Day of Honor ( episode ) Lieutenants B ' Elanna Torres and Tom Paris admit feelings for each other while close to death ; a race of homeless aliens ask for " Voyager " s help but are not quite satisfied with what they receive . Summary . Teaser . The newest crewman on , Seven of Nine , steps out of her alcove in the darkened cargo bay 2 , which has effectively become her quarters . Commander Chakotay enters in response to a request from her to see him . She requests a duty assignment . Captain Kathryn Janeway has confined her to the bay until convinced she is no longer a threat to " Voyager " or its crew . As a recently - liberated Borg drone , she finds the constant solitude and inactivity very difficult and wants something to do . Chakotay asks her if she has anything particular in mind . Chief Engineer Lieutenant jg B ' Elanna Torres is not having a good day . First she overslept , then her sonic shower malfunctioned , two crewmembers called in sick forcing her to postpone maintenance and sudden plasma coolant leaks in engineering are occurring . She talks about it with Lt . jg Tom Paris about her day . Paris is there to remind her about their dinner date but her mood has been spoiled by her bad day . She warns him she may have to cancel the date and appears to be in a very testy mood . Paris asks her about the Klingon ritual she had been considering taking part in , marking the Day of Honor , an important Klingon observance . The bad day she is having has made her abandon the idea outright as ancient Klingon traditions are the last thing on her mind . Paris sees that it is not worth continuing with the subject further . He leaves with a gentle urging to reconsider their dinner date , as Chakotay enters . Chakotay informs her that Seven of Nine will be coming to work with her in engineering to attempt to modify the warp engine s to use transwarp technology , a much faster faster - than - light technology that the Borg employ . Torres sees this as yet another blow . She strongly dislikes Seven , finding her arrogant and rude . She makes her opinion known to Chakotay , that she does not want her in engineering . But she quickly finds out that she has no choice as Chakotay tells her that the bottom line is that he is giving her an order and she will obey . She acknowledges the order but is visibly downtrodden as he leaves . Act One . Janeway speaks to Seven of Nine in her ready room about her assignment in engineering . After Seven again assures her that she will not again try to contact the Borg , Janeway reveals that she has decided to trust her by not having security in engineering while she is there . But , she instructs , she is to follow all orders given to her by Torres . Seven of Nine acknowledges . Janeway then turns her attention to her Borg designation , " Seven of Nine " . It is , she tells her , rather cumbersome . Janeway asks if she would not prefer to go by her Human name , " Annika . " Seven does not like Janeway ' s idea and tells her that she has been " Seven of Nine " for as long as she can remember . Janeway considers this , then finally suggests truncating it to " Seven " . Seven finds this acceptable . Then Lieutenant Tuvok calls Janeway to the bridge . She goes , Seven following her . On the bridge , Tuvok informs her that a very beat - up , barely - functional ship is approaching ; as he finishes his report , the ship hail s " Voyager " . Janeway orders an on - screen reply to the hail . An image of a decrepit - looking alien appears on the viewscreen . He introduces himself as Rahmin of the Caatati . He explains the horrific reason for his condition and that of his ship : most of his people were assimilated by the Borg over a year prior . His entire civilization , millions of people , once proud and accomplished , was completely destroyed . He and a few thousand managed to escape on thirty or so ships . Their planet was assimilated and they were forced to flee with nothing . Now they roam the quadrant , the last of their species , destitute and starving , their ships always low on power . Janeway and the bridge officers are greatly moved by the horror he has just described . She offers him any help that she and her crew can give . He thanks her and makes a specific request for thorium isotope s , which their technology depends on for power . Janeway promises to see what they can do . Torres ' bad day continues . Seeing Seven working at a console , she cannot help but to ask her : now that she is de - assimilated , if she feel any sense of guilt or remorse over what she and the Collective have done to civilizations such as the Caatati ? She is upset when Seven matter - of - factly answers , " " No " . " She presses the issue but Seven calmly responds that guilt is irrelevant . She then notes that the navigational deflector modifications for the transwarp technology will be ready in a few hours and states she should wait in