Trip is alone on a test mission aboard Shuttlepod One, trying out the latest autopilot upgrades. Suddenly, he is fired upon by an alien ship and must make an emergency landing on a nearby moon. It's nighttime, and Trip attempts to repair the transceiver in order to contact Enterprise. While he's working, he is suddenly attacked by a mysterious alien. Trip retreats into his shuttlepod, but quickly notices that the alien interloper has stolen his transceiver.