Stardate 8454.1:
Free - climbing the mountains in Yosemite National Park on planet Earth Captain Kirk is watched by a petrified Doctor McCoy who uses his binoculars to monitor the captain's way of spending his free time. Spock has his way of caring for his friend. He uses boots which enable him to "fly" up to the same level his captain is now. High up in the mountains they discuss the sense of the captain's actions while the free climbing captain hangs on a steep rock with hardly anything to hold on. By saying "Because it (the mountain) is there" Kirk tries to explain to Spock why he's doing it. Soon after Spock had pointed out the danger involved in free climbing, Kirk's foot slips and he falls down the steep rock. Spock speeds up after him, grabbing him the moment before he hits the ground. Dryly Spock quotes Kirk's "Because it is there" as a non acceptable reason to risk one's life. – Hanging upside down Kirk is hardly in the position to deny the fact. 

On Nimbus III, three people discuss the fate of the planet n a backroom of a shabby canteen in Paradise City: A Klingon, a man from the Federation and a Romulan Lady, CaitNin Dor. All agree that the initial plan to establish a peaceful planet by all three governments has failed. Nimbus III had become a place where criminals from all over the Galaxy have gathered and – in spite of the fact that weapons are not allowed here – have created their own arms. By now Sybok has gathered an army around him and takes Paradise City. Before they can reach the transmitter Sybok takes the Klingon, the Romulan and the Terran criminals hostage. As the Romulan indicates that their government would do nothing to help them, Sybok reveals that this is exactly why he had chosen them. On board of the Enterprise Captain Uhura and Mr. Scott receive a call from Star Fleet initiating red alert. It's a priority 7 situation in the Neutral Zone. From a region in the middle of deep forests of Earth Sulu and Chekov are beamed back on board, their shore leave is cancelled. 

Still Kirk, Spock and McCoy enjoy a meal in the Yosemite Park: Beans at a campfire. Spock notices a strange flavor he likes and McCoy surprises him by sharing the secret ingredient: Whisky. As Kirk and McCoy wonder what the combination will do to a Vulcan because the combination is explosive stuff, McCoy is sure: Spock could eat a bowl of termites and it won't bother his Vulcan metabolism. "As you are so fond of pointing out, Doctor, I am half human." Spock responds. "Well, it certainly doesn't show." McCoy dryly states. Spock is grateful: "Thank you". "How do you like it? This guy never changes. I insult him and he takes it as a compliment." But now McCoy recalls the incident when Jim had nearly died and Jim shares with his friends: Even when he fell he had had the feeling that he would not die. "I do not understand" Spock says and Kirk tells his friends that he knew they were together. He is sure: If he dies, he'll die alone. They spend a lot of time together on the ship, McCoy points out; they even share their spare time. Now Spock provides marshmallows to be toasted after the meal because he had consulted the computer library to find out about the customs on earth going along with campfire rituals. Sure, a sing along follows: "Row, row, row your boat ..." Getting the signal to join in, Spock stays quiet. "I was trying to comprehend the meaning of the words" he explains. "Vulcan, you sing it!" McCoy explains. "The words are not important. What's important is that you'll have a good time singing it." "I am sorry, doctor ... ... Are we having a good time?" Spock wants to know. When they go to sleep in their sleeping bags, Spock addresses the captain: "Captain?" "Spock, we are on leave, you call me 'Jim'". "Jim, life is not a dream." "Go to bed, Spock!" 

A Klingon ship under the command of Captain Klaa gets the news that a Klingon is held captive on Nimbus III together with a Terran and a Romulan. Being sure a Star Ship will be sent for rescue, Klaa decides to go for Nimbus III in hope for an oncoming battle with a Federation Star Ship which will be sent there. Because the transporter is not working Uhura lands a shuttle craft near the place the three are sleeping in order to fetch them and Kirk wonders why he might have forgotten his communicator. (It earns him a smile from Uhura – indicating that she is well aware of the reason). In the shuttle Kirk quotes "All I ask is a tall ship and stars steer above" while he is on his way back to the Enterprise. "Melville" Bones adds. "John Masefield" Spock corrects. "Are you sure about it?" "I am well verse in the classics, doctor" "Then how come you don't know row, row, row your boat?" On the bridge the crew watches the tape showing the hostages and the person responsible. Spock puts the face on his screen. "What's wrong, Spock? You look as if you have seen a ghost." Kirk asks Spock. "Perhaps I have, Captain. Perhaps I have." 

