MUSE
Episode 142
Part B

 

The Delta Flyer, next day.

Delta Flyer - interior. Torres is working on repairs. "Computer, bring the subspace transmitter online." Computer: "Unable to comply." Torres: "Why not?" Computer: "Insufficient power."

She goes over to a console and tries to repair that fault. Suddenly all the power goes off.

Torres: "Great," sarcastically. She leans back, fed up. "Now there's no power."

Kelis: "Are you hungry?" She looks up, somewhat startled. Kelis is at the doorway. Torres: "I told you not to come back."

Kelis: "You haven't eaten in days." He offers a portion of food. "We have to support each other, we poets." She takes it and eats. Torres: "I'm an engineer. I fix things." Kelis: "From the looks of it, you're not doing so well." Torres: "Are you a poet or a critic?"

Kelis: "Tell me about Earth." Torres: "I have to sing for my supper, huh?" Kelis: "We all do, in one way or another." He proffers his bag which contains food, to prompt an exchange: "Earth."

Torres takes the bag. As she takes food from it and eats: "It's er an island, a beautiful island, blue and green." Kelis: "And Voyager, a great ship?" Torres: "In a long line of great ships."

Kelis: "How did Voyager get lost?" Torres: "The Caretaker." She realises she is about to give too much information, mindful of First Contact protocols with pre-warp societies. Kelis: "An Eternal." Torres: "Yes, you could say that. He caused a storm, which blew us off course."

Kelis: "Tom Paris. Are you in love with him?" Torres: "Supper is over." She lobs the bag back into his lap.

Torres gets up. "Come with me." She takes him into the aft compartment where she uses a portable power cell to call up part of the computer database. "This is where we put all the names and dates when our heads won't hold any more."

Kelis: "A memory."

Torres: "Exactly. Tell me, have you ever seen this before?" She displays a 3-D drawing of a dilithium crystal. Kelis: "Winter's tears."

Torres: "Can you get me some?" Kelis: "This is dilithium, isn't it? What you were looking for?" Torres interrupts: "Where can I find it?!" Kelis: "The only deposit I know of is on the hunting grounds of my patron. He'd execute me for trespassing, and you, well, he'd love to capture an Eternal."

Torres: "Maybe I'm more powerful than he is." Kelis: "Perhaps, but if he caught you he'd force you to fight against his enemies. They're constantly at each other's throats, bickering over territory, raiding each other's land, starting wars whenever they can be guaranteed of good weather, and we suffer the consequences. You don't want to get involved with them."

Torres: "Which is why you're going to get the dilithium." Kelis: "I told you, I'd be executed if I'm caught." Torres: "The dilithium, or I don't say another word about Shining Voyager far from home." A thunderstorm breaks. Kelis, thinking Torres, an Eternal, caused the storm to show her anger: "Did you....?" Torres understands his superstitution and says nothing to disabuse him. "Don't get caught." He hurries away.

Delta Flyer - interior. Night. Torres is still working hard trying to make repairs when Kelis, soaked to the skin from the continuing storm, enters. He comes up to her. Torres: "Well?" He opens his bag and she takes out a large piece of raw dilithium. "Beautiful," she remarks. She tells him: "I've got an idea for your next play."

At the aliens' open-air theatre, next day. Kelis: "I've been visited by inspiration herself. How does this sound? - 'The Rescue of B'Elanna Torres'. Right here, in one week." There is a protest: "One week?" Kelis: "Let's get to work." They leave to start work.

USS Voyager, cruising at impulse speed.

Voyager's Briefing Room. The senior staff have been discussing Kim and Torres, and how to find them. Janeway, ending the meeting: "Dismissed."

Paris: "That's it?!"

Doctor: "Mr Paris, try to stay calm."

Paris: "No, that's not going to happen. Isn't there anything else we can do?!" Janeway: "Not until something shows up on sensors." Paris: "I'll take a shuttle out myself. I'll run a planet-by-planet search."

Seven: "An inefficient plan."

Chakotay: "And too dangerous. You could be hit by the same spatial eddies that sent the Flyer off course."

Janeway: "We need to concentrate our efforts from here, Tom. Alright?" To everyone: "Dismissed."

Everyone leaves, but Paris remains.

At the aliens' open-air theatre, the acting troupe is rehearsing. Chorus member #1: "Steady-armed Paris, bound by a sleep that brings no rest."

Chorus member #2: "The door opens. A shadow of a woman falls on the helmsman. His eyes open." Jero (as Paris): "Seven of Nine, did you find B'Elanna Torres?" Layna (as Seven of Nine): "I'm sorry to disappoint you."

Kelis to Layna: "Closer." She moves nearer Jero. "Closer." She takes a wide step sideways so as to be much closer. Jero (as Paris): "Unpleasant news delivered by the most pleasing of messengers."

They kiss. Kelis: "No, no, no, no. Seven of Nine is a Borg, the scourge of the Eternals. You're portraying her like a shy bride on her wedding night."

Kelis: "Once more."

Jero (as Paris): "Seven of Nine, did you find B'Elanna Torres?" Layna, as Seven of Nine, more dispassionately: "I am sorry to disappoint you."

Kelis slumps.

The Delta Flyer at night.

Kelis, pacing up and down, frustrated: "I can't blame my performers. These Eternals on Voyager are difficult to understand." Torres: "Will you stop walking around? You're going to break something." Kelis: "This Tuvok, for example. He's not like anybody I've ever met. No emotions? How's that possible?"

Torres: "It just is." As she looks away power comes on in the maintenance access area she was working on. Kelis: "It worked?"

Torres: "It worked." She installs the dilithium crystal.

Torres: "OK, Computer, bring subspace transmitter online."

There is an explosion and power goes down again.

Kelis: "What happened?" Torres: "I don't know. The transmitter must have been weakened in the crash. It couldn't take the energy surge." Kelis: "These Vulcans-" Torres: "Enough!" She sighs. "What kind of metallurgic technology do you people have? Alloys - which ones can you make? Steel? Bronze?" Kelis, not recognising the first word: "Bronze." Torres: "Bronze, alright. I need a plate of metal this big, as thin as it can be, three parts tin to five parts bronze, one side coated with gold."

Kelis: "Gold is expensive. I can't afford it." Torres: "Then you're going into debt." Kelis: "Then tell me about the Vulcans." Torres: "Get me the plate, and then I'll tell you." Kelis: "Everyone's asleep. I'll do it in the morning. The Vulcans?"

USS Voyager.

Voyager's Messhall.
Neelix comes up to Tuvok's table. "Maybe I've miscounted but I don't think you've slept in ten days?"
Tuvok: "Your count is accurate."

Neelix sits down at the table. Neelix: "Don't you think you should go to bed?" Tuvok: "As a Vulcan, I can function without sleep for more than two weeks." Neelix: "But there's a point of diminishing returns, when your mind starts to play tricks on you."

Tuvok: "My mind, Mr Neelix, does not play tricks."

Neelix, referring to Kim and Torres: "The ship is lonely without them, isn't it." Tuvok: "If you would allow me to continue my sensor analysis, I might be able to locate them." Neelix gets up. "If there's anything else you need - a stronger tea, perhaps?" He leaves Tuvok on his own.