She's out of her mind!
- Explain what happened. - She hit me!
Your nose is broken in three places. I'll need to reset it. Try not to move.
We were having a disagreement.
She wanted to realign the lateral plasma conduit. I said it would overload.
As usual, she wouldn't listen.
So I told her to step aside and let me handle it.
She pushed me away. I pushed back.
Then I was on the deck with blood pouring down my face.
- Then what happened? - She said, "Sorry. Go to sickbay.”
At least she gave you some good advice. Now, hold still.
I'll take care of this.
Keep that woman out of my engine room and everything will be fine!
- Where is Ms Torres? - Her quarters.
Put her in the brig until formal charges are filed.
Formal charges? Come on. We're 75 years from the nearest court.
The Captain has the authority to try Ms Torres here on the ship.
- I'd like to settle this on my own. - She struck a fellow officer.
She's a Maquis. Sometimes you have to push people to get things done.
She is no longer in the Maquis. And with all due respect, neither are you.
Allowing her to get away with this sets a bad example for the rest of the crew.
It looks like you're favouring the Maquis.
I don't have to explain myself to you.
I'll deal with B'Elanna, then I'll inform the Captain. Drop this matter.
- That's an order. - I will yield my authority to you.
However, I will make a full security report.
You do that.
We heard what happened. What will they do with B'Elanna?
I don't know yet.
We heard she'll be in the brig for two months
and that all Maquis will be restricted to quarters.
Not true.
If things do get out of hand, we're ready to back you.
Meaning?
If you take control, you have our support.
If I hear talk like that again, I'll throw you in the brig for mutiny.
Here. It's the medical report on Lieutenant Carey.
- He's an idiot! When I tell you... - I don't want to hear it!
The impact fractures along his cranium were pretty severe.
If you'd hit him harder, you'd have driven bones into his brain.
I didn't hit him that hard.
So a Vulcan wants to court martial you
and the Maquis are ready to seize this ship over this.
You've turned this into one lousy day for me, Torres.
- How long do I have to stay in here? - 75 years.
I've never found your twisted sense of humour very funny.
Or you could go back to work if you apologise...
- Apologise?! He... - Not just a simple apology.
A personal one, over a hot cup of pejuta. Bond with the man.
- I won't bond with him. - You'll need people like him.
- I don't need anybody. - You will if you're chief engineer.
This is not an example of my "twisted" sense of humour.
- But Carey is next in line. - You're a better engineer.
What does the Captain have to say?
She hasn't said a word... because I haven't told her yet.
Captain's log, stardate 48439.7.
As we head back to the Alpha Quadrant,
we're conducting "routine” maintenance.
Routine, that is, if we had access to a starbase.
Engine efficiency is down another 14%.
If we don't get more power we'll have to push.
What about alternative energy sources?
Have you got any power from the holodecks?
Not yet. We hooked them to the power grid and blew out half the relays.
The holodeck's energy matrix isn't compatible.
If we relocate all security personnel to deck 7,
we can reroute power to propulsion.
That would be inconvenient, but acceptable.
Fine. Now let's move on to the personnel situation. We still have...
Sorry we're late, but I wasn't informed there was a meeting this morning.
There don't seem to be enough chairs.
This is a briefing for the senior officers.
I see. Well, I...
I am the senior Talaxian on board.
Kes is the senior Ocampa.
And I know more about this region than any other member of the crew.
We have some excellent suggestions.
Very well. You're welcome to join us. This time.
Here you are.
We could use some excellent suggestions.
You could convert a deck into a hydroponics bay
to grow your own food.
I understand that the emergency rations won't hold out much longer.
What about cargo bay 27 It already has adjustable environmental controls.
- When can you start? - Me?
It's your idea. It's your project.
Right away.
I can do some wonderful things with vegetables.
My feragoit goulash is known across twelve star systems.
OK. The personnel situation.
We've found a transporter chief,
but we need an astrogation plotter, a chief engineer, medical support...
Several Maquis crew members would make good officers.
B'Elanna Torres? She was the one involved in that incident with Mr Carey.
That's right.
- What do you think she's suited for? - Chief engineer.
- You're serious? - Very.
Regarding sickbay, we still need a chief medical officer.
What about that electronic man in sickbay?
An Emergency Medical Hologram's abilities are limited.
It can only operate within sickbay.
Not to mention its lousy bedside manner.
- Someone should be a field medic. - Good idea.
Lieutenant, you studied biochemistry at the Academy.
- Only two semesters. - Close enough.
You're a field medic. Report to sickbay when we finish here.
