Decisions, decisions. How do you make a decision, Mister Neelix? In general, I mean.
I guess I weigh the alternatives and try to decide which is best.
Which is best. How do you determine that?
I never thought about it, really.
Well, maybe you should. Think about it, I mean.
I guess every situation is a little different.
For me, it's rather simple. While I'm faced with a decision my program calculates the variables, and I take action. For example, what could be simpler than a triage situation in Sickbay? (hold two pieces of fruit) Two patients, for example, both injured, for example, both in imminent danger of dying. Calculate the variables. My program needs to ascertain which patient has the greater chance of survival, and that's the one I treat. (tosses a fruit across the mess hall) Simple. But, what if they have an equal chance of survival? What then? Hmm? (slams hand on table) Flip a coin? Pick a card?!
Doctor.
Oh, I'm all right. I'm a hologram. I don't get injured, I don't feel pain, I don't die. Unlike some people I could tell you about. For example, two patients. Both injured, both in imminent danger of. (jerks away from Neelix) Don't touch me! I'm a hologram. Photonic energy. Don't waste your time.
(taps combadge) Neelix to Security. Send a team to the Mess hall, please.
A whole team, Mister Neelix? Throwing a little party, are we? Why, I attended a party just recently. A birthday party for a very nice young woman. I made a decision there, too. Several of them, in fact. When I came through the door, do I turn right or do I turn left? As I recall, I decided on the latter. Then, what should I see before me but the hors d'oeuvre tray, and another decision. Do I take a canapé or refuse? Oh, that's an easy one. I'm a hologram. I don't eat.
(to Tuvok) Something's wrong with him.
Don't you know it's rude to refer to somebody in the third person? You had a choice, Mister Neelix. Should I do something rude, or not do something rude?
Doctor, we must return to Sickbay.
Why should I? What if I don't want to return to Sickbay? What if I decide not to return to Sickbay? No, I don't choose this. (jerks away from security) Leave me alone! Let me go! Why did she have to die? Why did I kill her?! Why did I decide to kill her?! Why?! Somebody tell me why!!
(Tuvok deactivates The Doctor)
More from this episode
All quotes from this episode →More Star Trek: Voyager quotes · These quotes come from Wikiquote's Star Trek: Voyager pages and are available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.