Star Trek: Discovery (2017) s03e12 Episode Script
There Is A Tide…
Previously on Star Trek: Discovery
Be quick, Ensign.
Come nightfall, the ice, it infests everything.
But you look like you can handle yourself.
You're free to go.
I won't last the night.
They're running out of dilithium, the Chain.
That's why Osyraa wants me back.
I'm the only one who knows.
I'm reading that there is dilithium dispersed throughout this entire planet.
I think we may have just found the source of the Burn.
Number One, you have the conn.
Adira? He'll need this medication to survive until Discovery comes back.
Hey! I'm here.
Where are you? I'll come back for both of you.
If more than a day goes by, there's no point.
Gotcha.
- Where are the others? - We have to go back for them.
It's Osyraa.
Black alert! What is that? - I won't help you.
- What you want is irrelevant.
No! This isn't over.
I think it is.
Coordinates for Federation Headquarters are already set.
Get us out of here.
No.
No.
We're too late.
Get a message to the Viridian to reduce firepower to six percent.
If they keep hitting this hard, they'll blow a real hole in us, and then all this subterfuge is pointless.
Yes, sir.
Hailing the Viridian now.
Any word from Captain Saru? Their comms are being jammed.
How long has Discovery been under attack? And why didn't we see it in our long-range sensors? They jumped into range with the Viridian attached.
Osyraa found a way to compromise their mycelial field? Seems so.
Both vessels bear ionic residue consistent with signatures from the Verubin Nebula.
Shut down all nonessential comms channels - and find out which ones have been compromised.
- Yes, sir.
She was waiting for them like an Altarian spider.
Lieutenant Teemo, any communications with Discovery yet? - Nothing.
- How long before they reach our shields? Three minutes.
Shall we let them in, sir? Not yet.
Where are we on securing the ship? All life signs accounted for.
Bridge crew have been taken to the ready room.
The rest are in the brig.
And the ship's operating systems? Nearly all have been successfully converted to our systems.
"Nearly all"? There's a small bit of code that's proving hard to delete.
Computer.
It appears to be ancient Earth entertainment.
How much memory is this, uh, eating up? - Practically nothing.
- Turn it off.
Tell the Viridian to increase speed.
It should look like they're gaining on us.
We're getting close to the Federation shields, sir.
We'll be destroyed.
They wouldn't take that chance.
Not while they still think we might be the crew of Discovery.
They're pulling back.
That last torpedo came in at less than ten percent.
- Just a big show.
- No talking.
- Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey! - Eyes forward! You don't need to keep any other hostages.
All you need for leverage is the captain of the ship.
And that's supposed to be you? Hello, sweetheart.
Remember me? Make the kill next time instead of leaving the job to the ice.
What were you saying? I have the conn.
Oh, you have the conn.
Oh.
I must say, I'm impressed.
You've done a bang-up job.
It took us all of 12 minutes to capture your ship and crew.
I'm sure under lesser leadership, it would've been ten.
Yeah, well, you're never gonna get what you want unless you release the rest of the crew.
Or the Federation will realize how inept you are and beg us to keep you.
Guess we'll find out.
Osyraa doesn't want anyone touched.
Not even this one.
Move.
Oh! Oh, that was close.
That is why even couriers steer clear of the courier network.
ETA to FHQ is 90 seconds.
Up ahead.
Wanderer-class ship.
What's left of it.
Not good.
There's no morphing around that.
Shields at 20%.
Discovery just entered the gravity well.
If we don't let her in, she'll be crushed against the shields.
Contact in 60 seconds, sir.
Open a port just big enough for Discovery to pass through.
Bring her in via tractor beam to a secure location.
Security team at the ready.
Fully armed.
Sir, another ship's approaching.
It's Mr.
Booker's.
They are extending subspace.
What the hell is going on here? Commander Michael Burnham to Federation Headquarters.
Burnham to HQ.
Do you copy? - Comms are fried.
- They're letting her in.
30 seconds to the shield barrier.
Osyraa did the same thing on Benthos IV.
Got through the shields, then blew up the presidential palace.
We have got to get back on Discovery.
Tractor beam range in 20 seconds.
- Grudge secure? - We should all be so cozy.
Then let's do this.
Ten seconds counting down.
Ten, nine, - eight, seven - Proximity alert.
Six.
- Proximity alert.
- Five.
- Proximity alert.
- Four.
Proximity alert.
- Three.
- Come on.
Proximity alert.
- Two.
- Proximity alert.
One.
Brace for impact.
Contact the Viridian.
- Tell them to stay at the ready.
- Will do.
Are you ready to talk to the Federation yet? Hold them off.
Right now, I want to know how the hell did a ship fly into my shuttle bay? They got in just as shields went down, sir.
You should have seen them coming and blown them out of the sky.
How many life signs on board? Can't tell.
Fire-suppression protocols are blocking all sensors.
My regulators are on their way.
Whoever it is, I'll handle them.
- I want them alive.
- You got it.
Ah.
I cannot believe this is 900-year-old technology.
Nine hundred and thirty.
It must have been the Golden Age of Science.
It's remarkable.
Tell me the greatest scientist in three sectors has figured out how the spore drive works.
Well, it is quite a puzzle.
That's where the "greatest scientist" part comes in.
What is clear is that he's a conduit of some kind for the mycelial network.
But to know more, I will need to do a bioanalysis.
Is it safe to work here? Of course.
Our enemies are secure.
I would never let anything happen to you.
You know that.
But you seem worried.
I'm in hostile territory, about to take the gamble of my life.
To think the Federation would hoard their technology, but you would free us all of the yoke of dilithium.
The galaxy is a much better place with you in it, Osyraa.
Work fast, old friend.
We may need to jump away if things go awry.
Computer.
Play file 73 for Invigilator Aurellio.
Thank you.
The DOTs have nearly put out all the fires.
We only have a few minutes before the Regulators show up.
Okay.
Queen is safe and secure.
- I found another dose of radiation meds.
- Oh.
All right.
Now we got to find Stamets.
Osyraa can't jump without him.
You have to find Stamets.
It's a concealing device.
Hides the life sign from sensors.
Took it off a tosser who was stealing my cargo at the Theskian Exchange.
Works like a charm.
- But I've only got one.
