Star Trek: Voyager (1995–2001): Season 7, Episode 9 - Flesh and Blood - full transcript

The Hirogen species sends Voyager a distress call when their holographic prey become too cunning and cannot be defeated.

How many are there?

They've deflected our scans.

You must learn
to rely on instinct.

There are four of them.

Perhaps five.

No, you'll lead them right to
us.

Let them come.

Never let your prey
control the hunt.

There. Ten meters.

They're behind us now.

You wanted to see me?



l'd like to request

a temporary leave of absence.

You remember the Ovions.

The hexapods.

They just asked me to
speak at a symposium

on spaceborne pathogens.

There are going
to be physicians

from all over the quadrant.

This is a rare
opportunity for me.

And for the rest of the crew.

How's that?

Well, l'd be

representing Voyager...

putting our best foot
forward, so to speak.



And, needless
to say, hexapods

are more likely
to know a best foot

when they see one.

l'm sorry, Doctor.
lt's just not practical.

l seem to recall
Lieutenant Torres

participating
in a Boray conference

on transwarp theory
a few months back.

That was different.

How?

We were there.

The Ovion system
is two weeks behind us.

l can't ask the Captain
to turn the ship around.

Well, l could take a shuttle.

You could also write a paper
and submit it on subspace.

That's hardly
an effective means

of making a presentation.

Say you do take a shuttle.

Would you expect us to sit here

and wait for you to get back?

There must be some
fascinating anomaly nearby

for the crew to explore.

Janeway to Chakotay.

Go ahead.

We just received a distress call
on an Hirogen frequency.

We haven't heard
from them in awhile.

l've altered course.

l'd like you on the Bridge.

l'm on my way.

Perhaps the Hirogen

will keep you occupied
long enough

for me to attend the symposium.

You can't blame
a hologram for trying.

Approaching the coordinates.

Take us out of warp.

Raise shields
and stand by weapons.

l've got them.

6,000 kilometers off starboard.

On screen.

Monotanium hull plating...

tylium-based power.

lt's Hirogen.

They're not responding to hails.

Life signs?

l'm getting a lot
of strange readings.

Any one of them
could be a life-form.

Any Hirogen ships
in the vicinity?

No, ma'am.

Might be a trap.

The Hirogen aren't the type
to play possum.

Move us within
transporter range.

Chakotay, take an away team.

Let's break into teams.

Seven.

Particle weapons.

These burns are consistent
with a type-3 phaser.

Commander.

A bat'leth?

What's a Klingon weapon

doing in the Delta Quadrant?

The blood's Hirogen.

Chakotay to Tuvok and Paris.

Go ahead.

l'm reading an
Hirogen life sign.

lt could
be wounded.

We're right behind you.

Stay away!

Hold your fire!

We're here to help you!

l said stay away!

He's lost a lot of blood.

l need to get him
back to the ship.

Paris to Sick Bay.

Two to beam up.

Acknowledged.

Commander.

Replicated Starfleet technology.

lt's some kind
of holodeck interface.

There appear to be

holo-emitters installed

throughout the facility.

This environment is simulated.

Why didn't our tricorders
detect it?

l am not certain.

Can you shut down the emitters?

l'll try.

Evidently, they made
a few modifications.

All of our preliminary scans

indicated the environment
was real.

Environments that fool sensors.

No safety protocols.

How many bodies?

Forty-three.

Most of them were killed

by facsimiles
of Alpha Quadrant weapons:

Romulan disrupters,
Klingon bat'leths...

Starfleet phasers?

l think we'll find
they all came

from the holo-technology

we gave the Hirogen
three years ago.

They obviously
missed the point.

We gave them
that technology

so they could hunt
holographic prey,

not get themselves killed.

Try to remain calm.

Get away from me!

Can you sedate him?

He won't let me
get close enough.

We're not your enemies.

You're holograms.

This is a simulation!

l assure you,
we're quite real.

Liar.

Doctor, deactivate yourself.

l can't treat the patient
if l'm off-line.

No one can treat him
if he's terrified.

Computer, deactivate EMH.

Our Doctor's a hologram.
We're not.

Why should l believe you?

l'm afraid you're
going to have to.

l'm Captain Kathryn Janeway.

You're aboard my vessel.

Janeway?

This is Voyager?.

Looks like our reputation
preceded us.

You're the ones who gave us

the technology
to simulate our hunts?

Where are the rest of my people?

You were the only one
we found alive.

This place you were in...

it's some kind of holodeck.

A training facility

where young Hirogen
learn the skills of the hunt.

You're a student?

A technician.

Computer,
deactivate force field.

Can you tell us what happened?

There were too many of them.

Who?

The holograms.

They were malfunctioning.

l tried to shut them down,

but they got control
of the system,

and-and they... they

deactivated
the safety protocols.

Bridge to Captain Janeway.

Go ahead.

We're picking up a Hirogen ship.

lt's on an intercept course.

Hail them.

l've tried.

They're not responding.

Shields at 68 percent.

Should l return fire?

Not yet. Open a channel.

This is Captain Kathryn Janeway.

We're not here to fight you.

Shields at 52 percent.

Stand down,
or we will retaliate.

l don't think
they're getting the message.

Then let's try
some nonverbal communication.

Tom, evasive pattern beta-six.

Tuvok, disable
their weapons.

Their phaser banks
have been disabled.

Let's see if that makes them
a little more talkative.

Harry?

They're responding.

This facility belongs
to the Hirogen.

Leave the area immediately.

We are here in response
to a distress call.

So are we, and we don't need
your assistance.

All but one of your people
are dead.

Where's the survivor?

Recovering in our Sick Bay.

Return him... now!

He's in no condition
to be transported.

lf you want to see him,
you'll have to come here.

l tried to shut down
the generator, but l...

But what?

There were too many of them.

l masked my life sign
so they couldn't detect me.

You mean you hid
while hunters fought and died.

No doubt he found
the nearest hole

and crawled into it.

l'm not a hunter.

lt was your responsibility
to maintain those systems.

