Star Trek: Lower Decks (2020–…): Season 1, Episode 6 - Terminal Provocations - full transcript

The lovable but awkward Ensign Fletcher makes work difficult for Mariner and Boimler. Rutherford introduces Tendi to a holodeck training program that he created.

What are you doing?

Sometimes I hum
warp engine sounds

just to, you know,
soothe myself.

Well, that is not what
the engine sounds like.

Duh. That was Enterprise-D
at warp 4.

This is Cerritos.

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
I get it.

It's like...

Fletcher, no. The Cerritos has
inverted plasma distributors,

so it's a little bit
higher pitch, like...

Wrong. The shhz doesn't come
from the distributors.



It's the vibrations in the
dilithium dispersement manifold.

It's like this.
Fzzzzz...

No, guys, guys, it's like this.
Shhh...

Dude, I'm telling you,
it's Fzzz...

And Voyager was all...
jzzz...

Are we doing the engine sounds?

Hchhhh...

Security to Deck 11.

Something is very wrong
down here.

On the ground, now!

- Ah! - We're just humming the...
- I said freeze!

Oh, it is a little higher.

Security log, stardate 57663.9.

Our standoff with Drookmani
scavengers continues.



Their claim of salvage on
Starfleet cargo is ludicrous.

Thus far, my recommendation of
full assault has been ignored

in favor of a more...

diplomatic approach.

As I've already said, Captain,

while we appreciate your
discovery of this cargo,

we can only offer you
a finder's reward.

This trash is ours.
We claim salvage.

It has "Starfleet"
stamped on it.

That's our trash.

It's been abandoned

for more than 100 years!

That means it's clear
for salvage.

We're taking it!

Captain, they're
attempting to load that cargo

- with their tractor beam.
- Oh, no, they didn't.

Engage our tractor beam.

Those crates are brimming with
unique Starfleet technology.

We can't let them have it.

If we fire on them,
it's an act of war.

- I advise we fire on them.
- Shaxs!

Shields up.
Yellow alert.

Our goal is that
this doesn't turn violent.

But if it does, our crew is
ready and focused.

Fletcher! Fletcher! Fletcher...

That's like three cantaloupes
worth of purée.

- He could beat the record!
- He's doing it!

Come on, Fletcher,
sloupe that 'loupe!

- Whoo-hoo! Ooh...
- Aah!

Do you know how hard it is
to get cheese out of fur

in a sonic shower?!

Oh, no, I am so, so sorry.
I didn't mean to.

Don't try to butter
my bread, Ensign.

I've heard about you.

- But I didn't... What?
- You're a disgrace.

You want to goof around?
Go work on Starbase 80.

Damn. Starbase 80?

Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize
cats ate nachos.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

All right, all right, all right.
Here, Doc.

- Here's a warm towel.
- Give me that!

And some freshly replicated
nachos.

Try the carnitas.
It's delicioso.

At least someone around here
appreciates rank.

- Mm...
- Don't listen to her.

She's just a cat in a coat.

Thanks for defusing that,
Fletch.

I was about to go nuts.

Fletcher's like a natural
peace negotiator.

He was always getting us
out of trouble

back in the Academy.

Ha. Remember when
those Nausicans

tried to eat your heart?

Yeah, until you convinced them
just to spit in my face.

I was lucky you were there.

Uh, Mariner, you were lucky
he was here, too.

You know,
it's not very Starfleet

to take a swing
at the bridge crew.

Whatever. I'm Starfleet as hell.

And if somebody brings up
Starbase 80,

they better be ready
to throw down.

Hey, Mariner, don't let
the senior officers

get in your head.

You wouldn't be here
if you weren't great.

'Cause there's a baseline
of goodness

to everyone in Starfleet.

Even Boimler.

So, um, what do you think's
in that cargo

that has everyone so wound up?

A bunch of cryo-frozen
princesses

or maybe some fruit?

Ooh, I hope it's
old communicators.

You know, the original
clamshell design.

Ah! Do you think
we're going to find out?

Once they figure things out
with those aliens,

they'll probably us space walk
to get everything cataloged.

Uh, space walk? Really?

W-Why can't we just use
the cargo transporter?

- That stuff's too massive.
- Ah...

Wait, what's wrong? I thought
you loved archival cataloging.

You talk about it all the time.

I have a horrible secret.

I never finished my space-walk
unit at the Academy.

What? How did you graduate?

I don't know.
He just gave me a "B,"

and I didn't say anything.

