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'Star Trek: Lower Decks' Episode 5 Preview: Brad Boimler gets new girlfriend but Mariner is suspicious of her

To be fair to Mariner, the last attractive woman who did show an interest in Boimler was actually an alien being who was attempting to seduce him so she could lay eggs in his brain

You don't prowl the galaxy for however long Beckett Mariner (Tawny Newsome) has without picking up a certain healthy amount of paranoia, especially in a universe filled with shapeshifters, psychic illusions, technological trickery and predatory succubi. When Brad Boimler (Jack Quaid) introduces the crew to his vivacious new girlfriend, Mariner's suspicions immediately go up - though is she being guided by her instincts, or is there a hint of jealousy at the root of Mariner's mistrust? Of course, it's always just possible that Mariner can't believe that someone as nerdy as Boimler could ever land an attractive girlfriend.

To be fair to Mariner, the last attractive woman who did show an interest in Boimler was actually an alien being who was attempting to seduce him so she could lay eggs in his brain. Thanks to Mariner, Boimler just barely escaped the encounter with his head intact. Given his general naivete, one can hardly blame Mariner for being suspicious and a little protective of her fellow lower decks ensign. As the preview for the next episode reveals, however, Mariner doesn't have a lot of evidence to go on, and her attempts to uncover the "truth" are a lot more disastrous than helpful.

In the meantime, Ensigns Sam Rutherford (Eugene Cordero) and D'Vana Tendi (Noël Wells) find themselves hard at work to keep the USS Cerritos in tip-top shape - or at least, they're doing their best to. Even the best ships in Starfleet's fleet aren't immune to a little plasma fire every now and again - but you couldn't ask for more earnest and competent crew members as Tendi and Rutherford. The USS Cerritos is far from the best ship in Starfleet, however, and they're going to need all the help they can get to keep the ship from falling apart.

It's just another day in the life of the crew of the Cerritos, as it hurtles through the galaxy. Danger around every corner is a worry for the upper decks crew - the lower decks need to keep their eyes on maintenance.

This episode of 'Star Trek: Lower Decks' airs on Thursday, September 3, on CBS All Access.