- What? - I've seen that look before.
Ensign Murphy had better watch out.
I know that Murphy is seeing one of the Delaney sisters.
Not since Harry and Tom Paris made their move.
Harry... and the Delaney sisters?
- He would have told me. - Some things he keeps to himself.
Harry, is it true about you and the Delaney sisters?
- Is what true? - Come on, Harry,
there are no secrets on a ship this small.
What have you been telling people?
- We did go to Venice with them. - The holodeck?
You've got to be kidding! That lasted all of 15 minutes.
I've been meaning to ask.
What happened when you and Jenny Delaney disappeared in that gondola?
Nothing.
Harry, we're your friends. You can tell us.
Nothing... We talked.
And then... I fell over the side.
You fell out of the gondola?
Maybe Harry wasn't prepared for how voracious Jenny Delaney can be.
I think it's finally beginning to happen.
Both crews getting along.
- That should maximise efficiency. - Yes, I'm sure it will.
Bridge to Captain Janeway.
We're receiving a distress call in one of the lower subspace bands.
I'm on my way.
Report, Commander.
Subspace distress signal is coming from a vessel bearing 125, mark 21.
Distance is 200,000 kilometres.
Captain, sensors indicate five life-forms aboard.
The vessel is altering its course to intercept us.
Go to yellow alert and slow to impulse. Hail them, Mr Kim.
This is Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation starship Voyager.
- What is the emergency? - We have no emergency.
- But you're sending out a distress call. - Yes, we are.
- Why? - Because you are in distress.
I am Gathorel Labin of the planet Sikaris.
Please, let us welcome you to our system.
Show you our people's hospitality.
That's very kind.
If I could come aboard your ship I have gifts for you
and a proposal I hope you will find irresistible.
Mr Tuvok, make the necessary arrangements to receive our guest.
Mr Labin, it's not necessary to go to this trouble.
Call me Gath.
I'd like nothing better than to prepare our newest delicacies for you.
- This will be perfect. - I'm serving lunch in under two hours.
We won't be long, Neelix. This is Mr... This is Gath.
- He's from Sikaris. - Sikaris?
- Do you know the planet? - Only stories about their hospitality.
Tell me... how do you know about us?
Our people are very well travelled.
Some have brought back stories about aliens from other parts of the galaxy.
People lost and alone, struggling to find their way home again.
This is wonderful!
I decided to come and meet you and to offer you respite.
- Respite? - A vacation.
Get away from the confines of the ship. Enjoy our landscape.
Meet and talk with interesting, learned people.
The crew would welcome shore leave.
The Sikarians have a huge variety of edible plants.
If we could collect some seeds, we'd expand our selection significantly.
Sounds like this would maximise efficiency, don't you think?
Indeed.
Looks like you're getting visitors. We'll set a course and follow you in.
I could not be happier.
If you see anything you like just let me know.
What is this material? It's so delicate.
Exquisite, isn't it? It's the latest import from Dedestris.
It's spun from the petals of a flower that blooms only in moonlight.
- Shall I have a dress made for you? - It's lovely, but no, thank you.
Is it so hard for you to accept a gift?
All right. But something small. Maybe a scarf?
What curious people you are.
Would it help to say you could have an entire wardrobe made of these fabrics
and that it would give us pleasure to create it for you.
- Let's start with the scarf. - As you like.
Which cloth do you prefer?
That's beautiful. Are you a musician?
This isn't a musical instrument. It's an atmospheric sensor.
The frequency of the chimes indicates changes in weather conditions.
Then it must work on a principle of non-linear resonance?
Adjusting to the dynamic variables in the atmosphere.
That's right. Are you a scientist?
In a sense...
- Can you show me how to operate it? - I'd be happy to.
First, you have to initialise the sub-harmonic mode.
I think this one.
When I see you wearing that scarf, my pleasure will be greater than yours.
Well... I should get back.
I'd like to start organising teams to gather plants and seeds.
This is my associate, Jaret Otel. Contact him to make arrangements.
We'll be glad to assist you, Captain.
I'll find my officers and will return to the ship.
Tonight, we are having a celebration.
I hope you, and your officers, will be my guests.
We'd be delighted.
Captain's log, stardate 48642.5.
The crew is enjoying an evening on Sikaris.
Reports of this species' hospitality have not been exaggerated.
