Persistence of Vision : Episode 24 Part E :: EPISODE GUIDES

PERSISTENCE OF VISION : Episode 24

Part E

In Sickbay the Doctor uses the comm. system. "Sickbay to Engineering: Lieutenant Torres, please respond. Doctor to the Messhall: Mr Neelix, are you there? This is the Doctor to anyone on the ship. If you can hear me, please reply." He gives up. "Either the communication system is malfunctioning or everyone on board has succumbed to a delusional state."
Kes: "Except you and me."

Doctor: "It would appear that, if the psionic field is to be blocked and the crew restored to normal, it's up to us. You will have to go to Engineering and complete Lieutenant Torres' efforts to create a resonance burst."
Kes: "I don't know how to do that."
Doctor: "I'll assist you from here."
Kes: "Do you know how to do it?"
Doctor: "I....discussed the matter with Lieutenant Torres. I think I understand the basic principle behind the plan. How hard can it be?"
Kes: "Alright."
Doctor: "Go to Engineering immediately. I'll contact you there."

On her way to Engineering, Kes finds Paris sprawled in a corridor, suffering from severe burns to the face.
Kes: "Tom! What happened?"
Paris: "A plasma leak, caught me in the face. Help me!"
Kes: "Can you get to Sickbay. The Doctor is there."
Paris: "Come with me."
Kes: "I can't. I have to get to Engineering."
Paris: "You can't leave me like this. It hurts!"
Kes: "Tom, you can walk. You have to get to Sickbay on your own."

Paris: "Kes, please. I can't."
Kes realises: "You don't want me to get to Engineering. I'm hallucinating."
She gets up and carries on for engineering, despite the cries of 'Paris' who is actually the Bothan in Paris' guise: "Kes, wait. Come back! Don't leave me! COME BACK!"

Kes enters engineering. Everyone there is in a catatonic state, all hallucinating. She sees Torres there as well.

She goes to a wall monitor and activates it.
Doctor: "Finally. What took you so long?"

Kes: "Doctor, we have to set up this resonance burst as quickly as possible. I've started hallucinating."

Doctor: "Then see if Lieutenant Torres' program is active."
Kes examines a workstation. "I think I have it. B'Elanna was writing a program to open a symmetrical warp field."
Doctor: "Alright. You'll have to sequence the magnetic plasma constriction to the following formula: t=c₁ over theta times p_e."
Kes: "How do I do that?"
Doctor: "I'm not sure. Wait a minute. I'll see if I can access Starfleet's interactive database."

Neelix enters and comes up to her. Anxiously he says: "Sweetie, thank goodness I found you. Are you alright?"
Kes: "Where've you been?"
Neelix: "In the Messhall trying to help the poor souls there."
Kes: "Why didn't you answer the Doctor's hails?"
Neelix: "I didn't hear them. The comm. system must be down, and frankly I was a little busy. Ashmore thought I was a Kazon, tried to kill me with a carving knife."

Kes: "How do I know you're really Neelix?"
Neelix: "Who else would I be? Kes, all I want to do is protect you, to keep you safe. We have to away from here, get to my shuttle."
His talk of leaving makes Kes realise that he is an hallucination.
Kes: "Doctor, have you figured out how I can enter that sequencing code?"
Doctor: "It's quite simple really. Do you know where the command module is?"
Kes: "Of course."
Doctor: "Activate it and select magnetic plasma sequencing."

'Neelix' (Bothan): "You're becoming annoying."
Kes: "I've got it. It's activated. Now it's asking me to enter the core temperature."
'Neelix' (Bothan) to Kes: "Move away from that console!"

Doctor: "Now, we need a temperature high enough to emit the resonance burst but not so high as to irradiate everyone on the ship. Try 3 million kelvins."
But before she can do so, suddenly she finds horrible painful eruptions all over her skin! She screams from the pain.

But the Doctor realises it is another hallucination caused by the Bothan. He tells Kes, "Kes, look at him."
Kes: "It hurts!"
Doctor: "Look at him. Focus."
Kes: "I can't."
Doctor: "Yes, you can. The mirror! - remember?"
Kes: "It hurts too much!"
Doctor: "Kes, look at him."
The Bothan turns off the monitor so that the Doctor can no longer try to influence Kes, then returns and gloats at Kes' agony.
'Neelix' (Bothan): "What's the matter, Kes - can't lift your head?"

Kes orders herself: "Focus."
Slowly, determinedly, she manages to lift her head. She stares at the Bothan.

