

(written from a Production point of view Real World article

Voyager makes contact with a Romulan ship through a wormhole that leads back to the Alpha Quadrant.

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Summary

Teaser

Aboard the USS Voyager, Captain Kathryn Janeway notes in her log that Ensign Harry Kim has discovered subspace emissions indicative of a wormhole and Voyager's crew are elated by the possibility of a way home. Kim reports that Voyager is too far away from the wormhole to get a detailed analysis of where it leads. The ship will have to get within a thousand kilometers and Kim notes that diverting the ship to the wormhole will mean a significant course change. Janeway decides to head for it anyway and she orders Lieutenant Tom Paris to set a course. The helmsman suggests to Janeway that if the wormhole is successful in bringing Voyager back home, they petition the Federation Astronomical Committee to officially designate the distortion as the "Harry Kim wormhole."

Act One

Upon Voyager's arrival, it is found that, unfortunately, the wormhole is only thirty centimeters in diameter: much too small for Voyager to pass through. Captain Janeway speculates that the wormhole is in an advanced state of decay and has likely been collapsing for centuries. The crew attempts to send a microprobe through the wormhole, but it gets stuck in a gravitational eddy inside the wormhole. Initially dismayed, the crew soon realizes that someone on the other side of the wormhole is scanning the probe.

In sickbay, The Doctor is examining Lieutenant Walter Baxter as he quizzes Kes about his possible injuries. Baxter rudely directs all of his comments to Kes, and openly questions The Doctor's abilities. When Baxter's injuries are healed by The Doctor, he thanks only Kes and leaves. Kes asks The Doctor if he noticed how rude Baxter was to him, but he tells her that he is used to being treated like a hypospray. Kes asks The Doctor for more of a learning challenge: she wants to learn more about Human anatomy.

In a senior staff meeting, B'Elanna Torres says that the microprobe will be destroyed in 72 hours. As they brainstorm, Harry Kim has an idea to send a subspace carrier wave using the microprobe as a relay. While reconfiguring the signal generator, Kim talks to Torres about the family he misses at home. He asks her if there's anyone who would miss her, and she tells him that the Maquis are the closest thing to family she has. Her father left her and her mother when she was five-years old. When Kim inquires about her mother, Torres says she "thinks" she returned home to Qo'noS. Kim expresses surprise that she only thinks her mother is there, but Torres tells him that she and her mother did not get along and informs him that no one back in the Alpha Quadrant cares one way or another whether she is alive.

After reconfiguring the signal generator, they send a series of sub-harmonic pulses. After a few minutes of intense waiting, Tuvok and Tom Paris report that Voyager is receiving a signal coming from the wormhole. It is on the same carrier wave and amplitude, originating in the Alpha Quadrant, which shocks the crew.

Act Two

Kes enters the captain's ready room as she's working, but the captain drops what she's doing, pleased to see her. She tells the captain that she is unhappy about the way the crew treats The Doctor. Janeway tells Kes that she has actually heard reports of him being brusque, rude, and lacking bedside manner; they are thinking about reprogramming him. Kes argues that he is alive, an argument that Janeway refutes – he is just a hologram, nothing more. Kes points out that he's self-aware and communicative with the ability to learn. When Janeway reminds Kes that he's only like that because he's been programmed to be that way, Kes asks if the fact The Doctor is a hologram doesn't mean he should be treated with simple respect. Janeway hesitates, caught short by Kes's words, and promises to look into it.

Encouraged by the success of his test signal, Kim investigates the possibility of voice communication. Janeway sends a basic hail requesting a response. After clearing up the reply, the crew hears a message from a Romulan cargo vessel in the Alpha Quadrant sector 1385. Janeway tells the Romulan that they are a Federation vessel in the Delta Quadrant. The Romulan thinks she is lying because the Delta Quadrant is too far way, insisting them to be a Federation spy vessel in the Alpha Quadrant.

The Romulan cuts off communication abruptly. Tuvok tells Janeway that there are no shipping lanes in that sector and the Romulan ship is more likely to be a science vessel engaged on a secret mission. Janeway tells Kim to hail him continuously.

