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NEELIX: Anthraxic citrus peel orange juice with just a hint of papalla seed extract-- an experimental blend.

The success rate of your culinary experiments has not been high.

Ensign Golwat tried some yesterday and she thought it was delicious.

In fact, she had a second glass and she never has seconds.

Ensign Golwat is Bolian.

Her tongue has a cartilaginous lining.

It would protect her against even the most corrosive acid.

All I ask is that you try it, Mr. Vulcan.

Impressive.

Ah.

I'll start squeezing that second glass.

Breakfast is coming right up.

Porakan eggs.

Porakan?

The most flavorful eggs in the sector.

Scrambled with a little dill weed, a touch of rengazo-- a galactic favorite.

Now, these eggs were not easy to prepare.

After we picked them up on Porakas IV,

I had to sterilize them in a cryostatic chamber for three days.

Then each and every one had to be parboiled...

Mr. Neelix, I would prefer not to hear the life history of my breakfast.

On Talax, it's a tradition to share the history of a meal before you begin eating.

It's a way of enhancing the culinary experience.

My mother was brilliant.

She could make every course, every garnish come alive by making it a character in a story.

My favorite was the one about the crustacean who...

What happened?

Um, some sort of power overload.

I'm afraid it decimated your breakfast.

This is what my mother would have called a tragic ending.

Engineering has been making adjustments to the plasma conduits to accommodate a new energy source.

It may have created a thermal surge in the galley systems.

Janeway to Tuvok.

Please report to the Bridge.

Mr. Neelix, I'd like you to join us as well.

Aye, Captain.

JANEWAY: Captain's Log, stardate 50126.4.

We have detected a gaseous anomaly

that contains sirillium--

a highly combustible and versatile energy source.

We've altered course to investigate.

Sirillium?

Yes, and possibly large amounts of it.

If so, we're going to need to stockpile as much as we can.

I'd like to convert Storage Bay 3 into a containment chamber.

My pantry. I'm sorry, Neelix.

You're going to have to make other arrangements.

Of course, Captain.

You know, if I injected sirillium into my thermal array, it might improve cooking time.

Yes, and blow up half your kitchen in the process.

Sirillium is far more useful as a warp plasma catalyst.

The gas can also be used to boost deflector shield efficiency.

The vultures are circling.

Well, there's certainly no shortage of good ideas.

Have all department heads submit proposals for sirillium usage.

Aye, Captain.

TUVOK: The anomaly is within visual range.

On screen.

Analysis, Mr. Kim.

It's a class-17 nebula.

I'm detecting standard amounts of hydrogen and helium and 7,000 parts per million of sirillium.

TORRES: Captain, I recommend we use the Bussard collectors to gather the sirillium.

They'll cut through that nebula like ice cream scoops.

PARIS: I'm picking up a lot of plasmatic turbulence in there.

It might be a bumpy ride.

JANEWAY: Tuvok, can you modify the shields to compensate?

Tuvok...

Are you all right, Lieutenant?

I don't know.

I'm experiencing dizziness and... disorientation.

Permission to go to Sick Bay.

Granted.

( door opening )

Deck 5.

GIRL: Help me!

Tuvok!

Help me, Tuvok!

GIRL: Please, don't let go!

Tuvok! Don't let me fall!

( panting )

No!

( door opens )

( panting heavily )

I was holding a young girl by the hand, trying to prevent her from falling from a precipice.

I was unable to keep my grip, and she fell to her death.

And there is more.

I had an emotional response-- anxiety, fear-- an almost irrational anger at myself for letting her fall.

When did that happen?

It never happened.

The girl was unfamiliar and I've never been in that situation.

It was me as a child and it did seem like a memory, but I don't recall the incident.

Well, it was definitely a traumatic episode.

Your heart rate accelerated to 300 beats per minute your adrenaline levels rose by 113 percent and your neuroelectrical readings nearly jumped off the scale.

If you were human, I'd say you had a severe panic attack.

I am not human.

No kidding.

I don't know what happened to you, but there can be any number of explanations-- hallucination, telepathic communication from another race, repressed memory, momentary contact with a parallel reality.

Take your pick.

The universe is such a strange place.

JANEWAY: I'll have Mr. Kim examine the sensor logs.

