Episode 63 : BEFORE AND AFTER
Part D

Later, after certain senior staff have gathered in the Briefing Room and Kes has explained. Kes: "So I've determined I've jumped a total of six years into my past." Tuvok: "Do you have any theory as to the cause of these jumps?" Doctor: "According to Kes, she and the rest of the crew will be infected by chronoton radiation in approximately eleven months from now. Everyone will be inoculated and the effects will appear to vanish. However, some five years later, when I attempt an experimental and, I might add, ingenious procedure to extend her lifespan, the bio-temporal field I expose her to will trigger dormant chronoton particles, taking Kes out of temporal synch and causing her to begin her backward journey through time." Janeway: "In all my years in Starfleet I've never come across a phenomenon quite like this." Doctor: "Kes has been able to provide us with the precise temporal variance of the torpedo which infected her." Torres: "Since Kes is moving backward in time, she's already been infected by the radiation poisoning. If we can set up a bio-temporal chamber and expose her to a precisely modulated field of anti-chronoton particles, we feel this may purge her system and bring her back into temporal synch with there rest of us." Janeway: "Well, we'd better get moving. For all we know, Kes's next jump will take her back to a time when we're not here to help her." They hurry out. Kes catches up with Janeway: "Captain, there's something else I have to tell you. In about six months, you're going to enter a region of space controlled by a race called the Krenim. You must avoid them at all costs." Janeway: "Tell me more."

Kes arrives in 2373 (the present-day). In Sickbay Kes is inside a chamber designed to expose her to a precisely modulated field of anti-chronotons which will purge her system of the chronoton radiation, bring her back into temporal synch. and stop her from moving backwards in time. Torres and Janeway assist the Doctor. Torres: "I'm ready to bring the chamber online." Janeway: "Synaptic relays are operational. How are her vital signs?" Doctor: "Pulse normal, body temperature 14 °, chronoton level at 79 roentgens. Go ahead and activate the chamber, Lieutenant. Increase the bio-temporal field stress." Torres: "Bringing field stress to 25 kilodynes." Doctor: "Alright, let's try the anti-chronotons." Torres: "Whenever you're ready, Doctor."

Doctor: "Initiating anti-chronoton burst, 10 MEV's, five second pulse. Pulse steady, body temperature at 14.2 ° degrees and rising." Janeway: "What about her chronoton count?" Doctor: "Chronoton count is 71 roentgens and dropping."

Janeway: "It's working." Doctor: "Lieutenant Torres, increase the field strength to 30 kilodynes." Torres: "Right."

Doctor: "Initiating another burst. 15 MEV's, five second pulse. Body temperature 14.9 ° chronoton count 68 roentgens.... 60.... 57.... 52...." But while in the chamber, Kes makes another "jump".

She "jumps" back to early 2371. It is the moment when Neelix is persuading Janeway to let himself and Kes remain on board. Neelix: "You need a cook. You haven't lived until you've tasted my angla'bosque. It will be my job to anticipate your needs before you know you have them." Kes: "Not again." Neelix: "And I anticipate your first need will be me."

Kes: "I'm sorry, I know this is going to sound strange to you both, but I don't belong here." Neelix: "But we discussed this." Kes: "You don't understand, I'm travelling backwards in time, getting younger. We have to lower my chronoton levels. You've got to get me into the bio-temporal chamber right away." Neelix: "I, I, I'm sorry Captain. I didn't quite anticipate this." Kes: "Listen to me, please." Neelix: "Sweetie, try to calm down. I assure you, Captain, she's never behaved this way before." Janeway: "Hold on a minute, Mr Neelix. Kes, why don't you start over, slowly." Kes: "It begins about eight years in the future, when I'm about to die."

Suddenly she shivers. She knows she is going to "jump" and she is far from ready. She has not yet had time to explain her predicament to Janeway. "No!" Kes shrieks. But she "jumps" anyway.

