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After encountering gravitation
fluctuations, Captain Janeway hails an approaching ship and
meets its captain, Tash. He is working on a catapult vessel,
hoping to launch himself hundreds of light-years away. If Tash's
plan succeeds, it may shave years off the U.S.S. Voyager's
journey. Meanwhile, Seven of Nine has installed a cortical
processing subunit in her regeneration alcove, allowing her to
assimilate the ships status reports. Upon downloading data on
Tash's work, she informs Janeway that his catapult is the same
technology that was used to trap them in the Delta Quadrant.
Five years ago, when Voyager
was caught in the displacement wave that sent it 70,000 light
years off course, a tetryon beam was responsible. Now, Seven has
discovered that a tetryon reactor is powering the catapult.
Although the Voyager crew believes they destroyed the reactor,
Seven finds out otherwise. Data shows a charge Tuvok fired tore
an opening in subspace, and a tractor beam from a cloaked ship
pushed the reactor into it. Seven alerts Chakotay to her
startling conclusion that Voyager was stranded in the Delta
Quadrant on purpose and Janeway is behind it.
Seven believes the captain is part of a Federation conspiracy to
establish a military presence in the Delta Quadrant. Suddenly,
Janeway's diplomacy begins to look suspiciously like
establishing tactical infrastructure. Seven believes the captain
intends to use the catapult to bring more ships from the Alpha
Quadrant, creating a Federation/Cardassian invasion force. When
Tash makes a successful journey of 100 light years using the
apparatus, Chakotay secretly delays Voyager's shield
modification to give him more time to consider Seven's theories.
Seven returns to her alcove to assimilate for more information.
After her latest download, she summons Janeway and alerts her
that Chakotay is part of a Maquis rebellion. She believes he
intends to use the catapult to launch attacks against the
Federation and Cardassian ships. Janeway is doubtful, but Seven
presents compelling theories, using some of the same evidence
she used to cast aspersions on Janeway, but drawing different
conclusions.
When Janeway and Chakotay compare notes, they realize Seven has
been filling both of their minds with paranoid theories. Once
the Doctor runs a diagnostic on her alcove, he finds that Seven
has downloaded more information than she can process. Janeway
beams to the Delta Flyer, which Seven is using to make a
paranoid escape, and uses her own version of past events to
convince Seven that her synaptic patterns are in chaos. They
return to Voyager, and Seven is treated in sickbay. |
