Workforce (Star Trek: Voyager)

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.

Plot

Part I

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 finally decided to give up its attempts to return to the Alpha Quadrant (and Earth).

After checking in with the plant supervisor and being shown to her station, Janeway befriends a man named Jaffen (who intervenes when she inadvertently misconfigures her console and sets off an alarm) and soon runs afoul of Annika Hansen, the plant's new "efficiency monitor," who seems an incredibly difficult person to please. Tuvok, a fellow employee, approaches Janeway in apparent confusion, but none of the three recognize each other. Tuvok acts and claims they don't belong there, which attracts the attention of a doctor and mystifies Janeway and Jaffen – but now, something is clearly amiss.

A prominent doctor diagnoses Tuvok with "dysphoria syndrome" and begins treatment, and 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, manages to get himself fired, even though there is a labor 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 in charge, attempting (with his usual irritability) to effect repairs on the damaged ship, while contending with a damaged and uncooperative computer system. The ECH explains the situation: the ship was damaged by a floating mine, which turned out to be a ruse so unknown parties can 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 her and she is transported to Voyager (where the Doctor can easily reverse the mental conditioning), Chakotay is unable to escape but avoids capture.

Part II

With Neelix's help, Torres begins to remember her life as a starship engineer. On the planet, Chakotay (who has managed to escape capture thus far) approaches Janeway, but is unable to overcome her skepticism.

A young doctor begins to become suspicious of so many people of the same species have the apparently rare "dysphoria syndrome," and almost all of them got jobs at the energy plant, all began working at the same time, and none of them have any previous file references. After gentle inquiries result in an official "hands-off" warning from the local law enforcement, the doctor approaches Annika Hansen, who is initially sceptical, but begins taking Tuvok's rants seriously.

What the Efficiency Monitor discovers breaks the spell: the workers at the plant were diagnosed with dysphoria syndrome (and treated with mind-altering drugs), specifically so they could be placed in the plant to alleviate a labor shortage. Examining the files of the plant's newest "employees," she discovers they are all Voyager officers and crew, and begins to launch a deeper investigation.

Meanwhile, Chakotay, Kim and the Doctor discover the planet's own government is unaware of the kidnappings. Working with the planet's doctor, Annika unmasks the conspiracy and frees Voyager's crew, and the planetary government pledges to end the forced-labor practices begun by plant staff.

References

External links

• "Workforce, Part I" at the Internet Movie Database
• "Workforce, Part II" at the Internet Movie Database
• "Workforce, Part I" at TV.com
• "Workforce, Part II" at TV.com
• Workforce, Part I at Memory Alpha (a Star Trek wiki)
• Workforce, Part II at Memory Alpha (a Star Trek wiki)
• Workforce, Part I at StarTrek.com
• Workforce, Part II at StarTrek.com