01x24 - Desert Crossing

[bunniefuu]

Captain's Personal Log,
February 12, 2152.

After a brief detour,
we're back on course for Risa.

Everyone's looking forward

to some much needed shore leave.

I've got my eye on a place
called Suraya Bay...

Villas built
right into the cliffs.

A perfect spot to enjoy
a few good books.

Might even do a little diving
when I...

Computer, pause.

Archer.

We're picking up
a distress call, Captain.

It's coming from a vessel

approximately
two light-years to port.

Any idea who it is?

No, sir.

Should we alter course?

Go ahead.

I'll be right there.

Looks like your walk

on the beach will have to wait.

♪ It's been a long road ♪

♪ Getting from there to here ♪

♪ It's been a long time ♪

♪ But my time is finally near ♪

♪ And I will see my dream
come alive at last ♪

♪ I will touch the sky ♪

♪ And they're not gonna
hold me down no more ♪

♪ No, they're not gonna
change my mind ♪

♪ 'Cause I've got faith ♪

♪ Of the heart ♪

♪ I'm going where my heart
will take me ♪

♪ I've got faith to believe ♪

♪ I can do anything ♪

♪ I've got strength
of the soul ♪

♪ No one's gonna bend
or break me ♪

♪ I can reach any star ♪

♪ I've got faith ♪

♪ I've got, I've got, I've got ♪

♪ I've got faith ♪

♪ Faith of the heart. ♪

Plasma residue?

Your warp injectors
were full of it.

I must be more diligent
about routine maintenance.

Unless you enjoy being adrift

in the middle of nowhere.

I'm sorry to inconvenience you

with something this trivial.

Be sure to thank
Mr. Tucker for his time.

He wanted me to thank you.

It isn't every day

he gets to tinker
with alien engines.

We also found a microfracture

on your starboard hull.

They're sealing it now.

Your crew is very thorough.

We were glad to help.

Do you answer

every distress call you pick up?

If we can.

The galaxy could use
more people like you.

Tomorrow!

You'll join me in my home.

Bring Commander Tucker.

I'll prepare a meal
in your honor.

It's the least I can do

to show my gratitude.

That's very generous,

but I promised my crew
a trip to Risa.

That can wait
one more day, can't it?

If I put them off much longer,

I'm going to have
a mutiny on my hands.

There's going to be
a Geskana match.

I doubt you've ever
seen anything like it.

Geskana?

Yes, you might want
to participate

assuming you enjoy competition.

I should warn you, Captain,

I am easily offended.

Send me the coordinates.

I'll break the news to my crew.

Dress for warm weather.

If it's all the same
to you, Captain,

I'll sit this one out.

It's not like you

to pass up an away mission.

I'm up to my ears in work.

The impulse manifolds
need to be purged,

the gravity plating on C-Deck
still isn't aligned...

Trip...

The desert, sir?

The heat, the dry air...

You know how it sucks
the life out of me.

What about the two weeks
we spent in Australia?

We had a great time.

Survival training
in the outback?

Drinking recycled sweat
and eating snake meat?

That's your idea
of a great time?

It's not going to be like that.

I get the feeling,
Zobral's a man

who likes to indulge his guests.

He's promised to roll out
the red carpet for us.

It'll be more fun

than purging impulse manifolds.

Well, suit yourself.

I'll see if Malcolm's
interested.

But I was hoping you'd enjoy

spending some time
with your Captain.

Promise we won't have to eat
any snake meat?

It's hotter than
hell out there...

41 degrees.

It's a dry heat.

Welcome.

Good to be here.

You remember Commander Tucker.

Yes, of course, of course.

This is the man
who repaired my ship.

A brilliant engineer.

It was just a couple
of clogged injectors.

Oh, you are far too modest.

Well, I hope you're hungry.

I've prepared quite a feast.

Are there many
deserts on your world?

Quite a few.

But none as big as this one.

From orbit, you'd think

the entire planet's
nothing but sand.

Ah, well, we have
a handful of lakes

and small seas.

What about Earth?

Two-thirds water.

Extraordinary.

