02x05 - Charades

[bunniefuu]

♪ ♪

Previously on Strange New Worlds...

Spock, will you marry me?

M'BENGA: You are experiencing

what we humans call stress.

I am concerned my emotions
may impact my judgement.

You'll just have to learn
to live with them.

- SPOCK: I apologize.
- T'PRING: It was

- an impressive gambit.
- SPOCK: You knew?

I never actually believed you could

have feelings for Nurse Chapel.

You do not die!

M'BENGA: Are you all right?

I have no words for what I feel.

- Doctor, Lieutenant.
- If you'll excuse me.

- M'BENGA: Was there something else?
- It's about that fellowship...

the archaeological medicine.
I'm thinking about applying.

I'm going to have
to replace you, aren't I?

Christine Chapel's personal log,

stardate ..

We're en route to the Vulcan system.

Our mission:
to survey the moon of Kerkhov,

on the far side of the sector.

An ancient civilization
once lived there,

then vanished.

Long-range scans suggest the presence

of a strange energy anomaly
just above the surface.

A few of us are hoping
that it will provide answers

about where the Kerkhovians went.

As for the rest of the crew...

the captain has decided
to travel at sub-impulse speeds

so we can all take in the view.

Now, we find ourselves with an excess

of the most valuable commodity
in the galaxy:

downtime.

I'm using it to prep for an interview

for a two-month fellowship

sponsored by the Vulcan Science Academy.

What are Korby's three principles

of archeological medicine?

One... medicine is always
ancient and new,

as cultures' understanding

of what medicine is changes over time.

Two... the keys to solving
our toughest medical problems

are often found by looking backward.

- Correct.
- [LAUGHS SOFTLY]

Three... as a result,
archeological medicine

is as much a study of history
as it is of science.

Drink.

LA'AN: I don't get it.

Your interview is with a Vulcan.

So, why aren't you practicing
with Mr. Spock?

Oh, things are kind
of weird between them.

Weird how?

Deck .

SPOCK: Science officer's personal log,

stardate ..

The recent downtime en route to Vulcan

has been most advantageous.

I owe my success to Dr. M'Benga,

who provided me with therapies
to better control my emotions.

Fully suppressing them has allowed me

to carry out my duties,

as well as explore
new interests, such as cooking.

Always use fresh herbs, not synthesized.

You can tell. Here.

Smell.

I am afraid my nasal suppressants

inhibit my perception of scent.

- Suppressants?
- Many Vulcans use them.

Not to be indelicate, Captain,

but the scent of humans is something

most Vulcans must become... used to.

O-Oh.

Well,

all I can say is...

you're missing the good stuff here.

Really?

SAM: A shuttle pass-by of the moon

should explain how and why

the Kerkhovian civilization vanished.

SPOCK: In addition, targeted suppression

has allowed me to eliminate triggers

that might lead to
an emotional overload.

... detected by the surface of the moon

by our long-range scans.
Now, my theory is

the energy anomaly is related
to sunspot activity,

which has actually increased
on Eridani b

in the last month or so.

As for the Kerkhovians, well...

SPOCK: Best of all, it has
allowed me to return

to a normal state
of friendship and comity

- with my fellow officers.
- So I said,

"Thanks for the tool".

And then took off in the shuttle

with all their uniforms still inside!

[LAUGHING]

Fascinating.

I am content. And very much

looking forward to the upcoming reunion

with my fiancée T'Pring
upon our arrival at Vulcan.

Spock, there is a situation I
felt the need to apprise you of.

During your upcoming visit,
I have arranged

to have our ceremonial
engagement dinner.

A V'Shal dinner?

Is it not too soon?

After all, I am still not
speaking to my father.

My parents are aware
of the situation with Sarek.

And yet, with your Starfleet
schedule so challenging,

my mother felt this would be best.

- This was T'Pril's idea?
- Yes.

She remains opposed to our union.

I believe providing this will

alleviate some...

tension.

A logical assessment.

I will help in any way that I am able.

PIKE [MUFFLED]: Spock?

[REGULAR VOLUME]: Spock?

- Hmm?
- I said I wanted to discuss

some personnel changes
for your upcoming mission

to the Kerkhovian moon.

Spock... [SIGHS]

... is everything all right?

I am sorry, Captain.

I have recently learned
that T'Pring wants

to have our ceremonial engagement dinner

upon our arrival on Vulcan.

