02x10 - First First Contact

[bunniefuu]

FREEMAN: Captain's log,
stardate . .

The Cerritos has rendezvoused
with the Archimedes

and my old friend Captain Sonya Gomez

so that we can assist in her
first contact of the Lapeerians.

ADMIRAL FREEMAN: The
Laap System is fairly unassuming:

a gas giant, couple Class Js,

obviously our new Class M,

and an unstable planetoid right here,

just off its ecliptic.

The Cerritos will be positioned
outside the system.

Isn't that overly cautious
for a planetoid?

Carol, I know Cali-class isn't afraid

of getting their nacelles dirty.

We just don't want multiple
ships approaching at once,

or the Lapeerians
might mistake "first contact"

- for a "first invasion."
- Of course.

Once formalities are complete,

the Cerritos can install
subspace transponders

and join us for a celebration
with the locals.

[chuckles] I'll tell sickbay
to brace for hangovers.

One more thing, Captain Freeman.

I've heard that
congratulations are in order.

[glass clinking]

[both grunt]

Oh, great. Jennifer.

I'm sure you just love
catching me with contraband,

but can you try not to rat me
out to Ransom this time, okay?

Yeah, I don't care.

Oh, please, I know you hate me.

Pfft, I don't think about you at all.

[under breath]: Yeah, right,
I bet you dream about me

every night with your
stupid little butt...

Whoa.

Enjoy your final mission
on the Cerritos.

New ships are exciting, but trust me:

you'll miss your crew.

You don't think the admiralty

will let me transfer my senior staff?

With California-class?

Command likes to keep
a real sense of consistency.

You're gonna have to make
some tearful goodbyes.

♪

♪

♪

RUTHERFORD:
[grunts] Aw, man, this again?

Hey, Boimler, my implant's
messing up my vision.

Can you take my shift in Cetacean Ops

- so I can get it fixed?
- Sorry, I can't.

Captain Freeman Day's only a week away.

My decorations have to be the best.

Isn't that a craft day for toddlers?

- Not anymore.
- [door whooshes open]

Hey. I-I was just hiding behind a bush

and I heard the captain's
getting a promotion.

Whoa, really? Good for her.

Bad for us! I don't want
a whole new captain.

We could end up with some weirdo
with a riding crop.

Yeah, but this is huge for your mom.

She gets to dive into
the unknown on a whole new ship.

Gah, I never get to dive into unknowns.

Ooh, a promotion means
a big party and a fancy dinner.

- I hope it's fajitas.
- Ooh. Ooh, ooh,

then we get to line up
in the hallway, right?

And then we all applaud

while the captain walks off
the ship for the last time.

Ooh, that sounds great!

It sounds like betrayal,
but with clapping.

Ugh, this is totally going to ruin

the timing for Captain Freeman Day.

You think Ransom might be
willing to move it up?

It is a vanity holiday

to trick kids into respecting authority,

plus she hasn't even told Ransom...

And he'd probably be super pissed.

- [gasps] Thanks, Boimler!
- Mariner, no.

Mariner! Ah! That wasn't my idea!

[whimpers]

[sucks in air] Oh, no.

Dr. T'Ana wants to see me in her office.

I think she's mad at me.

For what?

Ugh, well, I mean,

there's just so much
to study on the Cerritos,

sometimes it's hard to stay
focused on just sickbay.

Come on. Dr. T's grouchy,
and you're great.

I'm sure you're overthinking it.

Aw, thank you, Rutherford.

You're welcome.

Well, I guess I'll head off.

You don't think this alert will
mess with my work, do you?

Hello?

Tendi?

She says "hi" to everyone,
she's a waitress.

But it's different.
She's, like, so attentive.

I mean, always asking what I'm doing...

Yo, what's up?
Talking about bridge crew stuff?

Tough gig, tough gig.

Uh, this booth's full, Ensign.

I get it, yeah, no,

and you want to maintain
the illusion of command, yeah.

It's not an illusion.
I'm your commander.

Sure. I'll take off, but first,

I think I have something

that you guys are going to want to hear.

Yeah, so I was on the station...

♪

We'll see you in the
Laap system, Captain Freeman.

Looking forward to it, Captain Gomez.

Ransom, take us out.

Oh, is it time to go?

Thank you so much for
all that information, Captain.

Okay...

Shaxs, any update
on those phaser repairs?

No. And if there was an update,
I would tell you.

I wouldn't keep that information
to myself. I'm an open book!

Did someone buy
an alien mood-altering plant

on the station or something?

Maybe everyone feels like
they should know more

about what's going on on the ship.

