on stardate 5267.2, while exploring the delta triangle, where many starships have disappeared, the federation starship "enterprise" is attacked by several klingon vessels. during the battle they are caught in an ion storm. the "enterprise" and one klingon battlecruiser are drawn into a spacetime vortex and end up in a timeless dimension in what could only be called a graveyard for space vessels. captain kirk and his crew are shocked to find "that the descendants of the crews of these various vessels are still alive" and have formed a government, calling themselves 'the elysian council.'