- Prime Factors
ST episode
name = Prime Factors
The alien teleport device
series = Voyager
ep_num = 10
prod_num = 110
date =March 20 ,1995
writer =Michael Perricone
Greg Elliot
director =Les Landau
guest =Tarik Ergin as Lt. Ayala
Josh Clark as Lt. Carey
Ronald Guttman as Gath
Yvonne Suhor as Eudana
Andrew Hill Newman as Jaret Otel
stardate = 48642.5
year = 2371
prev =Emanations
next =State of Flux ""Prime Factors" is the tenth episode of "".
Plot
"Voyager" encounters a very hospitable race known as the [http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Sikarian Sikarians] and the crew are invited to visit their homeworld. Shore leave is organised, and during the visit, Ensign Kim and an alien friend transport themselves to another planet. Kim notices that the planet has two stars and must belong to another star system. The alien describes the location of the planet, and Kim deduces that the teleport device has transported them 40,000 light-years across the Delta Quadrant.
Captain Janeway is informed, and asks Gath, the leader of the Sikarians, if they could modify their technology for "Voyager". Gath states that they are forbidden from sharing technology, however, by their own version of the
Prime Directive . Janeway makes an offer however: the transport technology in exchange for "Voyager"' s entire library of literature. This is an offer Gath finds difficult to refuse, but must refuse on principle.However, an alien civilian offers to bypass the law and give "Voyager" the technology anyway, in exchange for the literature. Janeway is unable to authorise this, so Chief of Security
Tuvok goes to the surface to make the exchange without Janeway's knowledge or permission. He returns to "Voyager" with the transport device, and requests that the engineering team, who are also willing to undermine Janeway's authority, do not attempt to use the device until Tuvok has spoken with Janeway.However, the engineering team discover that the technology relies on neutrino emissions from the planet, and as "Voyager" is about to depart, they activate the device. The attempt fails, the device is destroyed, and it transpires that the device was never compatible with Federation technology.
Tuvok and the engineering team are disciplined by Janeway for undermining her authority, and "Voyager" continues its journey.
Notes
* Tuvok presumably is demoted after the events in this episode, to Lieutenant, given that he is promoted back to Lieutenant Commander in "Revulsion". There is debate regarding this, however. While his uniform shows the rank of Lieutenant Commander for several episodes during season 1, he is never referred as Lieutenant Commander until Revulsion.
External links
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.