Disclaimer: Star Trek: Voyager and all its characters and episodes are owned by Paramount Pictures. The following script is made available for your personal enjoyment only. Script courtesy of Astor Dark ----------------------------------------------------------------------- STAR TREK: VOYAGER "Hope and Fear" TEASER FADE IN: 1 A VELOCITY DISK (OPTICAL) is SPEEDING toward camera! An aerodynamic, metallic object, eight inches across, glowing from within-angry red. 2 JANEWAY (OPTICAL) FIRES a hand-phaser at the disk! She's dressed in a sleek, sleeveless "workout" uniform. 3 THE DISK (OPTICAL) is STRUCK by her phaser shot! It instantly CHANGES to a cold blue color, and radically ALTERS its course, heading toward- 4 SEVEN OF NINE (OPTICAL) also wearing a workout outfit, a few subtle BORG IMPLANTS along her upper arm. She whirls out of the way... the DISK ZOOMS past her, then abruptly REVERSES COURSE and comes at her again! She FIRES a quick shot-HITS the disk. It turns red again, heads toward Janeway. REVEAL we are in- 5 INT. HOLOGRID (OPTICAL) Janeway and Seven of Nine are engaged in a furious game of "Velocity" -a one-on-one competitive sport that's a cross between handball and a firing range. (Each player must avoid being hit by the disk by shooting it and sending it back toward their opponent. It's fast-paced, physical, both players in constant motion, ducking, spinning.) The game continues from Scene #4. Janeway LEAPS out of the way, narrowly avoiding the disk, stops herself before she slams into the wall, but her phaser drops from her hands! SEVEN OF NINE: During the final round, after you dropped your phaser, you weren't even looking at the disk. And yet, you managed to evade it. Janeway walks up to her... naturally falling into her role as Seven of Nine's "mentor." JANEWAY: Intuition. SEVEN OF NINE: Intuition is a human fallacy. The belief that you can predict random events. JANEWAY: Belief had nothing to do with it. At some level conscious or otherwise... I was aware of several factors. The trajectory of the disk after I hit the wall... the sound it made on its return... the shadow it cast on the hologrid. SEVEN OF NINE: Intriguing... but implausible. JANEWAY: (lightly) I won, didn't I? (beat) Thanks for the match. Janeway turns for the door. But Seven of Nine wants to keep going. SEVEN OF NINE: I wish to play again. JANEWAY: Not today. SEVEN OF NINE: You are fatigued... and concerned that I will defeat you. Janeway pauses, turns. JANEWAY: Tired? Yes. Concerned? No. SEVEN OF NINE: (to com) Computer-begin first round. JANEWAY: (quickly, to com) Belay that command. They lock eyes for a tense beat-and it's clear that there's more at stake here than a simple game. Seven of Nine is challenging her mentor, wants to beat her, prove her superiority. But Janeway is calm, won't take the bait. JANEWAY: Try to be a good sport, Seven. The game's over. Janeway turns and EXITS. As Seven of Nine watches her go, the look of challenge still on her face... FADE OUT. END OF TEASER ACT ONE FADE IN: (NOTE: Episode credits fall over opening scenes.) 8 EXT. SPACE-VOYAGER (OPTICAL) at impulse. JANEWAY (V.O.): Captain's Log, Stardate 51978.2. It's been five months since we received the encoded message from the Alpha Quadrant. 9 ON A DESKTOP MONITOR (OPTICAL) It shows a DAMAGED DATA STREAM-a chaotic jumble of symbols and alphanumerics racing across the screen. JANEWAY (V.O.): (continuing) We know that the transmission was from Starfleet Command... but we still can't decrypt it. 10 INT. MESS HALL After hours, dimly lit. Janeway sits alone at a table, working on the desktop monitor. Coffee and PADDS spread all around. JANEWAY (V.O.): (continuing) B'Elanna thinks it's a lost cause... but I haven't given up. I keep hoping inspiration will strike... somehow. Over this log, CHAKOTAY ENTERS and walks up to her. CHAKOTAY: Good morning. JANEWAY: (surprised) What time is it? CHAKOTAY: Oh-six-hundred. JANEWAY: Well, then... good morning. CHAKOTAY: I just heard from Tom and Neelix... they're about to leave the trading colony. JANEWAY: Any luck? CHAKOTAY: According to Tom, the shuttle's so loaded with supplies, he won't make half-impulse. Janeway smiles. CHAKOTAY: (continuing) Neelix is asking permission to bring one of the locals on board. He's been very helpful... and Neelix wants to repay him by giving him passage to the next system. Janeway stifles a yawn. JANEWAY: Permission granted. CHAKOTAY: You might want to grab some sleep... we've got a big day ahead. JANEWAY: In a while. CHAKOTAY: (re: monitor) Still hunting for buried treasure? JANEWAY: We found the treasure... I just can't pick the lock. (frustrated) I've tried over fifty decryption algorithms. Every time I piece together a datablock... ten more come unraveled. Janeway eyes the monitor, thoughtful. JANEWAY: (continuing) What did Starfleet send us? A map, the location of a wormhole? If I decode this today, we could be home tomorrow. (beat) Then again, it could be Admiral Chapman's recipe for the perfect pound cake. I've been pinning our hopes on this message, but I'm starting to wonder... CHAKOTAY: One way or another, we've got to find out. (upbeat) I'll talk to B'Elanna... you could enlist Seven of Nine. JANEWAY: (nods) She should have a few Borg algorithms up her sleeve. If she's in the mood... CHAKOTAY: Problems? JANEWAY: I don't know if she's getting restless... or if it's just me... but we're butting heads more than usual lately. She seems to challenge everything I say. CHAKOTAY: She's learned a lot from you over the last year. Maybe the pupil thinks she's outgrowing the mentor. JANEWAY: Maybe... A quiet beat. JANEWAY: (with humor) Well, this is one mentor who could use another cup of coffee. Join me? CHAKOTAY: Love to. CUT TO: 11 EXT. SPACE-VOYAGER (OPTICAL) at impulse. A Voyager SHUTTLECRAFT is approaching the ship. 12 INT. CARGO BAY (NOTE: The Borg alcoves remain off-camera.) FOUR STARFLEET N.D.s are busily sorting through CARGO -containers of various sizes and shapes. Chakotay and PARIS are directing the job. PARIS: (to N.D., re: container) That goes to Engineering. (to another N.D.) Sickbay. A third N.D. walks over, carrying a bizarre-looking ALIEN OBJECT-it's covered with gnarled tendrils and spiny projections. CHAKOTAY: (lightly) I hope that's not going to the Mess Hall. PARIS: I don't remember what this is... (calls out) Neelix! 