'll keep working on it." "I don't see how you could be thirsty again after four drinks of water." "Aren't you going to sleep?" "I can go several days without rest if necessary." "You cannot." "It's warmer by the fire." "Go back and try to sleep." "Do not worry." "I have run several thorough scans of the area." "There are no other Iife-forms present-- inside the cave or anywhere within five kilometers." "Maybe the morrok doesn't show up on the scans." "I am also keeping watch on all of you from here." "If there is any indication of trouble," "I'll come immediately." "Okay." "We can't sleep." "Apparently not." "It's so dark." "I think the fire's going out." "Maybe you should look." "I added more wood less than a half an hour ago." "However, it might be wise to check it again." "I always have my hair brushed before I go to sleep." "I like to hear a story." "Tell us one about the fire beast of Sullus." "I never understood the practice in some cultures of describing ferocious creatures in an attempt to lull children to sleep." "Don't Vulcans tell bedtime stories?" "If my children had difficulty sleeping," "I would play music for them." "I like music." "Unfortunately, I don't have my lute." "What's that?" "It is a five-stringed instrument tuned on a diatonic scale." "It can be very soothing." "My youngest son was particularly fond of it." "He always used to ask me to play "Falor's Journey."" "It is a tale of enlightenment consisting of 348 verses." "It may not be necessary to include the complete narrative." "Falor was a prosperous merchant who went on a journey to gain greater awareness." ""Through storms, he crossed the Voroth Sea" ""to reach the clouded shores of Raal, where old T'Para offered truth."" "He traveled through the windswept hills" "And crossed the barren Fire Plains" "To find the silent monks of Kir" "Still unfulfilled" "He journeyed home" "Told stories of the lessons learned" "And gained true wisdom by the giving..." "Tuvok!" "Tuvok!" "They're gone." "Captain, you might want to see this." "Have you found the shuttle?" "Actually, we've found two." "Both crashed on the surface." "The sensor resolution is still quite low." "This looks like our shuttle." "I'd guess the other one is Drayan." "We've also had some indications of life signs on the surface." "A while ago, there seemed to be four of them." "Now we can only distinguish two." "I've been working on the transporters." "It just isn't possible to get a pattern lock through all the turbulence." "Then we've got to start considering other options." "I want a full analysis of the atmospheric conditions and your best suggestion of how to get a shuttle to the surface." "Then let's hope we won't need to try it." "There were no other life-forms and no unusual energy readings within sensor range all night." "It was the morrok." "Why don't you believe me?" "Very well." "I'll investigate." "I'd like you to wait here while I look inside the cave." "But if you go in there, you won't come out." "I will take every possible precaution." "I believe you can be responsible with this." "Aim like this and press here to fire." "I'll seal the shuttle's door while I'm gone." "No, Tuvok." "Don't leave me all by myself." "Please!" "If there is anything in the cave, it may help us determine what has been happening here." "It is very important to gather as much information as possible." "I'm scared." "We often fear what we do not understand." "Our best defense is knowledge." "You must trust me, Tressa." "I'll return shortly." "Promise?" "I will not abandon you." "What did you see in there?" "I realize it may frighten you, but you must hear the truth." "Suffice it to say, I did not find the other children, nor do I have any explanation of what happened to them." "I'm going to be next, aren't I?" "There's nothing we can do about it." "The disappearances have occurred only at night." "We will attempt to leave here before the sun sets." "I'll really be quiet this time." "I won't touch anything." "That would make it difficult for you to assist me with repairs." "The Drayans have just sent another shuttle down to the moon, Captain." "There must be at least 20 people on the surface." "I can't tell if the two life-forms we detected before are still there." "How many search parties could it take to find two crash victims?" "Captain, there's a break in the turbulence." "I'm picking up a com signal." "Tuvok to Voyager." "Voyager, do you read?" "We read you, Tuvok." "Are you all right?" "Yes, Captain, but Ensign Bennet is dead." "We know." "We've been trying to get you off the surface, but we're having some trouble with the Drayans." "They insist on sending their own search parties." "Yes, I have been avoiding them." "Why?" "I have a young girl with me who claims they have come to kill her." "I was reluctant to believe it at first, but several other children have disappeared." "There's nothing I can do, Captain." "The signal's breaking up." "Tuvok, what happened to the other children?" "They have disappeared." "Something on this moon is responsible." "We must leave here." "I'm attempting to repair..." "Scan Tuvok's shuttle for damage." "Will he be able to get himself out of there?" "There's no structural damage." "Some power fluctuations." "He should be able to take off." "What if they can't?" "Hail the Drayan ship." "Captain." "First Prelate, it's come to my attention that you have a damaged ship on the surface as well and there may be survivors." "I'd like to offer our help in finding them." "Perhaps a joint rescue operation..." "That won't be necessary, Captain." "You've been intrusive enough." "Our sensor readings indicate the people on the surface may be in trouble." "I'm sure you must be as concerned for their safety as we are." "There's no reason to fear for anyone's safety on the crysata." "It's a blessed haven, sheltered and unspoiled, which is the very reason why I can't allow you to go there under any circumstances." "Then I regret to inform you I'll be taking a shuttle to the surface without your permission." "That's completely unacceptable." "I believe it's necessary." "If you launch one of your shuttles," "I will be forced to send one of ours after you." "First Prelate, it's not my intention to provoke a conflict." "Well, then leave at once." "I'll be glad to, as soon as every member of my crew is safely back on board this ship." "Janeway out." "Lieutenant, you're with me." "Mr. Kim, I need your report." "I've been studying the energy signature of the Drayan shuttles." "They're using some kind of dielectric field to protect them from the turbulence." "We could generate the same kind of field with our shuttle's warp coils." "It won't be very stable." "It might be a rough ride, but we can make it." "Captain, maybe you shouldn't..." "I know the risks, Commander, but if there's any hope" "left for a diplomatic solution," "I've got to be down there to see it through." "Let's get through the preflight quickly." "Thrusters, impulse engines, warp drive..." "All propulsion systems are nominal." "Shields, phasers, inertial dampers, com system." "I think we've got all the basics." "Computer, initiate cold launch sequence." "Or we could just skip preflight altogether." "Definitely not recommended, but sometimes necessary." "I'll remember that." "I'm taking the warp drive off-line." "Setting up the dielectric field." "It's holding, but we'll have to keep an eye on the stabilizer integrity." "Janeway to Bridge." "Depressurize the shuttle bay and open the space doors." "Aye, Captain." "Captain, I'm picking up a Drayan shuttle." "They're on an intercept course." "Can we outrun them?" "The dielectric field is weakening our structural integrity." "If we go much faster, I'm afraid we'll break up." "We're improvising here." "The Drayans aren't." "We're on their home turf." "They have every advantage." "That may be reason enough for them not to fire on us." "We'll be testing that theory in a few seconds." "They're about to enter weapons range, Captain." "Raise shields to maximum and stand ready to power the weapons." "Maneuvering thrusters and impulse engines are functional." "We're ready to lift off." "What about the electro...?" "The currents that made the ships crash?" "I have determined that a dielectric field should allow us to pass through them." "However, you should still be prepared for some turbulence." "Initiating prelaunch sequence." "Number three thruster is failing." "Attempting to stabilize." "Drayan shuttle's closing fast, Captain." "They'll overtake us before we can land." "They haven't powered their weapon systems." "Maybe they're still willing to talk." "Let's hope the ones on the surface feel the same way." "We'll be through this ionosphere in a few more minutes." "Sensors are clearing up." "I'm reading Tuvok's shuttle." "He's trying to lift off, but it looks" "like there's some trouble with the thrusters." "And there's a large Drayan search party approaching his location." "I see them." "They're coming all around us." "We've got to go-- now." "I'm attempting an emergency procedure." "Please move away from the console." "You did it!" "You saved me." "I regret that may be a premature conclusion." "The process of powering the thrusters has left us with minimal shields and no functional weapons." "Voyager will be watching for us." "When we clear the atmosphere, we can be transported aboard the ship." "Then what are we going to do?" "You may request asylum with the Federation if you wish." "Then we'll be able to protect you." "I want to stay with you." "The Drayan shuttle is hailing us." "You're holding one of our children." "I want to speak to her." "She believes you intend to kill her." "Is that true?" "The child is confused." "I only want to help her." "You want me to die." "Tressa, I understand how confusing this must be for you." "If you return to the surface," "I will answer all of your questions." "No." "I'm not going back there." "I'm staying with Tuvok." "We can resolve this matter aboard Voyager." "Unacceptable." "If you or any of your people attempt to take Tressa back to your ship," "I will use any means necessary to stop you." "Do what you will." "Very well." "Fire." "We weren't hit." "I believe that was a warning." "I've got phasers locked on the Drayan shuttle, Captain." "Don't fire." "We might be able to transport Tuvok from here." "There's still too much interference." "We should be close enough to get a com-signal through." "Tuvok, we're on our way to the surface." "We'll intercept you in a few moments." "That may be too late, Captain." "I'm losing power rapidly." "I believe another hit will force me to land." "Go back down to the surface." "We'll follow you." "It's getting dark." "What's going to happen to me?" "All I can tell you is, I will be here with you." "Mr. Tuvok, don't make this difficult." "She's been frightened enough." "What she fears most is being kept here against her wishes." "This is a critical time." "I can't allow you to interfere." "I regret it's come to this." "You have found your crew member." "Now go." "I will not leave without Tressa." "She has asked for my protection, and I intend to provide it." "You simply don't understand the harm you're doing." "This child wants to live." "We're going to do whatever we can to help her." "It is not a choice." "This is her time." "Tressa has reached the end of her life." "She has barely begun it." "She is 96 years old." "Tressa, these people are outsiders." "They don't understand how we live." "They see us as strange because their aging process is reversed." "Please, you don't belong with them." "I'm here to help you now." "No." "Leave me alone." "It's perfectly natural to be frightened." "You're taking a step into the unknown." "The attendants would have helped you prepare yourself." "You were never meant to face this time alone." "We weren't alone." "Tuvok was here." "He stayed with us and made us feel safe." "He told us there was no morrok and that we shouldn't be afraid." "He took care of us... even when we didn't behave as well as Vulcan children." "He was right about the morrok." "It only exists in stories." "At this age, they become easily confused." "Their memories are clouded." "Near the end of life, we reach a stage of complete innocence." "We free ourselves from all responsibilities to this life, then we leave it peacefully." "Tressa doesn't seem to be ready." "Perhaps she needs more time." "That's not for you or me to decide." "This is a normal biological process, which begins the day we are created." "The energy contained within our bodies remains cohesive for a limited number of years, and then it is released." "Nothing can change that." "Nothing?" "No." "It's the natural course of life." "Why was it so important that Tressa stay here?" "We believe this is where the very first spark of life was created." "We are all compelled by a powerful instinct to return here at the end, to complete the cycle and rejoin the infinite energy." "Tressa?" "Do you feel it calling to you?" "Tuvok?" "She can offer you better guidance than I." "You said you would protect me." "I cannot protect you from the natural conclusion of life, nor would I try." "Vulcans consider death to be the completion of a journey." "There is nothing to fear." "I won't be afraid, not if you're with me." "Tressa, may this night see you safely home." "Attending a child on the crysata is an honorable role." "You have fulfilled it well." "The final moment of life is the most sacred, most private time." "I hope you can accept my sincere apologies for disturbing your traditions." "Perhaps we've each misjudged the other, Captain." "I would hate to let that ruin any possibility of friendship between our people." "We must leave them." "Tuvok, can your shuttle make it back to Voyager?" "." "Maybe we should wait for you." "No, I'll be fine." "We'll wait here as long as you like." "I know it's time." "My only regret is leaving my family, my grandson." "You remind me of him sometimes." "You will still be with them, in their thoughts, as you will be in mine." "Sorry!" "Obviously, Ensign Baytart doesn't appreciate music." "It's the darn fluid conduits running through the walls." "They conduct sound." "You think when they designed this thing, they would've..." "The ship was built for combat performance, Harry, not musical performance." "Nobody figured we'd be taking any long trips." "Where am I supposed to practice?" "How about cargo bay?" "Bad acoustics." "We could get Baytart transferred to the night shift." "Couldn't do that." "Could we?" "So now you have an excuse to give your mother why you didn't practice while you were gone." "Look, I'm trying to prepare for an important performance." "Oh, really?" "Are we scheduled to rendezvous with the Delta Quadrant Symphony Orchestra?" "No." "Susan Nicoletti and I have been working on a new orchestral program for the holodeck." "Lieutenant Nicoletti?" "The one I've been chasing for six months?" "Cold hands, cold heart?" "Not when she plays the oboe." "Chakotay to all senior officers." "Please report to the Bridge." "You know, Harry," "I've always wanted to learn how to play the drums." "I am picking up communication satellites in orbit." "They're nonfunctional." "Mr. Paris, take us in a little closer." "Mr. Kim, scan the surface." "Captain, this used to be a major