Episode Report Card Keckler: B- | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT You Can Call Me Al
By Keckler | Season 1 | Episode 21 | Aired on 04.29.2002
Danik goes on to say, "'Be careful of their wicked smiles and their shining yellow eyes. At night they'll squeeze right through your door and everybody dies.'" Quantum and Mayweather exchange a look, wondering if they've found the Bard of the Suliban. "The Tandoran children used to tease my daughter with that nursery rhyme. At least here, she doesn't have to hear it anymore," Danik explains. "This is an internment camp," Quantum announces to Mayweather. "Detention Complex Twenty-Six," Danik says, "I've heard it's one of their nicer ones." Yeah, but the food's worse than the Tuesday night pepper steak at Joliet. Quantum asks why all this has happened. Danik explains that eight years ago, the Cabal got formed, genetic enhancements were handed out like button candy, people were attacked, and the Tandorian Chicken people decided to tar everyone with the same brush. Danik begins a speech full of bitter dregs, "We were rounded up. 'Relocated,' as they like to say. They told us it was only temporary -- it was for our own safety. 'Once the Cabal has been destroyed, you will be free to go back to your homes.' We're still waiting. There are eighty-nine of us here, thousands more in other camps. Everyone of us used to be citizens on worlds in the Tandar Sector." Danik tells them that he was born in the same town as Major Klev and was friends with Klev's brother. Mayweather wants to know about the government on the Suliban home world. Danik explains that no such organization exists. "Our home world became uninhabitable three hundred years ago. Most Suliban are nomadic but some of us have assimilated into other cultures. My grandfather made the unfortunate decision to settle on Tandar Prime," Danik explains. Nomadic, huh? I guess that's an easy way of resolving why we never hear about the Suliban in the future. "Maybe the reason we've never heard of the Suliban is because they changed their name to 'Sulu Ban,' and sent their Commander-in-Chief to infiltrate the Federation as a helmsman," Mathra hypothesizes. I suppose that could explain why the more earnest of my posters can't come to a consensus over the ethnic origin of the name "Sulu."
There's a knock at Danik's door and another Suliban enters, handing Danik a missive and asking what the humans are doing there. Danik takes the note and tells his Suliban visitor that he asked them. As Danik reads his mail, the other Suliban asks what species they are and then says he's never heard of "humans." "Sajen, you're being rude," Danik says, not looking up from his letter. Quantum asks if it's bad news he reads. Danik folds up the note and explains that he and his wife were placed in separate detention camps and her appeal to be transferred has been denied, again. The klaxon goes off, and Danik says they mustn't be late for afternoon inspection. As they leave, Quantum thanks Danik for lunch and Danik thanks him for listening. Does Mayweather have no manners whatsoever? Once they're gone, Sajen hisses, "Why'd you bring them here?" "Maybe I was tired of talking to you," Danik says. Okay, that's not very nice. Sajen tells Danik that the humans could be in league with AlGrat, but Danik doesn't say anything.