The whole thing exploded and there we were.
70,000 light years from home and no way to get back.
- It felt pretty lonely. - That's a very noble story.
Noble?
Stories can be whimsical or frightening or many other things.
But noble stories are the ones that can most affect our lives.
May I have your permission to tell others this story?
Sure. It's no secret.
But stories are an essential part of every person's being.
I would never share one without permission.
Go right ahead. I've got a few others too.
You do?
Come with me.
I know a private place where you can tell me all your stories.
Stand close to me.
Alastria.
- Where are we? - The woods of Alastria.
It's my favourite place.
I usually come here when I want to be alone,
but... tonight it seemed right to bring you.
Now... Tell me your stories. All of them.
Why is it so much warmer here?
- What is that? - The dawn zephyr.
Dawn? We just got here.
That's... that is an amazing feeling. What's happening?
The Erosene winds,
passion winds, come just before the dawn.
The Erosene creates euphoria.
I'll say.
- Why am I seeing two suns? - Because this is a binary system.
But your planet only has one sun.
But Alastria has two.
Eudana, where are we?
I told you. Alastria.
- A system far from Sikaris. - How far?
Do you have to ask all these questions?
Please, it's important.
It's about two and a half billion times the distance between Sikaris and its sun.
That's almost... 40,000 light years.
Now...
feel the breeze.
- We have to go back. - It's still night on Sikaris.
We have plenty of time.
We're going back and I need you to tell me
everything you know about that platform that got us here.
And tomorrow night you must let me take you to the theatre.
Oh, my! I have lost all track of time.
My crew have gone. I'm the last one here.
I hope that's because you are enjoying yourself?
I am.
Captain, I've just found out about something incredible.
Calm down, Ensign. What is it?
That platform is a transportation device.
It operates on the principle of "folding-space".
That's something that's been theorised.
But no one's ever been able to develop the technology.
These people have.
I've just been to Alastria and back.
Alastria is 40,000 light years away.
We call it a "spatial trajectum”.
We can travel to all the planets in the quadrant.
- How far can it take you? - Alastria is at the outermost limits.
Apparently it's never been used to move anything as large as Voyager.
But as I understand the principle of space-folding,
the size of the object isn't relevant.
What do you think?
Would it be possible to modify your technology so that we could use it?
I tried to tell him.
- What is it? - We cannot share our technology.
Once out of our control, it may fall into the hands of those who would abuse it.
- Our canon of laws forbids that. - But we wouldn't abuse it.
Don't you see what it would mean to us?
Don't make it more difficult for me. I don't enjoy denying you this.
But our canon of laws has determined our entire system of values.
To break one of its precepts would undermine everything we believe in.
I'm sorry, but there can be no exceptions to the law.
I can't believe they won't help us. Some kind of hospitality.
40,000 light years. Even if that's as far as we could go,
it would still knock four decades off our trip.
We could possibly reconfigure the matrix at that point
to take us another 30,000 light years. Right into Federation space.
Since they've already said no, this kind of thinking will make you feel worse.
It's the first time we've been on the other side of the fence.
- What fence? - The one made of binding principles.
We have our own set of rules, which includes the Prime Directive.
We refuse to interfere when disaster threatens an alien culture.
It's all very well to say we do it on the basis of an enlightened principle.
But how does that feel to the aliens?
I'm sure many of them think that the Prime Directive is a lousy idea.
Even we think so sometimes.
I know of Starfleet personnel who have decided, on ethical grounds, to ignore it.
There's a reason why it's General Order number one.
- It does a lot more good than harm. - We know little about the Sakarians.
We cannot assume that their first refusal is unalterable.
"No" may be a prelude to negotiation.
- Maybe they can be reasoned with? - Maybe they want something?
But what can we offer? They seem to have everything they need.
Stories. Stories are an important part of their culture.
They provide more than entertainment.
They're a measuring rod of values and beliefs.
We have a huge library in our databanks.
We could offer it. Great literature of dozens of cultures.
What do you think, Captain? Would they be interested?
They just might be.
They're a remarkably pleasure-orientated people.
They may appreciate a gift of literature.
I'll meet with Gath. As magistrate he has authority to make this decision.
I'll take a look at that trajector platform. Maybe I can figure out how it works.
You'll do nothing of the sort, Lieutenant.
If this law is negotiable, I'll make every attempt to get the technology.
