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Ship is gray, Captain.
We've cut power
to Decks 4 through 9.
Replicators, holodecks,
and all other nonessentials
are off-line.
Remaining systems are operating
at 20 percent capacity.
Tom, how long
can you keep us flying?
With the deuterium supply
this low,
even at one-quarter impulse,
we'll be out of gas
inside a week.
Everyone redouble your efforts.
Keep your eyes open
for new sources of deuterium.
Tuvok, Chakotay,
l want recommendations
for further methods
of conservation.
Harry, you and l will
give them a hand in Geophysics--
see if we can't synthesize
a substitute fuel.
ln the meantime,
we stay in gray mode.
lf anybody's got
any other ideas, l'm listening.
We could set up a bicycle
in the Mess Hall,
attach a generator, pedal home.
Now, why didn't l think of that?
And l volunteer Harry
to take the first shift.
Living space will
be extremely limited.
Take only those personal items
which are absolutely essential.
Hello, there!
What, may l ask, is this?
That, Mr.
Vulcan,
is the Selected Works of Jirex.
Only essential items,
Mr.
Neelix.
Oh, Jirex is essential.
He's the greatest writer
in the Talaxian canon.
l never go to sleep
without reading at least
one of his parables.
A habit you will have to break,
until we're able to restore
power to crew quarters.
l suppose l can try.
And these?
l l get terrible
neck pains without them.
l suggest you ask the Doctor
to prescribe
an anti-inflammatory.
Oh, fine.
l don't mind roughing it.
Mr.
Neelix, the blankets.
No.
No, that's
where l draw the line.
My mother
knitted these herself.
l've slept with them
since l was a child.
You'll have to make do
with standard-issue bedding.
But those Starfleet blankets
give me a rash.
Then l suggest you
ask the Doctor
For some anti-itch cream.
l might as well sleep
in Sick Bay!
Thank you, Mr.
Vulcan.
You've just given me an idea.
What's going on here?
l'm working.
You were ordered to shut down
Astrometrics an hour ago.
We can't afford the power.
Seven, it's inefficient.
Efficiency is relative,
Commander.
lf l shut down Astrometrics,
l won't be able to scan
for new fuel sources.
l appreciate your efforts,
but we'll have to use
conventional scanners until
Conventional scanners
would not have found this.
What?
Highly concentrated deuterium.
Where?
Computer, display source.
A planetoid .
4 light-years
from our present position.
There are dense
pockets of deuterium
just beneath the surface.
Maybe so, but that's
a Demon-class planet.
Demon-class?
That's what Starfleet calls it.
Also known as Class-Y.
lt's got a toxic atmosphere
filled with
thermionic radiation.
Surface temperatures are
in excess of 500 Kelvins.
Just entering a standard
orbit would be suicide.
Our situation is desperate.
True.
When faced with desperate
circumstances, we must adapt.
Captain's Log, supplemental.
l've ordered adaptations
to our shields
to repel
the thermionic discharges.
Hoping that the benefits
will outweigh the risks,
we're now trying
to beam deuterium
from beneath
the planet's surface.
Narrow the annular confinement
beam to .
47 terahertz.
Ready here, Captain.
Stand by.
Harry, shunt whatever
additional power you can
to the containment field.
l don't want any of those
atmospheric gases seeping in.
Aye, Captain.
A thermionic discharge
has struck the forward shields.
They're holding.
Let's get this over with
before you tell me otherwise.
Seven, do it.
Energize.
Transport in progress.
Shields are weakening.
l'm reading an overload
in the pattern buffers.
Abort transport.
Controls not responding!
Get out of there now.
Computer, seal off
the Transporter Room
and erect
a level-10 containment field.
Containment field established.
The good news is
Nozawa and Seven of Nine
have both been treated
and released from Sick Bay,
and the planetary gases
have been expelled
from the transporter room.
And the bad news?
The transporters are off-line.
lt'll take days
before they're back again.
Great.
We lose valuable
energy on a course change,
and all we get for our trouble
is another downed system.
