Star Trek: Voyager (1995–2001): Season 1, Episode 7 - Ex Post Facto - full transcript

Captain's log, stardate 48579.4.

The crew scans constantly for
anomalies to shorten our journey home.

Ensign Kim has made a discovery -

a subspace disturbance
that may be a wormhole.

- Let's see what you have, Mr Kim.
- It registers only on subspace bands.

Verteron emanations...
tunnelling secondary particles.

- It looks like a wormhole.
- But is it stable?

And where does it lead?

There is a 75% chance
it won't lead to the Alpha Quadrant.

Very true. But there's
a one in four chance it will.

Those aren't bad odds.



- Any analysis?
- Too far away.

We'd have to be
within 1,000 kilometres.

That would mean
a significant course change.

If there's even the possibility
of finding a wormhole,

I think we can afford a detour.

Lieutenant, input the coordinates
and change course.

Aye, Captain.
And may I suggest, if this works,

we petition the Federation to officially
designate this the Harry Kim Wormhole.

We're approaching
the coordinates of the wormhole.

On screen.

Are we in visual range?

Yes, and the anomaly is registering.

Sensors also indicate it's there.

Magnify.



Increase to highest magnification.

That must be
the smallest wormhole on record.

Are you able to analyse it?

Aye, Captain. It's virtually microscopic.

It's only about 30 cms in diameter.

I guess it's a little too small
for us to fly through.

However, it might be large enough
to act as a conduit for a message.

It could carry a compressed data
transmission to Federation space.

We still have to find out
if it goes near the Alpha Quadrant.

I can't get any directional readings.
The aperture is too small.

We could launch
a microprobe into the wormhole.

- Agreed. Do it, Lieutenant.
- Aye, Captain.

We're receiving telemetry.

It's not like any wormhole I've seen.

Microscopic gravitational eddies.
Constricted spatial dimensions.

Pathway's barely wider than the probe.

I think it's a wormhole
in an advanced state of decay.

Must be ancient. Probably been
collapsing for centuries.

- So we can't send a message”?
- I can do it.

It might be slower, but the wormhole
can carry a transmission.

- Where would the message end up?
- I'll extrapolate the exit vector.

I can't get it. There's a strange
phase variance in the radiation stream.

- We'll have to wait till the probe exits.
- That shouldn't take long.

Captain, I'm getting
a distorted energy reading.

The probe's telemetry has changed.

It's stuck.
It's mired in a gravitational eddy.

Because the wormhole's collapsing,
those eddies are incredibly dense.

That probe will never break free. We'll
never know where the wormhole ends.

Give it some time.
Maybe it will work itself loose.

- Captain?
- What is it, Ensign?

Our probe... was just scanned.

There's somebody
on the other side of the wormhole.

It started hurting a few days ago.
I've been working out.

- Maybe I overdid it.
- Is it sore here?

- Yes.
- Tenderness to the ulnar bone.

No epidermal damage. Moderate
oedema. Possible diagnoses?

Epicondylitis, strained ligament,
torn muscle and hairline fracture.

- That's right.
- I'm ready for more study material.

Good. There's a great deal more
for you to learn.

This is a small stress fracture.

- Can he do the same as a real doctor?
- Yes, he can.

Activate it and direct the beam here.

That's it. Not quite so fast.

If I had to get treatment for something
serious, would he be performing it?

- Of course. And quite expertly, too.
- I'd have to think twice about that.

With luck you wouldn't die
while you were deciding.

- That should do it. How does it feel?
- Not bad.

Thanks.

Did you notice how rudely
that officer treated you?

- Not more so than most.
- Others act that way, too?

I've become accustomed
to being treated like a hypospray.

Here's some material
on first-aid for burns.

I'd like to do more than study first-aid.

I want to know more
about anatomy and physiology.

You're intellectually curious. I like that.

These deal with anatomy,
but they're not for the layman.

- They're technical.
- I understand. I'll do my best.

And I really appreciate your help.

So far, our sensors have detected
four separate scans of the microprobe,

each on a progressively narrower band.

Someone is interested in that probe.

There may be a entity within the
wormhole, curious about an intruder.

Our probe would have detected that.

- What's the condition of the probe?
- I've been monitoring it.

It's embedded in a gravitational eddy,
but within 72 hours it will be crushed.

But until then
it should transmit telemetry.

If we're reading scans from the other
side, the probe may be a relay.

We should be able to transmit
a message to whoever is scanning.

Yes. I can modify our subspace
communications band

to accept the probe as a booster.

