Star Trek: Janeway Brings up Bashir, Chakotay, and the Temporal Prime Directive in New Log

Star Trek has revealed a new log record by Vice Adm. Janeway following the events of Star Trek: Prodigy, “Supernova, Part 2.” The log makes mention of Dr. Julian Bashir from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Janeway’s former first officer Chakotay, and the Temporal Prime Directive. (SPOILERS for the episode follow). Janeway (voiced by Kate Mulgrew) records the log about a week after the Protostar crew arrives on Earth. In the season finale, Janeway is seen fighting for their place in Starfleet, eventually getting Starfleet to agree to have her oversee their training as non-commissioned warrant officers:

“A new day dawns. It’s been hardly a week in San Francisco and the young crew of the Protostar have already settled into a bold new era of possibilities. Their heroism in the face of astonishing odds has moved even the sternest admirals at Starfleet Command. Though they could not enroll in the Academy, I have faith that time spent training in a non-commissioned role will serve them well… especially if they still hope to apply one day.”

Dal, Bashir, and Augments

Janeway had to fight especially hard for Dal, who also has his origin as a discarded eugenics experiment working against him: “The exception made for Dal has widened the rights of augments left ambiguous by Bashir v. Starfleet Medical. Times are changing, it seems, especially as we open our minds to the young and the new perspectives they bring.”

The “Bashir” in Bashir v. Starfleet Medical is Dr. Julian Bashir from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, whose parents had his genetics modified as a child. He kept this a secret from Starfleet and when it came to light his father chose to take the fall and face incarceration to allow Julian to continue his service to Starfleet. That’s probably why the decision in the case is considered “ambious.” This is only one aspect of Star Trek’s current interest in the rights of augments.

Chakotay and the Temporal Prime Directive

Star Trek: Prodigy revealed that Chakotay is still alive but stranded on the Solum of the future, where the Diviner and the Vindicator hail from: “But the case of Chakotay remains unanswered. The rift created by the Protostar’s detonation – and the alternate future awaiting us on the other side—have been classified by Starfleet under the Temporal Prime Directive. But that doesn’t mean I’ve given up. We will find you Chakotay.”

The Temporal Prime Directive compels Starfleet officers to maintain the timeline and not reveal knowledge of the future to anyone from the past. It seems Starfleet believes a mission to rescue Chakotay risks violating that mandate, which means that Janeway may be due for a run-in with the Department of Temporal Investigations.

Star Trek: Prodigy streams on Paramount+. Its first 10 episode are now available on Blu-ray and DVD.