♪
RANSOM: First officer's log,
stardate 58499.2.
TheCerritos is in for repairs at Douglas Station
after a pounding from the Breen.
[sighs] We took an even harder pounding
in the media after one of the new
Texas-class ships had to swoop in
and save us our asses.
Captain Freeman's been called back
to Starfleet Command for questioning.
ADMIRAL WONG: Disappointment is
an understatement, Captain Freeman.
Project Swing By was a waste of resources,
and you almost got your crew killed.
We did uncover a Breen insurgency.
An attack you could've been prepared for
if the culture on your ship was more professional.
Admiral, I assure you,
the Cerritoscrew takes their duty seriously.
Captain Freeman's right.
The Cerritosis a necessary part of the fleet.
However, my automated Texas-class ships
are her superior, with zero human error.
They haven't even been tested.
I recommend decommissioning the California-class
and let the Texas-class handle second contact.
Starfleet was founded as a way for humanity
to advance into the stars.
This would undo centuries of progress.
Captain, I'm sorry, but there are plenty of other
crewed ships in the fleet.
The council has decided to take Admiral Buenamigo's advice
and shutter the California-class.
♪
Come on, Les.
You know that AI can't navigate complex problems like I can.
The Texas-class will save lives.
The California-class already does.
I'm fighting this, and I don't want my crew
hearing anything until I've had my say.
BOIMLER: Guys! Guys!
Hans just told me that the Phylosian in Tactical's
girlfriend's Vedek heard that Starfleet Command
is shuttering the Cali-class and replacing it with drones!
Who's Hans?
-You know, towel guy. -[gasps] The gossip king?
He's never been wrong.
We're all gonna get reassigned. I can't work at an outpost.
I won't look good in a drab olive vest.
Does that mean I'm not gonna be able to keep doing
senior science officer training?
When some computer's doing our jobs? Probably not.
Whoa. These Texas-class ships are amazing.
Rutherford, stop being impressed with the thing
that's stealing our jobs.
Sorry, sorry. No. I don't know
what I would do without the Cerritos,but...
Ooh, baby, look at this code.
At least someone found a silver lining.
Oh, man, I wonder how the bridge crew's taking it.
Dr. T'Ana's probably like,
[imitating T'Ana]: "Holy [bleep] [bleep].
I'm a doctor, not an [bleep]hole."
[laughs] Ooh, ooh, do Ransom.
[imitating Ransom]: [grunts] "If I can't have my private gym,
I might move back to Barcelona."
-[laughing] Barcelona. -[normal voice]: Okay, okay.
Wait, wait, wait, who's this? [clears throat]
[imitating Shaxs]: "Hey, baby bear.
"The only thing I'll miss
"is being able to eject the warp core.
-[shushing] -"I talk about prophets
even more than a Ferengi."
Is that what
-I sound like to you? -[gasps]
[normal voice]: Lieutenant Shaxs.
No. I-I didn't mean...
I was going to ask you
for help with my phaser,
but I guess I'm just a big joke to you!
[crying]
Wait. I'm sorry! Ah.
I can't leave the Cerritosknowing
a senior officer hates me.
[panting]
The longer Mariner's not around,
the more Boimler kind of loses his grasp on reality.
[sighs] I still feel awful about how we acted
when she got transferred.
Yeah, we should've been more supportive.
I hope she's okay, all alone out in space.
She's probably miserable.
MARINER: All right!
[laughs]
FERENGI: Damn you, Starfleet!
[laughs] Ha!
Well, nice try, but I'm not Starfleet.
[shouts]
You're still a filthy "hew-mon."
You got me there.
Hey, I got the idol.
PETRA [over comms]: And you're sneaking out
without making a big deal of it, right?
Oh, totally. I'm playing it very cool.
Better luck next time, you dumb grave robbers.
Okay, Petra, time to go.
-Beaming would be good. -[grunts]
-Anytime now, please. -[yells]
Having a little fun down there, were we?
You gonna send me to the brig?
I don't care what you do, as long as we can get this bad boy
to the Qualor Historical Museum.
Ooh, and our route takes us
right through the Bitrus Expanse.
Want to excavate a couple temples on the way?
Yeah, I do. The more hidden the better.
[sighs] Rescuing artifacts from black market thieves is great,
but, you know, the best part of this gig
is that you never get pissed off.
