03x09 - Trusted Sources

[bunniefuu]

♪ ♪

FREEMAN:
Captain's log, stardate . .

While the primary mission
of the California-class

is second contact,

Starfleet has never considered
our work a top priority.

Until today.

I'm thrilled to log that my
planetary follow-up initiative

has finally been given the green
light by Admiral Buenamigo.

Congratulations, Captain Freeman.

There's no one better suited
for Project Swing By.

And there's no one better suited
to assign it to me, Admiral.

Let's ditch the pomp and
set this conversation to facts.

- "Ditch the pomp"?
- [MUTTERS]

The first Project Swing By
planet you'll be checking in on

is Ornara.

Ornara. Picard made
first contact there, right?

Yes.
years ago.

So, they're long overdue
for some Starfleet attention.

If this goes well, Swing By
missions will be assigned

across the entire California-class.

Then I'll make sure
it goes better than well.

I know you will. Which is why
I have a journalist from FNN

en route to the Cerritos.

She'll be documenting
your success as it happens.

Buenamigo out.

Congratulations, Captain.
I think I speak for all of us

- when I say...
- [GROANS] This is terrible!

But, you've been lobbying
for Project Swing By for years.

Not that.
The reporter.

The ship's a mess.

We have to clean it up
before she gets here.

- [LAUGHING]
- Clean it up.

- Good one, Captain.
- Why are you laughing?!

Oh, [BLEEP].
She's serious.

Go get your departments in order now!

- [MEOWS] Go!
- Yes, Captain!

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

What do we know about the Ornarans?

They were ravaged by a plague,

the cure for which was
a plant called felicium,

which only grew
on their sister planet, Brekka.

The Brekkians exploited access
to the drug

and got the Ornarans hooked on it,

even after the plague was cured.

[SCOFFS] Some sister.

What did Picard have to say about it?

By the time the Enterprise got there,

Ornara was in shambles,
due to their addiction.

Picard severed communication
between the planets and, uh...

well, let's see...

oh, uh, then he left.

- He left?
- Yeah, that's, uh...

- Whew, that's how it went down.
- Seriously?

So, now it's our job
to check in on an entire planet

that Picard left cold turkey?

Well, Captain,
think about it like this...

if they've relapsed,
we'll provide much-needed aid.

Project Swing By is gonna look great.

With this reporter coming on board,

I don't want us to look like fools.

[MARINER HUMMING A TUNE]

Mariner. What the hell
are you covered in?!

Blueberry filling.

Yeah, we got the pie eating
contest later today.

[GASPS] Hey, we should get
that reporter to cover it.

- We're gonna crush Ops this year.
- [CHUCKLES]

[GROANS LOUDLY]

[SCOFFS] What's her problem?

We did strawberry last year.

She doesn't always get to pick the pie.

Ensign, if I were you,
I would make myself scarce

for the next couple days.

Please, reporters love me.

Plus, I'm so good at my job,

I'm like a second captain.

Yeah, I'm like a mini captain.

Like a little, sweet baby captain.

[MARINER CONTINUES HUMMING]

We may want to roll out
some duty changes,

to make a good first impression.
You get me?

You better be ready to shovel
some [BLEEP]ing pie, Marty.

Your whole division's going down!

Loud and clear.

Gah! What the hell?

Captain gave our next rotation
to alpha shift?

I-I didn't even know
there was an alpha shift.

We have orders to keep
our work areas spotless,

but, I accidentally got my station stuck

in the transporter buffer.

[GROANS]
What if it's messy in there?

I'm not allowed to scan anything
until after the reporter leaves,

but, I scan when I get nervous.

Hey, Carol gonna Carol, right?

I mean, she's just trying to put
her best foot forward. I get it.

All we got to do is sit back
and make her look great.

Wow, that's weirdly mature of you.

Wow, Captain.
I have to tell you,

covering a California-class ship
is really special for me.

My family's from Flagstaff.

[CHUCKLES]: Ah, yes.
Arizona is...

very near California.

Oh, it's just gorgeous.

Victoria, let's get you settled
in those guest quarters.

- Pretty great view, huh?
- Oh, it's stunning.

And, you know, when it comes
to the lower decks,

nobody knows it better than beta shift.

So, if you want a tour or something,

- just let me know.
- Actually, Ensign,

I believe your shift doesn't
begin for another three cycles.

Right. That's why I have time.
I'm early.

[CHUCKLES] Junior officers
can be a bit excitable.

