The Ranch - Transporter Chamber
Captain Nerys gets back to her guests. They're not pleased with her so far.
Janeway: Captain Nerys; this is a disturbing backdoor procedure.
Nerys: Vice-Admiral; I'm following Superior's orders to the best of my abilities.
Tuvok tries to bring some logic into the situation.
Tuvok: Quite apparent... we must assume; but what it's the point in leaving us here with no explanation.
Neelix: And no place to sit! I'm not yet depressed; but I can't hardly hold my anxiety.
Janeway tries to disregard Neelix behavioral update.
Janeway: So...your orders are to hold two high ranked Starfleet officers in a transporter chamber.
Nerys: Not for much longer; I assure you. I'm coordinating things.
Tuvok: In an undisclosed facility; if I may add.
Neelix: Don't you forget about me! Chef, Morale Officer, Ambassador,... all swept away.
Janeway had it with Neelix.
Janeway: Don't worry Neelix; I don't think they'll be deporting you back to the Kazon-Ogla.
Neelix: We all could use less sarcasm in this... "hush-hush" drama. Don't you think?
Tuvok: Mr. Neelix; this incident is not exclusively about you.
Neelix: I know that; but I can't help clenching my fingers. What kind of orders are these?
Nerys: Of the extraordinary kind...
Janeway: Hah! This is Section 31 at its best. Are you on Red Alert?
Nerys: You'll be briefed soon.
Tuvok: An extreme threat...
Nerys: Something like that...
Miral, Icheb and Chakotay materialize before their eyes.
Chakotay: Kathryn! Tuvok; long time-no see.
Chakotay makes the Vulcan hand salute. Tuvok responds.
Tuvok: Captain! Peace and long life.
Janeway: Chakotay; we better cancel our dinner,... a pressuring matter came up!
Chakotay: I see that. Surprise Voyager reunion... We'll reschedule.
Neelix: Chakotay; old friend! You're very welcome in here! This gathering reminds me of a Prixin Holiday, but in blatant captivity.
Chakotay: Neelix! I haven't seen you since we dropped you off in that asteroid... what was it? 26 years ago? How is life treating you?
Neelix: 26 years for you; but only 10 for me!
Janeway: Is that so? No wonder; you haven't aged that much. What happened?
Janeway notices Nerys leaves them again: "What's she coordinating? It can't be a reunion!"
Neelix: Seven and I were playing kadis-kot when nebular flares sent my asteroid off orbit and in a matter of seconds, stranded it deep in the Alpha Quadrant. I didn't have a clue of where I was.
Icheb: Incredible! How did you make it out of your asteroid?
Neelix: That was the most amazing part. A Vulcan surveyor picked up our beacon right away.
Miral: That is strange.
Neelix: Yes; very weird; they were nearby. I was appalled when they told me you also had just arrived... but 16 years after the nebular flares.
Janeway: Do you recall Seven of Nine alerting you about any stellar event?
Neelix: Yes; she did. She mentioned... her date with Chakotay had gone well.
Everyone get discouraged with his answer.
Neelix: What? What's wrong?
Tuvok: Mr. Neelix; we were hoping for a causal report on the phenomena.
Neelix: Causal?
Icheb: Yes; causal,... like in less adjective, you know.
Miral: Ambassador; they mean more related to the subject matter.
Neelix: Oh; well, I don't have any idea about that.
Janeway looks up in sign of frustration. Chakotay smirks a little.
Chakotay: I can say this much... it was a delightful picnic in Cargo Bay 1.
Neelix: That's what Seven meant. Delightful... Where is she... anyhow?
Chakotay: She too got stranded in the Alpha Quadrant.
Neelix: You've to be kidding me!
Tuvok tries to get the conversation back on track.
Tuvok: What a convenient coincidence a Vulcan ship happened to be in close proximity to your unanticipated trajectory.
Neelix: Now that you mention it; they got a little uneasy when I asked them about it.