- But Captain... - Stations, everyone!
We're running into spatial distortions.
There's a disturbance in the space-time continuum
20,000 kilometres off the port bow.
All stop.
On screen.
Gravimetric flux density is over 2,000%.
If I'm right, we're looking at a type-4 quantum singularity.
I am receiving an audio transmission from within the singularity.
On speakers.
I think I've found the source.
- Does it look like any ship you know? - No. Nothing I recognise.
But then it's so hard to make out.
They may be trapped in the event horizon. Open a channel.
This is Captain Kathryn Janeway to the vessel near the quantum singularity.
- Do you need help? - Event horizon?
A singularity is a star that's collapsed in on itself.
The event horizon is a very powerful energy field surrounding it.
Once on a particularly dangerous trade mission to the twin stars of Keloda,
I was almost trapped inside...
- No response. - Can we tractor the vessel out?
No. The interference is too heavy.
Captain, we're less than three light years from llidaria.
They might be able to help and they're quite friendly... most of the time.
No. It's being pulled in toward the singularity.
We must get it out of the event horizon.
Bridge to Torres. How can we get that ship out?
We could remodulate a tractor beam to match the interference.
- It might cut through the event horizon. - A subspace tractor beam.
- When can you have it ready? - Three hours.
- Use as many people as you need. - Mr Carey, what do you think?
It might work but we'll need more power to the emitter array.
You're in charge, Mr Carey. Report when the tractor beam is ready.
Aye, Captain.
Mr Paris? Hold our position here.
I'd like to see you in private.
We have a problem and it's time we discuss it.
I appreciate your concerns about Torres...
Commander, this isn't about Torres. My problem is with you.
- Me? - Let me be blunt.
- What you just did was out of line. - In what way?
- When you called Torres in engineering. - I know what she's capable of.
- I knew she could give us an answer. - Carey is the senior officer.
Then none of my people will ever have seniority.
That's the problem. They're not your people.
You treat the Maquis like your crew.
I'm trying to integrate them, but you're not making it easy for me.
I can't make it easy. They don't have the discipline or the training.
But some of them have the ability.
The Starfleet officers have earned their commissions.
How can I ask them to accept a Maquis as their superior officer?
- You're asking them to accept me. - You're qualified.
You're a graduate of the Academy and you have Starfleet experience.
- Permission to speak freely. - Go ahead.
I won't be your token Maquis officer.
I'll consider another qualified Maquis.
- B'Elanna Torres. - She could not finish the Academy.
She could teach at the Academy.
You're right. I do consider these my people.
Nobody else will look out for them.
Give them more authority if you want their loyalty.
Theirs or yours, Commander?
I'm trying to help you. I'm sorry you don't see that.
I recommend you get to know Torres before you choose a chief engineer.
- Permission to leave. - Dismissed.
Computer, activate the Emergency Medical Hologram.
State the nature of the emergency.
There is no emergency. I'm creating a hydroponics bay.
I hear you can provide nitrogenated soil.
- That's it? - I'm sorry. If...
So it begins. The trivia of medicine is my domain now.
Every runny nose, stubbed toe, pimple on a cheek becomes my responsibility.
- You are our only doctor. - I am not just a doctor.
I have information from 2,000 medical reference sources
and the experience of 47 individual medical officers.
I am the embodiment of modern medicine.
- How much dirt do you need? - Four samples will be enough.
Now I know how Hippocrates felt when the king needed him to trim a hangnail.
You're very sensitive, aren't you?
As a medical practitioner, I require a certain sensitivity
to properly address a patient.
I'm talking about you as a person.
I am merely a hologram.
Has your appearance been altered since I came to sickbay?
No. Why?
When I came in, your head was the height of this cabinet.
But now you look at least ten centimetres shorter.
I've just run a diagnostic on my imaging processor.
It shows that I've been reduced in height by 10.4 centimetres.
- Sickbay to operations. - This is Kim.
My holographic projector is malfunctioning. I need a repair crew.
We'll get to it as soon as we can.
- It's just that... - Kim out.
Well. Seems like a very busy day in operations.
- I'm sorry I bothered you. - No trouble.
- Just turn off the program. - What's your name?
What purpose would a name serve a hologram?
I'd just like to know what to call you besides "Doctor".
They never thought I'd be around long enough to need one.
- What's your name? - Kes.
Kes. I'm glad I could help you today.
Computer, end program.
Carey to bridge. The subspace tractor beam is ready to go.
- Acknowledged. Lock onto that ship. - Engaging tractor beam.