Can we send a probe
to collect the deuterium?
lt would incinerate
within seconds
of entering
the upper atmosphere.
Then l don't see
any other options.
Tom, put us back
on our original course.
One-quarter impulse.
Captain, maybe l can help.
Harry, the bicycle thing
was just a joke.
l've been thinking.
With Tuvok's shield
modifications
and a few tweaks
to an environmental suit,
l could take a shuttle
to the surface
and mine the deuterium
from there.
Need l remind you, Ensign,
that there is no environment
less hospitable to humanoid life
than a Class-Y.
Actually, Tuvok, no,
you needn't remind me.
What's the alternative?
Resume course, creep
along at quarter-impulse
hoping we'll find fuel
before we end up
dead in the water?
We've got deuterium
within arm's reach.
We can't let the
opportunity slip away
without at least trying.
He's got a point.
You wouldn't be able
to communicate with us
if you got in trouble.
And until
we can get transporters back,
we couldn't beam you out.
Even with modifications,
it wouldn't be long before
your suit began to corrode.
Exposure to that atmosphere
could kill you within minutes.
l know the risks.
Even if l agreed,
l'd never let you go alone.
Of course not.
That's why l'm volunteering
my good buddy Tom
here to go with me.
You were pretty forceful
in there.
So?
So? l don't think
l've ever seen you
that assertive
in a staff meeting before.
You must be bucking
for a promotion.
l had an idea
and l spoke up, that's all.
Oh, no, no, no.
lt was more than that.
You put Tuvok in his place,
right in front of everybody.
He was stating
the obvious again.
Talking down to me
like l didn't
know anything
about Demon-class planets?
l am not criticizing you.
Believe me, nobody enjoys seeing
the Vulcan master put down a peg
more than l do.
l was just surprised,
that's all.
Why?
lt didn't seem like you.
Good.
Cargo Bay 2.
You trying to change
your squeaky-clean image
or something?
Not exactly.
What, then?
How do l explain this?
When l first
came on board Voyager,
l was pretty green, right?
A deep,
almost fluorescent green,
if l remember correctly.
l was young, inexperienced,
and l acted like it--
nervous about giving my opinion,
hesitant to make suggestions--
so l usually just
kept my mouth shut,
and l behaved that way
for so long,
it became a habit.
But, in the last four years,
a lot has happened.
l've fought the Borg,
been transformed into an alien,
helped defeat the Hirogen.
Hell, l've even
come back from the dead.
lt's been a wild ride.
l woke up the other morning
and it suddenly hit me--
l've got a lot
of experience now,
so why should l be afraid
to take the initiative
or voice my ideas?
Good for you, Harry.
But
do me a favor.
The next time you try
to assert yourself,
leave me out of it.
l hate hot weather.
Don't worry,
we can cut some holes
in the environmental suits,
get some ventilation going.
Harry, while you're
busy improving yourself,
you might try working
on your sense of humor.
My sense of humor?
What about that stupid gag
about the bicycle?
Oh, ho-ho!
That was funny.
No, that was not funny.
You think that's humor?
l can't thank you enough
for getting me in
on this mission, Harry.
Don't mention it.
Remind me
to volunteer you to help
the next time l have to clean
the warp plasma manifolds.
Really, Tom,
you don't owe me anything.
Oh, but l do.
We've lost attitude control.
Time to show off
your piloting skills.
Think you can handle it?
Watch me.
Oh, l'll be watching you,
all right.
Switching to manual control.
Just sit back, relax,
and enjoy the ride.
We're entering
the lower atmosphere,
approaching
the landing coordinates.
All right.
l'm going to set us down.
On my mark
Mark.
You did that on purpose,
didn't you?
lt's almost 500 degrees Kelvin.
Don't worry.
The suits can handle it.
lf not, we'll be human barbecue.
l'm picking up
traces of deuterium
Let's move.
No sweat.
Lame.
lt's coming from in here.
What is it?
Some kind of metallic
compound
highly viscous
and if these readings are right,
its temperature
is only 12 degrees?!
ln this environment?!
Whatever this stuff is,
it's packed
with liquefied deuterium.
