“Alter Ego” is episode fourteen of season three of Star Trek: Voyager.
Voyager has been investigating an inversion nebula for the past few days, a phenomenon never seen in the Alpha Quadrant. Theorists say that inversion nebulae are supposed to burnt out in a few years but this one has been around for centuries. One of the plasma strands is about to ignite, though. Harry. when spoken to about sensors, is clearly elsewhere.
Later, Tuvok is in his quarters playing a game by himself when Harry arrives. Harry recognises the game as kal-toh, which he calls Vulcan chess. According to Tuvok, kal-toh is rather more than chess. Harry wants Tuvok’s help, in eliminating emotions like Vulcans do. Yes, he realises that it’s a lifelong process, but he knows Vulcans use certain techniques and he’s willing to learn them. Why? Because he has feelings he doesn’t want to have. Tuvok thinks that’s self-evident. Harry is in love with someone he doesn’t want to be in love with. Marayna. Tuvok doesn’t recognise the name. That’s because she’s a character on the holodeck. Tuvok asks if Harry has fallen in love with a computer subroutine. Yes. That’s the problem.
On the way to the holodeck. Tuvok is lecturing Harry on the different kinds of love. After several questions he diagnoses Harry with what humans call love at first sight. The fact that it’s with a holodeck character is irrelevant. It can be fixed with logical deconstruction and a regime of meditative suppression.
The holodeck is showing the resort program and Neelix is getting ready for the luau tonight. Tuvok is not going to that. Harry asks about Marayna. Neelix doesn’t recall her. Harry describes her and Neelix recognises her as being one of the entertainment directors. She’s currently giving Kes a hydrosail lesson. Kes and Marayna arrive at this point and Tuvok and Harry start talking with her, until Chakotay calls them to the bridge. On the way to the bridge, Tuvok dissects what Harry is feeling in Vulcan terms. It will either end in a balanced, stable relationship or under tragic circumstances. Given that Harry can’t have a balanced, stable relationship with a holodeck character, the logical course is to retreat.
One of the nebula’s plasma strands is seconds from igniting. It burns out without starting a chain reaction. Some unknown process has a dampening effect between the strands. If they can figure out what, it would be useful. The captain expects to see everyone at the luau. Looks like Tuvok is going after all.
Tom meets up with B’Elanna. They are going to get Vorik, because Harry isn’t coming. Tom says he will go and get Harry. Harry is in his quarters practicing a Vulcan meditation ritual. Tom knows that Harry has fallen for a holodeck character. After all, Harry doesn’t even like hydrosailing. He talks Harry into coming along.
Tuvok is still in uniform and is declining leis. He speaks to the captain and Chakotay and is stating that Vulcans do not mingle when he spies Marayna. Playing kal-toh. So, he goes to speak with her. Marayna suggests he might enjoy playing with an opponent. She also explains what his wearing a uniform means. Tuvok finds her logic so impeccable, he sits down. Vorik appears to be making a play for B’Elanna and, when Harry sees Tuvok with Marayna, he heads back to his quarters.
Marayna is a complex character, so complex that both Harry and Tuvok are intrigued by her, which causes tension. She appears to be much more complex than the Doctor was when he was first activated. Perhaps even more than he is now, which is strange. Harry’s mind is definitely not on his job. There are references, indirectly and without names, to the TNG episodes “Elementary, Dear Data” and “Ship in a Bottle”. And then there’s the oddity of the inversion nebula itself.