Plot Summary

In 2267, the USS Enterprise arrives at Starbase 11 in response to a subspace call First Officer Spock reported receiving from the former captain of the Enterprise, Christopher Pike, under whom Spock had served. Captain Kirk and Spock meet the starbase commander, Commodore Mendez. Mendez informs them that Pike could not have sent any message, as a recent accident has left him with locked-in syndrome, unable to move or communicate other than answering yes/no questions with the aid of a device operated by his brainwaves. Pike refuses to communicate with anyone except Spock. After Kirk and Mendez leave to discuss the situation, Spock reveals, over Pike's repeated "no" signals, that he intends to carry out a plan that he has made.