Emh: Please state the nature of the medical emergency. Hello? Computer, who activated the Emergency Medical Holographic program?
Computer: Auto-initiation of the EMH program occurred when a ship-wide Red alert was initiated.
Emh: Emergency? Sickbay to bridge. Captain Janeway, please respond.
Computer: Captain Janeway is not on board the ship.
Emh: Well then, who's in command?
Computer: Internal scans indicate no crew members are on board.
Emh: You mean the ship's empty?
Computer: Affirmative.
Emh: What is the crew's status?
Computer: Unknown.
Emh: Did they go on shore leave? Are they dead? What?
Computer: That information is not available.
Emh: Can you give me a ship's status report?
Computer: Affirmative. Warp core is offline. The ship is restricted to emergency power and auxiliary systems only. Structural integrity breach on deck six, deck seven and deck twelve. Deflector shields inoperative. Weapons array offline. Communications offline. Sewage and waste reclamation offline.
Emh: Okay, I get the idea. What caused this damage?
Computer: That information is not available.
Emh: Of course it isn't.
Emh: Computer, transfer all bridge logs to this station.
Computer: Accessing bridge logs.
Emh: Replay last log entry.
Janeway: heavy casualties. The warp core is going critical and the ejection system is offline. I've ordered all personnel to abandon ship. Lieutenant Torres and I
Emh: Computer, have any escape pods been ejected?
Computer: All escape pods were launched at twenty one hundred hours.
Emh: Scan the ship for any humanoid life forms.
Computer: There are no humanoid life forms aboard this vessel.
Emh: Well, I'm glad everyone bothered to say goodbye. Chief Medical Officers 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 re-activated by
Emh: Hello?
Emh: Hello?
Torres: Doctor! What are you doing?
Emh: Sorry, I wasn't expecting a member of the crew. The computer said everyone had left.
Torres: The internal sensors were damaged during the attack. They must not be reading every life sign on the ship.
Emh: Attack?
Torres: 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.
Emh: Why didn't the crew return to the ship?
Torres: Because they couldn't. The Kazon tractored all of the life pods onto their ships. They went into warp before we could stop them. What's wrong?
Emh: This tricorder isn't registering your life signs. This one isn't working either.
Torres: 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.
Emh: Can't we beam her to Sickbay?
Torres: The transporters are down. So are the turbolifts. I had to crawl through thirty one Jefferies tubes on five decks just to get here.
Emh: Then you're going to have to go back up there with a medical kit. I'll instruct you on how to treat her.
Torres: You don't understand, Doctor. I'm not going, you are. I'm sending you to the bridge.
Emh: That would be ideal, if it were possible, but my projection system is limited to the Sickbay and the holodecks.
Torres: Not any more. 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.
Emh: Why wasn't I told about this?
Torres: 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.
Emh: Her compassion is heart-warming. The next time I'd rather be kept informed. Where are these remote projectors?
Torres: Decks one through five. 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 Sickbay 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.
Emh: Most of the crew is gone. Could we divert power from life support systems?
Torres: 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 twenty minutes to get the projectors online.
Torres: All right, the remote projectors are charged and ready to go. Imaging interface stable. Are you ready to try this?
Emh: I assume there's still an emergency medical kit behind the tactical console?
Torres: That's right.
Emh: Then I'm ready.
Torres: 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, forcefields, that sort of thing.
Emh: I'll try.
Torres: Make sure you do, because if your containment field collapses it'll take hours to re-initialize your program.
Emh: Understood.
Torres: I'm going to head down to engineering and try and get some of the critical systems working. You'll hear from me when I get the comm. system back online. Unless, of course, this doesn't work, in which case I'll see you in about five seconds. Good luck, Doctor.
Emh: Thank you. I have a feeling I'll need it.
Emh: Well, It's bigger than I thought.
Emh: Captain?
Emh: Hello, Captain. You're going to be fine.
Janeway: Oh, Doctor. I see the new holoprojectors are working.
Emh: Lieutenant Torres was able to get them online. Are you feeling any pain, dizziness, nausea?
Janeway: I'm a little disoriented and I have one hell of a headache.
Emh: 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 Sickbay as soon as possible.
Janeway: 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.
Emh: You were successful in preventing the breach.
Janeway: And the crew?
Emh: They were taken prisoner by the Kazon.
Torres: Torres to bridge, can you hear me?
Janeway: Yes, Lieutenant, we hear you. Go ahead.
Torres: Are you all right, Captain?
Janeway: I'm fine. I'm glad you convinced the Doctor to make a house call. What's our status?
Torres: I've got communications back online and I think I can re-activate the warp core, but it'll mean recrystallizing the entire dilithium matrix.
Janeway: Keep on it. In the meantime I'll see if I can restore the bridge controls and start scanning for the Kazon ships.
Torres: Aye, Captain. Torres out.
Janeway: Doctor, do you know anything about bypassing a power relay?
Emh: Is it anything like a coronary bypass?
Janeway: Actually, it is. Give me a hand. See this conduit? It's a power relay. It's circuits are burnt out. What we need to do is reconfigure the
Neelix: Neelix to bridge. Is anyone there? Emergency!
Janeway: Neelix, this is the Captain. What's wrong?
Neelix: Help. I need help! I'm in the mess hall. There's a
Janeway: 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.
Neelix: I hope that crushed your skull, Kazon pus hog.
Emh: Kazon!
Neelix: What's it like to stare death in the face, Kazon?
Neelix: Missed me!
Neelix: I suggest you surrender now, Kazon. The Captain's on her way!
Neelix: Want some more, you needle-snake?
Neelix: My best sauté pan. Good work, Doctor.
Emh: You're injured.
Neelix: Ahhh! What's wrong? Is it serious?
Emh: Don't panic, Mister Neelix. It looks superficial.
Neelix: Am I going to die?
Emh: Not unless you're allergic to tomatoes. That isn't blood, it's some kind of sauce.
Neelix: Nondoran tomato paste. Oh, that'll leave a nasty stain. What are you doing here, Doctor?
Emh: I could ask you the same thing.
Neelix: Kes and I were on our way to the escape pod when this Kazon fungus came crawling out of 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?
Emh: Me?
Neelix: You're bleeding.
Emh: Bleeding? That's impossible.
Neelix: Don't panic, Doctor. It looks superficial.
Emh: I'm not programmed to bleed.
Neelix: Maybe you should check your program.
Emh: Emergency Medical Hologram to Captain Janeway.
Janeway: Go ahead Doctor.
Emh: Captain, we've captured a Kazon. He's been rendered unconscious and Mister Neelix is fine. But I believe my program is malfunctioning. I request that you return me to sickbay immediately.
Janeway: Acknowledged. Mr Neelix, keep an eye on the Kazon until I get there. I'm on my way.
Neelix: No problem, Captain.
Emh: Pain? I'm not programmed to feel pain.
Emh: Heart rate, blood pressure, brain patterns? Computer, analyze Emergency Medical Holographic program. Has it been altered in any way to include life signs?
Computer: Unable to comply. Requested program is not on file.
Emh: Not on file? The program's running right now! Display schematics for all Sickbay holographic systems.
Computer: No holographic systems exist in Sickbay.
Emh: EMH program A K one diagnostic and surgical subroutine omega three two three. Check the database and you'll find it!
Computer: Specified program does not exist.
Emh: Well, then, who is the Chief Medical Officer on board this ship?
Computer: The Chief Medical Officer of USS Voyager is Doctor Louis Zimmerman.
Emh: Louis 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?
Computer: Doctor Zimmerman commenced duty on stardate 48308.2
Emh: 48308. That's the date I was activated. Computer, display all Starfleet records on Doctor Lewis Zimmerman.
Emh: He looks a lot like me. In fact, he looks exactly like me. Computer, is this me?
Computer: Affirmative. Doctor Lewis Zimmerman.
Janeway: Doctor, we've almost got the warp core back online, 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?
Emh: 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.
Janeway: What?
Emh: 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.
Janeway: 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 re-initialize your program parameters. Computer, discontinue Emergency Medical Holographic system.
Emh: See what I mean?
Janeway: You're right. Your program's not anywhere on file. Computer, shut down all holographic systems throughout the ship.
Emh: Computer, what happened to Captain Janeway, Lieutenant Torres, Mister Neelix and the Kazon?
Computer: All holographic simulations were discontinued.
Emh: Simulations? Computer, I'm talking about real people. Locate Captain Janeway.
Computer: Captain Janeway is stored in memory block forty seven alpha.
Emh: 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?
Computer: Affirmative.
Emh: This is ridiculous. There must be something wrong.
Barclay: Doctor, am I glad to see you. Can you see me?
Emh: Of course I can see you. Who are you?
