Captain's log, stardate 48579.4.
The crew scans constantly for anomalies to shorten our journey home.
Ensign Kim has made a discovery -
a subspace disturbance that may be a wormhole.
- Let's see what you have, Mr Kim. - It registers only on subspace bands.
Verteron emanations... tunnelling secondary particles.
- It looks like a wormhole. - But is it stable?
And where does it lead?
There is a 75% chance it won't lead to the Alpha Quadrant.
Very true. But there's a one in four chance it will.
Those aren't bad odds.
- Any analysis? - Too far away.
We'd have to be within 1,000 kilometres.
That would mean a significant course change.
If there's even the possibility of finding a wormhole,
I think we can afford a detour.
Lieutenant, input the coordinates and change course.
Aye, Captain. And may I suggest, if this works,
we petition the Federation to officially designate this the Harry Kim Wormhole.
We're approaching the coordinates of the wormhole.
On screen.
Are we in visual range?
Yes, and the anomaly is registering.
Sensors also indicate it's there.
Magnify.
Increase to highest magnification.
That must be the smallest wormhole on record.
Are you able to analyse it?
Aye, Captain. It's virtually microscopic.
It's only about 30 cms in diameter.
I guess it's a little too small for us to fly through.
However, it might be large enough to act as a conduit for a message.
It could carry a compressed data transmission to Federation space.
We still have to find out if it goes near the Alpha Quadrant.
I can't get any directional readings. The aperture is too small.
We could launch a microprobe into the wormhole.
- Agreed. Do it, Lieutenant. - Aye, Captain.
We're receiving telemetry.
It's not like any wormhole I've seen.
Microscopic gravitational eddies. Constricted spatial dimensions.
Pathway's barely wider than the probe.
I think it's a wormhole in an advanced state of decay.
Must be ancient. Probably been collapsing for centuries.
- So we can't send a message? - I can do it.
It might be slower, but the wormhole can carry a transmission.
- Where would the message end up? - I'll extrapolate the exit vector.
I can't get it. There's a strange phase variance in the radiation stream.
- We'll have to wait till the probe exits. - That shouldn't take long.
Captain, I'm getting a distorted energy reading.
The probe's telemetry has changed.
It's stuck. It's mired in a gravitational eddy.
Because the wormhole's collapsing, those eddies are incredibly dense.
That probe will never break free. We'll never know where the wormhole ends.
Give it some time. Maybe it will work itself loose.
- Captain? - What is it, Ensign?
Our probe... was just scanned.
There's somebody on the other side of the wormhole.
It started hurting a few days ago. I've been working out.
- Maybe I overdid it. - Is it sore here?
- Yes. - Tenderness to the ulnar bone.
No epidermal damage. Moderate oedema. Possible diagnoses?
Epicondylitis, strained ligament, torn muscle and hairline fracture.
- That's right. - I'm ready for more study material.
Good. There's a great deal more for you to learn.
This is a small stress fracture.
- Can he do the same as a real doctor? - Yes, he can.
Activate it and direct the beam here.
That's it. Not quite so fast.
If I had to get treatment for something serious, would he be performing it?
- Of course. And quite expertly, too. - I'd have to think twice about that.
With luck you wouldn't die while you were deciding.
- That should do it. How does it feel? - Not bad.
Thanks.
Did you notice how rudely that officer treated you?
- Not more so than most. - Others act that way, too?
I've become accustomed to being treated like a hypospray.
Here's some material on first-aid for burns.
I'd like to do more than study first-aid.
I want to know more about anatomy and physiology.
You're intellectually curious. I like that.
These deal with anatomy, but they're not for the layman.
- They're technical. - I understand. I'll do my best.
And I really appreciate your help.
So far, our sensors have detected four separate scans of the microprobe,
each on a progressively narrower band.
Someone is interested in that probe.
There may be a entity within the wormhole, curious about an intruder.
Our probe would have detected that.
- What's the condition of the probe? - I've been monitoring it.
It's embedded in a gravitational eddy, but within 72 hours it will be crushed.
But until then it should transmit telemetry.
If we're reading scans from the other side, the probe may be a relay.
We should be able to transmit a message to whoever is scanning.
Yes. I can modify our subspace communications band
to accept the probe as a booster.
- Let's try it, Mr Kim. - I'll give you a hand.
