One Small Step ( episode ) " Voyager " finds an ancient spacecraft – the derelict of one of Humanity ' s first manned missions to Mars . Summary . Teaser . October 19 , 2032 , the Sol system . One of Human ity ' s early missions to Mars is in progress . The command module , designated " Ares IV " , controlled by one Lieutenant John Kelly , orbits Mars while two astronaut s , Rose Kumagawa and Andrei Novakovich , explore the surface . They discuss the mission with Kelly as well as banter with him about baseball , specifically the World Series . Suddenly the " Ares IV " is buffeted . It appears to be turbulence , though 21st century science says turbulence in space is not possible . Kelly checks his LIDAR and sees that something very large , seemingly having appeared from nowhere , is coming towards the " Ares IV " . Kumagawa suggests that it may be a solar flare . One look out the forward window , however , freezes Kelly ' s face in complete shock . It is orange , enormous , football - shaped and blazes brilliantly . It is no solar flare . Stardate 53292 . 7 . continues homeward - bound . Commander Chakotay is off - duty in his quarters , relaxing with a hot beverage and a printed book . Act One . The doorbell chimes . He bids the visitor enter . Instead , the bell chimes again . He again invites the visitor to enter . A third chime . Annoyed , he shouts the invitation . Finally , he gets up and checks the corridor . Empty . The bell chimes again , indicating a malfunction . He re - enters his quarters and hails the bridge through his combadge , but instead gets the transporter room . He tries again and gets the mess hall . Then more and more voices get on the line , until it is an incomprehensible cacophony . He decides to go to engineering and check what is going on . But the door begins to open and close repeatedly . He has to carefully time it and jump through to get outside . Very annoyed , he heads for engineering . Arriving , he finds Seven of Nine working at a console . He knows instantly that she is responsible for the malfunctions , and demands to know what she is doing . As per her usual manner , she is making modifications to the computer core that she believes will increase its efficiency , without first obtaining clearance from chief engineer Torres . As Chakotay again remonstrates with her about following protocol , the ship is shaken . Ensign Harry Kim calls all senior staff to the bridge . He and Seven go immediately . Their arrival is preceded by that of a very annoyed Captain Kathryn Janeway , who warns Kim that at 0200 hours , this had better be important . What Kim shows her qualifies instantly : level - nine gravimetric distortion s closing on " Voyager " , emanating from subspace . At Janeway ' s order , he puts it on the viewscreen . It is an enormous , orange , football - shaped object , very much like the one John Kelly encountered in 2032 . Janeway orders deflector shield s raised . At the helm , Ensign Tom Paris reports that whatever it is is heading right for them . At Janeway ' s order , he tries to dodge . However , the thing actually follows them . He cannot shake it at impulse , and the subspace disturbance it is creating makes warp impossible . Seven , watching the phenomenon , remembers it from her days as a Borg drone as Spatial Anomaly 521 . To ditch it , she advises , they have to cut power and reverse shield polarity . Janeway orders it done ; it works – the thing flies over them and moves away , much to their relief . Janeway then recognizes it as well . Federation science calls it a graviton ellipse , known for suddenly appearing out of subspace , enveloping whatever is in the vicinity or whatever attracts it , then going back into subspace . Chakotay stands up from his chair and recalls the " Ares IV " and its loss to such a phenomenon . This is why it appeared to Kelly to have come from nowhere ; it came from subspace , which was still unknown to the science of Kelly ' s day . Chakotay suggests studying it , and Janeway agrees . A probe is sent out to penetrate it . Seven and Lieutenant Commander Tuvok study the data the probe is transmitting back the astrometrics lab . Seven suggests a strategy that the Borg had come up with to destroy it , using shielding that would protect " Voyager " while the ship went inside it to do so . Tuvok , however , responds that destroying it would be short - sighted . This surprises Seven as she did not think that he , a Vulcan , living by logic , shared the crew ' s penchant for exploration . He responds that exploration is part of the charter of Starfleet , and he " is " a Starfleet officer . Seven insists that exploration in this case is too dangerous . Tuvok patiently responds that they cannot know for certain what they will find . They must make allowance for the unexpected discovery . The computer signals that its analysis of telemetry from the probe is complete . Seven and Tuvok examine the results . They are astounding : over 2 . 