THE PRIME DIRECTIVE

STORIES INVOLVING THE PRIME DIRECTIVE

[Season 4: #86 and #87 The Killing Game]

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

Hirogen hunters capture Voyager and use the Holodeck to re-create deadly scenarios in which the crew are forced to fight for their lives as Hirogen prey. The Hirogen at first have the complete advantage because the crew are controlled by implanted neural interfaces which make them believe they are a persona within the holo-scenario. However, following a plan initiated by the Doctor and Kim, the crew manage to disable the neural interfaces and mount a counter-attack which mainly takes place in the holographic re-creation of Occupied France towards the end of World War II.

During the course of the conflict that follows between the Hirogen and the Voyager crew, Janeway is surprised to learn that Alpha Hirogen is not, like his subordinates, concerned merely with hunting prey. He wants to use the holotechnology so that his species can hunt holographic prey, to enable them to come back together and rebuild their civilisation rather than end up as a scattered forlorn species. Janeway agrees to give him holotechnology in exchange for the return of her ship and crew.

Captain's Ready Room. Alpha Hirogen: "You're going to help me shut down these simulations and repair the holodecks." Janeway: "No. We'll destroy this ship before we surrender it." Alpha Hirogen: "Don't threaten me, Captain. I've faced far more intimidating prey than you. If this fight continues, I promise you I will hunt down and kill every member of your crew." Janeway: "Well, by then this ship will be damaged beyond repair and there won't be much of a trophy left, will there?" Alpha Hirogen: "Perhaps I should kill you and find someone who will co-operate." Janeway: "Good luck. You'll get the same response from all of them." Alpha Hirogen: "You don't realise what's at stake." Janeway: "I know what's at stake - your sick little game." Alpha Hirogen, angrily: "This is not a game!" Janeway: "Then what is it?" Alpha Hirogen: "I'm trying to create a future for my people." Janeway, surprised: "Future?" Alpha Hirogen: "My people are hunting themselves into extinction. Your holodeck technology might offer us an alternative, a new way of life. Instead of scattering ourselves across the Quadrant in pursuit of prey, we could simulate the hunt and give ourselves a chance to rebuild our civilisation." Janeway understands: "And confine your killing to holograms." Alpha Hirogen: "With the safety protocols offline, the pursuit is just as challenging." Janeway: "Let's end this. I'll call a ceasefire and we can try to contain the damage. I want my ship back," taking her rightful position behind the captain's desk, "but in return I will give you what you need to create the holodeck technology. It would be cunning for you to agree." [Season 4: #86 and #87 The Killing Game]

Alpha Hirogen is killed by his second-in-command, Turanj, who firmly rejects both the new philosophy and Janeway's deal. Janeway later kills Turanj, and his removal paves the way for his successor to contemplate a ceasefire when the fighting reaches stalemate. Janeway and the surviving Hirogen duly agree a ceasefire and she honours her promise by giving the Hirogen the means to establish holodeck technology, and accordingly the Hirogen leave Voyager.

The surviving Hirogen meet Janeway in Cargobay 2. New Alpha Hirogen (the young Hirogen): "What is this?" Janeway: "An optronic datacore." Janeway: "You can use it to create holodeck technology on your own vessels. I made a promise with your leader before he died that I would give this knowledge to the Hirogen. Take it." New Alpha Hirogen: "His ideas were unconventional. I do not share them." Janeway: "Was he any more unconventional than you are? Calling a ceasefire with your prey? Only a few days ago the thought of speaking with us on equal terms would've been inconceivable, but here we are. Accept this," she pauses and then comes up with the word that might convince, "trophy. You can use it to create a new future for your people. At the very least, you can hang it on your bulkhead." The new Alpha Hirogen looks at the companion to his right. Then he accepts Janeway's gift and bows his head in acknowledgement, as to an equal. She does the same. The Hirogen leave and shortly afterwards leave Voyager for good. [Season 4: #86 and #87 The Killing Game]

