Is there a genetic match?
- Yes. Let's bring it back to the ship. - Could this be the proof?
If it is, we've just made the most important discovery in Voth history.
Opposable thumb,
multiple articulations in the digits,
as expected with an advanced species.
His cranial capacity
is 22% smaller than ours.
He appears to be lacking a dilitus lobe.
He had no sense of smell?
If he did, it was rudimentary.
I doubt this fellow would have enjoyed
the sulphur lagoons of Hokath.
Cartilaginous microstructure is porous.
Most likely warm-blooded.
I believe this was a non-saurian.
Doesn't that weaken our case?
No. We share genetic markers.
We are related, however distantly.
The question we must answer is,
what was our endotherm doing here?
Was he on an expedition?
Did he have a ship, crew-mates?
This material...
It's composed of synthetic polymers
and the molecular structure
suggests replication technology.
Consider the garment itself.
Is this marking decorative or symbolic?
Could it indicate status?
Possibly a military uniform.
We can assume he was part
of a social infrastructure
and that would imply a ship.
Did your eyes see the planet of our origin,
the true home of our race?
Was it beautiful?
Was it covered by oceans, by sand?
Were there nine moons above your head? Were there none?
He appears to be at a loss for words.
His ship holds the key to where we came from. We've got to find it.
Our supporters at the Circle of Archaeology
might be able to spare a research vessel, perhaps assistants.
We need to mount a sector-wide expedition.
We have to go directly to the Ministry of Elders.
Professor, don't you think that's a little precipitous?
Decalcification indicates he died over a year ago.
His ship could be thousands of light years away.
Veer, from the moment you were initiated into my circle,
you made a commitment to the pursuit of scientific truth.
Before this, all we had was a theory. Now we have proof.
We simply have to get them to see it.
We're going to set a course for the city ship
and let our friend do the talking.
For millions of years, we have believed
that we were the first intelligent beings to evolve in this region of space.
The first race. This assumption underlies everything that we hold dear.
But that belief has been questioned in recent years,
not only by science and philosophy, but by common people as well.
Lying before you is proof of the Distant Origin Theory.
These remains demonstrate that we arose elsewhere in this galaxy,
that we evolved on a faraway planet and travelled here millions of years ago,
our true history lost.
A pile of bones. Impressive.
This "pile of bones" belonged to a being who died one year ago
from a species found nowhere in known space.
And yet we share 47 genetic markers with this being.
We are undoubtedly related to him.
I intend to prove that we evolved on the same planet he did.
And that planet is the long lost world of the Distant Origin Theory?
That's exactly right.
And to find that planet, our planet,
we must find a living member of his kind.
We're looking for a race of bipedal endotherms,
space-faring but technologically limited.
I'd say they're no more advanced than most endotherms...
You're proposing that we are related to a mammalian species?
Yes, which is why I ask your permission to launch an expedition.
Let's talk about your discovery.
I enjoyed the colourful tale of how you found these remains.
You paid a substantial sum for their location.
I was dealing with traders. They knew the location of the cave.
Have you considered it was a hoax?
I have analysed this skeleton. I assure you it's authentic.
Professor Gegen,
have you considered the wider implications of your theory?
By challenging Doctrine,
you're suggesting that everything we believe about ourselves,
our history, our ancient and rightful claim over this region of space,
the authority of this Ministry itself, is a lie.
That's not what I'm saying.
However, in the light of my discovery,
some of our beliefs may have to be re-evaluated.
Re-evaluated?
We will consider your request for an expedition.
- Well done, Professor. - Hardly.
I failed to anticipate the level of ignorance I would be facing.
What do we do now?
Arrange a meeting with the Circle of Exobiology. We have supporters there.
Father, I'm concerned.
- Unnecessarily. - They weren't very receptive.
The evidence will speak for itself.
If enough people confront the Ministry...
Mathematics was never your strong point.
You might be overestimating your support.
You don't believe me, either, do you?
I want to.
Our ancestors came from somewhere else.
We don't even belong here? It all just seems so incredible.
- I'm disappointed in you. - Father, please.
Let this go.
You're chasing a fantasy and you're wasting your genius.
I'm worried about what will happen if you don't stop.
What's going to happen to you if I do stop?
To your children, to all of Voth? You'll continue to live in ignorance,
progress held back by ancient myth.
