No-one should under-estimate the value of 'Deadlock' since the writers put enough care into it to make it a solid episode. The best parts is where both B'Elannas and Janeways are trying to communicate with their radio and Janeway jumps through and they communicate directly to each other. The Bidiians are awfully smart but they are not smart enough to leave us alone.
The Kazons simply made the ships go fast the same as other races that get there first. I think them and their first maj's are cool studs and they don't think about warp factor.