Passing through space occupied by a race of hologram-hating people, the Doctor seeks refuge in Seven of Nine's Borg implants, taking control of her body. Intoxicated by the experience of real human sensations for the first time, the Doctor becomes obsessed with the need for new physical experiences: a quality the alien captain finds very attractive.

A timely response to an alien distress call gives Harry Kim his first taste of real command. Keen to assist the seemingly helpless crew in their mission of mercy against an oppressive regime, Harry's leadership in the face of a heavily-armed enemy results in systems failure, death, and a mutiny aboard the starship Nightingale.