The truth must be known.
- We've got to leave. Now. - What's happened?
I met with the Circle of Exobiology. They're concerned.
There have been rumours. The Ministry is planning to detain you.
- On what charge? - Heresy against Doctrine.
- I'll fight it! - Your supporters are frightened.
No one will back you.
I'll have to do this on my own then. Go back to your family.
As long as you're with me, you're at risk.
I'm not leaving you, Professor.
I've analysed the uniform marking.
I've found a microscopic identification code.
The translation matrix indicates it's most likely a proper name.
I believe it's the name of the endotherm's vessel.
We're looking for something called...
Voyager.
Across the vastness of space to find one ship is no simple matter,
and for many weeks we found nothing.
Then fortune glanced in our direction.
A trader from a space station bordering the Nekrit Expanse
informed us of a group of explorers from the other side of the galaxy.
The merchants spoke of a vessel called Voyager.
They were able to help us clarify certain details.
With this new information, we began to acquire new evidence.
Our most significant find,
a canister of warp plasma from Voyager's engines.
Now we are scanning space for a matching signature.
Little is known about the explorers, but they call themselves "human",
and they claim to be travelling home to a distant planet.
My thoughts are with you, Frola, as are those of my colleague, Veer.
I just sent a transmission to my daughter.
- Was that wise? - I encrypted the carrier signal.
- I hope you gave her my regards. - Of course I did.
I've seen the tint on your scales when she's around.
Now you wish to enter my family, as well.
- I would never presume... - You should know your place.
Traditionally, my family mates with the family of Towt.
But traditions are meant to be broken.
The plasma signature. Scanners have found a match.
A ship 90 light years away.
There are 148 life-forms aboard, travelling at warp 6.2.
Engaging spatial displacement.
It's unlikely their primitive sensors will be able to detect us.
Take us out of transwarp. We don't want to pass them.
I have an image. What do we say to them?
Nothing. We stand to learn more by observing them.
Once we've collected the information we need, we'll make contact.
Entering portation range.
We'll be looking for data storage devices,
anything that can tell us who these people are.
Eyes open, Veer.
- Interphase is stable. - Curious.
- I didn't expect the smell. - They are mammals, after all.
Over here.
This appears to be a computer access terminal.
Simple binary system. I've downloaded their database.
- I bet it's an anodyne relay. - Plasma conduit.
- I checked the conduit network. - Exactly. You're not an engineer.
- I'll bet you. - Name it.
Male and female interacting. Let's observe.
Well?
Well... go ahead and gloat.
- The anodyne relays. - Just a shot in the dark.
And it hit the bull's-eye. Tonight, you pay up.
Holodeck 2, Klingon martial arts program.
- Courting behaviour? - Exactly.
Note how the female encourages the male in his attempt to mate.
- There's no sign of vasodilation. - They never evolved that ability.
Which would explain the reliance on crude, verbal interplay.
- BYOB. - What?
Bring your own bat'leth.
Report.
We've completed long-range scans.
On this course, we'll enter a region of tetryon radiation in two days.
- What's the alternative? - A three-month detour.
Enhance the shields. Harry, continue your scans.
Let's access everything known about tetryon radiation.
What can you observe about their social structure?
It's obviously hierarchical, with clear differences in status and rank.
The males appear to be subordinate to that female.
- Perhaps a matriarchy. - My conclusion exactly.
This is strange. I'm picking up spatial fluctuations.
- They're coming from the bridge. - Source?
I'm not sure, but they're highly localised, with modulating phase variance.
Some kind of cloaking technology.
All stop. Intruder alert.
We've exceeded our welcome. Let's get back to the ship.
- What's wrong? - Some sort of force field.
I've erected a containment field around the bridge, Captain.
I'm picking up two life-forms.
- Localise them. - Mission Ops 1.
Their force field is disrupting our interphase. I'm compensating.
- Show yourselves. - The life-forms left the bridge.
They're now on deck 2. The mess hall.
- Seal off the deck. - Security team to the mess hall.
I don't see any intruders.
- We've underestimated our endotherms. - Maybe we should make contact.
I've analysed those spatial phase variants.
- Bridge to Chakotay. - Go ahead.
Adjust phasers to a frequency of 1.85 gigahertz.
That should disrupt their cloaking technology.
