Think Tank

Mrs. Mac -- 31 Mar 1999, 12:50 PM

Convention note: Roxann said that she and Jason Alexander went to acting school together. One day they both auditioned for roles in different television series. She said, "I got a part in a show that ended that same year. He got a part in a show that ended (long pause to laughter) LAST year!" The crowd loved that one.

BTW - Again, very little Torres in this episode. She says that she and Jason don't have any interaction.

If you wanna dance, you gotta pay the Pied Piper.
Terry -- 31 Mar 1999, 9:24 PM

Think Tank was a very cool episode. I really liked the idea of the think tank. This was a well-written and acted story. Jason Alexander gave a fine performance as the cool, confident, perfectly courteous and utterly merciless Khoros. This episode was much more a truly sci-fi story than Voyager usually even attempts.

The teaser scenario about the aliens with the seismic problems reminded me of the Pied Piper. Ungrateful clients trying to cheat their benefactors of the agreed-upon payment. It quickly established the think tank's mission and mentality without a lot of fuss or talk.

I suspected the think tank had hired the Hazari all along. In fact, I suspect that some of the "problems" that the think tank have solved in the past might have been created by them in the first place. (I believe that other SF stories have featured alien "saviors" who gained undeserved gratitude from humanity in a like manner.)

Even the Hazari mercenaries were different from the usual AOTW in that they indicate a larger interstellar community of commerce and crime. Usually the AOTW are presented as civilizations that have little contact with each other. The fact that the Malon have been left far behind but are still in contact with the Hazari hints at much interspecies contact in this part of the Delta Quadrant. An entire race can't be mercenaries without large nations or corporations to hire them.

And I liked AOTW that had a valid reason to attack Voyager. And one that could be bought off. :)

Dislikes

That brainstorming strategy session was rather stupid since their final idea of having Seven infiltrate the think tank was so obviously the the only plan of attack from the first.

Why wasn't this interesting episode with a name guest star not shown in May sweeps and heavily promoted? Why? Must the same idiots who pushed Bride of Chaotica out of the February sweeps.

Likes

Jules is gonna love this highly caffeinated episode.

Neelix: "Should I have the Doctor prepare a hypospray?"
Janeway: "Excuse me?"
Neelix: "So you can absorb the caffeine more directly. Save time."

Khoros: (Takes a sip of Janeway's coffee.) "You actually enjoy this?"
Janeway: "It's an acquired taste."

I liked the joke of the think tank actually actually consisting of a fish tank for two of its crew.

Paris gets the crew addicted to Rubic's Dodecahedron? And the last Paris-created fad was yo-yos? LOL!

I liked that most of Janeway's plan was more complex than could be easily guessed. And that the think tank saw the more obvious aspects right away.

The think tank's plan to get Seven was well-conceived. Put pressure on Voyager, offer a deal, and know Seven will join the think tank when Voyager is about to be destroyed. That outcome would naturally result from that scenario given Seven's established character.

Credits

This episode was written by Michael Taylor based on a story by Rick Berman and Braga. Good job by all three. I believe that this was only the third story idea from Berman. (Caretaker and Hope and Fear were the others). And the director was Terrence O'Shea. He has a great name and did an excellent job. I don't usually pay attention to direction but I liked some of his unusual camera angles. Like the moving camera which crossed behind Janeway's chair in her ready room.

Bottom Line

An episode that was interesting and very fresh. Not really deep or deeply emotionally moving but good fun. It was more original than most recent Trek episodes have been. It looked and appeared a little different, too. Good job by Jason Alexander.

Sorry, Eric. This was more of an Janeway and Jason Alexander episode than a Seven one.

Seven gets George MAD!
Eric -- 31 Mar 1999, 9:32 PM

All right!!! I knew it! Seven gets back in the action and Voyager is back to where it should be! But first...

Arrrghh!! Repeats??? AGAIN!!! I knew it was going to happen but I would like to say this blows!

...sorry about that.

Where was I? Oh yeah. THIS is more like it. Voyager is SO much better when it is about *action*. If I want smarty pants Trek, with all the psychobabble I will watch DS9, they have been doing that stuff for 7 YEARS! They have had a lot of practice and they do it well! Let Sisko handle that stuff.

Think Tank is right up Voyager's alley, and this episode was one of the best this season. It's like George C. brought some great ideas and gave the writers a fresh perspective, a good job, and much more interesting then what he did on Seinfield!

But as good as he was, he was even better with Ryan. Those two had a great chemistry together and when those two egos hit you could see the sparks fly!

But I was waiting in vain for the needed "George is getting MAD!!!".

Good

1) Sweet FX this week! I love it when planets go BOOM.

2) Jason Alexander. Come on PTB, I know he got away! When can we bring him back?

3) Jeri Ryan! She's baaaaaaaaack! And she's better then ever.

4) The puzzle joke. I love a good running gag, and this was Voyager's funniest. Hmmm, HAS Voyager had running gags before?

5) Jules must be getting to be I love Janeway's coffee twitches in the mess hall :-)

6) In fact, I liked Janeway in this episode. Could this be her best year since Season One? I think so! Compare Janeway's tactics here to the drek she thought up in Basics! **SHUDDER**

The Bad

1) The Malon? You BET they hold a grudge! That was 25,000 light years back! I'm glad that was a trick! I was ready to bust some PTB b@lls! But even so, I think the writers could have thought of a more recent baddie.

2) Sigh...The Vidiians one of the coolest baddies on Voyager reduced to a silly gag. How the mighty have fallen :-(

3) The Bounty Hunter Race. Better known as bargain basement Klingons.

And that's about it. I put this one in the top five somewhere. Not the best, that's still Timeless but it's up there for sure.

Things that make you go, "heh."
D'Alaire -- 31 Mar 1999, 10:16 PM

I liked this one--and Terry nailed most of the points why already. It flowed well from "act" to "act," the writing was good, the premise interesting. The guest star was definitely worth watching.

A couple peeves, but ultimately, when good ol' Kate says, "...give it some thought." Heh. --Buh bye!-- Leaves 'em in the dust. Ooooh, yes! It's about time we got something satisfying like that. That really felt good.

LOL on Tom's Rubic Cube and yo-yo's! Love it.

Jason Alexander was wonderful--I love quiet, clever villains--like Hannibal Lechter. You know they're bad but they don't act it. Great job, and that approach really worked for him. The second time this year I've liked an AOTW enough to want to know even more about them. There's less of a need in this case, but it would have been even more interesting to get into his brain. (Gad--what was his name again?!)

Seven was well done, too, and it was nice to see her being given and coming to her own choices. But this was more a Janeway/K(something) week, and it was wonderful to see her thinking through in that clever, Kate way, acting a little lighter and more like herself. I really liked her this time around. I hope they keep her mood up more often. Not all the time, of course, but...well, I'm just still grinning about the end.

