Home > Star Trek: Voyager

The Swarm

PARIS: Helmsman's Log, Stardate 50252.3.

While Voyager takes on supplies,

Lieutenant Torres and I are investigating

some intermittent sensor readings

we picked up this morning.

( sighs )

We've been out here almost five hours and we haven't seen any sign of those energy signatures.

Isn't it time to admit they were nothing more than galactic background noise?

I want to keep looking a while longer.

Just to be sure.

Aah!

What's wrong?

Cramp.

Klingon bodies weren't meant to sit in a cockpit for five hours at a stretch.

You have a big dinner date or something?

What's that supposed to mean?

Well, you've been angling to get back to Voyager for about two hours now.

Just thought maybe there was a reason.

Like Ensign Bristow.

What?

Well, I've noticed he's been making any excuse to hang around Engineering.

Around you.

Freddy Bristow... is a child.

Oh, really?

Well, he looks like a grownup to me.

Tall, good-looking... and I hear he plays a mean set of parrises squares.

I played one game with him and I whipped him.

Look, he has a crush on me.

I can handle it.

Why are you so interested?

Oh, I'm just curious... how someone with Klingon blood seems to live the life of a Tabran monk.

Lieutenant, that is none of your business.

Well, if you ever have a free evening,

I have a holodeck program you might enjoy-- sailing on Lake Como.

I'd rather take my chances with Freddy Bristow.

( console beeps )

Those energy signatures are back.

We must have crossed into a tachyon field.

( console beeps insistently )

What's that?

A ship has locked onto our hull.

Why didn't we detect it?

The tachyon field must have disrupted our sensors.

( speaking clicking language )

I'm Lieutenant Tom Paris of...

( both grunt )

( clicking )

MAN: ♪ O soave fanciulla ♪

♪ O dolce viso ♪

♪ Di mite circonfuso alba lunar ♪

♪ In terra, vivo ravviso ♪

♪ Il sogno ch'io vorrei sempre sognar ♪

♪ Fremon... già nell'anima ♪

♪ Le dolcezze estreme ♪

♪ Tu sol commandi, amore... ♪

Computer, pause playback.

Excuse me, but your entrance was early.

You're rushing the tempo.

( chuckles )

I am not rushing.

You are lagging behind like a tired donkey.

I assure you, I have studied the finest recordings of this opera--

Caruso and Galli-Curci; Pavarotti and Freni;

Soral and T'Penna of Vulcan.

My tempo is accurate.

Galli-Curci... Freni... T'Penna... they are all fallite.

They are mere dust balls.

Sono niente!

They are nothing.

Giuseppina Pentangeli-- the greatest soprano lirico of the 22nd century transcends them all.

And conductors take their tempi from me.

Capisci?

In this instance, they take it from me.

I've programmed the orchestral playback.

Who allows you to make this choice?

You are an amateur.

You have no sense of rubato, no rallentando... it's like singing with a computer.

Madam, I may be an amateur, but I'm also known as a quick study.

( laughing )

And as I am in charge of this program, you will do it my way.

Shall we try it again?

Computer, start playback.

( opera music playing )

♪ O soave fanciulla ♪

♪ O... ♪

Stop playback.

( sighs )

What now?

Non è possibile.

I couldn't remember the words.

In all of my career, I have never forgotten the lyrics.

This is the difference between amateur and professionali.

Just a momentary lapse. No need to overreact.

Piu cretino non esiste. This is infuriating!

I want another partner! Lo voglio subito.

I'm the one who needs another partner.

You've got me so upset I can't sing.

Computer, delete...

Janeway to the Doctor.

We have a medical emergency.

Report to Sick Bay.

Right away, Captain.

Addio, madam.

Next time I'll take my chances with Maria Callas.

Computer, delete the diva.

Imbecille! Pensa veramente...

Their nervous systems suffered trauma from some type of neuroelectric weapon.

It must have been extremely painful.

It certainly was.

Do you know why they attacked you?

No idea. They seemed to be trying to communicate with us, but we couldn't understand them.

Then they just lifted their weapons.

The injuries are treatable. It shouldn't take long.

Tuvok, send a message on all subspace bands.

I want to find out why my people were attacked.

Aye, Captain.

I'll ask Neelix if he knows anything about these people.

Doctor, keep me posted.

( sighs )

It would help if you didn't fidget so much.

I'm really feeling better. Can't I get out of here?