- Let's try it, Mr Kim.
- I'll give you a hand.

His exuberance may turn
into disappointment

if his efforts prove in vain.

Maybe. But I'd rather assume
that he's going to be successful.

I've boosted power to
the communications band width.

All we have to do is reconfigure the
signal generator to match the sensors.

I'm on it. Just a few minutes more.

This has to work. It will mean so much
to people back home.

- To know we're alive.
- We haven't been gone that long.

People won't give up on us yet.
They probably just think we're lost.

Still gonna be hard on my folks.

I always called them once a week, even
when I was on my training missions.

I've never been out of contact
for so long.

It's going to work, Starfleet.
Soon they'll know you're all right.

How about you? Any family?

I haven't seen my father
since I was five.

He and my mother separated,
he went back to Earth, and that was it.

And your mum?

I think she's on
the Klingon Homeworld.

We didn't get along very well.

OK. The signal generator should be
tuned to the probe's sensors.

Isn't there anyone back home
who'd be worried about you?

The Maquis are
as close to family as I've had.

Most of my friends are here on the ship.

So... no.

There's no one back home
who's going to care whether I'm alive.

We're ready to transmit.

- Engineering to bridge.
- Janeway here.

We have a link with the microprobe.

We're gonna try sending
a series of subharmonic pulses.

They stand the best chance
of transmission.

- Proceed.
- Aye, Captain.

I'm reading transmission of the test
signal. The probe has relayed it.

How will we know
if the signal reaches somebody?

We'll know if somebody answers.

- There's no response.
- It's too soon.

We have no idea how long it takes
to reach the other side.

- Are you reading anything?
- Negative.

There's nothing that would suggest
a response.

It might take some time to figure out
how to return our signal.

You're right. Janeway to Kim.
Continue transmitting.

Aye, Captain.
How long shall we keep it up?

Until I tell you otherwise.
You have the bridge, Commander.

- Captain.
- Mr Tuvok.

- I'm getting something.
- Me, too.

A subspace signal relayed
through the probe.

It's being transmitted
on the same frequency as ours.

It's a response. Someone received
our transmission and sent one back.

And their signal originated
in the... Alpha Quadrant.

Captain's log, supplemental.

Encouraged by his success in sending
a signal to the Alpha Quadrant,

Mr Kim is trying to establish a voice link

with whoever is at the other end
of the wormhole.

Come in.

- Kes. This is a surprise.
- Am I interrupting?

Not at all. I was just going to have
some soup. Would you like anything?

Spinach juice with pear, please.
Tom Paris introduced me to it.

Computer, one spinach juice with pear
and one cup of vegetable bouillon.

What can I do for you?

If there were a member of the crew
whose needs weren't being met,

would you want to know about it?

Of course. Kes, do you and Neelix feel
that your needs are being ignored?

Of course not. We're very happy here.

- I'm referring to the Doctor.
- The Doctor?

I don't understand why people
treat him the way they do.

- How do people treat him?
- As though he doesn't exist.

They talk about him
while he's standing there.

They ignore him. They insult him.

I've been hearing
the other side of the coin.

Many of the crew have complained
that the Doctor is rude.

- We might reprogram him.
- You can do that?

- It doesn't seem right.
- He's only a hologram.

- He's your medical officer. He's alive.
- No, he's not.

He's self-aware, he's communicative,
he has the ability to learn.

He's been programmed to do that.

So because he's a hologram, he
doesn't have to be treated with respect

or any consideration at all?

- Very well. I'll look into it.
- Thank you, Captain.

We'll be ready to go on-line
in a few minutes.

I'm worried about the interference.

I don't think the isolator
will work with the vocal transmission.

Let's invert the narrowband filter.

- Progress report?
- We're ready to give it a try.

But we're pushing through
heavy interference.

- I can't guarantee the clarity.
- Let's see what happens.

This is Captain Kathryn Janeway
of the Federation starship Voyager.

Do you read?

I'll narrow the filter bandpass more.

Try again, Captain.

This is Kathryn Janeway
of the Federation ship Voyager.

Is anyone receiving
this communication?

...vessel...

Narrow the bandpass a little more.

- Try again, Captain.
- This is Janeway.

Please repeat your last transmission.

...cargo vessel...

We're still trying to clear up your last
transmission. Please repeat.

I am Captain of the cargo vessel
Talvath. Location, Alpha Quadrant.

Sector 1385. What is your location?