13 NEW ANGLE-JANEWAY, NEELIX AND AN ALIEN are standing nearby. The alien-ARTURIS-is an exotic-looking humanoid with an enlarged cranium. He's from a highly intelligent species, soft- spoken, charismatic. Neelix is playing Ambassador. NEELIX: (to Janeway, re: Arturis) Captain, he's a genius! I was trying to negotiate with a xenon-based lifeform... when the Universal Translator went off-line. Arturis here stepped in and acted as a perfect go-between. And he'd never heard either of our languages! ARTURIS: They're simple. (to Neelix) No insult intended. PARIS' VOICE: Neelix! NEELIX: On my way. (to Janeway, Arturis) If you two will excuse me... Neelix rushes off. JANEWAY: (to Arturis, lightly) Welcome to Voyager. We may be a linguistically simple folk... but we're happy to give you a ride. Let's see if we can find you some quarters. They start walking toward the doors. Arturis looks touched. ARTURIS: Neelix was right... Voyager is a welcoming place. JANEWAY: We do our best. 14 INT. CORRIDOR Moments later. Janeway and Arturis are walking along. JANEWAY: I can't say I've ever met a living Universal Translator. ARTURIS: My people have a way with languages. I myself know over four thousand. JANEWAY: And to think I still struggle with basic Klingon. (intrigued) You couldn't have heard Neelix say more than a few phrases... ARTURIS: That's all I needed. It's enough to grasp the grammar and syntax. JANEWAY: Impressive. ARTURIS: (modest) Not really. It's a natural ability. Some species are born with great physical prowess... others, like yours, with a generosity of spirit. (off her smile) My people can see patterns where others see only confusion. A beat, and then Janeway looks at him, her mind working. ARTURIS: Is something wrong? JANEWAY: No. (pointed) Tell me... how are you at computational languages? Algorithms trinary syntax... ARTURIS: It's all the same to me. JANEWAY: I was wondering if you might do us another favor. Off Arturis, puzzled CUT TO: 15 THE DAMAGED DATA STREAM (VPB) as seen before-chaotic alphanumerics racing across a MONITOR. ARTURIS' VOICE: You weren't exaggerating, Captain. This data stream is badly damaged. REVEAL we are in- 16 INT. ASTROMETRICS LAB (VPB) It's a short time later. Arturis is working the console monitor. Janeway and Seven of Nine look on. ARTURIS: (continuing, beat) I'd like to see the entire transmission again. Janeway nods to Seven of Nine, who works the console. Arturis glances at Seven of Nine, curious. ARTURIS: Are you Borg? SEVEN OF NINE: (working) Yes. ARTURIS: (lightly) You're more attractive than the average Drone. SEVEN OF NINE: I'm no longer part of the Collective. Arturis studies the monitor, absorbed. ARTURIS: Yes... yes... I see the problem... (re: console) May I? JANEWAY: Please. Arturis starts tapping controls, focussed, never taking his eyes off the monitor. JANEWAY: (to Seven of Nine) Have you encountered his people before? SEVEN OF NINE: Species One-One-Six. Arturis is still absorbed in the work, but seems perfectly capable of carrying on a conversation at the same time. ARTURIS: Is that what you call us? SEVEN OF NINE: Yes. (to Janeway) The Borg have never been able to assimilate them. Not yet. JANEWAY: Seven... ARTURIS: (working, good-natured) It's all right, Captain. The Borg Collective is like a force of nature. You don't feel anger toward a storm on the horizon... you just avoid it. The console BEEPS and Arturis looks pleased. ARTURIS: Ah! Here it is. (to Janeway) It's a simple matter of extracting the iconometric elements, and triaxilating a recursion matrix. JANEWAY: (wry) Now, why didn't I think of that? ARTURIS: (works) There's a great deal of information here, Captain... it might be helpful to utilize the other monitors. Janeway moves to the console and works alongside him. A beat, and then: 17 THE DOME (OPTICAL) COMES ALIVE WITH INFORMATION-a MULTISCREEN DISPLAY, each section filled with different kinds of DATA- schematics, coordinates, and one section shows a STARFLEET ADMIRAL talking to camera, another an image of EARTH. All of it is heavily FRITZED. SOUND fills the room- beeps, clicks, the Admiral's distorted voice, etc. JANEWAY: You've done it... ARTURIS: Almost. I've reconstructed over sixty-eight kiloquads of information... but a lot of it's still garbled. JANEWAY: (nods, off console) What about this datablock-fourteen alpha? ARTURIS: That part of the message is too degraded to recover. Janeway takes this in. Then: SEVEN OF NINE: Captain-I've found a spatial grid. Janeway rushes over. JANEWAY: It looks like a map of a nearby sector... (studies it) They've marked a set of coordinates... it's less than ten light years from here... SEVEN OF NINE: Maybe Starfleet wants us to proceed to that location. JANEWAY: Maybe. (energized) There's only one way to find out. CUT TO: 18 EXT. SPACE-VOYAGER (OPTICAL) RACES past camera at high warp! 19 INT. BRIDGE Janeway, Chakotay, Paris, TUVOK, KIM, N.D.s at their stations. Seven of Nine is at an aft station. Arturis is there, as well, standing by Janeway. This is an exciting moment for everyone. PARIS: We're approaching the coordinates. JANEWAY: Take us out of warp. Scan the vicinity. A suspenseful beat. Tuvok's console BEEPS. TUVOK: I'm picking up a vessel. Reactions. JANEWAY: On screen. 20 INCLUDE THE VIEWSCREEN (OPTICAL) It shows a STARSHIP, glowing with power, hanging in space. It's sleek, bullet- shaped, as though built for speed. And it's roughly half the size of Voyager. (We'll come to know this vessel as the "Dauntless.") CHAKOTAY: Identify. TUVOK: Captain... unless I'm mistaken the warp signature is Starfleet. Off the moment FADE OUT. END OF ACT ONE ACT TWO FADE IN: 21 OMITTED 22 INT. BRIDGE (OPTICAL) As before. Everyone watching the Viewscreen, which shows the Starfleet vessel. The crew is transfixed by the sight. But Janeway stays calm, cautious, taking this one step at a time. PARIS: (quiet) I'll be damned... they came through. JANEWAY: Tuvok. TUVOK: Hailing them... (works) No response. CHAKOTAY: Lifesigns? SEVEN OF NINE: (works) There's no organic matter of any kind. Reactions. KIM: (off console) No sign of damage to the outer hull. primary systems are on-line... including life support. (anxious) Something must've happened to the crew... JANEWAY: The answer is somewhere in that Starfleet transmission... we need to finish decoding it. She turns to Arturis. JANEWAY: May I call on your talents again? ARTURIS: Of course. JANEWAY: (to Chakotay) Take an Away Team. Secure the vessel. CHAKOTAY: (on the move) Tuvok, Tom. Chakotay, Tuvok and Paris head for the Turbolift. Janeway stares at the image of the Dauntless, thoughtful. Arturis considers her. ARTURIS: Captain. I won't pretend to know you well but I'm surprised you're not more encouraged by this discovery. JANEWAY: I've learned to walk the line between hope and caution... we've had other opportunities that didn't work out. (smiles) But I will admit... I'm leaning toward hope this time. He returns the smile warmly. As Janeway and Arturis head for the door, Seven of Nine following... CUT TO: 23 INT. DAUNTLESS- BRIDGE (OPTICAL) Gleaming, sexy, cutting-edge Starfleet technology. The room is deep, cylindrical, curvilinear. There are no crewmembers, but the room is pristine. Chakotay, Tuvok and Paris MATERIALIZE. They glance around, impressed. PARIS: Wow. TUVOK: Wow indeed. Chakotay stops at a console, works it. The console LIGHTS UP with a SCHEMATIC of the ship. CHAKOTAY: I've never seen this kind of hull geometry... looks like they've taken a whole new approach to starship design... TUVOK: (off console) USS Dauntless. Registry NX Zero One-A. Launch Date... 51472. CHAKOTAY: Sixty thousand light years in three months? A mysterious beat. Tuvok works the controls... TUVOK: I'm trying to access the crew logs... (reacts) But there are none. PARIS' VOICE: I don't think there was a crew. They turn to him. Paris is studying another station. PARIS: (continuing) The helm was set for autonavigation to these coordinates. They consider. TUVOK: Logic would suggest that Starfleet has provided us with a new ship. CHAKOTAY: Let's not pack our bags just yet. I'd like to know how they- The ship TREMBLES slightly, and we hear a LOW RUMBLE. PARIS: (off helm) I'm reading power fluctuations in the warp core. if you can call it a warp core. I don't recognize this engine configuration... Another tremor. CHAKOTAY: Let's go take a look. He spots a Turbolift, heads for it stops. CHAKOTAY: It might help to know where we're going. TUVOK: (off console) Engineering. Deck Six, Section Twenty-Four. As they head for the door CUT TO: 24 - 26 OMITTED 27 INT. DAUNTLESS- ENGINEERING A dimly lit chamber, with an ENGINE DOME in the center of the floor. The dome is roughly four feet high, GLOWING with deep, shifting COLORS. A circular console surrounds it. At the moment, we cannot see the actual engine core-it's down below. A RUMBLING sound fills the room. 28 ANGLE-CHAKOTAY, TUVOK AND PARIS ENTER the room PARIS: (re: dome) I think we've found our engine core. Paris moves to the dome and peers down through the clear surface. Tuvok and Chakotay join him... 29 OVERHEAD VIEW-ENGINE CORE The CORE itself is a glowing mass of ENERGY. Huge, exotic, powerful. 