Star Trek Discovery — Episode 8: Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum

6th November, 2017.

You know, I’m staring to worry about myself.

Which is possibly putting it mildly.

Possibly mildly, at any rate.

I’ve started to notice I’m … 

Well, feeling a lot more tired than usual.

Whether that’s the usual sense of jet-lag I get — from when the clocks change — or something more serious?

I couldn’t tell you.

I’m glad I’ve got an appointment booked with my GP in a couple of weeks: at least I can chew it over with her*.   She’s ALSO the only doctor who managed to diagnose my under-active thyroid: for that, I’m grateful, and ALSO thinking she’d be able to spot anything else. 

Frankly?

The fact is, I’m starting to notice that — sometimes — when I do have these tired phases?

I notice sweets — chocolates, jelly babies, what-have-you — seem to provide a cheap lift.

Quite what that means, is beyond me.

But it’s not something my dentist would enjoy hearing.

It’s possibly more work for her!

~≈§≈~

Which reminds me: I have a dentist appoint, first thing on Thursday morning.

For an hour.

It’s not something I’m worried about, just yet: although I’ve a sneaking suspicion it’s going to hurt.

If that can do something about the toothache I suspect is ALSO contributing to my feeling of sleeplessness?

The better for me.

At any rate, tonight?   A night off … ?

I wanted a TV show.

I wanted Star Trek: Discovery.

I wanted Episode 8 of the first half of this first series.

I wanted … 

~≈§≈~

Episode 8 — Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum† — opens with an almighty battle: hellping a doomed Federation ship being attacked by six cloaked Klingon ships.

It’s as a result of this?   That a senior admiralty figure order Captain Lorca (Jason Isaacs) to take the Discovery to the planet, Pahvos.

The planets mix weird plant life, and odd geology?

Makes the place sin in a way that could — applied properly? — make any cloaked Klingon ships very visible.

It’s only when an Away Team consisting of Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green), First Officer Saru (Doug Jones) and Security Officer Ash Tyler (Shazad Latif) get to Pahvos they realise two things.

The humming noise is doing Saru’s head in.

The place isn’t as uninhabited as people think.

Meanwhile?   Stamets (Anthony Rapp) having an unexplained moment, Tilly (Mary Wiseman) trying to ask her friend and senior officer what’s up …

And, on the Klingon flagship?   We see a still trapped Admiral Cornwell (Jayne Brook) doing a deal with L’Rell (Mary Chieffo).

The Klingon noble has taken a dislike to General Kol (Kenneth Mitchell) … and seriously thinking of defecting …

You can tell there’s trouble ahead … 

~≈§≈~

Now … 

Am I impressed with this episode?

Lord, yes … !

It’s a nice, old school, ‘Let’s see What’s on THIS planet’ type episode that Star Trek: Discovery hasn’r done much of, in its short history.

It’s nice to see the show can do it, well: AND still introduce elements to the serial’s ongoing story arc.

Frankly?

I know next week’s episode will be the last, before The mid-season climax.

But STILL think the expoerience, thus far, makes that gap worth the while.

*        My GP’s amazing: and the only person I know with a Burberry chador!

†        Google Translate tells us it means “If you want peace, prepare for war.”