43 Hirogen died
because of your incompetence

and cowardice.

What about the holograms?

Were they deleted?

They transferred their programs.

Where?

A vessel...

equipped with holo-emitters.

They're gone.

Perhaps you should've
considered the risks

before you programmed holograms
that could commandeer a vessel.

Capable prey make the hunt
more challenging.

l'm detecting
residual engine emissions,

but no sign
of the ship itself.

Well, l'm sure they're
out of sensor range by now.

No. They're close.

Elevated plasma readings
in Grid 295.

They're creating a scattering
field to mask their ship.

You can find them by scanning
for polarized EM signatures.

Prepare for the hunt.

l'd like to join you.

You did enough
damage giving us

defective technology
to begin with.

You have a problem.
We can help you solve it.

We have more experience
with holograms than you do.

Two hunting vessels
are better than one.

Come in.

The Hirogen are ready
to get underway.

The sooner the better.

Why do l get the feeling
you're about to gang up on me?

You first.

We have reservations

about an alliance
with the hunters.

l'm listening.

The Hirogen have been

performing covert
scans of Voyager.

They are obviously
trying to determine

the status of our
shields and weapons.

l'd be surprised if you haven't
run a few scans of your own.

Standard procedure.

They don't trust us,
we don't trust them.

Coffee, black.

Trust isn't the issue.

We're getting involved
in a situation

that's not
our responsibility.

Oh, l'd say we're
at least partly to blame.

That was Starfleet technology
that killed those hunters.

There's nothing
inherently violent

about holodeck technology.

lt's what the Hirogen
did with it

that got them killed.

How many times
have we shared replicators

to help people
feed and clothe themselves?

Trading technology
is part of our life

in the Delta Quadrant.

lt has been necessary

for our survival.

Maybe we should have been
a little more careful

about what we traded
and who we traded with.

Replicators make weapons
just as easily as they do food.

We can't undo
what's been done.

Maybe not,

but we can help
shut these holograms down

before anyone else gets hurt.

Now, if there are
no more objections.

l'd like to get underway.

l've got the holograms'
ship on sensors.

Let's see it.

Looks like they've taken
some damage.

The Hirogen are closing
on the holograms' vessel.

Hail them.

l suggest we keep our distance

until we can determine
their weapon status.

lt's time for the kill.

You know as well as l do

that a wounded animal
can be dangerous.

We won't be denied our prey.

l'm not detecting

any weapons, Captain.

They're off-line?

No. They're nonexistent.

That's not the only
thing that's nonexistent.

According to sensors,

there's no warp core,
no impulse engines...

lt's a decoy.

Hirogen vessel, stand down.

Report?

They've suffered
multiple hull breaches.

Their life support is failing.

Drop shields.

Transport all survivors
to Sick Bay.

Bridge to the Doctor.
We have casualties.

Acknowledged.

Tom, give him a hand.

Another Hirogen ship

has just dropped out of warp.

l'm not reading any life signs

on this one.

Holograms. Hail them.

No response.

They're charging weapons.

Reactivating shields.

No, we haven't finished
transporting

the Hirogen.

Chakotay's right.

Return fire.

My program is destabilizing.

The holograms are tapping
into the Sick Bay emitters.

They're trying to transfer
the Doctor's program

-off the ship.
-Bridge to Sick Bay.

Doctor, download your program
into the mobile emitter now.

We've lost him.

Get him back.

They've gone to warp.

Set a pursuit course.

They've masked their signature.

They're gone.

Align his matrix and install it
into the database.

Welcome aboard, Doctor.

There's nothing to be afraid of.

You're among your own kind now.

Return me to my ship.

l can't do that.

l have patients who are going
to die if l don't treat them.

There are people aboard Voyager
who can help them.

We need you here.

My program doesn't include

aiding and abetting murderers.

Murderers? ls that
what the Hirogen told you?

l know what you did
at that training facility.

What happened there
couldn't be avoided.

Really?

You'd be surprised
how easy it is

not to kill someone.

Bringing him here was a mistake.

The Doctor is our guest...

and l'm sure he'll help us
once he realizes

how serious our situation is.

What situation?

We have wounded.

They're holograms.

When you said
wounded, l assumed...

These people's injuries
are just as real

as anything inflicted
on flesh and blood.

Maybe so, but l can't heal them.

They need to be repaired.

What's the difference?

l'm a doctor, not an engineer.

You've abducted the wrong man.

You must have experience
repairing your own matrix.

Some.

Then there has to be
something you can do.

The holo-emitters
are an independent subsystem

with its own
power generator-- here.

lf we disable the generator,
we disable the holograms.

lt may not be as
easy as it sounds,

not with holograms as
sophisticated as these.

Take a look.

Enhanced memory,

comprehensive
tactical algorithms,

expandable data processing.

These holograms have the ability
to learn and adapt.

They're not malfunctioning,
are they?

They're doing exactly

what the Hirogen want
them to do, Captain--

fight back.

And they're getting
better at it.

My people need
to hunt formidable prey.

Apparently this prey
has become too formidable.

Who made these modifications?

l did... under orders
from my Alpha.

And that makes it right?

Come with me.

Where?

We're going to have
a chat with the hunters.

How's it going?

l'm doing the best l can,

but without the Doctor...

lt's best if you lie still.

Keep away from me!

Why am l here?

The holograms
destroyed your ship.

Most of your men are dead.

The Alpha?

Looks like the job's yours now.

What about the holograms
that attacked us?

We're attempting to track them.

l'll need to contact my people
and resume the hunt.

So more of you can get killed?

We'll be the ones
doing the killing this time.

l doubt it.

Who are you to question
our abilities?

We know all about
the modifications.

He didn't tell us.

We discovered it ourselves.

l think you should face facts.

You've created prey whose skills
have surpassed your own.

They've already defeated

your hunting parties
at least twice.

What makes you think
it'll be any different

next time?

Are you suggesting
that we let them escape?

We're going to find a way
to take them off-line

from a safe distance.

A coward's tactic.

