Star Trek: Discovery (2017–…): Season 4, Episode 1 - Episode #4.1 - full transcript

Last season on
Star Trek: Discovery...

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 instant,
all dilithium went inert.

Any ship with an active
warp core detonated.

The Federation as we know it
disappeared overnight.

This is where the Burn started.

I'm reading that there is
dilithium dispersed throughout



this entire planet.

Federation could use that kind
of news right about now.

There's a signal coming
from the center of the nebula.

The message is over
100 years old.

This is Dr. Issa
of the KSFKh'ieth.

Those spots on Dr. Issa's head.
she was pregnant.

We have come
to rescue the child.

Su'kal. That is his name.

I think we may have just found
the source of the Burn.

You are no longer alone.

Saru has asked for time

to consider his next steps.

He'll return to Kaminar

to help Su'kal build a new life.



This is home now.

No, Kwejian is home.

I really liked seeing Kwejian.

I really liked
being there with you.

Have you spoken with Saru?

Yes, sir, I have, but...

He wants you to captain Discovery.
I do, too.

So many worlds have been
struggling since the Burn.

You found a way to mine
that dilithium on that planet.

You and your crew
can bring it to them.

You can bring them hope,
Commander Burnham.

They have waited long enough,
and I think so have you.

Everybody ready?

Yes, Captain.

Let's fly.

♪

It is an honor
to be the first visitors

your planet has received
since the Burn.

On behalf of the
United Federation of Planets,

we thank you.

We've been sent
to convey their desire

to reconnect with
your great civilization,

and to raise the possibility
of sharing resources

and technology in the future.

It's tradition to give a gift as
a means of establishing trust,

so, as gesture of goodwill,

we've brought dilithium
on our ship,

and we'd be pleased
to offer it to you,

as we've done
with many other worlds.

No strings attached.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Uh, that's an idiom,
a non-literal ex...

We're familiar.

Perhaps we should speak plainly,

forego the niceties
of politics.

Oh, I believe
there's been a misunderstanding.

No misunderstanding.

You brought something
you think we need,

along with the tantalizing
offer to help yourselves

to our technological bounty,

all for the low, low price of...

no strings attached.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure
she said the words "possibility"

and "share,"
but other than that...

Book.

I am aware that in the decades
leading up to the Burn,

your relationship with
the Federation was strained.

But you've changed,

things are different now,
we can trust you.

We scanned your ship.

You brought a third life-form
to our planet.

Yeah, that's Grudge.
Grudge?

Felis catus,
a domestic species

of small carnivorous mammal.

You claim
to understand our culture,

yet you bring a carnivore
to our world?

Domestic. I said domestic.

She's... my pet.
She lives on my ship.

I feed her, love her,
give her cat treats.

Is she grateful?

No. No.

In no way.
It's bad attitude.

Yet you expect us to be.

No. Oh, no, no, no.

Have you come
to make pets of us?
We haven't come

to make you anything.
You've got the wrong idea.

D...
Let me explain.

Uh, she's a queen.
She's a queen.

You hold a Monarch captive?

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

Oh, Emperor Lee'U...
No, it is not like that.

...we have the utmost respect.
I don't...

We have the utmost respect

for-for you, for...
Absolutely. For sure.

This is bad. This is really bad.

Okay, so do your empathy thing.

My what?
Your...

your empathy thing,
right-right now.

I brought you here
to connect with them.

I don't think
they want to connect.

You will take us to your ship.

We will free the queen.

Oh...
Yup. Time to go.

They're not gonna be happy
when they see

a massive starship.
They're not going to.

What?
It wouldn't fit
through the trees.

I'm sending the little guy.

And it'll be here in time?
We're about to find out.

Oh, why is there
always a cliff?

Why did you say "carnivore"
to the butterfly people?

They are not butterfly people.

Why do you even have a pet?

Why don't you just have
a hologram goldfish?

I had one. Grudge ate it.

Who eats a hologram?

The butterflies are shooting
at us. Bring up weapons system.

No. No, do not fire back.
This is a diplomatic mission.

Then I'm beaming us out of here.

No, we have
to give them dilithium.

They don't want it!

If we leave now, they will never
trust the Federation again.

Or we'll come back
when they're in a better mood.

