Prey (episode)
From Memory Alpha, the free Star Trek reference.
| This article is written from the Real World point of view |
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| "Prey" | ||
|---|---|---|
| VOY, Episode 4x16 Production number: 184 First aired: 18 February 1998 | ||
| ← | 83rd of 168 produced in VOY | → |
| ← | 83rd of 168 released in VOY | → |
| ← | 505th of 726 released in all | → |
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| Written By Brannon Braga Directed By Allan Eastman | ||
| 51652.3 (2374) | ||
Voyager rescues a critically ill Hirogen hunter who wishes to finish his hunt against a "resilient species" - a recent enemy of the Voyager crew - as Captain Janeway gives Seven of Nine a lesson in compassion.
Contents |
[edit] Teaser
A bioship piloted by a sole member of Species 8472 is fleeing from a Hirogen hunting vessel. The younger of the two Hirogen wants to intercept and make the kill, but the Alpha tells him to "maintain distance". He knows that his prey is injured, and its behavior will be the "key to its destruction". They are fired upon, but the shot is too weak. The prey heads for an asteroid belt, where the Alpha believes he will make a final stand. Species 8472 leaves his ship and goes on to an asteroid. The hunters don their colors, get their weapons and masks, and join the creature on the asteroid. When there, they can't detect it as their scanners are being deflected. They choose a target on its body, and set out. Moving silently through the asteroid, the Alpha hears movement behind him and swivels round - coming face-to-face with his prey. Unfortunately for the latter, the Alpha opens fire, causing the creature to withdraw - as the Beta arrives, also firing. Several dozen shots later, and their prey is down on the floor, dead. The Alpha comments on "a flawless kill."
[edit] Act One
Seven of Nine is in sickbay, reciting a list of "bedside manner talk". She finds the exercise pointless, but The Doctor disagrees. He created the exercise to familiarize himself with the "social graces". They move on to "Exercise Two" – the workplace encounter. Seven takes on the role of a doctor, while The Doctor becomes the nurse. It all seems normal until Seven reads the phrase, "Did I mention you look lovely today?" Ending her lesson, she starts to leave. The Doctor tells her that although it's awkward at first, the rewards can be well worth the effort. The Doctor compares Seven to the time he was first activated, saying that he can help her. Agreeing to his offer, she takes the PADD, and as she is leaving, she turns and says, "Have a pleasant day." The Doctor smiles, and gets back to work.
Voyager has detected an alien vessel, moving toward them, and they confirm it as being Hirogen. Captain Janeway wants to settle their differences for good, as Chakotay orders red alert. They attempt to hail the Hirogen, but there is no response. As the vessel closes in, Tuvok detects that they haven't charged weapons, and there is only one life sign aboard. The vessel stops just in front of them as its engines fail. Chakotay thinks it is a trap, but a long range scan reveals that there are no other Hirogen ships. Janeway tells Tom Paris to move within transporter range, intending to beam over. Seven however sees the Hirogen ship as a potential threat and recommends that they destroy it. Janeway wants to show some compassion, even though Seven says the Hirogen haven't reciprocated for any compassion before.
Chakotay takes Paris and Tuvok with him on the away team, finding the Hirogen vessel severely damaged. They spread out, looking for the life sign they detected. Chakotay finds a lot of bones and a skull hanging in netting from the ceiling, before finding a large tank, with more remains in it. Paris finds a severed head still in its helmet, dropping it in fright. Chakotay locates the life sign, and finds the Alpha gasping for air, clutching his weapon in fear.
[edit] Act Two
In the briefing room, Tuvok and Chakotay show Janeway the navigational logs recovered from the Hirogen ship. It has been traveling for at least five years, and in the last year it has visited over ninety star systems. Chakotay reports on the alien remains on the ship, suggesting that they could be trophies from previous hunts. He also surmises that their culture is based upon the hunt. Tuvok says that there is no evidence of a home planet, and that Hirogen ships are usually in small groups, sometimes joining together for a multi-pronged attack. "Like wolves," Chakotay surmises. The Alpha is in sickbay, unconscious and behind a force field. Janeway tells Seven that while the species is still a threat, they now know more about them. Seven agrees that it was "worth the risk... this time." But there is still one lingering question. "Who's hunting the hunters?"
