"Excuse me, pardon me, coming through, making my way, sorry about that-" Culber came in the middle of Lorca's speech then tapped on Burnham's shoulder.

Burnham looked over in the direction of Culber.

"Doctor?" Burnham asked, noticing the rolled up sleeves. "You said you-"

"Were not attending," Culber finished for the woman. "Change of plans."

"How odd, where is your partner?" Burnham asked.

"He is safe, for now," Culber said. "Listen to me, I may sound nuts, but we are stuck in a timeloop."

"Doctor, that is highly improbable as the chances of being in a time loop are incredibly slim," Burnham said. "Time loops are rare phenomenon that occur within Federation Space most notably in triangle sectors and-"

"Highly disturbed sectors of space," Culber said. "I know." his eyes glanced off toward the captain then back toward the woman. "I need your help to get the Discovery out of it. That jerk we all felt?" the small rounded machines cleaned up the mess on the floor behind the table. "We fell into a time hole. Cut off from the normal time stream."

"If we had fallen into a time hole-" Burnham started.

"We would have been thrown and have different appearances that mess with our natural aging," Culber finished. Burnham noticed how tired and worn out he appeared to be so late in the party. His once optimistic eyes were full of sorrow and dread. "I know." There was silence from Burnham as she reeled it in.

"What number am I thinking?" Tilly asked.

"Six," Culber said.

"You're psychic!" Tilly said.

"That's just the number you're say every time, Tilly," Culber said, as the crowd cheered. He turned his attention onto the second officer. "Captain doesn't believe me or our unexpected visitor."

Burnham tilted her head.

"Why?" Burnham asked, as Lorca unexpectedly kissed Tyler in the background.

"That's a good question," Culber said. "We're in the twenty-third loop."

"Captain-" Burnham walked ahead of the two.

"Oh no," Culber said, rubbing his forehead. "here we go again."

"What do you mean again?" Tilly asked.

Culber looked over toward the confused ensign.

"This," Culber said, as Lorca looked off in the direction of Culber with a confused expression and disbelief. "He is going to send a message to Cornwell. There are no stars in the view screen. The bridge is trying to find a answer to that," Lorca speeded out of the mess hall leaving Burnham behind. "Lorca goes to the transporter room to meet up with the visitor. Confines them to the brig and doesn't listen to them. Didn't help with the accusations that he made the first time around to Lorca. Afterwards, they are going to try using me to make a very big jump."

"And?" Tilly asked.

Culber had a long sigh.

"I die, Tilly," Culber said, as Burnham headed toward them.

"Uh, just take Burnham with you to the unexpected visitor instead of telling her?" Tilly suggested. "You won't die this time."

"I hadn't considered that," Culber said.

Burnham came to the two.

"This problem will be fixed," Burnham said.

"No," Culber said. "It is not."

"What you just did was part of the time loop, Mikey," Tilly said.

"Tell me your biggest secret," Culber said.

"A secret is meant not to be told to unsuspecting Starfleet officers," Burnham said.

"Then tell me a lie you have told yourself every day," Culber said. "I have less than a hour in this loop to live."

"Come with me," Burnham said, then went out of the mess hall with Culber trailing behind her. They came to a stop into the corridor. She turned toward the doctor then folded her arms with a sigh. "I do not blame myself for starting the war."

Culber nodded his head in understanding.

"Anything else?" Culber asked. "Just in case you don't believe me."

"I do not lie," Burnham said. "the only person you can say this to is myself."

"I will go to my grave before I tell Tilly," Culber said.

"It is very appreciated," Burnham said.

"Burnham," Culber said. "I am going to get this right."

"Doctor Culber, please report to DASH engineering," came over the intercomn.

"I will see you in the next loop," Culber said. "and I will get everyone out of this loop."

"I trust you will," Burnham said, then watched him walk away.

Burnham's hand slipped out of Tilly's hand as she fled toward the shuttle bay, Burnham turned toward Tilly to see her vanish in a blaze of flames.

"TILLY!"

Bryce took her arm while she screamed in agony and guided her toward the shuttle bay as the flames chased after them.

The scene started with a view of the Discovery that had flashing lights at one of the lower decks.

