Search

Star Trek Discovery – S03E08 – The Sanctuary [Transcript]

The U.S.S. Discovery crew travel to Book's home planet to help rescue it from Osyraa, the formidable leader of the Emerald Chain; Stamets and Adira continue their search for valuable information on the origin of the Burn.
Star Trek Discovery - S03E08 - The Sanctuary

Release date: December 3, 2020

 

GEORGIOU: Where I’m from, the emperor’s personal physicians were buried with them when they died. It incentivized loyalty.

CULBER: Are you gonna answer my question? When did you first experience one of these blackouts?

GEORGIOU: I don’t need your help.

CULBER: Your condition is serious. But since you don’t want to cooperate, you can determine if the root is physiological, psychological, temporal or interdimensional on your own and get back to me.

GEORGIOU: You don’t scare me, human.

CULBER: I don’t need to. You’re already terrified.

GEORGIOU: I realize…you see yourself as the Grand Hero, Oracle of the Mess Hall, Savior Man to this ship… Well, I’m not interested.

CULBER: The early stages of brain dysfunction will feel manageable. “What was I just doing? Where did I bury that last body?” But eventually, if we don’t intervene, you won’t recognize the faces around you. You won’t even recognize yourself. You’ll end your days howling at the reflection in the mirror. A living death. That’s not what I want for you.

GEORGIOU: If I had time, I’d poison your children.

CULBER: If I had time, I’d have children. Now, do you want my help or not?


GEORGIOU: For such a warm and fuzzy human, you’ve got very cold hands.

BURNHAM: He’s just getting your baselines.

CULBER: More than that, actually. The scan will deconstruct your entire body system by system. Once we can see what’s happening on an atomic level, hopefully we’ll have a road map for a cure.

GEORGIOU: (chuckles) 930 years of medical advancement, and you still need fancy equipment to deconstruct me? I could deconstruct the both of you with a snappy insult and a withering glance.

BURNHAM: Congratulations. Your mother must be very proud.

GEORGIOU: I killed her.

BURNHAM: “I killed her.” No, you did not, by the way. Listen, we’re gonna figure this out. I’m not leaving until we do.

(alarm pinging)

CULBER: Her heart rate is elevated.

GEORGIOU: It’s rage.

BURNHAM: Why don’t I, uh, check in later.

GEORGIOU: Don’t bother.

CULBER: I’ll call for you if you’re needed.

GEORGIOU: She won’t be.


FEMALE (over comms): Security briefing on Deck 7…

BOOK: Hey.

BURNHAM: Hey.

BOOK: Sorry. I’m glad I found you.

BURNHAM: What is it?

BOOK: I have to go home.

BURNHAM: Home?

BOOK: Kwejian.

BURNHAM: Home home.

BOOK: Look, my brother Kyheem got a message to me through the courier network. I have to go. Come with me?

BURNHAM: (exhales) Hold on.

BOOK: It’s Osyraa and the Emerald Chain. He’s been dealing with them for 15 years. Haven’t heard from him once. It must be bad.

BURNHAM: Kwejian is two weeks away at full warp.

BOOK: Okay.

BURNHAM: And we have less than a 50% chance of surviving the transwarp tunnel.

BOOK: She’s gonna destroy my planet.

BURNHAM: Then we’re going to need some help.


BOOK: When the Burn hit, damage to subspace shifted our moon’s orbit, causing tidal changes. Sea locusts came out of the ocean and ate our harvest. Millions were starving. Then the Chain came along.

VANCE: And let me guess. They are the solution to all your problems.

BOOK: They offered us a… well, I guess you’d call it a repellent. Assured us it was a humane way to get them back into the sea. It saved our harvest. But we had to give them our tranceworms in exchange. Now Osyraa’s back.

VANCE: Any idea why?

BOOK: I don’t know.

BURNHAM: You don’t seem surprised, sir.

