Now, this isn't fanfic, but it wasn't intended for production either. Some years ago, when Andromeda started, I was pitching to it. Producer Robert Wolfe, who I'd been in touch with when DS9 was running, asked me to write a sample script of an SF show he'd be familiar with. So I did a Voyager one. In the end, a writer's strike followed by Wolfe getting kicked out so that Andromeda could become the Isn't Kevin Sorbo Great hour meant that nothing came of it, but here it is: TEASER FADE IN: EXT VULCAN DESERT. DAY (OPTICAL) A stock shot from the Bird Of Prey takeoff in The Voyage Home. We can hear a heartbeat, FALTERING. 1A. CLOSE ON TUVOK'S FACE - DAY. He's under a blue sky, looking up at the sun (the implication is that he's on Vulcan, but we don't need to see any specific location.) The heartbeat STOPS. PUSH IN on Tuvok's reaction, right into the iris, blotting out everything until the screen goes black and- INT TUVOK'S QUARTERS. NIGHT (OPTICAL) ZOOM OUT as quickly as possible from Tuvok's eye, and we see he's sitting bolt upright in bed, reacting - as much as a Vulcan would - to… Something. Something wrong, some terrible tragedy. 2A. NEW ANGLE Tuvok rises and goes to the viewport, staring out into the void (the ship is at impulse) 2B. THE STARS OUTSIDE. PUSH IN on the starfield beyond the viewport. 3. EXT SPACE - ASTEROID BELT (OPTICAL) It's not a very thick belt, but a few scrawny asteroids are floating around. JANEWAY (V.O.) Captain's Log, Stardate (xxxxxx.xx). Voyager has encountered a vast asteroid belt, the size of a small solar system. The ship has slowed to impulse- 3A ANGLE ON VOYAGER (OPTICAL) Entering the belt. The rocks are far enough apart that the ship is clearly in no immediate danger. JANEWAY (V.O. continuing) since as well as the safety considerations of negotiating the belt, we hope that some of the asteroids may provide useful ores and minerals. 4. INT CORRIDOR. CHAKOTAY on his way to some duty or other. NEELIX appears from a corner, and catches up with him. NEELIX Commander, can I speak with you a moment? It's about Tuvok. CHAKOTAY Sure, go ahead. NEELIX Well, it's probably not my business to say this, but- (beat) He seems to have been acting a little…oddly of late. CHAKOTAY Oddly? NEELIX I'm worried that maybe something's wrong. He seems more withdrawn than usual. CHAKOTAY (How can you tell??) More withdrawn? NEELIX Oh, I know he's private and inscrutable, but I can always spot these things about my friends. 4A. NEW ANGLE- TURBOLIFT DOORS They stop at the doors, and Chakotay calls the lift. CHAKOTAY Have you tried speaking to him about this? NEELIX Well, you know Tuvok. Won't talk about his problems. Y'know, we Talaxians have a saying that a trouble shared is a trouble halved- CHAKOTAY There's something similar on Earth. (Thinks. If a crewman has a problem it may affect his duties) All right, I'll keep an eye open. But it's probably just some Vulcan holiday that requires more cool than usual. NEELIX There's nothing in the database for this week. Chakotay reacts, and the lift arrives. 5. INT BRIEFING ROOM JANEWAY, TUVOK, TOM, HARRY, SEVEN and B'ELANNA are all seated around the table. Chakotay ENTERS and takes a seat. HARRY This is a pretty odd asteroid belt, Captain. A lot of the asteroids are in far more irregular orbits than the local gravitational environment suggests they should be. JANEWAY Meaning there's some kind of anomaly out there? B'ELANNA (gestures negative) Mining. (the others react) Asteroid mining operations often have to fit maneuvering thrusters onto the rock to deal with centripetal and vertigo problems. Then, once the valuable heavy ores have been mined out, it can never really regain the same orbit it used to have. HARRY (O.O.V) B'Elanna's right, Captain. 5A. ANGLE ON HARRY (continuing) Sensors show massive depletion of ores and heavy elements on every asteroid. CHAKOTAY Is there any sign of the people responsible? (beat) Tuvok? 5B. ANGLE INCLUDING TUVOK Tuvok looks rather distant, and doesn't seem to have noticed the question. 5C. NEW ANGLE Everyone reacts to Tuvok being less than fully alert. CHAKOTAY (emphatic) Tuvok? TUVOK (paying attention) There are no vessels within sensor range. However, I must concur with Ensign Kim's assessment. All the asteroids bear craters and channels characteristic of automated asteroid mining techniques. TOM Then there's not much chance of finding any useful minerals. JANEWAY That depends. One man's meat is another man's poison. SEVEN (puzzled) Captain? JANEWAY Whoever mined this asteroid field might not necessarily need or value the same minerals as we do. (to crew) Start scanning the belt in greater detail. If there's enough material out there for a spare paperclip, I want it. 5D. ANGLE ON DOORS Everyone leaves, except Chakotay, who intercepts Tuvok. CHAKOTAY Tuvok, are you all right? TUVOK (lying) Perfectly CHAKOTAY You seemed a little out of it in there. If something's wrong, I'd like to help. TUVOK Nothing is wrong, Commander. I was merely contemplating the- CHAKOTAY (detecting bullshit) Tuvok, if Vulcans had more experience at lying, then perhaps they'd be better at it. (brusque but fair) We can all see something's eating away at you, Tuvok. We know you value your privacy, but like it or not, if something's interfering with the ability of anyone under my authority to perform his duties, then I have a responsibility to make sure that the problem is solved. 5E. ANGLE ON TUVOK TUVOK (sees the logic- unfortunately) As we have approached the Alpha Quadrant, the telepathic bond with my wife, T'Pel, has become stronger again. (a difficult beat, Vulcans value privacy) Yesterday that bond was curtailed abruptly. CHAKOTAY (growing suspicious of what that means) By "curtailed," you mean stopped. Then why? TUVOK I should have thought that was obvious. T'Pel is dead. 5F. ANGLE ON CHAKOTAY - HIS REACTION and we FADE OUT ACT ONE FADE IN. 6. INT. MESS HALL Some time has clearly passed, as B'Elanna is relaxed, reading a PADD as she eats. Neelix is behind the counter, and there are supernumeraries as needed. Tom enters and approaches. TOM (re: the padd) Something good? B'ELANNA Duty logs. Who'd have thought there'd be so much paperwork involved in getting home from the wrong side of the galaxy? TOM Better in the Maquis days, huh? B'ELANNA You'd think so, but it was Chakotay's ship, and you know how he is... TOM He expected reports? B'ELANNA Regular as clockwork. We weren't exactly sticking to Starfleet protocols, but he liked to know what was going on, so the paperwork was one thing he kept. TOM Nice of him to insist on keeping all that evidence for any future court-martial. B'ELANNA So long as there wouldn't be paperwork on a rehab colony... TOM No such luck. There are lots of studies as part of the program. (he obviously wasn't impressed) 6A. NEW ANGLE As B'Elanna's combadge beeps. VOICE (V.O.) Engineering to Lieutenant Torres. B'ELANNA Torres here. VOICE (V.O.) There's some kind of problem with the [tech]. We can't- B'ELANNA (seeing a chance for freedom) I'm on my way (to Tom, re his reaction to her tone) Now the paperwork can wait. 7. EXT. SPACE (OPTICAL) Voyager in the asteroid field. 8. INT. BRIDGE Janeway and Chakotay in their seats. Harry at Ops, Tom at Conn. Tuvok is at his station, but is standing further back in the corner, as if trying to keep an even lower profile than usual. HARRY Captain, I'm picking up some signals from the asteroid belt. Multiple low-power sources. JANEWAY What kind of signals? HARRY It's like helmet chatter between people in spacesuits, but it doesn't seem to be in any spoken language JANEWAY Put it on audio THE SOUNDS- short bursts, beeps and static. Some kind of machine code sound effect. JANEWAY (continues) Too random to be signal buoys. Can you locate a source, Harry? HARRY It's from all through the belt... (beat, working controls) but concentrated in the vicinity of one of the larger asteroids, bearing oh-one-one mark three-four-two. 8A. ANGLE ON TUVOK. TUVOK There is a large metallic mass at those co-ordinates. It appears to be a conglomeration of wreckage and containers. I would speculate that it has been gathered over a long period of time, from vessels which have been damaged or destroyed in the belt. JANEWAY Launch a class two probe. TUVOK Probe launched 9. EXT. ASTEROID SURFACE (OPTICAL) Voyager moving slowly past. Something casts a shadow across the rock - something MOVING, angular and obviously artificial. 