

(written from a Production point of view Real World article

Tuvok investigates a series of assaults that are apparently targeted at the former Maquis aboard Voyager.

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Summary

Teaser

A Bajoran man is performing an incantation while looking at the schematics of Voyager and looking through its crew manifest, scrolling through the profiles of the former crew of the Val Jean.

Act One

Tom Paris and B'Elanna Torres are settling down in a holodeck recreation of a 20th century Earth movie theater. The movie will be Revenge of the Creature, in 3D. Torres questions the purpose of using a three-dimensional simulation of a two-dimensional medium that simulates 3D. A holographic character shushes them and Paris deletes the audience. They discover that one audience member remains. When they investigate, they discover an unconscious Tabor, who is a friend of Paris'.

The Doctor finds that Tabor is comatose and has microfractures in his skull, though he cannot find a cause. Captain Janeway assigns Tuvok to lead an investigation into the matter. Tuvok enters Tabor's quarters, where he finds Jor, a friend of Tabor's. She claims that she is there to retrieve a book to read aloud to Tabor. She had heard that that is good for comatose patients.

In a meeting, Tuvok declares Jor a suspect to Chakotay and Janeway, but in any case is sure that the assailant is a USS Voyager crewmember, but he cannot explain why he is so confident about that. Janeway says that she can think of several other possibilities. Tuvok says that he just has a hunch.

Crewman Yosa is investigating a Jefferies tube off engineering, where Jor was stationed, when an unseen person, hiding behind a bright light, attacks him. Later, The Doctor finds that Yosa was attacked in the same way as Tabor, and is now also comatose. Since Jor was the one who found him, Tuvok and Chakotay go to find her. However, they find Jor was herself attacked, in a coma in the mess hall.

Act Two

There are now five victims in sickbay, but, unfortunately, Tuvok hasn't made progress and The Doctor still doesn't have the cause. The situation becomes even more tense when Chakotay notes that all the victims are ex-Maquis. Janeway is dismissive of the idea that there are still tensions with the former Maquis crew, as there hasn't been for years.

Chakotay assembles all the remaining Maquis crew and tells them to carry phasers at all times and to only circulate through the ship in pairs. Some of the crew suspect foul play from Starfleet, possibly having to do with the latest data stream from the Alpha Quadrant, which was received shortly before the attacks began.

Harry and Tom are on the holodeck to find out through scanning for negative photon displacement who was on the holodeck with Tabor to find the possible assailant. However all they can get is a vague outline. Tuvok, who is observing them and initially skeptical, however is showing some concern.

Chell, a Bolian ex-Maquis crewman, is walking with Torres through the corridors and expresses his concern thinking that Starfleet is somehow bent on eliminating the former Maquis crew.

Meanwhile Tuvok is continuing his investigation trying to find out whether or not the latest data stream has anything to do with the attacks. He calls in Harry Kim, who thinks he wants an update on the holodeck scans. However Tuvok wants to talk about Kim's latest letter, because of the 28 people who received a letter only six match the physical parameters of the photon displacement, including Kim. Tuvok refers to the fact that one of Kim's friends was killed by the Maquis, something that Kim's cousin had mentioned in the last letter. Kim, who is angry to learn Tuvok has gone through his and everyone's letters from the last data stream, sarcastically confesses to having used his Captain Proton comatizer to shoot it at any Maquis he could find. But then he tells Tuvok he knew this friend had died (probably through a letter in one of the previous data streams) and that he had come to accept this, holding no grudges. This answer baffles Tuvok, who then expresses the notion that this investigation defies logic. The Doctor interrupts the investigation, calling Tuvok because Tabor has regained consciousness. However Tabor is not able to recall who attacked him.

Chakotay spots Chell in a corridor alone. Chell tells Chakotay that Torres was his partner and she insisted on going off by herself. Understanding this, Chakotay goes to find Torres in cargo bay 2. He finds her there unconscious on the floor. Tuvok, who had been hiding in the shadows, attacks Chakotay and initiates a mind meld.

Act Three

"Captain's log, supplemental. Chakotay and B'Elanna are the latest victims of our mysterious assailant. I have decided to put the ship on a level 10 security alert. Non-essential personnel are confined to quarters and security teams are posted on all decks."

