Keiko O'Brien's return to Deep Space Nine after a year on Bajor puts Miles in great spirits. With her arrival, Keiko brings news of a new O'Brien on the way. Meanwhile, Captain Sisko continues to remain uneasy about being the Emissary, a religious icon for an entire people. However, that is about to change when a 300 year old Bajoran light ship comes through the wormhole. The pilot of the vessel, Akorem Laan, is beamed to sick bay where he tells Sisko and Major Kira that he is the Emissary.

Stardate: 49504.3 Voyager answers the distress signal of a Vidiian ship and transports the lone occupant to sickbay. The occupant is suffering from the Phage, and near death. The Doctor puts the unconscious patient into a coma, but then he links her brain's synaptic activities to a holodeck created virtual rendition of the Vidiian without the disease. When she wakes, the Vidiian gazes upon a healthy face she had not seen since she was seven years old. However, the holo-image will only keep her alive for a short period of time. The Vidiian, a hemotologist, and the Doctor work together to restore her synaptic functions to her old body before her brain waves disappear and she dies.

Huzzah! Carlton is accepted at Princeton. So why does he suddenly decide to become a pro bowler?

Mitch's life flashes before him (in flashbacks from previous episodes) when his parachute fails while sky-surfing. Tabloids follow CJ's relationship with a football player.

Elizabeth Taylor cancels her interview with Murphy, because the police have a lead on her stolen pearls. Jim stops by for a chance to meet Miss Taylor. Meanwhile, Miles wants the team to stop torturing Miller. Miles asks Jim for a bit of advice and he suggests a retreat. So Miles takes the team north to get them to work together as a team.