03x03 - People of Earth
Posted: 11/16/21 10:24
Previously on
Star Trek: Discovery...
Identify spacetime location.
You have reached year 3188.
It was not my intention
to crash into your ship.
I am sorry.
You ever gonna
tell me your name?
My name's Book.
The Federation is gone?
- What happened?
- It collapsed, I guess.
- After The Burn.
- What's The Burn?
Dilithium. One day,
most of it just went boom.
The thing is,
you got no authority here,
whereas The Burn was the best
thing that ever happened to me.
All that matters now
is dilithium.
- Welcome to Starfleet.
- I need to locate
the warp signature of a starship
with the identifier NCC1031.
Something is coming
toward us; Something big.
Enemy vessel,
right on top of us.
And we're being hailed.
Open a channel, Mr. Bryce.
Saru!
I landed here a year ago.
I've been waiting for all of you
all this time.
Personal log,
Commander Michael Burnham,
stardate 865211.3.
a*t*matic transmission
to USS Discovery,
wherever or whenever
it might be.
I'm sending this message
because you need to know
what I've learned here.
I hope that, by some miracle,
you'll receive it someday.
700 years after we left,
dilithium supplies dried up.
The Federation tried
alternative warp drive designs,
but none proved reliable.
Then came The Burn.
No one knows how or why
it happened, but in an instan,
all dilithium went inert.
Any ship with an active
warp core detonated.
The Federation as we know it
disappeared overnight.
It's now just a shadow
of its former self.
We didn't give everything
for this version of the futur,
and I'll be damned
if I let it stand.
I've become a courier.
I transport goods
in exchange for dilithium
to keep exploring,
sector by sector,
searching for clues
as to what caused The Burn,
answers that might help
to bring the Federation
together again.
Wherever I go,
I look for you, my friends.
I listen for any sign
of your arrival,
but communication
remains severely limited.
Even if I did find you,
I know it would be different,
because I am different.
But I will always love you,
but I've had to accept
I may never see you again.
You can love someone
and still let them go.
It feels like a dream,
this world.
A strange, terrible,
beautiful dream.
Combat simulation complete.
Luckily, I'm not alone
on this journey.
I found a friend in the truet
sense of the word.
This is my life now, and I..
I cannot imagine
what this year has been for you.
I couldn't have
imagined it, either.
How is everyone?
Grateful for each other.
They are finding ways to grasp
the enormity
of what we have done.
Some more successful
than others.
And you?
How are you?
Kelpiens have always had a deep
understanding of fear and loss.
Perhaps that prepared me
for this.
I do not like to think that
you were alone all this time.
Well, the ship that pulled you
out of the ice
belongs to a friend.
He's a courier,
and we work together sometimes.
You have been a courier?
It was the only way
to scrounge up any information.
I sent a transmission
to Terralysium.
It took months
to get a response.
And they had never
heard of my mom.
I promised Book some dilithium
for getting me here.
- Book?
- Oh, Cleveland Booker.
My friend.
Is he from Earth?
No. But it's the name, right?
There has to be a story there.
I haven't gotten it
out of him yet.
Well, we will honor
your arrangement, of course.
And I will offer Mr. Booker
my sincerest appreciation.
Welcome back, Commander.
Nobody knows
if The Burn was an accident
or a natural disaster.
But it appears that devastation
flashed in an instant
across all known space.
That's impossible.
Nothing could affect
all dilithium all at once.
Says a man who jumps a starship
through mushroom space.
How many?
How many died?
Millions.
I wish I could tell you how much
of the Federation remains.
But I did find part
of a transmission
from an obsolete
Starfleet channel. Bryce?
Aye.
This is Admiral Senna Tal.
I will wait for any
who would join us on Earth,
anyone who still believes in us.
The Federation lives on.
But we need...
Is he at Starfleet headquarters?
Not sure.
That message was 12 years ago.
And Earth was always
too far away for me to reach.
But now with the spore drive,
we can get there.
We will find Admiral Tal
and help him begin the process.
We should jump to outside
of Earth's scanning range.
Pose as a starship
that was stranded by The Burn,
trying to head home
at sublight speed.
I see your little walkabout
has taught you a thing or two.
I like that.
It is a wise strategy.
So, um, shall I go?
Commander Burnham,
I believe we are due
for a conversation. Perhaps
- we should...
- Oh, no, no, no, no, no. There's no need.
But we agreed to discuss...
No, it-it's... it's you, Saru.
Uh...
And chain of command
dictates it.
I don't know
if it's ever been me.
You brought this ship
through time.
You carried this crew
on your shoulders.
You are a captain
in the truest sense of the word.
It would be my honor.
This ship bears
the name Discovery.
Never has that been
more fitting or more prescient.
She has carried us
into the future,
and it will be our privilege
to make that future bright.
Let us begin. Together.
Aye, Captain.
Attention, all personnel.
Lockdown drills for Deck 7
have been canceled
until further notice.
You okay?
We haven't even had
a chance to say goodbye
to the friends we've lost.
Not to mention...
...my mom.
My cousins, my...
Everybody back home.
I mean, w-what,
they got breakfast,
they were late for work,
t-they had kids.
I mean, they had whole lives.
And they're gone.
No, they've been gone
for centuries.
I keep thinking there has got
to be something on Earth
that we'll recognize, right?
I don't know,
the Gateway Arch, maybe?
Uh...
The Giza pyramids?
Homemade hummingbird cake?
Cake is eternal.
Cake is eternal.
I always knew
that I would see you again.
Yeah, I keep having this, like,
image of you.
You're, like,
holding a dandelion,
and you blow on it,
and the seeds, they... go.
You let us go, didn't you?
It's okay.
Ah, time travel, man.
- Yeah.
- Ooh.
Look, I may not know you,
but, like, I know you.
Okay? So... whatever.
I love your hair.
Thank you.
You do seem, like... lighter.
Somehow.
Hmm.
Ensign Tilly,
I'm still waiting for
that recalibration kit.
Well, some things never change.
Yeah.
Go. I have
to meet someone anyways.
Okay.
Welcome aboard.
You're not Detmer.
Or Tilly.
I'd rather k*ll myself.
You're Philippa Georgiou.
Michael warned me about you.
Did you listen?
Apparently not enough.
Is there a reason we're having
this conversation?
I like to see
who's come aboard my ship
after gallivanting through space
with Michael.
"Gallivanting."
If only I'd known.
Where is she?
Your girlfriend?
She's not my girlfriend.
No, really.
She's not... We didn't have...
Nope, nope.
We're not talking about this.
Answer my question.
In another world,
I might have said
Michael is somewhere
being earnest
and doing the right thing.
In this one...
I'm not so sure.
My, oh, my.
Oh, my, oh, my.
If they could see
what I'm seeing.
