PART B

GRAVITY : Episode 107 : portrayed in several parts

Noss takes Tuvok and Paris to the remains of her ship.
Paris: "Doesn't look like this bird's going to fly either." Tuvok reads from the tricorder: "Minimal power and life support but the ship is protected by a forcefield." Paris: "That explains how she's been able to survive here. Anything resembling an engine?" Tuvok: "I'm detecting engine debris two kilometres away. It is of the same configuration as this vessel." Paris: "Great. We've got two unusable ships and the only way Voyager's going to detect our distress call is if they crashland right on top of us."
Tuvok: "Progress?" Paris: "The optronic relays took heavy damage. I'm bypassing the primary circuits. Come on, Doc, I know you're in there." The Doctor's program activates. The Doctor notices his surroundings and says: "I'm guessing we hit a snag?"
Tuvok: "An accurate assumption."

Noss appears and, seeing a stranger, the Doctor, draws her gun and aims it. She issues a challenge. The Doctor replies in her language with words of reassurance.

Paris: "You speak her language?" Doctor: "A universal translator was written into my program." Paris: "Ask her how long she's been here, if she knows a way to get back through that sinkhole." The Doctor and Noss converse. As she finishes speaking she puts her gun away. Paris: "What's she say?" Doctor: "She said she's been here fourteen seasons and in that time she's seen many ships come down but she's never seen one go back up again."

Paris sets a thumper to lure out a spider but when it appears he fails to kill it. He gives chase but it escapes.

Noss laughs at his effort. Paris: "I don't know what's worse: catching them or eating them." Noss: "No poison." Paris: "Well, they may not be poisonous but they give me the creeps. Maybe I should've left the hunting to you and Tuvok."
Noss: "Let me." She shows him how it is done: "Yes!" as she gets one. "Looks delicious," remarks Paris as she puts it into her bag.

In Noss' ship. Doctor: "Shut down my program. Why?" Tuvok: "Our resources are severely limited. We may need your mobile emitter as a source of power." Doctor: "I'm a Doctor not a battery." Tuvok: "Until we're rescued or you're needed for an emergency, I must insist that you remain offline."
Paris and Noss return. Paris proclaims: "Make way for the mighty hunters!" Doctor: "If Mr Paris' hunting ability is any indication maybe we should take him offline." He moves away. Paris: "Thanks for the vote of confidence, Doc." He moves away too. Noss lays down her bulging bag. "The hunt was good." Tuvok: "Impressive." Noss looks at him. She is clearly very interested in him.

Tuvok and Noss prepare the meal. Tuvok is telling Noss about Voyager. "Voyager has 15 decks, a crew of 152, warp and impulse engines." Noss: "I want see." Tuvok: "Some day perhaps." Noss: "Tell me about you there." Tuvok: "I am the chief tactical officer." Noss: "What else?" Tuvok: "Can you be more specific?" Noss: "Your duties, er, where you sleep, what you eat, music, friends?" Tuvok: "Why is any of that relevant?" Noss: "Because it is you."
At the meal, they talk about Tom Paris and his romance with B'Elanna Torres - Paris tells Noss: "When I first met her she wouldn't even look at me, but she warmed up after oh, three years." Doctor: "The longest flirtation in Starfleet history." Paris: "No kidding." Noss: "She sounds fascinating." Paris: "I just hope I see her again." Noss: "You must really-" She does not know the words in his language and so asks the Doctor to translate. Doctor: "Love her very much." Paris: "Yeah."
Noss: "More spiders?" Paris: "Er, no thank you. Three's my limit." Tuvok to Noss: "I will assist you." Doctor: "Well, I suppose it's time I shut down my program." Paris: "Good night, Doc." He deactivates the Doctor's program and the Doctor vanishes.

Paris: "She likes you." Tuvok: "She has been alone for many years. She appreciates our company." Paris: "No, I mean, she likes you." Tuvok: "What are you implying?" Paris: "Oh come on, Tuvok. You may be cold but you're not blind."
Tuvok: "Need I remind you that I am married." Paris: "Your wife is 50,000 light-years away, in a different layer of space. The chances of you ever seeing her again are practically non-existent." Tuvok: "Excuse me." He goes outside.

After a moment Paris follows him.
Paris: "What are you doing?"
Tuvok: "I'm recalibrating the distress beacon."
Paris: "Listen, what I said in there, about your wife, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."
Tuvok: "I have no feelings for you to hurt."
Paris: "I think you do. You work hard to bury them, but they're there. And even if they're not, this is home now. You might as well accept it and try to find as much happiness as you can. Listen, you have a chance to make a decent life for yourself here."
Tuvok: "There is still the possibility that Voyager will rescue us. You may see Lt. Torres again."

Paris: "If I didn't know you better, I'd say you were trying to cheer me up, Tuvok." Tuvok: "Is there a point to your pessimism?" Paris: "It's not pessimism. It's practicality. You of all people should understand that. Look, I've never met your wife, but if she's half as logical as you are I bet you she'd tell you the same thing." Tuvok: "Your attempt to play matchmaker is misguided. I am not experiencing pon farr." Paris: "What difference does it make? You obviously care about Noss. If you won't admit it to me, at least admit it to yourself."

Tuvok: "I respect her ability to survive."
Paris: "It's more than that. I've seen the way you look at her."
Tuvok: "What way is that?"
Paris: "Like someone who wishes he wasn't Vulcan."

Tuvok recalls the experience in his youth:

Young Tuvok: "I'm sorry I was born Vulcan."
Vulcan Master: "Self-pity."
Young Tuvok: "Are you cataloguing my emotions?"
Vulcan Master: "What is the source of your self-pity?"
Young Tuvok: "Isn't it obvious? If I weren't Vulcan I wouldn't be here now going through this pointless ritual."

Vulcan Master: "You see only what is in front of you. You must learn to see behind you." Young Tuvok: "Another riddle! I have no eyes to see behind me." Vulcan Master: "You have the eyes of memory, the knowledge of why you are here and why you have lost control. Tell me your story." Young Tuvok: "My father's already explained it." Vulcan Master: "I wish to hear it from you." Young Tuvok: "Her name's Jara. Her father's a Terellian diplomat. She's been granted a seat at my school." Vulcan Master: "And you've developed an emotional attraction toward her." Young Tuvok: "Yes." Vulcan Master: "You love her." Young Tuvok: "Yes." Vulcan Master: "Does she love you?" Young Tuvok: "No, she's- Jara doesn't return my feelings."

Vulcan Master: "What if I were to say that I've received a letter from your father telling me that Jara is in love with one of your fellow-students?" Young Tuvok: "That's a lie! Who is it?" Vulcan Master: "Jealousy?" Young Tuvok: "I'll challenge him." Vulcan Master: "That would be illogical, because I have received no such letter." Young Tuvok: "You're trying to trick me." Vulcan Master: "No. I am trying to help you understand. Love is the most dangerous emotion of all. It produces many other emotions: jealousy, shame, rage, grief. You must learn to suppress them all otherwise they will consume you. I can sense emotions building inside you like a gathering storm. If we begin now, we may be able to stop them."

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