Somewhere in that totality known as the universe
is a galaxy called the Milky Way.
Tucked into the corner of that galaxy is a planet named Earth.
On that planet is a city called Mantua.
Go straight ahead, past the fountain. Turn right, then left. Then right again.
You'll find yourself walking along the water listening
as a man sings of his beloved's unfaithful heart.
And even the fish begin to weep,
guando la donna è mobile.
Tuvok?
Get security to the mess hall.
Stand back. He's been seized by the Pon farr.
A neuro-chemical imbalance is driving him to mate. We can't reason with him.
Tuvok, I understand, you are a Vulcan man.
You have just gone without for seven years about.
Paris, please find a way to load a hypospray
I will give you the sign, just aim for his behind.
Hormones are raging, synapses blazing.
It's all so...
...very illogical
illogical
iii...
illogical.
Bravo!
Doctor?
Hello?
Maybe I'll run a diagnostic on your hearing.
My hearing's fine. I was just letting my mind wander, that's all.
If you're not working on anything, deactivate yourself.
Wasn't I scheduled on the away team?
The planet looks safe on the sensors.
We'll just use the transporter.
See if there's anything we missed.
I wanted to go on the away team.
There's a canyon I'd like to investigate.
I've handed out assignments. Next time.
If you like, I'll snap a few images for you.
Don't bother.
Suit yourself.
I'll just use my imagination.
Where did that come from?
It's only just showed up.
T-Class nebula. 1000 kilometre diameter.
Hydrogen, helium, argon.
Nothing too dramatic.
You want drama? Look at this.
"To Captain Kathryn Janeway,
"from Emergency Medical Hologram.
"Topic, status of Emergency Hologram."
- He's filing a formal grievance. - Regarding?
His treatment by the crew. There's also a paragraph about his future.
And a proposal for advancement.
"Failure to acknowledge sentience... Rude behaviour."
What's this? A request to be made captain in the event of a catastrophe?
He's serious?
Deadly, and he wants a response, for the record.
Protocol allows for Chakotay to address his demands,
if the captain would prefer.
I'll take care of it. I don't want anyone to be uncomfortable.
Let's try to be a little more considerate.
He does it to himself. He's chief medical officer.
Is it our fault that's not enough for him?
Resume course toward the planet. I've got a formal response to draft.
What category did I assign that vessel?
- Unacceptable risk. - Correct.
What was my justification for that?
It appears in none of our databases. Attempts to scan the interior failed.
Why are you wasting our resources?
I think I can penetrate the hull using a microtunnelling sensor.
And observe the interior one molecule at a time?
There are other targets that must be surveyed.
If I could tap into a data transfer conduit,
I could reach their main computer core.
That would tell me all we need to know about their tactical systems.
We could be detected. They may not like being spied upon.
I've been careful. I'll take precautions, I promise.
Unacceptable risk.
I've already transmitted my proposal to the Hierarchy.
They should be responding momentarily.
- Is there something you'd like to say? - No.
The Hierarchy cannot be bothered with every ill-conceived notion that you...
They've approved. I'd better get started.
You're too confrontational. He'll report you.
Acceptable risk.
The antonium runs along the canyon edge.
Scans show geological instability within 100 metres of the target location.
I could put the Flyer down just outside of that.
I don't know. That might be a little too far.
What's the matter, Neelix? Afraid of some exercise?
We could handle a 100 metre stroll.
I have to agree.
It's coming back I'm worried about.
We'll be loaded with ore. If the ground is unstable...
I suggest limiting team members to 20 kilograms.
Scans indicate the crust is dense enough to support that weight.
You might try carrying a transport enhancer to the site.
Good idea. We'll beam the ore to the Flyer
and won't have to carry anything.
This mission is starting to look dangerous.
Maybe we do need the Doctor.
There could be injuries.
- I require the Doctor's assistance. - What for?
- It's none of your business. - I think it is.
- What's wrong? - Nothing. An old Academy injury.
It flares up now and then. I've learnt to live with it.
But maybe you should stay here and have a look.
