Summary for Star Trek: Voyager episode
Think Tank

Season 5, Episode 19
Stardate: Unknown

Guest Stars:
Christopher Darga as "Y'Sek"
Christopher Shea as "Saowin"
Steve Dennis as "Fennim"

Special Guest Star:
Jason Alexander as "Kurros"

Story by:
Rick Berman and Brannon Braga

Teleplay by:
Michael Taylor

Events:
The episode starts with a rather timid and exotic-looking alien (blue scales with darker blue mottling; no nose, as the upper lip is segmented all the way to where a nose would appear and the cheeks are pinched together over the bridge of the nose; blue eyes and a shock of hair like that of the Kazon, only blue) entering a rather bizarre room. The first thing he encounters is a tube filled with what looks like oxygenated sea water and a rather large (a little less than a metre wide) man-o-war. The alien examines this carefully, circling it.

He is greeted by another alien (his name is Fennim and he is brown, with several large spikes growing from the top of his head and down to his neck, no apparent nose or mouth but a number of holes border either side of a small ridge that runs up the middle of his face from his chin to the point on his head, the ears are large and seem to sweep back into a fringe). Fennim does not speak any known language, but rather sounds more like an ape's distorted voice.

The blue alien explains he's there to meet a "Mr. Kurros". Fennim jabbers something at him and turns, steps upon a large dais, and walks away. The blue alien follows and nervously calls out to Fennim, asking to be taken to Kurros. He passes what appears to be some kind of computer (shaped like a small rocket with tail stabilizers, a mounted blood-red bowl on top of the shaft and this is topped with a point of the metal that makes up the shaft and stabilizers. The computer beeps and makes a series of noises, none of which are comprehensible, thus startling the blue alien, who pursues Fennim, who has just disappeared down a hall and out of sight.

There is a sound of some winch moving a very heavy object and a little shaking of the room, and through a viewport our blue alien sees something large moving.

All of this strangeness is interrupted by the voice of Kurros, who has entered the room and greets the alien. Kurros begs forgiveness for the brown alien, claiming he is "grouchy in the morning". Then Kurros states the obvious, that the alien is tense. The alien tries to deny this but Kurros is undisturbed by it. He points out that the alien's people have much to celebrate. Kurros and his colleagues have saved the alien's world from its own instability. The alien admits they owe their lives to Kurros, claiming Kurros and friends saved the planet in days when the alien scientists spent years without success.

Kurros dismisses this flattery, claiming that the challenge was welcome and indicates the man-o-war (female) was the one to solve the problem. And the alien's happiness is almost enough payment.

The blue alien states that there is a problem with making payment. Apparently the payment was to be made in the form of bernicium ore, a substance used for the repair of replicators (and perhaps other things). The alien claims that the mine where the ore can be found was buried during the last earthquake and is now unreachable.

However, he offers Kurros a robidium geode. He claims it is the only one on his planet, priceless to his people. Kurros admits its rare, but not unique and insists on the original payment agreed to.

The alien again claims they can't get it. But Kurros accuses him of lying, telling the alien he knows the ore was moved to a secure facility before the mine collapsed. The alien confesses that the ore is needed to repair their replicators, and that without the replicators his people will starve.

Kurros tells the alien to bring the ore or Kurros will release the containment field surrounding the ore and cause a "level 12" seismic event which Kurros claims would be "quite unnerving" for the alien's people.

The alien capitulates, even trying to fob it off as a misunderstanding. Kurros is very sympathetic towards the alien, suggesting that they might do business again sometime.

Fennim returns and Kurros asks him to guide the blue alien back to his shuttlecraft.

The show cuts to opening credits and commercials.

When we return we find Seven entering Janeway's ready room to announce they've detected a planetoid. Before she can explain the significance of this announcement Janeway interrupts her to continue playing with a polyhedron about the size of a human head. The polyhedron looks similar to the polyhedron containment device designed by Geordi in TNG's "The Child". However, this polyhedron has light grey edges, darker grey sides, and each of the sides that have six edges contains a six-sided display featuring a number of lights, some of which glow red.

Apparently this is a futuristic Rubik's Cube and Janeway has spent the past two hours trying to figure out how to get all the lights to go out without success. Seven offers to solve it for her and blames Tom for bringing it on board.

