What's the matter, Harry?
I volunteered for a test flight, not a suicide mission.
How can we test the new Delta Flyer without taking a few risks?
Another risk like that and we'll have to rebuild her.
There's a vessel coming in fast off our starboard beam.
- Shields. - Range 50 kilometres.
Ten. It's pulling alongside.
- Wow! Nice ship. - It's scanning us.
This is Lieutenant Tom Paris. Please identify yourself.
Vectored exhaust ports, accelerated driver coils...
Your vessel must be fast.
- Gets us where we're going. - Check your scanners.
There's a comet beyond the asteroid field.
I wonder which of our ships could get there first?
- Sounds like a challenge. - Do you accept?
- We are not going to race her. - This is a test flight, right?
What better way to test than to see how it stands up to competition?
We're ready. Should I count to three?
I guess not.
She's more manoeuvrable than we are.
I'm not endorsing this exercise but maybe we can even the odds.
- The new impulse thrusters. - Now that's the spirit, Harry.
We're catching up. 100 metres.
- 50. - Bring the back-up generators on-line.
Reroute power to the thrusters.
And it's the Delta Flyer by a nose.
Her cabin's filling with nyocene gas.
Stand by for emergency transport.
Are you all right?
I think so.
I told you this wasn't a good idea.
- Then you're afraid to try again? - Yeah, Harry. Are you afraid?
No. Of course not.
But your ship is in no shape for it.
My power transformer overloaded.
We could find you a spare on Voyager.
We were heading back anyway.
Whatever you say, Ensign Eager.
I've looked forward to my holodeck time all week.
Borrow three hours from someone else.
Yours are the last piece to the puzzle.
Tom and I have a weekend off together.
We want the holodeck to ourselves.
A romantic getaway.
Well... ordinarily I would oblige.
But I'm indulging myself in a new hobby,
something human doctors enjoy.
I've already booked a tee time.
Well, if your tee time is more important than our happiness,
our first chance to be alone in months...
Fine. Take my three hours.
- Thank you. - What programme will you run?
- "Gedi Prime." - I've heard of that.
The vacation paradise that makes Risa look like a tourist trap.
Crystalline beaches, bio-luminescent waterfalls.
And a championship golf course. Why don't I just join you?
I don't think that would add to the mood.
Don't be so sure. You haven't seen me in a bathing suit.
Could you hand me the veridium injector?
Veridium injector. Let's see.
The one with the long handle.
Of course.
Comfortable.
- My co-pilot thinks so, too. - Co-pilot?
I was on my way to meet him when I ran into you.
Tell me more about where you're from.
It's a small trinary system about half a parsec from here.
Three suns. Must make for some long days.
Are you always this inquisitive?
That depends on who I'm talking to.
Your new power transformer is installed and ready to go.
Thanks.
- Your impulse drive is a beauty. - I designed it myself.
I couldn't help noticing... Your warp system seems so rudimentary.
Warp's fine for going fast in a straight line.
- But to me that's just physics, not flying. - I guess it's a matter of taste.
Anyway, for the kind of flying I'm here for, warp is not a factor.
The race course is only two billion kilometres.
- Race course? - What kind of race course?
The Antarian Trans-Stellar Rally.
Three segments covering 2.3 billion kilometres.
With obstacles from dwarf star clusters to K-Class anomalies.
Two-man crews and each ship is limited to sublight speeds.
It's the ultimate test of ship design and piloting skills.
And a serious drain on Voyager's resources.
You want to reassign 15 crewmen to modify the Delta Flyer.
The race has very specific guidelines.
All the ships have to use enriched deuterium fuel.
- The Delta Flyer's not equipped for it. - Irina will lend us a fuel converter.
Captain, this race is more than just a sporting event.
This region was a war zone.
Four different species fought to control it.
Now they're competing to commemorate the treaty that ended the war.
It embodies everything the Federation values -
coexistence, exchange of ideas...
I think it's a great idea.
- You do? - Absolutely.
This competition is just the sort of break we need.
We can make some friends and allow the crew a little R&R.
- Request granted. - Thank you, Captain.
One thing, gentlemen. Now that we're in this race, we're in it to win.
Starfleet's honour is at stake.
Don't worry. It's in good hands.
A little tip, Doc. This game was not meant to be played indoors.
- Here to rub salt in the wound? - I beg your pardon?
I planned to be putting the greens at St Andrews.
