PATHFINDER
Episode 130
Part A

Flashbacks are depicted in this style.

 

In his apartment (on Earth), Reg Barclay is rushing around trying to tidy up. He is expecting a visitor. Suddenly there come three knocks on the door. Barclay calls out: "Just a minute."

He spots last-minute items to tidy up. "I- I'll be right there." There come four knocks on the door. "I'm coming, I'm coming."

He opens the door. "Deanna!" It is Deanna Troi, his Betazoid friend and also his counsellor and, when he was a diagnostic engineer on the USS Enterprise-D, his fellow-shipmate. Troi: "Hello, Reg."

Barclay: "I'm so glad you could make it. It's wonderful to see you."

Troi, after standing outside for a while: "Would it be alright if I came inside?"

Barclay: "Yeah, of course, of course, come in, come in. Is there something I can get you? Some er, some coffee, tea? Wait a minute, don't, don't tell me - chocolate ice cream." Troi: "You know me too well. But just one scoop, I'm watching my figure." Barclay: "Why? You, you look lovely." Troi: "You always knew how to flatter me." When he still stands there: "Would you like me to get it?" Barclay: "Get.....what?" Troi: "The ice cream."

Barclay: "Right, right, the ice cream. No, no, no, no. Come in, come in, sit down, make yourself comfortable." He goes upstairs to the replicator.

Troi: "It's a nice place." Barclay: "Thanks." To the replicator: "One scoop of chocolate ice cream." The replicator produces it.

Troi, looking round: "Did you just move in?" Barclay: "No, no, I've been here, er, almost two years. I just haven't had a chance to unpack."

He hands her the ice cream and she puts it on the table and sits down. He sits opposite her, ill-at-ease. Troi: "Is everything alright, Reg?" Barclay: "Of course. Why, why wouldn't it be?"

Troi: "To be honest, you seem a little on edge." Barclay: "Do I? Oh, it's just that I'm, I'm excited to see you." Troi: "I'm excited to see you too. I think Geordi's a little disappointed I didn't invite him to come along." Barclay: "Yes, well, I, I was hoping to get, get together with him too, er, before the Enterprise leaves orbit, but I just wanted to spend time with you first. That's alright, isn't it?" Troi: "Of course it is."

Into the slightly awkward silence: "I hear you've been working on the Pathfinder project." Barclay: "Well, I, I was. Er, I'm not any more." Troi: "What happened?" Barclay: "Oh, ah, nothing, really. Just got to be a lot of, er, pressure."

A fluffy white cat jumps onto the table and starts licking the ice cream.

Troi to the cat: "Well, hello!"

Barclay: "Neelix!" He picks up the cat. To Troi: "He's not used to company." To Neelix the cat: "It's not polite to eat our guest's food. If you're hungry, just say so." He introduces them "Deanna, er Neelix." Troi: "Neelix. That's an unusual name. Maybe we should introduce him to Data's cat, Spot."

The conversation flow stalls again. "I have a feeling you didn't ask me here to reminisce. Tell me what's wrong." Barclay sighs. "I've lost myself, Deanna." Troi: "Lost yourself?" Barclay: "In Voyager. I've become obsessed with Voyager. Here you are on shore leave and what do I do? I lure you into a counselling session."

Troi: "Don't worry about that. The important thing is, I'm here now and I want to help." Barclay: "Thank you." Troi: "Now, start at the beginning."

Barclay: "Has it ever occurred to you that a tachyon beam directed at a class B itinerant pulsar could produce enough gravimetric energy to create an artificial singularity?"

Troi: "I can't say it has." Barclay: "It occurred to me, but my supervisors thought it was an abuse of MIDAS." Troi: "MIDAS?" Barclay: "The er Mutara Interdimensional Deep Space Transponder Array." Troi: "Reg, you're losing me."

Barclay: "I'm sorry." Troi: "The beginning?" Barclay: "The beginning. Right. Well, I suppose it all started in the Holodeck. Doesn't it always?" Troi sighs. "Go on." Barclay: "Well, I, I was running a few simulations....."

Starfleet Communications Research Center: Holodeck - Voyager's Bridge. Barclay: "Computer, boost the gain on Voyager's transceiver by 20 per cent." Computer: "Transceiver gain is at maximum."

Barclay: "Apply a narrowband filter to the signal processor."

Computer: "Filter engaged."

Holo-Admiral Paris, via comms: "Voyager, come in. Come in, Voyager. Voyager, come in, this is Starfleet Command. Voyager, come in, Voyager."

Barclay: "Good, good, good. Now lower the filter band by .3 kilohertz."

His commanding officer, Commander Harkins, enters. Harkins: "Reg, what are you doing?"

Barclay: "Oh, ah, erm, Pete. I, I, I was just, er-"

Harkins: "Yes, running another simulation. I can see that. What about the transmitter diagnostics?" Barclay: "Right. The diagnostics." Harkins: "You have finished them, haven't you?" Barclay: "Er, almost."

Harkins: "Almost isn't good enough. We've got Admiral Paris first thing in the morning." Barclay: "Admiral Paris." Harkins: "Don't tell me you forgot." Barclay: "Oh, no, er, of, of, of course not. I, I, I just got the days mixed up." Harkins: "Reg."

Barclay: "Computer, end program."

The holoprogram shuts down.