MANEUVERS
Episode 27
Part B

 

Janeway, via comms: "Can you lock onto the module and beam it back?" Tuvok, via comms, checking the transporter control console: "Not at the moment. As soon as the Kazon dematerialised, we lost all transporter power."

Janeway: "Mr Chakotay, lock a tractor beam onto their ship. They're not leaving with that module." Chakotay: "Aye, Captain." Kim: "The Kazon are powering their warp engines, Captain." Janeway: "Make it fast, Commander." Chakotay: "Engaging tractor beam. I've got them, Captain." Kim: "The Kazon ship is hailing us."

Janeway: "Suddenly they want to talk. On screen." viewscreen (with bridge background sound) Culluh, on viewscreen: "Captain Janeway. First Maje Culluh of the Kazon-Nistrim." Janeway: "I remember you, Culluh. That transporter module you just stole is specifically designed for our ship. You'll never be able to integrate it with your systems."

Culluh, on viewscreen: "I've had some help updating our technology since we last met." He motions and a woman comes over and joins him. Janeway: "Seska!" Seska, on viewscreen: "That's right, Captain. As you can see, I'm in the process of restoring my Cardassian physiology. Hello, Chakotay."

Chakotay: "I should've known you were involved." Seska, on viewscreen: "Yes, you should have. Just like I knew you'd try and stop us with a tractor beam. You've always been so predictable." She presses a button on the Kazon control console and Voyager jolts.

Kim: "Captain, their deflector shields are creating a feedback loop. It's neutralising the tractor emitter." Chakotay: "Attempting to compensate."

Seska, on viewscreen: "Goodbye, Chakotay. Lovely to see you again." viewscreen off Contact ends. Paris: "It's too late. They've gone to warp." Chakotay mulls over events.

In Cargo Bay 2, Torres is examining the torpedo ship used by the Kazon-Nistrim raiders. Torres climbs out from inside the torpedo ship. "They modified the bow to puncture our hull." Neelix: "I've never seen the Kazon do anything like this before." Tuvok: "Until now, the Kazon have never had an advisor with Cardassian, Maquis and Starfleet tactical experience."

Kim: "The question is, how do we dislodge it without losing structural integrity? With power down, our containment fields are already extremely unstable." Torres: "We'll have to re-route power to the containment field and tow the shuttle out with one of our own. Then we can repair the breach. The shields and warp drive will have to wait." Janeway: "Warp power isn't going to do us much good with this knife stuck in our belly. Get it out fast. We don't want the Kazon to put too much distance between us."

Neelix: "Forgive me, Captain, but are you sure going after the Nistrim is the wisest course of action, after what they've already done to us?" Janeway: "Let me make something very clear. The Nistrim are in possession of Federation technology. That is an unacceptable situation." Neelix: "Even though all they've stolen is a small computer component?"

Janeway: "That small component has the potential to cause vast problems in this Quadrant. You're our resident expert on the Kazon. What do you think the other Kazon will do when they realise the Nistrim have transporter capability?" Neelix: "They'll try to get it for themselves any way they can. You're right, it could alter the balance of power among the sects." Janeway: "Exactly, and it is our duty to do everything we can, no matter how dangerous, to stop that from happening." Neelix: "You can count on me, Captain."

Chakotay: "From the look of these sensor readings, Seska wants us to come after her." Janeway: "Commander?" Chakotay: "I think Seska's leading us into another trap. She masterminded a precision raid that made us look like first year Academy students but she left a warp trail for us to follow. After such a flawless performance, why would she suddenly make that kind of mistake?" Janeway: "You think she wants more than the transporter. Are you suggesting we don't follow her?"

Chakotay: "No, I agree with everything you said about preventing the spread of our technology. But conventional tactics aren't going to work with Seska. We need to come at her with a few surprises of our own." Janeway: "I'm open to suggestions." Tuvok: "Perhaps Commander Chakotay could use his intimate knowledge of Seska to manipulate her in much the same way as she manipulated us."

At this, Chakotay turns and gives Tuvok a hard look.

On board his warship, Culluh is displaying the transporter module.

Culluh: "It can move people great distances in the blink of an eye, Haron. But this transporter is only the beginning." Haron: "Go on, I'm listening."

Culluh: "There is a ship filled with new technology - devices that can make food, water, even weapons, appear out of thin air, a computer system which uses neural tissue that can react twice as fast as ours." Haron, standing facing Culluh with Haron's aide standing next to him: "Very interesting, Culluh, but what does all this have to do with me?" Culluh: "That ship is on its way here. Help us and we can divide the spoils."

In engineering, Torres and Chakotay exit onto the upper level and travel down by the open lift to the lower level.