I've matched the frequency of their shields. We can get off this...
Spatial fluctuations.
- There. - Neelix, get down!
Minor phaser burns, nothing serious.
But I want to check for cellular damage.
Begin a DNA analysis, as well.
A belated welcome aboard. I'm Captain Janeway.
Who are you and what have you done with my first officer?
You must have a ship. Is it cloaked?
We won't hurt you. We just want to know...
His body temperature has dropped. His metabolism is almost shut down.
- Is he dying? - I don't think so.
He's in some sort of protective hibernation.
Treat his injuries then see if you can revive him.
Examine his technology. I want to know what we're up against.
Don't be alarmed. You're on my research vessel.
Your instinct is to flee, but there's a confinement field around the table.
Stay calm and you won't hurt yourself.
- Why did you invade our ship? - It wasn't an invasion.
We were on a field expedition to learn more about your species.
I'm a molecular palaeontologist.
Do you always harpoon the local wildlife?
An unfortunate mistake. Veer is inexperienced. He panicked.
Your people were firing at us. I couldn't get to him.
- So you took me instead? - Yes. A living specimen of human.
I've been studying your database and I have many questions.
- The planet of your origin, correct? - That's right. Earth.
Are there any of my kind there? Any of my species?
- Who are you? - Please, answer the question.
Drop the force field
then maybe we can make first contact in a civilised way.
I'm a scientist, too. Maybe I can help you.
I won't bite.
Thanks.
- My name's Chakotay. - Gegen.
All right, Gegen. Let's talk about Earth.
- Your call sounded urgent. - I've analysed the alien's DNA.
There are 47 genetic markers identical to those in human DNA.
- That's more than coincidence. - I ran a search for the markers.
Take a look at this.
- Incredible! - That's one way of putting it.
Those markers appeared in hundreds of Earth species,
dating back tens of millions of...
- Their species evolved on Earth? - Apparently so.
You and he are distant cousins.
I wonder how distant? Transfer yourself to holodeck 2.
It's time we took a stroll through primeval history.
I've entered the genetic markers into the holo-database.
Let's see if we can find our relative.
Computer, search Earth's fossil record.
Identify any ancestors common to humans and the alien in sickbay.
- Life-form found. - Display.
Genus, eryops. Devonian era.
Eryops. This creature lived over 400 million years ago.
It's the last common ancestor of cold and warm-blooded organisms.
Let's take the next step in our stroll.
Computer, what's the most highly evolved cold-bloodied organism
to develop from the eryops?
Genus, hadrosaur. Cretaceous era.
Display the life-form.
As I recall, the hadrosaur vanished
when a mass extinction occurred at the end of the Cretaceous period.
What if the hadrosaur didn't die off?
What if some survived that extinction and continued to evolve?
I could imagine this creature giving rise to a more complex life-form.
Certainly the building blocks are there. Bipedal, grasping hands.
Computer, run a genome projection algorithm.
If the hadrosaur had continued to evolve over the last 65 million years,
extrapolate the most probable appearance.
Display life-form.
That creature napping in sickbay is a dinosaur.
The question is...
why have we never seen him in the natural history museums?
If a saurian species had developed technology, they'd have left something.
- But what if it evolved in isolation? - A land mass that was destroyed.
Earth has been devastated by countless natural disasters over its history.
All evidence of your race could be at the bottom of the ocean.
Obviously not all of my people became extinct.
Some of them must have developed space-faring technology.
And ended up here.
Our true origins on Earth lost over the eons,
replaced by the myth that we were the first race.
Now you understand why I had to find your ship.
Next time you might try a simple hello first.
"Eyes open". I'm afraid I let my own prejudice get in the way.
I was wary of you. We have poor relations with non-saurian races.
Mammals in particular are considered to be a lower life-form,
but I must admit I've never gotten to know one before.
- I hope I've made a good impression. - In fact, you have.
Let's get back to Voyager. Your friend Veer is probably sick of the food.
I can't. I've made arrangements to meet my supporters on the Fourth Colony.
- Tell them we'll be late. - You don't understand.
I'm being charged with heresy.
You're my only evidence. If people see proof of my theory,
even the Ministry will be forced to acknowledge the truth.
I can't let you go now. Not until it's over. I'm sorry.
This should do the trick.
