KEY CHARACTER PROFILES: B'ELANNA TORRES

What's this? A forehead with slightly fewer bumps than your average Klingon? The make-up department must have been having a particularly imaginative day. But then Voyager's chief engineer is not just your average Klingon. She's half-human. Which in Star Trek means her alien brows are marginally less ruffled than usual, lots of angst 'n' identity plot lines, and much gnashing of k'chat - sorry, teeth.

B'Elanna Torres - played by Roxann Biggs - is Voyager's feisty chief engineer. Torres was on board the Maquis ship that was swept into the Delta Quadrant shortly before Voyager. Janeway controversially appointed B'Elanna chief engineer over her superior officer Lieutenant Carey, the captain gambling on Torres' gift for original thinking to help get the ship back to Earth.

Born on the Federation colony Kessik IV, B'Elanna's human father left the Torres home when she was five. She and her mother then went to live on the Klingon homeworld, and she has subsequently blamed her violent temper on her Klingon roots. Wouldn't you?

Torres suffered from a discipline problem while at Starfleet Academy and not even being a member of the prize-wining decathlon team could persuade her to stay. She instead became a member of the Maquis, serving under Chakotay, to whom she still displays an instinctive loyalty. Torres has remained a vital part of Voyager, although she still wrestles with both her Maquis perspective on Starfleet, and the legacy of her Klingon heritage.

Perhaps the answer to Torres' quest to resolve the two alien facets of her personality will lie in her love life; she is a perfect romantic foil for bad boy smoothie Tom Paris. They've even tried to kiss each other while floating about the stars wearing those stylish space helmets you find on board Voyager, which must be some indication of true human/Klingon commitment.

As for Torres' popularity among Trek fans, the jury is still out. Some argue the character is further evidence of Voyager's derivativeness, claiming the crew make up a series of addled Trek stereotypes: a Vulcan (except he's black); a bendy alien for comic relief (except he's not funny); and a Klingon (except she's female, half human, and - oh yes - an engineer; they've never done that before). Of course, this could all be a little too cynical.

Roxann Biggs has brought an indisputable gutsiness and flair to the part of B'Elanna, and the character has a hundred times more depth than your standard Klingon cameo on Deep Space Nine. Being the ship's engineer, Torres could well be in line for a commendation when Voyager gets home. If they ever get over the fact that she's an undisciplined academy dropout, ex-Maquis member with an ex-con boyfriend...and a questionable 24th century barnet.

Key Torres episodes: Caretaker, Faces, Blood Fever, Day of Honor.