06x12 - Blink of an Eye

[bunniefuu]

That planet never showed up
on the multiple-choice exam.

Its gravimetric readings
are similar to a collapsed dwarf star.

It also resembles a quasar,
as it has a high rate of rotation -

58 revolutions per minute.

- Shall we take a closer look?
- That's what we're here for.

- Tom, put us in a high orbit.
- Aye.

Our warp drive is off-line.

- Why?
- Unknown.

- Back us off.
- Our impulse engines aren't responding.

Then use the auxiliary thrusters.

Some kind of gravimetric gradient
is pulling us toward the planet.

The new one is brighter than Tahal,
or any of his brothers in the sky.

What does he want from us?

We must learn the nature of this god.

We must understand
the reason for his arrival.

You were making an offering to Tahal.

I placed the fire-fruit on his alter,

then the ground shook.

I looked up and the new one was there.

The fire-fruit, where is it?

He doesn't want Tahal to have fire-fruit.

Make an altar for him, as big as Tahal's.

The fire-fruit is only for the new one.

No more for the people.

It is his alone.

Ground shaker, light bringer,

take this today and every day.

Accept our offering. Do not harm us.

- Report.
- We're in synchronous orbit.

- Good work, Tom.
- You patted the wrong guy on the back.

- Good work, Tom.
- You patted the wrong guy on the back.

- Explain.
- Thrusters went off-line in the descent.

We stopped
like we were caught in something.

I'm picking up
a tachyon field along the hull.

- It could be holding us.
- Seven of Nine to the bridge.

- Go ahead.
- Please report to astrometrics.

- There's something you must see.
- On my way. Chakotay.

This planet has a tachyon core.

It's produced a subspace particle field
which runs between the poles.

Voyager's arrival disrupted that field.

Like the ship's been caught in an eddy.

It's worse than that. Voyager seems
to have become the planet's third pole.

The imbalance is affecting
the outer crust.

I've picked up
high-frequency seismic activity.

- Caused by our presence?
- Possibly.

Does anybody live down there?

The atmosphere has
a scattering effect on sensors.

- Is that vegetation?
- Sensors say yes.

There's a space-time differential
between the planet and space.

We're watching the seasons change
in seconds.

For each second that passes on
Voyager, a day goes by on the planet.

Scan for inhabitants.

I can't isolate life-forms. It'll take time
to correct for the differential.

A couple of hundred years maybe.

If our orbit decays, we'll feel
the effects of the differential

and we'll age hundreds of times
faster than in normal space.

Unless we want to live life
in the blink of an eye,

I suggest we find a way out of here.

- How's our warp core?
- Matter-antimatter reaction is active.

But this field is raising hell
with the nacelles.

Until we break orbit,
warp drive is off-line.

- Without warp drive, we'll never leave.
- It does pose a bit of a problem.

The key is to learn about the planet,
in case we're missing something.

The sensors aren't having
an easy time of it.

Then let's modify a class-5 probe
for low orbit, see what we can pick up.

Configure it to scan
along all subspace bands

and set it for visual images
every ten milliseconds.

Snapshots. I get the feeling you're not
just interested in tachyon fields.

This could be the greatest
anthropological find of my career.

If there's a species there, we'll be able
to track their development for centuries.

Watch them discover new ways
of b*ating each other over the head.

They might not follow a Klingon model.

As opposed to a human model? It'll take
a few hours to make the adjustments.

A few hours. We might miss
the rise and fall of a civilisation.

So we'll watch the next one.

- Protector.
- You're late.

Well, the hill is steep and I'm not
as young as I used to be.

- More heat.
- Yes, Protector.

There are grave matters of state
that cannot be delayed.

Protector, what exactly are you doing?

- I'm sending him a letter.
- Him?

Sending who a letter?

The ground shaker, the light bringer.

Had you been more attentive
to my lessons when you were a boy,

you would not be so gullible as a man.

On the contrary, you taught me well.

Our ignorant ancestors believed
every star was a deity.

You taught me how foolish that was.
Superstition you called it.

That's exactly what it is.

- Hungry?
- It's bad fortune to eat the fire-fruit.

According to whom, our ancestors?

Don't tell me you believe
that old superstition.

We shouldn't completely ignore
the old beliefs,

no matter how strange
they may seem today.

Ground shaker. Isn't it possible
the name was not given arbitrarily?

That this star is indeed responsible
for knocking down our walls

and making us stumble as we walk?

