Captain Nathan Cross is summoned to the office of Admiral Jeffrey Pike, head of Starfleet Research and Development. Expecting to be grounded for losing his previous command, the Norway-class USS Elsinore, Cross is instead given command of a new science ship, the USS Eternity, and assigned to the Trans-Briar Patch area. He is joined by his new Yeoman, Ensign Jamie Piper for the trip over to the Eternity.