It must have been
a clerical error.

I'm a monster.
Why didn't I just confess?!

Spacewalking is easy.

You just float and magnet.
Float and magnet.

But what if I forget to magnet?!

I'll spin out into
the void of space

and burn up in the atmosphere
of a gas giant.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
Calm down.

That's not gonna happen.

Listen, I've been working on
this new holodeck

training program.

I think it can help you.

- You want to try it out?
- Oh, my gosh, yes.

Thank you. Thank you
so much, Rutherford. Ah!

The holodeck. Gah, why didn't I
think of that sooner?

Yeah, you know, it's not just
for hanging with Sherlock Holmes

and Robin Hood and Sigmund Freud
and Cyrano de Bergerac

and Einstein and da Vinci
and Stephen Hawking

and Socrates...

Oh, five isolinear
cores down and,

ugh, just a ton more to go.

You know, when you call
something a "core,"

it implies there's going to be
one big one,

not a million little ones.

Ugh, we're not gonna make it
to the Chu Chu dance.

I traded Kowalski 12 shifts
so I could go.

Chu Chu dance?

That sounds awesome.
Is it really that good?

Oh, yeah.
I saw the Zebulon Sisters do it

back on Deep Space 3,
and I am just now

coming down from the high.

- Chu Chu!
- Chu Chu.

- Oh, great. Everybody's going except us.
- Guys.

I can handle this on my own.

Go get your Chu Chu on.

Oh, no, no, no, we would not
make you do that.

You would do the same for me.
I've got this.

Lower Deckers stick together.

Fletcher,
that is super cool, man.

Hell yeah. Thanks, Fletcher.

Mariner, let's go get
our Chu Chu shirts.

We have Chu Chu shirts?

Yeah, I made us Chu Chu shirts,
come on.

Chu Chu!

Ah, back to work.

All right, don't you worry.

My program will
have you spacewalking

with the best of 'em.

Computer, load Rutherford
Training Beta 2.5.

Aah!

Hi. Can I teach you a lesson?

Aw. Well, who's this little guy?

This is Badgey.

He's a virtual tutor
who can walk you through

any Starfleet exercise
you can imagine.

Aw, look at his little arms.

Yeah, I made him cute.

Hi, Badgey, I'm Tendi.

Hi. Can I teach you a lesson?

Yes, um, can you show me
how to perform

an untethered cargo retrieval
in open space?

Sometimes it takes a second.

You got it.

Wow, you coded this yourself?

Yeah, it's just a hobby.

- But the gravitational waves were tricky.
- Ah!

Oh, uh, uh...

So this is spacewalking?

I like it.

Just don't get your magnet boots
too close to...

Oh!

Oh, we're stuck together.

I think we're stuck together.

Oh, sorry. Yeah.
Let me just...

Looks like you want
to recover lost cargo.

- Did I get that right?
- Oh, yeah. Almost forgot.

Coming right up.

Wow, look at him...
Look at him try.

Ugh, that shouldn't happen.

Badgey, restart cargo recovery.

Badgey, restart sequence!

Sorry, it usually works.

Badgey, stop it!

Uh, no, it's-it's nothing,
really.

Come on, you stupid glitch.

We're back in business.

I can't believe
I actually made eye contact

with one of the Zebulon Sisters.

Oh, God, I forgot
how to breathe.

Oh, my God, and then,
when they added the third Chu,

and they were doing
the Chu Chu Chu dance?

They're geniuses.

I'm glad we
did this together, Boims.

Sometimes you can be, like,
really not annoying.

Yeah. Sometimes you can be
not annoying, too.

Fletcher!

- Oh, no, I'm so woozy.
- Are you okay?

- What happened?
- Oh...

The core.
I was working on the core.

Everything was going fine,
until...

I couldn't move.
I-I couldn't breathe.

Fletcher, you tell me
who did this to you.

Uh, I don't know.

Next thing I knew,
you were here,

and now I'm saying this.

Guys, somebody made off with
one of the isolinear cores

for the shield array

Is that important?

Kinda. They regulate auto-repair
when the shield's damaged.

I messed up the shields?

Hey, hey, it's okay.
It's like a backup of a backup.

Seems like somebody wanted
to get you in trouble

without damaging the ship.

The next time the bridge
runs a shield diagnostic,

they'll definitely notice
it's missing.

I'm gonna get court-martialed.

No, you're not.
We can figure this out

before anyone notices.