VANCE: The Chain’s turned Prime Directive violations into an art form. They make reckless contact with prewarp civilizations that have something they want. Right now, I’m tracking 50 star systems in the same predicament. Most, if not all, are bound to collapse.

SARU: Then must we not intercede?

VANCE: I don’t have the ships to spare, and I’m not risking your spore drive.

BOOK: All I need is transport. My brother will know what Osyraa wants.

VANCE: And what if she wants something you can’t give?

BURNHAM: It’s not just Osyraa, and it’s not just this quadrant. We have to do something.

SARU: I propose we go in under the technical designation of observers. If Osyraa feels the presence of the Federation, she may be inclined to pursue a more diplomatic approach.

VANCE: You will take a defensive posture and jump away at the slightest indication that Discovery is in danger.

SARU: Aye, sir.

VANCE: Keep your eyes open, Captain. I’m not betting on diplomacy. You have no idea what Osyraa is capable of.


HUNHAU – EMERALD CHAIN SALVAGE PLANET

TOLOR: All my workers ran off. I did everything I knew how to do, Aunt Osyraa. I hope you believe me.

I don’t. You lost Ryn.

Ryn? Oh, right. The Andorian. He left with a courier named Cleveland Booker.

Cleveland Booker.

You already know?

Of course I do. Oh, Tolor. You know, when I first took you in as a child, I was… having complicated feelings about the death of your father.

Well, you did what you had to do to keep control of the mercantile exchanges. I have always understood.

Tolor, I know you did. You’re so much like him.

(grunts)

Auntie?

OSYRAA (over loudspeaker): They’ll mesmerize you, and you won’t feel a thing. I promise.

What?

(growling)

No. No! Aunt Osyraa, no, please.

Don’t be childish. This is why they call them tranceworms.

Please, Aunt Osyraa. No.

(shrieking)

TOLOR: No!

(Tolor screams)

(crunching)


(original Star Trek theme plays)

TILLY: Commander Burnham and Mr. Booker are preparing for a jump to Kwejian.

SARU: What do we have in the meantime?

TILLY: Uh, Mr. Ryn, a refugee from the salvage planet, is awake and requesting to speak with you.

SARU: Let’s schedule it. And… what about Linus?

TILLY: Oh, he’s been escorted to quarters and instructed not to return to the mess hall until his annual shed is complete.

SARU: And where are we on the, uh… ongoing matter?

TILLY: So far, we have narrowed it down to… to “execute,” “hit it” and “manifest.”

SARU: “Manifest”?

TILLY: Nobody likes that one.

SARU: “Hit it” was Captain Pike’s.

TILLY: Yeah, but you could put your own spin on it, like… “Hit it?!”

SARU: I will take it under advisement.

TILLY: Oh, and, um, Commander Stamets has, uh, requested to report on their analysis of the Ni’Var data. He says they have something.

SARU: Well, hit it, then.

TILLY: Uh…

SARU: Right.

(door whooshes open)

STAMETS: Here. We combined the data from Ni’Var with the data from Commander Burnham’s black boxes. This is where the Burn started. The Verubin Nebula. Unusually intense radiation. Highly unstable electromagnetic fields.

TILLY: Okay. So we have a point of origin.

ADIRA: There’s more. There’s a signal coming from the center of the nebula. And we weren’t sure at first, but it’s deliberate. Something or someone is definitely sending it. The signal frequencies are in the audio range. Um…

(distorted melody playing)

STAMETS: It’s been distorted by magnetic interference, but… Well, uh, it…

ADIRA: It sounds like music.

(clearer melody playing)

TILLY: Where… I’ve heard this before.

STAMETS: The Barzans. On the seed vault ship, the mother was humming it to her child.

ADIRA: And Gray used to play the same thing on the cello.

(cello playing matching melody)

TILLY: That’s weird. Scientifically speaking.

STAMETS: The computer has detected a recurrence of these precise combinations of tones since we arrived in the future.

SARU: Just the nebula, please.

(soft buzzing, beeping)

SARU: A little louder.

