ENTERPRISE: Episode 1 "Broken Bow" ENTERPRISE REVISED 05/11/2001 "Broken Bow" Written by Brannon Braga & Rick Berman Directed by James L. Conway THE WRITING CREDITS MAY NOT BE FINAL AND SHOULD NOT BE USED FOR PUBLICITY OR ADVERTISING PURPOSES WITHOUT FIRST CHECKING WITH THE TELEVISION LEGAL DEPARTMENT. Copyright 2001 Paramount Pictures Corporation. All Rights Reserved. This script is not for publication or reproduction. No one is authorized to dispose of same. If lost or destroyed, please notify the script department. Return to Script Department FINAL DRAFT PARAMOUNT PICTURES CORPORATION 5555 Melrose Avenue May 11, 2001 Los Angeles, CA 90038 FADE IN: FLASHBACK: CLOSE ON A STARSHIP HULL (OPTICAL) White, featureless. We hear the sound of a TICKING CLOCK. A PAINTBRUSH held in a BOY'S HAND enters frame and begins to apply gun metal gray paint to the hull. We realize that the ship is actually a scale MODEL of an early 22nd century Starfleet transport. Its name and number are painted on the hull. The boy makes some rocket-like whooshing noises, then: YOUNG ARCHER "Where no man has gone before." FATHER Doctor Cochrane would be proud of you. YOUNG ARCHER I know the whole speech by heart FATHER (re: model) Watch out... you're painting over the Captain's windows. YOUNG ARCHER Sorry FLASHBACK: WIDER ANGLE -YOUNG ARCHER AND FATHER (OPTICAL) are working on the starship model at a table in the SUN PORCH of an APARTMENT in SAN FRANCISCO. Sunlight is pouring through the windows, which overlook the CITY. An old pendulum CLOCK ticks on the wall. YOUNG ARCHER is age nine; his FATHER is in his 40's; both are wearing 22nd century civilian clothing. YOUNG ARCHER (CONT'D) When's it gonna be ready to fly? FATHER (smiles) Let the paint dry first. YOUNG ARCHER No. I mean the ship. FATHER Not for a while. It hasn't even been built yet. YOUNG ARCHER How big will it be? FATHER Pretty big FLASHBACK: CLOSE ON A JAR OF BLUE PAINT (OPTICAL) as the father opens it, and Young Archer dips his brush inside. YOUNG ARCHER Bigger than Ambassador Pointy's ship? FATHER His name is Soval... and he's been very helpful... and I've told you not to call him that. As they talk,Young Archer paints the leading edge of a nacelle. YOUNG ARCHER Billy Cook said we'd be flying at warp five by now if the Vulcans hadn't kept things from us. FATHER They have their reasons. (wry) God knows what they are. As they work on the starship... DISSOLVE TO CRANE SHOT -MOVING ACROSS CORN FIELDS - DAY (OPTICAL) SUPER: Broken Bow, Oklahoma -30 Years Later CAMERA stops on the jarring sight of a smoking CRASHED KLINGON SHUTTLECRAFT. CUT TO: EXT. CORN FIELD -GROUND LEVEL -DAY (OPTICAL) KLAANG, a seven foot tall Klingon Warrior, is running desperately through the rows of corn. We only catch glimpses of him, but we can tell from his breathing that he's running for his life. The BLAST from an alien weapon flashes past him, searing the stalks. NEW ANGLE (OPTICAL) Two humanoid FIGURES are chasing Klaang, weapons drawn. We'll come to know that these are SULIBAN --a genetically engineered species with an unusual dappled texture to their skin. They continue to FIRE. CUT TO: EXT. FARMHOUSE -DAY A middle-aged FARMER steps out the front door, looking in the direction of the weapons fire. HIS POV (OPTICAL) We see flashes of LIGHT and MOVEMENT in the cornfield, as well as a plume of SMOKE from the crashed shuttle. THE FARMER urgently heads back into the house. KLAANG breaks into the clear, quickly surveys the scene. He spots a nearby SILO and runs toward it with intent. THE TWO SULIBAN emerge from the field and see Klaang. AT THE SILO Klaang quickly opens a large DOOR and steps inside. We hear the door LOCK. THE FARMER steps out of his house, armed with a 22nd century PLASMA SHOTGUN. He runs down the porch steps and heads toward the cornfield... THE- SULIBAN (OPTICAL) have reached the locked silo door. One of them lowers himself to the ground and proceeds to DISLOCATE his SKELETAL STRUCTURE. His SKULL flattens as his BODY slithers beneath the six inch opening at the bottom of the door. THE SILO DOOR unlocks from within. The Suliban who crawled inside opens the door and his partner enters. WIDE SHOT -THE SILO (OPTICAL) Klaang breaks out another DOOR fifteen feet above ground. He LANDS on a nearby SHED, LEAPS to the dirt and draws his DISRUPTOR. He runs twenty feet, spins, and FIRES a single SHOT at the broken door he just came out of. BOOOM! (OPTICAL) The SILO EXPLODES in a FIERY EXPLOSION! KLAANG (OPTICAL) who has been blown to the ground, stands and staggers away from the BURNING silo. FARMER (O.S.) (O.S.) Stop right there! Klaang looks up to see the farmer, who is approaching him, shotgun raised. FARMER (CONT'D) (very nervous) I mean it! Klaang, who doesn't understand the farmer, responds in Klingon: KLAANG Ronuh, t2ag:h oH! Mang: juH! The farmer is terrified --he's never seen an alien before, not to mention a Klingon Warrior with a disruptor in his hand. FARMER I have no idea what you're saying... but I guarantee you, I know how to use this. Klaang continues to rant as he steps closer. KLAANG Qag:h DoQ! RIch ghaH! The farmer tenses, then FIRES an elongated FLASH of ENERGY which HITS Klaang square in the chest, BLASTING him backward into the corn! OFF the farmer's shaky reaction... CUT TO: CLOSE ON A STARSHIP HULL (OPTICAL) CAMERA PULLS BACK slightly to reveal we're in SPACEDOCK in orbit of EARTH. We only see a small section of what we'll learn is the STARSHIP ENTERPRISE. A tiny ORBITAL INSPECTION POD enters frame and flies along the underside of the hull. INT. ORBITAL INSPECTION POD (OPTICAL) CAPTAIN JONATHAN ARCHER and CHIEF ENGINEER, COMMANDER CHARLIE (CHARLIE) TUCKER sit side by side in the cramped cockpit. Archer, early 40's, is in civilian clothing. Unlike the Starfleet Captains in centuries to come, he exhibits a sense of wonder and excitement. Charlie, early 30's, is a Southerner who enjoys using his offbeat, often sarcastic sense of humor to disarm people. They're both looking straight up through a ceiling PORTAL at a section of the HULL. CHARLIE The Ventral Plating Team says they'll be done in about three days. ARCHER Be sure they match the color to the nacelle housings. CHARLIE You aiming to sit on the hull and pose for some postcards? ARCHER Maybe... He continues to look upward and inspect the hull. ARCHER (CONT'D) God, she's beautiful CHARLIE And fast. (beat) Warp four point five next Thursday. ARCHER (awed) Neptune and back in six minutes. (beat) Let's take a look at the lateral sensor array. CHARLIE Give me a sec. Charlie whips the control throttle to his left (intentionally harder than he needs to). EXT. SPACEDOCK (OPTICAL) The orbital pod ROLLS steeply to a 90 degree angle as it continues along the side of the hull. INT. ORBITAL INSPECTION POD (OPTICAL) Archer looks a little queasy --he's obviously not comfortable in such a tiny vessel. Charlie is enjoying this --he likes to get a rise out of people. CHARLIE If I didn't know better, I'd think you were afraid of flying. ARCHER If I'm afraid of anything, it's the scrambled eggs I had for breakfast. CHARLIE Pretty soon you'll be dreaming about scrambled eggs. I hear the new resequenced protein isn't much of an improvement. ARCHER My number one staffing priority was finding the right chef. I think you'll be impressed. CHARLIE Your galley's more important to you than your warp core. That's a confidence-builder. ARCHER A starship runs on its stomach, Charlie. (sees something) Slow down. There. Those are the ports that buckled during the last test. They need to be reinforced. Charlie grabs a high-tech stylus and pad, makes a note. With his hands off the controls, the pod drifts slightly toward Enterprise. EXT. SPACEDOCK (OPTICAL) The pod gently BUMPS into the hull. INT. ORBITAL INSPECTION POD (OPTICAL) CHARLIE Sorry. Archer cranes his neck to inspect the point of impact ARCHER Great. You scratched the paint. A COM CHIRP goes off. Charlie taps a control. CHARLIE (to com) Orbital Six. COM VOICE Captain Archer, sir? ARCHER Go ahead. COM VOICE Admiral Forrest needs you at Starfleet Medical right away. OFF Archer. CUT TO: EXT. SAN FRANCISCO -NIGHT (OPTICAL) The 22nd century skyline. INT. STARFLEET MEDICAL -ICU ANTEROOM -NIGHT A dimly-lit chamber with a large window looking into a 22nd century intensive care