When you're ready to leave, I will tell you.

KES: Doctor,

Tom doesn't seem to be responding to the treatment.

I'll look at him.

Where's my retinal imager?

I haven't seen it.

Did you move it from the instrument tray?

I haven't been near the instrument tray.

I've just had the most unpleasant encounter with a madwoman on the holodeck.

She must have upset me more than I realized.

Lieutenant, you're perfectly all right.

What are you still doing here?

Thank you.

I think he must have suffered some very deep tissue damage.

The regenerator isn't helping.

Doctor?

Hmm?

I've made numerous hails on wide-band subspace.

The only response has been a single repeating message.

( clicking )

CHAKOTAY: What's that?

I'd guess it's a language so unlike ours that the universal translator can't interpret it.

Harry, remodulate the translator.

See if we can decipher those sounds.

Neelix, what can you tell us?

If these people are who I think they are,

I can tell you this is very bad news.

I've never actually encountered them... but from what I've heard, I'm glad I didn't.

Most ships that enter their space are never heard from again.

Some have returned with everyone on board dead.

They're a complete mystery.

No one knows their name, how many of them there are, what their culture is like.

Just that they really don't want people violating their territory.

If this is any indication of their borders, it's a huge area of space-- hundreds of sectors.

If we were to go around it, it would take months.

I'd say over 15 months, even if we could sustain maximum warp, which we can't.

I'm not going to tell this crew we're adding another 15 months to this journey.

We'll have to find another option.

If we are not to go around their space, the only available option is to go through it.

Precisely.

KIM: Tom and B'Elanna hit a sensor net as they crossed the border.

We have to figure we'll run into it when we try to cross, but there are ways around sensor nets.

CHAKOTAY: They can't possibly have enough ships to patrol a border this size.

We can probably find an unguarded section.

Would it affect your decision if I pointed out that encroaching on the territory of an alien species is prohibited by Starfleet regulations?

No, it wouldn't.

Captain... you have managed to surprise me.

We're a long way from Starfleet, Lieutenant.

I'm not about to waste 15 months because we've run into a bunch of bullies.

DOCTOR: Sick Bay to Captain Janeway.

Go ahead, Doctor.

Please turn to your emergency medical holographic channel.

I'm afraid Lieutenant Paris

suffered greater neurological damage

than my initial scan revealed.

I'm going to have to perform a motor cortex reconstruction.

There's no need to be overly concerned.

His condition is not life threatening.

The procedure is a relatively simple one

for a skilled physician.

Very good, Doctor. Keep me informed.

All right. I want a plan for crossing that border as quickly and as quietly as possible.

We'll reconvene in an hour. Dismissed.

♪ O soave fanciulla ♪

♪ O dolce viso ♪

♪ Di mite circonfuso alba lunar... ♪

Doctor...

I have the cortical analeptics you asked for.

Good. Fill the hyposprays.

We'll begin as soon as I've finished scrubbing.

Did I hear you singing?

Yes.

"O soave fanciulla."

It's an aria from La Bohème, a truly exquisite opera by Giacomo Puccini, a human composer of the 19th century.

I didn't realize you enjoyed music.

I've recently begun a thorough study of opera.

I find it... quite satisfying, but I'm having difficulty finding a holographic partner for the role of Mimi.

All the soprani seem to have the most irritating personalities.

These women are arrogant, superior, condescending.

I can't imagine anyone behaving that way.

What is it?

A quiz for you.

What is the first step in this procedure?

Establish the axon connections and then test for synaptic potentials.

Ah. Quite right. Very good.

Doctor, what is it?

We seem to have a small problem.

I... can't remember how to perform this operation.

All right, I've repaired the damaged preganglionic fibers in the spinal column.

The final step is to restore the nerve sheath.

You'll need the myelin regenerator.

( alarm beeping )

What is it?

He's going into respiratory arrest.

What do I do?

Apply an efferent impulse to stabilize his motor neurons.

Apply a... what?

Vital signs are returning to normal.

( sighs )

There-- myelin regeneration is complete.

What's the synaptic potential reading?

Synaptic potentials are... normal.

Autonomic and somatic systems are functioning.

( sighs )

Very good, Doctor.

I think you've done it.

The EMH database seems to be experiencing a cascading overload of some kind.

Doc's memory circuits are deteriorating.