(buzzing and beeping grow slightly louder)

SARU: What is the lowest known frequency traveling through that nebula?

TILLY: That would be radio wave… J.A.G. 380725A, coming from a nearby neutron star at 5.75 kilohertz.

ADIRA: I get it. You want to model the effects of the distortion in order to isolate the original signal.

(buzzing and beeping continue)

STAMETS: There. This is it

(rapid beeping)

STAMETS: without the distortion.

TILLY: That’s a Federation distress signal.

(rapid beeping continues)

TILLY: There’s a ship lost in there.

SARU: A distress signal must include an encoded message of some kind.

STAMETS: Adira can write an algorithm that can find and decode it.

SARU: How long will that take?

STAMETS: Not more than a few hours. She’s pretty fast.

SARU: Update me the moment you have something, Commander.

STAMETS: Of course.

ADIRA: They’re fast.

STAMETS: Hmm?

ADIRA: Um, “they.” Not… not “she.” I’ve never felt like a “she” or or a “her,” so… I would prefer “they” or “them” from now on.

STAMETS: Okay.

ADIRA: Um, and I’ve never told anyone but Gray.

♪ ♪


How is it that an hour ago I didn’t know you had a brother?

It’s not biological. “Brother” is something we said, we felt. But after… well… it became impossible.

After what?

Kyheem started hunting tranceworms for the Chain.

Think you can fix things with him?

Kwejian is starving. He’s not my priority.

Okay. Hell of a way to bring me home to meet the family.

First off, you already met Grudge.

Ah. Right, yes. And I’m grateful. Every day.

Look, I just… I wish you could have seen Kwejian when it was really beautiful. It was. It wasn’t so… complicated, you know?

I’m gonna like it.

No, really. It’s become something that…

I am going to like it. It’s your home.


OWOSEKUN: Is that a new operating interface?

I had Engineering make modifications for me.

You know the interface is supposed to modify to you based on your usage, right?

I need fail-safes.

The only fail-safe you ever needed was you.

SARU: Mr. Bryce, are we ready?

Yes, sir. Commander Stamets is ready to jump to Kwejian on your mark.

Welcome back to the bridge, Mr. Booker.

Thank you, Captain.

Black alert.

(alarm blaring)

And… execute.

OWOSEKUN: We’ve arrived at Kwejian, Captain.

BRYCE: I’m trying to hail them, sir, but I’m getting no response.

OWOSEKUN: Long-range scanners show a heavy cruiser-class starship coming in at maximum warp. 30 minutes out.

It’s the Viridian, Osyraa’s ship. We don’t have a cruiser-class starship in this system.

Sensors show she’s armed to the teeth, sir.

I have no authority over you, Mr. Booker. Commander, your orders are to assess the situation and see how we may be of service. But you are to return to Discovery immediately if there is any trouble whatsoever.

Yes, sir.

Be careful, Commander. Good luck.

Thank you.


Dr. Pollard. I trust Dr. Culber has brought you up to date. There is a problem in my brain, ergo I dress like a human spermatozoan.

(clears throat) That suit is made of special hyperconductive material to interact with the electromagnetic gel.

(sighs) There are many jokes to be had here. If you’re gonna torture me, at least let me have some fun.

(chuckles) This is not torture.

As if you’d know.

This is medical advancement.

I didn’t ask.

I’m gonna need you to count backward for me from ten.

What you need is not im…

Advancement is good.

(soft, electronic chime)


(playing slow, minor-key melody)

STAMETS: That’s beautiful.

(stops playing)

I didn’t know you played so well.

I don’t. I-I guess I do now. Um… Kasha is the one who learned to play, and then Gray picked it up. So now me. Mm, uh, Gray’s not talking to me anymore. And I don’t know why. I can still feel him. Especially when I play. That’s what’s so weird. He’s… he’s here, all the time. But it feels like he’s hiding from me.

Maybe… Gray just needs some space.