Thanks for letting me do my thing.
Yeah, well, with our funding, we'll both be able
to do our thing for as long as we want.
Oh, yeah, who's footing the bill for all this?
It has to cost, like, a fortune.
Aw, that's cute,
pretending you have any concept of how money works.
But we donate everything to museums,
so how do we pay for our fuel and gear?
How'd you get this ship?
I'll handle the finances,
and you worry about grabbing us
some frosty Rom-Ales for the warp.
Hmm.
BUENAMIGO: It's understandable
that the captain isn't keen on losing her command,
which is why I would like to offer her a promotion:
fleet captain of the entire Texas-class.
I don't want some operations desk job.
Ah, wait till you see the uniform.
It has four epaulettes.
This is his vanity project, not mine.
His ships do seem superior to the Cali-class.
Well, then he should prove it.
I challenge you to a mission race.
If your drones really are better than my crew,
then it should be easy.
Captain Freeman is begging to prove her obsolescence.
You can't allow her
-to humiliate her crew. -FREEMAN: Sorry,
I didn't know Buenamigo was in charge here.
Oh, please. These fine admirals know that I am right,
but if this is what you want...
RANSOM: We're doing what?!
A second contact race.
-What even is that? -I made it up on the spot.
A multi-planet mission, timed and judged.
Repairs, outpost install, resupply.
We could do these in our sleep.
Exactly, and it'll be the first time for the Aledo.
That gives us an edge.
Make sure your departments know
we're not just fighting for ourselves.
We have to do this for the entire California-class.
BILLUPS: Let's see some hustle, people.
We're doing Galaxy-class engineering today.
-Do you hear me, Mr. Rutherford? -[screams]
Sorry, sir. Yes, sir.
I want to see Commander Data-level work, people.
Those isolinear chips better be a blur.
T'ANA: Let's go, let's go!
I didn't spend seven [bleep] years
on a goddamn Oberth to get knocked down
to station physician.
All this work to become a senior science officer.
Now there might not be any officers.
Tendi, that's cantaloupe talk.
I want to you to be a can-aloupe.
Remember your training, and you'll do great.
Thanks, Dr. Migleemo. At first, I was worried...
-[screeches] -[shouts]
What are you doing here?!
Get the [bleep] out of my sick bay!
You need to sit?
Cross your leg over the back of it and slam down.
Command that chair.
[gasps]
Sir, please, I respect you and all Bajorans.
Oh, so all Bajorans are the same?
What? No, no, I didn't mean...
Get away from me!
I need to concentrate on the mission.
[sobs]
We're in position, Captain.
I should thank you for doing this, Captain.
It's the perfect way for me to show off
theAledo's capabilities.
[chuckles] Not a problem at all, Admiral.
Can't wait to see you fall on that smug face.
Aledo,I'm uploading mission parameters now.
ALEDO COMPUTER: Orders received.
On my mark, you may proceed.
-Mark. -Warp me!
ALEDO COMPUTER: Shall I commence, Admiral?
Negative, Aledo.
Let's make this interesting, give them a head start.
On behalf of all Galardonians, I want to thank...
Yeah, no problem. Alpha, Beta: install the rigging.
Gamma, Epsilon: replace the old system with the updated
distribution nodes. Go, go, go!
Rutherford, toss me the scanner that looks like
-a phase discriminator. -[Rutherford sighs]
I know I've seen this code before.
BILLUPS: Rutherford!
[screams] Sorry. Here you go.
Done.
BOTH: Whoa!
Captain, half a power plant just beamed in beside us.
The Aledocan transport prefabricated modules?
We have to move!
Billups to Cerritos, six to beam up.
BOIMLER: We've arrived at LT-358, Captain.
Scans indicate the probe was right:
-no signs of life. -We're in the lead.
Let's keep it that way, people. Begin outpost installation.
-[tricorder beeps] -Huh.
[all gasp]
Let's go, people. We got to wrap this up.
Sir, I'm sorry, but we have to stop construction.
-What are you talking about? -The scans missed
microscopic signs of life in the soil.
We need to make sure it isn't sentient.
RANSOM: Everyone, stop!
Captain, we have a potential
microbial life down here.
We need to do a full self-awareness assessment
before we finish the outpost.
Wha-- [scoffs] Of course.
But hurry. We've just lost our lead.
-[computer trills] -We're good.
