Synopsis:
The ship's holographic doctor experiences a world where
illusion and reality collide.
The program for the Emergency Medical Hologram is activated
due to what the computer describes as a ship-wide emergency.
When the Doctor asks the computer to scan for the crew, he
learns that they were all forced to abandon ship. Later, he
encounters Torres, who says that she and the Captain stayed
behind to stop a warp core breach caused by a Kazon attack; the
remaining crew escaped in lifepods. Informed that the injured
captain needs his assistance, the Doctor is sent to the Bridge,
courtesy of new holo-emitters installed throughout the ship.
After reviving Janeway, the Doctor is summoned to the mess
hall to assist Neelix, who is engaged in battle with a Kazon
soldier. After the scuffle, the holographic doctor is astonished
to learn that he himself is bleeding. When queried, the computer
insists that the Doctor is actually Dr. Lewis Zimmerman, the
human who created Voyager's EMH. Stranger still, when the
Captain tells the computer to shut down all of the ship's
holographic systems, Janeway, Neelix, Torres and the Kazon
soldier vanish -- but the Doctor remains intact.
Just then, Lt. Reg Barclay appears and introduces himself as
Zimmerman's assistant. Barclay tells the Doctor that he is at
Jupiter Station running a holodeck program, but something has
gone wrong due to a radiation surge. He claims there's no U.S.S.
Voyager lost in the Delta Quadrant; it's simply a program that
Zimmerman created. He tells the Doctor that he must end the
simulation before radiation from the accident kills him, and the
only way to do so is by destroying Voyager.
At first, the Doctor flatly refuses. Yet Reg's arguments are
persuasive, and soon the Doctor is prepared to fire his phaser
at Voyager's warp core. Suddenly, Chakotay appears and orders
the Doctor to lower his weapon, claiming that Barclay is lying.
Chakotay explains that there's been an accident on Voyager
that affected the imaging system while the Doctor was in the
holodeck. Chakotay says that Barclay himself is a simulation,
and that if the Doctor listens to him, he'll wind up destroying
his own program. The Doctor isn't sure whom to believe but
delays acting on Barclay's advice long enough to prove that
Chakotay's story is true. The problem is finally solved, and the
Doctor is returned to Sickbay where he reflects on his unusual
day.
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Cast:
Kate Mulgrew as Kathryn Janeway™
Robert Beltran as Chakotay™
Roxann Biggs-Dawson as B'Elanna Torres™
Robert Duncan McNeill as Tom Paris™
Jennifer Lien as Kes™
Ethan Phillips as Neelix™
Robert Picardo as The Doctor
Tim Russ as Tuvok™
Garrett Wang as Harry Kim™
Guest Cast:
Dwight Schultz as Barclay
Creative staff:
Director: Jonathan Frakes
Written By: Brannon Braga
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