Body and Soul (Star Trek: Voyager)

"Body and Soul" is the 153rd episode of Star Trek: Voyager, the seventh episode of the seventh season.

Plot

The Delta Flyer, occupied by Seven of Nine, the Doctor, and Ensign Harry Kim, flies by a comet that contains primitive DNA. The Doctor beams a small sample of it on board. Shortly thereafter they are contacted by a new alien species called the Lokirrin. Unbeknownst to them, they are in violation of local law by having the Doctor on board. The Lokirrim believe him to be a "photonic insurgent" and when he is detected they begin to decompile his program. Four aliens beam onto the Flyer demanding to know where the "photonic" is. When they reach the rear cabin, Seven states that he was murdered by their disruption beam. The four Lokirrim place Seven and Kim under arrest.

In the detention cell, Seven is acting perkier than she has ever been. Seven tells Kim that she is actually the Doctor. She downloaded him into her cybernetic matrix using her Borg assimilation tubules so he wouldn't be destroyed by the Lokirrim. The Doctor experiences human senses such as smell and touch for the first time.

Back on Voyager, Lieutenant Tom Paris scans over Tuvok with a tricorder. Initially, Tuvok would say only that he is suffering from a neurochemical imbalance that can be treated by a specific medication. When Paris denies his request as he cannot dispense medication without knowing what it is for, Tuvok admits he's going through pon farr. Paris reassures him that he'll dispense the medication and tell the captain that he has the flu and will be out of commission for a few days, as Vulcans are very self-conscious and secretive of their reproductive cycles.

Seven/the Doctor is enjoying the taste of prison rations (although Harry suggests his uniform would taste better). The aliens call Seven to the Delta Flyer. The captain of the alien vessel, Captain Ranek, asks about the food replicator and if it can create bioweapons. Attempting to prove that it is for food replication, Seven/the Doctor replicates a slice of New York cheesecake. The Doctor then fully enjoys the sensations of taste and eating, and along with Captain Ranek, gorges on various foods and drinks, including no fewer than nine glasses of wine. Seven/the Doctor later stumbles into the detention cell drunk, but with the mobile emitter in hand. The Doctor uploads his program back into the mobile emitter, only to bring back Seven of Nine who is outraged that the Doctor "abused" her body. Seven is thoroughly distraught at the fact that she has to have the Doctor take over her body again.

Paris checks in on Tuvok. The medicine that was used last time was not working. Tom suggests the holodeck to relieve him of the urges. Tuvok is appalled by the offer, feeling that doing so would be cheating on his wife T'Pel. To which Tom suggests that Tuvok create a holographic version of T'Pel, an idea which Tuvok reluctantly accepts. While Tuvok is in the holodeck, another Lokirrim ship disrupts the holodeck because of the photonic activity. Voyager deactivates the program with Tuvok still suffering.

The Doctor/Seven is treating several patients in the medical bay when she is called to the bridge by Ranek. He wanted Seven to see a spectacular view of a pulsar cluster. Ranek kisses the totally unprepared Seven/the Doctor. Seven storms off to the medical bay again. There she seeks treatment for a muscle spasm, and gets a massage from the physician, Lieutenant Jaryn. The Doctor then experiences another sensation, sexual arousal. When she gets back to the detention cell, he uploads his program into the emitter again, and once again, Seven is furious. They start arguing over their humanity, the Doctor stating that it is unfair that Seven refuses herself the sensations that come from being human while he can't experience them, but Kim breaks them up. Fortunately, Seven was able to study the ship's systems and was able to devise a way back.

Seven allows the Doctor to take control of her body again for a plan to contact Voyager. He invites Captain Ranek to the Delta Flyer for a dance and dinner, and then sedates him during a waltz. She then hails Voyager. Captain Janeway along with the rest of the bridge crew is utterly confused as to Seven's condition at first, although they quickly learn that "she" is currently the Doctor. They begin the search for the Delta Flyer and its occupants secretly as they are escorted out of Lokirrim space. Voyager sets a course for the ship that has them. Tuvok disables their escort and jumps to warp.

Seven is back in the medical bay with an unconscious Ranek, and Jaryn revives him. Ranek immediately orders Seven to be taken to detention, but the bridge hails that an alien ship (Voyager) is approaching. He negates his previous order and has Seven brought to the bridge. Janeway hails them, but is forced to use the command codes to disable the shields. Ranek ties the shields into the warp matrix. Seven then rematerializes the Doctor.

Ranek tries to reinforce the failing shield grid, but ends up being injured in the process. The Doctor stays behind to treat Ranek. They briefly talk and the Doctor explains that he was actually the one that the crew was interacting with. Tuvok is grateful for Paris' help, but has one small problem: the hologram of his wife was inaccurate. His wife's ears are four millimeters smaller than the hologram's.

Meanwhile in sickbay, Seven decides to have a meal with the Doctor so that he can once again enjoy eating, albeit vicariously as Seven describes the sensations.

External links

Wikiquote has quotations related to: Body and Soul

• "Body and Soul" at the Internet Movie Database
• "Body and Soul" at TV.com
• Body and Soul at Memory Alpha (a Star Trek wiki)
• Body and Soul at StarTrek.com