- Who?
- Who?
- Any of them.
- Wow.
Come on, you could run a sector.
Two sectors.
A dozen, even.
You brought me back.
Is it weird to say
I knew you would?
No.
'Cause you'd have done
the same thing.
Does it feel like home?
It's familiar, but, um...
far away.
Do you feel like
you owe these folks something?
'Cause if you do, you know,
that's fine.
But remember...
you already jumped
through a wormhole.
Someone's eventually
going to find out
about this stash you have.
Yeah.
Discovery will be a target.
You, too.
You pissed off
some scary people.
You helped.
Thank you.
Is there anyone here
we could piss off?
- You could come with us.
- To Earth.
So we can piss off
an entire planet?
Just the opposite.
You'd be safe.
No one will find you
out that far.
I believe in what I do, Michael.
I can't just give it up.
There could be more Tranceworms
out there in need of your help.
Bollocks. I mean,
yeah, there might be, but...
- Clean slate.
- Ah.
What do you get out of the deal?
We could use your help masking
all that dilithium.
"We" as in Discovery.
What "we"
are you really talking about?
Shush.
I learned by now
it's a lost cause trying
to say no to you.
I've never been to Earth.
I've never been to this one.
Book's ship can cloak
our dilithium...
It's the safest choice.
I cannot place
our entire dilithium supply
into the hands of a stranger.
We don't have another option,
Captain.
I must admit, Commander,
I am having some difficulty
trusting your judgment.
I am grateful for your support
of my captaincy.
But your refusal to even
consider the possibility...
surprised me.
This past year has altered
your perspective.
I'm the same person, Saru.
And I'm not.
As I am now responsible
for every life on this ship,
and as I had intended
to offer you
the position as my Number One...
I must insist you explain.
Everything that
we dedicated our lives to
disappeared into madness.
We thought we could
imagine a future,
and it turns out we were wrong.
I adapted.
And I did what I had to
to learn as much as I could
about what happened and why.
I just need some time.
Book's ship can stay
in the shuttle bay
as long as it has our dilithium.
It will remain under guard.
And he will not be permitted
to board it until we reach Earth
and the dilithium has been
safely removed.
Prepare to jump to Earth.
Auxiliary power systems
and primary computer systems
are on line.
Impulse engines on line.
Weapons systems
fully operational.
Communications on line.
Warp core stable and functional
but powered down.
Welcome to the bridge,
Mr. Booker.
And thank you for bringing
Commander Burnham home to us.
Commander Stamets,
status report?
Spore drive is on line,
and ready to go, Captain.
Black alert, please.
Oh, shit.
Hey, you didn't tell me
about the spinning part. Huh?
Coordinates relative to
galactic core confirmed.
Initiating multiphasic scans
and updating astrometric data.
Approaching visual range, sir.
There she is.
Increase magnification, please.
Mr. Rhys, what are those arrays?
They seem to be some form of
advanced force field generators.
Uh, sir, two vessels approaching
from Earth's orbit.
They do not bear
Starfleet registries.
Shields up, red alert.
Sir, we're being hailed.
Put them through.
A viewscreen. How quaint.
I am Captain Ndoye of
the United Earth Defense Forc.
Your vessel has violated
regulations C1922 and F031
of the U.E. charter
by reaching Earth's perimeter.
Leave immediately.
You are not welcome here.
I am Captain Saru
of the USS Discovery.
We are a Starfleet vessel
and unfamiliar with
the United Earth Defense Force.
Are you a branch
of the Federation?
Your ship is not in our records.
Discovery was on a long-term,
classified
scientific expedition.
We are the descendants
of its original crew.
And you've continued to
function as a Starfleet vesse?
We have.
We wish to contact
a Starfleet officer
whose message we received.
Earth was its point of origin.
Your vessel's configuration
and metallurgy
suggest 23rd to 25th-century
construction.
I find it quite odd
that it remains in service.
There is no need to replace
that which is not broken.
How did your ship
survive The Burn?
It was not at warp at the time.
For us to consider your
request, your ship and crew
will undergo
a mandatory inspection.
Any evidence of piracy
will be dealt with severely.
Piracy?
Very well, Captain Ndoye.
We will prepare
for your arrival.
We are beaming aboard now.
Don't move.
Hey. What the hell is this?
Don't touch that!
Excuse me. Hey!
Who are you?
Put these on.
Why?
They're searching the ship.
If anyone is not
in full uniform,
they'll be suspect.
They could be arrested.
I see Earth's about as tolerant
as anyplace else.
What is this? Ah, whatever.
You're "Lieutenant Booker" now.
Aye, aye, Commander.
One "aye." We're not pirates.
Remember that time
when I had to wade
through that bog on Ikasu
to pull
- those leeches off you?
- Yes.
- When we saved each other.
- Nope.
I saved you. And this
- is worse than the bog.
- Oh...
Attention, all Discovery
crew members.
We are undergoing inspection.
Your cooperation is expected.
Thank you.
Okay. Go on.
Mm-hmm.
Just a uniform.
No, it isn't.
Oh.
You've been playing
the long game this whole time.
To get you to join Starfleet?
To see me in this outfit.
Look, you will be
in your own clothes
and on your own ship
and petting your fat cat
in no time.
How many times have I told you?
- She's a que...
- She's a queen.
Oh, you funny.
- I am.
- Yeah.
After you, Lieutenant Booker.
Aye, Commander Burnham.
I'll go blend in.
Seriously? Admiral?
I had to make it believable.
You don't look so thrilled
to be back in uniform yourself.
I just forgot what it felt like.
Mm, once you've grown used
to living by your own rules,
it's not so easy to follow
other people's, is it?
Why are you still
on Discovery, Philippa?
Why are you?
I see it in your eyes, Michael.
You've tasted freedom that you
never even thought was possible.
Freedom from the obligations
of what others needed you to be.
I'm not sure you ever knew
who you really were
without someone else
to tell you.
But you're starting to.
And this place no longer
feels like your place.
Am I getting warm?
Commander Burnham
to the ready room.
We believed Earth would be
a safe harbor,
a-a place
where we would feel welcome.
But we arrived
to find you suspicious
of a starship that hails
from your own planet?
May I ask what you are defending
yourselves from?
Everyone lost someone
to The Burn.
We had to focus
on what we still had:
Our planet.
We rebuilt Earth
to be self-sustainable
all while being under
near-constant siege
by dilithium raiders.
The most recent wave is led
by a tenacious individual
named Wen.
He is relentless.
Targeting our ships.
He would take our dilithium
at any cost.
I assure you we have no ties
with this Wen
or any other raiders.
Many of our crew consider Earth
their ancestral home.
Yes. Captain,
all we want is to check in
with Starfleet Command.
You have been away a long time.
