Stardate: 54584.3 - The crew of Voyager carries out their everyday lives as workers on an industrial planet called Quarra, totally unaware of their time on Voyager or their situation in the Delta Quadrant. Almost the entire crew has been abducted and brainwashed to serve in this severely short-handed alien society. Chakotay, Kim, and Neelix return from their trading mission on the Delta Flyer to find the ship abandoned and adrift in a nebula with only the Doctor on board and the acting Captain. The Doctor informs them that the vessel hit a space mine and fell into a trap, forcing them to abandon the ship in the escape pods. Alien ships captured the crew, and the Doctor has heard nothing from them. After going undercover on the planet, Chakotay and Neelix must now find a way to return the crew and restore their memories while evading local authorities who have uncovered their plan. Kim and the Doctor remain on Voyager to complete repairs. Also, Janeway falls for a mystery man on Quarra.

When Seven of Nine tries to perfect her social skills on the holodeck, she experiences the breadth of human emotions while researching relationships. She soon overwhelms her Borg implants as her hobby quickly becomes an obsession. This leads her to neglect her duties, placing Voyager in great danger when it accidentally wanders into an interstellar firing range.