Of Gods and Angles (episode)

Mariner teams up with a troubled ensign while the Cerritos hosts peace talks between civilizations.
==Summary==
===Teaser===
:First officer's log, stardate 59482.3. The Cerritos is holding position near the Veraflex nebula, where, for the last two weeks, we have been hosting peace talks between its inhabitants, the s and the s, both photonic species made of pure energy. The Orbs and the Cubes have been at war since their home nebulas collided over a century ago. Brokering peace will require some complex diplomacy. And that's not the only problem I have to deal with today.
While the officers of the Cerritos facilitate peace talks with the visiting Cubes and Orbs, Lieutenant jg Kayshon breaks up a fight between an Orb and a Cube in the halls. Meanwhile in the cargo bay, first officer Jack Ransom deals with an ensign, Olly, overloading circular furniture onto an anti-grav sled, against his order to not stack a hundred pieces on one sled. Olly reassures him that she has inverted the weight threshold to the point where the sled could hold a neutron star. She pats its side and the sled zooms off with a surge of electricity, promptly leaving behind the furniture which then collapses atop Ransom and Olly, who chuckles that they will find the situation humorous later.
===Act One===
In a corridor, Captain Carol Freeman complains to Beckett Mariner about the pettiness of photonic beings, the Orbs in particular desiring the removal of all edges from the ship. They are joined by Ransom, who in turn complains about ensign Olly's disregard for his orders in addition to damaging all she touches and (at Ransom's suspicion) stealing his kettlebells to "mess with" him. Mariner is intrigued; stealing Freeman's PADD, she learns that Olly has recently transferred from the after causing an electrical fire and having problems with the commanding officers. She is also a "demigod", which Freeman explains is not Starfleet terminology, but is accurate enough, as Olly descends from the psychokinetic being that presented itself as Zeus. Mariner questions the continued presence of the Greek gods since "Kirk kick[ed] their asses", but Freeman explains that, before the gods all became "one with the wind", they were prone to "conjugating" with mortals. Not wanting further disruptions with the Orbs and Cubes still aboard, Freeman orders Ransom to notify Admiral Vassery that Olly will be leaving the Cerritos and presumably Starfleet after having been removed from six other ships. Mariner advocates for Olly, thinking she is cool and can change, with her help of course. Freeman agrees but warns that if Olly so much as sneezes at one of the delegates, she too will become "one with the wind" like her father. Mariner promises Olly will quickly become Cerritos material, only for Olly to then fly by the group on an out-of-control hover sled, crashing several times into corridor walls and crewmembers.
In his quarters, lieutenant jg Brad Boimler reads the PADD he took from his alternate self, hiding it when Sam Rutherford enters. Rutherford has been "catering" for the photonics aboard, feeding them power cells, and asks Boimler if it's alright to take the cell from his standard PADD since he is always using the alternate universe one anyway. Boimler nervously tries to play this off as Rutherford joking, but Rutherford reveals he knows exactly where the PADD came from because its bevel is 3.7% deeper. Boimler points out that it is also red. He confesses to Rutherford that he wants to emulate "Beard Boimler," who served as acting captain three times, to become more cool and successful. Rutherford suggests Boimler be himself, but Boimler misconstrues this as advice to be like himself from the other dimension. That reality's Boimler and Dr. T'Ana became friends during the Orb and Cube peace talks, T'Ana giving Boimler the nickname "Flip." Boimler resolves to get a nickname from T'Ana and get invited to her bridge crew book club over Rutherford's confusion on how being invited to a book club relates to his desire to captain.
Meanwhile on Deck 11, Olly is late for her meeting with Mariner who is waiting in her old bunk. She explains to T'Lyn that she and Olly are to entertain one of the diplomat's children while he debates the borders of the treaty. Olly arrives thirty minutes late, explaining she must have lost track of time while testing a mini tractor beam. She demonstrates using the beam by lifting a cargo case full of laundry when a power surge causes the device to malfunction and the laundry case to bounce off the walls with kinetic energy. T'Lyn notes the power surge requires investigation, while Mariner is simply happy to see Olly work hard at being lazy. Olly explains she was dismissed as an engineer for being a hazard to others, which Mariner characterizes as outside-the-box thinking, impressing Olly who questions if Mariner is really Starfleet.
Mariner and Olly make their way towards the guest quarters as Mariner explains they will be taking a rebellious, teenage Cube out, which Olly bemoans as "babysitting". Mariner characterizes work in Starfleet as "a one for me, nine for them type deal." At the entrance to the Cube's quarters, Quadralon does not answer. Mariner overrides the door lock and the two are shocked to find the quarters in disarray, and Quadralon missing, with only Cube-shaped photonic residue left on the wall.
