Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew of the USS Stargazer accompany engineer Phigus Simenon, a member of the lizard-like Gnalish, to his home planet where he intends to participate in a survival competition. The test will allow the winners to contribute to the gene pool and carry on the species. But Simenon soons realizes that his chances of survival have been sabotaged. Someone is out to kill him, and suddenly it is up to Jean Luc and the Stargazer crew to save him.

Meanwhile the Stargazer itself is also in mortal danger. In an effort to save a research vessel, the Stargazer has locked on to the smaller ship, which is being pulled further and further into a deadly phenomenon every minute. Lieutenant Commander Wu, sitting in the captain's seat for the first time in her career, is forced to make a series of life-or-death decisions . . .