05x06 - Timeless

[bunniefuu]

We're here.

The glacial fractures
are stable.

We're clear to beam inside.

Acknowledged.

Not exactly the way
l remember it.

Power grid's been destroyed.

Neural gel packs-- frozen solid.

Decks 9 through 14
are now Deck 10.

They've been compacted.

Looks like they hit the ice
at full impulse.

The EMH?

l'm trying to access Sick Bay.

The relays aren't responding.

l'm losing the interface.

Reset the power cell.

Come on!

Let's get moving.

Keep an open com-link.

Chakotay to Tessa.

Go ahead.

l found her.

Lock on to the transporter relay
and beam her to the lab.

Stand by.

Make it quick.

This isn't exactly
a happy reunion.

l've got a lock.

Please state the nature of...

Long time no see.

Ensign.

l go by Harry now.

lt's a long story.

Where's your mobile emitter?

What's happened to the ship?
The crew?

No time. The emitter.

lt's in here, but...

Here.

Slap it on and let's go.

Wait. l demand an explanation.

l'll give you one.

We're here to change history.

Ladies and gentlemen, please...

may l introduce

the next generation
of instellar propulsion--

the quantum slipstream drive.

Four years, two months,
1 1 days--

that's precisely how long

Voyager's been
in the Delta Quadrant.

And during that time,

we've advanced
the frontiers of exploration

and, more importantly,
we've survived.

Hear, hear.

Now it's time to go home.

Enjoy the celebration,
but keep in mind,

we've still got a lot of work
to do before tomorrow's flight.

Go easy on that champagne,
Lieutenant.

Quantum matrix...

Benamite crystals...

Borg technology...

Can you imagine
what Starfleet is going to say?

l don't think
we'll hear any complaints.

The Federation's
first slipstream drive--

they'll probably nominate us
for the Cochrane Medal of Honor.

l'll start working
on my acceptance speech.

''l'd like to thank
the Borg collective...''

Dinner plans?

Nothing special.
Date with a replicator.

Cancel it.
That's an order.

Aye, Captain.

Lieutenant?

Lieutenant.

Excuse me.

My contribution
to the slipstream drive.

Thanks.
What is it?

A Talaxian furfly.

An old spacefaring tradition
among my people.

lf one of these creatures
stowed away on your ship,

it was a sign of good fortune.

l had this little fellow
preserved.

He hung in my engine room
for six years.

Cute.

Mr. Neelix, you are an unending
source of astonishment.

Why, thank you, Mr. Vulcan.

Seven?

My visual processors
and motor cortex--

they are malfunctioning.

Sounds like a problem
with your cortical implant.

We'd better have a look.

Hold still.

l cannot comply.

You're intoxicated.

lmpossible.

Your blood synthehol level
is .05 percent.

How many glasses of champagne
did you consume?

One.

Obviously, the Borg
can't hold their liquor.

Come to Sick Bay.

l'll give you some inaprovaline
to counteract the effects.

l was simply trying
to perfect my social skills

as you instructed me to do.

And you're doing a fine job.

You have always been

of enormous assistance
to me, Doctor.

You... you are my mentor.

Yes.

We are as one.
We are as one.

Did you see that?

Hmm.

l think our drone did
a little too much celebrating.

Speaking of which, when are
you going to join the party?

ln a minute.

You're running a warp core
diagnostic now?

Harry, l think
we built an Edsel.

A what?

A lemon;
a disaster waiting to happen.

l ran a simulation last night

and l discovered
a .42 phase variance

in the slipstream threshold.

.42?
So it'll be a bumpy ride.

We've flown through worse.

lf we get knocked out of
that slipstream mid-flight...

it could overload
the quantum matrix.

Did you tell the Captain?

Not yet.

l didn't want to spoil
the festivities

until l was sure.

Tom, if it'll make you
feel better,

we'll go
to the holodeck right now,

run a few more simulations.

lt's probably
just a sensor glitch.

We're at full impulse.

Engaging slipstream drive.

Quantum field is stable.

Deflector at maximum.

Slipstream velocity
in four, three, two...

Power output is steady.

Quantum field is holding.

Shields down to 73 percent.

Looking good.

Keep that deflector aligned
and we should be...

We've got a phase variance--
point one.

Point two.

