Drone (Voyager episode)
Encyclopedia
"Drone" is an episode of Star Trek: Voyager
, the second episode of the fifth season. The episode has an average rating of 4.6/5 on the official Star Trek
website (as of December 10, 2008).
, a transporter
malfunction occurs, and everyone's patterns merge briefly. All members of the away team successfully return to the ship, but the mobile emitter used by The Doctor is damaged. In an effort to diagnose the malfunctioning mobile emitter, it is secured in Voyagers science lab overnight while the computer performs a detailed diagnostic subroutine on it. Unknown to the crew, Seven of Nine
's Borg
nanoprobes infected the emitter during the transport and have begun to assimilate it. Later that night, Borg assimilation tubules spring from the emitter and begin to assimilate the lab console.
The next morning, Ensign Mulcahey, a member of the crew, goes to the science lab to check the results of the diagnostic subroutine run on the emitter. When he enters the lab, he is attacked by Borg extraction tubules. They do not assimilate him, but they do take a tissue sample from his body. On the bridge, Ensign Harry Kim
detects an unauthorized transfer of power from the warp conduits to the science lab. Efforts to reach Ensign Mulcahey or anyone in the lab fail. When a force field with a Borg signature is detected in the science lab, Lt Commander Tuvok
, a security team, and Seven of Nine are immediately sent to investigate.
The Voyager crewmembers discover the unconscious Mulcahey and a Borg maturation chamber containing a fetal Borg drone. Seven of Nine observes that her Borg nanoprobes were designed to adapt and assimilate any technology it encounters, and deduces that it is fulfilling its imperative by creating a new drone. The new Borg continues to age at a rapid rate, growing from a fetus to approximately six Earth years in only an hour.
After adapting the astrometric sensors to penetrate the Borg force field surrounding the maturation chamber, Seven of Nine is able to analyze the growing drone. The drone is basically a human male, having used Mulcahey's DNA
as a biological template. The Doctor is concerned about getting his mobile emitter back, and demands that engineer B'Elanna Torres
retrieve it immediately. Unfortunately, there is little she can do because the emitter is thoroughly integrated into the drone's cerebral cortex; removing the emitter would kill the drone. Tuvok notes that the Borg's implants are constructed of polydutonic alloy; Seven of Nine realizes that the alloy was extrapolated from the Doctor's mobile emitter, a piece of 29th century
technology. The new Borg is essentially a 29th century drone, 500 years more advanced than any other Borg in existence. His reactive body armor, multi-dimensional adaptability, internal transporter nodes, multi-spatial force field, and other advanced abilities would make the Borg collective virtually unstoppable if they were to assimilate him. Seven of Nine is able to dampen the Borg's proximity transceiver so the drone cannot contact the collective.
Captain Janeway
considers, and rejects, the idea of 'pulling the plug' and killing the growing drone. She knows the new drone poses significant security risks to the ship, but is troubled by the ethical ramifications. She also believes that there is a lot of scientific value in studying this unique drone individual. Janeway orders Seven of Nine to educate the drone in the ways of humanity as Seven herself was once instructed. Seven reluctantly complies.
The drone finishes maturing, and emerges from its maturation chamber as an adult. It sees Seven of Nine and mechanically demands that she provide it with its designation and purpose. Seven of Nine tries to make the drone realize that it is an individual, but it does not understand and continues to ask for its designation and purpose. She initiates a direct neural interface with the drone to instruct him, which works well initially. However, the drone soon takes over the interface, probes her neural pathways, and tries to assimilate all of her knowledge at once. Seven of Nine struggles to break free, but is no longer in control and cannot disengage the link. Tuvok attempts to disable the drone with a phaser but the drones shields prevents it. She commands the drone to stop, ordering it to comply, but he ignores her until she says, "You are hurting me." The drone abruptly terminates the interface.
Seven of Nine is able to activate the drone's linguistic database, so it is now capable of learning through language. The drone is also provided with Borg data nodes, which are safer and can transfer massive amounts of information via assimilation tubule. The drone is fascinated with the endless onslaught of data, and demands more. With the guidance of Seven of Nine and a few other crew members, the drone learns rapidly and grows closer to the crew.
