Episode Report Card Keckler: B- | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Seven of Whine
By Keckler | Season 2 | Episode 7 | Aired on 11.05.2002
Menos continues to guilt her about her past and present actions. T'Pol backs away from him and stumbles over to Quantum and May-dot. Quantum orders May-dot back over to Menos-watch so he can quickly get T'Pol onto his couch and soothe her fevered emotional state. Considering how little experience May-blink has being on this show, do they really think it's a good idea to leave him alone with a dangerous criminal? As T'Pol sways a bit, Quantum takes her by the arm and propels her outside the bar. "What happened?" he asks. "There were seven," T'Pol rasps. Quantum doesn't get it: "Seven what?" Seven dwarves, buttmunch. In a voice that sounds like she's been yelling obscenities at her television set all night, T'Pol explains, "Menos had a partner, or a friend, I'm not sure." Hmm -- she's not sure if Jossen was Menos's friend or "partner"? What could the "Queer as Spock" denizens do with that? T'Pol embarks on a long explanation about how she was sent to bring back seven, not six, fugitives. I hope everyone caught how fiendishly clever the writers were -- calling this, the seventh episode of the season, "The Seventh," because of the number of fugitives. Anyway, T'Pol killed Jossen because she thought he was reaching for his weapon, and she had forgotten the whole Risa chase thing until today.
Quantum wonders how it's possible for her to forget everything. "Have you heard of the Fullara?" T'Pol asks. Of course he hasn't -- this is Quantum The Anti-Vulcan you're talking to. T'Pol tells him it's a now-obsolete Vulcan procedure on P'Jem that represses memory and emotions. You remember P'Jem, Quantum; it's that sacred place you helped destroy with your Nosey Parkerness. T'Pol submitted herself to this reprogramming after resigning her position with the Ministry, because she was so "unsettled" by the fact that she killed Jossen. At first, she just went to P'Jem just for sanctuary and to center herself with their aromatherapy and hot waxing facilities, but when it became apparent that she couldn't let go of the guilt she felt over killing Jossen, one of the Elders performed the ritual. Quantum doesn't understand why she felt guilt for firing first when Jossen was about to do the same thing. "I suppose I was never sure what his intentions were," T'Pol admits. T'Pol explains that when she left P'Jem, she had no memory of Jossen or of the Fullara being performed, and the memories only started coming back when she got called in for this mission. Not a very effective ritual, is it? "Maybe that's why I wanted you with me -- what if Jossen wasn't a smuggler? What if he was innocent, then it wouldn't have mattered whether he intended to use that weapon or not," T'Pol nearly sobs. "She didn't mention the art-house shot of the birds flying away. I suppose some memories are just too painful to ever recall," Mathra comments. Quantum doesn't think that makes any sense, and demands to know what nonsense Menos has been filling her pretty little head with. T'Pol shrieks that Menos's ship was filled only with spent injector casings, and she could find no proof that he was smuggling bio-toxins. "He has a family. Our scans should be able to tell if he's dying of radiation poisoning," T'Pol rants. Quantum takes her by the shoulders, looks deep in her eyes, and asks again what Menos has been telling her.
There's a boom and lots of yelling from inside the bar as the door flies open to reveal the place in flames. All the aliens come running out, and T'Pol and Quantum run in to find May-blitz standing in front of the conflagration where Menos is sitting. "He kicked over the table!" May-blitz bleats incredulously. Hee. "And you claim you're a peaceful man?" Quantum demands of Menos through the flames. "Ironic, isn't it?" Menos shouts over the roar of the blaze. "Burning to death on a frozen moon? But I'd rather die here than be brought back and punished for crimes I never committed!" Before Quantum can stop her, T'Pol runs into the fire and releases Menos from the table. Quantum trains his phase pistol on them as they stand up, and orders T'Pol to refasten the restraints now. A ceiling beam falls -- how did the fire climb fast enough to burn through a ceiling beam so it could loosen and fall on them? -- and knocks T'Pol and Menos to the ground. Quantum scrambles to T'Pol's side and sees the empty restraints. "Where's Menos?" T'Pol moans. Quantum calls out to May-blitz, who executes a huge leap over the burning stuff and joins them. Once outside the bar, Quantum asks where Menos's ship is, and reminds T'Pol that her mission isn't to determine his guilt but to return him to Vulcan. And then make out with her captain. Pretty large talk coming from one who's had some minor difficulties simply following mission orders without letting his moral fiber gum things up. T'Pol just stares at him. Quantum shakes her arm and asks again where Menos's ship is. Finally, T'Pol takes off running across the platform with May-blitz and Quantum following. Has it been four hours already, or did they all tie magic belts around their feet without me noticing?