You know, sometimes they forget
they should be going to bed.

Computer.
Lights.

Have you ever seen a warp core?

Oh, my gosh, no.
But, I can't wait.

- Whoa, seriously?
- Well, that was demoralizing.

She's just...
She's under a lot of pressure.

But, hey, this-this gives us
more time to practice

for the pie eating contest.

- Yeah!
- [GASPING]

RUTHERFORD: The pie eating
contest is canceled?

But, I've been expanding
my G.I. tract to store more pie.

And I perfected dislocating my jaw.

Mariner, what is your mom thinking?

This is the biggest crew night
of the year,

not including pon farrs.

Yeah, I don't really know what...

Hey. Hey, man. No, not the pies.

Hey, stop! We'll take those.

Captain's orders.
No contest, no pies.

Sir, I've been
starving myself for days.

Please! My body needs crust!

Stand back, Ensign.
I have my orders.

- [GROANING]
- Aw.

Come on guys,
there's plenty to do around here

that doesn't end in sugary diarrhea.

Oh. Maybe for you.

Let's go grab some synthehol

and synthe-have
a great time at the bar.

Sir, look at me.
Look at me!

- Please, just one!
- I can't.

You know I can't.

Then stun me!

No!

VICTORIA: Don't look at the holo-imager.
Look at me.

Okay, and just tell me what life
is like on the Cerritos.

Okay. Is this good?
[CHUCKLES]

Last week,
I got to scan an ancient probe

from an unknown civilization,

and I just signed up for aerial silks.

For me, the Cerritos is life
in the cave of Garanoga.

VICTORIA: Oh, you poor thing.
They make you live in a cave?

[CHUCKLES]: No, no, no. It's...

The Cerritos is like home to me.

I have lived in a cave, though.

[CHUCKLES]
Victoria,

something about you
really makes me open up.

[WHISPERS]: I feel
very comfortable talking to you.

Oh, well, I think
that's enough for today.

Turn it around, Lower Decks.

Captain wants you in your bunks.

W... Come on, man.
This is our bar.

We just-we just want to grab
a drink, all right?

This isn't the bar anymore.

It's the commander's lounge.

And it's only for interviewees.

MARINER: Hey, wait,
Jet's not a commander.

He's a lower decker like us.

How come he gets to be in there?

There's a list of approved people.

- Manhaver's on it.
- There's a list?

Hey, it's-it's okay.
Let's get out of here.

Uh, I've got some Somnusian root

that'll knock us out for a while.

I know Mom is stressed,

but, that reporter is here to report.

And this isn't
how the Cerritos actually is.

What are you gonna do?

I'm gonna tell the truth.

The very first mission
for Project Swing By.

Tell me, Captain, are you nervous?

The Ornarans were peaceful
when last contacted,

but, we should be ready for anything.

Well, I, for one, feel safe
with this amazing crew.

Oh, wow. I didn't expect it
to be this nice.

Seems like the Ornarans
are in a good place.

But, stay alert.

Sometimes the dark reality is hidden

just beneath the glossy exterior.

Hey! Oh, gosh, wow. Starfleet.

It is so joyous that you've returned.

I am B'Nir, the local magistrate.

Welcome back.

[CLEARS THROAT]

I am Captain Carol Freeman
of the USS Cerritos.

I know that your people's first contact

with the Federation
had its difficulties,

- but we're here t...
- What?

Oh. You're worried
that things got bad

when Picard cut us off
from the felicium.

Well, uh... did they?

No.
Picard was absolutely right.

It was the best thing
that ever happened to us.

Look.
We even made a mural.

See, there's the Enterprise
leaving us with no dr*gs,

and here's all of us freaking out.

We were in a bit of a bad place
for the first, oh,

ten, years,

but, we figured it out.

Once we shook the old demons out,

we focused on healthy diet and fitness.

You could say
we're addicted to that now.

- [LAUGHING]
- [CHUCKLES] My kind of people.

- How much you bench?
- Oh, we don't do it for the numbers.

We do it to quiet
the voices in our heads.

Nice. I do .

So, B'Nir, you have Starfleet
at your full disposal.

How may we be of assistance?

Yeah, we're good.

Well, there must be something.

We have medical supplies,

engineering know-how,

unlimited snacks.

Starfleet's done enough for Ornara.

There's really no need for this visit.

- Now, excuse me...
- [GRUNTS]

but, I'm late for my K.

Captain, do you anticipate

all Project Swing By missions
will be this...