Outside, a creature is limping up the hull. The "hunter hunting the hunters" is a member of Species 8472.
Janeway is in sickbay. The Doctor explains to her that while attempting to remove the Alpha's body armor, he regained consciousness. He can't be sedated as his immune system is rejecting everything The Doctor has tried giving him. Janeway explains to the Alpha that his crewmate is dead and his ship beyond repair. Attempting to ascertain what happened, Janeway asks a few questions, to no response from the hunter, at first. The Alpha tells Janeway of the "formidable alien" they captured two days previously. Unfortunately, their prey broke its restraints and attacked the crew. The Alpha asks to be released so he can continue his hunt. Janeway refuses, saying that he'll die without treatment, so the Alpha agrees.
Chakotay reports that six Hirogen vessels are converging on Voyager's position from all directions, so Janeway asks Paris to evade them for as long as possible. However, they only have four hours. Janeway wants to give the Doctor enough time to treat the Alpha so that he can call his "friends" off. She hopes that diplomacy will work, but Chakotay doubts it, saying that to the Hirogen, Humans and other species are "game". Their conversation is interrupted as the ship shakes. A hull rupture is detected on Deck 11, where a plasma conduit has overloaded. Then there is another jolt as a bulkhead collapses, but this time the plasma network is fine. Janeway sends Tuvok and Harry Kim to Deck 11 to find out the cause of the collapse. They open one of the hatches to find themselves staring into space - someone or something has ripped through the bulkhead from the outside. They see some blood or some kind on the floor, and as Tuvok contacts the bridge, he gives his analysis of the blood sample to Janeway. It is consistent with Species 8472. Janeway orders intruder alert, and seals off Decks 10 to 12. They can't detect the creature however, so Janeway says they'll have to track it visually. She grabs a phaser and heads to Deck 11.
In engineering, Seven reports that she has erected a level 10 force field around engineering. B'Elanna Torres asks her to set up force fields around every hatch, Jefferies tube and conduit leading there. She attempts to lock down the warp core, then hears an unfamiliar hissing sound. She looks up... and the wounded alien jumps from the warp core onto her.
[edit] Act Three
Janeway enters engineering to see a few crewmembers lying on the floor, wounded. She orders her security team to take the wounded to sickbay, as Seven reports on what happened. They tried stunning the creature with their phasers, but they were ineffective. It then left engineering through a Jefferies tube. Janeway tells them to secure the warp core, and leaves with Seven. She asks if the Borg engaged with physical combat with Species 8472, and what tactics they used. The aliens' destination was always the central power matrix, which was subsequently disabled. However, this particular creature didn't touch any of the power systems.
They head to sickbay, where The Doctor is treating Torres and the other wounded crewmen. Janeway asks the Alpha if the alien is alone. Chakotay recounts previous events, ("Scorpion") and Janeway believes that this sighting could indicate a new invasion. The Alpha has only seen one ship, and he has been tracking it over fifty light years. When they thought they had killed the creature, it turned out they hadn't.
There is another shake as the creature accesses environmental controls. Tuvok reports to Janeway that Deck 11 is losing life support as artificial gravity is also compromised, leaving him floating in mid-air. Janeway tells him to evacuate the deck, as the Alpha tells Janeway that the creature is trying to barricade himself. Janeway lets him carry on with his hunt, but under Chakotay's supervision. If he steps out of line, Janeway orders Chakotay to shoot him. Stepping out of his "cell", the Alpha asks for his weapon.
Paris and Chakotay are donning EV suits so they can search for Species 8472 on Deck 11. After learning that the Alpha's body armor is sufficient, Chakotay contacts Tuvok and Seven, who are already in EV suits. They make their way to Deck 11, which is now in near total darkness. The Alpha knows that the creature is near, but Chakotay orders him to stay in his position. Tuvok and Seven continue. Passing a corridor, Seven suddenly stops and shoots, seeing something. Tuvok backtracks and finds out that Seven had only seen a PADD floating in mid-air. "You missed," he says. He notices Seven's increased agitation, but she says her fear is justified as they were the only species to offer true resistance to the Borg. Chakotay, Paris and the Alpha find blood in mid-air - it's from the creature, who is now trapped near deflector control. The Alpha knows the creature is not planning to run, but is waiting for an opportune moment to slip around them and attack them from behind. They contact Tuvok and Seven, and ask them to join them. Then they find the creature - suspended in mid-air, looking lifeless. The Alpha wants to kill him, but Chakotay has other ideas. The Alpha attacks Chakotay, fires at Paris, and then opens fire on the creature. He doesn't get far however, as Tuvok stuns him from behind.
