

(written from a Production point of view Real World article

The Vidiians capture B'Elanna Torres and split her into two people, one fully Klingon, and one fully Human.

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Summary

Teaser

A long-haired and apparently lifeless body strapped to a vertical apparatus slowly comes to, as a man's voice calmly issues technical instructions, ending a regeneration process. The restrained individual becomes completely awake; it is a fully Klingon female, but her scientifically-minded captor refers to her as none other than B'Elanna Torres.

Act One

"Captain's log, stardate 48784.2. We have completed our survey of the Avery system and are returning to retrieve Lieutenants Paris, Torres and Durst. By now, they should have concluded their inspection of the magnesite formations on the third planet."

In the mess hall of the USS Voyager, Neelix presents Tuvok with a bowl of plomeek soup that he made using a recipe from the ship's database. Despite Tuvok objecting that he is content to have the same dishes as the rest of the crew, Neelix launches into a diatribe concerning the merits of preparing dishes from the crew's homeworlds. Tuvok tries the soup but finds it is unusually spicy; Neelix explains that he added a touch of spice to the dish, as he found it otherwise bland. Tuvok argues that changing the recipe makes the soup less authentically Vulcan. Summoned to the bridge by Chakotay, Tuvok exits, leaving Neelix to enjoy the soup. "Oh, there's no place like home", he remarks after slurping some down.

Tuvok is later on the bridge when Captain Janeway arrives; he and Chakotay join her as she makes her way to the operations station. In unison, Chakotay and operations officer Ensign Harry Kim notify Janeway that the recent three-person away team has essentially gone missing. Kim believes that geologic shifts in subterranean passages on Avery III is responsible for the team's absence. Chakotay volunteers to lead a search party but the officers are initially uncertain of how to ensure that this proposed, secondary team will not also go missing, until Kim exclaims, "Breadcrumbs!" He elaborates that the search party could use a chain of subspace transponders like breadcrumbs. Janeway finally agrees. Departing, Chakotay assigns Kim and Tuvok to his away team.

As the Klingon Torres lies restrained to a metallic surgical table, her captor, a Vidiian, reveals he is Chief Surgeon Sulan of the Vidiian Sodality. Speaking uneasily, the Klingon captive demands to know more about her situation, so Sulan shows her a reflection of her own face, inadvertently alarming her. Sulan is unforthcoming about the procedure that turned Torres, once a half-Human and half-Klingon hybrid, into a full-blooded Klingon. He instead confronts her with questions of his own, wishing to know more about her. Eventually, he admits the genetic methods he used to make her purely Klingon and explains to the appalled Torres that he did so in the belief that her Klingon genetic structure has an immunity to the phage that has debilitated his society. He intends to test his theory by having infected B'Elanna with the illness.

Elsewhere in the Vidiian complex, a pair of Vidiians lead a group of prisoners, including Paris and Durst, through a corridor and into their bunkroom. Paris breaks up a physical conflict between Durst and one of the Vidiians, drawing Durst away before the confrontation can escalate. "They're the ones with the guns, remember", Paris reminds the lieutenant. After the guards leave them, Paris and Durst conspiratorially assess their situation and discuss how they will make an effort to escape. However, the plan is ridiculed by a nearby Talaxian prisoner, who has no confidence that the escape attempt will work and comments that the prisoners are used not only as sources of organs to be harvested but also as slave laborers to dig tunnels for the Vidiians, as they are weakened by the Phage. When Paris asks where B'Elanna might be, the Talaxian assumes she will have been taken to the facility's organ processing department, saying that captives who don't stay strong are taken there.

Meanwhile, the Voyager search team makes their way through the underground tunnels, Kim leaving one of the transponders behind. The team discover evidence of the first away team's kidnapping.

A fascinated Sulan enters the medical lab to find the imprisoned B'Elanna experiencing excruciating pain, a symptom of the Phage. He is also amazed to discover that her body is internally fighting against the infection. However, Torres is nowhere near as excited about the findings as he is. Sulan insists that she will ultimately be glorified by the Vidiians for having been instrumental in the curing of the Phage, but such honor is not appreciated by the Klingon woman. Sulan notes that, unlike earlier, Torres seems proud to be Klingon and, though she is angered by what he has done to her, he imagines that she may become grateful to him. Basing his observations on her, Sulan repeatedly compliments the Klingon form.