Bones and Kirk visit Spock to find out and Spock remembers (though without being certain) that he knew him from his youth: A gifted Vulcan who believed in emotions rather than in logic. He later was banned from Vulcan because he believed in the way of the Vulcan ancestors and because of insisting in a forbidden way. Approaching Nimbus III the Enterprise is still not in possession of all her powers. The transporter and other equipment are not working. Captain Chekov takes the com and communicates with Sybok as the others land on Nimbus III with the shuttle in safe distance to the city. Uhura distracts the guards. They hurry to come closer while listening to her singing. As they come close, Kirk and Spock suddenly raise behind her, point their guns at them and take all the horses. Spock uses the tricorder to find out where the hostages are held. As the crew is detected fighting begins. "Do you realize what you have done?" Sybok asks Chekov when he hears the sounds outside, "It isn't bloodshed I wanted." 

The crew manage to enter the place where the hostages are kept in the city–only to be met by the phasers of the hostages. Sybok embraces Spock: "Spock! You have finally caught up with me. After all those years! ... Don't you have anything to say to me?" Spock moves back. "You are under arrest for 17 violations of the Neutral Zone treaty." After a moment of hesitation Sybok laughs out loud. He intends to take over the starship Enterprise without Spock joining him. The Galileo heads for the Enterprise with Sybok, the Klingon, the Terran and the Romulan Lady on board. Because the Klingon ship is around and cloaked the Klingon confirms that they are in danger. It is ready to attack - as Kirk had informed Sybok. "Standby to execute emergency landing plan B" Kirk tells his ship after he was told to do what is necessary. Without using the tractor beam, the shuttle is landed inside the ship by Sulu's manual steering to avoid the time a tractor beam would have needed when the shields are down. Hardly a chance for the Klingons to attack. 

Inside the ship Spock gets the chance to take a gun and points it at Sybok. "Shoot him!" Kirk shouts, but Spock cannot kill him. Sybok tries to convince Spock to accompany him to the bridge. "You know I am right. Will you accompany me?" "No, I will not" Spock is sure. Locked away Kirk wants to know why Spock did not kill Sybok. "He is my half- brother" Spock explains and McCoy understands: "Spock, you never cease to amaze me" "Nor am I myself" Spock agrees. The ability to take away the secret pain of each member of the main crew helps Sybok to gain the confidence of the crew. They follow him and obey to his orders while Kirk, Spock and McCoy are still locked in. Of course the three try to escape. Before Kirks attempt to cut a wire Spock says: "Unwise." - and Kirk cuts it. He's blown backwards by a blast. "You should have warned me." Kirk complains. "He did" McCoy defends Spock. Still on the ground Kirk listens to Spock who informs him that this room has been tested by the most intelligent people. They did not manage to escape. The room has been constructed to avoid that and was planned by a highly intelligent person. "He did not have pointed ears?" Kirk suspects. "He did have pointed ears", Spock confirms while offering his hand to help his captain up. Kirk takes it. 

Via intercom all crew is now told what they are heading for: The discovery of Sha Ka Ree, the place where "God" is. The place lies beyond the Great Barrier in the center of the Galaxy. It is not a myth, Sybok says, but a reality all men seek for. In their prison Kirk wonders how Spock feels about it. "Are you with me?" he asks him. "I am here, Captain" "This is a little vague" Kirk comments. Scotty comes for the rescue. He blows up the wall of the cell they are in. When he hurries down the corridor to the other direction, the three have to climb a long, steep ladder. On his way Scotty accidentally hits his head against an obstacle and knocks himself unconscious. Climbing and climbing Kirk wonders where Spock is as he suddenly hears a sound directly behind him. Spock has used the boots which overcome gravity and offers his hand again: "I believe I have found a faster way." Both cling on to Spock and are lifted up. Trying to send an SOS signal to Federation outposts in another room they are answered by the Klingon ship. Getting their promise to send a rescue ship, they give away their coordinates. Klaa follows the Enterprise while he is ware that they all will be heading for the Great Barrier ...

