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THE PRIME DIRECTIVE

with emphasis on [Star Trek: Voyager]		United Federation of Planets

 

STORIES INVOLVING THE PRIME DIRECTIVE

 

[Season 1: #10 Prime Factors]

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

In this instance, the boot is on the other paw. The crew encounters the Sikarians, a race that possesses technology, known as a spatial trajector, which is capable of immediately transporting Voyager 40,000 light-years, which the Voyager crew are eager to use in order to take a leap closer to home. However, when Janeway makes the request to Gath, a planet's leader, he informs her that the Sikarians have their own prime directive in the form of a law which forbids them from sharing technology with less advanced species. Janeway firmly upholds the letter and spirit of the Prime Directive and accepts the Sikarians' law.

Janeway: "It's the first time we've been on the other side of the fence."
Paris: "What fence?"
Janeway: "The one that's made of binding principles. We have our own set of rules, which includes the Prime Directive. How many times have we been in the position of refusing to interfere when some kind of disaster threatened an alien culture? It's all very well to say we do it on the basis of an enlightened principle, but how does that feel to the aliens? I'm sure many of them think the Prime Directive is a lousy idea."
Paris: "Even we think so sometimes."
Chakotay: "I know of many times when Starfleet personnel have decided on strong ethical grounds to ignore it."
Kim: "Still, there's a reason why it's Starfleet's General Order Number 1. On the whole, it does a lot more good than harm."

[Season 1: #10 Prime Factors]

However, several crewmembers (Torres, Seska and Carey) conspire to obtain the forbidden technology through unofficial indeed illicit means, methods less than ethical for Starfleet personnel. They thus succeed in acquiring a spatial trajector but upon incorporating it into Voyager's systems they discover that the technology is incompatible with Voyager's.

Despite Seska's urging, Torres chooses not to cover up the incident. Janeway disciplines Torres and strongly rebukes Tuvok, in particular for his breach of her trust.
the spatial trajector is installed on Voyager

Click for the Personal Log entry for this episode - continuity, observations, personal views, behind-the-scenes etc.

 

 

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