I know. It’s not… it’s not just him, either. It’s… this– all of it. And I’m waking up every day, and I never know who I’m gonna feel more. Sometimes it’s Kasha, sometimes Tovar, or Gray, or sometimes it’s just…

Adira? Well, I’m out here with you. The algorithm will take a few more hours, at least. Let’s play.

(beeps)

The key is G minor. Piece of cake.

♪ ♪


TILLY: Commander Burnham and Book have reached the surface of the planet, sir.

SARU: How long before we lose the ability to track their location?

TILLY: It depends on when they reach the protected area.

(door chimes)

SARU: Come.

Which one of you is the captain?

TILLY: Uh-uh. Try again. This time with the respect the rank deserves.

May I speak with the captain, please?

SARU: I am Captain Saru. We are meant to meet later, Mr. Ryn, are we not?

Yes. I… appreciate what you’ve done for me, but Federation help always comes with strings.

TILLY: No, it doesn’t.

I need to get off this ship.

SARU: You are not a prisoner here, Mr. Ryn– you never have been.

Then beam me down to Kwejian with Book.

SARU: You are free to go, provided the Kwejian accept you. However…

(chuckles) There’s always a “however.”

TILLY: There is an Emerald Chain warship inbound at maximum warp– you want to end up on another salvage planet with an explosive in your neck, be our guest. It’ll be here in 15 minutes.

Is it… the Viridian? Osyraa?

SARU: That is what we believe.

(beeping)

Is that… is that Book? What’s happening?

SARU: That is Kwejian’s defense system.

TILLY: Anything that enters the protected area can’t be accurately tracked or transported out. They’re on their own.


BURNHAM: My readings are scrambled.

BOOK: Welcome to the Sanctuary.

(exhales)

(buzzing, trilling)

BOOK: Michael Burnham, meet the sea locusts, Kwejian’s plague. If they’re this far inland, that means we haven’t had repellent for weeks.

BURNHAM: How do you make them do that?

BOOK: All I can do is ask.

BURNHAM: And you can’t ask them to move back out to sea?

BOOK: Our best scientists have been working on it for years. But there are so many.

BURNHAM: I know it’s complicated, but… I hope you never forget how beautiful this place is.

BOOK: I never forget.

BURNHAM: Book?

BOOK: Put your hands up.

BURNHAM: Book…

BOOK: Do it.

KYHEEM: You brought the Federation with you, Tareckx?

BOOK: I am not Tareckx anymore.

KYHEEM: You couldn’t face the planet you abandoned on your own?

BOOK: I can face anything. It’s you who can’t face yourself. You never could.

KYHEEM: Take them.

BURNHAM: He’s…

BOOK: My brother.


CULBER: Her encephalographic readings are peaking. She’s having an episode.

POLLARD: She’s in danger of a cerebral hemorrhage. Atomic scan 83% complete. We have to abort.

CULBER: We can’t stop. This is the only way to find out what’s wrong with her.

No!

POLLARD: She’s close to redline.

CULBER: What the hell?

(alarm beeping)

POLLARD: Her heart rate is 2-10.

CULBER: We’re nearly there.

San! San!

POLLARD: Georgiou? Philippa? You okay? Can you tell us what you experienced?

I was having a beautiful dream about how your head would look on my wall.


KYHEEM: I am Kyheem, Steward of the Sanctuary.

BOOK: Well, some job you’re doing. Looks like the price of tranceworm meat has hit a new high.

BURNHAM: I’m Commander Michael Burnham of the starship Discovery.

KYHEEM: Tareckx didn’t mention…

BOOK: Book.

KYHEEM: Book.

BOOK: I stopped being a Tareckx when Father and Grandfather started working with the Emerald Chain.

KYHEEM: And they both asked for you on their deathbeds.

BOOK: You’re a man of character, or you aren’t. Maybe they remembered that in the end.

KYHEEM: Oh. So righteous.

BOOK: Someone has to be.

KYHEEM: What are the Federation’s intentions here?

