How does Kes know about alien presence in Cathexis?

[eepruls]

I'm watching Cathexis right now (it's on Space in the background) and something always drives me crazy. Janeway, Tuvok, and the Doctor are in sickbay with Paris and Torres. The Doctor explains that another brain wave pattern is present in both during the moments that they don't remember. They surmise that there is an alien presence jumping between crew members. Janeway transfers command codes to the Doctor and then they leave sickbay to "get the warp core back online". Just as they leave sickbay, Kes comes running down the corridor and says something like, "Captain, I heard what's happened! I do think an alien presence is on the ship!" and then Tuvok and her go to see if they can discover the presence together.

My question is, how the frick did Kes know about this alien presence when she wasn't even in sickbay when they discussed it? It's always such a glaring goof that I find it weird that it was written that way. Why not just have her in sickbay to find out with everyone else?

 

[The_Baroness]

Because Kes has super-wibbly-magic-brain powers.

 

[You_Will_Fail]

Because this was one of the episodes Braga left to the night before he had to hand it in...

 

[eepruls]

LOL. So true! I don't think it can even be explained by Kes and her telepathic abilities. It's just such a stupid and annoying mistake because that scene happens as they walk out of sickbay when the only people who know about the alien thing are the people that were inside sickbay!

 

[Seven of Five]

It's an odd moment that only works in a broad way, but I appreciated the referral to Kes' latent abilities. I just wish they had been developed in a way that explained what happened here.

 

[SRFX]

I noticed this too when I recently reviewed the episode. It seems to just be an oversight.

 

[Lynx]

As we could see later on in the episode, Chakotay's presence did visit Kes in her quarters. Maybe she had run into it before and sensed some alien presence.

 

[eepruls]

As we could see later on in the episode, Chakotay's presence did visit Kes in her quarters. Maybe she had run into it before and sensed some alien presence.

True, however, the scene still wouldn't make sense. If she thought there was an alien presence on board, she would run down the corridor to Janeway and says something like, "Captain, I think there's an alien presence on board!" because she didn't know that the people in sickbay had just figured that out. Janeway should have then responded with something like, "We thought the same thing. The Doctor found other brain wave patterns." Instead, she runs down the corridor and says she heard what happened. Heard what happened?

The only other thing I can think of is that Tuvok orders "Intruder Alert" 30 seconds before they leave sickbay. That in itself doesn't imply an alien presence floating around the ship, does it? And Kes' initial comment about hearing what happened still wouldn't make sense. She'd say something like, "I heard the intruder alert and think there's an alien on board. I've sensed it for the last few hours!"

 

[The_Baroness]

WIBBLY. BRAIN. MAGIC!

 

[Shatnertage]

A wizard did it?

 

[vas2009]

WIBBLY. BRAIN. MAGIC!

That's what I always just let myself believe. Also... word travels fast (warp speed) on a ship that size

 

[T'Girl]

Captain, I heard what's happened!

Ever notice that Scotty-LaForge-BeLanna-Tucker always seem to know what's going on during the mission, even though they were sometime down in the engine room when important things happen up on the bridge?

 

[exodus]

As we could see later on in the episode, Chakotay's presence did visit Kes in her quarters. Maybe she had run into it before and sensed some alien presence.

True, however, the scene still wouldn't make sense. If she thought there was an alien presence on board, she would run down the corridor to Janeway and says something like, "Captain, I think there's an alien presence on board!" because she didn't know that the people in sickbay had just figured that out. Janeway should have then responded with something like, "We thought the same thing. The Doctor found other brain wave patterns." Instead, she runs down the corridor and says she heard what happened. Heard what happened?

The only other thing I can think of is that Tuvok orders "Intruder Alert" 30 seconds before they leave sickbay. That in itself doesn't imply an alien presence floating around the ship, does it? And Kes' initial comment about hearing what happened still wouldn't make sense. She'd say something like, "I heard the intruder alert and think there's an alien on board. I've sensed it for the last few hours!"

I assumed it was because both Tuvok & Kes are telepathic and shared a psychic rapport.

However, off camera this could have been a scene that was altered or edited and line given to Jen Lien to read wasn't or was overlooked by mistake during production. It's a common mistake.