In the planetoid's caverns. Seven, who is using a tricorder: "Commander, I'm reading duranium alloys. I believe it is the shuttle, approximately 80 metres beneath this rubble." Chakotay: "Lifesigns?"
Seven: "None. Commander, without lifesigns to lock onto we cannot beam the crew out." Chakotay: "Maybe we can transport the entire ship to the Shuttlebay." Seven: "Through 50 kilotonnes of bemonite?" Chakotay taps his combadge. combadge "Chakotay to Voyager."
Janeway: "Janeway here." Chakotay: "We think we've found the shuttle but we need to dig it out. Have all teams rendezvous at my co-ordinates." Janeway: "Acknowledged." Chakotay to the rescue team: "Phaser drills here and here!"

On the Delta Flyer Paris is recording his farewell message. "Hey, B'Elanna. Look on the bright side. No more day-old pizza laying around, and you'll never have to watch another chapter of Captain Proton again." The computer sounds an alert and says: "Warning: life support has fallen to critical levels." computer warning

Paris: "Don't mind the computer. She's just jealous that I'm spending my last few moments talking to you. So long."
Paris: "Sam, it's your turn." Samantha: "I- I haven't thought what to say, yet. Tuvok, why don't you go next?" Tuvok looks up for a moment from his PADD. "I prefer to my make my farewells in written form."
Paris helps Samantha into the seat.
Samantha: "Computer, begin recording. Encode message for delivery to Naomi Wildman." Computer: "Acknowledged." Samantha records her message for Naomi: "Hi, honey. I know you're feeling sad right now but I want you to listen to me very carefully, ok? First of all, I love you." Paris looks round at her, realising that he should have said that in his farewell message to B'Elanna. "Second, I want you to know that I'm proud of you - how smart you are, how funny, how kind you are to other people, and I know that you are going to grow up to do extraordinary things. Last, and I know this is a hard one, try not to be scared."

An alert sounds and the computer says: "Warning: oxygen depletion in ten minutes."
Samantha finishes her message: "Listen to Neelix. He'll be taking care of you now. Bye, honey."

Neelix has found that the Flotter holoprogram is active and has entered the burned Forest looking for Naomi. Neelix: "Naomi!" Trevis and Flotter block his way. Trevis: "Go away!" Neelix: "Where is she?" Trevis: "She doesn't want to talk to you." Flotter: "You lied." Neelix to Flotter: "I thought you vapourised." Flotter: "Naomi reliquified me. Now leave!" Neelix: "Computer, delete characters." Computer: "Unable to comply. Holodeck controls have been encoded." Trevis to Flotter: "Delete us?" Flotter to Trevis: "I wonder if this liar can swim." Trevis to Flotter: "We can always hang him from one of my branches." Neelix spots the top and back of Naomi's head - she is nearby, listening to the conversation, sitting with her back against a fallen tree trunk. Neelix: "Naomi. Please let me talk to you." Naomi to Flotter and Trevis: "It's ok." Trevis warns Neelix: "You be nice." Flotter also warns Neelix: "No more lying." Neelix approaches Naomi. Neelix: "Hey there." He climbs over the fallen tree trunk to be with her. Naomi: "Is my mother dead?" Neelix: "We don't know." Naomi: "What happened?" Neelix: "The away team was trying to avoid an ion storm. They had to land on a planet." Naomi: "I saw that crater. Something was burning." Neelix: "Plasma fire, pieces of debris, but not the hull. Until we know for sure what's happened, no one's giving up on the rescue attempt." Naomi: "You really think they might find her?" Neelix: "Yes." Naomi: "How do we know you're telling me the truth this time?" Neelix: "I- I never told you this before, but when I was much younger I lost my Mom in a terrible war, and my father and my sisters too. It was the worst thing that ever happened to me, always wondering how did they die, were they worried about me, could they still be alive? I thought if I could just keep you from wondering, you wouldn't have to feel what I did." Naomi: "You were pretending that nothing was wrong, that nothing bad happened. Do you ever pretend that nothing bad happened to your family?" Neelix: "Sometimes." Naomi: "Does it help?" Neelix: "Not really." Naomi reaches out and puts her hand on his cheek. "Don't be sad, Neelix." The com. signal sounds. comms. signal Janeway's voice is broadcast throughout the ship: "All hands to emergency stations. We've got a level-8 ion storm approaching." Flotter: "Ion storm, what's that?" Trevis: "The Ogre of Fire is attacking us again." Neelix: "You'd better get back to your quarters." Naomi gets up to do as he says. Flotter: "Naomi, don't leave us." Naomi: "I'll be back, I promise."