unit. Klaang is lying on a bed, unconscious, with myriad tubes and monitoring devices attached to his gigantic body. A small team of doctors and nurses are busily tending to him. Two armed Security Guards stand watch. In the anteroom, a heated discussion is taking place between three Starfleet Officers (ADMIRALS MAXWELL FORREST and DANIEL LEONARD, and COMMANDER WILLIAMS) and three Vulcan dignitaries (AMBASSADOR SOVAL, TOS and a striking young female named T'POL). CMDR. WILLIAMS Who was chasing him? SOVAL We don't know. They were incinerated in the methane explosion, and the farmer's description was vague at best. ADMIRAL LEONARD How did they get here? What kind of ship? TOS They were using some kind of stealth technology. We're still analyzing our sensor logs. CMDR. WILLIAMS I'd like to see those logs. SOVAL (patronizingly calm) The Klingons made it very clear... they want to expedite this. ADMIRAL LEONARD It happened on our soil. TOS That's irrelevant ADMIRAL FORREST (interrupting, to Soval) Ambassador... with all due respect, we have a right to know what's going on here. SOVAL You'll be apprised of all pertinent information. CMDR. WILLIAMS And just who gets to decide what's pertinent? At this point, the door opens and Archer ENTERS, still in civilian clothes. The conversation stops as everyone turns to him. ARCHER (to Forrest) Admiral. ADMIRAL FORREST Jack... I think you know everyone. Archer sees the unconscious Klaang through the window. ARCHER (walking to the window) Not everyone. ADMIRAL LEONARD He's a Klingot. TOS A Kling-Qn. ARCHER Where'd he come from? CMDR. WILLIAMS Oklahoma. Archer reacts. ADMIRAL FORREST A corn farmer named Moore shot him with a plasma rifle... says it was self-defense. TOS Fortunately, Soval and I have maintained close contact with Kronos since the incident occurred. ARCHER Kronos? ADMIRAL LEONARD It's the Klingon's homeworld. ADMIRAL FORREST (re: Klaang) This gentleman is some sort of courier. Evidently, he was carrying crucial information back to his people. SOVAL (pointed) When he was nearly killed by your "farmer." ADMIRAL FORREST (carefully) Ambassador Soval thinks it would be best if we push off your launch until we've cleared this up. ARCHER (dry) Well, isn't that a surprise? You'd think they'd've come up with something a little more imaginative this time. SOVAL Sarcasm aside, Captain, the last thing your people need is to make an enemy of the Klingon Empire. TOS If we hadn't convinced them to let us take Klaang's corpse back to Kronos, Earth would most likely be facing a squadron of Warbirds by the end of the week. ARCHER Corpse? Is he dead? Archer walks to the door leading to the ICU, opens it and signals to one of the doctors, who approaches. ARCHER (CONT'D) Excuse me... is that man dead? PHLOX, an exotic-looking alien physician wearing hospital garb, responds in a hurried voice and slight, distinctive accent: PHLOX (quickly) His autonomic system was disrupted by the blast but his redundant neural functions are still intact which -- ARCHER Is he going to die? PHLOX Not necessarily. Archer turns back to the room. ARCHER (to Vulcans) Let me get this straight... you're going to disconnect this man from life support... even though he could recover. Where's the logic in that? SOVAL Klaang's culture finds honor in death. If they saw him like this he'd be disgraced. Archer remains puzzled. TOS They're a warrior race... they dream of dying in battle. If you understood the complexities of interstellar diplomacy you would -- ARCHER (interrupting, temper rising) So your "diplomatic" solution is to do what they tell you... pull the plug? TOS Your metaphor is crude, but accurate. ARCHER (back at him) We may be crude, but we're not murderers. {then to Forrest) You're not going to let them do this, are you'? SOVAL (to Forrest) The Klingons have demanded that we return Klaang immediately. ARCHER (ignoring him, to Forrest) Admiral? ADMIRAL FORREST We may need to defer to their judgement. ARCHER We've been deferring to their judgement for a hundred years! ADMIRAL FORREST (a warning) Jack... Archer knows he's crossing the line, but he can't help himself. ARCHER How much longer? T'Pol steps toward Archer. She's a science attache with the Vulcan contingent headquartered in San Francisco. Her look is severe yet sensual. Although she's been living amongst humans for several months, she is cautious and guarded around them. T'POL Until you've proven you're ready, ARCHER Ready to what? T'POL To look beyond your provincial attitudes and volatile nature. ARCHER Volatile? You have no idea how much I'm restraining myself from knocking you on your ass. T'Pol raises an eyebrow at this. Archer turns to Forrest. ARCHER (CONT'D) These Klingons are anxious to get their man back? Fine. I can have my ship ready to go in three days. (to Vulcans, pointed) We'll take him home... alive. SOVAL This is no time to be imposing your ethical beliefs. Forrest considers, turns to Admiral Leonard. ADMIRAL FORREST Dan? ADMIRAL LEONARD (to Archer) What about your crew? Your Comm Officer's in Brazil... you haven't selected a Medical Officer yet... ARCHER Three days, that's all I need. The Vulcans can't believe what they're hearing. SOVAL (protesting) Admiral... ADMIRAL FORREST We've been waiting nearly a century, Ambassador... this seems as good a time as any to get started. SOVAL (agitated, louder) Listen to me. You're making a mistake! ARCHER (calmly, chiding him) When your logic doesn't work, you raise your voice? You have been on Earth too long. Displeased, Soval realizes the debate is over, EXITS with his colleagues. Forrest turns to Archer with a slight twinkle in his eye. We get the sense that he invited Archer knowing that he'd provoke this very outcome. ADMIRAL FORREST I had a feeling their approach wouldn't sit too well with you. (then) Don't screw this up. As they EXIT, Archer walks to the large window and raps on the glass. Phlox and a couple of nurses turn to look. Archer gestures Phlox over. Phlox looks surprised -- "me?" As he moves to Archer, curious... EXT. SPACEDOCK (OPTICAL) in orbit of Earth, as before. The Starship Enterprise is docked inside, but just barely visible at this angle. INT. ENTERPRISE -TRANSPORTER ALCOVE (OPTICAL) TACTICAL OFFICER, LIEUTENANT MALCOLM REED and the HELMSMAN, LIEUTENANT TRAVIS MAYWEATHER are standing by the transport platform as a shipment of CARGO CONTAINERS MATERIALIZE. Reed is a buttoned-up Englishman in his 30's; Mayweather is an African-American in his 20's. As the beam-in ends, they step up and begin to examine the cargo. Both men are in Starfleet uniform. MAYWEATHER I heard this platform's been approved for bio-transport. REED I presume you mean fruits and vegetables. MAYWEATHER I mean Armory Officers and Helmsmen. REED I don't think I'm quite ready to have my molecules compressed into a data stream. MAYWEATHER They claim it's safe. REED Do they indeed? Well, I certainly hope the Captain doesn't plan on making us use it. MAYWEATHER Don't worry, from what I'm told, he wouldn't even put his dog through this thing. Reed has opened a canister and breathes a sigh of frustration. REED This is ridiculous. I asked for plasma coils and they sent me a case of valve sealant. There's no chance I can have the weapons on-line in three days. MAYWEATHER We're just taking a sick man back to his homeworld... why do we need weapons? REED Didn't you read the profile report on these Klingons? Apparently, they sharpen their teeth before they go into battle. Mayweather gives him an uneasy half-smile, CUT TO: INT. ENTERPRISE -CORRIDOR Minutes later. Reed and Mayweather are walking along. Crewmembers are putting finishing touches on the ship, working at wall panels and opened deck plating. REED No doubt Mister Tucker will reassure me that my equipment will be here tomorrow. (imitating Charlie's Southern accent) "Keep your shirt on, Lieutenant. " MAYWEATHER Is it me, or does the artificial gravity seem a bit heavy? Reed takes a few measured steps. REED Feels all right... Earth sea level. MAYWEATHER My father always kept it at point eight G. He thought it put a little spring in his step. REED After being raised on cargo ships, it must've felt like you had lead in your boots when you got to Earth. MAYWEATHER It did take some getting used to. Reed pauses at an opened