Star Trek: Discovery (2017–…): Season 4, Episode 11 - Episode #4.11 - full transcript
Previously
on Star Trek: Discovery...
All those in favor
of peaceful efforts
at first contact,
please raise a hand.
Those in favor of striking
the anomaly, do not.
Why do you care
so much about this?
The power source
that controls the device,
I need it to go home.
We have received word
that the DMA is now days away
from Ni'Var, Titan and Earth.
- What happens now?
- We're fast-tracking
the first contact mission.
Whatever we think we know about
Species Ten-C, we're wrong.
However we think first contact
will go, it won't.
So that's the hyperfield.
There is a planet about
two light-years away from it.
I really think we should
check it out once we get closer.
What do you think we'll find?
I have no idea.
Captain's log,
stardate 865783.7.
We have less than 29 hours
before United Earth and Ni'Var
start getting hit
by debris from the DMA.
29 hours, billions of lives.
Until I figure out how to get us
in front of the Ten-C,
there is nothing we can do
to stop this.
They live inside
of a hyperfield,
and right now I have no idea
how to get in,
what we'll find once we do,
how to communicate with them,
what they even look like.
As a xenoanthropologist, I've
never had less to work with.
And as a captain,
I have never been more afraid.
Our only hope is the dead
planet we're orbiting right now.
It was a gas giant until a
series of massive asteroids hit
and burned the gas away.
Its star is surrounded
by Dyson rings
made from the same rare material
as the DMA controller,
and my gut tells me
there has to be a connection.
That this planet must have been
the Ten-C's home at some point.
And the ruins down there can
tell us how they lived,
what's important to them.
Cultural context,
a way to begin communicating.
If I'm wrong, we'll have no way
to make up the time
we spend down there.
And the DMA will be
that much closer to our homes.
Hey, um, fly good.
You got it.
But if I'm right, and something
we find can help us
connect with the Ten-C,
then maybe we have a shot
at stopping this
before it's too late.
I have to be right.
I have to.
Scan it again.
- There has to be a way in.
- A new scan won't tell us
anything the last dozen hasn't.
Any chance the DMA could be
powered from somewhere else?
No.
We get in, we find the power
source, we shut it down.
Everybody wins.
We just need to get in.
If I know Michael,
she'll find a way
into the hyperfield
before we do.
Kick me while I'm down,
why don't you?
Maybe if we stay cloaked
and keep close to Discovery,
we can slip in behind them.
I'll go one better:
we hitch a ride with Discovery.
There's an animal on Kwejian...
Uh, was an animal.
- The Kowolian nightsprey.
- Mm-hmm.
To survive, it nested
on the back of a jajtspat.
So we attach like a parasite.
Yeah, that's a good idea.
No. Not like a parasite.
The nightsprey takes nothing,
brings no harm.
The jajtspat
can't even tell it's there.
It's a tonal difference,
I get it, but still,
it's probably safe
to assume the jajtspat
didn't have
a sentient supercomputer
monitoring
all of its perimeters.
- You don't seem worried.
- Oh, there's nothing I love
more than a problem to solve.
Okay.
I can create a patch.
It'll numb the sensors
on a section
of Discovery's hull, just big
enough to attach your ship
- without Zora realizing it.
- Like a blind spot.
Well, with Zora's new sentience,
she'll pick up on it eventually,
but with any luck, we'll have
nightspreyed ourselves
into the hyperfield
before that happens.
- There's just one catch.
- I don't like the sound of that.
Well, you're not gonna
like this, either.
Patch has to be
installed manually.
You want to go on board?
No, in fact, that's
the last thing I want to do.
But the access point I need
is in Engineering.
I'm going with you.
I can move faster on my own.
You don't know the ship
half as well as I do.
And what if you see Michael?
One wrong move,
and it's over for both of us.
We're doing this together, okay?
End of story.
Captain.
When we agreed
to survey the planet,
I didn't expect Discovery
would be losing her captain
and her first officer.
Nilsson has the conn;
you are in excellent hands.
I'm sure we are.
And while a xenoanthropologist
is understandably the best
choice to lead this mission,
is Captain Saru's presence
truly necessary?
Mr. Saru can speak
over a hundred languages
and his sensory capabilities
dwarf ours.
He might see something
that I can't.
And every minute
that we spend on that planet,
the DMA is that much closer
to killing billions.
I have to make that time count.
Understood.
What about the others?
Do they understand?
As you said,
a lot at stake here.
Madam President,
General, Doctor.
- I appreciate you seeing us off.
Captain.
I cannot express
a greater need for urgency
than you must already feel.
Please, all of you,
travel safely.
May you find answers,
in whatever form they take,
and quickly.
In other words,
make the trip count;
don't screw it up.
Captain Burnham,
I must voice my dismay
at this decision.
We left delegates behind
because time is of the essence.
On behalf of the citizens
of United Earth,
whose lives are in danger
in this very moment,
I ask that you reconsider,
so that we might better commit
the precious time
that they have left
to actually attempting
to communicate with the Ten-C.
We have much to convey,
and no idea how long
it will take to do so.
I hear you, General.
I do.
Both Earth and Ni'Var
are home to me.
Whatever we might find
down on that planet,
it could cut
our communication time in half.
"Might." "Could."
This is quite the gamble
for so much uncertainty.
I am certain that first contact
will not go well
if we show up to the Ten-C
knowing nothing about them.
I will find something
down there.
I promise.
We ready?
- Aye, Captain.
- Aye, Captain.
Captain Burnham?
Good luck.
♪
♪
♪
Disco Zero Nine to Discovery,
we're about
to enter the ionosphere.
Losing comms from there.
Understood, Commander.
Good luck. Hope you find
what you're looking for.
Protective shielding deployed.
It's good to know
that the laws of physics
still apply outside of
our galaxy.
Hang on. Ride'll smooth out
in a minute.
Scans show
numerous impact craters,
presumably caused
by the asteroids.
Uh, based on the rate
of atmospheric dissipation,
these would have occurred
approximately 1,000 years ago.
Around the time the hyperfield
itself was constructed.
Well, that makes sense.
Given how advanced they are,
the Ten-C would've had some idea
of what was coming
and evacuated beforehand.
Take a look at these ruins.
The way
the buildings have collapsed.
I cannot think of any materials
that could withstand
the extreme pressures
at the core of a gas giant.
It seems rather impossible
for biological entities,
as well.
The Ten-C must've lived
in the gas layers.
But how?
They must be unlike any species
we've ever encountered.