Superfluous?

I'm just gonna step off imager
to make a quick call.

Top secret Starfleet business.

While we're waiting,

I could tell you
about my own fitness journey.

Cool.

Ah. Carol.

How's the mission going?

[GROANS]
There is no mission.

- The Ornarans don't need us.
- That can't be right.

Make them show you their government,

just in case it's secretly run by kids

or somebody pretending
to be the devil...

There's nothing funky here, Les.

- Picard knew what he was doing.
- Damn it.

We need something,

or the entire
program could be in jeopardy.

We could go back to Beta III.

There's a pretty good chance
they've fallen for Landru again.

What about the neighbors?

The pusher planet?

Maybe they're dealing with some
difficulties that we can fix.

Yes. They were left off
even worse than the Ornarans.

You know, my little saying goes,
"Glutes are cute,

- "but obliques are for freaks."
- [CHUCKLES]

Well, everything seems in order here.

So, now we'll be continuing
Project Swing By

on the nearby planet Brekka.

- We are?
- Just as planned.

Cerritos, four to beam up.

- Yo. Newslady.
- Ensign Mariner,

I was just about to go interview
your mother.

Yeah, well, before that,

I've got some
things you're going to want to hear.

On the record?

Well, then, come on in.

Mm-hmm.

Ah.

Hmm.

[SIGHS]

[DOORBELL TRILLS]

Come in.

Captain Freeman, is this
a good time for our interview?

- Of course. Please, have a seat.
- [CHUCKLES]

Super. Shall we dive right in?

I think you've seen
that I run a tight ship,

capable of far more
than just second contact.

Actually, after my crew interviews,

"tight" isn't the word I would
use to describe the Cerritos.

Oh. What would you call us?

Chaotic.
"Irresponsible."

"Silly" is a word that has
been tossed around quite a bit.

What?
N-No.

No, I don't know
what you've been hearing,

but, I can assure you,
nothing about our work is silly.

Is it true that your first
officer turned into a giant head

that tried to eat the ship
like a hamburger?

He...
That was a one-time thing.

It was a strange energies situation...

something that many other crews
have had to deal with as well.

I also hear you left your post,

to take some engineers on a spa trip,

where you had

- an emotional breakdown.
- [CLEARS THROAT]

Who told you that?

Did you or did you not
transport a Doopler

into a Starfleet party

as revenge
for not being allowed inside?

If you had been there,
you would have...

And tell me, Captain, was
that the same vindictive streak

that led you to purposely give
a Pandronian drill instructor

- a poly-heart att*ck?
- Uh-uh-uh, she was...

Your head of security
was turned into a puppet,

you let spear-wielding aliens

take over the ship,
you got Quark kidnapped,

then there was the whole thing
with the exocomp,

and I'm seeing a lot of stuff about Q.

Okay. Look alive, people.

Everybody's favorite ensign on deck.

Uh, Captain wanted to see me?

Yeesh.
Tough crowd.

[CHUCKLES] I guess the camera
really does add ten frowns.

You know?

Okay, I don't usually worry
about morale,

but, the energy out there is dark.

I think everybody's on edge
about the reporter.

Mariner... [SIGHS]

I saw you go into Victoria's quarters.

What the hell did you say to her?!

I know.
I wasn't on the list, okay?

But, I had to tell her some stories,

you know, about what
it's really like to work here.

So, you went out of your way,

to make me look like a fool.

I just told her the truth.

You went too far this time, Mariner.

You told her all sorts
of terrible, out-of-context...

- I gave context.
- When are you gonna grow up, Beckett?

You have absolutely no concept
of when to shut your mouth.

Don't talk to me like I'm .

I'm a Starfleet officer

and an essential part of your crew.

Not anymore.

What is-what is that supposed to mean?

Uh, Captain, what are you doing?

Oh, you want to backstab, complain

and be hard to work with?

Well, there's a place
for people like that.

It's called Starbase .

Starbase ?

- What about it?
- I've already put through the transfer.

Shuttle's on the way.

Mom, is-is this a joke?
Where's the hover-cam?

Does it look like I'm joking?

I want you off of my ship
before we get to Brekka

so, you don't cause any more damage.

Oh, my God, you're not kidding.

Mom, please.

You are no longer
my ensign or my problem.

I don't even know if I can
call you my daughter anymore.

Dismissed.

♪ ♪

[SHAXS GRUMBLES]

Made us sound like losers.

Yeah. Starbase .