her alcove until then . Torres , barely containing her disgust , is only too happy to dismiss her . Torres sits in the mess hall , picking sullenly at her food . Neelix approaches her quietly , looking to cheer her up . He produces a freshly - prepared blood pie for her observance of the Day of Honor . He tells her that he makes it a point to know about the race - specific traditions of the crew members . Torres however , is even less inclined now to perform the ritual than before . Neelix tells her at least she can then use him to give voice to her anger as she obviously needs it . " " When you ' re angry , come see me , " " he offers . " " Call me names . Insult me . Question my parentage . I won ' t take it personally . And you won ' t need to keep things bottled up inside anymore . " " She is genuinely touched , but cannot do that to him . His offer does have an unexpected effect because she decides to go through with the ritual . He is pleased . The ritual takes place in a holographic simulation which she and Paris had created . Torres enters the simulation , going into a holographic Klingon cave , where she is accosted by a Klingon warrior . On his demand , she tells him her purpose : to have her honor challenged . But her voice is shaky and uncertain , nothing like a hardened Klingon warrior . The holographic Klingon gruffly lets her know the procedure : first she must eat of the heart of a sanctified targ and then drink " mot ' loch " from the Grail of Kahless . Then she must endure the ordeal of being struck by twenty painstik s and finally , she must defeat a master of the " bat ' leth " . Torres manages to make it through the first two ordeals but the trouble comes when other Klingon warriors appear and begin the painstik segment . After the first two or three strikes , her already very low resolve to go through with it evaporates ; she fights them off and flees the simulation , forgetting to end the program . Paris goes to see her in her quarters and finds her even more depressed and angry than before . He asks her how it went but she becomes very defensive , snapping at him that the whole thing was ridiculous and meaningless . He insists that it is part of who she is . He tells her that she has been running away from her Klingon side her entire life . Torres angrily demands that he leave her alone . Paris replies that if she keeps pushing away those who care about her , she will indeed be alone . . . all her life . Act Two . " Voyager " is now being accompanied by three Caatati vessels as they continue their travel . In the briefing room , a Caatati representative named Lumas addresses a gathering of a number of the senior staff which includes Janeway , Tuvok , Chakotay , and Neelix . He again speaks of the direness of his people ' s situation . They have over two hundred on those three ships alone and all of them are malnourished . Apparently , he is dissatisfied with what Janeway has granted him and is making a case for more . Chakotay responds that they do not have more to give and certainly not in the amounts that they are asking for . His response moves them from being sympathetic to being insulted . Lumas blatantly attempts to make them feel guilty for their refusal to help his people . He tells them that they , well - fed , seem to be more concerned with keeping their bellies full than helping the less fortunate . Neelix , in particular , is highly offended . He heatedly responds that this characterization is unfair as the " Voyager " crew are the most generous of people . But they , like the Caatati , though not as desperately , do not have much . He continues that if they gave what they had away to everyone who asked , they would have nothing left . Janeway , seeing that if she is not careful she will never get rid of the Caatati , asks Neelix how much food he thinks can be spared . Neelix responds a few hundred kilogram s per Caatati ship . She orders him to get it to them , along with any medicines The Doctor can spare . Lumas , still unsatisfied thanks them unenthusiastically and Tuvok accompanies him back to the transporter room . Paris and Seven walk a corridor on the way to engineering but on the way , they pass Tuvok and Lumas . The moment Lumas sees Seven , he agitatedly asks Tuvok what species she is because there is something about her that is nastily familiar . Tuvok tells him she is a Human who was formerly a Borg drone . Lumas becomes extremely angry . " " BORG ! " " he screams and charges at her . Tuvok restrains him and Paris puts himself in front of Seven , while Lumas peppers her with questions about what was done to his family , his wife and his children . Seven watches him impassively . Tuvok orders Paris to proceed to their destination and drags the Caatati representative away . As they resume , Paris apologizes but Seven is unaffected by what happened , dispassionately noting that she evokes this reaction from