Why haven't they hit us?
What?

The Alshain. At this range,
they should have hit us by now.

And that's a problem?
Captain,

sensors have you moving
erratically. Everything okay?

Yup. Just negotiating.
Uh, about to hit a tree.

Hang on!

"Don't fire back," she says.

They're having trouble
navigating.

Still able to shoot at us.

Here.
Yeah.

Great.
Maybe we'll live long enough

for me to pet my hostage again.

That's it.

It's their satellites.
You're not explaining, are you?

Rhys, we could use some help.

Want me to send a team down?

No. It's a science problem.

Is this a chase? Are you
in the middle of a chase?

The Alshain can't stay
on course in flight.

I think we need to get
their satellites working again.

Aye, Captain.
We'll figure it out.

Uh, Commander Stamets?
Unless the Alshain

have been hitting the
Romulan whiskey, which I doubt,

the problem has to be...
Oh, the planet's
magnetic poles.

They started shifting
300 years ago.

They're now 14 degrees west
of where they'd been

for hundreds
of thousands of years.

Alshain use the magnetic fields
to navigate during flight.

Like birds?
Oh, did you know birds are born

with a mineral substance called
magnetite that helps them

determine the magnetic field
so they can find true north?

They'd have developed technology

to help compensate
for the shift.

Captain was right.
The dead satellites. They're...

Geomagnetic compensators.

Nice work, both of you.

Jovar Tal loved birds. So...

All right, team, what's up
with the compensators?

Why aren't they working?

They use dilithium
to stabilize the power supply.

And I'm not getting dilithium
signatures from any of them.

They're out of juice.
Captain Burnham?

Got it.
Send DOTs with enough dilithium

to restart the array.

That is a monumentally
shitty idea.

You want to make it easier
for them to catch us?

We have to earn their trust.
More Alshain coming.

If we give you
some covering fire...

Do not fire! We've got this!

No, Michael, we do not.

We're done.
I'm beaming us out.
We can't.

Not every moment is a victory.

Compensator re-initialized,
Captain.

You were saying?
Congratulations.

Now they can shoot
right at us. Can we go now?

You tell me.

Yes.

Yeah. Yeah.

You're welcome.

Captain, the emperor
is hailing us.

Hmm. Thank you,
Lieutenant Christopher.

Put him through.

You did not experience a
pleasant visit, Captain Burnham.

That's one way of putting it.
Then may I inquire,

Why still give us
your dilithium?

Because we're the Federation.

It's what we do.

And if you need anything else,
we're here.

No strings attached.

Well, that was
a hell of a thing.

Thanks, everyone.

All right.

Let's fly.

♪

♪

♪

The Federation's gift

of dilithium can take us back
to the stars.

Or it can benefit our citizens

in their daily lives here
on Kaminar.

The danger
of travel is too great.

And the Burn cannot happen
again,

now that I have left
the dilithium planet.

How can you be sure?
There is always a risk.

We cannot live in fear.
We've waited long enough!

We've gotten through this.

Great Elder, you have yet
to share your own perspective.

We would value your words
immensely.

Su'Kal is correct.

There is no danger
of another Burn.

Science is clear in that regard.

I have marveled
these five months on Kaminar.

Past generations of our species
lived in fear

and hatred.

We live now, together,
in communion.

And while at times
we may struggle,

I believe there is much we can
share with other worlds.

Our-our duty is to our home,
is it not?

If you define Kaminar,
alone, as "home,"

it is, of course.

But consider this.

Here, we live, love,

grow food
in the light of our sun.

Uh, however...

it is not... our sun.

We share it with six other
planets in our solar system.

A system which is one
of many in...

a shared galaxy,

Beyond our galaxy...

space.

In truth,
we are on an island together.

We must ask ourselves,

do we honor
our interconnection,

or do we curl inward

like a leaf pulled
from its tree?

After the Burn,
that is what many chose.

But this is a new era.

Is it not?

If you tell me you made a dress
uniform for Grudge, I'll stay.

Almost, all right? Almost stay.

No, you shouldn't miss your
nephew's Ikhu Zhen ceremony.

A boy only becomes a man once.

But this is a big deal, right?

Starfleet Academy reopening
after 125 years.

You introducing the president.

Which you're not excited about.

