PROTOTYPE
Episode 29
Part C

 

Captain's Ready Room. Torres: "Apparently thousands of them were built, as service modules. But the race who created them, the Builders, were killed off decades ago in war." Janeway: "Leaving the Automated Units to fend for themselves."

Torres: "Now they're wearing out, breaking down. They've learned to make repairs to themselves, some pretty complex, but the construction of a power module - the device which sustains them - is beyond their grasp." With excitement: "It's an incredible challenge, Captain. But with enough time to study their systems I might be able to do it."

Janeway: "I don't doubt your abilities, B'Elanna. But helping them reproduce is a clear violation of the Prime Directive." Torres: "They've expressed a desire to procreate. That's basic to any lifeform." Janeway: "I'm not saying they don't have the same rights as any organic species. That's not the issue here."

Janeway replicates beverages for them both.

Torres: "Are you sure? Suppose they were organic but they had become sterile and we had a treatment that would enable them to start reproducing again. Would you withhold that treatment?"

Janeway: "Maybe. I'd have to know more about the circumstances but we're not talking about treating a disorder here, are we."

Torres challenges her: "What's the difference?" Janeway: "Unlike a species that's become sterile, these robots never had the ability to reproduce. What you're talking about is giving them new abilities, which is the equivalent of altering their genetic structure."

Torres: "To correct a flaw." Janeway: "You can't call it a flaw. This is the way they were designed." Torres: "I'm trying to save them from extinction." Janeway: "Unfortunately, extinction is often the natural end of evolution." Torres: "So you're just willing to let their entire society die off?"

Janeway: "We don't know that's going to happen. If they're as adaptable as you say and capable of educating themselves they may very well learn how to build a power module themselves some day." Torres, passionately: "'Some day' could be too late. There are only a few hundred of them left."

Janeway: "I feel for the robots' plight, but what you're proposing is exactly the kind of tampering the Prime Directive prohibits. We know almost nothing about these creatures or the race that built them. What would be the consequences of increasing their population, both to their own civilisation and to others in this Quadrant? Who are we to swoop in, play God and then continue on our way without the slightest consideration of the long-term effects of our actions?"

Torres: "Captain-" Janeway is firm. "B'Elanna, I share your scientific curiosity, and I admire your compassion, but the answer is no."

In engineering, Torres reports Janeway's decision to Automated Personnel Unit 3947. APU 3947: "I do not concur with your Captain's decisions." Torres: "She's following our Prime Directive." APU 3947: "Define Prime Directive." Torres: "It forbids us to interfere in the natural development of other cultures." APU 3947: "The Automated Units were not created naturally. We were built. You can help us build more."

Torres: "Captain Janeway doesn't think that's a good idea." APU 3947 surmises from her words: "But Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres does." Torres: "Maybe. I don't know. I'd like to try, but I can't." APU 3947: "Without your help, we will not survive. I thought Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres was a Builder." Torres replies sadly: "So did I." After a pause, she tells him: "We've located your ship. We'll be in communications range in about an hour." APU 3947: "Thank you."

Voyager's bridge. Paris: "The alien vessel is entering visual range, Captain." Janeway: "Yellow alert. Slow to one quarter impulse. Put them on screen, Ensign Kim." Kim: "Aye, Captain." Janeway: "Magnify."

They see the Pralor starship.

Tuvok: "We're being scanned, Captain." Janeway: "That's alright. Let them take a look. Open a channel." "Pralor Automated Personnel Unit 6263 requests you identify yourselves."

Janeway: "I'm Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation Starship Voyager." APU 6263: "What are your intentions, Captain Kathryn Janeway?" Janeway: "We rescued one of your crewmembers, Unit 3947, and would like to return him to your ship." APU 6263: "We'll prepare to receive the Unit. Thank you for your assistance." Contact ends. Paris: "Very polite, these Automated Units."

In Transporter Room 2, Torres is saying farewell to APU 3947 whom she consider a person and, indeed, a friend. Torres refers to the cannister she gives him: "Captain Janeway gave me permission to give you some extra warp plasma in case the plasma we infused into your system starts to degrade." APU 3947: "Thank you." Torres: "And you'll have to remodulate the anodyne relays periodically." APU 3947: "You are repeating instructions you have already given me, B'Elanna."

Torres: "I'm just making sure. Well, I guess this is goodbye." But while shaking her hand in farewell, suddenly APU 3947 grasps hold of her hand tightly and transmits energy into her. "What are you doing?" She receives an energy shock and falls unconscious. APU 3947 catches and holds her.

Crewman Nozawa looks on from the transporter control console.

APU 3947 is too quick for Nozawa. He aims a blast at Nozawa who collapses.

On the Bridge Kim reports: "I'm detecting a chromodynamic discharge in Transporter Room 2."

Janeway opens a com. channel. "Bridge to Transporter Room 2. Janeway to Torres." There is no response.

Chakotay: "Captain, someone's initiating a transport."

In the transporter room, APU 3947 waves his arm over the control console so that the device on his hand works the controls. Meanwhile, on the Bridge Chakotay reports: " It's Torres and the robot."

Janeway: "Override." Kim: "I can't block it. The patterns are already in the buffer." In Transporter Room 2, APU 3947 beams off Voyager taking Torres with him!

Kim: "They're gone, Captain." Janeway: "Transport her back now, Mr Kim." Kim tries to do so. "I can't get a lock on her." Tuvok: "They've erected some sort of subspace defence field around their vessel. Our targetting scanners cannot penetrate it." Janeway: "Hail them." Kim: "They're not responding." Janeway: "Open a channel on wideband subspace." Kim: "Channel open." Janeway: "This is Captain Janeway. You're abduction of our crewmember is a clear act of aggression. If you do not return her immediately we will be forced to retaliate." There is no response. "Confirm that they've received the transmission, Mr Kim." Kim: "They heard us alright. They're just not answering." Janeway: "Mr Tuvok, power the forward phaser banks."