Seven uncovers a conspiracy to keep Voyager stranded in the Delta Quadrant.
After encountering graviton fluctuations, Janeway hails an approaching ship and meets its alien captain, Tash. He is working on a catapult vessel, hoping to launch himself hundreds of light years. If Tash’s plan succeeds, it may shave years off of Voyager’s journey. Meanwhile, Seven has installed a cortical processing sub-unit in her regeneration alcove, allowing her to assimilate the ship’s status reports. Upon downloading data on Tash’s work, she informs Janeway that his catapult is the same technology that was used to trap them in the Delta Quadrant.
Five years ago when Voyager was caught in the displacement wave that sent it 70,000 light years off course, a tetrion beam was responsible. Now, Seven has discovered a tetrion reactor is powering the catapult. Although the Voyager crew believes they destroyed the reactor, Seven finds otherwise. Data shows the charge Tuvok fired tore an opening in subspace, and a tractor beam from a cloaked ship pushed the reactor into it. Seven alerts Chakotay of her startling conclusion—Voyager was stranded in the Delta Quadrant on purpose, and Janeway is behind it.
Seven believes the Captain is part of a Federation conspiracy to establish a military presence in the Delta Quadrant. Suddenly, Janeway’s diplomacy begins to look suspiciously like establishing a tactical infrastructure, and her zest for exploration resembles mapping the region for strategic data. Seven believes the Captain intends to use the catapult to bring in more ships from the Alpha Quadrant, creating a Federation/ Cardassian invasion force. When Tash makes a successful journey of 100 light years using the apparatus, Chakotay secretly delays Voyager’s shield modification to give him more time to consider Seven’s theories.
Seven returns to her alcove to assimilate more information. After her latest download, she summons Janeway and alerts her that Chakotay is part of a conspiracy to resurrect a Maquis rebellion. She believes he intends to use the catapult to launch attacks against Federation and Cardassian ships. Janeway is doubtful, but Seven presents compelling theories, using some of the same evidence she used to cast aspersions on Janeway, but drawing different conclusions.
When Janeway and Chakotay finally compare notes, they realize Seven has been filling both of their minds with paranoid theories. Once the Doctor runs a diagnostic on her alcove, he finds that Seven has downloaded more information than she can process. Janeway beams to the Delta Flyer, which Seven is using to make a paranoid escape, and uses her own version of past events to convince Seven that her synaptic patterns are in chaos. They return to Voyager, and Seven is treated in sickbay. In addition, Janeway uses the catapult to cut three years from their travel.
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
GUEST STARRING
Albie Selznick
Written by: Joe Menosky
Directed by: Terry Windell
HIGHLIGHT LISTING
STAR TREK: VOYAGER: “The Voyager Conspiracy” -- Seven uncovers a conspiracy to keep Voyager stranded in the Delta Quadrant.
