Parallax

Tensions have been rising between the merged Voyager and Maquis crews. Torres is reprimanded by Chakotay after she breaks the nose of Starfleet officer Carey. Despite her volatile temper, Chakotay knows she is a top notch engineer and recommends her for the position of Chief Engineer. Janeway is surprised and doubtful favoring Carey instead for the position. Before she can make a final decision Voyager is jolted as it enters a region of spatial distortions. They come upon a ship that is trapped in the event horizon of a quantum singularity: the powerful energy field surrounding a collapsed star. While the engineering staff tries to figure out a way to free the trapped ship Janeway reluctantly agrees to consider Torres for the position of Chief Engineer.

After concluding that Voyager needs more power to rescue the ship it heads away to get help. But before long they realize that they are back where they started.

Janeway favoring Carey asks him for suggestions. But it's Torres comes up with an idea that allows them to contact the crew of the trapped ship hopefully to find a clue as to how to help them. Much to their surprise they discover the trapped ship is Voyager herself. They've been looking at a distorted reflection of themselves and it's Voyager that's trapped in the singularity.

Torres discovers that the other Voyager is actually a reflective distortion of their Voyager. In order to escape she and Janeway realize that they must return to the "tear" in the singularity where they had accidentally entered and exit before the star collapses forever trapping them inside.

Janeway and Torres pilot a shuttlecraft and use a dekyon beam to force the "tear" wide enough for Voyager to escape. Impressed with Torres' abilities and initiative during this crisis, Janeway gives Torres the position of Chief Engineer.

This episode started off with me really hating Janeway. Maybe it's just because I already know how good a Chief Engineer B'Elanna has made that now that I watched this old episode I can't believe Janeway wasn't going to give her a chance. I don't care if Carey was the senior officer in engineering, I think whoever has the talent should get the job. Luckily Janeway did realize Torres' talent and chose her to be Chief Engineer. That little speech of Janeway's at the end about "punching your way through" was dumb and I didn't think added much except Tom's witty comment. I also enjoyed Chakotay's question of whether Janeway would have served under him if it was the Maquis ship that survived. I don't think she would have. I think she would have found a way to be in control but we'll never know.

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