The sixth episode of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, titled "Come, Let's Away," plunges cadets into their inaugural official away mission, which tragically goes awry under Captain Ake (Nahla), played by Holly Hunter. The cadets are ambushed and held captive by a terrifying race of cannibalistic aliens aboard a derelict starship. In a desperate bid to save her students, Captain Nahla is compelled to seek assistance from her arch-nemesis, Nus Braka, portrayed by Paul Giamatti. However, this alliance comes at a devastating cost: one War College comrade is killed, SAM (Kerrice Brooks) experiences a critical glitch, and Tarima (Zoe Steiner) falls into a coma after bravely protecting her friends.

In a candid interview, Hunter and Giamatti delved into the intricacies of this tense and emotionally charged episode. Hunter elaborated on her embodiment of Captain Nahla, particularly her distinct physicality, which developed organically. She described exploring movements like flopping into chairs, sitting on tables, and even going over the back of a couch, finding these spontaneous choices liberating and "enticing" as new set environments opened up possibilities for her character's unique demeanor.

A pivotal moment in Episode 6 involves a significant shift in the intense and magnetic antagonistic chemistry between Nahla and Braka. Nahla is forced to swallow her pride and ask Braka for help, a decision that carries immense personal sacrifice. Giamatti praised the scene's writing, noting how it made the shift in dynamic easy to play out. He highlighted Hunter's "brilliant" choice to physically confront him, a move he believed was designed to mislead audiences into thinking he might comply. Hunter emphasized the crucial importance of this moment for Nahla to experience a profound and undeniable betrayal, ensuring she would "take the freaking fall" completely, hook, line, and sinker, rather than merely suspecting treachery.

During their intense one-on-one sequences, both actors revealed surprising elements of their performances. Giamatti found himself continuously drawn to get physically close to Hunter, even to the point of resting his head on her, an unexpected urge that made him question Braka's underlying motives, suggesting an "odd kind of attraction." Hunter, in turn, confessed to momentarily considering kissing Giamatti's character due to the bizarre and intense nature of their interaction, feeling a strong "terrible conflict" between this impulse and her duty to her crew.

The conversation also touched upon Nahla's profound willingness to make such enormous sacrifices for Caleb and the other cadets, a stark contrast to a perceived inability to do so a century prior when she lost her own son. Hunter posited that Nahla is driven by a past mistake she cannot live with. In the context of the Federation's severe state at the beginning of "Starfleet Academy," still recovering from "The Burn" and its imposed restrictions, Nahla's actions are a form of recompense. She feels compelled to "make that right" by searching the galaxy for an orphaned individual, embracing the "mysticalness" and deep mystery of this redemptive quest.

As the episode concludes with Braka escaping, albeit with a hefty price on his head, the actors teased future developments. Giamatti hinted at his return "towards the end" of the season with a "big move," which Hunter confirmed as a "very grand gesture." Both remained tight-lipped about further details, encouraging viewers to stay tuned for their next dramatic confrontation in "Starfleet Academy," which is available for streaming on Paramount+.