In [#168 Natural Law], Paris takes a Ledosian course in flight safety in the Delta Flyer.

Chakotay and Seven leave in a shuttlecraft for a 4-day conference but encounter an energy barrier and destroy it in order to try and land. They crashland on a planet inhabited by the spacefaring Ledosians and the primitive pre-warp race of the Ventu.

After racing through the Ledosian space port, Paris is ordered to comply with Ledosian local law and take a 3-day course in flight safety in the Delta Flyer. Paris, confident that with his piloting skills he can skip to the end of the course, is chagrined to discover that the instructor, Mr Kleg, is determined to supervise him on the full 3-day course.

The Delta Flyer, piloted by Tom Paris, hurtles through the Ledosian space port. (pop-up window) [#168 Natural Law]

2 pictures above:Tom Paris takes the Delta Flyer through part of the Ledosian course

Seven and Chakotay are traced to an area surrounded by an energy field within which Voyager cannot scan. The Ledosian ambassador explains that the barrier protects the territory of the indigenous Ventu, and it was erected centuries ago by aliens to protect the Ventu from having their culture destroyed by the Ledosians' own unenlightened ancestors. But the technology is a mystery to the Ledosians and therefore they cannot lower the barrier and, because it is generated from the inside the Ambassador has no hope that the missing crewmen, if alive, can ever escape. Meanwhile, Chakotay and Seven obtain help from the Ventu, enabling Seven to move the shuttlecraft's deflector to a place where she can generate a deflector beam to neutralise the energy barrier temporarily and thereby allow them to escape and enable Voyager to beam away all their technology. The latter is essential, adhering to the Prime Directive, to maintain the natural development of Ventu society. On board Voyager, Seven, Chakotay and Janeway debate whether or not the Ventu would be better off losing their isolation now that the Ledosians have a team there intent on introducing their education and technology to the Ventu, but decide that the Ventu's unique way of life is worth preserving. When Janeway announces to the Ledosian Ambassador that she plans to restore the barrier, he protests but says he will remove his people from the territory. However, when Voyager tries to beam up the shuttlecraft's deflector assembly, a Ledosian vessel fires and knocks out their transporters.

Janeway then contacts Paris, who is still in the Delta Flyer taking the Ledosian training course which he is enduring under the vigilant eye of a crusty examiner called Kleg. Janeway gives Paris encrypted orders. Ignoring Kleg's objections, Paris suddenly leaves the course and rushes to the planet. He is fired upon by a Ledosian ship but Voyager drives off the attacking ship.

The Delta Flyer, piloted by Tom Paris, is fired on by a Ledosian ship. Voyager comes to the rescue by opening fire on the Ledosians and warning them off. (pop-up window) [#168 Natural Law]

Paris then beams up the expedition team, then finds the deflector and vapourises it with phaser fire, and leaves a moment before the energy barrier goes back up. During the training course, Kleg observes that the Delta Flyer uses polarity thrusters, which have been known to cause accidental acceleration. Kleg informs Paris that he has failed the training course.

2 pictures above: the Delta Flyer destroys the deflector array and then soars up into space before the energy barrier becomes operational again