04x16 - Divergence

[bunniefuu]

NARRATOR:
Previously, on Enterprise:

ALIEN:
You, Denobulan, come with us.

A virus is spreading from planet to planet.
Millions are already infected.

- What do you want with me?
- If this continues,

the Klingon species
will cease to exist.

There's a job that needs doing,
lieutenant.

It may be the only way
to save your friend's life.

You don't seriously expect me to help you
create Klingon Augments?

Take him.

The Malcolm Reed I know would give
his life before committing treason.

There are some obligations

that go beyond my loyalty
to you and this crew.

T'POL: T'Pol to Captain Archer.
ARCHER: Go ahead.

T'POL: The warp matrix has been
compromised by a Klingon subroutine.

It's infiltrated our command protocols.

- Pressure's increasing again.
- Take us to warp 5.2.

Sir, we can't hold that speed for long.

ARCHER:
We're out of options, Travis.

Five-point-two.

NARRATOR:
And now, the conclusion...

[RUMBLING]

We have 47 minutes
until a reactor breaches.

- What did the Klingons do to it?
- They altered our engineering sub-routines.

If we go below warp 5,
the reactor's going to explode.

- How can I help?
- I've been talking with Trip.

Columbia can rendezvous with us
in 30 minutes.

He says
he can restore the subroutines.

- He can't do that from Columbia.
- We'll bring him on board.

Transporter won't operate at warp,
docking's out of the question.

Trip told me you had experience
transferring personnel at warp speed.

In training exercises, yes.

But at warp speed 1.

Every move was rehearsed in simulators
for weeks.

We don't have weeks.

We'll have to merge our warp field
with Columbia's.

T'Pol's doing the calculations now.

At warp 5, we'll have to move
within 50 meters of each other.

Has anyone ever done this before?

Travis can handle the flying.

Can you get Trip over here?

[RUMBLING]

You'll have to let me out of this brig.

Commander Tucker,
are you ready for this?

As ready as I'll ever be.

Open a channel.

- Columbia to Enterprise.
- This is Archer.

We're matching speed and trajectory
as requested.

Stand by, Columbia.

Archer to Reed.

- Go ahead.
- We're in position.

Have them start their rotation.

Coming up on 100 meters.

Ninety, 80 meters.

This is the Bridge.

All hands brace for warp field contact.

[RUMBLING]

Hold her steady, Travis.

Or Chef will know who to blame
for the mess in the galley.

[BLEEPING]

We're at 50 meters and holding.

Make sure everything's ready for Trip
in Engineering.

Archer to Reed.

- You're all clear.
REED: Understood.

Columbia, I'm deploying the tether.

Nice sh**ting, Malcolm.

- Tucker to Captain Hernandez.
HERNANDEZ: Go ahead.

- I'm heading out.
- Quick as you can, commander.

Never thought I'd see the stars like this.

Eyes on the cable, commander.
I need you back here in one piece.

You're doing fine, Trip.

[RUMBLING]

T'Pol, what's happening?

I'm reading a fluctuation
in the warp field.

Take power from life support
if you have to, but keep the field constant.

Sir, I'm having trouble holding position.

Fifty-two meters, 55.

TRIP: Don't mean to be a pest, but could
someone tell me what's going on?

You're almost here, Trip. Keep going.

[COMPUTER BEEPING]

Engineering, report.

I'm re-routing power now, captain.
Stand by.

Fifty-nine meters.

[RUMBLING]

The tether's at its limit. Hurry up.

T'Pol to the Bridge.

It's not working.
The field is still fluctuating.

Almost there.

Trip!

Permission to come aboard?

Bridge, I have him.

You all right, Trip?

I'll feel a lot better when this is over.

There's only one way to do this, captain,
a cold start.

I have to shut down the reactor,
and reset the algorithms.

Once we bring the warp back on-line,
subroutines should be back to normal.

But if we shut down the reactor--

That's why we need to move inside
Columbia's warp field.

They can sustain our speed
while I re-initialize the engines.

