* * *

Nightingale

Story:

This epsiode begins with Voyager on the surface of a planet while working on repairs. Torres and Janeway quickly realize that Icheb has knowledge and skills that could get the work done ahead of schedule.

Meanwhile, Harry, Neelix and Seven are in the Delta Flyer searching for Dilithium, but suddenly a nearby ship (lead by the "Annari") fire on a cloaked vessle that is also near the Flyer. The ship sends a distress call to the Delta Flyer and explains to Harry that they delivering medical supplies that are desperately needed. Harry plans to change course, but Neelix thinks they should help, despite Star Fleet regulations for non-interference. After being convinced, Harry disables the Annari vessel.

Eventualy they decide to assist the damaged ship with their replairs. But they discover that the ship's commanding officers are dead. Since Harry demonstrated strong leadership skills during repairs, the crew ask's Harry to help their ship deliver the supplies.

However, Janeway has also begun to form relations with the Annari, so it takes a bit of convincing for Janeway to let Harry assist the ship's crew in delivering the sipplies. Janeway instinctively assigns Tuvok and Chokotay to help the ship, but Harry asks for permission to take command. At first he agues that his few days spent with the crew gives makes them more comfortable with him. But then Janeway points out that they would find Chakotay or Tuvok just as trustworthy. Eventually he reveals his true motives about wanting to have a real command of a ship. Harry voices his fraustration with being an ensign for seven years and the fact he would have recieved a promotion a long time ago if he was on another ship. He tries not to sound judgemental and he lets Janeway know that he understand that they are in a special situation that makes it difficult to make any big changes to the command structure.

After his convincing speech he leads the ship to their home world. For a while he to be unwilling to give his crew a chance to prove themselves - he often did their work for them - but after one or two conversations with Seven (who was assigned to work with him because she doesn't have a rank) he realizes that he must give the crew a chance to learn through experience and he also learns to accept suggestions.

However, Harry's missions starts to fall apart when he realizes that the ship is actually transporting the cloaking device to be used as a prototype for the contruction of more cloaking units. Once he realized this deception he ordered the crew to change course, but they are unwilling to return to Voyager, so it seems that Harry and Seven would be leaving the ship. But after another conversation with Seven he is convinced that he shouldn't leave his crew without a captain.

While Harry is commanding his ship which he named, Nighingale, Iched is convinced that B'ellana sudden interest in him must have romatic implications.

Analysis

I really enjoyed this epsiode, I thought it was nice to see Harry being confident in himself while trying to take on new challenges.

Seven was also very effective in telling Harry when he was going "too far" while showing understanding for his attempts to be a good captain.

I also thought it was interesting that Harry voiced his concerns about being an ensign. During one conversation (during repairs on the damaged vessel) someone mistakened him as a captain, he then replied that "Actually I am an ensign" the person then said "what is an ensign?" Harry then said "They are the lowest ranking officer on a ship" - or something to that effect.

The subplot with Icheb was also enjoyable since he was so naive to think that B'ellana, who just got married, was romatically interested in him. It was undertstandable that Icheb would be confused considering he went to the doctor for advice. Icheb's attempt to understand B'ellana's intensions also showed how easily people's actions can be misinterpreted.

I also thought it was funny when Icheb confronted B'ellana and told her his concerns about the situation - he felt that it was inapropriate. Despite B'ellana's attempts to explain her intensions - trying to friendly with a loonely kid - he still didn't understand. So she told Icheb that she would try to get-over-him.

I felt that this epsiode worked well on many epsiodes and it actually had a sub-plot that was almost as interesting as the main story. Most of the characters had useful comments and it felt like they were real friends instead of shipmates. Neelix even had an interesting scene in the Mess Hall. - When Neelix asked Harry to decide what he wanted to eat, was undecided. Neelix then referred to captain Janeway's lack of indecision. Janeway also knows what she wants and she never lets the crew see her unsure of herself and so on. - It's nice to see Neelix with a useful role that doesn't seem manufactured or out of character.

This is another great epsiode for Voyager-Season 7

8/10

------------------
Digiverse - TV, Movies, and Games
[News, Links, and Reviews] http://www.digiverse.net

"Hey, there's only one pip on my collar! You lied to me!"

------------------
"Dynamics is like playing hockey with a flexible hockey stick"
-My Physics teacher
---
Titan Fleet Yards - Harry Doddema's Star Trek Site

Hi! Welcome to Flare. Blah blah, enjoy your stay, blah blah blah, don't feed the trolls or poke Frank with a stick, etc.

I agree with your general assessment of the episode, inasmuch as I too thought it was quite good. However, to be really useful, I think reviews need to do more than just announce whether the reviewer liked or disliked something. They should really delve into the why of it.

------------------
What did it mean to you
An early chat with death
To pull your body for a moment from your soul
--
Camper Van Beethoven
****
Read chapter TWO of "Dirk Tungsten in...The Disappearing Planet"! Now with 30% more plot.

Row vector? Column vector? Come now, my pretty, surely you must have some idea.

------------------
Remember December '59
The howling wind and the driving rain,
Remember the gallant men who drowned
On the lifeboat, Mona was her name.

------------------
All along the watchtower, princes kept the view
While all the women came and went, barefoot servants, too.

Outside in the distance a wildcat did growl,
Two riders were approaching, the wind began to howl.
Bob Dylan