Episodes 68 & 69 "Scorpion" : Part A

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Two Borg cubes issue the Borg challenge. "We are the Borg. Existence as you know it is over. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. Resistance is-" But a devastating weapon obliterates the cubes.

Aboard Voyager, Janeway is running a holoprogram comprising Leonardo da Vinci's workshop, complete with the maestro himself. The screenshot shows some of the items on his table. Janeway has asked da Vinci if she can have a small part of his workshop to come and work in. Da Vinci: "Money is beside the point....Catarina, is it?" Janeway: "Yes. I'm only asking for a corner, one bench, a place to work on my own projects - paintings, sculptures. Just being here in your company is inspiring to me." Da Vinci: "Flattery, Catarina, is also beside the point. Besides, I prefer my solitude." He activates an invention of his - its mechanical arms moves up and down. "Maraviglioso." Janeway: "What will you call it?" Da Vinci: "The Arm of Hephaestos." Janeway: "The god of the forge." Da Vinci: "Every blacksmith who has ever swung a hammer will thank me for this creation." Janeway: "Someone once said all invention is but an extension of the body of man." Da Vinci: "Do not think that just because I have enjoyed your visit today, that I am prepared to turn my workshop into a traveller's inn." Suddenly the mechanical arm stops working. Janeway starts to help, although da Vinci is concerned that she will get her hands covered with goose grease. Janeway: "It's good for the skin." Da Vinci: "Let's me see if we can find his big brother. Hopefully he will be stronger." As they look round the workshop, Janeway discovers his design sketches for a flying machine. Janeway: "This looks like a flying machine." Da Vinci: "Because my imagination takes flight so easily I thought my body might do so as well. I was wrong." Janeway: "It's this flapping approach. You designed your machine to mimic the way a bat or a sparrow flies." Da Vinci: "Yes, yes. So?" Janeway: "So what if you based it on the hawk instead?" Da Vinci: "The hawk - a creature that glides through the air." Janeway: "Essatto." Da Vinci: "We'll design a new machine, and you, Catarina, will help me fly it." Janeway: "I'll need someplace to work." Da Vinci: "'A corner, one workbench.'" Janeway: "That'll be fine." Da Vinci: "Ten scudi a week and you provide your own materials." Janeway: "Seven. And I might need to borrow a few things, on occasion." Da Vinci: "Then we have an agreement."

One of Voyager's probes is captured and its telemetry shows its captor. Chakotay says, "This could be it, captain. Borg space."

Janeway at a staff meeting: "We don't exactly know how many vessels are out there, but their space appears to be vast. It includes thousands of solar systems, all Borg. We are no doubt entering the heart of their territory. There's no going around it but there may be a way through it." Chakotay then reports that they've detected "a narrow corridor of space devoid of Borg activity; we've nicknamed it the Northwest Passage." Torres reports that it contains "a string of quantum singularities" but Paris voices general opinion when he says, "Better to ride the rapids than face the hive." Tuvok reports, "I've reprogrammed the phaser banks to a rotating modulation." Kim reports that he's "configured the sensors to search for transwarp signatures - an early warning system."

The Doctor reports to the meeting: "I've analysed every square millimetre of the Borg corpse we recovered three months ago. I'm closer to understanding how their assimilation technology works and I might be able to create some sort of medical defence."
Chakotay: "Redouble your efforts. This is your top priority."
Janeway addresses them all: "We have to act fast. The Borg have captured one of our probes - they know we're out here. We'll do everything in our power to avoid a direct confrontation. But if and when we do engage the Borg, I'm confident that we'll be ready. I have faith in each and every one of you. Let's do it."

The Doctor has thoroughly examined the Borg corpse they found (end of 'Blood Fever'). Holding up a Borg hand, he says, "These injection tubules are the first stage in the assimilation process. Once inside the skin they release a series of nanoprobes into the bloodstream...these tubules are capable of penetrating any known alloy or energy field, which means our battle must be waged inside the body itself."

Kes has a disturbing vision. "I saw Borg, there were bodies, dozens of them, dead."

Tuvok reports to Janeway and Chakotay that Kes is "Unsettled and uncertain." He adds: "Over the past two hours, she has experienced several telepathic 'visions' about the death of Borg and the destruction of Voyager."

Fifteen Borg vessels are detected. But they hurry by. As one passes, it stops and scans them with a polaron beam. Janeway advises, "Think good thoughts."

Voyager tries to flee an armada of Borg cubes. (pop-up window)

In her Ready Room, Janeway expresses her doubts to Chakotay. Janeway: "This day was inevitable. We all knew it and we've all tried to prepare ourselves for the challenge ahead. But at what point is the risk too great? At what point do we come about and retreat to friendly territory? Could the crew accept living out the rest of their lives in the Delta Quadrant? I'm looking to all these captains, my comrades-in-arms. But the truth is: I'm alone." Chakotay: "If that moment comes, we'll face it together and we'll make the right decision. You're not alone, Kathryn." Janeway: "Three years ago, I didn't even know your name. Today I can't imagine a day without you."

Voyager finds that all the fifteen cubes which passed them earlier have been destroyed. Lifesigns are "erratic" but there are two weapons signatures. Tuvok reports that one is Borg, "The other is of unknown origin." Kim is overly optimistic, believing they have found an ally. There is "a bio-mass" attached to the hull of one of the damaged Borg ships. It seems to have dissolved right through the Borg hull. The Borg attempted to assimiliate it but were unsuccessful. It appears to be a ship of some kind. Janeway orders Chakotay to take an away team onto the damaged Borg cube, get as close to the bio-mass as possible and scan it: "I'd like to know what kind of weapon could destroy the Borg."

Aboard a Borg cube, the away team sees the embodiment of Kes' vision: a pile of dead Borg bodies.

Tuvok and Chakotay find the source of the strange bio-readings: an alien spacecraft. Chakotay, "They seem to be organic conduits, carrying electrodynamic fluid." Tuvok suggests, "Maybe an energy source." They also find "a binary matrix, laced with neuropeptides...which may be its version of a warp core."

Aboard Voyager Kes has a brief vision of Harry screaming. As a result Voyager tries to beam the away team back, but Torres says she can't get a lock "due to bioelectric interference from whatever's coming towards them." Too late, an alien suddenly appears and strikes Kim down!

An alien appears (later to be identified as Borg designation Species 8472) and strikes down Harry Kim. As he lies screaming he and the away team are beamed out, just as the alien bounds after them. (pop-up window)

Rear view of the alien.	Front view of the alien.