I am happy to say that I was wrong on two counts about this episode. First of all, it bore no resemblance to "Schisms," as I feared, and secondly, Daniels did not actually rear his piss-ant time-traveling head. This episode was an improvement over last week and I really have to give Bakula props in his Humans Are Compassionate and Also Very Nice speech. However, don't you think it's a pity that he choked on all that irony? I mean, who is he to lecture on compassion? No, really. No. Really.
Two creatures that we are supposed to think are Mayweather and Reed play chess in the mess. They set up, play a few moves, and Mayweather says stuff like, "You'll win in eight games," and then they start calculating all the possible outcomes. So, really, as soon as I heard Reed calculate "ten to the one-hundred and twenty-third power," I knew something didn't smell right. Actually, there are several things that tip you off that this isn't Mayweather and Reed. First, and most obvious, Mayweather says more than two words. Secondly, they're hanging out -- we really haven't seen these two characters do that in the past. Finally, they're playing chess, and let's face it: no one on this ship (aside from maybe Phlox or T'Pol) are what I would consider mental giants. Seriously. You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows. Well, maybe Hoshi.
Orga-Mayweather is surprised anyone bothers with chess since it's so predictable. Orga-Reed looks over at some red stripes getting up from their table and says, "Their average life-span's only about a hundred years -- there's no time to play all the possible games." "Now, that's a really assholish thing to say, even for an alien. Do you know how old you'd have to be to play all the 10^123 possible outcomes? Let's say that you were advanced enough to play one full game per nanosecond -- which these Organians aren't, given that it's taking them a few seconds to predict an outcome and start over -- you'd have to be one googol times as old as the life of the universe. And, as everyone knows, the universe is twenty billion years old. So, yeah. Asshole Organians," the Evil Dr. Mathra fumes. Orga-Mayweather scoffs what a waste the human lifespan is, and Orga-Reed cautions him not to get emotionally involved. "I know the rules," Orga-Mayweather grins, "observation without interference." Orga-Mayweather wonders how the humans will react to what they find on the planet. Orga-Reed explains that that's what they're there to find out, and shrugs that he expects the humans to react the same way other physical species do. "Do you think our hosts will die tonight?" Orga-Mayweather asks. "It's possible," Orga-Reed considers. "For some of the species that have come here -- I've seen the whole crew die. For others, only a few." "But somebody always dies," Orga-Mayweather presses. "Always," Orga-Reed says, and then brightly tells him it's his move. Orga-Mayweather looks like he needs his nappy changed.
Song.
Hoshi and Trip fly back to the ship in a sh'pod. They've been sifting through a Klingon garbage dump and Hoshi, well, Hoshi's not real happy about it. Trip coughs a bit and comms the ship that they're on their way in. Trip has a coughing fit and falls to the floor. He gasps for Hoshi to take over. Hoshi comms Enterprise and tells them they've got a medical emergency. Quantum asks if Hoshi can bring the sh'pod in. "Yes, sir," Hoshi responds, "at least in simulations." "Slow and steady," Quantum advises. Shut up, Quantum. With Trip hacking up various alveoli on the floor, I don't think that's helpful advice. Quantum orders T'Pol to call Phlox to decon and takes off. Orga-Reed and Orga-Mayweather trade looks.
Decon. Hoshi carries Trip to a bed and asks Phlox if they should start with the bio-gel. Look at her -- she's all eager to get nekkid with Trip! She wants to ease him through his recent breakup. Ew -- I just grossed myself out for no good reason. To Hoshi's libidinal disappointment, Phlox doesn't want them to smear down until they know what they're dealing with. He passes some kits in through a banker's chute and tells them to take blood samples. Hoshi starts coughing and then stares at Trip. She explains, "Before Commander Tucker passed out, he started coughing." Phlox asks if she has any other symptoms. Hoshi coughs some more and runs to the bathroom to vomit. Loudly. Phlox says he'll get them some anti-nausea medicine and leaves with Quantum, confessing that whatever they have isn't showing up on standard scans and that's not good.
Orga-Mayweather and Orga-Reed discuss their observations. According to Orga-Reed, the humans are acting just like the Klingons did when faced with the same situation, and he thinks they might as well stop their observations immediately because the humans as so ho-hum predictable. Orga-Mayweather points out that the humans are showing concern for their crew, just as the Cardassians did. "Ah, but in the end, they killed their infected crew -- just as the Klingons did," Orga-Reed points out. Orga-Mayweather still believes the humans could surprise them. "I've been observing aliens for eight hundred years and I have yet to be surprised," Orga-Reed says, but decides they should follow "protocol" and go on with their observations. And a good thing too, otherwise we wouldn't have this DELIGHTFUL episode. Orga-Reed directs Orga-Mayweather to question the infected ones while he gets info from Phlox.
