Star Trek: Discovery (TV Series)

The Butcher's Knife Cares Not for the Lamb's Cry (2017)

Sonequa Martin-Green: Michael Burnham

Photos 

Quotes 

• Michael Burnham : You judge the creature by its appearance. And by one single incident from its past. Nothing in its biology suggests it would attack, except in self-defense. Commander, this creature is an unknown alien. It can only be what it is, and not what you want it to be.

  Commander Landry : It's amazing how much I hate Vulcan proverbs. You're new here; so let me share a piece of wisdom. Lorca isn't interested in what you are. He's interested in what you can do, for him. And if he needs us to make that thing useful in his war effort... that's what we're gonna do.

• Saru : As First Officer, I take pride in knowing every name and assignment on the crew manifest. You were to be on the prison transport shuttle that left yesterday.

  Michael Burnham : Captain Lorca offered me an opportunity. I can tell by your threat ganglia that you weren't consulted.

  Saru : The Captain keeps his own counsel. Had he inquired, I'd have suggested the duty roster lacked any opening for a mutineer.

  Michael Burnham : "A valuable asset". That's what you called me.

  Saru : I was speaking hypothetically. Politely. And as someone who was certain I would never see you again.

  Michael Burnham : You can tell your threat ganglia to relax. I'm only here to help.

  Saru : My ganglia remain unconvinced.

• Commander Landry : Lorca thought you and I would make a good team. Your science, my tactics. Together we can deal with Lorca's little monster.

  Michael Burnham : How do you know it's a monster, Commander?

  Commander Landry : Because I've seen what it's capable of. So have you. Let's call it Ripper.

• Michael Burnham : Your Ripper... appears to share some natural traits with the tardigrade species. A docile creature that lives in the waters of the Earth. A micro-animal capable of surviving extreme heat and sub-freezing temperatures.

  Commander Landry : Did you say "microscopic"?

  Michael Burnham : In our case, somehow, macroscopic.

  Commander Landry : How did it get on the Glenn?

  Michael Burnham : All the recent logs were corrupted. But the Glenn's captain made an earlier entry that security detected a stowaway. There was no hull breach, and no unregistered microbiota in the transporter's pattern buffer. But this was found, rummaging around in the lower cargo bays.

• Captain Gabriel Lorca : We're the tip of the spear in a science vessel filled with wide-eyed explorers. You know what they need us to do, don't you?

  Michael Burnham : They need us to win.

  Captain Gabriel Lorca : They need us to survive, Burnham. Want to know how you're gonna help me do that?

  Michael Burnham : I'm happy to assist Lieutenant Staments with the refinement of the spore drive.

  Captain Gabriel Lorca : Said the xenoanthropologist.

  Michael Burnham : I also studied quantum mechanics at the Vulcan Science Academy, sir.

  Captain Gabriel Lorca : I know, but I'm gonna put you to better use.

• Michael Burnham : These are some of the deadliest weapons in the galaxy.

  Captain Gabriel Lorca : I study war. And this is where I hone my craft. I try to learn from the best. Here. Now, this I think you'll find uniquely interesting. You've met once before.

  [the creature from the USS Glenn approaches and is zapped by the containment field] 

  Captain Gabriel Lorca : It has a natural aversion to light. Same as me.

  Michael Burnham : Why would you keep something so dangerous on board your own ship?

  Captain Gabriel Lorca : That thing killed a dozen Klingons on the Glenn, and there's not a scratch on it from their bat'leths. If we're gonna win this thing, if we're gonna have a chance of saving the Federation and everyone in it, we need the best weapons available. So, what material is in a claw that can shred the hull of a ship? What's a hide made of that can withstand the firepower of a phaser set to kill? I need you to find out... and weaponize it.