The following is not a novelization or an actual script but a dry transcript of the aired episode that includes accurate word-to-word dialogues, settings descriptions, action scenes and/or camera movements where the transcriber felt they were necessary. This transcript is archived at "TWIZ TV.COM - FREE TV SCRIPTS DATABASE" IN WORLD WIDE WEB EXCLUSIVITY courtesy of FRIEDERICK. "ENTERPRISE" and other related entities are owned, (TM) and © by RIC BERMAN PRODUCTIONS and PARAMOUNT NETWORK TELEVISION PRODUCTIONS. All Rights Reserved. This transcript is posted here without their permission, approval, authorization or endorsement. Any reproduction, duplication, distribution or display of this material in any form or by any means is expressly prohibited. It is absolutely forbidden to use it for commercial gain. For Entertainment and Educational purposes only. No infringement intended.
==========================
TRANSCRIPT: 1X03 - FIGHT OR FLIGHT
==========================


[Sickbay. Sato sits in front of a terrarium looking at some kind of slimy worm. Phlox stands beside her.]

PHLOX: I didn't realize you spoke slugg.

SATO: I wish I did. She doesn't look any better, does she?

PHLOX: She? We haven't been able to determine its gender yet if it has one.

SATO: I should have left her where I found her.

PHLOX: Nonsense. You are on a mission of exploration. There's something to be learned from every lifeform.

SATO: She wasn't meant to be in this environment.

PHLOX: I promise to do my best to keep it alive.

[He walks over to another terrarium.]

SATO: He's gonna make you all better.

PHLOX: Actually I was thinking more about my prirothian bat. He won't eat anything once it's dead.

[Tucker enters Sickbay.]

TUCKER: We broaded some more power to Sickbay. Let me know if it's enough.

[He hands a device to Phlox.]

PHLOX: This should do fine.

[Tucker walks over to Sato.]

TUCKER: How's Sluggo?

SATO: Doctor Phlox thinks his argon mem should help. But she has barely moved all day.

[Tucker bends down and looks at the worm.]

TUCKER: We've been out here for two weeks and the only first contact we've made is with a dying worm.

=== opening ===

[Archer is sitting at his desk. Something squeaks slightly. Archer turns around and looks anxiously at the floor. The door chimes.]

ARCHER: Come in.

[T'Pol enters helding a device.]

T'POL: The scans of the sectors ahead -

ARCHER: Shht. Hear that?

[T'Pol listens.]

T'POL: Hear what?

[Archer starts crawling on the floor.]

ARCHER: A squeak. Something squeaky. I think it's coming from under the deck plating. But every time I get close to it, it stops. If I can't isolate it, I'm in head to tear the whole flooring up.

T'POL: That would be unfortunate.

[She reads again from the device.]

T'POL: The scans of the sectors ahead, they indicate little chance of finding inhabited planets.

[She hands the device to Archer.]

ARCHER: How about the Vulcan star charts?

[He sits down at his desk.]

T'POL: We have limited data on the course that Starfleet assigned you.

ARCHER: There are thousands of star systems along this path. There must have been something that peeked your people's interest. Sensored species, a triunary star cluster.

T'POL: We don't select our destinations by what peeks our interest.

ARCHER: Vulcans always need a logical and pragmatic reason.

T'POL: My people don't share your enthusiasm for exploration.

[Again the squeaky noise. Archer starts crawling again.]

T'POL: Space is vast, Captain. I'm sure you are aware that only one out of every 43.000 planets supports intelligent life.

ARCHER: I took exo-biology, I know the statistics. But we are travelling at warp five, there has got to be someone out here.

[The door chimes.]

ARCHER: Come in.

[Sato enters.]

SATO: I'm sorry -

[She stops, irritated finding Archer on the floor.]

T'POL: I'll leave you to your exploring.

[She leaves. Archer sits down again.]

ARCHER: Trip tells me that Sluggo is not faring too well.

SATO: No, sir. But the doctor's doing the best he can. Sir, my quarters are on E-Deck, star port section 5.

ARCHER: Yes?

