The Protostar faces down the Dauntless and the crew has no control over the ship. Hologram Janeway is devastated as she realizes the living construct used her to sabotage the crew. She takes herself offline to prevent her doing more damage.

The construct powers up the Protostar’s warp drive and sends the ship to an unknown location. Commander Tysess on the Dauntless tries to contact Vice Admiral Janeway. Dr. Noum informs him the Vice Admiral isn’t answering. In Asencia’s quarters, she and The Diviner hide Janeway’s body in a closet.

Drednok advises disposing of the body out an airlock. Asencia/The Vindicator orders him to erase any surveillance data of Janeway coming to her quarters.

As Asencia, The Vindicator returns to the bridge in time to see the Protostar warp away. Tysess orders a pursuit.

While in pursuit, Asencia suggests they merge warp bubbles to prevent the Protostar from getting away.

On the Protostar, the crew brainstorms a way to communicate with the Dauntless without infecting them with the living construct’s virus. Gwyn suggests that Zero use their telepathy. Zero says they could do it if there was a hive mind to help boost their ability. Rok reminds them that Dal has telepathic powers in his genetics.

As Zero guides Dal’s consciousness into contact with the unconscious Vice Admiral Janeway, the Dauntless fires on the Protostar, knocking Dal to the ground.

When Dal and Janeway awaken, their consciousnesses are in each other’s bodies.

While Janeway is meeting the Protostar crew, Dal wakes up and sneaks out of Asencia’s quarters as Janeway, trying to avoid other crew members. He misses The Diviner returning to the quarters with restraints to find Janeway gone.

A crew member reports Janeway’s presence to Tysess who beams her directly to the bridge. Asencia is initially concerned but Janeway’s erratic behavior has her hold on attacking her.

Dr. Noum brings Janeway coffee but Dal spews it out to everyone’s shock.

On the Protostar, the crew is showing Janeway the living construct and explaining why they can’t answer the Dauntless’s hails.

Janeway asks for solutions to the body swap. Zero shows her Dal’s genetic augmentations. Janeway is disturbed to learn that Dal is an augment.

Zero tries to lead Janeway’s consciousness back to Dal but it doesn’t work.

On the Dauntless, Dal (as Janeway) tries to ask Asencia about communicating with the Protostar without using the coms. Dr. Noum tries to tell the admiral there’s something odd about her brainwaves. She laughs it off and insists she just needs a nap.

On the bridge, Asencia reports where the Protostar is heading. She wonders how the Dauntless could stop a weapon on its own. Tysess decides to call the fleet for backup. Asencia quietly smiles at her success.

On the Protostar, Janeway as Dal goes down to the living construct chamber and finds Hologram Janeway. They connect. Vice Admiral Janeway is able to purge the construct’s influence on Hologram Janeway’s program, unlocking all the memories of the Protostar’s leap into the future and their encounter with the Vau N’Akat.

Rok calls down that they’ve figured out a way to swap bodies again. It requires Dal and Janeway to exit the respective ships and make physical contact with each other in the middle of the warp bubble. They see Dal as Janeway looking at them from the Dauntless and, using charades, they communicate the plan to him.

Just then, Tysess, Asencia, and Noum enter Janeway’s quarters, concerned about her behavior. They take her to sickbay.

Before leaving the ship, Janeway as Dal lets Gwyn know that Starfleet will never admit an Augment like Dal into the Academy.

When Dal awakens in sickbay, The Diviner is standing at her bedside, not realizing he’s talking to Dal. He apologizes for the situation and expresses gratitude for what Janeway did for him. He releases her from her restraints as repayment, asking that she protect Gwyn if the mission fails.

Dal as Janeway sneaks to an airlock and suits up. He exits only to discover he’s at the wrong end of the ship and starts walking the length of the ship’s exterior towards the Protostar.

Tysess, Asencia, and Noum spot Janeway walking on the hull of the ship. Noum complains how she’s endangering everyone on board the ship.

On the Protostar, Janeway as Dal prepares to leave the ship. She promises to sort everything out.

Using Murf as a stretchy tether, Janeway as Dal nearly reaches Dal in Janeway’s body but the Dauntless locks onto Janeway’s body with a tractor beam. In order to create a conduit, Janeway as Dal fires their phaser. Their consciousnesses return to their proper bodies.

Dal reunites with his crew just as the Protostar drops out of warp in the heart of Federation territory. They are met by a huge collection of Starfleet vessels.

On the Dauntless, Janeway wakes up in the brig.