This is, as you humans say, a big deal.

Would you rather not pilot the shuttle

- during our flyby of the moon?
- I am fine, Captain.

A momentary distraction.

It will help me to stay focused on work.

Doubtless, any personnel changes
you wish to make are helpful.

Good, because now you have a passenger.

It is good to see you, Nurse Chapel.

We did see each other
in the turbolift the other day.

You seemed busy.

I have many duties.
If I offended you, I apologize.

You are here for the fellowship
you are applying to?

Archeological medicine?

If we can figure out what
happened to the Kerkhovians,

it might unlock a treasure trove
of medical data.

They were rumored to have
a robust system of medicine,

more advanced than
anything available today.

Hmm. Yeah.

You know, the Vulcan
Science Academy would be lucky

to have someone of your experience.

Thanks.

It's, um... it's nice of you to say.

Spock?

I don't usually read into
this sort of thing much,

but, uh, it's felt like
you've been avoiding me.

Has it?

COMPUTER: Ship now in scanning range

of the Kerkhovian moon.

I should... initiate scans.

Yeah.

They, uh, left behind
quite a civilization.

Got a theory about
what happened to them?

We are hoping
the energy signature we detected

might provide a new clue.

COMPUTER: Energy anomaly detected.

That's the signature?

Yes. The readings are unusual.

It appears to be some sort
of stable vortex.

A rupture in spacetime.

[ALARM BEEPING]

Gravitational radiation
is headed right for us.

Maximum power to forward shields.

COMPUTER: Forward shields at maximum.

My systems are crashing.

Steering is compromised.

How compromised?

I am turning into the skid,

and the skid is taking us into that.

[ECHOING]: Spock.

M'BENGA: Mr. Spock.

Try to be still.

You were in a shuttle accident.

SPOCK: I feel... strange.

PIKE: You were injured.

What's happened to me?

We don't exactly know.

We crashed.

And then we woke up in space,

right near the Enterprise.

Nurse Chapel was unhurt,

but you were...

You were healed.

Only, whoever did this

seems to have made you

human.

What the f...

PIKE: Space.

The final frontier.

These are the voyages
of the starship Enterprise.

Its five-year mission:

to explore strange new worlds...

... to seek out new life

and new civilizations,

to boldly go where no
one has gone before.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

What exactly are we looking for?

Not sure yet.

We found the shuttle floating
dead in space.

UNA: I checked the logs. They
were in a crash, but it's like

the shuttle has been fixed
and given a...

deep cleaning.

This look like part
of the shuttle to you?

UHURA: It's definitely alien.

I have a theory about its purpose.

Enlighten us, Ensign.

I think it's a calling card.

These look like routing instructions

for a subspace call.

Can you patch us through, Nyota?

I can try, sir.

Huh. It looks like
I'm getting visuals back.

How do you want to proceed?

Alien first contact.

Let's put 'em on screen, please.

FEMALE VOICE: Hello.

Hi. This is Captain Christopher Pike

of the Federation Starship Enterprise.
Who am I speaking with?

I am called Yellow. I am of Kerkhov.

You called me.

R... Uh, right, yeah, sorry, uh...

... Yellow, we did

because of what happened to our shuttle.

The accident. Remediation has been made

per our laws.
No further contact is necessary.

We're not familiar with your laws.

Your vessel collided
with our transport tunnel.

In the event of an accident,
the damage must be repaired.

This was accomplished.

No further contact is necessary.

Right, but you repaired
a member of our crew.

Two beings were present.
They did not match.

One was damaged but contained
mixed instructions.

Mixed instructions?
You don't mean Spock.

Remediation was made.

The beings now match.

- Are the beings alive or dead?
- Mm, well, uh,

- they're alive, but...
- Then remediation was made.

Thanks are not required.

No further contact is necessary.

- [SCREEN CLICKS OFF]
- Uhura, get 'em back.

I'm trying, sir. It's not working.

SPOCK: It would appear
I'm stuck like this.

For now. We're working on a cure.

How do you, uh... feel, Mr. Spock?

I feel...

angry.

And... powerless.

And annoyed.

And... weirdly hungry?

Is this a normal human feeling?

Hunger can affect your mood.

We'll get you something to eat.

I feel grateful that
you're trying to help me.

Seriously, it's so nice of you.

There is the matter
of your obligations on Vulcan.