We knew the Doctor was never designed to be up and running as much as he has been, but I thought you programmed safety buffers, so his circuits wouldn't degrade.

I did, and I installed them, but they're breaking down.

My self-diagnostic routines have always indicated that in the event of cascade failure,

I should simply be reinitialized.

That would stop the cascade and allow us to reset your database and personality subroutines, but...

But what?

It would restore the original program-- reset him to the person he was when we first activated him.

JANEWAY: In other words, he'd forget everything that's happened to him over the past two years.

TORRES: Right.

Doctor... how do you feel about that?

I... can't say I'd like to lose the last two years, but my primary responsibility is the health and welfare of this crew. In my current state, I am useless to them.

I believe Lieutenant Torres should start the reinitialization process immediately.

KES: No, wait.

Wait, please.

We can't just treat the Doctor like he's a computer anymore.

He's come too far for that.

Doctor, please, think about this.

You'd be losing so much-- all the relationships you've developed, our friendship, your sense of being a true member of this crew-- all that would be gone.

I can't put personal concerns over those of the crew.

Look at the experiences you've had since you were activated-- you've made friends, learned how to sing opera, you've even fallen in love.

If you lose those memories, you won't be the same person.

You said you don't know what's causing his memory circuits to fail.

Unfortunately, no.

So, if you reinitialize without finding out what's wrong, the problem could occur again.

Well, it's a possibility.

Isn't it a better plan to look for the cause of the problem?

If B'Elanna can find it, there may be a less radical solution.

Tom Paris is stable.

He'll be back on duty today.

There's no medical crisis at the moment.

I can certainly handle all the routine cases in Sick Bay.

Please, let's not just erase him without trying to help him first.

If a crew member came down with a debilitating illness, you'd do everything in your power to make them well again.

I think we owe you nothing less.

I'll get started.

Don't be discouraged.

I know B'Elanna can find a way.

CHAKOTAY: Captain?

I think we found it-- a way to get across the border without being detected.

Let's hear it.

Their sensor net uses a series of interlaced tachyon beams.

If we adjust the shields to refract those beams around the ship, we can slip across without appearing to have disrupted the net.

Not bad.

And we've found that this area shows no indication of vessels.

We can slide through, go to high warp, and be through this narrow section of their territory in four days.

Good work.

Helm, set a course for the border.

Aye, Captain.

What are you doing now?

I want to see if the data corruption is affecting your optical sensors.

What did that do?

( gasps )

I-I can't see. I'm blind!

All right.

( sighs )

That is extremely disconcerting.

Please don't do it again.

Now what are you doing?

Attenuating your force field projectors.

Doctor, forgive me, but this is very delicate work.

Could you please sit over there for a few minutes?

How extremely rude.

May I remind you that I am, in a way, your patient, who's suffering from an unknown and obviously debilitating condition.

I would think you'd be a little more sensitive to my needs.

You're questioning my bedside manner?

The good news is that your projection system doesn't seem to be affected.

However, I don't know why your circuits are degrading.

Then... what do we do now?

What we do now... is get a second opinion.

I'll transfer you to the holodeck in a few minutes.

Wait here.

Computer, initiate

Jupiter Station Diagnostic Program Alpha 1-1.

COMPUTER: The program is activated.

Computer... transfer the program for the Emergency Medical Hologram to Holodeck 2.

I seem to remember this place.

You should-- this is Jupiter Station, where you were created and where your database was written.

It seems... so long ago.

This program contains a sophisticated diagnostic matrix specifically created for the Emergency Medical System.

That's right.

I should have remembered that.

How could I have forgotten?

I'm going to have to play with the systems for a few minutes.

I'm not exactly sure how to access all the subroutines.

Don't touch that!

( sighs )

Who are you?

I'm a holographic re-creation of Dr. Lewis Zimmerman, the creator of the Emergency Medical Hologram.

You're the diagnostic matrix.

You might say that.

Something wrong with your EMH?

Yes.

I certainly hope you're going to be able to do something about this annoying problem.

What's wrong with it?

He's experiencing a cascade failure.

His memory circuits are degrading.

I was trying to bring the subroutines on line...

If you don't mind, I can do it faster.

I can see where you get your charming personality.

Not to mention my hairline.

Here we are-- a schematic of the EMH and its component subroutines.

Can you determine the source of the problem?

This isn't good.

The EMH has a level-4 memory fragmentation.

How long has the program been active?

