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 weapon.
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 weapon.
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 attacks 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 attacks.
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 attack 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 attack.
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 attacked 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 firing.
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 attacked my crewman.
He was badly injured. To treat him, I need to know about the weapon 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 weapon,
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 weapon.
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.