| Ha: |
I don't understand. Why is it so important I come here now?
|
| Eu: |
You'll see in a minute. We're here.
|
| Ot: |
Good evening, Ensign. Thank you for coming.
|
| Ha: |
What's this about?
|
| Ot: |
I asked Eudana to invite you here because I was sure you would respond
to her, and because it would look perfectly natural. I am prepared
to accept your collection of literature in exchange for our trajetor
technology.
|
| Ha: |
Is that something you are authorized to do?
|
| Ot: |
Officially, no, but many people believe that rules should be
flexible enough to meet the needs of the moment. There is a great
desire here for new stories and I want to be the one to supply them.
|
| Ha: |
So you'd stand to benefit from this arrangement, right?
|
| Ot: |
We would both benefit. I would gain prestige and you would gain 40,000
light years in your journey home, possiblly more. This is it, Ensign.
The matrix of the trajector.
|
| Ha: |
Captain Janeway has asked the magistrate to send us 40,000 light years.
|
| Ot: |
He won't. He never had any intention of helping you leave here.
|
| Eu: |
Jaret is right. I know how much it means to you to get home. Please,
listen to him.
|
| Ot: |
You must believe me when I tell you this is the only way you'll
make that journey. Consider my offer. I'm sure you'll decide it
is a fair one.
|
| Ha: |
I don't know what to do. I know we'd all like to get that much closer
to home. But I don't think Captain Janeway is gonna go for getting
the technology like that.
|
| Be: |
Maybe she will. After all, it's a Sikarian who's making this offer.
|
| Pa: |
But it's not aboveboard. Captain is only gonna deal with an
official representative.
|
| ??: |
Bridge to Ensign Kim. The captain can see you now.
|
| Pa: |
Just tell her everything you know. Let her take it from there.
|
| Ha: |
Right.
|
| Pa: |
I'll walk you partway. I'm headed for bed.
|
| Be: |
Somehow, I have a bad feeling about this. It's just not gonna
work out.
|
| Se: |
Don't you think that's up to us?
|
| Be: |
What does that mean?
|
| Se: |
It means we can sit here and let someone make the decision for us or
we can take matters into our own hands. We've been offered the grand
prize. All we have to do is step up and claim it.
|
| Be: |
Take the technology. Without permission.
|
| Se: |
Since when do you talk like that? Do you think permission is more
important than getting us halfway home? The captain is so infatuated
with the Sikarian magistrate she can't think straight. We can't trust
that she is going to make the best decision for all of us. If we do
this, we'll need to use engineering to configure the matrix. It would
be a lot easier if we knew we could count on you.
|
| Be: |
Seska, I am a senior officer now. I have responsibilities.
|
| Se: |
And the main responsibility for everyone on this ship is to try to
find a way home. Captain Janeway made that clear from the
beginning. That's our primary mission. Just think about it. That's all.
|