THE PRIME DIRECTIVE

MAIN DISCUSSION

WHEN STARFLEET OFFICERS ARE OFF-DUTY

Starfleet officers are expected to adhere to the Prime Directive whether on duty or off, whether or not they are wearing Starfleet uniform. In [TNG: Pen Pals], Data communicates with Sarjenka in his off-duty hours, having first heard her voice (and answered) while engaged in his communications hobby. In [DS9: Let He Who Is Without Sin], while on holiday on the Class-M idyllic tropical resort planet called Risa†, Worf takes a stance by overtly supporting the New Essentialists when they complain about Federation complacency and moral softness in the face of enemy threats. He maintains his stance despite being taken to task for it, and even aids the protestors' cause by helping them sabotage Risa's sophisticated weather control system so as to cause Risa to revert to its natural cold and wet weather and geological instability (however, he later realises that an escalation of their protest actions would be execrable).

Data hears Sarjenka's appeal and answers "yes", [TNG: Season 2: Pen Pals]

In [Star Trek IX: Insurrection], when Picard decides to uphold his Prime Directive principles and aid the Ba'ku against Admiral Dougherty's direct order, he removes his rank pips and changes out of uniform. Really, he does not need to do that since he holds that the Prime Directive is supreme above even Starfleet orders, but his action physically and symbolically demonstrates his rejection of Starfleet's relocation policy for the Ba'ku.

Picard removes his rank pips, [Star Trek: Insurrection]

† Risa is mentioned in several [Voyager] episodes: by alternate reality Libby in [#22 Non Sequitur], Tuvok mentions wanting to visit Risa Water Recreation Park in [#126 Riddles], and in [#149 Drive] the Doctor says of Gedi Prime that it is the vacation paradise that makes Risa look like a tourist trap.