BURNHAM; Observation and support.

KYHEEM: Kwejian is a sovereign planet. We don’t need another savior. You can go.

BOOK: She stays. You called, I showed up. What’s going on?

KYHEEM: A criminal. Ryn. Osyraa wants him.

BOOK: Never thought you’d dance at the end of their chain, but here you are.

KYHEEM: You saw how far the locusts are inland.

BOOK: I did, but I won’t return someone to slavery.

KYHEEM: Without Osyraa, there’d be nothing left here.

BOOK: I see there’s nothing left of you.

KYHEEM: Says the nomad who rejects his name and everything he is.

BOOK: Well… I did manage to hold on to a few core principles.


OWOSEKUN: The Viridian has arrived, Captain. Osyraa’s scanning us. But she isn’t blocking our scans in return.

SARU: She wants us to see her and all her firepower.

Yellow alert, sir?

SARU: No. Full diplomatic protocols. No actions that might be misinterpreted as a provocation.

(trilling)

We’re being hailed, Captain.

SARU: Can you get a message to Burnham through the Kwejian defenses?

I can try, sir.

SARU: Tell her to leave the protected area immediately and transport back to Discovery.

Yes, sir.

SARU: Put Osyraa through.

OSYRAA: Well, it’s been a while since we’ve seen a Starfleet vessel. Are you lost?

SARU: I am Captain Saru of the USS Discovery. We are an observational presence, here at the request of the citizens of Kwejian.

OSYRAA: Oh, I see, but I’m afraid you can’t operate under the observational umbrella while you’re harboring a wanted criminal named Ryn.

SARU: Wanted by whom? To our knowledge, no entity recognized by the Federation desires Mr. Ryn’s capture.

OSYRAA: “Recognized by the Federation”? Hmm. Out here, we don’t bend to that kind of hubris. Prepare to transport him to my vessel.


BOOK: You’re scared of the monster you serve. I knew you, Kyheem.

KYHEEM: You never knew me.

OSYRAA: You weren’t afraid of anything.

KYHEEM: You have to give up Ryn.


SARU: If Mr. Ryn has committed serious crimes, the Federation will hold him accountable.

OSYRAA: The Federation can’t even hold itself accountable for the mess it’s made or the blood on its hands. Send the prisoner to me now.

BOOK: “Give up the tranceworms.” “Poison the locusts.” “Give up Ryn.” What happens when they come for you? Who’s gonna stand for you?

KYHEEM: We are your people. We are your family.

BOOK: Act like it.

(grunts)

(sighs)

KYHEEM: You. You are the coward.


SARU: The Andorian you seek is here under security protocol 49.09.

OSYRAA: He signed a lifelong contract. He’s broken the contract.

SARU: That sounds suspiciously like slavery.

OSYRAA: Oh. It doesn’t surprise me that a Kelpien would frame everything in terms of enslavement.

SARU: If memory serves, the Orions were once enslaved themselves.

OSYRAA: My ancestors knew that power is virtue, and that there is no nobility in suffering. You do what it takes to get what you need, or you don’t. I want Ryn. You have him. And the Federation does not want a war with the Emerald Chain. That’s why you came alone. That’s why you are just… observing. Transport Ryn to my ship, or the Kwejian and any of your crew on its surface will pay his price. I’ll grant you five minutes.

SARU: Mr. Bryce?

Still unable to reach Commander Burnham, sir.

Osyraa just dropped into the atmosphere, weapons hot.

SARU: Yellow alert. Keep trying, Mr. Bryce. And bring Mr. Ryn to the bridge immediately.

TILLY: Yes, sir.


(chiming)

(sighs)

(chiming)

KYHEEM: Yes.

OSYRAA: Is that Kwejian whiskey? I could use a shot myself. You know, I have to say that this defense system of yours is impressive. According to my ship’s sensors, you’re bouncing my signal across eight different places on the planet, even as I talk to you right now. Did you get blown to bits and forget to tell me?

