2.22 basics (part 1)

An automated beacon brings a message from Seska – Maj Cullough has discovered that her baby is Chakotay’s, and her life – and the life of the baby – is in immediate danger. Chakotay doesn’t want to get involved this time, but Janeway insists that he take some time to think about it. He consults the spirit of his father, who reminds him that even when white conquerors raped and impregnated women from their tribe, the  babies were always accepted – and the current situation is similar – the baby must come first. So Voyager heads in pursuit of the Kazon beacon. First, they meet a shuttle bearing a very injured former aide of Seska, who says that Seska is dead and that the baby has been taken deep into the heart of the Kazon empire to be raised as a servant. The aide guides Voyager on a safe route to the baby, but Kazon factions keep attacking – and they always target the same area of the ship – the secondary command processor – which they destroy. It’s becoming obvious that it is a trap – even more so when Voyager is surrounded and attacked by 8 Kazon ships, and the aide, who is a walking bomb masquerading as having a blood disease (polysythemia) blows up. The Kazon board and take over the ship, and Maj Cullough, and a very healthy Seska and baby – strand the crew of Voyager on a planet with nothing except the uniforms on their back. Their only hopes: Paris may or may not have escaped in a shuttle to make contact with a Talaxian mining colony that had offered to help; the doctor hid and has now emerged, undetected, and Suter (he who was cured of his violent tendencies by a meld with Tuvok) was let loose from his secure quarters when the Kazon aide exploded. Wow – great episode that involves the entire crew.