- Hey, Mariner...
- Levy, I can't right now.

I know that this is all part
of some temporal

cold w*r shenanigans,

but, what you did is really messed up.

Oh, Jennifer.

[SCOFFS] My mom is acting like I

stabbed her in the back, and I need...

We're all trying to put
our best foot forward.

Ugh, what you did hurt the entire crew.

Well, I didn't-I didn't do anything.

T-Tell me what I did.

I'm gonna keep my opinions to myself.

You should try it.

Here, you can have your candle back,

since it clearly didn't mean anything.

I feel like I'm going crazy.

I'm-I'm losing my mind.

Is this a-is this a Frame of Mindthing?

Am I gonna wake up
with a neural drain on my head?

The only neural drain
around here is you.

Jennifer, I need you to believe me.

I didn't do anything wrong.

How am I supposed to trust you?

You tell everyone all the time
this is who you are.

Yeah, but you know me better than that.

[SIGHS]
I really don't.

- [INTERCOM BEEPS]
- FREEMAN: Attention, all crew.

For operational security,

please refrain from communicating

with former Cerritos officer Mariner.

[SCOFFS]

Give the stupid candle to Castro.

I don't care.

[GRUNTING]

- Mariner, we just heard.
- You're being transferred?

Apparently I torpedoed
the whole California-class.

You've done a lot worse
than this. It's gonna blow over.

I didn't do anything.

Oh, yeah, no, sure.

But, maybe just apologize

- for what she thinks you did?
- Ugh, whatever.

It's not my first time
getting kicked off a ship.

You know, the goodbyes are
the worst part, so let's just...

Let's not say anything.

[GRUNTS, EXHALES]

Mariner, you-you can't leave
the Cerritos.

Yeah, I can.

This always happens.

♪ ♪

- [SIGHS]
- ENSIGN: You lost it, man.

No, I didn't lose it.

It's around here somewhere.

Oh, hey.
You Ensign Bucket Mariner?

- Beckett. Yeah.
- Oh, Beckett. Right.

[CHUCKLES] Must've got
some elbow grease on this thing.

That's not what elbow grease is.

Ooh, this is a nice ship.

[SNIFFS DEEPLY] Doesn't smell
like garbage orsweat.

Man, I'd do anything to work here.

So, Captain coming
to see you off or what?

[SIGHS]
Guess not.

All right, I'm transferred.
Let's go.

Here's your uniform.
It's, uh, one-size-fits-some.

[LAUGHING]

Oh, my sammich!

Ah. See?

Told you I didn't eat it.

- Mmm.
- [SIGHS]: Oh.

♪ ♪

Orders, Captain?

Resume course.

♪ ♪

BARNES: Captain,
we are in orbit of Brekka.

Dr. Migleemo, you have the conn.

Ba-ha-ha.
A feast of opportunities

to make you proud, Captain.

Keep it together, Doctor.
You'll do fine.

[SNIFFLES]
It's really happening.

- Orders, sir?
- Yes.

Initiate a subspace
communication link to my meema.

I want her to see her
special boy being the captain!

- Yes, sir.
- [LINE RINGING]

[CLEARS THROAT]

Well, I hope you know
my daughter's stories

are heavily biased.

Oh, is that so?

Your focus should be
with Project Swing By

and the benefit it can have

to the forgotten planets
in the quadrant.

Well, that remains to be seen.

Perhaps you'll be able
to help more here on Brekka,

because, frankly, Ornara was a dud.

FREEMAN: I'm sure we're
about to be extremely useful.

Uh, useful to whom, exactly?

Well, good thing Starfleet is here

to notice that everyone is missing.

Project Swing By seems like a success.

Phasers out.
Something's not right.

Oh.
Hello.

Captain, I found someone.

- [QUIETLY]: Please, you have to go.
- Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

I'm with Starfleet. I can help.

Where is everyone?

[GASPS] Aah!

No!

Breen?

Aah!

Captain, there are
Breen soldiers in the city.

Aah!
We need to evacuate.

Ow!

Stay down!

In a stunning development,

Breen soldiers have occupied Brekka!

Not since the Dominion w*r have I...

Aah!

Emergency transport now.

Red alert.
All hands to battle sta...

- Meema?
- Uh, M-Mother,

you should not be calling me at work.

- Goodbye.
- Mr. Boimler,

I need some distance
between us and this system.

Breen interceptors closing fast.

They're f*ring!

- [GRUNTING]
- Oh!