Right... there.
- Get away from him. - You are dismissed.
Doctor?
- Doctor? - Yes, Captain?
Let's talk about these demands of yours.
- I've given you freedom on this ship. - I don't dispute that.
But you're not satisfied.
I should be allowed to participate in advance like other members of the crew.
- You should know your limits. - My program can be expanded.
- I don't have limits. - But your responsibility is sickbay.
I'm a computer program. Multi-tasking is second nature to me.
This proposal of yours. To be made a... What did you call it?
ECH. Emergency Command Hologram.
It's an interesting idea. A backup captain in case I'm incapacitated.
But expanding your program would take months of work.
The lives of the crew may depend on it someday.
I'm afraid the answer is no.
But in my formal response, I've recommended that Starfleet consider it.
When we get back to the Alpha Quadrant, I'll pass it along.
- Thank you, Captain. - Thank you, Doctor.
Ladies and gentlemen - introducing the Emergency Command Hologram.
I tried to access their sensors, but couldn't get past the security encryption.
So I found something even better.
A holographic crewman. I've tapped into his cognitive subroutines.
We can now monitor everything he's experiencing.
- It's like having an agent on board. - To the ECH.
Captain, this is an honour, but if you don't mind my saying, hardly a surprise.
Allow me to introduce the Doctor.
He's a computer program, a sentient piece of holographic technology.
- And he is Voyager's medical officer. - Voyager?
That's the ship. I've only observed the Doctor for a few hours
but I've learned more about this vessel than in three days of sensor sweeps.
Elaborate.
Voyager's not in our database because they are not from this quadrant.
They're... lost. Alone.
No backup vessel? No one to contact for help?
Precisely. Another few hours and I'll know all we need to know about them.
Defences, weapons, crew complement, everything.
From monitoring one individual? Unlikely.
Actually, it is very likely.
The social structure on Voyager is much different than ours.
- How so? - This is my observation post.
I have a single function. But the Doctor does more than practice medicine.
He has access to the entire ship.
And he seems to be an expert on everything.
In fact, the captain just gave him authorisation to command the bridge.
It was a very exciting moment.
Why aren't you monitoring him now?
The link drops out intermittently, but it should be re-established in a minute.
Maintain your surveillance.
This will deal with potential allergens on the planet.
I'll monitor your medical status but I don't anticipate problems.
Since I'm not going, would you snap a few hole-images for me down there?
- Gladly. - Tell me something, Mr Neelix.
Do you daydream?
On Talaxia, we have a saying - "The dream dreams the dreamer."
Translate.
We like to think that fantasies and daydreams come from somewhere else.
Another land. They slip into our minds and whisper to us about things.
- A strange notion. - Do you daydream?
No. I'm a computer program.
I prefer wide shots. If you're feeling creative, a little ultraviolet.
Will do.
Voyager to Delta Flyer. Report.
Approaching the canyon. What a view!
- I'm sure it is. - Put us in synchronous orbit.
Voyager, mayday. We've been hit. I'm taking us down into the...
- I don't know what happened. - I am picking up a vessel.
- It's Borg. - Red Alert.
On screen. Battle stations.
Captain, you must relieve me of duty. At once.
An assimilation virus has penetrated our defences.
- We're becoming drones. - Hard to starboard.
- Reinforce the shields. - Incoming fire.
Doctor...
- Computer, activate the ECH. - Acknowledged.
Transferring all systems to your command.
Indeed. Shields to maximum. Photon torpedoes, full volley.
Fire.
- Computer, report. - Enemy shields are intact.
- We are the Borg. - I know who you are.
- Stand down your weapons. - State your designation.
Emergency Command Hologram, at your service.
- Designation unknown. - Not for long.
Doctor.
Warning. Primary shields failing.
This is the last time I'm going to ask. Stand down your weapons.
Turn back while you still can.
You will be assimilated.
Over my dead program.
Computer, activate the photonic cannon.
The photonic cannon is on-line.
Fire.
Doctor, can you confirm?
The readings, Doctor.
