Voyager is caught in a swarm of lifeforms, and Kes feels her time to have a child.
A swarm of space-dwelling creatures draws Voyager in just as Kes begins an unexpected Ocampan biological stage called the elogium, a brief window in which her people can choose to have a child. The timing forces her and Neelix to think about whether they are ready.
The episode uses the ship's current predicament to explore the personal side of life in the Delta Quadrant, where family decisions are made far from home. It also deepens the relationship between Kes and Neelix and the unusual biology of the Ocampa, whose short lifespans give the character much of her urgency.