It slipped my mind during the recovery.

I don't know how

I can attend my engagement
dinner while I'm in this state.

My fiancée's mother...

she hates me.

Do I smell more human?

I've already spoken
to T'Pring and to your family.

What did you tell them, Captain?
Because T'Pring's mother...

if she heard I was human?

This could be a serious disaster!

Whoa. Whoa.

I simply told them that
you were in an accident

and you're recovering on the ship.

They agreed that it was logical
to postpone the dinner.

That is... reassuring.

Nurse Chapel is already working
around the clock

to find a way to reverse
your genetic alteration.

But in the meantime,

there is nothing...

technically... wrong with you.

Then I should return to my
duties and social obligations.

Well, mm...

all right. But take it easy, Mr. Spock.

Go slow. Get your sea legs under you.

All right?

Aye aye, Captain.

- [DOOR WHOOSHES OPEN]
- I hope this isn't a mistake.

So, he's like, "Sorry, I'm only human...

from the neck up".

[LAUGHTER]

[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]

Now, the point of whisking is to add air

to increase the volume of the eggs...

I'm sorry, but Captain,
what is that amazing smell?

Um...

Oh, it's the bacon.

Bacon?

[SNIFFING DEEPLY]

Fascinating.

SAM: Analysis of the stable vortex

suggests the Kerkhovians
may have moved on

from their planet
to interdimensional space.

Don't forget to clean that up
when you're done, Lieutenant.

Okay. Sure.

As I was saying...

[LAUGHING]

Human... from the neck up?

- Yeah.
- [LAUGHTER CONTINUES]

Mmm. Mmm. Smoky and salty and sweet

and soft and crispy
all at the same time.

I must have more.

SAM: Scans of the moon

revealed the remains
of several cultural sites.

Mr. Kirk!

Clean your mess.

Are you serious?

[LAUGHING]

[THUMP]

Don't you get it?

- Don't you get it? I got it.
- Yeah.

Spock, I'd slow down
a bit if I were you.

Slow down? I'm making up for lost time.

Why do I feel nauseated?

[BRAYING]

Sorry. Got so thirsty.

- [GROWLING]
- Oh, oh...

Don't test me, Kirk!

I will break you!

I'll clean it up.

[GRUNTING]

Emotions must be new to you.

Vulcans have emotions.
We learn to suppress them.

These human feelings are different.

They're intense,

and they never stop.

What you're going through...
it sounds a lot

like being a human teenager.

- You've felt like this before?
- Oh, yes.

Adolescence is a delightful cocktail

of anger, fear, sexual attraction

and, uh, hunger.

You're constantly snacking,
like, so many snacks.

[CHUCKLES] I am hungry.

But I'm also sad

and frustrated.

I also feel...

strange feelings stirring.

And now I'm embarrassed.

[CLEARS THROAT]

You just need
to work on impulse control.

[BUZZER SOUNDS]

Damn it.

[SIGHS]

Have you been here all night?

Oh, well, my protein sequences

keep collapsing into goo.

I don't know how those aliens did this.

They are inscrutable,
interdimensional beings

who don't experience space
and time the way we do.

That might be part of it.

I feel responsible.

If I hadn't been there,
then maybe they wouldn't have

done what they did to Spock.

If you hadn't been there,
he might be dead,

and you wouldn't have had
a chance to save him at all.

Survivor's guilt is easy
to spot from the outside,

but it's not fun from the inside.

Take a break, then.

Are you forgetting something important?

Interview. Oh, I got to go.

Hi, I'm Christine.
Apologies for the delay.

I read your essay, Miss Chapel,

and frankly, I'm not impressed.

Oh, I'm sorry you didn't like
what I had to say.

Your reproduction of
the principles were sloppy,

you did not recreate the proper syntax,

and your word choice varied
too much from the original.

I was just trying not to
repeat them word for word.

Memorization is a core part
of this fellowship.

You must commit to memory
a year's material

to even be considered for my seminar.

Well, I just thought that maybe
my field work would be relevant,

- given that I've made several discoveries.
- Field work.

- Hmm. I will glance at it. That is all.
- What?

We're done?

I have all I need. We will contact you.

Good day, Miss Chapel.

Christine?

Oh, hey, Spock.

Are you okay? You look upset.

Yeah. It's just been a tough day.

I'm fine. I'll be fine.

Is it about the fellowship?

Uh, I don't really
want to talk about it.

