With time pressing, Saru's anxiety only risen after they had jumped; the Tardigrade had become unresponsive and he didn't see a way out without the creature so only force would be the only manner to get what they needed once they had the captain.

His hands remain clenched though as Stamets and Culber left with their orders, as unhappy as they were but Saru had to keep his focus to the reality. They were in Klingon space and had to be on the lookout. All his instincts told him so why ignore his nature in this situation.

"How far from the prison ship are we?"

"Still in weapons rage, sir."

Which while not specific, it gave them the advantage they needed. They couldn't fire on the ship; not with the captain on board and the fact that they also were massively out gunned. They'd be fools to take it on without any back up. He'd not risk the ship on that move but he still felt like, as the humans said, caught between a rock and a hard place. A metaphor he could certainly empathise with now.

How would they even start to get into it without detection? By all assessments, it was impossible when they couldn't beam onto the Prison ship to start with. It all felt oddly familiar. Like how Burnham and captain Georgiou went on board of the sarcophagus.

"Owosekun, keep all scans out for any approaching Klingon vessels for the prison ship. We'll also need to prep a boarding party as soon as we can figure out a plan of approach." He was up for suggestions nonetheless

"I've done some scans of the ship, there's about 87 human life signs on board, sir." Airiam spoke up.

Saru let out a deep sigh. A high amount of humans, it didn't feel right to just leave them there but they still needed their captain.

"And Klingon?"

"129, sir."

Saru's arms folded. A complicated rescue mission. Even if Lorca was the priority, they couldn't lose the opportunity to rescue more of their own.

"Is there a chance your scans show where the humans are comparison to the Klingon?"

"No, Sir. Its shields are too advance for precise locating."

"Then we need to find a way to get on that ship, find a way to remotely get into it…." His thoughts momentary outload but he had a few ideas but without the spore drive to pull it off… he couldn't see how it could work…If the humans were in sealed compartments and they could get in, flushing out the oxygen would kill the Klingons quickly and leave the ship vulnerable for full raiding. But that was wishful thinking.

"I want a boarding party prepared, a squad of 4 at the very least." Saru ordered, one of the bridge crew nodded then headed towards the lift to comply. Though he continued to mull on his approach, sinking down into the captain's chair


Tilly fluttered around the engineering lab, her eyes flickering to Stamets as he stared into the cube, at the creature; curled up on the floor like a fossil. But she couldn't help but note the hypospray in his hand, fingering it as if preparing himself to use it.

"Stamets," she started quietly, so not to surprise him "Why have you got that?"

Stamets didn't move but he spared a look to the others in the room as they filed through their stations.

Tilly wasn't stupid and she could connect the dots…. Whatever Saru had ordered him to do, it wasn't to inject himself. He wasn't for hurting the creature, not when it was in this state… it'd surely die. But if there was only one way… it had to be worth it.

Tilly placed the PADD she had to the side and stood next to him and kept her voice quiet. "I'll do it."

Stamets's eyes looked to her sharply, surprise littering across his face and echoed in his blue eyes but his head shook. "I can't ask that of you, Cadet."

"You don't need to." Her hand reached for the hypospray but he moved back shaking his head, holding it close to his chest.

"I can't let you."

"I can't stand and do nothing. Again" Her voice was still quiet and their minor dispute hadn't been noticed which she was glad for but how could he think she wouldn't do something? They were sitting ducks and she felt just as she had done that night; useless.

Stamets still shook his head. "What needs to be done, I'll do it. I did this to the creature. I need to pay the price."

Tilly bit her lip but she could see his decision had been made. She couldn't talk him out of it. "I'll get the others out of here when we need to."

His gaze seemed to soften and he offered her a tight smile of relief and his head bobbed lightly "Thank you."

Tilly sucked in a deep breath, moving back to her station to try and gain assess of the rooms cameras to shut them off. Starfleet couldn't do much without evidence. Reports would do but they'd have to hold off on actual punishment if this got out.

"Cadet Tilly, to the Bridge." Bryce's voice called over. With a flick, the cameras were off and she could feel Stamets's look as she left without a word but she felt a swell of confidence, more than she had in the past couple of weeks that there was still hope within her…

Michael would agree to this. Anything to not hurt the creature, even if it meant going against Saru. Had this feeling being hopelessness been what Michael had faced when she mutinied? Tilly wasn't sure but she hoped what she and Stamets were doing wasn't bordering into insubordination here.

The turbolift to the bridge didn't seep into her memory at all, until she stepped out and was faced with Saru again the with bridge crew with a full magnified image of a scary prison facility. It made her stomach clench.

"Any news on the Tardigrade?"

Tilly's eyes flickered back to the Kelpien and shook her head. "No, but I believe Stamets has a plan. I'm sure we'll be able to jump away. Probably a one-shot, sir." How it'd effect Stamets after, she had no idea but she had to give Saru something. It worked. Relief seemed to loosen the officer's posture.

"Best news I've heard all day, Cadet."

Tilly nodded, less eagerly. "Was there something you needed from me, Sir?"

"We're detecting a massive energy spike near the ship, a build up in fact. But it's not a warp signature." Saru started, nodding to the scree but Tilly was already moving to her station.

Her fingers ran over the screen, doing her own in-depth scan as the minutes passed undisturbed though she could detect where the energy was coming from…. Yet it's signature pattern was familiar. Her eyebrows pulled together, allowing her mind to run through the calculations though her mind sprung back to her goodbye to Michael… the casket she was in, Dr Culber and… the weird feeling in the room. The sensation that light the room in a red light…

A shiver ran down her spine, though on a hunch she pulled up the residue readings from the initial scans after Michael's death-kidnapping. Her eyes widened a little as the graphic simulation seemed to be almost identical.