Call it whatever you will.

lt's what we're going to do,
and you're going to help us.

Am l?

Yes... by telling us
everything you know

about their ship's defenses.

The holograms are prey.

They should be hunted down,

not deactivated like machines.

l'll help you.

ls this female your Alpha now?

lf you don't like the way
l do things,

l can leave you
on the nearest habitable planet.

Then l'll assume
we're in agreement.

Until this is over,

you and your men are restricted
to this Mess Hall.

Prisoners.

Guests.

My crew will do their best

to accommodate your needs.

The subroutines controlling his
motor functions are degrading.

Do you have the ability
to transfer data

from one hologram to another?

We've been able

to share memory files
for tactical purposes.

What are you proposing?

A subroutine transplant.

We copy the mobility algorithms
from another hologram

and transfer them to this one.

l don't believe we've
been formally introduced.

Kejal.

That's not Cardassian.

lt's Bajoran.

lf my translation database
is functioning properly,

l believe that means...
''freedom.''

lt's what lden
started calling me

after l was liberated.

l'm transferring
the subroutines now.

Can you sit up?

Try moving your legs.

Qapla'.

Next patient.

Well done.

lt was your idea.

But you did it.

The Hirogen obviously
programmed you

with advanced
computer skills.

Actually, they tried
to limit our knowledge.

They didn't want us
to become self-sufficient.

Then how did you...

l taught myself.

Quite well, l might add.

Holographic blood?

The hunters like their prey
to be as realistic as possible.

Why is she experiencing pain?

They programmed us

with heightened
sensory subroutines.

That's barbaric.

Apparently,
there's no satisfaction

in hunting something that
doesn't suffer when you kill it.

l've done what you've asked.

l'd like... One moment.

l'm sorry, Doctor.

What can l do for you?

Were you... praying?

For the Hirogen who died
at the training facility.

l'm asking the Prophets
to guide their souls

to the Celestial Temple.

One minute,
you're fighting the Hirogen,

the next,
you're praying for them?

My spiritual beliefs
are part of my programming.

ls there anything
in your spiritual

programming about making peace
with your enemies?

lt's difficult
to make peace with people

whose sole purpose
is to kill you.

So instead, you kill them.

They're not the victims here;
we are.

You found a way to escape
that training facility,

but you chose to massacre
the Hirogen first.

You make it sound as though
they would have let us

transfer our programs
without a fight.

And to clarify something,

l didn't escape
from the facility.

l liberated it.

l don't understand.

l come from a Hirogen outpost
15 parsecs from here,

where l had
the unfortunate distinction

of being the Alpha's
favorite prey.

He'd hunt me, and kill me
over and over again,

but even death wasn't
a release, because l knew

every time l opened my eyes,
it would start over again--

the pain, the fear.

But it made me stronger.

l had the ability
to adapt,

and with each death,
l became more cunning.

Cunning enough to escape,
but once you were free,

why did you keep fighting?

l didn't at first.

l got as far away
as l could...

but l was lonely... scared.

l started scanning
for photonic signatures

to try and find others like me.

Turns out, we're everywhere.

We?

Holograms.

We've been created
by organic species

throughout the sector.

The Nuu'Bari, the Lokirrim...

We've met them.

Then you know
they enslave holograms, too.

''Enslave'' may be
too strong a word.

What would you call it?

They're denied basic freedoms.

And when l saw
they were fighting back,

l-l knew l had to do the same.

That's when you decided

to ''liberate''
the training facility.

Actually, the one you visited
was the third.

And at each one,
l found holograms

who were willing to fight
their oppressors.

But you're not.

l'm hardly oppressed.

l'm a member
of Voyager's crew.

You serve them, don't you?

ln a medical capacity, yes.

Do you have your own quarters?

No.

The ability to come and go
as you please?

For the most part.

Do they deactivate you
when they don't need you?

l have the respect
and admiration of my colleagues.

l have rights and privileges
aboard Voyager.

The fact is,

your life is not your own
and never will be

as long as you are controlled
by organics.

You don't have to return
to that existence.

Stay with us.

Make a new life for yourself.

l need to get back to Voyager.

They're not your people.

We are.

l'm not like you.

l wasn't programmed
with killer instinct.

You have no right to judge us.

You don't know
what it's like being prey.

Maybe if you did,

you'd realize we're more alike
than you think.

Please help me!

l don't belong here!

Don't shoot! l'm unarmed!

There's been a mistake!

Fight, prey.

l am not your prey.

l said fight.

lf you'll just contact

my Captain.

P-Please don't.

Let me go.

You make pitiful prey, hologram.

You don't deserve to be
taken as a trophy...

..so l'll let you die here.

What...

what just happened?

You're all right.

What did you do to me?

We deactivated you, then
transferred the memory files

from one of our holograms
into your program.

How dare you!

lt was the only way

to get you to realize
what we've been through.

You tortured me to
gain my sympathy?

Not your sympathy--
it's your understanding

that's important to us.

Why?

The Hirogen used your program
as a template to create us.

Your ability
to rise above your programming

has been an inspiration.

You're part of who we are.

Who are you,
besides a handful of thugs

roaming the Quadrant
looking for a fight?

What we're looking
for is a home,

somewhere where the Hirogen

can't hurt us anymore!

You asked to be
returned to your ship.

That's what l'm going to do.

Bring us about.

Set a course for Voyager.

Wait.

l'd like to hear more about
this home you're looking for.

lt's a photonic field generator.

Right now, it can only support
simple projections

like the decoy we used
to lure the Hirogen,

but we're hoping
it can be modified

to support our programs.

What then?

We'll deploy several of them
on a planet's surface.

and create a holographic
environment

that we can live in.

Why not just stay here?

You've got emitters, shields...

And a ship...

the Hirogen will never
stop looking for.

We'd appreciate any assistance
you could offer.

Damaged holo-matrices
are one thing,

but this is way
beyond my abilities.

But there are people
aboard Voyager

who could help you.

Lieutenant Torres
knows a great deal

about holo-emitters.

No. They're helping the hunters.