On the Bridge Janeway contacts Chakotay who is in the cavern on the planetoid, manning one of the phaser drills. Janeway: "Voyager to Chakotay." Chakotay: "Go ahead." Janeway: "We've got another ion storm approaching. When it hits the planetoid the entire cavern is going to destabilise." Chakotay: "Just a few more metres and we'll be close enough to beam out the shuttle. How long before the storm hits?"

phaser drill (pop-up window)

Janeway: "Six minutes. Make the most of it, because it's all you've got."

On the Bridge, Kim reports: "The storm's moving in. Shields down to 86 per cent." Janeway: "Keep a transporter lock on the away team. We'll give them until the last second. Helm, lay in a course out of here. Stand by to engage at warp 2." Conn officer: "Aye, sir."

On the Delta Flyer the computer sounds an alert and says: "Warning: oxygen depletion in 2 minutes." Paris: "I never thought it would come down to this - suffocating beneath kilotonnes of rock on some nameless planetoid." Tuvok: "Did you envision a more heroic death?" Paris: "I didn't envision dying at all." Tuvok: "In accepting the inevitable, one finds peace." Paris: "If that's another Vulcan saying, Tuvok, I'll stick with 'Live long and prosper'."

Suddenly they hear the sound of the phaser drills. Paris staggers to his feet and beats on the roof of the Delta Flyer: "We're here! We're here!"

Chakotay signals Voyager. "Chakotay to Voyager. Pattern enhancers are in place. We're ready to transport the Flyer." Kim: "Locking on." He activates the control and reports: "They're in the Shuttlebay."

Janeway: "Helm, engage." Voyager jumps to warp 2, escaping the storm with barely a moment to spare! Voyager flees a level-8 ion storm and jumps to warp (pop-up window)

Neelix takes Naomi to see her mother in Sickbay who has now been treated for her injuries.

Picture (a)	Picture (b)
Picture (c)	Picture (d)
Picture (e)	Picture (f)

As Samantha hugs Naomi, she says, "Thank you," to Neelix.

Janeway: "Captain's log, supplemental. Ensign Wildman has recovered from her injuries and the Delta Flyer, though battered, is intact."
In the Flotter holoprogram, the Forest of Forever has been restored to its normal brightness and beauty. Flotter: "And how are you today, Mr Trevis?" Trevis: "Feeling a little stiff, my slippery friend." Flotter: "Oh." Trevis: "And you?" Flotter: "Well, now that you mention it, I feel a little washed out." They laugh together. Trevis to Samantha and Naomi: "Well, it's about time you showed up. The tea is getting cold."
Flotter: "Samantha?" Samantha: "Is it really you? Long time, no see." Flotter: "You're all grown up." Samantha: "I'm an ensign now." Flotter: "I missed you." Samantha: "Likewise."
Neelix: "Well, now that everyone's re-acquainted, I think you're all eager for a new adventure." Flotter: "Now that you mention it, there is a castle I've been meaning to explore." Naomi is excited - she loves the sound of that. "Castle?!" Flotter: "I hear a giant beetle lives there."
Naomi: "Come on, Neelix." Neelix: "You go ahead." Samantha: "See you later." The group leaves, with Neelix waving after them.
Janeway approaches. "Here's to happy endings." Neelix: "Captain!"
Janeway: "Just checking on my future Captain's Assistant." Neelix: "Well, now, right now she's off to conquer a giant beetle." Janeway: "Oh, sounds like a dangerous mission." Neelix: "She can handle it." Janeway: "She's a courageous girl." "Ah," he agrees.
Janeway: "Did I ever tell you about the time I flooded this entire Forest? I was six years old. Flotter claimed we were in for a dry spell, so I came up with the obvious solution - why not just divert the river. This entire Forest was a swamp by the time we were done, at which point Stinger-" Neelix: "Stinger?" And they walk off into the Forest, chatting happily together.