Shields are failing!

FREEMAN:
Fire torpedoes!

Full spread!

SHAXS: They covered
the spread, Captain.

Aah!
Shields are down.

Brace for impact!

[SHOUTING, GRUNTING]

Damage to all decks.

Seal affected areas.

Captain, we're being hailed.

- [WHIRRING LOUDLY]
- [GROANING]

Why aren't they finishing us off?

They're going to board us.

All hands, prepare countermeasures.

♪ ♪

The Breen don't take prisoners.

Do not try to negotiate.

Defend yourselves at all costs.

- Captain, incoming ship.
- More Breen?

No, it's, uh...

I think it's Starfleet.

♪ ♪

What the hell kind of ship is that?

[SPEAKING BREEN]

♪ ♪

They're gonna ram us!

♪ ♪

[ALL SIGH]

Hail that vessel.

I want to know who to thank

- for saving our lives.
- [RINGING]

Captain, there are no life signs

- aboard that ship.
- What?

Uh, incoming communication
from Admiral Buenamigo.

Main screen.

[SIGHS] Carol,
thank goodness you're okay.

We tried to get here
as soon as possible.

Les, wh... [SIGHS]
Are you on that ship?

No one is.
Meet the new Texas-class.

This is the Aledo,

the first of three fully
automated Federation starships.

And it looks like
she just passed her sea trials.

Admiral, wow, this ship is amazing.

As of today, consider it declassified.

I'm happy to tell you anything

and everything about the Texas-class.

See, our goal
for this new class of ship

- was to remove the...
- What the [BLEEP] just happened?

I don't know, Captain.
But, Project Swing By

just revealed a Breen incursion,

so, I think everyone's
gonna be very impressed.

♪ ♪

In my time on the Cerritos,

I experienced a culture
of conflict between the crew.

I mean, Ops is clearly the best.

We never had to take
a spa vacation like Engineering.

The captain totally lost it,
by the way.

Those engineers
are so hard to deal with.

I got turned into a puppet
on my very first mission.

Uh, the crew never
held it against me, though.

Oh, you should have heard Quark scream

when he was being carried away.

- "Aah!"
- [LAUGHING]

I-I'm sorry.
What was the question again?

Although there were some,

who had nothing but praise.

Well, there's the family
you're born into, right,

and then the family you choose.

I've got both here on the Cerritos.

If you're measuring by heart,

this is the strongest ship
in the fleet.

Because we've got
the best captain at the helm,

- my mom.
- But this sole voice

of California-class exceptionalism,

was transferred off the ship,

just for talking to me.

Is Freeman really the best captain

or simply a cruel taskmaster?

I'm Victoria Nuzé for FNN.

Mariner didn't say anything bad
about the ship.

It was everybody else.

They didn't even realize
what they were doing.

I knew something was off.

We should have made her stay.

I can't imagine
how the captain's feeling.

Ugh, come on, come on.

Hey-o. Starbase .
What do you need?

This is Captain Carol Freeman.

I've made a terrible mistake.

I need to speak
with Ensign Beckett Mariner.

- Who?
- WOMAN: Oh, no, you don't!

- Hold on.
- [YELLING]

Would you just
use the freakin' broom already?

Uh, sorry. We got a Pyrithian
bat flying around in here.

- [SCREECH]
- What the [BLEEP]?

I said hit it with the broom.

I did that. It didn't care.

Ensign Beckett Mariner.

Can you please just connect me?

All right, calm down, lady.

You ain'tmy captain.

Let's see, let's see.

Marner, Marner.

Oh, yeah. Nope.
Can't connect you.

You don't even have
working communications?

Rude. Of course we do.
Usually.

But, this one here resigned.

Resigned?
What?

No.
Are you sure?

Yep. Handed in her combadge
and phaser and...

- [BLEEP] Hit it. Hit it.
- [YELLS] Look out.

Hit the bat.

[GROANS]
What have I done?

Oh, Beckett.
Where are you?

♪ ♪

[DOOR WHOOSHES OPEN]

Hey, so I just got a hot tip
on some Vedalan mummies.

Should be pretty ancient.

Want to check 'em out, Number One?

Eh, they're not gonna dig up
themselves, right?

Because that would be,
like, very unsettling.

No. I mean,
once or twice, they have.

But, nah, odds are they won't.

Then hell yeah.
Let's mummy it up.

♪ ♪

[MAN IMITATES WEAPONS f*ring]

Chirp.