Star Trek Plot Devices Explained

(17) The Admiral’s pet research project (for stealth, weaponry, or diplomatic advantage) violates Federation law, or policy, or treaties with another space species.

Tellarite CO turns the Admiral in. The chips may fall as the Maker wills.

Andorian CO turns the Admiral in. The chips may freeze but the wind still blows.

Vulcan CO turns the Admiral in. Of course.

Humans being well prepared for an insane admiral (seriously, it’s like you can’t make senior rank unless you’re at least partially unstable. Admirals, Commodores, Senior Captains of Starfleet just seem to pop up like clockwork with a toxic fascination with violating every oath they ever took. Kirk’s second XO was the son of an insane Commodore, and his own career as an Admiral ended after several acts of piracy that nearly involved the Federation in another war with the Klingons), they carefully navigate the lunacy in an attempt to preserve anything worth salvaging from the plan or project, without risking interstellar conflict or bad evaluations come their next opportunity for promotion, and the eventual chance to effect THEIR pet project…

(18) The human ship is the ONLY starship in the quadrant available to respond to the situation. Because…

The nearest Tellarite ship is checking in at a Tellarite colony that shares a planet with ‘a lost human colony.’ They can’t transmit or the humans will discover the Tellarites, and come over to describe the trigger that made them leave Earth.

The nearest Andorian ship is towing a 21-laboratory orbital platform, and a 60-person habitat, into the vicinity of a unique star for a 30-specialties study of an upcoming stellar event. They are in full stealth mode so the isolated scientist on the 4th planet’s 3rd moon will think he’s the only one conducting research here. They get so pissy about ‘these constant interruptions’ and ‘intrusions’ in their important discoveries.

The Denobulan ship is at red alert, all weapons ready for action, orbiting a temporal anomaly. They will not reply to any fleet-wide orders until the Antaran ship relieves them as scheduled. Radio signals from Earth come out of the anomaly, everyone is tense. Which Earth? Future? Past? Alternate? No one can sleep…

The nearest Vulcan ship is the one that left an anonymous tip about the situation, which involves human debris connected to a violent time in Earth’s cultural history (or more succinctly, ‘from Earth’s history.’). They want nothing to do with the thing.

(19) The crew must face their worst fears when… Have we done parasites? When space parasites attempt a takeover through manipulating their minds, projecting their greatest fears.
Klingons’ respond violently to the virtual threat. They beat their worst fears so badly the virtual violence actually harms the microscopic parasites… 

ellarites’ worst fear is that everyone’s having fun without them. The parasites’ projections are all out of sight and pretty much useless.

Vulcans refuse to admit to a greatest fear, even when faced with it. Boogeymen lose all power when they keep having to wave a sign that says ‘I’m really here, dork!’

Andorians’ greatest fear is that they’ll come in second to the Vulcans in anything. The parasites’ boogeymen have to beat the subjects over the head with the signs…

Romulans are even more afraid of losing to Vulcans in any contest. The sign-waving boogeymen also have to yank fingers out of pointy ears to shout ‘STOP SAYING LALALALA, SCHMUCK!’

Ferengi initially give in to fears of pain, death, maiming and being eaten by mung beetles, but giving in means loss of profits, which turns out to be THE biggest shared fear of the crew, but the parasites suck at EXCEL spreadsheets and are defeated.

Humans are the only race to have made an industry of fear, which they then explored in depth. The parasites find a veritable smorgasbord of options, from haunted houses, through bungee jumping, base jumping, cliff diving, and playing chicken at high speeds. The crew only barely notices the parasites as the invaders keep gleefully examining the many, many options. The only real effect is a bit of nostalgia…
“Hey, XO, you know what I haven’t thought of in years?” 
“What, Captain?” 
“Roller coasters.” 
“Mmmm. Roller coasters…” 
“We should look for a roller coaster program on the holodeck!” 
“Yeah! A… A…” 
“What?” 
“A SPACE roller coaster!” 
“Genius!”