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THE GIFT

Episode 70
Part E

 

In the Messhall, Neelix hands Kes a glass of bubbly. Neelix: "Talaxian champagne, moon-ripened. Your favourite."

Kes: "Neelix, where did you get this?" Neelix: "I put a bottle away, for a special occasion. Remember when we last sipped this together?" Kes: "Three years ago. It was when we first arrived on Voyager." Neelix: "Do you remember the toast I made?" Kes: "Yes. 'To the adventure.'" Neelix makes the same toast now. "To the adventure." They clink glasses together and take a sip from their glasses.

Neelix: "When you left Ocampa, you said that your people were being held back, that if you were only given a chance you could become something so much more. And you have!" Kes: "I don't think some have worked out exactly the way we planned." Neelix: "I was only holding you back. That's obvious to me now." Kes: "No. I couldn't have come this far without you, and I love you, and I always will. It's just erm...."

Neelix finds the moment a bit awkward, just as she does. He comes to her rescue by falling back on flippancy. "My cooking. You've always hated my cooking." Kes chuckles and joins in the joke: "That's exactly what it was."

Neelix: "Aaah." It is a significant sigh, which brings formal closure to their romantic relationship. But they are close friends, closer than that - they are friends with that extra special bond which develops from the intimacy of having once been lovers. They are very at ease in each other's company and they move on seamlessly. "So, tell me more about what's happening to you. What does it all mean?"

Kes: "I don't know, and that's what makes it so exciting. It's as if I can see into a place where the distinction between matter and energy and thought no longer exist. And that's only the beginning. I feel as if all the boundaries within me are about to fall away." Neelix: "It sounds....er, it's interesting." Kes: "I only have to look an object, to gaze at it, and I can begin to see that the space between the atoms is being filled with something else."

She is gazing at the table between them. Suddenly its molecular structure starts to ripple, just as had happened in the Jefferies tube earlier. Neelix: "Er, Kes."

Kes grows excited: "I can see it. I can see-" Neelix, becoming alarmed: "Er, Kes. Stop." Kes: "No." But as Neelix starts to get up to move back....

.....he is hurled backwards on to the floor by an invisible force which grips him - her psychokinetic force. Kes: "Neelix!"

She gets up and starts to rush over to him when the power of her force overwhelms her and she collapses to her knees.

Bridge. Kim: "Captain, I'm picking up some strange energy readings from Deck 2, the Messhall." Janeway uses the comm. system. "Bridge to Neelix. What's going on down there?" There is no response. "Neelix, report!" Kim: "The bulkhead in that section's coming apart." Chakotay: "Increase the structural integrity field at Deck 2."

Janeway heads for the turbolift and indicates that Tuvok should join her to investigate: "Tuvok."

Tuvok and Janeway enters the Messhall and are amazed at what they see.

Sickbay. Doctor: "I've run every conceivable neuro-analysis, everything short of dissecting the brain itself. Her telesynaptic activity is increasing but I don't know why or how to stop it. Have the ship's internal sensors received anything?" Tuvok: "For 17.4 seconds Kes' body went into a state of cellular flux. She began to destabilise at the subatomic level. Janeway: "And for some reason her atoms re-established their bonds and she was back in one piece."

Doctor: "But what about the next time? Her condition is escalating. We must find a way to suppress it or the last we'll see of Kes will be her molecules blowing through the ventilation ducts."

Janeway: "Tuvok, enhance the structural integrity field throughout the ship. If she has another incident I'd like to avoid a hull breach." He nods and leaves.

Janeway: "Doctor, maybe it's time we broaden our horizons. This appears to have gone beyond medical science. We're into particle physics now." Doctor: "I'll try looking through the quantum substructure database. Maybe it'll give me some inspiration." Janeway: "Keep me informed." She leaves.

Doctor: "Kes, until I can devise another diagnostic procedure, you're free to return to your quarters."

Kes: "Actually, I'd like to stay here, and help with the research." Doctor: "I don't want you to over-exert yourself, and risk precipitating another telepathic incident. Try to get some rest."

Kes: "Just let me stay for a while. I haven't seen you much over the past few days. I miss you." Doctor: "Alright, just for a while."

Seven of Nine in the Brig.

Suddenly she hurls herself against the forcefield.

Ayala looks up, concerned.

She again throws herself against the forcefield. She is desperate and frustrated.

Via comms: "Ensign Ayala to the Bridge." Janeway, via comms: "Go ahead, Ensign." Ayala, via comms: "You'd better come down to the Brig, ma'am."