SATO: The stars are going the wrong way, sir.

ARCHER: Wrong way?

SATO: On both my training tours I had port side quarters. I'm having trouble sleeping.

ARCHER: Because you are on the wrong side -

SATO: - on the wrong side of the ship, yes, sir. I spoke with Ensign Porter, he said he'd be willing to switch with your permission?

ARCHER: You got it. Can't have my com officer f -

[The squeaking noise stops him.]

ARCHER: - falling asleep on the bridge.

SATO: Appreciate it, Captain.

[She hesitates.]

ARCHER: Is there something else, Hoshi?

SATO: No, sir. Thank you.

[She leaves. Archer turns around at another squeaking.]

===

[A weapons room. Reed and Mayweather are working on several controls. Reed pushes a button.]

REED: Ready.

MAYWEATHER: 4 and F target scanners are aligned.

[Reed works on another control.]

REED: Activating simulation J6.

[They walk over to another control station. The targeting is drawn on the screen.]

REED: Target acquired.

MAYWEATHER: Simulated launch.

[A white point is shot directed to a spot in the center.]

REED: Five seconds to impact. Three - two - one.

[The point misses the aimed spot.]

REED: Wonderful.

[Mayweather works.]

MAYWEATHER: Rolling off by three meters.

REED: Only three meters. Three meters could mean the difference between hitting a weapons port and a warp core. Instead of disabling a vessel we'd end up destroying it. And probably ourselves in the process.

MAYWEATHER: We'll get it right.

REED: All this should have been dealt with before we left Earth. Have they detected any inhabited planets or vessels?

MAYWEATHER: Not yet.

REED: Good.

MAYWEATHER: I hope you don't expect everyone we run into out here to be hostile. In 23 years I don't think my folks ran in a problem more than a half dozen times.

REED: I don't believe you were ever out quite this far.

MAYWEATHER: Do you think that makes a difference?

[Reed shots him a look.]

REED: What I do know is that until we get these targeting scanners working properly the farther way off from everyone else the better.

[Mayweather smiles.]

MAYWEATHER: Seems like everybody else on board is idging for a first contact.

[Archer enters.]

ARCHER: How's it going?

REED: Not well, sir. We've corrected the problem. But we're still off by .02 percent. It's unacceptable.

ARCHER: Are you sure it's not the simulations that are off?

REED: There's only one way to find out.

ARCHER: How long would it take to arm a few torpedos?

REED: Moments, sir.

[Archer walks to a com device and pushes a button.]

ARCHER: Archer to T'Pol.

T'POL: (com voice) Yes, sir.

ARCHER: Prepare to drop out of warp. It's time for a little target practice.

T'POL: Acknowledged.

REED: Thank you, Captain.

ARCHER: Come on, Travis. We're gonna find Mr Reed something to blow up.

[Mayweather hands Reed his device. He and Archer leave.]

===

[The Enterprise in a field of stone fragments. A torpedo is fired. It misses a big stone and explodes in space.]

ARCHER: Load another one. Let's try again.

REED: Rotate the targeting access by .5 microns.

[Mayweather works.]

MAYWEATHER: .5 microns.

[Another torpedo is fired. It scratches the big stone, turns around and heads back to the Enterprise. The crew gets nervous.]

ARCHER: Mr Reed.

[Reed works. The torpedo explodes.]

REED: If I refocuse the infrared scanner, I might be able to compensate.

ARCHER: How long will that take?

REED: The better part of a day.

ARCHER: Resume course, Ensign.

REED: Sir.

ARCHER: We are not gonna sit on our butt for 24 hours. Make your modifications, we'll run another test first chance we get.

===

[Mess. Tucker takes a tablet and walks over to Phlox who's already eating.]

TUCKER: Anyone sitting here?

PHLOX: No, please, sit down, sit down.

[Tucker sits down.]

TUCKER: Sluggo any better?

PHLOX: I'm afraid, not. Try the potatoes. They are delicious.

[He hands Tucker a small potato he just took a bite of. Tucker takes a piece.]

