“Drive” is episode three of season seven of Star Trek: Voyager.
Tom and Harry are putting the new Delta Flyer through its paces in an asteroid thicket (that might seem odd, given that the new Delta Flyer had already been used in the previous episode, “Imperfection”, but this episode was originally intended to be shown before that). Another ship comes alongside and scans them. Tom hails it and a woman comments on the Flyer‘s specs and says it must be fast. She challenges them to a race to a comet on the other side of the asteroid field. Harry doesn’t want to race; Tom does.
The other ship hits something on the way out of the asteroids. Harry notices something is wrong and they beam the pilot to the Flyer. Harry said this was a bad idea. The other pilot, Irina, asks if that means he’s afraid to try again. He isn’t. Harry says they have a spare for her damaged part on Voyager; they were about to head back, weren’t they?
B’Elanna is negotiating with the Doctor for three hours of holodeck time, the last bit she needs for her romantic getaway with Tom. The Doctor wants to play golf, but B’Elanna manipulates him into giving them up. The Doctor suggests he join them, as the new program has a golf course. B’Elanna doesn’t think that would add to the mood.
In the shuttle bay, Harry is helping Irina. She was on her way to meet her co-pilot. Tom comes down; he likes her impulse drive – Irina designed it herself – but the warp drive is rudimentary. Irina thinks warp is fine for going fast in a straight line, but that’s physics, not flying. For what she’s here for, warp isn’t a factor; the course is only 2 billion km long. Tom asks what kind of course.
Tom and Harry tell Captain Janeway, Tuvok and Chakotay about the Antarian Trans-stellar Rally. Tom wants to take part; they’ll need to modify the Delta Flyer to fit the race’s guidelines. Until recently, the area was a war zone, with four races fighting for control. Now, they are racing instead. Tom and Harry are selling the idea to the captain, who agrees easily enough it surprises both Tom and Tuvok. The captain thinks it’s a good opportunity to make friends and for the crew to have some R&R. However, if they’re in it, they’re in it to win it.
Tom passes sickbay as a golfball comes out the door. He enters and talks to the Doctor. The Doctor is talking about the romantic getaway; Tom about the race. When the Doctor realises they are talking on cross purposes, the Doctor asks Tom if he forgot what B’Elanna was arranging. He did. Tom wants the Doctor to monitor his bio-signs; there may be a medical emergency in engineering in five minutes. Tom tells B’Elanna and says he will back out. She tells him to go through with the race. And agrees with his comment that he doesn’t deserve her.
B’Elanna enters the mess hall, which is empty, bar Neelix, who comes over to her. She explains about the race. No, Tom doesn’t know how much planning it took for the holodeck getaway, and Neelix won’t tell him either. She wants Tom to be happy. B’Elanna thinks that she and Tom don’t belong together. She still loves him, but maybe love isn’t enough. Neelix thinks it is. B’Elanna thinks she and Tom are a bad match. They had fun together, which seems to be enough for him, but not for her. She won’t tell Tom until after the race.
The Antarian Ambassador, O’Zaal, meets with the captain and Chakotay in the captain’s ready room. The Flyer is fine to enter. Tuvok contacts them; there’s an incoming transmission for the ambassador. It seems one of the species is taking offence to another hosting the post-race ceremony. O’Zaal explains that the peace is very fragile and every decision is considered significant. The captain offers Voyager as neutral ground for the ceremonies. As they weren’t involved, there’s no favouritism. The first meeting is held in the mess hall. Harry seems to have taken a liking to Irina. However, her co-pilot has arrived and Tom comments they seem close.
B’Elanna arrives in astrometrics, where Seven is plotting an efficient course for the race. She decided it’s important for the crew’s morale and her relationship with Tom Paris. Professional relationship; he can be an erratic individual, though he is a competent officer and a skilled pilot. Embracing some of his interests and supporting his personal goals mean they function more effectively as crewmates. Which ends up with B’Elanna taking Harry’s role as co-pilot; they can still spend the weekend together.
It seems not everyone is that happy with the peace, though, and Tom and B’Elanna end up talking through their personal issues in the middle of the race.