An elderly researcher sees a glowing green mass and investigates. Suddenly a beautiful woman in a toga appears behind him and calls his name. He identifies her as his seventh grade geology teacher. She coaxes him closer and when they touch, he turns to stone.

High above the scene, a large rock entity with a staff observes.

Captain’s Log: Stardate 58256.2

Jengus-IV’s indigenous silicate inhabitants are called the Scrubble. When they started turning Federation scientists into statues, a distress signal was sent out. The USS Hood made first contact with the Scrubble, led by Captain Marakami, and brokered peace.

The Cerritos and the Carlsbad are coordinating the relocation of the outpost.

Ransom rants about how Starfleet should be in charge of the research outposts, not scientists.

In his briefing, he mentions their mission includes removing the green glowing psychic mines that read thoughts, bring fantasies to life, then turn organic beings to stone.

Mariner, Rutherford, and Boimler meet Tendi in the corridor. She’s not joining the mission since it’s her first day of training for Senior Science Officer. She leaves them to meet with her mentor.

She enters the mess and is greeted by Dr. Migleemo. It turns out that he is her mentor. Tendi is disappointed but tries to be upbeat about it.

Stevens leads the ensigns on the away mission and is met by Ensign Kerns on the planet’s surface. He assigns the Carlsbad ensigns - Kearns, Young, and Cor-Dee - the task of dismantling the station. The Cerritos team is to remove the psychic mines.

Mariner and Boimler try to make small talk with the Carlsbad team but get shut down.

Tendi asks Migleemo to take the test but he insists they follow the manual that says the training is less about tests and more about becoming the Voice of Science.

He assigns her to Captain Freeman during an important meeting. He sets the goal as Tendi getting Freeman’s attention on science.

On the planet, the Cerritos team works on removing the mines. Rutherford finds himself face-to-face with Dr. Leah Brahms (Susan Gibney), a long-time fantasy of his.

Mariner is still fuming over the Carlsbad snub. Boimler and Rutherford list off the many shenanigans that may have given their lower decks a reputation among the Cali ships.

Boimler’s fantasy is to be called into action against a Borg invasion by an Admiral. Mariner’s is for Jennifer to be her hot Andorian girlfriend.

Tendi joins the bridge crew in Freeman’s meeting with the young Captain Maier of the Carlsbad.

Freeman is distracted by how young Maier is and Tendi fails to get her attention regarding the Scrubble.

The Federation scientist representative and an envoy from the Scrubble enter, arguing.

The Scrubble representative presents Freeman with a totem gift which she offers to Maier who declines. It becomes a thing.

On the planet, Mariner taunts Kearns with the fact the mines are almost all cleared up. Stevens reprimands Mariner on not handling the mines more carefully, but when Mariner says the Carlsbad team was badmouthing Ransom and his team members, Stevens tries to gather two mines at the same time. He stumbles and knocks over the containment unit, spilling mines out and breaking them open.

A flying creature attacks Stevens, carrying him off and turning him into a statue. Boimler deduces the broken mines read and recreate nightmares instead of fantasies.

Suddenly the ensigns are surrounded by a snake Borg, a blob creature with tentacles, and clowns wielding bat’leths.

Mariner’s fantasy Jennifer is torn apart by a wolf-Jennifer in uniform version who wants Mariner to grow old and settle down and be boring with her forever.

The ensigns seek refuge in a cave. The teams come clean about trying to beat each other. The Carlsbad team reveals that they’re actually jealous of the Cerritos and considers it the coolest Cali ship.

On the ship, Maier and Freeman are still arguing over the totem. Freeman has Tendi scan the totem to prove it isn’t “flashy” but when Tendi tells her the readings are interesting, she cuts her off and continues to argue with Maier despite Ransom trying to move on to the signing of the treaty.

Disheartened, Tendi leaves the room.

In the cave, the ensigns continue to talk about how cool the Cerritos seems to the rest of the fleet. When they are attacked by a basketball spewing Borg snake, they realize the broken mines aren’t manifesting just nightmares. Looking out of the cave, there’s a lot of incidental details being created.

Rutherford and Kearns discover that there’s a lot of data streaming through a nearby receiver. It’s located at the back of the cave.

Tendi gives T’Ana a hand in sickbay. T’Ana’s surprised to see her. Reluctantly, T’Ana gives her a pep talk about accepting that she’s going to mess up before she gets things right. Tendi responds well to her encouragement and heads back to the conference room.

In the cave, the ensigns find the receiver which is storing all their information, gleaned directly from their minds, including classified access codes and clearances. The hardware is Federation so they reason the Scrubble and the scientists are working together to steal information.

As the coms are still blocked in the cave, Mariner has them all arm themselves with crystal bats and other rocks and they run outside to confront the manifestations of their minds.

Kearns and Boimler have difficulty getting a message out initially.

In the conference room, the conflict between Freeman and Maier has escalated. Everyone is yelling when Mariner and Kearns burst in, adding to the confusion. Finally, Tendi grabs the totem and breaks it on the table. She points to the fragments where a listening device has been revealed.

Mariner discloses what they found on the planet and Freeman realizes the totem would’ve recorded and transmitted anything said in her office to the Scrubble-Scientist receiver to be stored and sold to the highest bidder.

Shaxs prevents the Scrubble and the scientist from leaving. The captains convene the meeting. The Scubble and scientists will face a tribunal for their plan.

The combined crews celebrate together. Stevens has been restored to life and had his arms regrown.

Migleemo congratulates Tendi. Tendi considers T’ana her mentor but Migleemo accepts the accolades.

Maier and Freeman clear the air and split a Jengus Totem rock.

The ensigns debrief their adventure and the Carlsbad team tell the Cerritos gang about the way they’re talked about across the Cali class rumor mill. When they mention that Boimler is described as a tiny robot who is always getting into trouble, Boimler protests that they must tell everyone that he is, in fact, people.