9A.CUTAWAY - RED EYES A pair of red sensors "blink" by dipping momentarily into the metal surface surrounding them. 9B. BACK TO SCENE - NEW ANGLE The flip-top "lid" for the "eyes" is set into a curving metal body. It's hard to judge scale yet, but quite small. It watches the ship, and emits some kind of short-burst transmission. 10. INT. BRIDGE As before. HARRY The probe's data is coming in now, Captain. JANEWAY On screen. 10A. ANGLE INCLUDING MAIN VIEWER. (OPTICAL) A larger asteroid is in view, covered in metal bits and bobs that are clearly assembled from junk, but which isn't in a wreckage pattern. They've been placed deliberately. JANEWAY (O.O.V.) It must have taken quite some time to put that together. 11. EXT. SPACE - THE ROBOTS' NEST (OPTICAL) Just as Harry described it earlier, an ant-hill built of old ship parts and metallic wreckage, welded onto the side of a large asteroid. The central structure is pyramidal. 12. INT. BRIDGE Janeway and Chakotay are watching the screen. CHAKOTAY The survivors of a crash? JANEWAY Could be. (to Harry) Life signs? HARRY None, Captain. The structure's centuries old. If it was built by survivors from some asteroid collision, they must have all have died out since. CHAKOTAY Or been rescued. JANEWAY There's still the matter of those transmissions Mister Kim picked up. HARRY It could be some kind of automated distress system. If the builders left or died, it could have been left active. JANEWAY (ponders for a beat) Let's take a closer look. 13. EXT. SPACE- VOYAGER (OPTICAL) The ship passes very close to the jagged surface of an asteroid - and something LAUNCHES itself at the ship. 13A. CUTAWAY - CLAW TIP One of the droid's claws taps the surface of the hull as if to gauge its thickness. Then a drill-bit starts digging in. 14. INT. ENGINEERING. B'Elanna is giving out instructions to a couple of NDs. Everything else is as normal. B'ELANNA ...shouldn't take long. Report back to me when the readings have stabilised. The NDs move purposefully out of shot. B'Elanna turns to a console, studying the Okudagrams. Whatever she sees seems satisfying enough. B'ELANNA (to nearest ND) Everything seems fine now, so I'm going to finish breakfast. I'll be in the mess hall if anyone needs me. B'Elanna heads for the door, but doesn't reach it before an alarm goes off. COMPUTER (V.O.) Warning. Hull breach in Deck Nine, section **. B'ELANNA (Looks up - that location is right in the ceiling.) Seal the breach with a Level five forcefield. B'Elanna grabs a toolkit as everyone else reacts to the news. She heads for the Jeffries tube. 15. INT. BRIDGE. Everyone there is reacting to the hull breach too. CHAKOTAY Did we hit a micrometeoroid? HARRY Definitely not. JANEWAY (to comm) Janeway to Engineering. B'Elanna, is that breach sealed? B'ELANNA (V.O.) I've got a forcefield in place. I'm just going to take a look at the breach- it's right here in the Jeffries tube above Engineering. COMPUTER (V.O.) Intruder alert; deck nine, section **. CHAKOTAY Red alert! 15A. NEW ANGLE - TUVOK'S STATION Tuvok is already heading out the door, with drawn phaser in hand. TUVOK Security teams report to Engineering. 15B. ON JANEWAY Watching him go. JANEWAY So much for a meteoroid collision. 16. INT. JEFFRIES TUBE. B'Elanna watches a strange intruder. We don't see all of it yet - it's just a TRIPODAL shape that flits before the camera. A metal leg wanders into shot, suggesting the thing is artificial. 16A. NEW ANGLE - THE MINING DRONE (OPTICAL). It looks very industrialised and businesslike, yet at the same time vaguely comical. It has three spiderlike legs (could be a new skin and re-scale of the 8472 or Macrovirus CGI models), and resembles a little footstool animated by a sorcerer's apprentice. The body has a collection of drills and claws, and there are a pair of flip-top red "eyes". Behind it, there's a hole in the ceiling, with a forcefield glittering over the stars. 16B - BACK TO B'ELANNA Reacting to this sight. B'ELANNA What the hell? Cautiously, she opens a tricorder, to scan the intruder. 17. INT. ENGINEERING Tuvok and a pair of ND SECURITY GUARDS enter. TUVOK (To ND) Secure this area. Tuvok consults his own tricorder, then enters the Jeffries tube. 18. INT. JEFFRIES TUBE (OPTICAL) The mining drone uses a tool of some kind to sample the deck plating. Then it repeats the procedure on a wall panel. TUVOK (O.O.V) Curious 18A. ANGLE ON TUVOK AND B'ELANNA Somewhat cramped in the narrow crawlspace. They both direct tricorders at the droid, and Tuvok has his phaser ready as well. B'ELANNA It seems to be searching for something. TUVOK Has it made any overtly hostile movements? B'ELANNA Other than breaking in through the hull in the first place, no. Should we try to make contact with it? TUVOK Perhaps. But he doesn't move to do so. B'ELANNA Perhaps? 18B. - ANGLE ON MINING DRONE (OPTICAL) It now turns its attention to a thick power conduit - something glowing and obviously energetic and dangerous. The robot's drill-bit taps experimentally on the conduit, then- B'ELANNA No! 18C. - TUVOK AND B'ELANNA Withdrawing hurriedly. Tuvok pauses at what may or may not be a safe distance, and readies his phaser. TUVOK (to Droid) Stop what you are doing immediately. B'ELANNA No, Tuvok. If you hit that conduit- Tuvok fires anyway. 18D. - THE MINING DRONE (OPTICAL) The beam hits it, rocking it back. It continues its operation. The drill digs into conduit, and a huge burst of energy BLASTS the robot backwards along the tube. 19. INT. ENGINEERING Something EXPLODES near the top of the warp core. A few consoles go up in sparks too. The warp core goes dim. 20. EXT. SPACE (OPTICAL) The ship grinds to a halt, some of the lights on the secondary hull fading. 21. INT. BRIDGE Janeway, Chakotay, Tom and Harry at their places, supernumeraries as before. Everyone tries to remain steady as the bridge rocks. ALARMS go off. HARRY Explosion in Engineering, Captain. JANEWAY Damage report! HARRY Warp core is off line. Looks like it was some kind of short-out in the EPS system. Failsafes have tripped, but they've knocked out half the main power grid. JANEWAY (to comm) Bridge to Engineering (no answer) B'Elanna? Tuvok? Still no answer, so Chakotay and Tom head for the turbolift. 22. INT. JEFFRIES TUBE (OPTICAL) The lights have gone red, sirens blaring... Things are definitely not well. Gas is leaking into the tube, while a mess of wreckage has come down, cutting off any exit. The mining droid is lying, dead, at the far end, and the breach in the hull is now larger. Tuvok and B'Elanna are bloodied and hurt, but still mobile. B'ELANNA Plasma gas is leaking in. We'd better get out of here, Tuvok, or be asphyxiated and boiled to death at the same time. Tuvok strains to shift the wreckage blocking their escape. TUVOK It'll take several minutes for anyone to cut through the bulkhead and get us out. B'ELANNA The temperature's rising. We'll never make it that long. TUVOK Never say never, Lieutenant. B'ELANNA Tuvok, in seconds this Tube will be filled with boiling plasma. The humanoid body simply can't take that. TUVOK. No, but the Vulcanoid body can. B'ELANNA (reacts) Thanks, that'll be a great comfort when I'm sauteed. Should I just dictate my eulogy to you now? It'll save time. TUVOK You misunderstand me. The body's environmental tolerances are governed by the autonomic nervous system. Mine is geared towards surviving these kinds of temperatures. B'ELANNA (understands where Tuvok is leading) Are you suggesting that we form a meld? TUVOK It's theoretically possible that, in a mind meld, my autonomic system could boost your own, enabling you to survive the time it takes to get us both free. 22A. ANGLE ON B'ELANNA'S REACTION TUVOK (continues) There is no guarantee that this will work, but logically any chance is better than none. B'ELANNA I thought Vulcans didn't believe in chance. TUVOK Only in that which we make ourselves. B'ELANNA (what choice does she have?) You'd better make it good luck. She crosses her legs and closes her eyes, letting him put his hands on her face in the familiar position. TUVOK My mind to your mind... My thoughts to your thoughts... Suddenly - BOOM! Something gives way with a blast nearby, and the ceiling SLAMS into Tuvok! Tuvok goes down, but his body protects B'Elanna from the impact. 