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SUMMARY: Hirogen hunters follow their prey, a member of Species 8472, to Voyager. Janeway's diplomatic skills are put to the test when Hirogen ships look like destroying Voyager if the prey and their hunter are not handed over. Meanwhile, she clashes with Seven who is beginning to exert her new-found individualism.
A Hirogen ship pursues a member of Species 8472 whom they have already wounded while hunting it as one of the most resistant 'prey' they have encountered. After the two Hirogen prepare for the final ritual of the hunt by daubing themselves with ritual paint and selecting their weapons, they locate their prey on an asteroid. They track it visually as a sign of respect for their prey, corner it and fire on it, making what they believe to be the perfect kill.
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| two Hirogen hunters pursue and strike down a member of Species 8472 |
The Doctor suggests himself as tutor to aid Seven in acquiring the social graces necessary to get along with people. He has her start a conversation exercise to this end. He and Kes created exercises three years ago, and by repeating the sentences he has familiarised himself with the social graces. Although she believes the exercises are a waste of time, she agrees to look at his data. He recommends exercise 17: Bridge Banter For Beginners. This is the start of the series of Seven's social lessons that the Doctor will conduct.
Voyager comes across the Hirogen ship and prepares to be attacked. But the alien ship does not charge weapons and they detect only one weak lifesign aboard. Seeing an opportunity to show compassion, maybe come to a diplomatic accommodation with the Hirogen, or at least learn something about them, Janeway sends Chakotay, Tuvok and Paris aboard. There they find one crewmember literally torn apart and a critically injured Hirogen.
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| the away team aboard the stricken Hirogen ship, and the injured Alpha Hirogen |
Seven, who advised against the away mission, allows that it was successful...this time. They learn more about the Hirogen. On the incapacitated Hirogen ship, the away team found bones and muscle tissue from at least nine different species being broken down by some sort of enzyme as their method of either denaturating their prey or preparing it for dinner. The Hirogen ship has visited over ninety star systems in the last year alone. The entire culture seems to be based on the hunt, including their social rituals, art, and religious beliefs. There is no evidence of a home planet. Their ships travel alone or in small groups, sometimes joining forces for a multi-pronged attack. For Janeway, one question remains however - who is hunting the hunters? Unbeknown to any of them, the member of Species 8472 is on Voyager's hull, intent on getting inside.
on the briefing room's wall-monitor, a schematic of the Hirogen's travels |
the member of Species 8472 on Voyager's hull |
Janeway visits the injured Alpha Hirogen, who is kept within Sickbay's surgical bay behind a forcefield. The Hirogen's immune system has neutralised every sedative the Doctor has administered. When interviewed by Janeway, he demands to be released so that he can pursue his prey. Relucantly, he agrees to allow the Doctor to attempt to treat his injuries.
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| Janeway learns that Alpha Hirogen is on the hunt; she persuades him to let the Doctor treat him |
A hull rupture on Deck 11 Section 3 appears to sensors as a plasma conduit overload, but it is really where the 8472 entered the ship. The bulkhead collapses in Jefferies tube 84. When Tuvok and Kim enter the Jefferies tube to investigate the structural damage to Voyager's hull, they find that an as yet unidentified intruder has entered the ship. A blood sample found at the scene, which contains a dense mixture of DNA and polyfluidic compounds, indicates that it comes from a member of Species 8472 - this is the Hirogen's escaped and wounded prey. The ship is put on alert. But Torres and several others in Engineering are attacked by the 8472 before they can fully lock down the area. They later learn that the 8472 entered Engineering through the antimatter injector port and escaped somewhere into the rest of the ship through Jefferies tube 17-Alpha.
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| Torres is attacked by the 8472 |
The crew's reaction chimes with Seven's view that Species 8472 poses a deadly danger. Whilst Janeway is informing Alpha Hirogen that his prey is on Voyager and that the strongly resilient Species 8472 is vulnerable to Borg nanoprobes, he notices Seven's stance on the matter. Alpha Hirogen tells Janeway that if he is not allowed to continue hunting the 8472, he will allow the approaching Hirogen reinforcements to take her crew. Janeway realises that she needs his help to find the creature, for he has studied the 8472's behaviour for six months. For instance, each time Species 8472 boarded a Borg vessel, they went directly to the central power matrix and disabled it (though it does not do this to Voyager). When cornered, it tries to barricade itself. Janeway allows him to join Chakotay's team to search for it, although Janeway tells Chakotay that if he steps out of line to shoot him.