I'm afraid you won't find
what you're looking for here.
The Federation and Starfleet
haven't been on Earth
for a hundred years.
Where have they gone?
No one knows.
Most of the ships destroyed
in The Burn were Federation.
No one knew if it was an attack
and, if so, whether
it would happen again.
Having Federation
headquarters on Earth
made it a potential target.
I do not understand.
Earth is no longer
part of the Federation?
Why should we be?
We can take care of ourselves.
What about the Starfleet officer
who sent the transmission
I received?
That was just 12 years ago.
What was the name?
Admiral Senna Tal.
Admiral Tal was on Earth.
But he died on an outbound ship
two years ago.
Its destination isn't listed.
I'm sorry.
Ah!
Hey! That's highly sensitive.
Stand back.
Is this how it's gonna be
everywhere we go? I thought
at least Earth would feel
like home.
- You're not listening to me.
- What are you doing?
- Don't touch that.
- Why is that cube connected
to your vessel's
bridge controls?
This is a science
research vessel.
I'm an astromycologist.
I use the cube
for controlled spore reactions,
which requires coordination
with the bridge.
This science vessel's
practically a museum.
Okay, well,
museums are cool, so...
That's what someone
who lives in a museum would say.
I don't live in a museum.
- How old are you? 17?
- 16.
Would you please remove
your 16-year-old fingers
from my life's work?
What did I just say?
This is an interface
of some kind.
Okay, we get it. You're smart.
Everybody here is smart!
Adira.
Our job is to inspect,
not engage.
We're done here.
Report.
Five unidentified vessels
incoming.
They're powering up
advanced phasers of some kind.
Those are Wen's ships.
His raiders are always
scanning for targets.
They're hailing us, sir.
Do not respond.
Dialogue
is an effective strategy.
We know our enemy.
Do not respond.
You have no jurisdiction
on my bridge.
Put them through, Mr. Bryce.
Federation vessel.
Surrender your dilithium
immediately.
Scan us.
We have no dilithium on board.
The speed with which
you appeared in sensor range
tells me something else.
Surrender, or we will take
what we need by force.
Your request to visit Earth
is denied.
Leave orbit immediately.
We'll deal with Wen ourselves.
Inspectors,
this is Captain Ndoye.
Cease all activities and return.
Sir, we can't.
Something is interfering
with our transport.
What?
This is sabotage.
We are a Starfleet vessel
and would never utilize sabotage
against the Federation's
home planet.
We will find the cause
of the transporter interference
and handle Wen.
His fight is with us, not you.
Then take that fight away
from our orbit,
or we'll sh**t them
out of the sky,
and you will have started a w*r
in the name of Starfleet.
Tell me you saved the day.
I have a plan.
Yes.
Remember Donatu Seven?
- No.
- You do so.
Yes. Okay.
But I'm trying to forget.
Well, we need to get
to your ship.
Unless you want to keep
brooding into your synthehol...
- Synthehol?
- Mmm.
Damn. And here I am,
trying to get a buzz on
and reach a place
of existential despair.
- You coming?
- Yes. I'm worried about my cat.
Don't you have to ask
for permission?
- I'll apologize after.
- Okay. Donatu Seven.
I'm sober.
Maybe it'll work this time.
You're right.
That's not our tech.
Okay, it's accessing
our deflector shield systems.
Which is allowing it to block
the beaming frequencies
of the inspectors'
personal transporters.
And there's a fail-safe,
so if we try to disable it,
our shield systems
will shut down, too.
It's gonna take hours
to find a workaround.
I knew that tween menace
was up to something.
And she did this
while we were yelling at her.
She's not even a tween menace.
She's a friggin' teen genius.
I mean, I was
an engineering whiz
when I was her age, trust me,
but this would require
knowledge of the inner workings
of a 900-year-old starship.
And she identified
that our bridge controls
are connected to the spore cube
with barely a glance.
I think she was watching
the others to make sure
that they weren't watching her.
She must have been
working alone.
But what's the point
in sabotaging our ship?
She's just trapping
her own people on board.
Maybe... she was buying herself
some time?
How do you get a teen genius
to fess up?
Give her some
of your weird mushrooms.
Who are you?
- I'm sorry, sir.
- The raider vessels
aren't responding to our hails.
I'm detecting an unauthorized
departure from the shuttle bay.
It's Booker's ship.
It's no longer cloaked.
There are two humanoid
life signs on board and...
Go ahead, Lieutenant.
They have our dilithium.
Dilithium?
The future looks darker
and darker for you.
Captain Ndoye,
I said I would handle Wen,
and I intend to do so.
Burnham is on that ship,
with Booker.
Lieutenant Detmer.
Where are they headed?
Straight towards
the raiders, sir.
Hail Commander Burnham.
No. If she responds
to your hails,
the raiders will think
that she's working for you,
and that would
ruin her advantage.
Advantage for what, exactly?
My guess is she's thinking
like one of them,
taking what she needs,
and doing what's necessary.
She did not consult me.
Have you heard the one
about the unstoppable force
that met an immovable object?
You are the object.
This is Ndoye. Target the vessel
approaching the raider ships.
I will not permit that.
Under no circumstances
can Wen obtain
your dilithium.
Okay, these ships
have seen better days.
Not the raiders we're used to.
Yeah.
Hey.
Let's try Orion Tango.
Yeah? Come on,
Orion Tango's fun.
- Remember that time with the creature...
- Feathers.
I thought it was scales.
Whatever they were,
I was digging them
out of my hair for days.
- We could do Radok Sien.
- Absolutely not.
How many times you want me
to get my nose broken?
My whole face swelled up,
and Grudge wouldn't look at me
for days.
I was crushed.
He's hailing us.
Talk fast.
We have what you need. We want
to make a deal. Scan our ship.
That was entirely monosyllabic.
- I love it when you do that.
- You're weird.
Just did it again.
Dilithium?
You stole it from Discovery.
What do you care?
We have a lot of it.
We'll beam it over,
but you have to leave
Earth's orbit now.
What's in this for you?
- We're peace-loving individuals.
- No one
simply gives away
that much dilithium.
Earth's got quantum torpedoes
aimed right at us.
Earth hangs everyone out to dry.
I need to find out what
they're doing. Getting us
- out of the firing range.
- No, not yet.
Discovery will come through.
Saru doesn't even know
what we're up to.
- He'll figure it out.
- Yeah.
And when he does, why is
he gonna come and rescue us?
Because he's Starfleet.
Fire torpedoes in 30 seconds.
This is your last chance,
Captain.
My people are on that ship.
Your people
who disobeyed a direct order.
They stand down or they die.
My duty is to United Earth.
She's left you only one way
to protect Michael
and the dilithium.
We will not attack Earth.
Starfleet does not fire first.
15 seconds, Captain.