===Act Two===
Shaxs and Captain Freeman join Mariner and Olly investigating Quadralon's quarters, Shaxs confirming it is photonic residue on the walls. While Freeman believes there to be a logical explanation, Olly is certain an Orb murdered Quadralon. Kayshon confirms that scans failed to find the missing Cube, to Freeman's dismay, as foul play could derail the negotiations. Mariner realizes that Quadralon's vidscreen is missing. Olly jumps to the conclusion that a murderous Orb took it, only to be chastised by Freeman for making accusations without proof. The group decides a security investigation would arouse suspicions among the feuding delegates, yet Mariner and Olly would be able to fly under the radar while searching for the computer screen. Freeman begrudgingly agrees to their plan while being called away to deal with the Orbs who object to there being an article ten in the peace treaty due to the number "10" having a round "0".
In sickbay, D'Vana Tendi helps Dr. T'Ana organize blood vials when Boimler and Rutherford enter. Boimler explains that he "flipped" on down to shadow T'Ana and learn from her medical expertise. She tells him to " off", but Boimler persists, "flipping" through a medical book and emphasizing he loves to "flip" each page. T'Ana, unimpressed, describes the book as a three hundred year old gag gift that is bleeping stupid, which Boimler corrects as "flipping" stupid. T'Ana becomes fed up and threatens bite Boimler's nose off if he says "flip" once more. Boimler takes the point an tries to leave, but not before doing a backflip... into a tray hyposprays filled with untested anesthetic. Boimler, drugged and woozy, asks T'Ana to hang out before losing consciousness.
Mariner and Olly follow a faint signature to the ship's gym where Cubes and Orbs are both exercising and bickering. They enter the showers and run into an embarrassed Orb, Rondus, that covers itself with a towel because it is not glowing. Olly surmises this is like being naked for photonics, which the Orb confirms. As they begin to search, Mariner asks Olly what it's like to be a demigod, explaining the information was in her file and that she could guess Olly's species from her "leaf headband." Olly clarifies it is called a laurel, and that it is actually a bioluminescent construct that does not come off. She further clarifies that she does not have magic powers, before finding a round PADD with anti-Cube propaganda. Olly is convinced they have found the perpetrator and Mariner agrees to interrogate Rondus, so long as she does the talking which Olly agrees to.
In a dark room, Olly shines a light on the suspect Orb while screaming at it to reveal what it knows. Mariner has her stand down and apologizes to Rondus, who questions if she realizes how humiliating it is for it to have been seen by them at its dullest. Mariner admits she does not but appeases Rondus with energy from dilithium crystals. Rondus claims to feel blessed to be a part of the historic occasion that will see the treaty signed, wanting to end hostilities despite finding the Cubes "stupid-looking" and "weird." Olly is not buying it and openly accuses Rondus of murder, who explains he planned to destroy the propaganda in a display of solidarity with the Cubes. Mariner takes Olly aside in the hall and emphasizes she needs to be calmer, while reassuring her that she won't kick her off the ship since she empathizes with her desire to see justice. The pep talk is interrupted when the two notice Rondus has sneaked out of the interrogation room and flees down the hall, Mariner and Olly giving chase.
In sickbay, Boimler has recovered from the anesthesia and laments botching his attempt at winning Dr. T'Ana's friendship. Tendi wonders if Boimler's behavior has something to do with his alternate universe PADD, explaining she too noticed the wider bevel. Once Tendi knows Boimler plans to get invited to T'Ana's book club, she also advises him to be himself, which she then bonds with Rutherford over. She asks Boimler if that wasn't a lesson he learned "from the whole Hawai'i thing", but Boimler claims this situation is different as Beard Boimler is him. He then plays audio messages left for Beard Boimler by the alternate T'Ana and notes her casual use of expletives with him. Concluding that he must speak T'Ana's language in order to bond with her, Boimler casually greets T'Ana with profanity-laced insults, much to the shock of the crew. While Rutherford attempts to deflect, claiming Boimler is still affected by the hyposprays, T'Ana threatens to split Boimler's face in half. Boimler is confused at her lack of swearing and T'Ana loses control, jumping on and clawing at Boimler, while cursing at him repeatedly.
Meanwhile, Mariner and Olly continue to chase Rondus through the corridors all the way to the conference room where the lead Cube and Orb delegates are arguing. Sexagus, the lead Cube and Quadralon's parent, is now aware his child is missing. Tensions escalate when Rondus reveals that Olly is accusing the Orbs of murder, a fact not helped when Olly asserts that someone outside of Starfleet must have murdered the missing Cube. She notes that at least they can all look for the melted computer now, a detail that raises Mariner's suspicion. The leading Orb delegate, Spheronius, questions Captain Freeman on the disappearance of its child, Radiara, of which Freeman was unaware. Both accusing the other side of murder and deception, the Orbs and Cubes begin firing beams of photonic energy at each other.
