Every once in a while in Trek you learn something about a character that makes you wonder how any body else can ever trust them. Like Data, after I learned he can fake the captain's voice well enough to get past any of the security protocols on the ship I would have been a bit worried to have him on the bridge. In this case we learn that Tuvok can brain wash anyone on the ship do do what he wants. Not only that, he can program them to not remember it until a phrase is spoken at which point they go full Manchurian candidate. Presumably this is why Vulcans put out so much effort to make everyone in the galaxy think they are beings of pure logic. Otherwise who would want a guy with powers like that on a starship, let alone have one as chief of security!
We open with some Bajoran guy performing a ritual while looking at pictures of the crew of Voyager, specifically the ones who had been on Chakotay's ship. On Voyager Tom and B'Elanna are having their first marriage date on the holodeck but the mood is spoiled when they find one of the former Maquis crew in a coma in the front row. The Doctor finds that he has been assaulted and Tuvok begins investigating. In engineering another former Maquis is attacked in a Jefferies tube leading Chakotay to call a Maquis meeting. He orders them to be armed and only work in pairs. Tuvok talks to Kim about something he heard in a video he got from the Alpha Quadrant which really pissed off Kim but also tells us Tuvok is pushing hard on the investigation. Chakotay scolds a Maqui crewman about being alone and goes to look for Torres when he is attacked by Tuvok who knocks him out and then mindmelds with him. We also learn that he has gotten to Torres and she is also unconscious.
Tuvok though seems to have no memory of this as he continues to investigate. The first Maquis to be attacked wakes up in sickbay seemingly fine and returns to duty. While meditating Tuvok sees the Bajoran man from the opening briefly before realizing he is the attacker and confining himself to the brig. Janeway tries to talk to him but he taps his com badge and signals Chakotay who just woke up with a code phrase which causes him and Torres to grab guns and start taking over the ship. Janeway is confined to the brig the other starfleet crew are confined to quarters. Chakotay tests Tuvok's loyalty by making him kill the captain, or make him think he is killing the captain with a dead phaser. Tuvok passes but soon turns the tables by grabbing Chakotay and mindmelding him back to health. The two quickly retake the ship and everything goes back to normal.
Review: A bit of a silly episode, especially for how everything is just like it was at the beginning by the last few minutes. The resolution especially felt rushed like one of the weaker TNG episodes. Not bad, just a bit bland.
5 out of 10
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