FADE IN:
33 EXT. SPACE - VOYAGER (OPTICAL) 33
Voyager at dead stop.
34 INT. SICKBAY 34
Wounded Klingon is lying on table and convulsing. Paris is trying hard to save him.
DARKET
What's happening?!!
PARIS
He's going into {tech} shock! I'm losing him!
DARKET
(trains gun at Paris) Then I recommend you find him again.
PARIS
I'm working on it! I'm working on it! Why can't you go pace in the lobby like other worried parents. (patient's convulsions get worse) Oh boy. (out loud) Gee, I sure wish there was a real Doctor around here!
Doctor materializes behind Darket, a little to his right side. Darket does not notice. Doctor reaches to a nearby table and picks up a hypo-spray. Doctor then reaches over and taps Darket on his left shoulder. Darket reacts to the touch by turning his head to the left and the Doctor injects him with the hypo on right side of his neck. Darket collapses, unconscious.
DOCTOR
(shaking head) Klingons. They fall for that one every time.
PARIS
(struggling with patient) Doc! I could really use your help over here!
DOCTOR
Certainly, Doctor Paris. Move aside. I'll take over from here.
Paris steps back. Doctor starts treating Klingon.
PARIS
(looks at Darket) Thanks for taking care of smiley there, Doc. Glad to have you around.
DOCTOR
(smugly) You should be. If you think Klingon soldiers are vicious, trust me, you don't want their malpractice attorneys chasing you around the galaxy.
35 INT. BRIDGE 35
Bridge crew sitting. Chakotay sitting up, nursing wounds from Lortik's beating. TWO Klingon officers hold them at bay with drawn weapons. Gurok's voice blares from Klingons' communicators.
GUROK (--OVER COM)
Gurok to Lortik. Status report. (pause) Lortik! Are you there?! Answer me!
Klingon officers look at each other, uncertain what to do.
CHAKOTAY
(points toward Ready Room) You two had better go check on your boss in there. I don't think he's got his antenna up.
Ready Room door opens, and Lortik steps out. He is pallid and zombie-like, holding his weapon at his side.
KLINGON OFFICER
Commander? Commander, are you all right? Captain Gurok is calling you.
Lortik raises his gun and stuns both Klingons. They collapse to floor. Seven steps out from Ready Room and stands next to Lortik. She takes the gun from his hand.
SEVEN
Well done. Now. go to sleep. (Lortik shuts his eyes) By the way, I had a lovely time.
Seven pushes Lortik with one finger. He topples forward, rigid as a statue, hitting the floor face first with a loud thud. Chakotay stands painfully and moves to Seven.
CHAKOTAY
(to Bridge crew) Get their weapons and secure the prisoners. (to Seven) Good work. I see you haven't lost your touch for assimilation. (looks down at Lortik) Great, a Borg Klingon. just what we need around here.
SEVEN
Do not worry, Commander. I set the nano-probes to self-terminate in one hour. In a short while, he will be just as he was.
CHAKOTAY
(crouching to look closer at Lortik) I don't know about that. I can tell you right now, his nose will never be the same again.
36 INT. ENGINEERING 36
Torres lies dead on floor. Janeway, Tuvok, Kim and Vasquez held at gun point by Gurok and his two officers.
GUROK
(to his communicator) Gurok to Lortik! Respond! Gurok to Darket! Are you there?! Answer me, damn you! (points gun at Janeway) What is going on, Janeway?! What have you done to my men?!
JANEWAY
What's going on? It sounds to me like your web is unraveling, Gurok.
GUROK
(agitated) No more games! I warn you, Captain, I will blow us all to hell if you try any tricks (fondles grenade on his bandoleer) We will come back for the crystals later. We are going back to the Bridge now.
JANEWAY
I don't think so.
GUROK
(more agitated) You don't think so?! You're not in a position to make decisions Captain. I am in charge here.
JANEWAY
(sarcastic) Right. in charge. You don't even know where you are.
GUROK
I know an Engineering room when I see one. (gestures toward door) Now get moving, or I'll.
JANEWAY
I know. you'll start shooting everyone. You're starting to sound like a broken record, Gurok. I've had enough of this. You're right. no more games.
GUROK
(sarcastic) .and just what do you intend to do, Captain.
JANEWAY
I've got three words for you, K'chet. Computer, end program.
Engineering scene vanishes, along with Torres' body and Vasquez. Janeway, Tuvok, Kim and the three Klingons stand alone in the empty holodeck. Klingons look around frantically- astounded and frightened.
GUROK
(frenzied) What?! Where are we?! Where did you transport us to?! (points gun at Janeway) Send us back to Engineering or I'll kill you right now!
