FUTURE'S END
Episodes 50 and 51
Part D

 

Paris and Tuvok enter Rain's laboratory, room 123, despite the sign on the door "Do not enter. Employees only."

Paris goes over to the desk. He picks up one of Rain's toys.

He looks at the papers on the desk. "Over here. These are radio-wave read-outs. It looks like radio telescope transmissions. Pretty basic."

Tuvok: "Lieutenant, you are being careless." Paris: "Tuvok!"

Tuvok: "I will not lighten up on this matter. Thus far I have tolerated your impulsive methods. At times they do work to our advantage. But discretion is also a virtue. We must leave things exactly as they were."

Paris tidies up a bit. He looks again at the papers on the desk. "They've found us alright. The orbital schematic matches Voyager's position." Tuvok: "According to this data, they are tracking the warp emissions from our engines." Paris: "Uh! Nobody in this century even knows what warp emission are!" Tuvok: "Nevertheless, it appears they have configured their telescope to scan for them."

Rain arrives at the door carrying a pizza takeaway box.

Seeing them, Rain: "Excuse me." She indicates the sign: "Do not enter, employees only - this sign on the door."

Paris: "Er, I'm sorry, I think we're a little lost. We were on the museum tour and we took a wrong turn at the Saturn exhibit." Tuvok: "Perhaps you could tell us how to get back to the lobby." Rain: "Go back down the hall, take a left at Mars, right at Halley's Comet and then just keep going straight ahead past the soda machine." They start to go but Paris decides to try and charm her and maybe obtain the information they need. Paris: "This lab is er...pretty groovy."

Rain, hearing this passé word repeats it to herself in disbelief: "'Groovy'." Paris: "What do you do here?" Rain: "We watch the skies." Paris: "For what?" Rain: "Signs of extra-terrestrial life." Trying to get them to leave: "Nice meeting you."

Paris: "My name is Tom Paris, by the way." He puts out his hand. Rain, shaking his hand: "Rain Robinson."

Paris: "Your curves don't look so great." Rain: "'Scuse me?!" Paris: "This is a Fourier spectral analysis?" Rain, surprised at his knowledge: "That's exactly what it is." Paris: "You know, you might get better resolution if you adjust your amplitude parameters." Rain: "You're probably right." Paris: "Or you might try using a theta-band filter." Rain: "You know a lot for someone who can't find his way past Saturn." Paris: "I majored in astrophysics." Rain: "Where?"

Paris: "Starfleet Academy." Rain: "Never heard of it." Paris: "Er, east coast school." As he talks and has Rain's full attention, Tuvok is operating his tricorder.

He sees a poster on the wall. "'Orgy of the Walking Dead'? That's a classic! Did you see the sequel, erm, 'Bride of the Corpse'?" Rain: "Let me guess. You minored in B-movies." Paris: "Something like that."

Tuvok: "Pardon me, Tom. We should be going. Our friends are waiting for us." Paris: "Yeah, right." Almost regretfully to this nice young woman: "Got to go." Rain, liking Paris a lot: "Hey, er, I do the planetarium show Tuesday nights, so er, you guys should come by, check it out, bring your friends. 'The best stars in Hollywood are right above us.'" Paris: "Yeah, great, but I think we're busy on Tuesday. Thanks anyway."

Rain smiles. But after they have gone, disappointed: "No problem, huh."

She turns back to resume work when suddenly the computer displays a "fatal error" message. "Whoa!"

She suspects the two visitors.

Tuvok and Paris are leaving the Griffith Observatory. Tuvok: "I downloaded all of her data into the tricorder and disrupted her data storage device." Paris: "Good. I hope she doesn't get in any trouble." Tuvok: "It will simply look like a computer malfunction." Paris: "It's a shame though. She was about to make the biggest discovery in human history. Could've changed her career." Tuvok: "And ended ours. I am curious, Lieutenant. What does it mean - 'groovy'?"

Behind them Rain comes through the doors and sees them. Rain: "Hey! Hey you guys!" Paris: "Red alert!" He and Tuvok race for the truck. Rain chases after them. Rain: "Hey! Hey! Just wait a minute!"

Rain catches them just as they are about to get in. Rain: "What the hell did you do to my computer? It is screwed up! The hard drive is wiped!" Paris: "I don't have time to explain." Behind them, unnoticed, Dunbar approaches and takes up position by the statues of past famous astronomers. He gets out a 29th century phaser. Rain: "Who are you people?" To Tuvok: "And what is that thing in your pants?" Tuvok: "I beg your pardon?" Rain: "That little gadget you put in your pocket, what is it? A demagnetiser?"

Paris spots Dunbar who is peering out from behind the Nicolaus Copernicus part of the statue and taking aim at Rain. Paris: "Get down!"

Tuvok helps Rain get down. Dunbar fires.

Thanks to Paris' warning, Dunbar's blast hits only the truck, which vapourises!

Tuvok fires back at Dunbar.

Dunbar ducks into cover behind the statue. Rain: "What the hell?!" Paris: "Do you have a car?" Rain, indicating: "Yeah, over there." Paris turns to see the blue camper van parked nearby. Tuvok: "We need to use it." Rain: "Oh."

As they race toward the camper van, Dunbar fires again. The blast goes wide and glances off the van. Tuvok goes into a protective roll to avoid the blast, then....

....fires at Dunbar. He hits Dunbar's hand, causing the would-be murderer to drop the phaser.

As Dunbar rushes to retrieve the weapon and aim it again....

....the camper van drives off with Paris at the wheel. Tuvok runs after it and Rain helps him in through the side door.

Dunbar races after them....

....but stops, and annoyance and dismay cross his face as the van speeds into the distance and he realises he has lost them.

USS Voyager, orbiting Earth. Kim: "Operations Officer's log, supplemental. We've been on full sensor alert looking for signs that anyone else has detected Voyager. As a precaution, I've also asked Neelix and Kes to monitor all media broadcasts."

Kim enters the Briefing Room where Neelix and Kes are looking at a monitor display crowded with media footage. Kes: "We've set up a computer algorithm to search for key words and phrases, anything that might indicate Voyager." Kim: "Anything so far?" Neelix: "Not yet, but we have come across some very intriguing televised broadcasts." Switches to a single channel. "Take a look at this. It's a form of entertainment called a 'soap opera'. The exploration of human relationships is fascinating." Kim: "I can't imagine just watching the story and not being a part of it." Kes: "That's because you've been spoiled by the holodeck. There's something to be said for non-interactive stories like this, being swept away in the narrative." Neelix: "Oh, I can't wait to see if Blaine's twin brother is the father of Jessica's baby." Kim: "Good work. Keep me informed, and don't get too swept away." He leaves. Neelix: "Er, aye sir." Soap opera Sharon, on monitor: "Nobody'll know the difference." Soap opera Jack, on monitor: "I'll know, Sharon. He's my brother. How can I face him knowing that our son is his son?" Soap opera Sharon, on monitor: "All you need to know, Jack, is that I love you!"