Episode 94 : HOPE AND FEAR : Part A

On the Holodeck, Janeway and Seven are spending time off-duty playing Velocity, a one-on-one competitive sport requiring speed, skill and the ability to aim phaser fire accurately. Each player takes it in turns to fire at a computer-generated aerodynamic metallic disk, eight inches in diameter, using phaser fire to steer it toward the opponent, with the aim of play being to get the disk to touch the opponent. The game is a cross between handball and a firing range. It results in an energetic work-out as players have to move quickly in order to dodge the disk and yet also co-ordinate their movements so as to be able to fire at the disk when it is their turn.

The Velocity disk glows an angry red as it flies, and Janeway fires a hand-phaser at the disk. The disk, struck by her phaser shot, instantly changes to a cold blue colour, and radically alters its course heading toward Seven.

She whirls out of the way, the disk zooms past her, and she fires a quick shot at it. This hits the disk and it turns red again, and heads toward Janeway.

They take it in turns to fire at the disk, each time directing it toward their opponent.

At one point Janeway leaps out of the way, narrowly avoiding the disk, but she slams into the wall and falls!

Seven thinks that Janeway is an easy target.

The disk comes flying back at her, but manages to take aim with her phaser, and at the last second manages to fire at the disk as it speeds towards her.

Her shot sends the disk spinning toward Seven.

Seven is caught off-guard by Janeway's swift reactions. The disk strikes Seven on the arm. Janeway scores, and the disk vanishes.

Computer: "Full impact. Final round to Janeway. Winner: Janeway."

Janeway gets up, panting with the exertion. She fetches a towel from the far corner and dries off some of the sweat. Janeway: "Good game." Seven, petulant: "For you." Janeway: "Come on, Seven. You won four out of ten rounds - nothing to be ashamed of." Seven: "On the contrary. I have superior visual acuity and stamina. I should've won every round." Janeway: "Velocity is more than a test of stamina." Seven: "You are a frustrating opponent. During the final round, after you dropped your phaser, you weren't even looking at the disk, and yet you managed to evade it." Janeway: "Intuition." Seven: "Intuition is a human fallacy - the belief that you can predict random events." Janeway: "Belief had nothing to do with it. At some level, conscious or otherwise, I was aware of several factors: the trajectory of the disk after it hit the wall, the sound it made on its return, the shadow it cast on the hologrid." Seven: "Intriguing, but implausible."

Janeway: "I won, didn't I? Thanks for the match." Seven wishes to keep playing but Janeway belays her order to the computer for another round.

Although Janeway starts to go, Seven says: "I wish to play again." Janeway: "Not today." Seven: "You are fatigued, and concerned that I will defeat you."

Janeway pauses, turns and comes back to the open doorway."Tired? Yes. Concerned? No." She turns to leave again. Seven: "Computer, begin first round." Janeway quickly orders the computer: "Belay that command." She turns again and re-enters the room. They lock eyes for a tense moment. There seems to be more at stake here than a simple game - Seven is challenging her mentor, wants to beat her, prove her superiority.

But Janeway is calm and refuses to rise to the bait. "Try to be a good sport, Seven. The game's over." She goes. Seven watches her go, and still has the look of challenge on her face.

Janeway: "Captain's log, stardate 51978.2. It's been five months since we received the encoded message from the Alpha Quadrant. We know that the transmission was from Starfleet Command, but we still can't decrypt it. B'Elanna thinks it's a lost cause but I haven't given up. I keep hoping inspiration will strike somehow. We know that the transmission was from Starfleet Command but we still can't decrupt it. B'Elanna thinks it's a lost cause, but I haven't given up. I keep hoping inspiration will strike....somehow."

During the night-shift, Janeway works alone in the Messhall. On her computer monitor is displayed a damaged data stream. It is a jumble of symbols and alphanumerics racing across the stream without any sign of order whatsoever.

Janeway, engrossed in trying to decrypt the message.

Chakotay enters and comes up to her. "Good morning." She is surprised at the "morning" part of his greeting. "What time is it?" Chakotay: "0600." Janeway: "Well, then, good morning." Chakotay: "I just heard from Tom and Neelix. They're about to leave the trading colony." Janeway: "Any luck?" Chakotay: "According to Tom, the shuttle's so loaded with supplies he won't make half-impulse. Neelix is asking permission to bring one of the locals on board. He's been very helpful, and Neelix wants to repay him by giving him passage to the next system." Janeway: "Permission granted." Chakotay: "You might want to grab some sleep. We've got a big day ahead." Janeway: "In a while." Chakotay: "Still hunting for buried treasure?" Janeway: "We found the treasure. I just can't pick the lock. I've tried over 50 decryption algorithms. Every time I piece together a datablock, ten more come unravelled. What did Starfleet send us? A map, the location of a wormhole? If I decode this today, we could be home tomorrow. Then again, it could be Admiral Chapman's recipe for the perfect pound cake." Chakotay laughs. "I've been pinning our hopes on this message but I'm starting to wonder." Chakotay: "One way or another, we've got to find out. I'll talk to B'Elanna, you could enlist Seven of Nine." Janeway: "She should have a few Borg algorithms up her sleeve, if she's in the mood." Chakotay: "Problems?" Janeway: "I don't know if she's getting restless, or if it's just me, but we're butting heads more than usual lately. She seems to challenge everything I say." Chakotay: "She's learned a lot from you over the last year. Maybe the pupil thinks she's outgrowing the mentor." Janeway: "Maybe." With humour: "Well, this is one mentor who could use another cup of coffee. Join me?" Chakotay: "Love to."

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