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Icheb is not pleased when Voyager eventually locates his parents and he is to be delivered to them. Seven is aware of how he is likely to feel, and she is also reluctant to see him leave as they have formed a bond and she is convinced her parents will be unable to protect him and that his astrophysics studies will be curtailed against his wishes. Icheb too is irked that the Brunali lack sufficiently advanced technology to allow him to continue his studies. He is also concerned that the other children will lack, as they depend on him; Seven tells him, however, that they will adapt. Icheb is plainly uncomfortable at meeting parents he does not remember. He tells the Doctor: "Parents are irrelevant. ... I have Seven of Nine to assist me in my education. I have you to care for my medical needs. ... You adapted to serve a vital function aboard this vessel, forged relationships with its crew, all without the benefit of parents."

[Child's Play]

The first meeting between Icheb and his parents does not go well.   3 pictures below: The evening meal on board USS Voyager: 4 screenshots from [Child's Play]

Icheb starts to come round to the idea of living with his parents after they accept Janeway's invitation to spend some time on board USS Voyager, so that he can adapt to them in a familiar environment. At first he is unwilling to share an evening meal with them, but after a difficult start they begin to bond. Neelix and Seven observe them as they eat and smile together. While Neelix is pleased to see the family reunited, however, Seven is uncomfortable because she knows she may soon be saying farewell to her friend Icheb. Next day Leucon shows Icheb around the settlement. There are numerous settlements on the northern continent of the Brunali homeworld, each with fewer than 10,000 inhabitants. They are an agrarian species that has learned to hide any developments in technology in the hope (sometimes vain) that the Borg will not be interested and make a raid to assimilate the technology and any Brunali individuals they catch in the area. The Brunali children go to school. The settlement has a doctor, whom Janeway says should liaise with Voyager's Doctor over Icheb's medical needs, namely the regular maintenance of those of his cybernetic implants that remain. Leucon shows Icheb a large piece of equipment the settlement has, which is a genetic resequencer. This forms part of their sophisticated techniques in agricultural genetics which allow them to grow crops in an inhospitable environment. Leucon tells Icheb that he can make a difference to the society, and hopes that some day the Brunali will have spaceships to rival USS Voyager, with the dedication of young people like Icheb. He is invited to play pala, an outdoor game, and he stays the night under the stars, being shown by Leucon certain stars such as the Great Horn. Accordingly Icheb decides to go and live with his parents. Seven gives him a telescope on departure from Voyager, and though it is no substitute for the sensors of the astrometrics lab, Icheb is grateful and says he will use it every day.

Leucon shows Icheb the settlement. Leucon: "Some day we'll have ships that rival Voyager, but we need the dedication of young people like you to help us." Icheb tells Seven: "I am staying here tonight." Leucon: "Our little window can't compare to Voyager's astrometrics lab." Icheb: "No, but it's nice." 4 screenshots from [Child's Play]

The life his parents have shown him will be his is, however, a lie. History repeats itself when Yifay persuades Leucon that they must send Icheb back to the Borg.

Leucon: "Why do it at all? There's nothing compelling us to go through with it."
Yifay: "It's what he was born for."
Leucon: "Hasn't he been through enough? Why not give him a chance at an ordinary life?"
Yifay: "He's not an ordinary child."
Leucon: "No, but he can help us in other ways. He's bright, hard-working."
Yifay: "Leucon, his return was a gift! We can't waste it."
Leucon: "I don't want to lose him a second time."
Yifay: "To survive, we all have to make sacrifices. You taught me that!"

Leucon forcibly holds Icheb still and Yifay injects a sedative into him. Icheb collapses unconscious.

As Leucon and Yifay are questioned, Voyager scans for Icheb's bio-signs and locate him aboard a Brunali transport vessel heading for the Borg transwarp conduit. Voyager's sensors also detect the false warp factor 9.8 being emitted as bait. Meanwhile Janeway surmises Icheb's role and his parents end up confirming the truth by trying to justify their action as being in defence of their civilisation. Voyager beams Icheb aboard, and narrowly escapes the Borg sphere's tractor pulse as the Borg tries to take Voyager aboard and assimilate the entire crew: Voyager beams a photon torpedo aboard the Brunali vessel, set to detonate immediately it is inside the Borg sphere. The explosion causes the Borg sphere's tractor pulse to fail, and in that instant Voyager hurtles away and jumps to warp, escaping not just the tractor pulse but being caught in the explosion.

[Child's Play]

After the Doctor has given Icheb a medical check-up, at which time he detects and suppresses the pathogen, Icheb returns to his previous life aboard Voyager. Soon afterwards Seven enters the astrometrics lab and finds him examining DNA samples which he has displayed magnified on the main viewscreen.