Maybe our proximity to the nebula is affecting you somehow.

In the meantime, Lieutenant, you are free to go.

All of your vital signs have returned to normal and I don't see any residual systemic damage.

But I want you to wear this neurocortical monitor.

In case you have another episode, it'll record a complete encephalographic profile and alert Sick Bay at the same time.

A wise precaution, Doctor.

Thank you.

TUVOK: Structure.

Logic.

Function.

Control.

A structure cannot stand without a foundation.

Logic is the foundation of function.

Function... is the essence of control.

I am in control.

I am in control.

( door chimes )

Enter.

Kes.

What is it?

The Doctor wanted me to adjust your neurocortical monitor to pick up additional peptide readings.

I can come back later if this is a bad time.

No.

You may proceed.

What are you working on?

It is called a keethara.

Keethara?

What does that mean?

The approximate translation is "structure of harmony."

It is used as a mediational aid.

Building it requires precise balance and spatial acuity.

It helps to focus thought and refine mental control.

At the moment, it doesn't look very harmonious.

No. It does not.

I'm curious.

What does a keethara look like when it's done?

The form is not predefined.

It is a reflection of the builder's state of mind.

Thus, it is different each time.

I'd like to see it when it's finished.

Well, good night.

Kes...

It's all right.

I understand.

Structure.

Logic.

Function.

Control.

A structure cannot stand without a foundation.

Logic is the foundation... of function.

Function is the essence of control.

I am in control.

I am in... control.

CHAKOTAY: So how are you feeling this morning?

If you are referring to yesterday's incident,

I haven't experienced any further problems.

I am fit for duty.

I didn't ask because I'm concerned about your ability to perform.

I'm concerned about you.

There is no need for concern.

Sorry I asked.

My apologies, Commander.

I am distracted.

I spent 14 hours last night in deep meditation trying to determine the source of my aberrant behavior. I could not.

Maybe you should try to forget about it for a while.

I've found that when you don't think about a problem, sometimes the solution comes to you.

It is difficult to forget when you're wearing a neurocortical monitor on your parietal bone.

Good point. Mr. Kim?

I checked all the sensor logs.

There's no sign of anything emanating from the nebula that would have affected Tuvok or Voyager.

Anything unusual about the nebula itself?

No. It's a standard class-17.

I suggest we conduct a tachyon sweep of the nebula.

It would reveal the presence of any cloaked ships.

Cloaked ships?

Yes. We should be extremely cautious this close to Klingon space.

Tuvok, the Klingon Empire is on the other side of the galaxy.

Yes. Yes, you are right, of course.

I'm uncertain why I would make such an obvious error.

Maybe you should go back to Sick Bay.

Tuvok?

Help me, Tuvok!

Please, don't let go!

No!

I think we may be dealing with a repressed memory.

The memory engrams in the dorsal region of the hippocampus are being disrupted.

It's causing physical damage to the surrounding tissue.

In Vulcan medicine, this is known as t'lokan schism.

It means that the subject is inhibiting a traumatic memory, which is beginning to resurface.

And that's causing brain damage?

Strange, I know.

In human subjects, repressed memories are nothing more than psychological traumas, which can be dealt with with standard therapeutic techniques, but in Vulcans, there is a physical reaction to the battle between the conscious and the unconscious.

In extreme cases, the mind of the patient can literally... lobotomize itself.

What's the treatment?

There is no medical treatment for this condition.

Vulcan psychocognitive research suggests that the patient initiate a mind-meld with a family member and the two of them attempt to bring the repressed memory into the conscious mind.

I'm the closest thing

Tuvok has to a family member on this ship.

That's why I've asked you to come.

He has a request to make of you.

Did the Doctor explain the situation to you?

Yes.

Tuvok, are you sure it's the right thing to do?

I don't know how else to proceed.

The Doctor tells me that this is a memory.

And yet, no matter how hard I try,

I cannot remember.

If the Doctor is correct, if this is an experience

I pushed into my unconscious mind, it could be very dangerous to me, even life-threatening.

I realize it's asking a great deal of you, Captain, and I did consider turning to one of the Vulcans on the ship, but this meld would be more intimate than most.

A family member is normally chosen because of the implicit trust that usually exists.

On this ship...

I trust you more than anyone else.

Whatever happens,

I'll be there for you, Tuvok.

