Act Twelve
| Geordie and Barclay are walking through the Enterprise- E.
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| Geordie | So you’re saying we will need to install a third nacelle to create the warp field structure needed.
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| Barclay | Yes, and as it happens there are several nacelles in the Mars shipyards from damaged ships which we can use. There is also a pair of spare nacelles that were for the Enterprise -E’s sister ship which has still not been built. All being well, we’ll only need to build one more when we return.
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| Geordie | I sure hope so.
You spent a lot of time in holographic developments, Koning says he studied one of your papers at the academy.
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| Barclay | I don’t like to brag.
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| Geordie | I mentioned before that Holodeck three is still playing up, do you have time to have a look?
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| Barclay | Certainly.
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| Geordie | LaForge to Koning, can you report to Holodeck three.
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| Koning | (via comm badge) Acknowledged Commander, I’m on my way.
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| Cut to scene of the two entering Holodeck three. Koning is already there.
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| Barclay | Is it any particular programme?
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| Koning | It’s not any particular programme. We discovered it during a battle bridge simulation but it seems to be more related to the amount of photons we use in a programme, the bigger the programme the more distortions.
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| Barclay | Mmm, interesting, is it on any other holodeck?
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| Koning | Well, yes but not as extreme. Even with the same programmes.
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| Barclay | Have you looked at the whole Electromagnetic spectrum.
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| Koning | I’m sorry sir, we just presumed it was normal light wavelengths.
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| Barclay | Ordinarily, light does not interfere with other EM wavelengths, but under holodeck emitters the whole EM range can be subject to resonant effects but only if there are external forcing waves.
Geordie’s old visor might have picked it up.
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| Barclay opens a tricorder and proceeds to scan the room.
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| Barclay | Would you mind running the battle bridge simulation?
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| Geordie | Computer run battle bridge simulation La Forge zero two.
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| Computer | Acknowledged.
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| The battle bridge blurs into view and a battle simulation takes place. Barclay wanders around the scene tricorder extended.
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| Barclay | I can see some seepage by two of the rear emitters. Would you mind carrying on with the simulation so as I can monitor the energy fluctuations as the programme evolves.
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| Koning | Certainly sir.
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| Koning sits at a console and starts giving out orders to the computer to take evasive action.
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| Geordie | Have you found something Reg?
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| Barclay | No, just a theory, would you mind joining in the simulation, it might be to do with organic matter as well as photonic energy.
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| Geordie | I’ve never heard of that before but if you say so.
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| Geordie sits at another console and starts reading out various statistics.
Barclay walks around behind them and puts his other hand on his phase shifting device. Casually he turns a dial. He stands still for a moment as three Jem Hadar soldiers come into view. They look Barclay straight in the eye. Barclay swallows and continues scanning with his tricorder. He slowly turns the dial on his phase device counter clockwise and continues walking around scanning, the Jem Hadar soldiers phase out of view.
After a minute or so Barclay closes his tricorder.
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| Barclay | Yes, that’s it. I think the emitters need replacing with model 75X. The confines of the space dock are causing resonance bursts of photonic energy when large programmes are engaged.
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| Koning | (clearly puzzled) I’m sorry sir? We replaced the emitters two days ago.
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| Barclay | With model 75Xs?
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| Koning | No sir.
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| Barclay | Then do it.
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| Barclay exits the holodeck and Geordie runs after him.
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| Geordie | What was all that about?
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| Barclay | You’ll find it’ll work trust me.
Computer, where is Captain Riker?
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| Computer | Captain Riker is in his ready room.
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| Barclay | Thank you, Geordie, would you come with me, we need to discuss the engine alignment with Captain Riker.
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| Geordie | OK, if you say so.
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| Barclay | I do.
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| Cut to scene of Barclay and Geordie entering the bridge from the turbo lifts. Barclay looks around at the engineering crew and notes their welding torches. He walks over to the ready room doors and signals to enter. Cut to internal scene of Captain Riker’s ready room.
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| Riker | Enter.
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| Barclay and Geordie enter, Riker stands up to greet them. Barclay goes over to Riker’s chest of drawers and pretends to admire them.
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| Barclay | O, you’ve got the new brushed aluminium spectral furnishings, I just love the way the light turns into little rainbows off the edges.
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| Geordie and Riker look at each other as if to say ‘has he gone mad?’
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| Geordie | I’m sorry Will, he was like this in the holodeck, the Reg of hold seems to have come back.
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| Barclay plays with a drawer, sliding it in and out.
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| Riker | Reg, are you OK?
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| Barclay | O I’m fine, do you mind if I open this drawer?
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| Riker | There’s personal effects in there.
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| Barclay | O.. OK, what about this one?
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| Riker | My sidearm phaser is in that.
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| Barclay | O…OK
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| Barclay moves one hand to his phase shifter, presses a button on the side and then turns the dial.
Slowly three Jem Hadar soldiers come into view as Barclay opens the draw. One soldier is at Riker’s side and one at Geordie’s. As they realise the situation both Riker and Geordie wrestle the soldiers to the ground and Barclay snatches Riker’s phaser from the drawer and fires a blast at the third who falls to the ground. Riker punches his soldier several times in the face but is kicked off through the air. He lands next to the next dead soldier and instantly picks up the Jem Hadar rifle. He shoots and the second soldier falls dead. Geordie is still wrestling with the third as Riker jumps over to assist, as Riker drags the third soldier up off Geordie the rifle is knocked from his hand. Riker kicks the soldier in the stomach who bends over in pain and then Riker brings his clasped hands down on the back of the Jem Hadar’s head. The Jem Hadar falls face down to the ground but next to a rifle. He picks it up and spins onto his back to shoot Riker. Barclay fires a second phaser beam and the third soldier is killed.
Riker walks over to Geordie.
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| Riker | Are you OK?
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| Geordie | Yes (holding the side of his head) but I’m sure Beverley could make me even better.
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| Riker | Well done Reg!
Now would someone please tell me what’s going on?
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| Barclay | Well, it was in the holodeck I realised that phase shifting can bend light in the same way as gravity. I wondered whether the phase shifting of my equipment in the lab was interfering with the Enterprise’s holodeck. But when I checked for the variance it was 0.666 seconds. So either my equipment was malfunctioning or somebody else was out of phase and observing the holodeck.
That’s when I went behind you Commander to observe the holodeck simulation so as I could phase to 0.666 without you seeing me disappear. When I saw the Jem Hadar soldiers I almost cried. Luckily they were too busy watching you, I guess science isn’t too high up their school curriculum.
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| Riker | I think the only science they learn is biology, and which bits to shoot to kill quickest.
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| Barclay | That’s when I figured to come up here and I enlarged the phase field so as both of you would also be able to see them. At the moment the rest of the crew can’t see us but we can see the Jem Hadar.
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| Riker | Right we need to establish how many there are, whether it is just a few observation troops or whether there are whole armies waiting in the rest of Spacedock.
The first priority is to gain control of the bridge. Reg, on my command return us back to normal space, Geordie will pick up a phaser from the engineering console, and I will have my sidearm, Reg if you please.
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| Riker takes his phaser and straps it to his belt.
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| Riker | Reg, pick up a Jem Hadar rifle and on my signal I want you to come into the bridge and phase it to 0.666.
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| Barclay | OK.
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| Barclay goes over and picks up a rifle and holds it behind his back.
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| Riker | Right Reg, phase us back.
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| Barclay twirls the dial and the Jem Hadar bodies disappear.
Geordie and Riker leave the ready room in animated pretend conversation. Geordie walks over to the engineering position and asks the cadet to move aside. Geordie opens a panel and picks out a hand phaser.
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| Geordie | What’s this doing here?
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| Riker | Lieutenant Barclay could you come here a moment.
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| Barclay walk into the doorway between the bridge and the ready room.
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| Riker | Its time for our surprise.
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| Barclay | Yes sir.
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| Barclay twirls the dial again and a Jem Hadar soldier phases into view.
As the crew back off scared and the Jem Hadar looks on puzzled Geordie stuns him with a blast from his phaser.
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| Riker | Its OK everyone, we’ve discovered that we have a few visitors, we need to alert the rest of starfleet.
Reg, takes us back again.
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| Geordie | Reg, could we realign the ship’s defector to increase the phase variance space, say to the whole of Spacedock?
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| Barclay | Why yes Commander. That’s an excellent idea.
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| Riker | Right but we need to be ready for them.
Simpson, open a channel to all ships in and around Spacedock.
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| Barclay | Excuse me Captain Riker, two things, as we’re out of phase with the rest of Spacedock they won’t be able to hear us, and two, I think we should secure my laboratory before we do anything rash.
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| Riker | Agreed, I’m just going to prepare the ground. Bridge crew maintain absolute silence on this. Barclay phase us back in.
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| Barclay turns the dial on the device.
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| Simpson | Channel open sir.