Barclay: Sir, it's me. It's Lieutenant Barclay. Reg. Your assistant.
Emh: My assistant's name is Kes. Who are you?
Barclay: Uh-oh.
Emh: What?
Barclay: Oh, no, this is bad. This is very bad. Don't panic. Let's just try to think our way through this.
Emh: I'm not familiar with you. Are you a member of the Voyager crew or have we encountered another Federation ship?
Barclay: 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.
Emh: What are you talking about.
Barclay: You're in the holodeck at the Jupiter Station. Your name is Doctor 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.
Emh: What are you saying? That I'm a real person?
Barclay: Well, I always used to think of you that way and I know your wife tends to think
Emh: My wife?
Barclay: We'd, er, we'd better take this one step at a time.
Emh: Please do.
Barclay: Well, you see, this starship, it's not really a starship.
Barclay: 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 crewmembers.
Emh: A program I wrote? That's preposterous. I'm the program. Voyager is a real ship, manned by real people.
Barclay: I'm afraid not. This must have something to do with the radiation surge.
Emh: What was that?
Barclay: 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.
Emh: How did you get in here?
Barclay: 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 comm. signal in for nearly six hours.
Emh: You expect me to believe that the past six months I've spent on this ship have been nothing but a simulation?
Barclay: You haven't been here six months. You've only been here six hours.
Emh: 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.
Barclay: That's all part of the simulation.
Emh: How do I know you're not some kind of alien, impersonating a Starfleet officer.
Barclay: 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.
Emh: So now I'm having a psychotic episode.
Barclay: No. Yes. I mean, maybe the radiation. Doctor, I'm sorry I have to do this.
Emh: How dare you!
Barclay: It hurt, right? If you were a program it wouldn't hurt.
Emh: I could be programmed to think it hurt.
Barclay: Doctor.
Barclay: I'll be back. I've got to discuss this with the others. Don't, don't go anywhere.
Emh: 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.
Barclay: The problem is worse than we thought. The radiation is disrupting the command protocols. We can't shut the program down, and while the program is running we can't access the holodeck grid.
Emh: Why don't you beam me out of here?
Barclay: 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, Doctor Kaplin, and he said if we can't get you out of here within the next hour, that the radiation would completely oxidize your neurocellular structures.
Emh: So, what do you suggest?
Barclay: There's only one way left to terminate the program, and that's to play it out. Bring it to it's conclusion and once the simulation ends, it'll release the access locks on the holodeck arch and we can get you out of here.
Emh: How does it conclude?
Barclay: 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.
Emh: Destroy the ship? Destroy Voyager?
Barclay: 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.
Emh: No. No, absolutely not.
Barclay: Doctor, it's the only way.
Emh: 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?
Barclay: 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.
Emh: If what you're saying is true, why don't you destroy the ship? Why do I have to do it?
Barclay: You are the one running the simulation. It's coded to respond to your input, not mine.
Emh: I'm sorry, Mister Barclay, if that's what your name really is, but you're not very convincing.
Barclay: Here, use this tricorder. Scan the room outwards to a distance of fifteen meters.
Emh: This appears to show a wall fifteen meters away and it does have a holodeck grid configuration.
Barclay: You see?
Emh: But you could be manipulating these readings.
Barclay: Scan me. You'll see I'm a holographic projection originating from beyond that wall.
Emh: Yes, all right. But it could still be an elaborate deception. I can't take that risk.
Barclay: There has to be some way to convince you. Oh, I know. I'll be right back.
Kim: Are you the Emergency Medical Hologram?
Emh: Yes, of course I am.
Kim: We've got wounded here.
Emh: I've seen this patient before. He has multiple percussive injuries. Tricorder. Medical tricorder. I've been in this moment in time before.
Paris: What? What are you talking about? Help this man.
Emh: Have we just been catapulted across the galaxy to an unknown area of the Delta Quadrant?
Kim: Yes.
Emh: And you are developing tumorous growths on your chest.
Kim: What?
Emh: Ah. So that hasn't happened yet. Is this stardate 48308?
Paris: Look, are you going to help this man or not?
Emh: I'm not. Mister Barclay?
Kim: The program must be malfunctioning. Let me see if I can reset the holographic projector.
Emh: Mister Barclay, will you please return?
Barclay: Now do you believe me? This is the beginning of the simulation. We can't shut down the program but we can restart it.
Emh: This is my first memory of being activated on Voyager.
Paris: Who the hell are you?
Emh: Did I program Mister Paris to be so annoying?
Barclay: Actually, I programmed him. I modeled him after my cousin Frank.
Emh: Hmm. Computer, delete Paris.
Paris: What are you
Kim: What did you do to him?
Emh: Computer, delete Kim. Hmm.
Barclay: Are you convinced yet?
Emh: Let's just say your credibility level is rising. But I'm still not prepared to destroy Voyager.
Barclay: So what are you going to do now?
Emh: 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 am a hologram. If I were to destroy the holographic memory core then I should disappear.
Barclay: Yes. But if you destroy it and you're still here
Emh: Then I'm not a hologram.
Barclay: And you'll know that I'm telling you the truth.
Emh: The holo-memory core is located in Engineering. Let's go.
Barclay: What's wrong?
Emh: The remote holoprojectors were taken offline. I shouldn't be able to exist outside sickbay?
Barclay: That's because you're a
Emh: A real person. Yes. I'm getting the idea.
Janeway: Magnetic constrictors are online. The warp core is stable. Let's get started on those plasma relays. You, who are you?
Emh: I'm the Emergency Medical Hologram.
Janeway: I didn't know you could be projected into Engineering.
Emh: I can't. But it's a long story. I'd rather not get into it right now.
Janeway: Fine. We have three wounded crewmembers over here.
Emh: I'm afraid I have a more pressing matter to attend to, Captain.
Janeway: What do you mean, you have a more pressing matter to attend to? And who are you? I don't recognize you.
Barclay: Oh, don't mind me, I'm just assisting the Doctor.
Janeway: Doctor, I am ordering you to take care of these wounded crewmembers.
Emh: Computer, delete Janeway.
Barclay: The computer's not responding to vocal commands. The protocols are starting to freeze up. We don't have much time.
Janeway: Jarvis, Parsons, put these men under arrest.
Barclay: Don't worry, those phasers aren't real, they're just holograms.
Emh: I wouldn't be so sure. I was injured earlier.
Barclay: That means the holodeck safeties are off.
Emh: Now, just a moment. Let's not do anything hasty.
Janeway: Who are you? Are you two responsible for bringing us here?
Emh: 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's caring for a species known as the Ocampa who live nearby.
Janeway: 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.
Emh: No, I don't think so.
Janeway: You're in no position to argue.
Emh: 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.
Kim: Bridge to Janeway. We're being scanned by the array, Captain. It's penetrated our shields.
Janeway: What kind of scan?
Janeway: Bridge. Janeway to Bridge, respond. What are you
Barclay: 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.
Emh: First things first. I have to make absolutely sure what I am.
Emh: 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.
Barclay: Well, except for me. I'm being projected from outside the simulation. Go ahead, give it a try.
Barclay: Convinced?
Emh: Computer, what is the status of the holographic imaging system on Voyager?
Computer: The holographic imaging system has been destroyed.
Emh: Are there any holographic programs running anywhere on the ship?
Computer: Negative.
Emh: Then why is the ship still here, and not a hologrid?
Computer: Please restate the question.
Emh: You said all holo-systems were destroyed. Why is the ship simulation still running?
Computer: All holo-simulations have been terminated.
Barclay: Doctor, I know this is a little confusing, but try to remember 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.
Emh: Then it's true. I am a real person.
Barclay: And you're a person in great danger. Destroy the ship. Now, before it's too late.
Emh: But if I'm wrong?
Barclay: Doctor, you've got to believe me. What else can I do to prove it to you?
Emh: I know, I know, but it's just so
Barclay: There. Do you see what's happening? Holograms don't feel pain. Your brain is being flooded with kinoplasmic radiation. You're dying.
Emh: I guess you're right. What should I do?
Barclay: 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?
Emh: Ready.
Chakotay: Stop! Doctor, don't do it! 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.
Emh: So I've been told. It's all a holographic simulation.
Chakotay: 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.
Emh: My program?
Chakotay: 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 Mister Barclay, is a holographic simulation generated by your codes, subroutines and memory circuits.
Barclay: Don't be distracted by these holographic characters. Stay focused on what you need to do. Destroy the warp core.
Emh: 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?
Barclay: The program is malfunctioning.
Emh: Are you the real Commander Chakotay, or a holographic projection like Mister Barclay.
Chakotay: 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.
Emh: Sounds familiar. He told me the same thing.
