05x20 - Think t*nk

[bunniefuu]

Hello?

Hello!

I'm here. Hello?

I'm here to see Mr Kurros. Could you...

Could you tell me
where to find Mr Kurros?

Wait!

Do not mind Bevvox.
He can be... grouchy in the morning.

- Welcome aboard.
- Thank you.

- You seem tense.
- No.

This is a time for celebration.

The gee-stability of your world
has been restored, your people saved.

All because you had the wisdom
to accept our help.

You accomplished in days
what we couldn't in decades.

That is not to say
it was not a challenge.

Finding the harmonic
for a planetary containment field

did put my colleague here to the test.
But, in the end, she prevailed.

- We owe you our lives.
- Solving problems is what we do.

And seeing the look of gratitude
in your eyes is almost reward enough.

Almost.

I have some bad news.

Our bernicium mines were destroyed
in the last series of quakes.

The ore's buried under 60 gigatons
of rock. We can't get to it.

We hoped you'd accept this instead.
A rubidium geode. Priceless.

- The only one ever found on our planet.
- It is rare.

But hardly unique.
And it is not what we agreed upon.

I'm sorry,
this is all we can offer you.

You are lying. The mines collapsed,
but before they did,

you transferred the ore
to a shielded store.

Needless to say, we detected it.

Please, we need the ore
for our replicator systems.

Without it,
we'll be unable to feed our people.

Get it to us now, or I will deactivate
the containment field.

Have you experienced
a level 12 seismic event?

- Most find it quite unnerving.
- No!

I'll have the ore transported at once.
This was all a misunderstanding.

Of course.
It is already forgotten, my friend.

Perhaps we will do business again
some day.

- Yes.
- Show our friend back to his shuttle.

I would hate for him to get lost
in such an unfamiliar place.

Pardon me.

Yes.

Captain, long-range scans...

I've wasted two hours

and I'm no closer to solving it.

You can thank Ensign Paris for that.

He was behind the last craze. Yo-yos.

Another hour and I'll go insane.

The solution is simple.

No. I want to figure it out myself.

Long-range scans?

A planetoid with dilithium crystals.

Let's take a look.

Got it!

False alarm.

Keep at it.

- We're within visual range.
- On screen.

Scans show dilithium beneath the crust.

Full sensor sweep.

- The deposits are in the upper mantle.
- We'll have to...

- Hold on.
- What is it?

A resonance wave
coming from the core.

That can't be a coincidence.

Back us off.

- The planetoid is destabilising.
- Shields.

- Report.
- We're in a cloud of metreon gas.

It's collapsed our warp field.

There's an armed vessel to port bow.

Captain, I recognise it.

It's Hazari. Species 4228.

Technologically advanced. Violent.
They make excellent tactical drones.

What do they want with us?

They're hired to capture alien vessels.

- Bounty hunters.
- Yes.

- So who hired them?
- We've made our share of enemies.

They're hailing.

Surrender. No one need be hurt.

My client
would prefer your vessel intact.

- Who hired you?
- That's not your concern.

How much are they paying?
Maybe we can do better.

- Doubtful.
- We're far from defenceless.

- Save yourself some trouble.
- It's no trouble.

Charge phaser banks to full power.

You'll ignite the gas cloud.
You'll be destroyed.

You've left me no choice.
Back off and save your ship.

End transmission.

They're moving closer.
They've locked on a tractor beam.

They're calling your bluff.
It was a bluff, wasn't it?

- Seven, do we still have warp power?
- Yes, but it's useless in the gas cloud.

Maybe not. Reroute everything
to the shields. Prepare to fire phasers.

- Our target?
- The gas cloud.

- The impact will throw us clear?
- If our shields hold.

Go to warp 1 on my command. Fire!

Shields are holding.

We're approaching
the perimeter of the cloud.

- We're out.
- Warp speed.

No sign of pursuit.

They weren't that heavily damaged.
Why aren't they following us?

That's why.
Reinforcements throughout the sector.

- 23 ships.
- Scans show more on the way.

It must be one hell of a reward.

The Hazari pride themselves
on honouring their agreements.

Great. Bounty hunters
with a work ethic.

There's got to be a way out.
Download the data for the captain.

She wants to see
what she can come up with.

- Should I have a hypospray prepared?
- Excuse me?

So you can absorb the caffeine
more directly.

Point well taken.
I'll make this my last cup.

- How about a sounding board?
- You don't want that job.

- Try me.
- It's these Hazari.