trading spot." "How long ago?" "I'm not sure exactly." "If I had to guess..." "EM signature indicates that a major solar flare occurred here 19 years ago." "I'd say about 19 years... more or less." "Looks like a glacial freeze." "Caused by a solar flare that radically changed the weather patterns." "It did a lot more than that." "They were hit by magnetic storms and extreme levels of radiation." "Those glaciers are receding." "The biosphere seems to be recovering." "Did anyone survive?" "I'm scanning the settlement." "There's evidence of advanced technology-- warp reactors, subspace transmitters-- but no life signs." "Maybe they saw it coming and evacuated the planet." "Indications are that any attempt at an evacuation would have been prevented by the atmospheric disturbances." "What was the estimated population?" "Approximately 400,000." "Captain." "I'm picking up something from the surface." "I think we're being hailed." "I thought you said there weren't any life signs." "There aren't." "I scanned the entire surface." "Must be an automated signal." "Let's hear it." "I am Viorsa, planner for the Kohl settlement." "Your sensors have activated this message." "By now, you must be aware of the catastrophic disaster that has destroyed our home." "A few of us have managed to survive in a state of artificial hibernation, programmed to end in 15 years from the date this was recorded." "At that time, when the eco recovery has begun, we will attempt to rebuild our settlement." "Please do nothing to interrupt our timetable." "Their timetable was supposed to end four years ago." "Looks like they didn't make it." "Mr. Kim, wouldn't your scans have picked up suppressed metabolic activity?" "I would think so, Captain." "Unless..." "Checking below the surface." "Nothing one kilometer down." "Two kilometers..." "Wait a minute." "I think I've got something." "2.3 kilometers down-- extremely faint bio-signatures." "Three humanoids." "Can you detect a malfunction in their systems?" "Something to explain why they didn't wake up on schedule?" "Not at this distance." "But I am picking up two more humanoids at the same location who are dead." "Are there any automated security systems?" "We triggered a "do not disturb" sign." "I don't want to set off anything worse." "No weapons of any kind, Captain." "It is safe to transport the hibernation pods to Voyager, if that is your intent." "It is." "Prepare to beam them to Cargo Bay 1." "Mr. Kim, you're with me." "Janeway to Kes, report to Cargo Bay 1." "Bring your medical gear." "Aye, Captain." "Two humanoids dead." "Three humanoids in deep stasis." "Life signs apparently stable." "Our messenger." "Did the system break down?" "Not that I can see." "I'm not reading any pathway failures in the hibernation pods." "The circuitry all seems to be functioning." "It looks like their brains are interconnected in a complex sensory system controlled by this computer." "According to these indicators, Captain, their minds are active." "Active?" "What do you mean?" "The encephalographic reading suggests they're dreaming, but there's some kind of interactivity with the computer." "It's not just scanning their brain functions." "It's sending a data stream back to them, as well." "Could it be generating an artificial environment of some sort?" "Artificial environment?" "Years ago, Starfleet used a technology to assist deep space travel that kept the body in stasis, but provided a mental landscape to keep the mind active and alert." "That sounds like a pretty good way to wait out a planetary disaster." "For the moment, it's as good a theory as any." "So, what went wrong?" "Why are they still in there?" "The system was supposed to bring these people out of hibernation four years ago." "However, it wasn't left entirely to the computer." "The programmers obviously wanted the people in the system to decide for themselves when it would be safe to come out." "This was accomplished by a subroutine that periodically displayed atmospheric conditions to them." "So, they should've known years ago that the biosphere had recovered." "Exactly." "This subroutine has remained available to these people since it was activated four years ago." "It's literally an escape hatch." "Perhaps it has malfunctioned." "No." "That's what's so odd about this." "As far as I can tell, it's working perfectly." "Then why don't they get themselves out?" "I don't know." "Maybe they like it in there." "I don't think so." "Doctor?" "The two victims died from massive heart failure and there was evidence of prior neural trauma." "I'm sorry." "What does that mean?" "It could be evidence of extreme... fear." "Maybe it was caused by the panic that accompanies a heart attack." "The readings suggest an extended period of mental stress." "Sounds like we ought to get them out right away." "Surely, Commander, you're not suggesting we simply unplug them?" "Why not?" "Because you have three brains whose survival has depended upon careful monitoring by a sophisticated computer system for 19 years." "The Doc is right." "I have no idea how to disconnect them without causing neural damage." "I just don't know the system well enough." "They know the system." "Why don't we ask them how to proceed?" "How can we do that?" "Implant a com-link into their brains?" "We already have a means of communication-- the two unoccupied pods." "We could add a backup life support system, using our own computer and medical stasis technology." "The only way to help those people is to go in and find out from them what's wrong." "I don't see any alternative." "Neither do I." "I'll be monitoring your mental and physical functions." "If we detect any unusual activity, you'll be transferred onto our life support system and resuscitated." "We've tapped into the system's recall subroutine program." "I'll give you five minutes to look around, then I'm bringing you back." "Consider this a test run." "Understood." "Inducing primary stasis." "Autonomic nervous system link is secure." "They're connecting to the system." "Looks like we made it." "How do you feel?" "Normal." "These must be characters generated by the computer, but I don't see our people." "Neither do I." "Uh, excuse me." "We're trying to find some friends." "Well, that shouldn't be difficult." "We're all friends here." "Oh, I'm sorry." "Oh, I'm sorry." "I didn't mean to bump into you." "You're new." "Yes, we are." "Where are you from?" "Another town." "There aren't any other towns." "We're not getting very far." "Perhaps I can help you." "You are looking for friends?" "That's right, three of them." "And when you find these friends...?" "We want to talk to them." "Why talk when we can dance?" "Let's get out of here." "You got it." "You!" "Take him." "Harry." "Harry!" "Harry!" "Harry!" "Stop!" "They're aliens!" "And they won't be alone." "Kill them, and their shipmates will shut down the program." "Let him go!" "We knew this would happen someday-- that a ship would find us." "It was only a matter of time." "Only a matter of time, yes." "Who knows what kind of people they are?" "Who knows what will happen to this world if you hurt them?" "I do." "I know." "Bring them here!" "Bring them here, bring them here." "You're like me." "A little of this and a little of that." "Ooh!" "My, what a temper." "That's from your mother's side, isn't it?" "Yes." "You see?" "I know everything." "This is my world, my festival, and you're here without an invitation." "What is going on?" "Who is he?" "You will talk to me." "I speak for them." "And I speak for you, now." "You don't understand that yet." "You don't accept it... but you will." "Are you a life-form or some kind of computer virus that penetrated this system?" "A virus, a virus" "He thinks I am a virus" "Well, perhaps I'll be a virus today." "Oh, this one's got a mind full of technical and operational thoughts and ideas." "Harry knows viruses." "Stop this." "I know you came here to get them and take them away." "But if you do that, we'll all disappear." "Disappear." "Because you're characters created by this program." "And once their minds stop interacting with the system, you won't exist anymore." "Ah, see the technical mind at work." "It seeks diagnostics, data analysis." "Well, here's some more data for your mind to analyze and diagnose, Harry." "Yes, I am merely what has been created and is being created by his brain, his brain, her brain, and now... yours, and yours." "Wha...?" "What's this doing here now?" "This is your work." "That's our wake-up call." "It's been a real pleasure, but... we're leaving." "Come on." "If you leave, one of them will die." "One of them will die." "Try it and see." "If you leave... he dies." "He can do it." "He's already killed two of our colleagues." "How is that possible?" "I cut off their heads." "But none of this is real." "Of course it's real." "As real as a nightmare." "The two we found dead, both suffered from massive heart attacks." "Heart attack." "Now, what might cause a heart attack?" "Hmm." "Unmanageable stress, perhaps?" "Unmanageable fear?" "The fear of losing a head, perhaps?" "!" "You scared them to death." "What's taking them so long?" "Life signs are stable." "There's no interruption in brain wave activity." "The recall subroutine is functioning." "The window opened for them on schedule." "Captain, the norepinephrine levels are rising." "They're well above baseline." "Some of that is to be expected, but these levels indicate abnormal stress." "All right." "I'm going to try to bring them out with our backup systems." "Initiating resuscitation." "The body temperature is rising." "What happened?" "Their bodies are returning to stasis condition, Captain." "Someone is terminating the recall command from inside the system." "Very wise of you, my technically minded fellow." "Now, get rid of it completely." "It's an intrusion." "It's ruining the party." "That would be a mistake." "No mistake." "A mistake if you refuse." "You'd be missing an opportunity." "Trying to get the better of me?" "Trying to trick me?" "I know everything you know, Harry Kim." "I know how much you miss Libby." "I know how you can never hit that G-sharp in the Mozart concerto." "Do you think I don't know you're trying to defeat me?" "Fine." "So you know." "You'll also know that what I'm about to tell you is the truth." "You'd be smart to let one of us go." "Would I?" "This is your chance to send the outside world a message-- to tell them your demands." "I have only one demand-- to exist." "Then you'd better let us tell them." "Otherwise, you run the risk of our people shutting down the whole system, because I promise you, they won't let us stay in here for long." "How did this happen?" "The system was designed to be adaptive, to observe and respond to our thoughts and adjust the environment to our wishes." "Who wished him up?" "It happened over months without our even realizing it." "All of us had fears about survival, recovery." "We never anticipated the computer would manifest those fears into him." "Our only hope was that someone like you would come along and find us." "It's almost as though he can read our minds." "He seems to know what we're thinking." "He's generated by the system, and our brains are monitored by the system, so, yes, in a manner of speaking, he can." "But there is a delay before he becomes aware of what we're thinking." "It takes a few minutes for our brain activity to be processed by the system." "Well, I've come to a decision, with the help of my friends." "You, leave." "You, stay." "And tell your beloved Captain Janeway that if we die, they die, including you, dear Harry-- you who becomes my best friend as of today." "Because she would never kill you, would she, Harry?" "No." "Why, she's like a dear old mother to you, isn't she?" "Go!" "Someone's activated the recall subroutine." "Captain, it's Lieutenant Torres." "Her body temperature is rising." "She should regain consciousness in about... 12 minutes." "At least, we'll finally get the answers to a few questions." "Well, let's start with the obvious question." "If they're demanding to exist, can we find a way to let them exist in this artificial world of theirs?" "Not unless you're prepared to leave one person in stasis permanently." "I concur with Lieutenant Torres." "The computer uses bioneural feedback from the participants' brains to create the environment." "Doctor, is there a way to speed up resuscitation?" "Only by a few minutes." "Anything more, we'd be risking serious brain damage." "Ten minutes would be about the best we could do." "Ten minutes and all the hostages could be killed." "Then it seems to me our first order of business should be to reduce the number of hostages." "All we have to do now is decide how to negotiate with... an emotion." "With a manifestation... of fear." "Fear is the most primitive, the most primordial of biological responses." "The ability to recognize danger-- to fight it or run away from it." "That's what fear gives us, but... when fear holds you hostage... how do you make it let go?" "Maybe we should try to make them laugh." "A good joke just... uh, seems to make fear dissolve." "Well, it does in me, anyway." "I think something a little more responsive to The Clown's demand." "B'Elanna, maybe you can come up with a way to modify the system so it can run without bioneural interaction." "How do we negotiate without sending in another hostage?" "Good question." "We have to come up with a safer method of communication." "I regret very much what has happened to you." "You came to help." "You didn't deserve this." "I regret so many things." "Look." "We don't have time for regret." "My people are working on a way-- right now-- to get us out of here, and we have to help them if we can." "You'll leave hope behind after a few months of this." "Why does he do it?" "We're his canvas... his blocks of marble." "With us, he practices his ghastly art." "Thinking about escape, are we, Harry?" "Naughty, naughty." "I don't like those thoughts." "We're going to have to do something about them." "He's new." "He can't help thinking about getting out." "He can!" "You don't think about it anymore." "Oh, but he's new... and you're old." "New and old... old and new." "Well, then, the answer is to simply... make you old, Harry." "Are you afraid of growing old, Harry?" "Is that what you fear-- being cared for by nurses?" "Time for your medicine." "You don't like being helpless, do you, Harry?" "You like to take care of yourself." "Yes, I know how you hate to feel like the baby on the crew." "Ho-ho-ho-ho-ho!" "Oh, what's the matter, Harry?" "Ooh, does my costume frighten you, huh?" "Ooh!" "Coochie-coo." "Yeah." "Oh, look at little Harry fly!" "Whoo!" "Whoo!" "There he goes!" "Whoo!" "Whee!" "All right, that's enough." "This is not reality." "It's an illusion." "When your only reality is an illusion, then illusion is a reality." "Like the man said:" ""The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."" "Oh, I thought we were going to be friends." "Didn't want to do this, Harry." "No, I didn't want to bring this up in front of the others, but I know what really scares you." "I know when you were nine and your parents took you to that colony-- the radiation disaster?" "Humanitarian mission?" "You visited a hospital!" "You remember." "No." "You wandered