KYHEEM: I brought Book. I have kept my end of the bargain.

OSYRAA: Well, that was before he showed up with a Federation ship that has Ryn on board. Now, they’re not playing nicely, so, I’m going to need Book and whoever he came with.

KYHEEM: So you can… what?

OSYRAA: When have you ever dared to question me? Is this your brother working on you? Look, if you don’t want to be the one who turns him over, that’s fine. Turn off your defense system, and I’ll come and get him. It’s the right thing for Kwejian.

KYHEEM: I can’t.

OSYRAA: All right, then. Famine. You have a child. Am I right? Have you ever seen a child starve? Is your brother really worth it? The locusts have started to destroy Kwejian’s harvest. People are already suffering. Okay, let’s try this another way. I don’t have a lot of time to waste, so bring your brother to me now. I will burn ten hecapates of forest every minute of delay.


(weapons firing)

BOOK: Photon torpedoes. Osyraa. Let’s go.

BURNHAM: She’s targeting the defense systems.

BOOK: I know the way.

(weapons firing)


SARU: Status report.

BRYCE: Still no word from Commander Burnham.

Osyraa’s carpet-bombing the planet systematically, firing in a grid pattern for maximum damage.

Kwejian’s defenses are starting to fail.

SARU: Mr. Ryn, why are you so important to Osyraa?

RYN: She’s destroying that planet looking for you. Commander Burnham and Book are down there.

SARU: We need to know what she wants. We cannot engage with her blindly.

RYN: I can’t. I’m sorry.

SARU: Mr. Rhys, take weapons on line.

But sir, Admiral Vance said…

SARU: I am well aware of the admiral’s instructions. We are continuing our efforts to retrieve Commander Burnham and Mr. Booker, as Starfleet protocol demands. But we will prevent Osyraa from committing atrocities as Starfleet protocol also demands.

Yes, sir.

SARU: Mr. Bryce, open a ship-wide channel.


Computer, override security encryption authorization code Q-L-R-8-5-4-5-4-8.

SARU (over comms): All crew to stations. We are going to red alert.

(alarm sounding)

Michael.

I don’t need a scan of your brain to know where you’re headed.

Out of my way.

You were a liability to her on the salvage planet. You almost got her killed. Stand down.

I’m dying.

It’s not that cut-and-dry. Let’s find a quieter place to talk.

Fine.


BURNHAM: Burnham to Discovery. Do you copy? Osyraa’s targeting Kwejian’s defense systems. One is already down. We’re going to attempt to repair it.

BOOK: This way!

BURNHAM: If you can hear this message, we need any help we can get. We can’t let Osyraa get a lock on everyone down here. How much further?

BOOK: Almost there.

BRYCE: I still can’t reach Commander Burnham.

Five minutes at most until Osyraa’s able to break through Kwejian’s defenses.

SARU: Have scanners picked up any weaknesses in her shields?

None that I can find, sir.

Captain, I know where they are. I climbed over every class of ship on salvage duty.

SARU: And you are willing to help us?

For Book’s sake. I owe him.

Sir, if we return fire, Osyraa will see it as an attack from the Federation. Emerald Chain will retaliate against everyone.

SARU: At this point, we have no choice, Lieutenant.

TILLY: What if we fired on her from a non-Federation starship?

SARU: Another ship?

TILLY: Flown by a Starfleet pilot who will be disciplined severely for disobeying orders and for going rogue.


DETMER: What’s my target?

RYN: Where the gunwale meets the aft nacelles.

DETMER: Sensors aren’t showing any damage. Am I hitting this thing or what?

RYN: Trust me, you’ve weakened the shield, but you have to keep the pressure on. Go back and…

(mews)

(whimpering)

RYN: Ah! What the hell is this?!

(yowling)

RYN: What’s that noise it’s making?

DETMER: It’s a cat.

RYN: What is that? Like a pet?

(loud weapons firing)

DETMER: Shields down to 80%.