- I heard about that. My condolences.
- You heard what?

That you stumbled in front
of several important people,

during the last ground shake.
Very embarrassing, I'm sure.

I did nothing of the sort.

My... hearing is not as good as it used
to be, nor my memory either.

Now... what were we talking about?

We were talking about
ancient superstitions.

I don't believe for a moment that the
stars are gods. But then, what are they?

A great mystery
to which there is no answer.

I believe the sky is full of people,
just like ourselves.

What? Nonsense.

Prove me wrong.
I say each star encompasses a city.

And the ground shaker rules one
of these cities. A fellow Protector.

If I'm correct, then he'll listen to me,
one Protector to another. Your pen.

I, Kelemane, son of Kelemane...

...ruler of the people of the land
below you, demand that you stop...

Demand?

- Would hope?
- Much better.

Would hope that you might consider
putting an end to whatever it is

that shakes our ground.

If this causes you inconvenience,
I'm willing to offer a recompense.

A recompense.

I await your reply.

A series of scans is coming through.

I'm downloading them
into the display buffer.

No doubt about it.
There's a city down there.

Elevated levels of carbon monoxide,
ammonium. That's progress.

They've developed
internal combustion technology.

Look at the radial lines.
It looks like a system of roads.

One thing hasn't changed - geological
disturbances that Voyager is causing.

The probe recorded six each month.
No way to tell how severe they are.

Look at the iron
being used in that city.

Ten times what you'd expect
in a culture at this stage.

They use it to support buildings?

If you lived on a planet that wouldn't
stop shaking, you'd do the same.

If they've reached this stage of industrial
development, they must be observing us.

The probe's impulse thrusters
are starting to fail.

At its altitude,
it's operated for 200 years.

- Its orbit is becoming decayed.
- Initiate self-destruct.

It disintegrated. If they saw anything,
it just looked like a sh**ting star.

- Any response to our transmission?
- Nothing.

- No visual change either.
- Surprised?

Send it again.

The entire sequence?
How about just the prime numbers?

- You're tired.
- So are you.

The prime numbers and the elemental
constants, then we'll stop.

An acceptable compromise.

It's not as if they're going anywhere,
if they exist in the first place.

- Do you doubt that?
- I doubt everything.

So you weren't one of those children
that had the series of Sky Ship friends?

Actually, I had them all,
even the duplicates.

You couldn't walk into my home
without tripping over a friend.

Not in our home.
My grandfather wouldn't allow it.

He told us that the Sky Ship was
a palace where an evil Protector lived.

He said that bad children
were sent there to be punished.

At this point, I'd be happy
to see anything...

...evil or not.

Can you boost the signal?

We're already at maximum.

Maybe if we switched
to a different carrier wave to...

If there is somebody up there,
they don't like us much.

Beings capable of building a Sky Ship
could have destroyed our world.

They're not causing
the tremors on purpose.

What if they're dead?

If you truly believe that,
why did you join this project?

I doubt everything, remember?
Even my own doubts.

- I hope someone is up there.
- So do I.

If they won't respond to mathematics,

perhaps we should try
a more personal approach.

Here.

Say hello.

- How could they speak our language?
- There's only one way to find out.

What should I say?

Glad to meet you. Where are you from?
Please stop shaking our planet.

An ultra-high-frequency signal is being
transmitted from the surface.

The modulation is unfamiliar.
Its Doppler component is...

Any signal would be accelerated
when it reached our time frame

to a frequency thousands
of times higher.

I'll attempt to slow it down.

Again.

Amplitude modulation.
It's a radio transmission.

It's a numerical sequence.

Prime numbers.
They're sending a list of prime numbers.

Followed by a sequence of mathematical
constants and a vocal modulation.

Slow it down again.

A little more.

Friends in the Sky Ship. I call you that
hoping, at least, that you're not enemies.

There's nothing on our world
that resembles your technology,

so we assume you came here
from a nearby planet or a distant star.

Our ancient mythology describes
your arrival centuries ago,

coinciding with the tremors
that continually shake our planet

and destroy so many
of our accomplishments.

I hope that was never your intention,
but the result is the same.

Respond if you can. Or if you wish,
come down from your ship and visit us.

We let them know
we're not doing it on purpose.

Inadvisable.
The Prime Directive still applies.

This transmission was made
with primitive radio technology.

- They are not warp capable.
- To hell with that.

- That man deserves an answer.
- The temporal differential.

- That man has been dead a long time.
- Nearly a century by now.