Why would you think that?
You got your growly face on.

I don't have a growly face.
Yes, you do.

You get that 11
between your eyebrows.

Mm.

Oh.

President Rillak is using
this moment,

which should be
about the cadets

and the people that fought to
bring the Academy back to life.

She's doing what politicians do.

Don't punch her in the head.

I will do my best.

I'm sorry
Saru's not here to see it.

Yeah, me, too.

It's okay.
He'll come back when he's ready.

Mm.
And I will join you
on Kwejian soon.

You know you got lucky today.

Luck is being ready.
Oh, come on. We weren't ready.

Are you seriously
complimenting yourself

for nearly getting us killed?
It worked, didn't it?

Kind of.
Mm.

See you soon.
Okay.

Be safe.

Captain.

Last year at this time,

Federation Headquarters
was cloaked.

The Federation itself
had 38 member worlds.

Now, we have 59.

And the cloaking shield
is nearly gone.

There's no more need to hide.

Today we reopen
Starfleet Academy

for the first time
since the Burn.

And in this moment, I feel like
anything is possible.

You are tomorrow's ensigns,

lieutenants, commanders

and captains.

And in this new world,

all of you will go
where no one has gone before.

And you will make the path
by traveling it.

And from what I see,

from what I see,

I am honored
to be in your company.

And now, please allow me
to introduce our special guest,

the new president of
the Federation, Laira Rillak.

Thank you, Captain Burnham.

Let me begin by acknowledging

that today would not be possible

without the USS Discovery

and... your crew.

Thanks to your efforts,

we now have a vast supply
of dilithium

we can distribute
to distant worlds,

and we have reestablished
peaceful relations with planets

that-well, they were
antagonizing our members

only five months ago.

It's a lot to live up to.

No pressure.

We are learning

from the mistakes of the past,

developing new technologies

to reduce our collective
dependence on dilithium

and continuing to rebuild
the Federation and Starfleet.

Not that any of you
need the reminder, but

one of Starfleet's
original missions

was scientific exploration.

And now that we are able,

we are embracing that mission
once again.

Cadets, if I may turn
your attention

to the newly-constructed
Archer Space Dock.

Here, our existing fleet
will be upgraded,

and the next generation of
Starfleet vessels constructed.

Vessels that will once again
take us to new worlds,

new civilizations,

places you can't even begin
to imagine right now.

Look up there.

Yeah.
Whoa!
Yeah.

Heard you guys had some fun
with the Alshains.

Yeah. Might have to cover
your shifts more often.

Ah. Don't get too cozy.

I'm only consulting on the Curry
for another two days.

It is a privilege
to be here.

I wish I could
properly thank you all

for everything you left behind.

We appreciate that.

Well, it was our duty,
Madam President.

But still, 930 years
is a long way from home.

From this perspective, can't
really get a sense of the scale.

But later on...

Hmm?

Those cadets-that feels like

one thousand years ago.

Oh.
And yesterday.

Which is was, simultaneously.

Did you know
there are people out there

that don't have to put up
with space-time shenanigans?

I bet they sleep great.

Mm. Good for them.

"Lieutenant" used
to feel so far away.

Is this about Osyraa?

'Cause you deserve
that promotion, Tilly.

You all do.
Oh, I know.

I think, I...

Captain, the admiral needs you.
It's urgent.

This is Commander Nalas
from Deep-Space

Repair Beta Six,
sending a request for help

from any Starfleet vessel
that might hear us.

I'm not sure what happened,

but we just lost
reactor-control thrusters.

Gravitational stability
is also compromised, and...

That's all we got.

How long ago did this happen?
Two hours.

Whatever affected the station
also knocked out

the subspace relays
in the sector.
Solar flare?

Electromagnetic pulse could
have taken all systems offline.

Haven't gotten any reports
of an EMP,

but we'll check it out.
Kwejian is the nearest system.

I'll check and see
if they know anything.
Can Kwejian help?

We can't allow them to wait

for a rescue vessel
to reach them at warp.

Discovery will go right away.

Your mission is to repair
the station systems

and to report back as soon
as you figure out what happened.

Yes, sir.

I'd like to join.

See that spore drive of yours
in action.

Madam President,
safety protocols.

We can't put you at risk, ma'am.

