MANEUVERS
Episode 27
Part C

 

Chakotay is in fact aboard a shuttlecraft and has taken the modified coil scanner with him. He is going after Seska on his own. Carefully he places the coil scanner

Chakotay: "Computer, when will we intercept the Kazon vessel?" Computer: "Approximately thirty minutes."

Janeway and Tuvok discuss matters as they head along the corridor toward Main Engineering. Janeway: "What I want to know, Mr Tuvok, is how he was able to get a shuttlecraft off this ship without either of us knowing about it." Tuvok: "Apparently he was able to override the lock-out command." Janeway: "I guess Seska's not the only one who knows how to compromise our security systems." Tuvok: "I assure you, Captain, it will not happen again." Janeway: "See that it doesn't. Did Chakotay leave any clue about what he's up to?"

They enter engineering.
Tuvok: "I have accessed his personal logs, but there is no reference to his leaving Voyager."
Janeway: "I guess he was in too big a hurry to leave a note."

Torres: "The coil scanner was right here. He must've taken it with him." Janeway: "Then I guess it's pretty clear he's going after Seska." Torres: "Looks like that." Janeway: "You were working with him, Lieutenant. Did he say anything to you?"

Torres: "Just that he felt responsible for Seska and was determined to stop her. But I never thought he would try to do this alone." Janeway: "How big a head start does he have?" Tuvok: "Approximately three hours." Janeway taps her combadge. combadge Via comms: "Janeway to conn." Paris, via comms: "Paris here, Captain." Janeway, via comms: "Lay in a pursuit course for Commander Chakotay's shuttlecraft, maximum impulse." Paris, via comms: "Acknowledged." Contact ends.

Janeway: "And Mr Tuvok, I want a complete review of all security protocols on this ship by 2200 hours." She leaves, and Tuvok says: "Aye, Captain."

Aboard the Kazon-Nistrim warship, the First Maje, Culluh, is discussing matters with Seska. Culluh: "You said the Relora would join us. I should never have listened to you." Seska: "I was wrong. I'm sorry." Culluh: "Kazon sects do not help one another." Seska: "Don't be so sure about that. What did you do to the two men who refused your offer?" Culluh: "I killed them." Seska: "Yes, and by doing that you sent a message - 'The Kazon-Nistrim are powerful again. First Maje Jal Culluh has technology that no other sect possesses. Join with him, or suffer the consequences.'" Culluh: "Maybe the mistake was to approach the Relora. They're already strong. But the transporter may be enough to convince the Hobii to join me, and perhaps the Mostral." Seska: "Yes. And with a few more ships, you can defeat Voyager. And when you have the rest of their technology, the other sects will have no choice but to fall into line. That's why I sent a subspace message to the Mostral, the Hobii and the Oglamar." Culluh, annoyed at her presumption: "You did what?!" Seska: "I told them about the transporter, asked them to help us take Voyager." Culluh: "You have gone too far." Seska: "I sent the messages in your name." Culluh: "I am the leader of this sect. You are only a woman." Seska: "I'm sorry, Culluh." Culluh: "You'll address me as Maje!" Seska: "Yes, Maje. Please, forgive me." Culluh is mollified. "So how did the other sects respond to my request?" Seska: "They're on their way to join us." Culluh, envisioning glory ahead: "I could do what no one has done since Jal Sankur united the sects to overthrow the Trabe." Seska: "Yes, Maje." Culluh: "I could have hundreds of ships and thousands of soldiers under my command." Seska: "Yes, Maje." Culluh is excited at the prospect: "I could be the most powerful Kazon in the Quadrant." Seska: "Yes, Maje." He kisses her hand.

In her Ready Room, Janeway is reading a PADD as she takes a mug of coffee over to the sofa under the window.

The door signal sounds. door signal Janeway: "Come in." Torres enters. standard doors Torres: "Do you have a minute, Captain? It's about Chakotay." Janeway: "That's not exactly my favorite subject right now, Lieutenant."

Torres: "Well, I thought that maybe I could explain why-" Janeway: "Explain what? Why my First Officer publicly defied my authority by commandeering a shuttle without permission?" Torres: "I know it was never his intention to defy you. He respects your authority." Janeway: "But?" Torres: "But he's a very proud man, and he's been embarrassed by Seska."

