9. The Voyager Conspiracy

Seven of Nine decides to increase the amount of information she receives from the ship's database by directly assimilating as much of Voyager ' s data as possible. This allows her to draw conclusions from varied sources of data and find bugs in one of the systems. Meanwhile, the ship encounters an alien who has constructed a catapult capable of throwing a ship several hundred light years in a few hours. The crew of Voyager help him repair his array, with hopes that if they make the trip successfully they can then use it to shorten their trip home.

Seven of Nine downloads the data about the catapult, but she begins to exhibit paranoid behavior. She uses evidence concerning possible spatial-warp technology developments to convince Chakotay that Janeway might be spearheading a Federation presence in the Delta Quadrant. Although skeptical, Chakotay delays the shield modifications necessary for the catapult trip so he can examine the evidence himself.

After another regeneration/assimilation cycle, Seven has a new conclusion. She uses most of the same evidence, but this time with added incidents involving Chakotay to support her findings to convince Janeway that Chakotay might be spearheading a power grab for the Maquis with the same technology. (Seven states that Seska impregnated herself with Chakotay's DNA but in Season 3, Episode 1, the Doctor reveals that Chatokay is not the father.)

The two end up comparing stories and they realize Seven is acting irrationally. The Doctor determines that Seven has downloaded more information than she can handle.

Seven then starts suspecting a third conspiracy: that the aim of the last five years was actually to grab a Borg drone, herself. Seven steals the Delta Flyer in order to escape from Voyager. Janeway manages to beam aboard. She convinces Seven that she is ill and she returns to Voyager for treatment.

The crew successfully uses the alien's catapult to travel closer to the Alpha Quadrant, cutting three years off their journey.