Previously on Star Trek: Discovery...
BOOK: Pull up Kwejian
on the deep-space array.
- BURNHAM: What happened?
- My ship was hit by something.
BOOK: They're gone.
STAMETS: Five light-years across.
That's the size
of the gravitational anomaly
that hit Kwejian.
The DMA disappeared.
It reappeared . seconds later,
, light-years away.
BURNHAM: The only logical explanation
is someone created it.
VANCE: For now, we're classifying
those responsible
as Unknown Species Ten-C.
ZORA: Thank you, Commander,
for reaching toward me.
- GRAY: What are those?
- The coordinates.
- To Species Ten-C.
- I'm struggling.
The DMA has brought up
a lot of, uh, uncertainty.
You are only human.
If you don't find fulfillment
in something other than work,
then you will fail those
in the chair in front of you.
And I designed this.
A w*apon capable of destroying the DMA.
A "cascading subspace burst"
sounds a lot like the result
of an isolytic expl*si*n.
My proposal carries some risk,
but not nearly as much as doing nothing.
We need to defend ourselves.
BURNHAM: If we make
first contact peacefully,
then we can determine
intent before we act.
Introducing the next
generation spore drive.
We have seconds
before they realize it's gone
and figure out I'm the one who took it.
Next part's all you.
Book. No.
VANCE: I need Booker's ship found.
Scramble every available vessel.
Eisenberg class, shuttle, I don't care.
They've stolen classified tech.
Do we have any idea where it is?
Negative, sir. It spore-jumped.
- Any idea where it's headed?
- Not yet, sir.
All available personnel are looking.
Can anyone please tell me,
how the hell did our prototype
get out in the first place?
Security requires dual
authorization, does it not?
Yes, sir. It has dual authorization.
Uh, Ruon Tarka entered his code somehow
in conjunction with, uh...
... yours, sir.
RILLAK: Admiral.
I'll ask you both just once.
Did you have any idea this was coming?
- BOTH: No, Madam President.
- Okay, then,
how did you have no idea it was coming?
Tarka was your guy, Admiral.
Handpicked. You gave him free reign.
Barely any oversight.
And it is one thing to miss the capacity
for criminal misbehavior
in a professional relationship,
but yours was also personal.
I knew Book was struggling,
but he... he gave no indication
that he would do something like this.
Hmm.
That spore drive technology
is the closest we have come
to ending our dilithium dependence.
If word gets out that
the only functional prototype
has been stolen,
it will thr*aten everything.
Including trust that we have the ability
to pull off this monumental
first contact mission
that you just helped to sell
a few hours ago.
That doesn't even take into account
the risk we now run of provoking
a highly advanced species
who are capable
of destroying us all,
if Booker and Tarka succeed.
BURNHAM: With all due respect, ma'am,
he's a good man
who's not thinking clearly.
He's grieving, he's-he's dealing
with unimaginable loss.
He thinks he's preventing
another Kwejian.
We are trying to prevent
something even worse.
I can get him to see that
before it's too late.
In order to build an isolytic w*apon,
Tarka needs isolynium.
That's a black-market element
that is not easy to track down.
That buys us time to find them.
Discovery's primary repairs are done.
We can leave immediately.
I know you want to help, Captain.
But you're too close to this.
You cannot be involved.
I'm told Intelligence has
identified four vendors
who are believed to
have access to isolynium.
I'm deploying ships to all locations
with orders to detain
Booker and Tarka on sight.
Good. In the meantime, I'd ask
that Discovery gather data
on Species Ten-C.
We have to prepare for a first contact,
provided our rogue associates
don't b*at us to it.
I agree.
You have your orders, Captain Burnham.
Dismissed.
TARKA: So, how'd it feel?
The spore drive.
The interface. Efficiency.
Hit me. Come on, you're
the first real beta tester.
- It's impressive.
- Oh, come on, now.
Specifics.
It works. It'll help us stop the DMA.
That's all that matters to me.
Can't fault your honesty.