Readings. Confirm. Of course.
The away team's physiologies are within acceptable parameters.
- All lifesigns stable. - OK to proceed, Tom.
We'll contact you again when we reach the site.
Voyager will not be an easy target.
It is armed with something called a photonic cannon.
I watched them destroy a Borg sphere with a single volley.
- There are no reports of Borg here. - I saw it with my own eyes.
- Did you check for debris? - The ship was annihilated.
- Continue. - The captain was disabled in the attack.
The hologram is now in command. He's an impressive individual.
A physician, an engineer, a warrior.
And very attractive to the females.
We must at all costs try to avoid a direct confrontation with him.
I recommend a type 3 stealth assault.
The Hierarchy approves. Prepare for a stealth assault, type 3.
Scan for Borg. We don't want any last-minute surprises.
Or mistakes.
Doctor? Can I have a word with you?
I know I let my attention drift but I assure you...
Are you kidding? That was incredible. Congratulations.
- For what? - The Borg won't attack Voyager again.
Nice work.
- Computer, locate Chakotay. - Chakotay is in his quarters.
Something wrong?
What were you doing?
I added a new function to my program - "Cognitive Projections”.
Daydreaming. I wanted to be able to daydream.
- An inefficient activity. - We all do it. Why not the Doctor?
- My thought exactly. - So what's the problem?
The algorithms are malfunctioning. I'm daydreaming whether I want to or not.
They say a Doctor who operates on himself has a pahtk for a patient.
- I can help him. - I'm sure you can.
- We're going to sickbay. - Any excuse to be alone with him.
- Assimilation is an unpleasant fate. - Is that a threat?
This isn't possible. The warp containment field is failing.
Warp core breach in 30 seconds.
- Stabilise the antimatter flow. - Control linkage is down.
Warning. Warp core breach a lot sooner than you think.
Try to adjust the warp core manually.
No one can survive this level of plasma radiation.
The Doctor.
- This isn't real, is it? - You're the only one who can help us.
Warning. Last chance to be a hero, Doctor. Get going.
Here's the problem. The new algorithms weren't isolated.
They've branched into his subroutines.
Let's take a closer look at the matrix?
- What are you doing? - I have to eject the core.
- Deactivate his program. - No.
- Don't try to stop me. - Let's take him to sickbay.
I have to save the ship. I have to save the ship.
I have to save the ship!
You look lovely tonight, Seven. Where shall we go?
The new algorithms have taken over his program.
- Ambassador. - So he daydreams constantly?
It's a photonic cannon. I designed it.
He's randomly jumping from one to the next.
I routed his fantasies to holodeck 1 so Seven and Harry can monitor them.
They're his fantasies. I promised him we'd show him more consideration.
It'll give us an idea of what's going on, help us fix him.
How thoughtful. You baked me a cake.
- Kim to sickbay. - Go ahead, Harry.
- You might want to look at this. - We're on our way.
- Keep still, please. - Anything you say, Doctor.
He does the hands very well.
Apparently he's had a great deal of practice. Look at these.
Computer.
Activate the Emergency Command Hologram.
This is the part I like.
- Nice touch. - Bring the photonic cannon on-line.
- Photonic cannon? - A weapon of mass destruction.
Invented by the Doctor.
In many of his fantasies, he takes command and saves the ship.
I see.
That algorithm is more accessible.
If we can isolate it, we can stabilise his program.
- Why torment me like this? - It was never my intention.
- I want you to be happy. - Without you?
What?
I'll always be fond of you. That will never change.
You can't just leave me. I couldn't bear to be alone.
Aren't you forgetting someone? He needs you, now more than ever.
Forget him. He's not half the man you are.
I've seen enough of this.
Let's go back to sickbay and try to isolate that algorithm.
- Congratulations. - Thank you for this, Captain.
All I've ever wanted was to live up to my full potential, hone all my skills.
Expand my abilities to help the people I love.
What's the status?
I lost the signal again. I don't know what happened.
Two assault vessels are on course to join us.
