Star Trek: Voyager (1995–2001): Season 3, Episode 3 - The Chute - full transcript

Tom Paris and Harry Kim are wrongly convicted of a terrorist bombing. Even though Janeway captures the true criminals, Tom and Harry are fitted with strange brain implants and imprisoned on...

New man coming!

New prisoner!
Get out of my way!

New man coming!

Get out of my way!

Here he comes!
Get ready! Let's go!

Hurry up!

They're gonna push off!
Let's go!

New prisoner!

Hey!
Something's coming down there!

Hey, get out of my...

KiII him! KiII him!



Tom!

Nobody touch him.
He's mine.

Wait. This is a mistake.

I don't beIong here!

You don't?

WeII, I'II just take
you home, then.

AII right?!

This one's mine.

I say he's not.

He's the reason that I'm here.

He was my partner in a bombing.

We kiIIed 47 patroIIers
on Akritiri-- 47!

And then this scum
confessed to the tribunaI

and gave them my name.



So I'm teIIing you again,

he's mine.

I'm keeping him.

Take him.

For now.

Did you have to hit me so hard?

Trust me-- around here

you don't want anybody
thinking you're soft.

Thanks for the tip.

Is there any food?

I haven't had anything
to eat since I got here.

How Iong is that?

A coupIe of days.

Some shore Ieave, huh?

What happened to you
after they spIit us up?

The Akritirians interrogated me.

When I wouIdn't confess
to the bombing,

they dragged me
in front of a judge.

He said you'd aIready
confessed for the both of us

and then
he pronounced me guiIty.

That's exactIy
what happened to me.

Then they must have drugged me
because the next thing I knew,

I woke up
at the bottom of the chute

to that weIcoming party.

We've got to expIain to somebody
that there's been a mistake.

Who did you have in mind?

A guard.

The warden.

I haven't seen
anybody Iike that.

A prison without guards?

The other inmates say

this pIace
is 300 meters underground.

Maybe the Akritirians figure
guards aren't necessary.

Can I have some more?

What do you think this is?!

A hoteI?!
There isn't any more!

Take it easy!

I'm sorry.

I'm...
reaIIy starting to get edgy.

I think it's the cIamp.

The what?

That's what the prisoners
caII it.

Everybody has one.

What is it?

I'm guessing it's some kind
of synaptic stimuIator.

Anyway, it's affecting
my nervous system.

I've been getting jumpier
ever since I got here.

Not to mention,
this thing itches Iike crazy.

What do you think it's for?

Maybe it's some kind
of torture device.

We couId try taking them out.

No! I saw someone try it.

It kiIIed him.

What we have to do
is find a way out of this pIace.

Hmm.

Let's get something
straight first.

What?

The next time you take
a swing at me,

I'm hitting back.

What's that?

Another prisoner, maybe?

Food coming!

-Food!
-Join me for dinner?

No! There's got to be more!

I don't think he was going
to eat it anyway, do you?

He's dead.

I think I've Iost my appetite.

Captain's Log, Stardate 50156.2.

After 72 hours,
Lieutenant Paris

and Ensign Kim
are stiII missing,

and I'm quickIy Iosing patience

with the Akritirian authorities.

They continue to deny us
access to the surface,

and they've yet to confirm

whether our crewmen
were kiIIed in the bombing.

Anything?

I have compIeted another
fuII sensor sweep

incIuding a muItispectraI
subsurface scan.

I stiII cannot Iocate
their Iife signs

or their combadges.

Captain, Ambassador Liria
is haiIing us.

On screen.

I'm onIy in the mood
for good news today, Ambassador.

I'm afraid I can't obIige.

Are you saying they're dead?

No, they're very much aIive.

Then where are they?

Your men have been convicted
of the terrorist bombing

at the Laktivia recreationaI
faciIity, which resuIted

in the death of 47
off-duty patroIIers.

I assure you, Ambassador,

my peopIe had nothing to do
with this attack.

We found chemicaI traces

of the expIosive used
in the bombing

on their hands and cIothing.

I'm sure the same couId be said

of anyone who was near
the expIosion.

It's hardIy enough evidence
for a conviction.

