Star Trek: Discovery (2017–…): Season 3, Episode 7 - Unification III - full transcript
Previously on
Star Trek: Discovery...
Hey, Michael, I was on
my way to the Bajoran exchange
when this guy sitting
next to me...
And I think his black box is one
of the ones you're looking for.
It's on Hunhau,
Emerald Chain territory.
- I won't be long.
- This was three weeks ago.
If Book found a third black box,
and it shows the same variance,
that means the Burn
didn't happen all at once.
We have got to get to Hunhau.
- At the moment, we cannot.
- Yes, sir.
You're the only person
on this ship who'd say yes
to going on
an unsanctioned mission.
Are you in or out? Georgiou?
You had me
at "unsanctioned mission."
The spore drive's
new and improved.
I redesigned it so you won't
have to use those shunts.
Little gooey.
Commander Burnham left
to pursue a mission of her own,
against my direct orders.
Sir, you know, Michael is one
of the people that I love
most in this world,
but she made a choice,
and now because of that,
you don't have one.
You have to tell the admiral.
That is astute, Ensign.
Commander Burnham's mission
was 100% rogue.
Until we solve the mystery
of how the Burn happened,
and why,
I believe the Federation
will never be, can never be,
brought back together again.
Well, we'll see what
your intel brings, Commander.
I will leave it up to you,
Captain,
to determine the consequences
of her insubordination.
As of now,
you're relieved of your duty
as my Number One.
You will restrict yourself
to chief science officer duties
only.
Personal log supplemental.
Even after a year
of finding my way alone,
I truly believed I could
find a way
to fit back into this uniform,
onto this ship.
Now I'm not so sure.
I've become someone new.
Still just as committed
to the Federation,
to my friends...
but there's a distance
between us now.
I know I'll never be at peace
until I solve the Burn.
But I don't know if I can do it
from Discovery.
This may not be my home anymore.
And I don't know
what that means.
Or where it will lead me.
So, when are we getting
out of here?
You really hate it.
"Hate" is a strong word.
But I'm also living
on the shuttle bay
of a Federation starship
And no one knows
what to make of me.
Let's acknowledge this isn't
a long-term situation.
Where would we go?
Space.
Hmm. And what about...?
- The Burn?
- Yeah.
The biggest, most dangerous
cosmic puzzle of all time?
Have you always been this way?
My brother,
he called me on it...
how I take responsibility
for everything.
Sounds like we'd have
gotten on, me and your brother.
- Is that right?
- Yeah.
We'd bond over your
endearing messianic complex.
Hmm. Says the man who risks his
life to save helpless creatures.
- Oh, yeah.
- Mm.
Hey.
- Saru, uh...
- Demoted me.
Yeah.
Hey, um,
you put me in a really horrible
position with Saru,
and with the admiral
when you went off on your own.
It would've been so much worse
if I had told you.
My choice. Not yours.
I'm sorry, Tilly.
This transition has
been difficult for all of us.
I had to go.
I had to.
The truth is...
I don't know
how I fit in anymore.
Uh, one one-millionth
of a microsecond.
You were right.
Uh, that was the difference.
The USS Yelchin,
the first black box you found.
When the Burn happened,
it lost contact
at precisely 8-1-9-8-6
mark 2-7-2-1-3-9.
Now, t-the Gav'Nor, a thousand
light-years away, lost contact
one one-millionth
of a microsecond later.
What about the Giacconi?
The data recorder Book found?
The computer's
still working on it.
But with three points of data,
we can triangulate and pinpoint
- the source of the Burn.
- In two dimensions, maybe,
but in three-dimensional space,
that still leaves an area
far too large to explore
in several lifetimes,
so we have to narrow it down.
Somehow we need
to find more data.
Well, I flagged this...
when I was going through
Federation databases.
It's an experiment, SB-19.
They spread sensors
across dozens of light-years
of subspace.
They had a front-seat view
of the Burn.
SB-19 reported no findings.
So, either the sensors
didn't record anything...
Which isn't likely.
Or they didn't make
their results public.
In which case, the admiral
might have access to it.
He's not my biggest fan
right now.
This is bigger than you.
And bigger than him...
It's bigger than everybody.
Right?
What if you hadn't made it back?
What would I do?
Analysis complete.
The Giacconi.
It lost contact
seven one-millionths of
a microsecond after the Yelchin.
That confirms it.
You're telling me
these three ships
were all destroyed by the Burn
at different times.
The difference is in
millionths of a microsecond,
but yes, there is a difference.
Son of a bitch.
Are you familiar
with an experiment called SB-19?
We can't access it.
Why?
It's Ni'Var.
You'd know it
by its former name: Vulcan.
Vulcans... the Vulcans
changed their name?
Well, it's not just the Vulcans
who live there now.
They share the planet
with the Romulans.
The Romulans were considered
enemies in our time.
And for a long time after.
Until Ambassador Spock
brought them back.
You see, history had forgot this
in your time,
but the Vulcans and the Romulans
were two tribes
of the same species
that went their separate ways.
Your brother started the process
of reunifying them.
And he succeeded?
It took centuries
after his death, but yes.
But the Vulcans were
always the first to share
their research
with the Federation.
Maybe in the past.
But Ni'Var left the Federation
nearly a hundred years ago.
Vulcan was one of
the founding members
of the Federation.
They would never abandon it.
Must have been the Romulans.
No, the Romulans wanted to stay.
Even before the Burn,
the Federation
was running out of dilithium.
All member planets were ordered
to put their best scientists
towards finding a solution.
Ni'Var's contribution...
was SB-19,
a system to transport starships
thousands of light-years
in an instant,
much like your spore drive.
What happened?
Well, it was new technology.
Ni'Var scientists felt
ultimately that it was
too dangerous, so they
asked permission
to shutter the program.
But it was the most promising
dilithium alternative
of the day,
and so the Federation
ordered them to proceed.
They think they caused the Burn?
No.
They think we forced them
to cause the Burn.
So they left the Federation
and kept the SB-19 data from us.
Sir...
we have proof the Burn
had a different origin.
I don't think
any claims of proof
are gonna make any difference.
They're convinced they're right.
Well, perhaps, then,
this new information
would be sufficient to reopen
diplomatic relations.
We have to tell them.
There must be a way
to get them to listen.
Spock's sister.
Sending Commander Burnham
as our representative
might tip the scales.
Admiral,
I must inform you,
Commander Burnham
was reprimanded
for her insubordinate actions
and dismissed
as my first officer.
Insubordinate or not,
she's the only person
who could open that door.
- And now with this new
information...
- Sir,
I don't think
I can genuinely represent
the Federation right now.
Find a way.
I'm gonna bring the diplomatic
corps into the loop.
I'm gonna send a full report
to Ni'Var, headline:
"Michael Burnham Is Coming."
Listen to me, little brother.
This is the last advice
I'll ever be able to give you.
There's a whole galaxy
out there,
full of people
who will reach for you.
You have to let them.
Reach for them.
Ambassador Spock.
Circa stardate 45825.
Coordinates redacted,
retrieved
from classified archive,
the personal files
of Admiral Jean-Luc Picard.
