COUNTERPOINT
Episode 104
Part C

 

USS Voyager.

Later, in the Astrometrics Lab. Janeway: "This is our rendezvous point, inside this nebula. Unfortunately the transport vessel we're supposed to meet is no longer there. Inspector." Tuvok: "A Devore warship." Janeway: "One of a dozen positioned throughout the nebula. All invisible to our sensors until Kashyk showed me how to compensate for their refractive shielding." Seven: "Your soldiers intercepted the transport ship." Kashyk: "Over a week ago. We were the ones who changed the rendezvous co-ordinates. Two vessels carrying refugees have already been seized. Voyager would have been next."

Janeway: "Alright Inspector, you helped us avoid this ambush. What now?" Kashyk: "We'll have to get your passengers to the wormhole on our own." Handing Tuvok a PADD: "These are the schedules and routes of our patrols, along with tactical data on our shield and weapons configurations. Enough to ensure that you avoid another inspection."

Janeway: "How long before you're missed?" Kashyk: "Well, I took two weeks' leave. Enough time, I hope, to find the wormhole and get the passengers safely through it and myself, as well."

Tuvok: "Your data is useful but it doesn't guarantee our success." Kashyk: "No. For that you'll need my guidance and some luck."

Janeway: "I'll have to take this up with the Brenari, see what they think of their new benefactor. I'll let you know what they decide. I'll have to insist you remain under guard. No hard feeling."
Kashyk: "No hard feelings."

USS Voyager: guest quarters occupied by the Brenari. Kir: "It's unusual, but not unheard of. There have been sympathisers before. Kashyk may be telling the truth." Chakotay: "Maybe you should just read his thoughts."

Kir: "Devore soldiers undergo years of mental training to prevent that." Tuvok: "He might be telling the truth, but he also might be using us to find the wormhole."

Chakotay: "So what do we do, throw him in the Brig?" Janeway: "No, we take him up on his offer to help, see how it plays out. But I want round-the-clock security. We need to watch his every movement. That leaves us with our next question: how do we find the wormhole?"

Kir: "I've given it some thought. There's a scientist named Torat. He's from a nearby system. He's rumoured to know more about the wormhole than anyone. He might help us, for a price." Janeway: "A price?" Kir: "His species power their ships with a fluidic alloy that's difficult to find." Tuvok: "Perhaps we can replicate it." Kir: "I have some data on its composition." Janeway: "See what you can do. In the meantime, we'll set a course for Torat's planet, try to track him down."

USS Voyager: Briefing Room. Janeway enters from the corridor entrance to see Kashyk pacing. Janeway: "Nervous?"

Kashyk stops pacing. "Let's just say I'm not used to other people deciding my fate." Janeway: "Until today, you were part of a government responsible for persecuting thousands of innocent people. Why the sudden change of heart?" Kashyk: "There's nothing sudden about it. I've been looking for a way to escape for years. Voyager was the perfect opportunity."

Janeway: "How so?" Kashyk: "Well, what are you suggesting. I ask a Brenari vessel for assistance? They'd throw me out an airlock. Besides, you're something of a humanitarian, Captain. I've read your database. I know all about Starfleet philosophy, unless you left those ideals behind in the Alpha Quadrant?" Janeway: "I certainly don't grant asylum to every person I meet, especially ones who ransack my ship and terrorise my crew. You're asking me to believe you're someone else, and that's a leap of faith I'm not ready to make." Kashyk: "You're turning me away."

Janeway: "No. No. I'm going to give you safe passage to the wormhole, in return for your help in getting us there, but I'm also imposing some restrictions. You'll have your own quarters but limited access to Voyager's systems, and your whereabouts will be monitored at all times."

Kashyk: "I'm used to being surrounded by armed guards, makes me feel secure." Janeway: "Only this time they answer to me. Consider them a reminder that Voyager is my ship." Kashyk: "I don't think anyone could doubt that."

In the doorway to the Bridge, she looks at him consideringly before leaving.

Torat's ship. Janeway: "Captain's log, supplemental. It's taken us nearly two days but we've managed to locate Torat, the man who's supposedly an expert on wormholes. Unfortunately, he seems reluctant to share his expertise."

USS Voyager: Bridge. Paris: "He's trying to evade us." Janeway: "Hail him again."

Chakotay: "Mr Torat doesn't seem too trusting. Maybe he's been through one inspection too many." Tuvok: "No response. He's deactivated his communication system."

Kim: "I think I can tap into his computer, override the lockout." Janeway: "Do it."

Torat, on viewscreen: "Go away!" Janeway: "This is Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation Starship Voyager. We have no hostile intent." Torat, on viewscreen: "Then why are you pursuing me?" Janeway: "We'd just like to ask-"

Torat, on viewscreen: "Federations, Imperiums. Why do you people feel such a need to align yourselves with monolithic organisations?" Janeway: "I'd be glad to discuss that and any other philosophical issue you care to raise if you would just slow down and talk." Torat, on viewscreen: "Sorry, can't do that. I'm late for a very important conference!"

Kashyk: "This is a waste of time. Disable his ship." Janeway: "That's what we call overkill, Inspector. Ensign, can we transport at this range?"

Kim: "Absolutely. Energising."

Janeway: "Welcome aboard. Your reputation precedes you." Torat puffs his nose out, irritated.

