Nightingale : Episode 154 Part C :: EPISODE GUIDES :: Janet's Star Trek Voyager Site

NIGHTINGALE : Episode 154

Paris encounters Kim about to hurry past him in a corridor.
Paris: "Harry." He goes after him and sighs as he catches up with him. "Take me with you, buddy."
Kim: "Sorry, Tom, this is my mission."
Paris: "Oh come on, I've been itching to get back into space ever since we set down on this dust bowl. I'm tired of cleaning conduits and replacing relays."
Kim: "You're a married man now. You've got family responsibilities. Just leave the away missions to the young, unattached guys."
Paris: "That ship is in pretty bad shape. You're going to need a good pilot."
Kim: "No, thanks."
Paris: "Wait a minute. I know what this is about."
Kim: "You do?"
Paris: "Sure. You've got a girl on that ship you don't want me to know about."
Kim: "There's no girl, not this time."
Paris: "Then what is it?"
Kim: "I don't know how else to say this, so I'll just say it: you've always been Captain Proton, I've always been Buster Kincaid." He grins. "It's my turn this time."

Kim enters the Messhall and takes a seat. Neelix approaches.
Neelix: "Glad you're not planning to leave on an empty stomach, Captain. I have plomeek soup and eggplant parmesan."
Kim: "Either's fine."
Neelix: "Wrong answer."
Kim: "Excuse me?"
Neelix: "If you're going to be a captain, you have to act like a captain. Never admit you're uncertain about anything. You can't be indecisive in front of your crew."
Kim: "It's just a snack, Neelix."
Neelix: "When Captain Janeway comes in here, she knows exactly what she wants."
Kim: "Maybe I'm just not as picky about my food."
Neelix: "Whatever you say, Ensign."
Neelix starts to head back towards the Galley, prompting Kim to call after him: "Neelix! Plomeek soup, and make sure it's hot!"
Neelix smiles.

As Kim enters the Bridge of the Kraylor ship, followed by Seven, Terek announces: "Captain on the Bridge!"
Kim: "Where did you learn that?"
Terek: "I've been studying the Starfleet Manual you loaned me."
Kim: "Take your station, Mr Terek."
Terek: "Aye, sir. Course?"
Kim: "I'll do it." He moves to Terek's station and inputs the data: "Laying in a course, heading 115 mark 37. Does this ship have a name?"
Terek: "Medical transport 136."
Kim: "I think we can do better than that." He thinks for a moment. "Nightingale - the name of someone from my homeworld. She was famous for treating wounded soldiers on the battlefield."

Loken and Dayla exchange glances. Loken says: "It's perfect."

Kim: "Hail Voyager." A channel is opened. "Kim to Voyager. We're ready to get under way."
Janeway, via comms: "Acknowledged. Good luck."
Kim: "See you in a few days. Kim out." The communication end. Kim sits in the captain's chair. He orders: "Main power." Seven reports: "Online."

Kim: "Tactical?"
Dayla activates some controls then turns and reports: "Shields and weapons standing by."

Kim: "Bring the cloak online. Warp 6. Engage."
The cloaked Nightingale jumps to warp.

Aboard Nightinggale....

....Kim organises the items on his desk in his Ready Room. At last, satisfied with things, he sits down and puts his feet on the desk. We hear Kim's recorded log: "Acting captain's personal log, stardate 54277.3. My first day in command has been challenging but I have loved every minute of it. I can't help feeling that this was something I was born to do."

Seven enters and hands him a PADD: "The hourly status report you requested."
Kim: "Thanks."

Seven: "Why have you brought these items aboard?"
Kim: "They make me feel more at home."
Seven: "We'll only be on this vessel for a few days. Decorating is an inefficient use of your time."
Kim: "It's important to forge a personal connection with your vessel, make the ship your own. Ask Captain Janeway."
Seven replies wrily: "I'll discuss it with her the moment we return."

Kim: "Is there anything else?"
Seven: "I asked Terek to make a course correction."
Kim is suddenly concerned: "He's never done that before. Better check on him." He leaps up, hurries past Seven and leaves.
In his haste and concern, he does not hear Seven's remark: "I believe he's capable of doing it himself."
She follows Kim onto the Bridge, where he has gone to Terek's station.

Kim: "Status?"
Terek: "I've entered the new heading."
Kim: "Looks like the guidance vector's off by a couple of microns."
Terek: "I was about to correct that." You need to re-align the primary navigation sensor first."
Terek: "Yes, sir."
Kim adds: "And be sure it stays locked on your guide star." Kim nudges Terek out of his seat and takes over. "Here, let me show you." Kim is unaware that Seven is looking at him disapprovingly.

Aboard Voyager....

