Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022) s04e08 Episode Script

Previously on
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
KIRK: My dad was in Starfleet.
My brother and I
we spent my whole childhood
chasing him from one posting to another.
SAM: Dad has a very
old-fashioned idea of what
a successful career looks like.
Looks a lot like you.
KIRK: Our job puts us up against death
more than is fair.
Now, you can let death win
or you can fight back.
Estimated casualties on
unknown vessel: 7,000.
PIKE: The choices you
make in that chair
that is yours to live with.
Some decisions you will regret
for the rest of your life.
KIRK: Lieutenant Commander
James Kirk. Personal log.
Stardate 2179.3.
On my way back to Farragut,
I decided to make a
stop aboard Enterprise,
currently orbiting an M-class moon
on a major Federation trading route.
I'm here for a checkup from Dr. M'Benga.
But, if I'm honest with myself,
that's not the only reason
I came aboard Enterprise.
Wow. That's good stuff.
What'd you call it?
Cordrazine. It's new.
A few drops work wonders.
Larger doses can cause paranoia.
As I mentioned on comms,
your wounds are healing well.
I could have simply beamed
this compound to Dr. Ayers.
You said, uh, Captain Pike took
a landing party to the surface?
He's investigating a faint
SOS signal. Seems routine.
So, uh, no security detail?
No.
Why?
I was just wondering if
La'An beamed down with them.
(door whooshes shut)
I thought you were headed
down to the planet.
- You love caves.
- I like caves.
- Mm.
- And Una needed some time off-ship, so
Thought maybe you were
staying because
(clicks tongue) You know?
No. I do not know.
Jim Kirk's on the ship.
Thought maybe he forgot something.
Maybe I read this wrong.
Thought you enjoyed seeing him.
Wish I'd gone down to the cave.
This is why I stay in my quarters.
(tricorder trilling)
Looks like the signal's
coming from in there.
Altairans mined these
caves a century ago.
They're made up of dense,
crystalline structures.
Uh-oh.
Once we're inside, we'll lose comms
and won't be able to transport.
If this is an SOS,
we need to find out who's in trouble.
- Pike to Enterprise.
- SPOCK: Enterprise.
- Spock here, Captain.
- We're entering the cave system
and will be outside contact range.
We'll check back in in one hour.
Acknowledged.
All right. Lead the way.
The landing party is out of range.
Sir, we're picking up
a transponder signal
from an approaching shuttle.
It's a Starfleet Admiralty shuttle
requesting immediate
clearance to come aboard.
Sir.
It's Admiral Simon Reeger.
SPOCK: Clearance granted.
I do not recognize that watch.
It's, uh, my good luck charm.
Are you all right, Lieutenant?
Yes.
It's just (sighs)
This is the Admiral Simon Reeger.
Captain of the Federation
flagship Constitution
during the Klingon War.
The man is a living legend.
I am aware of the admiral's
celebrated war record.
It's just
to meet him in person, uh
(door whooshes open)
(boatswain's whistle blows)
Admiral Reeger,
welcome aboard the Enterprise.
- I am
- Lieutenant Spock.
Chief of Security,
Lieutenant La'An Noonien-Singh.
I make it a habit to familiarize myself
with the ship's complement before
boarding out of respect for the crew.
Right now, I need urgently
to speak with Captain Pike.
(door whooshes open)
Good to see you, Joseph.
It's been a long time.
Yes it has, sir.
Lieutenant Ortegas.
You helmed the Palenque during the war,
and I heard that your skills at Prospero
saved a lot of lives.
Yes, sir.
Thank you, sir.
I'm sorry Captain Pike is not here,
but time is a factor.
You are aware of the Vaardan massacre?
An unprovoked attack
on a Federation colony.
Five million civilian casualties.
LA'AN: Long-range scans showed
the attack was carried out by one ship.
One ruthless adversary
with no regard for the sanctity
of innocent human lives.
Rumor has it the enemy ship has
a new type of cloaking system.
Untraceable.
Makes the Klingons look like
they're playing peekaboo.
That's right. But me,
as a wily old war dog,
I had an idea. What if
we didn't track the ship,
but what it leaves behind?
Yeoman Vanek.
The gamma ray burn-off from the
enemy ship's impulse engines.
Indeed, a novel idea, Admiral.
ORTEGAS: Back on Earth, during
the Cold War of the 20th century,
destroyers hunted enemy subs
- by following their trash.
- Mm-hmm.
You've tracked this ship alone, Admiral?
- With no support craft?
- No, no, no.
I was on my way to a
conference at Starbase 1
when I came across the
trail purely by chance.