They're like jackals,
circling, feinting to draw us out

while they cut off every escape route.

- Worse than the Borg?
- The Hazari wait for your mistakes.

They've anticipated our every move

and the things they seem to have
missed, I'm convinced are traps.

We've faced tough odds before.
You'll get us through.

- Good night.
- Night.

There is nothing like a problem
to spark the synapses.

To open the mind to new possibilities,
new ways of seeing things.

Of course, one must always confront
self-doubt and fear,

but that is a small price to pay
for the exhilaration

of finding the perfect solution.

Who are you and what do you want?

You have a problem, Captain.
I am the solution.

Security to the mess hall.
Intruder alert.

I've deactivated
your communications device.

But do not worry. I am not an intruder.

- In fact, I am not really here.
- A hologram.

Nothing so crude.
An isomorphic projection.

- You actually enjoy this?
- It's an acquired taste.

It bears a resemblance to an Alkian
confection we once acquired.

We?

I am a member of a small group.
Explorers, like you.

But we seek out challenges,
problems to be solved.

Technological, biological, social.

- Even artistic.
- A think t*nk.

I like that. It's very... apt.

Our think t*nk is nearby.
A modest vessel.

I have come to offer our help
with your Hazari paradox.

- Paradox?
- That is right.

Is it an escape route... or is it a trap?

Do they know that you know
that they know?

It is the best kind of puzzle.
Pure tactics, psychology.

Something tells me
your help comes with a price tag.

Whatever you have to offer
that is unique.

Maybe something
you would not think to value.

I would need to see your database.

And how do I know
you aren't a Hazari trap?

Maybe they're trying to lure us
into an ambush, like before.

You are wise to be suspicious,
Captain.

We have done some preliminary
analysis on them and others.

It does suggest
some more likely ambushes.

I've downloaded the data
onto your computer.

All right. You've got my attention.

But I want to meet you and your crew
face to face.

Naturally.
Our coordinates are in here, too.

But we have our security concerns.

Bring only one crewman
and no scanning equipment.

Fair enough.

Then I look forward to meeting you
in person.

- We're approaching the coordinates.
- Full stop.

- Nothing.
- Maybe they're cloaked.

I'm reading a subspace flux.

The hull is composed
of a neutronium alloy.

Starfleet has never come close
to producing such materials.

Neither have the Borg. The think
t*nk's technology is advanced.

You and I will be able
to evaluate it first hand.

Mr Kim, you have
the transport coordinates.

The translator is inoperative.

Or his speech
is too complex to process.

- They must be studying it.
- Actually, she is studying you.

Our expert on temporal physics.

Perhaps the most gifted member
of our group.

- She finds you interesting.
- How do you communicate?

One of my most gifted crewmen,
Seven of Nine.

Bionetic implants?
Neural transceivers?

A Borg? I've never seen one
outside the collective.

I am an individual now.
You may address your comments to me.

Forgive me.
I am Kurros and this is Fennim.

In answer to your earlier question,

this device allows the members of our
group to communicate telepathically.

Impressive.

It sounds as if another member
of our crew is anxious to meet you.

- A bio-plasmic life-form.
- His name is Bevvox.

- He prefers a variable gravity.
- What's his specialty?

At the moment, quantum mechanics and
exo-sociology, but his interests vary.

Bevvox founded our group
100 years ago

after wandering the galaxy
for millennia.

How old is this creature?

If you please,
that is a sensitive topic with him.

And there is one other individual
who rounds out our group.

An artificial intelligence.

The mind of a mathematician
and the soul of an artist.

He'd rather be modelling
a fractal sculpture

than analysing astronomical data.
Now you have met us all.

A small group of minds,

but we've helped hundreds of clients.

We turned the tide in the w*r

between the Bara Plenum
and the Motali Empire.

Recently,
we found a cure for the Vidiian phage.

- The Vidiians?
- You would hardly recognise them.

Last month, we retrieved
a Lyridian child's runaway pet.

A subspace mesomorph.

We had to invent a new technology
just to find it.

What did you ask for
as compensation?

Their transgalactic star charts. The
best map of the galaxy ever created.

When we helped the citizens
of Rivos V resist the Borg,

all we asked for was the recipe
for their zoth-nut soup.

- Care for a taste?
- Another time, perhaps.

- Is there any job you won't do?
- What do you mean?

We have a non-interference protocol.
Our Prime Directive.

I'm curious where you draw the line.

As you know, there is no shortage
of conflict in the Delta Quadrant.