They won't be able to hold us more
than a minute. Don't have enough power.

I've got a shortcut in mind.

Shortcut?

Those subroutines
would take hours to decrypt.

Better just to purge them,
wipe them clean.

I'll contact Columbia.

TRIP:
What are they here for?

The captain and I
have had a slight misunderstanding.

- How slight?
- These gentlemen are here

to escort me back to the brig.

Don't worry, I'll tell you all about it
when we're not quite so busy.

TRIP:
Fancy meeting you here.

Intermix pressure?

Fifteen twenty-seven.

- Field variance?
- Eighty-seven millicochranes.

Somebody hasn't been taking
good care of my engine.

Speak with the Klingons.

- What are you doing?
- Take notes.

I'll perform a manual shutdown
and restart in less than two minutes.

- That's not possible.
- Watch me.

Columbia to Enterprise.

- Go ahead.
- I've routed everything to my warp field.

Do me a favor, Jonathan.
Make this quick.

Archer to Trip.

Ready when you are.

Stand by.
Everyone get away from the bulkheads.

It's gonna get a little hot here.

Reactor shut down in five,
four, three, two, one.

[ENTERPRISE ENGINE
SHUTTING DOWN]

T'Pol, prime the injectors.
Jenkins, man the relays.

JENKINS:
Yes, sir.

Columbia to Enterprise.
You've got about 40 seconds.

Understood.

- Trip, how's it going?
- Just another minute, captain.

You don't have a minute.

Get ready to initialize the matrix.

[BLEEPING]

Enterprise, we're losing the field.

[COMPUTER BEEPING]

- Fifteen seconds, Trip.
TRIP: Almost there.

Full power to containment.
Fire up the antimatter stream.

ARCHER:
Ten seconds, nine, eight, seven, six...

- Commander.
TRIP: Here we go.

ARCHER:
Four, three, two...

[ENGINE POWERING UP]

We've got warp power.

Engineering to the Bridge.

Subroutines have been purged.

ARCHER:
Appreciate the house call, Mr. Tucker.

Anytime.

I'd like to drop to impulse for a while,
captain.

- Just to check things over.
- Stand by.

[COMMUNICATOR BLEEPING]

Enterprise to Columbia.

Thanks for the lift.

You're not getting away
with my chief engineer that easily.

Any plans for the next few days?

What have you got in mind?

Phlox.

Phlox?

This will help.

[PHLOX GRUNTING]

My apologies for the general's conduct.

He's so crude.
This is no way to treat a man of science.

[PHLOX PANTING]

Then end it.

Contact Starfleet.

My people need you, Phlox.

We have no healers with your abilities.

You want me to create Klingon Augments,
living weapons. I won't do it.

No, no.

I've been reviewing your work.
It's brilliant.

You have discovered a weakness
in the virus causing the plague.

If we interrupt
the transcription sequence here...

Yes.

Yes.

That would stop the genetic effects
of the virus in Stage One.

There'd be changes of appearance,

some minor neural reordering,

but no development
of Stage Two characteristics.

No enhanced strength or speed
or endurance.

But then General K'Vagh
would not get his Augments.

He would never allow it.

What if we don't tell him?

Do you understand what will happen

if the general learns
that we've deceived him?

A cure would save
millions of innocent lives.

What more honorable death
could there be for a healer?

Klingon or Denobulan.

ARCHER:
Captain's starlog, supplemental.

I've asked Columbia to join us
in our search for Phlox.

We'll have a better chance of making it
through Klingon territory

with twice the firepower.

I don't suppose you can tell me
where I'm going this time.

Unh. I didn't think so.

- Those are my personal files.
- Not when they affect my ship.

T'Pol restored
everything you tried to erase.

We ran his face and voiceprint
through our database.

His name's Harris.

He worked in Starfleet Security.

Up till five years ago.
After that, his file ends.

Captain,

- there's nothing more I can add.
- I won't accept that.

You endangered
every member of this crew.

You answer to me.

I thought I knew you, Malcolm.