Sir, how can we help?
Yours is the closest starship,
which is why, as Admiral,
I'm commandeering
Enterprise for this mission.
I've ordered every senior
officer on board to this briefing.
I understand that Captain
Pike is out of comms range.
Who is in command?
Where is Commander Chin-Riley?
Commander Chin-Riley is
also in the landing party
- with the captain, sir.
- Ah-ha.
I am in acting command while
they are on the surface.
Are you the ranking officer
on board, Lieutenant?
- No, sir.
- All right. Then who is?
Sir, Lieutenant Commander
Kirk is technically
- the ranking officer present.
- Ah-ha.
Uh, yes, uh, sir, but, um
I-I'm not a member of this crew.
I just stopped by.
I'm first officer of the Farragut.
Hmm.
Well, as of now,
Lieutenant Commander Kirk,
you are my acting first officer.
- Aye, sir.
- REEGER: I cannot stress enough
how important this mission is.
That invisible ship
can strike anytime,
anywhere, with no warning.
It is a clear and present
threat to the Federation.
We have one objective: to stop it.
Stations.
(door whooshes open)
Hmm.
How are you? I mean, are you healing?
I'm fine. You?
Uh, fine.
Tactical systems?
All in the green.
Good.
Thank you.
Good to see you, Spock.
You too, Commander.
And congratulations on this assignment.
First officer under Admiral Reeger
is a coveted position.
- Thank you.
- Of course, the logical choice
would have been to promote an officer
with experience on Enterprise.
But I've had more command experience,
not all of it welcome.
Don't worry, Spock. I'm sure, one day,
you'll get to aim that
logical mind of yours
at some lucky captain.
Admiral, sensors have locked
on to the gamma ray trail.
Course 1-0-7, mark 2.
REEGER: Very good.
Lieutenant Ortegas,
take us out of orbit.
Set course
Admiral. Would you like
to wait for Captain Pike
- and the landing party?
- When is he back in comms range?
- Fifty-two minutes, sir.
- SPOCK: Sir, ion particle
signatures are known to rapidly degrade.
If we don't know how old the trail
is it could disappear at any time.
Unfortunately, waiting means
we risk losing the enemy.
Understood. I'm sure you
want to let them know
why Enterprise is gone.
Are you saying that Captain
Pike can't handle the situation?
No, sir. I don't mean to imply that.
We can deploy a comms relay buoy
informing Captain Pike of the
situation when he checks in.
Good. Do it.
LA'AN: Relay buoy dispatched, sir.
REEGER: All right.
Lieutenant Ortegas,
let's try this again.
Take us out of orbit. Ahead, warp five.
PIKE: Space.
The final frontier.
These are the voyages of
the starship Enterprise.
Its five-year mission:
to explore strange new worlds
to seek out new life
and new civilizations
to boldly go where
no one has gone before.
I know it's a luxury,
but I cannot stomach
the reconstituted crap
from synthesizers.
I like real coffee, freshly brewed.
Rank has its privileges.
Besides, isn't it the little things
that provide one with
a sense of stability?
I've been a lifelong admirer
of your career, Admiral.
Your battle at Zeta Reticuli is,
in a word, legendary.
Taking on four Klingon D7s while
evacuating a medical base.
You saved over a
thousand lives that day.
Thank you, James. I'm honored.
Now, let me offer you a
small piece of advice.
As my first officer,
you shouldn't have questioned
my decision to leave orbit.
On the bridge, you and I
need to speak with one voice.
Mine.
Yes, Admiral. Of course.
Don't worry. I mean, we're fine.
At first, I admit, I had some
concerns when I heard your name.
George Kirk was my first
officer on Constitution
during the war.
Yes, I I know that, sir.
George
is a good man, a good officer.
We shared many pots of coffee
during those early campaigns.
Do you know why he
never got his own ship?
Uh, no, sir. We never talked about it.
Your father is the most fair-minded
and diplomatic person I have ever met.
But when it came to warfare,
it was clear
combat was not his strength.
(scoffs)
Um
I-I find that hard to believe,
sir, but
I'm sorry to be the one to say it.
I consider George a friend.
Commanding a starship
levies a heavy cost.
There is no hiding who you are
once you sit in that chair.
Thankfully, fate has blessed me
with yet another Kirk
as my first officer.
And based on your service record,
you are not your father's son.
No fear of battle.
You will do just fine.
Thank you, sir.
All right, then, let's get to it.
Have all departments run continuous
battle station drills.
Alpha shift around the clock until
further notice. Dismissed.
(door whooshes open)
(tricorder trilling)
You must be excited to be on
your very first landing party.
