Tinker Tenor Doctor Spy ( episode ) Aliens attempt to spy on " Voyager " by tapping into The Doctor ' s program , but they mistakenly access his new " daydream " program and believe that to be the reality . Summary . Teaser . In the ' s mess hall , The Doctor , the ship ' s holographic chief medical officer , is performing the Italian opera aria , " La donna è mobile " . He puts great gusto into the performance and the audience , composed of members of the crew and the senior staff , listens attentively . A few verses into the performance and Lieutenant Commander Tuvok starts exhibiting irrational behavior : first weeping and then laughing uncontrollably at the opera . Ensign Tom Paris immediately goes to his aid , but the Vulcan stands up and , using his full strength , throws Paris across the room . Janeway hails for a security team while crewmembers try to restrain Tuvok . Their efforts fail as he throws them away from him and swipes a phaser pistol away in the process . Then The Doctor , in a voice of calm control , informs everyone of the problem , Tuvok has gone into " pon farr " . He then begins singing the aria again , but this time , he changes the words into instructions for Paris to load a hypospray with an anesthetic to subdue Tuvok . Paris prepares the anesthetic and tosses it to The Doctor . He injects Tuvok in the posterior and Tuvok is immediately rendered unconscious . The audience enthusiastically gives The Doctor a standing ovation . He accepts it appreciatively , with a huge smile on his face , as flowers begin to fall on him . The Doctor awakes to hear Lieutenant B ' Elanna Torres impatiently calling him . He realizes that he is still in sickbay , as she observes his expression of extreme satisfaction with some curiosity . Embarrassed , he tells her he was " " letting his mind wander " . " This earns him an even more curious look as holograms do not daydream . The Doctor is not forthcoming with any details and Torres does not press the issue . Act One . Torres hands The Doctor a PADD detailing the members of an away team she is about to lead on a planetary survey , as well as sensor scans of the planet . The Doctor is very displeased to see that he is not on the list of away team members , though he was initially supposed to be . There is a canyon on the planet he wanted to get holo - images of . Torres explains that his presence on the team is no longer considered necessary and offers to take the images for him . He refuses to let her take his images so she leaves sickbay . Once she is gone , The Doctor returns to his daydreaming . Commander Chakotay arrives on the bridge with a PADD in his hand . Chakotay is surprised to see a large nebula on the viewscreen . Captain Kathryn Janeway tells him sensors did not detect it until a few minutes ago . He takes his first officer ' s seat , next to the captain ' s command chair and hands her the PADD . The PADD contains a formal letter from The Doctor , complaining about his treatment by the crew and outlines a proposal for his advancement . Janeway reads his complaints : failure of the crew to acknowledge his sentience and rudeness towards him . Upon reading the latter , she looks at Paris intently . She is shocked by his proposal for advancement . She says that he has asked to have his program extended so that he can take over the ship in case the crew is incapacitated . Since the letter is official , protocol demands an official response . Tuvok offers to handle it , but Janeway tells him that she doesn ' t like anyone on the ship feeling unhappy and decides to respond herself before heading for her ready room . The passes by the nebula but hidden within it , observing " Voyager " , is a small ship . One of the aliens , , is conducting scans of " Voyager " when another , presumably his superior , notices his actions and angrily reminds him that the ship was designated as an ' unacceptable risk ' , meaning attacking her has been deemed to be too risky . He reminds Phlox that the ship is in none of their databases and they have been unable to scan her interior . Due to these facts they have no idea if they can engage and defeat the ship and the Hierarchy never acts on a potential target without first getting this information . Phlox believes that if he can tap into a data transfer conduit , he could reach the ship ' s main computer core . Here , he could find all the information they need about the ship . His superior refuses , but Phlox goes over his head by appealing directly to the Hierarchy government . He is instructed to proceed , much to his superior ' s chagrin . In " Voyager " s briefing room , the senior staff is gathered to discuss the upcoming away mission . The Doctor is seated between Paris and Torres , Seven of Nine is seated across the table from him . The two women are reporting results of scans they have been conducting ; first Torres , then Seven . But as Seven is speaking , The Doctor feels something moving on his leg under the table . He looks and finds Torres ' " bare " foot stroking his leg . Paris , her boyfriend , starts making a suggestion about a suitable landing site . During his report , The Doctor notices Seven watching him . She smiles at him seductively and looks at him longingly . She sends him a message on his PADD inviting him for dinner . Captain Janeway joins in , looking at The Doctor as seductively as Seven is . Neelix makes a point about caution due to the amount of ore they will be hauling from the planet and Janeway rises and walks to The Doctor ' s seat . Seven and Torres see this and their faces flash with jealousy . Torres brings up that perhaps The Doctor should be included on the away team after all , as the mission is " " starting to look a little more dangerous than we thought " . " At this suggestion , Seven angrily sends him another message : " RESIST ! " , in red , blinking letters . She tells Torres she requires his help in the astrometrics lab . Torres demands to know why and they start arguing . Then Janeway suddenly starts cry out as if she is in pain . She tells The Doctor that it is an " " old Academy injury " " that acts up . She suggests to The Doctor that he stay on the ship and " " take a look at it " , " as she takes his hand and places it on her lower back , then slides it slowly down onto her bottom , much to Paris ' disgust . Torres leaps to her feet and angrily demands she get away from him . With equal anger , Janeway dismisses her . The Doctor looks on with a smug expression on his face . His daydream is broken however , when Janeway sharply calls his name to return his attention to her . He and she are alone in the briefing room . In an official tone , she tells him she wants to talk about his letter . She motions him to follow her to her ready room . He follows her , embarrassed . In her ready room , Janeway expresses grave concern about his letter ' s content , saying that he seems to never be satisfied despite the unprecedented freedom she has given him over the years . The Doctor earnestly responds that everyone has the right to advance himself and he should too . Janeway turns her attention to his proposal to be given the ability to run the ship . The exact proposal is as follows : to have his program extended to include tactical and strategic abilities . He could therefore function as an Emergency Command Hologram , or ECH , if necessary , essentially a " backup captain " in the event that Janeway and the crew are incapacitated . Janeway finds the idea interesting , but she denies the request on the ground that altering his program to that degree may prove detrimental , depriving the crew of something they do have a critical need for : a chief medical officer . However , she adds as part of her official response that , once they return home , she will recommend to Starfleet that they look into implementing it as part of starship design . The Doctor is disappointed at her decision . After the meeting while walking along a corridor , The Doctor finds himself outside Cargo Bay 2 . He enters and finds Janeway and the crew gathered . They cheer as Janeway proudly introduces him as the ECH . This confuses him but he enjoys it nonetheless , especially as Seven plants a lingering kiss on his cheek . Aboard the Hierarchy ship , a pleased Phlox informs another crewmember , Devro , that he has found a way to spy on " Voyager " from within . He has discovered The Doctor ' s holographic nature and has tapped into his cognitive subroutine s . This will allow him to see everything The Doctor sees . He reports this to his superior , telling him that he has already begun to use the tap . The superior instructs him to continue his surveillance . Phlox acknowledges , even more pleased . He is completely unaware that what he is seeing are merely The Doctor ' s daydreams . Act Two . " Voyager " orbits the planet designated for the away mission . The away team travels to the surface using the " Delta Flyer " . The Doctor is on the bridge with Janeway and the other senior bridge officers , as well as Seven of Nine , monitoring the life sign s of the away team . Paris is giving a report over the comm when he calls mayday and reports that the shuttle is being attacked . Tuvok , at the tactical console , scans and , to everyone ' s alarm , reports that a Borg sphere is the attacking vessel and is approaching fast . Janeway orders red alert and battle stations . She then orders the Borg vessel put on - screen . Tuvok is doing so when Borg implants begin forming on his skin . Seven does a scan and tensely reports that an assimilation virus has breached the ship ' s biofilter s . Chakotay doubles over in pain , implants spreading on the back of his neck . Janeway orders hard to starboard and deflector shield s reinforced , but an explosion from the sphere ' s attack renders her unconscious . Meanwhile , the rest of the bridge crew is transforming into Borg drones . Seven looks at them , terrified . Ensign Harry Kim , in agony , calls desperately for The Doctor to save them . The Doctor ' s face is full of determination . He orders the computer to " " activate the Emergency Command Hologram " . " The sciences division colors of green - blue on his uniform become the command division color of red . Four pip s appear on his collar as Seven of Nine watches him adoringly . The computer reports that all systems have been put under his control ; he has the bridge . He strides forward , glaring at the viewscreen . He orders all weapons fired on the Borg ship . On the Hierarchy ship , Phlox watches in amazement . The Borg hail " Voyager " with their threat of assimilation . The Doctor , in a stern voice , warns them to back off . Tuvok , now assimilated , lunges toward him . Chakotay , in the same state , advances on Seven . The Doctor grabs two hyposprays , incapacitates Chakotay with one and uses the other to eliminate the new drone . He then incapacitates Tuvok with a Vulcan nerve pinch . Seven looks even more adoringly at The Doctor . He again warns the Borg to stand down . When they refuse , he orders the activation of the ( imaginary ) " photonic cannon " . The computer obeys . He orders it fired on the Borg sphere . The computer complies and as Phlox watches from his ship , in utter amazement , the sphere is instantly destroyed . His signal tap then goes down . Kim calls The Doctor ' s attention back to monitoring the away team . He looks around , embarrassed and somewhat confused . Kim has asked him about the away team ' s life sign readings . With his attention completely engrossed in his daydream , he did not hear him . He unsteadily checks the scans and reports that they are normal . Kim informs Paris that they are cleared to proceed . Everyone watches The Doctor with concerned curiosity . On the Hierarchy vessel , Phlox informs his superior what he just saw . " Voyager " , he reports , is extremely formidable , having destroyed a Borg sphere with a single shot from an intensely powerful weapon it has : a photonic cannon . The superior is skeptical , as there had been and continue to be , no signs of Borg in the area . Phlox insists that is observations are correct . He recommends a " type 3 stealth assault " . The superior consults the Hierarchy , which agrees . He orders preparations be made for the attack , as well as scans for any Borg ships . The Doctor quickly heads for sickbay , trying to avoid meeting or talking to anyone . Chakotay catches up with him in the corridor . He congratulates The Doctor with a beaming smile , commenting that the Borg will think twice before attacking them again . The Doctor is confused because Chakotay ' s words and actions do not reflect the puzzled , concerned look he gave him on the bridge . He queries the computer for Chakotay ' s location and the computer responds that the commander is in his quarters . The Doctor looks at what seems to be Chakotay , who asks The Doctor what is wrong . Act Three . In engineering , Kim , Torres and Seven of Nine listen as The Doctor agitatedly recounts what has been happening . He had , he informs them , input new subroutines into his program that allow him to daydream , an activity he has long wanted to be able to do . But now , the subroutines seem to be malfunctioning : he is daydreaming whether he wants to or not . Seven takes his arm , telling the others she can help him . Torres becomes jealously angry and she takes his other arm . Seven insists that the both of them are going to sickbay . Torres angrily accuses her of coming up with any excuse to be alone with him , at which Seven threatens her with assimilation . The Doctor , unlike in his briefing room fantasy , does not look at all happy . An alarm sounds but Torres and Seven ignore it , continuing to fight over The Doctor . Kim checks the alarm and is shocked to find that the warp containment field is inexplicably destabilizing and a warp core breach is imminent . Torres and Seven finally scramble to the warp core console . Engineering staff run about in panic . Torres tries to stabilize the core but fails . Computerized attempts to eject it also fail . The only solution to avert calamity is for someone to enter the core and eject it but no organism could possibly survive inside it . They call on The Doctor , pleading with him to do it . He is unsure if this is a daydream or not but Kim assures him only he can save the ship . The computer voice alerts that it ' s The Doctor ' s " " last chance to be a hero " . " Kim shows Torres and Seven on a PADD what he believes to be the problem with The Doctor ' s daydreaming subroutines . He turns to explain it to The Doctor and sees , along with Seven and Torres , The Doctor climbing over the railing around the warp core . They ask what he is doing and are horrified by his answer : he is going to eject the core . They rush to restrain him as he loudly protests that he " " has to save the ship " . " The Doctor is back in sickbay but he is completely locked into his daydreams , unable to stop . As he walks around in his office , going from one fantasy to another , talking to empty space filled in his mind by people he believes are there , Torres explains his condition to Captain Janeway . Torres informs her that she has downloaded his daydreams to one of the ship ' s two holodecks , where they can be seen and studied to better get an idea of how to repair him . Kim and Seven are on this holodeck , observing the daydreams . Janeway is reluctant to let this go on as she did promise him that they would be more considerate of his sentience and part of that is respecting his privacy . His daydreams are by rights no one ' s business but his . Torres responds that this may be the only way to properly find a way to fix him . Then Kim hails from the holodeck , they need to see what is playing out on the holodeck from The Doctor ' s imagination . Janeway and Torres enter the holodeck to find it appearing as a darkened Cargo Bay 2 . A holographic Seven of Nine reclines naked on a dais , covered from the waist down by a sheet . A hologram of The Doctor is before her , dressed in a painter ' s smock and beret , clinically studying her as he paints her . Seven looks at herself dispassionately . Kim stares at the daydream . Janeway takes in the scene , unsure of what to say , finally noting , " " he does the hands very well " . " The scene then changes to The Doctor again as the ECH , taking command of " Voyager " and saving the day . Janeway and Kim are particularly amused and impressed with the manner in which the captain ' s pips appear on his collar . Torres notes that this particular fantasy seems to be The Doctor ' s favorite because it runs more times than all the others . Kim says this particular fantasy algorithm is the most accessible , providing an angle of attack against the problem . The scene changes again but Torres is very angered about what happens in this one . A hologram of her sits with one of The Doctor in the mess hall . Almost in tears , the holographic Torres asks him why he is dumping her . He responds that she will get over him , which she tearfully disputes . When he mentions Tom Paris she quickly asserts that Paris is not " " half the man you are " . " The real Torres storms off the holodeck in disgust . Kim , amused , suggests to Janeway that they return to sickbay and try to isolate the ECH algorithm and Janeway agrees . But as they leave , she sees one more fantasy : The Doctor being congratulated by her for saving the ship . He quietly responds that all he ever wanted was to live up to his full potential and to help the crew that he loves . Janeway is visibly touched by this last scene . Aboard the Hierarchy ship , Phlox watches his monitor in disbelief and fear . He finally realizes that what he was seeing was not real but fantasies in The Doctor ' s imagination . Thus , on his recommendation , they are about to attack a vessel they in actuality know nothing about . He tries to salvage the situation by suggesting to his superior that perhaps " Voyager " may not be worth attacking but his suggestion falls on deaf ears . The superior warns him menacingly that his data had better be accurate . A look of great worry is on Phlox ' face . Act Four . Torres spends half the night repairing The Doctor and finally is able to turn off his daydreaming algorithms . The next morning , Janeway comes to see him in sickbay . He tells her that he is very embarrassed and apologizes for altering his program without her clearance . She does not rebuke him for doing so . She tells him that daydreaming is a good thing , as it lets one imagine other possibilities in life . But , she adds , he should wait until a way is found to add this ability to his program without damaging it . He readily agrees with her assessment . Janeway begins to reconsider The Doctor ' s request to expand his program , and looks up Starfleet ' s legal precedents for giving command to a hologram ; unsurprisingly there are none . Chakotay tells her that The Doctor should focus on his regular medical duties , but Janeway has realized that they may be imposing their own Human limitations on him . Although she isn ' t fully comfortable with the idea of maybe one day handing command over to him , she admits that they may not be allowing The Doctor to live up to his full potential . Later The Doctor is examining samples in sickbay and sounds and sights he does not want to hear or see begin to fill the room . To his great horror , he finds that he is once again in the daydream of him receiving a commendation from Captain Janeway in front of the cheering crew in Cargo Bay 2 . He hails the bridge , reports the relapse of his daydreaming and asks to be shut off . He then sees