Jackpot.
There's another pool
Why don't you go check it out
while l collect
a few samples here.
Right.
l don't know, Harry
a couple of lounge chairs,
a big beach umbrella,
maybe some dermalplast to
counteract the chemical burns,
and l think we've found
ourselves a new vacation spot.
Aw, come on.
That was a little funny.
Let me hear you do better.
Harry?
Harry!
Oh, my God.
l know it's hot out, Harry,
but you picked a lousy time
to go for a swim.
l don't know what happened.
l leaned over
to collect a sample
and it was like l was pulled in.
Warning.
Ensign Kim,
an environmental seal
has been compromised.
Oxygen depletion in 30 seconds.
Hang in there, buddy,
and l'll get you back
to the shuttle.
Have you put on weight?
You're just out of shape.
Warning.
Oxygen depletion in 15 seconds.
l'll make you a deal--
you hold your breath
till we get back
to the shuttle,
and l promise l'll start
exercising every day.
Maybe you should start
with the bicycle.
l thought l told you
to hold your breath.
Warning.
Oxygen depletion
in five seconds.
Hang in there, Harry.
We'll make it.
Warning.
Lieutenant Paris,
an environmental seal
has been compromised.
Oxygen depletion in 30 seconds.
You gotta be kidding me.
We're in the same boat now,
buddy,
but l'll get us out of this.
Warning.
Oxygen depletion in 15 seconds.
You're right.
l definitely need
to get back in shape.
Warning.
Oxygen depletion
in five seconds.
Out of the question.
Be reasonable, Doctor.
Take it up
with Commander Chakotay.
He's on his way
here right now.
But it's only
for a couple of days.
Just until we get power back
in the crew quarters.
l suggest you set up camp
in the Mess Hall.
The Mess Hall is full.
Where are we
supposed to sleep?
Anywhere but here.
This is a Sick Bay,
not a dormitory.
But you have four empty beds.
Bio-beds, reserved for patients.
You don't have any patients.
l may have one in a moment,
if you and your fellow squatters
don't go elsewhere.
You wanted to see me, Doctor?
Oh, it's about time.
Mr.
Neelix is attempting
to turn my Sick Bay
into a flophouse.
We are short on beds for now.
We've got to adapt.
Aha.
But what if there's
a medical emergency?
Then Neelix and the others
will get out of the way.
Absolutely.
But this isn't just Sick Bay.
lt's my residence.
And we promise to be
the most perfect houseguests.
What more can you ask for?
But
l have a routine.
l'm a night owl.
What if one of them should snore
while l'm listening to Puccini?
Well, if you feel
that strongly about it, Doc,
l suppose we'll have to consider
other options.
Thank you, Commander.
For example, we could
shut down your program
until you're needed.
The Captain asked me
to look for ways
to conserve power,
and it would spare you
from having to listen
to them snore.
Commander Chakotay
to the Bridge.
On my way.
But
Make yourselves at home.
Try scanning
for infrared signatures.
There's too much interference.
What's up?
Tom and Harry
still aren't back.
You want me to take another
shuttle down and look for them?
And risk losing you, too?
Either we keep waiting
until we run out or deuterium
and get trapped in orbit, or
Or?
We land the ship.
As you know, Captain,
the landing procedure
requires a significant
output of energy.
With shield strength
as low as it is,
we can't even be certain
the ship will survive
the descent.
What's the alternative?
We're up here,
the deuterium's down there,
and we're stuck without it.
We've come this far.
Janeway to Engineering.
Vent all plasma
from the nacelles.
Transfer any available power
to atmospheric thrusters
and stand by
to commence landing sequence.
Acknowledged, Captain.
Commander Chakotay,
take the conn.
Tom's going to be sorry
he missed this.
Code Blue.
Commander Tuvok to all hands.
Go to Blue Alert
and report
to Code Blue stations.
Atmospheric controls at standby.
Landing struts on line.
lnertial dampers at maximum.
All operative decks report
Condition Blue.
Let us down easy, Commander.
We're on
a declining glide trajectory.
