Paris: Sorry I'm late, but I have a very good excuse. Picture this. I'm just getting ready to leave the Mess hall, when Ensign Wildman goes into labor. What else could I do but deliver the baby? Oh, you should've been there, Harry. There is nothing like bringing a new life into the world. I think I missed my calling. What if I told you the turbolift got stuck on deck six?
Chakotay: This is the third time you've been late this week, Mister Paris.
Paris: It won't happen again.
Tuvok: Commander, I am picking up a distress call on one of the upper subspace bands.
Chakotay: What's the source?
Tuvok: A small spacecraft. No weapon systems. One life form aboard. Extremely weak life signs.
Chakotay: Slow to half impulse.
Kim: According to the bioscanner, it's a Vidiian female.
Janeway: Open a channel.
Kim: No response.
Chakotay: She may be too sick.
Paris: Or maybe it's some kind of trick.
Tuvok: Preliminary scans show no other Vidiian ships in this sector. It is unlikely that this is a trap.
Janeway: Commander Chakotay, notify the Doctor. Mister Kim, beam the woman to Sickbay.
Kim: Aye, Captain.
Kes: Her renal organs are functioning at twenty percent of normal and her cardiovascular system is on the verge of collapse.
Emh: Twenty milligrams of lectrazine.
Kes: Cardiovascular and renal systems are stabilizing, but her neural patterns are fading. What is it?
Emh: In her parietal lobe. It looks like some sort of implant. It's a very complex web of bioneural circuitry. Nanofibers.
Kes: Could this be what's causing the problem?
Emh: On the contrary. According to these readings, the device is actually storing her synaptic patterns, processing them and transmitting neural electrical impulses to the rest of her systems.
Kes: Are you saying it's some kind of artificial brain?
Emh: No. I'd say it's more like a neuro-cortical stimulator, designed to supplement the higher brain functions.
Kes: But it's not working any more.
Emh: From what I can tell, the implant itself is functioning, but it's connected to mostly dead nerve cells. If we don't do something quickly, she'll be brain dead in a matter of minutes.
Kes: What about trying to stimulate cell regeneration with a high dosage of inaprovaline?
Emh: Very impressive, Kes, but I think it's too late for that. Get me a high frequency RF transmitter. You're going to have to hurry, Kes. The patient's brain function is diminishing rapidly. Now, set the delta band frequency of the holo-emitter to eight point six tetrahertz.
Kes: What are we doing exactly?
Emh: Transferring the patient's synaptic patterns into the holo-buffer before they degrade completely.
Kes: Is there enough storage capacity in the holo-matrix for such complex data patterns?
Emh: There's enough capacity for my program, isn't there? And my program contains over fifty million gigaquads of data, which I don't have to tell you is considerably more than most highly developed humanoid brains.
Kes: What good is preserving her synaptic patterns if there's no body?
Emh: I'm creating a holographic body. Not only will we be able to communicate with the patient, but we'll have an accurate model of healthy Vidiian physiology that will aid in treating her actual body. Computer, project the patient's skeletal structure. Now add internal organs. Add musculature. Now apply epidermal layers. Computer, use transporter records to recreate the patient's clothing.
Chakotay: According to her ship's navigational logs, the woman was en route to a remote Vidiian colony.
Janeway: Are we anywhere near it?
Chakotay: It's about ten light years away. We should be in the general vicinity in about twenty two days.
Janeway: Assuming she survives, and we can take adequate security precautions, we'll turn her over to her people when we get there.
Chakotay: Captain.
Janeway: Is there something wrong?
Chakotay: I wanted to talk to you about Lieutenant Paris. His attitude lately has been less than professional.
Janeway: I've noticed.
Chakotay: I know crew diskipline's my responsibility, but in this case I thought I should let you get involved before I took any action. In a way, Paris has been your personal reclamation project.
Janeway: I appreciate your bringing this to my attention, Commander, but I trust you to handle the problem any way you see fit. Chief Medical Officer's Log, supplemental. Test results indicate that the holographic body is functioning normally. The patient's synaptic patterns appear to be stable, so I'm now ready to begin transferring her cognitive and motor processes.
Denara: Who are you?
Emh: I'm the Chief Medical Officer of the Federation Starship Voyager. We received your distress call and brought you aboard.
Denara: What have you done to me?
Emh: It's quite simple, really. I used the undamaged chromosomes in your cerebellum to recreate your original DNA code, and then programmed the computer to project a holographic template based on that genome.
Denara: Holographic?
Emh: A three-dimensional projection of light and energy. See for yourself.
Emh: Your neural patterns were degrading rapidly. It was too late to expect results from inaprovaline, so I was forced to improvise, not that it would have occurred to just any physician. Why are you crying?
Denara: I'm sorry, I
Emh: I thought you'd be pleased.
Denara: I am. I just never expected to look healthy again. I've been sick for so long.
Emh: I'll need a complete medical history. How long have you been ill exactly?
Denara: I was first diagnosed with the Phage when I was seven.
Emh: And when did you begin receiving replacement tissue?
Denara: About that same time. At first, it was hard to get used to the changes, but it happened so often that after a while I, I almost stopped noticing. I never, I never thought I'd see myself again. Thank you. This is the most extraordinary thing anyone has ever done for me.
Emh: I wouldn't be too grateful. There are serious limitations to being a hologram. First of all, we can only exist within environments equipped with holo-emitters, such as the Sickbay.
Denara: Do you mean you're a
Emh: I'm this ship's Emergency Medical Holographic Program.
Denara: You're a computer simulation?
Emh: An incredibly sophisticated computer simulation.
Denara: I'm sorry. What did you say your name was?
Emh: I don't have a name. It wasn't part of my original program. However you, I'm sure, have one.
Denara: Denara. Denara Pel.
Emh: Well, Miss Pel. May I ask what someone with an illness like yours was doing alone in space with no access to medical care?
Denara: I was helping to treat an outbreak of the Phage on Fina Prime. I was on my way back to my home colony, but it's a long journey and my condition got worse.
Emh: You're a medical practitioner of some kind?
Denara: A hematologist.
Emh: Well then, perhaps given your expertise, you can help me with your treatment.
Denara: My treatment? I feel fine.
Emh: Unfortunately, that's only temporary. Your synaptic patterns will eventually degrade if we don't get them out of the pattern buffers and back into your brain.
Denara: How long?
Emh: A few days. Perhaps a week.
Denara: I see.
Emh: Your real body is in stasis. As you can see, we have to find a way to repair your damaged neural tissue. Is something wrong?
Denara: It's nothing.
Emh: I'm eager to discuss treatments.
Denara: Of course.
Emh: The procedure is quite simple. I'll drill an opening into your skull precisely two millimeters in diameter, and then use a neuralyte probe to extract a sample of your parietal lobe, weighing approximately one gram.
Torres: It doesn't sound simple to me. I still have nightmares about what those people did to me. And now, you want to crack open my head, cut out a piece of my brain and give it to her?
Emh: Your experience in the Vidiian prison suggests Klingon DNA is resistant to the Phage. Losing a small amount of neural tissue is inconsequential.
Torres: Not to me, it isn't.
Emh: Yet that same tissue, grafted onto the patient's brain and stimulated to grow, will significantly slow the spread of her infection. If we can increase the grafted tissue mass quickly enough, we can transfer her synaptic patterns back into her brain before they degrade in the holo-buffer. It won't cure the Phage, but it should prolong her life considerably. Please, change into a surgical gown and lie down on biobed number one.
Torres: I am not going to
Denara: Excuse me. I just want to say that I've read about the experiments that were done on you. What you went through must have been very traumatic.
Torres: That is an understatement.
Denara: I'm sure it is. Please understand this disease has been killing my people for hundreds of years. Trying to stop it has become an obsession, and many of our politicians and scientists have never developed compassion for the people who keep us alive. As much as I want to go on living, I've accepted the fact that I will die soon. I only want your help if you are willing to give it.
Torres: Of course I, I'd like to help you if I can.
Denara: If you have any questions at all about the procedure, I'd be happy to answer them for you.
Torres: I'll go and get changed.
Emh: I've finished ingrafting the Klingon neural tissue to your cerebral cortex. Now all I have to do is create an axonal pathway between that tissue and your basal ganglia.
Denara: Your technique is very impressive.
Emh: It's all part of my programming. For example, this exact procedure was developed by Doctor Leonard McCoy in the year 2253. I'm equipped with the collective medical knowledge of more than three thousand cultures. Additionally, as you see here, my imaging system allows me to perform, and in many cases improve upon, the most delicate tactile maneuvers required by a dizzying array of surgical procedures.
Denara: Incredible.
Emh: It is, isn't it? Hand me the submicron suture, please. There. That should do it. Excellent work, Doctor.
Denara: I was only assisting.
Emh: Nonetheless, that assistance was invaluable. It could be two or three days before we'll know if the graft will hold. In the meantime, perhaps I should deactivate your program temporarily.
Denara: Do you have to?
Emh: It would slow the degradation of your synaptic patterns.
Denara: But I have so much energy. I don't know. Maybe it's the excitement of the surgery or, or maybe it's this new body. What I'd really like to do is take a walk and see the rest of your ship.
Emh: Unfortunately, that's not possible. However, if you're looking for something to do, please feel free to use my office to access our medical database. You'll find several interesting texts on comparative endocrinology.
Denara: All right. Thank you.
Emh: On second thought, there is someplace else we could go.
Denara: It's wonderful. If I had a place like this to go to, I'd be there every day.
Emh: Don't your people have recreational facilities?
Denara: Congregating in groups is strictly regulated. It's considered to be a threat to public health.
Emh: A wise policy.
Denara: I suppose. Sometimes I think my people spend so much time trying to save lives, they don't know how to live anymore.
Neelix: Doctor! Aren't you going to introduce me to your date?
Emh: She is not my date. She's my patient.
Neelix: I'm sorry. I didn't realize.
Emh: Mister Neelix, this is Doctor Denara Pel.
Neelix: As Chief Morale Officer, may I be the first to welcome you to Voyager.
Gigolo: Madame, your loveliness illuminates our dark little cavern. May I have the pleasure of this next dance?
Emh: Go away, immediately, both of you. You're disturbing my patient.
Gigolo: You are just jealous because you cannot dance.
Neelix: Let's go. You're making the lady nervous. Nice to meet you.
Emh: I apologize.
Denara: No. They were just being nice.
Emh: Irritating, isn't it?
Denara: I guess I'm just not used to so much attention. Where I come from, when you're as sick as I am, people, healthy people stay away from you. I guess I forgot for a second that I don't look like that anymore.
Emh: It's a natural response.
Denara: All this talk about me. There's still so much I'd like to know about you.
Emh: There's not much to tell, really. My program was developed by Doctor Louis Zimmerman in a lab on Jupiter Station. I was activated on stardate 48308. Since that time I've performed three hundred and forty seven medical exams, healed eleven compound fractures, performed three appendectomies, and in my greatest feat of medical prowess, I once cured Mister Neelix of an acute case of the hiccups.
Denara: You're very funny.
Emh: I am? Well, several clinical studies have shown humor to be very therapeutic. Consider it part of your treatment. What is it?
Denara: It's, er, just that I, I haven't laughed in a very long time. Thank you. Well, what did that man mean when he said you can't dance?
Emh: That's dancing.
Denara: And you can't do it?
