According to Memory Alpha, "Vulcans are known for their high degree of honesty. They are extremely reluctant to tell a lie, and indeed it is said that "Vulcans cannot lie". Considering the above, how was Tuvok able to fulfill his role as the Starfleet's spy among the Maquis? Choosing a Vulcan for this kind of job seems the worst possible choice for me.
Devotion to duty and to Janeway. A lie or lies for a greater good or higher honor would, I guess, be acceptable.
In my mind I think they can lie but don't like to, but this idea of them not being able to has taken on a life of it's own and they've not tried to dissuade people of it. I feel Tuvok would approach such a role in a way similar to how he talked about writing in "Worst Case Scenario" and go read a bunch of books on infiltration, go practice scenarios and conversations on the holodeck, and come up with a foolproof cover story for why a Vulcan would be a Maquis member, which isn't too difficult considering we know Sakonna was already one.
^It seems like Chakotay was forever trusting the wrong people. It makes me think of one of my favorite Trek quotes. Chakotay says, "You (Tuvok) were working for her (Janeway), she (Seska) was working for them (the Cardassians). Was anyone on that ship working for me"? What's in the paranthesis was unspoken.
Yeah, Chakotay was extremely unsavvy for a rebel leader. Makes me wonder how he got to be in charge of his little band of rebels.
Surely there is a fan fic or a novel somewhere where it turns out there was a third spy on Chakotay's ship....
Vulcans would be completely impotent as Starfleet command officers if they couldn't lie. No bluffin' nor brinkmanship possible really. Vulcans are master liars with those granite like facial features and they lie when they say they don't lie and that lie is so good that the myth that they don't lie has become legendary.
No one ever questioned that just because a Vulcan says that Vulcans never lie, doesn't mean they aren't lying?
I found the dialogue that explains my questions. It is from "State of flux" (S01E10): Commander Chakotay: Can I ask you to be honest with me, Lieutenant? Lieutenant Tuvok: As a Vulcan, I am at all times honest, Commander. Commander Chakotay: That's not exactly true. You lied to me when you passed yourself off as a Maquis to get on my crew. Lieutenant Tuvok: I was honest to my own convictions within the defined parameters of my mission. Commander Chakotay: You damned Vulcans and your 'defined parameters'!
Actually, I can believe that. Paris admitted he joined the Maquis for the thrill, didn't he? Well, being a spy would also be that, at least for him.
Didn't Tuvok say in Hunters that Vulans were capable of lying if it was part of the job or something like that.