Instead I'm putting into beakers in sickbay, thanks to you.
- Me? - I've already approved your time off.
The captain's told you about the race?
What race? I was referring to your romantic getaway.
- Oh, no. - Don't tell me you forgot.
Do me a favour. Keep a lock on my bio-signs.
In about five minutes there may be a medical emergency in engineering.
Maybe I can get that tee time back.
- Hi. - You're early.
- You packed? - Not yet.
Actually, there might be a little problem.
Problem?
I have a chance to pilot the Flyer in a really unique race.
The captain thinks it's a great idea.
So I guess I got so excited that I forgot about our plans.
But I don't have to do it. The captain would understand.
- It's all right. - I should have remembered.
This just seemed like such an amazing opportunity.
I said it's OK.
- Really? - The holodeck will always be here.
This race won't.
- I do not deserve you. - You're right about that.
We'll plan this vacation for another time.
- Sure. - I'm gonna make this up to you.
I promise.
Late night?
- Can I get you anything? - No, thanks.
Oh! Agh! Oh!
- Are you OK? - Oh, my feet. Agh!
I haven't had a chance to sit down all day.
If you're thinking of cheering me up, don't bother.
- Who, me? Never. - You can have your holodeck time back.
- What about your weekend with Tom? - He's cancelled it.
Does he have any idea how much planning it took?
No.
And you're not going to tell him, either.
He just entered this big race and he's really excited and...
I don't want to spoil it for him.
If you tell him how important this weekend was to you, he'll reconsider.
Probably. But he should be able to do what makes him happy.
What about what makes you happy?
It's time I faced facts, Neelix.
Tom and I just don't belong together.
- You're not in love with him any more? - I didn't say that.
B'Elanna, if you still love each other...
Maybe that isn't enough.
Call me a hopeless romantic, but I still think it is.
There's a Klingon phrase that my grandmother used to use.
Mok'tah.
It means "bad match" ”.
That's what Tom and I are.
I just hate that it's taken me three years to realise it.
If you're really such a Mok'tah, it must have been an awful three years.
No. Tom is a great guy.
We've had a lot of fun together.
And that seems to be enough for him.
But not for me.
- Why aren't you saying this to Tom? - I plan to.
After the race.
By which time he'll already have disappointed you again.
I may not know as much about Klingon tradition as your grandmother,
but somehow keeping Tom in the dark doesn't seem very honourable.
My feet are feeling better. I should get back to work.
Captain's log, stardate 54058.6.
Our request to race the Delta Flyer has been accepted.
I'm meeting with the race coordinator, Ambassador O'Zaal.
Some teams have travelled a long way, but none from the Alpha Quadrant.
We're always willing to go that extra light year for a good cause.
Your entrance petition seems to be in order.
The Delta Flyer meets our guidelines. Now all you have to do is win.
The other teams won't make that easy.
Bridge to the captain.
There's an incoming transmission for the ambassador.
Route it here.
- I asked not to be disturbed. - Sorry.
The Aksani say they'll withdraw unless they can host the post-race ceremony.
We've already promised that to the Chessu.
They said that was unacceptable.
Arrange for another meeting. I'll have to find a way of appeasing them.
I hope the race you just entered doesn't end before it begins.
- It's that serious? - The peace is still fragile.
Every decision I make is looked upon as symbolic.
So every time you concede to a participant...
- Another is offended. Yes. - We can help.
How?
By providing neutral ground for the pre- and post-race activities.
You couldn't be accused of showing favouritism.
If your racing skills are as sharp as your diplomatic instincts, you'll win.
- There's someone to watch out for. - What's his story?
His name is Assan. He was a fighter pilot. One of the most ruthless.
- Where are you going? - A little personal reconnaissance.
We are the hosts.
Lieutenant Tom Paris. Welcome aboard.
Could I get you something? A drink? Something to eat?
- A tour of the ship? - Were you assigned to serve me?
- Not exactly. - Are we friends?
I guess not.
Then you must believe in the fellowship of combat.
I thought this was a friendly race, not a battle.
If that's what you believe, then you've already lost.
Nice chatting with you.
- Learn anything? - I should leave the hosting to Neelix.
Joxom! My co-pilot.
Irina. Hi.
- Looks like they're good friends. - They're team-mates.
- Close personal team-mates. - It was nice while it lasted.
Come on.