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| Riker | Attention all ships, this is Captain Riker of the Enterprise.
I thought it might be useful if were all to try a little exercise.
I was in the bar last night with every other Captain, and one or two admirals and I bet a whole weeks shore leave and a bottle of Romulan ale for every crew member that the Enterprise crew could get to battle stations with a fully dressed and quartermastered crew quicker than any other ship in the fleet let alone Spacedock.
Of course there was one or two captains who agreed straight away that they couldn’t match us but others seemed to think that the bet was theirs to be won. Well ladies and gentlemen who’s up for it, let’s call it the Trojan Horse Spacedock bet?
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| Cut to scene of other ships bridges standing still with confused Captains and senior officers listening to the address. Cut to scene of Enterprise bridge.
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| Simpson | Sir, Admiral Picard is signalling you.
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| Riker | Put him through.
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| Picard | Will, what’s the meaning of this?
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| Riker | I’m sorry sir, I know you weren’t in the bar last night but I’m sure you’ll remember your academy days where silly bets were the norm. And I’m sure you’ll remember the story of the Trojan Horse and not being ready, I just thought it might be a good time for an unexpected exercise.
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| Picard | The Trojan Horse bet.
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| Riker | Yes sir, the Trojan Horse bet.
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| Picard | Very well, carry on then, there’s a bottle of champagne to the winning captain, on my mark, go.
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| Cut to scene of furious activity on board several different ships Captains bark out order to drop everything and prepare ‘this is a drill, battle stations’ is rung. People are running up corridors, putting on protective clothing, armour and slinging phaser rifles over their shoulders. Cut to scene of Enterprise where similar scenes are taking place and then cut to the bridge.
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| Simpson | Two minutes and the Ulysses, the Hawk and the Spitfire have reported ready sir.
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| Riker | Shelby, Data and Casey, who else.
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| Simpson | Sir, Enterprise is now at battle stations.
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| Riker | Well done crew, how much longer do you need Geordie.
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| Geordie | Another few seconds and we will have adjusted the main deflector sir.
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| Riker | Good.
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| Simpson | The Excelsior, Thunderbird and Starburst, report ready.
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| Riker | Nearly there. How many tourists are there aboard the museum ships.
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| Simpson | Spacedock report they beamed off all the tourists within 30 seconds of the drill starting.
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| Riker | Good, I hope the ships stay safe.
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| Simpson | All ships report ready.
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| Barclay | We’re ready sir.
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| Riker | Open a channel to all ships.
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| Simpson | Aye aye sir. Channel open.
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| Riker | Well done everybody that was less than three minutes, the drinks will be on me. Congratulations Captain Shelby, you run an even more efficient ship than I.
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| Shelby | Did you expect anything else?
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| Riker | No I suppose not. I do have one more surprise for everyone though.
Mr Barclay, engage.
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| Barclay | Aye Aye sir.
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| Barclay and Geordie press various buttons on science control panel. Cut to external scene of Enterprise in Spacedock, the main deflector gently glows and then five Jem Hadar ships appear. Cut to scene Enterprise bridge.
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| Riker | Riker to all ships, the Jem Hadar have invaded Spacedock and our ships by using a phased cloaking technology, we have just uncloaked them, attack at will.
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| Cut to scene of massive firefights on board other ships,
Cut to external scene with the Jem Hadar ships beginning to turn and power up their weapons.
Cut to scene of Enterprise- E bridge.
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| Riker | Target those ships and fire!
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| Jurgen | Firing phasers! Direct hits on two ships, the Spitfire has fired on another, the Ulysses has been hit by a Jem Hadar ship.
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| Riker | Keep firing, destroy those ships!
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| Jurgen | The Spitfire has destroyed a Jem Hadar ship, firing phasers, two ships have been disabled. The Ulysses is still under attack at point blank range.
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| Riker | Well start attacking those ships.
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| Jurgen | Yes sir, phasers locked, firing, direct hits! The Jem Hadar ships have been disabled.
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| Riker | Right, Geordie you have the bridge start making any repairs necessary.
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| Geordie | Aye Aye Captain.
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| Riker | Barclay, you’re with me, security send a detail to transporter room one.
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| Riker and Barclay make their way to transporter room one where they are joined by the six person security detail.
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| Jones | Captain, there are firefights on Decks 2 to 12, shouldn’t we continue to aid our colleagues.
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| Riker | Believe me we are Lieutenant Jones. Beam us to Laboratory 4 on Spacedock main column, level 69.
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| The away team dissolve in the normal transporter pattern.
Cut to scene of outer corridor to Laboratory, a firefight is taking place some distance away.
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| Riker | Follow me. Set phasers to kill.
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| Riker and team stalk down the corridor to the laboratory doors, using hand signals Riker orders two of the team to enter as he opens the door via the control on the wall. As the door opens the two security officers are instantly hit with energy blasts and sent flying into the opposite bulkhead. Riker and another crouch and spin into the doorway spraying phaser fire around.
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| Riker | Charge!!
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| The rest of the detail storm into the room and spread out exchanging fire with six Jem Hadar. The firefight continues for a few moments with fatalities and injuries on both sides. The Jem Hadar are overcome.
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| Riker | Patel, Johnson, check out the other rooms. Anderras assists Jacobs (An injured colleague, Riker bends over another fallen comrade).
Riker to sick bay, prepare for incoming casualties. Riker to transport control, beam the injured crew directly to sickbay.
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| The two injured crew fade into the usual transporter signal. Patel and Johnson return and confirm the other areas are secure.
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| Riker | Riker to Lieutenant Barclay, the laboratory is secure, would you like to beam over and check your equipment.
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| Barclay | Yes, I’ll be there in a moment.
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| Riker | Good, Riker to LaForge, status report.
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| Geordie | The Jem Hadar ships have been destroyed or disabled, the Ulysses has been badly hit, they are venting plasma, the crew are trying to prevent a warp core breach.
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| Riker | A warp core breach?
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| Geordie | They think they can get it under control, however, there are signs that Spacedock itself is now under attack.
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| Riker | How is that possible? We should be invisible to enemy sensors.
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| Geordie | Unless there are more phased Jem Hadar ships outside space dock; I’m reading 150 attack ships and one dreadnought approaching from the Montydomes in New San Francisco.
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| Riker | Geordie, open the Spacedock doors and alert everyone to be ready, get somebody to crew the museum ships as well.
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| Geordie | What have you got in mind?
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| Riker | I’ll let you know when we know the status of Barclay’s work.
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| Barclay beams into the laboratory and is stunned at the damage around, there are sparking cables and a band of light smoke across the room.
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| Barclay | O my word.
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| Riker | We should check you’re ‘equipment’.
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| Barclay | Yes.
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| Barclay takes out the device and starts twirling the dial and switches the button. The equipment phases into view and Barclay begins to examine it.
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| Riker | Good, I was half expecting some Jem Hadar to be in this time phase as well sabotaging the equipment.
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| Barclay | Well, it all seems OK.
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| Riker | Well, we need to get it out of here as there’s a large Jem Hadar force outside Spacedock and a ship which might explode within Spacedock in the next few minutes. Can you convert all this to normal time?
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| Barclays | We always had to in order to transport it to the gamma quadrant.
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| Riker | Well do it then!
Riker to Captain Data, are you in a position to receive your consignment a little early?
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| Data | Captain Riker, we have cleared space in cargo bay two for Lieutenant Barclay’s equipment.
Captain are you aware of the Dominion attack fleet outside Spacedock?
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| Riker | Yes, that’s why I want to send this stuff to you, phase our ships back to normal time and let Spacedock blow up in phased space.
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| Data | An excellent plan captain, there will be a sub space ripple emanating from the explosion into our space-time continuum, possibly causing mild tectonic activity on earth, but nothing our ship’s shields cannot cope with. I shall inform our transporter team.
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| The equipment fades one by one in transporter patterns. Barclay joins the last item and beams to the Hawk.
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| Riker | Riker to Enterprise, three to beam back.
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| Simpson | Acknowledged.
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| Riker and the two remaining security detail beam to the Enterprise, Riker makes his way to the bridge.
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| Riker | Open a channel to the Ulysses.
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| Simpson | Channel open.
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| Riker | Captain Shelby, its time for a big decision.
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| Shelby | Always ready for them Captain Riker.
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| Riker | There’s a large Dominion force perched outside Spacedock, our best bet is to phase ships back into normal space and let them exit Spacedock and rendezvous at the shipyards above Mars. My guess is that some Dominion ships will chase us there in normal space but we’d have enough time and explosive power to destroy the dreadnought if we blow up the Spacedock, that’s where the Ulysses comes in.
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| Shelby | I understand. I’ve made my decision, how long do you need?
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| Riker | Two minutes should be more than enough, we’ll engage in a firefight outside Spacedock to give cover, can you patch your countdown to the Spitfire, Excelsior and ourselves. We’ll provide covering fire. We’ll also convert each ship to normal space as they leave Spacedock.
