Previously on Star Trek: Discovery...
You get a fresh start in a new quadrant.
By my count, we're even.
BOOK: Until next time.
BURNHAM: Philippa?
-Are you okay? -Why would you ever,
ever ask me a question like that?
BURNHAM: Nobody knows if the Burn was
an accident.
But devastation flashed
in an instant across all known space.
ADIRA: Senna knew the algorithm we need to find
-Federation headquarters. -These coordinates...
Will take you where you need to go.
You didn't tell her about me.
How are you here?
I don't know.
Captain, we're here.
SARU: Mr. Bryce, hail Federation headquarters
and tell them the USS Discovery is reporting for duty.
I'm Admiral Charles Vance, Commander in Chief, Starfleet.
This is my chief security officer Lieutenant Willa.
Welcome home.
SARU: In the past three weeks, Discovery has evolved
even more than we could have imagined.
Her battle scars have been healed.
Internal systems updated.
Programmable matter has been integrated
with our pre-Burn technology.
Even her nacelles are now detached,
improving maneuverability
and enabling us to be more efficient in flight.
Her retrofit is nearly complete.
It is
quite extraordinary, the journey we have had.
We are grateful to have assisted Federation planets
in the deepest regions of the galaxy,
and equally grateful to be home.
We are now ready to be of service here,
in any way we can be.
Welcome back to the fleet, Discovery.
And your crew?
Adapting and retraining as needed.
Commander Burnham is overseeing the process.
Thank you, Captain Saru.
Okay. Let's get to it.
Reilling VII needs additional shields.
They're dealing with solar flares. Kardashev?
We'll bring them some shade, sir,
-if they can last a week. -They can.
Kaijur XII needs replicator replacement technology.
They've got a severe food shortage. Captain Rahma?
-That'll be your assignment. -Aye, sir.
Captain Bandra. Le Guin will take the supply run to Na'Seth.
We'll see you in two months.
-Yes, Admiral. -With respect, Admiral,
given severely limited warp travel,
-if time is of the essence... -No question.
I could use ten of you right now.
But as my only rapid responder, I need you here.
L'TEIS: Rapid responder?
-Sir. -Discovery has an experimental
advanced-drive system that enables us
to respond instantaneously anywhere in the galaxy.
Word of this critical asset
will not leave this room until I say so.
Now, Argeth is on yellow alert.
Our intel says that the Emerald Chain
might be making another move in the next 12 hours.
The Andorian/Orion syndicate?
VANCE: In this part of the quadrant, yes.
Osyraa and the Chain have been pushing hard lately.
I don't know what they're after on Argeth,
but they're damn sure not gonna get it.
If things heat up, I'm gonna need you to jump, Captain.
We will be ready, Admiral.
Dismissed.
Are we supposed to be get new holo-PADDs, too?
You already have them.
(gasps softly)
Cool.
Okay. This is my new favorite thing.
Your new badges also function as tricorders.
And communicators
and personal transporters, but we'll get to those later.
There are also upgrades to your consoles.
Check it out.
Doesn't seem that different.
WILLA: Our team kept the interface similar
for ease of transition, but once you engage...
Whoa. What just happened?
That's the retrofitted programmable matter.
It reads your bio-signs.
Do we really need all of this?
Hell yeah, we do.
WILLA: It's adaptive.
Learns and adjusts to your reflexes
-to create an interface style unique to you. -Wow.
Feels smooth... and cool.
Like glass.
Whoops. Didn't expect to...
This isn't the mess hall. (clears throat)
Uh, bye.
-(laughter) -Apparently, he hasn't adapted yet.
-(alert chimes) -Uh, Lieutenant Nilsson,
we are being hailed by a vessel
outside of the Federation's distortion field.
WILLA: No one gets here unless they know
where they're going.
On screen.
(static crackling)
(purring)
(meows)
Grudge?
BOOK: Hey, Michael. I'm recording this message
in case I can't tell you in person.
I was on my way to the Bajoran exchange,
when this guy sitting next to me
started talking about a black box.
And I think his black box is one of the ones you're looking for.
It's on Hunhau. Emerald Chain territory.
I'm going to do some looking around.
If things don't go well, I'll set the ship
to bring Grudge to you if I'm not back on board
in 24 hours.
