THE PRIME DIRECTIVE

STORIES INVOLVING THE PRIME DIRECTIVE

[Enterprise: Season 1: Dear Doctor]

SUMMARY: In 2151, on Mankind's first deep space mission with warp drive, in the absence of a formal directive, Captain Jonathan Archer, of the NX-01 Enterprise, faces the dilemma of whether to aid the Valakians, a species that is dying naturally or not interfere. The matter is complicated by the projected emergence of the Menk, a species presently with a lower mental capacity whose emergence might be obstructed by the continued existence of the Valakians.

The following text is TOSTW's synopsis, with amendments.

Now that the NX-01 Enterprise crew is communicating regularly with Earth, Hoshi observes that Dr. Phlox is getting more letters from home than anyone else. Phlox has been corresponding with a human medical colleague named Dr. Lucas, who is now serving on Phlox's home planet Denobula. In his letters Phlox shares his observations of human behavior during their first deep space venture, and he mentions his growing relationship with Ensign Cutler, whom Phlox is mentoring to be a part-time medic and who he suspects is romantically interested in him. Phlox is called on to treat two alien astronauts rescued from a disabled pre-warp craft. The astronauts reveal they are from a planet called Valakis, and have been traveling in space for over a year searching for technology to develop a cure for an epidemic that is slowly killing their people. The Valakians appeal to Captain Archer to allow Phlox to help them, and without objection from T'Pol who notes the Valakians have already been in contact with warp-capable societies, Archer agrees and sets course for their world. In a letter to Dr. Lucas, Phlox expresses the overwhelming feeling of taking responsibility for over 50 million patients, but he is struck by the human desire to help others.

in the Enterprise sickbay, first contact between a Valakian, humans, one Vulcan (T'Pol) and one Denobulan (Phlox); and a Valakian appeal for help

the Enterprise arrives at Valakis; Valakian city

Archer, Phlox, T'Pol and Hoshi visit a Valakian hospital and learn more about the epidemic and their unsuccessful attempts to treat it. They also learn that there is a second humanoid species indigenous to the planet called the Menk who are less evolved than the Valakians but are very hard and loyal workers. The Menk have never contracted the disease, so Phlox begins his research with their immunity system, assisted by Cutler. Phlox comes to realise that Cutler is developing romantic feelings for him.

inside a Valakian hospital, Archer sees for himself the suffering of the afflicted

Archer is being pressured by Esaak, the director of the Valakian clinic, for a progress report, so he calls Phlox into his Ready Room. Phlox reveals that the illness is not viral or bacterial, but genetic — the proteins that bind the Valakian chromosomes are deteriorating and have been doing so for thousands of years, but the rate of mutation has accelerated over the last few generations, and Phlox projects that the Valakians will be extinct in less than two centuries. Wanting to help the Valakians, Archer wants to know if a cure is possible. Phlox believes that the Menk immunity could be the key, so he sets out to study them further.

Phlox and Archer in the Ready Room

With Hoshi and Cutler's assistance, Phlox visits a Menk village to run some tests and take blood samples. The relatively primitive Menk are co-operative. One helper named Larr even begins to learn English just by listening to the visitors. Cutler and Hoshi start to suspect that the Menk are being exploited by the Valakians, even though the two species have developed a peaceful symbiotic relationship that seems to work, with the Menk living in segregated areas away from the Valakians but with their food, shelter and other needs provided by the Valakians. After Larr exhibits developing higher intelligence by organising the blood samples in a sophisticated way, it becomes apparent that the Menk are more mentally evolved than was realised. Cutler believes the Valakian-Menk relationship is one of the former exploiting the latter and that the Menk are treated as pets. Phlox tries to appease Cutler's concerns by pointing out that alien cultures have different ways. As an example Phlox addresses Cutler's apparent attraction to him, revealing that he already has three current wives back home, which is perfectly normal for his culture. Taken aback, Cutler admits her interest in him, but she does not want to be wife number four, only a friend.

taking blood samples from Menk individuals; Larr files the blood samples

Meanwhile in the Valakian hospital, Archer visits one of the rescued astronauts, who insists that if Phlox can not cure them the Valakians need to acquire warp engines immediately to seek help elsewhere. This request puts Archer in an uncomfortable position.

the request for warp technology

Back on the Enterprise, Archer relates the astronaut's request for warp drive to T'Pol. He opines that the Valakians are unaware of the dangers of warp drive and are not scientifically developed enough to develop it yet. T'Pol says that he has provided the answer. But Archer suggests that the Enterprise crew could stay and help the Valakians to develop warp drive. T'Pol replies that the Vulcans did the same for humans 90 years ago, and are still there assisting. Ironically, Archer begins to understand how the Vulcans must have felt toward humans.

