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This is the one where Quantum goes totally bug house. For real, y'all. The crew shuttles down to a planet and finds all these cartons full of Bug House eggs just fixing to hatch open. While examining a particularly stinky lot, Quantum gets sprayed with bug juice that makes him go a wee bit crazy. He decides that he no longer wants to be captain of the Enterprise, oh no, instead, he wants to become the newest member of the bug babysitters club and spends all his time reading the egg cartons The Goldbug and Other Tales, setting up the VCR to repeat A Bug's Life, and organizing multiple rounds of an Egg Toss. T'Pol is a bit worried and tells Quantum she thinks he's getting too attached to the little yolks, so Quantum relieves her of duty and locks her up in her room. Trip, Reed, and Phlox get REALLY worried and decide to stage a mutiny, which also means overthrowing the Uh-Ohs, since they're so stupid they decided whatever Quantum does is fine by them. Even when he starts dressing the eggs up in party clothes and gives them names like "Aneggstacia" and "Eggward the Second." After a thoroughly successful mutiny -- during which Trip actually has to shoot Quantum while fully hatched Aneggstacia, Eggward the Second, and Carmen Eleggtra scamper around his shoulders -- Phlox realizes that the bug juice sprayed on Quantum was actually more harmful than he thought. Oops! They get the hell out of there, leaving all the little egglets to take care of themselves until the Xindi vessel happens by and Hayes apologizes to Reed for being so stupid as to blindly follow a bugged-out captain wherever he wanted to lead them. Which, eventually, was to a ladybugs picnic. Want more? The full recap starts right below!
Yesterday's Enterprise: Xindi shot giant loogies, Trip shot Xindi, Hayes and Reed worked out some issues and ordered out for Corned Beef Slash, Quantum set a course for Azati Prime.
Enterprise stalks a planet. They find a ship wrecked on the surface that Reed analyzes as Xindi, although Quantum has architectural issues because suddenly he's Furrow Lloyd Wright: "It doesn't look like a Reptilian or a Primate design." T'Pol finds no atmosphere or bio-signs. They go to take a closer look.
I've become bulimic just so I could purge this song from my system. HWAAAARRRGGGHHHHHHULP! Eh, anyone have a stick of gum?
The away team investigates the ship. They walk with headlights and examine dead Bug Houses. Lots of dead bugs. It would be a good Orkin Man commercial. Quantum wants the carcasses taken back to Phlox for autopsies, and designates teams to different parts of the ship. "Did you know that this is the year of the locust?" Dr. "Virginia" Mathra confides, "I can't believe it's been seventeen years. I might have to make a pilgrimage back home to see them. Did you know that seventeen years before that was when Dylan wrote 'Day of the Locusts'? He got an honorary degree from Princeton when the locusts were in full bloom." See, sometimes I just think it's best to let him go on and on. It gets it out of his system.
More investigation. Steam. Headlights. Investigation. Steam.
Reed and Trip raise a door and shine lights around what looks like a shuttle bay. They walk in, and T'Pol thinks she's found a computer console. "My father'd love to get a look at this place. He's fascinated by insects -- always filling up the house with bugs he's collected," Reed remembers. Dude, that's totally JUST like my mother! Didn't I mention that in a recap somewhere? How the cabin we rented on Long Lake in Michigan was crunchy with bug carcasses and how to this day I am completely scarred by my mother's fixation? She loved the daphnes that the baby dragonflies shed before they emerged blue and glistening. Trip goes up to a wall covered in hexagons. As in compound eyes and honeycombs. "Dude, just because they're insectoids doesn't mean that seventies sci-fi was all about the hexagons," Dr. Mathra interjects. Trip opens a hexagonal door, and the three enter a room. The door closes automatically, and Reed announces that the room is pressurizing to an oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere. Stupidly, in my opinion, Reed and Trip open their helmets. They go to ANOTHER room, from which Reed reads bio-signs.
Elsewhere, Quantum and Hayes investigate a small craft. With all the weaponry, Quantum determines it to be an assault vehicle. Trip comms Quantum to get his furrowing butt over there.