off by yourself where you weren't supposed to be." "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." "You saw people and things you weren't supposed to see-- sick and dying..." "Keep repeating:" ""The only thing we have to fear is fear itself!"" ""The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."" "And how about:" ""There's no place like home!" "There's no place like home!"" "Try clicking your heels together three times." "Oh, but your legs are restrained, aren't they?" "Just like that little girl you saw on the operating table?" "The doctor called for a scalpel..." "She looked at you, her face filled with fear." "Fear... fear." "Fear." "Do you remember?" "!" "No!" "Excuse me." "You're not holding that properly." "Correct positioning of the index finger is necessary for optimal dexterity." "Who are you?" "!" "I'm Captain Janeway's representative." "I'm here to negotiate with you." "Are you well, Mr. Kim?" "I'm starting to feel better." "You're different." "I don't know anything about you." "You're not on the system." "I would be pleased to tell you all about myself at a more appropriate time." "For now, suffice it to say that I am here by a miracle of technology." "Now, let's get down to the issues, shall we?" "How am I supposed to negotiate if I don't know what you're thinking?" "I have a very trustworthy face." "My Captain is prepared to give you exactly what you ask for under the condition you release all the hostages." "Release the hostages?" "!" "We would provide continuing input from a simulated brain." "A computer model that would generate..." "Simulated brain?" "Simulated?" "I myself have a com..." "It won't work." "It's a lie." "Tell 'em, Harry." "I don't know that for sure." "Liar!" "Viorsa!" "Get over here." "Tell him." "It might require a recalibration of the optronic pathways..." "Liar!" "After all this time, do you think I can't tell when you lie?" "!" "The simulated brain..." "Would leave me at your mercy!" "No." "They stay." "The Captain is prepared to risk the lives of the hostages rather than leave them under your control." "Who is she to tell me what I have to do?" "She's the one out there with the "off" switch in her hand." "She would never kill Harry." "I'd rather die than spend my life in here with you." "She knows that." "I won't let them go." "A compromise." "Let some of them go." "No." "We've studied your system." "You only need one to survive." "And if that one gets sick and dies?" "No!" "I need them all." "Now go away and tell your Captain Janeway I'm disappointed." "I expected more from her." "If we could just..." "Go away!" "Go away!" "Go away!" "I'll be back." "Go away!" "Go away!" "Go away!" "Go away!" "Well, I'm sorry I don't live up to his expectations." "What's your opinion of him, Doctor?" "Unstable... unpredictable." "Everything you'd expect from "fear."" "Captain, the longer we allow this to continue, the more likely it is that he will take his frustrations out on the hostages." "I agree." "And I can't allow that to happen." "We're going to have to mount some kind of rescue mission." "Doctor, if we do simply disconnect the hostages..." "There would certainly be brain damage." "How much damage?" "Could you possibly repair it?" "Possibly?" "Yes." "Would Mr. Kim still be able to hold his clarinet when I was done?" "Possibly." "The brain is such an interesting organ." "Could we switch over to a simulated brain without The Clown noticing it?" "Oh, he'd notice." "He was very smart to reject the whole notion of a simulated brain." "It just wouldn't be the same." "There is no way an artificial intelligence can replace actual brain functions." "I'll choose not to take that personally, Lieutenant." "For what it's worth, Mr. Viorsa suggested there would be a way to make a simulated brain function in this system." "He suggested it would take... a "recalibration of the optronic pathways."" "I don't know what he could have been talking about." "The optronic pathways have nothing to do with the neural interface." "It doesn't make any sense." "Then, perhaps he had another reason for saying it." "How do the optronic pathways function in this system, B'Elanna?" "They... they control the basic elements of the environment, access data banks that were programmed when the system was created." "If we interrupt the optronic pathways, we could disassemble that entire world and its characters, piece by piece." "If we can't remove the hostages from the environment, then we might be able to remove the environment from the hostages." "How did Viorsa manage to communicate this without The Clown knowing about it?" "Perhaps it was because The Clown's attention was divided at the time." "And you're going to continue to provide him with distractions, Doctor." "B'Elanna, how long will it take to block these pathways?" "I'm not sure how many there are, Captain." "And I'll have to do it manually, because we don't know how to deprogram the system." "You'll only have a few minutes at best." "Once "fear" knows what we're up to, it'll be a race against time to save the lives of those hostages." "Bravo!" "Bravo!" "Go away!" "I want to be alone." "You're ruining the festival." "Don't be a poop!" "I can't help it." "I'm feeling sorry for myself." "Well, don't take it out on us." "Take it out on them." "You people-- you wonderful people-- my friends..." "You do know how to make a man feel better, don't you?" "Okay, then, what shall we play?" "The insect game." "Yes, yes." "The insect game." "You again?" "You're the one who ruined my mood." "You and your sweet Captain." "My sweet Captain has a new offer to make." "No simulated brains." "I want real brains." "The Captain is prepared to give you..." "a cloaking device." "I already have a cloaking device." "Thank you anyway." "I'm talking about a device that would shield you from being detected by any other interstellar visitors." "There are almost 40 pathways to disable, Captain, but I should be able to get it done in under two minutes." "Good." "Let's get started." "We will return your entire computer system to the subterranean locale where we found it." "With the help of Mr. Kim, and a team of Starfleet engineers, it will be an easy matter to install the cloaking device, which will ensure your safety for the foreseeable future." "Harry, is this possible?" "Yes." "I don't know if I believe you." "I don't know yet... but I'll know soon if you're telling the truth." "You can't fool me." "What does she want in return?" "And don't say the hostages, because I'm not giving them up." "You have to understand that the Captain's primary concern is the safety of the hostages." "She's such a warm and noble person." "I'd love her to come to one of my parties someday." "What if I promise to take really good care of my guests?" "We could be more than friends." "We could be... colleagues." "I'm really not such a bad fella." "What's happening?" "You tricked me!" "It's an attack!" "It's an attack!" "Red Alert!" "Red Alert!" "You... you warned them." "You told them how it could be done!" "Take him!" "No, please!" "No!" "Twenty-two." "More than halfway there, B'Elanna." "Captain, it's Viorsa." "His norepinephrine levels are rising sharply." "No, please!" "I didn't do anything!" "I didn't do anything!" "What is it?" "Some kind of protection device." "I'm locked out." "I'll have to disable it." "Viorsa's norepinephrine levels are critical." "Just ten more pathways." "He's dead!" "Massive heart failure." "Captain, this one's norepinephrine levels are approaching critical." "You're next!" "You're next!" "Restore the entire program." "We've lost." "We've won." "We've won." "We've won!" "Start the music." "Start the music." "Celebration." "Celebration." "Celebration." "Your decision to capitulate saved the lives of the other hostages, Captain." "You should take some comfort from that." "I don't." "Have I misjudged him somehow?" "Is there another way to reach him?" "Isn't there more to "fear" than a simple demand to exist?" "Why do people enjoy dangerous sports or holodeck adventures with the safety off?" "Why, after all these centuries, do children still ride on roller coasters?" "Fear can provide pleasure." "To seek fear is to seek the boundaries of one's sensory experience." "But what does fear seek... at the end of the ride?" "You understand, don't you, Harry, that we will have to punish you for your Captain's little trick?" "To the winner go the spoils, and you are the spoils, after all." "We can talk about that later." "For now, enjoy yourself." "Well, you certainly know how to bring a party to a halt." "I don't get out very much." "I bet." "The Captain has sent me with an ultimatum." "Ultimatum?" "!" "Ultimatum." "She would give me an ultimatum?" "Did Napoleon give an ultimatum after Waterloo?" "Did Chulak of Romulus give an ultimatum after his defeat at Galorndon Core?" "We won." "We give the ultimatums around here." "The Captain is prepared to shut down the system one minute from now, if you don't agree to her terms." "And scramble the brains of all my guests, including Harry?" "I don't think so." "52 seconds." "She is willing to risk brain damage to the hostages, but she will end this, and end this now, one way or another." "What are her... her terms?" "43 seconds." "She will allow you to keep one person on the system." "The other hostages must be released." "One?" "!" "Never!" "I won't agree." "You have 30 seconds to avoid termination." "I need more time..." "time to think." "Two..." "let me keep two." "20 seconds." "There is another provision." "The one hostage you will be allowed to keep is Captain Janeway herself." "She... would choose to be with me?" "Your time is up." "Your answer, please." "Yes." "Captain, this is the Doctor." "I've returned to Sick Bay." "Please turn to your emergency medical holographic channel." "Did he accept?" "Yes, Captain." "Perfect." "Good work, Doctor." "Would you like me to return and supervise the evacuation of the hostages?" "I don't think that'll be necessary, but you could help with the preparations at this end." "Janeway out." "We're finished here, Captain." "Initiate the recall subroutine and prepare to begin resuscitation." "Kes, give me a hand getting hooked up to all this." "Sparkling." "I want everything sparkling for her arrival." "Sparkling." "Uh-uh-uh-uh." "Harry, not so fast." "They can't have you until I have her." "No more tricks." "She's coming." "I can feel the system beginning to scan her brain." "Hmm... this really is such an extraordinary gesture she's making." "I am so moved." "You don't quite believe it yourself, do you?" "The Captain would sacrifice herself to save the hostages." "Sacrifice herself?" "You can be so cruel, Harry." "You don't appreciate my hospitality." "You're here." "You're actually here." "I don't believe it." "The arrangement was that the others would be released." "You show remarkable trust, Captain." "How could you be so sure I would keep my word?" "I've known fear." "It's a very healthy thing most of the time." "You warn us of danger, remind us of our limits, protect us from carelessness." "I've learned to trust fear." "Finally, someone who appreciates me." "Am I blushing?" "Let them go." "Yes." "Yes, of course." "You may depart." "Farewell, my friends." "Do come back and visit." "I'll always be here." "The recall subroutine has been activated." "Body temperatures are rising." "Initiating all backup systems." "The hostages should regain consciousness in less than ten minutes." "We'll get you out of here, Captain." "I promise." "That won't be necessary, Mr. Kim, but thank you." "I can't wait to get to know you... to make you a part of me." "As I understand it, it takes a few minutes before you become aware of my thoughts." "Is that true?" "An eternity of anticipation." "And then what happens?" "And then the fun begins." "All systems functioning as anticipated." "Resuscitation entering final warming." "Bio-functions are returning to normal." "Their own hearts are taking over." "They don't need supplemental life support any longer." "Would you be honest with me?" "Fear is the most honest of all emotions, Captain." "You really want this to end as much as I do, don't you?" "Now, now, don't even think about leaving." "I'm not going to let you go-- not after all this." "Mirror?" "Don't we make a beautiful couple, Captain?" "I'm not Captain Janeway." "Could have fooled me." "I'm afraid I did." "Pardon?" "I'm nothing more than a holographic image of Captain Janeway, sent here by the same technique they used to send their Doctor." "I've been programmed to respond to you as Kathryn Janeway would." "But... but..." "I-I feel you." "You-you're on the system." "She is on the system, yes, but not in stasis." "Captain Janeway and her crew modified the pods, so that she could be connected to the system without having to enter this environment." "The goal was to let you sense her brain activity without putting her in actual jeopardy." "You will be able to confirm what I'm telling you as soon as you become aware of her thoughts." "You know as well as I do that fear only exists for one purpose-- to be conquered." "She tricked me." "Did she?" "Or was a part of you actually hoping to be defeated?" "Isn't that why you allowed Captain Janeway to come here?" "Because you sensed she had the power to subdue you?" "No." "She lied." "It was very unStarfleet of her." "Starfleet Captains don't easily succumb... to fear." "What will become of us?" "Of me?" "Like all fear, you eventually... vanish." "I'm afraid." "I know." "Drat." "Captain's Log, Stardate 49655.2." "Our sensors have located a variety of flower which may prove to be a valuable nutritional supplement." "I've sent Mr. Neelix and Mr. Tuvok to collect samples." "Whoa!" "Smell that air, Mr. Vulcan!" "Look at that sky!" "Oh, it's an exhilarating day, isn't it?" "As you well know by now, Mr. Neelix," "I do not experience exhilaration." "Oh, let's not quibble about semantics." "A breeze is blowing, the sun is shining." "It's beautiful." "The weather is certainly adequate for our purposes." "Adequate?" "You know something?" "You're acting more "Tuvokian" than usual this morning." "I am who I am, Mr. Neelix." "It is impossible for me to be more or less like myself." "There you go with the semantics again." "But you know what I'm talking about." "I'm afraid I don't." "Well, then, I'll explain it to you." "You're a nature lover, aren't you?" "I appreciate nature, yes." "It's one of the things that you and I have in common." "And here we are, on a perfect day, foraging for an exceptionally lovely variety of orchid-- your favorite flower-- and all you can say about the experience is that it's adequate." "I just..." "I don't see why you're not having fun." "We are not here to have fun." "We are here to collect samples." "Why?" "Is there some regulation that says we can't do both at the same time?" "I know." "Why don't, why don't we sing a song while we toil, hmm?" "It'll cheer you up." "I've been studying Vulcan music." "Uh... do you know that lovely tune that starts:" "O starless night" "Of boundless black..." "That "lovely tune" is a traditional funeral dirge." "I know, but it was the most cheerful song I could find in the Vulcan database." "Come on, Tuvok, join me." "O starless night" "Of boundless black..." "Mr. Neelix..." "Yes?" "Do