Many of our clients are at w*r.

To be frank, we will assist

in the neutralisation of fleets,
starbases, even planets.

But we will not decimate
an entire species.

Nor will we design weapons
of mass destruction.

My colleague wishes to speak to Seven
of Nine about her bionetic technology.

May he interface with you?

I'm in direct telepathic communication
with this individual.

It is requesting information
about integrating organic components.

Feel free to give him some pointers.

- You're welcome.
- To business, Captain.

I believe we can solve the Hazari
paradox without f*ring at all.

- That's what I'm looking for.
- Then there is the matter of payment.

An overview of Voyager's database.

Specify what you want
and I'll see what I can do.

The replicators are very popular
this year.

I'll contact you with our requests.

I take it first contact was a success.

I have some qualms
about their morality,

but I believe they can help us.

We don't have much good news.

Every escape route is clearly a trap
and more Hazari ships keep joining in.

Then we have no choice.
We'll put our own plans on hold

and see what the think t*nk
comes up with.

- Come in.
- You have a visitor.

Mr Kurros has returned
in isomorphic form.

Send him in.

- Welcome back.
- Captain.

We have compiled a short list of items
we would like. It was not easy.

- Voyager has a great deal to offer.
- Quantum slipstream technology.

It never worked reliably.

It is still intriguing, theoretically.

- Neelix's recipe for Chadre Kab?
- Yes.

An ancient Olmec figurine.

Chakotay can be persuaded
to part with it.

I am pleased to hear that.

- You can't be serious.
- The next item may seem unorthodox.

But it can be beneficial to both of us.

You never mentioned
bartering my crewmembers.

She will have an extraordinary
opportunity to explore the galaxy.

- I'm afraid the answer is no.
- I understand your feelings, Captain.

But have you thought
to ask Seven of Nine herself?

- A curious proposition.
- To say the least.

- How do you wish to proceed?
- I want your opinion.

They are offering us assistance, I am
the payment. The solution is obvious.

This isn't a puzzle, Seven.
There is no solution.

- What's at issue here is your future.
- The issue is Voyager's survival.

Sit. Please.

While I still question this think
t*nk's way of doing things,

there is a genuine opportunity
for exploration.

- The chance of a lifetime.
- You're saying I should go?

I don't want you to go. But it's not
my right to tell you what to do.

Until now, I've kept a close eye
on your progress.

But I think you've learned enough
to make this decision yourself.

Would you like to join them?

I am intrigued. They are an unusual
collective with a compelling mission.

- But I require more data.
- I want you to talk to Kurros.

See if he can answer your questions.

Captain, I appreciate
your giving me this choice.

You've earned it.

And remember, if you do choose to go,

make sure it's what you want,
not what you think is best for Voyager.

We're getting out of this,
with or without the think t*nk's help.

- Why me?
- I admire your humility.

The collective knowledge of the Borg
contained in a single mind.

When we factor in
your innate intelligence

and the enhancements
of your implants,

you are an ideal candidate. The first
we have recruited in 17 years.

When did you arrive
at this assessment?

During your interview.

My dialogue
with the artificial intelligence?

An efficient way
to evaluate your abilities.

- You appreciate that.
- How much do you know about me?

Enough to know that you are tapping
into only a fraction of your potential

as a member of Voyager's crew.

You were adjusting the deflector array
to improve shield harmonics.

- Do you find such duties challenging?
- No.

Without testing the limits of your
abilities, you cannot expand them.

Perfection will always be beyond you.

Seven of Nine, you could become one
of the greatest intellects in the galaxy.

But that will not happen here,
among these limited life-forms.

The crew of Voyager has accepted me,
integrated me into their collective.

They are your family.

It was hard for me to leave my family,
too.

And I was only a child.

Not much older than you
when you were first assimilated.

- Why did you leave?
- To help solve a cataclysmic problem.

The think t*nk requested you
as payment?

I did not realise at first.
I was too young.

But they gave me
a remarkable opportunity.

And now I am offering the same to you.

Your group can assist many collectives.
Yet you often use that ability

as a means of coercion
to obtain what you want.

How many suffer because
they won't agree to your conditions?

We have a singular mission -
to perfect our knowledge.

Perfection
sometimes necessitates selfishness.

It is your life, not Voyager's, not
Captain Janeway's or anyone else's.

It is up to you to achieve
the goals you have set for yourself.

I agree.

But I can do that here.

Please, take more time
to think about this.

