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The Doctor materialises on the Holodeck where Tom Paris is working on his latest obsession - restoring an antique car. As he has the radio on loud he does not hear the Doctor's arrival until the Doctor honks the horn twice. As Paris is beneath the engine the loudness of the horn makes him cry out and he hastens to get out from underneath.
Paris: "What do you think you're doing, Doc?" Doctor: "An impromptu auditory exam." Paris: "Did I pass?" Doctor: "With flying colours, which leads me to believe that you did hear me when I requested you meet me this morning." Paris: "You're right. I forgot." Doctor: "I see. I realise your Sickbay training is purely voluntary, but you haven't spent any time there in several weeks, and when I try to find you you're always in the Holodeck." Paris: "Correct me if I'm wrong, Doc, but we haven't been treating anything more serious than an ingrown toenail." Doctor: "That's beside the point. If an emergency were to happen you must be prepared. You're too far behind in your medical texts to be wasting your time in the Holodeck!" Paris: "If it's any consolation, I have spent most of the morning immersed in a complicated surgical procedure." Doctor: "Really." Paris: "Classic case of atrophied shocks. They needed to be extracted to prevent chrome abrasion. It was touch and go for a while but prognosis is excellent." Doctor: "You'll be ready for neurosurgery in no time." |
 | Paris: "Take a look at this, Doc. This is a fully stock 1969 Chevy Camaro, one of the earliest muscle cars ever made. Imagine: northern California, late 20th century, you're cruising up Highway 1, the whoofers are pounding, the wind is whipping through your hair-"
Too late Paris realises he has made a faux pas as he looks at the Doctor's balding pate. The Doctor's expression shows he has certainly noticed Paris' words. |
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 | The Doctor gets out his tricorder and scans the vehicle. "Mediaeval safety constraints, internal combustion system producing lethal levels of carbon monoxide. Hmm, I stand corrected: this may be just what you need to get you back to Sickbay." |
Paris: "I guess I should've known this wouldn't interest you - it's too much fun."
Doctor: "This isn't about fun, Mr Paris. Serving in Sickbay is a privilege. I'd expect you to realise that."
Paris: "Oh I do. I'll be there....soon."
The Doctor transfers himself back to Sickbay. Janeway's voice is heard over the com. 
comms. signal
Janeway: "Lieutenant Paris, report to the Bridge immediately."
Paris: "I'm on my way."
 | Paris arrives on the Bridge. "Somebody call for a driver?"
Janeway: "Take your station, Tom. Anything on scans, Harry?" Kim: "I'm picking up another spatial distortion, two thousand kilometres away." Janeway: "Source?" Kim: "I have no idea. It looks like space is folding in on itself." |
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| Kim reports: "It's an alien vessel. One occupant aboard." |  |
 | Paris: "Captain, it looks like that vessel is being powered by a coaxial warp drive."
Chakotay: "Coaxial what?" Paris: "It's a hypothetical propulsion system. Starfleet engineers have been dreaming about it for years. In theory it can literally fold the fabric of space, allowing ships to travel instantaneously across huge distances." |
 | Tuvok reports: "The alien warp drive is overloading."
Paris: "In theory, a coaxial drive explosion could collapse space within a radius of a billion kilometres. In theory." Janeway: "Let's keep theory from becoming reality. Red alert!" |
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 | Chakotay: "Scan the vessel. Can we beam the pilot out?"
Kim: "Too much interference." Paris: "That ship's about had it, Captain. Coaxial core is breaching." Tuvok: "We should vacate this area of space at once." Paris: "We can't just leave him like this." Janeway: "Try one more hail." Kim: "Nothing. Maybe he's ignoring us." Paris: "Or maybe he's unconscious. We've got to do something." Janeway: "Suggestions?" No one answers. Suddenly Paris has an idea. "Symmetric warp field - that should contain any instabilities in his space-folding core." Chakotay: "How can you be sure?" Paris: "Advanced subspace geometry. It was the one course at the Academy where I actually paid attention. We'll tractor him in to kill his momentum, generate a warp field around his ship." Tuvok: "His flight path is erratic. We'd be risking a collision." Paris: "Captain, I can make this work." Janeway: "Do it." Paris: "Passing through the residual folds in space. Steady. Got him!" Tuvok: "I've extended our warp field around his vessel. His core is powering down. Janeway: "Nice flying, Tom." Paris: "My pleasure." Kim: "Finally receiving a hail." Chakotay: "Open a channel." Janeway: "Captain Janeway, of the Federation starship Voyager. Do you need medical attention?" Alien (who calls himself Steth): "I'm fine, Captain. Unfortunately my ship is not." Janeway: "If you need to make repairs we might be able to help." Steth: "That's very generous." Janeway: "We'll beam you aboard in a few minutes. Stand by." Steth: "Thank you." The contact ends. Janeway calls Tuvok and together they leave the Bridge to meet their guest. |
| In the transporter room Janeway orders the transporter operator: "Energise." When Steth has materialised on the transporter pad, she tells him: "Welcome."