His exuberance may turn into disappointment
if his efforts prove in vain.
Maybe. But I'd rather assume that he's going to be successful.
I've boosted power to the communications band width.
All we have to do is reconfigure the signal generator to match the sensors.
I'm on it. Just a few minutes more.
This has to work. It will mean so much to people back home.
- To know we're alive. - We haven't been gone that long.
People won't give up on us yet. They probably just think we're lost.
Still gonna be hard on my folks.
I always called them once a week, even when I was on my training missions.
I've never been out of contact for so long.
It's going to work, Starfleet. Soon they'll know you're all right.
How about you? Any family?
I haven't seen my father since I was five.
He and my mother separated, he went back to Earth, and that was it.
And your mum?
I think she's on the Klingon Homeworld.
We didn't get along very well.
OK. The signal generator should be tuned to the probe's sensors.
Isn't there anyone back home who'd be worried about you?
The Maquis are as close to family as I've had.
Most of my friends are here on the ship.
So... no.
There's no one back home who's going to care whether I'm alive.
We're ready to transmit.
- Engineering to bridge. - Janeway here.
We have a link with the microprobe.
We're gonna try sending a series of subharmonic pulses.
They stand the best chance of transmission.
- Proceed. - Aye, Captain.
I'm reading transmission of the test signal. The probe has relayed it.
How will we know if the signal reaches somebody?
We'll know if somebody answers.
- There's no response. - It's too soon.
We have no idea how long it takes to reach the other side.
- Are you reading anything? - Negative.
There's nothing that would suggest a response.
It might take some time to figure out how to return our signal.
You're right. Janeway to Kim. Continue transmitting.
Aye, Captain. How long shall we keep it up?
Until I tell you otherwise. You have the bridge, Commander.
- Captain. - Mr Tuvok.
- I'm getting something. - Me, too.
A subspace signal relayed through the probe.
It's being transmitted on the same frequency as ours.
It's a response. Someone received our transmission and sent one back.
And their signal originated in the... Alpha Quadrant.
Captain's log, supplemental.
Encouraged by his success in sending a signal to the Alpha Quadrant,
Mr Kim is trying to establish a voice link
with whoever is at the other end of the wormhole.
Come in.
- Kes. This is a surprise. - Am I interrupting?
Not at all. I was just going to have some soup. Would you like anything?
Spinach juice with pear, please. Tom Paris introduced me to it.
Computer, one spinach juice with pear and one cup of vegetable bouillon.
What can I do for you?
If there were a member of the crew whose needs weren't being met,
would you want to know about it?
Of course. Kes, do you and Neelix feel that your needs are being ignored?
Of course not. We're very happy here.
- I'm referring to the Doctor. - The Doctor?
I don't understand why people treat him the way they do.
- How do people treat him? - As though he doesn't exist.
They talk about him while he's standing there.
They ignore him. They insult him.
I've been hearing the other side of the coin.
Many of the crew have complained that the Doctor is rude.
- We might reprogram him. - You can do that?
- It doesn't seem right. - He's only a hologram.
- He's your medical officer. He's alive. - No, he's not.
He's self-aware, he's communicative, he has the ability to learn.
He's been programmed to do that.
So because he's a hologram, he doesn't have to be treated with respect
or any consideration at all?
- Very well. I'll look into it. - Thank you, Captain.
We'll be ready to go on-line in a few minutes.
I'm worried about the interference.
I don't think the isolator will work with the vocal transmission.
Let's invert the narrowband filter.
- Progress report? - We're ready to give it a try.
But we're pushing through heavy interference.
- I can't guarantee the clarity. - Let's see what happens.
This is Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation starship Voyager.
Do you read?
I'll narrow the filter bandpass more.
Try again, Captain.
This is Kathryn Janeway of the Federation ship Voyager.
Is anyone receiving this communication?
vessel...
Narrow the bandpass a little more.
- Try again, Captain. - This is Janeway.
Please repeat your last transmission.
cargo vessel...
We're still trying to clear up your last transmission. Please repeat.
I am Captain of the cargo vessel Talvath. Location, Alpha Quadrant.
Sector 1385. What is your location?
We're in the Delta Quadrant, but since it hasn't been charted,
I can't specify our exact location.