Like need-to-know stuff
that they don't know, you know?

[sadly]: The Cerritos is
ready for warp, Captain.

You know, your ship?

Oh. Just warp me already.

Senior staff, in my ready room. Now.

Look, at this point,
it's pretty [bleep] clear

she's not cut out for Medical.

What? No!

[sniffing]

What the hell is going on here?

I heard you and Gomez,

- back on the station.
- Heard what?

That you're being offered
a promotion to a new ship,

and while I can assume
I'll remain at your side,

everyone else here is pretty upset.

Who said I'm taking you with me?

- You aren't?
- So you are leaving?

Why didn't you tell us?

You're lucky I'm so spiritually
centered or I'd snap!

It's not official.

Why the hell wouldn't you take
your number one?

I agree with you at all times!

I would transfer all of you if I could,

but Command doesn't like

shuffling crews off California-cla...

Oh, that's such [bleep] [bleep]!

We are just as good as
any other [bleep] class!

Our warp core is twice as [bleep] fast

as any other ship in the fleet!

Whoa! Mr. Billups...

Oh, hey. So who's going
to be the new captain?

Come on, who else would it be?

- They'll be bringing on someone new.
- What?!

- SHAXS: This is ridiculous!
- RANSOM: Are you saying...

[all clamoring]

- Rutherford!
- Hey!

How'd it go with Dr. T?

I-I didn't talk to her.

I think she's going to transfer me.

- From Medical?
- No! Off the ship!

I saw her delete me from the system.

What? No way! That's crazy!

You're, like,
the nicest person in sickbay.

I don't think that Dr. T'Ana
cares about being nice.

She's more into hostility.

Oh! I should've been more mean!

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa,
I gotta see this for myself.

Hang on.

[gasps] You're right.

You're not in there! That's so unfair.

I can't believe this.

I'll miss the Cerritos so much.

Then let's make sure you see
her one last time. Come on.

- W-What do you mean?
- Let's go visit

all your favorite places on the ship,

so you can have a proper goodbye.

- That's a great idea.
- Ow!

- [groans]
- Uh, maybe I should lead the way.

Yeah, that's an okey dokey from me.

FIRST OFFICER: All scans
nominal, Captain Gomez.

Welcome to the Laap system.

Take us in nice and slow.

Let's give them plenty of time
to scan us.

Nobody likes unexpected guests.

Ah!

Uh, I'm okay.

Please don't, it's fine.

Don't worry about it.

I've done way worse

in front of much more
intimidating captains.

Ah. Maintenance hatch ,

always warm to the touch.

- [sizzles]
- Ow!

[exhales]

Little ship, but a big warp core.

Oh, listen to that thrum.

- Ah!
- Whoa.

[sniffing]

This is where we watched
the Trivoli pulsar.

[cries]

They-they always tell you

not to get too attached to your ship.

But how could you not?

Hey, can I tell you something?

Y-Yeah?

I am attached to the ship.

I love the Cerritos.

I have for a long time now.

And no one can tell me otherwise!

I love the Cerritos, too.

Ooh, I know where we should go next.

Somewhere off-limits.

[gasps] The rubber ducky room?

Better.

RANSOM: Not fair! Not fair!

- That job is mine!
- [whining, grumbling]

That job is mine!

Enough!

Look. Your complaints are noted.

Now get back to your stations.

- [grumbling]
- Oh, come on!

FREEMAN: Except you.

What were you thinking?

I was going to tell them
at the right time.

I was trying to avoid conflict.

That's super messed up.
Those are your friends.

A captain can't worry about feelings

when it comes to a decision like this.

Oh. Well, then, you're in luck,
because you don't have feelings.

Gosh, you've got so much to learn.

[alarm wailing]

- Report.
- The Lapeerian sun

just emitted an unpredicted flare.

It's headed straight for that planetoid!

[grunting]

♪

[groaning]

All right. Give me the bad news.

Magnetized ionic plasma
in those fragments

overloaded the ship's systems.

It's like we were hit with an EMP.

Warp core's off-line.

What about reserves?

Backup power cells are down.

- Captain, it's all down.
- But... we're still moving?

Momentum, plus
the Lapeerian gravity well.

But that means...

Unless we figure something out,

first contact is going to be

us crashing into that planet.

Okay, that's enough existential dread.

Let's get back to work.

The Archimedes took a full hit.
Her engines are down.

That planetoid was stuffed
with radiolytic isotopes.

They're caught in the gravity well.

hours until impact.

Planetary damage...
it'll be catastrophic.

If we can get a tractor beam on them...

