Voyager's crew barely manages to rescue three occupants of a battle-damaged spacecraft, one of whom dies in sickbay immediately after transport. When Voyager returns the survivors to their planet, an official beams aboard and is killed by Kes, who also kills the transporter chief and struggles with Janeway. Kes and the other refugees steal a shuttlecraft and run for it. Kes' body has been taken over by Tieran, a power-mad dictator who has developed the ability to transfer his consciousness into the minds of others to insure his immortality. Tieran kills the rightful ruler of his people and assumes power, trying to coerce the youngest heir into backing his coup. The elder heir, Demis, has beamed aboard Voyager to coordinate efforts to restore the original government, and despite his overtures of war, Janeway still insists on trying to recover Kes in body and spirit. Kes also intends to break free of Tieran's influence, but he proves to be a formidable enemy.
