The Disease - S5-E17
Question: Why would Kim be in trouble for being in a relationship with Derran Tal? In many episodes of other Star Trek series, Starfleet officers have been in relationships with species of other planets but are never reprimanded for it.
Answer: Voyager is in a completely unknown region of space and they have little contact with or knowledge of other alien species and their cultures, potentially leading to deadly conflicts. There were particular diplomatic concerns with the Varro race because they were extremely xenophobic. Janeway ordered the crew to have minimal personal contact with them as a safety precaution, which Harry Kim inevitably ignored.
raywest ★