Canon Connections: Strange New Worlds 2x02 - Ad Astra per Aspera

The title “Ad Astra per Aspera” is Latin, meaning ”to the stars through difficulty.” The phrase was seen on the United Earth Starfleet flag outside Starfleet HQ in “Shadows of P’Jem”, and the updated Starfleet seal introduced in “Regeneration”

In flashback we see a young Number One with a compound fracture in her leg; her glowing healing abilities are evident but her mother says, ”Her system can’t handle it. She is a child.” In “Ghosts of Illyria” the adult Number One’s system is able to cure both herself and La’an of exposure to toxic radiation levels from an imminent warp core breach.

The room in which Captain Batel offers her plea deal to Number one has flags representing Tellar Prime, Vulcan, Starfleet Command, the Andorian Empire, and United Earth.

Pike records the stardate as 2393.8 in his personal log. His log in the previous episode had the stardate as 2369.2, and he claimed in that episode that his trip to visit Neera Ketoul woul last only three days.

Pike has travelled to the Vaultera Nebula, which was mentioned by Number One in the episode, “Ghosts of Illyria” as the location of ”the original Illyrian settlement.”

• ”The atmosphere here is not suitable for human life. The locals, however, have adapted.” In “Ghosts of Illyria” we learned that as opposed to terraforming worlds, Illyrians use genetic engineering to modify their bodies to live in environments they otherwise couldn’t.

”Or do they not teach reading the room at the Academy?” In the DIS episode “Brother” Pike’s academy transcript was displayed on the main viewscreen, and he received D- in reading the room.

”I saw what happened to Illyrians who reverse their genetic modification just so the Federation will accept them.” Pike is referring to the events of “Ghosts of Illyria”, though in that episode it seemed as though the transformation that happened to the Hetemit IX colony was less because they were Illyrians, and more because having reversed their genetic modifications the colonists no longer had their enhanced disease fighting capabilities.

Number One tells Ketoul that ”Until two months ago my record with Starfleet was spotless,” giving us a rough idea how much time has passed since season one’s finale, “A Quality of Mercy”.

”Some Illyrians have modifications they can’t hide….” The first Illyrians we saw other than Number One in “The Menagerie” were in the ENT episode “Damage”, where they had forehead ridges, and in “Ghosts of Illyria” Number One pulled up a display of Illyrian children, one of whom had the same ridges as well as webbed fingers, one with enlarged ears and elongated eyelashes, one with oval pupils, and one with pupiless pearlescent eyeballs.

Number is being charged with violating Starfleet code 614 to 617, prohibiting Starfleet officers from engaging in permanent bioengineering.

• Genetic modification being illegal was not introduced to Trek canon until the fifth season of DS9’s “Doctor Bashir, I Presume”.
• In “Genesis” Doctor Crusher intentionally activated a dormant gene in lieutenant Barclay which caused him to transform into a spider, and everyone else aboard the enterprise to “devolve” to more primitive lifeforms as well.
• In “Doctor Bashir, I Presume”, Doctor Bashir’s enhancements are overlooked and he’s allowed to continue to serve in Starfleet after his father makes a plea deal as the one who arranged for the enhancements.
• We learn that Chakotay’s was genetically manipulated by his family doctor prior to birth in “The Fight”, suppressing the gene for a cognitive disorder called sensory tremens.
• Miral Paris was genetically modified in the womb by the Doctor to correct a congenital spinal defect, and in the alternate future of “Endgame” she was still able to serve in Starfleet.
• In “Lethe” Admiral Cornwell was aware that Stamets modified his own genetics with the tardigrade’s DNA, and mentions that it is in violation of Starfleet’s rules, but the matter was never brought up again.

Pike relates to Batel his first encounter with Number One where he gave a speech her Starfleet Academy class about a test mission he’d flown. “Light and Shadows” established that Pike’s first assignment in Starfleet was test pilot.

Kal-toh is a Vulcan game introduced in “Alter Ego”, similar to pick-up sticks.

”I regret that you had to witness that outburst.” Spock has lost all control.

• Spock describes Pasalk as a ”former colleague” of his father. You can tell Spock is out of sorts after the discussion because he volunteered information about a personal acquaintance without prompting.

”Per regulation 25, section B, all personal logs remained sealed unless by order of Starfleet command.” In “Second Contact” Mariner claimed that regulation 25 also prohibits selling Starfleet technology.