I personally requested
that you join the mission.
I have done dozens of training missions.
This one is no more
interesting than any other.
(whispers): She's so adorable.
Hold.
Not liking this, Captain?
Something feels off.
- Phasers at the ready.
- (phasers power up)
Eyes sharp.
What is all this?
This is the source of the signal.
Do you recognize this comms equipment?
Most of it's Federation.
But not all. There's Orion,
Klingon, Tellarite.
- These are weapons.
- Enough to outfit a small arm
The SOS was a trap.
Everyone out now. Move!
Get down! Stay low.
Even a near miss can cause
severe plasma burns. Go, go!
Our hand phasers are no match
for those plasma rifles.
Do we make a break for it?
Can't tell which way
would get us out of here.
I think that way.
All right, everyone, get ready to move.
Go!
ANDORIAN: Would you be so
kind as to drop your weapons.
Thank you.
The admiral wants a
xenobiological profile
of the enemy. Not much to go on
after the Vaardan attack.
Did you ever feel that Dad was
afraid of command?
I don't know. It's hard to say, really.
He was always off on
some other assignment.
Most likely he was just afraid
of spending time with his family.
Dad's reassignment from Constitution
came right after the
Battle of Zeta Reticuli.
The one that made Simon Reeger a hero.
Yeah, I saw the vid.
The book was better.
- Ensign.
- Aye, sir.
- But why was Dad reassigned?
- I don't know.
- Does it matter?
- Well (scoffs softly)
it should matter to us, Sam.
Why? And don't say
because he's our father.
He never acted like it.
I've heard stories about Dad.
Fear was never part of them.
You should talk to the doc.
- Dr. M'Benga?
- Yeah.
He was on Constitution
at the same time as Dad.
(comms chime)
SPOCK: First officer to the bridge.
That's you.
- (comms chime)
- On my way.
(door whooshes open)
Kirk, red alert status.
I need my first officer on the bridge.
- Aye, sir.
- SPOCK: Admiral,
we are closing in on the trail.
On course for Argus II,
a small non-Federation planet.
ORTEGAS: They haven't changed
their heading, so they don't know
- we're here.
- Well, let's keep it that way.
Plot a parabolic course
to the target. Red alert.
- Battle stations.
- (alarm sounding)
I'll inform Starfleet Command
that we found the invisible ship.
No comms. We're running silent.
LA'AN: Even secure comms
can emit a subspace resonance wave.
We have no idea what type of
sensors that ship is carrying.
They could turn on us, we'd never know.
Sir, I'm picking up
another ship in the area.
A cargo vessel.
SPOCK: Once we enter the vessel's
sensor range, we will be revealed.
And lose our tactical advantage.
We should jam their comms.
That would still give us away.
We can hold position.
Wait until they pass.
They're creeping along at
barely above sub-light.
Could take hours.
REEGER: We can't avoid their sensors.
We need to disable their
engines and communications.
Arm a torpedo.
A torpedo, sir?
This mission must remain undetected.
A zero-thrust torpedo
just might do the job.
No thrust.
Like throwing a rock.
They'll think it's a meteoroid hit.
LA'AN: It's an RM-2 design.
A hit to the warp manifold
could disable the ship
as you're suggesting, sir.
RM-2? Must be a pretty old ship.
If it's that old, is there a risk
of accidentally destroying it?
Spock, what do your scans show?
Factoring this vessel's age,
there is a 41.4% chance
of structural failure
from a torpedo strike.
Sir, that's a pretty big risk.
Should we consider other options?
Lieutenant Noonien-Singh, are you
confident that you can hit that ship
without destroying it?
Yes, sir.
First Officer Kirk,
can you give me a good reason
not to trust our tactical
officer's abilities?
No, sir.
Very well. Lieutenant, fire.
- (computer chimes)
- (torpedo rumbles)
The cargo vessel is
damaged but still intact.
Its engines and comms
array are inoperative.
Excellent shot, Lieutenant.
- Thank you, Admiral.
- Status on the enemy ship?
ORTEGAS: It's entered
Argus II's atmosphere.
But I've lost it.
SPOCK: The planet's ionosphere
has dispersed the trail.
Meaning it could have landed
anywhere on the surface.
That was our one clean shot,
and we missed it
debating the fate of a cargo ship.
Argus II, in all likelihood,
is their home base.
But Admiral, we have yet to establish
that it is in fact their home base.
They traveled directly to Argus II
and landed with no resistance.
KIRK: All due respect, sir,
it's an invisible ship.
They may not know it's on their planet.
