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Degra brings Quantum and translator Hoshi before the Xindi of the Round Table but not before Snake Eyes tries his hissiest to prevent them from arriving in one piece. Quantum blusters around the Round Table, scares the Aquamen with his furrows, and presents lots of evidence proving how bad the Sphere Builders are. He's hard pressed to convince them, though, since we learn that the Xindi have always been taught to worship the ground the Sphere Builders fade in and out on. The Xindi of the Round Table decide to temporarily suspend deploying the Weapon of En Masse Destruction while they probe further into the matter. Trip finally unbends to Degra and forgives him for murdering his sister right before Snake Eyes plunges a Klingony knife into Degra's soft areas. Once Degra is dead, the rest of the Snake Eyes take the Weapon of En Masse Destruction and run away with it. While on a fact-finding mission inside a sphere, Reed, T'Pol, and May-Hail misplace a Red Stripe in a death claw. The episode ends with Hoshi being beamed off Enterprise by the Snake Eyes and Quantum not really rushing to chase after her. Want more? The full recap starts right below!
Previously on Enterprise, there was a whole lotta furrowin' goin' on. Quantum learned about the Sphere Builders from Daniels on Futureprise -- no, not that Futureprise, the other one. Keep up, will you? Quantum tried to convince Degra that the Sphere Builders were bad news bears and to really think hard about his newest hairstyle. Snide hair comments aside, Degra invited Quantum to testify before the Xindi of Round Table, one of the Sphere Builders pranced and threatened the Xindi of the Round Table, and Degra blew up a Snake Eyes ship.
In this pathetic attempt to make us believe we're viewing the Sphere Builders in their down dimension, the camera pans past each of them on a mist-blown set as they discuss the timeline and what needs to be done about the Earth vessel. It put me in mind of that freaked-out "slingshot around the sun" scene in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home with all the disembodied statue heads of the crew. The Sphere Builders aren't disembodied heads, but there's that same bright white misty set and surging camerawork. I really don't know what television special effects are coming to these days -- first A Wrinkle in Time's amateur hour and now this? It's really quite sad. Interestingly -- or derivatively, if you've seen "The Outcast" -- the Sphere Builders' voices are all very feminine with some low cadences, so you aren't completely sure of their gender or even if they have one. The Evil Dr. Mathra sat up suddenly as he watched this scene: "Dude, it's The Golden Girls and that tall one in blue is totally Bea Arthur! Now, my real concern is which one is Blanche? Hm, I guess we'll know when one of them gets a Southern accent and starts sleeping with everyone." Wait, but then how will we tell her apart from Trip? The end result of all this kvetching at Maw in Florida is that Enterprise must be DESTROYED! The Xindian Personal Golden Girl bows her head in acceptance of this burden.
And from the "I am, and will always be, twelve" department:
It's been a pant load
Watchin' Quantum furrow
It's been a long time
And my head is perma-burrowed.
But I will eat my way through a drum of cheese
I will retch and cry
And they're not gonna to hold me down no more
No they're going to change my mind
'Cause I've got a case of the farts
I'm smellin' where my gas will take me
I've got litmus to believe
I can pollute anything
I've got stench of the soul
No one's going to bend or break wind
I can kill any star
I've got a case
I've got a case
A case of the farts.
Sickbay. Phlox finds no traces of Trellium-D in the CRACK WHORE's system. T'Pol is still having problems controlling her emotions, and meditation isn't getting the job done. Just as she says this, Trip walks in and is immediately concerned about her, "You okay?" he asks. "Just a mild headache," T'Pol says, and leaves. "Wull, I thought Vulcans didn't get headaches," Trip tries to argue. Trip, where did you get that idea? I can't believe I just went searching for all mentions of T'Pol having a headache in my recaps, but it's SUCH a pointlessly STUPID thing for Trip to say. So, just...shut UP, TRIP! T'Pol ignores him and says she has to get back to work. Trip asks Phlox if he's noticed anything strange about T'Pol, but Phlox brushes his concern off and treats his pulled muscle. There's pointless exposition here about getting to the Xindi of the Round Table, and each actor manages to work in that they have "faith" of the Quantum. When Phlox goes so far as to call Degra "reasonable," Trip manages to remind us how he REALLY feels about Degra killing his sister and seven million others in his hometown.
