Continuing on its mission of exploration near to the border of the Delta and Beta Quadrant, the USS Odyssey comes across what appears to be an ancient starship that appears to have no-one on board. After further investigation they discover an impressive computer system that is caring for a large group of children. The ancient vessel is a generational ship, one that has been using a special piece of technology to keep its children from growing old. Unable to raise all of them, teach them how to look after themselves and develop into the adults it needs, the sophisticated computer kidnaps every adult from the Odyssey to become foster parents to these children. This mass incarceration leaves all of the young people and children stranded on Odyssey without any adult supervision. Unable to return to the ship, Captain McCallister is forced to leave the fate of his crew to those left behind on his ship while becoming a surrogate father to hundreds of other children.