Decon. Trip primes a Nighttime Sniffling Sneezing Coughing Aching Stuffy Head Fever So You Can Rest Hypo. Orga-Mayweather knocks on the window and says he just wanted to say hi. He wants to know what's in the hypo and how their illness compares to other times they've been sick. Hoshi and Trip give each other "what the fuck is up with Chatterbox?" looks. Trip asks, "Aren't you supposed to be on duty?" Orga-Mayweather's still full of questions. Trip tells him they need to get some sleep, thanks him for stopping by, and firmly pulls the window shade across. Orga-Mayweather is all, "But...aw!" It's kind of a funny scene. Don't get excited, I said "kind of." I still haven't forgiven the show for last week. Right here Trip should've been thinking to himself, "Travis never has that many lines -- that's NOT THE REAL TRAVIS MAYWEATHER!"
Sickbay. Orga-Reed fakes a headache, and then asks Phlox about Trip and Hoshi's blood tests and how Phlox intends to approach his research. Phlox shoos Orga-Reed out without telling him anything.
Decon. Trip sort of likens their situation to The Andromeda Strain, but Hoshi shows such a lack of interest that he abandons doing anything other than dropping the name. He looks around at Decon and says it reminds him of his dorm at Starfleet Training. "Got into a lot of trouble at ol' STC," Trip says, looking down at his cot. I don't want to know. Hoshi one-ups him: "I got kicked out." Trip boggles at her. Hoshi gets up to get another blanket. Or something. It's not clear because she walks away, only to fidget a bit, then come back with the same blanket that she's trying hard to make sure is continually off one shoulder. "Well, you can't stop there!" Trip drawls in confusion. Hoshi says that in her second month, she had a difference of opinion with the company commander. Trip gazes at her as she fidgets some more. "I broke his arm!" Hoshi finally admits. "Can I ask why?" Trip asks. "Poker," Hoshi says. "You broke his arm playing cards?" Trip says dazedly. Hoshi explains that he tried to shut down a game she was running for recruits and training staff. "Hold on," Trip says, lying down, "you ran a floating poker game at STC?" Hold on, I need to lie down as well. Wasn't there some episode where Hoshi talked about what a perfect student she was? Didn't she say she never got sent to the principal's office? Okay, granted, maybe she was being rebellious at STC (whatever the hell that's supposed to be) but it's a major stretch that not even the most accomplished yogaist could accomplish without pulling major character tendons. Hoshi defends herself that the regulations made gambling dishonorable only if it was going on during duty hours, so she made sure the game was on weekends. "One night, my CC showed up and tried to sweep all the chips of the table and I -- well, I have a black belt in aikido," Hoshi says. "I think he was just upset that I hadn't invited him to play." So, what are they going to try ? Have her smoking a cigar? Not gonna happen, people. Not gonna happen.
Keckler: I can't believe that after four years of serving together and getting attacked, this is the first we're hearing of her black belt.
Evil Dr. Mathra: I can -- this show sucks.
Hoshi says she got a bad conduct discharge, but she ended up on Enterprise because Starfleet needed linguist specialists so badly, they didn't care that she assaulted a superior officer. It might be cool to think that underneath all that first-season squealing and screaming, Hoshi might have a unpredictable violent streak that might cause her to suddenly lash out at Quantum and toss him right on his furrows, sending him into a permanent vegetative state, but, well, there's all that first-season squealing and screaming. Again, I appreciate that they are trying to flesh out these characters and give them depth, but it's kind of stupid to make that fleshy depth incongruous to what we already know. It'd be like Trip suddenly announcing he's from Canada. Or finding out that Reed was a life coach before he joined up. Or that people can actually see Mayweather. Sigh. And you ask why I don't live here? Honey, I think you're really weird.