Degra, Quantum, and T'Pol examine the spheres in Stella Cartography. Quantum is sending a sh'pod crew into the sphere, and T'Pol wants all the information the Xindi have collected over the years about the spheres, so they can hack into a sphere and learn some more stuff about the Golden Girls Sphere Knitters. I'm not sure what important or damning information the Golden Girls would leave around in the spheres just waiting to be found, but...okay.
Armory. Reed handpicks a Red Stripe Uh-Oh to join him on the sphere sh'pod mission. Don't do it, buddy -- no one really knows who you are, and even though I'm not a palm-reader, I'd say that you have a REAL short lifeline. Reed confirms that all of Dead Stripe's EV hours also include EV combat. "Yessir!" Dead Stripe confirms. "Are we expecting a firefight?" "Don't know what to expect," Reed admits. Except that you're gonna die, of course. I hate that three-sixty spinning camerawork they're doing here -- they do it all the time on ER and Angel -- and it always makes me reach for my Dramamine.
Sh'pod launches.
On his ship, Degra gives orders to an underling about sending information to Enterprise. The Xindian Personal Golden Girl, also known as St. Spheridian, arrives and tries to woo Degra back to the side of spherituality with lies and empty promises of turning his wife into a pillar of salt. You know, why a pillar? Why not a block? Or a tub? Or a lick? A pillar just seems so weird. Anyway, Degra's not having any of it. "What have we done to lose your faith?" St. Spheridian wonders. "You never DESERVED my FAITH!" Degra spits out. Man, that's four "faiths" this episode -- do you think there's a hidden message? Maybe...UPN and Bermaga are...the Golden Girls Sphere Knitters? Yeah, yeah, and they're trying to destroy the Trek dimension and we, the viewers, are the Xindi! And we've lost our faith in the show! But Trip and Phlox (a.k.a. Connor Trinneer and John Billingsly) have faith in Quantum (who is at times is a.k.a. Scott Bakula) because he's going to save the show! Or, I just have a case of the farts.
Back on Enterprise, Degra bitches to Quantum about how the Golden Girls have manipulated and lied to them for years. When Quantum points out that they have evidence proving something bad about the Golden Girls -- at this point, I don't really know what the evidence is going to prove, or how it would ever convince the Xindi of anything -- Degra goes on about how the Golden Girls saved their Xindi asses from extinction and how all Xindi are raised to practically worship at their trans-dimensional feetses: "I've taught my own children to give thanks to them at the end of each day, that is what we are facing!" "I've stood before a Klingon tribunal, I can handle a tough room," Quantum brags. Ah, but can you handle a TWoP room? Degra points out that Klingons weren't determined to destroy Earth, but then adds that the evidence is strong, so perhaps it will be enough. He insists that they face the Xindi of the Round Table together: "I may take my seat at the Council table, but I'll be at your side, no matter what happens." So he is a member of the Round Table. Hoshi comms that Xindi vessels are approaching. Degra explains, "Humanoids, Arboreals, and Aquatics -- they're with us. When we reach the Council's location, we'll need their protection."
As they walk through the corridors where welding is still going on, Degra explains a bit about their allies and the other Xindi. We get blipverts on all of them, which is...interesting. Three-Toed is a fair-minded scientist who will listen to the facts, and he's a friend of Degra's. Head Aquaman is actually an Aquawoman with a really complicated name and she's a member of the Ibix Dynasty, "a very wealthy, very powerful family." Why does it make me giggle to think of the manatee-like creature as being "wealthy"? Maybe they have lots of chests of gold from all those shipwrecks. Am I being insensitive? Degra goes on that Aquawoman's opinions carry considerable weight, "When she arrives at them. There's a saying, 'It's easier to count the stars in the sky than it is for an Aquatic to reach a decision.'" Yes, and it's easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven -- WTF? Degra explains that Bug Houses' names grow longer the older they get and are difficult to pronounce. "In many ways, they are the opposite of the Aquamen," Degra continues. "They're quick to take sides," Quantum supplies, "we've run into them." When is he going to mention that he sat on a nest of them and went all broody for an episode? Think about it -- it could be points in his favor. As long as he doesn't mention all the ones Phlox dropped into his soup, of course. This brings Degra to the Snake Eyes and some head slitherpuss named Commander Dolum. "There's a story about him -- I don't know if it's true, but I'd like to believe it isn't. His daughter gave birth to a son [wouldn't she have hatched him?], he had a deformity in his right arm -- not life-threatening but enough to preclude his ever joining the military. Commander Dolum --" "ATE his grandson!" the Evil Dr. Mathra shouts gleefully. "Had his own grandson poisoned," Degra finishes. Oh. Well. Don't get me wrong, that's certainly scary and dark, but after the Evil Dr. Mathra's blurt, it's also sort of tame. I mean, he didn't even do it himself, he had it done? Okay, the guy's ultra-bad, but since he's also reptilian, it would have been cool if the poison came from him biting his grandson. Quantum's not surprised by this revelation, and Degra hastens to remind him that it might just be only a rumor.