I also liked how they handled the pace this week--it was pretty quiet, really (very short fights in comparison), but it moved well and made sense. I also couldn't help but think of Star Wars somehow during the teaser--the blue dude (who bore a strange resemblance in carriage and color to Flotter, I think), the grouchy AOTW and the robot made me think Tatooine right off. ; )

Peeves:

You know I'll say this--Grrr...very little B'Elanna again. --More, B'Elanna not on the bounty ship breaking into their systems. What is it with TPTB? What the fudge does Chuckie know? (Please forgive me, Chakotay fans, but this is getting a little silly, IMO. B'Elanna's the chief engineer--she should have been doing the breaking in!)

If I hear one more time about how smart Seven is or how much potential she has or how far she's come, I think I'll be returning to my late fourth season stance, much as I like Seven in herself and when used at the same interval as the rest of the crew. I'm very near there already with the latest string o' ASATT--and there's more yet to come.

Terry was right--the Voyager think tank scene was indeed useless with such an obvious answer.

Still, I liked, I enjoyed. Not a surprising ep, but an entertaining one that left me going, "heh--go Kate."

THINK TANK Likes & Dislikes (Rant ahead)
Marie -- 1 Apr 1999, 11:21 AM

There's a lot I enjoyed about this episode. Jason Alexander was wonderful. --If only more AOTW were so well written and acted! I couldn't help thinking that Khouros is a character who would fit in well on DS9. (Couldn't you just see him in a game of cat-and-mouse with Garak or Dukat?).

Terry already discussed the excellent aspects of this episode, including the above-average direction. So, I'm going to focus on what annoyed me about this episode: Seven.

Yes, Seven. It's not that her character was poorly written or that Jeri Ryan turned in a mediocre performance. It was the story line. Now I'm not adverse to Seven saving the ship sometimes--though in this episode it was Janeway who should take credit--she's the one who figured out the plan.

But this concept of Seven choosing or being forced to leave the ship--how often have we seen *that* one? How many times has that scenario played itself out, in various permutations? We already *know* that Seven wants to stay on the ship, but will leave it to save Voyager.

Yes, the whole thing was well done and it made sense that the Think Tank would want her. But c'mon, PTB, let's find something else to do with Seven. She's a 'unique individual', so let's give her some unique story lines. Let's see her develop a passion for cooking, discover a passionate dislike for Tom Paris or something. Just make it something different. Is that too much to ask?

I'm taking my life in my own hands...
Eric -- 1 Apr 1999, 11:31 AM

...and disagreeing with that hotshot Hollywood insider Marie :-)

I think the "Seven leaves the ship" story worked VERY well here Marie, better then before (except maybe DF). We KNOW Seven is the resident "smarty pants" of the DQ. She certainly is the smartest crewmember on Voyager, only lacking in the experience of her crewmates. I really like the way Voyager's writers do this when they are on a streak. Seven KNOWS stuff, she just doesn't always know how to make it work.

Anyway, it makes perfect sense that the Think Tank would want her in the crew.

Hmmm, a unique storyline? Well those German fans had a GREAT storyline for her as I recall :-)

Think Tank or Voyager does Dr. Who
Diane -- 1 Apr 1999, 8:02 AM

That's all I keep thinking when I watched this episode. The story, the villain, the set, they all reminded me of the old Dr. Who episodes.

Unfortunately, the low tone of the show kept putting me to sleep. Maybe I am working too long, but I had a hard time keeping awake during the episode. I will have to rewatch this show to give a "Real" review.

Alexander plays a great villain. I kind of liked his character. Maybe he should become the "Q" of Voyager. It would help the ratings. Again, like I mentioned yesterday, and Terry mention in his review, I don't understand why UPN's scheduling people put this episode here and not in May during sweeps. It just doesn't make sense.

My big complaint: where is B'Elanna? Neelix had more screen time. It is extremely obvious something is amiss!

Tracy -- 1 Apr 1999, 11:29 AM

Di-- I had trouble staying awake through this one, too. It must be a combination of the low action quotient and whatever bug I've been fighting the past few days.

It was a very interesting ep, though. I enjoyed the unusual A'sOTW, and the paradoxical twists of the story.

A usual, Seven saves the day, but not all by herself.

Next week: Oh, it's just too painful to watch again. Aw, heck, the Ferengi was worth it; maybe I will.

SOMEBODY WHO AGREES WITH ME
Diane -- 1 Apr 1999, 2:03 PM

Yea!

I did find it interesting, but just too low keyed. I know, I need to join Janeway in the mess and have more coffee. Maybe then I will be able to say awake.

And, Yes, the thoughts of watching next week's episode are just too painful. I know Eric can't wait, especially for the Klingon part. Unfortunately, Ryan was not ready for a part like this. She needs more acting experience, and I mean theater experience, to gain the depth needed to pull this part off. Even my male, Seven loving friends, agree. In fact, two said they had wished the the episode was written Roxann Dawson, who ITHO, could have done magnificent things with the multiple personality syndrome.

Oh, Well, till April 26 and Juggernaught!

Sometimes I sits and THINKs...
Ginny -- 1 Apr 1999, 9:55:1 AM

...and sometimes, I just sits.

The first time I watched THINK TANK, it was slow going. The episode was so de...li...ber...ate...ly paced, I kept wanting to fast forward. On second viewing, my opinion of the pacing actually improved, perhaps because I was paying attention to the small details, rather than just wanting to be entertained.

Jason Alexander's performance bothered me the first time, too. He was so smarmy, and the way he held his hands really annoyed me. The second time, it was more effective, perhaps because of my better understanding of the character. I still hated the way he held his hands, though.

GRIPES

--Why the heck did the planetoid blow up? Were we ever told? Was it because of something the Hazari had done?

--In the first encounter with Janeway, Curros (Khouros?) tells her that he's not really there. Then how does he affect her communications device and taste her coffee?

--Where did all the debris that Voyager used to fool the Hazari come from? Oh, wait a minute--was this stuff from the planetoid that blew up?

And why did it blow up, again?

GRATIFYING BITS

--I, too, was greatly amused that it is Tom Paris who provides his shipmates with assorted new toys and games. And that Kathryn actually plays with them.

--There were enough coffee moments to provide Jules with "Coffee Cup of the Week" stills for the next couple of months.

--Others have said that the group discussion was pointless, because they came up with the most obvious solution only after hours of discussion. Well, it wasn't that obvious to me, and I liked the idea that Kathryn would try a "think tank" of her own. I also found it interesting to see who paired off--Kathryn and B'Elanna, Tuvok and Seven, Tom and Neelix (?!), Harry, Chakotay, and the Holodoc.

Did anyone notice how Tom snaps at B'Elanna in the group discussion? Of course, it was in defense of Neelix, his discussion buddy, but still... Then Kathryn practically lays on top of Tom for most of her subsequent speech--well, you know the episode was made for me, at that point.

--I was thinking that the Hazari were going to be a not-quite-so-clean-cut Delta Quadrant equivalent of the RCMP. You know--they always get their man/creature/isomorphic projection. What a surprise to learn that the Hazari could be bought off.

--Good lines this week:
Kathryn: "Hold off on the torture 'til we see what we can dig up here."

Tuvok: "Brace yourself."

Seven: "Cheating is often more efficient."

