Episode Report Card Keckler: B- | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT You Can Call Me Al
By Keckler | Season 1 | Episode 21 | Aired on 04.29.2002
Outside in the corridors, he passes Suliban, who give him sidelong glances from their mottled complexions, and proceeds to the common area where there appears to be a water source. Clumps of drab-colored articles of clothing hang from pipes and fixtures. While gaping at his surroundings, Quantum gets butted in the water line. "How about waiting your turn?" he suggests. The Suliban ignores him. Do they have a Universal Translator working in the bloc? Quantum fills his water pail and sees another Suliban hurriedly taking down his wash with help from what appears to be a Suliban child. Quantum stares at them for a bit, then turns to leave.
Oh, but wait, he stops. Yes, he can't resist doling out his unsolicited opinion like Hari Krishna pamphlets at the airport. "I can't believe you'd do this to a child," he says. "You know Quantum, maybe in this race, the kids are the elders. Like in Mork's race. So maybe it's the child 'doing' it to the adults. You don't know!" Mathra snaps. The Sulib -- "Well, I guess I can see that the corridor is somewhat narrow, so you've got nowhere else to stick that big snout of yours if you're not cramming it in other people's business," Mathra continues. The Suliban turns to -- "Yeah, yeah, I know, you're written like you're all concerned and good Samaritan-like, but really it's just an excuse to act like Jessica Fletcher and poke around," Mathra goes on. Okay. Are you done yet? You sure? Nothing more you feel the need to get out before I get along with doing my job? Alrighty then. As I was saying, the Suliban turns to look at Quantum and grunts, "Do what?" "She's a little young to be a member of the Cabal," Quantum moralizes. How can he tell it's a she? The Suliban father tells him he doesn't know what he's talking about. "I know that you're given genetic tricks as payment," Quantum says. Suliban Dad stops folding his laundry and looks at him. "What are they giving her?" Quantum jerks his head at the kid. An alarm blares. Closed-captioning gives me the detail that this particular kind of alarm is a "klaxon." Got that, everyone? A klaxon. The Suliban looks around in consternation and says to Quantum, "I don't know who you are, but you're wrong about us." "Is that so," Quantum says, in a tone of one who has never, ever, EVER been wrong in his snap assumptions of another species. Suliban Dad says, "We're not genetically enhanced and we're not members of the Cabal." "If that's true, then what are you doing here?" Quantum asks. How did someone thick as clotted cream get as far as he has? God, I feel like I repeat myself Every Single Week! "Didn't Colonel Grat tell you? We're dangerous. All Suliban are dangerous," Suliban Dad says sarcastically and turns to leave with his little brat. Too late.