Tanning Booth. Dolum lies on a tilted bed with a towel covering his nasty scaly bits. First of all, it's notable that not only do Snake Eyes have genitals in the same area (I assume that's what he's covering up), but they also have the same sense of modesty as humans? Secondly, hasn't anyone told him about the new, safer way to tan? He needs to Mystical Tan and reduce his chances of skin cancer. A Snakeling enters and says they located debris from the ship they sent to find Degra. Dolum lifts his head off the tanning pillow -- ew, it's probably all sweaty now -- and wants to know how it was destroyed. Snakeling kiss-asses that he's already started the investigation, and his preliminary findings show that the ship was destroyed. Another snakeling comms that six Xindi ships are approaching with Enterprise.
Fully clothed and shower-to-shower fresh, Dolum gains his bridge and demands contact with the lead ship. It's Degra. They trade words, which amount to Dolum refusing to let them near the Xindi of the Round Table, and Degra launching a torpedo to show how very serious they are about bringing Munchkins to the morning meeting. Degra threatens to destroy them and reminds Dolum that he is woefully outgunned. Dolum backs down, and he's not happy about it. The lighting on Dolum's face here is quite wonderful -- as ugly as he is, never have they had him look so dangerous and deadly.
The sh'pod approaches the sphere with May-Blustery-Day at the helm. They experience minor difficulties and adjust their heading.
Bridge. "I'd breathe a whole lot easier if you had a coupla Uh-Ohs watching yer back," Trip tells Quantum as he leaves. "Don't worry," Quantum says. "Keep my chair warm." EEEEW! And just how is he going to do that?
Hoshi joins Quantum in the turbo-lift. "How's your Insectoid these days?" Quantum asks. "It depends on the dialect," Hoshi shoots back calmly, "there are sixty-seven." "Is that all?" Quantum retorts. Shut UP, QUANTUM! In Degra's shuttle, Degra tells Quantum, "Aquatics respect boldness and confidence, they view hushed tones with suspicion." "I'll make sure I project," Quantum says, thinking of all his time on a Broadway stage. "Not too loudly, Insectoids interpret view raised tones as a sign of hostility," Degra says. Hoshi adds, "When Aquatics use past-tense, they switch to sonar." Intriguing! But why does Quantum need to know that? Actually, Linda Park delivers the line in a way that seems like she's just musing aloud to herself. As much as I know she doesn't make any bones about how bored she is with the show -- Christ, and how can I be the first to cast stones on that one? -- I really wish they used her more. She's just so good with her character. They are flying through clouds and mists, and Degra says they should see "it" in a moment. Quantum notes that they are still two kilometers up. "The only way in is from the air. These cloud layers are present throughout the year -- it's perfectly concealed," Degra explains. "I'm really bummed Billy Dee Williams didn't put in a guest appearance," the Evil Dr. Mathra complains.
