FADE IN:
23 INT. Bridge 23
Klingons holding Bridge crew at gun point.
JANEWAY
Everybody stay calm. No fast moves.
GUROK
Very good, Captain. You learn fast.
JANEWAY
How many of you are on my ship?
SEVEN
Only these eight made it over, Captain.
GUROK
(points weapon at Seven) Did I give you permission to speak?! Silence! If you haven't noticed Captain, it's my ship now.
JANEWAY
Eight of you, against more than a hundred of us? I think that puts the odds in our favor.
GUROK
I only had time to evacuate my command staff. But don't worry. Eight of us is enough to handle a bunch of feeble humans. Right men?! (Klingons boisterously agree) Especially if they're led by a mere female. (watches as Kim recovers and starts to stand) Pathetic human, letting yourself be led around by a woman. I should have put you out of your misery. (Kim glares at him) Maybe I will yet.
JANEWAY
If you're trying to win us over with charm, Gurok, you're off to a bad start.
GUROK
(laughs) I don't need charm, Captain. I have your ship. I warn you, each of my men is armed with quantum grenades. If you try any tricks to overcome us, we will blow half your ship to pieces. Either we win, or everybody loses. Is that clear?
JANEWAY
You've made your point.
GUROK
Good! Now tell your crew that. Order them to cooperate with us fully. (Janeway remains silent) Tell them now, Captain, or else.
JANEWAY
Or else what? You'll kill me?
GUROK
No. (points gun at Kim) I kill him.
JANEWAY
All right, all right.
Kim
Captain.
JANEWAY
(raises hand) Say nothing, Mister Kim. (taps com badge) Bridge to all hands, this is the Captain. The Bridge has been seized by Klingons. They are holding the command staff hostage. My orders, until further notice, are to cooperate fully and make no attempt to interfere with them. Janeway out. (to Gurok) Happy?
GUROK
Not yet, but we're getting there. (to nearby Klingon) Lortik, use their com system to send a message to Imperial Command. Inform them of our situation and coordinates. Tell them to send reinforcements.
Lortik moves to Kim's panel. Kim stands by defiantly for a moment, but Lortik threatens with gun. Kim backs away. Lortik taps panel.
LORTIK
Done, Captain. They will be here in two hours. Admiral Krelik himself is coming.
GUROK
(irritated) Two hours?! Why so long?!
LORTIK
The dylithium shortage, Captain. They are not front-line ships, so their warp cores are not fully supplied. They cannot make good speed.
JANEWAY
Sounds like your mighty empire has a little energy crisis going.
GUROK
Damnable shortages! This region is poor in dylithium. How will we ever be able to retake our home world from the cursed K'chot without more crystals?!
LORTIK
Captain, a ship of this size must have much dylithium in its core. If we were to have some waiting to give to the admiral for his ships when he arrives, he would be most pleased with us.
GUROK
Yes! Good, Lortik! Good thinking! (to Janeway) Your dylithium. it is in your Engineering area, is it not?
JANEWAY
Last time I checked. Where did you keep yours, under your mattress?
GUROK
(moves close to Janeway, seething) I assure you, woman, when this is over, I will have you in my personal chambers.
JANEWAY
Well then you'd better bring all these goons of yours along. You'll need them.
GUROK
Ha! Don't worry Captain. I would be happy to share the spoils of war with my men! (glances at Seven) Well, most of the spoils, anyway.
Wounded Klingon groans and starts to collapse. Klingon supporting him hoists him up.
DARKET (SupporTing KLINGON)
He is badly wounded, Sir. He may die.
GUROK
If he does, Darket, his reward awaits him in Stova-Kor. (to Janeway) Does my new ship have a doctor onboard?
JANEWAY
Our Doctor died years ago. (pauses, then gives Paris a serious look) Mister Paris is now our chief medical officer.
GUROK
(to Paris) Then you shall treat my officer. If he dies, so do you. Darket, you will follow this human to their medical facility and make sure he treats our comrade. If he does not save his life, take his. (Darket nods and grunts consent) Now, we are going to Engineering to collect dylithium. (to Janeway) You will show us the way. (gestures to Tuvok and Kim) We'll need someone to carry the load, so your boy servants will come also. (gestures to two Klingons) You and you, come with us. (gestures to two other Klingons) You two stay here with Commander Lortik and hold the Bridge. If anyone makes one false move, do not hesitate to kill them. (to Janeway) Now, Captain. order your crew to clear a path from here to your engineering and medical areas. I don't want to see a single soul en route.
