The mag-lev carriage shakes violently as it hurtles skywards. Neelix calls out the frightening readings as they all try to hold on. They are travelling at 30 kilometres per hour, and out of control! Tuvok and Neelix have to shout to each other to be heard above the noise.

	Tuvok: "We are losing mag-lev cohesion." Neelix: "Alright. We have to stabilise that right away otherwise we'll go into freefall!" Sklar: "You mean we're going to drop?!"
	Tuvok asks Neelix: "How do we prevent that? Neelix!" Neelix: "Hold on, hold on, I'm thinking! Velocity, let's try and increase the velocity. It should stabilise our ascent. See if you can increase power to the tether couplings."

Tuvok hauls on a wheel-valve and reports: "We have backup power to the tether couplings."
Neelix: "Stand by. I'm going to try giving it a little more speed."
He pulls down a lever on the console and at last the carriage stops shaking.

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Neelix reads the monitors: "Velocity 47 kilometres per hour and holding." Tuvok: "Mag-lev cohesion stable." Neelix: "We're alright."

Neelix pats the console. "Good girl, Alixia. I knew you could do it." Tuvok: "Alixia?" Neelix: "I named the carriage, after my sister."

Tuvok: "For good luck, no doubt. We will need it. The oxygen converters have ruptured." Neelix: "We'll have to find a way to increase output to the other converter otherwise we'll run out of air about halfway up." Tuvok: "What are our chances of reaching the ionosphere?" Neelix: "I'd say they er were pretty good. We did leave ahead of schedule and that could cause a few glitches along the way." Tuvok: "Glitches?" Neelix: "I wasn't able to get the auto-ascent sequencer back online. That means I'll have to er keep controlling the ascent manually, and there is the problem of maintaining atmospheric pressure. I'm already beginning to detect a few fissures in the hull." Tuvok: "We must repair them. Where is the emergency containment grid?" Neelix: "Containment grid. Containment grid. Erm, I'm not quite sure." Tuvok: "Mr Neelix, you told me you had experience with this kind of technology." Neelix: "I did, I did. Sort of. They weren't exactly what you might call working carriages. They were more like prototypes." Tuvok: "Specifically?" Neelix: "Alright, they were models, one-tenth scale. But they were extremely detailed." Tuvok: "You built models." Neelix: "Yes, but they were basically identical to real mag-lev carriages. Same principles, same mechanical components. I was planning to familiarise myself with all the systems on the carriage. I just didn't plan on leaving ahead of schedule. But don't worry, I've got everything under control." Tuvok is practical. "There is little that we can do now that we are 30 kilometres above the surface. I suggest that we continue-"

They are interrupted by Vatm's cries. They turn to see Lillias dragging Vatm along the floor. "What are you doing?" shouts Vatm. Lillias tells him: "You wanted to leave, fine! Then leave!" She deposits him by the carriage door and starts to tap in the command sequence to open the carriage door.

But Tuvok grabs her and pulls her away. "That is enough!" he tells her. At first she tries to escape his grip but then gives up. Satisfied that Lillias has given up, Tuvok lets her go. He tells her: "He may be crucial to the survival of your colonies." Lillias protests: "He would've let us die down there!" Tuvok: "That is no justification for murder."

	Tuvok: "Dr Vatm, why did you try to launch without us? Does it have to do with the discovery you made about the asteroids?"
	Hanjuan is also angry with Vatm. "Answer him, or I'll throw you out myself!"
	Tuvok: "Compose yourself, Mr Hanjuan. Once we return to Voyager we will find out-" Hanjuan demands: "Who put you in command?" Tuvok: "This rescue mission was authorised by the Captain of my ship and the Ambassador of your government."
	Hanjuan: "I say we throw Vatm out the door. We could use the extra oxygen." Tuvok: "If you are trying to intimidate me I should inform you that as a Vulcan I possess physical strength many times your-"

Suddenly Hanjuan raises his arm to attack Tuvok, but Tuvok seizes his hand. He demonstrates his strength by easily crushing the man's hand. Hanjuan collapses to the floor in pain. Tuvok tells him calmly and firmly: "It is going to be a long and perilous journey. As such I will need your full co-operation. Understood?" Hanjuan manages to gasp, "Yes." Tuvok lets go and Hanjuan nurses his hand.

Tuvok goes to Neelix and says quietly: "Mechanical glitches would seem to be the least of our problems."

	On Voyager's bridge, Janeway converses with Paris via comms. Paris: "We've just completed our third low altitude survey. There's no sign of Dr Vatm or Tuvok and his rescue team." Janeway: "We're monitoring a major dust storm heading your way. You'll need to head due north within the hour." Paris: "Acknowledged. Paris out." Contact ends.
	Kim: "Captain, I'm getting more detailed sensor readings on the approaching asteroid. It's huge, over a half a kilometre in diameter. It's moving faster than the others." Janeway: "Time to impact?" Kim: "Approximately two hours." Janeway is concerned. This is much sooner than the six hours previously indicated by Tuvok's readings, and the size of the potential disaster much greater.

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