Sickbay. Phlox says they're dealing with a highly contagious silicon-based virus. This is a big deal because the planet they were exploring was Class-M and all signs of life should have been carbon-based. Smack! -- of course! I don't know. Whenever I hear that something is carbon-based, I think it's a bad thing until my husband reminds me that's what we are. I really shouldn't be recapping this show, should I? Phlox can't find anything similar to the E. Fauxli virus in the Denobulan database, but postulates that at the going rate, Hoshi and Trip will be dead in five hours. Quantum switches his Concerned Furrow with his Concerned and Now Predicting Grief Furrow. It didn't seem like much was happening, so I turned it off and went to grab another beer. Seems like every time you turn around there's another hard luck story that you're gonna hear.
In the mess, Orga-Mayweather whispers to Orga-Reed that Phlox ID'd the pathogen. Orga-Reed muses, "That happens thirty-seven percent of the time." Orga-Mayweather points out that no one's suggested they abandon the infected crewmembers. "Then this will likely be one of the times when everyone dies," Orga-Reed says, and dips into his orange soup. He takes a mouthful and seems quite pleased with it. That cracked me up for some reason. Maybe because I spent waaaaay too much time editing the master recipe for carrot-ginger soup today and I wondered if Orga-Reed opted for the chipotle garnish. Orga-Mayweather looks either angry, or concerned, or slightly like a plotting psychotic here.
Quantum visits Decon and beeps them. "Travis," comes Trip's exhausted voice, "if that's you again..." Heh -- even he thinks Mayweather's had more than enough lines this episode. Quantum identifies himself, and Trip slides back the window. Quantum's taken aback by how sweaty and grey Trip looks. Quantum tells Trip that Phlox has identified the silicon-based virus and is working on a cure with T'Pol. Quantum blows more furrowed sunshine up Trip's Southern ass, but Trip says he remembers his Exobiology 101: "Our immune system can't fight silicon." "Don't you give up on me," Quantum nearly sobs, and tells him to get some rest. Trip nods and staggers back to bed. Quantum needs a tissue, because he aches just like a woman but he breaks just like a little girl.
"We're looking for signs of elevated intelligence in the species we observe," Orga-Mayweather says. "Rational intelligence, yes," Orga-Reed corrects him, "which Archer has not demonstrated." You've noticed that too? Can I take that as a shout-out? PLEASE?! The two superior beings argue about whether Quantum understands the gravity of the situation or whether he's just a stand-by-his-crew kind of guy. "There's a way to be sure," Orga-Mayweather suggests. Orga-Reed says, "We chose the Helmsman and the Armory Officer for good reason -- they both are stationed on the Bridge, yet neither plays a critical role in a medical emergency." Drop "in a medical emergency" and you've got Mayweather's CV. Orga-Mayweather suggests they squat in Phlox and T'Pol so they can observe Quantum's decision making up close. Man, are they going to be bored! Orga-Reed is reluctant, because he thinks they could end up interfering, but is finally convinced. I've got a question -- where are Mayweather and Reed's consciousnesses when all this is going on? I know we learn later that the Organians clean up with a memory wipe, but what about all the lost hours? Do they invent memories for them to have? And what if they had duties to perform during all this time and they didn't get done -- how would they explain that?
Decon. Hoshi and Trip discuss how they are both jealous of the other's abilities. Hoshi wishes she could be MacGyver and Trip wishes he had Hoshi's many tongues. Hoshi asks if Trip has always been good with building things, and Trip tells a story about removing all the screws from their dining room table on Thanksgiving. "It was so old, the wood sort of stuck together so it stayed standing. Until m'dad put the turkey down," Trip finishes, and says he spent the month in his room. Hoshi laughs and asks how old he was. "Oh, twenty-four, twenty-five," Trip grins. Wait. Wait. His parents grounded a twenty-five-year-old? That's even more embarrassing than the fact he was so stupid when he was old enough to rent a car! Hoshi looks up to see T'Pol and Phlox just standing outside the Decon window staring at them. It was a funny cut. They're just there. All interested. "How long have they been standing there?" Trip whispers. He's all worried that T'Pol heard what a freak he was just five years ago. Orga-T'Pol and Orga-Phlox ask the usual Organian questions: how are they feeling, what are they thinking, et cetera. Trip tells them they'd feel a lot better if they two of them were off whipping up a cure. Orga-T'Pol and Orga-Phlox leave. Trip thinks that both of them showing up means there's no hope for them. Poor Trip. Poor, stupid, screwy Trip.
