Ex Post Facto : Episode 8, Part E :: EPISODE GUIDES

Flashbacks are denoted by this font and color.

Neelix: "Captain, more Numiri will be coming, I promise you."

Janeway: "Mr Tuvok, any progress with your investigation?"
Tuvok: "Based on the ARA, I am convinced that Lieutenant Paris believes what he is saying. However, I can offer no tangible evidence on his behalf. Considering the urgency of the situation, I believe the only logical alternative at this time is to witness the crime myself."

Chakotay: "Yourself?"
Tuvok: "I propose a mind-meld with Lieutenant Paris."
Neelix: "A, a what? What did he say? A mind-what?"

Sickbay.
Doctor to Tuvok: "Let me tell you something, Lieutenant. Believe it or not, I know more about mind-melds than you do. I know what every Vulcan doctor has said in every study of mind-melds and I still cannot tell you what will happen if you do this. If these cycles cause damage to a human brain there's no telling what the risk might be to a Vulcan."
Tuvok: "I've examined your neurological reports, Doctor, and I believe the risk is acceptable."

Janeway: "Tuvok-"
Tuvok: "Captain, the answers I seek can only be found in the eyes of the murdered man. It may be our only chance to prove Lieutenant Paris innocent."
Kes, who is standing beside Paris, is concerned by his worsening condition. "Tom?"
The attention of the others is drawn by Kes' worry. They gather round Paris who is on the main biobed. Janeway makes her decision and nods to Tuvok who proceeds with the mind-meld.

Tuvok sees what Paris sees as he enters another cycle and relives the murder.

Lidell exclaims as her husband catches her in Paris' embrace: "Tolen!"
Tolen: "Now I understand."
Paris: "I better be on my way."
Lidell: "You don't have to go, Tom. He's got no right."
Tolen: "No right? This is my home. You come into my home and steal my wife, and I have no right?"
Paris to Tolen: "That's not the way it happened."
Tolen: "We'll see what your Captain has to say about this. When I'm finished with you, you'll never wear that uniform again."
Paris: "I can't let you do that."
He grabs a knife and goes for Tolen.
Lidell: "No, Tom, don't! Stop, no!"
Paris stabs her husband and he collapses - dead!

The mind-meld ends. Tuvok almost collapses but is supported by the Doctor and Janeway. The Doctor injects him.
Doctor: "The cycle's ended. No neural damage that I can detect."

Tuvok: "Captain, I must consult with Ensign Kim immediately."
Janeway: "With Kim, why?"
Tuvok: "I assume that he has access to Professor Ren's research. I believe it will explain not only why Lieutenant Paris has been accused of a murder he did not commit but also why the Numiri chose to attack us."

Captain's Ready Room. Via her portable computer, Janeway is in contact with the Minister. The Chief Medical Officer is present with him.
Janeway: "His condition has continued to deteriorate. He'll have serious brain damage if the implants are not removed."

Minister: "We are not a barbaric people, Captain. This was meant as punishment, not torture." To the doctor: "I see no alternative but to remove the implants, do you?"
Banean doctor: "There is no legal precedent of course, but we can petition the courts immediately."
Minister to Janeway: "I cannot assure that you'll find an alternative sentence more to your liking."

Janeway: "We're still committed to proving his innocence, Minister."

Minister: "When do you intend to return him to our custody?"
Janeway: "Due to the nature of his condition, we're concerned that our transporting device might cause further medical complications, so we're sending him back by shuttlecraft. They'll leave this ship in one hour."
Banean doctor: "I'll make the necessary preparations."
Contact ends. viewscreen off She looks up at Tuvok who, unknown to the Baneans, has been present during the conversation. She nods at him, and he leaves to make his own preparations.

A shuttlecraft launches from USS Voyager.

The shuttlecraft launches from Voyager.
(pop-up window)

Aboard are Paris and Kim.
Paris: "This is all your fault, you know."
Kim: "My fault?"
Paris: "Yeah. I consider you the conscience I never had. You're supposed to keep me on the straight and narrow."
Kim: "I tried to warn you."
Paris: "Funny, so did she."
Kim: "If it had been me I would've stayed as far away from her as possible."
Paris: "Some day it will be you, Harry. You'll meet her and you'll know it's wrong from the first moment you see her and you'll know there's nothing you can do about it."
Kim: "Here they come."

On Voyager's bridge, Tuvok reports: "Numiri patrol approaching. Bearing 067 mark 24."
Janeway: "Red alert. On screen."
Tuvok: "Range 100,000 kilometres and closing. They're changing course, Captain."
Chakotay: "They're going straight for the shuttle, just as you said they would, Lieutenant."