RYN: You sure you’re up for this?

(gasps)


BOOK: Wait. Is that my ship?

Kyheem wants you back.

(all groaning)

You all right?

(grunts)

(grunting)

(grunts)

(Book groans)


COMPUTER: Shields at ten percent.

RYN: You have to go back.

DETMER: No. Burnham’s not clear yet.

RYN: Last time I tried to stand up to Osyraa, I lost my antenna. This time, I’m going to get vaporized.

DETMER: You’re the only one who’s ever stood up to her, correct?

RYN: How’d you know that?

DETMER: I didn’t. I guessed. But for what it’s worth, I have the right co-pilot. If you face something, you can beat it, and that is exactly what we’re gonna do right now. I just need you to be brave for a few more minutes. You with me?

RYN: Yeah.

DETMER: Good. ‘Cause I’m about to do something that might get us both killed. Computer, suspend automatic controls. Full manual control.

RYN: What are you doing?

DETMER: This is how I learned to fly.


(shouts)

(grunting)

BURNHAM: Kyheem!

(shouting)

(grunting)

BURNHAM: Stop!

BOOK: Osyraa will kill us all!

KYHEEM: “Us”? There is no us anymore. You saw to that!

(grunting)

BURNHAM: Enough!

BOOK: Michael!

BURNHAM: Let him go.

BOOK: Discovery won’t give up Ryn, so she’ll take me as leverage?

BURNHAM: That is never gonna happen.

BOOK: Kyheem. You knew this was a possibility the moment you agreed to find me.

KYHEEM: Huh?

BOOK: (grunting)

KYHEEM: (panting)

BURNHAM: Book.

BOOK: If this is what it takes. Send me up to her. Maybe she’ll give you a bonus.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

BOOK: Come on!

KYHEEM: (shouts)

(boom in distance)


DETMER: (whoops) You okay?

(Grudge yowls)

RYN: (pants) Uh-huh.

DETMER: All right, we’re going again.

RYN: All right. (sniffs)

(meows)

RYN: Eight degrees aft. Straight down. That’s the weapons system generator.


TILLY: The Viridian is standing down, Captain.

Captain, incoming transmission.

SARU: Put it through. Osyraa. Your ship appears to have sustained structural damage. Allow us to be of assistance.

OSYRAA: You have just sealed your own fate and the fate of the Federation. I promise you will feel the full weight of the chain.


KYHEEM: (exhaling) We will starve. My son.

BOOK: You have a son?

BURNHAM: (exhales) Look.

KYHEEM: (exhales) (sighs)

BURNHAM: You both are empaths. Why can’t you move the sea locusts out to sea together?

KYHEEM: (exhales) It’s too many. Even with two of us.

BURNHAM: Who said anything about just the two of you?


BURNHAM: We’ve isolated the electromagnetic connection between the sea locusts. We’ll amplify it, same as we did on Kaminar. All you have to do is tell them where to go.

BOOK: It’s their choice, Michael, not ours.

BURNHAM: I know.

♪ ♪

(chanting in Kwejian)

(chanting continues)

(buzzing)

(chanting continues)

Just need to boost the signal, and the brothers should get them home. Captain, shall I… execute?

SARU: Carry on.

Amplifying now.

(chanting continues)

(buzzing)

(chanting continues)

The locusts are communicating. They’re getting the message.

Go. Go.

BURNHAM: You did it. Well done, both of you.


DETMER: Oh, it was great! I went full manual.

No.

You did not.

DETMER: Oh, hell yeah, I did. Ask Ryn.

You’re gonna be all macho and impossible all week, yeah?

Yeah, that’s right. Deal with me, universe.

Oh, deal with me, universe, while I deal with her.

(laughter)

DETMER: It took a sec for Ryn to chill out. Once he got Grudge in order, he just told me exactly where to aim, and it was just… (exhales)

RYN: I’m as valuable as the cat.

TILLY: Oh, knock it off with the whole “sad Andorian” thing. You’re a freaking hero.

