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Synopsis

Part 1

We immediately learn about Suder who’s taken up a hobby of orchid breeding in his long-term brig cell, and Tuvok leads him in meditation. Suder wants to give back to the ship in some way, and can suggest some changes to the hydroponics bay if Janeway gives him permission. On the bridge, there’s a Kazon distress signal. It’s Seska, and she says Kullah found out about Chakotay’s baby and is pissed. Janeway consoles Chakotay and assures him that Voyager stands behind his decision about whether or not to save his baby. On a vision quest, Chakotay speaks to his father who implores him to rescue his child.

At the Doctor’s suggestion, they equip Voyager’s exterior with holo-emitters to fool the Kazon ships for an anticipated trap. On route they intercept a solo, injured Kazon in a ship and transport him to sickbay. He reveals Seska is dead and that the child is on another planet, which Voyager makes an immediate course change. The senior officers meet with the Kazon and learn that htere is a defence net where they are headed and that the Kazon will attack unprovoked. Janeway meets with Suder and Tuvok after the conclusion of the meeting and she’s suspicious of any serious help Suder can provide, but she says she’ll give it a chance.

When they arrive at their destination, they are immediately attacked. The holo-emitted ships prove to be effective, even though they accidentally beam the Doctor out into space at some point. Paris takes a shuttle to rendezvous with some Talaxian colony that can maybe help them. When Voyager loses its ability to go back into warp, the battle is lost and the ship is taken. Seska takes over the ship – turns out it was a trap the whole time! They drop the entire crew onto an M-Class planet, except for Suder, who manages to avoid detection.

Part 2

The episode begins right where the crew left off, and they are tasked immediately with basic survival requirements. Neelix and Hogan come across some bones in front of a cave, and when Neelix leaves him behind, something takes Hogan into the cave forcefully. When strategizing around a fire, Kes goes exploring and, along with Neelix, are attacked by the planet’s sentient inhabitants. Chakotay rescues them, which results in them being chased and entering a similar (or the same) cave which took Hogan. When the crew comes to their rescue, they escape the cave, but a volcano erupts! One of the planet’s denizens becomes trapped on a rock surrounded by magma, but Chakotay saves them. In return, one of their own provides a medicinal herb to Ensign Wildman’s child, and her fever is reduced.

Back on the ship, the EMH informs Seska her child is actually half-Kazon, and isn’t Chakotay’s at all. The EMH reunites with Suder and they make a plan to take back the ship together, which unfortunately might involve Suder killing once again. He’s nearly overcome it since Tuvok has been helping him with meditation, though. They decide they need to get weapons, and Suder will have to be a necessary evil.

After two short scenes of Paris destroying a single Kazon raider and another of him making contact with the Talaxian colony, he contacts the ship and tells the Doctor to work the phaser relays in Paris’ favour when he arrives. Suder, on the other hand, is in no state to work, having fought through so many Kazon, and Seska detects his presence on the ship. She interrogates the Doctor, who fools her into believing him. However, when we next find Suder, he discovers the Doctor has been deactivated.

Suder takes Engineering, killing off many Kazon, and Paris and the Talaxians attack the ship, taking it shortly after. Seska loses her baby when Kullah escapes, and Seska dies on screen.

Voyager is saved, and the crew is rescued from the planet. Tuvok gives Suder a Vulcan prayer and they set their course for the alpha quadrant.

Thoughts

Excellent! Exciting! Wow! Those were my honest impressions watching the two-parter once again.

The “survival” scenes were certainly novel for Trek, as far as I can remember. One continuity error I have to be concerned with were the lack of universal translators among the crew – that must mean they all speak English. It certainly made sense that they couldn’t communicate with the planet’s denizens, but, how could Neelix speak to Tuvok, too?

I also wish that the Talaxian colony plot device wasn’t used here, and that a solution was found with established characters. I suppose after seeing Detmer take down the Veridian with Book’s shuttle in Discovery, I just have higher expectations.

I much preferred when the episode took on a more ensemble approach in the latter end, rather than being Chakotay focused at the front. Perhaps it was remembering the twist about the baby being Kullah’s and not Chakotay’s which made the episode less impactful for me. I had forgotten all about the space-bound holo-emitters, but then remembered immediately how cool the holographic ships were. I appreciated Suder’s past with Seska coming into play, as well.

A wonderfully dramatic conclusion to a great season and equally enthusiastic beginning to another promising one.

This was originally posted on Feb 23, 2021. Transported to neocities on Mar 25, 2026.