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"''I mean, if it'd been Harry, I could understand it. He trusts everybody. But you and me?''" |
"''I mean, if it'd been Harry, I could understand it. He trusts everybody. But you and me?''" |
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: - '''Neelix''' and '''Tom Paris''' |
: - '''Neelix''' and '''Tom Paris''' |
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+ | "''Nice hair.''" |
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+ | : - '''Kathryn Janeway''' to Dala |
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==Background Information== |
==Background Information== |
Revision as of 02:58, 21 August 2007
A trio of con artists impersonate Captain Janeway, Tuvok, and Chakotay to try to scam money and resources out of unsuspecting victims.
Summary
Two miners on Telsius Prime meet with two people who beam down on Federation transporters and introduce themselves as Captain Kathryn Janeway and Commander Tuvok from the Federation Starship USS Voyager.
Act One
The two imposters recount several details about Earth and Janeyway's childhood with the miners and then discuss a trade, 20 kilotons of Dilithium for 10 kilotons of Bolomite. Though "Janeway" was prepared to decline the trade, "Tuvok" indicates it could be used to treat the ophaned survivors of a planet-wide disaster on Senlia Prime. Janeway is eager to get underway and avoid a neutronic storm, so the two settle the deal.
Aboard the ship, "Janeway" (Dala) removes her wig, and complains to "Chakotay" (Zar) that everything would have gone perfectly if "Tuvok" (Mobar) hadn't improvised. When they receive a transmission coded for her, Dala puts the wig back on, and answers, as Zar adds some federation signatures on the monitors on the alien ship. The miners inform them their bolomite is ready, and the bolomite is transported aboard. Unfortunately, "a storm interferes" with their transporters, and they are "forced" to leave.
Meanwhile, aboard the real Voyager, the Captain almost goes deaf from her sonic shower, and finds B'Elanna Torres working on systems failures all over the ship. She can't find any problem, despite many diagnostics. Tuvok complains to Tom Paris and Harry Kim in the mess hall that the Oracle of K'Tal appeared in pajamas. They try to explain with straight faces that it must be the malfunctions, but Tuvok doesn't buy it.
The Captain them shuts down the Galley because a contaminant was replicated into the food. When they scan the kitchen, they find a strange heating coil, and they explain that it is connected to the integrated circuitry, and could have caused all of the failure. Neelix explains he got it in a trade with Sister Dala trying to help poor orphans on Selnia Prime.
Chakotay then calls her to the bridge with another emergency. Mr. Orek, Chief of Mining on Telsius Prime, is demanding the dilithium ore promised to him. Janeway (of course) knows nothing about it, and asks him aboard to clear up the misunderstanding.
Act Two
Orek shows her "Janeway's" last transmission, which is very garbled. The Captain claims that woman isn't her. He insists he has lots of data about shuttlecraft and scans to back up his story. She insists that their logs show they never went near his planet.
When the miner continues to complain, he mentions those Orphans. That's when Janeway thinks she may have found a connection. She goes straight to Neelix, and asks more about Sister Dala.
He tells her that they met up with two monks, and after a "cleansing" with a small device, they discover that Neelix bears a striking resemblance to their redeemer of light. When they will not accept charity for food, Neelix offers a trade, and gets the heating coil in exchange. They were invited aboard the flyer, but Tom and Neelix kept an eye on them. She talked to Neelix a lot about himself, how his Voyager is alone in this region of space, about the ship and the Captain (including some of her childhood). After many thanks, and a blessing with eyes closed that lasted one minute, they return to the planet.
When Janeway examines the computer records, she finds their entire database was downloaded that day, probably with that small device. She concludes that they are the impostors.
Act Three
Orek doesn't believe the story, but is eventually persuaded to give Janeway the scans of the imposters' ship.
During all this, Dala is pulling off another scam, talking to Varn aboard "the delta flyer" (their ship). While it seems obsolete, "Janeway" explains that it has fought off many enemies, such as the Borg and species 8472. She also shows him schematics of Voyager (the real one), and offers Varn the opportunity to join the federation, who will protect him from his enemies. "Tuvok" starts a lecture on the primary mission of exploration, but "Janeway" cuts him off.
She shows off the advanced weapons of Voyager, and says that they will be shared once he is a member -- if his membership application is acceptable. "Tuvok" begins to explain a lengthy process, but "Chakotay" reassures him that all will be well, since "Janeway" has influence with the Federation Council. "Chakotay" reminds her that they are being recalled and will return to this sector in 6 months. Varn decides he would join immediately, over "Janeway's" cautions that he would have to invest significant resources, and she accepts his word for now.
On the real Voyager, Tom and Neelix agonize over their experience. They can't find where they went wrong. Orphans are a common gambit, and they have dealt with shady characters before. They give up after a while, and decide to prove they've still got it. They decide to "pluck a pigeon" with a good old fashioned shell game as The Doctor walks over. Neelix shuffles the cups as best he can, but The Doctor does correctly identify where the nut is: in Neelix's left hand. Neelix has to work three shifts in sickbay. Fortunately, Tom is called away when Tuvok detects a vessel on long range sensors which matches the warp signature of the impostors.