Altitude 150 kilometers.
A thermionic discharge.
Shields down to 81 percent.
Shields at 43 percent.
Chakotay.
l think we're through
the worst of it.
Almost.
Shields at 22 percent
and falling.
Can you shore them up?
Negative.
There's
no more available power.
Engaging landing struts.
Brace for impact!
Status?
l could give you a litany
of damaged systems, Captain,
but suffice it to say,
now that we're down,
we won't be going up again soon.
Start organizing repair crews.
Well, that was very good,
Commander.
Take an away team
and find Harry and Tom.
Chakotay you're going out
to look for them, aren't you?
-That's right.
-Take me with you.
l can't do that, B'Elanna.
You're needed here
to complete repairs.
l've already handed
out assignments.
Vorik's on top of it.
l want to help you find them.
Look l know you're
concerned about Tom and Harry.
We all are.
l'll have them back
safe and sound in no time.
Don't patronize me.
We both know how dangerous
that environment is.
They could be
in serious trouble.
You're right.
l don't know
what we're going to find.
That's why l need cool heads.
You think l can't
control myself?
l think you're a little
too close to this.
You're damn right l am.
lf someone you loved
was missing on this planet,
you would be the first one
out that door, and you know it.
B'Elanna, the clock is ticking.
Go back to Engineering,
do your job,
and let me do mine.
Do me a favor.
What?
Take Seven of Nine with you.
You're recommending her?
You said you needed cool heads,
didn't you?
Nobody's head is cooler
than hers.
All right.
And bring them back safe.
l will.
Excuse me, Doctor.
Yes, Mr.
Neelix?
We'd like to sleep now,
if you don't mind.
Not at all.
Make yourselves comfortable.
But you seem busy.
Oh, don't mind me.
Just going about my routine.
Sleep away.
What about the lights?
What about them?
Could we turn them off?
You don't expect me to work
in the dark, do you?
Well, no,
but l'll never be able
to fall asleep.
That's not my problem, is it?
l've got a very, very
busy day tomorrow
and my next shift is
just four hours away.
Perhaps you should've
thought of that
when choosing
your accommodations.
Well, if we can't sleep,
l guess we'll just have
to find some other way
to pass the time.
How about a sing-along?
l could teach you all
some Talaxian rondos,
and l know
a Vulcan funeral dirge,
not to mention
the classics of Klingon opera.
Very well, Mr.
Neelix, you win.
Pleasant dreams.
Computer, lights off.
You're a little jumpy,
aren't you?
l thought l heard something.
Now you know why they
call it Demon-class.
Demon implies a presence.
This planetoid is unoccupied.
l'm picking up the shuttlecraft.
Nobody home.
lt's unlikely
their environmental suits
were able to survive
the elements for this long.
l hope you're wrong.
Looks like they went this way.
My tricorder isn't picking up
any life signs.
How did you reach
that conclusion?
Footprints.
l guess you never assimilated
any lndian scouts.
High concentrations
of deuterium
coming from this fluid.
l'll collect a sample.
Let's find Tom and Harry first.
We'll collect
the deuterium later.
As you wish.
Maybe they found
some shelter inside.
Commander!
Good to see you guys.
Welcome to the Demon Planet.
Our suits were corroding,
our lungs were burning--
we were suffocating!
You know what they say
about your life
passing before your eyes?
Well, it's true.
l was finally
getting past puberty
when suddenly,
l lost consciousness.
l don't know how long
l was out, but
the next thing l knew,
l was awake
and
and l was breathing normally
and l looked over at Harry.
He was breathing normally, too--
with his helmet off--
and-and we just looked
at each other,
and we just started laughing.
l know it sounds crazy,
but it was
an exhilarating experience.
His vital signs are normal.
Apparently, he has adapted.
Just the same, we'd better
let the Doctor
take a look at you.
Chakotay to Voyager.
l've already tried that.
The com signal
can't get out of the caves.
Then we'll call again
when we get back outside.
l'm telling you, Chakotay,
it was an amazing experience.
lt-lt's like when you're a kid
who's afraid of the water,
and you suddenly realize
that you can swim.
