Kim rescues a group of people under attack, who then offer him a chance to captain their ship back to their homeworld. But Kim is about to find that keeping order isn’t as easy as it looks.

It’s good to see the writers of the show addressing the fact that Kim is still an ensign after seven years, although his assertion that if they were back home he’d be a lieutenant by now makes you wonder why being in the Delta Quadrant makes a difference. Tuvok’s been promoted. Paris has been demoted then promoted again. What’s Kim ever done?

Anyway, once again Garrett Wang gives good value as Kim, making you regret the fact that he’s so often sidelined. His command problems, although hardly original story-wise in Star Trek, are nicely dealt with, with the writers resisting the temptation to put Seven in charge and merely using her to dispense advice to the ensign. The revelation that the people he’s taking home aren’t what they appear is nothing new either, but there’d have to be something like this or there’d be no final act surprise. It’s debatable whether Kim makes the right choice in the end, but his command abilities are rather good once he gets used to it.

The sub-plot this episode features Icheb, who believes that B’Elanna has fallen in love with him and wishes to pursue a relationship. He looks a little old to be having this kind of crisis, and sweet though it is in places, it’s rather inexpertly dealt with and I’d started to credit Icheb with more intelligence than he shows here. Still, at least there is a sub-plot, unlike many Voyager episodes which have badly needed one. Overall, then, a fairly inoffensive piece of Trek that doesn’t offer anything particularly new but certainly comes off rather well.

***

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