I'll help you get through this.

I will initiate the meld and attempt to access the memory fragment.

Once that has been accomplished, you will act as my pyllora.

Your pyllora.

My guide. My counselor.

You will help me reconstruct the memory in its entirety.

And as I am reliving it, you will help me to objectify the experience.

By processing the experience rather than repressing it,

I can begin to overcome my fear, anger and the other emotional responses and to reintegrate the memory into my conscious mind.

When I'm in your memory, will I actually be reliving it with you?

No.

I will be the only one who notices your presence.

You will be an observer in the memory but not a participant.

This will give you the freedom to guide me objectively.

When do we start?

I will need time to prepare.

Please return in one hour.

We're ready when you are, Captain.

Your mind to my mind.

Your thoughts... to my thoughts.

I am taking us back... back to the boy that I was... the boy lying on the precipice.

( alarm blaring )

MAN: Return fire!

MAN 2: They've knocked out our targeting scanners.

( indistinct voices )

TUVOK: Mr. Valtane...

( alarm continues )

Get away from that station!

VALTANE: One more second.

( explosion )

MAN: Damage report!

Seal that conduit!

Hull breach on Deck 12, Section 47.

We've lost power on Decks 5, 6 and 10.

Casualty reports coming in.

19 wounded.

Tuvok, can you see me?

Yes.

Where are we?

My first deep space assignment aboard the Excelsior.

Why did you bring us here?

I did not intend to.

Can you take us to the precipice? The girl?

That is precisely what I attempted to do.

There must be some reason why your mind brought us here.

Maybe this memory is connected to the girl in some way.

How long ago is this?

Stardate 9521.

Approximately 80 years ago.

Who are you fighting?

The Klingons.

Klingons?

Before you collapsed in Engineering, you thought we were approaching Klingon space.

Why are you fighting the Klingons?

This battle was precipitated by an incident that took place three days earlier.

All right, Gamma Shift time to defend the Federation against gaseous anomalies.

Gaseous anomalies?

We were charting a gaseous anomaly on Voyager.

And that's when my problem began.

That's more than a coincidence.

How are you this morning, Ensign?

I am well, Commander. Thank you.

I thought you might like to see some of this morning's com traffic before you went on duty.

There's a message from the Yorktown

I think you might be interested in.

It's from your father.

Thank you.

You're not going to have time to drink that, you know.

You're due on the Bridge in five minutes.

It's not for me. It's for the Captain.

I've observed that Captain Sulu drinks a cup of tea each morning.

I thought he might enjoy a Vulcan blend.

Oh, I see.

Trying to make Lieutenant in your first month?

I wish I'd have thought of that when I was your age.

Took me three years just to make Ensign.

I assure you I have no ulterior motive.

Whatever you say, Ensign.

See you on the Bridge.

You've never brought me tea.

Outstanding.

I may have to give you a promotion.

That was not my motivation, Captain.

I am not attempting to curry favor with you in any way.

Mr. Tuvok, if you're going to remain on my ship, you're going to have to learn how to appreciate a joke.

And don't tell me Vulcans don't have a sense of humor because I know better.

I will... work on it, sir.

Very good. And... thanks again.

He doesn't look anything like his portrait at Starfleet Headquarters.

In the 23rd century, holographic imaging resolution was less accurate.

This is a science station, isn't it?

Yes. I am one of several junior science officers.

Tuvok, why doesn't your service record reflect any of this?

I thought your first assignment was aboard the Wyoming.

It's a long story, Captain, but suffice it to say, this was my first Starfleet career.

I was 29 years old.

So, what's happening?

Are we about to encounter the Klingons?

Not exactly.

The Klingon moon Praxis is about to explode.

Praxis.

During this period, it was a primary source of energy for the Klingon Homeworld.

Praxis... yes.

Its destruction would have lasting repercussions throughout the Quadrant, and it led to the first

Federation-Klingon peace treaty.

That is correct.

But what does all this have to do with the girl on the precipice?

( beeping )

I have an energy wave at 240 degrees, mark 6 port, sir.

Visual.

My... God!

Shields! Shields!

( yelling )

MAN: She is not answering the helm.

Starboard thrusters.

Turn her into the wave.

Aye, sir.

Quarter impulse power.

