23. 11:59

Neelix becomes interested in Earth history, spurring research about an ancestor of Captain Janeway named Shannon O'Donnell, who was alive at the turn of the 21st century, and whom Janeway believes single-handedly fought to complete the Millennium Gate tower project in 2000, and would later be part of NASA 's missions to Mars. Neelix, prompted by Janeway, proceeds to track down further information on Shannon.

Neelix and Seven of Nine discover that Janeway's information was incorrect: Shannon was a traveler who happened to have her car break down in the small town of Portage Creek in Indiana where the Millennium Gate was to be built. Set on December 27, 2000, the plan has caused most of the businesses in town to leave, save for a bookstore owned by Henry Janeway, who refuses to sell the store to make way for the project. Shannon joins Henry in the opposition, and learns that if Henry refuses to sell, the project would have to be moved to a new location.

The two also develop a bond during this time. Shannon is offered a job by the company if she can convince Henry to leave before the 11:59 deadline on New Year's Eve 2000. When she tells Henry this, he asks her to leave. As she drives away, she turns around, and tries another approach to convince Henry to sell. He eventually relents at the very last minute, selling his bookstore to allow the tower to go forward.

Captain Janeway is disappointed to learn the truth about Shannon, who was never a NASA astronaut, as Shannon was her childhood hero and the stories about her convinced her to join Starfleet. However, Neelix has provided a surprise: a gathering of the senior staff to celebrate their ancestors, and presenting Janeway with a photograph of the elderly Shannon, after she had married Henry and raised their extended family together. Janeway realizes that the revelation about Shannon should not impact what she has done with her own life.