Memorial (Star Trek: Voyager)

"Memorial"
Star Trek: Voyager episode
A vision of Paris in battle
Episode no.	Season 6 Episode 14
Directed by	Allan Kroeker
Written by	Brannon Braga Robin Burger
Production code	236
Original air date	February 2, 2000
Guest stars
Scarlett Pomers as Naomi Wildman Lindsay Ginter as Saavedra
Episode chronology
← Previous "Virtuoso" Next → "Tsunkatse"
List of Star Trek: Voyager episodes

"Memorial" is an episode of Star Trek: Voyager, the 14th episode of the sixth season.

Plot

Having returned from a two-week away mission of scanning planets and gathering dilithium ore, Chakotay, Tom Paris, Harry Kim and Neelix begin experiencing strange visions: Tom dreams he is engaged in an alien battle whilst Harry has an anxiety attack during routine maintenance. Meanwhile, Chakotay suffers from violent dreams about being in battle and Neelix, reacting to the weapons fire he is hearing in his head, takes Naomi hostage in the mess hall.

Once the Doctor runs some tests, he discovers they are reacting to memories, not delusions. As Captain Janeway asks them to retrace their mission, they begin having flashbacks of their roles in an attack force against a people called the Nikon. Commander Saavedra ordered them to evacuate the Nikon from their colony, but a small group of the colonists began firing weapons. Chakotay and the others panicked in the ensuing chaos and shot back, killing 82 civilians.

Trying to piece together the puzzle, Janeway orders Voyager into the system the away team was scanning and joins Seven of Nine in reviewing the Delta Flyer's sensor logs. As soon as the Captain sees Tarakis, the second planet encountered by the away team, she also begins having flashbacks of the massacre. She remembers pleading with Saavedra to admit their mistake, but he continues to vaporize the evidence of the colonists' bodies. When she wakes up later in sickbay, Janeway learns that other crewmembers have also begun experiencing the battle memories.

The Captain sets a course for Tarakis and Janeway, Chakotay, Tom, Tuvok and Harry beam to the surface, but there seems to be no trace of a massacre. Soon, however, Harry locates the remains of two colonists he remembers killing. After Tuvok scans their bodies he determines that they died 300 years ago. Meanwhile, Janeway and Chakotay find a large structure erected in the middle of a grassy field.

Seven identifies the structure as a synaptic transmitter sending neurogenic pulses throughout the system. Anyone who enters will experience the memories of the battle — a memorial to the victims and a vivid reminder to never let such a tragic mistake happen again. Because the power cells are deteriorating, the memories are fragmented. The crew, still shaken by the disturbing realism of the visions they were forced to endure, wants to shut down the transmitter. Instead, Captain Janeway orders them to recharge the power cells, and to place a warning buoy into orbit, so any other unsuspecting visitors to the system will know what to expect. They leave the memorial, so that it may continue to spread its hauntingly effective message.

External links

• Memorial at the Internet Movie Database
• "Memorial" at TV.com
• Memorial at Memory Alpha (a Star Trek wiki)
• Memorial at StarTrek.com