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Voyager Pitch: "Do No Harm"

Story by Jamahl Epsicokhan
Pitched to Bryan Fuller on 3/10/2000

Note: The actual pitch was in verbal format and did NOT follow this basic outline word-for-word.

While on a medical mission of mercy on a violent, war-torn world, the Doctor is forced to fire a phaser and kill someone to protect a fellow crew member when a violent situation suddenly breaks out.

The killing leaves Doc disturbed, as it directly contradicts his Hippocratic Oath programming. It's the first time he has taken a life, and he isn't sure how to deal with it. He has a number of discussions with crew members on their own personal experiences with violence, which hits a number of nerves with those who have experienced violence in their lives, particularly Torres and Chakotay in the Maquis days. Doc finds himself working through a number of violent/war holodeck programs to attempt to understand/relive the visceral impacts of violence.

Bryan's comments: He thought the central dilemma was too similar to "Latent Image." He also didn't think Doc would be as naive concerning death and violence as this story would require him to be.

My thoughts: This was the premise that I never completely knew what to do with. I liked the idea of Doc being forced into killing and then not knowing how to deal with it, but beyond that I had basically nothing. I figured I'd pitch it anyway since I had nothing to lose. But I also agree that the central Doc-programming issue was too similar to "Latent Image."

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