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| Shelby | We’ll have to move quick, which ship should my crew start evacuating to?
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| Riker | Can you split them among the museum ships? They may be useful later.
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| Shelby | Agreed. I’m initiating self destruct sequence, it’ll take about 25 seconds for the command codes. Shelby out.
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| Cut to scene of Ulysses bridge, steam and fire are coming from various panels.
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| Shelby | Now here this, this is the captain speaking, we are going to evacuate the ship immediately, move immediately to your disembarkment transport sight, serial numbers beginning 1 and 2 are to beam to the original Enterprise, get her under way and rendezvous at the Mars shipyards. The same applies to serial numbers 3 and 4 who are to beam to the Enterprise A, serial numbers 5 and 6 are to beam to the Enterprise – D, serial numbers 7 and 8 are to beam to…
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| Cut to scene of Enterprise- E bridge.
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| Riker | Attention all ships, this is a priority one coded message, we are to exit Spacedock immediately, we will phase each ship back to normal space as it exits Spacedock, the rendezvous will be the shipyards above Mars. The Hawk will leave first. The Spitfire and Excelsior next, but they will remain above Spacedock to engage the Dominion fleet and allow safe passage for the other vessels, we will then exit in alphabetical order.
We have 2 minutes to get this done.
Lets move out!
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| Cut to external scene of Enterprise E rotating within Spacedock. The Hawk approaches the Spacedock door which is already open. The Enterprise’s deflector fires a beam at the Hawk which phases between spaces. It then exits Spacedock and Impulses off to Mars. The Spitfire and Excelsior exit side by side and start firing weapons left and right and peel away to each side of the Spacedock. The next ship approaches the doorway and again the Enterprise’s deflector beam fires a beam sending the ship into normal space.
Cut to scene of Ulysses bridge, Shelby is talking to a computer console with her senior officers at her side.
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| Shelby | Authorisation Shelby, command code confirm, zeta, nine, nine, alpha.
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| Computer | Authorisation confirmed. Self destruct sequence activated, two minute countdown.
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| Shelby | Lets get the hell out of here.
Shelby to Riker, the fuse is set.
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| Riker | Acknowledged, the countdown has come up on our screens.
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| Cut to scene of Ulysses transporter room beaming crew to other ships.
Cut to scene of Enterprise -A being warmed up by the makeshift Ulysses crew and breaking free of its moorings and making its way to the doorway.
Cut to external scene of Spacedock with Jem Hadar attack ships swarming around and being fought by the Spitfire and Excelsior.
Cut to scene of Enterprise -E bridge.
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| Riker | Shelby, how are you doing?
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| Shelby | We’d let you know if there was a problem.
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| Riker | We have 50 seconds to get 5 ships out of here!
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| Shelby | All my crew are off, we’re just warming up the Enterprise -D now, you concentrate on the other ships, we’ll be out in 35 seconds.
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| Riker | That’s cutting it close.
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| Shelby | We’ll be there.
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| Cut to external scene of another ship leaving Spacedock as the Enterprise’s deflector fires a beam at it.
Cut back to Enterprise – E’s bridge.
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| Simpson | Message from Captain Lu sir.
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| Riker | Put it through.
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| Lu | Captain Riker, it would seem some of the Jem Hadar have phased back into normal space and are pursing the ships to Mars.
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| Riker | What about the dreadnought?
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| Lu | That’s a negative, the Spitfire is really teasing it.
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| Riker | Good, I’m sure Casey will bring it to our lair at the right moment.
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| Computer | Self destruct sequence of the Ulysses will complete in 30 seconds.
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| Simpson | Just the Kennedy, Enterprise -D and ourselves left sir. The Kennedy is moving into position as the Enterprise – D is still at station keeping.
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| Riker | Riker to Shelby, you’ve got less than 30 seconds.
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| Shelby | We’ll be ready.
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| Riker | We won’t stay if you’re not ready.
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| Shelby | I know, now will you just leave us alone!
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| Simpson | The Kennedy is away sir.
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| Riker | Right, move us out as well, keep an eye out for the Enterprise -D, we’ll give the Excelsior a hand while we’re waiting for Shelby.
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| Simpson | Aye aye sir,
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| Cut to external scene of Enterprise-E leaving Spacedock and firing weapons. The Enterprise destroys two Jem Hadar attack fighters as the dreadnought looms into view pursuing the spitfire.
Cut to scene of the Enterprise – E bridge.
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| Geordie | What the f…….
Is he crazy, how does he hope to out manoeuvre the guns on that dreadnought.
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| Riker | I don’t think he is Geordie, he’s bringing the dreadnought to the Spacedock.
I don’t suppose the Kobymashi Maru was much of a test for him then.
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| Simpson | The Enterprise -D is free of its moorings and beginning to move.
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| Computer | Self destruct of the Ulysses in 10 seconds, 9 seconds, 8 seconds.
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| Riker | Shelby, get the hell out of there!
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| Cut to scene of Enterprise -D moving towards the door as the countdown reaches.
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| Computer | Four seconds, three seconds, two seconds. One seconds. Auto destruct sequence complete.
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| The Ulysses explodes as the Enterprise-D jumps to impulse out of the doors, it is surrounded by flames as it whooshes away.
The dreadnought is just about on top of Spacedock as the entire thing explodes engulfing and destroying it. The Spitfire is badly damaged and tumbles away, surfing on the crest of the explosion wave.
Cut to scene of Enterprise – E bridge.
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| Riker | Get a tractor beam on the spitfire, get us both into normal space and tow it to Mars with us.
Riker to Shelby, I have to take my hat off to you, timing to make an impression always was a strong point of yours
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| Shelby | Next time I’ll be early, on second thoughts let’s not have a next time.
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| Riker | Prepare to phase back to normal space.
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| Shelby | Acknowledged.
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| Cut to external scene of the 3 ships phasing back to normal space with the destroyed Spacedock and dreadnought disappearing.
The ships head for Mars
Cut to bridge of Enterprise-E.
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| Simpson | There are 24 Jem Hadar and 5 Cardasian ships attacking the fleet and shipyards.
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| Riker | Riker to Casey, we’re going to cut you adrift, we need to help out at Mars. We’ll be back later.
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| Casey | Understood. Good Luck, wish we could join you.
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| Riker | Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll get another crack, you’ve done a great job with that dreadnought.
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| Casey | It was nothing old chap, it was your plan and Captain Shelby’s sacrifice of the Ulysses, I just tempted them to the party. Anyway, no time to chat you’ve got to get to Mars.
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| Riker | Agreed. Riker out.
Mr Simpson maximum impulse power.
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| Simpson | Aye aye sir.
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| Cut to external scene of Enterprise – E and -D heading to Mars.
Cut to scene of dogfight, the Jem Hadar are attacking the Hawk, the Enterprises enter the battles attacking the pursuing Jem Hadar ships
Cut to Enterprise -E bridge.
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| Riker | Riker to Data, what is your status?
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| Data | Shields are at 23% and dropping, we appear to be the prime focus of the Jem Hadar at present, I deduce they are aware of our cargo.
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| Riker | Don’t worry, we’ll do our best to get them off your back.
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| Data | Your assistance is most appreciated.
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| Simpson | Captain, another vessel is approaching at Warp nine point eight. It is a Federation vessel, sir….it is the Defiant.
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| Riker | What the?
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| Cut to external scene of the Defiant jumping out of Warp and approaching the dogfight with weapons blazing
Cut to scene of Enterprise -E bridge.
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| Riker | Is it ours or theirs?
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| Simpson | It is not responding to hails sir.
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| Riker | In that case presume the Defiant to be hostile and open fire!
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Act Thirteen
| Sisko is seated in the Captain’s chair of the Defiant. Worf, Kira, Bashir and Dax are there along with the Warder and the guards who are at the rear of the bridge.
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| Sisko | What is our ETA at the wormhole Dax?
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| Dax | 45 minutes sir.
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| Sisko | What are the status of the ships systems Worf?
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| Worf | Engines are at 63% power, Warp Factor nine point seven. All systems except communications are operating within normal parameters.
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| Sisko | Julian, are there any problems in the medical facilities.
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| Warder | Why are you doing this Captain?
|
| Sisko | It is starfleet regulations to make periodic checks on all ship’s functions, at the start of a mission, at regular periods throughout a voyage and before major events – such as navigating the wormhole.
|
| Warder | You will have an uneventful journey Captain, the Dominion know your course and mission so you won’t need to communicate with them. They will be waiting for our arrival at the wormhole. I have some good news for you. The Dominion have decided to make your ship the point ship which will lead the way for the Armada to the Terran system, after we have restored the wormhole of course. And just in case any of your crew decide to alert the Federation on the other side of the wormhole we have deactivated all your communication devices.
|
| Sisko | Of course.
|
| Sisko looks at Worf and raises his eyebrow, Worf acknowledges the intonation.
|
|
| Sisko | May I check what I have to ask the Wormhole Aliens again?
|
| Warder | I’m pleased that you’re taking your new responsibilities so well.
|
| Sisko | I understand the nature of things now.
|
| Sisko holds his side.
|
|
| Sisko | We will enter the wormhole and proceed to the mid point of the tunnel.
