Lights go out on USS Voyager.

The corridor lights dim too.

The power and lights go down in Sickbay.

Voyager goes to grey mode. (pop-up window)

In engineering, Torres and Vorik are walking past the warp core as the power output diminishes.

Kim reports: "The ship is grey, Captain. We've cut power to Decks 4 through 9. Replicators, holodecks and all other non-essentials are offline. Remaining systems are operating at 20% capacity."

Janeway: "Tom, how long can you keep us flying?" Paris: "With the deuterium supply this low? Even at one quarter impulse we'll be out of gas inside a week."

Janeway: "Everyone redouble your efforts. Keep your eyes open for new sources of deuterium. Tuvok, Chakotay, I want recommendations for further methods of conservation. Harry, you and I will give them a hand in Geophysics, see if we can't synthesise a substitute fuel. In the meantime, we stay in grey mode. If anybody's got any other ideas, I'm listening."

Paris jokes: "We could set up a bicycle in the Messhall, attach a generator, pedal home."

Janeway: "Now why didn't I think of that?" Paris: "And I volunteer Harry to take the first shift."

In a corridor, Tuvok is supervising the evacuation of crewmembers to alternative living quarters. He tells them: "Living space will be extremely limited. Take only those personal items which are absolutely essential."

Neelix, carrying a large bundle of things, comes the other way and bumps into him. Neelix's possessions fall onto the floor. Neelix to Tuvok "Hello, there."

As Neelix gathers up his scattered belongings, Tuvok indicates a large book. "What, may I ask, is this?"

Neelix: "That, Mr Vulcan, is 'The Selected Works of Jirex'."

Tuvok: "Only essential items, Mr Neelix." Neelix: "Oh, Jirex is essential. He's the greatest writer in the Talaxian canon. I never go to sleep without reading at least one of his parables." Tuvok: "A habit you will have to break until we're able to restore power to crew quarters."

Neelix: "I suppose I can try." Tuvok: "And these?" He indicates the cushions.

Neelix: "I get terrible neck pains without them." Tuvok: "I suggest you ask the Doctor to prescribe an anti-inflammatory." Neelix, annoyed: "Ah, fine. I don't mind roughing it." He allows Tuvok to have the cushions.

Tuvok: "Mr Neelix - the blankets." Neelix: "No, no! That's where I draw the line! My mother knitted these herself. I've slept with them since I was a child!" Tuvok: "You'll have to make do with standard issue bedding." Neelix: "Those Starfleet blankets give me a rash." Tuvok: "Then I suggest you ask the Doctor-" Neelix: "-for some anti-itch cream. I might as well sleep in Sickbay." Suddenly he is very cheerful again. "Thank you, Mr Vulcan - you've just given me an idea!" He gives Tuvok the blankets and rushes off, leaving Tuvok puzzled, if not surprised, at the Talaxian's apparently odd behaviour.

Chakotay enters the Astrometrics Lab to talk to Seven. (pop-up window) Chakotay enters the Astrometrics Lab and is surprised to find that Seven is still working there and that power has not been shut down. Chakotay, sternly: "What's going on here?" Seven: "I'm working." Chakotay: "You were ordered to shut down Astrometrics an hour ago. We can't afford the power." She ignores him. He says more forcefully, using a description she will understand: "Seven, it's inefficient." Seven: "Efficiency is relative, Commander. If I shut down Astrometrics I won't be able to scan for new fuel sources." Chakotay: "I appreciate your efforts, but we'll have to use conventional scanners until-" A scanner audio alert interrupts him. She checks the readings and remarks: "Conventional scanners would not have found this." Chakotay: "What?" Seven: "Highly concentrated deuterium." Chakotay: "Where?" Seven: "Computer, display source." The computer displays data on the main viewscreen. "A planetoid .4 light-years from our present position. There are dense pockets of deuterium just beneath the surface." Chakotay: "Maybe so, but that's a Demon class planet." Seven: "Demon class?" Chakotay: "That's what Starfleet calls it, also known as Class Y. It's got a toxic atmosphere, filled with thermionic radiation. Surface temperatures are in excess of 500 Kelvins. Just entering a standard orbit would be suicide." Seven: "Our situation is desperate." Chakotay: "True." Seven will not be put off. "When faced with desperate circumstances, we must adapt."

Janeway: "Captain's log, supplemental. I've ordered adaptations to our shields to repel the thermionic discharges. Hoping that the benefits will outweigh the risks, we're now trying to beam deuterium from beneath the planet's surface." The picture shows Voyager orbiting the Demon class planet.

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