Janeway enters sickbay and activates The Doctor. He explains that he was deactivated by Ensign Kyoto in the middle of preparing a culture. Janeway tells The Doctor that he has become a full-fledged member of the crew, and he doesn't have the luxury of being an emergency supplement anymore. The Doctor asks if he is to be reprogrammed, but Janeway reverses her earlier stance and tells him no, but wants to know if there's anything she can do to help him. He tells her that he would like to be turned off, as he is frequently left for hours with nothing to do, and when he does get turned off he isn't asked if it is convenient. Janeway suggests giving him control over his deactivation sequence; allowing him to turn himself off or to prevent anyone else doing so. The Doctor is surprised and humbled at the fact that someone is attempting to be considerate towards him as Janeway promises to get someone to look into it, and asks him if there's anything else. Taken aback by this turn of events and unprepared to respond fully just yet, The Doctor tells the captain he'll get back to her.

Kim establishes two-way communication with the Romulan and wakes Captain Janeway. The Romulan is highly suspicious of a Federation starship claiming to be in the Delta Quadrant. The Romulan identifies his ship as the cargo vessel Talvath, but refuses to give his name. He has analyzed their hailing frequency and found that it originates in the Delta Quadrant, but he doesn't see how that is possible. He asks what Voyager's mission is in the Delta Quadrant. Janeway explains that their mission was in the Alpha Quadrant and that they were pulled against their will by a powerful entity to their present location, and are now trying to get home. He still thinks they are Starfleet spies on a surveillance mission. Janeway assures him they are no threat, and requests simply that the Romulan pass on messages from the crew to their families and friends. He replies that it would ease his apprehension if he could see that she is who she says she is, and tells her that he believes he can use a signal amplifier on his ship to establish a video link.

Act Three

Kim and Paris get the communications frequency locked in, but they still have a problem with the phase variance in the subspace signal. Kim compensates and the Romulan appears on screen.

He remarks he's never seen a ship like Voyager before. Janeway, surprised by this, tells him that it's new but not classified. He replies that he has been on a mission for over a year and hasn't gotten the latest intelligence. He tells Janeway that his government is debating whether to relay Voyager's messages. She points out that the wormhole will soon collapse, but he tells her that it is not his place to tell the Senate what to do. Janeway asks the Romulan about his family and he reveals that he has a newborn daughter that he has never seen. She appeals to his feelings of missing his family and convinces him to urge his government to grant Voyager's request to relay their messages to their family and friends home. Janeway tells Chakotay to have the crew prepare their messages within the hour in case he is successful. Suddenly, Torres excitedly runs onto the bridge and asks to talk to the captain in private. In Janeway's ready room, she tells the captain the phase amplitude of the visual link is just within a few megahertz of meeting transporter protocols. It might be possible to use the probe as a transmitter to transport the entire crew back to the Alpha Quadrant. Janeway gives Torres her permission to use any Voyager personnel to assist, and for Torres to not keep the modifications a secret as it will not be for very long. After Torres leaves, Janeway walks over and emotionally looks at a photograph of her fiancé Mark and their Irish Setter Mollie.

Kes enters sickbay with her Human anatomy work complete. A disbelieving Doctor quizzes her on the material and finds that she has memorized it well. She tells him that she would like to go to medical school if the crew gets home. The Doctor replies that she could already have the equivalent of a medical degree if she continues at the pace she is at. She realizes that he hasn't heard about Torres' plan, and tells him about it. He responds that he will not be joining the crew because he is integrated into the sickbay systems. Saddened, she kisses him on the cheek and thanks him. Before she leaves, he asks her to do him a favor and make sure he is turned off before they leave.

Janeway tells the Romulan captain about their transporter theory and he is impressed by their advanced technology. He agrees to let them transport a test cylinder to his ship. Kim and Torres begin the transport, but still encounter a problem with the phase variance. They are able to compensate, and the transport is successful. Janeway next suggests sending one of her crew to the Romulan ship to test a Human transport. The Romulan declines, stating that the Romulan government would never allow it. He instead offers to transport himself to Voyager and back, promising to arrange for a troop ship for Voyager's crew if transport is successful.

Janeway, Tuvok, and Chakotay join Kim and Torres in the transporter room to greet the Romulan. Though it is a difficult transport, he successfully materializes on Voyager. "Welcome to the Delta Quadrant… captain," Janeway says.