Not going to happen, Captain:

that debris is caught in the orbit, too.

If a piece as small as
a pomegranate hit our shields,

the reaction would
knock out our systems.

Hold on. What about the deflector?

I mean, isn't that
its whole job, to deflect?

If we project any sort of energy field,

it'll draw the plasma right to us.

Can't we just warp past the debris?

[all clamoring]

That was merely a suggestion.

[grunts] Just break the rules.

There has to be something
we can do, right?

I...

I don't know.

[groans]

[door whooshes open]

The captain's yacht?
Mom, that's not going to work.

It's got the same shielding
as the Cerritos.

Voice authorization: Freeman.

- [gasps]
- If I can navigate through the debris...

MARINER: You haven't
piloted anything in years.

Please. I've still got
the hydroscoot record

back at the Academy.

This isn't a hydroscoot!

You know what? I'll do it.

No! Off my yacht!

Do you think they
always come here to fight?

[gasps] Maybe that's why
it's off-limits.

I-I don't know,

but look at all this ionic plasma.

This is bad.

What are you trying to prove?

You already got the [bleep] promotion.

Get off my yacht! That's an order!

To let you get k*lled? Uh, no way.

I won't give you the satisfaction.

I'm trying to save lives.

You can't just bully your way
into whatever you want.

Why do you act like this?

Because I'm a Kirk-style free spirit

who kicks butt and
it super intimidates people.

You know that, that's why you've always

protected me
from getting court-martialed.

You're not a Kirk. Kirk was confident.

- So am I!
- You used to be.

But now the only thing
you're confident of

is that everything has to be a fight.

You have to drop your defenses
and make some allies.

- That's it!
- BOTH: Whoa!

Rutherford!
Were you, were you spying on us?

I think I know how to save
the Archimedes.

We have to drop our defenses,

like how Mariner has to do with people.

Ah, you heard that, huh?

Even if we lower our shields,

the hull itself has magnetic shielding.

There's no way to discharge it.

Yes. So we remove the hull.

TENDI: Whoa.

Okay, uh, we do kind of
need that to, you know,

like, protect us
from the vacuum of space.

That's the inner hull.

The outer is an extra layer
of protection...

RUTHERFORD: Which we wouldn't need,
because we aren't even going to warp.

Wait, you guys aren't
seriously talking about

- stripping the ship.
- It would take the whole crew

working around the clock
to remove that many panels.

Then we'd have to fly through
a dangerous debris field

with zero protection, all in hours.

Are you saying it can't be done?

No, I'm saying we have to hurry!

We'd take a serious b*ating,
but, Captain, this can work.

Attention, all hands.

Report to your commanding officers.

The Archimedes needs our help.

So we have to remove our hull

one panel at a time.

I'm calling on every officer,
no matter what

your usual duties are...

we have to work together.

It'll be close, people;

our lives will be on the line.

But we are Starfleet

and we never back down from a challenge.

Now, get to work.

Cerritos strong!

Oh, and the ballroom dancing competition

will have to be postponed.

[growls in frustration]

♪

[grunts] Not now, not now!

Problem with the coupling?

No, my implant has an error message

that's covering my vision.

That's odd. Your storage is maxed out.

Oh, yeah, no; that makes sense.

Last year, I lost
all my memories of Tendi.

So whenever I make a new one,

I save three copies
just in case it happens again.

BILLUPS: Well, it's
only going to get worse

until you free up some space.

But what if I forget her again?

Son, if you can't keep making
new memories, does it matter?

[sighs] Man, am I going to miss
those nacelles.

We need all volatiles
deeper in the ship.

Nothing explodes around here

unless I'm the one blowing it up.

Sir, are you sure this is a good idea?

A powered-down viewscreen
isn't going to be any help.

I need to see where we're going.

We're going to have to do this
the old-fashioned way.

[grunting]

Try it now!

[groans]

Still nothing.

Damn it. With a couple of shuttles

we could redirect the ship,

or at least get some crew to safety.

You should rest. You've been up forever.

I'll have a break
in seven hours either way.

But in seven hours, we'll be dea...

Oh, I see what you did there.

Come on.

[Freeman clears throat]

Don't phaser your foot.

Just worry about your own thing.

Well, at least when I'm gone

you won't have anyone
pissing you off around here.

[chuckles]

[sighs] I get it, you're still upset.

No, I'm not... and I'm pretty
confident of that.

[groans] Look, all I meant was that

you can still improve yourself

by just opening up to other people.

[scoffs] You are always
trying to change me.

You know what? I am glad

this is your last mission here,

because I never want
to work with you again.

Beckett.