8 billion compounds are inside it . However , their next discovery is downright unbelievable : compounds that clearly come from the region of space designated by the Federation as Sector 001 : Earth . The type and amount are consistent with early 21st century Earth spacecraft . Though the odds are astronomical , they have come across the very same graviton ellipse that swallowed the " Ares IV . " Act Two . The senior staff meets in the briefing room to discuss the findings . Except for Seven , the decision is unanimously taken to use the Borg shield enhancements Seven told Tuvok about to equip the " Delta Flyer " to enter the ellipse and try to find any remains of the " Ares IV " . However this must be done quickly ; the ellipse will go back into subspace in the next sixteen hours . It is decided that Chakotay and Ensign Paris will constitute the away team . The meeting is dismissed , and officer s file out . Seven , however , remains behind and voices her objections to Captain Janeway , in effect telling her that Humans too often boldly go where more sensible species know better . Searching for the " Ares IV " seems more sentimental than scientific , not worth the great risk , she opines . Janeway responds that this is not merely about science , but history ; a very important piece of Human spacefaring history . Further , she responds , due to her lifelong existence as a Borg drone , Seven never got the opportunity to learn to appreciate Human history , and this is is essential to her development as a Human . She " encourages " Seven to join the away team . Seven recognizes that the " encouragement " is a diplomatically stated order , much to her dismay . In the astrometrics lab , Chakotay and Paris review the NASA historical record of the " Ares IV " mission and discuss how easy space exploration has become with the advances that were developed since then , such as warp drive , deflector shields and transporters . They listen to Lt . Kelly ' s last transmission before he and the module were swallowed by the ellipse , admiring his calm and dedication as he took readings even as he knew his life was about to end . Seven joins them and reluctantly informs them that she will be going with them . She has done the necessary shield modifications to the " Delta Flyer " . The two officers welcome her to the team , albeit noting her lack of enthusiasm . After a visit to the sickbay for a physical before the mission , Seven joins Chakotay and Paris aboard the " Flyer " and they depart . To her consternation , even The Doctor , a hologram , is enthusiastic about the mission , recalling his first away mission on Arakis Prime . The Doctor gives her his holo - imager to take pictures for him . The " Flyer " approaches the ellipse . " Voyager " follows , approaching to within 2 , 000 kilometers , monitoring the ellipse and the " Flyer " as the smaller vessel enters and makes its way to the core . Act Three . On reaching the core , Chakotay describes the environment to Captain Janeway and the bridge officers , who hang on his every word . It is as the eye of a hurricane : very calm , with none of the gravimetric distortions that exist around it . EM activity creates a natural luminescence , which Ensign Paris refers to as " " mood lighting . " " There are asteroid fragments and vessel debris from every quadrant in the galaxy . There is even matter that appears to be extra - dimensional . Even Seven admits that she is intrigued . The ellipse changes direction , causing a gravimetric surge that hits " Voyager " , making her shudder . Reminded that they have limited time to find what they seek , Janeway instructs the team to get to it . Paris programs the sensors for a detailed search , but informs Chakotay that it will take a few hours to fully execute . He and Chakotay , to Seven ' s annoyance , decide to pass the time by collecting and analyzing some of the debris they have found . Seven , despite her earlier intrigue , wants only to carry out the mission and leave . Time passes . Paris monitors the search while Chakotay examines the debris in the cargo bay . Seven , despite her disapproval , resigns herself to the fact that she has no choice but to go along , and assists Chakotay . Then Paris calls them to the cockpit ; the " Ares IV " has been located . To the amazement of all , including Seven , its hull is almost intact . However this raises the problem what to do with it , as it is certainly far too large be stored in the cargo bay . Chakotay decides that they will use a tractor beam to tow it . The ellipse changes direction again . On " Voyager " s bridge , Ensign Kim reports the change . Captain Janeway wonders if something unseen is causing these changes . Lieutenant B ' Elanna Torres suggests that it it being attracted to dark matter , which sensor s do not normally detect . Janeway orders the sensors re - adjusted to look . Torres is proven correct ; a dark matter asteroid is detected . But , she reports with alarm , it is is on a direct collision course with the ellipse . The two will collide in the next four minutes , and that would likely be extremely rough for anything inside the ellipse . Janeway immediately hail s the " Flyer " , informs them and orders them to leave at once . Chakotay however insists that his team continue with retrieving the Ares IV . After the com ends , he orders Paris to deploy the tractor beam anyway . Paris is thunderstruck and Seven is furious . Chakotay sternly repeats the order . Paris , with great