Shelby's recovered the hearts and minds of Starfleet's allies against Siroc and the Tholians - but it may be too late. With the return of an old friend and the loss of new ones under tragic circumstances, Excelsior is in a desperate race to get back to her home station, as the entire patch has suddenly gone deathly silent.

If things weren't bad enough, it has come down to the wire for Naros' race to beat Siroc to the Dyson Sphere and stop him from carrying out his mission. With Ro's capture, Siroc's entire checklist for his final plan is complete, and using the stolen memories from Counselor Elbrey, all that's left is getting there first.