Macrocosm (Star Trek: Voyager)
Encyclopedia
"Macrocosm" is an episode of Star Trek: Voyager
, the 12th episode of the third season. The title borrows the philosophical term macrocosm, definable as a larger world that mirrors what exists in a miniature world, or microcosm
. It has an average fan rating of 4.4/5 on the official Star Trek website as of September, 2009. The plot of this episode is similar to Star Trek: The Next Generation
episode Genesis.
and Neelix
are returning to Voyager from a trade mission with an unusual race called the "Tak Tak", but find the ship adrift with no evidence of an attack, the crew apparently missing, as well as strange bio-electric sensor readings. They board the ship to find it deserted and try to investigate what happened.
While en route to the bridge, the turbolift they are in is attacked and Neelix is sprayed with a mucilaginous liquid. They escape into a Jefferies tube but he quickly begins to get faint and becomes too weak to continue. As Janeway goes to get medical supplies, he is abducted by an unknown life form. Janeway makes her way to the bridge to send a distress message and search for the crew. While doing so, she is bitten by a small flying life form roughly the size of a fly
.
She discovers that the crew are in the mess hall, but gets there to find them barely conscious with strange growths on their necks from which life forms are emerging. She is then attacked by a much bigger life form and kills it with a phaser
. She makes her way to sick bay and finds the Doctor
who tells her that while she was on her away mission, they came across a Garan mining colony where the workers were suffering from a severe viral infection. The Doctor was transported down since, as a hologram, he couldn't be infected. The Doctor determined that the virus reproduces and grows into much larger macroviruses. When he is transported back, some of the virus is transported with him and makes their way from the transporter pattern buffer into other ship systems, subsequently infecting a bio-neural gel pack before the buffer could be purged; the infected gel pack then malfunctions, infecting B'Elanna Torres
when she inspects it. The Doctor takes a sample of the macrovirus and succeeds in making a cure; however, the macrovirus had already multiplied and grown large enough to break out of the quarantined area and infect the rest of the ship. At that point, they had grown large enough to pose a significant threat to anything emitting a bio-electric field, thus keeping the Doctor from leaving sickbay to treat the crew as any attempts made resulted in attacks that would have destroyed his mobile emitter.
The Doctor treats Janeway with the antiviral while she devises a plan to vent it to the crew via the ship's environmental systems. At that point, however, the sick bay doors suddenly come under attack by the macroviruses, and both she and the Doctor make their way to the Jefferies tubes.
On their way, they split up in order to improve their chances of getting to the environmental controls, but the Doctor is overwhelmed by the macroviruses and takes refuge in a shuttle. Janeway reaches the environmental controls, but Voyager is then attacked by the Tak Tak who on receiving the distress call, are 'purifying' the virus by the only means they know - destroying the viral threat by destroying the ship. Janeway explains to the Tak Tak that they have a cure and they agree to temporarily withdraw their attack. But the damage to the ship means that the original plan would no longer work. Janeway rigs up an "Antigen
bomb" that will distribute the antiviral, and lures the macroviruses into a holodeck with holographic characters as bait. The macroviruses attack the holographic characters but before Janeway can throw the bomb into the holodeck, she is attacked by a macrovirus. She manages to kill it and throws the bomb just in time, wiping out the macroviruses. The Tak Tak are grateful upon being informed and receiving the cure. The Voyager crew is finally cured.
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 12th episode of the third season. The title borrows the philosophical term macrocosm, definable as a larger world that mirrors what exists in a miniature world, or microcosm
Microcosm
Microcosm may refer to:* Macrocosm and microcosm, a philosophical idea* Microcosm , a museum near Geneva, Switzerland* Microcosm , a 1993 shoot 'em up by Psygnosis* Microcosm Ltd, a UK software protection company...
. It has an average fan rating of 4.4/5 on the official Star Trek website as of September, 2009. The plot of this episode is similar to Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
episode Genesis.
