“Rise” is episode nineteen of season three of Star Trek: Voyager.
Voyager is watching an asteroid head towards a planet and there are two aliens on the bridge. Captain Janeway orders the asteroid to be fired on and Tuvok reports it is fragmenting. Most of the debris is still on a collision course with the plane. Chakotay comments that the asteroid should have been vaporised. Harry isn’t sure what happened; there shouldn’t be fragments larger than 1 cm. The aliens are the planet’s ambassador and Sklar; the latter says they tried and failed to do the same yesterday. Tuvok has destroyed most of the fragments but two got through and impact on the planet.
Tuvok states where they landed, which was not in a heavily populated area. Another asteroid is going to impact on the same continent in 6 hours. That, however, is going to hit near one of the largest colonies. The aliens, the Nezu, appreciate Voyager‘s help, but it looks like it is time to evacuate.
The ship is hailed from the surface and the person contacting them says he has analysed the debris. The asteroids are not what they seem and contain artificial materials. The transmission is lost and cannot be regained. The person who contacted the ship is Dr Vatm, apparently one of the planet’s most prominent astrophysicists. With them unable to contact him again, Tom is asked about sending shuttles down. It can be done, but will be tricky. Sklar wants to evacuate but the ambassador says there isn’t time. He doesn’t want the captain to risk her crew, but Janeway isn’t going to abandon them. Three shuttles will be sent and Chakotay contacts B’Elanna and tells her to beam some debris onboard to see why it wasn’t vaporised.
Neelix arrives in sickbay; he’s got a place on the rescue team and wants some extra medical supplies. Neelix is rather excited and the Doctor suggests a tranquiliser. For Neelix. Neelix is a bit apprehensive; he’s on Tuvok’s team and can’t seem to please him. The Doctor admits that Vulcans are difficult to impress. His advice to Neelix is to restrain his enthusiasm, observe and learn.
Tuvok, Neelix and Sklar are in a shuttle heading to the surface. They hit turbulence and Sklar does not look happy. He’s an exogeologist and prefers working on the ground. The shuttle suffers damage and Tuvok will need to land it manually. On Voyager, Harry reports they have lost contact with Tuvok’s shuttle. B’Elanna contacts the bridge; she has some of the debris. Chakotay and the ambassador head to see.
The shuttle has landed, although crashed might be a better term. Banding on the door reveals that Dr Vatm and a miner he introduces as Hanjuan are outside. They heard the crash. Vatm doesn’t want to share his information on the asteroid; it’s classified. He will only speak to the ambassador. Even if they were sent to find him by the ambassador. Tuvok reports that the shuttle’s warp and impulse engines are destroyed. He will attempt to repair the comm system to send a distress call. Tuvok wants Neelix to go outside and make a damage report. Only a damage report.
Neelix is scanning outside when he sees something. He returns inside and tells Tuvok he thinks he’s seen a way out. An orbital tether. The carriage could lift them above the interference so that Voyager could beam them out. Vatm says the carriage was damaged, but Neelix believes they can use the shuttle to fix it. He spent two years on a tether maintenance team. Tuvok is reluctant, but does agree.
They get to the base of the tether and someone is there. She grabs Neelix, holding a knife to his throat. It’s her shelter and her supplies. Fortunately, she proves easy enough to talk down, by promising to take her with them. Even though the carriage has more problems than thought.
B’Elanna is analysing the rock. She detects an alloy inside it. When the rock is split open, they find the asteroid has what looks like a guidance system. They aren’t hitting the planet by chance.
On the planet, Neelix and the others are repairing the carriage for the orbital tether. Tuvok doesn’t think much of Neelix spending time talking to people. Now is not the time to try to boost morale. Before they are ready, a noise indicates that Vatm is attempting to leave without the rest. They manage to get on board the carriage, which has to climb the tether now, even though it wasn’t fully repaired.
Neelix, it turns out, wasn’t being entirely truthful about his experience with carriages of this type. He eventually clashes with Tuvok. Sklar seems to be possessed of many different fears. And something else seems to be going on.