Accurate information is essential.
The more I learn of Voyager, the more I wonder if it's worth the trouble.
Clarify.
Attacking such a heavily armed vessel
carries a great risk, and for what? A little antimatter and dilithium?
Your survey indicated both. We've committed resources to this assault.
- Were you mistaken? - No, not at all.
I'm just sounding a note of caution.
If our boarding party doesn't find Voyager exactly as you've described it,
the Hierarchy will be informed.
I understand. There has been no mistake.
Then we'll proceed.
- I've made a terrible mistake. - How terrible?
The Doctor was appearing in a different place every few seconds.
I investigated a little further and... haven't been monitoring his perceptions.
I've been watching his dreams or his imaginings.
I'm not sure which.
But none of this is real.
What am I going to do?
- I came to check on your patient. - He's doing just fine, Captain.
It took Torres half the night to stabilise my matrix.
I haven't had a single flight of fancy since.
I apologise for altering my program without permission.
At least there wasn't any permanent damage.
I'm afraid there was. I've been exposed, humiliated.
Turned inside out for all the world to see.
- If I've lost your respect... - That will never happen.
Certainly not because we've seen a few random fantasies.
We all daydream. It helps us imagine other possibilities in life.
Hold off until we've figured out a way you can do it without damaging yourself.
Come in.
Ship's status report.
Federation Law? Thinking about a career change?
In a way. Not for me, though.
I've been going over the precedents for granting command to holograms.
There aren't any.
The Doctor should focus on what he was programmed for - medical care.
We've underestimated him because of our own human limitations.
His full potential is unknown.
Would you hand over your ship to a computer?
- I don't know if I'd take it that far. - You might have to.
He probably won't settle for less.
Allow me to shake your hand.
Congratulations.
Doctor, may I have a word with you?
- I don't recall dreaming you up. - I'm transmitting a simulation of myself.
- But I am real. - Doctor to bridge, I'm daydreaming.
- Deactivate me. - Voyager is about to be attacked.
- Unless the Doctor swings into action. - Precisely.
- A common theme in my fantasies. - I put you back into this fiction.
Why?
It was the only way for me to communicate with you.
- I'm listening. - I'm an observer on an assault vessel.
I scan passing ships for technology and raw materials.
When I find an acceptable target, we raid it.
- You've been spying on us. - On you.
I've been using a long-range tunnelling sensor to tap into your program.
You were supposed to be our eyes and ears on Voyager.
- Instead, I got this. - You tapped into my daydreams?
- That's why my algorithms destabilised. - My fault. I'm sorry.
- Tell me about this attack. - My ship is less than an hour away.
I can help you avoid a confrontation but you must do what I say.
- Why should you want to help us? - You don't understand.
The Hierarchy does not tolerate mistakes or misinformation.
If they learn of my error, I'll lose my livelihood.
Well, that's what you get for being a Peeping Tom.
But I also care about what happens to you.
I feel like I've gotten to know you over the past few days.
You've been spying on my fantasies, not me. You don't know me at all.
But I do. I know how your mind works,
what your hopes are. You created all these possibilities.
My species, we're very different.
Our thinking is confined,
but... I can't help but admire you.
I don't want you to be harmed.
Then I suppose we should swing into action.
We're about to be attacked. Alien vessels are approaching.
- There's nothing on the sensors. - The vessels are cloaked.
One of the aliens contacted me. He spoke to me in a daydream.
I don't want to hear. Why have you disobeyed a direct order?
I can prove it. The alien told me how to reconfigure our sensors.
He's right. I'm picking up three ships out there.
Distance - 600 million kilometres. Headed for us.
On screen.
Maximum magnification.
The alien won't help us unless we help him.
- What if this is part of the attack? - I'm inclined to believe him.
So am I, but I'd just as soon set a course away at maximum warp.
They have vessels hidden throughout the sector.
Did your friend have a plan?
They're running a type 3 stealth assault.
They won't decloak until they're on us. They'll fire a warning shot.
Then the demands for technology. If we don't comply, they'll destroy us.