Whatever hold this Harris has on you,

you could've come to me.

- I'm under orders.
- I'm your commanding officer!

If you don't tell me what's going on,
I'll go to Starfleet.

Whatever you think you've been trying
to keep hidden is going to come out.

Is that what you want?

Is that what you want?

I can't tell you what I don't know.

Then let me talk to someone who can.

Send a message to Harris.

Has the House of Phlox always been
one of healers?

There is no House of Phlox.

Denobulan family units are different
from Klingons.

Yes, I've heard.

Three wives for each husband.

Three husbands for each wife.

Your mating practices
must be very complex.

Wondrously so.

What about the House of Antaak?

We are a warrior caste.

When I became a healer,
my father disowned me.

As a physician in Imperial Fleet,
you've served in the m*llitary.

Not as well as I should have.

I did not screen my subjects properly.

This plague...

all its victims...

It's my fault.

My failure is the reason you're here.

The humans could not stop us.

I am your superior.

You will salute.

Now, report.

Enterprise was destroyed.

Starfleet will think it was her engines.

One of you is missing.

Your son was slow.
The humans k*lled him.

Did he die with honor?

He let humans k*ll him.

[DOOR OPENS]

Report.

Dr. Phlox has made excellent progress.

Details.

I've identified the RNA sequences
that code--

Details I can pass on to my superiors.

I know where to look for the switch
that will turn off the virus.

How long until you find it?

- An hour.
- One hour.

[DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES]

[COMPUTER BEEPING]

- What do you want?
- I have news for the high council.

Explain.

The Denobulan is close to perfecting
the Augments' genome.

The council has shut down
your project.

If you sterilize this colony,
then all our research will be lost.

The fleet will reach you in three days.

If you're successful
by the time we get to orbit,

Qu'Vat will be spared.

[COMPUTER BLEEPING]

Captain, it's gonna be a while before
everything's back to normal in Engineering.

Can Kelby handle it?

I could pull a little double duty
to help him out.

I could check
with Captain Hernandez.

Something else?

What the hell's going on with Malcolm?

Nothing I can get into right now.

Fair enough.

Guess I'd better get back to Columbia.

I'll walk with you.

Are you enjoying your time
aboard Columbia?

Sure, why wouldn't I?

You haven't been experiencing
any problems?

Such as?

Adjusting to new food, new routines.

Trouble sleeping?

I sleep just fine.

How about you?

Fine.

You sure about that?

Quite.

Your hour is up.

We are getting the test results now.

We are running out of time!

General, I know the Klingon fleet
is on its way,

and I understand what this project
cost you, personally.

Antaak told me about your son.

He d*ed in combat for the empire.

At least he was spared
the final stage of this disease.

May I ask how he was infected?

Command chose his unit
for the Augment experiment

when we had exhausted
our supply of prisoners.

My son was a warrior.

He asked for no special treatment,
and I gave him none.

[PLATE CLANGING]

What'd they give you?

It's dead. I can't eat that.

No wonder you're all so weak.

- Physical strength isn't everything.
- You can't win wars without it.

Being smart is more important.

General Sun Tzu said
that the greatest victories

are those won without fighting.

The great Kahless said
there's no victory without combat.

Do you ever question why you fight?

Soldiers don't question.

They obey.

What if your superiors are wrong?

They're imprisoned

or k*lled.

That's not how we do things in Starfleet.

Which is why the Klingon Empire
will defeat you.

Then how come you're in the same brig
that I'm in?

LANETH:
You said we'd become stronger.

This is what you've done to us.

You'll become infectious
so you should be quarantined.

LANETH:
We'll remain here.

If we're going to die, we'll die together

as comrades.

Be patient, lieutenant.

The Denobulan is working
to stabilize the human DNA.

You will all be healthy again,
and stronger than any Klingon.

Will he restore our appearance?

I don't know.

How do you expect us to return home
looking like this?

We will be outcasts.

There will be no place for us
in the empire.

Your heart is still Klingon.

Are you certain of that?