JANEWAY
I know, I know, do it or you start shooting. Like you said, I learn fast. (taps com badge) Janeway to all hands. Clear all corridors leading from the Bridge to Engineering and Sickbay. I will be taking some of our captors to Engineering and Doctor Paris will be bringing a wounded Klingon to Sickbay for treatment. They have threatened to shoot anyone they see along the way. Make sure that doesn't happen. Janeway out.
24 INT. SICKBAY 24
doctor
(to self, confused) Doctor Paris?
25 INT. ENGINEERING 25
Torres working at control panel. Crewman stands nearby.
JANEWAY (--OVER COM)
Janeway to Lieutenant Torres.
TORRES
(taps com badge) Torres here. Go Captain.
26 INT. BRIDGE 26
JANEWAY
B'ellana. We'll be in Engineering in just a few minutes. Our new friends want some dylithium. Since they asked nicely (Gurok puts gun against her head) I just couldn't say no. You'd better start getting ready to extract some. Evacuate everyone from Engineering except whoever you need to help you. Oh, and you'd better halt that core breach training scenario you've been running until this is all over. I don't want anything to disturb our guests while we're down there, got that?
27 INT. ENGINEERING 27
TORRES
(confused look) Got it, Captain. Torres out. (to nearby crewman) What the hell was she talking about? We completed that core breach training over a week ago. She knows that. What does that have to do with (gets look of realization) Oh! (taps crewman on shoulder) Vasquez, you're with me. We've got work to do, and fast!
Torres walks away from console quickly, Vasquez follows.
28 INT. CORRIDOR 28
Janeway, Tuvok and Kim walking shoulder to shoulder. GOREK and TWO Klingons walk behind them with weapons drawn.
GurOK
Your crew obeys you too well, Captain. I was hoping for some target practice along the way.
JANEWAY
Sorry to disappoint you, Gurok. Maybe you can practice aiming yourself toward a sonic shower while you're here.
GurOK
You have many stings for one bee, Captain. But you're in my web now.
JANEWAY
I've stepped in worse. Engineering is just ahead.
29 INT. SICKBAY 29
Paris enters, follow by Darket. Darket holds wounded comrade in one arm, holds gun on Paris with other hand. Paris looks around nervously, but Sickbay appears empty.
PARIS
You can put him over on that table.
Darket goes over and places comrade on table. While he does, Paris looks around again, this time sees the Doctor hiding in his office. Doctor waves to Paris. Paris waves back at Doctor, instructing him to remain hidden.
DARKET
(backs off from table, trains gun on Paris) Now, treat him. If he dies...
PARIS
(grabs scanner and scans patient) Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm way ahead of you, don't say it. Okay, let's see; Third degree burns, shrapnel wounds to abdomen, a little radiation poisoning. Hey, wait a minute! (looks up at Darket) Do you guys have insurance?
Darket gives Paris a quizzical look.
30 INT. ENGINEERING 30
Torres and Vasquez working on warp core. Doors open. Janeway, Tuvok and Kim enter, followed by Gurok and two Klingon officers.
GUROK
Excellent. This is an impressive vessel Captain. I want to see all its technology. We will copy its design and build a great fleet of such ships, and with them we shall finally have the firepower to retake our home world from those K'chot dogs! And then after that, we will conquer our old adversary, the Federation!
ToRRES
(approaches Gurok) You K'chet always did live in a twisted fantasy world. (to Janeway) Don't worry, Captain. Their reach has always exceeded their grasp. I'm sure this time won't be any different.
GUROK
(notices Torres' forehead) What's this?! We have a K'chot dog amongst us! A partial one anyway, by the looks of it. It figures they would collaborate with the Federation. Those cowards never had any backbone to fight Star-Fleet, as we did! Where is your vaunted honor now, K'chot? One who calls herself Klingon, acting in servile obedience to humans. Despicable!
ToRRES
You have no idea what honor is, K'chet. You have the integrity of a Ferengi miser, and all the character of a Romulan turncoat. Your kind besmeared the venerated name of the Klingon Empire. It took years to clear you out of our space. But it seems you found another rock to crawl under.
GUROK
Your honorable warriors slaughtered my people! Men. Women. Children. Our only crime was to be different from you!
ToRRES
Ha! Your race was given a fair share of the empire.
GUROK
A puny slice! It was insulting!
ToRRES
More than you deserved! Your gratitude was to attack Kronos itself and try to seize the throne!
GUROK
Ha! I thought you would be a little more sympathetic to us, half-breed.
