 A Voyager sensor scan reveals what seems to be a previously undiscovered chemical element in a group of asteroids. Some of the asteroids support a class M environment so, an away team is dispatched to investigate. The away team discovers the asteroid to be a burial ground for an unknown culture. Chakotay, a Native American, advocates a respectful, unintrusive perusal of the bodies and there bizarre web like enclosures. The unknown new chemical apparently is a bi-product of the bodies  decomposition process. The away team detects a peculiar phenomenon developing and activate their tricorders to investigate. Chakotay calls for a transport off of the asteroid. Before all of the crew can be evacuated Ensign Kim is redirected to another planet and an alien is beamed aboard Voyager instead. A peculiar "First Contact" offers a chance for Kim to learn about another race. While the Voyager crew is faced with an even more challenging First Contact of their own.