STATE OF FLUX
Episode 11

Part E

 

In Janeway's Ready Room, Chakotay is having a hard time assimilating the revelation about Seska.

Chakotay: "You're asking me to believe she's a Cardassian agent who infiltrated the Maquis?"

Tuvok: "Starfleet Security has documented several incidents in which Cardassians have used cosmetic alterations for the purpose of infiltrating an enemy." This is crazy. This is just impossible!" Tuvok: "The Doctor has informed us that there is no other plausible explanation for the medical anomalies." Chakotay tells him off: "If you don't mind, I'd like to hear her explanation before we dismiss it. Has she been told?" Janeway: "No." Chakotay: "I'd like to be the one who questions her."

	Janeway: "I suggest we wait until we retrieve the console." She opens a comlink. "Janeway to Torres." Torres, via comms: "Yes, Captain." Janeway, via comms: "Your status?"
Torres sets and turns on a transporter pattern enhancer. (pop-up window) [#11 State of Flux] For information on transporter pattern enhancers beam here, part of SHIP USS VOYAGER: Detailed Interior Tour: Transporter Room.	Torres, via comms: "We're finished with the computer simulations." She is enabling a pattern enhancer as she speaks. Nearby are Lieutenant Susan Nicoletti and Crewman MacKenzie, both also preparing for the away mission to the Bridge of the crippled Kazon ship. "Everything looks ok. We're ready to beam over." Janeway, via comms: "Good. Then let's get started. Janeway out."

Accordingly, with the meeting over, Tuvok and Chakotay go to exit the Ready Room. standard doors
But Chakotay stops Tuvok leaving for a moment as he makes the rhetorical demand: "You were working for her. Seska was working for them. Was anybody on board that ship working for me?"

Voyager's bridge. Kim: "The Kazon ship is hailing us." Janeway: "Open a channel." He does so. "On screen." The image of Culluh appears. Culluh: "Our sensors show that you are trespassing on our vessel." Janeway: "As I already informed you, we are attempting to retrieve the console that caused this vessel." Culluh: "If you attempt to remove anything from our ship it will be considered an act of war." Janeway: "You know, I'm really easy to get along with most of the time, but I don't like bullies and I don't like threats. And I don't like you, Culluh. You can try and stop us from getting to the truth but I promise you that if you do I will respond with all the 'unique technologies' at my command. Janeway out." viewscreen off Tuvok: "Their weapons systems are standing down. They do not appear to be posing a threat to us at this time." Janeway: "At least, not until reinforcements get here." She opens a com. channel. "Janeway to away team." Torres, via comms: "Yes, Captain." Janeway, via comms: "I don't want to rush you, Lieutenant..." (meaning that she does want to rush them) Torres, via comms: "We're finished, Captain." Janeway, via comms: "I beg your pardon?" Torres, via comms: "Decontamination went exactly as planned. The console has been transported to Engineering and we're on our way back now." Janeway, via comms: "Acknowledged. Well done, away team. We'll see you in Engineering."

Torres finishes examining the retrieved console and reports: "Of all the things to die for. It's a food replicator, or at least it was trying to be." Janeway: "We may take replicators for granted but imagine what it would mean to a culture that doesn't have this technology."

Torres: "They didn't use a thick enough interior shield casing. Once nucleonic radiation leaked out a cascade reaction was inevitable." Janeway: "Can you tell if any part of the console came from our ship?" Torres: "There's no doubt about it, Captain. The pattern buffer relays are clearly composed of bioneural fibres. No other Federation ship would have them. Somebody on board Voyager gave them what they needed. I guess they just didn't know what to do with it." Janeway: "I want a complete report on everything we've found so that I can share it with our Kazon friends."

Kes leaves her work when Chakotay arrives in Sickbay so that he can talk alone with Seska. Kes heads in the direction of the Doctor's office. Chakotay goes over the biobed where Seska is.

Chakotay: "We've recovered the console. It's a replicator, constructed with materials from Voyager." Seska: "I suppose everyone now thinks I went over there to destroy the evidence." Chakotay: "Did you?" Seska: "I was only trying to show everyone, show you... You really think I had something to do with this, don't you?" Chakotay: "To be honest, I'm not sure any more. I'm not sure of a lot of things."