Janeway tries something and the polyhedron "bleeps" at her and she looks disappointed. She manages to drag her attention away from it and asks Seven about the planetoid.

Seven reports the planetoid contains high concentrations of dilithium crystals. Janeway stands to enter the bridge, pounds the top of her toy once, and leaves for the bridge.

Upon arriving, Harry calls out "Got it!" He too is playing with one of the polyhedrons. However, the toy "bleeps" at him as well and several people chuckle. Tom encourages him to keep trying.

They display the planetoid on the screen (a yellow-ochre colour, covered in craters). Tuvok reports the results of the initial scan (already provided to Janeway by Seven). Chakotay orders a full sensor sweep and Harry reports the dilithium is 60 km down, in the upper mantle of the planetoid. Tuvok informs them that they will need phasers to drill down that far, but is interrupted by an alarm and Harry announcing a large resonance wave building up at the core of the planetoid.

Janeway doesn't think this is a coincidence and orders Tom to pull the ship away from the planetoid. Seven announces the planetoid is destabilizing and Chakotay calls for shields. An external shot shows us a spectacular destruction of the planetoid, and Voyager is buffeted by the shock wave.

Inside, the ship shudders but otherwise seems intact. Chakotay reports they are surrounded by netrion gas which is collapsing the warp field around the ship and caused the impulse engines to go offline.

Tuvok reports a heavily armed ship dropping out of warp and Seven identifies it as a Hazari ship (species 4228). She explains they are extremely violent, technologically advanced, usually used by the Borg as tactical drones and often hired as bounty-hunters.

The Hazari commander signals them, ordering them to surrender so he can avoid having to deliver a damaged ship to his client. Janeway refuses, pointing out they might be able to match the offer. The Hazari is very doubtful of that, so Janeway points out they aren't defenseless. The Hazari counters by claiming that using her weapons will ignite the gaseous cloud and thus destroy Voyager.

Janeway advises the commander to back off to save himself, and then ends communications. The Hazari move closer, gripping Voyager with a tractor beam. Janeway tells Tuvok to target the cloud, and then re-routes all of her warp power to the shields. They fire on the cloud, causing an enormous explosion which in turn pushes against Voyager's shields, thus throwing it out of the cloud of gas that was crippling the warp engines; once out Voyager warps away.

Tuvok announces there is no pursuit. This surprises Janeway, who claims the Hazari vessel wasn't so heavily damaged as to preclude pursuit.

Down in Astrometrics, Harry, Tuvok and Chakotay have analyzed the sensor sweeps and located several Hazari ships throughout the sector, with more on the way. Harry suggests it must be a high price being paid, but Tuvok claims that Seven believes the Hazari are honour-bound to fulfill their agreements.

Chakotay orders them to download the information for Janeway so she can work on the problem on her own.

The scene cuts to the cafeteria where Neelix brings another pot of coffee for Janeway, who is sitting at one of the couches working on a laptop. Neelix suggests a hypo-spray, explaining it will help her absorb the caffeine more quickly. Janeway laughs and promises the next cup will be her last. Neelix pours it and offers to be her sounding board.

Janeway explains that the Hazari have apparently cut off every route of escape. They've planned so well that the few escape routes that appear to be available are most likely traps. Janeway compares them to a pack of jackals, waiting for a mistake.

Neelix assures her that she will find a way out and then heads off to bed.

Janeway gets up and stretches, still thinking of the problem. Then she hears the voice of Kurros. She turns and there he sits, where she had been sitting, looking over her problem. Kurros talks of the exhilaration of being challenged, of trying to find the perfect solution, of facing fear and doubt and overcoming them.

She asks him who he is and what he wants. Kurros tells her that she has a problem and that he is her solution.

The show cuts to commercials.

When we return we find that Kurros has prevented Janeway from issuing an intruder alert. He points out that he isn't really there. Janeway guesses he's a hologram but he claims that would be crude compared to his iso-morphic projection. He lifts the cup of coffee and samples it, then asks her if she actually drinks the stuff (she admits it's an acquired taste).

Kurros describes her problem, wondering whether the routes she's seen out are traps or not. He claims this is the best kind of problem, pure tactics and psychology. He explains he is part of a small crew of explorers looking for problems to challenge them, problems of any kind.

Janeway suspects a price must be paid for this service, and Kurros claims they'd want something unique and would have to look through Voyager's database to find a suitable price to be paid.

