The taking of the USS Enterprise from Earth Spacedock in 2285 by Admiral Kirk and his officers to recover Spock's body, and its destruction over the Genesis Planet to defeat a Klingon boarding party.
After the battle with Khan the damaged Enterprise returned to Earth to be decommissioned. Sarek told Kirk that Spock's katra had to be reunited with his body on Vulcan, but Starfleet's Admiral Morrow forbade any return to the quarantined Genesis Planet.
In Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Kirk frees McCoy from detention, and Scott sabotages the transwarp drive of the USS Excelsior so that it cannot give chase. Sulu, Chekov and Uhura help the automated Enterprise leave Spacedock.
At Genesis the ship is crippled by a Klingon Bird-of-Prey under Commander Kruge, whose men kill Kirk's son David Marcus. Kirk sets the self-destruct, lures the boarders aboard and watches the ship burn in the atmosphere. The crew take the Klingon vessel to Vulcan and answer for their actions in Star Trek IV.