Star Trek: Voyager (1995–2001): Season 2, Episode 19 - Lifesigns - full transcript

Sorry I'm late,
but I have a very good excuse.

Picture this. I'm getting ready
to leave the mess hall,

when Ensign Wildman goes into labour.

What else could I do,
but deliver the baby?

There is nothing like bringing
a new life into the world.

I think I missed my calling.

What if I told you the turbolift
got stuck on deck 67.

This is the third time you've been late.

It won't happen again.

I am picking up a distress call
on one of the upper subspace bands.

A small spacecraft is the source.



One life-form aboard.
Weak lifesigns.

According to the bioscanner,
it's a Vidiian female.

- Open a channel.
- No response.

- She may be too sick.
- Or maybe it's some kind of trick.

Scans show no Vidiian ships in this
sector. It is unlikely this is a trap.

Chakotay, notify the Doctor.
Mr Kim, beam the woman to sickbay.

Her renal organs are at 20% of normal

and her cardiovascular system
is about to collapse.

20 milligrams of lectrazine.

Cardiovascular and renal systems
stabilising, but neural patterns fading.

- What is it?
- In her parietal lobe.

It looks like some sort of implant.

It's a very complex web
of bio-neural circuitry. Nanofibres...

- Could this be causing the problem?
- On the contrary.



The device is actually storing
her synaptic patterns, processing them

and transmitting
neural electrical impulses.

- Is it an artificial brain?
- No.

It's a neuro-cortical stimulator,
designed to supplement brain functions.

But it's not working any more.

The implant is functioning,
but it's connected to dead nerve cells.

If we don't do something,
she'll be braindead in minutes.

What about stimulating
cell regeneration with inaprovaline?

Very impressive,
but it's too late for that.

Get me a high-frequency
RF transmitter.

Hurry. Her brain function
is diminishing rapidly.

Set the delta-band frequency
of the holo-emitter to 8.6 tetrahertz.

We are transferring her synaptic
patterns into the holo-buffer.

Is there enough storage capacity
for complex data patterns?

There's enough capacity
for my program.

My program contains
over 50 million gigaquads of data,

which is more than humanoid brains.

Why preserve her synaptic patterns
if there's no body?

I'm creating a holographic body.

We will be able
to communicate with her

and have a model of Vidiian physiology
that will aid in treating her.

Computer,
project the patient's skeletal structure.

Now add internal organs.

Add musculature.

Now apply epidermal layers.

Computer, use transporter records
to recreate the patient's clothing.

According to navigational logs,
she was en route to a Vidiian colony.

- Are we near it?
- It's ten light years away.

We should be in the vicinity in 22 days.

Assuming she survives
and we take security precautions,

we'll turn her over when we get there.

- Captain.
- Is there something wrong?

I wanted to talk to you about Paris.

His attitude lately
has been less than professional.

I know discipline's my responsibility,

but I should let you get involved

before I took action.

Paris has been your reclamation project.

I appreciate your bringing this
to my attention,

but I trust you to handle
the problem any way you see fit.

Chief Medical Officer's log,
supplemental.

The holographic body
is functioning normally.

The patient's synaptic patterns
are stable,

so I'm ready to transfer her cognitive
and motor processes.

- Who are you?
- The Chief Medical Officer

of the Federation starship Voyager.

We received your distress call.

What have you done to me?

I used chromosomes in your
cerebellum to recreate your DNA code

and then programmed the computer
to project a holographic template.

Holographic?

A three-dimensional projection
of light and energy.

See for yourself.

Your neural patterns
were degrading rapidly.

It was too late to use inaprovaline,
so I improvised.

Not that it would occur
to just any physician.

- Why are you crying?
- I'm sorry.

- I thought you'd be pleased.
- Lam.

I never expected to look healthy again.

I've been sick for so long.

I need your medical history.
How long have you been ill?

I was first diagnosed with the phage
when I was seven.

When did you receive
replacement tissue?

About that same time. It was hard
to get used to the changes,

but after a while I almost
stopped noticing. I never...

I never thought I'd see myself again.

Thank you. It's the most extraordinary
thing anyone has ever done for me.

I wouldn't be too grateful.
There are serious limitations.

We can only exist within environments
with holo-emitters, such as the sickbay.

You're...

An Emergency Medical
Holographic Program.