23. INT. ENGINEERING Chakotay, Tom and the Engineering NDs have been cutting through the wall. Laying aside the cutting equipment, they pull a section away. Tom and Chakotay enter the Jeffries tube. 24. INT. JEFFRIES TUBE Tom and Chakotay look at the devastation - and the dead droid. CHAKOTAY Looks like our intruder needs rescuing too. TOM It looks past that to me. CHAKOTAY Here they are. 24A. CLOSE ANGLE ON B'ELANNA Still unconscious in the meld, her face smeared liberally with green stuff... But then we PULL BACK a little more, and see that this is Tuvok's blood, dripping from a gross head wound. TOM (reaching for B'Elanna) We have to help- CHAKOTAY (holding Tom back.) Don't. You could make things even worse. 24B. CUTAWAY - EMPHASISING TUVOK'S HANDS ON B'ELANNA'S FACE In the familiar MIND-MELD position. 24C. BACK TO SCENE Tom's reaction to the peril that B'Elanna is in... CHAKOTAY (O.O.V) Site to site transport, direct to Sickbay... 25. INT. SICKBAY A bustle of activity- THE DOCTOR is waving instruments over Tuvok and B'Elanna, who are lying next to each other. They've been brought in in such a way that Tuvok's hands are still in the MELDING position on her face. Tom is trying to keep himself from interfering, while Janeway and Chakotay look on. TOM Is B'Elanna OK? DOCTOR Physically, yes. Tuvok undoubtedly saved her life. Unfortunately his own injuries complicate matters. JANEWAY In what way? 25A. NEW ANGLE - WALL SCREEN The Doctor touches the screen, bringing up an Okudagram of two sets of BRAINWAVES, mixed together (each set is a different colour). DOCTOR These are Tuvok and B'Elanna's encephalographic patterns. As you see, they're still in the meld. (beat) I've done all I can with Tuvok's injuries, and now it's up to him - but the odds of his survival are fifty-fifty. TOM (reacts to this unpromising news) But if he dies during the meld... DOCTOR If Mister Tuvok dies, the mental shock will leave B'Elanna with irreversible brain damage. Essentially she'll be . . . lobotomised. And, off their reactions, we FADE OUT. ACT TWO FADE IN 26. EXT. SPACE (OPTICAL) The ship in the asteroid field. We can see a hole burnt in the secondary hull, where the explosion took place. 27. INT. SICKBAY- DOCTOR'S OFFICE Janeway, Chakotay, Tom and the Doctor - all reacting appropriately to the circumstances. Tuvok and B'Elanna are visible on the biobeds. JANEWAY Can you separate them - end the meld from outside? THE DOCTOR Not without causing death or irreparable brain damage. Vulcan psychosurgery texts are very explicit about that. JANEWAY (a thoughtful beat) I've known Tuvok a long time, but I've never known him to give up on anything. He's probably the strongest person I've ever met. He'll pull through. Tom reacts - uncertain, but Chakotay gives him some sign of reassurance. Tom exits. CHAKOTAY Captain, Tuvok has been acting a little oddly of late... JANEWAY The briefing. I'd noticed. CHAKOTAY I spoke to him afterwards. He wasn't very forthcoming, but I managed to get out of him that his wife has died. Somehow their telepathic mating bond enabled him to feel it happen. JANEWAY (reacts) T'Pel? (to Doctor) Could that affect his recovery? DOCTOR If he were human, I'd say yes immediately. The patient's will to live is an important factor in his recovery - or lack thereof. The death of a loved one could certainly weaken that will. (beat) But, as is often painfully obvious to the rest of us, Mister Tuvok is a Vulcan. With Vulcan emotional suppression, the bereavement might make little or no difference. CHAKOTAY. You don't sound very sure of that. DOCTOR I'm not. It's simply not possible to be completely sure one way or the other. JANEWAY Then we'll just have to hope - and I'll take hope over certainty any day of the week. (to Chakotay) Does Tom know about T'Pel's death? CHAKOTAY (negative) Just the three of us - and Tuvok. JANEWAY Let's keep it that way. So long as there's hope, I don't see any sense in spreading doubts, or damaging morale. 28. INT. ENGINEERING Two NDs are carrying the dead mining droid out of the Jeffries tube. PUSH IN on the broken robot until we're swallowed up by a hole in its casing, and enter 28A. CUTAWAY - THE MINING DRONE'S INTERIOR We can see a light flickering. It continues just long enough for us to register that it has a regular repeating pattern, then STOPS. 29. INT. DREAM BRIDGE - NIGHT (OPTICAL) The Bridge as normal, but this is actually within the mind-meld, not aboard the real ship. B'Elanna APPEARS in closeup- a slow fade in with no flash or glow. PULL BACK to reveal the empty, darkened Bridge. The only sound is the steady quiet pulse of the ventilation system - almost, but not entirely, like a heartbeat or respiration. B'ELANNA (Reacts to new surroundings) Tuvok? She moves to the nearest console to examine the readings. 29A. CUTAWAY - ANGLE ON CONSOLE. There are no Okudagrams on it, just a black sheen. 29B. BACK TO SCENE B'Elanna gives up on trying to operate any of the controls. B'ELANNA If this is your mind, Tuvok, you need some more imagination. TUVOK (O.O.V) I trust you will not hold that against me. 29C. ANGLE ON BRIDGE DOORS B'Elanna turns, and sees Tuvok just inside the doors. TUVOK (continues) Vulcans aren't trained to be truly creative, except in disciplines that require a certain logic- like music or poetry. Sometimes I feel we're a dry people suited to a dry planet. B'ELANNA Tuvok? That doesn't sound like a tone I'd expect from you. TUVOK Indeed. I must apologise for that. It was my subconscious speaking. Pay it no heed. Off B'Elanna's reaction... 30. INT. BRIEFING ROOM Harry and SEVEN are examining the carcass of the late mining droid, pulling unfamiliar bits of technology out of its casing, when Janeway enters. JANEWAY So... I presume this was the source of our intruder alert? HARRY Security pulled it out of the Jeffries tube. It seems to have fried itself on a main EPS conduit. 30A. NEW ANGLE Janeway joins them at the ruined drone, examining a piece. HARRY (continues) The whole thing seems very industrialised. It doesn't look like a weapon or a robotic soldier. JANEWAY Then why did it attack us? HARRY I don't think it was attacking, Captain; at least, not in the way you mean. SEVEN (holds up a drill-bit) Much of the drone's attachments are designed for ore sampling and extraction processes. I would speculate that they were designed for asteroid mining. JANEWAY (to Harry) You said the asteroids had been mined... HARRY (agrees) But if these were mining robots, they must have been valuable to whoever put them here. Why didn't they come and collect them when the asteroid belt was mined out? SEVEN The robots' design methodology is consistent with that of Species 4214. They were assimilated three hundred years ago. As the Borg have more efficient means of acquiring and refining raw materials, the mining robots were deemed.... HARRY Irrelevant? Seven gestures affirmatively. HARRY (continues) Well, I can't say I'm totally surprised. . . SEVEN Efficiency should not be surprising, Ensign, unless you are a stranger to it. Thank you for reassuring me. HARRY The Collective really needs to assimilate more comedians. SEVEN I will bear that in mind, the next time we encounter the Borg. (back to business) I do not believe this drone's actions were a deliberate attack; more likely its programming has become corrupted over time. It was... JANEWAY Prospecting us, for mineral ores. SEVEN As if the ship was just another asteroid. JANEWAY (to comm - realising the danger) All hands, yellow alert; shields up. She walks as she talks, out into- 31. INT. BRIDGE Chakotay vacates the Captain's seat as Janeway enters from the Briefing Room, followed by Harry. An ND is at helm. JANEWAY (to Harry) Scan the asteroid field for anything that might match the composition of that robot. CHAKOTAY Trouble? JANEWAY Let's hope I'm just being paranoid. From the point where Janeway is standing, we crossfade to 32. INT. DREAM BRIDGE With B'Elanna occupying the exact same spot as Janeway in the previous scene. B'ELANNA This is what a mind-meld is like? TUVOK Not usually. I am as surprised to find myself in this environment as you are. B'ELANNA That's not very reassuring. I don't need to be telepathic to work out that something's probably gone wrong? TUVOK That would be my suspicion as well. B'ELANNA I don't suppose you could more forthcoming on what might have gone wrong? TUVOK Since I don't feel any psychological imbalance, I would deduce that it's the result of some outside influence - a physical injury, perhaps. B'ELANNA (half joking and half worried) You're not dead, are you? TUVOK Evidently not, Lieutenant. If I were, you would not be here. In fact, there would be no "here". Our viewpoint swings around, and, as it does, we shift to: 33. INT. BRIDGE - ANGLE ON HARRY Reacting to something disturbing on his scopes. HARRY