Vulcans can be such jerks.

It felt like you needed that.
Did I read the moment wrong?

No, it was really nice.

It wasn't typical for you.

Is that okay?

Um, how's, uh, feeling going?

It's a lot.

I'm still getting used to it.

It's not all bad.

Sometimes I don't cry in the shower.

Kidding.

Sorry. I'm fine.

I'll be fine.

PIKE [OVER COMM]: Pike to Spock.

Meet me in the transporter room
right away.

Acknowledged.

Is it an emergency, Captain?

That depends on your
definition of emergency.

Your mother is beaming aboard.

Pelia sends her regards.

She regrets she can't be here,
but she's off dealing with

our dilithium shortage.

Knowing her,
she's probably off procuring

some weird antiques as well.

She did seem awfully enthusiastic

- about purchasing dilithium.
- [CHUCKLES]

Spock, I am so sorry for
surprising you like this, but...

Why are you wearing that silly hat?

It's not silly. It's regulation.

I have one just like it.

Regardless, I come with news.

T'Pring's family is not happy.

The engagement dinner
has been moved several times

due to your Starfleet schedule,
a fact which

they are not understanding about.

We have to do the V'Shal dinner now

or the wedding is off.

But that's impossible.

For many reasons.

Right, Captain?

Uh, uh, y... The... Yeah, the-the, um,

schedule is quite full.

But I thought you're on
half-duty rotation

to give the crew rest.

That is technically

true.

Good. Because...

T'Pring and her family

have agreed to have the dinner here

tomorrow night.

What wonderful news.

Spock,

are you all right?

You look upset.

I am not upset.

I am merely experiencing...

muscle spasms from the accident.

It's good that we're
doing this here, then,

where you can be close to your doctor.

Now, we must discuss the V'Shal rituals.

There are three of them,

and with T'Pring's mother,

there is no room for error.

I'm afraid the muscle spasms
are getting worse.

Uh, perhaps we should,
uh, go to sickbay.

Or perhaps we should just
tell them we can't do it.

Spock, I'm afraid that
simply isn't logical.

I don't care about logic.

I was in an accident and
I'm in absolutely no state

to possibly do this dinner.

What part of that do you
not understand, Mother?

Take off your hat.

Spock, you're human.

Hi, Mom.

And you're sure there is no way
to revert him back...

Our people are working on it,
but there's no guarantee

they'll be able to do it
before the dinner.

So we have to postpone.

These rituals have to go perfectly,

and clearly I'm not Vulcan
enough to pull that off.

The situation between our two families

is more tense than you realize.

T'Pring's mother is already skittish

about the union because of me.

You never told me this. Why You?

T'Pring's father values
a connection to Sarek,

which is why he agreed.

Her mother, on the other hand, is proud,

and not overly fond of humans,

and would be all too happy
for any excuse to back out.

Don't you think discovering
her future son-in-law

is fully human would be that excuse?

Ho-Hold on, are we really talking about

the end of their engagement

just because Spock
is temporarily not Vulcan?

Vulcan engagements are complex.
If the agreement's

broken, the union won't be recognized

under Vulcan law.

T'Pring's family would reject her

if she chose to remain with Spock.

It's considered a great shame,

and no choice at all for a true Vulcan.

So what are our actual options here?

I pretend to be Vulcan?

- I couldn't even fool you.
- Well, a mother knows.

Plus, you aren't a practiced liar.

Yet.

Mother,

are you honestly suggesting...

I'm going to do what I should have done

many years ago.

I'm gonna teach you
about your human side.

I'm gonna show you how to lie.

With the Captain's help, of course.

Do I have a choice in the matter?

You do not.

First, we have to make you look Vulcan.

We couldn't do it genetically,

as it might affect the cure
Nurse Chapel is rendering,

so we made these instead.

AMANDA: The V'Shal ritual

starts with the family tea.

Spock, you must make
their family's recipe

and serve it.

That doesn't seem so hard.

That would be the handling

of a traditional Vulcan teapot.

That's scalding hot.

To a Vulcan, it would be painless.

How did you...

One thing I've learned about being

a human on Vulcan

is how to suppress my own pain.

How to speak like a Vulcan.

Like this. Flat. No emotion.

I am Vulcan.

[DEEP VOICE]: Flatter. More robotic.

I am Vulcan.

I love logic.

