Episode Report Card Keckler: B | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT In Sonar, No One Can Hear You. Period.
By Keckler | Season 3 | Episode 22 | Aired on 05.11.2004
Fully clothed and shower-to-shower fresh, Dolum gains his bridge and demands contact with the lead ship. It's Degra. They trade words, which amount to Dolum refusing to let them near the Xindi of the Round Table, and Degra launching a torpedo to show how very serious they are about bringing Munchkins to the morning meeting. Degra threatens to destroy them and reminds Dolum that he is woefully outgunned. Dolum backs down, and he's not happy about it. The lighting on Dolum's face here is quite wonderful -- as ugly as he is, never have they had him look so dangerous and deadly.
The sh'pod approaches the sphere with May-Blustery-Day at the helm. They experience minor difficulties and adjust their heading.
Bridge. "I'd breathe a whole lot easier if you had a coupla Uh-Ohs watching yer back," Trip tells Quantum as he leaves. "Don't worry," Quantum says. "Keep my chair warm." EEEEW! And just how is he going to do that?
Hoshi joins Quantum in the turbo-lift. "How's your Insectoid these days?" Quantum asks. "It depends on the dialect," Hoshi shoots back calmly, "there are sixty-seven." "Is that all?" Quantum retorts. Shut UP, QUANTUM! In Degra's shuttle, Degra tells Quantum, "Aquatics respect boldness and confidence, they view hushed tones with suspicion." "I'll make sure I project," Quantum says, thinking of all his time on a Broadway stage. "Not too loudly, Insectoids interpret view raised tones as a sign of hostility," Degra says. Hoshi adds, "When Aquatics use past-tense, they switch to sonar." Intriguing! But why does Quantum need to know that? Actually, Linda Park delivers the line in a way that seems like she's just musing aloud to herself. As much as I know she doesn't make any bones about how bored she is with the show -- Christ, and how can I be the first to cast stones on that one? -- I really wish they used her more. She's just so good with her character. They are flying through clouds and mists, and Degra says they should see "it" in a moment. Quantum notes that they are still two kilometers up. "The only way in is from the air. These cloud layers are present throughout the year -- it's perfectly concealed," Degra explains. "I'm really bummed Billy Dee Williams didn't put in a guest appearance," the Evil Dr. Mathra complains.
The clouds part, and we can sort of see something in the rock face. "Avians," Quantum breathes. Wait, why is he saying that? How does he know this has anything to do with the Birdmen of Xinditraz? Is there something I don't know about? "It's beautiful," Hoshi breathes. "This used to be the watchtower of Amon Suuuul," the Evil Dr. Mathra breathes. Don't mind him, he often repeats that line with absolutely no provocation -- I think he wants to be Viggo. But only the Elvish-speaking Viggo, of course. Degra comments that the thing was built centuries before the Birdmen of Xinditraz were wiped out: "According to our archaeologists, it's over four thousand years old." And going to be used as the Federation blind in the opening of Star Trek XIV: Insurrection. Dude, if you look at it, you can see all the holes in the structure -- just like a birdhouse! "Now, where's all the bird poop?" the Evil Dr. Mathra wants to know.