^{search engine keywords: Star Trek Voyager Caretaker USS Voyager Maquis Kathryn Janeway Chakotay Delta Quadrant Starfleet Tom Paris B'Elanna Torres, Tuvok, Neelix}

Paris: "Why would anyone want to live in a place like this?" Neelix: "The rich cormaline deposits are very much in demand." Chakotay: "The Ocampa use it for barter?" Neelix: "Not the Ocampa, the Kazon-Ogla."

Janeway: "The Kazon-Ogla? Who are the Kazon-Ogla?"

Neelix: "They are. Kazon sects control this part of the quadrant. Some have food, some have ore, some have water. They all trade and they all kill other for it." Janeway: "But I thought you said the Ocampa have our people."

The Kazon-Ogla soldiers surround the visitors. One seizes Janeway's phaser from her holster. She glares at him but there is nothing she can do. Janeway, Chakotay, Paris and Tuvok are bundled to a particular area and forced to sit down, while Kazon-Ogla guard them.

Neelix takes an affable approach to the Kazon-Ogla: "My friends, it's good to see you again!" Several seize him and carry him to a separate area. As he is carried off, he tells them: "I must speak with your Maje, the ever-wise Jabin!"

As Neelix is unceremoniously put down by a wall, he backs up against it, trying to maintain a friendly manner. "Very amusing." Amid the Kazon heckling comes a cry, "Destroy him!" "I er enjoy a joke as much as the next man," says Neelix, pretending not to be anxious. At that moment Maje Jabin strides into the scene. "Jabin, my old friend!" calls Neelix. "Water, water, Jabin. I brought water, to replace all that I borrowed."

Neelix calls to Paris: "Show them, Mr Paris." To Jabin: "Their ship has technology that makes water out of thin air!"

Jabin takes the proffered water flask, sniffs the contents and tastes some. It is water. He hands the flask to one of his soldiers. "You have more?"

Janeway taps her combadge. "Janeway to Voyager. Energise." Two large water containers materialise a distance away, astounding the Kazon-Ogla.

Janeway: "There's more where that came from, if you can help us."

Jabin watches as.....

.....his men rush toward the water containers, carrying anything that will hold water. Jabin to Janeway: "How can we help someone so powerful they can create water out of thin air?"

A young Ocampa woman appears and watches them from the doorway. She has bruises on her face - the result of being beaten.

Neelix sees her standing there.

Janeway: "This man," meaning Neelix, "led us here suggesting we might find a people called the Ocampa. Do you know where they are?" Jabin: "Ocampa?" He points to the young woman. "She is Ocampa. Why would you be interested in such worthless creatures? They live only nine years. They make poor servants. We caught her when she wandered to the surface." Janeway: "The surface? You mean, they live underground?"

Jabin points.....

.....to the horizon where an energy pulse can be seen and heard arriving: "The entity in space that gives them food and power also gives them sole access to the only water on this world two miles below the surface." Janeway: "This same entity has abducted two of our people. We believe they might be with the Ocampa."

Jabin: "There's no way to get to them. We tried. The entity has established some kind of subterranean barrier we cannot penetrate." Chakotay: "But she got out." Jabin: "Occasionally some of them do find their way to the surface. We don't know how, but the Ocampa seal the tunnels afterwards." Neelix: "Maybe she can help these good people find a way down." Jabin gives a short derisive laugh. "You'd be wasting your time. I've used every method of persuasion I know to get her to help us. She won't." Neelix: "Then she's worthless to you. Let us trade you water for this scrawny little thing." Jabin: "I'd be more interested in acquiring this technology that allows you to create water out of thin air." Janeway: "That would be difficult. It's integrated into our ship's systems."

Neelix, knowing the Kazon-Ogla as he does, realises that Jabin will use coercion unless he, Neelix pre-empts him. He leaps up, pulls out a small phaser and grabs Jabin. As his men approach wielding their weapons, Neelix orders Jabin: "Tell them to drop their weapons!"

Neelix to the warriors: "Drop them, my friends, or he dies in an instant!" Jabin orders his men: "Do it. Do it!" They lay down their rifles.

Immediately Chakotay leaps up and retrieves the phasers. Armed once more, the away team form a close group, each aiming a phaser outwards to provide covering fire if necessary.

Neelix orders the Kazon-Ogla: "Step aside." The men panic as he points his phaser and rush to get out of the way.

He fires at the water containers, horrifying the Kazon-Ogla who can only watch as the priceless water gushes out.

This has given Neelix the diversion he needed. He calls to the young woman: "Come on." She rushes over to him and, with his arm protectively around her, he tells Janeway: "I strongly suggest that you get us out of here."

Janeway taps her combadge. "Six to beam up."

They beam up leaving the Kazon-Ogla warriors scrambling to collect as much water as possible from the damaged containers.

Back on Voyager, the away team materialises safely in the transporter room along with the Ocampa woman.

As the away team move away from the transporter chamber, they overhear Neelix tell the Ocampa woman: "My dearest, didn't I promise I'd save you?"

Janeway and the others turn in surprise, realising that Neelix's rescue was planned.

In the Ocampa city, Kim and Torres are talking somewhere secluded and private.

Kim: "Look, I'm sure Captain Janeway is doing everything she can to find us." Torres: "What makes you think any of them are still alive?" Torres suffers a twinge of pain." Kim: "Should I call for some help?" Torres: "No." The nurse from the clinic sees them and approaches." Nurse: "Are you in pain?" Torres: "Are you watching us? I thought we weren't supposed to be your prisoners. Nurse: "I wasn't watching you. I was coming to give you something. I don't know if it'll help. It's a medicine. There are people who have broken from tradition and left the city. The colony grows fruit and vegetables. It was discovered quite by accident that the moss which grows on certain fruit trees has healing properties. I'm sorry for what has happened to you." Kim: "We appreciate this. But the only we're going to survive is if we can get to the surface and find our own people." Nurse: "The Elders would say that's against the Caretaker's wishes." Torres: "What do you say?" Nurse: "The Caretaker's been behaving strangely for the past several months - abducting people, increasing the power supply." Kim: "Power supply?" Nurse: "He's tripled the energy he sends us. They say we have enough stored now to run the city for five years." Kim: "Nobody knows why?" Nurse: "When we ask we're told to trust the Caretaker's decisions. One person I knew did get to the surface. I never saw her again." Kim: "No." Nurse: "The ancient tunnels that brought us here still exist. Over the years small breaches in the security barriers have appeared, just large enough for someone to get through, but it still requires digging through metres of rock to get out." Torres: "Can you get us tools to dig with?" Nurse: "It would take days, maybe even weeks to break through. You have to rest, conserve your strength." Kim: "Please, it's our only chance."

Star background by me.

TOP BACK PREVIOUS NEXT EPISODE INDEX DRAMATIS PERSONAE SEASON INDEX SITE HELP BRIDGE