Here's the conclusion of my VOYAGER spec, as submitted to Trek in 1999. As mentioned in the previous post, the whole script exceeded LJ's appetite, so I've posted it in two chunks. Part one is here. Commentary is forthcoming (probably tonight or tomorrow morning).
ACT FOUR
FADE IN:
INT - JANEWAY'S READY ROOM
Tuvok and Janeway are entering.
JANEWAY
All right, Tuvok, you've got me.
What is it?
Janeway sits behind her desk.
TUVOK
I am not sure.
(beat)
An anomaly. Perhaps nothing. But... it
troubles me.
Janeway raises an eyebrow as he passes her a PADD.
JANEWAY
Must be one hell of an --
(beat; hushed)
You've verified these?
TUVOK
Lieutenant Torres has run several diagnostics.
We find no evidence of a malfunction.
JANEWAY
That's impossible.
(beat)
We can't be burning this much on replicators.
Unless half the crew decided to blow their replicator
rations over the past two days.
TUVOK
That is the most logical explanation.
JANEWAY
There's nothing logical about it.
(beat)
All right; assume that my sarcastic hypothesis
is correct. Why?
TUVOK
I do not know.
JANEWAY
(beat)
But you have a suggestion, and I'm not going
to like it. Just spill it.
TUVOK
We should decrypt the replicator logs.
JANEWAY
I was right. I don't like it.
TUVOK
I know the step is unusual.
JANEWAY
It's an extreme invasion of the crew's
privacy. Doesn't that concern you?
TUVOK
In light of recent events, this anomaly concerns
me. Particularly the discrepancy between energy
consumed and mass created.
JANEWAY
Power cells are used in a lot of things, Tuvok.
Scanners, peephole holos --
TUVOK
-- handheld phasers.
(beat)
I know you do not wish to consider it. But
Chakotay's services are creating tension on
the ship. We should be prepared for every
eventuality.
JANEWAY
(beat)
Have you examined personal energy consumption?
TUVOK
I do not have the required clearance.
JANEWAY
I do.
She presses buttons on a PADD. Reads, hands it to Tuvok.
JANEWAY
Look at that.
(hands PADD over)
The correlation between above-normal energy
use, and the crew who signed Chakotay's petition.
TUVOK
I see no correlation.
JANEWAY
(mildly)
Curious, isn't it?
Tuvok gets it.
TUVOK
That does cast doubt on my doomsday scenario.
Tuvok hands back the PADD.
JANEWAY
Keep your eyes open.
Exit Tuvok. Janeway picks up the PADD and studies it. Frowns.
INT - TURBOLIFT / GENERIC CORRIDOR
Janeway is in the lift. Chakotay, in civvies, enters.
CHAKOTAY
Deck seven.
The lift is underway. Janeway checks out Chakotay's threads.
JANEWAY
Commander.
CHAKOTAY
Captain.
JANEWAY
Ensign Egolf's party?
CHAKOTAY
Seven told me.
JANEWAY
I've never been comfortable at subordinates'
private parties. Benefits of a Starfleet
education.
(beat)
How are the services?
CHAKOTAY
The holodeck's working out fine.
JANEWAY
And just think -- some cynics thought you
were trying to use it as a bargaining chip.
Rubbing my nose in what you consider a bad
decision.
CHAKOTAY
Tuvok?
JANEWAY
Tuvok.
CHAKOTAY
Tuvok.
JANEWAY
Incidentally, we’ll be making some repairs
to the holodeck.
CHAKOTAY
You don’t say?
JANEWAY
They’re long overdue. And it’ll only be
a few days.
CHAKOTAY
And where do we go? A broom closet? Maybe
next to a turbolift shaft? The background
noise would be soothing --
JANEWAY
I was thinking Hydroponics.
(beat)
It’s peaceful. Spacious. Green. And in the
evening, it is unused. Who knows? You might
want to move there permanently. Just to dispel
those nasty rumors.
The elevator halts. Doors open.
Chakotay knows he's been outplayed.
CHAKOTAY
I can't slip anything past you, can I?
JANEWAY
Nope.
CHAKOTAY
Just checking.
Exit Chakotay.
JANEWAY
(after him)
Nice civvies.
The door closes and she's gone.