- We stick together.
Hey.
They're expecting to find a pilot in here.
Once the smoke clears, they'll read our life signs, and I don't know Discovery half as well as you.
Go save the day, Michael.
Is this the wrong moment to tell you that I love you for the first time? Not quite the first.
You talk in your sleep.
Okay, stay out of sight till I lead them away.
I love you, too.
Fan out! I see a life sign! On the ship.
Take them alive.
- Any response from Booker's ship or Discovery? - No, sir.
There's a transport jammer of some kind on Discovery.
What's the Viridian doing? Nothing yet, sir.
Just sitting out there beyond our shields.
Why would Osyraa come by herself, just her ship? She knows part of our fleet is at Kam All vessels, weapons hot.
Prepare to fire on Discovery on my command.
Sir? Osyraa.
She's not on the Viridian.
She's on Discovery.
And we just let her in the front door.
You two, back it up.
No talking.
If this one gives you any trouble, you keep him alive but make him wish otherwise.
Yes, sir.
Till the next time.
Looking forward to it, sweetheart.
Come on.
- Hey.
- Let's go.
On our way to Sector 4.
Be right there.
Just Hey.
- Transport function unavailable.
- Come on.
Transport function unavailable.
Regulator 524, report to Deck 3.
Put the fleet at Kaminar on red alert.
- We should expect retaliation.
- Aye, sir.
All ships in position, Admiral.
Prepare to fire on my mark.
Sir, a message from Discovery.
Osyraa? - Hold fire.
- Standing by.
Put her through.
This is Minister Osyraa of the Emerald Chain.
This is Admiral Vance of the United Federation of Planets.
Surrender or prepare to be fired upon.
I assure you that there is no need for any of that.
I apologize that I arrived under such pretenses.
What do you want? I'm here to talk.
Where is Discovery's crew? Oh, they're boarding shuttles as we speak.
I'm holding on to your bridge crew, but the others should be with you shortly.
Remove your jammer, and I'll beam them over myself.
That's a security allowance I am not prepared to make.
But you will find them all in excellent health, a good-faith gesture on my part.
A good-faith gesture would be to let everyone go.
Now, Admiral, we both know that I need some leverage.
But if things go well and I hope they do then you will have them all back in no time.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Shuttle on its way from Discovery.
Have Security and Medical intercept them.
And prepare the ready room.
I guess we might be having a visitor.
This is Team 5 Leader Regulator Team 3, report to the bridge, fully armed.
Osyraa has left the ship, is heading to Federation Headquarters.
All others Commander Michael Burnham broadcasting on a secure sub-relay.
Communication code Alpha-Uniform-996.
Message to Gabrielle Burnham.
Mayday.
Emerald Chain has hijacked Discovery and infiltrated Federation Headquarters.
Mayday.
Mom, they have taken over all of our systems.
The way things are going I might not see you again, until another distant future.
Maybe Dad will be there.
I love you.
Regulator Team 1, report to Deck 10.
Regular Team 2, send an extra body over to Engineering.
Invigilator Aurellio wants to take the neural lock - off his subject.
- Mm.
All right.
Here we go, Paul.
Welcome to Federation Headquarters.
Where's your president? Since this is a security situation, the president has authorized me to negotiate with you for the release of Discovery and its crew.
Is that satisfactory to you? Whatever gets the job done.
Initiation of hostilities by Starfleet officers will not be tolerated.
But should our visitors decide to initiate hostilities, you have permission to respond with force.
Is that clear? Aye, sir.
Shall we? Lead the way.
You think we don't know you're sending messages? Osyraa said we're not to be harmed, so You don't want to get on her bad side, do you? No talking.
Come on.
You two will get us killed.
What, you worried about them or you? - They're being juvenile.
- I'm not dying in here because they're bored.
- Shut up! All of you! - Don't think Osyraa would really like that.
- right now.
- And stop! What the hell was that tapping? Morse code.
Year one.
Starfleet Academy.
What were you saying? I was telling him to keep tapping.
Well-played, all of you.
- Computer.
- Access denied.
Osyraa will have taken over the whole operating system by now.
- Could you hack into it? - I can try.
Michael's out there on her own right now.
- We've got to do better than try.
- Use this.
She's not with Dr.
Culber and the captain? They're still in the nebula.
Dr.
Culber said they wouldn't survive past four hours.
Adira took radiation tablets.
Bought them some time.
Wait, Adira's down there, too? We got to jump right there once we take back the ship.
Bryce, can you monitor comms? - On it.
- Okay.
Owo, Detmer, Rhys, try to get that back door open.
It leads to a maintenance shaft.
And the rest of us are gonna start barricading the turbolift doors.
Next regulator who tries to step through is gonna lose a head.
What's with the holo? And why is he staring at me so intently? It's de rigueur during negotiations to use a biometric lie detector system.
Even among allies.
Where's the fun in that? Nobody seemed to like it when a red light would just go off, so we gave it a face.
Hmm.
A human face, of course.
Is that a problem? I'll get over it.
I certainly do not intend to lie.
She does not.
Still, it's hard to begin a productive conversation when I haven't been able to speak to the officers on board my ship.
- Um, lie detector thingy - Eli.
Eli, the bridge crew of the Discovery are safe, and my crew have been given orders not to harm them.
Aside from a few scratches and bruised egos, everyone is fine.
Bruised egos.
Well it was so easy to take the ship, I almost thought that it was a trap at first.
Then I realized Captain Saru wasn't on board, just an ensign with the conn.
Did you send Saru to Kaminar? You said you wanted to talk.
Let's talk.
What do you want? I want peace.
I want the Emerald Chain to unite with the Federation.
Well, you're gonna have to expand on that one.
Every empire falls.
It would be foolish to think that we can remain where we once were when we're out of dilithium.
I'm sure that Ryn has already told you of our scarcity.
He has.
You have a spore drive that you cannot replicate.
I have the most well-funded scientific institutions in the known galaxy.
There is a deal to be made here.
You already have Discovery under your control.
Why bring us into it at all? Because the Federation, despite its failures since the Burn, is still a symbol of hope.
The Chain, despite our efforts and our advances, has never experienced such privilege.
If we combine the best of what we are You really think this could work? You're a chain of planets.
We are a federation of mercantile exchanges.
