Stardate 43929.9: After fruitless years of searching for the Federation starship Protostar, the Diviner – last of the Vau N’Akat species – uses his own genetic material to create his progeny, a new Vau N’Akat to take up the search in case his frail condition prevents him from finding the ship…
Stardate not given: The Protostar’s proto-drive doesn’t just leave the Diviner behind, it leaves him behind to the tune of 4,000 light years in mere seconds. After that unlikely thrust – something that Jankom Pog can’t even bring himself to believe – the proto-drive shuts down and goes inoperative, and the hologram of Captain Janeway, who knew nothing of the drive’s existence, can’t help bring it back online. At this point, Pog, Rok-Tahk and Zero insist to Dal that their best bet for safety is to contact the Federation. Upset that his simply saying “no” to this proposition isn’t putting an end to the discussion, Dal’s discovery of the holodeck, and a Starfleet simulation called the Kobayashi Maru test, seems fortuitous. Surely he can ace this test and prove his worthiness as leader to the Protostar’s new crew. With the best of the best of Starfleet’s past backing him up, how hard could it be?
written by Aaron J. Waltke
directed by Alan Wan
music by Nami Melamud
Star Trek: Prodigy main theme by Michael Giacchino
Cast: Brett Gray (Dal R’El), Ella Purnell (Gwyn), Jason Mantzoukas (Jankom Pog), Angus Imrie (Zero), Rylee Alazraqui (Rok-Tahk), Dee Bradley Baker (Murf / Klingon 2 / Gentleman Caller), Jimmi Simpson (Drednok), John Noble (Diviner), Kate Mulgrew (Hologram Janeway), Robert Beltran (Captain Chakotay), Rene Auberjonois (Odo), James Doohan (Scotty), Nichelle Nichols (Uhura), Leonard Nimoy (Spock), David Ruprecht (Kobayashi Maru Captain), Bonnie Gordon (Ship Computer), Gates McFadden (Dr. Beverly Crusher), Brook Chalmers (Klingon 1)
Notes: The flashback to the Diviner’s decision to create Gwyn is noted as having happened 17 years ago; the stardate for the flashback places it between the Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes Sarek and Menage a Troi, making it seem likely that whether intentionally or not, the Protostar time traveled from a period of time after Star Trek: Voyager‘s series finale into its own past, before the Protostar was actually built. Dedicated to the memories of Leonard Nimoy, James Doohan, and Rene Auberjonois, this episode uses dialogue from prior Star Trek episodes and movies featuring those characters (and Uhura) to revive those characters in holographic form. The only new dialogue recorded for this episode by a past Trek character appears to have been performed by Gates McFadden as Dr. Beverly Crusher. The Kobayashi Maru test originated in Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan (1982), but has been referenced heavily in other movies such as the 2009 Star Trek film and as recently as the season opener of Star Trek: Discovery‘s fourth season.
LogBook entry by Earl Green