Captain Freeman’s Planetary Follow-Up Initiative has been greenlit by Admiral Buenomigo, nicknamed Project Swing-By.

They are sent to Ornara, a planet Picard made first contact with on TNG 1x22 “Symbiosis.”

Buenomigo informs Freeman he is assigning an FNN journalist to the Cerritos to cover the first Swing-By mission.

Once the transmission ends, Freeman freaks out on Shaxs, Ransom, and T’Ana, ordering them all to clean up the ship before the reporter arrives.

Ransom gives Freeman the run-down on Picard's encounter with the Ornarans and how he left them to break their addiction cycle cold turkey. He comments their Swing-By mission should look great no matter how the Ornarans are doing now. Freeman’s still concerned about the reporter.

Mariner walks by licking goo off her hands, her uniform splattered with the same stuff. It’s blueberry filling from the pie-eating contest planned for later in the day. Freeman’s frustrated and Mariner insists that reporters love her when Ransom suggests she lay low.

Freeman directs Ransom to roll out duty changes to keep things looking good for the reporter.

While Beta shift discusses the duty changes and orders, including being bumped for Alpha shift, Freeman walks the report, Victoria, by on their way to her guest quarters.

Mariner offers to give her a tour of the Lower Decks. Freeman interjects and orders her and the rest of Beta shift to bed.

The pie-eating contest is canceled. While Rutherford pleads with the lieutenant not to trash all the pies, Mariner insists they can find other fun things to do.

Victoria interviews various crew members about life aboard the Cerritos.

Beta shift is turned away from the mess and told to go back to their bunks. They’re told the bar is the Commanders’ Lounge and only for interviewees. Mariner spots Ensign Jet and protests that he’s not a Commander.

Mariner promises that she’ll get the truth out.

The ship arrives at Ornara. The community they beam down to is calm and beautiful. The Ornarans greet them warmly.

They welcome them back and commend Picard for cutting them off from the narcotic they were addicted to.

They point out the mural that depicts the Enterprise leaving them, followed by a horrific phase of violence and rage, ending with them emerging as a healthier society.

The Ornarans decline any further Starfleet assistance. They feel there’s no reason for the visit. Freeman checks in with Buenomigo who recommends she checks in with Brekkians. Mariner catches Victoria by her quarters on the ship. Ransom witnesses her joining Victoria for an interview.

Victoria enters Freeman’s office to interview her. She ambushes her with several examples of the Cerritos’s chaotic and silly missions. Freeman draws the conclusion that Mariner is the source of Victoria’s information.

Mariner is called to the bridge to meet Freeman in her ready room. The bridge crew give her the cold treatment.

Freeman and Ransom accuse Mariner of making the ship look bad by sharing embarrassing out-of-context information. Freeman’s had enough. She’s transferring Mariner to Starbase 80.

Everyone, including Jennifer, believes Mariner ruined the Cerritos’s reputation. Freeman announces an order that everyone stop communicating with her.

The rest of Beta shift tries to talk to her but she’s ready to leave.

The Starbase 80 shuttle arrives to pick her up.

The Cerritos continues to Brekka. The captain puts Migleemo in charge of the ship.

On Brekka, they find a seemingly abandoned settlement.

Ransom finds a Brekkian woman and she warns him away before she’s disintegrated by a Breen soldier. He warns the captain of the Breen but they reveal themselves and attack the away team.

Freeman orders an emergency transport back to the ship and they try to escape only to be fired on by Breen ships.

They are damaged by the Breen attack and waiting for the Breen to board when a mysterious Starfleet vessel arrives to save the day. There are no life signs on the ship and Admiral Buenomigo contacts them to introduce the new Texas class ship, a classified fully automated ship.

When Victoria’s report airs, it turns out all the bad stories came from various crew members while Mariner’s interview was one of positivity.

Freeman tries to contact Becket on Starbase 80 but she’s resigned from Starfleet.

Becket’s now working with the Independent Space Archeologist, Petra Aberdeen.