Emh: It's not part of my programming.
Denara: Oh. I see.
Emh: Well, Doctor Pel.
Denara: Please, call me Denara.
Emh: As you wish, Denara.
Denara: And what about you? What should I call you?
Emh: Well, as I said.
Denara: I know. You don't have a name. Would it be all right if I gave you one?
Emh: Well, I
Denara: How about Shmullus.
Emh: Shmullus?
Denara: It was my uncle's name. He used to make me laugh too.
Emh: Doctor Shmullus. I think I like the sound of that.
Emh: Well, here we are.
Denara: Yes, here we are.
Emh: Denara, I think we should
Denara: Yes?
Emh: Deactivate your program for at least eight hours.
Denara: If you think it's best.
Emh: I do.
Denara: All right, then.
Emh: All right. Computer
Denara: Shmullus?
Emh: Yes?
Denara: I had a wonderful time.
Emh: I'm pleased.
Denara: Thank you, for everything.
Emh: Thank you for giving me a name. Er, well, good night, Denara.
Denara: Good night, Shmullus.
Emh: Computer, deactivate Vidiian Program Alpha.
Chakotay: Mind if I join you? So how are things, Tom?
Paris: Excuse me?
Chakotay: How have you been feeling lately? Something bothering you?
Paris: Oh, no offense, Commander, but why this sudden concern for my feelings?
Chakotay: Well, you've been moody lately, indifferent to your duties. To be honest, you don't seem to be taking your job very seriously. If you've got a problem, I'd like to know what it is.
Paris: Yeah, I've got a problem. My problem is you.
Chakotay: You care to elaborate?
Paris: You tell me I don't take my job seriously. But half the time, you don't let me do my job.
Chakotay: What's that supposed to mean?
Paris: It means that you don't trust my judgment. You don't allow me to take initiative. Remember last week? I suggested that we might save time by traveling through that emissions nebula. But what did you say? Oh no, that's not the way we do things on this ship.
Chakotay: Look, sometimes I'm not going to agree with your suggestions. But making decisions is part of being a leader. Maybe someday you'll understand that.
Paris: Being a leader also means knowing when to give your people a little leeway and let them be creative. I might as well put this ship on autopilot for all the freedom you give me to do my job.
Chakotay: I didn't come here for a lecture from you on how to do my job.
Paris: Yeah, well, I know you don't put much stock in my opinion. So maybe you should talk to some of these people, because I'm not the only one around here who's got a problem with you. Now, if there's nothing else, sir, I'd like to be excused.
Chakotay: Sure, Paris. You're excused.
Lorrum: Dissension among the Voyager crew. Maje Culluh will find that very interesting. Good work, Mister Jonas. Now, there's something else we'd like you to do. We want you to create a small accident which will damage Voyager's warp coils.
Jonas: Why?
Lorrum: here's no need to concern yourself with that. You just plan the accident. We'll let you know exactly when we want it to happen. Do we understand each other?
Jonas: I want to talk to Seska.
Lorrum: I'm afraid Maje Culluh won't
Jonas: You tell Maje Culluh that I won't do anything to damage Voyager. And if he has a problem with that, tell him to have Seska contact me.
Kes: Doctor, when you have a minute
Emh: I'm running a level two self-diagnostic right now. I'll be there as soon as I'm finished.
Kes: Why are you running a diagnostic?
Emh: I've been experiencing periodic lapses in concentration and difficulty handing objects. There may be a malfunction in my tactile acuity subroutine.
Kes: How long has this been going on?
Emh: About two or three days.
Kes: Since Denara came aboard.
Emh: What's your point?
Kes: Maybe she's the reason you're feeling this way.
Emh: I fail to see a connection.
Kes: Maybe you're attracted to her.
Emh: I told you, my program's malfunctioning.
Kes: Romance is not a malfunction.
Emh: Romance is not part of my programming.
Kes: Your programming's adaptive, isn't it?
Emh: Yes.
Kes: Then I'd say it's adapting.
Emh: What if I don't want it to adapt right now?
Kes: Why wouldn't you?
Emh: Because I don't like what's happening to me. I'm used to being in control of my faculties, confident of my decisions. But lately, whenever Denara's program is deactivated and I should be concentrating on my work, I find myself thinking of nothing but her.
Kes: Why don't you reactivate her?
Emh: Because whenever I do that, I suddenly feel unsettled, unsure of myself, and I have no idea what to say. Why would people seek out situations which induce such unpleasant symptoms?
Kes: Because when the other person feels the same way you do, it's the most wonderful thing in life.
Emh: Suppose, hypothetically, of course
Kes: Of course.
Emh: I wanted to pursue that possibility. How would I proceed?
Kes: You'd have to tell her how you feel.
Emh: That's it? Just tell her how I feel?
Kes: Otherwise you may never know how she feels.
Emh: I'm going to try stimulating your motor neurons. Well, the nucleus cuneatus appears to be functioning normally. And now for the anterior thalamic pathway. Excellent. By the way, Denara, I've been meaning to tell you.
Denara: Yes?
Emh: I'm romantically attracted to you and wanted to know if you felt the same way. Is something wrong?
Denara: No, I
Emh: Did you understand what I said?
Denara: Yes.
Emh: Well?
Kes: Doctor, maybe now isn't the time to
Emh: Excuse me, Kes. I was speaking to Denara.
Denara: I think it's best if we keep our relationship professional.
Emh: Oh. I'm going to try simulating the posterior sciatic nerve.
Paris: Doc. What brings you here? Is somebody sick?
Emh: Actually, Mister Paris, I was looking for you.
Paris: Oh. Well, pull up a chair.
Emh: Mister Paris, I assume you've had a great deal of experience being rejected by women.
Paris: Oh, thanks a lot, Doc.
Emh: What I'd like to know is, what does one do to recover from the unpleasant symptoms of romantic rejection?
Paris: Why the sudden interest in romance?
Emh: I can't tell you. It's a matter of doctor-patient confidentiality.
Paris: Ah. All right. Well, let's see. Sometimes there's not a lot you can do to get over a woman you really care about. I remember when Susie Crabtree dumped me back in my first year at the Academy. I broke out in hives. Couldn't get out of bed for a week. I almost failed Stellar Cartography. I walked around in a daze for the rest of that year. Of course, the first one is always the hardest to get over.
Emh: I see.
Paris: But, eventually, you start thinking about her less and less. Until finally, without realizing it, she's not on your mind anymore.
Emh: So, the symptoms do subside over time?
Paris: For the most part. But every now and then, even years later, something reminds you of her. A certain smell, a few notes of a song, and suddenly you feel just as bad as the day she told you she never wanted to see you again. If you want to know the honest truth, Doc, you never completely get over a woman you really cared about. Wait a minute, Doc. We're not talking about you, are we?
Emh: I told you, it was confidential.
Paris: Oh. Boy, you've got it bad. Look, Doc, I don't mean to intrude, but if you tell me what's going on, maybe I can help.
Denara: Hello, Kes.
Kes: Are you feeling all right?
Denara: I'm fine. I'm just waiting for the Doctor.
Kes: Oh.
Denara: He's been gone a long time.
Kes: You really like him, don't you? Then why didn't you tell him that you felt the same way when he told you that he was attracted to you?
Denara: I don't know. It all happened so fast. He just blurted it out.
Kes: He's very blunt. You shouldn't take it personally.
Denara: How could he possibly have those kinds of feelings about me?
Kes: Maybe because you're compassionate person, a brilliant doctor, you appreciate his humor. Should I go on?
Denara: Please don't.
Kes: One thing you're not very good at is accepting a compliment. The next time someone has something nice to say about you, maybe you should just take them at their word and feel good about yourself.
Denara: It's not easy to feel good about yourself when you're used to living your life like that.
Kes: Denara, I can't pretend to know what your life's been like. But I do know there's nothing sadder than a missed opportunity. Maybe what you and the Doctor need is to spend some time together, alone.
Paris: It sounds to me like she might just be shy. I think you scared her off.
Emh: I did?
Paris: Your approach is all wrong.
Emh: Well, what would be the right approach?
Paris: Women like romance. They want men to make an effort, take them someplace special.
Emh: Where would I take her?
Paris: Come with me, Doc. I've got an idea. Doctor's personal log, stardate 49504.3. Inaugural entry. Kes and Mister Paris have conspired to get Denara and me alone together in a place Paris considers romantic. I've never felt more uneasy.
Emh: I wasn't sure you were coming.
Denara: Neither was I.
Emh: If you don't want to be here
Denara: No. I do. Where are we exactly?
Emh: On a planet called Mars inside a primitive land based vehicle. It's called a '57 Chevy. Mister Paris is quite an automobile aficionado. This is his program.
Denara: What is it that we're supposed to be doing?
Emh: I believe it's called parking. I almost forgot. These are for you.
Denara: Thank you. You're, you're very, very thoughtful.
Emh: I downloaded a new dancing subroutine program into my program this morning. Would you like to get out and try it?
Denara: Actually, I wouldn't mind just sitting here for a while.
Emh: You wouldn't?
Denara: Those moons and star formations are so different from anything I've ever seen before.
Emh: Well, if you're interested, I could point out a few astronomical highlights. You see that bluish planet there? That's called Earth. It's where Starfleet Headquarters is located. And over there, that's Cygnus. And there, that constellation is called Hercules, named after a character in ancient Greek myth. Hippocrates was also a Greek. He was the father of Earth medicine. And that cluster over there, that's called the Pleiades.
Paris: Sorry I'm late.
Chakotay: That's all right, Mister Paris. We don't need you. Mister Grimes has taken your place at conn.
Paris: But it's my shift.
Chakotay: Not today it isn't.
Paris: What, because I was ten minutes late?
Chakotay: That's right.
Paris: Captain.
Janeway: Don't look at me, Mister Paris. Commander Chakotay has complete diskretion in this matter.
Paris: So, when should I report back for duty?
Chakotay: When you decide to start taking your job seriously, we'll discuss it. But right now, you're dismissed.
Paris: Get your hands off me!
Janeway: Mister Tuvok.
Tuvok: Yes, Captain.
Janeway: Please escort Mister Paris to the brig.
Jonas: Oh, boy, am I glad to see you. I wasn't even sure if they were giving you my messages.
Seska: I've got them all, Mike. You've been very helpful.
Jonas: Do you know what they're asking me to do?
Seska: You mean about the warp coils? I was thinking you could do it by forcing the magnetic constrictors out of alignment.
Jonas: Look, Seska, I don't mind feeding you information, but if you're planning some kind of attack.
Seska: I have no intention of raising my child on a Kazon ship. One way or another, I'm going to take Voyager. You can either help me, or you can suffer along with Janeway and the others. Don't worry, Mike. Everything's been planned to the letter. Here's how it's going to work. We'll be waiting for you on a planet called Hemikek Four. Doctor's personal log, Stardate 49507.2. The more time I spend with Denara, the more my programming continues to adapt. I look forward to perfecting my romantic skills once we've completed the synaptic transfer.
Emh: Set the delta band frequency of the holo-emitter to seven terahertz.
Kes: Seven terahertz.
Emh: Wait a minute. Did you administer the cervaline as I instructed?
Kes: Five hundred milligrams every four hours.
Emh: I don't understand it.
Denara: What's wrong?
Emh: The brain, your brain, it's rejecting the graft. We can't go through with the transfer. I'm detecting elevated levels of nytoxinol.
