Stardate 57601.3: The Cerritos joins the U.S.S. Vancouver in a planetary system where the imminent implosion of one of its moons jeopardizes all life on the planet below. Captain Freeman immediately finds herself tasked with negotiating with the locals, who want the moon left untouched for reasons ranging from superstitions to deeply-held religious beliefs to outright conspiracy theories. The Vancouver is also the home of Lt. Barb Brinson, Boimler’s long-distance girlfriend, who Mariner initially thought was a figment of Boimler’s imagination. Even once she meets Barb in person, Mariner is certain there must be something more to this relationship…something sinister. Mariner’s protests that Barb is way out of Boimler’s league ramps up his insecurities, and while he’s trying too hard with someone he’s already won over, Mariner pursues her theory that Barb is possessed by a parasite, a theory which is both way off the mark and disturbingly accurate.
written by Ben Joseph
directed by Kim Arndt
music by Chris Westlake
Cast: Tawny Newsome (Ensign Beckett Mariner), Jack Quaid (Ensign Brad Boimler), Noel Wells (Ensign D’Vana Tendi), Eugene Cordero (Ensign Rutherford), Dawnn Lewis (Captain Freeman), Jerry O’Connell (Commander Ransom), Fred Tatasciore (Lt. Shaxs / Mixtus II Settler), Gillian Vigman (Dr. T’Ana / Mixtus III Female), Gillian Jacobs (Lt. Barbara Brinson), Matt Walsh (Lt. Ron Docent), Marcus Henderson (Jet Manhaver), Kari Wahlgren (Angie), Lauren Tom (Captain Nguyen), Eric Bauza (Mixtus Farmer), Nolan North (Niko)
Notes: Boimler’s full first name is Bradward. This episode marks the first appearance of Jet Manhaver of the Cerritos, though here he appears to be a lieutenant – an inconsistency that a later episode will chalk up to stray street corn. Rutherford’s engineering tool sounds suspiciously like the Doctor’s sonic screwdriver. During her tour of duty on the Quito, Mariner visited Deep Space Nine (though in later episodes she also says she was stationed at, well, the station).
LogBook entry by Earl Green