FAIR TRADE
Episode 55
Part E

 

Bahrat's office. Bahrat, pointing at a monitor on which film footage from a surveillance camera is played: "This is the criminal who was killed, and these,"

pointing at Paris and then at Chakotay, "are the two men we arrested."

Janeway: "You can't seriously regard this as viable evidence."

Bahrat: "I realise it's circumstantial but it is compelling." Janeway: "It proves absolutely nothing." Bahrat: "It proves your two men had a conversation with a narcotics dealer only hours before he was killed."

Tuvok: "As the Captain said, that proves nothing." Bahrat, determined, and beginning to bristle: "I'm holding them for questioning. They're prime suspects." Janeway: "I want my security officer present during all interrogations."

Bahrat: "I'll take that into consideration. But make no mistake about this - someone will serve 50 years of cryostatic suspension for that murder. If I were to let this go unpunished there would be anarchy on this station within days." Janeway: "You make no mistake about this: I won't allow members of my crew to be condemned for a crime they did not commit." She and Tuvok stride out.

> Janeway and Tuvok leave the office of Bahrat, station manager, and walk through part of the Nekrit Supply Depot. (pop-up window) Neelix and Wix surreptitiously watch Janeway and Tuvok leave Bahrat's office and leave the concourse.

Neelix: "This has gone too far. We have got to go to Bahrat." Wix: "We'll end up in his cryostatic prison for decades." Neelix: "Not if he agrees to your plan." Wix: "Your plan is crazy. It's worse than prison. It's a death sentence." Neelix: "That would be better than living a lie. I'm going whether you do or not." He walks off.

Wix: "Neelix!" Neelix turns. Wix comes up to him. It is a turning point for Wix. "We've been through too much together. I can't let you do this alone."

Neelix clutches him, pleased. They smile at each other.

Bahrat's office. Neelix: "It was a Type 2 Federation phaser that was used. It's on one of our shuttles. You can get it from our security officer to verify the energy signature."

Wix: "But I fired in self-defence."

Bahrat: "Which of you fired the weapon?" Neelix: "We were both involved in all aspects of the crime." Wix speaks up: "I was the one with the weapon. But I fired in self-defence." Neelix: "So you see, Commander Chakotay and Lieutenant Paris are innocent."

Bahrat: "The punishment for trafficking in illicit substances is 50 years of cryostatic imprisonment." Neelix: "Your cryostatic prison isn't a particularly effective deterrent, is it?" Bahrat, bristling: "It certainly is. There's very little narcotics trafficking that goes on here." Wix: "That's what you think. The Kolaati have made a fortune trading drugs here." Bahrat, stubbornly: "I know everything that happens on this station." Neelix: "Apparently not, since we were able to deliver narcotics to known criminals right under your nose." Wix: "They have ways of disabling your surveillance systems, masking your sensors, creating false visual signals. It happens almost every night." Bahrat: "I'll put a stop to that." Neelix: "Since you don't know how they do it, that might prove difficult, but we have a plan. The Kolaati want a sample of warp plasma from Voyager." Wix: "I'll arrange a meeting with them to deliver the plasma. When they arrive, we'll take them into custody." Bahrat: "How do you plan to do that? You won't be able to carry weapons and if they thought my men and I were near they'd be gone in a second." Neelix: "We have some ideas. If we are able to turn them over to you, will you agree not to charge us with a crime?" Bahrat comes down from his control consoles. He decides and says: "It's no risk to me. You'll undoutably perish in this ridiculous scheme." Neelix: "You'll have to provide us with a sample of warp plasma. I won't take any from Voyager." Bahrat: "What I can give you won't be of the same quality." Neelix: "Doesn't matter. We'll make do." Bahrat: "Alright, we'll try it. But I don't hold any hopes that you will survive."

He has spoken their fears - they also fear they will not survive.

Neelix and Wix are at the agreed meeting place. Neelix, rather agitated: "It's been over 20 minutes. Where are they?" Wix: "I confirmed the time and place. They should be here. Maybe they've realised it's a trap. Maybe they're not going to show up." Neelix: "Let's hope they do or we will end up in Bahrat's prison."

In Bahrat's office, Bahrat, flanked by two security guards, watch the surveillance monitor.

Neelix and Wix can be seen but.....

....suddenly the image on the monitor distorts for a moment and then they 'vanish'.

Bahrat: "It looks like somebody's begun transmitting a false visual signal. My guess is that they're about to come aboard. We'll give them five minutes then move in."

Three shadowy figures can be seen. They approach and become recognisable to Wix.

Wix to Neelix: "It's Tosin." Neelix: "Who?" Wix: "He's one of the most powerful Kolaati."

Neelix presses two controls on the canister of warp plasma which he is holding.

Neelix to Tosin: "Good evening. My name is Neelix and-" Tosin interrupts: "The warp plasma. Where is it?" Wix, indicating the canister: "Right in here, Tosin. But first you must guarantee us-"

Tosin, pointing at them: "You'll live for today. No guarantees about tomorrow. Give me the plasma, slowly."

One of Tosin's associates covers Neelix with his gun.

Neelix hands over the canister to Tosin. Tosin scans it.

Tosin examines the read-out. Tosin, angrily: "20 parts per million isonucleic residue. This is contaminated! You promised me a pure sample."

Neelix: "It doesn't matter, because you're under arrest." Tosin: "What?" Neelix: "I said: you're being taken into custody for smuggling contraband and narcotic substances, very serious offences aboard this station, Mr Tosin. It's time you faced up to that."

Tosin and his associates laugh.

Tosin, levelling his gun at Neelix: "Little man, your days have ended."