DAL [OC]: Captain's Log. We've been on edge since Gwyn showed us what happened to the last Protostar crew.
CHAKOTAY [OC]: Mayday! Mayday! This is Captain Chakotay of the USS Protostar.
DAL [OC]: The mystery surrounding our ship still haunts us.
JANEWAY [on screen]: Captain, send out the warning. We are being board...
DAL [OC]: Janeway most of all. We are all frustrated we can't find out more. but, in the meantime. we've discovered a welcome distraction.
(A piece of pie appears on the floor.)
DAL: Yes! Whoa! It's still hot! Ha, ha, ha. Let's go farther.

[Engineering]

ZERO: That was at least 200 meters!
POG: Mmm, floor pie.
ROK: It smells amazing!
GWYN: And it's delicious!
POG: The transporter's some kind of teleportation machine. It converts the pie into energy then reconverts it back. Wow.
DAL: Oh. We need a living test subject.
GOG: Don't look at me!
ZERO: Who?
ROK: Murf is indestructible.

[Transporter room]

MURF: Ah.
(A badge is placed on its tongue.)
ROK: So we can keep track of you. I love you, Murf. Don't worry.
POG: Energise.
(Murf disappears. Pog checks his tracker.)
ALL: Whoa!
DAL: Open it.

[Bridge]

ROK: Hurry up.
ZERO: Murf?
GWYN: Murf?
ROK: Where's Murf?
POG: He should be right here.
ZERO: Yes. Murf?
(Murf is sliding along the outside of the bridge.)
ZERO: Oh, he just keeps going, doesn't he?

[Transporter room]

(Murf is beamed back onboard.)
ROK: He's okay!
POG: Yay! Aw, you still look as handsome as ever.
JANEWAY [OC]: Protostar crew to the bridge. We have an incoming distress signal.

[Bridge]

NANDI [on screen]: Please, I need immediate transport. My warp core is compromised. I have sick orphans aboard who need help.
JANEWAY: We're the only ship within two parsecs of its location.
ROK: We need to help her.
DAL: Let me guess. Your sick orphans have a bad case of the Phage?
NANDI [on screen]: Why yes. How did you know?
DAL: Out of all the sectors...
NANDI [on screen]: Dal?
DAL: You two-bit crooked-tooth no-good Ferengi!
NANDI [on screen]: Dal, you worthless scamp! Holo-emitters off. Get your ship over here. Pik-Pox will beam you aboard.
DAL: Target the Damsel's location. Crew, I want you to meet DaiMon Nandi, the captain who raised me.
ZERO: Nice to meet you.
POG: Er.
ROK: Er... hi?
POG: Don't really see the resemblance.

[Nandi's ship]

(They are all beamed aboard.)
POG: Ah! Ah! Oh please, let everything be in the right place.
DAL: Ah. It's good to be back.
NANDI: Ha, ha! Welcome to the Damsel. I wouldn't touch that. Oh, my lobeling. I never forgave myself for losing you. I searched for years.
DAL: I missed you too.
NANDI: Oh, how I've missed you. You're alive! Ha. And you joined the Federation?
DAL: I stole it.
NANDI: I taught you well! I even kept your room just as it was.

[Engine room]

(Rok is too big to enter.)
ROK: You slept under the engine?
POG: What a dump!
GWYN: All the stories you would tell me. This is where you saw it from? The battles, the planets, the Window of Dreams?
(Dal laughs nervously.)
POG: Ah, what is this contraption?
ZERO: Oh, it looks powerful.
GWYN: It's a cloaking device.
POG: Ooo.
NANDI: Oh, she reads Klingon? A girl like that can be useful!
ZERO: Cloaking? It can make a ship invisible?
NANDI: Too bad it doesn't work without chimerium. It's impossible to get your hands on.
ROK: Chimerium? We have loads of that. If we're invisible, we can hide from you-know-who!
DAL: Ahem. Ahem. Chimerium? Pfft. Who said we have chimerium?
POG: Rok did, just now. Jeez, this guy.
DAL: We should talk.
NANDI: Oh, my lobes are tingling with opportunity.

[Nandi's quarters]

NANDI: So you have a connection to some chimerium? Who's your source?
DAL: Ah, ah, ah. Ferengi Rule of Acquisition number 208.
NANDI: Sometimes the only thing more dangerous than a question is an answer. You have my attention. Okay. You want the cloaking device. I'll give it to you if your crew does a job for me. A Federation ship can open a lot of doors.
DAL: What's the job?
NANDI: A planet in the Skeralyx System. An advanced civilisation that has never met alien life, with loads of remalite crystals. Too many to handle, in my humble opinion. I just need one.
DAL: How does one crystal benefit you?
NANDI: Ah, I owe a hefty debt after a losing streak at the dabo tables.
DAL: I thought you were done with that.
NANDI: I owe a lot, Dal. If I don't get them that crystal...
DAL: Ah, I don't know, Nandi.
NANDI: It's just a diplomatic exchange. A crystal for a... a...
DAL: Really? A Ferengi spit pan?
NANDI: Not only will they meet life from other planets, but a gift of precious metal from outer space? And your crew is in desperate need of a cloaking device. Let me guess. You got them into some hot water.

