Summary for Star Trek: Voyager episode
Course: Oblivion
Season 5, Episode 17
Stardate: 52586.3
Co-stars:
Majel Barrett as the "Computer voice"
Teleplay by: Bryan Fuller and Nick Sagan
Story by: Bryan Fuller
Story Editors: Bryan Fuller and Nick Sagan
Events:
The show opens with a wedding being held in a crew lounge. The ceremonies have yet to start and the guests are mingling. The first shot shows the wedding cake being wheeled in. It's a marvelous piece of culinary engineering, with several columns rising from the main cake supporting smaller versions of the cake (colours: white with pink accents). On top of one of these smaller cakes is a pair of small Star Fleet figurines that look an awful lot like Tom and B'Elanna.
Harry, playing clarinet, leads a trio (one crewman plays guitar while another plays bass fiddle). They play a rendition of Benny Goodman's "Heart and Soul".
Champagne is being delivered to the guests.
Doc is talking with Seven (Doc brought along his holographic 'camera' to take pictures ;-). Their conversation, which we don't hear over the noise of the other guests, is interrupted by Neelix carrying small sacks of rice.
Neelix is concerned that he doesn't understand this marriage ritual right. He's concerned that the rice is not cooked. Doc explains that throwing uncooked rice at the bride and groom after the ceremony is symbolic of good fortune...
Doc: "...not garnish them like a roast chicken."
Neelix proceeds to hand out the "good fortune" and the camera cuts to another entrance to the lounge where the bride (B'Elanna) and 'father of the bride' (Chakotay) stand ready.
Neelix looks up and notices them and quickly (and quietly) announces "Red Alert" for Harry. Harry interrupts "Heart and Soul" and begins playing the familiar "Wedding March". And with a pull of her arm, Chakotay leads B'Elanna down the 'aisle'.
Off by the observation windows Janeway comforts Tom by reminding him he's reached the end of bachelorhood. While Tom admits to having many 'doubts', in the end he smiles at his bride and I've little doubt he's pleased to be on the verge of marriage.
As the bride reaches Janeway and Tom, Doc, Seven and Tuvok exchange some poignant observations:
Doc: "I never thought I'd see the day."
Seven: "Given the volatile nature of their relationship one might have predicted homicide rather than matrimony."
Tuvok: "When it comes to affairs of the human heart it is wise to look beyond logic."
So Tuvok also thought the "logical prediction" was "homicide", eh ;-)?
The camera shifts to the wedding party. Off to the side is B'Elanna's 'flower girl' (she has no maid or matron of honour in her party). Harry joins the group as Tom's best man, standing behind B'Elanna. And Chakotay stands behind Tom. Janeway presides.
She announces first that they are here for the wedding. Then she states B'Elanna has consented to the exclusion of Klingon pain-stick rituals, to which Harry rejoins "They're saving the pain-sticks for the honeymoon". The guests chuckle.
Janeway continues by informing everyone that Tom and B'Elanna have written their own wedding vows.
Tom: "I still don't know what I've done to deserve you. But whatever it is I'll try to keep doing it. And I promise to stand by you, to honour you, 'til death do us part."
Harry is prompted to give Tom the ring.
Tom: "May this ring be a symbol for our eternal love". He slides a gold band onto her finger. There is no engagement ring.
B'Elanna: "You stood by me when most people would have run for the airlock. You were willing to see past my short-comings and to take all the bumps and bruises that came along with it. You made me a better person even though I put up one hell of a fight. I look forward to our journey together."
Chakotay is prompted to give the ring to B'Elanna.
B'Elanna: "May this ring be the symbol for our eternal love". She slides the ring onto his finger.
Tom reaches forward to kiss B'Elanna and Janeway stops them.
Janeway: "Lieutenant Thomas Eugene Paris...Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres...with the power vested in me by Star Fleet Command and the United Federation of Planets I now declare you husband and wife."
Tom kisses B'Elanna to the sound of applause from the guests.
B'Elanna's 'flower girl' hands her the bouquet which B'Elanna flips over her shoulder. It is caught by Seven.
Doc: "Congratulations."
Seven: "For what?"
Tuvok: "You may not want to know."
To the sound of applause, cheers, hurled rice and a jazzed up version of the "Wedding March" the newly weds walk down the aisle towards the exit. Time slows down and we are shown a section of the carpet where the rice is falling. The floor seems to ripple slowly, and as the camera cuts to a Jeffries tube below that section of floor we see rice raining down on a decidedly rippling tube.
All is not right here.
The show cuts to opening credits and commercials.
