Sorry!
Ensign Baytart doesn't appreciate music.
The fluid conduits running through the walls conduct sound.
You'd think they would've...
The ship was built for combat, not music.
Nobody figured we'd take long trips.
- Where am I supposed to practise? - How about the cargo bay?
- Bad acoustics. - We could get Baytart transferred.
We couldn't do that. Could we?
Tell your mother that's why you didn't practice while you were gone.
Look, I'm trying to prepare for an important performance.
Are we scheduled to rendezvous with the Delta Quadrant Symphony Orchestra?
No. Susan Nicoletti and I are working on an orchestral program.
Lieutenant Nicoletti? The one I've been chasing for six months?
- Cold hands? Cold heart? - Not when she plays the oboe.
Chakotay to all senior officers. Please report to the bridge.
You know, Harry, I've always wanted to learn how to play the drums.
I am picking up non-functional communication satellites.
Take us in closer. Scan the surface.
This used to be a major trading spot.
- How long ago? - I'm not sure. If I had to guess...
A major solar flare occurred here 19 years ago.
...I'd say about 19 years, more or less.
- Looks like a glacial freeze. - Caused by a solar flare
that radically changed the weather patterns.
They were hit by magnetic storms and radiation.
- Those glaciers are receding. - The biosphere is recovering.
- Did anyone survive? - I'm scanning the settlement.
There's advanced technology, warp reactors, subspace transmitters...
but no lifesigns.
Maybe they evacuated the planet.
Evacuation would have been prevented by the atmospheric disturbances.
- What was the estimated population? - Approximately 400,000.
I'm picking up something from the surface.
I think we're being hailed.
You said there weren't any lifesigns.
There aren't. I scanned the surface.
It must be an automated signal.
Let's hear it.
I'm Viorsa, The Kohl settlement planner.
Your sensors activated this message.
You must be aware of the catastrophic
disaster that has destroyed our home.
A few of us have survived
in a state of artificial hibernation,
programmed to end in 15 years
from the date this was recorded.
When the eco-recovery has begun,
we will attempt to rebuild our settlement.
Please don't interrupt our timetable.
That should have ended four years ago.
Looks like they didn't make it.
Wouldn't your scans have picked up
suppressed metabolic activity?
I would think so. Unless...
Checking below the surface.
Nothing one kilometre down.
Two kilometres. Wait a minute.
I think I've got something.
2.3 kilometres down.
Faint biosignatures. Three humanoids.
Can you detect a malfunction
explaining why they didn't wake up?
No. But there are two more
humanoids who are dead.
Are there any security systems?
I don't want to set anything off.
No weapons of any kind, Captain.
It's safe to transport the pods here.
If that is your intent.
It is. Beam them to cargo bay 1.
Mr Kim, you're with me. Janeway to Kes. Bring your medkit to cargo bay 1.
Two humanoids are dead, three in deep stasis.
Lifesigns apparently stable.
Our messenger.
Did the system break down?
Not that I can see. I'm not reading any failures in the hibernation pods.
The circuitry all seems to be functioning.
Their brains are interconnected in a complex sensory system
controlled by this computer.
- Captain, their minds are active. - What do you mean?
The readings suggest they're dreaming.
But there's interactivity with the computer.
It's scanning their brain functions and sending data back.
Could it be generating an artificial environment?
Artificial environment?
Years ago, Starfleet used a technology to assist deep space travel.
They kept the body in stasis, but provided a mental landscape
to keep the mind active and alert.
A good way to wait out a disaster.
It's as good a theory as any.
So what went wrong? Why are they still in there?
The system should have brought them out of hibernation four years ago.
However, it wasn't left entirely to the computer.
The programmers wanted the people to decide when it was safe to come out.
A subroutine periodically displayed atmospheric conditions to them.
They should have realised that the biosphere had recovered.
Yes. This subroutine has remained available to them
since it was activated four years ago.
- It's an escape hatch. - Perhaps it has malfunctioned.
No. That's what's so odd about this.
As far as I can tell, it's working perfectly.
- Then why don't they get out? - I don't know.
- Maybe they like it. - I don't think so.
- Doctor? - The victims died from heart failure.