We need to focus on doing what is for the good of our people.
At the end of the day, they are what this is all about.
You're proposing a new Federation.
Yeah.
Tell Starfleet to back the hell off.
We're not stupid.
I can see their vessels getting closer.
- Zareh? - Yeah.
We have a free agent aboard.
Sensors show no unexpected life signs.
They must be using some kind of concealment device.
We're missing a comms badge Regulator I.
D.
Theta 431.
Pulling up ship's schematics now.
Hello, Theta 431.
They're in a Jefferies tube, Deck 5.
Backup's on the way.
If you get in at sections five, seven, nine, ten and 12, they'll be trapped.
I'm gonna remove the neural locks.
There's no need for such things among scientists.
It makes it hard for me to ask you questions.
Please do be cooperative.
This is, um Andorian opera, isn't it? Good ear.
Andorians have the best singers.
Their antennae increase resonance.
This particular soprano was discovered on the street corner.
If you hear her live, in the right hall, you can hear four layers of overtones.
I would love to experience that.
Well, someday you shall.
A scientist of your talent, I'm sure Osyraa will want you at the science institute.
Do your children like opera? My ? The, uh, piercings behind your ear.
To bless the arrival of a child.
I'm guessing your partner is Orion? Hurt like hell, but I never thought I'd have children, so how could I say no? Children are a blessing.
I have one myself.
Oh.
Congratulations.
And I'm very concerned about them.
And my partner.
You communicate with the spores.
That's how you navigate the mycelial network, isn't it? His name is Hugh.
He's still inside the Verubin Nebula.
You must know about the radiation levels in there.
I haven't seen any devices that would augment a human to mycelium connection, and you're not an empath, so it must be the Tardigrade DNA in your system.
The Tardigrade DNA that fused with my DNA was from a species that is long extinct.
I've tried to replicate it, but it's been corrupted.
You'll probably have to kill me to extract it.
Mr.
Stamets, I can assure you, we have other methods now.
And if those methods don't work? Ah.
We will grow the Tardigrade cells.
Fidelity is always the issue with replication.
Growth marries the fidelity of a copy with the vitality of new beginnings.
You'll see, Mr.
Stamets.
We will grow the Tardigrade cells.
Regulator 441.
I'm in the Jefferies tube at section 12.
We're getting close to the communication signal.
They're in Junction 24.
I'm into their system.
What now? See if you can scramble comms for Michael.
30 seconds to contact.
Hey, hero.
Can you hear me? I'm guessing right about now you're getting a little nervous, huh? Figuring out that we've almost got you.
You could just give up.
Huh? Why not make it easy? I promise you the lofty position of having your skull be my candy dish.
Come on.
Come on.
- Warning.
- I see her! - Fire.
- No! Zareh, I've got her.
Fire suppression protocol initiated.
Oh, no.
Oxygen purge initiated.
System purge complete.
Closing exterior vents in five, four, three, two, one.
Exterior vents secured.
Pressure restored.
Regulator 665, what is your status? Regulator 665, confirm.
We are receiving negative Hey, Zareh.
Yes.
You're gonna need more regulators.
- Oh.
- Yes.
Who's ready to get the hell out of here? - Yeah! - Yes! Hmm.
It doesn't quite taste like the real thing, does it? I've never eaten a real apple.
Well, how sad.
Apples are a thing of beauty.
You want to talk about oppression, you should start in your own mess hall.
It's made of our shit, you know.
That's the base material that we use in our replicators.
We deconstruct it to the atomic level and then reform the atoms.
It's pretty good for shit, and we don't have to commit atrocities for it.
Well, you're not being very diplomatic.
And you're wasting my time.
Are we negotiating or not? Fine.
If the Chain is to unite with the Federation, you need to send the message that our culture is fundamentally valid and ethical.
And how are we supposed to do that? By acknowledging that capitalism is already happening within the Federation.
When was the last time anyone from around here visited Deep Space 253? - A while.
- 87 years.
- Not by choice.
- It's way the hell out there.
But DS253 has been trading with an Emerald Chain mercantile for nearly a century.
You need to sanction that trade, and you need to permit the Chain to establish an embassy on the station.
That will send a very powerful message.
Your mercantile exchanges they traffic in goods that are used for enslavement.
Some still have open slave markets.
And I have already submitted a charter amendment to our congress outlawing slavery.
And it has enough support to pass.
I had to spend a lot of political capital, but it has the support of regular citizens.
In order for me to sell it to the president, you'd gonna need to step away from the influence you're exerting on Kwejian and the other 50 pre-warp planets you've targeted.
You're asking very powerful people to give up huge amounts of income.
Why don't you explain it to them by hijacking one of their ships, kidnapping its crew, and using it - to break through their shields? - Admiral? Minister Osyraa.
Thank you.
Some of your regulators decided to go for a space walk without their EV suits.
Maybe we should move things along.
- What's this? - This is an armistice with terms that your president can sign off on.
The Emerald Chain will desist from any so-called "Prime Directive violations" moving forward.
And I commit to a 15-year, systematic walk-back from Kwejian and any other worlds like it.
Anything less, and you are buying chaos, and you know it.
I'm gonna need a moment to read this.
Be my guest.
I can't block your life signs, but I can scramble 'em.
The minute you get those doors open, I'll initiate.
Sensors will display every life sign that's been in this ship in the last three months.
So it'll look like there are thousands of us on board.
Should let you get lost in the noise, move freely - for a little while.
- We'll have to move fast.
- I'll hold 'em off as long as I can.
- I'll help.
What? What? No, no, no, you can't.
You can't! Listen, hey, listen.
I know that Osyraa took Discovery on my watch, but I do have a plan.
I'm not staying 'cause I don't trust you.
I'm staying because you're the best chance for Michael to make it out of here alive.
Someone check on the hostages and Team 8.
They're not responding.
On my mark.
Three, two, one, go.
What the hell?! Go, go, go, go, go, go.
- Thank you.
- Good luck.
Code alpha five.
All regulators, code alpha five.
- Something's wrong.
- Well, the regulators are well trained.
They will get it sorted.
She's hijacked the ship.
You know this, don't you? We will return the ship as soon as our work here is done.
She's taken hostages.
