A strange New Hope for Starfleet emerges from the shadows of the Klingon Empire in the second season premiere of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. “The Broken Circle” was written by Henry Alonso Myers and Akiva Goldsman, and directed by Chris Fisher.
A swarm of ships and shuttles surround Starbase One. Shuttlecraft 5 approaches the USS Enterprise. Captain Christopher Pike’s (Anson Mount) log for Stardate 2369.2 explains the crew is on leave. Chief Fleet Inspector Commander Pelia (Carol Kane) and her team from Operational Support Services are putting the Enterprise through systems checks, inspections, and upgrades.
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Pike continues that he senses an indefinable tension among the brass over shots of Admiral April (Adrian Holmes). However, Pike’s preoccupied with the crisis with Una Chin-Riley (Rebecca Romijn). In his Captain’s Quarters, Pike speaks with Una over subspace transmission. Neither has had luck contacting a particular attorney. Una points out the fact that she lied about her species on her application for Starfleet. It’s hardly a plum case. Pike suggests going public. Una says she’s not letting her mistakes ruin his life. She continues that she understands they’re offering her a plea deal.
Pike tells her the Enterprise without her is unimaginable. Una counters, “Don’t start a fight you can’t win.” Pike says she didn’t start this, Starfleet did. Una says that’s the boy scout in him. Pike says he’s taking one of the shuttles on a roughly three-day journey to ask the lawyer in person. Una says he’s being ridiculous. Pike says if it’s her only chance, he has to try.
“The Broken Circle”
Spock (Ethan Peck) questions Pike’s decision to put him in command of the Enterprise during Pike’s three-day personal leave. Pike says the ship won’t leave Spacedock. Spock cites a human expression: “famous last words.” Pike says he has faith in Spock and departs.
In Sickbay, Doctor M’Benga (Babs Olusanmokun) says if he didn’t know better, he’d say Spock is experiencing stress. M’Benga notes that Vulcan emotions are stronger than those of humans, but are kept in place by mental blocks. Spock’s blocks were compromised when he removed them to muster the anger he needed to fight the Gorn. M’Benga tells Spock he’ll now have to learn to live with emotions.
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Spock protests but M’Benga offers him a “more human” solution. He gives Spock a Vulcan lute. M’Benga explains music can channel emotion into expression. As Spock tries playing, his heart rate drops. Until Nurse Chapel (Jess Bush) enters. Spock swiftly excuses himself. Chapel forbids M’Benga from mentioning the tension.
Chapel tells M’Benga she’s considering applying for a fellowship in archaeological medicine. M’Benga asks if he’s going to have to replace her. She replies that it’s two months on Vulcan; he isn’t getting rid of her that easily.
The Signal
On the bridge, an inspector notes the Enterprise’s pitch and yaw controls are reversed from standard. Pilot Erica Ortegas (Melissa Navia) says she adjusted them for speed. Ortegas exchanges a look with Jenna Mitchell (Rong Fu). Over at comms, Ensign Nyota Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding) insists she gets secondary comms online before primary ones are put offline for inspection. The inspector questions the decision. But just then the ship is hailed.
In his quarters, Spock plays the lute. He’s interrupted by Uhura. Internal comms are rebooting. She’s here to consult with him about a distress signal from the edge of Klingon space. The signal is from La’An Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong).
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However, April denies Spock’s request to take the Enterprise to investigate. Noonien-Singh has been on voluntary leave for months. Spock says the message states there is a dire threat to the Federation on Cajitar IV. April explains that Cajitar IV is a dilithium-mining planet. Post-war, the colony has been governed by a precarious treaty dictating Starfleet will alternate access with the Klingons every month. Since the Klingons just took over, traveling to the planet in the next 30 days would compromise that treaty. April says they can check it out when they get access to the planet again.
In Pike’s Quarters, the remaining Enterprise A-Team (including Mitchell) discusses the situation. Finally, Spock says that he will need everyone’s help to execute his plan. However, he won’t ask them to do anything they think is wrong. Spock plans to steal the Enterprise.
