EMANATIONS
Episode 9
Part A

 

USS Voyager arrives at a planet with a ring system.

Janeway: "Captain's log, stardate 48623.5. There are 246 elements known to Federation science. We believe we have just discovered the 247th inside the ring system of a class-D planet."

Janeway, Chakotay, Kim and Torres are at the science station on the Bridge, examining the data on the wall monitor. Kim: "The element has an unusually large atomic mass, over 550 nucleons. And the readings are constant. The element appears to be stable." Janeway: "A stable transuranic element inside a natural environment. This is a first." Torres: "Can you imagine what we could make with this stuff - probe casings that could go into the core of a sun, ultra-thin reactor shielding...." Janeway: "That's assuming we can mine it." To Kim: "Ensign, try and locate the highest concentration of the element."

Kim: "The element is present in most of the asteroids that comprise the rings. I can isolate a sample and beam it aboard." Torres: "Or better yet, maybe we could get a firsthand look at this element in its natural environment. It looks like most of these asteroids support class-M atmospheres." Janeway: "Good idea." To Chakotay: "Commander, you're in charge." Chakotay: "Aye, Captain."

As he starts to go, he turns: "Mr Kim, would you like to join us?" Kim breaks into a smile: "I wouldn't miss it, sir."

As he eagerly moves to join Chakotay, Janeway sits in the captain's chair and receives a PADD report. The away team head for the turbolift.

The away team explore a cave on the planet. Kim, following his tricorder readings: "The highest concentration is about thirty metres directly ahead." Chakotay, checking his tricorder readings: "I'm picking up a large cavern in there. The readings are What the hell is this?" Torres, reading from her tricorder: "It's organic, some kind of bio-polymer residue." Chakotay: "I want to see what's ahead." Torres: "The readings are higher over here, but I still can't find the source of the-" She gasps as she sees a body. "Commander?" Scanning it: "Class-5 humanoid. It appears to be dead." Chakotay, via comms: "Captain, there are 18 bodies here, all humanoid - 11 male, 7 female. From what we can tell, they're in various stages of decomposition. Some have been here for years, pthers no longer than a few days. In fact, one body arrived less than twelve hours ago." Janeway, via comms: "Arrived from where?" Chakotay, via comms: "I don't know, Captain. But from the position of the arms, I'd say we're looking at some kind of burial site."" Janeway: "What about the element we discovered?"" Torres, via comms: "It's emanating from their bodies, Captain. We think it's some kind of by-product of their decomposition process." Chakotay, via comms: "I recommend we leave these bodies in peace, Captain. However, Mr Kim has a different opinion." Kim, via comms: "With all due respect, Captain, I have to disagree with the Commander. This is our first contact with this race, and I think we should be learning all we can about them. It's a unique anthropological opportunity." Chakotay: "I understand the chance for scientific discovery, Captain, but whatever belief this race has, they clearly meant for their dead to be left alone and I think we should respect that." Janeway considers for a moment, then: "I'm afraid I agree with Commander Chakotay. Set your tricorders for passive scans. I don't want to disturb anything."" Chakotay, via comms: "Captain, the sanctity of these bodies should be respected. I recommend we make visual observations only, no tricorders."" Janeway, via comms: "Very well. Keep me informed. Janeway out." The away team put away their tricorders. Chakotay: "Alright, the only sensors you have left are your eyes. Concentrate on details. We're going to have to do a thorough report when we get back." Kim, as Torres goes on ahead: "Commander, thanks for letting me voice my opinion to the Captain." Chakotay stops and turns to him: "I remember the first time I went on a tomb excavation on Ktaria 7. I wanted to keep a memento of the experience, so I picked up a rock from the burial site. Only I found out later it wasn't just a rock." Kim: "What was it?" Chakotay: "It was a sacred stone. The Ktarians lay thousands of them in the tomb. Each one represents a special prayer. Without realising it, I had desecrated that man's grave." Torres comes up to them: "Well, I think I found out about all I can with my eyes." Chakotay: "Really? What have you learned about this culture so far?" Torres: "They like to bury their dead on asteroids. That's about all I can tell without a tricorder - no artefacts, no inscriptions, just some naked dead people." Chakotay: "You're looking but you're not seeing. The fact that they're naked says a lot. It means this race doesn't believe in dressing the deceased. And the lack of artefacts could indicate they don't believe any worldly goods can be taken into the afterlife." Kim: "What makes you think they believe in an afterlife at all?" Chakotay, pointing his wrist-beacon at the bodies: "Look at the position of the arms and hands. The bodies have been arranged in poses of serenity, and they appear to be wrapped in the same bio-polymer residue we found out in the passageway, all indications that this culture has a great deal of ritual associated with disposing of the dead. That normally indicates some belief in the afterlife." Torres: "The Klingons believe in an afterlife, but there's no burial ritual. They just dispose of the corpse by the most efficient means possible." Chakotay: "Good point. However, some archaeological digs on the Klingon Homeworld-" Suddenly they are almost blinded by a phenomenon of some kind close by. "Tricorders!" They start scanning. Kim: "A dimensional distortion is forming, some kind of subspace vacuole." Chakotay taps his combadge. "Chakotay to Voyager. Emergency beam-out!" Ensign Seska is in Transporter Room 3. Janeway, via comms: "We're having trouble locking onto your signals. Stand by."" Seska, via comms: "Have everyone stand closer together. I'm going to try a blind beam-out centred on your comm. signal." Chakotay, via comms: "Acknowledged. Energise!" Janeway, via comms: "Bridge to Transporter Room 3. Do you have them?" Seska, via comms: "Subspace distortions from the vacuole are interfering with the transporter lock. I'm attempting to compensate. OK, I think I've got them. Chakotay and Lieutenant Torres are aboard. So is one of the humanoid bodies, but there's no sign of Ensign Kim." Janeway, shocked, to Tuvok: "Scan the asteroid." Tuvok does so. "No lifesigns, Captain. I'm broadening the scan. Nothing. He is nowhere in the entire asteroid field." Janeway: "Seska, initiate emergency transport procedure 21 Alpha." Seska, via comms: "I'm already on it, Captain. It's no use. His pattern's gone, and the subspace vacuole has disappeared. I'm looking at the transporter logs. My only guess is he was pulled into the vacuole." Torres and Chakotay crouch down by the dead alien body. Torres: "This isn't one of the bodies we found in the cavern. It's someone else." Chakotay: "This body might have come out of the vacuole at the same time Kim was taken in." Torres, reading her tricorder: "Wait a minute. I'm showing signs of electrical activity in the brain. It looks like she died just a few minutes ago. We might be able to revive her. If we can, we might get some answers." Chakotay: "We can't interfere with this woman's natural process of death." Torres: "What do you suggest we do, Commander? Kim's gone. She's the only one who might be able to tell us what happened." Chakotay to Seska: "Beam us directly to Sickbay." Seska: "Aye, Commander."

On the Vhnori homeworld, Dr Ranora is presiding over the transference ritual.

Ranora: "Death is the end of this life, but it is also the beginning of a new journey. Ptera will now thrive in the Next Emanation. This is both her sacred duty and her great privilege. As she begins her transition, we promise to carry memories of her so that when we enter the-"

Suddenly they hear knocking from inside the Cenotaph! They hear a muffled voice: "Help! Get me out of here!"

Ranora: "She's alive! Deactivate the Cenotaph, quickly!" His assistant does so.

The lid of the Cenotaph starts to raise.

Inside is Kim!