- Play.
- Closed minds have kept
these two worlds apart
for centuries.
We can either choose
to live with that enmity,
or seek a way to change it.
The union of the Vulcan
and the Romulan
people will not be achieved
by politics or by diplomacy.
But it will be achieved.
Like the first Vulcans,
these people are struggling
through a new enlightenment.
And it may take decades
or even centuries
for them to reach it,
but they will reach it.
And I must help.
You know, I never let myself
look back to find out
who he became.
You guys are
chronic overachievers.
How am I gonna do this, Book?
It's possible that a person
who has a...
complex relationship
with the future
is the exact right person
to do this job.
I am sure you have heard...
I dismissed Commander Burnham
as my first officer.
Must have been
very difficult for you, sir.
I would like you to serve
as my acting first officer until
I find a permanent replacement.
Uh, sir, what?
I...
I never completed
the Command Training Program.
- I...
- You traveled through
a wormhole 930 years
into the future.
I am confident in saying
your experience
now exceeds the parameters
designed for
the Command Training Program.
Sir, I'm an ensign.
I...
I would be
responsible for lives.
Part of leadership
is the acknowledgment
that one is suited to it.
Many members of our crew
have struggled
with all that has changed.
I have watched you rise
to the occasion.
I believe you can
help them rise, as well.
And I believe you will always
put the needs of Starfleet
and the Federation
ahead of your own wishes.
Sir, are you asking me
because I'm qualified
or because I'm... compliant?
I'm asking
because I believe this is in
the best interest of our ship.
Take a day to think about it.
Now let us jump to Ni'Var.
Status report, please.
Coordinates locked in.
All hands ready
to jump to Ni'Var.
HQ confirms
that Ni'Var is expecting us.
Very well.
The people of Ni'Var
have not been visited
by a Federation starship
in nearly a century.
Let us remind them who we are
and how important
they are to us.
Black Alert.
Sir, we are in Lagrange One
for Ni'Var,
formerly the planet Vulcan.
Incoming transmission.
Open the channel.
I am T'Rina...
president of Ni'Var.
Greetings.
I am Saru
of the USS Discovery.
The Federation sent word
you were en route
using a unique
propulsion system.
I presume that is how you evaded
our long-range sensors?
I assure you, we were
not attempting to evade.
Discovery is equipped
with a system
that allows us to travel
across the mycelial network.
We've been briefed regarding
the special circumstances
of Discovery's crew.
And your special passenger.
Greetings, Madam President.
I am Michael Burnham.
Daughter of Sarek.
Sister of Spock.
It is an honor to greet you.
I only wish
Ambassador Spock could see
the fruits of his labor
as you do now.
I do believe he would
find it all...
fascinating.
I would be pleased
to speak further.
But first we must dispense
with the Federation's request
for data related to SB-19.
We've found significant
new evidence related
to the cause of the Burn.
SB-19 can help us with that.
SB-19 is an issue
of great cultural
and political sensitivity here.
Our inquiry is entirely
scientific in nature.
Even science cannot be separated
from cultural
and political context.
There are always implications,
as Spock himself learned.
Ni'Var continues to struggle
with the delicate balance
of reunification,
which only became more
complicated after the Burn.
Any theory Commander Burnham
is developing could tear open
old wounds and we cannot
afford that at this time.
Madam President...
Permission to access SB-19
is denied.
If you persist in requesting it,
I will have to be content
with observing your spore drive
in action as you return
to Federation headquarters.
Madam President, do the people
of Ni'Var still honor any
of the old ways?
Specifically in matters
of scientific inquiry?
They do.
Then as a graduate
of the Vulcan Science Academy,
I respectfully invoke
the T'Kal-in-ket.
I will convene a Quorum.
Commander?
The Vulcans have engaged
in T'Kal-in-ket
since the time of Surak.
The T'Kal-in-ket is
a philosophical process
designed to unearth deep truths.
It's credited
as one of the engines
that lead to early Vulcan
scientific advancement.
And once invoked,
the request cannot be denied.
So you gave her no choice.
It's the only way we'll have
a chance at that data.
This could help us
solve the Burn.
What is the protocol?
I'll have to rigorously
defend my hypothesis
before the Science Institute.
I assume you are prepared?
Of course, sir.
Welcome to Discovery.
A special chamber has been
prepared for the T'Kal-in-ket.
Madam President, uh,
will you permit me to give you
a tour of our vessel?
You can forego
the niceties, Captain.
Your commander has
already diplomatically
forced me into a corner.
Your shalankhkai
will arrive momentarily.
My "shalankhkai"?
An ancient Romulan designation.
Vulcans know it as "sha-set."
Ah, my advocate.
What's new since your time
is that only sisters
from the Qowat Milat order
can serve as advocates.
Forgive me, I'm not familiar
with the Qowat Milat.
The Qowat Milat are
an ancient Romulan sect
that live and die by the precept
of absolute candor.
A necessary outgrowth
of a Romulan culture
that trafficked in secrets.
They were essential in helping
our ancestors trust one another
during the early days
of reunification.
Today they enable us to have a
healthy discourse on the planet.
It's an ancient story, isn't it?
My people's fates are
so intertwined,
and they are so similar
in profound ways.
Yet they do not trust
each other.
I apologize
for forcing your hand.
I meant no disrespect.
You are brave.
And technically
a citizen of Ni'Var.
Ultimately, you are
within your rights.
But I'm sure you are aware
that a classic tactic
during T'Kal-in-ket
is to ruthlessly assail the
credibility of the challenger.
- I am aware.
- If you are not proved
to be credible,
it will be known forever
that Spock's sister
returned to us a dissembler.
And that will have real
and grave consequences.
Do you understand?
Yes, ma'am.
One Qowat Milat sister
has taken a particular
interest in your case.
I suspect you may have
a particular interest
in her, as well.
She'll be transporting in
momentarily.
Be honest.
Especially to yourself.
M-Mom?
Michael!
Oh, I hoped, but I never...
I was informed
your jump to the future
is not widely known
even within Starfleet.
Yeah, the admiral was concerned
that it could be polarizing,
given the Temporal Accords.
Yet there was no other way
to explain to you
the presence of Spock's sister.
I confess I am astonished
at the risk taken by your crew.
Duty called.
I'm grateful for your courage.
What do you make of this future?
Well, I am...
troubled that...
the Federation is so reduced.
But I'm heartened
that those who remain
are committed
to its core values.
You sound quite certain of that.
I have seen their commitment
to member and non-member
worlds alike.
All personnel, Cargo Bay 3...
Forgive me
if I'm overstepping, but...
I know the Federation feels
the loss of Ni'Var... keenly.
I do hope that our visit
and Commander Burnham's
discussions with the Quorum
will open new channels
of diplomacy.
That would require far more
than one visit, Captain.
There had been numerous issues.
SB-19 was merely the final blow.
Well, I would like
to hear about them...
if I may.
Did you ever make it
to Terralysium?
No, landed right back
on Essof Four.
Wasn't pretty.
Ah, colonists brought me to
the Qowat Milat who healed me.
Seems like you could use
a bit of that yourself.
