INSIDE MAN
Episode 152
Part E

 

USS Voyager, cruising at impulse speed in the Delta Quadrant.

In one of Voyager's holodecks, Torres is running a diagnostic on the Barclay hologram. Barclay hologram, after fritzing due to her tests: "That tickles, Lieutenant." Torres: "Sorry, Reg. We're almost finished."

The Doctor comes online.

Doctor: "Have you identified any problems yet?" Torres: "I've gone over his entire matrix. It's working perfectly."

Barclay hologram to the Doctor: "Maybe I'm not the one who needs a diagnostic, hmm?"

Doctor: "I'm a big enough hologram to admit when I'm wrong. I'm sorry I doubted you." Barclay hologram: "No, if anyone's owed an apology. I should've been more sensitive. Friends?"

Doctor: "Friends." They shake hands.

Torres and Janeway look on, pleased. Barclay hologram: "Now that that's out of the way, Captain, what d'you say we get this ship back to Earth?" Janeway slaps the console and winks, then starts to leave.

Monitor display on the Ferengi ship.

Aboard the Ferengi ship, Gegis says: "It's time." He orders: "Initiate the geodesic pulse."

The order is carried out.

The Ferengi Marauder generates the geodesic pulse. Animated image 114Kb

At Pathfinder the Ferengi activity is being monitored. Admiral Paris: "Would someone care to tell me what that is?"

Barclay hears and goes over to a work console.

Barclay: "It's a geodesic fold, Admiral. That's how they're going to get the nanoprobes."

Admiral Paris wonders what the Ferengi are up.

On Voyager's Bridge, Paris reports: "2 million kilometres and closing, Captain."

Janeway: "Take us to one quarter impulse." Chakotay: "Bridge to Astrometrics. Bring the enhanced shielding online."

Astrometrics Lab. Barclay hologram: "Aye, Commander."

To Seven: "What's wrong?" Seven: "The fold contains three radiation types we didn't account for. The shield modifications are not enough." Barclay hologram: "The shields were modified to work in combination with the innoculations. We'll be fine." Seven sternly: "If the shields fail, the innoculations will be irrelevant." She taps her combadge. combadge "Astrometrics to the Bridge." Janeway, via comms.: "Go ahead."

But the Barclay hologram stuns Seven by extending his fingers to her temple and apparently generating an electric shock.

Seven falls to the floor unconscious.

Janeway, via comms.: "What is it, Seven?" The Barclay hologram imitates Seven's voice: "There was a problem, Captain, but I've corrected it." Voyager continues on towards the lethal geodesic fold!

Pathfinder lab.
Barclay: "I'm using the MIDAS Array to tap into the Ferengi ship's sensors."

Talking as he goes over to the console: "They're receiving telemetry through the fold."

Harkins: "If I'm reading this correctly, Voyager's heading right for it." Admiral Paris: "Captain Janeway knows better than to take her ship into such a dangerous anomaly." Barclay: "If the Ferengi did alter my hologram, then it might be possible for him to have taken over the ship." Harkins: "One hologram, against an entire crew?"

Barclay: "Maybe he found a way to incapacitate the crew, or commandeer the ship's systems, but either way we've got to get the Carolina to close the fold." Admiral Paris: "The Carolina isn't equipped to do that." Barclay: "Then they'll have to commandeer the Ferengi ship and do it from there." Harkins: "The Carolina's still half a light-year away. They won't make it in time." Troi is listening and thinking hard.

Troi: "Can we transmit a message, warn Voyager?" Barclay: "Not through a geodesic fold."

Aboard the Ferengi ship.....

.....the three Ferengi are enjoying discussing what they will do with the vast profits they are about to gain. Gegis suggests: "Our own starship with multiphasic shielding and a gold-pressed latinum hull."

Another says: "We'll have enough left over to buy a whole fleet of casino ships."

Another says: "I have a better idea: lobe enlargements, heh heh heh heh."

They receive a communication signal. They cannot tell who as there is too much interference. Gegis orders: "Answer it."

They see what they think is the Barclay hologram, who is standing with his back to Voyager's warp core in Main Engineering. One of the Ferengi says: "You said it was impossible to communicate through the fold." Gegis: "I thought it was. I guess I did a better job of reprogramming the hologram than I thought."

However, they are actually seeing the real Barclay masquerading as his hologram! Barclay: "We must close the geodesic fold immediately. Captain Janeway has found out our plan." One of the Ferengi asks: "If that's true, then why is she still headed for the fold?" Barclay: "Because she....found a way to protect her ship." "Impossible."

Barclay: "You don't know Janeway. She's uncanny when it comes to shields. She's furious. She said she was going to kill whoever tried to harm her crew. I strongly suggest that you abort the mission."

One of the Ferengi asks: "What should we do?" Gegis replies: "Go to warp, before Janeway makes it through." Barclay, thinking on his feet: "No you mustn't! Voyager has Borg interquadrantal warp drives and...Hirogen hunting sensors, and Vidiian phage torpedoes. No matter where you run, Voyager will find you. Your only hope.....is to close the fold!"

Animated image 114Kb

The signal ends and the Ferengi close the geodesic fold.

Harkins taps his combadge. "Harkins to Holodeck 1. It worked, Reg. They've started to close the fold."

Relieved, Barclay orders: "Computer, end program." The holoprogram of Voyager's interior shuts down.

Now that the lives of the Voyager crew are safe, thanks to Barclay, Troi hugs him and Admiral Paris shakes his hand.

Voyager's Bridge. Kim: "Something's wrong, Captain."

The Barclay hologram signals the Bridge. "Astrometrics to the Bridge. Why're we stopping?" Janeway, via comms: "The fold's collapsing, Reg. We didn't make it in time."

Barclay hologram, via comms: "It's not too late if we remodulate the shields." Janeway, via comms: "I appreciate your determination, but we can't risk it. You did everything you could."

Captain, someone just initiated a site-to-site transport." Janeway: "Who?" Kim: "Seven and Reg. They've beamed to an escape pod." Janeway signals Seven: "Bridge to Seven of Nine. What's going on?" But there is no reply!

Kim: "The pod's been launched." The escape pod heads towards the geodesic fold!