Months after leaving Earth, the struggling colonists on the new world of Belle Terre have barely established a toehold on their new home, a ravaged world still recovering from a catastrophic planetary distaster. Cyclones, storms, landslides and flash floods make survival itself a constant challenge.

While Captain Kirk and the Starship Enterprise patrol the sector, on guard against predatory aliens and avaricious space pirates, officers Chekov, Uhura and Sulu stay behind to assist the settlers in their struggle to put down roots in the turbulent soil of an angry planet. But the colonists are a fiercely independent group, not inclined to take orders or direction from their Starfleet guardians. Chekov and the others find their ingenuity and diplomatic skills tested to the limit to save a people to don't seem to want their help!