Remodulate the deflector.

No effect.
Point four.

l'm shutting down the drive.

No, wait. l want to invert
the quantum field.

lt's no use.

That slipstream is collapsing.

lnertial dampers are off-line.

Warning.
Hull breach on Deck 10.

We're losing
structural integrity.

Computer, freeze program!

One more time.
l think if we reroute

emergency power to the deflector
a little earlier...

lt won't help.

Computer,

restart simulation
at time index...

Computer, belay that order.

lt's no use, Harry.

We can't just give up.

23 simulations, 23 catastrophes.

This is no sensor glitch.

We've got to tell them.

That can't be right.

We tested this engine
molecule by molecule.

l'm sorry, B'Elanna.

l wish to examine
the results of the simulation.

Holodeck 2--
run them for yourself.

That is, if you don't mind being
vaporized a few dozen times.

l looked at their findings,
Captain.

lf we try to take
that flight in the morning,

we'll be in escape pods
by afternoon.

lt would appear we have
no choice but to cancel it.

Either that or...

we can try it Harry's way.

Ensign?

l've got an idea.

lt's tricky,
but l think it could work.

The trouble begins about
17 seconds into the flight.

The phase variance kicks in

and the slipstream
becomes unstable.

What we need is
someone in a shuttle

to ride the rapids
in front of Voyager.

Yes.

They could map the threshold
of the slipstream

as it's forming

and send the phase corrections
back to us.

That is a great idea, Harry.

Now, here's the tricky part.

The shuttle will only be

a couple of seconds
ahead of Voyager.

That doesn't give
auto-navigation

much time to compensate.

Tom?

Couple of seconds?

We can do this, Captain.

Put me on that shuttle.

l'll get Voyager
through the slipstream.

What choice do we have?

Take the drive off-line?

Months of work for nothing?

We built a highly experimental
piece of technology.

There were bound to be setbacks.

The benamite crystals
at the heart of this engine

have already started to decay.

lt could take years
to synthesize more.

l don't know
about the rest of you,

but l didn't do all this work

just to be stopped
by a .42 phase variance.

No offense, Captain.

None taken.

All right, Mr. Kim...

you've convinced me.

Prepare a flight plan

and have it on my desk
within the hour.

Yes, ma'am.

l'll let you know what l decide.

Come in.

Commander, l hope
you've got an appetite.

Famished, but l assumed
you called me here

to talk about
the slipstream flight.

No reason to cancel
our dinner plans.

l've programmed a dish

my grandmother used
to make back on Earth--

vegetable biryani.

Sounds delicious.

l didn't know you could cook.

Normally, l draw the line
at a pot of coffee,

but tonight
is a special occasion.

Oh?

Our last night
in the Delta Quadrant.

l'd say that's special enough.

You've made your decision.

We launch tomorrow at 0800.

You and Harry
will take the Delta Flyer.

Voyager will be
right behind you.

The crew will be pleased.

You can give them
the news yourself...

after dessert.

What about you, Chakotay?

What do you think
about my decision?

l've analyzed
Harry's flight plan.

The theory is sound,

but there are just
too many variables.

lf something goes wrong
in that slipstream...

This could be our only chance
to use the quantum drive.

True, but if you
showed this data

to any Starfleet engineer,

they'd think we were
out of our minds.

We can find another way home.

We've waited this long.

Long enough.
We've waited long enough.

l know it's a risk...

probably our biggest one yet...

but l'm willing to take it.

Are you with me?

Always.

Speaking of risks...

are you ready to try
some home cooking?

l'll alert Sick Bay.

15 years?

Give or take a few weeks.

Where are we?

ln the Takara sector
just outside the Alpha Quadrant.

The crew?

Except for us... dead.

We think Captain Janeway

tried to make an emergency
landing on this planet.

The ship must have been
too heavily damaged.

They were all k*lled on impact.

You've been buried
inside a glacier

for the past 15 years.

You two were here,
on the Delta Flyer

ahead of Voyager.

You made it.

All the way back to Earth.

We got home, Doc,

and all it took was k*lling
everyone we cared about.

Harry.

Starfleet certainly took
their time finding us.

Starfleet...

Starfleet gave up their search
for Voyager over nine years ago.

We had to find you on our own.