Well, there has to be
something down there
to help us
communicate with them.
Oh, one structure looks
like it's still intact.
Perhaps it was reinforced
in some way?
- But why?
- We're about to find out.
Any life signs?
None whatsoever.
One less thing to worry about.
Oh, well, apologies.
I-I should have clarified.
I do not read any life signs,
including ours.
So we might not be alone.
Make sure they're set to stun.
We're under attack! Take cover!
Oh.
- Mr. Saru. It's okay.
- Breathe.
- Are you all right?
I... I am fine. Just, uh...
disoriented.
- Are you sure?
- I said I am fine, Commander.
It must have been vertigo,
a... a glint of light
coming off of that.
What is that?
If I'm not mistaken,
we're looking at the cusp
of an extremely large bone.
Scans show their shuttle went
all the way down
to the surface.
Discovery's not going anywhere
while part of their crew's gone,
but who knows
how much time that buys us.
These'll camouflage our biosigns
from Zora's sensors.
Listen,
if you're not all-in on this,
you need to level with me
right now.
Because if you lose focus, and
we're still on board Discovery
when that shuttle gets back...
These people--
they've become family to me.
Your conscience,
versus the billions of lives
that are at stake.
You can't have everything.
I know it's complicated,
especially with Michael,
but the lives we're trying
to save include hers,
and everyone else over there,
whether or not they realize it.
- Is that a Kwejian thing?
- No.
I just like having a torso.
On my mark.
Three, two...
- Aah!
- Shh. Hey.
A little more clarity next time.
Seriously?
Engineering's this way.
Let's stay alert.
Dr. Culber,
what are your scans telling you?
Well, it looks like
the bone structure is of
unusually low density.
Before it was fossilized,
it would've been flexible,
almost like cartilage.
Their physiology
was perfectly adapted
for floating in gas layers.
What do you think
all the blue dust is?
It's not soil. It's some kind
of complex hydrocarbon compound.
No idea what, though.
It's...
It's not
in Federation databases.
Check this out.
A mass grave?
The way
they're all gathered, it's...
like they were
bracing themselves.
Scans date these bones
to the same time
as the fragment strikes.
So they didn't all escape.
Even with all their tech.
A full-planet evacuation
was impossible.
It would be for anyone.
We need to get
into that building,
figure out who they are
and how to talk to them.
Let's go.
- Saru?
- Hmm?
What's going on for you?
I apologize, Captain.
I seem to be feeling things
I have not felt
for quite some time.
What are you feeling?
The coming... of death.
Ah, a puzzle.
Altonian?
Ancient Earth.
Dr. Kovich introduced me to it.
Oh.
I need "an act which a person
is bound to complete."
"Mission."
Exactly what I'd like
to discuss, in fact.
"Mission" is seven letters.
This is ten. Fifth letter: "G."
We need to talk
about your bedside manner.
The bluntness with which
you spoke to the captain today
was not entirely appropriate.
And you saw how
it affected General Ndoye.
I am doing everything
in my power
to contain the delegates'
stress and panic.
I need you to help me.
Whether they worry
about tomorrow or not,
it'll arrive all the same.
I'm not sure how we can help
with their lack
of perspective on that.
While I admire your commitment
to the long view,
my concern is for those
who are struggling right now.
They need to feel supported
in order to do their best work.
So, moving forward,
I would like you
to exercise a bit more tact,
starting upon our return
to first contact planning
in ten minutes.
Okay, we're at the mess hall.
If it's empty, we could
drop down and take a shortcut.
- It was worth a shot. Come on.
- Wait.
If I were home,
at least I could be helping
with evacuations
or mounting a defense.
We still have time, General.
Captain Burnham's mission...
Is a waste of that time.
The DMA could destroy both
of our worlds within days.
How can you be so calm?
Ni'Var's emergency protocols
are well defined.
I trust my vice president
is doing everything
according to our plans.
The math doesn't lie.
There are too many.
Most will not be saved.
We are here
to prevent such catastrophe.
This is where
we can best serve our people.
If we act. We could be meeting
with the Ten-C even now,
demanding they turn off
their bloody device.
We cannot communicate
if we know nothing about them.
Opportunities multiply
as they are seized.
We should have gone directly
into the hyperfield.
That was tense.
Let's go.
♪
I thought his extreme
fear response was lost
- after Vahar'ai.
- So did I.
But his cortisol
and adrenaline levels
are dangerously elevated.
See if you can stabilize him.
- I'll continue with Detmer.
- Yes, Captain.
Mr. Saru?
Come on.
Let's get you checked out.
What do you think this was?
Meeting space,
worship area,
maybe an arena.
Community structures are common
in a large variety of cultures.
Maybe we'll find something
that'll tell us.
We're looking
for technology, artifacts,
anything that can provide
cultural context.
Got it.
- Easy there.
Something is wrong here.
Something is causing me
to feel this.
I don't think so.
Our EV suits protect us
from any external elements.
Here.
Do you understand now?
I do.
Deck's empty. We're okay.
Okay.
We're right below Engineering.
Three biosigns.
We have to create a diversion
to pull them away long enough
for me to install the patch.
Once your ship is invisible
to Zora...
What? You're looking at me
like you have something to say.
I have an idea
for a slight change of plans.
- How slight?
- I want to ask General Ndoye
to help us.
Well, that sounds like a great
idea. They put us in the brig.
And I'd prefer
not spend any more years
- under someone else's thumb.
- I know it's a risk.
But if she could give us intel
about Discovery's plans,
we could get right in front
of any issues, adapt.
She voted in support
of our plans at the assembly,
and you heard
what she just said.
She needs this
as much as we do.
Her planet's
running out of time.
I think that she'll see
the best way to stop the DMA
and save lives is
to take control of this.
The shuttle could be back
any minute.
I'll talk fast.
I put in the patch,
you track down Ndoye.
See you back on my ship.
Hey, Book?
Be convincing.
Room's empty, Captain.
No cultural relics.
Nothing on the walls.
I...
Do you want me to take Mr. Saru
back to the shuttle?
I've never seen him like this.
No. Let's see
if Culber can help him.
We don't have any data yet.
I have
to make this mission count.
It's not all on you, Captain.
We're all here to help.
- Captain?
- No.
Stand back.
Stay back!
Captain?
Your biometrics
are elevating rapidly.
- Something's wrong.
- Hallucinations?
What's happening
to Saru is happening to me.
And now, you.
Shadows, lights?
- Screaming.
Our fear responses
are being triggered
to an exceptional degree.
