Rise

I wonder how many shuttles Voyager carries. Another one crash lands on a planet after they already lost one on that Borg drone planet like several others before in other accidents. This thing must be loaded with shuttles. Obviously one shuttle per crew member. Just in case the escape pods run low - although, they seem to replenish, too. After that episode where Voyager was boarded by the Kazon, they escaped with the pods. Yet, in another episode after that one Janeway orders her crew into escape pods to abandon the ship. A miracle.

And why does Voyager stop at every planet to help some colonists? What is with Prime Directive by the way? If a meteor shower is about to destroy a planet and the population is unable to defend itself, Voyager should not intervene. This goes against the Prime Directive which they have proven many times before in similar situations.

While the episode over all is not bad and it has something of a survival mission in a confined space, Neelix still annoys me. By now he should have realized that Tuvok does not act on instinct and emotion and is not interested in the emotional hysteria of his crew mates. He solves problems logically and stays calm. When he orders Neelix around then he does this for three simple reasons:

1. He is a lieutenant and Neelix is a "morale officer" and a cook. He is not even an enlisted Starfleet crewman. He is a passenger and a counsel. And now, that they are beyond regions he knows, he cannot even counsel them anymore. So Tuvok has all the rights to command Neelix on away missions. He should have thrown him in the brig after the mission for insubordination.

2. Tuvok has way more experience in such away missions and with Starfleet protocol. He not only is over 100 years old but he also is a trained Starfleet officer with experience on other ships and with life threathing situations. Neelix on the other hand is a former smuggler that deserted from military duty and instead muddled himself through life with some shady business.

3. Tuvok is a Vulcan, he focuses on the mission with logic and clear sight. He also has a strengthened physiology that helps him cope with dangerous situations. While others (as seen in the elevator) start to panic and lose their control, he stays determined and ready to act.

Neelix' crying about Tuvok not appreciating him as an equal crew member is pathetic. Even Kes grew tired of him and dumped him! Maybe Neelix should consider that! The others should have thrown him our of the elevator to end this farce once and for all.