The ship remains on Red Alert after Janeway, in exchange for safe passage through space, reaches an agreement with the Borg Collective to help them fight Species 8472, a race more malevolent than their own. Although Chakotay strongly objects to the unpredictable collaboration, Janeway and Tuvok transport, with great caution, to the Borg Cube. When a drone attempts to temporarily assimilate Janeway by connecting a neuro-transreceiver to her, the alarmed Captain convinces them to instead choose a representative to communicate verbally with her. Soon, a vaguely human Borg emerges to speak for the Collective; designated Seven of Nine, she helps them prepare to engage the enemy—but when she boards Voyager, the entire crew is on edge. Meanwhile, the Doctor determines that the mysterious alien species is accessing Kes' memory.

Kate Mulgrew (Captain Kathryn Janeway)
Robert Beltran (Commander Chakotay)
Roxann Dawson (Lt. B'Elanna Torres)
Robert Duncan McNeill (Lt. Tom Paris)
Robert Picardo (The Doctor)
Ethan Phillips (Neelix)
Tim Russ (Lieutenant Tuvok)
Jeri Ryan (Seven of Nine)
Garrett Wang (Ensign Harry Kim)

Jennifer Lien (Kes)

• Harry is saved by The Doctor's modified nanoprobes.
  
• Seven of Nine becomes a regular cast member. Jennifer Lien is billed as a guest star.
  
• Seven of Nine's full designation is "Seven of Nine, Tertiary Adjunct of Unimatrix Zero-One."
  
• This was Voyager's 2nd highest Nielson rated episode, with a 6.5 rating. (The first was the premiere episode "Caretaker".)
  
• Roxann Dawson is pregnant in real-life, due in January 1998. (The baby won't be written into the show, and they'll use camera angles to cover it up.)