The stardate is 2179.3. Enterprise is orbiting an M-class moon (later seen labelled Sigma-287D). In Star Trek, M-class (or as established in ENT, Minshara-class) means it is generally Earth-like or habitable by oxygen-breathing humanoids with minimal assistance.
Kirk was stabbed by La’An while she was in the thrall of whatever was aboard the USS Griffin (SNW: “The Griffin Incident”). Coradrazine is a powerful stimulant, which in small doses can save lives, but in large doses can cause psychosis and paranoia (TOS: “The City on the Edge of Forever”), as M'Benga says here. In that episode, Kirk questioned McCoy’s use of cordrazine on a wounded Sulu, indicating he was familiar with its effects. We see here his first encounter with the drug.
La’An had a romantic interlude with a alternate timeline Kirk in SNW: “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow”, and while Prime Kirk and her shared a connection in SNW: “Subspace Rhapsody”, he was in the “on-phase” of his off-and-on relationship with Carol Marcus at the time. Now, however, both of them are single - La’An ended her relationship with Spock in SNW: “Level-Five Transporter Accident” and Kirk was ghosted by Carol at the end of “The Griffin Incident”.
Altairans are presumably from the Altair system. The star is also known as Alpha Aquilae, part of the constellation Aquila (meaning “eagle”) and in Trek lore has at least six planets. Altair VI is inhabited in TOS: “Amok Time”, and is the origin port for Kobayashi Maru (ST II). Altair III and IV were mentioned in TNG: “Encounter at Farpoint” and DS9: “Prophet Motive”, respectively.
Cadet A’Sha is with the landing party. Uhura mentions that once inside the cave, they’ll lose comms and the ability to transport. Beckett Mariner, who hates caves, sarcastically mentions in LD: “Caves” how rocks can successfully block centuries of technological process, and in LD: “Mining the Mind’s Mines”, she said that it’s not a real day in Starfleet until comms get blocked. How the SOS signal can get through if comms are going to be blocked is a question I leave for the interested viewer.
La’An’s diver’s watch is from the alternate timeline mentioned, given to her by the Pelia of that timeline living c. 2023.
The Klingon War took place during Season 1 of DIS, from 2257-2258. The USS Constitution, NCC-1700, was seen on a chart of ships undergoing repair at Starbase 11 in TOS: “Court Martial”, and presumably is the class ship for the Constitution-class starships of which Enterprise is one. This is the first time it’s been mentioned in on-screen dialogue, her other appearances to date being only in production and background art. Beta canon goes more into the ship’s story.
This is the first appearance of ADM Simon Reeger, played by Joe Morton. Ortegas is said to have helmed Pelanque during the war, presumably named after the Mayan ruins in Southern Mexico. Enterprise was at the Prospero system in SNW: “Under the Cloak of War”, where it was mentioned that Ortegas was stationed near it during the war.
This is the first mention of the Vaardan Massacre, an unprovoked attack that caused 5 million casualties.
Scotty mentions a cloaking system and refers to the Klingons using them. In DIS, the Klingons did use cloaks, which led to somewhat of a tizzy in fan circles because the impression was that cloaks where only used by Romulans at that point and in TOS: “Balance of Terror” the crew did not seem familiar with cloaks. I won’t get into it now, except to say that like many things, fan perception of what is canon isn’t as strong as they might imagine.
Ortegas says that during the Cold War, destroyers would follow enemy submarines via their trash. In the 1965 movie The Bedford Incident, the destroyer Bedford figures out that a Soviet sub they are hunting has been in the water for about 36 hours by analysing the thickness of the potato peels in the garbage it left behind. ADM Reeger commandeers Enterprise, presumably under Starf…