Over there, Trip, Reed, and T'Pol recklessly have their helmets completely off as they look around the hexagon-coated room with expressions of aghastment. There are weird retro chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and a computer bank that has a see-through globe over it, but really, there's nothing to get your furrows in a twist over. Quantum takes off his helmet as T'Pol tells him that the DNA is identical to the Bug House bodies they found: "They would appear to be the crew's offspring." T'Pol seems to be gesturing at the fancy chandeliers above them. "A hatchery?" Quantum asks as he examines stuff. Trip notes that the chamber is well protected, and T'Pol adds that thirty-one eggs are still "viable." "They won't survive for long -- their life support system is losing power," Trip announces. Quantum asks if he can repair it (that's so we know he was interested in saving the eggs lives even before he got bug juiced), but Trip wouldn't know where to start. Quantum orders that they get the Bug House sh'pod back to Enterprise for a full weapons diagnostic. He wanders around and looks at the pretty bags of mostly water. He scans them and asks if T'Pol found their Bridge. As she's answering, a CGI tendril comes down and sprays Quantum in the face. It's like Spock and those giant Flowers of Exploding Love Pellets! Or water sports. Either way, Quantum will now grin constantly and make me very uncomfortable. Quantum bangs into a wall as he recoils. He tells T'Pol he's all right, but she wants him in Sickbay.
Sickbay. Phlox scans Quantum's burned face and isn't concerned by the "mild neurotoxin." The fact that the word "toxin" is involved is enough to make me think that Phlox isn't being as cautious as one could be in these situations. He swabs an analgesic on Quantum's face to help with the itching. And the blistering. And the pussing. And the gross disfiguration. "Malcolm's bringing you two dead Insectoids," Quantum tells him. Dr. Mathra snorts at this.
Keckler: What?
Dr. Mathra: "Malcolm's bringing you two dead Insectoids." Mmm, guess what's coming to dinner!
Quantum wants Phlox to learn all he can about the Bug Houses. T'Pol enters and gives Quantum a rundown of the crashed ship's armory, and tells him that Hoshi is translating what they found in the computer banks. They'll be ready to leave once they bring the Bug House sh'pod aboard.
Sh'pod. Reed and Hayes tow the Xindi sh'pod. One of the body bags falls to the side. "You might want to do a better job securing our guests," Reed tells Hayes. Hayes does so, and kicks at the body bags while he's at it. Reed thinks it's safe to assume the Bug Houses have been sufficiently Raided. "Just being cautious," Hayes says as he buckles the body bag in, and notes, "Certain insects on Earth have been known to hibernate." He then pulls out his gun and watches the body bags intently. Reed sarcastically wonders if Hayes intends to shoot him. You know, for someone who was so obsessively concerned with security last season, I think that's a bit like the kettle telling the pot to wash its face. Hayes tells Reed that his officers are coming along in their training, but he wants to schedule more target practice on Monday night. That happens to interfere with Trip's Movie Night, and Reed tells him so. "Maybe he can sacrifice some leisure time for the sake of this mission," Hayes comments. "The senior officers do have other duties -- we can't all spend our time playing holographic games in the armory," Reed says evenly. "I'm not sure that's how the Captain would see it," Hayes gets in, just before Hoshi comms them that they are clear to land. Dude, don't fuck with Movie Night.
Quantum studies his computer with the intensity of one trying to determine if Jon Stewart's tan is peeling as T'Pol and Trip walk in. Not that I study Jon Stewart that intensely or anything, nor do his delicately touched with grey locks appear in my dreams. Because they don't. And the fact that I think Jon Stewart should be captain of the Enterprise with Lewis Black as his Number One tells you nothing. NOTHING! Trip informs Quantum what happened to the Bug House ship when they crashed into that spaceberg, and Quantum announces that Phlox figured the Bug Houses didn't die on impact -- they suffocated. "Most of the crew appeared to have died when they transferred their life support to the hatchery," T'Pol agrees. "They sacrificed themselves to save their children," Quantum adds, and orders Trip to repair the bio-support in the hatchery. Both Trip and T'Pol are agog, and "with all due respect" wonder at his choice not to hasten off to Azati Prime. "Have you ever noticed that 'with all due respect' is so overused that it really doesn't mean what it's supposed to mean anymore?" Dr. Mathra wonders. I agree; it's sort of like "No offense, but -- you're an asshole!" Trip's confused as to why they don't just "take a plasma torch to that place." Okay, mob mentality, party of Trip. "What if we found a nursery filled with thirty-one infant primates? Would you want to torch them?" Quantum asks. Dude, that's WHAT I'VE BEEN SAYING ALL ALONG! Well, at least since we first saw the Bug Houses and Snake Eyes in the first episode of this season that I've been saying that. Trip's confused. Again. Some more. Quantum thinks that by leaving the egg cartons uncracked, they will prove to the Xindi that they are not bloodthirsty omelet eaters. Trip tells him he's talking crazy talk: "These people are tryin' to keel us." Quantum tells him his mind's made up and he will lead the Engineering team, because he wants Trip and May-hew on board, figuring out the Bug House sh'pod. Trip tries one more time to protest but Quantum orders them away.
