INNOCENCE
Episode 38
Part D

 

Voyager's bridge. Chakotay: "Torres and Neelix just got back, but there's still no word from Tuvok and Bennet."

Paris: "I'm not picking up their shuttle on sensors."

Kim: "There's heavy solar flare activity. It's causing electrodynamic disturbance throughout the system."

Torres and Neelix enter. Torres comments: "We've found a vein of pure polyferranide, three kilometres long. It's a real shame we're leaving." Janeway: "When was your last contact with the other team?" Neelix: "Several hours ago. Is there a problem?" Janeway: "We can't reach them." Torres: "When we spoke to them, they were going to check out the outermost moons." Janeway: "Can you find the shuttle's ion signature?" Paris: "I'm reading one on heading one-five-one mark eight." Torres: "That's where Neelix and I went." Paris: "And another one on a divergent course 20° to starboard." Janeway: "Set a course, Mr Paris."

Voyager orbiting the Drayan moon. There is a Drayan ship also in orbit.

Torres: "Our scans of the moon are inconclusive. We can't see anything through the turbulence in the atmosphere." Kim: "The Drayan ship still hasn't responded to our hails." Janeway: "Are you sure our signal's getting through." Kim: "They're receiving it; they're just not answering." Janeway: "Continue hails."

Alcia suddenly answers the hails. She appears on the main viewscreen. She is angry and speaks without preamble: "This desecration dishonours us both, Captain." Janeway: "I'm sorry, I don't under-" Alcia, on viewscreen: "This moon is our crysata - sacred ground. Your presence is forbidden here."

Janeway: "We've only come here to look for one of our shuttles. It's missing." Alcia, on viewscreen: "We found your shuttle on the surface. The pilot is dead." Janeway: "There were two men on board. Did you find both of them?" Alcia, on viewscreen: "No, only one. If there's someone else on this moon you must transport him back to your ship immediately!" Janeway: "That's what we intend to do."

Alcia, on viewscreen: "This type of disturbance is exactly why we avoid contact with outsiders. I was wrong to respond to your communication. I should have known better than to indulge my curiosity!" Janeway: "There's no one at fault here. The shuttle crash was an accident." Alcia, on viewscreen: "One which I expect you to correct as soon as possible!" She ends contact. Janeway: "What's the status of the transporters?" Torres: "The targetting scanners still can't lock onto anything on the surface. It would be easier if we sent down another shuttle." Janeway: "No, that would only make things worse." Torres sighs. "I'll keep working on it."

It is night on the Drayan moon, and long past the children's bedtime - they are in makeshift beds on the ground.

In the peace and quiet, broken only by the forest's night sounds, Tuvok continues to work on shuttle repairs.

Corin comes up to Tuvok. Tuvok: "I don't see how you could be thirsty again after four drinks of water." Corin: "Aren't you going to sleep?" Tuvok: "I can go several days without rest if necessary. You cannot. It's warmer by the fire. Go back and try to sleep. Do not worry. I have run several thorough scans of the area. There are no other lifeforms present, inside the cave or anywhere within five kilometres." Corin: "Maybe the Morrok doesn't show up on the scans." Tuvok: "I am also keeping watch on all of you from here. If there is any indication of trouble I'll come immediately." Corin: "Ok."

Now Tressa and Elani join Corin. Tressa: "We can't sleep." Tuvok: "Apparently not." Elani: "It's so dark." Tressa: "I think the fire's going out. Maybe you should look." Tuvok: "I added more wood less than half an hour ago. However, it might be wise to check it again." Elani: "I always have my hair brushed before I go to sleep." Corin: "I'd like to hear a story. Tell us one about the fire beast of Sullus." Tuvok: "I never understood the practice in some cultures of describing ferocious creatures in an attempt to lull children to sleep."

Corin: "Don't Vulcan's tell bedtime stories?" Tuvok, tucking them in: "If my children had difficulty sleeping, I would play music for them." Elani: "I like music." Tuvok: "Unfortunately I don't have my lute." Corin: "What's that?"

Tuvok: "It is a five-stringed instrument tuned on a diatonic scale. It can be very soothing. My youngest son was particularly fond of it. He always used to ask me to play 'Falor's Journey': it is a tale of enlightenment consisting of 348 verses." The high number hits the children between the eyes. He relents: "It may not be necessary to include the complete narrative."

He recites an abridged version: "Falor was a prosperous merchant Who went on a journey to gain greater awareness, Through storms he crossed the Voroth Sea To reach the clouded shores of Raal, Where old T'Para offered truth." He breaks into song: "He travelled through the windswept hills And crossed the barren Fire Plains To find the silent monks of Kir. Still unfulfilled, he journeyed home, Told stories of the lessons learned, And gained true wisdom by the giving." sung part He looks down. The children have been lulled to sleep.

In the morning, Tressa wakes. She cries: "Tuvok! Tuvok! They're gone." Corin and Elani have vanished!

Voyager and the Alcia's Drayan ship in orbit.

Torres calls Janeway over the engineering station on the Bridge: "Captain, you might want to see this." Janeway: "Have you found the shuttle?" They look at the monitor display. Torres: "Actually, we've found two, both crashed on the surface. The sensor resolution is still quite low. This looks like our shuttle. I'd guess the other one is Drayan."

Kim: "We've also had some indications of lifesigns on the surface. A while ago there seemed to be four of them. Now we can only distinguish two." Torres: "I've been working on the transporters. It just isn't possible to get a pattern lock through all the turbulence."

Janeway: "Then we've got to start considering other options. I want a full analysis of the atmospheric conditions, and your best suggestion of how to get a shuttle to the surface. Then let's hope we won't need to try it."