♪ ♪
- Don't let him get away!
- You can't run forever, Dal.
Whoa!
- You have to trust us.
- Not a chance. Ah!
- This ought to be quick.
- Jankom, Gwyn, Z, please!
My real friends would never do this!
- Who says you're Jankom's friend?
- Ah! Ah!
Yeah.
♪ ♪
I don't know what mischief's afoot in here,
but need I remind you, you all remain under restricted access?
- Sorry, Doc. We're so deep in our astrometric studies,
we barely noticed you come in.
- Uh-huh. Well, carry on.
There may be hope for you academy hopefuls yet.
- We gotta lock that. Where were we?
- The nebula I saw in the Observer's message,
it matches this to a tee.
And there's only one planet
Chakotay and the "Protostar" could be on.
This Class O planetoid
disappeared from stellar charts years ago,
but if my situation has shown me anything,
the truth is more than we can see with our eyes.
- If the "Protostar" really is with Chakotay
on this hidden planet,
we can return the ship to Tars Lamora,
fix the timeline, and save Gwyn!
- Just one problem: we're still on lockdown.
- Technically, we're not Starfleet yet,
and the "Infinity" could make the journey undetected.
- Maybe we should ask the admiral for help.
She wants to save Chakotay more than anyone,
and with the wormhole closed, this could be our best shot.
- Janeway won't let us take her ship
for a joyride to chase a ghost.
- And if Starfleet says no, our mission's over
before we even start, and if we wait around
to find whoever sent that message,
it may be too late.
Better to ask forgiveness than permission.
- You want to steal a ship again?
I'm sensing a pattern here. - Borrow!
It was always borrowing.
- Steal, borrow, doesn't matter.
Once they realize we're missing,
"Voyager" will send a search party.
- Unless we're back before anyone even knows we're gone.
Jankom and I are working on just such a solution.
Inspired by the Doctor's holonovel,
we decided to make hologram copies of ourselves.
- Uh…
- Surprise!
Fooled ya, didn't we?
It was a two-for-Pog special.
- Wait a minute!
So this one is-- - A holo-double.
Yeah.
- Programmed by yours truly.
And none of you had a clue.
Behold, perfection!
- Per--perfect! Clue!
Per--percussive tusks!
Ma--ma--maintenance pod.
Huh?
Okay, still tweaking the dialogue, but one sec.
- Uh, real Jankom, last I checked,
we could touch stuff! Who's this gonna fool?
- I could probably tidy up the code.
- Now that sounds like a plan.
Rok, help these two make our holo-doubles less glitch-tastic
so they can stay behind and cover for us.
The rest of us will look into borrowing the "Infinity."
Ugh.
Put on some hot cocoa. It's gonna be a long night.
[soft orchestral music
- I don't see how we can get into the hangar
with so many people around.
Can we even take a shuttle without them noticing?
If you say so.
- Wait. Did you just understand him?
- Sort of. I've been working on a basic system.
That gurgle either meant "yes" or "Talaxian burrito."
Ah!
- If it isn't our wayward warrant officers.
I was looking for you. - Commander.
Hey.
Didn't see you there.
- Do you know what I just found?
- Um…
- No. - No?
- There's no valid excuse for losing a tricorder,
so imagine my surprise to find one of yours,
tossed on the floor of the "Infinity" like garbage.
Of course.
Didn't know I lost it in there. - Hm.
- Won't happen again, sir.
- No, it won't, considering the "Infinity"
is about to be destroyed. - What?
But we're gonna--I mean--
Sorry, you know Dal.
He gets very attached to any ship he's been on.
- Right.
Perhaps he should schedule a session
with Counselor Noum to discuss that.
Listen, we're not destroying that ship because of you.
Starfleet's ordered us to erase all evidence
of our classified mission, especially a cloaking ship
whose very existence violates three Federation treaties.
Pssh!
Why not just cloak it?
I mean, who'd know the difference?
Am I right?
- Well, if you'd like to watch the sendoff,
the "Infinity" will be launched into a Class B hypergiant
at 0800 hours.
The heat of a blue sun will make short work of it.
- 0800, got it. Thanks, Commander.
Well, there goes our plan.
- No, this is exactly the in we were looking for.
We just need to get onboard the "Infinity" before 0800
when Janeway's crew launches it.
They planned our escape for us.
- Uh, did you miss the part where it's hurled into a star?
- That's what I'm banking on.
"Voyager" thinks the ship is destroyed while--
While we cloak it and fly away before we fry away.
Did you…
Did you get it?
- Yeah, I got it, but that doesn't give us much time
to get our holograms ready.
Yeah, what Murf said.
- Let's hope Rok has made some progress.
both: Whoa.
♪ ♪
It looks so real.
Feeling nostalgic, Rok?
- It's just easier to think here.
And hey, you're just in time to see the results.
Crew to the bridge.
- Wild. - Whoa.
- It's like looking in a mirror.