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| Janeway talks with Alpha Hirogen and he notices when Seven disagrees with her |
Tuvok holds the alien down on Deck 11. Deflector control is nearby, on the same deck. Species 8472 accesses environmental controls and shuts off life support, including artificial gravity on that deck. Neelix eagerly accedes to Tuvok's request to join a security team, marking the first official time. The security detail sets up headquarters on Deck 10, Section 12. The relevant crewmembers, equipped with phaser rifles armed with Borg nanoprobes, don environmental suits and track the alien. Alpha Hirogen relies on his body armour, which is designed to handle rapid pressure fluctuations. Chakotay, Paris and Alpha Hirogen corner the wounded intruder, planning to stun it.
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| Chakotay's detail, which includes Alpha Hirogen, track down the injured 8472 |
As the Hirogen begins firing his weapon at the 8472 against orders, Tuvok arrives and phasers him.
Chakotay doubles up in pain when Alpha Hirogen hits him in the stomach, temporarily incapacitating him |
Alpha Hirogen opens fire on the 8472 |
Tuvok requests Neelix to go on active security duty, a request he is happy to receive. But while they are talking, Tuvok suddenly receives telepathic contact from the 8472.
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| Tuvok is contacted telepathically by the 8472 |
They discover that the 8472 has accessed an LCARS console in a failed attempt to open a singularity into fluidic space, this being the realm of Species 8472. Through telepathic contact with Tuvok, the alien explains its situation - its ship was damaged during a conflict with the Borg, it has been trapped alone, wounded and hunted by the Hirogen, and just wants to get home. This touches a chord with Janeway, who is trying to get her crew home, and she chooses to show compassion to the creature.
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| Janeway sees the badly wounded 8472, learns it is just trying to reach home, and she feels compassion |
Alpha Hirogen threatens that the crew will be slaughtered, by the six Hirogen vessels that are on an intercept course, if the alien is not surrendered to him. But Janeway tells him that by the time the ships arrive, the 8472 will have been returned to its realm.
Janeway asks Seven to open a singularity, and tries to explain to her how an act of compassion can put her in touch with her humanity. Citing the Borg history with Species 8472 and the danger it represents, Seven refuses to help the alien escape. Seven says that Janeway's decision is tactically unsound and she will have no part in her own self-destruction and the destruction of Voyager. When Janeway says they will manage it without her, she states that Janeway will fail. For Janeway, this crosses the line, and she orders Seven confined to Cargobay 2 until the mission is over.
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| Janeway and Seven argue |
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The Doctor reports that he does not know how to treat the numerous injuries the 8472 has. Species 8472 emits a bio-clectric field, making it impossible for the Doctor to scan. A dose of Borg nanoprobes will keep it sedated. |
The heavily armed approaching Hirogen ships fire on Voyager. A direct hit to Voyager's EPS manifolds causes main power to go off. Although auxiliary power comes online shortly afterwards, the interval is long enough that, when the forcefields were offline, Alpha Hirogen escapes from Sickbay and takes a weapon from one of the overpowered security guards. Voyager is crippled by direct hits to both of the warp nacelles.
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| with the forcefield down, Alpha Hirogen overcomes the security guards in Sickbay, takes a weapon and sets out to kill his prey |
When the 8472 becomes agitated, Janeway orders Seven to give it more Borg nanoprobes. As she arrives to comply, Alpha Hirogen arrives, fells the security guards and orders Seven and the Doctor to step aside so that he can continue to hunt his prey i.e. kill it. When Seven refuses to step aside, Alpha Hirogen tells her that he knows she wants him to kill the 8472, that he noticed her stance earlier in the medical bay.
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| Seven and Alpha Hirogen, both armed, confront each other while, nearby, the injured 8472 is confined behind a forcefield |
As Voyager lurches under another attack, the 8472 breaks through the forcefield and attacks its tormentor, the Hirogen. As the pair struggle, Seven taps into transporter controls and beams them to one of the Hirogen ships. This would inevitably result in the 8472's death at the hands of the Hirogen. The Hirogen ships immediately cease firing and leave the area at warp speed.
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| the 8472 escapes and attacks the Hirogen |
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| Seven transports the Hirogen and the 8472 to one of the Hirogen ships |
As a consequence of her disobeying orders, Janeway visits Cargobay 2 and informs Seven that no more will she be treated as equal to every other crewmember. From now onwards, she will not be allowed access to primary systems without the Captain's direct authorisation. She can continue to work in Astrometrics if willing, otherwise she will stay in the Cargobay. Seven opines that she is being punished for displaying the very individuality that Janeway sought to bring out, and for not being like Janeway herself.
 | | JANEWAY TO SEVEN: A single act of compassion can put you in touch with your own humanity. |
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