Burnham arrives alone in 3188, meets the courier Book and learns that the Burn has left the Federation scattered and starved of dilithium.
Emerging from the wormhole in 3188, Burnham collides with the ship of Cleveland Booker, known as Book, a courier carrying stolen cargo. He explains that the Burn, a sudden event that made most of the galaxy's dilithium explode, destroyed much of Starfleet more than a century earlier and left the Federation a shadow of itself.
Burnham helps Book protect his cargo, a rare trance worm, and he takes her to a remote Federation relay station. There she meets Aditya Sahil, who has kept the post running alone for decades in hope of a Starfleet officer's return. Burnham grants him an acting commission, but they cannot find any sign of Discovery. Olatunde Osunsanmi directed the third season premiere.