PART F

 

Kim and Torres have managed to get to Engineering to implement the plan. Kim: "Dilithium matrix stable. Matter-antimatter reactor is at 80% of critical." Torres: "Let's keep it that way!" Kim: "Warp core pressure is at thirty six megapascals and rising." They have to shout to each other to be heard.

Torres: "When it reaches 53, it'll trigger the shock pulse. We should get out of here by the time it hits 50!"

Kim: "Acknowledged! Pressure at 41 megapascals and rising. I'm reading a micro-fracture in the dilithium matrix." Torres: "Attempting to compensate." Kim: "Fracture sealed. 44 megapascals!"

In the Holodeck, Chakotay calls out: "They're heating up the warp core. They must be close to initiating the shock burst. Everybody take cover!" They do so.

Engineering. Kim: "47....48.....49!" Torres: "Let's move!"

They sprint out of engineering into the corridor, and as far away as they can as fast as they can. The shock pulse occurs as they run.

In the Holodeck, people are taking cover using the furniture to help act as a shield.

Torres, panting: "Well, in spite of Tuvok's dire predictions, we haven't blown the ship to pieces, have we?"

Kim, looking at his tricorder: "No, and radiation levels are within acceptable tolerance." Torres: "Good. Let's get in there and see if we had any luck dispersing this implosion ring."

They return to Engineering, but see that the door is bulging and rippling.

Kim: "Hold it!" Torres: "What?" Kim: "I'm reading a massive distortion behind the door." Torres: "I don't think it's just behind the door." Kim: "The ring's completely engulfed engineering." As the ring threatens to expand to engulf them, they turn and flee.

In the Chez Sandrine holoprogram. Chakotay: "Can I talk to her?" Doctor: "I can't guarantee she'll hear you, or be able to understand you if she does."

Chakotay: "Captain." Janeway sees a blurred Doctor and surroundings. She tries to speak but only gibberish comes out.

Janeway's view of the Doctor

Chakotay to the Doctor: "What's wrong with her?" Doctor: "It's possible the spatial distortions have damaged her speech centre, her neural pathways." To Janeway, the Doctor's words are gibberish.

Torres and Kim run into the room. Torres, panting: "Chakotay, it didn't work." Kim: "Instead of forcing the implosion outward, the pulse is drawing it in at a faster rate." Paris: "You're saying it made things worse?" Kim: "I don't think we have more than a few minutes." Torres: "Paris, we have to get to the navigational array and give Tuvok's plan a try."

Tuvok: "I'm afraid there's no longer time for that." Torres: "Why not?"

The distortions have reached the entrance to the bar.

Paris: "We're not going anywhere."

They realise they are trapped, and death seems imminent!

A short while later, with Torres at the Holodeck's computer control panel, Paris asks her: "Do you really think it's possible to project a stable holographic forcefield?" Torres: "We've tried everything else. Ready? Here we go."

A forcefield is created but the distortion moves through it! Tuvok: "The distortion is unaffected by the forcefield."

Torres: "We've got to figure out a way to generate a stable field." Chakotay stops her: "B'Elanna, this ring has passed through the shields, crushed the hull, twisted the ship. We'll never get enough power from the holo-emitters to stop it."

Torres: "What are you saying: we're out of options?"

Tuvok: "Perhaps not. So far, we have been unsuccessful in all our attempts to either explain or combat this phenomenon. And, according to my calculations, the space we are currently occupying will implode in approximately 3 minutes 17 seconds." Torres: "You said there was another option." Tuvok: "We do nothing." Torres: "Excuse me?" Chakotay: "Are you suggesting we just let it crush us?" Tuvok: "Precisely." Torres: "I can't believe I'm hearing this from you." Chakotay: "I agree. It sounds completely illogical."

Tuvok: "On the contrary. When every logical course of action is exhausted, the only option that remains is inaction." Torres: "So we're just supposed to sit here and let this thing kill us?" Tuvok: "I must point out that at least one attempt we made to reverse the effect, the shock pulse, only made our predicament worse. If we continue desperately improvising solutions, our own efforts may ultimately kill us. On the other hand, there is no definitive evidence to suggest that doing nothing will result in death."

Suddenly Janeway sits bolt upright and lets out an incoherent cry, startling everyone.

Doctor: "Captain, please lie down!" He helps her to lie down, and she loses consciousness again.

Torres: "What about the Captain? She's dying." Tuvok: "We do not know that. At the moment, she is merely delirious." Torres: "Chakotay, you're in charge here. Don't you agree we've got to keep trying?"

Chakotay: "Whatever this thing is, B'Elanna, it's bigger and more powerful than we are. Maybe, maybe this is one bear we can't wrestle to the ground. Maybe, like Tuvok says, there's nothing we can do but let it happen and hope for the best."

Torres sighs and gives in, rather ungraciously: "Fine. Fine, Chakotay. Have it your way." She moves away.