We're in the Delta Quadrant,
but since it hasn't been charted,

I can't specify our exact location.

Please confirm.
You said Delta Quadrant?

- Correct.
- In a Federation starship?

Yes. We were on a mission
and we got pulled into this quadrant.

- Pulled in? How?
- It's a complicated story.

Deconstruct the phase shift
of our hailing frequency to verify.

You are in the Alpha Quadrant.
What are you coordinates?

I am telling you the truth.

We are in the Delta Quadrant,
70,000 light years from you.

This is preposterous.
I am terminating communication.

No, wait! Hail them again.

No response, Captain.

Why would he have
broken off transmission?

Perhaps I can explain.

His comm link signature indicates that
the message was from a Romulan ship.

There are no known shipping lanes
in the sector he identified.

Given the calibration of his signal,

I would suggest he is on board
a science vessel.

Why pretend to be a cargo captain?

He might be engaged
in some kind of secret research.

Precisely. And when we claimed
to be in the Delta Quadrant,

an impossibility so far as he knows,
he may have feared we were spies.

We raise one ship
and it has to be Romulan.

That Romulan can still
get a message to Starfleet.

Hail the Talvath repeatedly.

Call me when you make contact.
Commander, you have the bridge.

Aye, Captain.

Computer, initiate Emergency
Medical Holographic Program.

Please state the nature
of the emergency.

- There is no emergency, Doctor.
- Oh. That's good.

I was preparing a culture
to test Hargrove for Arethian flu

when Ensign Kyoto deactivated me.

I'm sure she didn't realise
you were busy.

- What is it you want, Captain?
- Actually, I thought we might talk.

About what?

You were originally programmed
to serve during an emergency.

Now you're being asked
to do much more.

Yes. I'm providing full-time medical
service for the entire crew,

functioning as doctor and nurse,
and now as instructor.

You can't think of yourself as an
Emergency Medical Program anymore.

You've become
a full-fledged crew member.

I see. Are you suggesting
that I be reprogrammed?

No.

I'm asking if there's
anything I can do to help you.

Help me?

If there's anything you need or want,
I'll see that you get it.

I'd like to be turned off
when people leave.

I spend hours here with nothing to do.

When someone does deactivate me,
it's without asking if it's convenient.

What if I gave you control...

over your deactivation sequence.

- I beg your pardon?
- You can turn yourself off.

Or prevent being turned off.

I might like that.

I'll look into it.

Anything else?

I'm not sure.
I'll have to give it some thought.

You do that.

Kim to Captain Janeway.

- Janeway here.
- Captain, we've got him back.

The Romulan.

Good work.
Put him through to my quarters.

- This is Kathryn Janeway.
- This is the cargo vessel Talvath.

Thank you for answering our hail.

What is your name?
How may I address you?

- I'd prefer not to give my name.
- Very well.

You must have been sceptical
when I told you where we are.

I hope you've verified our position.

Your hailing frequency seems
to originate in the Delta Quadrant.

But you may have been able
to create that illusion somehow.

- To what end?
- I'm not sure.

But that doesn't negate the possibility.

How can I assure you
of my truthfulness?

You say you are a Federation ship.
Are you a Starfleet vessel?

- Yes, we are.
- Your mission in the Delta Quadrant?

Our mission was originally
in the Alpha Quadrant.

We were pulled against our will
to our present location.

- Now we're trying to get home.
- Aren't you in fact Starfleet spies?

Captain, I understand your concern.

The Romulan Empire doesn't want
Starfleet spying on its science vessels.

But since we're 70,000 light years
from Romulan space,

and a subspace message
to Starfleet would take years,

you have to admit that we
can't be much of a threat to you.

You have nothing to fear from us.

Soothing words, Captain,
but they are only words.

If we were spies, we wouldn't be asking
what I'm going to ask you now.

We have no way of communicating with
Starfleet, with our friends and families.

We're hoping you might
relay a message for us.

Our crew is not large. Each of them
could write a short, personal message.

You'd be welcome to read them
before passing them on.

They're nothing more
than the heartfelt words of some...

very lonely people.

Captain, it would ease
my apprehension

if I could see that you are
who you say you are.

I have a signal amplifier on board.

I've been working to penetrate
the radiation stream of the wormhole.

It might be possible to establish
a visual link between us.

I have no objection.

When that's done, will you help us?

I make no promises.
Let us proceed one step at a time.

Have your officers contact me
to attempt the visual link.

- Good night.
- Good night.

We're ready to try a visual link.