- And there was prior neural trauma. - What does that mean?
It could be evidence of extreme fear.
Maybe it was caused by the panic of a heart attack.
Readings suggest an extended period of mental stress.
We ought to get them out.
Surely you're not suggesting we unplug them?
Why not?
Because the three brains survival has depended upon careful monitoring
by a computer for 19 years.
The Doc is right.
I don't know how to disconnect them without causing damage.
- I don't know the system well enough. - They know the system.
- Let's ask them how to proceed. - How?
Implant a com-link in their brains?
We have a means of communication. The two unoccupied pods.
We could add backup life support using our own computer and technology.
If that is the only way to help them,
- I don't see any alternative. - Neither do I.
I'll be monitoring your mental and physical functions.
If we detect any unusual activity,
you'll be transferred onto life support and resuscitated.
We've tapped into the system's recall program.
I'll give you five minutes then bring you back.
- Consider this a test run. - Understood.
Inducing primary stasis.
Autonomic nervous system link is secure.
They're connecting to the system.
- We made it. - How do you feel?
Normal.
They must be computer-generated.
- I don't see our people. - Neither do I.
Excuse me.
We're trying to find some friends.
That shouldn't be difficult.
We're all friends here.
- I'm sorry. - I'm sorry.
- I didn't mean to bump into you. - You're new.
Yes, we are.
- Where are you from? - Another town.
There aren't any other towns.
We're not getting very far.
Perhaps I can help you.
- You are looking for friends? - That's right. Three of them.
- And when you find these friends? - We want to talk to them.
Why talk when we can dance?
- Let's get out of here. - You got it.
You.
- Take him. - Harry!
Stop!
They're aliens and they won't be alone.
Kill them and their shipmates will shut down the program.
Let him go.
We knew this would happen some day, that a ship would find us.
It was only a matter of time.
Only a matter of time. Yes.
Who knows what kind of people they are,
or what will happen to this world if you hurt them?
I do. I know.
Bring them here.
You're like me. Little of this and little of that.
My, what a temper.
That's from your mother's side. Yes, you see? I know everything.
This is my world. My festival. And you're here without an invitation.
- What is this? Who is he? - You will talk to me.
I speak for them. And I speak for you now.
You don't understand or accept that yet. But you will.
Are you a life-form or some kind of computer virus?
Perhaps I'll be a virus today.
This one's got a mind full of technical and operational thoughts and ideas.
- Harry knows viruses. - Stop this.
I know you came here to get them and take them away.
But if you do that, we'll all disappear.
Disappear. Because you're characters created by this program.
Once their minds stop interacting with the system, you won't exist anymore.
See? The technical mind at work. It seeks diagnostics, data analysis.
Here's some more data for your mind to analyse.
Yes, I am merely what has been created and is being created by his brain,
his brain, her brain,
and now yours and yours.
What's this doing here now? This is your work!
That's our wake-up call. It's been a real pleasure but we're leaving.
Come on.
If you leave, one of them will die.
One of them will die. Try it and see. If you leave.. He dies.
He can do it. He's killed two of our colleagues.
- How? - I cut off their heads.
- But none of this is real. - As real as a nightmare.
The two we found dead both suffered heart attacks.
Now what might cause a heart attack?
Unmanageable stress, perhaps?
Unmanageable fear? The fear of losing a head, perhaps?
You scared them to death.
- What's taking so long? - There's no interruption in brainwaves.
Recall is functioning, the window is open for them.
The norepinephrine levels are rising. They're well above baseline.
These levels indicate abnormal stress.
I'm going to try to bring them out with our backup systems.
Initiating resuscitation.
The body temperature is rising.
What happened?
The bodies are returning to stasis.
Someone is terminating the recall command from inside the system.
Very wise of you, my technically-minded fellow.
Now get rid of it. It's ruining the party.
- That would be a mistake. - A mistake if you refuse.
- You'd be missing an opportunity. - Trying to get the better of me?
Trying to trick me? I know everything you know.
I know how much you miss Libby,
how you can never hit G sharp in the Mozart concerto.
I know you're trying to defeat me.
Fine. So you know. You'll also know that what I'm about to tell you is the truth.
