Plot summary
Voyager is trying to help a planet bombarded by deadly asteroids, but vaporising the asteroids proves to be impossible. A local astrophysicist, Dr Vatm, contacts Voyager and starts to explain that the asteroids are artificial, but his connection is cut short.
Tuvok and Neelix are assigned to look for Dr Vatm, but due to turbulence, their shuttle crash-lands on the planet. After Dr Vatm and a miner called Hanjuan find them, they discuss how to contact Voyager. Neelix sees a maglev space elevator in the distance and suggests it as a way out. He and Tuvok repair it and they all begin to ascend, but numerous problems ensue. When Dr Vatm dies unexpectedly, Neelix and Tuvok must identify the murderer.
On Voyager, the crew discovers that the asteroids are being sent by the Etanian Order, who intend to create a natural disaster to force the planet's inhabitants to leave so that they can colonise it. On the elevator, Tuvok and Neelix discover that a traitor called Sklar had been hiding a data pad with tactical information about an alien ship. After they and the remaining survivors are rescued, the Voyager crew forces the attacking Etanians into retreat using that information.
During this episode Neelix confronts Tuvok about his supercilious attitude, and the two reach a better understanding.
Credits
Adapted from Wikipedia contributors, Rise (Star Trek: Voyager). Paragraphs and formatting adjusted; illustrations, reference markers, block quotations and non-story material omitted.