06x06 - Riddles

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Ambassador's log, stardate 53263.2.

Though helpful during my negotiations
on the Kesat Homeworld,

Tuvok certainly hasn't been the most
sociable of travel companions.

Mr Neelix.

Sorry.

How about a game
of "Species, Starship or Anomaly"?

Surely you could find something
more productive to do.

Come on, it'll be fun.

You think of something -
species, anomaly or starship,

and I have 15 questions
to guess what it is.

- I would prefer peace and quiet.
- How about a riddle?

Mr Neelix.

Come on, it'll be fun.

- I have no desire for fun.
- OK, forget fun.

A good riddle
can stimulate the mind.

No self-respecting Vulcan
can say no to that.

Very well. One riddle.

Here goes.

A lone ensign finds himself stranded
on a Class-L planetoid with no rations.

His only possession - a calendar.

When Starfleet finds him 12 months
later, he's in perfect health.

Why didn't he starve to death?

It is a theoretical possibility that such
planetoids contain hot water springs,

which could sustain the man
for several weeks.

- But not for a whole year.
- I concur.

Logic dictates that the ensign
in question would perish.

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.

Your answer is merely wordplay.
It has no basis in reality.

- Excuse me.
- Where are you going?

To find some peace and quiet.

Have fun.

- Tuvok to Neelix.
- Miss me already?

Did you activate the aft tactical station?

No. Why?

There appears to be
a download in progress.

- That's odd.
- I'm detecting anomalous readings.

What sort of readings?

I'm not certain, but I believe
it's a cloaking frequency that...

Commander?

Tuvok!

Delta Flyer to Voyager. Mayday.

Tuvok, what happened?

Report.

He's in shock. I need more synapizine.

I'll get it.

I'll need to try a cortical stimulation.

Initiate a neurostatic pulse on my mark.

Now.

Again.

His vital signs have stabilised for now.

He suffered severe neurological trauma.

Do you know what caused it?

Some kind of alien w*apon.

When I found him,
his attacker was gone.

Any indication of cloaked vessels?

Tending to him and piloting the Flyer,

I had my hands full.

I didn't think to scan for cloaked ships.

You saved Tuvok's life. Don't be sorry.

How do you plan to treat him?

I'll run a series of scans

but it would help to know the w*apon.

These Kesat you were negotiating with,

could they know something about this?

It couldn't hurt to ask.

Time to reopen diplomatic channels.

Naroq, Kesat security.

Captain Janeway, Chakotay, Neelix.

You've done your homework.

I familiarised myself on the way here.

We're hoping you can shed some light.

I believe I can.

I think he was a victim of the Ba'Neth.

- I've never heard of them.
- Their name means shadow people.

They're obsessed
with concealing identity.

- Paranoid and xenophobic.
- That explains the cloaking technology.

I believe they are responsible
for several att*cks similar to this.

Why wasn't I warned about them
during our negotiations?

Because my government
think they do not exist.

- People think they are a myth.
- There's nothing mythical about this.

Why is your government so sceptical?

There have been so few encounters
with the Ba'Neth

and no one's actually seen one.

How many encounters
are we talking about exactly?

Before this incident, 12.

I guess we're lucky 13.

Lucky I gave my supervisor some
Kesatian ale to get this assignment.

He would have attributed Tuvok's injuries
to unexplained phenomenon.

No offence, Mr Naroq,

but what makes you so sure
the Ba'Neth aren't a myth?

This incident fits the pattern.

All the encounters have occurred
aboard foreign vessels.

The Ba'Neth are assessing
the technology of new arrivals.

They were trying
to download tactical data.

Tuvok suffered neurological damage.
That's consistent with previous att*cks.

The Ba'Neth made sure
he would not tell anyone what he saw.

Maybe that's why
Tuvok's tricorder was destroyed.

They didn't want us to see
the cloaking frequency he found.

- He found a cloaking frequency?
- Apparently.

I don't blame you
for finding my theories a bit eccentric.

I'm used to it. It's why
I'm still a deputy investigator.

But I brought equipment
to help your investigation.

