Kehau, Michael and Saru find themselves by the beach close to Saru's home Saru takes ahold of Kehau's hand as they look around "I always hated that thing!" Kehau mutters somewhat darkly when she notices a floating structure not too far from where they were "that Pylon it isn't Kelpien, is it?" Michael asks when she notices what Kehau was staring at "no the Ba'ul have erected one in each village to observe us it has earned them a fitting name among my people: the Watchful Eye" Saru replies as the three of them start walking towards the area it now stands "this Pylon is connected to an incredibly vast network must have taken the Ba'ul generations to integrate their technology and ideology into Kelpien society" Michael says as she scans it with her Tricorder "our two species have become so intertwined that, outside their technology, it is difficult to discern what is purely us and what is distinctly them" Saru replies "where is everyone?" Michael asks "the day's work is done it will soon be nightfall Kelpien's rarely venture out in the dark" Saru replies then he stops walking and sighs then says "I led this life once" Michael says "if I didn't know your people were oppressed, I'd think Kaminar was a paradise" Saru replies "well, in many ways, it is we live in harmony with each other, in a world without hunger or poverty the only violence we know is the Culling, which Kelpien's have been misled to accept as a mercy by the Ba'ul and our priests sustain that belief" Michael asks "didn't you say your father was a priest?" Saru replies as he gently squeezes Kehau's hand "yes, he was a collaborator, albeit an unwitting one, enforcing the grip the Ba'ul had on my people" Michael opens her mouth unsure what to say as Kehau lets go of Saru's hand and hugs his waist Michael takes Saru's other hand in her own and starts to try and say some sort of words of comfort "Saru...." she once again can't find any "proper" words to say and after taking a breath Saru says "for 18 years, I dreamt of returning to my village it has not changed at all but I see it.... quite differently now" the three of them continue on there way deeper into the village.... "these are the same flowers from your quarters" Michael says when they leave the beach and head into an area that was more like a garden "Fredalia, yes they do not grow quite so well on a starship" Saru replies as he looks down at the red flowers "that's only because YOU are the only one who takes care of them!" Kehau teases with a smile Michael shakes her head with a smile of her own as Saru turns and notices a familiar backside and stares at her in surprise "hello Siranna" Kehau says softly the woman Saru recognized turns and stares at her in shock as she drops her basket full of flowers adding to the affect and says with a surprised tone in the Kelpien language as she walks over to them and grips both of their arms while placing her forehead upon Saru's as she speaks "Kehau!?!.... Saru! you're both alive! oh, but how?.... well you do look slightly different Kehau but Saru.... we thought you were dead taken by the Watchful Eye for questions you should not have asked.... where have you been all this time?" Saru replies "Siranna, 18 years ago.... I felt lost without my wife at my side for so long and without her.... I thought I could find my future in the stars, and I did uh...." he turns to face Michael who Siranna had just noticed for the first time making her gasp in surprise Michael slowly walks over to where the other three stand as Saru continues "I was welcomed by an interstellar service called Starfleet, committed to peace and the exploration of our galaxy an organization far more powerful than the Ba'ul I found a new life" Michael takes off her hood as Saru once again looks over at her "what are you?" Siranna asks curiously "I'm human my name is Michael I come from a planet called Earth, and I work with your brother on the starship Discovery" Michael replies as she walks over to the three of them "how is it that we can understand one another?" Siranna asks "this device it's able to translate over a thousand languages" Michael replies showing her the Tricorder that now lays in her hand "you mean to say there are a thousand life-forms out there?" Siranna asks as she looks up at the sky with a curious wonder and awe expression on her face "oh, not just a thousand.... hundreds of thousands" Saru replies as Siranna continues to look up at the sky then she looks at Michael who smiles at her and she takes a few cautious steps towards her and takes Michael's hand in her own then places her other hand on top of it as she notices the difference in the two of them.... her hand and Michael's hand.... "so different and yet...." Siranna says then she looks at Kehau and Saru then back at Michael who looks at her friends then back at her friend's sister Siranna closes her eyes and shakes her head as she says "the galaxy? space travel?" she drops Michael's hand then looks at the three of them then asks Michael "do humans from Earth drink tea?" Michael softly chuckles with a smile then nods and Siranna waves her hand in the direction of her home and the four of them walk towards it....