Until then, we won't do anything to violate their canon of laws...
as we understand it. That's all.
What's wrong?
I just hope she gets it.
She will.
- Exquisite. What do you call it? - Pecan pie.
- I must have the recipe. - I'd be happy to share it with you.
Gath, I understand your reluctance to share your technology with us.
We have similar restrictions. But I wondered...
would it make any difference if I gave you my word
that we would destroy the trajector matrix as soon as we'd used it?
I know this will upset you, but I can't.
I understand and, frankly, I suspected as much.
But I have a proposal that may allow you to obey your laws
and give us what we want.
Surely you could use the trajector to send us.
40,000 light years would mean a great deal to us.
In return, we're prepared to offer you something you might enjoy.
A full library of the Federation's finest literature.
Literature?
Centuries of stories. New stories.
From diverse cultures. Stories that fire the imagination.
You certainly know how to tempt me, Captain.
It's certainly possible. I'll have to meet with the other magistrates.
No one has ever made a request like that.
In the meantime, I'd like to enjoy every bite of this.
- How did you call this? - Pecan pie.
I've finished the check on the shock attenuation cylinders.
They'll need replacing in 2,000 hours. We'll face that when we come to it.
- Seska? - Sorry!
I wasn't concentrating. What did you say?
You looked a million light years away.
No! Only about 70,000.
My brother's birthday is in four days.
Last year I promised I'd meet him on Nivoch... celebrate with him.
He'll think I broke my promise...
...that I'm dead.
What are you doing?
The folding of space should leave a residue.
If we can detect one, we may be able to work out how the trajector works.
Look at that neutrino dispersal pattern. Could that be due to space-folding?
Maybe. If the device creates a neutrino bubble around what is being trajected.
If that's the case, we'd need a bubble big enough for the ship.
Don't worry, Lieutenant. I'm with you on this one.
After all, it doesn't hurt to theorise.
Right. And hypothetically...
if we could modify the deflector array to emit phased neutrinos,
we could create a big enough bubble.
Let's give it a try. In theory, of course.
- Why is it so important I come here? - You'll see in a minute.
- We're here. - Thank you for coming, Ensign.
What's this about?
I asked Eudana to invite you here because I was sure you would respond.
I am willing to accept your literature in exchange for our trajector technology.
- Are you authorised to do that? - Officially, no.
But many believe that rules should be flexible enough
to meet the needs of the moment.
There is a great desire here for new stories.
And I want to be the one to supply them.
So you'd stand to benefit from this?
We would both benefit. I would gain prestige
and you would gain 40,000 light years on your journey home. Possibly more.
This is the matrix of the trajector.
The captain has asked the magistrate to send us 40,000 light years.
He won't. He had no intention of helping you leave here.
Jaret is right. I know how much it means to you to get home.
Please... listen to him.
You must believe me. This is the only way you will make that journey.
Consider my offer. I'm sure you'll decide it is a fair one.
I don't know what to do.
We'd all like to get that much closer to home.
But the Captain won't let us get the technology like that.
Maybe she will. It's a Sikarian who's making the offer.
It's not above board. The Captain will only deal with an official representative.
Bridge to Ensign Kim. The Captain can see you now.
Tell her everything. Let her take it from there.
- Right. - I'll walk you part way.
I'm headed for bed.
I have a bad feeling about this. It's not going to work out.
- Don't you think that's up to us? - What does that mean?
It means we can let someone make the decision for us,
or we can take matters into our own hands.
We've been offered the grand prize. All we have to do is claim it.
Take the technology?
- Without permission? - Since when do you talk like that?
Do you think permission is more important than getting us home?
The Captain is so infatuated with the magistrate she can't think straight.
We can't trust she will make the best decision for all of us.
If we do this, we'll need to use engineering to configure the matrix.
It would be easier if we knew we could count on you.
Seska, I am a senior officer now. I have responsibilities.
The main responsibility for everyone is to find a way home.
Captain Janeway made that clear. That's our primary mission.
Just think about it. That's all.
Did Jaret explain when he said Gath had no intention of letting us leave?
No. He just made it clear that the only way to get the technology is from him.
He may simply want us to believe that. So that we'll deal with him.
Possibly. But I suspect he's right.
Thank you for coming to me, Ensign.
It may muddy the situation but it helps me force the issue. Dismissed.