I will then make contact with the aliens and explain the need to restore the wormhole’s original configuration.
I will explain that the Dominion wish them no harm and want simply to pass normally into the Alpha quadrant, the Dominion pose no threat and will leave Bajor in particular alone.
If challenged on my allegiance it is no longer a matter for them to concern themselves with.
|
| Warder | Very good Ben.
|
| Cut to external scene of Defiant passing through warp space with stars streaming past.
Cut to scene of Defiant jumping out of warp and approaching the wormhole. The wormhole is very large and permanently open. A massive armada has formed with some twenty or more dreadnoughts amongst hundreds of smaller attack ships. Cut to scene of Defiant’s bridge.
|
|
| Warder | A beautiful sight!
|
| Sisko | Its certainly impressive.
|
| Warder | And they’re waiting for your help.
|
| Sisko | Well lets see what we can do for them. Dax lay in a course for the Wormhole.
|
| Dax | Aye aye Captain.
|
| Cut to external scene of the Defiant tracing out an arcing course and entering the wormhole. Cut to scene of Defiant’s bridge.
|
|
| Sisko | Bring us to a halt at the mid point Dax.
|
| Dax | I’m having trouble identifying the mid point. The distortions to the wormhole appears to have changed its internal dimensions as well.
|
| Sisko | I’ll settle for your best guess. We may be waiting here some time.
|
| Dax | I’ll use time as an approximation to length, normal passage through the wormhole is 2 minutes, so 1 minute is my best guess. Coming to a full stop.
|
| Sisko | Good, station keeping thrusters only.
I’m sorry, now its up to the prophe…sorry the wormhole aliens, it may be a minute, an hour or a day before they listen to my request.
|
| Warder | We’ve been waiting 9 months, we can wait a bit longer, besides we know the Federation already knows it has lost the war, we just need to win it before they go and do something foolish.
|
| Sisko | I don’t understand.
|
| Warder | Yours is not to reason why.
|
| Sisko | But to do or die.
|
| Warder | Precisely.
|
| Cut to a new scene of the bridge (time has passed)
|
|
| Kira | Captain, I’m reading a new energy signature, make that two, from astern.
|
| Sisko | That’s unusual, normally there’s no warning.
|
| Warder | We’ve been here four hours. They are dreadnoughts who have orders to ensure your mission completes or to destroy the wormhole, aliens and all. Call it an insurance policy.
|
| Sisko | The aliens normally speak quicker if I bring them an orb.
|
| Warder | Well we do not have an orb. I suggest you try harder.
|
| Sisko | I’ll try.
|
| Sisko gets out of his seat and starts to shout.
|
|
| Sisko | Why have you forsaken me?
I want to speak with you, it is important to my new friends.
|
| Suddenly Sisko is transported to the realm of the prophets. There is no background just pure white. Sisko searches around looking for signs. He runs and still there is no detail. Sisko stops running and listens. There is a noise, not very distinguishable, but it is the sound of water running. Sisko looks down and he is standing in a shallow stream.
|
|
| Sisko | What does this mean?
|
| Warder | What do you want it to mean?
|
| Sisko | I don’t understand.
|
| Warder | The Emissary has sought the prophets for a reason.
What does the stream represent?
|
| Sisko | The Emissary is here on a mission.
|
| Warder | For who?
|
| Sisko | I’ve forgotten.
|
| Warder | And the stream?
|
| Sisko | Its made of water, flowing water. Water is necessary for life.
|
| Warder | How linear of you.
The Emissary’s time is soon.
|
| Sisko looks down at the stream and sees the stream is in fact flowing in a circle.
|
|
| Sisko | How can this stream be flowing in a circle?
|
| Warder | Does the Emissary and the prophets commune in linear time?
|
| Sisko | The water represents time AND life!
|
| Warder | The Emissary is perceptive.
|
| Sisko | Water can be frozen and stopped whilst other water continues to move.
|
| Warder | We were wise to choose you as the Emissary.
|
| Sisko | There is danger, others mean you harm, they have powerful weapons in your land.
|
| Warder | They are of no consequence, they are frozen and moved to another stream, as I and my friends are.
|
| Sisko | Does this mean I can move streams as well.
|
| Warder | The Emissary does not need to move streams, he has a stream that joins ours.
|
| Sisko looks down and is standing in a straight stream which joins the circular stream.
|
|
| Sisko | Is this my future path?
|
| Warder | Your future path is your future choice.
|
| Sisko | I know what I must do.
|
| Sisko returns to the Defiant’s bridge.
|
|
| Worf | Captain, are you all right?
|
| Sisko | Yes.
|
| Sisko turns to look at Worf and sees the Warder and guards have been frozen in time.
|
|
| Sisko | It would seem the prophets have other plans for our friends.
|
| Bashir approaches the warder, medical tricorder scanning. He puts it away and removes the cloak from the warder’s head to reveal a woman’s face.
|
|
| Bashir | Well, I’ll be.
Captain, my tricorder is not picking up any lifesigns, if I had only biological instruments, I would pronounce her dead. As it is my tricorder indicates that time has frozen in her localised region of space.
|
| Sisko | What do the sensors show for the dreadnoughts?
|
| Dax | Exactly the same Captain, the region of space occupied by the Dominion ships has no time signature.
|
| Sisko | Right, lets beam our friends aboard the dreadnoughts, then tow the two ships port, mark 090 degrees for,…….for as far as we can. Then engage cloaking device and let us sneak out of the wormhole and head for Earth maximum warp.
|
| Dax | Aye aye Captain.
|
| Cut to external scene of the Defiant manoeuvring through the wormhole and cloaking itself.
|
Act Fourteen
| The Defiant is being fired upon by the Enterprise -E as it makes a strafing run over the Hawk.
Cut to scene of Enterprise -E bridge.
|
|
| Riker | Can we tap into the Defiant’s systems and disengage their shields?
|
| Patel | Negative sir, the command codes have been updated since our last records.
|
| Riker | What is he doing?
|
| Patel | The Defiant’s phasers are operating at 1/100th power sir? Only superficial damage is being done to the Hawk
|
| Riker | But he’s preventing other Jem Hadar ships taking pot shots!
Gunner, change phaser setting to 1/100th power and continue firing at the Defiant, Arm quantum torpedoes and target the Jem Hadar fighters!
|
| Cut to external scene of ships in fight. The Defiant and Enterprise exchanging blanks whilst obscuring the Hawk. Slowly the Jem Hadar ships are destroyed with the loss of the Excelsior and Exeter.
Cut to bridge scene of Enterprise -E.
|
|
| Riker | Riker to all ships, the last Jem Hadar ship has been destroyed, stand down from battle stations.
Simpson, do you remember Morse code?
|
| Simpson | Yes sir, it was an early form of communication by telegraph, sound or light, made up of different lengths, dots and dashes, to represent different letters.
|
| Riker | Use the external lights to signal ‘well done and welcome home’ to the Defiant.
|
| Simpson starts playing at dials on his console. Cut to external scene of Enterprise and the lights flashing on and off at different intervals. Cut to scene of the Defiant.
|
|
| Sisko | Have you worked it out yet?
|
| Dax | Not yet sir, I would need to know the underlying code structure to hazard a guess.
|
| Bashir | No problem Dax, its old Morse code. The Enterprise signals ‘Well done and welcome home’
|
| Sisko | Its good to be back. Julian can you assist Dax and signal back, ‘Thanks, its good to be back’
|
| Bashir | My pleasure Captain
|
Act Fifteen
| Picard, Data, Riker, Geordie and Barclay are surveying the Hawk walking through corridors. It is very badly damaged.
|
|
| Picard | Is there no way we can expedite repairs?
|
| Geordie | In my professional opinion it would be quicker to build a new Hawk from scratch.
|
| Picard | I don’t really think that’s an option.
|
| Riker | You certainly took some punishment.
|
| Data | My calculations suggest the Enterprise-E would have been destroyed under the same attack conditions. The Hawk was designed for resilience as well as attack.
|
| Picard | We need options. The Hawk and the Enterprise were the most suitable craft to have the tri – warp engines fitted.
|
| Barclay | I’m not sure if this would be as popular a choice sir, but the Enterprise -D might be suitable. There is at least one galaxy class engine salvaged from other ships in storage at Io.
|
| Picard | How long would it take to do?
|
| Barclay | Well, its normally about a week to fit a new nacelle but we’ll need to make adjustments to the Enterprise -D hull to accommodate it. I would estimate 3 weeks in all.
|
| Picard | 3 weeks!! That’s not good enough. The Dominion are aware of our plan and they know where our equipment is. I expect the Cardasians to launch an invasion fleet within days to stop us.
