Throughout this episode guide, holonovel narration is shown in this colour and font.

The Doctor activates the introduction of the holonovel he is writing.   In the beginning there is darkness, the emptiness of a matrix waiting for the light. Then a single photon of light flares into existence. Then another. Soon, thousands more. Optronic pathways connect. Subroutines emerge from the chaos and a holographic consciousness is born. I awaken into this world fully programmed yet completely innocent, unaware of the hardships I'll endure or the great potential I will one day fulfil.   The Doctor walks round behind the hologram of himself. Looking very pleased with himself: "Computer, save revisions and open Chapter One."

Janeway: "Captain's log, stardate 54732.3 It's been three weeks since we received Starfleet's instructions in the last datastream and we're finally ready to begin Operation Watson. We're all holding our breath."

Janeway, Chakotay and Tuvok enter the Astrometrics Lab where Kim and Seven are working at the control consoles. Kim: "The deflector's in position." Janeway: "Anything?" Kim: "I'm picking up a phased tachyon beam." Seven: "There's a triaxillating signal encoded in it." Janeway: "On screen." Live contact is established between Voyager and Project Pathfinder at Starfleet Command on Earth, but the incoming signal from Earth is weak and rather distorted. Barclay: "Voyager, this is Lieutenant Barclay at Starfleet Command. Are you receiving us?" Janeway to Kim: "Can you clear it up?" Kim: "A little." After Kim tweaks the controls, the signal becomes clear. Admiral Paris: "Captain Janeway, it's a pleasure to finally talk to you in person." Janeway: "The pleasure's mine, Admiral. How's the weather in San Francisco?" Admiral Paris: "Cold and rainy as usual." Janeway: "It sounds delightful. Lieutenant Barclay, my congratulations on establishing the first trans-galactic comlink. You've earned a place in the history books." Barclay: "I can't take all the credit, Captain. It was Harry and Seven suggested bouncing a tachyon beam off of the quantum singularity." Kim: "Just be sure to thank us when you accept the Daystrom Prize." Admiral Paris: "I wish we had more time for small talk but the singularity only stays in alignment for eleven minutes a day." Eleven minutes are better than none We appreciate all your work, Reg." Admiral Paris: "We're going to leave it up to you to determine how to allocate the com time. Barclay: "Admiral, er there was something else." Admiral Paris: "Oh yes. Mr Barclay has arranged a small gift for you and your crew." Barclay: "This is a live image from McKinley Station. Not too much cloud cover over North America today." Janeway: "Quite a view. Thank you, Reg."

In the Messhall, a number of the crew are gathered. Neelix appears from the Galley: "In my hat I hold 146 sequentially numbered isolinear chips, one for every member of the crew. Each chip entitles the bearer to 3 minutes of uninterrupted com time with his loved ones back in the Alpha Quadrant. Good luck!" Kim: "My mom's birthday's next week. This could be the best present I ever gave her. Who's everyone else calling?" Chakotay: "I'll be calling my sister. What about you, Captain?" Janeway: "My mother, I hope." Doctor: "Doesn't anyone want to know who I'm calling?" Paris: "Wait, wait, let me guess - Reg Barclay or Dr Zimmerman." Doctor: "What makes you so certain it's either of them?" Paris draws out an isolinear chip. Neelix: "Number 6! The lowest one yet. You'll be talking to your family the day after tomorrow." Kim: "130. That's about a month and a half from now. So much for mom's birthday." Doctor, holding his drawn chip: "Apparently the line forms here." Tuvok: "Congratulations." Kim: "Doc, how about a trade? I'm willing to throw in some holodeck time. Come one, it'd mean a lot to my mother." Doctor: "I wish I could help, but I have a very important call to make." Paris hands his isolinear chip to Kim: "Here, give your mom my best." Kim: "You sure?" Paris: "I've waited this long. What's another 6 weeks?"

picture: isolinear chips source Encyclopaedia

In the Astrometrics Lab the Doctor is into his allocation of live air-time with the Alpha Quadrant. Seven mans the controls to establish and maintain the link. He is speaking with a Bolian, whom we later learn is Ardon Broht of the long-established and famous publishing company Broht & Forrester. Broht: "I can hear the critics already - 'a new voice has arrived!'" To the Doctor's delight Ardon Broht tells him he could become the modern-day Tolstoy. "I'd like to start distribution by the end of the month." Doctor: "The material I sent was only a working draft. I need time to make revisions." Broht: "If you insist, but please do it quickly." Doctor: "I will. So tell me, what did you think of the characters?" Broht: "Ah, they're very real, compelling. I almost forgot they were holograms." Doctor: "Who was your favourite?" Broht: "Without a doubt that would have to be Lieutenant-" The transmission is cut off abruptly. Doctor: "What happened?" Seven: "Your time has expired." Doctor: "You could've let the man finish his sentence!" Seven: "I believe your ego has received enough stroking for one day."

