search engine keywords: Star Trek Voyager Caretaker USS Voyager Maquis Kathryn Janeway Chakotay Delta Quadrant Starfleet Tom Paris B'Elanna Torres, Tuvok, Neelix
 | Paris: "I see them."
Kim: "It took you long enough." Paris: "How could I let down the only friend I got?" Kim: "Friend? What makes you think I'm your friend?" Paris taps his combadge: "Paris to Janeway." Janeway, via comms: "Go ahead." Paris, via comms: "We found them, Captain." Janeway, via comms: "Don't wait for us. Get them to safety." |
 | Paris, Kes and Neelix support Kim and Torres as they continue the climb to the surface. |
 | They find a narrow breach in the security barrier. They have to climb through it.
Kes: "Don't worry, I know we can get through the barrier. Whatever you do, don't touch it. We've been told it'll bring your skin off." They each negotiate the narrow breach successfully. Having found Kim and Torres, it means that Paris' team has slowed down. Janeway tells Chakotay and Tuvok: "They're not far ahead of us. Keep going." |
 | They find they can go no further. Above them is solid ground.
Paris: "I think we've reached the top. Neelix, get out your phaser." Together they fire ahead and upwards, creating a hole for them to climb out of, and at the same time it creates a pile rubble for them to scramble up in order to reach the hole. |
They scramble up out of the hole onto the planet's desert surface.
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Paris, via comms: "Voyager, can you get a lock on us now?"
Rollins, via comms: "Affirmative, but I'm reading only five signals." Paris, via comms: "The others are-" He suddenly yells to the others: "Get down!" |
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They fling themselves down, trying to protect themselves and each other as a weapons hit from the Array causes a loud explosion nearby. |
 | The weapons hits from the Array are destabilising the stairways. One impact knocks over Janeway, Tuvok and Chakotay. The men are hurt by falling debris. Shaken by the tremors caused by the weapon strikes, the bolts holding the gantries and stairs together start shearing or working loose - it is only a matter of time before they all collapse! |
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Paris, via comms: "Paris to Janeway? Chakotay, Tuvok, do you read?" There is no response.
To Rollins, via comms: "Voyager, prepare to transport everyone in this group except me."
Rollins, via comms: "Yes, sir." Neelix is appalled: "You're not thinking of going back there?" Obviously Paris is. Neelix realises he may well need help. "Well, if a fool needs company..." To Kes: "Take care of them, dearest. I'll see you later." Paris takes Neelix's combadge and hands it to Torres. He tells Rollins, via comms: "Voyager, make that three to beam up. Lock in on the other combadge and energise." |
 | Paris and Neelix hurriedly scramble back below the surface while Torres, Kim and Kes are beamed up to Voyager.  transporter |
 | Sprawled across a gantry, Chakotay is in agony. "My leg is broken," he gasps. "I can't move." |
 | Janeway is beside Tuvok who seems to have concussion. She tries to encourage Chakotay: "Hold on." |
 | Paris and Neelix find them: "Here they are."
Janeway: "Neelix, help me with Tuvok." Together they maneuver Tuvok further up the stairs. |
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Paris: "I'll get Chakotay."
Chakotay yells: "Get out of here, Paris, before the whole thing comes down!" Paris, calmly: "I intend to, as soon as I get you up." Chakotay: "You get on those stairs, they'll collapse! We'll both die." |
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Paris ignores him and gingerly steps on the stairs. The gantry moves alarmingly but when it does not fall, Paris moves down. |
 | Paris: "Yeah? But on the other hand, if I save your butt your life belongs to me. Isn't that some kind of Indian custom?"
Despite the pain from his leg, Chakotay manages to make a joke. "Wrong tribe." 
Paris: "I don't believe you. You'd rather die than let me be the one to rescue you." |
 | As Paris reaches him, Chakotay gives in: "Fine, be a fool! If I have to die, at least I'll have the pleasure of watching you go with me."
Paris helps Chakotay up and half-carries him up the now very unstable stairs: "Isn't there some Indian trick where you can turn yourself into a bird and fly us out of here?" Chakotay gasps, with humour: "You're too heavy." |
 | The instant Paris has Chakotay up off the stairs, the stairs give way and plunge down the shaft - Paris was only just in time! |
 | In Sickbay, the Doctor has only just finished treating the away team, including Chakotay whose broken leg he has healed, and Kim and Torres whose illness he has cured.
Rollins, via comms: "Bridge to Janeway." Janeway, via comms: "Go ahead." Rollins, via comms: "Captain, two Kazon ships are approaching the Array." Janeway, via comms: "Set a course. I'm on my way." She heads for the door, ignoring the Doctor. |
 | Chakotay gets up from the main surgical bed, saying to Torres: "We've got to get back to our ship." He heads for the door, ignoring the Doctor. |
 | The Doctor protests. "I strongly advise you to rest." With Janeway and Chakotay gone, he tries to stop Torres and Kim who are getting off their biobeds to leave as well. "I will not be held responsible for the consequences." |
 | The Doctor waylays Kim: "Is the crew always this difficult?"
Kim replies cheerfully: "I don't know, Doc. This is my first mission." |
 | The Doctor looks around. He has been left on....again. He complains to the empty Sickbay: "Doesn't anyone know how to turn off the program when they leave?!"
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 | Two Kazon ships dwarf Voyager.
Janeway: "Bring the weapons systems online." Tuvok: "Powering up phaser banks and photon systems." Janeway: "Red alert." Tuvok: "The lead Kazon ship is hailing us, Captain." Janeway: "On screen." |
 | Jabin: "Have you come to investigate the entity's strange behaviour too, Captain?"
Janeway: "All we care about is getting home, Jabin. We're about to transport over to the Array to see if we can arrange it." Jabin: "I'm afraid I cannot permit that." Janeway: "We have no dispute with you." Jabin: "I have a dispute with anyone who would challenge us." Janeway: "This is ridiculous. We have no intention of challenging you." Jabin: "And I have no intention of letting anyone with your technological knowledge board the Array." Janeway: "Jabin, can we discuss this like two civilised-" Tuvok: "They're powering up their weapons." Janeway mutters under her breath: "Guess we can't." |
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Janeway contacts the Maquis ship. "Janeway to Chakotay. Tuvok and I are beaming to the Array. Can you hold off the Kazon?"
Chakotay, via comms: "I think so, Captain."
Janeway, via comms: "Good." They end contact.
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Janeway to Paris: "Mr Paris, take the conn." Paris is taken aback. |
| He realises the honour and is very happy to accept. "Yes, ma'am!" He sits at the conn.
Janeway to Kim: "Maintain transporter locks, Ensign. Emergency beam-out status." Kim: "Aye, Captain." She and Tuvok leave to transport to the Array. |
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Although Paris is in his element - he is one of the best pilots there is - there is work to be done. He checks the instrument read-outs. |
Star background by me.
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