DARKLING
Episode 60
Part B

 

Voyager in planetary orbit.

Janeway is working in the Captain's Ready Room.

The door signal sounds. Janeway says: "Come in." Kes enters. She is looking distinctly tired and worn. "Hello, Captain."

Janeway greets her, "Good morning," then notices how tired and worn she looks as she receives Kes' PADD report. "An all-nighter, Kes?"

When Kes does not understand, she goes on, "The fine art of putting of an important task until the very last minute. In my Academy days I was the acknowledged master."

Kes: "Er, Captain, do you have a minute?" Janeway: "Of course. Let's sit down." They sit on the sofa by the window. Kes: "You know I've been spending time with Zahir." Janeway: "Yes. He seems like a very interesting young man." Kes: "He is. I want to spend more time with him, a lot more time." Janeway: "I see." Kes: "He wants to explore the Sylleran Rift. He and his ship travels at high warp. We could rendezvous with Voyager afterwards before you're too far away." Janeway: "That would certainly give you a chance to get to know him better." Kes: "It's more than that. Captain, I've lived almost through my life now. I've been asking myself if I want to spend the rest of it on Voyager." Janeway: "That's certainly a legitimate question." Kes: "Everyone here has been so good to me. I don't want you to think I'm ungrateful. I've just been thinking that maybe there's more. I don't know what that means. But I know I'm changing and I know that there are things that I'm not satisfied with. I want complication in my life." Janeway: "And you think Zahir might be the way to do that?" Kes: "Maybe so." Janeway: "I understand what you're going through, Kes. I know what it's like to be at a crossroads in life, not to know which way is best. I can help you weigh the consequences, the possibilities, but the decision must be yours alone." Kes: "I understand." Janeway: "We'll be in orbit for several more days. My door's open if you need me." Kes: "Thank you, Captain." She gets up and leaves.

On the planet, in the lodge, Zahir shows Tuvok a map (the cylindrical object between them) Zahir: "You should navigate here, away from this plasma belt. You'll avoid the Tarkan sentries altogether." Tuvok: "It would also take Voyager off a direct course to the Alpha Quadrant." Zahir: "True, but at least you would still have Voyager. The Tarkan are so powerful and acquisitive that they will remove the entire crew, settle them on a moon somewhere and Voyager would become their latest trophy."

Tuvok: "You weren't planning on taking Kes anywhere near that part of space?" Zahir: "Of course not. My small vessel would be overpowered in seconds. There's no need to be concerned for Kes. I value her life as much as my own." Tuvok: "From what I've surmised, that is something that your people do not seem to value. You seem to take many chances." Zahir: "If we're alone, yes, but when we're responsible for the safety of another, it's a different story. I'm in love with Kes. I want her to go with me. But whatever she decides, it would please me to earn the trust of her closest friends." Tuvok: "It would please me to be able to give it."

Kes enters, and smiles broadly at them both. The men rise. Tuvok to Zahir: "We will continue tomorrow." Kes: "Thank you, Tuvok." Tuvok leaves.

Kes: "I was talking to Captain Janeway." Zahir: "And?" Kes: "She said I shouldn't rush a decision. We've still got two more days here." Zahir: "Then let's make them worthwhile. I go tonight to the next outpost. The path is beautiful." Kes: "I can't, not tonight. I have to catch up my work and get some sleep." Zahir: "I'll try not to let you see my disappointment." Kes: "Too late." Zahir: "Is something wrong?" Kes: "No. I was just thinking about something Captain Janeway said, about coming to a crossroads. Maybe someday we'll recall this conversation in this place as though it were the most important time in our lives." She sighs. "It's a little overwhelming." Zahir: "Not if I'm with you."

As Zahir walks along the cliff path he becomes suspicious that there is someone following him. He calls out: "Is someone there?" There is - a sinister cloaked and hooded figure sneaks up behind him and pushes him over the precipice!

The lodge is now empty except for Nakahn who is tidying up. A stranger enters, wearing a cloak with the hood up. Nakahn: "We're closed!" Stranger: "I'm just looking for a place by the fire." Nakahn: "Come back tomorrow."

The stranger moves his hood back from his face. It is the Doctor! Or rather, it is him but it is a darkling version. Darkling Doctor: "I intend to, but tonight, a place by the fire."

The Doctor seizes Nakahn, hauls him to the fireplace and holds his hand in the flames. Nakahn writhes in pain.

The Doctor lets Nakahn out of the fire: "Well, at least your reflexes are good. A few minutes in a dermal regenerator and you'll be fine, or an ice pack will do at a pinch. I'm going to need a ship and passage off this world." He snarls: "You're going to arrange it." Then he leaves.

