Episode 89: THE OMEGA DIRECTIVE: Part B

 

In the Science Lab Tuvok and Kim are working on a photon torpedo, reaching the inner workings through an open access panel. Tuvok: "Phase modulator." Kim hands him the instrument. Tuvok uses it on the torpedo's internal circuitry. Tuvok: "Detonator circuits?" Kim: "On standby."

	Tuvok: "I'm ready to load the gravimetric charge." Kim very carefully hands it to Tuvok. Kim: "This looks like enough for a fifty isoton explosion." Tuvok places the charge into the torpedo casing. Tuvok: "Fifty-four, to be exact." Kim: "What are we planning to do, blow up a small planet?" Tuvok: "I don't know." Kim: "This warhead isn't standard issue. Who designed it, the Captain?"
	Janeway enters in time to hear this. "Mr Kim, you ask too many questions. Change of plans, gentlemen. Increase the charge to eighty isotons." Tuvok: "Aye, Captain." Janeway: "Harry, when you're done here, give B'Elanna a hand with the shuttlecraft. She's reinforcing the hull." Kim: "Right." Janeway leaves.
	Kim to Tuvok: "Ensign Hickman thinks it's Species 8472." Tuvok: "Pardon me?"
	Kim: "That's his theory: there's an opening in fluidic space, and Captain Janeway has to shut it down. Want to hear what I think?" Tuvok: "No." Kim: "I think there's a type-6 protostar out there. and the Captain's planning to detonate it and open a wormhole to the Alpha Quadrant. In theory, it's possible. And because she doesn't want to get our hopes up, she's not telling anybody." Tuvok: "Then I wouldn't suggesting getting your hopes up."
	Kim: "Then what do you think it is?" Tuvok: "I don't engage in idle speculation." Kim: "Come on, Tuvok, aren't you curious?" Tuvok: "Yes, but we have a task at hand. The phase modulator." Kim hands him an instrument and they continue work.

In the Astrometrics Lab Janeway is working at a control console. The door signal sounds. Janeway: "Come in." Chakotay enters. Janeway: "Status report?" Chakotay: "Everything's going according to schedule." Janeway: "Good. The Omega Directive doesn't allow me to say much, but I want you to know what to expect. 0600 hours, I'll be leaving in a shuttle with Seven." Chakotay: "Would it be out of line to ask where you're going?" Janeway: "I can tell you this: One of two things is going to happen. Either Seven and I will succeed on our mission and return within a few days, or your long-range sensors will detect a large explosion in subspace. If that occurs, you'll have less than ten seconds to jump to warp and get the hell out of here. Head for the Alpha Quadrant and don't look back. Understood?" Chakotay: "I always thought Starfleet was run by duty-crazed bureaucrats, but I find it hard to believe that even they would order a Captain to go on a suicide mission. This shuttle excursion is your idea, isn't it?" Janeway: "Let's just say I've had to amend the Directive, given the circumstances. But you have your orders. I expect you to follow them." Chakotay: "That's expecting a lot. You're asking me to abandon my Captain and closest friend, without even telling me why." Janeway: "If it were a simple matter of trust, I wouldn't hesitate to tell you. But we've encountered situations where information was taken from us by force. I can't allow knowledge of Omega to go beyond Voyager." Chakotay: "That's a reasonable argument but you're not always a reasonable woman. You're determined to protect this crew and this time you've taken it too far. A dangerous mission - fine, I'll acknowledge that. But isn't it more likely to succeed with everyone behind you, working together?" Janeway: "Ordinarily, I agree. But this Directive was issued many years ago. Starfleet didn't exactly have our predicament in mind, did it - lost in the Delta Quadrant, with no backup. I can't ignore the orders but I won't ask the crew to risk their lives because of my obligation." Chakotay: "'My obligation.' That's where you're wrong. Voyager may be alone out here, but you're not. Let us help you. We'll keep classified information limited to the senior staff. We'll take every security precaution. Just don't try to do this alone." Janeway: "Assemble the troops."

