In 2285, the USS Reliant was on a survey mission to find a suitable location for Project Genesis, a Federation project to turn an uninhabitable world into an M-class planet. While examining what they thought was Ceti Alpha VI, Capt. Clark Terrell and his first officer, Commander Pavel Chekov, were captured by Khan and his followers. He implanted each with Ceti eels and learned why they came to the planet. Shortly afterward, Khan and his people took control of the Reliant, marooned the crew on Ceti Alpha V, and headed for the Regula I space station.