30 THE AWAY TEAM eyes it, the light playing on their faces. CHAKOTAY: Some kind of new warp drive? PARIS: That's not antimatter... it's... I don't know what it is... Paris moves to a nearby console, looking for answers. The ship TREMBLES... and the room RUMBLES loudly. The LIGHT from the engine dome FLARES briefly. PARIS: (off console) They call this thing a... quantum slipstream drive. TUVOK: "Quantum slipstream"? CHAKOTAY: I've never seen that in the engineering manuals. The RUMBLE grows in intensity... the room VIBRATES. ALARMS start to sound. Paris checks a readout. PARIS: The ship is powering up! Auto navigation's kicking in! 31 EXT. SPACE-THE DAUNTLESS (OPTICAL) starts to MOVE forward! 32 INT. VOYAGER-BRIDGE N.D.s at their stations. Kim in command, checking the armchair console. KIM: (to com) Voyager to Away Team. What's happening over there? (beat) Chakotay? Nothing. KIM: (to com, urgent) Bridge to Janeway-the vessel's moving away at high impulse! INTERCUT: 33 INT. ASTROMETRICS LAB Janeway, Seven of Nine and Arturis are working. Various monitors and displays show the STARFLEET DATA, as seen in Act One. KIM'S COM VOICE: (continuing) I can't raise the Away Team. JANEWAY: Pursuit course, Ensign! 34 INT. DAUNTLESS- ENGINEERING As before. The ship is RUMBLING violently now, the engine core GLOWING wildly. PARIS: (working) I can't shut down the drive! CHAKOTAY: (to com) Computer, disable propulsion! COMPUTER VOICE: Unable to comply. PARIS: Hang on! They brace themselves... 35 EXT. SPACE-THE DAUNTLESS (OPTICAL) ROARING at HIGH IMPULSE. The NOSE of the Dauntless starts to GLOW and DISTORT in a strange effect, and the entire ship VANISHES from view! 36 OMITTED 37 INT. VOYAGER-BRIDGE As before. KIM: (to corn) Bridge to Janeway-they're gone. Off his surprise... 38 EXT. SPACE-QUANTUM SLIPSTREAM (OPTICAL) A TORRENT of ENERGY whipping past us at blinding velocities! The Dauntless is RACING through the raging river of energy at breakneck speeds! 39 INT. DAUNTLESS- ENGINEERING LIGHT from the engines STROBING, a harrowing experience. Over the noise: PARIS: (off console) Look at this! Energy from the quantum drive is being routed through the main deflector! CHAKOTAY: Is that what's creating the slipstream? PARIS: It looks that way! TUVOK: Fascinating! Can you make it stop? PARIS: I'll try accessing the helm controls! Paris works. 40 EXT. SPACE (OPTICAL) A starfield. And then, with a BLAST of ENERGY, the DAUNTLESS comes ROARING out of the quantum slipstream and into normal space! 41 INT. DAUNTLESS- ENGINEERING Alarms stop. LIGHT from the engine core dies down. PARIS: We're back in normal space. CHAKOTAY: Scan for Voyager. TUVOK: (works) No sign of them. (reacts) Commander we've traveled over fifteen light years. Off their surprise TIME CUT TO: 42 EXT. SPACE-VOYAGER (OPTICAL) at impulse. JANEWAY (V.O.): Captain's Log, Supplemental. After two days at high warp, we've rendezvoused with the Dauntless. Voyager FLIES INTO VIEW of the DAUNTLESS, which is hanging in space. JANEWAY (V.O.): (continuing) Arturis has helped us reconstruct most of the Starfleet message. The pieces of this puzzle are finally coming together... 43 ON A STARFLEET ADMIRAL (OPTICAL) on a WALL MONITOR, fritzing slightly. Mid-message: STARFLEET ADMIRAL: Slipstream technology is experimental and high-risk. But it's come a long way in the past year. As the Admiral speaks, REVEAL we are in- 44 INT. BRIEFING ROOM (OPTICAL) Janeway, Chakotay, Tuvok, Paris, Kim, TORRES, Neelix, the DOCTOR (wearing his mobile emitter) and Seven of Nine are gathered around the table, watching the monitor. STARFLEET ADMIRAL: (continuing) We've conducted forty-seven trial runs... all of them successful. But each flight lasted only five days... As we listen, CAMERA MOVES across the crew's faces, expectant. STARFLEET ADMIRAL: (continuing) In order to reach Earth, you'd have to remain at slipstream velocities for a full three months. Can your crew survive that long? We believe they can... and we encourage you to try. Everything you'll need is on the Dauntless. Power cells, supplies, living quarters. The Admiral's voice softens. STARFLEET ADMIRAL: (continuing) Safe journey. We hope to see you soon. The transmission FRITZES OUT, replaced by a Federation symbol. There's a somber pause as everyone takes in the situation. No one says anything, no one even breathes. Finally, Janeway turns to her crew. JANEWAY: (lightly) Admiral Hayes. Good man. Fine officer. But something of a windbag. This breaks the ice-everyone laughs. The tension is released. JANEWAY: (to business) Let's talk about the risk. Doctor? DOCTOR: I've examined the Away Team for signs of cell damage or physiological stress. Nothing. Their little joyride didn't harm them in the slightest. JANEWAY: Long-term effects? DOCTOR: I'm running medical projections right now... so far, the results are encouraging. JANEWAY: (to Chakotay) And the Dauntless itself? CHAKOTAY: I'd say it's in pretty good shape, considering. TORRES: (chiming in) I've been looking over the primary systems. Helm, Ops, Tactical -they're comparable to Voyager's. But it's a lean ship, Captain. No Shuttlecraft, only one Transporter... no Holodecks, no replicators. JANEWAY: Well, Mister Neelix... you may have your work cut out for you. NEELIX: Ready and willing, Captain. KIM: So what are we waiting for? SEVEN OF NINE: Your enthusiasm is premature. Voyager is a proven vessel. We'd be reckless to abandon it so quickly. KIM: Come on, Seven... where's that Borg spirit? We'll adapt! SEVEN OF NINE: My "Borg spirit" gives me an objectivity you lack. TUVOK: She has a point. This would mean leaving Voyager behind... CHAKOTAY: (to Torres) Is there any way we could modify Voyager to create a slipstream? PARIS: In theory. But I don't think the ship would hold up very long under the quantum stresses. JANEWAY: (to Paris) Try to make the modifications. If there's a way we can bring Voyager along for the ride, I'm all for it. (orders) B'Elanna, Harry-take an Engineering team to the Dauntless. Start working on a way to shut down that slipstream drive at a moment's notice. TORRES: Aye, Captain. JANEWAY: (to Paris) Once we've got that safeguard in place, we'll start making test flights. (to Chakotay) The entire crew should familiarize themselves with that ship. See to it. He nods. Janeway takes a