Star Trek: Voyager s01e08 Episode Script

- What do you see, Mr Paris? - Shoes.
Muddy shoes.
- The dog.
- Good.
That's exactly what you should see.
But that isn't possible.
I'm sure it's disorienting to see yourself through another man's eyes.
- Tolen! - Now I understand.
- I'd better be on my way.
- You don't have to go.
He's got no right.
You come into my home and steal my wife, and I have no right? That's not the way it happened.
The trial's over, Mr Paris.
No point in further denials.
I know about you, Paris.
You were in prison.
- That has nothing to do - We'll see what your captain says.
You'll never wear that uniform again.
- I can't let you do that.
- No, Tom, don't! Stop! No, I didn't Tom! Argh! The sentence of the court has been carried out.
For the rest of his life, once every 14 hours, Thomas Eugene Paris will relive the last moments of his victim's life.
May the fates have mercy on you, sir.
If the hydroxy-proline level is elevated this high, you'd call for a pancreatic scan.
That's exactly what I'd call for.
Let's run through the osteographic series again.
Just enter the responses you're sure about.
- Have you thought of a name? - I asked the Captain for one.
- Why not choose one yourself? - Choose one myself? Me? Well, that just isn't Holograms are programmed, Kes, they don't choose anything.
- Why not? - We're not capable of choosing.
You choose what medical treatment to give someone.
I'm programmed with over five million possible treatments, with contingency and adaptive programs.
But it's all programs upon programs, not independent decision-making.
I don't see the difference.
I base decisions on information stored inside my brain.
How's that so different from accessing your programs? Well, if you put it that way Do your programs have any names in them? Certainly.
I have the names of Starfleet doctors, their patients, medical personnel in historical and literary contexts - So pick a name.
- Just pick one? Pick a name you like, perhaps from someone who inspires you.
Dr Dr Galen.
Dr Salk.
- Dr - Those are good.
Spock.
Can you see yourself with any of those names? - Not exactly.
- Take your time.
After all, you will be that name for the rest of your life.
I never considered that I had a life.
Janeway to sickbay.
Activate Emergency Medical Hologram.
- What can I do for you? - Incoming craft with an injured crewman.
Any details? It's either Ensign Kim or Lieutenant Paris.
We can't raise them.
There's damage to various subsystems.
You're sure there's only one life sign aboard? That is confirmed, Captain.
Transport him to sickbay.
I'll be down there.
Mr Tuvok.
- They made me leave without him.
- He's severely dehydrated.
No sleep.
- Neodextramine solution? - Prepare an I.
V.
- What happened to Paris? - They made me leave without him.
They said he'd committed a a murder.
Do you know who the victim was? An engineering physicist we were working with.
His name was Tolen Ren.
The Banean Minister of Science introduced us to him after we arrived.
So from the other side of the galaxy.
That's a long trip with a damaged collimator.
Professor Ren can help you.
He's developed the navigational arrays for our ships.
We must stay ahead of our neighbours the Numiri.
- Your ship's specifications? - It's all here.
Why don't we look it over at my home tonight? My wife would be delighted to have you for supper.
There was no reason to say no, but if we hadn't gone, none of this would have happened.
Come, Neeka, stop that racket.
They're friends.
That's better.
What a good doggy.
Oh, dearest? Are you dressed? We have guests.
I should have called.
I just don't think of the common courtesies.
She's wonderful about tolerating my dreadful manners.
- So, you've done it to me again.
- Yes, dear.
I apologise.
Lidell, this is Harry Kim and Tom Paris, from the other side of the galaxy.
Hello.
Nice to meet you.
- You might have called.
- You're right.
Do you have enough food, or shall we go out? No, it's fine.
I have leftover rolk, I'll throw it in the stew.
Wonderful.
Make yourselves at home, I'll fetch my slippers.
- Lidell will take good care of you.
- Would you like a drink? Sure.
Help yourself.
What are you looking at? Not the same thing you're looking at, that's for sure.
What are you looking at? If it's spoiled, Neeka wouldn't eat it.
Nothing too fancy around here.
We're simple folks.
- You're very kind to invite us.
- We enjoy guests.
I think Lidell would prefer us to entertain more often.
She's far more social than I am.
I'm afraid she gets bored here at times.
I'm so consumed with my work.
And here we are bringing more of it home to take your husband's attention away.
It makes no difference.
Tolen would work anyway.
I'm afraid she's right.
We are at war, after all.
By the way, how did you get past the Numiri patrols? Lieutenant Paris is our best pilot.
