IN THE FLESH
Episode 98
Part E

 

As Chakotay walks to the transporter co-ordinates, suddenly the lights come on - "daylight".

Chakotay knows the game is up. As he hurries, he tries to contact Paris and Kim: "Chakotay to Paris. Delta Flyer, respond!" but there is no response. Species 8472 have blocked communications.

Chakotay phasers an 8472 who tries to stop him.

Chakotay breaks into a sprint. 8472s converge on Chakotay, cutting off his escape routes. He is captured.

Some 8472s who assisted in his capture look on as Chakotay is taken away. incidental music: escape attempt; S.O.S. call

USS Voyager.

Captain's Ready Room. The door signal sounds. door signal "Yes, come in." standard doors

Seven hands over a PADD which Janeway reads Seven: "The Borg modifications are complete: 19 standard photon torpedoes and 3 class 10s armed with high-yield warheads."

Janeway: "More." Seven: "We've depleted our supply of nanoprobes." Janeway: "Replicate a new supply." Seven: "That is not possible." Janeway: "Have the Doctor extract them from your bloodstream, grow them in a petri dish, whatever it takes. If we do engage 8472 I don't intend to run out of firepower mid-battle. You of all people should understand that. They killed, what, four million drones?"

Janeway continues without pause, moving onto what has really been on her mind: "Directive zero-one-zero: 'Before engaging alien species in battle, any and all attempts to make first contact and achieve non-military resolution must be made.' In this case, we made first contact over a year ago and we barely got out of it alive. It seems to me a battle is inevitable, maybe even war. So why can't I get that Directive out of my mind?"

Seven: "This species intends to purge our galaxy of all life. It's time you resisted your Starfleet philosophy." The com. signal sounds. comms. signal Tuvok, via comms: "Captain to the Bridge."

Tuvok: "The away team is hailing us." Janeway: "Tom."

Paris, on viewscreen: "Chakotay's in trouble. He tried to contact us ten minutes ago, but his signal was cut off." Kim, visible in the background on the viewscreen: "Some kind of forcefield went up around the habitat. We can't get a lock on him." Janeway: "Has your vessel been detected? " Paris, on viewscreen: "I don't think so. At least, no one's tried to take a shot at us yet." Janeway: "Hold your position. Keep trying to locate him. We're on our way." Paris, on viewscreen: "Yes, ma'am." Contact ends.

Janeway to Seven: "Bring those Borg weapons online." She orders: "Red alert." Red alert lights flash and klaxons sound. She sits in the captain's chair, and makes a shipwide communication: "All hands to battle stations." To the conn officer: "Take us out of orbit."

Guards bring Chakotay to the Quantum Cafe. Boothby is behind the bar with a decanter of whisky. Archer is there. She tells Chakotay: "I thought you had a tactical report to finish."

Boothby: "What'll you have, son?" Chakotay shakes his head, declining a drink. He is not in the mood for such frivolities. Boothby continues: "I'm a single malt man, myself. Aged 200 years; been saving it for a special occasion, and I'd say this is special enough."

Boothby raises his glass. "A toast. To Earth!" He drains the glass and puts it down.

The interrogation begins. Boothby: "Chakotay, rank Commander, Starfleet service number 47 alpha 612, First Officer, USS Voyager."

Chakotay: "Species 8472, origin fluidic space."

Boothby: "Now that we've been formally introduced, how many ships? Cat got your tongue? How many vessels do you have in the Delta Quadrant?"

Chakotay holds up a finger to stress his answer: "One." Boothby and Archer do not believe this. Archer: "How did you find us?" Chakotay: "We detected what looked like a Federation subspace transmission. It took us weeks to track it here." Boothby: "We wanted this simulation to be accurate to the last detail. We obviously went a little too far. Now that you know about our re-creation, you've no doubt alerted the Federation. Your fleet will be on its way." Chakotay: "You've got it wrong. We're not planning a war against you." Archer: "Is that why you're here, because you're curious?"

Bullock enters and interrupts the interrogation: "Sir, a starship is approaching. It's Voyager." Boothby: "Raise our shields. Stand by all weapons." Chakotay: "Captain Janeway's not here to launch an attack. She's here to find me." Boothby: "We've got the real McCoy here. We might as well take advantage of it. Perform a genetic extraction. It may help us find a better way to maintain these human forms." Archer: "Yes, sir." Boothby leaves with Bullock to see about the re-creation's defence.

USS Voyager approaches the habitat.

Tuvok: "We're approaching the habitat." Janeway: "Shields to maximum. Charge weapons." She makes a shipwide broadcast: "All hands, this is the Bridge. Tactical alert. Report to your posts and stand by to engage the enemy." Tuvok: "I have a visual." The habitat is called up on the viewscreen. "We're being scanned." Janeway: "Let them take a look."

Seven: "The Delta Flyer is heading out from the habitat." Janeway, via comms: "Tom, status.” Paris, via comms: "They've taken a couple of pot-shots at us, Captain. We've lost our shields. Mind if we join you? " Janeway, via comms: "You're clear to dock, Shuttlebay 2. Any word from Chakotay? " Paris, via comms: "I'm afraid not." Contact ends.

Janeway: "Bring us within range. Target their weapons array." Seven: "Captain, we should target their power systems as well." Janeway: "No, I don't want to risk shutting down their life support. If we can end this without casualties, so much the better." Seven: "This species does not deserve our compassion." Janeway, harshly: "You picked a lousy time for an ethical debate. The weapons array, NOW." Tuvok: "We're entering weapons range: thirty-eight hundred kilometres.....thirty-five hundred.....thirty-two hundred....."

On the habitat, in the Quantum Cafe. Chakotay: "Valerie." Archer, preparing to take the DNA sample: "That's not my name."

Chakotay: "Then what is it? You're afraid of us, aren't you. You think we're violent, that we're planning to destroy your species, but none of that's true. If you would take the time to speak to us directly, we could prove it to you." She ignores him and takes the sample.

Chakotay: "'There are no secrets except the secrets that keep themselves.'" Archer recognises the quotation: "Shaw."

Chakotay: "George Bernard Shaw. I saw a copy of his collected works on your bookshelf." Archer: "He had a complex mind, for a human." Chakotay: "And he had a point. As long as we keep spying on each other, making assumptions, we probably will go to war." An alert sounds. Archer: "Voyager."

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