This is a speculation thread, an attempt to create a possible plot synopsis on what little data we currently have. Feel free to add or subtract what seems logical, I;d like to see how other people are interpreting what we shaw. This is all hypothesizing after all, cause we have so few subjects discussing(though this is due to them and not providing enough info, but hopefully now that we're about 3 months to airing, this will change to more frequent updates).
-It all starts with the USS Shenzou, about to end a long year(5? extended to 7?) exploration mission to the furthest reaches of Federation space mapping unknown systems and phenomena. The year could be 2235-2240 roughly(10 years before the Enterprise) but we're probably not specifically told so, cause Stardates{I know they could have made a blunder there, but maybe they actually didn't?}. The crew and its Captain are tired and can't see the moment they return to known territory/home. Currently the ships first officer and captain are on a planet searching for supplies/dillithium crystals/whatever, in order to map it more accuratelly.
The official reason was that Shenzou's instruments don't function well in this region of space/nebula/planet, however this was an excuse used by the Captain to discuss a little with her first officer and see her reactions by using it as a blindly following command test before announcing that she's promoted to a full commander now/she will get her own ship command after the mission officially ends. They return to the ship were they are alerted to an unidentified object transmitting a strange signal, not too far away of their present location, close to a stellar anomaly their scientists would no doubt like to observe.
Unknown to them, the Klingon empire is in turmoil. Their Chancellor was just murdered and he hadn't made any plans for succesion, so the various houses are close to starting a civil war. T'Kuvma, a leader much like, say, Duras(only more powerful and less treacherous but without a doubt manipulating and with a hidden agenda) is joined by other Klingon houses leaders in order to accompany the deceased leader to the halls of Sto'Vo'Kor(through a ritual including a black hole that hasn't happened for a while cause there weren't any murders in Klingon diplomacy cycles). T'Kuvma has seen the former leader as weak and wants to re-instate the empire, himself as an emperor, to former glory through war with their major enemies.
He finds an unwilling and unsuspecting ally to his plans in Shenzou and its Starfleet officers coming to investigate, opposed to Cpt. Georgiou's wish who prefers to go home without investigating as their mission is typically on its end and the object is closer to Klingon borders, but is utterly convinced by her first officer who volunteers to go check out the unknown object herself. By doing so, she interrupts the sacred ceremony and returns to the Shenzou hunted.
She suggests that they're in danger and should strike first, opposing the captain, who believes they will not be hurt as they were in a peacefull mission and can't get aggressive which would contradict that, but situations force them to attack and disable the Klingon ship in order to escape.
This creates a diplomatic incident that alerts Starfleet and the Vulcan High Command, so Ambassador Sarek, Burnham's old mentor and tutor communicates to question about the nature of the problem, and sides with Cpt. Georgiou, describing T'Kuvma's profile as using them to create his profound cause in uniting the crumbling empire under his rule, evoking in Burnham memories of her past with him and how he used to look/talk down on her during her childhood. Suddenly the place is swarmed by Klingon ships, belonging to various leaders of the houses, attending the death ceremony, and demanding payback for the sacrilege.
The situation doesn't escalate well for the Federation and the Shenzou ends up attacked and severelly damaged/destroyed. The USS Discovery comes to the rescue and manages to save a large portion of the crew, but suffers damages and deaths of their own. Included casualties are Discovery's first and science officers, replaced temporarily(at first) by Saru and a, later on, demoted Burnham(whom Lorca appreciates as having the gut to go against the flow and asks to keep as crew), Shenzou's Captain(from now on seen only through flashbacks) who never abandons ship to ensure her crew safety. Remaining personnel, mostly joins the existing crew of Discovery.
Various episodes could include a possible trial for Burnham, the aftermath of her actions in T'Kuvma's plans and how various worlds, species and diplomats react to the crisis and resulting conflict.-
-It all starts with the USS Shenzou, about to end a long year(5? extended to 7?) exploration mission to the furthest reaches of Federation space mapping unknown systems and phenomena. The year could be 2235-2240 roughly(10 years before the Enterprise) but we're probably not specifically told so, cause Stardates{I know they could have made a blunder there, but maybe they actually didn't?}. The crew and its Captain are tired and can't see the moment they return to known territory/home. Currently the ships first officer and captain are on a planet searching for supplies/dillithium crystals/whatever, in order to map it more accuratelly.
The official reason was that Shenzou's instruments don't function well in this region of space/nebula/planet, however this was an excuse used by the Captain to discuss a little with her first officer and see her reactions by using it as a blindly following command test before announcing that she's promoted to a full commander now/she will get her own ship command after the mission officially ends. They return to the ship were they are alerted to an unidentified object transmitting a strange signal, not too far away of their present location, close to a stellar anomaly their scientists would no doubt like to observe.
Unknown to them, the Klingon empire is in turmoil. Their Chancellor was just murdered and he hadn't made any plans for succesion, so the various houses are close to starting a civil war. T'Kuvma, a leader much like, say, Duras(only more powerful and less treacherous but without a doubt manipulating and with a hidden agenda) is joined by other Klingon houses leaders in order to accompany the deceased leader to the halls of Sto'Vo'Kor(through a ritual including a black hole that hasn't happened for a while cause there weren't any murders in Klingon diplomacy cycles). T'Kuvma has seen the former leader as weak and wants to re-instate the empire, himself as an emperor, to former glory through war with their major enemies.
He finds an unwilling and unsuspecting ally to his plans in Shenzou and its Starfleet officers coming to investigate, opposed to Cpt. Georgiou's wish who prefers to go home without investigating as their mission is typically on its end and the object is closer to Klingon borders, but is utterly convinced by her first officer who volunteers to go check out the unknown object herself. By doing so, she interrupts the sacred ceremony and returns to the Shenzou hunted.
She suggests that they're in danger and should strike first, opposing the captain, who believes they will not be hurt as they were in a peacefull mission and can't get aggressive which would contradict that, but situations force them to attack and disable the Klingon ship in order to escape.
This creates a diplomatic incident that alerts Starfleet and the Vulcan High Command, so Ambassador Sarek, Burnham's old mentor and tutor communicates to question about the nature of the problem, and sides with Cpt. Georgiou, describing T'Kuvma's profile as using them to create his profound cause in uniting the crumbling empire under his rule, evoking in Burnham memories of her past with him and how he used to look/talk down on her during her childhood. Suddenly the place is swarmed by Klingon ships, belonging to various leaders of the houses, attending the death ceremony, and demanding payback for the sacrilege.
The situation doesn't escalate well for the Federation and the Shenzou ends up attacked and severelly damaged/destroyed. The USS Discovery comes to the rescue and manages to save a large portion of the crew, but suffers damages and deaths of their own. Included casualties are Discovery's first and science officers, replaced temporarily(at first) by Saru and a, later on, demoted Burnham(whom Lorca appreciates as having the gut to go against the flow and asks to keep as crew), Shenzou's Captain(from now on seen only through flashbacks) who never abandons ship to ensure her crew safety. Remaining personnel, mostly joins the existing crew of Discovery.
Various episodes could include a possible trial for Burnham, the aftermath of her actions in T'Kuvma's plans and how various worlds, species and diplomats react to the crisis and resulting conflict.-