What makes you say that?
Well, you seem...
between places.
This must be some of that
absolute candor
I've heard about.
Actually, "between places"
was my gentle way
of saying "lost."
Thought I'd ease you in.
I'm not lost.
Of course I'm happy to be back.
Um, but...
But you learned to live
and maybe even like
a different kind of life?
Yeah.
When I landed here,
the sisters helped me
learn how to just be where I am,
however unsettling it may be.
I don't think
I fit in here anymore.
Hmm. And it also sounds like
that terrifies you.
Not as much as the T'Kal-in-ket.
Hmm.
You bit off a lot this time.
But I'm right.
I know I'm right about this.
The Burn.
And with your help,
we can convince them
to give us the SB-19 data.
You won't convince them.
The sisters of the Qowat Milat
bind themselves to lost causes.
And right now,
there's no cause
more lost than yours.
No. No, no, no. The whole point
of the T'Kal-in-ket
is to hear facts.
And to use logic.
They'll see.
What they need to see.
Just like the rest of us.
N'Raj is a Romulan elder
who longs
for greater self-governance.
V'Kir is the young leader
of a sect of Vulcan purists.
Shira speaks
for the Romulo-Vulcans
who are trying
to forge a new path here.
They all have their own truths,
facts and logic
that are vying for air.
Okay, then we appeal to V'Kir.
A Vulcan purist
must at least respond to logic.
I'm here for you.
I am your advocate.
But I would be betraying
my sacred duty
if I didn't tell you the truth.
You're walking in there
with a lot of blind spots.
The scarcity of dilithium
was caused, in part,
by the sheer size
of the Federation.
To solve that problem,
it stretched member worlds
beyond capacity and comfort.
In its desire to serve the many,
the Federation ignored
the needs of the few.
Did your ancestors
not coin the phrase
"The needs of the many
outweigh the needs of the few"?
When the people of Vulcan
welcomed the Romulans home,
we were forced to confront
centuries of mistrust
and brutality on both sides.
Over time and with much effort,
we earned the wisdom to know
when to let go
of maxims and proverbs.
Of course.
But perhaps the Federation
has acquired
a newfound wisdom of its own.
It has been my experience
that we learn
our greatest lessons
when we pay a heavy price.
You must admit,
the Federation has paid
most dearly.
The T'Kal-in-ket is this way.
Thank you, Quorum members
and Peers N'Raj,
Shira and V'Kir.
Thank you,
Qowat Milat Sister Gabrielle.
Our purpose here
is the excavation of truth
tested by the scientific rigors
of logic and fact.
So let us begin with the facts.
We've already received
and reviewed
the data
around your presentation
and found it lacking.
I move to dismiss
and end this Quorum.
But, Peer V'Kir,
you have not fully heard me out.
In deference
to Ambassador Spock,
I prefer not to speak
in such terms to you,
but I will point out
the puerility in your findings.
Ni'Var Science Institute
has never disputed
that there's a source
of the Burn.
If that is your new theory,
there is no need
to waste our time.
But you think
that the Burn started here.
I have evidence that shows
that cannot be true.
How long has the Federation
had evidence of this?
A great deal of suffering
may have been avoided.
I uncovered this last bit
of evidence only days ago.
Her findings are based
on fractions of microseconds
on the Burn destruction
time stamps of three starships.
Across thousands of light-years,
those numbers could have been
skewed for a host of reasons.
We have accounted
for subatomic lensing.
Her minuscule sample size
is inconsequential
compared to what
the Ni'Var Science Institute
- has already collected.
- Then why won't you
share that data?
The data is sensitive in nature.
We cannot risk it falling
into the wrong hands.
We cannot risk
how the Federation may use it.
Carrying the weight
of responsibility
for the Burn
has created great hardship
for our planet.
- If they can prove otherwise...
- Peer N'Raj,
given the unrest
in your own province,
how can you dispute
that knowledge
in the wrong hands
is a dangerous thing?
And Peer Shira,
how many additional resources
have the Vulcans spent
quashing insurgencies
in the Romulo-Vulcan regions?
We cannot allow further unrest.
Peer V'Kir,
my brother would have
found it illogical to sacrifice
knowledge to avoid risk.
She invokes her own brother
in an obvious effort
to win us to her cause
through emotional appeal.
This is a forum for logic,
Commander Burnham.
If there is even a chance
we aren't responsible
for the Burn,
we must join the investigation
and share our evidence.
I would be willing
to consider that.
But... I'm not convinced
of your motives.
I want the truth. Nothing more.
For whom?
For the Federation or yourself?
- For all of us.
- This is immaterial
and beyond the scope
of this debate.
I am the chair of this Quorum,
and I move to dismiss.
Peer V'Kir
has made a motion to dismiss.
Is there consensus?
There is not.
I'll abstain at this time.
Three Quorum members,
three opinions, no consensus.
Let us take a moment to adjourn
to be in our thoughts.
None of these canisters
should be empty.
Take them to the storage bay.
Now, please.
- Aye, Commander.
- What's that look?
I need to talk to you.
Saru asked me to be
his acting first officer.
So that would make you
my superior officer?
Yeah.
Position only. Not in rank.
Most of this crew
has more experience
than me, so, like...
So, I guess I'm just,
like, wondering,
like, um,
what you would think about...
me taking it?
Honestly, the notion
of taking orders from you is...
deeply, deeply weird.
Almost, uh, disturbing.
What's your ETA on recalibrating
for the jump back?
Tell Detmer to relax.
I'll be ready.
- I need to...
- Yeah, no.
I know. Thank you.
Sorry. Thanks.
V'Kir made up his mind
before he set foot on this ship.
He believes
he's protecting his homeworld.
Engaging with you means
moving closer to the Federation.
He's weighing that, as well.
They all are.
He claims to be a follower
of the teachings of Spock.
That means seeking the truth.
He opened himself up
and spoke the truth.
As did I. I'm being truthful.
Not as truthful
as you were with me
about whether or not
you fit here.
- That's personal.
- It's relevant.
I thought you were supposed
to be advocating for me.
What do you think I am doing?
Because it's a lost cause?
Right?
They are not the only audience
in the room.
You are Qowat Milat.
And you are my mother.
Tell them that you know me.
Tell them I can be trusted.
I'm sorry.
Based on what
you're not telling them,
you cannot be trusted.
The T'Kal-in-ket resumes.
I've...
I have presented data that
I believe shows that the Burn
was not caused by SB-19.
However, it is true that...
I cannot be sure.
With humility,
I ask for your help.
And we are telling you
that the SB-19 data
definitively concludes
that the Burn started here.
Why don't you believe us?
Commander Burnham,
are you speaking
on behalf of the Federation?
Yes. I am.
Then everything you say
must be weighted with that fact.
Ni'Var did not take the decision
to leave the Federation lightly.
You are asking us to trust
that they will not
use our data unwisely,
that they will not resume
the original experiment.
That is a big ask.
I know.
But the Federation
can be trusted.
She's asking this Quorum to take
what she says on faith.
She demands trust
while her own actions
are cynical.
I only seek to share information
that can better
both of our futures.
