THE PRIME DIRECTIVE

STORIES INVOLVING THE PRIME DIRECTIVE

[Season 1: #1 and #2 Caretaker]

Episode Index - part of Ship's Logs which includes illustrated transcripts and synopses

During the crew's first mission, Janeway makes the critical decision to destroy the Caretaker's Array and with it, the crew's one easy and immediate chance to return home. (Mention of another Caretaker raises the possibility of another method of returning home, scuppered in [#26 Cold Fire].) In doing this, she saves the Ocampa from the Kazon who would use the Array's technology to enslave or harm the Ocampa. She thus also makes a mortal enemy of the Kazon. Her decision goes against the Prime Directive, for she firmly takes a stance for one species against another (the Ocampa, however, are not in conflict with the Kazon, but the Kazon would harrass the Ocampa if they could, and a group of Kazon-Ogla do so with one Ocampa when they capture Kes). Janeway takes action to defend a species when its usual defender (the Caretaker) dies.

When the Caretaker's self-destruct system for the Array malfunctions, the Caretaker charges her with destroying the Array, but she does not have to heed him. But she does so, and her action alters what otherwise would have been an inevitable outcome. Janeway points out, however, that Voyager was inextricably involved in the situation long before she actually had to make her decision, with the ship having been brought into the Delta Quadrant by the Caretaker.

The matter within his form darkens as he dies and his last words are spoken with his last strength. "The self-destruct program has been damaged. Now this installation will not be destroyed, but it must be. The Kazon must not be allowed to take control of it - they will annihilate the Ocampa." The Caretaker shrinks and dies. Janeway approaches and tentatively picks it up, pondering what to do. Tuvok: "Shall I activate the program to get us back?" Janeway: "And what happens to the Ocampa after we're gone?" Tuvok: "Captain, any action we take to protect the Ocampa would affect the balance of power in this system. The Prime Directive would seem to apply." Janeway: "Would it? We never asked to be involved, but we are, we are." [Season 1: #1 and #2 Caretaker]

The Kazon add support to Janeway's stance by trying to seize the Array. There is before that the earlier attempt by the Kazon-Ogla to acquire Federation technology through blackmail by seizing the away team as hostages, for their leader Jabin wants the technology that can produce and materialise water in such quantities. Jabin's attempt, plus his capture and mistreatment of Kes, indicate for Janeway that the Kazon do not share her moral values and accordingly she is certain she is right to distrust their motive for wanting to acquire the Array. Her decision is the first instance of breaking the Prime Directive in order for the Ocampa and Voyager to survive in the Delta Quadrant.

Jabin, via comms: "Be advised, Captain, I have called for additional ships." Janeway, via comms: "I'm calling to warn you to move your vessels to a safe distance. I intend to destroy the Array." Jabin is shocked. "You can't do that." Janeway, via comms: "I can and I will. End transmission." Kim: "They're increasing fire, Captain. Shields are holding." Janeway: "Move us 400 kilometres from the Array, Mr Paris." Paris: "Yes, ma'am." Torres: "What do you think you're doing?! That Array is the only thing we have to get back home!" Janeway: "I'm aware everyone has family and loved ones at home they want to get back to. So do I. But I'm not willing to trade the lives of the Ocampa for our convenience. We'll have to find another way home." Torres: "What other way home is there?" The Caretaker's Array is destroyed by USS Voyager. [Season 1: #1 and #2 Caretaker]

Significantly, it is in this story that it is established that the combined Starfleet and Maquis crews will henceforth be a Starfleet crew - that means that adherence to the Prime Directive is expected of everyone from now on, even though she does not mention the Prime Directive when she sets out the several behavioural standards in her broadcast to the crew. The priorities will be to explore and get home as quickly as possible while upholding Starfleet principles.

Janeway tells the crew: "We're alone, in an uncharted part of the galaxy. We've already made some friends here, and some enemies. We have no idea of the dangers we're going to face, but one thing is clear, both crews are going to have to work together if we're to survive. That's why Commander Chakotay and I have agreed that this should be one crew, a Starfleet crew. And as the only Starfleet vessel assigned to the Delta Quadrant we'll continue to follow our directive: to seek out new worlds and to explore space. But our primary goal is clear. Even at maximum speeds it would take 75 years to reach the Federation. But I'm not willing to settle for that. There's another entity like the Caretaker out there somewhere who has the ability to get us there a lot faster. We'll be looking for her, and we'll be looking for wormholes, spatial rifts or new technologies to help us. Somewhere along this journey, we'll find a way back. Mr Paris, set a course, for home." end part of Janeway's speech [Season 1: #1 and #2 Caretaker]

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