INITIATIONS
Episode 21

Part A
 

Chakotay: "First Officer's personal log, stardate 49005.3. The Captain has granted me the use of a shuttlecraft so that I may perform the pakra, a solitary ritual commemorating the anniversary of my father's death." The screenshot shows him alone in the shuttlecraft.
Carefully he opens his medicine bundle, places the various items and begins the ritual.
"A-koo-chee-moya, I pray on this day of memories to speak to my father, the one whom the wind called Kolopak. Though I am far from his bones perhaps there is a spirit in these unnamed skies who will find him and honour him with my song. A-koo-chee-moya."

On a Kazon-Ogla ship, the sect's First Maje, named Jal Razik ("Jal" is a courtesy title), confers with his next in command, named Jal Haliz, about the sensor reading that is Chakotay's vessel. "There, you see? We should them the price of displaying their markings in our space." Haliz: "I'll go." Razik: "Let Kar do it this time." Haliz: "He's not ready." Razik: "He thinks he is. He's been demanding a chance for weeks to earn his name." Haliz: "Do you really believe he could do this?" Razik: "Can you honestly say you knew you were ready for your first mission, Haliz? Tell him. Tell him today is the day he will finally be called Ogla."

Chakotay's ritual is interrupted when the shuttlecraft rocks violently. He hurries to the helm. "Computer, report!"
Computer: "The shuttlecraft has sustained phaser fire. Minor damage to aft shields." Chakotay: "Source?" Computer: "A Kazon spacecraft closing at 195 mark 6."
Chakotay: "Computer, open a channel to the Kazon vessel." When the channel is open: "This is Commander Chakotay of the Federation Starship Voyager. Why have you fired on me?"
An aggressive Kazon youth replies - this is Kar: "You are in Kazon-Ogla space, Federation." Chakotay: "I wasn't aware of that. I have no hostile intentions. Power down your weapons and I'll leave." Kar: "No one who violates Ogla space leaves!" Chakotay: "Look, son, my starship is only a few light-years away." Kar: "I am not your son, Federation. I am your executioner!" Chakotay: "Chakotay to Kazon vessel. Listen carefully: I do not want a fight. Stand down or I will be forced to return fire." The Kazon ship fires again.
Chakotay takes the shuttlecraft into a maneuver that brings him behind the enemy ship. To execute the maneuver he flies the shuttlecraft upside down for a distance.
Chakotay: "Chakotay to Kazon vessel. I've established a direct weapons lock on your engine core. This is my final warning. If you don't stand down, I will destroy your ship."
There is no response. "Alright, if that's the way you want to play it." His weapons target the Kazon ship.
Chakotay fires phasers.
Phasers firing.
"Chakotay to Kazon vessel. Do you read me? Computer, are there any lifesigns on board the Kazon vessel." Computer: "Affirmative. One lifesign." Chakotay: "Kazon ship, your engine core is critical. You have less than thirty seconds to evacuate. Do you read me? If you have an escape pod you must eject now! Computer, establish a transporter lock on the lifeform." Computer: "Acknowledged. Targetting scanners." Chakotay: "Prepare to beam them aboard." Computer: "Scanners locked." Chakotay: "Energise!"
The Kazon youth is beamed aboard. transporter
A second later his ship explodes.
Chakotay tries to contact Voyager: "Chakotay to Voyager. Chakotay to Voyager." There is no reply. "Computer, damage report."
Chakotay works the controls. Computer: "Long-range communications, lateral sensor array and aft shields are offline." Chakotay is frustrated and comments sarcastically: Great!" He turns to his prisoner. "Welcome aboard."

Voyager orbits a planet.
Captain's Ready Room. Neelix: "It's not that I feel that I'm not making contributions as chef and morale officer..."
Janeway: "You make significant contributions, Neelix." Neelix: "Well, if you insist..." Janeway: "I can't imagine how Lieutenant Ayala would be handling the separation from his children without you." Neelix: "He misses his boys terribly. Wish I could do more for him."
Janeway: "And your meals are getting to be-" Neelix: "Yes?"
Janeway: "-Almost certainly a highlight of every day." Neelix: "Oh, Captain! You always know how to touch one's heart, thank you. When I signed on, I promised you that, I promised you that I would stand by your side through every danger this Quadrant has to offer as guide, as strategist, as explorer, as adventurer-"
Janeway: "Yes?" Neelix: "I feel under-utilised. I can swashbuckle with the best of them."
Janeway surmises: "You weren't invited to the Holodeck defence simulations, were you." Neelix: "No."
The com. signal sounds. Tuvok says, via comms: "Captain, you are needed on the Bridge." Janeway, via comms: "On my way." Contact ends. To Neelix: "I'll see to it that you're invited next time. And now, Mr Neelix, please join me on the Bridge." Neelix: "Yes, sir, ma'am, Captain." He is not quite sure what to address her as.
As they enter the Bridge Tuvok reports to Janeway: "We are ready to depart. However, Commander Chakotay has still not returned." Janeway: "Have you tried hailing him?" Kim: "On all frequencies. No response."
Neelix is paying great attention to what is going on on the Bridge.
Janeway: "When was the last time we heard from him?" Tuvok: "More than six hours ago." Janeway: "Well, according to his flight plan he's not far. We'll just have to go get him. I want all away teams back on board now. Mr Paris, plot a course for Chakotay's last known co-ordinates." Paris: "Aye, Captain."

Kazon graphic web work by me. About the Kazon graphic / How to use the image map (pop-up)