2. Initiations

To commemorate the anniversary of his father's death, Commander Chakotay (Robert Beltran) takes a shuttlecraft to perform the pakra ceremony. Inadvertently straying into Kazon -Ogla space, he is attacked by a young Kazon, Kar (Aron Eisenberg), on his first mission. Chakotay destroys Kar's vessel, then beams him aboard.

Captured by a Kazon vessel soon thereafter, Chakotay learns from Kar that Kazon earn their titles through conquest or death, and he has robbed Kar of that opportunity by saving him. The vessel's commander Razik (Patrick Kilpatrick) speaks with Chakotay, explaining his disservice to Kar and that the young Kazon is scheduled for execution. When later presented with a weapon to kill Kar as a lesson to other Kazon youth, Chakotay holds Razik hostage in exchange for his shuttle. Kar, seeing no future or opportunities with the Ogla, flees with Chakotay. Unable to elude the Kazon, Chakotay beams himself and Kar to a nearby Class-M moon, a Kazon training ground. Kar, having eschewed an opportunity to kill Chakotay in his sleep, later explains how he has no options open to him and admits that Chakotay may be his only friend now.

Meanwhile, having tracked the shuttle's probable course, Captain Janeway (Kate Mulgrew), Lieutenant Tuvok (Tim Russ), and Kes (Jennifer Lien) proceed to the moon's surface to rescue Chakotay. On the moon, they meet up with Razik and his men who offer to lead the away team to Chakotay. When Chakotay and Kar detect their approach, Chakotay offers to help Kar earn his name by becoming his prisoner. Coordinating with Voyager to prepare for resuscitation, Chakotay tells Kar to shoot him; Kar instead shoots Razik, earning his Ogla name of Jal Karden and promoting Razik's second-in-command, Haliz (Tim de Zarn). The Ogla allow the Voyager crew to leave, with Karden's promise that he will kill Chakotay if they meet again. Later, when performing his pakra ceremony aboard Voyager, Chakotay prays to his father to watch over Karden.