Summary for Star Trek: Voyager episode
Drone

Season 5, Episode 2
Stardate: Supplemental

Guest Stars:
J. Paul Boehmer as "Drone"
Todd Babcock as "Lt. Mulchaey"

Written by: Bryan Fuller and Harry Doc Kloor

Teleplay by: Bryan Fuller, Brannon Braga, and Joe Menosky

Events:
The episode opens with Seven practicing her smiling lessons in her quarters in the cargo bay. The Doctor walks in on her to walk with her to the shuttle bay for their mission together. Seven corrects him and instructs him to request entry in future.

It's obvious Seven is somewhat annoyed with the Doctor, as he is excited about the prospects of witnessing the birth of a proto-nebula (their mission is to conduct an astronomical survey of the phenomenon along with Tom and B'Elanna on board a shuttle craft).

The Doctor is so excited he's brought along a holo-imaging device for a few "snapshots". His mission is to observe the effects of the phenomenon on the crew as they might be dealing with new forms of radiation.

Seven is unimpressed with his banter and his enthusiasm.

The scene cuts to the shuttle craft en route as the shuttle is rocked from time to time by turbulence.

As the ship nears the phenomenon they witness a plasma burst, followed by one still larger. They get caught in the gravimetric shear of the burst and the engines stop functioning.

Aboard Voyager Harry receives a distress call from the shuttle. Tuvok explains their difficulty and Kathryn orders a rescue.

In the Transporter Room, Chakotay learns from the transporter operator (Lt. Mulchaey) that they only have a partial lock due to the nebula. Chakotay orders them beamed out anyway (because the shuttle can't escape the nebula due to no engines), and with difficulty the four members of the away team are beamed out. The operator explains that he had trouble separating their patterns and the Doctor's mobile holo-emitter starts malfunctioning. The Doctor is returned to Sick Bay and B'Elanna takes the emitter to the Science Lab for repairs.

In the lab B'Elanna places the emitter on a console and starts a diagnostic. She orders Lt. Mulchaey to check the results first thing in the morning.

As soon as the two leave the area the emitter starts putting out metallic probes that fasten to the console. We can see that the console is being reconfigured by the probes.

The show cuts to opening credits and commercials.

The show returns with an external of a stopped Voyager behind which is the expanding proto-nebula. Kathryn explains the proto-nebula is unpredictable.

The scene cuts to B'Elanna's quarters where she is blissfully asleep.

Her sleep is cut short by a persistent Doctor who is impatient for a 'cure' to his problem. He's appeared on a small viewscreen to inquire about its repair. B'Elanna shuts him off and heads to the sonic shower. The doctor re-appears on a viewscreen there and an angry B'Elanna grabs her towel to cover up.

The Doctor cheerfully ignores her protestations and suggests she bring the emitter to Sick Bay so they could both work on it. She throws her towel over the viewscreen.

The scene cuts back to lab where the emitter is still hooked in to the console through its probes.

The scene cuts to Seven's regeneration chamber where she becomes alert and despite her being told by the computer her regeneration is incomplete she leaves the cargo bay.

On the bridge Chakotay takes over the watch from Harry, who informs Chakotay that 11 course changes were required to stay outside the proto-nebula.

Chakotay praises Harry for his work as commanding officer of the watch.

Seven arrives on the bridge. She tells Chakotay that the "proximity transceiver" in her head has been activated, indicating a Borg is nearby. Harry is certain no ship could survive the proto nebula, so it is ruled out as a hiding place. Chakotay suggests a malfunction with the transceiver and suggests Seven get her head examined (ok, not in those words ;-). Meanwhile Chakotay will re-double the scans to be sure. Seven leaves the bridge and Harry sets up the scans.

Best Line in the scene: Chakotay: "Is it true you make them call you Captain Kim?"

Meanwhile, back at the lab, Lt. Mulchaey has arrived to check the diagnostic results. As the door opens we see the green so familiar as indicative of the Borg.

He walks into the room, pulls out his tricorder, and allows his curiosity to bring him into the room. As he looks at the console area two Borg tubes strike his neck.

Instantly in Sick Bay Seven reacts. Her transceiver was activated again.