Act Four

As Janeway suggests that the crew prepare to leave Voyager once and for all, Tuvok stops her and, while scanning the Romulan with his tricorder, asks the Romulan for the year. The Romulan seems skeptical, but answers that by Federation calendars, the year is 2351. Everyone is taken aback at this new discovery as Tuvok finally concludes that the phase variance they have been experiencing is due to the wormhole being a rift not only in space, but also in time: they have beamed the Romulan from 2351 to 2371.

In the briefing room, it is made clear by Torres that if Voyager's crew transports through the wormhole, they will indeed travel twenty years into the past. Kim suggests they do it, as it is better than spending seventy years traveling home, but Janeway knows that it would devastatingly affect the timeline. The Romulan suggests that in twenty years, he could tell Starfleet not to launch the mission which sent them there. Chakotay responds that they have already made such a big impact on the Delta Quadrant, that people and events would be drastically affected. With no other options, Captain Janeway is left with her original request: she asks the Romulan to transmit their personal messages to Starfleet – in twenty years. He agrees and suggests that, when they get back to the Alpha Quadrant, he would welcome a visit from them. He introduces himself as Telek R'Mor of the Romulan Astrophysical Academy. Janeway assures him that he will hear from them.

Later, R'Mor prepares to return to his ship, Tuvok gives him the chip with the crew's messages, and Janeway thanks him for his help. Torres transports him back to his ship and a relieved Janeway prepares to inform the crew that their messages will be delivered. Before she can, Tuvok stops her to deliver the bad news: he looked R'Mor up in the database and discovered that the Romulan scientist died in 2367, four years before Voyager left the Alpha Quadrant. Janeway is deeply disappointed but Torres speculates that perhaps he left a will telling someone else to deliver the messages, or that maybe he handed the chip over to the Romulan government. Unfortunately, there's no way to know. Captain Janeway is quiet throughout, saddened that despite everything all their efforts were for nothing. She then tells the crew that the only thing they can do now is to move on, as the Alpha Quadrant is still a long way away.

Once again, Lieutenant Baxter is in sickbay. He has pulled his hamstring while working out. He still directs all of his comments to Kes. With newfound confidence, The Doctor tells Baxter that if he has something to say, then he should direct it to him. In addition, if he has another workout-related injury, The Doctor will notify his superior officer. Baxter is surprised and replies "yes sir." Before leaving, he thanks The Doctor. The Doctor gives Kes a list of things he wants added to sickbay to be delivered to Janeway. In addition, The Doctor makes his first personal request: a name.

Log entries

"Captain's log, stardate 48579.4. The crew has been scanning constantly for anomalies that might help us shorten our journey home. Ensign Kim has reported an exciting discovery – a subspace disturbance which may be a wormhole."

"Captain's log, supplemental. Encouraged by his success in transmitting a signal to the Alpha Quadrant, Mr. Kim is investigating the possibility of establishing a voice link with whoever is at the other end of the wormhole."

Memorable quotes

"There is of course a 75% chance the wormhole will not lead to the Alpha Quadrant."

"Very true. But you could also say there's a one in four chance it will. Those aren't bad odds."

- Tuvok and Janeway



"If I had to get treatment for something serious, if I needed surgery for instance, would he be performing it?"

"Of course and quite expertly, too."

"I don't know. I'd have to think twice about that."

"Fine, and if you're lucky, you wouldn't die on the table while you were making up your mind."

- Walter Baxter and The Doctor



"May I suggest, if this works, we petition the Federation Astronomical Committee to officially designate this 'the Harry Kim wormhole.'"

- Tom Paris, after Kim discovers a wormhole



"Let's just say I've become accustomed to being treated like a hypospray."

- The Doctor



"I guess it's a little too small for us to fly through."

- Tom Paris, remarking on the wormhole, whose aperture is only thirty centimeters in diameter



"Just our luck. We raise one ship from the Alpha Quadrant and it has to be Romulan."

- B'Elanna Torres



"I would like… a name."

- The Doctor



"You don't have the luxury of thinking of yourself as an Emergency Medical Program anymore. You've become a full-fledged member of the crew."



- Captain Janeway, to The Doctor



"Tried a new hamstring exercise, maybe I overdid it. But my workouts are all that stand between me and a severe case of cabin fever!"

- Walter Baxter



"I've gone over and over the transporter logs. There's no question that if we try to transport ourselves through that wormhole we'll end up twenty years in the past."