you think you could possibly behave a little less..." "like yourself?" "Are Neelix and Tuvok back from the surface?" "Not yet." "We're having some trouble with the transporter." "Captain... there's a minor glitch in the molecular imaging scanners." "Ensign Kim should have it up and running in a few minutes." "Try narrowing the annular confinement beam." "How's that?" "Let's try it again." "Kim to away team." "Sorry for the delay." "We're ready to bring you back." "Acknowledged." "Energize." "There's something wrong, sir." "I'm only getting one pattern." "Tuvok or Neelix?" "I don't think it's either of them." "Abort." "It's too late." "Kim to Security." "Intruder alert, Transporter Room 1." "Identify yourself." "I'm Lieutenant Tuvok." "And I'm Neelix." "Sir, according to the bio-scanners, he's right." "Somehow their patterns have merged." "I think the logical thing is for me to go to Sick Bay." "And you recognize all of us?" "Of course." "Doctor, Captain Janeway, Ensign Kim..." "Kes." "My scans indicate that all biological matter was merged on a molecular level." "Proteins, enzymes, DNA sequences." "The man you see before you is literally a fusion of two men." "But he's surprisingly healthy, considering the circumstances." "All vital signs are stable." "What's the last thing you remember?" "I... we... that is to say, Tuvok and Neelix, we had just finished gathering the samples." "We were beaming back to the ship." "The next thing I knew," "I was standing on the transporter pad as you see me now." "I'm also picking up traces of a third genetic pattern." "It appears to be plant-based." "The orchids." "We had collected several dozen samples of orchids." "They were in our sample containers when we beamed up." "Well, they're part of your genetic structure now." "But they don't appear to be affecting your biochemistry." "Torres said you were having trouble with the molecular imaging scanners." "That's right." "Maybe this alien plant life affected the scanners in some way." "Possibly." "I'll know more after we've run a diagnostic on the biofilters and transporter logs." "Get on it." "In the meantime, I'll send an away team in a shuttlecraft to collect fresh samples of the orchid for further study." "Doctor, let me know as soon as you have something more." "Yes, Captain." "Kes, take our patient to the Science Lab and perform a full bio-spectral analysis." "I'll start examining the genetic data." "This situation must be very difficult for you, Kes." "Perhaps it would be easier if someone else administered these tests." "Thank you for your concern, but I'll be fine." "This scan is very delicate, so try to remain still for the next 20 minutes." "I'll do my best." "Don't worry." "We're going to figure it out." "Oh, I'm not worried." "I couldn't be in better hands." "This crew, you're consummate professionals." "You're my friends." "My family." "So worrying would be illogical, don't you think?" "Would you mind if I asked you some questions about what you're going through?" "Not at all." "Well, do you feel as if you're thinking with two minds-- two separate minds?" "Are Neelix and Tuvok inside of you, talking to me, talking to each other?" "If you mean am I suffering from some form of multiple personality disorder, I don't think so." "I do have the memories of both men, but I seem to have a single consciousness." "You must find me very odd, Kes." "No, of course not." "Try to keep still." "So... what should I call you?" "Ah, a name." "I hadn't thought of that." "What an intriguing question." "I can see why the Doctor is finding it so difficult to choose one." "A name can have a significant effect upon a person's sense of identity." "I've got it." "What?" "Why don't you call me..." "Neevok." "Wait." "This is better." "How about Tuvix?" "Tuvix it is." "I'm so glad you're here to help me through this, sweeting." "I'm sorry." "It was instinct." "Why don't we finish the scan." "Chief Medical Officer's Log, supplemental." "Extensive microcellular scans on the merged humanoid have, thus far, yielded no clues to either a cause or a method of separation." "Ah, Captain, so good of you to come." "How are you feeling?" "I feel well." "You might even say... exhilarated." "I'm glad to hear it." "Well, that's what I wanted to talk to you about." "In the past 24 hours," "I've undergone rigorous diagnostic testing, submitted to an extensive psychological profile and I've been poked and prodded in organs that I didn't even know I had." "While all this testing may no doubt be necessary... frankly, I'm restless." "To tell you the truth, we could use a little help in the Mess Hall." "And I'd be glad to give you a hand." "But... after careful consideration," "I've decided that the most sensible thing for me to do is to resume the tactical post." "Tactical?" "Remember, Captain," "I do possess Tuvok's knowledge and expertise, and while I have no doubt that the crew misses Neelix's cooking, you need your most experienced Tactical Officer." "That's me." "If I may, Captain." "Mr. Tuvix..." "Tuvix?" "Apparently, that's what he likes to be called." "Mr. Tuvix is, indeed, in perfect health." "And since I've collected all the data I need, there's no reason I can't continue my investigation without him for the time being." "And, according to my tests, he's quite correct when he says that he possesses Tuvok's knowledge and expertise." "He also possesses" "Tuvok's irritating sense of intellectual superiority and Neelix's annoying ebullience." "I would be very grateful to you if you would assign him some duty." "Any duty... somewhere else." "Well..." "Mr. Tuvix..." "I'm not ready to assign you to the Bridge just yet, but why don't you join the senior staff for our noon briefing, and we'll see how it goes from there." "Captain, has anyone ever told you that you are as fair-minded as you are lovely?" "As a matter of fact," "Neelix has told me that occasionally." "And if you really do possess his memories... you'd know that flattery will get you nowhere." "The transporter was functioning normally." "Biofilters, pattern buffers, everything checked out." "What about the problem with the molecular imaging scanners?" "According to the transporter logs, they were optimal at the time of transport." "It was a perfectly routine beam-out sequence." "No anomalies, no power overloads, no malfunctions." "Our scans of the planet's surface and atmosphere don't show anything out of the ordinary." "There's no evidence of any type of alien interference." "Frankly, Captain, we're at a loss." "And the orchids, Kes?" "Have you found anything unusual about them?" "Commander Chakotay brought back a few samples on the shuttle and I ran a biochemical analysis." "They contain the same elements as many plants: chloroplasts," "Iysosomal enzymes, cytoplasmic proteins, but there's nothing unusual." "There's never been an accident like this recorded in the entire history of transporter technology." "I'm not willing to accept it as a random malfunction." "Captain, I recommend we program a holodeck simulation, try recreating the accident." "Sex." "I beg your pardon?" "What I mean to say is-- and I apologize for cutting you off, Commander" "I think we're on the wrong track." "Kes... you said that the flowers you examined contained lysosomal enzymes." "That's right." "According to Tuvok's botanical research, the presence of lysosomal enzymes could be evidence of symbiogenesis." "Symbiogenesis?" "Symbiogenesis is a rare reproductive process." "Instead of pollination or mating, symbiogenetic organisms merge with a second species." "Andorian amoebae, for instance-- they're able to merge with other single-celled organisms to form a third unique species." "A hybrid." "Like you." "Exactly." "It's an interesting idea, but we're talking about microcellular organisms here." "I've never heard of symbiogenesis occurring in a species as complex as a humanoid." "Actually, Captain, when you think about it," "Neelix and Tuvok were broken down to a microcellular level during transport" " DNA, protein, all in a state of molecular flux." "And if the enzymes that cause symbiogenesis interacted with their DNA while they were in the matter stream, it might've caused their patterns to merge." "Like an Andorian amoeba." "Just like that, Tuvix is born." "It's the best theory I've heard so far." "It's the only theory I've heard so far." "And it's worth investigating." "Mr. Paris, take a shuttle to the planet and collect additional flower specimens." "Yes, ma'am, but I'd recommend waiting until morning." "The weather on the planet can get pretty nasty at night." "Very well." "You'll depart at 600 hours." "Good work, Mr. Tuvix." "Kes." "Oh, hello." "Hello." "Do you need something?" "Actually, I was wondering if you'd like to join me for dinner." "Well, I, uh..." "You've already eaten?" "Well, no." "You're not hungry?" "Actually..." "If memory serves me," "Wednesday's the day that Neelix always cooked Trellan crepes-- your favorite meal?" "That's right." "Well, why break with tradition just because of a little transporter accident?" "Somebody's eggs are burning!" "Those are mine." "Can you flip them for me?" "I can't find a spatula." "Just... try tossing them." "Why don't you have a seat?" "I'll be with you in a minute." "Do you mind telling me what's going on here, crewman?" "We're making dinner." "I see." "All right, everybody out!" "On whose authority?" "Chief of Security or Head Chef-- take your pick." "Out, out, out!" "Come, come." "Out!" "So you really enjoyed the crepes?" "Oh, they were absolutely delicious." "Don't you think Neelix always made them a little too spicy?" "These were a little different than usual." "Did you change the recipe?" "Only slightly." "I thought more moderate seasoning would allow the flavor of the mushrooms to come through." "I loved the mushrooms." "I'm glad." "I can't believe how disorganized this galley was." "It's a wonder Neelix ever found anything." "He says he has a system." "But I guess you already know that." "I admire your strength, Kes." "Why do you say that?" "I know I'm not Neelix, but I can posit with complete certainty that if the situation were reversed-- if suddenly he found himself without you in his life-- he'd be absolutely lost." "I have to go." "Thanks again for dinner." "Good morning, Captain." "Commander." "You're here bright and early, Lieutenant." "Actually, I've been here since 0400 hours." "I wanted to work on that proximity detector glitch in the security subroutine." "And how's it going?" "I managed to correct it." "Tuvok said it could take up to ten days to check out all the possible problems." "How'd you fix it so fast?" "I had a hunch." ""A hunch"?" "That's correct." "You'll have a report on your desk first thing this afternoon." "Kim to Mr. Tuvix." "Tuvix here." "We're just about ready to start the transporter tests, if you'd like to join us." "I'm on my way." "Excuse me, Captain." "Well, he's certainly fitting in, isn't he?" "There's an old axiom:" ""The whole is never greater than the sum of its parts."" "I think Tuvix might be disproving that notion." "Give me the flowers from the airponics bay." "Here you go." "One prize-winning chrysanthemum... one garden-variety clematis... and last but not least... one symbiogenetic alien orchid." "I never thought that botanical science class would come in so handy." "Torres to Transporter Room 1." "We're ready down here." "Acknowledged." "Energizing." "We've made over 100 attempts to reverse the symbiogenesis using the medical transporter, and each time, this has been the unfortunate result-- complete cellular collapse." "The genetic codes of the chrysanthemum and the clematis are so scrambled that the targeting scanners can't recognize the original patterns." "I suppose it would be like trying to extract the flour, eggs and water after you'd baked the cake." "Obviously, in the case of Mr. Tuvix, we're dealing with a much more complex organism than a flower." "In effect, we're talking about recreating two humanoid life-forms without so much as a single discrete strand of DNA to start with." "Are you saying I'm going to be this way forever?" "I am an incredibly skilled doctor and I will continue to pursue a safe and effective treatment until I find one... but I won't lie to you." "I'm not optimistic." "It could take months, even years, to find a solution." "And we must face the possibility that this condition is simply... untreatable." "I feel as though I've lost two patients." "I'm sorry." "I'll inform the rest of the crew." "Come in." "I hope I'm not disturbing you." "It's all right." "Um, please... sit down." "Ocampan prayer tapers." "For Tuvok and Neelix?" "It's funny... if something happened to Tuvok, if Neelix were here, he'd be the first person to comfort me." "And if I lost Neelix..." "Tuvok would be the first person to guide me spiritually." "Now I don't have either of them." "You have me, Kes." "Thank you." "But..." "I remind you of what you've lost." "It's not your fault." "I know, and I'm trying to accept who I am now." "Captain Janeway tells me there's a place for me on this ship... but I can't help feeling like..." "like some sort of impostor." "Maybe we can help each other get through this." "That's what I've been hoping." "I know this is going to sound very strange to you... perhaps even illogical... since, in a way, we've only known each other a few days." "But I want you to know..." "I love you, Kes." "But I hardly know you." "A-And besides, what about... what about Tuvok's wife, for one thing?" "He was completely devoted to her." "What happens when Voyager gets back home?" "Are you just going to forget her?" "I could never forget T'Pel." "I carry Tuvok's love for her inside me and I would never ask you to forget Neelix." "How can you talk this way?" "Because I carry Neelix's love for you inside me, as well, and I always will." "You heard the Doctor." "It could be years before he finds a way to bring Tuvok and Neelix back-- if ever." "For you, that might be a lifetime." "Please go." "I'm sorry." "I should've controlled my emotions." "All I really came to say is that I'll be here for you if you need me." "Kes." "Captain." "I'm sorry." "I shouldn't have bothered you this late." "I'll, uh, talk to you tomorrow." "Actually, I was having trouble sleeping." "I could use some company." "Would you like some hot tea?" "Please, sit down." "I was just looking over some old letters Tuvok sent me when he was temporarily assigned to Jupiter Station." "Most people would say his writing is cold, analytical, detached, but..." "I've always found it to be... concise, efficient thoughtful." "I hear his voice when I read the words." "And Neelix..." "I'd become so fond of him, Kes." "I can't imagine what you're going through." "I wanted to talk to you about Tuvix." "He came to see me this afternoon." "Oh?" "He said... he said that he loves me." "I suppose I can see how that's possible, given the circumstances." "I wasn't sure what to say." "At first I was angry, but I know how he's trying to comfort me and I know that he feels alone, too." "To tell the truth, he's a wonderful person." "Do you have feelings for him, too, Kes?" "No, I don't." "I mean, how could I?" "I still love Neelix... and I'm not ready to give up on him, no matter what the Doctor says." "I know how you feel." "You're