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For other uses, see Caretaker.

A new legend is born…"Caretaker" was the first episode of Star Trek: Voyager, a feature length episode of the show's first season that was later re-aired as two parts, first aired on 16 January 1995. The episode story was written by Rick BermanMA, Michael PillerMA and Jeri Taylor, directed by Winrich KolbeMA and novelized in by L.A. Graf for Pocket Books. At the helm of Starfleet's newest starship, the USS Voyager, Captain Kathryn Janeway sets out on a mission to rescue a crewmember—unaware of just how far her journey will eventually take her.

Description[]

More than any other television show, more than any other motion picture series, Star Trek has for nearly thirty years been the most popular space adventure of all time. Now Star Trek: Voyager joins Star Trek, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine as the newest star in the ever expanding Star Trek universe.
Pocket Books is proud to present the novelization of "Caretaker", the premier episode of Star Trek: Voyager. This is the story of Kathryn Janeway and the crew of the starship Voyager. Transported by the alien technology to the other side of the galaxy, years away from the Federation and everything they call home, their voyage back home will be a fantastic odyssey that will take them through uncharted space; into dangers as they travel where no one has gone before…

Summary[]

VoyagerBeschutzer

USS Voyager.

A rebel Maquis vessel commanded by former Starfleet officer Chakotay disappears in the plasma storms of the Badlands. Also aboard the Val Jean is the Vulcan, Tuvok, who is the chief of security aboard the USS Voyager, who is currently on an undercover spying mission. Voyager's commander, Captain Kathryn Janeway, recruits cashiered Starfleet officer, Thomas Eugene Paris - a former Maquis member who served under Chakotay - from the New Zealand Penal Settlement to help her track down Chakotay, and Voyager soon departs to the Badlands from Deep Space 9.

Once Voyager reaches the Badlands, the starship becomes caught in an unusual displacement wave and is flung over 70,000 light years into the Delta Quadrant, suffering major damage and numerous casualties in the process. As the crew struggle to get Voyager back up and running they discover that they are adrift near an Array. The Array is sending energy pulses to a nearby star system, but before the crew can investigate further they are all transported over to the Array.

Ocampa vicinity3

Bodies in Ocampa's vicinity.

The crew are transported into a facsimile of a farm from Earth. As they begin to investigate their surroundings, Tom Paris and Ensign Harry Kim discover the Maquis crew unconscious and connected to unknown machines in a barn. Before Captain Janeway can take action, her entire crew are rendered unconscious and also connected up to the machines.

Almost three days later, both crews awaken on their own ships, though two crewmembers are still missing: Kim and the engineer from the Val Jean, B'Elanna Torres. Chakotay uneasily agrees to cooperate with Janeway in the search for their missing crew members and accompanies Janeway back to the Array, where they encounter an elderly man playing a banjo. The man reveals that he is the alien being who drew their ships into the Delta Quadrant. He tells them that time is running out and that he must continue looking for something, but before Janeway and Chakotay can press for more information they are transported back to Voyager.

VoyagerOchrance

USS Voyager.

Meanwhile, Kim and Torres awake to find themselves in a medical facility under the care of a race known as the Ocampans. Both Kim and Torres are ill and have many unusual skin growths on their bodies. They discover that they are in a subterranean city with no escape to the surface. All of the Ocampans needs are catered for by the Caretaker, who lives on the Array. It is also revealed that many others have been sent to the Ocampans with the same symptoms as Kim and Torres, but no cure was found and they died.

VoyCrewBeschutzer

USS Voyager personnel.

Back on Voyager, Janeway reasons that the energy pulses from the Array are being sent to the fifth planet of the nearby star system. En route to the planet, Voyager enters a debris field and finds the Talaxian trader Neelix at the center of the field, aboard his shuttlecraft, the Baxial. Neelix offers to act as a guide for their journey to the fifth planet.

