Star Trek: 10 Disastrous USS Voyager First Contacts
3. Going Through A Difficult Phage
First contact with the Vidiians was bad news for Voyager, the crew naturally wanting to keep hold of their organs, but it was even worse news for one budding mess hall chef who had his lungs removed by the Phage-weary foes. All the non-Neelix fans out there might have hoped that would shut him up for at least five seconds, curse The Doctor's no-name!
Inasmuch as the Vidiians posed a threat, they also set out an ethical question — just how far should, or rather shouldn't, you go to save lives? Harvesting organs from the living is probably hopping over the line. In the end, curiosity didn't kill the guy with the cat-like whiskers. It was a pair of Vidiians who ultimately saved Neelix's life, but not before a stark warning from Captain Janeway to stay the eff away from Voyager in the future or else! Did the writers forget Janeway's 'can't sacrifice one life for another' speech, however? Tuvix much?
Lieutenant Pete Durst wasn't as lucky as Neelix when he faced off with the species, and later, one of the Voyagers in Deadlock was invaded by the Vidiians, leaving its Janeway with no choice but to activate the self-destruct. The Doctor made a 'friend' in the interim, though!