Let me examine Tuvok
and run scans in the vessel.

I may finally
be able to prove my theories.

With all due respect, we're more
interested in saving Tuvok's life.

If we work together,
maybe we can do both.

His cognitive and logic centres
have been severely damaged.

But he has brain activity,
more than I can say for previous victims.

Vulcan neural tissue is resilient. A brain
from a lesser species would not survive.

If you could only tell us
what you saw.

I don't think we'll be hearing from him.

Keep working. I'll let you know
if we find anything that'll help.

I'll take you to see
where the att*ck occurred.

- Something I can do for you?
- I want to help.

Unless you have a degree
in Vulcan neurobiology,

there's nothing you can do.

There must be something.

My advice is to return to your quarters
and get some rest.

There's no way I'll be able to sleep
knowing Tuvok is lying here like this.

There have been rare cases in which
comatose patients responded to stimuli -

aromas, touch, voices.

So, you're saying that if I stay here
and try to talk to Tuvok,

I might be able
to provoke a response?

If anyone can provoke Tuvok,
it's you.

Good morning. I brought a few more
items to help liven up sickbay.

Your kal-toh game, in case you decide
you're ready for a match.

I thought you might enjoy a recitation
of that classic proto-Vulcan drama,

"Clash on the Fire Plains".

I'll be performing all 23 parts myself.

I also brought you some flowers
from the airponics bay.

That's fragrant, isn't it?

Perhaps you'd enjoy
some Vulcan incense.

Now, how about some music?

Computer,
access Vulcan audio file.

Selection 56 alpha.

- Mr Neelix, what is that dreadful noise?
- The chants of the monks of T'Panit.

I think it's dreadful,
but it's one of Tuvok's favourites.

I appreciate your efforts, but I'm trying
to analyse his neurological scans

and this music is very distracting.

- You said to stimulate his senses.
- Stimulate them, not annihilate them.

Computer, pause music.

Thank you.

Doctor?

Tuvok.

You've had an accident.
You're in sickbay.

Relax. I only want to scan you.

Don't worry,
he's only trying to help you.

It's only a tricorder. See?
It won't hurt you.

Now try it.

Well done, Mr Neelix.

- Chakotay says you found something.
- That is an understatement.

Listen.

- What is it?
- The sound of history being made.

Less poetry, more facts.

That sound indicates
the presence of veridium isotopes.

- Particles from the cloaking field.
- You've detected these before?

Only after they've decayed.
Veridium has a brief half-life,

under 70 hours. Previous studies
have been months or years old.

- These isotopes are still active.
- His converter will illuminate them.

So you see
why this is an historic moment?

We may finally learn
what the Ba'Neth look like.

Well, let's see what we've got.

- You don't know how long I've waited.
- So they aren't a myth after all.

- It's the clearest image ever captured.
- Perhaps.

- I can adjust our sensors to improve it.
- You might disrupt the image entirely.

Tentacles. I always suspected
they were multipeds.

- Captain, report to sickbay.
- I'm on my way.

Seven, if we can integrate Mr Naroq's
technology into the deflector array,

we could decloak a Ba'Neth ship.

It only works at close range.
We have to find the ship.

- We still need that cloaking frequency.
- One step at a time.

The Vulcan brain. A puzzle
inside an enigma inside a cranium.

Tuvok's neural pathways
are bypassing the damaged tissue.

They're forming connections.
His brain is rewiring itself.

Whether this is due to my therapy
or Neelix's rehabilitation,

or a combination, I can't be certain.

- Will he make a full recovery?
- It's too soon to say.

But he's alert
and he's regained his motor skills.

- But still no speech.
- It's only a matter of time.

- Look how far he's come already.
- I hope you're right.

If he could talk, he could tell us
about that cloaking frequency.

We're not sure how much he recalls
or if he recognises any of us,

or even knows who he is.

I'll take him on a tour of the ship.

The Doctor thinks familiar sights and
sounds might get the juices flowing.

Tuvok will be back to his old self before
you can say, "Live long and prosper."

I've brought a visitor.