Kim, via comms: "Shuttle to Voyager. They've locked a tractor beam on us."
Janeway, via comms: "Offer no resistance, Harry."
Kim, via comms: "Acknowledged."
Paris, via comms: "Hey, Tuvok. I know it's a little late to ask, but you're sure you've got the logic of this thing worked out?"
Tuvok, via comms: "If I am incorrect, we will know it shortly."
Paris, via comms: "Oh, that makes me feel a whole lot better."

Kim: "We're being boarded."
A group of Numiri enter the shuttlecraft.

The Numiri captain looks down at the Numiri equivalent of a PADD on which a picture of Paris is displayed. He tells his men: "He's the one."

Kim and Paris exchange glances on witnessing this, just as Voyager's transporter beam takes them, leaving the Numiri men alone in the shuttlecraft.

Kim and Paris are beamed back to Voyager from the shuttlecraft.
(pop-up window)

Voyager opens a channel to the Numiri captain.
Janeway, via comms: "This is Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation starship Voyager. You have illegally seized one of our shuttlecraft."

Numiri captain, via comms: "I warned you that you were entering a war zone at your own risk."
Janeway, via comms: "Yes, we appreciated that warning and took appropriate precautions. If you read the sensor read-outs in front of you, you will see the shuttle is carrying 40 tonnes of thalmerite explosives, enough to destroy your ship. I'm prepared to detonate those explosives in 30 seconds if you do not release our vessel. End transmission." viewscreen off
Kim and Paris enter the Bridge."

Chakotay reports: "The shuttle's being released. The Numiri ship is withdrawing."
Janeway: "Tractor the shuttle and take us into low orbit. Cancel red alert. Mr Paris, how soon before your next cycle?"
Paris: "7 hours."
Janeway: "That should be enough time to clear this up. Mr Tuvok, this is your show now."
Tuvok: "With your permission, I would like to invite all interested parties to the scene of the murder in 2 hours."
Janeway: "I'll invite the Minister myself."

The Banean city.

The interested parties are gathered in the Ren home.

Tuvok: "Lieutenant Paris was not the man Professor Ren saw before he was murdered."
Minister: "Not the man? But it was clearly established at the trial."
Tuvok: "It is true Paris' image was seen in the memories examined during the trial. However, that is because somebody altered the engrams from Professor Ren's brain."
Banean doctor: "But that simply isn't possible for this procedure."
Tuvok: "I would suggest, sir, that there is no such thing as a technology that is entirely safe from tampering."
Lidell: "You're forgetting one thing: I was here and I saw him do it."
Tuvok: "On the contrary, I've not forgotten your statement, Mrs Ren. However, I now know it is clearly false."
Paris: "Just what was in that tea you gave me, Lidell?"
Minister: "Is this just idle speculation or do you have some evidence?"
Tuvok: "Mr Paris, would you please stand next to Mrs Ren."
Lidell: "What for?"
Tuvok: "If you wouldn't mind."
She rises to her feet and she and Paris stand next to each other.
Tuvok: "The man Professor Ren observed with his wife was virtually equal in height to her. Clearly Lieutenant Paris is several centimetres taller."
Lidell: "How do you know what my husband saw?"
Tuvok: "Vulcans have the ability to meld telepathically with another's mind. I observed your husband's memories as Lieutenant Paris went through his cycle. I watched as the killer stabbed Professor Ren, right here, through the intercostal space between the eighth and ninth right ribs, the exact location of the Banean heart. The killer clearly knew Banean anatomy. Lieutenant Paris did not."
Banean doctor: "Are we supposed to take your word for all of this?
Tuvok: "There is additional evidence. For example, we can now say for certain that Professor Ren was murdered by a Numiri agent."
Minister: "What?!"
Tuvok to Paris: "Lieutenant, did you notice the stream of symbols and numbers that were superimposed on the images?"
Paris: "Symbols? Well, yeah, I guess I did. I didn't know what they meant. I thought they were part of the procedure."
Tuvok: "In researching this procedure I found no other reference to this phenomenon. I have now confirmed that these symbols and numbers were equations taken from Professor Ren's weapons research. Someone intended them to be delivered to the Numiri."
Minister: "You're saying someone used his brain to send secret data to our enemy?"
Tuvok: "He was a logical courier. The Numiri agents knew he could leave the planet surface without raising suspicion. The Numiri made two attempts to gain access to Mr Paris. They attacked just after he returned to Voyager, and then again when he was in the shuttle."
Janeway: "Someone on the surface had to be informing the Numiri of Lieutenant Paris' movements."
Minister: "Do you know who did this?"
Tuvok: "You knew when Mr Paris would be in transit, Minister. The doctor is the one who encouraged you to release him to our custody. He is also the one who performed the implant procedure. I know of no one else who had the opportunity and knowledge to carry out this plan."
Banean doctor: "I'm not going to listen to any of this."
Minister: "I really would like you to listen, doctor."
Tuvok: "Would you please stand again, Mrs Ren."
Banean doctor: "So we're the same height. It proves nothing. I never saw this woman prior to the death of her husband. I was never in this house before today."

