B’Elanna is wearing a orbital space suit and holding a helmet under her arm while standing near the back of a space shuttle. There is a pilot at the flight controls. She tells the pilot to go higher to which he protests that they are already at 200,000 meters and that she could thermalize at this altitude. B’Elanna ignores the warning and repeats her request for greater altitude.
B’Elanna is viewing clouds and sky through what appears as an open exterior door. The pilot states that they are now at 300,000 meters and B’Elanna tells him to level off. You realize she is on the holodeck when she tells the computer to disengage safety protocols. The computer responds with a warning of “extreme risk” of injury. B’Elanna tells it to override and the computer acknowledges her request. She puts on her helmet and the force field is dropped on her command. B’Elanna jumps and is free falling through the clouds when Chakotay hails her from the bridge (to which she fumes under her breath that she can’t believe it) to report to engineering on the double. Obviously put out B’Elanna ends program and is eased from her free fall to a complete halt in midair. She lowers her legs at an ninety degree angle to her body and then stands erect on the holodeck.
Having just passed a door after exiting the holodeck, Seven of Nine appears in it and joins B’Elanna questioning her protective attire for this mission. B’Elanna informs her that she was orbital skydiving on the holodeck. Seven alleges that it is a curious sort of recreation to leap from a spacecraft at Exospheric altitudes before saying that the probe is ready for launch except there is still a problem with the telemetry link.
When asked if something is wrong, B’Elanna responds that she isn’t feeling too well and asks if Seven can handle the launch without her. Seven is perplexed by B’Elanna so unexpectedly turning the project over to her. Seven shows reluctant concern by asking if she should tell the Doctor of her illness but B’Elanna emphatically says no.
On the bridge they have just become aware that a Malon freighter has locked onto their probe with a tractor beam and it will take two hours for Voyager to travel to the probes’ position. Tuvok informs the captain that if they instruct the probe to emit a polaron burst it could disrupt the tractor beam. When tractor beam is disabled immediately after Janeway orders Tuvok to do it, they redirect the probe’s course with the Malon in pursuit. Janeway decides to hide the probe from the Malon in a class-six gas giant since the probe is unable to outrun the Malon. Tuvok warns that the atmospheric pressure will crush the probe, but Janeway thinks the Borg shielding can withstand it.
The Malon freighter follows the probe in and implodes. The probe becomes stuck in a deep layer of liquid hydrogen and methane about ten thousand kilometers below the outer atmosphere. This is being discussed in the officers meeting of Janeway, Chakotay, Tom, Harry, Tuvok and Seven when B’Elanna enters and apologizes for being late. Chakotay immediately asks B’Elanna if there is any possibility of transporting the probe out.
Chakotay with a perplexed expression is surprised by her saying no so bluntly and questions her again. Her quick response is that she doesn’t see how they could get close enough. When Chakotay ask B’Elanna if there is any way to boost transporter range , she simply states that you cannot in that kind of atmosphere with an attitude of unconcern.
Tom enters the conversation by stating that they will just have to fly in and grab it. Tuvok is rather disparaging in reminding Tom that the Malon freighter had imploded. When Tom states that they will be going in their new shuttlecraft, Harry is also disparaging with the comment “Oh, here we go again.” Chakotay joins in with telling Tom that the bottom line is that they do not have the time to build a ship from scratch. Tom gets up and goes to a display of Voyager on a viewscreen and brings up his design (schematics) for the Delta Flyer with ultra-aerodynamic contours, retractable nacelles, parametallic hull plating, unimatrix shielding based on Tuvok’s design for the multi-spatial probe and a Borg-inspired weapons system.
Sevens response is that it is “adequate” in basic design elements. Harry chimes in by stating that if they used isomagnetic E.P.S. conduits in the plasma manifold that they could maximize the power distribution. Tuvok agrees that his shield designs could be successfully applied to a vessel of this size.