JANEWAY
(puts up hands) Okay, okay. keep your shirt on. You said you wanted to see all our technology, so here it is. Computer, initiate program Doctor-39.
A huge spider materializes behind the Klingons, filling the room. They turn, shriek in horror, and start shooting at it. Janeway strikes Gurok from behind, knocking him unconscious. Kim does the same to one of the Klingon officers, while Tuvok disables the other with a neck pinch. Doors open. Torres, Paris and security officers rush in.
JANEWAY
Is the ship secure?
PARIS
Yes, Ma'am. This was the last of them. The others are in the brig already, except for one that Doc has in Sickbay.
TUVOK
(to security officers) Take these to the brig, also.
TORRES
Now that is ugly.
JANEWAY
(looks at spider) Yeah, well he helped us out, so he doesn't look so bad to me now. Thanks, big fella. Computer, end program.
The giant spider vanishes.
TORRES
Easy for you to say. You didn't have to sit through the whole slide show. Besides, I was talking about that. (points to Gurok being dragged out)
JANEWAY
Oh. It's good to see you, B'ellana. I wasn't sure if that was really you or not, until I shut down the simulation. I'm glad you got my message. Good work.
TORRES
We've been working together too long, Captain. We're starting to think alike.
KIM
(jocular) Now that's a scary thought! (Janeway and Torres turn to scowl at Kim) ummm. errr. I didn't mean it like that.. I just meant.
CHAKOTAY's COM VOICE
Chakotay to Janeway.
JANEWAY
Janeway here. Go ahead, Commander.
CHAKOTAY'S COM VOICE
Everything under control down there, Captain?
JANEWAY
Yes. We're secure down here. What's the status there?
37 INT. BRIDGE 37
Chakotay in command chair. Seven behind him working control panel.
CHAKOTAY
Seven has just gotten long range sensors back on line. We've detected the Klingon ships that are approaching. I recommend we take this opportunity to move on.
38 INT. HOLODECK 38
Security officers dragging Klingons out.
JanEWAY
I couldn't agree more, Commander. Resume course for the second Gate, maximum warp. I'm on my way to the Bridge. Janeway out. Tuvok, Tom, Mister Kim, you're with me.
Janeway exits. Tuvok follows.
TORRES
I'll get back to Engineering.
Torres exits.
KIM
(to Paris) Oh man. I only open my trap long enough to switch feet.
PARIS
Ah, don't worry about it, Harry. They'll get over it .probably. You just gotta work on that delivery of yours, that's all. Just remember, there's a fine line between a light-hearted jest and a thoughtless, humiliating, degrading insult.
KIM
(sarcastic) Thanks Tom. I always feel better when I talk to you about my problems.
Paris and Kim exit.
39 EXT. SPACE - VOYAGER (OPTICAL) 39
At warp.
JANEWAY (V.O.)
Captains Log, Supplemental. We are en route to the second Gate. The delay caused by the Klingons has put us behind schedule a little, but we should still arrive before the access code the Gatekeeper gave us expires. Hopefully, there won't be any more delays. Now I've got to decide what to do with our guests.
40 INT. BRIG 40
Klingons in cell. Security officers stand outside. Janeway enters.
GUROK
Where is my other man, Janeway? What have you done with him? If you harm him.
JANEWAY
Calm down. He's fine. He's in Sickbay. Believe me, he'll be joining you as soon as the Doctor gives the okay.
GUROK
We will get out of this cell, Captain. Count on that.
JANEWAY
Oh I am, believe me. You're the last thing I want to drag back to the Alpha Quadrant with us. The first habitable planet we come across, you're out of here.
Torres enters.
GUROK
Back from the dead, I see. I don't know what trickery you pulled before, but it will only give me another chance to kill you, K'chot. I promise it won't be so quick next time.
JANEWAY
B'ellana. Are you sure you want to be here?
TORRES
Yes, Captain. I need to face this K'chet pig before we drop him off to rot on some rock.
GUROK
Sure. It's so easy to come face me now, when I am trapped behind a force field. When I was unrestrained earlier, you sent some puppet to challenge me. Even these humans had the courage to face me in the flesh. Everything you do shows what a coward you truly are.
TORRES
You don't know what courage is. My grandfather died fighting your kind during the J'talimal.
GUROK
Ha! Only your grandfather?! That entire generation of my family was wiped out in your holy war, as were almost all my people. Tell me, K'chot, does the purified blood of your glorious empire mix well with our blood staining its hands? Does your honor taste so sweet garnished with the ashes of our children?
