The Discovery and its crew sit outside the hyperfield, awaiting a response to their message to Species Ten-C.

Burnham suggests to Rillak that they implement the contingency plan. With some convincing, Rillak agrees.

The plan is to use the hydrocarbon that evokes peace to start first contact with Ten-C.

Ndoye is concerned about approaching the hyperfield in order to apply the hydrocarbons to the field’s surface.

As Stamets preps the Dot bots with the hydrocarbons, Zora reports to him that there’s something off but she can’t find the irregularity with her diagnostics. Adira and Stamets plan to bring the issue to Culber to sort out.

Aboard Book’s ship, he apologizes to Reno for holding her hostage.

As Tarka and Book discuss their plans, Reno works on a way to get a message out.

Discovery deploys the Dot bots.

The surface of the hyperfield energizes and grabs all the bots.

Another surge from the hyperfield reaches out to grab Discovery as it tries to escape. They are sucked into the hyperfield.

Inside the hyperfield, there is a solar system with three gas giant planets. The orb encasing the ship takes them towards one of the planets.

Book and Ndoye check in. All shields, weapons, and propulsion systems on both ships are down.

Tarka’s located the power source for the DMA controller. Book tells him to get them out of the orb before tweaking his transporter.

While he’s working, Reno notices something before he shuts down his console to hide it from Book.

Reno uses her chewed black licorice to activate her communication device.

Discovery’s orb stops moving and the sensors detect life signs all around them that are scanning them.

Stamets and Culber discuss Zora’s concern about her systems. Stamets also checks in on Culber. Stamets vows they’ll take a vacation when this is all over.

The first contact counsel debates the next move forward.

Burnham suggests they make a gift of the boronite collected from the site of the DMA implosion.

Reno tries to talk to Book about Tarka. They share stories about their past.

There is a change to the orb membrane after the gift is sent.

The council goes to the shuttle bay to make first contact with the Ten-C.

The Ten-C emissary emits a complex hydrocarbon that includes 6 of the 16 emotions they identified on the abandoned planet.

The emissary then performs a light pattern that appears to be communicative.

As Zora attempts to respond to the light pattern, Ndoye leaves the delegation. She contacts Tarka and Book. Tarka’s come up with a plan to escape the orb but it requires Ndoye to vent plasma for them to ignite to burn a hole through the orb.

Ndoye is conflicted about overriding Discovery’s systems to help Book and Tarka but agrees.

The emissary leaves. The delegates discuss what it means. Burnham calls her bridge crew down to the shuttle bay to add their perspectives to the discussion.

As Culber and Zora play the game to relax, Zora recalls the replicator malfunction that occurred at the same time her unease began. Since Reno fixed the malfunction, Culber tries to contact her. No response. Zora detects Reno in Engineering. Culber goes to talk to her.

The bridge crew’s contributions help decipher the Ten-C message, utilizing the light pattern to read the hydrocarbon molecule.

On Book’s ship, Reno warns Book that Tarka’s plan will kill them all and destroy Earth and Ni’Var as well.

Zora’s decryption of the hydrocarbon message reveals the Ten-C language is based on math.

Dr. Hirai believes that he and Zora can send a message to the Ten-C showing them they understand.

Burnham counsels Saru on his feelings that T’Rina was overly harsh with him earlier.

Book confronts Tarka about the dangers of his plan. Tarka tries to make excuses. Book draws a line. Tarka attacks him with a repellent field.

The Ten-C respond to Dr. Hirai’s message, indicating they understand as well.

An orb arrives in the shuttle bay and lands in front of the delegation. A door appears on the exterior. Burnham speculates they are being invited in.

Tarka defeats Book and locks him in with Reno.

Rillak decides to go into the orb, inviting Burnham and Saru to join her. Hirai is asked to stay in case diplomacy must continue on the outside. T’Rina and Ndoye are invited but Ndoye demurs.

Burnham pulls Saru aside to share her insecurities. Saru shares Tarka’s strategy of yelling for stress relief.

Culber and Adira find Reno’s badge in Engineering. Her disappearance is now known.

In the shuttle bay, Saru speaks with T’Rina.

The orb delegates enter the orb and it disappears.

Inside the orb, they find themselves on a replica of the bridge.

An isolytic weapon appears. Burnham determines it is not armed and that the Ten-C recreated it from data collected when Tarka destroyed the first DMA. A message arrives asking why the weapon was used on the DMA.

Tarka sends a message to Ndoye to vent the plasma.

The orb delegates send a message explaining the DMA causes terror.

In Engineering, Zora helps them find Tarka’s device. Just then, the plasma vents and Tarka’s plan begins.

Reno shows Book her communicator. She can’t get a message to Discovery without his access codes.

With his codes, she warns Burnham that Tarka’s plan will destroy them all, and pleads for Burnham to stop them at all costs.