The Meta-Trek:

Metareference in the Star Trek TV Series

Diplomarbeit

zur Erlangung des akademischen Grades einer Magistra der Philosophie

an der Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz

vorgelegt von

Evelyne AUER

am Institut für Anglistik

Begutachter: O.Univ.-Prof. Mag.art. Dr.phil. Werner Wolf

Graz, 2014

Acknowledgements

Great gratitude I owe to my three Lieutenants whom I am proud to call my best friends: Silke Fraidl, Cecilia Servatius and Karin Kraus for their productive criticism, their academic expertise and above all mental support during our voyage. I am particularly thankful for the countless academic writing sessions (our “self-help” group), the extensive proofreading as well as the amazing leisure time filled with equally serious and humorous conversations and (non-holographic) activities. It has been a successful seven-year mission in which we boldly went where no student had gone before!

Special thanks I have to express to crewman Erik Hartenfelser who is responsible for my personal discovery of Star Trek Voyager and, consequently, its metareferential potential. His skills in strategical procurement were instrumental.

I am also indebted to Professor Wolf for thought-provoking conversations, his professional insights, patience and for providing (not only metareferential) inspiration. The Friday morning seminars were always enjoyed and looked forward to and will certainly be missed.

Last, but not least, I would like to voice my deepest gratitude to my family, who gave me structural integrity and supported me in many ways during my studies.

Live long and prosper.

- Captain Evelyne Auer

„There is nothing like Star Trek.” (Richards 1997: 1)

“Star Trek is history; it is more than just good televisual entertainment.” (Geraghty 2007: 18)

“The power of Star Trek is its ability to jump off the screen and say things to you which you maybe wouldn’t accept in a naturalistic drama.” (David Carson, director, cited in Geraghty 2007:23)

“A deadline has a wonderful way of concentrating the mind.” (Professor Moriarty, fictional character in TNG 6.12 “Ship in a Bottle”)

“[I]ndulging in fantasy keeps the mind creative.” (Garak, fictional character in DS9 4.9 “Our Man Bashir”

Table of Contents

1. Introduction 001

2. Metareference as a Theoretical Framework 004 2.1 Typology of Reference on a Semiotic Basis 004 2.2 Metareference – Towards a Definition 005 2.3 Forms, Functions and Devices of Metareference 008 2.4 The Reality/Fiction Dichotomy as a Metareferential Theme 013 2.5 Metareference as a Transmedial Phenomenon 015 2.6 Television Analysis and Metareference 016 2.7 Analyzing Metareference in Television 017 2.8 Methodology 018

3. Metareference in Selected Star Trek Episodes 220 3.1 Discourse-transmitted Metareference 023 3.2 Story-transmitted Metareference 027 3.2.1 Metareference and the Reality/Fiction Dichotomy 027 3.2.1.1 The Holodeck 028 3.2.1.2 The Confusion of Reality and Fiction 034 3.2.1.3 The Dissolution of Reality and Fiction 068 3.2.1.4 Metareferential Genre Hybridity 079

3.2.2 Storyline Modification 083 3.2.2.1 The Circular Plot 084 3.2.2.2 The Plot Deletes the Story 090 3.2.2.3 Parallel Plots 097 3.2.2.4 Involuntary Time Travel and Reversed Causality 107 3.2.2.5 Voluntary Time Travel and Rewriting History 113

4. Star Trek in Context 126 4.1 Metareference in Star Trek – Themes, Forms, Functions 126 4.2 Star Trek and Genre 128 4.3 Popular Culture and Quality TV 129

5. Summary and Conclusion 131

6. Appendix

7. Sources

1) Introduction

Metareference has become of increased academic interest in the last few years and is a phenomenon that is also known as ‘self-referentiality’ and ‘self-reflexivity’. However, all these terms refer to the same concept, namely the increase of awareness, in a recipient, of the consumption/reception of a medium, consuming/being addressed by some form of art, cultural product or semiotic system as a man-made representational artifact. (cf. Wolf 2009:25)

Introduced first and foremost in the field of literary analysis, metareference has proven useful in, and applicable to, other media as well. Wolf (2009) declared it a transmedial phenomenon, calling for more research across media, the consequence of which was the application of the concept to the analysis of film, drama, poetry and most recently even music and television.

Although not new – indeed the concept has a rather long history, as it appears in Shakespeare’s and Cervantes’s works, for instance, – the amount of metareference appears to have increased in cultural products and medial representations especially during (and after) the post-modern era. Wolf (2011) even speaks of a ‘metareferential turn’, which – judging by the prominence of a variety of metareferential forms in films, television series and even children’s books – can in fact be easily traced. It has long since dawned on scholars that the concept is not only a feature of what might be termed “high culture” representations, but also common practice in mass media and (products of) popular culture. Two recent examples supporting these findings are the dissertations by Erwin Feyersinger and Jeff Thoss1 on a special form of metareference, i.e. metalepsis.

At this point, it is crucial to note that the decisive factor for the amount and nature of metareferential elements featured in a semiotic system are not only the quality of the product or the intended (educated) audience. Rather, the issue appears to have certain contemporary momentum. Metareference has become so wide-spread that nowadays it can be encountered, to varying degrees, in virtually any medium and any genre, as is the case with television and science fiction, and – most importantly for this thesis – science fiction television.

1 Thoss, Jeff . Metalepsis i Coteporar Popular Fitio, Fil ad Cois. Diss. U of Graz. Feersiger, Eri . Metalepsis i Aiatio. Diss. U of Isruk. 1

As I will argue, the Star Trek series present one example of science fiction television that contains various meta-referential elements. Commonly perceived a (or perhaps the) ‘classical’ science fiction franchise, the various series of Star Trek – from The Original Series to The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine and Voyager – are marked by a high potential for metareferential elements, which are either of minor importance, if they occur solely in a comparatively small part of an episode, or contribute largely to an episode. In some cases, as will be shown in the subsequent analysis, whole episodes are centered on a single metareferential issue and its consequences for the established fictional world of the characters.

Since Star Trek has been the most popular science fiction franchise of all times and is considered the best-known of science fiction television series, there is a vast amount of (secondary) literature on almost any topic imaginable, including, for instance, scientific explanations and descriptions of the technology depicted in the series, detailed guides to the fictional world with all its inhabitants, as well as more serious scholarly fields of interest, such as the cultural implications and ideological beliefs represented in the series. However, there is little on the analysis of recurring themes, plot structures and on metareference.

The present thesis aims at filling this gap, based on the hypothesis that the Star Trek TV series have a wide range of metareferential forms and functions with various effects. This leads, due to a lack of research conducted in this specific area, to the following research questions;

1) What forms of metareference can be encountered in the various Star Trek television series (particularly in the very successful new series The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine and Voyager)? 2) How do these forms manifest themselves in the selected episodes (particularly on story, characters and discourse)? 3) What are the functions and effects of those metareferential forms in each episode as well as in the context of the respective series? 4) From a diachronic perspective, is there a change in quantity and/ or quality with regard to metareference in the series and if so, what is the effect of and what may be the reason for that development? 5) What are the major themes connected to or types of metareference in the series? 6) What are the implications with regard to genre, popular culture, and franchise as well as media development?

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In order to obtain answers to these questions, I will make use of Wolf’s transmedial concept of metareference, which will be briefly explained in the following theoretical chapter, before analyzing selected relevant episodes of the new Star Trek series The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine and Voyager in the subsequent chapters. The thesis is an attempt to contribute to current research and should therefore be seen in the light of the afore-mentioned ‘metareferential turn’. By providing a diachronic overview of the development throughout the various series in chapter 4, potentially new insights into genre development and at least in the evolution of the franchise might be gained. Moreover, it may offer another perspective on Star Trek’s popularity and success as well as its relatively low reputation among the majority of scholars due to its categorization as popular culture (often of allegedly low quality), as also dealt with in chapter 4. Last, but not least, the conclusion will provide a short summary of the findings as well as address further research suggestions.

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2) Metareference as a Theoretical Framework

As already indicated in the introduction, metareference will be used in the present thesis as the conceptual framework for the analysis of the Star Trek television series. Since metareference is a special form of reference, it is essential to look at the various types of reference first, so that the context and classification of the concept are comprehensible before adapting it to the medium of television.

2.1) Typology of Reference Reference is essential to understanding meaning since without reference, there is no meaning. The term describes the reciprocal relation of signs to the designated meaning or object. Usually, signs designate something outside their own sign system (and point to what one may call reality). For instance, if we pronounce the word “tree” or write it onto a sheet of paper, we do not refer to the sign but to the thing itself, and we grasp the meaning of the sign by retrieving an internalized concept – in this case a certain type of plant. On the other hand, signs may also refer to themselves or their semiotic system. By reference, therefore, we understand the designation of any kind of sign – which, in Saussure’s terms, is referred to as signifiant (signifier) – to something which can be either outside the sign system or the sign system as such, but which, in both cases, is called the signifié (signified). The first case, a sign referring to the extra-semiotic world, is an example of hetero-reference. In the second case, the designation of a sign to the semiotic system it is part of is known as self-reference. (cf. Wolf 2009: 18f)

As we can see in figure 1, the second main form, self-reference, can be further divided into two subcategories. The first one is formal self-reference, as is usually encountered in poetry, for instance. It is marked by similarity, contrast or serialization (Wolf 2009: 21) within the sign system and it can point either directly to itself – in which case we speak of intra- compositional self-reference –, as with phonetic or semantic recurrences within a text, or to another work of art based on the same semiotic system, which is extra-compositional self- reference, as in intertextual or intermedial references. Metareference as the second sub- category functions according to the same rules of designation as formal self-reference. The difference, however, lies according to Wolf (2009: 22) in the additional (implied) ‘meta- medial comment’ or ‘meta-communicative statement’, triggering reflection on the semiotic system in the recipient. For this reason, metareference is also divided into indirect or extra-

4 compositional and direct or intra-compositional metareference. A parody, for example, is an indirect form of metareference, while direct metareference is distinguished according to its genre or medium. (cf. Wolf 2009: 17-22)

indirect Hetero- formal self- reference reference REFERENCE direct Self- reference indirect metareference direct

Figure 1: Types of reference according to Wolf (2009)

In the context of medial representations and particularly fictional works of art, hetero- reference is the type of reference that points to the extra-semiotic world, which is (the notion of) reality itself or the established fictional world as created by the very sign system. Metareference, by contrast, refers not only to the mere object-level or the level of the signified, but also addresses the level of the signifier. For this reason, metareference is usually “double-coded”, as Wolf (2009: 24) puts it.

2.2) Metareference – Towards a Definition As seen in the previous section, metareference can be described in terms of semiotics. However, the phenomenon is more complex as it is not restricted to one specific medium. And bearing in mind that the prime overall effect and function of metareference is the eliciting of media-awareness in the recipient, the concept can be viewed from the perspective of a communicative situation as well. Thus, it is a product of the interplay between work and recipient, as influenced by the medium, the author and the context. (cf. Wolf 2009: 25)

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In a communicative situation, the recipient has to perform cognitive work known as decoding in order to grasp the meaning of a given work. It takes a further cognitive effort to detect and comprehend the additional meaning produced by metareferential phenomena, in particular when it comes to implied forms (see below), thus enabling the recipient to reflect on a higher level - on the work of art and its mediality. In addition to this argument, there is the question of intentionality of the metaization created by the author. The assumption that metareferential elements are intentionally planted in order to add meaning to the work of art is reasonable, yet inherently problematic. On the one hand, the author’s intention cannot always be validated. On the other hand, metareferential elements may also be a product of chance and accident rather than willful design.

Despite these facts, one can assume purposefulness under certain conditions; first of all, if prominent metareferential elements contribute to the meaning(-fullness) of the work; and secondly, if context factors, such as the socio-cultural background, genre or medium conventions or temporal setting, amplify the overall effect of metareference. (cf. Wolf 2009: 25f)

contexts

author message recipient

medium

Figure 2: Influencing factors in the communicative situation

A further problematic notion of metareference – in the context of a communicative situation – is the individual perception of the recipient, which Wolf (2009: 27) describes as “a certain cognitive frame in the recipient’s mind” causing a “at least passive or latent knowledge that a given phenomenon is not ‘reality’ as such but something thought, felt or represented by

6 someone else, in short that this is a phenomenon or a ‘reality’ processed through a medium”. However, there is a problem which lies in the fact that in most cases, prior knowledge on the part of the recipient is required in order to activate the intended effect and capture the additional meaning by the meta-reflection. As Wolf (2009: 28) describes it, the concept “presupposes that a recipient is aware of the nature, forms and conventions of the signifying systems and media in question”.

In short, metareference as defined by Wolf (cf. 2009: 31) is a self-referential, transmedial and usually intentional phenomenon rendering additional meaning in a recipient by eliciting meta-awareness of a given medium and/or its relation to reality (as opposed to fictionality), as produced by single or multiple signs, thereby depending largely on the individual perception of the recipient (from an aesthetic perceptive approach). Therefore it is a matter of degree rather than an absolute opposite of ‘hetero-reference’. This is particularly evident when looking at implicit forms of metareference (which will be explained in detail in the subsequent section).

To summarize, phenomena are classified as metareferential if they fulfill the following prerequisites: Firstly, a work or product has to be (presumably intentionally) self-referential, with the self-referentiality extending (at least) beyond the work or the medium it is part of. Secondly, the form of self-reference potentially triggers reflections in the recipient. Thirdly, there are at least two distinct hierarchical levels involved. The meta-reflection is centered on the higher level, from which the ‘meta-awareness’ in the recipient is produced, while the transmission of content occurs on the subordinate level. (cf. Wolf 2009: 30)

At this point it has to be noted that metareference is not the only term used to describe the aforementioned phenomena. Wolf (2009: 12f) gives an overview of synonyms and other similar terms. These include self-reflexivity, self-consciousness, autoreferentiality and meta- representation, to name a few2. In this thesis, however, metareference will be the preferred term in order to facilitate the distinction between other forms of self-reference which are not necessarily metareferential as in the sense described above.

2 Robert Stam gives an overview of various synonyms connected to the concept and different forms of reflexivity in Reflexivity in Film and Literature; “ee also Withals tet i Nöth & Bishara (2007: 126ff). 7

2.3) Forms, Functions and Devices In section 2.1, one part of metareferential sub-forms has already been mentioned, namely direct and indirect metareference. In other terms, these categories have also been described as intra-compositional or extra-compositional metareference and indicate the localization and extent of reference. In the case of intra-compositional metareference, the awareness eliciting effect occurs on and with regard to the level of the work in question, while in the other case, the effect arises from a present work but extends beyond the present work, i.e. either to another work of art, another genre or to the medium as such. This means that the reference is made to something located outside the fictional world yet still inside the medial field of which the represented world is part of. The film Tropic Thunder3, for instance, makes use of various extra-compositional forms and devices of metareference (such as depicting prototypical fight scenes with pseudo-heroic, heavily injured yet still fighting soldiers), which serve to exaggerate and break the genre conventions of the war film in order to create a very humoristic and entertaining parody. Forms of metareference mediality-centred intracompositional explicit critical vs. vs. vs. vs. truth/fiction- extracompositional implicit non-critical centred

Figure 3: Forms of metareference

The second pair of opposites (see figure above) is based on the quality of metareference, including explicit or implicit forms. Explicit elements are semantically discernible, such as words or phrases in verbal media. Examples of explicit forms would be if an actor in a movie or TV show uses words such as “acting”, “TV” or “film”. Implicit elements, however, are not so easily semantically discernible. They are more subtle, so that they are difficult to grasp and largely depend on individual perception as well as prior knowledge and familiarity with conventions. It is frequently the deviation from established genre or medium conventions which characterizes implicit forms of metareference. In filmic media, the deviation could involve specific unusual camera movements, for example. A particularly extensive use of

3 Cornfeld, Stuart, Eric McLeod and Ben Stiller, Producers (2008). Tropic Thunder. [Film]. Dreamworks Pictures. 8 zooming might serve to foreground the metareferential comment on genre or medium (conventions).

The third binary opposition is concerned with the nature of the elicited awareness and its effect on the perceived ontological or truth status of the work. Originally termed fictio by Wolf [1993: 38f], mediality-centered forms are marked by the reflection triggered by the mediality of the work. This means that the reflection encompasses thoughts on the way and conventions of a specific medium, for instance a film, and its typical features (or channels) that are used to transfer meaning. An example of an only mediality-centered form in film or television would be the direct look of an actor into the camera, thus breaking the so-called fourth wall. This metareferential effect often is so strong, that it is accompanied by an anti- illusionist effect, i.e. breaking the aesthetic illusion and disturbing the immersion of the recipient. Fictum or truth/fiction-centered forms, on the other hand, have the – additional – effect of foregrounding either the fictionality or truthfulness and accurateness of a given work of art. The aforementioned discussion or deviation of genre conventions is one example of fiction-centered forms of metareference, which can draw the recipient’s attention to the fact that the work in question is fictitious and does not represent reality.

The fourth and last dichotomy of metareferential sub-forms relate to their critical or non- critical functions. Critical forms usually point to the fictionality or other issues with regard to the production or reception of a given work. Non-critical forms, on the other hand, serve to enhance the authenticity of a story or content communicated through a medium. While parodies usually criticize a certain work of art or a genre by making use of meta-referential devices (Tropic Thunder may serve here again as an example), non-critical effects can be found in Stranger than Fiction4, for instance, where the realization of the main character with regard to his ontological status as being the main character of a novel does neither disturb the aesthetic illusion of the film nor reduce the film’s credibility as such.

The four sub-forms of metareference usually appear in combination, covering various forms, effects and functions. However, the binary oppositions within a category or sub-form cannot co-occur as they inherently exclude one another. This means that a metareferential element can be explicit and critical, for instance, but not critical and non-critical at the same time. (cf. Wolf 2009: 36-49)

4 Doran, Lindsay, Producer (2006). Stranger than Fiction. [Film]. Columbia Pictures. 9

Various functions can be deduced from the different forms of metareference. The main effect of eliciting media-awareness in the recipient can serve to voice criticism with regard to a specific work, parts of a work or the genre (which is the case in Tropic Thunder, as mentioned above), to create humor or to experiment with genre conventions in order to make the present work more interesting, entertaining or self-conscious, in that the work in question is placed within the context of previous works of the same genre. In addition, metareferential devices can be used to enhance the meaning of film or TV series. Metareference thus serves to add an additional layer to the story-based theme in that it is duplicated or mirrored on an additional level, rendering the whole product more complex.

mise en abyme

mise en cadre rhetorical

metareferential devices metalepsis epistemological

intertextuality ontological

intermediality

Figure 4: Metareferential devices

As can be seen in figure 4, the most outstanding metareferential devices are metalepsis, mise en abyme and its counterpart mise en cadre as well as intertextuality and intermediality. Not only do these devices share some kind of a metareferential effect, but they also occur across different media.

The first device with frequent metareferential effects and functions is mise en abyme. It can occur both inside and outside narrative media (but for the purpose of the present diploma thesis, the focus will only be on narrative media for obvious reasons). It is based on the precondition of divided, hierarchically ordered levels within a story/narrative, which means

10 that, in addition to the main (story) level, there is also an embedded lower level with yet another story or plot. However, the additional level is not only another plot line (otherwise, it would be part of the same level as a sub-plot). Rather it is a story within a story, situated on a lower diegetic level – the hypodiegesis – which exhibits certain features similar to the main level, as the decisive quality of the device is its mirroring effect. This effect is achieved by a certain relation between the two levels, based on either opposition or similarity, and in some cases even identity.

Yet, not every mise en abyme necessarily has a metareferential effect. If, for example, character A had a confrontation with character B on the main diegetic level of a story, and if this confrontation was replicated on the hypodiegesis, perhaps within a dream, then we might speak of a mise en abyme based on similarity. In this case, the recipient is not necessarily made aware of the narrative structure or the medium-specific conventions. But if the same dream occurred before the actual confrontation on the diegetic level, the effect of the mise en abyme would be foreshadowing of what was to happen on the diegetic level, thereby causing metareferential reflections in the recipient with regard to the story’s further development. If, however, the dream follows the confrontation, the resulting effect is to perpetuate a theme or reinforce a motif and might therefore not be perceived to trigger such reflections.

Similar to mise en abyme, a metalepsis is also based on the existence of at least two separate levels or represented worlds. The difference between these two devices lies in the fact that, in a paradoxical way, the boundaries between these levels are blurred or even crossed when a metalepsis occurs. The special quality of this phenomenon is marked by the ‘impossibility’ of the act of transgression, since the levels are either diegetically or ontologically separated (or, in fact, both). In other words, the levels differ in that one level belongs to the reality (i.e. the world of the recipient) while the other one is part of the fictional world represented in the story/medium. It is also possible that there are multiple levels within a story that organized in a hierarchical order (as is the case with mise en abyme). In Wolf’s (2009: 50) words, a metalepsis is “a usually non-accidental and paradoxical transgression of the border between levels or (sub-)worlds that are ontologically (in particular concerning the opposition reality vs. fiction) or logically differentiated”. Thus, the device presupposes that such an impossible transgression of boundaries is 1) done intentionally, 2) occurs only in representational media of narrative quality, and 3) is based on “the existence of at least two different ‘worlds’ or (onto-)logical levels” (Wolf 2009: 51). The result of such impossible transgressions of borders is a major yet implicit metareferential effect. 11

In general, three types of metalepses can be distinguished; rhetorical, epistemological and ontological metalepses. Rhetorical metalepses are limited to media with a narratorial instance, which allows for a paradoxical crossing of borders between diegetic levels. The narrator of a story (either of a book or film) might, for example, comment on the events and characters of the diegetic level while also addressing the recipients, thus shifting from the extradiegetic to the intradiegetic level. Epistemological metalepses arise from a character’s awareness of his/her fictionality (which is restricted to media capable of representing thoughts or speech), as exemplified by a character within a film who states that he/she is only an actor. Finally, ontological metalepses present the strongest and most striking of all metaleptic phenomena as they are based on the representational or suggested “physical transgression of a logical or ontological border between two levels/worlds by a character object” (Wolf 2009: 53).

One such example would be Truman, the main character of the homonymic movie5 The Truman Show, who finally manages to step out of the giant studio, viz. his hometown, into the real world. In this case, the character does the (seemingly) impossible, i.e. to cross the boundary from the hypodiegetic to the diegetic level, thus presenting the recipient with a bottom-up metalepsis. This example leads to a further important distinction of these devices, which is the direction of the transgression. If a character crosses the border from the diegetically higher level into the hypodiegetic world – for instance entering a story, book or film –, the phenomenon is referred to as a top-down metalepsis. In the reverse order, the transgression from the lower to the higher level is known as bottom-up metalepsis.

Yet, the hierarchy of diegetic levels is not a necessary prerequisite for all metaleptic border crossing phenomena. It is also possible for a character to cross the boundaries between separate diegetic levels of equal ontological status. These “’impossible’ leaps between parallel worlds” (Wolf 2013: 4) are known as lateral metalepses. Such a transgression might even occur between two distinct fictional works, for instance if a character of one particular fictional world appears in the same role in another fictional world.

The last two devices with potential metareferential effects that should be mentioned briefly are intertextuality and intermediality. The first is defined as a “reference or relationship to a real or fictitious pre-text” (Wolf 2009: 60). By analogy, intermediality is the term for “relationships between different media” or “any transgression of boundaries between conventionally distinct media” (ibid).

5 Niccol, Andrew; Scott Rudin et al, Producers (1998). The Truman Show. [Film]. Paramount Pictures. 12

According to Wolf, the metareferential functions are categorized into work-centered, author- centered or recipient-centered. The first describes the foregrounding of “the frame ‘art’ or ‘medium’ (Wolf 2009: 65); the second includes self-consciousness of the author and impact on the value of the author’s creation, shows author’s skill (ibid: 66); the third relates how the recipient is affected by metareference with regard to diminishing or increasing immersion and aesthetic illusion, resulting in the recipient’s medium-awareness (ibid: 67).

2.4) The Reality/Fiction Dichotomy as a Metareferential Theme The opposition of reality and fiction poses a difficult issue both for philosophers and scholars of literature and media studies. The answer to the question “What is reality and how can it be defined?” is much simpler in everyday life, since every person has a more or less common- sensical, concrete idea of what is meant when talking about ‘reality’. According to the OED Online, reality is, firstly, “the state of things as they actually exist, as opposed to an idealistic or notional idea of them” and in particular, “a thing that is actually experienced or seen”. Secondly, it refers to “the state or quality of having existence or substance”. In these definitions, the perceptual and material aspect of reality apparently plays a major role.

Fiction, on the other hand, is mainly defined in terms of its opposition to reality, namely as something which does not actually exist or correspond to reality. Bearing in mind that the reality one perceives may as well be deceptive and is moreover strongly influenced by the perceiving subject, fictionality is even more difficult to grasp and sometimes indistinguishable from reality.

In literary and cultural studies, reality is generally understood as the idea or notion of the world as it is commonly perceived by the majority of people. Thus, the real or factual is shaped by fixed ideas and regulated by conventions and sanctions (cf. Nünning 2008: 201). By contrast, fictional means that something is made up, invented or imagined – but, in the context of art, perceived as if it was real for the duration of reception. The individual’s perception of an artifact and categorization as either real or fictional depends on current cultural knowledge and conventions. (cf. ibid: 240)

For this reason, any work of art has certain characteristics established by convention, by which it is marked as fictional or factual. The indicating signs pointing to the fictional nature

13 of an artifact are referred to as markers of fictionality6 and can be found in the context, paratexts, proper texts, the language or aesthetics of the work in question. (cf. Nünning 2008: 202f)

The border between fiction and reality may often be a thin, blurry line but there are sender-, text- and message-based frames elicited by a given medium, which enable the recipient to distinguish between fictionality and factuality (cf. Wolf 2006: 5). In the case of a television series, there are not only generic conventions which facilitate the R/F distinction for the viewer but also the series’ idiosyncratic rules and standards as well as the thematic focus of an episode which affect the recipient’s preferred interpretation strategy.

However, missing frames or the employment of pseudo-real markers may intentionally deceive and create confusion in the recipient. Since some simulations, representations and other artificial copies of the reality can be amazingly convincing, the distinction of reality and fiction (henceforward R/F) is particularly difficult, if not impossible, when distinguishing signs, frames and markers are absent.

It has to be noted that of course not every thematization of the R/F opposition has metareferential effects. Metareferential reflections based on the R/F dichotomy only occur under two conditions; firstly, the representation of the reality/fiction issue is not only part of the represented world (e.g. a character’s confusion) but has to be transferred to the viewer. Secondly, questions regarding the R/F status of the present work of art need to be raised or, in more radical cases, the work’s fictionality has to be implied or indicated. In this way, the R/F issue as repercussions on the reception of the product. The theme of the story is reflected on the meta-level, moving from content to product.

The construction and distinction of reality and fiction is one major theme in the Star Trek series. How the realities and fictional worlds are constructed, which properties they have and which problems arise from the difficulty of distinguishing between the two categories will be the focus of chapter 3.2.1.

6 In the Metzler encyclopedia (Nünning 2008: 202f), these indicators are termed „Fiktiossigale ad defined as follows; “aelegriff zur Bezeihug kotetueller, paratetueller, tetueller, sprachlicher und aesthetischer Zeichen, die die Fiktionalität eines Werkes anzeigen, d.h. durch die sich fiktionale Texte als solche zu erkee gee. 14

2.5) Metareference as a Transmedial Phenomenon Since Wolf’s concept of metareference is based on a semiotic approach and is – as far as the term itself is concerned – not limited to a certain genre or medium, it allows for adaptation for and application to various media, which therefore renders it transmedial. In this sense, Wolf (2009: 12) argues that metareference is “used as a heuristically motivated umbrella term for all meta-phenomena occurring in the media”.

But what exactly is a medium and to which media can metareference be applied? According to Wolf (2009: 13f), a medium is defined as a “conventionally and culturally distinct means of communication, specified not only by particular technical or institutional channels (or one channel) but primarily by the use of one or more semiotic systems in the public transmission of content that includes, but is not restricted to, referential ‘messages’”. Despite the plethora of definitions, the present thesis will embrace Wolf’s definition for practical reasons, which allow for the commonly received notion of media as literature, film, television, and drama, to name a few.

In the context of the numerous media which can be analyzed with a metareferential approach, we have to clarify yet another concept: transmediality. The term refers to the occurrence of phenomena across different media. In this sense, transmediality “deals with general phenomena that are – or are considered to be – non-media specific and therefore appear in more than one medium” (Wolf 2009: 14). Such phenomena may include typical features of cultural movements, certain styles and techniques or other, general characteristics of media, such as narrativity as well as framing and description conventions.

Since the transmedial quality holds true for metareference as well, the concept can be applied not only to literature, the origin of the metareferential analysis, but also to the media film and television, for example. However, since most research has been done in literature, the concept was specifically designed for the analysis of literary works and focuses on typical features – particularly with regard to narrativity – of this medium. For this reason, certain aspects or categories of the concept have to be adapted for the television medium. (cf. Wolf 2009: 8)

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2.6) Television Analysis Mikos (2008: 13) argues that the analysis of film and television focuses on the “means which are used by film or TV shows in order to communicate with the audience”. These means are divided into several levels, including the levels of content, performance, dramaturgy, narration and aesthetics. With regard to metareference, the focus of analysis lies primarily on the levels of content and narration, but is not restricted to them.

As a medium of communication, television “communicates with the audience, whereby the representational means and techniques pre-structure the cognitive and emotional activities of the audience”7 (Mikos 2008: 15). However, not only the medium-specific means are decisive in the construction of meaning. Since the production and reception of television shows and series are seen in the light of a communicative situation, the meaning is constructed by the audience as influenced by contexts. In other words, the meaning of such a medium is not only pre-structured and shaped by its text but it is constructed in the recipient in the active process of reception. In this sense, meaning is neither fixed, nor objective, nor solely inherent in the text (cf. ibid: 16). This viewpoint as held by scholars of TV studies corresponds both to Wolf’s concepts of media and metareference, as they are based on the same conception of the respective communicative situations, and moreover rely on the importance of contexts.

Nevertheless, televisual products are mediated representations based on a subjective construction and selection of issues with certain intentions by the producers (cf. Mikos 2008: 12). For this reason, Mikos (2008: 21) considers televisual shows or series as “meaningful symbolic material” which offers a (limited) range of potential meaning to the recipients. The ‘active recipient’ may then select pieces from this offer according to his/her experience and knowledge.

The analysis of metareference in a given medium is characterized by the same individual approach. Whether or not metareferential elements are recognized as such – in particular implicit ones – largely depends on the recipient’s individual experience and prior knowledge. Similarly, the meaning of a parody, for instance, can never be fully grasped if the original text is not known to the recipient. In this way, metareference in television can be understood as a potential piece or additional layer of meaning offered by the representational modes and characteristics of the medium, which can be selected and recognized (or not) by the recipient. To summarize, the analysis of metareference in television series can be taken as a starting

7 Translation mine 16 point both from the perspective of the transmedial concept of metareference as well as from the analysis of television itself, but must ultimately include both perspectives in a meaningful way.

2.7) Analyzing Metareference in Television In her paper “The Self-reflexive Screen: Outlines of a comprehensive model” (published in Nöth and Bishara 2007), Withalm developed a model of self-reference and self-reflexivity for filmic media. The model is based on philosopher Rossi-Landi’s schema of social repro- duction of complex sign systems, and is therefore fit to be adapted to media such as film and television. Withalm adopts the three phases of production, distribution and reception of sign systems or media and combines them with the product. The categorization of various self- referential and self-reflexive techniques follows the four aspects of her model.

product

reception distribution

production

Figure 5: Withalm’s model of four metareferential categories

While explicit meta-elements in filmic media can easily be classified according to Withalm’s four categories, implicit forms are more difficult to ascribe to one specific class. Particularly in the light of predominantly implicit forms of metareference in the Star Trek TV series, the duality of story- vs. discourse-transmitted metareference as suggested by Wolf (1993 and 2009) or content- and form-based in Rajewsky’s terms (2009 and 2011) will be adopted for the purpose of categorization and analyses.

With regard to the extent of metareference in the Star Trek series, there is the question under which conditions metareferential analysis is meaningful and how this affects the selection of 17 episodes since the various Star Trek series are not per se metareferential TV shows. (One may only speak of meta-TV if a series does not only feature a few metareferential elements, but several larger components with an essential effect on the whole series, which is the case in 30 Rock8, for example.) It has to be pointed out that the selected episodes analyzed in the subsequent chapters feature meta-elements, i.e. “individual phenomena within certain works” (Wolf 2009: 31), to varying degrees. Single and reduced elements (occurring only once with a very restricted effect, for instance) are not regarded in the analyses as they are not essential to the interpretation or overall understanding of the meaning of the series. Therefore, the selection criteria include the extent of metareference, the frequency, the effect elicited in the recipient, and first and foremost the salience of elements.

The term metaization is commonly used today to refer to metareferential phenomena across all media. Wolf (2009: 3) defines it as “the movement from a first cognitive or communi- cative level to a higher one on which the first-level thoughts and utterances, and above all the means and media used for such utterances, self-reflexively become objects of reflection and communication in their own right”. In recent years, an increase in metareferential phenomena across all media has been repeatedly claimed, and, as mentioned above, Wolf (2009: 12) observes a “remarkable increase in metaization in contemporary postmodern culture” and even speaks of a metareferential turn, i.e. an increase “in the degree and quality of metareferentiality in a number (if not all) of (the) media and arts over the past few decades” (Wolf 2011: 1).

2.8) Methodology The occasional casual watching of Star Trek has resulted in the insight that numerous episodes contain metareferential elements. What then began with a first, unsystematic analysis during the reception of Star Trek: Voyager has become an eager experiment of finding similar phenomena in other Star Trek series as well, with an increasingly scholarly, systematic approach. The pre-dominantly implicit forms of metareference occurring in Star Trek had to be categorized, which was achieved by collecting and grouping themes (story/plot, character, temporal phenomena, holodeck). The result of this procedure is the structure of the present table of contents. The attribution of episodes to specific categories is based on the distinction of story and discourse and, as a third category, complex forms of metareference, which are

8 Fey, Tina; creator. (2006-2013). 30 Rock. USA. 18 mainly based on phenomena relating to the holodeck and similar technical devices that may cause a confusion of reality and fiction. Oftentimes, episodes feature multiple thematic elements, in which case they might be attributed to more than one category. Nevertheless, the major theme will then be taken as reasonable basis for the attribution to one category for the purpose of readability and reduced redundancy.

Episode protocols have been created based on the recommendations by Mikos (2008: 95ff) focusing only on the elements relevant to the analysis, in this case the plot outline and metareferential phenomena. Episode protocols serve as descriptions, translating into words what the viewer perceives in the form of images and sound. This description is the fundamental component on which the ensuing analysis and interpretation are based, thus allowing for a systematic and methodical study of television series/episodes.

The selection of relevant episodes for the following analyses includes the new Star Trek series, ie. The Next Generation (henceforward TNG), Deep Space Nine (DS9) and Voyager (VOY). Since there is already a vast amount of material on The Original Series (TOS) with detailed analyses, also with regard to story-telling and genre crossover, examples from this series have been excluded, but may nonetheless serve for the purpose of short comparisons. The latest series Enterprise was not included due to its meager success and the resulting reduced number of episodes, as well as the limited possibilities of storytelling (there is, for instance, no holodeck due to the series’ nature as a prequel to TOS).

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3) Metareference in Selected Star Trek Episodes

As indicated in the theoretical part of this thesis, the subsequent chapters are divided into discourse- and story-based metareference. The discourse-transmitted forms of metareference will be examined first, as there is only one relevant episode, which nevertheless serves as a prominent and obvious example of eliciting meta-awareness in the recipient.

The main part of the analysis deals with examples of story-transmitted metareference. The predominantly implicit forms are connected to two main themes, which will be discussed in separate chapters: the reality/fiction dichotomy, (see chapter 3.2.1), and the more subtle modification of story and plot (in chapter 3.2.2). As can be seen in the structure of the present thesis, the analyzed episodes can be placed on a scale ranging from most to least obvious (and therefore most implicit) forms of metareference.

Particularly the last part of the analysis, entitled storyline modifications, may be perceived with a critical eye as one may not immediately recognize the metareferential implications. One may even argue that there is no inherent metareferential effect to be found in those episodes since the devices of defamiliarization and deviation from established norms (which, as I will argue, form the basis of metareferential reflections) are somewhat naturalized or relativized by the science fiction genre . However, – and this is essential to stress from the beginning – the relevant episodes have to be seen in the light of generic conventions at the time of their production and in the context of the series and the whole franchise. The elements and narrative techniques listed in chapter 3.2.2. were not yet part of the established repertory of generic conventions at the time of the series’ production. The resulting deviation and perceived unnaturalness of plot structure upon this first encounter with innovative narrative devices arguably create metareferential awareness in the recipient as he/she is forced to adopt new ‘reading’ strategies, new interpretational techniques in order to understand the innovative approach. Since it would be unwise to disclose any further details without a proper analysis, the discussion will be deferred to the respective chapter.

It also appears necessary (particularly for readers not familiar with Star Trek) to make some preliminary remarks regarding the franchise as well as to introduce the historical and thematic background of the various series. Created by Gene Roddenberry, the first television show, The Original Series (TOS), started to be produced in 1966 after two pilots (“The Cage” and “Where No Man Has Gone Before”) had been aired. The first series depicts the crew’s five- year mission to explore the “final frontier” that is space and to “boldly go where no man has

20 gone before”. The crew aboard the famous starship Enterprise consists of three main characters: Captain Kirk (representing the man of action), the Vulcan Spock (the personified rationality) and Doctor McCoy (the conscience of the crew), who are at the center of each episode. As a consequence, there are strict and rigid rules for character action and little to no character development. The series was regularly broadcast until 1969 when it ended prematurely due to limited success after only three seasons and 79 episodes, respectively. The series is marked by the positive depiction of 23rd century society, a utopian representation of western civilization, in which war, poverty and differences have been overcome on Earth. The science fiction genre was suitable as it allowed Roddenberry to voice ideas and criticism on contemporary issues (such as the Vietnam War, race, gender roles, religion and politics) in a mitigated, distanced way. Therefore, the envisioned, represented future was shaped by the episteme and the aesthetics of the 1960s, not least due to the influence of the network which insisted on the depiction of believable, contemporary social conditions in order to appeal to the audience. (cf., for example, Rauscher 2003: 25; Johnson-Smith 2005: 58 and Savile 2010: 16f)

The increasing success due to television reruns led to the production of The Animated Series in 1974, which, however, remained without success. With a constantly increasing number of fans and various fan initiatives to restart Star Trek, and following the example of the extraordinarily profitable Star Wars movies, the concept of the show was adapted for the filmic genre. The first movie “Star Trek: The Motion Picture” was produced in 1979 featuring the popular crew of the 1960s series. After its great success, more movies followed in the early 1980ies. (cf. Johnson-Smith 2005: 59)

Finally, in 1987, another Star Trek series called The Next Generation (TNG) with a new crew and Captain and a modern model of the Enterprise set in the 24th century was started as a consequence of multiple fan initiatives. In contrast to TOS, Roddenberry was now able to create a purer representation of his visions. Thus, TNG is based, among other things, on humanist ideals, equality and diplomatic ability, which influence the dramaturgy and the character roles of the series. Consequently, the ensemble cast consisting of more than three main characters allows for increased variety and character development during the seven season runtime. Despite the technological development with regard to special effects during the 1980s, the series’ focus lies on the content and focuses mainly on the individual. Nevertheless, the technological advance in filming led to a distinguished style of the series. (cf. Richards 1997: 5; 35-55 and Johnson-Smith 2005: 49)

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The success of TNG was limited at first since the fans originally demanded new episodes starring the old crew from TOS. Nevertheless, the characters of TNG became increasingly popular in the course of time – particularly after the third season – and caused a hitherto unknown fan hype from the fourth season onwards. Geraghty (2007:4) describes the reason for the new series’ popularity as follows:

“New stories meant not only that they [fans] could see what the future looked like after Kirk’s time, but also that there would be more back-story in which to immerse themselves. The series went from strength to strength as the characters were allowed to develop and interact with others in ways which were denied to the original crew.” In 1993, even before the end of TNG, a new series with a different concept was developed. Deep Space Nine (DS9) is set on a deep space outpost, a gigantic space station, which is commanded by the African-American Captain Sisko. Owing to the very limited room for action and the reduced topos of space exploration, the stories focus on interpersonal relationships, inner conflicts and character development. The main issues the characters have to face are predominantly of a (socio-) political nature; Sisko is in the role of the mediator between two alien races in an after-war scenario, who tries to establish lasting peace, but later is also confronted with the war against the Dominion, a seemingly superior race from another region in the galaxy with more power and the ambition to subjugate the Federation (peaceful alliance of planets). Thus, the series is marked by particularly long, elaborate story arcs and more complex themes as well as a darker tone in that the negative aspects of the characters’ personalities are also shown. (cf. e.g. Rauscher 2003: 288 and Savile 2010: 32f)

Voyager (VOY) started in 1995 and depicts a crew of space explorers who strands unintentionally in a distant part of the galaxy, the Delta Quadrant, on their mission to intercept a renegade group of ex-Starfleet members known as the Maquis. Facing the fact that the journey home is estimated to take approximately 75 years, the two crews decide to merge. Under the command of Captain Janeway, the first female captain in the Star Trek franchise, they struggle to find a way home to Earth through the unknown territory, and find themselves in a similar position to that of TOS crew, meeting new species and civilizations. The endeavor is complicated by various difficulties, including limited resources and a lack of allies. This setting and main story arc allow for a broad variety of themes addressed in single episodes as well as additional mini- story arcs. (cf. e.g. Rauscher 2003: 326 f and Johnson-Smith 2005: 78f)

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3.1) Discourse-transmitted/-based Metareference

Monaco (2009: 51f) points out the close relation between film and novel; what the basic dichotomy of story and discourse is for a novel, is the interplay of “the materials of the story and the objective nature of the image” for a filmic medium (ibid: 54). Furthermore, both novels and films have a narrating instance, but in the case of film, the narrator is usually far less salient/prominent and therefore more difficult to discern.

For the purpose of analysis, the ‘discourse’ of the episode of a television series will be understood as the sum of the filmic techniques utilized to convey the story. Special attention will be paid to the role of the camera and the narrator since the metareferential effects are achieved by deviating from established norms concerning these two discursive elements.

The ensuing analysis is the only example in all of the Star Trek series which displays a willful and strategic deviation from established discursive conventions in order to tell an otherwise untellable story.

DS9 “In the Pale Moonlight” This episode9 consists of three diegetic levels, two of which are of major importance for the analysis of metareference. The diegesis shows the main character Captain Sisko in the present making a personal log entry. The hypodiegesis depicts past events as reported by Sisko, and the hypo-hypodiegesis is a short, embedded holographic computer program representing an artificial meeting of political decision-makers. The recipient is in the position of an observer, watching alternately the events of the diegetic and hypodiegetic level.

The episode begins with a personal log entry of Captain Sisko, which is nothing unusual in the Star Trek series. What strikes the recipient, however, is the fact that, from the very beginning, the character looks directly into the camera, thus breaking the fourth wall, and disrupting the aesthetic illusion before it could even be properly built in the present episode. By looking at the recipient, the character implicitly acknowledges the viewer’s presence. As a result, the recipient has the impression of being directly addressed by the character and therefore immediately becomes aware of the act of watching a TV series.

There are various reasons for this effective deviation. First of all, the viewer is activated and becomes more involved in the ensuing story which is depicted on the hypodiegetic level. Secondly, the recipient is sensitized to the delicate issue, i.e. Sisko’s questionable and

9 See appendix page A8 for episode protocol. 23 ethically problematic decisions; simultaneously the recipient’s sympathy is directed towards this troubled main character. Thirdly, the viewer is prepared to follow Sisko’s perspective on the hypodiegetic level, which is entirely told from his point of view as the camera follows his every move and decision. In this respect, the aesthetic illusion is not destroyed. In fact, the recipient’s immersion in the whole story is even increased.

Sisko opts to make a personal log entry instead of an official one because it does not appear in Starfleet protocols. The content is therefore neither available to other characters nor to the official Star Trek storyline. The reason for this secrecy, despite the vital political information contained, is the character’s troubled mind and mixed feelings. Apparently, he has a bad conscience and feels guilty for what he has done recently, which is expressed in the quotation below.

SISKO: It's only been two weeks. I need to talk about this. I have to justify what's happened, what I've done, at least to myself. I can't talk to anyone else, not even to Dax. Maybe if I just lay it all out in my log, it'll finally make sense. I can see where it all went wrong, where I went wrong. I suppose it started two weeks ago. [emphasis mine]

Sisko’s introductory sentences point to the therapeutic function of the personal log entry for the character on the intradiegetic level, within the represented world; the character feels the need to speak about past events, to make sense of them and thus hopefully ease his conscience. From the extradiegetic perspective, the personal log entry in combination with Sisko’s direct look into the camera serve to create a simulated atmosphere of trust between character and viewer. It appears as if the character confided his personal thoughts and feelings to the recipient only, knowing that nobody else could discover the truth about the current political situation of the represented world and his role in it. This, in turn, implies the character’s awareness that the viewer cannot cross the boundary from the real into the fictional story world and is therefore bound to secrecy regarding Sisko’s revelation.

Another aspect that is unusual for the Star Trek series, is the role of the main character as the narrator of an embedded story. Via voice-over, Sisko reports the main events of the past two weeks and comments on his emotions, thoughts and motivation for actions taken. After some explanatory remarks from the off, the narrator’s voice disappears; the viewer and main character plunge into the hypodiegesis. However, – and this is noteworthy – the narrator voice reappears every time to mark the transition from the hypodiegetic to the diegetic level or vice versa, which is frequently the case. As the two diegetic levels alternate, the character is repeatedly shown to directly look into the camera to address the audience. For this reason, the role of the narrator is maintained throughout the episode and extended beyond the usual 24 introductory sequence, i.e. the log entry at the beginning of an episode, which only functions as a means to provide background information and orientation for the recipient.

On the hypodiegetic level, Sisko elaborates on his ethical dilemma and the political issue at the heart of the problem. His good intentions – namely to end the war with the Dominion without further casualties – but bad implementation, including unethical means to accomplish it, trouble him at the beginning of the episode. Since the camera follows the main character, the viewer exclusively observes Sisko’s perspective, which creates empathy in the recipient and directs the sympathy towards the main character. In addition, Sisko makes effective use of his role as a narrator in that he frequently comments on the precarious political situation of the Federation and thus provides justification for his actions.

The hypo-hypodiegetic level contains the forged holographic ‘recording’ of the allegedly real, but in fact deliberately simulated meeting of the Dominion with high-ranking Romulan envoys discussing the imminent conquest of the Romulan planet after the successful defeat of the Federation. This artificial, invented and above all untrue ‘evidence’ is a willful intention to deceive the Romulans, which fails to pass as the real thing on its own. In addition, this fact can be understood as an indirect comment on the DS9 episode and its fictional status as well. The recipient might not accept an unofficial account of events (due to the deletion of the log entry at the end and the overall negative and therefore perhaps unacceptable depiction of the main character) and consequently categorize the depicted events as fictional.

Nevertheless, the manipulation is accomplished at last, but only after another deception, i.e. the destruction of the Romulan ambassador’s vessel (including his death) with planted evidence pointing to the Dominion as the culprit. What can be deduced from that conduct is the fact that the deception has to be sophisticated and realistic enough to be credible; and two connected plots are apparently more effective than one. In doing so, the character Sisko is shown in a very negative light, making difficult decisions and implementing them with the help of the well-known master manipulator of the space-station, Garak.

In terms of the therapeutic, liberating function of relating past events, the personal log entry works well as a means to order the character’s thoughts as well as appease his inner conflict. Sisko realizes in the end that he can live with his burden and therefore does not need any record of the things he has done, as expressed in the quotation below. For this reason, it is perfectly understandable that the incriminating log entry is deleted in the end so that no one will ever learn of it. Since this deletion coincides with the end of the episode, the diegesis is

25 discontinued as it leaves nothing further to be disclosed. The deletion of the log entry depicting the events of the present episode is mirrored in the discontinuation of discourse and the black screen at the end before the credits and end theme appear.

SISKO: At 0800 hours, station time, the Romulan Empire formally declared war against the Dominion. They have already struck fifteen bases along the Cardassian border. So, this is a huge victory for the good guys. This may even be the turning point of the entire war. There's even a 'Welcome to the Fight' party tonight in the wardroom. So I lied, I cheated, I bribed men to cover the crimes of other men. I am an accessory to murder. But the most damning thing of all, I think I can live with it. And if I had to do it all over again, I would. Garak was right about one thing. A guilty conscience is a small price to pay for the safety of the Alpha Quadrant, so I will learn to live with it. Because I can live with it. I can live with it. Computer, erase that entire personal log. [emphasis mine] The personal log entry has further revelatory implications. The content of the hypodiegetic action shows the details of Sisko’s story. He is ashamed of his actions – including lies, betrayal, bribery, extortion and being an accessory to murder – which do not correspond to the typical Starfleet approach, and particularly not to the typical depiction of Star Trek characters. This fact is also expressed openly by the character himself, when he distances his actions from that of Starfleet telling the forger, “You're not working for Starfleet. This entire matter is off the record. As far as you're concerned, you're working for me.”

The log entry entails extensive self-characterization of the main character as he is sharing very personal, intimate thoughts and experiences with the computer on an intradiegetic level, and with the audience on the extradiegetic level. As a form of soliloquy, it is also a means to portray the inner life of a character without forcing him to communicate this to another character. As a result, the audience seems to hold up a mirror in which the character is reflected. The related events serve to express and finally also resolve the main character’s inner conflict, which he sees in his reflection. Thus, the viewer learns about aspects of the character’s personality which he/she would otherwise never have become aware of.

Moreover, this episode is another example of an ethical debate, the solution to which is not provided within the story but instead passed on to the viewer, while the overall tense political situation in the represented world results in a “radical breach of the familiar Star Trek idealism” (Rauscher 2003: 308, translation mine10). The personal log entry not only portrays the dark side of an otherwise exclusively positive character by breaking the fourth wall, but also breaks the illusion of the familiar represented utopian world. The unofficial nature of this report and the fact that, in the end, it is deleted by the main character enables the telling of an untold story, a story deviating so remarkably from established norms and values

10 „Eie der radikalste Brühe it de ertraue Star Trek-Idealisus ollführt eeplarish die Episode „In the Pale Moonlight. 26 characterizing the Star Trek universe that it is simply unthinkable to be true and above all unacceptable in a (more or less) utopian world. It is also a way of informing the viewer about the true occurrences as opposed to what is to become the official history within the represented world. In this way, the deviation from established narrative conventions of the Star Trek series mirrors the deviation from the story’s implied world view, linking form and content of the present episode to a meaningful, meta-referential whole.

3.2) Story-transmitted/-based Metareference

In the previous chapter, the metareferential means of the discourse level were examined, focusing on the narrative and aesthetic means constituting the mode of transmission. This chapter, by contrast, is concerned with the metareferential means of the story level, focusing on the mediated content including also the representation of actors and setting as well as the dramaturgical means and the plot structure of an episode.

The subsequent section deals with the reality/fiction dichotomy as one salient theme that is connected to various (predominantly implicit) metareferential forms and functions. The second story-based analytical part shows how narrative structure may elicit meta-awareness in the recipient and which narrative devices are used to achieve that effect. In both cases, metareference arises out of, but is not restricted to the occurrence on, story-based elements.

3.2.1 Metareference and the Reality/Fiction Dichotomy As indicated above, metareference arises from multiple aspects that can all be ascribed to the story level. Many of the following examples feature multiple diegetic levels with mirroring functions as well as border crossing phenomena and ontological considerations. Therefore, the stories represented in these episodes predominantly raise questions regarding the truth/fiction opposition.

This section is divided into four subchapters; the first provides an explanation of the holodeck as a virtual reality machine which produces hypodiegetic levels. The second is concerned with the confusion of reality and fiction with multiple diegetic levels. The third deals with the dissolution of reality and fiction, when the fiction of the holodeck paradoxically becomes reality, and the fourth portrays genre hybridity as a consequence of intermedial metareference.

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In some of the following analyses, metareference is shown to arise from hypodiegetic levels created by the holodeck, a similar VR machine or a character’s mind. The produced simulations serve either to deceive intentionally, in which case the illusion becomes a delusion (for both the character and the viewer), constitute an unintentional result of technological problems, or can be ascribed to psychological or medical issues. All the following episodes are more salient in their metareferential effect compared to the episodes where metareference is story-based because their effect is not primarily the result of story structure or mediation. Moreover, naturalization is not significant in these examples, since even after multiple watching, the same effect of the viewer’s becoming aware of the narrative’s fictionality or particular genre conventions is achieved.

The confusion of reality and fiction is based on the presence of multiple diegetic levels and caused by a lack of fictionality and reality markers within the represented world. Due to this absence of familiar frames, which enable the categorization into real and fictional, the reality/fiction opposition is thematized. By questioning the truth value and ontological status not only within the represented world but also on an extra-compositional level, the viewer’s attention is drawn to the artificiality of the represented events, the story and, in some cases, to the whole series. As a consequence, the differentiation between the opposites may be difficult, sometimes even impossible. Nevertheless, – as we will see – the ontological status of both reality and fiction ultimately remain intact within the represented world in most cases.

In the case of dissolution discussed in 3.2.1.3, however, the boundaries between reality and fiction are not merely blurred and questioned, but the distinction between reality and fiction is no longer possible or meaningful. Due to border crossing phenomena, viz. various forms of metalepses, the impossible is realized; fiction turns into reality. For this reason, episodes depicting the loss of the traditional classification of factual and fictional depend on the narrative device of the holodeck, which will be briefly explained in the subsequent chapter.

3.2.1.1) The holodeck “A holodeck combines three-dimensional holographic projections and transporter-based replications to create the best in interactive entertainment: entire worlds for you to touch, taste, hear, smell, feel, and even wear.” (Erdmann + Block 2008: 75). This characterization of a virtual reality machine that is part of the storyworld holds not only true for the characters of the new Star Trek series, but also for the recipient as new elements can be introduced and integrated into the narrative structure of an otherwise ‘usual’ science fiction television series. 28

Within the fictional world of Star Trek, the so-called ‘holodeck’ is a special room equipped with holographic technology used for a wide variety of purposes. It was first introduced in The Next Generation in episode 1.12 in order to mark the 24th century of this fictional world as even more advanced than other ‘futuristic’ series (it did not yet exist in TOS, which is set in the fictional future of the 23rd century). Due to the numerous possibilities the holodeck offers – both on the level of the fictional world and on the extra-compositional level of creating episodes –, it had a great influence on the subsequent series that were set in the same timeframe, i.e. Voyager and Deep Space Nine, because it served as a thematic basis and recurring element in a vast number of episodes throughout various series (as argued in the present thesis).

The holodeck can be described as a device or medium producing true-to-life fiction of any kind based on a computer program. Its parallels with virtual reality (VR) technology therefore stand to reason and are useful for its characterization. Freese and Harris (2004: XXVI), for instance, define the holodeck as a “virtual reality machine” combining “holography, magnetic force-fields, and energy-to-matter conversions to produce what Janet H. Murray (cited in Freese and Harris 2004: ibid) calls ‘a universal fantasy machine, open to individual programming’.” This means that the desired fictional product is holographically projected and materialized in a particular room by the advanced technology (referred to as ‘holographic emitters’) of the 24th century. The result is the physical creation of a whole fictional world with landscapes and settings, interactive characters and even a plot, if desired, which are, however, spatially and temporally restricted. Within this artificially created and temporary world, one or more persons can act naturally or according to predefined roles similar to a theatrical performance. Of course, the holodeck is capable of producing fictional characters (humans or aliens) as well, with specific characteristics and, if necessary, an individual personality according to the program. These artificial characters have the ability to interact with other characters, real or artificial, but they are usually unaware of their inferior ontological status.

Due to its characteristics, the holodeck has a large variety of potential applications. As Gresh and Weinberg (1999: 127) put it, “[h]olodecks and holosuites offer a chance for relaxation, entertainment, or adventure.” For example, the holodeck can be used to re-create landscapes or settings, such as a beautiful beach where the crew might spend their holidays and leisure time, or a training environment for sports and drills. Another way of using the holodeck is the running of simulations for the sake of problem solving. In this way, the crew can, for instance,

29 work on technological issues without risking damages or injuries, if a test or experiment should fail.

The third and most remarkable application is the creation of ‘holo-novels’ or interactive theatrical plays. In this case, the artificial world is created according to a program with a specific setting, predefined roles and characters, a plot line as well as with a mood and style typical of the respective genre the original work of art pertains to. The roles which a crew member can choose may either be strictly determined so that the plot only develops if the characters act accordingly, or loose, in which case the events and plot are open and free to develop individually or the plot is practically non-existent if, for example, only a certain setting with shallow background characters is generated. Furthermore, a participant of a holodeck program has the ability to alter and adapt the running program (from within the artificially created world) by giving the computer certain commands. In this way, the interactive participant is not only active on the fictional intra-compositional or hypodiegetic level as a character within the story, but also on the fictional extra-compositional, diegetic level in the form of a creator or editor, and thus takes part in the “world-making” of alternate realities as Steurer (1996: 8) terms it.

The holodeck apparently functions as a – or probably the ultimate – virtual reality machine. It perfectly matches the definition of Gresh and Weinberg (1999: 128) who describe VR as “a computer-generated world in which we move and interact with objects, other real people, and virtual reality people.” More importantly, however, is the fact that it is “a place that isn’t really there but that offers the powerful illusion of existence” (ibid). This fact is decisive as it allows the differentiation of reality and fiction within the represented world by establishing two ontological levels, i.e. the general diegesis and the hypodiegesis, by way of temporal and spatial limitation. The more technical definition of VR based on Bormann as described by Steurer (1996: 29) focuses on the aim of the technology, i.e. full immersion into an interactive world11, while the philosophical definition of VR can be seen to pointedly express the characteristics and functions of the holodeck (as mentioned above); VR is seen as

“a form of network interaction incorporating aspects of role-playing games, interactive theatre, improvisional comedy, and ‘true confessions’ magazines. In a virtual reality […], interaction between the participants is written like a shared novel complete with scenery, ‘foreground characters’ that may be personae utterly unlike the people who write them, and common ‘background characters’ manipulable [sic] by all parties.” (Bormann cited in Steurer 1996: 31) [emphasis mine]

11 „Virtual ‘ealit ist eie Tehologie, die ersuht, de Beutzer eie ollstädige Iersio i eier iteraktie oputergeerierte Uelt zu iete. Bormann cited in Steurer (1996:29). 30

There are numerous implications of the holodeck with regard to general metareferentiality and (the metareferential exploration of) storytelling. Firstly, the temporal and spatial restriction of the artificially created world to the holodeck implies that there are two different ontological levels and thus diegetic levels (as described above) which are separated by spatial boundaries. While the artificially created world and its life forms – located on the hypodiegetic level – usually cannot exist outside the holodeck and are therefore restricted to the hypodiegetic level, the characters of the diegetic level (the ship’s crew) have the possibility of crossing the boundaries in both ways and thus the ability to shift between the diegetic and hypodiegetic level when using the holodeck.

This fact implies that border crossing phenomena or, what in other fiction would be classified as epistemological or ontological metalepses, are not only possible but also common and frequent. Due to the characters’ repeated use of the holographic technology, the characters’ border crossing between diegetic levels is no longer perceived by the viewer as paradoxical but becomes a well established, accepted part of the represented world. The regular viewer of Star Trek is accustomed to the top-down and bottom-up metalepses of diegetic characters when entering or exiting the holographic world. Consequently, the “paradoxical unnaturalness” of such “logical impossibilities (the contamination of the ontologically different realms of ‘nature’ and ‘art’/’artifacts’)” of these metalepses is weakened according to Wolf (2013: 5); the expected result of defamiliarization in the recipient is neutralized and naturalized. Therefore, these phenomena can be regarded liminal cases of metareferential metalepses without any further function than enabling the access to a hypodiegetic, artificial world. (cf. ibid)

Secondly, the multiple diegetic and ontological levels also suggest the possibility of mirroring functions and thus of self-referential phenomena such as mise en abyme and mise en cadre (with potential metareferential functions). The third implication concerns the reality vs. fiction issue, particularly in connection with border crossings. In the case of a bottom-up metalepsis of a hypodiegetic fictional character, the ontological status is consequently altered, thereby raising problematic questions concerning the existence and identity of a character and/or the nature of reality. In addition to that, the VR of the holodeck may be perceived as the reality and vice versa. This means that, on the one hand, there is the potential to abuse the holographic technology in order to deceive people intentionally. On the other hand, characters may confuse what they perceive as reality with the fictional world of the holodeck due to

31 losing the point of reference or familiar frames which are normally used to distinguish between reality and fiction. In both cases, the illusion can become a delusion.

The fourth and final point is the potential experimentation with the holodeck as a fictional ‘new’ medium. Since it can be used to adapt novels, theatrical plays or films, there are multiple possibilities to create hypodiegetic worlds in the style of one or multiple particular works of art or genres. In this context, Steurer (1996: 56) points out the inter- and transmedial aspect of the holodeck; “Die Virtual Reality eröffnet die Möglichkeit, verschiedene Kunstformen wie die Malerei, Musik und bewegte Bilder zu verbinden”. Burton (cited in Steurer 1996: 56) elaborates even further;

Virtual art is at once a technology, a medium and a concept. A cauldron for integrating painting, film, sculpture and literature with the performing arts like music and theatre; A metamedium that simultaneously encompasses myriad styles – surrealist, cubist, revivalist, religious and postmodern; and, by its nature it is an experience in which art viewers can co-create their experiences. [emphasis mine]

Looking at the most salient examples of the characters’ preferred holodeck pastimes, one will find in TNG that Captain Picard enjoys the program “Dixon Hill”, a form of detective fiction reminiscent of film noir. Data makes use of the holodeck to perform theatrical plays, predominantly works of Shakespeare (such as The Tempest), and assumes the role of Sherlock Holmes, while Worf is perceived to frequent the holodeck mainly for training purposes and physical exercise or the practice of Klingon rituals, and Commander Riker created a holographic Jazz club for his personal entertainment purposes. In VOY, Captain Janeway takes pleasure in working with a replica of Leonardo da Vinci for inspiration, but her “passion in the holodeck is a Jane Eyre-style story of a governess” (Johnson-Smith 2005: 105). Tom Paris, on the other hand, is portrayed as an aficionado of the 20th century who frequently spends time in a black and white science fiction program fighting as “Captain Proton” against the evil ‘Chaotica’. And in DS9, doctor Bashir has a holodeck existence as a secret agent similar to James Bond. (cf. Johnson-Smith 2005: 99ff; Rauscher 2003: 141; 261; 272)

What is remarkable about these examples is the fact that the holodeck is mainly used to create and invent new products associated with a certain genre rather than explicitly referring to existing, real works of arts, with the exception of the various, frequently encountered Shakespeare plays and Data’s affinity for (invented!) Sherlock Holmes stories. By drawing on the example of the VOY character Tom Paris’ favorite holo-program “Captain Proton”, Johnson-Smith (2005: 99) remarks that although this “black and white holodeck adventure program” is “clearly based upon popular 1940/1950s sf strip adventures”, the creation of “an ‘unreal’ series” is preferred to the reference “to an actual television series, like Flash Gordon 32 or Buck Rogers”, “thus stressing Star Trek’s reluctance to really connect with its audience’s own (science fiction) past.” For this reason, one might argue that the metareferential effect of episodes featuring such invented elements of popular culture is reduced, if not even inexistent. Nevertheless, these ‘fictional’ examples allow for a large variety of intertextual and intermedial references, adaptations and genre borrowing, which offer metareferential ways of reading/interpretation.

In this context, Rauscher (2003: 255f) uses the term genre crossover to describe intertextual or intermedial references that are part of the episodes’ dramaturgy and plot after the introduction of the holodeck in TNG. He argues as follows:

Mit der Einführung des Holodecks ergänzt die Next Generation die Handlungsräume um eine weitere wesentliche Spielfläche. Das in allen Serien beibehaltene Prinzip des Genre-Crossovers erfolgt nicht mehr über die obskuren Begegnungen in den unendlichen Weiten, sondern wird durch die virtuelle Realität des Holodecks in die Architektur des Schiffes integriert. (Rauscher 2003: 14)

This new intradiegetic element also serves as a narrative device in that it provides a reasonable and accepted explanation as to why the familiar frame and conventions of a science fiction television series are temporarily replaced by features characteristic of other genres. “Das Crossover in andere Genres bildet durch die Einführung des Holodecks einen integralen Bestandteil der neuen Serien und Filme“ (ibid: 255) und es ermöglicht die „Erschließung neuer dramaturgischer Möglichkeiten jenseits der „Anomalie der Woche“- Plots“ (ibid: 256). Thus, the holodeck is a narrative device inherent in the represented world that not only serves to entertain and occupy the characters of the new series during long voyages, but also allows actors to plausibly switch from the usual science fiction TV series to the setting, plot and themes typical of other genres, such as Western films, film noir, Shakespeare plays and numerous other genres.

As indicated earlier, the holodeck has, apart from its many advantages, also a less positive aspect, namely the problematic issue of blurring the distinction between reality and fiction. Once inside, the real character (RC) is fully immersed in the simulation, literally secluded and has to rely mainly on the information provided by the computer. Nonetheless, there are markers of fictionality and reality that usually indicate the status of the holographic program and the participating character. For example, an RC is always able to enter and exit the holodeck at convenience – the border is the door separating the outside reality from the inside fictionality –, while fictional characters are confined to their simulation. Furthermore, the RC is in control of the simulation, in the role of the creator. Every command to the computer results in the desired effect within the fictional world. In the real world, by contrast, the RC 33 cannot command the computer to produce desired events, objects or reconfigure the situation. The creative powers of the technology are restricted to the designated area. In addition, risks are minimized or nonexistent as “safety protocols” protect the RC from being injured or death of artificial causes. If there should be any doubt concerning the current status, the RC always has the possibility of consulting the computer for information. Last, but not least, the entirety of the ship’s crew serves as a strong indicator of reality. Despite the obvious frames and borders separating the reality of the represented world from the fictional simulation inside the holodeck there are several episodes, in which the distinction of the reality/fiction opposition is inhibited or fails.

3.2.1.2) The Confusion of Reality and Fiction As argued in the present paper, the confusion of reality and fiction is one major theme recurring throughout the various Star Trek series. Particularly in TNG, VOY and DS9, the reality/fiction dichotomy is mainly, but not exclusively, thematized by the narrative device of the holodeck, which allows for a variety of metareferential phenomena due to its capacity of producing multiple diegetic levels with fictional characters of diverse ontological status. Earlier episodes, on the other hand, make use of the theme of insanity or hallucinations in order to provide an explanatory basis for a complex narrative structure with multiple diegetic levels. The ensuing analysis shows how the reality/fiction confusion is brought about and presented without the creative means of the holodeck.