Janeway makes the decision in the Ready Room too quickly, without fully thinking through the possible consequences and without discussing it with her officers, whilst surely knowing that such a decision breaches the Prime Directive because holotechnology would have a major effect on Hirogen society doubtless altering the course of their evolution as a species and probably also alter the structure of power in the region or the population spread. However, when Janeway makes the decision, she is a prisoner, and she makes the decision with the survival of her crew uppermost in her mind. Even so, earlier in that conversation with Alpha Hirogen she says she would destroy Voyager rather than surrender and calls his bluff to execute her and find someone else in the crew who would co-operate. If she had chosen not to make a deal with Alpha Hirogen, she might have lost her life for her defiance but at the time the Voyager's crew resistance against the Hirogen was not lost and resistance was increasing. If the Voyager crew was in extremis, her decision would be more understandable (the desire to save her crew) but still it would have been a violation of the Prime Directive and a violation of her oath as a Starfleet captain. If she had not made the decision to offer Alpha Hirogen holotechnology in return for her ship, assuming that he did not kill her for her continued defiance, she would have ended up in different circumstances. Those circumstances could have provided a means for the crew's survival without breaching the Prime Directive, or else another truce solution might have been found, or the crew might even have overcome the Hirogen.

Turanj, in right of picture, shoots down Seven and Neelix in the World War II holoscenario

It is arguable whether Janeway's agreement with Alpha Hirogen had the force of a promise, and an unalterable promise at that, for he is killed and is unable to carry out his side of the bargain and the new Alpha Hirogen (named Turanj) has no intention of doing so. In addition, her circumstances as a prisoner when she made the deal meant that she was not bargaining as an equal even if she gives her enemy the impression that she is, in order to strengthen her bargaining position, and it could be argued that a bargain made almost under duress does not have to be honoured.

Janeway is not seen to reconsider the consequences of her decision, and she presses ahead with giving the Hirogen the optronic datacore, which is the essential piece of equipment required for holotechnology. She cannot know from the response of the new Alpha Hirogen (Turanj's successor) whether or not the Hirogen will use the holotechnology.

Janeway cannot know if the Hirogen would use the Federation holotechnology in the way that she and the original Alpha Hirogen agreed, and that alone, regardless of any Prime Directive considerations, makes going ahead with the transfer of technology a dubious proposition. Her bargain was with the original Alpha Hirogen whom we must assume she could trust to implement it as per the principles of his forward-thinking, namely to rebuild his people's civilisation. But can other Hirogen be trusted? If Turanj, the new Alpha Hirogen by dint of murdering his superior, were to be the one whom Janeway has to entrust the technology, would or should she do so? (Personally, I feel Janeway should not trust Turanj, judging solely from Turanj's concept of the hunt which seems to differ from previously seen Hirogen, in that he shoots defenceless prey and from behind, and even shoots his superior when his superior is not also pointing a weapon at him.) Turanj's successor as Alpha Hirogen states that he does not share the views of the original Alpha Hirogen. Is Janeway wise still to follow through on her decision to give them the technology? If she decided not to, she need not fear recriminations for she is allowed to make mistake and decide that her original decision was misguided and that later circumstances alter the situation; and thereby also she would have another chance to avoid breaching the Prime Directive that she is sworn to uphold.

Turanj kills his superior.

The Hirogen do indeed utilise the Federation technology to program and hunt holographic prey, with a large training facility for Hirogen Hunters being established by 2377 ref. [#155 and #156 Flesh And Blood]. So Janeway cannot be rebuked for her judgement in trusting the Hirogen to do that, as Alpha Hirogen wanted them to do. But she can and maybe should be rebuked for breaching the Prime Directive in the first place by interfering in a society's natural evolution - it may or may not be the Hirogen's fate to be as the original Alpha Hirogen predicted - and thereby leading to the unfortunate plight of endless suffering of sentient holographic prey as seen in [#155 and #156 Flesh And Blood].

The consequences of Janeway giving the Hirogen holotechnology is depicted in [#155 and #156 Flesh And Blood] and are discussed under that episode heading.

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