I'm a hostage! Osyraa is negotiating a way to bring the spore drive to the entire galaxy.
You may not like her methods, but she's more than you're making her out to be.
Look at me, Mr.
Stamets.
I should not be here.
Maybe in your time, when technology was free and travel was easy, but here in my time, with a genetic defect? My parents worked at the exchange.
They asked Osyraa for a meeting.
She did not have to say yes, but she did.
I was ten.
I didn't have much time left.
But she saw potential in me.
And now I am a scientist, I have a family.
And I have been supported in a life dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge.
She has given me everything.
And not just me.
I've also seen evidence of the science she supports.
A pesticide on Kwejian.
Yes.
That-that is a perfect example.
I was the junior scientist when they perfected that.
We have transformed entire planets.
She forced Kwejian to participate in the extinction of one of their species to get that pesticide.
Well that must be an overstatement.
She threatened them with famine.
The death of millions.
Children.
I My friend Michael barely escaped one of her labor camps.
I believe you when you say that she's more than she appears to be.
But she is also exactly what she appears to be.
- Michael - I only stunned him.
We need to move fast.
- Status report.
- At the door.
Nearly through, sir.
- It's not too late for you to go.
- And miss all the fun? Seriously, Ryn.
No.
Michael's doing something.
You're doing something.
They are I can't just sit around and hope anymore.
I have to do this.
- I'm going in.
- I want them alive.
We got this.
We need backup.
Let's go, Paul.
We have to move.
No.
I'm not going.
Paul! We have to jump back now.
He's in the nebula, and so is Saru.
We have to get you off this ship.
They'll die.
I know.
I already lost him once.
I can't go through that again.
And Adira, what would I tell them? Adira is with them.
No.
- No, no, no, no, no - Hey.
Let go of me.
I can't do that.
- Let me go! - No Paul! My whole life is in that nebula! I know.
Who's he modeled after? Um no one.
It's, uh, computer-generated.
Hmm.
Totally blank canvas, huh? Nothing that would cause any offense or alarm.
Do you ever think about what it costs you, all this abstraction? Lying causes a physiological change in a face.
So why don't you just pick someone who is known to tell the truth? Make it real, as opposed to an idea.
This armistice it's very impressive.
You've made a lot of concessions.
I told you, I came to make a deal.
There's one more thing.
Ask.
I'm in a charitable mood.
Who's going to be the face of this? In official Federation matters, who is actually going to represent the Chain? Yeah, I see what you're getting at.
Can't be me, 'cause of my reputation.
Well, I would appoint someone appropriate.
A well-respected scientist, perhaps.
And that person won't just be a proxy for you? Of course not.
- That is not the truth.
- Oh! He glitched.
Ask me again.
For this armistice to be worth anything, then the person representing the Chain has to be proven credible.
And the only way that that can happen is if he or she functions completely independently of you.
And tries you for your crimes.
Excuse me? They're well documented.
You've never stood trial, because no one's been able to compel the Chain.
You're staring at the past.
I just drew you a real map to the future.
The past is the only light with which we can see the future.
Your willingness to do this will send a message, and I promise you I will not let anyone forget that.
It's just more abstractions.
The past cannot be undone.
But it could be made right.
We all had to make hard choices because of the Burn.
Spare me your judgment.
Osyraa, I want peace.
I want the Federation to join the Chain, and I want to learn from your great society.
The Burn has left us with a legacy of of fear, of isolation of scarcity that still clouds our moral clarity, a clarity that I fight for on a daily basis and I ask my people to die for.
So if that's the reason that we can't reach an accord today, well I can live with that.
You're making a mistake.
Osyraa, your people are good.
I beg you to be as good as they are.
I can promise you justice.
Oh, I can promise you the same.
You have us.
Now what? Now you get to explain yourselves to Osyraa.
We failed you, Osyraa.
You're a scientist.
You, however you were brought in to secure the ship.
You lost our hostages and the key to making the spore drive work.
- Everyone is still on board.
- Where are they? He hacked into the system and messed with the sensors.
Give me five minutes, I'll get him to reverse it.
Airlocks are the only way off this ship.
Seal them all and check them all.
And if you don't have better news for me in ten minutes, I will shove you out of one of them myself.
Aurellio.
It's probably best for you to leave the bridge now.
I need to get my sensors back online.
Osyraa, there is no need for violence.
I know this is something that you don't see every day, but it is how we make progress.
And it is not always pleasant.
Now, it's up to you if you want to stay.
Okay, then.
Ryn.
Fix my sensors.
No.
Now is not the moment for you to develop a spine.
I'm not afraid of you anymore.
I've seen real bravery, real strength and loyalty.
And love.
You're nothing compared to that.
All you have is fear and no one is feared forever.
Who needs forever? Wait! Wait.
I know where you can find dilithium.
More than the entire Chain can use in a hundred lifetimes.
Let me guess.
It's in the Verubin Nebula, and that's where Saru is.
Yeah, but the nebula is massive.
And dangerous.
I know exactly how to get you in and out safely.
Just let Ryn and the crew go.
Please.
- Why - Aurellio.
Truth serum.
Let's make sure Kwejian doesn't lie to me.
- Osyraa, please - Do it! Tell the Viridian to start firing on exterior shields.
I'd like to get the hell out of here.
What are you It's an emergency escape field.
I'm turning on the homing beacon.
Fed HQ will see you and bring you in before Osyraa knows you're missing.
Michael, they're my whole life.
Look at me.
They'll die a terrible, painful death! Damn it, Michael, look at me! Osyraa will destroy what is left of the Federation.
And she's gonna use you to do it.
No, no, no, we-we have time.
Right now, you and me, let's go.
We have time.
What are you doing? No.
No.
We came to the future for you.
We followed you! Hugh followed you! We gave up everything so you wouldn't have to be here alone! How can you do this?! I'm sorry.
Michael! You're gonna be really sorry you did that.
We're clear.
Hurry, more regulators will be coming.
- It's locked.
- Okay.
Detmer.
Take as many weapons as you can carry.
We don't have much time.
We make it to the bridge no matter what.
That means that if somebody falls, we keep going.
Understood? Steady.
Steady.
You're the sphere data, aren't you? Indeed we are.
Hello.
Greetings.
- It hid itself in the DOT-23s.