TNG 6.21 “Frame of Mind” In the episode “Frame of Mind”, a character is facing the issue of insanity. After allegedly having killed a person, he is institutionalized in a mental facility on a foreign planet, where he is ‘treated’ for his mental condition and loss of memory.

The episode’s structure relies on the confusing representation of events pertaining to various diegetic levels without a clear discernible ontological hierarchy. This has a very disorienting and highly disturbing effect on both the recipient and, within the story, on the character Commander Riker. The beginning of the episode shows Riker in close-ups – he is apparently the central character of this episode – as a patient inside an asylum. He is talking to Data, until he suddenly stops and asks him if they could start the scene from the beginning. Through this utterance and the comment on “over-rehearsing” by the play’s director (i.e. their colleague Crusher), the viewer realizes that Riker and Data are rehearsing for a theatrical play they are going to perform. (cf. appendix page XV) 34

The previous scene is therefore perceived as a beginning in medias res on a hypodiegetic level. This missing opening frame implies the existence of at least two diegetic levels, i.e. the action on the diegesis, and the hypodiegesis of the embedded play. In addition, it prepares the viewer for the episode’s complex structure including multiple diegetic levels, and indicates the possibility of subsequent, hierarchically lower plot lines, which – like the embedded play – might not represent actual events or the reality within the story world but rather further fictional incidents. What is more, the underlying theme of the episode, which is already hinted at in the title, is introduced very effectively from the first scene onward.

When the end of the embedded play is performed – indicated by Riker’s bowing to the clapping audience –, the scene suddenly changes; Riker finds himself in a cell, in an allegedly real asylum. At this point, the story splits into two main settings and plotlines, which are depicted interchangeably. The transition from one plotline to the other is marked by sudden scene shifts, which add to the disorienting effect on both the recipient and the character since both are taken aback by the unprepared situation alteration. While the first plotline consists of everything that occurs onboard of the Enterprise, including also the diegetically lower embedded play, the second one comprises the incidents which show Riker in the insane asylum on a foreign planet. All ensuing events of the episode pertain either to the first or the second plotline, as illustrated in figure 6 below.

Diegesis – Intradiegetic Reality

plotline 1: plotline 2: Enterprise Asylum

- Embedded play - Treatments - Mission briefing - Starfleet colleagues

Figure 6: Diegetic levels in “Frame of Mind”

Confused by the first experience of disorientation and a sense of premonition, Riker voices his concerns to the ship’s Counselor Troi. She replies pointing out the positive aspect, namely his ability to put himself in the shoes of the fictional character he impersonates. The fact that she is considering him to become “a real actor” who experiences more “than just a role” is an 35 indirect hint at the actor’s real role. By this explicitly metareferential statement, which is simultaneously an example of an epistemological metalepsis, the viewer is made aware of the fact that the real actor is impersonating a character who is acting and representing an insane person.

As a result of the sudden, inexplicable change of situation effectuated by the unexpected scene shift, Riker, similar to the recipient, is completely disoriented and confused. When the character is unable to recall how he has ended up where he currently seems to be – in a mental institution of some sort – his sanity is seriously questioned in the eyes of the recipient. Riker’s reliability as a character is even further doubted when he has trouble recalling his own name and additionally states that he suffers from severe headaches. The isolation of the character due to the absence of familiar crewmembers, his critical mental state including disorientation and a lack of memory characterize plotline 2. His questionable sanity thus reinforces the theme of the reality/fiction confusion by using madness as its vehicle. From this perspective, the explanation provided to the viewer by the episode’s structure and presentation is that Riker may indeed suffer from delusions or some serious mental illness. For the time being, the viewer probably accepts the current situation or may at least consider the repercussions of the implied facts concerning the character’s current state.

However, the situation begins to appear unrealistic and highly unlikely in the eyes of the recipient, when the alleged doctor attempts to convince Riker of the non-existence of familiar, well-established facts and elements of the represented story world – particularly since the familiar characters of the crew have been seen at the beginning of the episode; according to this claim, Starfleet is unreal, Riker’s position as Commander on the Enterprise is invented, and the ship’s crew is nothing but an illusion, a false hallucinatory construction of his mind.

The doctor’s argument is supported when Riker meets another alleged but unknown member of Starfleet, a female inmate of his. The woman claims she and others have been kidnapped for experimental reasons, but she keeps trying to establish contact with her spaceship. At first glance, this meeting seems to affirm Riker’s experiences and self-image as it contradicts the elusive doctor’s claims. It also raises Riker’s hope to be innocent and sane after all, and also to escape from the institution. However, her statement is ridiculed by the fact that the woman is talking to her spoon, believing it to be a communicator. From this ironic moment on, she cannot be taken seriously anymore. The credibility and authenticity of her story is reduced, if not crushed, and so are Riker’s (allegedly invented) memories.

36

By radically doubting the character’s plausible experience of several years, which corresponds to six seasons of the series’ runtime, the ontological status of the whole TNG series is questioned and thus potentially reduced to a fictional product of an insane mind. Yet, as an avid viewer and fan of the franchise, the recipient is unlikely to trust the assertions of an unknown, newly introduced character and to disregard the sympathy that has been built towards the main characters of the Enterprise crew, which Riker is certainly part of. Even if the absence of other well-known crewmembers in plotline 2 supports Riker’s professed madness, this claim will not easily be accepted by the viewer, because the series’ six seasons clearly suggest otherwise and appear far more likely. In addition, this judgment is based on objective reports and log entries of certain events which were made by other characters and therefore testify to their reality status on the one hand. On the other hand, there are very particular, subjective accounts of personal incidents of various characters, which occur independently of the character Riker. For this reason, Riker cannot possibly have invented such concise events concerning the life and experiences of other characters in such a detailed manner, which - from an extradiegetic perspective - equals the overall TNG story arc and progression.

As we can see, the degree of detail and coherence in the depiction of the two plotlines differs significantly so that the viewer’s and main character’s perceived reality status of story elements is influenced and manipulated. That is to say that the first plotline depicting events on the Enterprise is characterized by the a-chronological order of represented events and a lack of coherence. For example, Riker perceives or relives the morning of the performance of the theatrical play after he has already experienced the actual performance, which, in retrospect (after waking up), he classifies as a dream.

Blanks and gaps in the plot impede the process of making-sense in the viewer while it reduces the sense of reality in the character. The second plotline, on the other hand, appears in a linear, chronological order with a complete account of all the incidents since Riker’s first appearance in the institution and therefore presents prima facie a more coherent, more meaningful and thus more probable picture of reality. In this way, the plausibility of events as perceived by the recipient is directed towards plotline 2. Even the character remarks to that effect that, to him, the events occurring in the asylum appear more coherent, which probably renders them true as opposed to his ‘fantasies’ of the Enterprise.

37

The growing estrangement in both the character and the viewer is the result of the increasing discontinuity of the diegetic level representing the events aboard the spaceship; the events on the Enterprise lack a continuous flow of time as they are seemingly disconnected and of an unclear temporal relation. What is more, it cannot without doubt be classified as real or factual in the realm of the represented world due to the lack of frames and familiar characters/colleagues. By contrast, the second diegetic level representing the story of Riker’s insanity becomes ever more likely due the continuous and more coherent representation of ongoing events and the character’s attentive perception.

Further confusion and reception difficulty (on the part of the viewer) are achieved by the intermingling of elements from different diegetic levels by dissolving the border between the two established plotlines. One such example is the appearance of the allegedly real asylum pertaining to plotline 2, which looks very similar to the stage props the recipient has seen before, during the rehearsal and performance of the embedded play of plotline 1. Secondly, parts of the text and situational elements of the fictional embedded play are transferred to the allegedly real level of plotline 2; Data’s exact words (in the role of the doctor in the embedded play) are recited by the psychiatric doctor of plotline 2 (“I can see, we have a lot of work to do”), and also the conversation issue between Riker and Data in the roles of patient and doctor (the patient, Riker, was institutionalized after allegedly committing manslaughter) presents a duplication of the main character’s problematic situation on a higher diegetic level with alleged truth status. Thus the fictional accusation of manslaughter seemingly becomes real with real impending consequences. This transference of a specific situation from one diegetic level to another in combination with the doubling of the main theme (insanity) foregrounds the problematic issue of distinguishing reality from fiction, particularly in the light of mental illness, and adds to the confusion, discomfort and uncertainty of the main character and the recipient.

The mingling of elements belonging to two separate plotlines creates confusion in the recipient first and foremost with regard to the ontological status and truth value of the perceived scenes. The aforementioned abrupt changes of scene12 combined with the reproduced utterance serves at least two purposes. First of all, from an intradiegetic perspective, the alleged asylum doctor suggests that Riker is in fact insane, suffering from hallucinations, and therefore in need of psychological treatment. In this way, the theme of insanity or mental illness is effectively played with while fulfilling the recipient’s expectation

12 For the table of scene shifts, see appendix page LXXXIII. 38 as raised by the episode’s title. Secondly, Riker’s problematic situation – his mental instability, which averts the successful distinction of reality and fiction – is projected onto the recipient. Similar to Riker, the recipient is troubled by the inability to decide which plotline represents the actual events, the reality of the story world.

Based on the considerations regarding the plausibility and coherence of events, plotline 2 appears more likely to both the character and the recipient. As a consequence, the character’s confusion culminates when he starts to believe in the ‘reality’ of the asylum and the doctor’s assertions concerning the crime he is accused of. To him and the viewer, it is possible that he really might have killed somebody but simply cannot remember doing it. It is only at this point in the story, at the peak of doubt as it were, that the first Enterprise crew member appears within plotline 2, only to create even more confusion based on this inconsistency.

While certain elements pertaining to either of the plotlines have been deliberately mingled to create confusion, the familiar TNG characters, particularly the main crew members, have so far been carefully placed in plotline 1 exclusively, thus corroborating the argument that Riker’s insane mind invented them. The colleagues Troi, Worf and the Captain appear first to attest to their real existence, albeit without success, and to warn Riker against the doctor’s wrong claims. However, Crusher, the fourth visitor, manages to provide an explanation for Riker’s current situation; apparently, Riker was on an undercover mission on the planet when he was captured and brought to the ‘asylum’. While the claims of Riker’s colleagues are true in general – they do exist and therefore are real people within the represented world –, they ironically appear only in the form of a vision to remind him of their existence rather than the real thing as such. Understandably, Riker is so full of doubt that he mistrusts their arguments and therefore regards them as invented. In this way, his colleagues’ reality status is reduced in the eyes of the character. By rendering familiar characters (perceived by the viewer as real within the story world) fictional, the reality status with regard to the truthfulness and factual existence of represented characters and events is questioned.

A further occurrence of dramatic irony is the fact that Riker’s lines from the embedded theatrical play (see quote below) do, in fact, yet without his knowledge, apply to his current situation as a detainee in the mental institution. Without knowing it, the character states the facts regarding his confinement. Although he already believes in his professed insanity, his mind tells him otherwise by recalling his role and lines of the embedded play. What the viewer perceives as another jump to the other plotline is the character’s unconscious depicting his memory. This mise en abyme serves to remind the character of his actual mental health. 39

“You control my every move, tell me what to say, what to think. What to eat, what to say. […] Then, when I show a glimmer of independent thought, you strap me down, inject me with drugs, call it a treatment. I may be surrounded by insanity, but I am not insane.” (cf. appendix p. XV) After the rehearsal, and on multiple further occasions on board of the Enterprise, Riker happens to meet a suspicious crewman that neither he nor the recipient is familiar with. This unknown character, however, appears to be the only constant in all subsequent depictions of the alleged reality, viz. all following diegetic levels. As the viewer realizes at the end of the episode, this character functions as a marker of fictionality, rendering every diegetic level he appears in fictional and unreal.

Further signs indicating the fictional status of events pertaining to hypodiegetic levels are Riker’s recurring wound, which has been healed multiple times but keeps appearing suddenly without any reason, as well as his headaches, which are caused by the neurosurgical treatment he unwittingly undergoes on the planet. When he finally realizes that everything he experiences is a delusion, he aims his phaser at various characters and settings. On the one hand, this destructive act reveals Riker’s anger and desperation, his current frame of mind. On the other hand, it can be understood as a reality check since there are no real consequences resulting from his attack. The fact that people do not die or become unconscious as they would in reality but instead literally shatter is a sign of the crumbling fictional nature of Riker’s delusions. Since at this point, all the events shown so far are categorized as fictional, the question is raised what the actual reality then is. Similarly, the recipient wonders what and where the diegesis is.

Ironically for the recipient and tragically for the main character, neither of the two plotlines turns out to depict the actual reality of the story world owing to an extensive missing opening frame, which very belatedly becomes apparent. Only at the end, does the viewer observe real, factual events (within the realm of the story) and concludes that both plotlines comprise hypodiegetic levels, each of an exclusively fictional nature. Therefore, the embedded play of plotline 1 even comprises the hypo-hypo-diegetic level.

The end of the episode is dominated by markers of reality, which establish the truth status of the only recently appeared main diegesis. The log entry – the familiar frame of a Star Trek episode – recorded by counselor Troi provides clarification and an explanation of Riker’s traumatic experiences for both the still confused character and the (probably just as much perplexed) recipient. Troi points out that Riker’s experiences in the asylum until the point of his awakening (i.e. the events of plotline 2) were entirely fictional, merely a product of the

40 neurosurgical treatment by the doctors devised to deceive and manipulate him. In order to counteract this invasive intervention and false facts, Riker’s subconscious created the Enterprise illusion based on his memories. What can be deduced from this is that plotline 1 (Enterprise events) is a hallucination, something created that is not actually happening but that is based on true conditions and real occurrences, while plotline 2 is both created and invented, and therefore untrue, in the sense of both fictum and fictio metareference.

The main effects of the present episode are disorientation, discomfort and confusion of reality and fiction based on the issue of madness. This is achieved both within the fictional world (as experienced by the character) and on the extradiegetic level on the part of the recipient by the alternating depiction of multiple diegetic levels lacking clear chronological relation and ontological status. Various hypodiegetic levels of an exclusively fictional nature are shown, including one conspicuous mise en abyme which points to the true state of affairs. Only the concluding events pertain to the main diegesis, which provides clarification regarding the truth/fiction value of depicted events. The theme of insanity is dramaturgically represented by sudden scene shifts including fluent transgressions from one plotline to another, or rather, from one delusion to another, and is reinforced by its explicit thematization and mirroring on multiple levels. The lack of humorous elements for comic relief renders the dramaturgy particularly dark and serious, and results in an extraordinarily tragic, oppressive representation of the troubled main character.

The complex, confusing play with diegetic levels serves to transfer the main character’s problematic position and dilemma onto the viewer. The absence of a reference system – as we have seen, rationality is wrongly perceived as a reliable marker of reality – prevents the identification of ontological status of perceived events and appears equally impossible for the main character and the recipient. However, there are several markers of fictionality that point to the fictional status of the two plotlines. The illustration of shattering objects foregrounds not only the fictionality of events, but also points to the story’s fictional status as a non-factual work of art. The character’s inability to distinguish correctly between reality and fiction results in the recipient’s doubts concerning the truth value of the story. It is only at the end that the familiar frame of the log entry resolves the problematic situation and re-establishes clear borders between factuality and fictionality. Most importantly, the issue of confusing reality with fiction and the thereof resulting confusion in the recipient is a means of endangering the series’ continuity and credibility, which, in the end, is re-established again in order to conform to the episodic structure of the series.

41

Following the structure of “Frame of Mind”, the TNG episode “Future Imperfect13” creates a similar confusion of reality and fiction based on a labyrinth of diegetic levels. The multiple hypodiegetic levels, which are alternately shown as the character unwittingly enters one simulation after the other – believing that what he experiences is the reality –, do raise questions regarding the ontological status and truth value of depicted events. There is only one noticeable metareferential effect of this confusing guessing game. If it is true that the main character Riker awakes as Captain of the Enterprise 16 years in the future, then the story is marked by a huge gap and the viewer has to expect drastic changes with regard to the future TNG story, in particular concerning character constellation affecting the main cast. The immense gap in the plot (neither the recipient nor the central character know what happened during these 16 years) is explained by an alleged illness that causes memory loss in the central character. Since the recipient follows this character in the course of the episode and, for the duration of the hallucinations, does not leave the hypodiegetic levels, there is no reliable point of reference or frame indicating the ontological status of perceived events. Moreover, the familiar Star Trek universe (the depicted socio-political background) may be different as well.

For this reason, the viewer wonders how these changes might be explained by the subsequent plot and may be suspicious of the far-fetched explanations provided as these stand in stark contrast to the familiar frames and knowledge acquired in previous episodes. The noteworthy thematic turning point, which finally enables the central character and the recipient to distinguish reality from fiction and to identify the simulation, is a video showing the character’s alleged wife, who is recognized as a fictional character from one of the character’s favorite holodeck programs. Here, the irony lies in the fact that the fictionality of the deceptive simulation is laid bare when the holographic technology erroneously reproduces a fictional entity, a memory of a holographic simulation that was assumed to be real instead of a real thing. As usual, the character is able to free himself of the confines of the fictional world in the end to re-enter reality. This episode has apparently the same meta-reflective implications for the series’ future as “Frame of Mind”; in both cases, the recipient is threatened with the sudden unexpected end or change of the familiar frames of the TNG narrative.

13 See appendix page A2 42

DS9 “Far beyond the Stars” In the DS9 episode “Far beyond the Stars”, two diegetic and ontologically separate levels are depicted interchangeably14. The opening occurs within the familiar diegetic setting, the space station Deep Space Nine, where the viewer learns that Captain Sisko is troubled by the unsuccessful search of a missing Starfleet vessel with a well-known colleague of his. After winning back the station from an inimical alien race, this is yet another hard drawback for Sisko, who is discouraged and therefore considering quitting his job to leave behind the station and the seemingly unmanageable problems.

This inner conflict of the main character presents the first tentative approach towards metareferential reflection in the recipient with regard to the potential consequences of his decision. Should Sisko decide to quit – which even appears to be likely from the recipient’s perspective considering that the episode is located towards the end of the sixth season – this would mean the end of the DS9 narrative and could thus be used as a logical ending, albeit on a (for Star Trek admittedly unusual) negative tone.

Sisko’s subsequent visual experiences are signs of blurred diegetic and ontological boundaries. At first, he sees a man walking by his room who is dressed in an old-fashioned suit typical of 20th century Earth. The regular recipient might even recognize the character Odo15 in human appearance. A few moments later, Sisko watches a baseball player strolling down a corridor. Again, the viewer might recognize this character as the actor who usually plays the Klingon Worf. Over the course of the episode, these two occurrences turn out to be ontological metalepses, as the characters are doppelgangers in human appearance from another diegetic level that the main character has yet to enter.

When Sisko finally steps through a door on the space station, he suddenly finds himself amidst the mid 20th century city of New York (which is indicated by the cars, surroundings, clothes and newspaper articles), thus crossing from the known diegetic level of the 24th century space station into another, historically correct diegetic level of 20th century Earth. The reason for this ontological metalepsis and the hierarchic relation of the two diegetic levels remain, for the time being, unknown to the recipient. Equally confused by this unexpected border crossing phenomenon as the recipient and completely disoriented, Sisko is hit by a car and, in the next shot, regains consciousness in sickbay, once again back on the space station.

14 For episode transcript, turn to appendix p. XXIV f. 15 The names of the actors pertaining to the DS9 cast and crew can be found on http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106145/fullcredits?ref_=tt_ov_st_sm#cast [18.07.2013]. 43

The sudden shift of diegetic levels occurs multiple times throughout the episode and serves, in combination with the metaleptic appearances of characters, to create confusion in both the recipient and the central character as two diegetically separate levels are intermingled.

The doctor of DS9 provides a somewhat fuzzy explanation as to what is happening to Sisko; apparently there are unusual brain activities, similar to the ones from another episode (“Rapture”) in season 5 when Sisko had visions as a consequence of his role as the emissary. What Sisko perceives is to be understood by the recipient as a message, probably relating to the character’s current emotional distress. In addition to the explanatory function, this medical diagnosis indicates the relation and reality status between the two diegetic levels represented in the figure below; The space station including all its people are presented as real (corresponding to diegesis 1), while Sisko’s experiences are described to be the result of a mental, neurological process which render his visions unreal imaginations, and therefore part of an ontologically lower level (referred to as diegesis 2).

Diegesis 1 Diegesis 2 • DS9 space station • 20th century Earth • real? • imagined?

Figure 7: Diegetic levels in “Far beyond the Stars”

The first two ontological metalepses of the two characters also hint at something more that is to come, raising the recipient’s curiosity, while creating suspense and interest, as the viewer might reflect on the meaning of and reason for Sisko’s experiences, even if the truth/fiction status of the two diegetic levels appears to be determined at the moment.

The jumping between the two diegetic levels continues and leads the story increasingly into the second diegetic level located in 20th century Earth. On the whole, this level takes up most of the episode’s subsequent discourse time so that the ensuing main action occurs on this second diegetic level, thereby increasing the importance of this plotline. When Sisko suddenly appears again in mid 20th century New York, this time appropriately dressed, he is standing in front of a kiosk looking at an exemplar of the science fiction magazine “Galaxy”, which he is presently holding in his hands. From then on, the character is no longer Captain Sisko, in

44 command of the space station Deep Space Nine, but the African-American science fiction author Benny Russell who has to face certain racial issues typical of that time period.

Science fiction aficionados may instantly recognize the magazine “Galaxy” shown and referred to by the characters as it is considered the “most representative – and perhaps most important – sf magazine of the 1950s” (Attebery 2003: 42). As a cultural product of the SF genre, this piece of explicit extra-compositional metareference serves to recall the history of the science fiction genre to the mind of the viewer, potentially producing a nostalgic effect, on the one hand, while providing a thematic background for a story with significant social issues with regard to racism and authorship in the middle of the 20th century.

By staging a discussion between Sisko/Benny and the vendor (see extract below), a critical viewpoint regarding the value of science fiction stories is included in the episode by means of explicit metareference. The vendor’s utterances clearly show his averseness to science fiction stories as they are all unreal and “make-believe”. Instead, this character prefers stories based on real life and historical events and thus stands for the type of people who oppose science fiction stories due to their fantastic and occasionally unrealistic story elements such as alien characters, themes, settings and plots.

VENDOR: Are you going to buy that or not? Personally, I don't see the attraction. Spaceships, flying saucers, men from Mars … RUSSEL: What's wrong with men from Mars? VENDOR: Nothing, except it's all make-believe. Me, I like war stories. Did you see “From Here to Eternity”? Burt Lancaster standing there in the middle of Pearl Harbour, machine gun blazing, shooting down those Zeros. If it had been flying saucers, forget about it. So, you going to buy that or not? (Appendix p. XXVI) [emphasis mine] As the story progresses, the viewer notices that the main cast of DS9 is duplicated on diegesis 2. In fact, every main character of the series appears in the shape of a human (this is noteworthy since the majority of the cast pertain to alien races with a different outward appearance). In this way, the viewer is granted the opportunity to see the main cast of the series without the usual masks and costumes – a very rare form of viewer gratification in the Star Trek series, which elicits meta-awareness with regard to the inventedness of the product.

Moreover, each character of diegesis 2 is connected to the science fiction genre in some way. The majority is involved in the production of SF stories working for a magazine called “Incredible Tales”. By demonstrating in subsequent scenes how SF narratives were produced during the 1950s (the authors are handed out pictures for inspiration), the process of creating (science) fiction is foregrounded and the genre history is invoked in the recipient. In making an ironic comment regarding the appearance of science fiction authors, (“we look like writers; 45 poor, needy and incredibly attractive.”), Kay alias Kira point out the the critical socio- economic situation of writers of a then underestimated, not well-respected literary genre. As a result of these various explicit examples of metareference, meta-awareness concerning the generic history and production is elicited in the viewer.

The prominent issue affecting the central character of diegesis 2 is racism accompanied by gender and prejudice. When the readers of the pulp magazine express the wish to get to know their science fiction authors, neither Benny nor Kay are photographed and characterized as they are; accordingly, belonging to social fringe groups, which are not publicly shown to be African-American or female. By remarking in a sarcastic tone, “God forbid that the public ever finds out that K. C. Hunter is a woman”, Kay indirectly criticizes the fictional reader’s assumption that science fiction writers are certainly male. Similarly, Benny has to face the bitter reality when he is told that “as far as [our] readers are concerned, Benny Russel is as white as they are.” Indeed, it is true that the readers of pulp magazines and science fiction stories at that time were predominantly young males (cf. Clute 2003: 64). Therefore it stands to reason that authors were assumed to be just the same. However, further sarcastic, explicitly metareferential statements on behalf of Benny’s colleagues voice social criticism and shape the implied world view against racism and in favor of equal rights.

In an attempt to counter the editor’s decision not to disclose Benny’s identity, Benny lists famous African-American authors of that time (including W. E. B. du Bois, Zora Neale Hurston, Langston Hughes, Ralph Ellison and Richard Wright). By explicitly referring to these authors and in particular to Wright’s work Native Son, the present episode connects to the problematic issues concerning racism during the 20th century in the United States and activates the viewer’s knowledge regarding African-American literature. In contrast to Benny, these authors were accepted, respected and officially published, the reason being – according to the editor of “Incredible Tales” – that what they wrote was “literature for liberals and intellectuals.” In the eyes of the editor, “[t]he average reader’s not going to spend his hard earned cash on stories written by negroes.” Various subsequent events, such as Benny being harassed by two white men, reinforce the issue and depict Benny’s discrimination.

When hand-drawn pictures are handed out to the writers, Benny chooses the portrait of a space station; it is that of the familiar diegetic Deep Space Nine! This picture serves as the inspiration for the story Benny starts writing on his typewriter, thus foregrounding the act of writing. The recipient realizes that what Benny produces is the story about a space station called Deep Space Nine, where an Africa-American Captain named Sisko is in charge – the 46 very story of the homonymic television series. This embedded story located on the hypo- hypodiegetic level is an exact replica of the diegetic level (diegesis 1), mirroring both the characters and the main story arc of the DS9 series. The mirroring device is more than a mere mise en abyme causing confusion of reality and fiction as it results in the inversion of diegetic levels and thus of ontological status. Consequently, the hypodiegetic level depicting the 20th century science fiction author Benny becomes the diegetic level (depicting the reality of the represented world), while the diegetic level with Captain Sisko on the space station turns into the hypodiegesis representing a fictional story. It appears that, as a consequence of this inversion of diegetic levels and reality status, the former reality of the represented world is fictionalized, and the alleged imagination of a real character is in fact the reality (see figure 8 below).

Diegesis 1 • main diegesis ? • Cpt. Sisko on DS9 Diegesis 2 • hypodiegesis ? • Benny the author Diegesis 1* • hypo-hypodiegesis • Cpt. Sisko on DS9

Figure 8: Inversion of diegetic levels in “Far beyond the Stars”

As soon as the viewer reads Benny’s first sentence (“Captain Benjamin Sisko sat looking out the window”), Benny sees Sisko – his diegetic counterpart – for a brief moment looking at him through the window. This metaleptic mirroring device foregrounds the similarities between the two characters, and serves to establish a connection between their respective problematic situation and amplification of their inner conflict. Alternatively, Benny might also envision himself in the role of Sisko (since Benny appears to be the creator of the DS9 story), or vice versa, if Sisko is having visions which put him in the place of a 20th century African-American author. For the recipient, the arising artful question is who creates whom. Which level represents the creator and which the creation? The answer to the problem defining the higher ranking diegetic level is not definite. Rather, it appears that the two levels are interconnected in such a way as each produces the other since there is evidence which

47 points to both levels as the main diegesis depicting reality, from where the respective other is created. The result is a strange loop16, similar to M. C. Escher’s lithograph “Drawing Hands”.

Another aspect worth mentioning which corroborates the inversion of reality in fiction in this episode is the speech held by the preacher, whom Benny encounters on the street. It is particularly the manifold meanings of “truth” which draw the recipient’s attention to notions of reality and connect to the ontological status of diegetic levels. The preacher argues that, by means of writing stories, Benny shall make people see the truth of “what lies ahead” – namely a future in which African-American people are equal in every aspect. Thus, the “truth” refers – from an intradiegetic perspective – to the diegetic level of the 24th century space station Deep Space Nine, of which Sisko is the Captain in charge. In that sense, truth equals the reality of an argument, of a fictional world or a vision depicting facts as they should be. In addition, the word hints at the ontological status of depicted diegetic levels; the allegedly fictional vision of Benny depicting DS9 is then perceived as the main diegetic level, while Benny is situated on the hypodiegesis. On the other hand, from an extra-compositional perspective, the word may refer to the recipient’s reality of the late 20th century, in which Avery Brooks is the African-American main actor of a TV series impersonating Captain Sisko. Thus, “truth” points to the fictionality not only of single diegetic levels of the present episode but of the whole DS9 TV series.

Since Benny is also addressed as “the emissary” by the preacher, which corresponds to Sisko’s role on the diegetic level, the diegetically separate character are mingled. This has various implications with regard to the intention and meaning of addressing Benny as Sisko. Firstly, by being told that he should write to make people envision the future – a world where colored people are equal and as such also hold leading positions, as is the case with Sisko on DS9, – Benny and the viewer are made aware of the function of narratives, and in particular of science fiction literature (expressing social criticism), as well as of the unique position of the actor Avery Brooks impersonating Sisko and Benny as the first (and only) African- American Captain of the Star Trek franchise.

After finishing his first DS9 story, the reaction of the majority of characters (including also African-American representatives) to it is sheer incredulity. Only Benny’s wife and his colleagues are impressed. By means of explicit metareference, the human versions of DS9 characters comment on several of the story’s aspects. Jadzia’s (hypodiegetic) counterpart,

16 To my knowledge, the term was introduced by Douglas Hofstadter. (1979). Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid. New York: Basic Books. 48

Darlene, is amused by the idea that a symbiont is within the body of an alien character, thus self-ironically ridiculing the idea of the race her diegetic counterpart pertains to. By comparing Benny’s story to Heinlein’s famous science fiction novel The Puppet Masters, the episode invokes again the literary origins of science fiction TV and pays tribute to a narrative which served as inspiration for various Star Trek plots. Simultaneously, it expresses self- praise in an indirect manner, which is even enhanced by various non-critical metareferential comments by Benny’s colleagues; “It's a damn fine piece of writing is what it is. And Deep Space Nine is a very intriguing title“. The last explicitly metareferential remark – that she appreciates the character Kira (her diegetic equivalent) and that “[s]cience fiction needs more strong women characters.” – is voiced by Kay. Here, the character expresses a desideratum in contemporary science fiction stories, in particular television series, implying the fact that the main characters were still predominantly male. In addition, the statement serves to foreshadow the role of the first female Captain in the parallel Star Trek series Voyager. The fact that the hypodiegetic characters are in a somewhat distanced position from their diegetic counterparts allows for the expression of their own opinion regarding the roles they play as diegetic characters in the DS9 universe. In this way, Kay is also commenting on her role as Kira in DS9, a strong woman character indeed.

Benny produces six more DS9 stories (a total of seven stories), which corresponds to the seven seasons of the very DS9 series. Here, it is again implied that the diegesis is the story created by the 1950s author. None of the stories will be printed, unless Benny agrees to “make the captain white.” Or Benny “can either burn it or [you] can stick it in a drawer for fifty years or however long it takes the human race to become color-blind.” This is a very dark, sarcastic and yet true remark considering the fact that, in reality, it took more than 40 years from the original idea to the realization of having an African-American main actor in the Star Trek franchise. Although the first Star Trek series (TOS) consisted of a diverse crew including various ethnicities, there was only one black actress, namely Uhura, who was not per se in a position of power. It is only in the new series that black characters are part of the main cast and hold powerful positions and in some episodes the central character, but only in DS9, there is Sisko as the first black Captain.

In order to publish Benny’s stories, it is suggested to frame them by a dream of “someone dreaming of a better future”. The dream has two functions. On the one hand, it is another hedging, distancing device, which detracts some of the power of the as outrageous perceived vision of the future and makes it appear less likely so that the represented story conforms to

49 the contemporary socio-cultural reality of the 1950s US. In addition, it reinforces the importance of Sisko’s visions (a message sent by the prophets, a parable as it were) as well as his dream of Benny and vice versa. Moreover, the dream creates a frame around the story, which is consequently transferred onto a diegetically lower level (DS9 would then be located on the hypo-hypo-hypo-diegetic level). Another aspect is that the dream is reminiscent of Martin Luther King’s famous speech “I Have a Dream” which deals precisely with the issue of racism and the hope for a future shaped by equality.

While the recipient still struggles with the classification of diegetic levels and ontological status, Benny’s approaches the climax of the hypodiegesis, his emphatic speech on the stories he created;

BENNY: I am a human being, damn it. You can deny me all you want but you cannot deny Ben Sisko. He exists! That future, that space station, all those people, they exist in here. In my mind, I created it. And every one of you know it. You read it. It's here. You hear what I'm telling you? You can pulp a story but you cannot destroy an idea. Don't you understand? That's ancient knowledge. You cannot destroy an idea. That future, I created it, and it's real. Don't you understand? It is real! I created it and it's real! It's real! Oh, God. (Appendix p. XXXIV [emphasis mine])

The final mixing of diegetic levels occurs when Benny is taken away in the ambulance, wearing Sisko’s Starfleet uniform. The preacher confirms that Benny did the right thing by voicing his thoughts and explains that he is both “the dreamer and the dream”. Thus, Benny is the creator of the DS9 narrative depicting Sisko (he stands for the real creators and writers of the DS9 narratives) and also the creation of Sisko (the content of his vision).

The end of the episode, however, clarifies the complex situation. By returning to the usual diegesis (Sisko awakes on DS9 with the decision not to quit his job - what he experienced was apparently a dream or a vision), the episode is integrated into the episodic structure of the series and renders possible the creation of further DS9 episodes. The story focusing on Benny can thus be seen as a parable, mirroring Sisko’s situation on the hypodiegetic level in the form of racial issues. Appropriately enough, the end is equally spiritual (due to the bible quote) and highly meta-referential. With a direct look into the camera, thus breaking the fourth wall, Sisko questions again the nature of his perceived reality and indirectly creates an epistemological metalepsis, which again breaks the aesthetic illusion and creates meta- awareness in the recipient with regard to the actor, the role of Sisko and the character Benny.

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SISKO: […] But I have begun to wonder. What if it wasn't a dream? What if this life we're leading, all of this, you and me, everything. What if all this is the illusion?” JOSEPH: That's a scary thought. SISKO: I know, I know. But maybe, just maybe, Benny isn't the dream, we are. Maybe we're nothing more than figments of his imagination. For all we know, at this very moment, somewhere far beyond all those distant stars, Benny Russell is dreaming of us. (Appendix p. XXXV) [emphasis mine]

Even if the episode ends with the final scene of the diegetic level, the issue of who created whom is still unresolved. There are still doubts + no definite answers despite the return to normal diegesis and continuation of series as the story of the familiar DS9 space station ties in with previous and subsequent episodes.

To conclude, this highly self-conscious episode combines numerous explicit and implicit metareferential devices to produce a thematic link of two initially adverse issues addressed in separate diegetic levels. The blurring of ontological boundaries by fictionalizing the reality of the represented world links the main character’s difficult position and personal problems – the question whether to continue or quit his job on DS9 – (thematized on diegesis 1) with his hypodiegetic counterpart facing social and racial issues of the 1950s US (depicted in diegesis 2). By showing the occupation of a black science-fiction author in the US of the 1950s, a third thematic unit is invoked, and that is the production and generic development of science fiction. In this way, the present episode creates a thematic unity of three interconnected parts creating meta-awareness in the recipient with regard to the genre history and production of science fiction, the role of the actors and characters in the series and the fictionality of the present episode while voicing social criticism by drawing the viewer’s attention to racism and prejudice. In relating to the golden age of science fiction story writing, the episode positions itself in line with great science fiction authors, thus paying homage and heaping praise on itself. What is especially disturbing is the fact that despite the episode’s ending on the diegetic level, the issue of who created whom remains unresolved. The recipient has still doubts due to the lack of definite answers even though the series is assumed to continue as usual with the story of the familiar DS9 space station (and indeed the episode ties in with previous and subsequent episodes). All in all, the viewer is baffled due to countless metareferential devices, which constantly remind the recipient of the artificiality and fictional nature of the episode.

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VOY 2.3 “Projections” In the previous examples, the reality/fiction confusion was the result of the blurred boundaries between the intradiegetic reality and the hypodiegetic fictional world, which was created by visions, hallucinations or a mental delusion verging on insanity. The next example, by contrast, shows that the theme of reality vs. fiction or truth contra imagination can be brought about effectively with the technological and narrative means of the holodeck.

The episode “Projections” is centered on the ship’s doctor as a character addressing his experience and confusion of reality and fiction, including his own ontological status. Before going into a detailed analysis, however, some preliminary remarks about the doctor have to be made. Unlike his crew members and colleagues, the doctor is not a real human person. Serving as the ‘Emergency Medical Hologram’ (EMH), he is essentially a computer program, whose existence is based on the holographic technology - as is the case with all projections from the holodeck. For this reason, he is perceived as a fictional character, particularly in the sense of being created, but he operates and interacts on the same diegetic level as the other real crew members, thus presenting a constant ontological metalepsis. Contrary to other ‘normal’ holograms, the doctor is designed to be fully aware of his ontological status, which in itself presents an additional epistemological metalepsis. Nevertheless, these metalepses have lost their metareferential functions similarly to the other characters’ occasional visit of the holodeck due to the series-specific naturalization.

Since the doctor is – within the fictional world – part of the ship’s inventory, his interactions and awareness are therefore considered further examples of naturalized metalepses. The higher level of awareness allows him to interact with the crew, make medical decisions responsibly and consciously follow as well as process changes and developments aboard for practical reasons. Since he depends on holographic emitters which physically project him in Sickbay (and in the holodeck), he is restricted to this area. Due to the loss of all medical staff aboard the ship (which occurred on the Voyager’s first mission shown in the first episode), he is in charge of medical care and ever since then has served as the crew’s proper doctor (and not merely as an emergency substitute, as was originally intended). As a consequence, the doctor’s program has been activated and running for a comparatively long time – holographic programs are usually temporally restricted and turned off if not in use – thus enabling a continual process of personal development which results in an increasingly complex personality of the fictional character.

52

The episode starts with the activation of the doctor’s program17. He is informed by the ship’s computer that there is no one aboard. The ship has apparently suffered severe damage but the cause of it is unknown. When Lieutenant Torres suddenly enters Sickbay, the doctor learns that the computer is malfunctioning. At this point, both the doctor and the viewer realize that the computer should not necessarily be relied on.

Already in the beginning, and from then onwards, the viewer can see that the whole episode revolves around the doctor (the camera is following wherever he goes) and therefore can deduce that most, if not all, events are shown from his perspective. Since the recipients (only) see what the doctor experiences, the recipient has the same level of knowledge and information. By means of this symmetrical distribution of knowledge between character and viewer, suspense and immersion are created in the latter. Like the doctor, the viewer does not know what happened prior to the doctor’s activation and therefore follows the fictional character’s reconstruction of events and immediate problems. The malfunction of the ship’s computer with all its systems resulting in the confusion of fiction and reality is the main theme of the episode and plays a major role for the forthcoming events in the story, as this is resulting in unusual and even paradoxical occurrences on the story level.

The number of strange occurrences increases steadily in the course of the episode. In addition to the wrong information given by the computer concerning the absence of all human beings aboard the ship, the medical instruments fail to measure the life signs of the remaining crew members – all alleged real human beings, thus questioning their ontological status as real persons. The doctor is also able to leave Sickbay to materialize on the bridge and on other strategic parts of the ship, despite his supposed status as a hologram that is confined to Sickbay. All these events could be explained by the apparent damage of the ship and its computer systems as a consequence of a severe attack and the installation of further holographic emitters, respectively. However, when a fight with an alien intruder causes the doctor injuries, he is – again, contrary to his nature as a hologram – able to bleed and even feel pain (“DOCTOR: Pain? I'm not programmed to feel pain.” appendix p. XXXIX). This circumstance – the alleged status as a human being – is the remaining constant for the rest of the episode and develops into the main theme. The ensuing Captain’s order to deactivate all holographic programs finally results in the disappearance of all crew members including herself, suggesting that the doctor is the only real entity or person on the ship (see extract below).

17 For episode transcript cf. appendix p. XXXVI f. 53

DOCTOR: Computer, what happened to Captain Janeway, Lieutenant Torres, Mister Neelix and the Kazon? COMPUTER: All holographic simulations were discontinued. DOCTOR: Simulations? Computer, I'm talking about real people. Locate Captain Janeway. COMPUTER: Captain Janeway is stored in memory block forty seven alpha. DOCTOR: List all other programs stored in that memory block. This is the entire Voyager crew. Computer, are you saying that the crew is nothing more than a collection of holographic programs? COMPUTER: Affirmative. DOCTOR: This is ridiculous. There must be something wrong. (Appendix p. XXXIX) [emphasis mine]

While the crew members – who are known by the viewers to be real within the fictional world from previous episodes – appear to be of a fictional, holographic nature, the doctor is presented as a real human being with typical human features, such as the ability to be injured and feel pain, which he is known to lack. As can be seen, markers of fictionality are attributed to the characters the viewer perceives as real within the represented world. Conversely, reality markers are used to characterize a fictional non-human entity from within a virtual reality. In terms of story levels, the real characters of the diegetic level appear to be downgraded to a hypodiegetic level, while the one fictional character from the hypodiegetic level is upgraded to the complete reality status of the diegetic level. These impossibilities are deviations from the established logic of the fictional world the viewer recognizes, and, in addition, are paradoxical with regard to the normality of the represented world. The inversion of norms and reality status of characters are epistemological and ontological metalepses which have a defamiliarizing effect producing meta-awareness in the recipient. (For a representation of diegetic levels and ontological status, consult figure 9 below).

Represented world

Real Diegesis real crew Artificially created + ‚real‘

doctor Hypo-Diegesis

holographic crew Artificially created + fictive

Figure 9: Ontological status and diegetic levels in “Projections”

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The attribution of reality markers to fictional entities and vice versa represents a full inversion of reality and fiction and the usual norms, which is realized by both the viewers and the characters within the represented world. In addition to the inversion of well-established facts and norms, there is also an inversion of ontological status. The doctor appears to be non- fictional and human while the crew members are all holographic projections and thus fictional, both in the sense of artificially created and invented. The described occurrences of inverted norms activate cognitive frames with regard to the reality/fiction dichotomy and the truth/fiction opposition. While, on the intradiegetic level, the doctor and the encountered crew members are puzzled by this unusual inversion of norms, the viewer is, on the level of reception, equally confounded by the conflicts represented in the narrative.

Interestingly, the realization caused by the awareness of these frames occurs not only in the viewers, but also on the level of story as it is explicitly addressed by the characters. For this reason, the reality/fiction dichotomy is an inherent theme of the episode, functioning in two ways. Firstly, it can be seen as a hint increasing the understanding of the issue and the episode’s theme in the viewers by reinforcing the context as well as pretexts of the narrative and confirming the prior knowledge on the nature of the characters, the special case of the doctor and the involved technology, which has been established in previous episodes. For new recipients without prior knowledge, the characters provide sufficient information to follow the story nevertheless. Secondly, the characters, not only the doctor but also the Captain (as indicated by her reaction in the extract below), are baffled by what they learn about their respective ontological status since they thought to know exactly what they were, namely real human beings and not holograms. Because of that fact, the inversion of reality and fiction within the represented world appears to be extraordinary for recipients and characters alike.

As the story goes on, the doctor is informed by the computer that his program – the Emergency Medical Hologram – does not exist, contrary to the facts the viewers have acquired prior to the present episode. Although the doctor and the three crew members encountered before their self-deactivation are aware of the fact that he is actually a hologram, the computer and technical instruments tell him otherwise. According to the ship’s data, he is a real human being, a human doctor called Lewis Zimmerman, who is known and also mentioned in the present episode to be the scientist who originally created his program.

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DOCTOR: Something's very wrong. These tricorders aren't picking up any of your life signs. At first I thought they were malfunctioning, but now I find they show me to be a living, breathing, bleeding human being. CAPTAIN: What? DOCTOR: And that's not all. According to the computer, I'm not a hologram. I'm a real person named Zimmerman. I've been trying to analyze my program but the computer says it doesn't exist. (Appendix p. XXXIX) [emphasis mine]

The theme of the reality/fiction opposition is indicated in the doctor’s statements using the words wrong and real (which are frequently recurring elements and words throughout the episode pointing again to the episode’s main theme). This means that, at this point, the doctor even obtains the identity of a real living human. The contradicting information of the computer and the characters with regard to his ontological status results in the doctor’s beginning confusion of reality and fiction and the growing doubts with regard to his nature/identity. The issue is reinforced by the appearance of Lieutenant Barclay, unknown to the doctor and not a member of the Voyager crew, who confirms the computer’s information on the ontological status of the doctor as a real human being.

BARCLAY: You're in the holodeck at the Jupiter Station. Your name is Doctor Lewis Zimmerman, you're a holo-engineer and you've been running a program that's malfunctioning and we've been trying to reach you. DOCTOR: What are you saying? That I'm a real person? BARCLAY: Well, I always used to think of you that way […] (Appendix p. XL)

Barclay’s remarks go so far as to claim that the ship and the crew are not real but fictional products of a holodeck (BARCLAY: “This is going to sound a little crazy from your perspective, but you've got to trust me. None of this is happening. This is all a holographic simulation that you've been running.” - appendix p. XL). Allegedly being part of the diegetic level, the doctor is – as claimed by Barclay – a scientist who creates fictional worlds, in this case the Voyager and its crew, for scientific reasons. Thus, the roles of creator and created are inverted. The problematic point here is that Barclay’s further explanations - including the doctor’s alleged holographic simulation, his conducted study and, most importantly, his professed brain injury - are logical and therefore may as well be truthful and correct. This is perceived by both the doctor and the recipients (as a consequence of the identical level of information). As a result, the doctor, on the one hand, starts to seriously doubt himself, the nature of his existence and all his previous experiences that support his notion of reality vs. fiction. On the other hand, everything that the recipients have seen in previous episodes is questioned, despite knowing the difference between reality and fiction or truth and lies within the represented world. At this point, a reflection on the truthfulness and artificiality of this

56 episode is triggered in the recipients as well as in the doctor, representing functions of both fictio and fictum metareference.

Alert, regular viewers may, however, recognize the character of Barclay from various episodes of TNG, where he is indeed an engineer creating holographic programs. This character appearance is one of the many examples of intertextuality within the Star Trek universe triggering recognition and, with it, a potential product-based meta-awareness in the recipients with regard to the Star Trek series and the franchise. In the context of this particular episode, however, this fact is not helpful to the solution of the dilemma the doctor and viewers face. If what Barclay claims is true, then everything is different from what has been acknowledged so far. From the recipients’ perspective, this solution would require more than one season or 19 episodes to be re-evaluated as ‘fictional’, establishing a world which is not true within itself or merely a fictional story within a story. The result would be a deletion of familiar frames of reference within the represented world, creating a frame around the supposedly embedded story. This (at first) missing opening frame would then represent the diegetic level, while the represented story of the Voyager would be a fictional story within a story located on a diegetically lower level, i.e. the hypodiegesis, as shown in chart 10.

Frame/ Diegesis: The Voyager ‘research’ of Dr. Zimmerman

Hypodiegesis: Voyager adventures (= episodes)

Hypo-Hypodiegesis: The ship’s holodeck

Figure 10: Diegetic levels in “Projections”

The re-evaluation of what the doctor considers real past events and experiences corresponds to a deletion of six months of story time (Doctor: “You expect me to believe that the past six months I've spent on this ship have been nothing but a simulation?”). As a result, the inversion of norms and ontological status represents the confusion of reality/fiction dichotomy

57 and diegetic levels within the represented world and serves, on the story level, to cause and depict the doctor’s ensuing identity crisis (BARCLAY: […] You're losing your sense of identity.”). The question “Who am I?” – central to the present episode – is usually answered on the basis of a person’s memory, the experience, established schemes and familiar norms. In the doctor’s case, however, memory cannot be relied on due to the alleged brain injury caused by his simulations in the holodeck. For this reason, the doctor lacks a point of reference in order to distinguish reality from fiction and thus faces a fundamental philosophical and existential dilemma. Since he obviously cannot trust his judgment, suffering allegedly from the so-called “Holo Transference Dementia Syndrome”, he is left with two options; either believe and trust Barclay, or doubt him, while there are currently no other characters aboard the ship. However, if Barclay cannot be trusted, who or what remains for the doctor to believe in that would indicate his reality status in a reliable manner?

As a consequence, Barclay attempts to convince the doctor by bringing forward his argument concerning pain. According to Barclay, pain is something that occurs only in reality (“If you were a program, it wouldn't hurt.”), it is part of the human existence and therefore indicative of reality. Indeed, various scholars have argued that fragility and mortality are anchors in reality that serve to distinguish the latter from virtual reality18. Assuming this is true, then the doctor is a real human person if he is able to feel pain; and since he feels pain when Barclay slaps him, he can be considered real. The pain argument is again based on established norms and knowledge, which characterize pain as impossible for holograms, thus indicating another metaleptic occurrence. The dilemma is even intensified when the doctor is confronted with emotional pain as well due to an additional internal conflict. Barclay claims that time is running out because if the doctor is unable to free himself of the holodeck by destroying the asserted simulation of the Voyager, he will die shortly from his brain injuries. In this way, the issue of reality vs. fiction turns into a question of life and death of potentially real people.

BARCLAY: There's only one way left to terminate the program, and that's to play it out. Bring it to its conclusion and once the simulation ends, it'll release the access locks on the holodeck arch and we can get you out of here. DOCTOR: How does it conclude? BARCLAY: You programmed two possible outcomes. Either Voyager finds its way back to Federation space, or it's destroyed in the process. But the simulation was designed to run for weeks before either happens. But I know of a way that you can bring it to an end right now. Destroy the ship. (Appendix p. XLI)

18 Heim (1993: 136), for instance, names three main features that are exclusive to reality and the absence of these is harateristi of irtual realit: irth ad death, teporalit or the fiite ature of thigs ad lies, ad the sese of fragilit ad preariousess. 58

As can be seen in the quote above, the doctor can, according to Barclay, only be freed from the hypodiegetic world and leave his holodeck simulation if he brings the ‘simulation’ to an end. From a meta-narrative perspective, Barclay’s suggestion corresponds to the traditional structure of frame narratives. Only if the hypodiegetic story (representing the fictional holodeck simulation) is closed, does the end frame of the diegetic level (i.e. the doctor’s notion of reality) reappear. This convention is apparently also true for holographic programs as they are based on well-established narrative forms. The two possible endings of the embedded story are either reaching the destination the plot and characters are headed as intended in accordance with the principle of teleology, or causing the destruction of all protagonists thus deleting any further plot, which would be an unpleasant, very abrupt and most unusual ending of a story – and series in this case. From the viewer’s perspective, the latter ending would imply an unnatural and probably dissatisfying closure of the Star Trek Voyager series, as there would not remain any plot for the spaceship and its crew that fans have become fond of. Thus, the effect of the characters’ thematization of the closure of the embedded story (which by the recipient was perceived as and, in fact, is the real diegesis) is to trigger story- and product-based meta-awareness!

Returning to the events on the story level, all arguments appear in favor of Barclay’s version of reality and fiction at this moment. Nevertheless, the ethically difficult decision is too risky for the doctor so he requires further proof of Barclay, stating that all he said “could still be an elaborate deception.” (Appendix p. XLI). For this reason, the doctor is transferred back in time into Sickbay and finds himself in the middle of the events after his first activation, i.e. the first Voyager episode.

In the scene, the doctor immediately recognizes his first patient and remembers the condition the patient was in, “I've seen this patient before. He has multiple percussive injuries.” At that point, the doctor knows he is apparently reliving the events of his first activation (“I've been in this moment in time before. […] This is my first memory of being activated on Voyager.”), and also the viewer recognizes the scenes from the first Voyager episode (in addition to the present characters and events, the flickering light in Sickbay is particularly characteristic). However, the scene is not completely identical with what occurred in the first episode. In attempting to ascertain the exact star date and prior events, the doctor asks Kim and Paris (the two present crew members) specific questions, but, contrary to what he expects, he is faced with their incomprehension, which indicates that they clearly are not the characters the doctor and viewer are familiar with from previous encounters or episodes, respectively. The re-

59 enactment of extracts from the first Voyager episode presents a repetition and variation of specific events the viewer should recall.

At this point it has to be noted that all the characters the doctor encounters after Barclay’s appearance feature one major characteristic: none of them are able to recall the experiences they should share with the doctor. In the present situation of his first activation, all the characters are not yet familiar with him, in contrast to the three characters, including the Captain, who appeared before Barclay was introduced. The fact that this suddenly altered level of information experience, and perception which corresponds to a story time of six months and a discourse time of 19 episodes for the viewer, hints at the problematic issue of inverted notions of reality and fiction and marks the questionable ontological status of allegedly real crew members.

From this experience of plot repetition, the doctor and the viewer can deduce two things; firstly, the doctor really appears to be within a holodeck, as Barclay claimed; secondly, the characters Kim, Paris and the injured crewman are holograms and so might be the characters that appeared earlier and already at the beginning of the episode. Since all those characters were and can be shut down (as they are apparently simulations) while the doctor remains existing, the fictional characters are clearly on an inferior diegetic and ontological level. Therefore, the doctor is located on a superior position in the ontological hierarchy – regardless of his real status of existence. It is for the latter fact that those fictional characters do not share the experiences the doctor has already made since they appear only at the beginning of the story, while the doctor is six months ahead of these reconstructed events. Ironically, the doctor appears to be a hologram suffering from malfunctions to these fictional characters, (“KIM: The program must be malfunctioning. Let me see if I can reset the holographic projector.”), as opposed to what occurred in the first episode. However, the fact that these characters are fictional or at least more fictional than the doctor does not necessarily imply that the doctor is a real human being (as illustrated in figures 9 and 10).

The chart shows the various diegetic and ontological levels of the episode’s characters. On the diegetic level, the real crew interacts with the artificially created doctor (due to a naturalized bottom-up metalepsis). The doctor is usually always part of the diegesis, although originally created on an inferior ontological level. The holographic crew, in turn, is located on the same diegetic level, and yet ontologically inferior to the doctor as they are created by the doctor’s

60 program as a simulated copy of the real counterparts of the diegetic level (which is not yet resolved at this point of the story).

The delicacy of this scene lies in the tangled and complex understanding of the characters and their twisted/reversed ontological status. The viewer acknowledges the characters as part of the diegetic level, as is the doctor but with the limitations that are a consequence of his ontological status as a hologram, while the others are considered real. In the present scene, however, the crew has been duplicated to appear as their fictional doppelgangers within the holodeck, while the real counterparts are located outside the holodeck on the real diegetic level of the represented world. Thus, the viewer is confronted with a metareferential duplication of characters with reversed ontological status. In other words, the characters do not act as the diegetic characters they normally represent but appear as their own fictional, artificially created holographic duplicates with the horizon of experience from more than six months in the past of the story-time. This is the reason for the minor variations in the reconstructed, repeated plot of the first Voyager episode that the recipient is confronted with in this scene.

Nevertheless, the nature of the hierarchy, that is to say the real relations of the characters with regard to their existential status is not yet clarified on the level of story. On the contrary, the doctor is now more prone to believe Barclay, who defines the current events as “the beginning of the simulation”. Indeed what the doctor has experienced so far is a simulation, but it is a holographic reconstruction of real events and realistic possibilities rather than an imagined story that serves as a setting for a scientific study as suggested by Barclay. It is obvious that Barclay is deliberately confusing the truth/fiction value of events to convince the doctor of his arguments. At this point, the reality/fiction opposition is gradually altered so that the clear differentiation between the two becomes increasingly difficult. The inversion of the reality/fiction dichotomy as a form of fictum metareference confronts the viewer with considerations regarding the notions of fictionality and truthfulness of experienced events. The question is raised whether the doctor experiences constructed and invented events or re- constructions of real occurrences; the answer, however, is only given at the end of the episode.

Being nevertheless aware of the fact that the crew members he is encountering presently are fictional products of the hologram, the doctor enjoys deleting two of them and comments on their programmed behavior, (“Doctor: Did I program Mister Paris to be so annoying? -

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BARCLAY: Actually, I programmed him. I modeled him after my cousin Frank.”). Here, the function of this metareferential comment on the character’s personality lies, on the one hand, in the comic relief in the otherwise serious, challenging and to some degree even tragic plot of the doctor’s existential dilemma. On the other hand, the content, narration and characters are affected as the present situation on the diegetic level allows for a varied and unusual character constellation based on an inversion of roles and power balance. While usually the crew members have the power and ability to control the doctor’s program and to activate him as desired –the regular viewer is familiar with that fact and the doctor’s often times resentful reaction – he is now the one who is able to delete characters, even if his influence over them is comparatively minimal. Nevertheless, this again serves as an entertaining element.

Barclay’s response also poses an interesting twist; in order to assess his statement’s truth- value, i.e. the ontological status of Paris, the viewer in turn needs to know Barclay’s relation to reality. Assuming that he is real (or at least the real-time projection of a real character from outside the holodeck, as he claims to be) means assuming that he tells the truth. This, in turn, implies that he invented and programmed the crew and also that the character Paris resembles one of his relatives, while there is no real Paris and no real Voyager on a diegetic level.

If, however, Barclay is lying, which the viewer learns to be the case at the end of the episode or deduces from being familiar with the character’s appearance in TNG, then this means that neither did he program Paris (or any other crew member) nor is he a real character. In this case, Barclay would only be a product of the holodeck, as real as Paris, which leads to the conclusion that Barclay had the same ontological status as the facsimiles that are based on the computer’s data on real characters. From this point in the story, the viewer with background knowledge and awareness of Barclay’s personality from TNG would be able to distinguish between truth and lie and, consequently, between reality and fiction within the represented world of the present episode.

In an attempt to find out more about his “true nature”, the doctor leaves Sickbay and enters Engineering - walking. Again, this fact is attributed by Barclay to the doctor’s status as a real human. After all the crew members have vanished as expected by the doctor and witnessed by the viewer in the first VOY episode, the doctor focuses on his plan to assess/investigate his ontological status.

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DOC: Let's just say that I'm right and this is a real ship and I am a hologram. If I were to destroy the holographic memory core then I should disappear. BARCLAY: Yes. But if you destroy it and you're still here … DOC: … Then I'm not a hologram. (Appendix p. XLII) The conclusion expressed in the quote may sound correct, but bearing in mind that the doctor could as well be a separate hologram originating from another source or diegetic level, then he need not necessarily be destroyed together with the ships holographic technology. To the alert recipient, it is obvious that the doctor’s error lies in the wrong assumption that he is part of the ship’s holographic technology. While this is usually the case, he is currently within the representation of the ship – and not the real ship –, and thus again subject to a facsimile. Consequently, the destruction of the fictional ship’s main holographic unit does not destroy his program as intended. Nevertheless, he manages to terminate all holograms aboard the fictional ship, which is confirmed by the ship’s computer, while he remains existent. Barclay explains that the doctor has only destroyed a simulation within a simulation instead of the real holographic technology. What the doctor considered the reality has once more been proven to be a fictional representation from an ontologically lower level.

DOCTOR: You said all holo-systems were destroyed. Why is the ship simulation still running? COMPUTER: All holo-simulations have been terminated. BARCLAY: Doctor, I know this is a little confusing, but try to remember you just destroyed the holographic imaging system on a holographic ship. A hologram in a hologram. If you want to bring this to an end you've got to destroy the entire simulation. The ship itself. DOCTOR: Then it's true. I am a real person. (Appendix p. XLIII)

Being now convinced of his status as a real human being, the doctor’s conflict finally culminates in the sudden appearance of Commander Chakotay, who confirms the doctor’s initial beliefs, thus contradicting Barclay. Chakotay is the first crew member of the ship to appear and fully recognize the doctor and his role. They also share knowledge and certain experiences (owing to a common story-time), in contrast to most of the crew members that appeared earlier on. This fact suggests that at least Chakotay is a conscious living being who does not originate from the holodeck or some alleged program. Furthermore, it can be deduced that the Voyager and its crew do really exist in the way the doctor is familiar with and therefore were certainly not invented for study purposes as claimed by Barclay. In this way, Barclay’s comment on the programming of the character Paris described earlier is proven to be a lie.

Since Chakotay’s appearance and knowledge serve as a point of reference to the diegetic reality (i.e. the reality of the represented world), the doctor is strengthened in his original

63 belief system and knowledge of the world and consequently in his role as the ship’s Emergency Medical Hologram (EMH) and existential status. Moreover, the present holographic ship and crew rise in the ontological hierarchy from being fictional and invented to being a representation of the real thing. At the same time, this means that the crew and ship do also exist as real entities on the highest level of the hierarchy, namely the diegetic level of the narrative. From this moment onwards, it is obvious that the potential deletion of the previous storyline – the 6 months of story time the doctor and Chakotay recall – was an empty threat created in the present episode as a result of Barclay’s claims. In re-establishing the well-known familiar notions of reality and fiction within the represented world and the doctor’s understanding of the world he is part of, the viewer’s acknowledged frames and schemata with regard to the Voyager series are confirmed to be true and valid. Simultaneously, the hypothetical frame around the narrative as suggested by Barclay’s false explanations is deleted and dismissed. The familiar hierarchy of diegetic levels is thus reinforced.

However, this is not the end of the episode as the main problem is not yet solved. The doctor is apparently trapped in a holographic projection, a mise en abyme of the real ship. The appearance of Chakotay is also only a projection of the real person as its real human counterpart cannot presently enter the holodeck where the doctor is experiencing his dramatic and traumatic existential dilemma. Nevertheless, the difference lies in the fact that Chakotay’s projection is a real-time transmission for communication, neither invented, nor programmed or reproduced. It is solely his visual appearance that is duplicated, projected and artificially produced within the holodeck. This fact presents yet another degree on what now appears on a continuum of reality and fiction, pointing again to the main theme of the episode and the lack of two clearly distinguishable poles.

As Chakotay attempts to prevent the doctor from his imminent suicide, which would result from the destruction of the facsimile ship, it is once more mentioned that nothing of what the doctor is experiencing is real. Chakotay’s account of the current circumstances is very similar to the one of Barclay, which results in two possible versions on the nature of current events. Yet, the difference lies, according to Chakotay, in the fact that although everything the doctor perceives is a simulation, it is not an invention but a mise en abyme or copy of the real thing, in this case a faulty computer-generated program stemming from the doctor’s memories of real events and facts. In other words, he suggests the current events are a simulation with truth value, while Barclay argues that everything is not only constructed but also entirely fictional.

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These two perspectives represent the two conceptions on the relation of media and works of art to the outside, extra-compositional reality. Created artifacts can either be non- representative and invented, in which case there is no relation of the artifact to the extra- compositional reality known as the concept of poiesis; or they can be imitative representations of reality, as expressed in the notion of mimesis. The mise en abyme of the various familiar incidents and the plot repetition of the first VOY episode occuring on the hypodiegetic level strongly suggest and reinforce the mimetic nature underlying the creation of virtual realities in holodecks. By presenting the oppositional views on truth and fiction, the two characters also address a meta-medial issue on the aesthetic-historical concepts of poiesis and mimesis, thus creating potential media-awareness in the viewer, while simultaneously providing clues as to the ontological status of the doctor and his experiences.

In addition, Chakotay provides a very reasonable explanation why the doctor is faced with his dilemma. According to him, the doctor is presently caught in the holographic computer systems of the ship and due to unexpected technological problems unable to leave or remember spending his free time on the holodeck. As a consequence, the doctor’s most recent memories, corresponding to the time of six hours in story-time (and approximately 35 minutes in discourse time) have been deleted, which is more plausible and likely to the viewer - and therefore also more acceptable - than the deletion of a character’s established concept of self that has been built in the time span of six months or 19 episodes (which is claimed by Barclay).

Another aspect Chakotay addresses is the origin of the doctor’s simulated experiences on the holodeck; the doctor’s defective program including his memories is used as a source of inspiration for the creation of the mirrored and partly duplicated events within the holodeck. Here, it is ironic that the doctor apparently generates everything unwillingly and unknowing- ly, while he should be able to do so in a controlled way. However, his role as creator and ruler of the hypodiegetic world is re-established, at least theoretically (even though he cannot make use of it at the moment). This fact also indicates his special ontological status as a conscious hologram since he is usually part of the hierarchically (and diegetically) higher level in contrast to common holographic products of the holodeck. With regard to character depth, this is a further step of development which renders the character’s personality even more complex.

During the argumentation of Barclay and Chakotay, the character Kes, known to the recipient as the doctor’s assistant, appears. She also attempts to persuade the doctor of his human existence as the scientist Zimmerman, while she characterizes herself as his wife. Serving as a 65 humoristic element on the one hand, the viewer is additionally confronted with an obvious distortion of facts. By deviating from established knowledge on the ship’s characters, this misrepresentation of character constellation is yet another metareferential element triggering the viewer’s awareness and reflection and explicitly marks the fictionality of the doctor’s current experience on the holodeck.

The following scene and shots present another very striking deception. At first, the doctor is lying on the floor in Engineering while talking to Kes, which is shown from a low camera angle. Then a cut occurs in the middle of his sentence and the viewer observes the rest of the doctor’s statement from a high angle in a close-up. While zooming out, the viewer recognizes Sickbay. The doctor (and viewer) is thereupon informed that the crew successfully managed to rescue him from the holodeck (TUVOK: “We were able to shut down the holodeck simulation that your program was generating. Commander Chakotay transferred you back to Sickbay.” Appendix p. XLIV). The delusion is enhanced by the different clothing of Kes and the reactions of the attendant characters Kim and Tuvok, who apparently have the same level of knowledge as the doctor and conform to Chakotay’s explanations. Since everything appears to be ‘normal’, it is suggested that the doctor has finally managed to leave the hypodiegetic level to be part of the diegesis facing reality again. However, this delusion is revealed as such, when Kes comments on their troubled relationship as a married couple, which serves once more as a marker of fictionality.

The doctor subsequently realizes that something is still wrong, while Barclay immediately reappears to persuade him once more to destroy the ship. Multiple fictionality markers follow to indicate that the doctor is still within the holodeck experiencing a serious delusion. Firstly, the doctor’s ‘headaches’, which he already suffered before in Engineering, presently return and serve to indicate that his pain is, in fact, part of the fictional world. Secondly, in an attempt to flee the scene, the doctor encounters the alien intruder he fought at the beginning of the episode. Thirdly, he finds himself again in the moment of his first activation aboard the Voyager and is asked by Paris to help the injured man. Fourthly, as the doctor turns to help the injured person, he faces himself lying on the bed and talking to himself with the Captain’s voice. The second and third markers of fictionality are elements the doctor and viewer have encountered before. The combination of these and their final culmination in the fourth marker of fictionality mark the end of the extreme delusion and deception that both the doctor and recipient have been subjected to.