- And we should believe you.
- Yes.
Because you are being honest
when you say
the Federation
has Ni'Var's best intentions
- at heart.
- Yes.
But your own story
is completely incongruous
to those assertions.
- What?
- Didn't you mutiny
against your friend and mentor
Captain Philippa Georgiou
at the Battle
of the Binary Stars
so you could deal with
the Klingons as you saw fit?
Yes, but they...
Didn't she ultimately die
in that battle?
Yes.
Less than 48 hours ago,
you were relieved
of your duty
as first officer again
for disobeying
yet another direct command
from yet another captain.
This is who
the Federation sends us
after nearly a century.
And just moments ago,
she shared her misgivings
with me
about whether or not
she even belongs here.
- Isn't that true?
- It's not that simple.
It is.
So, I will ask again.
Why does this Quorum,
why does anyone have any reason
to trust you or the Federation?
Distinguished peers,
let me speak truth to you
because she is unable to.
She did not have the childhood
I would have wished for her.
I orphaned her.
She may have grown up here,
but she was never Vulcan.
She is human
through and through.
And being human,
she is governed by emotion
and a desire
to insinuate herself
into certain matters of import
to fill an emotional void.
I maintain that that void
has made her vulnerable
to manipulation
at the hands of the Federation.
I am not being manipulated.
Then you knowingly admit
to letting them exploit the fact
that you're Spock's sister?
I would never disrespect
my brother. You know that.
Your methods and motives
are clouded.
Even to yourself.
You demanded this Quorum
without resolving to be honest.
You thought
that I would not fulfill my duty
to draw the truth from you
because I'm your mother.
But you're mistaken.
Fine.
There are things
I didn't willingly share.
But as my Qowat Milat advocate,
I demand
that you confirm the truth.
Didn't the Federation
give me a mission
- and a purpose?
- Yes.
Didn't the Federation give me
a place and a family?
- Yes.
- Didn't my crew and I
risk our lives
and work together in the past
to save all sentient life
in the universe?
That is true.
And isn't it true
that the only reason we are
all sitting here today
is because the Federation
gave me
and the crew
of the USS Discovery
the resources
and the mandate to solve
the biggest, most troublesome
problems in the galaxy?
Yes.
Didn't you see all of us,
imperfect and flawed
as we all are,
still live up
to its best ideals?
Yes. I did.
So I may question
and I may fear,
because the problems
often seem insurmountable.
But haven't we always risen
to meet them?
Yes.
So why don't you believe me
when I say
that it is the greater good
I am fighting for,
that I have
always been fighting for?
Then why are you struggling with
whether or not you belong here?
I don't know.
Maybe because the stakes
are so much higher now.
Everything is different.
And every day,
there's this fear...
this fear
that I'm-I'm doing it wrong.
Like I'll...
destroy the people I love.
I mean, what if I lose
everything and everyone?
After all we've sacrificed.
I know.
Now she speaks truthfully.
I thank you for your candor.
Daughter.
While I appreciate
your sentiments,
her candor will not prevent
another Burn.
Our society only wants
stability and peace.
Peer V'Kir,
we are to determine
if we're going to share
the SB-19 data based
on scientific evidence.
We are not here to decide
what our society wants.
Vulcans will choose
whatever serves them best
and insist it is only logical.
If the Vulcans won't share the
data, then the Romulans will.
My brothers.
Peer N'Raj, this is not the way.
What way do you know?
You sit in the middle, trying
to be everything and nothing.
Friends.
This is not what
my brother would have wanted.
He revealed the connection
between your cultures.
I implore you... don't lose that.
Clearly more tenuous
than we had realized.
Perhaps it is already lost.
No.
No, it is not.
Spock believed that, together,
you could create something
bigger than yourselves.
That's what this Quorum is.
That's what Ni'Var is.
That's what the Federation is.
You represent the Federation,
yet you invoke Ambassador Spock,
who left it behind.
Doesn't mean he didn't love it.
And it doesn't mean he wouldn't
have returned someday.
How and if he understood love
is something we can never know.
I think I might know.
The Burn nearly destroyed
the Federation.
I will not add
the peace of Ni'Var
to its list of casualties.
I withdraw my request.
What about the data you need?
I'll keep searching.
And I'll send whatever I find
to the Ni'Var Science Institute.
You can do with it
what you want.
I ask you for nothing.
But I am giving you my trust.
As a member of Starfleet.
Come in.
I got where
you were going back there,
but you could have picked
a better time
to do some parenting.
Is this what you were like
as a 12-year-old?
You know,
the first thing you told me,
the first thing
after all this time...
was that you didn't know
how you fit in
with your family anymore.
Michael,
you don't need to choose
between the person you used to
be and the person you are now.
You shouldn't.
Duty and joy go hand in hand.
Duty is there
so you can continue
to pursue your happiness.
And joy is there
so that you have
something real to fight for.
So, what now?
I told you
there was another audience.
When President T'Rina saw you,
when you let her see you...
she decided that trusting you
was worth the risk.
And she also said
she wondered
how much of the man Spock became
was the result
of who his sister was.
You're staying
on Ni'Var, aren't you?
I can't be bound to you.
You're not a lost cause.
But I finally get a chance
to say something to you
that I've wanted to say
for a very long time.
You always know
where to find me.
You wanted to see me?
You told them?
Of course I told them.
I...
I haven't given
an answer yet. I...
Say yes.
But I...
- Say yes.
- Say yes.
Say yes.
Say yes!
Just say it.
Really?
Why?
Because... we know you.
And, knowing you,
we'd all follow you anywhere.
Saru made the right choice.
Well, I'm...
gonna need all of your help.
Of course.
But, uh, first,
we'd like to present
a list of grievances
and requests.
I need two weeks' leave
on Earth.
Place called Hawaii.
Yeah, the head in my 'fresher
is leaking, so...
I'd like quarters with a window.
I'd like you to assign someone
to help me analyze
all this SB-19 data.
No. You got it?
Oh! That's amazing!
I really wanted to tell you.
Oh, did I miss
the cool "say yes" part?
Sorry I'm late.
I just wanted your blessing.
No, you don't need that.
How can I make it easier?
You lead me.
Wait, you mean
you're not leaving?
I'm here for the duration.
Commander Burnham,
I want you to take that data
to the science lab immediately.
You are going to figure out
what caused the Burn
and help to rebuild
the Federation.
Yes!
We all will.
I'm glad, because I thought
you were going to ask for me
to switch my bed
to the other side of the room.
Yeah. No, that's happening.
Oh. Well, whatever you say,
Number One.
Thank you, Captain.
This has been...
quite different
from what I expected.
That was a compliment.
Ah.
If I may,
I understand the situation
on Ni'Var is complex.
Contemplating a future
within the Federation
may be premature at this time.
However,
I would very much appreciate
the opportunity to continue
our conversation.
As would I.
In time.
Thank you, Madam President.
Live long and prosper,
Captain Saru.
- You got the data, didn't you?
- I did.
And you're not leaving, are you?
No.
I belong here.
With this crew.
True believer, right?
What does that mean for you?