Lieutenant Spock, is it
probable for an invisible ship
to become visible during reentry due to
atmospheric friction?
Yes. That is a high probability.
Sir, we can contact
Starfleet on a narrow band
to avoid detection.
They can send a fleet
to blockade the planet.
Would a blockade work?
Unlikely. If the cloaked ship
were to leave the planet,
our sensors would only detect
its residual ionized wake.
Its wake? So the ship
would already be gone.
SPOCK: Precisely. Which is why
I would suggest an alternative.
A covert landing party
would be able to scan
- more precisely than we can.
- REEGER: What if it takes off
while we're searching the surface? No.
We'd risk losing them for good.
We must make certain that ship
We must make certain that
ship never leaves the planet.
Admiral, what are you proposing?
As
painful a choice as this is,
I only see one option.
Let the log show that on this stardate,
I'm authorizing the
implementation of General Order 24.
When we arrive at Argus II, the entire
inhabited surface of the planet
will be destroyed.
- (alarm sounding)
- KIRK: Admiral, as you know,
General Order 24 is a
directive of last resort.
This isn't an easy decision.
Without knowing the precise
location of that invisible ship,
it is the only choice.
- What if the
- My order stands.
Sir, what if the planet's occupants
are reluctant collaborators?
What if they're being
forced to cooperate?
How many life signs on the surface?
Five thousand souls, sir.
REEGER: And who knows how many shielded
enemy ships and combatants.
Five thousand to save a
thousand times that many.
A math no one should ever have to do.
The math of command with
which we are charged.
Sir, as first officer,
my job is to provide viable options.
We can brainstorm
alternatives. Probes
Five million people were
killed by that ship.
I have no intention of
allowing it to escape
to claim more innocent families.
Admiral, all I'm saying
is that there must be a middle ground.
If war has taught me anything,
it's taught me that
the middle ground is
where most people die.
Maybe you should go
and think about that.
Dismissed.
(door whooshes open)
(PADD chimes)
Joseph.
Commander. Are you all right?
You served with Admiral Reeger
and my father on Constitution.
That's right.
Did you know that he had
a wife and two daughters?
Yes.
They were killed on Vaardan.
Killed by the enemy ship
that we are hunting.
Privacy.
I know. A terrible tragedy.
Commander, what are you struggling with?
Could Admiral Reeger's orders
be emotionally compromised
by his personal loss?
Without a proper examination,
it would be unethical for me
to offer a medical opinion.
He's implementing General Order 24.
If this mission is about revenge,
then you need to declare him unfit.
That would be true.
But I assume you're familiar
with Starfleet's code of
conduct on this subject?
A captain's actions must make him
unable to perform the duties of command.
This must be documented, witnessed,
and medically verifiable.
Why did my father leave his command?
I need to know who I'm
dealing with here.
You are dealing with a man for
whom mission is everything.
After the war,
Starfleet made him an admiral.
Some say it was to
acknowledge his service.
Others that it was to move him
off the bridge of a ship.
And what do you say?
Proceed with caution, James.
There's one thing I have
always loved about Starfleet.
The uniforms.
Usually so crisp, so clean.
I hope that never changes.
Just tell me what you want.
What I want is your help
calibrating my comms gear
to mimic Federation transit signals.
That way, we can transport our goods
unmolested by Starfleet.
The deal for you is simple:
your help buys your freedom.
My counter.
Whatever your buyers are offering
for your goods, I'll double it.
And I'll save you the
trouble of smuggling them.
(chuckles): Well
Oh.
Double?
Would you guarantee that we can leave
without being pursued for detaining you?
Let's just say, um
you'll have a fair head start.
I'm sure my compatriots
would happily agree.
You know, if we were negotiating.
- (grunts)
- (exclaims)
Easy, easy. Down slow. Down slow.
The crystals here are highly toxic.
The female doesn't have long to live.
Hey!
Easy.
I need my medkit.
I'm sure you do.
And I'll happily give it to you
when your captain agrees to help me.
When you're ready, Captain.
Targeting status?
The planet surface has
been mapped and targeted.
Phasers have been realigned
for an orbital barrage.
REEGER: I know.
What we are about to do
is hard.
I just want to say how
impressed I am by this crew.
Captain Pike has assembled a starship
that is more than worthy
of the Federation flag.
And Lieutenant Ortegas,
excellent stealth flying.
Thank you, sir.
I've matched solar wind speed to avoid
tripping any planetary sensors.
ETA to targeting range, Lieutenant?
ORTEGAS: Nineteen minutes, sir.
Engineering, I want to
increase phaser power
by routing it through the warp core.