Meanwhile, the impostors have pulled off another heist. Varn complains that the photon torpedoes they gave him don't work, and his enemies were also allowed to join. When "Tuvok" apologizes and suggests he send a petition to the Federation Council, Varn locks on to their ship and decides to take his reparations. As Voyager shows up, "Janeway" orders Varn to back off, since their mother ship has arrived to defend them. He complains to Voyager about his problems. When the real Janeway tries to explain how he's been tricked, he instead fires.
Voyager blows up Varn's tractor beam, and Janeway orders Seven of Nine to transport everyone off that ship. She gets only Dala, and the impostors go to warp. Voyager leaves as well.
Act Four
Dala now meets the real Captain Janeway in the brig. Janeway demands a list of people "Janeway" cheated. She refuses, so Janeway threatens to turn her over to the Telsian government. Tuvok -- at a subtle suggestion by Janeway -- explains his "research" indicates their justice system is cruel; prisons are barely habitable, and many die before they get to trial. If on the other hand Dala makes full restitution, Janeway will let her go. Dala tries to leverage the fact that Janeway is the one with the problem, since it is her reputation who is marred. It doesn't work.
Neelix shows up later with food, and tries to bring up Dala's guilt, and her life's story. He explains he used to be a lot like her, but he was changed by Captain Janeway. She wanted commodities of hard work and loyalty, and he was willing to share them. Dala doesn't know what to do with her life, even if she could change. Neelix says he could talk to the Captain and persuade her to let Dala become a part of her crew.
Dala appears to believe him, but spills her tea, and knocks Neelix down and gets his phaser before he can get up, stunning him and the guard and escaping. She makes her way to the real Delta Flyer, and takes off. Security doesn't stop her, and the Captain just watches her fly off.
Dala rendezvous with her ship, but her crew are hesitant to beam her abroad; she might have turned on them. She insists she hasn't as Tom Paris comes out of hiding in the aft section and activates The Doctor with his mobile emitter. Once Dala is aboard, Paris takes control of the delta flyer, and fires a few shots. They shoot back, and leave to pick up their bolomite.
Act Five
When they plan on how to recover their cargo, it is clear her two comrades are suspicious of Dala; she has changed. However, they all go down (to keep an eye on each other), and put pattern enhancers on all of their stored booty. That's when Dala pulls a weapon on them, and informs Janeway she is in position. When they cannot transport her in time, she stuns Zar, and when she is shot by Mobar, it goes right through her holographic body. When Tuvok captures Mobar and Zar, Tuvok adjusts the holoemitter to recreate the features of The Doctor. Meanwhile, Tom Paris on the delta flyer observes and guards the waking Dala.
- Captain’s log, stardate 53849.2. The stolen property has been returned to the Telsian miners, as well as vessels from seven different worlds. I'm hoping that the reputation of the real Federation will survive the events of the last several days.
Lastly, Neelix decides that he and Tom have still got to after all, when they try to swindle the Doctor, and he incorrectly indicates it's up Neelix's right sleeve.
Memorable Quotes
"Commander Tuvok."
"The one and only."
"Logic would dictate that neither of us has the advantage."
"Your logic is flawed."
- - Mobar, The Doctor posing as Dala, and Tuvok
"Neelix, what has happened to us?"
"I know exactly what you mean! I've been over it a thousand times!"
"Why didn't we see this coming?"
"Orphans! It's the oldest gambit in the book."
"I mean, if it'd been Harry, I could understand it. He trusts everybody. But you and me?"
- - Neelix and Tom Paris
"Nice hair."
- - Kathryn Janeway to Dala
Background Information
- Kaitlin Hopkins previously played Kilana in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "The Ship".
- The bridge of the fake Delta Flyer is just a redress of the USS Defiant Bridge.
Links and References
Guest Stars
- Kaitlin Hopkins as Dala
- Greg Daniel as Mobar
- Francis Guinan as Zar
- Ted Rooney as Varn
- Scott Lincoln as Miner #1
- Dennis Cockrum as Orek
- Timothy McNeil as Miner #2
- Tarik Ergin as Ayala (uncredited)
References
USS Al-Batani; Ambizine; annular confinement; antiviral protein; bio-neural circuitry; blight; bolomite; Borg; bread and water; Chief of Mining Operations; cleric; cockpit; coffee; concentric search pattern; Dala; deity; Delta Flyer; Delta Flyer (impostor); diagnostic; dilithium; Directive 927; disease; extortion; farm; Federation; Federation Council; galley; geostrata; gremlin; Grenna system; heating coil; Hirogen; holodeck; hydroponic pod; Indiana; integrated circuitry; kiloton; "Live long and prosper"; mark; mine; mirror; Mobar; mothership; multi-spectral shield; Narva; neutronic storm; omega radiation; omega radiation therapy; optical subroutine; optronically targeted phaser; Oracle of K'Tal; Orek; orphan; pajamas; photon torpedo; pilgrimage; plasma flare; Polonian; practical joke; prison; psoriasis; pulse drill; Redeemer of Light; sanctuary (fake); scan; sect; Selnia Prime; shell game; Sickbay; sombrero; sonic shower; Species 8472; spore; Starfleet Command; talisman; Telsian; Telsian Security; Telsius Prime; Telsius Prime mining colony; tera nut; The Cleansing; thief; torture; tractor generator; trading; transmission log; transport enhancer; transport record; transporter; Varn; wig; Wyanti system; Zar;
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