The clouds part, and we can sort of see something in the rock face. "Avians," Quantum breathes. Wait, why is he saying that? How does he know this has anything to do with the Birdmen of Xinditraz? Is there something I don't know about? "It's beautiful," Hoshi breathes. "This used to be the watchtower of Amon Suuuul," the Evil Dr. Mathra breathes. Don't mind him, he often repeats that line with absolutely no provocation -- I think he wants to be Viggo. But only the Elvish-speaking Viggo, of course. Degra comments that the thing was built centuries before the Birdmen of Xinditraz were wiped out: "According to our archaeologists, it's over four thousand years old." And going to be used as the Federation blind in the opening of Star Trek XIV: Insurrection. Dude, if you look at it, you can see all the holes in the structure -- just like a birdhouse! "Now, where's all the bird poop?" the Evil Dr. Mathra wants to know.
Degra walks ahead of Hoshi and Quantum. Quantum comments, "Kinda feels like being called to the principal's office." Because of Ramona Quimby, I will always know how to spell "principal." Hoshi goody-too-shoeses that she never got called to the principal's office. Not even to brown-nose? "I was once," Quantum says, hurriedly getting in that it was only ONCE. Degra tells some Snake Eyes guards to stand aside. I want the Snake Eyes to bang a large stick and yell, "You! Shall! Not! PASS!" But they don't -- they stand aside. Hoshi asks Quantum, "What for?" She means the princi-PAL's office. "When we're done here," Quantum mutters. Inside the chambers of the Xindi of the Round Table, Dolum bitches that Degra brought humans to their secret wardrobe, and orders him to explain himself if he expects the humans to leave there alive. I'm sorry, but that's really not much of a threat, since the whole point of the humans being there is to explain WHY THEY'RE THERE! Go eat another grandson, Dolum.
After the commercial break, Three-Toed agrees with Degra that there's no need for threats. Everyone takes their seats -- well, except for the Aquamen, who just float in their tank and also don't have to worry about bathroom breaks -- and Quantum's in the spotlight. "You killed seven million of my people," Quantum starts. Oh, STOP IT! THEY KNOW THAT ALREADY, SINCE THEY ARE THE ACTUAL ONES WHO DID IT!! For the love of Mike, just move it along. PLEASE! Quantum recaps that he knows they've been told humans are going to destroy Xindiland sometime in the future. "That's a lie," Quantum adds. Bug House goes nuts, and Hoshi translates that Bug House doesn't think St. Spheridian has ever lied to them. Quantum argues. There's much doubt coming from the Bug Houses and Dolum, who think Quantum invented his data. Degra speaks up for Quantum and says the data is accurate, damning, and adds, "Have you no decency, sir? At long last, have you left no sense of decency?!"
More argument among Xindikind. Aquawoman interrupts with an aria from La Beluga. Hoshi punches her hand-held with absurdly long nails for someone who is serving aboard a starship, and translates: "This is not relevant. We're here to discuss the human's claims." "Very skillful -- no past tense used. If they EVER use the PAST TENSE, I EXPECT Poppadum to RESPOND!" the Evil Dr. Mathra announces, punctuating his sentence by pointing a finger at the seriously confused cat. Quantum tries to explain that if the Xindi wipe out mankind, they will also be endangering all Xindikind as well. Snake Eyes and two Mr. Men argue, and Dolum makes to flounce right out of the chambers. Degra lays hands on Dolum and gets belted for it. Quantum decides to defend Degra's honor by poking Dolum in the eye, but a Bug House grabs him and throws him on top of a table. A round-ish table, mind you. After the chittering stops, Hoshi looks at her handheld and says, "You don't wanna know." "Can't they think of anything else for Hoshi to say? I mean, really, how many times has she said that?" the Evil Dr. Mathra demands.
In the sh'pod, T'Pol commands her team to hold their position. There's back-and-forth as Reed freaks about the fact that they look as though they're about to bash into some sphere wall. T'Pol ignores him and orders them to continue on their course. The wall approaches. Uh-Oh Dead Stripe clutches at an overhang, bracing for impact. "T'Pol!" Reed shouts. That's "Sub-commander" to you, bitch! They pass harmlessly through the wall. May-Blustery-Day heaves a sigh. "Some kinda hologram?" Uh-Oh Dead Stripe asks. "You coulda warned us ahead of time!" Reed complains. Yes, she could have, but it wouldn't have been as much fun. They proceed and get close enough to suit up.