--47's
I didn't see any obvious ones, but...
*When Kathryn is playing with the Rubic's whatever, there are 11 stable lights, and one blinking light--11=4+7
*Hazari were Species 4228--28=4x7
*23 Hazari ships--100-23=77, 77=7(4+7)
*Cortical implant monitor showed 222--222=74x3

Ginny the planet was a booby trap!
Eric -- 1 Apr 1999, 11:05 AM

(heheh! I said booby *g*)

Anyway, the planet was a trap by the Hazari to disable Voyager. They never outright said it but I think the Dielithiem was panted there by the Think Tank.

Basically the planet became unstable IMMEDIATELY after Voyager did it's scan. Janeway says "I don't think that is a coincidence, Tom back us up!" but the planet choose that moment to go Kabloooey!. Giving us that SWEEEEEET shot of the blast wave hitting Voyager's shields!

I swear to you now that I wasn't sure what was more sexy that FX shot or Jeri :-P

O.K., I can accept that.
Ginny -- 1 Apr 1999, 11:17 AM

So, Eric, was the debris field comprised of material from the exploded planet, or wholly created by Voyager?

Oh that's almost to easy Ginny!
Eric -- 1 Apr 1999, 11:24 AM

Those were the sad bits and pieces of the dead shuttles that were killed by Chakotay over the years.

*sniff* Poor little buggers. At least they were able to serve the Federation in one last way. :-(

Ginny -- 1 Apr 1999, 1:10 PM

Was anyone else reminded of that TNG episode that featured the weaselly guy who collected rare things from all across the galaxy and wanted to add Data to his collection? That popped into my head when the blue person offer Khouros the rare geode instead of the mineral that he had bargained for.

Also, Kate was practically sparkling in this episode--vibrant and flirtatious and funny. I forgot to include, "Might I suggest the replicators. They're very popular this year." among the good lines from the ep.

And now I must be off. I'm heading to Knoxville to see the Wondertoddler Mariann before she goes to visit her other grandmother and grandfather at Easter. I hope everyone has a wondrous and spiritually uplifting holiday.

Wrong, Ginny.
Jules -- 1 Apr 1999, 2:22 PM

Well, and right as well. :-)

I daresay that the episode will keep me in coffee cup moments for the next couple of months. However, the web site will probably have to hold off a bit longer... until the video gets released over here (current best guess: September or October). My VCR copes admirably with US format tapes, but sadly my capture card doesn't.

Still, there are over a hundred other episodes to play with in the meantime, and lots of them have got coffee cup moments... I figure I'm not going to run out any time soon. :-)

They're shuttle parts I tell ya...
Shawnster -- 1 Apr 1999, 10:38 PM

All the debris in the field are the remains of the past shuttles, carefully kept in Cargo Bay 1.

Makes sense to me...

As for Khorous projection interacting with its environment, I had a gripe about that for a minute to Ginny. Then I concluded the writers must want us to accept that his technology is so advanced that he can do that. Perhaps is some advanced form of holograms and transporters or something... who knows... [LOL!]

My thoughts on Think Tank
Vickie T. -- 1 Apr 1999, 11:16 AM

First, I must say that I didn't watch Think Tank under the best of circumstances. I was so tired that I actually put Daniel in charge of the VCR in case I fell asleep before Voyager started. I did, however, manage to stay awake until the end.

Although I don't really have much to say about it, I liked Think Tank. As Terry said, this was much more of a true sci-fi story than we typically get from Voyager. I liked the combination of brains and brawn we saw in the story, too. Yes, there was action, photon torpedoes, and even an exploding planetoid, but bombs alone couldn't do the trick, it took a little brain power, too. That was always one of the things I liked about TOS and Captain Kirk - using your head to outsmart the other guy. In Voyager, TPTB too often rely on phaser power alone.

I liked the resolution of the problem because it created a little uncertainty. I was pretty sure the Hazari were just going along with the plan, but there was definitely a seed of doubt - what if they were really selling Voyager out? How was Voyager going to get out of that jam?

My only real gripe was already mentioned by Ginny. What was the deal with Jason Alexander's hands? It drove me nuts. I wanted to say, "Just put 'em in your pocket, would you?!" The hand thing did, I guess, contribute to the overall "smarmy" aura that Khouros projected, but it still bugged me.

I had one little nit, too. When Tuvok came to Janeway's Ready Room to announce that Khouros was back, I swear he said that Khouros was back in the form of the isomorphic projection. However, Khouros later handed Janeway back the Padd she had given him aboard the Think Tank's vessel. I couldn't figure that one out.

OTOH, regarding someone's question about how did the isomorphic projection taste Janeway's coffee and enter data on her computer, wasn't that crazy janitor from last season an isomorphic projection? He was capable of doing stuff like that, wasn't he?

I also agree with those of you who are asking "Where's B'Elanna?" In spite of what RD said at the NYC Con, she is definitely being short-changed on screen time.

Another rerun next week? Aaarrrggghhh! Oh well. I love the Drew Carey Show and unless I remember to tape it on the other VCR (which I rarely do), I only get to see it when Voyager is a rerun.

I wondered about the REVULSION character, too.
Ginny -- 1 Apr 1999, 11:25 AM

Vickie wrote:
OTOH, regarding someone's question about how did the isomorphic projection taste Janeway's coffee and enter data on her computer, wasn't that crazy janitor from last season an isomorphic projection? He was capable of doing stuff like that, wasn't he?

As I recall, he didn't eat or do any of those other organic kinds of things, because they disgusted him. Whether he actually could or not--I don't know. But even if the projection of Khouros could hold the coffee suspended while his form was in the ready room, wouldn't it fall to the floor and stain the carpet once he dematerialized?

Just some quick comments.
Mr. Mac. -- 1 Apr 1999, 3:21 PM

Think Tank rocked! I love the episodes where Janeway outsmarts the aliens, and in this case she used the classic Trojan Horse technique: Trick the enemy into bringing the wooden horse aboard the otherwise impenetrable fortress and then unleash the hidden weapon. I'm laughing right now because when I think of Seven of Nine as a "weapon" I think of the story my wife tells me of an old movie starring Chesty Morgan (what was she, like 70 double D?) in which she'd smother midgets between her b**bs. I don't think there's any danger of seeing this scenario - although I'm sure Eric is currently on his knees praying for it - nevertheless, it was interesting to see Seven as the loaded bait.

This episode reminded me Counterpoint. Again we had a chess match between two like opponents. Janeway held her cards to her chest in that episode but in this we have a team effort. Damn I miss B'Elanna. Remember the first regular season episode when B'Elanna and Janeway would put their heads together to come up with a solution? Now we see Seven and Janeway doing that. Grumble. . . grumble.

I can see the necessity of using a "tabletop" game to introduce the concept of cheating. I would have thought that Paris would have been the first one to cheat in the truest sense of the word. To Seven, she merely used the most efficient method to solve the problem. No one told her she couldn't scan the device! Disabling the communication matrix was the obvious solution from the get-go. It's a top priority in today's warfare planning sessions - disable the communication and satellite systems of the enemy. Which brings me to a question: If the communication matrix was paramount (no pun intended) to their functionality, how then were they able to mutually communicate to develop the device in the first place?