Well, l don't know what
to say except... thank you.

l suppose l'd have stayed
in that deep freeze forever.

We're not here
to salvage your program.

We're here to prevent this
disaster from ever happening.

You see, Doc,

15 years ago, l miscalculated
the slipstream threshold

and transmitted the wrong phase
corrections to Voyager.

Boom.

They were knocked
out of the slipstream

and sent to an icy death.

''Thank you, Ensign Kim.''

But l've had a long time
to rethink my mistake,

and now l know how to fix it.

So... we're going
to send Voyager

a new set of phase corrections.

lsn't it a little late for that?

We've found a way to communicate
with Voyager in the past,

just before the accident.

Better late than never.

A message back through time?

Exactly.

How?

l don't understand.

One of her cranial implants
is a transceiver

designed to communicate
with other drones.

That's right.

lt's called
an interplexing beacon.

We want you
to extract the beacon

and determine
its translink frequency.

That shouldn't be a problem.

She looks reasonably
well-preserved.

Good. That'll tell us
where to send the message.

Now, the hard part--
we need to know when to send it.

Can you access
Seven's chronometric node

and pinpoint the exact moment
her cybernetic implants

disengaged
from her organic systems?

Her time of death?

Down to the millisecond,
if possible.

l'll see what l can do.

l told you he'd come in handy.

You said you'd found a way

to communicate
with Seven in the past.

How?

Behold...
Salvage Component 36698--

a Borg temporal transmitter.

Starfleet lntelligence found it

in the wreckage of a Borg cube
in the Beta Quadrant.

We stole it.

Trouble.

Long-range sensors are picking
up a Federation vessel.

How much time do we have?

l entered a low orbit
and remodulated our shields,

but it won't be long
before they find us.

Six hours if we're lucky.

Let me get this straight...

you're fugitives?

''Galaxy's Most Wanted.''

We stole the Delta Flyer, too...

right out
of a Federation shipyard.

We're wanted on two counts
of high treason

and conspiracy to violate
the Temporal Prime Directive.

Wonderful.

Out of the icebox
and into the fire.

We don't have time for this.
Get started.

Aye, sir.

We still have to retrieve
those sensor logs.

Get ready.

Hello, Doctor.

Do l know you?

No, but l feel
like we're old friends.

Tessa Omond.

Hello.

lt's an honor to finally meet
Voyager's infamous EMH.

''lnfamous''?

l've told her
a few horror stories.

Actually, they've always
spoken very highly of you.

Uh-huh... and how did
you get involved

with Bonnie and Clyde here?

Oh, l've had an interest
in Voyager for a long time.

They're having sex.

Pardon?

Chakotay and Tess.

They're a couple;
joined at the hip.

The truth is, Doctor,

l didn't want Chakotay or Harry
to have to face this alone.

l thought l could help.

Ready?

Stay warm.

These controls
are a little clumsy.

l thought you said this ship
was state of the art.

lt was at the time.

l've located the sensor logs,

but... the computer
is denying me access.

My command codes should
still carry some weight.

Hmm... looks like there's
an active file here.

...but should our luck run out,
l'd like to say for the record

that the crew of Voyager acted
with distinction and valor.

You okay?

Yes.

lt's just...

the last time
l was in this chair,

they were all here...

alive.

We're here to get them back.

Can l see that tricorder?

lt's downloading.

Give it a minute.

l don't supposed we have time
for a tour?

Afraid not.

Besides,
l left my quarters a mess.

ln just a few hours,
if all goes as planned,

we'll have changed history.

The past 15 years... erased.

We don't have to do this.

Now you tell me.

l'm serious.

So am l, and l have
no intentions of backing out.

Chakotay...

Look at me...

last minute jitters,
cold feet...

l don't know what to call it.

Ridiculous, isn't it?

After all these years,
working toward this moment

and when it finally comes,

all l can think about
is losing you.

Your heart has always
been here, on Voyager.

That'll never change.

This is where you belong.

And who knows?

Maybe we'll meet someday.

But if we don't...?

Then l'll miss you all the same.

...means all of that
has changed.

You owe me one.

Mr. Kim, your assistance,
please.

Got to go.

What was that all about?

Oh, nothing.

Letter to a friend.

How does it look?

No damage to the infrastructure,

but l'll need an isoprobe.

Way ahead of you, Doc.

