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Returning from a scouting mission,
the shuttle manned by Chakotay and Ensign Kaplan picks up a
Federation distress call from a planet. Launching a buoy to let
Voyager know where they are, they land the craft, but are
quickly attacked by a hostile group of humanoids. Kaplan is
killed, and Chakotay injured before help arrives in the form of
another group, led by a woman named Riley, who gets Chakotay to
safety. Riley explains she's part of a cooperative of different
species who were kidnapped by aliens and left to fend for
themselves. However, not all of them are friendly.
Back on Voyager, the crew finds
a Borg vessel floating in space. When they board it, they find
1,100 dead Borg. An investigation reveals the ship ceased
operation five years earlier.
On the planet, Chakotay is shocked to discover that Riley and
the others are all Borg — or, at least, they were. They weren't
kidnapped; they were assimilated by the Borg. But five years
ago, their ship was damaged by an electro-kinetic storm that
severed their link to the Borg Collective. Those who survived
settled on the planet, but they quickly began fighting each
other for food and supplies. Riley is hoping Chakotay can help
them. However, right now it is Chakotay who needs help. His only
option is to temporarily join his mind with Riley and the rest
of her small "Collective" in a healing link. Afterwards, his
injuries are much improved, and he feels far closer to the
group, particularly Riley.
Tracking Chakotay's buoy, Voyager locates him and beams the
First Officer and Riley up to the ship. Riley asks Janeway to
help her use the generator on the dead Borg vessel to
re-establish a neural link among all the former Borg on the
planet. She believes this will stop the fighting and allow them
to work together to build a true community. Janeway refuses,
fearing that activating the Borg ship and creating a new
Collective could be dangerous to all. Riley returns to the
planet, but she and her group use their former link with
Chakotay to solicit his help. Chakotay takes a shuttle to the
cube and does as they ask. As soon as the link is
re-established, the new Collective destroys the Borg cube and
releases Chakotay from their link, thanking him and the ship for
their coerced help. |
