Voyager, due to a malfunction or a battle, loses some navigational control, and is heading toward a planet. It appears that they will not be able to avoid entering the atmosphere, but Paris thinks he can make a safe landing. Janeway contacts the inhabitants, who are reluctant to let them land, but allow them to do so anyway. While beginning their repairs, the crew is greeted by the people of the planet. They are friendly enough, but it is clear they want Voyager off the surface as quickly as possible. When Janeway informs them some of her repair crew must work outside the ship, the inhabitants become very upset. After some discussion, little of which reveals the reason for the inhabitants' reluctance to let the crew on the surface, they realize there is no choice - the crew must exit the ship or they will be stranded on the planet forever. Janeway presses the leader for an explanation, but he won't reveal much more than some vague answer about an ancient ritual. Soon after the outside repairs begin, several members of the crew start getting sick - ailments the doctor has never seen before. In Sickbay, it seems these people are suffering from some kind of unusual radiation poisoning - something that Voyager's sensors haven't detected. When they confront the inhabitants, they are told the story... Several hundred years ago, the planet was developing at a rapid and uncontrolled pace. Eventually, there was a terrible industrial accident, and the planet was irradiated, and will remain poisoned for thousands of years. People became sick, millions died, and only through decades of research did they find an effective treatment in some of the people who were immune to the radiation. To save their race, these immune people, called Givers, must donate a goodly portion of their body fluids to make an antidote for the radiation poisoning. This process, called the Replenishment, must be done at least twice a month. The Givers are very weak and sick for over a week afterward, so theirs is the ultimate sacrifice. There is no other cure. Doc and Kes do some more research, and find that Neelix and one other crew member have the immunity. The crew has been poisoned, and Janeway faces a dilemma - to doom the crew to quick, painful and premature deaths, or to doom Neelix and the other to a life of infirmity. With great reluctance, Janeway must bring herself to ask the two to be Givers. They agree, and give their fluids for an antidote. The side effects are indeed horrible for them. Repairs are almost finished, and Voyager is preparing to leave. However, they are secretly contacted by an "underground" group from the planet who say there really is a cure, but the official government has been repressing it because of "centuries of ancient tradition." They claim to have a cure, and want Voyager's help in getting the word out to the people of the planet. Janeway realizes this is an internal affair, but is tempted to work with them to save Neelix and her crew. The officials get wind of the contact, and forbid Voyager to make any further contact with any of their people, and order them off the planet as soon as they are repaired. Several of the crew plead with Janeway to deal with the underground and get the cure, but she says she can't. But something in her answer tells them "what she doesn't know..." So, several of the crew secretly meet with the underground and get the cure. But, the officials find out and raid the meeting. The crew barely escape with their lives, and Voyager leaves. Janeway is not proud of what they had to do, but she rationalizes the action, since her first priority must always be the welfare of the crew...
Menosky's comments: He said the studio wants more action/adventure type stories, and less political intrigue type stores. He said this would have worked well on The Next Generation. This is a prime example of how timing plays a BIG part in selling stories.