Captain’s log: stardate 51781.2

Lisa Klink pens the teleplay for this episode from a story by Jimmy Diggs and Steve J. Kay. It first debuted on 15 April, 1998.

Captain Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) and Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) find themselves on opposite sides of an argument when a unique particle is detected. Under orders given only to starship captains, Starfleet has revealed that these particles pose a threat to warp fields, and damage subspace, consequently, captains must seek them out and destroy them.

The Borg, however, revered the particle as an almost divine symbol or perfection.

While most of the crew have no idea what is going on or why, Seven knows everything about the Omega particle that Janeway does, and thus allows both characters to come at the subject filled with the same knowledge but with different perspectives – which something Trek can do nicely.

Janeway leads the away team to ensure the particle’s destruction, hoping to stop an uncontained explosion – something that would then make it impossible for ships to travel at warp.

Seven agrees to help Janeway destroy the particle, even though she feels it’s the wrong thing to do, and the scientists they discover who have been working on and with the particle claim they need the particle.

When an opportunity to contain the particle as opposed to destroying is presented and made available, Janeway has to decide whether to override her orders, something Seven hopes the captain will do.

It’s a solid episode that doesn’t quite dig into the controversial side of the story as much as it could, the differing perspectives, and arguments over Omega’s existence. Still, it’s fun to see characters who are both right, on different sides of an argument.

Captain’s log: stardate 51813.4

Andrew Robinson (DS9’s Garak) directs this episode that was written by Greg Elliot and Micheal Perricone. It first aired on 22 April, 1998.

A strange alien woman, Kellin (Virginia Madsen) shows up asking the Voyager for asylum, and claims that she and Chakotay (Robert Beltran) have had a romantic relationship just a few weeks prior. Something the First Officer does not remember.

As the story unfolds, we learn why.

It seems she comes from a race of people who’s greatest defense is that people forget about them, but sometimes one of them will choose to leave their homeworld and venture out into the galaxy.

When this happens they send out Tracers to reclaim the ‘lost’ soul, and erase their memory of the escape, returning them to the ‘bliss’ of their sheltered world. Killin was one such Tracer, until she fell in love with Chakotay and seeks asylum. But soon a Tracer will be after her.

It’s nice to have a solid Chakotay story like this, and Virginia Madsen is always wonderful.

Next week, the Human Adventure continues as the journey home with Star Trek: Voyager – The Complete Series on DVD from Paramount Canada moves ever onward.

Boldly go…