Kes is a child again. She finds herself back on the Ocampa planet, in the garden of her home. The year is 2370. Benaren: "Time for dinner. What's wrong, Kes?" Benaren: "Who are you? What is this place?" Benaren: "We don't have time to play our guessing game right now, Kes. You know how your mother gets when we're late to the table." Kes: "You're my father." Benaren: "That's right, and you're my favourite daughter, but don't tell anyone." Kes: "Listen to me, something terrible's been happening to me." Benaren: "What's wrong?" Kes: "There might not be much time so I've got to explain this quickly. Please try to believe me. I've been living aboard a starship called Voyager." Benaren: "A starship. I see. So now it's not only the surface you're dreaming about exploring." Kes: "Listen to me. I did go to the surface, or rather, I will go there, and the people aboard the ship are going to rescue me from the Kazon." Benaren: "We can talk about your adventures after dinner." Kes: "No, there's no time. You've got to believe me. One moment I was this old woman and then, and then-" Benaren: "Kes, we're late." Kes: "Father, please." Suddenly she "jumps" again.

Another jump takes Kes back to her birth. We see her parents together: Benaren and Martis, attended by an Ocampan midwife. Benaren: "I can see the toes! Keep going, Martis. It's a girl."

Martis: "Oh, Kes."

A further "jump" takes Kes back to the womb, and more "jumps" see her reverting to a single cell.

A

B

C

D

Then with another "jump" the process reverses. She is taken forward to her birth.

A

B

C

D

Kes is born. Her father, Benaren, helps to deliver her.

Baby Kes with her parents, and an Ocampan midwife in attendance.

Benaren: "It's a girl." Martis: "Oh, she's so, she's so beautiful. Kes!" To Benaren: "I think one day she'll see the sun!"

Kes awakes in Sickbay. Doctor: "51 roentgens....46....34.... Another anti-chronoton burst, 20 MEVs." Torres: "Right."

Doctor: "Levels are continuing to drop. Pulse normal. Body temperature steady at 16.3. Chronoton levels are at zero roentgens. Welcome back, Kes."

Kes: "What's the date? How old am I?" Doctor: "The same age you were when we put you into the bio-temporal chamber - a healthy three years and two months. And due to an extraordinary display of medical heroics, you're back in temporal synch with the rest of us."

They hold a champagne party on the Holodeck for Kes to celebrate her return to normal health. Neelix: "So, I'm going to become a security officer. How about that?" Tuvok: "Fortunately, Mr Neelix, what Kes has been describing is merely one possible future. On each occasion that she jumped to a previous time, her subsequent actions most likely altered the future from that moment on." Neelix: "Good point, Tuvok. Maybe I'll turn out to be Chief Security Officer." Kim: "So, Kes, have you regained all your memories of the past?" Kes: "I remember last month's supply of replicator rations that you borrowed, that you owe me, if that's what you're asking." Kim laughs: "Don't worry, I haven't forgotten." Doctor: "I realise it's only hypothetical, but still I'd be curious to know what sorts of medical break-throughs I'm going to make in this possible future." Kes: "It's not as if I've seen everything that's going to happen over the next six years. I only remember short periods I experienced between jumps." Torres: "Even so, I bet you found out some pretty interesting things." Paris: "Yeah, Kes. Tell us what you know." Chakotay: "Careful, Tom. You may find out that you leave Voyager only to join a monastery." Everyone laughs. Kim: "Give him a little credit. I bet he gets married and has a family." Paris to Kim: "Thank you." Kim: "Don't mention it." Torres: "Are you telling?" Kes: "Well, as Tuvok said, I've only seen pieces of one possible future." Paris: "You know what? Don't tell me. I don't want to know. I like a little mystery in my life." Janeway: "Tom's right. I think we should all leave the future to the future." Tuvok: "While I agree it would not be wise for Kes to make all of her experiences public, a report on anything she knows about these Krenim might be useful." Kes: "I'll get started right away." Janeway: "Hang on a minute. I didn't mean now. Stay and enjoy your party." Kes: "If there's one thing that this experience has taught me, Captain, it's that there's no time like the present." She hurries away, leaving them all amused by her joke.