On the bridge Harry notices power being re-routed to the Science lab. Sensors are unable to check the lab as a Borg forcefield blocks the scan.

Chakotay calls red alert, calls Kathryn to the bridge, orders Tuvok to take a security team to the lab, and calls Seven to confirm her suspicions.

The scene cuts to Tuvok marching the halls at the head of a well-armed (phaser rifles) security team. Seven joins them with a phaser in hand.

The door to the lab is slightly ajar and Seven and Tuvok open it.

They discover a Borg maturation chamber but it has components which Seven doesn't recognize. On the floor is Mulchaey with two puncture marks in his neck. Seven explains that they are the result of Borg extraction tubes used to obtain tissue samples. There are residual nanoprobes near the wound bearing Seven's signature and Tuvok orders his two security team members to take Mulchaey to Sick Bay.

Seven approaches the maturation chamber, able to pierce its forcefield because the Borg technology recognizes her as Borg. She accesses a view of the contents and finds a Borg drone fetus within. Seven explains that the Borg do not reproduce in this manner, that they assimilate.

The show cuts to commercials.

When the show resumes, Seven, Tuvok and Kathryn are discussing this development in the Science lab, each peering into the viewport. Seven theorizes that the transporter somehow sent some of her nanoprobes to the Doctor's emitter, which then was placed in the lab. The nanoprobes were somehow reactivated and took over the technology and transformed the console into a maturation chamber. When Mulchaey came in the Borg technology sampled his DNA and from it created the Borg fetus. Kathryn orders a round-the-clock security watch and a level ten forcefield around the maturation chamber.

Kathryn refuses to pull the plug on the fetus until she knows what and who she is dealing with.

Meanwhile Voyager is still stopped outside the proto-nebula which is still exploding outwards.

In the Astrometrics lab Seven adjusts the scanners to penetrate the Borg forcefield. They discover that the Borg has grown to be a boy of six years inside an hour. Re-routing data to the Doctor in Sick Bay we discover that the drone has utilized the 29th century technology of the emitter, thus becoming a 29th century Borg.

The Doctor discovers that the drone is using the emitter as part of his nervous system, and can't be removed without killing the drone.

Tuvok expresses concern over whether the drone will contact the Borg collective, but Seven reassures him that she has dampened his signal.

The scene cuts to Kathryn's office where she and Seven are discussing the drone. Seven suggests killing it while the drone's shields are inactive. She explains that within two hours the drone will mature.

Kathryn learns from Seven that if the drone does not connect with the collective it will await instructions. Kathryn decides she'd like to raise the drone as an individual in the hopes of using it against the collective should the need arise. Seven protests the decision but Kathryn points out there were those in the crew who wanted her killed when she arrived.

Kathryn assigns Seven the task of raising the drone and acting as "ambassador" for the humans.

The scene cuts to the lab where the drone has matured. Seven disengages the drone from the maturation chamber and the drone steps forward to learn its designation and instructions. He and Seven exchange Borg 'pleasantries' and Seven quickly learns she cannot override the basic programming that the drone was given. She must interface directly with the drone. She steps forward and her Borg tubules snap out of her hand and into the neck of the drone. She reprograms it but soon discovers the drone has a hold of her and is obtaining all her memories. She tries to command the drone to release her without effect. Tuvok's phaser does no damage to the drone due to its shields. But when Seven explains the drone is hurting her the drone voluntarily releases its hold.

The drone uses the pronoun "I".

The show cuts to commercials.

When we return we are in Engineering where we learn that Seven is using Borg data nodes to download ship information to the drone. Data nodes are basically portable hard disks that simply upload and download information.

B'Elanna is showing signs of serious doubts about having the drone on board.

Back in the lab Neelix has arrived with the first recorded data node. With difficulty Seven manages to persuade the drone (who is now using "we" again) to connect to the node.

With the download complete the drone takes on new animation, it uses "I" again and shows a good deal of knowledge and unusually perceptive senses (detecting fear in a passing crewmember, for example).

Neelix escorts the drone to Sick Bay for evaluation. There the drone learns of how it was created. The Doctor informs the drone that he is welcome because he is a new life form which the ship is on a mission to discover.

