PART D

Janeway: "Captain's log, supplemental. We've completed sensor scans and confirmed our discovery of an unusual dampening field, responsible for keeping this unstable nebula from going up in flames. The field's origin is still a mystery."

Chakotay: "The dampening field only seems to appear whenever one of the plasma strands ignites, as if the fire itself initiates the field." Janeway: "Which puts out the fire - a feedback loop." Chakotay: "One that's preserved this nebula for hundreds of years." Janeway: "Mr Kim, do we have enough data on the dampening field to produce one artificially using the deflector dish?" Kim is not paying attention - he is thinking about Marayna. "Harry, do we have the data?" Kim: "Yes, Captain, but it'll take a while. We'll have to simulate the process on the computer then try to recreate it with the deflector dish, probably a few weeks." Janeway: "The project's yours, Ensign. Tom, resume course for the Alpha Quadrant, warp 6." Paris: "Aye, Captain." He works the controls and then reports: "Captain, propulsion is not responding." Janeway, via comms: "Bridge to Engineering. B'Elanna, what's going on? Torres, via comms: "I'm not sure, Captain. We're trying to track the problem now." Janeway: "Harry, give B'Elanna a hand." Kim leaves the Bridge for Main Engineering. Chakotay: "The nebula could be having an effect on ship's systems." Janeway: "That's a possibility we can't discount."

In Main Engineering, Vorik gives his report to Torres. Torres: "Most likely there's some kind of failure in the computer pathways. Nothing's wrong with propulsion but the commands from the helm just aren't getting there."

	Kim's distractedness is plain for Torres to see. Kim: "I'm sorry, I guess I got a lot on my mind." Torres: "Forget about her." Kim: "What did Tom tell you?" Torres: "Not a single word. I saw the way you were looking at Marayna yesterday."
	Kim: "Hi, I'm Harry 'read me like a book' Kim."

Torres: "It's not that bad."
Kim: "Apparently it is. I can't get her off my mind."
Computer: "Input algorithm not accepted."
Torres: "Why don't you take a break. I can handle it from here."
Kim: "Thanks. I'll be in my quarters if you need me."

Kim enters the turbolift. Kim: "Deck 3." The turbolift starts on its way. Then Kim changes his mind. "Computer, belay that order. Holodeck 1." He walks along the corridor to the Holodeck and presses controls on the interface panel. "Computer, activate Neelix resort program." Computer: "That program is currently running." He enters the Holodeck.

Kim sees Marayna, apparently alone, and approaches eagerly. But when he gets to her, he finds she is playing kal-toh with Tuvok, whose presence had been hidden by the furniture and the cushion. Marayna: "Hello, Harry." Kim: "Enjoying yourselves?" To Tuvok: "Now I know why you told me to keep off the Holodeck." Tuvok: "Mr Kim, you are misconstruing the nature of the situation. Your jealousy is entirely insupportable." Kim: "Stop analysing me! I respected you, I trusted you and you did this right behind my back." Tuvok: "I have done nothing of the sort." Kim, angrily: "Then what do you call this?" Tuvok: "A game of kal-toh which I am playing with a non-sentient computer subroutine." Marayna: "Harry, I didn't intend to harm you and I didn't do anything wrong." Kim: "I'll accept that from her, Tuvok, but not from you. You said to stay away from her. You should have done the same." Tuvok: "You're implying a desire on my part that simply does not exist. Marayna is simply an intriguing interactive hologram, nothing more." Kim, sarcastically: "If you say so, Lieutenant." He starts to leave. Tuvok, hurrying after him: "Mr Kim, I value our working relationship. I would not allow a holodeck character to disrupt that-" Kim: "I think it's a little late." Marayna: "Tuvok, Harry, please stop arguing." Tuvok: "Computer, delete the Marayna subroutine." Marayna: "Tuvok, what are you-" She vanishes. Kim: "That's not going to help. I should never have come to you in the first place. I should've worked it out myself." He turns on his heel and walks out.

Bridge. Janeway: "Let's try it again, Mr Paris, warp 6." Paris: "Course laid in." Janeway: "Engage. It would appear that we are not moving, Mr Paris." Paris: "I don't understand it, Captain." Janeway: "Any ideas, B'Elanna?" Torres, at the Bridge's engineering station: "Warp drive is still online and the helm appears to be working but the engines aren't responding. It's possible we've got a computer malfunction but I can't seem to localise it." Janeway: "Let's run a level 4 computer diagnostic, all systems." Kim: "Aye, Captain." He and Tuvok exchange unfriendly glances. Torres: "Captain, I just got aft thrusters to respond. It's not much." Janeway: "I'll take it. Tom, let's go." Chakotay: "At this speed we'll be completely clear of the nebula by tomorrow." Janeway: "Good enough."

Tuvok and Kim exchange unfriendly glances.

Tuvok enters his quarters....

....to find Marayna there, wearing the Doctor's mobile emitter. She is playing kal-toh. "Your move," she says. "I think you'll find my game has improved."

	Tuvok: "How did you get here?" Marayna: "Simple - I transferred myself from the Holodeck to the Sickbay and used your physician's mobile emitter." Tuvok: "I deleted you from the Holodeck."
	Marayna: "You're like a new world to me, Tuvok. I want to know everything about you. I didn't realise how lonely my existence was. I can't go back to the way things were, not without you."

	Marayna: "But you only did that for Harry's benefit. I know you wanted to keep seeing me. I like Harry but er, well, you're different. You're not like anyone else." She moves closer towards him, pausing to admire a wall tapestry. Tuvok: "Why have you come here, to my quarters?"
	Marayna: "You're like a new world to me, Tuvok. I want to know everything about you. I didn't realise how lonely my existence was. I can't go back to the way things were, not without you." Her hand on him prevents him from reaching his combadge.

He removes her hand....

.... and taps his combadge: "Tuvok to bridge. Intruder alert. Security team to my quarters." The alert klaxon sounds continuously.

Marayna: "No! Why did you do that. Don't you want us to be together?" Tuvok: "Given your actions, I have no choice but to consider you a potential threat to myself and to Voyager." Marayna: "But you're wrong. I would never do anything to harm you. Make it stop!" At her words the klaxon stops sounding. Tuvok: "You have access to the ship's control systems?" Marayna: "And I'll use them all if I have to. You can't just delete me!"

A security team arrives, but as they look on she vanishes....

Marayna - gone.

The mobile emitter drops to the floor. Tuvok picks it up and holds it thoughtfully.

Thanks for the page set "Palm Island" and animated hula dancer to Tropical Nights.