An Oldie but a Goodie
Mitchell enters Engineering. After some input into a computer terminal, a klaxon sounds. A coolant leak has been detected. An announcement orders all non-essential crew to immediately evacuate. However, Pelia is calm. She arrives on the bridge. Spock wonders if she didn’t hear the evacuation order. Pelia says she’s finishing up her inspection. She says the readings match a textbook warp core breach. She teaches the subject at Starfleet Academy. Pelia says someone simulated a coolant leak on the sensors. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say it was on purpose,” she says. She continues that someone violated roughly 17 Starfleet regulations.
Pelia postulates someone wants to steal the Enterprise. “Yes, you can always count on a Vulcan’s inability to lie,” she says. Pelia asks if Spock has a good reason to steal the ship. She reveals she knows that Spock is Amanda Grayson’s son. Pelia asks Ortegas if she can vent ionized plasma from the nacelles. Ortegas says she could… but should she? Pelia says they can talk about it or they can go. Spock orders ventilation.
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A transmission from docking control orders the Enterprise to make space between the ship and the station. The clamps disengage and the ship travels away from spacedock. Pelia observes the Enterprise is short a chief engineer on the mission. She says she’d be happy to sub in. “Been a hundred years since I’ve gone out with engines of my own,” explaining, “It’s a really long story.” Uhura identifies the accent as Lanthanite as Pelia exits.
Starbase One hails the Enterprise. Spock says to ignore it. He sets a course for the Cajitar system at Warp Five. At Spock’s awkward command, Enterprise jumps to warp.
Cajitar IV
On Cajitar IV, La’An is taking part in a Bloodwine drinking contest against a Klingon. As he struggles to swallow another cup, La’An tells him not to hide half of it in his beard. The crowd cheers as the Klingon flees the table to vomit.
Another Klingon sits down across the table from La’An and presents currency. La’An says she knows what she really wants: a meeting with the Broken Circle organization. The Klingon says the meeting will be rejected and La’An says that’s her problem. Then she catches sight of M’Benga across the bar. He makes the same “index finger under right eye” gesture the pair exchanged in “Strange New Worlds.”
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Among ruins of decaying architecture, La’An expresses her surprise that Spock stole the Enterprise. She thanks everyone for coming. La’An explains that she was attempting to find the parents of Oriana (Emma Ho), who survived the Gorn in “All Those Who Wander.” While she succeeded, it isn’t a happy ending because of the unstable situation on Cajitar IV.
During the war, both sides needed Dilithium. As a result, business boomed on Cajitar. But in the post-war era, some ex-Klingon and Federation soldiers have decided peace is bad for business. Because their one ideology is profit, they want to restart the war. To this end, they have been attempting to obtain as much Federation tech as possible. Then a few days ago, an explosion at the mine caused half the town to get sick from ion radiation, including Oriana’s parents. M’Benga notes that while this isn’t possible from just Dilithium, it’s created with photon torpedoes. Chapel and M’Benga will use Enterprise medkits to treat the sick while Uhura and Spock assist La’An.
Shadows of the Klingon Empire
Chapel and M’Benga survey a makeshift hospital. They’re identified by name by Oriana, who embraces them. However, one of her parents is ill. Chapel administers treatment at M’Benga’s instruction. A Klingon approaches Chapel and M’Benga and says they could use their services. When Chapel asks who they are, the stranger draws a disruptor.
Elsewhere, Uhura and Spock observe La’An’s meeting. Uhura identifies the language being spoken as the Klingon Kach-ugh dialect. La’An offers Ror’Queg (Abbas Wahab) a suitcase filled with phaser pistols. She and her contact argue over the number of weapons and cost. The Klingon asks what’s to stop him from taking them.
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La’An holds up a device. She identifies it as an antimatter detonation switch and tells the Klingon that if she lets go, he’ll lose the bottom half of his body. Ror’Queg asks if La’An’s sure she doesn’t have any Klingon blood in her. He accepts her price for this lot and requests additional weapons. La’An says she’ll see what she can do.