Janeway wonders aloud whether Kurros is a Hazari trap. Kurros smiles, and tells her he's provided information on several of the Hazari ambushes to Voyager's computer.

Janeway admits she's interested, but demands a face to face meeting. Kurros expected this and provided his coordinates so they could meet. He stipulates that only one crew member may join her and no scanning equipment is allowed. She agrees and he bids her adieu and disappears.

Later, on the bridge, Voyager reaches the coordinates given and a sub-space fluctuation turns into Kurros' ship. The hull is a neutronium alloy, according to Tuvok. Janeway comments that Star Fleet has theorized about it but never managed to create such a ship. Seven admits the Borg haven't managed to do this either.

Janeway announces that she is taking Seven on the away mission.

They beam over to Kurros' reception hall. They are greeted by Fennim, but the universal translator won't translate for them. Janeway suspects the language is too complex. Then they see the man-o-war within its tube and speculate that Kurros is studying it.

However, the recently arrived Kurros' tells them that "she" (the man-o-war) is studying them. He tells Janeway that the man-o-war finds her "interesting".

Seven asks him how they communicate and Janeway introduces Seven. He observes her implants and remarks that she is a Borg, the first he's seen outside the collective. Seven tells him that she is an individual and that he should talk to her directly.

He apologizes and then introduces Fennim, who babbles something and then moves on.

Kurros answers Seven's question by indicating a dome in the middle of the floor. It's a little over a meter wide, a foot high on a raised dais, and glows with blinking lights that change the tone from green to blue and back again. He explains it is a device that allows for telepathic communication.

The ship rocks slightly and a hollow groan is heard. Kurros takes them to the end of the hall and through the viewplate they can see another member of Kurros' team. This is Bevox, a bio-plasmic entity thousands of years old. He founded the think tank over a century ago.

And finally we are introduced to the artificial intelligence earlier described as having a rocket shape with a blood-red bowl on top. It has no name (and thus will be called "AI"). It whirrs and buzzes.

Kurros starts telling them of the think tank's accomplishments. Wars that they have turned, stars they've exploded, they cured the Vidiians of the phage, protecting a planet from the Borg and for payment all they demanded was a soup recipe.

Janeway asks if there is anything the think tank wouldn't do. Kurros claims they won't agree to genocide and they won't create mass weapons.

Their conversation is interrupted by AI, whom Kurros says would like to discuss Borg implants with Seven. With a nod from Janeway Seven agrees, and finds herself in telepathic communication. She relays to Janeway that it wants to incorporate organic material into its systems. Janeway tells her to be helpful. The 'conversation' is brief.

Kurros tells Janeway that he has a solution to their problem, one that doesn't involve battle. Janeway is delighted, and so they proceed to discuss terms.

Janeway offers Kurros a padd with the schematics for Voyager as well as an overview of their database. Kurros offers to get back to them once he knows what they want.

Back on Voyager Chakotay reports to Janeway that all avenues of escape look like traps. Janeway decides to put a hold on their plans until the think tank has a chance.

Shortly after, Tuvok ushers in Kurros' iso-morphic projection. Kurros hands Janeway a padd with a short list of demands. They want the quantum slip-stream drive (Janeway warns him it doesn't work well but Kurros still wants it), Neelix's "shawdrake cob" recipe, an Olmec figurine belonging to Chakotay, and Seven of Nine.

Janeway had been cordial until that point, but trading away Seven wasn't something she expected or accepts. Kurros suggests the question be put to Seven.

The show cuts to commercials.

When we return we're in Janeway's ready room with Janeway and Seven.

Seven is prepared to agree to the terms to save the ship. But Janeway wants her to make a choice for herself alone. Janeway reassures Seven that regardless of her choice, Voyager will get through the current problem. But she also points out this may be a unique opportunity to study the galaxy. Seven tells Janeway she wants to talk with Kurros and gain more information about the offer.

Down in Seven's cargo hold, she and Kurros discuss the offer. Kurros explains that she was interviewed by the AI when she was aboard Kurros' ship. They now know much about her, and that she has great potential to be one of the greatest minds of the galaxy. But he explains that living with humans will not stretch her to attain that potential.

Seven explains that the Voyager crew is her family and Kurros understands. He explains that he was given in payment to the think tank in exchange for having his world saved. He was a child at the time, but he has come to see what an great opportunity he was given.