TUCKER: Very ... proteine.

PHLOX: Yes. The flavours are remarkable.

[He smiles.]

PHLOX: On my homeworld people would never think of speaking during the meal. Considered a waste of time. It has taken me a while, but I've grown quite attached to it.

TUCKER: Wasting time seems to be all we've been doing. It's starting getting all antsy.

PHLOX: Antsy?

[Tucker thinks a moment.]

TUCKER: Restless. We've been on the move for two weeks and haven't seen a damn thing.

PHLOX: Every moment has been an adventure for me. Humans are so unpredictable. Have you seen the quantities of food Crewman Namart consumes?

TUCKER: Not really.

PHLOX: Have you smelled Ensign Saccuro after she exercises?

TUCKER: Ah -

PHLOX: She gives off a fragrance not unlike the adrenal gland of a Nausican. And Crewmen Bennett and Hay over there, do you see them? If I'm not mistaken, they are preparing to meet.

[Tucker turns to his meal.]

PHLOX: Do you think they might let me watch?

[Tucker slightly shakes his head and smiles.]

TUCKER: It's good to see you enjoying yourself.

[Phlox takes a bite of bread and "hmm-s".]

===

[Bridge. T'Pol detects something interesting on their course.]

T'POL: Bridge to Captain Archer.

===

[Archer, T'Pol and Tucker are standing around the computer screen in the back.]

ARCHER: How big is it?

T'POL: Approximately 92 meters in length.

ARCHER: Doesn't seem to be moving very fast.

T'POL: It's not moving at all.

ARCHER: It's not? Where's the nearest star system?

T'POL: Almost three light years away.

ARCHER: We could be running some kind of a deep space experiment. And we should go have a look.

T'POL: If you insist on allowing your curiosity to dictate your actions.

ARCHER: We insist.

[He smiles.]

===

[The Enterprise drops out of warp.]

MAYWEATHER: Range 5000 kilometers.

T'POL: The vessel's hull is comprised of tritanium. And isilicon polograms.

[A floating vessel appears on the screen.]

TUCKER: I'm not getting anything on their proportion system. But it may be off-line. Something, isn't it?

REED: If they have weapons, they are not charged.

ARCHER: Any com activity?

[Sato pushes some buttons.]

SATO: No, sir.

ARCHER: (to Sato) Run this through the translation matrix: My name is Jonathan Archer. I'm captain of the Starship Enterprise. We are on a mission of peaceful exploration.

TUCKER: (whispers) Earth.

ARCHER: Oh. - We come from the planet Earth. We're sending you a pulsar grid that should help you locate our star system.

[He nods to Sato. She works. No answer.]

ARCHER: Did you rotate the frequencies?

SATO: I'll try it again.

[She works.]

SATO: No response, sir.

TUCKER: Captain. Mind if I push in on the venting ports around that hedge?

ARCHER: Go ahead.

MAYWEATHER: Are those venting ports or hull bridges?

ARCHER: Bring us in a little closer, Travis. Let's get a look at the other side.

[Mayweather works. The Enterprise approaches the vessel. Its hull seems to be damaged.]

ARCHER: Those look like scorch marks.

T'POL: The residual indicates oxidation and thermal shock effects. It could be the result of a high heel particle impact.

ARCHER: You mean weapons.

T'POL: Possibly.

ARCHER: Are we close enough to scan for bio-signs?

T'POL: Yes. But scanning their ship's interior might be seen as a violation of privacy.

[Archer thinks.]

ARCHER: (to Sato) Anything?

[Sato is still listening. She shakes her head.]

TUCKER: If there is anyone home, you can bet they know we are out here.

REED: Then why haven't they responded?

T'POL: Not everyone chooses to answer the door when they hear a knock. It would be best to resume our previous course.

[Archer sighs.]

ARCHER: (to Tucker) See if you can find another hedge.

[Tucker works. Another hedge appears on screen.]

ARCHER: Diameter?

TUCKER: .9 meters.

ARCHER: (to T'Pol) Scan for bio-signs.

T'POL: There are a number of lifeforms on board.