We're the ones who
left you alone.

We have to work together
to get that core back.

Okay, who's shady as hell

and knows this system
as well as we do?

Delta Shift.

These creepy Delta Shift guys
have always

rubbed me the wrong way.

I mean, what, they do our jobs
while we sleep? So weird.

Check it out, guys.

Beta Shifters.

Shouldn't you guys be
getting ready for bed?

Hey, which one of you jerks

never bothers to wipe down
the diagnostic panel?

Other people use that thing.

- Um...
- Look, we don't want to be here.

I don't like us being awake
at the same time.

It feels wrong, okay?
But we need some answers.

Oh, damn, this must be
the Beta Shift's version

of a badass.

Mariner's a total badass!

And if you don't come clean,
she's gonna

(bleep) your (bleep) off!

Whoa, Fletcher, ease up, man.

Guys, I'm not gonna do that.
I'm so sorry.

Just give us the core, we'll go,

- and this can all be over.
- What core?

Oh, please. Puh-lease!

Look, someone knocked
Fletcher out

and stole an isolinear core.

Are you accusing us of assault?

Get out of here!

We don't know anything
about a core.

That's it.
You want some of this?

Where's the core?
Where's the core?

- Where's the core, dude? Where's the core?
- Guys, no, no.

- Don't undo your flaps.
- Do you want to dance?

I'll take you to the dance.

I'll pick you up
at your mom and dad's house.

You don't talk about my dad!

Wait, hold on.
When did this all go down?

Uh, I don't know.
A few hours ago.

What? We were at
the Chu Chu dance with you.

Oh, yeah.

- Oh!
- Chu Chu... Chu Chu dance.

Wow. A double dance.
Chu Chu dance.

Oh, my God, Chu Chu dance.

And at the end,
when they added the third Chu

and it became
the Chu Chu Chu dance,

I cried. I saw you crying, too.
Don't even lie.

Oh, damn, you were there.

Yeah, that checks out.
It had to be someone else, man.

Don't you remember anything?

I don't know. It was dark.

It was totally dark.
Couldn't see anything.

Whoa!

Did they just fire on us?

Impossible. These guys
don't even have weapons.

The Drookmani have reversed
their tractor beam

to launch the cargo
against our hull.

These guys are lucky
I'm so ethical and considerate.

Captain, something is wrong
with our shields.

They shouldn't be fading
this fast.

Permission to destroy
the enemy ship.

They're trying to bait us
into a fight.

We have to find a way
to end this peacefully.

We're Starfleet, damn it.

- Whoa!
- What? Aah!

Non-essential power diverted.

Safety protocols disabled.

What the heck?

Uh, we should get out of here.
Computer, end program.

I said computer, end program.

That's not good.

Badgey, run diagnostic.

You got it.

Ow!

Sorry about that.

I didn't mean to hurt you.

Badgey, what the hell?

Oh, guess I'm just
a stupid, worthless glitch!

Oh. Badgey?

Computer, re-engage
safety protocols.

Safety protocols are
unavailable.

Get off me.
He's corrupted!

Can I teach you a lesson?

Computer,
load Bajoran marketplace!

Put this on, put this on.
We got to blend in.

We got to keep going.

Fun fact,

I'm gonna rip your eyes out!

That fact wasn't fun!

Our shields can't take
much more of this.

These guys are begging
for a fight.

I say we give it to 'em.

Phasers locked
onto their warp core, Captain.

Please, please let me
shoot their warp core.

I have been very good
this month.

- Evasive pattern Sulu-Alpha.
- Oh, come on!

I thought you said this trash
wasn't worth fighting for.

We're not fighting.

Avoiding damage is fighting.

We can talk this out.

(bleep) you.

Oh, man, the shields
must be slammed.

If they fall below 50%,
they'll realize the core's gone.

- And then I'll be gone.
- Wait, wait, wait.

I thought Drookmani
were just scavengers.

The Drookmani!
I bet they took the core,

to mess with our defenses.

The guy who zapped me
was definitely an alien.

We got to report this
to the bridge.

Whoa, hold up. We got to scan
the ship for intruders,

I'm not going to the captain
without proof.

Okay, let's go.
Let's go get our scanners.

Okay, listen.

I'll search decks
two through ten.

Fletcher, you... the... Huh?

The core?
Fletcher, it was in your bunk?

Uh, uh, aliens.
It's, uh, aliens.

Those frickin' aliens,
I knew they'd do this.

