Dreadnought

DVD, Voyager S2 (Dreadnought)

B'Elanna Torres hasn't had a lot of joy with artificial lifeforms recently. In 'Prototype' she was kidnapped by robots and found herself having to destroy the very thing she had created, and in this she is once again pitted against her own handiwork. This time it's even worse - it speaks in her voice! Roxann Dawson has a wonderfully neutral computer voice (later used for a mysterious station on 'Enterprise' in the episode 'Dead Stop' which she also directed), completely at odds with her character's usual fiery demeanour. If there was a suggestion on how to improve this episode I would say the feelings of guilt and frustration should have been stronger and the battle of wits between her and the Dreadnought, more personal and hard-hitting. The story isn't quite the pulse-pounding adventure I remember, neither is it too slow or dull in any way.

Woven into this tale of a renegade Cardassian warhead, rewired to become a renegade Maquis weapon by Torres, now following it's programming despite having been lifted into the Delta Quadrant the same way that Voyager got there, thanks to the Caretaker's beam, there are plenty of good scenes between various crewmembers that reinforce some of the ideas that were established early on in the series and have begun to resurface in recent episodes: We have the Maquis element, from Torres' own mistake in turning the Cardassian's weapon against its makers (without Chakotay's permission), to the current secret threat from Jonas the spy, still trying to contact Seska, but continually fobbed off by his Kazon contact. Then there's Tom Paris' growing sloppy behaviour and hints that he's dissatisfied with his position on the ship, taking on the rebellious attitude that we'd thought left behind by Season 2. Equally he and Chakotay aren't getting along too well, the First Officer rather displeased with his attitude. The ongoing saga of the Doctor's name, or lack of one is mentioned in a lovely funny scene that breaks the episode in gently, reminding us of the baby-carrying Ensign Wildman, while giving the EMH and Kes a bit of banter.

Most importantly perhaps, is the solidarity and friendship shown by Tuvok for his Captain. As we were reminded last episode, they are and have been good friends, so it is only logical that he would be the one to stay behind with Janeway when she orders all hands to abandon ship in a last desperate attempt to avert the deaths of two million people on the planet Dreadnought has mistakenly chosen as its target. It doesn't happen often, but when it does, the self-destruct countdown is a special moment and a private one for the Captain, who goes down with the ship. It's the only option when all others have been tried, and this time Janeway is willing to destroy Voyager, and herself with it, to save the lives, allowing the crew to depart in escape pods. We don't yet have the chance to see this procedure, it didn't happen in Trek until the film 'First Contact', but the scale of the disaster and danger is ably fed through by the reports from Kellan, leader of the targeted planet, of panic and people heading for ports and ships. The futility of their weak defences is demonstrated by the attack by their fighters, easily dispatched by Dreadnought. These selfless acts are all the more noble because they are the best this under-developed race can do, a mere gesture of defiance and bravery.

Janeway's act of self-sacrifice, willing to go down with her ship, is matched by Tuvok's logical assertion that he stay for back-up in case she's injured, and also by B'Elanna, who, though it will likely cost her her life, proceeds to attempt the destruction of the missile from inside. These moments are what make the episode more than it would have been, shown in the way Kellan is initially suspicious of and almost surly with Janeway, thanks to the Kazon rumours about Voyager. Before the end he has seen what quality they are made of and warmly thanks them for their attempts to avert catastrophe. Paris too makes up for any disappointment in his character, by thanking Janeway for all she did for him when it seems this is the last he will see her, though she already knew his true self, though that would be revealed in a few episodes time...

As bold and tragic as the culmination of events seems, once the danger is over there is some hilarity from the fact that Janeway forgot all about the Doc! While everyone else was ordered to flee he was left in sickbay, which is as sad as it is funny as it shows that even now the crew don't quite think of him as an equal. You'd think Kes would have remembered! Production-wise the episode is pleasing since the warhead is designed with the same styles and readouts as DS9. If you watch that series a lot it feels comfortingly familiar, and I especially like the idea Torres has of pitting the old Cardassian part of its programming against her newer Maquis 'personality'. I wouldn't have said Levar Burton's direction was noticeable as I forgot all about the fact that Geordi was behind this production, but it's a nice link whenever a Trek actor directs. One of the most interesting throwaway concepts of this story are the prospect of other Alpha Quadrant ships arriving in the Delta Quadrant, the same way as Voyager. It would later be proved that the ship, along with the Maquis vessel it was sent to find, and now Dreadnought, did not suffer this predicament alone...

***