ARCHER: Humanoid?

T'POL: Their cellular activity is below the threshold of your sensors.

MAYWEATHER: Maybe they are in trouble. Sick or something.

T'POL: Maybe they are not interested in visitors.

[Archer shortly looks at her.]

ARCHER: Mr Reed, how long to prep a shuttle?

REED: Half an hour.

T'POL: There are a number of protocols we haven't tried.

[Archer hesitates shortly, then nods to Reed.]

ARCHER: Get started.

[Reed leaves.]

SATO: She may have a point, captain. I could try hailing them on theta band frequencies.

ARCHER: Suit it up, Ensign.

SATO: Me, sir?

ARCHER: (to T'Pol) Ship is yours.

[Archer and Sato leave.]

===

[Archer walks along a corridor. Tucker speeds up to reach him and walks beside him, looking over to him.]

ARCHER: Is there a problem, commander?

TUCKER: I want to go with you.

ARCHER: I'm bringing a translator and a security officer. Why would I need an engineer?

TUCKER: What makes you think you can open the hedge? Or turn the lights on? For that matter.

ARCHER: We've got beacons, Trip.

TUCKER: The ship could have a lot of decks. You might need somebody to help you figure out the turbolift.

[Archer looks at him.]

TUCKER: Ok. I got a better reason why you need an engineer. Because your engineer signed on to this mission of exploration so he could do a little exploring. He didn't sign on so he could sit in engineering while you three get to break into that ship.

ARCHER: We are not breaking in. We just go in to see if everything is ok.

TUCKER: You ... not a bit to find out what's in there. Why should I be any different?

ARCHER: We just got out of here, Trip. There is gonna be plenty of time to go exploring. Right now I need you on Enterprise, down with your engine. This ship is a little young to be without her chief engineer.

[Tucker nods frustrated.]

===

[Archer's quarters. Archer walks up and down. Porthos follows him on the bed.]

ARCHER: When I used to dream about this mission the last thing I envisioned was having a Vulcan on board who continuously sucked the air out of the room. Well - she's right. Whoever is on that ship might not want us nosing around. But I can't assume that's the case, can I? Maybe they can use our help.

[He sits down on the bed.]

ARCHER: Computer, pause. (Computer beeps.)

[Porthos begs for cheese.]

ARCHER: You know - hey - you know that you and cheddar don't get along.

[He gives in and feeds Porthos a piece of cheese. He sighs.]

ARCHER: Resume personal log. (Computer beeps.) Before we left, Admiral Forest said we'd be making history with every light year. Well, we are not gonna do that sitting on our hands.

[The door chimes.]

ARCHER: Computer, pause. (Computer beeps.) Come in.

[Sato enters.]

ARCHER: Ensign.

SATO: Sorry to bother you, sir.

ARCHER: It's not a problem.

[He takes a plate from a table and offers it to her.]

ARCHER: Cheese?

SATO: No, thank you.

ARCHER: Everything worked out alright?

SATO: Sir?

ARCHER: With the swapping quarters?

SATO: Yes, it's fine, thank you. [She hesitates.]

SATO: I was thinking, captain, I might be a lot more helpful to you if I stay here and keep an open com link. That way I'll have immediate access to the linguistic database.

ARCHER: Can't you tie your universal translator into the database through the com?

SATO: It's not the same, it - the lag time is tripled.

ARCHER: Well, I'd rather wait a few seconds if it means having you on site. For all we know the UT won't work you'd be our only back up. Anyway, it should be exciting. Half the crew would give their right teeth to be going over there.

[Sato looks uncomfortable.]

ARCHER: What's wrong?

[She hesitates.]

SATO: The environmental suits, they make me a little - claustrophobic.

ARCHER: Claustrophobic.

[Sato nods.]

ARCHER: And you took a job on a spaceship.

SATO: You talked me into it, remember?

ARCHER: I don't recall reading about any problems during your Zero g training.

SATO: Oh, I just - I - I bit my lip and got through it.

ARCHER: Well - you gonna have to bite your lip again. I need you over there.

