SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME
Episode 116
Part B

 

Voyager's Sickbay. The Doctor scans Seven.....

.....including her hand implants. Doctor: "Your cortical implants are operating at peak efficiency. Nanoprobe levels stable. Complaints?" Seven: "None."

Doctor: "I heard about the Messhall incident." Seven: "This crew can be very efficient at disseminating information when they choose to be." Doctor: "They say gossip travels faster than warp speed. So why were you studying Tom and B'Elanna?"

Seven: "Scientific curiosity." Doctor: "Are you sure? Perhaps there's a reason that hasn't occurred to you. You're a woman, Seven." Seven: "Is that an observation or a diagnosis?" Doctor: "A simple biological fact, with repercussions that are hard to deny."

Seven: "What is your proposed treatment?" Doctor, setting the dosage level on a hypospray: "Perhaps you should consider expanding your research to the realm of dating." He gives her the hypospray injection.

Seven: "Dating. You mean procreation." Doctor: "One step at a time. Dating is a human ritual wherein two people share a social activity, get to know each other. In time, it can lead to a romantic involvement and eventually, if all goes well, even marriage." Seven: "One step at a time." Doctor: "This could be an important stage in your social development. It's worth exploring."

Seven: "The Captain would seem to agree." She stands up. "How shall I proceed?" Doctor: "You mean "we". I'll prepare a lesson plan."

Doctor: "Meet me on Holodeck 2 in one hour. Most women start dating a little younger than you but better late than never."

Later on USS Voyager, which is orbiting the Kadi planet......

......Holodeck 2. The Doctor picks up the remote control for his holographic slideshow and heads over to where the pictures are to appear. Doctor: "I've prepared an introduction." He clicks the remote control and a picture of the Milky Way appears. "I call it 'Love Amid the Stars'. The Milky Way, home to thousands of humanoid species and countless courtship rituals."

Next picture. "Klingon males initiate courtship by biting the female."

Next picture. "Here we see two Bolians getting to know one another."

The Doctor continues: "The courtship rituals of some species remain shrouded in mystery. For example," clicking to the next picture, "Species 8472 appears to have as many as five sexes. Bystanders better keep their distance." He chuckles but Seven does not respond.

"Of course, the species you're most likely to interact with is human, so without further ado," and clicks to the next picture, "Lesson One: First Contact. There are any number of ways humans can meet prospective mates. Here we see the chance encounter."

Next picture. "Equally common is the formal introduction. When first contact is successful romance quickly ensues and, in the happiest of circumstances, procreation."

Next picture. "Here we see how fortress ovum is besieged by countless little warriors-"

Seven interrupts, after having watched the holographic slideshow forbearingly: "Doctor,"

"I am familiar with the physiological processes of sexuality."

Doctor: "Oh."

He heads back over to the console. "Then let's skip ahead to the first of the practical exercises. Lesson Two: Encounter in a Public Place. Computer, initiate holoprogram Paris-3."

The Holodeck, empty, ........

......transforms as......

......the Chez Sandrine holoprogram is initiated. There is soft piano music, to which a romantically-engaged couple dance. There are holographic customers quietly talking or fetching drinks at the bar.

Seven: "Our location?" Doctor: "Chez Sandrine. It's on Earth, in a city called Marseilles." He takes her over to the bar, past the piano. "Ensign Paris whiled away a good portion of his Academy years here, no doubt to the detriment of his scholastic performance."

When they reach the bar, the Doctor tells her: "Now, pull up a bar stool," and they sit, "and pretend," handing her a PADD, "you've come here to meet the man of your dreams."

He turns to her, reading from his PADD: "'Hi, there.'" Seven, with flat intonation, simply reading her PADD: "'Hello.'" Doctor: "'Come here often?'"

Seven: "'This is my first time.'" Doctor: "'You must be new in town. How do you like the south of France?'" Seven, reading without inflexion or inserting punctuation into her speech: "It is very quaint exactly as I've always pictured it.'" Doctor: "'May I buy you a drink?'"

Seven, proffering back the PADD: "I don't require a liquid supplement at this time."

Doctor, pushing the PADD back toward her: "You're not giving this a fair chance."

Seven: "This exercise is pointless." Doctor: "It may seem pointless, but small talk is a vital dating skill. It helps to establish a rapport with your companion." Seven, scathingly: "Perhaps there's something to be said for assimilation after all."

Doctor: "Alright, why don't you try your own approach on...."

the Doctor indicates a hologram, "that gentleman over there. Go ahead."

Seven: "Very well." For pointers she pulls up the Doctor's arm which is holding the PADD containing the conversation scenario."

She gets up and walks over to the hologram. Tonelessly: "Hello." Hologram, looking up and seeing the attractive young woman: "Hello." Seven: "May I buy you a drink?"

Hologram: "Er......" He looks quickly at his glass which is not empty. "Sure." He gets up and offers a hand: "Steven Price, and you are?" She shakes his hand firmly, too firmly as he rubs the underside of his hand afterwards. Seven: "Seven of Nine, tertiary adjunct of-" She recollects herself. "You may call me Seven." Hologram: "Seven. That's an unusual name. Please, have a seat."

Reluctantly, she does so, making no disguise of the fact she thinks this is tiresom and does not wish to be there.

Paris wanders in and goes up to the bar: "Looks like Sandrine's is under new management. Who deleted my pool table?" Doctor: "Shh! School is in session." Paris: "More social lessons?" Doctor: "Watch. You might learn something."

Hologram: "Curious jewellery." Seven: "It's a Borg implant. I was a drone." Hologram: "Oh, so then it's a family heirloom." He laughs but she does not join in and his laughter falls flat so he stops.

Seven: "Borg do not have families. They have unimatrices." Hologram: "Well, in that case, why don't you tell me about your," searching for the singular form of 'unimatrices', "unimatrix."