- You'd be smart to let one of us go. - Would I?
Send the outside world a message. Tell them your demands.
- I have only one demand. To exist. - Then let us tell them.
Otherwise our people might shut down the whole system.
They won't let us stay in here for long.
How did this happen?
The system was designed to respond to our thoughts
and adjust the environment to our wishes.
- Who wished him up? - It happened without us realising.
All of us had fears about survival.
We never anticipated the computer would manifest them.
Our only hope was that someone like you would find us.
It's as though he can read our minds. He knows what we're thinking.
He's generated by the system our brains are monitored by, so in a way, he can.
But there is a delay before he knows what we're thinking.
It takes a few minutes for our brain activity to be processed.
We've come to a decision.
You leave. You stay.
Tell Captain Janeway that if we die, they die.
Including you, dear Harry. You become my best friend as of today.
She would never kill you, would she?
No. She's like a dear old mother to you.
GO!
Someone's activated recall.
Captain, it's Lieutenant Torres.
She should regain consciousness in twelve minutes.
At least we'll get the answers to a few questions.
Let's start with the obvious question -
if they're demanding to exist,
can we find a way to let them exist in this artificial world of theirs?
Not unless you leave one person in stasis permanently.
I concur.
The computer uses feedback from the brains to create the environment.
Is there a way to speed up resuscitation?
More than a few minutes would risk serious brain damage.
Ten minutes would be the best we could do.
All the hostages could be killed.
Then our first order of business is to reduce the number of hostages.
All we have to do now is decide how to negotiate with...
an emotion.
With a manifestation... of fear.
Fear is the most primitive, the most primordial, of biological responses.
The ability to recognise danger, to fight it or run away from it -
that's what fear gives us.
But when fear holds you a hostage...
how do you make it let go?
Maybe we should try to make them laugh.
A good joke just... seems to make a fear dissolve.
It does in me, anyway.
I think something more responsive to the clown's demand.
Maybe you can modify the system so it can run without bioneural interaction.
How do we negotiate without sending in another hostage?
Good question. We have to come up with a safer method of communication.
I regret very much what has happened to you.
You came to help. You didn't deserve this.
I regret so many things.
Look, we don't have time for regret.
My people are working on a way to get us out of here.
We have to help them if we can.
You leave hope behind after a few months of this.
Why does he do it?
We're his canvas. His blocks of marble.
With us, he practises his ghastly art.
Thinking about escape, are we, Harry? Naughty, naughty.
I don't like those thoughts. We'll have to do something about them.
He can't help thinking about getting out.
He can! You don't think about it anymore.
Oh, but he's new. And you're old.
New and old. Old and new.
Then the answer is to simply make you old, Harry.
Are you afraid of growing old, Harry? Is that what you fear?
- Being cared for by nurses? - Time for your medicine.
You don't like being helpless, do you?
You like to take care of yourself.
Yes, I know how you hate to feel like the baby on the crew.
What's the matter, Harry? Does my costume frighten you?
Look at little Harry fly.
There he goes!
All right, that's enough.
This is not reality. It's an illusion.
When your only reality is an illusion, then illusion is a reality.
Like the man said, the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.
I thought we were going to be friends.
Didn't want to do this.
I didn't want to bring this up but I know what really scares you.
You were nine and your parents took you to that colony -
the radiation disaster humanitarian mission -
you visited a hospital, remember?
You wandered off by yourself, where you weren't supposed to be...
The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.
You saw people and things you weren't supposed to see. Sick and dying.
The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.
And how about, "There's no place like home".
Try clicking your heels together. Oh, but your legs are restrained.
Just like that little girl on the operating table.
The doctor called for a scalpel.
She looked at you, her face filled with fear.
Fear. Fear.
Fear. Do you remember?
Excuse me, you're not holding that properly.
Correct positioning of the index finger is necessary.
- Who are you? - Captain Janeway's representative.
I'm here to negotiate with you.
- Are you well? - Starting to feel better.
You're different. I don't know anything about you. You're not on the system.
I'll tell you all about myself some other time.
I am here by a miracle of technology.
Let's get down to the issues, shall we?
How can I negotiate if I don't know what you're thinking?
