|
Neelix is hosting a party to
celebrate First Contact Day, the anniversary of the Vulcans'
arrival on Earth, when Chakotay interrupts with news that
sensors have detected Talaxian lifesigns a few light-years away.
The U.S.S. Voyager follows the readings to an asteroid field, so
Tom Paris, Tuvok and Neelix take the Delta Flyer to track down
the Talaxians. They discover their lifesigns inside a large
asteroid, but then an explosion forces the Flyer to crash-land
on that asteroid.
Neelix regains consciousness to
find a pretty, widowed Talaxian woman named Dexa treating his
injuries. She tells him his friends are safe, and that the
explosion came from miners who are using charges to break apart
asteroids for their mineral resources. Dexa wonders why Neelix
is living with aliens, and keeps him locked behind a forcefield.
Meanwhile on Voyager, the crew is preparing a rescue mission
when Commander Nocona, the leader of the miners, hails them and
explains that a mining operation is in progress. He warns
Captain Janeway to stay out of the field and says his people
will search for the missing crewmembers.
Neelix is visited again by Dexa, this time with Talaxian council
regent Oxilon, who tells him he's free to go. While they're
willing to let Neelix stay awhile, they want his alien friends
to leave as soon as possible, prompting Neelix to take his leave
as well. As Dexa escorts him back to the Delta Flyer, Neelix
learns that 500 Talaxians live inside the asteroid, which they
excavated and developed using technology from their disassembled
ships. Neelix rejoins Paris and Tuvok in the Delta Flyer,
feeling let down that the encounter with his people fell short
of his expectations. As repairs are being completed, an intruder
alert reveals that Brax, Dexa's young son, has snuck on board.
When Neelix takes the boy back to his mother, he finds her and
Oxilon in a confrontation with the miners. Nocona is ordering
the Talaxians to evacuate the asteroid so it can be demolished.
Dexa stands up to him in defense of her home, and he pushes her
aside. In response Brax throws a rock at Nocona, and when the
miners attempt to grab the boy Neelix defends him and gets into
an altercation with the miners. They reach a standoff, so the
miners give the Talaxians three days and leave.
 Oxilon is worried that the fight may have made things worse, but
Dexa suggests it's time to defend themselves rather than run
away. Neelix offers to help out by asking Captain Janeway to
negotiate with the miners, and asks Dexa, Oxilon and Brax to
visit Voyager. Neelix gives Dexa and Brax a tour of the ship,
and while Naomi takes Brax on a holodeck adventure, Neelix and
Dexa have dinner together. He learns that her people — refugees
from the Haakonian takeover of Talax — first settled on a planet
called Phanos where they were restricted to a very small area.
When her husband attempted to farm outside their allowed zone,
he was killed by a government patrol. Then they came to the
asteroid, where they thought they wouldn't be bothered. Neelix
reassures her there's still hope, and the attraction between
them grows.
The next day Janeway leads discussions between Nocona and Oxilon,
but the miners won't compromise except to extend their deadline
for evacuation. After the failed negotiation, Janeway agrees to
ferry the homesteaders and their supplies to the nearest M-class
planet. Concerned for their safety, Neelix asks Tuvok for advice
on how to devise a defense strategy for the Talaxians' new home.
Tuvok proposes that their current home could be defended by a
shield perimeter, but with the miners monitoring the asteroid
they would need competent leadership to defend against a
pre-emptive attack. Tuvok suggests to Neelix that he could be
that leader.
With Janeway's blessing, Neelix takes his own ship to the
asteroid and proposes to the homesteaders a plan to establish a
shield grid, by using their one remaining ship to implant 16
forcefield emitters into the asteroid's surface. The miners will
attack, so Neelix will provide cover from his own ship. Oxilon
protests that people will get hurt, but Neelix counters that
their home is worth defending, and Dexa agrees. As the Talaxians
prepare for the operation, Neelix and Dexa share a passionate
kiss.
 Oxilon pilots the ship that fires the emitters into the
asteroid, and as he gets into position to plant the last one,
the miners intercept and attack. After Neelix retaliates, the
miners start dropping charges to demolish the asteroid. He
manages to neutralize one of their charges, but then the miners
knock out his weapons, so when the next charge is dropped Neelix
attempts to collide with it. But then the Delta Flyer arrives
and obliterates the explosive, saving Neelix's life. Janeway
contacts him and says they just came to help a friend in
distress. The final emitter is planted and Dexa activates the
shield, successfully repelling the miners' attacks.
As Neelix says goodbye to his new friends, Brax asks him to
stay. After returning to Voyager, and especially after realizing
that Naomi is growing up, Neelix finds himself in a dilemma.
When he tries to talk to Janeway about it, she offers him a
chance to serve as Starfleet's permanent ambassador in the Delta
Quadrant. He accepts, and after a touching send-off by the crew,
leaves Voyager for good to join his people, and become a family
with Dexa and Brax. |
