Alter Ego (Star Trek: Voyager)

"Alter Ego"
Star Trek: Voyager episode

Tuvok talks with the real Marayna aboard her ship.
Episode no. Season 3
Episode 14
Directed by Robert Picardo
Written by Joe Menosky
Production code 155
Original air date January 15, 1997
Guest stars

Sandra Nelson as Marayna
Alexander Enberg as Vorik

Episode chronology
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"Fair Trade"
Next →
"Coda"
List of Star Trek: Voyager episodes

"Alter Ego" is an episode of Star Trek: Voyager, the 14th episode of the third season. Directed by Robert Picardo ("The Doctor").

Plot

Voyager is engaged in exploring a nebula inversion that is mysteriously stable. While inversion nebulae normally burn out after a few years, this one appears to have existed for centuries. While the rest of the crew discuss emotions with Tuvok, Ensign Kim gives him a discomforted look. Kim later visits Tuvok in his quarters, and asks Tuvok to teach him the Vulcan way of suppressing his emotions. When Tuvok asks why, Kim reveals that he has fallen in love with a character from the holodeck. As a part of Tuvok's methods, they go to see this character, Marayna. Meanwhile, Janeway orders the ship to move away from the inversion, but the ship fails to respond.

All of the crew later engages in a luau on the holodeck. Tuvok again meets Marayna, and is intrigued by her logic. Harry sees this and becomes jealous of Tuvok, who assures him that his jealousy is misplaced and that he feels no emotions for Marayna, but Harry will not listen to this. To prove his statement Tuvok deletes the Marayna character from the holodeck.

Later as Tuvok enters his quarters he finds Marayna there, wearing the Doctor's mobile emitter. It appears she has uploaded herself into the computer and now can control the ship at her will. Tuvok alerts security and Marayna disappears.

Captain Janeway is alerted of the matter and they begin scanning their surroundings for hidden vessels and eventually find a spot from where the Marayna character is administered. Tuvok beams himself to this location and meets the real Marayna, an alien who is living alone in the inversion and prevents it from igniting to allow her people to enjoy its beauty. However, she feels lonely and wants Tuvok to remain with her. Tuvok tells her that if she really cares about him she must let both him and the ship go. She finally agrees to this and Voyager can safely return to its journey home.

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