EMANATIONS
Episode 9
Part B

 

In the Cenotaph anteroom, Araya Garan presents a special box to her husband Hatil Garan. Araya: ""Here it is." Hatil: "Thanks." Opening it with awe: "A lot of memories in this." Araya, trying to control her tears: "We're so proud of you, Hatil. This is such a generous, selfless act." Hatil: "It's my last gift for you and the children."

Araya: "And it's one we will always cherish. But I'm still going to miss you." Hatil: "I know. I'll miss you too, but I'll see you in the Next Emanation when you're ready to join me." Araya: "Give my love to your father. Tell him that the garili trees he planted have, have been in bloom for three years straight." Hatil: "I will. Goodbye." Araya: "Goodbye."

After Araya leaves, Hatil contemplates his fate.

He is distracted when an alien stranger is shown in from the direction of the Cenotaph room by Dr Ranora and aide, and Hatil watches with interest.

Ranora to the alien: "Lie down. It's going to be alright. We won't harm you."

Hatil to Ranora: "Who is that?" Ranora: "We're not sure yet. We think he came from the Next Emanation." Hatil: "The Next Emanation? You mean he's come back?" Kim: "Come back from where?" Ranora: "We've called for the thanatologist. He'll be here any moment."

Ranora, going up to speak to Hatil privately, in quiet firm tones: "I don't think there should be any further discussion about this until he arrives." Hatil withdraws.

Hatil goes round to see Kim after Ranora leaves. "How did you get here?" Kim: "I'm not sure. I just sort of woke up inside one of those pods. I was conducting an investigation on an asteroid, we found some dead bodies, then there was some kind of subspace phenomenon." Hatil: "What do you mean, you saw dead people there?"

They are interrupted when an official enters. The official introduces himself to the alien: "I am er...Dr Neria, the Chief Thanatologist of this facility." Kim: "Ensign Harry Kim of the Federation starship Voyager." Neria: "I see. What race are you from?" Kim: "We call ourselves human. We come from a planet called Earth, in a distant part of the galaxy." Hatil to Neria: "He said he saw dead people on an asteroid." Neria exclaims: "Dead?" Kim: "Look, can you tell me where I am?" Hatil: "Dr, what does this mean?" Neria gently pushes Hatil back into his waiting area. "Rest, Hatil. There's no need for concern. Can I speak to you privately, Ensign Harry." Kim: "Just "Harry"'s fine." Neria: "We are the Vhnori and this is our homeworld." Kim: "We were investigating one of the asteroids in the rings around your planet." Neria: "There are no rings around our world." Kim, thinking aloud: "So the subspace vacuole must have transported me somewhere else." To Neria: "Do you have star charts I can look at? I'd like to figure out where I am now in relation to where I was." Neria: "Where you are now is in the world of the living. Where you came from was another dimension." Kim: "Another dimension?" Neria: "Yes, you returned from the Next Emanation - the afterlife." Kim stares.

In Sickbay, Janeway and Chakotay look down at the alien woman who was transported aboard. The alien is alive, though unconscious. Janeway: "How were you able to revive her?" Doctor: "It's a simple process really. She died of a cancerous growth on the brain stem. I removed the tumour, replicated new neural tissue and used the standard Starfleet post-mortem resuscitation technique for a class 5 lifeform." He gives a small quick smile. Janeway: "Why was she covered with this bio-polymer?" Doctor: "She wasn't covered with it exactly. The bio-polymer is a by-product of her own tissues." Janeway: "Explain." Doctor: "As her tissues decayed, the cell membranes broke down into a bio-polymer resin which was then excreted by her epidermal layer. My guess is it's a natural decomposition process for this species." Chakotay: "So the other bio-polymer fibres we found in the cavern were....?" Doctor: "Were probably the result of other bodies that had decomposed and left a residual membrane. In essence, Commander, you were strolling through dead bodies." Chakotay looks away for a moment, feeling very uncomfortable. Janeway: "Can you wake her?" Doctor: "Yes, of course. Kes, 2 cc's of netinaline." He hands out his hand and she places the hypospray into it. He injects the patient. The alien comes to, to find two alien strangers looking down at her. Doctor: "Hello." The alien is terrified. Janeway: "I know this must be very confusing for you, but you're alright. My name is Kathryn Janeway." Ptera: "I'm Ptera. Where's my brother?" Janeway: "Your brother? I'm afraid he's not here." Ptera: "But he's supposed to be here. They're all supposed to be here!" Janeway: "Ptera, we were able to remove the tumour from your brain. You're going to be alright. We revived you because one of our-" Ptera: "This is the Next Emanation? This is the afterlife?" Janeway: "No. No, it's not. You're on a starship." Ptera: "This can't be right." She is distraught, wailing: "My brother's supposed to be here! Something's wrong." Janeway: "Let me explain." Ptera: "No. No! Get away from me. This isn't right! This can't be right!"" She becomes hysterical, so the Doctor sedates her with a hypospray injection. Janeway and Chakotay exchange glances.