When we return, Janeway is reciting her log entry for Stardate 52586.3. Apparently there are many things to celebrate: the wedding, Ensign Harper's baby being born, and an enhanced warp engine that is bringing them closer to home.
Chakotay discusses the consequences of having a better warp engine. Predictions are they will be home in about two years. They'll fly straight through the Milky Way. Janeway considers a couple of interesting astronomical phenomena along the way worth investigating. Chakotay thinks everyone will be willing to spend the time analyzing these phenomena, but Janeway points out Seven won't. Chakotay tells her not to worry about personnel, that's his job and they both smile.
In the cafeteria Neelix and Tom are discussing honeymoon spots. Neelix has a program that includes crickets, whose 'song' is reputed to be an aphrodisiac. Tom assures him they don't need aphrodisiacs. Neelix suggests another program where Tom and B'Elanna could surf oceans of liquid argon (that's -185.8 C [-302.4 F] folks). Tom passes.
He has in mind a return to Chicago circa 1920s ("The Roaring Twenties"). In their discussion it is obvious Tom misses Earth a good deal.
Meanwhile, in engineering, B'Elanna is giving last minute instructions to Seven before she heads off to her honeymoon. It quickly becomes apparent that B'Elanna is being over-protective of 'her' engines.
While discussing the 'personality' of this warp drive, an alarm indicates a minor power fluctuation. Seven proceeds to the Jeffries tube to correct it, and B'Elanna, who still has 20 minutes to her honeymoon, decides to accompany Seven.
While on the way Seven and B'Elanna discuss lifestyles. Seven sees no point to monogamous relationships, preferring to remain free to interact as she pleases. B'Elanna is sorry she brought up the subject.
They reach a port part way down a tube and find it won't open. Seven uses the manual release. Looking down the tube we see it rippling, much as it did after the wedding. Seven reports that the tube is losing its molecular cohesion. B'Elanna realizes the honeymoon will have to be postponed.
In the briefing room, B'Elanna explains that the new engine is causing the problem. It's emitting some form of radiation that is affecting surrounding areas. Janeway asks if the engines were taken offline and B'Elanna says it didn't work.
Harry is confused, claiming they ran several simulations and they were aware of this radiation but it caused no problems.
Janeway decides to analyze the problem and stabilize the affected areas.
The scene cuts to B'Elanna's quarters, where B'Elanna records her personal log, stating that she's worked on the problem and still not found a solution. Then she is struck by a sense of coldness. Checking the computer she is told the temperature didn't change and so she asks for the temperature to be raised five degrees.
She moves off to her bathroom, and looking in the mirror notices that her right cheek seems to be rippling slightly.
The scene cuts to a hall where Tom and Harry are discussing the night's events. Harry invites Tom for dinner but Tom declines, to be with his wife.
Upon entering their quarters, Tom notices the room is excessively warm. he adjusts the temperature and then hears B'Elanna moaning. She is huddled on the floor kneeling and shivering with cold. Tom takes her to sick bay where a few patients are already shivering; the nearest one has markings on his face. Doc announces the ship is experiencing an epidemic.
The show cuts to commercials.
When we return, Tom is giving B'Elanna a bio-scan. Her forehead shows white markings. Doc reports to Janeway it is cell degradation caused by proximity to the warp core. He claims their cells are breaking down at the molecular level and that although his three other patients all work in engineering he has found that the entire crew is affected to some degree, even the captain.
Janeway is baffled. She claims the engine is offline yet the deterioration continues.
In the cafeteria we find Tuvok, Chakotay and Neelix discussing some other odd symptoms. Apparently anything brought onboard within the past 30 to 40 weeks is immune to the degradation.
In Astrometrics Chakotay and Tuvok discuss events around that time frame. Tuvok notes they met a species known as the Camada 8 months and 17 days before the present. Chakotay recalls they tried to sabotage Voyager's life support with theta radiation. Tuvok dismisses that as an unlikely cause. 9 months and 2 days in the past they met the Nekree who tried to add Voyager to their battle fleet through conscription. Chakotay dismisses that one. They continue reviewing past events as the scene cuts to Sick Bay.
There Tom watches over B'Elanna. She stirs and they trade gibes. Tom hands her a data chip and tells her it's their honeymoon. Her hand is covered in white scales.
She asks him to describe it. Painfully, he tells her they have six days and seven nights in the Greystone Hotel in Chicago in 1928. She fades in and out, managing to ask about the champagne. Tom assures her it's on ice beside their canopy bed.