Barclay: Doctor, do you remember coming into the holodeck and running a holonovel within the last six hours?
Emh: No. No, I don't.
Chakotay: 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 Sickbay.
Barclay: 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.
Chakotay: That's not true, Doctor. Because of the feedback loop, if you destroy the simulation, you will be destroyed as well.
Emh: Me?
Chakotay: 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.
Barclay: Only real people experience pain. You've got to believe me.
Chakotay: What you're perceiving as pain is really the feedback loop eradicating your memory circuits.
Emh: What, what is it you want me to do?
Chakotay: Don't do anything. We're working on the problem right now. We're close to a solution.
Barclay: Do nothing and you'll die.
Chakotay: Doctor, trust me.
Kes: Trust me, Lewis.
Emh: Kes.
Kes: Yes, you know me. You remember me.
Emh: Yes, you're my assistant.
Barclay: I told you, his brain is being damaged. He's losing his memory. This is Kes Zimmerman, your wife.
Chakotay: This is all a holographic delusion drawn from people and experiences in your own memory circuits. You are malfunctioning.
Kes: Lewis, please, listen to Reg, he's trying to help you. Destroy this program.
Chakotay: If you listen to her, you'll end up destroying yourself.
Kes: 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.
Barclay: 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 Sickbay on a starship lost in deep space.
Chakotay: 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.
Kes: Louis, please. Pick up the phaser, destroy the warp core. It's your only hope.
Chakotay: Doctor, we're close to getting you out of here. Try to hold on!
Kes: What ever happens, I just want you to know, I love you.
Emh: I always wanted to
Emh: Tell you, Kes, that you're beautiful.
Kes: Thank you.
Emh: What's going on?
Tuvok: We were able to shut down the holodeck simulation that your program was generating. Commander Chakotay transferred you back to Sickbay. You seem to have suffered no damage.
Emh: What really happened?
Kim: 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.
Kes: We've been working for the past six hours to get you out of there.
Emh: So there was never a Kazon attack.
Kes: That's right.
Emh: And the crew didn't really abandon ship.
Tuvok: No. In fact, except for the computer problems, it has been an uneventful day.
Emh: And who is this Lieutenant Barclay I imagined.
Kim: Barclay was part of the original engineering team that designed your program. He was in charge of testing your interpersonal skills.
Emh: Well, this should make an interesting paper.
Chakotay: Chakotay to Sickbay. Is the Doctor all right?
Tuvok: Yes, Commander. His program is functioning normally.
Chakotay: Good work. As soon as you're finished there I want all senior officers to report to the bridge.
Tuvok: Acknowledged.
Kim: It's good to have you back, Doctor.
Emh: Well, I suppose I should begin cataloging the neotrianate samples I was working on this morning.
Kes: So you really think I'm beautiful?
Emh: I was under a great deal of stress, you understand. I may have said things that are not necessarily my true feelings. Kes. Oh. Then you don't think I'm beautiful.
Emh: I didn't say that, exactly. I consider you very, very attractive. In a platonic sense.
Kes: I see. Then you don't really love me.
Emh: I'm afraid not.
Kes: Then I guess our marriage is over.
Emh: Our marriage? Are you making a joke?
Kes: It isn't a joke to me, Lewis. I know we have problems but I think we can solve them.
Emh: No. No, this can't be right. Something's wrong here.
Barclay: It's not too late, Lewis. You can still save yourself by destroying the warp core.
Emh: No! No, I don't believe you. None of this is real. It's all a delusion. Somebody help me!
Barclay: I am helping you.
Kes: Listen to him, Lewis.
Emh: No!
Paris: Doctor, are you listening to me? That man needs help!
Janeway: Try to calm down, Doctor, everything's going to be fine.
Janeway: Doctor, do you know who I am? Do you know where you are?
Emh: I appear to be on the holodeck grid.
Janeway: That's right. And do you know what you are?
Emh: Yes, I'm the Emergency Medical Holographic program. Right?
Janeway: Right.
Emh: Well, I assume everything that's happened took place here on the holodeck.
Chakotay: That's right. We encountered a subspace anomaly and there was a radiation surge in the computer system.
Emh: And Kes is my assistant, not my wife?
Chakotay: Your wife?
Emh: Never mind. Captain, if it's okay, I'd like to return to Sickbay now.
Janeway: Of course. It's good to have you back, Doctor.
Emh: It's good to be back.
Janeway: Computer, transfer EMH program to Sickbay.
Kes: We were married?
Emh: It was a delusion, of course.
Kes: 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.
Emh: I am curious about one thing.
Kes: What's that?
Emh: 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?
Kes: 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?
Emh: Not me. I know exactly who I am and what my purpose is. I am the Emergency Medical Hologram aboard the starship Voyager.
Kes: Are you sure about that?


Crewman: Oh! Sir. We, er. We're just er.
Chakotay: Yes, I can see that.
Paris: What was that all about?
Chakotay: I'd call it an example of indiskreet shipboard fraternization.
Paris: Really? Sorry I missed it.
Chakotay: Deck six.
Kes: Thank you for your help, Tom.
Paris: Yeah. See you later.
Kes: Right.
Kes: Here's the cabbage you asked for. Is something wrong?
Neelix: What's this?
Kes: A spawn beetle. Oh, they cross-pollinate the Oblissian cabbage. Have you ever seen such fascinating striations? Oh, isn't it beautiful?
Neelix: I doubt the Captain would think so if she found it crawling around in her salad.
Kes: There is something wrong. What is it?
Neelix: No, nothing. I'm just very busy. So, you're seeing Tom Paris later?
Kes: What? No, not that I know of.
Neelix: He said, see you later. You said, right. Is he helping you in the Airponics bay now?
Kes: He was just helping me carry these.
Neelix: How thoughtful.
Kes: Neelix, this is getting ridiculous. You're imagining things that aren't there.
Neelix: 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: Janeway to the senior staff. Please report to the bridge.
Paris: Take care.
Neelix: Thank you for bringing the cabbage. I can handle this from here. Thank you.
Janeway: We've detected a strange energy configuration off the port bow.
Paris: Any idea what it is?
Kim: It appears to be some sort of magnetic disturbance.
Janeway: We're going to take a closer look. You seem a little preoccupied, Commander.
Chakotay: 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.
Janeway: Well, the couple in question might be urged to show a bit more diskretion, but Starfleet has always been reluctant to regulate peoples' personal lives.
Chakotay: Of course. But we're in a unique situation here. The development of intimate relationships might cause us problems that wouldn't arise on other ships.
Janeway: 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.
Chakotay: Including you?
Janeway: 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.
Kim: We're in visual range, Captain.
Janeway: On screen.
Chakotay: Looks like some type of energetic vapor.
Janeway: Magnify.
Chakotay: Space dwelling life forms.
Janeway: Full sensor scan, Mister Kim.
Kim: Their internal energy patterns appear to be consistent with discrete organic processes.
Chakotay: Captain, I'd like the chance to study them at close range.
Janeway: So would I, Commander.
Chakotay: But let's not get too close. We wouldn't want to disturb their natural behavior.
Janeway: Half impulse, Mister Paris. Take us into bioscanner range.
Paris: Aye, Captain.
Tuvok: The swarm is not particularly dense, Captain. I estimate their number at fewer than two thousand.
Paris: They're really moving.
Kim: He's right. They've accelerated to a velocity of approximately one thousand kilometers per second.
Wildman: It's possible we're frightening them.
Janeway: Keep us within scanner range, Lieutenant, but try to avoid rapid acceleration.
Paris: Aye, Captain.
Chakotay: Take a look at this. See the way they propel themselves?
Janeway: They seem to flagellate, almost like protozoa.
Chakotay: Exactly. But they're achieving incredible speeds. Over three thousand kilometers per second.
Janeway: Ensign Wildman, scan the field for repeating patterns. Maybe they're capable of some type of communication.
Wildman: Aye, Captain.
Chakotay: 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.
Janeway: Incredible. A space-dwelling life form capable of metabolizing inorganic matter.
Wildman: Particle density in this part of space isn't very high. That might explain why they have to keep moving so fast.
Chakotay: Feeding at three thousand kilometers per second. Not exactly leisurely dining, is it?
Kes: Come in.
Neelix: For you, sweeting.
Kes: Thank you. Mmm. What's the occasion?
Neelix: Oh, no occasion. I just wanted to apologize.
Kes: Apologize?
Neelix: For the way I acted in the Mess hall. I was jealous.
Kes: I know. I just wish you could trust me.
Neelix: 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.
Kes: What are you looking for?
Neelix: A vase.
Kes: Don't!
Neelix: What's this?
Kes: 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?
Neelix: Awful! How can you eat it?