moment glances around the room itself she's facing her biggest decision yet. JANEWAY: (to all) Dismissed. Everyone swings into action, heading for the door. Janeway stares out the window. JANEWAY: Tuvok. Tuvok stays behind. Janeway waits until they're alone, then... JANEWAY: Big day. TUVOK: Indeed. JANEWAY: A way home. We've been waiting for this moment for years... (beat) Why don't feel more enthusiastic? TUVOK: Perhaps my mental discipline is finally rubbing off on you. JANEWAY: (smiles) Hmm... perhaps. (beat) What do you think about this little "miracle" of ours? TUVOK: I share your concern about the crew's safety. We must take every precaution. JANEWAY: Somehow, I don't think the standard diagnostics and security protocols are going to make me feel any better. TUVOK: Captain? Janeway looks at him. JANEWAY: All of this is too... perfect. The alien genius with the answers to all our problems... a message from Starfleet telling us everything we want to hear... a starship delivered right to our doorstep. What more could we ask for? They even turned down the beds... the only thing missing is chocolate on the pillows. Tuvok considers. TUVOK: It does seem... convenient. JANEWAY: I can't put my finger on it... but from the moment this all started, I've felt something was wrong... TUVOK: It started when Arturis boarded Voyager. JANEWAY: Exactly. She thinks, makes a decision. JANEWAY: We'll proceed as planned. But I want you to investigate that ship from stem to stern... and keep an eye on our guest... see if you can find out more about him. TUVOK: Understood. JANEWAY: Let's hope we're suffering from nothing more than good, old-fashioned paranoia. (beat) Keep me posted. Tuvok nods, turns and EXITS. Off Janeway... FADE OUT. END OF ACT TWO ACT THREE FADE IN: 45 EXT. SPACE-THE DAUNTLESS (OPTICAL) drifting next to Voyager. JANEWAY (V.O.): Captain's Log, Supplemental. So far, the crew hasn't found any evidence to support my doubts about Arturis... 46 INT. DAUNTLESS-BRIDGE As seen before. Janeway, Chakotay and FIVE STARFLEET N.D.s are busily checking consoles, making adjustments, etc. Paris and Kim are there, too- exchanging smiles and laughter while they work. JANEWAY (V.O.): ... nevertheless, I've told them to keep looking and to keep their optimism in check. But that's one order I don't expect them to follow to the letter... Over the last few words of Janeway's log, we OVERLAP a LOG by Seven of Nine and DISSOLVE TO: 47 INT. ASTROMETRICS LAB (VPB) Seven of Nine is studying a GRAPHIC of a quantum slipstream. Arturis can be seen working in the b.g. SEVEN OF NINE (V.O.): (overlapping) Daily log, Seven of Nine, Stardate XXXXXX I've analyzed the quantum slipstream technology of the Dauntless. It's similar to the transwarp drive used by the Borg. As a result, my expertise will be crucial to the mission's success. 48 INT. VOYAGER-CORRIDOR Seven of Nine walking along. Starfleet N.D.s are hustling past. She studies them as they pass by. SEVEN OF NINE (V.O.): (continuing) Voyager's crew is counting on that success... but I find myself ambivalent. So I'm carrying out my assignment, nothing more... Over the last couple of words, we OVERLAP back to Janeway's Log and DISSOLVE TO: 49 INT. READY ROOM Janeway at her desk, working at a desktop computer. JANEWAY (V.O.): (overlapping) Despite my apprehension, I can't help but wonder what I'll be doing in three months' time. Janeway pauses for a moment, stares out the window. JANEWAY (V.O.): (continuing) Still guiding Voyager through the Delta Quadrant... or looking up old friends in Indiana? OVERLAP and DISSOLVE TO: 50 INT. CARGO BAY Seven of Nine is working at a Borg alcove. SEVEN OF NINE (V.O.):... If we do return to Sector Zero-zero-one, will I adapt to human civilization? A single Borg, among billions of individuals? Off Seven of Nine's face... CUT TO: 53 OVERHEAD VIEW- -THE DAUNTLESS ENGINE CORE The glowing ENERGY, as seen before. Torres, Kim and Seven of Nine are standing at the console overlooking it. TORRES: Initiate emergency shutdown on my mark. 54 INT. DAUNTLESS- ENGINEERING- CONTINUOUS Torres, Kim and Seven of Nine at the console. TORRES: Now. The three of them work and we HEAR the RUMBLE of the engine core start to SUBSIDE... KIM: Quantum field strength down to ninety percent. eighty percent... (reacts) It's leveling off at seventy-five. SEVEN OF NINE: We need to dampen the field by at least fifty percent. TORRES: Try reversing the quantum field polarities. Seven of Nine works the rumbling sound starts to dissipate. KIM: Seventy percent fifty-five forty-nine percent! 55 OVERHEAD VIEW-THE ENGINE CORE The glowing sphere of energy SLOWS and the rumbling noise fades to a low hum. TORRES: We did it! 56 RESUME SCENE Torres is excited- more -upbeat than we've seen her in a while. TORRES: We've got our safety net. KIM: One step closer to home. Torres and Kim exchange a satisfied look. SEVEN OF NINE: (to business) Tuvok wants us to run a metallurgical analysis of the bulkheads... to look for anything unusual. Torres glances at her, slightly annoyed that she spoiled the moment. TORRES: Thanks. (to Kim) You two run the analysis. I'll be on the Bridge with Arturis. Our "resident genius" said he'd help me figure out those control sequencers. Kim nods. Torres starts preparing an Engineering kit. Seven and Kim pull out tricorders and start scanning the bulkheads. Seven of Nine glances at Torres, pensive, SEVEN OF NINE: Lieutenant... you seem eager to return to Earth. TORRES: Eager? I wouldn't go that far. SEVEN OF NINE: (probing) You were a member of the Maquis. Starfleet Command will no doubt hold you responsible for a multitude of crimes. You will find nothing on Earth but adversity. TORRES: (sarcastic) That's looking on the bright side. But the inquiry does catch Torres offguard... and she considers. TORRES: (continuing) Let's put it this way... I'd rather face the music back home than spend the rest of my life in the Delta Quadrant. Seven takes this in. TORRES: (continuing) What about you? Looking forward to seeing Earth? SEVEN OF NINE: No. TORRES: I'm not surprised. You think people are going to resent an ex-Maquis... what about an ex-Drone? Seven looks troubled. TORRES: I'm kidding, Seven. A joke. (softer) Look. I know how you're feeling. Part of me is dreading going back. But if I can do it, you can do it. (lightly) We'll be outcasts together! But Seven doesn't smile. TORRES: Work on that sense of humor-it'll help you make friends on Earth. With that, Torres EXITS. KIM: (off tricorder) I'm reading an anomalous energy surge behind this panel. Seven scans it. SEVEN OF NINE: There are no power conduits running through this section. As they work, Kim glances at Seven of Nine. He can tell she has a lot on her mind. KIM: Believe me, Seven... one look at that big blue marble, and you'll fall in love. It's got just about every ecosystem you can think of. And hundreds of different humanoid species live there. Bolians, Vulcans, Ktarians... He glances at her. She's staring at him, unimpressed. KIM: (trailing off) If you... like Ktarians. (beat) There are plenty of other planets to choose from. SEVEN OF NINE: If you will excuse me, Ensign. I must speak to the Captain. He nods. Seven of Nine heads for the door. KIM: Seven? (she stops) For what's it worth... it won't be the same without you. Seven of Nine gives him an almost imperceptible smile. In their own offbeat way, they've bonded over the months. Kim watches her go... then snaps his tricorder shut, belts it... moves to a nearby control panel... removes the covering and starts adjusting the circuitry within... 