Janeway and Chakotay are impressed. While Tom is replying to Janeway’s question about how quickly can it be built, B’Elanna is deep in her own thoughts, barely aware of the conversation going on around her. When Tom asserts they could have it running inside a week by working around the clock, Harry declares he is willing to work as much overtime as it takes, and Seven avows she will forgo regeneration for the duration of the project. Tom turns toward B’Elanna and assesses that building the vessel from scratch is an engineer’s dream come true--and what about her? B’Elanna just gives a half-smile and nods without giving any input.
Janeway questions why everyone is standing around when they could be working. When the others are moving toward the exit, Janeway notices that B’Elanna is unaware of the others leaving at first and then suddenly B’Elanna sees the others leaving and joins the exodus.
On the holodeck, Tom tells the computer to add dynametric tail fins to the nacelles. Tuvok promptly tells the computer to delete them. When Tom questions Tuvok about it, Tuvok informs him that they are not designing a hot rod. Tom declares that they are and if they make it look mean enough then other ships will think twice before taking them on.
Seven brings up the matter of structural integrity and alleges that B’Elanna’s hull design is flawed and they should be using tetraburnium alloys instead of titanium. B’Elanna is obviously thinking of other things but when confronted, she simply states that it sounds fine to her with no sign of hostility and leaves to finish up thruster specs. Seven, Harry, Tuvok and Tom are obviously puzzled at her lack of response.
Later in Tom’s quarters, B’Elanna drops off the thruster specs. Tom tries to get B’Elanna to stay and tell him what is going on with her and why it is impossible to have a conversation with her. He brings up her not caring about Seven’s changing her design. When B’Elanna becomes apologetic, Tom simply declares that he wants to know what is going on and touches both her shoulders in an attempt to show how much he cares. B’Elanna immediately takes flight from him--leaving Tom more bewildered than ever.
B’Elanna outside the holodeck activates the program Torres 216 and disengages safety protocols. The warning of “extreme risk” of injury does not phase her. Inside is a cave with two Cardassians that attack and struggle with her.
On the bridge Janeway gives orders for a higher orbit in order to stay well above the ionospheric turbulence. The Malon freighter has just jumped massive theta radiation. After hailing Voyager, Controller Vrelk declares they are taking the probe as compensation for the other freighter's loss. Chakotay points out to Janeway that the probe’s multi-spatial technology might enable the Malon to find new places to dump their garbage.
In B’Elanna quarters she is treating wounds on her arms when she sees her reflection in the mirror. On approaching the mirror--she gasps--as if she does not recognize the person looking back at her and reaches out with her hand to touch her reflection.
Entering their mess hall , where all is in darkness, B’Elanna hears Neelix clattering dishes in the kitchen. He offers to get her something and tries to get a reaction out of B’Elanna by telling her to name her poison. But B’Elanna is still in her usual daze and does not react except to apologize. She asks for banana pancakes and makes the statement that her grandmother use to make them for her and that they always put a smile on her face.
Neelix joins B’Elanna at a table and informs her that his security training is going well and Tuvok had declared that he was not completely inept. B’Elanna just looks at him with no sign of comprehending what he is saying. At Neelix prompting she takes a bite of pancakes, says they are delicious and abruptly returns to work. Neelix sits there looking at her retreating back in utter confusion at her strange behavior.
Back on the bridge there is discussion between Janeway, Chakotay and Tuvok about the Malon’s intentions, when Seven summons Janeway to the astrometrics lab. Tuvok accompanies Janeway at her request. Seven informs them that she has used coherent Neutrino beams to spy on the Malon’s activities. She shows them a polythermal image of an interior section of the alien ship where the Malon are working on a small ship, a spacecraft composed of tetraburnium alloys, and the Malon will finish their ship at least thirty-six hours before Voyager finishes their own space shuttle.
After Voyager steps up the pace of construction, they are in a virtual dead heat with the Malon. Harry tells Tuvok that they have to reinforce the hull with Kellinite. Tuvok, Tom and Harry discuss the problems of incurring micro-fractures during descent unless they find a way to reconfigure the structural integrity field. Tom defends his design elements (knobs, gages, levers, etc.) from his Captain Proton scenario because he is tired of tapping panels. B’Elanna leaves them to go to the holodeck to see if the micro-fractures problem is a fatal flaw.
