Before she became an officer aboard the USS Enterprise… Beverly Howard is in big trouble at the Academy. They've just begun their first year as Starfleet medical cadets, and already Beverly and her roommate Claire Voy are one step from probation. Commander Max Wiley, who teaches the holodeck simulation course in medical emergencies, caught them skipping class to visit an excavation in nearby San Francisco. He took them to the admiral's office and has put them on notice. One more slip and they're out! When Claire's partner in her medical emergencies class is injured, Commander Wiley blames Claire for the accident. But was it an accident? It is the commander's word against Claire's. Wiley has no reason to lie—or does he? Beverly's own investigation takes her from the computer labs to the admiral's office. Now Claire's future hangs in the balance unless Beverly and Data can find a way to clear her—without being expelled themselves!