Following a seemingly successful first contact mission, Archer and Trip are charged with smuggling and imprisoned aboard a penal vessel. When prisoners hijack the ship, Archer and Trip must pass as outlaws.

Archer is put on trial by the Klingons and accused by a disgraced Klingon officer of having his battle-cruiser crippled by the Enterprise in a firefight, and of aiding rebels of the Empire, but he finds a friend in his defender, Kolos.