I have been active for... for...

Almost two years.

Two years?!

Well, there's your problem.

This program was developed as a short-term supplement to your medical staff-- 1,500 hours tops.

I know.

I added data compression buffers to compensate for the additional time, but they're breaking down.

The EMH is a highly sophisticated program.

You shouldn't go meddling in its matrix when you don't know what you're doing.

Should we shut down his program then, till we figure out how to fix him?

At this point, it doesn't matter.

With a level-4 memory fragmentation, it'll simply continue to degrade.

There's only one course of action-- a system-wide reinitialization.

Start over from scratch.

We are aware of that option.

Would it be possible to expand his memory circuits instead?

Of course.

Schedule it for your next maintenance layover at McKinley Station.

I'm afraid that isn't possible.

We're thousands of light-years from Federation space.

Well, there's nothing more I can do.

Either reinitialize it, or live with the knowledge that eventually this EMH will end up with the intellectual capacity of a parsnip.

What are you saying?

JANEWAY: Bridge to Torres.

I'm here, Captain.

We're approaching the border.

We need your help in Engineering.

I'm on my way.

Doctor-- Zimmerman-- you haven't told us anything that we don't already know.

What I need is to find out exactly why the Doctor's memory circuits are degrading so that we can come up with a solution.

Activate a level-4 diagnostic, or whatever you need to do to get us some answers.

I'll be back as soon as I can.

I... I wish you didn't have to go.

( sighing )

I'll hurry.

I promise.

We're holding position

500,000 kilometers from the border.

I'm ready to go as soon as you give the word, Captain.

All set, Mr. Kim?

I'm ready whenever Lieutenant Torres is.

Bridge to Engineering.

Torres here.

B'Elanna, are you ready to reconfigure the shields

to match Mr. Kim's refraction pulse?

Ready.

Captain, long-range sensors show a large vessel five light-years from our current position.

PARIS: According to my readings, it's huge.

JANEWAY: On screen.

Magnify.

That looks like thousands of ships.

I'm not reading any energy signatures.

Their propulsion systems must be off-line.

Maybe they haven't detected us.

Yet.

All right. Let's get through that sensor net. Harry, go.

Engineering, initiate the refraction pulse.

Pulse is activated.

Moving to full harmonic resolution-- 60 percent.

80 percent.

Ninety...

Maximum resolution. Shields at nominal output.

Mr. Paris, take us through.

Aye, sir.

Here we go.

The net is registering as intact.

If those vessels get the same readings, they won't suspect a thing.

( console beeps )

I think we did it, Captain.

Like a snake through the tube.

How about those ships?

They appear not to have detected us.

They have not powered up engines.

All right.

Let's get through this as fast as we can.

Mr. Paris, what's your recommendation?

I'll try holding warp 9.75 for as long as I can.

If we can sustain that for 12 hours, we'll be nearly a third of the way through.

Mr. Tuvok, keep your eye on those ships.

If they so much as twitch, I want to know it.

Captain... something... is wrong.

What do you mean?

It's like there's a drag on the engines.

Captain, sensors indicate a resonant particle wave.

It's damping our warp field. We're losing speed.

Bridge to Engineering. B'Elanna, can you compensate

for the particle wave?

I'll try.

The antimatter reaction chamber may have been compromised.

Keep me posted.

Hold our present speed, Mr. Paris.

Why are you making me stare at these things?

Please don't talk.

Stay fixed on the fractal patterns while I analyze your data-path integrity.

Hmm...

Hmm?

Ew.

Well, there it is.

What? What is it?

I told you not to talk.

( sighing )

This is the problem, all right.

The personality subroutine has grown to more than 15,000 gigaquads.

That's the source of the degradation.

Look at all this useless information floating around your buffer-- friendships with the crew, relationships with... women?

Do they find you attractive?

I don't remember.

You've filled your memory with nonsense.

It was only during my off hours.

You're supposed to be off during your off hours.

I'm sorry. I... I didn't realize.

( door opening ) Who are you?

I'm the Doctor's assistant.

I came to see how he's doing.

Ah, just the person I need.

Perhaps you can tell me who's been feeding all this useless information into its database.

What do you mean?

I'll give you an example.

Ah! Here's something in its personality subroutine.

♪ O soave fanciulla ♪

♪ O... ♪

He's been studying opera.

What's wrong with that?

It wasn't programmed to be a tenor, it was programmed to be a physician.