I don't know.
You feel like home.
So do you.
Captioning sponsored by
Star Trek: Discovery...
Hey, Michael, I was on
my way to the Bajoran exchange
when this guy sitting
next to me...
And I think his black box is one
of the ones you're looking for.
It's on Hunhau,
Emerald Chain territory.
- I won't be long.
- This was three weeks ago.
If Book found a third black box,
and it shows the same variance,
that means the Burn
didn't happen all at once.
We have got to get to Hunhau.
- At the moment, we cannot.
- Yes, sir.
You're the only person
on this ship who'd say yes
to going on
an unsanctioned mission.
Are you in or out? Georgiou?
You had me
at "unsanctioned mission."
The spore drive's
new and improved.
I redesigned it so you won't
have to use those shunts.
Little gooey.
Commander Burnham left
to pursue a mission of her own,
against my direct orders.
Sir, you know, Michael is one
of the people that I love
most in this world,
but she made a choice,
and now because of that,
you don't have one.
You have to tell the admiral.
That is astute, Ensign.
Commander Burnham's mission
was 100% rogue.
Until we solve the mystery
of how the Burn happened,
and why,
I believe the Federation
will never be, can never be,
brought back together again.
Well, we'll see what
your intel brings, Commander.
I will leave it up to you,
Captain,
to determine the consequences
of her insubordination.
As of now,
you're relieved of your duty
as my Number One.
You will restrict yourself
to chief science officer duties
only.
Personal log supplemental.
Even after a year
of finding my way alone,
I truly believed I could
find a way
to fit back into this uniform,
onto this ship.
Now I'm not so sure.
I've become someone new.
Still just as committed
to the Federation,
to my friends...
but there's a distance
between us now.
I know I'll never be at peace
until I solve the Burn.
But I don't know if I can do it
from Discovery.
This may not be my home anymore.
And I don't know
what that means.
Or where it will lead me.
So, when are we getting
out of here?
You really hate it.
"Hate" is a strong word.
But I'm also living
on the shuttle bay
of a Federation starship
And no one knows
what to make of me.
Let's acknowledge this isn't
a long-term situation.
Where would we go?
Space.
Hmm. And what about...?
- The Burn?
- Yeah.
The biggest, most dangerous
cosmic puzzle of all time?
Have you always been this way?
My brother,
he called me on it...
how I take responsibility
for everything.
Sounds like we'd have
gotten on, me and your brother.
- Is that right?
- Yeah.
We'd bond over your
endearing messianic complex.
Hmm. Says the man who risks his
life to save helpless creatures.
- Oh, yeah.
- Mm.
Hey.
- Saru, uh...
- Demoted me.
Yeah.
Hey, um,
you put me in a really horrible
position with Saru,
and with the admiral
when you went off on your own.
It would've been so much worse
if I had told you.
My choice. Not yours.
I'm sorry, Tilly.
This transition has
been difficult for all of us.
I had to go.
I had to.
The truth is...
I don't know
how I fit in anymore.
Uh, one one-millionth
of a microsecond.
You were right.
Uh, that was the difference.
The USS Yelchin,
the first black box you found.
When the Burn happened,
it lost contact
at precisely 8-1-9-8-6
mark 2-7-2-1-3-9.
Now, t-the Gav'Nor, a thousand
light-years away, lost contact
one one-millionth
of a microsecond later.
What about the Giacconi?
The data recorder Book found?
The computer's
still working on it.
But with three points of data,
we can triangulate and pinpoint
- the source of the Burn.
- In two dimensions, maybe,
but in three-dimensional space,
that still leaves an area
far too large to explore
in several lifetimes,
so we have to narrow it down.
Somehow we need
to find more data.
Well, I flagged this...
when I was going through
Federation databases.
It's an experiment, SB-19.
They spread sensors
across dozens of light-years
of subspace.
They had a front-seat view
of the Burn.
SB-19 reported no findings.
So, either the sensors
didn't record anything...
Which isn't likely.
Or they didn't make
their results public.
In which case, the admiral
might have access to it.
He's not my biggest fan
right now.
This is bigger than you.
And bigger than him...
It's bigger than everybody.
Right?
What if you hadn't made it back?
What would I do?
Analysis complete.
The Giacconi.
It lost contact
seven one-millionths of
a microsecond after the Yelchin.
That confirms it.
You're telling me
these three ships
were all destroyed by the Burn
at different times.
The difference is in
millionths of a microsecond,
but yes, there is a difference.
Son of a bitch.
Are you familiar
with an experiment called SB-19?
We can't access it.
Why?
It's Ni'Var.
You'd know it
by its former name: Vulcan.
Vulcans... the Vulcans
changed their name?
Well, it's not just the Vulcans
who live there now.
They share the planet
with the Romulans.
The Romulans were considered
enemies in our time.
And for a long time after.
Until Ambassador Spock
brought them back.
You see, history had forgot this
in your time,
but the Vulcans and the Romulans
were two tribes
of the same species
that went their separate ways.
Your brother started the process
of reunifying them.
And he succeeded?
It took centuries
after his death, but yes.
But the Vulcans were
always the first to share
their research
with the Federation.
Maybe in the past.
But Ni'Var left the Federation
nearly a hundred years ago.
Vulcan was one of
the founding members
of the Federation.
They would never abandon it.
Must have been the Romulans.
No, the Romulans wanted to stay.
Even before the Burn,
the Federation
was running out of dilithium.
All member planets were ordered
to put their best scientists
towards finding a solution.
Ni'Var's contribution...
was SB-19,
a system to transport starships
thousands of light-years
in an instant,
much like your spore drive.
What happened?
Well, it was new technology.
Ni'Var scientists felt
ultimately that it was
too dangerous, so they
asked permission
to shutter the program.
But it was the most promising
dilithium alternative
of the day,
and so the Federation
ordered them to proceed.
They think they caused the Burn?
No.
They think we forced them
to cause the Burn.
So they left the Federation
and kept the SB-19 data from us.
Sir...
we have proof the Burn
had a different origin.
I don't think
any claims of proof
are gonna make any difference.
They're convinced they're right.
Well, perhaps, then,
this new information
would be sufficient to reopen
diplomatic relations.
We have to tell them.
There must be a way
to get them to listen.
Spock's sister.
Sending Commander Burnham
as our representative
might tip the scales.
Admiral,
I must inform you,
Commander Burnham
was reprimanded
for her insubordinate actions
and dismissed
as my first officer.
Insubordinate or not,
she's the only person
who could open that door.
- And now with this new
information...
- Sir,
I don't think
I can genuinely represent
the Federation right now.
Find a way.
I'm gonna bring the diplomatic
corps into the loop.
I'm gonna send a full report
to Ni'Var, headline:
"Michael Burnham Is Coming."
Listen to me, little brother.
This is the last advice
I'll ever be able to give you.
There's a whole galaxy
out there,
full of people
who will reach for you.
You have to let them.
Reach for them.
Ambassador Spock.
Circa stardate 45825.
Coordinates redacted,
retrieved
from classified archive,
the personal files
of Admiral Jean-Luc Picard.
- Play.
