Discovery reaches the remnants of Starfleet headquarters, and to prove itself retrieves seeds from a stranded ship whose crew is nearly all dead.
Guided by Senna Tal's memories, Adira leads Discovery to the hidden Federation headquarters, commanded by Admiral Charles Vance. Vance plans to split up the crew and study the ship, and Adira is taken for testing.
Burnham wins approval to retrieve seeds from the USS Tikhov using the spore drive. The ship's crew is dead apart from one fatally injured Barzan, a member of Nhan's species, and Nhan stays behind to tend to the seeds and to her people's dead. Culber synthesizes a cure for a disease spreading at headquarters, and Vance agrees to keep the crew together on condition that they answer to him. Maja Vrvilo directed.