Plot
Captain JanewayKathryn 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...
and Neelix
Neelix
Mr. Neelix is a fictional character in the television series Star Trek: Voyager. He is played by actor Ethan Phillips.-Fictional Biography:Mr. Neelix is a Talaxian originally from Rinax, a moon of the planet Talax, in the Delta quadrant, although his great-grandfather was Mylean. His entire family...
are returning to Voyager from a trade mission with an unusual race called the "Tak Tak", but find the ship adrift with no evidence of an attack, the crew apparently missing, as well as strange bio-electric sensor readings. They board the ship to find it deserted and try to investigate what happened.
While en route to the bridge, the turbolift they are in is attacked and Neelix is sprayed with a mucilaginous liquid. They escape into a Jefferies tube but he quickly begins to get faint and becomes too weak to continue. As Janeway goes to get medical supplies, he is abducted by an unknown life form. Janeway makes her way to the bridge to send a distress message and search for the crew. While doing so, she is bitten by a small flying life form roughly the size of a fly
Blow-fly
Calliphoridae are insects in the Order Diptera, family Calliphoridae...
.
She discovers that the crew are in the mess hall, but gets there to find them barely conscious with strange growths on their necks from which life forms are emerging. She is then attacked by a much bigger life form and kills it with a phaser
Phaser
Phaser may refer to:* Barber pole phaser is an analog synthesizer specially designed to create Shepard tones, an Auditory illusion.* Endosulfan, an organic compound* Phaser , in the Star Trek fictional universe...
. She makes her way to sick bay and finds the Doctor
Doctor (Star Trek)
The Doctor, an Emergency Medical Hologram Mark I , is a fictional character from the television series Star Trek: Voyager, played by actor Robert Picardo...
who tells her that while she was on her away mission, they came across a Garan mining colony where the workers were suffering from a severe viral infection. The Doctor was transported down since, as a hologram, he couldn't be infected. The Doctor determined that the virus reproduces and grows into much larger macroviruses. When he is transported back, some of the virus is transported with him and makes their way from the transporter pattern buffer into other ship systems, subsequently infecting a bio-neural gel pack before the buffer could be purged; the infected gel pack then malfunctions, infecting 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...
when she inspects it. The Doctor takes a sample of the macrovirus and succeeds in making a cure; however, the macrovirus had already multiplied and grown large enough to break out of the quarantined area and infect the rest of the ship. At that point, they had grown large enough to pose a significant threat to anything emitting a bio-electric field, thus keeping the Doctor from leaving sickbay to treat the crew as any attempts made resulted in attacks that would have destroyed his mobile emitter.
The Doctor treats Janeway with the antiviral while she devises a plan to vent it to the crew via the ship's environmental systems. At that point, however, the sick bay doors suddenly come under attack by the macroviruses, and both she and the Doctor make their way to the Jefferies tubes.
On their way, they split up in order to improve their chances of getting to the environmental controls, but the Doctor is overwhelmed by the macroviruses and takes refuge in a shuttle. Janeway reaches the environmental controls, but Voyager is then attacked by the Tak Tak who on receiving the distress call, are 'purifying' the virus by the only means they know - destroying the viral threat by destroying the ship. Janeway explains to the Tak Tak that they have a cure and they agree to temporarily withdraw their attack. But the damage to the ship means that the original plan would no longer work. Janeway rigs up an "Antigen
Antigen
An antigen is a foreign molecule that, when introduced into the body, triggers the production of an antibody by the immune system. The immune system will then kill or neutralize the antigen that is recognized as a foreign and potentially harmful invader. These invaders can be molecules such as...
bomb" that will distribute the antiviral, and lures the macroviruses into a holodeck with holographic characters as bait. The macroviruses attack the holographic characters but before Janeway can throw the bomb into the holodeck, she is attacked by a macrovirus. She manages to kill it and throws the bomb just in time, wiping out the macroviruses. The Tak Tak are grateful upon being informed and receiving the cure. The Voyager crew is finally cured.