So we send a message to his
great-grandchildren. I'll do the honours.

Ancient mythology. We've already
insinuated ourselves into their culture.

- Why not take the next step?
- First contact with a pre-warp society.

We've made first contact.
They know we're here.

They've known for hundreds of years,

which means our presence
has been tempered by time.

We've gradually become
part of their mythos.

Meeting us could throw
that belief system into chaos.

But we're destroying their planet.

A first contact might give us information
we could use to leave orbit,

to stop the damage.
It's worth the risk.

We don't know if an away team
could survive the transition.

Doctor, correct me if I'm wrong, but
the physiological stress could be fatal.

For one of you perhaps, but not for me.
My holo-matrix would be unaffected.

You'd be going only as an observer.

You're not to make contact.

I localised the transmission
to the southern hemisphere.

- The Central Protectorate?
- How do you know that?

I've been looking at the data. Seven's
picked up a few local transmissions.

I can tell you the names
of all 26 states on the planet.

- And the best places to eat?
- Just about.

So is this a good place
to send the Doctor?

Probably. Judging from transmissions,
they seem to have a tolerant society.

Just to be on the same safe side,
I'll find him an isolated spot.

I'm giving you access
to your facial parameters.

You should be able to mimic
whoever's down there in seconds.

What if they're big purple blobs?

Then you'll be the best-looking blob.
I'm keeping you there for three seconds.

That'll be two days
in their time frame.

Gather any data you can,
seismic charts, meteorological records,

to give us a clue how to break orbit.

Understood.

This speeds up the scanning rate
of your program to make the transition.

See you soon.

Energising.

One, two, three.

- The confinement beam is destabilising.
- We'll have to recalibrate.

Every second
he's in danger of discovery.

Locking on again.

We've lost him.

I'm scanning within a 100 kilometre
radius of where we sent him. Nothing.

He could have moved
to the other side of the planet.

Increasing radius to 1,000 kilometres.

- Chakotay to Seven of Nine.
- Go ahead.

Have you picked up any information
on opera houses or concert halls?

The cultural centre of the state runs
along the shore of the eastern lake.

Got him. B'Elanna,
stand by for the coordinates.

Acknowledged.

I've reinitialised the confinement beam.
It's holding.

Locking on.

Captain! Lieutenant!

Oh! I thought I'd never see you again.

Are you all right?

- I had a few close calls over the years...
- Years?

It's been over three, but at least
I knew you hadn't left me behind.

I'd look up and there you were,
the brightest star in the sky.

- What do they know about us?
- Only that we arrived centuries ago.

They blame us for the seismic tremors,
but everything else is speculation.

Let me tell you, they like nothing better
than to speculate about Voyager.

Darek would go on and on,
"Sky Ship this, Sky Ship that."

- Darek?
- The owner of my building until the w*r.

There was a w*r?

The neighbouring state decided
to lob a few cannon shells at us.

Our tactical air command responded
and a new treaty was signed in weeks.

But my apartment was ruined.

- So they have aviation technology?
- They're hardly savages.

They're making great strides
technologically, thanks to Voyager.

What do you mean?

From the moment our ship arrived,
they've been trying to make contact.

Our presence has encouraged invention,
religion, science, art, even toys.

They're all variations on a single theme -
Voyager.

Mareeza even composed an aria
based on the Sky Ship.

- I sang the lyric.
- Mareeza?

She was my... roommate.

Three years is a long time, Captain.

One needs... companionship.

You'll get no argument from me.

Did you learn anything
that might help us break orbit?

It's all in here.

Meteorological records for the last
300 years are committed to memory.

Some are inaccurate, but recent ones
include detailed seismic analyses.

Get the information to astrometrics. See
if you can find any pattern to the quakes.

See you in sickbay.
I'll download the data

and we'll do
a little cosmetic surgery, too.

Unless you prefer looking like that.

Of course. I completely forgot.

If some people on the planet
had their way,

those weapons would be
pointed at Voyager.

- Luckily, the ship is still out of range.
- I can't blame them.

There's a space race
going on between the states.

"Who can get to the starship first
with a rocket?"

Are we talking about a capsule with an
astronaut or a m*ssile with a warhead?

I can't answer that,
but at their rate of development,

we won't have to wait long to find out.

How does this sound? "The Weird
Planet Where Times Moves Very Fast.

"And So Do The People
Who Live There" by Naomi Wildman.

That's my report for astronomy class.

Neelix said I should choose a planet
to write about, so I picked this one.