Kim and Neria are in the Cenotaph room. Kim: "You're saying there was a woman in here just before I arrived?" Neria: "That's right. Her name was Ptera. She was dying of a tumorous lesion to her midbrain." Kim: "Dying. So she wasn't dead yet?" Neria: "No, of course not. She didn't die until the Cenotaph was activated. That's the purpose of the Cenotaph. It terminates a person's life just before the appearance of a spectral rupture and then it allows their body to be taken to the Next Emanation." Kim: "Spectral rupture?" Neria: "Well, I can show you." He takes Kim over to a computer console and calls up diagrammatic data. Kim: "This looks like what we would call a subspace vacuole. Does the Cenotaph create these ruptures?" Neria: "Natural occurrences, once every six hours. This entire complex was built on this site because a spectral rupture occurs here. We have thousands of such sites on our world. Forgive my curiosity, but you are the first person every to come back from the afterlife. I have quite a few questions. You said that you saw dead bodies." Kim: "That's right. There were seven females, eleven males. Some of the bodies had been there for years, others just for a few days." Neria: "Are you saying that when we die we go to some asteroid and decompose?!" Kim, as tactfully as possible: "Well, that's what it looked like to us." Neria: "These bodies, did you perform any kind of bio-scans on them? Was there any specific medical data that you can remember?" Kim: "Doctor, maybe I should just stop right there. This is what my people call a first contact situation and we've learned to be very careful about how much we tell alien cultures we've just met." Neria: "I would like to start a complete bio-analysis as soon as possible. If you'll just follow Dr Ranora." Ranora places his hands on Kim's shoulder and arm but Kim shakes him off. Kim: "Bio-analysis? Look, all I want to do is get back to my ship, and I think there might be a way to use this spectral rupture of yours to-" Neria: "You're not going anywhere. You are our first glimpse into what lies beyond death." Firmly, hand balling briefly into a fist: "We are not going to let this opportunity pass us by."

Janeway and Chakotay are examining data at the science station on the Bridge.

Chakotay: "We've completed our analysis of the ring system. Our sensors have detected over 200,000 alien bodies on various asteroids in the rings. From what we can tell, a subspace vacuole appears about every two hours, deposits a body and then disappears." Janeway: "We need to focus on those vacuoles. Concentrate on trying to probe them with the high resolution subspace scans. See if you can find any sign of Mr Kim." The com. signal sounds. "Sickbay to Captain Janeway." Janeway, via comms: "Go ahead." Doctor, via comms: "Our guest has regained consciousness and she is a little calmer this time." Janeway: "I'm on my way." To Chakotay: "You have the Bridge."

In Sickbay, Janeway is talking to Ptera, the Vhnori woman. Ptera: "That's, that's all I know. I'm sorry. I can't tell you anything more." Janeway: "You've told me quite a bit. At least now I have an idea of what might have happened to Mr Kim. Is there anything I can do for you?" Ptera: "Well, I'd, I'd like some answers." Janeway: "About what?" Ptera: "About what happens to my people when we die." Janeway: "We're not sure exactly. But from what we do know, the vacuoles deposit the bodies on the asteroids in this ring system." Ptera: "And then what?" Janeway: "I'm not sure what you mean." Ptera: "We're supposed to evolve into a higher level of consciousness when we die. We're supposed to gain a greater understanding of the universe. All of our questions are supposed to be answered." Janeway: "Ptera, I know this must be frightening for you. You've been through a very traumatic experience. It would frighten me. But please try to understand. Just because I don't have the answers to your questions doesn't mean there aren't any." Ptera: "My brother - I always thought I'd see him again. I had so many things to tell him about his children, the people he left behind. But he isn't here, is he? He's-" She tries to regain self-control. "So, what am I supposed to do now, spend the rest of my life on this, this starship?" Janeway: "Ptera, I am going to do everything in my power to figure out just how you got here. And as soon as I know anything, I will tell you, alright?" Ptera: "Alright." Kes comes up to them. She has a suggestion. "Maybe we should get out of Sickbay, let you walk around for a while, clear your mind, maybe get something to eat." Janeway: "Are you hungry?" Ptera: "Yes, actually, I could use something to eat." Suddenly the ship is rocked. Frightened: "What was that?!" Janeway taps her combadge. "Janeway to Bridge. Report."

Paris, via comms: "There's some kind of dimensional distortion forming near Main Engineering, Captain. It looks like a subspace vacuole."

Janeway, via comms: "Janeway to Engineering. B'Elanna, what's going on?"

In Engineering, Torres goes over to the doors to the Jefferies tube network. Via comms: "I've pinpointed the location, Captain. It's right here in Engineering. Stand by."

She opens the doors. There is another Vhnori dead body!