Kes: Where could that have come from?
Emh: Is it possible you made an error? Administered nytoxinol instead of cervaline?
Kes: No, I don't think so. But here's the hypospray I used. Check for yourself.
Emh: You're correct. It's cervaline. Has anyone else been in Sickbay during the last twenty four hours other than you and Denara?
Kes: Crewman Foster came in for some analgesic, and Ensign Wildman was here for her regular prenatal visit. Why?
Emh: Because if the nytoxinol was not administered by accident, I can only conclude that someone is deliberately trying to kill Denara.
Kes: Who would want to kill her?
Emh: Perhaps someone who bears ill will towards Vidiians. Whoever it is, I intend to find out. I'm calling Lieutenant Tuvok.
Denara: Please don't do that.
Emh: We have to find out who's trying to obstruct your recovery.
Denara: I administered the nytoxinol.
Emh: Didn't you know it would kill you?
Denara: You mean kill her.
Emh: She is you.
Denara: Was me. I don't ever want to be her again! What are you doing?
Emh: Looking for the cervaline. I have to reduce the rate of tissue rejection before it's too late.
Denara: Kes, would you excuse us?
Denara: I don't want to go through with the transfer.
Emh: If we don't get your neural patterns out of the holo-buffer, you'll be brain dead in a matter of days. I can't let that happen.
Denara: I'd rather live two more days like this with you, than go on for who knows how long wasting away a piece at a time.
Emh: It's my duty to keep you alive.
Denara: I thought you were more than my doctor. I thought you were my friend.
Emh: I am your friend.
Denara: What kind of friend would ask me to go on living like this? And for what? So that I can go back to a world where everyone I ever loved has died? Where almost everyone I meet is going to die?
Emh: You're a doctor. You can help them.
Denara: I can't help them. I can't cure them. All I can do is prolong their suffering. Just like you want to do to me now.
Emh: Denara. I have no desire to see you suffer.
Denara: Do you know what it's like? Do you?
Emh: No, but
Denara: What it's like to be a nine year old child, and suddenly your best friend doesn't want to come to your house anymore. And when you ask your mother why, why won't Mala come and play with me anymore? And she tells you it's because, it's because the other children are afraid of you. Listen to me. Before I met you, I was just a disease. But now, everything's different. When people look at me, they don't see a disease anymore. They see a woman. A woman you made. A woman you love. A woman you're not afraid to touch.
Emh: Denara, I was never afraid to touch you.
Denara: Why? Because you're a doctor?
Emh: Because I love you.
Denara: You say that now. But if I go through with the transfer.
Emh: If you go through with the transfer.
Denara: I will be sick again, and ugly.
Emh: Denara, you're not ugly. You're simply ill.
Denara: Oh, please. Stop patronizing me! I know how people see me.
Emh: Denara, do you think if you go back into your own body, I'll feel different about you?
Denara: Won't you?
Emh: Listen to me. Nothing could ever change the way I feel about you. Not a few scars, not some diseased skin. Nothing.
Denara: You have given me the most extraordinary gift that anyone has ever given me. You, you brought me to this ship where no one is sick and people are friendly. You've made me healthy and beautiful. I don't want to go back to the way things were.
Emh: You said before you knew me that you were just a disease. Well, before you, I was just a projection of photons held together by force fields. A computerized physician doing a job, doing it exceptionally well, of course, but still it was just a profession, not a life. But now that you are here and my programming has adapted, I'm not just working anymore. I'm living, learning what it means to be with someone, to love someone. I don't think I can go back to the way things were, either. Denara, please. Don't die.
Denara: I want us to be together.
Emh: So do I.
Denara: But if you put me back in that body, I'll have to go home and help my people.
Emh: I know. But we'd still have two weeks together before we reached your colony. Denara, please, be with me for as long as you can.
Emh: Computer, play music program Doctor Alpha.


Neelix: Good day, Voyager and welcome to A Briefing With Neelix. It's a catchy title, isn't it? I'll be coming to you each and every day with news of general interest. Interviews with our fascinating crew members. Musical performances. Recommendations for new holodeck programs. And of course, previews of upcoming meals. Everything from Hlaka soup to Zabee nuts. A Briefing With Neelix will help you stay informed about ship's activities, er, keep you abreast of your colleague's accomplishments and broaden your knowledge about a wealth of subjects. But most of all, it will make you feel good, because what you see here will always be the most uplifting, optimistic view of everything that happens on our ship. After all, as your morale officer, isn't it my job to bring a little joy into everyone's day? Hmm? Captain Janeway has agreed to appear on the show with regular updates about the ship's progress, and Commander Chakotay will commend outstanding crew members. So snap to and keep those boots polished to a shine. You never know when you might be featured on A Briefing With Neelix. Ready, Ensign?
Baytart: All set, Neelix.
Neelix: In just a moment, an amazing talent. Ensign Pablo Baytart will astound you with his juggling ability. He'll keep PADDs, hyposprays, even phasers in the air for minutes at a time. But before that, what makes people feel better than a little romance? And what Lieutenant in a gold uniform was recently huddled in the Mess Hall with what crewman in blue having a very intimate conversation over a carafe of Silmic wine? Well, I'd never name names, but you know who you are. Best wishes to a handsome pair of lovebirds. And now, ladies and gentlemen, Ensign Pablo Baytart.
Neelix: Ladies and gentlemen, Ensign Pablo Baytart. Well? What did you think?
Emh: I'm a doctor, not a performer. I don't have time for such nonsense.
Neelix: I can see Hints for Healthful Living becoming a very popular segment, Doctor.
Emh: I don't think so.
Neelix: You'd be lifted to a whole new level in the crew's eyes. They'd hang on your every word. You'd enjoy a, a popularity, a, a celebrity that you've never known before.
Emh: I would?
Neelix: You don't have to answer right away. Just think about it.
Neelix: Ah, Mister Kim! Just the person I wanted to see.
Kim: See you later.
Neelix: Did you watch A Briefing With Neelix this morning?
Kim: Uh, yes, yes, I did.
Neelix: Is there something about the program you disliked?
Kim: I'm not sure I care for all the frosting.
Neelix: Frosting?
Kim: Deck four. Recipes, music, jugglers. It's sort of like a steady diet of dessert, which is fine, but pretty soon you want some meat and potatoes.
Neelix: You do?
Kim: When I was in school, I was editor of the Academy newspaper for a year. I monitored subspace transmissions. I got reports on some of the first activity by the Maquis against the Cardassians. I wrote an editorial about it, and the students became polarized on the issue. They debated the pros and cons, and gained an insight into the entire history of the political rebellion. Now, that's the power of journalism.
Neelix: What did your professors say when you told them you were going to publish the editorial?
Kim: I didn't tell them. It's the job of a journalist to be independent.
Crewwoman: Bridge to Mister Neelix. You have an incoming transmission.
Neelix: I'm heading for my quarters. Put it through there.
Crewwoman: Yes, sir.
Laxeth: Neelix, my friend. How are you?
Neelix: Laxth, you old dilithium scrubber. It's good to see you. Calling to trade me some of your ill-gotten goods again? I promise you, I never want to see another wheel of Pendrashian cheese.
Laxeth: Those days are behind me. I'm legitimate now. I'm communications master of a Talaxian convoy.
Neelix: Communications master? Well, you've certainly come up in the world. Congratulations.
Laxeth: Looks like I'll be seeing you in a few days.
Neelix: How's that?
Laxeth: We've been asked to rendezvous with your ship. We're going to pick up a passenger.
Neelix: Passenger? We don't carry any passengers.
Laxeth: Apparently, it's a member of your crew. All I know is someone wants to leave your ship and come to work for us.
Janeway: Just how, exactly, did you hear that someone was leaving the ship?
Neelix: An old friend of mine is serving with a Talaxian convoy. He told me they'd be rendezvousing with us in a few days.
Janeway: Janeway to Tuvok.
Tuvok: Yes, Captain?
Janeway: Could you join us in my Ready room, please?
Tuvok: Right away.
Janeway: Lieutenant, Mister Neelix has heard on good authority that one of our crew will be leaving the ship in a few days. Naturally, he's curious about the identity of this person. What are the security issues here?
Tuvok: I don't believe there are any serious concerns, Captain. There is no need to withhold this information any longer.
Janeway: Lieutenant Paris has asked to be put off the ship.
Neelix: Tom?
Janeway: I'm sure you're aware that he's had some problems lately.
Neelix: Well, yes.
Tuvok: He has been disruptive, and often sets a bad example for the rest of the crew.
Neelix: But he seemed so determined to get those things behind him. It means a lot to him to be respected by this crew.
Janeway: All I can tell you is that when he was relieved of duty, he asked me to make arrangements for him to leave the ship. I tried to talk him out of it, but he was adamant. We detected the Talaxian convoy, and they were more than happy to get a pilot of Tom's ability.
Neelix: I can't believe this. I never thought. Captain, may I speak with him?
Janeway: Of course. He's in his quarters.
Paris: Come in.
Neelix: Hello, Tom.
Paris: Neelix! How's it going? Not good, it looks like. What's wrong?
Neelix: I hear you're leaving the ship?
Paris: Good news travels fast, I guess. Yeah, I figured there was quite a bit more opportunity for advancement on a Talaxian convoy than there was on the only Starfleet ship in the quadrant.
Neelix: When did you make this decision?
Paris: Truthfully? About a minute and a half after I set foot on this ship a year ago. I knew it was a mistake to try to fit into Starfleet again, and I should have listened to myself. A few more months in that rehab colony would have been a hell of a lot better than being here.
Neelix: Tom, you and I have had our differences, but I thought we put those behind us. I just hope I haven't contributed to your decision?
Paris: Neelix, no. This isn't about anybody except me. I've done this to myself, just like always. No matter where I go or who I'm with, I make a mess of things. The unmistakable conclusion has to be that deep down, I don't want any friends, or a family, or a home. Otherwise, I wouldn't keep sabotaging the possibilities.
Neelix: I thought you found those things here.
Paris: I tried. Or maybe I just told myself I was trying. I'm not sure. Either way, it's just not working. Frankly, I'd like to get out before I completely destroy my image. There might actually be one or two people who still have a good opinion of me.
Neelix: I'm one of them, Tom. And I wish you wouldn't go.
Paris: Well, I thank you. But the truth is, I've always considered myself a drifter. You know what that's like, Neelix. Freedom to do what you want, when you want. No rules to follow, nobody depending on you, right?
Emh: Well, there you are. I've been waiting for what seems like hours.
Neelix: Doctor, what can I do for you?
Emh: I want to discuss the details of my participation on your program. I've been giving it a great deal of thought, and I've come up with a number of ideas I think you'll find quite intriguing.
Neelix: Well, that's good news, I-I'm delighted you've decided to become a contributor. But I'm afraid I don't have time to discuss it right now.
Emh: But I've already prepared today's topic. How to keep your nostrils happy.
Neelix: That is fascinating, but I'm afraid there's a more important story I have to work on today.
Emh: You mean I'm not going to appear today?
Neelix: When you see it, I'm sure you will understand.
Emh: Hmm. But I will be on tomorrow?
Neelix: Definitely. Without fail. I promise you.
Emh: Very well. But tomorrow I'll want to cover two topics. I have a most entertaining idea. Uncovering the hidden mysteries of the adrenal gland.
