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TREKCORE > MOVIES > STAR TREK IV: THE VOYAGE HOME > Synopsis
In 2286, Kirk and
company wait in self-imposed exile on Vulcan, monitoring
Spock's progress as he remembers his past. On Earth, the
Federation Council is urged by the Klingon Ambassador to
produce Kirk for trial for his actions against the Klingons
on the Genesis Planet. Ambassador Sarek denies the request
to permit Kirk's extradition from Vulcan and defends Kirk
before the Council. The council agrees, yet demands Kirk
return to Earth to face his violation of nine Starfleet
regulations. Caught between two different sides, Kirk
finally decides to take the Klingon Bird-of-Prey to Earth to
face the Council's charges. Spock, still suffering slightly
from his fal-tor-pan, decides he must accompany his captain.
The crew arrives to find Earth in turmoil, threatened by a
deep space probe that has drained all power and is
vaporizing the oceans, producing a worldwide cloud cover
which begins to block the sun. Because of the enormous
storms ravaging the entire planet, Starfleet warns all
approaching spacecraft to keep their distance.
Spock manages to identify the probe's unusual communication,
which turns out to be a transmission to long-extinct
humpback whales. When the probe's signal is not answered, it
increases its output, causing more clouds and even more
storms. Kirk and crew, orbiting the doomed planet, decide
that the only way to save Earth is to time-travel back to
the twentieth century, when whales still existed, and return
to the present with a pair of the mammals. With any luck,
then the probe's signal might be answered and Earth spared.
The crew, still piloting the Bird-of-Prey, use the slingshot
effect to travel back in time. They pick up whale songs
emanating from the West Coast of North America. They land
the Klingon warbird in a San Francisco park, where thanks to
its cloaking device, the ship is concealed from view.
However, the time traveling damaged the ship's valuable dilithium crystals. The small crew then splits up, with
Uhura and Chekov assigned to locate an atomic reactor for
photons to recharge the ship's power, and McCoy, Scotty and
Sulu ordered to create a tank in the cargo bay that will
safely house a pair of whales.
Kirk and Spock, after a humorous trip through twentieth
century San Francisco, locate Dr. Gillian Taylor and her
mated pair of whales, George and Gracie. Due to cut-backs at
the Maritime Cetacean Institute, where the whales are on
exhibit, they are due to be released in the sea. Once there,
Taylor fears the pair will be in danger from whale hunters.
When Spock performs a Vulcan mind-meld with the whales, he
learns that Gracie is pregnant. Kirk tries to convince the
doctor that he's from the future and that Starfleet will
take good care of her whales, but Taylor is, understandably,
incredulous. Meanwhile, Chekov and Uhura have located enough
photons from a reactor to complete their mission—from the
U.S.S. Enterprise CVN 65 aircraft carrier, no less. Scotty,
however, can't beam both crew members back at once. Faced
with a decision, Chekov sends Uhura up with the needed
photon collector. Chekov is then captured and questioned by
FBI agents. The Russian escapes, is chased by Marines, and
eventually falls and ends up hospitalized, in critical
condition.
McCoy and Scotty have concurrently arranged a trade for a
large piece of Plexiglas to build a whale tank on board the
Klingon ship.
Kirk finally is able to convince Gillian Taylor to help him,
first in retrieving Chekov, then the whales. Joined by
McCoy, the three pull off a wild rescue, springing Chekov
from the hospital. With twenty-third century medical
technology, McCoy is able to quickly repair Chekov's
otherwise fatal condition. Kirk says goodbye to Gillian,
assuring her that her whales will be safe and, what's more,
will be saving the entire planet in the future. At the last
second of Kirk's transport, she throws her arms around him,
transporting herself to ship along with the captain.
Using the radio frequency provided by Gillian, the crew locate
the whales, now at sea. Just as they are about to transport
George and Gracie on board the Klingon ship, a whaler ship
comes into view, threatening the two mammals. The future of
Earth at stake, the Bird-of-Prey valiantly fights off the
whaler and beams up the whales, along with tons of water, to
the prepared tank in their cargo bay.
Off the planet and en route to the Sun for the time-traveling
slingshot maneuver, Spock makes his calculations and the
ship is propelled to the twenty-third century. Arriving at
Earth, the ship is rendered powerless by the probe and
crash-lands in San Francisco Bay. Kirk then releases the
whales and they answer the probe. Apparently satisfied, the
probe retreats back into deep space once more.
With Earth safe and the storms gone, Kirk and his crew are
brought before the Federation Council to be reprimanded for
stealing and destroying the U.S.S. Enterprise in the rescue
of Spock. Although Kirk disobeyed direct orders and violated
numerous Federation laws, the Council praises the Admiral
and his crew for saving Earth. And even though Kirk is
"demoted" to Captain, he is given the only job he ever
wanted—the command of a starship. And the ship he is given?
A new U.S.S. Enterprise, registry NCC-1701-A.
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