In recess, Degra, another Mr. Man, and Three-Toed discuss how the Round Table is splintering apart. In the midst of all this, Quantum stalks over to a shrine and sees a skull. It looks like the thing Trini finds when she's "trapped" in the desert in 3-2-1 Contact. There are candles around it. How gruesome. "The Avians," Three-Toed says. "Once they darkened the skies of Xindis with their numbers." What the hell? That's exactly what Mr. Mugato said! Is it a Xindi ordinance that whenever the Birdmen of Xinditraz are mentioned, it must be said that they "darkened the sky"? How annoying. Three-Toed says they formed the Round Table to prevent other Xindi from sharing their fate, but Quantum thinks their current Round Table might have the opposite effect. Degra thinks he may have hit on a way to convince the Round Table, and he needs Phlox to do it. Where's Hoshi in all this? I don't see her in the room -- Quantum didn't seriously make her wait outside, did he? Ass.
St. Spheridian talks to Snake Eyes about how the Round Table is splitting apart, and says Quantum never should have been allowed before the Round Table, since now the Mega Maid may not be launched. "If we could prove to them that your people didn't build the spheres," a Snakeling interrupts. "Prove to them? Or to you?" St. Spheridian asks. The Golden Girls look like sharks with their flat eyes and that weird skin. Dolum apologizes for his snakeling and says he's just looking for a way to persuade the Round Table. St. Spheridian says that persuasion isn't an option anymore, and orders him to act with the Bug Houses to "secure the weapon." Dolum is worried about risking civil war, but St. Spheridian guarantees Snake Eyes's dominance if Earth is destroyed. St. Spheridian leaves. "If you ever question the Guardians again, your skin will adorn the bow of this ship," Dolum threatens his snakeling. Considering that reptiles molt, I wouldn't think this is much of a threat.
Enterprise Sickbay. Degra looks at digital images of Impetigo and thinks they will do nicely. Phlox says he'll have "it" sent over immediately: "I've never heard of this procedure before." "It was developed by the Aquatics -- they have an innate distrust of the spoken word, they respond more strongly to visual stimuli," Degra explains. It sounds like a fancy way of saying they have ADD. ["Or that they like porn." -- Sars] Trip walks in and asks what Phlox wanted. Phlox wants him to make some modifications to the ship that carried Impetigo. "Lucky me," Trip snarks at Degra, who is supposed to help with the modifications. "Your captain thinks there's no one better to make with these modifications -- I agree," Degra says as they leave Sickbay. Trip tells him to stop trying to get on his good side. Degra says that he understands that they will always be enemies. "Yew got that righ'," Trip states. Degra grabs Trip's arm and spins him around. He tells him he can't change what happened to his sister or any of the seven million, but he's risking his life and the life of his family, and has even killed members of his own species to save Earth and Xindikind. "This way," Trip says, reacting with no emotion to this impassioned speech.
Sphere. T'Pol, Reed, and Uh-Oh Dead Stripe approach the memory core. May-Blustery-Day monitors stuff from inside the sh'pod. As usual. As Reed says, "It's practically gift-wrapped," something from above deploys and starts to descend. There's a red glowing light in the middle of it, so you know it can't be good. May-Blustery-Day detects movement. He can't tell them where it is, but he can tell them it's close. "I suggest we work fast," Reed brilliantly deduces.
Quantum's Ready Room. Degra comes into report that they've finished their work, and that Trip was "extremely cooperative." He knows it isn't easy for Trip to work with him. As Degra makes to leave, Quantum stops him to say that when he saw the future, he saw a situation where little human boys and little human girls will be able to join hands with the little Xindi boys and the little Xindi girls and walk together as sisters and brothers: "That's a future worth fighting for."
Back at the Xindi Round Table Chambers, Hoshi and Quantum walk together. "Passing notes," Quantum tells Hoshi, who is confused. "I got sent to the principal's office for passing a note in class. It was to Katie Bentley -- I was inviting her to a party a friend of mine was throwing." At that age, where going to the principal's office is an actual punishment, did we really "throw" parties? More than likely, his parents allowed him to have friends over and gave them pop. Hoshi asks what Katie Bentley said. "Funny thing, she had already turned me down, but after I got in trouble..." Quantum says. "Some women can't resist the bad boys," Hoshi smiles as they walk in. Hold on, I don't get the timeline of this note thing. According to Crabby Von Furrowface, the little strumpet had "already" turned him down before the episode of the note. So, either she turned him down by passing his note back with the box checked "No, I don't want to go to Al's party," and THEN Quantum got in trouble for passing notes -- which is sort of unfair, since she would have been the last to pass the note -- and then she subsequently changed her mind after he went to the principal's office; OR she had turned him down earlier in the day, and he was just being annoyingly persistent by asking her AGAIN by passing the illegal note. That would mean Quantum got hauled down to the principal's office before she could say no again, so she ended up saying yes? Man, it's getting chilly in here, I better zip up my straightjacket.
