Though fragmented, enough of the message is deciphered to reveal instructions directing Voyager to travel to nearby coordinates. There, it is to rendezvous with the USS Dauntless, NX-01A...an unmanned starship with experimental spacefolding, quantum- slipstream technology, enabling it to travel to the Delta Quadrant within a couple of months! The message had been encrypted, of course, so aliens from either quadrant wouldn't learn about the Dauntless and try to get to it before Voyager did.

Voyager does find the Dauntless hanging out at the established coordinates--it's been rather damaged by its trip, and needs major repairs before it can make the trip back. Nonetheless, the crew is elated, except for Seven, who is not too comfortable with the possibility of going home and having to deal with all those humans. Several of the crew go over to the Dauntless to make the repairs.