You are a slow learner, Saru.
And you are far too fast
on the trigger.
Lieutenant Detmer, when Earth
opens fire,
we will take the hit.
- Sir?
- Move us into position, Lieutenant.
Wait. We just recovered.
We don't know what
- their torpedoes could do to...
- Shields are at full capacity.
Commander Burnham
has never let us down before.
She will not do so this time.
- Five seconds. Four. Three.
- Lieutenant Detmer, now!
Sir, we've lost shields.
Divert all nonessential power.
Get them restored
as quickly as possible.
Raiders are charging
their phasers
and getting ready to fire back.
United Earth has a standing
order to take them down.
If they have to go through you
to stop Wen, they will.
Time to fight or die, Captain.
Discovery can't take
another hit.
That means the next shot
from Earth will end you.
So you can either
lower your shields
and let us beam the dilithium
over and stay alive...
Or fire back. Hope for the best.
Either way,
I'll sleep just fine.
Prepare to transport
the dilithium.
When he lowers his shields,
- we're going to have to move fast.
- Mm-hmm.
Earth is preparing to fire
again. Come around again,
- Lieutenant.
- Captain,
we have no shields to defend.
I have given my order.
Booker's ship
just cloaked itself.
Captain, raiders
are powering down weapons.
Wen has never
backed away before.
Perhaps they met
an unstoppable force.
Tell your people to stand down.
Not until I'm certain that...
Special delivery.
The dilithium is safe.
His people won't fire
on us as long as we have
their captain.
It's time for you two to talk.
There is no talking
past the damage
he and his like have done.
Damage we've done?
Do you have any idea how much
- we've lost?
- When was the last time
your two peoples talked
with one another?
- They have no respect.
- They have never listened.
Try.
United Earth doesn't even
utilize their dilithium.
They just hoard it
while the rest of us suffer.
You bring your suffering
on yourselves.
Maybe you should talk
to one another
face-to-face.
If you don't surrender
your dilithium,
my people
can still take it by force.
My life is not that important.
Diplomacy is so slow.
You're human?
Perhaps it is time to stop
making assumptions...
and start listening.
I know what you did.
What were you doing?
The technology on this ship...
Your glass cube,
these spore canisters...
There's more to it
than you're letting on.
So explain it to me
or I'll report you.
If you were going to report us,
you'd have done it
a long time ago.
Besides, I don't think you want
everyone knowing you're the one
responsible for the sabotage.
Am I wrong?
Now, you want to show me
what you're working on?
These spores are
from the fungal species
called
Prototaxites stellaviatori.
They power an alternate form of
faster-than-light travel
called the displacement-
activated spore hub drive,
though no one actually
calls it that.
And, uh,
that interface you saw...
...it connects to me.
I'm its human navigator.
Are there others like you?
There's no one like me.
Well, I know how that feels.
Um, so, your ship wasn't
stranded after The Burn.
Are you even a part
of Starfleet?
Yes.
But, um, from the year 2258.
That explains a lot.
I mean, all the old technology
that still looks brand-new.
But... how?
If you want any more details,
then I need to know
who I'm talking to.
Because there's also more to you
than you're letting on.
I became an inspector hoping
I'd come across
a Federation starship.
The sabotage was just so
I could have more time, here.
I just needed to make sure
I could trust you.
Because I want to come with you.
Come with us? Why?
Senna Tal,
the Starfleet officer
you've been looking for...
I know him.
When we first scanned your ship,
it was overcrowded.
Strained beyond its means.
Not a typical raider ship.
Our habitats on Titan are...
barely livable.
Titan?
That was once
a research colony.
You split off from Earth
a century ago,
you're fully self-sufficient.
We were.
An accident at our liquid-
hydrocarbon research base
destroyed a third
of our habitats.
Wiped out our tillable soil.
We've no long-range
communications,
no way to ask for help.
And we have lost...
too many to count.
The first ship we sent for help,
to our home planet,
was fired upon and destroyed.
Then we knew we were on our own.
Earth has had to have strong
defense protocols
in the name of
self-preservation.
We didn't know.
Now you do.
Captain Ndoye,
can Earth provide engineers
and equipment to Titan,
so an accident like that
doesn't happen again?
And assuming.
Titan's research was not lost,
perhaps it could be shared
with Earth in return.
I'm willing to discuss terms.
As am I.
The way you handled Wen
was admirable.
An exception can be made
for your crew
to visit Earth's surface,
should they wish to do so.
They would appreciate that
immensely.
It has been a long journey.
You spoke with Adira.
She told me she can help you.
She has my permission to remain
on board your ship.
Thank you, Captain Ndoye.
I would like to believe
we will return someday.
We hope to offer you
a warmer welcome when you do.
May your search be fruitful,
Captain Saru.
Commander Stamets said you know
where to find Admiral Tal.
Does this mean
he is alive after all?
Um, sort of.
I am Admiral Tal.
Although human,
it appears young Adira has been
joined with a Trill symbiont.
Trill?
I've seen Trills
at the exchanges.
I didn't know
they carried symbionts.
Hmm. According to
the sphere data,
the symbionts are
a sentient life-form,
benevolent
and extremely long-lived.
Once they join with a host,
that host has the ability to
access the memories
of all former hosts.
Including Admiral Tal's.
Yes, but...
it seems Adira has difficulty
accessing those memories.
Perhaps because she is human
and not Trill.
Well, regardless,
she may carry knowledge of
what remains of Starfleet.
I hope so.
I should've told you
about my plan.
Yes, you should have.
Trust must remain an assumption
between us.
We have work to do,
and I would be proud
to do it by your side.
But there are things,
in my year here...
...that I let go of.
And I need time
to find my way back to them.
If I can.
I will trust you to grow
through change,
as you have trusted me.
Then it would be my privilege
to be your Number One.
If things were easy...
They wouldn't be worth it.
Huh?
Are you sure you won't
miss the uniform?
I have a rash from
that damn uniform, okay?
You owe me.
You get a fresh start
in a new quadrant...
By my count we're even.
I'm glad you have
a family here, Michael.
- Till next time.
- Till next time.
That's Starfleet Academy.
Indeed.
Well, at least, it was.
Where is everyone?
I gave them leave
to pay a visit.
You're welcome to join them.
No.
I think
I'll admire the view from here.
With you.
Some places
can survive anything.
After all this time.
Oh, my God.
Here it is.
I used to study under this tree.
So did I.
Me, too.
It's so...
big now.
It's so weird.
It's like...
all these things are gone,
but here it is.
It's exactly where
it's supposed to be.
We all stood in the same spot,
930 years apart.
Who else can say that?
This is Captain Saru.
Oh, please, Captain,
can we just have
five more minutes?
We have much work to do
before we continue
our search for Federation
headquarters, but...
you may have your five minutes.