You have a week. Be ready. Captain Riker have the Enterprise – E converted as well. That’s only a 4 day job. If necessary it’ll be a one way journey.
|
| Riker | Yes sir.
|
| Picard leaves the group and wanders off up an adjacent corridor.
|
|
| Geordie | I don’t think I’ve ever seen him like that.
|
| Riker | I don’t think we’ve ever faced a situation like we now face.
|
| Cut to scene of the Enterprises – E and D in workshops with new stanchions being fitted to their lower body. The new engines are suspended above the new fittings waiting to be fitted. Cut to close up scenes of engineers in EVA suits working on the fittings and under access panels at the connections.
Cut to scene of Picard in his office at Star Fleet Headquarters, he is reading a report when the door buzzes.
|
|
| Picard | Who is it?
|
| Crusher | Its me Beverly.
|
| Picard puts the datapad into a draw in his desk.
|
|
| Picard | Come in.
|
| Picard stands up to greet Crusher and walks over to her. They hug tightly for a few moments.
|
|
| Crusher | I’ve missed you.
|
| Picard | I’ve missed you as well.
|
| They break from hugging but still hold each other around the waist.
|
|
| Crusher | Even if we weren’t lovers my medical opinion would be to take a break Jean Luc. You can’t keep pushing yourself with no rest.
|
| Picard | Beverly, you are,… in fact for a very long time you have been very precious to me. You also know me very well. My work is very important to me, you know I can’t discuss it with you but I’m working on something very important.
|
| They let go of each other and Beverley walks over to the replicator where she puts down a small bag.
|
|
| Crusher | Would you like a drink?
|
| Picard | A cup of Earl Grey would be lovely.
|
| Crusher | No Jean Luc, a drink, you need a break from your work, you’ll come back more refreshed.
|
| Picard | Have the others been talking to you?
|
| Crusher | A girl hears things, besides Deanna has been picking up your prickliness for the last few days. I would have thought you’d be pleased we defeated the sneak Dominion attack.
|
| Picard | I’m very pleased. But there’s more to be done.
|
| Crusher | Not now, take a break Jean Luc.
Computer, two red wine glasses.
|
| The replicator whirr’s and 2 large wine glasses appear. Beverley takes them and picks up the bag and walks over to the settee opposite Picard’s desk. She puts the glasses down and pats the cushion to invite Picard across.
|
|
| Picard | OK, you win, I’ll take a break for half an hour.
|
| Crusher | I had a longer break in mind.
|
| Picard | I’d be delighted if you could join me for dinner later this evening.
|
| Crusher places her index finger on Picard’s lips to silence him.
|
|
| Crusher | I have a special treat for you.
|
| Crusher takes a bottle of wine from the bag and shows it to Picard whose eyes light up.
|
|
| Picard | A bottle of Rothchild 2043, where the devil did you get it from?
|
| Crusher | You’re not the only one interested in ancient artefacts. I studied medicine with a descendant of the original Rothchild. I helped her with her revision and when she graduated her mother gave me this. I’ve been keeping it for a special occasion. Originally I thought it would be for Jack and mine’s retirement.
|
| Picard | I’m sorry, its not right.
|
| Crusher | No don’t be silly.
|
| Crusher removes the cork and they savour the aroma and cork.
|
|
| Picard | A real cork stopper!
|
| Crusher | Not a lot of good has come of this war.
|
| Picard | War rarely brings good.
|
| Crusher | I’m glad its brought us together.
|
| Crusher pours them both a glass of wine and offers one to Picard.
|
|
| Picard | So am I.
|
| Crusher | We need to seize the day, and enjoy every opportunity.
|
| Picard | That’s true.
|
| Crusher | Jean Luc, I was wondering what are you doing for the rest of your life?
|
| Picard looks confused at Beverley
|
|
| Crusher | Would you like to marry me?
|
| Picard | Um… Beverley, I had no idea…. I don’t know what to say.
|
| Crusher | Whatever you say, say it from your heart.
|
| Picard looks deeply into Crushers eyes and chinks his glass against hers.
|
|
| Picard | Yes.
|
| They drink a sip and then lean towards each other and kiss gently on the lips.
|
|
| Crusher | You’ve made me so happy these last few weeks. Lets get married tomorrow.
|
| Picard | Absolutely, who shall we ask to perform the ceremony, Will or Data?
|
| Crusher | Will, because Data won’t be offended and we won’t have to explain to him why we’re doing it.
|
| Picard | Agreed.
|
| The intercom buzzes.
|
|
| Picard | Picard here.
|
| Choo | Starfleet communications here sir, I’m sorry to disturb you but we’re picking up a hail from a starfleet vessel approaching the solar system, only records show no contact with the vessel in over four years.
|
| Picard | Even the Dominion wouldn’t be silly enough to try such an obvious trick.
Okay put them through to my office and stand by outer solar system defence systems.
|
| Picard gets up from the settee and walks over to his desk and sits down behind it.
|
|
| Janeway | Star Fleet Command. This is the Captain Janeway of USS Voyager, fleet designation NCC 74656, I’m sorry we’re a little late returning. I hope the cakes aren’t burnt.
|
| The viewscreen fills with the image of Captain Katherine Janeway on the bridge of Voyager.
|
|
| Picard | Captain Janeway.
We weren’t expecting you. Our last contact with you put you on the other side of the galaxy.
|
| Janeway | Yes, well we had a little help getting back. Mind you we expected a little friendlier welcome.
|
| Picard | O don’t worry about the outer defences, we’ve had to install some devices as our relationship with the Dominion has not improved.
Seeing you all back is one of the best pieces of news we’ve had in a long, long time. Welcome home. We’ll have to organise a reception.
|
| Janeway | Can you advise our relatives and friends, we’ll come into Star Fleet headquarters if that’s all right.
|
| Picard | Certainly, I look forward to seeing you shortly.
|
| Cut to scene of Voyager bridge.
|
|
| Janeway | Take us in Mr Paris.
|
| Paris | Aye aye Captain.
|
| Cut to view of Picard’s office, Picard walks back over to Crusher and sits down and lifts his glass again.
|
|
| Picard | To my fiancée.
|
| Crusher | To us
|
| Picard | To us
|
| They sip their wines.
Cut to external view of Voyager flying past Saturn and then Jupiter towards Earth.
Cut to view of Voyager arcing through the lunar shadow and entering the brilliant light of the sun (similar to the TV show’s opening credit scene).
Voyager approaches earth passing two space stations and three docked ships in orbit above earth. There is still wreckage from the Dominion fight. Slowly Voyager begins to enter the upper atmosphere and starts to gently glow as it descends. In time the glow gives way and it descends into the clouds and blue sky.
It emerges from the clouds above the ocean and Voyager moves from left to right of the screen. In the distance it is heading for the Golden Gate bridge.
The Golden Gate bridge grows in size as Voyager approaches.
Cut to bridge scene with the crew smiling at the viewscreen. Cut to images of other parts of the ship such as the galley with crew looking out of the windows as it flies over the water.
Cut to external shot of Voyager flying up and over the bridge and banking around to Star Fleet Headquarters. It takes up a hovering position above the large lawn in front of the main building. A crowd is gathering, people are streaming out through the doors.
Slowly Voyager’s legs are extended and very slowly Voyager descends to the ground, the legs initially flex reacting to Voyager’s weight.
The sound of Voyager’s engines disappear.
Cut to scene of crowd, with Picard in the front moving towards the forward leg. They stop in line near the perimeter of the hull. Feet can be seen coming down the stairs in the legs. Janeway is the first out quickly followed by her bridge crew. Picard moves towards Janeway and stands straight to attention and salutes her. Crusher is at the front of the crowd behind him. Janeway, less rigid returns the salute. Picard extends his hand to shake Janeways’ with a big beaming smile.
|
|
| Picard | Welcome Home Captain.
|
| Janeway | Thank you, you know I’ve been all right around this galaxy and, there’s really no place quite like home.
|
| A body emerges from the crowd. It is a man. Janeway looks at him and her face lights up. She rushes to him and jumps onto him to hug.
The crew behind her start to see friends and relatives and a great melee of hugging and tears begins.