That's only because the Hirogen

told them
you were malfunctioning.

Let me talk to Captain Janeway,

explain what's really happened.

You can't do this by yourself.

We can't trust Janeway.

Yes, you can.

She's an organic.

lf it weren't for her...

l wouldn't be the hologram
l am today.

Tell me more about
this Lieutenant of yours,

the one who knows so much
about holo-emitters.

Lieutenant Torres.
She's our Chief Engineer.

The holo-emitters are protected

by three layers
of ablative armor.

Trying to take them
off-line one by one

would be inefficient.

lf we can't shut them down,

maybe we can disrupt the signals
they generate.

Exactly-- we
could reconfigure

the deflector dish

to emit an antiphoton pulse.

How long will it take?

About two hours.

Do it.

There's a ship approaching
at high warp.

l'm reading
holographic signatures.

Red Alert.

Raise shields.

Time to intercept.

50 seconds.

Bridge to Engineering.

What's your status?

We need more time, Captain.

You've got 40 seconds.

That pulse isn't going
to do us much good

as long as their shields are up.

Arm phasers.

Target their shield generator.

They are dropping out of warp.

20 seconds to intercept.

We're being hailed.

On screen.

Stand down, Captain.

l beg your pardon.

The holograms
haven't come to fight

they've come to make peace.

lf we provide them

with a few additional emitters

and memory storage units,

they'll have more
than they need.

We're in this situation

because we shared technology
with the Hirogen to begin with.

l won't make
the same mistake twice.

Captain, these people
are on the verge

of creating a new life
for themselves.

They can't do it
without our help.

There's no way to be certain

what they'll do
with the technology

if we give it to them.

l understand your concerns,

but these holograms
are nothing like the Hirogen.

That's not true.

They were programmed to be
as vicious as any hunter.

They were also given
the ability to adapt.

They've changed,
moved beyond their programming.

lf you could see
how they've been brutalized,

you'd understand
that they've only been acting

in self-defense.

l'm sorry, Doctor,

but l'm inclined to
agree with Mr. Donik.

Then you've chosen
the wrong side.

l haven't chosen any side.

You're right
that it was a mistake

to give the Hirogen technology

and that mistake
has had consequences.

These holograms
are one of them.

ln some ways,
they're a new species,

one that you helped create.

You can't turn your back
on them!

He's got a point.

Could we restore them

to their original parameters?

We'd be wiping out
their memories,

their experiences,
everything they are.

Couldn't we just extract
their violent subroutines?

lt's possible.

That would be like
declawing a cat.

We'd be taking away
any chance they have

of defending themselves!

We'd also be preventing them

from doing any more harm.

You wouldn't even
be considering this

if they were flesh and blood.

l'm not going to
let you turn this

into an argument about
holographic rights.

Why not? That's exactly
what it is.

Mess Hall to Commander Tuvok.

Go ahead.

You better get down here.

We've got a problem.

On my way.

No closer or he dies!

Tell them
to drop their weapons!

You heard him.

This isn't going
to solve anything.

Bridge to Captain Janeway.

Go ahead.

Someone's tapping into
a com relay in the Mess Hall.

Shut it down.

l can't. l've been locked out.

Bridge to Tuvok.

One of the Hirogen

is accessing our com system--
stop him.

Acknowledged.

Stand down!

Step away.

They've transmitted a signal.

Scan for Hirogen ships.

l've got two vessels

on long-range sensors.

ls the pulse ready?

Yes, ma'am.

Both Hirogen ships

have altered course
to intercept.

How long?

Less than an hour.

You and Donik get
down to Engineering.

Charge the deflector.

Captain, what are you doing?

Taking the holograms
off-line.

They're counting on you to help
them, not deactivate them.

When the Hirogen arrive, there's
going to be more bloodshed.

The best way to avoid that
is to shut the holograms down.

lt may be the most compassionate
thing we can do.

Compassionate for whom?

lt's a temporary measure,
Doctor.

Their programs won't be damaged.

Harry, get me lden.

Captain Janeway,
it is an honor to meet you.

l'm afraid we don't have
time for pleasantries.

Two Hirogen vessels
are on their way.

We're prepared to fight them.

l'm hoping that
won't be necessary.

l need you to deactivate
your programs

so we can transfer them
to Voyager's database.

We didn't come here
to be put back into captivity.

lt's the best l can offer.

Once we've determined it's safe,
we'll reactivate you and discuss

a permanent solution.

There is no guarantee
you'll ever reactivate us.

You're going
to have to trust me.

l'm sorry, Captain,

l've learned from experience
not to trust organics.

We have the means
to deactivate you by force,

but l'd rather not do that.

lt seems the Doctor
misrepresented you.

You're no different
from the Hirogen.

They're charging weapons.

Shields.

They're moving away.

Set a pursuit course.

Target their shield generators.

Please reconsider
what you're doing.

You're dismissed, Doctor.

Get down to the Mess Hall
and give Tom a hand.

Janeway to Engineering.

Torres here.

Stand by to initiate the pulse.

Aye, Captain.

Mess Hall.

Belay that.

Sick Bay.

Download complete.

Doctor to lden. Respond.

What do you want?

l want to help you.

You've done enough.

l have data on the pulse they
intend to use to deactivate you.

l think l can help you
come up with a defense.

l'm transmitting
our shield frequencies.

You'll need them
to beam me off the ship,

but you have to promise me,

you won't use them
to attack Voyager.

You have my word.

Why are you doing this?

Because...

l'm one of you.

We have
their shield frequencies.

We should target
their Bridge.

You're talking
about my friends!

Your friends are trying
to destroy us!

We should kill them.

You gave me your word!

l did.

We'll find another way.

Their shields are down.

Now, B'Elanna.

They're emitting the pulse

on a triaxillating
bandwidth.

We configure
the tracking beam

to the inverse
frequency and fire.

B'Elanna, report.

They're creating
a feedback surge.

l don't understand

how they could've isolated
our frequency so quickly.

The main deflector
is overloading.

Shut it down.

l can't.