On the holodeck B’Elanna activates the immersion shielding with the range to probe at thirty thousand kilometers. Computer warns that atmospheric pressure is exceeding tolerance levels and recommends rapid ascent. B’Elanna disengages safety protocols and tells computer to reroute power from secondary systems to structural integrity. The computer reports micro-fractures are present in zones one and four. When the ship has a sudden jolt, B’Elanna smacks her head on the console and goes down unconscious.
On the bridge Janeway backs Voyager off from the Malon freighter after it vents a cloud of theta radiation (anti-matter waste) and reduces Voyagers shielding to eighty nine percent. Vrelk informs Janeway that they each have scanned the others vessel and know that they are each building a vessel to retrieve the probe. When Chakotay and Janeway try to reach B’Elanna on ways to shore up their shields, they discover that she is on Holodeck One. Chakotay leaves to find B’Elanna.
On the holodeck the computer states that micro-fractures are present in zones one, two, three and four and a hull breach is imminent. Chakotay enters and tells the computer to freeze program. When he feels B’Elanna pulse at her carotid artery on her neck, he contacts sick bay to announce a medical emergency.
B’Elanna wakes up twelve hours later in sick bay, Janeway confronts B’Elanna with the Doctor’s findings of internal bleeding, fractured vertebrae, contusions and cranial trauma. B’Elanna makes light of the injuries as being the hazards of being the chief engineer, but Janeway does not believe her--having found out about the safety-protocols being disengaged on the holodeck. (This is a very dramatic moment when the intensity of the verbal exchange is very moving.)
In the conference room Janeway, Tom and Chakotay discusses the engine’s efficiency and the new weapons system that Seven has on line on the new space shuttle. Then Janeway changes the subject to B’Elanna. Because no one knows what is going on, Chakotay and Tom decide to dig through B’Elanna’s personal holodeck programs to get some insight into what the problem is.
Later Chakotay enters B’Elanna’s quarters talking lightly about her being confined to quarters. B’Elanna tells how the Doctor thinks that she is suffering from clinical depression but because she is in denial she makes fun of the Doctor’s diagnosis and Chakotay’s questions to that effect. Chakotay is not fooled by her answers and cunningly invites B’Elanna to the holodeck so she can show him some of her programs in the guise that he can convince Janeway that there is nothing to worry about B’Elanna after he has seen the harmless programs.
Upon reaching the entrance to the holodeck, he grasps B’Elanna’s arm and tells the computer to activate the holo-program Torres Zeta One. B’Elanna had been nonchalant until Chakotay makes this request and is totally startled by this turn in events. Chakotay forces B’Elanna through tunnels in a cave while she struggles. She demands that he turns the holo-program off, but he denies her requests and asks her what the program is as they hear cries of pain and agony. Chakotay turns a body over that shows a burned and charred face and asks B’Elanna who it is. After responding with “Li-paz,” B’Elanna taunts Chakotay with the question: “Don’t you recognize him?” Chakotay affirmative answer is followed by his saying the others names--Meyer, Nelson, Sahreen--all of them their Maquis friends that were slaughtered. B’Elanna provokes Chakotay with the retaliatory statement that this has nothing to do with safety protocols. His asserts that after running this program for only forty-seven seconds, she started running the most dangerous programs that she could find with the safeties off.
B’Elanna’s response to Chakotay’s impassioned, “Why?” only declares that she cannot face up to the implications. She states that all this is ridiculous and that she is leaving. After Chakotay has the computer seal the doors, B’Elanna drops her pretense as Chakotay begins firing questions at her about her reasons for intentionally trying to hurt herself. She declares her lack of feeling for anything or anyone and her overwhelming desire just to make herself feel something.
Chakotay asserts to her that sooner or later that she is going to have to let herself grieve. But B’Elanna does not want to go through it all over again, and in answer to Chakotay’s statement she recites all the heartache she has received from the time her dad walked out on her at six, till she was kicked out of Starfleet at nineteen, until finally all their Maquis friends were slaughtered. The way she figures it, she has lost every family she has ever had. Chakotay tells her that Voyager is her family and that she is going to have to find another way to deal with her pain. She states that she does not know how. He tells her softly that they will figure it out together. Janeway pages Chakotay to the bridge after the ship has a violent jolt and B’Elanna calmly says that he had better go.
