| USS Voyager in orbit around the Brunali planet. |  |
| The transporter duty officer in the transporter room. |  |
Icheb, Seven and Janeway enter.  standard doors
Seven hands him the case she is carrying. "Inside you'll find PADDs containing data on a variety of subjects that will allow you to continue your studies. I've also included a high-resolution telescope. It's a poor substitute for Astrometrics sensors." Icheb: "I will use it every day." |  |
 | He steps up onto a transporter pad. |  |
 |
Janeway: "Goodbye, Icheb, and good luck."
Icheb: "Thank you, Captain. I hope you find a way home." |
 | As he awaits the beam-out, he and Seven exchange a last look, then Janeway signals the transporter officer and Icheb is transported down to the planet. |  |
In Cargo Bay 2, Mezoti is having difficulty regenerating. Eventually she steps out of her alcove. The computer reports: "Warning. Regeneration cycle incomplete."
 LCARS warning
Mezoti walks past the other alcoves, in which Azan and Rebi are regeneration, along to Seven. She tugs Seven's arm to wake her. |  |
| Seven: "What is it?"
Mezoti: "I can't regenerate." Seven steps down from her alcove. The computer reports: "Warning. Regeneration cycle incomplete." "Explain," Seven tells Mezoti. Mezoti: "I miss Icheb." Seven: "So do I. But we'll adapt. Now return to your alcove." Mezoti: "If you find my parents, will I have to go with them?" Seven: "We'll discuss that when, and if, the time comes." Mezoti: "I hope you don't find them." Seven: "Regenerate." |  |
| She escorts Mezoti back to her alcove.
Mezoti: "Seven?" Seven: "Yes." Mezoti: "What if the Borg try to assimilate Icheb again?" Seven: "His people lack resources. The Borg have little reason to return to their planet." Mezoti: "What if Icheb's on a ship?" Seven: "Unlikely." Mezoti: "He was on a ship last time." Seven: "You're mistaken. He was on the surface when he was assimilated." |  |
| Mezoti: "No, he wasn't. A class 1 transport was detected in grid 649, one lifeform, species Brunali."
As Mezoti returns to regenerating, in view of what Leucon told her, Seven is deeply troubled by her revelation. |  |
| Seven, who has gone immediately to the Astrometrics Lab, is looking at Borg datafiles on the main viewscreen. Janeway enters, tired and carrying a mug of coffee.
Janeway: "This better be important." Seven: "It is." Janeway: "Sorry I don't read Borg. You'll have to translate." She yawns as she looks at the viewscreen. Seven: "This is tactical data from the cube where we found the children. It says that Icheb was alone aboard an unarmed transport vessel when the Borg took him." Janeway: "Oh, why're you telling me this at 0300 hours?" Seven: "Icheb's father told me the boy was assimilated on the planet surface." Janeway: "Is it possible you've misunderstood?" Seven: "No. He was very specific." Janeway: "That cube was disabled by a deadly pathogen. It suffered extensive damage. Isn't it possible that these records were corrupted?" Seven: "Perhaps, but I've found another inconsistency in Leucon's story. He told me Icheb was assimilated four years ago but further analysis indicates the Borg attacked three times during the last decade, nine years ago, six years ago and again last year." Janeway: "Alright. Let's assume your information is accurate. What does it prove?" Seven: "His father was lying." Janeway: "Why would he do that?" Seven: "I'm not certain but we have an obligation to find out." Janeway: "What are you proposing?" Seven: "That we return to the planet, demand an explanation." Janeway: "Those people have been through enough. Do we really need to interrogate them?" Seven: "We have responsibility to ensure Icheb's safety." Janeway: "He chose to stay with his parents." Seven: "Maybe he didn't have all the information." Janeway: "Just because they weren't completely candid with you doesn't mean that they're unfit parents. At some point you have to let go." Seven: "I know what you're thinking: that I'm having emotional difficulty accepting my separation from Icheb; and you're correct. But if there's a possibility he's in danger, even a remote one, I have to do whatever I can to protect him. If I don't, I'll be no better than my own parents." | 
|
| Meanwhile Leucon and Yifay are arguing about Icheb who is not there at the moment.
Leucon: "Couldn't we at least wait a few days?" Yifay: "What would that accomplish?" Leucon: "He's just getting settled." Yifay: "The longer we wait the harder it'll be for everyone, you know that." Leucon: "Why do it at all? There's nothing compelling us to go through with it." Yifay: "It's what he was born for." Leucon: "Hasn't he been through enough? Why not give him a chance at an ordinary life?" Yifay: "He's not an ordinary child." Leucon: "No, but he can help us in other ways. He's bright, hard-working." Yifay: "Leucon, his return was a gift! We can't waste it." Leucon: "I don't want to lose him a second time." Yifay: "To survive, we all have to make sacrifices. You taught me that!" At that moment Icheb arrives home, having had a good time playing pala. "We won three games, in a row." Yifay: "Sit down, Icheb. We need to talk." Icheb takes a chair. "You know that you are very important to us." Icheb: "Yes." Yifay: "What you don't know is why." Icheb: "What do you mean?" He watches as Yifay goes to a drawer and takes out an object which she carries over to him. "What is that?" Yifay: "If you relax it won't hurt you." Icheb: "Father?" Yifay to Leucon: "You'd better hold him." |
|
 |
As Leucon forcibly holds Icheb still, even as Icheb protests, "What are you doing to me? No!", Yifay injects him and he collapses unconscious.
Yifay: "Prepare the launch." |  |
| PAGE ARTWORK CREDITS
|