Damage report.

MAN: Checking all systems, Captain.

Don't tell me that was any meteor shower.

Negative, sir.

The subspace shock wave originated at bearing 323 mark 75.

Location...

It's Praxis, sir.

It's a Klingon moon.

Praxis... is their key energy production facility.

So, what happened? Did you go to Praxis?

No. We were warned off by the Klingons and resumed our survey mission.

However, two days later, we learned that two Starfleet officers were accused of murdering the Klingon Chancellor.

They were brought back to the Klingon Homeworld to stand trial.

Captain Sulu had served under both officers for many years, and he felt an intense loyalty to them.

Helm, set a course for Kronos, maximum warp.

Take us through the Azure Nebula.

That should conceal our approach.

Aye, sir.

I don't get it.

What's going on?

He's about to attempt a rescue of Captain Kirk and Dr. McCoy.

As you can see, everyone seemed perfectly willing to go along with this breach of orders.

However, I felt differently.

Captain, am I correct in assuming that you have decided to embark on a rescue mission?

That's right.

Do you have a problem with that, Ensign?

I do.

It is a direct violation of our orders from Starfleet Command, and it could precipitate an armed conflict between the Klingon Empire and the Federation.

Objection noted.

Resume your station.

Sir, as a Starfleet officer, it is my duty to formally protest.

Tuvok...

A pretty bold statement for an Ensign with only... two months space duty under his belt?

I am aware of my limited experience, but I am also very much aware of Starfleet regulations and my obligation to carry them out.

That's enough.

Ensign, you're relieved.

I'm sorry about this, Captain.

I assure you it will not happen again.

Ensign, you're absolutely right, but you're also... absolutely wrong.

You'll find that more happens on the Bridge of a starship than just carrying out orders and observing regulations.

There's a sense of loyalty to the men and women you serve with... a sense of family.

Those two men on trial--

I served with them for a long time.

I owe them my life a dozen times over, and right now, they're in trouble and I'm going to help them.

Let the regulations be damned.

Sir, that is a most illogical line of reasoning.

You better believe it.

Helm, engage.

You know, you did the right thing.

Perhaps.

CREWMAN: Captain, we're approaching the Azure Nebula.

SULU: On screen.

Tuvok... that nebula... it looks very similar to the one we observed on Voyager.

Help me, Tuvok!

Please, don't let go!

No!

( Tuvok gasps )

( instrument beeping )

50 milligrams cordrazine.

DOCTOR: There was a sudden disruption in his hippocampus.

Luckily, he was in Sick Bay or he'd be in a coma right now.

That's the good news.

The bad news is that his synaptic pathways are continuing to degrade.

If the repressed memory keeps resurfacing on its own, it's going to cause more and more damage.

His entire neural structure will collapse, resulting in brain death.

We were just starting to make some progress.

We finally accessed the repressed memory.

I saw Tuvok as a boy... and the girl on the precipice.

Can I talk to him?

Not yet.

He suffered a severe neural trauma, so I'm keeping him sedated for the next few hours.

I'll let you know when it's safe to revive him.

( door chimes )

Come in.

Ah, Ensign, what have you found?

I don't see any connection between this nebula and the one the Excelsior saw 80 years ago.

This one's a class-17, while theirs was an 11.

Both contained trace amounts of sirillium, but that's about all.

But they do look similar.

To the naked eye, but not to sensors.

Technically, they're very different.

You know, I've been talking to the Doctor, and he tells me it's not unusual for a repressed memory to resurface because of a smell or a visual detail.

Maybe the visual similarities between the two nebulas simply triggered Tuvok's memory of the Excelsior.

Well, what about the memory of the little girl?

What does she have to do with Tuvok's experiences on board Sulu's ship?

The Excelsior seemed so far removed from that childhood incident.

Who knows what goes on in a Vulcan's mind?

Maybe there is no connection and going back to the memory of the Excelsior was just an accident, a stray thought Tuvok was having because of the similarities between the two nebulas.

You may be right.

Nevertheless, I've been studying the Excelsior logs.

What do they say?

Unfortunately, they don't say anything at all.

Nothing?

It would seem that Captain Sulu decided not to enter that journey into his official log.

The day's entry makes some cryptic remark about the ship being damaged in a gaseous anomaly and needing repairs but nothing else.