Well, thank you for your
concern, but I can't ask anyone

for a sacrifice I'm not willing
to make myself.

Ma'am, having you aboard
Discovery heightens the danger.

To my crew.

I appreciate your passion,
Captain.

I'll see you on board.

I know that look well enough.

Admiral, she's trying
to prove herself.

She wants to say
she's seen action.

I think
she's ticking off a box.

Captain,
this is a delicate time.

We're all still learning what we
need as we grow the Federation.

I'm pretty sure we don't need
politics as usual.

Well, you may not like
to hear it,

but an adept politician can be
a very powerful tool

when the world feels
upside down.

And the president doesn't need
your permission

to board Discovery.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm...
I'm late for dinner.

Sir?

I'm so glad you were able
to bring your family home.

See you when you get back.

And give Mr. Booker my best.

President Rillak
will be joining us.

Standard protocols apply.

Commander Detmer, take us
to safe range for the jump.

Black alert.
Aye, Captain.

Madam President,
you may want to brace yourself.

The first one can be
disorienting.

I'll be fine.

Flew cargo ships
for my father back in the day.

Okay.

Jump.

Owosekun, do we have

the station?
I'm locked onto it,
but something's wrong.

Onscreen.

What the hell?

What could have done that?

Definitely not a solar flare.
Whatever it was,

the station can't take
that kind of stress much longer.

Neither can its crew.

Yellow Alert. Let's get into it.

Wow.

Kyheem.

So much more beautiful
than I remember.

Can you feel it?

Oh, yeah.

Hello, old friend.

When was the last time
you saw it?

Not since I became
a member of the pack myself.

You do the honors.

The World Root.

Put your hand on it.

The warmth you feel

is a chain of a million hands.

We do this to remember.

We do this because
the universe is unknowable,

but we can know this.

You're now part of a chain
that goes back,

unbroken.

This root system
that reaches all the way

around Kwejian,

it is our heart.

And its sap is in that amulet
your father wears.

Today you'll get your own.

It's something
you never take off.

Why aren't you wearing
yours, Uncle Book?

It's a story
for another day, Leto.
Okay.

The sap of the root...

...and the blood of your family.

Wear this...

carry us

and Kwejian with you...

always.

I'm proud of you, Leto.

Thanks.
You're very welcome.

Go show your friends, go.

Okay.

I'm happy you're here.

Thank you for asking me
to be a part of it

Scans show the station moving
at 720 kilometers per second

with a radial velocity
of 22 degrees per second.

Shields are down with a slight
magnetization of the hull.

Something must've hit them.

Still no response yet, Captain.
Keep hailing the station.

Let me know when you have them.

Commander Owosekun,
pull up the distress call.

Aye, Captain.

This is Commander Nalas
from Deep-Space

Repair Beta Six--
Stop.

Beside him, the window--
magnify that.

Oh... it's extreme lensing.

Two-pi steradian solid angle.

In Federation Standard, please?

Gravitational distortion.
Hit the side of the station,

must've taken out the relay,
as well. Commander Rhys?

I don't see anything
that could've created

a distortion that large.

Keep looking and follow up

with Kwejian,
see if they have anything yet.

Aye, Captain.
Captain,
I have Commander Nalas.

Commander Nalas, I'm Captain
Burnham of the U.S.S. Discovery.

President Rillak is here
with us as well.

Ma'am. It's an honor.

Captain, thank you for coming.

What's your status?

We were hit by something.
I don't know what.

We've got all ten of us
in the main control room.

Life support seems to be gone
everywhere else.

Inertial dampeners are
fluctuating,

artificial gravity is a mess

and our sensors are unreliable.

One of my engineers called it
a "shit-show."

Which is Earth for "bad,"

I'm told.
It is, indeed. How can we help?

Well, I can fix thrusters,
that'll stop the spin.

But our Q-nodes are squiddled

and they need to be replaced.

If you can send engineers

with programmable matter,
we can get on it.

Will do, stand by.

"Squiddled?"

Akoszonam expression.

It means
"destroyed beyond repair."

Tilly, what do you know
about replacing Q-nodes?

I can do it,
but if you want it fast,

Adira grew up using this tech.

Have them come up,
and I want you with them.

Owosekun, can you get
a lock on the station's

control room for transport?

