Crossroads

Leaving the Protostar buried in the ice of a frozen world, the crew head for a remote trading post, hoping to reach Starfleet without bringing the weapon. There they meet the smuggler Thadiun Okona, who offers to help before depot security arrests him. At the same time Admiral Janeway's Dauntless arrives, and the young crew have a string of near misses with Dr Noum, with Barniss Frex, survivor of the destroyed relay station, and with Janeway herself, who offers Dal some encouragement without knowing who he is. When Frex recognises Dal, the crew flee on a speeder, with Okona tagging along and supplying illegal fuel to help them escape. Back aboard, Murf hatches into a new form with arms and legs and accidentally fires a torpedo at the Dauntless. On Okona's advice the Protostar runs for the Romulan Neutral Zone. Janeway wants to follow, but Romulan warbirds decloak and warn the Federation not to cross the border.