wall panel, where a young female CREWMAN is "tuning" a series of power conduits with a small device. REED You may find that if you re-balance the polarities, you'll get that done a bit faster, Crewman. They continue down the corridor INT. ENTERPRISE -MAIN ENGINEERING Unlike the spacious, brightly-lit engine rooms of future starships, this is more like the cramped, red-lit nerve center of a nuclear submarine. We see crewmembers busily getting the ship ready for launch. Charlie is in his element --he's working atop the WARP CORE, which extends horizontally across the room. CHARLIE (shouting down) Okay, Alex, give it some juice! A crewman below throws a series of levers, and a pulsing pillar of PLASMA courses through the warp core. CHARLIE (CONT'D) (shouting down) Beautiful! Lock it off right there! Charlie ducks and weaves through various outcroppings and slides down an access ladder, dropping to the deck below. He eyes the warp core, notices something, reaches in his pocket, pulls out a handkerchief and polishes off a small smudge on the casing. As he proudly inspects his work... REED (O.S.) (O.S.) I believe you missed a spot. Charlie turns to see Reed and Mayweather standing at the rail. REED (CONT'D) (making the introductions) Commander Tucker, Lieutenant Travis Mayweather. He just arrived. Charlie, ducking under the rail, extends his hand. CHARLIE Our "Space Boomer." Mayweather shakes his hand, but can't keep his eyes off the engine. MAYWEATHER How fast have you gotten her? CHARLIE Warp four... we'll be going to four-five as soon as we clear Jupiter. Think you can handle it? MAYWEATHER (in awe) Four point five... REED (all business) Pardon me, but if I don't realign the deflector, the first grain of space-dust we come across will blow a hole through this ship the size of your fist. CHARLIE Keep your shirt on, Lieutenant. Your equipment'll be here in the morning. Reed gives Mayweather a look. CUT TO: EXT. AMAZON UNIVERSITY -DAY (OPTICAL) A series of futuristic structures set in the Brazilian jungle. EXT. CLASSROOM- DAY (OPTICAL) Twenty or so human college STUDENTS are sitting in an open-air classroom, the lush jungle visible beyond. They're speaking in unison. The refrain they repeat is in a very alien language containing clicks and bizarre guttural sounds. STUDENTS Ghlungit !tak nekl.ee!c. HOSHI (O.S.) (O.S.) Very good. Again. STUDENTS Ghlunit !tak nekleet. At this point, we reveal ENSIGN HOSHI SATO, a spirited young woman. Hoshi is an exo-linguist and the Enterprise COM OFFICER. At the moment, she's teaching alien language. On a blackboard behind her, we see alien writing. HOSHI (prompting) Carlos. CARLOS recites the next phrase alone. CARLOS Ltrunghi !krgltt! Hoshi corrects one specific word. She does so with a sound that seems almost impossible for a human to make. HOSHI !krgltt! Carlos attempts to repeat it, but can't quite get it right. CARLOS !krgltt! HOSHI Tighten the back of your tongue (demonstrating) !krltt! As Carlos futilely attempts to get the word right, Hoshi notices Captain Archer standing at the back of the class. He's wearing a muted Hawaiian shirt, jeans and tennis shoes. HOSHI (CONT'D) Keep trying. You've almost got it. (to all) I'll be right back. As Hoshi heads toward Archer... CUT TO: EXT. AMAZON UNIVERSITY -JUNGLE PATH -DAY Archer and Hoshi are walking along, mid-conversation HOSHI There's two more weeks before exams. It's impossible for me to leave now. ARCHER You've got to have someone who can cover for you. HOSHI If there was anyone else who could do what I do, you wouldn't be so eager to have me on your space ship. ARCHER Hoshi... HOSHI I'm sorry, Captain. I owe it to these kids. ARCHER I could order you. HOSHI I'm on leave from Starfleet, remember? You'd have to forcibly recall me, which would require a reprimand which would disqualify me from serving on an active vessel. ARCHER I need someone with your ear. HOSHI And you'll have her... in three weeks. Archer removes a small DEVICE from his breast pocket, and taps a button on it. We HEAR the sound of a voice speaking the Klingon language. Hoshi reacts, intrigued. HOSHI (CONT'D) What's that? ARCHER Klingon. (beat) Ambassador Soval gave us a sampling of their linguistic database. HOSHI I thought you said the Vulcans were opposed to this. ARCHER They are. But we agreed to make a few... compromises. Hoshi listens to the Klingon voice HOSHI What do you know about these... Klingons? ARCHER (seductively) Not much. An empire of warriors with eighty poly-guttural dialects constructed on an adaptive syntax. HOSHI Turn it up. Archer taps a control, and the Klingon voice gets louder. As Hoshi listens... ARCHER Think about it. You'd be the first human to talk to these people. (beat) Do you really want someone else to do it? Hoshi looks at him, breathes a sigh. They both know she's been hooked. CUT TO: EXT. SPACEDOCK (OPTICAL) in orbit. Enterprise is barely visible docked inside. INT. ENTERPRISE -READY ROOM (OPTICAL) Archer and Charlie are standing at the window, looking at a section of the Spacedock. CHARLIE Since when do we have Vulcan Science Officers? ARCHER Since we needed starcharts to get to Kronos. CHARLIE So we get a few maps... and they get to put a spy on our ship? ARCHER Admiral Forrest says we should think of her more as a "chaperone." CHARLIE I thought the whole point of this was to get away from the Vulcans. ARCHER Four days there, four days back... then she's gone. In the meantime, we're to extend her every courtesy. CHARLIE I don't know... I'd be more comfortable with Porthos on the Bridge. The door CHIMES. ARCHER Here we go. (to com) Come in. T'Pol ENTERS from the Bridge, wearing her Vulcan uniform, holding a PADD. T'POL (hands Archer a PADD) This confirms that I was formally transferred to your command at oh eight hundred hours. Reporting for duty. Archer eyes the PADD. There's an uncomfortable pause. T'Pol sniffs the air and glances about --it's obvious something smells unpleasant to her. She looks to one corner, where PORTHOS, the Captain's DOG, lays sleeping. Archer looks up from the PADD and notices her nasal distress. ARCHER Is there a problem? T'POL No, sir Archer realizes he's found a button to push. ARCHER Oh, I forgot... Vulcan females have a heightened sense of smell. (re: dog) I hope Porthos isn't too offensive to you. T'POL (with attitude) I've been trained to tolerate offensive situations. CHARLIE I took a shower this morning... how about you, Captain? ARCHER I'm sorry. This is Commander Charles Tucker. (to Charlie) Sub-Commander T'Pol. CHARLIE EXTENDS HIS HAND CHARLIE I'm called Charlie. T'POL (dry) I'll try to remember that. Archer eyes T'Pol. ARCHER While you may not share our enthusiasm about this mission, I expect you to follow our rules... what's said in this room and out on that Bridge is classified... privileged information. (beat) I don't want every word I say being picked apart the next day by the Vulcan High Command. T'POL My reason for being here is not espionage. My superiors simply asked me to assist you. ARCHER Your superiors don't think we can flush a toilet without one of you to "assist" us. T'POL (cool) I didn't request this assignment, Captain... and you can be certain that when the mission's over, I'll be as pleased to leave this ship as you'll be to have me go. She glances down at Porthos, who is sniffing at her leg. T'POL (CONT'D) If there's nothing else... Archer waits a beat, letting Porthos sniff away. ARCHER Porthos! The dog obediently moves back to its bed. ARCHER (CONT'D) That'll be all. As T'Pol EXITS... DISSOLVE TO: INT. SPACEDOCK- OBSERVATION DECK (OPTICAL) Admiral Forrest is addressing a large group of invited guests, including various Starfleet brass, a contingent of Vulcan dignitaries, and the senior staff of Enterprise: Archer, Charlie, T'Pol, Reed, Mayweather, and Hoshi. Part of ENTERPRISE can be seen out the observation window. ADMIRAL FORREST When Zefram Cochrane made his legendary warp flight ninety years ago... and drew the attention of our new friends, the Vulcans, we realized that we weren't alone in the galaxy. (beat) Today we're about to cross a new threshold. For nearly a century, we've waded ankle-deep in the ocean of space... now it's finally time to swim. The crowd applauds enthusiastically. The Vulcans observe them stoically. ADMIRAL