When La’An meets up with Uhura and Spock, it is revealed she made up the “antimatter detonation switch.” Uhura is able to parse that whatever they’re planning is happening tomorrow. She asks if they should contact Starfleet but Spock isn’t interested without proof. Spock contacts Transporter Chief Jay (Noah Lamanna), who informs him that they lost Chapel and M’Benga’s signal an hour previously.
Proto Praxis
Chapel and M’Benga remain captive. They enter an enormous cave resulting from decades of Dilithium mining. Within it is what appears to be a Starfleet ship. M’Benga postulates that they must have built it inside.
In the ship’s sickbay, M’Benga treats a Klingon with ion burns. The Klingon threatens to cut out M’Benga’s tongue unless the doctor reveals where he previously treated Klingons. The Klingon doubts his answer, but M’Benga silences him with a detail from a bloody war story. M’Benga tells Chapel that while he can’t tell her this isn’t “bringing everything back,” he can tell her he’s in control. Chapel says the war is over. M’Benga replies, “Yes. But how can it ever be?”
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He changes the subject by asking what Chapel has learned. She says the severity of the burns reveals the photon torpedoes are on the ship. M’Benga theorizes it may be with the rest of the Federation tech they’ve acquired. This could be used for a false flag attack against the Klingons, reigniting conflict. Chapel says they must warn Enterprise. M’Benga states their comms must be on the bridge. He proffers her a vial and says it can help them get there if it’s important enough.
The Star Trek Wars
M’Benga says he doesn’t want to do it again, but he’s not seeing a better choice. They inject the substance. Time seems to slow down. Their pupils dilate before their dropped vials hit the floor. The duo heads out into the hallway and engages the Klingons in hand-to-hand combat.
After incapacitating the majority, M’Benga begins questioning the remaining conscious Klingon. Eventually, the information is yielded. Meanwhile, the ship’s engines begin warming up. At a computer terminal, M’Benga says he can reprogram the ship’s transponder to send a simple message. Chapel takes on the next wave of approaching Klingons. M’Benga completes his task.
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The pair begin to flee from another onslaught of enemies. With the effects of the substance wearing off, they’re heading for an airlock. However, Chapel is captured. Fortunately, she is able to escape thanks to an onslaught by M’Benga against some of her captors. As another wave approaches, M’Benga and Chapel seal themselves in Airlock 5-E. As more enemies push against the airlock door, the ship begins to take off.
The Star Wars Trek
A Klingon battle cruiser arrives in orbit. It is observed by the Enterprise, which is concealed in a field of “interstellar ice and rock with a high iron content.” The Klingons don’t see the Enterprise and the cruiser moves away.
The Enterprise receives a transmission from La’An, who has had no luck locating M’Benga and Chapel. La’An says her contact at the Broken Circle has vanished. Before she can continue, the ersatz Starfleet vessel explodes from the ground and heads toward orbit. On the bridge of the Enterprise, the confused crew identifies the ship as one of their own. Mitchell believes it to be Crossfield class. It’s heading towards the cruiser and will be no match for it.
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Before they can proceed, Uhura informs them the ship’s transponder ping is “off.” She identifies a flicker in the signal as Morse Code II. The message reads, “Enterprise, destroy this ship.” In the airlock of the ship, Chapel and M’Benga wonder if the Enterprise has received their signal. They begin to search for E.V. suits.
Ortegas states that if the cruiser sees the ship it will start a war. Spock states that he believes the ship is part of a false flag operation. The extremists will use this to restart the war for their own personal profit. They must destroy the ersatz ship. Mitchell asks if Chapel and M’Benga are still aboard the ship. Spock alludes to the logic of the needs of the many outweighing the needs of the few.
