It is the 23rd century. Admiral James T. Kirk is feeling old; the prospect of accompanying his old ship, the USS Enterprise–now a Starfleet Academy training ship–on a two-week cadet cruise is not making him feel any younger. But the training cruise becomes a deadly serious mission when his nemesis Khan Noonien Singh–genetic conqueror from late 20th century Earth–appears after years of exile. He begins capturing Project Genesis, a device holding the power of creation itself, and schemes the utter destruction of Kirk.