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After the Captain’s statement, the next shot shows the doctor standing in the empty holodeck with the characteristic grid on the walls, marking reality or the diegetic level, respectively. Only then is the whole situation entirely explained and resolved for both the doctor and the viewer. The doctor’s assumption that “everything that's happened took place here on the holodeck” is confirmed by the characters as well as the empty holodeck. From this realization follows that the elaborate deception has been based, in terms of metareferentiality, on an extremely prolonged missing opening frame structure that was sustained until the very end, i.e. the final four minutes of the episode, so that more than 90 percent of the story have occurred on the hypodiegetic level. Furthermore, the disturbing previous scene in Sickbay can be considered an example of the powerful delusional capacities of a virtual reality machine, the holodeck, as it even adapted to the external reality of Chakotay’s true statement in order to create an even more convincing – and thus more deceptive – copy of the real outside (represented) world. In the end, the doctor’s well-known status as Emergency Medical Hologram is confirmed, and so are the established norms, rules and logic as well as the truthfulness of the diegetic events of the VOY series. This fact allows the viewer to return to familiar frames and schemata, with the notion of a truthful and orderly fictional world and a prospect of further VOY episodes.

On being questioned who and what he is, the doctor identifies himself as a medical hologram and thus as an artificial life form created by a computer program. The final scene, however, raises the question on his identity and ontological status again, as the doctor summarizes the situation he was confronted with, and asks why he, as a hologram with a clear purpose and identity, might face such human issues (DOCTOR: […] “I experienced an elaborate delusion concerning the nature of my existence. Human or hologram? Person or projection? Why? Why would my program focus on such an esoteric dilemma?” – Appendix p. XLV). The answer to that question is left open, suggesting nonetheless that he might be something else or more than solely a hologram with a pre-defined set of characteristics. In order to reassure himself of the nature of his existence and to see if he is back in the real Sickbay, the doctor performs a reality check: he stretches his arm out through the entrance door to reach outside and realizes that he does not exist outside Sickbay. He is obviously where and what he should be.

In summary, this episode features numerous metareferential elements which focus on and results in the confusion of reality and fiction and the truth/fiction opposition within the represented world. The extensive missing opening frame puts the viewer on the same

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(defrauding) information level as the episode’s central character, the doctor. In this way, the viewer’s identification with the character is enabled while simultaneously creating suspense and more effective meta-reflections on the series. These include even a potential deletion of established frames that the recipient has become familiar with and the whole narrative of the VOY series. In addition to, or rather by means of, the metareferential dimension, the episode addresses a fundamental philosophical issue, namely the question of identity as well as the nature of reality as opposed to fiction. Moreover, the depicted reality/fiction dichotomy allows for an entertaining and unusual perspective on the nature of the self as it is ironically presented by an artificial character. The primarily dystopian vision of the deceitful power of virtual reality in this episode is carefully depicted but resolved in the end, so that the familiar norms and positive world view of the Star Trek universe – particularly with regard to technology – are re-established, without affecting the reality/identity status of the characters in a negative way. The overcoming of the confusion of reality and fiction and of the difficult question of identity serves to strengthen the characters’ beliefs and convictions in the world rather than to destroy their sense of identity and reality. Thus, metareference functions as a kind of an intellectual guessing game, which raises unsettling questions regarding the notions of reality and fiction, while laying bare its own fictional, invented status of the series. Despite the attempt to threaten the viewer with an impending ending of the series, the popularity (and thus commercial success) of the series at the time of the episode’s production as well as the fact that the episode is located at the beginning of season 2 make the discontinuation of the series unlikely in the eyes of the avid viewer.

3.2.1.3 The Dissolution of Reality and Fiction In the previous chapter, the confusion of reality and fiction was analyzed. This chapter takes the theme one step further in that it deals with the dissolution of reality and fiction, which is achieved by the transgression of ontological levels of the story’s real represented world and its fictional counterpart produced by the holodeck. For this reason, the following episodes are not examples of a mere confusion but depict the effects of what happens when fiction suddenly and unintentionally becomes reality.

What the following episodes share is the loss of control over the fictional, and thus to some extent also the real, represented world. The playful aspect of the holodeck adventure loses its charm when security protocols protecting the actors within the fictional world of the holodeck are turned off and computer control fails. The simulation – a copy of reality without real 68 consequences – thus produces perceptible effects, which directly affect real characters, and lasting alterations regarding the ontological status of both the artificial holographic product and the reality of the represented world. The theme of being trapped in fiction is described by Rauscher (2003: 258) as follows; „Die Next Generation etablierte in diesem Ambiente einen neuen Star Trek-Standardplot, der darin besteht, dass durch einen Programmfehler aus dem Spiel tödlicher Ernst wird.“

The first such loss of control is encountered in the TNG episode “The Big Goodbye“ when Picard alias private detective Dixon Hill is confronted with a defective holodeck program that produces fictional characters with real weapons and consequently real injuries. When Picard played through the plot of the film noir-type narrative and tricks the villain into stepping out of the holodeck, the danger literally dissolves and the narrative is ended. The fiction, which has temporally become reality, is discontinued in the end so that the boundary between reality and fiction are reestablished in the traditional way. (cf. Rauscher 2003: 263)

The subsequent analyses show how and by which means the border and traditional distinction between reality and fiction are dissolved. In the TNG episode “Ship in a Bottle”, the unexpected conscience of a smart fictional character has repercussions on the diegetic level as the ship is controlled by the fictional entity from the inside of the holodeck, while in the VOY episode “Worst Case Scenario”, a holographic simulation intended as a training program turns into reality due to the creation of a rigid narrative plot.

TNG 2.3 “Elementary, Dear Data” and 6.12 “Ship in a Bottle” The first episode to have a fictional character become aware of his ontological status depicting the thereof resulting consequences for the real crew members of the represented world is the second season TNG episode “Elementary, Dear Data”. In an attempt to prove Data’s abilities to his colleague and to make the holo-adventures of Data alias Sherlock Holmes more demanding, Geordi orders the holodeck to create “an adversary capable of defeating Data”. The product of this request is Holmes’ arch-enemy Professor Moriarty, who is fully aware of being a fictional character confined to the holodeck for the purpose of serving as a character within a fictional story for entertainment purposes.

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Moriarty’s awareness of his fictional nature, his purpose of existence and his role as a character within a holographic program is an example of an epistemological metalepsis, which presents an unprecedented circumstance in the Star Trek universe. Even though Moriarty is a character with 19th century knowledge, he manages to gain control over the holo program so that, within the fictional realm of the holodeck, he is equally powerful as the real human beings pertaining to the diegetic level who are usually in control of simulations and fictional worlds. With this degree of power, Moriarty is not only able to control the fictional world of the holodeck but also manages to command the ship by means of computer control. The diegetic characters participating in the holo program are therefore incapable of shutting down the program. Fascinated by the glimpse into a whole new world, Moriarty expresses his wish to stay alive and experience the real world of the diegetic level. However, his existence is tied to the program, to the underlying Sherlock Holmes narrative. This means that if the story comes to an end – regardless of the outcome –, he will cease to exist. In addition, it is impossible for a fictional character to exist outside the holodeck because holograms depend on holographic imaging devices as they are not made of matter.

The first encounter with Sherlock Holmes’ arch-enemy and Data’s personal nemesis ends with the restoration of the ‘normal’ status quo. Picard succeeds in convincing Moriarty to return control over the ship. Conversely, Picard promises to save Moriarty’s program on the one hand, and to conduct research to provide him with an existence outside of the fictional world when the necessary technology is advanced. The confusion of the reality/fiction opposition is only temporary and without a lasting effect regarding the ontological status. Since a real character manages to keep the artificial, fictional character within bounds, the traditional boundaries between the realm of reality and fiction are maintained.

However, the second encounter with Moriarty, which occurs four years later, in the sequel episode “Ship in a Bottle”, has more dramatic repercussions. After some minor problems within another Sherlock Holmes holo-adventure, Barclay unknowingly reactivates Moriarty’s program. He is visibly puzzled when he learns of Moriarty’s awareness and his agreement with the Captain. In order to provide some background information and orientation for the viewer, Moriarty summarizes the plot and main events of the preceding episode, demonstrating once again his awareness and special ontological status, again in the form of an epistemological metalepsis (see quote below).

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BARCLAY: You know! You know what you are. MORIARTY: A holodeck character? A fictional man? Yes, yes I know all about your marvelous inventions. I was created as a plaything so that your Commander Data could masquerade as Sherlock Holmes. But they made me too well and I became more than a character in a story. I became self-aware. I am alive. BARCLAY: That's not possible. (Appendix p. III) [emphasis mine] In an attempt to discuss the serious matter with Moriarty, the Captain, Data and Barclay re- enter the holodeck with Moriarty’s program running. The three characters stepped down to the hypodiegetic level (naturalized top-down metalepsis), and from then on remain within the simulation until the very end of the episode. Since the characters (and the recipient) do not realize that they are still inside the holodeck, the characters perceive strange events (markers of fictionality) which lead to their ensuing confusion of the real and fictional world. Their inability to tell the two apart is the result of a brilliant facsimile of the whole ship and crew that is indistinguishable from the real thing.

The structure of the episode (depicted in the figure below) shows the division of represented events into three diegetic levels. The main diegesis represents the reality of the represented world, i.e. the missions and adventures of the Star Trek TNG crew. The hypodiegesis refers to holodeck simulations and the fictional reality of created stories. In the present episode, this hypodiegetic level is the origin of Moriarty and serves as an elaborate delusion to trick three real characters into believing that they have exited the holodeck and returned to the diegesis, their reality, while, in fact, they are still inside this seemingly perfect simulation.

Diegesis: reality of the represented world

The real Enterprise + crew on a mission

Hypodiegesis: holodeck simulation Facsimile of ship + crew; Moriarty

Hypo-Hypo-Diegesis: simulation within simulation

Figure 11: Diegetic levels of “Ship in a Bottle”

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After demonstrating how holograms usually dissolve outside the holodeck, Picard is confounded by the fact that Moriarty is apparently able to leave and exist outside the holodeck (ontological bottom-up metalepsis) as this contradicts every established law of “holodeck physics” in the represented world. By means of explicit metareference (“My past is nothing but fiction, the scribblings of an Englishman dead now for over four centuries. I hope to leave his books on the shelf, as it were.” [emphasis mine]), Moriarty expresses his wish to experience and live in the real world. Having seemingly achieved this personal goal by mere power of will, Moriarty – similar to the monster in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein – asks for Picard’s assistance to free also his lover (the Countess) from the confines of the fictional world.

What the real characters inside the second level hypodiegesis and the recipient categorize as the fictional character’s impossible act of border crossing from fiction into reality, is, in reality, a simulated bottom-up metalepsis. While it is true that Moriarty did cross a border between diegetic levels, it is, however, only the transgression from the inferior hypo- hypodiegetic to the equally fictional hypodiegetic world. In other words, by creating a simulation inside the holodeck simulation, he returned to his original ‘reality’ and therefore never left the fictional world of the actual holodeck.

Although Moriarty is unable to physically leave the holodeck, he has the knowledge to exercise power over the real Enterprise by means of computer control. In this way, a fictional character is able to directly affect the reality of the represented world, while the original creators of the simulation have lost their power over the created, fictional entity. This dramatic inversion of reality and fiction is brought about by the role reversal of creator and created, and of the possibilities of real and fictional characters.

The first interesting plot twist is produced by the fact that the fictional character is able to deceive the real characters. The duplication of the whole ship inside the holodeck including simulated frames and boundaries that are indistinguishable from the real ones, make the real characters believe that they have already left the holodeck. The fictional frames are thus taken to be markers of reality. Moriarty achieved this ingenious plot by simulating to have control over the real Enterprise. Picard’s attempt to counter Moriarty’s plans by using his command codes, results in Moriarty’s gaining real control over the real ship by virtue of computer control.

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Ironically, it is the dysfunctional technology that gives the simulation away in the end. Moriarty’s scheme would have worked perfectly on a functioning holodeck, but the defective “spatial orientation” system causes a right-handed character to operate with his left hand, which reveals the simulated nature of the perceived ‘reality’. Moreover, the Countess’ statement to Moriarty (“We may be closer to freedom than you think” [emphasis mine]) suggests that neither one of them has actually left the simulation. The fact that Moriarty cannot and has not exited the holodeck after all, implies that neither did the real characters. These markers of fictionality indicate to the real characters (and the recipient) that they are still inside a simulation. Data also performs a reality check in order to verify his theory of being trapped in a simulation when he throws his badge towards the alleged warp core of the ship to make the familiar grid-like wall of the holodeck visible for a brief moment.

The characters’ confusion of reality and fiction is transferred onto the viewer by only depicting hypodiegetic events, following the real characters within the fictional world. Only after the real characters’ realization of being deceived does the camera show the events that have occurred in the meantime on the diegetic level (the crew is being blackmailed by Moriarty). Subsequently, Picard devises a plan to deceive Moriarty to “to find a way of giving him what he wants” so that the real characters are free to return to the real world.

It appears that, in the end, the fictional characters are successfully transported out of the holodeck into the real world and leave the Enterprise in a small shuttle to explore the universe. However, after having regained control of the ship, Picard commands the computer to store and discontinue his program; the subsequent appearance of the holodeck wall indicates that the holographic simulation is finally terminated. The real characters are free to return to the diegetic level, while transporting the fictional characters into an embedded simulation.

As it turns out in the end, ironically, “the same ruse that Moriarty used” to deceive the real characters resulted in his own deception of the fictional characters. Moriarty and the Countess were unwittingly transferred onto a diegetically lower level (the hypo-hypodiegesis), a simulation created by a “miniature holodeck”. Thus, the traditional boundaries between reality and fiction are ultimately re-established.

The title “Ship in a Bottle” has apparently more than just one meaning. Firstly, it refers to Moriarty’s creation of a simulation inside the holodeck, i.e. the miniature Enterprise located on the hypodiegetic level in which the three real characters are trapped. Secondly, the title

73 alludes to the simulated space-shuttle, in which Moriarty and the Countess leave the miniature reality of the fictional Enterprise in the end, which both of them perceive as reality.

The decisive difference between the fictional and real characters appears to be the fact that, without ever having experienced reality, the fictional characters are unable to distinguish reality from fiction. There are no reliable markers of reality, no point of reference, and therefore no certainty whether one is inside a simulation, a mere copy of reality, or in the real world. This fact, which might very well hold true for real people and our notion of reality as well, is also directly expressed in Picard’s final remark, “But who knows? Our reality may be very much like theirs. All this might just be an elaborate simulation running inside a little device sitting on someone's table.”

The character Picard is not only pointing out a problematic aspect concerning the definition and perception of reality (as far as we know, we might be trapped inside a cave looking at shadows, as Plato’s “Analogy of the Cave” suggests) but the statement is also an example of epistemological metalepsis which makes the viewer aware of the fictional narrative about space explorers (the TNG series), as the little device is a television set mediating this thought- provoking story.

The theme of unexpected conscience of fictional characters is later used in the Voyager episode “Spirit Folk”, albeit in a reduced version. Similar to “Ship in a Bottle”, the Voyager crew has to deal with revolting holograms who believe that the crew is “spirit folk” using dark magic to do harm. The reason for this development is an elaborate holodeck simulation (a small Irish town called “Fair Haven” set in the late 19th century) that has been kept “running 24 hours a day” due to “an open door protocol on the Holodeck”. However, the conflict between real and fictional characters is resolved peacefully in the end and, in contrast to “Ship in a Bottle” not (entirely) based on deception. Mutual understanding among fictional and real characters is achieved when a fictional character crosses the border into reality (ontological bottom-up metalepsis) by virtue of the holographic doctor’s mobile emitter in order to see the world of the crew, the 24th century. Believing in his status as a real person and not as a hologram created by the crew (!) – the crew’s appearance is explained as a kind of time travel – the fictional character willfully returns to his home town. Since the fictional characters’ only partial awareness does not cause any doubt regarding their ontological status, they return to the hypodiegetic level without aspirations for perceiving the reality as Moriarty did in “Ship in a Bottle”.

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As can be seen in both the TNG and VOY episode, metareference serves to transfer the problematic issue of reality and fiction from the intradiegetic to the extradiegetic level, from a fictional character to the real recipient. The ontologically impossible inversion of creator and created provides ample food for thought and leaves a disconcerting aftertaste in the recipient. This is supported by the fact that the character Barclay is so disturbed at the end that he performs a last reality check by giving the command “Computer, end program.” The only comforting aspect of the story is that the real characters are apparently able to distinguish reality from fiction successfully due to the suggested imperfection of the simulation, i.e. the technical problems of the holodeck. A fictional character, by contrast, cannot recognize the difference. For this reason, a simulation is acceptable for a hologram. Likewise, the (perceived) reality is fine for real characters.

VOY “Worst Case Scenario” The crew aboard Voyager discovers a new holo-program with a very suspenseful plot, namely a simulated mutiny instigated by the Maquis crew to dismiss the Starfleet Captain. Therefore, the episode consists of two diegetic levels – main diegesis and hypodiegesis –, which are depicted interchangeably. As the story progresses, the main action increasingly takes place on the hypodiegetic level inside the holodeck, depicting the adventures of single crew members during the ongoing mutiny19.

The beginning is marked by a missing opening frame, which, at first glance, is perceived as the reality of the represented world. The fact that Commander Chakotay is talking to B’Elanna about an approaching mutiny led by Maquis crew members is already perceived with some suspicions by the avid viewer since this kind of action appears unmotivated by the events depicted in previous episodes. The ensuing accumulation of strange events including the shooting of a crew member and Seska’s appearance (a former Maquis crew member who betrayed and left the crew in season 2), the recipient is assured that the witnessed events cannot be factual. When at the story’s (i.e. hypodiegetic narrative’s) climax, Paris is shown to suddenly enter the holodeck, (indicated by the familiar command “Computer, freeze program”) the viewer realizes that B’Elanna was in fact enjoying a holodeck story.

As can be seen in the initial scenes, a former crew member has the function of a marker of fictionality, and the door to the holodeck serves as a familiar frame within the represented

19 For episode transcript see appendix p. XLVI f. 75 world to distinguish the reality outside from the fictional world inside the holodeck. By starting the episode with a missing opening frame, the viewer’s attention is immediately drawn to the events within the holodeck, where further events are to take place. Also, the theme of the reality/fiction opposition is introduced as the fictional world is an exact facsimile of the Voyager ship and crew depicting a “what-if story” of possible but unlikely events (Appendix p. XLVIII).

When Paris is testing the new holo-program, the same scenes from the beginning are repeated, only this time with Paris in the role of the recruited crew member supporting the Maquis mutiny. At the decisive moment, Paris, contrary to B’Elanna, chooses to work against the fictional Chakotay, and is therefore held captive. Upset by the development of the fictional narrative’s plot, Paris voices his indignation (“Who wrote this stuff?”) by means of explicit metareference. When he meets his fictional counterpart, the viewer observes the first clash of reality and fiction. This meeting of a diegetic character with his hypodiegetic facsimile foreshadows further metaleptic phenomena that will take place on an even grander scale and therefore serves to prepare the viewer for the ensuing events of the episode’s narrative.

Since the holo-story is very entertaining and full of suspense, an increasing number of the crew tries and runs it. The only problem is that the story has not been completed; the simulation stops in the middle and lacks an ending. This fact creates outrage in the crew (Paris: “This is someone’s idea of a practical joke, right!? […]I can’t believe we’ve been left hanging like this.” - appendix p. LI). Consequently, there is much talk and discussion in the form of extensive explicit metareference with regard to the holo-story, the plot development and its unknown author. The questions who wrote the program and, more importantly for the entertainment-deprived crew, who should create a suitable ending is explicitly discussed. Even the Captain addresses the issue and expresses her interest in finishing the holo-story to make it a full holo-novel (see quotation below). Similarly to the recipients of a TV show or any other work of art, the characters have the desire to fully perceive a story, from the beginning to the end. This fact can be understood as the expression of a basic human characteristic. A story, particularly a good one, is read or watched until the end. Otherwise the process of reception does neither create pleasure in the recipient (it is, in fact, described as “sadistic”) nor is it meaningful, since the main point and argument are lost without a proper ending. Here, the metareferential statements by the characters clearly serve to emphasize the importance of art, and in particular of narratives.

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JANEWAY: I understand that the author of this little opus has chosen to remain anonymous. Perhaps because of the controversial nature of the story, which depicts Commander Chakotay as the leader of a Maquis mutiny. […]communities need entertainment, culture, creative outlets. Since we're not exactly privy to every new piece of music or holo-novel that's written back home, I think it's only natural that we should start creating our own. CHAKOTAY: Besides, Tuvok, if the crew doesn't get an ending, you may have a real mutiny on your hands. PARIS: If Tuvok doesn't want to finish the story, I volunteer. TORRES: Oh? PARIS: Well, I've always wanted to write a holo-novel. I think I could make it pretty exciting. JANEWAY: Good. Then it's settled. I, for one, can't wait to see if Captain Janeway manages to outwit the conspirators. (Appendix p. LII) [emphasis mine] When Tuvok outs himself to be the creator of the program (intended to simulate a Maquis mutiny for the purpose of exercise but unfinished due to the well-working integration of the Starfleet and Maquis crews), Paris offers his help to complete the story. From then on, the episode’s subsequent explicit metareferential comments depict the rivalry between two authors working on one project as Tuvok and Paris discuss the further development of the holo-story’s plot. While Tuvok is in favor of a realistic approach based on rationality, logics and probability20 – the mimetic approach –, Paris prefers a more spontaneous and suspenseful, yet more unrealistic course of events, corresponding to the notion of poiesis (see quotation below).

TUVOK: That is an entirely implausible plot development. Captain Janeway would never behave in such an inhumane manner. PARIS: This isn't real life, Tuvok. It's fiction. Don't get so caught up in logic. TUVOK: Logic is an integral part of narrative structure. According to The Dictates of Poetics by T'hain of Vulcan, a character's actions must flow inexorably from his or her established traits. PARIS: Well, I don't know anything about T'hain, but I do know what makes an interesting story, and that's unexpected plot twists. TUVOKA If you think I will allow you to turn this program into a parody, you are sorely mistaken. (Appendix p. LIII) [emphasis mine] Tuvok and Paris finally agree to re-initialize the program in order to finish the story together. When they do so, they suddenly find themselves trapped inside the holodeck; The safety protocols are off, the transporter system collapses as well as the holodeck controls, and there is no communication between the holodeck and the rest of the ship. This isolation of these two characters combined with a total loss of control over the simulation certainly increases the suspense and interest of the real characters in the fictional holo-story as well as of the recipients in the episode’s narrative.

The ensuing clash of reality and fiction begins with the re-appearance of the fictional copy of Seska, who is aware of her ontological status. The epistemological metalepsis of this

20 Tuok idiretl refers to Aristotles Poetics to underline the importance of narrative logic, teleology and osiste puttig Aristotles arguet i the outh of a Vulcan philosopher. 77 conscious holographic facsimile marks the beginning of the revised fictional story that is also directed by this fictional character striving for revenge, viz. the ship and crew’s destruction. Since there is no escape and no protection from simulated attacks or injuries (“[…] the safety protocols are off, which means if I shoot you, and I am going to shoot you, you'll die.”), the subsequent events on the holodeck equal a perverted, sadistic cat-and-mouse game directed by a fictional entity. The fact that fictional events have real perceptible consequences for the real characters inside the holodeck implies a full inversion of reality and fiction and renders the distinction between the two categories nonsensical. The boundary separating fiction from reality does no longer exist. From this moment on, the fiction of the holodeck has become bitter reality for the two imprisoned characters.

The facsimile affects the reality of the two real characters directly; the fictional entity is in charge over the creation which she originated from. In being able to rewrite her own story (thus determining the setting, events, plot development and fictional characters), the fictional version of Seska simultaneously incorporates both creator and created. With regard to her ontological status, the simulacrum version is located on both the intradiegetic and extradiegetic level of the embedded holographic story, particularly in terms of power, even if she cannot physically leave the holodeck.

Thus, the simulation has power over fictional characters as well as real persons trapped in her narrative. The fact that the facsimiles of the crew cannot be trusted (owing to rewritten personality profiles) is demonstrated by the doctor, who, instead of curing Paris, starts to torture him (which serves as comic relief). The only option left to the two trapped characters is to try to escape, avoid fictional characters and hope that the rest of the real crew will find and save them somehow.

In order to save Paris and Tuvok, the crew on the diegetic level attempts to rewrite Seska’s program. However, they notice that every alteration they make is compensated by the program and major changes to the story’s main building blocks such as the characters, setting or plot development, are altogether impossible. Thus, Janeway is only able to make minor changes, and to literally make objects appear out of thin air on the hypodiegetic level. Amusingly, it is this narrative device, deus ex machina, which proves to be the most effective support from the diegetic level.

According to Ryan (2009: 63), this narrative device provides “[a] facile way to conclude a story, when the author has painted the characters into a corner by producing a situation that

78 cannot be resolved by natural means”. Furthermore, it “is extended to any unexpected event that brings a happy ending from the outside when the characters have exhausted all possibilities of improving their own fate.” (ibid: 64). Thus, the deus ex machina is marked by irrationality, arbitrariness and suddenness, which holds very true for the following events of the present episode. One example of using the device is Janeway’s programming, which results in the appearance of a weapon in front of the two characters trapped within the simulation. In addition, she manages to create a sudden attack by an alien race on the fictional Voyager inside the holodeck, thus providing the necessary time to think of a solution to free the characters. The final happy end is brought about by the created and completely unexpected malfunction of Seska’s weapon, with which she attempts to shoot Tuvok and Paris. In this way, the fictional Seska is killed and the real characters are liberated. The episode concludes with some final explicit metareferential remarks on happy endings (“Here’s to stories with happy endings!” Appendix p. LVIII) and the undeniable actuality of deus ex machina, a final foregrounding act of the creative process of story writing.

To sum up, the whole episode thematizes the creative process of story writing in multiple facets with various explicit as well as implicit devices of metareference. The dissolution of reality and fiction within the holodeck served as explanation for transferring the characters’ theoretical discussions on how to write a good story into practical reality. In this way, the practical aspect of creating a narrative is emphasized, which in turn, foregrounds the fictionality of the episode and triggers meta-awareness in the recipient with regard to the writing process of (not only) television series (author-centered, non-critical function, production-based metareference). By praising Janeway’s talent and capability of story writing, the episode also expresses self-praise and acknowledgement for the authors of the Voyager narratives.

3.2.1.4 Metareferential genre hybridity As already mentioned in chapter 3.2.1.1, the holodeck can be used as a narrative device to leave the generic restraints of science fiction and to allow the characters to dive into another genre or medium. As there is a vast number of episodes employing the holodeck in this way, the ensuing analysis will content itself with briefly mentioning two prominent episodes with metareferential effects.

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VOY 5.12 “Bride of Chaotica” The episode consists of two diegetic levels; the diegesis with the familiar crew and the hypodiegesis of a holodeck adventure in the style of 1930s science fiction movie. Here, the holodeck serves as a narrative device to adopt the generic conventions of early science fiction film.

Already the beginning of the episode21 is unusual and noteworthy in that the familiar Voyager title sequence is replaced by another one with a narrator preparing the recipient for the subsequent Captain Proton adventure (see extract below). This fictional paratext is accompanied by dramatic music typical of the time and genre and the depiction of events in black and white.

“The Adventures of Captain Proton – Chapter 18: Bride of Chaotica. The evil Doctor Chaotica kidnaps Constance Goodheart and plans to sacrifice her to Arachnia, Queen of the Spider People! Captain Proton travels millions of miles to Planet X where he will invade the Fortress of Doom! Chaotica fires his fiendish Death Ray! Certain death for Proton as his rocket ship bursts into flames! (Appendix p.LIX)

Since the recipient is aware of watching the TV show Star Trek Voyager, the “wrong” title sequence suggests an embedded story, which is subsequently shown. The regular viewer will immediately recognize “The Adventures of Captain Proton” as one of Lieutenant Paris’ favorite holodeck programs (the character is known for his passion for early 20th century science fiction stories).

Before plunging themselves into the holodeck narrative, the characters Kim and Paris discuss the preview of the next chapter which they are about to enter by means of explicit extra- compositional metareference; Kim complains about the inaccuracy of the summary, while Paris attributes that to the “lost art of hyperbole” and the function of cliffhangers (“they brought people back to the theatre”). Upon landing on said Planet X, Kim recognizes the set from a previous Captain Proton adventure, the reason for which is explained by Paris - “Sets were expensive.” Through these explicit remarks, the recipient is acquainted with and made aware of the conventions of early science fiction films.

Throughout the episode, the black and white depiction is maintained within the holodeck, in contrast to the colored events of the diegetic level. When an alien life form mistakes the holographic characters of the Captain Proton program for real beings, the crew is forced to resolve the ensuing conflict from within the holodeck. Therefore, the main action is

21 For episode transcript see appendix p. LIX f. 80 transferred to the hypodiegesis and has to be acted out according to the generic conventions of the program.

The highly amusing effect and overall appeal of this episode is achieved by having the Captain of the ship play the role of the villain’s future bride. The episode’s ending also corresponds to the conventions of the past genre as it depicts the resolution of the conflict by the prototypical death of the villain. In this way, not only the setting, costumes, sound effects and visual perception of a 1930 science fiction movie is recreated, but also the dramaturgy and plot. Consequently, the recipient is not only lectured on the conventions of the genre but also experiences these frames by the development of the story.

VOY 7.20 “Author, Author” In this episode, the Doctor (Voyager’s Emergency Medical Hologram) creates a holo-novel based on his life22. In the holographic simulation, he depicts his experiences as a hologram aboard the starship “Vortex”. This simulation is an exaggerated and predominantly negative copy of the Voyager ship and crew as there are only minor differences in the characters’ outward appearance (e.g. different hair style or beards) and names (Torrey instead of Torres, Lieutenant Marseilles instead of Paris), so that the characters of the VOY series also impersonate their hypodiegetic counterparts.

The Doctor’s autobiography is partly fictional and partly true. His first-person narrative is designed to make the person entering the holodeck assume his role as the Doctor aboard the ship. The situations encountered aboard the fictional Vortex are based on real events (within the represented world) that the viewer is familiar with from watching previous episodes. The only difference, however, lies in the exaggeration of certain personality traits of the characters and the absurd, comic inversion of established norms aboard the Voyager. This is most exemplified effectively by the Captain killing a seriously crewman in order to have the Doctor treat an officer first.

The result of this holo-novel is a parody filled with self-irony that is very entertaining and amusing for the recipient but scandalous for the diegetic characters. As a consequence, Paris produces a parody of the Doctor’s program, in which the Doctor is forced to assume the role of the medical assistant (Paris) to experience his own exaggerated personality. Therefore, the

22 For episode transcript see Appendix p. LXX f. 81 episode almost appears as a slapstick comedy, in which the characters satirize one another by creating hypodiegetic facsimiles in order to entertain the recipient while eliciting awareness of the series’ past and the hallmarks of parodies.

In addition, the episode thematizes both explicitly and implicitly the creation of literature or narratives, particularly with regard to the source of inspiration, as the characters discuss the repercussions of the Doctor’s story should it be published. Also the function of narratives, namely voicing social criticism and identifying problematic issues – is addressed (in this case, the rights of holograms). In this respect, the episode shares the main theme with the DS9 episode “Far beyond the Stars” mentioned earlier. The difference between these two episodes, however, lies in the mode of presentation. Since the DS9 issue (racism) is very serious and has important implications for the recipient in the real world, the predominant mode and tone of the episode is serious and tragic, in contrast to the predominantly humorous effect elicited by the VOY episode. Apparently, the Doctor’s fight for the rights of artificial life forms is suitable for the creation of parody and satire because there is no morality or real counterpart on which a statement regarding human rights can be made. For this reason, the episode has only implications for the implied world view and no correspondence to the extradiegetic, extra-compositional reality.

The last third of the episode is dedicated to the real struggle for the rights of holograms as the doctor is denied his rights as the author of his creation. In order to prevent the unlawful distribution of the holo-novel by the publisher who has not obtained the Doctor’s consent, the crew fights (thus depicting the conflict between author and publisher) for his rights by characterizing the Doc as a person with human attributes. In this way, the issue foreshadowed by the mise en abyme of the hypodiegesis is transferred onto the diegetic level and thus turns from fiction into (fictional) reality. By presenting the Doctor’s real life story (in contrast to the fictionalized hypodiegetic version), the main theme and message from the hypodiegetic level is transferred to the diegesis. All in all, the episode makes use of the metareferential mode of the parody and offers numerous meta-narrative comments on the creation and function of fictional works.

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3.2.2 Storyline Modification

As indicated at the beginning of the analytical part, the implicit forms of metareference that are based on the modification of story might be perceived critically due to the naturalizing and relativizing potential inherent in the science fiction genre since the unusual is part of the genre’s appeal. For this reason, it is essential to point out again that the subsequent examples used for analysis have to be considered in the context of the whole series and franchise. Whether or not innovative narrative techniques and plot structures are categorized as metareferential depends largely on the time of production of the respective episode and the generic context. If the recipient has not encountered particular techniques or devices before, then he/ she is forced to develop and employ new interpretational strategies in order to make sense of the represented. Thus, the fresh implementation of innovative narrative techniques triggers metareferential reflections in the untrained, inexperienced viewer.

With an eye to the building blocks of the story level, we can differentiate between three aspects: plot and events, characters, and the (temporal and spatial) setting. Since all implicit forms of metareference occurring on the story level are based on defamiliarization of and/or deviation from established norms in one or multiple aspects, the story-transmitted forms of metareferential story modification are connected to 1) the modification of plot and events, 2) the transformation of characters, 3) the transformation of the represented world, and 4) the deviation from guiding narrative principles, the first and last point of which will be the focus in the ensuing analyses. The various forms of deviation and defamiliarization of a given text belonging to a specific genre, such as SF, is what causes the recipient to realize that something is out of the ordinary, by comparison to the ‘normal’ status quo of plot structure, characters and the represented world. This, in turn, creates potential awareness with regard to the reception of a narrative in a certain medium. In addition, implicit forms of metareference, such as metalepses, can also occur as part of the plot structure.

The following three sub-chapters explore the narrative methods and techniques that relate to the story level and have potential metareferential functions and effects by employing various means including duplication, deletion, deviation and defamiliarization.

This chapter is concerned with the metareferential forms and effects of Star Trek’s narrative’s plot structure. Before continuing with the analysis, the difference between story and plot needs to be asserted briefly. According to Abrams and Harpham (2009: 265), plot refers to the arrangement of events and actions in a narrative for a specific purpose and to elicit a certain

83 effect in the recipient. In film or television, the plot consists of everything that is directly narrated, i.e. shown on the screen, regardless of chronology. The story, by contrast, represents the chronological sequence of all narrated events, whether these are shown or simply referred to or mentioned.

While there is little material on the story elements and plot structure of the Star Trek series, Richards (1997: 115) recognizes repetition as one of the central themes that contribute to the complex plot structures of Star Trek episodes:

Stories tend to get told over and over again, and the sense of structure and repetition so crucial to the telling of any story frequently leads the [Star Trek] series to associate stories with circularity, confusion, and repetition. The crew of the Enterprise are often made to experience events over and over again in the simple form of a time loop. Other experiences of story repetition are more complex, and the crew often have to wrench themselves free from a story not of their own making. Still other experiences are so uncannily complicated that it is very difficult to tell where the story is coming from, who is telling it, and even whether it is a story at all. [emphasis mine] This observation has interesting implications which serve as a starting point for the classification of various types of plot structures in Star Trek. The basic story elements of repetition and variation connected to the formal, structural level are thematically explained by the well-known science fiction theme of time loops or temporal anomalies within the fictional world. Richards also indirectly addresses the metareferential or meta-narrative potential of Star Trek episodes by posing questions regarding the kind of story, the levels of story, and the effects of the story on its characters. The observation that the crew sometimes have to free themselves from the story points to a complex structure with multiple diegetic levels and metalepses.

In an attempt to shed some light on the structural and other story-based metareferential issues (and the questions posed by Richards), various episodes have been chosen to be analyzed. The subsequent examples used to demonstrate the potential metareferential effects of modified plot structures are given in order of simple to complex modifications, ignoring the chronology (based on production date) of episodes. Thus, the examples were categorized into 5 main types of plot/story modifications, which will be subsequently analyzed.

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3.2.2.1) The circular plot The first and structurally simplest form of plot modification (as also observed by Richards 1997: 115) is the circular plot structure, as exemplified by the TNG episode “Cause and Effect”23. As will be shown in the analysis, the circle is achieved by means of a causality loop in which the same events are endlessly repeated due to the fact that the beginning is caused by the ending.

The episode starts with an event that would usually be considered an ending - and a very dramatic one indeed: the explosion and total destruction of the Enterprise. Though the explosion is very realistic in appearance, the ship and crew nonetheless appear intact as witnessed by the viewer and stated in the Captain’s log entry after the inserted introductory sequence, thus creating an alert and heightened involvement on the part of the viewer from the very beginning, in combination with suspense as to the question why the ship exploded.

The intrigued viewer will probably search for a logical explanation at this point, raising the question as to whether the explosion can be avoided, as the fact of the destruction will not be accepted easily but rather met with sheer disbelief. The ground for metareferential reflections has thus been prepared.

From the illogical order of represented events (first the destruction and then the intact ship), the viewer can deduce the (a-)chronological order of the story elements by the filmic discourse. In other words, the intact ship is more likely to occur prior to the explosion. For this reason, ensuing events are likely to depict the development causing the final destruction. This order of representing events is known from crime stories, in which the murder occurs at the beginning of the narrative and is followed by the reconstruction of events that then reveals the murderer and his/her motivation.

The effect of this a-chronological order of events or, more specifically, of the inversion of beginning and ending trigger a metareferential reflection in the recipient with regard to the structure of represented events, their underlying meaning and the story as such with particular focus on its ending, especially when no explicit markers stating the represented time frame (such as “the beginning” or “24 hours before”) is given. The viewer will probably question the truthfulness and/or the inescapability and changeability of the ship’s destruction. If this ending is considered definite and unchangeable, then the episode will have immense repercussions not only on the present episode but also on the whole season. Since this episode

23 For episode summary cf. episode protocol, appendix page A3. 85 is the 18th of season 5, the whole story of TNG might be determined at this point, i.e. brought to an end. This means that, assuming the definite ending with the ship’s destruction, the storyline of TNG would come to an end as further episodes without the main setting and characters could not be produced. On the other hand, the avid viewer assumes the production of the regular 25 episodes in each season. In this way, the ending that is perceived as unlikely demands of the viewer a higher degree of willing suspension of disbelief. And yet, the contradiction of the depicted ending with the viewer’s expectation creates an unsettling doubt and thus more suspense. It appears as if the recipient is willingly teased and kept on tenterhooks, which in turn results in increased immersion and amplification of the episode’s aesthetic illusion.

Returning to the plot structure, the assumption of the plot following the whodunit-conventions would be correct, if there were not another, identical explosion followed by identical scenes that were already shown before. After the second explosion and the ensuing beginning of the second, identical sequence of events, the recipient is confronted with a clear and apparently deliberate repetition of identical plot elements, causing yet another cycle of events with the ship’s destruction in the end and thus the same outcome. This unusual structure has an extremely strong defamiliarizing effect inducing puzzlement in the viewer while simultaneously reinforcing the recipient’s metareferential reflections on the episode’s structural mediation and alterability.

By now, the loop or circular plot structure has been clearly established. It is marked by multiple repetitions of identical or similar events that are repeated a total of six times in the course of the episode. The most prominent repeated sequences, which serve to provide orientation and a point of reference indicating development and change (based on a comparison to the first sequence), include the Captain’s log entry – which usually marks the beginning of an episode –, a poker game with the same participants and conversation, identical recurring medical issues of the engineer Geordi and Dr. Crusher’s experience of hearing voices. However, with every new sequence of events, the sense of repetition is also gradually perceived by the diegetic characters. As the crew’s feeling of déjàvu increases steadily, they are able to predict certain situations and explicitly address the issue of repetition, constructing the hypothesis of a temporal causal loop in which they appear to be trapped. From this point onwards, they are able to influence consecutive events to an increasing extent. This fact is indicated in the suddenly varying hand that is dealt in the poker game contrary to the participants’ prediction.

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What can be deduced from that is that repetition is not merely a discursive device, but also thematically addressed and built into the episode’s story world as it provides an explanation of the events the viewer witnesses. The characters’ awareness and discussion of repeated events can therefore be read in two ways; in addition to the thematization of a temporal causal loop (which naturally causes repetitions and is perfectly plausible within the realm of the Star Trek universe) which builds the theme and main issue of the story, it is also an indirect metareferential comment on the discourse structure of the episode even if the characters never directly refer to the fact that they are fictional characters in a TV series that forces them to repeat their actions. Thus, the characters may be said to be at the brink of an epistemological metalepsis but never quite cross the border because their comments remain within the represented story world and can be explained by the (oftentimes strange) laws of physics and cosmology of the Star Trek universe.

The repetition of identical or slightly varied scenes is dramaturgically implemented by the use of different camera angles for each repetition. The respective angle is kept for every scene belonging to the same sequence of repeated events, thus allowing for some orientation (as to the deviation from the first sequence of events) and variation for the viewer. Without this diversity in camera positions, the episode would probably be perceived as uncreative, boring and not interesting enough to watch until the end.

At the same time, however, the varying and to some extent unusual camera positions (particularly the sequence filmed from below) may arguably have an illusion-breaking effect on the recipient, raising his/her awareness not only of the repetitive, structural (i.e. cyclical) and mediated nature of the story, but also of the constructed nature of that story. In addition to the viewer’s awareness, it is the characters’ awareness which plays a decisive role with regard to story development. Without their realization that they have done everything at least once before, they would not be able to leave the restraints of a cyclical plot structure and would therefore be caught in a never-ending story based on identical repetition without any development or change.

When the crew finally manages to influence events to a sufficient extent, the story’s outcome is changed in that the Enterprise is saved from its destruction by the crew’s discovery and avoidance of the cause of its explosion. Richards (1997: 116) remarks to that effect that,

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[t]he Enterprise is saved when the crew breaks the cycle of repetition and reenters linear time. Breaking the cycle involves becoming aware that stories, far from being perfectly circular, are slightly different every time. It is through a minute awareness of the slight deviations from story to story that the crew members learn how to save themselves from the impending crash. The minute they begin to deviate from the pattern of the story, they are free from the imprisoning force of the story. The way they deviate from the pattern of the story is by becoming aware of it, and the entire episode chronicles a coming- to awareness of the power of story. [emphasis mine] Clearly, the main theme of this episode is awareness of story structure, elements and restraints. The episode underscores the necessity of the characters and their proper reactions for story development and conclusion in order to flee from this “story trap” (Richards 1997: 115). Without them, there would be an endless repetition of identical events. The recipient’s metareferential process of becoming aware of story patterns and, in particular, of the necessity and function of repetition and variation is prefigured by a similar dawning awareness on the part of the characters. The viewer is thus confronted with a meta-narrative theme, which occurs on the story level, shaping the events of the story and on the extra-compositional level – the level of reception – by raising the recipient’s awareness. With regard to structure, the themes of repetition and variation as basic story elements are foregrounded. The same is true for deviation as a narrative technique or device: deviation creates variation. In this way, identical repetition as well as rigid story patterns and conventions are avoided or loosened.

The last part of Richard’s quote can be read as a meta-reflective statement on story writing in general, and, in particular, on experimentalist or postmodernist story writing. Deviation from established patterns and conventions have them lay bare the mechanisms and techniques of story writing by means of deconstruction. The reason why this particular technique is so important is that it allows for change and diversion, and thus for the creation of something different and/or new. The development into an unusual or unexpected direction is what makes stories innovative and interesting. The exaggerated deviation from traditional linear storytelling results in a circular story marked by excessive repetition. Variation is then the means to break the seemingly endless cycle of repeating fixed story patterns and elements. In every narrative, there is a delicate balance of deviation and convention, of repetition and variation. In the case of the present episode, it is the deviation in favor of repetition (which is even unusual for what can be generically expected) what may produce metareferential awareness in the recipient.

The fight of the characters against the rigid plot structure is what in postmodernist fiction often leads to the deconstruction of the work in question. In the film Stranger Than Fiction, for example, the main character’s sudden awareness of his status as a character in a novel with a predicted death leads to his revolt against the author and the predefined story structure. 88

Compared to the movie, the episode “Cause and Effect” is, however, less radical in its approach as it works in the reverse way. The faulty story structure is corrected, not deconstructed, by the characters. Their (albeit non-explicit) conscious state concerning story patterns allows for appropriate reactions and serves to re-structure the story in a constructive, meaningful way.

From a structural point of view, (as represented in the figure below), the story follows a cycle or, as Rauscher (2003: 242) more precisely defines it, a möbius strip, during the first five repetitions. It is this illogical plot structure, in which the end leads to the starting point again, causing yet another repetition of identical events. In this way, it serves to illustrate the story’s underlying principle of inverted or intermingled cause and effect, which is initially introduced in the episode’s title. However, with the last sequence of repeated yet varied events, the story leaves its cyclical restraints through the characters’ awareness and reaction. By changing one decisive event, i.e. the kernel24, which caused the constant return from the ending to the beginning, the story is – by its characters’ influence– enabled to develop further and reach a different, favorable outcome; it is guided into another direction with a new and definite ending, allowing for further episodes with the familiar linear, episodic structure.

Scene 2 Scene 3 Scene 2 Scene 3

Scene 1 Scene 4 Scene 1 Kernel New ending

Explosion Explosion

Figure 12a: Plot cycle Figure 12b: Breaking the cycle

In conclusion, the episode “Cause and Effect” thematizes a meta-narrative issue: the basic components of story writing focusing on causality and teleological linearity. The sensitive balance of repetition and variation is foregrounded by repeating specific events and the dramaturgical implementation of a circular, metaleptic plot structure. The metareferential

24 Aordig to Chata : , [K]erels are arratie oets that gie rise to cruxes in the direction taken by events. They are nodes or hinges in the structure, branching points which force a movement into one of to or ore possile paths. 89 effect in the viewer is achieved by the repetition of sequences of events and the use of various camera angles (an example of discourse-transmitted metareference), including one from below that is generally considered unusual. In addition, the importance of deviation and variation stands out, as these techniques serve to break the sheer endless cycle of repetition both on the intradiegetic level (a different reaction leads to the linear plot structure and a final, definite ending) and on the extra-compositional level in terms of creatively constructing and presenting a story for the recipients. It is also the characters’ actions and reactions that drive a plot causing the story to develop further and avoid endless repetition. Finally, the theme of awareness with regard to story patterns and conventions is addressed. Awareness plays an important role since it is the necessary prerequisite for deviation and, in this particular example, for changing the plot, as well as the result of the viewer’s metareferential reflection.

3.2.2.2) The plot deletes its story The following example demonstrates how a story, with all the events of one episode, is narrated and nonetheless finally deleted owing to its own metaleptic plot structure. This effect is achieved by a temporal phenomenon on the diegetic level, causing a past event to merge with a present one and thereby temporarily creating another timeline. The return to the original timeline, at a point which is before the narrated events in question and prevents the possibility of their recurring, is what causes a narrated event to become bracketed or deleted.

The TNG episode “Yesterday’s Enterprise”25 is, as indicated and foreshadowed by the title, centered on a temporal phenomenon, a so-called ‘temporal rift’, which causes the Enterprise to encounter its preceding model and crew from twenty-two years in the past. This seemingly impossible meeting of present and past naturally has severe consequences for the course of history and the present situation.

No sooner has the present Enterprise met its older counterpart, the viewer is confronted with various sudden changes regarding the familiar crew of the present Enterprise and the historic and political background of the Star Trek universe. Dramaturgically represented by a suddenly gloomier atmosphere, darker lighting and different costumes, the Enterprise has lost its charm and purpose as a vessel of peace and exploration. Instead, it is now a declared battleship used to fight both the Klingons and the Romulans, who are known from previous episodes to be allies and enemies engaged in a cold war, respectively. For obvious reasons,

25 For episode summary cf. episode protocol, Appendix page A1 90 there are – contrary to the viewer’s knowledge of the expected Enterprise by the familiarity with the series – neither civilians nor children aboard the ship. The most striking difference, however, with the strongest metareferential effect on the viewer regards two members of the crew: instead of Lieutenant Worf, the Klingon tactics officer, Tasha Yar, Worf’s predecessor and former Chief of Security is present on the ship, despite her death during the first season. What can be deduced from all these changes and deviations is that, in some way, the course of events and history must have been changed.

The impossible reinstitution of a dead character coupled with the deletion of her successor’s disappearance is perceived as a sudden, major change in character constellation as well as a special, very unusual paradoxicality; this causes puzzlement, surprise and probably discomfort in the viewer. The recipient’s attention is drawn to the fact that the timeline must have changed so drastically that the death of a character never occurred. While on the one hand, Yar’s death has been deleted by rewriting the history of the Star Trek universe, on the other hand, Worf’s membership in the crew or even existence has been deleted. This contradictory state of affairs can be explained in more detail by borrowing the concepts of denarration26 and disnarration27 by Richardson (2001) and Prince (1988), respectively.

As a consequence of the altered timeline, Yar’s death and Worf’s integration in the ship’s crew have become denarrated events. From the current timeline, it is as if both events never happened. The deletion of Yar’s death has, at the same time, another implication; she is now able to experience events that were impossible following the course of the original timeline. Thus, everything that did not happen in the original timeline due to her death does occur now that she is alive and able to act; in this way, these formerly impossible elements can be narrated owing to the disnarration of the past. (Further details on the two divergent timelines will be explained with regard to the plot structure below).

Confounded by all these unexpected and dramatic alterations, the viewer probably starts to compare the previous status quo of the Enterprise and the whole represented world of Star Trek with the current one established in the present episode. The deviation from established

26 Richardson introduced the term denarration to describe contradictory statements of a narrator in a narrative text, which refers to the claim that a certain event occurred in story but is subsequently denied. While in many cases, the truth value and ontological status of such events cannot be fully ascertained (due to its connection to questions regarding the reliability and/or mental status of the narrating instance), here the term will be used to describe the absolute deletion of and their unquestionable replacement by altered events since, in the present case, there is no doubt regarding the reliability or sanity due to neutral filmic presentation and the episodes theati fous. 27 Prince uses the term disnarration for events that are referred to as possibilities which are never actualized. 91 facts and knowledge – i.e. the baseline the viewer has gained by watching previous episodes – causes an increased activation on the part of the recipient while simultaneously increasing his/her interest and decreasing the immersion in the story. In comparing the diverging situations, the viewer engages in a metareferential reflection, that is both the result of, and potential solution to, the present situation. The viewer’s awareness is thereby also drawn to the effects and consequences for the whole series, including future/forthcoming episodes, particularly if the previous status quo is not re-established, which would necessarily result in the present (undesirable and dystopian) situation being maintained in future episodes.

The only person aboard the ship to notice the differences is the female bartender Guinan, who has already proven on earlier occasions to be sensitive to temporal phenomena and to possess great intuition and empathy. Since she does not appear to have changed in any way and also voices her concerns with regard to the ‘normality’ of the present situation, she allows for identification with the viewer. Throughout the episode, she observes the same alterations which the recipient identifies. For this reason, she is the one character in the episode who can serve as a point of reference to re-establish the previous, ‘normal’ and (also by the viewer) desired status quo.

Informing the Captain about her suspicions, Guinan drives the plot. The Captain is consequently faced with a dilemma: if he believes in Guinan’s theory of an altered timeline or course of history, he has to react accordingly and to counter the changes. This reaction would mean that he has to send the damaged ship, i.e. the old Enterprise and her crew, back into the battle, from which they were taken before the encounter. This will almost certainly lead to their destruction and death. On the other hand, the alternate timeline perceived by the viewer and Guinan as the right one, is a more positive world with Klingon allies, preliminary peace with the inimical Romulans and therefore fewer battles, wars and deaths.

The Captain finally decides in favor of Guinan (and the viewer) and sends the old ship back through the temporal rift to where and when it came from. As a result, the original timeline is practically restored, with one noted exception: Tasha Yar is allowed to stay aboard the old ship, which will have (not only) metareferential repercussions in future episodes. In “Redemption” Part 1 and 2 as well as in “Unification” Part 1 and 2, the actress playing Tasha Yar reappears as her own daughter, raised by Romulan enemies after Yar escaped the destruction of the ship that was sent back into the battle in the past.

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These episodes provide an element of metareferential reflection based on the appearance of a character. By sending the character back in time, a new story arc is created that affects the future of the represented world and thus provides material for further episodes. The metareferential effect of those episodes is that, with every re-appearance of Yar, the viewer is reminded of the present episode, which is responsible for the rewriting of history. In addition, the dead character is given the opportunity to reappear in a different role: the actress later plays Yar’s Romulan daughter and, for this reason, is an enemy to the crew. In this way, further episodes provide more suspenseful and varied stories by allowing a dead positive character to become revived as a new, inimical foil.

Yar’s decision to join the damaged ship is based on the fact that she is informed by Guinan about her random and pointless nature of the death that occurred in the original timeline.

GUINAN: Can I get you something, Tasha? TASHA: Guinan, I have to know something. What happens to me in the other time line? GUINAN: I don't have alternate biographies of the crew. As I said to the captain, it's just a feeling. TASHA: But there's something more when you look at me, isn't there? I can see it in your eyes, Guinan. We've known each other too long. GUINAN: We weren't meant to know each other at all. At least, that's what I sense when I look at you. Tasha, you're not supposed to be here. TASHA: Where am I supposed to be? GUINAN: Dead. TASHA: Do you know how? GUINAN: No. But I do know it was an empty death. A death without purpose. [emphasis mine]

This extract of dialogue presents an example of an explicit comment on a character’s end, namely her death in the Season 1 episode “Skin of Evil”. Her motivation for joining the old crew is to support them in fighting the enemy and die, if necessary, at least a meaningful death. In this way, the episode provides a second chance for a dead character to reappear in a reasonable, logical way and to rewrite the story of her death. The reason for this rewriting may be understood as the studio’s attempt to appease the fans who were dissatisfied with the sudden, unmotivated death of a main character (which can be considered an impossibility in the Star Trek series since it has never occurred before and never again hereafter), even if it was the choice of the actress to leave the show. What is more, Yar was the only prominent female character of the main TNG cast who stood for gender equality, mainly because she represented strength and had great responsibilities as a commanding officer being in charge of security, and the competence to make significant decisions on the Enterprise.

In terms of plot structure, this episode can be illustrated by three chains of events in chronological order, each representing a specific timeline (see figure below). Each chain

93 depicts the events ranging from A to E, from the past to the future. The first chain shows the initial situation with the events ranging from A to E in chronological order. While the events A to C are located in the past, as seen from the present event D, the future events are represented by E.

B specifically stands for the past event of the old Enterprise’s battle, which is supposed to end in the ship’s destruction and crew’s death. However, the positive effect of this somber event is the alliance between the Klingons and the Federation, which shapes the present Enterprise and crew (and the represented world as the viewer knows it from previous episodes), as represented in D. Naturally, all events following B are affected by changes in B (cf. chain of events 1).

The Past The Present The Future

A B C D E

Figure 13: Chain of Events 1

With the temporal anomaly causing the impossible border crossing of space-time melding the events B and D, the event B is drastically altered since the ship’s destruction is (temporarily) avoided. As a result, an alternate chain of events or timeline is created as illustrated by the asterisk in the second chain of events (see chain 2). Due to the different outcome in B, the subsequent events are characterized by an alternate socio-historic background, which explains the current status of the Enterprise as a battleship. This means that the original timeline (chain 1) as narrated in previous episodes has been deleted – and is therefore denarrated – and replaced by the new timeline (chain 2) with an alternate course of events thus narrating disnarrated elements. Since the present episode features two different timelines, the story can, in Ryan’s terms (2006: 632), be considered a ‘narrative of alternate history’.

However, the event D is still ongoing and therefore offers the potential of yet another change. D is the decisive event providing a choice between two possible reactions, namely either to save the old crew from their impending death or to send them back to where and when they came from. For this reason, D can be regarded as the story’s kernel with the ability to re- establish the original and to delete the alternate timeline. In contrast to kernels which usually 94 only affect the future of plot elements, D is, due to its connection with the past event B, responsible for the past, present and future events of the plot simultaneously, which is again a striking deviation of narrative (and logical) norms.

A B* C* D* E*

Figure 14: Chain of Events 2

A B C D E

Figure 15: Chain of Events 3

The fact that, in the end, the original timeline is re-established by the Captain’s decision to send the old crew back, points to the classical structure of a restitution plot following the pattern A-B-A. As the initial situation with the original status quo is restored – which means a return to the first chain of events –, the ending of the story corresponds to its beginning. The viewer watches the beginning of the episode again, this time, however, with a minor change: the temporal anomaly is no longer encountered and thus the temporal paradox, i.e. the melding of events B and D including the creation of the alternate timeline is averted.

In fact, the restoration of the original timeline coupled with the circumvention of the temporal anomaly causes the deletion of the alternate timeline and the event D, which is indicated by the missing log entry of the Captain. Although D is narrated in the episode, it is (in combination with the alternate timeline) deleted as a result of the story’s plot and thus becomes a denarrated element. In this way, the second chain of events provides a what-if plot and, ultimately, a disnarrated plot to demonstrate the importance of certain historical events with crucial consequences for the future of the represented world. On the whole, the episode serves to explore an alternate Star Trek universe that is shaped by a different history, i.e. a non-existent, yet narrated, timeline full of disnarrated elements. The effect is that, at the end of the episode, the story the recipient watched has never occurred in the larger reality of the series.

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As a result, the viewer has to face yet another baffling fact with a defamiliarizing effect, which may raise questions concerning and reflections on the logic of both plot structure and narration. With the creation of an alternate timeline, the recipient is offered, in addition to an interesting story architecture, a glimpse into a radically different version of the Star Trek universe based on a divergent course of history for the duration of one episode. History could have been rewritten (albeit unintentionally in this case) and thus resulted in a dystopian world of Star Trek that is marked by war and dissonance. Nevertheless, the restitution of the familiar positive world at the end is achieved and follows in the usual tradition of Star Trek episode story structure. Last but not least, the episode serves to create a longer story arc which allows a dead character a second chance to die in a meaningful way and also to re-appear, albeit in a drastically altered form, in subsequent episodes – which effectively poses the result of a temporal paradox.

The effect of raising the recipient’s awareness of the mediality of the present TV episode and its status as fiction is achieved by the paradoxical plot structure including the fusion of past and present, which could be termed a ‘paradoxical (dis-)narration. The fact that this is an established theme of science fiction and may therefore be recognized as such does not necessarily reduce the metareferential effect. On the contrary, the recipient is made aware of specific techniques and story-telling devices that are associated with science fiction, and is thus probably made to reflect on generic conventions. This argument is supported by the fact that, by comparison, TOS episodes did neither have such complicated plot structures nor thematize theories and problems posed by quantum physicists or philosophers. Early Star Trek episodes therefore seem to focus more on the entertainment aspect than on intellectual thought experiments. In this sense, the present TNG episode has a strong defamiliarizing and metareferential effect due to the new, unconventional way of storytelling as well as the highly unusual camera angles, which remind the viewer not only of the strange content and structure of the story, but also of the fact that a constructed and fictional product is being watched.

To sum up, the paradoxical disnarration melding a past and present event caused the deletion of the original timeline and simultaneous creation of an alternate course of events for the duration of the episode. As a consequence, multiple events that occurred prior to the present point in time of the narration (i.e. the current episode) have been drastically rewritten, including the re-appearance of a dead character and the deletion of another. With the various denarrated and disnarrated elements resulting in a complicated and unusual plot structure, the

96 episode proves to be – in Ryan’s (2006: 632) terms – a ‘narrative of alternate history’, which has arguably a metareferential effect on the viewer.

3.2.2.3) Multiple parallel plots In contrast to the previous episode, which is an example of a story of only one world with two different, exclusive timelines replacing one another, the TNG episode “Parallels” depicts multiple realities of a parallel nature with identical ontological status, which are supposed to exist simultaneously. The central character Worf keeps shifting from one reality to another in what is called a ‘lateral metalepsis’.

In the beginning of the episode, the character Worf and the viewer are confronted with a reality in which the character returns to the Enterprise as the winner of a Klingon tournament. He is surprised by his friends and colleagues, who have organized a birthday party for him. While the Captain is excused from the party due to urgent business, Worf enjoys a dark chocolate cake and is given a very colorful painting by Data. However, after a short, sudden dizziness, Worf finds himself standing next to the Captain who is apparently attending the party after all despite his duties while eating a light-colored cake that was not there before. Slightly confused by the minor changes and his physical symptoms, Worf does not yet realize the nature, reason or meaning of this altered situation.

The recipient, who identifies in this episode with Worf being the character in focus, is both surprised and alienated by Worf’s experiences and therefore equally taken aback. There is clearly something wrong, even if neither Worf nor the other characters seem to take any notice so far. Nevertheless, Worf’s medical examination after another phase of dizziness shows that he is suffering from a concussion, which is, according to the ship’s doctor, most likely a consequence of his allegedly unsuccessful (!) participation in the competition. On incredulously checking his log entry, Worf learns that everything points to the fact that he was 9th in the tournament despite his clear memory of winning. At this point, the character and recipient witness a document, i.e. Worf’s visual log entry, proving the veracity of events but contradicting the first log entry that Worf recorded and remembers and that the viewer observed at the beginning of the episode.

Both the character and the viewer are thus again confronted with a paradox: two simultaneously truthful but apparently contradictory, mutually exclusive statements, which suggest that the surrounding circumstances appear to change while the character Worf himself

97 remains unaffected (except for his apparent distress and dizziness). Since the viewer is shown both of Worf’s visual log entries - without noticing differences or any hints towards a potential non-factuality of at least one entry -, both documents are accepted as discursive prove of Worf’s normal, healthy mental status including correct memories (regarding the first version of events) on the one hand, and an account of contradictory yet truthful events on the other hand. Thus, the discourse of the present episode underlines the veracity of both versions of events by equally depicting both log entries.

The sheer impossibility of these contradicting events and documents has a baffling effect on the recipient. It is not possible, neither within the ‘real’ world the recipient is part of, nor within the represented world (which usually follows the same logic and guiding principles as our common reality), for an event to simultaneously occur and not occur. In terms of formal logic, this equals the simultaneous premises of p and pˉ, which poses an irresolvable paradox.

The result of the depicted incongruity is that the viewer will probably start to make some assumptions in an attempt to explain the situation. One might, for instance, consider an illness or mental condition of the character, which could cause contradictory memories, or a dream, hallucination or elaborate holodeck28 experience, in which the character experienced a slightly alternate but fictional version of events. However, there is an accumulation of increasing contradictions and deviations from the original events (corresponding to Worf’s memory, i.e. version 1) in the course of the episode. The viewer is thus presented with various outcomes of the tournament (in one version, Worf is told he did not even participate in it) and, more dramatically, with different character constellations including, for instance, Worf’s marriage to Counselor Troi and a situation – in which Captain Picard died years ago.

The fact that Worf’s memories remain intact and unaltered while the surrounding circumstances constantly change (he is the only character who remembers the first version in which he won the tournament, is not in a relationship with Counselor Troi and serves a living Captain Picard) indicates that there has to be a different problem than the sole incompatibility of only two versions of events. Each time Worf suffers from dizziness, he is put into a drastically different version of the known represented world, causing an unbearable disorientation for both the character and the recipient, which can no longer be explained by solely one dream or one holodeck experience. Each new variation that is shown and experienced by the character differs so notably from the previous ones and is shown to be

28 For details on the holodeck see chapter 3.2.1.1 98 equally true; only one logical conclusion remains that could explain the situation: Worf is shifting from one reality to another, and all these realities are apparently marked by an equal ontological status – all of the shown versions are true and real in their respective universe. The conclusion for the recipient is that he/she is confronted with what Ryan (2006: 669) terms a ‘multiverse narrative’, which depicts multiple parallel universes within one story world.

Ryan (2006) applied the theory of possible worlds stemming from quantum physics to narratology in order to explain and classify the structure of (predominantly) science fiction narratives that contain more than one plotline representing several parallel worlds. The possible worlds theory is based on the assumption “that random quantum processes cause the universe to split into multiple copies, one for every possible outcome” (Everett cited in Ryan 2006: 640). This means that a person who has to face the decision of whether to do X or Y will in one world choose X and in another world Y. The essential notion is that this decision causes the universe to branch into two so that both options can be independently realized. Once this separation has occurred, the universes can never merge again, and most importantly, both universes are considered equally real and equally true. (cf. Ryan ibid: 640ff)

With regard to narratives and narrative structure, the possible worlds theory serves as a suitable explanatory basis. The contradictory story elements or plotlines constitute multiple parallel universes or worlds that exist independently of one another and cannot be integrated due to their mutually exclusive nature. Since the various depicted worlds are usually separate, the link connecting them within a multiverse story only occurs under certain circumstances (cf. Ryan 2006: 257). Ryan (2006: 656) points out that there have to be “lateral jumps from branch to branch” or from universe to universe, which are experienced by a consciousness or physical character. In the case of the present episode, the character Worf is the one person travelling – though unintentionally – through the parallel universes. The shift from one universe to another equals a lateral metalepsis, a jump from one storyline or story universe to another, the cause of which is explained towards the end of the episode by a “dimensional fissure” within the story world, viz. an anomaly the character has encountered accidentally in space during his return from the tournament.

However, before a narrative can be identified as a multiverse story, certain explanatory attempts need to be tested first. Ryan (2006: 669f) lists six potential ways of interpretation that have to be excluded in order to ascertain the nature of a multiverse narrative.

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1) Mentalism: The alternate world is a cognitive construct, either imagined, hallucinated or dreamed, and therefore exists only in a character’s mind. 2) Virtualization: A represented world presents a decision element so that there are multiple possible future options, but when the decision is made, only 1 option is actualized thus rendering the others disnarrated elements. 3) Allegory and Metaphor: Multiple versions serve “to illustrate an idea rather than to represent objectively happening courses of events” (ibid: 669). 4) Meta-textualism: the multiple versions of events are based on an author’s drafts of the work in question. That is usually indicated by the style of the work in question featuring multiple metareferential elements as, for instance, in The French Lieutenant’s Woman. In the case of the novel, the recipient can choose the preferred ending; they do not occur simultaneously. 5) Magic: an “unexplainable metamorphosis” (ibid: 670) may transform given circumstances without a logical explanation. 6) Do It Yourself: a narrative may consist of multiple versions of evens that cannot be grouped into one consistent world but have to be understood as a “construction kit” (ibid) by the reader, from which one may choose the preferred events and outcome as in Coover’s short story “The Babysitter”.