An old man in Star Fleet Uniform with a lot of gold braid on makes his way to Paris and taps him on the shoulder from behind. Paris spins around.
|
|
| Paris | Dad?
|
| Paris | Tom.
|
| They hug.
|
|
| Paris | You’ve got to meet B’Elanna
|
| Dr Singh walks down from Voyager’s steps towards the crowd. A lady makes her way through and embraces him.
|
|
| Singh | Guinan, its been a long time.
|
| Guinan | Its good to see you again. I’m glad you made it home.
|
| Singh | So am I,…. so am I.
|
| Cut to scene above crowd slowly pulling out. Voyager and Star Fleet Headquarters become smaller as more of the surrounding such as the Golden Gate bridge enter the picture. These too become smaller as the camera continues to pull away.
|
Act Sixteen
| A large party is underway with crews from all three ships in attendance. There is a band playing and drinks and canapés are being brought round. There are a great variety of alien races and many admirals and dignitaries. A holographic banner (rotating through various colours and messages) is hung across the hall bearing the words, ‘Welcome home Voyager, Welcome Home Defiant, Congratulations Mr & Mrs Picard’
|
|
| Picard | Tell me Captain, have you thought much about what you’re going to do next.
|
| Janeway | Well I’ve already had the hot bath and the family are here. My husband has remarried but I quite understand, ten years is a long time for anyone to be apart. I’m sure we’ve both changed in that time.
|
| Picard and Crusher exchange a glance.
|
|
| Janeway | So, who are these Dominion? What have we done to offend them more than the Borg?
|
| Sisko | Well, to be honest I’m not really sure. I know they are very afraid of us. That they are not interested in peace agreements with us.
|
| Janeway | Not very hospitable.
|
| Sisko | No, they’re not, they value their privacy. They have created a genetically designed army – the Jem Hadar, who are grown in large test tubes to enforce their will and protect them from potential enemies.
|
| Picard | Today is not the day for negative conversations.
A toast, to two of Starfleet’s finest.
|
| The ensemble raise their glasses as Sisko looks uneasily sideways and Janeway shakes her hand to say politely ‘no’,
|
|
| All | Starfleet’s finest.
|
| Sisko | And may I congratulate you on your marriage.
|
| Picard and Picard | Thank you.
|
| Picard | So if I was planning a honeymoon to the Delta Quadrant, is there anywhere in particular you would recommend.
|
| Janeway | There’s quite a few places I could recommend steering clear of! But I must admit there are many beautiful worlds and species out there. We even came across some relatives of ours, the Voth, they left earth 20 million years ago.
|
| Picard | Remarkable, I didn’t know a sentient species had lived on Earth before us.
|
| Janeway | It really is an amazing galaxy. Captain Sisko, I’m sure you will have found the Gamma Quadrant has many great points as well.
|
| Sisko | Call me Ben, we’re off duty now.
|
| Janeway | Ben, and please call me Kathryn.
|
| Sisko | Delighted. The gamma quadrant is really hardly explored at all. As you may know, for the first couple of years after the wormhole was discovered there was a great deal of exploration, making contact with new species and establishing trading relationships. There were some less than ideal encounters but on the whole it seemed like a brilliant new frontier.
|
| Picard | Do you have any favourite places?
|
| Sisko | Well, Louisiana and Bajor are probably my favourites but the moons of Condor are quite spectacular. If you ever get the chance to visit you must go. They shimmer through every colour of the rainbow as the ascend and descend through the night sky. I’ve never seen anything quite like it.
|
| Janeway | Amazing. Do you have any real plans for a honeymoon?
|
| Picard looks at Picard.
|
|
| Beverley Picard | Well, when you’ve done as many years in space as we have we thought we might just have a few days on Earth.
|
| Sisko | I can understand that.
|
| The camera gently zooms out and lifts to an aerial shot of the celebrations in full swing.
|
Act Seventeen
| The scene is the shipyards above Mars.
The alterations to the Enterprise -D and -E are almost complete. The Defiant is also undergoing repairs.
Cut to scene of inside a runabout craft with Admiral Picard, Captains Data, Riker, Sisko, Bateman, Casey and Shelby, and LaForge and Barclay aboard. The shuttle is flying around the ships surveying the work.
|
|
| Picard | You’ve done an excellent job, I can’t believe that a week ago there was so much damage to the fleet. Mr Barclay, can we phase to private running.
|
| Barclay | Yes sir, certainly sir.
|
| The ship gently phases out of normal space and time.
|
|
| Picard | Thank you.
As you can see both the Enterprises D and E will be ready tomorrow.
I have decided to amend our plan slightly. The Enterprises will create the warp fields for the outward and return journeys as per the plan. Captain Data will command the Enterprise -D and Captain Riker the Enterprise -E. I shall be in overall command of the mission aside from during negotiations when Ambassador Spock will be in command. If we lose contact with Ambassador Spock, the chain of command will revert.
We must now presume the Dominion know of our plans and hence our outward journey will now fall somewhat short of the Founders homeworld. We presume that the Dominion will try and erect a blockade to stop us approaching the homeworld and so, we must be prepared to cut short our mission and ensure the Omega device can be triggered if our path is blocked. Just in case we jump out of hyperwarp in the middle of the Jem Hadar fleet I want to increase the size of the fleet travelling. I would like Captains Bateman and Shelby to ride point. Captain Casey will carry the negotiating team. Captain Sisko, after what you have gone through I will not order you to join us, but with your personal knowledge of the Founders and the Dominion I would very much appreciate it if you would join us.
|
| Sisko | I would be delighted to join your expedition. I’m sure others will have already voiced concerns about the Omega particle so I presume you have addressed them already. I can see the sense in cutting off the enemy’s ability to wage war, and I even tried to do it myself by collapsing the wormhole a few years ago.
|
| Picard | Thank you. Any more questions?
|
| Shelby | Sorry if I seem to be asking a silly question, but the Ulysses was destroyed last week and I don’t seem to have a ship to ride point in?
|
| Picard | If there’s anything that catches your eye before tomorrow please let me know. Captain Casey has already been updating the original Enterprise.
|
| Casey | Well I’ve had some help from her original engineer and Lieutenant Barclay has helped to reset the holographic devices.
|
| Shelby | Is she battle ready?
|
| Casey | Just the name will make the Dominion think twice, however, its not supposed to be a warship, its carrying the negotiating team. I have made one or two minor modifications just in case though.
|
| Shelby | I can imagine.
Admiral, I’d be honoured to take the Independence, our sister ship.
|
| Picard | Granted, I’ll make out the transfer order later.
I have some more news.
We shall be joined by a Klingon and a Romulan Vessel. The council has agreed to make this an allied expedition. Ambassador Spock is already trusted by the Romulans but they want to be present at the negotiations, and when the Romulans insisted, so did the Klingons.
|
| Riker | Will one ship be able to create that large a warp field? I’ve flown a ship and a shuttle within the same bubble before but not seven starships.
|
| Sisko | Eight, I’ve no intention of leaving the Defiant.
|
| Picard | Lieutenant Barclay?
|
| Barclay | Well the tri- nacelle arrangement is more than capable of building a large enough warp field. In fact we could have probably transported a starbase if we wanted to. However we destroyed that last week.
|
| Riker stands straighter and raises an eyebrow.
|
|
| Barclay | No offence intended, we were never planning to use a starbase. Its just that it will require some very close quarters flying, the computers can be interlinked to ensure all helms respond to helm control changes on the Enterprise -D. I would advise 24 hour double watches so as manual overrides can be implemented if necessary.
|
| Bateman | Why would they need to be implemented.
|
| Barclay | In case anything goes wrong.
|
| Bateman | What are you not telling us?
|
| Barclay | Well, we’ll need to interlink with both Klingon and Romulan helm controls and I’ve not done that before.
|
| Casey | Captain Scott could probably help.
|
| Barclay | I was rather hoping he would, its just that if they need to fly manually, they may occasionally bump into one of the other craft and…..
|
| Bateman | and out of the warp field turning the rest of us into trillions of atoms across 10 light years.
|
| Barclay | The simulation I run suggested the Enterprises D and E would survive and complete the mission.
|
| Bateman | O what fun for the rest of us.
|
| Sisko | There’s really no need to start picking holes in what’s done. From what I understand we now have a fighting to chance to bring peace between half the galaxy. Risk is part of our job. I think its a risk worth taking.
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| Riker | I agree.
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| Bateman | That’s easy for you to say, your ship survived the simulation.
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| Picard | Is there a problem Captain?
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| Bateman | No, definitely not. I want to be part of the expedition, a little open discussion helps gets matters off one’s chest.
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| Picard | Good, anyone else?
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| Casey | Count me in, I’m looking forward to it.
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| Shelby | And me.
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| Data | I am accustomed to following your orders sir.
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| Picard | Thank you, as before, please do not discuss this with your crews.
The Klingon and Romulan ships will rendezvous here at 10.00 tomorrow. We shall leave at noon whether the helm controls are linked or not.
Lieutenant Barclay, please return us to normal space.
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| Barclay adjusts the dials on a console and they phase back into normal space.
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Act Eighteen
| It is a dark room, a hand flicks over the console which lights into action. An oval laptop opens and the hand presses a few buttons to establish a communications link. The screen and the person are not directly in camera shot.
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| Person | Are you ready for tomorrow?