This was a Janeway/Seven episode. I liked them both - as characters and as actors. In reality this could have been a Janeway/Any Crewmember episode. What's valuable to an alien culture could be mundane to the Voyager crew. They could have just as easily requested B'Elanna for her great legs engineering skills, Tuvok for his logic skills, Kim for his ear for harmonics, and so forth.

Something unusual: Janeway standing and Seven sitting while she explained "George's" request.

Contest:

Seven identifies a species: Species 4228
One Janeway coffee sip
We cannot assume that the shuttle was lost (Seven was beamed back aboard the ship)
Your hospitality is irrelevant

Mr Mac, beware of Greeks bearing gifts!
Deborah47 -- 2 Apr 1999, 9:09 AM

I did like Think Tank, though I can understand the comments others have made about the pacing of this show. I suspect the crew was so tired out by last week's chaotic pace ( which I also liked...to each their season) that they toned this ep down to give everyone a rest.

I take exception to your comment that you were surprised that Seven was the one called on to introduce the concept of cheating to the ep, rather then Tom. Tom KNOWS that once you cheat the fun is gone! We're not talking about getting around Star Fleet regs re: interspecies dating for Harry (Disease) we're talking about something more basic and fundamental...FUN. We've already seen him try to introduce that concept to Seven when he tried to draw her into the Captain Proton scenario.

To Seven's credit, though she still hasn't "gotten" it yet, she knows there's more to this crew than meets Khoursis's eye, and that it's worth sticking around to figure it out. Why go looking for challenges when the most FUNdamental are still at in your own backyard Dorothy? Like so many characters in the show this season, Seven continues to discover that while she goes about trying to "seek out new life and new civilizations", her real goal is to use them to understand herself.

Finally, I think many of us liked this ep BECAUSE it was a Janeway ep. KJ was seeking help from her crew in their version of a think tank (something many here complain she does TOO infrequently), but SHE was still the driving force in the meeting. She kept her crew on track and reinterpreted their seemingly meaningless actions into a plan for defeating the Tank. It made me think of that scene with Seven in Hope and Fear when KJ bested her in the Velocity game, despite KJ's fall and inability to see the target. "You are a frustrating opponent!" railed Seven. (Cue D47's smile) That's what I like in my Starship Captain's! D47

You are probably right, Deborah47.
Mr. Mac. -- 2 Apr 1999, 4:00 PM

Your name came up in our house - I mentioned that I hadn't seen you post in awhile. Glad to see you back.

D47 wrote - I take exception to your comment that you were surprised that Seven was the one called on to introduce the concept of cheating to the ep, rather then Tom. Tom KNOWS that once you cheat the fun is gone!

You're probably right about Tom Paris not cheating. That would take the whole fun out of the game, wouldn't it? Tom likes to play a scenario out and to circumvent the rules - implied or otherwise - would defeat the purpose.

I seem to have liked this episode more than others here. To hear Jimbo call it boring surprised me! It must have something to do with turning another year older - it clouded his vision or hearing! :^)

I like the smart Janeway episodes. When she thinks we are allowed to see what makes her tick.

Yeah. How about revealing some concrete reasons why Seven stays.
Terry -- 1 Apr 1999, 6:04 PM

Instead of a amorphous one about how she believes that she can achieve her goal of perfection here. That's a load of crock and everyone should know it. She stayed because she likes the crew, not because of their efficiency or whatnot. TPTB missed a chance to further humanize her by revealing some of her feelings about the crew.

That said, I didn't mind the "Seven-considers-leaving-the-ship" scenario here for a few reasons. First, she made her mind up quickly without much difficulty. Second, that she would sacrifice herself for the ship is no longer a big deal as she is one of the crew now. Any other crewmember would do the same. It was only a big deal when Seven felt that she wasn't part of the crew.

And third, closure was reached on the argument between the two of them which began in The Gift. Janeway told her that she now accepts Seven's ability and right to make decisions about her life since she has been basically deprogrammed. (Strange that Janeway didn't recognize B'Elanna's rights in Nothing Human.)

But I never want to see this storyline again.

But why does Seven want to stay?
Shawnster -- 1 Apr 1999, 10:29 PM

That's my question... Of course we know she wants to, but we aren't given a reason why. After all, she still considers the Borg superior. She's still calling herself Borg.

Why does she want to stay with these inferior humans who aren't challenging her to grow and expand her knowledge?

But why does Seven want to stay?
Deborah47 -- 2 Apr 1999, 7:53 AM

You weren't listening to Janeway explain this to Chak in The Gift (?) Shawnster. When asked why Seven would Ever stay with Voyager, she responded that Voyager could offer the ONE thing that the Borg collective could never offer, Friendship.

The think tank offered challenging mental puzzles, but did Khouros look like the kind of guy a gal could play "Velocity" with? The greatest challenge for Seven is to integrate her Human self into her personality, to explore that greatest challenge (like Chak last week) is her true holy grail and is one that even the Think tank can't help her pursue. D47 (Back from vacation and ready to champion the Voyager crew)

But I want to hear Seven say it.
Shawnster -- 2 Apr 1999, 10:41 AM

Yes, I hears Janeway in "The Gift" and it does seem that Seven implied as much during "Think Tank," especially when Khrosus (?) made the comment "they are your family."

But I want to hear Seven come out and say why she wants to be here. I'm waiting for a big epiphany or revelation on Seven's part. A watershed episode where it finally all comes together.

Why have a big moment? Voyager gives us plenty of little ones...
Eric -- 2 Apr 1999, 11:05 AM

There is no "big" moments in relationships, there is lots of little ones however. And Voyager has given us plenty of those that show Seven is changing, perhaps more then she is aware of.

Velocity games with Janeway

Friendship with Harry

Sister/Friend/Mom? I'm not sure what this is but her relationship with Naomi. And dang it! I don't care what anyone else thinks I LIKE it.

For other Germans, like myself, at the nebula : Love/Hate/Competitive relationship with B'Elanna. Now all we need is a desert planet somewhere with a nice big cave :-)

So Shawn *we* know why Seven stays even if she doesn't want to admit it to herself.

Why have a big moment? ...Why not?...
Marie -- 2 Apr 1999, 2:50 PM

Eric wrote:

"There is no "big" moments in relationships, there is lots of little ones however."

Well, actually, there are both, usually with the little ones leading to those big watershed moments. Seven certainly has had both kinds, and the smaller moments of interaction with the crew have been nicely done. But Seven is a larger-than-life character. She is a new archetype, rife for new experiences and moments of revelation. We may know why she stays, but it's important for her to recognize and acknowledge it at some point, too. Besides, Seven may surprise us. Our thoughts may be wrong.

Over this season, she has really begun to develop relationships with the crew, and it would be nice for her to verbalize her thoughts and, especially, her feelings about her new friends.

Eric wrote: "Sister/Friend/Mom? I'm not sure what this is but her relationship with Naomi. And dang it! I don't care what anyone else thinks I LIKE it."

