Force of Nature (TNG episode)
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"Force of Nature" is the title of a Star Trek: The Next Generation episode. It first aired on November 11, 1993.
The USS Enterprise-D is sent to the Hekaras Corridor, a warp corridor near Hekara which is the only save path through the sector, to investigate the disappearance of the medical ship U.S.S. Fleming. In the process they find a Ferengi ship, which is badly disabled. The Ferengi daimon contends a Federation buoy disabled his ship.
The Enterprise crew learns a Hekaran brother and sister, Rabal and Serova, are responsible for disabling the ships. These siblings contend sustained warp drive is destroying the fabric of space near their homeworld, and will destroy their planet. Data investigates their research, and finds it is correct. Picard is asked to summon the Science Council for a more thorough investigation.
This is seen as stalling by Serova, however, and in order to prove her theory she causes a warp breach with her ship, killing herself in the process. Space is indeed damaged, and the Enterprise sees the Fleming trapped in damaged space. After evacuating the Fleming the Enterprise manages to escape. The Federation Council issues a new directive limiting all Federation vessels to a speed of warp five, except in extreme emergency.
In subsequent episodes of TNG, the warp 5 speed limit was often disregarded for emergency missions. It is later established that the design of variable-geometry warp engines, such as those on Intrepid-class starships (e.g. USS Voyager), made this speed restriction obsolete for Starfleet vessels.