We had no trouble configuring
the protocols.

But that phase variance
gave us a few problems.

Torres is going to balance it manually.

We've got the communications
frequency locked in.

On screen.

- I presume you are Captain Janeway.
- Yes.

Thank you for
maintaining contact with us.

It means a great deal to me
and to my crew.

- I am not familiar with this class of ship.
- It's new but it isn't classified.

Your Intelligence hasn't provided you
with information?

I have been in space for a year and
am not privy to the latest intelligence.

I'm sure our operatives have told
the government about your new ship.

No doubt. Have you been able
to communicate with your government

about sending on our messages?

I have. They've promised to take
the matter under advisement.

I see. And when do you think
they will have an answer?

I cannot predict the Senate's timetable.

When they've decided,
I will hear from them.

We don't have a great deal of time.

The probe will become inoperable
in the next 48 hours.

Captain, I am a low-ranking scientist.
A minor functionary.

I cannot tell the Senate to speed up
their decision-making process.

You said you've been in space
for a year.

Do you have any family?

- Yes.
- They're not with you in space?

My wife and my daughter
are on Romulus.

A daughter. How old is she?

She is... seven months.

Then you've never seen her?

To my sorrow, no. She'll be
two years old before I get back.

You must miss your family very much.

I knew that there would be
a price to pay for this assignment.

Perhaps I didn't realise
how high that price would be.

Captain...

everyone of us on this ship has left
behind friends, family, loved ones.

We may not see them again for years.
Maybe never.

So we can all understand
how lonely you must be.

Surely you can understand
our feelings as well.

We would be deeply grateful
for any efforts you might make

to persuade your government
to send our messages.

I cannot guarantee success.

But I will try to persuade my superiors
to make their decision quickly.

- And positively.
- Thank you.

I will contact you again.

Commander, let's assume
he's going to be successful.

Tell the crew to have messages
ready within the hour.

With pleasure, Captain.

- Captain, I have to talk to you.
- Go ahead.

No. I mean, in private.

I didn't want to bring this up
in front of the crew.

It wouldn't be right to get their hopes up,
although I think it will work.

Tell me what you're talking about.

The phase amplitude of the visual link
with the Romulan ship.

It's within just a few megahertz
of meeting transporter protocols.

We might be able to piggyback
a transporter beam onto the visual link

and transport the crew
back to the Alpha Quadrant.

Reconfigure
the matter transmission rate.

And we risk losing
whatever we try to beam out.

See to it. You have my authorisation
to use any personnel you need.

This is top priority.
And don't be secretive.

You won't be able to keep this quiet.

- I'm ready for more.
- You finished those already?

I enjoyed anatomy. It would be
interesting to see an autopsy.

- What are the bones of the middle ear?
- Malleum, incus and stapes.

And the tissue between
the middle and the auditory canal?

- The tympanic membrane.
- Huh!

You have an eidetic memory.
An astonishing gift.

I'll do a full neural scan
on you some time.

If we do get back to Federation space,
I'd like to go to medical school.

If you continue to apply yourself,

by the time we get back you may have
the equivalent of a degree.

- You haven't heard?
- Heard what?

That we might get back soon.

If there's one thing you can count on,
it's that I'm the last to know anything.

There may be a way to transport
all of us to the Alpha Quadrant.

Half of engineering
are working on it right now.

I see. Well, I'll say goodbye now. I won't
be transporting with the rest of you.

But can't we take you with us?

My program is fully integrated
into sickbay.

At present I cannot be downloaded.

Thank you for everything.

Wait. I'd like...

- That is... could I ask a favour of you?
- Anything.

If you do leave, before you go, could
you make sure I've been deactivated?

I promise.

We've managed to bind
a transporter beam to the visual link.

You've matched your data transmission
to our comm signal?

Exactly.

Our intelligence operatives
are not doing their job.

You clearly have technology
we are unaware of.

This would be an incredible
breakthrough in subspace mechanics.

We'd like to try transmitting
a test cylinder to you.

A test cylinder of what sort?

It is a standard mechanism
with a varietal molecular matrix.

It simulates organic
and non-organic compounds.

- It is not classified technology.
- I am aware of it.

We use a similar device.
I will allow the transport.

- Bridge to transporter room 1.
- We're all set, Captain.

We're focused on
the Romulan's transporter coordinates.

All right, then.

- Let's give it a try.
- Energise.

The cylinder has dematerialised.

- Can you get it back?
- The pattern buffer won't accept it.

I'll increase power
to the phase transition coils.

