♪ ♪
- The wormhole isn't stable!
- Then stabilize it, you fool!
- We must shut it down!
Our technology is not capable of handling--
- Gwyndala escaped Solum on a ship with this power.
If Starfleet harnessed it, we can do more!
♪ ♪
- It stops now.
- No! What?
Who are you?
- You're heading down a dangerous path, Asencia.
I've seen the future,
and I know more than you can imagine.
This technology isn't just a threat to the Federation,
but to your world--
to us all.
- How…interesting.
- It's not wise to test a Traveler.
- Hmm.
It seems we've just had a breakthrough.
- Personal log, stardate 62083.5.
Returning the "Protostar" to Tars Lamora will have to wait.
"Voyager's" set a course for Solum.
We've been ordered to find and neutralize
the time-space technology that attacked us,
to prevent all-out war with Starfleet.
The fate of my home world and the Federation
now hang in the balance.
- I don't like Jellico's orders any more than you,
but the fact remains, Asencia's time-space
manipulation weaponry is a grave threat.
We need to know where she got it
if Starfleet hopes to defend itself.
- Our presence alone could provoke them
to retaliate in full force.
It could spark a war.
- With Starfleet already stretched so thin,
that's a war we may lose.
- A diplomatic powder keg waiting to explode,
with no way out.
- What if there is another way?
Let me go.
Starfleet can't go in,
but I'm not Starfleet, and neither is my crew.
We can gather intel on her weapons without raising alarms.
Who invited the kid to the adult table?
- The admiral.
She won't give up on a peaceful solution.
Neither will I.
And as a native of Solum,
it's my right to return to help them.
- Dangers aside,
that technically wouldn't violate Jellico's direct orders
or the Prime Directive.
- And we're out of options.
If you are going behind enemy lines,
then you need to lead the team.
You know Solum better than anyone.
- Yes, Admiral.
With one suggestion:
We also rescue my father.
- With all due respect,
Starfleet can't pick sides in a civil war.
- But we can offer asylum.
Ilthuran was captured by Asencia.
His contacts in the citizens' Uprising may know her plans.
If peace is in the cards,
he's an ace in the hole.
- Sounds like they're playing…poker.
- Uh…
- Oh, is there a meeting? - Just walking by!
- I'm trusting you, Gwyn.
Now get to work.
- Crew, we've got a mission to plan.
♪ ♪
Feels like old times, huh?
- Keep your combadges hidden.
- We cannot be seen.
We cannot be heard.
We cannot fail.
These scans of Solum will help us find the source
of Asencia's new weapons and rescue Ilthuran.
Once there, "Voyager" can't beam us out,
so we have this site-to-site transporter.
It's got power for one emergency use before detection.
If we lose it, we're stuck down there.
- Better hang onto that.
- Uh…you know this is a mission
for non-Starfleet personnel only?
- Which is why, as of 0800 hours,
I have resigned from Nova Squadron.
Wesley Crusher told us we must stay together.
Given the importance of the mission to Gwyn
and Starfleet's survival,
it was only logical.
- Glad to have you aboard.
- To stay covert, Engineering helped me modify
an experimental force field
into a short-range cloak generator.
- Remarkable.
- It still has some kinks.
Giggling gives it away.
- "Protostar" crew to the bridge.
- All right. It's time.
- We're just outside warp detection.
Long-range scans show a fleet on Solum
nearly ready to launch.
On screen.
- She's preparing for war.
Remember, your mission is
to collect intel on Asencia's weaponry,
then get out safely with Ilthuran.
Under no circumstances do I want you
to engage with the Vau N'Akat.
- Understood.
- If caught,
Starfleet will disavow your actions.
For better or worse, you're on your own.
So look out for each other.
Uh…Commander?
One last question.
Could you Bribble-sit for us?
Don't worry, he's potty-trained…
ish.
Heh.
- I've seen that look before.
What's the matter?
- My last trip to Solum ended in disaster.
What if I make it worse?
- Or what if you make it better?
This is your mission, so you make the hard calls,
and we'll follow.
- Engage.
Coast is clear.
♪ ♪
This used to be a vibrant place.
But now…they live in fear.
- That's why we're here.