Now, despite her glacial emotional process,
her initial reluctance towards you is melting away.
I'll come find you two.
Okay? I won't be long.
This was three weeks ago.
What would the black box tell us about the Burn?
Since it has a record of any ship's last moments,
every vessel destroyed by the Burn
should have stopped recording at the same microsecond,
but the two that I found in my year here didn't.
If Book found a third one out there,
and it shows the same variance,
that means the Burn didn't happen all at once.
-Suggesting what? -Suggesting the Burn
had a point of origin,
and we can triangulate the data from the boxes to locate it.
We have got to get to Hunhau.
I'm so sorry, Michael,
but at the moment, we cannot.
-Why? -Well, the admiral
has ordered Discovery to be ready
to jump to Argeth within the next 12 hours.
Ah. It won't take me nearly that long.
Commander.
To be clear, the situation there
could heat up any time in the next 12 hours.
Captain, the Federation cannot stabilize
while the cause of the Burn remains a question.
And there's a man's life at stake.
There are many lives.
Today, I saw how vulnerable
the Federation has become.
The admiral would not be convinced by a cat in a ship.
I understand this will be difficult, but please
resume your duties and prepare the crew
for a possible jump to Argeth.
Yes, sir.
(door whooshes open)
BURNHAM: I can't do nothing.
You're the only person on this ship who'd say yes
to going on an unsanctioned mission.
If I'm right about this box, then I'll be bringing back proof
about what caused the Burn.
You're far too smart not to realize
you're dropping Saru in the fire.
He's trying to prove his legitimacy,
and his Number One is running all around the galaxy,
disobeying direct orders.
Which has a very familiar ring.
I'd rather regret something I did than something I didn't.
Now we're getting somewhere.
Are you in or out?
Georgiou?
You had me at "unsanctioned mission."
(exhales)
♪ ♪
(original Star Trek theme plays)
Hunhau is an M-class planet.
Sparsely populated. Looks like they mainly salvage ships.
Just so I'm clear, what is our primary objective?
The black box.
And Book.
So, what does this cat-loving friend have
that made you fall for him like a two-year-old
-on the edge of a well? -Excuse me?
The Tyler thing ended in disaster--
surprise, surprise-- so I get why
you wouldn't want to have feelings
for the blob whisperer.
I don't have feelings for the blob whisperer.
And trance worms aren't blobs.
I was referring to the cat.
And you seem to know this ship pretty intimately.
I spent a lot of time here. I didn't love here or anything.
I had my own ship.
What?
-You said "love here." -I said "live here."
-"Love here." -You're not qualified to judge these things.
Your emotional spectrum runs from cranky to homicidal.
(echoes): And why are you bringing up Tyler anyway?
San!
BURNHAM: It's still raising my heart rate.
I don't even need this caffeine right now.
Espresso.
(distorted): Do you want an espresso?
No.
Philippa?
What is going on?
I know something's happening with you.
(exhales)
(alert chiming)
GEORGIOU: Looks like a war zone.
BURNHAM: It was caused by the Burn.
I've seen these ship graveyars all over.
The only populated area is heavily shielded.
I can't get a lock on Book's life sign.
We're being hailed.
This planet's a private salvage yard.
Why don't you get our gear?
What are you doing here?
I must be here to buy some salvage, meat sack.
All buyers go to the local Bajoran exchange.
I'm not interested in getting ripped off by an avatar.
You insult me.
My servant and I are transporting down.
Do that, and my auto-defense systems will take you out.
I decide who's authorized to land, and when.
You don't look smart enough to run this dump.
How soon before your boss finds out
I have real dilithium on board I am willing to part with,
and you're making me hover like a peasant?
Hang on.
Real dilithium?
What did I just say?
Imbecile. You want to let this prize go?
You don't think your boss is watching you watching me?
I am losing my patience.
-Well... -Form a sentence!
All right... you're cleared to land.
But I've got my eyes on you.
I don't care about your eyes,
unless they were dangling from my belt.
Really?
He is a bully.
They crumble like a cookie when they meet a bigger one.
-What is that? -Cat collar.
To find Grudge, if she ever got lost.
That cat can't get lost.
It's got its own gravitational pull.
No, Book never went anywhere without the receiver.
So I reverse-engineered it.
What he used to find her will now find him.
The things we do for love.