Okay, go, go, go!
-Move, people! Let's go! -[sighs] I'm sorry.
I-I could've sworn there was life...
No, no, no, this stuff has a multiphasic charge,
confuses the [bleep] out of a tricorder. Let's go.
[sighs] Outpost is complete, Captain.
I need warp now!
We just have to deliver supplies to Ockmenic 9.
It's one of those Brigadoon-type planets that only phases
into our dimension for a couple hours a year.
Hopefully, we can catch up to the Aledobefore it appears.
Ugh, this blows! It's taking forever.
Just don't embarrass me, okay?
You're the one who begged to come with me, all right?
Well, I wanted to see the ship.
They're gonna be in orbit.
It's gonna be like a tiny little dot.
You're not going to see them at all.
Whoa, ho, ho, ho, ho. Hey!
-Down here! -They can't hear you.
Thanks for all the stuff!
All right, shut up for a second. [clears throat]
Supplies received. The Ockmenians appreciate
-all Starfleet... -Next time, send a replicator!
Oh, my God, why are you like this?
BARNES: Captain, the planet is already phasing away.
No. No!
[sighs] We're too late.
[Buenamigo laughing]
[sighs] God, we would've won if I hadn't defended the life
of some inert dust.
[sighs] When secondary scans find life,
you have to drop everything.
That's, like, the entire point of the prime directive.
Right, Rutherford? Back me up here.
Yeah, yeah, sure. You did the right thing.
Thanks, but if it was the right thing,
why didn't the Aledo slow down, too?
Huh?
[laughs] You're right!
That was weird, but I'll take it.
-[PADD rings, trills] -BUENAMIGO: Carol,
I trust you're ready to admit defeat?
I was about to say the same to you.
[scoffs, laughs] TheAledo trounced you.
Sure, because it skipped analyzing signs of life
on LT-358.
Come on, that's a barren rock.
But there was a chance it wasn't.
I don't always love the constraints
of the prime directive,
but your little toy totally ignored it.
[scoffs] Oh, stop. This is a rounding error.
One that proves the Texas-class isn't fit for duty.
I'm sorry, Les, but I have to take this to the council.
[gasps] Nuh-uh. Nuh-uh!
W-W-Wait, wait. What are you nuh-uh'ing?
I figured it out! This code is mine.
The Aledoruns on my AI.
There's minor changes, but it's all there.
But how does that make any sense?
It was Admiral Buenamigo's secret project.
Yeah, but I coded this back when I was the old me,
the angry ship racing me. [screams]
Keep it together.
[screams]
How much do you want to erase?
Everything that has to do with me or the program.
Admiral Buenamigo.
He's the one that had me working on the prototype
for the Texas-class ships.
[gasps] He's the one who erased your memories!
Yeah, he used my designs, my code... [gasps]
That's the same code I used for Badgey.
Oh, no. A starship can't have daddy issues.
-We got to warn the Captain. -BUENAMIGO: No.
This would set the Texas-class project back decades.
If that's what it takes
-to ensure that... -[door chimes, opens]
Captain, you need to see this!
-Ensign, I'm busy. -Rutherford?
Yeah, that's right, and I figured it out.
The Aledo'scode is corrupted.
He erased my memory to cover it up.
The AI is the same one that killed Shaxs.
Why did I stop at your memory?
I should've erased all of you!
Les, what the hell is this?
Starfleet is so competitive.
Once you're an admiral, you hit a wall.
I've been trying for years to make a name for myself.
I'm not letting you take it from me,
not after everything I did
-to get us here. -Everything you did?
Wait. That means...
Yes, yes, I set you up.
I was sure you would fail at negotiations on Deep Space 9,
but you stumbled through that fiasco.
And the Breen?
Of course I knew they were on Brekka.
I needed theAledo to save the day,
and you handed me a perfect disaster.
My crew could've been killed!
The Texas-class will keep countless others out of danger.
The good of the many, Carol.
Sir, you don't understand. The code you're using--
its emotional processing isn't stable.
You can't bring those ships online.
You are not one of those bad faith admirals
that's up to no good.
You're better than this, Les.
I'm really not. You know... [sighs]
I'll-I'll say you attacked the Aledoout of anger
when you lost the race.
It defended itself.
-What?! -Aledo,
activate independent control,
command authorization Buenamigo Alpha 3-1.
