Introduction

Workforce is a two-part episode from the seventh and final season of the TV series Star Trek: Voyager.

Part one was directed by Allan Kroeker, and part two by Roxann Dawson.

The crew of the USS Voyager finds themselves working on a planet, but troubling memories are resurfacing.

Outline

On an alien planet, Kathryn Janeway happily shows up for her first day of work at an energy plant, eager to take up her new position. None of the other Voyager crew members are visible, and it appears Voyager has abandoned its attempts to return to the Alpha Quadrant and Earth.

After being shown to her work station, Janeway meets a man named Jaffen, who intervenes when Janeway inadvertently misconfigures her console and sets off an alarm. They soon run afoul of Annika Hansen (Seven of Nine), the plant’s stern new “efficiency monitor”. Tuvok, a fellow employee, approaches Janeway in apparent confusion, though neither Janeway, Tuvok, or Seven of Nine recognise one another. Tuvok’s claims that they do not belong there, attracts the attention of a doctor and mystifies Janeway and Jaffen.

A doctor diagnoses Tuvok with “dysphoria syndrome” and begins treatment. Tuvok shows signs which on previous occasions, he has recalled his time on Voyager and attempts several more times to alert the others.

Tom Paris, who was employed at the plant with Janeway and Tuvok, is fired despite there being a labour shortage. He takes a job at a bar, and befriends B’Elanna Torres, a pregnant woman who also works at the energy plant.

Meanwhile, Chakotay, Neelix, and Harry Kim return to Voyager from a short mission away to find the ship empty and the Emergency Command Hologram (the Doctor) is in command and attempting to make repairs on the damaged ship, while contending with a damaged and uncooperative computer system. The ECH explains that the ship was damaged by a floating mine, which was a ruse allowing unknown parties to abduct the crew.

Chakotay has himself surgically altered to resemble the planet’s native race, and beams down to the planet, masquerading as “Amal Kotay.” After following Torres for several minutes, he assists Neelix in abducting and transporting her to Voyager (where the Doctor reverses the mental conditioning), Chakotay is unable to escape but avoids capture.

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Production & Filming Details

• Director(s): Allan Kroeker.
• Writer(s): Kenneth Biller and Bryan Fuller.
• Release Date: 21 February 2001.
• Running Time: 45 minutes.
• Country: US.
• Language: English.