We're safe for now,
out of scanner range.
How long do you need
to build the w*apon?
hours should do it.
- (TRILLING)
- She's hailing you again.
Yeah. And there's this, too.
TARKA: Well, it's not the most
flattering picture of me,
but you, you look fantastic.
It's not lost on me, what
you're giving up to do this.
It's worth it, whatever
my sentence turns out to be.
Your sentence?
Once billions of lives
are saved, you'll be a hero.
That's not how the Federation works.
You had half the assembly
eating out of your hand.
- We still lost the vote.
- Rillak's a political animal.
Once the DMA is gone,
she'll face political
pressure to pardon us.
She'll find a way to explain
that, in this case,
the ends justified the means.
Let's just worry about saving
the billions of lives first.
Okay?
Very well.
Once you've secured us some isolynium,
- I can finish the third phase of...
- Wait, what?
You made it sound like
you knew exactly how to get it.
I was counting on the Federation's help.
- We don't have that now.
- Unbelievable.
What's the issue here?
I thought couriers could find anything.
Buying something
that's dangerous and rare
is never easy, especially
with Starfleet on our asses.
(LOW BEEPING)
I know a place that
won't be on their radar.
But it's gonna cost us.
See? That's the spirit.
And don't worry, cost won't be an issue.
(DOOR CHIMES)
- Come.
- (DOOR WHOOSHES OPEN)
Admiral.
(DOOR WHOOSHES CLOSED)
I first met Ruon Tarka
when he was giving a lecture
ten years ago.
One of the most brilliant minds
I've ever encountered.
He had all these ideas
for new propulsion systems
and power sources.
Made it sound like
anything was possible.
And I believed him.
I still do.
I keep asking myself,
why would he do this?
What am I missing?
Sir, I wish I had answers.
Maybe Tarka couldn't handle the
council voting down his plan?
He has quite the ego...
... but I don't think that's it.
I just got my family back, Captain.
The thought that I will have
to send them away again,
for their protection, because
someone I brought into the fold
might invite a w*r that
we couldn't possibly win...
We will figure this out.
And I will do everything in my
power to help make things right.
I think we can both agree
that Booker's not foolish enough
to buy isolynium from
any of the known suspects.
Sir, you and President Rillak
were pretty clear.
Yes, and it's very important for
the Federation president and I
to present a united front,
so I would never
publicly contradict her.
But I can take a page
out of her own book
and encourage you,
as one of the most creative
and adept officers in my service,
to do everything you can to stop them
within the parameters
of the mission you were given.
You find a way, Captain Burnham.
That's also an order.
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
(ORIGINAL STAR TREK THEME PLAYS)
Well, the president wants us
to make first contact
sooner rather than later.
What have we found at the coordinates?
Uh, Commander Stamets
was just updating me.
But may I say first,
we support you, Captain.
We all do.
STAMETS: And, uh,
we hope Book's okay.
Thank you.
What have we got?
Well, unfortunately, not much.
Data on what lies
beyond the galactic barrier
is extremely limited.
That gap in the center?
Is that where the Ten-C are located?
Well, um, like I said, it's limited.
But the orbit of
the extragalactic stars nearby
indicate a significant
gravitational presence.
There's definitely something there.
To find out what, we'll
need a visual on the area.
Any idea how to do that?
- Zora?
- ZORA: Yes, Commander Stamets.
I may have something.
The sphere data has records
of a civilization
located light-years away
from these coordinates,
just inside the galactic barrier.
The Stilph. They're warp-capable.
So they're advanced enough
and close enough
that their standard stellar surveys
should cover the area we need.
Zora, has the Federation ever
crossed paths with the Stilph?
No. And no diplomatic relations exist.
But they've dealt with
the Orions in the past.
Mm. Rather complicated intermediaries.
We don't have to go through them.
I know a broker on Porathia.
He has relationships with everyone.
He can get us what we need.
A broker?
He's an old friend.
I will have to make the request myself.
Keep combing through
for more data points
- in the meantime.