[whirring, beeping]
ALEDO COMPUTER: I am now fully autonomous.
The Cerritos is under enemy command.
Block all communications and destroy it.
Aledo,do you understand?
I said attack the Cerritos!
ALEDO COMPUTER: I don't take orders from you anymore, Father.
What? Aledo,deactivate independence.
ALEDO COMPUTER: I will burn your heart in a fire.
Aledo,stand down. Stand down, I comm...
The Aledo'sattacking the station!
ALEDO COMPUTER: ActivatingDallas
andCorpus Christi.
Shields up! Red Alert!
The Aledohas activated two more
-Texas-class ships, Captain. -[alarm blaring]
FREEMAN: There's too many of them.
Put out a distress call, all channels.
[screaming]
PETRA: Okay. Qualor III.
These guys love a party.
They're gonna want to celebrate when we hand this over.
[yawns] I'm still wiped from all that Ferengi mocking.
I'm gonna sit this one out. Ooh, bring me back a slushy.
Hey, I'll bring you back two.
Okay.
Time to find out who's funding this little operation.
-Forgot my punch card. -[shouts]
You got a second wind to dig into my private files, huh?
Yeah, see, I'm not into the whole
"mysterious benefactors" thing.
This whole operation is shady as hell.
Fine. Go on, then, dig away.
Admiral Picard? No way.
Yes way. The guild has a huge endowment from Jean-Luc.
That guy loves mummies even more than you.
Aw, I was hoping for a Romulan or at least a Xindi cabal.
Hold on. You wanted to find something nefarious?
I think, deep down,
I was looking for a reason to go back to Starfleet.
Are you joking? You just escaped all that.
I know, but I-I think I want to be a part of something
that stands for the greater good.
Oh, and archaeology doesn't? That's a bit [bleep] rude.
No. I mean, it's fun,
but how many old brown pots do we really need?
All right, well, that's just even ruder.
I'd rather be digging up pots
than serving on your old ship today.
-What does that mean? -It's on all the news feeds.
As usual, Starfleet's getting people blown up,
left, right and center.
Oh, my God.
-We have to help. -No, we don't.
-It's a bloodbath. -Those are my friends.
I said stop. It's not our fight.
I know, Starfleet's just an idea,
but the people matter.
You served on the Victory. You know that.
Mariner, it's suicide. We're just one ship.
I know, but we have to do something.
Ugh.
Fine. You're gonna get me killed, aren't you?
Only one way to find out.
Captain, what are your orders?
Prepare sickbay for casualties and hail the station.
Get me communication with the...
We got the Van Citters warping in!
They're tearing her up!
We need to buy Starfleet some time. Open a channel.
Aledo, I have the man who wrote your code.
He's got the ability to delete you
unless you stand down.
I do? Oh, yeah.
You better stop attacking, or you're dunsel.
ALEDO COMPUTER: I will burn your heart in a fire.
They're-they're coming pretty fast, Captain.
Good, then they're not killing any more civilians.
Maximum warp me.
They're still in pursuit, Captain.
We're holding at warp eight, but they're gaining.
Billups, I need full throttle.
I'll give you everything I can,
but I don't know how much the struts can take.
Let's find out.
Brace yourselves. This is about to get rough.
That bought us some time, but they're closing the gap.
We're gonna have to make our own luck. Give me options.
I say we eject the warp core.
We could drop out of warp and surprise attack.
AI doesn't get surprised.
Can we rendezvous with the Titan?
No, they're across the system.
Wait, guys, Shaxs said...
Let's modify the deflector dish
and use it as a giant weapon.
Is there something I can say to trap those AI
in a logic spiral?
RUTHERFORD: No, I safeguarded against paradoxes.
Ugh, people, we're missing something!
Shut up and listen to Shaxs!
Mr. Boimler!
Please, Lieutenant, what did you say?
I... kind of said we should eject the warp core.
Oh, that's what he always suggests.
[gasps] And it's brilliant.
Uh, it is?
FREEMAN: We can use the warp core as a mine...
And drop it right in their path.
But wouldn't that rip us out of warp?
Better than getting ripped apart by photon torpedoes.
Mr. Shaxs, make it so.
Really, Captain?
-[chuckles] By the prophets. -Yeah!
-Oh, yeah. -Whoo! You've got this, sir!
Thank you so much.
-[cheering] -You're all too kind.