Seven asks him how many suffered for not agreeing to the terms offered. Kurros explains that attaining perfect knowledge requires some selfishness. He points out that Seven is the only one who can make her goals a reality.

Seven listens and then chooses to decline the offer. Kurros is disappointed and urges Seven to reconsider. But Seven is certain she will not change her mind.

At that point red alert is sounded and Seven is called to the bridge. Kurros asks if he can accompany her and she agrees.

Upon the bridge, Seven announces her decision and Janeway is pleased. Tuvok reports a pair of Hazari ships are attacking. The ship rocks under the assault, and returning fire doesn't seem to affect the Hazari shields.

Kurros offers advice, explaining that a Hazari tactic is to use two ships, one in front firing on the target while the other hangs back and transfers power to the first so the first can maintain their shields.

Janeway asks how much the advice will cost and Kurros gives it freely. Janeway accepts and gives orders for Tuvok to fire on the following ship. This forces the Hazari to disengage.

Kurros explains it was offered in good will in the hopes of changing Seven's mind. Seven refuses.

Kurros becomes more foreboding, warning that the think tank doesn't believe Voyager will survive without their help. Janeway has heard enough and orders Tuvok to remodulate the shields to block Kurros' iso-morphic projection. Kurros evaporates. Shortly after that Kurros' ship returns to sub-space.

Janeway realizes they now have two enemies to contend with.

Back on Kurros' ship, Kurros announces their offer was refused. Asking them how to proceed, the others in his team agree that they should do nothing and allow their plan to unfold. The AI claims there is a 96% chance of adding Seven to their team.

The show cuts to commercials.

When we return a Hazari ship passes through a field of debris circling a planet. The commander is listing the results of his scan, which includes traces of human residue. He is upset, believing they've destroyed Voyager when they were supposed to capture it.

On Voyager, Tuvok reports the Hazari's progress and Janeway gives the order to ignite the mines. Several go off near the Hazari ship, crippling it. Voyager tractors the ship into the shuttle bay after first beaming the Hazari off their ship and into the waiting arms of an armed security detail.

On the Hazari ship, Janeway and Tuvok are trying to get at the database to find out who put the contract out on them. Tuvok reports that the interrogation did not produce any information. He tried a meld but the Hazari are resistant to it.

Finally Chakotay cracks the Hazari database, and is able to pull up information on those who put out the contract. However, the bio-readings are scrambled.

Tuvok suggests they give the information to Doc.

In Sick Bay, Doc explains that he's used the holographic imagers to reconstruct the lifeform of the person who hired the Hazari. "Brace yourselves" he says, and we see a Maylon standing in the room.

But Janeway and Tuvok doubt it was a Maylon. Maylons are greedy for profit and there is no profit in revenge. Tuvok looks over the information and notes there are iso-morphic signatures. He reconfigures the information and then advises Doc to "Brace yourself" and the image of the Maylon is replaced with an image of Kurros.

In the conference room Janeway discusses this turn of events with the Hazari commander, pointing out that someone is playing both of them for suckers. She explains how Kurros fooled the Hazari with a false image, but the Hazari rejects this, claiming his equipment would have detected subterfuge.

The Janeway explains who Kurros is and the Hazari hangs his head, realizing he'd been tricked. He points out that the think tank have made a number of enemies and Janeway suggests there is probably a handsome bounty on the group. She suggests they work together against the think tank.

In the cafeteria, Janeway, her senior staff, Seven and Neelix, and the Hazari commander meet to discuss options. Three hours later they still haven't come up with anything. Janeway, at her wits end, looks down on the polyhedron toy she was playing with earlier. She hands it to Seven and asks her to solve it.

Seven does so in seconds. Janeway asks how and Seven explains she scanned the device to figure out how to solve it. Tom protests, calling it cheating. But Janeway points out they can't out-think the think tank. But perhaps they can cheat it. She realizes that if they disrupt the telepathic device they will prevent the think tank from working together.

Doc asks how will they find them and Janeway says they'll offer Seven as bait. The Hazari is convinced the think tank won't be fooled and Janeway says they'll have to make it look good. The scene ends with them sitting down to formulate a plan.