Seven: "I thought you were studying spatial harmonics." Icheb: "My parents suggested I might have an aptitude for genetics as well." Seven: "I see. What have you learned?" Icheb: "This is the genome of a typical Brunali male. And this is my DNA. They're nearly identical, but do you notice the differences in the third, thirteenth and seventeenth chromosomes?" Seven: "Yes." Icheb: "My parents made microgenetic alterations so I would produce the pathogen, quite ingenious." Seven: "It's also barbaric." Icheb: "They were trying to defend themselves, their way of life, preserve their species." Seven: "I know how difficult it is to acknowledge your parents' faults, but what they did was wrong. You don't have to forgive them." Icheb: "Do you think they will ever forgive me?" Seven: "For what?" Icheb: "I could've destroyed that sphere. I failed them." Seven: "You would've been re-assimilated." Icheb: "I know but-" Seven: "But what?" Icheb: "Maybe it was my destiny." Seven: "Maybe. In the future you may choose to fight the Borg, but you'll do it in your own way. You're an individual and you have the right to determine your own destiny. It's time to regenerate."

Icheb: "And if I prefer to continue studying?" Seven: "It's your decision." He stays put and so she leaves. As she does so she looks back at him as he carries on with his studies.

Icheb tells Seven he wishes to apply to Starfleet Academy Seven tells him: "I've decided to help you prepare for the Astrometrics portion of the Academy exam. You can expect a rigorous and gruelling schedule." above: [#148 Imperfection]

In early 2377, as depicted in [#148 Imperfection], Icheb decides to apply to Starfleet Academy. This is possible, despite USS Voyager's long distance from the Academy, due to the ship's monthly contact with the Alpha Quadrant (established in late 2376, depicted in [#144 Life Line]), and the fact that Tuvok once taught at Starfleet Academy. He has access to excellent teachers aboard ship. Seven tells him: "Lieutenant Torres is extremely well versed in warp mechanics. Ensign Kim claims to have aced the quantum theory section." He expects Seven to help him with astrometrics and review the material with him. For a while it looks as if she will be unable to, telling him instead that she will asked Lieutenant Paris to set aside the time; at that time she is dying due to a malfunctioning cortical node - this is discussed below - but after Seven's recovery it is likely that she herself would supervise the astrometrics part of the Academy course.

Mezoti, Azan and Rebi leave Voyager forever (escorted by a woman of the Wysanti) Icheb studies physiology and genetics in a bid to save Seven's life Icheb persuades the Doctor to look at his research in discussing Icheb's research and plan, Seven declines to go through with it as it would endanger Icheb above: screenshots from [#148 Imperfection]

In early 2377 Icheb says goodbye to Azan and Rebi who return to their own people, the Wysanti, and they take Mezoti, a Norcadian, with them. Thereby Icheb becomes the only other person on board apart from Seven who has been liberated from the Borg Collective. Icheb is similar to Seven in many ways, which might explain the special bond that develops between them, which becomes one of close friendship and not just that of mentor and pupil: they both retain certain Borg implants, they both eat nutritional supplements replicated to suit their special needs, Icheb prefers to work while he eats in order to maximise his efficiency, and they share a common philosophy and way of thinking. Icheb is therefore very distressed when, early in 2377, he learns that Seven's cortical node has failed and it is likely that she will eventually die as a result. He sees himself as her friend as much as her pupil and feels she should not be embarrassed in front of him. He cannot bear for Seven to die, so he asks to join Janeway's away mission to a Borg debris field where they successfully salvage a cortical node from a dead drone. But when it turns out that the salvaged node would not work, only one from a live drone would work, Icheb works on the problem and decides that the only practical solution would be for his own cortical node to be transplanted into Seven. This is not necessarily suicide, as he demonstrates in carefully researched data that he presents to the Doctor for review - Icheb emerged from his maturation chamber aboard the Borg cube before he was fully assimilated and therefore his physiology is less dependent on the cybernetic implants. He is also younger than Seven and so should be able to adapt more easily, given some genetic resequencing. Seven refuses to endanger Icheb's life but as an individual he makes his own choices. He programs his Borg alcove in cargo bay 2 to disengage his cortical node, and summons Janeway. It is the only way to prove that his theory would work. He tells Seven bluntly that she must learn to rely on others. His words and actions impress Janeway who realises Icheb has grown up. The operation goes ahead and proves successful, so Seven's life is saved thanks to Icheb.

Icheb disengages his cortical node and...

...Icheb's condition deteriorates as a result

Icheb to Seven: "Isn't that what people on this ship do, they help each other? ... If the Captain were dying, you'd risk your life to save her, wouldn't you? And when you respond to a distress call you're risking the life of everyone on this ship to respond to the aid of strangers. ... Please, just let us help you."

The Doctor removes Icheb's cortical node for transplant to Seven. these 6 screenshots are from [#148 Imperfection]

The Doctor transfers Icheb's cortical node to Seven.

The Doctor transplants Icheb's cortical node into Seven.