So, what was it like,
your homecoming?

Antimatter fireworks,
longwinded dignitaries,

a Vulcan children's choir.

Oh, we got medals
pinned to our tunics.

Chakotay gave a speech
commemorating the Voyager crew.

Brought a tear
to everyone's eye.

Admiral Maclntyre even wanted me
to marry his daughter.

At least you weren't buried
under 20 meters of ice.

You don't know how many times
l wished l was.

l suppose
it must have been difficult

with all your friends
and colleagues left behind.

''Survivor guilt.''

Yeah. l heard a lot about that

from the counselors
back at Headquarters.

''You must learn to accept
the fact that you lived.

''Embrace life.

Move forward.''

l signed on to the first
deep space vessel

l could find.

We tried to calculate
where Voyager

might have fallen
out of the slipstream.

Four years of searching.

We were close.

l could feel it.

Then, Starfleet Command
said it was time

to end the search.

''Low probability of success.''

All those admirals who shook
my hand at the homecoming--

l went to see
every last one of them...

begged them
to keep the search alive.

Pretty soon

even Admiral Maclntyre
stopped returning my calls.

So l resigned from Starfleet.

For the record,

Seven's translink
frequency is 108.44236000.

Could be our lucky number.

l'm encoding it now.

When did you embark
on your life of crime?

The second l heard
about this little gem.

Mr. Kim, did you ever stop

to think about what you're
trying to do here?

Altering the timeline
may make things worse.

At least
you and Chakotay survived.

Why tempt fate?

This ''timeline'' only exists

because l made a mistake
15 years ago.

The crew trusted in me
and l let them down.

Tactical alert.

Vessel approaching,
bearing 184 mark 7.

They've found us.

Chakotay.

Go ahead.

Starfleet's
on an intercept course.

lt's now or never.

We're on our way.

lf you're having doubts,
let me know.

l'll take your program off-line.

But if you're with us,
we tempt fate together.

To aid an honorable thief

or to spend eternity
in cybernetic oblivion?

Let's tempt fate.

Captain's Log, Stardate 52143.6.

With any luck, my next log entry

will be made
in the Alpha Quadrant,

but should our luck run out,
l'd like to say for the record

that the crew of Voyager acted
with distinction and valor.

Shield generators?

On line.

Plasma flow?

Stable.

Com-link?

Secure.

Lunch?

Salami sandwiches.

Feel up to this, Ensign?

Yes, sir.

Chakotay to Voyager.

We're ready.

All hands, this is the Captain.

Take your stations,

secure all systems,

and stand by
for the jump to slipstream.

l've established a telemetry
link with the shuttle.

Match their course and speed.

They're gaining on us.

200,000 kilometers and closing.

You call these
evasive maneuvers?

l'm doing my best.

Harry, status?

The Borg transmitter's on line,
but l'm still waiting

for the Doctor to give me
the temporal coordinates.

Just a few more minutes.

Speed it up.

We've got a Galaxy-class
starship on our tail.

l'm working as fast as l can.

They're hailing us.

You want to talk to them?

lt could buy us some time.

Open a channel.

This is Captain La Forge
of the Starship Challenger.

You seem to be in quite a hurry.

You could say that.

Why don't you

shut down those impulse engines,
drop your shields

and let's talk about this
face-to-face?

Mind if l take a rain check?

As a matter of fact, l do.

We know what you're
about to attempt

and we can't let that happen,

so the Federation Council is
willing to make you an offer--

hand over the Borg transmitter,
stand down your vessel

and the charges of conspiracy
will be dropped.

That's not much of an offer.

lf we succeed, those charges

will never have existed
in the first place.

lf you succeed, countless lives
will be affected.

We're here to save 150 lives--
our crew.

l understand and l might

be doing the same thing
if l were in your position,

but l've got my own crew
to protect,

not to mention
15 years of history,

so... l'm asking you again.

Stand down
and return the transmitter.

You know l can't do that.

And you know
l have to try to stop you.

Yes, l know.

Good luck.

Same to you.

They're targeting our engines.

Shields to full.

Stand by weapons.

Voyager to Chakotay.

Yes, ma'am.

Prepare to enter the slipstream.

Acknowledged.

Engage.

Slipstream velocity
in four, three, two...

