EXTREME RISK
Episode 97
Part D

 

Janeway enters the Astrometrics Lab followed by Tuvok. Janeway: "What have you got?" Seven: "I've been using coherent neutrino beams to document activity aboard the Malon freighter." Janeway: "In other words, you've been spying on them." Seven: "I've made a troubling discovery." She calls up a display on the main viewscreen. "This is a polythermal image of an interior section of the alien ship. The shaded figures you see are Malon crewmembers."

Tuvok: "That appears to be a small ship." Seven: "Correct. The Malon are constructing a spacecraft, composed of tetraburnium alloys."

Janeway folds her arms. Tuvok: "Theoretically such a ship would be capable of withstanding extreme atmospheric pressures." Janeway: "I'll be damned. They're going after the probe themselves." Seven: "That's not all, Captain. According to my projections, they will finish construction of their vessel at least 36 hours before we finish ours."

Janeway: "Well then, I'd say we've got an old-fashioned space race on our hands."

Janeway: "Captain's log, supplemental. We've stepped up the pace of construction in order to finish our shuttle before the Malon finish theirs. According to Seven's most recent intelligence we've gained some ground over the last 24 hours, putting us in a virtual dead heat with our competitors."

Aboard the Delta Flyer. Kim, moving a piece of equipment from the cockpit to the near the exit: "I keep telling you: we've got to reinforce the hull with kellinite. That's all there is to it." Tuvok: "Proposing the same flawed strategy over and over again will not make it more effective, Ensign."

Kim, returning to the front of the cockpit: "Well, we've got to come up with something or we'll never get this thing off the ground."

Irritably Torres says to Vorik who is using a noisy tool: "Vorik, turn that damn thing off. Can't hear myself think." Vorik stops. "Sorry, sir."

Tuvok notices Torres' outburst but says nothing.

Paris: "Look, we could spend weeks trying to solve this, but we've got a ticking clock. Engines are working, weapons systems are online. I say we launch now and hope for the best."

Tuvok: "Mr Paris, that is perhaps the most illogical statement you've ever made. Unless we find a way to reconfigure the structural integrity field the hull will incur microfractures during descent."

Torres listens intently at the mention of microfractures. Paris: "Microfractures, Tuvok. Doesn't necessarily mean we'll have a hull breach."

Tuvok: "And if we do, I suppose these useless design elements from your Captain Proton scenario will compensate for the problem?"

Paris: "Hey, every one of these knobs and levers is fully functional." Tuvok: "And completely superfluous." Paris: "Maybe to you. I am tired of tapping panels. For once I want controls that let me actually feel the ship I'm piloting."

Kim, as Torres heads for the exit: "Where're you going?" Torres: "Holodeck."

Kim: "What for?" Torres: "To find out if this micro-fracture problem is a fatal flaw." Paris, Tuvok and Kim watch her leave then return to their work.

On the Holodeck, in a simulation of the Delta Flyer. Torres: "Computer, activate immersion shielding." Computer: "Immersion shielding activated." Torres: "Commence descent sequence." Computer: "Range to probe, thirty thousand kilometres. Twenty five thousand." An audio alert sounds. "Warning. Atmospheric pressure is exceeding tolerance levels. Rapid ascent recommended." Torres: "Continue descent."

Computer: "Acknowledged. Range to probe, 10,000 kilometres." Torres: "Disengage safety protocols." Computer: "Warning. Disengaging safety protocols presents extreme risk of injury."

Torres speaks over the end of the standard warning: "Override." Computer: "Acknowledged. Safety protocols have been disengaged. Warning. Atmospheric pressure is exceeding tolerance levels." Torres: "Re-route power from secondary systems to structural integrity." Computer: "Acknowledged. Micro-fractures are present in zones 1 and 4."

An explosion stuns her and she slides unconscious to the floor. The holoprogram continues! Unless the program is aborted, the holographic Delta Flyer will be destroyed, with Torres inside!

The Malon vent theta radiation. A mass of it makes contact with Voyager's shields.

Voyager's Bridge. Chakotay: "The Malon are venting a theta radiation cloud. Our shields are down to 89%." Janeway: "Ensign, back us off." Chakotay: "Vrelk is hailing." Janeway sighs with annoyance. "On screen."

Vrelk, on viewscreen: "That was rude, wasn't it, but we still have quite a bit of antimatter waste to expel. I hope we didn't damage your shields." Janeway: "Our shields are fine." Vrelk, on viewscreen: "Mmm. Well, we only ejected a small amount of waste this time. We still have much much more to get rid of. Your shields may not be able to stand even higher levels of theta radiation."

Janeway: "I've already told you we're not going anywhere." Vrelk, on viewscreen: "Let's stop playing these games, Captain. You've scanned my ship, I've scanned yours. We each know the other is building a vessel to retrieve the probe. What you don't know is that my vessel will be ready to launch in less than two days. You're too far behind." Janeway: "Well, if you're so far ahead, why bother trying to scare us away?" Vrelk, on viewscreen: "Just trying to save you the embarrassment of losing." He ends transmission.