Enjoy.
Star Trek: Discovery...
Identify spacetime location.
You have reached year 3188.
It was not my intention
to crash into your ship.
I am sorry.
You ever gonna
tell me your name?
My name's Book.
The Federation is gone?
- What happened?
- It collapsed, I guess.
- After The Burn.
- What's The Burn?
Dilithium. One day,
most of it just went boom.
The thing is,
you got no authority here,
whereas The Burn was the best
thing that ever happened to me.
All that matters now
is dilithium.
- Welcome to Starfleet.
- I need to locate
the warp signature of a starship
with the identifier NCC1031.
Something is coming
toward us; Something big.
Enemy vessel,
right on top of us.
And we're being hailed.
Open a channel, Mr. Bryce.
Saru!
I landed here a year ago.
I've been waiting for all of you
all this time.
Personal log,
Commander Michael Burnham,
stardate 865211.3.
a*t*matic transmission
to USS Discovery,
wherever or whenever
it might be.
I'm sending this message
because you need to know
what I've learned here.
I hope that, by some miracle,
you'll receive it someday.
700 years after we left,
dilithium supplies dried up.
The Federation tried
alternative warp drive designs,
but none proved reliable.
Then came The Burn.
No one knows how or why
it happened, but in an instan,
all dilithium went inert.
Any ship with an active
warp core detonated.
The Federation as we know it
disappeared overnight.
It's now just a shadow
of its former self.
We didn't give everything
for this version of the futur,
and I'll be damned
if I let it stand.
I've become a courier.
I transport goods
in exchange for dilithium
to keep exploring,
sector by sector,
searching for clues
as to what caused The Burn,
answers that might help
to bring the Federation
together again.
Wherever I go,
I look for you, my friends.
I listen for any sign
of your arrival,
but communication
remains severely limited.
Even if I did find you,
I know it would be different,
because I am different.
But I will always love you,
but I've had to accept
I may never see you again.
You can love someone
and still let them go.
It feels like a dream,
this world.
A strange, terrible,
beautiful dream.
Combat simulation complete.
Luckily, I'm not alone
on this journey.
I found a friend in the truet
sense of the word.
This is my life now, and I..
I cannot imagine
what this year has been for you.
I couldn't have
imagined it, either.
How is everyone?
Grateful for each other.
They are finding ways to grasp
the enormity
of what we have done.
Some more successful
than others.
And you?
How are you?
Kelpiens have always had a deep
understanding of fear and loss.
Perhaps that prepared me
for this.
I do not like to think that
you were alone all this time.
Well, the ship that pulled you
out of the ice
belongs to a friend.
He's a courier,
and we work together sometimes.
You have been a courier?
It was the only way
to scrounge up any information.
I sent a transmission
to Terralysium.
It took months
to get a response.
And they had never
heard of my mom.
I promised Book some dilithium
for getting me here.
- Book?
- Oh, Cleveland Booker.
My friend.
Is he from Earth?
No. But it's the name, right?
There has to be a story there.
I haven't gotten it
out of him yet.
Well, we will honor
your arrangement, of course.
And I will offer Mr. Booker
my sincerest appreciation.
Welcome back, Commander.
Nobody knows
if The Burn was an accident
or a natural disaster.
But it appears that devastation
flashed in an instant
across all known space.
That's impossible.
Nothing could affect
all dilithium all at once.
Says a man who jumps a starship
through mushroom space.
How many?
How many died?
Millions.
I wish I could tell you how much
of the Federation remains.
But I did find part
of a transmission
from an obsolete
Starfleet channel. Bryce?
Aye.
This is Admiral Senna Tal.
I will wait for any
who would join us on Earth,
anyone who still believes in us.
The Federation lives on.
But we need...
Is he at Starfleet headquarters?
Not sure.
That message was 12 years ago.
And Earth was always
too far away for me to reach.
But now with the spore drive,
we can get there.
We will find Admiral Tal
and help him begin the process.
We should jump to outside
of Earth's scanning range.
Pose as a starship
that was stranded by The Burn,
trying to head home
at sublight speed.
I see your little walkabout
has taught you a thing or two.
I like that.
It is a wise strategy.
So, um, shall I go?
Commander Burnham,
I believe we are due
for a conversation. Perhaps
- we should...
- Oh, no, no, no, no, no. There's no need.
But we agreed to discuss...
No, it-it's... it's you, Saru.
Uh...
And chain of command
dictates it.
I don't know
if it's ever been me.
You brought this ship
through time.
You carried this crew
on your shoulders.
You are a captain
in the truest sense of the word.
It would be my honor.
This ship bears
the name Discovery.
Never has that been
more fitting or more prescient.
She has carried us
into the future,
and it will be our privilege
to make that future bright.
Let us begin. Together.
Aye, Captain.
Attention, all personnel.
Lockdown drills for Deck 7
have been canceled
until further notice.
You okay?
We haven't even had
a chance to say goodbye
to the friends we've lost.
Not to mention...
...my mom.
My cousins, my...
Everybody back home.
I mean, w-what,
they got breakfast,
they were late for work,
t-they had kids.
I mean, they had whole lives.
And they're gone.
No, they've been gone
for centuries.
I keep thinking there has got
to be something on Earth
that we'll recognize, right?
I don't know,
the Gateway Arch, maybe?
Uh...
The Giza pyramids?
Homemade hummingbird cake?
Cake is eternal.
Cake is eternal.
I always knew
that I would see you again.
Yeah, I keep having this, like,
image of you.
You're, like,
holding a dandelion,
and you blow on it,
and the seeds, they... go.
You let us go, didn't you?
It's okay.
Ah, time travel, man.
- Yeah.
- Ooh.
Look, I may not know you,
but, like, I know you.
Okay? So... whatever.
I love your hair.
Thank you.
You do seem, like... lighter.
Somehow.
Hmm.
Ensign Tilly,
I'm still waiting for
that recalibration kit.
Well, some things never change.
Yeah.
Go. I have
to meet someone anyways.
Okay.
Welcome aboard.
You're not Detmer.
Or Tilly.
I'd rather k*ll myself.
You're Philippa Georgiou.
Michael warned me about you.
Did you listen?
Apparently not enough.
Is there a reason we're having
this conversation?
I like to see
who's come aboard my ship
after gallivanting through space
with Michael.
"Gallivanting."
If only I'd known.
Where is she?
Your girlfriend?
She's not my girlfriend.
No, really.
She's not... We didn't have...
Nope, nope.
We're not talking about this.
Answer my question.
In another world,
I might have said
Michael is somewhere
being earnest
and doing the right thing.
In this one...
I'm not so sure.
My, oh, my.
Oh, my, oh, my.
If they could see
what I'm seeing.
- Who?
- Who?
- Any of them.
