Star Trek: Discovery (2017–…): Season 1, Episode 12 - Vaulting Ambition - full transcript

Previously on
"Star Trek: Discovery"...

We are in a parallel universe.

We're not the first ship
from our universe

to find ourselves here.
U.S.S. Defiant.

If we find out
how he did make it over,

it could be our way home.

What are you hiding from me?

I have the human's face,

but inside I remain Voq,

son of none.

Stamets is inside the network.



We need to put the network
inside him.

Hello, Paul. I so hoped
you would find your way.

He can't sustain
this level of exertion.

If we disengage him
from the network now,

we will lose him
altogether.

I'm presumed dead,

and you're a fugitive
wanted for my murder.

You attempted a coup
against the emperor.

It's believed you escaped.

Captain Michael Burnham.

Don't you bow before
your emperor?

Course confirmed to
Imperial Flagship I.S.S. Charon

at classified coordinates.

Distance: 27 million kilometers.



Engaging engines
at warp factor one.

Autopilot activated.

I received a transmission
from Commander Saru

before we departed.

He managed to decrypt
the Defia data

that we smuggled off
of the Shenzhou.

The file has been redacted,

but there is some data on how

the Defiant
crossed into this universe.

A phenomenon called
"Interphasic Space".

But where that space is,
the exact coordinates,

struck from the record.

All right, well, we just have
to hunt down the original report.

If the complete archive's
anywhere, it'll be

in the Imperial Palace,
which is...

fortunately,
where we've been summoned.

Some people would see
that glass as half full.

I synthesized a custom analgesic

to numb your nerve receptors,
as you requested.

It should help
with the agonizers.

Much appreciated.

Listen to me.

You'll get the data
we need on the Defiant,

and you'll get us out of there.

I know you will.

Burnham.

I need you. You need you.

What are you afraid of?

- Georgiou.
- You mean, Emperor Georgiou.

Logic tells me
she's not the woman that I betrayed.

But this feels like a reckoning.

Your Georgiou is dead.

She's a ghost.

Haven't you ever been
afraid of a ghost?

Warp drive disengaged.

Imperial Palace secure
perimeter detected.

I.S.S. Shenzhou
shuttlecraft identity confirmed.

You are cleared
to approach the Charon.

♪♪

*STAR TREK: DISCOVERY*
Season 01 Episode 12
Episode Title : "Vaulting Ambition"

♪♪

You said there had been
improvement in his condition.

Since restarting spore therapy,

Lieutenant Stamets'
neural activity

has increased
across all metrics.

Glucose and oxygen consumption
is up significantly.

Beta and infra-low waves
are off the curve. And...

I know it's subjective, but
he really does look better.

I mean, just look at his skin...
it's so dewy.

I admire your optimism,

but let us call this what it is:

- a coma.
- We began this course of treatment

to reconnect him
with his consciousness.

Something is going on
in that head of his.

- We just need to let it happen.
- It will need

to happen far more quickly
if he's to help us get home.

Not much good came
from the Defiant data.

If the captain and Burnham
cannot unearth the coordinates

that tell us where the
Defiant crossed over,

our spore drive remains
our only way home.

And it remains inoperable

while Lieutenant
Stamets is in that state.

Commander
Saru, medical emergency.

Report to sickbay
immediately.

Acknowledged.

Forge ahead.

Fix him.

Are you in there, Lieutenant?

Are you in there?

What is this?

Am I dead?

Is this the afterlife?

A... Are you some sort
of narcissistic Virgil

leading me to judgment?

Yes, Paul.

You've been wrong about everything.

There is a God, and she's
very, very mad at you right now.

I totally had you

for a second there... You can't deny it.

Ha-ha! You should've seen your face.

I mean... our face.

Hoo!

That was classic.

So... there is no God?

Well, you're still alive, so...

technically, who knows?

But if I'm not dead,

who are you?

You.

In my universe.

Nice to meet you.

Hey. This is my ship.

No. You're still in
the mycelial network.

But it knows
what's familiar to you,

and it's trying to
make you feel at home.

Your comatose physical
self is still on board

the real Discovery,
but your neural energy

has taken a little detour.

Interesting.
How did you get stuck here?

Like you, I'm an astromycologist.

I was conducting
experiments in my lab

on the emperor's palace ship,

there was an accident, and
my mind ended up here, too.

It seems we share parallel fates.

From what I can tell, my physical form

is also in a catatonic
state on my vessel.

I was losing hope until you navigated

the mycelial highway for the first time.

I tracked your comings and goings.