INT - EGOLF'S QUARTERS
ENSIGN LEVESQUE, seated at a table, is making out with a STARFLEET
CUTIE. Each of them has a hand on their own hallucinatron. Harry Kim
watches them with some puzzlement.
Tom leans over Harry's shoulder, whispers in his ear.
TOM
It's a fad.
He walks off, Harry follows.
As we go with them through the party, we see people chatting, laughing
-- and sitting around in small groups, their hands on hallucinatrons.
Yes, that's plural. Now we understand why the replicator usage was so
increased: the little devices have been reproducing like tribbles on
Spanish Fly.
HARRY
You really think so?
TOM
Whatever that little box can do, a holodeck
can do better. We get back to the Alpha
Quadrant, those things are gone.
(about to exit)
This isn't my scene. You?
Harry spies Seven of Nine entering the party.
HARRY
I think I'll stick around.
SEVEN OF NINE walks around the party, examining the various and sundry
people tripping out. Harry approaches, holding a newly-acquired plate
of mini-cheesecakes, offers her one, which she takes and examines.
HARRY
I haven't seen you around. Have
you been busy?
SEVEN
I have been occupied with a new
experiment.
HARRY
(re: party)
Pretty wild, huh? Look at Arthur.
Who'd've thought he'd go in for
hallucinations?
SEVEN
He was once addicted to the Jewels
of Sound.
HARRY
Where'd you get that?
SEVEN
His personnel file.
HARRY
Seven, those are restricted.
SEVEN
You said yourself, I lack the human
perspective. What I cannot understand,
I must interpret from the actions of others.
Harry's starting to understand now, and he's getting more creeped out by
the second.
HARRY
Your experiment? You're using Arthur
as a lab rat?!
SEVEN
Ensign Levesque is not the subject
of my experiment.
HARRY
Then who --
Seven points OS. Harry’s gaze follows.
Chakotay has just entered the party.
BACK TO HARRY, who looks at Seven, aghast. Seven picks up a
mini-cheesecake from the plate and has a nibble.
SEVEN
His reaction will be greatly informative.
HARRY
(horrified)
Jesus Christ!
SEVEN
(blankly)
Who?
HARRY runs off, plate in hand. Dodging through the party, he intercepts
Chakotay just inside the door.
CHAKOTAY
Harry. How's it going?
HARRY
Fine. Great. Couldn't be better.
Cheesecake?
Chakotay takes one.
CHAKOTAY
That's what I came for.
Harry hands him the plate.
HARRY
Well, here you go. Thanks for
stopping by.
CHAKOTAY
What?
HARRY
Well, I mean, one party, you've
seen them all, right?
CHAKOTAY
Harry, I --
HARRY
I need to talk to you.
CHAKOTAY
Can it wait?
HARRY
No. Now. Trust me. Let's go.
He grips Chakotay by the arm and tries to guide him out. But as they
turn around, Chakotay collides with Janis Montgomery, who's passing.
The plate of cheesecakes falls to the floor -- and Janis drops her
hallucinatron.
Chakotay bends down to get it.
CHAKOTAY
Ensign Montgomery. You dropped your --
And he sees what it is.
Shocked, he looks up at Janis, then at Harry. Then he turns and looks
around the party, which continues unabated. For the first time,
Chakotay sees all the people tripping. Treating a part of his
relationship with his gods as a party toy.
His face slides into total horror.
INT - TUVOK'S QUARTERS
Lights are dimmed. Tuvok, clad in a robe, sits on his couch drinking a
cup of tea. The doorbell chimes.
TUVOK
Enter.
The door slides open, revealing Chakotay.
TUVOK
Commander?
Chakotay opens his hand. Electronic bits, the pieces of what was once a
hallucinatron, spill to the floor. Chakotay is deeply anguished, using
all his will to keep self-control.
CHAKOTAY
(it hurts)
It was at their party, Tuvok. They were
using it as a toy.
(beat)
-- for the gods -- from my father -- and
they used it *as a toy --*
Understand: *this is desecration.*
INT - JANEWAY'S QUARTERS
ANGLE: CLOSE ON the bits of hallucinatron, now in a little pile on a
table. Janeway picks through them, studying.
JANEWAY
I think we've just explained our spike
in energy consumption.
WIDER ANGLE reveals Chakotay and Janeway (in her dressing gown) seated
at a table. Tuvok stands just off to the side.
