The crew of the Enterprise are engaged in star-mapping activities.
Lt. Bailey finds the whole task boring and Mr. Spock reminds him that the Enterprise is the only
ship to reach this far out in space. Just then, Sulu's sensor alarms, citing an object on an
intercept course. When the object comes to within visual range, it is just a spinning, colored
cube. Mr. Spock soon calls for General Alert, and asks for Captain Kirk to the Bridge.
------
In Sickbay, Captain Kirk is being examined by their new surgeon, Dr.
Leonard H. McCoy, who is giving him a weekly physical. Kirk still does not know about the
condition of his ship and only notices the alert condition after his physical. Spock shows him
the Bridge's viewscreen and Kirk asks the crew the standard procedure. No contact has been made
with the object and frankly they are at a loss as what to do. Captain Kirk storms out of
Sickbay, annoyed at Dr. McCoy's lack of care to notify him of the ship's condition.
Kirk heads for the Turbolift and to the Bridge. He
then contacts the Bridge to get a condition report of the object, but Spock reports that there
is no change. He then decides he'll go to his quarters and get changed first. After he gets
changed, he asks Spock on the condition of the cube, and Spock's answer remains the same. He
then heads for the Bridge.
Captain Kirk enters the Bridge, and immediately
asks for a situation report. The situation remains unchanged and no communications have been
made with the object. Kirk is at a crossroads as what to do, and soon convenes a meeting with
his senior staff to decide what to do. Spock then suggests that the object could be a buoy of
some kind to warn them off, but since they haven't communicated that, Kirk decides the best
course of action would be to go around it. Bailey begs to differ, as he suggests that they
might blast their way out of the situation, and clearly his mind hasn't worked out the
situation that they are in. Kirk decides to dismiss Bailey's suggestion and decides to go
around the cube.
On the Bridge, Kirk orders Sulu to steer a course
around the cube, but just when they think that they are breaking through, the cube follows
their every move. Soon, the cube comes closer and closer to the ship, and is emitting a strange
radiation that could be fatal to the crew. When Spock informs Kirk that they are exceeding
tolerance level, Kirk orders Bailey to fire phasers. Bailey is unaware that his captain has
given orders to fire phasers, as he is perplexed at the image before him. Sulu has to fire the
phasers for him and soon the cube is destroyed, leaving a shockwave in its wake.
------
After destroying the cube, Captain Kirk must make the decision
whether or not to press ahead, ignoring the warning of the cube. He asks Spock what they may
find out there, and Spock suggests that they might find the same beings who sent out the cube,
possibly of a far greater superiority than them. Kirk then orders the navigator to lay in a
course ahead, and to run phaser drills, as he was unhappy with the reaction of the phaser crews
performance. He then heads off for his quarters with Dr. McCoy.
In the Turbolift, McCoy announces his worry over
Lt. Bailey's performance. Kirk doesn't worry about it, it's all part of their duty. In his
quarters, they continue to discuss the nature of human existence, saying that human's aren't
machines, designed to work on them. When the results of the latest phaser drills comes in at
ninety-four percent, Kirk pushes it for one-hundred, which alerts McCoy to the fact that Kirk
may be pushing his crew too hard. Just then, a beautiful young yeoman enters with Kirk's new
meal, full of green vegetables. Dr. McCoy ordered his diet change, after he was found a few
kilo's overweight. Kirk is nonetheless annoyed at this little discrepancy. The battle drills
are soon cut short however, when another object is picked up.
On the Bridge, they wait for the arrival of the new
vessel. Sulu soon spots it off into the distance. It soon looms closer to the ship, until it
fills the viewscreen. Spock reports that the composition of the ship matches that of the cube
and it measures almost two-hundred miles in diameter. Kirk tries to open communication with the
larger vessel, but is instantly ignored, when the vessel sends out a sensor beam all over the
ship. Then, the alien of the vessel makes contact over Lt. Bailey's navigation comm system, and
Uhura switches it over. The alien announces himself as Balok and the vessel as Fesarius of the
First Federation. He gives Kirk an ultimatum, upon having destroyed a warning buoy. Kirk tries
to explain that the nature of the warning buoy was inconspicuous, but he is cut short when
Balok cuts transmission.
Spock soon manages to establish visual
communication with Balok's ship, and realizes that it is a grotesque looking alien. Balok
continues to threaten the Enterprise when it announces that since being a primitive being, it
will destroy the ship in ten minutes and that the crew better prepare themselves. Bailey's
behavior is about to go haywire when he doesn't understand what Balok wants from them. He is
annoyed that he hasn't destroyed them yet, and annoyed at Sulu's time-keeping. Dr. McCoy knew
this would happen to the young lieutenant, and Kirk relieves Bailey of his duty. He confines
him to quarters and asks McCoy to escort him there. Just as Bailey exits, Balok announces that
they have seven minutes left.