Please confirm. You said Delta Quadrant?
- Correct. - In a Federation starship?
Yes. We were on a mission and we got pulled into this quadrant.
- Pulled in? How? - It's a complicated story.
Deconstruct the phase shift of our hailing frequency to verify.
You are in the Alpha Quadrant. What are you coordinates?
I am telling you the truth.
We are in the Delta Quadrant, 70,000 light years from you.
This is preposterous. I am terminating communication.
No, wait! Hail them again.
No response, Captain.
Why would he have broken off transmission?
Perhaps I can explain.
His comm link signature indicates that the message was from a Romulan ship.
There are no known shipping lanes in the sector he identified.
Given the calibration of his signal,
I would suggest he is on board a science vessel.
Why pretend to be a cargo captain?
He might be engaged in some kind of secret research.
Precisely. And when we claimed to be in the Delta Quadrant,
an impossibility so far as he knows, he may have feared we were spies.
We raise one ship and it has to be Romulan.
That Romulan can still get a message to Starfleet.
Hail the Talvath repeatedly.
Call me when you make contact. Commander, you have the bridge.
Aye, Captain.
Computer, initiate Emergency Medical Holographic Program.
Please state the nature of the emergency.
- There is no emergency, Doctor. - Oh. That's good.
I was preparing a culture to test Hargrove for Arethian flu
when Ensign Kyoto deactivated me.
I'm sure she didn't realise you were busy.
- What is it you want, Captain? - Actually, I thought we might talk.
About what?
You were originally programmed to serve during an emergency.
Now you're being asked to do much more.
Yes. I'm providing full-time medical service for the entire crew,
functioning as doctor and nurse, and now as instructor.
You can't think of yourself as an Emergency Medical Program anymore.
You've become a full-fledged crew member.
I see. Are you suggesting that I be reprogrammed?
No.
I'm asking if there's anything I can do to help you.
Help me?
If there's anything you need or want, I'll see that you get it.
I'd like to be turned off when people leave.
I spend hours here with nothing to do.
When someone does deactivate me, it's without asking if it's convenient.
What if I gave you control...
over your deactivation sequence.
- I beg your pardon? - You can turn yourself off.
Or prevent being turned off.
I might like that.
I'll look into it.
Anything else?
I'm not sure. I'll have to give it some thought.
You do that.
Kim to Captain Janeway.
- Janeway here. - Captain, we've got him back.
The Romulan.
Good work. Put him through to my quarters.
- This is Kathryn Janeway. - This is the cargo vessel Talvath.
Thank you for answering our hail.
What is your name? How may I address you?
- I'd prefer not to give my name. - Very well.
You must have been sceptical when I told you where we are.
I hope you've verified our position.
Your hailing frequency seems to originate in the Delta Quadrant.
But you may have been able to create that illusion somehow.
- To what end? - I'm not sure.
But that doesn't negate the possibility.
How can I assure you of my truthfulness?
You say you are a Federation ship. Are you a Starfleet vessel?
- Yes, we are. - Your mission in the Delta Quadrant?
Our mission was originally in the Alpha Quadrant.
We were pulled against our will to our present location.
- Now we're trying to get home. - Aren't you in fact Starfleet spies?
Captain, I understand your concern.
The Romulan Empire doesn't want Starfleet spying on its science vessels.
But since we're 70,000 light years from Romulan space,
and a subspace message to Starfleet would take years,
you have to admit that we can't be much of a threat to you.
You have nothing to fear from us.
Soothing words, Captain, but they are only words.
If we were spies, we wouldn't be asking what I'm going to ask you now.
We have no way of communicating with Starfleet, with our friends and families.
We're hoping you might relay a message for us.
Our crew is not large. Each of them could write a short, personal message.
You'd be welcome to read them before passing them on.
They're nothing more than the heartfelt words of some...
very lonely people.
Captain, it would ease my apprehension
if I could see that you are who you say you are.
I have a signal amplifier on board.
I've been working to penetrate the radiation stream of the wormhole.
It might be possible to establish a visual link between us.
I have no objection.
When that's done, will you help us?
I make no promises. Let us proceed one step at a time.
Have your officers contact me to attempt the visual link.
- Good night. - Good night.
We're ready to try a visual link.
We had no trouble configuring the protocols.
But that phase variance gave us a few problems.