We will remain nearby
in case you change your mind.

I doubt that will happen.

- Seven of Nine, report to the bridge.
- Acknowledged.

- May I accompany you?
- As you wish.

- Do you have a problem?
- Two Hazari ships are approaching.

- I have declined their offer.
- Our first offer.

Glad you're sticking around.
Take your station.

They are flanking our position.

- Which one fired?
- The ship to starboard.

- Shields down to 60%.
- Evasive manoeuvres.

Target their weapons systems
and return fire.

- Their shields are holding.
- I can't get away.

Hull integrity's been compromised.

Captain, when the Hazari strike
in pairs, one ship remains behind

to reinforce the shields
of the attacking vessel.

So we should target the support ship.
How much does this tip cost?

This one is free.

- I'll take it. Tuvok...
- Re-targeting.

f*ring photon torpedoes.

- They are disengaging.
- Get us out, maximum warp. Thanks.

A friendly gesture in the hope
that Seven will change her mind.

- I hope not.
- You are making a fatal mistake.

In hundreds of scenarios, Voyager
will not survive without our help.

- Your scenarios, not mine.
- Your confidence is unfounded.

Reconsider.

Order Seven of Nine to join us.

We have an old expression.
"Don't call us, we'll call you."

Remodulate the shields
to a phase variance frequency.

His ship is vanishing,
being absorbed into subspace.

I feel they won't take no
for an answer.

Same here. Looks like
we're facing two threats now.

The Hazari and our would-be saviours.

Our offer was denied.
How shall we proceed?

- We are already proceeding.
- Our offer was refused.

We must let the scenario continue.

Our calculations indicate a 96% chance
the Borg will still be ours.

Then it is decided.

We will wait

and let our problem solve itself.

Duranium hull fragments, a thruster
assembly, human organic residue.

We were supposed to disable
their ship, not destroy it.

- They've entered the debris field.
- Detonate the spatial charges.

Their vessel is damaged.
Shields and weapons are off-line.

Lock on a tractor beam
and pull them into the shuttlebay.

- We're in transporter range.
- I've got a lock. Two life-forms.

Energise.

- Any luck?
- I'm trying to access their database.

Let me guess.
They're the strong, silent types.

- Very silent.
- Did you try a mind-meld?

They are unusually resistant.

Hold off on the t*rture
till we see what we can dig up here.

I've found something.
A series of encoded transmissions.

They've been discussing Voyager.

Whoever hired them
know a lot about us.

- Check their logs for recent visitors.
- I've got some scrambled bio-readings.

Perhaps the Doctor
can unscramble them.

Tell him to give it a try.

I've created a forensic reconstruction
from the bio-readings.

Brace yourselves.

Malon. They must really hold a grudge.
We haven't run into them for months.

Something isn't right.

- Malon are economically motivated.
- There's no profit in revenge.

Look. Isomorphic signatures
embedded in the bio-readings.

This was no Malon.
It was only a projection.

That's a hologram of a hologram?

In a manner of speaking.

I can restore
the original bio-signal parameters.

Brace yourself.

It appears our Hazari paradox
is more complex than we thought.

I believe we're both being manipulated
by the same person.

Recognise him?

- No.
- His name is Kurros.

The Malon you met
was nothing more than a projection.

My sensors would detect a hologram.

Not this one.
Kurros is a member of a think t*nk.

They solve problems for a price.

You have heard of them.

They're notorious.
They've made quite a few enemies.

Enemies who might pay
a hell of a bounty.

Their technology
makes them difficult to track.

Not if we work together.

You're the best hunters in the
quadrant and we have the perfect lure.

All we have to do
now is... out-think the think t*nk.

We've got a puzzle and we're not
leaving this room until we solve it.

The think t*nk
is hiding in subspace.

How do we find them?
Even if we can,

their ship's hull
is impervious to our weapons.

- How do we capture them?
- Send out a multi-spacial probe?

- It would take weeks to find them.
- Weeks? We can't wait that long.

Force them out
with subspatial charges.

- Where do we target the charges?
- We're doing this the wrong way.

A direct as*ault
seems unlikely to succeed.

Pure tactics, psychology.
That's how they solve problems.

We have to do that.
They created this paradox

to manipulate us
into giving them Seven of Nine.

How do we manipulate them?

Think.

We were onto something
with B'Elanna's plan.

- I was wrong.
- Let him talk.

Enough! Three hours, no progress.

I should have contacted my ships.

- Maybe we can't out-think them.
- Captain?