On Kurros' ship, Kurros receives a call from the Hazari. The Hazari commander announces that they know about Kurros' trick and are prepared to carry out their mission providing Kurros triples the payment. Kurros agrees but demands they bring the ship to Kurros. The Hazari agrees, claiming he'll call in his ships for the capture.

The show cuts to commercials.

When we return, Voyager is being pursued and attacked by three Hazari ships. Shields are down to 30% and Voyager's phasers are ineffective. Another volley and the shield generator and phasers are offline, life support failing.

Kurros' iso-morphic form is with them, telling them they haven't a chance unless they turn over Seven. He knows they were smart enough to figure out his method of tricking the Hazari. But he points out the Hazari are greedy and so remain under his control.

Janeway fires a volley of photon torpedoes at the lead Hazari ship, disabling it. But six more are on an intercept course.

Chakotay announces an unscheduled launch of the shuttle, claiming it is Seven. The shuttle disappears into sub-space. Janeway demands to know what's going on and Kurros tells her that Seven is saving their lives. He wishes them a safe journey and he evaporates.

On Kurros' ship Seven is welcomed by Kurros. She dismisses the welcome, pointing out she had no choice if she was to save the ship and crew. But she makes clear that if anything happens to them she will refuse to cooperate.

Kurros signals the Hazari and orders them to break off the attack. They demand immediate payment or they'll destroy Voyager. Kurros realizes this is some kind of trap, that if they 'surface' they will be targets themselves as there is a bigger bounty on the think tank than what they are paying the Hazari. However, if he doesn't then the Hazari will destroy Voyager and thus the think tank will lose Seven's cooperation.

Seven assures him the Hazari won't attack such a ship as Kurros' with its advanced technology.

To solve this problem, he decides to link Seven and AI through the telepathy device.

Seven sends a signal through her Borg neural transceiver, a signal Voyager receives. Tuvok sends a carrier wave, disrupting the telepathy device and affecting other systems on Kurros' ship.

Kurros realizes he's unable to understand others, and they are unable to understand him. His ship materializes in normal space and the Hazari start firing on it.

Seven is rescued for Kurros' ship by Voyager beaming her out.

Preparing to leave the area, they are once again visited by Kurros' iso-morphic projection, who tries to achieve a negotiated settlement. But Janeway isn't interested. Kurros' projection starts breaking up as his ship takes a pounding. The projection finally evaporates.

With a final external shot we can see the Hazari ships swarming all over Kurros' ship. Voyager sets its course and warps off.

End of episode.

Personal reflections:

Arg. If the last half of this spoiler seems somewhat less detailed than the first, blame a glitch in my software that cost me an hour to rewrite the portion I lost.

That being said, I'm very impressed with this episode. Only one nit and the highest score this season, this is a very very good episode for Voyager. Congratulations to all involved. Nice to see you can put together a good episode.

I liked seeing Jason Alexander. The opening scene was certainly one that suggests Jason was feeling quite smug playing a mastermind on Trek.

Kudos to the makeup artist who designed the alien features. It was great to see some really creative designs.

And kudos to whomever came up with Fennim's voice. I can see how it played into the story and its resolution, but this kind of thing is a welcome respite from the all-powerful universal translator. I'm reminded of TNG's "Darmok" for another example of Star Fleet being unable to decipher a spoken language.

Now, about the concept of a think tank being defeated by Voyager. It does seem difficult to believe. But, Janeway and crew did not in fact out think them, but rather exploited the think tank's blind spot: their arrogance.

The think tank couldn't imagine anyone out-thinking them. The dilemma they were faced with at the end was pretty obvious and what one would expect from creatures of limited intelligence. They had their prize, Seven, and weren't going to release her. It made sense to link her with the AI to see what plans were being laid against them and to "reduce the odds" as Kurros put it.

To get insider information about one trap, he fell into the real trap.

One might argue that there should have been a backup for the device, and there might have been. But the signal sent through Seven knocked out so many systems that the backup never worked. If it didn't exist at all, then we see that blind spot of arrogance again.

My expectation is that when Seven was beamed off the ship the interference from Voyager also ended. The last scene shows the think tank firing on the Hazari. To be honest, I'd prefer to believe think tank got away, as I think they'd make marvelous adversaries in future episodes (and with the quantum/slip-stream drive the follow-up could be very very good).

"Think Tank" was a well-constructed episode, challenging to the mind and entertaining.

Well done.

Thanks for your attention.



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