The alien agreed to transmit the resonance frequencies of their phasers.
And in return?
In return...
He mistakenly informed his superiors that I was in command of Voyager.
To keep himself from being demoted he wants us... to maintain that fiction.
When they open the channel, I must be in the captain's chair.
I'm sorry, Captain, but he insisted.
Well, I guess it's time to turn fantasy into reality.
I'm in over my head. What if I fail?
You sound like me when I was in command of the nightshift.
I thought I'd sink so far into that chair that no one would see me.
- You had your training to fall back on. - And you've had practice.
That wasn't real!
The reason you wanted to daydream was to test out possibilities, right?
Well, consider this a field test.
Why isn't there any hull damage?
- They repaired it. - So quickly?
- Prepare for type 4 assault. - Type 47.
That would cause a huge drain on our energy core.
A waste of resources. Do you really think that's necessary?
What I think doesn't matter. Your surveillance indicated a Borg attack.
On closer inspection, that seems doubtful.
Your report on this vessel could be mistaken. I think caution is in order.
The Hierarchy agrees.
Proceed to type 4.
Captain on the bridge.
It won't bite.
What I wouldn't give now for a whoopee cushion.
- A what? - Ancient technology.
- Captain, we're ready to proceed. - Acknowledged.
Internal com-link active. No one can hear you but the Doctor.
Doctor, are you ready?
No, but do I have a choice?
I'm with you every step of the way. Remember I'm still the captain.
- Understood. - I'm receiving a transmission.
- Audio only. - The Doctor's friend. Let's hear it.
Doctor?
Hello? Voyager here.
It's me.
Doctor, something terrible has happened.
They've ordered a type 4 assault.
Our phaser frequencies will rotate continuously.
I won't be able to help you.
Evasive manoeuvres.
Three vessels are decloaking off the bow.
- That wasn't a warning shot. - Direct hit. Shields are holding.
They're hailing us.
This is it, Doctor. On screen.
See? There he is.
Be careful, he's dangerous.
The Hierarchy controls this region.
Your ship has technology that we require.
Tell him we'll defend ourselves. They won't get what they're after.
We'll defend ourselves. They won't get what they're after.
I mean you won't get what you're after. Not in a million years.
- Not if I have any say in it. - Don't improvise.
Sorry.
An exchange of fire would damage us both.
But we have support nearby. You don't.
Take your weapons off-line and prepare to be...
Excuse the interruption. I have found a weakness in their shields
but I'll need time to reconfigure our phasers.
Keep him occupied. On screen.
- This is my final warning. - Don't rush me.
Take your weapons off-line, immediately. I won't ask again.
You appear to be suffering from a physio-emotive disorder.
You are impatient, quick to anger.
You know what that does to your vascular pressure? See a physician.
Firing phasers.
Direct hit.
How do you like that? A taste of your own medicine.
- Tone it down, Doctor. - Sorry.
- Our phasers are off-line. - Prepare to be boarded.
- Negotiate. Tell him... - Tuvok!
Activate the photonic cannon.
Tuvok, that was an order.
Activating the photonic cannon, sir.
I'd rather not give the order to fire.
My sensors show no activation sequence.
Of course not. The cannon is impervious to sensors.
The Borg couldn't detect it either. That's why they were destroyed.
The Borg, the Hierarchy. It's the same to me.
Just another bully who didn't know when to back off.
We'll be vaporised.
The Hierarchy suggests retreat.
They're moving away at maximum impulse.
Go ahead, Doctor. You've earned it.
- Seven of Nine to the Doctor. - Go ahead.
I require your assistance in the mess hall.
I'll be right there.
Surprise!
Don't worry. You're not dreaming.
Captain?
For your imaginative defence of this ship and her crew,
I'm awarding you the Starfleet Medal of Commendation.
- Congratulations. - Thank you.
I've also reconsidered your request. I'll authorise research
to explore your command abilities.
You're a natural.
Congratulations, Doctor.
That was a Platonic gesture. Don't expect me to pose for you.
Noted.