===Act Three===
The ensuing "shape war" progresses across the ship whilst Olly follows Mariner back to the lockers where she finds the missing computer in Olly's locker. Olly feigns surprise, claiming it must have been planted there by the Orbs, but Mariner counters that Olly already knew it was melted. Olly denies having killed Quadralon and explains she arrived at its quarters early and saw the crime scene. Panicking, since others would accuse her due to her electrical powers and lack of popularity, Olly hid it. Mariner recalls that Olly said she had no powers, but she demonstrates by creating an electrical surge in Mariner's tricorder and manifesting a flaccid lightning bolt. Olly hid her powers so others wouldn't be afraid of her, only wanting to repair and create things in Starfleet. Realizing the actual cause of Olly's electrical mishaps, Mariner also realizes she is her own person and not someone who wants to fight the system like she does. The two reconcile and Mariner notes they still have a mystery to solve and a war to stop, which may necessitate Olly using her powers.
The conflict between the Orbs and Cubes has escalated in the shuttlebay. Boimler arrives on the scene to help and is ordered by T'Ana to take cover. Mariner professes her belief in Olly while the two hide behind a shuttle, and Olly goes into the open to absorb energy from both factions, rising into the air. Despite proclaiming her excitement at finally not being useless, she takes on too much power and overloads, firing a bevy of lightning bolts off. One bolt bounces off a wall and, in a pliable state, enters Boimler's rear end. Sexagus declares the alliance terminated as both Cubes and Orbs exit the shuttlebay into the open space of the Veraflex nebula. Ransom observes both sides turning into giant shapes, which could form anything, but instead turn out to just be a larger orb and larger cube, which Ransom critiques as being "not creative at all." 
The giant orb and cube constructs, dubbed Orbiculus and Omegacube, exchange photonic fire with the Cerritos caught in the middle. Olly blames herself for the situation. Upon realizing she is at her best as an engineer, Olly heads for the bridge. The Cerritos' shields are failing at 20% and reserve power is almost gone. Ordered off the bridge, Mariner defends Olly, saying that while the two bleep the bed, they "deserve a chance to change the sheets." Lieutenant commander Andy Billups finds the metaphor a bad one, as does the captain, saying they've had enough chances. While being shoved into the turbolift by Shaxs, Olly explains how she can reconfigure the ship's tractor beam to affect photonic signatures by directing an electromagnetic field into the nacelles, which should both weaken the photonics and charge the ship's shields. Freeman orders it made so and indeed the tractor beams hold both shapes in place. Orbiculus accuses the Cubes of "angled trickery," but Omegacube points out they are also affected. Both Orb and Cube constructs are pulled into the shuttlebay and disseminated into their individual forms while being drained of their energy.
Both sides futilely attempt to continue the fight when Quadralon and Radiara enter and question why no one else is glowing. The two explain that they were not murdered but in fact are in love. Knowing that neither side would accept their relationship, the two had sneaked off to a holodeck after wrecking Quadralon's quarters during coitus, the photonic residue being part of their "kink" of leaving a mess behind. Spheronius is initially incensed Radiara has been intimate with a Cube, but all the photonics are quickly mollified once introduced to the couple's offspring - SquAaron. Spheronius is surprised that Orbs and Cubes could produce something of such beauty. Sexagus, seeing hope for the two shapes proposes returning to the negotiating table, with Spheronius proclaiming they will work together to forge the Treaty of SquAaron to the cheers of the photonics. SquAaron then defecates, leaving a panicked Quadralon to question what he should do since it has only been a parent for five minutes.
In sickbay, Dr. T'Ana finishes removing the lightning bolt from Boimler. She explains that her report detailing the unique procedure will likely win her some real clout in the medical community. Boimler, still sore, plans to go sleep in his room. T'Ana won't hear of it and calls Boimler "(bleep)-o." She insists he come to her book club meeting that night, just so long as he brings a pillow to sit on. Rutherford and Tendi are impressed Boimler's plan worked and that he actually got a nickname - "(bleep)-o." Rutherford concludes that staying true to oneself is wrong, and that people should copy someone better. He wants to use the PADD to get in to Billups' biweekly aquatic aerobics class. Tendi objects that the two cannot crib their personalities from a stolen PADD, but the "PADD pals" claim they can as they walk off.