CHAKOTAY
That's nice. A mystery's explained. I'm
very pleased. What do we do about it?
TUVOK
From here, it is trivial. A pattern search
of the replicator logs will yield the
necessary information.
CHAKOTAY
Like who made the first copy.
(beat)
I thought those logs were encrypted.
Tuvok looks at Janeway. Chakotay's gaze follows his. Janeway continues
to pick through the bits of hallucinatron.
JANEWAY
Invade the crew's privacy -- again?
(beat)
You're developing a real taste for that,
Tuvok. I don't like it.
CHAKOTAY
It doesn't matter if you like it.
(beat)
Captain, I understand your reservation. Ordinarily,
I’d share it. But somebody copied this without my
permission. And that is theft.
JANEWAY
"That" is a Wah Chang series neural stimulator.
CHAKOTAY
...what?
JANEWAY
It’s a medical diagnostic tool. Classic. Sixty
years ago, it was Starfleet issue.
(beat)
Any design alterations are cosmetic, at best.
CHAKOTAY
What are you saying?
JANEWAY
I'm saying that this technology is
in the public domain.
TUVOK
Captain, I urge you to reconsider.
If this goes on --
JANEWAY
I'm not going to punish my crew for
a crime that hasn't been committed!
(beat)
But I cannot let the situation stand as it is.
So: I will put out a request that all existing
copies be reclaimed immediately.
CHAKOTAY
A request? Captain, all due respect --
that's not enough.
JANEWAY
This is a Federation crew. They'll realize
their error if you give them a chance.
CHAKOTAY
They had their chance!
JANEWAY
And they'll have another! I'm sorry you're
hurt, Chakotay. I am. But you'll just have
to deal with it.
Chakotay gets up.
CHAKOTAY
I will.
(beat)
And I'm afraid you will, too.
Exit Chakotay.
Janeway shakes her head, begins to clear away the tea.
ANGLE ON TUVOK shows he is disturbed, as we
FADE OUT.
END ACT FOUR.
ACT FIVE
FADE IN:
INT - CHAKOTAY'S QUARTERS
Chakotay is at a communications panel. BLEEP as the comm is picked up.
ONSCREEN, Belanna leans into the comm lens. The room she's in is too
dark to see much more than her dimly-lit face.
BELANNA
Chakotay?
CHAKOTAY
Is this a bad time?
BELANNA
Nah. Men fall asleep, women wake up. Ten
minutes ago -- that would have been a bad time.
(then)
Why are you calling on this thing?
CHAKOTAY
Where's your communicator?
BELANNA
(hasn't a clue)
Um, I think it's over -- yeah, good point.
(beat)
You all right?
CHAKOTAY
How well do you know the replicator system?
BELANNA
Tuvok kept me up half last night running
diagnostics on it. Which is not how I care
to lose my sleep, thank you -- hey, do you
know what was going on with that?
CHAKOTAY
I need you to decrypt the replicator logs.
Pause.
BELANNA
(beat; puzzled)
I'd say "pull the other one," but Tom already
did that.
CHAKOTAY
Can you do it?
BELANNA
Maybe I could get past the preliminary
safeguards. More than that --
(beat; she shakes her head)
CHAKOTAY
Dammit!
(beat)
I'm sorry. I've had a bitch of a day.
BELANNA
(beat)
Want to talk about it?
CHAKOTAY
(shakes head)
I need to handle this myself. I know
that sounds like my ego --
BELANNA
Some things are important that way.
(beat)
You want to talk, call me. Any time.
Whatever I'm doing, I'll stop.
CHAKOTAY
Even if I'd called ten minutes ago?
Belanna smiles. They are old, old friends.
BELANNA
For you? Yeah.
Chakotay smiles. He closes the com channel as the DOOR OPENS. Enter
Tuvok.
CHAKOTAY
You could have rung.
TUVOK
Your doorbell was deactivated.
CHAKOTAY
You could have knocked.
TUVOK
We need to talk.
CHAKOTAY
What about?
(beat)
Oh. I know. Let’s talk about how the Captain
can stomach invasion of privacy to uphold
Federation atheism, but not to investigate
Federation theft. Somebody thought he was
stealing from me, but he legally wasn't, so
he’s morally in the clear? Where’s the *logic*
in that?