Orga-Phlox thinks Hoshi and Trip are brave the way they're facing death. Orga-T'Pol says, "Their courage isn't at [sic] question -- their intelligence is." It turns out the Organians use this infected planet as a way to determine if a species is intelligent enough to handle first contact with them. Orga-Phlox thinks it's an unfair test, and that things other than intelligence should be considered. Orga-T'Pol says it's not up to them to change how things have been done for ten thousand years, which means, of course, that it is.
Quantum tells Reed that the virus came via a meteorite that hit near the Klingon camp. He tells him to call Starfleet and find out what Klingon ship was exploring that planet and whether or not they found a cure.
Sickbay. Orga-Phlox announces that the tests his host is waiting for have arrived. Orga-T'Pol says they should leave "these creatures" to their work. Orga-Phlox looks up and says, "The Helmsman and Armory Officer are back on the Bridge."
On the Bridge, Orga-Reed and Orga-Mayweather exchange significant looks.
Sickbay. T'Pol suggests a radiation treatment, and Phlox gets to work on it.
Decon. Hoshi speaks in tongues in her sleep. Trip shakes her awake and tells her she was having a bad dream. Hoshi mutters that she dreamt she was back in Brazil. She never got a chance to say goodbye to her students. Now, how did that happen? Quantum does recruit her right in the middle of her class, but are you telling me he's such an asshole that he wouldn't even let her go back to her students and say anything? Not even "class dismissed and by the way, I'm off to outer space"? Idiot wind. It's a wonder he can even feed himself. Trip promises that she will see them again. Didn't she see them last time they were home on Earth? She could've said goodbye then and also handed back their homework. Oh, y'all, I just reread the series premiere -- I was so innocent back then! Now I'm just a dried-up, bitter old hull -- sort of like Sandra Lee. But with less non-dairy whipped topping.
Quantum's findings, as he explains them to Orga-Mayweather and Orga-Reed (who are acting far too intelligent for their hosts), is that the Klingon commander destroyed the sh'pod with the infected crew. "They didn't even plead for mercy," Orga-Reed muses, and when Quantum furrows at him, he amends, "I mean, they wouldn't, would they? Being Klingon." Orga-Mayweather asks if this information helps them at all, and Quantum says it means they don't have to bother asking the Klingons for a cure. "But if they had one, you'd ask them for it -- wouldn't you?" Orga-Mayweather asks. Quantum considers him: "On bended knee." No, no, no! You mean "on bended furrow," don't you? The Organians file this bit of information away to not use the time they encounter humans and Klingons together.
Decon. Hoshi speaks Spanish as she tries to open the Decon door. Trip tells her tiredly that they're in quarantine for a reason. She yells at him in Klingon and continues to punch numbers on the code door. "I have no idea what you're saying, but you can't break the lockout code," Trip tells her. "Math is just another language," Hoshi says, and opens the door. The alarm blares. Hoshi runs out.
Bridge. Orga-Reed reports the quarantine breach on D-deck and announces that Decon has been unsealed. He looks at Orga-Mayweather as he says this, who looks…turned on by the news?
Trip wearily leans against a wall as Hoshi goes on walkabout.
Hoshi and her blanket continue to make their way through corridors, overriding locks. Orga-Reed reports this on the Bridge. Quantum orders all power to D-Deck shut down: "I want those doors sealed!" As Hoshi stands in a corridor, segment by segment, the lights go out behind her. It's a cool effect. She's illuminated in red emergency light. Trip finally staggers forth to drag her back from the airlock, which she is currently trying to open. Hoshi tries to smack Trip around with her black belt but finally collapses against him because it's really only a green. Trip says the captain won't let them down, and leads her back to Decon. Trip comms that they're back in Decon. From Sickbay, Phlox orders Trip to set the hypospray for three cups of Nyquil. Trip staggers back to look at the comm screen. "That could drop a horse," Trip says. Only if it's the green stuff. The red stuff is nummy. Quantum says they can't risk Hoshi wandering off again. "Especially," he adds wryly, "since it seems she can override every security safeguard on Enterprise." Trip agrees and drugs Hoshi, who collapses onto her pillow. "It's your turn, Trip," Quantum says. Trip argues a bit but finally gives in. But before he does, he looks over at Hoshi and says he's wondering if either of them will wake up again. He drugs himself and staggers over to a cot.
Sickbay. Phlox is still refining his radiation cure to make sure it won't kill Hoshi and Trip. "Work faster," Quantum says, and claps Phlox on the shoulder. But not in an assholish way. It actually hurt me to admit that, but there it is.