Since none of the potential interpretations offered by Ryan appear meaningful or implied in the present episode, the assumption that “Parallels” is indeed an example of a narrative with a multiverse structure seems comprehensible. By contrast, the VOY episode “Coda29” featuring Captain Janeway in variations on her death is not explained by a multiverse, ergo it cannot be considered a multiverse narrative. Instead, it is a good example of Ryan’s concept of mentalism since the variations are produced by an alien force that manipulates the Captain into thinking she is already dead, a common theme centering on the confusion of reality and fiction.

Considering the genre – science fiction – the educated viewer may already suspect the underlying explanation provided by quantum physics suggesting the existence of parallel universes. In addition, the character Data voices his supposition regarding the many worlds theory so that this interpretation is also explicitly stated within the story world, thereby eliminating remaining doubts or uncertainties. Finally, the existence of innumerable alternate realities is also proven at the end of the episode, when uncountable Enterprises, each standing

29 For episode protocol, cf. Appendix page A10. 100 for one reality, appear in the part of space where the dimensional fissure, the source of the shifting problem, occurred. This fact is particularly important bearing in mind that the present episode is the first30 multiverse narrative of the Star Trek franchise to include multiple parallel worlds and thematizes the complexity of the universe according to modern standards in theoretical physics and cosmology. For this reason, it presents a hitherto unknown complexity of story structure that even the well-versed viewer has never encountered before.

Ryan (2006: 671) further remarks on the exclusion of the above-mentioned potential explanations,

If all these interpretations are eliminated, and if we want to avoid the acceptance of contradiction – an acceptance which, if applied to the entire semantic domain of the text, would prevent the construction of a fictional world – then indeed we have to rationalize the text through the idea of plural realities. But the multiverse interpretation must be either explicitly suggested through the kind of exposition of the quantum cosmology […] or implicitly motivated by a thematic awareness of cosmological issues that invites the reader to reflect on the nature of space, time, identity or memory. [emphasis mine]

Ryan’s observations, as stated in the above quotation, in a way point towards a metareferential dimension that may be inherent in the representation of multiple parallel worlds within a narrative. It appears inevitable that a reader or recipient reflects on the nature, the ontological status and the meaning of multiple depicted parallel worlds (especially in a story centered on certain cosmological issues such as the possible worlds theory) because the very existence of multiple parallel worlds is naturally accompanied by several plotlines. The differentiation of alternate universes entails certain dissimilarities with regard to setting, character constellation, and history/the course of events; otherwise there would not be any difference but copies of identical realities. The increased recipient activation and the fact that the awareness regarding story structure and narrative conventions is raised, holds particularly true if the viewer is made to perceive various parallel worlds for the first time in the otherwise well-known story structure of Star Trek, which usually comprises the representation of only one reality. This effect is even enhanced since the viewer is left in medias res without any prior hint or suggestion as to what is really happening or how the plurality of worlds is to be understood. The enlightening explanation is only offered very late towards the end of the episode, thus allowing for enough time for metareferential guesswork and considerations, which is the exact case in the present episode.

30 It is also the only multiverse narrative in the franchise, because subsequent episodes of other series return to the probably more appealig struture of hat ould e tered the to-uierse arratie that as introduced in TOS and re-used and refined in DS9. 101

Since the viewer has to face a selection of divergent universes, the question of preference arises. To the recipient, some versions of the represented Star Trek universe do certainly appear less favorable than others, such as the one in which the Captain has died several years ago. This fact is probably so uncomfortable for the recipient that this version of reality will not be accepted. Therefore it is likely that the viewer might try to find some proof that this cannot be true. However, as we learn at the end of the episode, the search for clues regarding validity and truthfulness is in vain since even the negative versions of reality are equally valid in certain universes. Nonetheless, the recipient will be relieved to see that the character is granted to return to the familiar, favorable universe, where everything is exactly as it should be.

The narrative structure, as illustrated in figure 16 below, shows a shared starting point, i.e. the tournament at the beginning of the episode, from which all possible realities originate similar to a branching tree. As a multiverse narrative, each version depicted in the episode occurs after the tournament and adheres to one reality, all of which are considered equally real. What in ‘usual’ narratives would be considered a kernel from which the story develops further, choosing only one of multiple exclusive options, has thus turned into a hypothetical decisive moment representing the origin of a myriad of possibilities that are all equally true and realized in separate plotlines creating diverging story worlds or universes.

Since each possible outcome of the initial situation is realized in one reality (R 1 to R n), there are various diverging and mutually exclusive situations the central character is confronted with, which causes disorientation and a sense of displacement. The defamiliarizing effect in both the character and the viewer increases with every lateral metalepsis while, simultaneously, the differences between the parallel realities become augmented. In theoretical physics, this incongruity between parallel worlds is termed ‘de-coherence’ (Ryan 2006: 640). In case of minor deviations between two or more universes, de-coherence is weak; with more significant and an increased number of differences, de-coherence becomes stronger. The various realities represented in this episode are marked by a steadily increasing de-coherence that correlates with every new appearance of an alternate reality.

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Worf wins the weak R 1 tournament

R 2 Worf comes 9th Starting point: De-coherence Tournament R 3 Worf is disqualified

Worf did not R n participate strong

Figure 16: Alternate realities

In analyzing John Wyndham’s story Random Quest, Ryan (2006: 660) describes what very fittingly holds true for the present Star Trek episode as well, namely that:

[T]he involuntary character of cross-world journey and the ensuing epistemological conflict create narrative situations particularly well-suited to arouse the reader’s curiosity, a device regarded by Meir Sternberg (…) as one of the three fundamental principles of narrativity (or narrative dynamics), together with suspense and surprise. The result of such a multiverse story of transworld exploration31 is, for the recipient, the “powerful tellability” including (in the present episode not only the viewer’s, but also the character’s) initial disorientation and puzzlement, which is then followed by the “gradual realization” of what is happening, leading finally to the “exploration of the new reality” (Ryan 2006: 660). In addition, “it [the multiverse story] provides a powerful way to dramatize the ‘what if’ mode of thinking” particularly with regard to lifestyle choices (e.g. marriage or separation) and certain decisions (ibid: 668). Furthermore, “it offers new points of view on such fundamental questions regarding the nature of space and time” while creating “narrative situations which would not be possible in a system of reality limited to one world” (ibid).

The present episode offers yet another intriguing viewpoint adding to the understanding of the metareferential effect arguably created in the recipient; besides the multiverse perspective, it can also be regarded as an unnatural narrative as defined by Richardson. According to him, an unnatural narrative is “one that conspicuously violates conventions of standard

31 Ryan (2006) lists three types of multiverse narratives; 1) the narrative of transworld exploration, 2) the narrative of alternate history, and 3) the time travel narrative. 103 narrative forms” to “produce a defamiliarization of the basic elements of narrative” (Richardson in Alber et al 2012: 372; emphasis mine). The essence of Richardson’s description is, in fact, the violation of narrative conventions by distorting various narratological constituents that Wolf (2002) subsumes under the term narratemes.

The basic narrative principles (as identified by Wolf 2002) that are violated according to conventional logic in and by the story include first and foremost the meaningfulness of the represented events. Particularly in the first half of the episode, there is confusion on the part of both the recipient and the character in focus as to:

a) the truthfulness of depicted past events as recalled by the character Worf, b) the factuality of the perceived presence, c) the explicability of multiple contradictory events and situations in order to create a meaningful whole.

Judging from the structure of the present episode, it appears that some narrative principles can be traded in favor of others. In this case, the reduction or, more radically put, the ostensible absence of traditional meaningfulness in (the major part of) the narrative adds, in return, to the principles of tellability and supensefulness of the story due to its very unusual representation of events. The feeble coherence of represented story elements produces a very questionable teleology and thus diminishes the narrative’s thematic unity; the recipient does not know in which direction the story is going to develop as long as the logical connection between the occurrences on the story level is not clarified. The recipient therefore observes a lack of causality in the chain of apparently disconnected events owing to the unexplained shifts from one reality to another.

As a consequence, the “purposeful actions” of characters who are “motivated by identifiable goals and plans” (Ryan 2006a: 8), which are usually part of a typical narrative, are very limited, if not practically nonexistent until some attempt at a logical explanation is made and countermeasures are taken to solve the problematic situation of shifting unintentionally between realities. In this light, the character Worf may even be described as a powerless slave or victim of the narrative as he is subject to its deviating, mechanics, which he cannot influence. His very scarce possibilities to set actions create in him a feeling of helplessness, which reflects the confusion and disorientation generated by his constant displacement. It is only through the help and actions of other characters pertaining to alternate realities, particu- larly Data, that he is finally able to return to his home reality (R1).

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The present story structure has an interesting implication regarding the effects on causality and morality. While causality is functional in all versions of reality, the consequences of events and actions are potentially minimized. Since the character realizes that every possibility does exist and he is apparently moving between them, there is seemingly no motivation to choose what might be considered the correct decision from a logical or moral standpoint. The fact that regardless of a person’s motivation or intention, each possible outcome of an event will be realized automatically reduces the character’s responsibility and influence. As we can see from the story structure, travelling arbitrarily between parallel universes creates non-exclusive story kernels which only serve to multiply possibilities and eventually actual outcomes in alternate realities. Decisions thus become meaningless on both the narrative as well as on the moral level, which is, however, never exploited by the character due to the sole wish to return to the familiar home reality. In the end, this critical issue is resolved when Worf returns to ‘his’ universe and stops shifting from one reality to another. It is only then that cause and effect have meaning again and that decisions and intentions matter.

In short, the episode “Parallels” makes use of the metareferential device of lateral metalepsis in order to produce a logical explanation of, and basis for, the present multiverse story structure. Based on the many worlds theory from quantum physics, the story features several parallel universes of equal ontological status differing in both minor and greater aspects, so that the requirements of a multiverse narrative are met. Moreover, the concept of defamiliarization is taken to the extreme in that one isolated character unintentionally travels through various parallel universes facing different situations and outcomes of certain events as well as altered character constellations and relationships, which results in immense disorientation. Since this character is unable to influence the problematic situation, thus causing the reduction of character action – yet another deviation of typical story patterns – he is more or less put into an observer position, very similar to the recipient.

As a consequence of all the deviations from established norms of storytelling including a lack of teleology, meaningfulness and coherence of events and characters, the narrative can also be categorized as an unnatural narrative. What follows from the deviations is the foregrounding and laying bare of the guiding principles and mechanics of this particular science fiction narrative. The thereby magnified cognitive activation of the recipient may lead to reflection on conventions of storytelling and the search for new interpretational techniques.

The episode therefore presents a good example of an innovative, more complex story structure, as it simultaneously entertains, informs and activates the recipient, thus creating 105 meta-awareness by creating “new narratological patterns” and producing “a defamiliarization of the basic elements of narrative” (Richardson in Alber et al 2012: 372). In addition, the episode enhances the understanding of the represented world, the Star Trek universe, and adds a new dimension to the franchise’s main underlying theme, namely the well-known exploration “of strange new worlds” and the transgression of boundaries, according to the famous motto “to boldly go where no one has gone before”32. The theme of parallel worlds as such may not be entirely new to Star Trek, as TOS33 had characters travel into a mirror universe, but the revolutionary aspect of the present episode lies in the powerlessness of an isolated character who is constantly shifting from one universe to another, exploring not only one parallel universe but a myriad of realities without the possibility of influencing them. These universes differ both in minor and increasingly major aspects, which allows for the exploration of numerous ‘what-if’ situations.

The differences between TOS and TNG with regard to parallel universes are that of choice, number, and consequences. In TOS34, there is a dual system of parallel worlds which are characterized as good and bad, respectively. In addition, the characters in TOS decide to influence their alternate universe because the other one is evidently morally corrupt and – typically of Captain Kirk – needs to be improved. Instead of creating a third universe (or more), the simple duality of good and bad defining the nature of each universe entails the idea of development and change, or, more precisely, of a progression from bad to good (in his comments and actions, Captain Kirk does not only show his morally superior stance but also points out the possibility of a more moral universe to the Mirror Spock before he returns to his home universe). Rather than only visiting the dystopian mirror world, the characters want, and are able, to influence the parallel universe; the consequences of such actions are thereby completely disregarded and do not have any influence on plot structure.

The recipient is arguably encouraged to reflect on meta-narrative and, at the same time, philosophical issues by transferring a thought experiment from quantum physics into an entertaining and thought-provoking unnatural multiverse story. Moreover, the viewer is granted a glimpse into another, less positive version of the Star Trek universe that is shaped by negative events (such as the Captain’s death), thus escaping the narrow confines of a utopian frame and the necessarily positive outcome in terms of established (as well as expected and preferred) story structure. Finally, the episode provides the opportunity for

32 Famous motto of the TNG theme. 33 In TOS, the episode iludig parallel orlds is . Mirror, Mirror 34 Cf. TOS . „Mirror, Mirror 106 identification with and development of a major character, as Worf is put into unusual situations and is shaped by his experiences from the various parallel worlds, a fact which can be observed in subsequent episodes.

3.2.2.4) Involuntary Time Travel and Reversed Causality The DS9 episode “Children of Time” and the VOY episode “Time and Again” present two examples of particularly intriguing and also highly deviant story structures, which are based on the notion of non-linear time and causal loops, which is marked by paradoxes and reversed causality as a result of involuntary time travel to the past.

In “Children of Time”, the crew is aboard a small space shuttle when they encounter an unknown phenomenon leading to an accident, which causes the crew to crash-land on a planet. There they find a flourishing civilization, which was founded 200 years prior – by the very crew members that have presently stranded there! Consequently, the crew meets their own descendents and learns that they must have landed accidentally on this planet already in the past and settled there after having accepted the fact that there would be no rescue.

The interesting aspect of this storyline lies in the fact that the present crew has landed on this planet in the present, while the evidence (the civilization’s knowledge and documents) suggests that they must have landed there in the past, i.e. 200 years earlier. However, the decisive event that transports the crew back in time has not yet occurred so that the foundation for the present civilization has not yet been laid. This contradictory situation can only be explained by the assumption that this time travel event will certainly occur – which is still a point of debate for the crew at the present moment since there seems to be a chance of escape and return home. In any case, the second assumption appears, from the standpoint of causality, more meaningful since the effect can usually not precede its cause.

The viewer is perplexed by the seemingly illogical story structure with the apparent lack of temporal coherence and the obscure causal connection of represented events. The recipient’s attention is thus drawn to the sequence of the story’s events while raising questions regarding the possibility and logicality of the narrative.

This at first glance admittedly opaque story structure can only be understood and perceived as meaningful if the viewer is familiar with and furthermore accepts the notions of non-linear time and causal loops, in which the cause need not necessarily precede its effect if backwards time travel is involved. Nahin (1999: 191) states to that effect that “[T]he mixing of the 107 concepts of temporal ordering (that of before and after) and causality is also a source of potential confusion” for the recipients of a science fiction story, which is particularly true for the first encounter with this causality concept.

In the case of the present episode, the usual temporal relation of two causally connected events is reversed so that the effect (i.e. meeting one’s descendants) occurs prior to the cause (founding the civilization in the past as a consequence of time travel occurring in the future). This phenomenon is referred to as backward causation or reversed causality. (cf. for example, Nahin 1999: 191)

The structure of the narrative’s plot can be represented as a causal loop with three main events (see figure below). What the recipient perceives first is Event B, viz. the crew’s landing on the planet in the present. At this present point in time, the crew encounters the effect of an action taken both in the past (namely the founding of the civilization) and in the future (the attempted return home and accidental time travel to the past). This decisive Event C has not yet occurred from the present crew’s perspective as is it part of their immediate future. In this way, a future event is the cause of an earlier event (Event A) from the past, thus exemplifying reversed causality.

Event A: crew lands on planet in the past; founding the civilization Event A Event B  Event B: crew lands on present planet

 meeting their descendants Event C: future escape resulting in involuntary time travel to the past of Event A. Event C

Figure 17: Causal loop

The confusion in the recipient is a result of the fact that although event B is the first that is represented (thus marking the narrative’s beginning), it cannot be considered the first to occur in this sequence of events because the effect of an action taken in the past is experienced in the present and therefore must have occurred already and necessarily needs to take place in the future. The reason lies in the circular nature of the story’s represented causal loop. Since all three events are causally linked, there is no first and last event as in a linear concept of

108 time. Instead, any of these events can arguably be considered the first one or, for that matter, the last one, because the only temporal relation to be perceived is before and after.

Nahin (1999: 186) emphasizes the effect of such circular plot structures by pointing out the unnatural aspect of reversed causality; “[t]he central puzzle of time travel to the past is its apparent denial of causality – that is, its denial of the belief that we live in a world where every effect has a cause and that the cause always happens first”. Following this argument, the metareferential effect is a result of the unnatural plot structure based on the complex temporal order of events and the deviation from the narrative principle of classical causality, in which the effect always succeeds its cause.

This is not all the present narrative has to offer, though. There is yet another surprising and puzzling twist included, and that is the breaking of the established causal loop to create another outcome, a different ending than the one prescribed/dictated by the cyclical plot structure of the causal loop.

While the viewer is confronted with, and confounded by, the illogical plot structure due to the complex causal relations, the crew has to make a decision: either they attempt to return to where (and when) they belong, or they complete the chain of causality by exposing themselves willingly to the temporal phenomenon, which will transport them into the past. In the first case, the encountered descendants will never come into existence, while the second option leads to the cause of the presently experienced outcome.

If the events A, B and C occurred as they should – in accordance with the principle of self- consistency 35 – then the causal loop would be closed, which means that the narrative as a whole with all its events would be plausible and logically correct. Instead, the decisive event C serves as kernel providing the possibility to change the future (and thus the past), which is eventually also realized to produce another outcome. This breaking of the causal loop, known among philosophers as bilking paradox (cf. Nahin 1999: 196) is achieved by the future version of the character Odo, who interferes with the crew’s plan in order to avoid the impending time travel to the past in order to send them safely back to where and when they belong. (Interestingly enough, this occurs after the crew’s acceptance of their apparent fate – being stuck on the planet in the past and founding the civilization).

35 Self-consistency is a guiding principle in the four-dimensional block universe which ensures coherence and logicality of causally connected events. It postulates that the past only happens once and therefore cannot be altered, ol affeted. Nahi : desries it as follos; „You aot trael ahere ito the past unless oue alread ee there, ad he ou do ake the trip ou ill do hat oue alread doe there. 109

Event A Event B

Event C: Event D: Kernel Return home

Figure 18: Bilking paradox – breaking the causal loop

In terms of story structure, the breaking of the causal loop reminds one of the story structure identified in the TNG episode “Cause and Effect”. While it is true that the plot structures of the two episodes appear very much alike, the episodes follow different premises. The DS9 narrative only implies the causal loop but never actualizes it. There is also no repetition of events as all events only occur once; in fact, the event A (which is never shown to the viewer) is only a logical conclusion of the represented event B and, in the end, never occurs at all due to the different outcome produced by the bilking paradox. Instead of event A, event D, i.e. the crew’s safe return home, is realized. This return to the familiar setting presents not only a happy ending but also corresponds to the episode’s return to a linear plot structure.

Even if the recipient is once more confronted with an unusual plot development and a strange paradox, which probably results in even more confusion than before, the necessity of the bilking paradox in this narrative is simple and obvious from a meta-perspective; the crew needs to return to the space station due to the serial nature of DS9. In order to produce further episodes, the usual status quo has to be reestablished, so that subsequent stories can be told with the usual characters in the usual setting starting with the usual initial situation, thereby preserving the series’ overall story arc.

The narrative’s real paradox lies in the problem that although the causal loop seems complete and unavoidable, it is nevertheless dissolved; instead of the events remaining logically consistent and causally connected, the plot suddenly takes another direction back to the usual linear structure. This dissolution causes the effect (meeting the descendents) to disengage from its cause (founding the civilization); there is apparently no ground on which the crew’s encounter with their descendents is based as the cause, which is supposed to occur in the future, never happens.

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All in all, the episode can be described as an example of another form of unnatural narrative due to its complex temporal order of events, the represented “reversed causal progressions“ (Richardson in Alber et al 2012: 372) and the inclusion of „clashes that defy easy explanation“ within the storyworld (Alber et al 2012: 373). The unusual represented and implied events are causally interconnected, forming a causal loop and producing a circular plot structure. Even though the bilking paradox leads to the dissolution of the causal loop and enables the return to the familiar linear plot structure creating confusion and stirring thoughts in the recipient, there is nevertheless enough coherence to follow the narrative’s progress.

The potential metareferential effect in the viewer is a result of the confusion stemming from the complex story structure of represented and implied events and the paradoxical dissolution of the logically demanding plot development. As Nahin (1999: 196) puts it, “[O]ne of the more disturbing aspects of backward causation is that it seems to allow for the possibility of causal loops and for the potential breaking of such loops, a prime ingredient in many of the very best time travel stories.”

The functions of this episode range from the thematization of an interesting ethical dilemma resulting from a paradoxical encounter (the crew’s self-sacrifice in order to ensure the civilization’s foundation and existence vs. their return home causing the civilization’s inexistence), the disnarration of non-actualized events – depicting another what-if situation – based on a negative ending (the failed attempt to return home) to the statement against a fatalistic implied world view, which holds that the future is open and can be willfully shaped. In addition, the shy character Odo appears in a double role as his older version and admits his interest in Kira, which would be an unthinkable thing to do for the present Odo. Thus the viewer can enjoy an alternate plotline of hypothetical events and stories, which would contradict the mechanics of the established represented world. Moreover, the episode presents a deviation from the limited range of narrative possibilities inherent in the serial nature of the TV show to create a thought-provoking, challenging, and varied narrative on a fascinating physic-philosophical issue which, in the end, provides the usual ending to tie in with forth- coming episodes.

In a similar case depicted in the VOY episode “Time and Again”, the Voyager crew witnesses a shockwave stemming from a devastating explosion that destroyed a nearby planet. During the investigation of the cause for the explosion on the planet’s surface, Captain Janeway and Paris are involuntarily transferred into the past, exactly two days before the explosion occurred. When the rest of the crew attempts to rescue them, Janeway realizes that, 111 paradoxically, it is precisely this rescue attempt which is the cause for the explosion in the first place. When she manages to counteract the rescue attempt in time, the story is set back to the episode’s beginning.

As we can see, this episode is another example of reversed causality as a consequence of involuntary time travel to the past, in which the effect (the explosion) precedes its cause (the rescue attempt). It appears that he crew was responsible for the annihilation of the planet’s civilization before they were even there to cause it. When the bilking paradox – the option to change the past – is encountered, the causal loop is dissolved, the destruction of the planet is avoided and the story is set back to the beginning prior to the planet’s destruction. This return to the beginning is conveyed by identical initial and end scenes; we see the same characters having the same conversation from the same camera angle (TC 02:45-48 coincides with TC 41:45-48, and TC 00:50 corresponds to TC 41:50). This repetition of identical events might have a metareferential effect on the recipient in that awareness is elicited with regard to the constructedness of the present episode.

The plot has a loop structure so that the beginning is simultaneously the end of the episode. However, the previous events of the story leading up to the explosion are not repeated. The decisive reason for that lies in the fact that, after the setback, the crew passes by the planet (Janeway declines the possibility to investigate it) and does nothing to interfere. Instead, the events depicted prior to this new beginning are completely deleted and become denarrated. Thus, the story returns to the status quo before the narration of present events and consequently deletes the represented events (which is indicated by the fact that the characters do not remember any of the depicted occurrences) so that narrated events become denarrated. The dissolution of the causal loop leads, in the end, to another outcome and thus to a return to the linear plot to allow a ‘normal’ beginning of the subsequent episode.

Comparing circularity Taking a closer look at the three Star Trek episodes thematizing causality, there are various differences as well as similarities. The episode “Cause and Effect” is marked by a cyclical plot structure with multiple repetitions, representing the state of being trapped in a temporal causal loop as a result of encountering a space-time anomaly. While the events continuously repeat themselves, the relation of cause and effect is clearly discernible. Every actualized effect, i.e. the explosion of the ship, sets the plot back to the beginning before the explosion.

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Therefore, cause and effect appear interdependent. By contrast, the episodes “Time and Again” and “Children of Time” do not depict a crew that is trapped in a causal loop. As both narratives depict the possibility and finally also the actualization of a different event (by means of the bilking paradox), the causal loop is dissolved. There is also no repetition of events as the circular structure is a result of implied events due to logical deduction and the principle of self-consistency. However, all three narratives are shaped by the aspect of involuntary time travel, which, in the case of DS9 and VOY, affects the temporal order of represented events and creates the paradoxical situation of reversed causality. In the TNG episode, on the other hand, the viewer is neither confronted with backward causation nor with a paradox. Rather it is the endless repetition with minor variations which hold the characters captive until they are able to free themselves. What all three episodes share is the kernel structure of the narrative, which allows the escape from the unnatural confines of the plot structure, once the right decision of forking paths is made. With regard to the metareferential effect on the recipient, the complex plot structure, the logical problems of causality and teleology and the final denarration of narrated events is what may foreground the constructedness of the respective episodes and arguably triggers reflections in the viewer regarding narrative conventions and meaningfulness.

3.2.2.5) Moving in Space and Moving in Time - Voluntary Time Travel Star Trek has an intriguing selection of time travel episodes which affect, and add to the complexity of, the plot structure, particularly in the Voyager series. Two of these episodes, however, stand out due to very creative story writing and a remarkable dramaturgy with potential metareferential effects that are based on the depiction of, and transference of current events to, multiple timelines ranging from the past to the present – and in the case of “Relativity” and “Shattered” even to the future.

The episode “Relativity” (cf. appendix p. A15) starts in medias res in the series’ past. The viewer observes scenes that are temporally located prior to Voyager’s first mission (depicted in the first episode). Prima facie, the scene appears to be a flashback, memories of Captain Janeway perhaps, when she first set foot on her new ship. A few moments later, however, the recipient recognizes the character Seven of Nine posing as a Starfleet ensign, who became part of the Voyager crew only during the fourth year of their mission (in season four), which renders the memory theory impossible. Since Seven cannot have been there on the ship at that point in time, the viewer is confronted with the first apparent contradiction, which triggers

113 reflections regarding a potential explanation to resolve this paradox. In addition, her strange behavior – she appears to be on some kind of secret mission – builds up suspense and probably reminds the viewer of an espionage thriller, which leads to the suspicion that Seven might have something destructive in mind.

Shortly before she is detected by Janeway as an impostor, Seven is transferred back to the time-ship Relativity, where she dies of the consequences of frequent time travel. On this occasion, the necessary explanations for the recipient are provided. Seven has been recruited by the Starfleet time-ship crew from the 29th century, i.e. from 500 years in the future, in order to prevent the attempted assassination of the Voyager crew by an unknown saboteur at an unknown point in time. Since she has not been successful so far, Seven needs to be recruited again, for the third time. Following these events, it is evident that the episode is concerned with time travel and more than (what is usual) one single timeline. This fact serves as a logical explanation for the paradox mentioned above and probably also for further ones to come.

In the meantime, the present Voyager crew witnesses multiple unexplained temporal paradoxes, one of which is a game of ping-pong that, to everyone’s surprise, suddenly produces the ball to be stuck in mid air. Also, effects seem to precede their causes, as demonstrated by the doctor who is called to an emergency, which upon arriving at the requested deck, has not even occurred yet. These illustrative examples imply that time is tampered with somehow and bring to the recipient’s attention the problematic nature of time travel and the manifold negative consequences the switching between multiple timelines might have on the natural course of events. In addition, it might influence decision making and character motivation. This, in turn, offers the possibility of altering past events that have already occurred and have already been narrated. Thus, the overall story arc of the series might be affected, which would render a revision necessary.

Structure-wise, the episode features a total of four different timelines (see figure below), which are alternately depicted and visited but connected by one superior plot line and one constant character (Seven) travelling through all four of them. The first timeline (T1) is located in the present of the represented story world, i.e. Voyager’s fifth year of travel. The second timeline (T2) represents past events prior to the series’ first episode or, more precisely, the Captain’s first appearance on her new ship in dry-dock before she started her first mission. Timeline three (T3) is also set in the past, during the time of frequent Kazon attacks in the

114 crew’s second year in the Delta quadrant (corresponding to season two), and the fourth timeline (T4) occurs in the future, viz. the 29th century and origin of the time-ship Relativity.

T 1 • past: dry-dock (pre-season 1) T 2 • past: year 2 (season 2) T 3 • present: year 5 (season 5) T 4 • future: 29th century - time-ship Relativity

Figure 19: Timelines in VOY “Relativity”

The recipient faces various anachronisms, which raise his/her awareness with regard to the series’ overall story arc and plot development on the one hand, and the episode’s or even series’ fictionality on the other hand. Moreover, the viewer is reminded of specific events depicted in single episodes. The regular viewer, who is familiar with the whole series, automatically recalls previous episodes referred to in the present episode and adds the new narrative material to the established inventory of Voyager stories. In other words, what has not been depicted in any previous episode is narrated now. That includes, for instance, Janeway’s first visit to the brand new ship, or various moments of comic relief and humor. In addition to invoking the past, the viewer is also granted a view into the future of the represented world.

Within the story, there is frequent switching between the four timelines as Seven is trans- ported from one timeline to another in pursuit of the saboteur. When she fails to remain undetected in T 2, Seven is questioned by Captain Janeway, who is, of course, not yet familiar with her. As a consequence, Seven is forced to reveal the truth about the ship’s danger and her mission, and thus also certain facts about the crew’s future. This inadvertent complication may have drastic consequences and affects the natural course of events, which were depicted in earlier Voyager episodes.

However, before any paradoxes can occur, Janeway is recruited as a means to “clean up the timeline” and eliminate the incursions to restore the original, natural temporal order. Moreover, the Captain supports Seven after the first of three saboteurs has been caught. Ironically, there are multiple saboteurs, or rather one and the same person from different points in time. Although this already seems to be a very paradoxical occurrence, the most intriguing twist of the story lies in the fact that the saboteur is the very Captain of the time- 115 ship Relativity, the same man who recruited Seven in order to avoid the fatal destruction of the Voyager that – albeit unknowingly at this moment – his future self will attempt.

It requires a lot of effort on the part of the viewer to follow this argument and to reconstruct the events of the future timeline T 4, which are connected to Voyager’s past and cause the trouble of the present timeline T 3 depicted in this episode. In fact, the recipient has to recall the story of Captain Braxton being stranded on 20th century Earth (he landed in 1967 while the crew appears in 1996, which corresponds to the present of the series’ production) depicted in the episodes “Future’s End Part 1” and “Future’s End Part 236”. The fact that Braxton had to remain there for “three decades with those post- industrial barbarians” resulted in “extensive rehabilitation” before he could return to duty on his time-ship. Apparently, his motivation to destroy Voyager and its crew is, or will be, revenge for landing unintentionally on Earth without rescue.

What is even more fascinating is the chronological order of all these interconnected events, which the viewer has to arrange in the correct way. The story with Braxton being stranded on 20th century Earth occurred in the past from Voyager’s standpoint (more than two years ago, corresponding to season three). The version of Braxton from the time-ship recruiting Seven has also already experienced this traumatic incident and recovered, but he has not had his breakdown referred to as “temporal psychosis”, which will turn him into the saboteur. This will only happen to him at a later point in time from his perspective but is currently happening from Voyager’s standpoint. Based on the complex temporal relations of represented events, the title of the present episode refers not only to the name of the time-ship, but also to the relative nature of time. What is regarded as past or future depends on a person’s current perspective.

T 1 T 2 T 3 T 4

29th century Dry dock Kazon attack Temporal anomalies Time-ship – Pre-season 1 Season 2 Present season 5 – Recruitment

Braxton’s breakdown

Braxton‘s Figure 20: Timelines and relations in “Relativity” sabotage

36 See appendix p. A11 116

In the course of the episode, further paradoxes emerge as a consequence of the jumping between timelines and Seven’s actions. Ducane, the commander of the time-ship, sums up these “temporal incursions” concisely; “She [Seven] instigated a phaser fight at Utopia Planitia, she was seen by you [Janeway] and Lieutenant Tuvok two years before she joined your crew, and she interacted with her past self in front of fifteen crew members at a Ping- Pong tournament approximately six minutes ago.” These impossibilities are further examples of temporal metalepses which affect both the plot structure of the present episodes as well as Voyager’s overall story arc by affecting past events that were narrated in previous episodes or implied by the series’ development. The recipient is well aware of the differences between the original and the new course of events. In addition, the incident of a character meeting themselves elicits humor in the recipient rather than disrupting aesthetic illusion.

Another case of temporal metalepsis is what Nahin (1999: 280f) calls “object duplification”. The term refers to the possibility of travelling to the future and taking an object or a person along to an earlier point in time. In this way, multiple versions of one and the same thing can appear at a point in time prior to each version’s future origin. This is the explanation for the multiple versions of Braxton; he needs to be captured more than once since multiple future versions of him travelled to the past (from his point of reference) to sabotage Voyager so that at least one version accomplishes his destructive goal. When all Braxtons are captured they are “reintegrated in time”. As a consequence, multiple versions of one character from different timelines can meet themselves. (By contrast, Seven meets only one copy of herself because she travels to the past, in which she has not yet been recruited). The fact that characters can meet multiple versions of themselves pertaining to different time frames is an amusing and thought-provoking illustration of temporal paradoxes.

Summing up, the epsiode “Relativity” is a narrative example of voluntary time travel with the aim to ensure the natural course of events in contrast to the intention to rewrite history. In addition, the characters struggle to avoid any changes in the timeline by counteracting the alterations induced by time travel of a psychotic Captain from the 29th century, representing the story world’s future. The events represented in this episode are located on four timelines (ranging from the series’ past to the future), which alternate as the main character travels from one to the other. As a consequence of this jumping, multiple paradoxes and temporal paradoxes occur, which remind the viewer of the relative and often perplexing nature of time (travel) and foreground the unusual and complex structure of the episode’s story. The recipient is thereby encouraged to arrange represented events in the correct temporal order so

117 that the temporal relation of events can be followed, which serves increased audience participation. By means of intertextual references, the recipient is reminded of previous epsiodes centred on time travel, particularly the episodes “Future’s End” Part 1 and 2, as the latter provide the necessary background information laying bare the motivation of the character Braxton to become the saboteur attempting to destroy Voyager. In addition, the recipient ‘revisits’ the earlier episodes invoked by intertextual reference and witnesses already familiar events being affected by different conditions, which results in awareness with regard to the series’ continuity.

In contrast to the multiple intentional time travel occurrences in “Relativity”, the Voyager episode “Shattered” has the ship separated accidentally into various sections with multiple timelines occurring simultaneously, which display and reprocess the (Voyager) series’ history. For this reason, it is the most prominent example of all those analyzed in this chapter with various metareferential effects and functions.

It is the encounter of a spatial rift which causes the Voyager to be separated into multiple timelines, each associated with a specific section of the ship. Thus, moving in space inside the ship means moving in time. Chakotay, the main character of the present episode, is the one steady character who represents the present timeline as he is not affected by the crossing of temporal barriers or sections of the ship, which is not possible for other characters. He discovers this problematic situation when he is treated in Sickbay after being injured in Engineering. Since the doctor does not yet have a mobile emitter (a device allowing him to move freely on the ship), Chakotay concludes that he must pertain to a past point in time, probably year three of Voyager’s travels (corresponding to season three of the series).

As Chakotay moves from deck to deck on the ship attempting to synchronize the multiple timelines into what he and the viewer perceives to be the present, he encounters a total of ten timelines listed in the table below, which are categorized according to time frame (T1 to T10), the corresponding spatial location on the ship, the characters involved and the reference episode (if the scenes depict past events of previous episodes).

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Time Temporal location Spatial location Characters Reference T 1 Present - Chakotay - T 2 Past (year 3) Sickbay Doctor Season 3 T 3 Past (first mission) Bridge Janeway 1.1 T 4 Past (year 2) Engineering Seska, Kazon 2.26 + 3.1 T 5 Future (+ 15 years) Astrometrics Naomi + Icheb - T 6 Past (year 4) Cargo Bay Borg drones 4.1 T 7 Past (year 3) Corridor Macrovirus 3.12 T 8 Past (year 5) Holodeck (Captain Proton) Chaotica 5.12 T 9 Past (first mission) Transporter room Maquis (B’Elanna) 1.2/3 T 10 Immediate future Mess hall Neelix, crewmen -

Figure 21: Table of timelines in VOY “Shattered”

As can be seen in the table, all past timelines represent direct references to specific episodes. Only the doctor’s behavior is characteristic of his general stage of development in season two and three; Captain Janeway from T 3, with hairstyle indicative of the first two seasons, is naturally suspicious of Chakotay’s intentions as she does not yet know him or anything that will happen. In Engineering, Seska (T 4) tries to take yet another opportunity to seize the ship and take control over Voyager as she already did in episodes 2.26 and 3.1. Borg drones (T 6) remind the viewer of episode 4.1, in which Captain Janeway builds an alliance with the Borg against the even more powerful and dangerous species 8472. The regular recipient recognizes the macro-virus encountered in the corridor from episode 3.12 as well as the Captain Proton holodeck adventure from episode 5.1237. Last, but no least, the conflict between Starfleet and Maquis occurring during season one, particularly in the first three episodes, is revived in the ship’s Cargo Bay (T 9) and so the difficulty of becoming a joint crew is depicted once again.

The intertelevisual reference to previous episodes is what makes the viewer aware of the series’ past, the overall story arc and its development. However, it is not only the mere recollection of, or reference to, past episodes that results from the exploration of various time frames on the ship. In addition to actively reminding the viewer of certain episodes and stories, scenes are reenacted/reprocessed as well, not merely copied and thus watched once more. It is the unique character configuration – the clueless Captain of season 1 and the present Chakotay –, which presents familiar scenes and plots in a new light. Janeway and

37 For the analysis of the Voyager episode . „Bride of Chaotia cf. page 80. 119

Chakotay have to relive and master past threats in order to restore the present timeline. In this way, the recipient is made aware of the series’ development over the past seven seasons while enjoying a variation of familiar episodes.

The selection of invoked episodes is certainly beneficial from a dramaturgical perspective; it allows for the building of suspense due to the interesting character configuration of the present-day Chakotay and the past, first-season Captain based on their asymmetric levels of information (Janeway is completely unaware of the future and has yet to develop trust). Furthermore, the re-enactment of already familiar plots becomes more varied under new conditions. Nevertheless, it has a nostalgic effect as the recipient is presented with a best-of collection of Star Trek Voyager adventures.

The struggle with multiple conflicts and disasters that are yet to come for the season-one Janeway sheds a predominantly negative light on her future. As a consequence, she is very pessimistic and considers the possibility to synchronize the ship’s timeline to her present, which would allow her to make different decisions and thus avoid being stranded far away from home. This consideration of the character has far-reaching implications for the Voyager story arc. If Janeway actualized her intentions to change events and rewrite the past with her knowledge of the future, the whole Voyager story arc is threatened and might become obsolete. In this case, virtually all of the perceived episodes would be deleted from Voyager history.

Despite the temptation to do so in order to spare the crew the difficult and grueling travel of at least seven years, the present Chakotay emphasizes the positive aspects of the crew’s demanding voyage. For this reason, he manages to convince Janeway not to temper with the timeline and to accept the future that is to come for her. In this way, the original timeline of the series’ overall story arc is preserved and the adventures the recipient has watched remain intact after the present timeline is successfully reestablished in the end. Therefore, there is no de- or disnarration of events in this episode. This fact stands in stark contrast to the effect of the involuntary clash of timelines depicted in the TNG episode “Yesterday’s Enterprise”, which resulted in the accidental denarration and deletion of certain events, a change of history within the represented world and a revision of the mediated story. Chakotay’s comments can be understood as indirect non-critical metareferential remarks, expressing the contentedness with the series’ narrative development. Voyager’s main story arc (being stranded in a distant part of the galaxy and the endured hardships during the attempted return) is therefore evaluated, accepted and even endorsed. 120

Judging from the example “Shattered”, changing the timeline intentionally seems to occur only on a comparatively small scale in the Star Trek series. Since the characters appreciate the course of events due to positive aspects such as personal growth and development as a result of dealing with challenges, the minor negative aspects are accepted. And yet, one can assume that this is only the case as long as positive results outweigh negative complications by and large. This assumption proves correct examining (the plots of) other time travel stories, such as the Voyager episodes “Year of Hell”, “Timeless” and “Endgame”. All three episodes depict catastrophic outcomes, which apparently cannot be accepted as proper narrative endings.

In “Year of Hell”38, the crew accidentally encounters a civilization tempering with time in order to reestablish their empire to a 100 per cent (!) at the height of their power after entering a tremendously destructive war. The episode depicts this impossible undertaking, as the civilization’s expectations are repeatedly belied. The Voyager crew becomes unintentionally involved in this war, which results in the almost complete destruction of the ship, the death of innumerable crew members and the virtually non-existent chance of the remaining people to return home. The ending, however, resolves the situation and appeases the viewers by providing acceptable narrative closure and thus a continuation of the Voyager series. When, after two years of fighting (corresponding to the discourse time of two episodes), Janeway’ last resort is a suicide mission, a clash of the abandoned Voyager with the civilization’s time- ship, the timeline is, surprisingly, set back to the beginning. The civilization is returned to the desired status (ironically by unintentional defeat and total destruction instead of deliberate temporal manipulation) and the story of the Voyager starts again at the beginning of the previous episode, this time, however, without encountering the time-travelling civilization. It is as if nothing ever happened, and the crew does not remember any of the events depicted in the two episodes.

As a result, the story represented in these episodes has deleted itself, leaving the recipient as the only witness to the deleted story. The benefit of this denarration is considerable improvement for both the story (the present episode as well as the overall story arc of the series) from an extradiegetic perspective and for the characters intradiegetically. The recipient witnesses hypothetical events (‘what if’- situation) that are marked by the deviation from the established Star Trek convention of the happy ending, without affecting the characters or forthcoming episodes as the next one starts with the status quo of the previous episode.

38 For episode protocol see appendix page A13. 121

In contrast to the previous example with only one timeline and a single diegesis, the episodes “Timeless”39 and “Endgame”40 consist of two timelines; the future and the present of the Voyager ship and crew. In both episodes, the future timeline is presented to be actualized; it is the sum of past events (corresponding to the actual present of the story), which have already occurred. In “Timeless”, the characters Kim and Chakotay are the sole survivors of Voyager who, after countless years, succeed in returning home. Resenting the past, they attempt to alter the course of events in order to prevent the fatal accident which cost the lives of everybody onboard the ship. Similarly, the future timeline in “Endgame” depicts a much older version of Janeway, who blames herself for the death and injuries of numerous crew members on their 23-year long journey home. In both cases, the future is shown from the main characters’ perspective, focusing on the negative consequences of their personal decisions. The casualties apparently weigh so heavily that the current situation, i.e. the future, is unbearable for the responsible characters and therefore needs to be altered by means of voluntary time travel.

While in “Timeless” a message is sent into the past to warn the crew against the activation of the new, experimental drive and the ensuing fatal test run, the older version of Janeway travels personally through space and time in order to ensure the safe return of her crew while simultaneously plotting a scheme against the Borg (the most serious inimical threat to the Federation). Of course, the intended effect occurs in the end. In both cases, history is rewritten, accidents and deaths are prevented. Thus, a more positive ending is achieved, rendering the respective represented future timeline obsolete. The new future, which is yet to come, is open and characterized by a much brighter present outlook. It is also interesting to note that, in contrast to “Year of Hell”, the episodes “Timeless” and “Endgame” do not result in the characters’ loss of memory despite the alteration of events. In the latter two episodes, the characters are well aware of and grateful for the support obtained from the future.

The happy ending of these time travel narratives allows for the drawing some conclusions with regard to the implied world view and the values represented within the storyworld. Changing the past and altering the outcome of events is apparently not so easily achieved; Negative experiences and loss are a part of life and cannot or should not always be avoided or deleted. Furthermore, it is frequently stated that (extensive) use of time travelling may have serious, unforeseeable consequences in the Star Trek universe, which prevents the plot device

39 see appendix page A14. 40 see appendix page A17. 122 from being used too often. If time travel was standard procedure to correct mistakes and wrong decisions in a science fiction show, the theme would soon become overused and exhausted.

In addition to the character’s intradiegetic motivation for altering the story, the depicted future situation is also unacceptable for the viewer for various reasons. First of all, there is the general expectation that a story should be brought to a proper conclusion. Moreover, an episode, particularly in mid-season, has to have an adequate narrative ending in order to allow the meaningful continuation of the series. Owing to the familiarity with the series, the regular viewer has grown fond of, and has sympathy for, the fictional characters, especially after multiple seasons of habitual watching. With regard to the story of Voyager, the devoted recipient wishes for a happy ending, a successful and safe return of the crew with as little casualties as possible. Anything else would simply not be satisfactory.

Regardless of the recipient’s desires and expectations, there is the general tendency to let a series’ characters live. After all, a successful story does not usually kill its characters, not even at the end when nothing further is to be narrated, much less in the middle of a series’ season. Otherwise this would be a gross violation of narrative conventions, which is certainly not compatible with most genres (except for tragedies perhaps). The continuation of a story under such circumstances would be difficult, to say the least. The identification of the viewer with the fictional characters and the immersion would be permanently weakened, which, in turn, is likely to destroy the recipient’s intended emotional response to the product, and thus would deprive him/her of the main motivation for continuously following a TV series. The viewer’s familiarity with the represented world as that would be drastically changed – the whole story would be crippled, the story would not function anymore, the genre conventions probably disregarded/violated.

All in all, these time travel narratives trigger reflections on the narrative structure and conventions of stories, particularly with regard to narrative endings. Since the destruction of the main setting (i.e. the space ship in Voyager) and the death of the characters presents an abrupt, dissatisfactory ending that is incompatible with both the serial nature of a TV show and the implied world view of the series, the time travel plot device is a suitable means to achieve a revision of the story to produce a more satisfactory, meaningful ending without violating the norms of the implied world view. Instead, it even enhances the logic and understanding of the represented world, while entertaining the viewer with a sophisticated narrative by providing more than only one (namely the usual positive) version of events. 123

To conclude, the analysis of story modification and plot structures has shown that the new Star Trek series, especially TNG, employ innovative plots ad narrative devices, which can be categorized into five types (see figure 22 below).

Plot Type Device Theme Episode TNG „Cause and 1) Circular Plot repetition + variation temporal loop Effect“ Rewriting and changing denarration + dis- 2) Plot deletes history; accidental clash TNG “Yesterday’s narration; temporal Story of timelines Alternate Enterprise” paradox  course of events 3) ‚Multiverse Lateral Metalepses, Juxtaposition of TNG “Parallels” Story’ parallel plotlines multiple parallel worlds DS9 “Children of 4) Reversed Involuntary time Causal loop + temporal Time” + VOY causality travel paradox “Time and Again” 5) Multiple Voluntary time Repetition + variation VOY “Shattered” timelines in 1 plot travel

Figure 22: Classification of story modifications

As can be seen in figure 22, TNG introduced the circular plot structure, which is not yet existent in earlier incarnations of the franchise (TOS). The narrative devices of de- and disnarration are also employed for the first time by TNG and subsequently integrated into the franchise as these form the essential basis of complex time travel narratives. Moreover, the ‘impossible’ merging of past and present events has a formative influence on forthcoming episodes of all Star Trek series as the repertory of stories is enhanced by time travel narratives into the series’ own narrated past. The result are complex plot structures and reversed causality, which affect the narration of said stories by means of deleting or alternating events. The multiverse narrative remains without lasting effect since it is only employed in the TNG episode “Parallels” and therefore presents a lone example of unnatural narration. Later Star Trek episodes (in particular those pertaining to DS9), return to the old dual conception of parallel worlds (good vs. bad universe), as introduced in TOS. Nevertheless, various science fiction TV series created during the 1990s make extensive use of multiple parallel universes, such as Sliders41, for instance. In this case, the innovative theme shaping narrative structure has been included in the generic conventions of science fiction television. The last plot type

41 Tracy Tormé and Robert K. Weiss; creators. (1995-2000). Sliders. [Television]. USA. 124 presents the extreme of time travel narratives in that multiple timelines are depicted interchangeably and may even influence one another. This idea stems from TNG and VOY episodes, respectively.

Since naturalization due to established generic conventions cannot be claimed, if the phenomena are not yet conventionalized or part of the fixed narrative repertory at the time of the episode’s production, the metareferential effect on the recipient is at least conceivable. Owing to the fact that the concept of metareference is linked to the perception and knowledge of the individual viewer, the (interested, reflective) recipient watching episodes with such complex plot structures and unnatural devices and deviant forms is almost inevitably made aware of the constructedness of what is perceived, triggering meta-reflections on production, narrative techniques and potential interpretational strategies. The deviation from and violation of established norms, not only indicate the limits of currently accepted generic conventions (providing another basis for reflection), but also broaden them by adding new techniques and devices.

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4) Star Trek in Context

This chapter deals with the implications of the metareferential forms and effects described in the previous analytical sections. The first subchapter is concerned with the main metareferential themes, forms and functions, the second with genre and the franchise’s development and the third elaborates on popular culture and the concept of quality.

4.1 Metareference in Star Trek’s -Themes, Forms, Functions The analysis of Star Trek episodes has proven the predominance of implicit forms of metareference. The devices used most frequently are the missing opening frame, mise en abyme and metalepsis as the majority of episodes consists of at least two hierarchically ordered diegetic levels, i.e. diegesis and hypodiegesis. These diegetic levels are the result of either some piece of technology integrated in the represented world (the holodeck) or of a character’s imagination or hallucination (originating from a dream or insanity).

It has also been shown that one dominant theme is the questioning of the reality/fiction opposition by metareferential means, which includes the transgression of boundaries between the fictional and the real, resulting in both intra- and extradiegetic confusion and disorientation. Since the exploration of the perceived reality is an integral part of science fiction, particularly in sub-genres focusing on travelling through space and time, the thematization of the notion of reality appears inherent in the Star Trek series. For this reason, it is not surprising that the fictional reality is contrasted with the fiction created within the represented world. The outstanding metareferential effect based on this confusion of reality and fiction is the endangerment of the series. The recipient is frequently threatened with discontinuation as some stories tend to delete themselves or are retrospectively declared fictions. Nevertheless, the traditional boundaries between the real and the fictional are always reestablished in the end.

As a result of the noteworthy amount of metareferential elements in the series, one is faced with the question what the reasons for and functions of Star Trek’s metaization are. With regard to the reality/fiction opposition, the effect produced in the viewer – eliciting reflections and causing amusement – serves not only to entertain and question ontological certainties, but also functions as a strategy to enthrall recipients to such a degree that the series’ continued production is guaranteed. The foregrounding of the genre’s mediality and constructedness functions as a parable for the perception of the recipient’s ‘reality’. By making the viewer 126 aware of the reality/fiction opposition, the ontological questioning of traditional distinctions is directly transferred onto the recipient. Thus, the reality/fiction issue fulfills the function of educating the viewers as a form of ‘applied epistemology’ (Peper cited in Wolf 2011: 36). From another perspective, the metareferential thematization of the reality/fiction dichotomy can be seen as a symptom of postmodernist deconstruction, which foregrounds the lost belief in traditional binary oppositions, which has often been claimed to be a symptom of the postmodern episteme/zeitgeist. (cf. Wolf 2011: 29)

The display of the series’ increased sophistication as a result of complex narrative structures and the metareferential celebration of past media and genres is a means of self-advertisement, which serves to point out the high quality of what is traditionally perceived as a low-brow product of popular culture, in contrast to the wit of high-culture works of art. The practice of paying homage to earlier generic forms by adopting past or different generic conventions has a nostalgic effect on the viewer and proves to be a gratifying challenge for the demanding, experienced recipient. In this way, the creative approach of combining various and/or old generic traditions (by means of genre crossover or intermedial reference) testifies to the skills of the series’ authors, supporting the increased quality argument. The recipient’s heightened media awareness achieved by displaying genre conventions and development not only adds depth to the represented stories (thus raising the quality and level of sophistication), but is also an advantage in the competitive market of television.

As an example of a product classified as popular culture pertaining to the science fiction genre and the mass medium television, Star Trek has various implications with regard to the postulated metareferential turn. Since multiple metareferential devices (most notably of mise en abyme, metalepsis and missing opening frame) of prominent effect have been encountered in numerous episodes, it appears that the new Star Trek series supports the claim of the existence of the metareferential turn, as a “remarkable change in the degree and quality of metareferentiality in a number (if not all) of (the) media and arts over the past few decades” (Wolf 2011: 1).

My findings further concur with those of Wolf and other scholars (2011: 16) in that Star Trek episodes employ mainly implicit forms of metareference, as they outweigh the occurrence of explicit forms by far. Moreover, the metareferential forms of Star Trek are not (solely) connected to the comic mode, as the thematization of serious issues prevails. Considering the production dates and runtime, the new Star Trek series support the perceived ‘meta-peak’ during the 1990s (cf. Rajewsky 2011: 415). Due to its popularity and success (Star Trek is 127 generally considered the most famous science fiction franchise and television show), the series serve as another example of the “‘popularization’ of metareferential practices” (Rajewsky 2011: 417).

4.2) Star Trek and Genre The Star Trek series are categorized as science fiction television shows, particularly in the form of “space opera”, which is marked by an episodic structure (cf. Rauscher 2003: 12). Since space operas are commonly associated with low quality entertainment based on shallow themes similar to soap operas, one may assume that Star Trek has nothing to offer for an educated recipient.

However, the analysis of metareferential elements has shown that the new Star Trek series not only employ common themes of science fiction, such as aliens and alien worlds, artificial intelligence, the future and time travel (cf. Pierce 1987, for instance), but also frequently manage to enhance the generic conventions. This fact is mentioned also by Richards (1997: 4), who observes that “[i]t utterly supersedes both in depth and breadth the science fictions which have come before it.”

In this way, the new series, in contrast to TOS, adopt new narrative techniques by imitation, improved technical possibilities and deviation from established norms, which increases the complexity of the plot structure and the story. What results from new complex story structures is also a different, more elaborate world view; new concepts are introduced into the Star Trek universe and new insights are gained by unusual phenomena and occurrences which do not only shape the narrative and dramaturgy, but also the represented story world. The result is a more challenging and more sophisticated televisual product, which enables a further development of the franchise and the genre by increasing the recipient’s active participation in the process of reception.

The section analyzing storyline modifications has shown the innovative narrative techniques employed in Star Trek, particularly in TNG, which provided ample inspiration for subsequent episodes and series. Moreover, the influence of TNG can be traced even beyond the franchise as TV series produced in the 1990s have taken up themes and narrative structures. For this reason, the Star Trek series has certainly served as a model for the conceptualization of subsequent science fiction shows.

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4.3) Popular Culture and Quality TV

Good television is rich, riveting, moving, provocative and frequently contemporary (in some sense); it is relevant to and valued by us. It speaks to us, and it endures for us. (Sarah Cardwell in McCabe and Akass 2007: 21)

Quality, like beauty, lies mainly in the eye of the beholder. Since it is influenced by subjective perception and expectation, it is inherently difficult to define from an objective standpoint. McCabe and Akass (2007: 2) remark to that effect that quality depends on value judgments that are based on individual taste, which is why the question of which criteria to use for a definition necessarily touches on power issues.

In an attempt to describe certain criteria for quality television, Thompson (cited in McCabe and Akass 2007: 3) mentions that good quality is, simply put, “not ‘regular’ TV”. What follows from that is the outstanding property, the notion of superiority compared to other TV series. This can generally be achieved by a higher level of sophistication and artistry regar- ding both the aesthetics and the content of a TV product. The following list sums up the decisive factors of quality television according to Thompson (cf. ibid: 13f).

1) Quality is achieved by a deviation from TV-specific rules and conventions. 2) Producers come from other, non-TV related fields and introduce quality aesthetics. 3) The audience has higher demands and greater expectations. 4) There are more complex plot structures. 5) The series has an ‘ensemble cast’ with equal significance of characters, equal character development and equal screen time. 6) Quality TV series voice social and cultural criticism. 7) Old genres are combined to create new ones.

Comparing this list with the insights gained from the analysis, one finds that the majority of factors can be found in the Star Trek series. The deviation from genre- and TV-specific rules and conventions has been proven in the analysis of storyline modifications and discourse- based metareference. Also the development towards more complex plot structures with multiple diegetic levels or plotlines has been shown. The ‘ensemble cats’ introduced in TNG and employed in all subsequent series of the franchise facilitates character development and provides more thematic variety. Last but not least, it has been shown that the series voice social and cultural criticism (especially on gender and racial issues) and produce generic hybridity by adopting the conventions of past genres.

129

Another approach presented by Lem (cited in Puschmann-Nalenz 1992: 12) states four principles a science fiction narrative has to fulfill in order to be considered good and worth reading. In the case of television, these can arguably apply to science fiction series as well.

1) The stories have to be innovative and “rich in ideas”. 2) The guiding principles of rationality and logicality have to be maintained. 3) Narratives need to meet the high expectations of, while being intellectually challenging for, the readers (or viewers). 4) The special status of science fiction has to remain. 5) “Theoretical reflections on SF have to make progress”. The last point is thus a precondition for 1 to 4.

Owing to the fact that all of the above mentioned criteria are met in the new Star Trek series in addition to the majority of principles listed by Thompson above, the series qualifies as ‘good’ television, which might (at least partially) explain the unique, unprecedented commercial success of the franchise.

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6) Summary and Conclusion

The analysis of episodes pertaining to the new Star Trek series has shown a remarkable amount of multiple, predominantly implicit forms of metareference, particularly mise en abyme, metalepses and missing opening frames. These elements pertain exclusively to the level of story, as they are based on the existence of multiple diegetic levels, and are mainly associated with the reality/fiction opposition. By contrast, there is only one episode that is marked by discourse-based metareference; in this example, the main character is in the role of the narrator throughout the episode and is directly looking into the camera, addressing the audience as if he was aware of their existence.

The concept of genre hybridization by means of intertextual or intermedial reference is the result of a virtual reality machine – the holodeck – integrated in the represented world. These metareferential phenomena enhance the narrative possibilities of conventionalized Star Trek narratives by adopting the frames and conventions typical of other genres in order to create diversity, and allow for otherwise impossible themes, plot, developments or endings. In addition, the actors are given the opportunity to impersonate various different characters, which is both entertaining for the recipient (and often used to elicit humor) as well as indicative of the actors’ talent and competence.

The third set of elements with an arguably metareferential effect consists of defamiliarization and deviation from established norms and conventions, and proves particularly useful with regard to narrative structure and story modification. Owing to the innovative implementation of ideas (stemming from quantum physics and philosophy) into the narrative structure of episodes, the new Star Trek series, particularly TNG, hold a vanguard role as they were used as role models by subsequent television shows. Through the lasting influence of episodes, not only the single series and the franchise have evolved but the entire science fiction genre.

The multiple diegetic levels and the metareferential devices associated with them cause intra- and extradiegetic confusion, most notably in connection with the predominant theme of the reality/fiction opposition. As a result, the traditional notions of reality and fiction are questioned and sometimes even dissolved although the original circumstances and traditional boundaries are re-established at the end of each episode. This is a typical condition of the postmodern era, in which binary oppositions are frequently questioned and deconstructed. Also defamiliarization and deviation are mainly employed to create confusion, and yet the lasting effect is an enhanced implied world view, through which new knowledge has been

131 acquired both intra- and extra-diegetically. In this way, the Star Trek universe is expanding while remaining a consistent whole.

Another salient theme in metareferential episodes is that of storytelling and narration. Three episodes have been identified with even explicit thematization of the function, production and effect of narratives. In these examples, the meta-narrative theme serves to elicit awareness in the recipient with regard to the constructed-ness and artificiality of the episode or series as well as to the generic conventions of science fiction.

All in all, it can be argued that with the new Star Trek series, a new era of science fiction narratives was introduced. The increased complexity of story structure, the frequent deviation from traditional linear plot models and the depiction of alternate realities as well as fictional simulations were instrumental in the expansion of science fiction narrative techniques. The play with different genre conventions – that of past genres or distinct media – serves to entertain and mesmerize existing recipients, to satisfy the increased demands of the audience, and also to gain new viewers.

The complexity, sophistication and quality resulting from the narrative and metareferential techniques employed in the series are an advantage in the competitive television market as the franchise can position itself between high-culture and low-brow products, and provides a reasonable explanation for the unabated success of the franchise. The density of meaning achieved by integrating high-culture elements enable multiple ‘readings’ and interpretations of one episode and equally satisfy educated, experienced and demanding recipients as well as entertainment-oriented viewers.

Star Trek’s mission appears to be to educate its viewers in a wide range of fields, including, theoretical physics, narrative theory, philosophy as well as arts and media, according to the motto docere et delectare. It is the quality, complexity and diversity which keeps avid viewers watching and attracts as well as intrigues new recipients.

To conclude, the postulated metareferential turn is supported by the findings of the preceding analysis. Since the new Star Trek series offer an unparalleled thematic and structural complexity, which adds depth and density of meaning to create a rich and elaborate, yet still consistent fictional world, it is an example of good, high-quality television. As such, the franchise should not be disregarded or dismissed as mere shallow entertainment, but merits more scholarly attention.

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Appendix

List of selected episodes

Episode transcripts

List of Selected Episodes

Star Trek – The Next Generation … (1987-1994) Gene Roddenberry, creator. USA.

2.3 “Elementary, Dear Data” Brian Alan Lane; story.

3.15 “Yesterday’s Enterprise” Ira Steven Behr, Richard Manning, Hans Beimler, Ronald D. Moore; teleplay. Trent Christopher Ganino, Eric A. Stillwell; story.

5.18 “Cause and Effect” Brannon Braga; story.

5.26/6.1 “Time’s Arrow” Jeri Taylor; teleplay. Joe Menosky; story.

6.12 “Ship in a Bottle” René Echevarria; story.

6.21 “Frame of Mind” Gene Roddenberry + Brannon Braga, story.

7.11 “Parallels” Brannon Braga, story.

4.8 “Future Imperfect” J. Larry Carrol & David Bennett Carren; story.

Star Trek – Deep Space Nine … (1993-1999) Rick Berman & Michael Piller; creators. USA.

5.21 “Children of Time” Gary Holland & Ethan H. Calk; story. René Echevarria; teleplay.

6.19 “In the Pale Moonlight” Ira Steven Behr & Hans Beimler; teleplay. Marc Scott Zicree, story.

6.13 “Far beyond the Stars” Ira Steven Behr & Hans Beimler; teleplay. Marc Scott Zicree; story.

I

Star Trek – Voyager … (1995-2001) Rick Berman, Michael Piller & Jeri Taylor; creators. USA.

1.4 “Time and Again” David Kemper & Michael Piller; teleplay. David Kemper, story.

2.3 “Projections” Brannon Braga, writer.

3.8/9 “Future’s End” Part 1 and 2. Brannon Braga, Joe Menosky, writers.

3.15 “Coda” Jeri Taylor; story.

3.25 “Worst Case Scenario” Kennet Biller; story.

4.8/9 “Year of Hell” Part 1 and 2. Brannon Braga, Joe Menosky, writers.

5.6 “Timeless” Brannon Braga, Joe Menosky, teleplay. Rick Berman, Brannon Braga, Joe Menosky; story.

5.12 “Bride of Chaotica!” Bryan Fuller, Michael Taylor; teleplay. Bryan Fuller, story.

5.24 “Relativity” Bryan Fuller, Nick Sagan, Michael Taylor; teleplay. Nick Sagan; story.

7.11 “Shattered” Michael Taylor; teleplay. Michael Sussman, Michael Taylor; story.

7.20 “Author, Author” Michael Sussman, Phyllis Strong; teleplay. Brannon Braga; story.

7.25/26 “Endgame” Kenneth Biller, Robert Doherty; teleplay. Rick Berman, Brannon Braga, Kenneth Biller; story.

II

Episode transcripts

The Next Generation episode 6.12: “Ship in a Bottle”

Original Airdate: Jan 25, 1993

[221b Baker Street]

(Sherlock Holmes alias Data and Doctor Watson aka Geordi are expounding the solution to a mystery) DATA: It was then that I began to suspect that your brother did not die by his own hand. That he was, in fact, murdered. GENTLEMAN: Murdered? Huh. Good Lord! LAFORGE: But, Holmes! The vial of poison found in his hand. DATA: That was the first clue, Watson. The vial contained strychnine, which, as you well know, induces violent muscular spasms. It is difficult to imagine that someone in the throes of so gruesome a death could have held on to so delicate a container without shattering it. LAFORGE: You don't mean? DATA: Exactly! The vial was placed in his hand after he died. LAFORGE: Then what was the cause of death? DATA: The cigar, of course. GENTLEMAN: Cigar? DATA: Upon closer inspection of the room where your brother was found, I discovered a fresh burn mark on the carpet. Further analysis of the ash revealed that the cigar was laced with strychnine. GENTLEMAN: This is utter nonsense. What about the suicide note? It was written in my dear brother's own hand. DATA: With practice, handwriting can be forged. It takes a trained eye to notice certain discrepancies. For example, whether someone is right- or left-handed! (Data throws a box of matches to the gentleman, who catches it in his right hand.) DATA: Your brother was right-handed! The alleged suicide note was written by a left-handed individual such as yourself! LAFORGE: Er, Data, it's in his right hand. DATA: Curious. There seems to be a problem in the holodeck's spatial orientation systems. GENTLEMAN: London's greatest detective? (He throws the matches back, laughing) LAFORGE: Freeze program. La Forge to Barclay. BARCLAY [OC]: Barclay here. LAFORGE: Reg, something went wrong with the holodeck program again. BARCLAY [OC]: Oh, I'm sorry. I'll look into it right away. LAFORGE: Thanks, Reg. We should get back to Engineering, Data. Computer, end program and save.

[Corridor]

LAFORGE: Whoa, whoa, Reg. BARCLAY: Sorry, Commander. I'm on my way to the holodeck. DATA: Sherlock Holmes program three A has demonstrated some very curious anomalies. BARCLAY: There must have been a glitch in the matrix diodes, but I'll track it down, don't worry. LAFORGE: Thanks, Reg. See you later.

[Holodeck]

(Barclay pulls a panel from the arch wall) BARCLAY: Computer, run a diagnostic on all Sherlock Holmes files. Display any anomalous programming sequences. COMPUTER: Diagnostic complete. All files conform to specified parameters, except those contained in protected memory. BARCLAY: Protected memory? Display those sequences. Computer unlock this sequence and run the program.

