Home > Star Trek: Voyager

The Cloud

JANEWAY: Personal Log, Stardate 48546.2.

Our journey home is several weeks old now,

and I have begun to notice in my crew, and in myself,

a subtle change as the reality of our situation settles in.

Here in the Delta Quadrant,

we are virtually the entire family of man.

We are more than a crew, and I must find a way

to be more than a Captain to these people...

but it's not clear to me exactly how to begin.

At the Academy, we're taught that a Captain is expected

to maintain a certain distance.

Until now, I have always been comfortable

with that distance.

TORRES: Captain, I...

I didn't realize there was an inspection scheduled.

Not an inspection, Lieutenant.

A stroll.

We should have the warp drive up and running by 0900 hours.

Recalibrating the reactant injectors is the only thing we have left to do.

Carry on.

Maybe this is just the way it works.

Maybe the distance is necessary.

Maybe more than ever now,

they need me to be larger than life.

I only wish I felt larger than life.

Computer, delete last sentence.

Gentlemen.

As you were.

So has Neelix concocted anything interesting this morning?

There's an ancient Chinese curse, Captain--

"May you live in interesting times."

Mealtime is always interesting now that Neelix is in the kitchen.

We shouldn't judge him too harshly.

He is helping us conserve replicator energy.

And I'm sure the gastrointestinal problems will go away, as soon as our systems get used to his, uh... gourmet touch.

( chuckling )

Well, see you at duty call.

We should have asked her to join us.

Ensigns don't invite Captains to sit down.

Why not?

Because they don't.

Well, what's wrong with showing a little courtesy?

Captains don't want courtesy.

They want respect.

That's why they don't get chummy with the lower ranks.

Well, who else is she supposed to get chummy with out here?

There aren't many other Captains and Admirals for her to talk to.

If she wants to sit with us, she'll ask us to join her.

That's the way it's done.

I think you're working from an old rule book, Paris.

Neelix?

( liquid bubbling )

NEELIX: Captain!

May I say, you look beautiful this morning.

Is that a new color lipstick?

No, no, it's the same color I always wear.

Well, perhaps it's just the way the glow of the food heater lamps hits you, but you look wonderful.

Not to suggest you don't always look wonderful.

Neelix, do we have any coffee left?

No, but we have something even better.

I don't want something even better, I want coffee.

It's made from a proteinaceous seed

I discovered on an expedition...

Never mind.

I'll use one of my replicator rations for coffee.

That would not be appropriate, Captain.

I beg your pardon?

You need to set an example for the crew.

Well, thank you for reminding me.

You're welcome.

I mean, after all, if you want the crew to begin to accept natural food alternatives instead of further depleting our energy reserves, you need to encourage them by your own choices, don't you?

Fine. Give me your even-better-than-coffee substitute.

And how about some Takar loggerhead eggs with that this morning?

Just... coffee.

It's a tiny bit richer blend than you're used to, but you'll learn to love it.

CHAKOTAY: Bridge to Janeway.

On my way. Janeway out.

Tomorrow maybe.

Ah.

Yes, Commander?

There was no need for you to come to the Bridge, Captain.

Yes, there was.

I just wanted to alert you to a nebula we've picked up on long-range sensors.

Put it on screen.

Magnify.

TUVOK: There are unusually high levels of omicron particles within this nebula, Captain.

Are you thinking we could collect these omicron particles to provide an additional antimatter reserve, Lieutenant?

Precisely.

Senior Bridge Officers, report for duty.

Commander, set a new course.

There's coffee in that nebula.

Exploring this nebula should raise some spirits around here, don't you think, Commander?

No way to go but up.

You're closer to the crew than I am.

How bad is it?

There's a nuanka-- A period of mourning that everyone's going through.

It's a natural reaction.

I'm worried about them.

I wish we had a Counselor on board, but the nature of our mission didn't require one.

We talk to animals.

It's a Native American tradition.

Animals?

Our own counselors.

We're taught that an animal guide accompanies us through life.

Basically, it's what Carl Jung thought he invented when he came up with his "active imagination" technique in 1932, but we'd been doing pretty much the same thing for centuries.

Is there a different animal guide for everyone?

Actually, yes.

Let me guess. Yours is a bear.

( chuckling )

Why do you say that?

You strike me as the bear type.

Thank you.

The bear is a very powerful animal.

