ELOGIUM : Episode 18 : portrayed in several parts

On the Bridge Chakotay comments: "If the smaller creatures are sexually attracted to our subspace emissions then the large one may perceive us as a rival. That plasma burst it sent out might have been aggressive posturing."

Janeway: "Then you think it'd be happy to see us leave." To Torres, who is at the engineering II station, "Lieutenant, is there any way we could generate a short burst of impulse enough to get us away from this swarm?" Torres: "I could try releasing power from the impulse capacitance cells straight into the driver coils. Janeway: "Do it."

Torres: "Alright. I've accessed the capacitance cells. I think I can give you enough for a short burst of impulse. We've got one shot, Captain." Janeway: "You heard her, Mr Paris. Make the best of it." Paris: "Aye, Captain. Initiating impulse burst, now." Tuvok: "Captain, the creature is reacting. It is approaching rapidly on a collision course." Janeway tells Tuvok: "Evasive maneuvers, Lieutenant." Torres: "We don't have the power for that."

Kim: "The creature is accelerating. I'm losing power." Paris: "Can't shake him!"

Tuvok, shipwide through the com. system: "All hands, brace for impact."

The creature slams its body against Voyager, shaking the ship! Kim: "Structural integrity down to 86 per cent." Tuvok: "I am beginning to share Lieutenant Torres' views, Captain. Retaliation may become necessary." Janeway: "It's not my intention to harm the creature."

The creature hits the ship again. Paris remarks: "The feeling definitely isn't mutual."

Janeway: "Mr Tuvok, launch a class-4 probe. Maybe that'll distract the creature long enough for us to get away." Tuvok: "Aye, Captain. Probe launched." Kim: "Another plasma burst. Shields are down to 64 per cent. Looks like the probe just made him angry." Torres: "This is an aggressive lifeform, Captain! He's only going to respond to an aggressive stance from us."

Tuvok: "Treating the creature as it is treating us might be an appropriate response." Janeway looks round, understanding him: "We ram him." Tuvok: "Precisely."

Wildman: "It's probably the response he expects." The creature rams Voyager again. Kim reports: "Captain, the shields are at 47 per cent. Any more of this and the hull will start to buckle."

the crew are thrown forward

Janeway: "Mr Paris, use maneuvering thrusters. Set a course toward the creature. Give him a bump to get his attention." Paris: "Aye, Captain. Engaging thrusters." Voyager rams the creature. Tuvok: "The creature is not retreating, Captain." Paris: "He's just hitting us back harder!" Janeway: "Let's try this: detonate a field of photon charges between Voyager and the creature. Maybe the shockwave will let him know we mean business."

Chakotay: "Captain, if I may. Maybe we're going about this backwards." Janeway: "Yes, Commander." Chakotay: "Every aggressive move we make results in a more aggressive move by the creature. If we're not prepared to use extreme force to destroy him, we need to rethink our actions. Janeway: "I'm listening." Chakotay: "If we're right that the creature's responding to us as a sexual rival, we might try behaving in a submissive way. That may appease him. We'd be acknowledging that he's dominant and we're no match for him." Janeway: "How do we do that? We tried to move away slowly. He wouldn't let us leave." Chakotay: "Maybe we need to mimic the behaviour of the smaller creatures. We saw them rolling over and changing colour."

Kim: "If we vent plasma residue that might make us look blue." Janeway: "Mr Paris, do we have enough power to take Voyager into a roll?" Paris: "I think so." Janeway: "Alright. Let's give this a try. Mr Kim, start venting plasma residue. Mr Paris, roll the ship." Paris: "Full power to inertial dampers." Paris steers Voyager so that it rolls over on its starboard side, leaving a trail of blue plasma residue.

close-up view looking past Voyager's port nacelle

After the maneuver they wait.

Janeway: "He's not responding at all. It's not working."

Kim: "Wait a minute, Captain." Janeway: "What is it?" Kim: "One of the small creatures is detaching from the starboard nacelle, and another one. They're all letting go."

Tuvok: "It appears we have lost our sex appeal, Captain."

USS Voyager deliberately vents plasma in order to show the colour blue, and rolls over in order to mimic the submissive behaviour of the smaller spaceborne creatures. This successfully convinces the large spaceborne creature that Voyager is not a rival mate. (pop-up window)

Janeway: "Good piloting, Lieutenant. Now let's see if we can move away without any interference." Torres: "I can give you enough thruster power to sustain a speed of 100 k.p.h." Paris: "Acknowledged." Voyager slowly moves away and leaves the swarm.

Janeway: "Good work, Commander. In the future if I have any questions about mating behaviour, I'll know where to go." Chakotay turns to look at her and breaks into a big grin.

It is late, sometime after Voyager has left the swarm. Kes enters the Messhall, which is in semi-darkness, and empty except for Neelix who is preparing food for the next day.

Kes goes up to him. Kes: "Can I help?" Neelix: "No. Thanks."

Kes: "Is something wrong?" Neelix: "No, no nothing."

Kes: "You've been very quiet ever since I decided not to conceive." Neelix: "It was your choice. I respect that." Kes: "Neelix, I think you're disappointed." Neelix: "I think once I decided to become a father I was looking forward to it. But I'll get over it."

Kes: "Maybe you won't have to get over it. Just wait a little longer." Neelix: "I thought this was the only time." Kes: "The Doctor believes the elogium was false, brought on by the electrophoretic field that those lifeforms created. So there's a possibility I might be able to go through it again, at the right age." Neelix: "You mean, we might still be able to have a daughter?" Kes: "Or a son." Neelix: "No. I've thought about it: a daughter, definitely, one who looks just like you."

Kes kisses him and they hug.

Voyager in flight at warp speed. Janeway: "Captain's log, stardate 48921.3. I continue to wonder about the issue of procreation aboard the ship. Certainly it's wrong to interfere with the private lives and decisions of the crew, yet I remain concerned about the environment we could provide for any child born here."

In her Ready Room Janeway looks at the picture of Mark, her boyfriend*. With him is her pet Irish setter, Molly, whom Mark was looking after at the time they parted when Voyager left Deep Space 9 nearly a year earlier.

*(in a later episode it is established that he is her fiancé)

She puts the picture down as the door signal sounds. door signal

She heads for her desk. "Come in." Ensign Wildman enters. She looks diffident and anxious. Janeway: "Yes, Ensign. What can I do for you?" Wildman: "I'm sorry to disturb you, Captain, but I thought, I thought I should inform you of my physical condition." Janeway: "Your physical condition?" Wildman: "We've been trying for months. I wasn't even sure until a few days ago. My husband is still at Deep Space 9. He doesn't even know. We were only supposed to be out two or three weeks." Janeway: "Wildman, are you pregnant?"

Wildman nods. "I know this isn't the best place to have the baby but it's all I have left of my husband."

Janeway: "Well, congratulations, Ensign."

 

 

 

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