During the battle with the Starfleet ship,

I felt fear for the first time
since I was a child.

I wasn't alone.

I could see it in the eyes of the others.

We've become like them, weak, cowardly.

It would be better for us to die.

As long as I draw breath,
the empire will not turn its back on you.

I get the feeling you miss Phlox too.

Maybe it's just the stash of cheese
he's got in Sickbay.

[COMMUNICATOR BEEPING]

Hold that thought.

Captain Archer,
I'm told you have some questions for me.

Where's my doctor?

He's safe.

On a mission of great importance
to Starfleet.

Phlox was kidnapped.

Starfleet would never authorize that.

Reread the Charter,
article 14, section 31.

There are a few lines
that make allowances

for bending the rules
during times of extraordinary thr*at.

- What thr*at?
- Take your pick.

Earth's got a lot of enemies.

Klingons att*cked my ship.

Is that what we're talking about?

What I want to talk about
is Lieutenant Reed.

He's done good work for us
over the years.

Don't be too hard on him.

He was just following my orders.

You put him in an impossible position.

I understand
why you would feel that way,

but this is bigger than one captain
and one ship.

You're gonna have to do better than that.

All I can tell you is that if you interfere
before Phlox completes his assignment,

the repercussions will affect entire worlds.

One of these four strains
has the genetic trigger

that can neutralize the virus
before it advances to its lethal stage.

- Which one?
- I don't know yet.

That's why I have to check each of them.

- How long will it take?
- A week.

Your fleet can quarantine this world, hm,
while I complete my tests.

Sterilization is not necessary.

Fleet Admiral Krell will not extend
his deadline.

The only possible way
to get results on Krell's schedule

is to infect four healthy Klingons.

You have four right here!

Only one of these strains will work.

The other three will be lethal.

Ethically, it's unthinkable!

The ethics, doctor, are simple.

Three lives to save millions.

At first, it didn't seem like lying.

- What else would you call it?
- Covert operations.

I was a young ensign, it was exciting.

How do you feel about it now?

I thought it was done.

This is the first time
that Harris has contacted me

since I've served on Enterprise.

He told me about the plague.

He said they needed Phlox
to help the Klingons find a cure.

I was supposed to just slow us down.

Did Harris tell you about this?

I had T'Pol take a closer look
at our prisoner's medical scans.

It's human DNA.

I'm guessing the plague is a side-effect
of a m*llitary experiment that went wrong.

I didn't know.

Harris claims he's doing this

because Starfleet needs
a stable Klingon Empire.

Do you believe him?

I don't trust him.

If the Klingons needed our help,
there are easier ways to get it.

I wanted to tell you everything, captain.

There's a way out of this.

I don't have to put you in Brig,

but you have to choose
where your loyalties lie.

I wasn't told why Phlox was taken,

but Starfleet intelligence believes

the Klingons have a genetic
research facility on Qu'Vat colony.

As you were.

How long until we reach Qu'Vat?

Six hours, sir.

Captain, we need to be ready
for Klingon patrols.

I suggest that Columbia withdraws
to a safer distance,

so that we don't make a single target.

Open a channel to Captain Hernandez.

Why did you think you'd succeed
in perfecting Augments

when Dr. Soong failed?

Soong's mistake was that he made
too few of them.

Earth once had thousands.

They became tyrannical
and started a w*r.

Klingons have discipline.

Augments don't.

Their increased aggression is matched
by their decreased inhibitions.

You'd lose control of them,
just as humans did.

[INJECTION HISSES]

How long until we know
which one of us survives?

An hour, at most.

Would bloodwine affect the results?

I don't believe so.

Then we shall drink, ha, ha, ha,
to the bravery of these warriors.

- Doctor.
- Never on the job.

[LAUGHS]

We know Phlox was
taken to Qu'Vat colony to work on a cure.

We're gonna be there
in less than an hour.

Krell's patrols will crush you.

They've all been recalled
to enforce quarantine zones.

Phlox will be in the medical facility.

We need the coordinates.