SATO: Yes, sir.

[She is angry, but says nothing.]

ARCHER: What is it, Hoshi? Is something else wrong?

[Sato hesitates.]

SATO: No, I better get back to the launch bay.

ARCHER: Hang on, I'll come with you.

[They are about to leave. Porthos barks.]

ARCHER: That's the last time, Porthos.

[He throws a piece of cheese over to the dog.]

===

[Reed, Sato and Archer prepare for the mission. Reed takes a gun out of a closet and checks it. There are several more weapons lying on a desk.]

ARCHER: Going to war, lieutenant?

MAYWEATHER: Can't be too careful, sir.

ARCHER: You've seen too many science fiction movies. We just need the three phase pistols. Put the rifles back.

[Reed is disappointed, but starts putting the weapons back into the closet.]

ARCHER: (to Sato) What are you rated for?

SATO: I've been put on EM side arms and clustered pulse rifles.

[Reed hands a phase pistol over to Archer.]

SATO: I've never seen one of those.

ARCHER: Malcolm will check ... the first chance he gets.

[He shows her how the pistol works.]

ARCHER: Don't worry, it handles pretty much like an EM 33.

[He gives her the pistol.]

SATO: Is this necessary?

ARCHER: Just a precaution.

===

[A shuttle pod lands on the vessel. Reed enters the docking room and looks at the door.

REED: Just ... lock. No relays. Shouldn't be a problem though. I can place micro charges, here and here.

ARCHER: Hold on a second, Malcolm.

[He tries some grips. The second one can be pulled out. He turns it and the door opens.

ARCHER: (to Reed) Sorry.

SATO: Enterprise, we've got access, we're boarding the vessel.

[They climb up through the door and start walking through the corridors, holding scanner devices.]

SATO: Well, at least we know they are bi-pads.

REED: What gives you that idea?

SATO: The ladder.

ARCHER: Come on.

[They walk on.]

ARCHER: Nitrogene-methane atmosphere. And it's cold. Minus 20 degrees.

[Sato checks a device with lit lights.]

SATO: There is power going through here, but not much of it.

REED: Captain.

[They inspect something on the floor.]

ARCHER: Molecules look like amino essence.

SATO: Blood?

[They go on exploring the ship, following a regular noise. They detect a working machine. Reed takes a close look.]

REED: Some sort of hydraulics.

ARCHER: Whatever it is, it hasn't been here very long.

[Sato looks around and suddenly screams. Archer and Reed turn around. Sato presses against a wall, looking wildly around.
There are several corpses hanging upside down from the ceiling. Tubes are hanging around. Sato walks away backwards.]

ARCHER: Hoshi, where are you going?

SATO: Ah, I don't think you need a translator.

ARCHER: Stay here.

[Reed looks up to the bodies.]

REED: Their bodies are being flushed up with some kind of fluid.

ARCHER: Are they all -

REED: - all dead, sir. I'm afraid, sir.

===

[Sato, Reed and Archer are standing in a decontamination cabin, they are scanned. Then the flashing light stops. Phlox and T'Pol are standing outside the cabin.]

PHLOX: They are clean.

[The door opens. T'Pol enters the cabin. All four are leaving through another door.]

T'POL: How many?

ARCHER: I don't know. About a dozen.

REED: Fifteen.

[They enter a dressing room and start to undress the environmental suits.]

ARCHER: They've been drained or something. Whoever did it went through a lot of trouble. My guess is, they are coming back.

T'POL: We should leave.

ARCHER: There are fifteen dead people over there. We can't leave.

T'POL: Your reason for boarding that vessel was to provide assistance if assistance was required. Clearly it no longer is.

ARCHER: You're telling me that we should just leave them there?

T'POL: What's the alternative?

[Archer looks up to her.]

T'POL: Your intentions were admirable, captain. But nothing can be done for that crew now. And if we remain here your crew could be put in jeopardy.

[Archer thinks. He pushes a com button.]

ARCHER: Archer to the bridge.

MAYWEATHER: (com voice) Mayweather here, sir?