The Captain decided not to take our ship into orbit.
She didn't want to get involved in your conflict.
So we came on a shuttlecraft to avoid immediate detection by the Numiri.
I hid behind the limb of the moon then made a break for your border.
By the time they detected us, it was too late.
Well done! Finished already? The meat doesn't taste right.
Well we do have a lot of work to get done.
Perhaps we should begin.
We started to work on the navigational beam specifications.
It was pretty dry stuff.
You know, rewriting baseline code algorithms.
Tom got bored.
He left us alone for a while.
I guess he was with Mrs Ren.
I know they saw each other again, the night Professor Ren was murdered.
Did you talk to him after he was detained? No.
They never let me see him.
They interrogated me for almost two days straight.
They asked me about the Numiri.
At first, they must've thought we were Numiri agents or something.
Professor Ren invented Banean warship technology.
He's exhausted.
Can this wait until he's rested? We'll find out about Paris.
- Janeway to Chakotay.
- Go ahead.
Set a course for the Banean homeworld, Commander.
Come in.
You sent for me, Captain.
Lieutenant Paris has gotten himself into trouble.
I'm taking the ship into orbit while we try to sort things out.
Be prepared to be intercepted by Numiri patrols.
They always try to intimidate travellers to the Banean planet.
The stakes are too high to send a shuttle.
- It should be clear we mean business.
- I understand.
Based on your experience, what can we expect the Numiri to do to intimidate us? To be honest, whenever I saw the Numiri coming, I always left before the intimidation began.
However, I know from knowledgeable sources that they have directed energy weapons comparable to your own.
Our own, that is.
Plus regenerative shields that may even give them the advantage in a firefight.
Tell me about them as a people.
Are they aggressive, technical, intellectual, emotional? Anything that might help me.
The Numiri and the Banea are quite different, even though they once coexisted on the same planet.
That's why I recommended the Banea to you.
The Numiri have a remarkably covert society.
- Captain to the bridge.
- On my way.
We're scanning a Numiri vessel.
They're at combat readiness.
Shields up.
On screen.
- Mr Neelix.
- A standard patrol vessel.
- Curious.
- Why? I'd expect them to send out more than one tiny patrol to meet a ship like this.
Let's hope it's a positive sign.
Hail them.
- They're responding.
- Open a channel.
I am Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation starship Voyager.
What is your business in this system? One of my crew is being held on the Banean planet.
We're investigating.
You are entering a war zone.
You do so at your own risk.
Understood.
Any attempt to provide aid or supplies to the Banea is an act of war against us.
You have my word that we intend to remain neutral.
Our only interest is in our own crewman.
Proceed.
Your activities will be monitored.
Very, very curious.
In Numiri terms, that greeting was downright friendly.
Remain at full alert.
Continue long-range scans for Numiri patrols around the clock.
Take us into orbit.
Captain.
I'm sorry we must meet under these circumstances.
My chief of security, Lieutenant Tuvok.
Please.
What are the circumstances, Minister? All we know is a member of our crew has been accused of murder.
He's been more than just accused.
He's been convicted and punished according to our law.
What form of punishment? A murderer is forced to relive the crime through his victim's eyes.
- How is this achieved? - Our chief medical officer can explain it.
We are able to isolate memory engrams in the brain.
We use the final moments of life.
After the trial, they're transplanted into the perpetrator's brain.
These memories are used in the trial as evidence? An artificial life-form serves as host to the engrams.
In this case, the memories show Mr Paris in an embarrassing episode with Mrs Ren.
An argument ensues.
Paris is then seen by the victim's own eyes, killing him.
The evidence is incontrovertible.
Captain.
- Are you all right, Tom? - I've been better.
- May we speak to him alone? - Of course.
The rehab colony in New Zealand doesn't seem so bad.
- Did you murder Professor Ren? - No! But the victim's own eyes You don't have to tell me what they saw, Captain.
I don't understand it either, but I did not kill him.
Were you having improper relations with his wife? Their marriage was over.
She told Ren that the day he was killed.
- That does not answer my question.
- Nothing happened between us.
Almost nothing.
Tom It's very important you tell us everything.
Harry said you were with Mrs Ren while he and the professor were working.
I was bored.
You know how it is when two science guys get together.
I came out of the other room, looked over and saw her in the atrium.
Her eyes were a million kilometres away, staring at stars I'd just flown by the day before.
Smoking is a bad habit.
My species gave it up centuries ago when we finally realised it was killing us.