It has great pokattah, but he's not my animal guide.

The creature that guides us doesn't define who we are.

It merely chooses to be with us.

Okay. If not a bear, then what?

I can't tell you that.

It would offend my animal guide if I spoke its name.

But he guides you well?

Actually, it's female.

But, yes, she usually guides me very well.

Can one just choose her own animal guide?

It's not quite that simple.

PARIS: Captain, we are approaching the perimeter of the nebula.

Slow to one-third impulse.

If you're interested, I'll be glad to teach you how to contact your animal guide.

You've got a date.

Analysis, Mr. Kim.

KIM: Seven AU's in diameter.

Sensors are picking up intermittent gamma and thermal emissions.

Nothing our shields can't handle.

Mr. Paris, any problems for navigation?

I'm showing mostly hydrogen, helium, and hydroxyl radicals.

Some local dust nodules.

I don't see them giving us any trouble.

Mr. Tuvok, can you find us a rich deposit of omicron particles in there?

A significant concentration appears to exist approximately 64 million kilometers inside the perimeter.

Set coordinates.

Aye, Captain.

Engines at one- quarter impulse.

Engage.

I've never seen anything like it.

Tuvok to Kim.

Mr. Kim, that is a comment we would prefer not to hear from a Senior Officer on the Bridge.

It makes the Junior Officers nervous.

Yes, sir.

PARIS: Density has increased to 42 percent.

Cause? Not sure.

We seem to be drawing some interstellar dust toward us.

Engineering, could the magnetic field from our impulse engines be attracting this dust?

It's a good possibility, Captain.

I'm showing the dust with a return force ratio of 4.1.

Recommend we shut down impulse and go to thrusters.

Acknowledged. Engage thrusters.

Ahead slow.

Density still increasing.

Up by 70 percent now.

Mr. Tuvok?

The level of resistance poses no danger to the hull at this time, Captain.

How far to your omicron particle deposits?

12,400 kilometers.

Maintain course and...

Report!

We're at a dead stop now.

Shutting down thrusters.

We seem to have encountered an energy barrier.

Is it natural or artificial?

We're not reading any directed energy source down here, Captain.

My guess is it's a natural phenomenon.

How far are we from the particles, Lieutenant?

Just over 7,000 kilometers.

It's conceivable this energy barrier is related to those particles.

Mr. Kim, if you could get a transporter beam through the barrier... Can't do it, Captain.

The thoron emissions of the barrier would interfere with the transporter signal.

Ms. Torres, do we have enough power to take the ship through the barrier?

The barrier appears to be only 50 meters deep.

A four-second burst at maximum thrusters ought to do it.

All right. Maximum shields.

Engage full thrusters for four seconds and then drop to one-quarter.

Acknowledged. Engaging thrusters.

What do you make of it, Mr. Tuvok?

I am unable to offer an identification, Captain.

( whispers ): Kim to Tuvok.

In other words, you've never seen anything like it?

Oh, I promise not to tell the Junior Officers.

PARIS: Captain, the breach we just made, where we penetrated the field--

It just closed behind us.

Kes! Oh! Now look what she's gotten us into!

Do all nebulas look like that?

I wouldn't know.

I'm smart enough to go around nebulas when I encounter them.

These people are natural-born explorers, Neelix.

These people are natural-born idiots if you ask me.

They don't appreciate what they have here.

This ship is the match of any vessel within a hundred light years, and what do they do with it?

"Well, let's see if we can't find

"some space anomaly today that might rip it apart!"

I don't think the Captain is an idiot.

She cares a great deal about her crew.

You don't care a great deal about your crew and introduce them to the specter of death at every opportunity.

And I speak as a member of that crew now.

I'm not sure I would have wanted you to come along had I known that this is what we...

I think it's wonderful.

Wonderful?

If I were Captain, I'd open every crack in the universe and peek inside, just like Captain Janeway does.

I don't deny the romantic... quality of this sort of... casting about.

I wouldn't exactly call it wonderful.

Although... it's getting more wonderful by the minute.

I've never kissed anyone inside a nebula before.

What did I tell you?

Red Alert.

Whatever they are, they're passing right through our shields.

Try reversing the shield polarity.

Mr. Tuvok? They appear to be made up of a non-reactive material that our sensors do not recognize, Captain.

Clarify. Are we under attack? Uncertain.

There is no indication of directed fire.