- What? You here to help us? I'm at your service, Captain.
Shall we take back the ship?
Come nightfall, the ice, it infests everything.
But you look like you can handle yourself.
You're free to go.
I won't last the night.
They're running out of dilithium, the Chain.
That's why Osyraa wants me back.
I'm the only one who knows.
I'm reading that there is dilithium dispersed throughout this entire planet.
I think we may have just found the source of the Burn.
Number One, you have the conn.
Adira? He'll need this medication to survive until Discovery comes back.
Hey! I'm here.
Where are you? I'll come back for both of you.
If more than a day goes by, there's no point.
Gotcha.
- Where are the others? - We have to go back for them.
It's Osyraa.
Black alert! What is that? - I won't help you.
- What you want is irrelevant.
No! This isn't over.
I think it is.
Coordinates for Federation Headquarters are already set.
Get us out of here.
No.
No.
We're too late.
Get a message to the Viridian to reduce firepower to six percent.
If they keep hitting this hard, they'll blow a real hole in us, and then all this subterfuge is pointless.
Yes, sir.
Hailing the Viridian now.
Any word from Captain Saru? Their comms are being jammed.
How long has Discovery been under attack? And why didn't we see it in our long-range sensors? They jumped into range with the Viridian attached.
Osyraa found a way to compromise their mycelial field? Seems so.
Both vessels bear ionic residue consistent with signatures from the Verubin Nebula.
Shut down all nonessential comms channels - and find out which ones have been compromised.
- Yes, sir.
She was waiting for them like an Altarian spider.
Lieutenant Teemo, any communications with Discovery yet? - Nothing.
- How long before they reach our shields? Three minutes.
Shall we let them in, sir? Not yet.
Where are we on securing the ship? All life signs accounted for.
Bridge crew have been taken to the ready room.
The rest are in the brig.
And the ship's operating systems? Nearly all have been successfully converted to our systems.
"Nearly all"? There's a small bit of code that's proving hard to delete.
Computer.
It appears to be ancient Earth entertainment.
How much memory is this, uh, eating up? - Practically nothing.
- Turn it off.
Tell the Viridian to increase speed.
It should look like they're gaining on us.
We're getting close to the Federation shields, sir.
We'll be destroyed.
They wouldn't take that chance.
Not while they still think we might be the crew of Discovery.
They're pulling back.
That last torpedo came in at less than ten percent.
- Just a big show.
- No talking.
- Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey! - Eyes forward! You don't need to keep any other hostages.
All you need for leverage is the captain of the ship.
And that's supposed to be you? Hello, sweetheart.
Remember me? Make the kill next time instead of leaving the job to the ice.
What were you saying? I have the conn.
Oh, you have the conn.
Oh.
I must say, I'm impressed.
You've done a bang-up job.
It took us all of 12 minutes to capture your ship and crew.
I'm sure under lesser leadership, it would've been ten.
Yeah, well, you're never gonna get what you want unless you release the rest of the crew.
Or the Federation will realize how inept you are and beg us to keep you.
Guess we'll find out.
Osyraa doesn't want anyone touched.
Not even this one.
Move.
Oh! Oh, that was close.
That is why even couriers steer clear of the courier network.
ETA to FHQ is 90 seconds.
Up ahead.
Wanderer-class ship.
What's left of it.
Not good.
There's no morphing around that.
Shields at 20%.
Discovery just entered the gravity well.
If we don't let her in, she'll be crushed against the shields.
Contact in 60 seconds, sir.
Open a port just big enough for Discovery to pass through.
Bring her in via tractor beam to a secure location.
Security team at the ready.
Fully armed.
Sir, another ship's approaching.
It's Mr.
Booker's.
They are extending subspace.
What the hell is going on here? Commander Michael Burnham to Federation Headquarters.
Burnham to HQ.
Do you copy? - Comms are fried.
- They're letting her in.
30 seconds to the shield barrier.
Osyraa did the same thing on Benthos IV.
Got through the shields, then blew up the presidential palace.
We have got to get back on Discovery.
Tractor beam range in 20 seconds.
- Grudge secure? - We should all be so cozy.
Then let's do this.
Ten seconds counting down.
Ten, nine, - eight, seven - Proximity alert.
Six.
- Proximity alert.
- Five.
- Proximity alert.
- Four.
Proximity alert.
- Three.
- Come on.
Proximity alert.
- Two.
- Proximity alert.
One.
Brace for impact.
Contact the Viridian.
- Tell them to stay at the ready.
- Will do.
Are you ready to talk to the Federation yet? Hold them off.
Right now, I want to know how the hell did a ship fly into my shuttle bay? They got in just as shields went down, sir.
You should have seen them coming and blown them out of the sky.
How many life signs on board? Can't tell.
Fire-suppression protocols are blocking all sensors.
My regulators are on their way.
Whoever it is, I'll handle them.
- I want them alive.
- You got it.
Ah.
I cannot believe this is 900-year-old technology.
Nine hundred and thirty.
It must have been the Golden Age of Science.
It's remarkable.
Tell me the greatest scientist in three sectors has figured out how the spore drive works.
Well, it is quite a puzzle.
That's where the "greatest scientist" part comes in.
What is clear is that he's a conduit of some kind for the mycelial network.
But to know more, I will need to do a bioanalysis.
Is it safe to work here? Of course.
Our enemies are secure.
I would never let anything happen to you.
You know that.
But you seem worried.
I'm in hostile territory, about to take the gamble of my life.
To think the Federation would hoard their technology, but you would free us all of the yoke of dilithium.
The galaxy is a much better place with you in it, Osyraa.
Work fast, old friend.
We may need to jump away if things go awry.
Computer.
Play file 73 for Invigilator Aurellio.
Thank you.
The DOTs have nearly put out all the fires.
We only have a few minutes before the Regulators show up.
Okay.
Queen is safe and secure.
- I found another dose of radiation meds.
- Oh.
All right.
Now we got to find Stamets.
Osyraa can't jump without him.
You have to find Stamets.
It's a concealing device.
Hides the life sign from sensors.
Took it off a tosser who was stealing my cargo at the Theskian Exchange.
Works like a charm.
- But I've only got one.
- We stick together.
Hey.
They're expecting to find a pilot in here.