And the mirror effect happens - the skin eruptions break out all over 'Neelix''s skin! The Bothan shrieks in pain and finally falls to the floor, shouting, "Stop it!" as he writhes.

The Bothan, now very weak, cannot sustain his 'Neelix' appearance, and reverts to his usual form.

Kes switches the monitor back on. "I'm alright now, Doctor, and I've entered a temperature of 3 million kelvin."
Doctor: "Then all you have to do is activate the warp field."
Kes: "Right, here we go."
The resonance burst works, and all the crew are suddenly back to normal.

Kes helps Torres as she clambers to her feet. Torres asks: "What happened?"
Kes: "It's a long story, but I think everything's alright now."
Torres sees the Bothan who, subdued by Kes' telepathic abilities, can only lie there, helpless. "Is that who's responsible for all this?"
Kes: "Apparently. He looks so harmless. It's hard to believe he almost destroyed us."

Torres grabs a phaser and covers the Bothan with it.
Bothan to Kes: "You're a powerful little thing. I must say you surprised me."

Janeway enters. She addresses the Bothan. "Why did you do this to us?"
Bothan: "Because I can."

Janeway: "Is it just telepathy, or is there technology involved?"
Bothan: "Does it matter?"
Janeway: "It matters to me, because I don't intend to let you continue preying on others."
Bothan: "How would you propose to stop me?"
Janeway: "We could destroy your technology, or adjust your brainwave patterns to prevent telepathy, and then we could turn you over to the government of Mithren. We could even keep you confined in our brig behind a forcefield."
Bothan: "I'm sure you're very well intentioned, Captain, and I'd like to be able to accommodate you. But you see, I'm not really here."
He vanishes! The three Bothan ships also vanish!

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Janeway: "Captain's log, supplemental. We have no explanation for the mysterious disappearance of the telepathic alien. We can't even be certain that he was actually here. He seems to have left us with any number of unanswered questions."

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Torres enters the Messhall, and goes over to where Janeway is sitting deep in thought, looking out at the passing stars.
Torres: "I'm surprised to see you here, Captain. Isn't this the day that you're usually in the Holodeck with your novel?"
Janeway: "I thought, after our recent experience, that I'd take a break from fantasy for a while."

Torres: "I don't blame you. I think it had quite an impact on all of us. Do you think it's true? That the alien was really in our minds? creating images from our own experiences?"
Janeway: "It seemed that way. He had an uncanny ability to bring buried thoughts out into the open. Why?"
Torres: "Oh, it's just I experienced something I'd rather not admit."

Janeway: "I know. Me too. But in a way, maybe he did us all a favour. Maybe it's better to look those feelings in the eye, than to keep them locked up inside."
Torres: "I guess I'll have to think about that. Oh, I have an early watch tomorrow, so I'd better turn in. Good night, Captain."

Janeway: "Good night, B'Elanna. Sweet dreams."
Torres: "Thanks. You too."

She leaves, and Janeway continues to ponder as she gazes out at the stars.