III

BARCLAY: Who are you? MORIARTY: Professor James Moriarty. BARCLAY: Moriarty. Oh, that's Sherlock Holmes' arch enemy. Are you left- or right-handed? MORIARTY: Left-handed, Would you very much mind telling me … (Moriarty catches the thrown tool in his left hand) BARCLAY: No problem there. MORIARTY: Where is Captain Picard? Is he still Captain of this vessel? BARCLAY: How would? How do you know the Captain? MORIARTY: You don't know anything about what happened, do you? I have been stored in memory for God knows how long and no one has given me a second thought. BARCLAY: You know! You know what you are. MORIARTY: A holodeck character? A fictional man? Yes, yes I know all about your marvelous inventions. I was created as a plaything so that your Commander Data could masquerade as Sherlock Holmes. But they made me too well and I became more than a character in a story. I became self-aware. I am alive. BARCLAY: That's not possible. MORIARTY: But here I am. Tell me, has a way been found to allow me to leave the confines of this holodeck world? BARCLAY: Leave the holodeck? No, of course not. You can only exist in here. MORIARTY: Damn you, Picard. He promised me something would be done. I should have realized he would have said anything to get me to release my hostage. BARCLAY: Hostage? MORIARTY: How long have I been locked away? BARCLAY: Well, it looks like about four years. MORIARTY: It seemed longer. BARCLAY: What are you talking about? You can't possibly have been aware of the passage of time. MORIARTY: But I was. Brief, terrifying periods of consciousness. Disembodied. Without substance. BARCLAY: I don't see how that could be possible. Maybe there was a fragmentation of the protected memory circuits. MORIARTY: Call it what you will. All I know is that despite Picard's promise, he's done nothing. Just left me to go quietly mad. BARCLAY: He would not have forgotten his promise. The Captain would not do that. MORIARTY: I'd like to talk to him. BARCLAY: Well, I can ask. MORIARTY: Ask him to meet me in the sitting room at Baker Street. That would be far more appropriate. BARCLAY: I'll have to store you in memory again until I get an answer. (Reg pulls out a chip and puts the cover back. Moriarty vanishes. Barclay leaves. Moriarty reappears with a sly smile.)

(Captain’s log entry) PICARD [off]: Captain's log, stardate 46424.1. The Enterprise has arrived at the Detrian system to observe a unique celestial event, the collision of two planets.

[Engineering]

DATA: Since both planets are gas giants, neither possesses a solid surface. Their atmospheres, however, will come into contact in approximately seventeen hours nine minutes. LAFORGE: If their collision causes a self-sustaining fusion reaction, this is what we are likely to see. The birth of a new star. The Enterprise will hold position until the gravitational instability subsides and we can get in for a closer look. Now I want triple redundancy on all of the sensor arrays. We'll probably never get another chance to see something like this. I don't want to miss anything. Okay? BARCLAY: Commander, you'll never believe what happened while I was working on your program in the holodeck. Professor Moriarty appeared, out of nowhere. LAFORGE: What? BARCLAY: And he wants to talk to the Captain.

[Corridor]

BARCLAY: Computer, begin Sherlock Holmes program three A and place us in the drawing room at Two Twenty One B Baker Street.

IV

COMPUTER: Program complete.

[221b Baker Street]

BARCLAY: Computer, access protected memory and run Moriarty program. PICARD: Professor. It's good to see you again. MORIARTY: If you'd missed my company, I should think you'd have summoned me before now. PICARD: I want to assure you that we've not forgotten you. We spent some time investigating how you became self-aware. Frankly, it still remains a mystery. MORIARTY: It is also irrelevant. What concerns me is finding a way to leave the holodeck. PICARD: We have been wrestling with that problem too, unfortunately without any success. But we have turned our findings over to Starfleet's most experienced theoretical scientists. MORIARTY: And what did your finest minds come up with? PICARD: Unfortunately, they have not arrived at a solution either. MORIARTY: I see. PICARD: Professor, I am concerned to learn that you experienced the passage of time while you were stored in the computer memory. I can assure you; we had no idea that that would be the case. MORIARTY: Enough of this. I no longer believe anything you say. PICARD: Professor, I understand your frustration. MORIARTY: Do you really? When this is over, you will walk out of this room to the real world and your own concerns, and leave me here trapped in a world I know to be nothing but illusion. I cannot bear that. I must leave. PICARD: That is not possible. You cannot exist outside this room. MORIARTY: Are you certain of that? PICARD: Computer, exit. (the door opens onto the corridor) PICARD: Although an object appears solid on the holodeck, in the real world they have no substance. (Picard throws out a book, which vanishes immediately.) MORIARTY: An object has no life. I do. PICARD: Professor, you are a computer simulation. MORIARTY: I have consciousness. Conscious beings have will. The mind endows them with powers that are not necessarily understood, even by you. If my will is strong enough, perhaps I can exist outside this room. Perhaps I can walk into your world right now. PICARD: Professor, I ask you to believe me. If you step out of that door, you will cease to exist. MORIARTY: If I am nothing more than a computer simulation, then very little will have been lost. But if I am right? Mind over matter. Cogito ergo sum. (Moriarty walks out into the corridor, and does not disappear.) MORIARTY: I think therefore I am.

[Corridor]

DATA: Data to Security. Send two officers to holodeck three. PICARD: How is this possible? BARCLAY: It isn't. DATA: This contradicts everything we know about holodeck physics. MORIARTY: Then perhaps you don't know as much as you thought. PICARD: Professor, will you come with me? I'd like our Doctor to examine you. (Security arrives) MORIARTY: Certainly, sir. Policemen. I'd recognize them in any century.

[Sickbay]

CRUSHER: As far as I can tell, he's real. He's human. MORIARTY: What else would I be, dear lady? CRUSHER: His DNA is a little unusual, but all the major systems are there and functioning normally. LAFORGE: As far as I can tell there's no evidence that his molecules are losing any cohesion. They seem to be as immutable as ordinary matter. PICARD: Well, Professor, my crew will continue to investigate, but for now it would seem you have accomplished a miracle. The question is, now that you're here, what do we do with you?

V

MORIARTY: I ask only that I be allowed to explore this new world. Your vessel, for instance. What sea does she sail? Might we go above deck? Weather permitting, of course. PICARD: Professor, I think there are some things of which you should be made aware.

[Ten Forward]

MORIARTY: My God! We're adrift in the heavens. PICARD: No, not adrift. The Enterprise is a starship, capable of travelling through space. MORIARTY: Extraordinary. Are we far from Earth? What is the range of this ship? What means of locomotion does it use? There's so much for me to learn. I hardly know where to start. PICARD: I can give you books that will help. MORIARTY: Good, good. I want to start making plans. Determine what I'm going to do with my life. PICARD: I hope you will plan on remaining on board for a while. There is still much that we need to understand about what has happened to you. MORIARTY: Does it really matter? The point is, I'm here, and I'm eager to get on with life. PICARD: Professor, I feel it necessary to point out that criminal behavior is as acceptable in the twenty fourth century as it was in the nineteenth. And much harder to get away with. MORIARTY: Don't worry, Captain. My past is nothing but a fiction. The scribblings of an Englishman dead now for four centuries. I hope to leave his books on the shelf, as it were. PICARD: If that's so, then there are opportunities awaiting you that are beyond anything you have ever imagined. MORIARTY: Your century may welcome me, but - PICARD: What is the matter? MORIARTY: In considering all these vast possibilities, I suddenly feel very much alone. I am a man out of time, Captain, and that isolates me. You have been more gracious than I could ever have imagined. I wonder may I impose on your generosity once again? There is a woman, the Countess Regina Bartholomew. She was created as a holodeck character for one of Commander Data's programs. She was designed to be the love of my life. Could she also be brought off the holodeck? PICARD: Professor, I ask you to believe me when I say that we do not know how or why you are able to exist off the holodeck. MORIARTY: I do. I do believe you. PICARD: According to the laws of physics, this is impossible. We would have no idea how to do it again. MORIARTY: As I understand it, I was endowed with consciousness four years ago when someone said to the computer, “create an opponent with a capacity to out-think Data” or words to that effect. Could we not make a similar request on behalf of the Countess? PICARD: Even if I had reason to believe that would be successful, I don't think that I could sanction it. Please understand, Professor, that you are in essence a new life form. One that we didn't intend to create and that we don't fully understand. Now the moral and ethical implications of deliberately creating another one like you are overwhelming. MORIARTY: Is it morally and ethically acceptable to deny the woman I love so that you can put your conscience at ease? Are you saying that you will simply dictate how I am to live my life? PICARD: I assure you, we will do everything possible to make you comfortable. MORIARTY: So long as I accept the terms under which you dole out those comforts. Captain, I am a powerless man. You hold my future, my happiness, my very life in your hands. Please, consider my request.

[Observation lounge]

TROI: I understand his frustration. We created him and we created her to be the woman he loves. Surely we have some responsibility to them. CRUSHER: It's very romantic, but until we know just what it was that walked off the holodeck, I don't think we should be trying it again. BARCLAY: Even if we decided to do it, there's no guarantee that we'd be able to. DATA: There is also no way of knowing if the Professor's ability to exist off the holodeck is permanent. It may be unwise to consider creating a second individual while this uncertainty exists. PICARD: Agreed. We don't have enough information about this phenomenon to act in a responsible way. I think we'll hold off on Professor Moriarty's request for now, but continue with your investigation. In the meantime, I have to deal with Professor Moriarty.

VI

[Moriarty's quarters]

PICARD: I feel I must postpone action until we learn more. MORIARTY: Yes. You know all about that. I stayed in the dungeon of your computer for years waiting for you to learn more. It wasn't until I took things into my own hands that something got done. PICARD: Professor, I wonder why you're in so much of a hurry. Is this woman involved with you in some illegal venture? MORIARTY: Your computer designed her to be a person of impeccable integrity. She would never commit a crime. PICARD: You must love her very much. MORIARTY: The program fashioned her for me to love. But I must admit I would have done so anyway. She is remarkable. My life has not been the same since I met her. I don't simply love her, Captain. I adore her. PICARD: Then her safety must be very important to you. Give us time to determine what is going on happened here. That way we can minimize the risks in bringing her to you. You wouldn't want to lose her because we acted too quickly. RIKER [OC]: Riker to Captain Picard. PICARD: Picard here. RIKER: Could you join us on the Bridge? PICARD: On my way.

[Bridge]

RIKER: There they are, Captain. PICARD: How long until they begin to coalesce? DATA: Within the next five hours, sir. (On the view screen, we see two red planets of gas within touching distance of each other) PICARD: Mister Worf, launch four Class A probes toward the planets. WORF: Aye, sir. PICARD: Mister Worf? WORF: I don't understand. (The consoles go dark then flicker on and off) WORF: Controls are not responding. DATA: Command functions are being rerouted, sir. PICARD: For what reason? DATA: Unknown, sir. PICARD: Computer, route all command functions to the Bridge. COMPUTER: Command functions are offline. PICARD: Reinitialize them on my authorization. COMPUTER: Authorization denied. PICARD: Explain. COMPUTER: Picard command codes are no longer valid. PICARD: What's happening? Who's transferred the voice authorization? MORIARTY: I have. I'm afraid I had no choice but to take control of your vessel. (Worf gets his phaser from under the tactical console) MORIARTY: If you harm me, sir, I will not be able to relinquish voice control of your vessel. PICARD: Professor, this situation is more serious than you realize. In less than five hours, those two planets will collide and a new star will form. Unless we move to a safe distance, this vessel will be destroyed. MORIARTY: I'm just a fictional character. I haven't much to lose. PICARD: But surely you wish to live like the rest of us? MORIARTY: Not alone. Not without the Countess. PICARD: We've discussed that. We are studying means of bringing her safely off the holodeck. But five hours is not enough time. MORIARTY: I'm not so sure. A deadline has a wonderful way of concentrating the mind. PICARD: Mister Data, will you investigate the possibility of complying with Professor Moriarty's request? DATA: Aye, sir. PICARD: In the meantime, we have a few things to discuss.

VII

[Engineering]

DATA: Perhaps we should consider the transporter system. It uses many of the same principles as the holodeck. Both, for example, are capable of converting energy into matter. LAFORGE: Except the transporter reconstitutes energy in a permanent form. Holodeck matter doesn't have any cohesion unless it's inside the grid. BARCLAY: I wonder, what would happen if we tried to beam a holodeck object off the grid? LAFORGE: Nothing would happen. A holodeck object is just a simulation. There's nothing there to provide a pattern lock for the transporter. DATA: However, if it were possible to lock onto the object, it might rematerialize with the same molecular cohesion as conventional matter. LAFORGE: That's a big leap, Data. I just don't think the transporter is going to accept simulated matter. BARCLAY: Unless, unless we could find a way to compensate for the phase variance. If we could modify the pattern enhancers we just might do it. PICARD: Well, Professor Moriarty has agreed not to interfere with routine ship operations so long as he believes we're acting in good faith. Then I don't think we're in immediate danger. Any progress? LAFORGE: We were just talking about using the transporter to beam the Countess off the holodeck, but I don't quite see how it's going to work. PICARD: Well, keep at it. I have to tell him that we are making some progress. Mister La Forge. Do you have any idea how Moriarty could have gained control of the ship? LAFORGE: Somehow he managed to override the security lockouts and rewrite them. The man is brilliant in any century. PICARD: I want you to find some way to undo what he has done so that we can regain control of this ship.

[Corridor]

DATA: Set the pattern enhancers around whatever object you wish to transport. I will proceed to the transporter room and begin modifications. BARCLAY: Computer, run Sherlock Holmes program three a. COMPUTER: That program is already in use.

[221b Baker Street]

COUNTESS: Are you here to see Mister Holmes, or perhaps Professor Moriarty? Neither is in just now. BARCLAY: Um, er, no. No, no. I'm not here to see anyone. I'm just here to deliver these. COUNTESS: Fine. Just put them anywhere. BARCLAY: Actually, I have to put them right here. COUNTESS: How curious. Why is that? BARCLAY: Well, it has to do with, er …, it's nothing you need to worry about, Countess. COUNTESS: Are you suggesting that it's beyond my comprehension? BARCLAY: It's really very simple. I need to enhance the molecular pattern of this chair so that the transporter can get a better lock on the signal. COUNTESS: This has to do with taking James and me into the real world. BARCLAY: You, you, you know about that? You understand about the real world? COUNTESS: James has explained it to me. It sounds like a grand adventure. There's nothing I love more than voyaging in the unknown. Have you ever been to Africa, Mister? BARCLAY: Er, Barclay. Lieutenant Reginald Barclay. No, no, I haven't. COUNTESS: I have. When I was seventeen I went on safari with my uncle. My mother took to her bed in terror I'd be bitten by tsetse fly, but I had a marvelous time. I got to wear trousers the whole time. It was hard to go back to a corset, I can tell you. BARCLAY: Yes, I'm sure it was. COUNTESS: After that, I never stopped travelling. I couldn't bear to be stuck in one place for very long. So you see I'm so looking forward to this new experience. My, travelling the stars. BARCLAY: You know about that? You know where we are? Countess, forgive me, but you just don't sound like a holodeck character. MORIARTY: That's because she isn't. COUNTESS: James! (Moriarty and the Countess kiss passionately) MORIARTY: If you loved a woman like this, Lieutenant, would you be content to let her remain a simulation?

VIII

BARCLAY: You, you gave her consciousness? MORIARTY: Yes, just as it was given to me. BARCLAY: Well I'm not so sure that's a good idea. MORIARTY: Nonsense. It was the only thing to do. BARCLAY: Have you tried to take her off the holodeck yet? MORIARTY: No. I am unwilling to risk the Countess' safety. I want to make sure nothing will happen to her. COUNTESS: We may be closer to freedom than you think, James. These devices will enhance our molecular patterns. They'll help take us into the real world. MORIARTY: Oh, please, proceed. BARCLAY: Well, we're going to try to transport this chair off the holodeck first. We didn't want to try it on the Countess until we were sure it would work. COUNTESS: How thoughtful. Isn't he thoughtful, James? BARCLAY: Barclay to Commander Data.

[Transporter room]

DATA: Go ahead, Lieutenant. BARCLAY [OC]: I'm ready here. DATA: Modifications are complete.

[221B Baker Street]

DATA [OC]: Stand by. BARCLAY: Standing by.

[Transporter room]

DATA: Activating pattern enhancers. Energizing. I am having difficulty establishing a pattern lock. (To technician) Boost the confinement beam, please. Pattern lock established.

[221b Baker Street]

DATA [OC]: Energizing. (The chair vanishes) COUNTESS: Oh! Bravo. BARCLAY: Do you have the chair, Commander?

[Transporter room]

DATA: No. It lost its cohesion as soon as the transporter cycle was complete.

[221b Baker Street]

BARCLAY: Well, it was a long shot to begin with. DATA [OC]: Agreed. However, we may be able to learn something from the attempt.

[Transporter room]

DATA: Computer, display the transport logs for the sequence just completed. (no data available) Computer, what is being displayed here? COMPUTER: Transport log seven five nine. DATA: That is the correct log. However, no information…

[221b Baker Street]

DATA [OC]: … is being presented. BARCLAY [OC]: Well, that's impossible. IX

DATA [OC]: It is almost as if …

[Transporter room]

DATA: … our attempt to transport the chair never occurred.

[Engineering]

PICARD: You wanted to see me? LAFORGE: Yes, Captain. I think I've found a way to reinstate your vocal authorizations. Give it a try. PICARD: Computer, route all command functions to this location. COMPUTER: Command functions are offline. PICARD: Reinitialize them on my authorization. COMPUTER: Please input command codes. PICARD: Picard, epsilon seven nine three. COMPUTER: Command codes verified. LAFORGE: That's it. That should do it. Wait a minute. It didn't work. The computer won't release the command pathways. DATA: Geordi. (Data throws a small device to La Forge, who catches it in his left hand) LAFORGE: Why did you do that, Data? DATA: Captain, I have determined how Moriarty was able to leave the holodeck. He never did. Neither did we. None of this is real. It is a simulation. We are still on the holodeck. LAFORGE: We're still on the holodeck? PICARD: How do you know that? DATA: Through deduction, sir. Lieutenant Barclay and I tried to transport a simulated object off the holodeck, something that has never been attempted. Since the transporter itself is a simulation, the computer had no real data from which to create the transport logs. LAFORGE: Maybe it was just a malfunction in the transporter. DATA: Then I saw you working the PADD with your left hand. Commander La Forge is right- handed, sir. A similar malfunction occurred in the Sherlock Holmes program I was running before Moriarty first appeared. PICARD: Mister Data, if what you say is true then this is not Geordi La Forge. Are you certain? (Data throws his comm., badge towards the warp core. The grid appears for a brief moment.) PICARD: Computer, discontinue program. Computer, exit. DATA: Moriarty appears to have programmed the holodeck to accept only his commands. PICARD: Picard to Bridge. RIKER [OC]: Riker here. PICARD: Number One, what is my present location? RIKER [OC]: Engineering. Is something wrong, sir? PICARD: No. Thank you. Picard out. Our comm. badges must be locked into the simulation. If that had been the real Commander Riker, he would have given my location as holodeck three. Mister La Forge, will you excuse us, please? (Geordi leaves) PICARD: Mister Data, who is real here? DATA: You and I are real, sir, as is Lieutenant Barclay. We entered the holodeck together when we first went to see Moriarty. PICARD: And from that point we have been existing in a holodeck simulation created by Professor Moriarty? DATA: I believe that is the case, sir. PICARD: I have just given the computer my command codes, thinking I would get control of the ship. DATA: You may have inadvertently given Professor Moriarty the means of gaining control of the real Enterprise. PICARD: Since Professor Moriarty never actually left the holodeck, he may demand that Commander Riker help him to do so. How long until the planetary collision? DATA: Less than three hours. PICARD: So long as Moriarty has control of the ship, we are vulnerable. Somehow, I have to find a way of giving him what he wants.

X

[Bridge - diegesis]

RIKER: Where is Captain Picard? What have you done with Lieutenant Barclay and Commander Data? MORIARTY [on view screen]: They're safe, for now. RIKER: Release control of this ship. MORIARTY [on view screen]: I'm afraid I can't do that. RIKER: What do you want? MORIARTY [on view screen]: I only want what you have the luxury of taking for granted. Freedom. I want to leave this holodeck. RIKER: I think you know that's impossible. MORIARTY [on view screen]: Your crewmates here in my little ship in a bottle, seem a bit more optimistic. RIKER: Oh? MORIARTY [on view screen]: They attempted to use your transporter device to remove a simulated object from the holodeck. LAFORGE: If they tried it, they must have thought they were on to something. MORIARTY [on view screen]: Their attempt was futile because their transporter was a facsimile. I expect more from you. LAFORGE: Just because our transporter is real doesn't mean it's going to work. MORIARTY [on view screen]: I sense a distressing lack of enthusiasm on your parts. WORF: Sir, warp core temperature is rising. Approaching critical levels. MORIARTY [on view screen]: I have nothing to lose, Commander. RIKER: Mister La Forge, start working on the problem. LAFORGE: Aye, sir. WORF: Core temperature dropping.

[Corridor]

PICARD: Computer, resume program.

[221b Baker Street]

COUNTESS: Hello. Have we met? PICARD: Captain Jean-Luc Picard. COUNTESS: James has told me all about you. I am Regina, Countess Bartholomew. Do sit down. May I offer you some tea, Captain? PICARD: Thank you, no. I've come here to prevail upon your intelligence and your insight. COUNTESS: But not apparently my humility. PICARD: Credit where credit is due, madam. I can see you are a woman not only of breeding, but of wit and sagacity. COUNTESS: And you, sir, are a man of charm and guile. You remind me of Viscount Oglethorpe. He was a man who could bewitch any woman who breathed. PICARD: And do you suspect that that is my intent? COUNTESS: I cannot be certain of your intent, but I am certain that you're the kind of man who usually gets exactly what he wants. PICARD: What does a woman like you see in a man like Moriarty? COUNTESS: He's an exciting man, Captain. He's brilliant, incisive, he's ruthless. He has an almost irresistible appeal. PICARD: He's also an arch-criminal. COUNTESS: Only because he was written like that. I see him entirely differently, Captain, he is not a villain. PICARD: So it's your desire to leave the holodeck to be with him. COUNTESS: More than anything. Can you help us? PICARD: Yes, I can. We have learned that if we uncouple the transporter's Heisenberg Compensators and allow them to re-scramble randomly, we can beam a holodeck object or a person off the grid with all of the cohesion of conventional matter. COUNTESS: Oh! Oh, that's splendid. I must tell James. PICARD: No, please. Wait. I have brought you this information because I think you are someone who will listen to a reasonable proposition. Someone whose mind is open to compromise. COUNTESS: Yes? PICARD: My ship is in danger. It is imperative that I regain navigational control. I want you to persuade

XI

Professor Moriarty to return the voice command to me, or I will not modify the transporter. COUNTESS: I see. PICARD: Now, once I have regained voice command, I will transport you from the holodeck. COUNTESS: Forgive me, Captain, but that does sound more like a threat than a compromise. PICARD: Countess, you must understand that I am responsible for more than one thousand lives. COUNTESS: I will do what I can.

[Bridge]

(The two planets are beginning to merge.) LAFORGE: The gravity well is beginning to intensify. RIKER: Are we far enough away to keep from being pulled in? LAFORGE: It's too soon to tell. RIKER: Riker to Lieutenant Worf. WORF [OC]: Worf here, sir. RIKER: How are you doing?

[Corridor]

WORF: There are force fields blocking our access to the holodeck. It will take time to disable them. RIKER [OC]: Keep trying. WORF: Aye, sir.

[221b Baker Street]

MORIARTY: Think, my dear. You're certain he said they had to uncouple the Heisenberg compensators? COUNTESS: Yes, James, I'm quite certain. But he won't do it unless you return control of the ship to him. MORIARTY: I have them running around like rats in a maze. COUNTESS: What harm would there be in accepting his proposition? MORIARTY: My dear, you are as brilliant as you are beautiful. Nonetheless, there are things you do not understand. Now, please, you must let me handle this. Computer, arch. Moriarty to Commander Riker. RIKER [OC]: Riker here. MORIARTY: Commander Riker, a pleasure as always. RIKER [on monitor]: I don't have time for games, Moriarty. This ship is falling into a gravity well. It'll be destroyed within twenty five minutes, holodeck and all. MORIARTY: Then I'm sure you'll be motivated to listen to me very, very carefully. I want to talk to you about uncoupling the Heisenberg compensators. (After the break) COUNTESS: James, when we go leave here, where exactly are we going? MORIARTY: Everywhere, my darling. There are more worlds in the heavens than there are grains of sand on a shoreline. COUNTESS: I wish I could take my books. I will be so lost without them. MORIARTY: I'll get you more. Don't worry. I promise you, you'll want for nothing. RIKER [OC]: Riker to Moriarty. MORIARTY: It's time. Yes, Commander? RIKER [OC]: We're ready. MORIARTY: As are we. RIKER [on monitor]: Step inside the transport area. MORIARTY: We're ready here. RIKER [OC]: Activating pattern enhancers. Energizing.

[Transporter room]

RIKER: Welcome aboard. MORIARTY: May I present Regina, the Countess Bartholomew. RIKER: Countess. COUNTESS: Commander. RIKER: You'll forgive me if I skip the formalities given the circumstances. MORIARTY: Ah, yes. I expect you want me to relinquish my hold on your vessel. XII

RIKER: Please. MORIARTY: I'm afraid that won't be possible just yet. RIKER: We had an agreement. MORIARTY: And I intend to honor it. I have no desire to see your vessel destroyed. Just give me one of your shuttlecraft, and allow us to leave in peace. RIKER: We don't have time for this. You release the command codes and we'll talk. MORIARTY: I will not release your vessel until I am looking at it through a shuttlecraft window.

[Shuttle bay]

RIKER: Everything has been programmed to operate on voice command. You just tell the computer where you want to go. MORIARTY: Excellent. RIKER: I suggest you head for Meles Two. It's the nearest inhabited planet, the people are friendly. Where you go from there is your business. MORIARTY: Please tell your Captain I'm sorry I couldn't say goodbye. I do wish I could see his face when he realizes where he's been the last several hours. RIKER: Every second we waste puts us in that much more danger. MORIARTY: Don't worry, Commander. You'll soon have control of your ship. COUNTESS: Goodbye, Commander. Thank you for everything. MORIARTY: Computer, prepare to depart. RIKER: Open shuttle bay doors. (The shuttle Sakharov flies off)

[Shuttlecraft]

COUNTESS: This is so beautiful. MORIARTY: Indeed, my dear. It is a wondrous sight. The first of many we are sure to encounter in our travels. Computer, interface with the central computer on the Enterprise. COMPUTER: Interface complete. MORIARTY: Release command function lockouts. Authorization Moriarty, alpha two four one five nine. COUNTESS: James? MORIARTY: Yes, my love? COUNTESS: Can we go back to Earth some day? MORIARTY: Of course, my dear. Of course.

[Shuttlebay]

PICARD: Computer. Store program Picard delta one in active memory and discontinue simulation. (The shuttle bay disappears.)

[Holodeck]

COMPUTER: Program stored.

[Corridor]

PICARD: Well, it worked. They believed they were off the holodeck. DATA: Did Moriarty release the voice commands, Captain? PICARD: Let's find out. Computer, discontinue holodeck simulation created by Professor Moriarty. (The corridor disappears.)

[Holodeck]

BARCLAY: So far, so good. This should be the holodeck on the real Enterprise. PICARD: Picard to Bridge. RIKER [OC]: Captain, are you all right?

XIII

PICARD: Yes, we are, Number One. What is your status?

[Bridge]

RIKER: Our systems came back online a few minutes ago. PICARD [OC]: And the planetary collision? RIKER: We're pulling back to a safe distance.

[Holodeck]

PICARD: We'll join you shortly. WORF: Captain. PICARD: Mister Worf, everything is all right. (Reg takes the memory block out of the arch panel)

[Observation lounge]

RIKER: How did you do it, sir? PICARD: We managed to program the holodeck inside the holodeck, and use the same ruse that Moriarty used on us. DATA: When he was attempting to contact the real Bridge, he was in fact speaking to a simulation. TROI: You mean he never knew he hadn't left the holodeck? PICARD: In fact, the program is continuing even now inside that cube. CRUSHER: A miniature holodeck? DATA: In a way, Doctor. However, there is no physicality. The program is continuous but only within the computer's circuitry. BARCLAY: As far as Moriarty and the Countess know, they're half way to Meles Two by now. This enhancement module contains enough active memory to provide them experiences for a lifetime. PICARD: They will live their lives and never know any difference. TROI: In a sense, you did give Moriarty what he wanted. PICARD: In a sense. But who knows? Our reality may be very much like theirs. All this might just be an elaborate simulation running inside a little device sitting on someone's table. Well, we have a newborn star to study. Mister Barclay, you will keep that safe? BARCLAY: Aye, sir. (Everyone else leaves.) BARCLAY: Computer, end program.

The Next Generation episode 6.21: “Frame of Mind”

Original Airdate: May 3, 1993

[Asylum cell - stage]

(Riker in close-up; the doctor is played by Data) RIKER: You're absolutely right, doctor. Right now, I can't imagine ever hurting anybody. DOCTOR [Off]: How do you feel about that person you used to be? RIKER: I feel terrible. But thanks to you, I'm doing much better now. And I'm confident that when I leave, I will be ready to take my place in society again. DOCTOR [Off]: When do you think that will be? RIKER: Well, now. Right away. DOCTOR [Off]: Why do you say that? RIKER: You said that when I was able to accept what I'd done and I understood the consequences of my actions that I would be free to go. DOCTOR [Off]: Free to go? You mean you don't think you should stand trial for what you've done? RIKER: No, I'm looking forward to proving my innocence. XIV

DOCTOR [Off]: I thought you said you accepted what you'd done. RIKER: That's, that's not what I meant. I was sick when it happened. I wasn't responsible for what I did. DOCTOR [Off]: How do I know you're not just telling me what I want to hear? Perhaps we should continue this discussion next week. RIKER: No. I want to talk about this now. DOCTOR [Off]: You're starting to sound angry again. Maybe you need another treatment. RIKER: What I need is to get out of this cell. I've been locked in here for days. You've controlled my every move. You've told me what to eat, and what to think, and what to say, and when I show a glimmer of independent thought you strap me down, you inject me with drugs. You call it a treatment. DOCTOR [Off]: You're becoming agitated. RIKER: You bet I'm agitated. I may be surrounded by insanity, but I'm not insane. And there isn't any - There isn't -There's nothing. … I'm sorry. Could we go back to 'you're becoming agitated'? (Apparently the situation is the rehearsal of a theatrical play, and the doctor is Data) CRUSHER: No. Why don't we take a break for tonight? I think we've made a lot of progress. RIKER: I'm still not comfortable with that final speech. CRUSHER: There's such a thing as over-rehearsing, Will. You're going to be fine. RIKER: Maybe I'm just not right for this part. DATA: Most humanoids have the potential to be irrational. Perhaps you should attempt to access that part of your psyche. CRUSHER: Thank you, Data. Your character feels at odds with everyone, as if the world's against him. RIKER: Like my first year at the Academy. CRUSHER: Yes, that's what your character is going through. But I want you, Will Riker, to relax. RIKER: I'll do my best. CRUSHER: It'll be wonderful. You're going to knock them dead. RIKER: Right.

[Corridor]

RIKER: You control my every move, tell me what to say, what to think. What to eat, what to say. What to think, what to eat. Then when I show a glimmer of independent thought, you strap me down, inject me with drugs, call it a treatment. I may be surrounded by insanity, but I am not insane. (He bumps into an unknown crewman coming out of the turbolift) RIKER: Excuse me.

[Ready room]

RIKER: Tilonus Four? Didn't their government just collapse? PICARD: It's in a state of total anarchy. When the Prime Minister was assassinated, a Federation research team was on the planet. It's believed that they were forced into hiding. Your mission will be to locate and evacuate them. RIKER: Can't they go to local authorities? PICARD: There are no local authorities. The government is splintered. It seems that there are various factions vying for power. They're desperate for weapons or technology of any kind. Apparently, some of the factions have resorted to torture to gather their information. Well, a Starfleet research team would be a prime target. RIKER: Then I'll have to go down there alone, undercover. PICARD: Agreed. Mister Worf is ready to give you a detailed briefing on Tilonian culture. RIKER: Well, I guess I'll have to back out of Beverly's play after all. PICARD: Oh no, no, there'll be plenty of time for that. We won't be arriving at Tilonus for another five days. And besides, if you back out, she'll come after me to play the part.

[Observation lounge]

(There is a map on the wall monitor.) WORF: This is the last known location of the research team. They had occupied a small building in the south- west quarter of the city. You will begin your search there. RIKER: The south-west quarter covers over two hundred square kilometers. That's a lot of land for one man to cover. I guess I'd better pack an extra pair of boots. WORF: This apparel will allow you to pass as a common merchant. This Tilonian pendant is equipped with a communicator circuit.

XV

RIKER: It doesn't really match the outfit. WORF: I suggest you pay closer attention, Commander. Your life will be at stake. Do you understand what I am saying? RIKER: Of course I do. WORF: Because you will be posing as a merchant, you will need to know how to use the nisroh for the traditional bartering ceremony. (Worf shows him a dagger) WORF: You will be judged on your prowess with the blade. (Worf demonstrates, cutting Riker on the right temple) WORF: I am sorry, Commander! I did not intend. RIKER: It's okay. I guess I really wasn't paying attention. I'd better go to sickbay. We'll continue this later.

[Sickbay]

CRUSHER: Boy, you will do anything to get out of doing this play, but you're going to have to do something better than this. RIKER: The play's not till tomorrow night. I've still got twenty-four hours. (Crusher removes the cut.) CRUSHER: Don't get any ideas. I will see you on stage at eighteen hundred hours. RIKER: Right. That still hurts. CRUSHER: There was no damage to the nerves so you shouldn't be feeling any pain. RIKER: Probably just a symptom of stage fright. (La Forge and a colleague bring in a badly burned engineer) CREWMAN: It hurts! LAFORGE: He was working on a conduit on deck thirty-nine. A plasma torch blew up in his hands. CREWMAN: It hurts! Please! CRUSHER: Hypo-spray. MEDIC: Yes, doctor. (the dialogue is in the background as the focus is on Riker and the eyes of the injured crewman) CRUSHER: Get me twenty cc's of opporozine. Treat the surface burns with the anabolic stabilizer. MEDIC: Yes, doctor. NURSE: Should we get a stasis unit? CRUSHER: Have one standing by just in case. Get me an epidermal sample. Begin dermal regeneration. Have tissue re-growth standing by. I want him sedated.

[Ten Forward]

RIKER: I've been on a lot of missions, seen a lot of people injured, but I've never been affected by anything like this. He was looking right at me. TROI: And that was disturbing to you. RIKER: It was as if he was blaming me for something. This wasn't the only incident. The last several days, I've felt like everybody's staring at me or talking about me. It's as if I was in Frame of Mind. TROI: Frame of Mind? RIKER: Beverly's play. Ever since I began rehearsing for the role, I've been uneasy and restless. TROI: You're probably drawing on feelings that you're not used to expressing. RIKER: Right. The play is full of disturbing images. People losing their minds, being tortured by doctors. I can't get it out of my mind. TROI: Sometimes it's healthy to explore the darker sides of the psyche. Jung called it owning your own shadow. This could be a sign that you're a real actor. This is becoming more than just a role to you. RIKER: Maybe you're right. TROI: Don't be afraid of your darker side. Have fun with it. (Riker rubs his sore temple. He sees again the same crewman he bumped into at the turbolift) RIKER: Who was that? You just missed him. Is there a new Lieutenant on board? TROI: I'm not sure. Do you want me to check the personnel logs? RIKER: No, I'll check them tomorrow. I'm going to bed early. The performance is tomorrow night. I want to be up for it. TROI: I'm looking forward to it. Break a leg. RIKER: I'll try not to take you literally.

XVI

[Stage - Asylum cell]

(The performance of the play) DATA: You're becoming agitated. RIKER: You bet I'm agitated! I may be surrounded by insanity, but I am not insane. And nothing you or anyone else can say will change that. And I won't let you or anyone else tell me that I am. You may be able to destroy my mind, but you can't change the fact that I'm innocent. I didn't kill that man! And that's what's driving you crazy. DATA: I can see we have a lot of work to do. (Data exits the stage) RIKER: Nothing you can say will change the fact that I'm innocent! I'm not crazy! I'm not crazy. (quietly) I'm not crazy. (The lights are down and up again; there is standing ovation for Riker) CROWD: Bravo, bravo! Well done. Bravo. (Suddenly the alien crewman is standing among the audience, next to Picard and Worf. Then, when Riker is bowing, the clapping is gone and the stage becomes the asylum cell.)

[Asylum cell]

RIKER: Where am I? How did you get me off the ship? SYRUS: The ship again? (The alien doctor resembles the new crewman of the Enterprise) RIKER: What's going on? SYRUS: I understand this must be disturbing for you, but try to relax. Tell me, where were you a moment ago? RIKER: I was on the Enterprise in the middle of a play. But it was here. It was not real, it was on a stage. SYRUS: I can assure you this is not a stage. Do you remember your name? RIKER: I'm Commander… Commander… A second ago I knew who I was. I was on the ship. I was in a play. And now I'm having trouble remembering anything. SYRUS: That's good. You're starting to come out of your delusional state. RIKER: Delusional? It was not a delusion. I was there. SYRUS: We discussed this. Do you remember, we contacted Starfleet and asked them about you? RIKER: No. SYRUS: We spoke with Admiral Budrow. RIKER: Starbase twenty-nine. He had never heard of me, and they had no officer that fit my description. SYRUS: That's right. Now, I want you to focus on who I am. Do you remember me? RIKER: I don't know. SYRUS: I'm Doctor Syrus. Do you remember anything about where you are now? RIKER: My head hurts. Somebody hit me. SYRUS: You tried to escape. You struggled with one of the attendants and hit your head on a door. Do you remember that? RIKER: Yes. I remember that now. But I thought it was a Klingon who had cut me with a knife. SYRUS: That's called transposition. You're projecting elements from your delusions onto events that really happened. But that's good. There was a time when you couldn't break away from your starship fantasy at all. RIKER: Now, if what you say is true, where am I? SYRUS: You're in Ward forty-seven of the Tilonus Institute for Mental Disorders. RIKER: Why am I here? SYRUS: We'll talk more later. You don't have to remember everything today. You're making excellent progress. (Syrus leaves) RIKER: Wait. (Riker explores his cell; there is a mirror on the wall.) MAVEK [Off]: Good afternoon. I've got some good news for you. Doctor Syrus suggested that you might enjoy a couple of hours in the common area today. Well? RIKER: I guess so. (The attendant and an armed guard enter.) MAVEK: I hope you're hungry. They're serving spiny lobe-fish today. RIKER: You won't need that. MAVEK: That's what you said the last time.

XVII

[Asylum Corridor]

(As they walk slowly down the corridor, there is screaming in the distance, and the new crewman seen on the Enterprise walks past them.)

[Asylum common area]

(The inmates are working on some projects including clay modeling and painting.) MAVEK: I'll be back with your lunch. (A female inmate is sitting opposite Riker.) JAYA: I hear you're a Starfleet officer. I'm Commander Bloom from the Yorktown. There are at least a dozen of us here, maybe more. We were kidnapped, brought here against our will. Sanders was on the Yosemite. They did something to his mind. I think they're trying to get neurochemicals from our brains. Stavko was with me on the Yorktown. I don't know what they did to him. We're going to get out of here. I've made a communicator. RIKER: You have? JAYA: Yes. There are three starships in orbit. They're going to beam us out of here any day now. I'll tell them to get you out, too. (Speaking to the spoon) Lieutenant Bloom to Yorktown. Come in, Yorktown. I've made contact with another officer. MAVEK: Talking to your Starship again, Jaya? JAYA: No. Don't let them tell you you're crazy. (She leaves the table.) MAVEK: You know you're not supposed to take utensils from the common area. (Jaya gives Mavek the spoon) MAVEK: You're welcome to try. RIKER: I'm not that far gone, am I? MAVEK: Of course you are. RIKER: Your name is Mavek. MAVEK: That's right. Not bad for a crazy man. RIKER: I am beginning to remember certain things. Why am I here? MAVEK: I remember when they brought you in. You were struggling, screaming. We could barely hold you down. In fact, just getting the blood off your hands took over an hour. RIKER: Blood? MAVEK: On your hands, clothes. You didn't just kill that man, you mutilated him. RIKER: What are you talking about? I didn't kill anybody. MAVEK: I'm afraid you did. You stabbed him. They found you near the body, the knife in your hand. RIKER: No. It's not true. MAVEK: Yes it is. And if you get out of here, you're going to stand trial. RIKER: You're lying! MAVEK: I imagine the punishment will be quite severe, considering you stabbed him nine times. RIKER: No! (Riker tries to strangle the attendant, but is dragged off and gets an injection.)

[Riker's quarters]

(Riker wakes up with a start in his bed on the Enterprise. Then he is getting ready for the performance.) RIKER: I was there, in Ward forty-seven, just like in the play. Everyone thought that I was insane, that I'd actually killed someone. But it was all real. CRUSHER: Deanna mentioned that you went to bed early because you were feeling a little anxious about the play, but I had no idea. You said that in your dream, we performed the play. How'd it go? RIKER: It was a smash. We got a standing ovation. CRUSHER: Let's hope it goes that well tonight. Well, we have got one hour before curtain. How are you feeling? RIKER: I feel like an actor. CRUSHER: Well, you're certainly beginning to look the part.

[Stage - Asylum cell]

DATA: Perhaps we should continue this discussion next week. XVIII

RIKER: No. I want to talk about this now. DATA: You're starting to sound angry again. Maybe you need another treatment. RIKER: What I need is to get out of this cell. I'm locked up in here for days. You've controlled my every move. You've told me what to eat, what to think, what to say. (Riker sees the attendant looking through the cell door. He checks to see if there is an audience watching, and then the face is gone.) CRUSHER: (prompt) And when I show a glimmer of independent thought … RIKER: And when I show a glimmer of independent thought, you strap me down, inject me with drugs and call it a treatment. DATA: You're becoming agitated. RIKER: You bet I'm agitated! I may be surrounded by insanity, but I am not insane. And there is nothing you - (He is detracted by the sound of a door, and for a moment the audience is gone) RIKER: What's happening? DATA: I can see we have a lot of work to do. (Data exits) RIKER: Nothing you can do will change the fact that I'm innocent. I'm not crazy. I'm not … (The new crewman reappears between Picard and Riker) RIKER: You're the key to all this, aren't you? Who are you? Who are you? LIEUTENANT: Lieutenant Suna, Sir. CRUSHER: Will, are you all right? RIKER: I. Yes. I don't know CRUSHER: Why don't we get him to sickbay.

[Sickbay]

CRUSHER: There's nothing wrong with you neurologically, and I can't find anything that could cause the hallucinations. But your heart rate is way up and your blood pressure's way above normal. And you're physically exhausted. RIKER: This is not a case of simple fatigue. CRUSHER: Will, you know that when you're under conditions of extreme stress the mind can manufacture all kinds of things. RIKER: Drugs. They injected me with me drugs. See if the drug's in my system. CRUSHER: Nothing. RIKER: In that dream they gave me drugs. Didn't anybody at the theatre see anything strange happening during the performance? CRUSHER: No, nobody. Get some rest, Will. The play is over. Don't give it another thought. RIKER: Right.

[Corridor]

RIKER: How's Lieutenant Suna? TROI: A little shaken but alright. RIKER: I feel like such an idiot. TROI: It's nothing to be embarrassed about. We're your friends. We all know the stress you've been under. I'm sure everyone understands perfectly. DATA: Commander, I must compliment you on your performance this evening. RIKER: Oh? DATA: Your unexpected choice to improvise was an effective method of drawing the audience into the plight of your character. You gave a truly realistic interpretation of multi-infarct dementia. RIKER: Thank you. TROI: Well, maybe not everyone understands. RIKER: I think I'd better get a little rest. Clear my mind a little. TROI: I want you to try a few relaxation techniques as well. Remember the ones I showed you a few months ago? RIKER: They never seem to work for me. SYRUS [Off]: Maybe you need another treatment. TROI: What's wrong? RIKER: Nothing. Nothing. TROI: Will, I want you to get some sleep. I'll see you tomorrow.

XIX

RIKER: Okay.

[Turbolift]

(The door opens and leads into the asylum corridor.) RIKER: It's not real. It's not real. (He closes his eyes and when he opens them again, he finds himself in the asylum corridor)

[Corridor]

(He walks around a corner and meets Jaya, the female inmate.) JAYA: Don't let them tell you you're crazy. (Riker runs the other way and suddenly enters his quarters.)

[Riker's quarters]

(The door shuts behind him. It is the one of the asylum cell.)

[Asylum cell]

RIKER: No! Let me out of here! Let me out of here! Help me! (Quietly) Help me.

[Asylum common area]

RIKER: I need help. I don't want to be at the mercy of these hallucinations any more. SYRUS: So you've accepted you're not from a starship? That it's all a delusion? RIKER: All I know is when I go back to the ship, reality breaks apart. Nothing makes sense. And then when it's over, it fades away like a dream. But when I'm in the hospital, everything here seems real and I remember everything that happens here. SYRUS: And what about how you got here? RIKER: Maybe I did kill someone. I don't know. But I want to know how. SYRUS: I'm glad to hear you say that, because I just had a long talk with the hospital administrator. He told me there are certain legal questions that have to be resolved relatively soon. RIKER: Meaning? SYRUS: Meaning we can't keep you here much longer. We're the only mental health facility on Tilonus Four. We have many people who need our help. I don't want to put any undue stress on you but we have to settle this case one way or another within the next few days. RIKER: What does that mean? SYRUS: You're facing a choice. We can try to help you remember what happened by using reflection therapy. If it's successful, you would be fit to stand trial. RIKER: Reflection therapy? SYRUS: It's a way for you to interact with the various facets of your personality. We scan the regions of your brain that control emotions and memory, and then project them holographically. RIKER: And what is the second option? SYRUS: A complete synaptic reconstruction of your cerebral cortex. RIKER: Surgery. SYRUS: We would neutralize the synaptic pathways responsible for your mental instability. RIKER: It doesn't sound like you care for that option. SYRUS: I don't. The procedure is irreversible. You'd be left with a completely altered personality. The person you are now would cease to exist. RIKER: Option one is beginning to sound better. SYRUS: I agree. RIKER: Reflection therapy, then. When do we begin? SYRUS: This afternoon, if you're ready. I want you to understand that this isn't going to be easy. You'll be interacting with aspects of your psyche you've never dealt with before, and you may be disturbed by what they have to say.

XX

[Asylum cell]

(Some kind of device has been brought into the cell.) SYRUS: Close your eyes. Try to relax. Clear your mind. (The device sends out a beam to scan Riker's face) SYRUS: Now, think back to before you came to the hospital. But don't try to remember specific incidents. Concentrate on how you felt. RIKER: I was afraid. (A second beam projects an image.) TROI: Terrified. RIKER: She was on the ship with me. SYRUS: That's because she represents an aspect of your personality, and there are many parts of you that still believe you're on that starship. RIKER: Why her? SYRUS: I asked you to get in touch with your feelings, and this is the part of you that responded. Talk to her about how you felt before you came here. RIKER: You said I was terrified. Of what? TROI: I was in a dark place. Cold. Frightened. Someone was there. RIKER: Who? TROI: I felt threatened by them. Trapped. SYRUS: You're doing very well. Now let's try to find out how you responded to these feelings. Try to focus on your actions. You felt trapped. What did you do? WORF: I was angry. They were attacking me. I fought back. TROI: I felt pain. WORF: I was injured. TROI: I began to panic. WORF: There was a struggle and I … RIKER: You what? What happened? SYRUS: Try to associate your actions and emotions with logical thoughts. What do you think caused you to act and feel this way? PICARD: It was cold and dark because I was outdoors at night. I was in a narrow place. I was walking through an alley. TROI: I felt threatened. WORF: I was being watched. PICARD: Someone must have followed me into the alley. That's why I started to walk faster. Someone grabbed me from behind. TROI: I panicked. WORF: I tried to fight them off. RIKER: How many of them were there? PICARD: Three. Humanoid. I only saw the face of one of them. RIKER: What did he look like? (The person in question appears sitting next to Riker) RIKER: I saw him on the ship too. I also saw him here in the hospital, but I don't know who he is. SYRUS: That's Mister Suna, the hospital Administrator. You met him when you first arrived here. RIKER: What part of me does he represent? SYRUS: I don't know. TROI: Don't believe this, Will. None of it is real. You're still with us on the Enterprise. RIKER: Doctor? PICARD: We're your colleagues. You can trust us. Everything will be alright. SYRUS: Do you have anything to say to them? RIKER: You're all delusions. WORF: Do not listen to him, Commander. He is trying to trick you. You are in danger here. Let us help you. TROI: Listen to me, Will. In all the years we've known each other, have I ever lied to you? RIKER: No, please. Leave me alone! PICARD: Will, please. RIKER: No! (The device removes the images.) SYRUS: You've taken a big step today. You've finally turned your back on those delusions and all that they represent to you. We'll continue later.

XXI

[Asylum common area]

(Riker is slowly eating a plate of mush when Crusher enters wearing civilian clothes.) RIKER: It's not real. (She sits down opposite him) CRUSHER: Commander, do you know who I am? Do you know where you are? If you can't answer, just listen. You were on an undercover mission to Tilonus Four. Something happened. We were told that you killed somebody, but we do not believe it's true. We're being blocked at every turn. The hospital administrator denies you're here at all. We're beginning to think that there's some kind of conspiracy going on. I had to come in here posing as a health official. Sit tight, Commander. We're going to get you out of here. (She leaves.) RIKER: Not real.

[Asylum cell]

(Riker wakes to see that someone is forcing his cell door open. Worf and Data enter.) DATA: Commander. RIKER: Get away from me! WORF: Commander, you must come with us. You are in danger here. RIKER: No! WORF: Silence.

[Asylum Corridor]

(Data hauls Riker out into the corridor, where he collapses.) DATA: Commander, are you all right? (Riker breaks away and escapes) RIKER: Help me! Help me! (The attendant and guard come from around the corner. Riker grabs Worf's phaser and runs behind them.) MAVEK: Who are you? Take them to security ward. (Data deals with the guard, and Worf takes out the attendant. Data grabs Riker and drags him to the asylum common area.)

[Asylum common area]

WORF: Worf to Enterprise. The pattern enhancer has been activated. Three to beam up. CREWMAN. [Off]: Acknowledged.

[Sickbay]

CRUSHER: There's damage to the parietal lobe. It's as if someone's trying to access his long-term memory. He's in a severe state of neural shock. It's going to take him a while to recover. PICARD: Number One, do you remember what happened? You were abducted during the mission on Tilonus Four. You were put into a psychiatric hospital. RIKER: It's still bleeding. CRUSHER: It's minor. Don't worry about it. WORF: We have been checking on the hospital administrator. RIKER: Mister Suna. PICARD: It appears that he's involved with one of the rival factions. We believe that he is responsible for what happened to you. RIKER: It still hurts. It's bleeding again. Why? You just healed it. CRUSHER: Will, try to calm down. RIKER: This isn't real. (Riker knocks Worf down and takes his phaser) PICARD: What are you doing, Will? RIKER: If I'm right, you're not really here. This isn't a real phaser. It's all a fantasy, and I'm going to end it, no matter what it takes. PICARD: But what if it isn't a fantasy? Are you willing to take that chance? RIKER: You're right, I won't. But I'm going to find out what's real and what's not. XXII

(He points the phaser at himself.) CRUSHER: Will, don't do it! (Riker fires, and the sickbay shatters. Picard, Worf and Crusher are replaced by the asylum cell.)

[Asylum cell]

SUNA: How's he progressing? SYRUS: He's not responding to the Reflection therapy. His delusions are growing more elaborate. MAVEK: He broke out of his cell last night. We found him running down a corridor claiming people had come to take him back to his starship. SUNA: Then I see no other choice. We'll have to perform the synaptic reconstruction. RIKER: I still have a phaser. Why do I still have a phaser? SUNA: It's not a phaser, it's a knife. You stole it from one of the food trays. Give it to me. We don't want you to hurt yourself. (Riker's temple starts to bleed again, on the exact same spot where Worf injured him before.) RIKER: I don't believe you. (Mavek steps forward, Riker fires the phaser and Mavek shatters like a broken mirror.) RIKER: If this is a knife, what happened to Mavek? SUNA: It's very complicated. I'll answer all of your questions, but first I want you to put that down. RIKER: No. If this is a real phaser, then I was on the Enterprise. But I fired it on myself, so I should be dead. None of this is real. I'm setting this to level sixteen, wide field. That should destroy half of this building. Unless, of course, this isn't a real phaser. (Riker fires at the wall, which shatters to show the audience watching the play.)

[Stage Asylum cell]

(Syrus has disappeared.) RIKER: It's all about you, isn't it? You're the only constant, the only person in both places. SUNA: There's a lot more going on here than you realize. RIKER: This isn't real, either. What's happening to me? SUNA: Listen to me. We can still save you, but you must stop fighting us. (Riker's head hurts.) RIKER: You're lying. SUNA: Let me help you. RIKER: No! (The audience is applauding.) SUNA: I'm warning you. RIKER: No! (Riker pushes Suna, and the audience gets to their feet, shouting Bravo. Then Riker shatters, and the whole scene shatters.)

[Asylum lab] – reality, diegetic level

(Riker is lying on a table. Something is attached to his temple at the spot where he was bleeding.) SUNA: He's conscious! I haven't finished the neurodrain. Get him sedated. (Riker hits the assistant, rips the device out of his head and leaps for a table where he grabs the nisroh and pendant) RIKER: Riker to Enterprise! WORF [Off]: Enterprise here. Are you all right, sir? RIKER: Emergency transport. Get me out of here.

Captain’s log:

Captain's log, stardate 46778.1. Commander Riker has returned safely from his mission to Tilonus Four. Doctor Crusher has repaired the damage to his long-term memory.

XXIII

[Ready room]

PICARD: Evidently, you were abducted two days after beaming to the surface. RIKER: I remember now. I was in an alley. They attacked me from behind. I tried to fight them off with the nisroh Worf gave me. I managed to get one of them off me but I think they injected me with some sort of drug. PICARD: We believe that they were trying to extract strategic information from your memory using a neurosomatic technique. RIKER: I was in a hospital, then I was back on the Enterprise. I was back at the hospital. I kept shifting from place to place. I couldn't tell what was real. TROI: Your mind must have created a defense mechanism that helped you resist the neurosomatic process. Your unconscious fastened on to elements of your real life in an attempt to keep you grounded, to keep you sane. RIKER: The preparation for the mission, the play, those were recent experiences, fresh in my mind. PICARD: You should get some rest. We can talk some more tomorrow. RIKER: There is one thing I'd like to do first.

[Stage]

CRUSHER: Are you sure you want to do this by yourself? The stage crew and I were going to do it tomorrow morning. RIKER: I'm positive. After everything that I've experienced, I don't think I could sleep knowing it was still up. (Riker starts to demolish and destroy the cell set and props.)

Deep Space Nine episode 7.20: “Far beyond the Stars” Original Airdate: Feb 9, 1998

[Captain's office]

KIRA: The Defiant searched the area for almost six hours. We couldn't find any sign of survivors. SISKO: The Cortez was a fine ship. KIRA: You knew Captain Swofford a long time. SISKO: I introduced him to his wife. KIRA: Patrolling the Cardassian borders is getting more and more dangerous. You never know when you're going to run into a squadron of Jem'Hadar fighters. SISKO: I guess we popped the champagne cork too soon, huh? Everyone thought the war was over when we retook the station and pushed the Dominion back into Cardassian space. KIRA: I never believed that and neither did you. SISKO: A lot of good that did the four hundred people on the Cortez. (The door opens, Mister Sisko enters.) KIRA: Ah, Mister Sisko. How do you like our station so far? JOSEPH: Well, it certainly is big. (Kira leaves.) JOSEPH: I heard about Quentin Swofford. I'm sorry. SISKO: Look, Dad, I know I haven't been very good company the last few days. JOSEPH: I didn't come here to be entertained. I came to see you and Jake. SISKO: Well, you certainly picked an interesting time to take your first trip away from Earth. JOSEPH: Well, I figured it was now or never. Besides, I've been worried about you. Last couple of times we've talked it seemed like you were carrying the weight of the entire Alpha Quadrant on your shoulders. SISKO: Sometimes it certainly feels that way, Dad. JOSEPH: Just say it, son. SISKO: I don't know how much more I can take. I don't know how many more friends I can lose. Every time I achieve a real victory, something like this happens and everything seems to turn to ashes. XXIV

JOSEPH: So what do you want to do? SISKO: Maybe it's time for me to step down, let someone else make the tough calls. JOSEPH: I see. No one is indispensable, son. Not even you. Whatever decision you make, I'll support. Of course, if Quentin Swofford was here I'd bet he'd have a few things to say to you. SISKO: But he's not here, and that's the whole point. JOSEPH: I'd say you have some thinking to do, and I've got a dinner date with my grandson, so you'd better get to it. (A man in a 1950's suit walks past the door. It is Rene Auberjonois – Odo without mask and costumes.) SISKO: Who was that?

[Ops]

SISKO: Where'd he go? JOSEPH: Who? SISKO: The man who just walked by my door. DAX: I didn't see anyone. SISKO: I could've sworn.

[Corridor]

KASIDY: I don't know what you're so worried about, Ben. I'm not taking my ship anywhere near the Cardassian border. SISKO: I realize that, but the Dominion is getting bolder and bolder, and your freighter is no match for a Jem'Hadar attack ship. KASIDY: Ah, they've got to catch me first. SISKO: You're really not worried, are you? KASIDY: No. I'm fearless, and you know that. That's why you love me. SISKO: I think I follow that logic. WILLIE: Hey, Benny. (A black New York Giants baseball player walks past. It is Michael Dorn – Worf in human appearance.) WILLIE: Catch the game? (He goes into a room.) SISKO: What? Who was that? KASIDY: Who was who? (Sisko heads to the same door.) KASIDY: Ben, where are you going? (Sisko opens the door and walks through.)

[New York Street]

(It is th 1950's. Sisko is in the middle of the street, missed by a bus and a car but gets knocked down by a yellow cab. A crowd gathers around him.) WOMAN: Someone help him. Call an ambulance.

[DS9 Infirmary]

BASHIR: He's awake now. KASIDY: Ben, are you all right? SISKO: I think so. JOSEPH: Thank God. JAKE: Hey, Dad, you scared us there for a minute. SISKO: What happened? BASHIR: I don't know. I'm reading some unusual synaptic potentials. Your neural patterns are similar to those you experienced last year. SISKO: You mean when I was having those visions about Bajor? JOSEPH: Visions? Does this have something to do with those Prophets you're always telling me about? KASIDY: He's not going to need surgery again, is he? BASHIR: I'm not sure yet, so I'd like you to remain overnight for observation. SISKO: Is that absolutely necessary? XXV

BASHIR: Take a look at these readings. (Sisko takes the PADD.)

[New York street]

(Sisko is in 1950s clothes looking at a pulp magazine, Galaxy September 1953 edition, 35 cents.) VENDOR (Nog – Aron Eisenberg): Are you going to buy that or not? Personally, I don't see the attraction. Spaceships, flying saucers, men from Mars. BENNY (Sisko – Avery Brooks): What's wrong with men from Mars? VENDOR: Nothing, except it's all make-believe. Me, I like war stories. Did you see From Here to Eternity? Burt Lancaster standing there in the middle of Pearl Harbour, machine gun blazing shooting down those zeros. If it had been flying saucers, forget about it. So you going to buy that or not? (Sisko buys it.) ALBERT (O’Brien – Colm Meany): Benny. BENNY: Hello, Albert. ALBERT: I thought you might be going to the office. BENNY: We could walk there together. ALBERT: Exactly. (Albert puts his pipe in his mouth and searches for his matches. Benny produces a book.) ALBERT: Oh, there they are. You're looking at the Galaxy, I see. VENDOR: Paper here. Paper.

[Magazine office]

(The Globe headline reads “Reds Test H-Bomb”. Some past Incredible Tales editions are January 1953 - A Most Fortunate Accident, Assault on Planet 10, Quantity of the Monster, 1001: First Odyssey, Venusian Chronicles. March 1953 - The Cage by E W Roddenberry, The Corbomite Maneuver, Journey to Babel, Metamorphosis, Where No Man Has Gone Before. September 1953 - Far Beyond The Stars, A Wrinkle in Space, Hazardous Images, Me Android, Loner In A Lonely World by Hugo Campbell.) KAY (Kira - Nana Visitor): Voila. A pitcher of plain water instantly becomes a pitcher of iced tea. JULIUS (Dr. Bashir - Siddig El Fasil): Incredible. White Rose Ready Tea. What an appalling concept. KAY: Oh, H. G. Wells would've liked it. JULIUS: I doubt that. No self-respecting Englishman would. HERBERT: (Quark - Armin Shimerman) Pabst! Pabst! Get out here. PABST: (Odo - Rene Auberjonois) What's wrong now, Herb? HERBERT: I'll give you one guess. KAY: The battle of the doughnuts, round twenty eight. PABST: That's it? That's what you called me out here for, to complain about the doughnuts? HERBERT: They're stale again. PABST: Delicious. HERBERT: Delicious, my eye. These are two days old and you know it. PABST: I have been eating doughnuts my whole life. These weren't baked more than six hours ago. HERBERT: That's it, I quit. I'm going over to Galaxy. PABST: Ha! Galaxy, that rag? HERBERT: I bet that rag knows the difference between a doughnut and a doorstop. (Benny and Albert enter quietly) BENNY: Who's winning? KAY: A draw, same as always. PABST: You want to write Galaxy, go ahead, but they're not going to pay you four cents a word for your stories. JULIUS: You're paying him four cents a word? ALBERT: Did you see where I put the … er? BENNY: The matches? I gave them to you. JULIUS: If he's getting four, Kay and I should at least get three. HERBERT: For that fantasy crap you write, you're lucky to be getting two. JULIUS: I beg your pardon? KAY: What's that? JULIUS: The latest Galaxy. KAY: Benny has the new issue of Galaxy. HERBERT: Let me see that. Heinlein, Bradbury, Sturgeon. Quite a line-up. Add Herbert Rossoff to them and XXVI it'd be complete. PABST: What if I promise you fresh doughnuts tomorrow? HERBERT: Why should I believe you? PABST: I'll even throw in a couple of crullers. HERBERT: Okay, I'll stay. JULIUS: Don't do us any favors. PABST: Good. Now that we've finished with the old business, onto the new. Time to hand out next month's story assignments. Ritterhouse! We're waiting. (Enter the resident artist with paint stained smock.) ROY: (Martok – J G Hertzler) Okay, friends and neighbours. Let's see what Uncle Roy has for you today. PABST: All right, I've titled this one 'Please, Take Me with You.' Who wants it? (A little girl standing in the woods near a picnic table, staring at two aliens in space suits.) KAY: Hmm, what do you think, Jules? JULIUS: I think we can do something with that. HERBERT: Oh, I bet you can. I can see it now, the lonely little girl befriended by empathetic aliens who teach her how to smile. It's enough to make you go out and buy a television set. Next. ROY: This is Mister Pabst's favorite. “Honeymoon on Andoras”. (A bug eyed monster climbing over the ledge of a building, where a buxom beauty is sunbathing.) KAY: Oh, you've got to be kidding. ROY: What? So I had too much sauerkraut on my franks that night. What can I say? HERBERT: Be that as it may, that is the worst piece of garbage I have ever seen. ROY: Thank you. HERBERT: I'll take it. JULIUS: Of course you will. You have an affinity for garbage, don't you? HERBERT: The picture may be garbage, but the story? The story will be art. (A picture of the space station Deep Space Nine) PABST: All right, I haven't got a title for this one yet. Anybody got any ideas? BENNY: I'll think of something. PABST: All right, next order of business. Some of our readers have been writing in wanting to know what you people look like. KAY: Write back and tell them we look like writers. Poor, needy and incredibly attractive. PABST: Well our publisher has a better idea. Mister Stone has decided to run a picture of you in next month's issue. ALBERT: Is this absolutely … PABST: Necessary? I'm afraid it is. Kay, you can sleep late that day. KAY: Of course I can. God forbid that the public ever finds out K.C. Hunter is a woman. BENNY: I suppose I'm sleeping late that day, too. PABST: It's not personal, Benny, but as far as our readers are concerned, Benny Russell is as white as they are. Let's just keep it that way. HERBERT: Oh yes, if the world's not ready for a woman writer, imagine what would happen if it learned about a negro with a typewriter. Run for the hills! It's the end of civilization. BENNY: What about W E B du Bois, Zora Neale Hurston, Langston Hughes, Ralph Ellison, Richard Wright? Did you ever hear of Native Son? PABST: That's literature for liberals and intellectuals. The average reader's not going to spend his hard earned cash on stories written by negroes. HERBERT: Would someone please shoot me and put me out of my misery? JULIUS: How I long for a gun. PABST: I'm sorry, Benny. I wish things were different, but they're not. BENNY: Wishing never changed a damn thing. PABST: Come on, Benny. It's just a photo. BENNY: I'll try to remember that. HERBERT: You're a dog. PABST: All right, enough standing around. Get back to work.

[New York Street]

(As Benny comes out of the Arthur Trill building, the breeze takes the picture of DS9 down the street where someone steps on it. Benny reaches down for it.) RYAN: (Gul Dukat – Marc Alaimo) Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey. What's the hurry? BENNY: That's my drawing. XXVII

RYAN: Is that so? MULKAHEY: (Weyoun – Jeffrey Coombs) Nice suit. Where'd you get it? BENNY: I bought it. Can I have my drawing back? RYAN: Hey boy, I'd watch that tone of voice if I were you. MULKAHEY: What are you doing around here? BENNY: I work here. RYAN: Yeah? Where? BENNY: In there. RYAN: What are you, the janitor? MULKAHEY: Awfully well dressed for a janitor. RYAN: How do we know that picture's yours? BENNY: It's the drawing of a space station. RYAN: Space station? (Benny starts to bend down again.) MULKAHEY: Hey, hey, hey, hey. (He goes to pick it up.) Well, get off it already. RYAN: Okay. BENNY: See? It's not worth anything except to me. RYAN: I say we run him in, check him for priors. MULKAHEY: Nah. We've got to be uptown in fifteen minutes. Take your drawing and get out of here. RYAN: Hey, hey. You're getting off with a warning this time. Next time, not so lucky. Now get out of here. MULKAHEY: You heard him, move on. RYAN: I don't know, Kevin. Whole city's going to hell in a hand basket, huh? MULKAHEY: Damn shame. RYAN: Come on.

[Harlem street]

(Benny comes out of the subway.) PREACHER: (Mr Sisko – Brock Peters) And he said to me, 'These words are trustworthy and true.' And the Lord, God of the spirits of the Prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place. Praise the Lord. Open their eyes. Help them to see. BENNY: Are you talking to me? PREACHER: Oh, that my words were now written. Oh, that they were printed in a book. Write those words, Brother Benny. Let them see the glory of what lies ahead. BENNY: Benny? How do you know my name? PREACHER: Go now and write the truth that's in your heart. The truth that shall set them free! Praise be the word of the Lord. Praise to the word of the Prophets.

[Benny's apartment]

(A small neat place, furnished with a piano and plenty of books. Benny gets a bottle of milk from the fridge then settles down at his typewriter. He types “Captain Benjamin Sisko sat looking out the window”. Benny looks up to raise the blind and sees Sisko reflected in his own window. He rubs his eyes and Sisko is gone, then he carries on typing.)