Neelix: Fine. Fine. Good bye, Doctor.
Neelix: Good morning, Voyager. I want to tell you about a friend of mine. I first met this man almost a year ago, and tell you the truth, I didn't like him much. He seemed a little too cocky, a little too sure of himself. A lot of people had questions about him. He'd proven he'd pretty much sell himself out to the highest bidder, go wherever the wind blew him, so people wondered, could you trust this person when things got tough? Would he stand side by side with you, or would he let you down when you needed him most? But the fact of the matter is, he proved himself right from the beginning. I wouldn't be alive right now if it weren't for him. And the same goes for many of you. It took me a while to realize it. Like a lot of people, I was too caught up in first impressions to see the truth that was right in front of me. I overlooked his bravery because I was focusing of his brashness. I ignored his courage because I saw it as arrogance. And I resented his friendliness because I mistook it for licentiousness. So while this man was giving us his best every minute of every day, I was busy judging him. And now he's leaving. I'm proud to say that in spite of my narrow-mindedness, Thomas Eugene Paris became my friend. I'm going to miss him. No more laughs over a game of pool. No more sitting up into the wee hours swapping stories. No more complaints about my cooking. Goodbye, Tom. I think I speak for more of us than you might imagine when I say you're going to leave an empty space when you go. I hope you find what you're looking for.
Janeway: Lieutenant, Operations has detected a minute increase in the engine core temperature. Are you aware of it?
Torres: Yes, Captain. There's a slight imbalance in the magnetic constrictors. It's causing the plasma stream to overheat. I have a team working on it.
Janeway: Keep me posted. Mister Neelix, I'm very pleased with your program, especially your tribute to Lieutenant Paris.
Neelix: Thank you.
Chakotay: Captain, have you decided who's going to replace Paris?
Janeway: I have several people in mind. Baytart is one. Hamilton.
Kim: Captain, do you think? I mean, it's possible Tom might change his mind to come back. Maybe you shouldn't replace him so quickly.
Janeway: Harry, Lieutenant Paris made his decision with no indication that he had any doubts about it, or that he might change his mind in the near future. We have to accept that and move on. What's our tactical status?
Tuvok: All systems are functional.
Jonas: Engineering to Torres.
Torres: Go ahead.
Jonas: We have a problem here.
Torres: What is it?
Jonas: The magnetic
Jonas: Constrictors have lost alignment. The plasma stream is way too hot. It's starting to infect
Jonas: The injector valves.
Torres: I'm on my way.
Janeway: We're finished here. Dismissed.
Neelix: Lieutenant, if I may? This sounds like news of substance to me.
Torres: Just stay out of our way.
Jonas: It's gotten worse, I can't get the injector valves closed. Antimatter's starting to seep into the warp core.
Torres: Have you tried adjusting the power transfer conduits?
Jonas: Yes. No effect.
Torres: We have to try to contain the reaction in the core. Don't let the PTC temperature get above three point two million Kelvins.
Jonas: It's at two point nine million now.
Jonas: PTC temperature now at three million Kelvins. We're going to have to vent some plasma.
Torres: If you vent some plasma that hot through the nacelles, the warp coils are going to fry.
Jonas: Better that than a core breach!
Torres: Reinforce the structural field around the power transfer conduits, and then prepare to begin venting plasma!
Jonas: PTC temperature now three point two million Kelvins.
Torres: It's cascading. Get away from that console!
Jonas: I can stop it from here!
Torres: Get away, Jonas!
Torres: Computer, initiate plasma venting!
Neelix: Are we all right?
Torres: PTC temperature is dropping. Approaching safe levels. We're under control.
Neelix: Neelix to Sickbay. Prepare for emergency transport. We have three wounded.
Emh: This one's not badly hurt. Twenty milligrams impedrazine.
Kes: Vital signs steady. Second degree burns to face and chest.
Emh: Treat him with the dermal regenerator. Ah, the situation has been stabilized. None of the victims is in danger any longer.
Neelix: May I interview one of them now?
Emh: One of the patients? I'd think you'd be more interested in my assessment of the medical situation.
Neelix: Well, I am, of course. Would you care to make a statement?
Emh: Yes. The first task is to triage, or to assess the relative condition of each of the victims, and then to prioritize treatment accordingly.
Neelix: Thank you, Doctor. I'm sure that will be of great interest to the crew.
Emh: I wasn't finished. Next, the treatment per se must be supervised
Neelix: Very interesting. Now, I know the crew would love to hear a few words from the man who risked his life to save the ship. Would you consent to an interview?
Jonas: I was just doing my job, Neelix. Lieutenant Torres is the one you should talk to.
Janeway: Janeway to Neelix.
Neelix: Ah. Right here, Captain.
Janeway: Could you join us on the Bridge, please?
Neelix: I'm on my way. I'll contact you later about the interview.
Emh: Er.
Janeway: The plasma burst irradiated the engine nacelles. The inner layer of the warp coils was burned away.
Torres: Which means the warp engines are useless until we can rebuild them.
Chakotay: They're made from a substance known as verterium cortenide. Do you know where we can find a source?
Neelix: Verterium cortenide, if I'm not mistaken, that's a densified composite material.
Torres: That's right. It's composed of polysilicate verterium and monocrystal cortenum.
Janeway: Do you know any nearby source?
Neelix: Let's see. Er, there's a yellow dwarf system called Hemikek with an M-class planet quite rich in minerals. Mining rights belong to a consortium of non-aggressive people. I'm sure we could make arrangements to purchase some verterium and cortenum.
Janeway: Good work, Neelix.
Kim: Captain, message coming in from the Talaxian convoy.
Janeway: Put it on screen.
Laxeth: Captain Janeway.
Janeway: What's happened?
Laxeth: We were attacked by the Kazon-Nistrim.
Janeway: Do you have casualties? How can we help?
Laxeth: We have no serious casualties, and they didn't take any of our cargo. The one thing they were interested in was your former crewman, Thomas Paris. They took him aboard their ship and then left. I thought you'd want to know.
Seska: Tom Paris.
Paris: Hello, Seska. You're looking radiantly maternal.
Seska: In another month, Chakotay will have a son, or a daughter. I really didn't want to know which. Makes it more interesting, don't you think?
Paris: I wouldn't know.
Seska: I have no idea which one Chakotay would prefer. He and I rarely see eye to eye. You've had your problems with him lately, too. I know all about what's happened. Your sudden inability to be Starfleet's good boy.
Paris: It's not sudden. I never really fit in there.
Seska: Then Lieutenant Tom Paris was just a pretense?
Paris: No. No, it was me trying very hard to be someone I finally couldn't be.
Seska: I never liked you, Tom. I didn't trust you. I don't trust you now.
Paris: I can assure you the feeling is mutual.
Seska: Fine, but we might be able to help each other, if you're telling the truth.
Paris: Is that why you kidnapped me and dragged me here, so we could be pals now?
Seska: I thought it might make sense to you.
Paris: And if it doesn't?
Seska: The Kazon tend to be excessive in their use of force. It's nothing I can change. But I can promise you'll be well-treated on this ship if we decide we can work together.
Paris: What exactly would that mean?
Seska: You're an excellent pilot. We could make good use of your skills. And of course, you have information about Voyager that could be quite valuable.
Paris: It seems to me like you're already getting a lot of valuable information about Voyager from somewhere.
Seska: Think about it, Tom. Think about where you want to be when the Nistrim seize Voyager and start taking control of the quadrant sector by sector. Just let me know.
Janeway: Captain's log, stardate 49485.2. In spite of the fact that Tom Paris has been abducted by the Kazon, we must continue on course for the Hemikek system.
Neelix: Something just doesn't make sense. I mean, he wasn't off the ship for a day when the Kazon attacked that convoy. How did they find out so fast that Tom was there?
Kes: Maybe someone on the convoy told them.
Neelix: A Talaxian convoy would never let the Kazon know where they are. That would be like committing suicide.
Kes: Maybe they came to rob the cargo, but when they realized there was a Starfleet officer
Neelix: That wouldn't have stopped them from taking the cargo too. And according to my friend Laxth, it was a swift, efficient strike. It sounds like they knew Tom was there, and they came just to get him.
Kes: But who would've told them?
Neelix: One possibility I can think of is that it was someone on this ship.
Kes: On Voyager? Who would do that?
Neelix: I don't know. But a responsible journalist would find out.
Neelix: B'Elanna! I didn't expect to find you here. Are you working the night shift?
Torres: I have been since the accident.
Neelix: Oh.
Torres: What brings you here?
Neelix: I was wondering if you could show me how to access the subspace communications logs.
Torres: Why would you be interested in the comm. logs?
Neelix: Well, just part of my news program.
Torres: Well, I can get you into them, but then you're on your own. I'm still trying to bring the magnetic constrictors into alignment.
Neelix: I understand. Just get me started.
Torres: How far back do you want to go?
Neelix: Oh, maybe a month or two.
Torres: Okay. The file's open. Transmissions are logged on by date and time. Anything else?
Neelix: No. I'll be fine. Thank you very much.
Torres: Mike, we're going into the computer core to look over the magnetic constrictor circuitry. Hold down the fort. All right?
Jonas: Okay, Lieutenant.
Neelix: Voyager to Mithren. Mithren again. Voyager to Kotati.
Jonas: Are you looking for something particular?
Neelix: I, I don't know exactly what I'm looking for. Something anomalous.
Jonas: Why?
Neelix: An incident I'm investigating. Tell me, Mister Hero. If someone wanted to make a secret subspace transmission, how would he do it?
Jonas: Why would you want to know that?
Neelix: Oh, I can't be too forthcoming right now, but if I find what I think I'm going to, well, let me just say that this ship will be stunned.
Jonas: A secret transmission, huh? Well, that would be tough, Neelix. There are all kinds of security routines in place and anytime a subspace antenna array is in use, the sensors make a record of it. I'm not seeing anything anomalous here.
Neelix: What about that?
Jonas: What?
Neelix: That gap, as if some of the log entries have been deleted.
Jonas: Well, that's just a data fragmentation.
Neelix: I beg your pardon?
Jonas: Well, it probably happened when the plasma overloaded the system. Little glitches like this'll be popping up for weeks, I'd imagine.
Neelix: Here it is again.
Jonas: I wouldn't worry about it.
Neelix: Maybe Lieutenant Torres can explain it.
Jonas: There's nothing to explain. Believe me, Neelix. You're making too much of it.
Neelix: Ah. Here it is again. Gaps in the log entries. And frankly it looks like more than data fragmentation to me. The gaps are showing up in logs entered over the last months, but not before that.
Emh: So, there you are. I've been looking for you, Mister Neelix.
Neelix: Doctor! How can I help you?
Emh: You again neglected to include me in your news program. If you remember, I was to have two segments today because I was excluded yesterday.
Neelix: That's right, that's right. I've been so preoccupied with this other matter.
Emh: In the interest of time, I'm willing to forgo my story on the adrenal gland. I will concentrate instead on my latest idea. The Klingon glottis, friend or foe?
Neelix: That's very interesting, but we're going to have to put it off until tomorrow.
Emh: That's what you said yesterday.
Neelix: I'm sorry, Doctor, but I really have to go now.
Neelix: All through the subspace communication logs, there were these gaps, as though something had been erased.