Briefing room. Janeway: "If we were in the Alpha Quadrant right now, we wouldn't be having this conversation. I'd be in contact with Starfleet Command, and they'd send in a specialised team to deal with the crisis. In their absence, we'll have to make do with the training I've received, and the knowledge Seven has retained from the Borg."

Janeway moves to the wall monitor. She activates a control and the Omega symbol appears."
Janeway: "You've all seen this symbol: - Omega. The last letter of the Greek alphabet, chosen by Starfleet to represent a threat not only to the Federation, but to the entire galaxy. Only Starship Captains and Federation Flag Officers have been briefed on the nature of this threat. What you're about to hear doesn't go beyond these bulkheads. Is that clear?"

Janeway calls up a graphic of the Omega molecule. "This is Omega." Paris: "A molecule?" Janeway: "Not just any molecule. The most powerful substance known to exist. A single Omega molecule contains as much energy as a warp core. In theory, a small chain of them could sustain a civilisation. The molecule was first synthesised over a hundred years ago, by a Starfleet physicist named Ketteract. He was hoping to develop an inexhaustible power source." Seven: "Or a weapon." Janeway: "Ketteract managed to synthesise a single molecule particle of Omega but it only existed for a fraction of a second before it destabilised."

Janeway changes the monitor display to that of the exterior of a space station which has exploded from within.
Janeway: "This was a classified research station in the Lantaru Sector. Ketteract and one hundred twenty-six of the Federation's leading scientists were lost in the accident. Rescue teams who tried to reach the site discovered an unexpected secondary effect. There were subspace ruptures extending out several light years."
Paris: "The Lantaru Sector - it's impossible to form a stable warp field there. You can only fly through it at sublight speeds. I was always told that was a natural phenomenon. You're saying it was caused by a single molecule of this stuff?"
Janeway: "Omega destroys subspace. A chain reaction involving a handful of molecules could devastate subspace throughout an entire Quadrant. If that were to happen, warp travel would become impossible. Space-faring civilisation as we know it would cease to exist. When Starfleet realised Omega's power, they suppressed all knowledge of it."
Doctor: "Have you detected Omega here, in the Delta Quadrant?"
Janeway: "I'm afraid so. I've been authorised to use any means necessary to destroy it." To Tom: "Tom, I've calculated the location of the molecules. I'll transfer the co-ordinates to the helm. Take us there at full impulse."
Paris: "Aye, Captain."
Janeway to all of them: "I don't have to tell you what's at stake. If a large-scale Omega explosion occurs, we'll lose the ability to go to warp forever. We've got our work cut out for us."

Janeway: "Captain's log, supplemental. Computer, encrypt log entry. We're approaching the star system where we believe we'll find Omega. I have to admit, I have never been this apprehensive about a mission. I know how Einstein must have felt about the atom bomb or Marcus when she developed the Genesis device. They watched helplessly as science took a destructive course. But I have the chance to prevent that from happening. I just hope it's not too late."

Janeway enters Cargo Bay 2 where Seven is working. Janeway: "Status report." Seven indicates a monitor." Seven: "This is a harmonic resonance chamber. The Borg designed it to contain and stabilise Omega." Janeway: "I thought I asked you to work on the photon torpedo." Seven: "The torpedo may be insufficient. I can modify this chamber to emit an inverse frequency. It will be enough to dissolve Omega's interatomic bonds." Janeway examines her work. Janeway: "Here's to Borg ingenuity." Excellent work, Seven. We may need this." Seven: "The modifications require several complex calculations. Assist me." Janeway: "I guess I will." Janeway: "I'm curious: when did the Borg discover Omega?" Seven: "229 years ago." Janeway: "Assimilation?" Seven: "Yes, of thirteen different species." Janeway: "Thirteen?" Seven: "It began with Species 262. They were primitive, but their oral history referred to a powerful substance which could "burn the sky." The Borg were intrigued, which led them to Species 263. They, too, were primitive and believed it was a drop of blood from their Creator." Janeway: "Fascinating." Seven: "Yes but irrelevant. We followed this trail of myth for many years until finally assimilating a species with useful scientific data. We then created the molecule ourselves." Janeway: "Omega caused quite a stir among my own species. Federation cosmologists had a theory that the molecule once existed in nature for an infinitesimal period of time at the exact moment of the Big Bang. Some claimed Omega was the primal source of energy for the explosion that began our universe." Seven: "A creation myth, like any other." Janeway raises a brow." Janeway: "Perhaps. What is it the Borg say. that Omega is perfect?" Seven: "Yes." Janeway: "Is that a theory or a belief?"

