Starfleet?
The Enterprise is in
final preparation to leave dock.
Which will require
20 more hours at minimum...
Twelve.
I'm on my way to a meeting
with Admiral Nogura...
which will not last
more than three minutes.
Report to me on the Enterprise
in one hour.
Report to you, sir?
It is my intention to be
on that ship following that meeting.
Report to me in one hour.
- Admiral!
- Mr. Scott.
Those departure orders... 12 hours.
Starfleet cannot be serious.
Why aren't the Enterprisetransporters operating, Mr. Scott?
A wee problem, sir.
Just temporary.
Admiral, we have just
finished 18 months...
redesigning and refitting
the Enterprise.
How in hell do they expect me
to have her ready in 12 hours?
Take me over, please.
She needs more work, sir.
A shakedown!
Mr. Scott, an alien object of
unbelievable destructive power...
is less than three days away
from this planet.
The only starship in interception
range is the Enterprise.
Ready or not,
she launches in 12 hours.
The crew haven't had
near enough transition time...
with all the new equipment.
And the engines... They're
not even tested at warp power.
And an untried captain.
Two-and-a-half years as
chief of Starfleet Operations...
may have made me
a little stale, but I...
wouldn't exactly
consider myself untried.
- They gave her back to me, Scotty.
- Gave her back, sir?
L doubt it was that easy
with Nogura.
You're right.
Well, any man who could
manage such a feat...
I would not dare disappoint.
She'll launch on time, sir,
and she'll be ready.
- Thank you, Mr. Scott.
- Aye, sir.
Cargo bay to launch crew.
A travel pod is now
available at dock 6.
- Permission to come aboard, sir.
- Granted, sir.
Welcome aboard, Admiral.
Commander Scott, you're needed
in Engineering immediately.
Sir, you'll excuse me.
Flight deck, prepare
for an incoming shuttlecraft.
If you'll follow me,
I'll show you...
I think I can
find my way, Ensign.
Aye, sir.
Bridge.
What's the problem?
L thought you people had
that circuit patched in an hour ago.
We did. We had to disconnect it.
All right. Take out...
It's going to take us longer
that way. We're trying to save time.
I'm still waiting for a check
on the line. What's holding it up?
As soon as somebody
can get to it.
What's the next program?
L'll get somebody down there
as soon as I can, Cleary.
My people are all tied up now.
Captain! Starfleet just signaled
your transfer of command orders.
L wish the circumstances
were less critical.
Epsilon 9 is monitoring the intruder.
Keep a channel open to them.
Aye, sir.
- Where's Captain Decker?
- He's in Engineering, sir.
He... He doesn't know.
- Mr. Chekov.
- Aye, sir.
Assemble the crew on
the recreation deck at 0400 hours.
L want to show them
what we're facing.
He wanted her back.
He got her.
And Captain Decker?
He's been with this ship
every minute of her refitting.
Ensign, the possibilities of
our returning from this mission...
in one piece
may have just doubled.
Check Cleary on number six.
- Need your cooler status.
- Stand by.
Space matrix restoration coils.
Dilithium crystals.
L knew it. The transporter sensor
was not activated.
Air equalization.
Automatic off.
Faulty module.
Cleary, put a new backup sensor
into the unit.
Aye, sir.
Admiral Kirk! Well,
we're getting a top brass send-off.
Don't worry,
she'll launch on schedule...
if we have to tow her out
with our bare hands, right, Scotty?
Aye. That we will, sir.
- Let's talk.
- Sure.
Let me know
when that backup's ready.
All due respect, I hope this isn't
some kind of Starfleet pep talk.
- I'm really too busy.
- I'm taking over the center seat.
You're what?
I'm replacing you
as captain of the Enterprise.
You'll stay on
as executive officer.
Temporary grade reduction
to commander.
You personally
are assuming command?
Yeah.
- May I ask why?
- My experience.
Five years out there
dealing with unknowns like this.
My