Little trick I learned during the war.
SCOTTY: Aye, sir. Right away.
Using the engines to
supercharge the phasers.
That's great.
Sir, is that how you defeated
the Klingons at Reticuli?
One starship against four D7s.
I don't want to relive
the war, I just
I wish I'd seen that.
REEGER: In those moments,
you have to think fast, improvise.
That is the job.
Lieutenant Noonien-Singh,
I want you to oversee
the phaser upgrade.
Sir, what if the enemy
ship suddenly shows itself?
You'll want the
lieutenant standing ready.
- I can handle the upgrade.
- Hmm.
Go.
Scotty. How's it going?
Giving me a wee bit of trouble
with the power differentials,
but I'll have it for you
in no time, Commander.
Tell me, Scotty, is it
possible that increasing power
through the warp core could burn out
- the phaser couplings?
- Oh, not likely.
This ship has more redundancies than
the lights on my granny's Christmas tree.
What if bridge controls are damaged?
Can the phasers be controlled
from another location?
Uh, two places.
Engineering, naturally.
And the phaser power junction.
But with me rerouting phasers,
power junction's a
veritable sauna. That is,
if you had a sauna filled with
energized nadion particles.
Eh, radioactive.
You know, bad for your skin?
Actually, not a good sauna at all.
Thanks, Scotty.
Sir? (grunts)
Sir?
Uh
It's a bluff, right?
The admiral's not really gonna
wipe out a planet, is he?
- (A'Sha grunting)
- Breathe, breathe.
I am so sorry. I should've never
brought you on this mission.
We were lucky she's Vulcan.
PIKE: How is she?
Her tissue is undergoing some
kind of crystalizing necrosis.
I need a cellular regenerator
to have, like, any hope of reversing it.
UNA: We're overdue for our check-in.
- Where's La'An with a security team?
- I don't know.
Captain.
We have to do something.
Look, we need to keep
our heads right now.
We can't give those mercenaries
anything that they want.
Remember your training.
Oh, dear. She doesn't look well.
Now, I'm guessing that
you're planning to do more
than just smuggle goods.
This moon's on a major trade route.
With those frequencies, Federation ships
would be an easy target for piracy.
So suspicious.
You must have Andorian
blood in your family.
My offer still stands. Double.
And we'll take you wherever
it is that you want to go.
No questions asked.
Oh, let's be honest,
there's always questions.
But that's not your fault.
It's just human nature.
UNA: Why are you doing this?
Andoria is one of the founding
members of the Federation.
I'm a profiteer, not a politician.
I find the diplomatic viewpoint
of my people to be woefully naive.
But I do believe that suffering
shouldn't happen alone.
No!
I see we have a volunteer.
Please, help her.
I don't want her to die here,
- not like this.
- The choice is your captain's.
I'm our ship's communications officer.
I can configure your equipment to mimic
Starfleet transit frequencies.
- Ensign.
- What are you doing?
Ensign, you are to do nothing
that will help these mercenaries.
- That's an order.
- UHURA: I'm sorry, Captain.
But here, in this cave,
my orders don't matter.
A'Sha is my responsibility. I won't
let her die on some unnamed moon.
So I'll help you if you give us our
medical gear so we can heal her.
ANDORIAN: Excellent.
And I'll give you your medkit
after you configure my comms.
But I suggest you work fast.
Your comrade's turning blue.
And not in a good way.
(chimes)
Closing on target, Admiral.
We'll be in range in nine minutes.
Run a status check.
Make sure all nonessential
frequencies have been
- cleared for battle stations.
- Aye, sir.
REEGER: Kirk.
Step back from the comm.
Sir, is there a problem?
Play the comms packet that the
first officer was about to transmit.
KIRK: Starfleet Command,
priority message from USS Enterprise.
Need immediate authority to relieve
Admiral Simon Reeger of command.
The fates of many innocent
lives are at stake
- due to the hastened implementation
- That's enough.
I know what I said.
This mission isn't about the Federation.
This is about your
personal need for revenge.
This is personal.
My family was killed by that ship.
But so were five million
other innocent people.
This mission is not
about avenging the dead,
it's about safeguarding the living.
That is our duty as Starfleet officers.
Something I think it
seems you have forgotten.
Lieutenant Spock, I'm promoting
you to first officer.
Lieutenant Noonien-Singh,
place Lieutenant Commander Kirk
under arrest for the dereliction of duty
and get him the hell off of my bridge.
(alarm sounding)
I'm sorry to be the one doing this.
La'An, listen to me.
Do you honestly think that
Reeger's doing the right thing?
What the admiral said was clear.
