STAR TREK: VOYAGER: HEROES AND DEMONS (TV)
Summary
One in this series of programs about the outer space adventures of the USS Voyager and its commander, Captain Kathryn Janeway, in the twenty-fourth century. Voyager encounters a protostar with intense photonic activity and decides to investigate. They beam aboard samples of matter from the protostar and Janeway requests that Harry be on hand to assist her and Torres. However, the computer says that Harry is not onboard Voyager, which puzzles the crew. Harry was last seen heading into the holodeck, and Tuvok determines that the holodeck is not functioning properly. He and Chakotay head inside to look for Harry and find out that the program being run is a holonovel based on "Beowulf." They are soon ambushed by one of the holodeck characters, a shieldmaiden named Freya, daughter of Hrothgar. They discover that the holodeck command functions and safeties have been disabled, and they pass themselves off as "kinsmen of Beowulf" in the hopes of locating Harry. She claims that "Beowulf" was slain by the monster Grendel and his body taken away. She takes them to Hrothgar, who allows them to stand watch for Grendel despite the protestations of Unferth. Janeway and Torres detect traces of photonic energy on the holodeck and elsewhere on the ship. This leads them to believe that Harry may have been accidentally converted into energy by the holodeck systems. "Grendel" attacks Tuvok and Chakotay, and they disappear as well. Paris believes that the missing crewmen's patterns may still be on the holodeck in some fashion. In order to investigate the matter further, they decide to send the Doctor into the holodeck, as his holographic matrix cannot be converted into energy. They plan to modify his matrix so that he can be transferred onto the holodeck; in addition they will give him control over his magnetic cohesion, allowing him to pass through objects unharmed. The Doctor is surprised at being chosen for the task, but accepts it nonetheless. While preparing for his "mission," the Doctor speaks to Kes, who believes that he is nervous, since he is performing actions outside of his programming for the first time. The Doctor realizes he's never been outside of sick bay and is unsure of what to expect, but Kes gives him encouragement, believing that this is another step in the Doctor's journey to be treated like a member of the crew. To that end she also asks the Doctor to pick a name for himself. The Doctor is transferred to the holodeck, where he encounters Freya. He introduces himself as "Schweitzer" and is brought to see Hrothgar. Unferth challenges the Doctor, but is defeated when the Doctor deactivates his magnetic cohesion, rendering him impervious to Unferth's sword. Hrothgar's people celebrate "Schweitzer" as their new champion and he dines with Hrothgar. Eventually everyone retires from the hall, except for Freya. They have a talk about how they deal with their fears, and Freya kisses him and invites him to her bed. Before he gets the chance, however, "Grendel" arrives again, apparently in the form of a mass of tendrils composed of light, a massive source of photonic energy. The Doctor is attacked and saved by an emergency transfer out of the holodeck; he is returned to sick bay, still active but missing one of his arms. His arm is restored and Janeway deduces that contact with photonic energy disrupted the Doctor's magnetic cohesion. She and Torres believe that the photonic energy they collected is showing signs of intelligence, and after further testing one of the samples breaks out of containment and leaves the ship, seemingly proving their theory. The sample disappears into what Janeway later determines is a "photonic lattice." The crew manages to determine that the samples of energy taken from the protostar are actually life forms of some sort, and that biological readings inside the photonic lattice indicate the presence of the missing crew members; they were likely taken as retaliation for the "capture" of the samples from the protostar. They plan to have the Doctor return to the holodeck to release the remaining life-form to "Grendel," hoping that it will appease the photonic beings and convince them to return the missing crewmen. Janeway warns him that he must remain solid to hold the life form in its container, thus rendering him vulnerable. The Doctor returns to the holodeck and is greeted warmly by Freya. Unferth arrives and believes the Doctor is "in league" with Grendel, and attacks him. Freya defends him and is mortally wounded, "dying" in his arms. The Doctor follows Unferth and threatens him with Freya's sword, taking the container away from him. "Grendel" arrives again and the Doctor releases the life form, asking that the crewmen be returned. The photonic lattice briefly appears and emits energy, and Tuvok, Chakotay, and Harry are returned to the holodeck unharmed. Janeway and the Doctor discuss his experiences in the holodeck, and she decides to give him a special commendation. The Doctor decides not to adopt the name "Schweitzer," as he now associates it with Freya's death. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: UPN
- DATE: April 24, 1995 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:45:49
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:55022
- GENRE: Drama, fantasy/science fiction
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, fantasy/science fiction
- SERIES RUN: UPN - TV series, 1995-2001
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Jeri Taylor … Executive Producer, Created by
- Rick Berman … Executive Producer, Created by
- Michael Piller … Executive Producer, Created by
- David Livingston … Supervising Producer
- Brannon Braga … Producer
- Merri Howard … Producer
- Peter Lauritson … Producer
- Wendy Neuss … Co-Producer
- Les Landau … Director
- Naren Shankar … Writer
- Gene Roddenberry … Based on "Star Trek" created by
- Dennis McCarthy … Music by
- Jerry Goldsmith … Theme Music by
- Kate Mulgrew … Cast, Captain Kathryn Janeway
- Robert Beltran … Cast, Commander Chakotay
- Roxann Biggs-Dawson (See also: Roxann Dawson) … Cast, Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres
- Jennifer Lien … Cast, Kes
- Robert Duncan McNeil … Cast, Lieutenant Tom Paris
- Ethan Phillips … Cast, Neelix
- Robert Picardo … Cast, The Doctor
- Tim Russ … Cast, Lieutenant Tuvok
- Garrett Wang … Cast, Ensign Harry Kim
- Marjorie Monaghan … Cast, Freya
- Christopher Neame … Cast, Unferth
- Michael Keenan … Cast, Hrothgar
- Majel Barrett … Voice, Computer