- An apple? - You wanted an organic test subject.
I was referring to a bio-cylinder, but the fruit will suffice.
Let's give it a try.
Fascinating. This device is pushing the apple
out of phase with our space-time continuum.
- A personal cloaking device. - More advanced than I've ever seen.
Mr Kim?
I'm reading a massive spatial displacement.
Red Alert.
- We're being probed. - Shields at maximum. Hail them.
No response. They're locking onto the ship with an energy beam.
It's cutting right through our shields. It's some sort of transporter.
- Report? - We're inside the alien vessel.
We're losing power. Switch to auxiliary.
I'm locked out of command control. All systems are shutting down.
Arm yourselves.
Tuvok to bridge. Captain Janeway, respond.
Turbolifts are off-line. Let's get to a Jefferies tube.
Tuvok, I hope that's your stomach.
My tricorder's not working. There appears to be a dampening...
- I'm not gonna leave you! - Go! That's an order, Lieutenant.
I can't get a single relay back on-line. They've locked us out.
Let's get to engineering. We can access the manual override from there.
Your vessel is under our control.
It's a message from the Ministry of Elders.
They've captured the Voyager.
If I don't return to face my accusers, they'll destroy my evidence,
kill everyone on board.
- What are you going to do? - I won't be responsible for those deaths.
But if I go back now without support, they'll discredit my theory.
That might be difficult with the evidence standing right beside you.
They've taken my ship. We're all on trial here.
I've laid in a course for the city ship.
We are looking for two of our own kind. One was in your medical bay.
- Where is the other? - I don't know. He disappeared.
Our scans indicate your ship is alone. Where do you come from?
If you want my co-operation, release my vessel.
You are non-indigenous beings. You have no rights.
Where do you come from?
Apparently, we're from the same place you are. Earth.
I see that Gegen has begun spreading his lies.
Paris to Janeway.
I've got weapons control and I've armed a full spread of torpedoes.
- Who's that? - My helmsman.
Sounds like he's about to blast a hole in your ship.
Lieutenant Paris, fire. You may want to hold on to something.
Launch protocols have been disrupted.
Switch to auxiliary protocols.
Unable to comply. Weapons systems are off-line.
- How? - Method unknown.
- Paris to Janeway. - Go ahead.
Someone detected my launch sequence.
- I'm completely locked out. - Nice try, Tom.
Haluk to Command. Voyager's captain is proving uncooperative.
- I request an interrogation... - Gegen is in custody.
Wait for further instructions.
Professor Forra Gegen, you are accused of heresy against Doctrine.
Do you wish to retract your claims regarding the Distant Origin Theory?
I do not.
Then we will proceed.
You circulated a study criticising "resistance to truth",
once again disputing Doctrine.
I apologise if I offended the Elders, but I never mentioned "Doctrine".
You didn't have to. Your meaning was clear.
For a decade, you've used the Distant Origin Theory
to undermine the guiding principles of our society.
I have been pursuing a scientific investigation.
- I'm not concerned with Doctrine. - My point exactly.
Your disregard for the effects of your theorising is why you stand accused.
You are reckless and irresponsible, a destructive influence to our society.
But it is not too late for you to redress the damage you have done.
Disavow your claims and this Ministry will show you leniency.
I'm sorry.
I can't deny the evidence. The proof is right beside me.
Proof? Really?
Our scientists have analysed your data.
Their conclusion - "These creatures are not related to us.
"The genetic similarities are a result of random convergence."”
If I may speak?
Voyager's database contains a complete fossil record of my planet.
Your genetic markers appear in hundreds of our species.
That's a lot of random convergence. If you look at the data...
We have. The data isn't in question. Your interpretation is.
Professor Gegen, I don't want to be here any more than you do.
And frankly, I would prefer not to be responsible
for disgracing one of our most venerable scientists.
All I ask is that you admit the possibility that your interpretation is wrong.
- Will you at least do that? - I will admit that there are still questions.
The picture is incomplete. But I am certain of this -
we are from the planet these humans call "Earth".
There are those who disagree.
Tova Veer, you are an accomplished young scientist.
You were initiated into the Circle of Archaeology with the highest honours.
You have been Professor Gegen's assistant for six years?
- I have had that privilege. - You are familiar
with all of your mentor's research regarding the Distant Origin Theory?