Tuvok: Uneasy?
Neelix: They said to have received a Vulcan encrypted message of untraceable origin.
Miral: Not very revealing...
Neelix: I know. Those Vulcans were kind of wacky-kooky; no intention to offend.
Tuvok: None taken! Your asteroid most likely entered a temporal wormhole and exited into this alternate timeline.
Janeway expresses her issue with their current reality.
Janeway: Twisted timeline! We left Neelix in an asteroid. We needed 16 relative years. He took a shortcut and made it in a clap. But somehow we all arrived in this quadrant... simultaneously!
Icheb: Vice-Admiral; you don't make it sound like a good thing.
Chakotay: I was never too strong in Quantum Mechanics; but we all may have been stricken by a severe collision in space time continuum.
Captain Nerys gets back with orders.
Nerys: You all please follow me!
Janeway: Finally...
Before Debrief
The group follows Captain Nerys down the tiled halls of an unfamiliar construction. The premises are austere in their architecture. They pass by a heating radiator and a black/white self-set wall clock.
Miral: Ambassador Neelix; I believe we've not been properly introduced. I'm Miral Paris, daughter of Tom and B'Elanna.
Neelix had noticed her earlier; but he thought the circumstances were no appropriate for him to flirt with a much younger woman.
Neelix: Dear me! You're gorgeous like your mother. Oh; sorry, my bad! I didn't mean to cuddle you so warmly in front of your significant other.
Icheb: Oh no! She and I are not... an item or anything like that.
Miral: Aha! We are just good friends.
Chakotay: Very close friends...
Icheb: Yeah! We were at Chakotay's, enjoying appetizers when...
Janeway can't take it anymore. She feels like spilling the beans once and for all.
Janeway: No worries! You won't be deprived today of dinning together.
Chakotay follows Janeway's lead.
Chakotay: True! Section 31's food replicators are unmatched across Starfleet.
Miral: Kahless! Your Bat'leth shall fall upon my head and put me out this shame.
Icheb: I can't believe it. You two knew about us all along.
Chakotay: Miral! Your tricorder; you may soon be needing it.
Miral: What? In here?
Chakotay: No; not here... but wherever we are going.
Miral: How did you...?
Chakotay: You left it over my piano.
Miral: Oh; that's right... Does my mother know about us?
Janeway: Why don't you ask her?
Icheb hates being left out of a conversation.
Chakotay: Kathryn...
Chakotay believes it is time to give young Miral a break.
Neelix contemplates the discussion among the crew. He still misses Voyager. His life changed a lot onboard that ship. He looks around. The Doctor isn't there.
Neelix: Piano? Good! Maybe we can get you and the Doctor to play Opera for us.
Chakotay: Neelix; I got a feeling... we won't have time for that.
Tuvok: We haven't interacted with our Emergency Medical Holographic program in ten years.
Janeway: Our good Doctor... what was of him?
Temptation 5F
A big crowd fills the holographic pavilion. Seven wears a neoprene suit, mouthguard and combat gloves. Her rival looks pretty strong. Seven gets advice from her coach. She's focused on the imminent clash. Two shadows oversee the octagon.
Nathula: Seven! Who're those in the dark? Your slaughtered parents?
Kirk: Don't listen to her crap! She's powerful; but you're a tough 17% Borg... woman.
Seven: Eighteen percent...
Kirk: Whatever! Name of the game? She's inviting you to kick her Romulan butt real good and that is exactly what you are going to do.
The Doctor shows up out of the blue. Seven is taken aback by the intruder.
Doctor: Captain Kirk; for crying-out-loud! You don't know squat about interspecies physiology.
Kirk: Is that right? Who are you? I got news for you pal. Seven got experience in Tsunkatse.
Doctor: Who cares? She lost to the Pendari Champion!
Kirk: He was a rock. Nobody...
Seven: Doctor... what are you doing here? You are not part of this program.