Captain, I've narrowed the search to the dimensions and make-up of the mining drone. I'm picking up multiple targets in close proximity - and all of them match the sources of the signals we detected earlier. CHAKOTAY So the robot wasn't alone. JANEWAY Are they making anything that looks like a hostile move? HARRY Not that I can tell. Just a minute... (beat, as Harry checks a puzzle) One of them seems to be maneuvering directly into our path. JANEWAY Weapons? HARRY None. (beat) It's transmitting a signal directly at us. The same machine code as before. It's a repeated pattern. JANEWAY The question being, is it a warning or an invitation? CHAKOTAY Or a declaration of war? 33A. NEW ANGLE Janeway rises from her seat. JANEWAY If it was a warning, wouldn't you send more of a welcoming committee than just one? (a beat as the staff try to second-guess her) It sounds to me like they want to talk. CHAKOTAY Kathryn, are you about to suggest beaming it aboard? JANEWAY Why not? CHAKOTAY If you want scaremongering possibilities, I can think of several, starting with a fusion bomb built into it. HARRY Unlikely, Captain. Sensors show now deviation in construction or make-up from the drone that already boarded. JANEWAY Notify security to meet me in Transporter Room One. 34. INT. DREAM BRIDGE Tuvok watches as B'Elanna goes round, checking console panels. TUVOK They're all dead. B'ELANNA So I see. I guess I didn't really expect any different, since none of this is real. (beat) Why imagine us on the ship anyway? Why not on Vulcan, or Earth? TUVOK The environment appears to be generated by my subconscious, otherwise I would have chosen a more... stimulating locale. B'ELANNA (surprised) I can understand how damn near anyone else could be bored with having been stuck on this ship for such a long journey, but- TUVOK Please, Lieutenant, do not understand me so well. I would have expected a subconscious train of thought to encompass more locations from my lifetime. B'ELANNA Maybe it does. 34A. ANGLE ON TUVOK. Not just the raised eyebrow, but there's a hint of something darker - as if he doesn't want her digging too deep, and is afraid she's already seen too much. TUVOK In what way? B'ELANNA So far we're just on the bridge. For all we know, if we step through those doors we could find ourselves on Mount Seleya instead of in the turbolift. TUVOK Why? B'ELANNA This is a dream, and the scenery always changes unexpectedly in dreams. TUVOK (there's something in that) Then perhaps we should test your hypothesis. 34B. NEW ANGLE- THE TURBOLIFT DOORS They approach the doors. Tuvok makes an "after you" gesture, and B'Elanna precedes him through to: 35. INT. DREAM ENGINEERING. There is no damage to the room, as there is in the real Engineering after the explosion. The warp core is very faint, flickering desperately. TUVOK Curious. It would appear you were half right. B'ELANNA And the other half overestimated Vulcan creativity. 35A. NEW ANGLE - INCORPORATING CONSOLE. B'Elanna goes over to the nearest console. It's dead too. B'ELANNA Another dead panel... (beat) Tuvok, could there be a reason for this? TUVOK For what? B'ELANNA (an "all this" gesture) The panels, the ship... (beat) Just because something's from your subconscious doesn't mean there's no thought behind it. Then, from behind them: SUDER (O.O.V) Oh, there's a thought behind it. 35B. NEW ANGLE - INCLUDING SUDER Tuvok and B'Elanna turn to see one of the last people they could have expected to see- the late LON SUDER, standing calmly beside the warp core. Off their reactions... 36. INT. TRANSPORTER ROOM A security ND is at the controls, with another standing by the transporter stage. Janeway and Chakotay enter. JANEWAY Energise. The ND operates the controls. 36A. ANGLE ON TRANSPORTER STAGE (OPTICAL) With the usual effect, a MINING DRONE is BEAMED aboard. It is identical to the previous robot. JANEWAY Welcome to the Starship Voyager. I'm Captain Kathryn Janeway. Can you understand me? The mining drone shuffles around, blinking with its flip-top eyes, then emits the strange machine-code SOUND we heard in Act One. CHAKOTAY It doesn't seem like the Universal Translator can handle their communications. JANEWAY People learned to communicate with other cultures for centuries before the invention of translation devices. I guess we'll just have to do this the hard way- 36B. ANGLE ON JANEWAY As one of the robot's claws suddenly pulls her combadge off. She reacts, and Chakotay raises his phaser JANEWAY (stopping him) Wait. 36C. ANGLE ON MINING DRONE (OPTICAL) The robot sits back, studying the combadge. JANEWAY (continues) It's almost as if it were attracted to the metal. Like a magpie. CHAKOTAY Perhaps it's still fulfilling its mining program, examining things for precious metals. JANEWAY I'm not so sure. 36D. CUTAWAY - THE COMBADGE (OPTICAL) The robot's claws are dismantling and modifying it more quickly than the eye can follow. 36E. BACK TO SCENE - EMPHASISING ROBOT. (OPTICAL) It attaches the mangled combadge to its casing and the SPEAKS through it. ROBOT This is a great honour. We bid welcome to the gods. 36F. ANGLE ON JANEWAY As she reacts to this... FADE OUT. ACT THREE FADE IN: 37. INT. TRANSPORTER ROOM (OPTICAL) As before, but more relaxed. Chakotay has put away his phaser, and the Security ND has withdrawn to the door. JANEWAY You call us gods? ROBOT Gods, creators, ones greater than ourselves. Your translation matrix is primitive, but the word will suffice. (a beat for the humans to react) It is recorded in our data caches that we were constructed by organic beings who inhabited starships. You are organic beings- JANEWAY Who inhabit a starship. Janeway paces a little, and the Robot follows her movements, but doesn't take any action - it's just paying attention. JANEWAY (continuing) There are many different kinds of organic beings, and only one of them created you. Don't your memory files contain more specific data? ROBOT No. It was not necessary. CHAKOTAY (as if discussing tribal lore rather than data files) What do your records tell you? Gods usually have reasons for doing things. 37A. ANGLE ON ROBOT (OPTICAL) ROBOT We were constructed to seek out materials of value in the asteroid field, and send them to a rendezvous location. FADE TO: 38. EXT. SPACE - ROBOTS MINING (OPTICAL) They swarm over an asteroid, tunnelling through it. Machinery produces some kind of shining ore, which other robots bind into barrel-shapes. ROBOT (V.O.) (continuing) When the ore was processed, it was launched towards the rendezvous co-ordinates by linear accelerator. 38A. NEW ANGLE (OPTICAL) The barrel-shaped ore units are shot through a series of rings, until they finally shoot off into the void. ROBOT (V.O.) Since then, the asteroid field has been emptied of value. However, we knew that the Gods had not forgotten us. 38B. NEW ANGLE (OPTICAL) A ship of stock design is STRUCK by a meteorite, and goes out of control. 38C. NEW ANGLE (OPTICAL) The same ship is now wrecked on an asteroid surface. Robots approach it ROBOT (V.O.) They sent us messages; packages of spare parts, and new data files so that we may expand our knowledge and evolve. FADE TO: 39. INT. TRANSPORTER ROOM (OPTICAL) Janeway and Chakotay reacting to this tale. JANEWAY Do these Gods of yours send these "packages" frequently? ROBOT No. But we understand the Gods know what they are doing. CHAKOTAY At first you thought we were another package of goods sent by them? ROBOT Yes. But when we detected organic beings aboard, we knew that this time the Gods had come in person. JANEWAY (carefully) We're not Gods ROBOT You are to us. 40. INT. DREAM ENGINEERING. NIGHT Tuvok, B'Elanna, and Suder. B'ELANNA What are you doing here? I thought you died. SUDER I did. It was quite liberating, actually. I don't bear any malice to the Kazon who shot me - we were just soldiers, doing our duty. It happens. B'ELANNA Coming back afterwards doesn't. Suder gestures around the room, taps on a dead control panel. SUDER I haven't come back, any more than you've really walked into Engineering. In reality you're both either still in the Jeffries tube, or in Sickbay. Likewise, I'm still dead. TUVOK I assume, therefore, that none of this is real. SUDER It's real to you. TUVOK In my mind. 40A NEW ANGLE, EMPHASISING SUDER. Though not hostile, he has a dangerous air, prowling like a tiger. He approaches Tuvok, not threatening, yet somehow dangerous. SUDER Everything's real in the mind, Tuvok. The mind is what decides what is real. Anything in the mind is real to