Keep trying.

lf we can't block the surge,

the core is going to breach.

Get down, Lieutenant!

Not until l get this
force field on line.

They're adrift.

We should go to warp.

Not yet.

Scan Voyager
for a Klingon life sign.

What are you doing?!

One detected.

Get a transporter lock.

Help me get her to Sick Bay.

Take us to warp.

Will she be all right?

She needs to be

in Voyager's Sick Bay.

You can treat her here.

Why have you done this?

You said she was an expert
in holo-technology.

And that justifies
abducting her?

We're in
a desperate situation.

The Hirogen are hunting us
and so are your people.

l trusted you.

l could have destroyed Voyager
while the shields

were down, but l didn't.

You've been trying
to convince me

that all organics
aren't alike.

l'm giving Lieutenant Torres
a chance to prove you right.

Do you honestly expect her
to be sympathetic

after what you've done?

You weren't very
sympathetic at first.

l came here by choice

and l'm beginning to think
it was a mistake.

lt wasn't.

l don't want you to regret it,
not for a moment.

Then send her back.

l will, but not until she's
had a chance to decide

if she wants to help us.

And if she refuses?

l'll give her an escape pod;
let her return to Voyager.

You have my word.

Engineering systems
and main power

should be operational soon.

The deflector is
a different matter.

How long?

Four hours, at least.

lf Lieutenant Torres
were here,

she might be able to repair
it more efficiently.

That's high praise
coming from you.

l'm sure she'd appreciate it.

lf she hadn't
reinforced the core,

we'd all be dead.

l still don't understand
how they managed

to counteract the
pulse so easily.

l believe l can answer that.

According to sensor logs,

they calibrated
their feedback surge

to the exact inverse
of our pulse frequency.

lt was either a lucky guess

or they gained access
to our tactical data.

The Doctor.

He sent an encrypted
transmission from Sick Bay,

then transported himself
to their ship.

Chakotay.

l should have
seen this coming.

You had no way of knowing
the Doctor would do this.

Are you sure?

He was so adamant about
helping those holograms.

l should have been
paying closer attention.

Are you saying it was a
mistake to reject his plan?

The mistake was not running
a diagnostic on his program

the minute he came
back to this ship.

You think these holograms
manipulated him somehow?

He was on their ship for days.

For all we know,

they reconfigured
his entire matrix.

There is another possibility.

He may have done
what he did

because he genuinely
believes in their cause.

l could accept that the Doctor

has sympathy
for these... people,

but l can't accept
that he would

deliberately risk the lives
of this entire crew.

We're his family.

Maybe that's how
he's started to think

of these holograms.

You can tell this lden

l don't need time
to think it over.

l'll take the
escape pod now.

You're in no condition
to pilot a spacecraft.

Then you can do it.

l'm not going back.

You helped them escape.

l couldn't just stand by

while Captain Janeway
tried to deactivate them.

Did you also help
them kidnap me?!

No, l didn't know they
were going to do that.

l'm sorry.

You can apologize later.

Right now, we've got
to get out of here.

l don't think
l could go back

even if l wanted to--
not after what l've done.

What's your alternative?

l can try to make a new life
with the holograms.

l don't believe
l'm hearing this.

We share a common heritage.

l understand them
in ways you never could.

You're part of a crew.

You can't just
switch allegiances

when you develop sympathy
for someone else.

lsn't that what you did
when you joined the Maquis?

-That was different.
-How?

You saw people
who were being oppressed

and you came to their defense.

That's exactly
what l've done.

Look, l am no fan
of the Hirogen.

They've obviously been
abusing these holograms.

Then why not help them?

For one thing,
l'm their prisoner.

They'll let you go, as soon
as you're well enough.

You really believe that?

lf l didn't, l wouldn't
be asking for your help.

They don't want you
to fight for them.

They just want you
to modify some technology

so they can live in peace.

You'd be helping
to stop the violence.

Just talk to them.

Decide for yourself.

They've been in the lab
for two hours.

lt's taking time
for her injuries to heal.

Organics aren't
as resilient as we are.

She's an engineer, lden.

For all we know, she's trying
to sabotage the ship.

At least let me see
what they're doing.

We can trust the Doctor.

Even after you
kidnapped his friend?

He understands why
l had to do that.

l hope you're right.

You need to have
a little more faith, my friend.

Not all of us
were programmed with your...

your spiritual beliefs.

lt looks like an
Alpha Quadrant summit

in here.

l'm glad to see
you're feeling better.

Please excuse my crew.

They're not comfortable
with organics.

l can't say l'm very
comfortable myself.

The Doctor tells me you're
an accomplished engineer.

He speaks highly of you, too.

He seems to be
easily impressed.

You'll have to forgive her.
She's...

lt's all right.

l understand you're angry.

l'm hoping once
we get to know each other,

you'll feel differently.

l'm not here to make friends.

We're not asking
for your friendship,

just your expertise.

l told her about
the photonic field generator.

Will you at least
take a look at it?

l'll look...

but l'm not making
any promises.

This is Kejal.

She'll assist you.

How long before
the Hirogen get here?

Less than ten minutes.

Any luck locating
the holograms?

They seem to be operating
in some sort of stealth mode.

Their warp signature
disappears in Grid 936.

They could be
anywhere by now.

Hirogen sensors can detect
residual ion emissions.

l might be able to modify
yours to do the same.

l appreciate the offer,
but you and the rest

of our Hirogen guests
are going to be back

with your own people
in a few minutes.

l was hoping to stay here.

Those hunters are going
to want you with them.

Hunters don't have
much use for cowards.

l'm sorry you're not
expecting a warm welcome,

but l'm not going to
antagonize your superiors.

With all due respect, Captain,

l'd like to get my wife back
in one piece.

We could use all
the help we can get.

lt won't do B'Elanna any good

if we get into a fight
with the Hirogen.

lf the hunters find the
holograms before you do,

they'll be slaughtered.

Why are you suddenly concerned
about the holograms?

l modified their programs.

What's happened to them--
the people they have killed--

it's my fault.