I can get coordinates within
an acceptable margin

of error if Keyla can match
speed and rotation.

What do you mean, "if"?

On your mark.

Aye, Captain.

We're at 20...

First away mission.

Are you nervous?

Um... no.

Fine, maybe.

I just, I mean,
she made me an ensign.

So she has faith in me.

I...

just want to show her
she made the right choice.

You're gonna be great.

And when I incorporate--

How about "get a body"?
Get a body.

And I start kicking ass
doing my own stuff,

I'd expect you to say
the same thing to me.

Yeah, you won't need it.

You're, like, the most
confident person I know.

Besides the captain, maybe.

We are now
in a synchronous orbit, Captain.

Owo should be good to go.

Ensign Tal, are you ready?

Yes. Absolutely.

Yeah, um...
uh, locked and loaded.

You know, signed,
sealed, delivered.

Ready to...

stop talking now.

Good luck.

Both of you.

Welcome
to our gravity nightmare.

Q-nodes are in there.

Uh, I have
the programmable matter.

Oh, hey, whoa!
Please do not touch that!

Sir, we're here at your request.

Right, but it's my station,
my responsibility.

Okay, but, uh, polyhedronic

quantum-data
memory devices are kind of--
Insanely tricky.

And yes, I know what happens
when they're not properly

linked to the multi-phasic
processing unit.

I'm sorry,
I don't mean to be rude.

I'm just trying
to protect my crew.

Okay, let's let,
uh, Commander Nalas

take the lead here
since we're his guests.

Thanks, we got to get
thrusters working first.

I'm working on the primary
processing unit.

You two take the secondary unit.

And-and thank you.

♪

Commander Nalas,
I think we got it.

Initiating full thrusters

in three, two, one.

Captain, can you confirm
that all the thrusters

are currently working?
I can.

Radial velocity's decreased
by 38% and counting.

Nice job. How are life support
and sensors coming?

Just getting started now.
How much longer do you need?

45 minutes, maybe?
You got it.

Captain, we've got incoming.

Debris of some kind.

Commander Owosekun, analysis.

It's frozen methane.

Shields up. Red alert.

Can we extend shields
over the station?

I think so, but it will drain
a lot of power.

Do it. We'll figure it out.

Uh, Captain, what's happening?

The edge of an Oort Cloud--
methane ice.

It must've been carried in
by the gravitational distortion.

Hang tight. How big is it?

Still trying to calculate.

Small stuff was just the front.

The rest is about to hit--
hold on.

How long will shields hold?

15 minutes, if we're lucky.

Lieutenant Tilly,
this is now a rescue mission.

Prepare to beam back
with Adira and the crew.

It's not gonna work from here.
There's too much interference.

Owosekun?

I can't, either, the transport
array isn't responding.

Commander Stamets!

Commander Stamets!
Uh... the impacts caused

a power surge

that, uh, blew out
the Heisenberg compensator.

How long to fix it?

Three hours, minimum.

We don't have that kind of time.

What happened anyway?
Is-is Adira okay?

And Tilly and everyone?

Everyone's fine for now.
Skip the compensator.

Pull whatever power you can
to the shields.

We need time to evacuate them.

On it.

Tilly, can you get everyone

to the station's shuttle bay?

That's on Deck One and-and...

we don't have
EV suits up here.

What about an escape vessel?
Every deck should have one.

They're only meant
for one-way trips.

I can just reprogram it
to return.

So just trust me with this.

Please. I got it.

Make it fast, Ensign.

It's this way.

The-the door is jammed

from the outside.
We can't separate

the vessel from the station.

Okay, then we need
to climb to another deck.

There's no life support.

Sensors are malfunctioning.

Commander Nalas,
I understand that that

seems like an option right now--

It is an option.

It's the only option.

Uh, Captain, we...

we have a problem.

Uh, two, actually--
the de-coupler is jammed

and-and Nalas is
kind of losing it.
Tilly can handle him.

We'll get you all out. Bring
the escape vessel onscreen.

Shield down to 30%.

Commander Nilsson,
how long will it take

our DOTs to remove that debris?

Longer than we have!

Can we get close enough
for a spacewalk?

No, but I-I could take
a worker bee.

That's way too dangerous.
If we lose shields...