Notice how I move my eyebrow

but no other muscles in my face.

Mm.

Do I really sound like that?

ALL: Yes.

Absolutely.

The Ritual of Awareness.

When a young couple is made aware

of all of their faults and their flaws.

Right, so he just has to keep his cool.

While the timer counts down,

T'Pring's parents will tell you

all of the things they think
that you are doing wrong.

They might, for instance, ask you

how you plan on having a future together

when you spend months
apart from each other.

Are you kidding?

- You're going there already?
- ORTEGAS: Spock.

She hasn't even started.

Sorry.

The last ritual: the Mind Meld.

You and I will share
a memory of your childhood,

or at least pretend to.

My mind to your mind.

My thoughts to your thoughts.

Don't grit your teeth like that.

Try pretending maybe
you're seeing something,

like memories.

You look constipated.

I'm trying to pretend
I'm seeing her memories.

Perhaps don't try as hard. Hmm?

My mind to your mind.
My thoughts to your thoughts.

- Geez, now you seem kinda pushy.
- She's right.

I don't know what you all want from me.

I don't see her memories and it's weird.

I'm used to seeing them.
I don't know how to fake it.

I don't think that we're gonna be able

to pull this off.

What are you talking about?
This was your idea.

Yes, I realize that.

But in order for it to look real,

it must be real.

And T'Pril is gonna see that it isn't.

Even your friends can sense it.

Then we'd better hope that
Dr. M'Benga and Nurse Chapel

can come up with a cure
before we get to the mind meld.

- M'BENGA: Problem with the modeling?
- Big problem.

The Vulcan genome is failing

to replace the duplicated human copy.

Did you use pseudosynapsis treatments

- to inject a time delay into his...
- Yes.

Yes, I'm way ahead of you.

The problem isn't the time delay.

The problem is histone unspooling.

The models are telling me
we have hours.

After that, the cells lose
all genetic plasticity.

Oh, dear.

If we can't change him back
he's gonna be stuck like this.

Perhaps Federation standard gene
therapy isn't robust enough.

I have some more experimental techniques

I've pulled from the Trinar.

No, Trinar regression won't work.

None of your experimental
techniques will work.

I've been through everything
you keep back there.

We can't do it.

Christine, you can't lose hope.

No, listen to me.

We can't do it,

but we already know who can

because they did it before.

The Kerkhovians.

But how are you possibly going to...

I can be very persuasive.

You want me to fly the three
of us to another dimension

so you can talk with
some ancient aliens?

No. I want you to fly us
adjacent to another dimension

so we can send a signal
to some ancient aliens.

I think it could work.

I mean, the data chip
stopped functioning,

but I think if we fly close enough

to the anomaly, we could
use its ambient energy

to route a signal through.

And the captain actually okayed this?

'Cause last time we sent
a shuttle there, it crashed.

If we don't do this now,

Spock is going to be stuck like this.

I was in that crash with him,
and I survived,

while he... was changed.

If there is a way to save him,
I have to try.

Could we get these to go, please?

♪ ♪

Are you ready to do this?

T'Pring will arrive first.

I will walk her
to the captain's quarters

and let her know what's going on.

And I will delay T'Pril and Sevet

for as long as I can
to give you more time.

It's gonna be okay.

Will it?

Yes.

Then... energize.

T'Pring, parted from me...

Spock, I have spent the last
two days with my mother.

I can stomach no more formalities.

I... understand.

It is good to see you.

You look strange.

This is not a good time
to change your hair.

Amanda, thank you for being here.

Of course.

I gather T'Pril is being her usual self?

Yes. It is... challenging.

Allow me to greet them for you, then.

Shall we go?

[DOOR WHOOSHES OPEN]

Before the ritual, there
is a matter we must discuss.

It pertains to your mother.

Must we? She has already
taken up a great deal of space

and later I must share my mind with her.

I know how much you have
sacrificed, being with her.

She has been particularly
difficult lately.

We debated for three hours

over this outfit.

That is...

fascinating?

I suppose it is,

in the way that it is fascinating

that some species eat their young.

[SNORTS]

[CLEARS THROAT]

[COUGHS]

I am sorry.

I was choking.

You must be more careful.

If anything goes wrong,

T'Pril will use it
to end our engagement.

She would actually do that?

Oh, Spock,

you have no idea.

Now, what is it that
you wanted to tell me?

Just...

that I will do my best

to ensure everything goes as planned.