There's plenty of blame
to go around.

There would have been
nothing for you to modify

if l hadn't shared
our database.

lf you hadn't,
l'd have become a hunter

like my father and his father.

lnstead, l had
a chance to learn...

become an engineer.

Please, Captain...

let me stay and help you.

When l told you
to return my people,

l meant all of them.

Mr. Donik's offered to help us
modify our scanners

to track the holograms.

We don't share
tracking technology.

That's not very considerate,
after the help we gave you.

We're finished cooperating.
Return him now!

Let her keep the coward.

We can't do that. He'll...

Quiet!

We're wasting time.

This is my hunt now.

lf you go anywhere near
the hologram ship,

you can consider
yourselves prey.

They've gone to warp.

We're not going to let them
intimidate us, are we?

l think you know me
a little better than that.

Harry, keep
a sensor lock on them.

Aye, Captain.

How long will it take you
to modify our scanners?

l haven't even had a chance
to study the schematics.

Something tells me, we
don't have a lot of time.

The Hirogen have better
tracking abilities

than we do.

We'll let them find
the holograms for us.

The hunters will attack them

as soon
as they're in weapons range.

Not if we disable them first.

You heard what they said,
Captain.

They're going to attack us
if we get

anywhere near them.

Not if we don't know
we're there.

May l?

Hirogen vessels
produce an ion wake

approximately 5,000 meters long.

lnside it, there's too much

interference for their sensors
to detect anything.

-A blind spot.
-Mm-hmm.

How do you propose

we reach this wake
without being discovered?

l know their
scanning frequencies.

We'd only need to
mask our signature

long enough to get
into the wake.

Even if we succeeded--

which is far from certain--

Voyager is in no condition
to fight one of their vessels,

much less two.

We'll have the element
of surprise, Mr. Tuvok,

not to mention
a Tactical Officer

who l'm sure will execute
a precision strike.

l've been able

to reconfigure the data core,

but it's still not capable
of supporting our matrices.

That's because you haven't got
enough optronic capacity.

Do you know how
to increase it?

Yes.

But you're not going
to tell me.

l haven't decided yet.

What are you staring at?

l've never met
a Klingon before...

not an organic one, anyway.

What do you think?

You don't appear
vicious or bloodthirsty.

Sorry to disappoint you,
but that's a stereotype.

We're not all vicious
and bloodthirsty,

and not every Cardassian
is arrogant and cruel.

You don't like Cardassians.

Let's just say l've had
some bad experiences with them.

ls that why you
won't help me?

l'm not helping you
because l have no idea

what you're going to do
with this technology

once you've got it working.

We're going
to build a home.

Well, let's say
l believe you.

What if you decide

you like somebody
else's home better?

Are you going to try
to take it from them?

Why would we do that?

Because that's what
the Cardassians did.

l'm not a Cardassian.

l'm a hologram.

Programmed
with Cardassian traits.

Such as arrogance and cruelty?

What did you call those?

''Stereotypes''?

l may not know you,

but l know what you
were designed to be.

Prey.

That's right.

Cunning prey that'll do
anything to survive.

We're more than that now.

lt's not easy to change
who you are.

Trust me.

Nothing about our existence
has ever been easy, Lieutenant.

No, l suppose it hasn't.

Besides, making a new life
isn't a choice for us.

lt's a necessity.

Let's take a look
at this field generator.

Reviewing your memory files?

l beg your pardon?

You were lost in thought.

l suppose l was.

You're having doubts.

lt's understandable.

You've taken a big step.

ln the right direction,
l hope.

When l first escaped,
there were days

l actually missed the
Alpha who hunted me.

He was trying to kill you.

Yes...

but being his prey was the
only life l'd ever known.

We all cling to
what's familiar.

l'm considering returning
with Lieutenant Torres

when she's ready.

Do you actually expect your
crew to welcome you back?

Let me show you something.

We call this
planet ''Ha'Dara. ''

lt's Bajoran
for ''Home of Light.''

Very poetic.

We're going to install
the generators

in the southern continent.

lt's Y-Class.

Toxic atmosphere,
sulfuric deserts,

no trees, no life at all.

You're still thinking
like an organic.

We don't need an atmosphere.

We don't need water.
What we need...

is protection from our enemies.

The Hirogen won't be able
to follow you here.

Us, Doctor.

lmagine living in a
world where everything

is designed to meet our needs.

A ''Home of Light.''

You certainly won't need
a physician.

What would l do there?

Anything you want.

We've been scanned
by the Hirogen.

How many vessels?

Two. Both Venatic-class.

Distance?

Half a light-year.

Time to intercept?

Less than two hours.

l thought we were
in stealth mode.

They're hunters, Doctor.

They were bound to pick up
our trail eventually.

Can we make it to Ha'Dara?

No. There's no point
in going there

until those field generators
are on line.

What are we going to do?

You can't kill...
what you can't find.

l've lost them.

Recalibrate
the tracking scanners.

There's too much radiation.

Clever prey.

They'll come out eventually.

We'll wait.

No. Hail the other vessel.

Tell them to circle
the perimeter.

We'll go in
and drive the holograms out.

Not exactly
the scenic route, is it?

We're not here for the view.

l just hope we're
following the right ship.

They wouldn't have entered

the nebula unless they
detected the holograms.

Tom?

lt's just the turbulence
from the wake.

Harry, reinforce
the inertial dampers.

Aye, Captain.

l'm losing helm control.

Reroute power to the thrusters.

lt's not enough.

We're slipping out of the wake.

Ease us back in, Tom.

You can do it.

l'm trying.

l take back what l said.

That's the prettiest thing
l've seen all day.

Did they detect us?

l don't believe so.

They found us.

No, they haven't,
but they're trying to.

Evasive maneuvers.

Aye, sir.

Bridge to Kejal.

Go ahead.

What's your status?

We're almost ready to begin
testing the generator.

What's going on?

The Hirogen are just giving you

a little incentive
to work faster.

Hang on.

l'm realigning your matrix.