Steth: "Captain, I know you put yourselves in danger to rescue me. I want to thank you. Janeway: "I'm glad we could help." Janeway and Tuvok accompany Steth out of the transporter room and along the corridor. Steth: "I was so eager to test my new engine, pushed it beyond its limit." Janeway: "Coaxial warp doesn't seem the smoothest way to travel." Steth: "It's a violent procedure but it allows a ship to travel through space at incredible speeds." Tuvok: "Considering the dangers this method of travel hardly seems logical." Steth: "That's probably true, but if I were worrying about danger I wouldn't have become a test pilot." Janeway: "Where are you from?" Steth: "The fourth planet in the Benthan system. That's about twenty light-years from here." Janeway: "I'll speak to my engineers about helping you with repairs. Without your coaxial warp drive it's a long way home." |
 | In his office Chakotay fetches a mug containing a beverage from the replicator while reading a PADD. The door signal sounds.
door signal
Chakotay says "Come in." and Paris enters. |
| Paris: "I'd like to ask you a favour. I need a change of pace. I'd like to help Steth repair his ship."
Chakotay: "This isn't a good time to ask." Paris: "What do you mean?" Chakotay: "I've been reading a report from the Doctor. You didn't show up today." Paris: "I was a little busy this morning - saving someone's life, as I recall." Chakotay: "Is there something wrong, Tom? Anything bothering you?" Paris: "Nothing's wrong. Since when has not wanting to spend time with the Doctor been a capital offence? You'd have to throw the whole crew in the Brig for that one." Chakotay: "Maybe. I was just wondering if there's something on your mind. You're showing up for your duty shifts. You do what's required. But your heart doesn't seem to be in it. You seem preoccupied." Paris: "Like I said, I think I need a change of pace." Chakotay: "You're a different man from the one that came on board four years ago. You've taken charge of your life, turned yourself around. I'd hate to see you ruin it." Paris: "I won't. With your permission, I'll report to Sickbay." Chakotay: "Permission denied. Report to Steth's ship instead. Assist in the repairs. We need our best man on the job." |
 | Steth and Paris chat as they enter the Bridge of the experimental coaxial warp drive ship. Steth tells him about his adventures.
Steth: "And on my way back I made the mistake of flying the prototype through restricted Entaban territory." Paris: "And?" Steth: "And er, the Entabans weren't too pleased to see me. I went back to the engineers on Benthos with phaser holes through their brand new exatanium fuselage. I think they'd have been happier to see phaser holes through me." They chuckle together. |
 | Paris: "When I was sixteen I followed an ancient human custom. I took my father's shuttle out for a joyride and proceeded to fly over relays."
As he speaks, Steth is undergoing a change - he briefly turns into a pale-skinned female humanoid! But by the time Paris turns round Steth is the male humanoid that Paris is expecting to see. Steth: "I'm guessing he wasn't happy about getting it back." Paris: "Actually he didn't. As far as I know it's still at the bottom of Lake Tahoe." |
 | Steth: "Here it is: a coaxial induction drive. It draws in subatomic particles and reconfigures their internal geometries."
Paris: "And this is what makes folding space possible?" Steth: "At least in spurts. Unfortunately particle instabilities keep overloading my engines. But I'm going to make it work. I have to keep in motion. I don't like the thought of settling down - too many new ships to drive, too many intriguing women." Paris: "Yeah, I guess so." |
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 | Steth: "When I get this ship back I'm going to be doing the first tests on a new Mithran-class fighter. I'm told it's more advanced than any warship in the Quadrant. Why don't you come with me? We'd have a great time. You can meet up with Voyager afterwards." |
 | Paris: "I'd love to do that. It sounds very exciting, but I have responsibilities here, people who count on me, and B'Elanna would be furious-" He stops, suddenly remembering something. "B'Elanna." Hastily he packs up his toolkit and goes to leave. "I have to go." |
| Paris enters the Messhall and sees Torres across the room, sitting at a table, eating. Sheepishly he makes his way over to her table.
Paris, with a certain false cheeriness: "So, you started without me." Torres: "I finished without you. You're a little late." Paris slides into the seat opposite her. "Sorry. I was helping Steth repair his ship." Torres: "How's it going?" Paris: "Pretty slow. Both stuck on how to prevent the particle overloads in his propulsion system." Torres: "Have you tried an isokinetic containment field?" Paris: "Yeah, that was the first thing we tried." Torres: "How long do you think these repairs are going to take?" Paris: "I don't know." Torres: "I was just hoping that maybe you could hep me recalibrate the plasma manifolds tonight." Paris: "Er, I er, I probably should go help Steth." Torres: "Tom, is there something wrong?" Paris: "Why are you interrogating me?" Torres: "I didn't think I was." Paris: "It sounds more like you want me to account for every minute that I'm not with you." Torres: "That's ridiculous." Paris: "Can't I have some time to myself? Can't I do what I want without having to report every detail of it to you?" Torres: "Tom, you can do whatever you want. I just wanted to know if there was something wrong. I mean, lately you've been cancelling dates, you hide out for hours in the Holodeck." Paris: "I am not hiding anything. That is ridiculous." Torres: "Is it? You haven't even told me what holodeck program this is which has you so fascinated." Paris: "The Dancing Girls of Nanipia Prime. It's very entertaining." Torres: "Very funny." Paris: "You're over-reacting!" Torres: "I am not over-reacting. There's obviously something going on and you're refusing to admit it." Neelix comes up to the table. "Good evening, Lieutenants. I see you don't have your dinner yet, Tom. Can I get you something?" Paris: "I'm really not hungry." Torres to Neelix: "Excuse me." To Paris: "Are you going to talk to me about this? Because if you're not I don't want to sit here any more." Paris: "If you can carry on an adult conversation without all the histrionics-!" Torres gathers up her PADDs. "Good night, Tom," she says, and leaves." |
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Steth: "Computer, run a DNA stability analysis. How long before my genome reverts to its previous form?"
Computer: "Time to reversion: three hours thirteen minutes. Complete genome recovery is imminent." |
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