Blink of an Eye (Star Trek: Voyager)

"Blink of an Eye"
Star Trek: Voyager episode
Voyager is shown trapped, hovering in orbit around a planet’s magnetic field.
Episode no.	Season 6 Episode 12
Directed by	Gabrielle Beaumont
Written by	Scott Miller and Joe Menosky (teleplay) Michael Taylor (story)
Production code	233
Original air date	January 19, 2000
Guest stars
Melik Malkasian as Shaman Walter H. McCready as Tribal Alien Obi Ndefo as Protector Olaf Pooley as Cleric Daniel Zacapa as Astronomer Jon Cellini as Technician Daniel Dae Kim as Gotana-Retz Kat Sawyer-Young as Tureena
Episode chronology
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List of Star Trek: Voyager episodes

This article is about the Star Trek: Voyager episode. For the similar Star Trek: The Original Series episode, see Wink of an Eye.

"Blink of an Eye" is the 12th episode from the sixth season of Star Trek: Voyager, 132nd episode overall. This episode, well regarded among fans, is believed to have been inspired by the 1980 novel Dragon's Egg.

It follows the crew's interaction with a world where time passes rapidly, allowing them to witness most of its inhabitant's history.

Plot

The starship Voyager approaches an alien world which exhibits unique properties. It is discovered that the planet is enveloped in a tachyon field, giving it an odd temporal nature. The crew of Voyager becomes fascinated by the strange world, and in an effort to learn more about it, Captain Kathryn Janeway orders the ship to move closer. However, Voyager is trapped in orbit by a magnetic field from which they cannot escape.

As the crew concocts an escape plan, Seven of Nine surveys the strange planet and discovers that Voyager's presence is causing occasional quakes on the planet. Further scans reveal that time passes at a much more rapid rate on the planet and is inhabited by a primitive humanoid race.

As hours on Voyager pass, centuries pass on the planet below and its humanoid inhabitants reach a level of technology similar to the 20th century. As the crew discusses the unusually rapid technological progress of the species, a radio message is broadcast at Voyager. Tom Paris wants to reply, but Janeway counters that the species has still not developed warp technology and so a reply would be a violation of the Prime Directive. Instead, Janeway suggests a covert one-man mission to the planet.

As he would not be affected by the change in the passage of time, the Doctor volunteers for the mission. Upon returning he reports that Voyager, simply by its presence, has encouraged the culture to advance as the humanoids attempt to contact the "sky-ship." While some strive to establish peaceful contact others are developing increasingly powerful weaponry in an attempt to shoot down Voyager.

Meanwhile the species below develops technology sophisticated enough to send astronauts on a manned mission to make contact with the sky-ship. A capsule is launched and succeeds in docking with Voyager. Its two astronauts begin to explore the ship but fall unconscious from the stress of adjusting to the different time-line and are taken to sickbay. One dies but the other, Gotana-Retz, is successfully treated whilst Voyager is hit by a bombardment of antimatter artillery.

Janeway urges Gotana-Retz to return to the planet and convince them to cease the attack. Gotana-Retz does so just before Voyager's shields collapse. As the crew sigh in relief, two immense starships appear alongside Voyager, and using tractor beams, tow the vessel to safety. Gotana-Retz briefly transports to Voyager, and Janeway thanks him and his people.

On the surface, an elderly Gotana-Retz, long returned from his experience in space, gazes wistfully into the sky as his people's beloved Sky Ship vanishes from the heavens.

External links

• Blink of an Eye at the Internet Movie Database
• "Blink of an Eye" at TV.com
• Blink of an Eye at Memory Alpha (a Star Trek wiki)
• Blink of an Eye at StarTrek.com