[Bridge]

DAL: It's a diplomatic exchange. Ha, Ha.
ROK: We'd be the first people from outer space to meet them?
GWYN: I'd be the first person to communicate with them?
POG: They're not gonna know what to do with all this handsome.
ZERO: Curiously, Dal doesn't share our excitement. I sense hesitation.
DAL: Why would you think that? I'm not hesitating. Who's hesitating? JANEWAY You should be. We need to have a serious talk about first contact.
NANDI: Urgh, where's her off switch?
JANEWAY: Starfleet's Prime Directive is to avoid interfering. in the evolution of other intelligent species. These are the highest priority guidelines Starfleet abides by. I cannot stress enough that failure to adhere to these rules could have disastrous consequences, altering the fate of this civilisation.
DAL: We'll be careful not to interfere in their develop-lution.
NANDI: What about uniforms? To look the part?
ROK: We are representing the Federation.
DAL: We don't need to be that formal. Let's just do this and get out.
ROK: Okay, fine.
ZERO: Your thoughts are conflicted. You feel we need the cloaking device yet I sense you question her motives.
DAL: I... I trust her. She's a friend.

[Planet surface]

(Sand storm.)
ZERO: Huh, how curious.
NANDI: Pik-Pox's intel is good.
ZERO: Oh. No, that's strange. According to my readings there are lifeforms all around us.
ROK: Maybe they're invisible! Do you hear that? Whoa! Er, what's happening?
DAL: Er, the sand is dancing.
ZERO: What are these... these murmurations?
GWYN: They're communicating.
ZERO: What are they trying to say?
DAL: Don't ask me. She's the communications officer.
GWYN: Something's definitely wrong. Zero?
ZERO: No, I can't read their thoughts but they seem upset.
DAL: I got that much.
NANDI: Do something!
ROK: Why are they mad at us?
GWYN: I don't know. Translators aren't working.
NANDI: What's happening?
ROK: We're in big trouble now.
ZERO: Make it stop.
POG: It's the hair! This is not a good first impression!
ZERO: It's murder planet all over again.
(They are encased in a dome of 'sand'.)
NANDI: Stand back!
DAL: I think they're angry.
ZERO: They must think we are here to hurt them.
ROK: I don't like this place!
DAL: That isn't helping!
GWYN: Everyone, bow. Look submissive. Show we're not a threat.
DAL: We're trusting you.
POG: My body's telling me this ain't working.
GWYN: Of course, they're using harmonics. An electrical er... frequency or tone. Quick, calibrate your tricorders off this frequency.
(The dome dissipates.)
ROK: Huh?
ZERO: What's happening?
POG: The ground. Can you feel it?
(A tower erupts from the ground.)
ROK: Wow, wow, wow.
GWYN: I think they want us to enter.
NANDI: Duh. I could've translated that.

[Bridge]

JANEWAY [on screen]: Captain, send out the warning. We are being boarded.
JANEWAY: Computer, pause. Hmm. Computer, frame 245 on screen. 200% magnification.
(A figure becomes visible about to enter the bridge.)
JANEWAY: Who are you?
(Is that Drednok?)

[Tower]

ZERO: They truly are an advanced species. Look, the symmetry and designs suggest strong mathematical knowledge.
POG: How is this possible?
GWYN: Cymatic transmutation. By changing the pitch they create sound waves that can shape matter.
NANDI: Hmm?
GWYN: Acoustic terra-molding.
ROK: Cymatics? Maybe we should... we should call them the Cymari.
NANDI: We can call them anything they like as long as I get that crystal, okay?
POG: Hmm? Again with the walls?
DAL: Ah!
POG: Aw.
ROK: It's getting bigger!
GWYN: What is that?
DAL: Whoa!
ALL: Whoa!
(Falling down a hole.)
DAL: We're gonna die!

