What Is Starfleet?

Beto Ortegas is filming a documentary about Starfleet and quietly hopes to prove it is really a military force. His timing is ideal: the Enterprise is on a classified mission to help the non-Federation planet Lutani VII, at war with neighbouring Kasar, by delivering a Jikaru, an enormous creature the Lutani have altered into a living weapon. Beto presses the crew with pointed questions. During a clash with the Lutani, the device controlling the Jikaru is damaged and the creature breaks loose. Spock falls into a coma after touching its mind, so Uhura reaches out instead and learns that the Jikaru is suffering and wants to die. Pike honours its wish, and the Enterprise guides it into a star, while the Federation agrees to protect the Jikaru homeworld. Uhura challenges Beto for blaming Starfleet for his rift with his sister and her Gorn injuries. Beto rethinks, and his finished film praises the crew.