More wine?

Please.

What's that called again?

Yalasat.

It's made from a cactus

that grows in the
northern foothills.

How is your roast teracaq?

It's very good.

When Trip and I did
our survival training...

in the desert,
we never ate this well.

We must have lost
about three kilos

during that last week.

The heat always takes
away my appetite.

Doesn't seem to be
bothering you now.

I guess I'm getting acclimated.

It must be difficult
adjusting to new cultures.

It's challenging
at times, but...

that's why we're out here.

Did you ever think
of turning back?

Only once.

We were att*cked by
a hostile species

with a lot more firepower
than Enterprise.

I set a course back to Earth
to upgrade our weapons...

but we ended up having
to do the repairs ourselves.

They haven't bothered us since.

Sounds like you've had
an eventful journey.

It's had its share of surprises.

Well, perhaps your visit here
will be one of them.

Oh, you're going to enjoy this.

Looks delicious.
What is it?

Blood soup.

I don't usually eat this well,

but I promised your Captain
an exceptional meal.

What are these, uh...

little chunks?

The essence of the male...

chopped...

and seasoned.

Beautiful tapestries.

Thank you.

Which one do you prefer?

Uh... well...

That one's interesting.

It's yours.

No, no, no.
I couldn't.

Please.

Consider it a gift.

You're far too generous.

Besides, I wouldn't have
any place to hang it.

Something... smaller then.

Ah.

I know you will appreciate this.

A Suliban made it.

A Suliban I met
several years ago.

Interesting people,
don't you agree?

Thank you.

Ah, the Geskana match
is about to begin.

I'm hoping you will honor us
by participating.

Now?

I just ate a half a teracaq.

You will be glad you did.

Geskana requires
a great deal of strength.

Think you're ready?

I'll give it a sh*t, Captain.

I can't promise
we'll win any trophies.

This is an ideal game
for men like you.

Thanks.

We're being hailed.

The Captain?

No. It's coming
from a city

on the far side of the desert.

Put it through.

This is Enterprise.

Several hours ago,
you launched a small vessel

to an encampment
in the Cygniai Expanse.

Would you tell me why?

Our Captain and
Chief Engineer were invited.

By whom?

A man named Zobral.

And you are?

Chancellor Trellit.

Why are you in contact
with this man?

His ship was damaged
and we assisted him.

In return, he offered
his hospitality.

Hospitality?

I hope you're aware
that most likely

you'll never see your Captain
or Engineer again.

You all right?

Never better.

So close.

Two centimeters to the right
and you would've had it.

Next time, I'll set you
up with a no-look pass.

All right.

Archer.

I need to speak to you, Captain.

Well, can't it wait?

We're a little busy
at the moment.

It's urgent.

Are you alone?

Hold on a minute.

It's my Science Officer.

She says it's important.

Do you mind?

Take your time.

What's the problem?

I've been contacted
by a government official

in a city about 200 kilometers
from where you are now.

He claims that you're in danger.

What kind of danger?

According to him,

Zobral and his men
are t*rrorists.

They've been responsible
for numerous att*cks

on civilian targets
within the city.

Maybe I'm wrong, but they don't
seem like t*rrorists to me.

Perhaps not.

But until we're certain
who they are,

I suggest you return
to the ship.

We're on our way.

I hope everything is all right.

The problem with being
a Starship Captain

is you're never really off duty.

I'm afraid we have
to cut our visit short.

Oh, I'm sorry to hear that.

What's going on?

Problem with
the starboard engine.

T'Pol says she needs us
up there right away.

Can't we at least
finish this quarter?

Remember those impulse manifolds

you said needed purging?

You were right.

Well, thanks for
one hell of a game.

You must have other people
that can correct this problem.

I wish we did.

As I said, Captain

I am easily offended.

We'll come back
if there's time, I promise.

You should not believe
the Torothans!

I have just been informed

that we picked up
a lengthy transmission

between your vessel
and Chancellor Trellit.

Whatever he told
your Science Officer,

it is not true.

I wanted this
to wait till later,

but I beg you, let me explain

the real reason
why I asked you here.

