Riddles : Episode 126 Part A :: EPISODE GUIDES :: Janet's Star Trek Voyager Site

RIDDLES RIDDLES RIDDLES RIDDLES RIDDLES RIDDLES RIDDLES
Episode 126 126 126
Part A

Tuvok and Neelix are returning in the Delta Flyer from a diplomatic mission to the Kesat homeworld. Neelix is bored. Tuvok refuses to play 'Species, Starship or Anomaly' with Neelix (he chooses a species, starship or anomaly and Neelix gets fifteen questions by which to find out what Tuvok has chosen). I have devised a quiz game based on 'Species, Starship or Anomaly' here, Quiz 6800, Seasons 1-6.

Neelix's riddle: "A lone ensign finds himself stranded on a class L planetoid with no rations. His only possession, a calendar. When Starfleet finds him twelve months later he's in perfect health. Why didn't he starve to death?"
Tuvok: "It is a theoretical possibility that such planetoids contain hot water springs which could sustain the man for several weeks."
Neelix: "Ooh, but not for a whole year."
Tuvok: "I concur. Logic dictates that the ensign in question would perish."
Neelix: "Aha! I stumped you! As a matter of fact, he not only survived but his belly was full. Why? Because he feasted on dates from the calendar."

Tuvok takes a scan while investigating a mysterious download from the tactical database. Suddenly he is fired at by a cloaked lifeform.

The Doctor manages to stabilise Tuvok's condition but he remains in a coma.

Deputy Investigator Naroq, Kesat Security.

Naroq believes Tuvok has been attacked by a member of the Ba'Neth species.
Naroq: "In my language their name means 'shadow people'. They're a species obsessed with concealing their identity, extremely paranoid and xenophobic. ... It's my belief they've been responsible for several unexplained attacks similar to this one. ... No one's ever actually seen one. ... You're lucky I gave my supervisor two bottles of Kesatian ale to get this assignment. Any other investigator would simply have attributed Tuvok's to unexplained phenomenon. ... This incident fits the pattern. All the alleged encounters in this sector, I believe they've been attempts by the Ba'Neth to assess the technology of new arrivals. ... Commander Tuvok suffered severe neurological damage. That's also consistent with previous attacks. The Ba'Neth were making sure he would not tell anyone what he saw."
Janeway: "Maybe that's why Tuvok's tricorder was destroyed. They didn't want us to see the cloaking frequency he found."
Naroq: "He found a cloaking frequency? ... But I brought equipment to help your investigation. Let me examine Commander Tuvok and run scans on the vessel where he was attacked."
The Kesat government did not warn Neelix about them because the official line is that the Ba'Neth do not exist. But the attack on Tuvok fits the pattern. He is the thirteenth person to be attacked and the only one to survive.

As the Doctor says that someone in a coma might be brought out of it if talked to by a familiar voice, Neelix fills Sickbay with Tuvok's possessions including his Vulcan lute and kal-toh game. He brings flowers from the airponics bay. He tells Tuvok that he will read him the Vulcan drama 'Clash on the Fire Plains'; Neelix will play all twenty-three parts. He lights some Vulcan incense.

From the computer's Vulcan audio file Neelix plays selection 56 alpha.
Doctor: "Mr Neelix, what is that dreadful noise?"
Neelix: "The chants of the monks of T'Panit. Personally I think it's dreadful too but it's one of Tuvok's favourites."
The Doctor gets Neelix to stop the music, but meanwhile Tuvok has awoken.

Tuvok is mute and confused. He is frightened by the Doctor's scanning device. Neelix reassures Tuvok by scanning himself to show that it is not harmful.

Aboard the Delta Flyer, Naroq's scanner detects veridium isotopes, residual particles from the Ba'Neth's cloaking field. He has detected these isotopes before, but only after they decayed: they have a brief half-life, less than 70 hours. As the isotopes on the Delta Flyer are still active, they use Naroq's photolitic converter to illuminate them, and see the shape of a Ba'Neth. Naroq notes it has tentacles: he always thought they were multipeds. Janeway orders Seven to modify the deflector so that it can be used to make the Ba'Neth ship visible.

In Sickbay the Doctor reports Tuvok's condition to Janeway. Neelix says he will take Tuvok on a tour of the ship, in case the sight of familiar places and people help him. Neelix promises, "Don't worry, captain. Tuvok will be back to his old self before you can say 'Live long and prosper'."

Neelix takes Tuvok to the Bridge but he does not seem to recognise anyone, nor is he familiar with the controls at the tactical station. He accidentally enables a weapons array.

Last but not least, Neelix shows Tuvok his quarters, telling him that he spent a lot of time here, reading, meditating. "Mr Paris once referred to it as the Vulcan Vault."

Seven's modification to the deflector is successful, though not one but a whole fleet of Ba'Neth ships is made visible. They have been watching Voyager all along. Janeway hails them and assures them Voyager has no hostile intentions, but the Ba'Neth open fire. Tuvok is terrified and crouches by a table leg. Neelix comforts him. After the attack, Tuvok speaks his first words.

