THE VOID : Episode 161 : portrayed in several parts In the Messhall, Neelix presents a gourmet dinner to Janeway, Chakotay, Paris and Torres, which is received with warm appreciation. Neelix: "For our third course, Luhvian quail in truffle sauce served with roasted chadre kab." Janeway says: "My compliments to the chef." The dinner guests lift their glasses or applaud, and Paris calls "Hear, hear!" The chef is not Neelix, but Seven! Seven: "Thank you, Captain." Torres: "Cream of leola soup, fettran risotto, Luhvian quail - it just keeps getting better." Janeway: "I knew you'd been expanding your palate, but I didn't realise you'd become a gourmet cook." Seven: "Preparing meals myself is the best way to ensure quality." Neelix: "I suppose I should be insulted but everything is so delicious I may just have to admit defeat and hang up my apron." Paris: "No, that'd be a real tragedy, Neelix." Neelix: "Pinot Noir, Commander?" Chakotay: "I'll have another glass of the Chardonnay." Seven: "Each course has been prepared with a specific wine. Substitutions are not recommended." Chakotay: "The Pinot Noir sounds perfect." Paris: "Is there any salt?" Seven: "Additional seasoning is not required." Paris: "I'm sorry, I-" Seven: "If the quail hasn't been prepared to your satisfaction I could have replicated something more to your liking - a peanut butter and jelly sandwich perhaps." Paris subsides. "Actually, it's delicious just the way it is." Suddenly the ship jolts and Janeway contacts the Bridge. Tuvok, who is in the captain's chair, reports: "We're being pulled off course." Janeway, via comms: "How?" Tuvok, via comms: "I'm not certain. It appears to be some kind of graviton surge." Janeway: "On my way." As Janeway and Chakotay arrive on the Bridge Kim reports: "We've re-routed all available power to the thrusters but we can't break free." Janeway: "Try reversing the shield polarity." Tuvok: "No effect."

Voyager is pulled into an anomaly.

The ship shakes violently. In the Messhall the dinner table is thrown over and Paris and Neelix are hurled to the ground.

	Neelix and Paris pick themselves up, to discover that space outside is totally black. Neelix: "What happened to the stars?" Suddenly they see a ship rushing towards them. It opens fire. The ship lurches. Paris leaves hastily, heading for his post on the Bridge.
	Voyager under attack. Tuvok: "Shields at 65 per cent." Janeway: "Hail them." Kim: "They're not responding." Janeway: "Return fire. Can you identify them?" Chakotay: "Their weapons signature is Vaadwaur but the ship has technology from several different species." Seven: "There's another vessel approaching. It's charging weapons." Janeway: "Evasive pattern beta-six." The newcomer fires at the Vaadwaur ship. Paris: "Maybe we've got an ally." Kim: "They're retreating." Janeway: "Hail the second ship." Kim: "No response." The newcomer fires at Voyager. Paris: "I stand corrected." Tuvok: "They've penetrated our aft shields." Janeway: "Re-route power to the auxiliary emitters and return fire."
	The assailant beams storage containers from Voyager's cargobay....

....and plants from the airponics bay....

....plus storage boxes from engineering and even a computer console!

Chakotay: "They've transported material off decks 5, 7 and 8." Janeway: "Disable their engines." Voyager fires phasers. The assailant flees and goes to warp. Janeway: "Follow them." Paris: "Navigational sensors are malfunctioning - something to do with this environment." Janeway: "I want a full damage report and an inventory of everything that was taken off this ship, and I want to know where we are." Chakotay: "They got more than 90 per cent of our food stores including almost everything in the airponics bay. They also got a computer console from engineering and they emptied three of our deuterium tanks."

Paris: "Why would anyone steal deuterium? You could find it anywhere."
Seven: "Apparently not here. I'm not detecting any gasses, stellar bodies or matter of any kind."
Janeway: "Except for the ships that attacked us. Scan for other vessels. I want to know how many we're dealing with."
Tuvok: "There are more than one hundred fifty ships within scanning range but I'm only detecting lifesigns on twenty-nine of them."
Kim: "Captain, there's another vessel approaching at high impulse."
Paris: "Quite a welcoming committee they've got here."
Janeway: "What's the status of our shields?"
Tuvok: "They're at 28 per cent."
Janeway: "That'll have to do. Charge weapons."

Kim: "Captain, this one wants to talk." Janeway: "On screen." To the alien who appears: "I'm Captain Janeway of the starship Voyager." Valen, on viewscreen: "General Valen. Welcome to the Void." Janeway: "You're the first ship we've seen that hasn't tried to fire on us, but in case you change your mind we're prepared to defend ourselves." Valen, on viewscreen: "I know. I've been observing you on sensors. The way you fought those ships was impressive. Most vessels don't survive the first few minutes." Janeway: "I'd appreciate any information you can give us about where we are."

 

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