What's wrong with wanting to be more than that?

It's superfluous.

Look at me.

I've got the same matrix, the same holo-array, the same neural pathways as it does.

You don't see me cluttering up my circuits with irrelevancies.

I'm content to be the best possible diagnostic program I can be.

Your EMH should be happy to be a fine physician.

The Doctor has taken it upon himself to become a person who grows and learns and feels.

It's made him a better physician.

An EMH program can't feel anything.

It's emotional reactions are simply a series of algorithms designed to make it easier to interact with.

He's much more than that, and I've known him for most of my life.

He's one of my closest friends.

You can't possibly believe that this program shares these feelings.

I know he does.

Tell me, Doctor, is this one of your closest friends?

Doctor?

I'm sorry.

I don't know who you are.

What's the status of those ships, Mr. Tuvok?

Still unpowered.

They don't seem to have detected us.

When I was in high school,

I snuck out of the house a couple of times late at night.

I had to tiptoe past my parents' bedroom.

That's kind of how I feel right now.

You sneaked out of your house?

Where were you going?

Well, I'll have to leave that to your imagination,

Lieutenant.

Can I take a few guesses?

Captain, I'm detecting another ship, not part of the swarm.

It has been damaged.

Propulsion systems are not functional.

Drop out of warp. Put it on screen.

PARIS: Looks like it's been pounded on for days.

Any life signs?

KIM: I'm checking.

Only one, and it's faint.

Transporter Room 1, beam the survivor to Sick Bay.

Harry, start scanning that ship.

See if you can figure out what happened to it.

Aye, Captain.

He's suffering from severe dehydration, damage to the spinal column.

There's evidence of trauma to the nervous system, just like we found in B'Elanna and Tom after they were attacked.

Can I talk to him?

You can try.

I'll work on restoring his cranial nerves, but he's so badly injured I'm not sure it'll help.

He's a sick man.

This is where sick people come.

Doctor, hold onto this tricorder, all right?

Keep it pointed right at the patient.

I'm Kathryn Janeway, the Captain of this ship.

Can you hear me?

Yes.

Can you tell me what happened?

Who attacked you?

There were thousands of them.

Little ships... swarmed around my freighter.

Covered every square meter of the hull.

Then they began extracting energy from all the ship's systems.

We had no defense.

Then they boarded us.

Did they use neuroelectric weapons?

I don't know what they used.

It was painful.

People screaming... dying.

Had you... provoked them in any way?

We were in their space.

That was enough.

Captain, the rest of my crew... is there anyone else?

I'm sorry. You're the only survivor.

This woman is trying to regenerate your motor neurons.

We come from Mislen... five parsecs from here in a yellow dwarf system.

If you pass, will you tell our people?

I'll make a point of it.

It happened so quickly...

( steady tone sounds )

His injuries were too severe.

He's a very sick man.

Captain, the Doctor is getting worse.

He doesn't even know who I am anymore.

He has to be reinitialized.

I agree, but I can't spare B'Elanna now.

We have to get through this space before we're attacked like his ship was.

As soon as it's possible, I'll break her free.

Is there anything at all I can do for him?

The only thing I can think of is to keep his neural pathways active.

Ask him questions. Keep him thinking.

Force him to use his neural matrix.

That might at least slow down the degradation.

Doctor, you mustn't touch those.

Here. This one's all right to hold.

Shall I use it on the sick man?

Yes, that's a good idea.

( instrument whirs )

The pilot of the freighter died.

We should keep going. Mr. Paris...

Captain. I am detecting a vessel.

It's one of the swarm.

PARIS: It was still attached to the freighter's hull.

Red Alert. Shields at maximum.

They are scanning us, Captain.

Hail them.

I am getting a response. Audio only.

( alien language )

Harry, how are you coming with the universal translator?

I'm working on it.

Let's see if they might be able to understand us.

TUVOK: Channel is open.

This is Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation Starship Voyager.

We only want to proceed peacefully through this region of space.

( clicking )

Do you think they're trying to communicate?

Could be, but what they're trying to communicate is another question. Any progress, Harry?

I'm getting a general idea.

It's something like... "Too late.

Should have listened."

Report.

We've been hit with some kind of polaron burst.

TUVOK: The energy expenditure was not high enough to cause any damage.

It may not have been a weapon.

Captain, that little ship is hightailing it out of here.