FORREST (CONT'D) (continuing) The warp five engine wouldn't be a reality without men like Doctor Cochrane and Henry Archer, who worked so hard to develop it. So it's only fitting that Henry's son, Jonathan Archer, will command the first starship powered by that engine. Forrest nods to Archer, who leads his crew toward a nearby set of doors. ADMIRAL FORREST (CONT'D) (continuing) Rather than quoting Doctor Cochrane, I think we should listen to his own words from the ground breaking ceremony for the Warp Five Complex... thirty-two years ago... Forrest looks toward the large window, which also serves as a VIEWSCREEN. It comes alive with ARCHIVAL FOOTAGE of an elderly ZEFRAM COCHRANE giving a speech. Standing beside him at a construction site are a number of fellow scientists, including Archer's father, Henry, who is only a few years younger than when we saw him in the opening scene. COCHRANE On this site, a powerful engine will be built... an engine that will someday let us travel a hundred times faster than we can today. As the speech continues... INT. ENTERPRISE -BRIDGE Far more basic than future starship, this command center lacks the "airport terminal" feel of Enterprises A through E. A central Captain's chair is surrounded by various stations, the floors and walls, are mostly steel, with source light coming nom myriad glowing panels. No carpets on the floors, no wood paneling on the walls, high-tech gauges, dials. COCHRANE (O.S.) (O.S.) (continuing) Imagine it. Thousands of inhabited planets at our fingertips. T'Pol, Reed, Mayweather and Hoshi take their stations... and Archer takes the Captain's chair... COCHRANE (O.S.) (O.S.) (CONT'D) (continuing) And we'll be able to explore those strange new worlds... and seek out new life and new civilizations. INT. OBSERVATION DECK (OPTICAL) Cochrane on the Viewscreen... COCHRANE (continuing) This engine will let us go boldly... where no man has gone before. EXT. SPACEDOCK (OPTICAL) Mooring lines SNAP AWAY in bursts of frozen vapor. INT. ENTERPRISE -MAIN ENGINEERING Charlie stands before the now throbbing warp core. INT. BRIDGE Archer and his crew,as before. Archer leans forward in the Captain's chair. FLASHBACK: CLOSE ON YOUNG ARCHER'S FACE (OPTICAL) as a tiny ANTI-GRAV UNIT the size of a Dixie cup floats up into frame. The humming unit hovers before the transfixed child. FLASHBACK: CLOSE ON ARCHER'S FATHER (OPTICAL) working a small control unit, smiles warmly at his son. FLASHBACK: WIDER ON YOUNG ARCHER'S FACE (OPTICAL) as the anti-grav unit settles back on the table. The father plucks the unit out of the air and hands it to the boy, who inserts it into the starship model. RESUME CAPTAIN ARCHER as he reflects a beat, then: ARCHER Take her out... straight and steady, Mister Mayweather. EXT. SPACEDOCK (OPTICAL) The great ship is moving out of its berth. On the hull, we see the name ENTERPRISE - NX-01. EXT. SPACE -ENTERPRISE (OPTICAL) Our first full view of the majestic ship as it clears the dock and moves into open space. Enterprise is lean and masculine, yet its twin warp nacelles suggest the shape of Starfleet vessels to come. INT. BRIDGE Archer taps a button on the arm of his chair. ARCHER How are we doing, Charlie? INT. MAIN ENGINEERING Charlie working at the warp core, which is now pulsing at full power. CHARLIE Ready when you are. ARCHER'S COM VOICE Prepare for warp one. INT. BRIDGE MAYWEATHER Course laid in, sir. (beat) Request permission to get underway. T'Pol studies her console and turns to Archer. T'POL (critical) The coordinates are off by point two degrees. Archer won't let her spoil the moment he's waited so long for. ARCHER Thank you. (to Mayweather) Let's go. EXT. SPACE- ENTERPRISE (OPTICAL) A crescent of EARTH is seen as the ship BLASTS to WARP. CUT TO: INT. SULIBAN HELIX -TEMPORAL CHAMBER (OPTICAL) Dimly-lit, filled with labyrinthine technology. The room is bisected by an archway that creates a rippling BARRIER of ENERGY. This is a place where people from two different time frames can briefly coexist; the Suliban come here to meet with visitors from a distant century. Two men stand on opposite sides of the barrier. On our side is a Suliban named SILIK; on the other, we can barely make out the image of a HUMANOID FIGURE. Both men stand at identical high-tech podiums. As they speak, their WORDS and IMAGES seem to PRE-ECHO in a strange effect -- we can see and hear things a split-second before they happen. It's a disquieting and eerie feeling of two worlds slightly out of phase with each other. Silik, in his fifties, has the same dappled skin as the Suliban we briefly saw at Broken Bow. He's a high-ranking member of the Suliban Cabal. The Humanoid Figure who faces him is a male of indeterminate age; we can barely make out his appearance or his words. Mid-scene: HUMANOID FIGURE Where's Klaang? SILIK The humans have him. HUMANOID FIGURE Did you lose anyone else? SILIK Two of my soldiers were killed. One of them was a friend. Can you prevent it? HUMANOID FIGURE Our agreement doesn't provide for correcting mistakes. (firm) Recover the evidence. SILIK I will... I promise you. (beat) When will we speak again? HUMANOID FIGURE Don't be concerned with when. The figure vanishes... and a moment later, so does the barrier of energy. OFF Silik... EXT. SPACE -ENTERPRISE (OPTICAL) as it dramatically flies past at warp. CLOSE ON ARCHER'S FACE distorted through a JAR he's holding that's filled with viscous pink fluid. Tiny corkscrew ORGANISMS flit through the liquid. As he turns the jar back and forth, studying the tiny creatures... ARCHER Love what you've done with the place. PHLOX (O.S.) (O.S.) Those are immunocytic gel worms... try not to shake them. REVEAL we're in -- INT. ENTERPRISE -SICKBAY (OPTICAL) Where Phlox (the quirky alien seen at Starfleet Medical) is carefully placing various medical paraphernalia on shelves. The jars and tools are definitely not Starfleet issue. In the b.g., Klaang (the Klingon) is lying on a bio-bed, unconscious. Archer hands Phlox the jar of pink fluid, and continues to pass him other articles out of a large packing case during the conversation. ARCHER So what'd you think of Earth? PHLOX Intriguing. I especially liked the Chinese food. Have you ever tried it? ARCHER I've lived in San Francisco all my life. PHLOX Anatomically, you humans are somewhat simplistic... but what you lack biologically you make up for with your charming optimism... not to mention your egg drop soup. (re: his medical gear) Be very careful with the blue box. Archer gingerly passes him a small blue box with breathing holes on either side. Some unseen creature skitters within. ARCHER What's in there? PHLOX An Altarian marsupial... their droppings contain the greatest concentration of regenerative enzymes found anywhere. ARCHER (uncomfortably) Their droppings? PHLOX (philosophical) If you're going to try to embrace new worlds... you must try to embrace new ideas. That's why the Vulcans initiated the Interspecies Medical Exchange... there's a lot to be learned! ARCHER I'm sorry I had to take you away from your program... but our doctors haven't even heard of a Klingon. PHLOX Please, no apologies! What better time to study human beings than when they're under pressure? It's a rare opportunity. (re: Klaang) And your Klingon friend... I've never had a chance to examine a living one before. ARCHER Lieutenant Mayweather tells me we'll be to Kronos in about eighty hours. Any chance he'll be conscious by then? PHLOX There's a chance he'll be conscious within the next ten minutes... just not a very good one. ARCHER Eighty hours, Doctor. If he doesn't walk off this ship on his own two feet, he doesn't stand much of a chance. PHLOX I'll do the best I can. (off his doubtful look) Optimism, Captain! Phlox SMILES a grin of inhuman proportions (and with the help of a VISUAL EFFECT, it will be like no smile we've seen before). Archer realizes he's gotten all he's going to get out of his new doctor. He walks to Klaang, stops for a beat, then heads for the door... CUT TO: INT. ENTERPRISE- CRAMPED CRAWLSPACE (OPTICAL) Charlie is climbing up a ladder through a narrow passageway. As he reaches the top, he stares above him. .. CHARLIE You're upsidedown, lieutenant. CAMERA WIDENS to reveal Mayweather comfortably sitting on what appears to be the CEILING. MAYWEATHER