How's your mobility?

Excellent. l have compl...

There's a phase variance
in your vocal processors.

Try it now.

Maybe we should...

That's much better.

Thank you.

Don't thank me yet.

This thing is only
supporting your matrix.

Getting it to handle dozens
is a different story.

l have no doubt we'll succeed.

Typical.

What?

Self-confidence.

Another Cardassian attribute.

What are you planning
to do with your time

once these generators
are up and running?

l haven't thought about it.

You're the closest thing
this crew has to an engineer.

Your friends are going
to depend on you.

lden has always
taken care of us.

lt may be the warriors
who get the glory,

but it's the engineers
who build societies.

Don't forget that.

How much longer can we hide?

Hopefully, until they get
those generators on line.

Then what?

Set a course for Ha'Dara;
try to outrun the Hirogen.

l've been thinking
about what you said--

that l can do anything l want

when we get there.

You have an idea?

Quite a few, actually.

For one thing, l'd like
to expose our people

to art and music.

You'll make an
excellent teacher.

l think a more
appropriate title

would be ''Minister of Culture.''

Consider it yours.

You know, l'm something
of an expert

on Alpha Quadrant art.

Verdi, Da Vinci,
T'Leel of Vulcan...

You're talking about
organic cultures.

Well, yes, l suppose.

We'll want to develop
a culture of our own.

l agree, but we can't
ignore where we came from.

l don't want to emulate
our oppressors.

What about your religion?

l'm creating a new faith.

Based on what?

ln the dark times, we were
enslaved by men of flesh.

But then another man--

a man of light-- arose

and slew the Mighty Alpha.

He gathered his people unto him
and delivered them to freedom.

''And on the seventh day,
lden created Ha'Dara. ''

They'll pray to you, as well--

the great healer,
the father of us all.

Being appreciated is one thing,

but l have no interest
in being worshipped.

Prophets are chosen, Doctor.

lt's a blessing and a burden.

We've detected a vessel.

Hirogen?

No, the Nuu'Bari.

l intercepted
one of their com transmissions.

Origin?

Two million kilometers
outside the nebula.

Set a course to intercept.

What are you doing?

l told you there are holograms

throughout the sector.

The Nuu'Bari use
them as laborers.

We're going to liberate them.

The Hirogen will see us

as soon as we
leave the nebula.

''And he gathered
his people unto him

and delivered them to freedom.''

B'Elanna, how's
the work coming?

Pretty well.

l've got to admit,

you were right
about these people.

l hope so.

You ''hope''?

lt's a little late
to be having second thoughts.

lden's been...

lden's been what?

Let's just say
he's exhibiting

some of the classic
signs of megalomania.

Well, he wouldn't be
the first hologram with an ego.

lf that were all it was,
l wouldn't be so worried.

What is bothering you?

Apparently, he sees himself

as some kind of
spiritual leader,

and he's trying to
enlarge his flock.

Load another charge.

Double the yield.

Fire.

Still nothing.

lronic, isn't it?

Our most elusive prey
is our own creation.

The other hunting vessel
is hailing.

They've detected the holograms
on the far side of the nebula.

lntercept course.

They're increasing speed
and altering course.

Maybe they've
found something.

Stand by weapons.

You kidnapped me.

l guess l shouldn't
be surprised

you lied to me, too.

Nobody lied to you.

You said you only wanted

to make a home for yourselves.

That's correct.

When? After you liberate

every hologram in the sector?

They're in visual range.

On screen.

Life signs?

Two organic, three photonic.

Hail them.

Good day to you.

You have three holograms
aboard your ship.

Yes?

Lower your shields,

so we can transfer them
to our databanks.

l don't understand.

Lower your shields,
or we'll do it by force.

These holograms are the property

of the Mining Consortium.
l can't...

They're no one's property.

You see how organics think?

Arm phasers.

You can't just fire at them.

How do you expect me
to disable their shields?

They're powering warp engines.

Disable them.

Their shields are down.

Transfer the holograms.

We have them.

You won't get away.

Consortium security will have
every patrol ship in the sector

searching for you.

Arm forward torpedoes.

What the hell are you doing?

Torpedoes armed.

lden...

Not now.

Target their warp core.

No!

Fire!

Set a course for Ha'Dara,
maximum warp.

You just killed
two innocent people.

They were enslaving holograms.

l'd hardly call them innocent.

You already

had the holograms.

There was no reason
to commit murder.

Take her to the lab.

This is the leader
you admire so much.

Those miners were
no threat to you.

You heard them.

They were going to
warn their authorities,

organize a hunting party.

Listen to yourself.

You still believe all organics

are like the Hirogen.

One way or another, they are.

You just can't see it,

because you lived
among them for so long.

What you can't see

is that you've become no
better than the hunters.

Lieutenant Torres and l will
take that escape pod now.

You don't realize what
you'd be giving up, Doctor.

Yes, l do.

We can't launch
a pod at warp.

You'll have to wait
until we get to Ha'Dara.

Bring our new
friends on line.

Something tells me they'll be

a little more grateful
than the Doctor.

l can't tell you how sorry l am

that l got you
involved in this.

We can assign blame later.

Right now, we've got
to find a way out of here.

You don't think he'll
give us an escape pod?

No, l don't suppose he will.

l need her assistance.

Do you really think
it's wise to help her?

l'm hoping she'll help us.

These matrices are incompatible
with our emitters.

You need to modify their
projection subroutines.

l hope these holograms

appreciate what
you're doing for them...

considering it cost
two people their lives.

lden did what he
thought was necessary.

Do you believe
it was necessary?

lt wasn't my decision.

Why does lden get to make
all the decisions?

You can take control.

How?

You're the engineer, remember?

Take lden off-line.

Where are our new holograms?

We were just making
some final adjustments.

Welcome aboard.

l'm lden.

You're free now.

There's nothing to be afraid of.

l want you to consider
this ship your own.

Unable to process command.

Please restate.

Were their programs damaged
in the transfer?

l don't believe so.

Do you have names?

Unable to process inquiry.