Torres to Bridge. Go ahead.

These things are sticking to the hull.

And I'm showing a drain on our energy reserves.

A drain? Why would we be losing energy?

I'm not sure, Captain. They seem to be drawing it

right through the shield grid along the hull.

We've lost five percent of our energy reserves.

Recommend we shut down all non-essential systems.

Do it.

Reversing shield polarity hasn't had any effect.

Energy reserves are down eight percent.

This is not what I had in mind.

Mr. Paris, take us back through the energy barrier and out of here. Reversing course.

Full thrusters.

Thrusters firing.

We're not penetrating the energy barrier this time.

Sensors show a buildup of magneside dust along the outer rim of the barrier.

Engineering, I need more power.

We can't go back to impulse, Captain.

That's how our problems started.

Our best chance is to burn the aft thrusters beyond the recommended limits.

Proceed.

Acknowledged. Accelerating deuterium to rear thrusters.

We have a complement of 38 photon torpedoes at our disposal, Captain.

And no way to replace them after they're gone.

Aft thrusters at 105 percent.

115 percent.

Barrier still holding.

We need something else.

Give me a two-second blast from the forward phaser bank.

Firing phasers.

The barrier is undamaged, Captain.

Ready a photon. Mr. Paris, assuming we can breach the energy barrier, it's likely to close as fast as the first time.

I'll be riding the tail of our torpedo, Captain.

TUVOK: Torpedo is loaded.

Align coordinates along ship's heading.

Coordinates set.

Fire.

50,000 kilometers to the perimeter.

I'm having trouble navigating through the energy currents.

It's as thick as a Toarian ice storm out there.

35,000 kilometers to perimeter.

Energy reserves are still falling.

15,000 kilometers.

We've cleared the central mass.

Stand down Red Alert.

Take us to 2,000 kilometers off the perimeter and hold position.

Get a sample of that matter off the hull for Lieutenant Torres to analyze.

I'd like to know what it was that humbled every defense system on this ship.

How much of our energy reserves did we lose, Ensign?

11 percent, Captain.

I'm just going to have to give up coffee.

That's all there is to it.

Dark enough for you?

What?

Get up, Harry. There's something you got to see.

See? How'd you get in here?

You'd be surprised the things you learn in prison.

MacAllister-- James Mooney MacAllister.

The guy never slept.

He'd be studying his algorithms until dawn, and the only way I could get any sleep was to wear a mask.

You could've changed roommates.

Are you kidding?

MacAllister got me through fourth year quantum chemistry.

Besides, I got used to wearing it.

Something about it that reminds me of being in the womb.

Harry, in order to be reminded of something, you have to first...

I remember being in my mother's womb.

Right.

I do.

So what is it you have to show me?

Nothing that's going to compare to that memory of your mother's womb.

Computer, activate holodeck program Paris-3.

( male guffawing )

MALE: Hey, it's Tom.

Welcome, Tom, welcome.

Hey, Tom, how you doing?

PARIS: What do you think, Harry?

What is it, a French bistro?

This is where I spent most of my second semester at the Academy.

I chose the Starfleet base outside of Marseilles for my physical training.

I always had a thing about the French.

And the French always had a thing about you, Monsieur Thomas.

And with a name like Paris, and a face like that, how could anyone resist, huh?

Sandrine, this is my friend, Harry Kim.

Enchanté.

Sandrine owns the place.

It's been in her family over 600 years.

WOMAN: Tommy.

It's about time.

I've been waiting for you.

This is Ricky.

I include her in all my holo-programs.

RICKY: Hi.

Hi.

Mmm...

Your friend the gigolo wouldn't leave me alone.

It's what I do, Tom.

Nothing personal.

French father, Daliwakan mother.

She just sits there and waits for you, huh?

Like a little puppy dog.

I wouldn't have it any other way.

Oh, really?

I thought you liked your women with a little bite.

Everyone knows about your bite, Sandrine.

It's when you start sucking blood they get scared.

Monsieur, can I get you something to drink?

Just a cup of tea.

Harry, this is France.

Uh, break open a bottle of that '46 Saint Emilion you save behind the bar for me.

I don't like to drink this late at night.

I get an acid heartburn.

Harry, it's holographic wine.

It doesn't give you acid.

Try to get in the mood, huh?

Sorry.

I learned a great deal that semester at the Academy.

