While waiting for Capt. Picard's return from a conference, the Enterprise crew finds an ancient Earth spaceship which contains three people in cryogenic stasis. After reviving the three, and after healing their ailments, which were incurable back in their time, the crew must find out what to do with these out of place persons.

However, when Picard returns, he tells the crew they are to investigate the disappearance of several Federation outposts near the Neutral Zone. This leads to a confrontation with the Romulans, who are also investigating the loss of several Romulan outposts near the Neutral Zone.