Let's get a move on.
We'll need cover. Rok?
- With pleasure.
- Ow! My foot.
You're on mine!
- Bit of a tight fit, Rok.
- I didn't know Maj'el was coming.
- Just shuffle as one.
Whoa!
Whoa-oh-oh-oh!
- Shuffle quieter!
Anyone else getting this?
- An encoded message…
- From the Uprising.
- And it's coming from the location
of Ilthuran's last transmission.
- My father's observatory.
- Would it kill your dad to clean up
every once in a while?
- He was captured.
Look around for clues on where they took him.
♪ ♪
- Someone sent encoded messages from here
after my father was taken.
♪ ♪
- Greetings. What knowledge do you seek?
- Where did they take Ilthuran?
- Knowledge not found.
- Who just sent the encoded message?
- Asencia.
- Step away from that.
Don't shoot!
Starfleet disavows us!
- A trap.
We walked right into it.
- No. Wait.
You're not Asencia.
At least not the one who tried to kill us.
- You thought I was my older self.
- There's two of her?
Gah! Of course there's two.
I hate time travel.
- I hope I never turn into that monster
after what she's done.
It seems we have a common enemy.
- You've been helping my father organize the Uprising.
- Well, we were gathering intel
on Asencia's military ambitions.
Astonishing, aren't they?
Temporal accelerant vaults, unprecedented progress.
It happened too fast.
- Even in the future,
your people could not do these things.
How?
- She's captured a--a Traveler.
- Wesley Crusher?
- You know him?
He's locked in a high-security lab,
his mind drained of secrets.
She just takes what she wants.
- Uh, that's no good.
He's the only one who knows how to send the "Protostar" back
and fix the time loop.
- And what about our mission?
Solum, Gwyn's dad,
peace among worlds?
- I'm sorry.
Right now he's being loaded
onto a prison transport to the Wastes,
a place no one returns from.
I wanted to save him,
but he needed me to carry on his cause.
- There isn't time to rescue both.
- It would jeopardize
our already slim chances for success.
- Who's more critical to our mission,
Wesley or Ilthuran?
- They're both important.
Ilthuran's trying to save Solum--
ugh, but Wesley can help us close the time loop.
- Gwyn, what's the call?
- We'll split up and rescue both.
- But we need to stick together.
We only have one transporter.
If anything goes wrong--
- I'm not leaving anyone behind.
What happened to, "Where you go, we'll follow"?
- Gwyn's in charge. We split up.
- Rok, Murf, Zero,
you'll join me freeing Wesley.
- Of course.
Dal, you take Jankom, Maj'el, and A-Asencia…
- To rescue your dad.
- Our mission comes first.
And I trust you.
- If we have the transporter,
how are you gonna get back to "Voyager"?
- If all goes well, we'll have a Traveler.
Remember, "space, time, thought"?
He can imagine us home.
- Gwyn, I don't-- - That's an order.
We save everyone.
- Understood.
We got your back.
This should be the lab
where they're keeping Wesley.
- Gravimetric power conduits.
- More importantly,
how do we get past those guards?
- Hm.
Vel Tuuk.
- Wait, can they see us?
- Of course not. We're invisible.
- It looks like they can see us.
- Everyone stay still.
Don't breathe. - Hmm, huh?
Hey!
Okay, they did see us.
It's fritzing from all the gravimetric distortion!
- No time! Let's just get inside!
♪ ♪
- Zath.
Velthuun.
Zax chanath.
- They're about to depart.
There!
It's Ilthuran!
- So what, we steal the whole train?
- Oh! Are you trying to suggest
lousy plans that'll get us killed?
- Your demeanor is brutish, but your logic is sound.
Dal, may I suggest a more subtle approach?
- Sorry, trip's been cancelled.
- It's you again.
♪ ♪
- I must go with our allies,
but the Uprising will give you refuge.
- We'll share this hope your friends have rekindled
until your return.
- Thank you for saving my life
and joining our cause.
- Despite the odds, we seem to be on track
for a successful mission.
♪ ♪
- I got a feeling Gwyn and the others
might not be so lucky.
I think they know we're here.
- Wesley, I sense him.
He's right around this corner.
- I've got this.
