After stealing a freighter and pushing its engines to their limits in an effort to escape the pursuing Enterprise, Harry Mudd and his cargo - three seemingly irresistable women - are recovered. Although Mudd can't help but be suspicious, the women follow his instructions to cripple the Enterprise without any questions from the male members of the crew. The dilithium crystals powering the ship are sabotaged, and Mudd intends to force Kirk to bargain for his crew's life when the Enterprise arrives at a dilithium mining outpost.