In sickbay Uhura cares for Scotty who slowly awakes out of his unconsciousness. She has been cured of all her fears by Sybok and does not see the madman Scotty sees in him. Calmly Sybok confronts Kirk: "I guess your message has been received." "I cannot watch you take my ship into the Great Barrier," Kirk responds. "What you fear is the unknown" Sybok replies and goes on trying to convince Kirk, Spock and McCoy of his plans. His ultimate aim is to reach the place where creation comes from. It is a myth in all known languages and Sybok intends to get there. "It's reality." Sybok tells them. "The only reality I see is that I am a prisoner on my own ship" Kirk states and wonders what Sybok did to control the crew's minds. "I do not control them, I free them". Sybok's answer causes McCoy to ask: "How?" "Your pain is the deepest of all" Sybok approaches McCoy and causes him to live again through his worst memory: The fact that he had not been able to help his dying father to decrease his pain or to save him from a sever illness. He switched off the life supporting system – only days before a cure had been found. Sybok relieves McCoy of his pain. Now Sybok confronts Spock with his memory of his birth. Spock's father had minded the human part in him: "He is so human." Not showing it obviously Spock goes through deeply moving moments. When Sybok tries to take away Kirk's pain, Kirk refuses: "Our pain makes us what we are" Kirk says. 

An announcement interrupts them and Sybok is told that the ship approaches the Great Barrier. He orders Kirk to stay behind and tells McCoy and Spock to come with him. "I cannot go with you." Spock says. "Why not? " "I belong here. Sybok, you are my brother but you do not know me. I am not the outcast boy you have left behind those many years ago. Since that time I have found myself and my place. I know who I am. I cannot go with you." First McCoy seems undecided, but he soon finds that he is closer to his friends than to Sybok - though he had taken his deepest pain. Following his inner voice Sybok leads the ship through the Great Barrier and Chekov detects a power - source he's never encountered before. Now Sybok is sure that Kirk will go on because he too wants to know. He gives Kirk back the command over his ship. Kirk orders Spock, McCoy and Sybok to join him in the shuttle heading for the planet in front of them. After a moment Spock calmly informs the others: He is not any more in control of the shuttle. A soft landing is provided by a force on the planet. Before they leave the shuttle Kirk reaches for the phasers. A gentle touch and a smile by Sybok make him realize: "O.k., we'll play it your way." Watched by the ship's crew the four men leave the shuttle and go on until they reach a flat, sandy place. 

Just as they begin to think that nothing will happen they find themselves surrounded by long stones emerging out of the ground. A brilliant blue light shines from the center, its rays even passing the ship in its orbit. While they are wondering whether they encounter God the being says "One voice and many faces" and shows them images of faces. The power – life form informs them that they are the first to reach this place. When Sybok speaks about the starship, the entity tells him to get it closer so that it can bring his power to others, too. Now Kirk begins to wonder: "What does 'God' need with a starship?" Since the being obviously is not aware who Kirk is, Kirk is sure: This is not God. But McCoy is still in awe. He minds Jim asking "God" questions. The entity fires two shots at Kirk – through the eyes of the image it has projected towards them: "He doubted me!" This causes Spock to intervene: "You got to answer his question: 'What does 'God' need with a starship?' " and is hit by the same rays of power. "Do you doubt me?" the entity asks McCoy. "I doubt any ‘God' who inflicts pain for his own pleasure." In fear Sybok turns to the being: "Shakharee would not do this." This causes the entity to emphasize its ambitions: It has been a prisoner here and needs a ship. Unable to drop his dream of finding a visible God Sybok asks the being to reveal itself. Changing its face to Sybok's the being encounters Sybok and tries to force him to bring the ship closer – or the others will die. 

In horror Sybok tells Spock that this is his own arrogance, his vanity he is encountering now. They touch each other's hand. "Sybok, we must find a way ..." "No", Spock is interrupted by Sybok: "You must save yourselves. Forgive me, brother!" and Sybok turns towards the being and offers it to share its pain. Huge electric flashes emerge and Sybok is caught inside the stone surrounded place. Quickly Kirk orders Chekov to fire at the place. Chekov hesitates – it is the place the three of them are standing. Kirk repeats his command. While the torpedo comes closer the three try to escape. All power is absorbed by the entity which fades leaving a red cloud behind. But noises are still heard. The noises become louder as they reach the shuttle and find the thrusters inoperative. Outside the noises rage. From inside the shuttle Kirk makes contact with Scotty: "Mr. Scott, please, tell me the transporter is working!" Scotty confirms: It might take two. Scotty is ordered to beam up Spock and Dr. McCoy. He does. As they are up, Spock immediately orders Scotty to bring up the captain. In this moment the Klingon ship fires at them. Captain Klaa is on screen and promises to spare their lives if they hand over captain Kirk. "He is not among us, he is down at the planet's surface" Spock answers him. "You are lying!" "I am a Vulcan. I am incapable of lying" Spock informs him and turns to the Klingon who's been with Sybok. "I am in need of your assistance. You are his superior officer" "I am a foolish old man" The Klingon answers. But Spock firmly insists: "Damn you, Sir, you will try."