trepidation , obeys . The " Flyer " , with the " Ares IV " in tow , begins a slow crawl up to the surface . The ellipse and the asteroid begin to accelerate toward each other . Janeway informs them that they have less than one minute . Seven harshly informs Chakotay that , at their rate of speed , they will exit in forty seconds . The time runs down : thirty seconds . . . twenty seconds . They near the surface . They do not make it . The collision occurs , sending violent shock wave s throughout the ellipse . Because of its location just under the surface , the " Flyer " gets hit squarely . The tractor beam breaks and both the " Flyer " and the " Ares IV " go tumbling back to the core . Contact with " Voyager " is lost . A plasma discharge hits Chakotay ' s console , entering his body through contact with his hands . His body glows electric blue before convulsing out of his chair . He lands on the floor , unconscious . Paris gets him onto a bed in the aft section . His face is badly burned . Seven enters and asks about his condition , with a very baleful look at him . Paris informs her : severe concussion and internal injuries . He needs to be returned to " Voyager " immediately . Seven ' s response makes it clear that that will not be happening . Not only are the engines non - functional , but the ellipse has begun to show signs of soon returning to subspace . They have less than two hours . Act Four . Chakotay awakens as Paris and Seven work on repairs . " " It feels like I just went ten rounds with an Andorian . . . " " , Chakotay says . He tries to sit up but his injuries make the effort agonizing . Paris , as " Voyager " s official medical assistant as well as her flight controller , is effectively the team ' s medical officer , and uses this authority to order Chakotay to lie down and stay still . Concerned about the " Ares IV " , Chakotay asks about it . Paris informs him that it is close by . But any notion of salvage is out of the question , as they have no working engines or deflector shields , let alone tractor beam capability , and hull integrity is close to being compromised . Chakotay , uncomfortable with lying invalid and unable to help , insists on trying to rise . Paris has none of it , again orders him to lie still , and leaves to go and reinforce hull integrity . Alone with Chakotay , Seven continues to work , not looking at him . Her body language shows that she is outraged at his actions . Chakotay gingerly offers suggestions as to what to do to fix what , but her sharp - toned responses rebuff him . This annoys him greatly ; justifiably angry or not , she is still under his command . He orders her to give him a situation report . She whirls on him and provides one , with a raised voice and a furious glare : the captain ordered them to leave the ellipse , but he chose to disobey . His obsession with the " Ares IV " now has them trapped along with it . Chakotay cuts her off , quietly but sternly , and admits his error in judgment . A hail then comes through from " Voyager " , static - marred but audible . Chakotay informs Janeway of their situation . An emergency meeting takes place in " Voyager " s briefing room to devise a plan to rescue the away team , with the team itself joining the meeting over the com . Ideas are proposed and rejected . Modify a shuttle and go in and get them ? The ellipse will go into subspace long before the modifications are finished . Tractor beam ? It cannot penetrate to the core . Lieutenant Torres considers . The chief engineer has much experience in handling engineering problems with outside - the - box solutions , a skill which has has served " Voyager " well on more than one occasion . This time is no exception . The problem with the " Flyer " that prevents it from moving on its own power is that the conduits of its plasma manifold are fused . This is beyond repair , and creation of a new one , which could easily be done on " Voyager " , is beyond the power of the ship ' s replicator . But what about the " Ares IV " s engines ? They used a similar system , the main difference being that , since it is from a time before Human discovery of warp drive , the manifold was made to channel a different energy source from warp plasma , namely ion s . It is called an ion distributor . Could it not be modified to channel warp plasma ? Seven rejects the idea , stating that even if it were possible , the manifold would have to be obtained first . But the other team members and the senior staff heartily agree that it is worth a try . Paris volunteers to go to the " Ares IV " and retrieve it , but Janeway orders him to stay on the " Flyer " , lest another gravimetric surge hits , in which case his piloting skills will be needed at the helm . Instead , Janeway once again " encourages " Seven to " volunteer " . Seven again recognizes the diplomatically - stated order , and cooperates with the Captain . Using the still - operational thrusters , Paris gets the " Flyer " close enough to the " Ares IV " so that the latter is within transporter range . Seven dons an environmental suit in preparation to beam over . From the bed , Chakotay voices his envy , telling her she is going to do what he has always dreamed of : touch history . Seven could not care less and scoffs that history is irrelevant , to Chakotay ' s horrified amazement . But instead of arguing , he earnestly asks her to download whatever she can from the " Ares IV " s database . Seven promises to try , despite her continued lack of enthusiasm . She beams over . The wreck ' s interior is dark and cold . Advised to do so by Chakotay and Paris over the com , she heads for the cockpit . Shining a light around , she is unnerved to find the desiccated remains of Lt . John Kelly , still in the pilot ' s seat . She finds the computer core and attaches a portable power pack , bringing it online . Upon doing this , she , Chakotay and Paris are amazed to hear Kelly ' s voice begin to speak . Seven has inadvertently accessed his log entries , preserved after all these centuries . Seven watches him speaking on a monitor . The log clearly was made after the ellipse swallowed the " Ares IV " . He had not been killed on impact as history states , Chakotay notes with amazement . The three listen to him voicing his determined decision to try to escape . Act Five . Kelly goes about his duties , weightless in the trapped " Ares IV " . With a headset microphone on , he records his log . He can see no star s , he notes . EM interference is disrupting communications and LIDAR . He wonders as to his current location , noting that if the anomaly is moving as fast as it was when it took him , he could be very far from Mars . He has had the imager working constantly , cataloging the matter he has discovered is trapped with the " Ares IV " . But , of course , as much of it is extraterrestrial in origin , it defies 21st century science analysis . Then he hears a scraping noise against the hull . He goes to a window , and is thunderstruck to see what are clearly the remains of an alien vessel . Seven works at extracting the ion distributor while she listens as Kelly ' s image speaks from the monitor . He has prepared the ion drive and channeled all fuel reserves for an attempt to escape , an attempt he will only be able to make once . His courage and determination are evident . He looks at a photograph of himself and his wife Jeannie for a long moment , puts it back in its place , and makes the attempt . It fails . Seven finds the picture , looks at it , then casts a long look at Kelly ' s remains . . . and reverently puts the photo back . Paris hails , and Seven pauses the playback to speak to him . The manifold , she tells him , is fused to the hull . Paris warns her to hurry ; the ellipse will go into subspace in the next 15 minutes . She acknowledges and returns to work . But not before resuming playback . Kelly sits in his seat , fully aware he is going to die . Oxygen is running low . He is weak and groggy . The cockpit is dark as power is almost exhausted . But he makes his final log entry , voicing absolutely no regret about what has happened . On the contrary , his words are just the opposite . Seven , Chakotay and Paris listen to this last entry . Tears are in Chakotay ' s eyes . Paris swallows a lump in his throat . Kelly states with conviction that what he has seen proves that space exploration is not a waste , that Humanity was right to try to explore space . He now knows that Humanity is not alone in the universe . His one regret , he finishes , is that he never found out who won the World Series . Seven ' s opinion has completely changed . She has been utterly moved , moved by Kelly ' s courage and determination , and his unflinching dedication , even as he waited for certain death . She listens as he logs his last act : taking the dwindling life support offline so that power can be routed to the imagers for as long as possible , to record whatever the " Ares IV " encounters after he dies . He makes a final request , to whoever finds the logs : that they be put to good use . Listening with visible emotion , Seven completes the extraction , then pulls out a tricorder and rapidly enters commands to download the logs and database into it . While she waits , she gazes at the remains , no longer disturbed , but awed by them . The download completes . She removes her combadge and attaches it to the remains , contacts the " Flyer " and tells Paris to lock on to both her bio - signs and her combadge . Paris does so and beams both her and the remains back to the " Flyer " . Once aboard , Seven rushes with the manifold to the cockpit , where Paris hurriedly installs it . They get it to work , albeit with fluctuating power . Paris takes the helm and lays in a course out of the ellipse . On " Voyager " , Captain Janeway and the bridge officers watch the viewscreen tensely as the ellipse seems to start to melt , the sign that it is beginning its return to subspace . The officer at operations reports the " Flyer " s location : 2 , 000 meter s under the surface and rapidly closing the distance . Janeway orders Lt . Torres at the helm to bring " Voyager " as close as they can to the ellipse , to try for a tractor beam lock . " Voyager " goes dangerously close . Tuvok succeeds in getting a tractor beam locked onto the " Flyer " , which has by now made it just beneath the ellipse ' s surface . Janeway immediately orders full reverse . " Voyager " struggles against