Tuvok and Chakotay enter the Captain's Ready Room. Chakotay hands Janeway a PADD. Chakotay: "An updated inventory of our supplies. We got back less than half of what was stolen." Janeway: "Doesn't take two of your to deliver a PADD. What's on your mind?" Chakotay: "We want to be clear about what our policy's gong to be while we're in the Void." Janeway: "You think we should've taken Valen's food." Tuvok: "Logic suggests that we may have to be more opportunistic if we intend to survive." Chakotay: "We may not like Valen's tactics but he and his crew are still alive after five years in here."

Janeway: "I was thinking about that myself. I thought maybe I could get some guidance from the Federation Charter. I was hoping I'd find a loophole that would allow us to take actions we ordinarily wouldn't take." Chakotay: "Any luck?" Janeway: "The Charter's a statement of principles, not a practical document." Chakotay: "No section on how to exist in the Void?" Janeway: "No, but I've become convinced that we've got to stick to our principles, not abandon them." Chakotay: "Should the crew be ready to die for those principles?" Janeway: "If the alternative's becoming thieves and killers ourselves, yes. But I'm betting that our principles are going to keep us alive." Tuvok: "Captain?" Janeway: "The Federation is based on mutual co-operation - the idea that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Voyager can't survive here alone, but if we form a temporary alliance with other ships maybe we can pool our resources and escape."

Tuvok: "As you have pointed out, the people in this Void are thieves and killers. Such individuals are hardly ideal allies." Janeway: "I agree."

Chakotay: "Then who are we going to form an alliance with?" Janeway: "Anyone who agrees to play by our rules: no killing, no stealing and no giving up." Tuvok: "Forgive me, Captain, but why would anyone who has survived by killing and stealing suddenly agree to those terms?" Janeway: "We'll offer to share our food and medical supplies and defend ships that are attacked by raiders."

Chakotay: "Captain, maybe you'd better take another look at that inventory. Our food and reserves will be gone within a week. If we start giving everything away-" Janeway: "Then maybe we'll only survive two days instead of seven. On the other hand, if we share what we have instead of hoarding it, we might find other people willing to do the same. If we combine our technology we can find ways of improving our situation and ultimately get the hell out of this place. We may lose a little weight, gentlemen, but we won't lose who we are."

Janeway: "Captain's log, stardate 54553.4. For the past several days we've been making every effort to recruit members into an alliance, but it hasn't been easy."

Voyager with a Nygean ship alongside.

In the Briefing Room Janeway, Tuvok, Chakotay and Neelix have a meeting with the commander of a Nygean ship. His name is Garon. Janeway: "Whenever a new ship gets pulled into the Void they're immediately attacked. Instead of attacking you'd have to help defend the new ship." Garon: "And how is that in our interest?" Janeway: "It would encourage them to join our alliance." Garon: "And if they refuse, then we raid them?" Tuvok: "Everyone in the alliance must agree not to launch unprovoked attacks." Garon: "Then how are we supposed to get supplies?" Chakotay: "The idea is to recruit new members, share technology and resources." Janeway: "We almost escaped the Void on our own. If we work together, I believe we'll succeed." Garon: "How many ships do you have in this alliance?" Janeway: "You'd be the first." Neelix: "Technically, Captain, that's not correct. I consider myself the first member of the Captain's coalition. Six years ago I offered her my services and the resources of my ship and she has never failed to help me when I needed her." Janeway is much moved by Neelix's supporting words. Garon: "It's a noble idea, Captain, but good intentions are like deuterium reserves - they tend to get lost in the Void." Janeway: "All I ask is that you consider our proposal." Garon: "I will." Janeway: "In the meantime, we'd like to offer you food and medical supplies." Garon: "What do you expect in return?" Janeway: "Nothing. Compliments of the alliance." The Nygeans file out. Neelix to Janeway: "I tried."

Seven apprehends Janeway as she heads along the corridor after the meeting: "Captain, there's been a theft." She has to walk with Janeway in order to talk to her. Janeway: "What's missing?" Seven: "My phase compensator. No doubt it was stolen by one of your prospective members." Janeway: "It wasn't stolen. I gave it to the Nygeans. They needed it to repair their sensor array." Seven: "I presume you obtained something equally valuable in return." Janeway: "I think I did - the goodwill of a potential ally." Seven: "Did they join?" Janeway: "Not yet." Seven protests: "Captain."