I have a very trustworthy face.
My captain will give you what you ask for if you release all the hostages.
Release the hostages?
We would provide input from a simulated brain.
Simulated brain? Simulated?
- I myself... - It won't work. Tell him, Harry.
- I don't know that. - LIAR!
Viorsa, get over here.
- Tell him. - It might require a recalibration of...
LIAR! After all this time do you think I can't tell when you lie?
- The simulated brain... - Would leave me at your mercy.
No! They're staying.
The captain will risk the hostages' lives rather than leave them with you.
Who is she to tell me what to do?
She's the one with the off switch in her hand.
- She'd never kill Harry. - I'd rather die than stay here with you.
- She knows that. - I won't let them go.
- A compromise. Let some of them go. - No.
You only need one to survive.
And if that one gets sick and dies? No, I need them all.
Now go away. And tell Captain Janeway I'm disappointed. I expected more.
- If we could just... - Go away.
- I'll be back. - Go away.
I'm sorry I don't live up to his expectations. What do you think of him?
Unstable. Unpredictable. All you'd expect from fear.
The longer this continues, the more likely it is that he will harm the hostages.
I agree. And I can't allow that to happen.
We'll have to mount a rescue mission.
If we do simply disconnect the hostages...
- There would be brain damage. - How much? Could you repair it?
Possibly, yes. Would Mr Kim still be able to hold his clarinet?
Possibly. The brain is an interesting organ.
Could we use a simulated brain without the clown noticing?
He'd notice. He was very smart to reject a simulated brain.
It wouldn't be the same. Artificial intelligence can't replace brain functions.
I'll choose not to take that personally.
Mr Viorsa said there would be a way to make a simulated brain function.
He suggested it would take a recalibration of the optronic pathways.
But the optronic pathways have nothing to do with the neural interface.
- It doesn't make sense. - Then why did he say it?
How do the optronic pathways function in this system?
They control the basic elements of the environment,
access databanks that were programmed when the system was new.
If we interrupt the optronic pathways,
we could disassemble that entire world and its characters.
If we can't remove the hostages from the environment,
then we remove the environment from the hostages.
How did Viorsa communicate this without the clown knowing?
Perhaps the clown's attention was divided.
And you're going to continue to distract him.
How long will this take?
I'm not sure how many pathways there are. And I'll have to do it manually.
You'll only have a few minutes.
Once fear knows what we're up to, it'll be a race against time to save them.
- Bravo. - Go away.
- I want to be alone. - You're ruining the festival.
Don't be a poop.
- I'm feeling sorry for myself. - Don't take it out on us.
Take it out on them.
You people. You wonderful people.
My friends. You do know how to make a man feel better.
OK, then. What shall we play?
The insect game!
You again? You ruined my mood. You and your sweet captain.
- My "sweet captain" has a new offer. - No simulated brains.
The captain will give you a cloaking device.
I already have a cloaking device. Thank you anyway.
The device would shield you from detection by any other visitors.
There are 40 pathways to disable but I can do it in two minutes.
Good. Let's get started.
We will return your computer system to the locale where we found it.
With the help of Mr Kim it will be easy to install the cloaking device,
which will ensure your safety in the future.
- Harry, is this possible? - Yes.
I don't know if I believe you. I don't know yet.
But I'll know soon. You can't fool me.
What does she want in return? And don't say the hostages.
The captain's primary concern is the hostages.
She's so warm and noble. I'd love her to come to one of my parties.
What if I promised to take good care of them?
We could be more than friends. We could be colleagues.
I'm really not such a bad fella.
- What's happening? - You tricked me! It's an attack!
It's an attack! Red Alert!
You told them how it could be done!
Take him.
No! Please, no!
- 22. - More than halfway there.
Viorsa's norepinephrine levels are rising sharply.
No, please! I didn't do anything!
What is it?
Some kind of protection device. I'm locked out. I'll have to disable it.
- His norepinephrine levels are critical. - Just ten more pathways.
He's dead. Massive heart failure.
This one is approaching critical.
You're next!
Restore the entire program.
- We lost. - We've won!
Start the music! Celebration!
Celebration!
Your decision saved the lives of the other hostages.
