THE CHUTE
Episode 45
Part E

 

Captain's Ready Room. Janeway: "I want the location and shield codes of the maximum security detention facility." Vel: "What's wrong? - the Akritirians didn't agree to your terms?"

Janeway: "No, as a matter of fact, but I suspect you will." Vel: "And what makes you so sure?" Janeway: "Because if you don't, you and your sister are going to spend the rest of your lives in prison." Vel considers. Then: "I'll take you to the prison, and I'll get you in, but there are members of Open Sky in there and I want to get them out too." Janeway: "I don't think you understand the way this works. You tell me what I want to know, and after I get my people back, I let you and your sister go." Vel: "That's not good enough."

Janeway: "Mr Tuvok, inform the Akritirians that we're ready to turn the prisoners over." Vel, rather quickly: "Erm, alright." Tuvok: "Crewman Foster, take the prisoner to Commander Chakotay. He will upload the co-ordinates and codes."

Vel is escorted out by security guard Foster.

Tuvok turns to Janeway: "May I ask how you propose to get past the Akritirian patrols? No doubt they will attack as soon as Voyager crosses the border." Janeway: "That's exactly why the rescue team won't be aboard Voyager." Tuvok: "Captain."

Janeway: "If I'm not mistaken, Mr Neelix's ship is still in our Shuttlebay." Tuvok: "Yes. However, Mr Neelix's vessel has extremely limited combat capabilities." Janeway: "Then we'll have to be very careful, won't we?"

Akritirian prison - concourse. Paris is very ill and barely conscious.

Kim is defending him, wielding the pipe. Pit: "I want his clothes and I want his shoes!"

Kim: "This man is my friend. Nobody touches him!" Pit: "Back off! You won't have to get hurt."

The klaxon sounds. A prison inmate calls: "It's the Chute!" Pit turns and shouts: "New prisoner!" He leaves Paris and Kim to concentrate on the expected new prisoner, who will be someone new to rob and bully.

Kim takes a rest.

The Chute door opens.

But it is no prisoner who arrives.....but Janeway, with a phaser rifle!

When a prison inmate shouts: "I got 'em!" and is about to attack, she turns on him and fires a broad phaser beam which stuns him and those prisoners next to him.

Tuvok arrives down the Chute and points a phaser at prisoners behind Janeway. Tuvok orders the prison inmates: "Hands on your heads." Janeway commands the prison inmates: "Do it! Now!" The inmates, faced by the weaponry, do so.

Neelix, who is piloting his ship, via comms: "Neelix to Lieutenant Tuvok." Tuvok, via comms: "Go ahead." Neelix is inside his ship. He reports, via comms: "We've got company. Two Akritirian patrol ships on an intercept course. I'm not sure how long I can hold them off." Tuvok, via comms: "We are moving as quickly as we can, Mr Neelix."

Kim calls: "Captain." Janeway: "Where's Tom?" Kim: "He needs help."

Tuvok indicates to accompanying security guards to go and help Paris.

Neelix's ship - interior. Akritirian patrol, via comms: "Akritirian Patrol to alien vessel. Disengage immediately." Neelix: "Akritirian Patrol, er, am I in Akritirian space? Oh dear. I, I thought this was the Heva 7 refueling port. Er, you wouldn't by any chance be able to recommend a respectable establishment where I could have my navigational array repaired?" Akritirian patrol, via comms: "Disengage immediately. This is your final warning."

Janeway, via comms: "Janeway to Neelix. Everyone's aboard."
Neelix, via comms: "Acknowledged. I know it's a little cramped back there so if there's anything I can do to make you more comfortable-"
Janeway interrupts: "Neelix, just get us out of here."

Neelix: "Of course, Captain." He opens a com. channel: "Talaxian vessel to Akritirian Patrol. My apologies for the little mix-up. I'll departing now per your orders." Akritirian patrol, via comms: "Power down your engines and prepare to be boarded." Neelix, via comms: "Er, what was that, Patrol? That last message was garbled."

Neelix's ship disengages from the docking port (which Kim had reached the other side of, looked through its window and looked out into space) as.....

.....two Akritirian ships bear down on him and fire but luckily they miss.

Neelix's ship flees.

Later, in Voyager's Sickbay, Kes finishes running a medical tricorder scan on Kim. Neelix: "I've always thought of my piloting skills as modest at best, and the conditions were extremely dangerous. Still I did out-maneuver those Akritirians, didn't I?"

Paris chortles. "You did a terrific job, Neelix." Janeway: "I agree. Excellent piloting." Neelix: "I'm glad to hear you say that, Captain, because I've been thinking. Until Tom here gets back on his feet, perhaps I could, er, try my hand at conn for a while."

Doctor: "That won't be necessary. Lieutenant Paris is just fine, thanks to excellent doctoring. I've finished analysing these implants and you'll be happy to know that the treatment I've provided will successfully counteract their effect on you."

Janeway: "What exactly was the effect?" Doctor: "My readings indicate that the implants are designed to stimulate the production of acetylcholine in the hypothalamus."

Kes: "That would explain the agitation."

No one seems to notice that Kim is looking troubled. Doctor: "Hmm. Acetylcholine is a brain chemical common to the neural structures of most humanoids. Essentially it helps stimulate one's aggressive tendencies." Kim: "Zio was right."

Paris sighs. "Come on, Harry. We're overdue for that steak dinner."

Kim is looking oddly at Paris: "I guess so." He gets up to leave with Paris. Paris: "What d'you mean, you guess so? It's the thought of that dinner that kept us going."

Hand on his friend's shoulder, Paris leads Kim along the corridor - destination Messhall. Paris, cheerfully: "So, what do you think? Er, baked potato, er, big mound of deep-fried onion rings-"

Kim interrupts: "Tom." Paris: "Maybe, maybe, er, some grilled mushrooms-"

Kim interrupts: "Tom, listen to me. I, I almost killed you." Paris: "What are you saying? You're the one who kept me alive." Kim: "I was ready to hit you with the pipe. Don't you remember?"

Paris: "You want to know what I remember? Someone saying, 'This man is my friend. Nobody touches him.' I'll remember that for a long time."

There is a pause. Then Paris returns to their banter, smiling: "So, what do you say we blow a week's worth of replicator rations?"

Kim smiles and joins in: "So what's for dessert?" Paris, as they resume heading for the Messhall: "Cherry pie, don't you remember?"

Kim: "What about the fudge ripple pudding?" Paris: "Ah, yes!"