experiencing what people on this crew have been going through since we first got stranded in this Quadrant." "Do we accept that we're separated from our loved ones forever?" "Or do we hold on to the hope that, someday, we'll be with them again?" "What do you do, Captain?" "Oh..." "I struggle with it every day." "Sometimes, I'm full of hope and optimism." "Other times..." "I dream about being with Mark and it's so real." "Then, when I wake up and realize it's just a dream," "I'm terribly discouraged." "In those moments, it's impossible to deny just how far away he really is." "And, uh..." "I know that, someday," "I may have to accept that he's not part of my life anymore." "So, are you saying that I should just accept that Neelix isn't a part of my life anymore?" "I would never tell you or anyone else to give up hope, Kes." "I think the best thing you can do now... is give yourself time." "Thank you, Captain." "I'll go now and let you sleep." "My door is always open to you, Kes." "Captain's Log, Stardate 49678.4." "It's been two weeks since the transporter accident that created Mr. Tuvix and, while it's still not entirely clear that he's with us permanently, he's certainly been doing his best to settle in." "The crew seems to be growing accustomed to his presence, and he's proving to be a very able Tactical Officer who isn't afraid to express his opinions." "While he's forging relationships with many of the officers, he seems to be keeping a respectful distance from Kes, allowing her to adjust to the circumstances on her own terms." "As for my relationship with Tuvix," "I've found him to be an able advisor, who skillfully uses humor to make his points." "And although I feel a bit guilty saying it, his cooking is better than Neelix's." "My taste buds are definitely happy to have him around." "Sick Bay to Ensign Kim." "Please turn to your emergency medical holographic channel." "How can I help you, Doc?" "Suppose I found a radioisotope that could selectively attach itself to specific DNA sequences." "Could the surgical transporters be reprogrammed to lock on to those enhanced sequences and separate them from the remaining DNA?" "Well, I think so, but we'd have to modify the molecular imaging scanners, and find a way to compensate for the higher levels of radiation." "Thank you, Ensign." "Wait a second." "What's going on?" "It's pure speculation at this point." "I'll let you know when I've learned more." "This is about Tuvix, isn't it?" "I'm on my way." "Eight ball, corner pocket." "That's game again, Commander." "We've created a monster." "Best out of five?" "Would you mind if we finished this later, Commander?" "Not at all." "Hi." "Hi." "How have you been?" "Good days and bad days." "You?" "Me, too." "Listen, I'm sorry I've been so distant lately." "Kes, you don't owe me an explanation." "I've been doing a lot of thinking." "And I'm hoping that we can be friends." "I would like that very much." "And I'd like our friendship to grow." "You would?" "Yes." "But it's going to take time." "I'm not going anywhere." "Doctor to Lieutenant Tuvix." "Tuvix here." "Please report to Sick Bay immediately." "Until late in the 21st century, physicians administered barium to patients with certain gastrointestinal disorders." "The radioactive properties of the barium made the lining of the intestines visible, with a primitive imaging technology called X rays." "Instead of barium, we've come up with a radioisotope that attaches itself to the DNA of one of the merged species, but not the other." "Then we simply beam out the selected DNA, and segregate the two merged species." "You see these?" "They used to be a single merged flower." "And you can use this same process?" "It will require a more detailed reprogramming of the transporter, but, yes, I believe we can restore" "Mr. Tuvok and Mr. Neelix." "That's wonderful." "Isn't that wonderful?" "I assure you, Mr. Tuvix, there's nothing to worry about." "We've accounted for every variable." "Except one." "I don't want to die." "It's funny... if we'd had the ability to separate Tuvok and Neelix the moment Tuvix came aboard..." "I wouldn't have hesitated." "Of course not." "But now... in the past few weeks... he's begun to make a life for himself on this ship." "He's taken on responsibilities... made friends..." "I count myself as one of them." "So, at what point did he become an individual and not a transporter accident?" "Come in." "You wanted to see me, Captain?" "Yes, Mr. Tuvix." "Please, sit down." "I feel as though" "I've been dragged in front of the Numirian lnquisition." "Will you excuse us, Commander?" "We've just been discussing the unfortunate... predicament that we're all facing, and I thought it was important to get your perspective before making a decision." "Are you suggesting that this is your decision to make?" "I am the Captain of this ship." "Begging your pardon, Captain, it's my life." "Isn't it my decision?" "Aren't there two other lives to consider here?" "What about Tuvok and Neelix-- two voices that we can't hear right now?" "As Captain, I must be their voice, and I believe they would want to live." "But they are living, in a way." "Inside me." "It's not the same." "And I think you'd agree with me." "They have families." "Friends." "People who love them and miss them and want them back, just as I do." "But restoring their lives means sacrificing mine." "Captain... what you're considering is an execution." "An execution" "like they used to do to murderers centuries ago-- and I've committed no crime at all." "Aren't you arguing for an execution, too-- of Tuvok and Neelix?" "I'm here-- alive." "Unfortunate as it may be, they're gone." "And I have an opportunity to bring them back." "Don't you think that I care about Tuvok and Neelix?" "Of course I do!" "Without them, I wouldn't exist." "In a way, I think of them as my parents." "I feel like I know them intimately." "Then you know Tuvok was a man who would gladly give his life to save another." "And I believe the same was true of Neelix." "You're right, Captain." "That is the Starfleet way." "And I know there'll be some people who will call me a coward because I didn't sacrifice myself willingly." "Believe me, I've thought of that." "But I have the will to live of two men." "Look at me, Captain." "When I'm happy, I laugh." "When I'm sad, I cry." "When I stub my toe, I yell out in pain." "I'm flesh and blood." "And I... have the right to live!" "Kes..." "I need your help." "I've just come from the Captain, and she's thinking about forcing me to go through with the separation." "If anybody can make a difference, Kes, it's you." "She'll listen to you." "We've helped each other through this, and I know that you care about what happens to me." "Please." "Kes, you may be my only hope." "Come in." "Captain..." "Tuvix has asked me to speak to you on his behalf." "But I can't." "He shouldn't have put you in the middle of this." "But I am in the middle." "I have been since the moment of the accident." "I don't know how to say good-bye to Neelix and Tuvok." "I know this sounds horrible... and I feel so guilty for saying it... and Tuvix doesn't deserve to die... but I want Neelix back." "You're excused, Ensign." "Mr. Paris, what is our present speed?" "Warp 6.5." "I'd like to conduct a field test of the aft sensor array." "Please, slow to impulse." "Commander?" "Until the Captain makes a decision," "Mr. Tuvix is still the Tactical Officer." "Mr. Tuvix?" "I'd like to speak to you alone." "Can I assume that you've come to a decision, Captain?" "I have." "I think we all should hear what you have to say!" "Please come with me, Mr. Tuvix." "No." "I'm ordering you to come with me." "Security to the Bridge." "Commander, are you going to stand by and do nothing while she commits murder?" "!" "Wha..?" "Mr. Ayala!" "Yes..." "Lieutenant Paris... you..." "Doesn't anyone see that this is wrong?" "!" "Let him go." "Each of you is going to have to live with this... and I'm sorry for that." "For you are all good..." "good people." "My colleagues." "My friends." "I forgive you." "Commander Chakotay, advise the Doctor we're on our way to Sick Bay." "Deck 5." "I'm sorry, Captain, but I cannot perform the surgical separation." "I am a physician, and a physician must do no harm." "I will not take Mr. Tuvix' life against his will." "Very well, Doctor." "Please step aside." "I assume this is the radioisotope." "Please sit down on this bio-bed." "Locking surgical targeting scanners onto the isotope probe." "Initiating separation sequence." "Energizing." "Neelix!" "Hello, sweeting!" "Greetings, Captain." "Mr. Tuvok..." "Mr. Neelix... it's good to have you back." "Sick Bay to the Captain." "This is the Doctor speaking." "You've brought us out of stasis." "I assume you have news." "Yes." "Our sensors show your vital signs are normal." "How are you feeling?" "We're fine." "How long were we in stasis?" "A total of 17 days." "That long?" "I wanted to exhaust every possibility of finding a cure." "And?" "I regret to inform you that I have been unsuccessful." "I have not been able to develop a counteragent for the virus, and I have no other options to explore." "What about keeping us in stasis aboard Voyager?" "." "Something in the planet's environment is shielding you from the effects of the virus." "If you leave, you risk a recurrence of the disease, which would undoubtedly prove fatal." "The only option I can think of at the moment is contacting the Vidiians." "They have sophisticated medical technology." "It's possible they might be able to help." "We'll take it under advisement, Doctor." "Thank you for your efforts." "Janeway out." "What do you think?" "It's risky." "The Vidiians have never shown any willingness to help us." "It's more likely they'd attack Voyager and try to harvest body parts from the crew." "Agreed." "I just want to make sure we're not overlooking a possible alternative." "Could we live with ourselves, knowing we'd sent Voyager into that kind of danger?" "Janeway to Tuvok." "I'm here, Captain." "You must be aware of the Doctor's report." "Yes." "I'm turning over command of the ship to you on a permanent basis." "Your orders are to resume a course for the Alpha Quadrant." "And regardless of the Doctor's suggestion, you are not to make contact with the Vidiians." "I understand." "I'll prepare a message for the crew." "So we're just going to abandon them on this planet?" "Those were Captain Janeway's express orders." "But you're Captain now." "You can rescind them." "To what end?" "I can't believe we haven't been able to find a cure for an insect bite." "The Doctor hasn't deactivated himself for a month." "He's tried everything." "He's searched every database, attempted the most drastic research." "You can't fault him." "I can tell you the morale of the crew is going to suffer if we leave them behind." "Not if, Mr. Neelix." "When we leave them behind." "The decision has been made." "We will, of course, provide them with everything they'll need for their survival and comfort." "I am arranging for a modular shelter to be transported to the surface." "They'll have all the technology they need-- weapons, tricorders, a replicator." "You talk as though it were a camping trip." "They have to spend the rest of their lives down there." "That is not a certainty." "Captain Janeway intends to continue researching the virus." "She is an able scientist, and may eventually be able to effect a cure." "They have a type-9 shuttlecraft at their disposal, if it becomes possible for them to leave the planet." "A type-9 shuttlecraft has a top speed of warp 4." "It won't take them more than..." "oh, about 700 years to get home." "I am not certain what it is you expect me to do, Lieutenant." "I guess, clearly, something you can't do, which is to feel as rotten about this as we do." "You are correct that I am unable to experience that emotion." "And frankly, I fail to see what the benefit would be." "If there is nothing more, you are all dismissed." "Janeway to Tuvok." "Yes, Captain?" "We've received the transport." "We'll check it over and let you know if we're missing anything." "I will remain in orbit until I hear from you." "And, after that, we can still remain in communication for approximately 36 hours." "I'll contact you before the day is over." "Janeway out." "It looks like they transported the contents of the whole ship." "We may have to be here for a while." "Petri dishes, protein analyzer, DNA sequencers." "Everything I need for my research is here." "Do you really think you can find a cure?" "It may take a while, but, yes, I do." "If I can find a specimen of the insect that infected us, I can begin analyzing protein cofactors." "That might give us the information we need to find out what it is in this environment that's keeping us from being sick and how to replicate it." "Does it matter which way these things go?" "I guess it depends whether you're in a beige mood or a gray mood." "That's not much of a choice." "Couldn't Starfleet have come up with something a little more cheerful?" "Like polka dots?" "I was thinking more of a tasteful pinstripe, something in blues and greens." "Well, I suggest we put the gray on the outside and the beige inside." "I like that." "I've always looked better in beige." "Actually, it might be kind of interesting, roughing it for a while." ""Roughing it"?" "Let's see." "We have shelter, furniture, research equipment, tricorders, a replicator." "It's too rough for me." "We don't have a bathtub." "A bathtub?" "I love a bath." "It's my favorite way of relaxing." "Captain, I'm sure you can learn to love the sonic shower." "You know, Chakotay, it occurs to me, we aren't exactly in a command structure anymore." "Maybe you should call me Kathryn." "Give me a few days on that one, okay?" "This diagnostic report looks like it was written by a first-year Academy cadet." "There are mistakes." "It's incomplete." "I'm sorry, Lieutenant." "I guess I've been distracted." "We've all been distracted, Ensign." "That's no excuse." "Yes, ma'am." "I can't get anything done here." "Nobody can concentrate." "I know how they feel." "I'm not feeling so terrific myself, but I don't let that get in the way of my work." "B'Elanna... I've been talking with some of the Starfleet crew." "They're not happy about what happened." "I was wondering... how are the Maquis taking it?" "How do you think they're taking it?" "This isn't a Starfleet issue, Harry." "It's affecting everyone." "Then why don't we do something about it?" "Do what?" "I don't know." "It seems like we shouldn't just accept this." "Well, that's all well and good, but, frankly, I can't think of anything else we can do." "If you have any ideas, I'll listen." "Otherwise, I think we should take a deep breath and move on." "Catch anything?" "Just the same ones as yesterday, and they don't seem to carry the pathogen that's infected us." "Where have you been?" "Oh, in the woods." "For the past two days, you've been spending a lot of time in the woods." "Is something going on I should know about?" "Uh, not yet." "Not yet?" "What's that supposed to mean?" "It means, when it's time for you to know, I'll tell you." "Don't I even get hints?" "I'm building something." "Building?" "What could you be building?" "And why can't you tell me?" "You can't stand it, can