someone who is not a crewmember : Phlox . He explains that he is using The Doctor ' s daydream to project himself to him . He urgently informs him of the impending Hierarchy attack . The Doctor demands his identity and Phlox gives it to him . He begins to explain what the Hierarchy does : they hide and scan passing ships for useful or valuable materials and raids the vessels . It is the job of the long - range observer , of which he is one , to do the scanning . He spotted " Voyager " and tapped into The Doctor ' s program to spy on the ship from within through him . Unfortunately , the tampering caused The Doctor ' s daydreaming subroutines to destabilize and now Phlox , in a very bad situation , as what he thought was reality are really The Doctor ' s fantasies . The Doctor becomes angry with Phlox and asks why he is helping " Voyager " . Phlox responds that , over the time he has spied on them , he has seen how much possibility exists in him to be more than he is now . This seems to be a trait that the entire crew has , he explains . This is a very fascinating and attractive concept to him as his species is in no way like that . He does not want The Doctor or the crew harmed . His sincerity finally wins The Doctor over . The Doctor rushes onto the bridge and informs Janeway of the impending attack . Chakotay asks how he knows this as Paris , who has returned from the away mission and is back at the conn console , reports no ship detections on sensors . The Doctor responds that an alien appeared to him in a daydream and informed him . This angers Janeway and she demands to know why he disobeyed her orders and altered his program again . He responds that he can prove it and gives Kim a PADD containing sensor modifications that will allow them to detect the Hierarchy ships , which are cloak ed ; Phlox ' s , plus two more that will join the attack . Kim inputs the data and , with surprise , informs Janeway that The Doctor is telling them the truth . On her order , Kim puts the ships on the viewscreen . Act Five . Janeway wants to remove " Voyager " from the area at maximum warp . The Doctor however , advises her that will not work because the Hierarchy have ships all over the sector . If they escape these ships , they will run into others . However , Phlox has promised to provide the resonance frequencies of their phaser s . In return for the frequencies , Phlox wants the following : he has told his superior that The Doctor is in command of " Voyager " and that fiction must be maintained . When the superior opens a comm channel to demand their surrender , as the Hierarchy always does to a victim , The Doctor must be the one sitting in the command chair . Janeway cannot believe what she hears but she agrees to the scenario if it will keep them from being attacked by ships that are obviously more advanced . In sickbay , Kim helps to reprogram The Doctor to make his ECH fantasy a reality , at least for now . The Doctor , however , is extremely nervous because daydreaming about commanding the ship is very different from actually commanding " Voyager " . Kim assures him he will do fine . He wanted to have this chance and he now has it . On the Hierarchy ship however , a severe complication appears in Phlox ' plan . " Voyager " s lack of damage from the imagined Borg encounter causes his superior to change the intended assault pattern to " Type Four " instead of " Type Three " . This stipulates continuous re - modulation of their phaser frequencies . The frequencies he was planning on giving " Voyager " will be useless and he cannot give them any others as they will be changing continuously . He rushes to inform them . The Doctor returns to the bridge in his ECH uniform . He nervously sits in the captain ' s seat . Chakotay , in his first officer ' s seat , assures him , like Kim , that he will do fine . Janeway is in astrometrics with Seven to monitor the situation . Seven has created a comlink that will allow only The Doctor to hear Janeway . This way she can prompt him on what to say and how to act . Phlox hails and quickly informs The Doctor of the change in attack plan , the three Hierarchy ships arrive and de - cloak . Phlox ' superior hails " Voyager " as Phlox said would happen . Chakotay orders an on - screen answer . The superior appears and tersely informs " Voyager " of their intent to raid them . Janeway prompts The Doctor with a response but in his nervousness , he makes a mistake , though he immediately corrects it . As the superior threatens them , Tuvok cuts the communication long enough to inform Chakotay that he has found a potential weakness in the attackers ' shields . Chakotay moves to the tactical station to see it and orders the communication reestablished . The superior orders them to stand down their weapons and prepare to be boarded . Tuvok reconfigures the phasers to take advantage of the weakness he has found and fires . The Doctor