[edit] Act Four
Tuvok enters the mess hall and asks Neelix to leave his cooking and join the security team. He is asked to report to Deck 10, and send tactical updates every twenty minutes. His stops giving orders however, as the alien communicates telepathically with him. He leaves the mess hall.
The Alpha is back behind a force field in sickbay, and there is a security perimeter around Species 8472. Janeway wants Torres to keep a transporter lock on the creature, in case they have to beam it off the ship. She asks The Doctor for an injury report, but as he can't scan the creature he can only make a visual diagnosis. He surmises that the creature has been hunted for months, but he can't say for certain the extent of the damage. Paris and Seven tell Janeway that the creature attempted to open a singularity, but it failed. Janeway believes it was trying to get home.
She finds Tuvok, who is in telepathic contact with the creature. He tells her that during the conflict with the Borg, its vessel was damaged. It was unable to return to fluidic space when Species 8472 retreated. Now, it doesn't want to keep fighting, it simply wants to return home. It is dying. Janeway tells the creature that they will attempt to get it back to its realm. During the conversation, the alien loses consciousness, and the telepathic link is broken.
Janeway goes to sickbay, where the Alpha is back behind a force field. Demanding to be taken to his prey, Janeway informs him that they will be returning the creature to its realm. She also tells him that the hunt - more like a slaughter - is over. The Alpha again demands that the creature is returned to him, or the crew of Voyager will take its place.
Janeway asks Tuvok to send Seven of Nine to her ready room, as she is most likely the only one who can recreate the rift. Tuvok has his concerns however, as Seven may not want to co-operate.
Janeway informs Seven of her decision, but Seven thinks it would not be a prudent course of action. Janeway tells her that part of becoming human is showing compassion, even to those people who are considered bitter enemies. She recounts a story from when she was a lieutenant. She was part of an away team defending a Federation outpost, and they had been exchanging phaser fire for three days with a group of Cardassians. One night, there was a break in fighting, and they could hear a low moan coming from just outside their camp. As all of their people were accounted for, it had to be a Cardassian. Her commanding officer decided that they couldn't let the man suffer, so they went out and brought him back to camp. Three days later, they won the fight, and all of them were decorated by Starfleet Command. But Janeway was most proud of the fact that they had saved the Cardassian's life. Seven is still confused however, but Janeway tells her that "a single act of compassion can put you in touch with your own Humanity." She wants Seven to see this as a chance to grow, but Seven refuses, saying that her decision is "tactically unsound." She still doesn't understand, and she and Janeway argue. Janeway has to order her to create the singularity, but she refuses. She is ordered to remain in the cargo bay until the situation is over.
[edit] Act Five
Voyager is under attack by three Hirogen vessels. Another three approach, cutting off Voyager's escape routes. Their weapons are having no effect either.
In sickbay, the two guards are standing alert with their phaser rifles pointed directly at the Alpha, who is still behind the force field.
The Hirogen hail Voyager. "Better late than never," says Janeway. The Hirogen demands the return of both hunter and prey. Janeway says that if the Hirogen stop their attack, they'll return the Alpha, but the creature is under their protection now. The Hirogen finds this unacceptable, and ends the transmission.
The creature is regenerating on Deck 11, where The Doctor thinks it is becoming more agitated. The Doctor can sedate it, but Seven would need to give them another supply of nanoprobes. They also need at least another hour or two to duplicate the deflector protocols to order a singularity. Main power goes off-line in the next shot, and all force fields are disabled. Quickly bringing auxiliary power online, The Doctor reports that the creature is still contained. Unfortunately, the Alpha is not. Taking one of the guard's phaser rifles, he sets off on his hunt.
Two quick shots disable both the port and starboard nacelles, leaving Voyager crippled.
