THE RELATIONSHIP OF TUVOK AND NEELIX : Part A

Neelix is beamed aboard, his first-ever experience of being in a transporter beam. Neelix: "Astonishing! You Federations are obviously an advanced culture." Tuvok: "The Federation is made up of many cultures. I am Vulcan." Neelix mistakenly thinks that "Vulcan" is the other's name. He indicates himself: "Neelix."

[#1 and #2 Caretaker]

Left: The dignified logical Tuvok meets the ebullient Neelix in 2371, in the story [#1 and #2 Caretaker]. Neelix hugs Tuvok: "Good to meet you!"

[#1 and #2 Caretaker]

[#16 Learning Curve]

In [#16 Learning Curve] Neelix offers Tuvok advice on how to teach his difficult Maquis crewmembers, advice which Tuvok then successfully follows. In the messhall Neelix uses Tuvok keela flower stems to make a point. Tuvok, "You are saying that the Maquis crew is rigid and inflexible, that they will never adjust to Starfleet rules." "No, Mr Vulcan," replies Neelix in his role as morale officer, "I'm saying that YOU are rigid and inflexible, but maybe if you learned to bend a little..." He also suggests Tuvok gets to know his recruits, advice which is not a success.

In the story [Tuvix], as the result of a transporter accident, for two weeks Tuvok and Neelix became one person; he/they rejected the name "Neelox" in favour of "Tuvix".

[Tuvix]

[Rise]

In [#61 Rise], Tuvok and Neelix along with several of the Nezu species crashland on the planet which is only hours away from destruction threatened by meteorites. Despite Tuvok's wish that they all remain in the shuttlecraft and await rescue by Voyager, Neelix takes the group to a maglev carriage, mostly repairs it, and the group ascend an orbital tether in order to reach high enough for a distress signal to reach Voyager. Matters are complicated by having a traitor amongst them. Neelix's instinct tells him to go onto the roof of the maglev carriage, a highly dangerous proposition, to investigate the last words of the murdered Dr Vatm. But Tuvok resists the idea.

Neelix says to Tuvok: "You have no feelings for me, but you have feelings against me. For three years you've ridiculed me, and made it obvious to everyone that you have no respect for me. And I've tolerated it. You know why? You know why? Because you are smarter than I am, Tuvok, and more logical and stronger and superior in almost every way. And I admire you. But you don't have any instincts, you don't have any gut feelings, and you don't really understand people." Tuvok decides to go onto the maglev carriage roof himself: "I am looking for Mr Neelix's instinct. Perhaps it will be marked." Neelix and Tuvok between them thwart the traitor, discover the traitor's secret, and they and the Nezu survivors are safely transported to Voyager. We see more of Tuvok's and Neelix's relationship as shown in [Rise] on Page 2.

To better understand the feelings of murderer Lon Suder, in [#32 Meld], Tuvok mind-melded with the Betazoid named Lon Suder who had murdered Crewman Frank Darwin. But the experiment backfired as Suder's violent tendencies transmitted themselves to Tuvok. He suspended himself from duty and locked himself in his quarters which he trashed. During his attempt to regain mental control, Tuvok ran a holodeck program in which he strangled the irritating Neelix after Neelix's effort to cheer him up proved too much (pictured right).

[#32 Meld]