These quarters seem quite comfortable.

They will suit our needs
for the V'Shal ritual.

They are merely adequate,

and they carry an unfortunate odor.

I am afraid she's right.

I did not notice it before.

Vulcan women are
more sensitive to odors.

Is that not true, T'Pring?

Yes, Mother.

I can smell it, too.

We all know what it is.

Your house on Vulcan
would surely have been finer,

but due to Spock's injuries,
we are grateful

for your understanding
in the change in venue.

Yes. His injuries.

What exactly is wrong with him?

We have not had time
to discuss the accident.

Spock?

I was in a shuttle accident.
There was...

extensive nerve damage.

And also,

my eyebrows were singed.

Oh, yes, when you look closely,

you can see...

they have been altered.

Captain Pike spent all night
working on Vulcan specialties.

Yes.

I made traditional tevmel

- for the occasion.
- SEVET: Oh!

These are delicious.

But one could hardly
call them traditional.

Mm. That is true.

They have diverged from tradition a bit.

The twist is far too elaborate,

the halak is not fresh,
and it seems to be...

[SNIFFS] ... salted.

I... did not realize.

Well, I used salt to slow fermentation

since the-the starship
runs at a hotter temperature

than your typical Vulcan kitchen, so...

A clever adaptation.

Perhaps you just need more practice.

It is late. We must begin the ritual.

Uh, m-must we?

I-I still have a great deal
more Vulcan food to serve.

Oh, really?

That is, I am sure it can wait.

T'Pring, would you not
prefer to eat more?

I am not hungry.

COMPUTER: Gravitational
anomaly detected.

Any luck patching in our call?

I'm trying, but there's too
much gravimetric interference

to connect through the rift.

Would it help if we moved closer?

It would, but...

Closer? To the gravitational anomaly

that nearly k*lled you and Spock?

Sure, that's a... that's a great idea.

Please?

I could probably get a little closer.

I see the problem.

There's a distortion field blocking us.

I think if we could wedge
ourselves in the door,

I might be able
to thread a signal through.

- Wedge ourselves in the door?
- That is not possible.

Gravitational shearing
would tear the ship apart.

UHURA: Except, remember
what the Kerkhovian said?

On the other side of that

is some kind of... transport tunnel.

It's probably mostly empty.

"Probably" is a lot to bet on.

Think of the ocean in a storm.

The surface is moving like crazy,

but when you get under it, it's calm.

Yeah, I hate analogies.
It is never really

like you say it is.

Look, I can't ask either of you
to risk your lives for this.

But if there is a chance
to save Spock, I have to try.

He didn't choose to be like this.

Should we even try to contact
Enterprise about this?

I can't reach anything outside
a light-year's distance

with all this interference.

Like it or not, it's up to us.

So, what... I got to be the one

to vote against doing
the crazy maneuver?

Does that sound like me?

So, we're doing this?

We're doing this.

Hold onto your butts.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

[QUIETLY]: Don't rush this,

or the pomkot leaves will fail to bloom.

Acceptable.

T'PRING [WHISPERING]: Well done.

CHAPEL [MUFFLED, ECHOING]: Where are we?

ORTEGAS: What happened to the ship?

UHURA: Did we die?

[REGULAR VOLUME]: Are we dead?

ORTEGAS: Okay.

Maybe not dead, but

if someone said we were,

I wouldn't be at all surprised.

We must be in interdimensional space.

Hello?

Is anyone there?

KERKHOVIAN: Hello.

Hi.

Um...

I spoke to you earlier, I think.

Are you Yellow?

KERKHOVIAN: No. I am Blue.

I am of Kerkhov. You came to me.

Right. Uh...

We need your help.

My friend who, um,

your people, um...

- Remediated.
- remediated.

Only you didn't fix him
correctly, and I'm trying to,

but I can't without your help.

BLUE: Remediation was made.
No complaints were lodged.

- Therefore, no...
- No. See,

remediation was not made.
You messed him up.

My friend, Spock... you, um...

you read his instructions wrong,

and you turned him into something

that he's not.

And now, if I don't get your help,

we won't be able
to turn him back ever again.

BLUE: This is irregular. A complaint

outside of the response period.

Where is Yellow?

Could we maybe speak to Yellow, please?

So... what do we do now?

We wait.

T'PRING: Thank you, Amanda.

I am grateful for any awareness
you provide me.

