Hugh is bitter and angry. He blames the Enterprise crew for destroying the Borg, but does not support Lore. The only warm feelings he has are for Geordi, who befriended him on the Enterprise. Riker tells him he thinks Geordi has been captured, and Hugh agrees to show them into the compound. Inside, Data subjects Geordi to the deadly neurological experiments.

While this goes on, Picard and Troi steal part of a transceiver and, when a groggy Geordi returns, they modify it to emit a kedion pulse, restoring Data's ethics. Data tells Lore that he feels conflicted about hurting his friends, and Lore responds by cutting down on the flow of emotions to Data's brain. Like an addict, Data begs for more, and Lore responds by flooding him with negative feelings. As Data walks off, Lore tells his Borg henchman, Crosis, that he no longer trusts his brother.

Lore announces ominously that Picard is about to take part in an important "ceremony." Lore also announces that Data must prove his loyalty by killing Picard. Data refuses, and Lore sadly tells Data that he must then die as well. But at the moment he is about to murder his brother, Hugh steps forward from the crowd of Borg and knocks Lore's weapon away. Riker and Worf arrive at the same time with phasers blasting. Data follows Lore, who tries to escape to the lab, and Data is ultimately forced to fire on, and then deactivate, his brother. Later, Data reunites with his friends and they prepare to leave, while Hugh assumes the position of leader of this Borg group.

Data's cat "Spot" is a male throughout the history of the show, but is suddenly female in the episode "Force of Nature, and in the episode "Genesis" gives birth to kittens.