They're gonna frame me.

- I knew it.
- Fletcher.

I messed up, you guys.

Oh, man, I really messed up.

- I'm the worst! I'm slime!
- Stop it!

- Get ahold of yourself and shut up.
- Stupid, stupid Fletcher!

Just tell us what you did.

When you guys went
to the Chu Chu dance,

I was doing all that
rewiring on my own,

and it was getting so hard,
so, I was like,

"This would be so much easier
if I were smarter."

And then I was like,
"Wait. The computer's smart.

- "Maybe it can make me smart."
- What?

So I hooked it up
directly to my brain,

and let it run
so it would make me smarter.

Ooh, boy,
that is not a good idea.

Neural pathway established.

But I didn't get smarter.

It broke and I peed my pants.

So I hid down here
and told you guys

I had been attacked
so you wouldn't feel let down.

Yeah, I don't kn... uh, I don't
know what to do with this.

We're supposed to have each
other's backs, Fletcher!

You were gonna lie to the
captain about an alien attack?

You could have started a war.

Come on, just back me up.

All we do is back you up,
and all you do is lie!

I just wanted you
to be proud of me.

I messed up.

It's... ugh... it's okay.

We can reformat the core
and put this all behind us.

- I guess.
- Really?

Oh, thanks, you guys.

You know, I've actually
learned a lot today.

This has been, like,
a learning experience for me.

That's all that matters.
And you know what?

We're Starfleet.
We are Starfleet.

And when we make
mistakes, we learn...

Fix it! Fix it! Fix it! Fix it!

- What did you do to it?
- I don't know!

- Make me smarter.
- Make me smarter.

Ugh, Fletcher, your brain waves
corrupted that thing.

It's incorporating anything
it can get its grabber on.

- Fletcher, you've got to call this in!
- But I'll get in trouble!

If this thing gets loose it could
mess up the ship. Show me something!

Alert the captain right now!

You're right. Just let me
get my tricorder here...

Hello! Die! Die! Die!

- Fletcher!
- Dummy!

Dummy! Party of dumbass!

- Me smart.
- Get off of me! Let go!

You help me or I'll say
this was all your idea.

I'm not going down for this.

Dude, what you're doing
is so not Starfleet.

You break rules all the time.

Only dumb rules
that shouldn't be there

so I can do a better job.

I would never
put anyone in danger.

Except sometimes maybe Boimler.

Stupid, stupid Fletcher!

I'm sorry. This is all my fault.

Here's a tip.

I'm going to burn
your hearts in a fire!

- Leave us alone, Badgey!
- No!

- You were only trying to help.
- No, I was trying to show off.

I knew Badgey wasn't ready yet,
but I wanted to impress you.

I just think you're really cool.
I'm an idiot.

Aw, Rutherford,
you impress me every day.

You're very scientific.

I mean, Badgey's
an amazing piece of programming,

- even if he does want to kill us.
- Yeah.

He is a killing machine,
isn't he?

It's actually weird
that he hasn't murdered us yet.

Hope you're ready to die.

Just as soon as I...
get up there...

gonna kill you.

Aw. Poor little guy's
really having trouble

with those stairs.

You've got this, Badgey!
Wait, what am I doing?

He shouldn't be affected
by the physical parameters

of the simulation.

I'm gonna wear your skin!

Wait, if we're tiring him out,

then maybe we can
freeze him out.

Computer, load environment 83.

Quick. Come on.

Shield integrity 40%
and dropping.

Automatic repair is down,
switching to manual.

Dummy! Dummy!

Quick. Grab that edge,
we got to drag it...

Guys, wait. I know what to do.

You figured out how to fix it?

I wish. No.

We let this thing
beat us up a little,

then later we say
that a Q showed up

and caused all of this.

Nobody will doubt us
'cause we'll be all busted up

and, you know,
Qs are super unpredictable.

Here, help me feed some stuff

into this thing
so it gets bigger.

Delicioso.

Oh, real nice, guys.
Let me out of here! Come on!

- The Q thing's a good idea!
- Let go!

Uh, it just incorporated
a light panel.

We've got to get it
to the transporter

before it's too big to move.

I know you guys were friends
at the Academy,

I do not like Fletcher.

Ow! We got to rethink
this whole

"Lower Decks stands together"
thing.

- What you got?
- You know, it's kind of nice

that we aren't
fighting for once.

Yeah. I guess we make
a good team.

