Neelix hurries into Sickbay.
Neelix: "Doctor, I need your help."
Doctor: "Unless you're suffering acute symptoms, go away."
Neelix: "Erm, I was wondering if you could take a quick look at this." He hands the Doctor a PADD.
The Doctor reads the title: "'Cooking with Neelix - A Culinary Tour of the Delta Quadrant'."
Neelix: "It's a holo-cookbook proposal. I was hoping to transmit it to your publisher during my comlink this afternoon, with your approval of course."
Doctor: "If you're looking for writing tips there are plenty of people on this ship eager to offer them."
Neelix: "I don't know what anyone else may have told you, but I loved your holonovel."
Doctor: "Did you?"
Neelix: "Absolutely. It was a rousing adventure, with an important message too."
Doctor: "Exactly. This is my first chance to be appreciated, not just as a physician but as an artist. I thought the crew would be happy for me."

Neelix, playing devil's advocate: "You're going to reach a wide audience. What do you care about the opinions of a few disgruntled shipmates?" Doctor: "They're my friends. I don't want to hurt them."

Neelix: "There's an old Talaxian expression: 'When the road before you splits in two, take the third path.'"
Doctor: "Meaning?"
Neelix: "You could make some adjustments to the program, so it won't be so obvious it's based on Voyager."
Doctor: "I suppose I could change the setting, alter the characters' physical parameters."
Neelix: "You wouldn't have to change your theme."
Doctor: "No. But a rewrite could take weeks. My publisher is expecting a final draft tomorrow."

Neelix holds out his isolinear chip which entitles him to 3 minutes' comtime with the Alpha Quadrant: "Maybe you should give him a call."

In the Astrometrics Lab, the Doctor discusses the matter with Ardon Broht during the comtime that Neelix gave him.
Broht: "Revisions?"
Doctor: "I need to rework the characters."
Broht: "Why? They're so believeable."
Doctor: "A little too believeable."
Broht: "Doctor, I really don't think this is necessary."
Doctor: "I'm afraid I have to insist. My friends' reputations are at stake."

The Doctor addresses the senior staff in the Messhall. "My publisher assures me he won't distribute the program until he receives the revised version." Torres speaks sarcastically: "That must be the one where we assimilate the Borg and take over the Quadrant."
Janeway: "We're all grateful that you're taking our feelings into account." Chakotay: "So how long do you expect your revisions to take?" Doctor: "Art can't be rushed." Janeway: "Take your time."
The Doctor catches Paris as he is about to go after Torres when they all leave the Messhall. Doctor: "Lieutenant, I'm sorry." Paris: "Oh, forget about it." Doctor: "I could use your help with the rewrites." Paris: "Really? You realise as a writer I'm a little unsophisticated."

Doctor: "No, I believe the phrase you're looking for is 'low-brow'."

Paris goes after Torres and catches her up in the corridor. She is looking at a PADD. Paris: "Hey, what's that?" Torres: "It's from my father. He wants to talk." Paris: "What are you going to do?" Torres: "Well, I've already arranged to talk to my cousin." Paris: "Well, I'm sure she wouldn't mind waiting a few weeks." Torres: "I wouldn't know what to say to him." Paris: "Then let him do the talking."

In the Astrometrics Lab, Torres talks to her father for the first time since she was twelve and he walked out on her and her mother.

Father: "Look at you, you must be what twenty weeks on?"
Torres: "Twenty-three, actually."
Father: "Have you decided on a name?"
Torres: "Not yet. We were thinking about 'Miral'."
Father: "Your mother would've liked that. You know I had some business on Kessik IV a few months ago. You wouldn't believe what our old house looks like."

Seven: "Lieutenant, thirty seconds."
Torres: "We have less than a minute. Is there a reason you wanted to talk?" Father: "I know I can't make up for twenty years in one conversation. The truth is, when your ship disappeared I thought I'd lost you. I don't expect you to forgive me, but maybe we could try to get to know each other again." Torres: "I'll write you."
Paris takes her hand as the difficult conversation ends, but it is a conversation which means she and her father are at last becoming reconciled.

On Earth, at Starfleet Command, in the Communications Research Center building which houses Project Pathfinder.....
.....Lt. Reg Barclay enters and approaches Admiral Paris.
Barclay: "I'm sorry to disturb you, Admiral." Admiral Paris: "Ah yes, Mr Barclay, what can I do for you?" Barclay: "I thought you'd want to see this, sir." Admiral Paris: "Well, what is it?"
Barclay: "It's a holonovel. It's becoming quite popular." Admiral Paris: "Well, I appreciate the gesture, Lieutenant, but I don't share your affinity for holographic diversions." Barclay: "You don't understand, sir. This program, it's about Voyager, and it doesn't portray the crew in a very flattering light."

In the Astrometrics Lab. Janeway: "On screen." Admiral Paris: "Captain."
Janeway: "Seven told me your message was urgent." Admiral Paris: "I had the dubious privilege of playing a new holonovel, apparently written by your EMH. I'm surprised you would allow the Doctor to discredit your crew like this." Janeway: "He's still making revisions. The program shouldn't have been distributed yet."
Admiral Paris: "Well, it has been. Mr Barclay tells me it's already been played in thousands of holosuites."

In the Astrometrics Lab the Doctor confronts Ardon Broht.

Doctor: "You assured me you were going to wait for my revisions! I demand that you recall every copy and that you issue a public apology to Captain Janeway and her crew." Broht: "I won't do anything of the sort." Janeway: "I don't see that you have a choice, Mr Broht. Authors have rights." Broht: "Not in this case." Doctor: "What do you mean?" Broht: "The Doctor is a hologram." Doctor: "So?"
Broht: "According to Federation law, holograms have no rights."

 

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.