After breaking her arm in an arm wrestling match with Isaac, Lt. Kitan discovers that her strength a deteriorating and, in order for her to recover it, she needs to return to her home world of Xelayah.

Once home, her parents and older sister encourage her to stay for good, perhaps return to school to earn a degree and find a husband. Her father points out that if it wasn't for her learning disability, she would never have felt the need to leave home at join the Planetary Union's fleet. Alara points out that he was never supportive and that the crew of the Orville has made her feel better about her abilities than her own family ever did.

Her family takes her out to their beach house. The caretaker hands over the keys to the house and lets them know that they're the only people on the island due to the off-season before he leaves. Alara relaxes on her own, visualizing a ride down the beach on the back of a wild horse-like creature. Opening her eyes, she notices a light on in another house further down the beach. When she mentions it to her parents, they write it off as another household looking to enjoy the solitude of the off-season.

On board the Orville, Mercer and Grayson meet the interim security chief, Lt. Tharl, who is very happy to join the Orville.

The next morning, the Borrins come to the Kitans' beach house and introduce themselves. They had just arrived and mention that they think someone has been in their house. Alara asks some probative questions but gets shut down by her mother. The Borrins ask how well they know the caretaker. Alara's mother tries to call him but there's no answer. Alara offers to go check his cottage. Her sister offers to accompany her.

Lt. Tharl explains to Bortus that his facial appendage is a second esophagus, evolved due to his species' incredibly high metabolism. Dr. Finn and Lt. Commander LaMarr arrive and announce they may have a solution for Alara's condition. Leaving Bortus in command, Mercer and Grayson join them in Simulator 3.

Alara and Solana talk on their way out to Serris' cottage. At the cottage, Alara finds evidence that he never left the island.

The Kitans invite the Borrims to stay with them for a while and Alara's father cooks dinner for everyone. In discussion, they reveal they have one grown son and he is a professor at the planet's medical school. The Kitans brag back in a good-natured way about Solana's PhD.

When dinner is ready, Cambis Borrim asks Alara's father to serve the hot sauce with his bare hand and pulls a weapon to insist he do so. His wife, meanwhile, also draws a weapon and holds it on the women at the table. Ildis complies, scalding his hand badly.

The Borrims reveal that their son actually committed suicide a year ago, that his career was damaged by a paper that Ildis published disputing his research. They demand that Ildis go on record stating that he was wrong and their son was right and that he could not live with the guilt anymore. By threatening Drenala, they nearly force him to comply but Alara points out that the minute he publically retracts his statement, they'll kill the whole family.

Taking a different tack, the Borrins decide to cut off Solana's fingers instead. Before they can, the Orville's shuttle arrives. The Borrins insist they get rid of Mercer or they'll kill them all. When Mercer refuses to be sent away, Cambis shoots him. While he is distracted, Alara takes the opportunity to disarm Floratta. She subdues her and orders her family to run upstairs.

Alara manages to slow Cambis down but after rejoining her family, she insists her father get outside and help Mercer back to the shuttle where his gravity field is malfunctioning. She encourages him to try despite his hesitation.

Cambis gets into the bedroom but finds it empty with the outside door open. He moves towards it and Alara steps out behind him and shoots him when he turns.

Ildis makes the jump to the lawn, finding Serris' body hidden below, and gets Mercer back to the shuttle in time to save his life although his legs are broken by the Xelayan gravity.

Ildis returns to the house and he and Alara reconcile.

On board the Orville, Dr. Finn explains that she and LaMarr have created a gravity treatment program in the simulator to treat Alara's gravity sickness and it'll allow her to regain her strength and stay on board as Security Chief.

Alara comes in to see Mercer and let him know that she has decided to return to Xelayah. She leaves him a gift. The crew gathers on the shuttle bay to say good-bye.

When Mercer returns to his ready room, he opens the gift and places it on his desk and smiles. Alara has left him a jar of pickles.