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.

William Shatner
as Captain James T. Kirk

Leonard Nimoy
as Mr. Spock

Malachi Throne
as Commodore José Mendez

DeForest Kelley
as Dr. McCoy

James Doohan
as Scott

Nichelle Nichols
as Uhura

Sean Kenney
as Christopher Pike

Hagan Beggs
as Lt. Hansen

Julie Parrish
as Miss Piper

Majel Barrett
as Number One / Enterprise Computer (archive footage)