Your title is verbose.
I suggest you try to condense it.

"The Weird Planet".

Better, but it lacks precision.

- "The Weird Planet Displaced In Time".
- Perfect.

Seven of Nine to the bridge, I'm
transmitting my calculations to the helm.

What's happening?

The Doctor brought back data
on the graviton field.

- We're using it to realign our thrusters.
- That'll be great for my report.

Secure your stations
and prepare to break orbit.

Brace yourself.

Our altitude is increasing.

50 metres, 60...

Bridge, our attempt to leave orbit
is increasing the seismic activity.

- We must abort.
- Agreed.

Is the planet OK?

Minimal damage along the equatorial
coastline. Nothing serious.

Seven, do you think
we'll ever be able to leave?

- Eventually.
- I hope so.

I need a way to end my report.

Launch control, we're ready
to ignite second-stage propellants.

Proceed.

- Second-stage propellants depleted.
- Final stage. Ready.

Ready to ignite final-stage propellants.

Launch control, awaiting
your command to proceed.

What was that?

There's nothing wrong
with the transponder.

Launch control,
we're not receiving your orders.

Everything else is working perfectly.

Ignite the final stage.
We have to proceed with the mission.

Final-stage propellants depleted.

Initiate deceleration thrusters.

Thrusters active.

Watch your pitch angle.

- Correcting.
- Distance check.

- We're in rendezvous range.
- Rendezvous sequence locked in.

Moving into final position.

- Distance check.
- We're within scanning range.

Let's take a look.

The scans won't penetrate their hull.

- We'll have to go inside.
- We're not authorised to do that.

Our orders were to learn about
the Sky Ship. That's my intention.

I saw something that looks like
a transfer port.

It might be a place we can dock.

Move in closer.

Wait. Wait.

- Are you all right?
- A little disoriented.

Let's keep going.

I don't understand.

Her skin feels warm.

It might be
some sort of metabolic stasis.

But why does it look like they're
just going about their business?

This isn't right. We shouldn't be here.
We were never meant to be here.

- Try and stay calm.
- Please, we have to leave.

You're our best pilot.
That's why you're here.

- This is no different...
- No, it's different.

I can't argue with that. Another
few minutes, then we'll go back.

This looks like their command centre.

This is not metabolic stasis.

Could the laws of physics
be different here?

Maybe they're just a little slower.

What's wrong?

Intruder alert. Security team to deck 1.

I'm picking up a ship at docking port 1.
It just appeared.

Bridge to sickbay, medical emergency.

- What can you tell me?
- The transition was rough for them.

- His colleague didn't make it.
- How is he?

Recovering. Lucky for him,
I'm as good as his family doctor.

After years of poring over their medical
journals, I know about their physiology.

Easy.

- Where's Terrina?
- She didn't survive the transition.

I'm very sorry.

Transition?

To your time frame?

You understand
what's happened to you?

I'm beginning to.

Voyager exists in the same space-time
as the rest of the galaxy.

Your planet is different.

So you haven't been
watching us for centuries.

We just got here and we're hoping
you can help us find a way to leave.

So if what you're saying is true,

everyone I know... everyone I knew,
is gone.

That's correct.

Captain, I'm an accomplished pilot.
That's why I'm on this mission.

But I don't have
the courage of the others.

- They made a mistake choosing me.
- I have to disagree.

For someone whose life has just been
turned upside down, you're doing fine.

When I was a young child,

the toys hanging above my crib
depicted the Sky Ship.

That's the first thing I ever remember
seeing, even before my mother's face.

And now I'm the only one
that knows its name. Voyager.

I suppose it'll be the last thing
I see as well.

That's up to you. I have no intention
of keeping you here against your will.

The Doctor spent time
on your planet collecting data

to help us find a way to leave.

We need you to assist us
in interpreting that information.

However, the longer you stay on board,
the more difficult it will be to go home.

Your culture is changing
every second you're here.

By the time you go back, you might
find it more alien than ours.

Star of the night, star of the day.

Come to take my tears away.

Make my life always bright...

- It's a child's prayer.
- To Voyager?

Yes.

I hope you're not disappointed.

How often does
your very first dream come true?

Of course I'll help you.

The information is in our database.

Seven is trying to make sense of it.

- She'll welcome assistance.
- Mountain or Lakeside?

Mountain.
Are you a Lakeside supporter?

- You were on the surface.
- How are they doing?

- Not good. 12 losses.
- I don't believe it.