You're a computer simulation?

An incredibly sophisticated
computer simulation.

I'm sorry. What did you say
your name was?

I don't have a name.
It wasn't part of my original program.

- However you, I'm sure, have one.
- Danara.

- Danara Pel.
- Well, Miss Pel.

What were you doing alone in space
with no access to medical care?

I was treating an outbreak
of the phage on Fina Prime.

I was on my way back,
but my condition got worse.

You're a medical practitioner?

A haematologist.

Given your expertise,
you can help me with your treatment.

- My treatment? I feel fine.
- That's only temporary.

Your synaptic patterns will degrade if
we don't get them back into your brain.

- How long?
- A few days. Perhaps a week.

Your real body is in stasis.

We have to find a way
to repair your damaged neural tissue.

- Is something wrong?
- It's nothing.

- I'm eager to discuss treatments.
- Of course.

The procedure is simple.

I drill an opening in your skull
two millimetres in diameter

and extract a sample of
your parietal lobe, weighing one gram.

It doesn't sound simple to me. I have
nightmares about what they did to me

and you want to crack open my head,

cut out a piece of my brain
and give it to HER!

Your experience suggests Klingon DNA
is resistant to the phage.

Losing some neural tissue
is inconsequential.

Yet that same tissue,
grafted onto the patient's brain,

will slow the spread of her infection.

If we can increase
the grafted tissue mass,

we can transfer her synaptic patterns
back into her brain.

It won't cure the phage,
but it should prolong her life.

Please, change into a surgical gown
and lie down on bio-bed number 1.

Excuse me.

I've read about the experiments
that were done on you.

- What you went through was traumatic.
- That is an understatement.

Please understand this disease has
killed my people for hundreds of years.

Trying to stop it is an obsession.

Our scientists don't have compassion
for the people who keep us alive.

As much as I want to go on living,
I've accepted the fact I will die soon.

I only want your help
if you are willing to give it.

Of course...
I'd like to help you, if I can.

If you have any questions at all,
I'd be happy to answer them for you.

I'll go and get changed.

I've finished ingrafting the neural tissue
to your cerebral cortex.

I'll create an axonal pathway
between it and your basal ganglia.

- Your technique is impressive.
- It's my programming.

This procedure was developed
by Dr Leonard McCoy in the year 2253.

I'm equipped with the medical
knowledge of more than 3,000 cultures.

Additionally, as you see here, my
imaging system allows me to perform

and improve upon
the most delicate tactile manoeuvres

required by an array
of surgical procedures.

- Incredible.
- Hand me the submicron suture, please.

There. That should do it.

- Excellent work.
- I was only assisting.

That assistance was invaluable.

It will be a few days
before we'll know if it will hold.

Perhaps I should deactivate
your program temporarily.

- Do you have to?
- It would slow the degradation.

I have so much energy. Maybe
it's the excitement of the surgery,

or maybe it's this new body.

What I'd like to do is take a walk
and see the rest of your ship.

Unfortunately, that's not possible.

If you're want something to do, use my
office to access our medical database.

You'll find texts
on comparative endocrinology.

All right. Thank you.

On second thought,
there is someplace else we could go.

It's wonderful. If I had a place like this
to go to, I'd be there every day.

Don't your people have
recreational facilities?

Congregating in groups is regulated.
It's considered a threat to public health.

A wise policy.

My people spend so much time trying to
save lives, they don't know how to live.

Doctor! Aren't you going
to introduce me to your date?

She's not my date. She's my patient.

- I'm sorry. I didn't realise.
- Mr Neelix, this is Dr Danara Pel.

As Chief Morale Officer, may I be
the first to welcome you to Voyager.

Madame, your loveliness
illuminates our dark little cavern.

May I have the next dance?

Go away. You're disturbing my patient.

You are just jealous
because you cannot dance.

Let's go.
You're making the lady nervous.

Nice to meet you.

- I apologise.
- No. They were just being nice.

Irritating, isn't it?

I guess I'm just not used
to so much attention.

Where I come from,
when you're as sick as I am,

healthy people stay away from you.

I guess...

...I forgot for a second
that I don't look like that any more.

It's a natural response.

All this talk about me. There's still
so much I'd like to know about you.

There's not much to tell, really.

My program was developed by
Dr Louis Zimmerman on Jupiter Station.