Let's just go find what we're here to find
before I strangle you.
(Grudge meows)
-Grudge. Hello. -(meows)
On my bed?
Hey there, partner.
Pick you up.
Um, just, full disclosure, I'm not a cat person.
So you're gonna have to go back in the box, bud.
-(mewls) -Computer, locate Burnham.
COMPUTER: Commander Burnham is not on board.
Did you eat her?
Computer, scan shuttle bay for Cleveland Booker's ship.
Unable to locate.
-Come here, kitty. -(mewling)
Come...
No, no, no, no, no, no.
No-no-no-no, there's...
(laughing)
-You got to come here, bud. -(purring)
You got to go back in the box.
(sighs)
I don't like you.
BURNHAM: Book said he already found a black box,
but if you see any others whie we're down there, grab them.
GEORGIOU: Out from under the idiot's nose?
Child's play.
TOLOR: No merchandise until I get your dilithium.
And you don't get your weapons back until you leave.
If I wanted to kill you, I wouldn't need a weapon.
And from the looks of this place,
they'd name a holiday after me.
So who put you in charge?
I'm Osyraa's nephew.
This is her territory.
-What makes you think... -What makes you think?
Oh, don't tell me you have actual brain matter,
or whatever nephews have.
BURNHAM: Where do you get your help from?
All these people. Beta VI?
Marin-Jira?
They owe Osyraa.
They work for us forever.
It's pretty simple.
I'd love to meet this Osyraa.
She sounds like my kind of girl.
We're going over there.
She's looking for self-sealing stem bolts
from the late 24th century.
Down there.
Hang a right at the entrance.
Next to the plasma coils.
You should be able to find what you're looking for.
GEORGIOU: I'm particularly interested in any
pre-2400 items.
These ships are old as dirt.
There's plenty of good scrap in 'em.
Here.
Please. Half of those parts didn't even exist in that era.
Now, this has all its original parts.
930 years old,
and it still works.
Don't touch.
(meow sound over device)
TOLOR: Move it.
Captain, there's more over there.
Let's go.
MAN (over P.A.): Attention, Sector Six arriving workers.
Report immediately to Melting Forge Three
for mandatory security protocols and implantation.
RYN: I'm sorry, I have to do this.
Try to relax, it'll only hurt for a minute.
Get off me, traitor.
-LAI: Ah. -(clang)
Hey, come on, watch that elbow, Lai.
I'm good.
Not since that regulator tried to separate you from it.
BOOK: I got this, okay?
Hey, Lai, I found some Tala bark.
I thought it might help with your elbow.
Anything from you is nothing I need.
Ryn, let him go.
They think I want to be this guy.
They know Osyraa will kill you slow if you say no.
Just try and not take it personal.
We're all just trying to...
RYN: Who is that?
Um... friend. Just keep your eyes down.
Hey!
Drop it!
What?
Show me.
Hey, come on, take it easy.
TOLOR: You! Shut up.
Are you stealing from me?
It's just a water ration.
Just a water ration.
We work hard to bring you all the water you need.
I guess that's not enough.
Tolor, please...
(grunts)
TOLOR: Open the door.
We haven't tested the new system updates
on the perimeter pylons.
Maybe you'll go free, or you might not.
There's only one way to find out.
-Three... -(hand cannon fires)
LAI: Please don't.
-Two... -(cannon fires)
One!
TOLOR: Faster.
(screaming)
Faster!
I guess it does work.
Get back to work.
GRAY: I don't get it.
Why are you shutting yourself away in this goldfish bowl?
ADIRA: I'm working.
There's a basketball court out there, and bocce.
-And fencing. -Enticing.
Adira, we're on this amazing moving world,
and I've only seen where you sleep, work and eat.
And these are all vital functions.
Could we make a new memory, please?
STAMETS: Who moved the intermix pods?
Ergonomics don't make any sense.
That's way above my pay grade.
Talk to the admiral.
Yes, well, the admiral expects us to jump
to Argeth at any time.
This place is in chaos.
Nothing's where it's supposed to be.
Oh, these crazy kids and their chaos.
Linus, don't do that.
Sorry. New badge. Hmm?
The spore drive's new and improved.
I redesigned it so you won't have to use those shunts.
Well, it's a lot more comfortable.
A little gooey.
Nanogel.