I need you to run a diagnostic on the lateral sensor array.
- As soon as I'm finished. - With what?
Plotting the most efficient course for the rally.
The entire crew has come down with race fever.
Perhaps you could persuade the Doctor to develop a vaccine.
I'm surprised you're putting time into it.
Initially I did find it irrelevant.
But it's important for the crew's morale
and for my relationship with Lieutenant Paris.
Your relationship with Lieutenant Paris.
I was speaking professionally. I work with him on navigational problems.
He can be an erratic individual but he's a very competent officer and a skilled pilot.
It's the erratic individual that takes getting used to.
No doubt. But I've learned that if I embrace some of his interests,
support him in his personal goals, we function better as crewmates.
- Harry, where have you been? - Say Q'apla.
It means success. I just wanted to capture the moment.
- And that cute bewildered expression. - What are you doing in that flight suit?
I'm your new co-pilot.
- I don't have time for practical jokes. - Neither do I.
Ready to bring that impulse drive on-line?
OK. I was upset that you cancelled our weekend.
But then I realised, why should we spend this time apart
when we can be together doing something you like?
What about Harry?
I assigned him to a diagnostic in engineering.
- That's terrible. - I'm just kidding.
He understands how hard it is for us to get time together.
Anyway, you're trading an ensign for a chief engineer.
Well, you don't have to convince me. I couldn't ask for a better co-pilot.
Just remember we're not on vacation. The point is to win.
And you know how much I hate to lose.
Thrusters on-line. Opening shuttlebay doors.
The racers are moving into position.
Ambassador.
Welcome to the first Antarian Trans-Stellar Rally.
This marks a hopeful point in our shared history,
a chance to put aside old animosities,
and come together in a spirit of peace.
Good luck to all of you. Prepare for the starting signal.
Captain, the honour is yours.
Mr Tuvok.. Fire.
Three ships are still ahead of us.
- How's my impulse engine? - Stable.
Thanks to the new fuel converter.
- That was the number eight ship. - Assan.
He just grazed our shields. Port thrusters are off-line.
Compensating. That was an old trick.
We used to call that "scraping".
Assan just almost scraped us out of the race.
- How's our time? - 20 seconds to the third marker.
Assan's already rounding it.
It's a long race. We'll catch him.
How's our team doing?
I announced the Flyer's progress 11 minutes ago.
In a race like this, 11 minutes can be an eternity.
The Flyer is in fourth position, having completed 62% of the course.
The Aksani vessel is third, having completed 68% of the course.
- You don't make it sound exciting. - It's what's relevant.
It's all in the delivery. Do you mind?
Attention all hands. Stand by for a race update.
With 58 million kilometres left in this segment,
the Aksani, Imhotep and Terrellian ships are battling for the lead.
The number eight ship just cut off the number three.
Now three's changing course. It's making up for lost ground!
- Sounds like quite a race. - It's all in the delivery.
So much for the Aksani. Now it's just down to Irina and Assan.
In a few minutes they'll just be echoes in our after-scanners.
- We've still got the Mobius Inversion. - The what?
Tell me you read the course manual.
I skimmed it. More or less.
Oh, great!
So what exactly is this Mobius... whatever?
Take a look. It covers the entire last third of the course.
Level-6 subspace distortions, gravimetric shears...
Just think of it as a little wormhole with a big attitude.
The Terrellians and Imhoteps are in the lead, the Flyer just trailing.
The Chessu ships are claiming fourth and fifth position.
- My security report. - I'll read it later.
- There are matters we should discuss. - She said later.
Something's wrong. They're disappearing!
- Radiation is blocking our sensors. - How will we track them?
We can't until they emerge from the anomaly.
- Want to talk about that report now? - Later. If that's permissible.
50 metres. 40. We can get through.
- They're too close. - I'm reversing polarity.
Why wait for an opening when you can make one?
- It's too risky. - That's not the Tom Paris I know.
- What are you doing? - Deploying thrusters.
We'll need the extra manoeuvring power. Steer the ship.
It's them! It's the Delta Flyer! They're in the lead! They're pulling away!
- We did it! - You should have waited.
- I saw a chance and... - I'm the pilot. I do the flying.
Attention all racers. There's been an accident.
Stay in order and shut down your engines.
- Report. - He's stabilising.
I'll start dermal regeneration in a few hours.
Assan collided with me so many times my shield generator overloaded.