Archer: "The Valakians want our warp technology." T'Pol: "What did you tell them?" Archer: "That I'd think about it." T'Pol: "And?" Archer: "It's safe to say I now where you stand on the subject." T'Pol: "Even if you give them our reactor schematics, they don't have the technical expertise to build a warp engine." Archer: "They have no experience working with antimatter. I doubt they'd even realise how dangerous it is. They're not ready." T'Pol: "Then your decision shouldn't be difficult." Archer: "We could stay and help them." T'Pol: "The Vulcans stayed to help Earth 90 years ago. We're still there." Archer: "I never thought I'd say this, but I'm beginning to understand how the Vulcans must've felt." [Enterprise: Season 1: Dear Doctor]

the Enterprise orbiting Valakis; T'Pol and Archer discuss the request for warp drive

Later, in Sickbay, Phlox is studying the collected medical data and makes a very troubling discovery.

Phlox realises the import of his discovery

Meeting up in the Messhall late at night, Archer asks Phlox if he has found a cure. He replies that even if one could be found, it may not be ethical to administer it, because such a cure would interfere with nature. Based on study of their genome, the Menk show evidence of an evolutionary awakening, and have the potential to become the dominant species on the planet, which will not happen as long as the Valakians are around (for Phlox believes that usually only one species ends up becoming dominant on a planet). Archer counters that they have a moral obligation to help people who are suffering, despite theories of what may happen thousands of years hence. But then Phlox reveals that he already has the cure. Suddenly Archer is faced with an enormous dilemma.

Phlox and Archer discuss Phlox's findings

After spending the entire night reconsidering, he decides Phlox is right, and makes a decision that goes against all his principles. But he realises that in the absence of some sort of formal directive telling him what he can and cannot do out in space, he has to remind himself that they are not out there to play God.

Archer: "I have reconsidered. I spent the whole night reconsidering. And what I've decided goes against all my principles. Some day, my people are going to come up with some sort of a directive, something that tells us what we can and can't do out here, should and shouldn't do. But until somebody tells me that they have drafted that directive, I'm going to have to remind myself every day that we didn't come out here to play God." [Enterprise: Season 1: Dear Doctor]

Archer and Phlox deliver medicine to the Valakians to help ease their symptoms, for maybe a decade, perhaps long enough for them to find a cure on their own, but once again Archer has to reject their request for warp technology.

Phlox closes his letter to Dr. Lucas saying that he has gained a new respect for Archer and admitting that it was wrong to initially withhold his ultimate research findings from the captain rather than trust him immediately.

Phlox in letter to Dr Lucas: "If I hadn't trusted him [Archer] to make the right choice, I'd've been no better than the Vulcan diplomats who held your species [human] back because they felt you couldn't make 'proper' decisions on your own. I came very close to misjudging Jonathan Archer." [Enterprise: Season 1: Dear Doctor]