While Paris sleeps, a Vidiian guard brings a female Human Starfleet officer into the bunkroom. Paris awakens only to find that the newcomer is, somehow, a completely Human B'Elanna.

Act Two

The Human Torres, who has finally been returned back to Tom and Durst, is shaken by her experience, feeling weak and sickly. She remembers having been taken to a lab and told that they have completely extracted her Klingon DNA. She feels strange not having the ridges on her forehead any more and tells Tom how, as a child, she did everything she could to hide those ridges. She remembers that in the Federation colony where she grew up, she and her mother were the only Klingons. They stood out and were different. After her father left them, she was so sad and traumatized that she actually believed that he had left because she looked like a Klingon.

In the caves, Tuvok notes a tunnel has now been blocked. With no geological activity, it must be a disguised force field of some kind. Tuvok discovers the energy configuration to be identical to the force field matrix used by the Vidiians, determined from their earlier encounter with them. Janeway immediately has Ayala look for other vessels while Chakotay uses his phaser on the field to break it up. It's unsuccessful, surprisingly. Then, Kim sees two Vidiians watching them and they quickly beam out.

The Klingon Torres, alone, is able to partly break through the restraints. Sulan interrupts her, and she tries to seduce him in order to let her up. She agrees with him that she's grateful for her transformation and notes that Klingon females have reputations not only for their physical prowess but for their voracious sexual appetites. He seems to be enticed, but refuses. He tries to convince her that he does have feelings despite his grotesque appearance, and appears to regret what he's doing. He says his people were once attractive, and supposes he won't disgust her when he's able to cure the phage.

Act Three

When Paris sees the Vidiians come to take him and Torres to the tunnels for work, and recommends she look strong so they don't take her to organ processing. She thought they might leave her to recover. Instead, they take Durst, claiming the prefect wants to discuss their request to contact their ship. Paris says he's the senior officer, but they are insistent. Durst leaves with the Vidiians.

Meanwhile, Kim is able to determine the area of the compound. However, he can't see inside it. Since they are unable to get through the force fields with their phasers, Janeway orders simulations to figure out a way through. If they can get through, they can.

Meanwhile, the Klingon Torres learns that Durst was killed: Sulan grafted Durst's face over his own, in an attempt to appear more appealing to the Klingon B'Elanna. This attempt is unsuccessful, and B'Elanna uses the opportunity to use her strength to break the restraints. She pins him to the wall in a chokehold, but they are interrupted and she escapes.

Act Four

On Voyager, Janeway hears Kim's analysis. It appears there are micro-fissures in the force field as it remodulates. Instead of using their phasers to open them, and possibly alert the Vidiians, Kim proposes narrowing a transporter beam to get someone through. The timing is critical, but this person could deactivate the force field to make it easier to get to them. Janeway asks how this person won't be captured, but Chakotay has an idea. In sickbay, he is disguised by The Doctor to look like a Vidiian and is provided with Vidiian attire by Tuvok. Chakotay prepares himself and he is beamed down, unable to contact Voyager until the Vidiian security cloak is disabled. All Janeway and crew can do is wait.

Paris and the Human Torres are on work detail when Torres collapses. Paris sits her down and, kindly, the Talaxian from before kindly offers water to them. Torres is having more trouble than that, though. She's overcome once again with terrifying fear, paralyzing her and robbing her of her strength, due to her Human transformation. He encourages her she can get through it when a Vidiian guard interrupts them, determining that she is too ill to mine the tunnels with the other captives. Paris tries to get the Vidiians to let her stay, but B'Elanna wants to return to the barracks, in the hope that she may find a way to contact Voyager.

The Klingon Torres finds the Talaxian and finds out where Paris was sent. She also is told about the existence of the Human version of herself, now in the barracks. Meanwhile, the Human Torres begins to work on the security console in the barracks while the guards are distracted, however, the guards are alerted to her activities on the console. They begin to take her away just as the Klingon Torres finds them. She rescues the Human Torres from the guards and carries her when she collapses.