- Closed minds have kept
these two worlds apart
for centuries.
We can either choose
to live with that enmity,
or seek a way to change it.
The union of the Vulcan
and the Romulan
people will not be achieved
by politics or by diplomacy.
But it will be achieved.
Like the first Vulcans,
these people are struggling
through a new enlightenment.
And it may take decades
or even centuries
for them to reach it,
but they will reach it.
And I must help.
You know, I never let myself
look back to find out
who he became.
You guys are
chronic overachievers.
How am I gonna do this, Book?
It's possible that a person
who has a...
complex relationship
with the future
is the exact right person
to do this job.
I am sure you have heard...
I dismissed Commander Burnham
as my first officer.
Must have been
very difficult for you, sir.
I would like you to serve
as my acting first officer until
I find a permanent replacement.
Uh, sir, what?
I...
I never completed
the Command Training Program.
- I...
- You traveled through
a wormhole 930 years
into the future.
I am confident in saying
your experience
now exceeds the parameters
designed for
the Command Training Program.
Sir, I'm an ensign.
I...
I would be
responsible for lives.
Part of leadership
is the acknowledgment
that one is suited to it.
Many members of our crew
have struggled
with all that has changed.
I have watched you rise
to the occasion.
I believe you can
help them rise, as well.
And I believe you will always
put the needs of Starfleet
and the Federation
ahead of your own wishes.
Sir, are you asking me
because I'm qualified
or because I'm... compliant?
I'm asking
because I believe this is in
the best interest of our ship.
Take a day to think about it.
Now let us jump to Ni'Var.
Status report, please.
Coordinates locked in.
All hands ready
to jump to Ni'Var.
HQ confirms
that Ni'Var is expecting us.
Very well.
The people of Ni'Var
have not been visited
by a Federation starship
in nearly a century.
Let us remind them who we are
and how important
they are to us.
Black Alert.
Sir, we are in Lagrange One
for Ni'Var,
formerly the planet Vulcan.
Incoming transmission.
Open the channel.
I am T'Rina...
president of Ni'Var.
Greetings.
I am Saru
of the USS Discovery.
The Federation sent word
you were en route
using a unique
propulsion system.
I presume that is how you evaded
our long-range sensors?
I assure you, we were
not attempting to evade.
Discovery is equipped
with a system
that allows us to travel
across the mycelial network.
We've been briefed regarding
the special circumstances
of Discovery's crew.
And your special passenger.
Greetings, Madam President.
I am Michael Burnham.
Daughter of Sarek.
Sister of Spock.
It is an honor to greet you.
I only wish
Ambassador Spock could see
the fruits of his labor
as you do now.
I do believe he would
find it all...
fascinating.
I would be pleased
to speak further.
But first we must dispense
with the Federation's request
for data related to SB-19.
We've found significant
new evidence related
to the cause of the Burn.
SB-19 can help us with that.
SB-19 is an issue
of great cultural
and political sensitivity here.
Our inquiry is entirely
scientific in nature.
Even science cannot be separated
from cultural
and political context.
There are always implications,
as Spock himself learned.
Ni'Var continues to struggle
with the delicate balance
of reunification,
which only became more
complicated after the Burn.
Any theory Commander Burnham
is developing could tear open
old wounds and we cannot
afford that at this time.
Madam President...
Permission to access SB-19
is denied.
If you persist in requesting it,
I will have to be content
with observing your spore drive
in action as you return
to Federation headquarters.
Madam President, do the people
of Ni'Var still honor any
of the old ways?
Specifically in matters
of scientific inquiry?
They do.
Then as a graduate
of the Vulcan Science Academy,
I respectfully invoke
the T'Kal-in-ket.
I will convene a Quorum.
Commander?
The Vulcans have engaged
in T'Kal-in-ket
since the time of Surak.
The T'Kal-in-ket is
a philosophical process
designed to unearth deep truths.
It's credited
as one of the engines
that lead to early Vulcan
scientific advancement.
And once invoked,
the request cannot be denied.
So you gave her no choice.
It's the only way we'll have
a chance at that data.
This could help us
solve the Burn.
What is the protocol?
I'll have to rigorously
defend my hypothesis
before the Science Institute.
I assume you are prepared?
Of course, sir.
Welcome to Discovery.
A special chamber has been
prepared for the T'Kal-in-ket.
Madam President, uh,
will you permit me to give you
a tour of our vessel?
You can forego
the niceties, Captain.
Your commander has
already diplomatically
forced me into a corner.
Your shalankhkai
will arrive momentarily.
My "shalankhkai"?
An ancient Romulan designation.
Vulcans know it as "sha-set."
Ah, my advocate.
What's new since your time
is that only sisters
from the Qowat Milat order
can serve as advocates.
Forgive me, I'm not familiar
with the Qowat Milat.
The Qowat Milat are
an ancient Romulan sect
that live and die by the precept
of absolute candor.
A necessary outgrowth
of a Romulan culture
that trafficked in secrets.
They were essential in helping
our ancestors trust one another
during the early days
of reunification.
Today they enable us to have a
healthy discourse on the planet.
It's an ancient story, isn't it?
My people's fates are
so intertwined,
and they are so similar
in profound ways.
Yet they do not trust
each other.
I apologize
for forcing your hand.
I meant no disrespect.
You are brave.
And technically
a citizen of Ni'Var.
Ultimately, you are
within your rights.
But I'm sure you are aware
that a classic tactic
during T'Kal-in-ket
is to ruthlessly assail the
credibility of the challenger.
- I am aware.
- If you are not proved
to be credible,
it will be known forever
that Spock's sister
returned to us a dissembler.
And that will have real
and grave consequences.
Do you understand?
Yes, ma'am.
One Qowat Milat sister
has taken a particular
interest in your case.
I suspect you may have
a particular interest
in her, as well.
She'll be transporting in
momentarily.
Be honest.
Especially to yourself.
M-Mom?
Michael!
Oh, I hoped, but I never...
I was informed
your jump to the future
is not widely known
even within Starfleet.
Yeah, the admiral was concerned
that it could be polarizing,
given the Temporal Accords.
Yet there was no other way
to explain to you
the presence of Spock's sister.
I confess I am astonished
at the risk taken by your crew.
Duty called.
I'm grateful for your courage.
What do you make of this future?
Well, I am...
troubled that...
the Federation is so reduced.
But I'm heartened
that those who remain
are committed
to its core values.
You sound quite certain of that.
I have seen their commitment
to member and non-member
worlds alike.
All personnel, Cargo Bay 3...
Forgive me
if I'm overstepping, but...
I know the Federation feels
the loss of Ni'Var... keenly.
I do hope that our visit
and Commander Burnham's
discussions with the Quorum
will open new channels
of diplomacy.
That would require far more
than one visit, Captain.
There had been numerous issues.
SB-19 was merely the final blow.
Well, I would like
to hear about them...
if I may.
Did you ever make it
to Terralysium?
No, landed right back
on Essof Four.
Wasn't pretty.
Ah, colonists brought me to
the Qowat Milat who healed me.
Seems like you could use
a bit of that yourself.
What makes you say that?
