PART G

 

Tuvok: "Commander Chakotay." Chakotay: "Yes, Mr Tuvok?" Tuvok: "I want to thank you for endorsing my recommendation." Chakotay: "You know, Tuvok, I may not get another chance to say this. Sometimes I find you arrogant and irritating, but you're a hell of an officer."

Tuvok: "Thank you, sir. And since we are speaking candidly, may I say, sir, that I have not always been particularly partial to your methods either." Chakotay: "I suppose it must have been tough for you to accept my being elevated to First Officer over you." Tuvok: "I have always respected Captain Janeway's decisions. However, I suppose that particular decision did put me in a position I am unaccustomed to. If that ever caused me to make things more difficult for you, I must apologise."

The distortion sweeps closer. The pool table ripples.

Kim and Paris are standing together, a little apart from the others. Kim: "Can I ask you a question?" Paris: "Fire away, Harry." Kim: "You afraid?" Paris: "I chose this life, and I guess I always knew it could come to this, but yeah, I'm afraid."

Kim: "Me too."

Nearby, Kes and the Doctor are standing next to each other. Kes confides her anxiety: "I'm so worried about Neelix. I should be with him."

Doctor: "As much as he may annoy me at times, Mr Neelix is one of the most resourceful and resilient individuals I know. If anyone can survive this calamity, he can."

Torres approaches Chakotay who is sitting at a table with his hands spread on it. His eyes are shut.

Torres is subdued. Inside she is frightened. "Hi." Chakotay: "Hi."

Torres: "What are you doing?" Chakotay: "I'm trying to contact my spirit guide." Torres: "Why?" Chakotay: "Who knows what's going to happen when that ring hits us? We might be in for another long journey." Torres: "I guess I could use a little spiritual guidance myself right now. Mind if I join you?" Chakotay: "I thought you'd never ask."

She sits next to him. Tentatively her hand reaches toward his and he holds her hand.

Paris puts his hand comfortingly on Kim's shoulder, as much to give Kim sympathetic companionship as for himself.

The distortion ring reaches Torres and Chakotay.

The ring passes through them and onto Paris and Kim.

Even Tuvok craves some kind of companionship at this moment which could be the end of his life. He is standing behind the couch that Janeway is on. His hand reaches toward her, the person he has been closest to on Voyager.

Everyone remains absolutely still as the distortion ring slowly moves across the room and intersects them in turn. Their forms ripple and distort, but they are unharmed. Then the room, and the rest of the starship, returns to normal.

One or two give sighs of relief.

Janeway gradually comes to consciousness and sits up. The Doctor goes to her.

She holds her head for a moment, feeling very groggy. Everyone gathers round her. Doctor: "Captain?" Janeway: "I'm alright." Doctor: "You were delirious." Janeway: "It was some sort of message."

Chakotay: "What was?"

Janeway: "The spatial distortion - it was trying to communicate with us."

The senior staff enter the Bridge from the turbolift. standard doors Quickly everyone goes to posts. Janeway, briskly, as she moves to the command centre: "I want a full systems report. And Mr Kim, Mr Tuvok, I want every iota of information that was recorded regarding that phenomenon."

Paris is standing beside the helmswoman. He is examining the read-outs. "The distortion ring's directly ahead, Captain. It's moving away from us at 2,000 k.p.h." Chakotay: "We've got a full crew complement, Captain. No injuries reported." Torres is at the secondary tactical console. She reports the read-outs: "No damage to the hull or ship systems." Janeway: "Incredible." Torres: "You're not going to believe this, Captain, but 20 million gigaquads of new information have been input into the ship's computer." Janeway: "Where did it come from?"

Torres: "My guess is it came from the distortion ring." Janeway: "Somebody's definitely trying to tell us something." Torres: "That's not all, Captain. Our entire database has been copied and downloaded into somebody else's system." Janeway and Chakotay look at each other. Chakotay: "I guess whoever they were, they want to know everything they can about us too."

Janeway: "Maybe it was their only way of communicating with us. Maybe they were just trying to say hello."

Neelix enters the Bridge. standard doors He is carrying Kes' birthday cake. "Cake anyone?" Kes is relieved to see him. "Neelix, what happened to you?" Neelix: "Oh, it's a long story. I'll tell you all about it later. Right now, it's time to finish your party." Kes: "Neelix, I need a photograph of you." Neelix: "What for, sweetie?" Kes: "From now on, even when we're separated, I want to have you where I can keep my eye on you."

They kiss. Neelix, beaming: "Happy birthday, Kes!" The birthday party continues.