ARCHER: Go to warp three. Resume course.

MAYWEATHER: Aye, sir.

[Sato looks anxiously at Archer.
[Enterprise leaves the vessel and goes to warp.]

===

[In Sickbay. Sato leans against a desk. Phlox prepares some food.]

PHLOX: Not long after I became a physician there was an explosion on a cargo ship orbiting my homeworld. I was part of the first medical team to arrive. There were seventeen bodies on the bridge alone. I've never seen that many dead people in one place before. Very disturbing. You have nothing to be ashamed of.

SATO: I screamed like a 12-year-old.

PHLOX: We are all frightened by unfamiliar things. You should be grateful that your body of experience doesn't include rooms full of corpses.

SATO: Nobody else screamed.

[Phlox opens the terrarium with the worm.]

SATO: Has she been eating?

PHLOX: Not so far. She is under a great deal of stress. But I'm hoping this proteine concentrate wets her appetite.

[He lets some fluid drop on the stone with the worm.]

SATO: I'm a translator, I didn't come out here to see corpses hanging on hooks.

PHLOX: It goes that saying that you are going to encounter the unexpected.

SATO: Not corpses on hooks.

PHLOX: Have you ever considered that you might be happier back at the university, teaching? I did it three years, it was quite rewarding.

[Sato looks at him.]

SATO: I'm an exo-linguist. I graduated second in my class, I spent three years in starfleet training. I was Jonathan Archer's first choice for this mission. Every inhabited world we come to is going to be filled with language. Some will have hundreds of them, he needs me here.

PHLOX: If she doesn't take these nutrials I'm afraid she won't survive.

SATO: Are you sure that's what she eats?

PHLOX: It's close enough.

SATO: I shouldn't have brought her on board. Maybe I could ask the captain to try to find a planet with an ... atmosphere.

PHLOX: Might be easier just to feed her to my bat.

SATO: She needs to get back to an environment that is more suited to her.

PHLOX: Hmm. Perhaps some place where she could teach.

===

[Captain's diner. T'Pol, Archer and Tucker are sitting at the table. Tucker tries to make small talk. T'Pol and Archer are in deep thoughts.]

TUCKER: What kind of is this? It's great.

ARCHER: Chef told me, I don't remember.

TUCKER: (to T'Pol) Too spicy for you?

T'POL: It's fine.

TUCKER: Malcolm is ... on another weapons test. Especially after what happened.

[He falls silent.]

TUCKER: (to T'Pol) Tea?

T'POL: No, thank you.

TUCKER: Captain?

ARCHER: Sure, thanks.

TUCKER: I heard they were humanoid. Is that right?

ARCHER: Humanoid.

TUCKER: Did they look anything like us?

ARCHER: They were in uniform.

TUCKER: But you didn't recognize the species.

ARCHER: (angry) They were crewmen, murdered on their own ship. Fifteen dead crewmen.

[Tucker nods. They fall silent again.]

T'POL: I detected a stellar ... along our present course.

ARCHER: Someone ... through the big lands outside Anchorage.

T'POL: A course of you might ... some of the crew's tension.

ARCHER: What's the matter? The tension bothering you?

T'POL: Not in the least.

ARCHER: Must be great not to let things bother you. No remorse, no guilt. I wonder if they were Vulcans, think you'd have reacted the same way?

T'POL: They weren't Vulcans.

ARCHER: I said what if they were Vulcans. Would you just let them there? Hanging like slaughtered animals? Don't you think, maybe you would have taken them down? Try to figure out who they were, make some effort to contact their families?

T'POL: We don't know where they came from. It would be very difficult to locate their families.

ARCHER: We didn't even try.

ARCHER: (to Tucker) What about you? What if they were humans? Would you stick your tail between your legs and run? Leave them there and rot?

[Tucker just looks at him.]

ARCHER: Am I the only one who's having a problem with this?

TUCKER: You said yourself, sir: whoever killed those people are probably coming back.

ARCHER: So we should avoid confrontation at any cost, is that what you're saying? Is that what you Vulcans do? Bury your heads in the sand and then just fly on by?