Except Commander Detmer.
Her biosigns
haven't changed at all.
- Yet.
- How is it
that we're experiencing
the same visions?
Something must be affecting
our minds
and causing
these physiological responses.
There's no evidence
of psionic energy or infrasound.
Our suits filter out
environmental factors.
No fluctuations in magnetic
or electrical fields, either.
So whatever's doing this
is doing it some other way.
Five minutes.
We will retrace our steps
and figure out what's going on.
Detmer, you stay back
and keep safe, okay?
This mission comes first.
If we're not able to fix this,
we're gonna need you to go back
to the shuttle
and contact Discovery.
Alone.
Triple-brewed raktajino.
Hot as hell, hold the nutmeg.
You want one?
Mm...
Suit yourself.
Those puppies saved me
on the Hiawatha.
When you have to power through,
nothing beats the bitter elixir
of Klingon warriors.
Oh, that's my head.
There must be something
pretty damn interesting in there
to upstage Klingon warriors.
I'm sorry.
Um, just thinking
about Commander Detmer.
Oh, I see.
When Gray's away...
Okay, no, not like that. I...
I just,
uh, sometimes wish that I could
be a little bit more like her.
Confident and, um,
you know, able to go
on a mission without worrying
about all of the ways
that I could screw it up.
I think it's pretty safe
to assume that everyone,
no matter what calm veneer
they present,
is kind of a mess.
I've just never seen her flinch.
You know, she's always really
got it together.
Ask her how she was
after we flew out
of a wormhole and crashed.
No one's always okay, kid.
It takes a hell of a lot
of strength
to admit when you're not.
Which, I guess makes Detmer,
in fact, the shit.
If you admire her so much,
why don't you get to know her?
Have you ever had
a conversation?
Not, like,
just us in the same...
I-I wouldn't really know
how to... how to start that.
Pro tip--
don't start with
"I want to be you."
It's kind of creepy.
You'll figure it out.
Well, Saru was touching my arm
right before it happened.
But neither of us were
touching Captain Burnham
when she became affected.
And-and I was outside
when the symptoms hit.
And you and the captain
were inside.
Could our suits be
malfunctioning?
Detmer, are your settings
any different than ours?
- No. They're all the same.
There's no reason
I should be fine.
This doesn't make any sense.
Is there any chance...
...it could be the dust?
There-there was a patch
of ground, unstable.
I recall stepping through it
just before
the hallucinations began.
It was filled with dust.
Yes, and I... I knelt in it
when I was treating you.
And I touched it when I was
examining the trichome.
And I haven't come
into direct contact with it.
Okay.
The hydrocarbons
that you analyzed earlier--
they weren't found in any
of the Federation databases.
So maybe our suits wouldn't
know how to block them.
An unknown substance
could get through
if its structure was
unusual enough.
Here, let me recalibrate
the programmable-matter
filtering system.
There.
So glad you were paying
attention in those EV trainings.
Mr. Saru,
your respiration
is still somewhat elevated.
Oh, I'm all right, Doctor.
It is just...
I had forgot
the sensation of fear.
Brings back... memories.
It is nothing.
It'll... it'll pass.
But I must say,
Commander Detmer,
you remained remarkably calm as
we struggled with the unknown.
PTSD therapy came in handy.
Plus, the way I grew up.
I'm sort of
the queen of putting things
in boxes.
Take a look at this.
Think I got something.
Through the archway.
Look at that.
It appears the Ten-C left
something behind after all.
Let's go find out what.
Shield upgrade means increasing
nominal system output.
You get that, right?
- Of course, Commander.
- Yes, Commander.
Commander Reno,
I require some assistance.
I live to serve.
What do you need?
The deck six tech-hub replicator
is malfunctioning.
- What? I was just there.
- I'm receiving similar reports
from decks two and three.
And just now,
on deck five, it started
making steamed bananas.
Okay, every word
of that is bad news.
Get moving. If we lose
replicators out here,
we starve to death.
No pressure.
President T'Rina?
You wished to speak further.
Hello?
President T'Rina?
That message was from you?
I need you to listen.
How the hell are you even here?
My ship is nearby, cloaked.
And this is blocking
Zora's sensors for the moment,
- but we don't have much time.
- Give me one reason
why I shouldn't
call security right now.
Because I'm here to help, but
to do that, I need your help.
Two minutes.
That's all I ask.
United Earth is now in the path
of a more powerful DMA,
thanks to you.
If we succeeded, you and your
home would be safe right now.
Everyone would be.
That was my goal then,
it's my goal now.
You have one minute left.
I've lost my home.
You're about to lose yours.
I know what it's like to feel
there's nothing you can do,
when all you want
to do is take action.
We can, General.
We can end the DMA for good.
If you have a plan,
I'll need every detail.
Right now, one of Discovery's
shuttles is down on that planet.
They're looking for something to
help with first contact, right?
That was the intent.
Is it Michael down there?
She'll get what they need.
Once she does,
my ship will enter
into the hyperfield attached
to Discovery.
Tarka will find the DMA's
power source and disable it.
That'll stop the DMA.
Earth will be safe.
If you believe so firmly
in Captain Burnham's abilities,
why not simply trust
that first contact will succeed?
I have faith in Michael,
not the Ten-C.
I can't let the lives
of billions of people hang
on a hope that they'll be
sympathetic. Can you?
How do I fit into all of this?
Stay in contact. That's it.
Tell us what she's planning
so we can do what we need to do
without putting Discovery
or anyone on it at risk.
What you're asking already
involves significant risk.
So I must insist
that it be a backup plan only.
You need
to give diplomacy time to work.
If the Ten-C capitulate before
United Earth is in the red zone,
you and Mr. Tarka
must stand down.
You have my word on that,
General. Do I have yours?
It can't be coincidence
that you all had
the same hallucinations.
It's not. Somehow
the hydrocarbons let us see
and hear what they did,
what it was like
when their planet was destroyed.
How is that even possible?
I don't know yet.
I may have something.
Mr. Saru?
Uh, this hydrocarbon
is markedly different
than the variety
we initially encountered.
I fail to see why
that should be the case.
Captain, over here.
These pillars contain traces of
what I presume is their DNA--
it matches the bones outside--
but based on the differences
in methylation profiles,
the DNA inside of here
would have belonged to infants.
This must be a cocoon
of some kind.
This room was a nursery.
That must be why
the structure was reinforced--
to protect their young.
Which means these beings
prioritize children.
They value life.
Cultural context.
I wonder...
Monitor my biosigns.