Once the smoke clears, they'll read our life signs, and I don't know Discovery half as well as you.
Go save the day, Michael.
Is this the wrong moment to tell you that I love you for the first time? Not quite the first.
You talk in your sleep.
Okay, stay out of sight till I lead them away.
I love you, too.
Fan out! I see a life sign! On the ship.
Take them alive.
- Any response from Booker's ship or Discovery? - No, sir.
There's a transport jammer of some kind on Discovery.
What's the Viridian doing? Nothing yet, sir.
Just sitting out there beyond our shields.
Why would Osyraa come by herself, just her ship? She knows part of our fleet is at Kam All vessels, weapons hot.
Prepare to fire on Discovery on my command.
Sir? Osyraa.
She's not on the Viridian.
She's on Discovery.
And we just let her in the front door.
You two, back it up.
No talking.
If this one gives you any trouble, you keep him alive but make him wish otherwise.
Yes, sir.
Till the next time.
Looking forward to it, sweetheart.
Come on.
- Hey.
- Let's go.
On our way to Sector 4.
Be right there.
Just Hey.
- Transport function unavailable.
- Come on.
Transport function unavailable.
Regulator 524, report to Deck 3.
Put the fleet at Kaminar on red alert.
- We should expect retaliation.
- Aye, sir.
All ships in position, Admiral.
Prepare to fire on my mark.
Sir, a message from Discovery.
Osyraa? - Hold fire.
- Standing by.
Put her through.
This is Minister Osyraa of the Emerald Chain.
This is Admiral Vance of the United Federation of Planets.
Surrender or prepare to be fired upon.
I assure you that there is no need for any of that.
I apologize that I arrived under such pretenses.
What do you want? I'm here to talk.
Where is Discovery's crew? Oh, they're boarding shuttles as we speak.
I'm holding on to your bridge crew, but the others should be with you shortly.
Remove your jammer, and I'll beam them over myself.
That's a security allowance I am not prepared to make.
But you will find them all in excellent health, a good-faith gesture on my part.
A good-faith gesture would be to let everyone go.
Now, Admiral, we both know that I need some leverage.
But if things go well and I hope they do then you will have them all back in no time.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Shuttle on its way from Discovery.
Have Security and Medical intercept them.
And prepare the ready room.
I guess we might be having a visitor.
This is Team 5 Leader Regulator Team 3, report to the bridge, fully armed.
Osyraa has left the ship, is heading to Federation Headquarters.
All others Commander Michael Burnham broadcasting on a secure sub-relay.
Communication code Alpha-Uniform-996.
Message to Gabrielle Burnham.
Mayday.
Emerald Chain has hijacked Discovery and infiltrated Federation Headquarters.
Mayday.
Mom, they have taken over all of our systems.
The way things are going I might not see you again, until another distant future.
Maybe Dad will be there.
I love you.
Regulator Team 1, report to Deck 10.
Regular Team 2, send an extra body over to Engineering.
Invigilator Aurellio wants to take the neural lock - off his subject.
- Mm.
All right.
Here we go, Paul.
Welcome to Federation Headquarters.
Where's your president? Since this is a security situation, the president has authorized me to negotiate with you for the release of Discovery and its crew.
Is that satisfactory to you? Whatever gets the job done.
Initiation of hostilities by Starfleet officers will not be tolerated.
But should our visitors decide to initiate hostilities, you have permission to respond with force.
Is that clear? Aye, sir.
Shall we? Lead the way.
You think we don't know you're sending messages? Osyraa said we're not to be harmed, so You don't want to get on her bad side, do you? No talking.
Come on.
You two will get us killed.
What, you worried about them or you? - They're being juvenile.
- I'm not dying in here because they're bored.
- Shut up! All of you! - Don't think Osyraa would really like that.
- right now.
- And stop! What the hell was that tapping? Morse code.
Year one.
Starfleet Academy.
What were you saying? I was telling him to keep tapping.
Well-played, all of you.
- Computer.
- Access denied.
Osyraa will have taken over the whole operating system by now.
- Could you hack into it? - I can try.
Michael's out there on her own right now.
- We've got to do better than try.
- Use this.
She's not with Dr.
Culber and the captain? They're still in the nebula.
Dr.
Culber said they wouldn't survive past four hours.
Adira took radiation tablets.
Bought them some time.
Wait, Adira's down there, too? We got to jump right there once we take back the ship.
Bryce, can you monitor comms? - On it.
- Okay.
Owo, Detmer, Rhys, try to get that back door open.
It leads to a maintenance shaft.
And the rest of us are gonna start barricading the turbolift doors.
Next regulator who tries to step through is gonna lose a head.
What's with the holo? And why is he staring at me so intently? It's de rigueur during negotiations to use a biometric lie detector system.
Even among allies.
Where's the fun in that? Nobody seemed to like it when a red light would just go off, so we gave it a face.
Hmm.
A human face, of course.
Is that a problem? I'll get over it.
I certainly do not intend to lie.
She does not.
Still, it's hard to begin a productive conversation when I haven't been able to speak to the officers on board my ship.
- Um, lie detector thingy - Eli.
Eli, the bridge crew of the Discovery are safe, and my crew have been given orders not to harm them.
Aside from a few scratches and bruised egos, everyone is fine.
Bruised egos.
Well it was so easy to take the ship, I almost thought that it was a trap at first.
Then I realized Captain Saru wasn't on board, just an ensign with the conn.
Did you send Saru to Kaminar? You said you wanted to talk.
Let's talk.
What do you want? I want peace.
I want the Emerald Chain to unite with the Federation.
Well, you're gonna have to expand on that one.
Every empire falls.
It would be foolish to think that we can remain where we once were when we're out of dilithium.
I'm sure that Ryn has already told you of our scarcity.
He has.
You have a spore drive that you cannot replicate.
I have the most well-funded scientific institutions in the known galaxy.
There is a deal to be made here.
You already have Discovery under your control.
Why bring us into it at all? Because the Federation, despite its failures since the Burn, is still a symbol of hope.
The Chain, despite our efforts and our advances, has never experienced such privilege.
If we combine the best of what we are You really think this could work? You're a chain of planets.
We are a federation of mercantile exchanges.
We need to focus on doing what is for the good of our people.