The arrive at the lower level, and move past a control console to a work-station with a desk-height interface and a wall-mounted monitor where Chakotay works the controls.

Torres: "The module Seska stole contains a quantum resonance oscillator, so we modify this coil scanner," which she is holding, "to detect the oscillator then we get close enough to beam it back." Chakotay: "I'm betting Seska's figured a way to shield the module from our transporters. We might have to destroy it instead." Torres: "How do we do that?" Chakotay: "We borrow a trick from Seska's book. Remember how we disabled the computer core on the Cardassian frigate orbiting Bajor?" Torres: "Seska modified an anti-proton beam to penetrate its shields and hull." Chakotay: "Exactly." Torres: "But if I remember correctly the beam was only effective from an extremely close range. How do we get near enough to the Nistrim ship?" Chakotay: "One thing at a time." Torres: "You're taking this all very personally, aren't you?" Chakotay: "Why shouldn't I?" Torres: "You're not responsible for what happened." Chakotay: "Oh no? I let her join the Maquis. I took her into my confidence. I even got intimately involved with her." Torres: "So you have lousy taste in women. Look, Chakotay, she fooled us all. She was my best friend, at least that's what I thought." Chakotay: "Well, I for one am through being manipulated by her." Torres: "Are you sure? Because she's affecting you. That's just where she wants you." Lightly, echoing his words to her about hoveball: "Don't tense up." Chakotay smiles at the verbal echo and replies with humour: "So now I'm getting advice about controlling my emotions from you."

Aboard the Nistrim warship, the meeting continues between Culluh, First Maje of the Kazon-Nistrim, and Haron, First Maje of the Kazon-Relora.

Haron: "Our sects have been blood enemies for generations, and yet now you ask for my help to defeat this Voyager. Why not simply do it yourselves? I'll tell you why - because the Nistrim are weak and Relora are strong. Your grandfather's time has passed, Culluh. You've presided over the demise of your own sect, whittled away your strength-"

Culluh interrupts: "Enough! You may have ships and soldiers, but I have the technology." Haron: "And I congratulate you on the daring and cunning of your raid. Now, why don't you give me this transporter technology, assuming it's authentic, and let the Relora do what we do best?" He and his aide exchange glances and his aide smiles. "When we have defeated the Voyager, we will not forget the Nistrim's assistance." Culluh: "You think I'm a fool? I won't hand this technology over to you."

Haron: "Then perhaps we will have to take it." His aide brings up his weapon. Culluh aims his own weapon, but Haron and his aide have the upper hand.

Seska to Culluh: "Why don't we let the Maje go back to his ship while we consider his offer?" Culluh is about to bluster. Haron: "Listen to your woman, Culluh." Seska persuades Culluh with a knowing look.

Culluh and Seska turn to Haron and his aide with placating smiles.

Haron smiles, believing he has won and has the upper hand.

Bridge. Paris: "Picking up a gap in the Nistrim's warp trail, Captain." Janeway: "All stop. Let's take a look." Kim: "Captain, I've got some floating debris at bearing three one nine mark four."

Janeway: "On screen." viewscreen "What is it?" Kim: "I'm not sure yet." Janeway: "Magnify."

The "floating debris" turns out to be two dead bodies floating in space.

In Sickbay, the Doctor scans one of the dead bodies with a medical tricorder as Chakotay, Janeway and Neelix look on, while Kes stands beside the Doctor ready to assist him.

Doctor: "I'm detecting a residual transporter signature. There is no doubt that this man and his unfortunate companion were beamed into space." Kes: "And according to these readings, they were alive at the time, Captain."

Janeway: "It looks like Seska's already adapted the transporter module into the Kazon's systems and started experimenting with it." Doctor: "Her early trials appear to have been less than successful." Neelix: "I'm not so sure these men died by accident, Captain. You see this green band he's wearing? It means he was the First Maje of the Kazon-Relora." Janeway: "Relora?"

Neelix: "Sworn enemies of the Nistrim. It's conceivable that Seska and Culluh used the transporter to execute these men."

Janeway: "Captain's log, stardate 49208.5. I have convened a meeting of the senior staff to determine how we can get close enough to the Nistrim ship to deploy the anti-proton beam."

Janeway enters the Briefing Room where the senior staff are assembled ready for the meeting.

She notices someone is missing: "Where's Chakotay?" Torres: "He was in Engineering helping me modify the coil scanner. He said he'd be right up."

Janeway, via comms: "Janeway to Chakotay." There is no response. "Computer, locate Commander Chakotay." Computer: "Commander Chakotay is not aboard the ship."

 

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