I was activated on stardate 48308.

Since that time I've performed
347 medical exams,

healed 11 compound fractures,
performed 3 appendectomies,

and in my greatest feat of medical
prowess, I cured Mr Neelix of hiccups.

- You're very funny.
- Lam?

Several clinical studies have
shown humour to be therapeutic.

Consider it part of our treatment.

- What is it?
- It's just that...

I haven't laughed in a very long time.
Thank you.

What did that man mean
when he said you can't dance?

That's dancing.

And you can't do it?

It's not part of my programming.

I see.

- Well, Dr Pel...
- Please, call me Danara.

As you wish, Danara.

And what about you?
What should I call you?

- Well, as I said...
- I know. You don't have a name.

Is it all right if I gave you one?

- Well, I...
- How about... Shmullus.

- Shmullus?
- It was my uncle's name.

He used to make me laugh, too.

Dr Shmullus.
I think I like the sound of that.

Well...

Here we are.

Yes, here we are.

Danara, we should...
deactivate you for eight hours.

- If you think it's best.
- I do.

- All right.
- All right. Computer...

- Shmullus.
- Yes.

I had a wonderful time.

I'm pleased.

Thank you... for everything.

Thank you for... giving me a name.

Well, good night, Danara.

Good night, Shmullus.

Computer,
deactivate Vidiian Program Alpha.

Mind if I join you?

- So how are things, Tom?
- Excuse me?

How have you been feeling lately?

No offence, Commander, but why
this sudden concern for my feelings?

Well, you've been indifferent
to your duties.

To be honest, you don't seem
to be taking your job seriously.

If you've got a problem, I'd like to know.

Yeah, I've got a problem.

My problem is you.

You care to elaborate?

You tell me I don't take my job seriously.
But you don't let me do my job.

- What does that mean?
- You don't trust my judgment.

I'm not allowed to take initiative.

Last week I suggested we travel
through an emissions nebula.

What did you say? "That's not the way
we do things on this ship."

Sometimes I won't agree
with suggestions.

Making decisions is part of being a
leader. Someday you'll understand that.

Being a leader also means knowing
when to let your people be creative.

We might as well be on autopilot
for all the freedom you give me.

I didn't come here
for a lecture from you.

I know you don't put much stock
in my opinion.

You should talk to some of these people,
I'm not the only one with a problem.

If there's nothing else, sir,
I'd like to be excused.

Sure, Paris. You're excused.

Dissension among the Voyager crew.

Maje Culluh will find that interesting.
Good work, Mr Jonas.

There's something else you can do.

We want you to create a small accident
to damage Voyager's warp coils.

- Why?
- No need to concern yourself with that.

You just plan the accident. We'll let
you know when we want it to happen.

- Do we understand each other?
- I want to talk to Seska.

- I'm afraid Maje Culluh...
- Tell him I won't damage Voyager.

If he has a problem with that,
have Seska contact me.

- When you have a minute...
- I'm running a self-diagnostic.

- I'll be there soon.
- Why are you running a diagnostic?

I've had lapses in concentration
and difficulty handling objects.

There may be a malfunction
in my tactile acuity subroutine.

- How long has it been going on?
- Two or three days.

- Since Danara came aboard.
- What's your point?

Maybe she's the reason
you feel this way.

- I fail to see a connection.
- Maybe you're attracted to her.

My program's malfunctioning.

- Romance is not a malfunction.
- It is not in my programming.

- Your programming's adaptive, isn't it?
- Yes.

- Then I'd say it's adapting.
- What if...

...I don't want it to adapt?

- Why wouldn't you?
- I don't like what's happening to me.

I'm used to being in control of
my faculties, confident of my decisions.

But lately, whenever Danara's program
is deactivated

and I should be concentrating
on work...

I find myself thinking of nothing but her.

Why don't you reactivate her?

Whenever I do that, I suddenly feel...

...unsettled, unsure of myself,
and I have no idea what to say.

Why do people seek out situations
which induce unpleasant symptoms?

When the other person feels the same,
it's a wonderful thing.

- Suppose, hypothetically, of course...
- Of course.

...wanted to pursue that possibility,
how do I proceed?

You'd have to tell her how you feel.

That's it? Just tell her how I feel?

Or you may never know how she feels.

I'm going to try stimulating
your motor neurons.