Yes, sir. CHARLIE Care to explain why? MAYWEATHER When I was a kid, we called it the "sweet spot. " Every ship's got one. CHARLIE (intrigued) Sweet spot. MAYWEATHER It's usually about halfway between the grav-generator and the bow plate. He points to a thin conduit that crosses below him MAYWEATHER (CONT'D) Grab hold of that conduit. Charlie reaches for the conduit. MAYWEATHER (CONT'D) Now swing your legs up. Charlie hesitates. MAYWEATHER (CONT'D) Swing your legs. Charlie swings his legs up, and to his amazement, they stay up -- his curled body floating in ZERO G. CHARLIE Wow MAYWEATHER Now let go. Charlie releases his grip, and his entire body FLOATS in mid-air. Charlie laughs in delight as he slowly turns. He tries to control his movements, but CRASHES onto the "ceiling" where Mayweather is sitting. MAYWEATHER (CONT'D) Takes practice. As Charlie settles in next to him... MAYWEATHER (CONT'D) Ever slept in zero G? CHARLIE Slept? MAYWEATHER Like being back in the womb. Charlie eyes him, curious. CHARLIE Captain tells me you've been to Trillius Prime. MAYWEATHER Took the fourth, fifth and sixth grades to get there. I've also been to Draylax and both the Andorian Moons. CHARLIE I've only been to one inhabited planet besides Earth... nothing there but dust-dwelling ticks. (beat, curious) I've heard the women on Draylax have... MAYWEATHER (nodding) Three... it's true. CHARLIE (impressed) You know that first-hand? MAYWEATHER First-hand, second-hand, and third-hand. CHARLIE I guess growing up a boomer has its advantages. They share a smile... CUT TO: INT. CREW MESS Busy. A dozen or so CREWMEMBERS are sitting at long, metal tables, helping themselves at the food line, and getting drinks at a row of high-tech beverage dispensers. Charlie ENTERS and starts walking across the room, passes a group of crewmen having dinner. CREWMAN FLETCHER (to Charlie) Got an empty seat here, Commander. CHARLIE Sorry. Dinner with the boss tonight. Charlie heads toward a small door at the end of the room... INT. CAPTAIN'S MESS A small, nicely-appointed room with a table for four (six in a pinch) that is covered by a white tablecloth. The room is warmly lit by two candles at the center of the table. Archer and T'Pol are seated across from each other, mid-conversation. ARCHER The Grand Canyon? T'POL No. ARCHER Big Sur Aquarium? T'POL Sightseeing was not one of my assignments. ARCHER All work and no play... (off her puzzled look) Everyone should get out for a little R & R now and then. T'POL All our recreational needs are provided at the Compound. The door CHIMES. ARCHER Come in. Charlie ENTERS from the Mess Hall. CHARLIE You should've started without me. Archer indicates the chair to his left. ARCHER Sit down Charlie takes, aseat and reaches for a bread stick, starts chomping. T'Pol raises an eyebrow at his noisy eating habits. Archer extends the basket to T'Pol, who removes a bread stick and places it on her plate. ARCHER (CONT'D) (to Charlie) T'Pol tells me she's been living at the Vulcan Compound in Sausalito. CHARLIE (chomping away) No kidding. I lived a few blocks from there when I was at the Academy. (sarcastic) Great parties at the Vulcan Compound. T'Pol doesn't respond to this --she's too busy trying to cut the bread stick with her knife and fork. But it's too crisp, and crumbles. ARCHER (diplomatic) It might be a little easier using your fingers. T'POL Vulcans don't touch food with their hands. She changes her tack --holds the bread stick with her fork, gently sawing it with the edge of her knife. CHARLIE Can't wait to see you tackle the spare ribs. T'Pol glances at Archer. ARCHER Don't worry. We know you're a vegetarian. At this point, the door leading to the kitchen opens and a STEWARD enters carrying three plates of food. As he places them down, we see that Archer and Charlie are being served meat, while T'Pol receives a platter of grilled vegetables. CHARLIE Looks delicious. (to Steward) Tell Chef I said thanks. The steward nods and EXITS. As the two men begin to eat, T'Pol continues to methodically saw at the bread stick. T'POL You humans claim to be enlightened, yet you still consume the flesh of animals. CHARLIE (mouth full, wry) Grandma taught me never to judge a species by their eating habits. ARCHER "Enlightened" may be too strong a word, but if you'd been on Earth fifty years ago, I think you'd be impressed by what we've gotten done. T'POL You've yet to embrace either patience or logic... you remain impulsive carnivores. CHARLIE Yeah? How about war... disease... hunger? Pretty much wiped 'em out in less than two generations. I wouldn't call that small potatoes. T'POL It remains to be seen whether humanity will revert to its baser instincts. CHARLIE (tweaking her) We used to have cannibals on Earth. Who knows how far we'll revert? Lucky this isn't a long mission. ARCHER Human instinct is pretty strong -- you can't expect us to change overnight. She finally saws off a section of bread stick, and gracefully slides it onto her fork. T'POL With proper discipline, anything's possible. As she places the bread into her mouth EXT. SPACE- ENTERPRISE (OPTICAL) Streaking at warp. The ship seems to pick up speed and RACES past CAMERA. INT. ENTERPRISE -BRIDGE Archer, T'Pol, Reed, Mayweather, Hoshi and various crewmembers at their stations. Everyone is quiet, as though anticipating something. We hear the low HUM of the ship at warp. ARCHER Seems okay to me. (to Mayweather) Why don't you try four-three? Mayweather works the helm. There's a slight change of pitch in the sound of the ship's engines. MAYWEATHER Warp four point three, sir. Another quiet moment as they all listen, waiting for something to happen. REED Not much of a change. HOSHI I don't know... does anybody else feel that? ARCHER Feel what? HOSHI Those... vibrations... like little tremors. T'POL (cool) You're imagining it. ARCHER (to Mayweather) Bring us to four-four, Lieutenant. Mayweather works. A tiny SHUDDER and the deep sounds of engines working as the ship accelerates. Hoshi grabs the sides of her seat. HOSHI There! What do you call that? T'POL The warp reactor was recalibrating. It shouldn't happen again. A small ALARM sounds at Reed's station. HOSHI (anxious) Now what? REED The deflector's sequencing. It's perfectly normal. T'POL (dry, to Hoshi) Perhaps you'd like to go to your quarters and lie down? Hoshi doesn't like T'Pol's slightly condescending attitude. HOSHI (in Vulcan, an insult) Ponfo mirann. T'POL (with matching attitude) I was instructed to speak English during this voyage. I'd appreciate it if you'd respect that. Archer, who's concerned these two aren't getting along, tries to change the subject. ARCHER (lightly) It's easy to get a little jumpy when you're travelling at thirty million kilometers a second. Should be old-hat in a week's time. Another TONE is heard. Hoshi tenses. Archer taps a button on the arm of his chair. ARCHER (to com) (CONT'D) Archer. PHLOX'S COM VOICE This is Doctor Phlox, Captain. Our patient is regaining consciousness. ARCHER On my way. (stands) Hoshi. Hoshi joins him and they head for the Turbolift CUT TO: TIGHT ON KLAANG seated on the bio-bed, babbling in Klingon. (See ADDENDUM for any unscripted Klaang dialog.) We will shortly learn that he's delirious and not making any sense. KLAANG (shouting) Pung: g:hap HoS! WIDEN to see -- INT. SICKBAY Archer, Hoshi and Phlox are gathered around the bio-bed. A SECURITY GUARD armed with a PLASMA RIFLE stands watch. Hoshi is working a PADD. ARCHER (to Hoshi) What's wrong? HOSHI The translator's not locking onto his dialect... the syntax won't align. KLAANG (shouts) DujDaj Hegh! Hoshi hesitates, finding the words. ARCHER Tell him we're taking him home. HOSHI (to Klaang, in Klingon) Ingan Hoch... juH. Klaang responds: KLAANG Tujpa'qyl Dun? HOSHI (to Archer) He wants to know who we are Archer nods -- tell him. HOSHI (to Klaang) (CONT'D) Ou'ghewme Enterrise. PugloD. KLAANG Nenta luHom. HOSHI "LupHom" ..."ship" ... (to Archer) He's asking for his ship back. ARCHER Say it was destroyed. HOSHI (to Klaang) SonchI. KLAANG Vengen Sto'vo'kor Dos! Hoshi frowns, puzzled. HOSHI I'm not sure... but I think he's saying something about "eating the afterlife. ARCHER (frustrated) Try the translator again. Hoshi works the PADD, shakes her head. HOSHI I'm going to need to run