several members of the crew , such as Torres . Paris , perhaps seeing in her the outcast he used to be , offers her his assistance if she should need anything . She thoughtfully responds that she will remember that and they continue on . In engineering , with Paris observing , Torres and Seven are ready to test the transwarp modifications . On the bridge , Janeway facilitates by having the ship jump to warp speed . Torres and Seven initiate the test , they have modified the deflector ' s tachyon matrix . This modification , if utilized at warp , should open a transwarp corridor . In this corridor , the ship will achieve speeds far faster than what standard warp drive is capable of . They activate the modifications . Ensign Vorik assists them . He reports that the requisite subspace field is beginning to form , which would open the corridor . But then it goes wrong as the warp core begins to flood with tachyons . Attempts to stop the flooding fail and if it continues , a catastrophic core breach could occur . They try to shut down the core but fail . On the bridge , Janeway orders engineering evacuated . Vorik fails to stop the tachyon leak , so Torres orders everyone out . Seven tries to stay , offering her help to try to avert the disaster but Torres angrily orders her to leave , which she does immediately . Torres makes one more attempt to shut down the core , to no avail . As time becomes critical , Paris drags her out and she orders the computer to prepare to eject the core . Once in the corridor Torres authorizes the core ejection , causing " Voyager " to fall out of warp immediately upon which the ship quickly moves to a safe distance . Out in the corridor just outside engineering , Torres reports the ejection of the core to the bridge . Her face has a very pained look . This is the worst moment of her bad day yet . Act Three . Janeway is in engineering receiving a situation report from Torres . Torres tells her the tachyon flood also damaged the impulse engines and they cut out soon after they got a safe distance from the ejected warp core . Sensor s however , show that the core did not breach . However , without impulse they cannot return to retrieve it in any reasonable time and they need to , lest something happen to it and they do not get it back . This leaves one course of action open to them . They need to use a shuttle to retrieve the ejected core . Janeway orders Paris to proceed with the operation . Torres informs her that the core , although not breached , is still damaged and it needs to be repaired before being reinstalled . Janeway orders her to go with Paris to effect the necessary repairs . Torres and Paris leave on a shuttle , heading for the warp core at full impulse . Torres bitterly complains about the continuing trouble she has had this day and she plans to go to bed once the core is reinstalled and not come out until the next day . They arrive at the core ' s coordinates but they find the Caatati there as well . The aliens are in the middle of stealing it , using their own tractor beam to tow it away . When they are contacted by Paris and Torres they claim salvage rights as their defense . The shuttle fires at the tractor beam generator to disable it but the Caatati retaliate by hitting the shuttle with antimatter feedback . This completely destabilizes the shuttle ' s warp core and all attempts to fix it fail . The computer alerts them that the craft will explode in 2 . 5 minutes . As the Caatati flee with the warp core , Paris and Torres have just enough time to put on their EV suit s and prepare to beam off the crippled shuttle . They attempt to send a distress signal to " Voyager " before leaving but fail . They beam into space a safe distance away from their shuttle and watch as the craft explodes , leaving them stranded and floating through space . Act Four . Floating in space , Paris attempts to contact " Voyager " using his suit ' s communicator , but Torres tells him the signal would never cross the distance needed . Paris theorizes that once " Voyager " s impulse engines are back on - line , they will come and pick them up . Paris suggests linking their communicators to form a phased carrier wave that might be strong enough to reach " Voyager " and Torres agrees with his plan . They pull themselves into each other ' s arms and Torres begins accessing Paris ' communicator circuitry . Paris , to lighten the mood , initiates gentle banter with her about having to get beamed into space to " initiate first contact " with her . She lightheartedly responds . The link is made and the signal is sent , a high , piercing squeal . They hope it works because their oxygen supplies will not last forever . They wait . . . still in each other ' s arms . On " Voyager " , Janeway calls Seven into her ready room to ask her what happened with the test . She informs Seven it is procedure for there to be an investigation after any