6.21 live fast and prosper

Two humanoids dressed in approximations of Star Fleet uniforms and identifying themselves as Captain Janeway and Commander Tuvok scam an ore deal, then take off, continuing to scam everyone they meet, offering memberships in the Federation and claiming that Voyager is their ‘mother ship’. The real Janeway first learns of the deal when the scammed ore people accuse her of stealing. She ties the culprits back to an infected power relay gained by Neelix and Paris about three weeks earlier in a trade with two ‘clerics’ who were trying to raise money to help orphans. Voyager tracks down the imposters and are able to beam the woman aboard before the ship gets away. Janeway wants info on all the items stolen and threatens to turn the woman over to the authorities, enlisting the surprised Tuvok’s help in coming up with some tall tales about their justice and prison system. Neelix, who was quite charmed by the woman when she was masquerading as a cleric, brings her a nice meal in prison, and tries to convince her to consider giving up her lying ways. In exchange, he will speak to Captain Janeway about allowing the woman to stay on board. She is getting convinced, but it is all a scam – she waits until Neelix’ guard is down, then she knocks him over, steals his phaser, shoots the guard, and escapes, stealing the Delta Flyer. Now, when this happens, I was all set to start writing down nits: like why would Neelix be allowed into the cell wearing a firearm, and why didn’t the guard reinstate the cell door force field after Neelix entered the cell, until I realized that they must have let her escape – which of course we learn is the case. She finds the other two members of her crew. Paris and the doctor have stowed away aboard the Delta Flyer, and after she beams back on board her ship, Paris attacks, but again they get away. The three of them transport down to gather their booty, but suddenly the woman turns the tables and holds a phaser on the other two, pops on a communicator and calls for Voyager to beam her up. Interference makes that impossible, but when one of the men tries to shoot her, the phaser blasts goes right through her, almost as if she is a hologram, which of course she is – it is the doctor!

Janeway returns all the loot and hopes that the damage to Voyager’s reputation has been repaired. Paris and Neelix, embarrassed that they were scammed by the ‘clerics’, feel like they’ve got their savvy back; they not only outsmart the cons, they also are able to beat the doctor at the ‘shell game’.

This is an amusing and clever episode, with humorous moments as the doctor outsmarts and is outsmarted by Paris and Neelix, and with many funny moments as one con man, masquerading as Tuvok, gets into the character a little too much for his fellow crewmember’s liking.

Nit: Observant fans will realize that when the woman beams back to her ship and her crew reports that there are ‘life signs’ aboard the Flyer, this is a big clue that she is the doctor, because if she really had beamed over, there would only be one life sign on the Flyer.