Shields down to 62 percent.

Return fire.

Direct hit.
No effect on their shields.

We're no match for them,
Chakotay.

Keep trying.

l don't mean to be a pest,

but we're losing power
back here.

Hold on. We're switching
to emergency backup.

Thank you.

Doc, l need those
temporal coordinates now.

Badgering me won't help.

l'm detecting a phase variance--

point one, point two...

Helm?

l'm still waiting for Harry.

Point three.

Voyager to Delta Flyer.

We need those corrections

or we'll have
to shut down the drive.

We're on it, Captain.

The threshold is fluctuating.

Okay. l can do this.

l'm compensating
for the spatial gradients...

Deflector geometry stable.

Got it!

l'm receiving
the phase corrections.

The phase variance
is decreasing.

Shields are holding.

Looks like we're on our way.

Phase variance is increasing.

Point three... point four.

Harry, what's happening?

The phase variance
is still increasing.

l-l'm not sure, Captain.

lt should be working.

l need an answer, Harry.

We're running out of time.

Let me try
recalibrating the sensors.

l might be overcompensating
for the variance in the...

We've lost our com-link.

Telemetry's down, too.

The slipstream's destabilizing.

Shut down the drive!

l can't.

There's some kind of overload
in the quantum matrix.

l've lost helm control.

l have it.

Her cybernetic systems
were terminated

on Stardate 52164.3,

Borg time index 9.43852.

You're encoding the transmitter
for time index 9.40?

Uh-huh.

That's less than four minutes
before Voyager was destroyed.

Cutting it a little close,
aren't we?

This is no ordinary
phone call, Doc.

We're talking to yesterday.

Timing is everything.

l want to make sure Seven
of Nine gets the information

at just the right moment.

There.

l'm bringing up
the new phase corrections.

This was where l failed
15 years ago, Doc.

This time will be different.

Captain, l am receiving
a transmission.

You said the com-link was down.

lt is.

The signal is being routed

through one
of my cranial implants.

lt contains
a new set of phase corrections.

Does Harry know how to access
your Borg systems?

No.

He must have figured out a way.

Enter the corrections.

They're not compensating
for the phase variance.

The slipstream is collapsing.

Full power to the deflector.

No effect.

Our hull is buckling.

Shields at maximum.
Hold her steady, Tom.

lt's no use.
We're losing attitude control.

lnertial dampers off-line!

What about the Delta Flyer?.

There is no sign of them.

They must have remained
in the slipstream.

Voyager's been thrown
into normal space.

Alter our slipstream course.

We've got to go back.

We can't.

Even if they survived reentry
at this velocity, we wouldn't.

What are you saying?
We've got to find them!

Ensign, there's no choice.

Captain, we're just a few
parsecs from the Alpha Quadrant.

Not exactly how l wanted
to cross the finish line.

Hull breach
on Decks 5 through 10.

We're losing life support.

lf we don't land the ship,

we're risking
structural collapse.

l'm reading a planet
nine million kilometers ahead.

lt's Class-L.

Do it.

We're coming in too fast.
Reverse thrusters.

All hands, brace for impact!

We're still here.

Why are we still here?

Mr. Kim?

The new phase corrections
didn't work.

Are you certain?

lf Voyager had gotten
through safely,

we wouldn't still be here
trying to save them.

The transmitter's functioning.

Seven must have received
our message.

Chakotay, problems!

l can see that.

Our engines are down.

They're locking on to us
with a tractor beam.

Full thrusters.

No effect.

Do we have enough power
to send a plasma surge

through their tractor beam;
break ourselves free?

l think so,

but the EPS relays
have taken heavy damage.

lt could destabilize
the warp core.

lf you want to beam
over to that ship,

l'll understand.

And let you have all the fun?

Harry, we just bought you
a few more minutes.

Acknowledged.

l'm no time travel expert,

but can't we just
call Voyager again?

The past isn't going anywhere.

That's not going to help

if we don't know
what to tell them.

The slipstream
kinetics look right.

Hyperdimensional
progressions... perfect.

Maybe it's
the deflector geometry.

We're free.

The EPS relays are overloading.

Harry, we're looking
at a possible core breach

in less than three minutes.

How's it coming back there?

Great! Just great!

lt took me ten years
to make these corrections.

l can't fix it in three minutes!

