STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS
SEASON 3, EPISODE 1
SEASON 3, EPISODE 1
Grounded
Series: Star Trek: Lower Decks - (2020 - 2024)Season: 3
Episode #: 1
Original Airdate: August 25th, 2022
Writer(s): Chris Kula
Director(s): Jason Zurek
Guest Stars
James Cromwell as Dr. Zefram Cochrane
Carlos Alazraqui as Les Buenamigo
Phil LaMarr as Admiral Alonzo Freeman
Bobby Moynihan as Chief Petty Officer Carlton "Denny" Dennis
Bobby Moynihan as Gavin
Kari Wahlgren as Sylvia Ront
Stardate: Unknown
Synopsis
A FNN News bulletin hosted by Syvia Ront updates the recent events concerning the U.S.S. Cerritos. Captain Carol Freeman has been accused of detonating a bomb in the Pakled capital city, “Big Strong City.” The Cerritos remains impounded in spacedock. Video footage shows three members of Freeman’s command crew, Jack Ransom, Shax, and Doctor T’Ana, being bombarded with questions by reporters. Finally, Ront reveals new footage that “appears to place Freeman on the ground” on Pakled Planet at the time the bombing occurred. She then notes that a swarm of incandescent aliens will be illuminating Earth’s sky the next day.
Before the newscast can continue, a potted plant shatters the screen. Admiral Freeman reminds Ensign Beckett Mariner that screens can just be turned off. They’re in the Admiral’s San Francisco apartment. Mariner angrily states that everyone is acting like it’s a foregone conclusion that her mother is guilty. The Admiral tells her to trust in the system, but Mariner is unconvinced. After arguing over the Golden Gate Bridge, they are interrupted by a transmission from Admiral Buenamigo. Mariner refers to him as “Uncle S.” Buenamigo says he has bad news and informs Mariner and the Admiral that the judge assigned to Carol’s case is an individual Mariner identifies as “that planet’s rights lunatic.” The Admiral again says Mariner should trust in Starfleet, but she storms out.
Elsewhere, Ensign Bradward Boimler is not enjoying his time on the family vineyard. Mariner explains the situation with her mom and Boimler immediately agrees to join her clearing the Captain’s name. He explains that he’s desperate to leave Earth, which he detests due to his family’s raisin vineyard. After fending off advances from several farmhands, Boimler posits that his logs could be used to clear Captain Freeman’s name. Although the Cerritos logs were corrupted by the Laaperian debris field, Bradward keeps “crazy detailed” records. Mariner concocts a plan to use the PADDs to clear the Captain’s name. But they need someone with engineering expertise to figure out in which spacedock the Cerritos is located. The duo heads off to find Ensign Samanthan Rutherford.
At Sisko’s Creole Kitchen, Rutherford is sharing a meal with Ensign D’Vana Tendi. While FNN plays on a screen behind them, the pair discuss possible Earth adventures. Rutherford suggests they visit historical Bozeman, Montana, the site of first contact with the Vulcans. Tendi explains she was so focused on her studies at Starfleet Academy she never left San Francisco. They are interrupted by a FNN News bulletin reporting the Pakled bombing trial has begun. Tendi and Rutherford lament the situation. But they’re interrupted by Mariner’s carefully timed entrance.
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The four Ensigns are reunited around the table and share a meal. Bradward uses a dash of Ketracel White-Hot Hot Sauce and spends the rest of the evening gasping for air. Mariner convinces Tendi and Rutherford to join her plan. Fortunately, Rutherford got a glance at the 19-digit coordinates where the Cerritos is located. However, they can only reach it via an encrypted transporter at a secure compound. In order to reach the encrypted transporter, they’ll have to sneak past the reportedly intimidating transporter chief at the Transporter Facility.
But when the Ensigns enter the Transporter Facility, they’re greeted by a kindly old gentleman: Chief Carlton “Denny” Dennis. The Ensigns pose as Starfleet Academy students and say they’ve come to learn about the transporters. Each Lower Decker balks at the idea of knocking Denny unconscious. Denny says he only gets visitors when they’re trying to knock him out and use one of his restricted transporters. As he turns his phaser on our heroes, they all burst into tears. To comfort them, Denny makes the Ensigns some soup. He is even sympathetic to their plight. He’s been following Freeman’s trial and doesn’t believe she’s guilty. But there’s a catch. Because of the cloud of aliens, the transporters won’t function for surface-to-space beaming. Tendi laments failing to save the Captain and failing to visit Bozeman. Denny notes that she would have loved it there, citing the Phoenix “first flight” orbital experience. This gives Mariner an idea. While Denny can’t transport them to space, what about Montana?
Bozeman is now the site of a California Adventure-style theme park celebrating First Contact. Tendi and Rutherford are overloaded with excitement and already have themed hats. But Mariner tells them they came for the “Ride the Phoenix” experience. In line for the Phoenix ride, Tendi and Rutherford finish their churros at the behest of a recording of Zefram Cochran. Boimler expresses skepticism about the potential of the plan, but Mariner says a ship is a ship. Once Rutherford overrides it, what’s the difference? The four Ensigns enter the cockpit and strap themselves in. But they’re soon joined by a fifth “single rider,” Gavin. Boimler tries to get rid of him, but Gavin says the operator told him “ship number 5.”
