THE VOYAGER CONSPIRACY
Episode 129
Part C

Flashbacks are given in this style.

 

Neelix is in the Galley. He moves a bowl of food from the serving counter then picks up several mugs and stows them away below the counter.

He does not see Seven enter.

Neelix, popping up from behind the counter: "Looking for a midnight snack?" Seven: "I require information. I'm attempting to determine whether the Catapult technology was derived from the Caretaker's array."

Neelix: "So I heard. A fascinating theory. It's got my mind spinning." Seven: "How long were you in the vicinity of the Array before Voyager arrived?" Neelix, putting things away at the rear of the Galley: "About a year. Kes was on a nearby planet and, er," suggestively, "we were getting very close." Seven: "Did you ever encounter the Caretaker directly?"

Neelix, returning to the counter: "Oh, no, no, no, no, no. In my opinion, any being powerful enough to grab ships from the other side of the galaxy should be avoided." Seven: "According to Voyager's database, he claimed he was searching for a genetically compatible mate. Did you believe that explanation?" Neelix: "I had no reason to doubt it, though it did seem a bit excessive - I mean, all those ships." Seven: "What happened to them?" Neelix: "Well, after he sampled the crew's DNA he sent them back where they came from, I suppose. You know, Kes always thought something more was going on, but," with a little embarrassed laugh, "she had quite an imagination." Seven: "Were there any other ships in the area after Voyager arrived?" Neelix: "Only the Kazon." Seven: "But the Caretaker could have pulled in another vessel, a cloaked ship perhaps." Neelix: "Seven, what are you getting at?" Seven: "A third ship, hidden from both Voyager and the Kazon." Neelix is surprised. "Wh-what was it doing there?" Seven: "Preventing the tetryon reactor from being destroyed." Neelix takes her theory as fact: "Kes was right. Something was going on." Seven: "Voyager's sensor logs were damaged in the Kazon attack. I can't be certain." Neelix: "Maybe I can help. The sensor records off my ship weren't damaged. I can give them to you."

Seven inputs Neelix's records into the cortical processing subunit in Cargo Bay 2.

She starts to regenerate. She will download and cross-reference Neelix's data while she regenerates.

It is an exciting moment on Voyager's bridge: the Catapult has been repaired at last, and Tash is about to try it out - if successful, he will reach his home!

Kim: "The tetryon reaction is stable. Graviton field is set for a 100 light year jump." Chakotay: "The Catapult's locking onto him." Tuvok: "We're being hailed." Janeway: "On screen."

Tash, on viewscreen: "I'll contact you the moment I re-enter normal space. Thank you, Captain." Janeway: "My pleasure." Kim: "Catapult is at full power." Tash, on viewscreen: "Goodbye to you all!"

Tuvok: "Final launch sequence has been initiated."

Janeway and Chakotay watch.

The Catapult activates and Tash's ship is hurled into subspace.

Tash's starship has completely disappeared.

Kim: "He's gone." Janeway: "How long before we could expect to hear from him?" Tuvok: "If his vessel survived, one or two hours."

The com. signal sounds. Via comms: "Seven of Nine to Commander Chakotay."
Chakotay: "Go ahead."
Seven, via comms: "I require your assistance in the Astrometrics Lab."
Chakotay: "On my way." He gets up to leave.

Cardassian warship       close-up of the Array's explosion, showing the blue of a tractor beam