Good night, Captain. Lieutenant.
- What do I do now? - You have two options.
Continue to negotiate with a man who may have a hidden agenda.
Or deal with a man who is willing to defy his own laws.
Not very pretty choices.
If you deal with Jaret, it is his law that is being compromised, not ours.
But does that matter?
I told the crew, when we started this journey, that we'd be a Starfleet crew.
Behaving as Starfleet would expect us to.
That means there is a certain standard I have to uphold.
Principles, principles! That's what it comes down to.
Do I compromise my almighty principles?
But how do I not compromise them,
if it involves getting the crew more than halfway home?
How do I tell them my principles are so important,
I would deny them that opportunity?
You must determine whether Gath is willing to use the trajector to help us.
If that possibility exists, you must explore it.
You're right.
Thank you, Tuvok.
Have you spoken with the other magistrates about using the trajector?
I haven't. Some of them are travelling. But, I assure you, I will do it.
I've already seen all those.
It's becoming a matter of some urgency.
- Why? - We've imposed on you long enough.
Not true. We welcome you for as long as you can stay.
I hope that's a very long time.
My crew is eager to continue our journey.
Once they realised the trajector might bring us closer to home...
Why are you so consumed with the desire to get home?
- I find it difficult to understand. - Home... is home.
- It's where we belong. - Couldn't you create a home here?
Can you imagine a more delightful place to live?
Where you could spend every moment pleasurably.
I promise you, we have many such moments to explore.
Yes. But for how long?
I've seen how quickly you get tired of your pleasures.
All that interests you is what's new and unexplored.
After a day or two, it becomes commonplace.
- Yes. - We prefer permanence.
The reward of relationships that endure and grow deeper.
You would lose those notions if you stayed with us.
You may be right. That's why we have to leave.
We have offered you nothing but hospitality. This is how you repay us?
With an attack on our beliefs?
I'm sorry. I was just trying to illustrate the differences between us.
I don't enjoy being judged like this. It's upsetting, not pleasurable.
That's all you care about...
your pleasure.
All your hospitality, your graciousness, it was never about giving us pleasure.
It's all been to gratify yourselves.
We're nothing more than the latest novelty.
You're hostile and vicious. You would infect the joyfulness of our lives.
You must leave immediately.
- You had no intention of helping us. - Of course I did.
I did everything to persuade you to stay here.
Janeway to Voyager. One to beam up.
Cancel all shore leave and recall the away teams.
- We've been asked to leave. - Aye, Captain.
I assume that means Gath will not be assisting us?
He had no intention of helping us. He just strung us along.
- Are you considering Jaret's offer? - I wish I could...
but I can't.
It will take hours to get all the crew up from both hemispheres.
Get them back as quickly as you can.
I think we've over-extended our stay. I'll be in my ready room.
I've downloaded the Federation library. It's all in these chips.
We know the man to contact. He doesn't care who gives it to him.
- We're under orders. - B'Elanna!
Our people are still fighting Cardassians. Dying for our cause.
Settlers in the demilitarised zone are still under attack.
We made a promise that we'd stick together until the zone was safe.
- And I intend to keep that promise. - I've a wife and two little boys.
I don't want them to grow up without a father.
I'd do anything to prevent that.
We're not the only ones. Everyone wants to get back.
They're just waiting for someone to act.
I'm theorising that the trajector operates within a neutrino envelope.
If that's true, I think we can use it as many times as we need.
Until we're all the way home.
Just think, by tomorrow we could be there.
All right...
Let's do it.
With shore leave cancelled, I can go undetected.
We'll have to override the security lockout.
- It's not accepting my security code. - Reinitialise the lockout buffers.
Someone's altered the security routine.
- Never mind. Beam me down. - Security will find you out.
I altered the security subroutines.
Any attempt to override the lockout would have alerted me.
Is this the library that you intended to trade for the trajector technology?
Yes.
When attempting to download it, I noticed it had been accessed.
You were going to download it?
I will make the exchange with Jaret Otel.
Return to your stations. Do what you can to prepare the ship for the matrix.
Energise.
Mr Tuvok is on the surface, Captain.
The away teams should be onboard in 15 minutes.
- Are food supplies secured? - Aye, Captain.
As soon as the last crew get back, we'll be ready to leave.
Bridge to engineering.