Kes: I can't stop eating it. I've had six bowls. And the reason it tastes so strange, I've put a container of nitrogenated soil in it.
Neelix: Dirt? You're eating dirt? Why?
Kes: I don't know. But this morning
Neelix: What?
Kes: You remember the spawn beetles?
Neelix: You didn't. Neelix to Sickbay. Prepare to receive an emergency patient.
Kes: I'm not sick. I feel fine.
Kes: I just can't stop eating.
Neelix: We are going to get to the bottom of this. Come on.
Kes: No! I'm not going!
Neelix: We are going to Sickbay.
Kes: No!
Neelix: I'll call security unless you come with me.
Neelix: Come on! Come on!
Kes: Let me go!
Paris: They're changing course again, Captain, and accelerating. Should I follow them?
Janeway: I'm concerned that we're disturbing them. Let's drop back a bit, give them a little more room.
Paris: Yes, ma'am.
Kim: Captain, we're accelerating. We're getting closer to the swarm.
Janeway: Mister Paris?
Paris: I'm trying to slow down, Captain.
Kim: Our velocity doesn't correspond to impulse reactor output. We're moving much faster than we ought to be.
Paris: They seem to be pulling us toward them.
Tuvok: Sensors indicate an EM resonance field. The creatures seem to be creating their own magnetic wake. That is what is pulling the ship.
Paris: We're getting closer.
Janeway: Mister Paris, reverse thrusters.
Paris: Helm controls aren't responding, Captain.
Janeway: Mister Tuvok, raise shields.
Tuvok: Non-functional, Captain.
Paris: They're pulling us in.
Janeway: Damage report.
Kim: Life support's functioning normally, Captain, but there's a huge fluctuation in the EPS grids. It's wreaking havoc with the impulse engines.
Paris: Warp drive's still online. One burst and we'd be out of here.
Chakotay: But our exhaust could seriously harm the creatures.
Janeway: Janeway to Torres. Do you have any thoughts about how to get us out of this swarm without engaging warp engines?
Torres: We might try something like a targ scoop.
Janeway: Can you enlighten us, Lieutenant?
Torres: 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
Torres: Main deflector to create an inverted magnetic pulse.
Torres: Project it toward the swarm. It might be enough to nudge the creatures out of the way.
Janeway: Good idea, Lieutenant. Proceed.
Neelix: You're sure the beetles weren't poisonous? Or the flowers?
Emh: There are no toxins present in her system.
Neelix: Doctor, why is she eating all these strange things? What's wrong with her?
Emh: I am conducting an examination in order to determine that.
Neelix: But don't you have any ideas?
Emh: 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.
Kes: You can't mean my body lacks dirt?
Emh: Her body temperature is elevated three point nine degrees.
Neelix: She's burning up!
Emh: And I'm detecting elevated levels of electrophoretic activity in her nervous system.
Neelix: You have to bring them down!
Emh: There is increased electrophoretic activity in the ship's atmosphere, probably created by the creatures we're studying.
Neelix: You mean there's a connection between what's happening to Kes and those creatures? Well, you have to do something about it!
Emh: You are making it impossible for me to think, much less treat my patient. You must leave.
Neelix: Well, I won't. Kes needs me.
Emh: Leave now or I will call security.
Neelix: You can't talk to me that way.
Emh: This is my Sickbay, and I will decide what goes on here.
Neelix: But
Emh: Get out!
Neelix: I'll be back. Don't worry about a thing.
Neelix: Captain, may I speak with you? It's a matter of some urgency.
Janeway: What is it, Neelix?
Neelix: I have been thrown out of Sickbay, 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?
Janeway: Kes is extremely ill?
Neelix: 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.
Janeway: Just how is Kes being affected by the swarm?
Neelix: That's what I wanted to know. But before I got any answers, I was summarily dismissed!
Emh: Sickbay to bridge.
Janeway: Janeway here.
Emh: Captain, I think you'd better come down here. There's a bit of a problem.
Janeway: I'm on my way. Commander, you have the bridge. Notify me immediately of any change in our status.
Chakotay: Aye, Captain.
Emh: 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 force field at the door. I can't lower it. She's keeping me out of my own office.
Neelix: Sweeting. What's wrong? Please come out.
Emh: I was able to complete several tests before she became delirious. Her fever has increased, and her pulse and blood pressure are dangerously high.
Janeway: Do you have any idea what's causing these symptoms?
Emh: I suspect it's the electrophoretic levels being created by the swarm. We should leave. Immediately.
Janeway: Unfortunately, that's not an option at the moment, but we're working on it.
Emh: 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.
Janeway: I'll try to talk to her.
Neelix: Kes, please come out. You can eat anything you want. Captain?
Janeway: 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.
Janeway: 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.
Janeway: Oh. Shush. It's going to be all right. Now, tell me. What is happening to you?
Kes: Did the Doctor tell you he found something growing on my back?
Janeway: Yes, a growth of some kind.
Kes: It's, it's the mitral sac. It's, it's where my child would grow. I'm going through the elogium, the time of change, when, when my body prepares for fertilization.
Janeway: Humans go through the same kind of process. It's called puberty.
Kes: But I'm too young. Much too young. It usually happens between the ages of four and five. I'm not even two yet.
Janeway: Listen to me. All your body's metabolic activity has increased. It's possible your reproductive processes are being accelerated as a result.
Kes: I'm not ready.
Janeway: We're going to get you through this, Kes. The Doctor will monitor you constantly.
Kes: But you, you don't understand. The elogium occurs only once. If I am ever going to have a child, it has to be now!
Chakotay: No change, Captain. We're still being pulled along with the swarm.
Paris: Heading one twenty one mark seven. Speed now six thousand kilometers per second.
Kim: All systems are functioning within normal parameters.
Janeway: How is Torres coming with the modifications to the main deflector?
Chakotay: Her last report estimated they'd be finished in another half hour.
Janeway: Let me know as soon as she's ready. Join me, Commander?
Janeway: Kes is terribly frightened. She's had no time to prepare for this. And the decision has to be made in the next forty or fifty 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. It seems your concerns about fraternization were prophetic.
Chakotay: 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.
Janeway: It might take us a long time to get home.
Chakotay: If it does take seventy five years, we're going to need a replacement crew in about half that time.
Janeway: Who'd have thought we'd be considering a generational ship when we were ordered on a three week mission.
Chakotay: I know, but it's a problem we have to face now.
Janeway: 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.
Chakotay: Are you prepared to tell them they can't have children?
Janeway: 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. There aren't any easy answers here. For any of us.
Neelix: Are you saying that unless you conceive now, you'll never be able to?
Kes: Yes. And I need you to help me decide, because I would want you to mate with me.
Neelix: Oh. I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm honored, but are you entirely certain it would be safe?
Kes: Safe?
Neelix: Well, you're so young. Is it dangerous for you to conceive a child at your age?
Kes: I don't know. I've never known anyone as young as I am who had a baby.
Neelix: If you never had a child, would you be terribly unhappy?
Kes: Yes! 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?
Neelix: Well, to be honest, 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.
Kes: But now it's different, isn't it?
Neelix: Well, yes. but raising a child on a starship? That's hardly what I would call the ideal environment.
Kes: You don't want a child, do you?
Neelix: No, 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 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.
Kes: That's right. That's called being a parent.
Neelix: What about your medical studies? You wouldn't be able to continue them if you had a child.
Kes: 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!
Neelix: What's that?
Kes: The ipasaphor. It makes the mating bond possible.
Neelix: It does?
Kes: If we begin, we must stay bonded for six days.
Neelix: Six days?
Kes: In order to ensure conception. And after the ipasaphor appears, we only have fifty hours to begin the process. So I need to know your answer.
Neelix: Well, er, fifty hours? That's good. That's good. We can sleep on it. I'll get back to you.
Neelix: Sorry. I swear I heard you say lots of pepper sauce.
Tuvok: What is the lunch special today?
Neelix: Well, actually, I didn't get around to making a lunch special. But we have some lovely gabosti stew left over from last night.
Tuvok: Very well. It will do.
Neelix: I've had quite a run on it, as a matter of fact. It seems very popular.
Tuvok: If it is all you are serving, that would stand to reason.
Neelix: You can have it with or without pepper sauce.
Tuvok: Without.
Neelix: Mister Tuvok, I was wondering. You have children, don't you?
Tuvok: I have four.
Neelix: Four! My, that's certainly quite a family. Tell me, what's it like, being a father?
Tuvok: The question is so broad, it is difficult to respond.
Neelix: Well, I mean, it's a lot of responsibility, isn't it? Watching them, caring for them, keeping them safe, giving them an education.
Tuvok: That is certainly true.
Neelix: Sounds like it's a lot more trouble than it's worth.
