Episode Report Card Keckler: B | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Buggy Dearest
By Keckler | Season 3 | Episode 17 | Aired on 02.24.2004
Over there, Trip, Reed, and T'Pol recklessly have their helmets completely off as they look around the hexagon-coated room with expressions of aghastment. There are weird retro chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and a computer bank that has a see-through globe over it, but really, there's nothing to get your furrows in a twist over. Quantum takes off his helmet as T'Pol tells him that the DNA is identical to the Bug House bodies they found: "They would appear to be the crew's offspring." T'Pol seems to be gesturing at the fancy chandeliers above them. "A hatchery?" Quantum asks as he examines stuff. Trip notes that the chamber is well protected, and T'Pol adds that thirty-one eggs are still "viable." "They won't survive for long -- their life support system is losing power," Trip announces. Quantum asks if he can repair it (that's so we know he was interested in saving the eggs lives even before he got bug juiced), but Trip wouldn't know where to start. Quantum orders that they get the Bug House sh'pod back to Enterprise for a full weapons diagnostic. He wanders around and looks at the pretty bags of mostly water. He scans them and asks if T'Pol found their Bridge. As she's answering, a CGI tendril comes down and sprays Quantum in the face. It's like Spock and those giant Flowers of Exploding Love Pellets! Or water sports. Either way, Quantum will now grin constantly and make me very uncomfortable. Quantum bangs into a wall as he recoils. He tells T'Pol he's all right, but she wants him in Sickbay.
Sickbay. Phlox scans Quantum's burned face and isn't concerned by the "mild neurotoxin." The fact that the word "toxin" is involved is enough to make me think that Phlox isn't being as cautious as one could be in these situations. He swabs an analgesic on Quantum's face to help with the itching. And the blistering. And the pussing. And the gross disfiguration. "Malcolm's bringing you two dead Insectoids," Quantum tells him. Dr. Mathra snorts at this.
Keckler: What?
Dr. Mathra: "Malcolm's bringing you two dead Insectoids." Mmm, guess what's coming to dinner!
Quantum wants Phlox to learn all he can about the Bug Houses. T'Pol enters and gives Quantum a rundown of the crashed ship's armory, and tells him that Hoshi is translating what they found in the computer banks. They'll be ready to leave once they bring the Bug House sh'pod aboard.
Sh'pod. Reed and Hayes tow the Xindi sh'pod. One of the body bags falls to the side. "You might want to do a better job securing our guests," Reed tells Hayes. Hayes does so, and kicks at the body bags while he's at it. Reed thinks it's safe to assume the Bug Houses have been sufficiently Raided. "Just being cautious," Hayes says as he buckles the body bag in, and notes, "Certain insects on Earth have been known to hibernate." He then pulls out his gun and watches the body bags intently. Reed sarcastically wonders if Hayes intends to shoot him. You know, for someone who was so obsessively concerned with security last season, I think that's a bit like the kettle telling the pot to wash its face. Hayes tells Reed that his officers are coming along in their training, but he wants to schedule more target practice on Monday night. That happens to interfere with Trip's Movie Night, and Reed tells him so. "Maybe he can sacrifice some leisure time for the sake of this mission," Hayes comments. "The senior officers do have other duties -- we can't all spend our time playing holographic games in the armory," Reed says evenly. "I'm not sure that's how the Captain would see it," Hayes gets in, just before Hoshi comms them that they are clear to land. Dude, don't fuck with Movie Night.