Episode Report Card Keckler: C- | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Grease Fire
By Keckler | Season 2 | Episode 15 | Aired on 02.11.2003
Surface. Suzy Blue tries to blame the fight on Quantum. Before Excedrin PM can comment, T'Pol and Soval join the group. After asking if the Vulcans are all right, Quantum turns to Excedrin PM to say, "I suppose I shot the Ambassador to make my story more convincing?" Excedrin PM doesn't see how his loyal lieutenant would betray him. Soval and T'Pol suggest that, while Excedrin PM is willing to talk peace, there are other Andorians who would rather wage war. Excedrin PM turns an accusing eye on Suzy Blue, who comes over all surprised and asks how long she's served with him and followed his orders when it put her life in danger. "She's not the only one who risked their life [sic]," Quantum reminds Excedrin PM. "I said I'd bring Soval to meet you and we damn near got killed getting him here. I came because you asked me, because you thought I could be trusted." Quantum suggests that Excedrin PM check Soval's wound and the scars on the sh'pod to see that they all came from Andorian weapons. Excedrin PM accuses Suzy Blue, who owns up to the double-cross and tells Excedrin PM that there are many more Andorians out there who don't agree with his cowardly gestures of peace. Suzy Blue is taken away. "See to the Ambassador's wounds -- we have a lot to discuss," Excedrin PM says. Soval nods.
Bridge. Reed reports that both the Vulcan and Andorian ships are breaking orbit and heading for the planet. "Arm the forward phase cannons, see if you can target their weapons," Trip orders. I might be out of line here, but how is it that any of the alien vessels were ever intimidated by this Starfleet vessel's markedly inferior weaponry? Hoshi announces that Quantum is hailing them, so Trip tells Reed put his trigger finger on pause. The ensuing conversation between Trip and Quantum is so oddly stilted -- even for Bakula -- that I think they recorded the two sides of the exchange at completely separate times. It just doesn't meld together at all, and Bakula's delivery is atrociously amateurish -- it sounds as though he's reading his lines from a piece of paper he just got handed five minutes ago. The upshot is that the Andorians are allowing the Vulcan ships to come and pick up their people, Soval's getting sprayed with Bactine, and they will need a ride back to the ship. "I'll send Travis in Sh'pod Two," Trip responds. They seem to have an endless supply of Sh'pod Ones -- what ever happened to the sh'pod that crashed on the planet in "Dawn"? Plus, is this current crashed pod going to get repaired? Their insurance premiums must be through the roof by now.