Tuvok: We have recently experienced a plasma overload. That could easily account for the anomalous readings in the logs.
Neelix: Ah ha! I knew you'd say that. Answer this, Mister Vulcan. Why would those gaps, those deletions, occur only in the sub-com logs and only in the last month? I checked every log system we have. Sensor logs, power allocation logs, warp maintenance logs, environmental control logs. They're all perfectly fine.
Tuvok: What are you suggesting?
Neelix: I believe someone on this ship has been making covert transmissions and erasing the evidence.
Tuvok: To what end?
Neelix: I don't know, but I suspect whoever it was has been communicating with the Kazon.
Tuvok: That's an extremely serious charge.
Neelix: I know. That's why I've come to you.
Tuvok: Mister Neelix, I strongly suspect that your enthusiasm for your new journalistic endeavor is leading you to see villains where none exist. However, even the possibility that someone on board might secretly be communicating with the Kazon deserves investigation. I will pursue the matter.
Neelix: And I will help you.
Tuvok: I think not. This is now a matter of ship security. I must ask you to withdraw and let me handle it according to Starfleet protocols.
Neelix: As a journalist, I have an ethical obligation to keep digging for the facts in this case.
Tuvok: And I have the higher obligation to keep you from putting yourself and others at risk. You will drop this matter.
Neelix: I see. All right, I leave it in your hands. Good hunting.
Neelix: Higher obligation? Ha, I'll show him higher obligation. Huh, he'll have Eskarian egg on his face when I get to the heart of this. It's the job of a journalist to be independent.
Neelix: Lieutenant, I wonder if you could
Torres: I'm a little busy right now, Neelix. What do you need?
Neelix: I was wondering if it's possible to look underneath a log that seems to have been erased, to see if there's anything left of it.
Torres: Mister Hogan, could you please help Neelix out for a minute?
Hogan: You want to recover deleted logs?
Neelix: Ah, that would be ideal.
Hogan: Well, let me give it a try. Usually it's possible to recover data, unless extraordinary measures were taken to erase it. Now, this is strange. Computer, run a signal modulation analysis of this file.
Computer: Security authorisation required.
Hogan: Engineering authorisation omega four seven.
Computer: Authorisation accepted. Running analysis.
Neelix: What?
Hogan: I can't recover the logs, because these messages were sent without using any of the antenna arrays.
Neelix: How could someone do that?
Hogan: By sending the transmissions through the ship's power grid. The messages were encoded in the waste energy from the propulsion systems, which is almost indistinguishable from galactic background noise.
Neelix: Ingenious. Would there be a way to determine who sent the messages?
Hogan: I'm looking for signal correlation traces. They'd indicate a comm. link to the EPS conduits, maybe give us a location. I don't know if I can. There. There's one. The source of the comm. link is on deck four, section three C. Sorry, but I can't get more specific than that.
Jonas: Mister Hogan, I need your help over here.
Neelix: Thanks for your help. I'll check out deck four. Go room by room, console by console.
Hogan: I'd look for evidence of recent deletions. If you see any, run a recovery program. See what you get.
Neelix: Computer, activate monitor.
Computer: Unable to comply. Monitor is cleared for Lieutenant Thomas Paris only.
Neelix: Override existing clearance. Engineering authorisation omega four seven.
Computer: Authorisation accepted. Files recovered.
Neelix: Unbelievable.
Neelix: My friends, I derive no satisfaction from what I am about to tell you. I know I originally promised you that I would only bring you good news. However, I feel it's important that you know the truth. I have uncovered evidence that casts serious doubt on the loyalties of Lieutenant Thomas Paris. I have discovered secret communications to the Kazon that were sent from his quarters just prior to his leaving the ship.
Janeway: Get him up here now.
Neelix: There was a series of messages sent to the Kazon for some weeks before his departure, the last
Janeway: How did you trace those transmissions to Tom's quarters?
Neelix: It was, er, I believe it was called signal correlation traces. Mister Hogan was helping me, and he detected them.
Tuvok: When I looked for signal correlation traces, there were none. That means someone placed them in the system after my initial investigation.
Chakotay: What initial investigation? Captain, what's going on?
Janeway: What I'm about to say will come as a surprise to you, Commander. There has been a spy aboard Voyager, but it isn't Tom Paris.
Neelix: It isn't?
Paris: No. Lieutenant Paris is in fact part of our plan.
Chakotay: Plan.
Janeway: Some weeks ago, Tuvok discovered evidence of covert transmissions leaving Voyager through the EPS system. We realized there was someone on this ship communicating with the Kazon-Nistrim.
Tuvok: However, we were unable to ascertain who that person was.
Janeway: We needed a way to flush out the spy, and we had exhausted all conventional means. That's when we thought of using Tom, finding a way to get him on the Kazon ship.
Chakotay: Are you saying Paris's insulting behavior, the gambling, being late for duty, mouthing off at me, was all a ruse?
Tuvok: That is correct. It was important that his decision to leave the ship appear plausible, so he began behaving like a malcontent.
Chakotay: And the reason I wasn't let in on this little plan?
Tuvok: I was the one who recommended to Captain Janeway that you not be told. I suspected that the spy was a Maquis, and felt it was wrong to put you in a position of setting a trap for someone who had once served under you.
Chakotay: In other words, you didn't trust me.
Janeway: Commander, the simple fact is, we needed a good performance. I'm afraid we used you to help Tom provide it. And you did a damn good job. Now it seems Mister Neelix's investigation has made someone nervous. Nervous enough to put a trail in the computer system for him to follow.
Chakotay: Could it be Hogan?
Neelix: I don't think so. He was just the person walking by who Lieutenant Torres asked to help me.
Janeway: The spy may be a little cozy now, since you took the bait and pointed the finger at Tom. But we don't want him cozy. I'd rather he feel some pressure.
Tuvok: Perhaps we should take advantage of Mister Neelix's unintentional blunder.
Janeway: Exactly. I want you to keep investigating, Neelix. Do what you've been doing. Poke around, ask questions. But let people think you're not so sure you were right about Tom Paris.
Chakotay: That would put Neelix in a potentially dangerous situation.
Tuvok: We would keep an open comm. link to you at all hours. My security team could act immediately if anything were to happen.
Janeway: It's up to you, Neelix. This is purely voluntary.
Neelix: Anything I can do to help, Captain, and get Tom home safely, I want to do.
Seska: What did you expect? Did you think this has all been about exchanging holiday greetings?
Jonas: No, of course not. But I
Seska: This is how it's going to work. We'll be waiting for you on a planet called Hemikek four.
Seska: Well, Tom. It's always good to have one's instincts verified.
Paris: Clever plan, Seska, leading Voyager into an ambush. But even so, this ship will be outmanned and outgunned.
Seska: That's why we have ground troops on Hemikek and more ships on the way. Now don't you wish you'd taken my offer?
Paris: Thanks for the hospitality.
Seska: Go get him!
Kazon: Check this way!
Jonas: Lieutenant Torres is waiting for these interlink sequencers. Get them to her right away.
Crewwoman: Yes, sir.
Neelix: Excuse me.
Jonas: Oh, hello, Neelix.
Neelix: I was wondering if one of you could help me.
Jonas: We're a little busy right now. What is it that you need?
Neelix: The signal correlation traces that implicated Tom Paris. They were added to the file after the fact.
Hogan: You're kidding.
Neelix: So I was trying to figure out how that could have happened, and who might have done it.
Hogan: This couldn't be a worse time, Neelix. We're getting everything ready for rebuilding the warp coils.
Neelix: Do you mind if I use the diagnostic terminal over there?
Jonas: Go ahead. Just don't tap into any engineering systems.
Neelix: I'll be careful.
Torres: Torres to Engineering.
Jonas: Jonas here, Lieutenant.
Torres: I need the electrodynamic load specs. They weren't with the other things you sent.
Jonas: Sorry, Lieutenant. I'll get them to you right now. Take these to Lieutenant Torres.
Hogan: Right.
Neelix: What's going on?
Janeway: Bridge to Engineering.
Jonas: Jonas here, Captain.
Janeway: I need you to increase transporter range. Shunt all available
Janeway: Power to Transporter room two.
Jonas: Right away.
Janeway: Let me know as soon as you've done it. We have an incoming shuttle, and we've identified human life signs.
Janeway: It may be Tom Paris.
Jonas: Yes, ma'am.
Paris: Paris to Voyager. Paris to Voyager! Do you read me yet? Paris to Voyager!
Paris: Paris to Voyager! Come in!
Janeway: Voyager to Paris. We hear you.
Paris: Captain, change your course immediately. The Kazon have ground troops waiting for you on
Paris: Hemikek and more ships on the way.
Janeway: We'll get you out of there as soon as we can, Tom. You're still out of transporter range, but we won't change course
Janeway: Until we've locked onto you.
Paris: I can take care of myself.
Paris: Just get Voyager to safety!
Janeway: As soon as you're on board. Tom, what happened? Are you all right?
Janeway: Lieutenant Paris, report.
Janeway: Mister Jonas, we need that transporter now.
Jonas: I'm working on it, Captain. I'm having trouble resetting the EPS manifold.
Janeway: Stay on it.
Neelix: Mister Jonas, I'm no expert, but it doesn't look to me like you're working on the transporter subsystems.
Jonas: Neelix, I know what I'm doing.
Neelix: What did you do? What is this forcefield for?
Jonas: It's just a precaution. Please, Neelix! Stay out of this!
Janeway: Tom, can you hear me? Report.
Paris: I'm here, Captain!
Janeway: We'll be in normal transporter range in another minute.
Paris: Captain, the spy, it's Michael Jonas.
Paris: He's the one that sabotaged the ship.
Janeway: Noted. Janeway to Tuvok. Get to Engineering immediately. It's Michael Jonas.
Tuvok: On our way.
Paris: The shuttle hull is starting to breach. It might not make it, Captain.
Neelix: I recognize that subroutine. You're into the weapons system. You're disabling them!
Jonas: For God's sake, Neelix, back off!
Neelix: Neelix to
Kim: We're in transporter range, Captain.
Janeway: Voyager to Paris.
Janeway: Tom, can you hear me? We're energizing now.
Janeway: Transporter room two, do you have him?
Crewman: We have him, Captain. He's all right.
Kim: It's the Kazon ship, Captain.
Janeway: Return fire. Janeway to Tuvok. Are you in Engineering yet?
Tuvok: The doors are sealed. We're working on it, Captain.
Janeway: Bridge to Transporter room two. Lock onto Mister Jonas in Engineering and beam him out of there.
Crewman: Aye, Captain. All I got was his comm. badge, Captain.
Kim: Captain, we've lost weapons. It looks like the phaser arrays have been disabled from Engineering.
Janeway: Evasive maneuvers, Ensign. Mister Kim, get those weapons back online.
Kim: Weapons are back online, Captain.
Janeway: Fire at will.
Kim: Yes, ma'am.
Tuvok: Are you injured?
Neelix: Don't worry about me, Mister Vulcan. I'm perfectly all right. Unfortunately, Mister Jonas wasn't so lucky.
Janeway: Bridge to Tuvok. I'm standing down Red alert.
Neelix: Well, I'm going to have plenty of material for tomorrow's Briefing With Neelix.
Paris: And fortunately I was able to steal one of the Kazon shuttles and escape.
Neelix: An amazing story. Amazing.
Paris: I'd like to say something more, if I might.
