Seven of Nine has been experiencing vague visions about the Borg, including the rather incongruous image of a shrieking raven inside a Borg ship. While Seven tries to deal with these disturbing episodes, Janeway opens negotiations with the somewhat paranoid Bomar race, who only offer the Voyager crew a long, convoluted path through their territory. The talks with the Bomar are made even more difficult when Seven of Nine's Borg nature resurfaces and, after threatening to assimilate Neelix and forcing her way into a shuttle, she escapes and flies right into Bomar space. The Bomar consider Seven's unplanned journey - and Janeway's plans for a rescue mission - to be hostile actions, but nothing can stop a Borg drone when it is receiving a homing signal to rejoin the Borg collective.