overacts and shouts out , " " Ha ! How do you like that , huh ? A taste of your own medicine ! " " Janeway warns him to calm down as the Hierarchy ship returns fire . The shot takes their weapons offline . The superior orders them again to prepare for boarding . Janeway instructs The Doctor to offer to negotiate . Instead The Doctor gets a flash of inspiration . His nervousness vanishes as he commands Tuvok to " " activate the photonic cannon " . " Tuvok has no idea what he speaks of but Chakotay discreetly orders him to act like he does . He ' acknowledges ' and pretends to input the command . The Doctor , in a steady voice , warns the superior to withdraw . He states that the superior has seen the weapon ' s power . Phlox " reminds " him of what he saw it do to the " Borg sphere . " The superior hesitates , noting that he detects no weapons powering up , but The Doctor sternly tells him the weapon cannot be detected by sensors . He issues one final warning : withdraw or be destroyed . Phlox agitatedly endorses their withdrawal . The superior asks the Hierarchy Command for instructions on how to proceed . He is instructed to withdraw . He issues the instruction to his crew and the other ships . On " Voyager " s bridge , Kim happily reports the ships are moving off . The Doctor has done it . He cannot believe it and is overjoyed . He reflexively looks to sit down in relief but pauses as he sees he is about to sit in the captain ' s seat . Chakotay tells him with a smile to go ahead , he has earned it . The Doctor does sit down , with a huge smile on his face . The Doctor , once again in his science division green - blue and black uniform , is working in sickbay when Seven hails him . She requires his assistance in the mess hall . He acknowledges her request and goes there . He enters to find the room filled with crewmembers , including the captain , all in dress uniform . They cheer as he looks at them in horror , Kim assures him this is not a daydream . Janeway pins the Starfleet Medal of Commendation on his chest for his " " imaginative defense of the ship and crew " . " He gives her his heartfelt thanks . She also informs him that she has reconsidered his ECH proposal and is going to authorize research into it , there on the ship . He is very happy to hear this and the assembled crew cheers again . Seven kisses him on the cheek . But she tells him it is only platonic and he is not to expect her to pose for him . He smiles sheepishly but happily , as one of his dreams has finally become reality . Memorable quotes . " " To Captain Kathryn Janeway , starship " Voyager " . From Emergency Medical Hologram , starship " Voyager " . " " " " Resist ! " " " " You , are dis - missed ! " " " " We are the Borg . " " " " I know very well who you are . Stand down your weapons . " " " " State your designation . " " " " Emergency Command Hologram . . . at your service . " " " " Designation unknown . " " " " Not for long ! " " " " They say a doctor who operates on himself has a " petaQ " for a patient . " " " " Assimilation is an unpleasant fate ! " " " " Forget the children ! Save yourselves ! " " " " Warning : warp core breach , a lot sooner than you think ! " " " " Warning : last chance to be a hero , doctor , get going ! " " " " He does the hands very well . " " " " This is the part I like . " " " " Nice touch . " " " " The photonic cannon ? " " " " A weapon of mass destruction . Invented by The Doctor , of course . " " " " Of course . " " " " Forget him ! He ' s not half the man you are . " " " " Captain on the bridge ! " " " " It won ' t bite . " " " " That was a platonic gesture , do not expect me to pose for you . " " " " What I wouldn ' t give for a whoopee cushion right about now . " " " " A what ? " " " " Ancient technology . " " Links and references . References . activation sequence ; Alpha Quadrant ; antimatter ; antonium ; argon ; ; assimilation virus ; battle stations ; Borg sphere ; Chief medical officer ; class T nebula ; cloaking device ; cognitive projection ; cognitive subroutine ; commodore ; daydream ; daydreaming algorithm ; debris ; ; " Delta Flyer " ; Delta Quadrant ; demotion ; dilithium ; Earth ; Emergency Command Hologram ( ECH ) ; Federation law ; formal grievance ; gesture ; hearing subroutine ; helium ; Hierarchy ; holodeck ; holographic technology ; hydrogen ; hyperaccelerated aging disease ; imagination ; kilometer ; kiss ; " La donna è mobile " ; legal precedent ; logic ; Mantua ; meter ; micro - tunneling sensor ; Milky Way Galaxy ; opera ; perceptual subroutine ; " petaQ " ; phaser ; photon torpedo ; photonic cannon ; physio - emotive disorder ; plasma radiation ; " pon farr " ; radiation ; red alert ; resonance frequency ; Starbase 10 ; Starfleet Academy ; Starfleet Medal of Commendation ; Stocker ; synchronous orbit ; Talaxia ; text message ; transport enhancer ; type 3 stealth assault ; type 4 assault ; warp core breach ; whoopee cushion