Neelix: Of course.
Paris: Er, I know that I've been acting like a jerk for the last couple of months. Unfortunately, I had to behave that way if the spy was going to believe that I really wanted to leave the ship. So, I'd like to apologize to anyone that I might have offended. Especially Commander Chakotay. I gave him a pretty hard time. Not that it wasn't a certain amount of fun, mind you.
Neelix: There you have it, ladies and gentlemen, the true hero of this whole endeavor, Lieutenant Thomas Eugene Paris. Well, I'm afraid that's all the time we have. Oh, I'd like to apologize to the Doctor for not getting around to him once again today. But I promise you he'll be here tomorrow with lots of fascinating information about the Bolian digestive system. Good day, Voyager.


Neelix: Good afternoon, Ensign. How are we doing today?
Wildman: Oh, we're doing just fine, thank you.
Neelix: Good, good. By the way, I was wondering if you'd take a look at the thermal array in the kitchen. It overloaded this morning and vaporized an entire pot roast.
Wildman: I'd be happy to.
Neelix: Wonderful. I informed Ensign Kim about the problem hours ago, and he still hasn't come down to fix it.
Wildman: He's been working on a problem with the structural integrity grid. I'm sure he hasn't forgotten about you.
Neelix: If this thing doesn't get fixed soon, we'll all be eating cold leftovers for dinner and who do you think the crew will blame?
Wildman: Looks like you need a new set of anodyne relays. I'll go down to Engineering and get some for you out of storage.
Neelix: Thanks. Oh, and while you're here, would you mind taking a look at the replicator? It's been having trouble making anything with large amounts of cellulose.
Wildman: Of course.
Neelix: Cabbages, psyllium, green beans, celery and all. It all comes out looking a touch too yellow.
Wildman: I thought you didn't use replicated vegetables when you're cooking. Always fresh, organic, from the airponic bay.
Neelix: Well, the yields have been a little low lately. Normally, I would never dream of using synthesized veggies.
Wildman: It looks like a malfunction in the power grid. Shouldn't be too difficult.
Neelix: What's wrong?
Wildman: I think I'm having a contraction. Oh, yeah! It's a contraction, all right.
Neelix: That's wonderful. Labor can't be far behind. Let's, let's get you to Sickbay. Try to breathe now. Deep, deep regular breaths. Not so fast now. We're having a baby.
Emh: Push!
Kes: Don't forget to breathe, Samantha. Deep regular breaths. That's it.
Emh: Cervical dilation is at ten point two centimeters. Prostaglandin levels are normal. Push, Ensign.
Wildman: You push, damn it! I'm sick of pushing!
Emh: I know you're fatigued. Try to focus on your breathing. Remember the exercises we did. When you feel a contraction, bear down.
Paris: This is ridiculous. It's been seven hours. How long does it take to deliver a baby?
Janeway: As long as it takes, Mister Paris.
Tuvok: Indeed. During the birth of our third child, my wife was in labor for ninety six hours.
Kim: Four days?
Tuvok: I have learned that pregnancy and patience go hand in hand.
Chakotay: You know, I didn't expect to be this nervous. It's not even my child.
Janeway: In a way, this child belongs to all of us. It is the first baby born on Voyager. I'm just not sure whether I should be welcoming it on board, or apologizing.
Chakotay: Captain?
Janeway: Voyager isn't exactly anyone's idea of a nursery, and the Delta Quadrant isn't much of a playground.
Chakotay: My father had a saying, Captain. Home is wherever you happen to be.
Tuvok: Captain, long-range sensors are picking up heavy subspace communications ahead. They're Vidiian.
Janeway: All stop. A ship?
Tuvok: At least twenty ships within sensor range. I am also detecting a G type star system with two inhabited planets. Life signs, Vidiian.
Chakotay: Sounds like we're headed right into their territory.
Janeway: And I'm in no mood to donate any organs today. Options, Mister Paris?
Paris: There's a large plasma drift bearing four zero mark seven. It extends almost half the length of this sector. Interference from the plasma should block us from their sensors.
Janeway: Good thinking. Lay in a course at full impulse. Mister Tuvok, deflectors at maximum.
Wildman: Oh! Oh, what was that?
Emh: What's wrong?
Wildman: A pain in my abdomen. It's different. Sharp. Oh, God!
Emh: The baby has shifted position, and its exo-cranial ridges have lodged in the uterine wall. This is a rare complication, but it's been known to happen in human Ktarian pregnancies.
Kes: Can we reposition the baby?
Emh: No. Its spinal column is too fragile. I don't want to risk nerve damage. If we don't deliver the baby now, its ridges could perforate the uterus and cause internal bleeding. Kes, prepare for a fetal transport.
Paris: We're clearing the Vidiian system, Captain.
Janeway: Take us out of the plasma drift and resume our previous course.
Emh: I've locked onto the baby's coordinates. We're ready to begin. Initiating umbilical separation. Energizing.
Emh: Congratulations, Ensign. It's a girl.
Wildman: Is she all right?
Emh: The transport caused a slight hemocythemic imbalance, but we'll stabilize her cell membranes with osmotic pressure therapy.
Janeway: What was that?
Kim: We hit some kind of subspace turbulence as we were coming out of the plasma drift. I can't tell if
Paris: What the hell? Captain, the warp engines just stalled.
Janeway: Go to impulse.
Paris: Impulse engines aren't responding. Maneuvering thrusters are out too.
Kim: We're losing main power. Switching to backup power.
Janeway: Red alert. Bridge to Engineering.
Janeway: Report.
Torres: Our antimatter supply is being drained, Captain. I don't know why. The containment fields are in place. It's like we sprung a leak, but I can't find the crack.
Janeway: B'Elanna
Janeway: Try infusing the warp core with repeated proton bursts. That should be enough to keep it going.
Torres: I think
Torres: I can generate enough protons in the sensor array for a burst every thirty seconds.
Janeway: Do it.
Torres: Hogan! These proton bursts are going to cause a lot of stress on the hull. Reinforce structural integrity to, now what?
Chakotay: What was that?
Tuvok: It appeared to be a proton burst.
Janeway: Already? Bridge to Torres. Report. Engineering, respond.
Kim: Captain, three EPS conduits just ruptured in Engineering. They took heavy casualties.
Emh: The incubator is losing power. Activate the auxiliary respirator.
Crewman: We've got wounded here.
Emh: Second degree plasma burns on the face and neck. Treat him with a dermaline gel.
Crewman: Yes, sir.
Emh: Fractured clavicle, thoracic contusions, nothing serious. She can wait. Fused vertebrae. Prep him for surgery. Status?
Kes: It doesn't look good, Doctor. The baby's cell membranes won't stabilize.
Emh: Increase the osmotic
Emh: That's not helping. Increase the osmotic pressure ratio by ten percent.
Kim: Bridge to Sickbay, there's been a major coolant leak in the Mess hall. You've got more wounded on the way.
Emh: Acknowledged.
Torres: Torres to Bridge! We're definitely being, we're definitely being hit by proton bursts. But I don't know where they're coming from. I never even started the procedure.
Kim: She's right. The main sensor array is offline. Not a single burst was fired.
Janeway: And yet the bursts appear to be originating from within the ship. It's like they're coming out of thin air.
Tuvok: Captain, these bursts are weakening the structural integrity of the hull. We cannot take any more.
Janeway: Can we increase power to structural reinforcement?
Kim: Our antimatter supply is too low. There's just not enough power to go
Tuvok: Hull breach on deck fifteen, section twenty nine alpha. Emergency force fields are offline.
Kim: Captain, I've been working on a way to enhance our portable forcefield generators. It might be enough to seal that breach.
Janeway: Go.
Neelix: Don't you worry. We have the best doctor in the quadrant.
Kes: Doctor, her cell membranes are losing cohesion.
Emh: Try remodulating the osmotic pressure.
Kes: No effect.
Emh: Hang on. I'll be right there.
Emh: Oh, no.
Kim: Jefferies tube twelve runs right over the breach. If we can get close enough, we should be able to set up a portable containment field.
Hogan: The breach has weakened the integrity of that tube by twenty two percent.
Torres: That's why we need to reinforce the field. We'll use the power conduits on this deck.
Tuvok: I've analyzed the bursts on all spectral frequencies. There's still no indication of where they're coming from.
Janeway: At this point, I don't give a damn where they're coming from. I just want to stop them. Chakotay, do we have enough auxiliary power to magnetize the hull? It might cushion the impact of the bursts.
Chakotay: We have just barely enough.
Janeway: Give it a try.
Emh: I've stabilized my imaging array but it could go out at any time.
Wildman: Doctor?
Emh: Prepare for emergency resuscitation.
Wildman: My baby, she, she's going to die, isn't she?
Emh: Not if I can help it.
Kim: Here it is. The breach is directly below us.
Torres: Make it fast, Harry. Torres to Hogan. What's your status?
Hogan: Almost got it, Lieutenant. I'm rerouting all power in this section to your
Torres: Torres to Hogan. Hogan
Torres: Are you there?
Hogan: I'm hurt.
Torres: Hurry, we have to help him.
Kim: Just give me a minute.
Emh: Again.
Kes: Nothing.
Emh: I'm sorry, Ensign.
Hogan: Hogan to Sickbay. I need medical assistance. Deck fifteen, section twenty nine.
Kes: I'll go.
Torres: The breach is widening. Let's get out of here. Damn it, Harry! Let's go!
Kim: Hold on. My minute isn't up yet.
Torres: Harry, grab my hand!
Torres: Harry!
Kes: Lieutenant Hogan?
Torres: Kes, over here.
Torres: Torres to Bridge. Ensign Kim is dead.
Torres: Kes just disappeared.
Janeway: Disappeared?
Torres: I can't explain it.
Torres: She just vanished. There seems to be some kind of spatial rift.
Torres: Right where she disappeared.
Janeway: Can you determine where it leads?
Torres: Stand by, Bridge. I just threw a piece of conduit into the rift. Just as it vanished, I detected another
Torres: Oxygen nitrogen atmosphere.
Janeway: Another atmosphere?
Torres: Whatever's on the other side of that rift, there's air. Maybe Kes is still alive.
Janeway: Get out of there, Torres. The hull breach is widening. I'm going to evacuate the
Janeway: Entire deck.
Torres: You don't have to tell me twice.
Tuvok: Main computer core is failing. Switching to back up processors.
Janeway: Chakotay, are you ready to magnetize the hull?
Chakotay: Stand by. I'm having trouble with the alignment module.
Janeway: Try remodulating the field emitters.
Janeway: Chakotay!
Chakotay: I've got alignment. Magnetizing the hull.
Chakotay: I think it worked.
Janeway: Let's hope so. I want a full damage report from all decks.
Paris: Are you all right, Captain?
Janeway: It's just a scratch.
Paris: It's more than a scratch. Maybe you should go to
Janeway: I'm fine, Lieutenant.
Tuvok: Damage reports are coming in. The hull breach on deck fifteen has widened to include deck fourteen, section twelve. And there are six hundred thirty two micro-fractures along the hull's infrastructure. All primary systems are offline. We are running on emergency power only. The antimatter supply has dropped to eighteen percent and is continuing to fall. Warp coils in both nacelles have fused and are inoperative. The environmental control systems are failing. Fifteen crew members have been seriously wounded with plasma burns, twenty seven experienced other injuries. The Doctor is setting up triage facilities in Sickbay and Holodeck two. I must also regretfully report that Ensign Wildman's baby did not survive.
