STAR TREK: DISCOVERY
SEASON 3, EPISODE 6

Scavengers

Series: Star Trek: Discovery - (2017 - 2024)
Season: 3
Episode #: 6
Original Airdate: November 19, 2020

Writer(s): Anne Cofell Saunders
Director(s): Douglas Aarniokoski

Guest Stars
Michelle Yeoh as Philippa Georgiou
Oded Fehr as Admiral Charles Vance
Ian Alexander as Gray Tal
Noah Averbach-Katz as Ryn
Blu del Barrio as Adira Tal
Ian Lake as Tolor

Co-Stars
Emily Coutts as Lt. Keyla Detmer
Patrick Kwok-Choon as Lt. Gen Rhys
Oyin Oladejo as Lt. Joann Owosekun
Ronnie Rowe Jr. as Lt. R.A. Bryce
Sara Mitich as Lt. Nilsson
Julianne Grossman as the Voice of the U.S.S. Discovery Computer
Avaah Blackwell as Captain Rahma
Vanessa Jackson as Lt. Audrey Willa
Daniel Jun as Lai
Danijel Mandic as a Salvage Regulator
Antonio Ortega as ab Engineer
Linford Mark Robinson as Captain L'Teis
David Benjamin Tomlinson as Ltjg. Linus (the Saurian)
Katherine Trowell as Captain Bandra

Uncredited Guest Stars
Leeu as Grudge

Stardate: Unknown

Synopsis

Saru updates Star Fleet and Admiral Vance on the enhancements being made to the U.S.S. Discovery, which is now designated as the NCC-1031-A. The retrofitted NCC-1031-A comes equipped with updated internal systems, programmable matter, and detached nacelles to improve maneuverability and performance. During the meeting, Admiral Vance hands out assignments to the fleet’s captains, announcing that Saru’s starship will be held in reserve as a rapid response unit in case tensions with the Emerald Chain flare up at Argeth.

The Discovery-A’s crew receives their own upgrades from Lieutenant Willa in the form of state-of-the-art combadges that feature integrated holo-PADDs, tricorders, communicators, and personal transporters. The bridge consoles now include programmable matter that reads each officer’s biosigns and adapts to their individual needs. Suddenly, Discovery picks up a hailing signal from an incoming ship “ which turns out to be Booker’s ship that is currently only occupied by his cat Grudge.

The Nautilus arrived on auto-pilot to deliver a holorecording of Book, who never returned to his vessel after going to Hunhau in search of a blackbox that might provide a clue to the cause of The Burn. If the cataclysmic event had occurred simultaneously throughout the galaxy, every starship’s blackbox should have terminated at the same instant. However, the two blackboxes that Burnham found during her year alone did not sync up, and a third such device could indicate a potential point-of-origin for The Burn and allow the crew to triangulate the coordinates.

[ Screencap Index ]

Saru informs Burnham that, as per Vance’s orders, Discovery must stay at Federation headquarters in case of an emergency at Argeth, but Number One goes behind his back to recruit Georgiou for an unsanctioned rescue mission. The duo grab the Nautilus and set course for Hunhau, a trip that furnishes Georgiou with the opportunity to taunt Burnham about her feelings for Book. The first officer gets in an excellent verbal jab of her own, but things turn serious when the former Terran emperor briefly experiences a traumatic flashback.

Burnham and Georgiou arrive at Hunhau, a planet controlled by the Orion-Andorian syndicate Emerald Chain that salvages old starship wrecks for scrap. The orbital graveyard boasts plenty of pre-Burn vessels, ranging from 23rd-century medical frigates to Cardenas and Hoover-class ships. Georgiou poses as a buyer to Tolor, an Orion official who happens to be Osyraa’s nephew. Tolor shows the two undercover officers around the facility, but the only thing Georgiou intends on buying is time for Michael to locate Book. Burnham finds her friend among the syndicate’s slave laborers, where Tolor ruthlessly executes one of Book’s compatriots for stealing a water ration.

Back at headquarters, Tilly learns that Burnham has left when she finds Grudge in her quarters, while Gray’s mysterious visage attempts to convince Adira to do more than eat, sleep, and work. The human host to the Tal symbiont shows off a new spore drive interface to Stamets, who can now operate the propulsion system by using nanogel instead of his forearm shunts. Saru finds out about Burnham’s disappearance and questions Tilly, who surprisingly recommends that the captain secure Vance’s trust by informing him about the first officer’s insubordination.

On Hunhau, Book and Burnham reunite to hatch an escape plan that will free the operation’s entire workforce. Georgiou fashions an impromptu weapon, but she and Burnham are captured by regulators. Tolor plays into the pair’s plan when he brings them aboard the Nautilus to steal the ship’s dilithium supply, as Book and his Andorian friend Ryn launch a diversionary escape attempt. The Terran is momentarily incapacitated by another flashback, but she recovers quickly enough to help Burnham retrieve Tolor’s control device and deactivate the facility’s deadly perimeter shield.

Ryn endures a significant wound from a regulator’s weapon, but Georgiou and Burnham arrive with the Nautilus and transport Book and the Andorian to safety. Having successfully obtained the blackbox, Michael confronts Georgiou and discovers that the deposed emperor is not sure what is causing her debilitating episodes. Back on Discovery, Stamets provides a friendly face and a safe outlet for Adira, who divulges Gray’s ongoing presence to the astromycologist.

Burnham and Book share a passionate kiss in a turbolift before the first officer must leave to face the consequences for disobeying orders. Vance’s anger boils, but he leaves Burnham’s punishment up to Saru’s discretion. Saru declares that he no longer trusts Michael enough to have her continue to serve as his Number One. Although Burnham agrees with her captain’s decision, she removes her Starfleet combadge, signaling her departure from Star Fleet and her home aboard the Discovery.

  

Posters courtesy of Laz Marquez

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