Most of it right here.

Oui-- And most of it from me.

I found this place just after my pocket was picked walking by the harbor.

Somebody picked your pocket on Earth?

Oh, they just do it for tourists.

They give it back.

Most of the time.

MAN: Nine ball in the corner pocket.

You see that pool table, Harry?

The table at Sandrine's at Marseilles has attracted the world's greatest hustlers throughout the centuries.

I thought it might be fun to program in some of the great players to shoot with.

Eight ball in the cross side.

Gaunt Gary, Ames Pool Hall,

New York City, 1953.

They say that he hustled the great Willie Moscone himself.

Moscone?

Was he some famous billiard player?

Game is pool, kid. Pool.

I don't suppose you'd care to wager a fin on a game or two?

Oh, he's not ready for you yet, Gary.

Let me teach him a few tricks first.

Watch out for him, kid.

He can swallow your wallet without ever losing his smile.

I'll keep it in mind.

What's a fin?

I'm not sure.

Some old kind of Scandinavian currency.

Come on.

I'll rack them up.

You pick out a cue.

Harry, this is my idea of home.

My little piece of Earth out here in the Delta Quadrant.

You shrug it off--

Or you like to make the rest of us think you're shrugging it off--

But you miss it too, don't you?

What?

Home.

Your shot, Harry.

Computer, activate emergency medical holographic program.

Please state the nature of the medical emergency.

Why do you always have to say that?

I can only speculate about my programmer's motives.

Perhaps he thought I might be summoned for... important reasons.

Under the circumstances, don't you think you really ought to change your program?

Now, there's an interesting concept--

A hologram that programs himself.

What would I do with that ability?

Create a family, raise an army...

I know a little about holographic programming.

I could probably reprogram you.

That makes me feel particularly confident.

Has anyone ever told you, you have a lousy attitude?

If you don't like the doctor's attitude, there's a man sitting at a console in the Jupiter Station Holo-programming Center you can write to.

His name is Zimmerman.

He looks a lot like me, actually.

Now, not that I don't enjoy the repartee, but was there a reason you stopped in?

I need a second opinion on this.

Who gave you the first opinion?

I gave it to myself.

It's a sample of residue we picked up in a nebula.

A nebula?

What were we doing in a nebula?

No, wait, don't tell me.

We were investigating.

That's all we do around here.

Why pretend we're going home at all?

All we're going to do is investigate every cubic millimeter of this Quadrant, aren't we?

The molecules are isolinear.

No polycyclic structures, but...

But this is what brought you to me, isn't it?

The nucleogenic peptide bonds.

Is it some kind of phospholipid fiber?

And you were doing so well.

Now... I suspect it's something far more interesting than that.

( door chimes )

Come in.

Repair crews have degaussed the hull, Captain.

Good. Let's plan an 0700 departure.

What's this?

My medicine bundle.

I've never shown it to anyone before.

After what you said this morning,

I thought it was important to let you see.

Will it help me find my animal guide?

Eventually, you'll have to assemble your own medicine bundle, but this will allow me to assist you in your quest for a guide.

Now?

Now.

A blackbird's wing... a stone from the river... an akoonah.

"Akoonah"?

My ancestors used psychoactive herbs to assist their vision quests.

Now they're no longer necessary.

Our scientists have found more modern ways to facilitate the search for animal guides.

Place your hand on it.

And concentrate on the stone.

A-koo-chee-moya.

We are far from the sacred places of our grandfathers.

We are far from the bones of our people, but perhaps there is one powerful being who will embrace this woman and give her the answers she seeks.

Allow your eyes to close.

Breathe to feel the light in your belly and let it expand until the light is everywhere.

Prepare yourself to leave this room and this ship, and return to a place where you were the most content and peaceful you have ever been.

You can see all around you

and hear the sounds of this place.

( bird squawking )

I know this place.

It's...

You must not discuss with me what you see,

or you will offend your animal guide.

As you continue to look around,

you will become aware of other life

that shares this place with you.

It will be the first animal you see.

That is the one you will speak to.

Do you see an animal?

Yes.

Speak to it.

What do I say?

You know what you want to ask.

( door chimes )

I'm sorry.

I should've asked the computer for no interruptions.

Come in.

The Commander was introducing me to my animal guide.

I hope that you have better luck with yours than I had with mine.

B'Elanna's the only one I know who tried to kill her animal guide.