the pull of the ellipse , then she pulls away from it , the " Flyer " in tow , as the ellipse vanishes back into subspace . On the " Flyer " , Seven shares a look of palpable relief with Paris , before gazing down at her tricorder , holding it like a priceless treasure . Once they have safely returned , the crew engages in a solemn ceremony . In full dress uniform , the senior staff gathers round Kelly ' s remains , which have been put into a photon torpedo casing draped in a Starfleet Command flag . In sickbay , both The Doctor and Chakotay listen attentively , The Doctor standing at attention . Janeway speaks of space , of how it connects all worlds , of Humanity ' s first steps into it with astronauts like Lt . John Kelly , and how those initial steps finally led to Humanity becoming a full - fledged spacefaring people . She formally commends Kelly ' s spirit and bravery . But before she gives the final order to commend his remains to the space he helped his people reach , Seven interrupts , requesting to speak . Janeway grants the request . Gazing down at the casing , Seven reverently thanks Kelly for his contribution to Humanity ' s future , and , in some ways , her own . Then she leans in close and , voice breaking , symbolically responds to his dying regret by whispering the result of the 2032 World Series : the Yankees , in six games . She had looked it up just for that purpose . Paris is the only one to hear , and smiles . Janeway nods to Tuvok , at whose order they snap to attention . An honor guard takes the casing to be loaded into a torpedo tube as a crewmember blows a boatswain ' s whistle . The casing is ceremoniously launched into space . Memorable quotes . " " When the risks outweigh the potential gain , exploration is illogical . " " " " We can ' t predict what we might find here , Seven . One must allow for the unexpected discovery . " " " " History is irrelevant . " " " " One small step for a hologram , one giant leap for mankind . " " " " To coin a phrase . " " " " Clearly , " Voyager " is not yet ready for assimilation . " " " " That ' s all she wrote . . . " " " " Kelly and Kumagawa . Armstrong and Glenn . They were the real pioneers . " " " " I thought " I " was the Mars buff ! " " " " We ' re not leaving without that module ! " " " " Feels like I just went ten rounds with an Andorian . . . " " " " Ironic . You ' re doing what I ' ve always dreamt of . " " " " Space , literally it means " nothing , " a vacuum between stars and planets , but by the same token it means " everything . " It ' s what connects all our worlds , Vulcan , Qo ' noS , Talax , Earth . Centuries ago mankind sent its first wave of explorers into that void , astronauts like Mr . Kelly . They paved the way for the first colonies , the first starships for those of us who ' ve made space our home . We commend the spirit and the bravery of Lieutenant John Mark Kelly as we commit his body to space . He will not be forgotten . " " " " I did not know this individual . Had I encountered him while I was a Borg I would have found his technology unworthy of assimilation , but we are more alike than one might think . In a sense , his desire to explore was not unlike a quest for perfection . His contribution helped secure Humanity ' s future and in some ways my own . " " " " Do you remember what you wanted to be before you were assimilated ? " " " " I was assimilated when I was a child . " " " " I knew I wanted to be a paleontologist when I was six . " " " " ( Embarrassed ) . . . A ballerina . " " " " Maybe it ' s not too late . " " " " It was a juvenile fantasy . " " " " Those are the ones that stick with you . " " " " The Yankees . In six games . " " Links and references . References . algorithm ; alloy ; Andorian ; Arakis Prime ; " Ares IV " ; Arkinson ; ; assimilation ; azimuth ; ballet ; bingo ; biosignature ; ; Borg algorithm ; Borg Collective ; boxing ; Class 2 shuttle ; command sequencer ; computer core ; concussion ; corrosion ; dark matter asteroid ; debris ; " Delta Flyer " ; ; Earth ; electromagnetic energy ; electromagnetic radiation ; EM interference ; evasive maneuvers ; Federation ; field generator ; ; gravimetric distortion ; gravimetric disturbance ; gravimetric force ; gravimetric interference ; gravimetric radiation ; gravimetric shear ; graviton ellipse ; Houston ; honor guard ; International Space Agency ; ion distributor ; ion drive ; ion modulator ; iron oxide ; Jonah ; kilometer ; lava ; level 9 gravimetric distortion ; logic ; London Kings ; LIDAR ; magnesium ; magnesite ; Maquis ; Mars ; metallic lifeform ; meter ; metric ton ; microbe ; Milky Way Galaxy ; " Mir " ; multispectral analysis ; NASA ; neutrino cloud ; New York Yankees ; Nozawa ; obelisk ; paleontology ; periodic table ; phaser coupling ; pioneer ; plasma manifold ; polarity ; polymer ; power coupling ; pulsar ; Qo ' noS ; replicator ; shield polarity ; Shroud of Kahless ; solar flare ; Spatial Anomaly 521 ; spatial disturbance ; statistics ; subspace ; subspace energy ; Talax ; terajoule ; teraquad ; titanium ; tractor beam ; trans - spectral imager ; UFO ; Vulcan ( planet ) ; warp field ; whale ; ; World Series ; yellow alert ISA Member Nations . 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