| Betty
Just like in the TV episode, Xoanon speaks with the voice of Tom Baker.
(Or rather, of the Fourth Doctor. It kind of makes my head hurt to contemplate
how there could possibly be a relationship between an actor in my own universe
and a Time Lord in some other universe, so I generally try not to think
too hard about it.)
Neeva, of course, immediately throws himself to the ground in a worshipful
attitude. "Yes, my lord! What is your bidding?"
"Neeva!" intones the Tom Baker-ish voice. "The attack must be soon,
Neeva!"
"Yes, lord!" replies Neeva. Suck-up, I think, rather unkindly,
but that perception of the man is mingled with a degree of respect. After
all, Neeva does prove by the end of the episode to be a lot more intelligent
than he appears.
"You must free us," Xoanon continues. "Me... Us... We must be free...
Free of us..."
B'elanna leans in toward me and in a skeptical tone whispers, "That's
their god?"
"Xoanon," I whisper back. "Yeah."
"You were right. He is insane."
"Yup."
As always, I feel decidedely sorry for the poor schizoid machine. I
hope the Doctor can help him, although I'm honestly not sure how. Things
are so different than they were in the TV show... You'd think I'd be getting
used to that by now.
Meanwhile, I realize that everyone else is looking expectantly at the
Doctor, as if waiting for him to step in and, well, do the Doctorish thing,
I suppose. (That's everybody else except Neeva, of course. And Andor's
expression is probably better described as "confused" than "expectant.")
The Doctor doesn't disappoint. "Hello," he says, stepping forward and
addressing the helmet. "Xoanon, I presume?"
-
 We all hold
our breath and wait for the response.
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