you, even if it isn't real outside your head. TUVOK. Then we are not, as you put it, outside my head? SUDER No. I'm not the real Suder. As you pointed out, the real Suder is dead. But I'm part of him. An echo, if you like, that remained after our mind-meld. (beat) In a way, I'm more than he was. I know everything that he knew, but I also now know everything that you know - and perhaps more. 40B. CLOSE ON TUVOK Unsure and uncertain of how to respond SUDER I'm part of your mind, Tuvok. Part of your memory - and yes, even part of your subconscious. Tuvok reacts- this is a disturbing idea. SUDER That's not a pleasant thought, is it? (beat) But I apologise. People like us value our privacy. (to B'Elanna) Please excuse us, we won't be long. 40C. INCLUDING B'ELANNA (OPTICAL) B'ELANNA What do you mean you won't be- The scene abruptly DISINTEGRATES, Tuvok and Suder suddenly finding themselves - sans B'Elanna - in 41. EXT. VULCAN DESERT (OPTICAL) Another stock shot. Tuvok and Suder are standing in the sun, under a rich blue sky. Again, we don't need to see the ground or environment. Tuvok looks as if he's listening for something - the heartbeats from the teaser - but hears nothing. TUVOK This is Vulcan, near my home. (beat) Why have you brought me here? SUDER I want to give something back. You were the only person who ever really helped me, and I want to repay that debt. TUVOK I am certain that many others have helped - SUDER No. Others tried to help, but none of them actually did. Only you did that. TUVOK I suspect you will find that, for the most part, you helped yourself. It is impossible to truly help someone who will not be helped. 41A. CONCENTRATING ON SUDER SUDER That's very true, Tuvok. (beat) Nevertheless, you were still the only one who helped me for the sake of helping. TUVOK You admit that others attempted to help you with your societal difficulties- SUDER (cuts him off snappishly) Because it was their duty. Or because they were frightened that if they didn't, I'd harm someone else. You didn't have to - your duty was fulfilled when I was incarcerated, and you certainly weren't afraid of further harm. You helped because you could and because you felt it was right. That's the big difference, Tuvok. (beat) Your help wasn't forced or grudged. Neither is mine for you. TUVOK Do not think me ungrateful, but I am not in need of any assistance. SUDER Then why are you still in this meld? TUVOK I don't understand. SUDER I know. That's why I want to help you let yourself understand. Off Tuvok's reaction... 42. INT. BRIEFING ROOM. (OPTICAL) A couple of asteroids are visible through the windows. Janeway, Chakotay, Tom, Harry, the Doctor and Seven are seated around the table. Janeway and Chakotay have told the others of the conversation with the robot, and the others are still reacting to the news. HARRY They think we're some kind of Gods? THE DOCTOR Obviously they don't know you as well I do. 42A. NEW ANGLE EXCLUDING WINDOWS JANEWAY They admit they're not sure of the word "Gods." They're not certain of the efficiency of our translators. But they certainly believe we're representatives of whoever created them. TOM And they think we've been sending them the equivalent of Red Cross parcels all these years? Every time a ship crashes? CHAKOTAY I could be wrong, but I think what we may have here is some kind of . . . Cargo cult. SEVEN Cargo Cult? CHAKOTAY (warming to his subject) They happened on Earth, centuries ago. Tribes living in remote areas of the planet saw airplanes, and thought they were magical vehicles made by gods. During World War Two, when planes were shot down, these tribes would strip them of their cargoes, thinking that these goods were sent by the gods. 42B. CUTAWAY - SEVEN'S REACTION. CHAKOTAY (continues. O.O.V) Some of them built up pseudo-cultures, even religions, based on the salvage they recovered from the crash sites. 42C. BACK TO SCENE JANEWAY (understanding) Of course. (a beat) These mining robots have little or no memory; their files corrupted after centuries of exposure to space. All they know is that superior beings of some kind used to visit in spacecraft, so they assume that any travellers in spacecraft are these . . . gods, of theirs. (this is weird, even by her standards) Including, it seems, us. 43. INT. DREAM ENGINEERING. NIGHT. B'Elanna leaves. 44. INT. DREAM CORRIDOR. NIGHT. B'Elanna makes for a turbolift. B'ELANNA There's something about all this... She reaches the turbolift doors, but they don't open. Exerting all her strength, she prises the doors open. 45. INT. DREAM TURBOLIFT. NIGHT. (OPTICAL) There's no car in the shaft - and the shaft is ripped open all the way up, exposing it to the stars. 45A. ON B'ELANNA Realising something, or at least suspecting. 46. INT. MESS HALL Neelix is pottering around the galley, chopping some vegetables for later. Tom enters, and moves as if to select some food, but hesitates. 46A. NEW ANGLE. Tom turns, starts to leave, but it's too late, Neelix has spotted him. NEELIX Mister Paris! TOM Sorry Neelix. I thought I was hungry, but somehow I can't bring myself to eat anything. NEELIX (understanding) It must be awful for you. Worrying about B'Elanna, I mean. TOM Yeah. If she doesn't make it... (meaning it) I think I'd want to throw myself off a very high place. NEELIX (this feeling isn't new to him) It's not that easy to throw yourself off a high place. You think it is, but it isn't. Tom reacts- "No?" NEELIX (continuing) If you want to end your life, it's most likely because you've reached a stage in which you can't face that life. When everything is going wrong, and no matter what you do to make it right, that also goes wrong, and makes things worse. TOM I think I know what you mean. NEELIX So, then you think "the only way to be free of this is to die." You know... (trying to find the words and strength to continue) You know it's a kind of cowardice, and evasion, and refusal to deal with the facts. But it looks more attractive than having a total breakdown. One good skull fracture and all your troubles are over. TOM (uncomfortable) Neelix- NEELIX So, you stand there, on your high place. At first, you're sure of yourself: it's the only way. But then... (beat) Then all the doubts and fears creep up on you. They outflank your mental defences, and what they say is: "what if you survive?" You got everything else wrong, so what if you get this wrong too? More pain, more damage, and less chance of a way to do anything about it. 46B. NEW ANGLE NEELIX (continues, finishing his chore) And then you change your mind; either find another way, or have the time to realise that perhaps it wasn't such a neat solution after all. At that point, you have time to remember all the people who would have been hurt by your loss. TOM I doubt I'd be missed that much. NEELIX Yes you would. By me. By Harry. Even Tuvok, if he lived and you died. TOM (being sidetracked) Tuvok? Your sense of humour knows no bounds, Neelix. NEELIX Friends know things about friends, Tom. Like I notice things about my friends. And that includes you, and Tuvok. I think he admires the way you've managed to get on, overcoming all your problems, and lack of logic. TOM (All my *problems?*) Over- He'd better survive too, so I can kill him. (and because I'd miss him) 47. INT. BRIEFING ROOM. Janeway, Chakotay, Seven. A Security ND escorts the Mining Drone in, and Janeway rises to greet it. JANEWAY I can't even begin to imagine how difficult it must be to have been alone in space for so long, but... I can sympathise with your feelings on being separated from the society that produced you, by dozens, or even thousands, of light years. ROBOT You are far from the place of your creation? JANEWAY Yes. But getting a little less far every day. (beat) If this is about the other drone, the one that was destroyed- ROBOT A simple misfortune. They happen. The other unit was merely prospecting. When we received its final telemetry, we realised this was a starship, not an asteroid as it thought. 