Starfleet Strikes Back
Spock orders them to pursue the ship and stay in weapons range, but hold fire. Furthermore, they must remain concealed from the Klingons. On the ship, M’Benga and Chapel find only a few pieces of E.V. equipment. Meanwhile, the ship fires at the Enterprise. If the cruiser sees both ships, it will start a war. Spock continues to refrain from firing back. The ship lands several hits on the Enterprise, lowering shields. Fortunately, an array of torpedoes are evaded thanks to the flying skills of Ortegas.
M’Benga says there’s a beacon in the single helmet and a jetpack. Chapel questions the choice to jump into space without a suit. M’Benga says the beacon will activate once they’re in space, and the jet can be used to navigate away from the ship. Chapel says they’ll be dead. M’Benga cites a one-minute window for survival. He further reassures her that they’ll pass out after thirteen seconds. He admits it’s a terrible idea. Chapel agrees and says they should get to it.
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The ship is in range of the cruiser. Mitchell reports there is only time for one shot. Ortegas locks photon torpedoes locked on the “Federation” ship, full spread. Spock orders them to hold, waiting for a signal from M’Benga and Chapel. The cruiser arms weapons. Chapel and M’Benga admit they haven’t gotten out of worse. The duo ejects themselves into space at the same time Spock fires photon torpedoes.
Spock believes he has killed Chapel. And also M’Benga. But Uhura detects the E.V. suit transponder. Spock orders transporter lock. M’Benga and Chapel arrive in the transporter bay, but only M’Benga is conscious. Spock insists, “You do not die.” His attempts to revive her are successful. She asks him why he has to be so rough.
Fallout
On the bridge, Spock communicates with the Klingons. He asserts that the ship they destroyed was a rogue vessel. The Klingon commander posits that it was actually a Federation ship. But when their plan was sure to fail, they chose to destroy the evidence. The commander asks why he should trust Spock. Spock says he is Vulcan, and Vulcans cannot lie.
The commander says he cares little for what legends say. But the commander says he only knows a man’s truth when he sees his eyes face to face. Spock offers to continue the conversation over Bloodwine. The commander says a Vulcan drinking Bloodwine is something he must see. “You are no typical Vulcan,” asserts the commander. Spock agrees.
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On Cajitar IV, Spock and the Enterprise crew drink with the Klingons. Pelia thanks Spock for getting her out of the Academy. Spock asks if she’s actually Lanthanite. Pelia admits she is. Spock says he’s fascinated by her people and the fact that they lived undetected among humans on Earth until the 22nd century. Pelia says Spock’s mother is “one of the first people I came out to,” but says that’s a tale for another time.
Spock says she teaches Engineering, and Pelia corrects, “taught.” She says the reason she helped him is that one of the worst things about living almost forever is boredom. But there’s a shortage of boredom on the Enterprise. She says she may even try to stick around. After she leaves Spock, he returns to drinking with the Klingons.
Klingon Hangover
La’An makes Oriana promise to stay out of trouble. Oriana asks where La’An is going next. La’An looks over at Spock. Back aboard the Enterprise, Spock is admonished by April. April correctly determines that Spock is hung over. Spock says it is the result of a successful renegotiation of the peace treaty with the Klingons. April states he got lucky and it could have just as easily gone the other way. Spock says he “followed his gut” (see: “The Serene Squall“). He accepts whatever punishment Starfleet feels is just.
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April tells him to consider the hangover his punishment. But he warns that next time it will be his commission. He orders Spock to get the Enterprise home. In sickbay, Spock gazes at an unconscious Chapel with tears in his eyes. M’Benga approaches and asks if he’s okay, assuring Spock that Chapel will be fine. But Spock says that he’s not fine, and has no words for what he feels.
In his quarters, Spock plays his lute as the Enterprise travels at warp. Back at Starbase, April tells the other Starfleet brass that Spock has unwittingly prevented the necessity of defending two battlelines at once. April says they’ll need every good officer they’ve got “if this war happens.” On the screen, the computer ascertains that an object is most likely a Gorn Attack Ship.
The episode is dedicated to Nichelle Nichols, “who was first through the door and showed us the stars. Hailing frequencies forever open…”
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