Janeway: "What Seska did, she did to all of us. Frankly, I find it more than a little self-indulgent of Chakotay to assume this is all about him."

Torres: "He never said it to me directly, but I think he was in love with her, and then he found out that everything he knew about her was a lie. You said that he publicly defied your authority. Can you imagine what it must have been like for someone as private as Chakotay to be publicly humiliated by someone he loved, and then as if that weren't enough, she came back to taunt him in front of the entire bridge crew." Janeway: "I'm sure it was very painful for him, but what you're saying is that he's got a personal score to settle."

Torres: "That's only part of it. I know Chakotay. This is his way of taking responsibility. In his mind, he's trying to protect the rest of us from a dangerous situation which he created."

Janeway: "Maybe. But that doesn't give him the privilege of ignoring this ship's chain of command." Torres: "I know that. It's just that Chakotay would never tell you any of this himself."

Janeway: "And, assuming we get him back in one piece, you want to make sure I take his personal feelings into account before I decide how to discipline him." Torres: "I know that you're well within your rights to throw him into the Brig, but, well...."

Janeway: "Chakotay is lucky to have such a good friend. I'll tell you what, why don't we deal with getting him back in one piece first. We can worry about the discipline later." Torres: "Thank you."

As Torres leaves, Janeway is moved by her appeal and saddened by Chakotay's actions.

Chakotay: "Computer, when will we enter the Kazon vessel scanner range?" Computer: "Approximately six minutes."

Chakotay: "Reduce power to maneuvering thrusters and life support to 5 per cent. Cut all power to other systems."

Seska, looking at a monitor: "The Mostral should be here in less than twenty hours. The Hobii in fifteen."

Culluh calls her over: "Come look at this. Intermittent EM readings?" Seska: "I don't think so."

Chakotay initiates shadow maneuvers right by the Kazon-Nistrim's ship's hull : "Computer, initiate continuous scans from the transporter oscillator." Computer: "Initiating scans." He is trying to repeat the maneuver against the Cardassian frigate orbiting Bajor that he and Torres discussed earlier.

Seska: "Those aren't normal fluctuations. They're energy spikes from maneuvering thrusters. Probably a shuttle running shadow maneuvers. He knows our scanners can't pinpoint energy readings that low." Culluh: "Who?" Seska: "Maybe we can resonate a coherent polaron pulse off his hull, get a lock on him that way." She calls to a crewman: "Initiate a continuous stream of pulses from the lateral deflectors." Kazon crewman: "Maje?" Culluh indicates the crewman is to obey.

Chakotay: "Come on, Seska. Where did you hide that module?" Suddenly his area is lit up by the Kazon pulses.

Seska: "There you are. Open a channel." Culluh: "To whom?" Seska: "Just transmit on wideband subspace. He'll hear me." Inside the shuttlecraft, Chakotay is getting desperate. "Come on, find it!" Seska, via comms: "Hello Chakotay. Very clever maneuvering, but I'm not about to let you ruin all my hard work."

Seska: "Deploy a spread of photonic charges centred on co-ordinates 124 by 217, twenty per cent nominal yield." Culluh: "That won't be enough." Seska: "We want that shuttle intact."

Chakotay: "Gotcha! Computer, power the anti-proton generator." Computer: "Generator ready." Chakotay: "Target a concentrated beam to these co-ordinates." Computer: "Beam targeted." Chakotay: "Initiate." The shuttlecraft is hit by the Kazon photonic charges. Computer: "The generator is offline." Chakotay: "Great. Computer, launch the automated message beacon." Computer: "Beacon launched." Chakotay: "Now take the inertial dampers offline."

Seska: "He's lost control of the shuttle. We have him."
Culluh: "Lock the towing emitter onto his vessel and bring him into the main hangar."
He leaves.

In the main hangar, Culluh and accompany soldiers open the shuttlecraft's door.

The Kazon rush inside. Culluh, via comms: "Culluh calling Seska." Seska, via comms: "This is Seska."

Culluh, via comms: "He's not here."

 

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