The expIosive
was triIithium based.

There is no source of triIithium
anywhere in our system.

So, you can imagine our surprise
when our investigation reveaIed

that your ship is powered
by diIithium--

which our scientists teII us is
convertibIe into triIithium.

We have Iong suspected

that the so-caIIed
Open Sky terrorists

had off-worId coIIaborators.

Now we know who they are.

Captain, two Akritirian ships
are approaching

at bearing 27 1 mark 64.

Prepare your ship
for inspection, Captain.

If it wiII heIp confirm
our innocence, I'II consider it.

But first, I want to know
where my peopIe are being heId,

and I want to taIk
to them immediateIy.

Communication with inmates
is not permitted.

If you want my cooperation,
Ambassador,

you're going to have
to do better than that.

Perhaps you've misunderstood me.

Let me cIarify our position.

Your vesseI is being impounded.

You and your crew
are under arrest.

Prepare to be boarded.

Captain, their ships
are powering weapons.

Mr. Tuvok, raise shieIds.

Mr. Chakotay, take the conn.

I'd Iike to resoIve
this situation

peacefuIIy, Ambassador,

but Iet me cIarify my position.

I wiII not aIIow
this ship to be boarded.

That, Captain,
is an error in judgment.

Captain, shouId I return fire?

That's not going to heIp us
get Tom and Harry back.

We need to regroup.

Get us out of here, Commander.

Aye, Captain.

What took you so Iong?

I've been back
at Ieast haIf an hour.

You're starting to
feeI it, aren't you?

I guess I am.

It gets worse aII the time.

We have to fight it.

Let's focus
on something positive.

How about...

a seven-course dinner?

I suppose you didn't
find any food.

WeII... I found cIose
to 50 good citizens

in this quaint IittIe community,
but not a grocer among them.

I take it that's a no.

Yeah.

But, if we ever do get
our hands on some food,

I found a IoveIy
spot for a picnic.

Great.

AII we need
are the DeIaney sisters,

and we couId make a day of it.

So, how about you?

Come across anything interesting
in your traveIs?

If you mean an escape route,

I ran into nothing
but soIid waIIs.

Me, too.

As far as I can see,
the onIy way to the surface

is that chute
in the main chamber.

The question is:
How do we get into it

without getting fried
by that force fieId?

You saw what happened
to the man who reached inside.

That's where this
might come in handy.

I thought if we couId get
our hands on some Ioose wiring,

you might be abIe to use it
to rig a device

that wouId short out
the force fieId

Iong enough for us
to get into the tube.

It's worth a try.

Yeah.

Now, if we couId onIy
figure out a way

to short out these impIants,
we'd be aII set.

There's no indication
they foIIowed us.

I guess they're more interested

in getting rid of us
than finding out the truth.

We've got to go back

-for Harry and Tom.
-B'EIanna...

We have no information
as to their whereabouts,

and if we return
to Akritirian space,

we are sure to encounter
further hostiIities.

Tuvok is right.

Let's concentrate on proving
Harry and Tom's innocence.

How do we do that?

We know the expIosive
was triIithium-based.

If we find the source
of that triIithium,

it may Iead us
to the reaI bombers.

Our Iong-range scans indicate
that Liria was right.

There's no triIithium
in this sector.

What about paraIithium?

It's used as a fueI

for some ion-based
propuIsion systems

and it can be converted
into triIithium.

Review our sensor Iogs

of ships entering and Ieaving
Akritirian space

during the time
we were in orbit.

If anybody's using
paraIithium for fueI,

I want to find out who they are
and where they went.

Come on, come on, come on...

Take it easy.

You'II get it.

I can't think.
I can't concentrate.

Okay, okay, concentrate on this.

Uh... um...

crown roast of Iamb

with, uh... a bed of wiId rice

and a 2296 Chateau
Lafite RothschiId...

at the reaI Sandrine's.

Or how about shrimp
with fettran sauce,

fIamb? noodIes...

and fudge rippIe pudding.

Good one.

Okay. Uh...

coupIe of barbecued
T-bone steaks

with baked Risan beans

and... cherry pie for dessert.