you?" "You're like a little kid, wheedling." "Tuvok to Janeway." "Janeway here." "We're about to move out of communications range." "How are you faring?" "We're doing quite well." "I'd like to speak to the crew now." "Your com link has been put through to the entire ship." "This is Kathryn Janeway." "I've never liked saying good-bye, so I'll make this brief." "But I want you all to know that serving as your Captain has been the most extraordinary experience of my life." "No Captain could ask more than what this crew has given-- bravery, compassion and strength of character." "But I think what I'll miss most is the fun." "The times we joked together, the games on the holodeck." "I'll remember the laughter more than anything." "Although Commander Chakotay and I won't be with you for the rest of your journey, we know that you'll be the same steadfast crew for Mr. Tuvok as you have been for us." "We wish you a safe and a speedy journey home." "Our thoughts will be with you." "Janeway out." "Thank you, Captain, Commander." "I am sure I speak for the entire crew when I say we will always remember your grace and courage." "And I would like to add, it has been an honor serving with you." "Live long and prosper." "Kathryn Janeway's Personal Log, Stardate 49690.1." "Day 24 of our stay on the planet we've named New Earth." "As yet, I've been unable to make any progress in finding a cure for our illness, but a soak in the tub Chakotay built always helps me focus on possible solutions." "Chakotay, are you there?" "No, I left an hour ago." "I was thinking." "Maybe looking for protein cofactors is the wrong approach." "Even if I can't find a specimen of the insect that infected us... I could try to learn something about the biomolecular evolution of this planet's ecosystem." "Can't hurt to give it a try." "Chakotay!" "What?" "Someone's in the woods." "Over there." "It looks like some kind of primate." "I've detected primate life-signs here, but I've never seen one." "Hello." "Are you hungry?" "Is that why you came here?" "I'm Kathryn." "He's Chakotay." "We've had to move into your neighborhood, but I hope we can be friends." "Oh." "Maybe he'll come back." "Looking for a pet?" "No." "Looking for a clue about primate physiology on this planet." "They must have to contend with insect bites, too." "Well... excuse me." "Maybe we should be out looking for other primates." "I might be missing something important." "Kathryn... the Doctor worked for weeks trying to find a treatment for this disease." "Yes." "You've been at it 12 hours a day, seven days a week since we got here, and we're still no closer to a cure than we were the day we were infected." "I'm not sure what you're getting at." "My people have a saying." ""Even the eagle must know when to sleep."" "Maybe it's time we both considered that." "You mean quit." "Give up." "Why do you have to see it as defeat?" "Maybe it's simply... accepting what life has dealt us, finding the good in it." "There may be a day when I'll come to that, Chakotay, but... I'm a long way from it right now." "I need to keep looking." "Acting Captain's Log, supplemental." "After six weeks, the decision to leave Captain Janeway and the First Officer behind still seems to weigh heavily on the crew." "Captain Tuvok?" "Yes, Ensign?" "I'm picking up a convoy on long-range sensors." "It's Vidiian, sir." "Distance?" "Approximately 1.5 light-years." "Lieutenant, alter course to a different heading." "I don't want to risk their detecting us." "Sir, the Vidiians..." "Yes?" "They're within hailing range." "We could ask them if they know anything about the Captain's illness." "You're aware that Captain Janeway specifically told us not to risk contacting the Vidiians?" "Yes, but it's not like we went out of our way to find them." "We would just be taking advantage of an opportunity that's presented itself." "That bit of sophistry is not terribly persuasive, Ensign." "Sir, how can we turn our backs on this chance to do something?" "Don't we have to try?" "Don't we owe that to the Captain and the Commander?" "The matter is closed, Ensign." "Return to your station." "What's wrong with the rest of you?" "You know I'm right." "Ensign Kim." "We have a chance to help them." "How can we ignore that?" "Ensign, you are relieved of duty." "Leave the Bridge at once, or I will have you put in the brig." "Harry..." "Proceed on the altered course, Lieutenant." "Excuse me, Ensign Kim." "Could we?" "Sure." "Have a seat." "We just wanted you to know, we heard what happened on the Bridge." "And we think you're absolutely right." "We've got to contact the Vidiians." "It's a risk, but it's worth it." "That's what I think, but Captain Tuvok's made his decision." "Two Ensigns and a crewman won't change his mind." "There are a lot more who agree with us." "A lot." "Really?" "Everyone we talk to can't believe that Tuvok won't give this a try." "Come on." "Did you hear what happened this morning?" "Sure did." "Three weeks ago, you said if I had an idea about what to do, you'd listen." "I'm listening." "Is there something going on that I should know about?" "Have a seat, Neelix." "We might have come up with the biggest morale booster you could possibly imagine." "Come in." "Could I have a moment, sir?" "It's 0100 hours, Ensign." "Don't you have the early shift this morning?" "Yes, sir, but this is important." "Very well." "First of all, I want to apologize for my behavior yesterday." "Apology accepted." "I understand that this is a difficult situation for you." "I'd like to suggest a plan." "It's something a lot of people have helped to develop." "We have two big bargaining points when it comes to dealing with the Vidiians." "First, there's the woman Doc treated" " Danara Pel." "They were very close, so I'm sure she'd help us if she could;" "and then there's B'Elanna." "Her DNA might lead to a cure for the phage." "We could offer them some-- in exchange for their help with a cure for the Captain and Chakotay." "Those are, as you say, points in our favor, but there is also the fact that we were recently responsible for the destruction of a Vidiian ship, an act which killed over 300 of their people." "That alone makes it unwise for us to contact them." "Sir... I think you should know how many people on this ship disagree with you." "Everyone I talked to thinks we should give this a try." "The people you talked to do not have the responsibility of commanding this vessel." "I do." "The safety of this crew is paramount, and I must do whatever I can to ensure that safety." "But if we're willing to take that risk in order to help the Captain..." "Ensign, I'm going to say this once and once only." "If you ever question my orders again, you will be relieved of duty permanently." "The next words I expect to hear from you are, "yes, sir."" "Yes... sir." "I'm going to check the insect traps in beta-4." "Oh, what are you up to now?" "Making headboards." "Headboards?" "I've noticed you sometimes sit up in your bed to read." "Figured you might as well have a comfortable backrest." "That's very thoughtful of you, Chakotay." "You've done so many things to make our lives easier here." "The cooking, for example." "I hate to cook." "But what I do makes you uncomfortable, doesn't it?" "Every time I do something that adds a personal touch to the shelter, you resist it." "Sometimes it feels... as though you've given up." "That you're focused on making a home here instead of finding a cure that will let us leave." "I can't sacrifice the present waiting for a future that may never happen." "The reality of this situation is that we may never leave here." "So, yes, I'm trying to make a home-- something that's more than a plain gray box." "Someday I may have to let go." "But not today, okay?" "I tried a new glucose bait in the traps." "I have a feeling this might be the day I make a breakthrough." "Hello?" "Chakotay?" "Hello again." "Well, you certainly cover a lot of territory." "Or are you following me?" "Do you understand me?" "There." "Know what that is?" "That little insect just might be what gets me out of your backyard." "What do you think of that, huh?" "What is it?" "What's happened to the sky?" "If you're suggesting I should get out of here, I agree." "Oh!" "Oh!" "Kathryn!" "Kathryn." "Are you hurt?" "No. I couldn't keep my balance and carry the case." "Give it to me." "What's happening?" "It seems to be some kind of plasma storm." "Our tricorders don't recognize it, but it sure packs a wallop." "Come in." "Do you have a moment?" "Of course." "Please sit down." "I'd like to talk to you..." "about my father." "Your father?" "He was a very wise man." "More than anyone, he shaped the person I am." "If it hadn't been for him, I would have never questioned my people's beliefs." "I would have never left our city." "I would never have met all of you." "Then we owe him a debt." "It is difficult to imagine this journey without you." "When he died, I had just turned one year old." "I didn't know how I'd get through the rest of my life without him, but then I started working with you and I didn't miss him so much anymore." "I am honored by the comparison." "As Captain, the well-being of your crew is important to you." "Of course." "Their emotional well-being as well as their physical safety?" "I cannot allow myself to become hostage to their feelings." "Tuvok, they are suffering because of this." "Maybe you don't know what it's like." "If you are suggesting that I am not sensitive to the situation, nothing could be further from the truth." "I have lost a valued friend." "I am not immune to the effects of that loss." "Then try to imagine what it's like for those of us who feel things deeply." "A lot of the crew are on the Bridge, hoping you'll talk to them." "None of you can appreciate what it means to be in command of a ship until that responsibility rests squarely on your shoulders as it does on mine." "It has been suggested that I take an action, which would require me to disobey an order, and knowingly put this crew into a life-threatening situation." "In general, I believe it demonstrates faulty leadership to be guided by the emotions of a distraught crew." "However, as Captain, I must not ignore the sensibilities of those I command." "We will contact the Vidiians." "This is my decision and mine alone." "You are all absolved of responsibility in the matter." "I will accept any consequences which may ensue." "Lieutenant, set a course for the Vidiian convoy." "Mr. Kim, let me know when we're within hailing range." "Oh!" "Oh, no!" "Let's check outside." "Maybe some of the insect traps are still intact." "None of this is salvageable either." "There's no way I can continue to do my research." "I'm sorry." "Well, that's one way of letting go." "Captain's Log, Stardate 49694.2." "We have contacted the Vidiian convoy with encouraging results." "They have promised to communicate with Dr. Danara Pel and ask if she will help us." "Sir, the Vidiians are hailing us." "On screen." "Hello, Lieutenant." "Doctor Pel, I didn't expect to see you this quickly." "When I heard what happened, I boarded the first ship I could." "Tell me about this illness." "They were infected by a virus after being bitten by insects on a planet approximately 70 light-years from here in a system with a yellow dwarf star." "The third planet in a system of seven?" "Yes." "I know it well." "There's a particular kind of burrowing insect that carries the disease." "Years ago, we developed an antiviral agent to combat it." "Can we get some from you?" "Of course." "Our Captain said we could rendezvous with you." "He's transmitted the coordinates." "I have them, sir." "Thank you, Doctor." "We appreciate your help." "I'm glad I can be of assistance." "Estimated time to the coordinates?" "Approximately 20 hours." "Until then, I want a series of battle drills." "We must be ready for whatever comes." "I've been thinking... there's plenty of wood available here." "I could probably add rooms to the shelter." "Give us a little more living space." "How would you mill it?" "I could do a certain amount with a phaser, but I was actually thinking of logs." "As in log cabin?" "I built a few of them when I was growing up." "My father thought it was important that I learn how." "When I was young, my parents took us on backpacking trips." "They thought we should all keep a connection to our pioneer roots." "I hated it-- no bed, no replicator..." "No bathtub." "No bathtub." "I guess I was always a child of the 24th century." "Well..." "maybe those camping trips helped prepare you for life here." "Oh, no." "Life here is much better than that." "I think that's the first time I've heard you say anything positive about being here." "Well, hello there." "I haven't seen you in a while." "Where have you been?" "Do you expect him to answer you?" "Not really." "I just sense intelligence in him, and I could swear he came to warn me about the plasma storm." "Come here, fella." "Come on." "I doubt that he can be domesticated-- at least not very easily." "Well, we have plenty of time." "The rest of our lives." "That's a long time." "At least I hope so." "Well, I can't give you orders anymore, but I suggest we get back to work." "Aye, aye, Captain." "I guess I'm not used to that kind of work." "My knots are getting knots." "Here, let me help." "Oh, that feels good." "I've had a lot of practice at this." "My mother used to get sore necks all the time." "I was the only one she'd trust not to make it worse." "That's much better." "Thank you." "Well..." "I'm going to go to bed now." "I'll see you in the morning." "Sleep well, Kathryn." "Yes." "You, too." "Got something." "Vidiian ship, bearing 325 mark 5." "Hail them." "They aren't responding." "Trying on alternating frequencies." "I'm reading a second ship, 177 mark 5." "I've got it." "Now a third." "They're surrounding us." "None of them are answering hails and their weapons are powered." "Red Alert." "We have to talk about this." "All right." "I think we need to define some parameters... about us." "I'm not sure I can..." "define parameters." "But I can tell you a story-- an ancient legend among my people." "It's about an angry warrior who lived his life in conflict with the rest of his tribe-- a man who couldn't find peace, even with the help of his spirit guide." "For years, he struggled with his discontent." "But the only satisfaction he ever got came when he was in battle." "This made him a hero among his tribe, but the warrior still longed for peace within himself." "One day, he and his war party were captured by a neighboring tribe led by a woman warrior." "She called on him to join her because her tribe was too small and weak to defend itself from all its enemies." "The woman warrior was brave and beautiful and very wise." "The angry warrior swore to himself... that he would stay by her side, doing whatever he could to make her burden lighter." "From that point on, her needs would come first." "And in that way... the warrior began to know... the true meaning of peace." "Is that really... an ancient legend?" "No." "But that made it easier to say." "Shields down to 58 percent." "Rearm the forward phaser array and fire at will." "Firing." "Shields down to 47 percent." "Sir, there are just too many of them." "Load aft torpedo bays." "Torpedoes armed." "Fire