And they're solid now? - Uh, excuse me.
Get your hands out of my face. - Heh, yep!
Thanks to Rok, these holo-dupes are the deluxe models.
Personality engrams fully loaded and coded,
subroutines guaranteed to pass life scans.
All physically identical…
To their bio-inspirations.
Nice try,
but nobody can measure up to the real deal.
- He looks good.
I think you overdid it on the cockiness.
- Nope, that's spot-on. - That's spot-on.
- Hey!
- Somebody expecting company?
- Dal, this is Admiral Janeway.
Oh, no.
- May I come in? I'd like to chat.
- I am so excited for you to see their progress
under my mentorship.
They've been nothing but honest, open, cooperative--
usually.
Dal, the door seems to be locked.
- Just a minute! Tidying up.
- Don't let them see the holograms.
- Murf. - Turn 'em off.
- The AI needs to finish calibration.
If we disable them now, all our work will be lost.
- Holograms, shoo. Hide yourselves.
- Who you calling hologram, hologram?
- Well, if they thought they were holograms,
they'd blow our cover. - I'll handle Janeway.
Just get that doppel-Dal out of sight.
♪ ♪
- Perhaps something's wrong.
Janeway override, access code--
- Janeway, Doc. Please, come in.
♪ ♪
- Hm?
♪ ♪
- The "Protostar."
I'm sorry if I'm interrupting.
- Just a stroll down memory lane.
- I'm impressed with how you're handling everything.
That mission took a toll on us all.
- I just wanted to reassure you,
no one could have predicted this paradox would occur.
But I promise, the Federation will find a way
to fix this. - Thanks. That means a lot.
- In the meantime, it's good to see that phase discriminator
continues to keep you in one place.
- This isn't over.
We'll find a way, Admiral.
- The admiral and I are doing everything we can
to find a cure for your phaseshifting condition.
- Don't worry. We're going to bring back Chakotay
and the "Protostar."
- I appreciate your optimism,
but this is a task for Starfleet now.
Finding the "Protostar" and restoring the timeline
is bigger than anything you or I can do.
Our new orders are to return "Voyager" to Earth.
But take heart knowing that faith is never futile.
Jankom's ready!
Very good.
As you were.
You can come out now.
- I can't believe that worked. - A total success.
The admiral had no suspicions they were holograms.
Rok really outdid herself.
Thank you!
- Hey, so how can we tell ourselves apart?
It's kind of creepy, you know? - We can't.
They're identical to us in every way.
Holo Zero can even read the other holograms' minds.
- Oh. - Wow, okay.
Anyway, let's focus. We've got work to do.
In two hours, our ride gets extra crispy,
so let's keep the holograms here,
prep for the "Infinity" heist, and meet before launch.
- Uh…
- No, no, no, no, no, no, no!
- Holograms are locked up.
Time to prep for the "Infinity" heist.
- Let's roll!
- All hands, T minus two hours to "Infinity" launch.
- Rok, they think they're us. You programmed them too well.
- You said to make them undetectable.
Now I'm bad for getting an "A" plus plus?
- This is a problem, a huge one.
- Ah, this ship ain't big enough for two Jankoms.
- If they think we're the holograms,
they'll no doubt be plotting their escape
onboard our getaway ship.
- But they're designed to only exist on "Voyager."
If the holograms escape on the "Infinity"…
- They blip out,
and our ticket out of here really does go up in flames.
- Right along with our only chance to save Gwyn.
- We have one hour till the "Infinity" is launched.
If we run into those holo-fakes,
how do we know who's who? - Uh…
- We all track down our own doubles.
Once we get 'em back here, we'll sort this out
with time to spare. - Yes.
Hey, Z, still no sign of holo me.
Any luck on your end? - Luck with what exactly?
- Wait, you are the real Zero, aren't you?
- Who else would I be?
- A hologram.
So, uh, are you?
- Dal! I assure you, I am quite real.
- Just what a hologram would say.
- Perhaps you are the facsimile.
I can't read your mind.
Oh, my, rogue holograms.
I must warn the others.
Whew!
- Whoopsie! We've got a problem.
Our duplicates have escaped the holodeck.
- Ugh.
Wait, wait!
- Oh, my. He looks irate.
Good luck, Dal.
♪ ♪
Hold it right there, pal.
- You're not the real Dal. - You're not the real Dal.
- I'm only trying to help. - I'm only trying to help.
- Stop copying me, holo Dal. - Stop copying me, holo Dal.
This isn't over.
Okay, team,
I just ran into myself.
- Get off of this channel, you phony.
- You're the phony, phony.
- All hands, T minus 30 minutes
to "Infinity" launch.
I don't have time for this.
Huh?
- Ah, here we go.
So many duplicate combadge signatures,
but which ones are genuine?
Ah!
- Oh, my apologies. Let me get that.
- Um, I don't have time to chat.
- I see.
I know that I have been distant lately,
and I am sorry. I--
Oopsies.
