- As the DMA approaches Earth and Ni'Var, Captain Burnham and the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery attempt to make First Contact with the powerful species responsible before it's too late.
- Discovery releases the hydrocarbon representing peace onto the hyper-field. It is soon pulled into the structure and surrounded by an orb made of an unknown substance. The hyper-field enclosed a solar system with 3 gas giant planets of similar configurations. The orb pulls them towards one of the gas giants. The weapons systems and warp drive on the Discovery are offline, but the life support is functional.
Tarka finds the power source on the far side of the hyper-field encased in a Silicon-Ellanium alloy. Once he reaches the location, he can simply pull the power source out and the DMA will stop immediately.
The Discovery is scanned after being taken to the upper layers of one of the planets, but then there is no activity. Burnham proposes presenting the civilization with a gift of Boronite to signal intent and a desire to communicate. That it the only thing they know that the civilization wants. The Discovery deposits a layer of Boronite on the surface of the Orb, assuming that it has sensor capabilities. Members of Species 10-C respond with a mix of 6 hydrocarbons (conveying a range of emotions like Joy, Peace, Fear, Irritation, Surprise and Sadness) and a light pattern which the crew deciphers as a "bridge language" similar to Lincos that uses mathematical equations. Ndoye sees this as a long process to establish communications with 10-C. She favors more direct action to save Earth, but nobody on the Discovery is supportive of this. Only 12 hours before the DMA reaches Earth. The Discovery crew understand the language and are able to signal a response, indicating their understanding, leading to more messages being received.
The 10-C sends a version of their shuttle to the Discovery. Rillak, Saru and Burnham go into the shuttle. Burnham knows that the 10-C hold all the cards and time is slipping away. The shuttle transports the occupants to a replica of the Discovery bridge. 10-C uses the language to question why the DMA was destroyed by Tarka's weapon, and the crew are able to communicate their fear of the DMA.
On Book's ship, Tarka plans to use Ndoye to ignite a plasma stream from Discovery that will allow them to escape the orb and fly directly to the DMA's power source. Ndoye has to vent the plasma from the starboard engine nacelle. Reno realizes that if Tarka takes the power source while the DMA is still operational, it will destroy the hyper-field and all inside it and likely still destroy Earth and Ni'Var. Reno communicates this to Book.
Book confronts Tarka about this, but Tarka uses his upgrades to the ship to restrain Book. Culber finds that Reno is missing from the Discovery. Adira finds the patch attached by Tarka in Engineering and disables it. Zora figures out that Book's ship is attached to the Discovery's hull and is inside the orb.
As the crew of Discovery attempt to ask 10-C to withdraw the DMA, Ndoye enacts Tarka's plan and Book's ship escapes via a hole created in the orb by the venting plasma. The 10-C members stop communicating. Burnham, Rillak and Saru are returned to the Discovery. Only 4 hours remain till the DMA hits Earth.
Reno is able to get a message to Burnham explaining Tarka's plan. Reno warns that taking the power source will not stop the DMA and will send a toxic waste dump towards Earth, while destroying the 10-C and the hyper-field.
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