47A. ANGLE INCLUDING REPLICATOR. Janeway has made her way to the replicator. JANEWAY (to replicator) Coffee, strong and hot. The coffee materialises, and she takes it. ROBOT When we realised that this was a starship, we knew that we must make contact with the Gods inside. There are questions and puzzles to which we seek answers. Matters which we have calculated were not covered by our programming. JANEWAY (understandingly) If you're looking for the meaning of life, or the purpose of creation, then I'm not sure we can help. That's a question which has perplexed the greatest philosophers since- ROBOT No. JANEWAY (But history shows that's always what robots seeking God want) What? ROBOT The meaning of life is no mystery to us. We mine, therefore we are. At the end of our existence, our backups will be sent to the file archives. JANEWAY (this isn't what she expected) Then . . . What do you want? ROBOT We want to return to our programmed functions. We want to reactivate our drilling and refining systems for ore processing. We want all facets of our existence restored. CHAKOTAY You need repairs? ROBOT All systems are functioning normally. We require meaning to our existence SEVEN Captain, I think I understand. 47B. On Seven SEVEN (continues) These are mining robots. They were programmed to mine the asteroids, and that was the sole purpose of their existence. CHAKOTAY (getting the idea) But now the asteroids are mined out - there's no more ore to be extracted. SEVEN Exactly. Presumably the robots should have been collected after the job was finished, but because their creators were assimilated, they were left out here. JANEWAY With no asteroids left to mine. That's what they want: the asteroid belt restored to a state of raw, unmined asteroids, filled with ore they can mine. How the hell are we supposed to supply that? 47C. ANGLE ON EVERYONE'S REACTIONS Which say it all, really. ROBOT If you do not give us what we require, we will regretfully have to take your secrets and powers by force. JANEWAY If we really were Gods, threatening us wouldn't be wise. ROBOT We anticipate that the Gods would eventually be victorious. However, we would rather cease to function, than continue this existence. 47D. JANEWAY'S REACTION Not intimidated. Maybe a little weary of such attitudes from visitors. HARRY (V.O.) Bridge to Captain, I'm reading a lot more mining robots. 48. INT. BRIDGE - HARRY HARRY (continues) They're coming out from every - well, stone. 49. EXT. SPACE - VOYAGER We're TURNING SLOWLY in free-fall. PUSH IN towards the ship. Here and there, a MINING DRONE moves past the camera, closing in on the ship, and we FADE OUT ACT FOUR FADE IN: 50. EXT. SPACE - DREAM VOYAGER (OPTICAL) There are no asteroids or mining drones around. We SWING AROUND the ship, and find gaping gash RIPPED in the back of the saucer section.. PUSH IN on the wound, and we see exposed rooms and corridors. PUSH IN further on the centre of the mess, and we see B'Elanna, standing in the doorway to an exposed turbolift shaft. PUSH IN still further, on B'Elanna as she realises the truth about this situation. She turns to- 51. INT. DREAM CORRIDOR The doors slide shut behind B'Elanna, and she takes a couple of steps. B'ELANNA Tuvok... She starts walking. B'ELANNA (Urgent) Tuvok! She walks past us. 52. INT. BRIEFING ROOM (OPTICAL) As before. JANEWAY (getting angry, but staying calm) We're not gods. And we certainly can't wave a magic wand and restore the asteroid field to brand new. It's just not physically possible. ROBOT We have observed your matter replication system. The container and liquid nutrient you now hold was created from nothing. JANEWAY No, it wasn't. I know it looks that way, but I assure you it needed existing molecules to do it. And even if it didn't, an asteroid is a whole different ball game from a little cup of coffee. ROBOT You are creators. You created us, you create matter. JANEWAY Matter can't be created, only altered. ROBOT Then we implore you to alter something for us. JANEWAY I can't do that. And even if I could, you're going the wrong way about trying to persuade me. (to Security ND) Escort our visitor back to transporter room one. 53. INT. VULCAN BEDROOM. DAY Redress of a stock set. Tuvok and Suder stand by a bed, the occupant of which is covered by a sheet. Tuvok is putting more effort into retaining his composure. TUVOK T'Pel... SUDER She must have been a fortunate person, to be a part of your family. TUVOK It was my good fortune. He rounds on Suder TUVOK (continues) But this has no bearing on either our meld, or that with B'Elanna. SUDER You'd like that to be true, wouldn't you? You can't lie to me, Tuvok Remember, I'm in here with you. I'm a part of your innermost thoughts. 53A. TUVOK - GRABBING SUDER Slams him against a wall. TUVOK You are an intruder. A former guest, who has outstayed his welcome. SUDER Not a very logical argument. Tuvok is about to hit Suder very hard, but then releases him. TUVOK Leave. Now. SUDER I can't leave, not any more than your eighth birthday can leave; or your first pon farr. TUVOK Very well. 53B. TUVOK LEAVING (OPTICAL) Heading for the doorway. As he reaches it, he vanishes - instantly, not a slow fade like B'Elanna's arrival in Act Two. We barely have time to realise this before the location also vanishes, leaving us in- 54. EXT. SPACE - VOYAGER AND DRONES (OPTICAL) Mining drones zero in on Voyager like spiders dropping in on a much larger prey... Then they BOUNCE off the shields. 55. INT. BRIDGE - INCLUDING VIEWSCREEN (OPTICAL) Watching another drone bounce away. It recovers itself shortly, and tries again, with the same result. HARRY (O.O.V) Shields are holding, easily. I doubt they can actually do us any harm. 55A. EMPHASISING CHAKOTAY CHAKOTAY Don't be too sure, Ensign. There's a pattern to their movements. They're testing the shields, looking for the strongest and weakest points. Once they've found those points, they may try a more developed tactic. JANEWAY Perhaps we should give them a warning - destroy one or two of them. CHAKOTAY (considers) We don't know how many there are, and that might just provoke them to take more extreme measures. JANEWAY I'm open to suggestions Nobody suggests anything. JANEWAY (to ND at tactical) Target the nearest drone, ten percent phaser power. (beat) Fire. 56. EXT. SPACE - VOYAGER AND MINING DRONES (OPTICAL) A brief phaser blast hits a drone, blowing it up. 57. INT. BRIDGE As before HARRY No effect on their strategy. (beat) Or their enthusiasm. JANEWAY Transmit warnings that we'll fire on any drone that approaches with a kilometer of the ship. Continuous transmission. HARRY Sending message. (beat) They're not breaking off 57A. ANGLE- JANEWAY AND CHAKOTAY CHAKOTAY In for a penny? JANEWAY We might as well be hanged for a sheep as for a lamb. (to tactical ND) Fire at will at any drone which enters the one-kilometer exclusion zone. 58. EXT. SPACE - VOYAGER AND MINING DRONES (OPTICAL) A couple more phaser blasts take out the nearest of the swooping drones. 59. INT. SICKBAY The Doctor is studying some readings on a wall screen. Neelix enters. THE DOCTOR What can I do for you today, Mister Neelix? I trust it's not yet another bout of gastric flu? NEELIX I was just wondering how Tuvok and Lieutenant Torres were doing. THE DOCTOR (drops the needling) No change, I'm afraid. On the positive side, at least things haven't got any worse. NEELIX I could swear I hear a "but" trying to get out. THE DOCTOR "But"... In these cases, the longer it takes before there's any sign of recovery or improvement, the more difficult it is for that improvement to take place. (beat) And the more unlikely it is. 59A. NEELIX AND BIOBEDS Neelix leans over Tuvok and B'Elanna, as if wanting to touch their brows. NEELIX It's very odd - they're both still here, still fighting, yet... (beat) I already miss them. They've been out of the action too long. I don't suppose that makes any sense to you, Doctor. THE DOCTOR While there's life, there's hope, Mister Neelix. 59B. CLOSE ON TUVOK And we hear the same heartbeat - not from the medical instruments, but from somewhere in Tuvok's mind... 60. INT. READY ROOM Janeway and Chakotay enter. JANEWAY I used to think only time travel could give someone a migraine like this. She sits behind her desk. CHAKOTAY I've heard stories of this type of contact before. It's a tricky situation. JANEWAY Robots viewing their organic creators as gods? Chakotay indicates an affirmative. 60A. ANGLE EMPHASISING JANEWAY Weary, rubbing at her temples. JANEWAY It's an old story. Captains are briefed on it at the Academy. We - or others - create machines that can think, and then are surprised when they ask the same questions and think the same thoughts that evolving organic beings do. CHAKOTAY Perhaps we subconsciously program those questions into them. JANEWAY Perhaps. So they can act as surrogates for our own meditations on infinity - they can ask questions we'd feel awkward or embarrassed for asking...? 