The camera slowly flew in toward one of the large and wide windows that had colorful lights emitting in the dark vacuum of space. The seventies music was playing in the mess hall while officers danced to it and played to it. Familiar music that had turned from entertaining to annoying to someone who heard it over and over again. The doors opened in the back then officers stepped out of the way of a running dark man in white. Culber made his way through crowd making his path toward the two young women standing side by side. Lorca balanced himself up against from the couch beside him with a laugh. Tyler was shaking his head as Culber brushed past him. Culber came over to Burnham.

"Burnham, you are a very good liar and you blame yourself for starting the war," Culber said.

"I do not recall telling you that," Burnham said.

"This is a emergency," Culber said. "Come with me."

"May I bring Tilly?" Burham asked.

"No, she is too drunk to understand what is going on," Culber said.

"I sooooo am," Tilly agreed, slumping against Burnham with a laugh.

"Ogallery!" Culber called. "I got a man you'll love to meet!"

"Why are we in the transporter room?" Burnham asked.

"Hold on a hot second," Culber said, then approached the black man with short locks. "Phil, there's a hot girl outside waiting to take you out to dance."

"No, there isn't," Phil said.

"Did I mention that she is a Orion?" Culber said, walking in the line of Phil's sight to the transporter padd. "It is Lieutenant Ogallery."

"Can you be a friend and man this console for me until I get back?" Phil asked.

"Until I have to die," Culber said.

"Thanks for being a pal!" Phil said, then he walked away.

A strange man appeared on the transporter padd then puked. Burnham recognized the man but not the uniform as it was blue with gray additions. The Starfleet delta was on his chest with gray shoulder padds, Starfleet delta that seemed liked chain mail at the sides and a zipper that went down from the center of his chest. His uniform was partially unzipped. He wiped off what he had puked off the side of his mouth. The man was trembling on the transporter padd in a ill like manner. Culber slowly turned in the direction of Burnham.

"This is Lieutenant Commander Paul Stamets, not our Paul, but he is in this mess as we are," Culber said.

"Fascinating," Burnham said, observing the man.

"Why does Burnham have a Starfleet delta during the war?" Paul asked.

"Oh shit," Culber said, as Burnham approached the two.

"You are from a alternate universe where the captain did not listen to my advice and I had to mutiny against her to save her life, I failed to save her and the ship, and was court martial-ed. A war erupted because of her mistake. I was enlisted to the Discovery thanks in part to Admiral Georgiou," Burnham said. "She carries unnecessary weight on her shoulders."

"Actually, she died and Lorca got you aboard," Paul said. "I know that your Lorca is the real deal Lorca," he shook his hand. "You are really lucky."

"Luck has nothing to do with the war," Burnham said.

"We had a evil version of our captain who manipulated us from the beginning and tried to make the worst of us come out," Paul said, as Culber helped him up. Blue metal peeked out from his rolled up sleeve.

Burnham grabbed his wrist then slid up the sleeve.

Culber stopped and his face slowly started to fall as his eyes looked toward the man.

"Who authorized your jump?" Burnham asked.

"No one," Paul said, as Burnham let go of his wrist. "I did it to myself."

"Doctor Culber, it seems your partner knew what you were going to do," Burnham said.

"No, I didn't," Paul said. He looked toward Culber in confusion. "He didn't know I was doing it. We didn't have the time to talk about it."

"Paul, how human are you because of all these jumps?" Culber asked.

"I am connected to the network," Paul said. "And you're part of it it."

"I know," Culber said, factly.

"You don't understand," Paul said. "To me, you are dead, Hugh. Voq snapped your neck right across from me while I was in a coma. All because I did too many jumps. I was inside the network, trapped, and then you appeared. You ordered me to come back with your kiss."

"How can Voq do that when he is thousands of light years away?" Culber asked.

"That is a trick question," Paul said. "Right?" he looked toward Burnham.

"You are inside a alternate universe," Burnham said. "Anything can be different."

"And we're in a time hole," Culber said.

"Your Discovery fell into a pot hole?" Paul said.

"Yes," the two replied.