	In Sickbay the Doctor uses the comm. system. "Sickbay to Engineering: Lieutenant Torres, please respond. Doctor to the Messhall: Mr Neelix, are you there? This is the Doctor to anyone on the ship. If you can hear me, please reply." He gives up. "Either the communication system is malfunctioning or everyone on board has succumbed to a delusional state." Kes: "Except you and me."
	Doctor: "It would appear that, if the psionic field is to be blocked and the crew restored to normal, it's up to us. You will have to go to Engineering and complete Lieutenant Torres' efforts to create a resonance burst." Kes: "I don't know how to do that." Doctor: "I'll assist you from here." Kes: "Do you know how to do it?" Doctor: "I....discussed the matter with Lieutenant Torres. I think I understand the basic principle behind the plan. How hard can it be?" Kes: "Alright." Doctor: "Go to Engineering immediately. I'll contact you there."
	On her way to Engineering, Kes finds Paris sprawled in a corridor, suffering from severe burns to the face. Kes: "Tom! What happened?" Paris: "A plasma leak, caught me in the face. Help me!" Kes: "Can you get to Sickbay. The Doctor is there." Paris: "Come with me." Kes: "I can't. I have to get to Engineering." Paris: "You can't leave me like this. It hurts!" Kes: "Tom, you can walk. You have to get to Sickbay on your own."
	Paris: "Kes, please. I can't." Kes realises: "You don't want me to get to Engineering. I'm hallucinating." She gets up and carries on for engineering, despite the cries of 'Paris' who is actually the Bothan in Paris' guise: "Kes, wait. Come back! Don't leave me! COME BACK!"
	Kes enters engineering. Everyone there is in a catatonic state, all hallucinating. She sees Torres there as well.
	She goes to a wall monitor and activates it. Doctor: "Finally. What took you so long?"
	Kes: "Doctor, we have to set up this resonance burst as quickly as possible. I've started hallucinating."
	Doctor: "Then see if Lieutenant Torres' program is active." Kes examines a workstation. "I think I have it. B'Elanna was writing a program to open a symmetrical warp field." Doctor: "Alright. You'll have to sequence the magnetic plasma constriction to the following formula: t=c₁ over theta times p_e." Kes: "How do I do that?" Doctor: "I'm not sure. Wait a minute. I'll see if I can access Starfleet's interactive database."
	Neelix enters and comes up to her. Anxiously he says: "Sweetie, thank goodness I found you. Are you alright?" Kes: "Where've you been?" Neelix: "In the Messhall trying to help the poor souls there." Kes: "Why didn't you answer the Doctor's hails?" Neelix: "I didn't hear them. The comm. system must be down, and frankly I was a little busy. Ashmore thought I was a Kazon, tried to kill me with a carving knife."
	Kes: "How do I know you're really Neelix?" Neelix: "Who else would I be? Kes, all I want to do is protect you, to keep you safe. We have to away from here, get to my shuttle." His talk of leaving makes Kes realise that he is an hallucination. Kes: "Doctor, have you figured out how I can enter that sequencing code?" Doctor: "It's quite simple really. Do you know where the command module is?" Kes: "Of course." Doctor: "Activate it and select magnetic plasma sequencing."
	'Neelix' (Bothan): "You're becoming annoying." Kes: "I've got it. It's activated. Now it's asking me to enter the core temperature." 'Neelix' (Bothan) to Kes: "Move away from that console!"
	Doctor: "Now, we need a temperature high enough to emit the resonance burst but not so high as to irradiate everyone on the ship. Try 3 million kelvins." But before she can do so, suddenly she finds horrible painful eruptions all over her skin! She screams from the pain.
	But the Doctor realises it is another hallucination caused by the Bothan. He tells Kes, "Kes, look at him." Kes: "It hurts!" Doctor: "Look at him. Focus." Kes: "I can't." Doctor: "Yes, you can. The mirror! - remember?" Kes: "It hurts too much!" Doctor: "Kes, look at him." The Bothan turns off the monitor so that the Doctor can no longer try to influence Kes, then returns and gloats at Kes' agony. 'Neelix' (Bothan): "What's the matter, Kes - can't lift your head?"

	Kes switches the monitor back on. "I'm alright now, Doctor, and I've entered a temperature of 3 million kelvin." Doctor: "Then all you have to do is activate the warp field." Kes: "Right, here we go." The resonance burst works, and all the crew are suddenly back to normal.
	Kes helps Torres as she clambers to her feet. Torres asks: "What happened?" Kes: "It's a long story, but I think everything's alright now." Torres sees the Bothan who, subdued by Kes' telepathic abilities, can only lie there, helpless. "Is that who's responsible for all this?" Kes: "Apparently. He looks so harmless. It's hard to believe he almost destroyed us."
	Torres grabs a phaser and covers the Bothan with it. Bothan to Kes: "You're a powerful little thing. I must say you surprised me."

	Torres enters the Messhall, and goes over to where Janeway is sitting deep in thought, looking out at the passing stars. Torres: "I'm surprised to see you here, Captain. Isn't this the day that you're usually in the Holodeck with your novel?" Janeway: "I thought, after our recent experience, that I'd take a break from fantasy for a while."
	Torres: "I don't blame you. I think it had quite an impact on all of us. Do you think it's true? That the alien was really in our minds? creating images from our own experiences?" Janeway: "It seemed that way. He had an uncanny ability to bring buried thoughts out into the open. Why?" Torres: "Oh, it's just I experienced something I'd rather not admit."
	Janeway: "I know. Me too. But in a way, maybe he did us all a favour. Maybe it's better to look those feelings in the eye, than to keep them locked up inside." Torres: "I guess I'll have to think about that. Oh, I have an early watch tomorrow, so I'd better turn in. Good night, Captain."
	Janeway: "Good night, B'Elanna. Sweet dreams." Torres: "Thanks. You too."
	She leaves, and Janeway continues to ponder as she gazes out at the stars.