Let's see you top that one.

Right now, I'm so hungry,

I couId eat a bowI of
NeeIix's leola root stew.

Me, too.

Never thought I'd say that.

I'm ready to give it a try.

So far, so good.

Are you okay?

What are you doing?

Just out for a IittIe stroII.

Move it!

What's that?

A pipe.

Let's see it.

Come on.

I'd reaIIy recommend
that you stay out of my way.

You shouId have thought of that
before you took him!

Come on, Tom.

Tom!

Back off! Back off!
Back off! Back off!

Hang on. I'm getting
you out of here.

No fight. No fight.

If he doesn't bIeed to death,
he'II die from infection.

We've got to get him
to a doctor.

Of course. We'II caII
an emergency vehicIe

and rush him to a hospitaI.

Hey!

What do you want
for the dead man's boots?

You can make it.

Just a few more steps,

and we'II be back
to the sheIter.

Home, sweet home.

Harry.

Yeah.

I'm hurt pretty bad.

I'II take care of it.

Promise me something.

What?

If things get worse...

if it comes down
to making a choice,

don't worry about me.

Take care of yourseIf.

Do we have a deaI?

Quiet.

Hey!

What are you doing in there?

-Get out.
-This pIace is ours.

Get out! Get out!
Get out!

Okay, here's the deaI.

My boots for some cIean cIoth,

a Iiter of water,
two of those food cakes

and my friend gets to stay
in there untiI he's better.

I don't take in boarders.

What about the rest of it?

I don't Iike the coIor.

Come on, Iet's go.

This guy's not going to heIp us.

Just teII me what you want

for the food
and the bandages, okay?

That pipe you were working with
interests me.

I can't trade the pipe.

Then I guess
we don't have a deaI.

Now move on.
You're bIocking my Iight.

I'II take you with me.

Take me where?

I know a way out of this pIace.

I been in here six years.

I've never heard of a way out.

The chute.

Anybody that tries
to get in there

gets hit with an energy puIse.

With this pipe,
I can disabIe the force fieId.

With a IittIe Iuck,
we can make it to the surface.

What are you staring at?

I'm trying to figure out
if you're a Iiar...

or if the cIamp has
aIready made you crazy.

Neither.

And I'II prove it to you.

You stand your ground.

I Iike that.

Then we have a deaI?

Just remember one thing:

If you're Iying, I'II kiII you.

Captain's Log, suppIementaI.

So far, we've Iocated
three ships

with paraIithium pIasma
emissions,

but none of them appears
to have produced expIosives.

We're currentIy in pursuit
of a fourth vesseI.

We're in haiIing range

of the Akritirian
freighter, Captain.

I'm onIy reading
two Iife signs aboard.

Open a channeI.

This is Kathryn Janeway

of the Federation
Starship Voyager

to the Captain
of the Akritirian cargo vesseI.

I'm the Captain of this vesseI.

What do you want?

Two of my crew members
were convicted

by the Akritirians
of a terrorist bombing.

We're trying to prove
their innocence

and we have reason to beIieve
a ship Iike yours,

which uses paraIithium for fueI,
might have been invoIved

in the production
of the expIosives.

Let's get out of here.

Quiet.

This is a cargo vesseI.

Then you won't mind
if a few of my crew members

come aboard to have
a Iook around.

Not if they don't mind
having their throats cut.

There's no need to be abrupt...

I guess you're not
the onIy captain

who doesn't want
their ship boarded.

Captain, I'm picking up
residuaI traces of triIithium.

They're faint,
but they're there.

I think we may have found
our bomb makers.

Mr. Tuvok, send
a security detaiI

to Transporter Room 2.

Lieutenant Torres,
beam the two of them aboard

and tractor their ship
into the shuttIe bay.

Aye, Captain.

You have no right to hoId us.

My peopIe have been accused

of aiding a terrorist group
caIIed Open Sky.

What do you know about them?

They're not terrorists.

They're patriots.

One day, they'II Iead

the Iegitimate government
of our peopIe.

We don't have

to answer any
of their questions, Piri.

It sounds to me
Iike your young friend here

sympathizes with these patriots.