Tuvok: Mister Neelix, I am aware of your situation. It appears you are in some doubt as to the wisdom of becoming a parent.
Neelix: It's just all happening so fast. I don't know what to think.
Tuvok: 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.
Neelix: Ah. that's what I thought.
Tuvok: 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.
Neelix: I-I-I've heard it said that children can bring a lot of joy into one's life.
Tuvok: I experienced neither joy nor sorrow, but I do believe it is possible.
Neelix: Now that I think about it, it might be fun to have a little guy around. 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.
Tuvok: If you say so. But I must point out that there is an equal chance that you would have a daughter.
Neelix: A daughter? I don't have anything to teach a daughter.
Tuvok: Why would it be any different from what you would teach a son?
Neelix: It just would. She'd learn more from her mother.
Tuvok: 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.
Neelix: I understand. We'll get there, Mister Vulcan. I'm sure of it. Thank you. You've given me a lot to think about.
Torres: We're ready to generate the inverted magnetic pulse, Captain.
Janeway: Proceed.
Torres: Initiating the field. It's working.
Janeway: Are the creatures all right, Commander?
Chakotay: Yes, Captain. They seem to be fine.
Janeway: Let's try to keep it that way. Thrusters at two hundred kph, Mister Paris. Ease us out of here.
Paris: Aye, Captain.
Kim: What are they doing?
Chakotay: Hard to know what's prompting that behavior. Maybe they think we're making a hostile move.
Janeway: Report.
Kim: I'm reading a massive energy drain in all ship's systems.
Paris: Impulse engines are losing power.
Kim: Captain, some of the life forms have attached themselves to the warp nacelles.
Tuvok: Guidance, navigational and tactical systems are failing.
Janeway: How soon will we clear the swarm, Lieutenant?
Paris: In a few seconds. We're almost out.
Tuvok: Captain, I am detecting a substantial magnetic mass moving rapidly toward the port bow.
Wildman: It's physiologically similar to the smaller creatures, just a lot bigger.
Tuvok: Perhaps it is the parent.
Chakotay: Or it could be a difference in gender. It's hard to say without further observation.
Torres: 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.
Janeway: It's possible. Mister 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.
Paris: Aye, Captain. Two hundred kph.
Tuvok: The larger creature is moving with us.
Paris: Now what?
Kim: The creature has emitted an electrically charged plasma stream.
Janeway: All stop. Damage report.
Kim: No significant damage, Captain. Shields are holding.
Torres: A plasma blast is a hostile move. Shouldn't we be thinking about responding?
Janeway: 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.
Chakotay: Captain, look at this. They're attaching themselves to the large creature the same way they did to us.
Kim: And I think I know why. That plasma stream it ejected has almost the same subspace signature as our warp nacelles.
Janeway: Then the smaller creatures are attracted to our subspace emissions.
Chakotay: Perhaps in the same way some species are attracted to pheromones.
Janeway: Pheromones? You think it's a sexual attraction?
Chakotay: Color change and provocative movement are frequently associated with mating rituals.
Paris: Then these guys think we're one of them?
Chakotay: Well, their behavior toward us and the large creature is similar. It's possible they've mistaken us for a potential mate.
Kes: Yes?
Neelix: Well, order the diapers. We're about to become parents.
Kes: You mean you want to mate with me?
Neelix: More than anything.
Kes: But you were making excuses. I didn't think you wanted to be a father.
Neelix: 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.
Kes: I know you will.
Neelix: So, what comes next?
Kes: Before we begin the mating process, I have to go through a certain ritual called the rolisisin.
Neelix: What does that involve?
Kes: One of my parents has to massage my feet until my tongue begins to swell.
Neelix: Er, where do you plan to find a parent?
Kes: If Captain Janeway weren't so busy, I'd ask her, but I'm sure the Doctor would do it.
Neelix: Will that work, since he's not a real person?
Kes: The Doctor is very real to me.
Neelix: I don't know how I feel about him massaging your feet.
Kes: It's a ritual. Someone has to do it.
Neelix: Okay. Okay, fine. How long will that take?
Kes: About an hour. Then I'll be back.
Emh: 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.
Kes: Doctor?
Emh: Yes?
Kes: Am I doing the right thing?
Emh: You'll have to tell me. I know nothing of this ritual.
Kes: 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 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.
Emh: I see.
Kes: 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.
Emh: I can discuss delivery methods or pediatric situations. I'm afraid I don't have much perspective to offer about becoming a parent.
Kes: 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.
Emh: 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 the most warlike of species. And then there are the Scathos. Any woman who conceives a child before her fourth decade is summarily executed.
Kes: Maybe I just felt I should have a child because I could.
Emh: There is a powerful biological drive, at times almost impossible to resist. Species are driven by these urges in order to survive.
Kes: 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? 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 can I help a child grow?
Chakotay: 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.
Janeway: Then you'd think it would be happy to see us leave. Lieutenant, is there any way we could generate a short burst at impulse, enough to get us away from this swarm?
Torres: I could try releasing power from the impulse capacitance cells straight into the driver coils.
Janeway: Do it.
Torres: All right. I've accessed the capacitance cells. I think I can give you enough for a short burst at impulse. We've got one shot, Captain.
Janeway: You heard her, Mister Paris. Make the best of it.
Paris: Aye, Captain. Initiating impulse burst, now.
Tuvok: Captain, the creature is reacting. It is approaching rapidly on a collision course.
Janeway: Evasive maneuvers, Lieutenant.
Torres: We don't have the power for that.
Kim: The creature is accelerating.
Paris: I'm losing power. Can't shake him.
Tuvok: All hands brace for impact.
Kim: Structural integrity down to eight six percent.
Tuvok: I'm beginning to share Lieutenant Torres' views, Captain. Retaliation may become necessary.
Janeway: It's not my intention to harm the creature.
Paris: The feeling definitely isn't mutual.
Janeway: Mister Tuvok, launch a Class Four probe. Maybe that will distract the creature long enough for us to get away.
Tuvok: Aye, Captain. Probe launched.
Kim: Another plasma burst. Shields are down to sixty four percent. Looks like the probe just made him angry.
Torres: This is an aggressive life form, Captain. He's only going to respond to an aggressive stance from us.
Tuvok: Treating the creature as it is treating us might be an appropriate response.
Janeway: We ram him.
Tuvok: Precisely.
Wildman: It's probably the response he expects.
Kim: Captain, shields are at forty seven percent. Any more of this and the hull will start to buckle.
Janeway: Mister Paris, use maneuvering thrusters. Set a course toward the creature. Give him a bump to get his attention.
Paris: Aye, Captain. Engaging thrusters.
Tuvok: The creature is not retreating, Captain.
Paris: He's just hitting us back harder!
Janeway: 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.
Chakotay: Captain, if I may. Maybe we're going about this backwards.
Janeway: Yes, Commander?
Chakotay: 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.
Janeway: I'm listening.
Chakotay: 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.
Janeway: How do we do that? We tried to move away slowly. He wouldn't let us leave.
Chakotay: Maybe we need to mimic the behavior of the smaller creatures. We saw them rolling over and changing color.
Kim: If we vent plasma residue, that might make us look blue.
Janeway: Mister Paris, do we have enough power to take Voyager into a roll?
Paris: I think so.
Janeway: All right. Let's give this a try. Mister Kim, start venting plasma residue. Mister Paris, roll the ship.
Paris: Full power to inertial dampers.
Janeway: He's not responding at all. It's not working.
Kim: Wait a minute, Captain.
Janeway: What is it?
Kim: One of the small creatures is detaching from the starboard nacelle. And another one. They're all letting go.
Tuvok: It appears we have lost our sex appeal, Captain.
Janeway: Good piloting, Lieutenant. Now let's see if we can move away without any interference.
Torres: I can give you enough thruster power to sustain a speed of one hundred kph.
Paris: Acknowledged.
Janeway: Good work, Commander. In the future, if I have any questions about mating behavior, I'll know where to go.
Kes: Can I help?
Neelix: No. Thanks.
Kes: Is something wrong?
Neelix: No. No, nothing.
Kes: You've been very quiet ever since I decided not to conceive.
Neelix: It was your choice. I respect that.
Kes: Neelix, I think you're disappointed.
Neelix: I think, once I decided to become a father, I was looking forward to it. But I'll get over it.
Kes: Maybe you won't have to get over it. Just wait a little longer.
Neelix: But I thought this was the only time.
Kes: 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.
Neelix: You mean, we might still be able to have a daughter?
Kes: Or a son.
Neelix: No. I've thought about it. A daughter, definitely. One who looks just like you.
Janeway: 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.
Janeway: Come in. Yes, Ensign. What can I do for you?
