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Thirty Days (Star Trek: Voyager)
Encyclopedia
"Thirty Days" is an episode of Star Trek: Voyager
, the ninth episode of the fifth season. The episode has an average rating of 4.7/5 on the official Star Trek
website (as of August 5, 2007).http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/series/VOY/episode/104085.html
's retelling of a mission on a water world while he is in the brig
.
The episode begins with the Voyager's meeting with a new race that originates from an ocean planet
. They find out that the "planet" is losing mass at an alarming rate, and will be destroyed in 5 years if nothing is changed. The inhabitants believe that something at the center of the planet is responsible for its destruction; however, their best ships cannot reach that depth. Tom Paris
eventually convinces the captain to allow him to take the Delta Flyer into the center of the planet. Paris tells the captain that he often read Jules Verne
's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
when he was a child.
The Delta Flyer's journey is cut short when an undersea animal, similar to an electric eel
, attacks it; however, it is determined that the reason for the planet's loss of mass is the mining of oxygen
from the planet.
When Paris reports back to Captain Janeway, he is told that the planet's government will do nothing about it, and they must stop because of the Prime Directive
. Paris then disobeys the captain's orders and returns to the planet to destroy the oxygen-mining facility. Before he can, Voyager fires a depth charge
at the Delta Flyer, disabling it.
Tom Paris
is then reduced to the rank of Ensign and sentenced to thirty days in the brig for disobeying Captain Janeway
.
described in the later episode "Dark Frontier" where it is described by Janeway as a Borg "transwarp coil".
Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe. Set in the 24th century from the year 2371 through 2378, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet vessel USS Voyager, which becomes stranded in the Delta Quadrant 70,000 light-years from Earth while...
, the ninth episode of the fifth season. The episode has an average rating of 4.7/5 on the official Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
website (as of August 5, 2007).http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/series/VOY/episode/104085.html
Plot
This episode is mainly Tom ParisTom Paris
Thomas Eugene "Tom" Paris, played by Robert Duncan McNeill, is a character in the television series Star Trek: Voyager. Paris serves as the chief helmsman and an auxiliary medic aboard the USS Voyager...
's retelling of a mission on a water world while he is in the brig
Military prison
A military prison is a prison operated by the military. Military prisons are used variously to house prisoners of war, enemy combatants, those whose freedom is deemed a national security risk by the military or national authorities, and members of the military found guilty of a serious crime...
.
The episode begins with the Voyager's meeting with a new race that originates from an ocean planet
Ocean planet
An ocean planet is a hypothetical type of planet whose surface is completely covered with an ocean of water.Planetary objects that form in the outer solar system begin as a comet-like mixture of roughly half water and half rock by mass...
. They find out that the "planet" is losing mass at an alarming rate, and will be destroyed in 5 years if nothing is changed. The inhabitants believe that something at the center of the planet is responsible for its destruction; however, their best ships cannot reach that depth. Tom Paris
Tom Paris
Thomas Eugene "Tom" Paris, played by Robert Duncan McNeill, is a character in the television series Star Trek: Voyager. Paris serves as the chief helmsman and an auxiliary medic aboard the USS Voyager...
eventually convinces the captain to allow him to take the Delta Flyer into the center of the planet. Paris tells the captain that he often read Jules Verne
Jules Verne
Jules Gabriel Verne was a French author who pioneered the science fiction genre. He is best known for his novels Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea , A Journey to the Center of the Earth , and Around the World in Eighty Days...
's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea is a classic science fiction novel by French writer Jules Verne published in 1870. It tells the story of Captain Nemo and his submarine Nautilus as seen from the perspective of Professor Pierre Aronnax...
when he was a child.
The Delta Flyer's journey is cut short when an undersea animal, similar to an electric eel
Electric eel
The electric eel , is an electric fish, and the only species of the genus Electrophorus. It is capable of generating powerful electric shocks, of up to six hundred volts, which it uses for both hunting and self-defense. It is an apex predator in its South American range...
, attacks it; however, it is determined that the reason for the planet's loss of mass is the mining of oxygen
Oxygen
Oxygen is the element with atomic number 8 and represented by the symbol O. Its name derives from the Greek roots ὀξύς and -γενής , because at the time of naming, it was mistakenly thought that all acids required oxygen in their composition...
from the planet.
When Paris reports back to Captain Janeway, he is told that the planet's government will do nothing about it, and they must stop because of the Prime Directive
Prime Directive
In the universe of Star Trek, the Prime Directive, Starfleet's General Order #1, is the most prominent guiding principle of the United Federation of Planets...
. Paris then disobeys the captain's orders and returns to the planet to destroy the oxygen-mining facility. Before he can, Voyager fires a depth charge
Depth charge
A depth charge is an anti-submarine warfare weapon intended to destroy or cripple a target submarine by the shock of exploding near it. Most use explosives and a fuze set to go off at a preselected depth in the ocean. Depth charges can be dropped by either surface ships, patrol aircraft, or from...
at the Delta Flyer, disabling it.
Tom Paris
Tom Paris
Thomas Eugene "Tom" Paris, played by Robert Duncan McNeill, is a character in the television series Star Trek: Voyager. Paris serves as the chief helmsman and an auxiliary medic aboard the USS Voyager...
is then reduced to the rank of Ensign and sentenced to thirty days in the brig for disobeying Captain Janeway
Kathryn Janeway
Kathryn Janeway, played by Kate Mulgrew, is a fictional character in the Star Trek franchise. As the captain of the Starfleet starship USS Voyager, she was the lead character on the television series Star Trek: Voyager, and later, a Starfleet admiral, as seen in the 2002 feature film Star Trek...
.
Original production
In the special features of the Star Trek: Voyager bonus disc it is learned that the original shoot of this episode was wholly the scenes of Tom Paris's adventure on the planet. When test screened the episode lacked the mandatory time length and so the brig scenes of the episode were formulated by Robert Beltran (Commander Chakotay) and added.Sidenote
The Monean scientist's instrument shown in the episode "Thirty Days" is the same propTheatrical property
A theatrical property, commonly referred to as a prop, is an object used on stage by actors to further the plot or story line of a theatrical production. Smaller props are referred to as "hand props". Larger props may also be set decoration, such as a chair or table. The difference between a set...
described in the later episode "Dark Frontier" where it is described by Janeway as a Borg "transwarp coil".