I'm sorry to interrupt, but the Doctor and I have come up with a rather surprising analysis of the matter left on the hull.

It's organic.

Microscopic life-forms from the nebula.

That's not what I mean. The samples are clearly organic elements of a much larger life-form.

It appears, Captain, that this nebula is not a nebula at all.

DOCTOR: I'm curious, Captain.

Exactly what are you looking for?

I need to know if we did serious harm to this life-form.

Let's see-- You ran your ship through it,

fired phasers at it,

and blew a hole in it with a photon torpedo.

I'd say it's a pretty good chance that you...

Computer, mute audio.

Isolate that concentration of omicron particles we were trying to get to.

That would be right here.

JANEWAY: Mr. Tuvok?

I'm afraid the concentration of particles is far lower than I originally observed.

Furthermore, it appears that many of the particles have now moved outside the energy barrier.

Is it possible they're leaking out through the breach we made?

That would be a logical conclusion.

It's also a logical conclusion that all of the phenomena we've encountered were actually this life-form's natural defense systems.

The way the barrier was protecting the omicron particles almost suggests we were entering a vital organ.

So, it seems very clear that we've severely hurt an innocent life-form.

How do we repair the harm we've done?

PARIS: Uh, Captain?

Computer, resume audio. How kind of you.

You may be interested to know that the analysis of the organic sample

suggested this life-form has the capacity to regenerate.

The process may simply need a helping hand.

Any ideas how we could stimulate regeneration?

Lieutenant Torres has the answer.

I do? You were the one

who first observed that this life-form has a nucleogenic structure.

If the life-form has a nucleogenic structure... nucleonic radiation ought to assist its healing process.

A nucleonic beam along the edges of the breach should theoretically promote regeneration.

Bravo.

Commander, take us to Yellow Alert and advise the crew that we're going to reenter the life-form.

Mr. Kim, review all systems in light of our first experience and see if you can provide new safeguards.

Tuvok, your job is to find some modification of the shields that will hold off this life-form's natural defense systems.

We begin at 1300 hours.

Dismissed.

The bantan is a little on the spicy side.

Kes grows them herself in the hydroponic garden.

Don't eat any of the little pink things and you'll be fine.

CHAKOTAY: All personnel report to stations.

Yellow Alert.

Now what? Neelix to Chakotay.

We're very busy up here, Neelix. What do you need?

This Yellow Alert business--

I was just starting...

Sorry. We found out that the nebula is actually a life-form and we've got to go back in to repair some damage we did to it.

Chakotay out.

Go back in? Hello?

Well, that's it! I've had it!

Neelix... No!

I'm going to the Captain about this.

( door chimes ) Come in.

Captain, I understand that this nebula we've discovered is some kind of monster?

Not a monster, Neelix, but it is a life-form.

Excuse me if I sound crazy, because someone may have been playing a joke on me, but you aren't planning to take us back into the belly of this beast, are you?

No joke. Why?

Because we hurt it and we have to help it recover.

I did not come on board this ship to be a veterinarian, Captain.

And I thought you were a man of unlimited talents.

I just reached my limit.

So if you don't mind,

Kes and I will wait on board my little vessel for you to return.

All our crews are busy preparing for this mission.

I'm not pulling them off their duties to prepare your ship for launch, and I'm not going to drop you off on the side of the road every time we hit a bump.

When we're finished, if you want to leave, that's your business, but for the moment, find yourself a seat with a good view because, just like Jonah and the whale, you're going in.

Is that final?

Dismissed.

That's a Starfleet expression for "get out."

Jonah?

Whale?

Approaching the perimeter.

Disengage impulse engines.

Impulse engines off-line.

Engage thrusters, one-third.

Thrusters engaged.

Red Alert.

( alarm blaring )

TUVOK: Shields are up.

Adaptive harmonics are operational.

Density is already more than double what we encountered last time.

EM hull pressure is approaching dangerous levels, Captain.

Mr. Kim? If my research is right, releasing positive ions through the nacelles should repel some of the dust out there.

Without causing further harm to the creature?

I believe so, Captain.

Very well.

Ion release confirmed.

Ambient density is dropping.

Hull pressure is decreasing also.

Hold your course.

TUVOK: 14,000 kilometers to the breach.

I can see it.

Magnify.

Engineering, ready your nucleonic beam.