T'POL: We "Vulcans" would have never gone on board that ship in the first place.

[Archer laughs sadly.]

ARCHER: You get an answer for everything, don't you?

T'POL: We have a code of behavior and we try to obey it.

[Archer looks at her.]

ARCHER: You may not believe this, but humans have a code of behavior too. It took a few thousand years, but I think we're starting to get it right. Can't believe I almost ignored it.

[He leaves.]

===

MAYWEATHER: We reversed course, sir. We should be back at the coordinates in five hours.

ARCHER: You don't have a problem with the environmental suit?

PHLOX: Not at all.

ARCHER: Good. We are going to need you to examine the bodies. Try to identify their species. More than that it wouldn't hurt if you can figure out what's being done to them.

PHLOX: I'll see what I can do, captain.

ARCHER: You wanted to see what's going on over there. Now is your chance. I can't think of a better way to find that people than through their own com system. We're going to need to get it up and running.

TUCKER: Aye, sir.

ARCHER: Hoshi, on the site for their language you'll compose a message ... a little make sense.

SATO: Captain -

ARCHER: I'm sorry, Ensign.

REED: I'll bring a security detail.

ARCHER: There's no one over there who can hurt us. Stay here and work on those targeting scans. Prepare to suit up at 1400 hours. Dismissed.

===

[Back on the vessel. Archer and Phlox are walking through the room with the corpses.]

ARCHER: How were they killed?

PHLOX: Different ways. This one was given a lethal dose of ... The first three back there were shot. Particle weapons, I believe. This fellow hasn't suffered as much cellular decay. He is our best candidate for a postmortal. Care to assist?

[Tucker works on the com system. Sato switches the power on. Some alien language is heard. Tucker walks over to Sato.]

SATO: Maybe it's a log. What do you think?

TUCKER: Beats me. Could be a laundry list or instructions on how to conquer the universe.

[Sato listens. Tucker goes back to work.]

SATO: The grammar sounds bimodal.

TUCKER: Their transceiver's intact.

[He opens his tool box.]

TUCKER: Let's hope the next time we make first contact it isn't with a room full of corpses.

SATO: Let's hope.

[She works on her universal translator.]

SATO: Ship. Ship.

===

[Phlox is working on one of the bodies. Archer is assisting.]

PHLOX: Just what I thought.

ARCHER: What?

PHLOX: ... gland. It releases triglobuline into the blood. That's what all these tubes and pumps are about. Whoever did this is trying to collect triglobuline.

ARCHER: What for?

PHLOX: Oh, ... a number of reasons. To create medicines, vaxines. Some species have even been known to use it as an aphrodisiac.

ARCHER: Aphrodisiac?

PHLOX: It's quite a common practice. I'm surprised you're not familiar with it.

ARCHER: Humans used to collect a ... of black bears, ... down rhino horns, things like that, but - not people.

PHLOX: It's worth noting that triglobuline is very similar to human lymphatic fluid.

[Archer looks over to him.]

===

SATO: How long before the transceiver is online?

TUCKER: A minute or two.

[He pushes some buttons.]

TUCKER: I can't get enough of this. An alien spaceship sending off a message to who knows where.

SATO: The quicker we get this done, the quicker we can get back to the ship.

TUCKER: It's your second away mission in two days.

SATO: Yeah, great.

TUCKER: I wish I had an ear for languages. The captain's going to take a translator with him a lot more often than an engineer.

[Sato pushes some buttons on her translator.]

SATO: Distress.

[She walks over to another terminal.]

SATO: Two other teachers and I once took a high ... onto a small tributarian amazon. You know, ... wildlife, ..., pink dolphins, all kinds of snakes.

TUCKER: Wow.

SATO: It gave me the creeps. If I didn't like being around anacondas you can imagine how I feel about Suliban or whoever butchered the crew of the ship. (She pauses.) I'm going to ask the captain to take me home.

TUCKER: You serious?

SATO: I should have never left the university, I'm not suited for this.