Well, the nucleus cuneatus
appears to be functioning normally.

And now for
the anterior thalamic pathway.

Excellent. By the way, Danara,
I've been meaning to tell you.

I'm attracted to you and wanted
to know if you felt the same.

Is something wrong?

No. I...

Did you understand what I said?

Yes.

- Well?
- Doctor, maybe now isn't the time to...

Excuse me, Kes.
I was speaking to Danara.

I think it's best if we keep
our relationship professional.

I'm going to...

...try stimulating
the posterior sciatic nerve.

Doc, what brings you here?
Is somebody sick?

- Actually I was looking for you.
- Well, pull up a chair.

I assume you've had a great deal of
experience being rejected by women.

Thanks a lot, Doc.

What I'd like to know is, what does one
do to recover from romantic rejection?

- Why the interest in romance?
- I can't tell you.

It's a matter of doctor-patient
confidentiality.

All right. Well, let's see.

Sometimes there's not a lot you can do
to get over a woman you care about.

I remember
when Susie Crabtree dumped me

in my first year at the Academy.
I broke out in hives.

Couldn't get out of bed for a week.
I almost failed Stellar Cartography.

I walked around in a daze
for the rest of the year.

Of course, the first one is always
the hardest to get over.

I see.

But eventually, you start
thinking about her less and less.

Until finally, without realising it,
she's not on your mind.

So the symptoms
do subside over time?

For the most part.

But every now and then, even years
later, something reminds you of her.

A certain smell,
a few notes of a song

and you feel as bad as the day
she never wanted to see you again.

If you want
to know the truth, Doc,

you never completely get over
a woman you really cared about.

Wait a minute, Doc.
We're not talking about you, are we?

- I told you, it was confidential.
- Boy, you've got it bad.

Look, I don't mean to intrude. If you tell
me what's going on, I can help.

- Hello, Kes.
- Are you feeling all right?

I'm fine. I'm just..
Waiting for the Doctor.

He's been gone a long time.

You really like him, don't you?

Then why didn't you tell him
that you felt the same the way

when he said he was attracted to you?

It all happened so fast.
He just blurted it out.

He's very blunt. Don't take it personally.

How could he possibly
have those feelings about me?

Maybe because
you're a compassionate person,

a brilliant doctor,
you appreciate his humour.

- Should I go on?
- Please don't.

You're not very good
at accepting a compliment.

Next time someone
says something nice,

take them at their word
and feel good about yourself.

It's not easy to feel good about yourself
when you live your life like that.

Danara,
I don't know what your life's been like.

But there's nothing sadder
than a missed opportunity.

Maybe you and the Doctor
need to spend time together alone.

It sounds like she might be shy.
I think you scared her off.

I did?

Your approach is all wrong.

- What would be the right approach?
- Women like romance.

They want men
to take them someplace special.

Where would I take her?

Come with me, Doc. I've got an idea.

Doctor's Personal Log,
stardate 49504.3.

Inaugural entry.

Kes and Mr Paris have conspired
to get Danara and me alone

in a place Paris considers romantic.

I've never felt more... uneasy.

- I wasn't sure you were coming.
- Neither was I.

- If you don't want to be here...
- No. I do.

Where are we exactly?

On a planet called Mars,
inside a primitive land-based vehicle.

It's a '57 Chevy. Mr Paris
is an automobile aficionado.

This is his program.

What are we supposed to be doing?

I believe it's called... parking.

I almost forgot.

These are for you.

Thank you. You're... very thoughtful.

I downloaded a dancing subroutine
into my program.

Would you like to try it?

Actually, I wouldn't mind
just sitting here for a while.

You wouldn't?

Those moons and star formations are
different from anything I've ever seen.

If you're interested, I could
point out a few astronomical highlights.

You see that bluish planet?

That's Earth. It's where
Starfleet Headquarters is located.

And over there, that's Cygnus.

That constellation is Hercules, named
after a character in ancient Greek myth.

Hippocrates was also a Greek.
He was the father of... Earth medicine.

And that cluster over there,
that's called the Pleiades.

- Sorry I'm late.
- That's all right. We don't need you.

Mr Grimes has taken
your place at conn.

- But it's my shift.
- Not today it isn't.

- Because I was ten minutes late?
- That's right.

- Captain...
- Don't look at me.

Commander Chakotay
has complete discretion.

