stardate 48579.4. Kim and his crewmates discovers a small wormhole that leads to the alpha quadrant but it is too small to travel through. A probe is sent through and finds a response from a Romulan vessel in the alpha quadrant. However, there hopes are dampened when they discover that the response was four years in the past.

stardateUnknown. Kim and Paris visit the homeworld of the Baneans, a people at war with the nearby Numin. They meet with the head of military science, Tolen Ren, to discuss potential scientific advances that may help Voyager find a faster way back to Federation space. However, that same night, Ren is killed and Paris the suspect.