Good to see you up and around.

You remember Commander Chakotay.

We were running a shield diagnostic.
Would you like to look?

This is tactical station,
where you work.

Just keeping it warm for you.
Hope you don't mind.

That's the shield array.
This controls the tractor emitters.

I think he remembers it.

Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!

He just activated
the photon torpedo banks.

That's all right.
Everybody makes mistakes.

We'll be back later.

Last but not least... your quarters.

You spend a lot of time here.

Reading, meditating.

Mr Paris once referred to it
as "the Vulcan vault”.

Look around. Explore.

Astrometrics to the bridge, we have
completed our deflector modifications.

- We're ready to test the array.
- Reduce speed to one quarter impulse.

- Full power to the deflector array.
- Aye.

All right, Seven. Do it.

Activating the deflector.

I'd call that a pretty successful test.

- They've been watching us all along.
- Hail them.

Which one?
There's practically a fleet.

This is Captain Janeway
of the Federation starship Voyager.

- We intend you no harm.
- They're charging weapons.

Shields.

- They're scrambling in all directions.
- Follow the lead vessel.

It's OK, Tuvok. I'm here with you.
Everything is going to be all right.

You're safe with me.

Still no response to our hails.

I hate to ruin a good chase, but the
Ba'Neth ship is moving out of range.

- Can you get their cloaking frequency?
- They block our scans.

We've lost them.

They're gone now, Tuvok.

I told you you'd be safe.

Yes, you did.

Tuvok?

What... Tell me. What did I do?

You told me that I wouldn't be hurt.

Do you know who I am?

You're Neelix.

I'm safe with you.

We need Tuvok to tell us anything
about the att*ck.

Captain, he may be talking again,
but he's not ready to be interrogated.

He's beginning to experience
volatile emotions.

- During this encounter, he was terrified.
- We'll tread lightly, I promise.

All right. You can come in now.

It's nice to see you.

- Captain Janeway.
- That's right.

This is Mr Naroq. Please sit down.

Two days ago, you were aboard
a shuttle with Mr Neelix.

- You detected a cloaked intruder.
- He att*cked you.

Yes.
That's why I'm having difficulty now.

And in order to help you, we have
to find the people who hurt you.

Before the intruder injured you,
you managed to scan him with this.

You recorded his cloaking frequency,
but the information was lost.

Can you tell us
anything about that frequency?

Try to remember.

- I was scanning.
- That's right. What did you see?

- I don't remember.
- Try.

- That's enough. We're done for now.
- But, Captain...

Join Seven in astrometrics.
See if she's made any progress.

We should go. The crew have offered
to help with Tuvok's rehabilitation.

I thought we might have lunch later.
Just the two of us.

I'd prefer to stay with Neelix.

Well, Tuvok, I'm sure that you would...

It's all right. Go ahead.
I have a lot of work to do anyway.

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.

I like the way it looks now.

What do you say we give it a try?

This has always been
one of your favourite games.

It helps keep your logic sharp.

I'll go first.

- Now you.
- Go ahead.

I don't like this game.

When you first taught me,
I wasn't very good either.

But you encouraged me
and soon I scored my first kal-toh.

- It just takes practice, that's all.
- Try again. You can do it.

I don't like this game.

The doctor helped me access
my personnel file.

Nice picture.
You should see mine. It's awful.

I was an instructor at Starfleet Academy.

I've received 17 commendations
for valour.

I'm a husband, a father.

You're an extraordinary fellow.

I was an extraordinary fellow.

You're still the same person.

Then why do I
no longer work on the bridge?

We talked about that.
You had an accident.

Now I'm not smart enough.

You've just got to be patient.

Look how much progress
you've made already.

He could dismantle a photonic warhead
in less than 30 seconds.

I can't even play kal-toh.

It's going to take time
but you'll re-learn all those things.

- How do you know that?
- Because the Doctor...

The Doctor doesn't know
how to make me better, does he?

- Not yet, but...
- I'll never be him again.

- You don't know that. The Vulcan mind...
- I'm not a Vulcan.

Not any more!