I've been trying to make contact,

but I haven't been able to
transmit more than glimpses,

images of my universe.

That explains what I've been seeing.

Visions of a palace.

Tilly as a captain.

I thought
I was going insane,

but it was just you
reaching out.

- Where's the exit?
- Well, that's where you come in.

You're the navigator...
Navigate us the hell out.

Let's get to my lab.

Maybe it's there.

What is that?

There's something wrong
inside the network.

Something corrupted.
You don't want to get

swept up in it... I did
once and was lost for days.

Engineering is that way.

Let's go.

The enemy is here.

It's over there.

Welcome to our way out.

Lords of the Empire,

privileged guests,

all hail her most Imperial Majesty,

Mother of the Fatherland,

Overlord of Vulcan,

Dominus of Qo'nos...

Regina Andor.

All hail the Emperor,

Philippa Georgiou Augustus
Laponius Centarius.

All hail the Emperor!

Emperor, I present to you,

Captain Michael Burnham

of the Imperial Starship Shenzhou.

Captain Burnham.

A face I thought
I'd never see again

in the flesh.

Choose one.

You should know what you're
looking for in a Kelpien.

That one.

Move.

You brought us a gift.

Captain Gabriel Lorca.

Delivered to the emperor's justice.

And long overdue.

You think I'm gonna bow to you?

I don't bow.

Your life will be long, Gabriel.

And every single moment
of it will be spent

in our agonizers.

A fair price to pay

for your vaulting ambition.

Take him to Brig C.

Only the finest for our new guest.

Let's go.

You could have died hunting
that traitor across the universe.

I...

am so happy
you didn't.

Let her rest a bit and
have her at my residence by dinner.

Yes, Emperor.

There is so much
to discuss.

Everything
will be the way it was,

dear daughter.

I don't know what else
to do with him, sir.

He's damaged a biobed,
wrecked our scanning array.

- Well, sedate him.
- I have.

Yes, that's Klingon.

Burnham said he claimed
to be a Klingon,

but how could that
be possible?

His genome matches
the one we have

for Lieutenant Ash Tyler
in our Starfleet database.

His brainwave patterns,
however, are highly irregular.

Unless someone can tell me
how they put a Klingon inside

a Starfleet officer's body,

I don't know
how we can treat him.

Commander.

Commander.

Burnham, is she all right?

- She's fine.
- Good.

Saru.

Help me,
please.

Dose him again.
Now, please.

The food is delicious, as always.

No one prepares Kelpien
like the Imperial chef.

Here, have my ganglia.

You deserve a treat.

You're too generous.

Why would you leave me, then?

I gave you everything.

Best education, riches
beyond imagination,

even your own ship.

I earned my command on the Shenzhou.

You were hesitant to
use it back at Harlak.

Those rebels could have
escaped.

I had to dispatch them
myself.

I had it under control.

You've grown soft.

And you've grown cruel.

If you miss me, then say it.

Otherwise, let me be.

I thought you were dead.

Lorca's men are everywhere.

Even here aboard this ship.

If you had known I was alive,
they would have known, too.

It would have been impossible

to ambush him
the way that I did.

Never could tell
when you were lying to me.

Fortunately,
this time

I know.

You always tried to
outsmart me, Michael,

even as a child.
Why?

Was it the loss of
your parents?

My attention to the Empire?

Or were you just built
that way?

Why were you never satisfied?

I knew you had become
Lorca's collaborator,

and you
were conspiring

to kill me and take my throne.

Why did the two of you
come back here?

Please, Philippa.

It's "Philippa" now?

Not so long ago,

it was "Mother".

Guards!

Take her to the throne room.
Gather my council.

She is to be executed by
my own hand for treason.

To map an exit

from the network,
it's helpful to know

exactly where Discovery
entered

as a way to get
our bearings.

And once I know that,

we can hunt
for the best path out.

Huh.

What?

The coordinates of our
final jump aren't here.

Tell me
why you're not useless?

Tell me why you can't stop
clawing at your arm.

It's nothing.

It's nice to know, I'm

a terrible liar in every universe.

Is that...

Armillaria ostoyae?

It's the network.

It's taking me over.

I've been here too long.

Paul.

Hugh?

Did you see him?

See who?

He was here th...

That must mean
he's trapped, too.

No, no, no, no, no, no.

If you don't focus on
the task at hand,

you'll get lost
and we'll never escape.

Stop!

Captain Michael Burnham.

We have sentenced you
to death

for crimes committed
against the Terran throne.

Do you have any last words

before we collect our retribution?

At least you are showing
some steel.

I do love you, Michael.