You have a reputation
for being fair,

a man of great integrity.

When you hear
what I have to say,

I am certain you will
want to help us.

It is called a yrott.

The word means
"to stand apart."

When we lived in the cities,

we were forced to wear these

whenever we walked in public.

I take it those days are over.

When the caste system
was finally abolished,

we were led to believe

that everyone would
be treated equally.

I remember the celebrations...

Yrotts being b*rned
in the streets,

people saying that we

had finally been
granted our rights.

The Torothan Clan
signed the accord,

but they never abided by it.

They still control the
government, the lands,

the resources, everything.

We spent ten years
staging protests,

appealing to the courts,
until finally we realized

there was only one way
to get their attention.

We have hundreds of camps
just like this one,

all across the desert.

And we are going to keep
attacking the Torothans

until our voices are heard.

They call us t*rrorists,
but the truth is,

they have been terrorizing
us for centuries.

You said you brought me
down here for a reason.

I have a feeling it wasn't
to hear a history lesson.

The Torothans have ten times
as many soldiers as we do.

We won't last much longer
without your help.

I really don't see
what I can do for you.

They said you would be humble.

I scanned your vessel.

You have an arsenal
of powerful weapons.

But more importantly,
I need your wisdom.

Our current strategy
isn't working.

But I am confident
that together,

we can find one that does.

I would be honored to
fight alongside you,

as would all of my men.

What the hell was that?

Torothan cruisers.

Usually they begin
their bombardment after dark.

They're getting started
early today.

I don't know what
you've heard about me,

but I think you've been misled.

What about the Suliban?

What about them?

You liberated a detention camp,

freed thousands of prisoners.

Who told you that?

A Suliban Transport Captain.

He told me of an explorer
who was also a great warrior,

a man who helped them
defeat an entire army...

Captain Jonathan Archer.

Two cruisers, sir.

They've hit one
of our pulse cannons.

Prepare my ship.

This won't last
more than a few hours.

We'll continue this
discussion later.

You'll be safe here.

If it's all the same to you,

we'd rather get back
to Enterprise.

Your shuttle's thrusters
would draw their attention.

You'd become an easy target.

Please.

I wouldn't be a very good host
if I allowed you to get k*lled.

There's a number of ships
strafing the encampment.

Hail the Captain.

Archer...

Captain,

are you all right?

We've taken shelter...
should be...

That's the best I can give you.

The entire region

is flooded with jamming signals.

Well, we can't just
leave them down there.

What about the transporter?

I can't localize
their bio-signs.

I'll take a shuttlepod
and find them myself.

In the middle of an as*ault?

See if you can find
Chancellor Trellit.

Archer to Enterprise.

Thanks.

Enterprise... respond.

Rough game.

That damn midfielder
knocked me down

three times during
the last quarter.

I must've bruised
half a dozen ribs.

Better have Dr. Phlox
take a look

at it when we get back.

So does the "great warrior"
have any ideas

about how we're
getting out of here?

You're not thinking
about helping

these people.

I was thinking about
those Suliban prisoners.

If we hadn't helped them escape,

we wouldn't be
in this situation.

T'Pol's ears must be burning.

Want your Chief
Engineer's advice?

What is it?

Walk away.

They lured us down here
under false pretenses.

And now they're asking
us to help them

fight a w*r?

That's a lot different

than breaking a few innocent
people out of prison.

There's just one problem.

Zobral.

I get the feeling he's not
going to take no for an answer.

Come on.

I don't know about you,

but I'd rather take my chances
out in that desert.

I thought you hated the desert.

Not tonight.

You neglected to mention

that you'd be attacking
the encampment.

And you assured me

your people would be leaving
the surface.

Why didn't they?

Captain Archer wanted
to speak with Zobral.

Interesting.
Where are they now?

I don't know.

If you'd be willing
to end your as*ault,

we could launch a search party.

You expect us to stand by

while you send more people
to join Zobral?

If you believe we're assisting
the t*rrorists, you're mistaken.

Of course, I forgot.

They just went down
for the hospitality.