On the bridge Chakotay asks why the Malon are attacking now. Tuvok replies that the Malon are trying to distract them while they launch their new shuttlecraft. Janeway gives Tom orders to launch their new shuttlecraft and sends Chakotay to join them.
In the passageway B’Elanna catches up from behind Chakotay and convinces him (in spite of his negative feelings about her going) that she is the best person for this job.
After she hurries off with the engineering kit that he hands her, Chakotay seems very pleased with the outcome as a smile lights up his face.
B’Elanna reaches the shuttle just seconds before they take off. Tom, Harry, Vorik and Seven are on board, but B’Elanna takes Vorik’s place. With aft thrusters enabled they take off.
As Chakotay enters the bridge, Tuvok announces the Delta Flyer is away and he replies to Janeway’s question that the shuttlecraft will overtake the Malon vessel in approximately three minutes. When Chakotay has taken his seat, his eyes meet Janeway’s. He raises his eyebrows and his expression and smile seems to say all is going to plan. Janeway does not even question his return to the bridge--so you have a sense of conspiracy about B’Elanna’s being allowed to join the crew of the Delta Flyer.
On descent into the gas giant the Delta Flyer’s structural integrity is falling off as the Malons are launching spatial charges. They retaliate with the Borg-inspired weaponry of photonic missiles and get three direct hits according to Seven (but you see one miss) and the Malons have to pull up.
The Delta Flyer structural integrity is dropping rapidly and they are at twenty-five percent when they prepare to lock on to the probe. B’Elanna announces they have micro-fractures forming on the aft starboard hull zone two. After Harry brings the probe on board, Tom initiates rapid ascent.
B’Elanna observes a section of the outer wall of the ship being pushed in and distorted by outside pressure and calls for Harry to restore secondary systems that were disabled under the Malon attack. When Harry states that he can not because they are fried, B’Elanna leaps into action with her engineering kit and pulls another panel off a cabinet and using a tool that acts like a blow torch begins patching the wall that is buckling by attaching the other panel over it. Seven takes over at B’Elanna’s request, while B’Elanna with a phaser, and an E.P.S. relay, sets them up on the floor pointed toward the wall. Her makeshift source for a force field takes effect just seconds before the outer wall gives way and the gas giant’s atmosphere enters with tremendous pressure the closed off area made by the force field.
Harry expresses everyone’s relief when he says, “Glad you decided to come along.”
B’Elanna shows her pleasure at the compliment with a small nod and smile.
After the Delta Flyer docks, Chakotay assesses that the Malon shuttle craft is still having
trouble climbing out of the gas giant’s atmosphere.
Later in the passageway, Chakotay (hurrying) hails B’Elanna and congratulates her on doing a great job and asks her how she is doing. B’Elanna injects a sense of humor into her reply by rewording his question to “you mean am I back to my old charming self?” Chakotay smiles engagingly as she says that she does not know. He places his hand on her arm and tells her to give it time. After he starts off the way he came, B’Elanna calls out and (as he turns) tells him thanks for what he did down in the holodeck today, but if he ever does anything like that again that she will have to break his neck. They share knowing smiles before they both turn and walk away.
B’Elanna enters the mess hall and tells the replicator that she wants banana pancakes with maple syrup. After she sits down she looks at the food like she is contemplating overcoming a hurdle and then takes a bite. The smile of supreme pleasure that radiates from her face and then the soft chuckle leads you to believe that all could be well within her world.
Seven brings up the matter of structural integrity and alleges that B’Elanna’s hull design is flawed and they should be using tetraburnium alloys instead of titanium. B’Elanna is obviously thinking of other things but when confronted, she simply states that it sounds fine to her with no sign of hostility and leaves to finish up thruster specs. Seven, Harry, Tuvok and Tom are obviously puzzled at her lack of response. 
