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
Enterprise destroys the remaining drone.
Romseille. The Gimp slumps in his chair and falls forward. Val-dor-EE sneers and walks away as 2nd Romnana rushes to the dead Gimp's side. He lifts off the helmet and exposes a gaping blue wound in his neck. Interestingly, Val-dor-EE had his disruptor on the other side of The Gimp's Adam's apple. If they have Adam's apples. Maybe they're frozen apples.
Enterprise. Shran holds Voldenar. Quantum logs that they're returning Shran and Voldenar to Andoria. Quantum thanks Voldenar for her help, and Voldenar thanks them for allowing her to come along so she could be with her brother when he died. Shran plants himself in front of Quantum and says, "I regret much of what happened between us recently." Quantum: "Same here." "When you lose a ship, you aren't usually rewarded with another one," Shran continues. "I may not see you for awhile." Like, not for another series. "If there's anything we can do, or say, on your behalf," T'Pol offers. Well, write to Les Moonves or take out a full-page ad in the L.A. Times or rend your clothes and pull out your hair, swearing you will never get over this travesty -- every little bit helps. Shran looks at T'Pol closely and says he appreciates the offer: "Let's just see what the future brings." He and Quantum shake hands. For the last time. On the transporter pad, Shran calls, "Try to stay out of trouble, Pinkskin!" They beam away.
Quantum's Quarters. Trip enters and Quantum says he's been looking over his report and he thinks Trip is being a little hard on himself. "There's no getting around it -- I missed a ten-degree variance in the telepresence emitter," Trip says. Quantum says that Phlox doesn't think that had anything to do with Voldenar's seizure. "But he can't be sure -- either way, I should've caught it," Trip argues. Quantum reminds him that they were all under a lot of pressure. "Mah mind wuzzint on the job," Trip insists. Quantum brushes this claim off with, "If that were true, you probably wouldn't be standing here now." Quantum grins at Trip and pulls down a carafe full of red liquid. Man, these past few years have turned Quantum into a veritable drunk! First the mini-bar in the opening and now a mini-bar in his own room? Remember when he wouldn't touch the stuff? Of course, it could just be Kool-Aid. After all, a gazelle doesn't change his spots. Trip works his face a bit before he says, "Cap'n, I want a transfer." Quantum jerks his head up and looks at Trip in smiling disbelief: "Where?" Trip says Columbia needs experienced people. Quantum reminds Trip that he's turned them down twice before, so why now? "I think I culd dew some gud over there," Trip says, quietly. "I need you here, Trip," Quantum says, still not really believing Trip's serious. "They need me more," Trip perseveres quietly. Quantum gives him a beady furrow and asks, "What's this really about?" Quantum gives the WOTWW a passing glance and says that he hasn't heard one word that explains Trip's reasoning. Trip looks down and says, "I've said ev'rythang I've wanted tew." "That's it?" Quantum demands before sitting down. "And I'm supposed to accept that? And if I refuse your transfer?" Trip whispers, "Cap'n, as a friend I'm askin' yew -- let me dew this." "It's your career, Trip, but as a friend, I'm asking you to stay," Quantum pleads quietly. "I can't," Trip whispers. Quantum gives him a steady look: "All right." Trip thanks him. "Dismissed," Quantum says quietly. He should just say "cancelled" instead of "dismissed" from now on. Quantum sits at his desk next to the two unpoured glasses of Kool-Aid. Now, MAYBE if you had shown Trip a MODICUM of the EMOTION that you just showed him here when his sister DIED, MAYBE he would've felt that he ACTUALLY had a TRUE friend in you and that FRIENDSHIP was worth sticking around for. And MAYBE that FRIENDSHIP would have helped him get over his Vulcan breakup and MAYBE that FRIENDSHIP would have made him feel as though he could actually tell you the truth, but NOOOOOO, you had to save it until it was ALL TOO LATE, YOU COLOSSAL ASS!