- You should take comfort from that. - I don't.
Have I misjudged him somehow? Is there another way to reach him?
Isn't there more to fear than a simple demand to exist?
Why do people enjoy dangerous sports?
Or holodeck adventures with the safety off?
Why do children still ride on roller coasters?
Fear can provide pleasure.
To seek fear is to seek the boundaries of one's sensory experience.
But what does fear seek... at the end of the ride?
We will have to punish you for your captain's trick.
To the winner go the spoils and you are the spoils.
We'll talk later. For now, enjoy yourself.
- You know how to end a party. - I don't get out much.
- I bet. - The captain has an ultimatum.
Ultimatum? She would give me an ultimatum?
Did Napoleon give an ultimatum after Waterloo?
Did Chulak of Romulus give an ultimatum after Galorndon Core?
We won. We give the ultimatums.
The captain will shut down the system in one minute if you don't agree.
And scramble my guests' brains? I don't think so.
52 seconds. She will risk brain damage to the hostages to end this now.
- What are her terms? - 43 seconds.
She will allow you to keep one person.
One?! Never. I won't agree.
You have 30 seconds to avoid termination.
I need more time to think.
- Let me keep two. - 20 seconds.
There is another provision. The hostage you may keep is Captain Janeway.
She would choose to be with me?
- Your time is up. Your answer, please? - Yes.
Captain, this is the Doctor. I've returned to sickbay.
Please turn to your Emergency Medical Holographic channel.
- Did he accept? - Yes, Captain.
Good work, Doctor.
Would you like me to supervise the evacuation of the hostages?
You can help with the preparations at this end. Janeway out.
Initiate the recall subroutine and prepare to begin resuscitation.
Sparkling. I want everything sparkling for her arrival.
Harry, not so fast. They can't have you until I have her. No more tricks.
She's coming. I can feel the system beginning to scan her brain.
This is such an extraordinary gesture she's making. I am so moved.
- You don't believe it, do you? - She would sacrifice herself for us.
"Sacrifice herself"?
You can be so cruel, Harry. You don't appreciate my hospitality.
You're here. You're actually here. I don't believe it.
The arrangement was that the others would be released.
How could you be so sure I would keep my word?
I've known fear. It's a very healthy thing most of the time.
You warn us of danger, remind us of our limits, protect us from carelessness.
I've learned to trust fear.
Finally, someone who appreciates me! Am I blushing?
- Let them go. - Yes, of course.
You may depart. Farewell, my friends.
Do come back and visit. I'll always be here.
- Recall activated. - Body temperatures are rising.
Initiating backup systems. They should regain consciousness in ten minutes.
We'll get you out of here, Captain. I promise.
That won't be necessary, but thank you.
I can't wait to get to know you, to make you a part of me.
I understand it takes a few minutes before you know my thoughts.
- Is that true? - An eternity of anticipation.
- Then what happens? - Then the fun begins.
All systems functioning. Resuscitation entering final warming.
Biofunctions returning to normal. Their own hearts are taking over.
They don't need supplemental life support.
- Will you be honest with me? - Fear is the most honest emotion.
You want this to end as much as I do, don't you?
Don't even think about leaving. I'm not going to let you go.
Not after all this. Mirror?
- Aren't we a beautiful couple, Captain? - I'm not Captain Janeway.
- Could have fooled me. - I'm afraid I did.
- Pardon? - I'm a holographic image of the captain.
I was sent here by the same technique they used to send their doctor.
I've been programmed to respond as Janeway would.
But I feel you. You're on the system.
She is on the system, yes. But not in stasis.
The crew modified the pods so Janeway could be connected to the system
without entering this environment.
You are able to sense her brain activity without putting her in jeopardy.
You will be able to confirm this when you become aware of her thoughts.
We both know that fear only exists for one purpose.
- To be conquered. - She tricked me.
Did she? Or was part of you actually hoping to be defeated?
Isn't that why you allowed her here?
Because you sensed she had the power to subdue you.
No. She lied. It was very un-Starfleet of her.
Starfleet captains don't easily succumb to fear.
What will become of us... of me?
Like all fear, you eventually vanish.
- I'm afraid. - I know.
Drat.