DISCUSSION: This story, which discusses Prime Directive issues at a time before the Prime Directive is formally drafted, raises more than one dilemma. There is that of whether Archer should provide Phlox's cure to the dying Valakian species, and that of whether Archer should provide warp technology to the Valakians (to enable them to seek by faster and more widespread means the hope of medical aid from other species). Both involve issues of interference in natural development. Archer, despite his own principles and at Phlox's strong urging, eventually decides on a policy of non-interference in both issues i.e. he withholds both the cure and warp technology from the Valakians (though he donates Phlox's medication which will ameliorate Valakian suffering; the supplies will last maybe a decade). Because [Enterprise], the fifth Star Trek series, was written and filmed after [Voyager], the fourth Star Trek series, dialogue discussion about the drafting of a Prime Directive and other issues were, of course, written by the scriptwriters with the benefit of hindsight to other Star Trek which at the time of this story's writing comprised all the series up to and including [Enterprise] and films I to X inclusive. There are more possible future scenarios for the Valakians and the Menk than Phlox indicates to Archer. Phlox and Archer are not necessarily correct to assume that only one species will dominate on a planet. If that is not a given, the nature of the dilemmas change completely. It is interesting to speculate what might happen on the planet in the Delta Quadrant on which the technologically advanced and warp-capable Ledosians live, aware of the existence of the primitive and thriving Ventu people. Would the Ledosians or the Ventu co-exist or eventually would one species (not necessarily the Ledosians!) dominate the other? I suggest that Phlox's and Archer's assumption is too absolute, and that peaceful co-existence (which already exists) between the Valakians and the Menk would continue, with the Menk's mental development also continuing. If the peaceful relationship is already and remains, or develops into, one of mutual respect and compassion, then there is no reason why for a time both species should not be equally dominant on the planet. The Menk, as the Valakians' decline accelerates, might even assist in finding a cure for the Valakians if one has not already been found. In other words, there are always other possible scenarios, and that means there may be other options. However, Archer, inevitably trapped in the time period of 'right here right now', takes the least worst option. There is no neutral option - it has to be one species or another, there is no inbetween, a perfect dilemma, which is the worst kind of dilemma (and one that Star Trek is especially good at exploring and dramatising well). By opting not to interfere, by default Archer does make a choice, by opting to let natural evolution decide, while at the same time he fervently hopes the Valakians can develop a cure on their own. It is also one of the worst dilemmas a doctor can face, as their raison d'etre is to help, not to do harm. There is the risk of finding it easier to feel sympathetic towards the dying species. This is because the Menk do not yet have a proper voice, are not dying out as a species, and there are no individual Menk we can relate to who are suffering. Phlox insists on seeing the larger picture, that of species, rather than individual patients. However right or sensible that is, it does come over as him being too dispassionate or insensitive, which comes over worse as he is a doctor as well. Of those in the main crew (i.e. played by the ensemble cast), Phlox is not necessarily the best character to feature in this story (of Archer there is of course no doubt that he must feature) as he is an alien and does not share the same traits of compassion as humans. Yet compassion would seem to play a large part in moulding the Prime Directive (when it comes to be drafted, and whether it be slanted toward compassion or against it), and would seem to be a particularly human trait (without denigrating other species' forms of compassion). This is partly because humans are one of the major species participating in the Federation and Starfleet (Earth will be one of the Federation's founding members, along with Vulcan, Tellar, Alpha Centauri and Andoria), and partly because one of Star Trek's aims is to hold up a mirror to the human condition. Phlox tells his pen pal: "It's remarkable, doctor, even fictional characters seem to elicit human compassion. My shipmates have calmly faced any number of dangers and yet a simple movie can bring tears to their eyes." Or possibly, Phlox really is the best character to utilise in this fashion, as he has an outsider's viewpoint, for I cannot imagine Trip or Hoshi, for instance, coming up with the "we should not interfere" dispassionate view; they would support Archer's initial view. Archer does not strike me as someone who would be overly influenced by another's viewpoint but as a leader making command decisions he would weigh up the arguments as much as possible before deciding (in this story, he spends a whole night reconsidering before finally deciding). But I cannot help but wonder what would have happened if he had not discussed the two most important decisions regarding non-interference implications (re warp technology and re a cure for the Valakians) with any other than two non-humans and the two most dispassionate persons in his crew (Phlox is an alien, species Denobulan; T'Pol is a Vulcan, dedicated to logic). In life, it is often against the backdrop of a seemingly haphazard combination of circumstances or happenstance that life and death decisions are made.

NOTES: Kellie Waymire, who plays Cutler, also plays Layna in [#142 Muse]. See Behind-the-scenes: In Memoriam: Kellie Waymire. "Valakian" is a longer word than "Menk", so that when compared with each other the former sounds involved or sophisticated whereas the latter sounds simple — a nomenclature which, deliberate or not, is a metaphor for the level of their social evolution.

 

 

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