What... what are you doing?
I'm gonna let it in.
It feels like love.
It's peaceful.
It feels...
safe.
I remember feeling this
with my parents.
Commander,
are you all right?
Yeah, I've just never felt...
My dad.
He wasn't well.
There was a disconnect
between him and reality.
After my mom died,
it was just
the two of us, so...
Oh, Detmer.
I, too,
am a stranger
to some of these feelings.
I do not believe I knew
an easy breath on Kaminar.
I was ashamed
when I felt afraid again today.
But I was not alone.
Neither are you.
We're feeling love
and safety here in the nursery,
but outside,
where so many of them died,
we experienced panic and fear,
like they must have.
I mean, Kelpien
and human biology
are significantly different,
but these hydrocarbons are
affecting us almost identically.
Maybe some emotions
are universal.
If true, that would connect us
all in quite a profound way.
But I do not yet see
how we might make use
of this for first contact.
Neither do I.
But there is something here.
Let's reset our EV suit filters,
finish scans
and get some samples.
We can talk while we work.
We've got to get back
to Discovery.
Installing the patch now.
Hull sensors will go numb
in five.
What's your status with Ndoye?
We're good.
I'll fill you in
when we're back on board.
There must be some reason
for the malfunction.
Got to go.
It almost feels
deliberate.
What kind of idiot would
pull a practical joke
in the middle
of an existential threat?
I don't know.
Well, then, get off comms
and get me an answer.
Aye, Commander.
Who's here?
If someone's screwing around,
today is not the day.
Please tell me
I just spoiled a surprise party.
Okay, we know
the hydrocarbons
convey different emotions.
But how? And why?
Well, a number of chemicals
correspond to emotional states.
Norepinephrine,
serotonin, dopamine.
And there are also
numerous species
whose means of expression
are entirely chemical.
Uh, for instance,
the Plim of Asp 27 communicate
by changing the scent
of their breath.
Chemicals in the air.
But you have
to be with someone.
Is there a chemical
for not with someone?
Like, when I was a kid,
I didn't need to be
in the same room as my dad
to know
that he was in a dark place.
I could just... feel it.
A lot of Earth species-- uh,
bees, wolves-- use pheromones.
Which are often
hydrocarbon chains.
Maybe these hydrocarbons are
the pheromones of the Ten-C.
A way for them
to communicate with one another.
Hmm.
What if...
this is our Rosetta stone?
Are you are referring
to the ancient Earth artifact?
It provided context
that was crucial
to deciphering
Egyptian hieroglyphs.
No one could understand them
before that.
And you think these hydrocarbons
can do that for us?
Help us find a way
to communicate with the Ten-C?
Their emotions tell a story,
give us context.
Well, we need more pieces
to the puzzle, but,
yeah, I think
that's exactly what they can do.
Nice work, all of you.
This is what we came for.
Let's get this back to the team.
Disco Zero Nine to Discovery,
we're back in comms range
and on our way home.
Glad to hear it, Commander.
See you all soon.
Captain?
Back in the nursery, I...
I just want to apologize
for letting my personal issues
compromise the...
If you finish that sentence,
I will demote you to ensign.
It's okay to not be in control
for five minutes.
For as much as we would like
to bury certain emotions,
perhaps it is...
freeing to acknowledge
that we would not be who we are
had we not experienced
all that we did.
Maybe that's why the Ten-C
created the hyperfield--
to protect themselves.
So they would never again have
to experience that kind
of fear and pain.
The thing I can't reconcile is,
they understand
what it's like to have
their home destroyed, and
now they're doing the same
to us.
If they can feel,
they can connect.
If we can make them aware
of what the DMA is doing,
we have every reason to believe
that they'll stop it.
I regret to say, Doctor, it is
equally possible
that they already know
and simply do not care.
We sent DOTs down
to the planet's surface
to scan for more
of the hydrocarbons.
They recovered 16
unique compounds,
including the two
that you interacted with today.
We've begun testing.
Initial results indicate
that each corresponds with
a different emotional state.
Fascinating.
Of course, the Rosetta stone
required two languages
to understand the third.
However, uh,
this is still an excellent
starting point
for communication.
Good job.
Well done.
Nice work, Captain.
And Mr. Saru.
I'll have my crew set course
for the hyperfield immediately.
Mr. Saru,
if you could use a moment
of respite
after the challenges of the day,
you are welcome to join me
for a stroll on the holodeck.
I would enjoy that immensely.
DMA hits in 25 hours.
Take whoever you need to assist
with testing the chemicals.
This data, Captain,
changes everything.
For the first time
in a long time,
I feel hope.
Like we can really do this.
We can really find a way
to communicate with them.
Thank you.
It was all of us.
And it will continue to be,
moving forward.
So, thank you.
General Ndoye?
What is it?
It was good to see her.
Thank you for letting me know
she was back.
You're welcome.
Hi.
I heard about the hydrocarbons.
Game changer.
- Yeah, I'm glad.
So, how-how are you doing?
It was... a tough day.
Good, but tough.
If you want to be alone,
that-that's totally cool.
I just, um, thought maybe
if you... if you wanted company,
I was just gonna hang
around here for a little bit.
Company sounds good.
Okay. Um...
All right.
Oh, by the way, um,
I did fly good today,
so thank you for that.
Yes. We maybe
just don't even ever have
to mention that,
like, ever again.
Or we could mention it every day
for the rest of your life.
- Okay.
- Good.
You asked to see me?
Please sit.
Is this mavi?
It tastes like home.
I'm glad
the replicator got it right.
I saw you lingering
in the nursery.
When we were leaving.
It was nice.
To feel
those few moments of peace...
I just wished I could
stay in that a little longer.
You know, a while ago, uh,
Dr. Kovich told me
to take some time for myself,
and I've tried... but, uh...
...it seems
I've got deeper work to do.
I'm not okay.
How could you be,
with everything you're facing?
I mean, with everything
we're facing,
I don't think anyone is okay.
I keep thinking
about how we felt
what the Ten-C felt today.
Their fear, their love.
And they destroyed Kwejian
and Radvek Five.
Sometimes empathy
can be uncomfortable.
And it's the only way
to connect,
to find common ground
for communication.
What if Saru was right?
What if they know
what they've done,
and they don't care?
I mean, how do we connect
with a species like that?
We'll find a way.
The patch worked like a charm.
We're attached to the hull,
and Zora's sensors
don't have a clue.
Well done.
Got some news about the mission
to their planet.
- They're hoping to strike.
