“One Small Step…” is episode eight of season six of Star Trek: Voyager.
The episode opens on October 19th, 2032, in Mars orbit. The occupant of a command module orbiting the planet, Ares IV, is talking to astronauts on the surface when the capsule shakes. Turbulence, given his altitude, is unlikely. Some sort of large object is closing in on his position.
Chakotay is in his quarters on Voyager when the door goes. It keeps sounding even when he asks them to come in. Checking, there’s no-one outside. He tries contacting the bridge, but gets transporter room 2. Then ends up with Neelix. Then a whole host of voices. The door doesn’t work properly either, but he jumps through.
Chakotay arrives in engineering where Seven if Nine is working on the computer core. She’s added Borg enhancements. He tells her it’s wreaking havoc on the secondary systems. Minor malfunctions; she will correct them. Chakotay doesn’t recall authorising this. The core is inefficient; it needed improving. Despite explaining the benefits to B’Elanna several times, B’Elanna chose to ignore them. Seven thinks a demonstration will be more persuasive. Chakotay doubts this one will help. Then there’s an unrelated shipwide power drain and Harry summons senior officers to the bridge.
There are gravimetric distortions then something exits subspace. The thing the man in the Mars command module saw. Tom says it’s following them; they can’t outrun on impulse and it’s disrupting the warp field. Seven recognises the phenomenon. It’s attracted to objects that emit electromagnetic energy. She advises them on what to do and the object passes.
Captain Janeway recognises it; a graviton ellipse. Chakotay also recognises it; Ares IV encountered one and the command module, and commander, were engulfed. Tom remembers reading about it; two astronauts were stranded on the surface for weeks. Given the period, they were lucky that they were rescued at all. Chakotay says no-one has got this close to one and lived to tell the tale. It’s an opportunity to investigate. They launch a probe.
Seven and Tuvok are reading the probe’s data in astrometrics. Seven suggests destroying the object; the Borg were working on ways to do so. Tuvok suggests studying it. Seven didn’t think he shared the rest of the crew’s penchant for exploration. Tuvok states he is a Starfleet officer. Analysis of the ellipse’s core reveals many different things. Including several alloys native to Sector 001. Dating back to the early 21st century. Used in the space programme. Consistent with the Ares IV capsule.
At a meeting of the senior staff, Tuvok states that Ares IV‘s encounter with the ellipse was humanity’s first encounter with a spatial anomaly. The shield enhancements the Borg were developing could be used to get inside and find the command module. The Delta Flyer could be modified and time is limited before the ellipse returns to subspace. After the meeting, Seven queries the captain on going into the ellipse. This seems more sentimental than scientific. The captain agrees. But if knowledge was the only thing Starfleet was after, they would have built probes, not starships. Janeway explains the principles to Seven and suggests she volunteers to join the mission.
In astrometrics, Tom and Chakotay are watching the last transmission from the capsule commander, Lieutenant John Kelly, and are geeking out about Mars and early explorers when Seven arrives. They are ready for launch. Yes, she’s coming; they need someone familiar with Borg technology to monitor the shields. She has volunteered, though not exactly happily. The Doctor has prepared an injection for Seven. She’s surprised to find the rest of the crew envy her. And the Doctor wants her to take pictures.
The Delta Flyer makes it through to the centre of the ellipse. There are asteroid fragments and pieces of vessels from all over the place. Even some extradimensional matter. There are traces of Ares IV, but isolating it is difficult. They manage to find the command module, and it’s surprisingly intact. Chakotay wants to tow it back.
Chakotay gets a little obsessed with the idea of taking the command module back to Voyager, and makes a poor decision as a result. Seven of Nine spends a lot of the time puzzled over everyone’s reactions to history and Ares IV. By the end of the episode, she does get it.