But this isn't about what he said,
it's about his state of mind.
We both know how easy it
is to lose perspective.
Look
the power of a starship makes it
too easy to destroy.
Believe me, I know.
The weapons that we have
here are dispassionate.
They don't get hurt or
scared or want revenge,
but we do.
But what we are about to
do cannot be taken back.
Yes, justice is owed to all
those who have been killed,
but wanting a solution to be right
doesn't make it right.
We know nothing about this planet
that we are about to burn.
I have reservations.
The evidence is circumstantial.
But these are orders right now.
You know I haven't
always been in control,
but when it comes to security,
I know how to do my job, so I do it.
Go on.
(sighs)
Nice watch, by the way.
Where'd you get it?
Also, isn't that a man's watch?
I, um
(phaser powers up)
Sorry. But you did stab me.
(sighing)
(comms equipment humming)
I know what you did.
Your SOS signal was
specifically designed
to lure in a Federation ship.
Starfleet officers are easily betrayed
by their savior complex.
The dying Vulcan is she more
than just your responsibility?
Is she also your friend?
I'm truly sorry you have to
watch your friend suffer.
Then why threaten any of us at all?
I have no love for Vulcans.
But I do respect their
devotion to logic.
No, my issue with humans
(chuckles softly)
is your hypocrisy.
Oh, take Starfleet.
You believe that reason,
cooperation, understanding and
intelligence are the path to progress.
But at your core,
one simple truth still drives you.
Your fear of death.
You fear it so much,
you'll betray your beliefs,
your promises and your sacred oaths,
- just as you're doing now.
- I'm helping you
because I don't want anyone to die.
I had a friend who was Andorian.
He taught me ushaan,
the Andorian word for honor.
I want your ushaan that you
will free us when I'm done.
Once I have what I want,
there's no reason to hold you.
You have my word.
As an Andorian.
- (door whooshes shut)
- SAM: Jim, what the hell is going on?
I disabled the ship's internal
surveillance, bought myself some time.
I need to get to Engineering
to shut down the phasers,
but to do that,
I need you to do me a favor.
No.
Jim, you're the reckless one.
I'm the sensible one, okay?
- I've got a family to think about.
- Yeah, well, so did Dad.
Do you know when Dad's
career started to stall?
Around the same time Admiral Reeger's
started to take off.
Yeah.
- Strange coincidence, huh?
- I had the same thought.
So I accessed the declassified comms
that Dad sent home during the war.
That's the last one. Look at the log ID.
Acting captain of the Constitution?
Wait, how is that possible?
I've never heard anything
about Dad commanding a starship.
Look at the date. It's right after
the Battle of Zeta Reticuli.
Could it be a mistake?
- Or maybe not.
- Whoa, whoa, whoa.
Where you going?
Engineering.
I want plausible deniability.
Like when we were kids.
Don't tempt me with a good time.
(sighs)
I see you and Jim finally talked.
I can't believe he stunned me.
(sighs)
- (grunts)
- Easy. You should take a minute.
No, no. Time is what he's counting on.
You two, with me.
I've got a lock on his biosignature.
He's heading for Engineering.
Stop there.
Turn around.
(Sam groans)
What is going on?
Jim forced me here at phaserpoint
and then he clocked me.
What? Please note the eye.
Is it yellow or purple?
It's purple, isn't it?
Familial DNA.
Kirk tweaked the biosensors
just enough to send us
after you instead of him.
Really? No. No, no, no, no,
he-he's not smart enough to do that.
- You shouldn't be in here.
- I know.
I used my authorization to
search your medical logs
from Constitution during the war.
Captain Reeger suffered
a traumatic brain injury
at the start of the
Battle of Zeta Reticuli.
He needed emergency surgery.
A patient's medical
records are confidential.
The Constitution's log shows Reeger
still in command during the battle.
How is that possible?
Why the discrepancy?
Who was really in command?
Jim, think about what you are doing.
This is mutiny.
I understand the importance
of the chain of command.
But there's duty,
there's following orders,
and there's right and wrong.
And killing an entire planet
- is wrong.
- LA'AN: Open doors!
(door whooshes open)
- M'BENGA: Jim. Jim!
- LA'AN: Stop!
We are four minutes from target.
Whatever you're trying to do,
it's too late.
There's nowhere for you to go.
Well, that's not precisely true.
Damn it.
- Finish it.
- I'm nearly there.
You used to be Starfleet, hmm?
That's how you know so much
about our comms protocols.
Yes.
I was dishonorably discharged
for insubordination
by my human commander.
That's why you hate humans.