• In “Crisis Point” Boimler was able to have the holodeck create highly accurate simulations of the USS Cerritos crew by having the computer analyze their personal logs. Though Ketoul later says that it takes six months and approval from several admirals to unseal a personal log, and we know Boimler is nothing if not persistent.

Starfleet courtrooms using a bell goes back to “Court Martial”, and has been seen in “The First Duty” and “Rules of Engagement”.

The courtroom set is a redress of the USS Shenzhou bridge set first seen in “The Vulcan Hello”. It has been used as:

• The bridge of the mirror universe ISS Shenzhou
• The bridge of Leland’s Section 31 starship, NCIA-93
• The 32nd century Federation Headquarters

This is our first look at the dress uniforms for the pre-TOS era. Even during the awards ceremony in “Will You Take My Hand?” there were not dress uniforms in DIS.

• This iteration of the dress uniform is pretty clearly inspired by what was introduced in TOS, up to and including the decorations worn in place of the Starfleet insignia.
• Spocks’ decorations are arranged in the same configuration seen on his TOS uniform, except a bauble that hangs below the array is missing.

Admiral Zus Tlaggul is played by David Benjamin Tomlinson, who also plays Linus on DIS.

The term ”Space Command” is from “Court Martial”, where Commodore Stone was the Space Command Representative. “Space Command” has not been used in any other episode.

As in “Court Martial”, Number One has to consent to her prosecuting officer.

The charges against Number One are read out by the computer, as was the case “Court Martial”.

Number One’s service record shows that she has previously served on:

• The USS Martin Luthor King Jr. - established in “Strange New Worlds”
• The USS Antares - Pike’s service record in “Brother” showed he also served on the Antares and Number One wore a pin commemorating crewmates lost aboard the Antares in “Memento Mori”
• The USS Chatelet - again, Pike’s service record seen in “Brother” established he two served aboard the Chatelet
• A redacted ship - we know Number One was in command of the USS Archer during its mission leading to the events of “Strange New Worlds”

There are two reliefs in the courtroom which appears to feature a number of alien species seen throughout Trek:

• Tiburonian - “The Way to Eden”
• Saurian - “Star Trek: The Motion Picture”
• Zaranite - “Star Trek: The Motion Picture”
• Osnullus - “Context is for Kings”
• Caitian - “The Survivor”
• Andorian - “Journey to Babel”
• Betelgausian - “Star Trek: The Motion Picture”
• Tellarite - “Journey to Babel”
• A tall robed alien - “Journey to Babel” - they were called giants on the call sheet for the episode, and in STO they’re referred to as Zambeans
• Algolian - “Ménage à Troi”
• Rhaandite - “Star Trek: The Motion Picture”
• Vulcan - “Where No Man Has Gone Before”
• There are eight beings on the reliefs whose species I haven’t yet managed to identify, but presumably one of them is human

The chair people sit in while testifying is inspired by the one seen in “Court Martial” including the circular sensor built into the right armrest to detect the truthfulness of any given statement.

”It would seem that the rules of Starfleet only apply when a captain deems that they do.” Please see “All of Star Trek”.

Admiral April recommended Number One for the Medal of Gallantry. Starfleet also has a Decoration for Valor and Gallantry mentioned in “The Measure of a Man”, and a Citation for Conspicuous Gallantry noted in “Court Martial”.

In response to being asked when he first met Number One, Spock says it was his first day as an ensign aboard the Enterprise, and encounter we saw in the “Q&A” short.

• Spock outs Number One as having an affinity for Gilbert and Sullivan; in “Q&A” the pair sung the “Major-General’s Song” together while trapped in a turbolift.

La’an states that Number One was part of the rescue mission that found her, which was included in La’an’s file seen in “Strange New Worlds”.

Batel asks La’an if her last name means she is related to Khan Noonien-Singh, which she confirms. The augment leader Khan was introduced in “Space Seed”.

La’an tells Ketoul that she was angry upon learning Number One is Illyrian; this happened in “Ghosts of Illyria” but we were not privy to La’an’s log entry.

It is at least strongly implied if not outright stated that La’an carries Khan’s genetic augmentations, despite the centuries separating them.

Number One answers Vice Admiral Pasalk question of when Pike learned she’s Illyrian with stardate 1224.3, the stardate given in her first officer’s log in “Ghosts of Illyria”.

When asked who’s flying the ship, Ortegas says *”The thing practically flies itself.” In “Star Trek: The Search for Spock” Scotty says ”A chimpanzee and two trainees could run [the Enterprise ].”:::