My cat threw up, my oven is broke and there is a new episode of Star Trek!
In the last three weeks we’ve had time travel, parallel universe, and first contact staples of Trekisodes, so I wonder if that streak will continue with Erigah, or now that we are in the last third of the final season, we ramp things up!!
Nhan returns with a contingent to provide extra security now that the Federation have captured Moll and L’ak, after their previous rushed attempt at an escape. Book wants to be involved, Nahm doesn’t want him involved. The most Burnham is able to get her to concede is to ask for him help if they need him. They beam both the criminals to a biobed, so L’ak can get medical attention. Understandably, they don’t know how to treat Breen physiology, but L’ak dying could provoke the Breen. Culbert’s best idea is to use a captured Breen cyro unit to encourage his body to heal.
Vance doesn’t give Discovery permission to dock until he has spoken to her privately (Bryce tells the bridge it’s confidential, and everyone gives each other weird looks, but surely the captain getting classified updates isn’t odd?). Turns out the Breen are after them, heading to Federation HQ as they talk, wanting Moll and L’ak in custody. No one brings up the future of a destroyed HQ that Burnham and Rayner saw (did they share that), but the situation is scary regardless. Vance wants Discovery to flee with Moll and L’ak, arguing it will prevent the Breen from feeling empowered to take direct action, but Burnham argues a confrontation is going to happen sooner or later, so they might as well have it sooner.
T’Rina has been appointed to lead the negotiations with the Breen, who no one has spoken to since before the Breen. Rayner expresses very emotive opinions – he clearly has history with the Breen. Burnham speculates there’s another angle they’re missing, it is very rash of the Breen to come in person to demand the bounty without trying something else first. Unless there is something else. Rayner cares not for the intrigue, only defence. He mentions a plan to use thorum to give shadows of additional weaponry (a callback to Way of the Warrior). Rayner makes another DS9 reference (“Never turn your back on a Breen”) and some more generalised comments about the Breen, causing Burnham to dismiss him. Callum Keith Rennie does a fantastic job with his expressions, as always.
Rayner is no more forthcoming about his feelings outside, and things are left snappy between him and his CO. Meanwhile, Tilly, the pastoral boss she is, is on her way to go look after the cadets she teaches back at HQ, phaser in hand, but Staments makes an impassioned plea for her to help with the clue. Both actors do a great job here too, the more vulnerable and personal approach people take with each other is different but in a good way from the more stilted professional delivery of Classic Trek.
Culbert is wearing an interesting vest in the sickbay as refrigerated air is poured in to the shielded off area with the prisoners in. Burnham points out the firepower the Breen and sending after them, and it’s clear from their non-verbal communication there is something afoot here, but they stubbornly refuse to disclose. Burnham seems to infer that the Breen don’t want to kill L’ak for some reason – they want him alive. Burnham continues to deduce and lands on the fact that L’ak is the direct descendant of the former Emperor – which makes him needed to help his uncle take the throne. I don’t really get why, but the stakes are definitely set.
As Tilly and Tal investigate the Bajoran clue, Tilly uses the moment like the boss she is to support Tal’s growth. The clue points to the original ancient manuscript written by a Betazoid scientists – and Reno is an expert on ancient manuscripts! (Although – is it ancient if it would’ve been written after Reno travelled to the future?) Or not – turns out that was a fancy way to put ‘smuggler’ on their CV (I love them more now!). Reno offers to help as she works on engineering tasks, before the behemoth of the Breen Dreadnaught arrives.
Burnham beams over and confirms that is the ship she sees that destroys the Federation HQ (so they did tell them about the future).
The Breen answers, and they put their hologram on ‘Evil Villain Intimidation Mode’ with a big floaty head in the middle of the room.
Negotiations (or not) start well with T’Rina securing an hour before the Breen declare war. Burnham speaks to Rayner, saying she’s found out his homeworld used to be occupied by the Breen. A usually loud Rayner is not very reserved. He is the sole survivor of his family, which accounts for his very strong views on the race. Rayner opening up gives Burnham an idea of something to offer the Breen. Meanwhile Reno speculates the metal clue they have is a library card for the archived version of the manuscript if it was archived in the Space Archive that exists to safeguard knowledge.