- What you got?
- From now on,

some Lower Deckers
stand together.

Come on, bro, square up.

Whoa! Oh, no.

Oh, (bleep), there's no way

we're gonna make it
to the transporter.

Airlock.

Aliens. It's, uh, aliens.

Those frickin aliens!

Here. Fetch!

Whoa! I got this.

You don't talk about my dad!

Whew.

- Oh, that was close.
- Ooh, yeah. Disaster averted.

Wait, wait. Is it drifting
towards the Drookmani?

No, no, no, no...

Oh, no.

We are so getting fired
for this.

Shields are down, Captain.

I have done everything I can to
respect their sanctity of life,

to avoid conflict, and give them
the benefit of the doubt.

The Drookmani
have given me no choice.

Shaxs, target their warp core.

Yes!

No! We waited too long.

Weapons systems are down.

We need to get the crew
into escape pods now.

Prepare to abandon ship.

Wait, Captain. Look.
What is that?

- Uh...
- We did it!

I don't know what we did,
but we did it!

Stay awake, Tendi.
We can do this.

Did... did we lose him?

Uh, yeah. We're doing fine.

We're so good. Keep going.

Ah. Not running anymore, Father?

This ends now, Badgey.

After I gut you, I'm gonna slit

your little green friend's
throat

and take a bath in her blood.

No, you're not!

I'm gonna wear your skin!

You can't hurt me, Father.

Maybe with your disappointment,
but not with your fists.

I'm sorry I yelled at you, son.

I was just trying
to impress Tendi.

I mean, look at her.
She's so cute.

It's too late for apologies.

It's too...

Kill you...

So cold. Father?

I'm so sorry
it came to this, Badgey.

I'm gonna cut off your foot.

No. Don't talk.

- It's over now.
- Diplomatic immunity.

Badgey!

Got it. Restoring main power.

Safety protocols restored.

Hi. Can I teach you a lesson?

- Oh, hey. Hi, Badgey.
- Um...

Um, does he remember
he was trying to, uh...

Remember what?
Can I teach you a lesson?

Nope, nope, nope, nope.
Actually, you know what?

- We were just heading out.
- Yeah, yeah, we're-we're good.

Thanks, Badgey.

You got it. If you need me,
Badgey's here.

I'm always here.

Ow, my frickin' wrists
are all chafed.

Good. Shut up.

That core had my brain pattern
all over it.

If they find it
and kick me off the ship,

you're going down with me.

What the hell is going on
down here?

We've got an unauthorized
airlock ejection,

a missing computer core,
and somebody attacked

that Drookmani ship.

You three better have one hell
of an explanation.

Oh, I'll tell you
exactly what happened.

Ensign Fletcher's

brilliant improvisation,

updating the isolinear core
to weaponize it

against the Drookmani
saved the Cerritos.

Fletcher demonstrated
the sort of selfless heroism

that Starfleet's all about.

It's that heroism that
earned him a promotion

and a transfer to the Titan!

Oh, man.

Wow.

Did we have to get him promoted?

Eh, you know what they say,
keep your friends close

and your enemies
way the hell somewhere else.

Whoa. The Titan.

Isn't that, like,
your dream gig?

Yeah. It is.

But you know what, maybe this
is just what Fletcher needs

to turn things around.

New ship, new duties.

It might just make him
a better man.

I got frickin' fired!

What? You, fired?

Who would fire you, ever?

It's like, who says you're not
supposed to empty trash

into the warp core?
It all burns up anyway.

Oh, yeah, who wouldn't make
that mistake?

I thought maybe you guys
could, like, put in

- a good word for me or...
- Uh, hey, Fletcher?

Fletcher. Sorry,
you're breaking up.

I think you're going through
a temporal rift or something.

- A rift? What a... Hello?
- Whoa, Fletcher, there's a Q.

- I'm holding my badge up...
- There's a Q doing crazy Q stuff.

- Got to go.
- Can you hear me? Guys...

Well, he's Earth's problem now.

Got to say, I'd rather serve
with a dozen of you

than one Fletcher.

I mean, yeah, you break
the rules all the time,

but at your heart,
you're Starfleet.

Aw, Boimler. That's really nice.
Thanks, man.

Now come on. I got the keys
to the captain's yacht.

Wait, what?
You shouldn't have those.

No, it's cool.
I signed them out in your name.

- Last one there's a Fletcher.
- Wait. No, no, no.

That's not the lesson here!

Lower Decks, let's go!