Seska: "Well, why don't you go talk to your animal guide and figure it all out?" Chakotay: "I plan to." Seska: "Good." She lies down. "Get back to me when you do." Chakotay: "You know, it's funny, I've been thinking about what's been real, what's not been real." Seska sits up again. "What is this about? What's wrong with you? Talk to me, Chakotay. You owe me that much." Chakotay: "What would you say I owe to a Cardassian who infiltrated my crew?" Seska: "What are you talking about?!" Chakotay: "Isn't that why you never got around to a blood analysis when you came on board?" Seska: "I didn't get around to it because I didn't get around to it." Chakotay: "It turns out your blood is missing all the common Bajoran factors." Seska: "It's a side-effect of Orkett's Disease. Ask your Doctor." Chakotay: "Orkett's Disease." Seska: "A childhood disease that swept through the Bajoran work camps during the Occupation. Thousands of children didn't survive. I did, thanks to a bone marrow transplant from a sympathetic Cardassian woman. Her name was Kattell. When we get home you can ask her yourself. You must think I'm horrible. Do you think I gave you my...my heart...to get your Maquis secrets?" Chakotay: "I'm starting to wonder." Seska: "Let me tell you something. Your secrets weren't good enough. They were never worth the trouble for a Cardassian agent. I only had one agenda with you Chakotay, and I never kept it secret. So, you believe in me again?" Chakotay: "I want to." Seska: "Good, because I want to go back to work." Chakotay: "Let's not rush things." Seska: "I'm going stir-crazy in here." Chakotay: "You're going to have to stay confined, at least until we find out exactly where the replicator components were taken from." Seska: "And what'll that tell you?" Chakotay: "There might be evidence of who took them." Seska: "You don't think whoever did this is foolish enough to log in using their own name?!" Chakotay: "Chief inspector Tuvok leaves no stone unturned. I'll tell the Captain what you told me. Somehow we'll try to clear this up soon."

He leaves. standard doors Tuvok is waiting for him in the corridor outside. Chakotay reports: "She said a Cardassian bone marrow transplant saved her life as a child." Tuvok: "Did you set our plan in motion?" Chakotay nods. "I gave Lieutenant Carey the same information." Chakotay: "Now all we can do is wait, and hope someone takes the bait."

Camera pans down the warp core then across Main Engineering toward the exit. (pop-up window) [#11 State of Flux]

In Main Engineering, Tuvok and Chakotay are sitting at a console, whiling away the wait by playing cards. Tuvok: "Gin." Chakotay: "I never knew Vulcans had such a talent for cards." Tuvok: "It is simply a matter of logical discards which give a false impression of my own requirements, and deny the needed cards to your hand. I believe that's 94 points to me." He enters up the points on a PADD. Chakotay: "If you ever need a sponsor in a Gin tournament, let me know."

Torres approaches as he speaks. "We're picking up two more Kazon warships, about six hours away. We're not going to be able to stay here much-" She is interrupted by an electronic buzzer. Chakotay: "That sounds like a nibble to me." They look on the monitor which shows datafiles being manipulated. Tuvok: "Someone is accessing the inventory database." Torres: "And they went straight to the missing replicator material." Chakotay: "Shall we start the trace now?" Tuvok: "Negative. It might alert them." Torres: "They're entering data." Tuvok: "Intriguing. It appears as though they're trying to place evidence at the scene of the crime to indicate the guilty party." Torres: "They're entering an encrypted security code into the materials requisition file." Chakotay: "That would suggest they're hiding it, but not very well." Torres: "Anybody know who that security code belongs to?" Chakotay: "I do. It's Seska's." Torres: "Then it has to be Carey. Carey is trying to point the finger at Seska."

Sickbay is dimly lit. Some light enters from the corridor as the doors open, framing Chakotay who watches Seska on her biobed for a moment before entering.

Seska: "Chakotay. Is anything wrong?" Chakotay: "It's over. We know who gave technology to the Kazon." Seska: "Who?" Chakotay, suppressing his inner pain: "You did." Seska: "Look, I don't know what evidence you think you've found but-" Chakotay: "We found the evidence you put there for us to find: your own security code." Seska: "I have no idea what you're talking about." Chakotay: "We already knew where the stolen materials had been taken from before I met with you. We were monitoring the inventory manifest, hoping either you or Carey would try to cover your tracks." Seska: "Hell of a way for me to cover my tracks, putting in my own security code for you to find?!" Chakotay: "That's exactly what you did. You knew no one would believe you could be that careless. You wanted us to believe that someone else was trying to frame you." Seska: "Ever consider that maybe someone was?" Chakotay: "We traced the computer station used to enter the data. Oh, you took us all around the system and back again before we could locate the source, but it was this station, in Sickbay."

standard doors The lights go on and people enter: Janeway, Tuvok and security guards.

