FLASHBACK
Episode 44
Part A

 

Voyager cruising in deep space.

In the Messhall, Neelix pours a drink for Tuvok. "Anthraxic citrus peel, orange juice, with just a hint of papalla seed extract - an experimental blend." Tuvok: "The success rate of your culinary experiments has not been high."

Neelix: "Ensign Golwat tried some yesterday and she thought it was delicious. In fact, she had a second glass, and she never has seconds." Tuvok: "Ensign Golwat is Bolian. Her tongue has a cartilaginous lining. It would protect her against even the most corrosive acid." Neelix: "All I ask is that you try it, Mr Vulcan." Tuvok doubtfully takes a sip. "Impressive." Neelix: "Ah, I'll start squeezing that second glass." Eagerly he hurries back to the Galley.

"Breakfast is coming right up," he calls. "Porakan eggs." He beats the eggs in a bowl before adding them to the stove pan. Tuvok: "Porakan?" Neelix: "The most flavourful eggs in the sector. Scrambled with a little dill weed, a touch of rengazo - a galactic favourite. Now, these eggs were not easy to prepare. After we picked them up on Porakas IV, I had to sterilise them in a cryostatic chamber for three days, then each and every one had to be parboiled in-" Tuvok interrupts. "Mr Neelix, I would prefer not to hear the life history of my breakfast."

Neelix: "On Talax, it a tradition to share the history of a meal before you begin eating. It's a way of enhacing the culinary experience. My mother was brilliant. She could make every course, every garnish come alive, by making it a character in a story. My favourite was the one about the crustacean-"

Suddenly flames leap from the stove. He grabs the pan lid and slams it over the pan, but it takes a moment before the flames reduce.

Tuvok: "What happened?" Neelix: "Um, some sort of power overload." He lifts the lid to reveal a horrible charred mess inside the pan. Crestfallen: "I'm afraid it decimated your breakfast. This is what my mother would call a tragic ending." Tuvok: "Engineering has been making adjustments to the plasma conduits to accommodate a new energy source. It may have created a thermal surge in the Galley systems."

A com. alert sounds. comms. signal "Janeway to Tuvok. Please report to the Bridge. Mr Neelix, I'd like you to join us as well."
Neelix, via comms: "Aye, Captain."

Janeway: "Captain's log, stardate 50126.4. We have detected a gaseous anomaly that contains sirillium, a highly cumbustible and versatile energy source. We've altered course to investigate."

Neelix is informed. "Sirillium." Janeway: "Yes, and possibly large amounts of it. If so, we're going to need to stockpile as much as we can. I'd like to convert Storage Bay 3 into a containment chamber." Neelix: "My pantry. " Janeway: "I'm sorry, Neelix. You're going to have to make other arrangements." Neelix: "Of course, Captain. You know, if I injected sirilium into my thermal array, it might improve cooking time."

Torres, who is at the engineering station on the Bridge: "Yes, and blow up half your kitchen in the process. Sirillium is far more useful as a warp plasma catalyst."

Tuvok: "The gas can also be used to boost deflector shield efficiency."

Chakotay is amused. He comments to Janeway: "The vultures are circling." Janeway: "Well, there's certainly no shortage of good ideas. Have all department heads submit proposals for sirillium usage." Chakotay: "Aye, Captain."

Tuvok: "The anomaly is within visual range." Janeway: "On screen." The anomaly, composed of blue gas, appears on the main viewscreen.

Janeway: "Analysis, Mr Kim?" Kim: "It's a Class 17 nebula. I'm detecting standard amounts of hydrogen and helium, and 7,000 parts per million of sirillium."

But Tuvok is no longer paying attention. He looks down at his hand, which is trembling. He looks confused, and is afraid of that confusion, as confusion prevents him from being in complete control. Torres: "Captain, I recommend we use the Bussard collectors to gather the sirillium. They'll cut through that nebula like ice cream scoops." Paris: "I'm picking up a lot of plasmatic turbulence in there. It might be a bumpy ride." Janeway: "Tuvok, can you modify the shields to compensate?"

When there is no reply, they all turn to him, and see that he is confused, under strain, certainly not himself - he is ill. Janeway: "Tuvok?" Chakotay: "Are you alright, Lieutenant?" Tuvok manages to respond. "I don't know. I am experiencing dizziness and disorientation.... Permission to go to Sickbay." Janeway, concerned: "Granted."

Tuvok enters the turbolift and orders the computer: "Deck 5." Suddenly he hears a girl's voice: "Help me! Tuvok, help me, Tuvok!" He looks round, sees no one and becomes alarmed - he does not understand what is happening.

Suddenly he remembers something most vividly - he is a boy holding desperately onto the hand of a girl who has fallen over a precipice. Only young Tuvok's effort is preventing her from falling. Far below her is a gigantic chasm!

The girl screams: "Please don't let go! Tuvok, don't let me fall!"

The boy Tuvok desperately holds on. He remembers no Vulcan reserve. Instead he cannot help but react to her terror as his own fear rises.

But the girl falls! "No!!!" she screams as she plummets to her death.

Tuvok staggers along the corridor, holding onto the wall.

In Sickbay, Kes tries to catch him as he stumbles through the door.

But he falls and lies there wide-eyed and shuddering from his experience.