Nothing like coming home
to an unexpected hostage.
Am I right?
on Star Trek: Discovery...
All those in favor
of peaceful efforts
at first contact,
please raise a hand.
Those in favor of striking
the anomaly, do not.
Why do you care
so much about this?
The power source
that controls the device,
I need it to go home.
We have received word
that the DMA is now days away
from Ni'Var, Titan and Earth.
- What happens now?
- We're fast-tracking
the first contact mission.
Whatever we think we know about
Species Ten-C, we're wrong.
However we think first contact
will go, it won't.
So that's the hyperfield.
There is a planet about
two light-years away from it.
I really think we should
check it out once we get closer.
What do you think we'll find?
I have no idea.
Captain's log,
stardate 865783.7.
We have less than 29 hours
before United Earth and Ni'Var
start getting hit
by debris from the DMA.
29 hours, billions of lives.
Until I figure out how to get us
in front of the Ten-C,
there is nothing we can do
to stop this.
They live inside
of a hyperfield,
and right now I have no idea
how to get in,
what we'll find once we do,
how to communicate with them,
what they even look like.
As a xenoanthropologist, I've
never had less to work with.
And as a captain,
I have never been more afraid.
Our only hope is the dead
planet we're orbiting right now.
It was a gas giant until a
series of massive asteroids hit
and burned the gas away.
Its star is surrounded
by Dyson rings
made from the same rare material
as the DMA controller,
and my gut tells me
there has to be a connection.
That this planet must have been
the Ten-C's home at some point.
And the ruins down there can
tell us how they lived,
what's important to them.
Cultural context,
a way to begin communicating.
If I'm wrong, we'll have no way
to make up the time
we spend down there.
And the DMA will be
that much closer to our homes.
Hey, um, fly good.
You got it.
But if I'm right, and something
we find can help us
connect with the Ten-C,
then maybe we have a shot
at stopping this
before it's too late.
I have to be right.
I have to.
Scan it again.
- There has to be a way in.
- A new scan won't tell us
anything the last dozen hasn't.
Any chance the DMA could be
powered from somewhere else?
No.
We get in, we find the power
source, we shut it down.
Everybody wins.
We just need to get in.
If I know Michael,
she'll find a way
into the hyperfield
before we do.
Kick me while I'm down,
why don't you?
Maybe if we stay cloaked
and keep close to Discovery,
we can slip in behind them.
I'll go one better:
we hitch a ride with Discovery.
There's an animal on Kwejian...
Uh, was an animal.
- The Kowolian nightsprey.
- Mm-hmm.
To survive, it nested
on the back of a jajtspat.
So we attach like a parasite.
Yeah, that's a good idea.
No. Not like a parasite.
The nightsprey takes nothing,
brings no harm.
The jajtspat
can't even tell it's there.
It's a tonal difference,
I get it, but still,
it's probably safe
to assume the jajtspat
didn't have
a sentient supercomputer
monitoring
all of its perimeters.
- You don't seem worried.
- Oh, there's nothing I love
more than a problem to solve.
Okay.
I can create a patch.
It'll numb the sensors
on a section
of Discovery's hull, just big
enough to attach your ship
- without Zora realizing it.
- Like a blind spot.
Well, with Zora's new sentience,
she'll pick up on it eventually,
but with any luck, we'll have
nightspreyed ourselves
into the hyperfield
before that happens.
- There's just one catch.
- I don't like the sound of that.
Well, you're not gonna
like this, either.
Patch has to be
installed manually.
You want to go on board?
No, in fact, that's
the last thing I want to do.
But the access point I need
is in Engineering.
I'm going with you.
I can move faster on my own.
You don't know the ship
half as well as I do.
And what if you see Michael?
One wrong move,
and it's over for both of us.
We're doing this together, okay?
End of story.
Captain.
When we agreed
to survey the planet,
I didn't expect Discovery
would be losing her captain
and her first officer.
Nilsson has the conn;
you are in excellent hands.
I'm sure we are.
And while a xenoanthropologist
is understandably the best
choice to lead this mission,
is Captain Saru's presence
truly necessary?
Mr. Saru can speak
over a hundred languages
and his sensory capabilities
dwarf ours.
He might see something
that I can't.
And every minute
that we spend on that planet,
the DMA is that much closer
to killing billions.
I have to make that time count.
Understood.
What about the others?
Do they understand?
As you said,
a lot at stake here.
Madam President,
General, Doctor.
- I appreciate you seeing us off.
Captain.
I cannot express
a greater need for urgency
than you must already feel.
Please, all of you,
travel safely.
May you find answers,
in whatever form they take,
and quickly.
In other words,
make the trip count;
don't screw it up.
Captain Burnham,
I must voice my dismay
at this decision.
We left delegates behind
because time is of the essence.
On behalf of the citizens
of United Earth,
whose lives are in danger
in this very moment,
I ask that you reconsider,
so that we might better commit
the precious time
that they have left
to actually attempting
to communicate with the Ten-C.
We have much to convey,
and no idea how long
it will take to do so.
I hear you, General.
I do.
Both Earth and Ni'Var
are home to me.
Whatever we might find
down on that planet,
it could cut
our communication time in half.
"Might." "Could."
This is quite the gamble
for so much uncertainty.
I am certain that first contact
will not go well
if we show up to the Ten-C
knowing nothing about them.
I will find something
down there.
I promise.
We ready?
- Aye, Captain.
- Aye, Captain.
Captain Burnham?
Good luck.
♪
♪
♪
Disco Zero Nine to Discovery,
we're about
to enter the ionosphere.
Losing comms from there.
Understood, Commander.
Good luck. Hope you find
what you're looking for.
Protective shielding deployed.
It's good to know
that the laws of physics
still apply outside of
our galaxy.
Hang on. Ride'll smooth out
in a minute.
Scans show
numerous impact craters,
presumably caused
by the asteroids.
Uh, based on the rate
of atmospheric dissipation,
these would have occurred
approximately 1,000 years ago.
Around the time the hyperfield
itself was constructed.
Well, that makes sense.
Given how advanced they are,
the Ten-C would've had some idea
of what was coming
and evacuated beforehand.
Take a look at these ruins.
The way
the buildings have collapsed.
I cannot think of any materials
that could withstand
the extreme pressures
at the core of a gas giant.
It seems rather impossible
for biological entities,
as well.
The Ten-C must've lived
in the gas layers.
But how?
They must be unlike any species
we've ever encountered.
Well, there has to be
something down there
to help us
communicate with them.