It's working. Beam is penetrating the event horizon.
Engineering, I'm showing power fluctuations.
Damn it! The new relays aren't holding.
We're being pulled toward the singularity.
Power to the tractor beam is down 80%. The singularity is pulling us in!
Full reverse! Disengage the tractor beam.
I can't! The emitter relays are locked.
If we keep engines at full reverse we'll pull the ship apart.
- Cut the engines. - We're moving forward.
Get that tractor beam off-line.
I can shut it down but I'll have to get in and cut the main power feed.
Do it.
- Tractor beam disengaged. - Move us to a safe distance, Mr Paris.
- Are we abandoning the rescue? - No, but we need some help.
Lay in a course for the llidaria system. Have Mr Neelix report to the bridge.
We're going to follow his suggestion after all.
Come in.
- You asked to see me, Captain? - Have a seat.
I have personally gone over every emitter relay and refitted four of them.
No one blames you. Commander Chakotay thinks very highly of you.
He's recommended you for chief engineer.
Well, we've been through a few scrapes together.
- Do you think you're ready? - Ready?
Ready to be chief engineer on a starship.
I know my way around an engine room if that's what you mean.
It's part of what I mean.
There's also the matter of your ability to command others.
I'm not sure I'd be doing you a favour by putting you in charge.
There would be a lot of hard feelings toward you.
I'm not bothered by what people think of me.
The job requires knowledge of Starfleet protocol and methodologies.
If you don't think I'm right for this job, just say so.
I'll be honest.
I'm not sure whether you are or not. I wanted to get to know you better.
- I've studied your Academy record. - Where did you get that?
Thanks to Tuvok, we had the names of your crew by the time we left DS9.
Four disciplinary hearings, one suspension...
- You had a turbulent couple of years. - You could say that.
- What was the problem? - The problem?
- The system didn't let anyone breathe. - We work under that same system.
Then maybe this is just a bad idea.
Why did you quit the Academy, B'Elanna?
I didn't want to have anything to do with Starfleet. I'm sorry that I have to now.
- Sickbay to Captain Janeway. - Yes, Doctor?
Please activate your Emergency Medical Holograph channel.
Of course.
I'm getting a distorted transmission.
No. In fact, that is how I appear at present. I'm shrinking.
A malfunction in my imaging system has been reducing my height.
I've been waiting all day for repairs. But that is not what I'm calling about.
Nine crew members have reported unusual symptoms -
severe headaches, muscle spasms and waves of dizziness.
It could be related to the quantum singularity.
Quantum singularity?
It was sending out strong spatial distortions.
They might have affected the crew. And you.
If we were in the vicinity of a quantum singularity I should have been informed.
You're right. I'll look into linking your program into the ship's data.
Hello? Captain? Hello?
- Report. - There's more spatial distortions.
- There's a disturbance off the port bow. - On screen.
- Mr Tuvok? - It is another quantum singularity.
Dimensions are identical to the one we encountered earlier.
Captain, we've returned to our previous coordinates.
This isn't another singularity. It's the same one.
Check the logs. Confirm our position.
They show we've travelled 1.4 light years,
but the star chart confirms we're back where we started.
- Doesn't make sense. - They can't both be right.
We're still at the singularity or we're not.
I tend to believe that the external sensors are correct.
There's something wrong with the warp drive and the logs.
Lay in a course away from the singularity, this time at maximum warp.
Ensign Kim, verify that we're moving away from the singularity. Engage.
Distance from the singularity is ten million kilometres.
Warp engines holding steady. All systems report normal.
Eleven million.
Twelve million.
I don't get it. Have we altered course?
No. We're still steady on 310, mark 215.
Then something's wrong. It's ahead of us again.
Confirmed. We're back at the same coordinates.
All stop.
Transfer all the data on spatial distortions to my ready room.
I'm going to begin my own analysis. Run complete system diagnostics.
I want a report from all senior officers at 1500 hours.
- Who will represent engineering? - Lieutenant Carey.
You should invite B'Elanna, unless you've removed her from consideration.
Fine.
The Captain wants you to attend the staff meeting this afternoon.
I'll give you a full report on what happens.
I'll be there, too. I'm the senior officer and I speak for engineering.
Try not to speak unless someone asks you a question.
1500 hours, deck 1. Don't be late.
You should have broken more than his nose.
There's no sign of any trouble.
- The navigational array? - I'll have the results in an hour.
I hear there's been trouble in engineering.
- The altercation has been resolved. - That's not what I hear.