Ready and awaiting your orders, Captain.

Mr. Paris, bring us into position.

Coming about 40 degrees.

Report!

We're being hit by some kind of multi-polar charges.

They're not like anything we saw the first time.

Shields at 87 percent. Will they hold?

The polarity of each charge is rotating so quickly, the shields cannot compensate.

We've lost the rear driver coil assembly.

Inertial dampers are off-line.

I'm losing control.

Hold on!

Engineering, initiate emergency shutdown of all thrusters.

TORRES: Captain, the only way we can shut down all thrusters is to vent the deuterium into space.

We can't afford to lose all that fuel.

We have no choice. Do it!

Acknowledged. Cutting thrusters.

Inertial dampers are still off-line.

Reset IDF baseline at 3-0-0 and reinitialize.

Field processors coming back on line.

Inertial damping restored.

All stop. Damage report.

KIM: Electro-plasma leaks reported on Deck 14.

Repair crews are being dispatched.

Otherwise, we seem to be in one piece.

I believe the optical data network is down, Ensign.

Yes, sir. I'll get right on it.

14 injuries reported, Captain. None serious.

Have any idea where we are, Mr. Paris?

Approximately 70,000 kilometers from our former position.

Deeper inside the creature than before.

Let's hope it has a slow digestive process.

Yes, ma'am.

We need to get back to the wound without causing a response from its defense systems. Suggestions?

It seems to be leaving us alone now that we've cut off all propulsion systems.

Maybe that's what cues it to respond.

If I'm right, we might be able to get back without engaging any engines. No engines?

We've been reading these swirling energy currents since we first got here.

When we thought it was a nebula, we weren't looking for any pattern.

We thought they were just random eddies.

But now I'm wondering if these currents might be some kind of a circulatory system.

Mr. Kim, are you showing omicron particles in these currents?

Affirmative, Captain.

If the currents are distributing omicron energy throughout the life-form, the circulatory system might pass right by that wound.

We could get in one of those currents and surf back.

Use the reaction control thrusters in drift mode only, Mr. Paris.

Aye, Captain.

We're on our way.

Speed-- All of 200 k.p.h.

NEELIX: Time for refreshment.

Ailis pâté, Felada onion crisps, stuffed Cardaway leaves.

I appreciate the thought, Neelix, but this is hardly the time.

As the morale officer on this ship,

I insist that a break in the workload is both healthy and necessary.

Go on, Mr. Vulcan.

It might even help you loosen up.

Or not.

May I ask when you became morale officer?

Oh, just a few minutes ago, when I sensed crew morale might be especially low.

Mine certainly was.

We were in a free fall at the time.

Cooking always helps Neelix to unwind.

Yes, and after we stabilized

I certainly needed to unwind.

So it seemed to me,

I had a choice to either come up here and say,

"I told you so"...

No. or to try to do something constructive to help out in my own humble manner.

Try the stuffed Cardaway leaves.

They're irresistible.

Now, as your new morale officer,

I thought it might be fun for us all to sing a few songs together.

Don't push it, Neelix.

Captain?

Well done,

Mr. Paris.

Take us gently out of the current.

Stay in RCS drift mode.

Aye, Captain.

Ms. Torres, prepare your nucleonic beam.

We're ready down here, Captain. Let's give the wound two doses to start.

Five bursts at a two-second interval.

Now.

Analysis.

Scanners are showing the regeneration rate up only .04 percent.

I don't know what we can hope to accomplish if this is the best we can do.

The breach may simply be too large to seal.

This is the Doctor speaking.

Please activate your monitor

to the emergency medical holographic channel.

I believe I may have a suggestion that will help.

Since no one had the courtesy to turn me off

after my last consultation, I've had the opportunity

to observe your progress-- Or lack of same.

A slight alteration of your treatment plan is necessary.

As inspiration, I've drawn

on an ancient medical technique known as a suture.

"Suture"?

Before the advent of laser technology,

surgical fiber was used to stitch together a wound

to allow it to heal naturally.

How does that help us?

Your ship's energy systems are compatible

with this life-form's omicron particles, are they not?

That's right. Then it is very likely

that this vessel could serve the life-form's needs

in much the same manner as a suture.

By allowing the ship to serve

as an energy conduit across the wound,

the life-form should be able

to regenerate itself more rapidly.

And how are we supposed to get the ship into the wound without getting the hell beat out of us again?