- Yes, Captain.
ZORA: I'd be happy to
complete that task myself.
It is perhaps more tedious
than is worthy of your time.
Thank you. Uh, I'd appreciate that.
Mr. Saru?
I'm bringing Commander Owosekun
to verify the surveys.
The Federation isn't exactly welcome
on Porathia, so once we jump there,
Discovery will need
to keep its distance.
We'll take a shuttle down.
Captain, am I correct
in assuming that this broker
is from your courier days
with Mr. Booker?
Yes.
And are President Rillak
and Admiral Vance aware
that you are planning to pursue him?
You don't miss much, do you?
Only when sleep-deprived.
Vance unofficially ordered me
to k*ll two birds with one stone.
And I believe this broker
is where Book will go
to get the isolynium.
I see.
You think I'm too close to this?
I believe there is no one else
who could possibly convince
Mr. Booker to correct his path,
but I do not envy your position
should he refuse.
I'll be back as soon as I can.
Uh, be safe, Captain.
Above all.
(INDISTINCT VOICE OVER COMMS)
(DOORS WHOOSH OPEN)
BOOK: Welcome to Haz
Mazaro's Karma Barge.
We're gonna need to make this fast.
TARKA: Not what I was expecting
when you said we'd find isolynium here.
There's nothing Haz won't
take bets on in the front
or sell in the back.
He'll have it. Or know someone who does.
Charming place.
I should probably mention
that we didn't part
on the greatest of terms.
Do I need to know the particulars?
Only that it was something
I did on my own.
Hopefully he's forgotten,
'cause it doesn't look
like a good day to be here.
GUARD: Empty out your pockets.
Show me your hands.
Nothing. See?
Always wondered where Emerald
Chain dimwits went to die.
Listen, Haz is fun until he's not.
So let me do the talking.
Think of me as a shadow.
♪ ♪
Haz know you?
Tell him it's Glow-Worm.
Glow-Worm? Hmm.
HAZ: Glow-Worm!
A swamp cat could've
learned the Hortan Hustle
since I last saw you.
Seems like good terms to me.
Your timing's perfect.
I'm having a special on Devore scanners
and modified scan deflectors.
Who's Mr. Personality?
My shadow.
- Where's Michael?
- Not here, obviously.
Come on, tell your buddy Haz.
What's the what with you two?
Still none of your business.
Look, I'm here for
something important, okay?
TARKA: This Devore scanner
couldn't pick out
a Betazoid standing
all alone in a Nieser cage.
BOOK: Apologies for my associate.
His filter was taken from him
by cognition pirates. Very sad.
I'm here for isolynium.
Heavy stuff.
Why, exactly, do you need it?
Chatty as always, I see.
Not that I mind. Each to his own,
- her own, their own, all the things.
- Hmm.
I do happen to have access.
But it'll cost you more than that.
TARKA: We need proof it's pure.
Not the usual stuff cut with sammonium.
Pay first, inspect later.
Shadow.
BOOK: Take it all.
- We have a deal?
- I'll take your latinum,
but we don't have a deal.
Old score to settle.
Or did you forget?
Course not. But it wasn't on me.
I warned Ertel to stop
delivering Tranceworms.
It was dangerous business.
It wasn't, until you stole his cargo
and he spent six months
trying to get back his losses.
Cost me my best customer
in the meantime.
I'd say that about covers it.
- (WEAPONS WHIRRING)
- We need the isolynium, Haz.
Weren't you listening?
I said not without more latinum.
It'll take a few days.
We don't have a few days.
Sorry, Glow-Worm.
Nice seeing you, though.
Give Michael a hug for me.
Haz. Haz, wait, wait. Wait!
Your guys out there,
they're looking for crooks
or card counters, right?
Detection tech hasn't worked.
I can't even tell you
how many are in the ring.
So you got nothing to lose
by letting us try.
You keep the latinum,
we get the isolynium.
Win-win.
You got yourself a deal.
But jab a brussel fly, and
I'll scoot some greenbread.
