Episode Report Card Keckler: B | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Buggy Dearest
By Keckler | Season 3 | Episode 17 | Aired on 02.24.2004
Enterprise, T'Pol goes incognito in a Starfleet uniform and a baseball cap, climbs down into the Armory, and nerve-pinches an Uh-Oh. Awesome, and -- drink! The other Uh-Oh makes to apprehend her, but Trip and Reed take him out from above after Reed says, "Sorry." Those Uh-Ohs' reflexes aren't too good. Trip hands out weapons to everyone, including the three Red Stripes who join them.
Trip and his Red Stripe beam down to the crashed ship and scamper.
Reed, T'Pol, and two Red Stripes take a roundabout route the Bridge. It even includes going through some passage I don't think we've seen on the set before. Cool.
On the crashed ship, the hexagonal door opens on one point and a hand tosses in a grenade. The Uh-Ohs are stunned. Trip and his Red Stripe proceed to the hatchery. Trip calls out for the captain as little bugs scramble on the floor. I totally expected Quantum to come out of the shadows covered in the newborns. He doesn't, though. Trip calls out again. "You shouldn't have weapons in here," Quantum says softly, coming out with one hand up. Trip gapes at Quantum all covered in bug juice. Dude, he's the Bugmaster!
Bridge. Hayes hangs out in the captain's chair and fields a comm telling him that DDL is out like a light in T'Pol's quarters with no sign of the Vulcan. "Corporal Chang," Dr. Mathra repeats. "Will he get promoted ever to General?" We've been enjoying our new DVD, obviously. May-hew looks across the room at where Hoshi is sitting. That was a nice moment -- camaraderie between the only two real Starfleet officers on the Bridge. Reed, T'Pol, and their Red Stripes gang the Bridge, and someone shouts, "Stand down!" as they all point weapons at each other. Hayes and Reed face off, and Hayes asks if Reed intends to shoot his LOVAH (tm Alex Richmond). They argue about who is in command.
Hatchery. Quantum is completely saturated in amniotic fluid. Quantum orders Trip back to the ship. "You have to come with us," Trip pleads. Quantum raises his hand and touches a water balloon. A baby bug scrabbles down his arm and over his shoulders. He's the Bug Man of Xinditraz. "Captain!" Trip screeches, and points his phaser. "Shhhh, it's all right," Quantum comforts the bug, and takes on a few more. I hate to admit it, but they're kind of cute. "He's totally going to go all 'We seek PEACE-ful co-EXISTENCE!' in this," Dr. Mathra observes. Trip lowers his gun, hardens his resolve, raises his gun, and takes down Quantum. The three buglets run away. Well, at least he didn't blow his head off.
Bridge. Orders. Belayed orders. More orders. Hoshi sides with those wearing her uniform. Standoff. May-hew thinks about getting more exposure. Hayes steps down closer to May-hew. May-hew attacks him. I literally screamed, "GO MAYWEATHER!" at this point. There's a tussle. Reed and T'Pol both take out Uh-Ohs, and Reed points a gun at Hayes's head as he struggles with May-hew. "It's over, Major!" he announces. Hayes gives up. Reed tells May-hew to take Hayes to his quarters. Trip comms up and finds out that the Bridge is secure. He orders T'Pol to tell Phlox to get his SCAT ready for a patient. Trip crouches by Quantum.