So it scanned us, sent out a polaron burst that caused no damage, and then took off.

Captain, the burst has changed the shield polarity.

It's now rotating at 92 gigahertz.

That means if anybody wanted to find us, it's a lot easier now.

I'll say. As far as anyone's sensors are concerned, we're lit up like a Christmas tree.

TUVOK: Captain, the swarm of ships has powered their engines and turned toward us.

They are in pursuit.

Do what you can, Tom. We have a head start.

We might be able to outrun them. Bridge to Engineering.

Torres here.

How are you coming with the warp drive, B'Elanna?

I'm going to try realigning the dilithium matrix, but we'll need to shut down the warp drive to do it.

We can't shut down.

The alien ships are headed toward us.

I don't know if I can do this on the run, Captain, but I'll give it a try.

Do the best you can. Janeway out.

Nicoletti, we're going to have to try a dilithium realignment on the fly.

Let's figure out how to do it without killing everyone in Engineering.

I fail to understand why I can't leave this room.

Stand aside, young woman, or I will have you put on report.

Doctor, please, I'm just trying to keep you safe.

Others can leave. You can leave.

Why can't I leave?

Because your holo-projectors don't work in the corridors.

My... what?

Please, sit down.

Doctor, you know I'm your friend, right?

Yes. You're Kes.

Yes. Yes.

Do you remember me?

Of course I remember you.

What an absurd question.

Oh, that's wonderful.

But why won't you let me leave this place?

I'm trying to protect you.

Oh.

Well.

This isn't... such a bad place.

I remember... there were a lot of people here, wounded people.

I asked someone to... state the nature of the medical emergency, and then inquired as to the status of their Chief Medical Officer.

He was dead, and then... everyone disappeared.

I think that's when you were activated almost two years ago.

Oh, surely not. It seems like... last week.

And there was a young woman. I was rubbing her feet.

She was trying to decide whether or not to have a child.

That was me.

How could that be? I've never seen you before.

What else do you remember?

What a very odd question. I remember many things.

Tell me. I enjoy hearing them.

That doesn't seem to be the case.

You find fault with everything I say.

Doctor, don't think that.

You claim you're my friend, but you don't even call me by my name.

That's because you don't have a name.

No name! That's ridiculous! I...

My...

I demand you tell me my name.

Wha-What's happening to me?

Captain, the swarm is gaining on us.

They will be in weapons range within five minutes.

Battle stations.

TUVOK: The ships are now within range, Captain, but I do not detect any indication that they are powering weapons.

Do you have any idea what kind of weapon systems they use?

Negative. Sensors show no weapons signature at all.

They're only a hundred thousand kilometers away now.

Arm all phaser banks.

Aye, Captain.

Captain. Kes, what is it?

The Doctor is getting worse. He's starting to dematerialize.

I'm afraid we're going to lose him completely.

I know B'Elanna is busy, but I wondered if Harry could take a look at him.

I'm sorry, Kes, but we're in the middle of something here and I need every hand at their posts.

KIM: Captain, they're only

40,000 kilometers away. Still no weapons signature.

Changing to evasive pattern gamma-4.

Sick Bay.

Kes to Sick Bay.

How's the Doctor?

WOMAN: No improvement. He's still losing cohesion.

Computer, Deck 6.

Computer, initiate the Jupiter Station Diagnostic Program.

COMPUTER: Jupiter Station Program is activated.

You again. Now what?

The Doctor's program is almost completely degraded.

We're going to lose him.

I'm not sure what you expect me to do about it.

I expect you to help.

That's what you're programmed to do, isn't it?

I have pointed out over and over

I am a diagnostic tool, not an engineer.

You have to try.

You're the only one who can help now.

Young woman, you don't seem to understand.

There are limitations to my programming.

I can't just decide to exceed them.

The Doctor did, so why can't you?

You better start trying because I'm not leaving here until we accomplish something.

It...

He... means a great deal to you, doesn't he?

Yes, he does, so start thinking about his memory circuits his holoprocessors, his database, his matrix...

Why are you looking at me like that?

You told me you had the same matrix as the Doctor.

An adaptive, heuristic matrix, yes.

In order to serve as a diagnostic for all the EMH programs.

Then couldn't your matrix be substituted for his?

I...

I wouldn't have thought of that.

But can it? I'm not sure, but even if it were possible, the same degradation would eventually occur to my matrix.