Bridge. Orga-Mayweather wants to stop what the virus is doing to Trip and Hoshi. Orga-Reed says they aren't there to interfere and that they shouldn't be talking in such a public area. "I know where we can talk undisturbed," Orga-Mayweather says. Bamp. Chicka.
In Decon, Orga-Hoshi and Orga-Trip sit up. Orga-Trip notes the pain he's feeling in his host and wonders why any species should endure that sort of physical weakness. "Because the desire to overcome it will spur them to move beyond the limitations of the physical world," Orga-Hoshi says, standing up. Orga-Trip says, "Maybe that isn't true for every species," and also stands up. Now, wouldn't it have been smarter for them to hold their secret conversations while still maintaining the prone positions of their hosts? You know, so as not to arouse suspicions about how two drugged and dying people could stand up and have an animated and philosophical discussion? Higher beings, my ass. Phlox sees Orga-Hoshi and Orga-Trip standing and talking and gets suspicious. See! See! "They can't be awake -- not with that much Nyquil!" Phlox says, looking at their vitals. Phlox turns up the volume on their conversation and realizes that they are talking about humans in the third person. "What disturbs me the most about humans is their capacity for violence," Orga-Hoshi says. "Klingons embrace violence -- the humans try to avoid it," Orga-Trip says. "Humans say they avoid it but their words don't ma --" Orga-Hoshi breaks off and looks over at the comm screen. "We're being observed."
Orga-Quantum and Orga-T'Pol walk in. Phlox rushes to tell them what's going on and that Hoshi and Trip's readings aren't human. "Did you know they had this capability?" Orga-T'Pol asks Orga-Quantum. "They must've used Denobulan technology," Orga-Quantum says as Phlox looks frantically from one to the other. "I see," he says, finally. Orga-T'Pol explains that they hover around the planet in order to study visiting aliens and that they had nothing to do with what happened to Trip and Hoshi. Other than allowing them to get sick, that is. Orga-T'Pol continues, "You can help us by telling us how you detected our presence." Uh, he saw you talking and heard what you were saying? Phlox pretty much says the same thing, but adds what I said earlier about being drugged. "It's been so long since we've had physical form, we weren't able to distinguish sleep from sedation," Orga-Quantum explains. I have to say, after four years, I don't know the difference either. Orga-T'Pol promises they'll know better time. Phlox wants to know if they can help his patients. Orga-T'Pol points out that they are only there to observe, not interfere. "You're interfering with me!" Phlox exclaims. "Our subjects are human, you're Denobulan. You were inhabited a few hours ago -- an intriguing experience," Orga-T'Pol says. Phlox doesn't remember being inhabited because his memory was easily and conveniently "adjusted." Phlox realizes they are going to adjust his memory again and begs that if they can do that, they must be able to help his patients. "We could," Orga-Quantum says. "But we won't," Orga-T'Pol interrupts, and hands him back his scans, "Thank you for your help, Doctor." "No wonder you erase memories," Phlox snaps, snatching his scans back, "your behavior is appalling!" Hee -- I love Phlox. He makes it sounds like he's chastising the Organian for drinking out of her Sevres saucer at a tea party. Yet, we also know how very angry he is at what the Organians have done. Now that's acting.
In the corridor, Orga-Quantum tells Orga-T'Pol that Phlox has learned to stop the infection. He watches for Orga-T'Pol's reaction, who shrugs that she's seen seven other species find the cure, only for it to be too late. They didn't make first contact with any of them. Does it appear to all of you that the Organian rules for first contact all comes down to the observed species' medical prowess? That the Organians are a bunch of OCD-ers who won't make first contact until it's been proven that the observed species use sufficiently aseptic medical techniques and have swept under their beds? Orga-T'Pol says, "Expending resources to attempt an impossible task is not a sign of intelligence." Someone better tell that to my production editor.
Okay, so what the HELL do these Organians want? How does the observed species win the game and get to take home the first contact prize behind door number three? What DO they want? Do they want all species to be as germophobic as they are? Do they want the species to be sufficiently compassionate in how they treat their dying? That would explain why they didn't like the Cardassians or the Klingons, since they just killed their infected crewmembers. Do they want them never to have even explored the planet in the first place? If so, how would they ever have observed them? These are clearly not the same Organians of "Errand of Mercy," who were only concerned with preventing the war between the humans and Klingons. I mean, maybe they've evolved since then, but to what end? What are they now? What do they care about? What are they hoping to achieve? Are these questions ever answered in this episode? No. Instead, the Organians change their M.O. so we never really know what, without changing their M.O., would have made the humans pass Organian Chemistry. If they have standards, we are never made aware of them. Even Q was never this mean. He may have been enigmatic, irrational and egomaniacal, and naked, but he always had a goal. There was always an end. He was trying to teach them something or make them aware of things -- he wasn't just doing stuff to check them off as failures. He kept giving them more chances to prove themselves.
