Episode Report Card Keckler: B | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Buggy Dearest
By Keckler | Season 3 | Episode 17 | Aired on 02.24.2004
Shuttle Bay. Quantum is loading anti-matter into a sh'pod when Phlox and Trip walk in and try to convince him to go to Sickbay, because he's acting paranoid and obsessive. Quantum says he'll go to Sickbay only after the crashed Bug House ship's reactor is online. Trip disagrees, and points out that Phlox has the authority to order him to Sickbay. Quantum accuses Trip of being manipulated by T'Pol, but Phlox starts quoting regulations, which would allow him to remove Quantum from duty. Quantum calls an Uh-Oh to his side and says, "I've already confined two senior officers today." Phlox and Trip sort of look at each other and then back out together without another word. Heh. Outside, Phlox reveals that he had a scanner up his sleeve. It glows blue.
In Sickbay, Phlox determines that Quantum's neuro-chemistry is normal and that nothing more can be done until he gets him into the SCAT. Trip freaks about the distress call going out and bringing more Xindi ships than they'd ever care to deal with. "He's got Hayes on the Bridge, Uh-Ohs posted all over the ship -- whatever we do, we're gonna have to do it fast," Trip muses distractedly. Phlox asks what he's getting at. "I think it's time we threw the rule book out the window," Trip confides.
Hatchery. Quantum darts around, laying out a checked tablecloth for the ladybug picnic, until a Red Stripe gets his attention. The camera pans up to on of the egg sacs. During the commercial break, we can think of how we want our eggs: Soft-boiled? Sunny side up? Napped with béarnaise? Or just throw them all in a frittata with some herbed goat cheese?
Gripping his shoulder as though in pain, Trip grimaces his way to T'Pol's quarters. Daniel Dae Lewis stands firm on his explicit orders not to let Trip pass. "Look, T'Pol was a little rough with me during the last session -- I think she caused some nerve damage," Trip complains. Doesn't Trip mean that the Vulcan pinched a nerve? Ha. Ha. Plus, rough sex, veddy interesting. Over Trip's non-pinched shoulder, we can see Reed and Phlox creeping down the corridor. Trip struggles slightly with Daniel Dae Lewis, who just looks so bored by the whole thing. Reed steps up with a gun to say, "Stand down, Corporal." Phlox hyposprays DDL from behind, and he falls like an egg from a tall chicken. Yew jackass. Yew nincompoop! Anyone going to get that reference? I do wonder. Trip darts inside T'Pol's cabin and briefs her on the Uh-Oh sitch as Phlox and Reed drag DDL inside. T'Pol thinks that getting Quantum out of the hatchery and taking back the anti-matter is their priority. Reed warns them where Hayes's loyalties lie, and thinks they should secure the Bridge first. Phlox unhelpfully suggests that if they explain the situation to Hayes, he might be understanding. Reed nixes that as too risky, and T'Pol orders them to gather more people to their side.
Putting all his eggs in one basket, Quantum examines the dripping sacs. Who's hungry? Quantum orders the remaining officers to go back to the ship. He wants to be alone with his precioussss eggs.