Chakotay: "I'd almost say it was a Maquis operation, if I didn't already know you were a Cardassian. Computer, activate emergency holograhic medical program." The Doctor materialises. He says: "Ah, have I been called to testify?"

Chakotay: "Before you even mentioned Orkett's Disease to me, the Doctor had already discounted that as a possible explanation for your blood anomalies." Doctor: "And may I say: a doctor less informed about Bajoran medicine might've been fooled, but my program includes the complete Bajoran medical text on Orkett's Disease. There's no way any childhood virus or Cardassian bone marrow transplant can explain away the genetic markers in your blood. You are Cardassian, Ensign." Chakotay: "But that didn't necessarily make you the traitor we were looking for. We needed more evidence, and you gave it to us. The one thing I still can't understand is: why?" Seska: "I did it for you. I did it for this crew. We are alone here, at the mercy of any number of hostile aliens because of the incomprehensible decision of a Federation captain, a Federation captain who destroyed our only chance to get home. Federation rules...Federation nobility....Federation compassion?! Do you understand, if this had been a Cardassian ship we would be home now. We must begin to forge alliances, to survive we must have powerful friends. The Kazon-Nistrim were willing to be our protectors in return for some minor technology." Janeway: "'Minor technology' that could change the balance of power in this Quadrant." Seska: "Change it in our favour! That is all that matters at this point - building a base of power in this Quadrant. You are a fool, Captain." To Chakotay, hurting him: "And you're a fool to follow her." Hurting him even more: "I can't imagine how I ever loved you." With her 'justification' over, she says: "Computer, command XJL." A transporter beam starts to beam her away! Chakotay: "Computer, override transport in progress!" Computer: "Unable to comply. Security lockout is in place." Seska has gone! Janeway: "Computer, identify destination of transport." Computer: "A Kazon vessel 14 kilometres off the port bow." Paris, on the Bridge, via comms: "Bridge to Janeway." Janeway, via comms: "Go ahead." Paris, via comms: "The Kazon ship is powering up its engines. It looks as if they're getting ready to go to warp." Janeway, via comms: "Ready a tractor beam-" Paris, via comms: "I've also got two Kazon warships on an intercept course less than ten minutes away." Tuvok: "Captain, even with our superior defence capabilities we cannot prevail against three Kazon warships." Paris, via comms: "Awaiting your instructions, Captain." Power down the tractor beam. Set a course out of here, Mr Paris - warp four. Engage when ready. Paris, via comms: "Yes, ma'am." He ends contact. Janeway says resignedly: "We'll have to wait for another day to settle with Seska." Chakotay, having to cope with the betrayal and heartbreak, must also accept that she has escaped and gone to the enemy.

Chakotay enters the Messhall.
He goes over to Tuvok who is sitting at a table at the far end in the corner.

Chakotay: "Can I ask you to be honest with me, Lieutenant?" Tuvok: "As a Vulcan, I'm at all times honest, Commander." Chakotay: "That's not exactly true. You lied to me when you passed yourself off as a Maquis to get on my crew."
Tuvok: "I was honest to my own convictions within the defined parameters of my mission." Chakotay snorts. "You damned Vulcans and your 'defined parameters'. That's easy for you." Tuvok: "On the contrary. The demands on a Vulcan's character are extraordinarily difficult. Do not mistake composure for ease. How may I be honest with you today?"
Chakotay sits down. "I'd just like to know from someone else who pulled the wool over my eyes: Was I particularly naive? Was I not paying enough attention? What the hell was it that let all you spies get by me?"
Tuvok: "Like all humans, you depend on feelings and instincts to guide you, and they invariably let you down. But 'particularly naive'? No, Commander, and I've always considered your attention span to be adequate."
Chakotay: "Did you ever see anything about Seska that made you suspicious?" Tuvok: "No. She quite expertly pulled the wool over my eyes as well." Chakotay: "Ah. That makes me feel a little better. Thanks." He gets up to leave.
Tuvok: "Curious." Chakotay: "What?" Tuvok: "That my failure added to your own should improve your feelings." Chakotay: "Misery loves company, Tuvok."

 

 

Kazon 'The End' ship from TOSTFF. Kazon graphic web work by me. About the Kazon graphic / How to use the image map (pop-up)