Siranna takes Michael, Saru and Kehau to their family's hut where she still lives and welcomes them inside Siranna and Kehau walk to the kitchen to make tea and Michael and Saru sit and wait for them to finish in the living area "it's a wonder you two were brought together once more!" Siranna says after Kehau finishes telling her sister-in-law her story "yes!.... it is isn't it?!" Kehau replies with a soft chuckle in her tone then she slides her hand over her stomach and says "but that's not all!" Siranna's eyes widen in surprise and Kehau places a finger over her lips "if he knew he would worry.... a little too much for our safety and at the moment he has enough on his mind!" Siranna nods then the two of them walk into the living area and Siranna serves the tea they made together.... as an excuse to get reacquainted.... "oh, how I have missed the Fredalia tea of home" Saru says after he takes his first sip "we were blessed with a bountiful harvest this year" Siranna replies "oh, you sound just like Father" Saru says Kehau chuckles softly "where is he?" Saru asks "father reached his Vahar'ai and joined the Great Balance not long after you.... left us" Siranna replies there was a small pause then she asks "how could you? and never even let us know that you were still alive?....Kehau had a better reason for I had actually watched her die but you...." Saru replies as Michael looks from one to the other with a sad expression on her face "I thought it would be safer for you to believe I was dead" Saru replies "safer? we believed you had outraged the Watchful Eye we spent years in agony, fearing retribution I dreamed of our reunion, brother" Siranna says "I could not be more sorry, Siranna" Saru replies Kehau who was sitting between them placed a soft comforting hand on their thighs and Siranna softly slides her hand over her sister-in-laws thanking her for her comfort and says to her brother "this is a longer conversation but I sense that is not the reason you are here" Saru replies "I...." then he stops taking Kehau's hand in his he gives it a gentle squeeze as though asking for strength as he looks over at Michael and nods Michael sets down her tea cup then says as she takes out a tablet and shows Siranna a picture and Siranna takes the tablet from her and looks at it "we're looking for an entity that we call the Red Angel we have reason to believe that it appeared here on Kaminar" Siranna asks "is it another life-form?" Saru replies "we do not yet know what it is, only that it appears in conjunction with a red burst of light in the sky and in places of crisis" Siranna says "the fiery sign.... I saw it" she looks at Saru then Saru looks at Michael "have you seen or heard anything that might be this Red Angel? maybe from the priests in the other villages?" Michael asks "this is why you have returned? I should have known you did not come back for me" Siranna replies as she places the tablet down then stands up in anger or perhaps disappointment maybe both "Siranna, I ask you to...." Saru says as he stands up and walks over to his sister "you ran away because you were not brave enough to face the Balance as the rest of us do" Siranna replies a rumbling is heard as well as a deep bellowing which makes Siranna's threat ganglia appear as the ground shakes Saru grips Kehau's hand and pulls her up so that she now stands at his side as Michael stands up and asks "what's happening?" Saru replies "the Ba'ul" Siranna adds "they must have observed your return once again you disturb the Great Balance and put our village in danger you must leave now! we won't be safe until you're gone" Saru, Kehau and Michael start to head for the door Siranna follows once they reach the door Saru turns and looks at his sister then says "Siranna, this might be the last time we ever see each other" Siranna replies "return to the stars, Saru there is no place for you here.... it was wonderful to see you again Kehau.... please look after my brother!" Kehau nods and hugs her then Saru, Michael and Kehau leave the hut once they reach outside they hear a loud bellowing noise and see the Pylon light up then there's an even brighter light seen from not too far away Saru squeezes Kehau's hand a little tighter then he meant to as he says "they're coming" Michael opens her Tricorder once again and says into it "Discovery, beam us back" and the three of them get beamed aboard the Discovery "they are not going to be happy about that!" Kehau whispers then she hugs Saru trying to calm him down....