As ordered, the drone arrives at Sickbay for a medical checkup. Upon observing the Doctor's medical equipment, the drone realizes that his Borg technology is extremely advanced and unique, and demands to know how that could be. The Doctor reveals that the drone is the result of a transporter accident. The Borg wonders, "An accident... Am I unwelcome here?"
The drone then reports to Captain Janeway's ready room to meet the captain. "One" is his new name, and he is adapting very well to life on Voyager, even to the point of developing a rudimentary personality. Janeway seems impressed, and later, when in the cargo bay, Seven of Nine tells him that he has "exceeded expectations." Shortly before they start their regeneration cycle together, One surprises Seven by thanking her for her help.
Their regeneration is interrupted when Capt Janeway, accompanied by a security team, wakes up Seven of Nine and informs her that the drone has transmitted a Borg proximity signal, and that an enemy vessel is approaching. Alarmed, Seven of Nine interrogates One, who denies sending any signal. After scanning One closely, she determines that his cranial implants have adapted and created a secondary transceiver, which sent its own signal without One's knowledge. In the past, One had expressed curiosity about the Borg, but his requests for information were always deflected because that knowledge was too dangerous. With a Borg ship only 3 hours away, it is now time to satisfy that curiosity with a crash course on the Borg collective. Janeway and Seven of Nine quickly educate One about the Borg and their nature. One expresses that he would like to try out the Borg collective consciousness, and asks if Seven of Nine would like to return to the Borg. She states firmly, "Voyager is my collective."
When a long-range tactical Borg sphere arrives at their location, One and Seven of Nine are able to hear the collective speaking in their minds. At Seven's insistence, One resists the temptation of perfection and attempts to enhance Voyagers shields and weapons. The enhancements are completed, but Voyager's technology is limited and it is not enough to save them from the Borg. One realizes that he must interface with the collective directly and disrupt them from within. He transports himself to the sphere, easily resists all attempts at assimilation, and then takes over their navigational controls. He steers the Borg vessel into the nearby nebula, which crushes the hull and destroys the vessel.
The Voyager crew, while happy to have defeated the Borg, are stunned by One's selfless sacrifice. Suddenly, Ensign Kim detects a life sign in the aftermath of the explosion; One's advanced multi-spatial force field protected him from the brunt of the explosion. His biological components, however, were critically injured. The severe trauma requires immediate surgery, but One refuses to allow it; his personal force field repels the Doctor's hypospray and any attempts at treatment. One explains that when he was linked to the hive mind, he learned that the entire collective was aware of his existence. He knows the Borg will pursue him relentlessly as long as he lives, endangering Seven of Nine and Voyager. One tries to reassure Seven of Nine by telling her, "I was a mistake... I was never meant to be." A visibly distressed Seven orders, "Lower the force field. You must comply." One refuses, "I will not." Seven of Nine begs, "You must comply. Please. You are hurting me." One looks at Seven compassionately, and replies, "You will adapt." One dies on the operating table, leaving Seven greatly saddened by his passing.
Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe. Set in the 24th century from the year 2371 through 2378, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet vessel USS Voyager, which becomes stranded in the Delta Quadrant 70,000 light-years from Earth while...
, the second episode of the fifth season. The episode has an average rating of 4.6/5 on the official Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
website (as of December 10, 2008).
Plot
While on an astronomical survey, the unstable proto-nebula that the away team is studying flares up, damaging their shuttle and endangering their lives. During an attempt to beam back to the starship VoyagerUSS Voyager (Star Trek)
The fictional Intrepid-class starship USS Voyager is the primary setting of the science fiction television series Star Trek: Voyager. It is commanded by Captain Kathryn Janeway....
, a transporter
Transporter (Star Trek)
A transporter is a fictional teleportation machine used in the Star Trek universe. Transporters convert a person or object into an energy pattern , then "beam" it to a target, where it is reconverted into matter...
malfunction occurs, and everyone's patterns merge briefly. All members of the away team successfully return to the ship, but the mobile emitter used by The Doctor is damaged. In an effort to diagnose the malfunctioning mobile emitter, it is secured in Voyagers science lab overnight while the computer performs a detailed diagnostic subroutine on it. Unknown to the crew, Seven of Nine
Seven of Nine
Seven of Nine is a fictional character on Star Trek: Voyager, portrayed by actress Jeri Ryan. Born human, she was assimilated by the Borg at the age of six. Eighteen years later, Voyager left Borg space with Seven on board, after attempts to negotiate passage through Borg space proved only...