In her ready room, Captain Freeman reassigns Olly to engineering, finally recognizing there is a place for her on the Cerritos. Olly has never felt so supported. Freeman tells her to thank Mariner for seeing the potential in her, but first she will be spending the night in the brig. Olly is incredulous since she saved the ship, and though she also lied and hid evidence, she can't really believe they'll be sending her to the brig.
Later, in the brig, Olly cries out that she has rights and her punishment is tyranny. Mariner advises her to try the comfortable bench, but Olly argues that the two are neither friends nor anything alike, before ironically claiming to love the brig much as Mariner would. Mariner sits outside Olly's cell to keep her company and get to know her, asking about her grandfather Zeus and mother. Olly objects, wanting to remain a loner and not discuss any of it, yet Mariner continues rambling off questions about Medusa and her snakes, much to Olly's annoyance.
== Log entries ==
== Memorable quotes ==
"Almost… got it! Who said I couldn't stack a hundred pieces of circular furniture onto a single sled?"
"I did. And it wasn't a challenge; it was an order."
"Don't worry. I inverted the weight threshold. This bad boy could hold a freakin' neutron star!"
:- Olly, before accidentally short-circuiting the sled she just overloaded and causing a pile of furniture to fall on herself and Ransom
"I assume she would have been removed from duty after the turbolift incident... or the replicator incident... or the phaser incident..."
:- T'Lyn, confused why Olly is even still there.
"Yeah right! You couldn't square the thought of making peace so you iced a Cube!"
:- Olly, interrogating the Orb, Rondus.
"You'll do anything to stop me from finding it, won't you?"
"What does that mean? Hey, that's my locker! It's just full of ancient robes and… The computer! The Orbs must have planted it there!"
"Then how'd you know it was melted, Olly? You said it just a minute ago, before we saw it."
:- Mariner discovers the missing vidscreen in Ollys locker
"I got to Quadralon's quarters early 'cause I thought that's where we were meeting. I saw the crime scene and panicked. I'm not exactly popular. Plus, with the electrical damage, someone would blame me and my powers. So I hid it, then ran to you."
"You told me you didn't have powers!"
"Of course I have powers! My grandfather was Zeus! My power just sucks."
"Ah, that's why you keep causing all those electrical mishaps and getting kicked off ships."
"I didn't ask for lightning bolts. I joined Starfleet so I could fix and build stuff. I hid my powers so people would't be scared of me, like a Q or something."
:- Olly admits the truth to Mariner
"They're combining into giant shapes Captain! "
"...They could be turning into anything!"
"...Oh, my god, you know what? It-it's just a bigger orb, and a bigger cube."
"They're not creative at all!!!"
:- Ransom, both in shock, and disappointment.
"I have rights! This is tyranny!"
"The bench is actually pretty comfy in there."
"Don't act like we're friends! We're nothing alike! And guess what? I love the brig! This is my favorite place!"
"Yeah, you're right. We're totally different."
:- Olly, being introduced to the brig by Mariner.
== Background information ==
=== Title ===
* The title "Of Gods and Angles" is a pun contrasting divine beings (a demigod) with the geometric, cube-shaped aliens, rather than the expected angels.
* It's possible to be a "blink of an eye" to Star Trek: Of Gods and Men fanfilm.
=== Story and script ===
=== Preproduction ===
=== Production ===
=== Postproduction ===
=== Cast and characters ===
=== Sets and props ===
* Among the spherical objects removed so as not to offend the Cubes were a globe, a chair from Worf's quarters on , a dabo wheel, and a 23rd century Romulan cloaking device.
=== Costumes ===
=== Soundtrack ===
=== Special effects ===
=== Continuity ===
* It was established in that the Greek gods were, in fact, aliens who visited Earth in the ancient past.
* Boimler continues attempting to imitate his alternative universe counterpart by reading his biography from a PADD that he stole in .