57 NEW ANGLE (OPTICAL) The ENTIRE BULKHEAD SHIMMERS IN AN ALIEN HOLOGRAPHIC EFFECT, REVEALING EXOTIC ALIEN TECHNOLOGY BEYOND. Kim reacts in surprise. KIM: (taps combadge) Kim to Tuvok. TUVOK'S COM VOICE: Tuvok here. KIM: I'm on the Dauntless... in the engine room... and I've found something that qualifies as "unusual." TUVOK: I'll be right there. As Kim keeps working the wall circuits... CUT TO: 58 EARTH (OPTICAL) The big blue marble against starry space. After a beat, technical DATA appears all around it-this is one of the images we saw from the Starfleet message in Act One. 59 INT. ASTROMETRICS LAB (OPTICAL) Janeway is working a console, the image of Earth on the Dome in front of her. JANEWAY: (to com) Computer- display datablock fourteen-beta. We hear the computer work. Janeway studies a console, intent. Seven of Nine ENTERS. JANEWAY: Seven-I could use your help. Seven of Nine moves to her. JANEWAY: (re: console) I'm trying to reconstruct that last fragment of the Starfleet message. SEVEN OF NINE: Arturis said it was irreparably damaged. JANEWAY: I know... but I have a feeling he gave up too easily. SEVEN OF NINE: Intuition. JANEWAY: (with humor) It's intuition if I'm right... (re: console) I've designed a new decryption algorithm. Let's give it a try. Seven of Nine and Janeway work a moment, the image of Earth looming large between them. Then: SEVEN OF NINE: Captain... I will not be going with you to the Alpha Quadrant. Janeway glances at her, calm. JANEWAY: (gently) I can understand your reluctance. It's been hard enough dealing with a crew of a hundred and fifty humans. The prospect of an entire planet must be overwhelming... SEVEN OF NINE: I am not overwhelmed. I simply don't wish to live among humans. JANEWAY: Whether you like it or not, you're one of us. (beat) You've come a long way from that Drone who stepped out of a Borg alcove nine months ago. Don't turn your back on humanity, now... not when you're about to take your biggest step. Earth. Your home. Seven of Nine considers. SEVEN OF NINE: I may have "come a long way" but not in the direction you think. (beat) You've attempted to influence my development... you've exposed me to your culture and ideals. You 'hoped to shape me in your own image. But you failed. (beat) You may have noticed our tendency to disagree. JANEWAY: (wry) Oh, I've noticed. SEVEN OF NINE: Then you should also recognize that I don't share your values. Your desire to explore space is inefficient... your need for familial connections is a weakness. She indicates the Dome. SEVEN OF NINE: (re: Earth) Your infatuation with this planet is irrational. JANEWAY: I won't argue that you've turned out... differently than I expected and that we often have conflicting points of view. (beat) But right now, there's more at stake. This crew needs your expertise. Abandon them and you diminish their chances of getting home. SEVEN OF NINE: Irrelevant. JANEWAY: No, it's not. We've given you a lot, Seven... it's time you gave something in return. SEVEN OF NINE: I have... on many occasions. Now, I refuse. A tense beat. Janeway takes a different tack... JANEWAY: What would you do-go back to the Collective? SEVEN OF NINE: I don't know. JANEWAY: Then what, exactly, do you have in mind? SEVEN OF NINE: (an edge) I don't know. Seven doesn't have an answer. JANEWAY: That's my point. You're asking me to cast you adrift in the Delta Quadrant... alone, without support. I wouldn't grant that request to any member of the crew. It's too dangerous. SEVEN OF NINE: I'll survive. JANEWAY: On what-Borg perfection? SEVEN OF NINE: Precisely. They're at an impasse. JANEWAY: I don't buy it. This isn't about your independence or your superiority... it's about your fear. (off her look) You're not making this choice because you've outgrown humanity. I think you're afraid to go back to Earth. This challenge hangs in the air... then the console starts BEEPING. Janeway checks it. JANEWAY: The algorithm's working... it's reconstructing the datablock... Janeway works. 60 NEW ANGLE-A WALL MONITOR (OPTICAL) It shows the STARFLEET ADMIRAL, as before. The image is fritzing slightly, and we can't understand what the Admiral is saying. Janeway and Seven move to the monitor. JANEWAY: Strange. I thought we already recovered this part of the message. SEVEN OF NINE: Perhaps it's an addendum from the Admiral. You did designate him a "windbag." But Janeway is dead serious. JANEWAY: (off console) I don't think so. The data index doesn't match, This is a completely different message... She works a moment. In response, the Admiral's image CLEARS UP a little, and we can hear his voice. Mid-message: STARFLEET ADMIRAL: (fritzing slightly) ... apologies from everyone at Starfleet Command. We've had our best people working around the clock, trying to find a wormhole, a new means of propulsion- anything to get you home. But despite our best efforts... The Admiral looks somber. Janeway and Seven of Nine exchange a look. STARFLEET ADMIRAL: (continuing) I know it's not what you were hoping. But we've sent you all the data we've collected on the Delta Quadrant. With any luck, you'll find at least some part of it useful... maybe enough to shave a few years off your journey. (somber) Safe journey. We hope to see you soon. The message ENDS, replaced by a Federation symbol. A stunned beat. SEVEN OF NINE: Your intuition was correct. JANEWAY: Unfortunately. SEVEN OF NINE: Arturis must have created a false message. JANEWAY: (tight) It sure as hell looks that way. A grim beat. JANEWAY: (to com) Janeway to Tuvok. TUVOK: Yes, Captain. JANEWAY: My suspicions have been confirmed. INTERCUT: 60A INT. DAUNTLESS- ENGINEERING Tuvok and Kim are working at the bulkhead seen earlier (it has a normal appearance right now). JANEWAY: (continuing) Arturis tampered with Starfleet's message. The Dauntless isn't what it appears to be. Tuvok and Kim exchange a look. TUVOK: I agree. We've discovered alien technology behind a bulkhead in Engineering. I can't identify it. JANEWAY: Where's Arturis now? TUVOK: On the Dauntless Bridge-working with Lieutenant Torres. JANEWAY: Go there, but don't tip our hand. I'll meet you with a full security team in a few minutes. TUVOK: Understood. JANEWAY: (to Seven) Grab a phaser. As Janeway and Seven of Nine head for the door FADE OUT. END OF ACT THREE ACT FOUR FADE IN: 61 INT. DAUNTLESS-BRIDGE As seen before. Arturis is studying a console. Torres and two Engineering N.D.s working nearby. As they talk, Tuvok ENTERS in the b.g., wearing a phaser on his belt. He silently observes... TORRES: (to Arturis) Don't touch that! She moves to him. TORRES: (re: console) You almost kicked us into slipstream drive. ARTURIS: Oh... I wouldn't want to do that. (in Klingon) Ku cha mee-Roch. (My mistake). TORRES: No problem. (surprised) You speak Klingon. ARTURIS: I do now. Your Captain was kind enough to let me review your linguistic database. TORRES: I only know a few phrases myself. ARTURIS: Shame. It's a robust language. TORRES: A little too robust for me. He smiles warmly... 