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Prime Factors (episode)

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Real World article
(written from a Production point of view)
"Prime Factors"
VOY, Episode 1x10
Production number: 110
First aired: 20 March 1995
← 9th of 168 produced in VOY →
← 9th of 168 released in VOY →
  {{{nNthReleasedInSeries_Remastered}}}th of 168 released in VOY Remastered  
← 356th of 727 released in all →
Teleplay By
Michael Perricone & Greg Elliot

Story By
David R. George III & Eric A. Stillwell

Directed By
Les Landau
48642.5 (2371)
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The crew of Voyager discover a planet that has the technology to send them more than halfway along their journey home. However, the planet's inhabitants are more than reluctant to share this technology with Voyager's crew, as doing so would violate one of the society's own prime directives.

Contents

[edit] Summary

After investigating a distress call, the USS Voyager meets a man who introduces himself as Gathorel Labin of the planet Sikaris, who explains that he is not in distress at all, and they had initiated the call because Voyager was in distress.

After extending a welcome to the Sikarian sector, Gath comes aboard with samples of the local delicacies and explains that their people had heard the plight of Voyager; he invites the crew to shore leave on his planet.

Neelix also proposes gathering seeds from the local flora to increase the selection of edible plants growing on board.

"Captain’s log, stardate 48642.5. The crew is enjoying an evening on Sikaris. They are discovering, to their delight, that reports of this species’ hospitality have not been exaggerated."

At the evening’s festivities, Harry Kim shares a romantic moment with a local named Eudana, recalling how Voyager was stranded in the Delta Quadrant when Eudana pulls Kim onto a platform and transports to a place called Alastria to be more private. After witnessing the rise of Alastria's two suns (and after some questioning), Kim discovers he had actually been transported to another planet 40,000 light years from Sikaris.

Kim then informs Captain Janeway of his instantaneous travel via a transporter that operates on the principle of folding space, called a spatial trajector, with the ability to transport anyone to any planet within the quadrant. Janeway proposes to Gath that they modify the technology in order to transport Voyager closer to home. But Gath informs them that because of their Canon of Laws, they are unable to share their technology, fearful that it may get out of control and fall into the wrong hands.

Janeway points out at a staff meeting that it is the first time they are on the "other side of the fence," pointing out the commonality with the Prime Directive and citing the prevention of aid to an alien culture facing a natural disaster. The possibility is then discussed that the Sikarians are merely starting a negotiation of terms for the technology, where Tom Paris asks what Voyager would have to offer in return.

Kim offers the insight of how the Sikarian culture values stories as a measuring device of character and moral value, and proposes the idea of offering the entire ship's library as a bartering token. Janeway approves the idea and plans to run the idea by Gath. She forbids any analysis of the spatial trajector as to not violate the Sikarian's laws.

Over a slice of pecan pie, Janeway offers her promise to destroy the trajector after its use, to which Gath refuses. Janeway then proposes that the Sikarians use the device to send Voyager itself, without giving up the technology, in return for a full library of the Federation's finest literature. Gath suggests it is possible, but says he would need to discuss it with the other magistrates within the area.

In the meantime, B'Elanna Torres, Seska, and Joseph Carey begin plotting how such a technology would work, noting that such spatial folding would leave subspace residue. Detecting a particular neutrino dispersion pattern, the three theorize that if the spatial trajector uses a neutrino bubble to transport objects, the main deflector could be modified to emit phased neutrinos to create a bubble around Voyager.

On the surface, Eudana leads Kim to a secret meeting with Jaret Otel, Gath's aide, who offers to unofficially give them the technology in exchange for the ship's collection of literature. Jaret explains that people believe rules should be flexible enough to meet the needs of the moment and reveals that he wants to be the provider of the stories to the public in order to gain prestige. Kim recounts the captain's proposal to Gath, when Jaret explains Gath never had any intention of helping Voyager.

In the mess hall, Seska and Torres briefly discuss stealing the technology. Seska supports the idea of "stepping up and claim it" because the end result of getting the crew halfway home would be more important. Torres asserts that being the superior officer she has higher responsibilities, but Seska declares that if they were to gain access to the trajector matrix, the use of main engineering would be essential and it would be helpful if Torres were on their side.

After Kim goes to Janeway and Tuvok about Jaret's proposal, Janeway and Tuvok have an in-depth conversation about weighing the consequences of breaking a society's rules for the sake of getting closer to home.