TUVOK
I did not come here to debate you.
CHAKOTAY
Don’t you even tell me it’s to say you’re sorry.
TUVOK
I need your help.
(off his look)
We have a common interest.
CHAKOTAY
Somehow I find that extremely unlikely.
TUVOK
We can still defuse this situation.
CHAKOTAY
I think you're underestimating my people.
TUVOK
As you have underestimated mine?
Pause. Tuvok has Chakotay's attention.
TUVOK
Perhaps obtaining the design was secondary.
And stealing it from you was of greater import.
What if someone wants to cause this dissent?
CHAKOTAY
You're trying to push my buttons, aren't you?
TUVOK
Is it working?
CHAKOTAY
You need me. Whatever you have in mind, you
can't do it yourself. You have to use me and
you don't want to because you still think
I was wrong.
(beat)
Is that what's going on in that Vulcan skull
of yours?
Tuvok gives Chakotay a long, cold look.
TUVOK
We wish the same end. Do you really care why?
Chakotay thinks about it. Really thinks.
CHAKOTAY
(beat)
No.
(beat)
What do you have in mind?
INT - SICKBAY
DOCTOR
You want me to what?
WIDER ANGLE reveals that Chakotay is alone with the Doctor.
CHAKOTAY
It's been done before. Ever look up the
Enterprise-D? Butt of a thousand Maquis jokes?
Their holodeck turned on them every week?
DOCTOR
Of course I can do it. That's not the point.
The Doctor moves away, resumes his work.
CHAKOTAY
Then what is?
DOCTOR
Just because something can be done doesn't
mean it should.
CHAKOTAY
There's someone on this ship who needs to hear
that more than I do.
DOCTOR
(meaning Tuvok)
Don't I know it.
CHAKOTAY
Forget Tuvok for a minute. Listen to me.
They could have copied the old Federation
design. They didn't. Somebody wanted to hurt me.
DOCTOR
I hardly think --
CHAKOTAY
Maybe it wasn’t me. My classes were growing.
Maybe that frightened someone --
The Doctor is suddenly very concerned.
DOCTOR
Is there talk of violence?
CHAKOTAY
Now you sound like Tuvok.
(beat)
That's all he thinks about. If you give this
time, it could blow up. People might, gods forbid,
argue about something. But that's not my problem!
(beat)
All I know is that someone took something that
means everything to me and used it as a toy. And
that is wrong.
(beat, intense)
Doctor, please... help me.
INT - CORRIDOR/SICKBAY
Chakotay exits from sickbay and blows by Tuvok, who is waiting in the
hall. Tuvok follows.
TUVOK
Did he cooperate?
CHAKOTAY
Yep.
TUVOK
What is our destination?
CHAKOTAY
I'll handle it, Tuvok.
Tuvok nods. Moves to accompany Chakotay down the hall. Chakotay puts a
hand on Tuvok's shoulder, stops him.
CHAKOTAY
(gently, but with feeling)
I said, I'll handle it.
Chakotay steps away. Tuvok turns around, encounters the Doctor, who's
now wearing his mobile emitter.
DOCTOR
You did well coaching him.
TUVOK
How --
DOCTOR
Decrypting replicator logs, accessing
internal sensors, sniffing out snooping
Vulcans... it’s all information, Tuvok.
TUVOK
Logical.
DOCTOR
And potentially extremely entertaining.
For me. Though if I were you, I'd keep my
sonic shower on "low" for the next week.
TUVOK
I will bear that in mind.
Tuvok turns to exit.
DOCTOR
Do you know the amusing part? Not that
you'd appreciate it, of course.
(off Tuvok's look)
I didn't decrypt the logs because I thought
Chakotay was right. I did it because I
thought you were.
INT - TURBOLIFT / GENERIC CORRIDOR
The turbolift door opens, revealing Levesque.
A long, cold stare later, Chakotay gets in.
CHAKOTAY
Deck [X].
The lift is underway.
Levesque looks up at Chakotay, who does not look back at him. Levesque
is beneath his notice. The silence is tremendously uncomfortable.
LEVESQUE
I'm sorry.
(beat)
About the captain. Finding out. She
wouldn't have, if Harry and I hadn't --
(beat)
I'm sorry.
CHAKOTAY
Is that all you're sorry for?