They'll have planned
for our undermining their plans.

This thing is driving me crazy.
You said you knew the solution.

Prove it.

- How did you do that?
- I scanned it.

It works on a fractal regression.

- That's cheating.
- Cheating is often more efficient.

If you can't solve a puzzle, cheat.

If you can't out-think a think t*nk,
don't try.

- Are you suggesting we give up?
- No.

You linked with the artificial intelligence
through their communications array.

Yes.

If you linked with them again, we might
be able to disrupt those systems.

If they can't communicate,
they'd be vulnerable.

- But how do we find them?
- Simple. We give them what they want.

You're going to
join their group... willingly.

- They won't believe her.
- We'll have to make them.

We've got some more work to do.

A Hazari vessel is sending hails.

- It's trying to contact us.
- Put them through.

- They're responding.
- We have received your hails.

- Can we be of assistance?
- You deceived us.

- We haven't met.
- Stop the pretence.

You wanted us to deliver Voyager.
Very well.

But only if you triple our bounty.

My friend, regardless of the
circumstances, we have a contract.

Pay us, or we let Voyager go.

All right, we will triple the bounty.
But you must deliver them to us. Now.

Agreed.
We'll contact the rest of our ships.

We'll seize Voyager as planned.

- Shields down to 30%.
- Return fire.

Our phasers aren't penetrating.

- Shields and phaser banks are down.
- Life support's failing.

Let us be honest, Captain. Things
do not seem to be going your way.

- Don't count us out yet.
- You have been clever.

You uncovered us, but you failed
to factor in all the variables.

The greed of the Hazari, for example.

- Photon torpedoes?
- Aft launchers on-line.

- Target the lead Hazari ship.
- Torpedoes will not alter the outcome.

If Seven of Nine does not join us,

the destruction of your ship
is 99.8% certain.

Fire.

Direct hit. It's been disabled.

Clinging to that 0.2% chance? Hazari
reinforcements should be here soon.

He's right. Sensors just picked up
six ships on an intercept course.

Captain, I'm detecting an unauthorised
shuttle launch. It's Seven of Nine.

- What the hell is she doing?
- I believe she's saving your ship.

She's not answering hails.
She's being pulled into subspace.

- She's gone.
- Have a safe journey home, Captain.

Seven of Nine, welcome.

Your hospitality is irrelevant.
You left me no choice.

You gave in to your instincts
to save your crew.

We knew you would.
Another factor in our equation.

If Voyager is destroyed,
I will not cooperate.

Do not worry. The solution
to the Hazari paradox is quite simple.

We have what we want.
Call off your att*ck.

- Not until we've been compensated.
- Fine.

- Order your vessels to stand down.
- Now, or we'll destroy Voyager.

- Why is he in such a hurry?
- Comply.

If we decloak, we would be vulnerable.

The Hazari could make
quite a bounty on us.

Far more than we are paying them.

Their technology is inferior.
They wouldn't att*ck you.

This is a trap. A new paradox
your captain has created for us.

If we call their bluff,
the Hazari might destroy Voyager,

and we would lose you.

If we reveal ourselves,
we could be destroyed.

You told me, "Without testing
the limits of your abilities,

"you can never expand them."

There is one very simple way
to narrow the odds.

We link you into our
communications system

and allow our artificial intelligence
to probe your mind.

Captain Janeway's plans
will be revealed

like a jewel in a bed of fog.

Seven's neural transceiver
has been activated.

Acknowledged. Do it.

I'm transmitting the carrier wave.

Voyager is interfering with
our systems via her cortical implant.

Disconnect the link.

Disconnect the link.

They can't understand you.

Voyager to Hazari vessels.

Their systems are down.
Fire the spatial charges.

We seem to be experiencing turbulence.

Primitive spatial charges.

I will have the dome back on-line
before they do any damage.

We're being pulled out of subspace.

- I've got a lock on Seven.
- Initiate transport.

The Hazaris are converging
on the think t*nk.

- Tom.
- Setting a course.

- I urge you to reconsider, Captain.
- You've outstayed your welcome.

We can still negotiate
a peaceful solution.

Do not destroy my faith in diplomacy.

Your diplomacy
could use some polishing.

You know you will never be satisfied
here among these people.

Is this what you really want?

Acquiring knowledge
is a worthy objective.

But its pursuit
has obviously not elevated you.

Looks like your ship's
having difficulties.

- A minor problem.
- I'm sure you'll find a solution.

Just give it some... thought.