Janeway: I want an engineering team to seal those micro-fractures before they become breaches.
Tuvok: Aye, Captain.
Janeway: Mister Paris, grab a medical tricorder and go assist the Doctor.
Paris: Right.
Janeway: Commander, you have the Bridge. I'm going to go talk to Ensign Wildman. Maybe I can help.
Chakotay: The magnetic field is collapsing. The hull is depolarizing!
Tuvok: The fire suppression system is out.
Computer: Warning. Hull breach on deck one. Emergency forcefields inoperative.
Chakotay: Everybody out! Go, go, go! Hurry, Captain!
Janeway: I'm trying to reroute emergency power to the field emitters!
Chakotay: Captain!
Janeway: I can seal this breach!
Chakotay: Captain, let's go!
Chakotay 2: Captain?
Janeway 2: Ensign Kim, scan the Bridge. I just saw myself cross the Bridge and enter that turbolift. It was very faint, almost like a ghost image. And I looked like hell.
Kim 2: Captain, there was a minor spatial fluctuation on the Bridge. But it was only there for a millisecond.
Janeway 2: Bridge to Engineering. B'Elanna, how long until we can use the main sensor array?
Torres 2: Another three hours.
2: We're only about halfway through the proton burst procedure.
2: See if you can speed up the process. We need the sensors as soon
2: as possible.
Torres 2: Understood.
2: Mister Kim, modify a tricorder to scan for spatial anomalies. Go over every centimeter of this Bridge. Examine the sensor logs from our trip through the plasma drift. Look for anything unusual. I'll be in Sickbay.
Chakotay 2: Aye, Captain.
Emh 2: Good news, Ensign. Our baby is perfectly healthy. There's no sign of any interspecies abnormalities.
Wildman 2: Our baby?
Emh 2: A figure of speech. I am, in part, responsible for bringing her into the world. You may hold her now.
Wildman 2: Hello there.
Janeway 2: Congratulations, Samantha. She's adorable. Have you thought of a name?
Wildman 2: Not yet. I really thought it would be a boy.
Janeway 2: Let me know as soon as you decide. I've been making a blanket for her. All that's missing is an initial. Get some rest. How's our other patient doing?
Emh 2: She's still unconscious.
Kes 2: I ran a microcellular scan. We're almost identical in every way.
Janeway 2: Almost?
Emh 2: There's a slight phase shift in her DNA. Do you have any theory about where she came from?
Janeway 2: Not yet. But I intend to find out. Can you wake her?
Emh 2: I believe so.
Janeway 2: Good, because I think she's going to have an interesting story to tell.
Kes: I was running through the corridor with my medkit. Deck fifteen. And then suddenly I felt dizzy, and my vision started to blur. After that, I don't remember anything, until you woke me up just now.
Kes 2: You were found unconscious down on deck fifteen, holding a medkit.
Janeway 2: We also found this lying next to you. It's a piece of damaged conduit. Our analysis shows it's from Voyager, deck fifteen, section twenty nine alpha, bulkhead zero five two. But there's no damage to deck fifteen or anywhere else on this ship.
Kes: There was massive damage to deck fifteen.
Janeway 2: The evidence would seem to suggest that you've come from a different ship, a different Voyager. We did find a spatial rift on deck fifteen. It's possible that it somehow connects us to this other Voyager.
Emh 2: If you're right, where is the other ship? A parallel universe, another dimension, another point in time?
Janeway 2: I'm not sure. Almost everything about the Voyager Kes described is identical to ours. We've had similar experiences, similar personal histories. We both entered a plasma cloud to avoid the Vidiians. Both of our engines stalled as we left the cloud, which caused both of our antimatter supplies to drain. And then we both decided to keep our engines running by emitting proton bursts. But after that, our experiences diverged. We started emitting the proton bursts. They didn't.
Kes 1: Our ship was being damaged by proton bursts. We couldn't figure out where they were coming from.
Janeway 2: That's more than a coincidence. Janeway to Engineering. B'Elanna, I want you to stop the proton bursts immediately.
2: But if we stop now, the power levels will drop
Janeway 2: I'll explain later, Lieutenant.
Torres 2: Understood.
2: I don't know how, but there's another Voyager out there, and I intend to find it.
Chakotay 2: We analyzed the sensor logs from our trip through the plasma cloud. We couldn't find anything unusual until we ran a quantum level analysis. Remember that subspace turbulence we hit just before we left the cloud?
Janeway 2: Yes.
Chakotay 2: Well, watch what happens.
Kim 2: At first, we thought it was a sensor aberration, but they were in perfect calibration at the time.
Torres 2: So I ran a multispectral analysis on the subspace turbulence. It was more than just turbulence. It was some kind of divergence field. And the moment we passed through it, all of our sensor readings doubled. Mass, energy output, bio-signatures, everything. Every particle of matter on this ship seems to have been duplicated in that instant.
Janeway 2: So where is the other ship?
Kim 2: As strange as it sounds, Captain, according to these readings, another Voyager's right here, right now, occupying the same point in space time we are.
Janeway 2: Quantum theorists at Kent State University ran an experiment in which a single particle of matter was duplicated using a divergence of subspace fields, a spatial scission.
Chakotay 2: If the same forces were at work inside the plasma cloud, they may have duplicated every particle of matter on Voyager.
Janeway 2: Matter. But not antimatter.
Kim 2: Captain?
Janeway 2: In that Kent State experiment, they were able to duplicate normal matter, but when they tried to duplicate antimatter particles, the experiment failed.
Torres 2: So the antimatter on the ships wasn't duplicated. Both engines have been trying to draw power from a single source of antimatter.
Janeway 2: Like Siamese twins linked at the chest, with only one heart.
Chakotay 2: So what do we do?
Janeway 2: I don't know. But whatever it is, we're going to have to coordinate it with the other ship. Start working on a way to communicate with them.
Torres 2: Right.
Janeway 2: The only link we know of is on deck fifteen, the spatial rift. We're going to need a way to send Kes back through safely.
Kim 2: We could rig a portable phase diskriminator. It might protect her from the spatial transition.
Janeway 2: Get on it.
2: When can I start breast feeding?
Emh 2: Right away. However, I should forewarn you that her incisors will erupt within three to four weeks. Since your skin lacks the scales of a Ktarian, we'll have to discuss alternatives.
Wildman 2: When can I take her home?
Emh 2: In twenty four hours. I want observe the infant to make sure there's no more damage to her cell membranes.
Kes 2: You're welcome to stay the night so you may be with her.
Wildman 2: I'd like that. Hey.
Emh: Congratulations, Ensign. It's a girl. I've stabilized my imaging array, but it could go out at any rate.
Kes: Doctor, her cell membranes are losing cohesion.
Emh: Try remodulating the osmotic pressure.
Kes: No effect.
Emh: Again.
Kes: Nothing.
Wildman: My baby. She's going to die, isn't she?
Emh: I'm sorry, Ensign.
Wildman: She's going to die, isn't she?
Emh 2: Kes. Kes? Are you all right?
Kes: Yes. It's just. The baby's crying, it was like a bad memory.
Emh 2: What do you mean?
Kes: On my Voyager, during the delivery, there were complications. We performed a fetal transport.
Emh 2: The same thing happened here. The transport was successful.
Kes: On my ship, the medical systems were heavily damaged. The osmotic pressure therapy didn't work. The baby died.
Emh 2: I'm sorry to hear that. But try to understand, it wasn't your fault. The situation was out of your control.
Kes: Doctor, I've got to get back to my ship. They need my help.
Emh 2: The Captain's working on it, Kes. In the meantime, try to get some rest. Besides, I'm sure your Voyager is also equipped with a proficient Emergency Medical Hologram.
2: It's a little harder to establish a comm. link than I thought, Captain. The molecular signature of the second Voyager is slightly out of phase with our own. I can't get visual, audio, nothing.
Janeway 2: Have you tried remodulating the comm. frequency carrier?
Torres 2: Five times on forty seven different frequencies.
Janeway 2: There has to be a way. If they were recalibrating their carrier wave at the same time so we could match phase variance, would that allow us to connect?
Torres 2: I think so, but in order to get them to do that, we'd have to communicate with them first. It's the chicken and the egg.
Janeway 2: Maybe we need something a little more primitive. Is there a signal we could emit on all subspace bands just to get their attention?
Torres 2: A rotating band pulse might do it, but it wouldn't be much more than a shrill whistle.
Janeway 2: That might be enough. Give it a try.
Torres: All right, Captain. All of the ship's command functions have been rerouted to main Engineering.
Janeway: Welcome to the new Bridge. Now, let's see about
Janeway: What's that?
Torres: I don't know. It's some kind of com. emission coming through all subspace bands.
Janeway: Coming from where?
Torres: Good question. I can't tell, but it's got a Federation signature.
Janeway: Try recalibrating our frequency carrier to match it.
2: That's it! They recalibrated and locked onto our phase variant.
Janeway 2: What kind of communication can we establish?
Torres 2: Not much at this point. We can use the emergency encryption code for a short message. Not more than five seconds.
Janeway 2: That should be enough.
Janeway: That's the emergency code. Run it through an alphanumeric sequencer.
Torres: I think someone's telling us to lock onto a frequency of twelve gigahertz.
Janeway: Do it.
Torres: I'll try to clear it up.
Janeway 2: Captain, this isn't an illusion. What you're seeing is real, but it's going to take some explaining.
Chakotay: There are two Voyagers and two crews?
Janeway: That's what I was told.
Tuvok: Could this possibly be some kind of subterfuge, Captain? An alien deception?
Janeway: That woman, whoever she is, had very specific knowledge of what happened here. The damage from the proton bursts, Wildman's baby, Kes disappearing. She even knew that when I was twelve years old, I walked home in a thunderstorm over seven kilometers because I lost a tennis match.
Torres: And her explanation of how the ship were duplicated, certainly plausible.
Paris: If it is true, what do we do about it?
Janeway: My counterpart has suggested we try to merge the two ships. Recreate the subspace divergence field we passed through and then depolarize it.
Torres: Both ships would have to send out a massive resonance pulse from their deflector dishes at exactly the same time.
Chakotay: They may be able to do that, but we barely have enough power for life support. How can we get enough to send an energy pulse of that size?
Janeway: We could evacuate all the crew to this deck, and cut off life support everywhere else. Then we could divert all power to the deflector dish. B'Elanna, re-establish the comm. link with the other ship.
Janeway 2: This is Janeway. What have you decided?
Janeway: Captain, we think we can channel enough energy to our deflector dish to try the merging process.
Janeway 2: Good. When can we start?
Janeway: We'll need at least fifteen minutes to make our preparations.
Janeway 2: We'll be ready.
Janeway: And Captain, we'll only have enough power to try this once.
Janeway 2: I understand.
Janeway: Chakotay, Tuvok, begin the evacuation process.
Chakotay: Aye, Captain.
Paris: I'll let the Doctor know he'll have to rely on his back up power supply.
Torres: We're ready, Captain.
Janeway 2: We're standing by, Captain. I think you should take the lead in this operation since you may have to make allowances for your ship's weakened power systems.
Janeway: Acknowledged. Lieutenant Torres and, Lieutenant Torres, charge the deflector dishes.