You've got to try!

l can't!
lt's not working.

Why won't it work?!

l k*lled them!

Control yourself.

They trusted me,
and l k*lled them!

Mr. Kim! l didn't spend all
those years in an ice bucket,

so l could listen
to you berate yourself.

lf you want to wallow
in self-pity, fine!

Do it on your own time!

Don't you see?
History's repeating itself.

l destroyed Voyager once,
and l'm doing it again!

Somebody has got to knuckle
down and change history

and that somebody is you.

lt can't be done, Doc.
l told you.

No, you told me, you can't
correct their phase variance.

All right.
We have to accept that.

But what about
sending Voyager a warning?

ls there a way to get them
to abort the slipstream flight?

Yes. Yes!

l could send a phase correction

which would disperse
the slipstream entirely.

lf we can't get the crew home,

at least
we can save their lives!

Warning. Warp core breach
in 60 seconds.

Can you eject the core?

No.

Emergency systems are off-line.

La Forge to Delta Flyer.

Our sensors are reading
an overload in your warp matrix.

Lower your shields.

We'll beam you out of there.

l appreciate the offer, Captain,
but the answer's no.

l suggest you get
to a safe distance.

Warning. Warp core breach
in 45 seconds.

Harry, now would be a good time.

Mr. Kim!

lt's losing power.

Warning. Warp core breach
in 30 seconds.

Your emitter.

lt's got its own power source.

Would it be enough?

lt's our only chance.

Glad you could join us, Doc.

lt's been a pleasure.

Warning. Warp core breach
in 15 seconds.

Chakotay,
l'm giving this one more try.

Warning. Warp core breach
in ten, nine, eight, seven, six,

five, four, three, two, one...

Yes!

Captain, l am receiving
a transmission.

l thought you said
the com-link was down.

lt is.

The signal is being routed

through one
of my cranial implants.

lt contains
a new set of phase corrections.

Does Harry know how to access
your Borg systems?

No.

He must have figured out a way.

Enter the corrections.

Captain, the quantum drive
just went off-line.

We're dropping to impulse.

Captain,
we've lost the slipstream.

The slipstream collapsed.

We were thrown out right along
with Voyager.

Our com system's back up.

Delta Flyer to Voyager.

What happened?

You miscalculated, Harry.

We entered
the exact phase corrections

you sent to Seven of Nine.

They shut down
the quantum drive.

Captain,

l didn't send any corrections
to Seven of Nine.

She received a message

through one
of her cranial implants.

lt wasn't you?

No, ma'am.

Captain's Log, supplemental.

Our slipstream flight
may have been brief,

but it took nearly ten years
off our journey.

l've given the order
to dismantle the quantum drive

until the technology
can be perfected.

Despite the setback, we have
a renewed sense of momentum.

lt no longer seems a question
of if we get home, but when.

At ease.

Am l interrupting?

No.

l just came here to try
to figure things out.

Phase corrections.

The corrections
l sent you were wrong.

lf you had used them,

Voyager would have been
heavily damaged,

maybe even destroyed.

What l can't figure out

is who sent the other phase
corrections to Seven of Nine.

Looks like we've got
a guardian angel.

Oh, l wish l could believe that.

Believe it.

His name is Harry Kim.

Captain?

Seven found a Starfleet
security code

embedded in the transmission--

yours.

l'm telling you,
l didn't send it.

Not yet.

The transmission had
a temporal displacement.

We believe it originated
from the future--

ten, 20 years from now.

We can't be sure.

Wait a second.

lf l sent a message
from the future

and changed the past,

then that future would
no longer exist, right?

So... how could l
have sent the message

in the first place?

Am l making any sense?

My advice in making sense

of temporal paradoxes
is simple--

don't even try.

To me...

all that matters
is that somewhere

somehow... sometime,

you'll come through for us.

Well, if you won't
take it from me,

take it from you.

Seven found a log entry
encoded in the telemetry...

from Harry Kim

to Harry Kim.

Hello, Harry.

l don't have much time
so listen to me.

15 years ago, l made a mistake
and 150 people d*ed.

l've spent every day since then
regretting that mistake,

but if you're watching
this right now,

that means
all of that's changed.

You owe me one.

Mr. Kim, your assistance,
please.

Got to go.