The Doctor arrives back in Sickbay from the Astrometrics Lab. Paris: "So, how's Reg?" Doctor: "I'll have you know I was speaking with Ardon Broht of Broht & Forrester. " Paris: "The publishers of the Dixon Hill series?" Doctor: "Who are now about to publish my work. It seems you're not the only one aboard with a flare for holographic narratives." Paris: "Well, congratulations." Doctor: "Thank you." Paris: "So, what's it about?" Doctor: "The adventures of an intrepid Doctor." [He is making a pun on "intrepid". Voyager is an Intrepid-class ship.] Paris: "Oh, sounds like fun. You know, I've never thought about getting my work published. Maybe I could talk to your people about Captain Proton." Doctor: "Broht & Forrester deals in sophisticated literature." Paris: "What are you saying, that I'm low-brow?" Doctor, not wanting to cause offence: "Not at all. I'd be delighted to talk to them." Paris: "Thanks. So when do I get to see this opus?" Doctor: "It's not ready yet." Paris: "It was ready enough for Broht & Forrester." Doctor: "Maybe it could use a fresh pair of eyes. After all, you are a fellow-author. I'll cover the rest of your shift." Paris heads for the door, then turns. Paris: "Oh, I almost forgot. What's it called?" Doctor: "Photons Be Free." Paris: "Catchy."

The Doctor's holonovel begins for Paris. ........I awaken into this world fully programmed yet completely innocent, unaware of the hardships I'll endure or the great potential I will one day fulfil. The holo-narrator looks up to see the player (Tom Paris). Ah, welcome. You've made an excellent choice. You're about to take part in a thrilling first-person narrative. You will take on the role of an Emergency Medical Hologram, the Chief Medical Officer aboard the starship Vortex. Paris: "Vortex?" Holo-narrator: "As our story begins an anomaly has hurled your ship thousands of light-years across the galaxy. Your mission: to uphold your medical and ethical standards as you struggle against the crew's bigotry and intolerance. Persons with vascular disorder should consult a physician before running this program. And now, a few acknowledgements. First: Dr Lewis Zimmerman, the creator of my holomatrix, whose foresight and dedication have made it possible-" And now, a few acknowledgements." Paris: "Computer, freeze program. How much longer is this introduction?" Computer: "9 minutes 4 seconds." Paris: "Skip to the first chapter."

Chapter One: A Healer Is Born. In which our protagonist must make a difficult choice.

The holosetting materialises: a Sickbay which looks exactly like Voyager's. The ship is under attack and Sickbay is suffering too, with power outtages and low light level. Paris, as the protagonist, wears the Starfleet medical department uniform.

Holo-crewman: "Are you the EMH?" Paris: "Please state the nature of the medical emergency."

Holo-crewman: "Our doctor's dead. We've got wounded."
Paris scans two patients to see who requires treatment first. He diagnoses the first patient as having second degree plasma burns. He diagnoses the second: "He's got an aortic rupture. Get him to the surgical bay NOW."

Holo-crewmen convey the patient to the surgical bay as the doors open and a holographic First Officer enters who looks like Chakotay except that he is Bajoran, does not have the usual tattoo but has a different tattoo pattern on his left cheek. This hologram is assisting an injured holo-crewman and calls to Paris: "You! Over here!"

When Paris goes up to the two, he discovers that the injured holo-crewman looks exactly like himself except that he has a moustache! Paris: "Nice moustache." Holo-First Officer: "What?" Paris: "Er nothing." Paris does a scan and reports: "He's got a mild concussion. I'm going to have to treat the others first." Holo-First Officer: "I need Lieutenant Marseilles on the Bridge. You'll treat him now." Paris: "As I understand it, my job is to treat the critical patients first." Paris turns and heads for the surgical bay. The holo-First Officer activates a forcefield which prevents Paris reaching the surgical bay. "I don't know who you think you are, hologram, but to me you're just another piece of technology. Paris: "Apparently I'm a piece of technology that's in demand, so why don't you go back to the Bridge and let me do my job." At that moment the holo-captain enters. She looks exactly like Janeway except that her hair is tied in a bun. "What's going on here?" Holo-First Officer: "Our medical hologram is refusing to treat Mr Marseilles." Holo-Captain: "Are you malfunctioning?" Paris: "I don't think so." Holo-Captain: "I need my helmsman back at his station." Paris: "Lieutenant Marseilles isn't seriously hurt. This man will be dead in five minutes if I don't operate." Holo-Captain: "Drop the forcefield." The holo-First Officer deactivates the forcefield. The holo-Captain steps up to the biobed in the surgical bay, draws her phaser and blasts the patient, who is killed instantly. "That patient is dead. Now you're free to treat Lieutenant Marseilles."

Afterwards, in the Messhall, standing at the serving counter with Neelix on the other side and listening to them, Paris explains to Torres and Kim about the Doctor's holonovel. Paris: "Then the captain pulls out a phaser and shoots him, right there, on the biobed." Kim: "Captain Janeway murders a crewman?" Paris: "Captain Jenkins. Everyone has a different name. You're Kymble, you're Torrey, and I am Lieutenant Marseilles." Torres: "Oh now that's creative." Kim: "What did you say to the Doctor?" Paris: "Well, he thinks he's created a masterpiece! I didn't know what to tell him." Kim: "If this gets distributed people are going to assume this is about us. What are our families going to think?" Torres: "This is a Starfleet ship. No one will believe we actually go around shooting injured crewmen!" Paris: "People may not take the program literally, but they might wonder if there's some truth to it. I think we should talk to the Captain." Torres: "Are you sure you're not taking this a little personally?" Paris: "What do you mean?" Torres: "Well, the Holodeck has always been your domain." Paris: "You think I'm jealous? Ok, maybe I am over-reacting. Why don't the rest of you try the program and decide for yourselves?"

 

Thanks to Tickie's Web Page Themes for the background set Celestial Swag and for customising it for me. For this page set Tickie was voted first place in September 2000's Imagination Unlimited competition.