Just before they slide, Diana (Tembi Locke) tells the others that the time will soon be right to be able to send them all back to their own worlds. Rembrandt (Cleavant Derricks) is wistful, wishing he could go home with something to help battle the Kromaggs. They arrive on the steps of an old courthouse, and are met by a cheering mob carrying welcome signs. Claire LeBeau (Jennifer Hetrick) steps forward to greet them with her father, Marc (Roy Dotrice), also known as the Seer. In Marc's home, the walls are covered with uncannily accurate paintings of the Sliders in their various adventures. Claire explains that Marc is clairvoyant, and was able to follow the Sliders as they traveled from world to world.

The Sliders arrive in a strange, stormy city that appears to be deserted. They see a lone figure hurrying down the street and they follow him down an alley. They are shocked to find themselves stopped by a huge wall of energy, and when the stranger turns to face them, they see that he is their old nemesis Dr. Oberon Geiger (Peter Jurasik), but he doesn't seem to recognize them. In a frightened voice, he tells them that death brought them here, but not even death can help them escape.

Landing in a desert, the Sliders search for signs of civilization. They locate an archaeological dig, headed by Dr. Jack Bigelow (Ken Jenkins), a paleontologist, and Gwen Palmer (Elizabeth Lackey), his student assistant. Bigelow says they are excavating an ancient site. The Sliders notice that their tools and methods are old-fashioned, and they are assisted by workers who are as simple as those who toil in Egyptian ruins. The desert they have found themselves in is known as the Badlands, and Bigelow welcomes them to stay as long as they help him and his students with the work. He leads them to a cave to show them what he has uncovered so far, and they realize with shock that it is the Chandler Hotel, covered with centuries of dust.

The Sliders are relieved to find themselves in a normal world, but Rembrandt (Cleavant Derricks) notices that the timer is malfunctioning. It keeps counting down, then up, then down again. Suddenly, the vortex opens and they are thrust inside. When they are thrown back into an alley, Diana (Tembi Locke) sees that the timer appears to be working normally again, but is worried that it could malfunction again at any moment. Rembrandt admits that it is not the original timer invented by Quinn. The original was destroyed on one of their adventures, and this one was constructed by Egyptian scientists. At a jewelry store near the Chandler Hotel, Maggie (Kari Wuhrer) admires a display of jewels called "living gems of the Chapare," which seem to pulsate with life. Inside, the clerk asks them if they've arrived for the film festival, and they see reporters surround a star, Monique Monroe (Lisa Stahl Sullivan) as she enters the lobby. Maggie notices that Monique is wearing one of the living jewels on a pendant around her neck.

The Sliders land in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and are rescued by a merchant vessel. Diana (Tembi Locke) is disturbed. The timer has been programmed so that they are only supposed to slide onto dry land in a 400-mile radius of Southern California, yet her readings show that they are headed for Hawaii. She worries that the timer is malfunctioning and wonders what will happen when they slide again. They must get back to the mainland before the next slide or they could end up even farther off course. The captain tells them that he can't turn around, and is baffled when they suggest calling for a helicopter. In the ship's library, Diana learns why the captain was confused. Light metal was never developed on this world, so transportation is restricted to heavy craft like ships and land vehicles. Helicopters and other light aircraft have never been invented. Suddenly gunshots erupt on deck, and they discover the ship is being boarded by a band of pirates, led by Paxton (Robert Cuccioli).

The Sliders land at the Einman Resort Hotel, an adult playground that features highly realistic games putting guests into simulated environments in which they must use their wits and skill to survive. Mallory (Robert Floyd) wants to fight in the Civil War, while Rembrandt (Cleavant Derricks) opts for a 1970s-style urban detective scenario. Maggie (Kari Wuhrer) and Diana (Tembi Locke) decide to skip the games and relax in the Roman Spa. Rembrandt meets Fred (Kevin West), a guest who is to be his partner in the detective game. He is experienced, and offers to show Rembrandt the ropes. They enter a holographic projection of a New York City street circa 1975, and it is so realistic that it takes Rembrandt's breath away. Meanwhile, Mallory joins the Confederate troops battling the North in the War Between the States. He charges a hologram of a Union soldier, and is surprised when the man stops and sadly asks him why he is killing them. When he is struck by a bullet, he falls to the ground and disappears.

The Sliders arrive at Oakwood Institute, which appears to be a sort of mental hospital. The patients are roaming the grounds without supervision, and one of them, a man who plays a violin without strings (Paul Sand), says they're having a riot. Maggie (Kari Wuhrer) and Rembrandt (Cleavant Derricks) decide to look around. Suddenly police cars pull up and helmeted officers order the patients to return to their rooms. Everyone begins running toward the building. Diana (Tembi Locke) and Mallory (Robert Floyd), unsure of what to do, follow along. Rembrandt and Maggie see a sign on the front gate identifying the place as a neural remapping institute. Not sure what it means, but certain it can't be good, they slip through the gate as it begins to close.

The Sliders find themselves in a beautiful Japanese garden, but Rembrandt (Cleavant Derricks) finds himself in a swirling void, separate from the others, even though they're right there with him. He thinks he can see Wade (Maria Stanton), a friend they lost to the evil Kromaggs many slides ago, and he calls out her name. Diana (Tembi Locke) suggests he may be hallucinating as the result of too many slides, and he remains in a kind of trance. When they slide again, they find themselves in a room at the Chandler Hotel, and Rembrandt sleeps. He dreams of the time he and Wade spent in the Kromagg prison. She had begged for his help, but he was so addled by the Kromagg drugs that when they came to take her away, all he could do was watch impassively.

The Sliders drop into an open desert. Rembrandt (Cleavant Derricks) gives them the bad news that they're stuck here for three days, so they trudge off in search of civilization. On a two-lane highway, they flag down a bus with the name Kincaid Petroleum, Inc., painted on its side. It stops, and the driver lets them board. Inside, all the passengers appear to be workers for the company. Mallory (Robert Floyd) sits next to Sam (Lisa Akey), an attractive woman who says they're on their way to their work site. When they arrive, two officers with the Air Quality Management District show up with the body of a man, known as a Smoker, in their truck. Clearly wanting to make an example of him before the eyes of the workers, they strap the body to a fence for all to see.

The Sliders arrive in Fresno, California, Maggie's (Kari Wuhrer) birthplace. She is shocked to see that streets and public parks have been named after her. A sculpture in the courthouse square is dedicated to Lieutenant Colonel Margaret Beckett, a heroic astronaut. They visit the Maggie Beckett Museum, where they are greeted by Mr. Xybo (Rob LaBelle), who tells them the astronaut's story. Maggie was the leader of the crew of the Intrepid, a mission that managed to land on Mars, but didn't make it back.