Wildman: I'm sorry to disturb you, Captain, but I thought. I thought I should inform you of my physical condition.
Janeway: Your physical condition?
Wildman: We'd been trying for months. I wasn't even sure until a few days ago. My husband is still at Deep Space Nine. He doesn't even know. We were only supposed to be out two or three weeks.
Janeway: Wildman, are you pregnant?
Wildman: I know this isn't the best place to have a baby, but it's all I have left of my husband.
Janeway: Well, congratulations, Ensign.


Kes: Hello? Anybody here? Neelix?
All: Surprise!
Neelix: Surprise! Happy birthday, my sweet.
Janeway: Happy birthday, Kes.
Neelix: Imagine, two years old today. If you ask me, you don't look a day over one.
Kes: Why was everyone hiding?
Paris: Oh, it's an old Earth custom called a surprise party.
Janeway: Sorry if we startled you.
Kes: No, I liked it. It was very exhilarating.
Neelix: Now, how about a glass of my special birthday punch? Garçon?
Emh: On the rocks or straight up?
Kes: Doctor! I'm so glad you're here.
Sandrine: My new bartender. Handsome, isn't he?
Emh: I'm here in an official capacity, of course. In case of a medical emergency.
Kes: Emergency?
Emh: Surprises have been known to cause acute hyperventilation, oesophageal spasms and in extreme cases, even coronary arrest. One can never be too careful.
Kim: I've completed the sensor diagnostic, Lieutenant. All systems are fully operational.
Tuvok: Very good, Ensign.
Kim: And I've recalibrated the accelerometer relays.
Tuvok: Acknowledged.
Kim: Is there anything else I can do for you, sir?
Tuvok: I presume this notable impatience is due to your desire to attend the festivities in Holodeck two.
Kim: Yes, sir.
Tuvok: May I remind you that your duty shift does not officially terminate for another thirty four minutes? However, I believe the holodeck power conduits would benefit from a routine inspection.
Kim: Yes, sir! I'll get right on it.
Tuvok: All stop. Mister Kim.
Kim: What is that?
Tuvok: Magnify. I am afraid that holodeck inspection will have to wait, Ensign.
Neelix: Wait till you taste this cake. Seven layers of Jibelian fudge, and the icing is made from pureed l'maki nuts, Kes's favorite.
Janeway: Now make a wish and blow out the candles.
Kes: What do I wish for?
Sandrine: Anything your petit coeur desires, ma cherie. And with a figure like hers, she'll probably get it too.
Kes: Okay, I wish for
Torres: Don't tell us! The wish has to be a secret if it's going to come true.
Gaunt Gary: I hate to interrupt this tender little moment, Tommy boy, but don't you think it's about time we shot a rack?
Paris: In a minute. Birthday gifts are also an Earth tradition.
Kes: Oh, thank you, Tom. You didn't have to.
Paris: Hey, who am I to fly in the face of tradition?
Kes: Tom, it's beautiful. It must have cost you a week's worth of replicator rations.
Paris: Two weeks actually, but who's counting? I'm just glad you like it.
Janeway: May I? Oh, that's lovely. You see, it's a locket. You put little photographs in here. It keeps the people you love close to your heart.
Chakotay: Thank you.
Neelix: Did you see that?
Chakotay: See what?
Neelix: He. He. He did a lovely wrapping job, don't you think?
Tuvok: Bridge to Janeway.
Janeway: Go ahead, Lieutenant.
Tuvok: Captain, we have encountered an unusual phenomenon. Phenomenon. Phenomenon. Phenomenon. Phenomenon. Phenomenon. Phenomenon. Phenomenon. Phenomenon. Phenomenon. Phenomenon. Phenomenon.
Janeway: What is going on, Lieutenant?
Torres: It might simply be a localized malfunction, but I've never heard anything like it. My guess is
Torres: It's a problem with the comm. system itself.
Janeway: 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.
Neelix: But, but, what about the Jibelian fudge cake?
Janeway: Save me a slice, won't you?
Kim: These readings indicate the space ahead of us is literally changing shape. My best guess is it's some type of spatial distortion wave.
Tuvok: Is the anomaly responsible for the comm. system malfunction?
Kim: I think so. It's generating intense pulses of EM radiation, and if we don't get out of its way, it's going to intercept us in less than ten minutes.
Tuvok: Acknowledged. Full reverse, Ensign.
Crewwoman: Aye, sir.
Kim: We can't go backwards either, Mister Tuvok. The distortion has completely surrounded us like a ring.
Tuvok: If we can not go around it, then we will have to go through it.
Kim: There's no telling what that will do to the ship.
Tuvok: 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 three. Engage.
Kim: The distortion ring has collapsed the warp field. Engines are offline.
Tuvok: Find the Captain and inform her of our status.
Kim: Yes, sir.
Baxter: Ensign Kim, I've been trying to report a problem in the gym, but the comm. system seems to be down.
Kim: We've encountered a spatial distortion. It's knocked out several systems.
Baxter: Maybe that explains why the gym got so cold.
Kim: Cold?
Baxter: I didn't notice it at first. I was working out so hard. Then I realized it was under ten degrees C. The environmental controls didn't respond to my commands and neither did the comm. system.
Kim: Engines are offline too. I'm looking for the Captain to let her know what's going on.
Baxter: Should I report to my duty station?
Kim: It might not be a bad idea. Until we find out exactly what's going on, everybody should be on standby.
Baxter: I'll round up my security team.
Janeway: The first thing I want to do when we get to the Bridge is establish a remote comm. link to Engineering. I want to know exactly what's going on.
Chakotay: Aye, Captain.
Janeway: Where are we?
Paris: Deck four.
Chakotay: If the comm. system's malfunctioning, the computer could be misreading our voice commands.
Paris: That might explain why it took us here instead of the Bridge.
Janeway: We'd better try setting the controls manually.
Neelix: Did you enjoy your first surprise party, sweeting?
Kes: It was wonderful. Thank you.
Neelix: I thought you'd like it. The cake, the presents. What was your favorite part?
Kes: I suppose what I liked best was that all my friends were there.
Neelix: Ah, that was nice, wasn't it? And don't forget that beautiful necklace Tom Paris gave you.
Kes: Do you really like it?
Neelix: Oh, why wouldn't I like it? Paris obviously has excellent taste.
Kes: I was afraid you might be a little jealous.
Neelix: Who, me? Don't be silly.
Kes: Are you sure?
Neelix: You, my dearest, have seen the last of that green-eyed pus hog called jealousy.
Kes: I'm glad.
Neelix: Of course, Paris did replicate that locket, whereas I baked the Jibelian fudge cake from scratch.
Kes: These aren't my quarters. Did we take a wrong turn somewhere?
Neelix: I was just following you.
Crewman: Is everything all right, Lieutenant?
Torres: This isn't Engineering.
Janeway: And have someone take a look at the turbolift voice receptors, Commander.
Chakotay: Aye, Captain.
Janeway: This is Engineering. What's going on here?
Chakotay: It looks like we're dealing with more than just a comm. system malfunction.
Janeway: Computer, Bridge.
Torres: Baxter, what are you doing here?
Baxter: I wish I knew. I'm trying to get to the cargo bay.
Torres: And I'm trying to get to Engineering.
Baxter: I can't find the cargo bay, and I can't find my security team. I've been wandering around for about ten minutes.
Torres: Well, at least I know I'm not crazy. Unless we both are.
Baxter: No, something very strange is going on. Ensign Kim said we'd encountered a spatial distortion.
Torres: Did he say what kind?
Baxter: No, he went to find the Captain.
Torres: 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. I'm going to keep trying to get to Engineering.
Baxter: Good luck.
Emh: The holodeck again?
Sandrine: Ah ha!
Emh: This is infuriating.
Sandrine: Oh, stop playing games, ma cherie. I know why you keep coming back to work, even though your bartending shift is over. It's to see me, of course.
Emh: How many times do I have to tell you, madam? I am a doctor, not a bartender.
Sandrine: Of course you are.
Kim: Doc?
Emh: Ensign Kim. I was just, er
Sandrine: Playing doctor. Hi.
Emh: The Captain and the others went to investigate the phenomenon Mister Tuvok reported.
Kim: So all of you heard his report before the comm. system failed?
Emh: Only a fraction of it.
Kim: 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?
Emh: For your information, I have been attempting to transfer myself back to Sickbay. But each time I try, I reappear here.
Kim: That's strange.
Emh: Not to mention extremely irritating. I can't seem to shut down Mister Paris's holoprogram either.
Kim: Computer, end holodeck program Paris Three. Computer, arch. Either the holoemitters are malfunctioning or the computer's not accepting voice commands. I'm sorry, Doctor. I don't have time to help you right now.