what we've got through the phonetic processor. KLAANG (urgent) MajOa blmoHgu! HOSHI He says... "his wife has grown ugly." Archer sighs. HOSHI (CONT'D) I'm sorry, Captain... I'm doing the best I can. PHLOX Excuse me. They turn to him. Phlox is checking an alien scanning device. PHLOX (CONT'D) His pre-frontal cortex is hyperstimulated... I doubt he has any idea what he's saying. KLAANG HljolOaOqu'na! HOSHI I think the Doctor's right, Captain...unless "stinky boots" has something to do with all this. Suddenly, the ship SHUDDERS as it drops out of warp. Hoshi instinctively grabs the Captain's arm. HOSHI (CONT'D) That's the warp reactor again, right? KLAANG OaOgu'na! Concerned, Archer taps a nearby com button. ARCHER Bridge, report. T'POL'S COM VOICE We've dropped out of warp, sir. Main power is -- A brief burst of static, then the com goes dead. The lights start to FLICKER and the consoles begin to GO OUT one by one. INT. BRIDGE T'Pol, Reed, Mayweather and assorted crewmembers react as the lights and consoles continue to GO OUT. REED (confused, re: his console) I think I saw something off the starboard bow... T'POL What? REED I don't know... it may've just been the sensors going down... EXT. SPACE -ENTERPRISE (OPTICAL) The few remaining lights GO OUT, leaving the ship in total darkness. INT. ENGINEERING Darkness. A handheld BEACON lights up, following by three more. Charlie and several crewmembers are working at the now inactive warp core. Charlie leans over to a com panel and taps it. CHARLIE Captain. (taps it again) Captain! He realizes it's dead. CHARLIE (CONT'D) (to crewman) Lock off the coolant tanks! INT. CORRIDOR -SULIBAN "NIGHT VISION" POV (OPTICAL) PIXILATED, MONOCHROMATIC POV MOVING QUICKLY THROUGH THE corridor. We see the grainy image of another SULIBAN moving ahead of us... INT, SICKBAY (OPTICAL) Darkness. Archer, Hoshi and Phlox have beacons. Klanng continues to bellow over the scene (see ADDENDUM). Chirps and whistles come from the various alien lifeforms the doctor has brought with him. ARCHER Auxiliary power should've kicked in by now... Another outburst from Klaang. ARCHER (CONT'D) (to Hoshi) Do you know how to tell him to shut up? Hoshi, who's growing more nervous, flashes her beacon from wall to wall. HOSHI (to Klaang) Shut up! Klaang continues to shout. ARCHER (to Phlox) Sedate him if you have to. I need to get to the Bridge. Archer heads for the door. HOSHI (sotto, urgent) Captain! He turns. Hoshi is moving her beacon across a wall. HOSHI (CONT'D) (sotto) There's someone here. ARCHER (doubtful) Hoshi... HOSHI I'm telling you, there's someone -- She stops as her beacon illuminates a HUMANOID FORM. Like a chameleon, it has taken on the appearance of its background and is barely visible. Once discovered, the figure LEAPS back into the darkness. A glimmer of recognition falls over Klaang's face as he shuts up for the first time. KLAANG (quietly) Suliban. Archer's beacon finds a second SULIBAN perched like a spider high on a WALL (he is not camouflaged like the first Suliban). ARCHER (to guard) Crewman! As the guard raises his rifle, the Suliban LEAPS to the ground, where we see a third SULIBAN quickly dart into the shadows. The guard FIRES toward them! Bright red PLASMA BULLETS illuminate the room in a series of quick, stroboscopic FLASHES! RAPID CUTS: KLAANG looks around in confusion, shouting in Klingon! HOSHI is crouching low to avoid the gunfire, erratically scanning with her beacon. THE GUARD senses motion behind him, turns to take aim -- HIS POV Of a Suliban lunging toward him! THE GUARD (CONT'D) HITS the deck hard --his weapon goes sliding across the floor! ARCHER (OPTICAL) reacts quickly, LUNGES and ROLLS toward the weapon, GRABS it and whirls toward the Suliban. BLAM-BLAM-BLAM! He FIRES! THE SULIBAN IS HIT (OPTICAL) and goes flying backward! KLANNG senses movement above, looks up to see -- SULIBAN ON THE CEILING directly over him! The creature DROPS into CAMERA! SILENCE No movement. All we can hear is the agitated clicking and chirping of the alien lifeforms. HOSHI (O.S.) (O.S.) (worried) Captain? Suddenly, we hear the SURGE of warp power coming back on- line... and the lights and consoles begin to COME ALIVE one by one. ANGLE- THE ROOM The Guard is lying on the floor, dazed. Phlox rushes to help him. Hoshi is crouching on the deck, as before. She glances down, sees a DEAD SULIBAN sprawled just inches from her! Disgusted, she edges away. Archer is staring at the bio-bed, which is now empty. Klaanq and the Suliban are gone. OFF his reaction... CUT TO: INT. BRIDGE (VPB) Archer is on his feet, pacing, agitated. T'Pol, Reed, Mayweather, Charlie, Hoshi and crewmembers at their stations. Mid-scene, tense: ARCHER (frustrated) We've got state-of-the-art sensors... why the hell didn't we detect them? MAYWEATHER Mister Reed thought he detected something right before we lost power... Archer turns to Reed, who's working his console. REED The starboard sensor logs recorded a spatial disturbance. Charlie looks over Reed's shoulder. CHARLIE Looks more like a glitch. HOSHI Those weren't glitches in Sickbay. ARCHER (to Charlie) I want a complete analysis of that disturbance. Charlie heads for the door... ARCHER (to Reed) (CONT'D) Where do we stand on weapons? REED I still have to tune the targeting scanners... ARCHER What're you waiting for? Reed joins Charlie and they EXIT together. T'Pol crosses to Archer. T'POL Captain... ARCHER (ignoring her, to Hoshi) The Klingon seemed to know who they were. See if you can translate what he said. HOSHI Right away. Hoshi turns to go. T'POL Captain. He turns to her. T'POL (CONT'D) (consoling) There's no way you could have anticipated this. I'm sure Ambassador Soval will understand. ARCHER (an order) You're the Science Officer. Why don't you help Charlie with that analysis? T'POL The astrometric computer in San Francisco will be far more effective. ARCHER We're not going to San Francisco, so make-do with what we've got here. T'POL You've lost the Klingon. Your mission is over. ARCHER I didn't lose the Klingon... he was taken. And I'm going to find out who took him. T'POL How do you plan to do that? (slightly patronizing) Space is very big, Captain... a shadow on your sensors won't help you find them. This is a foolish mission. Archer heads for his Ready Room. ARCHER Come with me. T'Pol follows... INT. READY ROOM As Archer and T'Pol ENTER... ARCHER (continuing) I'm not interested in what you think about this mission. So take your Vulcan cynicism and bury it along with your repressed emotions. T'POL Your reaction to this situation is a perfect example of why your species should remain in its own star system. ARCHER (heated) I've been listening to you Vulcans tell us what not to do all my life. I watched my father work his ass off while your scientists held back just enough information to keep him from succeeding. (beat) He deserved to see that launch. You may have life spans of two hundred years... we don't. A tense moment. T'Pol can see she's not going to win this argument. T'POL You are going to be contacting Starfleet... to advise them of our situation. ARCHER No, I'm not. And neither are you T'Pol raises a skeptical brow. ARCHER (CONT'D) Now get the hell out there and make yourself useful. T'Pol EXITS. Archer watches her go... then walks to the window and stares out into space... CUT TO: INT. SICKBAY (OPTICAL/VPB) Dimly-lot, except for a single bright surgical lamp shining down on the dead Suliban. Although we can't see it clearly, Phlox's hands are busy inside the opened chest of the Suliban. He's enthusiastically picking through the entrails. Archer looks on. PHLOX Mister Klaang was right about one thing... he's a Suliban. But unless I'm mistaken, he's no ordinary one. ARCHER Meaning? PHLOX His DNA is Suliban... but his anatomy has been altered. (re: corpse) Look at this lung. Archer peers into the open chest cavity. PHLOX (CONT'D) Five bronchial lobes. Phlox points to a monitor at the head of the bio-bed, which shows an intricately complex biological diagram. PHLOX (CONT'D) You see? It should only have three. {BACK TO THE CORPSE) And look at the alveoli clusters... they've been modified to process different kinds of atmospheres. ARCHER Are you saying he's some kind of mutant? PHLOX Yes, I suppose I am. But this was no accident, no