You must be a very superior species.
That's not what I meant.
Maybe I kill myself slowly because I don't have the courage to do it quickly.
- Why would you say a thing like that? - Don't.
- What? - Don't get involved.
- I was just trying to - You'll be sorry.
I was just bored to tears in there and I thought you might like to talk.
- Why don't you go ahead and ask me? - Ask you what? What you've been wanting to ask me all night what they all want to ask me why I'd marry a man old enough to be my father.
I'd be lying if I said I hadn't been wondering.
He was good to me.
A lot of other men weren't.
That sounds like a good enough reason to me.
He's a good man.
I would never do anything to hurt him.
I guess that makes you a good woman.
Good can get very boring.
- No, Tom! Don't! - No, I Stop! No! - What's going on? - No! Apparently, he's entering another cycle.
Is this normal? We had problems integrating Banean engrams into his alien neurology.
This is the first time he's lost consciousness since the implant.
I'd like to take him to our medical facility.
I'm sorry, I can't authorise that.
Perhaps we should consider her request.
We might risk general synaptic failure.
Their doctors might be better suited to stabilise his condition.
All right.
But do not leave orbit with him.
Minister, we don't intend to leave orbit until we prove his innocence.
Away team to Voyager.
Three to beam up.
It's medicine beyond anything we've encountered before.
What bothers me is the neural pathway damage it seems to be causing.
- It appears to be progressive.
- Then it could cause brain damage.
How long before he's seriously affected? I have no idea.
I would like a copy of your neurological analysis.
It's very technical.
To the layman, virtually indecipherable.
Nevertheless, I will want to examine it in detail.
- This might help us appeal the sentence.
- Perhaps.
However, before neural implants, the Baneans executed murderers.
It is possible they would view that as the only alternative sentence.
- Will he regain consciousness? - I believe so.
But each time the cycle repeats, his brain will take another damaging blow.
When he wakes up, I want a response analysis while I question him again.
Do you think Tom would lie? As an investigator, I do not have the freedom to ignore any possibility.
Mr Paris maintains his innocence, yet the victim identified him from the grave.
And the victim's wife testified against him at the trial.
Someone is obviously lying.
An A.
R.
A.
will tell us if it is Mr Paris.
I'll have it ready for you.
- Captain, I'd like to return to the surface.
- What do you have in mind? I want to examine the murder scene and speak with Mrs Ren.
- Mrs Ren? - Yes? I'm Lieutenant Tuvok.
May I ask you a few questions? - Are you a friend of Tom's? - I am the Starfleet chief of security investigating his role in your husband's murder.
Stop it, Neeka! She just doesn't like strangers.
From your testimony I assume this is where the murder occurred.
Yes, right there.
I had to have professional cleaners remove the bloodstain.
You chose to remain in the house after an act of such violence? This has been my home for over ten years, Mr Tuvok.
Do you find that so hard to believe? I'm a Vulcan, Mrs Ren.
By nature, we are a dispassionate people.
It is rare to find someone as dispassionate as us.
Dispassionate? Is that how I seem to you? I think you'd get an argument from Tom Paris.
- Can I get you a drink? - Thank you, no.
- Mind if I have one? - Please.
You testified that you and your husband argued the day he was killed.
I never said there was an argument, Lieutenant.
- Have you ever had to end a marriage? - No.
Are you married? My wife and I have been married for 67 years.
I'm sure she's a fine, dispassionate woman.
I hope you never have to find out for yourself, but I can tell you, ending a marriage it's a quiet thing.
The arguments are long over and there's nothing much left to say.
May I ask why you decided at this time to end your marriage? Because I was attracted to another man.
- I didn't want to deceive my husband.
- That other man was Lieutenant Paris.
Paris would have left this planet in a few days, yet you left your husband of ten years for him.
Meeting Tom gave me the push I needed.
I knew in my heart that it was time to start over.
When did you see Mr Paris on the day of the murder? I went to see him at the Engineering Institute after I talked with my husband.
Once I was free, I knew he wanted to be with me.
How did you know? A woman knows, Lieutenant.
He left his friend Harry to finish the research and walk me home.
We were caught in a cloudburst on the way.
I'm completely soaked! - There's water in my boots.
- Here, let me help you.
- We shouldn't.
- It's OK.
He knows it's over.
But you're still a married woman.
I haven't been married for years, Tom.
To him, I'm a friend, a companion.
He hasn't treated me like a woman since It must've been the day of the eclipse four years ago.