Go ahead.
Take your helmets off.
Try it.
l'm glad
you're feeling all right,
but none of us
should be taking any risks
until we know
exactly what's going on.
Don't tell me
that a big, tough guy like you
is afraid of a little
poisoned atmosphere.
Where's Harry?
He's further inside the cave.
We found a huge cache
of deuterium.
Let's find him and get you two
back to the ship.
Whatever you say, boss,
but l'm telling you, we could
breathe this air forever.
Lieutenant.
Yes.
We should have transporters
back on line within the hour.
Well, that's great,
but, right now,
l'm more concerned
with little things,
like, oh, l don't know,
say, life support?
lndeed.
According to my calculations,
environmental systems
will cease to function
in two hours.
You say that
like you're giving me
the weather report.
Well, l agree
the situation is dire,
but losing our cool
will not help matters.
Losing our cool?
Where did you pick up
that expression?
Mr.
Paris.
Well, there's hope for you yet.
Now, how about giving me a hand?
Harry.
Commander.
lsn't it incredible?
That's what l've been
trying to tell them.
Are you feeling okay, Harry?
Never better.
lf we could get some mobile
transporters down here,
we could mine enough deuterium
to get us all the way to the
Alpha Quadrant and back again.
Tom tells me you've already
picked up 20 kilos.
That should be enough to get
the main systems back on line.
Let's get back to the ship;
have the Doctor take
a look at you.
l'd rather stay here
and keep working,
if it's all the same to you.
lt's not.
Really, Commander, l'm fine.
You should send some more
personnel out to help.
They won't even need
environmental suits.
l appreciate your enthusiasm,
but we're going back
to Voyager-- now.
lt's all right, Harry.
Once the Doc takes a look at us
and sees we're fine,
we'll get right back to work.
Status, Mr.
Tuvok.
l've shut down life support
everywhere but Decks 1 and 5.
lt should provide us
with an extra hour
of breathable air.
Chakotay to Voyager.
Janeway here.
We found Tom and Harry.
First good news
l've had all day.
What about the deuterium?
We've got a few kilos.
We're on our way back
to Voyager now.
What's your position?
About two kilometers
from the ship.
Captain
Transporters are
coming back on line.
We should be able
to beam you back
from that distance,
but it may take a few minutes.
Have the Doctor standing by.
l think he's going to want to
take a look at Tom and Harry.
Computer, lights.
Maximum illumination.
Everybody up.
Rise and shine, Mr.
Neelix.
What's going on?
lt's checkout time.
lt's the middle of the night.
Medicine knows no time clock.
l've got patients on the way and
there's no more room at the inn.
Patients? ls somebody sick?
l can't answer that until
l've examined them, now, can l?
Examine who?
Ensign Kim and Lieutenant Paris.
ls there anything
l can do to help?
Yes.
You and your friends
can vacate the premises.
Right.
Move!
You heard the Doctor!
This is an emergency evacuation!
Move! Move!
Move!
Doctor
Yes.
thanks for your hospitality,
and if you ever need
a place to stay,
my door's always open.
Energizing.
Beam Tom and Harry to Sick Bay.
What happened to them?
As soon as we beamed aboard,
they started suffocating.
Computer, erect
a level-7 force field
around bio-beds 1 and 2.
Force field established.
What are you doing?
Filling the area
inside the force field
with the atmospheric gases
from the planet.
Try to breathe normally now.
Easy, or you'll hyperventilate.
Slowly, in and out.
ln and out.
Captain's Log, supplemental.
The Doctor continues
to investigate Tom and Harry
whose condition seems
as serious as it is strange.
That stuff is in our blood?
l'm afraid so.
From what l can tell,
you've been bioformed.
Bioformed?
Think of it as the opposite
of terraforming.
ln the same way we adapt
the environment of a planet
to suit our needs,
this planet
has adapted you.
How is that possible?
This fluid somehow
entered your bloodstream
and began altering
your physiology
at the cellular level.
l haven't had the time
to analyze the substance,
but l hope to have
some answers soon.
l'd like to run
a few tests of my own,
if you don't mind.
