Chief Engineer Newton is leaving the Orville to help design a space station and the ship has a big send-off party. Malloy and LaMarr play a prank on Yaphit, taking a chunk of his blob and putting in on the party's buffet. Dann bemoans the fact he doesn't have the guts to pull pranks.

Yaphit goes to sick bay because he feels like he's missing a piece. Dr. Finn examines him and asks if he can tell where his missing piece is. Bortus comes in experiencing digestive issues and the doctor figures out Yaphit's missing piece is in Bortus' stomach. In order to retrieve the piece, Yaphit reaches down Bortus' throat for it.

Grayson reprimands Malloy and LaMarr for their prank. Dismissing them both, she discovers that LaMarr has the highest aptitude ranking on board, next to Isaac. Taking this to Mercer, she recommends LaMarr for the Chief Engineer position which Mercer has reservations about. While they're having their conversation, the ship experiences a sudden collision, falling out of warp. Isaac diagnoses that they've skimmed the edge of a spatial anomaly. Grayson sends LaMarr to assist Isaac with the mapping of the anomaly and a scan of the part of the ship that came in contact with the anomaly.

They run into Dr. Finn's children and Ty and Marcus beg to be allowed to join them. Arriving at the site, Yaphit is already there and upset that LaMarr is helping with the task. Ty discovers that the plants in the unit have died. Isaac and LaMarr take scans and report back to Mercer and Grayson.

Grayson goes to speak to Mercer about the Chief Engineer position again. Mercer wants to promote Yaphit but Grayson still wants LaMarr in the position. As a compromise, he agrees to put LaMarr in charge of solving the mystery of the quantum wake. In her excitement, Grayson lets slip that she had something to do with Mercer getting the command of the Orville. Mercer doesn't take it well.

Mercer contacts Admiral Halsey about his promotion. Halsey reassures him that the admiralty feels he deserves his position but Mercer feels insecure about his ability now.

Malloy suggests he gets a cat for the bridge. He and Kitan have to explain the idea of pets to Bortus and Isaac. Grayson summons LaMarr to her office. Isaac pets Malloy in an attempt to bond.

Grayson questions LaMarr about his aptitude score. She points out that now that currency is obsolete, the quantification of wealth is in personal reputation and ability. LaMarr responds that ambition makes things complicated and he likes things simple. She encourages him to make use of his gifts and lets him know that he is now in charge of the task force investigating the anomaly.

The bridge notifies the captain that there is a small ship on course to come into contact with the spatial anomaly. Identifying the ship as a Horbalak smuggler, Mercer hails it and warns its captain to change course. The captain of the other ship disregards the advice and he hangs up on them. The ship flies through the anomaly and emerges with no power signature and no life signs.

Mercer takes Kitan, Grayson, and Dr. Finn in a shuttle over to the drifting ship. They find the captain dead in his seat. Kitan finds crates of Krill plasma rifles in the hold and hypothesizes that whomever the Horbalak stole them from will be looking for them.

Mercer and Grayson have a discussion about her involvement in his getting his command. Yaphit is waiting for Mercer in his office wanting to know why LaMarr was put in charge of the task force. When Mercer tells him that LaMarr is in the running for Chief Engineer, he accuses him of being racist.

LaMarr has problems with leading the science team. While working with Isaac, they discover the anomaly is a doorway to two-dimensional space. While discussing it with senior staff, they are interrupted by the approach of three Krill ships.

LaMarr comes up with a plan to hide inside the two-dimensional pocket. With Yaphit's help, he's able to create a bubble around the ship to protect it and the crew. Inside the spatial pocket, they see a totally unfamiliar spacescape which Isaac believes is a two-dimensional civilization.

They cannot communicate with the two-dimensional entities but Mercer orders Isaac to collect as much data as possible while they hide for the Krill for a few hours.

Grayson and Mercer share a drink and discuss Flatland as well as Mercer's insecurity. On the bridge, Isaac reports a problem with the quantum bubble just before the ship experiences a sudden flattening. Isaac restores the bubble and Mercer orders the ship back to normal space but the anomaly has closed up and they are unable to escape.

Isaac detects another potential aperture a distance away but with the engines dead, they need to use the shuttles to tow them there. LaMarr figures they can create another quantum bubble inside the shuttle to allow it to be piloted to the aperture.

Mercer decides that he'll pilot the shuttle while LaMarr configures the quantum bubble. In preparation, the Science team is performing a final check and LaMarr overhears them badmouthing Yaphit, blaming him for their situation. LaMarr corrects and reprimands them.

Once the shuttle is under way, LaMarr and Mercer get used to their new dimensionality and discuss LaMarr's future as Chief Engineer. When the bubble starts to collapse, Mercer takes them to quantum speed, trusting LaMarr to come through and keep the bubble in tact. They escape out of the next aperture with nosebleeds.

Mercer and Grayson have another talk and he apologizes for his behaviour. LaMarr takes over his new position as Chief Engineer and incentivizes the team with the promise of an early home time and drinks at the end of the week.