PARTURITION
Episode 23
Part A

 

Paris is supervising a shuttlecraft piloting lesson for Kes on the Holodeck. Paris: "Inertial dampers have failed." Kes: "I can't get any response from the field coils."

Paris: "Did you verify the control inputs?" Kes: "Stand by." She goes to the appropriate monitor and checks. "The inputs have locked. We've got to flush the plasma injectors. Oh, maybe it's just a phase synchronisation adjustment." Paris: "Plasma injectors."

Kes: "Plasma injectors. Right." She purges the plasma injectors. Paris: "Field coils responding. Inertial dampers back online."

As she makes her way back to the helm, she stumbles and falls into his arms and onto his lap. He holds to stop her from falling.

Kes, referring to the plasma injectors: "That was not fair." Paris: "As your flight instructor, it's my duty to prepare you for anything, fair or not." Kes: "Clogging someone's plasma injectors is a dirty trick." Paris: "Yes, well, I'm famous for my dirty tricks, you know." The shuttlecraft shakes violently as something impacts its hull. They are being attacked by enemy alien warships! Kes: "What was that?" Paris: "I never said the simulation was finished."

Kes makes a face and leaps into the pilot's seat. She works the controls busily. Kes: "Computer, evasive maneuvers."

Paris watches her, seeing her in a different light after she stumbled onto his lap.

Later, as they leave the Holodeck holodeck doors they are laughing and joking about what happened. Kes: "I'll be ready for anything next time." Paris: "Oh, ho! Sounds like a challenge to me."

They go off down the corridor. Neither notice that Neelix has been secretly waiting beside the Holodeck doors and is jealously watching them.

Janeway is studying a PADD, working in the Captain's Ready Room. The door signal sounds. door signal "Come in." standard doors Chakotay enters. "I hope you have good news, Commander. Based on this inventory, our food reserves look to be down to thirty percent of capacity." Chakotay: "Good news and bad. We have located an M-class planet, and it shows high amino acid and protein readings."

Janeway: "That should indicate a healthy plant life. What's bad about it?" Chakotay: "It's a full day out of our way." Janeway: "I don't think we have any choice. It's the first chance we've had to replenish our supplies in weeks." Chakotay: "And our long-range sensors can't confirm any plant life on the surface." Janeway: "Why not?"

Chakotay: "It's one strange planet, Captain." He sits down, turns her personal computer and turns it on. He calls up the data. "It's shrouded. Vapours cover it like a curtain - EM disturbances all over the atmosphere." Janeway: "Some of these readings suggest a planet early in its evolution, almost like a primeval Earth."

Chakotay: "The people in Stellar Cartography have already nicknamed it Planet Hell." Janeway smiles at the nickname. "So it might be a wild goose chase."

Chakotay: "Captain, I don't know what we'll find when we get to the surface - flora or fauna, friend or foe." Janeway: "If we knew we'd find another M-class planet soon, I'd....." She decides: "Set a course for Planet Hell, Commander."

Shortly afterwards, Voyager's warp nacelles rise and the Federation starship jumps to warp speed with a flash.

Kim is practising the clarinet in his quarters.

The door signal sounds. door signal He goes over the doors, presses the right control and the doors open. standard doors Tom Paris is waiting outside and comes in. Paris, referring to the music: "That was you?" Kim: "That was me."

Paris: "I'm impressed." Kim: "I keep hearing my mother say, 'Practice, Harry, practice.' So I ate Neelix's food for a week and used my replicator rations." Paris: "Play something for me." He goes over to the sofa and sprawls.

Kim: "Well, I've only had it for a few days, and I don't think-" Paris: "Oh, come on. Play something. Just pretend I'm not here."

Kim begins to play the piece he was practising earlier. "Play something different." Kim stops playing: "Different?" Paris: "Something not so cheerful." Kim: "Why?" Paris: "What, you don't take requests?"

Kim goes over and sits next to him. "Something bothering you, Paris?" Paris: "Oh, Harry. I'm in trouble." Kim: "What's new." Paris: "I think I'm in love." Kim: "What's new."

Paris: "With Kes." Kim looks at him, worried. "Kes!" Paris: "I know, I know. I never even saw it coming. I thought we were just good buddies. But there she was in my arms." Kim: "In your arms?! Paris, you didn't."

Paris: "What? Oh!" He realises how "in your arms" sounded. "No. I didn't. I wouldn't! She stumbled during a flight simulation. I caught her. I held her for an instant. Are you going to play or not?" Kim starts playing but soon stops as Paris continues: "A whole crew full of women and I have to fall for the one I can't have. Why do I do this to myself?" Kim: "If you ask me, I say you enjoy it." Paris: "Enjoy it?" Kim: "Only thing that makes sense. You've been doing the same thing to yourself your whole life - setting yourself up for rejection. You must enjoy playing the part." Paris: "Hey, don't knock it if you haven't tried it. I just have to be more careful. I can't let myself be alone with her."

Kim: "There's an old Chinese expression: stay out of harm's way." Paris: "That's not a Chinese expression." Kim: "If it works, use it." Paris: "Of course, it would help a little if Kes and I weren't going to be stuck on the same ship for the rest of our lives." Kim: "That's a pessimistic view." Paris: "I'm in a pessimistic mood. Play something pessimistic. Practice, Harry, practice." Instead of 'something pessimistic', Kim plays a bright and pacy tune. "Hmm."

That evening, in Kes' private quarters, Neelix and Kes are eating a candlelit dinner that Neelix has cooked. He has worked to produce a romantic occasion - soft lighting, with flowers and wine on the table to complement his cooking. He is fighting down his jealousy as Kes describes her shuttlecraft lesson on the Holodeck.

Kes: "And then suddenly we fell into a subspace anomaly. None of the readings made any sense. I didn't know what to do!" Neelix: "It must have been terrible for you." He passes her the pepper mill. "Er, pepper, sweetie." Kes: "Ah." She accepts it and grinds pepper onto her meal. "Anyway, it was quite a learning experience."

Neelix: "I'm sure Lieutenant Paris is a fine teacher. Oh!" He gets up and fetches another serving dish. "I, I, I almost forgot the Palliantyne peas."

He is pleased by the aroma as he brings this culinary delight over to the table for Kes to help herself to: "Ah. Ever so lightly spiced."

He smiles at her, but his mind is still on Tom Paris, and Kes senses that something might be wrong.