1.10 The Corbomite Maneuver

Stardate: 1512.2

Plot Summary
The Enterprise crew track down a mysterious object that is fleeing from the ship. It appears to be a colorful cube that is blocking the ship. When Captain Kirk is finished with his physical, he returns to the bridge. During a meeting, Bailey proposes to blasting the cube. Though, Captain Kirk goes for a peaceful approach to avoid the cube.Then, the cube approaches the ship. Enterprise attempts to flee to avoid the cube's radiation by using warp speed. When warp speed fails, Captain Kirk has his crew fire main phasers at it. After the incident, Dr. McCoy asks Captain Kirk if Bailey is suitable as a navigator. Then, Spock reports a larger object heading towards the Enterprise. Suddenly, the ship gets lock in tractor beam by the mysterious, yellow object. Captain Kirk attempts to communicate with the object but receives no message. Bailey picks a message from Balok. Balok states that the Enterprise had destroyed the warning space buoy. When Balok disables the ship, Captain Kirk has Spock dispatched a recorder Marker to warn other Earth ships. However, Balok destroys the recorder Marker and informs the Enterprise crew that their ship will be destroyed. With 10 minutes left, Captain Kirk gives his crew a speech. Spock gets a visual on Balok to see what he/ or she looks like.

Then, Bailey freaks out and asks them to ask Balok what they want from us. Captain Kirk has Bailey relieved of his duty. After Spock mention chess, Captain Kirk gets an idea, making a lie. Captain Kirk warns Balok that if they attacked the ship, the carbomite stored in the ship will destroy the attacking ship. With one minute left, the crew wait. Bailey returns to his position. After a minute, the commander requests proof of the carbomite and informs them that they have delay the ship's destruction. Captain Kirk denies the request. He and his crew catch a glimpse of the commander's face. The commander sends a small ship to tow the Enterprise to a destination where the crew will be interned. Captain Kirk has his crew overheat the engine to maximum to break free of the tractor beam. When Nyota states that the small ship is sending a distress signal, Captain Kirk has his crew treat the aliens. As Captain Kirk and his crew beam themselves to the alien's small ship, they find out that the alien on screen is a dummy. They see Commander Balok is a small child. Commander Balok informs that he sent out a distress signal to test Captain Kirk. Balok states that his mission to exchange information between two cultures.

Production Notes
The episode is the first episode of the regular series to be created after the two pilots, Cage and Where No Man Has Gone Before. It became the 10th episode when the staff decide to focus on planet based stories in the beginning.