Whoa! [grunts]

You okay?

Dragon's blood.
Access controls are fused.

We're going to have to release
this one manually.

FREEMAN: We're out of time.

Billups, tell me we're good to go.

We still have one more hull plate.

[sighs] And it's a big one.

Captain, if we're going,
we have to go now.

That panel's just going to have
to come off on the fly.

Red alert.

Helm, get us up to speed. Carefully.

STEVENS: Let's go, let's go!
Everyone inside, quick!

[panting]

[grunts]

Ah! Hold on.

I gotta do something.

MALE: What if someone asks
why he has it?

MALE : We programmed that in.

He'll think it was elective.

RUTHERFORD: Huh?

Ha-ha! I can see again!

But I think I remembered
something I wasn't supposed to?

Guys, quick!

We need a hand!

Cetacean Ops?

But don't these guys do navigation?

- Wait, what are we...
- Hey, Kimolu! Matt! Heads up!

I would love to, but there's no time.

There's a busted hull panel
we need to release manually.

Tendi and I can override
the safety protocols,

but one of you guys has to swim down

and release the mag clamps.

The what? But the panel's outside.

Yeah, but the control node

for the manual access clamps
are down there.

- Can't these two do it?
- [chittering loudly]

Ah, yeah, it wasn't designed
for flippers.

Okay, all right, sorry, sorry.

Uh, once again,
Beckett Mariner saves the day.

Of course my frickin' mom'll
get all the praise.

Oh, shut up!

You're just mad because
you don't want her to leave.

So what if I am, okay?

This is the most I've gotten
along with her in years,

and now she decides to take off.

That's messed up.

And I kind of already told her

I never want to work with her again.

The captain needs our support,
especially from you.

Look, however this rescue goes,

either we're going to be dead,

or she's going to be on a new ship.

Is this really how you want
to leave things with her?

Of course not!
But I can't patch things up now.

I have to swim down
and unclamp a thingy...

No, you don't! Boimler's got this.

You guys don't understand my family...

We are your family!

We will always be there for you,

And right now we're heading into a pile

of crazy dangerous space debris!

Whoa. Tendi, I...

Ah, no, no. Just trust us.

We can do this.
Go to the bridge, apologize,

and make sure your mom
doesn't get us all k*lled!

You guys are right.

[exhales] You got this, Boims?

Yes! Go!

Thanks, okay! Sorry, sorry, sorry!

RUTHERFORD: Okay, so you
just gotta go all the way down

and then swim the length
of the hydrotube

and then wedge into the filter nodule

to reach the clamps. Cool?

Oh. Oh, wow,
that's a really long tunnel.

- Uh, I'm not sure...
- Boimler, you're the one

who wants to dive into the unknown.

Now's your chance.

So, get diving!

[grunting]

[exhales]

So, you guys doing anything
for Captain Freeman Day?

[grunting]

[breathing heavily]

Approaching debris field, Captain.

Mom, I was being a jerk, I'm sorry.

I don't know why I turn
everything into a fight.

I think it's because one time
after the Academy I was in...

No time for emotional bids, Ensign.

Also, I was being a jerk too,

- and I love you.
- Aw!

Now post up.

We need all the help we can get.

Prepare to cut power.

That panel is still up.

Boimler's got it. Just give him time.

We don't have time.

[straining]

Come on, come on...

Got it!

Panel's free!

Cut power!

[exhales]

Ah! Ah! No, no, no!

No, no, no, no, no! [inhales]

Big chunk, starboard,
roughly . degrees.

And another at . !

Got it. Hang on to something.

He should have come up already.

Boimler!

He's in arrest!

We have to get him to sickbay!

There's no time!

[grunts]

[grunting]

Incoming! Direct ahead!

I can't avoid it! Brace for impact!

[yells]

- Mom!
- Beckett!

Whoa!

TENDI: Okay, come on, Boimler. Come on.

Come on, you're going to make it.

- [coughing]
- Boimler! Talk to me.

Did... did I miss Captain Freeman Day?

Yes! He's gonna be okay!

I saw a koala...

Uh, yeah, you know, it's probably best

you just keep that to yourself.

[whimpering]

No!

[panting]

Gotcha.

[grunts]

Five minutes until
we hit atmosphere, Captain.

Everyone, if you move
to the back of the ship,

there's a chance you'll survive.

Sonya, no. We are staying with you.

It has been an honor.

[grunting]

Wait, what's happening?

It's the Cerritos!

[cheering]

The Archimedes is
in stable orbit, Captain.

No lives lost.

Oh...

[indistinct chatter]

Hey, I'm proud of you, Mom.