At the end of the day, they are what this is all about.
You're proposing a new Federation.
Yeah.
Tell Starfleet to back the hell off.
We're not stupid.
I can see their vessels getting closer.
- Zareh? - Yeah.
We have a free agent aboard.
Sensors show no unexpected life signs.
They must be using some kind of concealment device.
We're missing a comms badge Regulator I.
D.
Theta 431.
Pulling up ship's schematics now.
Hello, Theta 431.
They're in a Jefferies tube, Deck 5.
Backup's on the way.
If you get in at sections five, seven, nine, ten and 12, they'll be trapped.
I'm gonna remove the neural locks.
There's no need for such things among scientists.
It makes it hard for me to ask you questions.
Please do be cooperative.
This is, um Andorian opera, isn't it? Good ear.
Andorians have the best singers.
Their antennae increase resonance.
This particular soprano was discovered on the street corner.
If you hear her live, in the right hall, you can hear four layers of overtones.
I would love to experience that.
Well, someday you shall.
A scientist of your talent, I'm sure Osyraa will want you at the science institute.
Do your children like opera? My ? The, uh, piercings behind your ear.
To bless the arrival of a child.
I'm guessing your partner is Orion? Hurt like hell, but I never thought I'd have children, so how could I say no? Children are a blessing.
I have one myself.
Oh.
Congratulations.
And I'm very concerned about them.
And my partner.
You communicate with the spores.
That's how you navigate the mycelial network, isn't it? His name is Hugh.
He's still inside the Verubin Nebula.
You must know about the radiation levels in there.
I haven't seen any devices that would augment a human to mycelium connection, and you're not an empath, so it must be the Tardigrade DNA in your system.
The Tardigrade DNA that fused with my DNA was from a species that is long extinct.
I've tried to replicate it, but it's been corrupted.
You'll probably have to kill me to extract it.
Mr.
Stamets, I can assure you, we have other methods now.
And if those methods don't work? Ah.
We will grow the Tardigrade cells.
Fidelity is always the issue with replication.
Growth marries the fidelity of a copy with the vitality of new beginnings.
You'll see, Mr.
Stamets.
We will grow the Tardigrade cells.
Regulator 441.
I'm in the Jefferies tube at section 12.
We're getting close to the communication signal.
They're in Junction 24.
I'm into their system.
What now? See if you can scramble comms for Michael.
30 seconds to contact.
Hey, hero.
Can you hear me? I'm guessing right about now you're getting a little nervous, huh? Figuring out that we've almost got you.
You could just give up.
Huh? Why not make it easy? I promise you the lofty position of having your skull be my candy dish.
Come on.
Come on.
- Warning.
- I see her! - Fire.
- No! Zareh, I've got her.
Fire suppression protocol initiated.
Oh, no.
Oxygen purge initiated.
System purge complete.
Closing exterior vents in five, four, three, two, one.
Exterior vents secured.
Pressure restored.
Regulator 665, what is your status? Regulator 665, confirm.
We are receiving negative Hey, Zareh.
Yes.
You're gonna need more regulators.
- Oh.
- Yes.
Who's ready to get the hell out of here? - Yeah! - Yes! Hmm.
It doesn't quite taste like the real thing, does it? I've never eaten a real apple.
Well, how sad.
Apples are a thing of beauty.
You want to talk about oppression, you should start in your own mess hall.
It's made of our shit, you know.
That's the base material that we use in our replicators.
We deconstruct it to the atomic level and then reform the atoms.
It's pretty good for shit, and we don't have to commit atrocities for it.
Well, you're not being very diplomatic.
And you're wasting my time.
Are we negotiating or not? Fine.
If the Chain is to unite with the Federation, you need to send the message that our culture is fundamentally valid and ethical.
And how are we supposed to do that? By acknowledging that capitalism is already happening within the Federation.
When was the last time anyone from around here visited Deep Space 253? - A while.
- 87 years.
- Not by choice.
- It's way the hell out there.
But DS253 has been trading with an Emerald Chain mercantile for nearly a century.
You need to sanction that trade, and you need to permit the Chain to establish an embassy on the station.
That will send a very powerful message.
Your mercantile exchanges they traffic in goods that are used for enslavement.
Some still have open slave markets.
And I have already submitted a charter amendment to our congress outlawing slavery.
And it has enough support to pass.
I had to spend a lot of political capital, but it has the support of regular citizens.
In order for me to sell it to the president, you'd gonna need to step away from the influence you're exerting on Kwejian and the other 50 pre-warp planets you've targeted.
You're asking very powerful people to give up huge amounts of income.
Why don't you explain it to them by hijacking one of their ships, kidnapping its crew, and using it - to break through their shields? - Admiral? Minister Osyraa.
Thank you.
Some of your regulators decided to go for a space walk without their EV suits.
Maybe we should move things along.
- What's this? - This is an armistice with terms that your president can sign off on.
The Emerald Chain will desist from any so-called "Prime Directive violations" moving forward.
And I commit to a 15-year, systematic walk-back from Kwejian and any other worlds like it.
Anything less, and you are buying chaos, and you know it.
I'm gonna need a moment to read this.
Be my guest.
I can't block your life signs, but I can scramble 'em.
The minute you get those doors open, I'll initiate.
Sensors will display every life sign that's been in this ship in the last three months.
So it'll look like there are thousands of us on board.
Should let you get lost in the noise, move freely - for a little while.
- We'll have to move fast.
- I'll hold 'em off as long as I can.
- I'll help.
What? What? No, no, no, you can't.
You can't! Listen, hey, listen.
I know that Osyraa took Discovery on my watch, but I do have a plan.
I'm not staying 'cause I don't trust you.
I'm staying because you're the best chance for Michael to make it out of here alive.
Someone check on the hostages and Team 8.
They're not responding.
On my mark.
Three, two, one, go.
What the hell?! Go, go, go, go, go, go.
- Thank you.
- Good luck.
Code alpha five.
All regulators, code alpha five.
- Something's wrong.
- Well, the regulators are well trained.
They will get it sorted.
She's hijacked the ship.
You know this, don't you? We will return the ship as soon as our work here is done.
She's taken hostages.
I'm a hostage! Osyraa is negotiating a way to bring the spore drive to the entire galaxy.
