Episode Report Card Keckler: C- | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Say Goodnight, Shran
By Keckler | Season 4 | Episode 14 | Aired on 02.10.2005
Aenaritaville. The first Aenar, who is much younger than Leadnar, stands over Shran in the darkened room. Shran announces that he's never been able to sleep with someone watching him. The Aenar apologizes and says she's never met a "blue skin." Shran reminds her that she's blind, and cagily asks how she can tell his skin is blue. "Don't ask me to explain," the Aenar says breathily, "I've never been much good at science." "Neither have I," Shran admits. And now they're in love. They trade jokes and stories about living in above-freezing temperatures. Shran seeks to impress her: "I've been on worlds where the temperature is only slightly below the boiling point of water!" Well, sure, but the boiling point of water isn't fixed even on our world. The Aenar, who I wish they would just give a name already, says she came to apologize for reading his mind earlier without his permission. It wasn't intentional. She sympathizes with his recent loss because her brother is the missing Aenar. So, Geordi La Bleu is Gareb the Gimp? She wonders if her brother's in pain because she has nightmares about him being locked and bound in a strange cage. Oh, don't worry -- it's just Zed's basement. The Aenar says her brother wants her to rescue him.
Romkyo. 2nd Romnana helps The Gimp back into the chair and says, "Forgive me," as he zaps him with a stimulant in the neck.
Enterprise. T'Pol tests out the unit. She gasps and twitches but insists that she's fine. Phlox notes that her synaptic responses are getting more erratic, and Trip tells him to shut it down. T'Pol says she will rest a few moments before she tries again. Do you see what they did? With the parallel scenes? Yeah, I guess I wasn't all that impressed either but I was trying really hard to whip myself up in to a state of impressedness. Is that even a word? I think I'm losing my mind.
Aenaragua. Quantum rails on the Leadnar for being unwilling to help them in their mission. Leadnar says they don't want to be involved in anything violent, no matter how noble the intentions. Quantum and Shran leave in a huff.
Romargo. The two drones are launched.
Aenartica. The Aenar Who Must Not Be Named guides Shran and Quantum out of the dampening field. She senses an upcoming ice spores swarm and holds out a hand to stop Shran and Quantum. I was really hoping the whole point of her gauzy, immensely toasty warm, veil was that it was a sensory net. Like the one Diana Muldaur had in "Is There in Truth No Beauty?" Alas, there seems to be no point to it other than to ward off frostbite. The spores fall -- they are gross, maggoty little things that make icky plopping noises. Quite effective. Voldenar reminisces about the time she and her brother chased spores almost to the surface of the compound. Her parents were worried about her then, and they're going to be worried about her now because she's running off to help Shran and Quantum. Voldenar asks Quantum what his ship is like. "Warm," is all Quantum can say.
Sickbay. Trip frets over T'Pol getting back into the unit. As T'Pol is well aware of what she can handle, Phlox advises Trip to back off. "I kin't b'leeve I'm getting' this from you," Trip whispers furiously, "Has everywun on this ship gone crazy?" "Not everyone," Phlox says pointedly. "Oh, I'm crazy," Trip says, unconvinced. Phlox tells him not to blame himself, since not one species in the galaxy has mastered the art of workplace romances. Trip announces that Phlox is the last person who should be discouraging him, since Phlox acted as the Neural Node Nudging pimp in the first place. Trip doesn't know what he's going to do. Phlox tells him to tough it out.