L’ak is improving, and despite Culbert’s genuine attempt to connect and show empathy, the second he’s out of earshot (although like … they’re still in the room, whispering fervently and suspiciously – but the guards look like unnamed incompetents so ……) they plot to let Moll make a run for it, steal a shuttle, and the two of them escape.
To the security guards’ credit, actually, they both approach the field, staring with suspicion. Telling the Breen that they are prepared to hand over the fugitives, the Breen beam over a sizeable number on to Federation HQ, Instead of doing so, however, they make a counter-offer. A translator attempts to talk on behind of the Primark, but (either through a UT or skill) T’rina shows she is able to understand the Breen directly, so the Primark continues to speak in … English? Some other tongue that is more directly translatable? T’rina and Burnham drop the bombshell – they understand they don’t want L’ak dead, but to use as a tool to claim the throne – and that others in the Breen may equally want L’ak – Burnham going as far as to claim they’ve received a counter offer.
This clearly strikes a nerve, because the Breen all raise their weapons. The Primark doesn’t believe they have received the counter offer, but Raryner shares enough personal anecdotes to give him doubt. Meanwhile, L’ak enacts his plan, and to Starfleet’s credit, they don’t act ostensibly rash … but also they do act a bit quick off the mark, especially when L’ak yells ‘Moll, go, go, go!’ for at least a few seconds in which I would’ve pulled out a phaser and stunned her. As it stands, she is takes out the two guards and has an extended hand-to-hand with Culbert (good on him!) before stunning them all. Nahm gets to them though and they start fighting through the dry ice.
Starfleet continue to appeal to Breen mentality – they offer them an ultimatum, either they flee with the prisoners and take them to the rival Primark, instantly losing this Primark the throne, or they keep the prisoners, giving no side the advantage. The Primark appears to concede, making them promise no harm will befall L’ak in their care lest they start a war.
Unfortunately, Moll has escaped, and L’ak is dying. As the ship goes into lockdown, a comment by Book reminds Staments that Betazoids are telepaths (you know … their most defining feature as a species), and he gives the metal to Book to try and read. Sure enough, he gets visual response, seeing an empty section of space:
Book finds Nahm (rather than going off on his own – jeez, these characters are embracing the genre savvy!!!) and tells her where he’s worked out where Moll is. Holding an officer at phaser point (to their credit, they’re not useless, shouting out information to Nahm and Book), they are trying to find a shuttle. Nahm, truthfully this time, tells Moll that L’ak misjudged the dose and is dying, but Moll thinks she is lying. Book walks out to speak to Moll, as to Nahm and two other guards, which means three people have a phaser pointed at one person who has one phaser pointed at the only non-armed person and I do not understand why they do not shoot her!
Moll is unable to risk not being there for L’ak, and is finally convinced by Book to return. She does so … and L’ak dies! The Primark is pissed … and declares war. The Breen beam back and red alert is called. Four more Starfleet ships arrive as the ships face off. Burnham and Culbert desperately attempt to deescalated the issue. Moll adds a complication – she reveals she married L’ak (so presumably inherits some of L’ak’s importance?) and that if the Breen take her with them, she’ll reveal the information around the Progenitor tech. The Breen declares Moll their price to avoid a war. The council debates the risk. They decide Moll’s plan is to help the Breen get the tech, and in payment for that, use it to revive L’ak and get their freedom. However, Discovery has the clue to the next point and has speed on its side. T’Rina states, flatly, that they have little to lose by giving her up versus what they’d lose if they did. I agree, to be cold. But Book does not. They beam her over, to Book’s disgust. But the Breen withdraw.
The Archive, Tilly, Tal and Staments have worked out, is in the Badlands (of Maquis hiding spot fame). Burnham commends Rayner for his conduct, despite his personal grief and feelings against the Breen.
The race, continues.
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