Xindi of the Round Table. The Round Table has agreed to listen to this new evidence Quantum wishes to present. Quantum states that the Xindi "Guardians" and the Golden Girl Sphere Knitters are one and the same. He can prove this because they came across Impetigo not too long ago, and he explained what his race was trying to do to their dimension. The pod Impetigo was found in was made up of the same alloys that make up the exteriors of the spheres. Aquawoman says, "You've already presented this information." Hey, that's past tense, and I could hear it! Oooh, do you think maybe I'm part bat? I've always wondered why I have these leathery wings and an appetite for bugs. Quantum beams down Impetigo in his stasis pod. It's not really Impetigo, though; it's all a masterful illusion. Degra explains that what they're looking at is a bio-metric hologram -- the same technology used to train their physicians: "It was constructed from medical data collected by Enterprise's medical officer." Bug House wants to know how they can be sure the data Phlox used wasn't falsified. Degra testifies that the humans don't have the technology to produce such a detailed fabrication. Quantum asks the Round Table if this is one of the Golden Girls Sphere Knitters. Three-Toed walks over and admits that there's quite a bit of resemblance. Aquawoman sings out. She's probably saying, "Bug House, you make a better door than a window -- move the hell over!" Hoshi translates, "It is a Guardian." The two Bug Houses go more bug house than usual. I think they're actually warming up their voices to sing in Virginia. The Bug Houses want the humans expelled from their Round Table. Dolum cagily says that they are open to hearing more. So is everyone else at the Round Table, overruling the cicadas.
Sphere. The team gets stuff. May-Blustery-Day reports that whatever was moving earlier stopped. T'Pol does stuff. May-Blustery-Day sees something moving and shouts, "Got something! It's heading in your direction and moving fast!" The team looks around but doesn't see anything. "It's coming down from the upper left quadrant!" May-Blustery-Day warns. The team whirls around in circles. It might have helped if May-Blustery-Day had told them if he meant his left or their left. "Are you sure?!" Reed shrieks. "Damn sure -- it's seventy meters away, fifty meters, thirty, fifteen!" May-Blustery-Day counts down. Uh-Oh Dead Stripe sees it and climbs up something to meet it. A big metal claw opens up. The team fires at it, but it grabs Uh-Oh Dead Stripe. Reed keeps firing. The claw vaporizes Uh-Oh Dead Stripe. T'Pol looks surprised. Reed keeps firing, and tells T'Pol to get out of there. Reed follows her, still firing, and finally disables the claw. May-Blustery-Day pulls the sh'pod around and announces that five more are heading their way: "MOVE!"
Enterprise. Trip gives a status report on the warp core -- they're far from being one hundred percent operational. Degra enters and says that they have the three votes they need: Snake Eyes have agreed to postpone the launch of the Mega Maid. Trip looks stunned. Quantum walks over to stand to him. Aw, that was probably just so they could both be in the shot, but it seemed so sweet. Still, too little, too late, buddy. Degra admits, "They'll need more convincing before they solidify their position, but this is a significant step. That future you spoke of [Degra puts out his hand], perhaps this is where that begins." Quantum solemnly takes Degra's hand. "Question," Trip interrupts from the background, struggling not to cry and having a hard time looking Degra in the face. "Those portable power cells you left us -- we're having a li'l trubble gettin' them in sync." That's because you KICKED THEM! Trip asks Degra to "hang around" and help him get them fixed. Degra agrees, "Of course." Quantum and the other Mr. Man leave. Trip takes the time to sort of apologize for everything he's said to Degra, and also to acknowledge that Degra went out on a limb for them. "If I'd suffered your loss, I'd feel the same way," Degra rasps. They get to work. Together. This is exactly where I knew Degra wasn't long for this world. Trip had made his peace with him, Degra had done his part at the Round Table, and he still had one really pissed-off Snake Eyes out for his blood. If you tell a story about a Snake Eyes eating his grandson in the first act, you have to make good on it by the end.