Act Five

The Human Torres wakes up to find her Klingon half making food, determined to help her recover so she doesn't have to carry her. During, they confront each other about their respective weaknesses. The Human Torres, who is very calm as well as apprehensive and cautious, confronts her other half by stating that she always responds with violence and anger to every obstacle in her way – blaming her for having been thrown out of the Academy. The Klingon B'Elanna believes that she should be eternally grateful for being kicked out of that institution, but the Human Torres is not grateful, for her Klingon temper has gotten her in trouble more times than she can remember. However, she realizes that there is no point to this debate, for they are actually each fighting with themselves. A plan is finally formulated in which they decide to return to Sulan's lab and use the console there to shut down the security cloak that shields the tunnels from Voyager's sensors. It may not be as exciting as fighting their way out, says the Human Torres, but it stands a much better chance of working. Moreover, she needs her Klingon half, B'Elanna, to follow her back there and cover for her, while she works, for she is unable to do this on her own.

Chakotay, in disguise, enters the base and finds Paris. He then convinces a Vidiian officer that he is bringing Paris to an organ harvesting center for processing. Meanwhile, the two Torres enter Sulan's lab and the Human gets to work. She trips an alarm, alerting the Klingon, but the Human is not scared, she keeps working. Sulan returns to his lab and threatens the Human with a weapon, unwilling to harm the Klingon. Just then, Chakotay arrives and Sulan is disarmed. Torres has deactivated the cloak and Chakotay communicates with Voyager. However, Sulan had another weapon and fires it and, as he does so, the Klingon B'Elanna throws herself in the line of fire and is critically wounded. The four transport to Voyager, where the Klingon B'Elanna dies after telling her other half that she feels it is an honorable death.

In sickbay, Torres is informed by The Doctor that her cells ability to synthesize proteins has been severely compromised and that she needs her Klingon genes to survive. While speaking with Chakotay, she realizes that as a Human she is more at peace with herself than she has ever been before – but she also feels incomplete for she doesn't feel like herself. She admires her Klingon half's many qualities, such as her strength and bravery, but also realizes that she has to accept the fact that she will spend the rest of her life fighting with her. She touches over her forehead one last time, remembering her other half and thus the person who is such an integral part of her.

Memorable quotes

"Did you know that Klingon females are renowned in the Alpha Quadrant not only for their physical prowess but also for their voracious sexual appetite as well? Why not let your creation out of her harness? Study her in action?"

- Klingon B'Elanna Torres, to the Vidiian scientist Sulan



"I must point out, that if you take the liberty of changing a time honored recipe, you are hardly presenting a 'taste of home'."

- Tuvok, to Neelix upon tasting his version of plomeek soup



"B'Elanna? B'Elanna Torres, wake up!"

- Sulan



"You've surgically altered my face!"

- Klingon Torres, to Sulan after seeing her full Klingon facial features in a mirror



"Nobody ever escapes this place. Those Vidiian leeches can yank the beating heart out of you... in a heartbeat. Heart out of you in a heartbeat! Now that's funny!"

"Hilarious."

- Talaxian prisoner and Pete Durst



"I'm sorry I can't replicate you a souffle."

- Klingon Torres, to Human Torres



"Listen to me. Listen to us. This is ridiculous. Do you realize that we're each fighting with our self?"

- Human Torres, to her Klingon counterpart



"lf I remember correctly, I'm the one who rescued you from that prison and carried you here. Don't you think you could at least acknowledge that? Can't you even admit that you won't be able to get out of here without me?"

- Klingon Torres, to Human Torres



"It's OK, Tom. They're the ones with the guns, remember?"

- Pete Durst, to Tom Paris shortly before his death



"Just before you rescued me, I logged onto the Vidiians' computer system. I only had a few seconds, but I think I found a way to access the force field that's cloaking this place. With a few minutes more, I could've deactivated it."

"Then Voyager could get a lock on us. Beam us back, Paris too."

"It may not be as exciting as fighting our way out, but it stands a much better chance of working if... I have your help."

"So... you need me?"