I am indifferent to humans.
However, I do feel the galaxy
wouldn't miss your species.
There. It's operational.
Very good.
You know,
your captain was right
about the issue of piracy.
I needed a ship.
And now, with these codes,
you've given me yours.
So do the honor.
(sonic burst wailing)
(groaning)
(grunting)
(sonic burst stops)
(yells)
- Scotty.
- I'm correcting the biosensors,
locating the proper Kirk now.
There he is.
Oh, no, that's not good.
What is he doing in the
phaser power junction?
I told him it's dangerous in there.
- Beam him out right now.
- Yeah.
James.
- James.
- (groaning)
Wait, come on.
Scotty, send M'Benga to the ready room.
Okay.
(grunts)
(groaning)
REEGER: Thank you, Lieutenant.
Confirm phaser banks
are still operational.
(door whooshes open)
(continues groaning)
He should have been brought
to sickbay, not here.
He'll be fine.
Tell me, was this worth a court-martial?
To save innocent lives? Yes.
And what if you're wrong?
What if they are not innocent?
ORTEGAS: Bridge, Admiral.
We're in range.
Weapons are nominal, in the green.
REEGER: On this day I
will not be undermined
by the presumptions of yet another Kirk.
Bring him. I want him to
see what needs to be done.
(grunts)
(weapons humming)
(grunts)
(both grunting)
(grunting continues)
Ushaan is a code of honor
for duels to the death.
(grunting)
How fitting.
(screaming)
(grunting)
(grunts)
- You took a huge risk.
- I know.
- I'm just glad it worked.
- I remembered my training.
All targets are locked, Admiral.
Standing by on your order.
Spock, what's the planet's population?
5,321.
That's how many people you're
about to kill, Admiral.
There's no other way to do this?
The enemy needs to know
that their aggression
will not go unanswered.
We need to hit them hard.
We need to make them bleed!
That's called military deterrence.
Lieutenant Noonien-Singh
commence firing!
Belay that order! If La'An fires,
Enterprise will be destroyed.
While I was in the phaser power junction,
I changed the power distribution codes.
What does that mean? Engineering?
Uh, firing without the
proper codes is bad.
Very bad. An energy imbalance could
rupture the core and blow up the ship.
Give me those codes.
That's an order.
No, sir.
Give me those codes or I
swear as God is my witness,
I will not just see you court-martialed
but your brother Sam as well.
I know he helped you.
Those codes, Kirk, now.
No, sir.
Admiral, you need to calm down.
(grunting)
Ah, stay at your posts!
Give me those codes.
Admiral, I have looked
into James Kirk's mind.
Violence will only
galvanize his resolve.
Oh, you've looked into
his mind? Well, good.
Why don't you mind-meld with him
and rip those codes out of his head?
I respectfully refuse.
(phaser powers up)
Give me those codes
or I will burn a hole
through your skull.
You said, in the chair there's
no hiding who you are.
Well, George Kirk wasn't
afraid of command, was he?
You were injured at the
Battle of Zeta Reticuli.
My father fought the Klingons
and evacuated the medical base, not you.
But you altered the logs
and you took the credit.
I saved his career!
He had no right to take that chair.
My chair. I was fine.
I was going to be fine!
I would have triumphed, won that day.
Yes, Constitution was damaged.
But another ship would have come.
All I needed was time
to withdraw, regroup.
- That's all.
- You were incapacitated
in the middle of a battle.
If you had withdrawn,
your ship would have been destroyed.
You don't know that. You were not there.
What I know is that George
Kirk is the real hero,
and you have been punishing
him for it ever since.
You made sure that he
never got his own ship.
You're damn right!
That was my ship.
My mission.
My victory.
No.
It was his. My father's.
I am my father's son.
(chortling)
I think you're bluffing.
I doubt you have the engineering skills
to change those codes.
- Stand down, Admiral.
- No.
Hmm?
No.
I don't give a damn
what anyone says!
I'm killing those bastards
who murdered my family.
M'BENGA: Admiral Reeger,
in accordance with Starfleet
order 104, section C,
I am certifying you as unfit
and immediately relieving
you of command.
- Hmm. Hmm, hmm. (chuckling)
- Admiral.
(laughing)
(phaser powers up)
M'BENGA: He will be fine.
Computer, cancel the implementation
of General Order 24.
All battle stations stand down.
CREW MEMBER: Aye, sir.
(sighs)
I was bluffing.
(chuckles)
We've recovered the comms gear
and stolen weapons from the surface.
UNA: Security's captured the other
mercenaries. They're in the brig.
Good. And the enemy ship?