I hear the Maquis and Starfleet people are at each other's throats.
I am amazed by the human capacity for hyperbole.
The situation may be characterised as tense,
but one can't say they are about to become violent.
I hope you're right. Things are bad enough without...
- Are you all right? - I just have this headache and...
- I'd better get you to sickbay. - Dizzy. Can't...
Can't focus.
27 crew members have reported the symptoms.
And yet I couldn't find anything wrong.
I have no diagnosis, no prognosis, no treatment.
I'll contact you when I can contribute.
And by the way, I am now 68 centimetres shorter.
I'd like someone to repair my projectors
before I have trouble reaching my patients.
I finished my study of the spatial distortions.
I can give you a long, boring analysis. I don't know what's going on.
The readings are confused. None of it makes sense.
- Anything more constructive? - Diagnostics have revealed nothing.
I sent out a tachyon signal but all I got back was static.
B'Elanna, do you think you can work with Mr Carey to clean up that signal?
- Yes. - Good.
But it won't work.
I mean, it was a good idea to try it but it won't work.
You have another idea?
About the problem with the Doctor's holographic projectors...
The distortions might be interfering with their phase alignment.
That was my guess.
I could screen out those distortions by setting up a damping field.
Is our priority here the Medical Holograph system?
If the distortions are also interfering with the transmission from the other ship...
We could set up a field around our sensors and communicate with them.
Exactly. And they may know what's going on.
Let's give it a try. Dismissed.
Emitters on-line. I'm rerouting the damping field through the deflector grid.
Open a channel to the other ship.
Ramping up field intensity.
It's working. We're cutting through the distortions.
...to the vessel near...
Remodulate the EM band. See if you can clear it up more.
Compensating for aperture distortion.
This is Captain Kathryn Janeway to the vessel near the quantum singularity.
Do you need help?
That's your hail.
I'm applying the damping field to our visual scanners.
It's the Voyager. It's us.
- Sensors confirm it's definitely Voyager. - I've been hailing the ship. No response.
You won't get a response. I sent that message out nine hours ago.
- Could we have travelled back in time? - No, that's not it.
I think I have an explanation.
Think of it like this.
You're sitting at the bottom of a pond, which is frozen over.
You look up at the surface and see a reflection of yourself.
You might think you're looking at another person looking back at you.
We're staring at the surface of the event horizon and seeing ourselves.
We're the ones trapped in the singularity?
- Yes. - You're right.
It explains everything that's happened.
We've been in this singularity since we felt the first jolt.
Let me get this straight.
We were cruising along, then we pick up a distress call and investigate.
But the other ship is actually just a reflection of us
and the distress call is actually just the Captain's opening hail.
But we picked up the distress call before she sent the hail.
How could we see a reflection of something we hadn't even done yet?
- Am I making any sense here? - No, but that's OK.
One of the more difficult concepts to grasp is that effect can precede cause.
A reaction can be observed before the action which initiated it.
- So what do we do to get out? - I'm not sure.
But I do know one thing - that the spatial distortions are increasing.
Within nine hours, they'll crush the ship.
If your analogy's correct, how do we get through that ice?
- Look for a crack. - Or make one.
- Smack something into the ice. - We've already made a crack.
- When we first entered. - We could slip out the way we came in.
We'd be looking for a subspace instability.
What would make it show up on our sensors? Warp particles.
We might be able to see them escaping through the rupture we made.
Take the main deflector off-line.
Reroute the plasma flow to the main deflector to generate a warp field.
- Deflectors off-line. - Initialising plasma flow.
Release the warp particles.
- Scanning the singularity. - Anything?
Not yet. Warp particles at full intensity.
I'm picking up something. A slight irregularity.
It could be a rupture in the event horizon.
Put it on screen.
It is a rupture, Captain. It's 15 metres by ten metres.
It's too small. It must have collapsed.
We found the crack. Now, how do we make it bigger?
Force it open. We could try a dekyon beam.
All right, a dekyon beam. Mr Paris, bring us closer.
If we get too close to the rupture we might make it collapse further.
- Can we emit a beam from here? - It's 50 million kilometres away.
- We don't have enough power. - We'll have to take a shuttlecraft.
You'll need the best pilot you've got. That'll be me.
Getting there is the easy part.
We need someone who knows temporal mechanics.
I don't think that's you.
B'Elanna, you're with me. The bridge is yours, Commander.
- We've cleared Voyager. - Shields at full strength.
We'll reach the rupture in four minutes. Get that dekyon beam on-line.
Remodulating emitters.