ToRRES
I may be a half breed, but I have more Klingon in me than your whole wretched race combined!
GUROK
(barks short Klingon curse) I should kill you right now!
ToRRES
(shouts more elaborate Klingon curse) Ha! You can't even speak decent Klingon!
GUROK
(enraged) Enough! You die now! (points weapon at Torres) I have three words for you, K'chot; On your knees!
31 INT. BRIDGE 31
Chakotay, Seven and other Bridge crew members sit on floor. Lortik and two Klingon officers stand at other side of bridge, holding weapons on crew. They are whispering and laughing amongst themselves. They keep glancing and gesturing toward Seven.
CHAKOTAY
(quietly, to Seven) I don't like the looks of this.
Lortik steps forward.
LORTIK
I didn't give you permission to speak, human! Stand up!
CHAKOTAY
(standing) Look, we don't want any trouble.
LORTIK
Then you shouldn't have violated our space! (looks down at Seven) Perhaps we should violate some of your space in return.
CHAKOTAY
I'm sure Captain Gurok won't appreciate it if you...
Lortik strikes Chakotay in the head with his weapon, knocking him over. Seven stands. Lortik backs off, pointing weapon at crew.
LORTIK
Ha! Gurok is weak! He lost his ship. I intend to challenge him when the admiral arrives so he can bear witness. I will take Gurok's command and his life! (looks at Seven again) In the meantime, I think I will take something else.
CHAKOTAY
(weak, in pain) If you touch her...
Lortik kicks Chakotay hard.
LORTIK
I will touch what I want, when I want!
SEVEN
Commander, I can handle this.
LORTIK
(moves close to Seven) Oh, so you think, eh?! I am more than any one women can handle. I have five wives, and when I have had my way with them, they are all exhausted afterward!
SEVEN
Perhaps a breath refreshment would resolve that problem.
LORTIK
(steps back, looking furious, then throws head back and laughs out loud) Ah-Ha! A spicy one! (looks back at comrades) I think I have found wife number six, eh?! (looks back at Seven) Let's see how tough you are! (looks around, spots door to Ready Room, gestures toward it.) In there! NOW!
SEVEN
I will not comply.
LORTIK
Then I will kill your comrades, one by one, starting with him. (points gun at Chakotay)
SEVEN
(sighs) Very well. Follow me. (starts toward Ready Room door)
CHAKOTAY
(weakly) Seven, don't.
SEVEN
Do not be concerned, Commander. I will be fine. I am capable of disengaging my olfactory implant. (moves to Ready Room door)
LORTIK
(follows Seven to door) I have better uses for that acid tongue of yours, woman. Get in there! Now! (Seven enters door, Lortik turns to comrades) If any of them move, shoot them like targs! (Lortik enters room and door shuts)
32 INT. ENGINEERING 32
Gurok pointing gun at Torres.
GUROK
You heard me, K'chot! On your knees! I want you to die groveling!
TORRES
If I'm going to die, I might as well do it standing. Go ahead, shoot!
JANEWAY
If you want those crystals before your admiral arrives, I recommend against that. She's the only member of my crew who can extract them fast enough.
GUROK
Really? Isn't that just convenient for you, K'chot. Do you always let humans save you? All right, get the crystals out first. Then you die.
TORRES
Go to hell!
GUROK
Get the crystals, and you die alone. Refuse. (points gun at Tuvok and Kim) and you'll have company.
JANEWAY
B'ellana. Get the crystals. We'll get out of this another way. (Torres hesitates) That's an order, Lieutenant.
Torres turns and walks away, seething, toward dylithium storage area.
GUROK
(mockingly) Yes, K'chot. Follow your human's orders. Your kind is even lower than terrans. I didn't think that was possible.
Torres turns in a furious rage and leaps on Gurok, knocking him down, then punches him in the face a couple times. She grabs Gurok's gun and stands, pointing it at him. One of the Klingons stuns Torres while the other holds Janeway, Tuvok, Kim and Vasquez at bay. Torres drops the gun, staggers backward and falls against a bulkhead, barely conscious. Gurok grabs his gun, stands up, wipes blood from his face, points gun at Torres.
JANEWAY
(shouts) B'ellana!!
GUROK
Don't worry. She's not dead. Only stunned.
Gurok turns and fires his weapon into Torres. She collapses, a gaping, smoldering hole in her chest. Gurok turns back to Janeway.
GUROK
Now she's dead!!
OFF Janeway's horrified and angry expression.
FADE OUT.
END OF ACT THREE