SCIENTIFIC METHOD
Episode 75
Part F

 

Seven enters engineering.

She sees that several Srivani are present. Some are monitoring the results of experiments on the crew.

Seven adjusts several controls at various consoles. At a wall-mounted interface, she overrides the safety protocols.

On the Bridge, Tuvok's read-outs alert him to Seven's action.

Tuvok, via comms: "Tuvok to Seven of Nine." Seven, via comms: "Yes." Tuvok, via comms: "Why have you accessed the EPS relay system?" Seven, via comms: "There is a malfunction. I am attempting to repair it." Tuvok, via comms: "Perhaps you should leave that to the engineering crew." Seven, via comms: "Normally I would. However, they are all occupied with other tasks." Tuvok, via comms: "You're compromising the power safety protocols. Stop what you're doing at once." Seven, via comms: "I assure you there is no cause for concern." Contact ends. Tuvok leaves the Bridge to head for engineering.

Seven is reconfiguring the power relays when she is interrupted.

Tuvok, via comms: "Move away from the console."

Seven does so. "As I told you, I am conducting repairs." Tuvok: "You're attempting to deceive me. Why?" Seven: "I can't explain what I'm doing but you must allow me to continue."

Three Srivani are nearby. One looks up, interested in what is happening between Tuvok and Seven, and is suspicious that Seven can see her. Tuvok: "Your actions could result in an energy discharge which would be harmful to the crew." Seven: "I realise that."

She realises she cannot escape hindrance now that the Srivani woman is heading directly for her. Swiftly Seven grabs Tuvok's phaser and pushes aside. She adjusts the phaser's controls to allow for the phase variance.

Seven fires the phaser at the Srivani woman. It looks to Tuvok and everyone else as if she is firing at nothing, but the phaser beam disrupts the Srivani woman's phase variance 'cloak' and brings her into standard dimensional space. Everyone in Engineering is surprised to see the alien intruder, but Tuvok now understands the reason for Seven's actions.

Seven seizes the Srivani woman she has made visible and points her phaser at the other two Srivani. Seven to her hostage. "Don't move. If your people attempt to incapacitate me, I will kill you." The Srivani woman is called Alzen. "I believe you."

Alzen: "What do you intend to do now?"
Seven: "You will come with me to speak to the Captain. I am certain she will have questions for you."

Janeway, Seven and Tuvok enter the Brig. "Keep on trying to disable the tags. Let me know when you're ready." Seven: "Understood." Tuvok: "I'll attempt to modify the internal sensors to detect the aliens." Janeway: "Good. Keep me informed."

They leave about their tasks. Janeway approaches Alzen who is in the Brig's holding cell. Janeway: "Who are you, and what the hell are you doing to my crew?" Alzen: "My team has been observing you and conducting tests." Janeway: "Tests? I call them mutilations." Alzen: "I can understand why you're angry. I don't like causing people to suffer but sometimes it's a necessary part of my work." Janeway: "What kind of work is that?" Alzen: "Medical research. We're scientists, like you." Janeway: "From where I stand you're a hostile invasion force. I want to know how long you've been here and exactly what you've been doing to us." Alzen: "I can't answer those questions. It's a breach of protocol for me to be speaking to you at all." Janeway: "How convenient. That way you never have to face your victims." Alzen is aloof and condescending. "Captain, please. You're exaggerating the situation. Our techniques are as benign as we can make them." Janeway: "What I've been through for the last few days certainly hasn't felt benign!" Alzen: "Please understand there's a purpose to our actions. The data we gather fom you may cure physical and psychological disorders that afflict millions. Isn't that worth some discomfort?" Janeway: "I'm sure you'd see things differently if your people were the ones being subjected to these experiments!" Alzen: "Just as your perspective would change if your people were the ones to live longer and healthier lives as a result. Don't forget, we've been observing you, Captain. I know the most important thing to you is the welfare of your crew. You'd even kill to protect them." Janeway: "If necessary." Alzen: "Of course you would. You take care of your own, just as we do. We're really more similar than you care to admit." Janeway: "That's where you're wrong." She deactivates the forcefield and enters the cell. "What you're doing isn't self-defence. It's the exploitation of another species for your own benefit. My people decided a long time ago that that was unacceptable, even in the name of scientific progress." Alzen: "You're a remarkably strong-willed individual. I've been very impressed by your self-control over the past several weeks. We've been increasing your dopamine levels, stimulating various aggressive impulses to test your behavioural restraints. There's been a great difference of opinion about how much more strain you can bear." Janeway's self-control snaps at this news, and she pushes Alzen against the wall. "Not much!" Her self-control re-asserts itself and she lets go, annoyed that the alien has caused her to lose control for even that one instant. Alzen: "I'd hoped you might be more co-operative once you realised the importance of our work." Janeway, grimly: "Sorry, these lab rats are fighting back." Alzen: "I'm afraid that would be pointless. We're monitoring your attempts to break our control over you. You won't succeed." Janeway: "You may find that you've under-estimated us." Alzen: "Consider what's in the best interest of your crew. We will be continuing our research. If you make no further attempts to interfere, I assure you that the fatality rate will be minimal, though there may be some deformities. And I would be willing to share our final data with you." Janeway: "You can't possibly expect me to accept that." Alzen: "If you don't, then the entire experiment and its subjects will be terminated."

In the Captain's Ready Room Janeway is holding a council of war. Janeway: "Are you telling me there is no way to disable the tags?" Seven: "My attempt to use the EPS relay to induce neuroelectric shock has failed. The aliens may be responsible." Tuvok: "I've encountered similar difficulties in my efforts to modify the internal sensors. They appear to have gained access to our key systems."

Janeway: "They can't be everywhere all the time. We have got to find an advantage." Doctor: "We'd better find one soon. Sickbay is being filled with new patients with increasingly severe symptoms." Seven: "We have the ability to make them visible. If we could modify enough sensors we could resist them." Tuvok: "They are still capable of manipulating our DNA. A direct conflict would be inadvisable."

The comm. signal sounds. comms. signal "Bridge to Doctor. Medical emergency."
They hurry onto the Bridge, to find a crewman in shock. The Doctor immediately scans her with his medical tricorder while Janeway fetches and opens a medkit.

Doctor: "She's in hypertensive shock. 20 milligrammes lectrazine." Janeway prepares the hypospray. Doctor: "Her blood pressure is 360 over 125!" Janeway: "How is that possible?" Doctor: "Severe adrenal stress."

Janeway administers the lectrazine. Doctor: "No effect. Her arterial pathways are rupturing. She's in cardiac arrest. We're losing her." Janeway desperately gives the crewman artificial respiration. Doctor: "Captain, I'm afraid that won't help. There's too much internal bleeding." Janeway continues. "We'll try something else. We'll transport her to Sickbay." Doctor: "Her circulatory system has collapsed. There's no way to repair that kind of damage."

The tricorder gives off a single monotone. "Brain death has occurred. I'm sorry. There's nothing more we could've done." He closes the tricorder.

Janeway carries on giving the crewman artificial respiration but eventually gives up. Janeway is grim. "This ends right now."

She marches over to the helm. "You're relieved." She takes the place of the duty conn officer and manipulates the helm controls. Tuvok: "Captain, what are you doing?" Janeway: "I'm running a little experiment of my own. Red alert." The bridge lights go dim and the red alert lights flash.

Janeway changes Voyager's course. They are now heading directly for the pulsars!