During diplomatic negotiations with the Jarada, a mysterious race of insectoid beings, Commander Riker and his away team are cut off from the Enterprise and the Jarada initiate an unprovoked attack on the ship.
Exploring the ruins of an ancient civilization on the uninhabited planet Careta IV, the Enterprise crew discover strange devices that appear to be windows. But the mysterious windows prove to be more than they seem when Kirk, Chekov, and two security guards enter them and disappear. Suddenly, Kirk and his team find themselves find themselves trapped in a strange alien environment.
While transporting a diplomatic party, a Federation ambassador is determined to see that she resumes her romance with Captain Kirk where they left off. When another ambassador presents Kirk with three of his wives, finding time for the first romance is going to prove nearly impossible. When a diplomatic attache` is murdered the prime suspect is one of his crew members.