.....Torres and Icheb are working at a maintenance access panel in a Jefferies tube. As they access the systems, Icheb accidentally touches her.
Icheb: "I, I'm sorry, Lieutenant."
Torres: "Don't worry about it. Bumping elbows comes with the job. And you can call me B'Elanna." She indicates the detached relay. "Put this with the others." Very aware of the physical contact, Icheb takes the relay from her, unable to help the physical contact as he does so, and very aware of it. As he places the relay with the other removed relays, she carries on conversationally, unaware of Icheb's increasing apprehension: "These relays should've been replaced a while ago. It's amazing they've held up this long. I'm really looking forward to our climb."
Icheb: "Wouldn't you prefer to spend your free time with your husband? She laughs. "If it doesn't involve a race car, a shuttle or something else he can drive, Tom's not interested. Besides, since we got married, I see more than enough of him. Hold still." She puts a hand on his shoulder to give herself a boost as she stands.
Aware of her hand on his shoulder, Icheb then seizes the opportunity to activate a tricorder and scan her. The readings seem to confirm the physiological signs the Doctor has indicated, and Icheb deactivates the tricorder, now looking extremely worried.

During Nightingale's voyage, an alert indicates something is wrong.
Kim: "What's that?"
Dayla: "I'm reading a power fluctation somewhere in the propulsion system. It's destabilising the cloak."
Kim: "All stop."
Nightingale becomes visible as the cloak goes offline.

Later, in Nightingale's engine room, Kim, Seven, Loken and Dayla are beside the warp core.
Kim, having finished work on it: "The core is stable. That should take care of it."

Loken: "Are you absolutely certain?"
Kim: "As a scientist, you should know there's no such thing as absolute certainty."

Seven: "Perhaps we could run a diagnostic before-"
Kim: "That would take hours. Captain Janeway wants us back before Voyager finishes its overhaul."
Loken: "The cloaking system is delicate. It requires constant attention."
Kim: "Correct me if I'm wrong, but you're a physician. You have to trust me on this. We'll monitor it closely, don't worry."
Loken: "I simply want to ensure that our mission is a success."
Kim: "You asked me to take command of this ship, and that's what I'm doing."
Loken leaves. Kim tells Dayla: "Tell Terek to resume course." She leaves to obey.

Seven takes Kim aside. I've discovered a serious flaw in one of the ship's systems."
Kim: "Which one?"
Seven: "The captain. The captain's main function is to issue orders."
Kim: "Right."
Seven: "And the crew's function is to support the captain and carry out those orders."
Kim: "What's your point?"
Seven: "Every time you give an order you carry it out yourself, and when someone else makes a suggestion you dismiss it."
Kim: "These people are inexperienced. They need my help."
Seven: "When you first came aboard Voyager, did Captain Janeway help you?"
Kim: "Sure. She looked after all the junior officers."
Seven: "By doing your work for you?"
Kim: "No. She gave me a lot to do, actually."
Seven: "Because she felt you were more capable than she was?"

Kim: "Of course not. She wanted me to learn," and as Kim speaks, he realises Seven's meaning, "to gain confidence." Seven observes: "Interesting." and then walks away, Kim having eventually voiced a point for her.

Thanks to Feeble Minds for the animated star background (tweaked by me).

Thanks to Icon Bazaar for the animated letter titles.

	Kim: "Tactical?" Dayla activates some controls then turns and reports: "Shields and weapons standing by."
	Kim: "Bring the cloak online. Warp 6. Engage." The cloaked Nightingale jumps to warp.

	Aboard Nightinggale....
	....Kim organises the items on his desk in his Ready Room. At last, satisfied with things, he sits down and puts his feet on the desk. We hear Kim's recorded log: "Acting captain's personal log, stardate 54277.3. My first day in command has been challenging but I have loved every minute of it. I can't help feeling that this was something I was born to do."

	During Nightingale's voyage, an alert indicates something is wrong. Kim: "What's that?" Dayla: "I'm reading a power fluctation somewhere in the propulsion system. It's destabilising the cloak." Kim: "All stop." Nightingale becomes visible as the cloak goes offline.
	Later, in Nightingale's engine room, Kim, Seven, Loken and Dayla are beside the warp core. Kim, having finished work on it: "The core is stable. That should take care of it."

	Loken: "Are you absolutely certain?" Kim: "As a scientist, you should know there's no such thing as absolute certainty."
	Seven: "Perhaps we could run a diagnostic before-" Kim: "That would take hours. Captain Janeway wants us back before Voyager finishes its overhaul." Loken: "The cloaking system is delicate. It requires constant attention." Kim: "Correct me if I'm wrong, but you're a physician. You have to trust me on this. We'll monitor it closely, don't worry." Loken: "I simply want to ensure that our mission is a success." Kim: "You asked me to take command of this ship, and that's what I'm doing." Loken leaves. Kim tells Dayla: "Tell Terek to resume course." She leaves to obey.
	Seven takes Kim aside. I've discovered a serious flaw in one of the ship's systems." Kim: "Which one?" Seven: "The captain. The captain's main function is to issue orders." Kim: "Right." Seven: "And the crew's function is to support the captain and carry out those orders." Kim: "What's your point?" Seven: "Every time you give an order you carry it out yourself, and when someone else makes a suggestion you dismiss it." Kim: "These people are inexperienced. They need my help." Seven: "When you first came aboard Voyager, did Captain Janeway help you?" Kim: "Sure. She looked after all the junior officers." Seven: "By doing your work for you?" Kim: "No. She gave me a lot to do, actually." Seven: "Because she felt you were more capable than she was?"
	Kim: "Of course not. She wanted me to learn," and as Kim speaks, he realises Seven's meaning, "to gain confidence." Seven observes: "Interesting." and then walks away, Kim having eventually voiced a point for her.