MEDICAL LOGS

VIRTUOSO
Season 6 : Episode 133

 

DOCTOR'S LOG:

While the Voyager crew helps the crew of a Qomarian ship make repairs, the aliens onboard come off rather arrogant when discussing the crew's - and the Doctor's - technological inferiority. The Qomar live in a closed system and are not well versed in social interaction. They are not they familiar with singing, and are amazed when the Doctor sings, which he does as he tends to their medical needs. The visitors, including a young woman named Tincoo, are enthralled with the Doctor's voice and invite the crew to visit their nearby planetary alliance. As a goodwill gesture for the Qomarian Prelate, Janeway arranges a musical concert starring the Doctor, of whom the Qomar cannot seem to get enough. After the successful recital on Voyager, the Doctor is invited to perform on the Qomar planet and introduce the concept of music to all its inhabitants. He excitedly agrees and plans a dazzling operatic performance complete with an extravagant costume and an elaborate set, designing the Qomarian lecture hall with a re-creation of a backdrop used in a production of Pagliacci at Teatro della Scala, Earth's most famous opera house. Tincoo especially has become enamoured of the Doctor's talent, assuring him she will make any arrangements he may need. She is baffled by his crew's seeming lack of appreciation for his talents. When the Doctor does perform, he receives a standing ovation from the packed auditorium. The Doctor has recently been researching the therapeutic value of music. He asks Torres to make an adjustment to his mobile emitter so he can make quick changes. Following the Doctor's latest concert, Voyager is inundated with the Doctor's fans, including a couple of would-be groupies, and the com. system is deluged by fan letters. He takes to appearing, not in uniform, but in the role of a musical maestro. Janeway reprimands him for neglecting his Sickbay duties and going three days without filing a report. Driven partly by Tincoo's apparent attraction for him, the Doctor accepts her invitation to leave Voyager, where he feels unappreciated, and to settle on Qomar where he anticipates an illustrious singing career and adoring fans. Before he leaves the ship, he downloads seventeen new chapters of social lessons for Seven which they have not yet covered. He also briefs Paris to take his position after he is gone. However, when the Doctor moves to the planet, he learns that Tincoo's interest in his was solely to do with music. In fact, she has created a hologram that looks like him but which is programmed with vocal processors enhanced with polyphonic sequencers capable of singing notes beyond the Doctor's range and producing multiharmonic overtones through the use of amplitude vacillation. Crushed, the Doctor makes his next performance his final one, and sings a melancholy song of lost love - the first part of "Rondine al nido". The performance touches the Voyager crewmembers who are in attendance but leaves the Qomarians wanting, whereas they love Tincoo's hologram's very contrasting and purely technical composition. Back on Voyager, his plans to leave shelved, the Doctor apologises to Janeway, realising that he has friends on board ship who do truly appreciate him as an individual with unique abilities.

OTHER MEDICAL DATA:

The Doctor informs Paris, while briefing him to take over his job, that every flu season Neelix becomes convinced that he is suffering from Toluncan Ague. Instead of arguing with him, the Doctor just gives him a placebo.

DOCTOR'S QUOTE:

To Seven: "Oh there's the occasional medical mystery that challenges my programming but mostly it's become routine, and frankly I feel my talents are often taken for granted, but when I'm standing on that stage performing and I see those rapt faces in the audience I feel I finally know what it's like to be made of flesh and blood."