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THE GIFT
Episode 70
Part F
| Janeway visits Seven of Nine in the Brig. Janeway is carrying a PADD.
Seven of Nine is distraught. "One. One. My designation is Seven of Nine. The others are gone. Designations are no longer relevant. I am One." Janeway: "Yes, you are." Seven of Nine: "But I cannot function this way, alone." Janeway: "You're not alone. I'm willing to help you." Seven of Nine: "If that's true you won't do this to me. Take me back to my kind." Janeway: "You are with your own kind - humans." Seven of Nine: "I don't remember being human. I don't know what it is to be human! What are you doing?" Janeway: "I'm coming in." Seven of Nine: "I'll kill you." Janeway: "I don't think you will." She deactivates the forcefield. Ayala, concerned, steps forward, but Janeway holds up her hand to stop him. Warily steps into the holding cell. Staying a good distance from Seven of Nine, Janeway extends the PADD on which is displayed the picture of Annika Hansen she downloaded from the Federation database. Janeway: "Do you remember her? Her name was Annika Hansen." Seven of Nine cannot resist being curious and looking at the picture. Janeway: "She was born on stardate 25479 at the Tendara colony. There's still a lot we don't know about her. Did she have any siblings, who were her friends, where did she go to school, what was your favourite colour?" Seven of Nine: "Irrelevant! Take me back to the Borg." Janeway: "I can't do that." Seven of Nine: "Quiet - one voice!" Janeway: "One voice can be stronger than a thousand voices. Your mind is independent now with its own unique identity."
Seven of Nine: "You are forcing that identity upon me, it's not mine." Janeway: "Oh yes it is. I'm just giving you back what was stolen from you, the existence you were denied, the child who never had a chance. That life is yours to live now." Seven of Nine: "Don't want that life!" Janeway: "It's what you are, don't resist it." Seven of Nine: "No!" |
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 | She staggers and collapses. Janeway catches her and with an effort takes her over to the bench and helps her sit. Awkwardly she continues to hold Seven, offering comfort. |
 | USS Voyager in flight at impulse speed.
Janeway: "Captain's log, supplemental. Warp drive is still offline. We don't know whether the Borg have detected us. Kes' psychokinetic abilities continue to damage the ship's structural integrity, and as a result our defences have been compromised." |
 | Kes' quarters. The door signal sounds.  door signal "Come in, Captain." |
 | standard doors Janeway comes in. |
 | Janeway: "You wanted to see me?" She notices the meditation lamp on the table. "Ah, Tuvok's meditation lamp. I was with him when he got it six years ago, from a Vulcan master, who doubled the price when he saw a Starfleet insignia."
Kes: "I'm sure it was the logical thing to do." They smile together. |
 | Then Kes gets down to the matter she asked Janeway here to talk about. "I've been thinking about everything that's been going on, and I know what I have to do. It's time for me to leave Voyager."
Janeway: "Oh, Kes." |
| Kes: "Something important is happening to me and I want to explore it. But I can't stay here any longer. I'm a danger to all of you."
Janeway: "We're going to get to the bottom of this. The Doctor's already working on a new approach." Kes: "Everybody thinks that what's happening is a medical condition. That's not it at all. I'm going through a transformation. I don't know how or why, but every cell in my body is telling me I'm changing into something more." Janeway: "What if it's not true? What if you're simply being swept up in the excitement of what you think is happening, but it's not real? On the basis of a feeling, an intuition, you're asking me to let you go, quite likely forever? Kes, I just can't do that." Kes: "It's my decision, my fate. Would you really try to stop me?" Janeway: "No." She is upset at the thought of Kes leaving. "But I'd argue with you, even plead with you to reconsider absolutely for as long as it takes." |
 | Kes: "It won't work. Look at me, Captain. I'm the same Kes you've always known. I haven't lost my judgement. I'm not under some alien influence. I believe something crucial is happening to me and I want to see it through."
Janeway: "You've lived most of your life here. Voyager has been your home, and you've been a vital part of this family. Oh, I'm going to miss you." 
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 | Kes: "Now all I have to do is tell the Doctor. He's not going to be happy-" She stops as she begins to destabilise again. But she is not afraid. "It's starting."
Janeway taps her combadge. "Janeway to the Bridge." |
 | Chakotay, via comms: "Chakotay here."
Janeway, via comms: "Prepare a shuttle for launch and have Tuvok meet me at Deck 6." Chakotay, via comms: "Captain?" Janeway, via comms: "Kes is leaving us." |
 | The senior staff on the Bridge, who know Kes well, are taken aback. Tuvok hurries into the turbolift to reach Deck 6. |
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