Kes is left for dead after she enters a sacred shrine on the Nechani homeworld and is hit by a mysterious energy burst. The Nechani explain to Janeway that monks receive purification of their souls in the shrine and the spirits have punished Kes for trespassing. While Neelix researches the shrine and the ritual the monks undergo there, Janeway undergoes the arduous rite of passage herself. Although she is certain there's a scientific reason for the energy burst, she hopes to beg to the mercy of the "spirits" and save Kes.

Becky Ann Baker (The Guide)
Harry Groener (The Magistrate)
Estelle Harris (the old woman)
Keene Curtis (an old man)
Parley Baer (an old man)