The transmission ends and the main viewscreen's image of the unpleasant Vrelk is replaced by the view forwards of the Malon freighter. Janeway, of Vrelk: "Ugh." She gets up and turns to Chakotay.

Chakotay: "You think they're really two days away?" Janeway: "He's probably bluffing but we're not going to take any chances. We've got to speed up construction somehow." Chakotay: "We'd also better find a way to shore up our shields in case Vrelk decides to do any more venting." Janeway: "Good idea. Janeway to Lieutenant Torres. Computer, locate Lieutenant Torres." Computer: "Lieutenant Torres is in Holodeck 1." Janeway to Chakotay: "Get down there." He hurries to the turbolift.

On the Holodeck, the Delta Flyer simulation continues. The holographic shuttlecraft is just moments away from destruction, while Torres lies unconscious on the floor! Computer: "Warning. Hull microfractures are present in zones 1, 2, 3 and 4. Hull breach is imminent. Repeat. Hull microfracture are present in zones 1, 2, 3 and 4. Hull breach is imminent."

Chakotay enters and sees Torres. Chakotay: "Computer, freeze program!" The holoprogram freezes and the holo-shuttle's terrible juddering suddenly stops.

He goes over to her and feels for her neck pulse. "B'Elanna." He taps his combadge. "Chakotay to Sickbay. Medical emergency!"

Voyager's Sickbay. The Doctor gives Torres a hypospray injection. He then scans her with a medical tricorder. Torres, groggily: "What am I doing here?" Doctor: "You had an accident on the Holodeck."

Torres: "How long was I out?" Doctor: "Almost 12 hours." He closes the tricorder. Torres: "I'd better get back to work." Doctor, putting a restraining hand on her left shoulder: "Not just yet." Torres: "Why?" Doctor: "The Captain's asked me to keep you here." Torres: "But I feel fine."

Janeway enters. Janeway: "Would you excuse us please, Doctor." He moves away.

Torres: "Captain, what's going on?" Janeway: "When the Doctor examined you he found evidence of internal bleeding, fractured vertebra, contusions, cranial trauma." Torres: "Guess the accident was pretty serious." Janeway: "The injuries I'm talking about didn't happen recently. Some of them are weeks, even months old." Torres: "I'm an engineer. I've had my share of bumps and bruises." Janeway: "But you didn't seek treatment for any of these." Torres: "I don't run to Sickbay every time I stub my toe." Janeway: "Some of these injuries were life-threatening, B'Elanna." Torres, quietly: "Do I look like I'm dying?" Janeway: "The Doctor said many of the wounds were treated, by someone with the medical expertise of a first year nursing student." Torres gives a sigh. "Well, that's ridiculous." Janeway: "Is it? We investigated today's accident. You turned off the safety protocols during the holosimulation. Why?" Torres: "We have a microfracture problem. With the safety protocols on, there's no way of knowing what would happen during a real flight." Janeway: "You don't really expect me to believe that, do you?" Torres: "Are you calling me a liar?" Janeway: "According to the Holodeck logs you've been spending a lot of time there over the last few months. If I were to check, would I find that you've been running other programs without safety protocols?" Torres: "Would you like to look at my personal logs as well?" Janeway: "B'Elanna, I'm worried about you. If there's something wrong I want to help." Torres: "Nothing's wrong. OK?" Janeway: "No, it's not OK, and until you decide to be more forthcoming you'll remain under the Doctor's supervision, which means you're off the shuttle project. I'm sorry." Torres: "I'm not." She looks down. Janeway gently lifts Torres' chin: "Now I know there's something wrong."

Janeway leaves, watched by a dispirited Torres.

Captain's Ready Room. Paris, reporting from a PADD: "Engines are operating at close to ninety % efficiency, Seven's got her new weapons system online, and if we can just solve that microfracture problem we'll be ready to go." Janeway: "Keep on it."

Janeway goes and sits at her desk. "Now, let's talk about B'Elanna. Tom, you had no idea about these injuries or how she got them?" Paris: "She never complained about being hurt, but then again she's barely speaking to me lately." Janeway: "It's almost as if she's been intentionally trying to hurt herself." Chakotay: "You think all these injuries have been happening on the Holodeck?" Janeway: "Well, where else? If they'd happened while she was working, as she claims, somebody would've filed an injury report." Chakotay: "Any idea what sort of programs she's been running?" Janeway: "Are you thinking the same thing I am?" Chakotay sighs. "I hate to go digging around in someone's personal holodeck programs, but if she won't tell us what's going on, I don't think we have much choice." Janeway: "Tom, what do you think?" Paris: "He's right." Janeway: "Start digging."

She watches as they leave.