Tuvok is investigating the latest attacks. He apparently has no recollection of his part in it. Janeway meets him and tells that Yosa and Jor have regained consciousness, apparently with no lingering effects. Again referring to the fact that it makes no sense. Tuvok reminds her that it's still a pattern and that it implies purpose. However this assailant has outwitted Tuvok each time. Tuvok feels his presence, as if the assailant is challenging Tuvok to find him. Janeway sends him to his quarters to get some rest since he has been on his feet for three days.

During a meditation in his quarters the latent memories resurface. Tuvok sees flashes of the attacked crewmembers in the moment of their attack. Instantly confused, he gets up and goes to the sink, but he continues to see the memories flash, including Chakotay striking him in the side. He confirms it by looking at his bruise. Then, Tuvok sees a Bajoran man in the reflection of his mirror, but he is gone when he turns around. Tuvok now has reason to believe he is the suspect.

Then Tuvok runs to the holodeck where Kim and Janeway are still trying to enhance the image of the assailant. Tuvok asks the computer to isolate the exact time of that image and then to tell where Tuvok was at that time. After lifting the restriction on that information, it seems Tuvok was in Holodeck 2. As he turns to tell Janeway what is going on he sees the same Bajoran standing behind Kim and Janeway and it seems only Tuvok can see him. He raises his phaser at him, demanding to know who he is, but does not get an answer. Tuvok gives up the phaser to Janeway and states that he believes he is the attacker and must be put in the brig immediately.

Act Four

With Janeway's help, he discovers that a Bajoran, who only Tuvok can see, is controlling him. Tuvok tells Janeway that he had received a letter from his son in the latest data stream, noting that when he went through everyone's letters he neglected to check his own.

Janeway meets with Chakotay, who has woken up after 29 hours in a coma, just after Torres. Together they go to astrometrics to meet Seven of Nine. Seven has found a message from the Bajoran, named Teero Anaydis, hidden in a recent letter from Tuvok's son Sek (which was calibrated to Vulcan synaptic frequencies, meaning Tuvok would not have been consciously aware of it). Chakotay tells them that Teero was a fanatical Bajoran vedek who the Maquis refused to work with because of his unethical methods, which included mind control as a way to recruit members.

With this further information Tuvok is able to remember that Teero had kidnapped Tuvok years before when Tuvok was working undercover for the Federation in the Maquis, and had implanted something in his mind. Apparently, the hidden message triggered it.

Then Tuvok has another flashback. He is restrained. With Janeway's help he manages to reconstruct this memory. Teero knows he is Starfleet, however he doesn't want to expose him. He wants to use him. But Tuvok is not successful at counteracting Teero's influence. Tuvok activates his combadge and transmits to Chakotay the words, "Pagh t'em far, B'tanay." Chakotay responds, "Understood" and then abruptly leaves astrometrics. Tuvok tells Janeway that it means time of awakening, but he doesn't know what that means and what he or the former Maquis are supposed to do.

Meanwhile, The Doctor notices a change in Chakotay's cortical monitor as he walks in to sickbay. Chakotay immediately deactivates The Doctor and stuns Paris with a phaser blast. Then he repeats the Bajoran phrase to Torres, who replies, "I understand".

Act Five

Very soon, all the Maquis who were attacked are armed and and able to use the element of surprise to quickly and effortlessly take over the ship locking all Starfleet and the few remaining unaffected Maquis in quarters while Janeway tries to get Tuvok to explain what he was doing and to resist Teero. Soon, the ship is put on red alert and Chakotay with the other officers corner Janeway in the brig. They ignore her when she reminds them that the rebellion ended years ago, declaring that the Maquis still exist aboard Voyager, and therefore so does the rebellion. They then place her in the cell, while Tuvok is now completely under Teero's control and joins Chakotay's side.

Chakotay, now in command, finds a class M planet on which to deposit the Starfleet personnel. But he has one problem to deal with first. Tuvok seems to be under Teero's control, but Tuvok has betrayed Chakotay before. Chakotay devises a test. He has Janeway brought to the ready room and gives Tuvok a phaser, set on kill. He orders Tuvok to kill Janeway. Tuvok presses the fire button, but the phaser doesn't work. Chakotay declares that Tuvok has passed the test. Chakotay orders the Maquis guard to take Janeway back to the brig, leaving himself alone with Tuvok. Tuvok leaps on Chakotay and initiates another mind meld.

