Episode Report Card Keckler: A | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Quantum Leap of Faith of the Heart
By Keckler | Season 1 | Episode 26 | Aired on 05.21.2002
Quantum's cabin. Quantum holds a too-cute Porthos on his lap and scrolls through the pictures and bios of all the dead colonists. Hoshi comms him that Admiral Forrest is on the line for him. Quantum thanks her, turns off his laptop, and sighs heavily.
Bridge. Hoshi sends some technobabble to Reed's console, which he and Trip analyze; they report the existence of a substance only produced when plasma comes in contact with the tetrazine in the Pirogies' atmosphere. Those Pirogies must've had really clear complexions. Reed continues to insist that his plasma ducts were closed. Quantum steps heavily onto the bridge and says, "T'Pol, Trip," as he continues on through to his Ready Room. Maywonderbra, in an attempt to be more like his captain, furrows. Quantum, turning away from his Weight Of The World Window, tells T'Pol and Trip that their mission has been cancelled. Quantum looks directly at T'Pol when he explains that Forrest thinks Ambassador Soval will use this monumental screw-up to convince Starfleet that humans shouldn't be bunging around space for another several decades. Trip flips out a bit, shouting more than is necessary, so Quantum tells T'Pol that a Vulcan vessel is on its way to retrieve Phlox and herself, and that Maywonderbra should set an intercept course. He turns back to his Weight Of The World Window as Trip shouts some more. Memo to Trinneer: Shouting isn't acting. Quantum says, "Dismissed," without turning around, and Trip starts to shout his objection. Quantum whips around, and Bakula must have had a tweezers in his pocket that he was plucking with, because he's got sudden tears in his eyes and a wrench in his voice as he says, "I said you're dismissed!" Trip looks at his shoes as Quantum tells T'Pol to leave as well.
Mess Hall. Hoshi and Maywonderbra fiddle with their food as they discuss their plight. "You think they've replaced you in Brazil yet?" Maywonderbra asks Hoshi. "Even if they have, they'd take me back. I'm a prodigy, remember?" Hoshi tells him, grinning slightly. Hoshi asks what Maywonderbra's plans are, and he tells her he cannot stomach the idea of going back to hauling cargo around. "What if they made you captain?" Hoshi asks. "You're going to be the most famous Boomer around, you know?" "Or maybe infamous," Maywonderbra sighs. "From what Commander Tucker tells me, people back home think that we're doing nothing out here but getting into trouble!" Heh -- shout-out. Hoshi tells Maywonderbra that it's their job to make sure everybody back home knows the truth: "Anyone who tries to badmouth Captain Archer in front of me is going to get an earful." Stay away from my recaps, honey.
Captain's Quarters. Porthos is bored on his cushion, as Quantum lies on his bed and bounces his water polo ball in the air. T'Pol comes in, and Quantum, without looking at her, asks what was so all-fired important that it couldn't wait until morning. T'Pol, piqued, tells him she'll come back later, but Quantum apologizes and asks her what she wants. T'Pol hands over her e-pad and tells him that Reed and his team have discovered "an unidentified EM signature on the ventral hull of Shuttlepod One." Quantum looks at the e-pad and tosses the water polo ball at T'Pol -- who catches it readily -- and tells her it could be anything. T'Pol throws the ball back at him and tells him that Reed thought he'd "be interested." Quantum gripes that Starfleet's not going to look at some unidentified bit of stuff and give them back their mission with apologies. T'Pol asks him, "Is this what humans refer to as 'feeling sorry for themselves'?" Quantum gives Porthos some fresh water and tells T'Pol she's out of line, and she says, "I'm outta line?! Pah! You're outta line! This whole courtroom's outta line!" Or maybe she just apologizes. Quantum tells her it's not himself he feels sorry for, but for every member of Starfleet whose futures depended on the success of his mission. T'Pol admits that she realized the Vulcan High Command would "take advantage of the situation," and Quantum asks her what she's getting at. T'Pol tells him he needs to reverse the Vulcans' recommendation and Starfleet's order to cancel the mission. Quantum doesn't know what one little man can do to make a difference. "You are very adept at listing the questionable decisions you've made, but there have been other decisions -- many of them that no one would question. I am willing to convince my government of that; are you willing to convince yours?" T'Pol speechifies. "You know, this has gotta be the first time a Vulcan has ever attempted to cheer up a human," Quantum smiles up at her. T'Pol tells him she'll see him in the morning, and leaves. Not a bad scene, if it weren't for Quantum.
Sick Bay. Trip fidgets about as Phlox packs various alien cases of squawking noises. Trip is annoyed that Phlox isn't acting more chagrined about leaving the Enterprise. Phlox admits that he expected to be on the mission longer, but he's certain he'll find something just as exciting. Trip gripes that he wishes he could share in that sentiment, and Phlox says that, as humans seem to be naturally optimistic, he's surprised Trip doesn't think there's something waiting for him "around the next nebula." "That's jest the point -- there won't be any nebulas in Starfleet's future. At least, not for a decade or so," Trip whines. Phlox doesn't believe him, but Trip, not having gotten my previous memo, tries to shout him into changing his mind. "Enterprise comin' back to Earth with its tail tucked between its legs. It'll be Soval's crowning achievement. They'll probably give the sonofabitch some gaudy medal and then cart him off to wherever they send bitter old Vulcans to retire," Trip bawls. Phlox, chuckling, points out that Soval's c.v. is just tattered with distinctive achievements. Trip scowls, "You have to find something good in ev'rybody, dontcha? I gotta tell you, that's one of your 'unique qualities' that drives me crazy!" Now, that's just mean. Phlox tells Trip, "I'll certainly miss your outspoken personality, Mr. Tucker." Trip stops shouting and tells Phlox he'll catch him later. He chunters off.