Joxon's console exploded. He's lucky he's alive.
If I'm guilty of anything, it's of coming in second, a situation I'll remedy.
- You're not defending yourself. - We may have done this.
We grazed both of their shields in the anomaly.
- Intentionally? - It was a tight course.
- Everyone was flying aggressively. - Your team is not responsible.
My generators were already overloading.
Perhaps none of you is to blame.
I found this interfaced with her ship's shield generator.
I ran an analysis. It's a phase inverter, designed to cause a system overload.
Would someone go this far just to knock a competitor out of the race?
This may be more than a simple case of cheating.
I think someone's trying to end the peace.
We're talking about a single act of sabotage.
- How does that threaten your treaty? - By itself it wouldn't.
But we've received several threats of a more serious nature.
- From whom? - Groups opposed to the alliance.
Arms dealers, isolationists, political extremists.
I wasn't sure how seriously to take them.
- Clearly they pose a security threat. - Yes.
We've done what we could to protect the races but that may not be enough.
I don't want to risk any more lives.
We should postpone the race until we can guarantee everyone's safety.
No. If we stop now, we'll be letting these extremists win.
She's right.
Very well then. We'll resume tomorrow as scheduled.
If you decide to withdraw, we'd understand.
The last time I checked, I believe we were winning.
There you are. Congratulations on taking the lead.
- Thanks. - Of course, you're not going to win.
- Why is that? - Because we are.
You're looking at your new co-pilot. I checked. It's perfectly legal.
And it's a chance for both of us to get back in the race.
My ship's damaged.
Once Harry sets his mind on something...
He'll fix your ship and polish the bulkheads.
- How can you turn me down? - Apparently I can't.
- Come on, you can say it. - It's embarrassing.
I'm just making sure we're clear on what we're doing.
Right at the light then readjust my sight.
Meaning...
Come about to 86 degrees at the red giant
then recalibrate sensors to compensate.
Great. Next.
- Do I have to recite nursery rhymes? - It got me through the Academy.
You were expelled.
OK. Repeat after me.
I am not the pilot. I will not attempt to fly this ship.
That one doesn't even rhyme.
- Anyone home? - If it isn't our competition.
- Here to spy on us? - Just borrowing a hyperspanner.
- Looks like you didn't sleep. - Irina and I were up all night.
- Oh, really? - Making repairs.
I can't remember the last time I had so much fun.
She's funny, smart, we get along without trying.
I'm gonna ask her to spend some time on Voyager.
- What about Joxom? - Turns out they're just team-mates.
- I know what you're gonna say. - I was gonna congratulate you.
She's not a Borg, she's not a hologram and she's not dead.
You might have found the perfect woman.
All teams report to your ships. The race will resume in 30 minutes.
See you on the course.
Attention all hands. Stand by for another race update.
After fighting off a challenge from the Terrellians,
the Delta Flyer has held its lead going into the final segment.
- Approaching the pulsars. - Straight through the gate.
Then remodulate.
- Harry had that glow, didn't he? - What glow?
That look you get when you first meet someone.
His cheeks were a little redder than usual.
We're through the pulsars. Harry and Irina are right behind us.
Ease up off the thrusters now. I wanna conserve some fuel for the final leg.
They might even have a future together.
- What? - Harry and Irina.
They just met. It's a little early to be planning a wedding.
Some people just fit together without having to work at it.
And other people, no matter how much they try...
- Are we talking about them or us? - What?
- I didn't mean... - If there's a problem, let's talk about it.
We should concentrate on the race.
Maybe Harry and Irina
aren't such a great team after all. They're falling behind.
I'm reading malfunctions in the EPS relays.
- But we double-checked all of them. - We must have missed something.
We're gonna be out of the race.
I can reroute power through the manifolds.
- No. - Why not?
It could damage the reactor coils.
What do they have to do with the impulse manifolds?
The systems are different from yours.
- You do want to win, don't you? - Of course I do.
Every time I make a suggestion, you find a reason to reject it.
I'm more familiar with my ship than you are.
Now what?
- It's the injector ports. - No, it's an overload in my console.
That's the second time your co-pilot's console exploded. Coincidence.
I'm sorry, Harry. I really am.
You've sabotaged your own ship. Twice.
Why are you trying so hard to get out of this race?
What the hell is going on?
Sit down and hold still!
All right. If you won't talk to me... maybe you'll talk to Antarian security.