- Who's guarding for them?
- Torelius.

- Related to the Torelius?
- Grandson.

I saw the original defend
in the play-offs against Red River.

- That was before I was born.
- He'd have gone into exile after that.

This information is out of date.
We were more advanced when I left.

- I can help you correct it.
- Very well.

Start with the geological data.

Seismic detectors then were
off by a variance of 3.8.

A simple conversion
will compensate for that.

Does every planet look like ours?

None that I've seen.
Your world appears to be unique.

If we're so out of step, we'll never be
able to explore space the way you have.

You're highly-adaptable.

Your scientists will find a way
to compensate for the differential.

They'd better do it before you leave.

Without the Sky Ship above, my people
might lose interest in progress -

nothing left to reach for.

Perhaps they'll miss Voyager so much,
they'll do all they can to follow us.

Maybe so.

- What was that?
- An antimatter implosion.

Your world is experimenting
with warp technology.

Sensors detected an early test.
Another test, six weeks later.

And a third, more controlled each time.
They're learning quickly.

Too quickly.

- What was that?
- Unknown, but shields down to 82%.

- 64%.
- I don't know what's causing it.

There's nothing on sensors.

Janeway to Seven of Nine. Are you
picking up anything in astrometrics?

The inhabitants have developed
antimatter torpedoes.

I believe we're under att*ck.

Another direct hit.
Shields at 49%.

- I apologise. They have no right.
- Unfortunately, they've got every right.

- Let me talk to them.
- We tried to hail them.

They can't receive our transmissions.

- They don't know about the differential.
- A logical assumption.

- Shields down to 34%
- Torpedoes fired at three-day intervals.

- They make refinements each time.
- Isn't it time we returned fire?

We've done enough damage to them
over the last 1,000 years.

You've got to go back. It's the only way.

Make them understand who we are.
You have the specifications of this ship.

Your scientists could
use them to help free us.

- But get them to hold their fire.
- Transporters off-line.

- Is his vessel still intact?
- The docking port hasn't been hit yet.

Good luck.

This will accelerate your metabolic
functions, help you make the transition.

- Thank you.
- A pleasure to treat a fellow citizen.

- Would you do me a favour?
- Certainly.

Find out what happened to Jason
Tabreez from the Central Protectorate.

- Jason? An unusual name.
- Yes, he was my... son.

- But you're a hologram.
- It's a long story.

He's dead by now, but perhaps you
could discover what happened to him.

Maybe he had children or grandchildren.

- If you could tell them about me.
- I will.

Orbital 1 to launch control,
please respond.

- Launch control, please respond.
- Who is this?

Pilot First Rank, Gotana-Retz.

- Clear this channel or I'll report you.
- Is this launch control?

I'm the weather coordinator
for station 004.

You're violating
transmission regulations.

Please, listen.
I'm trying to reach launch control.

Let me guess, you decided to
come home. You're Gotana-Retz?

Yes, now, please transfer me
to launch control.

It became the tactical command centre
50 years ago. You're dead.

I've been inside the Sky Ship.

Then it's good you left.
They're about to sh**t it down.

- I've got to speak with them.
- Their frequencies are classified.

Now, get off this channel.

If you've wanted to report more than
the weather, now is your chance.

Tell them to clear Central Lake
of all traffic.

Orbital 1 is coming in for a landing.

Shields at 23%... 17%...

- Shields are down.
- What was that last one?

- A tricobalt device.
- What'll they think of next?

Damage reports. Imminent hull
breaches on decks 8, 9 and 10.

- Life support failing.
- Our astronaut should have made it.

He landed about ten minutes ago.

- That's a year a half.
- Then he must have failed.

I'm picking up a launch,
two massive energy signatures.

- Tricobalt devices?
- Unknown.

Brace yourselves.

We're in some kind of tractor beam.

If I alternate thrusters,
I might be able to break us free.

No, let's give our friends
the benefit of the doubt.

They're pulling us away from the planet.

- We've broken orbit.
- Try hailing them.

It's good to see you all again.

- Looks like somebody listened to you.
- Sorry it took so long.

We'll make first contact
the proper way.

Unfortunately, that won't be possible.
A temporal compensator.

It allows me to exist in your time frame,
but only for a few minutes.

It'll be a while before my people
join the rest of the galaxy.

We'll be able to bring the warp drive
on-line in approximately two hours.

Very good.

Thank you.

I feel like I'm saying goodbye
to an old friend.