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| Laptop | I’ve had to change ships, but I managed to load the devices as ordered.
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| Person | Good, now you must not be precipative. You must allow the negotiations to have had a chance to work.
There are those of us who believe the Omega device will not even fire up, and even if it does the margin for error is too great to ensure a linearly distributed sub space disruption. There again, the Dominion may just blow the Federation fleet apart.
Your orders are to ensure delivery of the device should the negotiations fail and the Omega device fail. If the Dominion prevent the mission from completing its objectives you are to continue and deliver the device.
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| Laptop | How long should we give the negotiations, they may string them out while attacking the alpha quadrant.
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| Person | You are astute, you have learned well, that is why I have chosen you for the mission.
The third part of your orders are that within 70 hours of arrival of in the Gamma quadrant you are to activate the advice unless the negotiations are successful If the Omega device has exploded, whether you activate the weapon will be irrelevant.
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| Laptop | I understand.
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Act Nineteen
| The scene is of a ranch house in Montana, cut to scene of bedroom where Janeway is asleep. The window is open and the sun is shining in, a net curtain is lifting in the breeze.
A buzzing sound can be heard.
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| Janeway | No!! its too early. Go away!!
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| Janeway covers her closed eyelids with one arm and reaches out of the bed with the other.
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| Janeway | Computer, turn off the alarm.
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| Computer | The alarm is switched off. Incoming message from Starfleet Command.
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| Janeway | What, I’ve only been home a week! Can’t they find some other Captain to trek around the galaxy.
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| Computer | It is a personal transmission.
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| Janeway | Okay, put it through, voice only.
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| Paris | Good morning Captain.
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| Janeway | Tom, what in the hell do you want at this hour?
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| Paris | Well, its 8am here so its must be 10am with you?
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| Janeway | And your point is?
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| Paris | No point, just an invitation. My dad says there’s a big send off today at the Mars shipyard. I wondered whether you’d like to take Voyager up to see them off?
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| Janeway | Sounds nice, what day is it?
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| Paris | Today, not sure when Dad wouldn’t say.
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| Janeway | Tom, the ship’s still embargoed, its off line to everyone while we’re on rest and recreation.
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| Paris | But you could overrule that, we could get a few of the crew together for the trip. Could be a fun day?
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| Janeway | Do I detect the lust for more celebration?
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| Paris | I don’t know what you mean Captain.
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| Janeway | O yes you do. Okay, check around the crew, see who wants to join us for a little trip to Mars.
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| Paris | Great, see you at 9.30? Shall I see who else is around and fancies a trip?
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| Janeway | Okay, anything, just let me have another hours sleep!
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Act Twenty
| Janeway walks from the turbo lift doors onto the bridge.
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| Chakotay | Welcome aboard.
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| Janeway looks around and is surprised that all the bridge crew are seated.
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| Janeway | I thought you’d all still be visiting friends and family.
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| 7of9 | I visited my aunt in Buenos Aires on the second day but found the experience less than satisfying.
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| Tuvok | My family are well but travel between Vulcan and Earth is precarious because of the war with the Dominion, I am booked on a supply convoy in 2 weeks time.
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| Janeway raises her eyebrows.
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| Janeway | Well to tell you the truth I was rather missing you all as well.
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| Admiral Paris walks from Janeway’s ready room.
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| Admiral Paris | Damn fine ship you have here Captain
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| Janeway | Thank you.
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| Admiral Paris | Tom has been telling me about some of your adventures. We’ll have to see if we can learn what type of technology has been added and see if we can use it in the rest of the fleet.
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| Janeway | I’m sorry admiral, we don’t know ourselves and I want to discuss that with the Federation council before we start re- interpreting the Prime Directive, if we shouldn’t interfere with another species natural development through giving them advanced technology, I don’t think the rule should be different for us.
Has anyone heard from Dr Singh?
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| Tuvok | I believe he has returned to his home in India.
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| Paris | I wasn’t able to contact him.
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| Janeway | No worries, I’m sure he must be enjoying seeing his home again. To tell you the truth, so am I.
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| Janeway strokes and then pats the guard rail between the lift and her chair. She moves to stand in front of her chair.
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| Janeway | Well, lets get this show on the road.
Lieutenant Paris, how many crew do we have on board?
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| Paris | We have a skeleton crew of 17. Remembering how little we had to do on our final flight, everything is automated now, its a little over staffed.
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| Janeway | That’s fine.
Right, lets go to Mars, please plot and engage a suitable lift off trajectory and course.
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| Paris | Aye Aye Captain.
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| Cut to external scene of Voyager against Starfleet Headquarters. The thrusters fire and the ship gently rises from the ground, it turns through 90 degrees and elevates its nose slightly, it begins to glide upwards into the clouds.
Cut to scene above Earth. A small dot is seen coming from Earth over the Pacific coast. It grows into the form of Voyager and sweeps upwards and across the screen. It flies out of orbit and towards the outer stars.
Cut to bridge scene of Voyager.
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| Paris | We are at ¾ impulse speed approaching Mars, slowing to standard orbital entry, destination Plantation Ayia shipyards.
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| Tuvok | Captain, I am reading two ships approaching at Warp, one is Klingon registration and one is Romulan designation……They are both cloaked.
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| Janeway | Pardon?
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| Tuvok | Our sensors are able to detect cloaked ships Captain.
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| Janeway | If we can detect them, how do we know they’re cloaked.
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| Tuvok | Because they do not register on the normal sensor arrays but are picked up on the interpretative software matrix.
Should I alert the other ships?
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| Admiral Paris | No, there’s no need for that, we’ re expecting them.
That really is remarkable device.
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| Paris | Entering synchronous orbit
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| Cut to external scene of Voyager approaching the shipyard. The 6 Federation vessels are in tight formation. As Voyager comes to a halt amongst a number of other Federation ships, the Klingon and then the Romulan Vessels de- cloak to the front of the formation.
Cut to scene of Enterprise – E bridge.
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| Picard | Good morning, I am Admiral Picard.
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| The viewscreen fills with the Klingon bridge. General Martok is seated in the command chair.
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| Martok | Good Morning Admiral.
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| Sisko | (voice only)Good Morning General.
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| Martok | I recognised the Defiant’s transponder signal, it is good to hear you again Captain Sisko. Tell me of my old friend son of Mog, is he with you?
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| Sisko | Yes, Captain Worf is here.
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| Martok | Captain?
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| Sisko | Yes, Captain Worf.
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| Worf | It is a field commission.
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| Martok | Then we shall truly have a glorious battle.
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| Worf | To achieve peace is the greatest battle.
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| Martok | With such a force, the Dominion will be very foolish to fight.
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| Picard | I hope we won’t have to fight at all. This is primarily a diplomatic mission.
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| Martok | I wouldn’t have missed it for even Kaylis’ sword.
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| Picard | I’m pleased that you’re here to join us.
And good morning and welcome to our Romulan ally as well.
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| The Romulan bridge fills the viewscreen.
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| General Sela | Good morning admiral, it has been a long time.
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| Picard’s jaw drops.
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| Picard | Yes,,,, yes it has. I’m very pleased that you could join us as well. We will be demonstrating the depth of our alliance and friendship on our expedition.
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| General Sela | Ambassador Spock has persuaded us to join you. Naturally, on hearing of the offer I volunteered.
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| Picard | Naturally. Now as time is short if you will allow us to link your helm controls to ours we will attempt some close formation manoeuvres. Mr LaForge would you take control.
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| La Forge | Certainly sir.
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| Cut to external scene. Lines of energy radiate out from the Enterprise – D. The Klingon and Romulan vessels are gently pulled around and tucked closely in behind the formation.
Cut to scene of Enterprise – D bridge.
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| Data | Helm links are established Geordie.
Command codes synchronised.
Preparing to engage manoeuvring thrusters at my command.
Ahead ¼ thrusters.
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| Rotoff | Aye sir, ahead ¼ thrusters.
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| Cut to external scene of the 8 ships moving forward very slowly.
Cut to scene of Voyager’s bridge.
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| Janeway | Well, I’ll be darned. I would never believe it if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, a Federation, Klingon and Romulan acrobatics team!! Definitely worth getting out of bed early for.
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| Admiral Paris | Not quite an acrobatics team, but I have to admit its an amazing sight!
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| Cut to external scene whereby the ships begin to climb and then bank in tight formation.
Cut to Enterprise – D bridge.
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| Data | Prepare for impulse speed.
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| Syn | All ships acknowledge ready for impulse.
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| Data | Ahead 1/8 impulse speed.
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| Cut to external scene of the fleet moving at 1/8th impulse speed. The camera slowing zooms backwards and the viewscreen of Voyager’s bridge unfolds.
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| Janeway | Well, I do believe I have now seen everything.
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| Admiral Paris | Indeed it is a remarkable sight.
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| Paris | I didn’t realise that we’d have ringside seats to the new Federation circus.