Kes enters Sickbay. "Computer, activate the Emergency Medical Holographic program." The Doctor materialises. "Please state the nature of the medical emergency." Kes: "Zahir was found unconscious at the bottom of a ravine. He's in an emergency outpost facility." Doctor: "Condition?" Kes: "Multiple fractures and skin lacerations, damage to the left occipital nerve. Doctor, they think that he was attacked." Doctor: "By whom?" Kes: "They don't know. Tuvok is assisting with the investigation." Doctor: "Is there anything I can do?" Kes: "If you could help. The physician in charge is waiting for you." Doctor: "Prepare a medkit. Include an osteo-regenerator." Kes: "Yes, Doctor." Doctor, hurrying into his office to fetch his mobile emitter: "I'll get the mobile emitter and inform the Captain."

The Doctor and Kes are getting into position in the transporter chamber when Torres hurries in. Torres: "Doctor, wait. There's a problem with your program." Doctor: "What sort of problem?"

Torres: "I'm not sure. Something caused by the new subroutines you added." Kes: "Is the Doctor alright?" Torres: "He might not be unless I can figure out what's going on. I need to run a complete analysis on all your subroutines, while they're running." Doctor: "I'm sorry, Kes. Tell the physician I recommend he use the regenerator until Zahir is stabilised. I'll join you as soon as I can."

He and Torres depart, leaving Kes on the transporter pad ready to beam down.

Doctor: "Well, get them out, Lieutenant!"

In Sickbay Torres sits at a console while she works. Doctor: "So I made a mess of things?" Torres: "It's not your fault. It looks good in theory. What could be wrong with adding a little personality to your program." Doctor: "What indeed." Torres: "You didn't anticipate the linkages between the subroutines, the complex behaviours that could emerge out of the mix." Doctor: "Please explain, Lieutenant." Torres: " Well, take Lord Byron, for instance - a creative, poetic genius." Doctor: "That's why I chose him." Torres: "But Byron was emotionally intense, even unstable. A holodeck simulation of Byron includes those unstable elements. He wouldn't be Byron otherwise. And T'Pau - she was a diplomat, judge, philosopher." Doctor: "One of the most logical minds in Vulcan history." Torres: "And utterly ruthless in the application of that logic." Doctor: "I see. That ruthlessness was an essential element of her personality, as much as her logical ability." Torres: "A lot of the historical figures you chose have this dark thread running through their personalities." Doctor: "And now those dark threads are in me, running through my program. Well, get them out, Lieutenant!" Torres: "I'm about to do just that. I've programmed a search algorithmn to locate and decompile every one it finds. You'll have to shut yourself off for this one." Doctor: "Computer, deactivate Emergency Medical Holographic program."

But the Doctor's program does not shut down as normal. Instead he fritzes. Torres: "Doctor?" Then she is horrified.......

In the corridor on the way to Sickbay, Janeway and Tuvok discuss his investigation of the attack on Zahir. Tuvok: "The most curious aspect of the attack on Zahir was the apparent lack of evidence." Janeway: "What do you mean?" Tuvok: "Even the quickest, most violently delivered blow leaves behind some sort molecular evidence." Janeway: "Cell fragments from the skin of the attacker, residual protein, DNA...." Tuvok: "In this instance there was nothing, not a single molecule." Janeway: "Is Zahir conscious?" Tuvok: "Yes, but he can recall nothing of the attack except a sudden blur of motion." Janeway: "How is he?" Tuvok: "Responding well to treatment." Janeway: "How's Kes?" Tuvok: "Concerned and at his side."

They enter Sickbay to find Torres collapsed on the floor. Tuvok: "Computer, activate Emergency Medical Holographic program." The Doctor materialises. "Please state the nature-" Janeway interrupts: "Torres is hurt!"

Doctor: "I deactivated myself so she could work on my program. She must've collapsed at the console."

The Doctor scans Torres with a tricorder and diagnoses, in an "I told her so" voice: "Delayed anaphylactic shock from something she ate yesterday."

He tells them: "Let's get her onto a bed. Don't eat the vegetables, I said. But does anyone listen to me? This is the fifth time in as many weeks that an away team member has ignored my preparatory report. Might as well stop issuing them. I'll need-" Janeway: "10 cc's of alizine." She fetches it for him and he injects Torres. Doctor: "That's exactly right. How did you know?" Janeway: "My Klingon physiology course at the Academy." Doctor: "Excellent recall." Janeway: "We had a visiting Professor H'ohk. He permitted nothing less." Doctor: "She's stabilised but I'll need to monitor her condition for a few hours." Tuvok: "Doctor, I have the raw data from the forensic investigation of the attack on Zahir. Your instruments are more precise than those on the outpost." Doctor, accepting the PADD: "As if I weren't busy enough. Very well."

The evil Darkling sees Torres unconscious on the primary biobed and, fumbling, loads up two hyposprays and approaches her.