Chakotay enters the Astrometrics Lab. Seven: "Computer, seal the doors. Deactivate all sensors within this room." Computer: "Acknowledged." Chakotay: "What's this about?" Seven: "I believe Voyager's presence in the Delta Quadrant is no accident. You and the crew have been stranded here intentionally." Chakotay: "By whom?" Seven: "Captain Janeway. The Captain and Tuvok are involved in a Federation conspiracy. They're in collusion with the Caretaker and possibly the Cardassians." Chakotay takes the information between the eyes. "I see. And the point of this conspiracy?" Seven: "I believe they're attempting to establish a military presence in the Delta Quadrant." Chakotay: "That's quite a theory. Perhaps you haven't heard of the Jankata Accord." Seven: "No species shall enter another Quadrant for the purpose of territorial expansion." Chakotay: "The Federation signed it, the Cardassians signed it, and Captain Janeway would be the last person to violate it." Seven: "Improbable as it may sound, I've found compelling evidence to support my theory." Chakotay sighs. "What kind of evidence?" Seven: "I've analysed over thirty million teraquads of data regarding Voyager's activities over the past five years. It's quite clear that we've been the victim of an elaborate deception." Chakotay: "I don't have the benefit of a cortical processor. Why don't you give me the abridged version?" Seven: "In the months before Voyager's arrival, Neelix recorded the appearance of 52 vessels, including this one." She calls it up in close-up on the main viewscreen. Chakotay: "A Cardassian warship." Seven: "A remarkable coincidence. Only days before Voyager's arrival the Cardassians were already in the Delta Quadrant." Chakotay: "The Caretaker was trying to find a mate, remember? He was pulling ships from all over the galaxy." Seven: "I'm familiar with the Caretaker's actions. In each instance, he would examine the crews' DNA and when he failed to find a genetic match he would release the vessel, but in this instance Neelix's sensors indicated the ship vanished. Obviously, it was returned to the Alpha Quadrant. Why?" Chakotay: "You seem to have all the answers." Seven: "I believe the Cardassians were sent back to deliver strategic information regarding the Delta Quadrant." Chakotay: "Conjecture." Seven: "Extrapolation." Chakotay: "I can believe the Cardassians might be involved in this, but not Starfleet." Seven: "There are precedents for unauthorised missions of this type, Commander. According to the Federation database the Maquis were victims of several of them." Chakotay: "Alright, you've got my attention. You said that Tuvok and Captain Janeway were involved. Tell me how." Seven: "At the same time the Cardassians were meeting with the Caretaker, your Maquis vessel was infiltrated with a Starfleet agent." Chakotay: "Tuvok." Seven: "Your navigator. He guided your ship to pre-arranged co-ordinates in the Badlands where the Caretaker locked onto you. Once you were pulled into the Delta Quadrant, Tuvok could have secretly transmitted final instructions to the Caretaker. A short time later, Captain Janeway guided Voyager to the same co-ordinates and was also pulled into the Delta quadrant. All of these events took place within a matter of days. I find that suspicious." Chakotay: "I'll admit, the timing seems a little convenient. But that doesn't mean there was a master plan." Seven: "Why did the Captain destroy the Array?" Chakotay: "So the Kazon couldn't use it to attack the Ocampa." Seven: "That's what she told the crew, but I believe she intended to remain in the Delta Quadrant all along. If the Array had remained intact you and all the others would have insisted on using it to return home." Chakotay: "She was keeping it from the Kazon." Seven: "The Captain ordered Commander Tuvok to destroy the Array. He fired two tricobalt devices. Are those weapons normally carried on Federation Starships?" Chakotay: "No." Seven: "Yet they were part of Voyager's arsenal. Why?" Chakotay: "I can't explain that." Seven: "I can. Neither phasers nor torpedoes are capable of creating a tear in subspace, a tricobalt device is. As Tuvok detonated the device, a cloaked ship locked on to one of the Array's tetryon reactors and pushed it through the tear into subspace, protecting it from the blast and hiding it from Voyager's sensors. But the Captain and Tuvok knew exactly where it was going. Once Voyager left the area the reactor was retrieved and began a similar journey, carried by a series of vessels until it was finally delivered to Mr Tash." Chakotay: "Who used it to build the Catapult." Seven: "He was waiting here for Voyager, and for the final phase of the mission." Chakotay: "Which is what, exactly?" Seven: "I don't think Captain Janeway is planning to use the Catapult to get Voyager closer to home. I think she's going to use it to bring in more vessels from the Alpha Quadrant. If I'm correct this region of space will soon be occupied by a Federation-Cardassian invasion force." Chakotay: "You've uncovered some interesting facts. But your interpretation is far-fetched. These are random incidents. Granted, some of them are hard to explain, but there's no conspiracy here." Seven: "Stardate 51008, Captain Janeway allows Kes to leave Voyager. Neelix told me that Kes had suspicions about the Caretaker. Was the Captain trying to silence her? Stardate 51462, the Doctor's program is transmitted to a Starfleet vessel on the outskirts of the Alpha Quadrant. An attempt by the Captain to contact Earth or a secret communiqué informing Starfleet of her progress? Stardate 50984, Janeway forges an alliance with the Borg. Stardate 51762, a ceasefire with the Hirogen. Stardate 52861, a non-aggression pact with the Terkellian. She called each incident diplomacy. I believe she was trying to establish a tactical infrastructure in the Delta Quadrant. Over the past five years Captain Janeway has altered course two hundred sixty three times in the name of exploration. In reality she was mapping the region and collecting strategic data regarding-" Chakotay: "I get the point." Seven: "You still doubt my suspicions but can you be certain I'm wrong?" Chakotay: "Absolutely certain?" He ponders then realises: "No." Seven: "Until you are, you mustn't allow Captain Janeway to retain control of the Catapult."

