While in orbit of an unknown planet in search for gallicite,
Ensign Vorik suddenly proposes marriage to Torres, just after they studied a mining facility in
which their is large quantity of gallicite. Vorik gets hostile and even tries to mate with her,
but B'Elanna forcibly rejects him by knocking him out.
Upon the Doctor's examination, Vorik is suffering from a sympton known as pon farr, the
Vulcan mating season. But there is an added danger as he is also suffering from a chemical
imbalance within his brain, the reason for his hostile actions towards Torres, and if not cured,
he could die.
Meanwhile, an expedition team consisting of Neelix, Torres and Paris make their plans to
gather gallicites, which could be used to harness the warp core. While they investigate the
planet they also discover ruins of a lost civilization. While making their way down the cliff of
a dangerous mining shaft, Neelix's safety equipment malfunctions and falls to the ground,
knocking out B'Elanna in the process. B'Elanna acts hostile toward Neelix for being foolish and
runs off after biting Paris on the face.
While Paris contacts regarding the recent accident and Torre's condition, Tuvok instinctively
interrogate Vorik, who is having a difficult time controlling the pon farr. Vorik explains that
he momentarily initiated a telepathic bond with the lieutenant and now she is carrying the pon
farr symptoms. Tuvok and Chakotay lead an away team to bring B'Elanna back to the ship, before
her condition worsens.
While Tuvok and Chakotay look for B'Elanna, they are successful but at a price. They meet new
aliens that can disguise themselves from intruders after their civilization was lost. The planet
is unstable and the three once again lose B'Elanna, but this time with Paris. The aliens
interrogate Chakotay and Tuvok and ask about their starship, medical technology and scientific
technology.
Meanwhile in the caves, B'Elanna's pon farr worsens as she is hungry to mate and they almost
do except that Paris soon rejects her, like she rejected Vorik. But soon, with the aliens help,
Chakotay and Tuvok soon find Paris and B'Elanna. But when they try to beam back to the ship, the
communication systems fail, and they have no choice but to let Paris and B'Elanna mate. While
they are, Ensign Vorik attacks Paris and calmly inform that she is his mate. Soon he asks for a
fight over Paris, the usual custom for Vulcan's when their mate is taken. B'Elanna soon fights
for her life and all their pon farr is purged.
Soon Voyager helps the aliens to conceal their planet better from outsiders, as the gallicite
was responsible for their detection. Chakotay also finds a mutated body of a Borg, the
explanation of the destruction of the planet.