Quantum logs that his decision to make everyone stay and sit on the eggs was a good one. Trip and May-hew examine the Xindi sh'pod. "These people culd larn a thang or two about designing a comfortable chair," Trip bitches. "For an Insectoid, maybe they are comfortable," May-hew notes. Yeah! Stop being so species-ist, Trip. Trip determines that almost half the sh'pod's power is routed to structural integrity. "Oh, just because they're Bug House doesn't mean they have to have sh'pod with an EXOSKELETON!" Dr. Mathra complains. They play with buttons, and May-hew manages to turn out all the lights. "I don't think this ship likes us," May-hew sighs. Maybe if you use Bug House vomit on the controls it will like you more. Yo, Mayweather's mouth looks totally CGI'd in this scene! It's scary and making me wonder about deep and dark things.
Mess Hall. Trip and May-hew get advice from Reed about operating the Bug House sh'pod. Reed and May-hew don't really get why Quantum's making them hang around to hatch some Xindi, and Trip defends Quantum. A lot.
Sickbay. Quantum enters as Phlox hovers over a dissected Bug House. Ah, reminds me of IB Biology. We learn from the medi-babble that the Bug House species is genderless, and that each one of them is capable of producing multiple egg sacs asexually. Phlox also tells us that the Bug Houses only live about twelve Earth years. Quantum's more concerned with how much longer he needs to keep his ass on the eggs. "Without knowing more about their incubation cycle, it's impossible to say, but probably no more than a week at most," Phlox hedges his bets. He then suggests Quantum get some rest, but Quantum blows him off.
T'Pol walks around the Xindi ship. I still think it's pretty foolhardy of them to walk around without EV suits, I don't care what the atmosphere is -- if the bug juice is a-flying, wear a condom or a visor. That's my rule. T'Pol finds two Uh-Ohs guarding the nest, and wonders what's up. "Captain's orders," is all Daniel Dae Lewis says. Inside, Quantum works on repairs and isn't the least bit interested in the tactical analysis of the Xindi sh'pod T'Pol brought him with an xoxoxo from Reed. T'Pol wonders at the Uh-Ohs, and Quantum exposes his egg obsession by saying he's worried about predators and breaches on the outer hull. Trip fires up the bio-support, but seems to have a few bugs to work out yet as he blows several fuses. A few water balloons burst. Quantum spies something on the ground and stalks over to it. It's two tiny bugs lying in a puddle of goo. Quantum breathlessly comms Phlox that they have a medical emergency. Snort! Trip and T'Pol exchange looks.
Sickbay. Phlox holds one of the bug action figures between two fingers and looks at it. T'Pol and Quantum enter. "There was nothing I could do. I'm sorry. Ooh, chewy center!" Phlox says as he eats it. Quantum's pretty upset, and tells T'Pol to have Hoshi find out about Xindi burial rituals once she's translated their language. "Do you plan to hold a funeral?" T'Pol asks. Now THAT would be hysterical. It would be buried in a shoebox in the backyard, with a little stone marking the grave in between all the family cats, hamsters, and other random things the cats killed. No, wait, that's my backyard. Before he answers, Trip comms to say he figured out what made everything go "Pfffft!" but it will take several days to get everything adjusted, since the ship lost most of its anti-matter in the accident. Quantum orders T'Pol to use as much of their anti-matter as is necessary to get the Xindi ship running again. "Sir, our reserves are at less than sixty percent --" T'Pol tries to argue. Quantum announces, "I'm not going to let any of them die!" and walks out. T'Pol and Phlox exchange an uncomfortable look.