Council Rock. Degra sits in a room and works. His door buzzes. "Come in," Degra calls. The door opens, but we're still on Degra's face. Degra swallows nervously, "I wasn't expecting you." The shadow of Coolio hair falls on Degra's face, so we know it's a Snake Eyes. Dolum says they have things to discuss. He shuts the door and paces around the room. He says he's never liked "this place." Degra counters that he finds it peaceful. "It's too exposed -- Reptilians prefer to be near the ground," Dolum explains. "And then there's the stench." "'Stench'?" Degra asks. Dolum stands in front of the Birdman of Xinditraz weird skull shrine and says, "Of failure. Of a race that failed to survive." Of a gruesome and unclean shrine. Degra admits to being surprised by Dolum's reversal of opinion at the Round Table. Dolum thinks it was the right thing to do, and that the other Xindi will fall in line since they all want unification. Blah, blah, blah -- can we get to the killing already? Dolum comes right out tells Degra that he knows he was the one who destroyed the Snake Eyes ship a few weeks ago. "They left me no choice," Degra says. "And you've left me no choice!" Dolum says, and stabs Degra. No biting? No venom sacks? Disappointed. "The crew on that ship are the last Xindi you'll ever betray!" Dolum says, and rips the knife through Degra's gut. Degra bleeds from the mouth. "When the humans have been eliminated, when the Council has been replaced by Reptilian rule, I am going to find your wife and children and do the same to them!" He yanks the bloody knife out of Degra and shows it to him. "Your traitorous bloodline will end at the tip of my blade!" He seems very Klingon, right down to tip of his ridged knife.
Phlox smiles down at a turtle in a tank that doesn't seem to be very alive. He must be thinking about lunch. Trip enters and says he's having trouble sleeping. He invites Phlox to come with him to a newly reopened section of the Mess for a snack, and repeats the information that the Xindi postponed the Mega Maid launch. "You make that sound like, uh, bad news," Phlox observes. "Ever since the attack on Earth, all I've thought about getting back at whoever was responsible," Trip notes. "And now we're making peace with them," Phlox finishes. Trip admits he's gotten used to the anger, and it's going to be like losing an old friend. Phlox reminds him he has other friends. Seriously, Trip? As far as you all know, you just saved Earth -- lighten up, bub! Trip wants to know if it's his imagination or has Phlox lost weight. Phlox chuckles that he was hoping someone would notice. "Yeah, I'm not the only one -- Hoshi commented on it last week," Trip says, and wants to know his secret. "The Nexian tapeworm. It attaches itself to the lower intestinal tract and absorbs nutrients --" Phlox explains. Wait, it absorbs nutrients? That can't be that healthy, since that would mean your body isn't getting anything from them. That's as dumb as a diet that says fruits and vegetables are bad! Plus, it's also clearly a diet in which you aren't even taking responsibility for your own health -- you're relying on a tapeworm to do it. Smaller portions, America! Smaller portions! Trip freaks out that Phlox has a worm inside him, but Phlox assures him it's harmless. "How're you gonna git it out?" Trip demands. Trip, where have you been? It was a three-day Today Show special! "Well, I'll insert a standard B-probe into my --" Phlox starts. "Nuh-nuh-no!" Trip interrupts. "Never mind." "It's a simple procedure," Phlox assures him. "I'm sure it is, Doc, I just don' wanna lose my appy-tite," Trip says.
