Earlier this year at San Diego Comic Con, Star Trek: Discovery Executive Producer Alex Kurztman announced that the series would have its return to streaming preceded by four stand-alone digital shorts based in the same time period as Discovery and featuring familar characters from the show. The fan base has been anticipating when these shorts would be scheduled. Yesterday, CBS All Access announced the first of the shorts will be released in two weeks on Thursday, October 4. The other digital shorts will be released on the first Thursday of November and December 2018, and January 2019.

Each of the stories will feature a character we were introduced to during Season One, giving us more insight into them and possibly about the themes explored in Season Two. We will experience story centered around Ensign Tilly (Mary Wiseman), Saru (Doug Jones) and Harry Mudd (Rainn Wilson), as well as one short that will introduce a new character named Craft played by actor Aldis Hodge. Craft is expected to play some part in the story arc for this season.

The premiere release dates and detailed descriptions of all four are as follows:

Runaway

Thursday, October 4

Written by Jenny Lumet & Alex Kurtzman. Directed by Maja Vrvilo.

“Onboard the U.S.S. Discovery, Ensign Tilly encouters an unexpected vistor in need of help. However, this unlikely pair may have more in common than meets the eye.”

Calypso

Thursday, November 8

Teleplay Michael Chabon. Story by Sean Cochran & Michael Chabon. Directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi.

“After waking up in an unfamiliar sickbay, Craft finds himself on board a deserted ship, and his only companion and hope for survival is an A.I. computer interface.”

The Brightest Star

Thursday, December 6

Written by Bo Yeon Kim & Erika Lippoldt. Directed by Douglas Aarniokski.

“Before he was the first Kelpien to join Starfleet, Saru lived a simple life on his home planet of Kaminar with his father and sister. Young Saru, full of ingenuity and a level of curiousity uncommon among his people, yearns to find out what lies beyond his village, leading him on an unexpected path.”

and finally,…

The Escape Artist

Thursday, January 3

Written by Michael McMahan. Directed by Rainn Wilson.

“Harry Mudd is back to his old tricks of stealing and double-dealing, finds himself in a precarious position aboard a hostile ship – just in time to try out his latest con.”

Finally, here’s a trailer for the entire four-piece series. #LLAP