's Borg
Borg (Star Trek)
The Borg are a fictional pseudo-race of cybernetic organisms depicted in the Star Trek universe associated with Star Trek.Whereas cybernetics are used by other races in the science fiction world to repair bodily damage and birth defects, the Borg use enforced cybernetic enhancement as a means of...
nanoprobes infected the emitter during the transport and have begun to assimilate it. Later that night, Borg assimilation tubules spring from the emitter and begin to assimilate the lab console.
The next morning, Ensign Mulcahey, a member of the crew, goes to the science lab to check the results of the diagnostic subroutine run on the emitter. When he enters the lab, he is attacked by Borg extraction tubules. They do not assimilate him, but they do take a tissue sample from his body. On the bridge, Ensign Harry Kim
Harry Kim (Star Trek)
Ensign Harry S. L. Kim, played by Garrett Wang, is a character in the television series Star Trek: Voyager. He serves as the USS Voyagers operations officer.-Depiction:...
detects an unauthorized transfer of power from the warp conduits to the science lab. Efforts to reach Ensign Mulcahey or anyone in the lab fail. When a force field with a Borg signature is detected in the science lab, Lt Commander Tuvok
Tuvok
Tuvok is one of the main characters on the television series Star Trek: Voyager. Tuvok is a Vulcan who serves as the ship's chief of security and its chief tactical officer. Tim Russ portrayed Tuvok throughout the show's run, from 1995 to 2001....
, a security team, and Seven of Nine are immediately sent to investigate.
The Voyager crewmembers discover the unconscious Mulcahey and a Borg maturation chamber containing a fetal Borg drone. Seven of Nine observes that her Borg nanoprobes were designed to adapt and assimilate any technology it encounters, and deduces that it is fulfilling its imperative by creating a new drone. The new Borg continues to age at a rapid rate, growing from a fetus to approximately six Earth years in only an hour.
After adapting the astrometric sensors to penetrate the Borg force field surrounding the maturation chamber, Seven of Nine is able to analyze the growing drone. The drone is basically a human male, having used Mulcahey's DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
as a biological template. The Doctor is concerned about getting his mobile emitter back, and demands that engineer B'Elanna Torres
B'Elanna Torres
B'Elanna Torres is a main character in Star Trek: Voyager played by Roxann Dawson. She is portrayed as a half-human half-Klingon born in 2349 on the Federation colony Kessik IV. Torres joined the Maquis in 2370 and was serving on the Val Jean when brought to the Delta Quadrant...
retrieve it immediately. Unfortunately, there is little she can do because the emitter is thoroughly integrated into the drone's cerebral cortex; removing the emitter would kill the drone. Tuvok notes that the Borg's implants are constructed of polydutonic alloy; Seven of Nine realizes that the alloy was extrapolated from the Doctor's mobile emitter, a piece of 29th century
29th century
The 29th century of the anno Domini era will span from January 1, 2801–December 31, 2900 of the Gregorian calendar.-List of the long total solar eclipses:* May 21, 2813 : Solar eclipse, , of saros 170....
technology. The new Borg is essentially a 29th century drone, 500 years more advanced than any other Borg in existence. His reactive body armor, multi-dimensional adaptability, internal transporter nodes, multi-spatial force field, and other advanced abilities would make the Borg collective virtually unstoppable if they were to assimilate him. Seven of Nine is able to dampen the Borg's proximity transceiver so the drone cannot contact the collective.
Captain Janeway
Kathryn Janeway
Kathryn Janeway, played by Kate Mulgrew, is a fictional character in the Star Trek franchise. As the captain of the Starfleet starship USS Voyager, she was the lead character on the television series Star Trek: Voyager, and later, a Starfleet admiral, as seen in the 2002 feature film Star Trek...
considers, and rejects, the idea of 'pulling the plug' and killing the growing drone. She knows the new drone poses significant security risks to the ship, but is troubled by the ethical ramifications. She also believes that there is a lot of scientific value in studying this unique drone individual. Janeway orders Seven of Nine to educate the drone in the ways of humanity as Seven herself was once instructed. Seven reluctantly complies.
