The Wormhole Connection " 1st star - spanning collector ' s issue ! " - - The Klingons attack with a new secret weapon . Summary . While patrolling the Neutral Zone as part of Organian Peace Treaty stipulations , the USS " Gallant " is ambushed and attacked by Klingon battle cruiser s , leaving the " Gallant " dead in space . Captain Bearclaw orders immediate launch of the ship ' s log buoy then asks Bryce , his science officer , what happened . Bryce doesn ' t have time to finish his reply as the ship is destroyed . The log buoy escapes . On the bridge of a Klingon ship , Captain Koloth and other Klingons rejoice in the glory of the attack . Koloth orders his helmsman , Konom , to set course for home . Privately , Konom is horrified at the deaths of the " Gallant " crew . At Starfleet Headquarters on Earth ( stardate 8145 . 3 ) , James T . Kirk meets with Grand Admiral Stephen Turner to request permanent command of the " Enterprise " , to which Turner consents . After the meeting , Kirk calls up to the ship to announce the news to an overjoyed crew . Soon , the " Enterprise " leaves Earth orbit ( stardate 8145 . 6 ) , en route to Section 14 of the Gamma Hydra system . Kirk sits in his quarters reading the copy of " A Tale of Two Cities " given to him by Spock . Saavik calls to inform him that they ' re approaching the Neutral Zone . Kirk orders Saavik to patch him through the ship , and expresses his confidence in the " Enterprise " s newer crewmembers over the intercom . In the ship ' s mess , Ensign Nancy Bryce , still recovering from the death of her father on the " Gallant " , leaves for her duty shift on the bridge . Outside Kirk ' s quarters , she is intercepted by Ensign William Bearclaw , whose father was the " Gallant " s CO . Bearclaw blames Bryce ' s father for his own father ' s death and starts a physical altercation . Kirk walks out as Bryce kicks Bearclaw , knocking him into Kirk . Kirk berates and advises them not to " do the Klingons ' job for them " . Bryce accompanies Kirk to the bridge . There , after the ship has dropped from warp , Saavik informs Kirk there is no sign of Klingon ships . Kirk decides to try " fishing " , with the " Enterprise " as the bait . On the bridge of Koloth ' s ship , Koloth plans to launch another surprise attack , upon the " Enterprise " . When no one is looking , Konom sends a warning transmission . " Enterprise " s sensor s register the Klingon ships ' sudden appearance in time to raise shields , just before the Klingons open fire . Noticing a pattern to their tactical strategy , Kirk prepares to use it against them . He orders Sulu to drop shields and Chekov to stand by on torpedo es . When Saavik starts to question his decision , Kirk snaps at her . Kirk ' s counteroffensive strategy succeeds , destroying two Klingon ships , causing the remaining two to withdraw to their hideaway . Saavik ' s inability to explain their whereabouts elicits another severe reprisal from Kirk , who orders a briefing in fifteen minutes and leaves the bridge . In sickbay , McCoy is treating a patient when Saavik enters and asks to speak with him . McCoy takes her into his office , where she informs him of Kirk ' s attitude towards her , suspecting that Kirk will always think of her as " second best " compared to Spock . McCoy tells her he appreciates her problem , but she ' ll just have to deal with it – which Saavik doesn ' t find helpful . Afterward , McCoy confronts Kirk in Kirk ' s quarters , reminding him that she isn ' t Spock and deserves to be treated as an individual . Kirk realizes that he ' s right . At the briefing , Saavik displays energy wave readings on a computer screen , gained as a result of Konom ' s transmission . Scotty identifies it as wormhole energy . Kirk and Scotty devise a plan to enter the wormhole . Saavik volunteers to go on the mission . It seems at first that Kirk will not allow it , until he reveals that he has already selected her . Kirk returns to the bridge to recruit Ensign Bryce as well . Bryce follows him to the transporter room , where engineers are modifying environmental suits . Kirk contacts Uhura on the bridge and tells her to notify the main council on Organia of the situation . A short while later , Saavik leaves the ship in a modified shuttlecraft and activates the shuttle ' s warp sled , causing the vessel to enter wormhole space . At the same time , Kirk and Bryce beam out in the environmental suits . McCoy asks Scotty if he thinks they ' ll be all right , but Scotty isn ' t sure . Elsewhere , Kirk and Bryce rematerialize in open space , above a massive Klingon space station . Memorable quotes . " " We ' ve taken her away from you twice , and you ' ve gotten her back twice . I think that ' s lesson enough even for a Grand Admiral , don ' t you . . . Captain ? " " " " Damn that Kirk ! He is a sorcerer ! " " ( Sighs ) " " Muh poor engines . . . " "