In the Situation Room, Trip breaks the news to Reed and T'Pol that it will take a third of their anti-matter to bring the Xindi ship back to life, since all the Xindi systems are integrated. Not very energy-efficient of them, if you ask me. In fact, it's Xindi like them who are raising the gas prices in California! Reed rants about how crazy Quantum is acting. "Delay the transfer for now," T'Pol tells Trip. "The Captain gave us an order," Trip protests. T'Pol sighs and says she'll speak with him. Trip nods. "Like, it was spring and there were lots of dead locusts everywhere, and people in gym, like, used the locusts to, like, torture each other. They'd throw the carcasses at each other. This one guy put a LIVE one in his mouth, walked up to someone and opened his mouth. It was really scary. Yeah, and the noise was with you always, it was there when you went to bed at night and it was there when you woke up. It was like Ross and his air purifier," Dr. Mathra continues his Tales of the Uninsected. Just letting him get it ALL out.
After T'Pol expresses concern at his OCD, Quantum upper-arm grabs her (he really likes that move!) when she refuses to begin the anti-matter transfer. He tells her that she might be running around in velveteen catsuits instead of the more comfortable fabric-of-our-lives jumpsuits, but she can still be charged with insubordination. "Perhaps we should contact Starfleet and discuss this with Admiral Forrest," T'Pol challenges him. Sure, if you want to have an EVIL discussion. Quantum dismisses her from duty, and a Hayes escorts her up to the ship. Wow, how embarrassing.
Immaculate white towel over one shoulder, Quantum comes out of the shower just as his doorbell bing-bongs. It's Trip, reporting that the anti-matter transfer is beginning. Quantum comments that he didn't realize how much he needed a shower: "I've been spending too much time in that hatchery." Well, we didn't want to say anything, but the smell was starting to put people right off their food. Trip comments that if Quantum's looking for a new first officer, he should turn his eyes toward Malcolm: "I'm a little busy at the moment." Quantum looks at him briefly as he buttons up a black shirt. Ooh, love the black shirt. Not so much love for the Tick Underoo panties, though. I just prefer things like butt cheeks to be left to the imagination. I'm rather Victorian like that. Apparently, Quantum is happy with the command structure as is -- he just thought T'Pol needed a slap on the wrist, as this isn't the first time she's questioned his orders. Trip feels it's out of the ordinary for Quantum to lock T'Pol up. "These aren't ordinary circumstances, Trip. T'Pol refused a direct order in front of the crew. I can't have senior officers behaving like that, especially on a mission this important."
Quantum sits down to finish dressing. Trip thinks that he should be confined to quarters as well, because he doesn't think they're doing the right thing. Especially since it's not that believable that the Xindi would do the same for them. Quantum decides its time to flesh out his background a little, and says that his great-grandfather was in N. Africa during the Eugenics wars (ooh, the Eugenics wars -- do you think he ran into Khan?!), and some schoolhouse rock full of children was in the middle of a battle. Grandpappy Quantum got the enemy commander to agree to hold fire until the school was evacuated: "There are rules, Trip, even in war. We have to help these children."
Hayes shows Reed a battle simulation on a monitor, and for some reason Reed's deeply disgusted by it. I think he was hoping Hayes was going to show him dirty magazines. However, Hayes' war games did discover a weakness in the Bug House shuttle's shields -- a weakness that could be exploited by special torpedo maneuvering. After taking this all in, Reed compliments Hayes and apologizes for his overreaction. This is where we discover that Hayes is not to be trusted from here on out, because referring to what he witnessed between T'Pol and Quantum, he asserts that he would also throw one of his men in the stockade for disobeying his orders. Reed internalizes this and goes back to the Bridge.
Daniel Dae Lewis is standing guard outside of T'Pol's quarters. Trip comes along and pleads for a conjugal visit, although he cites Neural Node Nudging as the reason. Daniel Dae Lewis hesitates until Trip threatens him with Phlox. Inside, T'Pol gaspingly asks, "What's our status?" Trip thinks that after his talk with Quantum, "this whole thing will blow over in a day or two." T'Pol's not so sure, since their anti-matter will be depleted by then; she wants Trip to get Phlox to run a full diagnostic on Quantum to find a reason for his odd behavior. Trip doesn't like the sound of Phlox finding medical evidence to relieve the captain of command, and tells T'Pol that she's taking her incarceration way too personally. T'Pol wants Trip to delay stuff with the crashed Xindi ship until they figure out what's up with Quantum's mental state. "If he finds out what we're doing, we'll both end up in the brig," Trip states. T'Pol gives him a look like, "Your point is?" Trip is very upset about having to betray Quantum, but T'Pol is insistent that they both know that Quantum is endangering the ship and the mission.
