A subspace anomaly leads to the discovery of a 21st century space shuttle lost on a mission to Mars.
When Voyager comes across gravometric distortions, the crew finds a mass of subspace energy called a graviton ellipse. Seven recognizes the anomaly, which is attracted to objects that emit electro-magnetic energy. By cutting Voyager’s power and reversing the shield polarity, they avoid a run-in. Intrigued, Janeway follows it, launching a probe to run an analysis from the core. It reveals the anomaly is composed of materials dating back to the early 21st century. Specifically, there are alloys from the space shuttle hull of a year 2032 mission to Mars.
Janeway and the rest of her officers agree they want to attempt to find the lost command module in the anomaly, but they only have 16 hours before it disappears again. With Seven making shield modifications to the Delta Flyer and Tom reviewing the space shuttle’s database, the away team is soon ready. Chakotay, Seven and Tom fly straight into the ellipse’s core.
Voyager’s crew begins noticing gravometric surges emanating from the ellipse. It is altering its course, attracted by a nearby dark matter asteroid. At the same time, the away team locates the Mars orbiter, Aries IV. Janeway orders Chakotay to abort the mission, but he insists on bringing the shuttle with them via tractor beam. He is injured when the asteroid makes impact, and the Delta Flyer loses communication with Voyager. Propulsion is offline, the engines are unsalvageable, and Seven warns Tom that they have two hours before the ellipse re-enters subspace.
Back on Voyager, Janeway regains contact with the away team by using a probe as a transmission relay. After exhausting several ideas for rescue, B’Elanna realizes the command module’s ion distributor could be used to channel warp plasma to the Delta Flyer, giving them the energy to break through the ellipse. Seven transports to the Aries IV, and while there, plays data files found in the cockpit. Everyone assumed Lieutenant John Kelly died instantly when his Mars Orbiter was sucked into the anomaly, but now his voice recordings tell a different story.
While Seven removes the ion distributor fused to the hull, she also listens to Lieutenant Kelly record his last attempts at escape. His stream of consciousness thoughts give way to an acceptance of death and a belief that he is not dying in vain. Seven manages to download the files and transport Kelly’s body back to the Delta Flyer. After she and Tom integrate the distributor, they emerge from the ellipse just as it slips back into subspace. On Voyager, the crew pays their last respects to the astronaut, giving him a proper burial in space.
CAST
CAPTAIN KATHRYN JANEWAY
KATE MULGREW
CHAKOTAY
ROBERT BELTRAN
B'ELANNA TORRES
ROXANN DAWSON
TOM PARIS
ROBERT DUNCAN MCNEILL
NEELIX
ETHAN PHILLIPS
THE DOCTOR
ROBERT PICARDO
TUVOK
TIM RUSS
SEVEN OF NINE
JERI RYAN
HARRY KIM
GARRETT WANG
SPECIAL GUEST STAR
Phil Morris as
Lieutenant John Kelly
Teleplay by: Mike Wollaeger &
Jessica Scott and
Bryan Fuller &
Michael Taylor
Story by: Mike Wollaeger &
Jessica Scott
Directed by: Robert Picardo
HIGHLIGHT LISTING
STAR TREK: VOYAGER: “One Small Step”—A subspace anomaly leads to the discovery of a 21st century space shuttle lost on a mission to Mars.