While Tom talks, B'Elanna slips away. An alarm sounds and Doc steps in, trying some life-saving procedure. It fails. Tom loses it and tries a more radical procedure which fails. Doc tells Tom to return to his quarters but Tom angrily refuses, wanting to be with B'Elanna. More gently, Doc tells Tom he needs to perform an autopsy to try to find a solution, and he must do it soon before her cells degrade further.
Tom accepts the inevitable.
Back in astrometrics, Chakotay and Tuvok continue to analyze the past. Ten months and eleven days back they review the events shown in the fourth season episode called "Demon". They explain to the audience that Voyager had landed on a planet considered inhospitable, to refuel. The planet contained bio-mimetic gel which sampled the DNA of the crew and created duplicates of the entire crew. Both confess to wondering what happened to the duplicates.
The scene cuts to Sick Bay where Tom has left and Doc is completing his study of B'Elanna. Confirming that she's dead, Chakotay tells the Doc to scan for deuterium, hydrogen sulphates, and di-chromates. Doc is alarmed at the suggestion but does the scan. Sure enough, all three appear to be inside B'Elanna. Chakotay requires one more test. He tells Doc to inject the body with a di-chromate catalyst. B'Elanna's form degenerates into a silver liquid, thus confirming she was a bio-mimetic duplicate of the real B'Elanna.
Tuvok delivers the stunning realization that the entire crew are all bio-mimetic duplicates.
The show cuts to commercials.
When we return we're still in Sick Bay. Tuvok, Doc and Chakotay are explaining the facts to Janeway. She decides to continue on their course to Earth. No reason is given beyond the fact she feels like Janeway even if she isn't.
Janeway announces she'll tell the crew. She meets with a group in the cafeteria, which now houses several beds and patients. She tells them about what they are and what her decision is regarding the trip to Earth.
After she dismisses the crew she leaves the room, and Harry offers Tom his condolences. Tom points out there is no one there by the name of "Tom" and brushes off the condolences.
Tom is very bitter about his loss and now this news. Finding out everyone is a duplicate has pushed him into an apathetic state. When Harry persists Tom points out the real Harry could be at home already. He asks Harry what he's going to do when he walks in to see real Harry staring back and knowing what he is.
Harry counters by asking what else are they to do, wait until they die. Tom storms away without answering.
An external shot of Voyager shows the ship's hull rippling.
In the cafeteria Doc explains that all of the therapies he's tried have failed. He suggests they try to find the real Voyager and sample the DNA to use it as a way of stabilizing their condition. Janeway asks whether the real Janeway would even help. Doc is surprised, saying she would since the real Janeway is the same as the duplicate Janeway.
The scene cuts to the bridge, where they have located a type-y planet (ie another demon planet). They prepare to land but before they can they are 'greeted' by an alien ship. The aliens announce Voyager is trespassing and that force will be used to keep them away. The ship opens up fire on Voyager, which rocks under the impact.
The show cuts to commercials.
When we return, Janeway tries to convince the attacking ship to allow them to land to make repairs to the ship. The alien refuses, continuing to fire. Several decks are breached, turning into bio-mimetic gel. Weapons are useless on the alien and under continuing fire Voyager retreats.
Tom is obviously surly during this encounter. At one point challenging the captain, requiring Chakotay to order Tom to obey or leave the bridge. Tom complies.
After the encounter, Janeway orders a search for another y-type planet. She also orders a general distress call in hopes of finding the real Voyager. She also orders Tom to resume course for the Alpha Quadrant.
An angry Chakotay follows Janeway into the ready room. He makes plain that continuing to Earth is a mistake, that several people have challenged Janeway's authority, that some of the crew are recalling life on the demon planet. Janeway protests that she promised to get the crew home. Chakotay points out "home isn't Earth".
Their conversation is interrupted as Chakotay's face starts to ripple. The scene cuts to the Sick Bay where within seconds Chakotay is dead.
Back on the bridge, Janeway delivers a eulogy for Chakotay, describing him as a friend who was not afraid of letting her know when she erred. She orders Harry to bring the enhanced warp engines online and tells Tom to steer a course for the demon planet.
The show cuts for commercials.
When we return we have an external view of Voyager. Several hull plates are now showing as bio-mimetic gel (ie a silvery liquid).
Janeway announces in her log they are five weeks away from the demon planet and have lost 63 members of the crew.
During a briefing we learn that Doc was also lost along the way. The senior staff now consist of Janeway, Harry, Neelix, and Seven. They all look grotesque. Tom is in Sick Bay, incapacitated. Medical responsibilities are handed over to Neelix.