Let us find them
and we'll leave immediately.

That's what you promised before.

We'll locate your men ourselves

and deal with them accordingly.

That's assuming they haven't
already been k*lled.

Chancellor...

If you attempt to launch

another shuttlecraft,
we'll have no choice,

but to consider it
as an enemy vessel.

I've lost sensor contact
with the surface.

Some kind
of orbital dispersion field.

I can't get any readings
below a hundred kilometers.

Two men out in the open.

You'd think they would
have spotted us by now.

We're down here!

You're going to have to yell
a little louder than that.

You sure we're going
in the right direction?

It was east of the camp.

We're heading east.

How far?

About 30 kilometers.

Thirty?

What if we find more
of Zobral's men inside?

It looked abandoned.

All I saw was sand.

I don't remember any buildings.

That's because you forgot
your survival training.

Take a good look on your way in

at your surroundings.

Didn't they also say something

about only walking at night?

Yeah...

Oh.

Can't we wait until it
cools down a little?

That could be for another
eight or nine hours.

We need to find shelter.

20 minutes, Captain.

Trip.

Ten?

To cherry-flavored snow cones.

What I wouldn't give
for one right about now.

You hear that?

What?

Sounds like a ship.

I think the heat's
getting to you.

No.

Listen.

Over there.

A shuttlepod?

No.

Something a lot bigger.

You all right?

Yeah.

Their dispersion field
covers half the continent.

But if I disable
these three satellites,

I think I can get
a clear reading

of the eastern desert.

That might provoke
the Torothans.

I suggest you try

to find a less intrusive way

to penetrate their defenses.

Why Montana?

Of all the places the
Vulcans could have landed,

they chose Bozeman, Montana.

Humanity's first warp drive
was developed there.

It seemed a logical
place to begin.

Well, how did they know it
wouldn't alarm other nations?

An alien species makes contact
with the United States.

It could have made a lot
of other countries nervous.

What's your point?

It seems to me that we're going

to run into similar problems.

We get invited to dinner,
and before you know it,

we're accused of taking
sides in a w*r.

Contacting new worlds

always involves
unexpected risks.

The High Command has
very specific protocols

regarding planetary conflicts.

Eventually, Captain Archer
will have to create

some directives of his own.

Come on. Come on.

We got to keep moving.

Come on.

My shift doesn't begin
for another six hours.

Hey, we're almost there.

Where? Where are we going?

Nice little place I know.

Plenty of shade.

Are there blankets down there?

I'm freezing.

Heat exhaustion.

Here. Come here.

Here. There you go.
Easy, easy.

Here, take mine.

Go ahead.

No, sir.

I won't take
another man's water.

You drink it.
That's an order.

Got to keep moving.

Take the water or I'll
knock you on your ass

and pour it down your throat.

Easy.

Thanks.

There's a vessel approaching
from the surface.

It's Zobral.

He's hailing us.

Open your launch doors, quickly.

Is the Captain with you?
Commander Tucker?

No, no. I'll explain
once I'm aboard.

Where are they?

If I'm not in your Docking Bay
in the next 30 seconds,

I'll be detected.
They'll destroy my ship!

Bring him in.

How many?

There were 89.

There were only 89 Suliban,
not thousands.

Mm. And the army
you defeated?

I would hardly call it an army.

It was more like
a few dozen prison guards,

and to be honest,

they didn't put up
much of a fight.

Jonathan Archer is an
excellent Starship Captain,

but he's hardly the invincible
warrior described to you.

What about his legendary
desert tactics?

Actually, I'm the Tactical
Officer on this ship,

and I don't have any experience
at waging desert warfare.

I'm afraid you've come
to the wrong people for help.

All this for nothing.

What about our people?

You have far better
sensors than we do.

I'm sure you'll find them.

Our sensors are being disrupted

and the Torothans have
threatened to fire on us

if we launch a shuttlepod.

How did you get here
without them seeing you?

There is a narrow gap
in their orbital detection grid.

It occurs once every 46 minutes,

but it is only open
for less than one minute.

I'll need all
the pertinent data.

