• Production Code: STV426
• Original Air Date: 5/20/98
• Story by: Rick Berman, Brannon Braga & Joe Menosky
• Teleplay by: Brannon Braga & Joe Menosky
• Directed by: Winrich Kolbe
• Guest Cast:
  • Ray Wise as Arturis
  • Jack Shearer as Starfleet Admiral Hayes

The badly damaged encoded message received from Starfleet Command five months ago is finally translated by Arturis, an alien passenger recently invited onboard, whose species has a great affinity for language. The directive brings Voyager to a spacecraft, emitting a distinctive Starfleet warp signature, but totally unlike any Starfleet vessel known. With a propulsion system faster than warp speed, the ship is capable of bringing the Voyager crew to Earth - crossing 60,000 light years - within just three months. The crew is elated, but Captain Janeway expresses caution, even though they are all secretly hoping to be home very, very soon.