PART A

In the Messhall, Samantha Wildman, a good friend of Neelix's, is enjoying a hot beverage. Neelix comes and pours her some more. Neelix: "Good afternoon, Ensign. How are 'we' doing today?" Wildman, who is heavily pregnant: "We're doing just fine, thank you." Neelix: "Good, good. By the way, I was wondering if you'd take a look at the thermal array in the kitchen. It overloaded this morning and vapourised an entire pot roast." Wildman: "I'd be happy to." She gets up and goes over to the Galley with him. Neelix: "Wonderful. I informed Ensign Kim about the problem hours ago and he still hasn't come down to fix it." Wildman, crouching down to look at the controls behind the serving counter: "He's been working on a problem with the structural integrity grid. I'm sure he hasn't forgotten about you." Neelix: "If this thing doesn't get fixed soon, we'll all be eating cold leftovers for dinner and who do you think the crew will blame?" Wildman: "Looks like you need a new set of anodyne relays. I'll go down to Engineering and get some for you out of storage." Neelix: "Thanks. Oh and while you're here, would you mind taking a look at the replicator. It's been having trouble making anything with large amounts of cellulose." Wildman: "Of course." They go over to the starboard-side replicator. Neelix: "Cabbages, psyllium, green beans, celery and all. It all comes out looking a touch too yellow." Wildman: "I thought you didn't use replicated vegetables when you're cooking - always fresh, organic from the airponic bay?" Neelix: "Well, the yields have been a little low lately. Normally I would never dream of using synthesised veggies." Wildman: "It looks like a malfunction in the power grid. Shouldn't be too difficult-" Neelix: "What's wrong?" Wildman: "I think I'm having a contraction! Yeah, it's a contraction alright." Neelix: "That's wonderful. Labour can't be far behind. Let's get you to Sickbay. Try to breathe now, take deep regular breaths, not so fast now." He says to two crewmembers who are looking on: "We're having a baby!" The crewmembers look happy for Wildman.

Ensign Samantha Wildman in labour in Sickbay. Doctor: "Push!"

Kes: "Don't forget to breathe, Samantha. Deep regular breaths. That's it."

Doctor: "Cervical dilation is at 10.2 centimetres. Prostaglandin levels are normal. Push, Ensign." Wildman: "You push, damn it! I'm sick of pushing!"

Doctor: "I know you're fatigued. Try to focus on your breathing. Remember the exercises we did. When you feel a contraction, bear down."

On the Bridge everyone is preoccupied by the knowledge that Samantha Wildman is in labour. Paris: "This is ridiculous. It's been seven hours. How long does it take to deliver a baby." Janeway: "As long as it takes, Mr Paris."

Tuvok: "Indeed, during the birth of our third child my wife was in labour for ninety-six hours."

Kim: "Four days?" Tuvok: "I have learned that pregnancy and patience go hand in hand."

Chakotay: "You know, I didn't expect to be this nervous. It's not even my child."

Janeway: "In a way this child belongs to all of us. It is the first baby born on Voyager. I'm not sure if I should be welcoming it on board or apologising." Chakotay: "Captain?" Janeway: "Voyager isn't exactly anyone's idea of a nursery. And the Delta Quadrant isn't much of a playground." Chakotay: "My father had a saying, Captain. 'Home is wherever you happen to be.'"

Tuvok: "Captain, long-range sensors are picking up heavy subspace communications ahead. They're Vidiian." Janeway: "All stop. A ship?" Tuvok: "At least twenty ships within sensor range. I am also detecting a G-type star system with two inhabited planets. Lifesigns: Vidiian." Chakotay: "Sounds like we're headed right into their territory."

Janeway: "And I'm in no mood to donate any organs today. Options, Mr Paris?" Paris: "There's a large plasma drift bearing 40 mark 7. It extends almost half the length of this sector. Interference from the plasma should block us from their sensors." Janeway: "Good thinking. Lay in a course at full impulse. Mr Tuvok, deflectors at maximum."

USS Voyager enters into the plasma drift.

In Sickbay, Wildman is in labour when she suddenly feels terrible pain. Wildman: "Oh, what was that?"" Doctor: "What's wrong?" Wildman: "A pain in my abdomen. It's different. Sharp. Oh, God!"

The Doctor scans her. "The baby has shifted position and its exo-cranial ridges have lodged in the uterine wall." At the nearby workstation he tells Kes: "This is a rare complication, but it's been known to happen in human-Ktarian pregnancies."

Kes: "Can we reposition the baby?" Doctor: "No, its spinal column is too fragile. I don't want to risk nerve damage. If we don't deliver the baby now, its ridges could perforate the uterine wall and cause internal bleeding. Kes, prepare for a foetal transport."

Paris reports: "We're clearing the Vidiian system, Captain." Janeway: "Take us out of the plasma drift and resume our previous course."

Sickbay. Doctor: "I've locked onto the baby's co-ordinates. We're ready to begin. Initiating umbilical separation. Energising." The baby materialises in the foetal chamber and begins crying lustily. "Congratulations, Ensign. It's a girl."

Wildman: "Is she alright?"

The Doctor scans the baby.

Doctor: "The transport caused a slight haemocythemic imbalance, but we'll stabilise her cell membranes with osmotic pressure therapy."

Upon leaving the plasma drift, suddenly something mysterious impacts the ship. Janeway: "What was that?" Kim: "We hit some kind of subspace turbulence as we were coming out of the plasma drift. I can't tell if-"

Power starts fluctuating, indicated by console and overhead lighting dimming. Paris: "What the hell? Captain, the warp engines just stalled." Janeway: "Go to impulse."

Paris: "Impulse engines aren't responding. Maneuvering thrusters are out too." Kim: "We're losing main power. Switching to backup power." Janeway: "Red alert." Klaxons sound. She uses the comm. system. "Bridge to Engineering. Report."

In Engineering, Torres responds, via comms: "Our antimatter supply is being drained, Captain. I don't know why. The containment fields are in place. It's like we've sprung a leak but I can't find the crack."
Janeway: "B'Elanna, try infusing the warp core with repeated proton bursts. That should be enough to keep it going."
Torres: "I think I can generate enough protons in the sensor for a burst every thirty seconds."
Janeway: "Do it."

Torres: "Hogan, these proton bursts are going to cause a lot of stress on the hull. Reinforce structural integrity to- Now what?" There is an explosion!

Bridge. The ship is jolted.
Tuvok: "It appeared to be a proton burst."
Janeway: "Already? Bridge to Torres, report. Engineering, respond."
Kim: "Captain, three EPS conduits just ruptured in Engineering. They took heavy casualties."

In Sickbay, during the osmotic pressure therapy on Wildman's baby. Doctor to Kes: "The incubator is losing power. Activate the auxiliary respirator."

Four injured crewmembers enter. One calls: "We've got wounded here."

The Doctor scans one on a biobed: "Second degree plasma burns on the face and neck. Treat him with a dermaline gel." Crewman: "Yes, sir."

The Doctor scans a female crewmember: "Fractured clavicle, thoracic contusions, nothing serious. She can wait."

He scans a crewman lying on the floor: "Fused vertebrae. Prep him for surgery."

Doctor: "Status?" Kes: "It's no good, Doctor, the baby's cell membranes won't stabilise."

Doctor: "Increase the osmotic-" An explosion rocks them and power goes down for a moment. "That's not helping. Increase the osmotic pressure ratio by ten per cent."

As the Doctor goes to another patient, Kim, via comms: "Bridge to Sickbay. There's been a major coolant leak in the Messhall. You've got more wounded on the way." Doctor, via comms: "Acknowledged."