- What's going on?
- It's OK. I can handle this.

Try to relax.
Everything's going to be fine.

No, nothing's fine.
Get away from me.

You'd better go. Now.
I'll take it from here.

Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt.

- You didn't.
- Yes, I did.

You were pondering.

Something difficult,
by the looks of it.

Anything I can help you with?

- Unlikely.
- Try me.

How do you find something
that's invisible?

- The Ba'Neth.
- We have the ability to illuminate them.

But we must first locate them, which we
can't do without their cloaking frequency.

A riddle.

One we might solve if Commander
Tuvok could tell us what he saw.

How is his rehabilitation progressing?

Well, I thought it was going great,

but now... Let's just say
that I've got a riddle of my own.

Try me.

All right.

When is a Vulcan no longer a Vulcan?

When his genetic code
is sufficiently altered.

I was speaking metaphorically.

A person is no longer
Vulcan when he has lost his logic.

- Right. And how does he get it back?
- He must be taught.

But what if he's brain-damaged
and emotionally unstable?

How does he learn?

It may be impossible for him to learn
what you're trying to teach.

- Well, thanks for the pep talk.
- You must adapt to the circumstances.

What circumstances? Are you saying
that the Tuvok I know is gone?

When I was separated from
the collective, I too was damaged.

I lost many abilities that I had acquired
as a drone. But I adapted.

Because Janeway didn't give up
on you. She kept trying to help you.

But not by restoring me
to what I had been.

By helping me discover
what I could become.

- What are you making?
- A flower.

It's for you.

Thank you.

I'm not sure I deserve a gift.

I shouldn't have shouted at you.
I was angry. I'm sorry.

You were frustrated.
I don't blame you.

I'm the one who should be apologising.

- Why?
- Because I was pushing you too hard.

I tried to mold you
into something you weren't.

You were disappointed in me because I
can't do anything as well as I did before.

Maybe there are things
that you can do better.

What can I do better?

This, for example.

You would have considered it
an illogical use of your time.

- It's not good.
- No, it's wonderful.

It's creative. It's a symbol of friendship.

Before your accident, you never would
have considered my feelings.

You would certainly
never have made me a gift.

We weren't friends?

We were colleagues,
and I certainly felt affection for you.

But I didn't return those feelings.

You... tolerated me.

I don't understand.

You said things like, "Mr Neelix,
please contain your exuberance.”

And, "Mr Neelix,
I have no desire for fun."

You never smiled. You've got
a better sense of humour now.

- I like to smile.
- Me too.

I don't want to play kal-toh any more.

Or meditate. Or work on logic problems.

- You don't have to.
- What can we do instead?

Whatever you want.

Teach me things that you like to do.

Here we are.
A triple chocolate Wikki fruit sundae

with warm Fetran sauce.

- Fetran sauce on a sundae?
- Wait till you taste it.

- You really made this?
- As Neelix says, dig in.

Mm.

- This is great.
- This is fantastic.

What did I tell you?
Tuvok has a flair for food.

He's been creating recipes using
combinations I never would imagine.

For example, terra-nut souffle, Jibalian
fudge cake with peppermint coulis,

sweet leola root tart.

- Only desserts? How come?
- They taste good.

- Tuvok may put you out of a job.
- From your mouth to Janeway's ears.

She must have heard me.

- What's all this?
- We're having fun.

Turns out
Tuvok is quite the pastry chef.

- Would you like some terra-nut souffle?
- I'd love some. Thank you.

- That is delicious.
- I'm pleased that you like it.

- What are you making now?
- Pistachio cake with parra-cream.

- Parra-cream's my favourite.
- Then you will have the first piece.

Tuvok, have you remembered any more
about what happened on the Flyer?

I detected a cloaking frequency.

Yes, that's right.
Can you describe it?

- I don't know.
- Did it have a symmetric modulation?

- Was the amplitude constant?
- I don't understand.

It's all right. I don't mean to push you,
but maybe...

It's difficult for him.
Maybe you can try again tomorrow.

This.

- This is what I saw.
- What is it?

