Dr. McCoy finds himself in over his head when put in command of the Starship Enterprise in this electrifying Star Trek adventure.

When Dr. McCoy grumbles once too often about the way the Starship Enterprise ought to be run, Captain Kirk decides to leave the doctor in command while he oversees a routine diplomatic mission.

But McCoy soon learns that command is a double-edged sword when Kirk disappears without a trace. Desperately trying to locate his captain, McCoy comes under pressure from Starfleet to resolve the situation immediately. Matters go from bad to worse when the Klingons arrive and stake their own claim on the planet. And when another deadly power threatens them all, McCoy and the Enterprise are pitted against an alien fleet in a battle they have no hope of winning.