BASICS
Episodes 42 and 43

Part A

 

Lon Suder, a Betazoid and formerly a member of Chakotay's Maquis crew, once worked in Engineering but was confined indefinitely after murdering a fellow-crewmember. These events are depicted in [#32 Meld]. Since then, Tuvok has taken it upon himself to tutor Suder in ways to control his violent instincts. Tuvok is with Suder in Suder's confinement quarters on USS Voyager's deck 8. Suder shows Tuvok an orchid he has bred, an interest he obtained from Tuvok during a past mind-meld: "Look, and you said they were incompatible." Tuvok, who is a prize-breeder of orchids: "You have confirmed the genetic structure?" Suder: "An entirely new species. I'm going to name it after you - the Tuvok Orchid." Tuvok: "That is an honour you should reserve for yourself, Mr Suder. You gave this species life." Suder: "And you gave me life. All of this is because of you, because of the meld." Tuvok: "The meld may have introduced you to my interest in floriculture, but you have embraced it entirely on your own, and discovered a unique talent within yourself in the process." Suder: "I used to think the only talent I had was a talent for killing. Please. It's my way of saying thank you." Tuvok: "Very well. I accept." Suder moves across the room and puts the new species of orchid down. Suder: "Tuvok, I want to do something for the ship. I'm not asking you to let me out of confinement. I accept my punishment. But if I could just, just contribute somehow." Tuvok: "What contribution do you feel you could make from your quarters?" Suder: "I was, I was thinking I might adapt some of the genetic engineering techniques I've developed for the orchids, to make the airponic vegetable garden more productive." Tuvok: "Your attitude is admirable. I will discuss it with the Captain." Suder: "Do you think she'll agree?" Tuvok: "We'll see. Now shall we begin?"

They begin the meditation session for which Tuvok has come to visit. "Notice your mind working, how it plans for the future, visits the past. Notice those thoughts and set them aside. Turn your attention to the white light that is your breath."

Voyager's bridge. Kim: "Captain, we're being hailed on a subspace frequency." Janeway: "Are there ships in the vicinity?"

Paris: "Negative. Tracking the source. Seems like it's coming from an unmanned buoy, co-ordinates 140 mark 317." Kim: "It looks like a Kazon signal, Captain." Janeway: "Take us out of warp. Open a channel."

The image of a baby, part-Cardassian, distorted by the poor signal, appears on the main viewscreen. Seska's voice is heard as she cries out desperately: "Chakotay, they're going to take your son. When Culluh saw the baby... I hear them coming. I don't have much time. When he saw the baby wasn't his.... Please Chakotay, help us. Not for me, for your son!"

Chakotay watches the screen. Culluh's voice, on viewscreen: "I told you to stay out of here." Seska, on viewscreen: "No, please don't. Don't take him! I beg you. No! Please! No!" Culluh's voice, on viewscreen: "I'm taking him!"

Seska, on viewscreen: "No!" The communication is cut off, leaving Chakotay stunned and appalled.

Janeway looks across at Chakotay.

USS Voyager.

On Voyager, in the Captain's Ready Room, Janeway and Chakotay discuss Seska's broadcast. Chakotay: "This is not my responsibility! She has no right to expect me to-" Janeway: "She knows you, Chakotay. She knew how you'd react when you saw your son in danger." Chakotay: "I have a duty to this crew. I can't just leave and go looking for the child." Janeway: "And I'd never consider letting you go into a Kazon-Nistrim stronghold by yourself. If we do this, we do it together. That's something else Seska would know too." Chakotay: "Do you think it's a trap?" Janeway: "Do I think Seska is capable of manipulating you and me with this? Oh, yes." Chakotay: "On the other hand, it was time for her to deliver, and that baby we saw did look part Cardassian and part human." Janeway: "And knowing Culluh, I'm sure his pride was wounded when he realised the child wasn't his. It makes sense, Chakotay. It might all be true."

Chakotay: "Still, the safest thing would be to ignore this message and resume our course."

Janeway: "I'm not going to resume our course just yet. I want you to think about it, Chakotay. This has to be your decision. If you choose to go after him, I know I speak for the entire crew, Starfleet and Maquis alike, when I say we'll stand behind you."

In his quarters, Chakotay embarks on a vision quest. Chakotay: "A-koo-chee-moya. We are far from the sacred places of our grandfathers. We are far from the bones of my people. But I ask, on this day of sorrow and uncertainty, that the wisdom of my father find me and help me understand my dilemma. Speak to me, father. Speak to me in my dreams." Kolopak, his father, who died many years ago, approaches and Chakotay hears his voice: "I've never seen you so troubled, Chakotay." Within the vision quest, they are in a forest clearing. Chakotay: "I have a son, father." Kolopak: "A son, Chakotay? Oh. This is the reason for your despair. Was he born with two arms, and two legs, and a heart that beats?" Chakotay: "Yes, but-" Kolopak: "Then it's a cause for celebration." He chuckles briefly. "You will make a fine father. You needn't worry." Chakotay: "I'm not sure I'm willing to be a father to him." Kolopak: "Hmm. Not willing?" Chakotay: "He was born without my consent. I had no part in it." Kolopak: "No part in it?" He is amused. "Well, it's been a long time, so forgive me, but it seems that I had to play a part before your mother could conceive." Chakotay: "My DNA was taken from me, used by a woman to impregnate herself without my permission." Kolopak: "I see. You're trying to decide whether you should accept the child in your heart." Chakotay: "It's more than that." Kolopak: "But it must begin with that!" Chakotay: "How do you take a child into your heart who is forced upon you by a mother's deception?" Kolopak: "He knows nothing of deception. He is innocent. Centuries ago, when the women of our tribe were raped by white conquerors, many gave birth to their children and we did not reject them. They were accepted by the tribe. One was a direct ancestor of ours, Chakotay. His name was Ce Acatl. He became a great leader of our people - here is a man who was given life without his mother's consent. Are you so different from her? And is your child so different from Ce Acatl?" Chakotay: "No." An owl hoots in the still night air. Kolopak: "Hmm. He is your son, Chakotay, and he is a child of our people." Chakotay comes out of the vision quest, now enlightened.

Kazon graphic web work by me. About the Kazon graphic / How to use the image map (pop-up)