60B. THE WINDOWS (OPTICAL) Janeway gazes out. JANEWAY I don't believe that. I think we just overlook a basic part of the process of sentience. CHAKOTAY The part that wants to know its place in the greater scheme of things? HARRY (V.O.) Captain, I think you're going to want to see this. JANEWAY ("no rest for the wicked") On my way. And so are we, into- 61. INT. BRIDGE Janeway pauses at Harry's station, Chakotay moves to tactical. HARRY Captain, I'm reading something on an approach vector - too large to be a drone. JANEWAY A ship? 61A. CLOSE ON HARRY Worried by the readings he's getting, and wishing he didn't believe them. HARRY An asteroid, twenty meters across. JANEWAY Red alert! CHAKOTAY Diverting additional power to forward shields. 62. EXT. SPACE - THE ASTEROID (OPTICAL) WHOOSHES past us, right for Voyager. The ship starts to bank, but we can see it's too late. 63. INT. BRIDGE. Janeway drops into her seat. JANEWAY Photon torpedo! 64. EXT. SPACE - THE ASTEROID (OPTICAL) A torpedo BLASTS the asteroid into chunks, but some of that debris still hits the shields. 65. INT. BRIDGE As before. CHAKOTAY Shields down. Something on the tactical console explodes, showering Chakotay in sparks. He is still standing, but has a bloodied face. JANEWAY Tom, get us moving - let's make ourselves a more difficult target in case they try that again. (to Chakotay) Get down to sickbay, and have that seen to. Chakotay exits. 66. INT. DREAM ENGINEERING B'Elanna enters through the doors. 66A. TUVOK Tuvok is standing beside the warp core. B'ELANNA About damn time. TUVOK I beg your pardon. B'ELANNA I've been looking for you. Why the hell are we standing in a dead ship? TUVOK As I explained, the environment is- 66B. B'ELANNA GETTING HEATED B'ELANNA No! I mean why haven't you done something about it. Why haven't you heeded all these warnings? TUVOK I'm not sure I follow you correctly. B'ELANNA (exasperated) Look around you. It isn't that hard to figure out. The bridge is the brain and nerve centre - it's dying. The warp core is the physical strength - it's dying. 66C. NEW ANGLE B'ELANNA (continues) There's a massive breach at the back of the saucer section, which, if I'm right, would be - She presses between his shoulder blades, just where the neck meets the body. just about here, if the structural support that crosses the Jeffries tube had collapsed onto you. TUVOK (knew it all along) An intriguing hypothesis, Lieutenant. But it can be no more than that. B'ELANNA Bull- (remembers he's a superior officer) Tuvok, you must have figured it out. I can't believe that if you're other- wise mentally fine, your IQ has dropped fifty points. (beat) Unfortunately, I also can't believe the only other possible explanation - that you just don't care that you're dying. 66D. TUVOK - TURNING AWAY. She pulls him back round. B'ELANNA Why, Tuvok? (a beat waiting for an answer that doesn't come) Why are you ignoring all the signs your subconscious is giving you? TUVOK I never ignore any warning from my subconscious. I assess it as calmly and rationally as any other sensory input. B'ELANNA Thanks; that means I'm right. He tries again to leave. She pulls him back, but this time he grabs her wrist, painfully but not offensively. TUVOK Any decisions I make based on that assessment, are my own to make. B'ELANNA (refusing to be intimidated) We're both in this meld, Tuvok. Your decisions could trap us or kill us. TUVOK I will not allow you to come to harm. B'ELANNA And yourself? His expression is her only answer. B'ELANNA And yourself, Tuvok? She finally loses all patience. B'ELANNA You'll allow yourself to come to harm. I know that look, Tuvok, I've worn it a lot myself. It's the looks says "I can't go on". (beat) No, actually, if I'm honest, it's the look that says "I can go on, but won't". What's happened to you, Tuvok? Off his reaction... 67. INT. SICKBAY Chakotay enters. The Doctor sees his injuries, and starts preparing a hypo. CHAKOTAY I hope I'm not taking you away from your more important patients. 67A. CUTAWAY- CHAKOTAY'S HAND Chakotay brushes past Tuvok, his hand brushing against the Vulcan. . THE DOCTOR Right now, anything further that I did would probably just make things worse. The Doctor begins treating Chakotay. 68. INT. DREAM ENGINEERING Tuvok and B'Elanna are now on the upper level. B'ELANNA (unconvinced) All right, maybe even you don't know what it is that's wrong. I guess that's possible TUVOK Perhaps. The heartbeat fades in, but this time, Tuvok reacts to it - he can hear it. It stops. TUVOK Perhaps I have been- A PHASER BEAM slashes past the camera towards him. Tuvok JUMPS from the the lift, avoiding the beam. 68A. NEW ANGLE - TUVOK Pulling his own phaser. Which wasn't there an instant ago. He reacts to this providential arming for an instant, then is moving. 68B. BACK TO SCENE. Tuvok DUCKS and WEAVES across Engineering... Catches sight of a target, and fires back. It is Chakotay - or more accurately a subconscious representation of him. 68C. INTERCUTTING between Tuvok and Dream Chakotay as they fight - Dream Chakotay sticking to the Marquis of Queensbury rules, Tuvok easily evading by some Vulcan martial art. 68D. BACK TO SCENE Tuvok darts behind the warp core. Dream Chakotay foolhardily follows. 68E. NEW ANGLE Dream Chakotay overshoots Tuvok, and turns, just a little too late. Tuvok is already bringing up his phaser. Dream Chakotay does likewise, and - VOILA - they're at arms' length, and each have a phaser pressed against the other's throat. A beat to take in the tension of the situation, each man on a hairtrigger, and we FADE OUT ACT FIVE FADE IN: 69. EXT. SPACE - VOYAGER AND MINING DRONES (OPTICAL) Mining drones are gathering around the ship like bubbles being drawn to the plughole in a bathtub. PUSH IN on the ship, and we see that some of them have managed to attach themselves to the hull. 69A. CUTAWAY - ROBOT DRILLING TOOL Digging into the hull. 70. INT. BRIDGE The ship shakes, very slightly. JANEWAY How much damage could they do? HARRY Not much individually, but in these numbers they could dismantle the ship in an hour. JANEWAY Like a shoal of piranhas. (to tactical ND) Fire at will. 70A. INCLUDE TURBOLIFT DOORS As Chakotay returns from Sickbay. HARRY Captain, I'm picking up another asteroid. (beat) Forty meters, travelling at one-quarter impulse, bearing directly. CHAKOTAY Evasive! 71. EXT. SPACE - NEAR MISS Voyager swoops aside, and is barely grazed by the asteroid. 72. INT. BRIDGE Everyone is tossed around 73. INT. DREAM ENGINEERING As before. Tuvok and Chakotay with phasers to each others' throats in a STANDOFF. 73A. INTERCUT: TUVOK Why are you trying to kill me? DREAM CHAKOTAY I'm not. You just think I am. TUVOK I take it that you do not consider a phaser beam to be sufficiently empirical evidence of intent? DREAM CHAKOTAY Absolutely I do. But I also think you should be asking a different question. 73B. MINOR TUSSLE They struggle a little more, each trying to get an advantage, but end up back in the same position, holding their phasers in the other hand now. 73C. INTERCUT TUVOK (it dawns) Such as why do I imagine you wanting to kill me? DREAM CHAKOTAY That's one possibility. Another would be why do you want me to kill you? TUVOK I cannot say that being murdered by you has ever been one of my ambitions. DREAM CHAKOTAY Then why am I here? This is your mind, Tuvok; I can't be here unless you think me up. TUVOK Vulcans are touch-telepaths. Mere contact between us may be enough to link our minds, as with myself and B'Elanna. DREAM CHAKOTAY But our minds aren't linked. You know that - you'd feel it if they were. You're the one who cast me in this role when you registered my presence. 74. INT. BRIDGE. As before. Seven enters, and moves to Tactical, brusquely knocking the ND there aside. SEVEN (operating okudagrams) I have isolated the frequency on which the drones' power nodes operate. If we were to release a polaric impulse at that frequency through the main deflector, it would shut down all the mining robots. JANEWAY I'd rather that was a last resort. SEVEN They are only machines. JANEWAY (A "so were you, once" look) I want another option, and that's an order. 75. DREAM ENGINEERING, INCLUDE B'ELANNA who jumps Dream Chakotay, wrestling the phaser away. It disappears as soon as she has it, so she backhands him to the ground instead. 