Detmer's right, that's our best
shot, but I'll do it.

Rhys, you have the conn.
Are you sure you should be
leaving the ship

during a red alert?

There's no margin for error.

I've logged more advanced EVA
hours than anyone else on board.

That makes me the safest
and the most logical choice.

Does it?

Madam President, are you
questioning my decision?

A question doesn't imply
questioning, Captain.

Whatever happens,
keep those shields up.

Aye, Captain.

♪

You're thinking of Discovery
again, of your friends.

Michael.

I am.

And it does not mean
that I am unhappy here.

It is hard to be away.

As it was hard to leave Kaminar

all those years ago.

One cannot have

all the lives one desires.

A choice

is always necessary.

Then, perhaps.

Kaminar was very different
in your time.

Now...

you can serve the Federation

and remain close to the council.

To me.

I made a promise to you.

And it is my joy
to keep that promise.

I appreciate all you have done.

You're the father I never knew.

And my first

true friend.

But I have other friends now.

Family.

If you...

are staying for me,

you need not.

What of those
who still turn away from you?

Who see you
and think only of the Burn?

There will always be those

who fear what they do not
understand.

But they are fewer now.

Thanks to you.

I'm safe.

I'm loved.

I'm happy.

My heart is here,
but yours can be here

and... out there.

Balance...

is possible.

Is it not?

♪

How long is this going to take?

We just can't keep waiting.

Okay, she's here!

Rhys, you have eyes on that?

We do, Captain.

It's clear of the vessel's
launch trajectory.

Great.

Two pieces left,
grabbing them now.

Captain, do you read?

I'm okay, I'm okay.

Patch me through to engineering.

Stamets, how we doing
on shields?
Um...

holding at 25%.
Yes, I love 25%.

Yeah, well...
...don't celebrate just yet.

I've pulled all the power I can
from the EPS grid.

And, uh, we're maxed out.

No more help is coming.

You saw what happened.

Your captain can't save us.
Now move!

Commander Nalas, no!

I can't allow you take your
crew on a suicide mission.

Okay, please!
Adira, Adira, stay on task.

It's my crew.

And you're leading them
to a very dark place.

Put down the phaser.

Nalas. It's President Rillak.

I know this is a lot,

all of it,
but I am asking you to give

Captain Burnham
a few more minutes.

I am confident
she'll get you out.

All of us want you to see

your beautiful world again,
i-its...

freshwater oceans,
the Fissure of Jorat.

How do you...?

Most Akoszonam don't
even know the Fissure.

Oh, shame.

It's breathtaking, isn't it?
The way the steam explodes

straight out, condensing
into that iridescent mist.

There's nothing else like it
in the cosmos.

I know you want to go home,
Nalas.

All of you do.

Please.

Yes.

Almost there!

Got it! You're clear, Tilly!

Go! We all won't fit
in one trip.

I'll wait with them.

Lieutenant Christopher, open
a channel to the president.

Channel's open, Captain.

Captain Burnham.

Thank you for the assist.

Always happy to be of service.

Out of curiosity, were you
reading his file earlier?

Or have you really been
to the Fissure of Jorat?

It's not curiosity, Captain.

You're wondering
if I lied to him.

Did you?

Does it matter?

Station crew is safely on board.

The escape vessel

is leaving Discovery
for its second run.

Should be back in five minutes.
How much time do we have left?

After that last hit,
four minutes if we're lucky.

When the shields are down,

we'll be exposed.

We could be destroyed.

Captain.

We're not going anywhere.

That was an inspiring speech
you gave

at the Academy,
but everything is not possible.

You cannot defeat
the mathematics of loss.

We have before.
Oh,

so therefore
you're immune to failure?

Are you pulling me
from the chair?

Madam President?

Because if not,
I have a job to do.

You're the captain.

Have you found
what spooked the birds?

I've searched the entire forest.

Nothing out of the ordinary.

Maybe they sensed an earthquake.

Too small for us to feel?

I don't know, Kyheem.

Well, you've been up there
for a while.

Come on back.
It's time for dinner.

These birds.

Take Leto
and get someplace safe.

What is it?
Just do it! Now!

I need to find out
what's happening.

Warning. Proximity alert.
Warning.

Proximity alert.

Kyheem!

