Date: 3069

The Burn was a galaxy-wide catastrophe that fundamentally reshaped interstellar civilization. In a single moment, nearly all dilithium across the galaxy destabilized, causing active warp cores to explode. Countless starships were destroyed instantly, resulting in the deaths of billions and the sudden collapse of faster-than-light travel as it was known. In the aftermath, the Federation and Starfleet were shattered. Worlds that had depended on regular warp travel became isolated, trade networks collapsed, and political unity across the galaxy disintegrated. Dilithium became extremely scarce and tightly controlled, turning warp travel into a rare and dangerous privilege rather than a common technology. More than a century later, the crew of the USS Discovery, having arrived in the 32nd century, uncovered the true cause of the disaster. The Burn was not the result of war or sabotage, but an accident caused by Su’Kal, a Kelpien child whose intense grief resonated through subspace due to his unique connection to dilithium. With the truth revealed and Su’Kal helped, the surviving Federation began the long process of recovery and renewal.