Quantum's Quarters. Porthos snuggles on the bed and looks up when the computer beeps. A shirtless Quantum wipes his mouth -- was he drooling? -- before getting up. Mr. Man tells Quantum that Degra was murdered, stabbed! Quantum sits carefully down and spits out, "Who did this?!" If you don't stop with the excessive spitting, you're going to get dehydrated, Quantum. Mr. Man says that the Snake Eyes have called an emergency meeting of the Round Table, and he believes their recent support of not launching Mega Maid was a ruse. A ruse, I tell you! Dem your eyes! Dem your britches! And dem the Scarlet Pimpernel! Mr. Man says that Enterprise is in danger. "Keep me apprised," Quantum says, and hangs up. No "I'm so sorry for your loss"? No "Thanks for the warning, let me know if I can do anything to assist you in this time of your bereavement"? He doesn't even ask about where he can send flowers or make a donation to the Society of Wayward Hair Plugs! Ass. Quantum orders a tactical alert.
Sh'pod. May-Blustery-Day reports issues with the sh'pod, while Reed has a bit of a freak-out in the back with a case. I think he broke a nail. "Lieutenant?' T'Pol asks. "I'm all right! I'm fine!" Reed hissyfits, rocking back and forth. "Maybe that's the problem!" Reed goes on. "Maybe we're getting a bit! Too! Comfortable with losing people! Twenty-three men and women." Reed continues like this for a bit until finally May-Blustery-Day looks away in embarrassment and T'Pol goes back to comfort him with, "There's a Vulcan axiom --" "Only Nixon could go to China?" the Evil Dr. Mathra asks, hopefully. "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few," T'Pol says. "Or the one," I finish, turning the anvil down to a simmer. T'Pol explains that Uh-Oh Dead Stripe understood that. "That doesn't make his death any more acceptable!" Reed bites. "No," T'Pol agrees, "but it does make it honorable." Reed looks up to make sure she hasn't sprouted a cranial ridge and a craving for targ.
Xindi of the Round Table. Lots of shouting. Dolum admits -- with pride -- to murdering Degra and regrets not doing it sooner. Dolum announces that they have taken control of Mega Maid and they're going to launch it. "And you accuse Degra of being a traitor?" Mr. Man shouts. Bug House interrupts to say that they're acting on the behalf of Xindikind. "Either you stand with us or you stand against us," Dolum says. More shouting. The Aquamen, Three-Toes, and Mr. Men will not submit to intimidation. Bug House and Snake Eyes announce that they're withdrawing from the Round Table. More argument about civil war. Mr. Man points out that Mega Maid can't be launched without three of the codes, and Dolum only has two. "Do you really believe we haven't considered that?" Dolum asks. He's got the Enigma machine hidden under his scales.
Engineering. Trip can only get them up to warp three-point-four, and says they aren't ready for combat. "That hasn't stopped us in the past," Quantum says. Trip says, "I can't believe I actually feel bad about Degra. Twenty-four hours ago I would've been celebrating." Quantum stops walking and furrows, "A lot can happen in a day." Deep, man, deep. Hoshi comms that five Bug House ships are descending toward the surface.
We get a look at the snow-covered surface of the planet. Snow blows and a door on the surface opens and the Mega Maid launches, flanked by ships. It even leaves a Mega Maid impression in the snow behind it. Cool.
Bridge. Hoshi reports what we just saw. Quantum orders pursuit. Mr. Man comms that the Bug Houses and Snake Eyes have taken control of Mega Maid, and he's ordered all available ships to intercept.
Sh'pod. T'Pol seems to be looking at codes. "I hope there's something in there you can use," Reed says. "Most definitely," she responds. May-Blustery-Day announces that a bunch of ships are leaving the surface, one of them is Enterprise, and he's detecting weapons fire.
Bridge. Stuff explodes. The sh'pod comms, and Quantum orders Hoshi to tell them to stay put: "We'll come back for them when we can." Explosions. Firefight in the sky. Mr. Man tells them where they should concentrate their weapons fire on the Mega Maid.
Snake Eyes ship. Dolum tells them to forget the others and target Enterprise.
One of Enterprise's nacelles flickers out.
Snake Eyes ship. "Get the female!" Dolum orders.
Bridge. Hoshi is beamed away. Duuuude! "Hooo-shi!" calls Quantum.
Snake Eyes ship. Dolum orders them into the vortex.
Mega Maid and her escorts disappear.
Bridge. "We've lost them, sir," some random says, as Quantum stares at Hoshi's empty chair.
week: Hoshi is tortured, Uh-Oh Hayes is shot at just as he beams out, and a church choir will be providing the music.