I would never grant

anyone else in the empire

the mercy of a quick death.

You don't love me.

You don't love me
because you don't know me.

Before today,
you and I have never met.

I am Michael Burnham,
but I am not your Michael Burnham.

I'm from another universe.

I have proof.

It's in my pocket.

Lord Eling,

retrieve this proof.

Yes, Emperor.

That piece of metal contains

the quantum variance
from my world.

It's subtle, but it's there.

There's absolutely
no way to fake it.

It belonged to my captain.

It belonged to you.

Our bond, it seems, is strong
enough to cross universes.

What a quaint concept.

Parallel universes.

Lord Eling, can you keep a secret?

Yes, Emperor.

Good. Clean this up.

Never speak a word of it
to anyone,

and I'll make you
governor of Andor.

Yes, Emperor.

This...

is from the United
Federation of Planets...

and, apparently,
so are you.

You must want something.

Lieutenant Tyler is in distress.

He thinks he is a Klingon.

Then he has awoken.

I do not know what your
people had planned for him,

but this cannot have been it.

You must be able to help him.

There is nothing to help.

Beneath that man's inferior carriage

is a devoted warrior

who has sacrificed everything

and T'Kuvma's chosen
successor.

He will light the way
for his race.

He will win this war.

I guess you didn't hear
the news.

The Discove was thrown
into a parallel universe.

Here, the war is over,

- and you lost.
- Lies.

Look, I wish they were.

But the war
and all your devious designs

mean nothing now.

All that remains is
the suffering

of an individual
I suspect you care for.

I do not know where
your Voq ends

and our Tyler begins,

but they are both in jeopardy.

The question is...

will you ease their pain?

The one you call Tyler

was captured in battle

at the Binary Stars.

We harvested his DNA,

reconstructed his consciousness

and rebuilt his memory.

We modified Voq into a
shell that appears human.

We grafted his psyche into Tyler's.

And in so doing, Voq has given

his body and soul

for our ideology.

If he suffers for that choice,
so be it.

He accepted that suffering

in order to best the enemy.

That is what
it means to be a soldier.

That is war.

Hugh?

Hugh?

Hi.

I wasn't sure
if you'd come home.

All the other times I'd
try to lure you from work with

dinner, wine...

Are you caught

in the network, too?

No.

I'm gone.

"Gone"?

You don't know, do you?

Paul, I'm so sorry.

But I died.

You have no reason
to hold my captain any longer.

He shouldn't have to suffer
for your Lorca's crimes.

Hmm, the captain may not
be comfortable where he is,

but I am... for now.

Emperor, my ship and
crew are here by accident.

All we want is to
return to our universe,

but we need your help
to do that.

You're interlopers from an alien army.

What reason from any universe
would I have to help you?

Because you care for
Burnham.

Despite her betrayal.

You said you loved her.

Your people are dangerous.

"The Federation".

I know it well
from the Defiant's files.

There is a reason
why they're classified.

"Equality".

"Freedom".
"Cooperation".

Cornerstones
for successful cultures.

Delusions that Terrans
shed millennia ago.

Destructive ideals that fuel rebellions,

and I will not let you
infect us again.

We just need access to
the redacted information

about the Defiant.

We believe that
it'll help us get back.

Share it, and you have my word
you'll never hear from us again.

Those documents will not
help you.

The Defia crossed here
through interphasic space,

which not only resulted
in a temporal anomaly,

but also had devastating
cognitive effects

on every crew member.

They went insane.

They tore each other apart.

I am surprised

the same thing didn't
happen to your crew.

We arrived here a different way.

- How?
- An engine malfunction.

Warp engines do not breach

the barriers between
universes.

Tell me what powers
your ship.

Our ship jumped here

with its displacement-activated
spore hub drive.

I would like to see
this technology.

Let's make an exchange.

Your engine schematics
for your freedom.

If I agree,

how do I know you'll let us go?

- Was your Georgiou a woman of honor?
- Entirely.

Then you have no reason
to believe I am not, as well.

Tyler broke free
of his restraints.

This is what he did.

He is too violent
for sickbay.

None of our doctors
can help him.

I will ask you one final time.

Will you?

No.

Energize.

You have sealed

this being's hellish fate.

Human versus Klingon in one body.

That is war.

It can be undone.

But only my hands
can tend to him.

Captain.

I'll take it from here.

Aye, Captain.

Tell me, Gabriel.

Where have you been hiding since
the Buran was blown to bits?

With friends.

What friends
do you have left?

The emperor rounded up all
your loyalists from every corner

of the Empire.