Janeway: "It's not exactly the most 'efficient' policy. But then you don't always do what's most efficient either." Seven: "I don't know what you're implying." Janeway: "You gave up your rations to our guest in Sickbay." Seven: "He needed food." Janeway: "You're a valuable member of this crew. Your friend in Sickbay is nothing but a drain on resources. What's efficient about wasting food on him? You think I'm being inefficient. Tuvok thinks I'm being illogical. You both could be right. But maybe the best way to get help is to give it. Oh and Seven." Seven: "Yes?" Janeway: "I'm sorry I gave away your favourite phase compensator." As they part company, Seven almost smiles before returning about her duties.

Seven enters Sickbay to discover the alien clearly enjoying the opera music that the Doctor has playing. Seven: "How is he?" Doctor: "Much better. He seemed to relax when he heard me humming an aria from 'Rigoletto', so I had the computer play the full orchestral version. Fantome seems to be a music lover." Seven: "Fantome?" Doctor: "After the Phantom of the Opera, a tormented character who is soothed by music." Seven: "In six years you haven't chosen a name for yourself, but you've given Fantome one in a few days." Doctor: "Choosing the right name for myself is extremely difficult. I am a complex individual." Seven: "And Fantome isn't?" Doctor: "Quite the contrary. I believe he's quite intelligent. And his physiology is very complicated. Did you know that he can refract his own lifesigns?" Seven: "That would explain why our sensors didn't detect him." Doctor: "I wish we could find a way to communicate with him. I suspect he'd have a lot to tell us." Seven turns the music off. "We were enjoying that!" Seven: "Exactly. He may not be able to speak but he can hear."

Seven plays Fantome a note and holds up a medical instrument. She puts it down, plays a different note and shows Fantome the food bowl. Then she plays one of the notes, and he hurries over and picks up the item that goes with the note - the medical instrument.

Then she plays the note representing the bowl and he picks it up. "He understands!" says the Doctor. "So it would seem," replies Seven.

As Paris enters the Bridge Janeway orders: "Charge weapons. Shields to full." Chakotay informs Paris: "A funnel just opened. It pulled in a new vessel." Tuvok: "Two warships are approaching it. One of them is Valen's."

Janeway: "Target Valen's weapons and hail him." Valen, on viewscreen: "My fight's not with you, Captain." Janeway: "Then stand down." Valen, on viewscreen: "This new ship has impressive technology. We can share it." Janeway: "I'm not here to divide the spoils." Valen, on viewscreen: "Then why are you here?" Janeway: "To protect the ship you're firing on." Valen, on viewscreen: "What are they to you?" Janeway: "Just some people in a bad situation, like the rest of us." Valen, on viewscreen: "Save your speeches. I've got a crew to feed."

Chakotay: "He's targeting our shields." Janeway: "Take his weapons out. Hail the new ship." Hierarchy ship commander, on viewscreen: "I surrender!" Janeway: "We're here to help you. Can you target the smaller warship?" Hierarchy ship commander, on viewscreen: "We're a survey vessel. We're not equipped to fight!"

The alien species called the Hierarchy, also known as Overlookers, are not named on the tv screen. They first appear in [#124 Tinker Tenor Doctor Spy] and later also appear in [#170 Renaissance Man]. We know they are called the Hierarchy or Overlookers from ST:M and TOSTFF.

Tuvok: "Shields at 60 per cent." Janeway: "Fire torpedoes." Tuvok: "Shields on Valen's lead ship are holding at 80 per cent. It looks like he's upgraded them since we last met." Janeway: "Ours?" Tuvok: "30."

Paris: "Smaller ship is outmaneuvering us." Kim: "We have hull breaches on decks 5 and 6." Janeway: "Seal them." Tuvok: "Shields at 15 per cent." Torres, via comms.: "Engineering to the Bridge." Janeway, via comms: "Go ahead." Torres, via comms: "We're losing containment!" There is an explosion close behind her. "At this rate we'll be dead in the water in less than three minutes."

	Tuvok: "We should retreat, Captain." Janeway: "Not yet."
	Paris: "You might want to reconsider. There's another ship approaching." Chakotay: "We can't defend ourselves against three ships." Tuvok: "We may not have to. The third vessel belongs to Mr Garon. He's firing at the other two. Valen's shields are down. The smaller ship is leaking plasma." Paris: "They're both retreating."

Kim: "Garon's hailing." Janeway: "Get a weapons lock on him. We've been fooled by unexpected allies before." Garon, on viewscreen: "Why are you targeting me?" Janeway: "Because I don't know what your intentions are." Garon, on viewscreen: "Haven't I just made them clear? I've decided to accept your offer." Janeway is delighted. She stands and walks nearer the viewscreen, smiling. "Well, in that case, welcome to the alliance."

 

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