Bridge. May-hew announces that a sub-space vortex is opening up, which is the trumpet call of Xindi vessels. I'm now considering the possibility that ALL of Mayweather is CGI'd. There's something seriously weird about his face! Reed calls Quantum to the Bridge. The Bug House ship fires at Enterprise and then moves immediately away. Why? It must be because the rose of Starfleet outclasses them. Reed orders a pursuit, and also wants to disable the Xindi engines. Firefight. Hoshi reports that they're trying to open a vortex escape hatch out of there. Reed orders their torpedoes on maximum yield, and they destroy the ship. Quantum storms onto the Bridge and demands an explanation. He can't believe Reed destroyed the Bug House ship, even though Reed explains that they couldn't risk letting them escape. You know, I see the positive side of things: Reed's destruction of the Xindi ship means his aim is getting better. So, YAY! Still, pessimistic Quantum points out that the Bug Houses could have taken care of the Nurseggry and the three o'clock poachings. "We could have kept our anti-matter, continued our mission!" Quantum complains. Reed stoically notes that the Bug House ship would have given away their position to their superiors. It's not certain that they didn't do that anyway by sending off a message before they got fried. They argue a bit more before Quantum pulls out his Toad in a Hole and calls Hayes to his Ready Room. He then turns to Reed and says he's been demoted from tactical officer and will now report to Hayes. Man, he sure knows how to hit Reed where he lives! Reed protests, and Quantum confines him to quarters. Reed leaves. May-hew looks a bit scrambled. Quantum barks at Hoshi to hurry up the translation, and orders her to put together a distress call in the Bug House tongue and transmit it on all frequencies.
In his Ready Room, Quantum spreads Desitin on his chapped ass after all of Hayes's butt-kissing; Hayes also pledges his undying and unquestioning support of all Quantum does, thinks, says, and eats. He flinches a bit when Quantum paranoids the idea that Reed did something to deliberately sabotage the mission, but then he offers to help dress the eggs up in party clothes, and suggests Quantum give them names like "Aneggstacia" and "Eggward the Second." Quantum tells him he's in command when Quantum is on the surface organizing the Egg Toss.
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.
Enterprise, T'Pol goes incognito in a Starfleet uniform and a baseball cap, climbs down into the Armory, and nerve-pinches an Uh-Oh. Awesome, and -- drink! The other Uh-Oh makes to apprehend her, but Trip and Reed take him out from above after Reed says, "Sorry." Those Uh-Ohs' reflexes aren't too good. Trip hands out weapons to everyone, including the three Red Stripes who join them.
Trip and his Red Stripe beam down to the crashed ship and scamper.
Reed, T'Pol, and two Red Stripes take a roundabout route the Bridge. It even includes going through some passage I don't think we've seen on the set before. Cool.
On the crashed ship, the hexagonal door opens on one point and a hand tosses in a grenade. The Uh-Ohs are stunned. Trip and his Red Stripe proceed to the hatchery. Trip calls out for the captain as little bugs scramble on the floor. I totally expected Quantum to come out of the shadows covered in the newborns. He doesn't, though. Trip calls out again. "You shouldn't have weapons in here," Quantum says softly, coming out with one hand up. Trip gapes at Quantum all covered in bug juice. Dude, he's the Bugmaster!
Bridge. Hayes hangs out in the captain's chair and fields a comm telling him that DDL is out like a light in T'Pol's quarters with no sign of the Vulcan. "Corporal Chang," Dr. Mathra repeats. "Will he get promoted ever to General?" We've been enjoying our new DVD, obviously. May-hew looks across the room at where Hoshi is sitting. That was a nice moment -- camaraderie between the only two real Starfleet officers on the Bridge. Reed, T'Pol, and their Red Stripes gang the Bridge, and someone shouts, "Stand down!" as they all point weapons at each other. Hayes and Reed face off, and Hayes asks if Reed intends to shoot his LOVAH (tm Alex Richmond). They argue about who is in command.