Well, you seem...
between places.
This must be some of that
absolute candor
I've heard about.
Actually, "between places"
was my gentle way
of saying "lost."
Thought I'd ease you in.
I'm not lost.
Of course I'm happy to be back.
Um, but...
But you learned to live
and maybe even like
a different kind of life?
Yeah.
When I landed here,
the sisters helped me
learn how to just be where I am,
however unsettling it may be.
I don't think
I fit in here anymore.
Hmm. And it also sounds like
that terrifies you.
Not as much as the T'Kal-in-ket.
Hmm.
You bit off a lot this time.
But I'm right.
I know I'm right about this.
The Burn.
And with your help,
we can convince them
to give us the SB-19 data.
You won't convince them.
The sisters of the Qowat Milat
bind themselves to lost causes.
And right now,
there's no cause
more lost than yours.
No. No, no, no. The whole point
of the T'Kal-in-ket
is to hear facts.
And to use logic.
They'll see.
What they need to see.
Just like the rest of us.
N'Raj is a Romulan elder
who longs
for greater self-governance.
V'Kir is the young leader
of a sect of Vulcan purists.
Shira speaks
for the Romulo-Vulcans
who are trying
to forge a new path here.
They all have their own truths,
facts and logic
that are vying for air.
Okay, then we appeal to V'Kir.
A Vulcan purist
must at least respond to logic.
I'm here for you.
I am your advocate.
But I would be betraying
my sacred duty
if I didn't tell you the truth.
You're walking in there
with a lot of blind spots.
The scarcity of dilithium
was caused, in part,
by the sheer size
of the Federation.
To solve that problem,
it stretched member worlds
beyond capacity and comfort.
In its desire to serve the many,
the Federation ignored
the needs of the few.
Did your ancestors
not coin the phrase
"The needs of the many
outweigh the needs of the few"?
When the people of Vulcan
welcomed the Romulans home,
we were forced to confront
centuries of mistrust
and brutality on both sides.
Over time and with much effort,
we earned the wisdom to know
when to let go
of maxims and proverbs.
Of course.
But perhaps the Federation
has acquired
a newfound wisdom of its own.
It has been my experience
that we learn
our greatest lessons
when we pay a heavy price.
You must admit,
the Federation has paid
most dearly.
The T'Kal-in-ket is this way.
Thank you, Quorum members
and Peers N'Raj,
Shira and V'Kir.
Thank you,
Qowat Milat Sister Gabrielle.
Our purpose here
is the excavation of truth
tested by the scientific rigors
of logic and fact.
So let us begin with the facts.
We've already received
and reviewed
the data
around your presentation
and found it lacking.
I move to dismiss
and end this Quorum.
But, Peer V'Kir,
you have not fully heard me out.
In deference
to Ambassador Spock,
I prefer not to speak
in such terms to you,
but I will point out
the puerility in your findings.
Ni'Var Science Institute
has never disputed
that there's a source
of the Burn.
If that is your new theory,
there is no need
to waste our time.
But you think
that the Burn started here.
I have evidence that shows
that cannot be true.
How long has the Federation
had evidence of this?
A great deal of suffering
may have been avoided.
I uncovered this last bit
of evidence only days ago.
Her findings are based
on fractions of microseconds
on the Burn destruction
time stamps of three starships.
Across thousands of light-years,
those numbers could have been
skewed for a host of reasons.
We have accounted
for subatomic lensing.
Her minuscule sample size
is inconsequential
compared to what
the Ni'Var Science Institute
- has already collected.
- Then why won't you
share that data?
The data is sensitive in nature.
We cannot risk it falling
into the wrong hands.
We cannot risk
how the Federation may use it.
Carrying the weight
of responsibility
for the Burn
has created great hardship
for our planet.
- If they can prove otherwise...
- Peer N'Raj,
given the unrest
in your own province,
how can you dispute
that knowledge
in the wrong hands
is a dangerous thing?
And Peer Shira,
how many additional resources
have the Vulcans spent
quashing insurgencies
in the Romulo-Vulcan regions?
We cannot allow further unrest.
Peer V'Kir,
my brother would have
found it illogical to sacrifice
knowledge to avoid risk.
She invokes her own brother
in an obvious effort
to win us to her cause
through emotional appeal.
This is a forum for logic,
Commander Burnham.
If there is even a chance
we aren't responsible
for the Burn,
we must join the investigation
and share our evidence.
I would be willing
to consider that.
But... I'm not convinced
of your motives.
I want the truth. Nothing more.
For whom?
For the Federation or yourself?
- For all of us.
- This is immaterial
and beyond the scope
of this debate.
I am the chair of this Quorum,
and I move to dismiss.
Peer V'Kir
has made a motion to dismiss.
Is there consensus?
There is not.
I'll abstain at this time.
Three Quorum members,
three opinions, no consensus.
Let us take a moment to adjourn
to be in our thoughts.
None of these canisters
should be empty.
Take them to the storage bay.
Now, please.
- Aye, Commander.
- What's that look?
I need to talk to you.
Saru asked me to be
his acting first officer.
So that would make you
my superior officer?
Yeah.
Position only. Not in rank.
Most of this crew
has more experience
than me, so, like...
So, I guess I'm just,
like, wondering,
like, um,
what you would think about...
me taking it?
Honestly, the notion
of taking orders from you is...
deeply, deeply weird.
Almost, uh, disturbing.
What's your ETA on recalibrating
for the jump back?
Tell Detmer to relax.
I'll be ready.
- I need to...
- Yeah, no.
I know. Thank you.
Sorry. Thanks.
V'Kir made up his mind
before he set foot on this ship.
He believes
he's protecting his homeworld.
Engaging with you means
moving closer to the Federation.
He's weighing that, as well.
They all are.
He claims to be a follower
of the teachings of Spock.
That means seeking the truth.
He opened himself up
and spoke the truth.
As did I. I'm being truthful.
Not as truthful
as you were with me
about whether or not
you fit here.
- That's personal.
- It's relevant.
I thought you were supposed
to be advocating for me.
What do you think I am doing?
Because it's a lost cause?
Right?
They are not the only audience
in the room.
You are Qowat Milat.
And you are my mother.
Tell them that you know me.
Tell them I can be trusted.
I'm sorry.
Based on what
you're not telling them,
you cannot be trusted.
The T'Kal-in-ket resumes.
I've...
I have presented data that
I believe shows that the Burn
was not caused by SB-19.
However, it is true that...
I cannot be sure.
With humility,
I ask for your help.
And we are telling you
that the SB-19 data
definitively concludes
that the Burn started here.
Why don't you believe us?
Commander Burnham,
are you speaking
on behalf of the Federation?
Yes. I am.
Then everything you say
must be weighted with that fact.
Ni'Var did not take the decision
to leave the Federation lightly.
You are asking us to trust
that they will not
use our data unwisely,
that they will not resume
the original experiment.
That is a big ask.
I know.
But the Federation
can be trusted.
She's asking this Quorum to take
what she says on faith.
She demands trust
while her own actions
are cynical.
I only seek to share information
that can better
both of our futures.
- And we should believe you.