*I* like it, Eric. Seven and Naomi complement each other nicely.

"Seven" for your thoughts.
Shawnster -- 1 Apr 1999, 9:48 PM

Rather pleasant episode. And a definite improvement, in my opinion, over last week's show.

Yes, a pleasant, entertaining show Oh, sure, I knew Seven would stay on Voyager and everyone would live happily ever after (well, except for the Think Tank), but it was nice to see the route taken to assure Seven's safety.

I was pleased with Jason Alexander's performance. No trace of George Costanza. Instead of an inadequate whiner, we were treated to a calm, reserved alien who thought before he spoke and thought before he acted.

Nice continuity touches. Reference to past races, including the Vidiians. We've come a long way since the days of the original Star Trek where past episodes were rarely referred to.

Anyone else notice how stunning Kate Mulgrew looked in this episode. Even though I'm not officially in the Captain Kate camp, I have always thought she was attractive, especially in this episode. She looked absolutely impish.

Nice FX shots. The debris field was really great. Now we know what they do with the shuttle wreckage.

Although this episode was fairly good, in my opinion, I do have nits:

Why couldn't Voyager elude the aliens? Even if they had 23 starships after them, I would think Voyager should have been able to get away. Space is huge and the hunting ships couldn't be everywhere at once. Surely Voyager could have gone Warp 9 and punched a hole in the picket line. So what if they were pursued, they would have been out front. And what about the slipstream technology? Why not activate the slipstream for a couple of minutes. That would have definitely put them beyond the hunters range.

The Think Tank cured the Vidiian phage? That's nice to know. And they made it back to this part of the DQ in a very short time. They covered in days what Voyager covered in years. That would be some technology to get a hold of.

Isomorphic imaging. OK. I can see how Voyager could determine the Malon was an isomorphic projection, after all, they had time to study it. I can't see how they could find other signatures in the projection to reveal its true identity. Even if they could, why would the projection carry such signatures? Sloppy programming.

Neutronium hulls. Neutronium is star stuff. Supposedly the hardest material in the universe. No wonder Starfleet scientist have been theorizing about it. Of course Voyager's weapons couldn't make a dent in it. However, why was the Think Tank worried about the hunters at the end of the episode? Nothing should be able to penetrate the hull.

My real nit, though, centers on Seven of Nine. This episode gave Seven a chance to leave Voyager and pursue a very interesting life, yet she chose to stay. Why? She even admitted her abilities weren't being challenged by her duties on Voyager. Why did she choose to stay. What kept her on Voyager. Yes, she's been with them for a couple of years now but so? Is it just familial bonds keeping her a member of the crew? She disagreed with the Think Tank's motives but was that enough to make her choose to stay with Voyager. This episode would have provided an excellent opportunity to get in Seven's head and reveal what she really thinks and feels about Voyager and her crew. Sadly, that opportunity passed with little notice.

Someone mentioned earlier that we haven't seen Seven grow much. A lot of us have lamented about Seven being the super Borg and wondered when that would change. Now would have been a good time to reveal some development. What does Seven think and feel about the crew? Why is she here? Does she have anything worth living for?

Next week: Rerun. And a Seven rerun at that. Who is the lame brain that scheduled this? How can you follow a Seven show with a Seven show? Ugh.

It put me to sleep... "Star Trek: Valium" comes to mind.
Review Boy (JW) -- 1 Apr 1999, 11:29 PM

I thought there were some good moments. But overall, the episode left me cold.

I think the main thing it was missing was this: no t-shirts or tank tops. :)

Sue_B -- 1 Apr 1999, 5:56 PM

The Duo of Dull
The Fight....Bleech
Think Tank.....Yawn

I'm a die-hard Voyager fan and fell asleep 40 mins into each episode.

I look forward to reading other reviews for things that would make me give the episodes a second chance.

In sum, the plots were trite, there was no real compelling issue (Chakotay was not going to go insane, Seven was not going to leave the ship), there were no lasting effects.

Bring back some angst or adventure please.

Small (very) but good TT moments:
- Alexander's character was flat to me but some of the repartee was witty
- The rubics cube

Isomorphic projections with smarmy hands.....
Deborah47 -- 2 Apr 1999, 8:20 AM

Smarmy? Geez Ginny, I'd hate to play scrabble with you! As for the earlier question by Shawnster re why Seven didn't leave the ship for the think tank, well Your smarmy hands theory is a better excuse than the one I gave him.

I don't "know" what an Isomorphic projection is, although Khouros gave the impression that it was superior to our Holograms in Star Fleet. I suspect that it not only can assimilate info using it's optical relays, but can scan using other non-obvious tools also. Someone asked why the coffee didn't grace the deck when he "winked out", well one idea would be that the think tank used a transporter to bring a sample of the "finest known suspension to humans" back for further analysis. Of course, I prefer the second possibility, Can everybody say..."Baby backwash"...

As for the Khouris image carrying back the padd KJ gave him, transporters are a wonderful thing, aren't they?

(I was wishing for one yesterday during my 9 hour trip home)

Finally, and maybe someone brought this up already, WHY would the Think Tank be interested in the Quantum slipstream drive, they already have the ability to get from the Vidiian territory to the Hazari territory with seeming alacrity, why wish for a slipstream which will blow your ship to pieces? Maybe he was just using that as a smokescreen for the Request for Seven? D47

Deb, the Think Tank were *collectors*...
Eric -- 2 Apr 1999, 11:10 AM

They didn't place value on how high tech things were. Remember when Khorus said they had saved a planet for a new kind of Tea (can't remember what he called it) and one of the things on his list was a recipe of one of Neelix's dishes. So they probably wanted the Slipstream Tech because it was a new way of traveling for them.

Mike -- 2 Apr 1999, 7:30 PM

Kirk would have been proud of Katie's solution in 'Think Tank'...... after all wasn't it Kirk who used cheating to beat the Kobayashi Maru.

Looks like I'm late for the party this week, most of the stuff I wanted to comment on was already mentioned. But I'm sure I'll find something to bore you with anyway :^).

I really did enjoy this episode. I love when Janeway outwits the enemy and turns the tables on them, great final scene with the think tank under attack while Voyager safely travels on.

I noticed a few posters didn't like the scene where the Voyager crew was sitting around planning how to beat the think tank at their own game. I kind of liked that scene for at least two reasons:

1) It was in keeping with the theme of the episode "solving puzzles". The episode started out with the Rubics cube-like brain game the crew was trying to solve and from there that theme continued through the story. In fact the whole episode was nothing but one big strategy game. It seemed appropriate to me that the crew (the home team) would be in a huddle comparing notes on how to beat the visiting team.

2) We often complain when Janeway makes decisions without consulting her crew, so why complain when she finally does take time to pick their brains before deciding on a strategy?

