CONCERNING FLIGHT
Episode 79
Part D

The character "Da Vinci" is a holographic character. I omit mention of his holographic nature to avoid having to constantly denote him using the long and unwieldy term "Hologram Da Vinci".

 

USS Voyager, with its crew of "mad seadogs, the Portuguese"!, orbiting the planet.

In Voyager's Sickbay, the Doctor is conducting Seven's routine maintenance check-up. Doctor: "So, what's new?" Seven, puzzled: "New." Doctor: "What's been happening on the ship?" Seven: "Nothing of consequence. The Captain and Tuvok are still searching for the processor." Doctor: "What's the mood?" Seven: "If you're referring to the crew morale they seemed focussed on their mission." Doctor: "Hmm. I heard there was something of a fuss in the Messhall last night." Seven: "A trivial misunderstanding." Doctor: "Oh? Huh, you seem in excellent health. Most of your implants are stable, but your optical interface is misaligned again. I told you to come in for maintenance once a week. Now, what happened in the Messhall?" Seven: "Lieutenant Torres and I were working on some Astrometric data. There was a disagreement." Doctor: "I understand things got a little heated." Seven: "Lieutenant Torres became emotional. She chose to display hostility rather than to counter my argument." Doctor: "What did she say exactly?" Seven: "It is irrelevant. Suffice it to say I was correct, she was not." Doctor: "Details, Seven! I want specifics!" Seven: "I see no reason to discuss these trivialities." Doctor: "Without my mobile emitter, I am a prisoner in here. I need to know what is going on beyond these walls, trivial or not!" Seven: "Torres referred to me as an automaton. She also employed a series of profane Klingon insults. Shall I translate them for you?" Doctor: "By all means! I'd very much-" The com. signal sounds. Tuvok, via comms: "Tuvok to Seven of Nine. Report to the Astrometrics lab." Doctor: "You may go." Seven: "I'll be right there, Commander."

Doctor, as she exits briskly : "Come back whenever you feel like talking. I'll be right here......." As he is left alone again: ".....all by myself."

Seven enters the Astrometrics Lab. Tuvok: "I am entering Leonardo's maps and my tricorder data into the imaging system."

Seven, going to a wall workstation: "I will create a search pattern for our missing processor."
Tuvok: "Da Vinci has accurately rendered the topographical detail. However, his co-ordinate axes are pre-Cartesian. You will have to convert them."

Seven moves to join him at the main console: "Understood. It is puzzling that even a Vulcan would refer to a holographic character by name, as if it were alive. It seems somehow illogical. Localising grid. Altitude 20 kilometres."

Tuvok: "One of these storage facilities undoubtedly contains the processor."

Tuvok: "Increase sensor resolution to maximum and scan the area." Seven: "There. Our computer processor is inside this structure." Tuvok: "Unfortunately, the building is surrounded by a dispersion field. Transport will be impossible."

Seven: "If the Captain can get inside the facility and reach the processor itself, she may be able to assist us." Tuvok: "If she were to initiate a power surge in the processor it might produce a signal strong enough for us to lock onto." Seven: "That is what I was referring to." Tuvok: "I will inform the Captain."

Da Vinci's Workshop on Tau's planet. Janeway, via comms: "It's not too far across open country. Leonardo says he's been there and he can help me get inside." Tuvok, via comms: "Understood." Janeway: "Stand by for my signal. If I can find the processor, be prepared to beam it back to Voyager." Tuvok, via comms: "Aye, Captain. Tuvok out."

She realises that Tau is there, pointing a gun at her. Tau: "So it's 'Captain'. I see you and my hologram are old friends."

He clicks his fingers and holds out his hand. She hands him the combadge.

Janeway: "My engineers have developed a defence against your transporter, so I suggest that you return what you took from us and let me go." Tau: "Or what? You're in no position to bargain. The only ones who will bargain will be your crew and it will cost them a great deal to get their Captain back. I wonder what you're worth to them." While Tau talked, Da Vinci has crept up behind him holding a heavy object. He smashes it down on Tau's head. Tau gives a loud cry and collapses.

Janeway checks on Tau and finds he is unconscious. "He'll be fine." She takes Tau's weapon. "Let's move."

Da Vinci: "I'm not going." Janeway: "You said you'd help me." Da Vinci: "I have already gone too far. He was threatening you, I had no alternative, but I must be here when he recovers his senses. I will try to explain. Maybe if I am lucky, he will not have me executed." Janeway: "We are leaving. Your time here is over." Da Vinci: "I will not leave this New World."