The scene cuts to Engineering where Seven introduces the drone to the warp core and B'Elanna (which one is more volatile is another question ;-)

B'Elanna explains she's very busy working on a model to predict the proto-nebula. The drone offers advice and a demonstration. When given the chance he derives a multi-spatial formula which satisfies B'Elanna.

The scene cuts to Kathryn's office where she is impressed with the drone upon meeting him. The drone now has a designation: "One" which was suggested by something Neelix had said earlier. One asks to be excused to assist B'Elanna, and Seven remains behind with Kathryn.

Seven discusses her concern for One's curiosity about the collective. She's concerned that when One learns of the Borg he will want to make contact.

Kathryn feels it's better that he find this out from them than from the collective itself, and she points out that One has the right to know the answers to his questions.

The scene cuts to Seven's quarters where One and she prepare for regeneration. Again One expresses keen interest in the Borg, but Seven dodges the question by insisting on regeneration.

While regenerating a Borg transceiver starts sending a signal to the Borg.

The scene cuts to a Borg sphere (a la "First Contact") which has registered the signal and alters course to intercept.

The show cuts to commercials.

When the show returns Seven awakens to see some very stern looks from Kathryn, Tuvok, and a variety of security forces.

Upon investigation it turns out the emitter created a second transceiver which automatically activated itself. Tuvok explains that a transwarp conduit has been detected and that a ship will arrive in three hours. Kathryn decides it's time to teach One about the Borg.

In a viewing room Kathryn displays video files on their Borg encounters, explaining how the Borg are the most destructive force they've met. She explains about the value of individuality and how the Borg erase it. One is confused, being interested in experiencing the collective while aware that Seven now considers Voyager her "collective". Kathryn asks him to help them improve their shields and weapons. One requests time to assimilate the information. At that moment Chakotay calls out a red alert as the Borg ship has arrived.

One accompanies Seven to the bridge. He expresses the symptoms she assigns to anxiety and fear. She explains that they will resist the Borg. One points out that "resistance is futile" but Seven expresses confidence in the captain.

The show cuts to commercials.

When the show returns we are on the bridge. The Borg vessel announces its presence with the usual threats. One starts repeating those statements, then explains that he can hear them. Seven can also hear them, but tells One he must resist the voices or Voyager's crew will die. The Borg attach a tractor beam to Voyager.

With new-found grim determination One injects his Borg connectors to the shield console and remodulates the shields to cut off the Borg tractor beam. He then tries to remodulate the phasers to knock out the Borg's engines, but his efforts fail as the Borg send a feedback along the phaser shutting it off. Another hit and the warp engines are offline.

One announces that Voyager's technology isn't enough and that he must try to stop the collective from within. Seven tells him that they will try to assimilate him. With flat-footed confidence One announces "They will fail."

With Kathryn's agreement One beams over to the Borg ship and is greeted with the usual threats. One takes access of a work station and overrides the Borg's navigation, sending the ship into the proto-nebula.

On the bridge we learn that One survived through the use of his superior shields. He is beamed to Sick Bay and the Doctor discovers One is dying. One explains to Seven that the Borg are aware of his existence and will pursue him constantly. He decides to die rather than let the Doctor save him. He uses a shield to accomplish this. Seven is quite heart-broken over this decision, insisting that One allow the Doctor to save him. One refuses, reassuring Seven that she will adapt to this pain.

But as Seven returns to the cargo bay and turns off One's regeneration chamber and looks into the mirror we can see she won't adapt quickly.

End of episode.

Personal reflections:

<sigh>

An interesting story. Yes, there were glitches needed to keep the story going but to be honest they managed to put forward a good story nonetheless.

One was an interesting source of emotions. Through most of the show I kept expecting him to take over the ship. But when he engaged the bridge console and proceeded to take on the Borg he became heroic, courageous, and ultimately self-sacrificing. Qualities we wish humans had more in abundance.

This was also a Seven episode. We saw Seven accepting her place amongst the crew and showing confidence for Kathryn which we rarely see in Seven. I think this episode is supposed to make sure we no longer doubt Seven's commitment to Voyager. In a sense the de-programming started when Seven was 'liberated' from the Borg is now complete.

Thanks for your attention.



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