INITIATIONS
Episode 21

 

SUMMARY: Chakotay finds himself targetted as part of a Kazon youth's rite of passage to manhood. Janeway gives Chakotay permission to borrow a shuttlecraft so that he can perform a solitary ritual commemorating his father's death. In Chakotay's tribe, the 'pakra' is a solitary ritual commemorating the anniversary of someone's death, and it is known as the "Day of Memories". His vessel inadvertently drifts into space that the Kazon-Ogla claim as theirs and Chakotay is attacked by Kar, a Kazon youth attempting to earn his warrior name by killing the Federation trespasser. Chakotay starts the 'pakra' ritual aboard a shuttlecraft Kar challenges Chakotay: "I am your executioner!" Instead, Chakotay destroys Kar's ship but beams the youth aboard before it explodes. Chakotay says he will return Kar to his people but Kar is vehemently against this. However, Chakotay contacts Kar's people to return him, but both are taken prisoner. Chakotay with Kar a Kazon ship tractors in the shuttlecraft The reason for Kar's reluctance to return becomes clear - the Kazon view Kar with contempt for failing to kill his target. Accordingly Kar is dishonoured and will be executed, and thus die without a name. Kar blames Chakotay for his fate. For Kar, dying in battle would have been more honorable and far preferable, for a Kazon youth earns his name in battle from which he is expected to emerge victorious or to die nobly. (The Ogla name is created by lengthening the child's name and adding the honorific title Jal.) The Kazon leader, Razik, is hostile toward Chakotay, telling him: "You may not think you're at war with us, Federation Commander Chakotay, but everything you are is a threat to us. The Kazon fought long and hard for their independence against uniforms like yours." Chakotay replies: "Uniforms maybe, but not like mine." Razik responds: "Your uniforms, your laws, your technology - you are not welcome here." He leaves, ominously announcing that "the execution is tonight". Razik and the disgraced Kar Razik is hostile toward Chakotay That evening, Razik brings a group of Kazon youths. Kazon children begin combat training as soon as they are old enough to protect their siblings. Razik informs Chakotay that he will free him only if he agrees to kill Kar, to set an example to the watching youths. Chakotay reluctantly goes to accept the weapon Razik offers him to carry out the execution but suddenly Chakotay seizes the weapon, overpowers Razik and demands the return of his shuttlecraft. Facing certain death himself, Kar leaves with Chakotay. With the shuttlecraft being pursued and damaged by Kazon fire, Kar directs them to a nearby moon called Tarok, where they can hide. Kar says Tarok is a training base for the Kazon-Ogla. As the shuttlecraft breaks up, they are forced to beam to the moon's surface. Chakotay accepts the weapon that Razik offers, but overpowers him and uses him as a hostage so that he and Kar can escape Chakotay and Kar flee the Kazon-Ogla ship in Chakotay's shuttlecraft the shuttlecraft heads toward the moon named Tarok Back on Voyager, the crew, which has been looking for its missing first officer, finds traces of Chakotay's shuttlecraft but no body remains and they continue their search. Torres looks at a piece of Chakotay's shuttlecraft but Janeway refuses to lose hope Kar helps Chakotay negotiate safely around the surface of the moon, which is riddled with booby-traps as part of the Ogla training, for live ammunition is used. Other fatal hazards are proton beams, bio-magnetic traps and disruptor snares. on Tarok, Kar saves Chakotay from a proton beam They take shelter in a cave. There, as Chakotay sets up a homing beacon for the Voyager away team he hopes will find them, they compare their different philosophies and come to understand each other a little better. Kar explains that he cannot simply go and live with another sect as he would be a 'goven', an outcast; it is customary to cut a finger off a 'goven' at each sect he visits. Kar waits until Chakotay falls asleep and then raises his weapon. But he finds himself unable to kill him. Kar and Chakotay shelter in a cave Arriving at Tarok, Razik tries to warn off the Voyager crew but Neelix counters this successfully by, through knowing the Kazon mind after trading with them some years ago, threatening to reveal the moon's secret location to rival Kazon sects. Neelix faces down Razik rather than the other way round On the moon's surface, the away team is intercepted by Razik who offers to assist them - the Kazon-Ogla are hunting Kar, while the Voyager crew are searching for Chakotay, and the pair are together. the away team with Razik and his warriors - an uneasy alliance Razik leads the away team into a trap and departs, leaving them surrounded by fatal snares. However, the away team manage to escape these. Razik traps the away team Meanwhile, as Razik's men approach, Chakotay contacts Voyager and orders they prepare for a Code White resuscitation, for he has in mind a plan to help Kar win his name — Kar is to kill Chakotay in front of Razik and his men, and then the Doctor will revive Chakotay on Voyager, which can be done even if the subject has been dead for two minutes. However, Kar comes up with an alternative. He realises that Chakotay is not his enemy; Razik is. So Kar kills the Ogla leader, and then Razik's second-in-command named Haliz (now the First Maje) pronounces Kar a warrior and gives him his warrior name, that of Jal Karden. Kar aims a gun at Chakotay as Razik and his warriors arrive Kar suddenly kills Razik Kar surrenders to Haliz, Razik's second-in-command. Haliz, now First Maje, proclaims that Kar has won his Ogla name - he is now reinstated within Ogla society Before the away team, complete with Chakotay, beam back to Voyager, Kar warns Chakotay that the next time they meet, he will not hesitate to kill him. Kar warns Chakotay before he and the away team beam up to Voyager Later, Chakotay completes the 'pakra' ritual and asks his father to watch over Karden as he has a difficult path to travel.      KAR TO CHAKOTAY: You come into our space, showing off your uniforms and displaying the markings of your Federation, with no respect, as if you own this part of space. But it belongs to us!    CHAKOTAY TO KAR: My name was a gift from my tribe. I cherish it every day of my life, just as I cherish the Federation uniform. Your name, my uniform, not much difference. We both have to earn them.    CHAKOTAY TO KAR: Let me tell you something. I have no interest in your territory or anybody else's. My people taught me a man does not own land. He doesn't own anything but the courage and loyalty in his heart. That's where my power comes from.