A ball of light is seen entering the USS Cerritos. Onboard, Mariner and Tendi make plans. The ball of light addresses them and Mariner identifies it as a transdimensional energy creature. She extorts it for a new tricorder which depletes its energy.

Boimler gets assigned to pilot a Klingon general to Talgana IV.

Rutherford emerges from the ship's jeffries tubes. He's excited to move onto his next assignment but Tendi reminds him they had plans to watch the Trivoli Pulsar together. Rutherford offers to find a new position that doesn't require missing the pulsar.

Boimler finds Mariner in his shuttle and finds out she's coming on the envoy mission and he's been demoted to her co-pilot.

Rutherford requests a transfer and Chief Engineer Billups grants it with well-wishes.

General K'rin arrives and Boimler attempts to greet him formally but is interrupted by Mariner launching a physical attack. It turns out it's a good-natured greeting between friends.

While Boimler pilots the shuttle to the planet, Mariner and the general drink and sing in the back. The general directs Boimler to land in the Klingon District because he's hungry. When they land, the general is passed out. Boimler and Mariner disembark to discuss what to do with him next and the general steals the shuttle. Due to the planet's ion shield, they are unable to call back to the Cerritos for a beam up and have to track the general and the shuttle down on their own.

Starfleet uniforms are viewed with suspicion on Talgana IV and Mariner is concerned with how the Kaylons in Little Qo'Nos are looking at them. Boimler bumps into a Taxor and inadvertently insults him in his own language but Mariner distracts him by throwing his wallet in a different direction.

Ransom gives Rutherford a try at a Command simulation and he destroys the ship. They try a more basic training simulation and Rutherford's orders cause all the ship's children to be ejected into space.

Boimler and Mariner walk to a recreational area. Mariner leaves Boimler to find out where the general's gone. Boimler is approached by a woman who seems interested in him. Mariner interrupts them and warns Boimler that the woman is actually a creature looking to lay eggs in his throat.

Rutherford tries out working in sick bay but his bedside manner is off-putting. Dr. T'Ana directs him to try Security where Shaxs throw him in the holodeck ring with a bunch of Borg. Rutherford activates his implant and executes a perfect takedown.

Boimler intercedes in an Andorrian dispute only to allow a shapeshifter thief to escape. A bar brawl ensues. Mariner stops it by buying the bar five rounds of drinks.

Boimler despairs of ever being a good Starfleet officer and decides to quit.

While Shaxs is introducing Rutherford to the rest of the Security team, Rutherford notices an open jeffries tube and realizes where he wants to be.

As Mariner and Boimler head out, they run into a Ferengi. Mariner is willing to trust him but Boimler refuses and scares him off.

The missing shuttle is parked outside the Federation Embassy and they drag K'rin out and leave him, unconscious, on the doorstep and head back to the Cerritos.

Back on the ship, Boimler regales the others in the bar with the story of how Mariner misidentified a Ferengi, his confidence in being Starfleet renewed. Mariner heads back to her quarters where she calls the Ferengi, a friend of hers, to thank him for acting the part of a villain.

Rutherford lets Tendi know that he has to go back into the tubes and she brings her tablet with them while he works to watch the pulsar.