"How is that even possible," Paul said, as he paced the transporter padd. "We never fell into one. We had only the Mudd loop incident." he stopped then turned toward the two. "This is the Mudd Incident, isn't it?" he rubbed the back of his head. "Except seeing the mushrooms grow in the walls? It's part of it, right?"

"There were mushrooms growing on the ship?" Burnham asked, raising a eyebrow.

"Absorbing anyone alive," Paul said. "Over fourteen hours. You don't know how many times I have seen Lorca come in and demand answers from me. Answers I can't give." Culber looked crushed.

"Commander, tell me. . ." Burnham said. "how did you get transported into our ship?"

"I was being beamed over to Starbase 1," Paul said. "Mandatory leave. Captain T'Pol decided that I needed time for myself. There was a ion storm."

Burnham and Culber raised a eyebrow then exchanged a glance.

"Paul," Culber said. "That's probably the worst joke you ever gave."

"At least it is better than having a sketchy and shady human male captain on the bridge," Paul said, with a long traumatized look. "You would still be alive if he didn't manipulate me to do one last jump."

"Do you have any ideas why mushrooms would be absorbing in the crew and the ship?" Burnham asked.

"Since it starts with the ship it could always be from the metal itself," Paul said.

"Like we're inside the DNA of a mushroom and we are slowly becoming part of it," Burnham said, earning a nod from Paul that slowly turned from elated to terrified. "we could be in a small pocket universe made of mushrooms not a time hole. Somehow that pocket universe is experiencing a time loop. It can only live this way."

"I didn't land the ship into this," Culber said, with his arms folded. "One of the night crew bridge members made a mistake and I can't get them out of it."

"What happens to you?" Paul asked. "You are the navigator."

"I rather not talk about it," Culber said. "Having my neck snapped isn't painful as what happens to me."

"I can try to get the ship out," Paul said. "I have more experience than you do."

"Really?" Culber asked. "Then how many times did you get confused with Corzan two and Corzan three coordinates?"

"They are in the same orbit," Paul said. "Wasn't my fault a part of the hull was scrapped off."

"I did the exact same thing," Culber said. "we cannot jump our way out of this."

"But we can walk our way out," Burnham said. "Jumping can lead to being crushed into pieces and broken bones. There could be a big enough that we could go on toward the exit of this pocket universe."

"I have more experience doing jumps," Paul insisted. "let me search for the hole."

"As second officer of this ship, I am not the one to decide on orders as I am not in command and this is simply theorizing. What we are doing will be considered mutiny going against the captain's orders," Burnham said. "if we were to do it and have consequences, then we must do it right. And if we fail. . ."

"Then we have another loop to try," Paul said.

"I am interested in contacting the acting Spore Drive officer," Burnham said.

"So you still have Airiam?" Paul asked.

Burnham and Culber nodded.

"She is in the mess hall partying," Culber said. "as usual."

"After we find the hole, we will find a way to return you to your universe," Burnham said.

"What if I have to create the hole?" Paul asked. "A spare shuttle with transporter settings. I can figure a way home after you leave."

Burnham had a hard look back toward Paul.

"We are Starfleet," Burnham said. "we don't leave one of our own behind just to save ourselves. That is not who we are."

Paul was stumped looking back at her.

"You didn't mutiny against your captain and you give perfectly captainly comments," Paul said. "What stopped you from accepting your own command?"

Burnham chose to ignore it turning her attention onto Culber.

"Doctor Culber, explain to me what loop we're in," Burnham said.

"Twenty-eighth loop so far," Culber said.

"We just got a little bit further than what we did last time," Paul agreed, with a smile.

This time Tilly was alone in a escape pod crying as flames were heading in her direction.

Culber appeared from behind Burnham in the mess hall then placed a hand on her shoulder making her turn toward him.

"Can you please for one loop stop dying on me?" Culber asked.

"Are you okay?" Burnham asked, raising a eyebrow.

"Perfectly frustrated," Culber said. "You are a good liar and you blame yourself for the war. And no, we're not going into Paul's lab after we go to the transport room and get our friend," he took her by the shoulder. "Hey Ogallery," Ogallery turned toward him. "I got a good man for you in the transporter room!"

Burnham was vaporized in a explosion that originated from a lone shuttle equipped with highly questionable tech and the mushrooms continued to spread through the corridors.