At first I did have a problem with Jason Alexander playing the AOTW. I couldn't get past his Seinfeld image and I *HATED* that show, except for a few episodes dealing with retired parents in Florida that were hilariously true to life. Once I forced myself to stop thinking of him as George Costanza, I enjoyed his character. BTW, I find that Jason Alexander is an actor of limited range. I got a kick out of how he tried to sneak Seven in at the bottom of his shopping list. It kind of reminded me of that old Woody Allen movie where Woody's character wants to buy a dirty magazine so he sneaks it in with Popular Mechanics, Life, Time, and a bunch of other respectable magazines hoping the dirty one will be unnoticed. I know there's no way to be sure, but can you blame him for wanting Seven to join his think tank? After all he was stuck on a ship with an android, something that looked like the Creature From the Black Lagoon, and a Jelly Fish in a tank. No wonder the little guy wanted a Borg in heels and a skin tight uniform to keep him company. Hah, he didn't fool me, I know the real reason he wanted her on that ship, and it had nothing to do with her Borg abilities ;^). Just kidding.

One little peeve I had with this episode. Why do we hear references like this about Seven saying she has the complete knowledge of the Borg collective in her head? How the heck is that possible and if it is possible why hasn't she developed a Borg transwarp drive for Voyager yet?

It was a great episode and Katie was in top form. The moral is don't mess with Captain Janeway in a game of strategy. Some aliens never learn.

Mike (I wonder what I ever did with my old Rubics cube? :^)

About the brainstorming session
Terry -- 2 Apr 1999, 9:46 PM

I didn't mind that it occurred. In fact, I realize now that it was a good thing that Janeway involved everyone in planning. It was something that many people (including me) have been called for. And I didn't even notice it.

I was just irked about all the technobabble talk about how to detect the think tank, force it out of subspace, attack it, etc. It seemed obvious to me that they would have to use subterfuge and Seven to defeat the tank.

If it's too hard to find them, let them find you. If you can't get past their defenses, get them to invite you in.

Au Contrair, Eric...
Shawnster -- 2 Apr 1999, 7:54 PM

Marie hit the head square on the nail... er, I mean nail on the head...

There are big moments in life, watersheds, turning points. You may not notice it at first because you are living it but, in hindsight, the moment will stand out in your mind for the rest of your life.

It's like the moment you realize you love the person you're dating. Or the moment you finally get up enough nerve to confess your love, only to land flat on your face. Or the moment you betray the trust of a friendship you spent years to build.

Marie also mentioned that Seven is a larger-than-life character. Characters like this in storytelling need a larger-than-life event to provide such a turning point, such a revelation. We, the audience, can't get into the mind of a character on television, we only know and react to what we see the character do and hear what the character says.

I just want to see the motivation for Seven to stay on Voyager. Every other character has had a watershed moment Janeway had "Coda" and "Night", Chakotay had "Tattoo", Tuvok had "Gravity", B'Elanna had "Extreme Risk", Tom had "Thirty Days", Harry had "Non Sequitur" and "Disease", The Doctor had "Real Life" and "Lifesigns", Neelix had "Jetrel", Kes had "Cold Fire." Seven has had some breakout episodes like "The Raven" and "Dark Frontier" but she needs to have some more.

Its like the growth in Tom and B'Elanna's relationship. It started out slowly over several episodes. Then we were given major events like "Blood Fever," and "Day of Honor."

I just want to see some more growth out of Seven.

"Why are you here? Do you have anything worth living for?" --Lorien to Sheridan, Babylon 5

Seven's watershed moments
Deborah47 -- 3 Apr 1999, 12:56 AM

----Shawnster WROTE----
Shawnster said..."Marie hit the head square on the nail... er, I mean nail on the head.....

There are big moments in life, watersheds, turning points. You may not notice it at first because you are living it but, in hindsight, the moment will stand out in your mind for the rest of your life.....

Marie also mentioned that Seven is a larger-than-life character. Characters like this in storytelling need a larger-than-life event to provide such a turning point, such a revelation. We, the audience, can't get into the mind of a character on television, we only know and react to what we see the character do and hear what the character says.

I just want to see the motivation for Seven to stay on Voyager. Every other character has had a watershed moment Janeway had "Coda" and "Night"..... Seven has had some breakout episodes like "The Raven" and "Dark Frontier" but she needs to have some more." --End of Shawnster's message (the Cliff notes version)--

Shawnster, Shawnster, Shawnster. You have eyes but do not see. You have ears but do NOT hear. You even quote the episode with best example of Seven's watershed moment.

Dark Frontier. Last scene. Seven is inputting Borg tactical data and stops to wonder aloud," The Borg thought that I was unique, that I understood humanity. They were wrong." Janeway asks,"How so?" Seven tilts her head to the side and looks straight at Janeway in disbelief,"I betrayed the crew of Voyager, I threatened YOU with assimilation, I NEVER thought you'd come after ME!" Janeway smiles (she's like a fisherman who knows the hook has been set), "It looks like there are a few things you still have to learn about humans" (imperfect quote). This is followed by a scene we rarely saw up till then, Seven following the Captain's order!

There have been many little scenes throughout the last 2 years that have set up the relationship between Seven and Janeway, but DF truly cemented it for BOTH of them. Seven's look of longing after KJ as KJ ran down the corridor to escape the Borg, KJ's guilty look toward Chak a few scenes later when she admitted her handling of Seven's problem was lacking in her usual thorough manner, and kept her from discovering Seven's real motives.

What you are looking for, perhaps, is for Seven to say in words,"I love &/or need you Mama Janeway!" Like the way we've seen Chak say it in Resolutions, Or KJ's subconscious say it in Coda, or B'Elanna say it in Day of Honor. I say, don't hold your breath kiddo. When was the last time your adult comrades said it to their parents? And they've had them for a lot longer than Seven has had Janeway! I've quoted it before, and I'll quote it again,"my mother was dead 5 years before I REALIZED how much I loved her." L. Hellman Just think of Seven as a neophyte in understanding emotions and relationships.

Remember Q in the TNG ep where he lost his powers? He thought he had a stomach ache but it was just hunger pains. He didn't know, he'd never been hungry before.

Seven probably doesn't know WHAT she feels for this woman and this crew (get your mind OUT of the gutter Eric!). But she KNOWS that whatever it is, she'd rather explore that than run off with 4 guys who can't communicate without the universe's most expensive universal translator in working order! D47

Maybe so Eric, but I liked your OTHER suggestion RE: 7 & KH more.
Deborah47 -- 3 Apr 1999, 1:47 AM

Maybe he was just thirsty when he asked for the tea, and hungry when he asked for the soup, and just lonely when he asked for Seven.

Actually, when you think about it, asking for Seven was just plain stupid. They should have asked for something extravagant but "do-able", like the Slipstream drive and then shmoozed with Seven to entice her to join them (like the way the 20-something Ocampan tried with Kes back in Coldfire.)

Instead, by trying to buy her they set her up to be an eternal thorn in their side. Let's be real, WHY would they ever trust her? She wasn't assimilated into THEIR collective like Khourus at the age of 3. She's old enough to resent the sacrifice she was called on to make by their request.