Of course.
So, what's our prognosis, Doc?
Well
you'll be fine.
As long as you keep breathing
the planet's gases.
You mean we have to stay
inside this force field?
l'm afraid
it's worse than that.
The atmosphere of this planet
can't be replicated safely.
Which means
if we leave
we'll have nothing to breathe.
Exactly.
Either we find a way
to treat your condition
.
.
or you'll have
to be left behind.
Can the bioforming
process be reversed?
As it stands,
l don't know enough about
the phenomenon to undo it.
l'll send Chakotay and
Seven back to the surface.
They'll gather as much
information as they can.
B'Elanna and l will start
running tests on this.
Let me go with the away team,
Captain.
l know the terrain.
l can help.
Doctor?
Right now, they're
better off out there
than they are in here.
But one of you will
have to remain,
so l can monitor your condition.
No problem.
l volunteer Tom to stay here
and play guinea pig.
Each square kilometer
of this planetoid
is less appealing than the last.
l think it's breathtaking.
Breathtaking?
Yes.
Perhaps your recent experience
has impaired your perceptions.
No, l don't think so.
l wasn't really
seeing it before.
Seeing what?
The beauty.
Would you care
to point out an example?
Look over there.
What do you see?
l see monochromatic
geological formations,
dust, haze.
What do you see, Harry?
To me,
those geological formations
are a dozen shades
of red and gold.
That dust-- it's glowing
and the haze it seems
to intensify the colors.
l'm sorry.
l know it's weird, but l feel
connected to this place.
Connected how?
l'm picking up
humanoid life signs.
Location?
Magnify, factor 10.
Deuterium, hydrogen sulfate,
dichromates.
Add a little sodium chloride
and it would probably taste
a lot like Neelix's soup.
We should be so lucky.
Oh, what's this?
Magnify, factor 20.
Captain?
That's a protein molecule.
This fluid has
organic properties.
Let me see the sample that's
been treated with the reagents.
Captain
Let's get you to Sick Bay.
Wait.
That might not be necessary.
Commander!
Janeway to Bridge.
Report.
A large pool
of the metallic compound
is forming beneath the ship.
We are sinking, Captain.
On my way.
Get down to Engineering.
Get thrusters on line.
We're getting off this planet.
l'm not sure how,
but they're still alive.
Just barely.
Tuvok to Chakotay.
Go ahead.
The Captain has ordered
an emergency ascent.
We must bring you
back to the ship.
Understood.
l've got five to beam back.
Five?!
We found another Paris and Kim.
l can't explain it.
l think l can.
Prepare for transport.
Beam us directly to Sick Bay.
No.
l don't want to go back.
Transporters are still
acting up.
We can't get individual locks.
We're going to have to grab you
in a wide beam,
and bring you in as a group.
Acknowledged.
l belong here.
Maybe so,
but until we know
what's going on,
you've got to come back
with us to the ship.
Harry, no!
Four of the away team
are in Sick Bay, Captain.
l'm trying to get a lock
on the fifth.
lt is Ensign Kim,
or rather,
one of the Ensigns Kim.
The ship is
continuing to sink.
Then there's no time.
We've got to get back
into orbit.
We'll worry about Harry,
or whoever he is, once we're up.
Bring antigrav thrusters
on line.
Thrusters enabled.
lnertial dampers
to flight configuration.
Dampers reconfigured.
All stations report ready.
lnitiating ascent.
l need power to the thrusters.
We are being restrained
by an electromagnetic force.
Compensate.
No effect.
Decks 14 and 15 are submerged.
The ship is continuing to sink.
Report.
Thrusters are off-line
due to an overload.
Decks 13 through 15
are submerged.
lf we don't lift off soon,
the hull will begin to corrode.
Bridge to Engineering.
Ensign Vorik here.
l need thrusters back on line.
Lieutenant Torres
has already sent a team
to the thruster control
junction.
How long?
At least a half an hour.
Even if thrusters are repaired,
they
won't be of much use
if we sink any deeper.