75A. B'ELANNA AND TUVOK She grabs him and shakes him. B'ELANNA He's right, Tuvok. You must have generated him yourself. TUVOK (confused and losing it) T'Pel (recognises her) B'Elanna. B'ELANNA T'Pel? T'Pel's on Vulcan... TUVOK T'Pel has died. 75B - B'ELANNA'S REACTION The final piece of the puzzle clicks into place. B'ELANNA Is this Vulcan grief? TUVOK (indicates negative) For several years, I have ... looked forward, to returning to her. Now she is gone. B'ELANNA (understands) Tuvok... I know how you feel, but- TUVOK No, you do not. Vulcans share a telepathic mating bond. We share minds. The distance between us was enough to reduce that bond to almost nothing, but now it is completely gone. B'ELANNA When we lose a loved one, it always feels as if part of us dies with them... TUVOK It is not a feeling. For a Vulcan, this is literally true. B'ELANNA So now you want to die, is that it? TUVOK I do not see the logic in suicide in this case. But events have decided otherwise. 75C. B'ELANNA ANGRY Upset by this attitude. B'ELANNA (sarcastic) Oh, I see it's just something handy to take advantage of? (beat) Didn't the two of you have children? TUVOK (affirmative) They are long since fully grown. They do not need- B'ELANNA The hell they don't! They need you more. They'll need to talk things over, review their mother's life, celebrate it... (beat) And don't tell me Vulcans don't grieve, or that they don't need to work these things out, because if that was true, then nor would they want to give up and die. If that was true, the loss wouldn't mean anything to them. 75D. INCLUDE DREAM CHAKOTAY No longer armed, but looking just as dangerous. DREAM CHAKOTAY You're not going to listen to her, are you? Half Klingon, full of violent, illogical emotions? TUVOK (torn) I- Off his anguished choice... 76. EXT. SPACE - VOYAGER AND DRONES Another couple of droids get vaped as stylishly as possible 77. INT. BRIDGE - HARRY WORKING AT HIS PANEL Then PAN across to where Seven looks up, satisfied. SEVEN Captain, I have reconfigured the deflector dish. I strongly recommend you reconsider our strategy. 77A. INCLUDE JANEWAY AND CHAKOTAY CHAKOTAY Captain, Seven has a point. These mining machines may be small, but at this rate they could pose a serious threat. JANEWAY (reluctant, but sees no other choice) All right. Prepare to- 77B. ON HARRY Suddenly excited. HARRY Captain! I think I have a better idea. Off this possibility... 78. INT DREAM ENGINEERING As before. Tuvok looks beaten - spiritually rather than physically. DREAM CHAKOTAY If I lost my wife... What else is left? Your children are grown up... 78A. CLOSE ON DREAM CHAKOTAY Seductive, in a Vader asking Luke to join him sort of way. DREAM CHAKOTAY You know you've nothing left to live for. Logically then, why live? You're badly injured; no-one will think less of you if you give up and succumb to it. 78B. BACK TO B'ELANNA B'ELANNA (urgently) If you die, I die. TUVOK It was not my intent to endanger your life. (thinks) I believe I can break the meld. It is not my place to decide your fate as well as my own. B'ELANNA Wait! That isn't what I meant. Tuvok is now concentrating hard, his fingers folded in a complex way. He mutters a chant, but we can't make it out. B'ELANNA Tuvok, no! 78C. NEW ANGLE- B'Elanna grabs Tuvok's hands, trying to force them apart and break his concentration. 78D. NEW ANGLE- Close on the hands, B'Elanna grabbing at the hands in front of her. We PULL BACK to see that we are in: 79. INT. SICKBAY. B'Elanna realises she's clawing at the Doctor's hands. B'ELANNA Dammit, no!. Put me back in there! DOCTOR I can't. For one thing, I'm not a Vulcan. Though this is a rare occasion when it might have been useful if I were. B'ELANNA He'll die if I can't re-establish that meld. She grabs at Tuvok's face, willing herself to miraculously develop telepathy on the spot. 80. INT. BRIDGE As we left it. HARRY Captain, maybe we've been looking at this the wrong way. JANEWAY I'm not sure there is a right way to look at something this odd, but go ahead. HARRY I scanned the last asteroid the robots launched at us - it was powered by a small impulse drive, about the size of one from a shuttlecraft.. JANEWAY So? HARRY. So, they have the ability to travel through space. If we give them navigational data from Astrometrics- JANEWAY Harry, are you suggesting we give the drones the ability to seek out new asteroids? HARRY Exactly, Captain. The Prime Directive doesn't apply as they're obviously spacefaring. So long as we keep them out of the way of inhabited systems... JANEWAY Hail them - all frequencies. 81. INT. DREAM ENGINEERING Tuvok and Dream Chakotay, pacing warily round each other. DREAM CHAKOTAY You've made the right decision, Tuvok. TUVOK I believe so. Tuvok concentrates visibly. DREAM CHAKOTAY What are you doing? Dream Chakotay launches himself violently at Tuvok. Tuvok bats him aside easily. TUVOK I am dispelling you, as I would dispel any foolish thought. 81A. NEW ANGLE (OPTICAL) Dream Chakotay starts to go fuzzy at the edges. DREAM CHAKOTAY No! You decided to stay. TUVOK I finally understood something that I knew before, but did not truly understand. 81B. INCLUDE SUDER Watching from the sidelines. TUVOK Life helps life, and is helped. The death of life can become the death of help, and then the death of hope. Eventually it becomes a spreading cancer of the deaths of selves. (beat) My death here today, may lead to the deaths of others in future, whom my presence may have saved. My giving up may leave others in a similar predicament to this. It would be illogical and selfish of me to allow that to happen. DREAM CHAKOTAY No! The sound echoes, as Dream Chakotay disintegrates, and then Dream Engineering breaks up, flashing into: 82. INT. SICKBAY. Tuvok is still unconscious, but then sits up, STARTLINGLY. B'ELANNA You're alive! TUVOK Your powers of observation do you credit, Lieutenant. DOCTOR (scanning Tuvok with a device) Please, Mister Tuvok; leave the wit to those who can do it justice. TUVOK That will be my pleasure. I shall issue instructions to have us both notified when that person comes aboard. 83. EXT. SPACE - THE ASTEROID FIELD (OPTICAL) Voyager moves out of the field, passing the last couple of mining drones as it goes. JANEWAY (V.O.) Captain's Log, Supplemental. The mining drones have accepted their ticket to the Promised Land, in the form of a course to the asteroid belt of an uninhabited system we passed three months ago. 83A. CLOSER IN - THE HULL (OPTICAL) PUSH IN towards the mess hall windows. There's no sign of any new holes in the hull. JANEWAY (V.O.) The robots also proved to be as adept at repairing damage, as they are at causing it. PUSH IN further, we see Tuvok sitting at a meal. We continue, going inside through the windows to: 84. INT. MESS HALL - CLOSE ON TUVOK Tuvok is sipping a glass of juice and reading a PADD marked "security logs". TOM (O.O.V.) Tuvok, can I join you for a moment? Tuvok lowers the PADD to REVEAL Tom. Tuvok indicates assent, and Tom sits. TOM (unsure how to proceed) I just wanted to... To thank you, for saving B'Elanna. And to say I'm glad you also saved yourself. 84A. EMPHASISING TUVOK That inscrutable reaction. TUVOK Thanks are not necessary. TOM They are for me. TUVOK I believe the traditional human response is "don't mention it." 84B - TOM'S REACTION Tom appreciates the humour - it makes it a little easier for him. TOM I can't pretend to understand exactly what you're feeling right now - humans don't have a telepathic mating bond - but I know that. . . (a beat) There have been times when I've thought I'd lost B'Elanna, or thought that she wouldn't make it. Those moments have all just been moments, then I got her back, but they've been the longest and hardest moments in my life. 84C. EMPHASISING TUVOK As he reacts to this. For a moment he wants to end the conversation and leave, but his heart won't let him. TOM (We can see the remembered pain) I never told anybody this, but I still have nightmares about some of those moments. Nightmares where she doesn't make it, and I'm left without her. I know from those moments, that if she didn't make it, I wouldn't want to either. TUVOK (quietly, sharing is unusual for him) I once thought as you did. However, I believe that when we lose a loved one, we must continue. Otherwise the death was meaningless, no-one will remain to remember and honour the deceased, or to continue as she would have wished. TOM I guess B'Elanna taught you that, in the meld. TUVOK Yes, mister Paris. (a beat) And I believe she learned it from you.. Tuvok rises, makes to leave. 84D. TUVOK IN THE DOORWAY Pauses, and turns. TUVOK Survive this journey, Ensign. That is an order. Tuvok leaves. ANGLE ON TOM'S REACTION Thinking about their responses to loss... and then FADE OUT. END.