"Sir… these readings.." Tilly spoke, catching the Commander's attention from his musings. "Sir, these reading are very similar to the thing that took Michael's body."

Tilly became very aware of the looks she got but she could see Saru's eyes widened and almost immediately headed towards her.

"Excuse me?"

"The energy patterns. What took Michael, it must be coming here… the readings aren't a 100% match yet but the readings we took… it was degraded. I can find out what sort of pattern it is once it gets here but… once we do we can find out what it is."

"And why it took Michael?"

Tilly shrugged, not allowing herself to find any hope with that, while it was related sitting whatever it was hardly going to be frown down for an idle chat of stealing living corpses from star ships, they had yet to know if it was enemy or friend.

Sensing her doubt, Saru sighed but he could get the topic than the unlikely scenario. "Then we need to prepare ourselves. Our priority is still Lorca. Weapons onto standby nonetheless, Red Alert."

The alarms went up though Tilly watched the screen as the two helmswomen's scanners adjusted to the increasing energy pattern… then suddenly there was almost a bright burst of red that made her gasp out loud; it's familiarity mostly; the shade….

The burst of red seemed to seep out of a bright red star, ink in water d of particles, it pulsed out and grew but t hen a almost impulse seemed to send a shockwave out. The ship gave a sudden lurch back, the lights flickering for a moment.

"What was that?" Saru demanded bewildered as much as any of them.

"I..I don't know sure, seems to be some sort of impulse beam that's knocked out our systems… but look, the prison ship seems to be...compromised. Shield are down, Klingon life signs seemed to have dipped down to 90 and still dropping… Air locks on the ship have opened..." Owosekun called out but it was clear to see the ship was targeted by something, the light burst seemed to linger in the space but now… there was hardly a clear sign of the source or anything that was triggering the phenomenon.

"Cadet, run scans on the red burst, Detmer, try and get us closer. If the prison ship is down then their weapons systems are too. We need to get a boarding party on, EVs suits and all."

It all felt like a rush but Tilly kept to her new mission, running her mind entirely to the red burst and for a second, there was a flicker of movement but the light began to recede back, as if all of it was going to be sucked away back into it's core. She could see the energy receding back.

"Sir, only 27 Klingon life signs are remaining, the shields are still down but their air lock doors are locked and our teams are on board now."

"Human life signs?"

"Down to 81, sir."

Saru sighed but even Tilly could see, some losses had to be countered for in terms of the sudden….departure of Klingons. They were no doubt being taken to or from their cells when the doors opened. It had to be expected.

"Lorca?"

"Not sure, sir. We'll keep looking."

The atmosphere was tense but not only with confusion but anticipation too. Tilly found herself gripping the edges of her station her heart beating in her chest rapidly though she could see the long range sensors pick up warp signatures; Klingon.

"Sir, we're haven't got long until we got company!" Tilly called out. "We need to try and start transporting the humans from the ship to Discovery if we want to jump in time."

"Get the transporter room ready and get Dr Culber, Pollard and the other medics to stand-by, we don't know the states of the prisoners."

"Yes, Sir." Rhys was quickly to move, sending through the instructions.

"Sir, the ship is hailing us."

"Then answer it, Bryce."

Immediately the familiar voice seemed to filter through to the ship.

"Discovery, this is Lorca."

"Good to hear you captain, are you alright?"

"Good as expected, ran into your crew ad killed a few more Klingons to secure the bridge but we can't work the controls. The ship's going to power up soon so get us the hell out of here, Saru."

"Yes, Captain. We've already started the transporters for all federation prisoners."

"Glad to hear it, See you in a minute, Lorca out."

There was a deep moment of pure relief that seemed to flow through the air, at hearing the captain's voice…. The recovery operation… Tilly knew discovery was going to be very tight-spaced until they could get to a star base but… this had to so something more morale… she certainly felt lift now.


"Sir, everyone's on board and the Klingons are going to be here any second."

Just then the turbolift opened, all eyes turning to see Lorca, followed by a taller and slightly bearded male who looked to be exhausted but happy nonetheless.

"Then jump, Stamets, it's on you now." Saru spoke

Tilly's eyes widened, her jaw dropping as she suddenly remembered….

"Black Alert. Black alert"

"Wait!" but it was all too late as the ship suddenly spun, the screen showing two birds of prey heading towards them; two green torpedoes before the falling tight sensation… then the quiet but Tilly felt sick to her stomach… Paul….

"Stamets!" She didn't wait for anyone, pushing past her captain to the lift despite the surprised call at her sudden behaviour but she couldn't stop and explain. Sure enough, Tilly raced through the hallways to see everyone that had been in the engineering room cleared out and by the door with worry; for a second, Tilly saw Saru and Lorca— taking her a moment to realise they had taken the transporter route but they were equally worried before the door was pushed open by her first, darting in and coming to a dead stop. Her heart in her mouth as she saw Stamets lying flat on his back; 4 puncture holes in his uniform shirt, bleeding lightly and deathly pale….

"What the-" Lorca was quick to move, despite his own injuries; he headed to the reaction cube. "Open this now!" Tilly moved forwards, unlocking its door and yanked it open. Lorca stepped in, not hesitating to check the man's pulse.

Tilly flinched as Stamets's eyes flickered open with a sharp gasp, triggered by the contact "D…did we make it?" His voice was different, high and hazy but Lorca's face was short of bewildered of this sudden change in demeanour.

"Yes!" Tilly spoke but that just caused Stamets to fall into a delirious laughing fit, making him bleed a little more from his new piercings. .

"What the hell happened while I was gone?!"