Oh, one structure looks
like it's still intact.
Perhaps it was reinforced
in some way?
- But why?
- We're about to find out.
Any life signs?
None whatsoever.
One less thing to worry about.
Oh, well, apologies.
I-I should have clarified.
I do not read any life signs,
including ours.
So we might not be alone.
Make sure they're set to stun.
We're under attack! Take cover!
Oh.
- Mr. Saru. It's okay.
- Breathe.
- Are you all right?
I... I am fine. Just, uh...
disoriented.
- Are you sure?
- I said I am fine, Commander.
It must have been vertigo,
a... a glint of light
coming off of that.
What is that?
If I'm not mistaken,
we're looking at the cusp
of an extremely large bone.
Scans show their shuttle went
all the way down
to the surface.
Discovery's not going anywhere
while part of their crew's gone,
but who knows
how much time that buys us.
These'll camouflage our biosigns
from Zora's sensors.
Listen,
if you're not all-in on this,
you need to level with me
right now.
Because if you lose focus, and
we're still on board Discovery
when that shuttle gets back...
These people--
they've become family to me.
Your conscience,
versus the billions of lives
that are at stake.
You can't have everything.
I know it's complicated,
especially with Michael,
but the lives we're trying
to save include hers,
and everyone else over there,
whether or not they realize it.
- Is that a Kwejian thing?
- No.
I just like having a torso.
On my mark.
Three, two...
- Aah!
- Shh. Hey.
A little more clarity next time.
Seriously?
Engineering's this way.
Let's stay alert.
Dr. Culber,
what are your scans telling you?
Well, it looks like
the bone structure is of
unusually low density.
Before it was fossilized,
it would've been flexible,
almost like cartilage.
Their physiology
was perfectly adapted
for floating in gas layers.
What do you think
all the blue dust is?
It's not soil. It's some kind
of complex hydrocarbon compound.
No idea what, though.
It's...
It's not
in Federation databases.
Check this out.
A mass grave?
The way
they're all gathered, it's...
like they were
bracing themselves.
Scans date these bones
to the same time
as the fragment strikes.
So they didn't all escape.
Even with all their tech.
A full-planet evacuation
was impossible.
It would be for anyone.
We need to get
into that building,
figure out who they are
and how to talk to them.
Let's go.
- Saru?
- Hmm?
What's going on for you?
I apologize, Captain.
I seem to be feeling things
I have not felt
for quite some time.
What are you feeling?
The coming... of death.
Ah, a puzzle.
Altonian?
Ancient Earth.
Dr. Kovich introduced me to it.
Oh.
I need "an act which a person
is bound to complete."
"Mission."
Exactly what I'd like
to discuss, in fact.
"Mission" is seven letters.
This is ten. Fifth letter: "G."
We need to talk
about your bedside manner.
The bluntness with which
you spoke to the captain today
was not entirely appropriate.
And you saw how
it affected General Ndoye.
I am doing everything
in my power
to contain the delegates'
stress and panic.
I need you to help me.
Whether they worry
about tomorrow or not,
it'll arrive all the same.
I'm not sure how we can help
with their lack
of perspective on that.
While I admire your commitment
to the long view,
my concern is for those
who are struggling right now.
They need to feel supported
in order to do their best work.
So, moving forward,
I would like you
to exercise a bit more tact,
starting upon our return
to first contact planning
in ten minutes.
Okay, we're at the mess hall.
If it's empty, we could
drop down and take a shortcut.
- It was worth a shot. Come on.
- Wait.
If I were home,
at least I could be helping
with evacuations
or mounting a defense.
We still have time, General.
Captain Burnham's mission...
Is a waste of that time.
The DMA could destroy both
of our worlds within days.
How can you be so calm?
Ni'Var's emergency protocols
are well defined.
I trust my vice president
is doing everything
according to our plans.
The math doesn't lie.
There are too many.
Most will not be saved.
We are here
to prevent such catastrophe.
This is where
we can best serve our people.
If we act. We could be meeting
with the Ten-C even now,
demanding they turn off
their bloody device.
We cannot communicate
if we know nothing about them.
Opportunities multiply
as they are seized.
We should have gone directly
into the hyperfield.
That was tense.
Let's go.
♪
I thought his extreme
fear response was lost
- after Vahar'ai.
- So did I.
But his cortisol
and adrenaline levels
are dangerously elevated.
See if you can stabilize him.
- I'll continue with Detmer.
- Yes, Captain.
Mr. Saru?
Come on.
Let's get you checked out.
What do you think this was?
Meeting space,
worship area,
maybe an arena.
Community structures are common
in a large variety of cultures.
Maybe we'll find something
that'll tell us.
We're looking
for technology, artifacts,
anything that can provide
cultural context.
Got it.
- Easy there.
Something is wrong here.
Something is causing me
to feel this.
I don't think so.
Our EV suits protect us
from any external elements.
Here.
Do you understand now?
I do.
Deck's empty. We're okay.
Okay.
We're right below Engineering.
Three biosigns.
We have to create a diversion
to pull them away long enough
for me to install the patch.
Once your ship is invisible
to Zora...
What? You're looking at me
like you have something to say.
I have an idea
for a slight change of plans.
- How slight?
- I want to ask General Ndoye
to help us.
Well, that sounds like a great
idea. They put us in the brig.
And I'd prefer
not spend any more years
- under someone else's thumb.
- I know it's a risk.
But if she could give us intel
about Discovery's plans,
we could get right in front
of any issues, adapt.
She voted in support
of our plans at the assembly,
and you heard
what she just said.
She needs this
as much as we do.
Her planet's
running out of time.
I think that she'll see
the best way to stop the DMA
and save lives is
to take control of this.
The shuttle could be back
any minute.
I'll talk fast.
I put in the patch,
you track down Ndoye.
See you back on my ship.
Hey, Book?
Be convincing.
Room's empty, Captain.
No cultural relics.
Nothing on the walls.
I...
Do you want me to take Mr. Saru
back to the shuttle?
I've never seen him like this.
No. Let's see
if Culber can help him.
We don't have any data yet.
I have
to make this mission count.
It's not all on you, Captain.
We're all here to help.
- Captain?
- No.
Stand back.
Stay back!
Captain?
Your biometrics
are elevating rapidly.
- Something's wrong.
- Hallucinations?
What's happening
to Saru is happening to me.
And now, you.
Shadows, lights?
- Screaming.
Our fear responses
are being triggered
to an exceptional degree.
Except Commander Detmer.
Her biosigns
haven't changed at all.