T'Pring, you could visit more.

[T'PRIL CLEARS THROAT]

AMANDA: And you could have
more self-confidence.

Have I not said the same to her?

This is not satisfactory.

T'Pril is very good
at creating awareness.

T'Pring knows how I feel.

I did not wish to be needlessly cruel.

Your human instincts
are fighting the very purpose

of this ritual.

A Vulcan, logically, wants to improve.

We make them aware.

You are being too timid.

Thank you, Mother.

I am grateful for
any awareness you provide me.

You are already aware of all the ways

in which you could do better.

But Spock is not.

I am grateful for any awareness
you provide me, T'Pril.

Spock, you are a disappointment.

You have turned your back
on your planet,

your people, your family

and our daughter.

While many Vulcan men
would stand willingly

at T'Pring's side,

you abandon her for months on end.

Thank you, T'Pril, for...

I am not finished.

You disrespect your family name,

choosing Starfleet over all else.

Your father, Sarek,
is correct to shut you out.

To not embrace your choices.

It is only logical to conclude
that you have failed him

as a Vulcan and as a son.

You simply do not deserve our daughter.

T'PRING: Mother.

The Awareness Ritual is over.

I must... use the bathroom.

A Vulcan should have
a more resilient bladder.

[MUFFLED SCREAM]

[SIGHS]

Spock to M'Benga.

M'Benga here.

This is not going well.
How is the cure coming?

We've hit a roadblock.

Nurse Chapel went
to find the Kerkhovians.

She what?

And you just let her go?

You and I both know that when Christine

sets her mind to something,
she is hard to stop.

Do you know where she is now?

Hello. I am Yellow.

Yes. Yes, uh,

I'm trying to find some help
for my friend Spock.

YELLOW: Remediation was made.
No further contact is...

No, we... I know you think
we shouldn't contact you,

but you made a mistake,
and we need your help to fix it.

YELLOW: A complaint outside of
the response period is irregular.

What is your relationship to this being?

Oh. Um... he's my friend.

YELLOW: Friends are not
allowed complaints

- outside of the response period.
- What? Why not?

YELLOW: Because they do not
have sufficient connection

to the being in question.

Uh, but... friends are different
in our world.

We... we care about them.

YELLOW: You are each
other's... caregivers?

No.

Well, sort of.

YELLOW: This would answer
a question we had.

During the accident,

the other being diverted
the shields away from himself

to protect you.

He what?

YELLOW: He chose to protect you,

at the risk of his own life.

So...

... can you explain?

What is your relationship to this being?

I don't know.

Oh, my God. Christine, come on.

Seriously, you do know. Tell them.

Tell them what?
I don't know what to say.

Tell them you like Spock,
that you have feelings for him.

Are you so obtuse that
you don't even see that?

- It's complicated.
- UHURA: Then make it simple.

Because if you don't,

he'll never be like how he was again.

Okay?

- Oh.
- [SIGHS]

Spock is...

He's my friend.

And...

maybe sometimes,

I wish that we had...

more...

connection.

But when you healed him,

you changed him.

You made him, um, easier to talk to,

someone who probably, um...

understands my feelings a little better.

But, um...

... it's not him.

At least,

it's not all of him because

you took away the other part,

a part that I was connected to.

And I miss him... as he was.

Can you please help put him back?

T'PRIL: Spock,

the time has come for the mind meld.

Spock,

are you all right?

Uh, before the next ritual,
I'd like to interject.

Uh, hi. Uh,

as a nod to Spock's human heritage,

uh, uh, an Earth tradition

that I believe would greatly...
deepen the ceremony.

Yes, uh, uh, it's the very important...

Earth tradition of...

Ch-Charades.

I understand this is a union
of different cultures,

but must we interrupt our sacred
rituals to perform this...

Charades is very important.

I am afraid that we must.

Captain, can you explain the rules?

Traditionally, uh, charades...

well, it's-it's played in two teams.

- Each team is given a word.
- SEVET: What sort of word?

A sacred word?

Yeah.

[DOOR CHIMES]

Mr. Spock, I have your vitamins.

Apologies.

This is part of my treatment
for my injuries.

Please, continue.

PIKE: Uh, so if the sacred word has two

sacred syllables, uh, I'd, uh,

I'd go, "First syllable, sounds like".

Ear.