You saved the day, kept it together...

I guess I understand
why Command was so impressed.

Thank you.

But I'm a little nervous.

How do I look?

Like a badass captain
who knows what's up.

On behalf of the United
Federation of Planets,

allow me to introduce myself.

I am Captain Carol Freeman,

of the starship Cerritos,

and I come in...

- [laughs]
- Whoa!

Lapeeria welcomes you!

We must drink!

[cheering]

Every time I think
I'm out of this thing,

boom, hit by an asteroid.

Well, don't worry. I'm sure
you're the doc's top priority.

Ensign Tendi, get over here.

Listen, I-I know what
you're going to say,

and I'm so sorry for letting you down.

I-I know I don't belong in sickbay.

You're right, you don't.

- [sobs]
- You master

everything you put your mind to.

It's unsettling.

Oh, uh, thank you?

You shouldn't be treating phaser burns.

I'm moving you into
senior science officer training.

Wait, like, to work on the bridge?

Like Jadzia Dax?

Who the [bleep] is that?
I don't know who that is.

No, like Spock.

It means a lot more experiments,
away missions...

think you can handle it?

- Thank you so much!
- [yowls]

I'm okay with this.

[purring]

Ha! Rutherford!

I get to stay on the ship!

And Dr. T'Ana hugged me!

You do? She did?

Hey!

Happy first first contact, Cap.

[slurring]: Oh, thank you, Jack.

It was great.

Are you... Have you been drinking?

They're a very welcoming culture.

Repairs on the Archimedes are
going smoothly.

Captain Gomez is recovering nicely.

It was kind of her
to let me finish the mission.

No ego on that one.

- Hey.
- Hey.

Thanks for doing
a super dangerous space walk

to save my life. That was pretty cool.

No worries. Cerritos strong, right?

Totally.

Sorry I've been a jerk all year.

I kind of thought you hated me.

Yeah, you know,
I think when I like people,

I maybe go out of my way

to force some distance, so that's on me.

So what I'm taking away
from that was that you like me?

No. Shut up, come on.

Congrats, Brad.
You were a real hero today.

Thanks, but anyone would have
done the same.

Whoa, check out Mr. Humble Confidence.

Where'd you come from?

I guess when you almost
drown in whale pee,

it makes you not sweat the
small stuff anymore, you know?

Oh, Mom noticed the decorations,
by the way.

What? D-D-Did she know it was me?

Mm, she probably assumes
it was children, actually.

[gasps] Cap'n! Cap'n!
I drew the banners!

Huh. I like that guy.

Right? He's great.

To the Captain!

No, no, no. To the Cerritos!

- [cheering]
- RUTHERFORD: The Cerritos, I love you!

OFFICER: Captain,
a team from Starfleet Command

is requesting to come aboard.

[exhales] That was fast.
Permission granted.

Escort them to
the senior conference room.

If they were impressed
with you before...

Whew! Today must have sealed the deal.

Hey, nobody deserves the
recognition more than you, Mom.

Nothing would make us prouder

than seeing you move up
to bigger and better.

Maybe bigger, but never better.

I'm turning down the transfer.

- What?
- But Captain,

you've been working so hard for this.

Yeah, well, maybe a little too hard.

It blinded me to what I already have

right here on the Cerritos.

What good would a new ship be

without the best crew in the fleet?

Mom! No way!

Come on, let's go tell them
they wasted their trip.

BOIMLER: Cap'n!
Cap'n! I drew the banners!

It was Boimler! It was Boimler!

Captain Freeman. I'm Commander Mandel.

Under the authority of
Starfleet Command, you...

I have to stop you right there,
Commander.

I'm not leaving the Cerritos.

I'm afraid you don't have a choice.

[laughs] I'm turning down the promotion.

Look, she might not seem
like much to you,

but this ship is my home.

You're under arrest for the
destruction of Pakled Planet.

What? Wh... What are you talking about?

Hey! Let-let her go!

This is madness!

Captain! What are your orders?

Stand down! What are the charges?

We have proof that you colluded
with Klingon extremists

to plant a Varuvian b*mb
in the Pakled capital city.

My God, when did this happen?

Today, , while you were
conveniently on a mission...

I'm sure just as planned.

She had nothing to do with this!

- That is for a tribunal to decide.
- I'll k*ll you!

Stop. Let them do their job.

- But Mom...
- Captain...

That's an order.

We have the truth on our side.

And I don't want the crew finding out

until we know more.

Congratulations, Captain!

- On behalf of the crew...
- [crew gasping]

Starfleet Security.

This woman is under arrest.

♪