- Ramp the coils to 37 megajoules.
- 37 megajoules.

Congratulations, Captain.
You've done it. Very impressive.

We should run a series of these tests,
but we have to act quickly.

- I understand.
- We'll have to transport a person.

One of our crew will beam
to your ship if you'll allow it.

My government would never allow
Starfleet personnel on this ship.

I wouldn't want my logs
to show that activity.

Then what would you suggest?

I'll volunteer to transport to your ship
and back again.

But Captain...
if we can't transport to your ship,

how are we to get back?

If the procedure is successful,
I will arrange for a troop ship to join me.

That would accommodate your crew.

Very well. We'll be in touch.

We've made more than 20 transports
of the test cylinder.

Every one of them
has been successful.

- Let's hope it works with the Romulan.
- I must stay with him at all times.

We're locked onto him.
Whenever you're ready, Captain.

Well, let's try it. Energise.

- What's the problem?
- It's the phase variance.

I'm balancing it manually.

Welcome to the Delta Quadrant...
Captain.

My first officer, Commander Chakotay.

Lieutenant Tuvok, head of security.
Chief engineer Torres.

And operations officer Kim.

My congratulations
on your remarkable accomplishment.

This is an astonishing breakthrough.

I didn't think you were going to make it.
There was a strange phase variance.

It almost kept us
from pulling you through.

Mr Tuvok, you may begin
evacuation procedures.

I suggest we delay that for the moment.

I've found the reason
for the phase variance.

- What is it?
- Captain, what year is it?

- What year?
- If you please.

By your calendar, the year is 2351.

But this is 2371.

Exactly. Our Romulan visitor
is a person out of time.

He's showing evidence
of temporal displacement.

I would surmise that the wormhole
is a rift not just in space, but in time.

The unusual phase variance
was an indication of a temporal shift.

We have transported him from
20 years in the past to our present.

I've gone over the transporter logs.

If we try to transport ourselves
through that wormhole,

we'll end up 20 years in the past.

Then let's do it! It's better than spending
70 years trying to get back.

We'd be going back to a time
when you were two years old.

I know you're disappointed, Harry.
We all are.

It seemed we were so close.

But clearly we can't go back.

The consequences
would be unimaginable.

We'll have to send you back alone...

and ask that you not reveal
anything that has happened.

I would not do anything
that might contaminate the future

and perhaps harm
the Romulan Empire.

But...

in 20 years...

I could alert Starfleet not to launch
the mission which sent you here.

That's not possible either. We've had
a huge impact on this quadrant.

People and events here
would be drastically affected.

I'm afraid we're left with
our original request.

In 20 years, would you relay
our personal messages to Starfleet?

Of course.
At the proper time, I will transmit them.

If you should find a way back
within my lifetime...

I'd be an old man,
but I'd welcome a message from you.

I am Telek R'Mor of
the Romulan Astrophysical Academy.

I promise you'll hear from us.

Because we will get back.

These are our messages.

- I wish you luck on your journey.
- And I thank you for your help.

Energise.

His signal is in the pattern buffer.
Transferring to the emitter array.

- Phase variance is out of synch.
- Compensating.

Transport complete, Captain.

He made it.

I'll tell the crew.

They'll be glad their messages
have reached their families.

Captain. I did not want to mention this
in front of our guest.

I checked the computer's databanks
for a Romulan named Telek R'Mor.

And?

I'm sorry to report
Dr R'Mor died in 2367.

- That was four years ago.
- That is correct.

Before he would have sent
our messages.

Maybe he left a will, telling someone
else to transmit the messages,

or gave our chip
to the Romulan government.

It is possible.
Unfortunately, there is no way to know.

Then let's move on.
We've got a long way to go.

I tried a new exercise.
Maybe I overdid it.

But my workouts keep me
from a severe case of cabin fever.

Lieutenant, I am
the chief medical officer of this ship.

If you have something to say to me,
please direct the statement to me.

- You see, I need to work out.
- I'm not telling you not to.

I'm suggesting you use common sense
when you do it.

If you get
another exercise-related injury,

I'll discuss it with your superiors.

- Yes... sir.
- You're fine. You may leave.

Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.

He won't ignore you again.

I must function as more than
an Emergency Medical replacement.

I must think of myself
as a member of the crew.

You're absolutely right.

I've prepared a list of things
I'd like to see in sickbay.

- Could you present it to the Captain?
- I'd be happy to.

There's one more request.
Something of a personal nature.

I would like a name.