- Ready all propulsion systems. - We're ready now, Captain.
- Where's Tuvok? - We won't leave without him.
- What's keeping him? - Calm down. You'll draw attention.
Don't activate the device until I have spoken to Captain Janeway.
What are you doing? He said not to activate it!
I'm not. I'm just going to try the interface simulation.
We don't know if it will interface.
We can get a head start by testing it now.
All right... but just a simulation.
- It's working. - It does operate in a neutrino envelope.
The trajector field is bigger than anything we've ever created.
To get a field that size you'd need an amplifier as big as a planet.
How did they get that kind of amplification?
I'll show you.
Sikaris has a mantle of tetrahedral quartz 20 kilometres thick.
The crystalline structure serves to amplify the trajector field.
Then once we leave orbit we lose the ability to traject.
We don't have time to test it. We'll have to try it now, or forget it.
- Do it! - If there are any incompatibilities...
This is our only chance!
- Bridge to engineering. - Torres here.
We're ready to leave orbit. Thrusters on-line.
We have to do something!
Mr Paris, take us out of orbit. 4,000 kph.
Aye, Captain.
There's no response. Thrusters are off-line.
Janeway to engineering. What's going on, Lieutenant?
We've got a phase variance in plasma conduit 3.
- I'll have to check it out. - When did this problem show up?
Just now. I'll have it fixed in a minute.
Keep me advised.
All right... the matrix is activating.
- The trajector field is forming. - And it's amplifying.
- Look how fast it's expanding! - That's the quartz mantle.
We're nearly at full field strength. This is going to work.
What is it?
The plasma manifold is unstable.
I can compensate for that.
It's being bombarded by antineutrinos from the trajector field.
They must be the catalyst for the space-folding process.
It's not working.
You can't compensate for that size.
Unstable plasma manifold. We're heading for a breach.
Bridge to Torres. What's happening? We're reading a warp core breach.
We're on it, Captain. Shut down the matrix!
- It's not responding! - It's fused!
Plasma temperature at 43 million kelvin.
Carey, get everybody out.
All right, people, let's go! Move it out.
Let's go. Come on! Move it out. Fast!
Keep moving!
I can't unlock it! The command matrix is sealed.
Plasma temperature at 50 million kelvin.
Antineutrino bombardment has stopped. Plasma temperature dropping.
We didn't anticipate antineutrinos.
The trajector could never be compatible with Federation technology.
I'll start erasing the sensor logs.
No!
- We're not going to cover this up. - Are you crazy?
- We don't have to take the blame. - But we're going to.
We disobeyed orders, gambling it would pay off. It didn't.
- We can't pretend nothing happened. - I don't understand.
- There's no need for this. - I'm sorry if you don't get it, Seska.
But it has something to do with being able to live with yourself.
That doesn't sound like you... You've changed.
If that's true... I take it as a compliment.
I take full responsibility for what happened.
There were others, but I was the senior officer.
- The culpability is mine. - Lieutenant Torres is incorrect.
She was not the senior officer involved. I was.
- You? - It was I who made the exchange.
The Federation library for the trajector matrix.
I will deal with you in a moment.
I don't have the luxury of throwing you in the brig. I need you.
I need every person on this ship.
But I want you to know how very deeply you have disappointed me.
If there are any further transgressions, even a minor one...
you will no longer be an officer on this crew.
- Is that clear? - Yes, Ma'am.
Dismissed.
I don't even know where to start.
I want you to explain how you, of all people, could be involved in this.
It is quite simple, Captain.
You made it clear that your highest goal was to get the crew home.
But in this instance, your standards would not let you violate Sikarian law.
Someone had to spare you the ethical dilemma. I was the logical choice.
I choose to act.
You did it for me... because you knew I couldn't.
I accept the consequences of my actions.
I expect to lose my commission and to be court martialled when we return.
You are one of my most valued officers.
And you are my friend.
It is vital that you understand me here.
I need you.
But I also need to know that I can count on you.
You are my counsel.
The one I turn to when I need my moral compass checked.
We have forged this relationship for years and I depend on it.
I realise you made a sacrifice for me.
But it's not one I would have allowed you to make.
You can use logic to justify almost anything.
That's its power... and its flaw.
From now on, bring your logic to me.
Don't act on it behind my back.
You have my word.
My logic was not in error, but I was.
Dismissed.