You mean, he falsified his logs.

It was a very different time, Mr. Kim.

Captain Sulu, Captain Kirk, Dr. McCoy-- they all belonged to a different breed of Starfleet officer.

Imagine the era they lived in-- the Alpha Quadrant still largely unexplored, humanity on verge of war with Klingons,

Romulans hiding behind every nebula.

Even the technology we take for granted was still in its early stages.

No plasma weapons, no multiphasic shields.

Their ships were half as fast.

No replicators, no holodecks.

You know, ever since I took

Starfleet history at the Academy,

I always wondered what it would be like to live in those days.

Space must have seemed a whole lot bigger back then.

It's not surprising they had to bend the rules a little.

They were a little slower to invoke the Prime Directive and a little quicker to pull their phasers.

Of course, the whole bunch of them would be booted out of Starfleet today, but I have to admit--

I would have loved to ride shotgun at least once with a group of officers like that.

DOCTOR: Sick Bay to Captain Janeway.

Go ahead, Doctor.

I'm ready to revive Mr. Tuvok.

Acknowledged.

I'm on my way.

Several hours after we entered the nebula, we were ambushed by Klingons.

A battle ensued, and we were forced to abort our rescue mission.

Do any of those events seem related to the girl in any way?

No. If there is a connection,

I am not aware of it.

I suggest we attempt another mind-meld and try again to access my memory of the girl.

Agreed.

Doctor.

Your mind to my mind.

Your thoughts to my thoughts.

I am taking us back-- back to the boy that I was... the boy lying on the precipice.

RAND: Hull breach on Deck 12, Section 47.

Tuvok, we're back in the battle with the Klingons again, 80 years ago.

I am at a loss to explain, Captain.

But it's hard to accept this as a coincidence.

Agreed.

I want to go back to the moment when you first saw the nebula.

What happened?

Captain Sulu estimated it would take approximately five hours to traverse the nebula and enter Klingon space.

He decided my shift needed some rest, so we returned to the crew quarters.

I attempted to get some sleep.

However, my bunkmate Dmitri Valtane, felt the need to discuss our situation.

Hey.

Tuvok.

Are you asleep?

No.

Me neither.

I can't believe we're going to do this.

I didn't think the Captain had it in him.

Had what in him?

You know-- the guts to defy an order and run off on some rescue mission to save old friends.

I take it from the tone of your voice, that you admire this trait.

Well, yeah.

It's courageous.

It is illogical and reckless, which I attempted to point out to him on the Bridge.

Oh, come on, Tuvok.

Isn't it more fun than charting gaseous anomalies?

The human fascination with fun has led to many tragedies in your short but violent history.

One wonders how your race has survived having so much fun.

Ooh. Vulcans-- you guys need to relax.

No. I will not relax.

Ever since I entered the Academy,

I've had to endure the egocentric nature of humanity.

You believe that everyone in the galaxy should be like you, that we should all share your sense of humor and your human values.

Well, if you hate it here so much, why'd you join Starfleet in the first place?

I joined under pressure from my parents, but I've already decided to resign my commission once this assignment is complete.

( sighs )

Well, your loss.

Tuvok, did you really mean that?

At this point in my life, yes.

My experiences at the Academy and on board the Excelsior were not pleasant.

I knew you left Starfleet for over 50 years, but I never knew why.

I didn't realize it was because of a conflict with humans.

My perceptions of humanity and Starfleet were undoubtedly colored by the fact that I did not want to be here in the first place.

Your parents really forced you to go to the Academy?

It was their wish and I felt an obligation to fulfill it.

What did you do during those 50 years?

I'd returned to Vulcan where I spent several years in seclusion, immersing myself in the Kolinahr-- a rigorous discipline intended to purge all emotions.

I wanted to attain a state of pure and total logic.

What happened?

Unfortunately, six years into my studies,

I began the Pon farr.

I took a mate.

T'Pel. Yes.

We decided to raise a family together.

So I chose to postpone my studies.

And what brought you back to Starfleet?

Raising children of my own made me appreciate what my parents experienced raising me, and I came to realize that the decisions I made as a young man were not always in my best interest.

I understood their decision to send me to the Academy and that there were many things

I could learn from humans and other species.