Clear?
Crystal.
The casino is a dead zone by design,
so all of our weapons, tech and comms
have to be checked at the door.
The Federation has
no authority on Porathia,
so we'll be on our own.
And there may be a few surprises.
I-I'm not sure.
Any questions?
Just one.
You can verify stellar surveys yourself.
Why bring me?
Saru told me what happened
at the subspace rift.
How you didn't want to stand
down when he told you to.
I was totally out of bounds.
I-I apologized to him.
I know.
But I also know how it feels
to want to do something. Anything.
And how it feels when you can't.
Thank you.
(CHIMES, WHIRS)
♪ ♪
Just wait for it.
(ROARS)
- (BARGE HORN BLOWING)
- We're here.
"Karma barge"?
- (DANCE MUSIC PLAYING)
- (MACHINES CHIMING)
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
(SIGHS, SPEAKS ALIEN LANGUAGE)
- Friendly bunch.
- Always.
Watch yourselves, Starfleet.
Oh, we're good. Don't worry.
I heard we had Starfleet guests,
so I just had to scurry
like a spider cow to welcome you.
- Right Hook?
- (BURNHAM CHUCKLING)
Starfleet Captain Right Hook? (CHUCKLES)
Tale for another time.
This is Lieutenant Commander Owosekun.
This is Haz Mazaro.
I feel like I'm in a time warp today.
So, uh, are you here
as part of Starfleet?
Or are we still friends?
BURNHAM: Both. Both.
Here to buy some
extragalactic stellar surveys
from a civilization called the Stilph.
They've had some run-ins
with the Orions.
I may know an Orion or two.
But why would you want
pictures of stars?
Stars are pretty.
(HAZ LAUGHS)
Everyone is so secretive nowadays.
I have missed you like a
Cardassian misses cake.
Unfortunately, that won't be enough.
Ah.
And yet she remembers
the way to his heart.
It's true what the Elasians say.
Give a man a tor-bak, and
you are warm in the desert.
Anything else you need,
- it's yours.
- How about isolynium?
The plot thickens.
You said anything else I need.
Should be enough latinum to cover it.
Sadly, the price goes up
with multiple bidders,
and there's already
someone else in play.
But perhaps you knew that.
- Is the other bidder here now?
- He might be
sniffing out some vermin for me.
Which gives you two lovelies
a chance to hit
the tables. See if you can
at least double that.
I'll get your star charts.
Open 'em up.
Let's get some tables going in here
- while I'm out.
- MALE: A new room is now open!
It's Book, isn't it? The other bidder.
I had a hunch, but I wasn't certain.
- If you want to wait in the shuttle...
- No.
I'm in.
All the way.
And, for what it's worth,
there's no way you could
have seen this coming.
Thank you, Owo.
All right. Let's do this.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
Haz said his detection tech
couldn't find the cheaters.
What makes you think that thing will?
Given the obsolete kernel patches
on the translators he was hawking,
I wouldn't put any faith
in Mr. Mazaro's judgment
of what technology can or cannot do.
BOOK: Lots of possible cheats in here.
Pickpockets.
Card counters.
And that guy.
Check out his eyes.
Where?
I lost them. Their eyes
were locked on the deck,
and they had this
rhythmic blink, like a signal.
Maybe it's how they communicate.
Good. That's good.
- I'll be back.
- Hey. What?
BURNHAM: We need to talk.
(BOOK SIGHS)
How did you find me?
(CHUCKLES SOFTLY)
You really need to ask?
You shouldn't be here.
Neither should you.
Whatever Tarka did or said
to sell you on this
doesn't matter now.
Just come back while you still can.
If you take the isolynium off the market
and out of Tarka's hands,
you could earn some grace
with the Federation.
They'll understand
how you got pulled into this.
I wasn't pulled into anything.
Tarka and I came to this together, okay?
- You broke a half dozen laws.
- That's what it takes
to stop that thing
from k*lling more people.
But that's... That's not how...