- Human Torres and Klingon Torres

Background information

Story and script

Cast and characters

Makeup

Shortly prior to this episode's production, Makeup Supervisor Michael Westmore stated, " With the aliens from 'Phage,' I'm prepared to land on their planet again, and duplicate a half-dozen of them. " ( The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine issue 2, p. 37)

" ( issue 2, p. 37) Robert Beltran found difficulty with performing in the full-facial mask he wore as Chakotay's Vidiian disguise. " I was in that raw, wounded face, which made me feel very vulnerable as a person, " he explained. " It was a challenge for me, having to act in that much makeup. " ( The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine issue 7, p. 17)

" he explained. " " ( issue 7, p. 17) The facial look of the full-Klingon Torres involved, in the words of Roxann Dawson herself, "a forehead, nose and teeth." Comparing these makeup elements to the usual appliances she wore as the hybrid Torres, Dawson stated, "[They] were far less sophisticated because there weren't too many nuances and skin tones." While her usual makeup took two hours to apply, however, Dawson's full Klingon appearance took about three hours to apply. (Star Trek: Communicator issue 104, p. 57)

Sets

The set for the Vidiian mine was constructed on Paramount Stage 18 and incorporated artificial rocks that were actually a combination of heavy gauge aluminum and a fibrous, brown material. ( Starlog Science-Fiction Explorer , issue #8, p. 26)

, issue #8, p. 26) The security console in the Vidiian laboratory here seems to be a reuse of a set piece that was often reused in Star Trek productions, as tactical consoles for the bridges of Klingon Birds-of-Prey. (Delta Quadrant, p. 46)

Production

This episode's production period was slotted toward the end of Star Trek: Voyager 's first season, due to budgetary considerations. ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 27, No. 4/5, p. 78)

's first season, due to budgetary considerations. ( , Vol. 27, No. 4/5, p. 78) This was the fourth of eighteen Voyager episodes directed by long-time Star Trek director Winrich Kolbe (including the series pilot " Caretaker "). Midway through the making of the episode, he offered, " This is only the third episode of Voyager that I've done so far, so I'm not quite as familiar with the arc of the show as a whole as I might be if I had done more episodes [...] [but] things are running pretty smoothly. " ( Starlog Science-Fiction Explorer , issue #8, p. 29)

episodes directed by long-time director Winrich Kolbe (including the series pilot " "). Midway through the making of the episode, he offered, " Voyager " ( , issue #8, p. 29) Winrich Kolbe was freed from having to rely on split screen, for the two B'Elannas, thanks to the casting of Dawson's photo double. Despite this, the episode's shooting schedule was mindful of the facts that Roxann Dawson was performing as two different characters and that one of her roles required extensive makeup. The actress recollected, " They were very careful in scheduling and tried not to have me split a day where I was in one character and then the other, not only for me but because the makeup was so long and difficult. They only concentrated on one character for the most part one day and then switched to the next character the next day. It was sort of like doing repertory theater. " ( Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages , p. 146)

" ( , p. 146) This episode had some production problems. Winrich Kolbe commented, " I wanted to do more in the cave scene with the two B'Elannas, but it became an issue of production costs and how much split-screen stuff we could do. I would have liked [the production] to seem bigger. At times it looked like there were four prisoners and two guards instead of a whole complex of people [...] and, of course, we had to go back to those caves we always use. " ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 27, No. 4/5, p. 63)

" ( , Vol. 27, No. 4/5, p. 63) The caves set evoked a great deal of excited chatter, however, on a day when the scenes being filmed included the one wherein Chakotay, Tuvok, and Harry Kim determine that one of the cave walls is illusory but encounter a pair of Vidiians, only to be beamed safely back to Voyager . After the area was prepared by more than twenty technicians (whose activities included spraying water on the set's fabricated rocks), one shot from this scene was rehearsed, overseen by Winrich Kolbe. Since the technical aspects of the shot seemed fine, the director then concentrated on the actors. Robert Beltran blew one of his lines, pointed his phaser at the two extras playing the Vidiians and made a joke about their appearance, to which the entire set broke into laughter. Following a few subsequent takes that Kolbe was not completely satisfied with, he ordered the action to commence by uttering, " Let's put a little acting into this one, please. " After one more take, Kolbe captured the shot, the way he wanted it. ( Starlog Science-Fiction Explorer , issue #8, p. 26)

