Several months after the showdown with Control that sent the U.S.S. Discovery into the 32nd century, the events continue to weigh heavily on a bearded Captain Pike, who remains uncertain about his future in Starfleet. Spock also misses his sister Michael, but a marriage proposal from T'Pring and some Vulcan romance help distract him.
Admiral Robert April, who was the Enterprise's first captain and Pike's predecessor convinces Pike to grab the center seat again by informing him that his Number One had gone missing on a first contact mission to Kiley 279. A quick ride aboard the shuttlecraft Stamets, and Pike is back aboard his repaired and upgraded starship.
Pike's arrival coincides with introductions to security chief and acting first officer La’an Noonien-Singh, communications Cadet Nyota Uhura, and pilot Lieutenant Erica Ortegas, though the crew must leave before taking aboard their chief engineer and another officer named Lieutenant Kirk.![]()
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In a private chat, Pike reveals to Spock that he saw a vision of the horrible training accident that will severely injure him when they visited the Klingon planet Boreth during the search for a time crystal. Upon arriving at Kiley 279, the Enterprise finds the U.S.S. Archer abandoned but intact, with local space giving no signs that the planet has achieved even rudimentary spaceflight. The population hasn’t created warp drive, it has created a warp bomb!
In sickbay, Doctor M’Benga and the energetic civilian Nurse Christine Chapel meet with the Captain, Spock, and La’an. Chapel pioneers the genetic manipulation technique that Starfleet uses to blend in with pre-warp species and infiltrate enemy encampments. The transporter also has a nifty feature: it can change a landing party member’s clothes and outfit them with equipment during a beam down.
Pike, Spock, and Noonien-Singh arrive on a divided planet with two warring factions that seek to wipe each other out. Despite some obstacles, the trio make their way into a secure facility and rescue Number One and her two cohorts. Unfortunately, Una informs Pike that their battle with Control took place so close to this planet that it allowed them to study and reverse engineer warp technology. To correct this unintentional influence, the captain makes a bold decision to reveal his crew’s alien origins and the presence of the Enterprise to the locals.
Pike addresses the societal divides of 21st century Earth by highlighting them through the lens of 23rd century Kiley 279. Pike explains that the United States underwent a second Civil War and the Eugenics Wars, conflicts that led to Earth’s catastrophic World War III. Complete with archival images, Pike’s presentation convinces the local factions to make peace and turn their eyes toward the stars.
Further revelations continue as La’an reveals a history with the Gorn. As an ensign, Number One was involved in La’an’s rescue. Elsewhere, Chief Kyle beams aboard the Aenar engineer Hemmer and a Lieutenant Samuel Kirk who, as a Science officer, will report directly to Spock. With Enterprise’s crew complete, Captain Pike orders them ahead to explore strange, new worlds and seek out new life and new civilizations.
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