He was very excited by the eclipse, don't ask me why.
Our timing's just a little off.
You'll be gone in a few days.
This is the only time we've got.
Let me make you something to warm you up.
I love to drink Maroo root tea on rainy afternoons.
I made some tea, we talked for a while, then we went out to the atrium to watch the storm.
The rest you know.
Did you leave the room during the fight between your husband and Paris? I saw Tom murder my husband, Mr Tuvok.
I tried to stop him.
I couldn't.
- Voyager to Tuvok.
- This is Lieutenant Tuvok.
Paris is now conscious.
I thought you should know.
Thank you.
I'll be returning shortly.
Tuvok out.
Thank you for your help, Mrs Ren.
Lieutenant When you see Tom, would you tell him that I forgive him? Everything she told you is true, except I don't remember the atrium or anything else after that.
- The last thing you remember is - Sitting with her, drinking tea, talking about the sensual effects of eclipses.
After that, I must've fallen asleep.
When I woke up, I was in a cell.
He's telling the truth.
Was there any evidence of a sedative in his system? The Banean doctors didn't find any drugs in his blood.
Most drugs would be out of his system by the time he got to me.
Tuvok to the bridge.
We're under attack by Numiri patrols.
Evasive pattern Beta 140.
Dual attack mode.
- Confirmed.
- They're trying to use a tractor beam.
That is a standard tactic when they intend to board your vessel.
At least now you know I was telling the truth about them.
Although I take no pleasure in being right.
But why now? Why an unprovoked attack? The Numiri have never needed an excuse to attack anyone.
Shields at 90% and holding.
Commander, prepare for attack manoeuvre Kappa 010.
Captain, if you don't mind There's a Maquis trick we sometimes used to get out of situations like this.
Be my guest.
B'Elanna, remember Teluridian IV, the two runabouts? I'm with you.
Blowing out the dorsal phase emitters.
Torres to engineering.
Vent exhaust conduits along the dorsal emitters.
- Make it look like we're in trouble.
- Understood.
- Cut engines.
- Engines off-line.
Lock phasers on their navigational deflectors.
Acknowledged.
Numiri ships are closing, Not to belittle Maquis tactics, Commander, but this is a very old trick.
- It fooled those Starfleet runabouts.
- You're lucky I wasn't in command.
Besides, in the Delta Quadrant every old trick is new again.
- 1,500 kilometres.
- More tractor beams.
That's our cue.
Fire phasers.
Engage impulse engines.
Both Numiri vessels are disabled, Captain.
That's one trick you won't be able to use when we get back.
- I have more.
- Take us into high orbit.
Captain More Numiri will be coming, I promise you.
Mr Tuvok, any progress with your investigation? Based on the A.
R.
A.
, I am convinced Paris believes what he is saying.
However, I can offer no tangible evidence on his behalf.
Considering the urgency, I believe the only logical alternative is to witness the crime myself.
Yourself? I propose a mind-meld with Lieutenant Paris.
A what? What did he say? A mind what? Let me tell you something.
I know more about mind-melds than you do.
I know what the Vulcan doctors have said and I can't tell you what will happen.
If these cycles damage a human brain, who knows the risk to a Vulcan? I've examined your reports and I believe the risk is acceptable.
Tuvok The answers are in the eyes of the murdered man.
It may be our only chance to clear Paris.
Tom? - Tolen! - Now I understand.
I'd better be on my way.
You don't have to go, Tom.
- He's got no right.
- This is my home.
You come into my home and steal my wife, and I have no right? That's not what happened.
We'll see what your captain says.
You'll never wear that uniform again.
- I can't let you do that.
- No, Tom, don't! Stop! The cycle's ended.
No neural damage that I can detect.
I must consult with Ensign Kim immediately.
Why? I assume he has access to Ren's research.
I believe it will explain not only why Paris has been falsely accused but also why the Numiri chose to attack us.
His condition is deteriorating.
He'll have serious brain damage if the implants are not removed.
We are not a barbaric people.
This was meant as punishment, not torture.
I see no alternative but to remove the implants.
There is no legal precedent but we can petition the courts immediately.
I cannot assure you'll like an alternative sentence.
We're still committed to proving his innocence.
When will you return him to our custody? Due to the nature of his condition, our transporter might cause further complications, so we're sending him back by shuttle.
- They'll leave this ship in one hour.
- I'll make the necessary preparations.
- This is all your fault, you know.
- My fault? I consider you the conscience I never had.
You're supposed to keep me in check.
