“The Butcher’s Knife Cares Not for the Lamb’s Cry” is episode four of season one of Star Trek: Discovery.
In the previous episode, “Context is for Kings”, Captain Lorca invited Burnham to join the crew of the Discovery, and help end the war. The ship is developing an organic propulsion system that could transport it anywhere in the blink of an eye.
This episode opens with lightning striking surfaces that are coming close together. This is actually Burnham’s new uniform being synthesised. Temporary assignment to the science divisions, rank, none. Burnham is looking at herself in the new uniform when Tilly enters with a package. The package is for Burnham, and Tilly starts explaining in a little too much detail. The container is linked to Burnham’s ID, and when she touches it, it asks if she accepts the last will and testament of Captain Philippa Georgiou. Burnham was clearly not expecting that and shoves it under the bed. Then she is summoned to the bridge.
Saru is in the turbolift and he doesn’t seem entirely happy to see her. As first officer, he knows the assignment of every person on the ship – and Burnham is supposed to be on a prison shuttle that left yesterday. Burnham explains; it seems Saru was not consulted. He would have suggested that they lack any opening for a mutineer. Yes, he did say Burnham was a valuable asset, but he was speaking hypothetically, being polite and was sure he would never see her again.
When they arrive at the bridge, a red alert is in progress; odd, there wasn’t one anywhere else. Discovery is under attack by two Klingon Birds of Prey; one is destroyed, the second destroys them. Except it doesn’t; it was a simulation. Lorca is not happy. They are the only Starfleet ship with a displacement activated spore drive. They can arrive anywhere in the known universe – by themselves. No backup. They will get one chance to do it right. Letting Saru run the next simulation, Lorca takes Burnham with him.
Lorca’s complaint is that they are on a science vessel filled with wide-eyed explorers. What Starfleet needs them to do is survive. Lorca has a collection of what Burnham says are the deadliest weapons in the galaxy. Lorca studies war; this is where he hones his craft. In the previous episode, Lorca had the monster encountered on the Glenn transported aboard. It killed dozens of Klingons, wasn’t scratched by them and withstood killing phaser fire. It was also capable of shredding the ship’s hull. Lorca wants Burnham to find out how, so they can weaponize it.
Voq is on T’Kuvma’s ship, plotting the items in the debris field from the battle. The female Klingon L’Rell says his followers are hungry. They can’t restart their engines, and it seems the bit they need isn’t amongst the debris. Except it is; on the Shenzhou. Voq doesn’t want to use something from the ship that killed T’Kuvma. L’Rell points out he had no problem eating her captain. She convinces him that travelling to the Shenzhou is a good idea.
Burnham is joined by Commander Landry; Lorca thought they would make a good team. According to Burnham, the creature – Landry calls it ‘Ripper’ – resembles a docile microanimal found in the waters of Earth. Yes, this one is much, much bigger. The logs of the Glenn were corrupted. Security apparently detected a stowaway, but no hull breach and nothing in the pattern buffer. Burnham believes the creature only attacked in self-defence.
Lorca receives a message from Admiral Cornwall. The mining colony of Corvan II is under Klingon attack. It produces 40% of the Federation’s dilithium and the Discovery is the only ship with a chance of getting there. Will the drive work. Lorca has no doubts.
Stamets has more than a few doubts, though. Yes, they know what happened to the Glenn. The biggest problem is navigation. He thinks the Glenn had some sort of supercomputer linked up to the drive. No, despite the events on the Glenn, Stamets did not miss seeing a supercomputer. There’s also a device that seems to interact with the spore drive.
Another Klingon ship jumps in and Kol greets Voq. He says they need what T’Kuvma’s ship has – cloaking technology. Kol seems apologetic over his previous actions.
When asked if he can control where the Discovery goes, Stamets is unsure. Rightfully so; they don’t arrive at Corvan II but rather too close to a star. That didn’t work. It seems the reason for Discovery‘s unusual saucer section design – there’s a gap – is because it’s designed to rotate when the drive is activated. Stamets is not happy.
They have a spore drive that would allow them to save the colony at Corvan II – if they can get it to work properly. There’s no point in being able to travel anywhere instantaneously if you can’t guarantee where ‘anywhere’ will be. Burnham is interested in the monster, but for different reasons to Lorca. There’s also the matter of Georgiou’s package; it seems likely Burnham will open it at some point.