When asked about the core, Seven explains that she is using modified nanoprobes to hold the engines together. However, she also reports there is less than a 20% chance of the ship remaining in one piece till they arrive at the Demon planet.
Janeway tries to laugh at the bad news but her face ripples and alarms Harry.
Janeway orders the ship's official and personal logs be downloaded to a 'time capsule', to be jettisoned so as to ensure a record is kept of their "brief lives". Seven offers to use unaffected materials to make the capsule.
Their discussion is interrupted by the ship shuddering. Seems the deflector went offline and interstellar dust is affecting the warp field. The usual means to deal with this problem are not available due to the degradation of the ship, so they divert power to start up the deflector again and resume normal flight.
Neelix suggests this is cause for celebration, but it took the last of Janeway's strength and she dies in the captain's chair.
Harry takes over as acting captain. He records a log for Stardate 52597.4. Harry's log entry shows there isn't much hope for them.
While Harry is on the bridge Seven's cargo bay loses integrity. Harry seals the deck and then notices the ripples have reached the bridge. He calls to Seven in Engineering and manages to get the last of the energy reserves routed to provide shielding against the radiation. This stabilizes the bridge.
Harry decides now is a good time to launch the time capsule. Unfortunately the degradation to the ship has just destroyed it.
An alarm sounds, notifying Harry of an approaching craft. Though the screen doesn't work well, it displays what looks like Voyager pursuing them. Seven reports they are 22 light years away. Harry tries the sub-space communicator but it fails to function. His only hope is to use another communications system but the ship has to drop out of warp to use it. He orders Seven to drop out of warp but the controls are fused and beyond repair.
So Harry orders Seven to drop the core. Seven points out the ship will be destroyed at that speed. Harry says it doesn't much matter and Seven agrees. They eject the core and the ship suffers cataclysmic damage. A portion of the port nacelle drifts off like a bubble of mercury.
While getting a report from Seven, she is cut off and Harry calls out her name with no results. Checking with the computer, they are just over five minutes away from being able to hail the approaching ship.
The scene cuts to a racing Voyager. On board the real crew are trying to rescue the ship that sent the distress call. They've been unable to identify the ship.
When they rendezvous there is nothing awaiting them but a cloud of deuterium, di-chromates, etc. The duplicate Voyager and all aboard have lost their molecular cohesion and turned into dust and debris.
Janeway records that they'd received a distress call, tried to assist but arrived too late.
End of episode.
Personal reflections:
Once again a good concept poorly written. There were problems which I've described in the Nits spoiler.
On the bright side this episode did produce some good acting from Mulgrew playing the part of a sick Janeway. She was consistent and convincing.
But to be honest this was an ensemble show. I haven't seen too many recent episodes where the lines were divided as evenly as this. Everyone had a part to play.
And for the Paris/Torres fans, we got the wedding. Hope you enjoyed it because it might be as close as you'll get to a consummated marriage.
And for those people who wish Voyager would just end, the whole episode gave a certain amount of wish fulfillment (watching all the cast rot before our eyes and Voyager disintegrated slowly ought to satisfy someone).
To be honest I think this is much like "Night". Destroying the ship and crew and ensuring no one would remember them as they were is another metaphor for what may await the Star Trek: Voyager series. Pulling on our heart-strings only to assure us at the end that all would be well and Voyager would return the following week.
However, the premise does not cooperate with the effort to build suspense. Are we likely to have two Voyagers and crews running around the Delta Quadrant? Not likely. Did we really expect B'Elanna and Tom to remain married when we saw the floor ripple? Not really. When B'Elanna died did we really expect this to be the last word on B'Elanna? Uh uh. When we found out they were all bio-mimetic duplicates did we expect them to survive? Of course not.
So where was the suspense? What were we supposed to wonder about? Why were we supposed to care about a bunch of duplicates who'd forgotten they were duplicates? We knew they couldn't continue their existence after the show, just as we knew this in "Deadlock".
<sigh>
Now, had they been trying to kill the originals to take their place we'd have had some suspense till the alien mining ship kicked the fake Voyager's keister. Had they planned a fool-proof trap for the originals we could have worried about Voyager and crew. But we weren't given that show.
Essentially the plot was predictable once B'Elanna died and Tuvok and Chakotay recalled the Demon planet (both events occur back-to-back).
One last detail to point out. Did anyone notice how Robert Duncan McNeill managed to get through all of his scenes with no more than one small lick of white grease paint? Only he and Robert Picardo got to avoid the goop this episode ;-)
Thank you for your attention,
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