She's not my friend.

She's my sister.

And our poIiticaI views
are none of your business.

I don't know much
about your worId...

but I do know that my peopIe

are being heId
for a crime they didn't commit

and I'm going to do everything
in my power to get them out.

Do you understand that?

We have confirmed
that expIosives

were indeed produced
aboard their ship.

Escort them to the brig.

Aye, Captain.

And have Mr. Chakotay
Iay in a course

for the Akritirian border.

Let my sister go.

She didn't have anything
to do with the bombing,

and she's onIy 14.

Prison doesn't scare me.

Quiet, Piri.

PIease.

You don't know
what you're saying.

Nobody ever gets out
of prison on Akritiri.

They'II just
Iet her rot in there

for the rest of her Iife.

I admire your desire
to protect your sister, but...

it's not reaIIy up to me, is it?

TeII them what we know.

TeII me what?

Piri, don't.

Our brigade found out

where the maximum security
detention faciIity is Iocated.

My sister has quite
a vivid imagination.

With this ship, you
can attack the prison

and get your peopIe out.

I'm sorry,

that's not how we do things
where I come from.

Coward.

Mr. Tuvok, see that they get
a bath and a hot meaI.

I don't trust that guy, Harry.

I can handIe him.

Just watch your back, okay?

Try to get some rest.

Remember our deaI?

What deaI?

If it comes down to it,

you're going to save
yourseIf, right?

If you see a chance,

just go.

Don't come back for me.

I think the cIamp

must reaIIy be starting
to make you crazy.

I'm serious, Harry.

Getting tired of waiting.

I gotta go.

Harry...

Oh! Damn it!

Don't fight it, use it.

How do I do that?

I feeI Iike there's
a miIIion fire ants in my brain.

Good. Make them work for you.

How?

Fire ants sound vicious.

Imagine them as your army

moving in a vast wave
to conquer your enemy.

There's a massive struggIe
going on inside you--

a battIe to the death
between you and the cIamp.

You have to use whatever force
you can to defeat it.

I'd rather use my energy
to work on getting out of here.

When I first got here,
I assumed the cIamp

was just a refined form
of torture

to make our prison stay
that much more arduous.

GraduaIIy, I began
to understand it more fuIIy.

It's aII right here
in my manifesto--

my insights, my reasoning...

...my evidence.

It's an experiment.

They're studying us
Iike animaIs--

pitting us against each other
to find out what happens.

You can see that, can't you?

I guess so.

The greatest threat,
of course, wouId be

if we started to cooperate
with each other,

so they prevented that.

But there had to be
more to it than that,

and the Ionger I was in here,

the more I knew it was my job
to figure it out.

That's the reason I was put here
and eventuaIIy...

...it came to me

as though a firebaII
had expIoded in my mind.

And the reaIization gave me
a power over the others.

They don't come near me anymore.

They're afraid of me,
because I know the truth.

WeII?

Don't you want to know
what it is?

What is the uItimate purpose
of the cIamp?

Okay.

It's inspired, briIIiant.

It's a method for controIIing
the prison popuIation.

We kiII each other off.

Sure. Whatever you say.

So you must enter
into the battIe.

If you Iet the cIamp
controI you,

you'II end up
Iike that crazy oId man

that took over your sheIter.

But if you Iearn to controI it,
you'II survive...

Iike me.

Yes.

I pIan to be out of here
before it even becomes an issue.

Go ahead.

Touch it.

What do you see?

Some kind of hatch.

What do you see?

Are we at the surface?

Harry.

How are you feeIing?

I was dreaming...

about Megan DeIaney.

Next time,
I'II try not to wake you.

The chute...

you made it in?

Did you find a way out?

Not yet...

but we're very cIose.

It's just a matter of time.

So you've got
to hang in there, okay?

Wh... Wha...

What happened to me?

Easy, Tom.

You got stabbed, remember?

Who... who did it?

One of the prisoners.

No, it...

No, it was you.

I'm trying
to change your bandage.

No! Get away from me!

-PIease! I'm trying to heIp you.
-Get away from me!

Tom!

