- Tensions rise as representatives from across the galaxy gather to confront the threat of the Dark Matter Anomaly. Zora's new sentience raises difficult questions.
- Zora analyses the particle data at the galactic barrier and identifies 147 possible entry points for the DMA. Each entry point is 100 Parsecs wide.
Zora determines the location of the DMA's creator, referred to as "Unknown Species 10-C", but refuses to share this with the crew out of concern for their safety.
Dr. Kovich consults on Zora's behavior and notes that Starfleet has regulations against sentient systems being integrated with star ships. Members of the crew advocate for Zora and her intentions, but others are concerned with her not following orders due to her control of all the ship's systems. Stamets refers to his interaction with the last sentient AI called Control and says that he finds it terrifying that Zora has access to the entire ship, and yet fails to obey any orders. Zora could get mad and open an airlock or get scared and fire photon torpedoes. The possibilities are endless and scary.
Zora says that she likes the ship as it is her form. She is attached to the ship just as any other being is attached to theirs. She creates a fail safe that the crew can use to expunge her sentience if she threatens their existence. Kovich and Stamets interact with Zora to find that her primary programming has changed, when Zora reveals that her primary function is to protect the crew of the Discovery, as this is not the primary function of the ship's computer.
Investigating her evolved programming, Kovich determines that Zora is a new life-form. They find a sector of programming in Zora's operating system, which represents her sub-consciousness and her dreams. It is full of memories of the crew. Kovich says that Zora can remain on the ship, but to do so she is required to enlist in Starfleet and follow all orders from her superiors. She agrees and reveals the coordinates. Stamets destroys the fail safe.
Meanwhile, Burnham and Book attend an assembly of Federation and non-Federation representatives to discuss the DMA. Ndoye (Phumzile Sitole) has been promoted to General, but Earth is still not part of the Federation. Ndoye supports a direct attack. T'Rina says that there is no pattern to suggest that the DMA is a weapon.
Rillak and Burnham want to contact 10-C and try to avoid escalating the conflict. Tarka proposes destroying the DMA by targeting the power source at its center. The device will trigger a series of sub space bursts towards the power source, separating it from the rest of the DMA. This will neutralize the power source and collapse the DMA. He proposes to use the Discovery to deliver the payload to a point inside the DMA. The sub space bursts will be created by a Isolytic explosion, which is banned by the Federation. Isolytic explosions will render the entire sector unfit for warp travel. The sub space burst could also travel through the worm hole and harm the beings on the other side. Book supports Tarka who has designed a weapon to destroy the DMA before it harms anyone else. Burnham argues that attacking the DMA will be construed as an act of war. But the first contact approach would take more time, and, in the meantime, DMA would kill Billions more.
Book believes that Tarka wants fame by destroying the DMA. But he reveals that he wants the power source to go back to his own mirror Universe, the one with no Burn, no Emerald Chain and with peace. By attacking the DMA, both Book and Tarka will get what they want.
Book makes a passionate plea to the assembly to destroy the DMA. Burnham makes a case for following the highest traditions of the Federation and not to fear the unknown. The assembly votes in favor of first contact. Tarka and Book escape, planning to use the weapon themselves. Tarka steals the next generation spore drive and installs it in Book's ship. Book acts as the navigator as his ship jumps out of Discovery and on its way to attack the DMA.
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