number one." "Report." "They're still coming." "Fire number two." "Tuvok to Engineering." "Torres here, sir." "Listen carefully." "She has a broken arm." "Set it with the osteogenic stimulator." "I think there's someone on the monitor." "This way." "Odd." "Why wouldn't they just use the com line?" "I don't think this is coming from our ship." "Shmullus..." "Shmullus, can you hear me?" "Danara." "Shmullus, I have to do this quickly." "I'm on one of the Vidiian ships." "Do they know you're contacting me?" "Are you in any danger?" "No." "Everyone's too focused on the battle." "Oh, Shmullus, I swear I didn't know they planned to attack." "I thought we were on an errand of mercy." "I believe you." "I have the antiviral serum here." "If you could use your transporter to get it to your..." "Our shields are up." "We can't transport anything through them." "I don't know what else to suggest." "All right." "I'll see what I can do." "Maybe we can lower the shields long enough to transport the serum." "Sick Bay to Bridge." "This is Tuvok." "We're rather busy here, Doctor." "Doctor Pel is on one of the Vidiian ships." "If we can drop our shields briefly, we can beam aboard the serum." "Keep this com line open, Doctor." "When you hear me order the shields down, you must complete a site-to-site transport yourself." "We will be busy with the Vidiians." "Understood." "Bridge to Engineering." "Report." "We're ready to eject the antimatter container." "Stand by for my command." "Here is the sequence of events." "We will drop shields to transport the medicine." "At the same moment, the antimatter container will be ejected." "As soon as it's clear," "Mr. Kim will detonate it with a photon torpedo." "Simultaneously, Mr. Paris will jump to full impulse, so that we will not take the brunt of the explosion." "Is everyone clear on this?" "Timing is of the utmost importance." "We won't get a second chance." "Understood." "Aye, sir." "We're ready down here." "Doctor?" "I've set up to make the transport." "Stand ready, then." "Lower shields." "Initiating transport." "Ejecting the antimatter container... now." "We've got it." "Raise shields." "Mr. Kim, Mr. Paris?" "Go." "Firing torpedo." "Report." "The Vidiian ships are all disabled, sir." "They're not pursuing." "Ready to go to warp, sir." "Set a course for the planet where we left the Captain and Commander Chakotay." "Warp 6." "Aye, aye, sir." "How are they coming?" "Very nicely." "We should have vine-ripened Talaxian tomatoes in a couple of months... unless this planet has the equivalent of tomato bugs." "Oh, they're awful." "I would never have thought of you as a gardener." "Hmm. I grew up around farmers." "My parents insisted we learn some basic gardening skills." "Did you hate that as much as camping?" "Of course." "Who wanted to muck around in the dirt when you could be studying quantum mechanics?" "But..." "I find it very satisfying now, watching the seeds sprout and grow." "If your tomatoes could spare you for a minute, I'd like your opinion on something in the house." "You've come to the right person." "I always have an opinion." "Really?" "What do you think?" "A boat." "You said you wanted to explore the river?" "I think I could build this." "We could go on a camping trip." "I'm not sure we could fit the bathtub in the boat." "Well, that's all right." "I'll have the river." "Do you hear that?" "Yes." "...to Captain Janeway." "Do you read me?" "This is Tuvok calling Captain Janeway and Commander Chakotay." "Please respond." "This is Janeway." "Captain, it's good to hear your voice." "We have news." "What is it?" "We have medicine which we believe will effectively treat your condition." "We plan to be in orbit within 30 hours." "Ready?" "There you are." "At least I get to say good-bye." "Feel free to use the house." "Janeway to Voyager." "Two to beam up." "Welcome back, Captain." "Commander." "The Doctor tells me you contacted the Vidiians after all." "I disobeyed your order, Captain." "I am prepared to accept the consequences." "If I didn't know you better, I'd say your decision was almost... emotional." "Thank you all." "Well, we've lost time with all this." "Let's see if we can make some of it up." "Mr. Paris, warp 8." "Aye, Captain." "Commander, we'll need to review the ship's systems." "I'll handle propulsion, environmental and communication." "You'll be responsible for sensors, weapons and transporters." "Aye, Captain." "I'll have a report to you by 1800 hours." "Check with phaser maintenance." "See if they solved that problem with the prefire chamber temperature." "Yes, ma'am." "I'll see to it." "Look." "And you said they were incompatible." "You have confirmed the genetic structure?" "An entirely new species." "I'm going to name it after you." "The Tuvok orchid." "That is an honor you should reserve for yourself, Mr. Suder." "You gave this species life." "And you gave me life." "All of this is because of you." "Because of the meld." "The meld may have introduced you to my interest in floriculture, but you have embraced it entirely on your own." "And discovered a unique talent within yourself in the process." "I used to think the only talent I had was a talent for killing." "Please... it's my way of saying thank you." "Very well." "I accept." "Tuvok, I want to do something for the ship." "I'm not asking you to let me out of confinement." "I accept my punishment." "But if I could just... just contribute somehow." "What contribution do you feel you could make from your quarters?" "I was..." "I was thinking I might adapt some of the genetic engineering techniques I've developed for the orchids to make the airponic vegetable garden more productive." "Your attitude is admirable." "I will discuss it with the Captain." "Do you think she'll agree?" "We'll see." "Now, shall we begin?" "Notice your mind working." "How it plans for the future, visits the past." "Notice those thoughts and set them aside." "Turn your attention to the white light that is your breath." "Captain, we're being hailed on a subspace frequency." "Are there ships in the vicinity?" "Negative." "Tracking the source." "Seems likes it's coming from an unmanned buoy." "Coordinates 140 mark 317." "It looks like a Kazon signal, Captain." "Take us out of warp." "Open a channel." "Chakotay, they're going to take your son." "When Culluh saw the baby... I hear them coming." "I don't have much time." "When he saw the baby wasn't his..." "Please, Chakotay, help us-- not for me, for your son." "I told you to stay out of here." "No, please don't." "Don't take him!" "I beg..." "No!" "Please, no." "No!" "This is not my responsibility." "She has no right to expect me..." "She knows you, Chakotay." "She knew how you'd react when you saw your son in danger." "I have a duty to this crew." "I can't just leave and go looking for the child." "And I'd never consider letting you go into a Kazon-Nistrim stronghold by yourself." "If we do this, we do it together." "That's something else Seska would know, too." "Do you think it's a trap?" "Do I think Seska is capable of manipulating you and me with this?" "Oh, yes." "On the other hand, it was time for her to deliver." "And that baby we saw did look part Cardassian and part human." "And knowing Culluh, I'm sure his pride was wounded when he realized the child wasn't his." "It makes sense, Chakotay." "It might all be true." "Still, the safest thing would be to ignore this message and resume our course." "I'm not going to resume our course just yet." "I want you to think about it, Chakotay." "This has to be your decision." "If you choose to go after him, I know I speak for the entire crew" "Starfleet and Maquis alike-- when I say we'll stand behind you." "Ah-koo-chee-moya." "We are far from the sacred places of our grandfathers." "We are far from the bones of my people, but I ask on this day of sorrow and uncertainty that the wisdom of my father find me and help me understand my dilemma." "Speak to me, Father." "Speak to me in my dreams." "I've never seen you so troubled, Chakotay." "I have a son, Father." "A son, Chakotay?" "Oh." "This is the reason for your despair." "Was he born with two arms and two legs and a heart that beats?" "Yes, but..." "Then it's a cause for celebration." "You will make a fine father." "You needn't worry." "I'm not sure I'm willing to be a father to him." "Hmm." "Not willing?" "He was born without my consent." "I had no part in it." "No part in it?" "Well, it's been a long time, so forgive me, but it seems that I had to play a part before your mother could conceive." "My DNA was taken from me." "Used by a woman to impregnate herself without my permission." "I see." "You're trying to decide whether you should accept the child in your heart." "It's more than that." "But it must begin with that." "How do you take a child into your heart who is forced upon you by a mother's deception?" "He knows nothing of deception." "He is innocent." "Centuries ago, when the women of our tribe were raped by white conquerors, many gave birth to their children." "And we did not reject them." "They were accepted by the tribe." "One was a direct ancestor of ours, Chakotay." "His name was Ce Acatl." "He became a great leader of our people." "Here is a man who was given life without his mother's consent." "Are you so different from her?" "And is your child so different from Ce Acatl?" "No." "He is your son, Chakotay." "And he is a child of our people." "I've been in touch with the Talaxian mining colony on Prema ll." "They're willing to come to our assistance if we run into trouble." "That's good for about 40 hours if we average warp 2." "After that, we're out of their com range." "Well, it's nice to know we have friends in the area." "Thank you, Neelix." "I recommend a full diagnostic of our tactical array prior to the start of the mission, Captain." "Agreed, but I want more from tactical, Lieutenant." "I want to anticipate a trap." "And I want a few tricks up our sleeves, if we need them." "Captain, I could program the deflector grid to make it look like we have help on the way." "I'll show you what I mean." "Excuse me, Doctor." "Echo displacement." "Exactly." "This is how we'd look to the enemy sensors." "If we generate multiple decoy images like these, the Kazon would think that ships are coming toward us." "We could create as many as we want." "That's a good start, Harry." "It should distract them for a while." "But what else can we do if we're eventually intercepted by a superior force?" "If you don't mind, I do have something to add." "Thank you." "Captain, I hesitate to offer suggestions in a field of endeavor that is not within my usual area of expertise." "Please, Doctor, your suggestions on any subject are always welcome." "Really?" "ln that case, you may expect several more on a variety of matters in the near future." "Right now, may I suggest that we also consider attempting to create an actual holographic illusion of friendly ships." "With all due respect, Doctor, we can't even figure out how to project you into this room." "How are we supposed to create holographic ships in space?" "I would humbly submit that my program is far more sophisticated than your run-of-the-mill hologram." "In fact, projecting the illusion of a large three-dimensional object has been a trick of magicians for centuries." "We'll just do it with mirrors." "Mr. Paris' predictable attempts at humor not withstanding, that is precisely what I would suggest." "Installing holo-emitters along the hull with parabolic mirrors to enlarge the images as they are reflected into space." "We're going to use up a lot of our power reserves trying to pull it off." "If these ships can fool the Kazon, it's worth it." "But can they?" "If the Kazon scan the holograms, they will immediately realize there are no life signs on board, no power signatures..." "Okay, so we can't fool them for long, but maybe it'll be long enough." "It's an advantage." "And we'll need every advantage we can get on this mission." "Work on the Doctor with it, B'Elanna." "Mr. Kim, cut power to all systems to minimum requirements." "I don't want to show up on any Kazon long-range scanners." "Mr. Paris, locate the warp signature from Culluh's ship and set a course to follow-- warp 2." "Aye, Captain." "Dismissed." "Uh, excuse me, but there is one more thing." "Thank you." "It's not Culluh's ship." "Looks more like a shuttle." "Slow to impulse." "Set an intercept course, Mr. Paris." "Have they indicated the nature of the distress?" "Just a signal, Captain." "No response to our hails." "Let's go to Red Alert." "Visual range." "On screen." "Showing one life sign." "Adult Kazon male." "He's in critical condition." "Janeway to Sick Bay." "Prepare to receive an emergency transport." "Standing by, Captain." "Commander." "Mr. Tuvok, you have the Bridge." "Remain at Red Alert." "Aye, Captain." "His hip is broken." "Showing severe inflammation in the bronchial tissue." "It appears he inhaled noxious gases vented in the damaged shuttle." "40 milligrams pulmozine." "I know this man." "His name's Tierna." "He's one of Seska's aides." "She had him work me over when I was on their ship." "Seska... is dead." "Seska thought that she could manipulate the maje." "She bragged about it to me more than once, but this time she was wrong." "We had just launched the buoy with the message for you." "Then they came for her." "They cut her throat, as Culluh watched." "He ordered them to execute me, but I bribed one of the guards to get me to a shuttle." "As soon as he saw it leaving, Culluh opened fire-- destroyed my life-support systems." "He left me in space to die." "What about the child?" "Taken to the Gema iv colony to be raised as a servant." "We'll be needing your help getting to the Gema system." "You're going after him?" "This ship, alone?" "I want nothing to do with this." "I'm not taking you into Nistrim space." "Under the circumstances, I'd say you don't have much of a choice." "What's his prognosis?" "He'll be on his feet in a day or two, but there's still a number of things we need to keep an eye on." "He's had... a nasty concussion, spinal cord trauma and a polycythemia, the cause of which I've yet to discover." "Polycythemia?" "An abnormal increase in the number of red blood cells." "I'd like you to run an autonomic response analysis the next time I question him." "I'm afraid that won't help you determine if he's telling the truth, Commander." "An ARA depends on making a baseline comparison with a known response for a given species." "Any Tom, Dick or Harry from the Alpha Quadrant, I could probably help you, but not with any of the new species of the Delta Quadrant." "Regarding his veracity, it may help you to know that if we'd arrived an hour later, he would have been dead from his injuries." "The molecular variance residual on his shuttle is evidence of disruptor blasts, and the signature is Kazon, so at least that part of his story seems to be true." "Plus, we confirmed nitrogen tetroxide fumes were in the cabin." "If all this was part of a Kazon scheme, he had to be willing to breathe poison for hours before we got there." "Have you found anything at all that would cast doubt on his story?" "No." "I still don't trust him." "The trip would take six days at warp 2." "Four days, if you didn't take such a circuitous route-- if