The drone finishes maturing, and emerges from its maturation chamber as an adult. It sees Seven of Nine and mechanically demands that she provide it with its designation and purpose. Seven of Nine tries to make the drone realize that it is an individual, but it does not understand and continues to ask for its designation and purpose. She initiates a direct neural interface with the drone to instruct him, which works well initially. However, the drone soon takes over the interface, probes her neural pathways, and tries to assimilate all of her knowledge at once. Seven of Nine struggles to break free, but is no longer in control and cannot disengage the link. Tuvok attempts to disable the drone with a phaser but the drones shields prevents it. She commands the drone to stop, ordering it to comply, but he ignores her until she says, "You are hurting me." The drone abruptly terminates the interface.
Seven of Nine is able to activate the drone's linguistic database, so it is now capable of learning through language. The drone is also provided with Borg data nodes, which are safer and can transfer massive amounts of information via assimilation tubule. The drone is fascinated with the endless onslaught of data, and demands more. With the guidance of Seven of Nine and a few other crew members, the drone learns rapidly and grows closer to the crew.
As ordered, the drone arrives at Sickbay for a medical checkup. Upon observing the Doctor's medical equipment, the drone realizes that his Borg technology is extremely advanced and unique, and demands to know how that could be. The Doctor reveals that the drone is the result of a transporter accident. The Borg wonders, "An accident... Am I unwelcome here?"
The drone then reports to Captain Janeway's ready room to meet the captain. "One" is his new name, and he is adapting very well to life on Voyager, even to the point of developing a rudimentary personality. Janeway seems impressed, and later, when in the cargo bay, Seven of Nine tells him that he has "exceeded expectations." Shortly before they start their regeneration cycle together, One surprises Seven by thanking her for her help.
Their regeneration is interrupted when Capt Janeway, accompanied by a security team, wakes up Seven of Nine and informs her that the drone has transmitted a Borg proximity signal, and that an enemy vessel is approaching. Alarmed, Seven of Nine interrogates One, who denies sending any signal. After scanning One closely, she determines that his cranial implants have adapted and created a secondary transceiver, which sent its own signal without One's knowledge. In the past, One had expressed curiosity about the Borg, but his requests for information were always deflected because that knowledge was too dangerous. With a Borg ship only 3 hours away, it is now time to satisfy that curiosity with a crash course on the Borg collective. Janeway and Seven of Nine quickly educate One about the Borg and their nature. One expresses that he would like to try out the Borg collective consciousness, and asks if Seven of Nine would like to return to the Borg. She states firmly, "Voyager is my collective."
When a long-range tactical Borg sphere arrives at their location, One and Seven of Nine are able to hear the collective speaking in their minds. At Seven's insistence, One resists the temptation of perfection and attempts to enhance Voyagers shields and weapons. The enhancements are completed, but Voyager's technology is limited and it is not enough to save them from the Borg. One realizes that he must interface with the collective directly and disrupt them from within. He transports himself to the sphere, easily resists all attempts at assimilation, and then takes over their navigational controls. He steers the Borg vessel into the nearby nebula, which crushes the hull and destroys the vessel.
The Voyager crew, while happy to have defeated the Borg, are stunned by One's selfless sacrifice. Suddenly, Ensign Kim detects a life sign in the aftermath of the explosion; One's advanced multi-spatial force field protected him from the brunt of the explosion. His biological components, however, were critically injured. The severe trauma requires immediate surgery, but One refuses to allow it; his personal force field repels the Doctor's hypospray and any attempts at treatment. One explains that when he was linked to the hive mind, he learned that the entire collective was aware of his existence. He knows the Borg will pursue him relentlessly as long as he lives, endangering Seven of Nine and Voyager. One tries to reassure Seven of Nine by telling her, "I was a mistake... I was never meant to be." A visibly distressed Seven orders, "Lower the force field. You must comply." One refuses, "I will not." Seven of Nine begs, "You must comply. Please. You are hurting me." One looks at Seven compassionately, and replies, "You will adapt." One dies on the operating table, leaving Seven greatly saddened by his passing.