Episode Report Card Keckler: B | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Blue Swayed Crews
By Keckler | Season 3 | Episode 13 | Aired on 01.20.2004
The Xindi prepare to test their weapon. Snake Eyes asks Mr. Man (who is on a different ship) what is causing the delay. Snake Eyes? Patience is a vertebrate virtue. Mr. Man gives him some technobabble excuse. Mr. Man then deploys the weapon. The rubberband ball (tm Gytha Ogg) is released from its moorings and meanders towards the moon. "Initiate firing protocols," Mr. Man says. The Xindi of the Round Table watch all of this on a flat-screen TV, delivered just in time for the Super Blow. On Mr. Man's ship, an alarm blares. Mr. Man announces that a ship just entered the system. Bug House slams two of his legs on the table -- they make a much louder noise than you'd expect a bug could make -- and demands (in subtitles) to know what kind of ship. Mr. Man doesn't know and aborts the weapon test. The Xindi of the Round Table demand to know what is going on. Mr. Man just tells them to stand by as he secures the weapon and says he'll call them back.
The other Mr. Men on Mr. Man's ship announce that they are receiving a transmission. Shran McCain's blue face pops onto their monitor, and he says he's of the Andorian Mining Consortium. On Shran McCain's ship, we can see Quantum and T'Pol standing well out of the way of the viewscreen. Mr. Man orders Shran McCain to leave the restricted space. Shran McCain plays dumb and says they are looking for a rare element -- he glances over at Quantum and goes on: "Archerite -- we picked up some promising readings coming from your system." Now, considering that the Xindi know Quantum by his other name, I'd say that was pretty dangerous of Shran McCain to call the "rare element" Archerite. Mr. Man keeps ordering them to leave. Mr. Man has a curious form of male-pattern baldness -- it's like a ploughed field. Shran McCain continues to play dumb and asks if they can continue their scans: "Archerite is extremely valuable to us. Even a few kilos will pay our expense for the next ten cycles." HOLD THE PHONE! "Cycles"? Is that a shout-out to Farscape or what? A Mr. Man announces that they are being scanned. "We're not trying to violate your privacy -- our scanners are omni-directional -- and there's nothing to be concerned about." Mr. Man tells Shran McCain to stop scanning and leave, or they'll destroy them. Shran McCain's antennae swivel in annoyance and he says, "There's no need for threats," all pretense of joviality gone. Quantum steps forward slightly and gives him a look. Shran McCain puts his jovial face back on and says they'll leave, but if the system contains Archerite, the Xindi just lost the opportunity to collect a generous percentage. Shran McCain hangs up. "Take us out of the system," Shran McCain orders, "but not too quickly. The Andorian Mining Consortium runs from no one." Hee. Quantum and T'Pol exchange looks.