=== Apocrypha ===
=== Reception ===
=== Awards ===
=== Releases ===
==Links and references==
===Starring===
*Tawny Newsome as Beckett Mariner
*Jack Quaid as
**Brad Boimler
**Quadralon
*Noël Wells as
**D'Vana Tendi
**Orb 1
**Orb 2
*Eugene Cordero as
**Sam Rutherford
**Cube 1
**Cube 2
*Dawnn Lewis as Carol Freeman
*Jerry O'Connell as
**Jack Ransom
**Spheronius
*Fred Tatasciore as
**Orbiculus
**Rondus
**Shaxs
*Gillian Vigman as
**T'Ana
**T'Ana 
===Guest cast===
*Saba Homayoon as Olly
*Roan Lai as SquAaron
*Gabrielle Ruiz as
**Radiara
**T'Lyn
*Paul Scheer as Andy Billups
*Carl Tart as
**Kayshon
**Omegacube
**Sexagus
===Background characters===
*Beard Boimler 
*Cubes
*Orbs
;USS Cerritos
*Arjun
*Asif
*Barnes
*Big Merp
*Dirk
*Hans Federov
*Haubold
*Livik
*Jet Manhaver
*Meredith
*Moxy
*Sleepy Merp
*Steve Stevens
*
*Volis
*Wendy
*Westlake
*Alien ops ens 1
*Human cmd ens 2
*Human cmd lt 5
*Human cmd lt cmdr 1
*Human cmd lt cmdr 2
*Human cmd lt jg 2
*Human lt jg
*Human ops ens 1
*Human ops ens 3
*Human ops ens 4
*Human ops ens 8
*Human ops lt 2
*Human ops lt jg 1
*Human ops ofc 6
*Human sci ens 2
*Human sci ens 3
*Human sci ens 6
*Human sci ens 7
*Human sci lt 8
*Human sci lt cmdr 2
*Human sci lt jg 1
*Human sci lt jg 2
*Human sci lt jg 3
*Vulcan cmd ens 1
*Vulcan sci lt 1
===References===
2082; 3D; accusation; acting captain; action figure; admiral; alliance; "alt universe"; ancestors; anesthetic; anti-grav sled; antonomasia; aquatic aerobics; ; attacker; authorization code; babysitting; Bajoran; ball; Bear Pack; bench; bevel; blood; ; book club; borders; bouncing; bribe; bridge; bridge crew; brig; ; bunk; Caitian; Caitian language; ; captain; captaining; catering; century; ; Cerritos, USS (alternate); challenge; chasm; child (aka ); Chile rellenos; circle; class; clearance; clout; combadge; commander; computer; conference room; corporeal; (Cubelet); cursing (aka swearing); curves; cylinder; dabo wheel; dad; death; Death Valley; Deep Space 9; defecation; demigod; descendant; dimension; diplomacy; diplomat; doctor (aka "doc"); doubt; "Dr. T"; edges; electrical fire; electromagnetic field; energy (potential energy); energy cold; engineer; (applied science); engineering (location); ensign; evidence; face; falling; Ferengi; first officer's log; "Flip"; "fly under the radar"; freak; friends (aka pals); ; ; ing; furniture; gag gift; globe; grandfather (aka "gramps", "pawpaw"); gravity; Greek god; gymnasium; hat; Hawaii; hazard; head; headband; hide-and-seek; hijab; ; holodeck; Human; hybrid; hypospray; "iced"; idea; incident (aka mishap); Joshua Tree II; juice; kettlebells; kill; kink; ; Kzinti; language; laugh; laurel; LD sleeping quarters; leaf; lieutenant; lieutenant commander; lieutenant junior grade; lightning bolt; locker; locker room; love; lying; magic; Maquis; medical emergency; medicine; Medusa; Merp's species; mess; metaphor; minute; mission; model; mom; ; mortals; Moxy's species; murder; murderer; mystery; nacelles; naked; name; nebula; negotiating table; nickname; night; nose; nostalgia; ; Olly's mother; Olly's previous ships; (Orblet); order; Orion; override; PADD; PADD pals; paper book; paper cut; percent; person; personalities; phaser (type 3 phaser); photonic; photonic being (photonic species); photonic residue; photonic signature; pillow; Pinnacles; place; power power cell; powers; practicing; procedure; propaganda; psychokinetic being; ; Quadralon's attacker; Quadralon's friends; quarters; rainbow; Rajik; red; Redwood; replicator; report; ; Reseda commanding officers; Reseda crewmembers; robe; room; roomies; scans; secret; security; security team; sheets; shields; ship (starship); ; snake; sneeze; socks; soul; spice; stardate; Starfleet; Starfleet tricorder (medical tricorder); Starfleet uniform (2250s-early 2270s); Starfleet uniform (2370s-early 2380s); Starfleet uniform (alternate); Starfleet uniform (early 2380s); Starfleet uniform (late 2270s-2350s); stealing; stool; stuff; surprise; Tamarian; Tamarian language; ; thing (aka "thingy"); towel; tractor beam (mini tractor beam; tractor beam model); treadmill; treaty; Treaty of SquAaron; Trill; turban; turbolift; twins; two-dimensional; Type 6A shuttlecraft (unnamed); Vassery; Veraflex nebula; vidscreen; vidscreening; viruses; VISOR; Volis' species; Vulcan; war (shape war); weeks; weight threshold; weight training; wind; years; Yosemite II; Zeus
====Meta references====
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