We detected a dissipating
gamma ray trail,
indicating that the cloaked
ship has already left Argus II.
Can we follow it?
Unfortunately, the trail is too degraded
for our sensors to track.
This is exactly what I
was trying to prevent.
I don't know what happened.
I'm
I'm not like that.
(sighs)
A drug.
That's how you did it.
You are finished, Kirk.
I'll make damn sure you never step foot
on another starship again.
No, it wasn't Kirk.
Joseph?
M'BENGA: It was me.
I did it.
I drugged you in order
to declare you unfit.
The population of that
planet may or may not
be in collusion with the enemy ship.
We still do not know.
And the cost for our ignorance
could not be all their deaths.
Captain Pike, have Dr. M'Benga
arrested for assault and mutiny.
This is a complex situation
best left for Starfleet to sort out.
This is not over, Joseph.
You can count on that.
And when that ship
attacks again
and it will
the blood, the terror,
will be on your head.
CHAPEL: You're good to go.
She'll be okay, thanks to you.
- Okay?
- Okay.
How are you feeling?
Christine says you're on the mend.
Yes. My recovery has given me time
to reflect on my experiences
aboard Enterprise.
I admit to being impressed,
in some small way,
with what you have taught me.
Observing your ability
to adapt under fire
was especially enlightening.
I'm glad to hear it.
Sounds like you've
really turned a corner.
Indeed, I have.
This introspection has
led me to conclude
that I do not belong in Starfleet.
What?
I don't understand.
I believe my statement was clear.
Tell me what I did wrong.
I worked really hard to make Starfleet
a welcoming place for you.
I feel awful about this.
Your feelings of
inadequacy are irrelevant.
I have come to this
realization logically.
(door whooshes open)
(door whooshes shut)
Joseph.
(sighs)
I can't let you take the fall for me.
I spiked Reeger's
coffee with cordrazine.
- I'll come forward and confess.
- No, you won't, Jim.
This is my choice.
- Why?
- I saw the lengths
you were willing to
go to stop a massacre.
I don't want Reeger
to ruin your career
like he did your father's.
You knew the truth
this whole time.
Why did you let Reeger
get away with a lie?
When we returned from the battle,
Reeger was already
being lauded as a hero.
Your father asked us to say nothing.
He was concerned a scandal
would crush Starfleet morale
at a pivotal time in the war.
(scoffs softly)
All these years
I was wrong about my father.
And now Reeger wants
to ruin your career?
All I'm asking is that
you respect my decision,
as I respected your father's.
This is how you're doing it?
Taking the fall for Jim Kirk
that's how you're getting
out of Starfleet?
Christine.
You know you're throwing
away your career.
After everything we've been through.
- I'm sorry.
- Don't.
Don't say anything.
(winces)
How's the eye?
- Still aches a little.
- (scoffs)
So dramatic.
(scoffs) - You know
what this means, though?
- You owe me now.
- Eh.
- Feel like we're even.
- Not even close.
- Agree to disagree.
- Nope. I'm right
and you're whatever you are.
Can't believe Dad had to carry
that burden with him his whole career.
Yeah. I did some digging.
Turns out
whenever Dad asked for family leave,
he was assigned to a new mission.
- It was Reeger's doing.
- (scoffs)
But Dad never complained.
He never has a bad word
to say about the service.
I think maybe he did that to protect us.
To protect our dream
of joining Starfleet.
Well you're gonna learn a thing,
now that you've got a kid.
- Oh, yeah?
- Mm-hmm.
What's that?
Fathers are never what
we think they are.
Not entirely, anyway.
When did you get so smart, Sam?
Oh, I've always been
the smart one, Jimmy.
You just never noticed.
(chuckles)
PIKE: Come in, Ensign.
How's your shoulder?
Fine, sir. Mostly healed.
And A'Sha?
She's recovering.
But, concerning Cadet A'Sha
PIKE: I know she's leaving.
She'll be returning to Vulcan as
soon as we arrive at Starbase 1.
I'm sorry, sir.
I was her mentor, and I failed at my job.
PIKE: No.
No, you didn't, Nyota.
You can do everything right,
and sometimes things still don't
work out the way we'd hoped.
The best you can do
is savor the victories
and move on from the
defeats a little wiser.
Aye, sir.
PIKE: And with that said
For courage under fire
and for exemplifying
the best qualities of Starfleet,
I am pleased to award you, Nyota Uhura,
with a battlefield promotion
to lieutenant, junior grade.
Congratulations.
Thank you, Captain.
Commander, thank you.
Hemmer would be proud.
You're dismissed.
(door whooshes open)
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