Embracing the Winds

The Enterprise recovers the USS Hood, whose entire crew has died in a life support failure, and tows it home. At Starbase Corinth IV, Commodore Gray offers Spock command of the Hood, a decision challenged by Commander Diana Garrett, the first officer of Earth Spacedock, who believes she was overlooked because she is a woman. Gray hints at politics: Tellarite society opposes female starship captains, and Tellar Prime's goodwill matters to the Federation. Kirk interviews Garrett and is impressed, until questions about an inquiry on Nimbus III, where her captain died, make her bristle. She demands a formal hearing, and Vice Admiral Stomm's probing of Spock's mixed heritage shows that bias can cut more than one way. Meanwhile, Chekov restores power to the Hood's engine room but is left behind when a team goes aboard. Suddenly the Hood's engines surge towards overload and its shields block the transporter. Chekov finds a way to drop them, and the team is beamed out moments before the ship explodes. With no ship to command, the hearing becomes moot. Kirk secures the Tellarite ambassador's support for a future woman captain, Chekov is promoted to lieutenant, and Garrett departs hoping that one day a Garrett will command an Enterprise, while Kirk and Spock are glad not to be parted.