freak of nature. This man was the recipient of some very sophisticated genetic engineering. Phlox is like a kid in a candy store. He picks up a thin instrument and activates it. A deep red light comes on. Phlox shines the light on the Suliban's dappled face. He moves the light away, revealing that the skin has CHANGED COLOR, perfectly matching the hue and intensity. PHLOX (CONT'D) Watch this. He taps a control on the instrument, and the color of the light changes to BLUE. He shines the light on the Suliban's clothing, moves it away --the clothing has ADAPTED to the color. PHLOX (CONT'D) (re: dappled skin) Subcutaneous pigment sacs. Archer reacts. PHLOX (CONT'D) (re: clothing) A bio-mimetic garment. PHLOX (CONT'D) The eyes are my favorite. Phlox lifts an eyelid, exposing a super-dilated pupil glowing with phosphorescence. PHLOX (CONT'D) Compound retinas. He most likely saw things even your sensors couldn't detect. ARCHER It's not in their genome? PHLOX Certainly not. The Suliban are no more evolved than humans. (re: corpse) Very impressive work, though. I've never seen anything quite like it. Archer doesn't share his excitement about this discovery. He's uneasy. ARCHER What do you know about them? Where do they come from? PHLOX They're nomadic, I believe. No home world. I examined two of them years ago... a husband and wife... very cordial. As Archer considers... CUT TO: INT. MAIN ENGINEERING Charlie and T'Pol are working at a station that displays various sensor data. Charlie is upbeat, T'Pol is detached. CHARLIE (points at some data) How about this? T'POL It's just background noise. Your sensors aren't capable of isolating plasma decay. CHARLIE How can you be so damn sure what our sensors can do? T'POL Vulcan children play with toys that are more sophisticated. As they work... CHARLIE (fed up) You know, some people say that you Vulcans do nothing but patronize us... but if they were here now... if they could see how far you're bending over backwards to help me, they'd eat their words. T'POL (pointed) Your Captain's mission was to return the Klingon to his people. He no longer has the Klingon. CHARLIE I realize he's only a simple Earthling...but did it ever occur to you that he might know what he's doing? T'Pol is silent. CHARLIE (CONT'D) It's no secret Starfleet hasn't been around too long... God knows you remind us of that every chance you get... but does that mean the man who's been put in charge of this mission doesn't deserve our support? (pointed) Then again, loyalty's an emotion, isn't it? T'Pol glances at him, but before she can respond, the door opens and Archer ENTERS. ARCHER Having any luck? CHARLIE (re: T'Pol, ironic) Not really. T'POL (to Archer) My analysis of the spatial disturbance Mister Reed saw indicates a stealth vessel with a tricyclic plasma drive. CHARLIE (off that) If we can figure out the decay rate of their plasma, we'll be able to find their warp trail. T'POL Unfortunately, your sensors weren't designed to measure plasma decay. Over the above exchange, we see Hoshi ENTER the room. It's obvious she hasn't been to Engineering before. She glances around, intrigued, but gets a little hesitant as she approaches the pulsing warp core. HOSHI (re: warp core, half-joking) Are you sure it's safe to stand so close to that? ARCHER What've you got? HOSHI I've managed to translate most of what Klaang said. But none of it makes sense. She hands him a PADD. ARCHER Nothing about the Suliban? HOSHI Nope. ARCHER (to T'Pol) That name ring a bell to you? T'POL They're a somewhat primitive species from Sector Three Six Four One. But they've never posed a threat. ARCHER Well, they have now. (to Hoshi) Did he say anything about Earth? HOSHI The word's not even in their database. Archer eyes the PADD. HOSHI (CONT'D) It's all there. There were only four words I couldn't translate. probably just proper nouns. Archer carefully pronounces the words. ARCHER (off PADD) "Jelik...Sarin...Rigel.,. Tholia." Archer looks up to T'Pol. ARCHER (CONT'D) Anything sound familiar? T'Pol hesitates. Clearly, something has rung a bell. In typical fashion, she tries not to show it. ARCHER (CONT'D) T'Pol? She pauses again... glances at Charlie, who says nothing but gives her a pointed look. Finally: T'POL (to Archer) Rigel is a planetary system... approximately fifteen light years from our present position. ARCHER (sensing more) Why the hesitation? T'Pol realizes she's about to piss Archer off. T'POL According to the navigational logs salvaged from Klaang's ship... Rigel Ten was the last place he stopped before crashing on your planet. As angry as Archer is, he's not surprised. ARCHER Why do I get the feeling you weren't going to share that little piece of information? T'POL I wasn't authorized to reveal the details of our findings. Charlie and Hoshi exchange a look --they're uncomfortable with the tension. ARCHER (controlled anger) The next time I learn you're withholding something... you're going to spend the rest of this voyage confined to some very cramped quarters. Understood? T'Pol's reaction is hard to read. Archer hits a com panel. ARCHER (CONT'D) Archer to helm. MAYWEATHER'S COM VOICE Aye, sir. ARCHER Go into the Vulcan starcharts and find a system called Rigel... then set a course for the tenth planet. As Archer gives T'Pol a final look EXT. SPACE -ENTERPRISE (OPTICAL) jumps to warp. CUT TO: INT. SULIBAN HELIX -INTERROGATION ROOM Klaang is restrained in an elaborate chair. Two SULIBAN DOCTORS monitor sinister-looking tubes and devices that are connected to the Klingon's body. Source light from an off-camera window bathes the scene in a steely BLUE GLOW. Silik, the Suliban seen earlier, is questioning Klaang. It's clear that Klaang has been drugged. Mid-scene. SILIK (in Klingon) ReH suvro? (subtitle reads) Where is it? KLAANG Du bog:h. (subtitle reads) I don't know. SILIK Chonta qhe'tor. Q.a! (subtitle reads) We're not going to harm you. Tell me where it is. KLAANG Du Bog:h. (subtitle reads) I don't know. Silik looks to one of the Doctors. SILIK Are you certain he's telling the truth? SULIBAN DOCTOR Absolutely certain. Silik turns back to Klaang. SILIK Hovme lup;Hom. Pente daO? Enterrise DaHjaj? (subtitle reads) Did you leave it on your ship... did you hide it somewhere... is it on Enterprise? KLAANG Du boqh g:uch. (subtitle reads) I don't know what you're looking for. SILIK B1Heqh Rigel wo'tul? (subtitle reads) What were you doing on Rigel Ten? KLAANG MajQa tlharn. (subtitle reads) I was sent to meet someone. SILIK Doh? (subtitle reads) Who KLAANG MajQa rot. Sarin Poh nI. (subtitle reads) A Suliban female... named Sarin. Silik's expression darkens. He recognizes the name. SILIK Dah Sarin saj'Kogh? (subtitle reads) And what did Sarin give you? KLAANG RQgh. {subtitle reads) Nothing. SILIK TURNS TO THE DOCTORS SILIK Keep him alive while I'm gone. As Silik EXITS with intent... CUT TO: EXT. SPACE -ENTERPRISE (OPTICAL) drops out of warp distance. We PAN to reveal RIGEL TEN in the distance. INT. ENTERPRISE -LAUNCH BAY TWO SHUTTLEPODS can be seen in the b.g. Archer, T'Pol, Charlie, Reed, Mayweather and Hoshi are wearing jackets for their Away Mission. T'Pol is handing out communicator/translation devices to the crew... ARCHER (mid-speech, to all) Once we've disembarked, we'll be descending into the trade complex. It's comprised of thirty-six levels... T'POL Your translators have been programmed for Rigelian. However, there are numerous other species working on the colony. Many of them are known to be impatient with newcomers. None of them have seen a human before. You have a tendency to be... gregarious. I suggest you try to restrain that tendency. CHARLIE You forgot to warn us about drinking the water. T'POL (not getting it) Doctor Phlox isn't concerned with the food and water. But he does caution against intimate contact. An amused glance between Charlie and Mayweather. ARCHER (all business) The Vulcans told us Klaang was a courier. If he was here to get something, then whoever gave it to him might know why he was taken. (trying to be optimistic) That was only a few days ago... a seven foot Klingon doesn't go unnoticed. CUT TO: EXT. RIGEL TEN -TRADE COMPLEX -NIGHT (OPTICAL) This towering, weather-worn, multi-leveled structure looks as though it's been constructed over many decades. It sits among the