[Nate the Great]

Having been reminded of Delta Blues, it's time to catch up with entries for the episodes thus far.

Caretaker Part One

Stadi changes the subject as something else comes into visual range. "That's Voyager," she announces, pointing to a ship on one of DS9's upper pylons; it somewhat resembles a, inverted plastic tablespoon with warp nacelles attached.

More of an inverted soup spoon, but it's an interesting image.

Janeway introduces the two to her first officer, Lt. Commander Cabot--a friendly looking white man with a full head of mostly-grey hair.

So both of Janeway's first officers are Lt. Commanders? What's up with that? Did the costumer's not know that full Commanders exist, or is this another shallow attempt to make Janeway look better by making others look worse?

Sickbay is burning.
Harry and Tom, the first to arrive, assess the damage rapidly; Paris looks for survivors (none--doctor and nurse are dead) as Harry extinguishes the flames from the console that killed them.

Are they implying that medical staff is supposed to be only two people? Wouldn't there be another doctor or two to operate during the other shifts?

Paris returns and reports to Janeway that all of the crew are accounted for, scattered throughout the "farm."

How would he know the number of the surviving crew OR their names? I don't think there was even time to survey the remaining crew and make new assignments.

Paris arrives on the bridge just in time to see three armed, back-to-back Maquis materialize: Chakotay, Tuvok, and someone without a name. (I guess he won't last long.)

Actually I think that's Ayala. He'll be a recurring background character for many episodes to come.

[Tom's] anger is replaced by something resembling shame. Did Chakotay's words cut a little too close to the bone? What was Paris' true purpose in joining the search mission? Latinum? Surely not; he was never offered payment. Early release from prison? It seemed he was well on his way to that anyway, for good behavior. All the venal motivations ring false here; could it be the Bad Boy was looking for redemption, or a second chance to prove himself? Despite the animosity shown him, Paris has comported himself with admirable skill and determination, even initiative, since putting on the uniform. That he looks so contrite suggests his own remorse processors are functioning at peak efficiency, and that's a good sign. But time will tell.

Gotta love Jim Wright's writing style.

"Time for what?" Janeway demands. "I must honor a debt that can never be repaid," he says cryptically. She offers to help, with all the Federation resources at their disposal, if he'll tell her the problem. He laughs without humor, amused at their feeble offer. "I've tried things your puny comprehension would choke on. You couldn't help."

It's an interesting question: could the Voyager crew have helped the Caretaker if he'd just been honest? After all, we're given to understand that Voyager has the most advanced tech in this area of the quadrant. Plus Starfleet has dealt with many advanced lifeforms that choose to take humanoid form.

Caretaker Part Two

Janeway isn't sure what to think, until the debris starts falling away with a clatter, and the shadows behind the junk is more visible...ultimately to reveal a character not terribly unlike a Tellarite in appearance, but with subtle differences.

Neelix looks like a Tellarite to you, Jim? Yikes.

Neelix repeats that there's likely nothing she could offer him...unless...well, if they had any water to spare...
Janeway, recalling the utter lack of water on the 5th planet of the system, understands immediately that this is a bargaining chip she has in abundance, as long as the replicators are working.

This introduces a new question...did the Caretaker damage the atmospheres of all the planets in this sector? Why would he do that? He certainly acts like his only debt along these lines is to the Ocampa.

Tuvok seems less than thrilled with Neelix. Bad first impression, I guess. He dresses loud, talks loud, thinks aloud, and seems to exude a stench that could fell a mugatu from fifty meters. Oscar and Felix were a better match.
You just know they'll be fast friends eventually.

Oscar and Felix were The Odd Couple. I had to look that up. It's probably a better comparison than the McCoy and Spock thing that they attempted on occasion.

The man says they've been living underground for over 500 generations; they lived on the surface until The Warming began, and the surface became a desert.

You have to wonder if these are Ocampan generations (4-5 years) or human generations. Because there's a difference between 2000 years and 13,000 years.

Reclining in a big-tubbed bubble bath (in the first bathroom on a starship I've seen, as far as I can recall) Neelix is awash in luxury, and loving every minute of it.

I was ready to dispute Jim's claim, but upon thinking about, had we seen a bathroom before this point? Not counting the retractable toilet in STV, of course.

Neelix finally asks if the replicators can whip up clothing as well, and Tuvok says Yes. "Can they make me a uniform like yours?" he asks hopefully. "It most certainly will not," says Tuvok. (Who knew then that this would become one of Neelix's fondest desires?)

Was it, though? Not counting alternate realities, the only times I can remember Neelix wearing a uniform is for specific away missions like the orbital tether episode and the Malon freighter episode.

We get our first look at the Kazon--they look like a Reggae band that's fallen on hard times.

Ha ha. Never liked the Kazon makeup. Nothing about them was well thought out.

Jabin, despite the humble surroundings, is clearly not an idiot. He knows that water, despite its value to his people, is nothing compared to the means of making it. He wants that technology. Janeway doesn't mention the Prime Directive (that bad habit comes later); she just says it's integrated into her ship's systems (thus raising the stakes to the limit: "you want the technology? You'd have to take the whole ship." She might as well have double-dog dared him to declare war right then and there.)

Yeah, that was dumb. What episode was it when they said there's such a thing as being too honest?

After the welcomes, Daggin asks how Kes made it back. She points to her associates and says they rescued her from the Kazon. (Question--if those who make it to the surface never return, and those below the surface don't have much contact with the surface except through the Caretaker--how do they know about the Kazon?)

Good point, and one that never occurred to me.

"We're not finished yet," Torres says. "I learned a few things Old Sneezy never taught in his survival course."
"Sneezy?" Kim asks, curious.
"Commander Zakarian," she explains.

I'm trying to think of alien races that are prone to sneezing. Aside from the Ferengi when using bettle snuff, I can't think of any.

Children have to grow up, Janeway points out. She whips out Shatner Discourse #14, required reading at the Academy, and lectures the Caretaker on something he should already know--explorers got that way by treading through adversity, overcoming challenges, growing stronger by working up to ever-more-complex tasks. Janeway, having seen the Ocampan heretics in action, and knowing of the inconquerable spirit of at least one--Kes--she suggests to the Caretaker that they have a better shot at survival than he's given them credit for. It seems to comfort the old guy.

It's an amusing concept-a whole course on Kirk's speeches.