 | A meeting is held in the Briefing Room between most of the senior Voyager staff, Tanis and an aide, and Kes.
Janeway: "Our readings identified a sporocystian lifeform in this area. We've been looking for that lifeform for months." Tanis: "Why? To destroy it." Janeway: "No. On the contrary, we believe it has the technology that could send us home." |
 | Tanis: "Captain, are you aware of how your ship is regarded? That when Voyager appears, people fear destruction? Your ship is known as a ship of death."
Janeway: "What??" |
 | Tanis: "You've established quite a reputation. You killed the Caretaker, declared war on the Kazon, raided planets for their resources."
Chakotay: "None of that is true. We've never attacked anyone except in self-defence." |
 | Tuvok: "And we did not kill the Caretaker. He died of natural causes."
Janeway: "Mr Tanis, please try to understand. We only want to find the entity we've been looking for." |
 | Tanis contacts Kes telepathically: I want to talk to you alone. |  |
 | Janeway: "Our sensors tell us she's somewhere in this region. Can you help us find her?"
Kes: "Captain, I'd like to speak to Tanis alone, if I may." Janeway: "Very well." The others leave.  standard doors Kes and Tanis are left alone. |
 | Tanis: "Why should I believe any of this?"
Kes: "These are kind people, Tanis. They saved my life at great risk to themselves. They didn't have to. They wouldn't lie to you." Tanis: "I will admit these people are hardly what I expected. But more unexpected was finding you here, Kes. I had no idea any Ocampa had left the homeworld so recently." |
 | Kes: "I have about a thousand questions to ask you."
Tanis: "I know. And I'm going to try to answer them. Is this where you spend your time?" Kes: "You mean, in this room? No. This is where the Bridge officers usually meet." Tanis: "I want to see where you live. I want to see the place that is special to you." |
| Kes shows Tanis the airponics bay.
Tanis: "You did all this?" Kes: "I had a little help, but yes, most of it is my work." Tanis: "You've done well, bringing something so beautiful into a place so sterile." Kes: "Sterile. Voyager?" Tanis: "Look around you, Kes. This is a cold and barren place." Kes: "There are over 150 people on board. I'd hardly call that barren." Tanis: "There are people but there is so little life. Part of me weeps to see you in this place. You're so isolated. Corridors, bulkheads, all cutting you off from the world around you." Kes: "You live on a space station. How is it any different?" Tanis: "Well, I assure you, it's very different. You're very young, aren't you." Kes: "Two years." Tanis: "Would it surprise you to know that I am 14 years old." Kes: "That's not possible. The oldest Ocampa only lived to be 9." Tanis: "You know so little about your own people. There's so much for you to learn about yourself, about the galaxy. Being here on this ship is holding you back." Kes: "These people are helping me. I'm a member of the crew." Tanis: "I suppose we were like you once: innocent, naive. But when Suspiria brought us here 300 years ago she began to teach us how we could become stronger than we ever could have on the homeworld." Kes: "Suspiria - is that your Caretaker?" Tanis: "We don't think of her as a caretaker. Her species is actually called the Nacene." Kes: "Then you do know her. Where is she?" Tanis: "Nearby. But she's so different from the entity you knew. He was only interested in maintaining the status quo. He kept our people servile and weak. Suspiria taught us to develop our psychokinetic skills which had lain dormant for so long. We have abilities far beyond anything you can imagine." Kes: "Like what?" |
 | Tanis' mind accelerates the growth of the flowers. In just a few seconds the airponics bay is alive and bright with blossoms! "We can enhance life. And that's only the beginning, Kes." |
 | Kes moves around the room, revelling in the scents and colours of the beautiful flowers.
Tanis: "I have to return to the station. We'll talk again." He leaves. airponics bay doors |
| In the Captain's Ready Room, Kes has been explaining her encounter with Tanis to Janeway and Tuvok.
Janeway: "Sounds like you've established a dialogue with Tanis. It's an excellent beginning. Good work." Kes: "Thank you, Captain." Janeway: "Kes, is there something wrong?" Kes: "Not exactly. I'm just a little overwhelmed. I always believed that my people had the potential to be more than what they were, that our mental abilities can be somehow heightened. And now I've met someone who's realised that potential, and I don't know whether to be excited or frightened." Tuvok: "A non-emotional response would be more useful." Janeway: "But, since you're not a Vulcan, I'd say a mixture of the two emotions would be appropriate. It's an exciting moment, Kes, and I'm very happy for you. But just remember: we know very little about these Ocampa. Be cautious in your dealings with Tanis." Kes: "I will. But I just have a good feeling about him." |
 | In a room on the space station, Tanis communicates telepathically with Suspiria.
