THIRTY DAYS
Season 5 : Episode 103
Part E

Flashbacks are indicated in this text style.

 

Paris, recording into the PADD: "Resume recording. So, we told Consul Burkus about the alien field reactor and how his oxygen refineries were destroying it. He took the news pretty well....at first." He remembers back to the meeting in Voyager's Briefing Room.

Burkus: "The Council's very grateful for your help, Captain. They've asked me to request the shield and thruster schematics for your Delta Flyer. We're hoping to design a probe that will allow us to monitor the containment generator."

Janeway: "Lieutenant Torres will give you everything you need."

Torres: "I've also drawn up some designs for an oxygen replication system." She reaches over and hands Burkus the PADD. "It'll allow you to create free oxygen without extricating it from the water. It won't solve your problems overnight, but it's a start."

Burkus: "I'm sure it'll be very helpful."

Burkus shows Riga the PADD. Riga comments: "Our oxygen extraction levels are still dangerously high. I'm going to recommend shutting down refineries four, five and six."

Paris watches Burkus suspiciously.

Burkus: "We'll take it under advisement." He gets up. "Well, Captain, I wish you a safe journey."

Janeway: "Oh, we have a few more suggestions if you'd like to hear them."

Burkus: "Please, pass them along to Mr Riga. He'll include them in his report." Riga is not just suspicious, but thinks he knows what will happen to his report.

Paris: "I'm curious. Who's going to read that report?" Burkus: "It will be given to the Sub-committees on Life-support and Agriculture." Riga: "Excuse me, Consul. I'm not sure you understand the magnitude of the crisis. What you're suggesting could take months." Burkus: "Thank you, Mr Riga." Paris to Burkus: "You should listen to him. If you don't make some serious changes around here soon, that ocean won't be here much longer."

Burkus: "As I said, we understand his concerns." Paris: "Do you? Seems to me like you're just trying to side-step the issue and send us on our way." Burkus: "With all due respect, who are you to tell us what to do with our ocean?" Paris: "With all due respect, it's not your ocean!"

Janeway, sharply: "Lieutenant." Burkus: "It's alright, Captain." To Paris: "I'd like to respond, but not as a diplomat, as a Monean. You came here claiming you wanted to learn about our way of life and now, having spent three days here, you're suggesting we abandon it. We have an expression - 'brine in the veins'." To Riga: "Tell him what it means." Riga: "It's used to describe someone who has special connection to the waters."

Burkus to Paris: "My family has lived here for ten generations. We protected this ocean, cultivated it, lived in harmony with the animals that inhabit it. Can you say the same?" Paris looks away then back. "I didn't think so. Good day, Captain." He and his entourage leave.

Paris: "We can't just let this go." Janeway: "What do you want me to do?" Paris snorts. "Of course - the almighty Prime Directive."

Janeway: "Would you please excuse us, Lieutenant?" Torres gets up. As she heads for the door, to Paris: "See you later."

Janeway: "I know you're upset, Lieutenant, but when you're in a room with me you check that attitude at the door, understood?" Paris: "Captain, I-" Janeway: "We can't expect an entire society to change because we think they should." Paris: "Then you agree with me."

Janeway: "Yes, and we gave them the help they asked for. We told them what we know. Now it's up to them to do what they think is appropriate." Paris: "You heard that Consul. They're not going to do a damn thing." Janeway: "Maybe not, but that's their prerogative." Paris: "Captain-"

Janeway: "End of discussion, Lieutenant. At 1400 hours, we'll resume a course for the Alpha Quadrant. Is that clear." She repeats firmly: "Is that clear?" Paris: "As a bell." She departs for the Bridge, leaving Paris alone with his thoughts.

Torres finds Paris brooding in the Captain Proton holoprogram. Torres: "Hey. Here to stamp out intergalactic evil?"

Paris: "It's funny." Torres: "What?" Paris: "I went on this mission expecting to play out a childhood fantasy, but along the way, when I realised that ocean would just be gone one day, it started to matter to me. It sounds pretty stupid, huh?"

Torres: "No." She comes over and sits with him. "No, it sounds like you've found yourself a cause." Paris: "I never thought of myself as a cause kind of guy." Torres: "Well, for what it's worth, I'm proud of you."

Paris: "Thanks, but Captain Proton's not going to be able to save the day this time, is he." Torres: "What about Tom Paris?"

Riga, carrying his equipment, enters a transporter room. Riga to the transporter duty officer: "Council chamber, please." He stands on the transporter pad. Paris enters in a hurry to catch him up: "Riga." He turns to the transporter officer: "You're dismissed, Crewman."

Once they are alone, Paris to Riga: "I want you to tell me honestly. What do you think's going to happen now?" Riga: "I think the bureaucracy isn't going to make more than token changes." Paris: "Isn't there anything else you can do?" Riga: "I don't see how, other than taking the oxygen refineries offline." Paris: "What would happen, hypothetically, if someone were to shut down the refineries?" Riga: "Well, I suppose they'd have to be rebuilt." Paris: "Yeah, and they'd probably be more willing to redesign them while they're at it. If nothing else, it would grab their attention."

Riga: "Are you suggesting....?" Paris: "I'm just asking questions, because I'm not supposed to get involved in the internal affairs of alien worlds.......unless, of course, someone makes a direct request." Riga makes a decision. "If you can get me down there, I'd be willing to do it." Paris: "You'd be risking your life." Riga: "I know."

Voyager's bridge. Tuvok: "Captain, there has just been an unauthorised launch from shuttle bay 1 - the Delta Flyer." Janeway surmises: "Tom."

With Paris at the helm, and Riga on board....

.....the Delta Flyer plunges into the Monean ocean.

Voyager's bridge. Janeway to Tuvok: "Hail him." Tuvok: "No response." Chakotay: "Try a tractor beam." Tuvok: "We're out of range."

Kim: "We're being hailed, Captain. It's Consul Burkus."

Burkus, on viewscreen: "Your shuttlecraft has violated our borders. I demand an explanation." Janeway: "Mr Paris is acting without authorisation."

Burkus, on viewscreen: "To what end?" Janeway: "According to our scans, Mr Riga is with him. I have to assume they intend to take some sort of radical action to protect the ocean." Burkus, on viewscreen: "Then I presume you intend to take radical action to stop them."

Monean ships attack the Delta Flyer.

Paris carries out evasive maneuvers.

The hull creaks due to the pressure as the ship dives low. Computer: "Warning. Hull pressure approaching critical." Riga: "We're going down too fast." Paris: "It's the only way we can out-run your ships."

Janeway, via comms: "Janeway to Paris. Return to Voyager immediately." Paris, via comms: "I'm sorry, Captain. I can't do that." Janeway, via comms: "Lieutenant, you are disobeying a direct order." Paris, via comms: "I know."