Episode Report Card Keckler: C- | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Nobs And Nonsense
By Keckler | Season 1 | Episode 9 | Aired on 11.13.2001
Enterprise orbits the planet with Garos's fat ship pursuing it. Reed tells T'Pol, "They're charging weapons," and T'Pol says, "Prepare to leave orbit on my order." "Belay that!" Trip says. Oh, hello Horatio Hornblower, when did you sign onto Enterprise? Trip tells whoever is in control of the ship's orbit to keep it where it is. God, Trip, do you really want to show off your IQ even more than you did in the last episode? "I don't have to reiterate that I outrank you, Mr. Tucker," T'Pol says, barking, "Ensign!" That last bit was for the conflicted Mayflower, who looks like he needs an airsick bag. Trip pulls out his big guns and calls down to Engineering -- where his word is gospel -- and tells the redshirt down there, "Billy, stand by to vent the nacelles on my order." Hoshi glances over at them, wondering whose move it is. T'Pol looks steadily at Trip, who barks, "We're not going anywhere!" Trip's really getting up my nose in this scene. "I didn't say leave orbit; I said prepare to leave orbit. I have no intention of abandoning the Captain, dead or alive," T'Pol says, fixing him with a look. Trip finally nods his head in understanding.
Cave of Overuse. It appears that whatever fiddling Quantum did earlier, it hasn't blown them up yet, so he fiddles some more and the lights go out, but the doors open. Riaan and Quantum leave. Wait, what happened to Garos? Wasn't he watching them? Wasn't there a way for him to lock off their control of that panel? What an incompetent baddie.
Enterprise. Hoshi reports that the dampening field is down. "Anything?" Trip asks. "I've got a fix on it," Reed says. "Transfer the coordinates," Trip orders on his way off the bridge. Enterprise is rocked with another blast. "The forward hull plating's de-polarizing," Reed reports. "Evasive maneuvers; keep us within transporter range," T'Pol orders. "I'll try," Mayflower says, in his only line this week. T'Pol orders that they return fire. Yeah, this oughta be good. Enterprise fires, and as their paltry torpedoes harmlessly bounce off the Moby Dick-esque ship, it becomes obvious (if you didn't figure on it already, in which case, you're not very bright) that the Mallurian ship has shields. "They've got some kind of energy shielding," Reed reports, for the benefit of those who still haven't figured it out yet. "Our weapons are ineffective." Hoshi reports that the Captain is trying to contact them. "Put him through," T'Pol commands. "How's it going up there?" Quantum whispers into his communicator, walking through the crowded streets of the Ecoli city. "A Mallurian vessel's opened fire; we're taking damage," T'Pol shouts back. "SHHHH!!" Mathra hisses from the kitchen, wrestling to open a case of Post Road for me. Quantum asks about the reactor. "We're trying to get a lock on it now," T'Pol tells him, and asks, "Are you all right? He said you'd been killed." Quantum tells her not to worry about him, and to get the reactor. "Jon," Riaan says, warningly, looking behind them. We see that Garos is in the street, but hasn't caught sight of them yet.