- Wow.
Come on, you could run a sector.
Two sectors.
A dozen, even.
You brought me back.
Is it weird to say
I knew you would?
No.
'Cause you'd have done
the same thing.
Does it feel like home?
It's familiar, but, um...
far away.
Do you feel like
you owe these folks something?
'Cause if you do, you know,
that's fine.
But remember...
you already jumped
through a wormhole.
Someone's eventually
going to find out
about this stash you have.
Yeah.
Discovery will be a target.
You, too.
You pissed off
some scary people.
You helped.
Thank you.
Is there anyone here
we could piss off?
- You could come with us.
- To Earth.
So we can piss off
an entire planet?
Just the opposite.
You'd be safe.
No one will find you
out that far.
I believe in what I do, Michael.
I can't just give it up.
There could be more Tranceworms
out there in need of your help.
Bollocks. I mean,
yeah, there might be, but...
- Clean slate.
- Ah.
What do you get out of the deal?
We could use your help masking
all that dilithium.
"We" as in Discovery.
What "we"
are you really talking about?
Shush.
I learned by now
it's a lost cause trying
to say no to you.
I've never been to Earth.
I've never been to this one.
Book's ship can cloak
our dilithium...
It's the safest choice.
I cannot place
our entire dilithium supply
into the hands of a stranger.
We don't have another option,
Captain.
I must admit, Commander,
I am having some difficulty
trusting your judgment.
I am grateful for your support
of my captaincy.
But your refusal to even
consider the possibility...
surprised me.
This past year has altered
your perspective.
I'm the same person, Saru.
And I'm not.
As I am now responsible
for every life on this ship,
and as I had intended
to offer you
the position as my Number One...
I must insist you explain.
Everything that
we dedicated our lives to
disappeared into madness.
We thought we could
imagine a future,
and it turns out we were wrong.
I adapted.
And I did what I had to
to learn as much as I could
about what happened and why.
I just need some time.
Book's ship can stay
in the shuttle bay
as long as it has our dilithium.
It will remain under guard.
And he will not be permitted
to board it until we reach Earth
and the dilithium has been
safely removed.
Prepare to jump to Earth.
Auxiliary power systems
and primary computer systems
are on line.
Impulse engines on line.
Weapons systems
fully operational.
Communications on line.
Warp core stable and functional
but powered down.
Welcome to the bridge,
Mr. Booker.
And thank you for bringing
Commander Burnham home to us.
Commander Stamets,
status report?
Spore drive is on line,
and ready to go, Captain.
Black alert, please.
Oh, shit.
Hey, you didn't tell me
about the spinning part. Huh?
Coordinates relative to
galactic core confirmed.
Initiating multiphasic scans
and updating astrometric data.
Approaching visual range, sir.
There she is.
Increase magnification, please.
Mr. Rhys, what are those arrays?
They seem to be some form of
advanced force field generators.
Uh, sir, two vessels approaching
from Earth's orbit.
They do not bear
Starfleet registries.
Shields up, red alert.
Sir, we're being hailed.
Put them through.
A viewscreen. How quaint.
I am Captain Ndoye of
the United Earth Defense Forc.
Your vessel has violated
regulations C1922 and F031
of the U.E. charter
by reaching Earth's perimeter.
Leave immediately.
You are not welcome here.
I am Captain Saru
of the USS Discovery.
We are a Starfleet vessel
and unfamiliar with
the United Earth Defense Force.
Are you a branch
of the Federation?
Your ship is not in our records.
Discovery was on a long-term,
classified
scientific expedition.
We are the descendants
of its original crew.
And you've continued to
function as a Starfleet vesse?
We have.
We wish to contact
a Starfleet officer
whose message we received.
Earth was its point of origin.
Your vessel's configuration
and metallurgy
suggest 23rd to 25th-century
construction.
I find it quite odd
that it remains in service.
There is no need to replace
that which is not broken.
How did your ship
survive The Burn?
It was not at warp at the time.
For us to consider your
request, your ship and crew
will undergo
a mandatory inspection.
Any evidence of piracy
will be dealt with severely.
Piracy?
Very well, Captain Ndoye.
We will prepare
for your arrival.
We are beaming aboard now.
Don't move.
Hey. What the hell is this?
Don't touch that!
Excuse me. Hey!
Who are you?
Put these on.
Why?
They're searching the ship.
If anyone is not
in full uniform,
they'll be suspect.
They could be arrested.
I see Earth's about as tolerant
as anyplace else.
What is this? Ah, whatever.
You're "Lieutenant Booker" now.
Aye, aye, Commander.
One "aye." We're not pirates.
Remember that time
when I had to wade
through that bog on Ikasu
to pull
- those leeches off you?
- Yes.
- When we saved each other.
- Nope.
I saved you. And this
- is worse than the bog.
- Oh...
Attention, all Discovery
crew members.
We are undergoing inspection.
Your cooperation is expected.
Thank you.
Okay. Go on.
Mm-hmm.
Just a uniform.
No, it isn't.
Oh.
You've been playing
the long game this whole time.
To get you to join Starfleet?
To see me in this outfit.
Look, you will be
in your own clothes
and on your own ship
and petting your fat cat
in no time.
How many times have I told you?
- She's a que...
- She's a queen.
Oh, you funny.
- I am.
- Yeah.
After you, Lieutenant Booker.
Aye, Commander Burnham.
I'll go blend in.
Seriously? Admiral?
I had to make it believable.
You don't look so thrilled
to be back in uniform yourself.
I just forgot what it felt like.
Mm, once you've grown used
to living by your own rules,
it's not so easy to follow
other people's, is it?
Why are you still
on Discovery, Philippa?
Why are you?
I see it in your eyes, Michael.
You've tasted freedom that you
never even thought was possible.
Freedom from the obligations
of what others needed you to be.
I'm not sure you ever knew
who you really were
without someone else
to tell you.
But you're starting to.
And this place no longer
feels like your place.
Am I getting warm?
Commander Burnham
to the ready room.
We believed Earth would be
a safe harbor,
a-a place
where we would feel welcome.
But we arrived
to find you suspicious
of a starship that hails
from your own planet?
May I ask what you are defending
yourselves from?
Everyone lost someone
to The Burn.
We had to focus
on what we still had:
Our planet.
We rebuilt Earth
to be self-sustainable
all while being under
near-constant siege
by dilithium raiders.
The most recent wave is led
by a tenacious individual
named Wen.
He is relentless.
Targeting our ships.
He would take our dilithium
at any cost.
I assure you we have no ties
with this Wen
or any other raiders.
Many of our crew consider Earth
their ancestral home.
Yes. Captain,
all we want is to check in
with Starfleet Command.
You have been away a long time.
I'm afraid you won't find
what you're looking for here.