Hatchery. Quantum is completely saturated in amniotic fluid. Quantum orders Trip back to the ship. "You have to come with us," Trip pleads. Quantum raises his hand and touches a water balloon. A baby bug scrabbles down his arm and over his shoulders. He's the Bug Man of Xinditraz. "Captain!" Trip screeches, and points his phaser. "Shhhh, it's all right," Quantum comforts the bug, and takes on a few more. I hate to admit it, but they're kind of cute. "He's totally going to go all 'We seek PEACE-ful co-EXISTENCE!' in this," Dr. Mathra observes. Trip lowers his gun, hardens his resolve, raises his gun, and takes down Quantum. The three buglets run away. Well, at least he didn't blow his head off.
Bridge. Orders. Belayed orders. More orders. Hoshi sides with those wearing her uniform. Standoff. May-hew thinks about getting more exposure. Hayes steps down closer to May-hew. May-hew attacks him. I literally screamed, "GO MAYWEATHER!" at this point. There's a tussle. Reed and T'Pol both take out Uh-Ohs, and Reed points a gun at Hayes's head as he struggles with May-hew. "It's over, Major!" he announces. Hayes gives up. Reed tells May-hew to take Hayes to his quarters. Trip comms up and finds out that the Bridge is secure. He orders T'Pol to tell Phlox to get his SCAT ready for a patient. Trip crouches by Quantum.
As Acting Captain, T'Pol gets to have a log. She notes that Hayes and the Uh-Ohs have been temporarily relieved of duty, and they continue to Azati Prime. As Hayes and Reed enter Sickbay, T'Pol logs that the doctor thinks he found an explanation for Quantum's nesting instinct. The hysterical thing is that when Reed and Hayes walk in and ask where be the captain, Phlox is looking up. Before he answered, I really expected the camera to pan up, showing Quantum crawling along the ceiling or hanging out in a chrysalis. Sadly, Phlox says Quantum's resting in his quarters, and explains that the bug juice Quantum got on him made him want to protect the beaster egg: "It's the opposite of what happens when a young animal bonds with its mother." "What are you saying -- he thought he was the mother of those things?" Hayes asks disgustedly. That's right, G.I. Uh-Oh, things is different out here. Phlox explains that Quantum became obsessed with protecting the eggs to the exclusion of everything else. "Including our mission," T'Pol points out. Hayes says he'd rather hear all this from the horse's mouth. Phlox says Quantum will be awake in a few hours and fully recovered. T'Pol reinstates the Uh-Ohs. "Yes, ma'am," Hayes bows. T'Pol leaves. "Not the sort of thing they trained us for at West Point," Hayes comments to Reed. Reed imagines not. Hayes happens to think that Reed could have come to him and explained the situation instead of going over his head with the mutiny and all. Reed tells him they couldn't take the chance that he would side with the captain. Hayes admits that he probably would have. Reed nods.
Quantum's Quarters. Quantum lies with his pup. The doorbell rings. Quantum stretches and says, "Come in." Trip walks in. Man, first he walked in on Quantum when he was just out of the shower, and now Quantum's in bed..."I didn't mean to wake you, sir," Trip says. Then why did you ring the doorbell, idiot? Quantum waves that off. Trip asks how he's feeling, and Quantum says he's been better. He grabs his head and says, "You sure you had that pistol set to stun?" Trip is conscience-stricken and says, "Cap'n, I hope you unnerstand, if there had been enny other way..." Quantum forgives him and says that he would have done the same thing to protect the mission. "Still, I never thought I'd find myself pullin' a weapon at you, no matter what the circumstances," Trip beats himself up. Look, Quantum went bug house, you threw him into a bug zapper, get over it. Quantum asks that they put it all behind them, and pours himself some water as he asks what their status is. "We just recovered the last of our anti-matter reserves," Trip says. Quantum asks after his nest of hatchlings. Trip says that Phlox counts nineteen buglets running around who will survive until the Xindi ship comes by. Quantum orders Trip back to his post, as they can't wait to git back on the road again. He hauls himself painfully out of bed. "Aren't you supposed to git some rest?" Trip asks. Quantum waves his solicitousness off. "I'm sorry, sir, but the doctor was insistent," Trip says. "Okay," Quantum concedes, and claps Trip on the shoulder and grins a bit: "I guess I don't want another mutiny on my hands." Trip bows his head. Quantum tells Trip to tell May-hew to set a course at max warp for Azati Prime. Trip leaves. Quantum falls back on his bed and plays with Porthos. Aw.