A hologram of Cochran appears and re-enacts a theme park version of his Phoenix speech. This includes the recording of “Magic Carpet Ride.” Everyone (but Gavin) has a great time as the ship launches into Earth orbit. Rutherford gets out of his seat and rewires the console. Then he puts in the drydock coordinates. One warp later, the Cerritos appears on the viewscreen, still stripped-down as it undergoes repairs. The Phoenix ride docks with the Cerritos and the Ensigns disembark. Rutherford offers to send Gavin back to Earth, but he wants to take the ship and explore the galaxy. Rutherford and Mariner respect Gavin’s decision.
Many doors onboard the Cerritos are sealed with “caution” tape. The Ensigns hurry to their hallway quarters, where Boimler quickly locates his PADDs. But Mariner despairs when she learns that the logs are filled with embarrassing statements made by Boimler. She laments they’ll be ignored, just like the Captain, all because they’re Cali Class. Tendi, Rutherford, and Boimler all reassure her that everything will be fine if she trusts in Starfleet. Mariner concedes. The Ensigns prep a shuttlecraft. Mariner says she has to check the port nacelle but it’s just an excuse. The door shuts behind her and the Joshua Tree takes off with Boiler, Tendi, and Rutherford inside, set on autopilot to Earth. Mariner reaches the Cerritos bridge and begins to activate the ship. The other three Ensigns appear on the bridge viewscreen. Mariner says she’s going to track down the Klingons who supposedly gave Captain Freeman the bomb and bring them back. Mariner deactivates the viewscreen and the Cerritos leaves spacedock at impulse.
Aboard the Joshua Tree, Boimler redefines where the shuttle thinks of as home so the autonav leads them back to the Cerritos, not Earth. But without atmosphere, they come in for a rough landing. On the bridge of the Cerritos, Mariner fights off the rest of the Ensigns as they attempt to dissuade her from stealing the ship. Meanwhile, Starfleet security becomes aware of the Cerritos making an unauthorized launch. Rutherford successfully stops the Cerritos. Mariner admits defeat and agrees that they should return to Earth. The other Ensigns offer her their support, but before full emotional catharsis can be achieved, Starfleet security confronts them. Mariner prepares to accept responsibility for stealing the Cerritos.
But they’re interrupted once again by the arrival of the incandescent extremophiles. The aliens attach to the hull of the Cerritos, where they synthesize carbon, triggering a mass reproductive event. Tendi demands a channel be opened to Starfleet security. Affecting a serious demeanor, Tendi asks that the Cerritos be left uninterrupted as a scientific survey of the extremophile mating is conducted. She explains that the Cerritos has a crew of only four because everyone else is grounded. The exception only exists because of the rare scientific event. Security states they’re coming aboard. The Ensigns open the bay doors and leave the bridge. Security arrives to find a mess. Tendi says that the endangered species need help transferring their gametes, and they’re facilitating as they study them. It’s painful work, but there’s no substitute for firsthand scientific data. Security expresses their admiration for the work the Ensigns are undertaking. They just need to know which commander ordered the mission and they’ll leave.
The Ensigns stammer to one another as they attempt to produce an answer. But that’s when Captain Freeman strolls in, accompanied by Admiral Freeman, Shax, and Doctor T’Ana. All are in uniform. The Captain states she ordered the mission and security thanks her and welcomes her back before leaving. Mariner hugs the Captain and asks how she can be there instead of at court. The Admiral says the trial is over. Mariner asks what happened, and the Captain explains...
While Captain Freeman and her command crew were before a tribunal, Starfleet conducted their own secret investigation. An elite team led by Captain Morgan Bateson learned of a Pakled connection to a known data fabricator. This individual faked the incriminating footage of Freeman. The forger was captured by the elite team in the Romulan neutral zone. Then, an invasive mind-meld performed by Tuvok revealed the identity of the bombers: the Pakleds themselves. The Pakled plan was to bomb their own capital and frame Captain Freeman. They would then use this as leverage to coerce the Federation into relocating them to a more resource-rich planet.
Mariner asks who would have thought it would have all worked out, and the Admiral says, “me.” He points out he told her from the start to trust in the system, just like the other Ensigns did. Captain Freeman says Mariner must face consequences and sends Boimler, Tendi, and Rutherford to clean up the bay. In her quarters, the Captain, and the Admiral lecture Mariner. She’s dismissive, but her parents tell her she has one last chance to stay in Starfleet. Ransom will now be her direct commanding officer, and if he decides to discharge her from service, so be it.
Meanwhile, the other Ensigns express their gratitude at being back home. They check FNN to see if they’re talking about the trial results. But Ront is reporting on a new top news story: Gavin’s rescue near the moons of Jupiter.
Trailer
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