When sensors indicate a possible wormhole nearby, Captain Janeway is eager to investigate, hoping to find a shortcut back to Federation space. Instead, she discovers a star system being systematically pillaged by the warlike Akerians. Janeway has no desire to get caught up in someone else's war, but in order to the check on the possibilities offered by the wormhole - and to save the innocent people of Veruna Four - VoyagerTM has no choice but to challenge the Akerians.