VOY: “Fair Trade”

Date: October 21 , 2020

Season 3, Episode 13

Musical Accompaniment: Listening to Good Charlotte tonight, lots of punk rock. “Some things never change, like the way I say I love you.”

Interstellar News: Happy 21st Day of Halloween!

TL;DR: Neelix wants to help out more so he tries to be useful to Tuvok and then Torres, but then they encounter the Nekrit Expanse. They head to the supply station on the outskirts and deal with the manager, Bahrat. Neelix runs into an old friend, Wix, and shares that he hasn’t been beyond the Expanse and he fears Janeway is going to kick him out unless he can prove he’s useful to keep around. Wix says he can get Neelix a map but only if Neelix helps out with delivering medical supplies, that totally turn out to be narcotics and the deal goes south and someone dies. Bahrat and Tuvok investigate because of the Federation phaser signature and Wix lies to them both. Eventually Neelix and Wix create a plan to catch the bigger crime fish, which mostly works until there’s an explosion. Neelix comes to in sick bay where Janeway chews him out and then tells him to get to work scrubbing exhaust manifolds.

Favorite Quote:

Janeway: Oh no, it’s not that easy. You can’t just walk away from your responsibilities just because you made a mistake. You’re part of a family now. and you have obligations.

Neelix: But, I can’t guide you. I can’t advise you. I don’t know what’s coming.

Janeway: Well, that’s not the point, is it? None of us knows what’s coming. That’s what Starfleet is all about. We are all in this together, Neelix, and we have to be able to count on each other no matter how hard it gets.

Janeway telling Neelix what we all need to hear… NO ONE KNOWS WHAT’S COMING!

“I don’t remember you ever being so squeamish about twisting the truth.”: This was an absolutely wonderful Neelix episode. He spends all this time worrying about his place on the ship, he forgets to ask Janeway what she actually thinks. This is another “honesty is the best policy” episode and this lesson never gets old for me. I’m all about honesty and constant communication, which is unfortunately too much to ask of some people. Anyway Bahrat was a lot of fun and made an impression for just being in this one episode. The part where Wix does a trade for a trade for a trade reminds me a little of Nog and the Great River and it’s all super ridiculous to go through for a map. The most powerful part is when Neelix explains he did one small thing which led to another until he was in way over his head and then Janeway was like… yeah you made a mistake, let’s get past this like adults. It’s never to late to go back and learn from your mistakes or admit when you’ve fucked up. I also loved when Neelix asks Paris about why Paris went to jail and it’s a pivotal moment in such a short conversation because Neelix realizes he just doesn’t have it in him to keep lying. We make decisions every day and always can choose a different path, though some paths cost more than others. I’m giving this episode 6 layers of lasagna with 5 different cheeses mixed in.

TA Out!