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When the crew beams aboard a
deactivated robot, Torres works night and day to revive the
mysterious mechanical being. After exploring many dead ends, the
Chief Engineer finally finds an appropriate power source and is
delighted when the sentient artificial lifeform is reactivated.
The robot introduces itself as
Automated Personnel Unit 3947, one of a nearly extinct line of
workers created by the Pralor, a species of humanoids who no
longer exist. It asks Torres to build a prototype power module
for the construction of additional units, but Janeway points out
that this would be a violation of the Prime Directive. However,
the unit won't take no for an answer; when they return 3947 to
its vessel, it renders Torres unconscious and takes her to the
Pralor ship, where others of its kind are waiting.
To Janeway's dismay, the crew is unable to penetrate a subspace
defense shield that goes up around the Pralor vessel, and
Torres' combadge is deactivated by the robots. When Voyager
fires on the alien ship, the robots respond by launching a
violent attack that threatens to destroy the starship. To halt
the assault, Torres finally agrees to build the desired
prototype.
While the Voyager crew plots to rescue her, Torres learns that
the robots have been unable to produce their own prototype
because each power module has an individual energy code. She
sets out to design a standardized module that can power any
unit.
Another ship approaches, manned by similar robots. The second
alien vessel begins firing on the first. Completing her work,
Torres finds out that the builders of these robots, the Cravics,
used the machines to fight their war against the Pralor
builders. All of the warring robots were programmed for victory,
and when the Pralor and Cravic humanoids decided to call a
truce, the robots terminated them and continued their battle.
The new prototype that Torres has created will allow the Pralor
robots to win their war against the Cravic robots. Horrified,
Torres destroys the prototype, and the crew is able to beam her
away from the Pralor ship, leaving the robots to continue their
war.
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