[Cavern]

ZERO: Ow.
DAL: Ah, man, where are we?
ROK: I can't see anything.
POG: Why is it so quiet?
(Crystals hanging from the roof start shining.)
ALL: Whoa!
NANDI: Remalite crystals.
ROK: They're beautiful.
(Shimmering glowing beings appear.)
ZERO: Each crystal is emitting a unique frequency. That's how they're achieving harmonic resonance.
GWYN: The crystals must be the power source of their cymatic abilities. They need them to transform matter. Every crystal matters.
DAL: We shouldn't be here.
NANDI: Don't be ridiculous. We came to make a trade! I present you precious metals from the stars! Now you give us a gift.
ZERO: It's magnificent.
GWYN: This is the greatest gift.
POG: Urgh. It's the most horrible thing Jankom's ever heard.
NANDI: A song? We want a crystal! Give it to me!
(She grabs a crystal. Discordant sounds.)
ZERO: They're in pain!
(Nandi grabs more crystals.)
DAL: This isn't what we agreed to.
GWYN: Agreed to? You said this would be a diplomatic exchange.
ROK: Did you lie to us?
NANDI: Rule of Acquisition number 21. Never place friendship above profit.
(She pushes Dal away, the ground shakes, the crystals fall out of her bag.)
ALL: Oh!
ZERO: These don't belong to you!
NANDI: The job isn't done!
(She draws a weapon and fires, making a hole in the wall, then grabs a crystal and runs.)
DAL: Let's go! We got to get out of here!
ROK: Dal, what do we do?
POG: This isn't good!
DAL: We have to get the crystals back.
(He picks some up and puts them back on their wires.)
ROK: I'm so sorry! Please, forgive us!
GWYN: Argh! Nandi has the last crystal.
POG: We gotta go. This whole place is coming down!

[Tower]

GWYN: Which way?
POG: Down here! Here! Go! Go! Go!
DAL: Look for an exit.
ZERO: Yes! Yes, hurry!
ROK: Gotta go!
POG: You don't have to tell Jankom twice!
GWYN: Come on!

[Planet surface]

(Dal tackles Nandi and they struggle for the crystal.)
DAL: Please! We have to give it back.
NANDI: Rule of Acquisition number one. Once you have their money, never give it back! Let go!
DAL: It doesn't belong to you!
NANDI: You weak, lobeless fool! You're too soft. Not even working the mines hardened you up!
DAL: How would you know I was in the mines?
(She bites his arm.)
DAL: Ah! You couldn't know. They kidnapped me.
NANDI: Kidnapped? Ha! I sold you.
DAL: Huh?
NANDI: Bought a partner with an actual eye for treasure. Pik-Pox doesn't have the mouth to muck it up.
(She snaps her fingers and her ship appears. Pik-Pox flies out.)
DAL: Your ship can cloak? You stole our chimerium!
NANDI: Stole? Your shields were down so I consider it a gift.
DAL: Did you even need our help? Did you really lose at the dabo tables, or was all of this just another con?
NANDI: I needed the crystal, but when you dropped into my lap I saw a way to get it and cloak my ship too. You shouldn't be feeling sorry for yourself. You should be taking notes! Aw, don't look so grim, my boy. We'll cross paths again one day.
(She goes into her ship with Pik-Pox and they fly away.)
DAL: I'm sorry.

[Transporter room]

GWYN: You got him.
JANKOM: Huh. No thanks to Dal. The dum-dum lost his combadge so Jankom had to lock on without it. You're welcome.
ROK: But where's the crystal?
DAL: I didn't lose the combadge. I used it.
ZERO: He put his combadge on the crystal so we can beam it back.

[Nandi's ship]

NANDI: (to Pik-Pox) Get out of my face!
(She puts the crystal down without noticing the combadge. The crystal is beamed away.)
NANDI: No! I need that! No! No, no, no! No!
(And it reappears in the cavern, with the badge still on it.)

[Bridge]

POG: Well, that's done.
GWYN: That was way too close.
ZERO: No more diplomatic exchanges for me, thank you.
ROK: At least we fixed it, right?
JANEWAY: Fixed it? You've done irreparable harm to this species.
DAL: But we gave the crystals back.
JANEWAY: That doesn't change the fact that their first brush with alien life tried to take advantage of them. You broke the Prime Directive. You didn't even go in with good intentions. You acted for yourselves, not Starfleet. You broke their trust and mine.
DAL: I... I messed up.
ROK: I don't like getting into trouble.
POG: You did what you could.
DAL: How could Nandi do that to me? I was like a son to her.
GWYN: And I was my father's daughter, but here we are.
DAL: I'm sorry. I... I... Because of me, we lost the cloaking device and the chimerium.
GWYN: But you learned who your true friends are. The ones willing to go along with you no matter how foolish it seems. Never take that for granted. I wish I could tell you it'll stop hurting, but I don't know that yet.

[Nandi's ship]

(Pik-Pox says something.)
NANDI: You heard what? A reward for information on the Protostar? Oh. Don't just hover, open a channel to the REV-12. I want to speak to this Diviner. My lobes are tingling with opportunity.