What if yours were grafted onto his?

Grafted?

In medicine, we sometimes graft portions of a healthy bone onto a diseased one.

It gives the bone solidity until it can heal.

Couldn't we do something like that with your matrices?

Well, it would require synchronous transfer of all the EMH databases and subroutines.

Not an easy process, mind you, but I...

I suppose we could try.

Good. Let's get started.

I must point out that you would no longer have a diagnostic program for the EMH.

If we don't do this, we won't have an EMH to diagnose.

Hmm. Good point.

You'll have to return to Sick Bay and transfer my program there.

Thank you, Dr. Zimmerman.

Don't be premature.

I have no idea if this is going to work.

Captain, our shield strength just went to zero.

How could that happen?

Each one of those little ships is emitting an interferometric pulse.

They're modulating in opposition to our shield frequencies, completely canceling them out.

All right, that's enough.

Tuvok, give them a phaser sweep with the forward array.

Don't destroy any of them.

Just let them know we're not going to sit here like ducks.

Aye, Captain.

What was that?

The interferometric pulses they're emitting?

They've reflected the energy of the phasers right back to us.

Anything we fire is going to affect us instead of them.

What about a photon torpedo?

Since our shield strength is nonexistent,

I would not recommend it.

They're only 7,000 kilometers away and still coming.

Harry, start analyzing those interferometric pulses.

See if there's any pattern, any code to them.

We might be able to find a weakness.

I'm on it.

I'm increasingly dubious as to the outcome of this effort.

The EMH pathways are seriously degraded.

They might not accept a matrix overlay.

We have to try.

Please hurry.

I assure you I am working as quickly as I can.

If I don't prepare the multitronic paths properly, there's no chance of success.

It's going to work, Doctor. I'm sure of it.

What is?

( sighs )

Very well.

We're as ready as we'll ever be.

I've programmed the computer to install my heuristic matrix onto the EMH primary circuitry.

We'll both have to be taken off-line for the overlay to be made.

After the reinitialization occurs, you should activate the Emergency Medical Hologram.

I understand.

You realize there will be no second chance.

After this, I will no longer exist.

Well, it's been a brief existence, but apparently a noble one.

Computer, initiate program Zimmerman Alpha-1.

COMPUTER: Matrix overlay program is active.

Please stand by.

Captain, they're right on top of us.

I can't shake them.

Captain, they are clamping onto our hull.

They're starting to drain our systems.

KIM: Captain, I've got a pattern on the interferometric pulses.

It's a lattice connecting all the ships to each other.

All right, here's what we're going to do-- turn those pulses right back on them.

Tuvok, lock phasers on their nearest ship.

If we can destroy one of them, there's every chance the interferometric pulse that links them together will cause a chain reaction.

But the phaser fire will be reflected back toward us.

Harry, modulate our shield frequency to an inverse harmonic of the pulse.

That should allow the phasers to hit the ship.

( yelling )

Ship's phasers are locked on a target, Captain.

Tuvok, Harry, do it.

TUVOK: The swarm of ships has disbanded, Captain.

They are moving away.

KIM: Shields are back to full strength.

Good work, everyone. Now let's get out of here.

It seems to be taking forever.

That's to be expected. It's a complex procedure.

Dr. Zimmerman said he didn't know if our doctor would be restored to his original programming or if he'd regain the memories of the past two years.

I think, at this point, we'd be glad to have him back no matter what.

COMPUTER: Zimmerman program Alpha-1 is now complete.

Computer, activate emergency medical holographic program.

Please state the nature of the medical emergency.

It worked.

Doctor, I am so glad to see you.

Are you ill, young woman?

No. N-No, there's no emergency.

I, uh... I just wanted to see if you were all right.

It is very irresponsible to make such frivolous use of the EMH.

Where's your Chief Medical Officer?

We don't have one.

Actually, I have an awful headache.

A headache?

Nurse, tricorder.

You're the nurse?

In a way.

Humph. This woman has a mild inflammation of the occipital tissues.

Hardly enough to complain about, but I'm willing to give you a mild analgesic.

Thank you.

Get me the vasoconstrictor and prepare a hypospray with three percent hydrocortilene.

Yes, Doctor.

( Doctor humming "O soave fanciulla" )

( humming continues )

♪ In te, vivo ravviso ♪

♪ Il sogno ch'io vorrei ♪

♪ Sempre sognar... ♪