Janeway: "Your new world is a prison! You are under his control." Da Vinci: "When are we not in prison? Hmm? When are our lives free from the influence of those who have more power than us? If this New World is a cage, than it is a cage of gold, of marvels, of opportunities." Da Vinci continues: "This Prince is violent, violence can be tempered." Janeway: "You can't stay here forever, Leonardo. Europe is your home."

Da Vinci: "Europe is despicable! Here I am free to do what I wish. Free from judgment, free to fail, without a sense of shame, without, without the taunts of the ignorant." He turns away, almost as if turning his back on the "ignorant". Janeway: "Leonardo, whether you want to admit it or not they do need you back home. In Florence, Milan, Avignon, they need your genius, they need your heart." Sternly: "And right now I need you too. So come on."

Da Vinci turns to her: "I will not go. For Florence or Milan or Avignon. But for you, Catarina, for you I will go."

USS Voyager in orbit.

Voyager’s Bridge. Kim: "I've lost the Captain's combadge signature."

Chakotay: "Scan for the holo-emitter." Kim: "It's 4.7 kilometres outside the city."

Paris: "So Leonardo's on the move. Is the Captain with him?"

Chakotay: "Her combadge may have malfunctioned." Paris: "Or she might've been discovered." Kim: "Should I beam da Vinci back to the ship?"

Tuvok: "If the Captain is with him and attempting to recover the processor, she may need his assistance."

Chakotay: "Keep a lock on the mobile emitter and stand by." Kim: "Aye, sir."

Janeway and Da Vinci have trekked out to the storage facility. They see a guard and move to where they cannot be seen.

Janeway: "Where's the entrance?" Da Vinci: "I can't recall." Janeway: "Why not?" Da Vinci: "Er, these fortresses, I've been to half a dozen of them - all are similar but each is different. Catarina, observe the construction, like the veins and arteries of a great animal. Now this is the way to build, using nature as your guide." Janeway, busy scanning with her tricorder, trying to locate the computer processor: "No more lessons. I need to get into this building and I need to get into it now." Da Vinci sternly: "That is not the way an apprentice should address her master." Janeway, forcing herself to be patient: "Maestro, your Prince is going to come after us. The only escape is inside." Da Vinci: "Escape? We will be trapped inside." Janeway: "No. There is a wondrous invention inside this building. It's called a computer processor. We can use it to send a beacon to- to the Portuguese ship and they'll come and rescue us." Da Vinci: "Computer? This invention, how does it work?"

Janeway: "Well, it's complicated." Janeway continues: "But trust me when I say it can send messages over great distances. All we have to do is find it and we will be rescued. But the question is, how do we get inside?" Da Vinci considers the problem. Then: "Shadow and sunlight, shadow and sunlight. The Prince, like any other thief, will fear theft above all else."

Janeway follows him as he descends several stairways. "So this stronghold will have but one entry-way, on the side facing away from the sun."

Janeway: "So the bright light will be in the eyes of anyone who might attack."

Da Vinci reaches the door. He points at it with his rolled up parchment map: "Esatto." Janeway uses her tricorder to discover the access code, inputs it and hurries inside, followed by the Maestro.

Voyager’s Bridge. Kim: "I'm no longer reading the mobile emitter." Tuvok: "They've gone inside the structure."

Kim: "Commander, they're being pursued. Over 30 armed guards are converging on the storage facility."

Chakotay: "All available power to the transporters. Let's try to get them out of there."

Inside the storage facility. Da Vinci: "Even Theseus could not negotiate this labyrinth." Janeway, referring to the tricorder: "Not without a compass." Da Vinci, hearing its audio alert: "Your compass is speaking to you." Janeway: "This way."

Da Vinci, admiring what he sees even as he follows her: "A trove of invention." Janeway: "Our Prince has done well for himself - phasers, warp plasma injectors, site-to-site transporter."

She finds the computer processor. Da Vinci: "Your computer?" Janeway: "Yes. Computer, do you recognise my voice?" Computer: "Affirmative." Janeway to Da Vinci: "Well, that's a start." Da Vinci: "Che bella! There's a mechanical woman inside!" Janeway: "In a way, yes." Janeway to the computer: "Initiate a level four induction relay overload." Computer: "That procedure is not recommended." Janeway: "Command override. Janeway pi-one-one-zero." Computer: "Authorisation confirmed. Initiating overload."

Janeway to Da Vinci: "That's it." Da Vinci: "And now?" Janeway: "We wait for the Portuguese."

Voyager’s Bridge. Tuvok: "Commander. I'm detecting a power surge in the subspace frequency range." Chakotay: "Could be the processor. Lock on. Increase power to the confinement beam. With any luck, we might be able to pull the Captain out of there along with it."