[COUGHING]

If you don't want to help us,
help your people.

[GROANING]

My brothers. Unh!

PHLOX:
They're quite ill.

So are you.

Try to rest.

Doctor, the two guards are displaying
the first symptoms.

That accounts for two
of the three lethal strains.

So either General K'Vagh lives, or I do.

[DEVICE BLEEPING]

It's the general, isn't it?
His strain has the cure.

If we work quickly,
there's a chance we can treat you.

[COMMUNICATOR BEEPING]

What now?

HARRIS:
There's been a complication.

Another one?

This time,
your people failed to stop Enterprise.

It's on its way to Qu'Vat, with Columbia.

- Order them to withdraw.
- You know I don't have that authority.

Then I'll destroy them.

We had an arrangement.

You did what I wanted.

I don't need you anymore.

You agreed that both our governments
would benefit if we worked together.

And you believed me.

Load the amino acids.

I'll extract the viral DNA from his blood.

- Captain.
- Are you all right?

Better, now that you're here.

Father.

I was told that you had been k*lled.

The humans spared me.

I came to get my doctor back.

We need him here.

I have two ships in orbit, heavily armed.

Gentlemen, please.
I think I can speak for myself.

Captain, I need a little more time
to cure this plague.

Cure?

You were supposed to perfect
the augment genome!

I lied.

Your son may be alive
but he will not survive much longer

unless I complete my work.

A few hours, captain.

That's all I ask.
Several million patients are counting on it.

[BEEPING]

Commander, three Klingon battlecruisers
have just dropped out of warp.

T'POL:
Open a channel to Columbia.

[CONSOLE BUZZES]

The Klingons are jamming everything.

[ALARM WAILING]

- What is it?
- Krell's ships are here.

Keep working.

Archer to Enterprise.

Tell the Klingons we have the cure.

Enterprise, respond.

This is Fleet Admiral Krell.

I'm under orders to eradicate this colony.

You don't have to do that.

My doctor can stop the plague.

I have a more effective solution.

Hello, Admiral Krell.

This is Dr. Phlox.

I am transmitting the details
of the antivirus.

Feel free to have your physicians
confirm my findings,

and you're welcome to call
with any questions.

My orders are clear.

Captain Archer, your ships are now
the property of the Klingon Empire.

Stand down or be destroyed.

[CONSOLE BLEEPING]

Proceed as planned.

Leave nothing standing.

The lead ship's moving into a lower orbit.

They're charging weapons.

Intercept course.

Columbia.

[CONSOLE BUZZING]

I can't get through.

- They're f*ring on the colony.
- Target their disruptors.

[RUMBLING]

How strong are the shields
around this place?

Not strong enough!

You said you had two ships in orbit.

I'm sure they're doing everything they can.

Archer to Enterprise.

They're closing from astern.

Aft cannons are down.

Columbia to Enterprise.

Looks like you could use a hand.

Let's keep those ships off their tail.

Your ships are taking damage.

- How much longer?
- As I said, another few hours.

Can you speed that up a little?

Phlox, I've got an idea.

If we wanna get out of here in one piece,
we've gotta get that cure fast.

I could finish the antivirus in less time
if I had a human host

to replicate enough antibodies.

I don't see any other humans around.

I would have to expose you to the plague.
I cannot predict what it might do to you.

- Will it give you the cure?
- Unquestionably.

Let's get started.

What do you intend to do?

This virus may be our best w*apon
against Krell.

Ready when you are.

One of the ships is losing power.

Their port nacelle is vulnerable.

Then fire at will.

In addition to the virus,
I'm injecting you with a metabolic catalyst

to accelerate your immune response.

It won't be pleasant.

[INJECTION HISSES]

It's no use.
I can't penetrate their shields.

Commander, I've broken
through their jamming frequencies.

T'Pol to Captain Archer.

Captain, respond.

PHLOX:
Dr. Phlox here.

The captain is indisposed at the moment.

I imagine you have your hands
full up there.

To say the least.