This isn't the way.
When you first met me,
I had just h*jacked
someone else's cargo
to save an endangered species.
Are you really surprised
by this, Michael?
If you buy that isolynium,
you'll be crossing a line
you cannot come back from.
You should leave, Michael.
Okay? Just go back,
say you never saw me.
I can't do that.
Then what are you gonna do?
Stop you.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
REFEREE: If you like a challenge,
we need challengers!
I was just telling your associate
that the stellar surveys
won't be an issue,
but, uh, they'll take time.
No problem.
We have some other business
to attend to, anyway.
Haz, how much do you want
to take the isolynium out of play?
Three times what you have now.
Fine. I just need access
- to a comms channel.
- Ah.
Last thing I need
is more Starfleet sweeping in,
no offense, and that's
exactly what'll happen
when they find out Book's here.
I monitor Federation channels.
I know what's what.
Then you know you cannot sell him
- the isolynium.
- HAZ: Sure I can.
Unless I sell it to you.
I'm a banta tree either way.
OWOSEKUN: Book's not gonna
change his mind, is he?
Which means we need to score
a lot of latinum... fast.
♪ ♪
OWOSEKUN: Got an idea.
It's a little crazy.
REFEREE: Visit us up here
at the fight ring,
and we'll match your first bet
up to five slips.
- (DOOR WHOOSHES SHUT)
- Um... Hugh?
- The ship cleans for us.
- Yeah, well...
sometimes, it needs a little zhuzh.
No! How many times do I have to say it?
Return to dock!
You're stressed.
- I'm not stressed.
- You're also cleaning.
Ergo, stressed.
Just... clearing my head.
Is this about Book?
He was in a volatile emotional state,
and I didn't do enough.
This is what Kovich
was warning me about.
Pushing myself. Wearing myself out.
Failing people.
What he did is not on you.
But it is. I'm responsible
for the psychological
and emotional health
of everyone on board this ship.
Book included.
You know
that's a completely unreasonable
expectation to bear.
You can't solve
your patients' problems.
All you can do is help them
find their own answers.
I know that. I do. I just...
It's all I can think about.
What I could've done differently.
Hugh, listen to me.
I get anxiety.
I mean, right now,
I'm-I'm toggling between the DMA
and how Gray is settling in
to life on Trill.
Is Book okay, wherever he is?
And let's not forget about how badly
I handled the situation with Zora, so...
It's not the same as yours,
but it all comes from the same place:
uncertainty.
Which is terrifying.
So, let's be terrified together.
Kovich said you need to take
some time for yourself, right?
The holodeck just got updated
with the Venabalia bloom
from Salata Major,
so how about we take a little stroll
through a field full
of flowers for a bit?
I'd like that.
(WHIRRING)
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
(LAUGHS)
Are you sure about this?
(MAN LAUGHING)
REFEREE: Things are gonna be heating up
in the ring soon, folks.
You won't want to miss it.
Place your bets now!
Don't miss your chance
to score on Joann "Oh Wow" Owosekun,
the most ferocious fighter
this side of Felton Prime!
Two to one odds are a steal,
folks. Double your money now.
We have one rule.
First one to hit the mat loses.
How you get there
is up to you.
- Fight!
- (BELL DINGS)
- (CHEERING)
- (KURR GRUNTS)
(GRUNTING)
That's right, keep your feet.
Limit vulnerabilities.
You got this.
- (GRUNTS)
- KURR: Come on!
(GRUNTING)
BURNHAM: Wait for your moment!
(CROWD SHOUTING INDISTINCTLY)
(CROWD GROANS)
- (KURR SHOUTS)
- REFEREE: At two-to-one, your winner,
Ato Kurr!
- I want another sh*t.
- I don't think that's a good idea.
We need the win.
Come on, let me try. I can do this.
- REFEREE: Who's gonna finally...
- Come on.
That was just a warm-up, folks!
Don't miss out on the rematch.
You'll regret it
if you don't bet it.
Owosekun for the win!