Captain's Ready Room. Janeway and Naroq try to learn the Ba'Neth's cloaking frequency. Naroq hands Tuvok his damaged tricorder and asked if he recalls what he saw. But the memory is too disturbing for Tuvok who drops the tricorder.

Janeway suggests to Tuvok that he and she have dinner together but Tuvok replies that he prefers to stay with Neelix.

Messhall. Kal-toh game.
Kim: "The object of the game is to turn this jumble of rods into a perfect sphere. We take turns positioning our pieces. Whoever gets the shape to appear first, wins."
Tuvok: "I like the way it looks now."
Neelix: "This has always been one of your favourite games, Tuvok. It helps keep your logic sharp."

Tuvok: "I don't like this game."

Sickbay. Frustrated and disappointed with himself, Tuvok discusses his personnel record with Neelix. He has learned that Tuvok was an instructor at Starfleet Acadamy, has received seventeen commendations of valour; he is a husband, a father.
Neelix: "You're an extraordinary fellow, Tuvok."
Tuvok: "I was an extraordinary fellow."
Neelix: "You're still the same person."
Tuvok: "Then why do I no longer work on the Bridge?"
Neelix: "We talked about that. You had an accident."
Tuvok: "And now I'm not smart enough."
Neelix: "Tuvok, you've just got to be patient. Look how much progress you've made already."
Tuvok points to the picture of the old Tuvok: "He could dismantle a photonic warhead in less than thirty seconds. I can't even play kal-toh."
Neelix: "It's going to take time but you'll re-learn all those things."
Tuvok: "How do you know that?"
Neelix: "Well, because the Doctor-"
Tuvok: "The Doctor? He doesn't know how to make me better, does he?"
Neelix: "Not yet but-"
Tuvok: "I'll never be him again."
Neelix: "You don't know that. The Vulcan mind-"
Tuvok: "I'm not a Vulcan! Not any more!"
Tuvok pushes Neelix away, tears down the tapestry and pushes over the trolley of books.

	Neelix's riddle: "A lone ensign finds himself stranded on a class L planetoid with no rations. His only possession, a calendar. When Starfleet finds him twelve months later he's in perfect health. Why didn't he starve to death?" Tuvok: "It is a theoretical possibility that such planetoids contain hot water springs which could sustain the man for several weeks." Neelix: "Ooh, but not for a whole year." Tuvok: "I concur. Logic dictates that the ensign in question would perish." Neelix: "Aha! I stumped you! As a matter of fact, he not only survived but his belly was full. Why? Because he feasted on dates from the calendar."
	Tuvok takes a scan while investigating a mysterious download from the tactical database. Suddenly he is fired at by a cloaked lifeform.
	The Doctor manages to stabilise Tuvok's condition but he remains in a coma.
	Deputy Investigator Naroq, Kesat Security.

	As the Doctor says that someone in a coma might be brought out of it if talked to by a familiar voice, Neelix fills Sickbay with Tuvok's possessions including his Vulcan lute and kal-toh game. He brings flowers from the airponics bay. He tells Tuvok that he will read him the Vulcan drama 'Clash on the Fire Plains'; Neelix will play all twenty-three parts. He lights some Vulcan incense.
	From the computer's Vulcan audio file Neelix plays selection 56 alpha. Doctor: "Mr Neelix, what is that dreadful noise?" Neelix: "The chants of the monks of T'Panit. Personally I think it's dreadful too but it's one of Tuvok's favourites." The Doctor gets Neelix to stop the music, but meanwhile Tuvok has awoken.

	Janeway suggests to Tuvok that he and she have dinner together but Tuvok replies that he prefers to stay with Neelix.
	Messhall. Kal-toh game. Kim: "The object of the game is to turn this jumble of rods into a perfect sphere. We take turns positioning our pieces. Whoever gets the shape to appear first, wins." Tuvok: "I like the way it looks now." Neelix: "This has always been one of your favourite games, Tuvok. It helps keep your logic sharp."
	Tuvok: "I don't like this game."
	Sickbay. Frustrated and disappointed with himself, Tuvok discusses his personnel record with Neelix. He has learned that Tuvok was an instructor at Starfleet Acadamy, has received seventeen commendations of valour; he is a husband, a father. Neelix: "You're an extraordinary fellow, Tuvok." Tuvok: "I was an extraordinary fellow." Neelix: "You're still the same person." Tuvok: "Then why do I no longer work on the Bridge?" Neelix: "We talked about that. You had an accident." Tuvok: "And now I'm not smart enough." Neelix: "Tuvok, you've just got to be patient. Look how much progress you've made already." Tuvok points to the picture of the old Tuvok: "He could dismantle a photonic warhead in less than thirty seconds. I can't even play kal-toh." Neelix: "It's going to take time but you'll re-learn all those things." Tuvok: "How do you know that?" Neelix: "Well, because the Doctor-" Tuvok: "The Doctor? He doesn't know how to make me better, does he?" Neelix: "Not yet but-" Tuvok: "I'll never be him again." Neelix: "You don't know that. The Vulcan mind-" Tuvok: "I'm not a Vulcan! Not any more!" Tuvok pushes Neelix away, tears down the tapestry and pushes over the trolley of books.