The Federation and Starfleet
haven't been on Earth
for a hundred years.
Where have they gone?
No one knows.
Most of the ships destroyed
in The Burn were Federation.
No one knew if it was an attack
and, if so, whether
it would happen again.
Having Federation
headquarters on Earth
made it a potential target.
I do not understand.
Earth is no longer
part of the Federation?
Why should we be?
We can take care of ourselves.
What about the Starfleet officer
who sent the transmission
I received?
That was just 12 years ago.
What was the name?
Admiral Senna Tal.
Admiral Tal was on Earth.
But he died on an outbound ship
two years ago.
Its destination isn't listed.
I'm sorry.
Ah!
Hey! That's highly sensitive.
Stand back.
Is this how it's gonna be
everywhere we go? I thought
at least Earth would feel
like home.
- You're not listening to me.
- What are you doing?
- Don't touch that.
- Why is that cube connected
to your vessel's
bridge controls?
This is a science
research vessel.
I'm an astromycologist.
I use the cube
for controlled spore reactions,
which requires coordination
with the bridge.
This science vessel's
practically a museum.
Okay, well,
museums are cool, so...
That's what someone
who lives in a museum would say.
I don't live in a museum.
- How old are you? 17?
- 16.
Would you please remove
your 16-year-old fingers
from my life's work?
What did I just say?
This is an interface
of some kind.
Okay, we get it. You're smart.
Everybody here is smart!
Adira.
Our job is to inspect,
not engage.
We're done here.
Report.
Five unidentified vessels
incoming.
They're powering up
advanced phasers of some kind.
Those are Wen's ships.
His raiders are always
scanning for targets.
They're hailing us, sir.
Do not respond.
Dialogue
is an effective strategy.
We know our enemy.
Do not respond.
You have no jurisdiction
on my bridge.
Put them through, Mr. Bryce.
Federation vessel.
Surrender your dilithium
immediately.
Scan us.
We have no dilithium on board.
The speed with which
you appeared in sensor range
tells me something else.
Surrender, or we will take
what we need by force.
Your request to visit Earth
is denied.
Leave orbit immediately.
We'll deal with Wen ourselves.
Inspectors,
this is Captain Ndoye.
Cease all activities and return.
Sir, we can't.
Something is interfering
with our transport.
What?
This is sabotage.
We are a Starfleet vessel
and would never utilize sabotage
against the Federation's
home planet.
We will find the cause
of the transporter interference
and handle Wen.
His fight is with us, not you.
Then take that fight away
from our orbit,
or we'll sh**t them
out of the sky,
and you will have started a w*r
in the name of Starfleet.
Tell me you saved the day.
I have a plan.
Yes.
Remember Donatu Seven?
- No.
- You do so.
Yes. Okay.
But I'm trying to forget.
Well, we need to get
to your ship.
Unless you want to keep
brooding into your synthehol...
- Synthehol?
- Mmm.
Damn. And here I am,
trying to get a buzz on
and reach a place
of existential despair.
- You coming?
- Yes. I'm worried about my cat.
Don't you have to ask
for permission?
- I'll apologize after.
- Okay. Donatu Seven.
I'm sober.
Maybe it'll work this time.
You're right.
That's not our tech.
Okay, it's accessing
our deflector shield systems.
Which is allowing it to block
the beaming frequencies
of the inspectors'
personal transporters.
And there's a fail-safe,
so if we try to disable it,
our shield systems
will shut down, too.
It's gonna take hours
to find a workaround.
I knew that tween menace
was up to something.
And she did this
while we were yelling at her.
She's not even a tween menace.
She's a friggin' teen genius.
I mean, I was
an engineering whiz
when I was her age, trust me,
but this would require
knowledge of the inner workings
of a 900-year-old starship.
And she identified
that our bridge controls
are connected to the spore cube
with barely a glance.
I think she was watching
the others to make sure
that they weren't watching her.
She must have been
working alone.
But what's the point
in sabotaging our ship?
She's just trapping
her own people on board.
Maybe... she was buying herself
some time?
How do you get a teen genius
to fess up?
Give her some
of your weird mushrooms.
Who are you?
- I'm sorry, sir.
- The raider vessels
aren't responding to our hails.
I'm detecting an unauthorized
departure from the shuttle bay.
It's Booker's ship.
It's no longer cloaked.
There are two humanoid
life signs on board and...
Go ahead, Lieutenant.
They have our dilithium.
Dilithium?
The future looks darker
and darker for you.
Captain Ndoye,
I said I would handle Wen,
and I intend to do so.
Burnham is on that ship,
with Booker.
Lieutenant Detmer.
Where are they headed?
Straight towards
the raiders, sir.
Hail Commander Burnham.
No. If she responds
to your hails,
the raiders will think
that she's working for you,
and that would
ruin her advantage.
Advantage for what, exactly?
My guess is she's thinking
like one of them,
taking what she needs,
and doing what's necessary.
She did not consult me.
Have you heard the one
about the unstoppable force
that met an immovable object?
You are the object.
This is Ndoye. Target the vessel
approaching the raider ships.
I will not permit that.
Under no circumstances
can Wen obtain
your dilithium.
Okay, these ships
have seen better days.
Not the raiders we're used to.
Yeah.
Hey.
Let's try Orion Tango.
Yeah? Come on,
Orion Tango's fun.
- Remember that time with the creature...
- Feathers.
I thought it was scales.
Whatever they were,
I was digging them
out of my hair for days.
- We could do Radok Sien.
- Absolutely not.
How many times you want me
to get my nose broken?
My whole face swelled up,
and Grudge wouldn't look at me
for days.
I was crushed.
He's hailing us.
Talk fast.
We have what you need. We want
to make a deal. Scan our ship.
That was entirely monosyllabic.
- I love it when you do that.
- You're weird.
Just did it again.
Dilithium?
You stole it from Discovery.
What do you care?
We have a lot of it.
We'll beam it over,
but you have to leave
Earth's orbit now.
What's in this for you?
- We're peace-loving individuals.
- No one
simply gives away
that much dilithium.
Earth's got quantum torpedoes
aimed right at us.
Earth hangs everyone out to dry.
I need to find out what
they're doing. Getting us
- out of the firing range.
- No, not yet.
Discovery will come through.
Saru doesn't even know
what we're up to.
- He'll figure it out.
- Yeah.
And when he does, why is
he gonna come and rescue us?
Because he's Starfleet.
Fire torpedoes in 30 seconds.
This is your last chance,
Captain.
My people are on that ship.
Your people
who disobeyed a direct order.
They stand down or they die.
My duty is to United Earth.
She's left you only one way
to protect Michael
and the dilithium.
We will not attack Earth.
Starfleet does not fire first.
15 seconds, Captain.
You are a slow learner, Saru.