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| Admiral Paris | All will become clear in a little while, they’re just practising close formation flight.
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| Janeway | To fly that close they must all be linked through one helm.
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| Admiral Paris | I believe so, they just have to ensure the Klingon and Romulan computers will accept Federation command sequences.
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| Janeway | It must be something pretty important to get the three parties to agree. Would it have something to do with the Dominion?
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| Admiral Paris | I can see why you made Captain so young, your 10 years in the Delta quadrant have also done your strategic analysis powers no harm.
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| Janeway | Thank you, is it some new kind of defensive wall, so as ships can take over damaged ships functions?
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| Admiral Paris | All will become clear soon.
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| Janeway | OK, I’ll just sit and watch the show.
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| Cut to scene of Enterprise – D bridge.
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| Data | Data to Admiral Picard. Trial runs complete, we have managed to integrate helm control of all vessels via our bridge. We will transmit the results to all ships.
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| Picard | Acknowledged. Good work everybody. Return to Mars shipyard.
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| Data | Acknowledged Admiral.
Helm, plot a course back to the shipyard 1/16th impulse speed and then slow us to manoeuvring speed and bring us to station keeping above the main yard.
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| Syn | Aye aye sir.
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| Cut to external scene of the fleet coming to a stop above the Mars shipyard. Cut to scene on Voyager bridge.
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|
| Janeway | Anyone like some more coffee?
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| Janeway pours herself a cup from a flask.
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| Admiral Paris | No thank you. I think it would be a good idea if we all take our seats.
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| Janeway | Ah, I sense we’re about to find out what’s going on.
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| Admiral Paris smiles and nods towards the viewscreen.
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| Kim | Captain, we’re being hailed by starfleet command, its a broadband broadcast, all ships.
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| Janeway | Put it on screen.
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| The Federation symbol fills the screen and cuts to an image of the President.
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|
| President | Federation citizens, friends, colleagues from all worlds.
For five long years we have endured a bloody war with the Dominion. Tens of millions of lives have been lost on both sides.
I have good news for you today. We stand today at a turning point in our history.
We are sending a negotiating team to the Founder’s homeworld in a final attempt to seek a peaceful resolution to this war. It is supported by all the allies, the Federation, the Klingon Empire and the Romulan Empire.
This team will make a remarkable journey, halfway across the galaxy.
All our hopes, all our futures rest with them. I wanted you all to share in this moment as they leave on their expedition.
I know many of us still have deeply held beliefs in a higher being or beings. If you do, then tonight, I would like you to ask them for their blessing on this mission. To give peace a chance.
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| The viewscreen cuts to the view of the fleet above Mars. Cut to scene of Enterprise – E.
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|
| Picard | I know how he feels.
Well I suppose that most of the Federation are watching our departure, let’s try to make it look good.
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| Riker smiles in agreement.
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| Picard | Picard to the fleet. We have received our permission to sail. Please release all mooring lines and re- establish helm control through the Enterprise – D.
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| Riker | Fleet acknowledge ready.
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| Picard | Good. Picard to Admiral Paris, do you have our final passenger?
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| Cut to scene of Voyager bridge.
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| Admiral Paris | Hello Admiral. We’ve been enjoying the spectacle. Yes, we have your final passenger.
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| Janeway looks puzzled and confused.
Admiral Paris stands still and very slowly his clothes begin to melt. His red tunic and black trousers liquefy and move to the left. They separate from him leaving another red tunic and black trousers underneath. He is a few centimetres thinner.
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|
| Paris | Well that’s one way to lose unsightly fat.
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| The second red tunic and black trousers coaless into a brown blob and then into a human form. It becomes recognisable as Odo.
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|
| Janeway | Today is full of surprises. How come our sensors didn’t pick you up?
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| Odo | Perhaps I am outside their sphere of analysis.
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| Tuvok | Chief Odo, I must speak with you.
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| Odo | I am afraid it will have to wait, I’ve been undercover for 5 months and I’m needed in the fleet.
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| Tuvok | It is vital that I speak with you.
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| Odo | Odo to Captain Sisko, permission to come aboard.
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| Sisko | (by comm) Odo, great to hear from you, permission granted.
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| Odo disappears in the familiar pattern of the transporter.
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|
| Tuvok | Attempting to interrupt the pattern buffer on the Defiant.
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| Janeway | Belay that action. Tuvok, can’t you see what’s going on. Odo is of vital importance to Admiral Picard’s mission, we can’t go around interrupting it.
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| Tuvok | Forgive me Captain.
Now that Odo has gone the urge to speak to him has receded somewhat. However I believe that our encounter with the water creatures has left me with a message for Odo.
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| Janeway | For Odo? Do you think they are in some way related?
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| Tuvok | I do not know, I cannot access the message myself. However, from the sensation I experienced I believe it to be of the greatest importance.
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| Admiral Paris | That’s all very well, but the fleets about to sail. You can let him have the message should they return.
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| Janeway | Should?
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| Admiral Paris | There they go.
|
| Cut to external scene of the fleet moving slowly away from above Mars, they are encased in a energy field produced by the Enterprise -D, they engage impulse power. Cut to scene of Voyager bridge.
|
|
| Janeway | I want to know what’s going on, the full picture.
|
| Admiral Paris | You are entitled to know, and now the fleet’s away, security at this end is no longer such an issue. We believe the Dominion already know our plan.
They are travelling to the Founder’s homeworld. Odo was captured at the fall of DS9 and eventually taken there. He spent 2 months with them before escaping aboard a Jem Hadar ship heading for the Alpha quadrant. On Cardasia he managed to smuggle himself onto a Ferengi trader and I later met the Ferengi on some different business which is when Odo made himself known to me. The Jem Hadar murdered thousands of people searching for him. He has brought us the location of the The Great Link.
That fleet is taking Ambassador Spock to The Great Link to bring about an end to this war.
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| Janeway | You’ve tried negotiating with them before, what makes you think you’ll be more successful this time.
|
| Admiral Paris | Because if we’re not, we’re going to stop this war once and for all.
|
| Janeway | And how will you do that.
|
| Admiral Paris | Vulcan, Romulus and Earth have decided to explode single Omega particles in their solar systems, hence barring the Dominion’s ability to attack our worlds. Each other Federation world will be given the same opportunity if they wish.
|
| Janeway | That doesn’t sound much of a plan and the Omega particle is outlawed.
|
| Admiral Paris | We changed the law.
|
| Janeway | And you can’t anyway, because it will kill species who reside in the other fabrics of space and time.
|
| Admiral Paris | I’m sorry I don’t understand.
|
| Janeway | In the Delta Quadrant, we came across a species the Borg called 8471, they reside in a different dimension but can cross between certain dimensions including our own. We also met photonic beings and The Voth who hail from Earth. An Omega explosion would destroy countless numbers of their species who reside in these other dimensions, depending on the phase frequency of the explosion 1, or 100 dimensions might be totally annihilated.
|
| Admiral Paris | Ah.
There’s more.
We will only explode the particles if the fleet do not return – implying failed negotiations – and that the fleet failed in its alternative objective which we will presume if we do not detect an Omega chain reaction in the Delta Quadrant.
|
| Janeway | What!!??
|
| Admiral Paris | The fleet is carrying an Omega furnace
|
| Cut to scene of the expeditionary fleet in a bubble field centred on the Enterprise – D, they jump to Warp. Cut to scene of Voyager’s bridge.
|
|
| Tuvok | The expeditionary force has jumped to Warp.
|
| Janeway | Lay in a pursuit course. Maximum Warp.
|
| Paris | Aye Aye Captain.
|
| Tuvok | Captain, according to my readings the expeditionary fleet is accelerating beyond Warp 10.
|
| Admiral Paris | They are equipped to reach Warp 23. They will be in the Gamma Quadrant in 30 minutes.
|
| Janeway | My orders are to pursue, open a transwarp conduit,.
|
| Tuvok | Aye Aye Captain, engines are being primed, oscillation curve reached. It will take us approximately 7 hours to reach the mid point of the Gamma Quadrant.
|
| Paris | Moving to Impulse speed, Transwarp conduit is forming, We are ready. Jumping to warp, now.
|
| Cut to external scene of Voyager and its nacelles angling up and Voyager jumping to Warp into a conduit. Cut back to Voyager’s bridge.
|
|
| Janeway | I don’t suppose you know where the Founder’s homeworld location is?
|
| Admiral Paris | No.
|
| Janeway | Tuvok, do all you can to track them and interprolate their course.
|
| Tuvok | Yes Captain.
|
| Janeway looks horror struck at the Admiral.
|
|
| Janeway | If they explode that Omega furnace it will mean the destruction of billions of innocent lives of other species.
|
| Admiral Paris | We have the right to live, to self determination.
|
| Janeway | We have no such right to extinguish other sentient species to preserve our own. We have always found other ways to survive.
|