I also want to note here that there are two different Organians. One who is older, wiser, and has no merciful feelings towards the subjects they study, and another who is younger, possibly on his first mission, and more compassionate. In this scene, Bakula is playing the younger, more compassionate Organian, but where Montgomery played the ingénue part quite well, Bakula is still playing the part as if he were Quantum: angry, rigid, and furrowsome. It's a bad decision. Bakula could have seized on this opportunity to show all of us that he could still actually act beyond anger and assholishness, but he let it slip through his fingers. Like planets.
Orga-T'Pol suggests they return to their original hosts, as Quantum and T'Pol have decisions to make.
Phlox explains to T'Pol and Quantum that they have to move Hoshi and Trip to Sickbay in order to use the precision-based radiation treatment he's developed. They make the decision to expand the quarantine area.
We get a look at Trip and Hoshi's bio-monitors, and Hoshi's starts to beep. That can't be good. As he and Quantum EV-suit up, Phlox announces that Hoshi is deteriorating, so they must hurry. They hurry. The quarantine zone is expanded and Phlox and Quantum proceed. Orga-Mayweather stares at the monitor tensely.
In Decon, Phlox announces that Hoshi is dying as he and Quantum carry the two patients out of Decon and into Sickbay. They get Hoshi on the bio-scan bed, and Quantum discovers that Hoshi's stopped breathing. Orga-Mayweather and Orga-Reed are still watching the events unfold in Sickbay, and Orga-Reed says smugly, "Someone always dies," in the precise tone of Margaret Dashwood, noting that "they always kneel down."
Phlox frantically tries to open a box and can't. He starts to rip off one of his gloves, bitching that the med equipment wasn't designed for EV gloves. Wouldn't you think that would be a good idea? Protective suits and gloves that can be used in a quarantined sickroom? Phlox and Quantum struggle a bit before Quantum says grandly, "I'll be your hands. Right now Enterprise needs a doctor more than it needs captain!" Enterprise needs Phlox more than it needs Quantum? I'll always go along with that.
Orga-Mayweather and Orga-Reed continue to observe. T'Pol also watches and swallows hard. Better be careful there, Jolene, you might actually get something in your stomach.
Quantum attaches wireless cardio paddles the size of quarters to Hoshi's chest.
Orga-Reed mutters he doesn't understand as he takes a closer look at the proceedings. "In eight hundred years, no one's ever done that before?" Orga-Mayweather asks. "Not once they know it's hopeless," Orga-Reed says. It's not clear if they're talking about trying to restart Hoshi's heart or Quantum making himself vulnerable to the virus.
Phlox directs him to inject forty units of trinephedrine into Hoshi's heart. Quantum grabs at a box but Phlox stops him, saying it can't go deep enough. Ew. Not liking the sound of that. Quantum grabs another box and pulls out a plastic-wrapped syringe. He stares at the really long and thick needle. "Old-fashioned, but effective," Phlox says. Quantum positions and repositions the needle, according to Phlox's directions. "Now, in one quick motion, insert it three centimeters," Phlox orders. And to think, they weren't that precise in Pulp Fiction! Quantum inserts the needle, which comes all Foley'd up with skin puncture noises -- thanks, guys, I needed to squirm right out of my seat. Quantum injects the trinephedrine and pulls the needle out. "Clear!" Phlox barks, and with gunshot sounds, Hoshi's body jerks three times. No change. "Come on, Hoshi!" Quantum pleads. Phlox ups the ante and Hoshi's body jerks five times. No change. "Captain," Phlox tries to tell him. "Again!" Quantum shouts. He's got his helmet off as well. The better for us to see his furrows. Phlox tries again. Hoshi's body jerks harder. No change. Phlox declares Hoshi dead and tells Quantum to help him with Trip.