Torres is going to balance it manually.
We've got the communications frequency locked in.
On screen.
- I presume you are Captain Janeway. - Yes.
Thank you for maintaining contact with us.
It means a great deal to me and to my crew.
- I am not familiar with this class of ship. - It's new but it isn't classified.
Your Intelligence hasn't provided you with information?
I have been in space for a year and am not privy to the latest intelligence.
I'm sure our operatives have told the government about your new ship.
No doubt. Have you been able to communicate with your government
about sending on our messages?
I have. They've promised to take the matter under advisement.
I see. And when do you think they will have an answer?
I cannot predict the Senate's timetable.
When they've decided, I will hear from them.
We don't have a great deal of time.
The probe will become inoperable in the next 48 hours.
Captain, I am a low-ranking scientist. A minor functionary.
I cannot tell the Senate to speed up their decision-making process.
You said you've been in space for a year.
Do you have any family?
- Yes. - They're not with you in space?
My wife and my daughter are on Romulus.
A daughter. How old is she?
She is... seven months.
Then you've never seen her?
To my sorrow, no. She'll be two years old before I get back.
You must miss your family very much.
I knew that there would be a price to pay for this assignment.
Perhaps I didn't realise how high that price would be.
Captain...
everyone of us on this ship has left behind friends, family, loved ones.
We may not see them again for years. Maybe never.
So we can all understand how lonely you must be.
Surely you can understand our feelings as well.
We would be deeply grateful for any efforts you might make
to persuade your government to send our messages.
I cannot guarantee success.
But I will try to persuade my superiors to make their decision quickly.
- And positively. - Thank you.
I will contact you again.
Commander, let's assume he's going to be successful.
Tell the crew to have messages ready within the hour.
With pleasure, Captain.
- Captain, I have to talk to you. - Go ahead.
No. I mean, in private.
I didn't want to bring this up in front of the crew.
It wouldn't be right to get their hopes up, although I think it will work.
Tell me what you're talking about.
The phase amplitude of the visual link with the Romulan ship.
It's within just a few megahertz of meeting transporter protocols.
We might be able to piggyback a transporter beam onto the visual link
and transport the crew back to the Alpha Quadrant.
Reconfigure the matter transmission rate.
And we risk losing whatever we try to beam out.
See to it. You have my authorisation to use any personnel you need.
This is top priority. And don't be secretive.
You won't be able to keep this quiet.
- I'm ready for more. - You finished those already?
I enjoyed anatomy. It would be interesting to see an autopsy.
- What are the bones of the middle ear? - Malleum, incus and stapes.
And the tissue between the middle and the auditory canal?
- The tympanic membrane. - Huh!
You have an eidetic memory. An astonishing gift.
I'll do a full neural scan on you some time.
If we do get back to Federation space, I'd like to go to medical school.
If you continue to apply yourself,
by the time we get back you may have the equivalent of a degree.
- You haven't heard? - Heard what?
That we might get back soon.
If there's one thing you can count on, it's that I'm the last to know anything.
There may be a way to transport all of us to the Alpha Quadrant.
Half of engineering are working on it right now.
I see. Well, I'll say goodbye now. I won't be transporting with the rest of you.
But can't we take you with us?
My program is fully integrated into sickbay.
At present I cannot be downloaded.
Thank you for everything.
Wait. I'd like...
- That is... could I ask a favour of you? - Anything.
If you do leave, before you go, could you make sure I've been deactivated?
I promise.
We've managed to bind a transporter beam to the visual link.
You've matched your data transmission to our comm signal?
Exactly.
Our intelligence operatives are not doing their job.
You clearly have technology we are unaware of.
This would be an incredible breakthrough in subspace mechanics.
We'd like to try transmitting a test cylinder to you.
A test cylinder of what sort?
It is a standard mechanism with a varietal molecular matrix.
It simulates organic and non-organic compounds.
- It is not classified technology. - I am aware of it.
We use a similar device. I will allow the transport.
- Bridge to transporter room 1. - We're all set, Captain.
We're focused on the Romulan's transporter coordinates.
All right, then.
- Let's give it a try. - Energise.
The cylinder has dematerialised.
- Can you get it back? - The pattern buffer won't accept it.
I'll increase power to the phase transition coils.