Tanis: "I've met with the Ocampa girl. She has potential." Suspiria, who has a harsh-sounding and deep voice: "I don't care about the girl. She's yours. Bring me the ship!" |
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Tanis communicates with Suspiria.
 music and telepathic dialogue
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 | A dinner is given for Tanis, attended by Kes, Neelix, Chakotay, Tuvok and Janeway.
Neelix: "This is delicious! Mr Tanis, is it true you're 14 years old?" Tanis: "Yes. That's quite common with my people here. Suspiria helped us develop a technology to extend the Ocampa lifespan, generations ago. My father lived to be 20 years." Neelix: "Would that technology work for Kes?" Tanis: "Possibly." |
 | Janeway: "Where does Suspiria live? Another Array?" |
 | Tanis: "Oh nothing so corporeal as that. She exists as pure sporocystian energy. She only assumes physical form when we need to communicate with her." |
 | Chakotay: "Does she occupy our space-time continuum?"
Tanis: "I don't know. All I know is when we need her she comes. I'll take you to the meeting place. I'm sure all your questions will be answered then. You'll enjoy meeting her, Kes, as well as the other Ocampa here." Kes: "I'd love to visit the station." Tanis: "Visit? Why not stay with us?" Kes: "Stay?" |
 Neelix becomes rather anxious at the thought that Kes might want to stay on the Ocampa space station. | Tanis: "Yes. I think you could learn a lot from us, we from you. We haven't been in contact with the Ocampa world for hundreds of years. We'd be fascinated to hear about our distant cousins."
Kes: "That sounds wonderful, but-" Janeway: "Kes, you certainly don't have to decide something this important right now. Give it some thought." Tanis: "She's absolutely right. There's no rush." |
 | Kes: "I appreciate that. I am curious about your mental abilities. They're so much greater than mine." |
 | Tuvok: "Do not under-estimate your own potential, Kes. Your mental abilities are rapidly maturing."
Tanis: "I might be able to help you. No offence to Mr Tuvok, but I am more familiar with the Ocampa mind." |
 | Kes: "I would appreciate any insight you could give me."
Tanis: "Oh good. Maybe later this evening?" |
 | Tuvok: "It is a highly-reactive sporocystian toxin." |
 | Doctor: "I ran a microcellular analysis of the Caretaker's remains and discovered a critical enzyme in his cellular structure." |  |
 | Tuvok: "The energy in this cylinder is formulated to break down that enzyme. It would result in temporary paralysis."
Janeway: "Mr Tanis says she's harmless." Tuvok: "It is my hope that we only have to use it as a precautionary measure." Janeway: "Very well. Proceed." |
 | That evening, in the Messhall, with Neelix peeking from the Galley, Tanis gives Kes her first lesson. |  |
 | Tanis: "In your mind, visualise your hand. Now reach out with that hand and grab the tea cup. Reach out with the fingers of your mind. Grasp it. Do you have it?"
Kes: "I can feel the handle and the texture of the metal but I can't move it." Tanis: "Don't try to move it. Just try to take a drink from it. See, you can do it." The cup moves. |
 | Kes: "I don't understand! I didn't try to move it."
Tanis: "No, you just tried to drink from it. And what would you do if you wanted to take a drink?" Kes: "I'd reach out and pick it up." Tanis: "That's right. But you wouldn't be thinking about picking it up. You'd simply do. And that's what you just learned: focus on the goal not the task. When you wanted the tea, it came to you." |
 | Neelix comes out from the Galley and sits near them. "Er, erm, excuse me."
Tanis tells Neelix curtly: "We're not finished." |
 | Tanis turns his attention back to Kes: "I know you're tired. But I want you to try one more thing. It's called: wouldn't it taste better if it were hot. See past the liquid, not with your eyes, with your mind. What your eyes show you is only the surface of reality. Look deeper. There is no liquid. There is no cup. There is only a collection of molecules, atoms, moving, vibrating." |
 | Kes: "I see them. They're barely moving." |
 | As Kes concentrates, they communicate telepathically.
Tanis: "That's because they're cold. How would you heat them up?" Kes: "With a fire." Tanis: "That's right. With the fire of your mind." Kes: "How do I do that?" Tanis: "Focus on the goal not the task. Don't think about creating the fire, just use it." |
 | The tea begins to bubble as it boils!
Kes says: "Oh I see it now. It's so simple." |  |
 | Tanis replies: "That's right. But that's enough for tonight. Tomorrow I'll take you to the next level. Until then, good night." |
 | After Tanis leaves, Neelix comes forward delightedly. "May I say something now?!"
Kes: "Of course, Neelix!" He hugs her. "I'm so proud of you! I knew you could do it. This is a whole new beginning for you, Kes." Kes: "I know. I know. But what if I did go?" Neelix: "Go?" |
 | Kes: "To the Ocampa Array. If I decided to live with Tanis and the others, would you go with me?"
Neelix: "I'd go anywhere with you." |
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