Orga-Mayweather wonders how many have to die before Orga-Reed admits that humans are different. He insists that they step in and stop it. Orga-Reed will not buck protocol, predicting, "When the first death occurs on the ship, there's a sixty-eight percent chance the rest of the crew will become infected." Orga-Mayweather asks what more that will teach them about humans. Not answering his question, Orga-Reed points out that all of this would have happened whether they were there to observe it or not: "We are not responsible." "Maybe we should be," Orga-Mayweather says, crossing his arms and looking back at the Sickbay monitor.
Sickbay. Quantum shakes out a sheet and looks down at Dead Hoshi. He pulls it over her face as Phlox says they need to move Trip into the scanner. Trip goes into the SCAT. Trip comes out of the SCAT. Phlox says sadly, "It didn't work. I'm sorry, Captain." Trip wheezes. Quantum says it's not Phlox's fault. "It may be too late for Commander Tucker but you still have a few hours -- there has to be something I -- I can try," Phlox stutters desperately. Quantum hoarsely tells Phlox to continue his work on the Bridge: "Less chance of something going wrong with your suit." Phlox promises he won't give up, and leaves. Wait, wouldn't the virus stick to Phlox's suit so when he goes to take it off, he's actually going to get the stuff on him and become infected? They don't know how to Decon the virus away, so I think Phlox is just as screwed as the Captain. I mean, I know the suit could be irradiated because we know that high levels of radiation will kill the virus, but how does Phlox step out of the suit, so the suit can be irradiated, without actually touching the suit? It's a pickle.
Quantum comms T'Pol. She confirms that she's been watching and that she now knows she's in command. "I'd like to think you'll stay in command," Quantum continues, "don't let Admiral Gardiner sneak in someone over your head." If you watch Quantum in the monitor behind T'Pol (she's clearly looking at a monitor on her console), you'll notice that in the last half of that sentence we only see the back of his head, which means Bakula chose to deliver the last part of his speech without even looking at T'Pol. I know the man's dying and everything, but that's a bit rude. "I'll do my best," T'Pol CRACK WHORES. "I know you will," Quantum whispers, still being rude. The camera moves and we can see over T'Pol's spiky shoulder that Quantum has finally turned back to face his sub-commander as he says that he has to go look after Trip. Excuse me, what looking after can be done at this stage? He has to go watch Trip die, is more like it. Sorry, am I being insensitive to people who aren't even going to stay dead for more than five minutes? Quantum promises, "We'll talk again before..." Before YOU DIE? "We'll talk again," Quantum finishes.
Sickbay. Quantum stands over the wheezing Trip and gazes around at Hoshi's shrouded corpse. He looks up at Trip's vitals and then rubs Trip's chest. Okaaaay. Trip struggles to breathe. Quantum keeps his hand on Trip's chest. It's an oddly tender moment. I say "oddly" because I couldn't help shouting, "Dude, are you trying to kill him? He's already having problems breathing and you're, like, pushing down on his chest!" Trip gasps his last and dies. I heard his friend Frankie say: "He's not dead, he's just asleep." Trip's vitals flatline.
"I have such respect for you, Captain Archer," Corpsa-Trip says as Quantum jerks away. Trip's vitals gear up again. Corpsa-Trip sits up and reveals that he's an Organian and that Trip is his host. He also says that he didn't do anything to Trip -- that he and his pals only observe but never interfere with the natural order of things. Until now. Quantum gets irritated when Corpsa-Trip says they knew about the silicon virus and didn't warn them. Corpsa-Trip says he wanted to but it wasn't up to him. Corpsa-Hoshi sits up and chastises Corpsa-Trip for breaking the rules. Quantum jumps far away from both Corpsaganians. Heh.
Corpsa-Trip and Corpsa-Hoshi argue whether or not it's their decision to interfere with the humans. "I don't care about your rules," Quantum interjects raspily. Does that surprise anyone? Nope? Moving on, then. "Tell me what happens to Trip and Hoshi when you're finished with their bodies," Quantum insists. Corpsa-Hoshi says they have to leave them as they found them. "Dead?' Quantum asks. No, alive and kicking -- what do you think, you big lunk? "I understand why you won't get involved with a species' natural development. I've had to make that decision myself -- it's not an easy one to make," Quantum chokes. Is he talking about his own natural development? "Then we agree," Corpsa-Hoshi states. "No, we don't. Our encounter with the virus was an accident -- one that you could have prevented," Quantum contradicts. Corpsa-Hoshi asks how, in that case, would they ever learn about humans. "Ask us," Quantum pleads, "talk to us! Just like you're doing now." Corpsa-Hoshi snits that talking is a limited form of communication for them because they're so much more advanced than humans. God, SHUT UP! You've been TALKING to each other this ENTIRE EPISODE! If it was truly such a "limited form of communication," Corpsa-Reed and Corpsa-Mayweather would have been ESPing each other! Or sending great globs of light up each other's noses! Or SOMETHING! Regardless, stop with the higher-being CRAP unless you can PUT UP!