You'll need more than that.

The maneuvers are extremely
difficult.

It took us years to learn them.

I'm a quick study.

You will be sh*t down
before you reach the atmosphere.

With you at the helm,
our chances would improve.

I don't have time!

My men are waiting for me!

Then they'll have
to wait a little longer.

You're the one who got
our people stranded down there.

They are not my responsibility!

You're mistaken.

The Torothans believe
we've joined your cause.

If Captain Archer
and Commander Tucker

are apprehended,
they'll undoubtedly

be treated as members
of your clan.

They'll become victims
of the same oppression

you've been fighting
all these years.

You should feel as responsible

for those two men
as you do for your own.

Easy.

Home, sweet home.

I hope you're not planning
to hog that all for yourself.

Water's off the menu.

Now, this...
is my idea of a great time.

What'd you do...

rub two sticks together?

I found a new use
for the stun setting.

It may not taste too good,

but I think I boiled away
anything that can hurt us.

No, thanks.

I'm not thirsty.

Let's not get into
that argument again.

Worse than blood soup.

You need water.

Oh... what I need...

is sleep.

You got a fever, Trip.

Your heart's racing.

You got all the symptoms
of heatstroke.

If you fall asleep,
you could lapse into a coma.

A coma?

That sounds nice.

When we get back to Enterprise,

you can sleep all you want.

But right now,
you got to stay with me

and drink this water.

If I had a needle, I'd
give it to you intravenously,

but I don't.

Come on, sit up.

There you go.

Good.

Yeah...

Commander...

Aye, Captain.

The warp reactor...

break it down for me.

What?

What are the eight
major components?

You got to be kidding me.

Name them.

That's an order.

Well...

there's the drumsticks...

thighs...

wings...

You got anything
to eat around here?

Not at the moment.

But when we get back
to Enterprise,

I'll have Chef make you
a dinner you'll never forget.

What would you like?

Anything.

Not snake meat.

No, Chef doesn't do
snake very well.

Tell me what you want.

Prime rib.

Okay, what else?

Mashed potatoes...
with mushroom gravy...

the kind he makes
on Wednesday nights.

No problem.

What kind of vegetables?

Hey, vegetables?

Broccoli.

Dessert?

Pecan pie.

Take another pass
over the Eastern Basin.

Our sensors
would have detected them.

No, there's magnetic
deposits below that basin.

They could be masking
their bio-signs.

If we increased our altitude,
this would go a lot faster.

We would also risk
being detected.

Geography.

Do you know how to play?

Geography?

You know, you say Amazon River,

which ends in an "R,"

and then I say Rhode Island.

W... We're going
to Rhode Island?

No. No, it-it's a game.

You're supposed
to tell me some place

that starts with a "D."

Oh...

"D."

Uh...

Draylax.

"X"?

"X..."

There's always...

No, no... no, don't tell me yet.

I know an "X."

Xanadu.

That's not a real place.

It doesn't matter.

Of course it matters.

You just used

an alien planet... Draylax.

Easy, easy... easy...

Easy, easy.

All right, whatever you say.

Xanadu's fine.

Get your head down!

What?
Get down!

We got to get out of here.

Come on.

I'm picking up weapons fire
on the surface.

19 kilometers due south.

A Torothan mortar.

Would they be targeting
one of your settlements?

We don't have any near there.

Set a course
and prepare to fire.

I believe they've located

the Captain
and Commander Tucker.

Come on... come on.

I've got a lock.

Fire.

I see them.

Two humans, bearing 115 mark 3.

I'm just slowing you down.

Go!

I don't remember taking
orders from you.

My launch window
opens in nine minutes.

I should be going.

I hope Commander Tucker
is going to be all right.

I doubt I'll ever convince him
to set foot on another desert,

but... he'll be fine.

Zobral,

even if I were the warrior
you thought I was,

that's not why we're out here.

Captain.

Subcommander.

What you told him was correct.

Decisions to get involved
in the conflicts of other worlds

should be left to governments,
not Starship Captains.

I know.

The irony is,

I have the feeling his cause
is worth fighting for.