Plot summary
Relations between Neelix and Lt. Tom Paris fall to a new low when they have a fight in the mess hall over Kes. Captain Janeway calls them to her ready room for an assignment. Janeway cautions them to put their differences aside. Voyager ' s food supplies are low, and scans of a nearby planet have detected proteins. Due to Neelix's role as chef, and Paris's position as the ship's most experienced pilot, they are sent to the planet, which they call "Planet Hell", to scout for edible material. On their way to the planet, their shuttle crashes because of environmental interference.
The planet is coated in a poisonous trigemic vapor that forces Paris and Neelix to seek shelter. They find a cave and blast the rock to cover the entrance, assuming that they will be rescued before long. They discover a nest of eggs, and as one hatches, they debate what to do, with Paris wanting to leave the hatchling and Neelix believing that they have a responsibility to care for it. Voyager is attacked by an alien ship, which places itself between Voyager and the planet in an attempt to block access to the surface.
Paris and Neelix discuss their argument over Kes. Paris confesses that he is attracted to her but that he respects her choice to be with Neelix. The two care for the creature, but before long it appears to be dying. It will not eat their rations, but they surmise that the vapor outside must be the source of the protein they saw in their scans, but the stone they blasted in front of the entrance has prevented the hatchling from feeding. Once they bring the creature outside and force-feed the vapors to it by a medicine dropper, the creature recovers.
Paris and Neelix are overjoyed, though they exhibit symptoms from the trigemic poisons. Voyager disables the weapons aboard the enemy ship and moves into the planet's atmosphere to rescue Neelix and Tom. They refuse to be transported off until they are sure that the creature will survive. They hide and beam away only when an adult of the creature's species collects the infant.
Back aboard Voyager, Kes, who is glad to see Neelix's return, observes that Paris and Neelix have formed a friendship based on respect.
Credits
Adapted from Wikipedia contributors, Parturition (Star Trek: Voyager). Paragraphs and formatting adjusted; illustrations, reference markers, block quotations and non-story material omitted.