Date: 08 Sep 2011 14:44 Title: Chapter 3
So he blamed his bundle and visions for what had happened to him, instead of an alien that invaded him in his most vulnerable moment? It's good then that B'Elanna found his stuff and Janeway brought to back to him, because after his fear and bitterness disappeared, he might regret throwing it out.
And Janeway followed one of the oldest advices: if you fall off a horse, get back right on or you'll neve ride again. She doesn't leave Chakotay alone, though, she supports him and encourages him to return to what is a part of him and should not be simply dumped. It truly shows how close these two are to each other and how important their friendship is in the time of need and despair. I think it's also good that Chakotay acknowledges both B'Elanna's and Janeway's help in his returning to meditations and overcoming his fear. Janeway stays with him, as if to say "I'm here and I'll protect you, you are not vulnerable any longer."
A good story :) Seems short, but there's a lot of meaning in it.
Date: 08 Sep 2011 14:35 Title: Chapter 2
Oh, darn, that reminds me of Armus, who killed Tasha Yar: brutality and cruelty for pleasure, for no other reason that to amuse someone. How rotten that alien must be to enjoy that! Is that the only thing he is interested in? Not exploring, not discovering, but testing how much another alien can take?
Janeway, as always, ready to risk her own health and life to protect one of her crewmen. Somehow she was always fascinated by Chakotay's practices, so now she knows what to do and how to do it, which gives her a chance to help.
In the end she does what the Doctor tried to prevent. However, it was a planned solution and hopefully (yeah, we know that Chakotay can't really die, but the Voyager crew doesn't ;)) the commander can be brough back to life. A great risk, though, as neither Chakotay not Janeway could know if this would solve the problem and really force the alien to leave. They had no guarantee that it wouldn't find a way to invade someone else. Who could know what this life form was capable of?
Let's see how it end, off to the last chapter!
Date: 08 Sep 2011 14:20 Title: Chapter 1
We don't often see religious people--if Chakotay's practices can be called religion--in Sar Trek, but it was always interesting to see that Voyager's executive officer followed his spiritual needs and everyon found it natural.
Here, however, seems like things didn't go exactly as planned. The Doctor might assume that it's an overdose, but he doesn't know what we know about the light from nebula. I can't help but wonder if it isn't a life form and the question is if it's curious and studies Chakoyay, or it's just some kind of phenomenon and there's no mind behind "touching" Chakotay. Or perhaps it manifests itself in his vision as the serpent?
Clearly, Chakotay is lost and apart from anusual setting he encoutered the first truly terrible thing: losing his father. It might only b a vision, but for Chakotay it's more than just picture, for him there's a meaning behind this and his father falling apart in his arms can't mean anything good.