62 NEW ANGLE (OPTICAL) Janeway, Seven of Nine and TWO SECURITY GUARDS MATERIALIZE suddenly, armed with hand-phasers and phaser rifles-all of them aiming directly at Arturis! Tuvok takes up position alongside them, phaser drawn. Startled reactions around the Bridge. ARTURIS: (innocent) Is there a problem? Janeway glances at Torres, as the Guards take up positions around Arturis. JANEWAY: (quickly, to Torres) Evacuate the repair teams. TORRES: Captain? JANEWAY: Do it. Puzzled, Torres and the Engineering N.D.s EXIT to the Turbolift. Janeway faces Arturis. JANEWAY: Explain yourself. ARTURIS: I don't know what you're talking about. JANEWAY: You fabricated the message from Starfleet. (off his look) I recovered the real transmission the one you said was irreparably damaged. ARTURIS: That's absurd. JANEWAY: (pressing) Starfleet didn't send us this vessel and you aren't here to help. Is this your ship? ARTURIS: (diplomatic) Please... stay calm... I'm sure there's an explanation. JANEWAY: I tried to ignore my gut feelings, because I got carried away by the excitement of getting home. But you preyed on that, didn't you? You took advantage of our hopes... and I want to know why. A long, tense beat. Arturis looks disturbed. ARTURIS: I believe there is a threat here, Captain... but not from me. He looks at Seven of Nine. ARTURIS: (re: Seven of Nine) I didn't feel it was my place to make accusations... but I saw her reconfiguring several key algorithms. Two days ago... in your Astrometrics Lab. Seven of Nine reacts. ARTURIS: (continuing) It seems obvious... she must've been tampering with the Starfleet message. SEVEN OF NINE: You are lying. ARTURIS: (to Janeway) She's been sabotaging your efforts to reach Earth. You don't have to believe me. You'll find all the evidence you need in her personal database. For a brief instant, Janeway glances in Seven of Nine's direction. Then: JANEWAY: (to Arturis, hard) Evidence you undoubtedly put there. Just in case you got caught. (to Tuvok) Take him to Voyager... throw him the Brig. Tuvok steps toward Arturis, whose expression tightens. All hell breaks loose: 63 - 66 OMITTED 67 ARTURIS BOLTS for a nearby console, KNOCKING a Security Guard off his feet with a SMASHING BLOW! 68 TUVOK (OPTICAL) FIRES his phaser! 69 ARTURIS (OPTICAL) takes a direct HIT! He stumbles, but keeps going in a display of remarkable strength. He grabs hold of a console panel, RIPS it away, revealing a set of ALIEN CONTROLS beneath. The second Guard LUNGES from behind, grabbing hold of him, but Arturis THROWS him off and the Guard goes FLYING! Arturis rapidly TURNS a circular control, then hits two more controls in quick succession! 69A ANGLE-A CONSOLE (OPTICAL) SHIMMERS in an ALIEN EFFECT-and TRANSFORMS into an ALIEN CONSOLE, surrounded by ALIEN TECHNOLOGY. 70 WIDE-THE BRIDGE The ENTIRE ROOM has transformed into an ALIEN BRIDGE. Consoles, lighting, bulkheads-they now have strange and unfamiliar configurations. 71 TUVOK (OPTICAL) reacts. A narrow ALIEN FORCEFIELD FLASHES around his body, trapping him in place. 72 JANEWAY AND SEVEN OF NINE (OPTICAL) As two similar FORCEFIELDS APPEAR around them. We HEAR two other forcefields flash on offcamera. Trapped! JANEWAY: (taps combadge) Janeway to Voyager-beam us out of here! Arturis reacts to this, starts working a console in response. 72A INT. VOYAGER-BRIDGE Red Alert. Chakotay in command, Paris, Kim, N.D.s at their stations. KIM: (working fast) He's trying to deflect our transporters. stand by... 72B INT. DAUNTLESS- BRIDGE (OPTICAL) Tuvok and the two Security Guards DEMATERIALIZE in a Starfleet effect. Arturis keeps working furiously... 72C ON JANEWAY AND SEVEN OF NINE (OPTICAL) Also DEMATERIALZING, but the effect stops midway through! 72D INT. VOYAGER-BRIDGE As before, Red Alert. KIM: I've got everyone but the Captain and Seven of Nine! He's found a way to block their transport. PARIS: The ship's going into slipstream mode! CHAKOTAY: Pursuit course! 72E INT. DAUNTLESS-BRIDGE As before. Arturis is at the helm, working the alien controls. The ship is TREMBLING and we HEAR the familiar RUMBLE of the engines... 73 - 77 OMITTED 78 EXT. SPACE-THE DAUNTLESS (OPTICAL) roaring at high impulse, the nose of the ship GLOWING and DISTORTING as seen before. The ship VANISHES from view! 79 INT. VOYAGER-BRIDGE As before. PARIS: We've lost them, Commander. Chakotay considers. CHAKOTAY: Tom-bring the warp core modifications on-line. We're going after them. PARIS: Sir-we haven't even had a trial run! CHAKOTAY: No time like the present. Off Chakotay, determined... CUT TO: 80 EXT. SPACE-QUANTUM SLIPSTREAM (OPTICAL) The Dauntless RACING through the torrent of energy at breakneck speeds. 81 INT. DAUNTLESS-ALIEN BRIDGE As before. Janeway and Seven of Nine standing in place, trapped by the unseen forcefields. Arturis is at the helm, navigating the ship. The deep RUMBLE of the engines can be heard. SEVEN OF NINE: Where are you taking us? ARTURIS: (simply) Home. Janeway and Seven exchange a look. JANEWAY: How'd you create the Starfleet Bridge -holograms? ARTURIS: Particle synthesis. Beyond your understanding. JANEWAY: Is this what your people do-prey on innocent ships? Arturis turns to her, a flash of anger in his eyes. ARTURIS: (an edge) "Innocent." Typical of Captain Janeway. Self- righteous. JANEWAY: If I've done something to offend you or your people, please tell me. ARTURIS: Diplomacy, Captain? Your "diplomacy" destroyed my world. She reacts. Arturis take a beat, he's been waiting a long time for this moment. He begins circling his captives... ARTURIS: (continuing) You negotiated an agreement with the Borg Collective. Safe passage through their space... and in return, you helped them defeat one of their enemies. SEVEN OF NINE: Species Eight Four Seven Two. ARTURIS: In your "colorful" language, yes. Species Eight Four Seven Two. (to Janeway) Did it ever occur to you that some of us in the Delta Quadrant had a vested interest in that war? Victory would have meant the annihilation of the Borg. (beat) But you couldn't see beyond the bow of your own ship. JANEWAY: In my estimation, Species Eight Four Seven Two posed a greater threat than the Borg. ARTURIS: Who were you to make that decision? A stranger to this Quadrant. JANEWAY: There wasn't exactly time to take a poll. I had to act quickly. Arturis eyes her darkly. ARTURIS: My people managed to elude the Borg for centuries... outwitting them... always one step ahead. But in recent years, the Borg began to weaken our defenses... they were closing in. Species Eight Four Seven Two was our last hope to defeat them... (to Janeway, emotion rising) You took that away from us! Arturis is visibly shaken now-his fury at Janeway coming to the fore. ARTURIS: The outer colonies were the first to fall... twentythree in a matter of hours. Our sentry vessels were tossed aside... no defense against the storm... (beat) By the time they surrounded our star system... hundreds of Cubes... we'd already surrendered to our own terror. (haunted) A few of us managed to survive.. ten, twenty thousand. I was fortunate. I escaped with a vessel. Alone... but alive. He trails off... reliving the horrible memory. ARTURIS: (re: Seven of Nine) I don't blame them... they were just Drones acting on Collective instinct. (to