INNOCENCE
Episode 38
Part F

 

Tressa: "I see them. They're coming all around us. We've got to go NOW!" Tuvok: "I'm attempting an emergency procedure. Please move away from the console." Tressa takes cover. The shuttlecraft slowly lifts and moves off. She comes out of hiding. She is delighted: "You did it! You saved me!" Tuvok: "I regret that may be a premature conclusion. The process of powering the thrusters has left us with minimal shields and no functional weapons. Voyager will be watching for us. When we clear the atmosphere we can be transported aboard the ship." Tressa: "Then what are we going to do?" Tuvok: "You may request asylum with the Federation if you wish. Then we'll be able to protect you." Tressa: "I want to stay with you." An audio alert sounds. Tuvok: "The Drayan shuttle is hailing us." Alcia appears on the viewscreen: "You're holding one of our children. I want to speak to her." Tuvok: "She believes you intend to kill her. Is that true?" Alcia, on viewscreen: "The child is confused. I only want to help her." Tressa: "You want me to die!" Alcia, on viewscreen: "Tressa, I understand how confusing this must be for you. If you return to the surface I will answer all of your questions." Tressa: "No, I'm not going back there. I'm staying with Tuvok." Tuvok: "We can resolve this matter aboard Voyager." Alcia, on viewscreen: "Unacceptable. If you or any of your people attempt to take Tressa back to your ship, I will use any means necessary to stop you." Tuvok: "Do what you will." Alcia, on viewscreen: "Very well." To a Drayan officer: "Fire!" Contact ends. The shuttlecraft is jolted twice. Tressa screams. Tuvok: "We weren't hit. I believe that was a warning."

Paris: "I've got phasers locked on the Drayan shuttle, Captain." Janeway: "Don't fire. We might be able to transport Tuvok from here." She works the controls to try and do so, but reports: "There's still too much interference." Paris: "We should be close enough to get a comm. signal through."

Janeway, via comms: "Tuvok, we're on our way to the surface. We'll intercept you in a few moments." Tuvok, via comms and on viewscreen: "That may be too late, Captain. I'm losing power rapidly. I believe another hit will force me to land." Janeway, via comms: "Go back down to the surface. We'll follow you."

Contact ends. The Federation Starfleet insignia replaces Tuvok's image on the screen.

Tuvok does as ordered. He accompanies Tressa back to the area near the cave. Tressa: "It's getting dark. What's going to happen to me?" Tuvok: "All I can tell you is, I will be here with you."

A Drayan party, led by Alcia, appears. Alcia: "Mr Tuvok, don't make this difficult. She's been frightened enough." Tuvok: "What she fears most is being kept here against her wishes." Alcia: "This is a critical time. I can't allow you to interfere."

Janeway and Paris arrive. Janeway addresses Alcia: "I regret it's come to this." Alcia: "You have found your crewmember. Now go." Tuvok: "I will not leave without Tressa. She has asked for my protection and I intend to provide it." Alcia: "You simply don't understand the harm you're doing."

Janeway: "This child wants to live. We're going to do whatever we can to help her." Alcia: "It is not a choice. This is her time. Tressa has reached the end of her life." Tuvok: "She has barely begun it." Alcia: "She is 96 years old." The Voyager crewmembers are amazed. Now they see Tressa in a new way. "Tressa, these people are outsiders. They don't understand how we live. They see us as strange because their aging process is reversed. Please, you don't belong with them. I'm here to help you now." Tressa: "No, leave me alone." Alcia: "It's perfectly natural to be frightened. You're taking a step into the unknown. The Attendants would have helped you prepare yourself. You were never meant to face this time alone." Tressa: "We weren't alone. Tuvok was here. He stayed with us and made us feel safe. He told us there was no Morrok, and that we shouldn't be afraid. He took care of us, even when we didn't behave as well as Vulcan children." Alcia: "He was right about the Morrok. It only exists in stories." To the Voyager crewmembers: "At this age they become easily confused. Their memories are clouded. Near the end of life, we reach a state of complete innocence. We free ourselves from all responsibilities to this life, then we leave it peacefully." Tuvok: "Tressa doesn't seem to be ready. Perhaps she needs more time?" Alcia: "That's not for you or me to decide. This is a normal biological process which begins the day we are created. The energy contained within our bodies remains cohesive for a limited number of years, and then it is released. Nothing can change that." Tressa: "Nothing?" Alcia: "No. It's the natural course of life." Janeway: "Why was it so important that Tressa stay here?" Alcia: "We believe this is where the very first spark of life was created. We are all compelled by a powerful instinct to return here at the end, to complete the cycle and rejoin the infinite energy. Tressa, do you feel it calling to you?" Tressa: "Tuvok?" Tuvok: "She can offer you better guidance than I." Tressa: "You said you would protect me." Tuvok: "I cannot protect you from the natural conclusion of life, nor would I try. Vulcans consider death to be the completion of a journey. There is nothing to fear." Tressa: "I won't be afraid, not if you're with me." Alcia: "Tressa, may this night see you safely home." To Tuvok: "Attending a child on the crysata is an honourable role. You have fulfilled it well." To everyone: "The final moment of life is the most sacred, most private time." Janeway: "I hope you can accept my sincere apologies for disturbing your traditions." Alcia: "Perhaps we have each misjudged the other, Captain." Janeway: "I would hate to let that ruin any possibility of friendship between our people." Alcia, referring to Tressa and Tuvok: "We must leave them."

Paris: "Tuvok, can your shuttle make it back to Voyager? Maybe we should wait for you." Tuvok tells him: "No, I'll be fine."

Tuvok tells Tressa: "We'll wait here as long as you like."

Tressa: "I know it's time. My only regret is leaving my family - my grandson, you remind me of him sometimes." Tuvok: "You will still be with them, in their thoughts; as you will be in mine."

He accompanies Tressa to the cave. This time, she is not afraid.