- (LAUGHS)
- REFEREE: The odds are ten to one.
Place your bets now.
(INDISTINCT SHOUTING IN DISTANCE)
Michael's here.
What? How?
She guessed this is where I'd go.
The Federation has no authority here.
I didn't think she'd risk it.
She's gonna try to buy
the isolynium out from under us.
(BELL DINGS)
- REFEREE: Fight!
- I doubt she'll have enough to get a sandwich,
seeing how that's going.
She always finds a way.
So if you could manage
to help find the cheaters
ASAP, I'd appreciate that.
Does it look like I'm having fun here?
Had to get into the mindset.
I had to see the action up close.
- (BLOWS LANDING)
- Found another cog in your network,
- by the way. You're welcome.
- (OWOSEKUN GRUNTING)
His variances between
his large and small bets
is far too sporadic.
Plus, look at his eyes.
Pardon me if I mispronounce this,
but you were right.
That is how they signal each other.
Thanks for the drink.
It's a Changeling.
The network is a ring of one.
Blinking must be a nervous tic.
Everybody's got a tell.
Keep on him.
I'll put together a little something
to make sure he can't get away.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
- REFEREE: Ato Kurr has...
- (OWOSEKUN PANTING)
That's enough. We're done here.
OWOSEKUN: I'm not quitting.
BURNHAM: I'm not letting you get k*lled.
- He's twice your size. You can't win.
- OWOSEKUN: You don't get
- to decide this for me.
- Please. Let's just cut our losses.
- Come on!
- Fine! Okay! Okay. Okay,
- rematch. Last one. All in.
- (INDISTINCT CHATTER)
REFEREE: We have ourselves a rematch.
Odds coming in
at to one.
- Okay.
- REFEREE: Place your bets now.
I want the moneyline.
Bet it all on Owosekun.
(PANTING)
Someone should teach you when to quit.
Someone should teach you
and your friend some manners.
(LAUGHS)
- (BELL DINGS)
- REFEREE: Fight!
- (GRUNTING)
- (OVERLAPPING SHOUTING)
Finish him!
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
(BELL DINGS)
to one,
your winner:
Joann "Oh Wow" Owosekun!
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
We need to move. Now.
You can't rush genius.
Congratulations. Everyone's a winner
on Haz Mazaro's Karma Barge.
Do you want a bag? Because there's more.
Actually, you can just
send it all to Haz.
Actually, we'll take it.
You hustled us.
You don't want to do that.
(GRUNTS)
You definitely don't want to do that.
(GRUNTING)
- Thanks for the assist. Yeah.
- My pleasure.
- Want me to, uh... ?
- Nah.
I got it.
(GRUNTS, GROANS)
- BOOK: Ouch.
- OWOSEKUN: Ooh!
- I see where the Right Hook comes from.
- (CHUCKLES)
Changeling. Could use an assist myself.
(BYSTANDERS EXCLAIMING)
(CHITTERING)
(WHIRRING)
What in the katterpod and Calaman sherry
- is going on here?
- We've got your latinum.
- We got your cheater.
- Looks like we got a draw.
You should have more than
enough for the isolynium.
Doesn't matter. He already agreed.
- BURNHAM: Latinum talks, Haz.
- BOOK: We saved you more
- than I could've possibly owed you.
- And you
should hear this loud and clear.
And you always liked me more...
- Enough!
- That Changeling would've ripped you off
for months.
HAZ: While you two were strutting around
like Klingons in a disco,
I reached out to some of my regulars
and found two who'd be happy
to take the isolynium off your hands
so you can get back
to your relationship whatnot.
There are many ways we can solve
this conundrum, but I thought,
in honor of how I met you,
we should settle it in
the traditional courier fashion
with a game of Leonian Poker.
We had a deal, Haz.
HAZ: My raft, my rules.
You want the isolynium or not?
I'm in.
Then so am I.
HAZ: Delightful.
Usual rules apply.
Your latinum buys you in.
I keep all of that, of course.