"Yellow alert Commander Saru, Commander Burnham, please report to the Bridge" the computer says and Michael, Saru and Kehau head towards the Bridge.... "whatever you did, the Ba'ul are hailing us now I'm going to guess it's not to invite us to a welcome party" Pike says as soon as they walk onto the bridge "communication channel established it's audio-only" Bryce tells Pike who walks to the Captain's Chair and sits down "Mr. Saru, I think it would be best if you stay out of this conversation" Pike says then he answers the hail "this is Captain Christopher Pike of the USS Discovery" a voice is heard saying "you have taken what belongs to us" as the voice speaks the screens and lights on the Bridge and quite possibly the whole ship fluctuate Kehau growls with a low dark tone "we have NEVER belonged to you!" as Pike asks to the Ba'ul "what have we taken, exactly?" the voice replies "two Kelpien's Starfleet promised that it would not meddle in the internal affairs of our planet" Pike says "we're investigating the signal that appeared over your planet, which I'm sure you noticed these signals are typically followed by the arrival of an entity we call The Red Angel are you familiar with it?" there is a pause as Pike waits for a reply then he says "The Red Angel may pose a threat to Kaminar's Great Balance our mutual interest lies only in keeping the peace, which we all...." the Ba'ul interrupts "no one is safer than under the Watchful Eye return the Kelpien's to us, and we will allow you to leave without harm" Saru's thumbs go through the controls of his station as he hollers angrily "I am not yours to be returned!" Kehau places her hand on his arm as she says softly "Saru!" he lets go of the controls and walks away from her as he continues "I am brother to Siranna, who lives a life of oppression I am son of Aradar, who died needlessly at your hands" the Ba'ul says "the Kelpien speaks" Saru replies "I am Commander Saru, the first and only Kelpien to join Starfleet, and I know the truth about Vahar'ai" the Ba'ul says "The Great Balance is the only truth, and it must not be disturbed" Saru replies "your lies no longer work on me I survived my Vahar'ai and I know that it means not death but evolution, an evolution you murder my people to suppress" Kehau raises her voice just an octave as she says "Saru!!" Saru turns and looks at her as she stands next to Pike "you think you know everything, Kelpien, but you do not even know what you are" the Ba'ul says "Captain, I detect ten Ba'ul sentry ships on an intercept course" Keyla says "Shields up Red Alert show me what we're dealing with" Pike says as he walks over to her "Ba'ul ships are powering up their weapons" Rhys says as the Ba'ul ships appear on the viewing screen "warm up the Phasers" Pike says "aye, Captain" Rhys replies "whoever is listening to my voice, I advise that you consider your next move very carefully" Pike says "give us the Kelpien's" the Ba'ul replies "Commander Saru is a Political Asylum seeker and a Starfleet officer, he along with his wife are protected by the Federation" Pike says "you would risk the lives of your own people for two Kelpien's?" the Ba'ul asks "these Kelpien's are our people and to defend them, I will do whatever I deem necessary" Pike replies "as will we" the Ba'ul says "Saru we have to go!" Kehau whispers as she takes her husband's hand in her own "the Ba'ul are activating the pylon in Commander Saru's village" Michael says "you have interfered in the affairs of this village if you do not return the Kelpien's, there'll be blood on your hands" the Ba'ul says "the pylons are weaponized they mean to destroy my village w-we have to" Saru says nervously "Mr. Saru! you will remove yourself from the Bridge" Pike orders "but, Captain...." Saru says "come on Saru!" Kehau whispers Saru sighs then allows her to lead him towards the Turbolift "with your head held high now!" Kehau teasingly whispers Saru chuckles then they walk into the Turbolift and as soon as the doors close he places his head on her shoulder and starts crying