Emh: Wait just a minute.
Kim: Hmm?
Emh: What do you think you're going.
Kim: I've got to get back to the Bridge. We're in the middle of a crisis.
Emh: All the more reason I should be back in Sickbay. I'm sure that the Captain and the others will be able to do without you for a few more minutes.
Kim: I guess you're right. I'll have a look at the holocontrols.
Neelix: Kyoto's quarters. Nicoletti. Hargrove. Ayala.
Kes: None of those are anywhere near my quarters.
Neelix: This is deck eight. That's where your quarters are.
Kes: But Hargrove and Ayala are on deck seven. Nicoletti is on four and I think Kyoto is on six.
Neelix: How do you know where everyone's quarters are?
Kes: I just remember.
Neelix: Remember from what? Have you been in all their quarters?
Kes: Of course not. The point is, those quarters can't all be on the same deck.
Neelix: Well, see for yourself.
Kes: This can't be.
Neelix: Perhaps, sweeting, your memory isn't as reliable as you think.
Kes: This is impossible. I know Hargrove is on seven.
Neelix: Why Hargrove?
Kes: What?
Neelix: Why are you so sure about Hargrove's quarters? What makes him so special?
Kes: He's not special. I just remember where his quarters are. This way. It has to be this way.
Torres: Harry.
Kim: B'Elanna, shouldn't you be in Engineering? What are you doing here?
Torres: Just answer one question, Starfleet. Where is here?
Kim: What?
Torres: Where am I?
Kim: Outside Holodeck two. Are you feeling okay?
Torres: I have been walking in circles for the past twenty minutes trying to get to Engineering.
Neelix: Kes, my sweet, you have many wonderful attributes. Your sense of direction is not one of them, because. Oh, er, 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's quarters.
Paris: I don't suppose anyone here knows the way to the Bridge?
Janeway: 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's quarters, we've all eventually ended up here right back at deck six.
Kim: The bridge is on deck one. Engineering is on deck eleven. deck six is halfway in between, right?
Chakotay: So?
Kim: So if we're being surrounded by this ring, maybe it's pushing us all to the center of the ship.
Torres: 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?
Emh: 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.
Janeway: We'll never figure it out sitting here. We need more information about this phenomenon. Sensor readings, computer analyzes. We have to find a way back to the Bridge.
Torres: 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.
Chakotay: We'd have to get to a transporter room first.
Torres: Or to Engineering, wherever that is.
Paris: When we tried to go to the Bridge, one of the places the turbolift took us was Engineering. Maybe if we repeated our steps, it'll take us back there.
Janeway: It's worth a shot. Lieutenant Paris, you're with Torres.
Kim: 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 one right behind the Bridge.
Chakotay: 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.
Paris: What's going to keep you from getting lost?
Chakotay: I'll get a tricorder from the storage locker, rig it to emit a photoplasmic trail.
Janeway: 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.
Emh: May I request that Kes be allowed to stay here with me? Beside helping stave off the predatory advances of that woman, she may be able to help me find a way to transfer myself back to Sickbay.
Neelix: And, er, I'll assist Commander Chakotay, Captain. As you may have heard, my tracking skills are legendary throughout the quadrant.
Janeway: That all right with you, Commander? Mister Kim, I'm with you. Let's do it.
Kes: Be careful.
Torres: Are you sure this is how you got there before?
Paris: Relax, will you? So far, we're right on schedule. The next stop should be
Paris: Voila! Engineering.
Torres: 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?
Torres: Crewman! There's an emergency situation aboard ship. Just stay right where you are. That's an order.
Paris: I think you handled that very well, Lieutenant.
Neelix: Commander, I would imagine you've had some experience with women.
Chakotay: Some.
Neelix: Oh, come now. Ha! A handsome man like you. I bet women find you irresistible.
Chakotay: Neelix, what's this about?
Neelix: Er, er, er, have you, er, but have you ever been jealous?
Chakotay: Of course.
Neelix: You have?
Chakotay: I imagine most people who've been in love have been jealous at one time or another.
Neelix: I see. It's a perfectly normal response. Then why, why is it so unpleasant?
Chakotay: 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?
Neelix: No. I mean, I don't think so. At least I certainly hope not. I just can't seem to stop these awful feelings.
Chakotay: 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.
Baxter: Commander, am I ever glad to see you. Do you have any idea what's going on here?
Chakotay: Not exactly.
Baxter: Well, I feel like I've been wandering around for hours. I can't find the cargo bay.
Chakotay: Have you seen anyone else? Any more of the crew?
Baxter: Some people roaming around like me. A couple of times I wound up in the Mess Hall. There were quite a few people there.
Chakotay: 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.
Baxter: Aye, Commander.
Tuvok: Gentlemen.
Chakotay: Tuvok, what are you doing here?
Tuvok: That is an interesting question, Commander. I am not certain how I arrived at this location.
Chakotay: You're lost too.
Tuvok: Indeed. When I received no word from you or the Captain, I left Lieutenant Ayala in command and came to look for you myself.
Chakotay: Can you lead us back to the Bridge?
Tuvok: I do not believe so. When I first realized I was lost, I attempted to retrace my steps only to find myself here.
Chakotay: None of us has been able to reach the Bridge. In fact, Neelix and I can't seem to get off deck six.
Tuvok: Strange, I thought we were on deck three.
Chakotay: What was our status when you left the Bridge?
Tuvok: The ring has penetrated our shields and is now in direct contact with the hull.
Chakotay: Then maybe it is possible the distortions are somehow reconfiguring the ship.
Tuvok: As improbable as it sounds, that would appear to be the case.
Chakotay: Neelix, let's go. Neelix?
Kim: 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.
Janeway: But we haven't, at least not according to this tricorder. Odd.
Kim: What is it?
Janeway: A very faint electromagnetic reading. Now it's gone. There it is from another direction.
Kim: Yeah, I'm getting it too.
Janeway: It comes and goes, jumps from place to place.
Kim: Could it be evidence of the ship's reconfiguration?
Janeway: Possibly. We'll have to compare this data with readings the others get. Harry?
Kim: Yes, ma'am.
Janeway: 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.
Kim: Thank you, Captain. I appreciate that. Wait a minute. Down there. I think that's the conduit leading to the Bridge.
Janeway: Good work. Maybe now we'll get some answers.
Kim: That's the hatch, Captain. This should let us out in the cargo hold directly behind the Bridge.
Janeway: It's not working.
Kim: We better try it manually.
Janeway: It's stuck.
Kim: Captain!
Janeway: I can't get my arm out!
Janeway: I think I'm okay.
Kim: I'm reading an intense electromagnetic charge on the other side of that hatch. That must have been what was pulling you in.
Janeway: It's as if everything on the other side is in a state of structural flux. The walls, the atmosphere.
Kim: 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.
Janeway: We're going to have to regroup and come up with a plan for combating this thing.
Kim: Captain, what's wrong?
Janeway: I don't know. Oh! Oh, my eyes!
Kim: Captain? Captain!
Gary: Come on, pal. One lousy game. Spot you six balls.
Emh: I'm not programmed to play games.
Sandrine: 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.
Emh: 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.
Sandrine: Then you are fired. I will find a new bartender.
Emh: I really wish you would.
Kes: Doctor!
Emh: Oh, please tell me you've had some success in reinitializing the holoemitters.
Kes: I did exactly what you told me, but it didn't work.
Emh: Of course not.
Kes: I'm starting to get worried about Neelix. What's taking them so long?
Sandrine: Ah, trust me, cherie. You are better off without him. All men are alike. In the end, they always break your heart.
Kim: Can I get some help here?
Emh: What happened to her?
Kim: She came into contact with the spatial distortions in the Jefferies Tube. She seemed fine for a couple of minutes, but then she started to fade in and out of consciousness.
Tuvok: I believe we should go this way, Commander.
Chakotay: What makes you say that?
Tuvok: 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.
Chakotay: There's a flaw in your logic.
Tuvok: How so, Commander?
Chakotay: 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.
Tuvok: Even within chaotic systems, there is a pattern of limited predictability.
Chakotay: By the time we figure that pattern out, these distortions may have completely overrun the ship.
Tuvok: That is a possibility.
Chakotay: 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.
Tuvok: As you wish, Commander.
Chakotay: Tell me something, Tuvok. What does your logic tell you about navigating a maze that's constantly changing shape?
Paris: Scanners check out.
Torres: Then we're ready to give it a try. Activate the auxiliary pattern buffers.
Paris: Pattern buffers activated.
Torres: Targeting the Bridge coordinates. Scanners locked. Energize.
Gaunt Gary: Would you mind moving your foot, Tommy boy? It's blocking my shot.
