INVESTIGATIONS
Episode 36
Part B

 

10 pictures below: Paris makes his last farewells in the transporter room. He hugs Kes and shakes Neelix's hand. He offers his hand to Kim, but Kim hugs him instead. Paris hands him his combadge then steps onto the transporter pad. He is beamed off the ship to the Talaxian convoy. Kim, Kes and Neelix huddle together, feeling miserable.

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Senior staff meeting in progress in the Briefing Room. Janeway: "Lieutenant, Operations has detected a minute increase in the engine core temperature. Are you aware of it?" Torres: "Yes, Captain. There's a slight imbalance in the magnetic constrictors. It's causing the plasma stream to overheat. I have a team working on it." Janeway: "Keep me posted. Mr Neelix, I'm very pleased with your programme, especially your tribute to Lieutenant Paris." Neelix: "Thank you." Chakotay: "Captain, have you decided who's going to replace Paris?" Janeway: "I have several people in mind. Baytart is one. Hamilton." Kim: "Captain, do you think- I mean. It's possible Tom might change his mind to come back. Maybe you shouldn't replace him so quickly." Janeway, gently: "Harry, Lieutenant Paris made his decision with no indication that he had any doubts about it, or that he might change his mind in the near future. We have to accept that and move on." Moving on, to Tuvok: "What's our tactical status?" Tuvok: "All systems are functional."

Jonas, via comms: "Engineering to Torres." Torres: "Go ahead." Jonas, via comms: "We have a problem here." Torres, via comms: "What is it?"

Jonas, via comms: "The magnetic constrictors have lost alignment." He goes and sits at a console: "The plasma stream is way too hot. It's starting to infect the injector valves." Torres, via comms: "I'm on my way."

Janeway: "We're finished here. Dismissed." Neelix springs to his feet. To Torres: "Er, Lieutenant, if I may, er, this sounds like news of substance to me."

Torres: "Just stay out of our way."

Torres hurries into Engineering, followed by Neelix who observes and makes notes on his PADD. Jonas: "It's gotten worse. I can't get the injector valves closed. Antimatter's starting to seep into the warp core." Torres: "Have you tried adjusting the power transfer conduits?" Jonas: "Yes. No effect." Torres: "We have to try to contain the reaction in the core. Don't let the PTC temperature get above 3.2 million kelvins."

Jonas: "It's at 2.9 million now."

He goes over to a console by the warp core. Jonas: "PTC temperature now at 3 million kelvins." The engines make complaining noises, forcing him to shout. "We're going to have to vent some plasma!"

Torres, having to shout back in order to be heard: "If you vent some plasma that hot through the nacelles, the warp coils are going to fry!" Jonas: "Better that than a core breach!"

Torres: "Reinforce the structural field around the power transfer conduits and then prepare to begin venting plasma!" Jonas: "PTC temperature now 3.2 million kelvins!" Torres: "It's cascading. Get away from that console!" Jonas: "I can stop it from here!" Torres: "Get away, Jonas!" There is an explosion and Jonas is knocked flying!

Torres: "Computer, initiate plasma venting!"

Neelix: "Are we alright?" Torres: "PTC temperature is dropping, approaching safe levels. We're under control." Neelix taps his combadge. "Neelix to Sickbay. Prepare for emergency transport. We have three wounded."

Sickbay. Doctor, to Kes: "This one's not badly hurt. 20 milligrams impedrezene."

He goes over to Jonas. Kes reports: "Vital signs steady. Second degree burns to face and chest." Doctor: "Treat him with the dermal regenerator." Kes leaves to carry out his treatment orders. The Doctor explains to Neelix: "Ah, the situation has been stabilised. None of the victims is in danger any longer."

Neelix: "May I interview one of them now?" Doctor: "One of the patients? I'd think you'd be more interested in my assessment of the medical situation." Neelix, tactfully: "Well, I am, of course. W-Would you care to make a statement?"

Doctor: "Yes. The first task is to triage, or to assess the relative condition of each of the victims, and then to prioritise treatment accordingly." Neelix completes the note on his PADD: "Thank you, Doctor. I'm sure that will be of great interest to the crew." Doctor: "I wasn't finished. Next, the treatment per se must be supervised-"

Neelix, moving past him to Jonas: "Very interesting. Now, I know the crew would love to hear a few words from the man who risked his life to save the ship. Would you consent to an interview?"

Jonas: "I was just doing my job, Neelix. Lieutenant Torres is the one you should talk to."

The com. signal sounds. Via comms: "Janeway to Neelix."
Neelix: "Er, right here, Captain."
Janeway, via comms: "Could you join us on the Bridge, please?"
Neelix, via comms: "I'm on my way." To Jonas: "I'll contact you later about the interview."
Neelix heads for the exit, ignoring the Doctor who says: "Er-", wanting to be interviewed by Neelix.

Jonas is fairly sure no one could possibly suspect him of sabotage even if it should be discovered - after all, was he not badly injured as a result?

Conference at the rear of the Bridge. Janeway: "The plasma burst irradiated the engine nacelles. The inner layer of the warp coils was burned away." Torres: "Which means the warp engines are useless until we can rebuild them." Chakotay: "They're made from a substance known as verterium cortenide. Do you know where we can find a source?" Neelix: "Verterium cortenide, if I'm not mistaken, that's a densified composite material." Torres: "That's right. It's composed of polysilicate verterium and monocrystal cortenum." Janeway: "Do you know any nearby source?"

Neelix, looking at the star chart on the monitor: "Let's see. Er. There's a yellow dwarf system called Hemikek with an M-class planet quite rich in minerals. Mining rights belong to a consortium of non-aggressive people. I'm sure we could make arrangements to purchase some verterium and cortenum." Janeway: "Good work, Neelix."

Kim: "Captain," and she turns toward him, "message coming in from the Talaxian convoy." Janeway: "Put it on screen."

They move to look at the viewscreen.

Laxeth, on viewscreen: "Captain Janeway." Janeway: "What's happened?" Laxeth, on viewscreen: "We were attacked by the Kazon-Nistrim." Janeway: "Do you have casualties? How can we help?" Laxeth, on viewscreen: "We have no serious casualties, and they didn't take any of our cargo. The one thing they were interested in was your former crewman, Thomas Paris. They took him aboard their ship and then left."

Laxeth, on viewscreen: " I thought you'd want to know."