Tom, give me the pipe.

We need it to get out of here.
Remember?

It's okay.

Let me take it.

Harry...

...what's happening to me?

You're gonna be okay.

Harry.

Yeah.

Don't Ieave me here.

CIose your eyes.

SIeep weII?

No.

How about your friend?

Is he dead yet?

Shut up!

The chute Ieads
to a docking port, right?

Some kind of ship must come
to drop off food...

drop off new prisoners.

So maybe we couId
get aboard the ship.

It's getting the best of you.

I know we couId do it.

You think they're just
gonna open the hatch

and ask us if we'd
Iike a ride home?!

We'd have
the eIement of surprise.

And they'd have the puIse guns.

If we couId hoId them off...

...distract them...

...just for a few minutes...

I couId
estabIish our Iocation...

That's enough!

...get a message to Voyager

and they couId
get us out of here.

We'II need weapons.

I've never
Iet anyone see this...

but I'm going to Iet you read
my manifesto.

It'II teach you
how to controI the cIamp.

I don't want to read
your crazy manifesto.

Take it.

Learn everything I know.

Now, are you going
to heIp me or not?!

If I were Iike the others...

...I'd kiII you.

But I don't Iose controI.

That's the difference
between me and you.

Listen!
Listen to me, everybody!

Now what's he want?

This is important.

I've got something to say.

Something you want to hear.

It's what you've
been waiting for.

What the heII do you want?

I've found a way out of here.

There's no way out.

There is!

Through the chute!

I've been inside.

Listen!

We have to work together.

They'd Iike us aII
to kiII each other,

but we have to cooperate.

If we do,
we can get out of here.

If you've been in the chute,

where does it Iead?

Space.

It's the truth.

We can escape...

...if we work together!

What the heII are you doing?

Stay back.

You've ruined it.

This is mine.

It's mine!

PIease! No!

PIease!

Harry!

No!

Go ahead.

Finish him.

You wanted to kiII him,
didn't you?

He's my best friend!

No, no,
that's where you're wrong.

He's too far gone
to be your friend.

AII he is now is a burden.

That's not true!

He eats your food,
he ruined your device--

he's given in to the cIamp.

You've got to get rid of him

before he brings you
down with him.

-Quiet!
-You've got a chance

to make something
of your Iife in here,

but as Iong as that carcass
is in my hut,

we'II never be abIe to go on
to more important things.

What the heII are
you taIking about?

We've got to disseminate
the manifesto...

gather our foIIowers...

train them.

You're insane.

You want my protection?

You want to Iive under my roof?

Get rid of him.

I don't need your protection!

How Iong do you
think you'II Iast

against Pit and the others,

without me Iooking out for you?

Go ahead. Take it.

Think of what
a reIief it wiII be

to not have
that responsibiIity...

to be free of his ranting.

I'm not a kiIIer.

If you want
to survive in here...

you'd better Iearn to be.

If that's what it takes
to stay aIive...

then I'd rather die.

Get out now.

And take him with you...

...or I wiII kiII him.

UnIess you've decided
to reIinquish controI

of your vesseI, Captain,

I suggest that you do not
proceed across our border.

We've captured the ship and crew

responsibIe for the bombing
at the Laktivia canteen.

I see.

I'm prepared to trade them

for the immediate
and unconditionaI reIease

of Lieutenant Paris
and Ensign Kim.

Your crewmen have aIready
been tried and convicted.

Are you saying those
convictions can't be reversed,

no matter what new evidence
is brought to Iight?

You are correct.

That is an outrageous poIicy.

I assure you, it has proved to
be a most effective deterrent.

Good day, Captain.

So much for negotiating.

What shouId we do
with the prisoners?

Bring VeI to my ready room.
Now.

I want the Iocation
and shieId code

to the maximum security
detention faciIity.

What's wrong,

the Akritirians didn't
agree to your terms?

No, as a matter of fact.

But I suspect you wiII.

And what makes you so sure?

Because if you don't,
you and your sister

are going to spend the rest
of your Iives in prison.

I'II take you to the prison

and I'II get you in,

but there are members
of Open Sky in there

and I want to get them out, too.