Oops. Sorry.
That was, uh-- - No, no, I'm sorry.
I've always struggled with sensing Vau N'Akat.
- Ugh. The controls are fried.
There might be another on the inside.
- Be careful.
You got this, Murf.
- Go, Murf!
- Rahk Te'Tu vanu ve?
Vanu ve?
They're coming.
- We've got to do something!
- Hurry! - Murf, faster!
- Douth. Rahk Te'Tu vanu ve?
- Uh…
Aah kra-kume ke Vau N'Akat.
- Vakuun a keh.
- Phew.
That was too close. - Blech.
Remind me to brush up on my puppetry.
- Yes! - Go, Murf!
- Well done, Murf.
Wesley!
What a sight for sore eyes.
I do wish the room would stop spinning.
Anyway, ha, you're here!
And you're right on time-- I think.
Uh, apologies for the mess.
Um, if--if someone could just tell me what the stardate is.
I-- I wasn't expecting you here so soon.
- Wait, you're saying you were expecting us?
- Yeah, of course!
We had a plan, remember?
The future I saw, to save us all?
You didn't forget, did you?
Um, you went to Chakotay's island,
I fought off the Loom and then came here to guide events
so Asencia would invent the wormhole tech you need.
Ah, I wish there was an easier way to get her to do it though.
My brain feels like it went through ten rounds
as a Nausicaan punching bag.
Anyway, totally worth it.
Okay, now we can use it to send the time loop!
- What? - We're so close!
The plan's foolproof.
You can check my equations for yourselves.
Go ahead.
- Wait, you planned to get captured
and almost start a war with Solum?
- Well, I mean, "almost" doing a lot of heavy lifting
in that sentence.
- I lost my body.
We nearly died!
- Once again, "nearly," a synonym for "almost,"
so don't worry, it all works out for the best.
Once the timeline is restored,
Solum and its people will be led into a better future
by, uh-- oh, oh, help me out here.
The guy--you know the guy.
You've--we--you know the guy!
Uh--Ilthuran! Ilthuran.
- First we have to get out of here.
Now's a good time to use your powers
and send us back to "Voyager."
- Great idea. Let's give it a shot.
Okay.
My mind is a bit, um…frazzled, frazzled.
I--I can't concentrate enough to shift space-time.
- How are we supposed to save anyone
if we can't escape?
- Well, it never hurts to have a fail-safe,
so, Rok, a little tap, if you would.
- You really did plan everything.
After you.
One, two, three, four, and f--
- Okay, we need to--
- Wait. Wait, where are the others?
- Others?
- The one with the purple dingle-dangle,
the, uh--the--the-- the little one who argues,
and that, um--the Vulcan.
- They went to save Ilthuran.
- What? No!
No! No, no, no!
Th-th-this was not part of the stratagem.
- I split the crew.
It was the only way to save you and Ilthuran.
- No! No, no, no, no, no!
From the very beginning, I've been telling you,
you have to stay together!
We thought you meant team spirit,
unified in our purpose!
- No, I meant never separate!
- I wasn't going to let my father die.
You said Solum needs him.
- Ilthuran would've been safe
if you'd sent the "Protostar" through the wormhole.
He would've led the overthrow of Asencia.
But now I have no idea.
We're on the wrong path.
The future is uncertain.
I am lost.
- I--I made the wrong choice.
♪ ♪
Hey!
It's Dal!
- Something's wrong.
- No. - Oh, no.
You.
- Welcome home.
Hey, watch it!
- We tried, Gwyn.
There were too many.
- Definitely not part of my plan.
You've truly outdone yourself, Gwyn.
Without this laughable rescue, I'd have never learned
Ilthuran would escape and overthrow me.
Now I can keep my pet
and crush the insurrection against me.
With them both, you have ensured
Solum's future is mine alone.
Say your goodbyes.
- I'm sorry.
I wish we could've left here together.
But sometimes…
you make the hard call.
- Agh!
Two to beam up!
- No!
♪ ♪
- Ilthuran.
And…Wesley Crusher?
- I know, I should really stop dropping in like this.
- Where are the others?
Are they--
In danger.
We're all in danger.
And I don't know what happens next.
♪ ♪