Maybe they are collectors, but I didn't get that feeling like in TNG's "The Most Toys". These unique objects were acquired because they had value beyond just being a one of a kind find. They wanted Seven, but they Needed her full cooperation, whereas all the Guy in TNG's TMT's needed was Data to sit and LOOK PRETTY and throw out a few bits of conversation once in awhile.

Be careful what you wish for Khourus, you might just get it! And then where would your think tank be? You're lucky all she did was screw up the Universal translator! D47

(Oh and Eric, I noticed in my absence that you are starting to admire some of Janeway's more -ahem- hidden attributes? Don't be afraid of Terry, you can come clean at the next KJ-anonymous meeting. Actually, after reading the convention reports on RD's great gams, and yours on KM's great legs, we may just need to start a new support group, How "Guys addicted to the one area completely covered by the regulation star fleet uniform cope". Hint, Eric, Check out KJ in Resistance (?) to see the legs in action! D47 )

Think Tank - transatlantic commentary.
Jules -- 11 Apr 1999, 1:16 PM

The second of a pair of okay episodes. (But I am beginning to wonder whether perhaps customs have a quality control program in place. It always seems to be the really good episodes that they open up to inspect on their way to me. Do you suppose they're watching them first?)

I read Review Boy's review of this one this morning, and was most amused to see his reference to the Mos Eisley cantina when talking about the opening teaser. I immediately thought "Star Wars!" too when I saw all that hotch-potch of characters. Although I think it was the fact that the blue guy (nice make-up job, BTW) spoke a lot like C-3PO and that Jason Alexander was doing his best to take on that air of mysterious dignity that Alex Guinness gave off as Ben Kenobi that really gave it that air.

I still have issues with the fact that Seven seems to have the entire knowledge of the Borg in her head - you'd think she'd just have a layer of basic Borg general knowledge plus whatever specialist knowledge she was programmed with when she was first selected as an intermediary with Voyager, and maybe a little extra that she sneaked in while she was socialising with the Borg Queen. I think it's not realistic that she should know everything about everything now that she doesn't have a link to the Collective, and. while I have no problem with her having superior or more wide-ranging knowledge to the rest of the crew in many areas, she should have a few blind spots showing by now. But, that revived grumble aside, I can definitely see why she'd be on the think tank's shopping list. Except... was it really necessary for her to be the person Janeway selected to take along on her visit? Sure, it was a plot device, so that she could be "interviewed". But the logical person for Janeway to take along with her to inspect the think tank and their offered solution to the Hazari problem was her security/tactical officer, Tuvok. Or possibly Tom, as the setter and solver of puzzles. Just because Seven knew of the Hazari doesn't make her the best person for the away mission; back in the days when Neelix fulfilled the native guide role, Janeway would have been most unlikely to take him!

I do like seeing the next step in Seven's evolution though. It was a nice touch to see her being given the choice over her own destiny that Janeway denied her in "The Gift", with the acknowledgement that she had learned enough to know what it meant now, and therefore that that control over her own destiny meant something. It would have been nice to see her given it in some circumstances that required a little more heart searching though. She barely had a moment of indecision when the Borg Queen offered her a choice; she didn't even hesitate here. There was never any doubt here that she would pick Voyager over the think tank, since they offered her nothing other than intellectual stimulation... and while Seven may be intellectually unfulfilled by her duties on Voyager, that doesn't mean that she can't pursue projects of her own alongside them. But I guess that if she continues to be ambivalent about returning to the Alpha Quadrant alongside the rest of the crew, it has shown her a new option: to leave to do something other than return to the Borg. Mind you, with the frequency with which she repeats her own personal mantra, "Voyager is her Collective now", I can't see her doing even that unless it's to wave them goodbye at the very last minute before they disappear into the magic wormhole that's going to deposit them on the doorstep of Starfleet command seconds later.

I loved the layers within layers within layers of deviousness in Janeway's trap for the think tank. Letting them see one trap - or indeed two - so that they could fall into the third was a nice payback, and the sort of twisted as a corkscrew logic that I'd like to see them utilise more as a way out of problems. I do like to see them think their way out, rather than just go in with guns blazing or rely on the deus ex machina of the week...

We lost another shuttle (and I thought someone told me there wasn't any shuttle usage in either this or "The Fight"?) As part of the general subterfuge Seven took a shuttle to the think tank's ship. When it popped out of subspace after she'd disabled their communications, she was beamed out. No sign of the shuttle, and Voyager got the he11 out of Dodge straight afterwards, as the Hazari took pot shots at the think tank ship. I don't see any real time or opportunity to retrieve it, so my current inclination is to list it as lost.

Thank goodness Seven didn't take the Flyer. At least... I hope she didn't. :-)

One parting thought: if the think tank were in any fit state to open up shop again and continue business after the Hazari had finished with them, if I were Janeway I'd have been inclined to point them in the direction of some potential new customers - the Moneans. I daresay that they'd be able to come up with some solution to the water world's containment field, and the think tank would be about the level of saviour that the desperately ungrateful Moneans deserved. And, since they'd undoubtedly try to welsh on the deal, they'd be about the clients that the think tank deserved as well!

Moneans. Jules, you're too cruel!
Deborah47 -- 11 Apr 1999, 4:38 PM

But on another note, do we Really Know that Seven posesses the entire knowledge of the Borg? That was Khurous' (Dang, how does one spell these names?) opinion. I know Seven has frequently gotten on her high horse about her superior knowledge ("Do you have a better idea? We are Borg! I take that as a yes." Scorpion I), but I don't know that she's ever said she knows all. In fact, the existence of a Borg Queen and drones would argue against the idea that each drone "knows all".

Of course, who wants to disabuse the thinktank of their error. Why not let them be misled about Seven? If I think my opponent is stronger than she actually is, maybe I won't challenge her. D47

The case remains not proven.
Jules -- 11 Apr 1999, 6:22 PM

Seven certainly shouldn't know all. The structure of the Borg as we've seen it, with leaders, groups assigned to specific functions, and suchlike, clearly suggests that each drone is programmed with what is relevant to its own specific task. I've always wondered why Seven, whose function at the point that she joined Voyager was to interface with the humans and expedite an engineering/weaponry project, should know so very much about astrometrics, or the flora, fauna, and species numbers of the Delta Quadrant. Not all of that information would have been relevant under any circumstances. And without the ability to download fresh details from the Collective mind, she couldn't supplement it at a later date. And wouldn't you think that some of the knowledge she did start out with would have gotten a little hazy with disuse by now? The stuff she's using on an everyday basis - engineering and astrometrics skills - would be exercised enough to stay uppermost in her mind and be instantly accessible. But I don't know about you, but if I don't use knowledge I lose it. I can't remember everyday mainframe OS commands that I used every day for over ten years... and it's only been two years since I last logged on to a mainframe. And Seven is, basically, human just like the rest of us. Maybe she's been programmed by the Borg to use her mind more efficiently, which would explain the "genius" status they so happily accord her, but the mind is a tool which needs constant exercise, and I can't believe that the number of species xyz would come so easily to her tongue if, say, she'd never met them personally and had had no especial need to make use of that knowledge until the day that Voyager bumped in to them.