Doctor: What program? We must talk about this. Someone forgot to deactivate me.
Seven: You are... I can't deactivate you any further and as you can see,... I'm busy. I have a bout to fight.
The Doctor is perplexed.
Nathula: Kirk! How it feels living in a wicked time-line?
Kirk gives Nathula an angry look.
Doctor: Excuse me! She can't just go in there with an... "I'm tough" expression in her face. The Romulan girl is built like brick shithouse.
The two siluoettes come out of the shadows to get involved.
Tyson: EMH blah blah blah and so forth...
Ronda: Doctor... what's your name again?
Doctor: I don't have a name. Do you have a problem with that?
Ronda: We need to talk after the fight.
Doctor: Really? About what?
Ronda: About messing up with my pupil's psyche.
Seven: I'm fine Ronda. It's okay. He shouldn't be here. Doctor...
Ronda: What? Unauthorized? He should go then...
Tyson: Yeah bro! Split! Seven got to zero in... on ripping out that Ramona's heart over there.
Seven: Romulan...
Doctor can't stand it anymore.
Doctor: You... brutes! I'll report this violation to the Board of Interplanetary Combat Sports.
Doctor leaves the octagon. Seven can't figure out how he made it there in the first place.
Ronda: Yeah; you go and talk to BICS! Big deal..
Kirk: Shall we call my Doctor? Bones? Excellent friend...
They all ignore Kirk.
Tyson: Seven! You didn't read any Tolstoi for this fight. Did you?
Seven: No; I didn't, but I read some Jeet Kune Do.
Tyson: Bruce Lee? Good stuff! Get your 1-2s and 1-2-3s going girl. Don't stop!
Tyson moves and throw a quick combination of jabs and crossovers.
Seven: Straight lead punches...
Ronda: Have your nage waza ready to rip and remember...
Ronda makes a cutting elbow sign.
Nathula: Seven! I sense myself...more knowledgeable. Why's that?
Seven: I upgraded your software with Muay Thai.
Nathula: What for?
Seven: To level the ground. You always lose.
Nathula: Grrr! I'm a honoiyika and I'll make you my fvai today.
Kirk: I hate Romulans.
The bell rings. Seven and Nathula charge against each other with violent combinations.
The Ranch
They wait around an oval conference table. Admiral Sisko reflects with his back to them; scrabbling for words outside a porthole. Janeway wants to talk, but Nerys is in her line of sight and makes her signs to stay quiet. Sisko breaks the silence.
Sisko: Does anyone know why are we all here?
Janeway: Benjamin! I'm sorry this issue came back to bite us. I assume full responsibility for getting us back home via divergent cosmic horizons.
Janeway points at Neelix and the rest of the crew. Captain Nerys wants to participate.
Sisko: I know you do; but we're not here to question your temporal indiscretions in the Delta Quadrant. We went over that problem ten years ago. Yes, Kira?
Nerys doesn't get a chance to talk right away.
Neelix: No complaints here! I don't miss my asteroid. Thinking back; it was restless of me to live in it with my dear Dexa. Food was good and people extravagant, but...
Chakotay: But you were defenceless out there.
Neelix: We were lucky... Hirogens didn't slaughter us like Rinaxian Sloths.
Icheb: Good thing then... your asteroid got kicked off like a beach ball.
Seven and Nathula keep punching and kicking each other hard. Seven makes a pause and Nathula counter her with a one/two combination. Seven falls to her knees; but quickly gets up as the Romulan fighter attempts a bear hug on her. Seven moves and holds Nathula by her right arm. She vigorously pulls Nathula frontwards. Nathula floats on her toes. Seven sweeps Nathula's leg for a Yama Arashi throw; but Nathula holds to Seven. They both fall to the floor grappled to each other.
Captain Nerys tries to cut in again.
Nerys: Getting back to temporal matters...
Neelix: Please... go on!