TORRES
You were the ones who tried to make war on the humans without consulting the emperor! You were the ones who attacked us first! Sending warships against Kronos itself. What an outrage!
JANEWAY
Okay, time out! Look, I know I'm gonna get stomped on for saying this, but have you two ever considered moving on? These things happened generations ago, long before either of you were even born. Are you going to hate each other forever? I'm not suggesting you kiss and make up, but at least try to behave like the advanced beings you're supposed to be, and try to come to some mutual understanding. Your two peoples tolerated each other once before. Maybe it can happen again.
GUROK
Our hate will end someday, Captain, rest assured. When my people finally retake the Empire that belongs to them, and the last K'chot dog is cast into hell. then the hate will end.
TORRES
Don't count on it, Gurok. Sorry Captain, some things transcend forgiveness. I'm sorry to be a disappointment. Maybe I'm just a little less human than I've been pretending to be.
Torres exits.
JANEWAY
(watches Torres leave. quietly/sadly, to self- ) .or maybe you're just a little bit more.
CHAKOTAY's COM VOICE
Chakotay to Janeway.
JANEWAY
(shakes off emotion) Janeway here. Go.
41 INT. BRIDGE 41
Chakotay in command chair.
CHAKOTAY
Captain, we're nearing the second Gate, we should be there in about fifteen minutes. But we've just picked up a distress call. Long range sensors have pinpointed the source. There's a large fleet of ships almost directly ahead. They're not Klingon, but we can't tell much more about them at this range.
42 INT. BRIG 42
JANEWAY
How long do we have until the our access code for the Gate expires?
CHAKOTAY's COM VOICE
A little over an hour, Captain.
JANEWAY
Okay, that gives us enough leeway to check them out. Alter course to intercept. I'll be right up.
CHAKOTAY's COM VOICE
Aye, Captain. Chakotay out.
GUROK
Don't you ever get tired of wearing that white hat, Janeway? I can tell you who they are. Or perhaps I should say, who they were.
JANEWAY
Someone has to wear one around these parts, Gurok. Okay, humor me. Who are they?
GUROK
A race called the Gregimal. They used to live around here. until they found themselves part of the Empire. It was rumored they had a good supply of dylithium, so we came to procure some. They had the audacity to claim they were not subject to our authority. You know what happens to aliens who refuse the Empire, don't you?
JANEWAY
I'm gonna go out on a limb here. You blasted their planet, took their dylithium, and enslaved the population, right?
GUROK
(snickers) As it turned out, they really didn't have much dylithium. What little they did have was of poor quality. and they make poor slaves, Captain. Too proud. You spend more time beating them than getting any useful work from them. Better just to kill them all.
JANEWAY
The innocents that the Gatekeeper told us about.
GUROK
Huh! Where I come from, Captain, innocence is just another word for foolish and weak. and the weak. should die.
43 EXT. SPACE - VOYAGER (OPTICAL) 43
At warp.
44 INT. BRIDGE 44
Janeway enters. Chakotay vacates command chair.
JANEWAY
Status.
CHAKOTAY
Approaching the coordinates now, Captain.
TUVOK
They will be in visual range at any moment.
JANEWAY
Mister Kim, what do the sensors tell you?
KIM
Sixty-two ships in all, Captain. Moving at high impulse. All sorts of shapes, sizes and configurations. A lot of them appear to be badly damaged. There's radiation leaking from some. I'm not detecting much in the way of weaponry. I'd guess that they're mainly civilian transports and cargo vessels.
TUVOK
I have a visual.
JANEWAY
On screen.
Image of vast alien armada appears on main view screen.
CHAKOTAY
Looks like a real rag-tag fleet.
JANEWAY
Harry, see if you can hail. (alarm sounds)
SEVEN
I am detecting three Klingon ships decloaking. Mark two point one six eight.
45 EXT. SPACE - (OPTICAL) 45
Three Klingon cruisers decloak and zoom toward camera. As they streak past camera viewpoint, camera quickly pans 180° and follows cruisers as they head toward alien fleet.
46 INT. BRIDGE 46
JANEWAY
Red alert. Go to battle stations. What's their heading?
SEVEN
They are on an attack vector for the alien fleet, Captain. I do not believe they have spotted us.
JANEWAY
Good. Then we have the element of surprise on our side. Mister Paris, take us in. Attack.
CU of Janeway - determined.
47 EXT. SPACE - VOYAGER (OPTICAL) 47
Alien fleet in the distance. Flashes can be seen among it from Klingon fire. From the foreground, Voyager zooms toward the fray.
FADE OUT.