"Force of Nature" is a seventh season episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, first broadcast on November 15, 1993. It is episode #161, production #709, written by Naren Shankar and directed by Robert Lederman. The title as it appeared in most episodes opening credits. ... November 15 is the 319th day of the year (320th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 46 days remaining. ... 1993 is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ...

Guest cast is Margaret Reed, Lee Arenberg and Michael Corbett. Lee Arenberg is an actor. ...

Quick Overview: A pair of scientists show that warp drives are harming the fabric of space. The Enterprise-D goes into warp. ...

The USS Enterprise-D is sent to the Hekaras Corridor, a warp corridor near Hekara which is the only safe 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. Ferengi on Star Trek: The Next Generation Ferengi can mean:- (Also spelled Feringhee and similar), an Arabic name for European traders, or for Westeners in general. ...

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. The Enterprise-D goes into warp. ...

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. USS Voyager can refer to: The motorboat USS Voyager (SP-361) that served in the United States Navy from 1917 to 1919 and in the United States Coast Guard from 1919 to c. ...