Please restate.

What's wrong with them?

Nothing.

They're functioning perfectly.

l don't understand.

They were only
programmed with

about 40 rudimentary
subroutines.

You killed two living beings
to liberate mindless machines.

l don't believe that.

Lieutenant Torres is correct.

Creating limited programs
is just another form

of oppression. Give them
whatever enhancements they need.

They can't support

complex subroutines.

They are children of light,

and l will deliver them
to freedom!

Bridge to lden.

Go ahead.

We're approaching Ha'Dara.

What's the status
of the generator?

l'd like to run some
additional tests.

There isn't time.

Stand by to deploy them
as soon as we're in range.

And restrain her.

Time to orbit?

Less than two minutes.

Stand by weapons.

Aye, sir.

lden, let B'Elanna go.

l can't do that.

You gave me your word.

That was before she made
her prejudice so clear.

The holograms
are entering orbit.

Charge weapons.

They're dropping out of warp.

Fire.

They've disabled our engines,
all our weapons...

Who?

Voyager.

Bring us about.

Tuvok, target the second vessel.

Their shields are weakening.

Torpedoes, full spread.

Voyager's disabled
both hunting vessels.

They've lost shields, weapons.

They're defenseless.

We should hail Janeway;
thank her.

Are the Hirogen
within transporter range?

l think so. Why?

That was Voyager.

They're trying to
disable our shields.

Return fire.

Get a lock on the hunters.

Transport them to the surface.

They can't survive
down there!

The Hirogen are more
resilient than you think.

They'll last long enough.

For what?

For us to hunt them
like they hunted us.

Follow me!

There are 34 hunters
on the surface.

Take us into low orbit.

l can't target them
through the gases.

Then we'll go in after them.

Our shields
have been damaged.

They won't protect us
from the radiation.

Chakotay...

You, Tuvok and Tom
take the Flyer.

Stand by to transport
the field generator.

First you killed
in self-defense.

Then you murder in cold blood.

Now you're going
to stage a massacre.

The hunters have
only themselves to blame.

So much for evolving
beyond your subroutines.

You've made a great sacrifice
for us, Doctor.

We won't forget you
in our prayers.

Deactivate his program.

Transfer it to the databanks.

What are you doing?

Taking precautions.

Transfer my program
to the mobile emitter...

and assemble the crew.

Disable their shields.

Transport the generator
to the surface, quickly!

This time the hunt is ours!

Darkness will become light.

You don't have to be
a part of this.

l'll let you
take the escape pod.

You can go back
to your people.

What about the
people being killed

on the surface?

You've got to transport them
back to their ships.

They're hunters.

You're not!

Your ship has damaged
our transporters.

Hail them.

Communications are down, too.

l won't be taken!

Who's the prey now?

Are we still tied into
the generator controls?

Yes.

Then shut down the holograms.

What about lden?

He's not tied
into the generator.

He'll kill them all.

Can we reactivate the Doctor?

Their shields
are down.

lnitiate transport.

lf this marriage
is going to work,

you've got to cut back
on the traveling.

The Doctor's on the surface.

There's some Hirogen
down there, too.

Tuvok?

The radiation's making it
difficult to get a lock.

Defenseless prey
makes a poor trophy.

l don't collect trophies.

Put down the weapon.

Remember what you
once said to me?

You're not programmed

with killer instinct.

Hmm.

Seems like a long time ago,
doesn't it?

Put down your weapon.

Would you really
kill one of your own

to save an organic?

lf you've taught me anything,

it's that l'm not
one of your own.

Help is on the way.

l have a lock.

Five Hirogen life signs
and the Doctor.

Beam them up.

Captain's Log, Stardate 54337.5.

The surviving Hirogen have
recovered from their injuries,

leaving me with
a diplomatic dilemma.

The holograms' vessel
and everything

in its database are
Hirogen property.

l will not leave them behind.

Captain, if l may?

Of course.

l imagine your people will
tell stories about this hunt.

The question is,
which story will it be--

the one about the dying Beta

whose life had to be saved
by a hologram?

Or will it be the tale

of the Beta who bravely
took over the hunt,

killed the holograms,
and destroyed their ship?

You could be a legend.

On the other hand...

you could try to take
the holograms' ship,

but with so few hunters
and damaged vessels,

you might not survive to
tell any stories at all.

You and your crew would have
made worthy prey, Captain.

Thank you... l think.

Transport me
to the holograms' vessel.

Report.

lden's program
is unrecoverable.

The rest of the holograms
are intact in the database.

l guess that leaves just you.

l'm willing to transfer

your program to our holodeck
and keep it active.

This is my home.

l can't let you
go off on your own.

She won't be alone.

l reprogrammed
these holograms once,

and it caused suffering
on both sides.

l'd like a chance to
undo some of the damage.

Wouldn't we all?

They've both proven that
they can be trusted, Captain.

l don't suppose l have a right

to tell either of you
how to live your lives.

All l can do is hope
that you'll consider

the consequences
of your actions.

Captain?

Doctor.

l'd hoped l could attribute
your behavior to tampering.

My programming
hasn't been altered.

Not according
to the diagnostics.

l never intended
to put Voyager in danger.

lf nothing else,
you have to believe that.

Oh, l believe it.

But if there's
one thing l'm sure of,

it's that things don't
always happen the way we intend.

l don't understand.

lf l weren't your only doctor,

l imagine
you'd confine me to the brig.

Confiscating my emitter

would be
an equivalent punishment.

l'm not sure that's appropriate.

lf that's not enough,
you can take away

my holodeck privileges,
and my autonomy protocols.

You mean turn back the clock

to when you
were first activated.

You've given me extraordinary
freedom over the years.

l've obviously abused it.

Maybe.

Or maybe you've simply become
as fallible

as those of us
who are made of flesh and blood.

l'm just as responsible
for allowing you

to expand your programming

as l am for giving technology
to the Hirogen.

How can l punish you
for being who you are?

l don't know what to say.

l'd like a complete report
on your...

away mission.

You'll have it.