Janeway) You. You had a choice! Janeway is moved, upset. JANEWAY: I'm sorry for what happened to your people. But try to understand... I couldn't have known. But he doesn't hear her... gives her a long, cold stare... ARTURIS: It took me months to find you. I watched, waiting for an opportunity to make you pay for what you'd done. (pointed) Then... the Starfleet message. And I knew your selfish desire to get home would surface again... that I could lure you to this vessel... and see to it that you would all be assimilated, and spend the rest of eternity as Borg. (darkly) I was hoping for your entire crew... but I'll settle for the two of you. He moves back to the helm and checks the coordinates. ARTURIS: (continuing) In a matter of hours, this ship will return to my homeworld... inside Borg space. SEVEN OF NINE: When that happens, you will be assimilated, as well. ARTURIS: That's... irrelevant. He considers Seven for a moment. ARTURIS: This is what you've wanted all along, isn't it? To go back to your Collective? (cold) You should thank me. He returns to work. Janeway glances at Seven, whose face is neutral. Off the moment... FADE OUT. END OF ACT FOUR ACT FIVE FADE IN: 82 EXT. SPACE-VOYAGER (OPTICAL) ROARING at high impulse, the nose of the ship GLOWING and DISTORTING-about to enter a "slipstream!" 83 INT. VOYAGER-BRIDGE Red Alert. TREMBLING. A deep RUMBLE can be heard. Chakotay, Tuvok, Paris, Kim, N.D.s at their stations. Tense: CHAKOTAY: Report! PARIS: We're at full impulse-but we're not breaking through the quantum barrier! TUVOK: I'm having trouble controlling the field parameters! I need more power to the deflector! CHAKOTAY: (to com) Bridge to Torres- 84 INT. ENGINEERING Red Alert. Trembling. The warp core is PULSING rapidly-and there a few MODIFICATIONS to the core itself, Starfleet plant-ons, etc. Torres and several Engineering N.D.s are rushing around the room, working. TORRES: (overlapping, to com) -Already on it, Commander! Stand by! (to N.D.) Reroute auxiliary power to Deflector Control! (to another N.D.) Make sure that quantum warp field is stable! 85 INT. BRIDGE As before. There's a heavy SHAKE! TUVOK: (working) Deflector at maximum... I'm focusing the quantum field... KIM: Make it quick! Hull temperature's at critical! Suspense as the ship trembles. then: 86 INCLUDE VIEWSCREEN (OPTICAL) The starfield EXPLODES in a BURST of LIGHT and COLOR as we enter a QUANTUM SLIPSTREAM. Tunnels of energy ROAR past. 87 THE CREW hangs on. PARIS: We're at slipstream velocity! KIM: Structural integrity's down by nine percent. We've got less than an hour before the hull starts to buckle. PARIS: We're right behind them... in the same slipstream. CHAKOTAY: How far behind? PARIS: A few minutes... TUVOK: Is there any way to increase our speed? PARIS: None. We're at maximum. CHAKOTAY: Maintain course. (beat) If I know the Captain... she's already got a plan. 88 JANEWAY (OPTICAL) as her hand touches an ALIEN FORCEFIELD, which flashes on briefly. JANEWAY: Any ideas? REVEAL we are in- 89 INT. DAUNTLESS-BRIG Janeway and Seven of Nine are standing in the small chamber. They've been stripped of their weapons. SEVEN OF NINE: Not presently. JANEWAY: We'd better think of something. We come face-to-face with your former family in less than an hour... and that's one reunion I'd like to miss. Seven is silent. Janeway studies her. JANEWAY: Unless you're looking forward to rejoining the Collective. SEVEN OF NINE: (thinking) I don't believe I am. JANEWAY: Not the ringing opposition I was hoping for, but I'll take it. Janeway glances around the room. JANEWAY: (continuing) A Drone could walk through this forcefield like it was thin air... (beat) Is there enough Borg technology left in your body to let you adapt? SEVEN OF NINE: If I activate the appropriate nanoprobes, I could alter my bio-electric field. (beat) However, I would need to adjust my cranial implant. JANEWAY: (thinks) Would a microfilament do the trick? SEVEN OF NINE: It might. Janeway takes off her combadge, starts to OPEN it. JANEWAY: (re: combadge) Then let's get you one. There is no bench in this spare setting... so Janeway takes a seat on the floor. Seven of Nine hesitates, then joins her. JANEWAY: (points) Once you're outside, access that control panel and disable the forcefield. Then we'll try to reach the engine room... SEVEN OF NINE: (catching on) And deploy the emergency shutdown procedure. Janeway nods... works the delicate circuitry within the combadge... pulls out a thin, tiny WIRE. Seven of Nine eyes it. SEVEN OF NINE: Sufficient. (instructing) You will need to cross-link the third and sixth nodules. Seven of Nine turns to face her... Janeway reaches out with the filament. Seven of Nine pulls back slightly, and Janeway hesitates... it's a little awkward... being this close... Janeway carefully begins to make minor adjustments to the Borg implant above Seven of Nine's eye. JANEWAY: Déja-vu. SEVEN OF NINE: Captain? JANEWAY: (working) As I recall, this is where our... relationship began. In a Brig. Nine months ago. I severed you from the Collective... and you weren't exactly happy about it. SEVEN OF NINE: No... I was not. A quiet beat, A lot has happened between these two characters in the past year... both of them with mixed feelings. JANEWAY: (working) In case that happens... and I never get a chance to say this... (beat) I realize I've been hard on you at times. But it was never out of anger... or regret that I brought you on board. I'm your Captain. That means I can't always be a friend. (beat) Understand? Seven of Nine eyes her. SEVEN OF NINE: No. (beat) However, if we are assimilated, our thoughts will become one... and I'm sure I'll understand perfectly. Janeway pauses, gives her a look. SEVEN OF NINE: A "joke," Captain. You, yourself have encouraged me to use my sense of humor. Janeway smiles, charmed... keeps working on the eyepiece. JANEWAY: (lightly) It's nice to know you're taking some of my advice to heart. Seven looks thoughtful. SEVEN OF NINE: You were correct. My desire to remain in the Delta Quadrant was based on fear. I am no longer Borg... but the prospect of becoming human is... unsettling. (difficult) I don't know where I belong. JANEWAY: (gently) You belong with us. Seven looks at her, uncertain. Then we hear a Borg fritzing SOUND. SEVEN OF NINE: The adaptations are complete. Janeway pulls back, and they both get to their feet... 90 NEW ANGLE (OPTICAL) as Seven of Nine moves toward the archway... pauses... then effort- lessly STEPS THROUGH the CRACKLING FORCEFIELD. 91 INT. DAUNTLESS-ALIEN BRIDGE As before. Arturis at the helm. An ALARM is sounding from a nearby console. He rushes to it... reacts with concern... then moves to another station... 91A INT. DAUNTLESS-BRIG Seven of Nine is working the wall panel. We HEAR the alien forcefield flash off. Janeway joins Seven of Nine. JANEWAY: We're in business. As they quickly move off... CUT TO: 91B EXT. SPACE-QUANTUM SLIPSTREAM (OPTICAL) The Dauntless ROARING along. 