Thanks to Free Buttons for the rulers from the set Cosmic Gel. Thanks to Mardiweb for the button blank.

	The mind-meld ends. Tuvok almost collapses but is supported by the Doctor and Janeway. The Doctor injects him. Doctor: "The cycle's ended. No neural damage that I can detect."
	Tuvok: "Captain, I must consult with Ensign Kim immediately." Janeway: "With Kim, why?" Tuvok: "I assume that he has access to Professor Ren's research. I believe it will explain not only why Lieutenant Paris has been accused of a murder he did not commit but also why the Numiri chose to attack us."

	Captain's Ready Room. Via her portable computer, Janeway is in contact with the Minister. The Chief Medical Officer is present with him. Janeway: "His condition has continued to deteriorate. He'll have serious brain damage if the implants are not removed."
	Minister: "We are not a barbaric people, Captain. This was meant as punishment, not torture." To the doctor: "I see no alternative but to remove the implants, do you?" Banean doctor: "There is no legal precedent of course, but we can petition the courts immediately." Minister to Janeway: "I cannot assure that you'll find an alternative sentence more to your liking."
	Janeway: "We're still committed to proving his innocence, Minister."
	Minister: "When do you intend to return him to our custody?" Janeway: "Due to the nature of his condition, we're concerned that our transporting device might cause further medical complications, so we're sending him back by shuttlecraft. They'll leave this ship in one hour." Banean doctor: "I'll make the necessary preparations." Contact ends. viewscreen off She looks up at Tuvok who, unknown to the Baneans, has been present during the conversation. She nods at him, and he leaves to make his own preparations.

	Aboard are Paris and Kim. Paris: "This is all your fault, you know." Kim: "My fault?" Paris: "Yeah. I consider you the conscience I never had. You're supposed to keep me on the straight and narrow." Kim: "I tried to warn you." Paris: "Funny, so did she." Kim: "If it had been me I would've stayed as far away from her as possible." Paris: "Some day it will be you, Harry. You'll meet her and you'll know it's wrong from the first moment you see her and you'll know there's nothing you can do about it." Kim: "Here they come."
	On Voyager's bridge, Tuvok reports: "Numiri patrol approaching. Bearing 067 mark 24." Janeway: "Red alert. On screen." Tuvok: "Range 100,000 kilometres and closing. They're changing course, Captain." Chakotay: "They're going straight for the shuttle, just as you said they would, Lieutenant."
	Kim, via comms: "Shuttle to Voyager. They've locked a tractor beam on us." Janeway, via comms: "Offer no resistance, Harry." Kim, via comms: "Acknowledged." Paris, via comms: "Hey, Tuvok. I know it's a little late to ask, but you're sure you've got the logic of this thing worked out?" Tuvok, via comms: "If I am incorrect, we will know it shortly." Paris, via comms: "Oh, that makes me feel a whole lot better."
	Kim: "We're being boarded." A group of Numiri enter the shuttlecraft.
	The Numiri captain looks down at the Numiri equivalent of a PADD on which a picture of Paris is displayed. He tells his men: "He's the one."
	Kim and Paris exchange glances on witnessing this, just as Voyager's transporter beam takes them, leaving the Numiri men alone in the shuttlecraft.

	Voyager opens a channel to the Numiri captain. Janeway, via comms: "This is Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation starship Voyager. You have illegally seized one of our shuttlecraft."
	Numiri captain, via comms: "I warned you that you were entering a war zone at your own risk." Janeway, via comms: "Yes, we appreciated that warning and took appropriate precautions. If you read the sensor read-outs in front of you, you will see the shuttle is carrying 40 tonnes of thalmerite explosives, enough to destroy your ship. I'm prepared to detonate those explosives in 30 seconds if you do not release our vessel. End transmission." viewscreen off Kim and Paris enter the Bridge."
	Chakotay reports: "The shuttle's being released. The Numiri ship is withdrawing." Janeway: "Tractor the shuttle and take us into low orbit. Cancel red alert. Mr Paris, how soon before your next cycle?" Paris: "7 hours." Janeway: "That should be enough time to clear this up. Mr Tuvok, this is your show now." Tuvok: "With your permission, I would like to invite all interested parties to the scene of the murder in 2 hours." Janeway: "I'll invite the Minister myself."