The nanosecond this is over,
I'm on the first ship home.

When's the last time
you were back?
Too long.

Living on autopilot, you know?

What about you two? What's next?

Oh, you know. Sleep. Tea.

Bubble bath.

Lieutenant?

Oh, uh...

I don't know, to be honest.

Shuttle has arrived.
Let's go.

Let's go.

We've lost shields.

Is the escape vessel okay?

Aye, Captain.

How much longer?

We'll have the vessel
in five. Four.
Black alert.

Three.
Structure breach
on Deck Eight.

Two. One.
Rerouting DOTs for repair.

They're clear. They're clear!
Jump!

All
medical and emergency personnel

to shuttle bay. Repeat.

All medical and emergency
personnel to shuttle bay.

Adira? Tilly?
We're here! We're here!

We're safe. We're good.
Let me do a scan
for injuries.

Nalas?

Commander Nalas?

I don't understand. We...

made it.
We were... We were safe.

Hugh! Hugh!

Help me!

Hold on! Hold on.
I can't...

We almost got you.

Over here! Over here!

Culber, what's happening?

Is everyone okay?

Come.

Three dead. Four wounded.

And nine who get to go home.

Never gets easier.

Kobayashi Maru.

You're Starfleet?

No.

Just flew cargo for my dad
all over the sector.

Taught me the value
in meeting people

or circumstances where they are.

The test is rigged, you know.

Kobayashi Maru.

They don't tell you that
up front.

So when you fail,

you go back to your quarters,
and all you can think about

is how you want to retake it.

How you can be the one
to beat it.

Then you realize you never will.

Yeah, hence the lesson.

Acceptance. There are things
beyond your control.

As captain, you mitigate that
as much as possible,

but...
I can't mitigate
life and death.

I lead to bring everyone home.

Leadership is about balance.

Knowing what weight
is yours to carry and...

what isn't.

You just don't see that yet.

You didn't come on my ship
to tick a box,

did you?

Well, as you know,
we are developing

some new technologies.

A next-generation spore drive
is among them.

There are still
quite a few hurdles to overcome,

but other technologies,

like the pathway drive
prototype,

have been moving forward nicely.

Plans are to install it
in Voyagerfor testing,

and I am evaluating
my short list for the captaincy.

I suppose I'm no longer on it.

No.

You're not ready.

Define "ready."

Don't misunderstand me, Captain.

You are eminently qualified...

Untested technology's
a different beast, I-I get that.

But please,

define "ready."

The willingness to accept

all potential outcomes
of a command decision

and an ability to make
the hard call regardless.

It's a matter of experience,
really.

Respectfully, ma'am,
Discoveryis my home,

so I wouldn't have accepted
even if you'd offered.

That said,

I don't think I'm out of line

in pointing out
that my experiences

have prepared me
for any kind of captaincy.

Yeah, well, you saved us.

You led your crew to the future.

You deciphered the Burn.

Yes. I did.

Your acts of bravery
are irrefutable.

They are also huge swings
of the pendulum.

And in a time of rebuilding,
there is a very fine line

between a pendulum

and a wrecking ball.

That is quite a strong opinion

for someone who's just met me.

I read the debrief
of your arrival

at Federation Headquarters.

Would you like to know
what it says?

I take it
that's a rhetorical question.

It says a tremendous loss
in your formative years

has left you
with an almost pathological need

to save everyone you can.

I fail to see the negative
in that.

Commanding
from a place of personal need

places others in harm's way.

Today, you were prepared
to sacrifice the many

to save the few.
Everyone could have died.

But they didn't.
One day, they might.

That is precisely
the kind of Pyrrhic victory

Kobayashi Maru
trains you to avoid.

Captain,

Mr. Booker's here.
His ship arrived via autopilot.

Something's wrong.

Pull up Kwejian
on the deep-space array.

What happened?

My ship was hit by something.

The stars.
Everything was warped.

The gravitational distortion.

But Kwejian is light-years away

from that station.
Captain?

I inputted
Kwejian's coordinates, but...

What?

Nothing's there.

You must've done it wrong.

No.

These are the coordinates.

Widen the search radius.

I see something,

but it's hundreds
of thousands of kilometers away.

Pull it up.

They're gone.

They're all gone.

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