That's your problem, not mine.

Doctor out.

That's sort of like asking a hurt dog not to bite you while you tend to its wounds.

You like dogs, Mr. Paris?

Yes, ma'am. I always had a dog.

I like dogs, too.

When I had to clean out a cut on my dog's leg,

I needed to create a little diversion first to take her mind off it.

Mr. Kim, prepare a class-4 microprobe.

Aye, Captain.

Lieutenant, if I gave you a short burst from our thrusters, would it be enough for you to maneuver into the breach in ten seconds?

I'd feel better if I had 20.

Once we launch that probe as a diversion, you might have ten, maybe even less than that.

Ten sounds good.

Mr. Kim, status?

Microprobe is loaded and ready.

Set coordinates for launch at 160 mark 70.

Cut power after 500 meters.

I don't want to hurt this life-form again.

Acknowledged.

Engineering, I'll need a one-second burst

from our aft thrusters on my order.

Standing by.

Launch microprobe.

Thrusters.

Firing!

Reading mono-polar charges, high frequency.

Shields at 75 percent and holding.

Maintain position.

Engineering, direct two nucleonic beams fore and aft-- Parallel to the central axis of the ship.

Acknowledged. Beam engaged.

Captain, I'm showing a rapid growth pattern along the wound.

Regenerative matter approaching from both directions at just under 500 kilometers per hour.

Hold position.

Captain, the shields are only designed to withstand...

I'm aware of that, Mr. Tuvok. Hold position!

Regenerative matter approaching. Range...?

30 kilometers-- Fore and aft.

Engineering, ready full thrusters.

Mr. Paris?

Just tell me when.

Regenerative matter at 20 kilometers.

Fifteen... ten...

Disengage nucleonic beam.

Fire thrusters.

Thrusters engaged.

Now, Mr. Paris.

40,000 kilometers to the perimeter.

30,000.

The life-form's regeneration rate is up 40 percent, Captain.

Looks like it's well on the way to closing that wound.

We've cleared the central mass.

( sighs )

Captain's Log, supplemental.

We set out to augment our energy reserves

and wound up depleting them by over 20 percent.

As a result, we've set a new course

for a planet 14 light-years away

that Neelix says might have

compatible energy sources to offer us.

It is out of our way,

but circumstances offer few alternatives.

So much for raising spirits.

Turning in for the night, Captain?

Actually, I'm going to talk to an animal and then turn in.

Something Commander Chakotay taught me.

Supposed to be quite therapeutic.

You might want to ask him about it.

I will.

Captain...

What is it, Ensign?

Well, I don't mean to be out of place, but if you'd care to join us, you'd be welcome.

Join you where?

Come on, Tommy. Let's get out of here.

Easy, honey.

I'm setting the Indian up for the big hustle.

But he's beating you.

Yeah, that's exactly what he's supposed to think too.

As you were.

Well... this is remarkable.

Mr. Kim tells me this is your doing, Mr. Paris.

Ah... yeah.

It's just a little diversion, Captain.

One always knows when a woman of good breeding enters the room.

Ma chérie... may I request your favorite song so that we may dance, before I take you to my private felucca on the wharf and make passionate love to you?

Uh... I'm sorry.

If I had some kind of warning that you were coming...

You would have changed it, and I would have missed all the fun.

( chuckling )

I just don't know what the dolls see in a gigolo, do you?

Now me, I got a whole different approach to women.

Treat a lady like a tramp and a tramp like a lady.

Never fails.

Paris, did you program this guy?

Yeah. Why?

He's a pig and so are you.

( clears throat )

Almost never.

Is this pool or billiards?

Uh, pool.

Right.

Pool's the one with the pockets.

Would you mind if I gave it a try?

Reculez-vous!

Give the handsome young woman some room.

Tell me, does she have, uh, money?

Commander Chakotay, your stick?

It's called a cue, Captain.

Cue.

All right. So what do we do?

Do I go first?

( astonished exclamations )

Solids.

I saw that coming a mile away, didn't you?

Ah, you've got a lot to learn, jeune homme.

But then... I've got a lot to teach.

Eight ball in the side pocket.

JANEWAY: A-koo-chee-moya.

We are far from the sacred places

of our grandfathers and from the bones of our people,

but perhaps there is one powerful being

who will embrace this good crew

and give them the answer they seek.