- Ramp the coils to 37 megajoules. - 37 megajoules.
Congratulations, Captain. You've done it. Very impressive.
We should run a series of these tests, but we have to act quickly.
- I understand. - We'll have to transport a person.
One of our crew will beam to your ship if you'll allow it.
My government would never allow Starfleet personnel on this ship.
I wouldn't want my logs to show that activity.
Then what would you suggest?
I'll volunteer to transport to your ship and back again.
But Captain... if we can't transport to your ship,
how are we to get back?
If the procedure is successful, I will arrange for a troop ship to join me.
That would accommodate your crew.
Very well. We'll be in touch.
We've made more than 20 transports of the test cylinder.
Every one of them has been successful.
- Let's hope it works with the Romulan. - I must stay with him at all times.
We're locked onto him. Whenever you're ready, Captain.
Well, let's try it. Energise.
- What's the problem? - It's the phase variance.
I'm balancing it manually.
Welcome to the Delta Quadrant... Captain.
My first officer, Commander Chakotay.
Lieutenant Tuvok, head of security. Chief engineer Torres.
And operations officer Kim.
My congratulations on your remarkable accomplishment.
This is an astonishing breakthrough.
I didn't think you were going to make it. There was a strange phase variance.
It almost kept us from pulling you through.
Mr Tuvok, you may begin evacuation procedures.
I suggest we delay that for the moment.
I've found the reason for the phase variance.
- What is it? - Captain, what year is it?
- What year? - If you please.
By your calendar, the year is 2351.
But this is 2371.
Exactly. Our Romulan visitor is a person out of time.
He's showing evidence of temporal displacement.
I would surmise that the wormhole is a rift not just in space, but in time.
The unusual phase variance was an indication of a temporal shift.
We have transported him from 20 years in the past to our present.
I've gone over the transporter logs.
If we try to transport ourselves through that wormhole,
we'll end up 20 years in the past.
Then let's do it! It's better than spending 70 years trying to get back.
We'd be going back to a time when you were two years old.
I know you're disappointed, Harry. We all are.
It seemed we were so close.
But clearly we can't go back.
The consequences would be unimaginable.
We'll have to send you back alone...
and ask that you not reveal anything that has happened.
I would not do anything that might contaminate the future
and perhaps harm the Romulan Empire.
But...
in 20 years...
I could alert Starfleet not to launch the mission which sent you here.
That's not possible either. We've had a huge impact on this quadrant.
People and events here would be drastically affected.
I'm afraid we're left with our original request.
In 20 years, would you relay our personal messages to Starfleet?
Of course. At the proper time, I will transmit them.
If you should find a way back within my lifetime...
I'd be an old man, but I'd welcome a message from you.
I am Telek R'Mor of the Romulan Astrophysical Academy.
I promise you'll hear from us.
Because we will get back.
These are our messages.
- I wish you luck on your journey. - And I thank you for your help.
Energise.
His signal is in the pattern buffer. Transferring to the emitter array.
- Phase variance is out of synch. - Compensating.
Transport complete, Captain.
He made it.
I'll tell the crew.
They'll be glad their messages have reached their families.
Captain. I did not want to mention this in front of our guest.
I checked the computer's databanks for a Romulan named Telek R'Mor.
And?
I'm sorry to report Dr R'Mor died in 2367.
- That was four years ago. - That is correct.
Before he would have sent our messages.
Maybe he left a will, telling someone else to transmit the messages,
or gave our chip to the Romulan government.
It is possible. Unfortunately, there is no way to know.
Then let's move on. We've got a long way to go.
I tried a new exercise. Maybe I overdid it.
But my workouts keep me from a severe case of cabin fever.
Lieutenant, I am the chief medical officer of this ship.
If you have something to say to me, please direct the statement to me.
- You see, I need to work out. - I'm not telling you not to.
I'm suggesting you use common sense when you do it.
If you get another exercise-related injury,
I'll discuss it with your superiors.
- Yes... sir. - You're fine. You may leave.
Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.
He won't ignore you again.
I must function as more than an Emergency Medical replacement.
I must think of myself as a member of the crew.
You're absolutely right.
I've prepared a list of things I'd like to see in sickbay.
- Could you present it to the Captain? - I'd be happy to.
There's one more request. Something of a personal nature.
I would like a name.