- Yes.
Because you are being honest
when you say
the Federation
has Ni'Var's best intentions
- at heart.
- Yes.
But your own story
is completely incongruous
to those assertions.
- What?
- Didn't you mutiny
against your friend and mentor
Captain Philippa Georgiou
at the Battle
of the Binary Stars
so you could deal with
the Klingons as you saw fit?
Yes, but they...
Didn't she ultimately die
in that battle?
Yes.
Less than 48 hours ago,
you were relieved
of your duty
as first officer again
for disobeying
yet another direct command
from yet another captain.
This is who
the Federation sends us
after nearly a century.
And just moments ago,
she shared her misgivings
with me
about whether or not
she even belongs here.
- Isn't that true?
- It's not that simple.
It is.
So, I will ask again.
Why does this Quorum,
why does anyone have any reason
to trust you or the Federation?
Distinguished peers,
let me speak truth to you
because she is unable to.
She did not have the childhood
I would have wished for her.
I orphaned her.
She may have grown up here,
but she was never Vulcan.
She is human
through and through.
And being human,
she is governed by emotion
and a desire
to insinuate herself
into certain matters of import
to fill an emotional void.
I maintain that that void
has made her vulnerable
to manipulation
at the hands of the Federation.
I am not being manipulated.
Then you knowingly admit
to letting them exploit the fact
that you're Spock's sister?
I would never disrespect
my brother. You know that.
Your methods and motives
are clouded.
Even to yourself.
You demanded this Quorum
without resolving to be honest.
You thought
that I would not fulfill my duty
to draw the truth from you
because I'm your mother.
But you're mistaken.
Fine.
There are things
I didn't willingly share.
But as my Qowat Milat advocate,
I demand
that you confirm the truth.
Didn't the Federation
give me a mission
- and a purpose?
- Yes.
Didn't the Federation give me
a place and a family?
- Yes.
- Didn't my crew and I
risk our lives
and work together in the past
to save all sentient life
in the universe?
That is true.
And isn't it true
that the only reason we are
all sitting here today
is because the Federation
gave me
and the crew
of the USS Discovery
the resources
and the mandate to solve
the biggest, most troublesome
problems in the galaxy?
Yes.
Didn't you see all of us,
imperfect and flawed
as we all are,
still live up
to its best ideals?
Yes. I did.
So I may question
and I may fear,
because the problems
often seem insurmountable.
But haven't we always risen
to meet them?
Yes.
So why don't you believe me
when I say
that it is the greater good
I am fighting for,
that I have
always been fighting for?
Then why are you struggling with
whether or not you belong here?
I don't know.
Maybe because the stakes
are so much higher now.
Everything is different.
And every day,
there's this fear...
this fear
that I'm-I'm doing it wrong.
Like I'll...
destroy the people I love.
I mean, what if I lose
everything and everyone?
After all we've sacrificed.
I know.
Now she speaks truthfully.
I thank you for your candor.
Daughter.
While I appreciate
your sentiments,
her candor will not prevent
another Burn.
Our society only wants
stability and peace.
Peer V'Kir,
we are to determine
if we're going to share
the SB-19 data based
on scientific evidence.
We are not here to decide
what our society wants.
Vulcans will choose
whatever serves them best
and insist it is only logical.
If the Vulcans won't share the
data, then the Romulans will.
My brothers.
Peer N'Raj, this is not the way.
What way do you know?
You sit in the middle, trying
to be everything and nothing.
Friends.
This is not what
my brother would have wanted.
He revealed the connection
between your cultures.
I implore you... don't lose that.
Clearly more tenuous
than we had realized.
Perhaps it is already lost.
No.
No, it is not.
Spock believed that, together,
you could create something
bigger than yourselves.
That's what this Quorum is.
That's what Ni'Var is.
That's what the Federation is.
You represent the Federation,
yet you invoke Ambassador Spock,
who left it behind.
Doesn't mean he didn't love it.
And it doesn't mean he wouldn't
have returned someday.
How and if he understood love
is something we can never know.
I think I might know.
The Burn nearly destroyed
the Federation.
I will not add
the peace of Ni'Var
to its list of casualties.
I withdraw my request.
What about the data you need?
I'll keep searching.
And I'll send whatever I find
to the Ni'Var Science Institute.
You can do with it
what you want.
I ask you for nothing.
But I am giving you my trust.
As a member of Starfleet.
Come in.
I got where
you were going back there,
but you could have picked
a better time
to do some parenting.
Is this what you were like
as a 12-year-old?
You know,
the first thing you told me,
the first thing
after all this time...
was that you didn't know
how you fit in
with your family anymore.
Michael,
you don't need to choose
between the person you used to
be and the person you are now.
You shouldn't.
Duty and joy go hand in hand.
Duty is there
so you can continue
to pursue your happiness.
And joy is there
so that you have
something real to fight for.
So, what now?
I told you
there was another audience.
When President T'Rina saw you,
when you let her see you...
she decided that trusting you
was worth the risk.
And she also said
she wondered
how much of the man Spock became
was the result
of who his sister was.
You're staying
on Ni'Var, aren't you?
I can't be bound to you.
You're not a lost cause.
But I finally get a chance
to say something to you
that I've wanted to say
for a very long time.
You always know
where to find me.
You wanted to see me?
You told them?
Of course I told them.
I...
I haven't given
an answer yet. I...
Say yes.
But I...
- Say yes.
- Say yes.
Say yes.
Say yes!
Just say it.
Really?
Why?
Because... we know you.
And, knowing you,
we'd all follow you anywhere.
Saru made the right choice.
Well, I'm...
gonna need all of your help.
Of course.
But, uh, first,
we'd like to present
a list of grievances
and requests.
I need two weeks' leave
on Earth.
Place called Hawaii.
Yeah, the head in my 'fresher
is leaking, so...
I'd like quarters with a window.
I'd like you to assign someone
to help me analyze
all this SB-19 data.
No. You got it?
Oh! That's amazing!
I really wanted to tell you.
Oh, did I miss
the cool "say yes" part?
Sorry I'm late.
I just wanted your blessing.
No, you don't need that.
How can I make it easier?
You lead me.
Wait, you mean
you're not leaving?
I'm here for the duration.
Commander Burnham,
I want you to take that data
to the science lab immediately.
You are going to figure out
what caused the Burn
and help to rebuild
the Federation.
Yes!
We all will.
I'm glad, because I thought
you were going to ask for me
to switch my bed
to the other side of the room.
Yeah. No, that's happening.
Oh. Well, whatever you say,
Number One.
Thank you, Captain.
This has been...
quite different
from what I expected.
That was a compliment.
Ah.
If I may,
I understand the situation
on Ni'Var is complex.
Contemplating a future
within the Federation
may be premature at this time.
However,
I would very much appreciate
the opportunity to continue
our conversation.
As would I.
In time.
Thank you, Madam President.
Live long and prosper,
Captain Saru.
- You got the data, didn't you?
- I did.
And you're not leaving, are you?
No.
I belong here.
With this crew.
True believer, right?
What does that mean for you?
I don't know.
You feel like home.
So do you.
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