Uh, the Vulcan genome should
start coming back immediately,

and physical changes
may take a couple hours.

I'm glad to see you're okay.
I was worried about you.

Why did you do it?

On the shuttle,

you moved the shields to save my life.

I...

It was the logical choice.

As a Vulcan, I had
a higher likelihood of survival.

Just logical, huh?

Christine,

I feel many things.

It's confusing.

Yeah, I know. For me, too.

[SIGHS]

I have to tell you...

Get back out there.

You have people waiting.

Spock, what memory did
your mother share with you?

An ordinary day.

One in which she took me to school.

This seems rather mundane.

Mother, it is illogical

to criticize the nature of a memory.

The ritual has been completed.

Your assessment is not required.

Only your acknowledgement
of the conclusion of the dinner.

It is acknowledged.

Do we have any more of that tevmel?

I had my doubts, Spock,

but despite many faults
beyond your control,

you have completed the required
steps of our agreement.

Thank you, T'Pril.

That must have been
very difficult for you to say.

Many faults beyond my control.

Your Vulcan nature is diluted.

So it must have been challenging
to hold on to your logical side.

I am impressed that you achieved this,

despite your...

handicap.

SPOCK: Because it would
have been impossible

for a human to have gone through
this ritual successfully?

Without question.

What are you doing?

So, it must be a great
embarrassment to know

that this entire ritual was performed

by a human, not a Vulcan.

SEVET: Is this part of charades?

How many syllables did this human use?

Sevet, I am the human.

Spock.

SPOCK: You refer to my human
side as a handicap.

Yet my mother is the most resilient,

compassionate, tolerant
person I have known.

One who has been judged
by Vulcans her entire life.

And yet she stands by... for love,

for family, for me.

That is no handicap.

That is true strength.

And I am sorry that
it has taken until now

for me to speak these words to you.

Thank you, Spock.

I am confused that you
did not feel comfortable

telling your own fiancée
about your condition.

I felt that, given how difficult
it is for Vulcans to lie,

to leave you out of it was more logical.

We have been through so much together.

We have shared katras.

And yet...

Was there no point at which you
even considered letting me know?

In the heat of my human emotions,

I did not want to burden you.

You seemed overwhelmed by your mother.

While there is logic to what you say,

I should also note

that you seem to have involved
nearly everyone else

on this ship in your ruse.

How am I meant to feel?

I have told you before
that I accept you,

human side and all.

But it would seem that despite this,

and all that we have been through,

you still do not trust me.

T'Pring,

I did not mean to...

I should have...

Perhaps it would be best
if we took time apart.

[DOOR WHOOSHES OPEN]

VARAL: Miss Chapel.

I am calling to let you know
that we have chosen

not to offer you a fellowship.

You are welcome to apply again
if you decide that

is an appropriate use of your time.

I went to interdimensional space today.

I do not see how that is relevant.

I encountered a species that
hasn't interacted with humans

or Vulcans for centuries.

I convinced them to help me

with an ancient medical procedure.

What sort of medical procedure?

You can read about it in my paper

when it comes out later this year.

I would consider applying again,

but, you know, the truth is...

... I don't think
your fellowship is ready for me.

So, as you can see, Captain,

it has been quite a day.

Spock...

can I offer you one more
human ritual that I find

helps at moments like these?

What is it called?

Commiseration.

Mother,

the memory you chose...

the first time Vulcan children
asked me to play with them...

why did you choose it?

Because it was the first time

I saw that you felt accepted.

Only, seeing it through your eyes,

I realize now that you were not.

You were shunned by Vulcan mothers.

But you were happy, and
their judgement was a sign

of their own weakness, not ours.

And yet I see now what you gave up.

What you chose to live through,
as a human on Vulcan.

I feel it.

I have spent my entire life so focused

on finding my path as a Vulcan,
I failed to see your journey.

It is not easy,

being a human who loves a Vulcan.

I was just on my way to see you.

I'm here.

What were you coming to see me about?

[DOOR WHOOSHES CLOSED]

To tell you that T'Pring and I
have decided to take time apart.

How do you feel about that?

I feel badly.

But also...

... it was necessary.

I am conflicted because I have
feelings for someone else.

A Vulcan with feelings?

We have them.

They are more powerful than
human feelings, which is why

we suppress them.

I don't want to suppress
this one any longer.

I want to feel this.

What did you come here f...

What does this mean?

I don't know. Shut up.