11:59
Episode 117
Part A

Events in the year 2000 involving Shannon O'Donnel appear in this style.

 

USS Voyager, cruising on course for the Alpha Quadrant.

Janeway is walking along a corridor to the turbolift when Neelix catches her up.
Neelix: "Good morning."
Janeway: "Morning."

He hands her a PADD. "Requisition reports for the week." Janeway: "Thanks." She takes it and starts looking at it. Neelix: "What can you tell me about the Great Wall of China?" Janeway: "Pardon?" Neelix: "The Great Wall of China, on Earth. Who built it?" Janeway: "The Chinese." Neelix: "What for?" Janeway, as they enter the turbolift together: "Why does anybody build a wall, to keep people out." To the computer: "Deck 1."

Neelix: "In fact it was the king-emperor who connected the walls buillt by a previous dynasty. He did it to prevent an invasion by nomads to the north. How big is it?" Janeway, smiling: "I have a feeling you're going to tell me." Neelix: "2400 kilometres long, medium width 3.8 metres. Before the 22nd century it was one of the only manmade objects that could be seen from Earth's orbit with the naked eye." Janeway: "Very impressive, Neelix. I had no idea you knew so much about my homeworld."

They arrive at Deck 1, the Bridge, and the turbolift doors open. They exit. Janeway to bridge crew: "Status?" Chakotay: "We're on a course for the class Y cluster. We should be there in about three days." Janeway: "Gives us time to relax. Carry on."

She and Neelix head into her Ready Room.

Janeway: "Why the sudden interest in the Great Wall?" Neelix: "I've been studying Earth landmarks. Mr Paris and I have been studying a little cross-culture trivia. He's become an expert on Talaxian geography." Janeway: "Alright, here's one for you: what can you tell me about the Millennium Gate?"

Neelix: "The Millennium Gate: constructed in the 21st century in the United States of America. It was another one of the objects that could be seen from orbit. Er, 3.2 kilometres at the base, 1 kilometre in height, surface covered with highly reflective solar panels, a self-contained eco-system." Janeway: "It became a model for the first colony on Mars. Did you know that one of my ancestors built it?" Neelix: "Really?"

Janeway: "Not with hammer and nails but with words and a lot of courage - Shannon O'Donnel, one of the first woman astronauts. She was the driving force behind the project." Neelix: "That's something to be proud of." Janeway: "We were always told stories about her at family gatherings. The first of a long line of Janeway explorers."

She pours tea for herself. Janeway pours tea. (pop-up window)

Neelix: "Tell me more. I want something to stump Mr Paris with." Janeway: "Where to begin?" Neelix: "The Millennium Gate - how did she get involved with that?" Janeway: "Well, at that time she was still in the space programme. But she'd also become something of an entrepreneur. I believe she was asked to join the project by the Governor of Indiana. He wanted her expertise on recycling life support systems. The way my Aunt Martha tells it, they flew her in on a private aircraft."

Janeway's narration of events to Neelix is depicted dramatically, below:

Shannon O'Donnel is driving her car along the interstate highway. She records a message into a tape recorder. Shannon: "5 a.m., December 27th, 2000. I'm in the great State of Indiana, I think. Found the world's largest ball of string this morning, and the world's largest beefsteak tomato this afternoon. It was the size of a Volkswagon, the string not the tomato. At least Christmas is over."

She passes a sign announcing the small town of Portage Creek. The sign advertises in big letters a building called Millennium Gate. Suddenly her engine starts to sound unwell. "Oh no."

Shannon drives into Portage Creek.

Hanging under her rear view mirror, Shannon has a small model of the lunar module from the Apollo 11 first moon landing.

She winds down the window and calls to a pedestrian passer-by: "Excuse me! I think I made a wrong turn. Is there a Millennium Gate around here?" Passer-by: "You're looking at it." Shannon: "The sign said gas, food, lodging. I need all three." He replies: "You won't find any of that here. Get back on the interstate and go to exit 9." Shannon: "I don't think I'm going to make it." The passer-by does not want to know, not wanting to get involved. "Good luck." Shannon: "Tell me, are people a little friendlier off exit 9?" But the passer-by ignores her and moves off.

She is not looking where she is driving and suddenly there is the sound of a collision - she has rear-ended the car in front.

She and the driver of the other car get out and examine the damage. Shannon: "You stopped." Driver: "You didn't. Got a pen?" She obviously does not have a pen so with the show of his patience being stretched he gets out a pen and a notebook to take down the details.

Shannon: "I just didn't see you, I'm sorry. Are you OK?" Driver: "Insurance?" Shannon: "Not really." Driver: "'Not really'?" Shannon: "It ran out." Driver: "It's not too bad. 200 bucks ought to cover it." Shannon: "200 bucks!" She looks devastated. Driver: "Let me guess: the money ran out too." He puts away his pen and notebook resignedly, and gets back in his car and drives off.

Shannon gets back into her car, but it refuses to start.

A moment later Shannon collects her bag and leaves her car. She starts to walk across the street past a poster for the building project called Millennium Gate.

She walks across the street and enters a book shop.