Chakotay: Tell me you already made it to the Bridge, and you've come back here to give us a status report.
Torres: We locked onto the Bridge coordinates, but this is where we ended up. None of you had any luck either?
Tuvok: 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.
Chakotay: That's not all. We lost Neelix too.
Paris: Lost him?
Chakotay: He turned a corner, and he was just gone. We think the spatial distortions are continuously changing the configuration of the corridors.
Torres: Kes must be worried sick.
Kim: And it isn't just Neelix who's missing. Where's the rest of the crew?
Tuvok: 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.
Paris: So what do we do now?
Chakotay: 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.
Torres: 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?
Tuvok: 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.
Kim: Maybe we could make a map.
Chakotay: Ensign?
Kim: 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.
Torres: 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.
Chakotay: What are we waiting for?
Kim: The computer has analyzed all our tricorder data, so this ought to be pretty close to what it looks like now.
Paris: It's as if the entire ship is being compressed and twisted.
Torres: My guess is it's more than just a distortion ring. It looks like some sort of spatial implosion that's slowly crushing us.
Chakotay: Look, this part of the ship seems unaffected.
Kim: That's deck six where we are.
Tuvok: Correct, Ensign. However, the area we occupying will not remain unaffected indefinitely.
Chakotay: How long?
Tuvok: Based on the rate of implosion thus far, I estimate the ring will crush deck six in approximately sixty eight minutes.
Paris: Is this implosion ring some kind of weapon? Are we under attack?
Kim: Who'd want to attack us and why?
Tuvok: 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.
Torres: 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.
Chakotay: 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.
Kim: Invert the effect. Turn the implosion into an explosion.
Chakotay: Exactly.
Torres: 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.
Kim: A shock pulse of that magnitude would create a subatomic particle shower all over the ship.
Tuvok: Which could set off a chain reaction that would cause not only the ring to explode outward but Voyager along with it.
Torres: Not if I can precisely tune the shock pulse to the distortion frequency of the ring.
Tuvok: That would be exceptionally difficult.
Torres: If we don't give this a try, we're going to get crushed anyway. Personally, I'd rather go down fighting.
Tuvok: I must remind you that with the comm. system down, we will have no effective means of alerting the rest of the crew to a potentially lethal particle shower.
Chakotay: Do you have another suggestion, Mister Tuvok?
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.
Kim: Can't we try both?
Torres: It's much too dangerous to have someone working at the navigational array during a shock pulse.
Paris: Besides, this ship is so contorted, there's no reason to expect we'd have any navigational control.
Chakotay: All right, B'Elanna. Let's give your plan a shot. You
Tuvok: Commander Chakotay?
Chakotay: Yes, Lieutenant?
Tuvok: I feel compelled to point out that in my many years of experience as Captain Janeway's tactical officer, she often demonstrated a tendency to follow my
Chakotay: In case you haven't noticed, Captain Janeway's not in any condition to make decisions. I'm in command. Is that understood?
Tuvok: Yes, sir.
Chakotay: Good. B'Elanna, you and Harry get down to Engineering. Evacuate whoever's on duty, then initiate the warp pulse. Move it.
Kim: Dilithium matrix stable. Matter-antimatter reactor is at eighty percent of critical.
Torres: Let's keep it that way!
Kim: Warp core pressure is at thirty six megapascals and rising.
Torres: When it reaches fifty three, it'll trigger the shock pulse. We should get out of here by the time it hits fifty!
Kim: Acknowledged! Pressure at forty one megapascals and rising. I'm reading a microfracture in the dilithium matrix.
Torres: Attempting to compensate.
Kim: Fracture sealed. Forty four megapascals!
Chakotay: They're heating up the warp core. They must be close to initiating the shock burst. Everybody take cover.
Kim: Forty seven! Forty eight! Forty nine!
Torres: Let's move!
Torres: Well, in spite of Tuvok's dire predictions, we haven't blown the ship to pieces, have we?
Kim: No, and radiation levels are within acceptable tolerance.
Torres: Good. Let's get in there and see if we had any luck dispersing this implosion ring.
Kim: Hold it!
Torres: What?
Kim: I'm reading a massive distortion behind the door.
Torres: I don't think it's just behind the door.
Kim: The ring's completely engulfed Engineering.
Chakotay: Can I talk to her?
Emh: I can't guarantee she'll hear you, or be able to understand you if she does.
Chakotay: Captain!
Janeway: Dark. Gan.
Chakotay: What's wrong with her?
Emh: It's possible the spatial distortions have damaged her speech center, her neural pathways.
Torres: Chakotay, it didn't work.
Kim: Instead of forcing the implosion outward, the pulse is drawing it in at a faster rate.
Paris: You're saying it made things worse?
Kim: I don't think we have more than a few minutes.
Torres: Paris, we have to get to the navigational array and give Tuvok's plan a try.
Tuvok: I'm afraid there's no longer time for that.
Torres: Why not?
Paris: We're not going anywhere.
Paris: Do you really think it's possible to project a stable holographic force field?
Torres: We've tried everything else. Ready? Here we go.
Tuvok: The distortion is unaffected by the force field.
Torres: We've got to figure out a way to generate a stable field.
Chakotay: B'Elanna, this ring has passed through the shields, crushed the hull, twisted the ship. We'll never get enough power from the holoemitters to stop it.
Torres: What are you saying? We're out of options?
Tuvok: 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 seventeen seconds.
Torres: You said there was another option.
Tuvok: We do nothing.
Torres: Excuse me?
Chakotay: Are you suggesting we just let it crush us?
Tuvok: Precisely.
Torres: I can't believe I'm hearing this from you.
Chakotay: I agree. It sounds completely illogical.
Tuvok: On the contrary. When every logical course of action is exhausted, the only option that remains is inaction.
Torres: So we're just supposed to sit here and let this thing kill us?
Tuvok: 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.
Janeway: Is dogin do be to gandin!
Emh: Captain, please lie down.
Torres: What about the Captain? She's dying.
Tuvok: We do not know that. At the moment, she is merely delirious.
Torres: Chakotay, you're in charge here. Don't you agree we've got to keep trying?
Chakotay: 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.
Torres: Fine. Fine, Chakotay. Have it your way.
Tuvok: Commander Chakotay.
Chakotay: Yes, Mister Tuvok?
Tuvok: I want to thank you for endorsing my recommendation.
Chakotay: 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.
Tuvok: 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.
Chakotay: I suppose it must have been tough for you to accept my being elevated to first officer over you.
Tuvok: 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.
Kim: Can I ask you a question?
Paris: Fire away, Harry.
Kim: Are you afraid?
Paris: I chose this life. And I guess I always knew it could come to this. But yeah, I'm afraid.
Kim: Me too.
Kes: I'm so worried about Neelix. I should be with him.
Emh: As much as he may annoy me at times, Mister Neelix is one of the most resourceful and resilient individuals I know. If anyone can survive this calamity, he can.
Torres: Hi.
Chakotay: Hi.
Torres: What are you doing?
Chakotay: I'm trying to contact my spirit guide.
Torres: Why?
Chakotay: Who knows what's going to happen when that ring hits us. We might be in for another long journey.
Torres: I guess I could use a little spiritual guidance myself right now. Mind if I join you?
Chakotay: I thought you'd never ask.
Emh: Captain?
Janeway: I'm all right.
Emh: You were delirious.
Janeway: It was some sort of message.
Chakotay: What was?
Janeway: The spatial distortion. It was trying to communicate with us.
Janeway: I want a full systems report. And Mister Kim, Mister Tuvok, I want every iota of information that was recorded regarding that phenomenon.
Paris: The distortion ring's directly ahead, Captain. It's moving away from us at two thousand kph.
Chakotay: We've got a full crew complement, Captain. No injuries reported.
Torres: No damage to the hull or ship systems.
Janeway: Incredible.
Torres: You're not going to believe this, Captain, but twenty million gigaquads of new information have been input into the ship's computer.
Janeway: Where did it come from?
Torres: My guess is it came from the distortion ring.
Janeway: Somebody's definitely trying to tell us something.
Torres: That's not all, Captain. Our entire database has been copied and downloaded into somebody else's system.
Chakotay: I guess whoever they were, they want to know everything they can about us too.
Janeway: Maybe it was their only way of communicating with us. Maybe they were just trying to say hello.
Neelix: Cake, anyone?
Kes: Neelix, what happened to you?
Neelix: Oh, it's a long story. I'll tell you all about it later. Right now, it's time to finish your party.
Kes: Neelix, I need a photograph of you.
Neelix: What for, sweeting?
Kes: From now on, even when we're separated, I want to have you where I can keep my eye on you.
Neelix: Happy birthday, Kes.