THINK TANK
Episode 114
Part B

 

Janeway: "Seven, do we still have warp power?" Seven: "Yes, but it's useless while we remain in the gas cloud." Janeway: "Maybe not. Re-route every spare gigawatt to the shields. Prepare to fire phasers." Tuvok: "Our target?"

Janeway, sitting in the captain's chair: "The gas cloud." Seven: "Do you believe the impact will throw us clear?" Janeway: "If our shields hold." Paris: "That's a big if." Janeway to Paris: "Go to warp 1 on my command. Fire."

Voyager fires phasers and ignites the gas cloud!

The ignited gas cloud propels Voyager away.

Tuvok: "Shields are holding. We're approaching the perimeter of the gas cloud."

Voyager hurtles away and is thrown clear.

There is an explosion on the Bridge as a system overloads.

Paris: "We're out." Janeway orders Paris: "Warp speed." Tuvok: "No sign of pursuit."

Janeway: "They weren't that heavily damaged. Why aren't they following us?"

Later, in Voyager's Astrometrics Lab. Chakotay: "There's the reason they didn't come after us. They've got reinforcements throughout the sector."

Kim: "Twenty-three ships." Chakotay: "And long-range scans show more on the way." Kim: "Must be one hell of a reward." Tuvok: "The size of the bounty is immaterial. According to Seven of Nine, the Hazari pride themselves on honouring their agreements." Kim, sarcastically: "Great. Bounty hunters with a work ethic."

Chakotay: "There's got to be a way out, something they haven't anticipated. Download the data for the Captain. She wants to see what she can come up with on her own." He leaves.

Later on USS Voyager.....

......very late at night, and in the Messhall, Neelix emerges from the Galley carrying a thermos of coffee.

He goes over to where Janeway is working late poring over data on her personal computer. Neelix: "Should I have the Doctor prepare a hypospray?" Janeway: "Excuse me?" Neelix: "So you can absorb the caffeine more directly. Save time." Janeway: "Point well taken. I'll make this my last cup." Neelix, pouring the coffee: "How about trying a sounding board?" Janeway: "Oh, you don't want that job." Neelix: "Try me."

Janeway: "It's these Hazari, they're like jackals. Circling, feinting to draw us out while they cut off every route of escape." Neelix: "You make them sound worse than the Borg." Janeway: "At least the Borg come straight at you. The Hazari wait, invite you to make mistakes. They've anticipated almost every move we can make, and the few things they seem to have missed I'm convinced are traps. Still glad you volunteered?"

Neelix: "We've faced tough odds before. You'll get us through." He stands up. "Good night." Janeway: "Good night." He leaves.

She gets up and goes to a bulkhead, rests a hand on it and, tired, has a good stretch.

Suddenly there is someone else there! It is Kurros, sitting in her seat and reading her computer screen: "There is nothing like a good problem to spark the synapses, is there?" and hearing him she spins round, surprised, "to open the mind to new possibilities, new ways of seeing things. Of course, one must always confront self-doubt and fear, but that is a small price to pay for the exhilaration of finding the perfect solution."

Janeway: "Who are you and what do you want?" Kurros: "You have a problem, Captain. I am the solution."

Janeway taps her combadge but there is a dull click only: "Security to the Messhall. Intruder alert." Kurros: "I deactivated your communications device, Captain, but do not worry; I am not an intruder. In fact, I am not really here." Janeway surmises: "A hologram." Kurros: "Nothing so crude. An isomorphic projection."

He lifts her mug of coffee to his lips. "You actually enjoy this?" Janeway: "It's an acquired taste." Kurros: "It bears a resemblance to an Alkian confection we acquired several years ago."

Janeway: "'We'?" Kurros: "I am a member of a small group. Explorers like you, but we seek out challenges. Problems to be solved technological, biological, social, even artistic." Janeway: "A think tank." Kurros: "I like that, it's very apt. Our Think Tank is nearby. A modest vessel. I have come to offer our help with your Hazari paradox."

Janeway: "Paradox?" Kurros: "That is right. Is it an escape route or is it a trap? Do they know that you know that they know? It is the best kind of puzzle. Pure tactics, psychology." Janeway: "Something tells me your help comes with a price tag." Kurros: "Whatever your culture has to offer that is unique. Technology perhaps, or maybe something you would not even think to value. I would need a closer look at your database."

Janeway: "And how do I know you aren't an Hazari trap? Maybe they're trying to lure us into an ambush like before." Kurros: "You are wise to be suspicious, Captain. We have done some preliminary analysis on their maneuvers. It does suggest some more likely ambushes. I've downloaded the data onto your computer."

He invokes the data and she glances at it.

Janeway: "Alright. You've got my attention, but I want to meet you face to face. And the rest of your crew." Kurros: "Naturally. Our co-ordinates are in here too, but we have our own security concerns, Captain. Please, bring only one crewman and no scanning equipment." Janeway: "Fair enough."

Kurros: "Then I look forward to meeting you in person."

The isomorphic projection disappears.

Voyager's Bridge. Tuvok: "We're approaching the co-ordinates." Janeway: "Full stop." Chakotay: "Looks like there's nothing here."

Kim: "Maybe they're cloaked."

Seven: "I'm reading a subspace flux."

The Think Tank ship materialises nearby.

Tuvok, reporting scans: "The vessel's hull is composed of a neutronium-based alloy." Janeway: "Starfleet's theorised about such materials, but we've never come close to producing them." Seven: "Neither have the Borg. The Think Tank's technology is advanced." Janeway: "Well, you and I will have the chance to evaluate it first hand." She gets up and heads toward the turbolift. Seven also heads for the turbolift. "Mr Kim, you have the transport co-ordinates."

Janeway and Seven transport aboard the Think Tank.

They are met by Fennim who speaks but whose words are unintelligible. Seven: "The universal translator must be inoperative." Janeway: "Or his speech patterns are too complex to process." Fennim's next words are also unintelligible. He leaves to fetch Kurros.

Janeway and Seven notice the alien creature in the tank. Janeway: "They must be studying it."

Kurros enters. "Actually, she is studying you." Indicating the floating alien: "Our resident expert on temporal physics, perhaps the most gifted member of our group. She finds you interesting."

Seven: "How do you communicate?" Janeway indicates Seven: "One of my most gifted crewmen, Seven of Nine."