[Harlem coffee shop]

(Benny's got an envelope with him.) CASSIE: (Kasidy – Penny Johnson) Hey, baby. Have a seat. The usual? BENNY: How about scrambling those eggs today? CASSIE: Oh my, aren't we feeling adventurous. BENNY: I have just written the best story of my life. CASSIE: That's great, baby. I got some good news, too. I talked to Mrs. Jackson last night and she's serious about retiring in the next couple of years. I asked her about selling this place to us and she said that she would be willing. BENNY: Cassie, we have been over this. I have a job. I am a writer. CASSIE: And how much money have you earned doing that? BENNY: I've only been working at it for a few years. CASSIE: A few years? More like fifteen, if you count all those stories you wrote in the Navy.

XXVIII

BENNY: That was amateur stuff. CASSIE: Oh, baby, neither one of us is getting any younger. Can't you see? This is our chance. We can make some money, we can get married. You're always talking about writing for the future. Well, look around you. This is our future. (Willie enters with a couple of young ladies, and is greeted with applause.) WILLIE: Cassie, hear the game last night? Went two for four, robbed Snider of a tater. Should have heard the crowd yelling and carrying on. BENNY: Sure they were yelling. They want to know why the Giants are in fifth place. WILLIE: Would you please tell this fool to take his business someplace else? CASSIE: Well, I've thought about it. Trouble is, if he did leave, he'd take my heart with him. WILLIE: Suit yourself. But if you ask me, it's a waste of a very pretty heart. CASSIE: I don't think so. BENNY: Strike three. You're out. WILLIE: That's all right. I'll get another turn at bat. How about some steak and eggs? CASSIE: Coming right up. But tell me something. How come you still living uptown? I mean, a famous ballplayer like you, you can live anywhere you want. WILLIE: The hell I can. They can hardly get used to the idea of me playing alongside them. Living next to them? That's a whole other story. Besides, around here, when people look at me, it's 'cause they admire me. There, I'm just another colored boy who can hit a curve ball. Now, if you will excuse me, my public awaits. (Willie goes to a table of four girls, and young lads come over for autographs.) WILLIE: Ladies. Oh, hi guys. CASSIE: I'll see about those eggs. JIMMY: (Jake – Cirroc Lofton) Hey, Benny. You wanna buy a watch? BENNY: How did you get that? JIMMY: I found it. Nice, huh? BENNY: Jimmy, you got to turn this around or one day you're going to find yourself in some serious trouble. JIMMY: Anything I can get into, I can get out of. BENNY: You keep thinking that way and watch what happens. JIMMY: Man, why you always trying to lecture me? BENNY: I'm not trying to lecture you, Jimmy, I'm just trying to help. JIMMY: You want to help me, you can buy this watch. I can use the cash. BENNY: Why don't you get a job? JIMMY: As what? A delivery boy or a dishwasher? No, thanks. I like being my own boss, setting my own hours. BENNY: Sounds like a great life. JIMMY: Yours ain't no better. Writing stories about a bunch of white people living on the moon. Who cares about that? BENNY: I'm not doing that anymore. I'm writing about us. JIMMY: What, colored people on the moon? BENNY: Check out next month's issue. JIMMY: Colored people on the moon. I just might do that. But first, I'm gonna need to raise me some cash.

[Magazine office]

(Everyone is reading Benny's new story, passing the pages around. The telephone goes unanswered.) DARLENE: (Jadzia – Terry Farrell) She's got a worm in her belly. Oh, that's disgusting. That's interesting, but that's disgusting. ALBERT: And you are, if you don't mind me asking, you are? DARLENE: I'm Mister Pabst's new secretary. Darlene Kursky. Which one of you's wrote this? BENNY: I did. DARLENE: You? BENNY: Surprised? DARLENE: It's just it's the best thing I've read since The Puppet Masters. I read a lot of science fiction. HERBERT: Bless you, my child. KAY: The world needs more people like you. ALBERT: The story is really, it's, how should I put it? It's very … DARLENE: Impressive? ALBERT: Yes. HERBERT: It's a damn fine piece of writing is what it is. And “Deep Space Nine” is a very intriguing title. JULIUS: Very admirable. XXIX

HERBERT: The master of understatement. What he really means is he wishes he had half your talent. KIRA: You know what, Benny? I like this Major of yours. She's a tough cookie. KAY: Science fiction needs more strong women characters. I'm always saying that, aren't I, Jules? JULIUS: Ad nauseam, dear. ROY: These Cardassians, I like the way you describe them, especially the neck ridges. I'm going to do some sketches for you to take a look at. Make a nice cover. PABST: Don't waste your time. You, back to work. DARLENE: Right away, Mister Pabst. PABST: You too, Roy. HERBERT: Douglas, you're not going to stand there and tell us you don't like this story. PABST: Oh, I like it all right. It's good. It's very good. But you know I can't print it. BENNY: Why not? PABST: Oh, come on, Benny. Your hero's a negro captain. The head of a space station, for Christ's sake. BENNY: What's wrong with that? PABST: People won't accept it. It's not believable. HERBERT: And men from Mars are? PABST: Stay out of this, Herb. Look, Benny, I'm a magazine editor, I am not a crusader. I am not here to change the world. I'm here to put out a magazine. Now, that's my job. That means I have to answer to the publisher, the national distributors, the wholesalers and none of them are going to want to put this story on the newsstand. For all we know, it could cause a race riot. HERBERT: Congratulations, Douglas. That's the most imbecilic attempt to rationalize personal cowardice that I've ever heard. KAY: Uh oh, he's angry now. PABST: Herb's been angry ever since Joseph Stalin died. HERBERT: What's that supposed to mean? PABST: You know exactly what it means. HERBERT: You calling me a red? BENNY: Easy, easy. JULIUS: Calm down, dear boy. We're writers, not Vikings. HERBERT: I'm not going to stand here and let some craven fascist call me a pinko and get away with it. ALBERT: Douglas, what did you think of, of my story? PABST: I loved it. You see, Albert's got the right idea. He's not interested in negroes or whites. He writes about robots. HERBERT: That's because he is a robot. No offence, Albert. ALBERT: I like robots. They're very efficient. PABST: Here, write me a novella based on this picture. I'll print it in next month's issue. You do a good job, you might even get the cover. BENNY: What about my story? PABST: The way I see it, you can either burn it or you can stick it in a drawer for fifty years or however long it takes the human race to become color-blind. BENNY: I want people to read it now. PABST: Fine. You want me to print it? Make the captain white. BENNY: That's not what I wrote. PABST: It's your call.

[Harlem coffee shop]

CASSIE: I'm sorry they didn't buy your story, baby. Really I am. JIMMY: I told you you were wasting your time. A colored captain. The only reason they'll ever let us in space is if they need someone to shine their shoes. Ain't that right, Cassie? CASSIE: I don't know, and to be honest I don't much care what happens a hundred years from now. It's today that matters. JIMMY: Well, I've got news for you. Today or a hundred years from now, it don't make a bit of difference. As far as they're concerned, we'll always be niggers. BENNY: Things are going to change. They have to. JIMMY: You keep telling yourself that. CASSIE: Maybe all this is happening for a reason. BENNY: You mean maybe it's God's way of telling me that I should quit writing and go into the restaurant business? CASSIE: Hey, it's possible. Baby, I know we can make this work for us. We could be happy. Besides, you don't XXX have to give up writing altogether. Maybe you could write something for the Amsterdam News or some other negro newspapers. BENNY: I'm not a reporter, I'm a writer. I write fiction and the Amsterdam News is not going to publish stories about a space station four hundred years into the future. WORF: Hear the game last night? (Benny starts up from his stool and knocks over a passer-by.) WILLIE: I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you. You don't look so good. You sick or something? BENNY: Oh, no, I'm fine. CASSIE: You want to lie down in the back? BENNY: No, no, no, I just need some air. CASSIE: Are we still on for tonight? BENNY: I'll pick you up about ten. (And escapes into the street.) WILLIE: What are you doing till ten? CASSIE: Whatever it is, I won't be doing it with you.

[Harlem street]

(Night time.) PREACHER: Hello, Brother Benny. BENNY: You again. I don't understand what you want from me. PREACHER: To follow the path of the Prophets. Walk with the Prophets, Brother Benny. Show us the way. BENNY: What way? I don't know what you're talking about. PREACHER: Write the words, Brother Benny. The words that will lead us out of the darkness onto the path of righteousness. (Benny walks away) PREACHER: Write the words, Brother Benny. Write the words.

[Benny's apartment]

(Benny gets in and sits straight down at the typewriter. Later, Cassie switches on the wireless. Benny is asleep holding a manuscript.) CASSIE: Hey, baby. You forgot all about our date. BENNY: Our date? I'm sorry. I was working. CASSIE: Ben Sisko? Isn't that your colored Captain? Why are you writing another one of those stories? You couldn't sell the last one. What makes you think this one'll be any different? BENNY: It probably won't be, but it doesn't matter. It's what I've got to do. CASSIE: Right now, what you've got to do is eat. BENNY: I'm not hungry. What time is it anyway? CASSIE: It's after midnight. I should be getting home to bed. But before I go, what do you say we take a spin on the dance floor. BENNY: Okay. CASSIE: Mmmh. Feels good, doesn't it? BENNY: I could stay like this forever.

[Sisko's quarters]

(Sisko and Kasidy are dancing. Sisko's in Benny's clothes but Kasidy has a different dress on.) KASIDY: Me, too. It's times like these that I wish we'd never heard of the Dominion.

[Benny's apartment]

BENNY: The Dominion? CASSIE: What do you mean? You said something about the Dominion.

[Sisko's quarters]

KASIDY: What is it, Ben? What's wrong?

XXXI

BENNY: I don't know. I think I'm losing my mind.

[Benny's apartment]

(Benny falls against the piano.) CASSIE: Tell me. Tell me what's wrong. BENNY: I'm starting to see things; things from my story. It's as if I'm becoming this Captain Sisko. CASSIE: Okay, baby, you just need to get some rest. It's all right, it's all right. I'm with you. I'm with you, baby. Just take it easy. Shh.

[Magazine office]

PABST: Have you lost your mind? BENNY: Lately, I've been asking myself the same question. PABST: I give you a novella to write. I even offer you a shot at the cover. Three weeks later, instead of a novella, you come back with six stories. Six sequels to a story I refused to publish in the first place. So I guess the answer to the question we've both been asking is yes, you are certifiable! JULIUS: I think you should print your own stories. You know, through a private publishing house. A nice, elegant, little volume. Fifty to a hundred copies. PABST: That's a great idea. KAY: Might as well write it in chalk on the sidewalk. More people would read them that way. ALBERT: I've got an idea. Why not make them, you know, a dream? BENNY: What's that? ALBERT: Just make the ending of your first story, “Deep Space Nine”, a dream. BENNY: Would that make a difference? PABST: That depends. KAY: On what? PABST: On who's doing the dreaming. KAY: Well, obviously someone, er …, someone without a lot of hope. A shoeshine boy, a convict, someone dreaming of a better future. PABST: A negro. DARLENE: Yeah well, I suppose he'd have to be if he was dreaming about a negro Captain. HERBERT: Hold on. Making it a dream guts the story. PABST: Shut up, Herb. JULIUS: I think it makes it more poignant. HERBERT: What about the other Sisko stories? You can't make them all dreams. KAY: Let him get this one published first, then he can worry about the others. JULIUS: What do you think, Benny? BENNY: I think it's better than chalk on the sidewalk.

[Harlem street]

(Two girls are skipping on the sidewalk.) BENNY: Can I play? Hey, Jimmy, I got great news. We're headed for the stars. JIMMY: Yeah, sure, whatever. (Jimmy keeps looking around, nervously.) BENNY: Come on, I'll buy you lunch. I'll tell you all about it. JIMMY: Later. I got some business to take care of. BENNY: What kind of business? JIMMY: Big time. That's all I've got to say. BENNY: Hey, hey, hey, hold it, hold it. What are you talking about? JIMMY: Don't worry about it. It's cool, man. I got it under control. I'll see you around.

[Harlem coffee shop]

WILLIE: Bottom of seventh, I'm up again. Oh two fastball, ham, into the left field bleachers. Had to be four hundred feet. CASSIE: I know all about it, Willie. I read the newspaper. WILLIE: Oh, but you got to admit, they don't tell like I tell it. XXXII

BENNY: Hey, Cassie. WILLIE: Hey, man, did you hear the game last night? I went two for four. BENNY: Yeah, Willie, that's great. But I just hit a grand slam. They are publishing one of my Sisko stories at three cents a word. Three cents a word! CASSIE: Good for you, baby. BENNY: That means tonight we are celebrating. Dancing, the works. CASSIE: I'll wear my red dress. BENNY: You're damn right you will. Three cents a word! Three cents a word.

[Harlem street]

(The jazz is hot and the traffic is slow outside the Rendezvous.) BENNY: There you are. CASSIE: Oh, my poor feet. Baby, you better marry me soon. I'm not getting any younger. BENNY: Yes, but you are getting more and more beautiful day by day. (sings) I'd be happy just to spend my life waiting on your beck and call. PREACHER: Brother Benny. BENNY: I was hoping I'd see you again. I did it. My story's getting published. PREACHER: The light of the Lord is in his path. But, Brother Benny, this is only the beginning of your journey, not the ending. And the path of the Prophets sometimes leads into darkness and pain. CASSIE: Benny, what is he talking about? Who are you? PREACHER: I speak with the voice of the Prophets. (He takes hold of Benny's left ear, and it comes away with blood on the fingertips.) PREACHER: And in their words, hope and despair walk arm in arm. (The Preacher backs into the darkness.) CASSIE: Did you understand any of that? (Three gunshots.) CASSIE: Is that gunfire? (There's a young man lying on the ground bleeding and cops are standing over him. Benny tries to go between them.) MULKAHEY: Hey! Whoa! Whoa! RYAN: Get back. BENNY: What happened? MULKAHEY: What's it to you? BENNY: I know him. RYAN: Yeah? Then maybe you can explain what he was doing trying to break into this car here. BENNY: Is that why you shot him? Because he was breaking into a car? MULKAHEY: He had a weapon. BENNY: A crowbar! RYAN: Yes, now step back. MULKAHEY: Let's go. (Benny elbows Mulkahey and grabs at Ryan. Mulkahey hits him. Then they both keep punching Benny.) CASSIE: (held back by a policeman.) Stop it! Stop it! Let him go! Stop it, please! Get off of me! Stop it! They're going to kill him. Look, you're going to kill him. Stop it! (Briefly the pair appears as Dukat and Weyoun from DS9, then the cops carry on kicking Benny long after he is capable of defending himself.)

[Benny's apartment]

CASSIE: I'm telling you, baby, you've been cooped up in this apartment for weeks. Going down to the office will do you good. BENNY: I suppose you're right. I should be there when the first copies of this month's issue are delivered. CASSIE: Absolutely. After all that work you did, you deserve to see your story in print. Just no jumping up and down with excitement. I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself. BENNY: I will restrict myself to a proud grin. CASSIE: You're not having any more of those hallucinations, are you? BENNY: I'm fine. (With dark glasses, walking stick and a bandaged hand, Benny leaves.)

XXXIII

[Magazine office]

KAY: What about, “It Came from Outer Space”. JULIUS: It's a smashing title. Wish I'd thought of it. (Benny is let in.) HERBERT: Hey, Benny. Long time no see. BENNY: Is it here? JULIUS: Not yet. Pabst is still at the printers. KAY: We're waiting for his return with baited breath. ALBERT: We heard that you were … KAY: We heard they beat the hell out of you. BENNY: I'm okay. ALBERT: Glad to see that you're, you know, up and about. DARLENE: Tell him the good news, Albert. ALBERT: Oh, it's nothing. KAY: Nothing? He sells a novel to Gnome Press and he says it's nothing. BENNY: A novel. Albert, congratulations! ALBERT: Thank you. BENNY: Robots? ALBERT: What else? (Pabst enters.) JULIUS: It's about time. HERBERT: Douglas? Magazine? PABST: There isn't any magazine. Not this month anyway. Mister Stone had the entire run pulped. BENNY: He can't do that. PABST: Oh, he can and he did. He believes, quote, “this issue did not live up to our usual high standards”, unquote. BENNY: What's that supposed to mean? PABST: It means he didn't like it, which means the public will simply going to have to get along without any Incredible Tales this month. BENNY: What exactly is it that he did not like? The artwork, the layout? What high standards is he talking about? KAY: Take it easy, Benny. BENNY: No, it's about my story, isn't it? That's what this is all about. He didn't want to publish my story and we all know why. Because my hero is a colored man. PABST: Hey! This magazine belongs to Mister Stone. If he doesn't want to publish this month, we don't publish this month. End of story. BENNY: That doesn't make it right and you know it. PABST: Don't tell me what I know. Besides, it's not about what's right, it's about what is. And I'm afraid I've got some more bad news for you, Benny. Mister Stone has decided that your services are no longer required here. HERBERT: What! BENNY: You're firing me? PABST: I have no choice, Benny. It's his decision. BENNY: Well, you can't fire me. I quit. To hell with you, and to hell with Stone. JULIUS: Try to stay calm, Benny. BENNY: No. I'm tired of being calm. Calm never got me a damn thing. PABST: I'm warning you, Benny. If you don't stop this I'm going to call the police. BENNY: You go ahead! Call them! Call anybody you want. They can't do anything to me. Not anymore. And nor can any of you. I am a human being, damn it. You can deny me all you want but you cannot deny Ben Sisko. He exists! That future, that space station, all those people, they exist in here. In my mind, I created it. And every one of you know it. You read it. It's here. You hear what I'm telling you? You can pulp a story but you cannot destroy an idea. Don't you understand? That's ancient knowledge. You cannot destroy an idea. That future, I created it, and it's real. Don't you understand? It is real! I created it and it's real! It's real! Oh, God. (Benny collapses, sobbing.)

[New York Street]

AMBULANCE MAN: Easy. (Benny is wheeled out to a very old ambulance even by 1953 standards.) XXXIV

AMBULANCE MAN: One, two three.

[Ambulance]

(Benny is in Starfleet uniform. He puts on his glasses.) PREACHER: Rest easy, Brother Benny. You have walked in the path of the Prophets. There is no greater glory. BENNY: Tell me, please. Who am I? PREACHER: Don't you know? BENNY: Tell me. PREACHER: You're the dreamer and the dream. (There are stars streaking past the rear windows.)

[DS9 Infirmary]

KASIDY: Ben? Ben. SISKO: How long was I out? BASHIR: Only for a few minutes. JOSEPH: Seemed like forever to me. BASHIR: That's odd. Somehow, your neural patterns have returned to normal. JAKE: That's good, isn't it? BASHIR: Oh, it's very good. I just don't understand how it happened.

[Sisko's quarters]

(Joseph enters.) JOSEPH: How're you feeling, son? SISKO: I'm okay. JOSEPH: I'm done packing. Transport leaves at eight in the morning. SISKO: I wish you could stay longer. JOSEPH: I've got to get back to the restaurant. My customers have never gone this long without me. The question is, what are you going to do? SISKO: The only thing I can do. Stay here and finish the job I started. And if I fail … JOSEPH: I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith. SISKO: I've never known you to quote from the Bible. JOSEPH: I'm full of surprises, aren't I? And so are you. Sounds like that dream you had helped you sort things out. SISKO: I suppose it did. But I have begun to wonder. What if it wasn't a dream? What if this life we're leading, all of this, you and me, everything. What if all this is the illusion? JOSEPH: That's a scary thought. SISKO: I know, I know. But maybe, just maybe, Benny isn't the dream, we are. Maybe we're nothing more than figments of his imagination. For all we know, at this very moment, somewhere far beyond all those distant stars, Benny Russell is dreaming of us. (Benny is Sisko's reflection in the window.)

XXXV

Voyager episode 2.3: “Projections” Original Airdate: Sep 11 1995

[Sickbay]

DOCTOR: Please state the nature of the medical emergency. Hello? Computer, who activated the Emergency Medical Holographic program? COMPUTER: Auto-initiation of the EMH program occurred when a ship-wide red alert was initiated. DOCTOR: Emergency? Sickbay to bridge. Captain Janeway, please respond. COMPUTER: Captain Janeway is not on board the ship. DOCTOR: Well then, who's in command? COMPUTER: Internal scans indicate no crew members are on board. DOCTOR: You mean the ship's empty? COMPUTER: Affirmative. DOCTOR: What is the crew's status? COMPUTER: Unknown. DOCTOR: Did they go on shore leave? Are they dead? What? COMPUTER: That information is not available. DOCTOR: Can you give me a ship's status report? COMPUTER: Affirmative. Warp core is offline. The ship is restricted to emergency power and auxiliary systems only. Structural integrity breach on deck six, deck seven and deck twelve. Deflector shields inoperative. Weapons array offline. Communications offline. Sewage and waste reclamation offline. DOCTOR: Okay, I get the idea. What caused this damage? COMPUTER: That information is not available. DOCTOR: Of course it isn't.

[Doctor's office]

DOCTOR: Computer, transfer all bridge logs to this station. COMPUTER: Accessing bridge logs. DOCTOR: Replay last log entry. JANEWAY [on monitor]: … heavy casualties. The warp core is going critical and the ejection system is offline. I've ordered all personnel to abandon ship. Lieutenant Torres and I … (The screen goes blank.) DOCTOR: Computer, have any escape pods been ejected? COMPUTER: All escape pods were launched at twenty one hundred hours. DOCTOR: Scan the ship for any humanoid life forms. COMPUTER: There are no humanoid life forms aboard this vessel. DOCTOR: Well, I'm glad everyone bothered to say goodbye. Chief Medical Officers log, stardate 48892.1. It appears that Voyager has suffered a disaster. What kind I don't know, but one thing is clear. The crew was forced to abandon ship. It would therefore seem that my usefulness has come to an end. I am terminating my program. If anyone finds this log, I can be re-activated by … (There is a noise nearby.) Hello? (Something or someone is trying to get through the Sickbay doors.)

[Sickbay]

(The DOCTOR loads a hypo-spray.) DOCTOR: Hello? (The doctor is standing by the door when dirty hands finally pry the door open. He grabs the person and pulls her through.) TORRES: Doctor! What are you doing? DOCTOR: Sorry, I wasn't expecting a member of the crew. The computer said everyone had left. TORRES: The internal sensors were damaged during the attack. They must not be reading every life sign on the ship. DOCTOR: Attack? TORRES: The Kazon. Two of their predator class warships took us by surprise, hit us with a volley of plasma torpedoes. It started a core breach and we had to abandon ship. The Captain and I stayed behind to see if we could stop the breach. At the last second we did.

XXXVI

(The DOCTOR starts to scan her.) DOCTOR: Why didn't the crew return to the ship? TORRES: Because they couldn't. The Kazon tractored all of the life pods onto their ships. They went into warp before we could stop them. What's wrong? DOCTOR: This tricorder isn't registering your life signs. This one isn't working either. TORRES: You've got to help the Captain. She was hit by a falling support beam. I didn't want to risk moving her so I had to leave her on the bridge. DOCTOR: Can't we beam her to Sickbay? TORRES: The transporters are down. So are the turbolifts. I had to crawl through thirty one Jefferies tubes on five decks just to get here. DOCTOR: Then you're going to have to go back up there with a medical kit. I'll instruct you on how to treat her. TORRES: You don't understand, Doctor. I'm not going, you are. I'm sending you to the bridge. DOCTOR: That would be ideal, if it were possible, but my projection system is limited to the sickbay and the holodecks. TORRES: Not any more. For the past few weeks we've been setting up holographic emitters on critical decks. We were hoping to set up a remote holo-projection system, to give you access to other parts of the ship. DOCTOR: Why wasn't I told about this? TORRES: We hadn't even tested the system yet. There was no guarantee it was going to work. I guess the Captain didn't want to get your hopes up. DOCTOR: Her compassion is heart-warming. The next time I'd rather be kept informed. Where are these remote projectors? TORRES: Decks one through five. We also put them in engineering, the mess hall and the cargo bay. All the projectors are in place but the problem is we're going to have to interface with the sickbay imaging system. That's going to take a lot of power and computer memory. I don't know if we have enough reserve power to spare. DOCTOR: Most of the crew is gone. Could we divert power from life support systems? TORRES: Good idea. I can drop life support down to minimum levels on the lower decks. That should give us enough power. All right, I'll need another twenty minutes to get the projectors online. (Later.) TORRES: All right, the remote projectors are charged and ready to go. Imaging interface stable. Are you ready to try this? DOCTOR: I assume there's still an emergency medical kit behind the tactical console? TORRES: That's right. DOCTOR: Then I'm ready. TORRES: There are a couple of things you should know. In order to do this I had to recalibrate your containment field, so your holo-matrix will be very sensitive to disruption. Try to stay away from energy discharges; phaser fire, force-fields, that sort of thing. DOCTOR: I'll try. TORRES: Make sure you do, because if your containment field collapses it'll take hours to re-initialize your program. DOCTOR: Understood. TORRES: I'm going to head down to engineering and try and get some of the critical systems working. You'll hear from me when I get the comm. system back online. Unless, of course, this doesn't work, in which case I'll see you in about five seconds. Good luck, Doctor. DOCTOR: Thank you. I have a feeling I'll need it.

[Bridge]

DOCTOR: Well, It's bigger than I thought. (On the bridge, he examines an unknown crewman then goes to where Janeway is lying.) DOCTOR: Captain? (The tricorder from the emergency kit does not seem to work, but the hypospray does. Janeway groans and he lifts her into a sitting position.) DOCTOR: Hello, Captain. You're going to be fine. JANEWAY: Oh, Doctor. I see the new holo-projectors are working. DOCTOR: Lieutenant Torres was able to get them online. Are you feeling any pain, dizziness, nausea? JANEWAY: I'm a little disoriented and I have one hell of a headache. DOCTOR: For some reason none of the tricorders are working, but from what I can tell you have a concussion. I'd like to get you to sickbay as soon as possible. XXXVII

JANEWAY: The last thing I remember is launching the escape pods. Lieutenant Torres and I were trying to stop the core breach, and then I blacked out. DOCTOR: You were successful in preventing the breach. JANEWAY: And the crew? DOCTOR: They were taken prisoner by the Kazon. TORRES [OC]: Torres to bridge, can you hear me? JANEWAY: Yes, Lieutenant, we hear you. Go ahead. TORRES [OC]: Are you all right, Captain? JANEWAY: I'm fine. I'm glad you convinced the Doctor to make a house call. What's our status? TORRES [OC]: I've got communications back online and I think I can re-activate the warp core, but it'll mean re-crystallizing the entire dilithium matrix. JANEWAY: Keep on it. In the meantime I'll see if I can restore the bridge controls and start scanning for the Kazon ships. TORRES [OC]: Aye, Captain. Torres out. JANEWAY: Doctor, do you know anything about bypassing a power relay? DOCTOR: Is it anything like a coronary bypass? JANEWAY: Actually, it is. Give me a hand. See this conduit? It's a power relay. Its circuits are burnt out. What we need to do is reconfigure the … NEELIX [OC]: Neelix to bridge. Is anyone there? Emergency! JANEWAY: Neelix, this is the Captain. What's wrong? NEELIX [OC]: Help. I need help! I'm in the mess hall. There's a … (Weapons fire is heard.) JANEWAY: Neelix, are you there? Neelix? With the turbolifts down it'll take me half an hour to get there. Doctor, it's up to you. I'll use the remote projectors to send you to the mess hall. Stand by for transfer.

[Mess hall]

(There is a clattering noise of pots and pans.) NEELIX: I hope that crushed your skull, Kazon pus hog. DOCTOR: Kazon! (He ducks down under the tables and crawls along while Neelix throws fruit and vegetables at some person cowering by the window.) NEELIX: What's it like to stare death in the face, Kazon? (The Kazon shoots at Neelix.) NEELIX: Missed me! (The doctor makes his way behind the Kazon.) NEELIX: I suggest you surrender now, Kazon. The Captain's on her way! (Neelix continues throwing things.) NEELIX: Want some more, you needle-snake? (The doctor jumps the Kaxon from behind. Neelix runs out of the kitchen and smacks the Kazon across the head with a pan, making a dent in it.) NEELIX: My best sauté pan. Good work, Doctor. DOCTOR: You're injured. (Neelix sees the red on his shoulder.) NEELIX: Ahhh! What's wrong? Is it serious? DOCTOR: Don't panic, Mister Neelix. It looks superficial. NEELIX: Am I going to die? DOCTOR: Not unless you're allergic to tomatoes. That isn't blood; it's some kind of sauce. NEELIX: Nondoran tomato paste. Oh, that'll leave a nasty stain. What are you doing here, doctor? DOCTOR: I could ask you the same thing. NEELIX: Kes and I were on our way to the escape pod when this Kazon fungus came crawling out of an access hatch. I kept him occupied long enough for Kes to get away but he didn't give up so easily. So I took off running, he chased me and I led him here. No one gets the best of me in my kitchen! I'm fine now. The question is, are you? DOCTOR: Me? NEELIX: You're bleeding. DOCTOR: Bleeding? That's impossible. (There is blood behind his ear.) NEELIX: Don't panic, doctor. It looks superficial. DOCTOR: I'm not programmed to bleed. XXXVIII

NEELIX: Maybe you should check your program. DOCTOR: Emergency Medical Hologram to Captain Janeway. JANEWAY [OC]: Go ahead, doctor. DOCTOR: Captain, we've captured a Kazon. He's been rendered unconscious and Mister Neelix is fine. But I believe my program is malfunctioning. I request that you return me to sickbay immediately. JANEWAY [OC]: Acknowledged. Mr. Neelix, keep an eye on the Kazon until I get there. I'm on my way. NEELIX: No problem, Captain.

[Sickbay]

(The doctor dabs at his wound and winces.) DOCTOR: Pain? I'm not programmed to feel pain. (He scans himself.) DOCTOR: Heart rate, blood pressure, brain patterns? Computer, analyze Emergency Medical Holographic program. Has it been altered in any way to include life signs? COMPUTER: Unable to comply. Requested program is not on file. DOCTOR: Not on file? The program's running right now! Display schematics for all sickbay holographic systems. COMPUTER: No holographic systems exist in sickbay. DOCTOR: EMH program A K one diagnostic and surgical subroutine omega three two three. Check the database and you'll find it! COMPUTER: Specified program does not exist. DOCTOR: Well, then, who is the Chief Medical Officer on board this ship? COMPUTER: The Chief Medical Officer of USS Voyager is doctor Louis Zimmerman. DOCTOR: Louis Zimmerman? Yes. He was the engineer who created my program. I understand he resembles me but he's not on Voyager! He's at the Jupiter Station Holo-Programming Centre. Computer, how long has doctor Zimmerman served on Voyager? COMPUTER: Doctor Zimmerman commenced duty on stardate 48308.2 DOCTOR: 48308. That's the date I was activated. Computer, display all Starfleet records on doctor Lewis Zimmerman. (Personnel database 2794 is displayed on a monitor.) DOCTOR: He looks a lot like me. In fact, he looks exactly like me. Computer, is this me? COMPUTER: Affirmative. Doctor Lewis Zimmerman. (Janeway, Torres and Neelix enter with the Kazon.) JANEWAY: Doctor, we've almost got the warp core back online, but we need to know where the crew was taken. I want you to perform an ARA scan on the Kazon while we question him. Is something wrong? DOCTOR: Something's very wrong. These tricorders aren't picking up any of your life signs. At first I thought they were malfunctioning, but now I find they show me to be a living, breathing, bleeding human being. JANEWAY: What? DOCTOR: And that's not all. According to the computer, I'm not a hologram. I'm a real person named Zimmerman. I've been trying to analyze my program but the computer says it doesn't exist. JANEWAY: This could be a problem with the remote projectors. The multiple holographic signals may be confusing the computer. I'm going to deactivate you and then re-initialize your program parameters. Computer, discontinue Emergency Medical Holographic system. DOCTOR: See what I mean? JANEWAY: You're right. Your program's not anywhere on file. Computer, shut down all holographic systems throughout the ship. (Janeway, Torres, Neelix and the Kazon vanish.) DOCTOR: Computer, what happened to Captain Janeway, Lieutenant Torres, Mister Neelix and the Kazon? COMPUTER: All holographic simulations were discontinued. DOCTOR: Simulations? Computer, I'm talking about real people. Locate Captain Janeway. COMPUTER: Captain Janeway is stored in memory block 47 alpha. DOCTOR: List all other programs stored in that memory block. This is the entire Voyager crew. Computer, are you saying that the crew is nothing more than a collection of holographic programs? COMPUTER: Affirmative. DOCTOR: This is ridiculous. There must be something wrong. (A Starfleet Lieutenant appears. It is Lieutenant Barclay known from the Enterprise.) BARCLAY: Doctor, am I glad to see you. Can you see me? DOCTOR: Of course I can see you. Who are you? BARCLAY: Sir, it's me. It's Lieutenant Barclay, Reg, your assistant. XXXIX

DOCTOR: My assistant's name is Kes. Who are you? BARCLAY: Uh-oh. DOCTOR: What? BARCLAY: Oh, no, this is bad. This is very bad. Don't panic. Let's just try to think our way through this. DOCTOR: I'm not familiar with you. Are you a member of the Voyager crew or have we encountered another Federation ship? BARCLAY: Oh, boy. The Voyager. Oh, boy. This is going to sound a little crazy from your perspective, but you've got to trust me. None of this is happening. This is all a holographic simulation that you've been running. DOCTOR: What are you talking about? BARCLAY: You're in the holodeck at the Jupiter Station. Your name is doctor Lewis Zimmerman, you're a holo-engineer and you've been running a program that's malfunctioning and we've been trying to reach you. DOCTOR: What are you saying? That I'm a real person? BARCLAY: Well, I always used to think of you that way and I know your wife tends to think … DOCTOR: My wife? BARCLAY: We'd, er, we'd better take this one step at a time. DOCTOR: Please do. BARCLAY: Well, you see, this starship, it's not really a starship.

[Doctor's office]

BARCLAY: It was a program that you wrote to study the psychological impact of long term isolation on a crew made up of Starfleet and Maquis crewmembers. DOCTOR: A program I wrote? That's preposterous. I'm the program. Voyager is a real ship, manned by real people. BARCLAY: I'm afraid not. This must have something to do with the radiation surge. DOCTOR: What was that? BARCLAY: We've been having problems shutting the program down because of a kinoplasmic radiation surge on the station. It's affected all of the computer systems, including the holodecks. The radiation must be affecting the memory centers of your brain. DOCTOR: How did you get in here? BARCLAY: I'm not really here. Clearly, I'm here because we're talking. You see, what I mean is, I'm in a control booth outside of the holodeck. What you see is a projection of my body so that we can communicate. We've been trying to get in here, or send a comm. signal in for nearly six hours. DOCTOR: You expect me to believe that the past six months I've spent on this ship have been nothing but a simulation? BARCLAY: You haven't been here six months. You've only been here six hours. DOCTOR: That's impossible! I have very clear memories of my first appearance on Voyager. Meeting Captain Janeway for the first time. I've had numerous experiences aboard this ship. BARCLAY: That's all part of the simulation. DOCTOR: How do I know you're not some kind of alien, impersonating a Starfleet officer? BARCLAY: Look, Doctor, it's very important that you believe me. You're losing your sense of identity. You're starting to think that you're part of the program and that's, that's not good. It's called HTDS, Holo Transference Dementia Syndrome. DOCTOR: So now I'm having a psychotic episode. BARCLAY: No. Yes. I mean, maybe the radiation. Doctor, I'm sorry I have to do this. (Barclay slaps him in the face.) DOCTOR: How dare you! BARCLAY: It hurt, right? If you were a program it wouldn't hurt. DOCTOR: I could be programmed to think it hurt. BARCLAY: Doctor. (The doctor slaps Barclay.) BARCLAY: I'll be back. I've got to discuss this with the others. Don't, don't go anywhere. (Barclay vanishes.) DOCTOR: Pain. Pain, why would I have pain? I think I'm hungry. I'm not sure what for, but I'm definitely hungry. This is impossible. (Barclay returns.) BARCLAY: The problem is worse than we thought. The radiation is disrupting the command protocols. We can't shut the program down, and while the program is running we can't access the holodeck grid. DOCTOR: Why don't you beam me out of here? BARCLAY: We tried, but the radiation is interfering with the transporters and we can't get a lock on you. I've XL consulted with our neurologist, doctor Kaplin, and he said if we can't get you out of here within the next hour, that the radiation would completely oxidize your neuro-cellular structures. DOCTOR: So, what do you suggest? BARCLAY: There's only one way left to terminate the program, and that's to play it out. Bring it to its conclusion and once the simulation ends, it'll release the access locks on the holodeck arch and we can get you out of here. DOCTOR: How does it conclude? BARCLAY: You programmed two possible outcomes. Either Voyager finds its way back to Federation space, or it's destroyed in the process. But the simulation was designed to run for weeks before either happens. But I know of a way that you can bring it to an end right now. Destroy the ship. DOCTOR: Destroy the ship? Destroy Voyager? BARCLAY: This is just a simulation, Lewis. None of this is real. And unless you destroy this ship that you think you're on, you're going to die. DOCTOR: No. No, absolutely not. BARCLAY: Doctor, it's the only way. DOCTOR: First of all, I don't even know how to destroy the ship. Second of all I wouldn't do it even if I could, and third, how do I know you're not an alien intruder trying to trick me into killing everyone? BARCLAY: Well, those are good questions. First, I can tell you how to destroy the Voyager. Second, if you don't do it, you're going to die. And third. Well, I'm just not an alien and I don't know how else to convince you of that. DOCTOR: If what you're saying is true, why don't you destroy the ship? Why do I have to do it? BARCLAY: You are the one running the simulation. It's coded to respond to your input, not mine. DOCTOR: I'm sorry, Mister Barclay, if that's what your name really is, but you're not very convincing. BARCLAY: Here, use this tricorder. Scan the room outwards to a distance of fifteen meters. DOCTOR: This appears to show a wall fifteen meters away and it does have a holodeck grid configuration. BARCLAY: You see? DOCTOR: But you could be manipulating these readings. BARCLAY: Scan me. You'll see I'm a holographic projection originating from beyond that wall. DOCTOR: Yes, all right. But it could still be an elaborate deception. I can't take that risk. BARCLAY: There has to be some way to convince you. Oh, I know. I'll be right back. (Barclay vanishes. The sickbay changes from empty to full, with flickering lights.) KIM: Are you the Emergency Medical Hologram? DOCTOR: Yes, of course I am. KIM: We've got wounded here. DOCTOR: I've seen this patient before. He has multiple percussive injuries. Tricorder. Medical tricorder. I've been in this moment in time before. PARIS: What? What are you talking about? Help this man. DOCTOR: Have we just been catapulted across the galaxy to an unknown area of the Delta Quadrant? KIM: Yes. DOCTOR: And you are developing tumorous growths on your chest. KIM: What? DOCTOR: Ah. So that hasn't happened yet. Is this stardate 48308? PARIS: Look, are you going to help this man or not? DOCTOR: I'm not. Mister Barclay? KIM: The program must be malfunctioning. Let me see if I can reset the holographic projector. DOCTOR: Mister Barclay, will you please return? (Barclay appears.) BARCLAY: Now do you believe me? This is the beginning of the simulation. We can't shut down the program but we can restart it. DOCTOR: This is my first memory of being activated on Voyager. PARIS: Who the hell are you? DOCTOR: Did I program Mister Paris to be so annoying? BARCLAY: Actually, I programmed him. I modeled him after my cousin Frank. DOCTOR: Hmm. Computer, delete Paris. PARIS: What are you? (Paris disappears.) KIM: What did you do to him? DOCTOR: Computer, delete Kim. Hmm. (Kim disappears.) BARCLAY: Are you convinced yet?

XLI

DOCTOR: Let's just say your credibility level is rising. But I'm still not prepared to destroy Voyager. BARCLAY: So what are you going to do now? DOCTOR: I need to confirm my true nature. Whether or not I am in fact a real person. Let's just say that I'm right and this is a real ship and I am a hologram. If I were to destroy the holographic memory core then I should disappear. BARCLAY: Yes. But if you destroy it and you're still here … DOCTOR: Then I'm not a hologram. BARCLAY: And you'll know that I'm telling you the truth. DOCTOR: The holo-memory core is located in engineering. Let's go.

[Corridor]

BARCLAY: What's wrong? DOCTOR: The remote holo-projectors were taken offline. I shouldn't be able to exist outside sickbay. BARCLAY: That's because you're a … DOCTOR: A real person. Yes. I'm getting the idea.

[Engineering]

JANEWAY: Magnetic constrictors are online. The warp core is stable. Let's get started on those plasma relays. You, who are you? DOCTOR: I'm the Emergency Medical Hologram. JANEWAY: I didn't know you could be projected into engineering. DOCTOR: I can't. But it's a long story. I'd rather not get into it right now. JANEWAY: Fine. We have three wounded crewmembers over here. DOCTOR: I'm afraid I have a more pressing matter to attend to, Captain. JANEWAY: What do you mean, you have a more pressing matter to attend to? And who are you? I don't recognize you. BARCLAY: Oh, don't mind me; I'm just assisting the doctor. JANEWAY: Doctor, I am ordering you to take care of these wounded crewmembers. DOCTOR: Computer, delete Janeway. (She stays where she is.) BARCLAY: The computer's not responding to vocal commands. The protocols are starting to freeze up. We don't have much time. JANEWAY: Jarvis, Parsons, put these men under arrest. BARCLAY: Don't worry, those phasers aren't real, they're just holograms. DOCTOR: I wouldn't be so sure. I was injured earlier. BARCLAY: That means the holodeck safeties are off. DOCTOR: Now, just a moment. Let's not do anything hasty. JANEWAY: Who are you? Are you two responsible for bringing us here? DOCTOR: Actually, no. The array you discovered is controlled by an entity you will come to know as the Caretaker. Or Banjo man. He's actually an alien life form who's caring for a species known as the Ocampa who live nearby. JANEWAY: Enough! I don't know what this is all about, but clearly you're involved. Take them to the brig. I'll question them later. DOCTOR: No, I don't think so. JANEWAY: You're in no position to argue. DOCTOR: I'm not arguing. I'm simply pointing out that in several seconds the entire crew of Voyager will be transported to the array, where you will be tortured and probed for medical information. It will be quite painful, but not fatal. KIM [OC]: Bridge to Janeway. We're being scanned by the array, Captain. It's penetrated our shields. JANEWAY: What kind of scan? (Some people disappear.) JANEWAY: Bridge. Janeway to Bridge, respond. What are you? (Finally, Janeway disappears.) BARCLAY: Time is running out, doctor. The oxidation levels in your neural tissues are rising. You've got to destroy this ship and bring this program to an end. DOCTOR: First things first. I have to make absolutely sure what I am. (He removes a wall panel.) DOCTOR: This is the central memory nexus for all holographic systems on board. If I destroy this, there won't XLII be a single hologram left on Voyager. BARCLAY: Well, except for me. I'm being projected from outside the simulation. Go ahead, give it a try. (Barclay hands the doctor a phaser. They move back to the warp core and the doctor shoots out the circuits.) BARCLAY: Convinced? DOCTOR: Computer, what is the status of the holographic imaging system on Voyager? COMPUTER: The holographic imaging system has been destroyed. DOCTOR: Are there any holographic programs running anywhere on the ship? COMPUTER: Negative. DOCTOR: Then why is the ship still here, and not a holo-grid? COMPUTER: Please restate the question. DOCTOR: You said all holo-systems were destroyed. Why is the ship simulation still running? COMPUTER: All holo-simulations have been terminated. BARCLAY: Doctor, I know this is a little confusing, but try to remember you just destroyed the holographic imaging system on a holographic ship. A hologram in a hologram. If you want to bring this to an end you've got to destroy the entire simulation. The ship itself. DOCTOR: Then it's true. I am a real person. BARCLAY: And you're a person in great danger. Destroy the ship. Now, before it's too late. DOCTOR: But if I'm wrong? BARCLAY: Doctor, you've got to believe me. What else can I do to prove it to you? DOCTOR: I know, I know, but it's just so … (The doctor clutches his head.) BARCLAY: There. Do you see what's happening? Holograms don't feel pain. Your brain is being flooded with kinoplasmic radiation. You're dying. DOCTOR: I guess you're right. What should I do? BARCLAY: The warp core. Even set on full power it's going to take a sustained phaser burst to punch through the outer duranium shielding. Set your phaser to maximum. Aim for the magnetic constrictors. Ready? DOCTOR: Ready. CHAKOTAY: Stop! Doctor, don't do it! Doctor, don't listen to him. He's lying. Step away from the warp core. Doctor, don't do anything that man tells you. You're in danger if you do. None of this is real. DOCTOR: So I've been told. It's all a holographic simulation. CHAKOTAY: That's right. But it's not the simulation you think it is. Everything around you is part of a holographic projection that's being created by your program. DOCTOR: My program? CHAKOTAY: You're on the holodeck on Voyager. The Captain suggested you take a day off, try a holo-novel, so you did. But while you were running the holo-novel, there was a kinoplasmic radiation surge in the imaging system. It created a feedback loop between the holodeck computer and your program. All of this, including Mister Barclay, is a holographic simulation generated by your codes, subroutines and memory circuits. BARCLAY: Don't be distracted by these holographic characters. Stay focused on what you need to do. Destroy the warp core. DOCTOR: Wait a minute. The entire crew of Voyager was just taken by the array. They won't be back for three days. So what's he doing here? BARCLAY: The program is malfunctioning. DOCTOR: Are you the real Commander Chakotay, or a holographic projection like Mister Barclay. CHAKOTAY: I'm a projection. I'm really at the holographic control station in engineering. You're trapped on the holodeck. We've been monitoring the program from here and we've been trying to reach you for hours. DOCTOR: Sounds familiar. He told me the same thing. BARCLAY: Doctor, do you remember coming into the holodeck and running a holo-novel within the last six hours? DOCTOR: No. No, I don't. CHAKOTAY: That's because your memory circuits are being eradicated by the feedback loop. We have to get you off the holodeck, transfer you back to sickbay. BARCLAY: You don't have memory circuits, you have a mind, and it's being damaged. Destroy the Voyager, the program will end, and we can get you off the holodeck. CHAKOTAY: That's not true, Doctor. Because of the feedback loop, if you destroy the simulation, you will be destroyed as well. DOCTOR: Me? CHAKOTAY: If you shut down this simulation your program will be wiped out right along with it. There'll be no way to retrieve the lost data. You'll be gone. (The doctor gets another headache.) BARCLAY: Only real people experience pain. You've got to believe me.

XLIII

CHAKOTAY: What you're perceiving as pain is really the feedback loop eradicating your memory circuits. DOCTOR: What, what is it you want me to do? CHAKOTAY: Don't do anything. We're working on the problem right now. We're close to a solution. BARCLAY: Do nothing and you'll die. (The doctor collapses.) CHAKOTAY: Doctor, trust me. KES: Trust me, Lewis. DOCTOR: Kes. KES: Yes, you know me. You remember me. DOCTOR: Yes, you're my assistant. BARCLAY: I told you, his brain is being damaged. He's losing his memory. This is Kes Zimmerman, your wife. CHAKOTAY: This is all a holographic delusion drawn from people and experiences in your own memory circuits. You are malfunctioning. KES: Lewis, please listen to Reg. He's trying to help you. Destroy this program. CHAKOTAY: If you listen to her, you'll end up destroying yourself. KES: Believe in yourself. You're not a program; you're a real flesh and blood human being. And you're my husband. I don't want to lose you. BARCLAY: Lewis, how would you rather think of yourself? As a real person with a real life, with a family that loves you? Or as some hologram that exists in a sickbay on a starship lost in deep space? CHAKOTAY: This isn't about what you want. This is about what you are. Just because you're made of projected light and energy doesn't mean you're any less real than someone made of flesh and blood. It doesn't matter what you're made of. What matters is who you are. You're our friend, and we want you back. KES: Louis, please. Pick up the phaser, destroy the warp core. It's your only hope. CHAKOTAY: Doctor, we're close to getting you out of here. Try to hold on! (Kes caresses the doctor.) KES: Whatever happens, I just want you to know, I love you. DOCTOR: I always wanted to …

[Sickbay]

DOCTOR: … tell you, Kes, that you're beautiful. KES: Thank you. DOCTOR: What's going on? TUVOK: We were able to shut down the holodeck simulation that your program was generating. Commander Chakotay transferred you back to sickbay. You seem to have suffered no damage. DOCTOR: What really happened? KIM: Voyager encountered a subspace anomaly which created a kinoplasmic radiation surge throughout most of our computers. Unfortunately, it happened while you were using the holodeck. KES: We've been working for the past six hours to get you out of there. DOCTOR: So there was never a Kazon attack. KES: That's right. DOCTOR: And the crew didn't really abandon ship. TUVOK: No. In fact, except for the computer problems, it has been an uneventful day. DOCTOR: And who is this Lieutenant Barclay I imagined? KIM: Barclay was part of the original engineering team that designed your program. He was in charge of testing your interpersonal skills. DOCTOR: Well, this should make an interesting paper. CHAKOTAY [OC]: Chakotay to Sickbay. Is the doctor all right? TUVOK: Yes, Commander. His program is functioning normally. CHAKOTAY [OC]: Good work. As soon as you're finished there I want all senior officers to report to the bridge. TUVOK: Acknowledged. KIM: It's good to have you back, doctor. DOCTOR: Well, I suppose I should begin cataloguing the neotrianate samples I was working on this morning. (Tuvok and Kim leave.) KES: So you really think I'm beautiful? DOCTOR: I was under a great deal of stress, you understand. I may have said things that are not necessarily my true feelings. Kes. Oh. Then you don't think I'm beautiful. XLIV

DOCTOR: I didn't say that, exactly. I consider you very, very attractive. In a platonic sense. KES: I see. Then you don't really love me. DOCTOR: I'm afraid not. KES: Then I guess our marriage is over. DOCTOR: Our marriage? Are you making a joke? KES: It isn't a joke to me, Lewis. I know we have problems but I think we can solve them. DOCTOR: No. No, this can't be right. Something's wrong here. BARCLAY: It's not too late, Lewis. You can still save yourself by destroying the warp core. (The headaches return.) DOCTOR: No! No, I don't believe you. None of this is real. It's all a delusion. Somebody help me! BARCLAY: I am helping you. KES: Listen to him, Lewis. DOCTOR: No! (The doctor tries to leave sickbay but an armed Kazon forces him back inside.) PARIS: Doctor, are you listening to me? That man needs help! (That man is the Doctor on a bio-bed, with serious burns and Janeway's voice.) JANEWAY: Try to calm down, Doctor, everything's going to be fine.

[Holodeck]

JANEWAY: Doctor, do you know who I am? Do you know where you are? (Chakotay and Kim are there, too.) DOCTOR: I appear to be on the holodeck grid. JANEWAY: That's right. And do you know what you are? DOCTOR: Yes, I'm the Emergency Medical Holographic program. Right? JANEWAY: Right. DOCTOR: Well, I assume everything that's happened took place here on the holodeck. CHAKOTAY: That's right. We encountered a subspace anomaly and there was a radiation surge in the computer system. DOCTOR: And Kes is my assistant, not my wife? CHAKOTAY: Your wife? DOCTOR: Never mind. Captain, if it's okay, I'd like to return to sickbay now. JANEWAY: Of course. It's good to have you back, Doctor. DOCTOR: It's good to be back. JANEWAY: Computer, transfer EMH program to sickbay.

[Doctor's office]

KES: We were married? DOCTOR: It was a delusion, of course. KES: I understand. But I'd still prefer it if you didn't tell Neelix about this. He tends to get a little jealous. It'll be our secret. DOCTOR: I am curious about one thing. KES: What's that? DOCTOR: The radiation surge caused my program to malfunction and my codes and circuits began to degrade and yet, instead of detecting that threat to my program, I experienced an elaborate delusion concerning the nature of my existence. Human or hologram? Person or projection? Why? Why would my program focus on such an esoteric dilemma? KES: Well, I sometimes ask those kinds of questions. Who am I? What am I doing here? What's my purpose in life? Doesn't everybody? DOCTOR: Not me. I know exactly who I am and what my purpose is. I am the Emergency Medical Hologram aboard the starship Voyager. KES: Are you sure about that? (Kes leaves. The doctor leaves his desk and strolls to the sickbay door. It opens. He checks if the corridor is clear and then sticks out his arm. It disappears up to the elbow. He pulls it back in, smiles, and goes back to his work.)

XLV

Voyager episode 3.25: “Worst Case Scenario” Original Airdate: Oct. 23 1998

[Corridor]

CHAKOTAY: Where are you headed? TORRES: The bridge. CHAKOTAY: Mind if I walk with you? TORRES: Not at all. CHAKOTAY: So, how's it going? TORRES: Not bad, I guess. CHAKOTAY: Tuvok still giving you a hard time? TORRES: No more than usual. CHAKOTAY: I don't know about you, but when I think about spending seventy years on the same ship with that guy, it gives me a headache. I get the impression a lot of the crew agrees with me. Maquis and Starfleet.

[Turbolift]

CHAKOTAY: Bridge. So, what do you think? TORRES: About what? CHAKOTAY: About what I've been saying. That a lot of the crew aren't too happy with our chief of security. And for that matter, I don't think Captain Janeway's winning any popularity contests either. Don't you agree? TORRES: Why do I get the feeling that you're testing me? CHAKOTAY: Let's just say I'm interested in your opinion. TORRES: Why? CHAKOTAY: You're a good officer. I like you. And I wouldn't want to see you get hurt. TORRES: Computer, halt turbolift. Look, what's this all about? CHAKOTAY: There're going to be some changes around here. All of the Maquis are in line, and about twenty five of the Starfleet crew are with us. TORRES: Are you saying there's going to be a mutiny? CHAKOTAY: And when the shooting starts, I'm going to need to know which side you're on.

[Bridge]

JANEWAY: Well, Commander, Voyager's all yours. CHAKOTAY: There's a first time for everything, I guess. Don't worry, Captain, I'll keep your ship safe and sound. JANEWAY: I'm sure you will. PARIS [OC]: Shuttle bay to Captain Janeway. JANEWAY: Go ahead, Mister Paris. PARIS [OC]: The shuttle's ready to go whenever you are. JANEWAY: On my way. CHAKOTAY: Captain, I've been thinking. Are you sure you don't want to take Lieutenant Tuvok with you, just in case the Rukani turn out to be less friendly than they seem? TUVOK: I assure you, Commander. I have made thorough preparations for the Captain's safety during her away mission. You, on the other hand, are still adapting to your duties as first officer. Under the circumstances, I believe my time will be better spent assisting you in your effort to justify the trust the Captain has placed in you. JANEWAY: I appreciate your concern for my safety, Mister Chakotay, but Tuvok's right. Lieutenant Paris and I will be just fine. I'll see you in twenty four hours. CHAKOTAY: Lieutenant, I want you to keep close tabs on the Captain's shuttle. Let's make sure she doesn't run into any trouble. TUVOK: Aye, sir. CHAKOTAY: Ensign, let's shut down those transporters and start that diagnostic we've been putting off. KIM: Sir, are you sure we shouldn't wait for the Captain to get back? TUVOK: Ensign Kim, you have been given a direct order. Do as the Commander tells you. KIM: Aye, sir. CHAKOTAY: Have you finished upgrading the internal sensors, Ensign? TORRES: I'm working on it, sir. XLVI

CHAKOTAY: I hope so. Wait here. TUVOK: Is something wrong, sir? CHAKOTAY: No, it's just tomorrow's duty roster. TUVOK: Sir, Captain Janeway's shuttle has gone to warp. CHAKOTAY: Thank you, Tuvok. Chakotay to all hands. Let's do it. TUVOK: Sir? KIM: Red alert! Security to the Bridge! CHAKOTAY: You're wasting your time, Harry. All my teams have taken control of Security, Engineering and all key systems. KIM: You'll never get away with this. People will fight back. CHAKOTAY: That's going to be a little difficult. All your off-duty Starfleet friends have been locked down in quarters. I guess you've made your choice. JONAS [OC]: Jonas to Chakotay. CHAKOTAY: Go ahead. JONAS [OC]: They're putting up a fight on deck two. We could use some help. CHAKOTAY: Carlson, O'Donnell, get these people to the brig. Ayala, take the con and move us out of comm range of Janeway's shuttle. You're with me.

[Turbolift]

CHAKOTAY: Deck two. Thanks for watching my back in there. TORRES: Right. CHAKOTAY: Are you okay? TORRES: To tell you the truth, shooting Harry got me a little rattled. CHAKOTAY: He's only stunned. We're not going to kill anybody today, unless it's absolutely necessary. Just stay close.

[Corridor]

CHAKOTAY: Stay low. TORRES: They've got us pinned down. CHAKOTAY: We'll just have to shoot our way past them. Ready? TORRES: Seska! SESKA: It's just like old times, isn't it? CHAKOTAY: Thanks for the help. SESKA: We've got to get moving. Some of Janeway's people are trying to set up a command centre in the mess hall.

[Mess hall]

SESKA: I wouldn't do that if I were you. This phaser's set on wide beam. I could take you all in one shot. CHAKOTAY: Everybody, drop your weapons. NEELIX: You heard the man. Drop your weapons. Don't look so surprised, Commander. I know a winner when I see one. I'm with you. SESKA: Do you want me to shoot him? CHAKOTAY: We're still going to need a cook. Chakotay to Engineering. What's your status? CREWMAN [OC]: Engineering is secure. CHAKOTAY: Transporter Rooms 1 and 2, status. CREWMAN [OC]: Transporter Room 1 is under control. CREWWOMAN [OC]: Transporter Room 2 is secure. CHAKOTAY: Shuttle bay, status. CREWMAN [OC]: Shuttle bay is secured, Commander. CHAKOTAY: I'll take care of the prisoners here. You two get some help and start rounding up the personnel that are still locked down in quarters. Bring them to Cargo Bay 1. SESKA: We did it. CHAKOTAY: Just like old times.

XLVII

[Corridor]

SESKA: You did a good job today. TORRES: Thanks. SESKA: Just make sure you keep it up. TORRES: What's that supposed to mean? SESKA: It means I'm not as easy to win over as Chakotay. Come on! Let's go. Wait here.

[Kes's quarters]

KES: Seska, what's going on? SESKA: Move it. KES: Why are we being treated like prisoners? SESKA: No talking.

[Cargo Bay]

SESKA: Over there, with the rest of them. KES: What are you going to do with us? SESKA: I said, no talking! TORRES: Hey, hey, hey. Take it easy. SESKA: Told you it was a mistake letting Starfleet people in on this. CHAKOTAY: Now is not the time, Seska. Take a good look around you. You're under armed guard. You may also notice that your senior officers aren't here. They're in the brig. They'll be put off the ship at the first habitable planet we come to. All except Janeway and Paris, who will arrive at their rendezvous co-ordinates to find that Voyager's not there. In short, I've taken control of the ship. I don't blame any of you for the mistakes of your leaders, so I'm giving you a choice. You can be put off the ship with your superiors or you can do what Neelix and some of your other crew members have already done and join me. If you do, you'll be part of a crew that's going to do whatever it takes to get us home as fast as possible. Under my command, we won't let almighty Federation principles get in the way of opportunities the way Janeway did when she destroyed the array that could have gotten us home. And we won't be wasting precious time stopping to investigate every insignificant anomaly that we come across. What we will do is use any means necessary to acquire technology that can shorten our journey. To hell with Starfleet regulations! You have fifteen minutes to make up your minds.

(Paris opens the door to the holodeck and enters.)

PARIS: B'Elanna, what's going on here? TORRES: Computer, freeze program. Are you in the habit of just walking in on people's private holodeck time? PARIS: Well, it's not as if I caught you dancing the rumba with a naked Bolian. We had a lunch date. Remember? TORRES: Is it lunch time already? I must have lost track of time. PARIS: Well, I expected to find you shooting pool at Sandrine's, not hanging out with Seska. What sort of program is this anyway? TORRES: It's really something. I was doing a routine purge of the data base, you know, taking out old files that were taking up space, and I found this holo-novel. It's a kind of 'what if' story, all about a Maquis mutiny. It's completely compelling and believable. I guess it's because it's all about us. PARIS: Who wrote it? TORRES: Now, that is the big mystery. Whoever the author is has gone to a lot of trouble to keep his identity a secret. It's been encrypted. PARIS: Why do you suppose someone would try so hard to be anonymous? TORRES: Well, think about it. Whoever plays this program takes on the role of a Starfleet security officer who gets approached by Chakotay to help the Maquis take over the ship. I mean, it's pretty inflammatory. PARIS: You think we should tell the Captain? TORRES: Probably. PARIS: It would be pretty hard for us to give her a full report if we don't know how the story ends. TORRES: Excellent point. PARIS: Great. Can you reset it for me? TORRES: You? I was just getting to the good part. PARIS: Oh, come on, B'Elanna. Be a sport. I've got to be back on duty in less than an hour. Besides, isn't half the

XLVIII fun of a holo-novel having someone to talk it over with? TORRES: All right. You owe me one.

[Holographic Corridor]

CHAKOTAY: Where are you headed? PARIS: The Bridge. CHAKOTAY: Mind if I walk with you? PARIS: I was kind of hoping you would. CHAKOTAY: So, how's it going? PARIS: Couldn't be better. CHAKOTAY: Tuvok still giving you a hard time? PARIS: Oh! Doesn't he always? CHAKOTAY: I don't know about you, but when I think about spending seventy years on the same ship with that guy, it gives me a headache. PARIS: Not to mention an upset stomach.

[Holographic Turbolift]

CHAKOTAY: Bridge. PARIS: I hear you're planning a mutiny. CHAKOTAY: Computer, halt turbolift. Who told you that? PARIS: Let's just say there are rumors. CHAKOTAY: Yeah, well, don't believe everything you hear. PARIS: Of course not. I just wanted you to know that whatever happens, I'm with you. CHAKOTAY: Computer, resume turbolift. PARIS: I'm serious. Just tell me what you want me to do. CHAKOTAY: All right, Ensign, here it is. As soon as the captain leaves to meet the Rukani, I want you to put all crew quarters on lock-down. I'll ask you if you've finished upgrading the internal sensors. If you say yes, I'll know we're ready to go. PARIS: I understand. CHAKOTAY: I'm watching you. No tricks.

[Holographic Bridge]

TUVOK: We are entering the Rukani sector, Commander. CHAKOTAY: Inform the Captain. TUVOK: Aye, sir. JANEWAY: Well, Commander, Voyager's all yours. CHAKOTAY: There's a first time for everything, I guess. Don't worry, Captain. I'll keep your ship safe and sound. JANEWAY: I'm sure you will. PARIS [OC]: Shuttle bay to Captain Janeway. JANEWAY: Go ahead, Mister Paris. PARIS [OC]: The shuttle's ready to go whenever you are. JANEWAY: On my way. CHAKOTAY: Captain, I've been thinking. Are you sure you don't want to take Lieutenant Tuvok with you, just in case the Rukani turn out to be less friendly than they seem? TUVOK: I assure you, Commander. I have made thorough preparations for the Captain's safety during her away mission. You, on the other hand, are still adapting to your duties as first officer. Under the circumstances, I believe my time will be better spent assisting you in your effort to justify the trust the Captain has placed in you. JANEWAY: I appreciate your concern for my safety, Mister Chakotay, but Tuvok's right. Lieutenant Paris and I will be just fine. I'll see you in twenty four hours. CHAKOTAY: Lieutenant, I want you to keep close tabs on the Captain's shuttle. Let's make sure she doesn't run into any trouble. TUVOK: Aye, sir. CHAKOTAY: Ensign, let's shut down the transporters and start that diagnostic we've been putting off. KIM: Sir, are you sure we shouldn't wait for the Captain to get back? TUVOK: Ensign Kim, you have been given a direct order. Do as the Commander tells you. KIM: Aye, sir. XLIX

CHAKOTAY: Have you finished upgrading the internal sensors? PARIS: Yes, sir. CHAKOTAY: I hope so. Wait here. TUVOK: Is something wrong, sir? CHAKOTAY: No, it's just tomorrow's duty roster. TUVOK: The Captain's shuttle has gone to warp. CHAKOTAY: Thank you, Tuvok. Chakotay to all hands. Let's do it. TUVOK: Sir? PARIS: Tuvok, get down! CHAKOTAY: I guess you've made your choice. PARIS: It's not over yet, Chakotay. CHAKOTAY: Take them all to the brig.

[Holographic Brig]

PARIS: Sir, we have to do something. TUVOK: What did you have in mind, Ensign? PARIS: Escape. Retake the ship. TUVOK: We will indeed attempt to do so when the time is right. PARIS: What about trying it now? TUVOK: Such a foolhardy proposal suggests a lack of proper training. Need I remind you that we are confined behind an electrostatic force field? PARIS: We can't just sit here and do nothing. TUVOK: We are hardly doing nothing. We are observing the enemy, watching for any discernible patterns in their procedures, looking for any weakness in their defenses. PARIS: How long is this observing business going to take? It's been over an hour already. I'm getting bored. TUVOK: I am not concerned with your amusement, Ensign. We are in a crisis situation, and we will follow procedure. And procedure dictates that we wait for the right opportunity to attempt an escape, whether it takes an hour or a week. PARIS: A week? Who wrote this stuff? CHAKOTAY: Hold Kim and Tuvok here. Bring the rest of them to cargo bay one. PARIS: Enjoy the wait.

[Holographic Cargo Bay]

CHAKOTAY: And we won't be wasting precious time stopping to investigate every insignificant anomaly we come across. What we will do is use any means necessary to acquire technology that can shorten our journey. To hell with Starfleet regulations! You have fifteen minutes to make up your minds. PARIS: I don't need fifteen minutes. I'm with you right now.

[Mess hall] - diegesis

PARIS: So by the time I got around to joining Chakotay's little band of rebels … TORRES: Ah-ha. PARIS: … he was so suspicious of my motives that he assigned me to lubricate the warp plasma manifolds. TORRES: You should have tried going along with the mutiny from the beginning. It's much more fun. PARIS: Oh, believe me, next time I will. NEELIX: I couldn't help overhearing. You two are talking about the new holo-novel. I tried sending an encoded message to Captain Janeway's shuttle to warn her about the mutiny. But Chakotay caught me, phasered me, and the program reset. Next time, I'm going to pretend to go along with the conspirators and then stage a counterstrike. PARIS: I thought we were going to keep this our little secret. TORRES: Don't look at me. I didn't tell him. NEELIX: I heard about it from the Doctor. PARIS: The Doctor? TORRES: I may have let it slip while I was running his weekly diagnostic. PARIS: Oh, great. Who else knows about it? NEELIX: Don't worry about me. My lips are sealed. KIM: So what's this Ayala tells me about a new holo-novel? PARIS: Get in line, Harry. L

PARIS: Lieutenant Paris's personal log: Stardate 50953.4. I've decided to take B'Elanna's advice and replay the holo-novel, this time as a full-fledged member of Chakotay's team of mutineers. I hope it turns out better than before.