- I tried to warn you.
- Funny, so did she.
If it had been me, I'd have stayed as far away from her as possible.
Someday it will be you, Harry.
You'll meet her, and you'll know it's wrong from the moment you see her.
- And there's nothing you can do about it.
- Here they come.
Numiri patrol approaching, bearing 067, mark 24.
Red alert.
On screen.
Range, 100,000 kilometres and closing.
They're changing course.
They're going straight for the shuttle, just as you said, Lieutenant.
They've locked a tractor beam on us.
- Offer no resistance, Harry.
- Acknowledged.
Tuvok, are you sure you've got the logic of this thing worked out? If I am incorrect, we will know it shortly.
That makes me feel a whole lot better.
We're being boarded.
He's the one.
This is Captain Janeway of the Federation starship Voyager.
You have illegally seized our shuttlecraft.
I warned you that you were entering a war zone at your own risk.
Yes, we appreciated that warning and took appropriate precautions.
If you read your sensor readouts, you will see the shuttle is carrying enough to destroy your ship.
I'm prepared to detonate those explosives in 30 seconds if you do not release our vessel.
End transmission.
The shuttle's being released.
They are leaving.
Tractor the shuttle and take us into low orbit.
Cancel Red Alert.
Mr Paris, how soon before your next cycle? - Seven hours.
- Should be enough to clear this up.
Mr Tuvok, this is your show now.
I'd like to invite all interested parties to meet at the murder scene in two hours.
I'll invite the Minister myself.
Paris was not the man Ren saw before he was murdered.
But it was clearly established at the trial.
It is true, Paris's image was seen in the memories examined at the trial.
However, that is because someone altered the engrams from Ren's brain.
That simply isn't possible.
I would suggest, sir, that no technology is entirely safe from tampering.
You're forgetting one thing.
I was here and I saw him do it.
On the contrary.
I have not forgotten your statement.
However, I now know it is clearly false.
What was in that tea you gave me, Lidell? Is this just idle speculation, or do you have some evidence? Mr Paris, would you please stand next to Mrs Ren? - What for? - If you wouldn't mind.
The man Ren saw with his wife was equal in height to her.
Clearly, Paris is several centimetres taller.
How do you know what he saw? Vulcans have the ability to meld telepathically with another's mind.
I saw your husband's memories as Paris went through a cycle.
I watched as the killer stabbed Professor Ren right here, through the space between the 8th and 9th right ribs, the exact location of the Banean heart.
The killer clearly knew Banean anatomy.
Lieutenant Paris did not.
- Do we have to take your word for it? - There is additional evidence.
We can now say for certain that Ren was murdered by a Numiri agent.
- What? - Lieutenant, did you notice the symbols superimposed on the images? Symbols? Well, yeah, I guess I did.
I thought they were part of the procedure.
I have found no other reference to this phenomenon.
I have now confirmed that these symbols were equations from Ren's weapons research.
Someone wanted to deliver them to the Numiri.
Somebody used his brain to send secret data to our enemy? He was a logical courier as he could leave the planet and raise no suspicion.
The Numiri made two attempts to gain access to Mr Paris.
They attacked on his return to Voyager and when he was in the shuttle.
Someone on the surface was informing the Numiri of his movements.
Who did this? You knew when Mr Paris would be in transit, Minister.
But the doctor encouraged you to release him to our custody.
He is also the one who performed the implant procedure.
No one else had the opportunity and knowledge to carry out this plan.
- I'm not going to listen to any of this.
- I really would like you to listen, Doctor.
Would you please stand again, Mrs Ren? Our same height proves nothing.
I never saw this woman prior to her husband's death.
I was never even in this house before today.
You forget the other witness who was here on the night of the murder.
Would you mind asking her to come in? It appears that you are no stranger to Neeka, Doctor.
He lied to me, Tom.
No one was supposed to get hurt.
You know I could never do anything to hurt you.
Yeah, you could.
- Tuvok.
- Mr Paris.
Some say you risked my future on the eyewitness identification of a dog.
It seemed a necessary step to ensure a truthful resolution.
Well, I appreciate you sticking up for me.
I owe you one.
I conducted a criminal investigation.
If you had been guilty, I would have pursued the truth just as vigilantly.
You have no debt to me, Mr Paris.
How come I always see you down here eating alone, Lieutenant? I prefer to read, rather than engage in What do humans call it? Short talk? Close enough.
You don't make many friends that way.
Perhaps.
Well, like it or not, you've made one today, Mr Tuvok.