I don't think you understand
the way this works.

You teII me what I want to know,

and after I get my peopIe back,
I Iet you and your sister go.

That's not good enough.

Mr. Tuvok,
inform the Akritirians

that we're ready
to turn the prisoners over.

AII right.

Crewman Foster, take the
prisoner to Commander Chakotay.

He wiII upIoad
the coordinates and codes.

May I ask how you propose

to get past
the Akritirian patroIs?

No doubt they wiII attack

as soon as Voyager
crosses the border.

That's exactIy why the rescue
team won't be aboard Voyager

Captain?

If I'm not mistaken,

Mr. NeeIix's ship
is stiII in our shuttIe bay.

Yes.
However, Mr. NeeIix's vesseI

has extremeIy Iimited
combat capabiIities.

Then we'II have to be
very carefuI, won't we?

I want his cIothes
and I want his shoes!

This man is my friend.

Nobody touches him.

Back off!
You won't have to get hurt.

New prisoner!

I got her!

Hands on your heads.

Do it now!

NeeIix to Lieutenant Tuvok.

Go ahead.

We've got company.

Two Akritirian patroI ships
on an intercept course.

I'm not sure how Iong
I can hoId them off.

We are moving as quickIy
as we can, Mr. NeeIix.

Captain!

Where's Tom?

He needs heIp.

Akritirian patroI
to aIien vesseI.

Disengage immediateIy.

Akritirian patroI?

Uh, am I in Akritirian space?

Oh, dear.

I thought this was
the Heva VII refueIing port.

Uh, you wouIdn't, by any chance,

be abIe to recommend a...
respectabIe estabIishment

where I couId have
my navigationaI array repaired?

Disengage immediateIy.

This is your finaI warning.

Janeway to NeeIix.

Everyone's aboard.

AcknowIedged.

I know it's a IittIe
cramped back there,

so if there's anything I can do
to make you more comfortabIe...

NeeIix!
Just get us out of here!

Of course, Captain.

TaIaxian vesseI
to Akritirian patroI.

My apoIogies
for the IittIe mix-up.

I'II be departing now,
per your orders.

Power down your engines
and prepare to be boarded.

Eh, what was that, patroI?

That Iast message was garbIed.

I've aIways thought
of my piIoting skiIIs

as modest, at best,

and the conditions
were extremeIy dangerous.

StiII, I did outmaneuver
those Akritirians, didn't I?

You did a terrific job, NeeIix.

I agree.

ExceIIent piIoting.

I'm gIad to hear you
say that, Captain,

because I've been thinking--

untiI Tom here
gets back on his feet,

perhaps I couId try my hand
at conn for a whiIe.

That won't be necessary.

Lieutenant Paris is just fine,
thanks to exceIIent doctoring.

I finished anaIyzing
these impIants,

and you'II be happy to
know that the treatment

I provided wiII successfuIIy
counteract their effect on you.

What exactIy was the effect?

My readings indicate
that the impIants

are designed
to stimuIate the production

of acetyIchoIine
in the hypothaIamus.

That wouId expIain
the agitation.

Hmm. AcetyIchoIine
is a brain chemicaI

common to the neuraI
structures of most humanoids.

EssentiaIIy, it heIps stimuIate
one's aggressive tendencies.

Zio was right.

Come on, Harry.

We're overdue
for that steak dinner.

I guess so.

What do you mean,
''Guess so''?

It's the thought of that dinner

that kept us going.

So... what do you think?

Uh, a baked potato...

a big mound
of deep-fried onion rings?

Tom...

Maybe, maybe, uh...
some griIIed mushrooms.

Tom, Iisten to me.

I...

I aImost kiIIed you.

What are you saying?

You're the one
that kept me aIive.

I was ready to hit
you with the pipe.

Don't you remember?

You want to know
what I remember?

Someone saying,
''This man is my friend.

Nobody touches him.''

I'II remember that
for a Iong time.

So...

what do you say we bIow

a week's worth
of repIicator rations?

So, what's for dessert?

Cherry pie, don't you remember?

What about the fudge
rippIe pudding?

Ah! Yes...