We have a plan to defuse the situation,

but we'll need a few more minutes
to carry it out.

I'd appreciate it if you could keep
the ceiling from caving in on us until then!

Understood.

How much hull plating do we have left?

Sixty- two percent.

Mr. Mayweather, put us directly
between that cruiser and the colony.

You may want to divert all available power
to our dorsal plating.

Aye, aye.

[THUMPING]

[GRUNTING]

It's working!

[GRUNTING]

[GRUNTING]

MAYWEATHER: They're shifting their orbit.
- Stay with them.

- Hull plating's down to 40 percent.
- Keep f*ring.

Captain Hernandez, please direct
your weapons at the battlecruiser.

Wish I could help.
We just lost our weapons.

[GRUNTING]

It's done! Hold him!

[INJECTION HISSING
AND ARCHER SCREAMS]

We've got it!

Is the canister ready?

It's set to disperse five seconds
after transport.

Send it.

Open a channel to Krell.

[BEEPS]

REED:
Hull plating's nearly down.

We can't hold this position much later.

Admiral Krell, Dr. Phlox again.

By now, you may have noticed
the small package

which we sent to your Bridge.

What you may not know is that it contains
a potent sample of the metagenic virus.

Even as we speak,
it is dispersing throughout your ship,

infecting you and your crew.

You're lying!

Check your internal sensors.

You will find that the atmosphere contains

approximately 20 parts per million
of the viral strain.

Or if you don't trust your sensors,
trust your senses.

You will feel the initial symptoms
in about 30 minutes.

Tightness in the chest, irregular heartbeat,
tingling in your cranial ridges.

This is a cowardly att*ck!

Maybe so.

But I am prepared to give you the cure.

Thanks to Captain Archer,
I have managed to complete the antivirus.

Of course, if you destroy this colony,

well, treating you
and your crew could prove difficult.

I suggest you power down your weapons,
admiral, and let me cure your people.

[GRUNTS]

ARCHER:
Captain's starlog, supplemental.

Admiral Krell
has convinced the High Council

to call off their sterilization program.

They've promised to distribute
Phlox's cure throughout the empire.

There's no trace of the virus
in your bloodstream.

My targ won't even recognize me.

In the future, it may be possible
to reverse the cosmetic effects.

I suppose this is what I deserve.

Millions of my people will have to live
with this disfigurement.

It'll be passed on to our children.

Life won't be easy for us.

You did your best
to correct your mistakes.

That's all we can ask of ourselves.

I doubt my superiors will allow me
to remain in my position.

I'll need to find a new specialty.

Perhaps cranial reconstruction.

I have a feeling that's about
to become very popular.

I'm grateful
for everything that you've done.

How are you feeling?

Not too bad,
aside from some strange cravings,

a plateful of live gagh
sounds pretty good right now.

Heh, heh. The cravings should disappear
in a day or so, along with your ridges.

I'd keep them if I were you, captain.

It makes you look intimidating.

I should get back on the road.

One of us needs to get
some exploring done.

Thanks for your help.

I don't know how you survived
all these years without me.

Shouldn't you be joining her?

I asked Trip to stick around for a while
to help us out with repairs.

Indeed.

Our new chief engineer will no doubt
be delighted for the help.

No, Kelby's got nothing
to be worried about.

I'm only here temporarily.

[COMMUNICATOR BEEPING]

[BLEEPING]

What do you want?

I called to thank you.

Everything went according
to our projections.

The empire's been stabilized.

I doubt very much they'll be experimenting
with Augments any time soon.

We could have explained everything
to Captain Archer.

That's not how Krell wanted things done.

Since when do we do things
the way the Klingons want?

When it's in our interests.

I had to keep certain details
from you as well.

Hope there are no hard feelings.

This mission wouldn't have succeeded
without you, lieutenant.

Don't ever contact me again.

Is that clear?

Maybe you didn't understand
our recruitment policy.

You can't simply walk away.

I answer to one commanding officer,
Jonathan Archer.

Lieutenant, why don't we--

[BLEEPING]