USS Voyager: Captain's Ready Room. Janeway: "20 centilitres of mercurium isochromate. No impurities, and this is just a sample. We've synthesised enough to power your ship for a year." Torat: "It doesn't matter. I, I've never heard of this wormhole you're looking for, or these so-called refugees." Janeway: "Well, they've heard of you." Torat: "Well, no doubt. My research is famous." Janeway: "Think of all the stars you could research once you've infused your propulsion system with this." Torat: "There's no point in bribing me."

Kashyk: "He's right. He couldn't help us if he wanted to." Torat: "What do you mean by that?" Kashyk: "I doubt you'd know a wormhole from a dark matter inversion." Janeway: "Professor Kashyk is another expert I've retained to help us with this matter. I'm afraid he's not as impressed with your work as I am. In fact, he discouraged me from seeking you out." Torat: "Professor Kashyk? Never heard of you." Kashyk: "Not surprising, considering you toil in scientific obscurity." Torat: "Obscurity! I, I've discovered over 60 astronomical phenomena!"

Kashyk: "Ha, not worth the sensors they were recorded on." Janeway to Kashyk: "There's no need to insult the man. Just because he doesn't know how to find an interspatial flexure." Torat: "Interspatial flexure? Why didn't you say so in the first place?! He said wormhole, a layman's term that that covers any number of phenomena. I am familiar with a certain anomaly that could be categorised as an interspatial flexure."

Kashyk: "Where is it?" Torat: "Actually, a better question would be: where is it now? It's really quite interesting. The aperture of the phenomenon, which I prefer to call an intermittent cyclical vortex, is unfixed."

Kashyk and Janeway listen, apparently sceptical. Torat: "It manifests infrequently for only brief periods of time and in varying locations. I can give you the last four locations. Er, perhaps you can extrapolate the next one, if you're as accomplished a scientist as you claim to be."

Janeway hands over the 20 centilitres of mercurium isochromate.

Late at night in Voyager's Messhall. Kashyk and Janeway have been toiling for hours trying to locate the wormhole. In the background, the Tchaikovsky's Fantasy Overture 'Romeo and Juliet' is playing.

Janeway: "Think." Kashyk: "I'm thinking." Janeway: "Think harder. Four wormhole appearances less than 28 light-years apart. There's no pattern." Kashyk: "Did you apply a fractal co-efficient?" Janeway: "Didn't work." Kashyk: "Neutrino flux parameters." Janeway: "Mm hmm." Kashyk: "Statistical algorithms." Janeway: "Every one I could find. This wormhole defies analysis. Maybe Torat was right. We're just out of our league." Kashyk: "It's not like you to give up. Think harder." Janeway: "How do you predict a random occurrence?"

Kashyk: "You follow your instincts." Inspiration strikes Janeway. "Captain?" Janeway: "Counterpoint. It's in all great music. Parallel melodies playing against one another. We've been looking at the obvious, frequency, location, timing, but each of those parameters could have a counterpoint in subspace."

Kashyk: "If we could run an algorithm based on subspace harmonics. it might reveal our pattern."
Janeway: "Computer, run a subspatial transkinetic analysis on the wormhole data."
Computer: "Analysis in progress."
Janeway: "This'll take a minute."

She pours some coffee. Kashyk: "I'm going to miss this coffee of yours." Janeway: "Well, I will give you the recipe." Kashyk: "Thank you." Janeway: "You don't sound too happy about leaving." Kashyk: "Hmm, the Brenari aren't about to embrace a former Inspector. I'll be feared and hated for what I represent." Janeway: "Anxiety doesn't become you, Inspector. Try to relax a little." Kashyk: "I suppose you liked me better in uniform." Janeway: "I haven't decided whether I like you at all." Kashyk: "Huh."

His attention is drawn to the sight of a celestial phenomenon outside the windows and he goes over to them to look more closely. "We call them the Kolyan Kolyar - Infinite Spirals." Janeway: "Beautiful." Kashyk: "As a boy, I spent years gazing at these lights. This is the last time I'll ever see them." Janeway: "We have something similar back on Earth - the Aurora Borealis." Kashyk: "Which you too may never see again. I suppose we're both refugees in a way." Janeway: "I'm still counting on getting this ship home."

Kashyk: "Are you sure you'll be welcome when you do? I came across something else in your database - the Prime Directive." Janeway: "The Federation's cardinal protocol." Kashyk: "It seems you violated it when you rescued these telepaths." Janeway: "Well, let's just say I usually go with my instincts and sort it out later at the Board of Inquiry. Those Admirals and I are on a first name basis, you know. You're risking a lot too. Why?"

Kashyk: "Three months ago, my teams were inspecting a plasma refining vessel. We found a family of telepaths hiding in one of the extraction tanks. There was a child, very young. She'd been inside it for days, barely able to breathe. When I lifted her out and set her down on the deck, she thanked me. I sent her to a relocation centre with the others, knowing full well what would happen to her. After that, I could think of nothing else, and when I couldn't stand it any longer...." Intensely: "You're my deliverance, Captain."

Computer: "Analysis complete." Janeway: "It worked. It looks like it'll appear in about three days, less than eight light-years from here." Kashyk: "The Tehara system." Janeway: "Is that a problem?" Kashyk: "There's an automated sensor array between here and Tehara." Janeway: "Can we go around it?" Kashyk: "We'd never make it in time. We'll have to find a way to avoid detection."

Janeway sighs. "Let's do it in the morning." She turns the computer off. "We've done enough for tonight. Are you saying goodbye? There'll be other spirals." Kashyk: "They've just never looked quite so," he searches for the suitable word, "beautiful before. Could be the company I'm keeping."

Janeway, smiling as she banters: "Or the polarisation axis of the windows." Kashyk: "That must be it."