Stardate 2369.2: While the Enterprise is being serviced and inspected at Spacedock 1, Captain Pike takes shore leave to meet a lawyer who might defend Una Chin-Riley but who doesn't answer the calls. Spock is temporarily in command of the ship, still uncomfortable with the emotions that have resurfaced since the fight against the Gorn. On the bridge, Ensign Uhura receives a seemingly random signal variance from the colony on Cajitar IV near Klingon space that she recognizes as a distress signal. It comes from La'an Noonien-Singh, who warns of a threat to peace on the planet, which is rich in dilithium and is shared between the Federation and the Klingons. Spock does not get the desired approval of a mission to Cajitar from Admiral April, upon which he tells his senior crew that he intends to steal the Enterprise. Commander Pelia, who is on the ship for the inspections, recognizes that the impending warp core breach is just a simulation. To everyone's surprise, however, she helps the crew by suggesting to additionally vent plasma to let it look more real. The Enterprise releases the docking clamps and warps away to Cajitar IV, which is currently under Klingon control and where the presence of a Starfleet ship would incite a war. So a small team beams down undercover to meet La'an, while the Enterprise is hiding in an asteroid field. La'an, who came to the planet to reunite Oriana with her parents who were previously believed to be dead, became aware of a faction that plans to restart the war between the Federation and the Klingons for the sake of higher profits with dilithium. As she, Uhura and Spock are gathering more intelligence, M'Benga and Chapel are abducted by a group of Klingons, who are in need of medical help. They walk down to a cave, to find a hidden Starfleet ship. With the help of a serum from the time of the war that gives them enhanced strength and reaction time, they fight their way through the ship until they find a transponder that M'Benga modifies to warn the Enterprise. As the effect of the drug is fading, the two have to retreat to an airlock. But it is too late to escape as the ship is already launching into space. Uhura decodes the transponder message that tells the Enterprise to destroy the other Starfleet vessel. Spock recognizes that this has to be a false flag attack and was uncovered by M'Benga and Chapel, but also that the couple could still be on that ship. As a Klingon battlecruiser arrives, he has no other option but to fire a full volley of torpedoes at the impostors. As there are no EV suits, M'Benga and Chapel eject themselves from the airlock, equipped only with thrusters and a helmet with a transponder. The Enterprise picks up the signal, and the two are beamed aboard before they freeze to death. The captain of the Klingon ship demands an explanation but is eventually appeased when Spock agrees to drink bloodwine with him. Spock speaks to Commander Pelia, who is actually a long-lived Lanthanite and has been living among humans without raising attention. She expresses the wish to stay on the ship. Noonien-Singh too has the intention to return now that Oriana is safe. Admiral April gives Spock a warning instead of harsh disciplinary measures. He knows that he will need officers like him, should there be a war with the Gorn...

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