PATHFINDER
Episode 130
Part D

 

Barclay's narration of past events has taken yet more time, and it is now evening. Troi: "So the meeting went well." Barclay: "No, no, no. It didn't, not at all." Troi: "The Admiral said he'd review your findings." Barclay: "Don't you see?" Anguished: "He was just trying to get rid of me, just like Harkins!" Troi: "Try to relax." Barclay: "Now you understand why I need your help." Troi: "Yes, I do." Barclay: "You, you have to call the Admiral in your official capacity as a Starfleet Counsellor and tell him that I am psychologically fit to return to work." Troi: "I can't do that." Barclay: "Why not!" Troi: "Look at yourself. You're experiencing acute anxiety, sleeplessness, paranoia. You did what you could. Now it's time to let Starfleet worry about Voyager. We need to take care of you." Barclay: "There is nothing wrong with me!" Troi: "You said yourself you've become obsessed with Voyager." Barclay: "What if I have? If an obsession helps me to do my job better, it's a sacrifice I am willing to make. A, a little instability in exchange for contact with a stranded starship. Isn't Voyager more important than my psychological condition?" Troi: "Voyager is important, but so are you." Barclay, distraught: "That ship, that crew, they're all I have." Troi, moving to sit by him: "Tell me why that is." Barclay: "Ever, ever since I, I left the Enterprise, things haven't, haven't been the same. It's as if I lost my family." Troi: "So you created a new family on the Holodeck, only they're not real." Barclay: "I didn't know how else, how else to cope." Troi: "Do you remember when you first came aboard the Enterprise? You had trouble fitting in, didn't you? But after a while you started to make friends. You can learn to do the same thing here on Earth." Barclay: "Oh, I, I don't know how." Troi: "We'll work on it together." Barclay: "Oh er, you're scheduled to depart tomorrow." Troi: "I've decided to ask Captain Picard for a temporary leave of absence to spend some time with an old friend." Barclay: "Oh, Deanna, you, you, you don't, you don't have to do that." Troi gives his arm a playful punch, joking: "Try and stop me."

But that night, after Troi has gone and Barclay has gone to bed, he cannot sleep. At last he decides to get up. Barclay: "I'm sorry, Neelix. I have to leave. No, no, you can't talk me out of it."

Barclay goes to the entrance to the Pathfinder lab. Computer: "Authorisation code required." Barclay: "Barclay alpha-one-seven-gamma." Computer: "Access denied. That code has been de-authorised."

He takes off the circuitry access panel, gets out a tool from the engineering kit he has brought, activates it and.....

....applies it.

Barclay: "Computer, re-enter authorisation code Barclay alpha-one-seven-gamma." Computer: "Access authorised." It opens the door.

He enters the lab. Barclay: "Computer, interface with the MIDAS Array. Activate the control matrix." Computer: "Matrix activated."

Barclay: "Full power to the graviton emitters." Computer: "Emitters powering." Barclay: "Scan the area surrounding the Array for a class B itinerant pulsar." Computer: "A pulsar has been detected at co-ordinates two two seven by four one mark six."

Barclay: "Good, good. Direct a sixty terawatt tachyon beam toward the pulsar." Computer: "Tachyon beam initiated."

Barclay: "How long until levels are sufficient to produce a gravimetric surge of five million teradynes?" Computer: "Approximately 17 minutes." The above animated image is the first one from Voyager screenshots ever made!

Barclay: "Computer, is there a micro-wormhole present at co-ordinates 343 by 27?" Computer: "Scanning. Affirmative." Barclay: "I knew it. Adjust the phase alignment to direct the wormhole's trajectory to Delta Quadrant, Grid 9, Sector 41751." Computer: "Trajectory established."

Barclay: "Open Starfleet Emergency Channel and transmit toward the singularity." Computer: "Channel open." Barclay, via comms: "Starfleet Command to USS Voyager. Come in, Voyager. Voyager, do you hear me? This is Lieutenant Reginald Barclay." There is no response.

Harkins and two Security guards enter.

Harkins: "Step away from the controls."

Barclay: "Pete. I, I've sent a message."

Harkins: "Stand down, Mr Barclay."
Barclay, pretending and edging toward the Holodeck: "Alright, you win." Suddenly, quickly: "Computer, transfer controls to hologrid program Barclay pi three and restrict access." He dashes into the Holodeck.

Harkins to the Security guards: "Stop him. Stun him if you have to." They rush after Barclay.

On the Holodeck, Barclay exits a turbolift.

He goes up to a cargobay and activates the doors.

Yet he does not go in but hides further along the corridor.

The guards exit the turbolift and rush into the room, thinking Barclay has gone in.

Barclay heads the other way down the corridor. Holo-Tuvok happens to be coming along it. "Tuvok, did you see those two men?" Holo-Tuvok: "I did not." Barclay: "Well, they look like Starfleet Security but they're not." Holo-Tuvok: "Intruders?" Barclay: "They're after me. I need your help." Holo-Tuvok clicks his combadge. "Tuvok to all hands. Intruder alert. Computer, locate any unauthorised personnel aboard Voyager." Computer: "Two unidentified humans, deck 4, section 8." Holo-Tuvok: "Isolate them with forcefields." He goes off to deal with the situation, while Barclay heads the other way.

Holo-Tuvok's forcefields trap the Security guards.

Harkins clicks his combadge.

The com. signal sounds. Security guard, via comms: "Security to Commander Harkins. We've been isolated by the forcefields. Can you shut down the program?" Harkins: "I'm working on it." He presses buttons on the control interface. Computer: "Access denied. Hologrid controls have been encrypted." Harkins clicks his combadge. "Harkins to Security. I need reinforcements."

Meanwhile, Barclay has entered the holo-Voyager's Engineering and gone to a workstation. Barclay: "Computer, re-direct the wormhole's trajectory to Delta Quadrant, grid 11, sector 64238 and re-transmit the message." Computer: "Trajectory established. Transmitting." Holo-Torres: "A wormhole? What's going on?" Barclay: "I'm just trying to help some friends. Is there a response?" Computer: "Negative." Barclay: "Computer, redirect the wormhole's trajectory."

Holo-Torres, drawing his attention to the two Security guards: "Reg." Security guard: "You'll have to come with me, sir." Holo-Torres to Barclay: "I'll cover for you."

She fires her phaser at the man but the Holodeck safety protocols are on and the beam bounces off him.

She fires at the woman and....

....the same thing happens. But it buys Barclay enough time. He hurries toward the Jefferies tube.

He climbs a ladder.

Barclay: "Computer, seal Jefferies tube door J-five-three." The hatch beneath him closes and is sealed.

The Security guards are unable to pursue him.