You disabled the com system.
We'll just wait. Someone will come along eventually.
We're past the last marker. Time to deploy the thrusters?
- Whatever you say. - What happened to "I'm the pilot"?
That really bothered you, didn't it?
It's why you think we don't fit together so well?
Assan is gaining on us.
- Then you'd better deploy the thrusters. - Thrusters deployed.
- This isn't about the race, is it? - You tell me.
We might as well see who's winning.
You're not in a position to make requests.
Admit it, Harry. You're curious, too.
The Delta Flyer is still in the lead.
Good for them.
I thought if we could do this one thing together, it might help our relationship.
- I didn't know it needed help. - That's part of the problem.
- What's the rest? - You know the rest.
So we scrape shields occasionally. It keeps things interesting.
Maybe interesting isn't enough for me.
- What are you doing? - They're dead in the water.
- How far from the finish line? - Less than a million kilometres.
That was Assan. Why are we just sitting here?
If we've got a problem, we're gonna resolve it right here, right now.
You've done everything to get out of the race.
Now you seem worried that the Delta Flyer won't reach the finish line.
I'm counting more than a dozen ships there.
- Spectators, officials. - All congregated in the name of peace.
Touching, isn't it?
You've planned some sort of attack.
There are hundreds of innocent people there.
How can you do that?
Not everyone is as comfortable mixing with other species as you are.
I believe it was better when we were separate.
I never asked you to give up this race. I never asked you to stop being yourself.
The only self that I wanna be is the guy that you're in love with.
Wow. I didn't know you felt that way.
How can you say that?
You always have other priorities.
I'm showing you my priorities right now.
The Flyer wouldn't be in the race if you hadn't told us about it.
You gave us the fuel converter so we could qualify.
The fuel converter. That's why you're concerned about them finishing.
What did you do to it? Rig it to explode?
How come you never talk about this?
You've got that tough Klingon exterior.
And I didn't think you liked the mushy stuff.
Do I look that tough right now?
Does that mean you're in the mood for some mushy stuff?
- Maybe. - Exactly what kind of mush?
You tell me.
Well, there's...
...kissy stuff.
That was nice.
And there's the "You're the most important person in the world to me."
I like that one, too.
And there's the happily ever after.
How does that one work?
Well, traditionally it requires a proposal.
We're being scanned by a modulating pulse.
- It's from Irina's ship. - Wondering why we stopped.
- The amplitude is odd. - Wait a minute.
That's Morse code. We use it in the "Captain Proton" holoprogram.
What's he saying?
"Fuel... converter...
"rigged.
"Eject.” What does he mean by rigged?
The converter's leaking veridium isotopes.
- Why didn't the computer warn us? - It's been tampered with.
- Can you contain it? - Veridium is reacting with warp plasma.
- That'll cause a warp core breach. - In a minute.
- Eject the converter. - It's too late. I have to eject the core.
Here? We'll never survive the blast.
Neither will anyone else within a million kilometres.
They're moving again.
Away from the finish line.
Warp core breach in 30 seconds.
- Where are we going? - A nebula full of ionised gas.
- It will contain the explosion. - The ejection subroutines are off-line.
Warp core breach in 20 seconds.
- So what's your answer? - My answer?
- Will you marry me? - Breach in 15 seconds.
- You're proposing now? - Why not?
Subroutine's back on-line.
Nine... eight...
Clear. Go!
Three...
Damn.
I'm sorry your team didn't win, Captain.
Janeway to the bridge. Report.
That was a shock wave from an explosion
1.2 million kilometres from here.
Excuse me.
B'Elanna.
- I guess we lost. - That depends.
- On what? - On how you answer my question.
You only asked because we were about to explode.
Well, we're still alive and I'm still asking.
- You never asked before. - You're avoiding the question.
- I'm thinking. - Think fast.
- Are you gonna withdraw the question? - No, but I might start to beg.
It could get embarrassing.
Captain's log, supplemental.
The Antarians have invited us to participate in the festivities,
which has allowed two of my senior officers time off for a romantic getaway.
The Delta Flyer still needs a new warp core,
but they're in no hurry to get anywhere.
To the winners.
B'Elanna Paris. That has a nice ring to it.
Thanks, but I already have a ring.
Anyway, I like the sound of Tom Torres.
- I hope you're kidding. - Hey!
It is the 24th Century.