"Not from where I'm standing," Quantum argues, referring to the higher-being stuff. Corpsa-Hoshi stares at him. "Maybe you've evolved into beings with abilities I can't comprehend but you've paid a helluva price," Quantum goes on. It's Bakula's delivery of the line that particularly impressed me. "You've lost compassion and empathy -- things that give life meaning." He totally chokes up on "compassion and empathy" and it was the most emotion I've seen from him in a long time. Maybe ever. He goes on, "If that what it takes to be advanced, I don't want any part of it." Aw, don't worry, Quantum, you won't be. What? Look, I may be impressed with Bakula but I'm not yet impressed with Quantum. Corpsa-Hoshi is unmoved as she says they are leaving and he won't remember a thing about their little chat. Quantum chooses this moment to cough like Camille. "And in three hours, you'll die as well," Corpsa-Hoshi continues. Corpsa-Trip announces that they have the power to save them all, and says he's decided to defy the all the Organian protocol because of Quantum's act of compassion, which has never been observed by Organians before. "In time we'll study other humans," Corpsa-Hoshi insists. Quantum tells them to experience compassion for themselves by doing this one big and major thing for them. "If you want to know what it means to be human, you need to do more than observe," Quantum finishes.
Bridge. Phlox and T'Pol work to find a cure. Quantum comms T'Pol, saying, "You wanted to know when Trip was awake? Well, you better get down here, Trip is talking up a storm and so is Hoshi." "Captain," Phlox says gently, "Hoshi is --" "You too, Phlox -- maybe one of you can tell me what the hell just happened," Quantum interrupts. So, all that time, neither T'Pol nor Phlox happened to glance at the monitor and see any part of Quantum's Compassionate Humans speech with the two Corpsaganians? What about the recordings? I assume that everything on this ship can be played back because it's stored in the databanks, so won't they just watch those and see what happened? ARGH -- the sky's not yellow, it's chicken!
Sickbay. Phlox announces that Quantum, Hoshi, and Blond Trippie McWell are all completely free of the virus, and the only explanation he can offer is that Trip's radiation treatment had a delayed effectiveness, which then spilled over onto the other two. "I'm sure someone at Starfleet medical will figure it out," Quantum says, beaming at Trip. You know that he really only loves you for your leopard-skin pillbox hat. Quantum then announces that they are going to leave a warning beacon to make sure that what happened to them won't happen to anyone else. What exactly does Quantum remember? I mean, at what time was his memory reset? Does he remember Trip dying? It's so unclear, and I wish it weren't, because all these unknowns really weakens the episode!
Orga-Reed tells Orga-Mayweather, "You realize the consequences of what we've done -- we will never be able to study another species encounter this virus." Actually, even if the entire crew of Enterprise died, that would still be true. Quantum would have still put up a warning beacon, even if it was with his last dying gasp -- it's a human reaction. Orga-Mayweather is pleased with their end result and says he's looking forward to making his first report, in which he will recommend that the rules that have been in place for ten thousand years be changed. "These humans have not been a good influence on you -- I would not encourage further encounters," Orga-Reed snits, running after Orga-Mayweather. "I don't think we can avoid them. I'm going to recommend that we start preparations for an official first contact mission," Orga-Mayweather smiles. "Indeed!" Orga-Reed bustles. "Well, at the rate they're progressing, that will barely give us five thousand years to prepare." "Then we better get started!" Orga-Mayweather says. Why do advanced species always take so much longer than average to do things? I know it has something to do with living out of time and time not mattering and shit, but shouldn't that mean that they do everything quicker than the undeveloped beings? That they're multi-taskers who have learned how to be highly effective? I've never understood that reasoning. But see, when they asked him why it had to be that way, the answer was "just because."
week: It's the "Journey to Babel" Part -1 with a fantastically creepy-looking puppet master. But, Shran McCain's back, so YAY! Also, I loved the blues music they were playing in the promo. It's probably too much to hope that they'd keep that up in the episode? Yeah. I know.