When should I report back for duty?

When you take your job seriously,
we'll discuss it.

- Right now you're dismissed.
- Get your hands off me!

- Mr Tuvok.
- Yes, Captain.

Please escort Mr Paris to the brig.

Oh, boy. Am I glad to see you.
I wasn't sure if you got my messages.

I got them all.
You've been very helpful.

Do you know
what they asked me to do?

You mean about the warp coils?

You could do it by forcing the magnetic
constrictors out of alignment.

I don't mind feeding you information,
but if you plan an attack...

I have no intention of raising
my child on a Kazon ship.

I will take Voyager.

You can help me,
or suffer with Janeway and the others.

Don't worry, Mike.
Everything's been planned to the letter.

Here's how it's going to work.

We'll be waiting for you
on a planet called Hemikek IV.

Doctor's personal log,
stardate 49507.2.

The more time I spend with Danara,
the more my programming adapts.

I will perfect my romantic skills once
we've completed the synaptic transfer.

Set the delta-band frequency
to seven terahertz.

Wait a minute. Did you administer
the cervaline as I instructed?

- 500 milligrams every four hours.
- I don't understand it.

- What's wrong?
- Your brain is rejecting the graft.

We can't go through with the transfer.

I'm detecting elevated levels
of nytoxinol.

Did you make an error?
Administered nytoxinol instead?

No, I don't think so.

Here's the hypospray I used.
Check for yourself.

You're correct. It's cervaline.

Has anyone else been in sickbay
in the last 24 hours?

Crewman Foster came for analgesic
and Wildman for her prenatal visit. Why?

If the nytoxinol was not administered by
accident, someone is trying to kill her.

- Who would want to kill her?
- Someone who hates Vidiians.

- I'm calling Lieutenant Tuvok.
- Don't do that.

We have to find out
who's obstructing your recovery.

I administered the nytoxinol.

- Didn't you know it would kill you?
- Kill her.

- She is you.
- Was me. I don't want to be her again!

What are you doing?

I have to reduce the rate
of tissue rejection.

Kes, would you excuse us?

I won't go through with it.

If we don't get your neural patterns out,
you'll be braindead. I can't let it happen.

I'd rather live two more days like this,
than waste away a piece at a time.

It's my duty to keep you alive.

- I thought you were my friend.
- I am your friend.

What kind of friend would ask me
to go on living like this?

So that I can go back to a world
where everyone I ever loved has died?

Where everyone I meet is going to die?

- You can help them.
- I can't help them.

I can't cure them.
All I can do is prolong their suffering.

Just like you want to do to me now.

Danara...
I have no desire to see you suffer.

Do you know what it's like? Do you?

To be a child and your best friend
doesn't want to come to your house.

You ask your mother why. "Why won't
Mala come and play with me any more?"

She tells you, "It's because
the other children are afraid of you."

Listen to me.
Before I met you, I was just a disease.

But now everything's different.

When people look at me,
they don't see a disease any more.

They see a woman.
A woman you made.

A woman you love.
A woman you're not afraid to touch.

Danara,
I was never afraid to touch you.

Why? Because you're a doctor?

- Because I love you.
- You say that now.

- But if I go through with the transfer...
- If you go through with the transfer...

...I will be sick again. And ugly.

- You're not ugly. You're ill.
- Please. Stop patronising me!

I know how people see me.

Do you think if you go back into your
own body, I'll feel different about you?

Won't you?

Nothing could change
the way I feel about you.

Not a few scars,
some diseased skin, nothing.

You have given me
the most extraordinary gift ever given.

You brought me to this ship where
no one is sick and people are friendly.

You've made me healthy and beautiful.

I don't want to go back
to the way things were.

You said before you knew me
that you were just a disease.

Before you I was a projection of
photons, held together by force fields.

A computerised physician doing a job,
doing it exceptionally well,

but still it was just a profession,
not a life.

But now you are here
and I'm not just working any more.

I'm living, learning what it means
to be with someone, to love someone.

I can't go back
to the way things were either.

Danara, please. Don't die.

- I want us to be together.
- So do I.

But if you put me back in that body, I'll
have to go home... and help my people.

I know.

But we'd still have two weeks together
before we reached your colony.

Danara, please,
be with me for as long as you can.

Computer,
play music program Doctor Alpha.