Torres: Deflector dish charging.
2: Capacitance levels are rising. Sixty percent, eighty five percent, ninety eight percent. We're ready to create the subspace divergence field.
Torres: Initiating. Power flow nominal, Captain.
Janeway: Synchronize computer event timing. Ready to release depolarization pulse on my mark. Now.
Torres: The pulses have been emitted, Captain. The fields are starting to depolarize.
Torres 2: But we aren't merging. In fact, we're going further out of phase!
Janeway: Increase power to the deflector dish.
Torres: I can't! Too much plasma back flow. If we keep this up, we're going to lose our antimatter connection. We'll both be destroyed!
Janeway: Abort!
2: Aborting resonance pulse.
Janeway 2: What went wrong?
Torres 2: I'm not sure. I think the plasma flow became to turbulent. The divergence fields were so chaotic, we couldn't complete the merging. We've lost the comm. link as well. Captain, the antimatter leak? It's becoming a hemorrhage. If we don't start the proton bursts, we'll be completely drained in thirty minutes.
Janeway 2: The lives of both crews are at stake here. I can't make unilateral decisions that might affect that other ship. Janeway to Kim. Is the spatial rift
2: Still stable?
Kim 2: I think so, Captain. And I've rigged a phase diskriminator. Kes should be able to go back safely.
2: Rig another one, Ensign. I'm going with her.
Kim 2: This should protect you from the spatial transition.
2: Keep trying to re-establish a comm. link between the ships.
Torres 2: I will, but remember, we have fewer than thirty minutes of antimatter left. Whatever you do over there, do it fast.
Janeway 2: Understood. Are you ready?
Kes: Yes.
Kes 1: It's gotten worse here.
Janeway 2: Command and Control is in main Engineering. Let's go.
Torres: I don't know how else to stop the antimatter drain, except with proton bursts.
Janeway: We can't do that. We'd damage the other ship just like this one. Think, people. We need options.
Janeway 2: I agree, Captain. And I think we need to talk.
Janeway 2: By my estimates, our antimatter supply will run out in less than half an hour.
Janeway: The attempt to merge our ships is throwing us further out of phase. The quantum cohesion on both Voyagers is breaking down.
Janeway 2: Just like original Kent State experiment. The duplicate atoms couldn't occupy the same point in space time for very long before
Janeway: Mutual annihilation.
Janeway 2: What are our options?
Janeway: Let's try a different tact. Instead of trying to merge the two ships, let's try to separate them. Maybe we could divide the antimatter between us.
Janeway 2: I'm afraid not. We've been studying that theory. B'Elanna tells me that any attempt to disrupt the antimatter supply will destroy us all. What about evacuating your crew to my ship? It might get a little crowded, but we could manage.
Janeway: We've been studying that theory. And my B'Elanna tells me that sending any more than five to ten people through the rift would radically alter the atomic balance of the two Voyagers. We'd both be destroyed. Captain, I think you should return to your ship and run a metallurgical analysis. Find out the precise phase modulation of your hull. I'll do the same here. Maybe we can find a way to realign the phase displacement.
Janeway 2: You're going to self-destruct your ship.
Janeway: What makes you say that?
Janeway 2: Because that's what I would do if your Voyager were intact, and my Voyager were crippled, my crew wounded or dead. I'd sacrifice my ship so that yours could survive.
Janeway: Then I'm glad we agree. Go back to your ship.
Janeway 2: I didn't say I agree, I said I understand. I'm not willing to let you make that sacrifice yet. We haven't explored all the options.
Janeway: Yes, we have and we both know it. This is my ship and my decision.
Janeway 2: Captain, I'm not going to let you
Janeway: I've made my decision! Please don't make me call security and have you escorted off my ship, because you know I'll do it.
Janeway 2: All right. I'll go back. But give me fifteen minutes to come up with another solution. After that, it's your decision.
Janeway: Fifteen minutes. Good luck.
Janeway 2: To both of us.
Kim 2: Okay, I've managed to re-establish a comm. link with the other Voyager.
Janeway 2: Hail them.
Janeway 2: Captain, I've got an idea. Actually, it was yours. It might be possible to realign the phase displacement between us.
Janeway: We don't have time to try it. May plan is the only one that's going to work. It's time that we both accept that.
Paris: We've got a perimeter alert. A vessel is approaching, bearing zero zero five mark three one eight. They've just dropped out of warp.
Chakotay: Can you identify them?
Paris: They're Vidiian, sir.
Janeway 2: Red alert.
Janeway: Shields.
Chakotay: Still off-line.
Janeway: Captain, we're picking up a Vidiian ship heading this way. Can you see them too?
Janeway 2: Yes.
Janeway: Do you have any weapons?
Janeway 2: Stand by. Tuvok?
Tuvok 2: Negative, Captain. We had to reroute power to compensate for the antimatter loss. It would take several hours to bring weapons back online.
Commander: What is it?
Vidiian: Their ship seems to be trapped in some sort of spatial flux.
Commander: Have they detected us?
Vidiian: Yes. But they can't raise their shields. And it appears that whatever is happening to them has disrupted their weapon systems.
Commander: Load a hypothermic charge. Fire.
Tuvok: Captain, they have fired an energy weapon.
Tuvok 2: All hands, brace for impact. Damage control teams, stand by.
Janeway: What happened? They couldn't have missed.
Chakotay: Maybe they hit the other Voyager.
Janeway: Hail them.
Torres: I've lost the comm. link again.
Janeway: Try to get it back.
Vidiian: We have destroyed their weapons array.
Commander: Maneuver us to within grappling range.
Tuvok 2: They are cutting an access route through the hull on deck five.
Vidiian: Vulcan. Male. The phaser blast damaged the right kidney, but the other organs are healthy.
Surgeon: Begin with them.
Emh 2: I've erected an emergency force field around Sickbay. That should hold them off for a while.
Wildman 2: I won't let them take my baby.
Emh 2: It's going to be all right, Ensign. Give her to me and I'll hide her inside an access port. If they do break in, it's unlikely they'll look for anyone there. Trust me, Ensign. I won't let anyone touch our baby.
Wildman 2: Mama will see you soon.
Emh 2: Lieutenant, give me a hand. Move this. We're going to have to cut away the internal circuitry to make room
Kes 2: Vidiians. They're using some kind of disrupter to break down the forcefield. The forcefield's down.
2: Commander?
Chakotay 2: They've got everything below deck five, and I don't know how much longer we can keep them away from the Bridge.
Janeway 2: Mister Kim, how many Vidiians are there on the ship?
Kim 2: Three hundred and forty seven, and more are boarding.
Chakotay 2: We're outnumbered two to one.
Kim 2: I've got an incoming subspace signal. It's from the other Voyager. They must've re-established the comm. link.
Janeway 2: On screen.
Janeway: Captain, this comm. link might not last much longer. What's happening over there?
Janeway 2: We've been boarded. The Vidiians are on the verge of taking over our ship. Are they on yours?
Janeway: No. We don't think they can detect our ship. Captain, we can have a security detachment cross the spatial rift and board your ship within five minutes.
Janeway 2: No. If we do that, the Vidiians might become aware of your Voyager. That would put both ships at risk.
Janeway: We can't just stand by and let you all be killed.
Janeway 2: I'm not about to let that happen. I'll destroy this ship.
Janeway: I don't suppose there's any way I can change your mind. I know how stubborn you can be.
Janeway 2: True. But there is something else I can do for you. I'm going to send Harry Kim through the rift with Ensign Wildman's baby. Somehow, it seems only fair.
Janeway: We'll be waiting for them.
Janeway 2: Just make me a promise, Kathryn. Get your crew home.
Janeway: I will. I will.
Janeway 2: Harry, you've got five minutes. Get the baby.
Kim 2: But Captain.
Janeway 2: Move it, Ensign! That's an order! Computer, initiate the self-destruct sequence. Authorisation Janeway pi one one zero. Set at five minutes and mute voice warnings. Enable.
Computer: Warning. Self-destruct sequence has been initiated. Warp core overload in four minutes, fifty five seconds. There will be no further audio warnings.
Vidiian: Ocampa. Female. The organs are healthy. She has an extremely high rate of tissue regeneration.
Surgeon: Extract her pelvic ridge. We'll analyze the bone marrow for Phage resistance.
Vidiian: The others are human. My scans indicate their pancreatic tissues are well suited for transplant.
Surgeon: Begin the extraction procedure.
Vidiian: This one. A female human. She's recently given birth.
Surgeon: Are you certain?
Vidiian: Yes. Her haemo-uterine levels are far above normal.
Surgeon: Where's the infant? Set your bio-probe to maximum. Find it.
Kim 2: No!
Emh 2: Ensign Kim, is that you?
Kim 2: Doc, am I glad to see you.
Emh 2: Have we retaken the ship?
Kim 2: No. Actually, the Captain's put the ship on self-destruct. She ordered me to take the baby and go to the other Voyager.
Emh 2: Well, I, I guess you'd better hurry then.
Kim 2: Goodbye, Doc.
Emh 2: Ensign. Tell my counterpart that I've corrected all signs of hemocythemia. He'll know what that means.
Kim 2: Will do.
Janeway 2: Hello. I'm Captain Kathryn Janeway. Welcome to the Bridge.
Vidiian: Commander! (He has spotted the monitor reading - DESTRUCT SEQUENCE ENGAGED Time Remaining 2, 1 KaBOOM! goes Voyager 2. KaBOOM goes the Vidiian ship, and battered Voyager is left alone)
Torres: Ah, it's about time.
Tuvok: Tuvok to Janeway. Ensign Kim has made it through the rift, with the infant.
Janeway: Acknowledged.
Chakotay: Captain, the Vidiian ship has been destroyed. So has the other Voyager. Captain's log, stardate 49548.7. There are no signs of any pursuing Vidiian vessels, and we have resumed a course toward home.
Tuvok: Repair efforts are underway. Lieutenant Torres estimates we'll be able to return to the Bridge within three days.
Janeway: Good. I'm not sure how much longer B'Elanna can tolerate my standing over her shoulder in Engineering. Tuvok, is there something on your mind?
Tuvok: I am curious, Captain. Before the Vidiians attacked, when you were in disagreement with the other Captain about
Janeway: Would I have given the order to self-destruct our ship? I've gone over that moment a thousand times in my mind. The truth is, yes, I would have given the order. But I will admit, there was a part of me that could see her point of view.
Tuvok: One could say that you were both the doubter and the doubted. I do not envy the paradox of logic you were faced with in that situation.
Janeway: Neither did I. And neither did she.
Wildman: Thank you. Thank you so much.
Kim: You're welcome. But you should also thank the Doctor. It was his counterpart who saved her from the Vidiians.
Emh: I'm not surprised. I am programmed to be heroic when the need arises. By the way, Ensign, this other Doctor, did he have a name?
Kim: I really didn't have time to ask.
Janeway: Am I allowed to go back to my temporary Bridge now, Doctor?
Emh: By all means.
Janeway: It's good to have you back, Ensign.
Kim: Thank you, I think.
Janeway: Something wrong?
Kim: I'm not sure. I mean, this isn't really my ship, and you're not really my captain, and yet you are, and there's no difference. But I know there's a difference. Or is there? It's all a little weird.
Janeway: Mister Kim, we're Starfleet officers. Weird is part of the job.