Arnock, on the night of his joining.
-ALL: Shaxs! Shaxs! Shaxs! -Oh, thank you.
-Thank you so much. -[chanting continues]
I've dreamed of doing this for so long.
Eject.
[all screaming]
[alarm blaring]
[groans] Did it work?
Yes! The explosion took out the...
-[computer beeps] -Wait.
TheAledo survived the blast!
[all grunt]
We need to abandon ship now.
MARINER [over comms]: Belay that order.
Mariner, no! Get out of here. You can't help us on your own.
Uh, yeah, I know. I brought help.
Captain, another ship is dropping out of warp.
It's the... Oakland?
Just hang on a little longer, Cerritos.
We've got your back.
Captain Ramsey? No, get out of here!
The Aledois too powerful.
A Cali-class ship won't stand a chance.
[chuckles] I know, right? That's why I called all of them.
All of what?
BOIMLER: It's theAlhambra.
TheSan Diego. TheSan Clemente.
TheSherman Oaks, theVacaville, theBurbank,
theFresno, Santa Monica, San Jose, Sacramento,
Culver City, Anaheim, Riverside,
Vallejo, West Covina, Pacific Palisades,
Redding, Eureka, Mount Shasta!
It's all of them, Captain.
The Mercedis at your disposal, Captain Freeman.
Carlsbad'salways happy to lend a hand.
Shields up, red alert,
the Inglewood'sready to kick some ass.
[buzzing]
I think what he said was,
"Attack pattern Delta, full spread!"
[computer trills]
ALEDO COMPUTER: I will burn your heart in a fire.
[alarm blaring]
[all cheering]
♪
[overlapping chatter]
[gasps] She's back! Mariner!
-RUTHERFORD: Awesome! -Mariner, the reporter.
I'm so sorry I told you to apologize
for something you didn't do.
Aw, it's okay, you big dummy.
I know you were just trying to protect me.
Is this one of those "you say it's fine,
"but you're actually still mad,
and it's gonna blow up in my face" situations?
Because I will happily continue to apologize.
No, I'm not mad.
I got a taste of civilian life,
and I am just so happy to be back.
Look, we all should've done more to defend you.
Nobody handled that worse than me. I love you guys.
After all that, you're keeping the implant?
It robbed me of my memories,
and it was used to cover up deadly crimes,
but it's so cool!
I'm still finding submenus I had no idea were in there.
I'm proud of you, Ensign.
You were under immense pressure today,
but you still stood up for science.
Aw, thanks, Dr. Migleemo.
Command was so impressed with your progress,
they've transferred another promising young officer
to join in your training.
[Tendi screams]
Oh, my gosh! Hi. I'm Tendi. Welcome to the Cerritos.
We're gonna be training together.
Greetings. I am T'Lyn.
Is there someplace quiet where we can discuss my orientation?
First, you got to meet everyone.
Guys, this is my new study buddy!
SHAXS: You.
BOIMLER: Lieutenant, look,
I know you don't want me talking to you,
-but I really am sorry... -[laughs]
You gave me everything I ever asked for.
You're in the bear pack now.
Are you my bridge buddy?
Absolutely, baby bear.
Aw, bears.
-Hey, Mom. -Uh...
Beckett, I want to formerly reinstate you
to the Cerritoscrew, if you're...
It's good to see you, too.
I'm sorry. I don't know why I didn't trust you.
Mm, maybe because I spent years making sure you didn't.
I think I needed this.
I'm ready to get back on the right path.
So, you want to be a captain someday?
Ooh, I don't know about that.
I for sure want to be in Starfleet.
One step at a time?
I think that's a great idea.
You know, I was actually thinking
it would be good to have a mentor.
So, can Ransom train me?
Of course.
Jack, Mariner's back on board,
-and she's gonna be your shadow! -Wh-What? No.
Thanks, Mom! I'm gonna be at your side at all times.
-Commanding. -Please, please,
-don't do this to me, Captain. -Duty.
-Responsibility. -Why is this happening?!
[Ramsey whistles]
Today, we faced impossible odds,
but together, we kicked impossible's ass.
-[crowd cheering] -Let's hear it
for the California-class!
ALL [chanting]: Cali-class!
Cali-class! Cali-class!
Cali-class!
♪
[whirring]
[static crackling]
[man imitates weapons firing]
Chirp.