stardate: unknown. While Chakotay leads an Away Team to drill for minerals on a moon's surface, they accidentally disturb a village and encounter its defensive inhabitants-a group with Indian origins. The natives employ a cloaking device to disable the USS Voyager and the endangered Away Team is forced to transport out, leaving Chakotay alone on the planet.

stardate 49164.8. The crew is hailed by Ocampa colonists on an alien space station who, at long last, lead them to the female mate of The Caretaker, a mysterious being who may have the ability to send the U.S.S. Voyager home. Meanwhile, Tuvok tutors Kes in honing her rapidly maturing mental abilities, discovering that her burgeoning powers have been extremely underestimated.