A cloaking frequency.

Captain's log, supplemental.

The computer has analysed the
diagram and identified the frequency.

We've narrowed the search
to a few systems.

Here we go. A nine million terrawatt
cloaking field in grid 216.

Nine million?
Whatever they're hiding, it's huge.

Alter course.
Bridge to astrometrics, status?

The deflector array is ready.

Raise shields.

- We're within range.
- All right, Seven. Light them up.

It's an armed outpost.
Approximately 3,000 lifesigns, 22 ships.

Hail them.

- No response.
- Charging weapons.

Open a channel.
All subspace bands.

They're f*ring.

Cease fire immediately.

Or I'll transmit the coordinates of
this outpost to the Kesat Homeworld.

That got their attention.

Several days ago, a member of
your species att*cked my crewman.

He was badly injured. To treat him, I
need to know about the w*apon used.

They're responding. Audio only.

- We do not share technology.
- But you take it from others.

The attacker was downloading our
database when the incident occurred.

- We must assess potential threats.
- Paranoid. Just as I predicted.

In exchange for information
about your w*apon,

we'll provide tactical data on several
species we've encountered.

You can assess their potential threats
all you want.

The Kesat investigator
aboard your vessel cannot be trusted.

You know about me?

You have been attempting
to expose us for years.

You must be stopped.

- They're charging weapons again.
- Wait.

It was my photolitic converter
that allowed Voyager to decloak you.

If you give Janeway what she wants,
I'll give you the converter.

You can use it to adapt your technology
so ours can no longer expose you.

I doubt you'll get as enticing an offer
from the Kesat Homeworld.

It would be a shame
if you forced me to hail them.

We have an agreement.

Enter.

- What are you listening to?
- A selection from Tom's jazz database.

It really swings.

Computer, pause the music.

I've been reviewing holodeck files. I wish
to visit the Risa Water Recreation Park.

- Will you accompany me?
- After your Doctor's appointment.

- Appointment?
- He's analysed the Ba'Neth w*apon.

He's devised a procedure to treat you.

You... should be proud of yourself.

If you hadn't drawn on the cake,
we may never have found a treatment.

I wish I never drew that picture.

Why?

Because I don't wish
to undergo the procedure.

You have pre-operative jitters.
Don't worry, everyone gets them.

Just think about it. In a few hours,
you'll be yourself again.

I am myself.

But you'll be able to do all the things
that you used to do.

Work on the bridge,
advise the captain.

I want to be able to have fun.
With you.

I won't be able to, will I?

Well...

You won't call it fun.
You'll call it "deriving satisfaction”.

But it's basically the same thing.
You'll still experience emotions.

- But I won't express them.
- Probably not.

Then how will you know
how much I enjoy being with you?

You've just told me.

- We'll still be friends?
- Of course.

Even if I... merely tolerate you?

I'd be lying if I told you that
things between us will stay the same.

Well, why?

Why do you want me
to go back to the way I was?

Because this crew
needs its tactical officer on the bridge.

I wouldn't be a very good friend
if I ignored that

just so that you'd be nicer to me.

Mr Tuvok, I was beginning to think
you weren't coming.

I was experiencing pre-operative jitters.
Neelix helped me overcome them.

Glad to hear it.
Now please lie down.

- I'll see you after the procedure?
- Of course.

I'm going to miss him.

Me too.

- Hello, Commander.
- Mr Neelix.

It's good to see you up and about.

- Feeling better?
- The Doctor approved my return to duty.

That's wonderful news.

- How about a glass of champagne?
- Tea will suffice.

Of course.

I'm preparing a special dinner tonight
in honour of your recovery.

I don't suppose you'd be interested in
preparing one of your famous desserts?

I have more important things to do than
prepare nutritionally deficient foods.

- Maybe another time.
- Sundaes.

I beg your pardon.

I have given further consideration
to your riddle

about the ensign who survived by
consuming the dates on his calendar.

It occurs to me that he could also
have eaten the sundaes.

That's a very clever answer, Mr Vulcan.

But it's not very logical, is it?

No. It's not.