Episode Report Card Keckler: B | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Buggy Dearest
By Keckler | Season 3 | Episode 17 | Aired on 02.24.2004
As Acting Captain, T'Pol gets to have a log. She notes that Hayes and the Uh-Ohs have been temporarily relieved of duty, and they continue to Azati Prime. As Hayes and Reed enter Sickbay, T'Pol logs that the doctor thinks he found an explanation for Quantum's nesting instinct. The hysterical thing is that when Reed and Hayes walk in and ask where be the captain, Phlox is looking up. Before he answered, I really expected the camera to pan up, showing Quantum crawling along the ceiling or hanging out in a chrysalis. Sadly, Phlox says Quantum's resting in his quarters, and explains that the bug juice Quantum got on him made him want to protect the beaster egg: "It's the opposite of what happens when a young animal bonds with its mother." "What are you saying -- he thought he was the mother of those things?" Hayes asks disgustedly. That's right, G.I. Uh-Oh, things is different out here. Phlox explains that Quantum became obsessed with protecting the eggs to the exclusion of everything else. "Including our mission," T'Pol points out. Hayes says he'd rather hear all this from the horse's mouth. Phlox says Quantum will be awake in a few hours and fully recovered. T'Pol reinstates the Uh-Ohs. "Yes, ma'am," Hayes bows. T'Pol leaves. "Not the sort of thing they trained us for at West Point," Hayes comments to Reed. Reed imagines not. Hayes happens to think that Reed could have come to him and explained the situation instead of going over his head with the mutiny and all. Reed tells him they couldn't take the chance that he would side with the captain. Hayes admits that he probably would have. Reed nods.
Quantum's Quarters. Quantum lies with his pup. The doorbell rings. Quantum stretches and says, "Come in." Trip walks in. Man, first he walked in on Quantum when he was just out of the shower, and now Quantum's in bed..."I didn't mean to wake you, sir," Trip says. Then why did you ring the doorbell, idiot? Quantum waves that off. Trip asks how he's feeling, and Quantum says he's been better. He grabs his head and says, "You sure you had that pistol set to stun?" Trip is conscience-stricken and says, "Cap'n, I hope you unnerstand, if there had been enny other way..." Quantum forgives him and says that he would have done the same thing to protect the mission. "Still, I never thought I'd find myself pullin' a weapon at you, no matter what the circumstances," Trip beats himself up. Look, Quantum went bug house, you threw him into a bug zapper, get over it. Quantum asks that they put it all behind them, and pours himself some water as he asks what their status is. "We just recovered the last of our anti-matter reserves," Trip says. Quantum asks after his nest of hatchlings. Trip says that Phlox counts nineteen buglets running around who will survive until the next Xindi ship comes by. Quantum orders Trip back to his post, as they can't wait to git back on the road again. He hauls himself painfully out of bed. "Aren't you supposed to git some rest?" Trip asks. Quantum waves his solicitousness off. "I'm sorry, sir, but the doctor was insistent," Trip says. "Okay," Quantum concedes, and claps Trip on the shoulder and grins a bit: "I guess I don't want another mutiny on my hands." Trip bows his head. Quantum tells Trip to tell May-hew to set a course at max warp for Azati Prime. Trip leaves. Quantum falls back on his bed and plays with Porthos. Aw.