And you are far too fast
on the trigger.
Lieutenant Detmer, when Earth
opens fire,
we will take the hit.
- Sir?
- Move us into position, Lieutenant.
Wait. We just recovered.
We don't know what
- their torpedoes could do to...
- Shields are at full capacity.
Commander Burnham
has never let us down before.
She will not do so this time.
- Five seconds. Four. Three.
- Lieutenant Detmer, now!
Sir, we've lost shields.
Divert all nonessential power.
Get them restored
as quickly as possible.
Raiders are charging
their phasers
and getting ready to fire back.
United Earth has a standing
order to take them down.
If they have to go through you
to stop Wen, they will.
Time to fight or die, Captain.
Discovery can't take
another hit.
That means the next shot
from Earth will end you.
So you can either
lower your shields
and let us beam the dilithium
over and stay alive...
Or fire back. Hope for the best.
Either way,
I'll sleep just fine.
Prepare to transport
the dilithium.
When he lowers his shields,
- we're going to have to move fast.
- Mm-hmm.
Earth is preparing to fire
again. Come around again,
- Lieutenant.
- Captain,
we have no shields to defend.
I have given my order.
Booker's ship
just cloaked itself.
Captain, raiders
are powering down weapons.
Wen has never
backed away before.
Perhaps they met
an unstoppable force.
Tell your people to stand down.
Not until I'm certain that...
Special delivery.
The dilithium is safe.
His people won't fire
on us as long as we have
their captain.
It's time for you two to talk.
There is no talking
past the damage
he and his like have done.
Damage we've done?
Do you have any idea how much
- we've lost?
- When was the last time
your two peoples talked
with one another?
- They have no respect.
- They have never listened.
Try.
United Earth doesn't even
utilize their dilithium.
They just hoard it
while the rest of us suffer.
You bring your suffering
on yourselves.
Maybe you should talk
to one another
face-to-face.
If you don't surrender
your dilithium,
my people
can still take it by force.
My life is not that important.
Diplomacy is so slow.
You're human?
Perhaps it is time to stop
making assumptions...
and start listening.
I know what you did.
What were you doing?
The technology on this ship...
Your glass cube,
these spore canisters...
There's more to it
than you're letting on.
So explain it to me
or I'll report you.
If you were going to report us,
you'd have done it
a long time ago.
Besides, I don't think you want
everyone knowing you're the one
responsible for the sabotage.
Am I wrong?
Now, you want to show me
what you're working on?
These spores are
from the fungal species
called
Prototaxites stellaviatori.
They power an alternate form of
faster-than-light travel
called the displacement-
activated spore hub drive,
though no one actually
calls it that.
And, uh,
that interface you saw...
...it connects to me.
I'm its human navigator.
Are there others like you?
There's no one like me.
Well, I know how that feels.
Um, so, your ship wasn't
stranded after The Burn.
Are you even a part
of Starfleet?
Yes.
But, um, from the year 2258.
That explains a lot.
I mean, all the old technology
that still looks brand-new.
But... how?
If you want any more details,
then I need to know
who I'm talking to.
Because there's also more to you
than you're letting on.
I became an inspector hoping
I'd come across
a Federation starship.
The sabotage was just so
I could have more time, here.
I just needed to make sure
I could trust you.
Because I want to come with you.
Come with us? Why?
Senna Tal,
the Starfleet officer
you've been looking for...
I know him.
When we first scanned your ship,
it was overcrowded.
Strained beyond its means.
Not a typical raider ship.
Our habitats on Titan are...
barely livable.
Titan?
That was once
a research colony.
You split off from Earth
a century ago,
you're fully self-sufficient.
We were.
An accident at our liquid-
hydrocarbon research base
destroyed a third
of our habitats.
Wiped out our tillable soil.
We've no long-range
communications,
no way to ask for help.
And we have lost...
too many to count.
The first ship we sent for help,
to our home planet,
was fired upon and destroyed.
Then we knew we were on our own.
Earth has had to have strong
defense protocols
in the name of
self-preservation.
We didn't know.
Now you do.
Captain Ndoye,
can Earth provide engineers
and equipment to Titan,
so an accident like that
doesn't happen again?
And assuming.
Titan's research was not lost,
perhaps it could be shared
with Earth in return.
I'm willing to discuss terms.
As am I.
The way you handled Wen
was admirable.
An exception can be made
for your crew
to visit Earth's surface,
should they wish to do so.
They would appreciate that
immensely.
It has been a long journey.
You spoke with Adira.
She told me she can help you.
She has my permission to remain
on board your ship.
Thank you, Captain Ndoye.
I would like to believe
we will return someday.
We hope to offer you
a warmer welcome when you do.
May your search be fruitful,
Captain Saru.
Commander Stamets said you know
where to find Admiral Tal.
Does this mean
he is alive after all?
Um, sort of.
I am Admiral Tal.
Although human,
it appears young Adira has been
joined with a Trill symbiont.
Trill?
I've seen Trills
at the exchanges.
I didn't know
they carried symbionts.
Hmm. According to
the sphere data,
the symbionts are
a sentient life-form,
benevolent
and extremely long-lived.
Once they join with a host,
that host has the ability to
access the memories
of all former hosts.
Including Admiral Tal's.
Yes, but...
it seems Adira has difficulty
accessing those memories.
Perhaps because she is human
and not Trill.
Well, regardless,
she may carry knowledge of
what remains of Starfleet.
I hope so.
I should've told you
about my plan.
Yes, you should have.
Trust must remain an assumption
between us.
We have work to do,
and I would be proud
to do it by your side.
But there are things,
in my year here...
...that I let go of.
And I need time
to find my way back to them.
If I can.
I will trust you to grow
through change,
as you have trusted me.
Then it would be my privilege
to be your Number One.
If things were easy...
They wouldn't be worth it.
Huh?
Are you sure you won't
miss the uniform?
I have a rash from
that damn uniform, okay?
You owe me.
You get a fresh start
in a new quadrant...
By my count we're even.
I'm glad you have
a family here, Michael.
- Till next time.
- Till next time.
That's Starfleet Academy.
Indeed.
Well, at least, it was.
Where is everyone?
I gave them leave
to pay a visit.
You're welcome to join them.
No.
I think
I'll admire the view from here.
With you.
Some places
can survive anything.
After all this time.
Oh, my God.
Here it is.
I used to study under this tree.
So did I.
Me, too.
It's so...
big now.
It's so weird.
It's like...
all these things are gone,
but here it is.
It's exactly where
it's supposed to be.
We all stood in the same spot,
930 years apart.
Who else can say that?
This is Captain Saru.
Oh, please, Captain,
can we just have
five more minutes?
We have much work to do
before we continue
our search for Federation
headquarters, but...
you may have your five minutes.
Enjoy.