It acts as a quantum transducer.
Slips right off. No residue.
Thank you.
GEORGIOU: His death was efficient.
TOLOR: Thank you. And now you know what happens
when you break the rules.
GEORGIOU: So I saw.
A little messy, but I assume that's the point.
I want to buy the tech for that fencing system.
Proprietary. Owned by Osyraa.
-Not for sale. -How disappointing.
How do you control the perimeter fence?
-From your office? -I can't say.
The controls are in your pocket. I know because
you keep touching them.
Servant, we're shopping.
Uh, I want those magnetic interlocks
and two plasma conduits.
Ma'am, you also wanted warp coils
-to melt down for cortenum. -Mm-hmm.
-Buy me some time. -Okay, go.
What kind of rubbish do you have down here?
TOLOR: Well, we've got some tritanium power coils...
Bring me more.
At the back shelves.
(Burnham sighs)
WOMAN (over P.A.): 45 minutes to shift change.
(whispering): You weren't supposed to come.
The hell I wasn't. God.
And you sent a passive-aggressive holo, so...
What? I sent a passive-passive holo,
which said, "I'm coming here." It didn't say, "Come here, too."
Oh, I didn't need to. That was the aggressive part.
I got to get you out of here.
You can't. I'll get myself out.
If I cross that perimeter,
what happened to that guy who ran happens to me.
I know.
I got the black box.
Okay?
It's in the wall of my quarters.
You just need to get it and go.
I'm not leaving you.
You see that clock?
43 minutes until the shift change.
Then I'm in one of those ships up top for a week.
There's no time.
43 minutes is plenty of time.
Osyraa breaks people. Understand?
Ryn, the Andorian, he was born
into the Emerald Chain.
He tried to rally the people against them.
People were beginning to listen.
So she hacked off his antennae and made him the guy
that plants this thing.
Now he's a pariah.
BURNHAM: We are gonna get you and everybody out.
And I have an idea.
(whispering): Remember Iso VII?
What's taking them so long?
I pay her to be thorough.
Found what we were looking for.
They were buried pretty deep.
Uh, I'll need 40 minutes to properly clean and inspect them.
40 minutes? Huh.
That's a lifetime.
-(loud crash) -TOLOR: What the hell?!
Get a drone to stay on them.
What do you idiots think you're doing?
Let's do a pre-check on oxygen and nitrogen levels
-in main bay. -Uh, what about the...
New stabilization system? Just about to get to that.
So, if it overloads when Commander Stamets engages,
just lock it down and reroute to containment.
-Got it? -Okay.
-Ensign Tilly. -Ah-- Sir.
Uh, sorry. I was just re-running some tests
with the new spore drive interface,
in case we need to jump quickly.
I appreciate your diligence.
Might I speak with you privately?
It's about Michael, right?
I was hoping against all logic you could explain her absence.
(chuckles) Sorry, no. Uh...
Came into my room and Grudge was there, and...
-(sighs) -Sure she has a reason
for keeping us both in the dark.
Commander Burnham left
to pursue a mission of her own against my direct orders.
Oh, shit. Sh-- shit, shit.
Sorry.
My sentiments exactly.
I will be honest, Ensign.
I have not felt this mistrusting of her
since we served on the Shenzhou.
I assumed, after all we have endured together,
that this feeling would never return.
Sir, you know Michael
is one of the people that I love m-most in this world,
but she made a choice,
and now because of that, you don't have one.
You have to tell the admiral.
I expected you to try talking me out of it.
I know. Me, too, but...
Discovery still has a lot to prove,
and if Admiral Vance finds out
and you're not the one who told him?
The entire crew will get painted with the same brush.
That is astute, Ensign.
I might've done the same thing in her shoes.
Just for the record.
For the record, I do not believe you would have.
I think I see tritanium over there.
GEORGIOU: Good. Maybe I'll keep you around, servant.
How long before they notice?
(alarm blaring)
Get back to work.
You know what to do?
BURNHAM: How many weapons can you build from this?
We'll have time for one.
There we go.
One blast, then we'll have the perimeter controls.
I love me.
(sighs) Let's go.
REGULATOR: Freeze!
Hands in the air! Hands in the air!
I told as many of the others as I could.
I don't know if they believed me, but I tried.
You did good, Ryn.