RYN: She’ll be back. Osyraa. And it will be bad next time.

TILLY: Well, we can be pretty bad, too, so…

RYN: (chuckles softly) You know, all I ever heard about when I was little was how… deceitful the Federation was, how they’d turn on you. I mean, you want to scare an Andorian child, tell them they’re going to Federation summer camp.

TILLY: That’s not a thing.

RYN: I need to tell you something, something that will give you an advantage. They’re running out of dilithium. The Chain. That’s why Osyraa wants me back. I’m the only one who knows. And now you do, too.


(giggles) Lizard.

KYHEEM: So, this is home now?

BOOK: No. Kwejian is home.

(chuckles softly)

KYHEEM: Feels good to hear you say that.

BOOK: But this is where they’re making a difference for planets like Kwejian. I’m liking being around that.

BURNHAM: Uh, Kyheem, do you mind if Lido comes with me?

KYHEEM: Oh, no, please. Go on.

BURNHAM:I’m gonna show you something amazing.

The lizard guy?

BURNHAM: Mm-hmm. His name is Linus, and you can peel off a part of his face if you want.

Ew. Fun.

(chuckles)

KYHEEM: So, Book…

BOOK: Don’t even. It sounds stupid coming out of your mouth.

KYHEEM: (chuckles) Oh. I’m why it sounds stupid.

(chuckles)

There’s a story.

KYHEEM: Are you gonna tell me about it?

How ’bout next time?

KYHEEM: If it’s sooner than 15 years, yeah.

BOOK: (chuckles) Thank you. You held everything together. You saved Kwejian.

KYHEEM: (exhales) So, um, the Federation. Seems they can use some… empathic perspective, yes?

BOOK: Yeah. They can.

KYHEEM: Don’t say “brother.” It’s corny.

BOOK: I wasn’t going to.

KYHEEM: (chuckles)

♪ ♪

BOOK: Later, brother.


CULBER: Burning the midnight oil.

STAMETS: Yeah. Just… wrapping up. There’s nothing more to do until their algorithm finishes.

CULBER: No, no, no, no, no. Let them sleep. At that age, whatever they can get is golden.

STAMETS: Gray stopped speaking to them.

CULBER: Ouch.

STAMETS: Yeah. But… (exhales) …even so, their work has been nothing short of stellar. They’re… really something.

ADIRA: They’re also awake.

CULBER: (chuckles)

STAMETS: I’m sorry.

ADIRA: No. It’s okay. When I sleep like this, my back kills.

CULBER: You’ve got to take better care of yourself.

ADIRA: (exhales)

STAMETS: No need to… fuss over them, Hugh. They’re not a child.

CULBER: Technically, they are a child.

ADIRA: Are we done for today?

STAMETS: We are.

ADIRA: Okay. Later, gents.

CULBER: Good night. Pride. It suits you.

STAMETS: Is that your professional opinion?

CULBER: Board-certified.


BURNHAM: Your nephew is hilarious.

BOOK: Runs in the family.

BURNHAM: Mm-hmm.

BOOK: My ship looks like it was hit with a dozen photon torpedoes.

BURNHAM: Actually, it was eight.

BOOK: Oh. Good.

BURNHAM: (chuckles softly) Did you mean what you said to Kyheem? That you get what we’re doing out here.

BOOK: Discovery saved my planet from something that had us for a century. What you’ve done– what the Federation’s done– for us, for other worlds like ours… I want in. I want what means something.

BURNHAM: Well, you’ll have to speak to Captain Saru and clarify your intentions aboard his starship.

BOOK: Aye aye.

BURNHAM: One “aye.”

BOOK: One “aye.” Yeah. I know.

BURNHAM: I’ll get started fixing your ship. I really liked seeing Kwejian.

BOOK: I really liked being there with you.

♪ ♪

SHARE THIS ARTICLE

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Read More

Weekly Magazine

Get the best articles once a week directly to your inbox!