So I decided to expand my knowledge of the galaxy.

Starfleet provided that opportunity.

Well, I'm glad you had a change of heart.

As am I, Captain.

Although, "heart" had very little to do with it.

It was a logical decision.

I'm sure it was.

MALE: Red Alert.

All hands to battle stations.

What's going on?

I thought we were still five hours from Klingon space.

A Klingon battle cruiser de-cloaked inside the nebula.

At this moment, they were firing concussive charges across our bow.

RAND: We're being hailed, Captain.

On screen.

KANG: Mr. Sulu,

I see they have finally given you the Captaincy you deserve.

SULU: Thank you, Kang.

Do not let it end prematurely.

Kang, we've been on a survey mission studying this nebula.

Our navigation system malfunctioned and I'm afraid we got lost.

As soon as we've completed repairs, we'll be on our way.

We'd be happy to escort you back to Federation space.

Very generous of you.

But we can manage.

I insist.

Actually, an escort would be welcome.

We'd hate to lose our way again.

Bring your ship about, bearing 181 mark 2.

Nice to see you again, Kang.

VALTANE: Captain Sulu?

Man your station, Lieutenant.

We're not giving up just yet.

Helm, come about.

Tactical status.

They have their forward disruptors trained on us, sir.

Ensign Tuvok, what is the composition of this nebula?

Primarily oxygen and argon with traces of theta-xenon, fluorine and sirillium gas.

Sirillium?

That's a highly combustible substance, isn't it?

Affirmative.

Is there any way we could ignite the sirillium?

If we modulated a positron beam to a subspace frequency, it would trigger a thermochemical reaction in the sirillium.

Like tossing a match into a pool of gasoline.

Would their shields withstand the blast?

Yes. But their sensors and tactical systems would be disrupted for several seconds.

That's all the time we need.

Tuvok, modulate a positron beam and stand by.

We'll ignite the sirillium the instant we clear the nebula.

Helm, prepare to engage maximum warp on my command.

Aye, sir.

All hands, this is the Captain.

Secure stations and batten down the hatches.

The positron beam is charged and ready.

On my mark, Ensign.

We're clearing the nebula.

Mr. Tuvok, light the match.

The Klingon ship's been disabled.

They're not pursuing, sir.

Helm, set a course for Kronos. Engage.

Commander Rand, I want you...

Sir, long-range sensors are detecting three Klingon battle cruisers on an intercept course.

They're arming torpedoes.

Heading, sir?

Maintain course.

Return fire!

They've knocked out our targeting scanners.

Switch to manual!

Mr. Valtane, there's a rupture in the plasma conduit behind your console.

Get away from that station.

One more second.

Dmitri, you must...

( yelling )

Bridge to Sick Bay, medical emergency!

Tuvok...

Tuvok!

Help!

Don't let me fall!

No!

KES: Doctor, what's happening?

Their memory engrams are destabilizing.

Something must be going wrong with the mind-meld.

I'm going to bring them out of it.

KES: It's not working.

Their neural patterns appear to be locked together.

I can't break the meld.

The damage to his synaptic patterns is accelerating.

At this rate, he'll be brain dead in 20 minutes.

Get me a cortical stimulator!

I saw her again, Tuvok-- the girl.

When Valtane died just now, it seemed to cause the memory to resurface.

What is it?

Something's gone wrong with the mind-meld.

Who the hell are you?

Intruder alert!

Get security up here!

What's happening? Why can he see me?

SULU: I asked you a question. Who are you and what are you doing on my ship?

It's an indication the rate of deterioration in my brain has increased.

At advanced stages of a t'lokan schism, memories and thought processes become distorted and confused.

Ensign, do you know this woman?

I will break the meld, Captain.

No, don't.

I think we're getting close to something.

Everything seems to be centered around the death of Valtane.

( rumbling )

Direct hit on the port bow. Shields down to 20 percent.

Losing atmosphere on Decks 5, 6 and 7.

I'll reroute auxiliary power to structural integrity.

( rumbling )

Maybe something happened in that moment between the two of you-- some detail you aren't remembering.

I want you to try and replay those events one more time.

I will try, but I must point out that if my neural structures collapse during the meld, you will suffer brain damage as well.

I understand.

( rumbling )

Take those two to the brig.