That is correct.
In your expert evaluation,
what is the validity of the Professor's analysis?
It is flawed, Minister.
You're saying you and Gegen were mistaken?
Yes. I've reviewed all of his research,
including data from the Voyager's computer.
I've checked and rechecked the procedures.
I now believe that we were... overzealous.
We saw an evolutionary connection when in fact there was none.
Enthusiasm and passion are never wrong, Veer.
Your only mistake was allowing them to distort your judgment.
You may go.
Professor Gegen, I will ask you again.
- Could you be mistaken? - What did you say to him?
That you'd take away his honours if he didn't cooperate?
- Send him to a detention colony? - Could you be mistaken?
- Did you threaten his family? - Respond to the question!
Why? You've already made up your mind.
This inquiry isn't about proof. It's about keeping you in that chair.
It's about maintaining a myth.
You'd do anything to silence me. Well, it won't work.
I'd rather go to prison than help you perpetuate ignorance.
Your true scales are finally showing.
You're right, Minister. I was mistaken.
I thought you might actually care about the truth,
even if it called into question our deepest beliefs.
We are not immigrants!
I will not deny 20 million years of history and Doctrine
just because one insignificant saurian has a theory.
One last time. Could you be mistaken?
- It's you who are mistaken, Minister. - What?
You accuse Gegen of having his objectivity clouded,
but aren't you guilty of the same charge?
- I am not on trial here. - I understand.
But in a way, your beliefs are. Your place in the universe.
That is on trial.
- And this isn't the first time. - What do you mean?
I've had the opportunity to learn about your culture, your accomplishments.
The breakthrough into transwarp, an incredible achievement.
Yet your ancient Doctrine predicted disasters if it were attempted.
That held you back for millennia until someone challenged that prediction.
Your society entered a new chapter of exploration
and your Doctrine was changed.
I know from the history of my own planet that change is difficult.
New ideas are often greeted with scepticism, even fear.
But sometimes those ideas are accepted
and progress is made, eyes are opened.
When I open my eyes to this theory, what I see appals me.
I see my race fleeing your wretched planet,
a group of pathetic refugees
crawling their way across the galaxy,
stumbling into this domain.
I see a race with no birthright, no legacy.
- That is unacceptable. - I see something very different.
An ancient race of saurians, probably the first intelligent life on Earth,
surrounded by the most terrifying creatures.
And yet they thrived, developed language, culture and technology.
When the planet was threatened, they launched themselves into space,
crossed unimaginable distances, facing the unknown every day.
But somehow they stayed together,
kept going with the same courage, until they reached this quadrant,
where they laid the foundation of the great Voth culture.
Deny that past, and you deny the struggle of your ancestors.
Deny your origins on Earth, and you deny your true heritage.
Do you retract your claims?
No. I stand by them.
Very well.
It is my judgment that you will suffer the consequences of your obstinacy.
You are guilty of heresy against Doctrine
and will be placed on a detention colony.
You will neither teach nor engage in research.
- Your life as a scientist has ended. - As you wish.
Chakotay of the Voyager starship.
You, your captain and her crew will join Professor Gegen.
You have nothing to gain by imprisoning them.
You will spend the remainder of your lives on a detention colony.
You will surrender your vessel and inform your crew...
Stop this, please!
Are you offering me an alternative?
I have... reconsidered
and I retract my claims regarding the Distant Origin Theory.
My analysis of the data was obviously flawed.
I was... mistaken.
You are prepared to refute your work before the Circles of Science?
You will be assigned to another area of research.
Surely palaeontology is tiresome to you after so many years.
Perhaps metallurgical analysis would be a more rewarding vocation.
Perhaps.
I am not unreasonable.
You were drawn into this situation through no fault of your own.
You are to be returned to your ship,
where you will set course away from our territory.
It would be in your best interest if I never saw you again.
I am not so good at chemistry.
My career as a metallurgical scientist is likely to be undistinguished.
- I'm sorry. - I was foolish.
Arrogant.
- And I lost everything. - You were courageous.
As the Voth have always been, from the first time they left Earth.
And you, Chakotay, have been a colleague, a friend.
I will not forget you.
There's something else I hope you never forget.
Some day, every Voth will see this as home.
Some day.
- Eyes open. - Eyes open.
Chakotay to Voyager. Energise.