Captain, I want to apologise
for losing my temper in your ready room.
I think maybe you were hitting a little bit too close to home.
I respect Chakotay but he's wrong. I'm not officer material and we both know it.
The truth is, I quit the Academy
because I realised I couldn't make it in Starfleet.
And believe me, no one was sorry to see me go.
- Professor Chapman was. - What?
He put a letter in your permanent file,
saying if you reapplied, he would support you.
He thought you were one of the most promising cadets he'd ever taught.
I fought with him almost every day.
I was always questioning his methods, his assumptions,
and he was always slapping me down like some kid.
I thought he'd help me pack my bags.
Some professors like students who challenge their assumptions.
And so do some captains. Professor Chapman wasn't alone.
Many of your teachers thought you'd be an outstanding officer.
You had more friends at the Academy than you realised.
We're 15 kilometres from the rupture. Charge the dekyon beam.
Dekyon beam on-line.
- Shields down to 62%. - Increase speed.
We have to get to that rupture before we're torn apart.
All right. Let's open this hole in the ice a little wider.
Initiate the dekyon beam.
They've widened the rupture by 35%.
They'll have to widen it twice that much.
Hold our position! Mr Tuvok, report.
The spatial distortions are increasing.
We've widened the opening by 65%. I'd like another five.
We're losing power. I don't think we're going to get any more.
Let's get back to Voyager.
The shuttle is returning. They've been damaged.
Their com system's down. I am unable to raise them.
The rupture's 120 metres in diameter.
That leaves us two metres clearance, either side.
Mr Paris, as soon as we've recovered the shuttlecraft,
lay in a course toward the rupture and take us out.
This is a problem.
One of them is a temporal reflection, but which one?
I'm getting identical readings from both.
The rupture is collapsing. Voyager must get through it in five minutes.
So we have one chance to pick the correct ship.
Simple choice. Port or starboard?
- Starboard. - Port.
The port ship is closer to the rupture.
That means they're holding position as close as they can to the rupture,
waiting for us to dock.
No. It's facing the wrong direction. The Starboard ship is facing away from us.
They're giving us easy access.
There has to be some way to tell them apart.
The starboard ship's thrusters are at standby.
The port ship is moving to the rupture.
Then I was right. It's the port ship.
Voyager moved toward the rupture when we first discovered it.
So the port ship is moving toward it now.
It's a reflection of what we did before.
The starboard ship's the real one. They're waiting for us.
If you're wrong...
we'll have a long time to debate it.
- We're ready to dock. - All right. Cut the thrusters.
Let's see what happens.
Feels like a real ship to me. Let's get back to the bridge.
- Report. - We're almost to the rupture.
Mr Paris is about to impress us.
- The rupture's down to 110 metres. - We're not going to make it.
They say that manoeuvering a starship is a very delicate process.
But over the years I've learned that sometimes...
you just have to punch your way through.
Mr Paris, full impulse power.
Shields are down.
- I'm losing power to the engine. - Switching to auxiliary power.
- Hull integrity failing. - Keep it together, Mr Paris.
We've cleared the event horizon. We've returned to normal space.
"Sometimes you just have to punch your way through."
I'll have to remember that one.
I want to be 100 million kilometres from the singularity before we begin repairs.
There they are. Your staff.
I'll try not to break any of their noses.
The Captain wants the warp drive back on-line by 1300 hours.
- 13007 That's impossible. - Then go break a few noses.
Or at least bend a few.
Lieutenant.
All right. Get that isolinear bank up and running.
And lock down those plasma relays.
Please.
I'm gonna be counting on you, Lieutenant.
I'm not up-to-date on the latest Starfleet protocols
and you're probably more familiar with the quirks of this warp engine than I am.
I hope that I can depend on you.
I assure you, you'll never get less than my best.
Lieutenant.
Congratulations. Welcome aboard.
Are you checking up on your new chief engineer?
- Observing. - And?
Two crew members have filed complaints about her promotion
and she may be in for a tough period of adjustment.
But B'Elanna's going to make a fine addition to this crew.
Our crew.
Can I ask you a question, off the record?
If we were on the Maquis ship now instead of Voyager,
would you have served under me?
One of the nice things about being Captain
is that you can keep some things to yourself.
- Sickbay to Captain Janeway. - Go ahead.
Is someone ever going to fix my holographic projectors?
We're busy but I'll send a crew as soon as I can.
I would appreciate a certain expediency in the matter.
I'm sorry but you'll have to take care of it yourself.
It's all right. It's just a scratch, really.
You know, I like you better this way.