Uh, another time?
I'm not feeling myself today.
♪ ♪
- Uh, guys, we're running out of time.
Jankom couldn't agree more,
which is why we need to settle this here and now.
- Ugh, what was Jankom thinking?
A test.
This food replicator is busted.
Only the real Jankom has the percussive genius
- to be able to-- - Fix it?
Jankom's got it in the bag.
Step aside, im-Pog-ster.
Fingers are a bit buttery.
Somebody really did a number on this thing.
- Gotta have the magic touch.
Aw, milkshake?
Looks like holo Jankom could use one.
- But if you're Jankom, then--
oh, no, no, no, no, no.
- If Jankom isn't Jankom,
then how does Jankom know if Jankom's real?
Oh, no, this is a Pog-pocalypse.
- Are you okay?
Maybe we should pop into my office and talk about this.
- There's no time!
- Oh, whatever.
My shift's over anyway.
Load tropical island retreat.
Set hot tub to extra bubbles.
- Look, we both clearly have a conundrum here.
In theory, you aren't real.
But no way to know for sure unless…
- Are you thinking what I'm thinking?
- We put our heads together to find another way?
Yay, team Rok!
- Gwyn, this is insane!
I don't even know who to trust anymore.
- Same.
New plan. We have to team up and take them down one by one.
I saw the other Dal run through here.
♪ ♪
Here he is. - What?
- Grab him! - What? You're not--
- Don't let him get away!
♪ ♪
You can't run forever, Dal.
Whoa!
- You have to trust us. - Not a chance!
Ah!
Who says you're Jankom's friend?
- Please, my real friends would never do this!
- Is this what you call a fair fight?
- That was-- you're totally--
- Out of time.
- Assigned personnel report to the shuttlebay.
Ten minutes until the "Infinity" launch.
- Quick, tie him up.
- Never bring trilon rope to a phaser fight.
- Whoo-hoo!
We got ourselves a Hanonian pickle.
Wait!
Everyone wants the mission to succeed, right?
Uh…
- Uh…
- Then follow us. - We found a solution.
Together.
- I got my eye on you.
- Yeah, well, right back at you.
- Time is short, and only six of us
can leave this ship.
- Luckily, there is a simple solution,
but it requires all of our cooperation.
The AI are fully calibrated,
so if we overload the ship's holomatrix…
- The holograms will reboot here
with no memory of the mission to get the "Protostar."
- Smart.
That way, the real crew
has time to escape to the "Infinity."
- T minus three minutes to launch.
- Do it, Rok.
Reboot these fakers so we can get to that ship.
And resetting…
Now!
- Hm.
- I'm putting an analgesic cream
on your eyelids.
Don't open your eyes until--
Lost my place.
- Dal.
Ah.
Huh?
Jankom is Jankom after all!
Oh, existential crisis averted.
- Now onto the next crisis.
The "Infinity" is launching.
- We can make it! Keep moving!
- Ah, glad I caught you all.
A ship-wide glitch rebooted my program,
so I'm a bit out of sorts.
Have I tutored you yet today?
- We really have to get--
- Pardon, Doctor, but I heard that you are
a skilled opera singer, open to giving vocal lessons.
- I would be delighted.
Have you ever heard me sing "Questa o quella"?
It's a must. Come along.
- Lead the way. Holodeck 1 perhaps?
Thank you.
But I was not aware you are musically inclined.
Why lie? - I merely suggested,
and it is important to help one's real friends…
especially one as fascinating as you.
- Oh, I--well--
- Sorry. Gotta go.
- Whew!
♪ ♪
- The "Infinity"!
We're too late.
- This seems fitting.
Chakotay always loved a blue sun.
- I spoke with Dal.
He seemed upset by all this.
- They've shown such resilience
in the face of so much disappointment.
- Mm, you're not wrong.
Most cadets would buckle under the stress
those kids have endured in such a short time.
- They cling to hope like only the young can.
Maybe we could all learn something from that
in the journey ahead.
- Nice one, Gwyn.
Never would have thought to mask an emergency transport.
Cutting it a little close though.
- You're not the only one who can think on their feet.
- Who turned on the heat, right?
Ha!
That's gotta mean "Talaxian burrito."
- Hey, Pog, we're out of "Voyager's" scanner range.
Anytime. - Jankom always says,
you can't rush greatness, but here we go!
- Mystery spiral nebula, here we come.
- And our doubles should be powering back on now.
Hm.
Tiny irregularity, but it's probably nothing.
- Curious.
Does anyone recall what brought us all to the holodeck?
Ah, well. Another mystery, perhaps.
- Well, if you're done wasting Rok-Tahk's time,
she's got some percussive maintenance to do
in Cetacean Ops.
- I think you're gonna do a wonderful job, Rok.
Those whales are so cute, I could just hug 'em.
- Couldn't have said it better myself, Gwyn.
Let's jet before the Doctor gives us more homework.