Nerys: We're keeping an eye on a Klingon's time travel device. But; that's not...
Tuvok and Janeway exchange glimpses. Admiral Sisko breaks in.
Sisko: We're concerned with unknown facts. The Narada Incident altered your timeline and destroyed Vulcan; but what or who else got affected.
Icheb: You're right. Maybe; Betazoid fireflies...
Miral: My gosh... or the Mirror Universe; can you imagine?
Chakotay: When the woodlands catch fire, everyone suffers, including the bear.
Sisko decides to bring it out into open.
Sisko: We're all here as part of a Section 31 Intelligence Operation. Kira...
Nerys finally gets her chance.
Nerys: War broke out between Borg and 8472s. A subspace irregularity has spawned out of their battleground and cross the Gamma Quadrant, heading towards DS9. We think it is a Borg vessel.
Sisko: You will operate a revamped Intrepid Class Starship, set an interception course and confront the trespassers. If they're Borg; under no circumstance shall you assist them. Starfleet is overly committed and in no position to fight a war against Fluidians.
Janeway: Benjamin; you may have not noticed... but some of us are contemplating retirement.
Sisko: This vessel is... self-aware and has requested you.
Tuvok: We served on an Intrepid Starship. Self-awareness wasn't one of its features.
Sisko: As I said; this is a refurbished one. Kira...
Chakotay: It is Voyager; isn't it?
Sisko: Kira; if you may...
Nerys: Computer! Initiate Presentation!
Wide-screen monitors pop-up all around showing footage of Voyager.
Computer: Welcome to Argus Ranch! Top Secret unit of Jupiter Shipyards in the Galilean Moon of Io. This dry-dock supports research and development of advance spacecrafts, forefront weaponry and alien technology. You've clearance for Project Butterfly.
The group is startled by the video chronicle. Seven walks out of the Holo Deck drenched in sweat and sore with bruises. Bhytor takes a look at the vacant hologrid and follows his mother.
Bhytor: Shouldn't we be getting ready?
Seven isn't in a good mood.
Seven: I'm ready. Have you seen the Doctor?
Bhytor: The Botanist? No...
Thamas: Mommy's hurt?
Seven must reply on the go.
Seven: I got to regenerate. You two... behave.
Seven fits in her alcove. Bhytor remains curious.
Bhytor: Did you lose?
Seven: Never underestimate what a good arm-bar can do for you.
Seven closes her eyes. Nathula was choking her; but she managed to recoil her legs around her opponents' upper body and entrap her arm. Nathula yelled in pain. The group watches Voyager becoming a cocoon. Nathula taps the tatami.
Neelix: Butterfly? But; that's our starship... Voyager!
Icheb: Let me get this straight... You guys decommissioned her and berthed it here for evaluation after our arrival in 2394.
Nerys: Correct; but about a year later...your ship generated a bio-polarized holographic field around itself... blocking any type of access.
Janeway: Borg nanoprobes!
Chakotay: Severed from their hosts...
Tuvok: And their Collective...
Sisko: We estimate... trillions of them.
Janeway: So; you don't have a clue of what went on inside the ship.
Nerys: Except for Hera X; we don't have any other details.
Tuvok: The experimental multipurpose vector system...
Nerys: Your ship... beamed all prototypes in and hacked the data.
Sisko: We don't know specifics; but Voyager went through an extensive patch-up. We are pretty sure it's now the cutting edge of Federation's Starships.
Chakotay and Miral wonder at footage of the cocoon retracting and unveiling the overhaul.
Chakotay: Maybe; those two boys down there know more particulars.
Janeway: Which boys?
Sisko and Nerys also take a peek.
Miral: Those two under that luminous hatch. Aren't they cute?
Icheb: Yeah right; very cute, and what are they doing there?
Chakotay: They wait for us.
Thamas whispers and waves his hand. Bhytor takes a look around and stares at a couple of officers playing a one-on-one basketball game.