Later, on the bridge, Torres states that they've arrived at the planet and can start the beam downs immediately. Chakotay says that the planet's atmosphere is unstable and that they must find another. Torres protests, but Tuvok and Chakotay quickly disarm the Maquis.

Teero's control of the remaining Maquis is undone and Janeway assumes command again. Back in the holographic theater, Janeway asks Tuvok how he was sure that the phaser was out of commission. Tuvok replies that since Chakotay didn't trust him, he wouldn't have given Tuvok a working phaser. Janeway is thankful that Tuvok's hunches are usually correct and they begin to watch the 3D movie.

Log entries

"Captain's log, supplemental. Chakotay and B'Elanna are the latest victims of our mysterious assailant. I've decided to put the ship on a level 10 security alert. Non-essential personnel are confined to quarters, and security teams have been posted on all decks."

(log entry made by Chakotay)

"Captain's log, stardate 54101. Voyager is now under my command. We're en route to an M-class planet, where we'll relocate the Starfleet crew."

Memorable quotes

"Pagh t'em far, B'tanay."

- Teero Anaydis



"These will make the images on the screen appear three-dimensional."

"Let me get this straight: you've gone to all this trouble to program a three-dimensional environment that projects a two-dimensional image, and now you're asking me to wear these to make it look three-dimensional again?"

"Great, isn't it?"

- Paris and Torres, referring to 3D glasses



"We'd better find a way to protect the rest of the Maquis; I'm running out of beds."

- The Doctor



"Can you extrapolate the assailant's height and weight?"

"I'd say between 170 and 190 centimeters, maybe 75 kilograms."

"That describes about half the members of the crew!"

"At least we can rule out Naomi Wildman."

- Tuvok, Kim, and Paris, while running a simulation on Tabor's assailant



"It could be her."

"Oh, please."

- Chell and an annoyed Torres, as Seven passes them after exiting the turbolift



"All ready for Attack of the Lobster People?"

"I am not familiar with that species."

- Chakotay and Tuvok



"Your sarcasm could be viewed as subterfuge."

- Tuvok, to Kim



"Who's your partner?"

"Lieutenant Torres. I told her we shouldn't split up, sir, but she said she could handle herself. You know how stubborn she can be."

"I have a vague idea."

- Chakotay and Chell, after finding him alone when he should stay with his partner.



"Computer, isolate the precise time index of this image."

"Stardate 54090.4."

"Where was Commander Tuvok at that time?"

"Access to that information has been restricted."

"By whom?"

"Access to that information has been restricted."



- Tuvok and the computer



"What the hell are you doing?!"



-Janeway to Chakotay after he shoots crewmen

Background information

Production

Brannon Braga was responsible for a rewrite to freelancer Haskell Smith's teleplay but went uncredited.

This is the last episode of the series to be directed by Winrich Kolbe.

Cast and characters

Continuity

Video and DVD releases

Starring

Also starring

Guest stars

Co-stars

Uncredited co-stars

Stand-ins

References

3D glasses; Alpha Quadrant; assailant; Attack of the Lobster People; Bajoran; Bajoran raider; Captain Proton Comatizer; centimeter; chewing gum; Chicago; coma; coma ward; compression phaser rifle; confined to quarters; counterintelligence; cover story; crown molding; double feature; duty roster; Earth; exolinguist; Federation; gesture; gill-man; height; Jefferies tube; Ju'day-class; Kim, Dennis; lecture hall; level 5 diagnostic; logic; mail; Maquis; Maquis Intelligence; Maquis raider; microfracture; mind control; mind meld; movie theater; mutiny; Palace Theater; paranoia; popcorn; polarity; privacy protocol; Revenge of the Creature; sarcasm; Sek; Soroyan, Maxwell; suspect; synaptic pathway; time index; toast; traitor; Val Jean; vedek; Vulcans; Vulcan brandy; weapons control; Wildman, Naomi; yellow alert



