Up until the very end of this episode, I would have probably scored this one a 7 or possibly an 8. However, the writer just couldn't leave well enough alone and the very end is a preachy and embarrassing mess.
When the episode begins, Voyager has just survived yet another attack by the Kazon. Recently, it's been one attack after another and the ship cannot survive this way for long. So, the Captain is convinced to try some other strategy by Chakotay--to consider an alliance with one of the Kazon factions. However, she soon learns that this is practically impossible and eventually she does find an unlikely ally, the Trabe. It seems this race actually created the ships and technology that were stolen by the Kazon and the Trabe insist they just want to make it out of this part of space and find a new home world. However, such a nice alliance is not something you'd expect in the Delta Quadrant--a part of space that is crawling with races of butt-heads!
As I said above, this WAS a very good episode. I loved all the deception and violence in this one. But when the show hit the end, they had a couple minutes to fill and the Captain sat with select crew and bloviated about Federation ideals and niceness. It was simply nauseating!!!!