FUTURE'S END
Episodes 50 and 51
Part K

 

In Voyager's torpedo tube 1, Janeway finishes her work and taps her combadge and establishes an open com. link generally to the Bridge. "Janeway to Bridge. I've reconfigured the manual launch. Arm the torpedo." Tuvok: "Torpedo armed." Janeway, via comms: "Lock on target." Tuvok: "Locked on."

Chakotay: "Hail Starling." Kim: "On screen." Chakotay: "This is Voyager. Pull away from the rift."

Starling, on viewscreen: "Or what? Your weapons are down, friend. See you sometime." He closes contact. Chakotay: "Chakotay to Janeway. Captain, we have no other choice." Kim: "He's entering the rift."

Chakotay: "Fire!"

Janeway fires, and is knocked backwards. "Oh!"

The torpedoes are launched.

In the Aeon, Starling sees death coming for him. Starling: "Uh-oh!"

The Aeon explodes.

In the turbolift on the way to the Bridge, the Doctor is trying to treat Janeway's burns: "Captain, I insist you come to Sickbay." Janeway: "There'll be plenty of time for that, Doctor."

They enter the Bridge. Chakotay: "The Bridge is yours, Captain." Janeway: "Is there a chance in hell we can reopen that rift?"

Kim: "Captain, the rift is opening. There's something coming out. It's the timeship!" Janeway: "Let's see it." Tuvok: "We are being hailed."

Janeway: "On screen. Captain Braxton." Braxton, on viewscreen: "Do you know me?" Chakotay: "Yes, unfortunately." Janeway: "You tried to destroy our ship in the 24th century. The next time we saw you, you were an old man, homeless, in 1996." Braxton, on viewscreen: "I never experienced that timeline." Paris: "Then what are you doing here?" Braxton, on viewscreen: "In my century we can scan time, much as you use sensors to scan space. The Temporal Integrity Commission detected your vessel over 20th century Earth. I was sent to correct that anomaly. Prepare to follow me back into the rift. I'm returning you to your own time, to your previous co-ordinates in the Delta Quadrant."

Janeway: "Captain, we've been trying to get home to Earth for the last two years. Can you return us to our century but keep us here, in the Alpha Quadrant?" Braxton, on viewscreen: "I'm sorry. Temporal Prime Directive. I'm afraid you're on your own. Braxton out." He closes contact.

Kim: "The timeship is re-entering the rift." Janeway slowly goes and sits down in the captain's chair. Around her, officers come to terms with their disappointment.

Janeway: "Mr Paris....." She exchanges a look with Chakotay.

Janeway, resigned: "Follow him in." Paris: "Aye Captain."

USS Voyager in the Delta Quadrant. Janeway: "Captain's log, stardate 50312.5. We are again in the Delta Quadrant, at the exact time and place we first encountered the timeship. I've resumed a course for Earth and I've ordered the crew to the Messhall for a toast."

Messhall. Everyone raises their champagne glasses. Janeway: "Cheers! To the future!" Paris: "Hear, hear."

Janeway: "How long will you be out and about, Doctor?" Doctor: "If you're referring to my newfound mobility, that is entirely up to me." Torres: "I'm still trying to figure out exactly how the Doctor's autonomous emitter works but it looks like downloading him back into the ship's computer isn't going to be much of a problem."

Doctor: "Apparently the reverse is also true. I will be able to make use of the emitter as casually as you might slip on a pair of shoes."

Torres: "It's a little more involved than that."

Doctor: "You know, Kes, now that I'll be to and fro, your responsibilities in Sickbay will increase." Kes: "I'm up to the challenge, Doctor, but what about you? There's going to be more to your life than Sickbay." Doctor: "Nothing I can't handle."

Doctor: "You know, Captain, I've always wanted a little more privacy. Perhaps under the circumstances, my own quarters." Janeway: "One step at a time, Doctor." She moves away.

A little distance away, Paris is entertaining Chakotay and Neelix with an anecdote. Paris: "You should've seen it when the parking enforcement officer came over to the van. Tuvok tried to use pure Vulcan logic to talk her out of giving us a citation." Chakotay: "Did it work?" Paris: "Of course not." Tuvok gets the last word though: "Given Mr Paris' alleged familiarity with 20th century America, it is a wonder we survived the experience at all." Chakotay and Neelix chuckle and move away.

Paris, getting the last word between the two of them: "Tuvok, has anyone ever told you you're a real freakasaurus?"