- Yet.
- How is it
that we're experiencing
the same visions?
Something must be affecting
our minds
and causing
these physiological responses.
There's no evidence
of psionic energy or infrasound.
Our suits filter out
environmental factors.
No fluctuations in magnetic
or electrical fields, either.
So whatever's doing this
is doing it some other way.
Five minutes.
We will retrace our steps
and figure out what's going on.
Detmer, you stay back
and keep safe, okay?
This mission comes first.
If we're not able to fix this,
we're gonna need you to go back
to the shuttle
and contact Discovery.
Alone.
Triple-brewed raktajino.
Hot as hell, hold the nutmeg.
You want one?
Mm...
Suit yourself.
Those puppies saved me
on the Hiawatha.
When you have to power through,
nothing beats the bitter elixir
of Klingon warriors.
Oh, that's my head.
There must be something
pretty damn interesting in there
to upstage Klingon warriors.
I'm sorry.
Um, just thinking
about Commander Detmer.
Oh, I see.
When Gray's away...
Okay, no, not like that. I...
I just,
uh, sometimes wish that I could
be a little bit more like her.
Confident and, um,
you know, able to go
on a mission without worrying
about all of the ways
that I could screw it up.
I think it's pretty safe
to assume that everyone,
no matter what calm veneer
they present,
is kind of a mess.
I've just never seen her flinch.
You know, she's always really
got it together.
Ask her how she was
after we flew out
of a wormhole and crashed.
No one's always okay, kid.
It takes a hell of a lot
of strength
to admit when you're not.
Which, I guess makes Detmer,
in fact, the shit.
If you admire her so much,
why don't you get to know her?
Have you ever had
a conversation?
Not, like,
just us in the same...
I-I wouldn't really know
how to... how to start that.
Pro tip--
don't start with
"I want to be you."
It's kind of creepy.
You'll figure it out.
Well, Saru was touching my arm
right before it happened.
But neither of us were
touching Captain Burnham
when she became affected.
And-and I was outside
when the symptoms hit.
And you and the captain
were inside.
Could our suits be
malfunctioning?
Detmer, are your settings
any different than ours?
- No. They're all the same.
There's no reason
I should be fine.
This doesn't make any sense.
Is there any chance...
...it could be the dust?
There-there was a patch
of ground, unstable.
I recall stepping through it
just before
the hallucinations began.
It was filled with dust.
Yes, and I... I knelt in it
when I was treating you.
And I touched it when I was
examining the trichome.
And I haven't come
into direct contact with it.
Okay.
The hydrocarbons
that you analyzed earlier--
they weren't found in any
of the Federation databases.
So maybe our suits wouldn't
know how to block them.
An unknown substance
could get through
if its structure was
unusual enough.
Here, let me recalibrate
the programmable-matter
filtering system.
There.
So glad you were paying
attention in those EV trainings.
Mr. Saru,
your respiration
is still somewhat elevated.
Oh, I'm all right, Doctor.
It is just...
I had forgot
the sensation of fear.
Brings back... memories.
It is nothing.
It'll... it'll pass.
But I must say,
Commander Detmer,
you remained remarkably calm as
we struggled with the unknown.
PTSD therapy came in handy.
Plus, the way I grew up.
I'm sort of
the queen of putting things
in boxes.
Take a look at this.
Think I got something.
Through the archway.
Look at that.
It appears the Ten-C left
something behind after all.
Let's go find out what.
Shield upgrade means increasing
nominal system output.
You get that, right?
- Of course, Commander.
- Yes, Commander.
Commander Reno,
I require some assistance.
I live to serve.
What do you need?
The deck six tech-hub replicator
is malfunctioning.
- What? I was just there.
- I'm receiving similar reports
from decks two and three.
And just now,
on deck five, it started
making steamed bananas.
Okay, every word
of that is bad news.
Get moving. If we lose
replicators out here,
we starve to death.
No pressure.
President T'Rina?
You wished to speak further.
Hello?
President T'Rina?
That message was from you?
I need you to listen.
How the hell are you even here?
My ship is nearby, cloaked.
And this is blocking
Zora's sensors for the moment,
- but we don't have much time.
- Give me one reason
why I shouldn't
call security right now.
Because I'm here to help, but
to do that, I need your help.
Two minutes.
That's all I ask.
United Earth is now in the path
of a more powerful DMA,
thanks to you.
If we succeeded, you and your
home would be safe right now.
Everyone would be.
That was my goal then,
it's my goal now.
You have one minute left.
I've lost my home.
You're about to lose yours.
I know what it's like to feel
there's nothing you can do,
when all you want
to do is take action.
We can, General.
We can end the DMA for good.
If you have a plan,
I'll need every detail.
Right now, one of Discovery's
shuttles is down on that planet.
They're looking for something to
help with first contact, right?
That was the intent.
Is it Michael down there?
She'll get what they need.
Once she does,
my ship will enter
into the hyperfield attached
to Discovery.
Tarka will find the DMA's
power source and disable it.
That'll stop the DMA.
Earth will be safe.
If you believe so firmly
in Captain Burnham's abilities,
why not simply trust
that first contact will succeed?
I have faith in Michael,
not the Ten-C.
I can't let the lives
of billions of people hang
on a hope that they'll be
sympathetic. Can you?
How do I fit into all of this?
Stay in contact. That's it.
Tell us what she's planning
so we can do what we need to do
without putting Discovery
or anyone on it at risk.
What you're asking already
involves significant risk.
So I must insist
that it be a backup plan only.
You need
to give diplomacy time to work.
If the Ten-C capitulate before
United Earth is in the red zone,
you and Mr. Tarka
must stand down.
You have my word on that,
General. Do I have yours?
It can't be coincidence
that you all had
the same hallucinations.
It's not. Somehow
the hydrocarbons let us see
and hear what they did,
what it was like
when their planet was destroyed.
How is that even possible?
I don't know yet.
I may have something.
Mr. Saru?
Uh, this hydrocarbon
is markedly different
than the variety
we initially encountered.
I fail to see why
that should be the case.
Captain, over here.
These pillars contain traces of
what I presume is their DNA--
it matches the bones outside--
but based on the differences
in methylation profiles,
the DNA inside of here
would have belonged to infants.
This must be a cocoon
of some kind.
This room was a nursery.
That must be why
the structure was reinforced--
to protect their young.
Which means these beings
prioritize children.
They value life.
Cultural context.
I wonder...
Monitor my biosigns.
What... what are you doing?
I'm gonna let it in.