On the planet, Janeway asks Gath about the decision only to reveal Gath's true intentions, which were only to provide the populace with a new novelty or avenue of entertainment. The captain then returns to the ship and promptly recalls the crew from shore leave.

Back in the mess hall, Torres, Seska, and Carey hold a meeting. Seska and Carey end up pushing Torres onto their side where they begin the preparations to return to the surface and make the exchange with Jarret in the transporter room. Tuvok discovers the team and their plans, before revealing that he had planned to make the exchange himself.

Returning with the device, Tuvok hands it over to engineering and asks them not to use it until he has spoken to the captain. Seska begins tests immediately, and the three engineers discover that they would need an amplifier the size of a planet to make the system work. The Sikarians are able to use the technology because Sikaris itself has a crystalline mantle that focuses and amplifies the trajector field. Carey notes that if the planet is needed to use the trajector, once Voyager leaves orbit they will lose the ability to traject.

Seska urges Torres to do something after Janeway gives the order to break orbit. Torres, keeping the thrusters offline, prevents the ship from leaving, citing a phase variance to blame in the plasma conduit to buy some time to try out the device.

After they activate the matrix, a trajector field begins to form. Suddenly the plasma manifold becomes unstable from a bombardment of antineutrinos that act as a catalyst for the space-folding process. The unstable plasma manifold triggers a warp core breach, forcing Torres to destroy the trajector matrix with a phaser because it had become fused with their systems. In reflection, Torres realized the use of antineutrinos in the space-folding process, would make any compatibility with Federation technology impossible.

Seska attempts to erase the sensor logs of their testing, but Torres steps in, rejecting a cover-up. Standing before the captain, Torres tries to take the blame as the ranking officer, but Tuvok reveals that he was the one that made the exchange with Jaret.

Janeway lets Torres go, under the understanding that any further transgression would lead to the discharge of her field commission. Tuvok, when left alone with the captain, explains his actions by saying he acted the way he did because Janeway couldn't allow herself to make the decision. Janeway lets Tuvok go as well, but only after lecturing him on how he is supposed to be her moral compass and how she needs to be able to rely on him as her counsel.

[edit] Memorable Quotes

"I don't enjoy being judged like this. It's most unsettling, not at all pleasurable."

- Gath to Captain Janeway


"I don't have the luxury of throwing you in the brig for the rest of this voyage. I need you. I need every person on this ship. But I want you to know how very deeply you have disappointed me. If there are any further transgressions, even a minor one...you will no longer be an officer on this crew"

- Janeway to B'Elanna Torres


"My logic was not in error...but I was."

- Tuvok to Captain Janeway


"I don't even know where to start. I want you to explain how you, of all people, could be involved in this."
"It's quite simple, captain. You have made it quite clear, on many occassions, that your highest goal is to get the crew home. But in this instance, your standards would not allow you to violate Sikarian law. Someone had to spare you the ethical dilemma. I was the logical choice. And so I chose to act.

- Janeway and Tuvok


"You are one of my most valued officers. And you are my friend. It is vital that you understand me here. I need you. But I also need to know that I can count on you. You are my counsel. The one I turn to you when I need my moral compass checked. We have forged this relationship for years and I depend on it'."

- Janeway to Tuvok


"You can use logic to justify anything. That's its power and its flaw."

- Janeway to Tuvok

[edit] Background Information

  • Robert Picardo (The Doctor) does not appear in this episode.
  • The Sikarian ship seen in this episode is a physical re-creation of a freighter featured in the Star Trek: Starfleet Academy and Star Trek: Klingon Academy PC games.
  • Given that Tuvok's rank insignia changes from lieutenant commander to lieutenant after this episode, it is speculated that he was demoted for his actions here. However, it is likely only a costuming mistake since he's referred to as simply "lieutenant" off and on during this and earlier episodes.
  • The events of this episode represent the second time (aside from the series premiere) that Voyager's crew has a possibility of returning home.

[edit] Video and DVD releases

[edit] Links and references

[edit] Starring

[edit] Also starring

[edit] Guest stars

[edit] Uncredited co-stars

[edit] References

Alastria; antineutrino; atmospheric sensor; Canon of Laws; Dedestris; Delaney sisters; distress call; erosene winds; literature; magistrate; mantle; neutrino; Nivoch; non-linear resonance; phase variance; pecan pie; plasma conduit; plasma manifold; Prime Directive; quartz; shock attenuation cylinder; Sikaris; Sikarian; Sikarian vessel; spatial trajector; subroutine; subspace residue; trajector matrix; Venice

[edit] External link


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"State of Flux"
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