icy crags of inhospitable ARCTIC TERRAIN. The upper-level is comprised of a series of DOCKING PORTS where ships of varying shapes and sizes are coming and going. Huge plumes of STEAM blast out of GEOTHERMAL VENTS lining the top of the structure. CLOSER ANGLE -DOCKING PORT (OPTICAL) Enterprise's six-passenger, sub-warp SHUTTLEPOD swoops into position and settles onto the busy, snow-blown landing deck. CUT TO: INT. TRADE COMPLEX -LEVEL TWO - NIGHT (OPTICAL) A dark, cavernous thoroughfare of concrete and iron. Latticeworks of conduits criss-cross the damp, poorly-lit concourse. A haze hangs in the air, punctuated by shafts of artificial light. Aliens from myriad species go about their business, moving in and out of concealed trading alcoves. Some are in uniform, some aren't, many carry sidearms. T'Pol and Charlie are moving through the strange setting. T'Pol, who has been here before, is taking everything in stride. For Charlie, it's an extraordinary yet disorienting experience. As they duck under an unusually low support beam, a large ALIEN INSECT lands briefly on Charlie's shoulder. Startled, his body jerks in response and the insect flies away. T'Pol shoots him a look, disapproving of his childish reaction. As they keep walking, eerie, dissonant ALIEN TONES catch Charlie's attention... CHARLIE'S POV The sounds are coming from inside a NARROW DOORWAY. We can't see clearly into the room beyond, but we catch glimpses of frenetic movement within. CHARLIE is drawn toward the doorway. CHARLIE (curious) What in the world...? T'POL It's nothing that concerns us. As they keep moving... CUT TO: INT. DOCK MASTER'S CONTROL TOWER -NIGHT (OPTICAL) Through large windows we can see the landing lights of alien ships coming and going through the snowy air. The room is lit only by the monitors of various control stations, and the occasional sweep of a landing light from outside. Archer and Hoshi are talking to the DOCK MASTER, a burly alien who is preoccupied monitoring the traffic. DOCK MASTER Five or six days ago? Do you realize how much traffic we process in a single day? ARCHER You must keep records. This was a one-man, Klingon scout ship. DOCK MASTER (eyes him) What species are you? ARCHER Human. We're called humans. Beep-beep! An alarm sounds. The Dock Master speaks into a microphone... DOCK MASTER {into mic) Elkan nine, raise your approach vector by point two radiants. Archer and Hoshi are frustrated by his seeming lack of attention. The Dock Master checks a monitor. DOCK MASTER (CONT'D) (to Archer, off monitor) It was seven days ago... a K'toch Class vessel. ARCHER (encouraged) Does it say who he was here to see? DOCK MASTER (doesn't have time for this) What it says is that he arrived at docking port six... and was given a level one bio-hazard clearance. ARCHER You don't seem to be very interested in what people do here DOCK MASTER {getting pissed} Our visitors value their privacy. It wouldn't be very -- (suddenly in alien} --tusorop ko tuproya plo -- {back to English} --business they're in. Archer looks to Hoshi, who's adjusting the communicator/translation device she has taken out of her jacket pocket. HOSHI It's all right. Rigelian uses a pronominal base. The translator's just reprocessing the syntax. ARCHER (to Dock Master) Do you have any records of a Suliban vessel coming in around the same time? The Dock Master reacts to this, but quickly covers: DOCK MASTER (evasive) Suliban? I don't know that word. Your device must still be malfunctioning. As he goes back to work... CUT TO: INT. TRADE COMPLEX -LEVEL FIVE -NIGHT Reed and Mayweather are following a furtive ALIEN MAN. This section of the structure is filled with a cacophony of strange sounds and deep, blue-green lighting. MAYWEATHER Shouldn't we call the Captain? REED Maybe we should wait. MAYWEATHER (to Alien Man) How much longer? ALIEN MAN It's not very far. I promise you. REED Are you sure his name was Klaang? Couldn't it have been another Klingon you saw? ALIEN MAN It was Klaang. I'm certain. I'll show you exactly where he was. As they keep moving. CUT TO: INT. TRADE COMPLEX -LEVEL TWO -SITTING AREA -NIGHT A small "rest stop" off the main thoroughfare with a few benches and chairs. Charlie sits among a bizarre assortment of aliens, waiting, uncomfortable. He glances at a nearby WINDOW, where we can see T'Pol through the glass, talking to a uniformed "alien official." The sound of CRYING draws Charlie's attention... AN ALIEN CHILD is nearby, wearing an exotic BREATHING APPARATUS. The MOTHER is tweaking a small control on the device, seemingly taunting the child, who is crying. CHARLIE is unsettled. He glances back at the window. T'Pol finishes talking to the official, exits through a small door, and heads toward the sitting area. She motions to Charlie, who joins her. T'Pol removes her communicator and flips it open. T'POL (to com) T'Pol to Archer. ARCHER'S COM VOICE Go ahead. Charlie glances back at the alien child, who is in increasing distress. He can no longer control himself. CHARLIE (to mother) Hey... The woman shoots him a dirty look and ignores him T'POL (to com) Central Security claims to have no record of Klaang. But they told me about an enclave on Level Nineteen where Klingons have been known to go. Something about live food. ARCHER'S COM VOICE Where on Level Nineteen? T'POL The easternmost subsection... by the geothermal shafts. ARCHER'S COM VOICE I'll meet you there as soon as I can. Archer out. The alien child is now nearly hysterical. The mother has disconnected the breathing tube and the child appears to be suffocating. Charlie instinctively moves to help. CHARLIE (on the move) What're you doing? Leave the kid alone! T'Pol grabs him by the arm. T'POL Don't get involved. CHARLIE (protesting) Do you see what she's doing? He's going to suffocate! T'POL They're Lorillians. Before the age of four, they can only breathe methyloxide. (pointed) The mother is simply weaning her son. CHARLIE (beat) Could've fooled me. He notices that the child is beginning to breathe on his own. As they exit the sitting area... T'POL Humans can't refrain from drawing conclusions. (sharply) You should learn to objectify other cultures... so you can determine when to interfere, and when not to. Charlie glances back at the child. He doesn't like being lectured to, but realizes he's made a mistake. NEW ANGLE -A FIGURE is watching them from the shadows. The figure steps into the light, revealing dappled flesh and dilated pupils... Suliban. OFF the ominous moment... CUT TO: TWO BEAUTIFUL ALIEN WOMEN (OPTICAL) scantily clad, exotic features, swaying to an alien rhythm. Hanging between them is a thin, undulating lantern, surrounded by dozens of flitting butterflies. The women slowly move closer to the lantern... seductively, one of them opens her mouth and arches her head. An eight-inch TONGUE quickly darts out and snares a butterfly. The other woman does the same -thwiip REVEAL WE'RE IN - INT. TRADE COMPLEX -LEVEL FIVE -RED LIGHT DISTRICT - NIGHT(OPTICAL) Reed and Mayweather are standing in a crowd of spectators, watching the butterfly-women with a mixture of arousal and disgust. The Alien Man seen earlier stands nearby, eyeing them. ALIEN MAN Would you like to meet them? I can arrange it. MAYWEATHER Is this where you saw Klaang? ALIEN MAN No, no, not here. I'II show you where. But first, you should enjoy yourselves! (to Reed, re: butterfly- women) Which one would you prefer? Reed is uncomfortable in this setting... but he's intrigued by it all despite himself. REED We're here to learn about the Klingon... (eyes women) Are those real butterflies, or some -kind of holograms? MAYWEATHER We should get going, sir. REED Yes, absolutely, you're right. They start walking through the narrow arcade filled with erotic pleasures... including a topless fire-eater who we only see from behind. ALIEN MAN (sensing they're getting away) Gentlemen, gentlemen! Perhaps you'd prefer to watch the inter- species performance! MAYWEATHER You don't know anything about Klaang, do you? ALIEN MAN Of course I do, but there's no reason to hurry. REED "Inter-species performance?" MAYWEATHER Lieutenant... this man has no intention of helping us. REED (to Alien Man, politely) Perhaps another time The Alien Man shakes his head, disappointed, and disappears into the crowd. As the tw