19. Child's Play

Captain Janeway informs Seven of Nine that the parents of Icheb, one of the children that Seven has been taking care of, have been located and that he is going to have to leave Voyager.

When they near Icheb's home planet, readings indicate a Borg transwarp conduit nearby, and the planet has been attacked by the Borg several times. When Janeway, Seven, Icheb and Tuvok beam to the surface they meet the Brunali, who live in huts. The Brunali explain that they have to keep things frugal or the Borg will detect them and attack the planet again.

After meeting Icheb's parents, Leucon and Yifay, the away team and Icheb's parents return to Voyager and discuss how to make the transition easier. While on board, Leucon explains to Seven that the Borg took Icheb four years ago, when he wandered off to see a new fertilization array. After spending time with his parents, Icheb decides to stay with the Brunali, despite Seven's protests.

As Voyager leaves the planet, Seven begins to research the circumstances of Icheb's assimilation. She discovers that the Borg did not attack the planet four years ago, meaning that Leucon is lying. When Seven gives this information to Janeway, she turns the ship around and heads back to the Brunali planet.

Meanwhile, on the Brunali world, Icheb's parents grab him and inject him with an alien medical device, which renders Icheb unconscious. His parents put him on a shuttle heading for the Borg transwarp conduit.

When Voyager returns to the planet, Seven discovers the shuttle, with Icheb on it, heading for Borg space; Voyager pursues. Seven manages to transport Icheb onto Voyager just as a Borg sphere emerges from the conduit and traps both the shuttle and Voyager in a tractor beam. The crew transports a photon torpedo to the shuttle, which detonates inside the sphere and damages it, allowing Voyager to escape.

After leaving with Icheb, the Doctor determines that Icheb had been genetically engineered with anti-Borg pathogens, suggesting his parents had raised him specifically to infect the Borg (as seen in the earlier episode, " Collective ") and stop the attacks on their planet. Seven begins to help Icheb understand that, as an individual, he can determine his own destiny.