You may not like her methods, but she's more than you're making her out to be.
Look at me, Mr.
Stamets.
I should not be here.
Maybe in your time, when technology was free and travel was easy, but here in my time, with a genetic defect? My parents worked at the exchange.
They asked Osyraa for a meeting.
She did not have to say yes, but she did.
I was ten.
I didn't have much time left.
But she saw potential in me.
And now I am a scientist, I have a family.
And I have been supported in a life dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge.
She has given me everything.
And not just me.
I've also seen evidence of the science she supports.
A pesticide on Kwejian.
Yes.
That-that is a perfect example.
I was the junior scientist when they perfected that.
We have transformed entire planets.
She forced Kwejian to participate in the extinction of one of their species to get that pesticide.
Well that must be an overstatement.
She threatened them with famine.
The death of millions.
Children.
I My friend Michael barely escaped one of her labor camps.
I believe you when you say that she's more than she appears to be.
But she is also exactly what she appears to be.
- Michael - I only stunned him.
We need to move fast.
- Status report.
- At the door.
Nearly through, sir.
- It's not too late for you to go.
- And miss all the fun? Seriously, Ryn.
No.
Michael's doing something.
You're doing something.
They are I can't just sit around and hope anymore.
I have to do this.
- I'm going in.
- I want them alive.
We got this.
We need backup.
Let's go, Paul.
We have to move.
No.
I'm not going.
Paul! We have to jump back now.
He's in the nebula, and so is Saru.
We have to get you off this ship.
They'll die.
I know.
I already lost him once.
I can't go through that again.
And Adira, what would I tell them? Adira is with them.
No.
- No, no, no, no, no - Hey.
Let go of me.
I can't do that.
- Let me go! - No Paul! My whole life is in that nebula! I know.
Who's he modeled after? Um no one.
It's, uh, computer-generated.
Hmm.
Totally blank canvas, huh? Nothing that would cause any offense or alarm.
Do you ever think about what it costs you, all this abstraction? Lying causes a physiological change in a face.
So why don't you just pick someone who is known to tell the truth? Make it real, as opposed to an idea.
This armistice it's very impressive.
You've made a lot of concessions.
I told you, I came to make a deal.
There's one more thing.
Ask.
I'm in a charitable mood.
Who's going to be the face of this? In official Federation matters, who is actually going to represent the Chain? Yeah, I see what you're getting at.
Can't be me, 'cause of my reputation.
Well, I would appoint someone appropriate.
A well-respected scientist, perhaps.
And that person won't just be a proxy for you? Of course not.
- That is not the truth.
- Oh! He glitched.
Ask me again.
For this armistice to be worth anything, then the person representing the Chain has to be proven credible.
And the only way that that can happen is if he or she functions completely independently of you.
And tries you for your crimes.
Excuse me? They're well documented.
You've never stood trial, because no one's been able to compel the Chain.
You're staring at the past.
I just drew you a real map to the future.
The past is the only light with which we can see the future.
Your willingness to do this will send a message, and I promise you I will not let anyone forget that.
It's just more abstractions.
The past cannot be undone.
But it could be made right.
We all had to make hard choices because of the Burn.
Spare me your judgment.
Osyraa, I want peace.
I want the Federation to join the Chain, and I want to learn from your great society.
The Burn has left us with a legacy of of fear, of isolation of scarcity that still clouds our moral clarity, a clarity that I fight for on a daily basis and I ask my people to die for.
So if that's the reason that we can't reach an accord today, well I can live with that.
You're making a mistake.
Osyraa, your people are good.
I beg you to be as good as they are.
I can promise you justice.
Oh, I can promise you the same.
You have us.
Now what? Now you get to explain yourselves to Osyraa.
We failed you, Osyraa.
You're a scientist.
You, however you were brought in to secure the ship.
You lost our hostages and the key to making the spore drive work.
- Everyone is still on board.
- Where are they? He hacked into the system and messed with the sensors.
Give me five minutes, I'll get him to reverse it.
Airlocks are the only way off this ship.
Seal them all and check them all.
And if you don't have better news for me in ten minutes, I will shove you out of one of them myself.
Aurellio.
It's probably best for you to leave the bridge now.
I need to get my sensors back online.
Osyraa, there is no need for violence.
I know this is something that you don't see every day, but it is how we make progress.
And it is not always pleasant.
Now, it's up to you if you want to stay.
Okay, then.
Ryn.
Fix my sensors.
No.
Now is not the moment for you to develop a spine.
I'm not afraid of you anymore.
I've seen real bravery, real strength and loyalty.
And love.
You're nothing compared to that.
All you have is fear and no one is feared forever.
Who needs forever? Wait! Wait.
I know where you can find dilithium.
More than the entire Chain can use in a hundred lifetimes.
Let me guess.
It's in the Verubin Nebula, and that's where Saru is.
Yeah, but the nebula is massive.
And dangerous.
I know exactly how to get you in and out safely.
Just let Ryn and the crew go.
Please.
- Why - Aurellio.
Truth serum.
Let's make sure Kwejian doesn't lie to me.
- Osyraa, please - Do it! Tell the Viridian to start firing on exterior shields.
I'd like to get the hell out of here.
What are you It's an emergency escape field.
I'm turning on the homing beacon.
Fed HQ will see you and bring you in before Osyraa knows you're missing.
Michael, they're my whole life.
Look at me.
They'll die a terrible, painful death! Damn it, Michael, look at me! Osyraa will destroy what is left of the Federation.
And she's gonna use you to do it.
No, no, no, we-we have time.
Right now, you and me, let's go.
We have time.
What are you doing? No.
No.
We came to the future for you.
We followed you! Hugh followed you! We gave up everything so you wouldn't have to be here alone! How can you do this?! I'm sorry.
Michael! You're gonna be really sorry you did that.
We're clear.
Hurry, more regulators will be coming.
- It's locked.
- Okay.
Detmer.
Take as many weapons as you can carry.
We don't have much time.
We make it to the bridge no matter what.
That means that if somebody falls, we keep going.
Understood? Steady.
Steady.
You're the sphere data, aren't you? Indeed we are.
Hello.
Greetings.
- It hid itself in the DOT-23s.
- What? You here to help us? I'm at your service, Captain.
Shall we take back the ship?