. After the area was prepared by more than twenty technicians (whose activities included spraying water on the set's fabricated rocks), one shot from this scene was rehearsed, overseen by Winrich Kolbe. Since the technical aspects of the shot seemed fine, the director then concentrated on the actors. Robert Beltran blew one of his lines, pointed his phaser at the two extras playing the Vidiians and made a joke about their appearance, to which the entire set broke into laughter. Following a few subsequent takes that Kolbe was not completely satisfied with, he ordered the action to commence by uttering, " " After one more take, Kolbe captured the shot, the way he wanted it. ( , issue #8, p. 26) The next shot to be filmed, which Winrich Kolbe immediately moved onto, involved Chakotay's urgent order for Voyager to beam up himself, Kim and Tuvok. Robert Beltran, Garrett Wang and Tuvok actor Tim Russ were meant to step quickly out of the shot, while the camera was to continue running, capturing footage of the empty area. In one take, Beltran inexplicably leaped out of the camera's line-of-sight, then awkwardly tried to catch his balance and keep from falling on several rocks strategically arranged on the ground. " Graceful, Robert, graceful, " Kolbe teased the performer. " Shall we move on now? " ( Starlog Science-Fiction Explorer , issue #8, pp. 26-27)

to beam up himself, Kim and Tuvok. Robert Beltran, Garrett Wang and Tuvok actor Tim Russ were meant to step quickly out of the shot, while the camera was to continue running, capturing footage of the empty area. In one take, Beltran inexplicably leaped out of the camera's line-of-sight, then awkwardly tried to catch his balance and keep from falling on several rocks strategically arranged on the ground. " " Kolbe teased the performer. " " ( , issue #8, pp. 26-27) While Winrich Kolbe and other members of the production crew were studying a video playback of one scene, a bemused Nana Visitor, wearing civilian clothes, wandered onto the set by mistake. " Oh, my god, " she laughed, " this is the Voyager set. No wonder I hardly recognized any of these crew people. " After observing the goings-on for a few minutes, Visitor excused herself and went in search of the Deep Space Nine set she was actually meant to be on. ( Starlog Science-Fiction Explorer , issue #8, p. 27)

" she laughed, " Voyager " After observing the goings-on for a few minutes, Visitor excused herself and went in search of the set she was actually meant to be on. ( , issue #8, p. 27) Later that day, Winrich Kolbe had a short rest against a railing outside Stage 18. He jested to reporter Ian Spelling that the production shoot for "Faces" was entirely without any challenges whatsoever. Kolbe went on to say, though, that the most challenging scenes in the episode were the ones that involve the Klingon Torres meeting the Human Torres, and that the use of a photo double for the wide shots "has worked out very well." The director concluded, " It's a complicated show, but we have it under control. " Kolbe was then called back inside by his assistant director, who signaled to him that the lighting crew had finished its job and that the next shot was ready to be filmed. ( Starlog Science-Fiction Explorer , issue #8, p. 27)

" Kolbe was then called back inside by his assistant director, who signaled to him that the lighting crew had finished its job and that the next shot was ready to be filmed. ( , issue #8, p. 27) After exploring some other areas of the Paramount lot, Ian Spelling returned to the shoot for "Faces" at 7 p.m., by which time the cast and crew had moved to Paramount Stage 9 and Kate Mulgrew had called the sound stage, learning that her presence there would not be required until at least 10 pm. As everyone already on the set prepared to take a lunch break, the rock formation was given another hose down and both Garrett Wang and Robert Beltran teasingly serenaded a mildly amused Tim Russ with an almost on-key rendition of "Mr. Sandman", the song having temporarily been renamed "Mr. Tuvok" to fit the occasion. (Starlog Science-Fiction Explorer, issue #8, p. 29)

Visual effects

Winrich Kolbe found this episode to have lots of visual effects, commenting, "We have many opticals in there to create the illusion of having two Roxanns." The outing's VFX also included the beam-out effects for the appropriate caves scene. (Starlog Science-Fiction Explorer, issue #8, p. 27)

Continuity

Reception and aftermath

Video and DVD releases

Starring

Also starring

Guest stars

Uncredited co-stars

Stunt doubles

Stand-ins

References

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"Faces" at Memory Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Trek works

works Faces " at Wikipedia

Star Trek website Faces at StarTrek.com , the officialwebsite