Here.
I got it. The black box.
Who are these friends of yours?
Very handy, excellent friends.
Okay.
Five minutes till shit gets real.
What if I can't do this?
You got those for standing up to the Chain.
You got this.
All you got to do is, uh, run,
and you and I, my friend, are getting out of here.
All of us, on a transport ship.
SARU: There is no doubt Commander Burnham made
a serious error in judgment.
But you can be assured that the absence of our Number One
will not impact our ability to respond
to any potential conflict on Argeth.
-WILLA: The Cuyahoga's back. -VANCE: Well, make sure
they clear the ship before doing the baryon sweep.
I'm glad to hear you can cope
without your Number One, Captain,
because we are having trouble keeping our head above water
with old-fashioned diplomacy.
Emerald Chain has pulled out of talks.
Stand by to jump on my orders.
We will begin preparations, Admiral.
Dismissed.
GEORGIOU: You think you're two steps ahead of us, but you're not.
I don't know why you're even bothering.
I keep telling you, you're too stupid.
You didn't come here for salvage.
(grunts)
(chuckles) At this point, I'm almost proud it occurred to you.
SEARCHING REGULATOR: Sir, I found what you're looking for.
30 units of pure dilithium.
(Tolor chuckles)
Not as smart as you thought.
Now who's the meat sack?
That would be a bad idea, to fire that weapon.
If Osyraa sniffed out what we had on our ship
and wanted to know our story, she would kill you
for killing us.
(alarm blaring)
MAN (over P.A.): Attention, Sector Five worker,
report for shift change.
Let's go!
(workers shouting)
-Stay with me! Let's go! -Get to the ship!
WOMAN (over P.A.): Unauthorized perimeter door accessed.
(screaming)
Go! Go!
(grunting)
RYN: The perimeter fence is still on.
They'll come through.
(grunting)
GEORGIOU: San!
BURNHAM: Get the controller!
We can't stay here.
(Tolor and Burnham grunting)
(wheezes)
GEORGIOU: Got it.
You got to be kidding me.
I was just starting to enjoy myself.
Let's go.
-Let's go, go, go! The perimeter's down! -Come on! This way!
-BOOK: On me. Let's move! -We can make it.
Come on!
(panting)
-Get on the transport ship! -Come on!
-Go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go! -Go on! Go on!
-Come on! -Come on!
(indistinct shouting)
-Come on! -Bring him down!
-Book! -Come on. To the ship.
(screams)
Oh, no, no, no, no.
-(screaming) -I got you. I got you.
Hey, stay with me.
Hey. Hey, hey.
I got you. I got you.
Stay with me. Okay?
(shouts)
Ryn, Ryn.
Hey, hey. Hey.
-Hey, look at me. -Get out of here.
Come on, come on. Stay with me.
(indistinct shouting)
(whoops)
(grunts)
Come on.
(Book shouts indistinctly)
BOOK: Michael!
I got you.
(Ryn gasping)
Stay with me. Okay?
Stay with me.
GEORGIOU: Salvage this, you son of a bitch.
♪ ♪
I've alerted sickbay on Discovery.
BOOK: The black box I promised.
I hope it helps you find what you're looking for.
(quietly): Thank you.
So...
we are going to talk about what happened back there.
You could have gotten us killed.
Don't you think I know that?
Then tell me what's going on.
You don't know, do you?
Philippa, how long has this been happening?
A couple of weeks.
And it's getting more severe.
You could have come to me.
I could have helped.
Until I understand what's going on,
there's nothing to ask for.
That's not true. Discovery is filled with people...
You will tell no one.
This isn't the Terran universe.
(scoffs)
A vulnerability is not a death sentence.
You're not alone.
We'll get through this.
Trust me.
I remember another Michael Burnham
telling me to trust her.
She looked just as sincere as you do now.
And we know how that ended.
(indistinct chatter)
You're talking to yourself.
I don't think you're crazy,
for what it's worth.
But I'm... curious.
You won't believe me.
You have no idea what goes on around here.
(quiet laugh)
Okay.
Let me just say there's no head injuries.
Okay.
I was talking to my boyfriend.
He's Trill.
I got my symbiont from him.
When he died.
Um...
my understanding
of Trill is that...
you're supposed to be carrying his memories, not...
His soul?