Seven arrives at The Doctor's location, and moments later so does the Alpha, who quickly removes the security guards. In a tense stand-off, the Alpha doesn't believe that Seven will kill him, but as another shot hits the ship the force field goes down and the creature runs at the Alpha. Unable to raise his weapon in time, the Alpha and the creature become tangled on the floor. Seven uses the distraction to hack in to the transporter system, and she beams the Alpha and the creature on to one of the Hirogen vessels.
Voyager is unable to pursue the departing Hirogen ships as warp drive is still off-line, so Janeway orders Tom to resume their previous course at impulse. Chakotay knows who ended the conflict - Seven of Nine. "Seven of Nine", Janeway replies, with a touch of anger in her voice.
Janeway goes to Cargo Bay 2 where Seven is regenerating. She prematurely ends Seven's regeneration cycle, and tells her that she disobeyed a direct order. She has come to inform Seven of the consequences. She will no longer have access to any primary systems on the ship, but she can continue to continue working in astrometrics if she so desires. Seven is puzzled. After being liberated from the Collective, Janeway encouraged her to cultivate her independence, but when she tries to assert it she is punished. Janeway replies that there are limits, especially on a ship with a command structure. Seven believes she is being punished because she is not thinking the way the rest of them do. She also claims that perhaps Janeway is frightened by Seven's individuality. "As you were," Janeway replies, as she leaves the cargo bay.
[edit] Log Entries
- "Captain's log, stardate 51652.3. It's been twelve hours and our sensors show no sign of any Hirogen vessels, but their people are scattered throughout this region and something tells me that the hunt for Voyager is far from over."
[edit] Memorable Quotes
"The way a creature behaves when it is wounded is the key to its destruction."
- - Alpha Hirogen
"Is your body armor designed to handle rapid pressure fluctuations?"
"It can defeat most hostile environments. I once tracked a silicon-based lifeform through the neutronium mantle of a collapsed star."
"I once tracked a mouse through Jefferies tube thirty two."
- - Chakotay, Alpha Hirogen and Tom Paris
"Mr Neelix, I must ask you to exchange your spatula for a phaser rifle."
- - Tuvok
"This isn't a hunt. It's a slaughter. And I'm calling it off right now."
- - Janeway
"Part of becoming Human is learning to have compassion for those who are suffering, even when they're your bitter enemies."
- - Janeway
"I'm giving you an order. Report to deflector control and begin working on creating a singularity."
"I will not comply. I've agreed to remain on Voyager. I've agreed to function as a member of your crew; but I will not be a willing participant in my own destruction or the destruction of this ship."
"Objection noted, we'll do this without you."
"You will fail."
"And you have just crossed the line."
- - Janeway and Seven of Nine
"It is puzzling."
"What's that?"
"You made me into an individual. You encouraged me to stop thinking like a member of the collective... to cultivate my independence... my Humanity. But when I try to assert that independence, I am punished."
"Individuality has its limits. Especially on a starship, where there's a command structure."
"I believe that you are punishing me because I don't think the way that you do... because I'm not becoming more like you. You claim to respect my individuality... But in fact, you are frightened by it."
"As you were."
- - Seven of Nine and Janeway
[edit] Background Information
- Tony Todd is better known for his role as Kurn in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
- The intruder alert siren has a rare appearance here, when Tuvok detects the member of Species 8472.
- It has been six months since the events of "Scorpion".
- The EV suits worn by Tom, Chakotay, Tuvok and Seven are the ones used in Star Trek: First Contact. Only three EV suits are visible simultaneously, the same number as in the film.
[edit] Video and DVD releases
- UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video): Volume 4.8, catalogue number VHR 4629, 10 August 1998.
- As part of the VOY Season 4 DVD collection.
[edit] Links and references
[edit] Guest stars
[edit] Special guest star
[edit] Uncredited co-star
- Tarik Ergin as Ayala
[edit] References
antimatter injector; artificial gravity; asteroid belt; bioelectric field; blood; Cardassian wars; central power matrix; deflector control; deflector dish; dilithium matrix; enzyme; EPS manifold; fluidic space; force field; Hirogen; Hirogen warship; immune system; internal sensor; Jefferies tube; monotanium; mouse; nacelle; nanoprobe; neutronium; phaser rifle; plasma conduit; polyfluidic compound; physiognomy; quantum singularity; silicon-based lifeform; Species 8472; Species 8472 bioship; star; thoracic crest; warp signature
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