USS Voyager by Tash's Subspace Catapult.

Bridge. Tuvok: "I'm picking up a transmission, heavily distorted."

Kim: "He made it."

The message is distorted and unclear. Janeway: "Can you clear it up?"

Tash, on viewscreen: "Success, Captain - 5,000 light-years." Janeway: "Are you alright?"

Tash, on viewscreen: "A few systems overloaded, nothing serious. I had to re-adjust my shields during mid-flight, almost lost my outer hull. I'm sending you the modifications. My Catapult is yours, Captain." He makes a hand-gesture which means amongst his people, and voices it: "Good luck." Contact ends.

Janeway to Kim: "Get that data down to B'Elanna. Tell her to enhance our shields." Chakotay to Janeway: "So we're going ahead with the jump?"

Janeway: "I want to run a few more tests, launch some probes, but if it all checks out I see no reason not to."

Kim downloads the data onto a PADD. He reports: "I've received the telemetry." He gets up to take it to Torres but is part-way there when Chakotay gets up. Chakotay: "I'll take it to Engineering." He holds out his hand and Kim hands over the PADD. Chakotay takes it and departs. (In the background, Lieutenant Ayala, working at the console directly below the master situation display console, takes a quick glance.)

On the upper level in Main Engineering, Torres receives a PADD report from a crewmember. Then Chakotay arrives and hands her the PADD containing Tash's telemetry data. Chakotay: "I want you to add a .03 variance to these shield modifications." Torres: "That'll disrupt the emitters." Chakotay: "And you'll need another six hours to get them back online, I know." Torres: "Have you run this by the Captain?" Chakotay: "No, and I'm not going to, not yet."

A moment later and Chakotay has explained Seven's conspiracy theory to Torres.

Torres: "She's pulling your leg! It, it's got to be some kind of Borg practical joke." Chakotay: "She wasn't joking." Torres: "A secret mission? Starfleet in league with the Caretaker? It's ridiculous." Chakotay: "Ridiculous. Seven has some compelling evidence."

Torres: "Well then, let's go to the Captain, get a straight answer." Chakotay: "'Good morning, Kathryn. All systems are operational. The crew's in good health, and by the way, is it true you've been lying to us for five years?' I'm not prepared to make that accusation, but I can't ignore what I've heard either." Torres: "So what do you suggest?" Chakotay: "I want you to delay those shield modifications. That'll give me time to check Seven's database, take a look at the evidence myself."

Kim arrives. "The Captain asked me to work with you on the shields." He looks keen to start work. Chakotay: "That won't be necessary, Ensign." Kim: "Oh, I don't mind. You know how eager she is to make that jump." Torres: "Harry, we're fine here." Chakotay steers him back the way he has come. "Too many cooks, Harry. You know how it is. We'll let you know when we're done."