Yeah, I-I don't know how it happened this way, either.
Maybe because we were so close.
Well, I'm, um...
filling in the blanks a bit, but it sounds like
you're holding onto someone you love.
And I did that
with Hugh while he was gone.
Before he died, I thought of life and death
as this linear thing
with a distinct beginning and end.
And now I know
life will always surprise me.
So... if you tell me
that he's still with you-- what's his name?
-Gray. -Gray.
I believe you.
He...
says I need to make friends.
But I don't know.
Well, he realizes you have a lot to give.
What, you think I have something to give?
Are you kidding?
You can accomplish things
none of us can even imagine.
Including me, and I've imagined more than most.
You're kind of, like, the bomb, huh?
I was until you showed up.
(laughs)
-I like this guy. -(laughs)
He, um... he says he likes you.
Well, he's clearly a genius.
(laughing)
I think I can help you with this.
How's he doing?
Any news?
Dr. Pollard said it would take some time, but, uh...
he's gonna make it.
I'm glad.
And you?
Yeah, I mean,
device is gone for good.
Neck's a little stiff, but she said the swelling
should go down in a few days, I hope.
Time to face the firing squad, huh?
Yeah.
We'll see.
Look, uh...
I'm sorry I put you in this position.
You didn't.
I hope you don't regret it.
How could I?
(turbolift stops)
Thank you.
Thank you for saving my life.
I'm glad I found you.
We always find each other.
Oh.
(both exhale)
This is not the science lab.
(huffs)
(both laugh)
We have these new badges.
♪ ♪
(laughs)
So we have Adira to thank for this?
God, I hated those things.
I hated them more.
It's amazing.
And she's only 16.
She trusted me today.
And that's bad, why?
Because I've never had time to be a tween's confidante.
(laughing): Paul.
She's not gonna invite you to her slumber party.
Why do you think you reached out to her today?
Because she's brilliant and...
seemed to have a hard time with people
or doing anything besides work.
Remind you of anyone?
And...
because she loves someone who died.
But isn't gone.
I never...
ever thought I'd meet anyone
who knew what that was like.
And...
I guess I'm grateful to her.
And I want to help her somehow.
And she has no idea.
So tell her.
Your job is to follow orders, Captain.
But I need to rely on your judgment.
Commander Burnham's mission was 100% rogue
but also an unexpected opportunity.
If asked, I may have deemed
the intel worth the risk.
Noted, sir.
VANCE: Commander Burnham, why don't
you tell me what I'm about to say?
The source of the Burn is not an issue
-that you have the luxury of pursuing. -Correct.
Because every day you have a hundred fires you have
-to put out. -Correct.
And I disobeyed a direct order
and undermined my captain's authority.
And yours.
Correct.
For a hot second there,
it looked like Discovery may have had
to engage with the Emerald Chain
without her Number One.
Did you think about the position you put your captain in?
You put Starfleet in?
As far as I'm concerned,
when you jumped through that wormhole,
you were doing your job.
You're here now.
And every mission, you start from zero.
The only reason you're not in the brig
is because you saved lives.
Am I being clear,
Commander Burnham?
Very clear, sir.
Permission to speak?
It had better be the best thing I've ever heard.
For the last year,
I have spent every single day
searching for the source of the Burn.
Until we solve the mystery of how it happened and why,
I believe the Federation will never be...
can never be...
brought back together again.
Well, we'll see what your intel brings, Commander.
I will leave it up to you, Captain,
to determine the consequences of her insubordination.
Thank you, Admiral.
I am sorry.
The admiral made some excellent points.
And I will continue to reflect
on the way I have handled all this.
We both made mistakes.
I was particularly disappointed.
-That was... -While I agree
with your intentions,
the decision I am now forced to make
comes down to one thing and one thing only, Commander.
It's not about your skill.
It's not about your ability.
It is about trust.
In your defense,
you were clear in your ambivalence
when I asked you to be my Number One.
In my desire to...
return to a sense of...
things as they were.
But as we keep learning...
...things are not as they were.
No, they're not.
I take no pleasure in this.
But...
as of now,
you are relieved of your duty as my Number One.
You will restrict yourself
to chief science officer duties only.
Saru?
You're doing the right thing.
One day...
we will find the answers
we are all looking for, Michael.
(exhales)
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