The hallucinations get worse. In Astrometrics Seven displays Voyager's current position within the nebula. An image of Kim is beside her. The face of Kim's image is covered with horrible burns. Image of Kim: "It doesn't matter. You won't make it." Seven: "Computer, how long before Voyager is out of the nebula?" Computer: "17 hours, 11 minutes." Image of Kim: "That's an eternity." Seven, to the image of Kim: "Go away." Image of Kim: "You can try to shut me out but it won't work." Computer, voice still distorted: "Warning. Propulsion system failure in progress."

In the corridor leaving Astrometrics for Engineering, Seven is suddenly confronted by the image of a Borg drone. Image of drone: "Seven of Nine, Tertiary Adjunct of Unimatrix Zero One." Seven turns and walks away but the drone follows: "You have left the Collective. It was a foolish decision. Now you are alone. You have lost the many. You are only one. You have become human. Weak. Pathetic. Humans do not have our strength. They are imperfect. Now you are imperfect as well. You will not survive. You cannot survive without the Collective." Seven: "I will adapt." Image of drone: "By becoming weaker, less perfect."

	Trajis appears in the turbolift. Trajis: "He's right. You're in pain, Seven. I can help you." Seven: "Bridge." Trajis: "You don't have to beg me, you don't even have to ask, all you have to do is make a choice." Seven: "I can survive alone."
	The turbolift stops and the doors open but in front of her Seven sees the inside of a Borg cube! Trajis: "That's where you belong." Seven: "No." Trajis: "End your pain. Just walk through that door and you'll never be alone again." Seven: "It's not real." Voice of the Borg Collective: "Seven of Nine, resistance is futile." Seven: "Bridge!"

Seven enters the Bridge to be confronted by hallucinations of Janeway, Chakotay, Kim, Paris and Tuvok, all displaying horrible burns caused by nebular radiation. Image of Janeway: "Seven of Nine, you look a little worse for wear." Image of Kim: "I didn't know she was still on board." Image of Chakotay: "I never wanted her here in the first place." Image of Tuvok: "She won't be here long. She can't survive alone." Image of Paris: "I'm taking bets on how long she'll last." Image of Chakotay: "She'll fall apart before we leave the nebula." Image of Kim: "And then everybody will die." Image of Janeway: "Well, blame me. I put my trust in her. I should've known better."

Seven examines the controls as the hallucinations gather round her. Computer, voice still distorted: "Warning. Propulsion system failure in progress." Image of Tuvok: "What is she doing now?" Image of Chakotay: "She's trying to keep the engines online." Image of Paris: "Place your bets. Anybody think she can do it?" Image of Kim: "I'll lay odds she can't." Seven: "Computer, how long until the ship is out of the nebula?" Computer: "41 minutes." [Hence, Seven has been suffering hallucinations off-screen since the last time-check given by the computer of 17 hours 11 minutes.] Image of Janeway: "Too long. She won't make it." Image of Kim: "That's an eternity." Seven: "Computer, reroute available power from weapons, sensors and environmental controls to the engines." Computer: "Warning. Propulsion system failure in progress." Seven: "Reroute all available power to the engines." Computer: "Propulsion systems have failed. All engines are offline." Image of Kim: "She's got herself a real problem now." Image of Chakotay: "I'll say. She's taken power from every available system and it's still not enough." Image of Tuvok: "But if she fails to get this ship moving, everyone on board will die." Image of Paris: "What do you think she'll do?" Image of Janeway: "I know what she's thinking. She's thinking if she could take power from the stasis units on Deck 14 she might be able to get those engines back online." Image of Kim: "But that would mean sacrificing some of the crew." Image of Chakotay: "I don't think that would bother her too much." Image of Tuvok: "What matters to Seven is efficiency. Sacrificing a few to save many would be an efficient plan." Image of Janeway: "She's already killed millions. What would a few more matter?" Seven: "Computer, divert power from stasis units 1 through 10 and reroute to propulsion systems." Computer: "Engines are back online." Seven: "Resume course." Image of Kim: "Look at that. She did it." Image of Janeway: "But those people she disconnected are going to die." Image of Paris: "I win! I knew she didn't care about them." Seven hurries from the Bridge.

	As she enters the stasis chamber on Deck 14 the image of Janeway greets her with "Come to watch them die?" When Seven enters alarms are flashing on ten stasis units and smoke is pouring from them as they malfunction. Computer, voice still distorted: "Warning. Power to stasis units has failed." Seven: "Computer, how long to complete passage through the nebula?" Computer: "11 minutes." The image of Janeway faces her across Paris' stasis unit. Inside it Paris is choking and flailing. Image of Janeway: "They won't last that long. What do you do now, Seven? It's all up to you."
	Seven: "Computer, cut life support to all decks and reroute available power to the stasis units." Image of Janeway: "That will keep them alive but what about you? No oxygen, no heat. Goodbye, Seven." Seven retreats to the wall and with her back to it, slides down it, trying to breathe and keep her determination.
	"I am Seven of Nine. I am alone. But I will adapt. I will-" Then everything goes blank.

Seven wakes in Sickbay to find the Doctor, and Janeway and Chakotay both looking in good health. She tries to sit up. Doctor: "Not so fast. Get your bearings first." Seven: "The crew?" Janeway: "We came through the nebula in fine shape, thanks to you." Chakotay: "You were the one we almost lost. When the ship cleared the nebula the Doctor came back online and found you unconscious. He reinitiated life support and woke the crew." Janeway: "He tells us you had quite an adventure." Seven: "It was....interesting." Janeway: "Well, when you're rested I'd like to hear about it." Janeway and Chakotay leave. Doctor: "I'm proud of you, Seven. You performed admirably." Seven: "I'm glad I was able to help."

Seven enters the Messhall. Kim, Torres and Paris are enjoying lunch together at one of the tables. Kim: "Neelix, this soup is great. What is it?" Neelix: "It's my secret recipe. I've never told anyone what's in it." Paris: "Why does that make me nervous?" Torres: "Oh, come on, Tom, where's your spirit of adventure?" Paris: "Not in my stomach. Food and mystery don't go together. I like to know what I'm eating." Torres: "Coward." Seven approaches the table. "Lieutenants Paris and Torres, Ensign Kim." Kim: "Seven, I'm surprised to see you here." Seven: "May I join you?" The others are momentarily surprised as this is unlike Seven. Paris, recovering: "Sure, have a seat." Seven sits and Torres says: "Have some soup? It's actually edible." Seven: "I don't require nourishment at this time. I felt the need for companionship." The others stare for a moment as it is an admission totally unlike the previous Seven they have known. Paris: "Well, after a month with only the Doctor for company I can understand it." Kim: "Yeah, what was that like, anyway? Just the two of you?" Seven: "The Doctor was very helpful. I cannot fault him." Torres: "Well, we owe you one." Paris: "Yeah, just think, we would've died in those coffins." Seven: "I suspect you would've found a way out before that, Lieutenant." Kim: "What do you mean?" Seven: "Lieutenant Paris would not stay confined. On four separate occasions the Doctor and I had to put him back into his stasis unit." Kim, amused: "Were you um...locked in dark closets as a child or something?" Paris: "I just don't like closed spaces. I never have. I, I don't know why." Seven: "Perhaps you dislike being alone."