- [last lines]
- The Doctor: [after elaborating to Kes and Janeway how they have been able to survive the biogenic field] Captain? If there's something about my analysis you disagree with...?
- Captain Kathryn Janeway: [appearing disappointed] It's a perfectly sound explanation, Doctor. Very... scientific.
- Captain Kathryn Janeway: The ritual I went through was meaningless, and Kes has done nothing to prepare herself. How could either of us be ready to go through the field?
- Old Man #2: If you believe you're ready, then you are. There's no more to it than that.
- Captain Kathryn Janeway: I did everything you asked of me. You've led me to believe that would allow me to help Kes.
- Ritual Guide: I haven't led you anywhere, Kathryn. You've taken me along wherever you wanted to go. This was your ritual. You set these challenges for yourself.
- Captain Kathryn Janeway: It's true that I came here with certain expectations. Are you saying that you simply... fulfilled my expectations?
- Ritual Guide: You'd have settled for nothing else.
- Captain Kathryn Janeway: I'm just trying to understand how this works. The monks I saw in the sanctuary were young. They couldn't have waited such a long time to go through their rituals.
- Old Woman: [to the old men] Now, she's right about that, you know.
- Old Man #2: She's a smart one.
- Old Man #1: She thinks she is, at any rate.
- Captain Kathryn Janeway: This is a test of some kind, isn't it? To prove my determination.
- Old Woman: A test? She thinks we're a test. What is she talking about?
- Old Man #2: She must like tests. I suppose tests make sense to her.
- Old Man #2: Even when her science fails right before her eyes, she still has full confidence in it. Now, there's a leap of faith.
- Captain Kathryn Janeway: I'm willing to do whatever is necessary.
- Ritual Guide: I don't doubt that, but do you realize that all of this is meaningless, that the only thing that matters is finding your connection to the spirits?
- Captain Kathryn Janeway: I'm going to make every effort to do that, but I didn't come here for personal enlightenment. I'm trying to save a member of my crew.
- Captain Kathryn Janeway: I've never been able to draw. My sister was the artist in the family.
- Ritual Guide: And you were the scientist.
- Captain Kathryn Janeway: That's true. When other children were outside playing games, I was doing mathematics problems.
- Ritual Guide: Mathematics. I can see why you enjoyed it. Solve a problem, get an answer. The answer's either right or wrong. It's very absolute.
- Captain Kathryn Janeway: I've always found that satisfying.
- Ritual Guide: I'm sure you did.
- Ritual Guide: You are fond of your little devices, aren't you?
- Captain Kathryn Janeway: They've always served me well.
- Ritual Guide: I'm sure they have.
- Captain Kathryn Janeway: I guess the physical conditioning programs on the holodeck didn't quite prepare me for this.
- Neelix: It should be me going through all that. I was the one who let Kes get hurt in the first place!
- The Doctor: Mr. Neelix, you're wallowing.
- Neelix: I'm...
- The Doctor: Wallowing in useless remorse. I'll have to ask you to stop; it's bad for the patient.
- Captain Kathryn Janeway: So, there's no real ritual after all?
- Old Man #2: 'Real' is such a relative term. Most of the challenges in life are the ones we create for ourselves.
- Commander Chakotay: Captain... I don't understand this.
- Captain Kathryn Janeway: Neither do I. That's the challenge.
- Ritual Guide: You've come back to seek the spirits.
- Captain Kathryn Janeway: I don't know what I'm seeking.
- Ritual Guide: Then I believe you are ready to begin.
- Captain Kathryn Janeway: To each his own, Commander, but I imagine if we scratch deep enough, we'd find a scientific basis for most religious doctrines.
- Commander Chakotay: I remember when my mother taught me about the science underlying the vision quest. In a way I felt disappointed. Some of the mystery was gone. Maybe the Nechani have chosen not to lose the mystery.
- Old Woman: We're waiting. Come. Join us.
- Captain Kathryn Janeway: What exactly are you waiting for?
- Old Man #2: Just... waiting.
- Captain Kathryn Janeway: How long have you been sitting here?
- Old Man #2: Uh, how long HAS it been?
- Old Man #1: Why ya asking me? I've lost track!
- Old Man #2: It's been a while, I know that.
- Old Woman: Oh, it's been... as long as we can remember.
- Captain Kathryn Janeway: Are you telling me I have to wait a lifetime before I can go through the ritual?
- Old Man #1: I didn't hear anyone say that. Did you?
- Old Man #2: Certainly not. All we said was that we're waiting.