we simply went across the Tenarus cluster." "You would encounter the Nistrim fleet before a single day passed." "Anyone who knows this part of space will tell you the same thing." "It so happens that I do know this part of space, my Kazon friend." "I just wanted to see if you would tell us the truth." "The route he suggests is safer, Captain." "Of course it's safer." "I don't want to run into Culluh any more than you do." "We might have more success avoiding him if you gave us the command codes for the Nistrim defense net." "Computer, display tactical overview of our current course." "Enter code sequence:" "Four-nine- one-one-seven-zero-Culluh." "Mr. Paris, adjust our course to avoid the defense net." "Aye, Captain." "That is not an end to the danger." "We are heading into an area of space populated by Kazon factions that are loyal to no one." "They will attack without provocation." "Vessel approaching." "Coordinates: 314 mark 21." "Signature is Kazon." "Red Alert." "Configuration of the ship, Mr. Tuvok?" "A small raider, Captain." "It does not pose a significant threat." "Nevertheless, it is powering up its weapon systems." "Shields are holding." "Return fire." "The raider is breaking off its attack." "Minor damage to secondary command processors on Deck 12." "EPS power supplies, and isolinear controllers are off-line." "No casualties though." "Begin repairs, Mr. Kim." "Any other sign of Kazon ships, Lieutenant?" "Nothing on long-range sensors." "The raider is continuing to retreat." "We should have a couple of hours to ourselves at least." "Good." "We can use them." "Stand down Red Alert." "Captain, we're about to go beyond the com range of the Talaxian colony." "Just thought you'd like to know." "Thank you, Lieutenant." "Maintain current course." "Captain." "I haven't forgotten, Mr. Tuvok." "Very well." "This seems as good a time as any." "Captain." "Mr. Suder." "Please... please come in." "W-won't you sit down?" "Excuse the mess." "I wasn't expecting company." "Can I get you some tea?" "Have you had lunch?" "Nothing, thank you." "Lieutenant Tuvok has been telling me about your progress." "Has he?" "Well, I'm... I'm very grateful to him, Captain." "I still have a lot to learn, of course, but he is an excellent tutor." "When we first started our studies, I..." "The Captain's time is limited, Mr. Suder." "What?" "Oh." "Of course." "I have explained your proposal to her." "I'd like to know more about it, Mr. Suder." "What exactly would be involved?" "Yes, yes..." "Let me show you." "I've actually had very encouraging results with a new gene-splicing technique." "I created a targeted restriction enzyme to facilitate the hybrid." "And you feel you could experiment on our airponic crops here in your quarters?" "Absolutely. I would make this an airponic laboratory and all I would need are a few plants, certain chemicals and equipment." "What sort of chemicals and equipment?" "Nothing dangerous." "I've prepared a list." "It's an interesting proposition, Mr. Suder." "Let me discuss it with Kes and Lieutenant Tuvok and I'll get back to you." "I've already discussed it with Kes and she is very interested." "Good." "Let me give it some thought." "If you're worried you can't trust me, Captain..." "Mr. Tuvok has assured... I only want to do something-- something for the ship." "I understand, Mr. Suder." "Then what's the problem?" "Why won't you give me an answer?" "Mr. Suder." "I just want to do something for the ship." "Excuse me." "Captain's Log, supplemental." "None of the four Kazon attacks have caused serious damage, but the starboard ventral has been hit each time-- complicating repairs on the secondary command processors." "You are making an adequate recovery, Mr. Tierna." "The only matter that I simply cannot understand is this lingering polycythemia." "I feel fine." "The medical record you gave us does not indicate any prior blood disorders." "Might it be an inherited trait?" "Do you know if your parents ever..?" "My parents were killed in a Trabe attack shortly after I was born." "I see." "Well, we'll need to monitor this condition for a while." "It might be due to some chemical imbalance that our sensors aren't recognizing." "Possibly the result of the toxins you inhaled while on the shuttle." "You're welcome." "Feeling better?" "I'm sure I'll make a complete recovery." "Just in time for the Gema colony's defense force to destroy us all." "You're still not optimistic about our chances, are you?" "No." "We've had no problem repelling the attacks so far." "Attacks... when there's a real Nistrim attack, you'll know it." "You still have pride in the Nistrim, don't you, Tierna?" "Even after what they did to you." "I remember that pride in your eyes when you pounded me with your fists while I was tied to a chair." "And I can see it in your eyes now, and that scares the hell out of me." "You must scare easily, Federation." "Tell me something, Tierna." "Every Kazon attack seems to focus on our starboard ventral." "Think that might be some kind of pattern?" "I wouldn't know." "Because if it is, and you've been lying to us..." "Commander Chakotay." "Not in my Sick Bay, please." "Firing phasers." "Increase speed to one-half impulse." "Aye, Captain." "They're coming at our starboard ventral again." "Our shields there haven't been repaired yet." "We're going to sustain more damage to the secondary command processors." "Starboard ventral." "Warning." "Fires have been detected on Decks 12 and 15 Sections A-4 through C-18." "Control units are responding, Captain." "Keep our port forequarter facing the line of attack, Mr. Paris." "Don't let them see our starboard ventral." "I'm doing my best." "Continuous fire, starboard phasers." "Acknowledged." "They're withdrawing, Captain." "Stand down Red Alert." "Mr. Kim?" "Deck 12 is in shambles." "We barely have time to begin repairs before they attack it again." "At least no one was hurt." "The secondary command processors are nonfunctional." "We'll have to rebuild them." "I'd say we're looking at two days' work if we're not attacked again." "Why would these factions of Kazon, loyal to no one, all have the same agenda?" "And why would that agenda focus on a nonessential area of the ship?" "I don't know, but it feels like we're being pecked to death by ducks." "We can't just stay on this course and wait to see what they have in store for us." "I agree. lt's time to reexamine our game plan." "Mr. Paris, reverse course." "Aye, Captain." "Mr. Tierna should be restricted to quarters on a secured deck until further notice." "Acknowledged." "Dinnertime, Mr. Suder." "We have a fine leola root soup tonight." "I'm not hungry." "Red Alert." "I'm afraid we have to go." "I'll leave it here." "Just in case." "How many do you count, Mr. Tuvok?" "Eight large carrier vessels, confirmed Kazon signatures." "Funny how they show up right after we reverse course." "Time to intercept?" "Eight minutes." "Their attack formation is a classic Cardassian echelon." "Curious." "They have left us with an obvious avenue of escape, Captain." "You're right." "It is curious." "Too curious for me." "I don't know what's down that avenue of escape," "Mr. Tuvok, but I like to choose my own way." "Set a course to intercept their lead ship." "Aye, Captain." "Battle stations." "Time to intercept?" "Three minutes, ten seconds... give or take a photon torpedo." "Mr. Kim?" "Echo displacement ready, Captain." "Send in the cavalry." "Activating deflector grid." "They should be seeing the same thing on their scanners-- ten ships with Talaxian signatures." "Four of the Kazon ships are breaking formation." "Confirmed." "They're changing course." "They took the bait." "That only leaves four for us to handle." "I like those odds better than eight to one." "Two minutes to intercept." "Janeway to Torres." "We're ready down here, Captain." "All the new holo-projectors are on line." "We can create three Talaxian ships whenever you want to." "In about a minute and a half, B'Elanna." "Stand by." "Perhaps we should try one last systems check." "We've already done it twice." "I'm new at this, and we've never put such a demand on the holo-generators before." "We should've boosted the power input." "The defense systems are going to need all the auxiliary power we have, Doctor." "We might try a preliminary..." "Doctor!" "It'll work." "Everything'll be fine." "I'm not worried." "Here we go." "They are randomly detonating torpedoes in our flight path." "Shields are holding." "No damage." "Hold your fire, Mr. Tuvok." "They may have torpedoes to waste-- we don't." "30 seconds to intercept." "Take us out of warp." "Engaging impulse engines." "Power to all weapon systems." "Stand by phasers." "Kazon vessel, 10,000 kilometers off our starboard bow." "Not yet." "6,000 kilometers." "Not yet." "5,000." "3,000... 2,000." "Now!" "Initiating evasive maneuvers, beta sequence." "Two more Kazon ships approaching." "Shields at 90 percent." "Janeway to Torres." "Initiate holo-programs." "Acknowledged." "Energizing." "That's two." "And here's number three." "Help!" "Man overboard!" "Doctor, are you there?" "Are you all right?" "I told you we should have run one last systems check." "Fourth Kazon ship, dead ahead." "But they're dividing their fire, Captain." "The holograms are working." "Ready photons." "Torpedoes loaded." "Take us about, Mr. Paris." "We want a good angle on that fourth ship." "Coming about, 141 mark 20." "Fire photon number one." "Full starboard roll." "Evasive maneuvers, lambda sequence." "Fire." "Shields at 85 percent and holding." "Minor damage reported, Deck 14." "Come about to 143 mark 060." "Coming about." "Ready photons." "Dispersal pattern sierra." "Fire." "I'm reading a massive discharge on Deck 8." "We've lost a primary plasma conduit." "Deck 8" " Tierna's quarters." "Damage control teams to Deck 8." "I'm showing power failures all over the ship." "We've lost power to the new holodeck grid." "I can't restore it." "B'Elanna, are you all right?" "Yes, Captain." "But it looks like our reactant injector controls were hit." "Stand by." "All three Kazon ships are concentrating their fire on us now, Captain." "Shields at 70 percent and falling." "Starboard targeting scanners are off-line." "Evasive maneuvers, Mr. Paris." "Gamma sequence." "Engineering, I need warp power." "We can't go to warp, Captain." "The containment field generator has been damaged." "I'm attempting to bypass." "Captain, if I can get a shuttle through the crossfire, I can go back and bring the Talaxians to help us." "Chakotay, take the conn." "Good luck, Lieutenant." "Shuttle is clear." "So far, so good." "Give him as much cover fire as you can, Tuvok." "Aye, Captain." "Voyager to Paris." "Please respond." "Tom, can you hear me?" "I've lost contact with the shuttle." "Navigational array is off-line." "We've lost power to forward phasers." "Shields at 30 percent." "They're buckling." "Report." "The driver coil assembly has been destroyed." "Impulse engines are off-line." "We're being boarded through the shuttle bays, Captain." "Phaser fights reported on Decks 5, 6, 7." "Intruder alert." "Security to Decks 5 through 7." "Begin evacuation." "Janeway to computer." "Initiate self-destruct sequence." "Authorization:" "Janeway-pi-1-1-0." "Set at ten minutes." "Unable to initiate self-destruct sequence due to damage to secondary command processors." "Stay where you are." "Don't move!" "Hold your fire." "Get down there!" "You!" "Move!" "I want to speak to Maje Culluh." "Easily arranged, Captain." "Hello, everyone." "What do you think of your son, Chakotay?" "He has your eyes." "Don't you think?" "Thank goodness he doesn't look too human." "You all have such weak foreheads." "May he grow up never knowing the contempt his father has for his mother." "I think I can assure you of that, Commander." "I intend to take him for my own son." "A man who would violate a woman under his own command..." "What?" "...doesn't deserve a son." "Is that what she told you?" "The boy will be trained as a Nistrim askara." "Already he has helped us win the greatest battle in our history." "Culluh." "I'd like to discuss what happens now." "You'll be given no more respect than any Kazon woman... now that your ship and technology are mine." "I will tell you when you may speak." "Allow my crew to live." "They were following my orders." "You're even worse than she is." "What is it about the women from your Quadrant?" "You know she contradicts me in front of the senior askara?" "My own woman disputing her maje in front of others." "This is your fault." "You've let your women get out of control." "You know you have my deepest respect, Maje." "Why is it so dark in here?" "Somebody turn on the lights." "Order the repair crews to begin work immediately." "I want to leave for the Hanon system as soon as possible." "What's in the Hanon system?" "Your new home." "Take them to a cargo bay." "Have the whole crew brought there." "Check all quarters." "Move." "Good-bye, Chakotay." "I'll take good care of our son." "Oh, are you hungry, my brave little boy?" "You!" "Move!" "Keep moving!" "This is outrageous!" "Shut up!" "Computer, activate medical holographic recall." "Set for 12 hours." "Mark." "Check every room." "In here." "Get back." "Keep moving!" "Essential repairs are complete, Maje." "We have accounted for all but two of the Federation crew." "There is also a shuttle missing." "Yes, we destroyed the shuttle as it was leaving." "Has that been confirmed?" "Fine." "Have the other ships send out search parties." "Confirm the shuttle was destroyed." "And even if they find wreckage that seems to be from the shuttle, tell them to check for a recent warp trail." "Stand by to engage atmospheric thrusters." "Prepare for landing." "Activate the viewscreen." "Extend landing struts." "Ready environmental controls!" "Disengage engines." "Secure thruster exhaust." "A fitting end for a people who would not share their technology." "Let's see if you manage to survive... without it." "All right." "Let's go." "We've got to find water and shelter." "We'll divide the crew into teams." "Each of you will be a team leader." "Make it clear to all your people that we expect to be rescued and our job is to survive until help arrives." "Do you really think it's likely that someone will find us, Captain?" "You're the morale officer, Neelix." "You give me an answer." "Help is on the way!" "Maybe Tom's shuttle got through." "It's very important that this crew be given a sense of hope." "That's our most important job right now." "Our top priority is drinking water." "Second is shelter to spend the night." "A clearing with a protected side like the base of a cliff would be best." "Food, fuel-- look for all the basic survival requirements." "That includes anything that can be used as a tool or a weapon." "We'll reconvene here in about two hours." "All right, start dividing the crew." "Looks like we don't have much daylight left." "We'll spread the teams out in a standard alpha search pattern to see what we have to work with." "Chakotay, Torres, you're with me." "Alpha team here." "Beta team, this way." "Gamma team." "Delta team with me." "The planet seems to be seismically active." "At first glance, it's an M-Class planet in a Pliocene stage of evolution." "Comparable to Earth several million years ago." "Captain."