It feels like love.
It's peaceful.
It feels...
safe.
I remember feeling this
with my parents.
Commander,
are you all right?
Yeah, I've just never felt...
My dad.
He wasn't well.
There was a disconnect
between him and reality.
After my mom died,
it was just
the two of us, so...
Oh, Detmer.
I, too,
am a stranger
to some of these feelings.
I do not believe I knew
an easy breath on Kaminar.
I was ashamed
when I felt afraid again today.
But I was not alone.
Neither are you.
We're feeling love
and safety here in the nursery,
but outside,
where so many of them died,
we experienced panic and fear,
like they must have.
I mean, Kelpien
and human biology
are significantly different,
but these hydrocarbons are
affecting us almost identically.
Maybe some emotions
are universal.
If true, that would connect us
all in quite a profound way.
But I do not yet see
how we might make use
of this for first contact.
Neither do I.
But there is something here.
Let's reset our EV suit filters,
finish scans
and get some samples.
We can talk while we work.
We've got to get back
to Discovery.
Installing the patch now.
Hull sensors will go numb
in five.
What's your status with Ndoye?
We're good.
I'll fill you in
when we're back on board.
There must be some reason
for the malfunction.
Got to go.
It almost feels
deliberate.
What kind of idiot would
pull a practical joke
in the middle
of an existential threat?
I don't know.
Well, then, get off comms
and get me an answer.
Aye, Commander.
Who's here?
If someone's screwing around,
today is not the day.
Please tell me
I just spoiled a surprise party.
Okay, we know
the hydrocarbons
convey different emotions.
But how? And why?
Well, a number of chemicals
correspond to emotional states.
Norepinephrine,
serotonin, dopamine.
And there are also
numerous species
whose means of expression
are entirely chemical.
Uh, for instance,
the Plim of Asp 27 communicate
by changing the scent
of their breath.
Chemicals in the air.
But you have
to be with someone.
Is there a chemical
for not with someone?
Like, when I was a kid,
I didn't need to be
in the same room as my dad
to know
that he was in a dark place.
I could just... feel it.
A lot of Earth species-- uh,
bees, wolves-- use pheromones.
Which are often
hydrocarbon chains.
Maybe these hydrocarbons are
the pheromones of the Ten-C.
A way for them
to communicate with one another.
Hmm.
What if...
this is our Rosetta stone?
Are you are referring
to the ancient Earth artifact?
It provided context
that was crucial
to deciphering
Egyptian hieroglyphs.
No one could understand them
before that.
And you think these hydrocarbons
can do that for us?
Help us find a way
to communicate with the Ten-C?
Their emotions tell a story,
give us context.
Well, we need more pieces
to the puzzle, but,
yeah, I think
that's exactly what they can do.
Nice work, all of you.
This is what we came for.
Let's get this back to the team.
Disco Zero Nine to Discovery,
we're back in comms range
and on our way home.
Glad to hear it, Commander.
See you all soon.
Captain?
Back in the nursery, I...
I just want to apologize
for letting my personal issues
compromise the...
If you finish that sentence,
I will demote you to ensign.
It's okay to not be in control
for five minutes.
For as much as we would like
to bury certain emotions,
perhaps it is...
freeing to acknowledge
that we would not be who we are
had we not experienced
all that we did.
Maybe that's why the Ten-C
created the hyperfield--
to protect themselves.
So they would never again have
to experience that kind
of fear and pain.
The thing I can't reconcile is,
they understand
what it's like to have
their home destroyed, and
now they're doing the same
to us.
If they can feel,
they can connect.
If we can make them aware
of what the DMA is doing,
we have every reason to believe
that they'll stop it.
I regret to say, Doctor, it is
equally possible
that they already know
and simply do not care.
We sent DOTs down
to the planet's surface
to scan for more
of the hydrocarbons.
They recovered 16
unique compounds,
including the two
that you interacted with today.
We've begun testing.
Initial results indicate
that each corresponds with
a different emotional state.
Fascinating.
Of course, the Rosetta stone
required two languages
to understand the third.
However, uh,
this is still an excellent
starting point
for communication.
Good job.
Well done.
Nice work, Captain.
And Mr. Saru.
I'll have my crew set course
for the hyperfield immediately.
Mr. Saru,
if you could use a moment
of respite
after the challenges of the day,
you are welcome to join me
for a stroll on the holodeck.
I would enjoy that immensely.
DMA hits in 25 hours.
Take whoever you need to assist
with testing the chemicals.
This data, Captain,
changes everything.
For the first time
in a long time,
I feel hope.
Like we can really do this.
We can really find a way
to communicate with them.
Thank you.
It was all of us.
And it will continue to be,
moving forward.
So, thank you.
General Ndoye?
What is it?
It was good to see her.
Thank you for letting me know
she was back.
You're welcome.
Hi.
I heard about the hydrocarbons.
Game changer.
- Yeah, I'm glad.
So, how-how are you doing?
It was... a tough day.
Good, but tough.
If you want to be alone,
that-that's totally cool.
I just, um, thought maybe
if you... if you wanted company,
I was just gonna hang
around here for a little bit.
Company sounds good.
Okay. Um...
All right.
Oh, by the way, um,
I did fly good today,
so thank you for that.
Yes. We maybe
just don't even ever have
to mention that,
like, ever again.
Or we could mention it every day
for the rest of your life.
- Okay.
- Good.
You asked to see me?
Please sit.
Is this mavi?
It tastes like home.
I'm glad
the replicator got it right.
I saw you lingering
in the nursery.
When we were leaving.
It was nice.
To feel
those few moments of peace...
I just wished I could
stay in that a little longer.
You know, a while ago, uh,
Dr. Kovich told me
to take some time for myself,
and I've tried... but, uh...
...it seems
I've got deeper work to do.
I'm not okay.
How could you be,
with everything you're facing?
I mean, with everything
we're facing,
I don't think anyone is okay.
I keep thinking
about how we felt
what the Ten-C felt today.
Their fear, their love.
And they destroyed Kwejian
and Radvek Five.
Sometimes empathy
can be uncomfortable.
And it's the only way
to connect,
to find common ground
for communication.
What if Saru was right?
What if they know
what they've done,
and they don't care?
I mean, how do we connect
with a species like that?
We'll find a way.
The patch worked like a charm.
We're attached to the hull,
and Zora's sensors
don't have a clue.
Well done.
Got some news about the mission
to their planet.
- They're hoping to strike.
Nothing like coming home
to an unexpected hostage.
Am I right?