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F A C E S
Episode 14

Part A

A male voice is heard: "Regeneration phase completed. Deactivate the genotron. Shut down the biomatrix."
The voice continues: "B'Elanna, B'Elanna Torres, wake up!" She does so, to find herself tethered and a prisoner. The genotron has made her fully Klingon!

Janeway: "Captain's log, stardate 48784.2. We have completed our survey of the Avery system and are returning to retrieve Lieutenants Paris, Torres and Durst. By now they should have concluded their inspection of the magnesite formations on the third planet."

In the Messhall Neelix serves Tuvok a bowl of soup. Neelix: "Here we are, Mr Tuvok: one bowl of authentic Vulcan plomeek soup." Tuvok: "As I have told you, Mr Neelix, this is an unnecessary indulgence. I am quite content to eat whatever the rest of the crew is eating." Neelix: "Nonsense. Everyone aboard this ship deserves a little taste of home every now and then." Tuvok: "Very well then. Thank you." Neelix: "Oh don't thank me. I'm having a marvellous time experimenting with the native dishes of the entire crew. So far I've learned to make corn salad for Mr Chakotay, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for Mr Paris. He calls it 'comfort food'. Isn't that charming? What are you waiting for? It's no good cold. Well?" Tuvok: "It is rather piquant." Neelix: "It is zesty, isn't it? I tried following the recipe in the computer's databank but it seemed so bland, so I took the liberty of spicing it up a bit. Call it plomeek soup à la Neelix." Tuvok: "I must point out that if you take the liberty of changing a time-honoured recipe you are hardly presenting a taste of home." The com. signal sounds. comms. signal Chakotay's voice is heard: "Senior officers please report to the Bridge." Tuvok gets up to leave. Neelix: "But your soup." Tuvok: "Please, enjoy it." He leaves the Messhall. Neelix slurps the soup. "Oh! There's no place like home."

On the Bridge, Chakotay reports: "The away team hasn't arrived at the pre-arranged co-ordinates, Captain, and they've failed to respond to our hails."
Janeway: "Have you tried locking on to their com. signals?" Kim: "We've scanned the entire surface. No sign of them. They must still be underground but I can't locate them there either." Tuvok: "Then, as we suspected, the dense magnesite formations in the planet's crust are blocking our sensors."

Kim: "Take a look at this. This is the cave system nearest the beam-in co-ordinates as it appeared in our initial geological scan. This is the same system now. This tunnel here has shifted to the west by almost 75°."

Janeway: "Are you saying that walls of solid rock have changed shape in the two days since the away team was deployed?" Kim: "Apparently so, Captain. But our initial scans didn't indicate tectonic activity of anywhere near that magnitude." Chakotay: "In any case, it's possible that Torres and the others haven't returned to the beam-out site because they were trapped by the geological shifts. I'd like to lead a team down to investigate, Captain." Tuvok: "And what is to prevent us losing you as well, Captain?" Kim: "Breadcrumbs." Janeway: "Ensign?" Kim: "I'm sorry, Captain. What I mean to say is that I think I can modify some subspace transponders which could be deployed along the Commander's path like-" Janeway: "Breadcrumbs. Got it." Kim: "If placed at regular intervals I believe they'll maintain a signal link with the ship and they could serve as a transporter relay in case we need to stage an emergency beam-out." Janeway: "Very well, Commander. Take a team with you. But I want a transporter lock on you at all times." Chakotay: "Aye, Captain. Tuvok, Kim, you're with me."

Klingon Torres is restrained on a bench. A Vidiian male approaches and stands by the bench. "I apologise for the restraints but your presence here is very important to us, you understand?"
Klingon Torres: "Who are you?" Vidiian: "I am Sulan, Chief Surgeon of the Vidiian Sodality."
Klingon Torres.
Sulan with his prisoner.

Klingon Torres: "I demand to know what is happening here." He shows her her face in a mirror. "You've surgically altered my face. I look like a Klingon!" Sulan: "I performed no surgery as you understand the term. There are several questions I need to ask you before we proceed."

Klingon Torres: "You can't possibly believe I'm going to co-operate with you." Sulan: "Perhaps I was in error to leave your consciousness and memory intact."

Klingon Torres: "Durst, Paris? What have you done with them?" Sulan: "What is your exact age, Klingon?" Klingon Torres: "If you want me to answer your question you will have to answer one of mine first." Sulan: "Very well."

Klingon Torres: "What exactly have you done to me?" Sulan: "I have reconstituted your genome. You are now purely Klingon." Klingon Torres: "That's not possible!" Sulan: "I assure you it is. I have developed a procedure to stimulate cell division, a kind of enhanced mitosis. Your Klingon genetic material was extracted. It was then converted from matter to energy by our genotron. Finally you were rematerialised as the purified Klingon specimen that you are now." Klingon Torres: "Why? Why have you done this?" Sulan: "For generations my people have been searching the Quadrant for a species immune to our disease in the hope that it would lead us to a cure." Klingon Torres: "And you think Klingons are immune to this phage?" Sulan: "I believe your genetic structure has phage-resistant nucleotide sequences, yes. But I needed a pure specimen to be certain. My people do not know it yet, but you are their greatest hope." Klingon Torres: "I will never help you!" Sulan: "You are very strong. I can only hope that you will be truly resistant to the phage." Klingon Torres: "And how will you know that?" Sulan: "I have infected you." Klingon Torres snarls with rage. She struggles against the restraints but to no avail.

Vidiian page set by me. How to use the image map below.