92 INT. DAUNTLESS-ENGINEERING LIGHT from the offcamera engines flashing, rumbling. (NOTE: This is the same set as before, no alien modifications.) Janeway and Seven of Nine ENTER and move to the console around the engine core. SEVEN OF NINE: I can't initiate the shutdown procedure... They work. JANEWAY: Our commands are being blocked from the Bridge. He's detected us... The engines RUMBLE louder and there's a TREMBLE. Seven of Nine checks a console. SEVEN OF NINE: The ship's velocity has increased. (reacts) At our present speed, we will enter Borg space in less than twelve minutes. A tense beat as they think... engines REVVING behind them. JANEWAY: Do we still have access to the power distribution grid? SEVEN OF NINE: Yes. JANEWAY: If we can't throw on the brakes, let's swerve the wheel. (off her look) Send a power surge into the starboard thrusters. SEVEN OF NINE: The torsional stress at these speeds could tear the ship apart. JANEWAY: It's either that... or join the Hive. (on the move) Do it. If we're still in one piece, try to gain control of navigation. I'll be on the Bridge. Janeway reaches the door... turns: JANEWAY: We have a game of "Velocity" scheduled for tomorrow on Holodeck One. I expect you to keep the appointment. SEVEN OF NINE: Aye, Captain. A final beat between them, then Janeway EXITS... CUT TO: 93 EXT. SPACE-QUANTUM SLIPSTREAM (OPTICAL) The Dauntless speeding through the torrent. Suddenly, we see a THRUSTER on the starboard hull FLARE OUT-causing the ship to CAREEN out of control! 94 INT. DAUNTLESS-ALIEN BRIDGE SHAKING HARD! Arturis hanging on for dear life! He struggles to the helm, works it... 95 EXT. SPACE-QUANTUM SLIPSTREAM (OPTICAL) The Dauntless out of control! The ship SPINNING and SLAMMING against the sides of the slipstream, causing powerful DISCHARGES of ENERGY! After a harrowing beat, the ship begins to SLOW and its course evens out. 96 INT. DAUNTLESS-ALIEN BRIDGE The shaking subsides. Arturis looks relieved. He begins to work again, when suddenly: JANEWAY'S VOICE: Sorry about the bumpy ride. He whirls to see Janeway, who's just stepped into the room. ARTURIS: You can slow this ship down, but you can't stop it. (beat) In four minutes, Captain Janeway will be gone... and a new Drone will be born. JANEWAY: Don't count on it. The ship ROCKS again! Arturis works the helm desperately... then the shaking subsides. JANEWAY: Seven of Nine has accessed your navigational systems. You taught us how to use this ship a little too well. Arturis moves to another console, works it with intent. Janeway tries to reach him on an emotional level. JANEWAY: (compassionate) I can't begin to imagine your loss... but if you can try to see beyond your desire for revenge... ARTURIS: Revenge is all I have left! JANEWAY: No... as long you're alive... there's hope. Your people's knowledge, accomplishments, dignity... can survive... in you. (quiet) End this. He glances at her, and it looks like he might be persuaded by her words... then he taps a final control. 97 INT. DAUNTLESS- ENGINEERING (OPTICAL) Seven of Nine working a console... when an ENERGY DISCHARGE CRACKLES around the entire console! A section of the panel BLOWS OUT in a SHOWER OF SPARKS! Seven of Nine recoils. 98 INT. DAUNTLESS-ALIEN BRIDGE As before. Arturis turns to Janeway. ARTURIS: I've just destroyed the navigational controls. No one can stop this ship, now... not even me. Janeway rushes to a panel. Arturis takes satisfaction in her anxiety. ARTURIS: Two minutes to Borg space. A long, terrible beat... WHAM! The ship JOLTS. They both stumble! Arturis looks shocked-what now? 99 EXT. SPACE-QUANTUM SLIPSTREAM (OPTICAL) The STARSHIP VOYAGER is CAREENING toward the Dauntless, FIRING TORPEDOES, which SLAM into the enemy ship! 100 INT. VOYAGER-BRIDGE Red Alert. Chakotay, Tuvok, Paris, Kim, N.D.s. Fast action: TUVOK: Direct hit! (reacts) The vessel's shields are down. Transporters standing by. CHAKOTAY: Get a lock on our people! Kim works... 101 INT. DAUNTLESS-ALIEN BRIDGE (OPTICAL) As before, SHAKING HARD. A couple of consoles EXPLODE, SPARKING! Arturis is on his feet, rushing from station to station, panicked, his world coming unraveled. ARTURIS: (off console) Voyager. Janeway reacts. JANEWAY: Come with me-it's not too late! Arturis grabs an alien HAND-WEAPON from out of a station. He whirls on Janeway. ARTURIS: It is for you. Janeway DEMATERIALIZE & Arturis FIRES but the discharge goes right through her without effect! Another JOLT! Arturis is thrown to the floor! 102 INT. VOYAGER-BRIDGE As before. KIM: I've got them, Commander -Transporter Room Two! CHAKOTAY: Alter our slipstream- hard starboard-take us back the way we came! 103 EXT. SPACE-QUANTUM SLIPSTREAM (OPTICAL) Voyager BANKS hard! The SLIPSTREAM BANKS with the ship, BRANCHING OFF the original slipstream as Voyager flies offscreen! 104 THE DAUNTLESS (OPTICAL) keeps going in its own slipstream at top speed! As it ZOOMS off into the distance... 105 EXT. SPACE (OPTICAL) A field of stars. In a blast of energy, the DAUNTLESS comes ROARING out of the slipstream and into normal space. It decelerates to a slow drift... and the CAMERA PANS to reveal- 106 FIVE BORG CUBES (OPTICAL) heading right toward us! 107 INT. DAUNTLESS-ALIEN BRIDGE Peaceful now, no shaking. Arturis is on the floor. He sits up... dazed... but recovers in time to HEAR the voice of the COLLECTIVE: BORG: We are the Borg. You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile. Off Arturis... bracing for the inevitable.. FADE TO BLACK. FADE IN: 108 EXT. SPACE-VOYAGER (STOCK-OPTICAL) 108 at impulse. JANEWAY (V.O.): Captain's Log, supplemental. We remained in the quantum slipstream for an hour before it finally collapsed. Our diagnostics have concluded that we can't risk using this technology again... but we did manage to get three hundred light years closer to home. 109 INT. HOLOGRID (OPTICAL) Janeway and Seven of Nine in their workout clothes, engaged in a game of "Velocity, " as seen in the Teaser. Seven of Nine is FIRING her phaser at the glowing blue DISK, but misses, and the disk GLANCES off her arm and VANISHES. COMPUTER VOICE: Full impact. Final round to Janeway. Winner: Janeway. Seven looks frustrated. As the two of them cool down... JANEWAY: Nice play. You almost had me. SEVEN OF NINE: Almost. JANEWAY: Go again? SEVEN OF NINE: I must report to the Astrometrics Lab. There is work to be done. JANEWAY: Work? I gave the crew strict orders to take some R & R over the next few days... that includes you. SEVEN OF NINE: There are more pressing needs. I'm attempting to design another method of traveling at slipstream velocities... without damaging Voyager. JANEWAY: I thought that was impossible. SEVEN OF NINE: "Impossible" is a word that humans use far too often. I wish to continue my efforts. Janeway looks at her, surprised. JANEWAY: A few days ago, you were ready to abandon ship... and here you are, practically laying in a course to Earth. SEVEN OF NINE: (thoughtful) As we approached Borg space, I began to reevaluate my future. I found the prospect of becoming a Drone... unappealing. JANEWAY: Sometimes you've got to look back, in order to move forward. (gently) Sounds to me like you're starting to embrace your humanity. SEVEN OF NINE: No. (beat) But as I said nothing is impossible. Janeway smiles. A moment between them. Then: JANEWAY: (to com) Computer-one more game. They take their stances. We HEAR a SERIES of escalating BEEPS. 110 A VELOCITY DISK (OPTICAL) APPEARS in mid-flight, red-colored, racing directly TOWARD CAMERA! As it FILLS THE SCREEN- CUT TO BLACK. END OF ACT FIVE END OF SEASON FOUR THE END