There must be some way
to disperse it.
Try a nadion burst
from the phaser emitters.
lt may weaken the
electromagnetic properties
of the fluid.
Aye, Captain.
l'm on my way to Sick Bay
to check on Harry and Tom.
You've got the Bridge.
How are they?
Lucky.
The backup systems
in their environmental suits
kept their
vital functions going.
lt'll take time,
but they'll recover.
And him?
Aside from his ability
to breathe the rarefied air
on this planet,
he's the exact duplicate
of Mr.
Paris.
He even seems to share
his memories,
not to mention
his winning personality.
B'Elanna and l discovered
that the fluid
has mimetic properties.
Somehow, it reads the DNA
of whatever
it comes in contact with
and re-creates it.
Fascinating.
Can you tell me who you are?
Please just let me go back.
Not until l find out
why two of my crew
have been duplicated.
Captain, you have to believe me.
l don't know any more
than you do about this.
Until he showed up,
l thought l was Tom Paris.
A little changed by my
experience on the planet maybe,
but now l don't know
who or what l am.
All l know is that
l have to get off this ship
and go back down
to the surface.
We're ready to try
the nadion burst, Captain.
Do it.
What are you doing?!
Captain, we're receiving
an urgent hail.
lt's from Ensign Kim--
the one on the surface.
Put him through.
Captain, please!
Stop what you're doing!
lf you really do have
Harry Kim's memories,
you know that l'm going to do
whatever it takes
to get this ship back in orbit.
You can't do that!
Why not?
l l'm not sure
l understand it myself.
Well, then you're going to have
to help me figure it out.
Mr.
Tuvok, l'm on my way
to Transporter Room 1.
Erect a level-7 force field
around the platform.
Fill it with atmosphere
from the planet
and then beam Mr.
Kim,
or rather his duplicate, aboard.
Aye, Captain.
Do you have a lock on him?
Yes, ma'am.
Energize.
Release my vessel.
We can't do that.
''We''?
The planet and l,
we're connected somehow.
l can't explain it, Captain.
l only know
that you've got to stop.
And l'm willing to stop,
but l'll say it again:
release the ship.
No.
We need you.
Janeway to Tuvok.
Fire.
What are you?
Stop.
No.
l'll fire again.
You're killing us.
You're leaving me no choice.
lt's not fair.
lt's wrong!
Janeway to Tuvok
No!
No, no, no.
Please no more.
Hold your fire, Tuvok.
Captain, we are continuing
to submerge.
Hold your fire.
Acknowledged.
l want some answers.
l'm trying to understand.
This is hard for me as well.
You said you have
a connection to this planet.
You talk about it
like it's alive.
Alive?
Yes
but not the planet.
The silver blood.
The compound that sampled
Harry's DNA
and created you.
Yes but it's never been
conscious, never sentient
before now
before me and the other.
Tom Paris.
We're the first.
Don't you see?
You came here.
You showed us.
When the compound came in
contact with Tom and Harry,
it experienced awareness
for the first time.
Before, it was only instinct--
sound and light and heat.
But those two
showed us thought.
l'm beginning to understand.
This silver blood
experienced sentience
and now you want more.
You want to duplicate
the rest of this crew
and populate this planet.
You're trying so hard
to reach home, but
this can be home.
Not for me
and not for my people.
Do you understand
why we can't stay here?
l think so.
Well, then release us.
We'd rather die than be alone.
We deserve life.
This silver blood
that created you
it duplicated Harry
without killing him.
So you don't need our bodies
only samples of DNA.
Release Voyager
and l'll speak to my crew.
And if they're willing,
l'll let you duplicate
the rest of us.
Bridge to Janeway.
We've stopped, Captain.
We're no longer submerging.
Understood.
We're getting out of here,
Tuvok,
but first, assemble the crew
in Cargo Bay 1,
and have the Doctor
meet me there.
Captain?
l'll explain later.
lt's time to meet
your new family.
All stations report
ready for liftoff.
Code Blue status confirmed.
Take us up, Mr.
Paris.
Aye, Captain.