Captain, if we replay those events and they see you, it will disrupt the memory again.

Then we've got to find a way to make me inconspicuous.

All right, Gamma Shift, time to defend the Federation against gaseous anomalies.

( crew chuckling )

How are you, Ensign?

Who are you?

We could have just asked her.

Asking female officers for their clothing could lead to misunderstanding.

DOCTOR: I've programmed a cortical stimulator to emit thoron radiation.

We'll bombard his telepathic cortex.

That should be enough to terminate the meld.

We'll begin with a 20-kilodyne burst of five-second duration on my mark.

Now.

It's working.

Their neural patterns are starting to separate.

( console beeps )

My god.

What is it?

That's Tuvok's memory engram.

That's the Captain's.

But this red pattern seems to be another engram.

A third memory engram. How's that possible?

It's not-- which means it can't really be an engram.

From the neurochemical modulation,

I'd say it's something masquerading as an engram.

The way viruses sometimes mimic certain blood factors to avoid being destroyed by antibodies?

So you're saying it's a virus.

I think so.

The thoron radiation must have caused it to manifest itself.

Increasing the radiation level should destroy it.

Go to 40 kilodynes, ten second burst.

Now!

The Klingon ship's been disabled, sir.

They're no longer pursuing.

Helm, set a course for Kronos.

Engage.

Who's at communications?

Commander Rand is supposed to be on duty, sir.

Where is she?

Sir, long-range sensors are detecting three Klingon battle cruisers on an intercept course.

They're arming torpedoes.

Maintain course.

Return fire!

VALTANE: They've knocked out our targeting scanners, sir.

SULU: Switch to manual.

Mr. Valtane, there's a rupture in the plasma conduit behind your console.

Get away from that station.

One more second.

Dmitri, you must...

( yelling )

It's about to happen.

Try to remember every detail about the next few seconds.

Concentrate.

Tuvok...

GIRL: Help me!

Help me, Tuvok!

I saw her, Tuvok.

I saw the girl.

Stay with it.

( sighs )

I am trying.

But my mind is weakening.

This is our last chance.

Take us to the precipice.

Concentrate.

Take us to the girl.

DOCTOR: It's working.

The mind-meld is almost broken and the radiation appears to be killing the virus.

Increase thoron levels to...

( console beeping )

The virus is migrating.

It's embedding itself in the Captain's brain.

Cortical stimulator.

GIRL: Kathryn!

Help me, Kathryn, please!

Don't let go.

Don't let me fall!

No!

Program a 50-kilodyne burst five-second duration on my mark. Now.

Help me, Tuvok!

The virus protein structures are breaking down.

It's dying.

Increase thoron radiation to 80 kilodynes 15 seconds. Now.

GIRL: Help me, Dmitri!

Please, don't let go!

Don't let me fall!

DOCTOR: Again!

Don't let me fall!

No!

No!

No!

No!

No!

DOCTOR: It's clearly a viral parasite of some kind, but its origin and genome classification are not on record.

We were able to kill it using thoron radiation.

What do you know about it?

The virus thrives on peptides generated in the brain.

It evades the body's immune system by disguising itself as a memory engram.

Apparently, the parasite used the childhood memory of the falling girl as camouflage.

Creating a false memory so traumatic that the mind would repress it and that's where it would live, in person after person, hiding in a part of the brain that the conscious mind would want to avoid at all costs.

When it sensed the death of the host, it would leave to find another.

That's why it migrated from Valtane to me.

KES: What about the girl?

Did she ever really exist or did the organism invent the memory?

Memory is a tricky thing.

If it was a real event, it's been buried and copied and twisted so many times there's no way to tell what really happened.

Thank you, Doctor.

I'm curious.

Did the Excelsior ever save Kirk and McCoy?

Not directly.

We were forced to retreat back to Federation space.

As usual, Captain Kirk provided his own means of escape.

But we did play a pivotal role at the subsequent battle at Khitomer.

Mr. Tuvok, if I didn't know you better,

I'd say you miss those days on the Excelsior.

On the contrary.

I do not experience feelings of nostalgia.

But there are times when I think back to those days of meeting Kirk, Spock, and the others, and I am pleased that I was part of it.

In a funny way,

I feel like I was a part of it, too.

Then perhaps you can be nostalgic for both of us.