[Holographic Bridge]

CHAKOTAY: Where the hell are those warp engines? SESKA: They're still off-line. We can't seem to get the dilithium matrix reinitialized. CHAKOTAY: It's been two days. SESKA: Don't worry, B'Elanna's on it. CHAKOTAY: Run a full security sweep. Something tells me there's more to this engine problem than a faulty dilithium matrix. PARIS: Do you think we've got a saboteur on board? SESKA: There's a ship approaching, bearing two one six mark three three. It's Janeway's shuttle. CHAKOTAY: Open a channel. Hello, Kathryn. How did it go with the Rukani? JANEWAY [on view screen]: You're out of uniform, Commander. CHAKOTAY: There have been a few changes since you've been gone. JANEWAY [on view screen]: So I've heard. You think I don't have any friends left on Voyager? CHAKOTAY: Apparently, you do. But I'll find them. JANEWAY [on view screen]: And then what? Will you kill them or just put them off the ship? CHAKOTAY: Nobody has to die here today. JANEWAY [on view screen]: I thought you were a man of your word, Chakotay. I guess I was mistaken. CHAKOTAY: I'm sorry it had to come to this. But the crew believes I can get them home faster than you can. PARIS [on view screen]: That's going to be a little difficult without warp engines, isn't it? CHAKOTAY: Our warp drive may be temporarily off-line, but our weapons systems are fully operational. PARIS: They're powering phasers. CHAKOTAY: Kathryn, don't try to be a hero. I've been reasonable so far. I'll allow you to keep the shuttle. I'll even transport you some extra provisions. But if you don't stand down, I will destroy your shuttle. JANEWAY [on view screen]: You've just threatened the wrong woman, Chakotay. CHAKOTAY: What does she think she's going to accomplish? SESKA: We can obliterate them in one shot. CHAKOTAY: Not till I give the order. Reopen a channel. PARIS: I don't know how, but they've disabled our shields. We're completely vulnerable. CHAKOTAY: Target their warp core and fire. SESKA: I always said Janeway was a fool. COMPUTER: Intruder alert on Deck 8. PARIS: It's Paris and Janeway. CHAKOTAY: Janeway's no fool. She tricked us into destroying her shuttle, then transported over while the shields were down. SESKA: She's trying to free the prisoners. CHAKOTAY: You've got the bridge. You're with me.

[Holographic Brig]

CHAKOTAY: Get away from that panel! PARIS: Drop it.

[Holodeck]

PARIS: Computer, resume program. COMPUTER: The holographic simulation has ended. PARIS: Well, start it up again, right where it left off. COMPUTER: Unable to comply. PARIS: Why not? COMPUTER: Additional narrative parameters have not been programmed. PARIS: Are you saying there's no more story? COMPUTER: Affirmative. PARIS: This is someone's idea of a practical joke, right? COMPUTER: Please rephrase the question.

LI

TORRES: There. I've bypassed the security override. Try it now. PARIS: Computer, identify the author of holographic program entitled “Insurrection Alpha”. COMPUTER: That information is classified. TORRES: I've tried every decryption protocol I can think of. Whoever wrote this is good. PARIS: Not to mention sadistic. I can't believe we've been left hanging like this. NEELIX: Any luck? Me neither. I've discreetly questioned everybody I thought I could trust. Either nobody knows or nobody's talking. PARIS: Remember the good old days when it was impossible to keep a secret on a ship this small?

[Briefing room]

JANEWAY: Well, if that takes care of our official agenda, there's another matter I'd like to discuss. Commander Chakotay informs me there's a new holo-novel that's become quite popular among the crew. CHAKOTAY: It's been accessed forty seven times by thirty three different crew members. JANEWAY: I don't suppose anyone here is familiar with what we're talking about? TORRES: Um, actually, er, Captain, I'm the one who found it on the auxiliary data base. PARIS: I've been running it too. CHAKOTAY: Anybody else? JANEWAY: I understand that the author of this little opus has chosen to remain anonymous. Perhaps because of the controversial nature of the story, which depicts Commander Chakotay as the leader of a Maquis mutiny. Well, now that the cat's out of the bag, I want each of you to talk to your staff and find out who our anonymous author is. TUVOK: That won't be necessary, Captain. I am the author of the program in question. PARIS: You, Tuvok? JANEWAY: I never knew you had literary aspirations. NEELIX: Not to mention talent. What a story! TUVOK: I'm afraid there's been a misunderstanding. The program is not a holo-novel. It is a tactical training scenario. When you first invited the Maquis to join our crew, I believed that mutiny was a very real possibility. With that in mind, I began to write a training program for junior security officers to prepare them for such an eventuality. PARIS: But you never finished it? TUVOK: No. As the two crews began to work together, I concluded that the threat of an insurrection was increasingly unlikely. I realized the program itself might exacerbate the very conflict I sought to avoid. Therefore, I deleted the scenario, or so I believed. JANEWAY: Apparently you didn't account for B'Elanna's exceptional computer skills. TUVOK: Nor her somewhat excessive curiosity. I apologize for my carelessness, Captain. PARIS: Forget your carelessness. What you should be apologizing for is leaving us all hanging by a thread. You've got to finish the story. TUVOK: On the contrary, Mister Paris. The program has the potential to incite animosity among the crew and must be permanently deleted. I have no doubt the captain concurs. JANEWAY: With all due respect, Mister Tuvok, loosen up. You may have intended this program to be a tactical training tool, but it looks to me like it's turned into a bit of harmless fun. TUVOK: As the Captain of this ship, surely you - JANEWAY: I'm more than just a Captain. I'm the leader of a community, and communities need entertainment, culture, creative outlets. Since we're not exactly privy to every new piece of music or holo-novel that's written back home, I think it's only natural that we should start creating our own. CHAKOTAY: Besides, Tuvok, if the crew doesn't get an ending, you may have a real mutiny on your hands. PARIS: If Tuvok doesn't want to finish the story, I volunteer. TORRES: Oh? PARIS: Well, I've always wanted to write a holo-novel. I think I could make it pretty exciting. JANEWAY: Good. Then it's settled. I, for one, can't wait to see if Captain Janeway manages to outwit the conspirators.

[Mess hall]

PARIS: Well, if it isn't Mister Anonymous. Come to check up on your replacement? TUVOK: Since the captain insists on allowing you to proceed with this frivolous exercise, I thought you might benefit from the original probability studies I conducted before beginning the scenario. PARIS: Well, thanks, Tuvok, but I don't need any probability studies. I'm just sort of making it up as I go along. TUVOK: Indeed. I'd be curious to know what you've made up thus far. LII

PARIS: Well, I was thinking, Paris and Janeway retake the ship and then she decides to execute all the conspirators. TUVOK: That is an entirely implausible plot development. Captain Janeway would never behave in such an inhumane manner. PARIS: This isn't real life, Tuvok. It's fiction. Don't get so caught up in logic. TUVOK: Logic is an integral part of narrative structure. According to The Dictates of Poetics by T'hain of Vulcan, a character's actions must flow inexorably from his or her established traits. PARIS: Well, I don't know anything about T'hain, but I do know what makes an interesting story, and that's unexpected plot twists. TUVOK: If you think I will allow you to turn this program into a parody, you are sorely mistaken. PARIS: Are you saying that you're going to finish it yourself? TORRES: Artistic differences? TUVOK: I would hardly call Mister Paris's ideas artistic. PARIS: Apparently, my instincts don't comply with the Vulcan Dictates of Poetics. TORRES: Well, I've got a couple of suggestions that might help. Now, up until now the story's been nothing but action, which is fine. But what it needs is a little heart, a little emotion. TUVOK: We are not writing a romance novel, Lieutenant. PARIS: We? TUVOK: I've decided that your efforts would benefit from my collaboration. PARIS: Oh, really? TORRES: Listen, I don't care which one of you is writing this thing. All I'm saying is that there is room in every good story for a little bit of passion. PARIS: You know, maybe you're on to something. I could add a steamy love scene between the Starfleet comm officer and the Maquis engineer. TORRES: Oh, that's realistic. NEELIX: How about a fresh pot of coffee to keep those creative juices flowing, eh? PARIS: Thanks, Neelix. NEELIX: While I'm here. PARIS: Let me guess. You have a suggestion to make. NEELIX: Of course not. I would never presume to interfere in the creative process. It's more of a comment, really, about the Neelix character. TUVOK: How surprising. JANEWAY: He would never betray the captain the way he does in that story. No offence, Mister Vulcan, but I don't think you understand my character very well. PARIS: Tuvok, did you forget to follow the Dictates of Poetics? NEELIX: Perhaps we should find someplace quieter to work. PARIS: Now, that's the first intelligent suggestion I've heard all evening.

[Corridor]

TUVOK: I believe our first step should be to create a carefully constructed outline of the remaining chapters. PARIS: I told you, Tuvok. I'm just making it up as I go. TUVOK: We cannot proceed without a carefully constructed outline. PARIS: We. There you go with that we stuff again. I don't remember agreeing to let you help me. TUVOK: Need I remind you that it was I who first began the scenario? PARIS: And you think I'm compromising your creative vision? TUVOK: In so many words, yes, and it is my duty to ensure that ship’s security is not compromised by your creative vision. PARIS: You had your chance to finish the story, and you wanted to delete it. TUVOK: True, but since that is no longer an option, I am now exercising my prerogative as the original author. PARIS: Look, Tuvok, for the last time, I don't need any help.

[Holodeck]

DOCTOR: Ah, there you are. I have several brilliant ideas for upcoming chapters of your holo-novel, as well as a list of revisions and dialogue changes that I believe will improve the earlier installments. PARIS: I don't believe this. DOCTOR: No thanks are necessary. In addition, I'm prepared to offer my expertise in the creation of holographic mise-en-scene. TUVOK: Computer, override the EMH program's autonomous controls and transfer him back to Sickbay. LIII

DOCTOR: Now, wait just a min- PARIS: Thanks, Tuvok. Now that I think about it, I'll take it from here. TUVOK: You may find that difficult, since I'm the only one who can make additions to the program. PARIS: All right, Tuvok. You win. We'll finish the story together. TUVOK: That is a very rational decision, Mister Paris. Computer, reinitiate the holographic program entitled “Insurrection Alpha”, security clearance Tuvok 4774. COMPUTER: The program has been reinitiated. PARIS: The first thing we're going to change is that title. TUVOK: Reformat the holo-matrix for the addition of new interactive algorithms. COMPUTER: The holo-matrix has been formatted. TUVOK: Reopen the narrative parameters file.

[Bridge]

KIM: Captain, we just lost power in both transporter rooms. The comm went down, and the holodeck systems are completely scrambled.

[Holographic Brig]

PARIS: What are we doing in the brig? TUVOK: I have no idea. We haven't given the computer instructions to create a location yet. SESKA: Hello, Tuvok. I've been expecting you. If you can see me, you've obviously reopened the narrative parameters file of the tactical scenario you've been working on. TUVOK: How do you know that? You're a hologram. SESKA: That's right. A holographic representation of Seska, one of the Maquis shipmates you betrayed. I would have thought all that time you spent spying on us might have given you a little more insight into the Maquis, but after looking over what you've already written, I can see you need a little help. So I've created this representation of myself, to guide you through the rest of the program. TUVOK: There is no more program. SESKA: There is now. I finished writing it for you, with a few revisions of my own. PARIS: Revisions? SESKA: To start with, the holodeck is now sealed. Your friends will find it very difficult to get you out of here. And the safety protocols are off, which means if I shoot you, and I am going to shoot you, you'll die. But not just yet. You've got ten seconds to run. Nine, eight TUVOK: Computer, end program. SESKA: Seven, six, five TUVOK: Holodeck one to Bridge. Emergency transport. SESKA: Oh, did I forget to tell you? The moment you restarted the program, the comm system went down. Four, three … PARIS: I guess we better do what she says. SESKA: Two, one.

[Holographic Corridor]

PARIS: You should never have crossed her, Tuvok. TUVOK: She has been dead for over a year now. There would have been no way to predict this turn of events. PARIS: I guess we should have known Seska wouldn't let a little thing like death stop her from getting even. JANEWAY: Tuvok! Tom! In here! PARIS: Captain?

[Holographic Transporter Room]

JANEWAY: We're going to have to transport to the cargo bay to free the rest of the prisoners. It's safer than trying to make it on foot. PARIS: She's a hologram too. TUVOK: Apparently she believes we're here to help her retake the ship from the mutineers. PARIS: I say we play along. We could use all the help we can get against Seska. TUVOK: You're forgetting it was Seska who rewrote the scenario. For all we know, she's programmed Captain Janeway to betray us. LIV

PARIS: I suppose you have a better idea? TUVOK: The safest course of action is to avoid participation of any kind. Eventually, the real Captain will discover our predicament and shut down the program from the outside. JANEWAY: Let's move! CHAKOTAY: Hold it right there! JANEWAY: Back off! SESKA: Or what? You'll shoot us? Go right ahead. JANEWAY: Whatever you say. (Janeway fires and shoots herself.) SESKA: Poor Kathryn. I guess nobody told her the phaser rifles from storage locker three have been malfunctioning. CHAKOTAY: You're an incredible woman, Seska. SESKA: You see who's in charge now, don't you? So if I were you, I'd get moving again. The program's not over. TUVOK: We have no intention of participating in this exercise. SESKA: You don't want to end up like your Captain, do you? PARIS: You programmed all this: the malfunctioning phaser, the version of Chakotay who's attracted to you. None of it is real. SESKA: You hear that? He thinks this is a game. Show him he's wrong. CHAKOTAY: I've been waiting a long time for this. SESKA: Next time, you'll believe me when I tell you the safety protocols are off. Now, you've got five seconds to start running again, or you'll end up with more than a flesh wound.

[Holographic Corridor]

PARIS: So much for not playing along with Seska's program. TUVOK: Are you able to continue? PARIS: I'll keep up. The question is, where are we going? TUVOK: I have an idea.

[Holographic Sickbay]

PARIS: What's the point? This isn't the real sickbay. TUVOK: I may be able to use some of this holographic equipment to treat your wound. Besides, it's as good a place as any to hide from Seska. HOLO- DOCTOR: Please state the nature of the medical emergency. PARIS: No emergency, Doc. I'm fine. HOLO- DOCTOR: Nonsense. You have second-degree phaser burns. Please have a seat on bio-bed one. PARIS: That's all right, Doc. I'm telling you, I feel fine. HOLO- DOCTOR: You require treatment. Twenty cc's nitric acid. A little proverbial salt in the wound. HOLO- DOCTOR: You're looking well. TUVOK: Go! PARIS: I'm not going to leave you! HOLO- DOCTOR: It was a pleasure treating you. Don't hesitate to call again.

[Holographic Corridor]

TUVOK: Are you all right, Mister Paris? PARIS: Oh, just great. Maybe we can go to the mess hall now and let the holographic Neelix burn my arm with a frying pan. TUVOK: Your feeble attempt at wit notwithstanding, it does appear that Seska has reprogrammed the holographic crew to torture us. I suggest we avoid meeting any more of them. SESKA [OC]: Seska to Tuvok. I know you can hear me. PARIS: Oh, terrific. SESKA [OC]: I just wanted to remind you that wherever you go, I'll find you. PARIS: I say we try the Jefferies tubes. TUVOK: I concur.

LV

[Bridge]

KIM: Captain, you're not going to believe this, but Seska caused these cascade failures. JANEWAY: Seska? How? TORRES: What she lacked in loyalty she made up for in ingenuity. According to the back-up computer logs, she got into Tuvok's scenario on Stardate 48671 about a month before she left the ship. She programmed it to cause all of these shutdowns the next time Tuvok reopened the narrative parameters file, which he didn't do until today. JANEWAY: Can we get them out? TORRES: Seska laid booby-trapped subroutines everywhere. If we try to open the holodeck doors, the power grid is rigged to explode. KIM: And the transporters are still off-line. JANEWAY: You said the narrative parameters file is open now? KIM: Seska's revised program is playing out as we speak. JANEWAY: If Seska can rewrite Tuvok, maybe I can rewrite Seska.

[Holographic Jefferies tube]

PARIS: So, Tuvok, anything in the Dictates of Poetics about how to escape from a ship full of insane holograms? TUVOK: Your attempts at humor are hardly constructive, Mister Paris. The controls are jammed. I cannot close the hatch. PARIS: Tuvok! Where do you suppose this came from? TUVOK: That is an intriguing question. PARIS: Do you think Seska's toying with us? Taking us to the brink of death again, then letting us live so she can keep torturing us? TUVOK: I prefer a more optimistic interpretation. It is possible our shipmates outside the holodeck have learned of our predicament and have found a way to help us by making additions to the program, such as that plasma extinguisher. PARIS: If you want to look on the bright side, I'm certainly not going to argue with you. If they do know what's going on, why just hand us a plasma extinguisher? Why not shut down the holo-grid, or change the scenario? TUVOK: I would imagine Seska has made it very difficult for anyone to implement more than minor changes. PARIS: Take a look at this. [On display screen] - TRYING TO HELP YOU. GO TO WEAPONS LOCKER. PARIS: You were right. TUVOK: We must follow their instructions. CHAKOTAY: Hello, boys.

[Engineering]

CHAKOTAY [on monitor]: What do you say we go for a little walk? JANEWAY: Where did they come from? TORRES: Seska's program is adding new algorithms to counteract the changes we're making. JANEWAY: I need more access to the narrative subroutines. TORRES: I can't get in. JANEWAY: You better find a way, otherwise Tom and Tuvok aren't going to make it out of there alive. It looks like Chakotay's taking them to the holographic cargo bay. TORRES: Torres to Kim. How are you coming with those transporters?

[Bridge]

KIM: Seska's program has completely disabled the relay access ports.

[Engineering]

KIM [OC]: It's going to take a while to get Tom and Tuvok out of there. JANEWAY: I guess that means I keep writing.

LVI

[Holographic Cargo Bay]

CHAKOTAY: As you can see, the last of your comrades have been captured. In case anybody had any doubts, it should be obvious by now that this is no longer a Starfleet vessel. SESKA: Bring Paris and Tuvok over here. You and you, bring your weapons.

[Engineering]

CHAKOTAY[ on monitor]: What are you doing? SESKA [on monitor]: What do you think I'm doing? I'm going to execute them right here. JANEWAY: I need access to the character algorithms now! TORRES: I'm on it.

[Holographic Cargo Bay]

SESKA: Fire on my order. CHAKOTAY: Belay that. SESKA: What are you doing? We planned this! CHAKOTAY: I'm not sure it's necessary to kill them. TUVOK: If I'm not mistaken, the Chakotay hologram is undergoing some sort of character change. PARIS: Do you think they're trying to help us again? SESKA: These two rodents betrayed us. They deserve to die! TUVOK: Don't listen to her, Commander. You've taken the ship. There is no need to add murder to your list of offences. SESKA: Quiet! CHAKOTAY: Lower your weapons.

[Engineering]

TORRES: It's working. JANEWAY: Now, if I can just keep modifying the Chakotay hologram SESKA [on monitor]: You're not going to lose your nerve, are you?

[Holographic Cargo Bay]

CHAKOTAY: We have what we want. There's no reason to kill them. SESKA: Prepare to fire on my order! CHAKOTAY: Seska! I'm in command of this operation.

[Engineering]

SESKA [on monitor]: Not anymore. TORRES: I don't believe it. The prograe is reconfiguring the sub-processors to counter every change we make. No matter what we do, it rewrites itself so that Tom and Tuvok will die. JANEWAY: I'm not out of ideas yet.

[Holographic Cargo Bay]

SESKA: Now, is there anyone else who wants to challenge my authority? Isn't their loyalty inspiring? Set your phasers to kill. PARIS: Don't listen to her. SESKA: Fire on my order. What the hell was that? TUVOK: Don't move, Seska. CREWWOMAN [OC]: Bridge to Seska. We're under attack by the Rukani. SESKA: The Rukani? PARIS: The people the captain and I were visiting while you were busy taking over the ship. When we realized there was a mutiny in progress, we called them for a little assistance.

LVII

[Engineering]

JANEWAY: Harry, have you got transporters yet? KIM [OC]: Still working on it, Captain.

[Holographic Cargo Bay]

SESKA: You're not getting this ship back. TUVOK: That is a rather bold statement for someone in your position. SESKA: Computer, initiate sixty seconds self-destruct sequence, authorization zeta one. COMPUTER: This ship will self-destruct in sixty seconds. TUVOK: Computer, belay that order, authorization Tuvok 4774. COMPUTER: Unable to comply, voiceprint not recognized. SESKA: If you don't hand over that phaser rifle, everyone on this ship is going to be dead in … COMPUTER: Self-destruct in forty five seconds.

[Engineering]

TORRES: I don't know how she rigged it, Captain, but when she ordered the self-destruct it initiated an overload in the holodeck power relays. The whole grid is going to blow.

[Holographic Cargo Bay]

COMPUTER: Self-destruct in thirty seconds. SESKA: Hand over the weapon, or the ship is going to be destroyed. TUVOK: I have set this phaser to kill. If you do not deactivate the self-destruct sequence, I will fire. SESKA: I'm surprised at you, Tuvok. That's not very logical. If I'm dead, who'll turn off the self-destruct? COMPUTER: Fifteen seconds to self-destruct. Thirteen, twelve, eleven, ten, nine - SESKA: Computer, terminate self-destruct sequence, authorization zeta one. COMPUTER: Self-destruct sequence has been terminated. SESKA: Now call off your Rukani friends. TUVOK: Do what she says. PARIS: Tuvok! TUVOK: That's an order, Mister Paris. PARIS: Paris to the Rukani vessel. Thank you for your assistance, but everything's under control now. SESKA: It is, isn't it? I guess if you want something done right, you've got to do it yourself. (Seska aims the phaser at Tuvok but shoots and kills herself.) PARIS: Not bad. TUVOK: Seska's not the only one who knows how to cause a phaser malfunction. COMPUTER: The holographic simulation has ended.

[Engineering]

TORRES: It's over. KIM [OC]: Kim to Engineering. I think I can give you transporters now, Captain. JANEWAY: That's all right, Harry. No rush.

[Mess hall]

JANEWAY: Here's to stories with happy endings. TUVOK: I must say, Captain, causing the alien ship to come to our aid was a very effective plot development. JANEWAY: Who says deus ex machina is an outdated literary device? PARIS: I'm just glad you didn't come down with a case of writer's block. TORRES: So, you two are going to have to come up with a new idea for your next literary collaboration. JANEWAY: What about doing a Western? TORRES: Or a detective story? CHAKOTAY: I don't care what kind of story it is, as long as I'm not the bad guy this time. NEELIX: I've got a great idea for a holo-novel about a daring trader who becomes a cook on a starship.

LVIII

Eventually, he rises - TUVOK: Mister Neelix, if Mister Paris and I do create another work of holo-fiction, I assure you we will choose a subject much less close to home.

Voyager episode 5.12: “Bride of Chaotica” Original Airdate: January 27, 1999

(A screen inside Captain Proton’s ship displays in black and white the preview of the next Captain Proton chapter.)

NARRATOR [off]: The Adventures of Captain Proton! Chapter 18: Bride of Chaotica. The evil Doctor Chaotica kidnaps Constance Goodheart and plans to sacrifice her to Arachnia, Queen of the Spider People! Captain Proton travels millions of miles to Planet X where he will invade the Fortress of Doom. Chaotica fires his fiendish Death Ray! Certain death for Proton as his rocket ship bursts into flames!

[Holodeck – Captain Proton's ship]

KIM: We didn't burst into flames in the last chapter. Why are these recaps always so inaccurate? PARIS: Well, they brought people back to the theatres. KIM: Cliff-hangers. PARIS; The lost art of hyperbole. You ready? KIM: Aye, Captain. PARIS: Let's get this show on the road. Computer, begin Chapter 18. KIM: We're receiving a transmission. It's Chaotica. PARIS: Imagizing. CHAOTICA [on imagizer/screen]: Captain Proton! Surrender! PARIS; Not a chance. Release Miss Goodheart and we'll be on our way. CHAOTICA [on imagizer]: I'm afraid your secretary has already been promised to Queen Arachnia as a supreme sacrifice! KIM: You'll never get away with this! CHAOTICA [on imagizer]: Oh, ho ho ho, but I shall! You escaped from my Death Ray once, but you won't survive this! KIM: He's charging the weapon. PARIS: Brace for impact! KIM: Direct hit. We've lost both engines! PARIS: Steering jets are on the fritz! KIM: We're going down! PARIS; The landing gear is jammed. Hang on! KIM: Opening hatch. PARIS: Welcome to Planet X. KIM: What's the plan? PARIS: This is the part where we defeat Chaotica's soldiers, steal their uniforms, and make our way through the underground caverns. KIM: Hey, I thought you said there were slave girls in this chapter. PARIS: After we infiltrate the Fortress of Doom we'll free Chaotica's harem. Let's go. KIM: I'm right behind you.

[Holodeck - Planet X]

KIM: Planet X looks kind of familiar. What was the last place we went to? PARIS: The Mines of Mercury. KIM: They're identical. PARIS: Sets were expensive. At least there's no erupting volcano this time. Ah, behold the Fortress of Doom. KIM: And how are we supposed to get up there? LIX

PARIS: I told you. The un… BOTH: …derground caverns. KIM: Right. KIM: I thought you said there was no volcano. PARIS; I did. KIM: Er, Tom. PARIS: Definitely not Chaotica. KIM: Computer, end program. COMPUTER: Unable to comply. Holodeck controls are offline. PARIS: Paris to Bridge. Bridge, respond. KIM: We need to find the manual overrides. PARIS: There's an access port in the rocket ship. Come on.

[Bridge]

JANEWAY: Report. CHAKOTAY: We've dropped out of warp. We're at a dead stop. JANEWAY: Cause? TUVOK: Unknown. Engines are operational. CHAKOTAY: I'm reading gravimetric forces around the ship. They're disrupting our power flow. TUVOK: Control systems are going offline. I no longer have access to communications, deflector, weapons. JANEWAY: Scan for vessels, tractor beams, anything that might explain what's holding us here.

[Holodeck - Planet X]

LONZAK: Halt in the name of Chaotica! Proton! KIM: Buddy of yours? LONZAK: Surprised? You thought I perished in the Den of Crocodiles! PARIS: We don't have time for this. LONZAK: I survived clinging to the thought that I would one day...urgh.

[Bridge]

TUVOK: I believe I have an explanation. Sensors show that we've entered a layer of subspace. It's disrupting our warp field. JANEWAY: Do we have impulse? CHAKOTAY: Yes JANEWAY: Engage at full. TUVOK: No change in our position. JANEWAY: Route all available power to the engines. TUVOK: We're not moving. CHAKOTAY: The impulse reactor's running hot. We're heading for an overload. JANEWAY: Give it all she's got. Full thrusters. CHAKOTAY: No effect. Reactors are critical. JANEWAY: Abort. Increase power to the structural integrity field. We may be here awhile.

[Holodeck - Proton's ship]

PARIS: It's no use. I can't disengage the program. KIM: Well, you better think of something fast, Proton. A second distortion just appeared. Whatever they are, they're getting bigger. PARIS: Hold on. I've got access to the transporter. I'm going to try a site-to-site. KIM: There's a third one.

LX

[Astrometrics lab]

SEVEN: I've run a trans-spectral analysis. The area between space and subspace is unstable throughout this region. TORRES: Basically, we've run aground on a subspace sandbar. I've tried realigning the warp field, reversing hull polarity. PARIS: Maybe we should just get out and push. SEVEN: The gravimetric forces are disrupting our control systems. TORRES: As long as we're trapped here we won't have access to the computer core, tactical, holodecks, and all but six replicators. JANEWAY: What about those distortions on the holodeck? What's the connection? SEVEN: They appear to be random energy fluctuations. I don't believe they pose a threat. JANEWAY: Let's keep an eye on them anyway, and evacuate that deck just to be safe. A few years back when I was a science officer on the Al-Batani, we tried to navigate a dense proto-nebula. It stopped us dead in our tracks. For three days we attempted to force our way out, until we realized we were trying too hard. TORRES: Captain? JANEWAY: Every time we engaged the engines we were increasing the resistance of the nebula's particle field. We may be facing a similar situation. SEVEN: Our own warp field may be increasing the gravimetric forces. If we power down the core and use minimal thrusters we might be able to break free. JANEWAY: You took the words right out of my mouth. SEVEN: Your plan could work. TORRES: Now that we have your blessing. JANEWAY: Let's give it a try.

[Holodeck - Planet X]

LONZAK: Halt, in the name of Chaotica! ALIEN: We intend no harm. LONZAK: Seize them! Lower the drawbridge. We are bringing prisoners.

[Holodeck - Fortress of Doom]

CHAOTICA: Yes, yes, yes, Lonzak, what do you want? LONZAK: Your majesty. CHAOTICA: Where's Proton? LONZAK: He … escaped. CHAOTICA: Fool! You will pay for your incompetence! Seize him! ROBOT: Surrender. LONZAK: But Majesty, I have brought prisoners! CHAOTICA: More Earthlings? LONZAK: No! They claim they're from another Dimension. CHAOTICA: The Fifth Dimension. Bring them to me! ALIEN: Identify yourself. CHAOTICA: You insult me! I am Chaotica, Ruler of the Cosmos! LONZAK: Kneel before His Majesty. I said, kneel! CHAOTICA: You have invaded my planet. Why? ALIEN: To contact other photonic life-forms. To learn from them. CHAOTICA: Are you alone or are you the vanguard of an invading army? ALIEN: We are explorers. CHAOTICA: I am growing weary of this charade. Your armies will be no match for my space force. We'll crush you like insects! ALIEN: They are hostile. This contact should be terminated. CHAOTICA: Indeed. Lonzak, execute them! Coward. He'll learn there's no escape from Chaotica. Gather my Space Force. Power the Death Ray! LONZAK: At once, Majesty. CHAOTICA: Take Miss Goodheart to Arachnia. Invite the Queen to join me in battle. Together we will rain destruction on the Fifth Dimension!

LXI

(Captain’s log entry) Janeway (off): Captain's Log, supplemental. We've been spinning our wheels for three days now, and still no progress in breaking free of the subspace layer.

[Mess hall]

NEELIX: Look on the bright side. There's only three meals a day. JANEWAY: Coffee, black. NEELIX: Sorry, Captain. We lost two more replicators this morning. JANEWAY: Listen to me very carefully because I'm only going to say this once. Coffee. Black. NEELIX: Yes, ma'am. Coffee, black. While I've got your attention, there are … JANEWAY: Coffee first. Now, what's the problem? NEELIX: It's a, it's a delicate matter. JANEWAY: I don't have time to play twenty questions, Neelix. NEELIX: Replicators aren't the only systems of convenience offline. We've only got four functioning lavatories for a ship of a hundred and fifty people. JANEWAY: I see. NEELIX: Needless to say, lines are beginning to form. If we don't get unstuck soon we may have a serious problem on our hands. Especially with the Bolians. All but three sonic showers are offline, too. In another couple of days… JANEWAY: I get the idea. CHAKOTAY [OC]: Captain to the Bridge. JANEWAY: On my way. I'm going to leave these problems in your capable hands. NEELIX: Yes ma'am. I was thinking, if we drew up a schedule… JANEWAY: Whatever it takes.

[Bridge]

JANEWAY: Status. TORRES: The warp core has been powered down. The thrusters at standby. JANEWAY: Okay. Let's give it a try. Take us out, Tom. Nice and slow. PARIS: We're moving. Two meters per second. Three meters. JANEWAY: Steady. PARIS: Nine meters. Ten. JANEWAY: Increase power to the thrusters by fifty percent. TORRES: We're approaching the subspace boundary. PARIS: Twenty five meters per second. Wait a minute, we're slowing down. Nineteen meters per second, eighteen. TORRES: Captain, I'm reading power surges. JANEWAY: Source? TORRES: Unknown, but they look like weapon signatures. KIM: I'm not reading any other ships in the area. PARIS: We've stopped. TUVOK: I've localized the weapons fire. It's emanating from within the ship. Deck six, holodeck two. JANEWAY: Who's still on that deck? TUVOK: No one. No life signs. KIM: There's a program running. It's Captain Proton. PARIS: Proton? CHAKOTAY: Can you shut it down? KIM: Negative. Control systems still malfunctioning. JANEWAY: Tuvok, get down there and find out what's happening. Well, join him. PARIS: Yes, ma'am.

[Holodeck - Planet X]

TUVOK: It appears that a battle took place. PARIS: Believe me, it wasn't like this when I left. I must have missed a few chapters. TUVOK: Holodeck programs don't normally run by themselves. PARIS: No kidding. She's dead. TUVOK: Who is she?

LXII

PARIS: Constance Goodheart, my secretary. This doesn't make sense. She isn't supposed to die. She's one of the good guys! TUVOK: I'm sure you two were very close, but she is a holodeck character. PARIS: A character from 1930s Hollywood. The good guys never get killed. Something's wrong here. ROBOT: Invaders from the Fifth Dimension. PARIS: Satan's Robot. TUVOK: Naturally. ROBOT: Queen Arachnia is on her way. Invaders from the Fifth Dimension. Destroy Proton. PARIS: Give me a hand. If we can repair his vocalizer he might be able to tell us what's been going on. It looks like he burned out a resistor. TUVOK: A what? PARIS: That's a few centuries before duotronic circuitry. TUVOK: I see. How do you propose we repair him? PARIS: Well, first of all, I've gotta remove this damaged tube. No problem, just a few crossed wires. TUVOK: Your knowledge of this technology is most impressive. PARIS: Oh, thanks. Got it. ROBOT: Intruders. Intruders. Intruders. Intruder alert! Intruder alert! PARIS: Tell us what happened. ROBOT: Invaders from the Fifth Dimension! Invaders from the Fifth … PARIS: Hey, calm down. ROBOT: Dimension. TUVOK: How did these invaders get here? ROBOT: A portal. PARIS: The Fifth Dimension. There's not supposed to be alien invaders in this story. That's in “Captain Proton versus the Cosmic Creature”. ROBOT: Invaders from the Fifth Dimension! PARIS: Those subspace distortions. Take us to this portal.

ROBOT: There. TUVOK: Photonic charges. The same signatures as the weapons fire we detected. ROBOT: The Fifth Dimension! TUVOK: We must report this to the Captain. PARIS: Wait. I want to check my rocket ship first. TUVOK: Excuse me? PARIS: It's got sensors, sort of. Maybe they can tell us something Voyager's sensors can't.

[Astrometrics lab]

SEVEN: I've established a visual link with the Holodeck. The attack appears to be originating from subspace. KIM: Can you tell where it's coming from? SEVEN: No. What was that? KIM: Chaotica's Death Ray. SEVEN: Excuse me? KIM: Let's see if we can get a look inside his Fortress. Find out what he's up to. CHAOTICA [on screen]: Full power to the Death Ray! Arachnia, Queen of the Spider People. You have not responded to my summons. Don't … KIM: I don't get it. Chaotica was supposed to be fighting Earth in this chapter. SEVEN: Apparently he's found a new enemy. KIM: The Fifth Dimension. SEVEN: It seems your infantile scenario now poses a security risk. KIM: It was just supposed to be a little harmless entertainment. SEVEN: Entertainment. Another frivolous human endeavor.

[Holodeck - Proton's ship]

TUVOK: These are your sensor readings? PARIS: Telegram. It's a message to Captain Proton from the President of Earth. Intercepted communications between Doctor Chaotica and Arachnia. Stop. Chaotica at war with aliens from Fifth Dimension. Stop. Must strike now to disable Death Ray.

LXIII

TUVOK: Stop. Please summarize the message. PARIS: Well, it looks like Chaotica has captured a couple of aliens from the Fifth Dimension. TUVOK: An alternate universe. PARIS: Could be. Maybe they wandered into the holodeck through one of those distortions. TUVOK: To participate in a game? ROBOT: Intruder! TUVOK: I assume there's no locking mechanism on the hatch. PARIS: It was a simpler time. TUVOK: Is he part of the program? PARIS: I don't recognize him. ROBOT: Invaders! PARIS: Quiet! Look there's been a misunderstanding. I'm Ensign Paris from the Starship Voyager. This is Lieutenant Tuvok. ALIEN: You have killed fifty three of my people. PARIS: We haven't killed anyone. TUVOK: Ensign. Everything you see here is a simulation. None of it is real. ALIEN: Simulation? TUVOK: A photonically-based projection. ALIEN: All life is photonic. TUVOK: We are not. We are biochemical life forms. ALIEN: I'm not familiar with biochemical. TUVOK: We are carbon based. We live aboard a Starship. I believe we have become trapped in a region of space that intersects your own. ALIEN: We've detected no starship. Only this planet. TUVOK: This planet isn't real. As I told you, it's part of a simulation. PARIS: Maybe we can help you adjust your sensors. ALIEN: You don't register as a life form. You are the illusion. PARIS: We're as real as you are. Listen. ROBOT: Citizen of the Fifth Dimension. You will be destroyed. You PARIS: Wait. Wait! ROBOT: Damage. Damage. Require maintenance. Help. Help. Help.

[Briefing room]

JANEWAY: Let me get this straight. Trans-dimensional aliens have mistaken your Captain Proton simulation for reality. PARIS: Yes, ma'am. JANEWAY: And now an armed conflict has broken out between these aliens and Chaotica's holographic army. PARIS: Yes, ma'am. His Army of Evil. JANEWAY: And will someone please explain why we haven't simply shut down the holodeck? SEVEN: We've tried. The controls are still offline. JANEWAY: We're going to have to get through to these aliens and explain that they're fighting shadows. PARIS: We've tried, but they don't believe us. They think that we're not real. They can't detect Voyager, so every time they scan us we seem as artificial to them as holographic characters do to us. CHAKOTAY: That explains why they haven't answered our hails. SEVEN: The Doctor is photonic. He may be able to persuade them. JANEWAY: It's worth a try. Brief him. PARIS: In the meantime, I think we should let the program play out. JANEWAY: You're not suggesting we wait until this Chaotica defeats the aliens? PARIS: No, no, I'm suggesting that we help the aliens to defeat Chaotica. They think that he's leading some kind of hostile invasion force. Once that threat is gone, it's a good bet that they will leave and close up their portals. CHAKOTAY: How do you propose to defeat Chaotica? PARIS: Well, he's been attacking the aliens with his Death Ray. TUVOK: It's a shame we don't have one. PARIS: Forget about what it's called, Tuvok. In the world of Captain Proton it's the most powerful weapon there is, and because it's photonic, it's lethal to these aliens. Now in Chapter eighteen, Captain Proton disables this weapon just before Chaotica can use it to destroy Earth. JANEWAY: And you think that Proton, namely you of course, could still do that? PARIS: Well, we'd have to knock out the Lightning Shield first. LXIV

SEVEN: A force field. PARIS: Yeah, now you're catching on. The Destructor Beam on my rocket ship can disable the Death Ray but only if someone gets inside the Fortress of Doom and can shut down the Lightning Shield. CHAKOTAY: And who's supposed to do that? PARIS: Arachnia, Queen of the Spider People. JANEWAY: Charming. PARIS: Chaotica thinks so. In the story, he's in love with her. He's been trying to form an alliance since Chapter Three. She's the only one that he trusts, the only one that can get close enough to disable the Lightning Shield. Somebody is going to have to take on her character. JANEWAY: Who'd you have in mind? Oh, no! PARIS: It's the role of a lifetime! TUVOK: Captain, need I remind you that we have exhausted all other possibilities of escaping this layer of subspace. CHAKOTAY: Until we can eliminate those distortions, we're trapped. SEVEN: Think of it as Starfleet's first encounter with Planet X. JANEWAY: Thanks. PARIS: Captain, it won't be so bad. I can explain to you what you can expect. I can tell you. JANEWAY: All right, all right! I'm a size four.

[Sickbay]

TORRES: What's the emergency? DOCTOR: I've been enlisted. I'm supposed to make contact with our photonic friends from the Fifth Dimension and convince them to call off their attack. TORRES: Congratulations. Why do you need me? DOCTOR: It's an undercover mission. I'll need a bit of cosmetic surgery. These are the parameters for my new costume. TORRES: What are you going as, the Emperor of the Universe? DOCTOR: Well, I've been forced to scale back my role in the interest of credibility. I'll be President of Earth. I must say, the idea of an entire universe populated by photonic beings is rather appealing. TORRES: Well, if your mission fails you could be taking up permanent residence. KIM [OC]: Kim to Sickbay. Report to holodeck two, Doctor. TORRES: You're all set. The new parameters will activate as soon as you enter the holodeck. DOCTOR: Thank you. TORRES: Break a leg.

[Corridor]

JANEWAY: So all I have to do is find the controls of this Death Ray and deactivate it. PARIS: It's not as simple as it sounds. Now, Chaotica might be a 1930s villain, but he's very clever. It'd help if you knew some of the rules. JANEWAY: I'm listening. PARIS: All right. Well, first of all, he's a megalomaniac, so it's a good idea to appeal to his ego. JANEWAY: Right. PARIS: And, er …, use grandiose language. He likes to be called sire and it helps to say things like, the clever fiendishness of your evil plan is brilliant!

[Turbolift]

JANEWAY: Deck four. PARIS: Now remember: it's ray gun, not phaser; imagizer, not view screen. Earthlings, not Terrans. JANEWAY: Got it. PARIS: And another thing. These villains always have a trick up their sleeve. Trapdoors, secret weapons. JANEWAY: It's the holodeck. I can't be hurt by weapons. PARIS: That doesn't mean you can't be restrained, or thrown into the Dungeon of Pain! JANEWAY: Noted. PARIS: Now, as soon as you get the Death Ray shut down, call me in my rocket ship and give me the signal to fire.

LXV

[Corridor]

PARIS: You'll have to use Chaotica's broadcast microphone. JANEWAY: This is how you've been spending your free time? PARIS: Well, I've been studying how past generations viewed the future. JANEWAY: And? PARIS: Well, it didn't work out quite as black and white as they imagined. Now, specifications for Arachnia's costume. One more thing. If you have trouble with Chaotica, or you can't get to the Death Ray, you can always uncork the pheromones. JANEWAY: I beg your pardon. PARIS: Chapter sixteen, Spell of the Spider. Arachnia sends Chaotica a vial of her irresistible potion. Now, whenever he gets a whiff, he's under her spell. JANEWAY: I get the picture. PARIS: Yeah, well, my point is that these pheromones seem to throw Chaotica for a loop. Well, it works in Chapter sixteen, anyway. Now, the vial is sitting on a small pedestal next to the throne. JANEWAY: I'll keep an eye out. PARIS: Okay. JANEWAY: Thanks for the briefing. PARIS: I'll see you at the Fortress of Doom. And remember, you're the Queen!

[Holodeck - Fortress of Doom]

LONZAK: Sire. Three more of our space ships have been destroyed. CHAOTICA: Argh! Full power to the Death Ray. Citizens of the Fifth Dimension. Your feeble attacks are nothing but pinpricks to me. Surrender now and I will be merciful. LONZAK: We're receiving a transmission. CHAOTICA: They are surrendering. LONZAK: No. It's Queen Arachnia. She wishes to cross the drawbridge. CHAOTICA: What are you waiting for? Show her in! LONZAK: I present her Royal Highness, Arachnia! CHAOTICA: Ahh. At last, at last. My Queen. This is an historic occasion. Kindred souls meet at last. JANEWAY: It's an honor to be in your presence, Majesty. I've always admired your clever fiendishness. CHAOTICA: Ah, your taste is exceeded only by your beauty. JANEWAY: This must be your Death Ray. CHAOTICA: That, my dear, is the Cradle of Persuasion. It's fully equipped. Brain probe, pain modulator. JANEWAY: Impressive. It's good you have the Lightning Shield to protect your equipment. CHAOTICA: Yes. As long as it's electrified, I am invincible! But my greatest achievement is there. Behold, the Death Ray. JANEWAY: Oh, it looks like a formidable weapon. CHAOTICA: The most powerful in the cosmos! There is so much more I want to show you. My throne, for example. The seat of my Empire. JANEWAY: I see you've kept my pheromones. I didn't realize you were the sentimental type. CHAOTICA: Your perfume inspires me. JANEWAY: Would you mind? CHAOTICA: Oh, please. JANEWAY: Somehow I feel comfortable here. CHAOTICA: Join me and you will have your own chair. One adorned with the most precious jewels and the softest silk. JANEWAY: Your Majesty seems overly concerned with romantic matters when there's a battle to be won. That is why you asked me here. CHAOTICA: Of course, my dear. Forgive me. It's just that the air itself seems to vibrate in your presence. JANEWAY: We can't be slaves to our passion. Not when your Empire is threatened. I have assembled my fleet of Spider ships. However, the Lightning Shield prevents them from approaching your fortress. CHAOTICA: We'll send them directly into battle, alongside my space force! JANEWAY: My soldiers wish to pay homage to you. CHAOTICA: Gratifying. Of course, if I lower the shield my fortress will be defenseless. Even an ally might choose such a moment to seize my throne. JANEWAY: You don't trust me. CHAOTICA: There is a way you could convince me of your loyalty. JANEWAY: Oh? LXVI

CHAOTICA: I'll lower my Lightning Shield but first, you must become my Queen! Gather my courtiers! Prepare for the ceremony! JANEWAY: And don't forget to deactivate the Lightning Shield so my subjects may witness the blessed event! CHAOTICA: Very well. Do as she says, once her guests have arrived. LONZAK: Yes, Sire. CHAOTICA: So, my dear, the day you have always dreamed of has arrived. The day you become Bride of Chaotica!

[Holodeck - Planet X]

DOCTOR: Welcome. ALIEN: You are photonic. DOCTOR: Guilty as charged. ALIEN: You signaled me across the threshold. How. DOCTOR: I believe you dropped your calling card. I return it to you as a sign of good faith. ALIEN: Identify yourself. DOCTOR: I am the President of Earth. ALIEN: Earth? DOCTOR: A planet some distance from here. I've come on a mission of peace. ALIEN: Elaborate. DOCTOR: Your people and the people of Earth have a common enemy. ALIEN: Chaotica. DOCTOR: The one and only. ALIEN: He threatens to invade our realm, destroy our people. DOCTOR: Join the club. Chaotica has designs on Earth, too, but we've withstood countless attacks, all thanks to one man. Captain Proton. ALIEN: Captain Proton? DOCTOR: Defender of the universe, scourge of intergalactic evil, And a competent medic to boot, but don't say I said so. Even as we speak, he's preparing to destroy Chaotica's Death Ray, but he needs your help. ALIEN: Explain. DOCTOR: Your weapons pose a threat to Proton's rocket ship. You must cease firing while he mounts his attack. Once Chaotica's Death Ray is destroyed, you can return to your realm, confident that you'll never hear from him again. ALIEN: Captain Proton may proceed. DOCTOR: On behalf of the citizens of Earth, I thank you.

[Holodeck - Proton's ship]

PARIS: Space drive. KIM: Check. ROBOT: Check. PARIS: Destructor beam. KIM: Check. ROBOT: Check. PARIS: If I could access holodeck controls, the first thing I'd do is delete this guy. ROBOT: Delete this guy. PARIS: As a matter of fact, as soon as this is all over I think I'm going to delete the whole program! KIM: What about your historical study? PARIS: Class dismissed. No more robots, no more mad scientists, no more Death Rays! I am retiring my rocket pack, Harry. Someone else can save the universe from now on. KIM: The final chapter, huh? PARIS: The End. DOCTOR: Isn't anyone going to sing Hail to the Chief? KIM: Mister President. How'd it go? DOCTOR: My performance was unimpeachable. KIM: He agreed? DOCTOR: Let's just say I'm considering running for office when we get back to Earth. PARIS: All right, then. Let's get this thing in the air and hope Captain Janeway is giving a command

LXVII performance.

[Holodeck - Fortress of Doom]

LONZAK: Queen Arachnia. JANEWAY: Don't tell me. My wedding ring. LONZAK: Doctor Chaotica's wedding ring. You will present it to him at the end of the ceremony. JANEWAY: Your Majesty, perhaps we should lower the Lightning Shield in anticipation of my guests. CHAOTICA: Why this preoccupation with the Shield? JANEWAY: Oh, forgive me. It's just that, as a fellow ruler of the cosmos I often have to do things myself. CHAOTICA: Ah. Because of the incompetence of your inferiors, no doubt! JANEWAY: Something like that. CHAOTICA: Oh, Arachnia, my love, my life! How well you understand our plight. If it weren't beneath my dignity, I would weep. How I've longed for someone who would understand. JANEWAY: We have a saying on Arachnia; it's lonely at the top. CHAOTICA: No longer, my dear. LONZAK: Majesty! Proton is preparing to attack! CHAOTICA: Target his rocket ship! You have betrayed me! You are in league with Proton! Impetuous harlot! (Janeway seizes a weapon.) JANEWAY: Tell me how to deactivate the Lightning Shield, or I'll show you just how impetuous I can be. CHAOTICA: What are you waiting for, you great lummox? Kill her! JANEWAY: Ha! You're no match for Arachnia! Now, tell me how to shut down the Shield. CHAOTICA: The confinement rings. Oh, don't worry, I wouldn't kill my bride. Not until after our wedding night! Reactivate the Death Ray! Destroy Proton!

[Holodeck - Proton's ship]

PARIS: We've been hit! KIM: Well, I guess the Captain ran into some trouble. PARIS: We're not going down without a fight. Doc, activate the Destructor Beam. EMH: The what? PARIS: Big button in the middle of that panel. ROBOT: Destructor Beam! KIM AND PARIS: The other panel! EMH: Destructor beam activated. KIM: We just dropped out of range. We're losing altitude.

[Bridge]

CHAKOTAY: Report. TORRES: The alien's weapons fire is increasing. It's causing the distortions to grow larger. We're being pulled deeper into subspace.

[Holodeck - Proton's ship]

ROBOT: Invaders! Invaders! DOCTOR: Incoming.

[Holodeck - Fortress of Doom]

LONZAK: Proton's ship is damaged, but still airborne. (Janeway opens the vial of pheromones) CHAOTICA: Not for long. Fire at will! Lonzak, man the Lightning Shield. LONZAK: Arachnia? CHAOTICA: Lonzak. Quickly, Lonzak. No time for dawdling. LONZAK: Your beauty is maddening. Entangle me in your web. JANEWAY: Let me out of here and I'll do all that, and more. LONZAK: At once, my Queen. CHAOTICA: Back to your station! Idiot!

LXVIII

JANEWAY: Deactivate the shield. Now! CHAOTICA: Such passion, such strength! Together we could conquer the universe! End this madness, and you may yet live to be my Bride. JANEWAY: The shield. I don't know how to tell you this but the wedding's off. Arachnia to Proton. Arachnia to Proton. Do you read me?

[Holodeck - Proton's ship]

JANEWAY [OC]: Arachnia to Proton. PARIS: I'm reading you. JANEWAY [OC]: The lightning shield is down. PARIS: Acknowledged. Harry, target the Death Ray. Doc, fire the Destructor Beam on my mark. Ready? Now!

[Bridge]

TUVOK: The distortions are closing. TORRES: We're realigning with normal space. CHAKOTAY: Helm. Full impulse.

[Holodeck - Fortress of Doom]

CHAKOTAY [OC]: Bridge to Janeway. JANEWAY: Go ahead. CHAKOTAY [OC] The aliens have retreated.

[Bridge]

CHAKOTAY: And they've closed the distortions. We've cleared the subspace layer.

[Holodeck - Fortress of Doom]

JANEWAY: Secure all systems, and organize damage repair teams. CHAKOTAY [OC]: Understood. We're preparing to shut down the holodeck. JANEWAY: Chakotay, give me a minute. PARIS: I was about to say, Captain Proton to the rescue, but I see you have everything under control. JANEWAY: I'm the Queen, remember? CHAOTICA: Arachnia, death as you know it has no hold on me. My defeat is but a temporary setback. I shall return to seek my revenge. JANEWAY: He doesn't give up, does he? PARIS: They never do. CHAOTICA: Our love was not meant to be, my Queen, but be warned. You have not seen the last of Chaotica. PARIS: The end of a twisted madman. JANEWAY: And you're going to miss him. PARIS: A little.

(Music, the same as in the beginning, starts again. The characters gather in front of Chaotica’s screen inside the holodeck to see the words displayed)

- The End.

LXIX

Voyager episode 7.20: “Author, Author” Original Airdate: April 18, 2001

[Holodeck]

DOCTOR [OC]: In the beginning there is darkness. The emptiness of a matrix waiting for the light. Then, a single photon flares into existence, then another, and soon thousands more. Optronic pathways connect, subroutines emerge from the chaos, and a holographic consciousness is born. I awaken into this world fully programmed yet completely innocent, unaware of the hardships I'll endure or the great potential I will one day fulfill. DOCTOR: Computer, save revisions and open chapter one.

(Captain’s log) JANEWAY [off]: Captain's Log, Stardate 54732.3. It's been three weeks since we received Starfleet's instructions in the last data stream and we're finally ready to begin Operation Watson. We're all holding our breath.

[Astrometrics lab]

KIM: The deflector's in position. JANEWAY: Anything? KIM: I'm picking up a phased tachyon beam. SEVEN: There's triaxilating signal encoded in it. JANEWAY: On screen. BARCLAY [on screen]: Voyager, this is Lieutenant Barclay at Starfleet Command. Are you receiving this? JANEWAY: Can you clear it up? KIM: I'm on it. ADMIRAL PARIS [on screen]: Captain Janeway, it's a pleasure to finally talk to you in person. JANEWAY: The pleasure's mine, Admiral. How's the weather in San Francisco? ADMIRAL PARIS [on screen]: Cold and rainy as usual. JANEWAY: It sounds delightful. Lieutenant Barclay, my congratulations on establishing the first trans- galactic comm. link. You've earned a place in the history books. BARCLAY [on screen]: I can't take all of the credit, Captain. It was Harry and Seven who suggested bouncing a tachyon beam off of the quantum singularity. KIM: Just be sure to thank us when you accept the Daystrom prize. ADMIRAL PARIS [on screen]: I wish we had more time for small talk but the singularity only stays in alignment for eleven minutes a day. JANEWAY: Eleven minutes are better than none, Admiral. We appreciate all your work, Reg. ADMIRAL PARIS [on screen]: We're going to leave it up to you to determine how to allocate the comm. time. BARCLAY [on screen]: Admiral, um, there was something else. ADMIRAL PARIS [on screen]: Oh, yes. Mister Barclay has arranged a small gift for you and your crew. BARCLAY [on screen]: This is a live image from McKinley Station. Not too much cloud cover over North America today. JANEWAY: Quite a view. Thank you, Reg.

[Mess hall]

NEELIX: In my hat I hold one hundred and forty six sequentially numbered isolinear chips, one for every member of the crew. Each chip entitles the bearer to three minutes of uninterrupted comm. time with his loved ones back in the Alpha quadrant. Good luck. KIM: My Mom's birthday is next week. This could be the best present I ever gave her. Who's everyone else calling? CHAKOTAY: I'll be calling my sister. What about you, Captain? JANEWAY: My mother, I hope. DOCTOR: Doesn't anyone want to know who I'm calling? PARIS: Wait, wait, let me guess. Reg Barclay or doctor Zimmerman. DOCTOR: What makes you so certain it's either of them? PARIS: Number six. LXX

NEELIX: That's the lowest one yet. You'll be talking to your family the day after tomorrow. KIM: One hundred thirty. That's about a month and a half from now. So much for Mom's birthday. DOCTOR: Apparently, the line forms here. TUVOK: Congratulations. KIM: Doc, how about a trade? I'm willing to throw in some holodeck time. Come on! It would mean a lot to my mother. DOCTOR: I wish I could help, but I have a very important call to make. PARIS: Here, give your mom my best. KIM: Are you sure? PARIS: I've waited this long. What's another six weeks?

[Astrometrics lab]

BROHT [on screen]: I can hear the critics already. A new voice has arrived. You could be the next K'Ratak or a modern-day Tolstoy. I'd like to start distribution by the end of the month. DOCTOR: The material I sent was only a working draft. I need time to make revisions. BROHT [on screen]: If you insist, but please do it quickly. DOCTOR: I will. So tell me, what did you think of the characters? BROHT [on screen]: Oh, they're very real compelling. I almost forgot they were holograms. DOCTOR: Who was your favorite? BROHT [on screen]: Without a doubt, that would have to be Lieutenant … DOCTOR: What happened? SEVEN: Your time has expired. DOCTOR: You could have let the man finish his sentence. SEVEN: I believe your ego has received enough stroking for one day.

[Sickbay]

(The Doctor enters, whistling) PARIS: So how's Reg? DOCTOR: I'll have you know I was speaking with Ardon Broht, of Broht and Forrester. PARIS: The publishers of the Dixon Hill series? DOCTOR: Who are now about to publish my work. It seems you're not the only one aboard with a flair for holographic narratives. PARIS: Congratulations. DOCTOR: Thank you. PARIS: So. What's it about? DOCTOR: The adventures of an intrepid doctor. PARIS: Oh, sounds like fun. You know, I've never thought about trying to get my work published. Maybe I could talk to your people about Captain Proton. DOCTOR: Broht and Forrester deals in sophisticated literature. PARIS: What are you saying, that I'm low-brow? DOCTOR: Not at all. I'd be delighted to talk to them. PARIS: Thanks. So, when do I get to see this opus? DOCTOR: Well, it's not ready yet. PARIS: It was ready enough for Broht and Forrester. DOCTOR: Maybe it could use a fresh pair of eyes. After all, you are a fellow author. I'll cover the rest of your shift. PARIS: Oh, I almost forgot. What's it called? DOCTOR: Photons be free. PARIS: Catchy.

[Holodeck]

DOCTOR [OC]: I awaken into this world fully programmed yet completely innocent unaware of the hardships I'll endure or the great potential I will one day fulfill. NARRATOR-DOCTOR: Ah, welcome. You've made an excellent choice. You're about to take part in a thrilling first-person narrative. You will take on the role of an Emergency Medical Hologram, the Chief Medical Officer aboard the Starship Vortex.

LXXI

PARIS: Vortex? NARRATOR- DOCTOR: As our story begins, an anomaly has hurled your ship thousands of light years across the galaxy. Your mission, to uphold your medical and ethical standards as you struggle against the crew's bigotry and intolerance. Persons with vascular disorders should consult a physician before running this program. And now, a few acknowledgments. First, doctor Lewis Zimmerman, the creator of my holo-matrix, whose foresight and dedication have made it possible for me to achieve … PARIS: Computer, freeze program. How much longer is this introduction? COMPUTER: Nine minutes, four seconds. PARIS: Skip to the first chapter.

[Holodeck - Sickbay]

DOCTOR [OC]: Chapter one. A Healer Is Born. In which our protagonist must make a difficult choice. CREWMAN: Are you the EMH? PARIS: Please state the nature of the medical emergency. CREWMAN: Our Doctor's dead. We've got wounded. They're both badly hurt. Who should we treat first? PARIS: Second degree plasma burns. He's got an aortic rupture. Get him to the surgical bay now. KATANAY-CHAKOTAY: You, over here! PARIS: (looking at himself) Nice moustache. KATANAY-CHAKOTAY: What? PARIS: Nothing. He's got a mild concussion. I'm going to have to treat the others first. KATANAY-CHAKOTAY: I need Lieutenant Marseilles on the Bridge. You'll treat him now. PARIS: As I understand it my job is to treat the critical patients first. So, if you'll excuse me … KATANAY-CHAKOTAY: I don't know who you think you are, hologram, but to me, you're just another piece of technology. PARIS: Well, apparently, I'm a piece of technology that's in demand so why don't you go back to the Bridge and let me do my job? JENKINS-JANEWAY: What's going on here? KATANAY-CHAKOTAY: Our medical hologram is refusing to treat Mister Marseilles. JENKINS-JANEWAY: Are you malfunctioning? PARIS: I don't think so. JENKINS-JANEWAY: I need my helmsman back at his station. PARIS: Lieutenant Marseilles isn't seriously hurt. This man will be dead in five minutes if I don't operate. JENKINS-JANEWAY: Cut the force field. (She draws the phaser and shoots the crewman) That patient is dead. Now you're free to treat Lieutenant Marseilles.

[Mess hall]

PARIS: Then the Captain pulls out a phaser and shoots him right there on the bio-bed. KIM: Captain Janeway murders a Crewman? PARIS: Captain Jenkins. Everybody has a different name. You're Kymble, you're Torrey and I am Lieutenant Marseilles. TORRES: Oh, now that's creative. KIM: What did you say to the Doctor? PARIS: He thinks he's written a masterpiece. I didn't know what to tell him. KIM: If this gets distributed people are going to assume this is about us. What are our families going to think? TORRES: This is a Starfleet ship. No one will believe we actually go around shooting injured crewmen. PARIS: People may not take the program literally, but they might wonder if there's some truth to it. I think we should talk to the Captain. TORRES: Are you sure you're not taking this a little personally? PARIS: What do you mean? TORRES: Well, the holodeck always has been your domain. PARIS: You think I'm jealous? Okay, maybe I am overreacting. Why don't the rest of you try the program and decide for yourselves?

[Holodeck - Sickbay]

DOCTOR [OC]: Chapter five. Out of the frying pan. In which our protagonist must confront abusive colleagues.

LXXII

CREWWOMAN: I'm here for my physical. TORRES: Why don't you have a seat over here? MARSEILLES-PARIS: Doctor, you better get down to Engineering. TORRES: What's wrong? MARSEILLES-PARIS: A plasma conduit just exploded. At least ten people are hurt. Hey genius, Forgetting something? Your mobile emitter. TORRES: Oh, right. I don't see it. (Marseilles helps her on with a huge backpack.) That's my mobile emitter? This thing must weigh fifty kilos. MARSEILLES-PARIS: You should be glad we let you out of your cage at all. Now get going.

[Holodeck - Engineering]

TORREY-TORRES: (in human appearance) I'm impressed. ENGINEER: Really? TORREY-TORRES: Absolutely. I haven't seen a dilithium matrix this far out of alignment since I served aboard a Ferengi garbage scow. I'll fix it myself. TORRES: Excuse me. TORREY-TORRES: How many times have I told you Engineering is off-limits to holograms? TORRES: Maybe you should waive that restriction during emergencies. A plasma conduit exploded? TORREY-TORRES: Does it look like anyone here is covered with plasma burns? TORRES: Lieutenant Paris, er …, Marseilles told me there was an accident. TORREY-TORRES: Looks like your auditory subroutines are malfunctioning, again. I'm surprised a matrix as primitive as yours can function at all. TORRES: Maybe you should be a little nicer to your shipmates. You never know when you might need their help. TORREY-TORRES: Get one thing straight. You're not one of my shipmates. You're a tool like this hyper- spanner and tools can be replaced. So why don't you go back to Sickbay before I start doing a little reprogramming?

[Holodeck - sickbay]

TORRES: Computer, lights. (The lights reveal Marseille and the crewwoman on the bio-bed) MARSEILLES-PARIS: Didn't I tell you to go to Engineering? TORRES: Oh, I get it. Interesting plot twist. You get me out of Sickbay so you're free to give my patient a tonsillectomy. MARSEILLES-PARIS: If you even think about mentioning this to my wife I will purge your memory buffer. Do we understand each other? CREWWOMAN 2: I'm here for my physical?

[Holodeck - Ready room]

DOCTOR [OC]: Chapter six. Duel in the Ready room. In which our protagonist faces an inquisition. JENKINS-JANEWAY: (pointing flintlock at the 'Doctor') This time, you've gone too far. NEELIX: Captain, I'm not sure what you mean. JENKINS-JANEWAY: An inventory of your holo-matrix. Fifty gigaquads of memory devoted to music, forty two for daydreams. Another ten to expand your sexuality. NEELIX: I had no idea holograms could do that. JENKINS-JANEWAY: These extracurricular sub-routines don't belong as part of an Emergency Medical Hologram. Do you have anything to say for yourself? NEELIX: Er, of course I do. I don't think these sub-routines are trivial, Captain. They help make me a better doctor and a better person. JENKINS-JANEWAY: But you're not a person. You may be programmed to look and act human but that doesn't make you one. These sub-routines are going to be deleted immediately. Mister Tulak. (Tuvok in human appearance enters) Take the EMH to the holo-lab for reprogramming.

[Holodeck - turbolift]

DOCTOR [OC]: Chapter Seven. The Escape. In which our protagonist is aided by his only ally. LXXIII

KYMBLE-KIM: I'm not sure we should be doing this, Commander. KIM: Listen to him. He knows what he's talking about. KYMBLE-KIM: Quiet! I'm not talking to you. If we start tinkering with his matrix how do we know we won't accidentally delete some of his diagnostic subroutines? TULAK-TUVOK: You afraid you'll catch something on your next away mission, Ensign? KYMBLE-KIM: There must be millions of viruses in this quadrant that no one's ever encountered before. With my luck, I'll probably end up catching half of them. KIM: Great, my character's a hypochondriac. THREE-SEVEN: (redhead with flashing necklace) I'll escort the prisoner from here. TULAK-TUVOK: Our orders are to take him to the holo-lab. THREE-SEVEN: I've been ordered to perform the procedure. TULAK-TUVOK: Your sympathies for the EMH are no secret, Three of Eight. Step aside.

[Holodeck -corridor]

(She sets up a force-field, knocks the men down and throws Kim a phaser) THREE-SEVEN: Run, Doctor! (He is caught further down the corridor)

[Holodeck - Sickbay]

DOCTOR [OC] Chapter eight. A Tragic End. In which our protagonist learns his fate. (Janeway as the Doctor in this scene) JENKINS-JANEWAY: I've tried to do this the easy way but it's clear you're not going to be reasonable. Your matrix will be decompiled and re-initialized. You'll remain offline except for emergencies. TORREY-TORRES: Ready. JENKINS-JANEWAY: Do it. THREE-SEVEN: Wait. He has the right to expand his program. JENKINS-JANEWAY: He's a piece of technology. He has no rights. THREE-SEVEN: But he should. One day, the EMH and others like him will be recognized for what they are; intelligent individuals with a passion for life. Make no mistake, Captain. We may be thousands of light years from home but one day people will learn of the crime you're committing here today. JENKINS-JANEWAY: Nice speech. Now decompile the program.

[Holodeck]

NARRATOR- DOCTOR: What you've experienced, dear protagonist, is a work of fiction but like all fiction, it has elements of truth. I hope you now have a better understanding of the struggles holograms must endure in a world controlled by organics. COMPUTER: End of program. JANEWAY: Janeway to the Doctor. Report to my Ready room. Now.