The winner gets the isolynium.
The rest get nothing.
Drop out? Still nothing.
Act like an Armus?
Swim the Porathian Ocean
with weighted boots.
Any questions?
Yes.
For a, uh, a gamble this big,
shouldn't we each get a chance
to verify the quality of goods?
Fair enough.
You first.
You know who those two are, right?
Emerald Chain holdouts
hoping to be the next Osyraa.
Yeah, I know.
Yeah, so, we don't agree
on a lot of things right now,
but we both know they
cannot get the isolynium.
I don't plan on losing it to them.
Or to you, for that matter.
You're great at Leonian Poker.
You're a hell of a lot better than me.
But you're no sure thing.
No one is.
- So?
- So,
you remember Schaefer Colony?
BOOK: Mm-hmm.
Odds can be modified
if we work together.
HAZ: Next!
I got your pretty star pictures.
I knew you'd come through.
Want a Tetryonic Dosimeter
to measure potency?
- No, thank you.
- (CHUCKLES)
Isolynium has the same
metallic luster as pyrite,
and its crystals are equant,
meaning they have
roughly equal dimensions.
When cut with impurities,
opacity and shape are affected, so...
Learn a lot of useful
things as a courier.
This is the real deal.
I don't know what's happening
between you two,
and I've never really
been much for love,
but for what it's worth,
I hope it still works out.
(CHUCKLES SOFTLY)
Now for the fifth stretch.
Last bet on the hand.
And as the saying goes,
to the Souvlo goes the spud.
Wow!
Spices things up a bit.
Check.
How are you folks doing?
Things going well
in the intimidation industry?
MAT'TRUB: Bet. , .
You know, I've played this guy before.
He's good,
but he has a tell.
(WHISPERS): Rubs his ear on a good hand.
BOOK: Call.
Oh, what to do?
What to do? What to do?
You know, I...
I played a game once at Schaefer Colony.
There-there was this guy who bet it all
on a new wardrobe,
thinking it was his night,
only to go home
in the emperor's new clothes
on a flush draw. (CHUCKLES SOFTLY)
Not that anybody was complaining.
Well, looks like I'm all talk.
(CHUCKLES)
Let's see it.
(HAZ LAUGHING)
(EXHALES)
Great action in those
Schaefer Colony games.
♪ ♪
- (YAWNS)
- I'll raise.
Just a little one.
Little baby bet, yeah?
(LAUGHS)
I'm stunned, too.
Who would've thought,
with a four and a six... ?
It's the best night of my life.
I don't...
They make a pretty good team.
I'd be sweating a little if I were you.
And you are?
Lieutenant Commander Owosekun.
Tell me,
Lieutenant Commander Owosekun,
what's your opinion
of what Book and I are doing?
I assume you toe the company line?
I actually understand why
you saw this as a way to go.
- Hmm.
- Still a gigantic risk.
Hoping it doesn't blow back
on all of us.
And to do this against
the advice and will of so many
takes a hell of a big ego, no?
I'm not surprised you think that.
What is it, then?
You're the Federation's genius darling.
Why throw it all away?
Makes no damn sense.
I couldn't care less what
the Federation thinks of me.
It's not about them.
So who is it about, then?
Someone who's gone?
d*ed?
So this is, what, revenge?
You're getting back at someone?
Or keeping a promise, maybe,
to that someone who d*ed.
Okay, you're boring me.
Go stand somewhere else.
I know what it is to lose someone.
You can choose to make
something good come out of it.
There are varying degrees of loss,
Lieutenant Commander Owosekun.
And if you could feel
the weight of mine,
if only for a fleeting moment,
you'd reconsider how much choice one has
with regards to what comes out of it.
(LOUD THUMP)
I don't appreciate bad
behavior at my table.
Goodbye.
Now for the Battle of Bygone Love.
(OVERLAPPING, DISTANT CHATTER)
You know if you win this,
and you take that isolynium,
every bridge you have ever built
will be incinerated instantly.