accident . She asks Seven several questions about the accident and Seven responds concisely to each one . But when Janeway asks her if she at any time accessed the deflector , it dawns on Seven that there is a hidden motive to Janeway ' s questions : suspicion of her as having caused the accident . She informs Janeway of her suspicions , remarking that she is like the others , she sees her as a threat . Her words are calmly stated but she is disappointed . Janeway admits that she is indeed suspicious of Seven because they have dealt with tachyons before and have never had anything like this happen . Seven assures her that she had nothing to do with it and she is not deceiving Janeway . Seven tells her that deception is a thing that is impossible within the Borg Collective , thus she is completely unaccustomed to it . Janeway decides to give her the benefit of the doubt , as Seven comments that she is finding it difficult to integrate into the unfamiliar and complex social structures among the crew . Compared to the Borg , the crew is inefficient and contentious but it is still capable of " surprising acts of compassion . " This seems to be a source of great wonder for her . Janeway is pleased about Seven ' s observations and responds that unexpected acts of kindness are common for them , and are a defining characteristic of Humanity . Seven contemplates this . Janeway then reminds her they still need to find out exactly what caused the tachyon leak , and the two get to work . Paris and Torres float in space , no longer in each other ' s embrace , but still close . They talk about the experience and how it compares to Academy training . This leads Torres to talk a little about why she dropped out . Paris gently responds that he wished he had known her while he was there . They look at each other . The attraction between them is obvious , even through the EV suits . Then they are jolted by an ion storm that suddenly hits them . Without the protection of deflector shield s , the storm takes a serious toll . Paris ' oxygen supply is damaged and he begins losing air . Torres connects her air supply to his so that they can share , but discovers that her own supply was damaged as well . They now have only half - an - hour of air left . Act Five . Janeway and Seven research data from the accident in Janeway ' s ready room . Vorik hails and informs Janeway that the impulse engines should be back up and running within the hour . Seven then finds evidence that shows that the accident was indeed just that : an accident . Janeway is relieved over her discovery . Chakotay enters from the bridge and informs her of a phased carrier wave signal received from Torres and Paris . The fact that they sent the signal at all tells that they are in trouble . Janeway orders him to prepare to go to them once impulse is back on - line . However Tuvok soon calls her to the bridge . The Caatati , he tells her , have returned . This time , there are many more than the original three ships . Janeway is on the bridge as one of the Caatati ships hails them . Seven is on the bridge as well . Janeway orders an on - screen answer . Lumas appears . All sympathy that was engendered for them vanishes as he informs her that they have " Voyager " s warp core . Their ships outnumber " Voyager " greatly and can inflict significant damage . They want everything that they have : all their food , supplies , weapons and their entire supply of thorium . They also want Seven as there are many Caatati who would relish the chance to make sport of her for what the Borg did to their people . Meanwhile , Paris and Torres share their almost depleted oxygen . Torres comments about feeling groggy and Paris tells her it is due to oxygen deprivation . She bitterly laughs and comments on the irony that this , the Day of Honor , will be the day of her death . They start confessing about their feelings towards each other . Torres recalls considering him an " arrogant , self - absorbed pig " when she first met him . He asks her if she thinks he has changed . She responds her first instincts were correct and now she considers him a " stubborn , domineering pig " . But then she apologizes and admits that he is right : she does indeed push people away , out of fear of getting hurt . Paris responds that he can understand that . She sadly calls herself a coward for doing so . They fall silent , again in each other ' s arms . " Voyager " is still surrounded by Caatati ships . Chakotay has no problem recommending that Janeway fight whether they are outnumbered or not , " Voyager " s weapons are still a lot more powerful . Also " Voyager " , unlike the Caatati ships , is not in decrepit condition . Ensign Harry Kim suggests that perhaps if they give them some of their supplies , they could talk them into to returning their warp core and letting them leave . Janeway responds that nothing they give them will satisfy them now , short of everything . Seven offers to go . If they have her to act out their fantasized revenge against the Borg , then perhaps they will be sated . Janeway rejects this offer . Seven , confused , insists that she is only offering to do what is best for the ship and crew . But Janeway tells her that she is one of them now and they will protect her . Her patience worn out , she orders all hands to prepare for battle . The bridge crew readies and she and Chakotay move to their command chairs . Tuvok reports that shield strength is extremely low and Janeway orders rerouting of power to compensate . Seven informs Janeway she has an alternative : Caatati technology is based on thorium ; if they have enough , they could be self - sufficient . Kim reminds her that they do not have enough for all of them and it has been established that nothing less would satisfy them . Seven responds that she , as a former drone , has the Caatati ' s assimilated knowledge on replicating thorium isotopes . The survivors of the assimilation do not have that knowledge but she could give it to them . Chakotay looks at her dumbfounded and asks why she did not say so in the first place . She admits that the thought simply had not occurred to her as the Borg do not consider giving technology away , only assimilating it . Janeway looks her in the eyes and asks her why she thinks the idea came to her now . Seven looks at her uncertainly and hesitantly responds that she is unsure why . Janeway smiles . " " Maybe , " " she suggests , " " it was just an unexpected act of kindness . " " She orders Seven to work with Vorik to build the replicator , while she makes the offer to the Caatati . Epilogue . Seven and Janeway show the completed matrix to Lumas in a science laboratory aboard the " Voyager " . He is so accustomed to begging that he is slow to see the significance , responding that only one of these devices will not meet the needs of all their ships . Seven explains that by using the first as a template , they can build as many as they want . They will be supplied with the necessary components and specifications . He finally understands what he is being offered . He takes up the device and looks at it , then at Seven and Janeway . " " You ' re free to go , " " he says finally and leaves , thanking them . " " You ' re welcome , " " Seven suddenly responds , just before he exits . Seven leaves and Janeway remains , looking extremely pleased . Paris and Torres float , still in each other ' s arms , close to unconsciousness . Their oxygen is just about depleted . Torres has one more confession to make . She begins by telling him she has been a coward about everything . He interrupts , responding that she is being too hard on herself but she insists it is true . She is going to die , she tells him , without a shred of honor , so she wants him to know this before she goes : She loves him . Paris is jolted fully awake , despite his severe oxygen deprivation . All he can manage for a reply is that she picked a great time to tell him . They fall silent again . Both are too weak to say anything more . They touch each other ' s faceplates and embrace tighter . As Torres begins to lose all consciousness , " Voyager " closes in , reflected in her faceplate . " Voyager " to Tom Paris , " " comes Janeway ' s voice through his communicator . " " Tom , do you read me ? Respond . " " He weakly acknowledges . A smile emerges on her face as the transporter beam takes them . Memorable quotes . " " Welcome to the worst day of my life . " " " " Bottom line is , I don ' t want her working in engineering . " " " " The bottom line is I ' m giving you an order and you ' re going to follow it , lieutenant " . " " " Whatever you say , sir . " " ( exaggerated sigh ) " " Guilt is irrelevant . " " " " Heartwarming " . " " " Having to dump the warp core has to be the low point of any day . " " " " Thanks so much . Its been lovely ! " " " " Let me access your controls . " " " " I thought you ' d never ask . " " " " Can this day get any worse ? " " Links and references . References . acoustic inverter ; antimatter ; armada ; " bat ' leth " ; blood pie ; Borg Collective ; breakfast ; Caatati ; Caatati vessel ( large ) ; Caatati vessel ( small ) ; carrier wave ; Caves of Kahless ; Class 2 shuttle ; " " ; coolant assembly ; coolant injector ; Day of Honor ; Deflector Control ; dilithium matrix ; energy matrix ; Federation ; fuel cell ; gesture ; Gorath ; Grail of Kahless ; holodeck ; hyperspanner ; impulse engine ; ; ion turbulence ; isotope ; kilogram ; kilometer ; Klingon ; main deflector ; millibar ; Miral ; " mot ' loch " ; neutron ; oversleeping ; painstik ; particle beam ; phased carrier wave ; pig ; plasma coolant ; refugee ; sonic shower ; spitting cobra ; Starfleet Academy ; subspace field ; sulfur ; tachyon ; targ ; thorium ; tractor beam ; transwarp conduit ; warp core ; warp core ejection system ; womb