"Then let's do it. It's better than trying to spend the next seventy years trying to get back."

"How can we do that? You'd be going back to a time when you were only two years old."



- Torres, Kim, and Paris



"If there's one thing you can count on, it's that I am the last to be told about anything that happens on this ship."



- The Doctor

Background information

Story and script

Deleted scenes

Star Trek: Voyager 's writing staff initially planned for this episode to introduce viewers of the series to the concept of a holonovel (which was new to Star Trek: Voyager ) and for the series to thereafter frequently revisit the concept. To this end, Jeri Taylor devised a Wild West holoprogram for Janeway, intended to be part of the episode's teaser. The Western scenario was subsequently discarded but the concept of having the teaser scene serve as an introduction to Janeway's holonovel remained. During the writing of the episode's shooting script, the holographic scenario was changed to being a Gothic mystery, with the teaser scene set in a drawing room of the mid-19th century. This scene was filmed but, in the long run, virtually everyone wanted to abandon the idea. One reason why the teaser was changed to a shipboard scene was due to Rick Berman finding it more exciting than the originally-planned holonovel one. ( A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager , pp. 10-12, 18 & 20) The Gothic scene later became the majority of the teaser of the later first season episode " Cathexis ", with slight changes from the version in this episode's shooting script.

's writing staff initially planned for this episode to introduce viewers of the series to the concept of a holonovel (which was new to ) and for the series to thereafter frequently revisit the concept. To this end, Jeri Taylor devised a Wild West holoprogram for Janeway, intended to be part of the episode's teaser. The Western scenario was subsequently discarded but the concept of having the teaser scene serve as an introduction to Janeway's holonovel remained. During the writing of the episode's shooting script, the holographic scenario was changed to being a Gothic mystery, with the teaser scene set in a drawing room of the mid-19th century. This scene was filmed but, in the long run, virtually everyone wanted to abandon the idea. One reason why the teaser was changed to a shipboard scene was due to Rick Berman finding it more exciting than the originally-planned holonovel one. ( , pp. 10-12, 18 & 20) The Gothic scene later became the majority of the teaser of the later first season episode " ", with slight changes from the version in this episode's shooting script. The first briefing room scene of this episode is immediately followed, in the installment's shooting script, by a scene that involves Kes and Neelix in the latter's kitchen. The scene features Neelix and Kes preparing alien vegetables while Neelix eagerly talks about a discussion he recently had with Janeway, about the possibility of her giving him a field commission and uniform. Neelix is excited that the conversation went well and that Janeway even likened him to Sacajawea. After Kes starts asking Neelix to talk to Janeway about The Doctor's ill-treatment, Neelix tries to dissuade Kes from this idea but his efforts only result in her making the decision to visit the captain herself, an outcome to which Neelix resignedly sighs. Considerable thought went into deciding the fruit for this eventually-cut scene. Originally, a variety of exotic fruit and vegetables was actually planned to be used, including teardrop tomatoes, yucca root, Asian pears, habaneros, jicama, daikon, ginseng, feijoas, bananas, starfruit, prickly pear, and kiwanos. On a suggestion from producer Merri Howard, Rick Berman decided, on 5 December, that the bananas would not be used. He added, "They look too Earthlike." (A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager, p. 27)

Sets, props, and wardrobe

Cast and characters

Production

The fact that "A Day in the Life of Ethan Phillips", a special feature in the Season 1 Star Trek: Voyager DVD, shows the set for Janeway's holonovel being constructed on 12 December implies that the holonovel scene was filmed during the second stint of shooting on this episode. At another point during the production shoot, Paris actor Robert Duncan McNeill was interviewed for issue 213 of Starlog magazine.

Of the episode's execution, Jeri Taylor remarked, "It was wonderfully directed." (Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages, p. 139)

Effects

Music

The music for this episode was composed by long-time Star Trek composer Dennis McCarthy. He commented, "I […] felt it was important to interpret the grief that the Voyager crew felt in 'Eye of the Needle,' when their hopes were dashed after finding that tiny wormhole. I really played that one much stronger than I would have played a show three years ago. In the end, everybody agreed the score really helped the show." (The Official Star Trek: Voyager Magazine issue 4, p. 59)

Continuity

Reception

Video and DVD releases

Main cast

Guest stars

Uncredited co-stars

Stand-ins

References

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