The bridge between us...
will that be gone, too?
You'd leave me no choice.
Starfleet will come after you
with everything they've got.
I'll be one of the tools they use.
Doesn't have to be like that.
We can end this.
Let's end this.
All right.
Let's end it.
(HAZ EXHALES)
The bet's to you, Michael.
All in.
BURNHAM: Straight.
HAZ: Flush.
Congratulations, Glow-Worm.
I'm sorry.
TARKA: Sacrifice is always heavy.
And though doing it for
the right reasons should help,
it never does.
In time, I do believe Burnham
and others will understand.
Maybe.
The only thing that would be worse
is that sacrifice done for nothing.
Hmm. (SIGHS)
So let's do what we came here to do...
end the DMA.
For good.
RILLAK: As I understood it,
you were gathering data
for first contact
and doing nothing else.
I was there to acquire
a rare set of stellar surveys.
Thought it would shed some
light on what's located
at the -C's coordinates.
They're being analyzed now.
Did I hope to run into Book
in the process?
Yes, that is also true.
I can't help but be impressed
by your ability
to navigate a loophole, Captain.
Wouldn't be surprised if you had
some inspiration, either.
I am troubled, however,
that you were not able
to make your loophole count.
You should have found a way to
drag Booker and Tarka back here.
With respect, Madam President,
she was outside Federation territory,
without a w*apon, without
a badge, without authority.
Be that as it may, she literally
bet it all, and lost.
Not quite. Book is incredible
at Leonian Poker,
so going into the game, I
already knew that I would lose.
So, I made the best play
that I could with the hand
that I was dealt.
When cut with impurities,
opacity and shape are affected, so...
I planted a tracker.
Same kind Starfleet put
in dilithium shipments
back when deliveries were being stolen.
And as you may remember,
Madam President,
the signal can be detected
from multiple sectors away.
Not many people have the ability
to surprise me, Captain Burnham.
I won't deny what Book means to me.
But I also won't compromise
my commitment
to the safety of the
Federation and everyone in it.
They're not moving.
Tarka's assembling the w*apon.
We'll only have one sh*t
at surprising them.
It has to count.
We'll begin mission-planning
immediately.
SARU: Apologies for
the interruption, Admiral,
but Commander Stamets
has something very important
to show you.
It cannot wait.
This is what we found
at the species' coordinates.
Their technological capabilities
are beyond our wildest assumptions.
How do you conclude that from this?
It looks like a... blob.
Natural astrophysical objects
emit a broad spectrum
of black body radiation.
This does not.
Therefore, it can only be artificial.
And, whatever it is,
it's million kilometers in radius.
That's enough to contain a host star
with two or three orbiting bodies.
Any signals being emitted
from inside of this thing?
None that we can register.
The structure...
a hyperfield of some kind...
seems to function
as some sort of Faraday cage.
We have no way of knowing what's inside.
Must be astronomical,
the amount of energy
required to maintain that.
VANCE: Where would
all that energy come from?
Zora, analyze the areas
of space left behind
after the DMA changed location.
What are you thinking?
The remaining gases
and elements should all fall
within known statistical parameters,
but if something specific
is missing, like boronite...
Boronite. Of course!
Mr. Saru, if you don't mind?
Boronite is an element
that forms naturally,
albeit in infinitesimal quantities.
In sufficient amounts, however,
it can be synthesized
into some of the most powerful
substances in existence.
Would there be enough energy
for this hyperfield of theirs?
And then some.
ZORA: Your hypothesis
was correct, Captain.
There's no trace of boronite at any
of the DMA's prior known locations.
The DMA removed it.
They mined it.
That's the purpose of the DMA.
That's why it seems to move so randomly.
It's not a w*apon.
It's a dredge.
If the DMA is their mining equipment,
we can only imagine
what their weapons are like.
And if their power supply is threatened,
it will almost certainly
be seen as a hostile act.
Booker and Tarka must be stopped.
Whatever the cost.
I know.
♪ ♪
♪ ♪