Error in "Distant Origin"

[Lynx]

Yesterday I watched the excellent episode "Distant Origin" again and I discovered an error which I haven't discovered before despite watching this episode many times.

The Voth scientists Gegen and Veer beam on board Voyager using some sophisticated cloaking device so they can't be seen by the crew. However, they are finally detected in the mess hall. Then Veer fires a dart into Chakotay's shoulder, who collapses. Tuvok stuns Veer. Gegen goes to Chakotay and beams out with him.

Then we have the following discussion between The Doctor and Janeway:

JANEWAY: Your call sounded urgent.
THE DOCTOR: With good reason. I've analysed the alien's DNA. There are forty seven genetic markers identical to those found in human DNA.
JANEWAY: That's more than coincidence.
THE DOCTOR: I thought so too. I ran a search for those markers in Earth's paleo-ontological database. Take a look at this.
JANEWAY: Incredible!
THE DOCTOR: That's one way of putting it.
JANEWAY: It says here that those markers appeared in hundred earth species, dating back tens of millions of. Their species evolved on Earth?
THE DOCTOR: Apparently so. And from the look of it, you and he are distant cousins.
JANEWAY: I wonder how distant? Transfer yourself to Holodeck two. I think it's time we took a stroll through primeval history.

Then Voyager is captured by the Voth city ship. Later on Gegen is captured too and Chakotay with him since he has been on Gegen's ship ever since Gegen transported him there after Chakotay being stunned in the mess hall. Later on Gegen is on trial for his beliefs about the "Distant Origin" theory and Chakotay steps in to defend Gegen and his theories:

CHAKOTAY: If I may speak? Voyager's database contains a complete fossil record of my planet. Your genetic markers appear not only in humans but in hundreds of species throughout our history. That's a lot of random convergence. If you'd take a look at the data.

How could Chakotay know that? He wasn't present on the ship when Janeway and The Doctor analysed Veers DNA and found those genetic markers in Voyager's database and I don't think he had any time to interact with Voyager's captured crew before being taken to Gegen's trial. OK, he discussed abot the "Distant Origin" theory with Gegen on board Gegen's ship but why does he refer to Voyager's database here?

 

[Prax]

Chakotay has access to all knowledge, because he read the script.

 

[Lynx]

Chakotay has access to all knowledge, because he read the script.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Could Janeway have contacted Chakotay offscreen and told him then? She may have thought that he needed to know it before appearing at Gegen's trial.

 

[Gary7]

I think you can presume that Gegen downloaded Voyager's database and was able to come to the same conclusion independent of the EMH. And of course, Gegen shared this realization with Chakotay during their time together prior to the inquisition.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Not an error.

Twenty seconds of off screen conversation too boring to film.

Email alerts, google alerts, amber alerts... PADD alerts?

 

[Athena28]

Subdermal communicator behind his ear like Smiley had in Through the Looking Glass.

 

[Orac]

I noticed the error the first time I watched the episode, were you stoned the many times you already watched it? I was.

 

[Lynx]

I noticed the error the first time I watched the episode, were you stoned the many times you already watched it? I was.

No, I don't use such stuff.

I don't know why I have missed that error or whatever so many times. I was actually surprised myself when I finally noticed it.

 

[at Quark's]

There's no error, as far as I can determine.

1) Gegen already knew there were 47 shared genetic markers long before finding Voyager. He says so when presenting the bones he found on that primeval planet at the beginning of the episode.

ODALA: A pile of bones. Impressive.
GEGEN: This pile of bones belonged to a being who died approximately one a year ago, from a species found nowhere in known space, and yet we share forty seven genetic markers with this being. We are undoubtedly related to him, and I intend to prove to you that we evolved on the very same planet he did.

2) It is established he downloaded the voyager database immediately after beaming over to Voyager.

VEER: Curious. I didn't expect the smell.
GEGEN: Well, they are mammals, after all. Ah, over here. This appears to be a computer access terminal. Simple binary system. I've downloaded their database.

No qualifications whatsoever, so I'm assuming he meant the entire database. If that sounds implausible, remember how much more advanced the Voth are, technologically.

So after his stay on Voyager, all the information was already on Gegen's ship. Chakotay didn't need to contact Voyager in order to consult his own database. He merely needed to cross-correlate the information with Gegen's own findings (if Gegen hadn't already done so himself).

 

[Prax]

Thank you. I watched the episode the other day, and was thinking the same thing.