------
Captain Kirk is in indecision. He can't decide what to do. When he
asks Spock for advise, all Spock can offer is that they are at a stalemate, citing a strategy in
a chess game. Kirk is annoyed that that is all Spock can offer. Spock apologizes for not
offering any other logical alternative. Sulu soon reports that they have four minutes left, much
to Scott's chagrin.
McCoy soon reenters the Bridge, after confining
Bailey to his quarters. McCoy is annoyed at Kirk for ignoring his forewarning of Bailey's
condition, and reminds Kirk that he could be cited for this action. Kirk continuously reminds
McCoy of their mission, to seek out new life and new civilizations, and he will not let Balok
bluff them into their own death. Just when a heated argument is about to erupt, Kirk's
statement concerning bluff hits him. Perhaps strategy is not the name of this game, but bluff.
He decides to bluff his way out of this situation. Not chess, poker, he informs the bewildered
Spock.
Kirk orders Uhura to open communications and soon
plays the game. He informs Balok that they are carrying a device called corbomite, which
obliterates all enemy vessel's fire and destroys both them and the enemy vessel. The crew
accepts this bluff, but whether or not Balok will is another completely different matter. Time
will tell, as they have about one minute left before their complete annihilation. Just when
things are looking right, Yeoman Rand walks onto the Bridge to offer her captain refreshments.
Bailey soon rejoins the crew, after having regained his composure, and asks permission to
return to post. Kirk gladly accepts.
With their ten minutes up, nothing happens, just as
Kirk suspected it would. All of the crew is relieved, including Spock, who finds this game,
poker, fascinating. McCoy offers Spock to teach it to him. Just then, Balok makes contact with
the Enterprise, curious at this so-called corbomite device. Kirk decides it best to make Balok
sweat himself for a change, and denies the information to Balok. Just then, another small
vessel emerges from the Fesarius. Balok informs Kirk that he will take them to their homeworld
to be interned, and where they will hand over all information concerning this corbomite device.
The ship is locked onto with a tractor beam. Kirk watches helpless as his ship is being pulled.
------
With their ship in tow, Kirk must now decide whether or not to break
free from the vessel or be taken to the internment camp, just as Balok had announced. Balok's
ship is small compared to the larger Fesarius, which has pulled away toward its home planet.
Realizing that the small ship could not handle more power than necessary, Kirk decides to break
away from it.
He orders Sulu to lay in a reverse course from the
ship, accelerating to warp two. Not breaking free, the engines begin to overheat, however, Kirk
pushes for more. The engines goes past tolerance level and overheats, but just when all hope is
about to break loose, the Enterprise frees itself from the smaller vessel. The smaller vessel
just sits there, powerless. Balok has overheated its engines as well, from the continued
acceleration of the Enterprise. Uhura soon reports that Balok is sending out a distress signal
to the Fesarius, however, because there isn't enough power, Uhura doubts that the mothership
heard it. Kirk decides to beam on board and assist Balok and takes McCoy and Bailey with him to
face the unknown. Spock offers himself to join the party, but Kirk declines, informing Spock to
take command just in case it is a trap.
In the transporter, Kirk, McCoy and Bailey prepare
to beam aboard the ship. Scotty informs him that the ship is small and compartmentalized, and
they'll have to kneel to accomodate them. The atmosphere is also habitable for humanoid life.
Kirk and party beam over to Balok's ship. There is
no one on board. They soon discover Balok's alter-ego, a puppet sitting in a chair. It was a
perfect ruse to scare them. Then, a voice from somewhere welcomes them aboard. It is Balok.
Instead of being a fearsome alien being, Balok appears as a small, intimidating child. Balok
informs Kirk that he used the dummy to test the crew of the Enterprise, and that it was a
pleasure in doing so. They celebrate their new friendship over a drink, and the party is
reluctant at first, however, Kirk makes the first step. Balok and Kirk both agree that an
exchange take place, so that they can learn more about each other. Kirk wants to know where
he'll find a volunteer, and Bailey, who was so scared of Balok earlier, agrees to volunteer. He
won't be perfect, he explains but Kirk suggests that that would be a better way to exchange
information. Balok soon shows Kirk and the landing party his ship, and soon new found
friendship is formed.