We had to fill the aft hangar bay

with agonizer booths
just to accommodate them all.

Yet here we are,
just the two of us.

Feels like it's getting
personal.

It is personal.

She was my sister.

This is DNA

from a Comtaxan parasite
on Tonnata VII.

Doesn't mix well with ours.

Admit what you did.

Or what?

Gabriel?

You're alive.

I... I thought they were lying.

Chin up, soldier.

They kept asking us all
if you were really dead,

and I said no.

I said no because
I wanted to believe...

- What do you have to say?
- About what?

- My sister.
- There are so many women.

It's good to be the captain.

Say her name.

Say her name

so I can spare your friend.

Just... just say it.

P... Please.

Leave him out of this.

It's between you and me.

Brother,

give me strength.

Sister,
give me family.

I saw you die.

I watched Tyler kill you.

I held your body in my arms.

I thought it was a dream.

I wish it were.

I remember your arms around me.

You made me feel safe. You always did.

Stamets, get out of there!

This place is quicksand...
If we don't leave, we die.

Computer, play Kasseelian opera.

The aria he loves,
the one I hate.

This won't change anything.

I don't want it to change.

I want it to be the way
it was.

Please let it be the way it was.

This is perfect.

This was always my
favorite time with you.

Did you know
I loved you?

I don't think
I told you enough.

You showed me.

All the time.

Tell me about your day.

It was awful.

My partner is dead.

My life's work has been a
waste.

What I knew to be beautiful is
hostile.

And the mycelial network is
hell.

No, Paul.

You were right.

The network is a gift.

It's the thread that
weaves life through space.

But it is in danger.

Yeah, we're in danger.

It's eating me alive. Well...

the other me.

Well, the other you deserves it.

In his universe,
that Stamets

exploited the network
for his own gain.

He's the one
who corrupted it.

I needed you to follow me
to warn you.

The damage is spreading.

Eventually everything,
everywhere,

will be exterminated.

You have to save us
by saving the network.

How?
I can't even find my way out.

You're in a coma.

On the Discovery.

And the simplest way back
is just to open your eyes.

I don't want to say good-bye.

It's never good-bye.

Isn't that what you've been
trying to teach all of us?

Nothing in here is ever
truly gone.

I believe in you, Paul.

I love you.

♪♪

♪♪

Follow the music, Paul.

Look for the clearing in the forest.

Open your eyes.

I'm back.

He did it.

He did it.

Oh, my...

Lieutenant,
you're back.

He's back.

And he's leaving.

Lieutenant, I d... I don't
think this is a good idea.

Do you know
how long you've been out?

- Some things have happened.
- I know about Hugh.

But I need you to
come with me right now.

It's too late...
The sickness

has already spread to
our supply.

Please do not take offense,
Burnham, but I would feel better

if Captain Lorca were the
one making this request

for a rendezvous.

Trust me, so would I.

But he's locked up. His safety

depends upon your arrival.

Acknowledged.

I'm sending you the coordinates
to the emperor's ship now.

We'll see you soon.

The Federation,
through and through.

They would never abandon
you and your captain.

Rules to live by.

Rules to die by.

My sister loved you.

Say her name
and beg for forgiveness.

- Aah!
- I need to see my captain.

He won't survive your
agonizers much longer.

- He's suffering.
- Let him.

If your bond to me
crosses universes,

then so does his treachery.

The Lorca I knew was my right hand.

I trusted him

with the empire's most
sensitive missions.

I... trusted him with you.

I don't understand.

When I adopted you,
you gained a mother.

But despite my constant
guidance and affection,

something was still missing.

In Lorca,
you saw a father.

Until you grew up

and it became more.

You're saying Lorca and I...

He groomed you.

He chose you.

I did choose you.
But not for the reasons you think.

He told you that destiny
brought you together.

Different universe,
and yet somehow...

the same people had a
way to find each other.

It's the strongest
argument I've ever seen

for the existence of destiny.

He said he'd cross time
and space itself

to take what was rightfully his.

Apparently the 133 jumps
we've made filled in the gaps.

Extraordinarily
fortunate coincidence.

You're sensitive to light.

Only compared to a
human from your universe.

It's the
singular biological difference

between our two races.

Don't die on me,
you depraved bastard.

He needed me...

to get onto this ship.

You wouldn't have let him on
otherwise.

I need you to live or
I'm as good as dead.

You're right.

He needed me
to get to you.

None of this was an accident.

My so-called captain's not

from my universe.

He's from yours.

Ava.

Her name was
Ava.

And I liked her.

But you know
how it is.

Somebody better came along.