 Torres is slumped in the
pilot's chair of the Delta Flyer. She has a wound on her
forehead and she is unconscious. She had ordered Kim into the
escape pod before the crash, but he is nowhere to be found. As
Torres is coming to, she notices someone standing over her. It
is Kelis, an actor and playwright on the L-Class planet, who is
trying to heal her wounds. Torres, startled, jumps to her feet
and questions his intentions. Kelis replies saying that he is
her servant and she is his muse.
Kelis' intentions are to keep
Torres on the planet as his inspiration. Kelis feels that Torres
can inspire him to put together a play that will promote peace
between the Warlord, his clan, and the rival clan.
Kelis further explains that the Warlord became insulted over a
dowry offered by a patron from Kelis' clan. Kelis feels that the
play may help the Warlord and the patron forget their anger.
Meanwhile back on Voyager, the crew is busy searching for Kim
and Torres. Tuvok is very upset about the loss of his comrades.
He has not slept in the eight days and exhaustion is starting to
take its toll on him. Chakotay tells him that he can take over
the search, but Tuvok sternly refuses.
Back on the L-Class planet Torres is trying to repair the ship,
however the propulsion has died and the ship will not start.
Kelis offers to help her in return for stories about the Voyager
and its crew. He feels the stories will promote enough interest
among the patrons that they will forget why they are fighting.
He offers her food and supplies that she desperately needs. She
reluctantly agrees to help Kelis.
It has been almost two weeks and Torres and Kelis have been
rehearsing the play non-stop. They still do not have an ending
to the show that is opening the following day. Layna, an alien
actress portraying Torres in the play, has grown jealous of
Torres' relationship with Kelis.
The night before the performance, Layna follows Torres back to
the ship and confronts her. She threatens to expose Torres' real
identity to the Warlord if Torres does not leave at once.
After Layna leaves, Kim appears through the window of the ship.
Kim ran into turbulence and decided to turn around and follow
Torres' signature. He tracked Torres' position with a tricorder.
Kim has a Starfleet satchel that contains emergency rations such
as a phaser and the escape pods emergency transmitter.
All the while, Kelis is preparing for the big night. He is
waiting for Torres, but the patrons are growing impatient and he
must start the show.
On Voyager, Tuvok is caught sleeping by Paris who decides it is
time for him to take a break. As Chakotay enters to relieve
Tuvok, they hear the messages sent by Kim and Torres.
While waiting for word from Voyager, Torres receives a note from
Kelis implying that there will be a war if she does not help him
come up with an ending to the play. He needs her for
inspiration. Torres, feeling obligated to help Kelis, tells Kim
she will be back and leaves for the play.
Torres enters the stage and begins performing an ending that she
has come up with. She came up with a scene in which she and
Kelis say good-bye because it is time for her to leave. Layna
tries to sabotage everything by telling the Warlord that Torres
is really an Eternal, but Kelis pretends that it is part of the
play and that Layna is just playing the part of the jealous
girlfriend. The Warlord loves the plot twist. The show is a
success and there will be no war. Kim then beams Torres up and
they return back to Voyager. |