References[]

Characters[]

Episode characters[]

AdahAyalaBroikBrooksCaretakerJoseph CareyAaron CavitChakotayDagginThe DoctorAman EvekLaurie FitzgeraldFitzpatrick (Crewman)GolwatJabinKathryn JanewayMark JohnsonKesHarry KimLagrenMornNeelixKashimuro NozawaTom ParisMichael ParsonsQuarkRilRollinsVeronica StadiT'Prena (aka T'Ral) • B'Elanna TorresToscatTuvok
Referenced only
Julian BashirOwen ParisHans Zakarian

Novelization characters[]

CaretakerJoseph CareyAaron CavitChakotayDagginThe DoctorAman EvekLaurie FitzgeraldJabinKathryn JanewayMark JohnsonKesHarry KimNeelixOdoTom ParisQuarkRollinsShenziVeronica StadiT'PrenaB'Elanna TorresToscatTuvok
Referenced only
CrisaMornOwen ParisHans Zakarian

Locations[]

Alpha QuadrantAucklandBadlandsBajor systemCaretaker's ArrayDeep Space 9Delta QuadrantEarthOpsNew ZealandNew Zealand Penal SettlementOcampaQuark's Bar
Referenced only
AlcatrazBajorBajoran wormholeCaldik PrimeMoriyaSan FranciscoSan Francisco BayTerikof BeltVolnar colony

Starships and vehicles[]

BaxialUSS Voyager (Intrepid-class) • Val Jean (Condor-class) • Vetar (Galor-class) • Predator-classType-6 shuttlecraft
Referenced only
USS Al-BataniUSS Kingston

Races and cultures[]

BetazoidCardassianFerengiHologramHumanKazonKlingonLurianNaceneOcampaTalaxianVulcan
Referenced only
Tellarite

States and organizations[]

Auckland ControlCardassian Fourth OrderCardassian GuardCardassian UnionKazon CollectiveKazon-OglaMaquisStarfleetUnited Federation of Planets
Referenced only
Federation CouncilStarfleet Academy

Other references[]

anatomybeamingbootcaptain's logcaptain's log, USS Voyager, 2371clothingcoordinatesdiplomacyFederation membersgovernmenthomeworldhourhumanoidjumpsuitlanguagelifeformlog entrylogicmattermemorynation-stateorbitpantsplanetpopulationquadrantraces and culturesradiationrankspacestarstar systemstardateStarfleet uniformStarfleet uniform (2366-2373)technologytitleuniformuniversewarweaponangla'bosqueArias expeditionAUbio-neural circuitryBolian tomato soupThe Cherry Orchardclarinetclass Mcompression phaser riflecormalinecorndisplacement waveEmergency Medical HologramG-type stargravitonKoladan diamondLatinoleklemonadeLobi crystalmedical tricorderMollynucleogenic particlephaserplasma stormracquetballscience officersickbaysporacystian lifeformtetryontomato souptrianolinetricobalt warheadtricorder • "The Warming" • warp corewatercaptain's log, USS Voyager

Chronology[]

years prior to 2371
The Maquis and Cardassians become bitter enemies. (prior to episode)
stardate 48315.6, 2371 (2370s chronology, Voyager's journey)
Voyager travels to the Badlands.

Appendices[]

Related media[]

Background[]

  • Pathways has Tom and B'Elanna meet prior to stardate 48315.6, which is inconsistent with their unfamiliarity with each other in the novelization.
  • Janeway meets The Doctor in "Relativity", mere hours before this story, which is inconsistent with her seeming unfamiliarity with him in the novelization.

Notable cast and crew[]

Images[]

Novelization images[]

Episode images[]

Connections[]

published order
Previous novel:
first in series
Voyager numbered novels Next novel:
The Escape
Previous novel:
first in series
Voyager novelizations Next novel:
Flashback
Previous episode:
first episode
Voyager episode produced Next episode:
Parallax
Previous episode:
first episode
Voyager episode aired Next episode:
Parallax
chronological order
Previous Adventure:
The Badlands, Part III
Pocket Next Adventure:
Pathways
Chapter 8 Section 19; 12 Section 12; and 6 Section 14
Previous Adventure:
The Badlands, Part III
Journey of the USS Voyager Next Adventure:
Pathways
Chapter 8 Section 19; 12 Section 12; and 6 Section 14


Translations[]
1995
German : Der Beschützer, translated by Andreas Brandhorst. (Heyne)
1999
French : Le Protecteur, translated by Ivan Steenhout. (Ada)
2000
Japanese : 惑星管理者, translated by Tomoko Yamaguchi. (Kadokawa Sneaker Bunko)

External links[]

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