Sure, we don't know that Seven does have the entire knowledge of the Borg in her one human sized little brain - and any related implants the Borg may have seen fit to tack on to supplement its capacity. But then again, she's yet to admit defeat and say that she doesn't know something - except on subjects where the Borg have deemed the knowledge in question to be "irrelevant". Like taste, hospitality, social manners, you know the drill.

Of course, that's an interesting idea. Perhaps that is just information that wasn't programmed into Seven, rather than being outside the scope of the Borg knowledge entirely. Perhaps there's a small unit of Borg, tucked away on an obscure cube somewhere, who do possess all that information on social interaction and gourmet cuisine appreciation, just on the offchance that the Borg ultimately decide that the most efficient way to assimilate those pesky humans is to throw them a dinner party. :-)

And are you sure I was being too cruel to the Moneans. Well, I wouldn't want the think tank to do anything nasty to poor little Riga, but if they could tweak the tail of that smug minister, I wouldn't cry a single tear...

Terry

Does this shuttle differ from The Raven shuttle, Jules? In both cases, Seven took a shuttle out and came back onbaord without it. And no word about beaming it back. Beaming the shuttle back was technically possible but unlikely. Well, Jules, at least you're not consistent! ;-)

Meeouw. Now how did I know you'd pick on this, Terry?
Jules -- 12 Apr 1999, 7:12 AM

And yes, it does differ from the shuttle in "The Raven" slightly... in that there was more time available in that episode for the errant shuttle to be retrieved, while they were hanging around in orbit of the moon waiting for Paris's shuttle to retrieve Seven and Tuvok, not to mention while they were uploading the Raven's entire computer database! It was also in open space rather than someone else's space ship.

However... you'll notice that I haven't updated the Shuttlecraft Status page with the "Think Tank" one yet, although I've now more or less finished doing weekend and evening support for financial year end, so I would have had time to update the Nebula yesterday. The truth is, I'm still thinking about it. Yesterday I was all for counting it lost, today I'm inclined to count it among the living. I figure I'll watch the episode at least once more before coming to a final decision.

Part of the reason behind that is that when I first started the Shuttlecraft Status page it was to explain away as many of the potential shuttle losses as possible, to keep them down to manageable figures, and to see whether Voyager could indeed justify launching yet another shuttle the following week. In many ways it was a reaction to an over-reaction. I kept seeing people on discussion boards and newsgroups insisting that Voyager must have lost at least a dozen, when I didn't remember anything like that number - and when I counted (this was in early season three) I found precisely three losses.

But season five in particular, with its mention of an active shuttle maintenance squad (in "Latent Image") and the building of the Delta Flyer (in "Extreme Risk") proving once and for all that Voyager can replace its losses, up to a point, has made that particular mission brief slightly redundant. Not to mention the fact that they've been giving them away and destroying them all over the place this year! I have therefore been rewriting the Shuttlecraft page to slightly change its focus away from the philosophy of keeping shuttles alive at all costs. Which isn't to say that I'm not still interested in saving those resources, just that it doesn't seem quite as essential as it once did. :-)

With that in mind, I'm currently reviewing all shuttle excursions with a view to seeing if I want to change my original call on them. I doubt if I'll change much, if any, but I do plan on trying to stay consistent, so whichever way I decide to go, I'll probably end up doing the same for both "The Raven" and "Think Tank" unless I discover any really pressing reasons for doing otherwise. But... sigh. I really hate those "fly down, beam back" episodes. They're always an absolute nightmare to call.

And, maybe it's an unworthy thought, but it does occur to me that if I do make any changes to the status of shuttles I've already chronicled the demise of, it's going to cause a certain amount of confusion and consternation amongst the people who've ripped off my page wholesale in the past. Which I must confess doesn't bother me one little tiny bit. :-)

Terry -- 12 Apr 1999, 7:38 AM

I read a mag article where 25 shuttles were mentioned as being lost. Ha! the shuttle count has become a legend and grows in each telling.

I'll grant you that this shuttle was inside and more difficult to beam out. But if they could beam out Seven, ... However, I disagree that there was more time. In The Raven, there were not only hostile warships present but they were gunning for Voyager, not fighting amongst themselves. Janeway ordered the ship to skedaddle as soon as the away team was onboard. I doubt she was much concerned about a spare shuttle.

Beaming out Seven may well be the clincher.
Jules -- 12 Apr 1999, 8:04 AM

Unless I decide to go the other way entirely, of course. It is, of course, perfectly possible that while one transporter was beaming Seven out, another one was beaming out the shuttle. They've beamed back shuttles on several occasions, so we know that it's possible. And certainly their plan against the think tank was detailed enough that they'd have known well in advance that either a shuttle sacrifice or a shuttle beamout would be necessary in order to impliment it.

So, as I said, I'm inclining towards saving it at the moment. Have been ever since I hit "submit" yesterday, in fact. :-)

And Eric had better hope that I do, because if I should choose to change my mind and count both this shuttle and the one in "The Raven" as lost, his precious Seven becomes the proud possessor of the worst pilot safety record on the ship. Two shuttle excursions as pilot; two losses. 100% disaster. On the other hand, if I count the shuttles as salvageable, she goes down to a 50% damage rating. Much better. Of course, he'll still need to worry about Kes's safety record: two shuttles piloted, one lost. And would it be too cruel of me to mention the fact that the best safety record on the ship is held by... of all people... Neelix.

Yes, it's true. Neelix has piloted a shuttle three times. And on all three occasions he's brought it back without so much as a scratch. Chakotay could take lessons from him...

As for those 25 shuttles... well, I can only assume that they've been reading the pages of those of my learned colleagues who count alternate timelines and explosions of holodeck simulations as well. Either that or I want to see the other 5 seasons of episodes that they've apparently watched and we haven't!

Leaving a fully functional shuttle with the thinktank..
Deborah47 -- 13 Apr 1999, 6:05 AM

may be a good starting point for a show next season. "Think" what the tank could do with the info in the shuttles computer. Design a StarFleet appearing trap that would put Seska to shame! I hope Seven gave the shuttle orders to wipe its memory core like Chak did in Maneuvers! If not...beware the calls of StarFleet message codes! D47

Yikes. Good point, Deb!
Jules -- 13 Apr 1999, 7:57 AM

Once you put it that way, I think it's more or less certain that part of Voyager's plan included beaming the shuttle back.

After all, Janeway's spent an awful lot of the last five years worrying about Starfleet and/or Federation tech getting into the wrong hands. She wouldn't have overlooked it on this occasion, would she? Maybe a Starfleet shuttle would be pretty primitive technology by the think tank's standards, but you never give an opponent that sneaky any potential advantage if you can possibly avoid it.

Unless, of course, the shuttle was yet another bit of that layers-within-layers plan... and the Voyager crew laid a few more traps for the think tank in its database. :-)

I certainly think that there's an opening or two for a return visit from the think tank at a later date. Especially as, no matter how many jumps closer to home Voyager does, the think tank have the technology to move about pretty swiftish themselves. Which Voyager might well show some interest in attempting to get their hands on, if they indulge in a return bout...