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

    

On the Array, which retains its farm facade, Tuvok has a tricorder with him. Tuvok: "The data processing system is behind this wall, Captain." Janeway: "You know what to do." He moves toward it while she goes to talk to the banjo man - he is the Caretaker. He looks weak and exhausted.

Caretaker: "Well, you're nothing if not persistent." Janeway: "We need you to send us back where we came from." Caretaker: "Ah, that isn't possible. I've barely enough strength to complete my work." Janeway: "You're sealing the conduits before you die." Caretaker: "If I don't the Kazon will steal the water, but in a few years when the Ocampa's energy runs out it won't matter - they'll be forced to come to the surface and they won't be able to survive." Janeway: "Something you did turned their planet into a desert, didn't it? That was 'the debt that could never be repaid'." Caretaker: "We're explorers from another galaxy but we had no idea that our technology would be so destructive to their atmosphere. Two of us were chosen to stay behind and care for them." Janeway: "There's another like you here?" Caretaker: "Not any more. No, she went off to look for more interesting places." Janeway: "Why were you bringing ships here, infecting people with a fatal illness?" Caretaker: "Oh, they didn't die of an illness. They died because they were incompatible." Janeway: "Incompatible?" Caretaker: "I've been searching the galaxy for a compatible biomolecular pattern. Now in some individuals I found cellular structures that were similar but I-" Janeway suddenly realises what he means. "You've been trying to procreate." Caretaker: "I needed someone to replace me, someone who'd understand the enormous responsibility of caring for the Ocampa. Only my offspring could do that." Janeway: "Did you ever consider allowing the Ocampa to care for themselves?" The Caretaker is dismissive of the suggestion: "They're children." Janeway: "Children have to grow up. We're explorers too. Most of the species we've encountered have overcome all kinds of adversity without a caretaker. It's the challenge of surviving on their own that helps them to evolve. Maybe your 'children' will do better than you think."

Kim, via comms: "Voyager to Janeway."
Janeway, via comms: "Go ahead."
Kim, via comms: "We've got problems here. The Kazon just got some backup."

Voyager is hit again by Kazon weapons power.

An explosion on the Bridge downs a crewman. Janeway, via comms: "We need more time. Can you hold them off for another few minutes?" Kim, via comms: "We'll do our best. Kim out."

On the Bridge of the Maquis ship, Chakotay notes: "Their weapons array's been hit. They're in trouble." Torres: "Neither of us has enough fire power to stop that ship." Chakotay makes a decision. "I'm setting a collision course but the guidance system is disabled. I'll have to pilot the ship manually. Get the crew ready to beam to Voyager and drop shields for transport." Torres leaves to carry out his orders.

Chakotay contacts Voyager: "Paris, my crew is coming over. Tell one of your crackerjack Starfleet transporter teams to keep a lock on me. I'm going to try and take some heat off your tail." Paris, via comms: "Acknowledged. But don't think for a second this makes us even, Chakotay. Your life is still mine. Paris out."

Chakotay concentrates on flying directly towards the Kazon battle cruiser.

Carefully he maneuvers his ship.

The viewscreen on Voyager's bridge shows Paris Chakotay's position and attack run.

Torres, having just beamed over from the Maquis, rushes onto the Bridge to see what happens for herself. Kim: "I'm holding a lock on him, sir, but he's getting too close." Paris, via comms: "I'm getting you out of there, Chakotay." Chakotay, via comms: "Not yet!"

Paris, via comms: "You're breaking up. Stand by for transport." Chakotay: "Wait!"

Chakotay: "NOW!!!" The transporter beam catches him...

...just as the Maquis ship impacts the Kazon battle cruiser, shattering the Maquis ship's windscreen.

The Kazon battle cruiser suffers heavy damage from the collision.

Paris, via comms: "Transporter room 2, do you have him?" Chakotay walks off the transporter pad, over to the transporter operator and gives her a grateful touch on the shoulder. "They've got me," he tells Paris.

Tuvok: "Captain, I can access the system to send us back to Federation space but it will take several hours to activate." Janeway to the Caretaker: "Unless you help us..." Caretaker: "I wish I could but I have very little time left, so I have initiated a self-destruct program." Janeway: "If you destroy the Array, we'll have no way to get home." Caretaker: "The Ocampa's enemies cannot be allowed to control this installation. In minutes, it'll all be destroyed. You have to go. Go now!"

See also 20 screenshots: crash of the Kazon ship (not in image tallies)

The heavily damaged Kazon battle cruiser plunges into the Array.

The damage to the Array causes the facade of the barn to fritz on and off, and finally off to reveals revealing its true appearance permanently - the laboratory.

Janeway and Tuvok face a large alien creature hovering in front of them. Tuvok asks Janeway: "The Caretaker?"

Janeway, via comms: "Voyager, report." Paris, via comms: The Kazon vessel just collided with the Array, Captain." That would account for the breakdown of systems on the Array such as the barn facade. "Are you alright?" Janeway, via comms: "Affirmative. Stand by."

The Caretaker is at his last moment of life. The matter within his form darkens as he dies and his last words are spoken with his last strength. "The self-destruct program has been damaged. Now this installation will not be destroyed, but it must be. The Kazon must not be allowed to take control of it - they will annihilate the Ocampa."

The Caretaker shrinks and dies. His dead body ends up in appearance as a solid crystalline rock.

Tuvok looks down at the remains of the Caretaker.

Janeway approaches and tentatively picks it up, pondering what to do. Tuvok: "Shall I activate the program to get us back?" Janeway: "And what happens to the Ocampa after we're gone?" Tuvok: "Captain, any action we take to protect the Ocampa would affect the balance of power in this system. The Prime Directive would seem to apply." Janeway: "Would it? We never asked to be involved, but we are, we are."

Star background by me.

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