Levesque is cowed.
The turbolift doors open. Chakotay exits. Levesque holds a moment,
then follows him.
CHAKOTAY
I have somewhere to go. I think
you know that.
LEVESQUE
I only made a few copies. I didn't
think you'd be so upset.
Pause.
CHAKOTAY
You didn't think --
He advances on Levesque now, his bulk imposing.
LEVESQUE
No. I swear I didn't --
CHAKOTAY
And what exactly were you thinking?
LEVESQUE
I don't know. I just --
CHAKOTAY
You just. You just what?
LEVESQUE
I didn't know why you'd mind!
Chakotay pulls back.
LEVESQUE
You're Maquis.
CHAKOTAY
Prick us. We bleed.
LEVESQUE
But I thought -- all that individual
freedom stuff --
CHAKOTAY
Freedom means being responsible, Levesque.
You have a right to swing your fist, but you
can't swing it if you'll hurt people!
LEVESQUE
Like you hurt me?
(beat)
Like my family on Ezekiel who looked down on me
because I wanted to go join the godless Starfleet
who'd gotten us to that rock in the first place?
Like they hurt me? You think what we did was like that?
CHAKOTAY
It's not the same.
LEVESQUE
Yeah. We had a little tact.
(beat)
Never mind. I hurt you, and I'm sorry, and
that's all I'm gonna say.
(beat)
Go do what you think is right.
Exit Levesque -- and CLOSE ON CHAKOTAY, suddenly drained of his
righteous anger --
INT - SEVEN'S CARGO BAY
Seven is regenerating in her alcove. THE DOOR OPENS, revealing
Chakotay. He enters.
He walks in and stands in front of Seven. Gazes at her a moment. Her
eyes are closed.
Chakotay turns his head away from Seven, and sees --
A HALLUCINATRON. On her workstation.
CHAKOTAY strides across the room to the table. He picks up the
hallucinatron, then walks back to the alcove. He looks down at the
hallucinatron, then up at Seven.
Her eyes are open. She is looking back.
Chakotay holds the device up, makes sure he has her attention -- and
then he returns to the workstation and puts it back. When he has done
so, he turns and walks out of the room without a word. Seven, not
understanding, looks after him.
INT - CHAKOTAY'S QUARTERS
The room is dark. Chakotay leans against a telecom monitor. Janeway
appears onscreen, rubbing sleep from her eyes.
JANEWAY
Chakotay, it's late.
(beat)
We've had a strong response. A number of
people have returned their devices and
issued apologies. There's --
CHAKOTAY
Cancel the order.
JANEWAY
What?
CHAKOTAY
Captain, please... just cancel it.
He pushes a button and Janeway blinks off. Chakotay sags against a wall
for a moment... then gets up and moves away as we go to
INT - HYDROPONICS
Green. A rich, comfortable green. There is plenty of space here.
ON CHAKOTAY, drinking it all in. It'll do.
HARRY
(OS)
Hi.
Chakotay turns, sees Harry.
HARRY
Computer said you were here.
(beat)
Is this okay?
CHAKOTAY
Sure.
HARRY
This is all my --
CHAKOTAY
I'm not angry with you, Harry.
HARRY
I was wrong.
CHAKOTAY
No. I was.
HARRY
I don't understand.
CHAKOTAY
Maybe we don't have to.
(beat)
Not every story comes with a moral.
Pause.
HARRY
Did I tell you that I discovered the
secret of life?
CHAKOTAY
No.
HARRY
Wanna hear it?
CHAKOTAY
Yeah. I really do.
HARRY
Okay.
(beat)
On any given issue, there'll be two
kinds of people. The people who care one
way or another, and the ones who don't.
CHAKOTAY
So?
HARRY
So while the people who really care spend
all their time fighting about it, everyone
else gets on with their lives.
Chakotay's jaw drops.
CHAKOTAY
Harry, you're a cynic!
HARRY
("duh")
I'm an ensign. What did you expect?
Exit Harry Kim.
Chakotay stands for a moment, thinking about Harry's statement. He
chuckles, then begins to laugh at himself -- and suddenly, the laughs
turn to sobs. He sinks to the floor, and sits there, crying.
EXT - SPACE
And Voyager continues on its way.
FADE OUT.
END ACT FIVE.
THE END.
