Stardate: 51501.4. Voyager starts receiving messages from Starfleet through the communications network, now that they know that the crew is alive in the Delta Quadrant. Some bad news is received by some of the crew, particularly Captain Janeway among others. After a short while, the messages become lodged in one of the modules, and the crew must retrieve them. Shortly, they are crudely introduced to a new enemy, the Hirogen, who seek nothing more than to kill victims for the thrill of the hunt, and Voyager is their next target.