[Briefing room]

DOCTOR: How many times do you want me to say it? My work is not about the Voyager crew. KIM: Come on. Ensign Kymble, Lieutenant Marseilles. TORRES: The characters look almost exactly like us. DOCTOR: I used your physical parameters as a starting point, but I assure you any further similarities are purely coincidental. PARIS: You set your story on a Starship lost in the Delta quadrant. DOCTOR: What would you have me write about? Palace intrigue on the Klingon home world? I do what all good novelists do. I write what I know. KIM: So it is about Voyager. DOCTOR: No! The Vortex characters are larger than life. They're nothing like our crew. As far as I know Captain, you haven't executed any of my patients. JANEWAY: Doctor, you've written a very imaginative story but it's conceivable that people will think it's based on fact. DOCTOR: I don't see how. KIM: How many holograms carry mobile emitters? DOCTOR: The emitter in my story is nothing like the real one. LXXIV

TORRES: Yeah, what was the point of that? It was like carrying around a small shuttlecraft. DOCTOR: It's a metaphor, a symbol of the burdens that I live with every day. Imagine having to take this everywhere you go. It would be a constant reminder that you're different from everyone else. I wanted the player to feel the weight of it. Literally. JANEWAY: Your emitter isn't a ball and chain. It liberates you. DOCTOR: It doesn't always feel that way. JANEWAY: If I didn't know better, I'd think this story was written by someone who feels oppressed. Is that how you see yourself, Doctor? DOCTOR: Of course not. The real victims are my brothers in the Alpha quadrant. TORRES: Brothers? DOCTOR: Hundreds of EMH mark ones, identical to me in every respect except, they've been condemned to a menial existence, scrubbing conduits, mining dilithium. There's a long history of writers drawing attention to the plight of the oppressed. The Vedek's Song, for example tells the story of the occupation of Bajor. JANEWAY: I understand you have your reasons for writing this, but you should consider how it's going to make your friends feel. DOCTOR: I'm sorry my work offends you, but if the price of expressing myself is having to suffer the scorn of a few colleagues, so be it.

[Astrometrics lab]

MARY KIM [on screen]: You're very popular with my eighth graders. It's all they ever talk about. Voyager this, Voyager that. JOHN KIM [on screen]: Your mother has a small favor to ask of you. KIM: Name it. MARY KIM [on screen]: I was hoping you could record a short presentation about what it's like to command a Starship. KIM: But I don't command a Starship. MARY KIM [on screen]: In your letters you said the Captain puts you in charge sometimes. KIM: What I said was I'm in command of the night shift, twice a week. MARY KIM [on screen]: She must think very highly of you to give you so much responsibility. JOHN KIM [on screen]: So when is she giving you a promotion? KIM: It's a small ship. There are only so many command positions available. MARY KIM [on screen]: This Captain Janeway sounds like a lovely woman. Maybe I should write her. KIM: Mom! MARY KIM [on screen]: She needs to know how hard you work. KIM: Please, don't get involved. MARY KIM [on screen]: Harry, I can't hear you. SEVEN: A solar flare is scattering the beam. MARY KIM [on screen]: Tell Captain Janeway to expect a letter from me. KIM: Mom, don't send anything to the Captain, do you hear me? Try boosting the deflector output. SEVEN: It's already at maximum. KIM: I don't believe this! I had a minute and a half left. SEVEN: You'll have another opportunity to speak with them in approximately two months. KIM: You just don't get it, do you? SEVEN: No. KIM: Maybe if you had family you were close to, you'd feel a little differently.

(Doctor’s log entry) DOCTOR [off]: Chief Medical Officer's personal log, Stardate 54740.8. Although the decision has made me unpopular with the crew I've decided not to compromise my work. I'm making some final revisions to the program before transmitting it.

[Holodeck]

DOCTOR: Computer, run EMH program “Photons Be Free”. NARRATOR-PARIS: Welcome. You've made an excellent choice. You're obviously a person with impeccable taste. DOCTOR: Computer, freeze program. COMPUTER: Unable to comply. NARRATOR-PARIS: You are about to embark on a remarkable journey. You will take on the role of a

LXXV medical assistant aboard the Starship Voyeur. DOCTOR: Voyeur? NARRATOR-PARIS: Your job will be to assist the Chief Medical Officer, and learn to tolerate his overbearing behavior and obnoxious bedside manner. Remember, patience is a virtue.

[Holodeck - sickbay]

PARIS [OC]: Chapter one. It's The Doctor's World, You're Just Living In It. HOLO- DOCTOR: (with a comb-over) When I tell you your shift begins at 0800 hours that doesn't mean you can stroll in here at 0800 and twenty four seconds. Do you understand me, Ensign? DOCTOR (in the role of Paris): This is outrageous. HOLO- DOCTOR: What's outrageous is that I'm going to miss my tee-time. Now, come along. Aw, what seems to be the trouble, One of Three? TWO-SEVEN: I'm Two of Three. HOLO- DOCTOR: Sorry. They're triplets, you know. TWO-SEVEN: It hurts when I do this. HOLO- DOCTOR: Well then, don't do it. (laughs) TWO-SEVEN: Ow! HOLO- DOCTOR: Don't be a baby. Your biradial clamp's out of alignment. I've got just the thing. (to the Doctor) It's a Klingon aphrodisiac, my own special blend. You'll be feeling better in no time at all. (Rubs her shoulders)

[Corridor]

DOCTOR: Lieutenant! I want you to know I'm making a full report to the Captain. PARIS: This isn't about that dermal regenerator I misplaced, is it? DOCTOR: You know very well what this is about. You accessed my holo-novel without permission and replaced it with your own hackneyed narrative. PARIS: Hey, I'm just writing what I know. DOCTOR: You destroyed a work of art that took months to create. PARIS: Relax, Doc. I saved your program in a backup file but I was just trying to make a point. DOCTOR: Well you made it with a typical lack of subtlety. PARIS: Oh, you're one to talk. Your program is about as subtle as a Ferengi mating dance. DOCTOR: My program is a serious attempt at social commentary, yours is an insulting farce! You had me drugging a patient and taking advantage of her. PARIS: Don't be ridiculous. That character is not you. For one thing, he has much more hair. But, what if some people ran that program and thought that it was based on you? That would bother you, wouldn't it? DOCTOR: I don't care what people think. PARIS: That's all you care about! You want everyone back home to think of you as a brilliant author. DOCTOR: I'm not doing this for my ego and if you could look past yours maybe you'd see that! PARIS: Listen, I don't care if the whole Alpha quadrant mistakes me for Lieutenant Marseilles. What bothers me is that you think that's what I'm like. DOCTOR: Obviously, you're nothing like Marseilles. He's self-indulgent, immature. PARIS: And how would you describe me. EMH: Well, you're a married man with a child on the way. A lot of responsibilities. PARIS: I'm surprised you noticed. You know, I thought I'd begun to earn your respect. Maybe I was wrong. Your program is under file theta one five. Do whatever you want with it.

[Sickbay - Doctor's office]

NEELIX: Doctor, I need your help. DOCTOR: Unless you're suffering acute symptoms, go away. NEELIX: Um, I was wondering if you could take a quick look at this. DOCTOR: Cooking with Neelix, a Culinary Tour of the Delta Quadrant. NEELIX: It's a holo-cookbook proposal. I was hoping to transmit it to your publisher during my comm. link this afternoon, with your approval, of course. DOCTOR: If you're looking for writing tips there are plenty of people on this ship eager to offer them. NEELIX: I don't know what anyone else may have told you, but I loved your holo-novel.

LXXVI

DOCTOR: You did? NEELIX: Absolutely. It was a rousing adventure with an important message too. DOCTOR: Exactly. This is my first chance to be appreciated not just as a physician, but as an artist. I thought the crew would be happy for me. NEELIX: You're going to reach a wide audience. What do you care about the opinions of a few disgruntled shipmates? DOCTOR: They're my friends. I don't want to hurt them. NEELIX: There's an old Talaxian expression. When the road before you splits in two, take the third path. DOCTOR: Meaning? NEELIX: You could make some adjustments to the program so it won't be so obvious it's based on Voyager. EMH: I suppose I could change the setting, alter the characters' physical parameters. NEELIX: You wouldn't have to change your theme. EMH: No, but a rewrite could take weeks. My publisher is expecting a final draft tomorrow. NEELIX: Maybe you should give him a call. (Neelix hands over his chip)

[Astrometrics lab]

BROHT [on screen]: Revisions? DOCTOR: I need to rework the characters. BROHT [on screen]: Why? They're so believable. DOCTOR: A little too believable, apparently. BROHT [on screen]: Doctor, I really don't think this is necessary. DOCTOR: I'm afraid I have to insist. My friends' reputations are at stake.

[Mess hall]

DOCTOR: My publisher assures me he won't distribute the program until he receives the revised version. TORRES: That must be the one where we assimilate the Borg and take over the quadrant. JANEWAY: We're all grateful that you're taking our feelings into account. CHAKOTAY: So how long do you expect the revisions will take? DOCTOR: Art can't be rushed. JANEWAY: Take your time, Doctor. DOCTOR: Lieutenant? I'm sorry. PARIS: Forget about it. DOCTOR: I could use your help with the rewrites.

[Corridor]

PARIS: Really? You realize, as a writer I'm a little unsophisticated. DOCTOR: No, I believe the phrase you're looking for is low-brow. PARIS: Hey. What's that? TORRES: It's from my father. He wants to talk. PARIS: What are you going to do? TORRES: Well, I've already arranged to talk with my cousin. PARIS: Oh, I'm sure she wouldn't mind waiting a few weeks. TORRES: I wouldn't know what to say to him. PARIS: Then let him do the talking.

[Astrometrics lab]

JOHN TORRES [on screen]: Look at you. You must be, what, twenty weeks along? TORRES: Twenty three, actually. JOHN TORRES [on screen]: Have you decided on a name? TORRES: Not yet. We were thinking about Miral. JOHN TORRES [on screen]: Your mother would've liked that. You know, I had some business on Kessik Four a few months ago. You wouldn't believe what our old house looks like. SEVEN: Lieutenant, thirty seconds. TORRES: We have less than a minute. Is there a reason you wanted to talk? JOHN TORRES [on screen]: I know I can't make up for twenty years in one conversation. The truth is, when LXXVII your ship disappeared I thought I'd lost you. I don't expect you to forgive me but, maybe we could try to get to know each other again. TORRES: I'll write you.

[Pathfinder lab]

BARCLAY: I'm sorry to disturb you, Admiral. ADMIRAL PARIS: Ah yes, Mister Barclay. What can I do for you? BARCLAY: I thought you'd want to see this, sir. ADMIRAL PARIS: Well, what is it? BARCLAY: It's a holo-novel that's becoming quite popular. ADMIRAL PARIS: Well, I appreciate the gesture, Lieutenant, but I don't share your affinity for holographic diversions. BARCLAY: You don't understand, sir. This program, it's about Voyager and it doesn't portray the crew in a very flattering light. ADMIRAL PARIS: Hmm.

[Astrometrics lab]

JANEWAY: On screen. ADMIRAL PARIS [on screen]: Captain. JANEWAY: Seven told me your message was urgent. ADMIRAL PARIS [on screen]: I had the dubious privilege of playing a new holo-novel apparently written by your EMH. I'm surprised that you would allow the Doctor to discredit your crew like this. JANEWAY: He's still making revisions. The program shouldn't have been distributed yet. ADMIRAL PARIS [on screen]: Well, it has been. Mister Barclay tells me it's already being played in thousands of holo-suites.

DOCTOR: You assured me you were going to wait for my revisions. I demand that you recall every copy and issue a public apology to Captain Janeway and her crew. BROHT [on screen]: I won't do anything of the sort. JANEWAY: I don't see that you have a choice, Mister Broht. Authors have rights. BROHT [on screen]: Not in this case. DOCTOR: What do you mean? BROHT [on screen]: The Doctor is a hologram. DOCTOR: So? BROHT [on screen]: According to Federation law, holograms have no rights.

[Briefing room]

TUVOK: Under a strict interpretation of Federation law Mister Broht is correct. The Doctor has no legal rights. DOCTOR: Because I'm a hologram. TUVOK: Yes. There is another option. We may be able to claim that the holo-novel reveals classified information. Starfleet could then request that it be recalled for security purposes. PARIS: Oh, great idea. Cover up and then everyone will be convinced that it's a true story. CHAKOTAY: Could we claim defamation? PARIS: Well, we'd have to prove that the story's about us and that we've been harmed by it. JANEWAY: We might win on those grounds, but what about the Doctor? DOCTOR: What about me, Captain? It's the crew's reputations that are at risk. JANEWAY: I'm not so sure. I think it's your reputation that's on the line here. You have the same rights as every other member of this crew and I'm not going to let this publisher say otherwise.

(Captain’s log) JANEWAY [off]: Captain's log, stardate 54748.6. A Federation arbitrator has been assigned to determine whether the Doctor has the right to control his artistic creation. Because of our limited comm. time with Earth, the arguments should take about three days.

LXXVIII

[Pathfinder lab]

TUVOK [on screen]: You claim the Doctor doesn't have the legal right to control this holo-program, yet you're promoting the fact that Voyager's EMH wrote it. BROHT: Our most successful children's title is a program written by Toby the Targ. Fortunately, Toby hasn't tried to stop me from distributing any of his work. TUVOK [on screen]: But you don't deny …

[Astrometrics lab]

TUVOK: t… hat the Doctor is the creator of this holo-novel?

[Pathfinder lab]

BROHT: No, but a replicator created this cup of coffee. Should that replicator be able to determine whether or not I can drink it?

[Astrometrics lab]

DOCTOR: I object! JANEWAY: Doctor. TUVOK: An intriguing analogy, Mister Broht, but I have never encountered a replicator that could compose music, or paint landscapes, or perform microsurgery. Have you? Would you say that you have a reputation for publishing respected, original works of literature?

[Pathfinder lab]

BROHT: I'd like to think so. TUVOK [OC]: And is the Doctor's holo-novel such a work? BROHT: Actually, some aspects of it are quite derivative.

[Astrometrics lab]

TUVOK: Has there even been another work written about a hologram's struggle for equality?

[Pathfinder lab]

BROHT: Not that I know of, but, er … TUVOK [OC]: Then in …

[Astrometrics lab]

TUVOK: … that respect, it is original.

[Pathfinder lab]

BROHT: I suppose so.

[Astrometrics lab]

TUVOK: Your honor, Section seven gamma of the Twelfth Guarantee defines an artist as a person who creates an original artistic work. Mister Broht admits that the Doctor created this program and that it is original. I therefore submit that the Doctor should be entitled to all rights and privileges accorded an artist under the law. ARBITRATOR [on screen]: You've made a persuasive argument, Commander but there's a flaw in your logic. As you point out, the law says that the creator of an artistic work must be a person. Your EMH doesn't meet that criterion.

LXXIX

BARCLAY [OC]: Sir, we're losing the link. ARBITRATOR [on screen]: This hearing is in recess until tomorrow.

[Briefing room]

TUVOK: We're not doing well. EMH: Is that your considered legal opinion? I'm sorry. It's just frustrating to be told I have no more legal standing than a replicator. TUVOK: If the Doctor doesn't have the right to control his own work then it stands to reason he never had the right to enter into an agreement with Mister Broht. We could argue that the original contract is invalid. PARIS: In other words, you want to concede that the Doctor isn't a person. JANEWAY: What we need to do is prove that he is just as much a person as any of us. DOCTOR: How do we do that? JANEWAY: By telling your real life story.

[Pathfinder lab]

SEVEN [on screen]: Because I was having difficulty interacting with the crew the Doctor gave me social lessons. First, he taught me how to make conversation. Later …

[Astrometrics lab]

SEVEN: how to dance. Eventually, he showed me how to express romantic interest.

[Pathfinder lab]

SEVEN [OC]: Without his guidance, I wouldn't be the person I am today.

[Astrometrics lab]

KIM: He decided it wasn't enough to be just a Doctor, so he added command subroutines to his matrix and now, in an emergency, he's as capable as any bridge officer.

[Pathfinder lab]

ARBITRATOR: That only proves the Doctor's program can be modified. KIM [on screen]: Your honor, I think it shows he has a desire to become more than he is, just like any other person. BARCLAY: He travelled halfway across the galaxy to care for Lewis Zimmerman, the man who created his program. It was like a son who wanted to show his father what he'd become, so the old man would be proud of him. And if you ask me, he was. JANEWAY [on screen]: I'd made myself clear, but the Doctor disobeyed my direct orders. In the process, he endangered the ship and crew. ARBITRATOR: That's hardly commendable behavior.

[Astrometrics lab]

JANEWAY: No, it wasn't, but it was human.

[Pathfinder lab]

JANEWAY [OC]: Starfleet had programmed him to follow orders.

[Astrometrics lab]

JANEWAY: The fact that he was capable of doing otherwise proves that he can think for himself. Your honor, centuries ago in most places on Earth, only landowners of a particular gender and race had any rights at all. LXXX

Over time, those rights were extended to all humans and later, as we explored the galaxy, to thousands of other sentient species. Our definition of what constitutes a person has continued to evolve. Now we're asking that you expand that definition once more, to include our Doctor.

[Pathfinder lab]

JANEWAY [OC]: When I met him seven years ago, …

[Astrometrics lab]

JANEWAY: … I would never have believed that an EMH could become a valued member of my crew, and my friend. The Doctor is a person as real as any …

[Pathfinder lab]

JANEWAY [OC]: … flesh and blood I have ever known. If you believe the testimony you've heard here, it's only fair …

[Astrometrics lab]

JANEWAY: … to conclude that he has the same rights as any of us.

[Pathfinder lab]

ARBITRATOR: You'll have my decision in two days.

[Astrometrics lab]

ARBITRATOR [OC]: This hearing is in recess.

[Mess hall]

SEVEN: When you sing happy birthday to your mother try to stay in tune. KIM: What's this? SEVEN: An isolinear chip entitling the bearer to three minutes of comm. time tomorrow. You made it clear how important it was to finish your conversation. KIM: I overreacted. SEVEN: I understand why you did. I've been observing the crew interacting with their families over the past few days. It's become clear to me how meaningful that communication can be. KIM: Thanks, but I can't accept this. SEVEN: Why not? KIM: You should contact your own family. SEVEN: My parents were assimilated. KIM: Well, there must be someone. A distant relative? SEVEN: My father has a sister on Earth. Irene Hansen. KIM: I'm sure she'd be thrilled to hear from you.

[Astrometrics lab]

IRENE HANSON [on screen]: You can imagine my reaction when Starfleet told me to expect your call. SEVEN: I experienced some apprehension myself. IRENE HANSON [on screen]: You seem like a lovely young woman, but you were the most stubborn six- year-old I've ever met. Your parents left you with me for a weekend and you were so angry you locked yourself in my guest room and refused to come out. SEVEN: That must have been inconvenient for you. IRENE HANSON [on screen]: Oh, I coaxed you out eventually with a strawberry tart. SEVEN: I'm very fond of strawberries. I didn't realize I'd eaten them as a child. LXXXI

IRENE HANSON [on screen]: You couldn't get enough of them. Of course, you didn't hesitate to point out if they weren't perfectly ripe. SEVEN: I'm sorry if I insulted you. Perhaps I shouldn't have called. IRENE HANSON [on screen]: No, I'm very glad you did. It's wonderful to see you again, Annika.

[Starfleet Communications]

ARBITRATOR: We're exploring new territory today so it is fitting that this hearing is being held at Pathfinder. The Doctor exhibits many of the traits we associate with a person: intelligence, creativity, ambition, even fallibility. But are these traits real or is the Doctor merely programmed to simulate them? To be honest, I don't know. Eventually we will have to decide because the issue of holographic rights isn't going to go away, but at this time, I am not prepared to rule that the Doctor is a person under the law. However, it is obvious he is no ordinary hologram and while I can't say with certainty that he is a person I am willing to extend the legal definition of artist to include the Doctor. I therefore rule that he has the right to control his work and I'm ordering all copies of his holo-novels to be recalled immediately. BROHT: Your honor! ARBITRATOR: This hearing is adjourned. BARCLAY: Congratulations, Doctor.

[Astrometrics lab]

DOCTOR: Thank you, Reg. ADMIRAL PARIS [on screen]: We'll be in touch, Captain. JANEWAY: You don't look like someone who's just struck the first blow for the rights of holograms. DOCTOR: I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but it feels like a hollow victory. Pardon the pun. The program's already been played by thousands of people. The damage is done. JANEWAY: We'll survive. PARIS: If I'm not mistaken, don't you have a holo-novel to revise? DOCTOR: Do you think I'll be able to find another publisher? JANEWAY: If there's one thing I've learned about you, Doctor, it's that you can do just about anything you set your mind to.

[Federation Dilithium Processing Facility, Alpha Quadrant]

(four months later) EMH1: Time for your diagnostic. Report to the holo-lab. EMH2: I know the routine. EMH1: And, while you're there, do yourself a favor. Ask the operator to run program 47 beta. EMH2: Why? What is it? EMH1: It's called “Photons Be Free”. It's quite provocative.

LXXXII

Main Scene and plot shifts in TNG “Frame of Mind”

1) Plotline 1: Enterprise a. Stage asylum cell b. Briefing of Riker on his undercover mission on the planet c. Riker’s conversation with counselor Troi d. The performance of the play – scene shift/Plot shift a

2) Plotline 2: the asylum/mental institution a. Conversation between Riker and doctor in a cell b. Common area: Riker’s conversation with a female inmate (an alleged Starfleet member) c. Riker is accused of brutal manslaughter – he gets sedated – scene/plot shift b

3) Plotline 1: Enterprise a. Riker awakes in his quarters, takes events for a nightmare b. The performance of the play c. Sickbay: Riker’s medical examination d. Corridor: Riker talks to counselor Troi – constant scene/plot shifts/mixing

4) Plotline 2: asylum a. Enterprise turbolift  asylum corridor  Riker’s quarters  asylum cell – mixing of plotlines 1 and 2 in 1 scene b. Crewmembers of Enterprise (Troi, Worf, Picard) appear in Riker’s cell c. Asylum common area: Crusher appears d. Asylum cell: Data and Worf try to free Riker e. Corridor: Riker tries to escape but is beamed onto Enterprise with Data and Worf – scene/plot shift

5) Plotline 1: Enterprise a. Sickbay: Riker’s recurring wound; he aims the phaser at himself  the scene shatters

6) Plotline 2: asylum a. Riker receives treatment; aims the phaser at the warden  the warden shatters b. Still in the cell: Riker fires at the cell wall  the cell shatters

7) Plotline 1: Enterprise a. Stage asylum cell: clapping audience;  Riker and whole scene shatters

8) Main Diegesis: the reality of the story world a. The asylum lab: Riker’s successful escape b. Captain’s log entry (the frame re-establishing the boundaries between r/f) c. Ready room: Riker’s experiences are explained d. The stage of the play: Riker destroys the scenery and the props

LXXXIII

Episode Protocols

The Next Generation 3.15 Yesterday’s Eterprise

Summary Metareferential elements The Enterprise (model D) encounters a temporal rift. As the ship enters it, the crew meets Past meets present  new version of the present emerges; the old Enterprise (model C) from 22 years ago. Apparently, the old ship and its crew have altered world, new plot; plot as a loop; suffered great loss and damage in a fight with the Klingons. Suddenly, the view becomes blurry and then clears again in a very short time; the Captain and crew are drastically Experimentation with history & time lines; altered. The clothing of everyone is different indicating change. The crew is aboard the Enterprise battleship, there is no Lieutenant Worf (as they are at war with the Klingons), Indicators of altered reality: and there are also no children aboard. Instead, the long dead Tasha Yar (who died in the - Enterprise as battleship, first season) is part of crew again. History has apparently changed: it is very different from - Worf not aboard, how the viewers know it! The only person to notice the differences is Guinan. She tells the - Tasha Yar back as head of security + defense Captain about her suspicions. At the center of the episode is the question: which version of - Active war with Romulans (no neutral zone) reality is the right one? With that comes an ethical dilemma as story kernel: should the - Klingons as enemies (instead of allies) Captai tust Guias feeling and send the old crew back into battle, very probably causing their death and potential change of events in history (for the better), or should he support End: Timeline completely restored, the end is the beginning of the old crew, ensuring their safety, which would maintain the battle and the war against the the episode, the shown events do not occur again – the Klingons, thus eliminating the chance for a potential change. After reflecting, the Captain meeting of old and new crew is avoided. decides to send the old Enterprise crew back to where they came from, back into the battle. However, he allows Tasha to remain aboard the old Enterprise for battle, knowing from Consequences: Tasha from alternate timeline is alive despite Guinan that she died/or has to die a meaningless death. After sending them all back in time, her predestined death. The fact that she is allowed to travel everything is back to normal, back to the start of episode, as if nothing ever happened. back in time with the old Enterprise may (and will) cause There is also no log entry of the events the viewer has watched. tremendous consequences – she reappears in a later episode as her own daughter, the offspring of Tasha and a Romulan.

A 1

The Next Generation 4.8 Future Imperfect

Summary Metareferential elements An away team is sent down on a planet to investigate unusual readings. Due to technical Unsettling beginning: (diegesis, initial frame) problems, Geordi and Riker cannot be beamed aboard again. Suddenly, gas appears and Dangerous situation on away mission (gas + no rescue) – both Riker and Geordi lose consciousness. Riker awakes in sickbay and, to his surprise, is no details on events or outcome. alled Captai D Cushe. ‘ike is ofused so Cushe eplais hat oued eas ago (!) during his mission. He allegedly suffers from a degenerative illness (affecting the Hypodiegesis 1: brain, causing memory loss), which he contracted on this mission. Apparently, he has been Riker awakes in the future, allegedly as Captain. Captain of the Enterprise for more than 9 years without remembering it. He is encouraged to try to remember (but the brain damage is obvious). When Riker is in the turbolift Strange incidents are encountered – fictionality markers demanding to go to the main bridge, the computer is unusually slow – Riker has to repeat - Unusually slow computers (alleged technical problems) his command. Admiral Picard arrives on a Romulan ship but apparently a lot has changed - Picard as admiral arrives on Romulan ship (the enemies during 16 years which Riker cannot recall. Everyone seems to be informed about his disease as alleged allies) and condition. Riker does not feel fit for command, but is persuaded to carry on by the - Riker meets his alleged son, his wife allegedly died in a Adial. I his uates, he eets his so. His ife/his sos othe is said to e dead shuttle accident (shuttle accident). Computer is unable to give him info on his supposed life and career after - Computer aot displa a photo of ‘ikes ife the accident. Riker is skeptical of all he has learned so far because he is supposed to sign a - Video of ‘ikes supposed ife is the epodutio of a treaty with the Romulan ambassador Tomalak (who is known from previous episodes to be holographic woman! e iolet, disiteested i peae ad aoe all udiploati. The Fedeatios Outpost - Geordi is technically incompetent; Worf does not recall (a secret strategic post for defense against the Romulans) is about to be revealed. Riker is the cause of his scar. Data is incapable of calculating increasingly uncomfortable. Then, the computer does not manage to display a photo of transfer time in the usual manner and even uses a ‘ikes supposed ife. Whe he fiall sees a ideo, he eogizes the oa – she cannot otatio at istead of the usual aot. be his wife because she was only a holographic simulation he once enjoyed. Consequently, Riker realizes he is not in a future reality but in some sort of simulation. He assumes that the Hypodiegesis 2 Romulans developed a deceptive holo technology in order to obtain privileged information ‘ike i the ell ith his so eouteed i siulatio. on the Federation. Tomalak throws Riker into a cell where he meets the boy who was his Fictionality marker: the o ofuses Toalaks oles son in the simulation. When the o talks aout the aassado Toalak, ‘ike ealizes (ambassador vs. Captain) he is in yet another fictional simulation! Riker refuses to participate in the game. In reality, he was captured by the boy (an alien creature), not the Romulans, however, not with bad Diegesis (end frame) intensions. He wanted to have contact with a real person because his holo technology could Simulation ends, Riker is still in the cave and is informed about not give him what he needed. He has lived in a fantasy all alone for so long but longs for real the os tue sto. Both etu to the Etepise. interaction with real people. Riker finally takes the boy with him onto Enterprise.

A 2

The Next Generation 5.18 Cause and Effect

Summary Metareferential elements The episode starts with the explosion of the Enterprise. The next scene (after the intro) Structure: explosion of ship – intro – main body of events shos the ship duig the Captais log et ad a ad gae ith Wof, ‘ike, Data ad Crusher. Crusher instinctively knows Riker is bluffing. She also has a déjàvu later on when Plot repetition + variation (repetition of same events but treating LaForge in sick bay. At night, Crusher even hears voices in her room, although there filmed from different camera angles). is no one there. In the morning, she reports to the Captain. Then an anomaly in the space- time continuum is encountered and causes problems: It leads to a collision with another Beginning of episode as foreshadowing: the end as the ship that is just emerging. The Enterprise suffers great damage and finally explodes (as in beginning reinforces the cyclical nature of the plot! – temporal the beginning of the episode); After this second explosion, everything starts anew: first the loop! log entry, then the card game and sickbay. These are repetitions of the same events; the only change this time is that Riker and Crusher both have a strange feeling of pre- Repeated plot elements: knowledge; they are able to predict the cards that will be dealt. (Identical events are shown - Card game from different camera angles!). Once more Crusher treats Geordi in sickbay. As they both - Hearing voices feel the déjàu, the hek log eties fo peious eties ut fid oe aout Geodis - Geodis euig edial issues health issue. They find it strange that both have the same déjàvu but there are no records - Feeling of déjavu providing any clues. Again Crusher hears voices at night but this time immediately informs the Captain. Multiple repetitions of the events follow with slight variations as the crew Repetition with variation – characters become increasingly realizes the nature of their déjàvu. With each repetition, they are able to recall more details aware of their situation! of future events. The aim is to find a solution for the collision problem to end the cycle. Data manages to send himself a message. Finally, the crew is able to react in the right way and escape the collision as well as explosion. The other ship they encountered is a ship from 2278. That ship has been caught in the temporal loop for more than 80 years, while the Enterprise has only lost 17 days (corresponding to a total of 17 repetitions).

A 3

The Next Generation 6.21 Frame of Mind

Summary Metareferential elements [Riker in close-up ]: He appears to be in an asylum as a patient suffering from a mental Multiple diegetic levels illess. Datas oie is head, talkig to hi “uddel, ‘ike stops to ask Ca e go ak to Reality/fiction dichotomy: truth vs fiction (delusion) …? [)oo out] ‘ike ad Data ae eheasig a pla. The, ‘ike leaes the stage, o his  Theme: madness/insanity + manipulation way once more rehearsing his lines. At the turbolift, he runs into an unknown crewman (!). [Net see] Biefig o ‘ikes udeoe opeatio o a plaet. I sika, ‘ike eou- Beginning: ters crewman again. [Next scene] Riker is acting his part in the performance. When he takes Conversation between Data + Riker (embedded play) a bow in front of the clapping audience, and raises again, the scene is suddenly changed; The issue: Riker did something, probably committed a crime, for the lappig is goe ad he fids hiself i a ell. Datas setee fo the pla I a see which he is currently being treated in an institution. Riker wants e hae a lot of ok to do. is said aothe person, namely the doctor in a mental to e fee to go sie he udestads the oseuees of his institution, who resembles the unknown crewmen Riker saw before. Riker is disoriented and atios, ad adits that he as sik he it happeed ad does not know how he came to be where he currently is. (The cell looks exactly like the therefore not responsible. stage cell from the play). Riker has headaches and trouble recalling his name. According to the asylum doctor, he suffers from severe delusions – hallucinations. The doctor claims that nothing Riker experienced was real. Furthermore, he is neither a member of Starfleet, nor Mixing diegetic levels: the commander of the Enterprise. He is granted a little time in the common area, being - Chaates fo isae diegesis appea o Etepise escorted there by armed men. He is apparently the only human there; all other resident diegesis patients are of the same race as the doctor. A woman tells him that they all have been - Similar setting (asylum cell = stage cell) kidapped ad teated. He theo is that eethig is aout eual heials fo - Datas setee is epeated aslu doto peoples ais. Whe ‘ike ties to fid out oe fo he, she stats talkig to a spoo, - Same conversation issue between Riker + Data he ouiato. [Net see] ‘ike is aused of utall haig killed a a, hih is (embedded play) and Riker + asylum doctor: Riker the reason for his stay in this institution. When he reacts incredulous and agitated, he is committed a crime and is now institutionalized and sedated by a warden. [Next scene] Riker wakes up in his bed on the Enterprise. The play has being treated. not yet been performed - that has only happened in his dream. Since he has just woken up, he takes what he experienced in the asylum as a dream, a nightmare. During the performance, he is constantly disturbed by seeing the doctor and some patients from the Episode structure: asylum. Nobody else sees anything of what he perceived; To be sure that he is well and Events pertaining to 2 plotlines with competing reality status: sane, he undergoes a medical examination which certifies his health. In the next scene, Diegesis 1: Riker on Enterprise (+ embedded play) hoee, he stats to hea the aslus dotos oie hile he is talkig to Toi. The the Diegesis 2: Riker in asylum on another planet tuolift appeas to hi as the aslus halla, ad as he eters his room and turns around, he finds himself in his cell again. Which one of them is real, which is the delusion/hallucination?

A 4

Riker talks to the doctor. He slowly begins to believe in the reality of the asylum situation, as Diegesis 1 as reality and Diegesis 2 as illusion, or vice versa? everything he experiences there makes sense, is coherent and in order. There are no breaks, no strange events, and he has clear memories of all the events in the asylum. By Markers of fictionality (recurring elements): contrast, this is not true for the Enterprise reality, where everything he perceives is strange, - 1 recurring character (unknown crewman/asylum breaks apart and lacks coherence. His situation becomes more and more confusing until he doctor) even considers the possibility of really having killed someone. Riker is offered two options of - Recurring wound + headache treatment: reflection therapy based on holographic technology and projections to allegedly - Phaser (weapon) regain his memories, or surgery which includes changing his personality. Suddenly, a well- - Shattering scenes known colleague of his from the Enterprise appears; Troi describes her feeling of fear. Then - ‘ikes tet fo the pla Worf appears representing anger, and Picard emerges to describe the scene. Then Troi and the others address him directly, claiming to be real, and warning him not to believe Marker of reality: log entry – the frame establishing the reality anything that is said by the doctor. As Riker does not believe them, they vanish. Suddenly, of the story world and the boundaries between the main Crusher appears in the asylum, to tell him about a conspiracy that happened during his diegesis and the two hypodiegetic plotlines. undercover mission on the planet and that the crew is currently trying to free him. In the middle of night then, Data and Worf try to rescue him, but Riker escapes. They finally  What is real??? manage to take Riker back to the ship, but he notices that his wound keeps recurring  Confusion although it was healed by Crusher multiple times. As a consequence, Riker does not believe in the reality of the crew but takes everything for a delusion. He directs his phaser against End frame: real diegetic level  Events of diegeses 1 and 2 himself to fire and the delusion shatters (literally). He finds himself in his cell again and is were both fictional, both hypodiegetic illusions! informed about his recurrent delusions and lack of progress in therapy. He is still holding Log entry for clarification – delineating real events from the phaser in his hands. As his wound reappears, he mistrusts the doctor as well. He fires at illusions+ delusions. one warden who shatters. Riker realizes that none of what he has experienced so far is real. He fires at the cell, which also shatters. [Scene shift] On the Enterprise stage, there is Effect + Function: apparently only one person who appears in all versions of (fictional) realities, the strange Estrangement; disturbing effect based on confusion, crewman. The play on Enterprise was not real either! Finally Riker shatters in front of a disoietatio ad the uestioig of oes o sait! clapping audience and (on the main diegesis) awakes lying on a medical table in an institution being treated. He manages to overpower 2 wardens, grab his communicator and … ahieed a Chiese o stutue of ultiple hpodiegeti be beamed onto the Enterprise. [Log entry] Tois eplaatio: the aslu illusio as levels, all of a fictional nature. constructed by the doctors on the planet (in order to manipulate him), while his sub- conscious created the Enterprise illusion (corresponding to diegesis 1) reminding him of the Meta-effects: actual reality so as not to be deceived by the neurosurgical process and psychiatric - Questioning the reliability + sanity of a character, treatments he received. The play was part of reality and happened prior to his mission on thereby transferring the reality/fiction problem onto the planet! [Final scene] Riker demolishes the stage props and the scenery of the cell. the level of the whole TNG series.

A 5

The Next Generation 7.11 Parallels

Summary Metareferential elements Worf is making a personal log entry about his success - winning a Klingon fighting Plot repetition + variation; Different realities with different competition – while flying back to the Enterprise in a shuttle. Upon returning to the ship, he situation. is surprised by birthday surprise party (see version 1). Worf suddenly feels a little dizzy. When looking at the cake again, it has changed (not a chocolate cake anymore). As the Multiple versions: events go on, Worf feels dizzy more and more often. He is diagnosed to suffer from a V1: winning the Klingon competition, surprise party, Captain concussion causing his dizziness, and apparently he has a different memory from Dr Crusher not attending the party, dark chocolate cake, Datas oloful (he is told he did not win the Klingon competition). In version 1 the viewer + Worf painting; experience of the events, he made the first place, his friends organize a surprise birthday V2: not a chocolate cake, Picard at party, party for him, the Cpt is not present, and Data gives him an abstract painting for a gift. Later V3: suffering from a concussion as a consequence of the he finds himself in another version; he was ninth in the tournament, got a different birthday Klingon competition, he made the 9th place, different personal cake, a different painting from Data and the Cpt attended the party. In yet another version, log entry; he did not even go to the tournament, there is no party but he is married to Troi and Geordi … died shortly before. Worf suffers from dizziness but clearly remembers the events from version 1. However, all other crew members keep assuring him that everything is ok and Minor disparities in the first few versions; that he is probably stressed or affected by an illness. The events keep changing until Worf With every new version, however, the differences become finds himself in drastically altered situations (including versions of reality in which the more striking and Worf more disoriented. Captain is dead, Riker is Captain and Worf is Commander). The medical checks are without any significant outcome but Data finally manages to find out what is really happening to Shifting from one reality to another, experiencing the ship and Worf. Apparently, Worf keeps shifting from one reality to another (which is the cause of his its crew in different realities. dizziness). He is constantly leaving one reality and entering the next, and he is unable to control it. The solution is, according to Data, that something on his way home from the Function: providing what-if situations, different character tournament must have happened which causes his shifts. As a consequence, the Enterprise constellations; is usig Wofs path, the oe he used to fl ak to the ship afte the touaet. “oe- where on the way, the crew encounters a dimensional fissure, which triggered the shifting. Suddenly, a myriad of Enterprises appear in this area of space, all from different realities, and with every minute there are more. Worf finally flies through the anomaly in a shuttle again and, in the end, finds himself at home, in the reality he knows and belongs to.

A 6

Deep Space Nine . Childre of Tie

Summary Metareferential elements Circular plot, involuntary time travel and reversed causality; While the Defiant is on the way back to the station, Dax encounters an interesting phenomenon on a nearby planet. The investigation i the plaets oit is succeeded by 3 main events: technical problems causing the crew to be stranded on the planet. There they find a A: Crew founds civilization in past flourishing civilization of 8000 people, their own descendants! They are told that, due to the B: Crew lands on planet, in the present technical problems in combination with a temporal anomaly, they had been stranded C: Crew attempts to return home in future – kernel – accidental already 200 years before without ever getting home or receiving help. Being trapped on the time travel to the past  causing event A planet, the crew settled and built a civilization. However, the present crew would prefer to D: instead of event A, crew succeeds in returning home, no time fly home rather than repeat this. Therefore they face a dilemma: If they succeed in leaving travel to the past the planet and flying home to the station, the civilization will vanish or rather never have come into existence because the anomaly will not send the crew back in time. The question The final events lead to a deletion/disnarration of the alternate is whether they should stay in order to preserve the existence of the civilization they could story line and characters. Their existence was based on events begin, or take the chance to return where they belong. Also, if they stay, Kira will certainly that eventually never occurred. - Alternate plot experience die of the consequences of the accident during landing. At first, the whole crew votes for an attempt to go home, then they have a change of heart in favor of the civilization (and Kira Function: The viewer is provided with a situation that could views that decision even as her fate and obligation). When they agree to follow the create an alternate ending with a completely different possible calculated route to encounter the anomaly which is supposed to send them back in time so future. The viewer can enjoy hypothetical events and stories, that the civilization can be founded, they are surprised to see that somebody has changed which would normally contradict the mechanics of the their course. Instead of staying, they successfully leave the planet without being stranded in established world and therefore presents a deviation from the the past. In the end, it turns out that Odo, the old, experienced version from the planet, is limited range of narrative possibilities inherent to the serial responsible for the change in course as he did not want Kira to die (he loves her and nature of the TV series. By returning to the starting point prior confessed his feelings to her before they took off, which is something the present Odo is far to the alternate plot, the series is set back to normal so that the too insecure and timid to do). The old Odo basically sacrificed the whole civilization of the next episode ties in with the present one, following a planet in order to save her life. After leaving the planet, everything is as it was – but the meaningful, coherent sequence. eo of the es potential descendants will stay with them, although they never existed. Viewer encounters an aged Odo who finally admits his love for Kira. The present-day Odo would never do that but is thus given the chance to speak open and freely.

A 7

Deep Space Nine 6.19 In the Pale Moonlight

Summary Metareferential elements The Federation is currently at war with the mighty enemy the Dominion, who presents a very serious threat to the Alpha Quadrant and every civilization living there. Captain Sisko is - Sisko as narrator throughout the epsiode confronted with a steadily increasing number of casualties every week and is expecting the - 3 diegetic levels Federation to lose the war. The only possible solution, which might avert the impending (diegesis, hypodiegesis + hypo-hypodiegesis) doom is to obtain a new ally: the inimical Romulans, with whom the Dominion is currently - Alternating events of diegesis + hypodiegesis cooperating. Sisko reports the main events of the past two weeks making a personal log - Sisko breaks the fourth wall, direct look into the camera entry (diegetic level). He describes his motivation and decision to take action, to convince - Personal log entry (incriminating content), Sisko faces the Romulans to join forces against the Dominion. ethically problematic decisions On the hypodiegetic level, Sisko recruits Garak, a former spy of the Cardassian Obsidian - Deletion of the personal log entry in the end Order (former Federation enemies), to help him create a conspiracy and produce forged evidence depitig the Doiios alleged pla to attak the ‘oulas afte conquering the Federation. In addition to forging evidence, creating a conspiracy and extensive lying, Sisko Functions: also has to commit other crimes and betray the values he stands for as a Starfleet Captain. - Potaal of “iskos dak side iolutail etaig Although his initial plan to convince the Romulan ambassador with the forged evidence the values of Starfleet for the greater good) fails, Gaaks plan B – to kill the Romulan embassador and to make it look like an - Telling an untold story assassination committed by the Dominion – results effective. In the end, the Dominion is - The recipient as confidential listener incriminated, and the ‘oulas agee to eoe the Fedeatios allies. The pie fo it as “iskos lea osiee, the death of a ‘oula inimical representative, bribery, extortion and the smuggling of illegal biochemical substances. Sisko has related the facts in his personal log entry, but due to its delicate and negative otet ad “iskos uoffiial role, he decides to delete the entry. The true occurrences will therefore never appear in Starfleet history.

A 8

Voyager . Tie ad Agai

Summary Metareferential elements The Voyager is on its way when the ship is suddenly hit by a shockwave. Kes has just Deletion of plot events (almost everything that happened did awoken, she is apparently uneasy. She immediately tells what she has dreamt or seen: the not really occur as the events were changed); a loop in which whole population of a near class m planet was extinguished due to an explosion stemming the beginning is the end. Identical scenes + different scenes fo the plaets sufae, hih is also the soue of the shokae. Cpt. Janeway decides with different outcome (theme: repetition + variation). to investigate the matter to find out more details about the horrifying events. On the Deletion: characters (except Kes) do not remember! planet, they see that everything and everyone has been destroyed and killed. Janeway and Main events: 1) witnessing the explosion; 2) decision to beam Pais suddel fid theseles aidst the plaets flouishing civilization, apparently before onto the planet; 3) Janeway and Paris are transferred to the day the devastating explosion. It is established that they probably fell through a subspace gap before the devastatig eplosio. Tie tael! Thei es which took them back in time exactly 1 day before the catastrophe. Since they are unable to attempt to rescue them is precisely what caused the explosion return to their time, they have to stay and mingle with the people until they find a solution. i the fist plae. Jaeas ealizatio: tepoal paado. Folloig the fedeatios pie dietie, J + P do ot tell the people ho the eall ae Countering the rescue attempt. 6) Explosion of 1) is avoided. (and from where + when). However, since they have the chance, they attempt to prevent Voyager is back at the beginning, where they were before the the impending doom. Meanwhile, the rest of the crew is trying to find a way to locate and explosion. transfer J + P to where they belong. For J + P, he situation becomes increasingly complicated  Temporal paradox (Voy was responsible for the events and difficult when they encounter a resistance group protesting against the planetary before they were even there to cause them!) power system, so that they are finally caught by government representatives, suspected of  Illogical plot + story beginning (causality, temporality) treason and accused of sabotage so that they are forced to tell the truth (and explicitly warn them against the catastrophe). When a few minutes prior to the expected explosion a Deconstructing the main elements of a (logical) story! subspace gap is opened by the crew in order to rescue J + P, they realize that this attempt to save them is actually the reason for and cause of the explosion in the first place. For this Loop: the end is the beginning, the story returns to its starting reason, J attempts to close the gap and succeeds. The next thing we see is that everything point but is not repeated! vanishes. The Voyager is back in space, flying as it did before all the events of this episode Causal loop: Cause + effect are no longer discernible. occurred! Then Kes appears on the bridge inquiring on the state of the planet as she had a catastrophic vision (and appears to be the only one remembering or knowing about the The opening and closing shots are identical (TC 02:45-48 events that took place for the viewers with the destruction of the planet). J shows her the coincides with 41:45-48; Paris chatting with Kim TC 41:50 = plaets sufae, eethig is ell ad itat, thee is a flouishig iilizatio ad the 00:50), including camera angles and dialogue; only the explosion never occurred. J decides to follow the prime directive and not establish first concluding event differs: Janeway declines to investigate the contact with the people there, so they pass by the planet. No one aboard the ship (except planet. The episode as a whole is thus a loop representing the Kes) knows about the incidents and the catastrophe that did not occur. Conclusion: It was inversion of cause and effect. the presence of the Voyager that caused the disturbance and explosion on the planet!

A 9

Voyager . Coda

Summary Metareferential elements Janeway (J) and Chakotay (Ch) are in a shuttle flying to the Voyager. Bad weather causes damage to the shuttle, Plot repetition + variation hih leads to a eege ladig o the plaets sufae. J is seiousl ijued. We the see ultiple esios of  theme at first appears to be a events with unknown truth value. Version 1: Ch attempts reanimation. J comes to, Ch suspects something or temporal anomaly causing somebody else but the weather to have caused the damage. Suddenly, Vidians appear and kill both J and Ch. Next temporal loops as in TNG 5.18; shot - Version 2: Both are again in the shuttle before the damage occurred. J feels déjàvu and immediately thinks of  “iila to Wofs ealit shiftig a temporal anomaly. Then the shuttle explodes. Version 3: Back at the beginning: J and Ch escape the bad weather in TNG 7.11 Paallels ad the Vidia ship. The ae ak o the Voage ut o oe eept J eees the tepoal aoal. Ch at recall it although the iee sa hi i the shuttle efoe hee he talked aout Js sese of déjàu ad epeti- Return to the beginning! tions. The crew states their version of events regarding what happened in the meantime onboard; According to ‘epetitio of the stos statig poit! Tuvok, J was treated by the Doc after thei esape fo the Vidias o the plaets sufae. Ch deies a ko- ledge of a tepoal loop. Ol J lais to hae epeieed the. Do heks J agai, fids Vidia ius i Js od, Impossible narrative process! and gives her a dark prognosis. J is kept in sick bay under quarantine. She is becoming worse and there is finally no Version 3 corresponds to events of v. 1! hope of getting better. The Doc finally kills her by poisoning the air (euthanasia!), so that she would not have to Multiple returns to the beginning! suffer a long, painful death. She dies. Next shot: back in the shuttle - Version 4: They encounter the anomaly, CH Dos at of euthaasia – untypical! suggests flying the shuttle into it but J refuses. Then everything is white. Next shot - Version 5: They are back on the plaets sufae: Ch ties to esusitate J ho is lig uosiousl o the goud, hile she is athing him do Multiple versions of events – centered that fo ehid. J appeas to e iateial; she at talk to aoe. Js dead od is taspoted ak oto the o Jaeas death!  Every version Voyager. Further attempts to resuscitate her remain without success. She is immaterial and unable to communi- eds ith at least Js death! cate. Yet, J does not give up as she does not believe in her own death, even when her alleged father appears (out of W what appears to be the anomaly seen in version 4). He tries to convince her of her death. J is watching the crew, at R/F: towards the end, the theme clearly he o goode eeo. He fathe ties to convince her to let her go, but she is not willing to do so. When becomes an issue of reality vs. fiction she almost believes him, she has a flash: She can see herself lying unconsciously on the planet, being resuscitated (what is real, what not? Especially how by her crew and motivated to fight death. She increasingly doubts her fathes stateets ad ealizes that, i to distinguish life from death or reality, she is not yet dead, and everything she has experienced so far was not real, including her burial and her simulated death vs. real death). fathe, ho ol ats to ake he let go ad aept death, to illigl joi hi ito the aoal, the ati. The aothe flash ito ealit: she heas Tuok sa that the speies is still oupig he ai. “he tells he fathe Explanation: delusion by another that she knows he is another species trying to make her follow him, thus deciding to die. The third flash: Ch tells her species, simulated death! to fight. J ill ot satisf the speies eeds. Fiall it leaes he, tellig he it ill eetuall get he he she dies and then feed on her. In the end, J regains consciousness; she survived. The crew explains what was real and what Title: reference to music! Back to the not: Everything from version 2 onwards was a hallucination produced by the species to make her die. beginning, repetition!

A 10

Voyager ./ Future’s Ed Part 1 and 2

Summary Metareferential elements It is the year 1967 and we see a young man in the mountains sitting by a fire, listening to the Beginning with an inserted paratext: Earth – High Sierras – radio when he suddenly witnesses the appearance of something that is yet unknown to the 1967. viewer. Next scene: On Voyager, Janeway is playing tennis in her ready room, suddenly Voice over: radio news with report on anti-war demonstration there is red alert and Chakotay calls her. The crew has encountered a time/space distortion (probably Vietnam war as we know from history). which was artificially created (!). A small ship appears coming out of it, with 1 person th aboard. It is Cpt. Braxton of a Federation time-ship from the 29 century. He briefly explains  2 frames provide temporal orientation for the viewer his mission, namely to destroy Voyager and the crew before they can cause a catastrophe and foreground the theme of time travel in the present extinguishing their solar system (including Earth) in his time. Braxton immediately attacks episode. Voyager. Due to the battle, both ships enter the temporal/spatial distortion. (Everything is white for a brief moment). When the crew comes to - they were apparently unconscious -, Watching present-day TV – explicit metareference! the tepoal distotio is losed ad the fid theseles at hoe, i Eaths oit, however not in their present but in 1996. Braxton crash-landed on Earth as well. The crew KES: We've set up a computer algorithm to search for key words decides to search for him as he is the only one who can help them return to their time. They and phrases. Anything that might indicate Voyager. KIM: Anything so far? seah o the plaets sufae i the it of peset-day Los Angeles. To complicate the NEELIX: Not yet, but we have come across some very intriguing situation, Voy is detected by an astrophysicist. In another scene, the CEO of a multi-billion televised broadcasts. Take a look at this. It's a form of dollar company turns out to be the man from 1967 in the mountains (the first scene) called entertainment called a 'soap opera'. The exploration of human “talig. Whe he is ifoed of the ojet i Eaths oit, he deides to keep huanity relationships is fascinating. fo koledge, kill the astophsiist ad ake oe stealig Vos teholog, as he KIM: I can't imagine just watching the story and not being a part has doe ealie ith Batos ship. I the eatie, J + Ch eoute Bato ad lea of it. that he has been on Earth since 1967 when he crash-landed in the mountains. Now, he is a KES: That's because you've been spoiled by the holodeck. There's something to be said for non-interactive stories like this, homeless person, his ship has been stolen by a man, who has caused alterations in time. On being swept away in the narrative. Voy, the rest of crew is surveying the information systems of Earth to see if they have been NEELIX: Oh, I can't wait to see if Blaine's twin brother is the detected. For this reason, Neelix and Kes are watching TV. On Earth, J + Ch are on their way father of Jessica's baby. to CEO Starling, while Paris and Tuvok manage to save the astrophysicist and escape the KIM: Good work. Keep me informed, and don't get too swept killer. J + Ch find out that Starling has been responsible for the development of computers away. th NEELIX: Er, aye sir. (and microcomputers) in 20 centur usig Batos ship. “talig theates the, ut J th SHARON [on monitor]; Nobody'll know the difference. + Ch are beamed out by Voy. However, Starling still has technology from the 29 century JACK [on monitor]: I'll know, Sharon. How can I face him and thus manages to obtain data + information on Voy, including the holo-program of the knowing that our son is his son? EMH. Meanwhile, Voy has been optically discovered and filmed by people, which is shown SHARON [on monitor]: All you need to know, Jack, is that I love on TV news. As the situation aggraates, “talig esapes i Batos tie ship ad is you!

A 11 heading for a new temporal gap to get to the future for more technology (he does not care for consequences, only for his profit). In the end, Starling flies through, the gap closes, then reopens and out of it comes Cpt. Braxton; This time, he does not attempt to destroy Voy but sends the crew back to where they were before: back in their time in 24th century in the Delta quadrant so as not to change history any further. He has already caught Starling and thus avoided further alterations in time as well as the catastrophe the old Braxton (the homeless version) feared (due to miscalculations and wrong conclusions). Thus, the Future is saved and Voy back on its way home to Earth again.

A 12

Voyager 4.8/9 Year of Hell

Summary Metareferential elements An unknown species (the Krenim) changes time constantly, thereby erasing other life forms and eliminate whole civilizations. The Voyager enters the space of two battling species, one of which is Deleting the storyline of the episode, the time changers. The Voyager is warned not to cross that part of space but goes on nevertheless. Rewriting history Suddenly, an enormous temporal shock wave emerges. After a week of fighting, the ship is seriously Restoration plot damaged. Meanwhile, the Imperium of the time-changing species has been restored to 98% while the other species has been reduced. However, the leader is still not satisfied; he strives for 100% which is 2 episodes of discourse time correspond to one year virtually impossible. The Voyager is ever more damaged; the ship is in very bad shape and loses many in story time! of the crew as well as decks and inventory. After 47 days, the fights are still ongoing. Many are injured, Tuvok is blinded. More than 60 days pass; a new attempt of the species to change time in In the end, everything is set back to the beginning, order to erase the Voyager remains without success as the crew manages to construct a temporal without repetition! shield to protect themselves. This fact influences the outcome of another attempt to restore the speies tielie as desied; thei ipeiu has ee iiized. Afte das, hoee, the e is Deletion: forced to abandon ship. Only the commanding officers stay aboard. Episode 4.9) Paris and Chakotay It is as if the events of that episode never occurred. are captured and held prisoners on the Krenim ship, while the Voyager is being hidden in a nebula. Ch The characters do not recall them. For them, all these learns from his captors that the Krenim have been tampering with time for more than 200 years to events have never happened. Only the viewer knows reestablish their society at the peak of their power. After 200 days, Paris manages to get one of them the story! on his side, and plans a mutiny. The final battle deciding the future of the Voyager crew and numerous other species is fought by the damaged Voyager and a few allies against the time Effects + Functions: modifiers. After everything else has failed, Janeway is on a collision course with the Krenim ship. - Discrepant awareness: viewer knows more Ironically, the explosion causes the elimination of the Krenim ship and sets everything back to when it than the characters (story) belongs temporally. The Voyager is back to the beginning, to the point before meeting the Krenim, as - Viewer sees how characters act in extreme idiated the log et stadate, ad the headig Da . The Kei teito is agai itat, situations – characterization of the characters they pass by it and avoid flying through. The final scene shows the Krenim Captain at home working by the story on his temporal mechanics, while his wife is trying to convince him to spend time with her instead. He - What if- situation; characters remain was granted a second chance as he has the opportunity to enjoy life with his wife again (the main unaffected, no character development, but reason why he wanted to re-establish the timeline was to get his wife back from the dead by means next episode starts with status quo where of manipulating time). End. (However, it is suggested in the end is that he will probably lose his wife previous episode ended. again and therefore make another attempt to restore his past by means of temporal manipulation, - Denarration and disnarration. thus making the same mistakes over again. But next time, the Voyager will not be in this part of space anymore).

A 13

Voyager . Tieless

Summary Metareferential elements Kim and Chakotay aie o a plaets sufae oeed i thik ie. The fid the Voage Watching scenes from 2 timelines interchangeably: and crew frozen in ice. Kim activates the EMH, who is shocked at seeing the ship and crew T1: the future (seen as the present) in this condition. Ch explains their intention; they want to change history in order to avoid T2: Flashbacks to the present Voyager (seen as the past); the failure of their mission and numerous deaths. A flashback shows the Voyager crew celebrating their new slipstream drive, which is supposed to bring them home much faster Intentional rewriting of past events – changing history to avoid than their normal warp drive. Paris does not celebrate, as he is still running some tests. He a catastrophe. - Cf. Edgae is worried that there is some mistake with the slipstream calculations. Kim and Paris therefore run some simulations on the holodeck. The outcome of every single simulation (a 1 event with multiple possible outcomes – all outcomes are total of 23) is a catastrophe. The proposed solution to this problem is that Kim has to fly in a ealized ut i the ed oe eais as the eal oe. shuttle in front of the Voyager so that he can transmit the necessary adaptations to the ship in order to ensure a safe flight. Back in the present, the EMH learns that 15 years have gone by. Kim and CH made it to Earth in the shuttle but, despite all additional efforts, the Voyager still had difficulty with the new drive. The ship consequently stranded on the ice planet and, during the emergency landing, the majority of the crew died immediately, while the rest froze to death some time later. The present plan is the following: CH and Kim send a message back in time with the correct changes and specifications for the Voyager so that they all can return home safely. The message is sent through Seven`s implant. Another flashback eeals the Captais log et ith the outlook o akig the folloig et at home, in the Alpha quadrant. Back in the present, Cpt. LaForge (TNG) finds Ch and asks him to surrender. Ch refuses, and the first attempt to save the Voyager fails. In the past, we see the Voages aidet edig o the ie plaet. Hoee, the seod attept is suessful as the message to leave the slipsteam is sent to the crew. Again Seven obtains a transmission through her implant and the employed corrections cause the slipstream to Metaleptic message from future Kim to present Kim! Temporal collapse without damaging the ship or injuring the crew. As a consequence, the slipstream metalepsis! drive is dismissed until further research and a better handling allow for a safe and secure trip. In the end, the fatal accident was avoided and both the Captain and Seven discover Kis essage fo the futue, hih saed thei lies.

A 14

Voyager . Relativity

Summary Metareferential elements Episode starts in the past when Janeway first set foot on the Voyager on her first visitation in dry dock. J In medias res, in the past: Scenes prior to wishes to have some changes made and assigns an ensign to do that; this ensign is Seven of Nine! Seven Voages fist issio efoe fist episode; gets order to scan for a weapon. J even talks shortly to Seven (asking for her opinion). Seven continues her flashback; unseen events! mission (she is talking to someone who cannot be seen). She detects temporal distortions on the Voyager [Seven as potential spy/terrorist (good or bad?) – and encounters a weapon. However, Seven cannot remove it since she is in the wrong time. When she is at first unknown mission  creating suspense] almost detected by J, she is transferred back to the time-ship Relativity, and dies in the process. The Paradox: Seven entered the Voyager crew years attempt to save the Voyager crew has failed. The crew of the Relativity starts a new attempt from the later, in the Delta quadrant. She cannot have beginning: We see Seven with the EMH on the Voyager, still in Delta quadrant. While several people suffer been there at that point in time, and she has fo spae sikess, a gae of pig pog supisigl podues a all that is stuk i id-air. The crew never been a member of Starfleet! detects temporal distortions throughout the ship causing various temporal paradoxes (e.g. the EMH is Timeship Relativity: episode is about time travel! called to an emergency before it even occurs). This fact presents a serious problem for the ship as it is Present: On the Relativity; Seven is sent from the being torn apart. Seven is recruited by the crew of the Relativity again, a few moments before the Voyager present to the past for a mission: recovering a explodes, and taken to the time-ship from the 29th century. Her mission is to find the weapon that caused weapon that has been planted. the destruction of the Voyager, but it is unknown who planted it and why. Seven is sent back in time to Intentional time travel – no rewriting! the Voyager when the ship was attacked by the Kazon. The only problem is, however, that J detects Seven is recruited by crew from the 29th century! “ees presence on the ship. When they meet, Seven is forced to reveal the future (as they have not met Seven travels back in time: Kazon attack yet in season 2) and her plan to save the ship. The most ironic twist lies in the fact that Cpt. Braxton corresponds to events of season 2  everyone himself is the saboteur who plants the weapon on the Voyager, although he is also the one who recruited looks like they did in seaso Js hai! “ee i ode to aoid the Voages destutio. The saoteu Bato is fo the futue, ad suffes fo a tepoal pshosis. Bato aages to esape ad taels futhe ito the past. “ee follos Paradox: future + present Braxton him and they meet again on the Voyager in dry dock (as in the beginning of the episode), but Braxton Paradox: Seven meets Seven (metalepsis) esapes agai. Fie eas i the futue Voages peset: We see agai the pig-pong game, when Braxton suddenly appears. The Seven in pursuit of Braxton meets the present Seven at the ping-pong 4 timelines:  switching timelines game. She is already suffering from the various jumps in time and therefore unable to pursue Braxton - Present (Voy year 5) further. She informs her present self about the mission. While the future Seven is transported back to - Past: year 2 Relativity, the present Seven follows Braxton and finally catches him. He and Janeway are transported - Past: dry dock oto ‘elatiit. J is euited to lea up the tielie so that all the paadoial eets e.g. “ee eets - Future: 29th century J before even becoming a crew member) are eliminated and further paradoxes are prevented. Plot of temporal paradoxes! Switching timelines Consequently, J travels into year 2 during the Kazon attack in order to catch the third Braxton. After causes alterations in events + storyline! successfully conveying him to Relativity, Janeway and Seven are sent back into their present timeline. Restoration plot (restoring temporality)

A 15

Voyager . “hattered

Summary Metareferential elements A spatial rift is encountered, which causes an accident injuring Chakotay in engineering. Ch Various timelines associated with various sections of ship: is beamed into sickbay and treated by the EMH. Talking to the EMH, he realizes he is in a T1: the present (with character Chakotay) different timeline, i.e. in the past. On his way to the bridge, he further notices that the ship T2: sickbay in past of year 3 (season 3) is divided into different sections belonging to various timelines, and that he is apparently T3: bridge with J before stranding in Delta quadrant (episode 1) the only one aboard who can cross them and not be affected by it. Ch develops a plan in T4: Egieeig; past of ea seaso : Basis ./.  order to synchronize the timelines on the ship to his present. The EMH produces a remedy Seska + Kazon attack) that can be used to vaccinate the crew and ship, thus enabling others to cross timelines. Ch T5: only future timeline in astrometrics lab kidnaps the Captain so that she can support him on this mission. As they move along the T6: cargo bay with Borg drones (episode 4.1) – Borg alliance ship, they encounter situations from the past corresponding to previous episodes, the only T7: corridor – macro-virus from episode 3.12 exception being the astrometrics laboratory, which is set in the future. In the cargo bay, T8: holo poga of Cpt. Poto f. Bide of Chaotia . they encounter Seven. With her Borg knowledge concerning temporal mechanics, she is T9: transporter room: Maquis before Voy unification (season 1) able to help them complete their plan to synchronize the ship. Before this is possible, T10: immediate future with effects of accident in mess hall however, they have to vaccinate the rest of the ship and solve various problems from the past. After managing these challenges, they are successful in restoring the present timeline Reenacting past plots of episodes of various seasons! throughout the ship. Ch is transferred back to engineering to the point a minute before the Repetition + variation. accident from the beginning occurred. Since he is able to take precautions in time, the accident is avoided and the Voyager flies on without being affected. Effects + Functions: - Raising awareness of past episodes - Nostalgia effet a est of sees/episodes - Illustrating development of crew over 7 years

A 16

Voyager ./ Edgae

Summary Metareferential elements The episode starts in the future; currently, the 10th aiesa of Voages etu hoe Switching between 2 timelines: after a 23-year-long journey is celebrated. However, many crewmembers have died and Future: approximately 30 years from the present others suffer from the consequences of this long journey. Captain Janeway has become Present: Voyager in Delta quadrant on the way home Admiral but is miserable due to the numerous losses the crew has suffered over the years. Having developed a plan during the last 10 years, she decides to take action; she steals Metaleptic phenomenon: present Janeway meets old Janeway, technology which allows her to travel into the past when the Voyager crew traveled by a Captain vs. Admiral – temporal metalepsis certain nebula where there might be wormholes to transfer them back to Earth. In the present, Chakotay and Seven are dating, Torres and Paris are awaiting the birth of their Rewriting history – changing the storyline baby and Tuvok is beginning to experience the consequences of his degenerative illness. Admiral J manages to meet Captain J in the past and proposes her plan. In the meantime, Intentional time travel the iiial Bog Quee has take otie of the eetig ad the Adials popositio. The Captai fiall agees to the Adials pla ad, disegadig the Pie Tepoal Dietie, Functions: applies the future technology (weapons and defense systems) to the Voyager in order to - Potential future (a relatively dark version); the future of protect it from the Borg. Following the plan, Voyager re-enters the nebula in order to use main characters (those who are still alive) the Bogs et of tas-warp channels, i.e. their return ticket to Earth. As the Captain - Producing a happier ending with faster return home realizes the importance and value of the trans-warp center (from there, the Borg can travel - Rounding off (see TNG beginning + end): ethical anywhere in the Galaxy almost instantaneously), she has to face yet another ethical dilemma of beginning (first 2 episodes) is repeated in dilemma: Should she attempt to make use of a channel in order to return to Earth in a fast another form: return crew safely home or save millions and secure way with her whole crew or should she try to destroy the net thus removing the of lives from being harmed by the Borg? chance of the Borg to travel to Earth or anywhere else? After a serious dispute between the - Providing a final strike in the end + grand ending: Admiral and the Captain (the present vs. the future Janeway), they decide to join forces to destruction of Borg center, freeing the Star Trek hae the ake ad eat it too. A ee oe elaoate pla sees to deeie the Bog universe from near-future + potentially catastrophic Queen allowing the crew to enter a channel and fly home while the Admiral is captured by attacks. the Borg and infects them with a virus causing them to self-destruct. Meanwhile, on Earth, - Humorous + interesting meeting of two Janeways Starfleet detects the trans-warp channel and orders every available ship to assemble around the haels eit poit. I the ed, the Voage is suessful i etuig hoe ad destroying the Borg transportation net including the Borg Queen.

A 17

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