Episode Report Card Keckler: B- | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Hoshi Crack Code and I Sorta Care
By Keckler | Season 3 | Episode 23 | Aired on 05.18.2004
On Mega Maid, a snakeling reports that the arming sequence is completed.
On Enterprise, Reed and T'Pol note that Mega Maid is preparing to launch. Quantum orders them in. "What about the anomalies, sir?" May-Foggy-Bottom asks. "I said, 'Take us in,'" Quantum asses.
Dolum orders a vortex opened and a course set for Earth.
Some ships and Mega Maid disappear into the vortex.
"They're gone," Reed breathes, not yet knowing that his love lies dying in Sickbay.
Sickbay. Reed enters with a face of tragedy. He rushes to Hayes's side and says, "Doctor?" Hayes's chest is all bloody. Phlox looks grave. People seemed to have a problem with Phlox just standing there not doing anything, but I pretty much assumed there was nothing he could really do at this point. Either that or the wound-cauterizing worms are already at work, in which case Phlox still can't do much else. Hayes gasps that he told Phlox he was ready for duty. "I'm afraid he's a bit of a mother hen," Reed smiles gently. Hayes asks after Hoshi, and Phlox tells him that her bio-signs are stable. Reed thanks Hayes for bringing her "home." "All in a day's work," Hayes mutters. Hayes starts to breathe hard and we get a close-up of his face. There's a dribble of blood coming out of his mouth. "Use Mackenzie," Hayes gurgles, "she knows the team. Rely on her." "No more of that talk -- that's an order!" Reed grimaces gently. Hayes chokes and retches and starts to go in to cardiac arrest. Phlox rushes cardio-stimulators over and zaps him a few times. Hayes flatlines. Phlox disengages the stimulators. Reed cries. Well, he doesn't, but he should! Now he's gotta give back all the gifts. I wonder if this enforced "together time" between Reed and Mackenzie will have the result of flinging them together. Reed will find that he can love again, and Mackenzie will show him the proper way to apply lip liner. Poor May-Partly-Funny -- lost another one to Bi-tech.
Engineering. Quantum asks how long it will take the Mega Maid to reach Earth. I'm putting in a guess of about a week. From today. Minus one hour. It's supposedly ten hours. Quantum wants the Aquamen to go after it, but their ships aren't built for speed. Three-Toed suggests Degra's ship; it's the fastest. Who was Degra, exactly? I mean, at first it seemed like he was just the Oppenheimer, but he was also someone important on the Round Table, as well as in Xindikind...and he has some boffo ship as well, so what gives? Mr. Man says that even if they take Degra's ship, it's not well-armed. Quantum thinks they could get aboard Mega Maid and disable it from the inside. Three-Toed's not sure that's feasible, and Mr. Man reminds Quantum that the Aquamen only helped out because there was the promise of disabling one of the spheres. "The future of our people is at stake as well," Three-Toed adds. Quantum asks T'Pol and Trip if they're ready. "We have a plan to disable Sphere 41," T'Pol says. "If we're right, it should disable the entire network," Trip adds. But couldn't the Golden Girls just reverse that? I'm sure they've got a fuse box or maybe a more advanced circuit breaker in their Florida ranch. Check out by the Jacuzzi Blanche insisted on putting in to entertain her "gentlemun callahs." Quantum orders, "Then as soon as we undock, set a course for Sphere 41." Mr. Man and Three-Toed nod.
Reed addresses the Uh-Ohs. He tells them that the female Uh-Oh (Kemper) and Hoshi will make full recoveries. He then chokes out the news about Hayes's death and adds, "I'm sorry. Of my friend, I can only say this: of all the souls I have encountered in my travels, his was the most...human." A few of the Uh-Ohs look at each other. They loved him too. Reed explains that their next mission is to destroy Mega Maid: "I don't imagine that the Reptilians will make this easy for us, but that's why you're here. That's why Major Hayes picked each one of you for this mission, because he knew you'd get the job done. I need three volunteers." Everyone steps forward. Aw -- I mean, how predictable, but still: aw. Although that "aw" is severely tempered by the fact that there ARE NO WOMEN LINED UP! I also sniggered at the fact that, as everyone steps forward to volunteer, they manage to close a few of Uh-Ohs out of the front line. They're all hanging back, craning their necks all, "Ooh, me! I'm here! I loved Hayes, too!" Reed names the three he wants and tells them to get their junk together and meet him at the airlock in four minutes. Reed nods and twitches at the ones who never got picked for teams in gym, and leaves. Okay, so he didn't hand over command to Mackenzie at this point, because Hayes just asked him to "use" and "rely on" her. As though she could be an asset to his command, but not that she would actually be in command, and Reed certainly doesn't need to consult with her about putting a mission team together.