They are interrupted by a comm. signal sounds. comms. signal
Chakotay: "Bridge to Captain."
Janeway: "Go ahead."
Chakotay: "We're approaching the co-ordinates."
Janeway: "On my way."
Janeway to Seven: "I'm leaving this project in your hands. Use whatever resources and personnel you need."
Seven: "Understood."

Bridge. Chakotay: "We've entered a planetary system." Janeway: "Inhabited?" Chakotay: "There's a pre-warp civilisation on the outermost planet. The source of Omega seems to be further in." Paris: "The damage to subspace in this region is extreme. We won't be able to go to warp." The ship trembles. Tuvok: "We're encountering distortions." Janeway: "Track their origin." Tuvok does so and reports: "An M-class moon. We're in visual range." Janeway: "On screen." Tuvok: "There's a subnucleonic reaction occurring in the upper atmosphere. It is apparently emanating from a structure on the moon's surface." Janeway to Kim: "Can your sensors penetrate the atmosphere?" Kim: "Stand by." The image on the viewscreen changes to show the burned-out wreckage of an alien outpost on the lunar surface. Janeway: "My God." Kim: "Over 300,000 square kilometres destroyed." Janeway: "Scan the structure. Are there any Omega molecules remaining?" Tuvok: "I can't tell. Several sections of the outpost are still shielded."

Kim: "I'm detecting lifesigns."
Chakotay: "How many?"
Kim: "A few dozen maybe. It's hard to get a clear reading."
Janeway: "Harry, can we transport to the surface?"
Kim: "I can get you there but conditions in the structure aren't good. There are high levels of radiation."
Janeway: "Tuvok, assemble the rescue team and have them report to Sickbay for arithrazine inoculations. Tell the Doctor to prepare for casualties."
Tuvok nods and exits.
Janeway to Paris: "Move Voyager into a high orbit, then join the away team. We'll need a field medic."
Paris: "Yes, ma'am."
Chakotay to Janeway: "You're going with them?"
Janeway: "If Omega's still down there, I have to find it. I'll keep an open comlink with the ship. You have the Bridge."

The away team materialises in the ruins of an alien research laboratory.
Janeway, reading from her tricorder: "I'm picking up Omega's resonance frequency. It's here but I can't pinpoint a location."

	Janeway moves to an injured alien, called Allos. (He is not named on tv or in the tv credits. The name is from the script and canon sources.) Janeway: "I need to ask you questions about the experiments you've been conducting here."
	Allos: "There was an accident. We'd lost containment." Janeway: "The substance you were trying to create. Did any of it survive the explosion?" Allos: "Yes." Janeway: "Where?" He indicates with his head. Janeway sees a heavy sealed door. Allos: "Inside the primary test chamber. Who are you?"
	Janeway: "Captain Janeway of the starship Voyager. We're here to help you." She taps her combadge. combadge "Away team to Voyager. Two to beam directly to Sickbay."
	Janeway joins Tuvok in examining the door to the primary test chamber. Tuvok: "This door is solid duritanium, thirteen centimeters thick." Janeway: "Can we get it open?" Tuvok: "The duritanium has melted into the door frame. We'll need to cut through the metal with phasers." Janeway: "Do it." Tuvok: "Captain, I'd be negligent if I didn't point out that we are about to violate the Prime Directive."
	Janeway: "For the duration of this mission, the Prime Directive has been rescinded. Let's get this over with."

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