TUCKER: Give it a try, you'll be fine.

SATO: You weren't here yesterday. I saw those bodies and fell apart. The captain needs a translator he can count on, someone who shows little grace under pressure. That isn't me.

TUCKER: You can't be sure of that.

SATO: Oh, yes, I can.

[She again tries the translator.]

SATO: Distress.

COMPUTER: Kunazila.

SATO: Distress.

COMPUTER: Kunazila.

SATO: I think I've got it. - Ship in distress.

COMPUTER: Duktam dur kunazila.

[Sato smiles brightly. Tucker pushes a button.]

COMPUTER: Duktam dur kunazila.

[Tucker nods to Sato.]

===

T'POL: (over com system) T'Pol to Archer.

ARCHER: Go ahead.

T'POL: There's a vessel approaching, captain. It's power signatures match the scans you took of those bio pumps. It appears that whoever killed that crew has returned.

ARCHER: Time to go, doc.

[They take their cases. Archer fires his pistol into the pump.]

ARCHER: Trip, Hoshi. Docking hedge. Now.

===

[An alien vessel drops out of warp.]

MAYWEATHER: Distance 60.000 kilometers.

T'POL: Bridge to armery.

REED: (com voice) Armery.

T'POL: We have a potentially hostile vessel approaching. Are you prepared to defend the ship?

[Armery. Reed is working on the weapons system.]

REED: It depends. How long till it gets here?

MAYWEATHER: (com voice) Ten minutes. Maybe less.

REED: Then the answer is most likely no. The scanners are still out of enlignment. Look, if you wanted me to hit a stationary ... then I could accommodate you. But not a moving vessel.

T'POL: Do the best you can. But I need you on the bridge in five minutes.

===

[The shuttle flies over to Enterprise.]

ARCHER: Archer to T'Pol. Deplore the docking arm.

[T'Pol pushes buttons.]

T'POL: Arm extended.

ARCHER: How close are they?

T'POL: 8000 kilometers.

ARCHER: What kind of weapons?

T'POL: Our sensors can't penetrate their shielding.

ARCHER: Have you tried hailing them?

T'POL: Yes. There's been no response.

ARCHER: Try again.

[The shuttle pod docks to Enterprise.]

MAYWEATHER: The pod is on the arm.

[Reed enters the bridge.]

T'POL: T'Pol to Archer. They're still not responding.

REED: They're charging weapons.

[The vessel fires and hits Enterprise.]

REED: They're targeting our engines.

ARCHER: We're almost in. Stand by to jump to warp.

[Enterprise is hit again. The shuttle pod moves slowly up. At another hit the shuttle is removed from the arm. It docks again and moves up into Enterprise.]

ARCHER: Doors.

[Tucker opens the door. They climb out and run up some ladders.]

ARCHER: Archer to the bridge. It doesn't feel like we're going on warp.

T'POL: (com voice) Our ... has been damaged.

ARCHER: Have Malcolm arm the torpedos.

[The vessel has stopped firing. Archer and the others enter the bridge.]

ARCHER: Report.

MAYWEATHER: We're dead in the water, sir.

T'POL: They seem to have stopped firing. They're closing in on our position.

ARCHER: Malcolm?

REED: Both forward tubes loaded and ready, sir.

ARCHER: Stand by starboard tube.

REED: Yes, sir.

ARCHER: Fire.

[The torpedo is deflected by the vessel's shielding and explodes in space.]

ARCHER: Stand by port tube.

REED: Ready.

ARCHER: Fire.

[The second torpedo is shot by the vessel's weapons and explodes in space. Archer looks over to Reed, frustrated. Reed shakes his head. Archer pushes com button.]

ARCHER: Trip. Warp status.

TUCKER: The ... cells has been completely depolarised. Afraid we are stuck here for a while.

[The bridge is scanned by a bright light.]

MAYWEATHER: What was that?

[Phlox works on his handheld.]

PHLOX: Submolecular bio-scan. You've been probed, Ensign. We've all been probed. They have no doubt discovered that your lymphatic systems contain some useful compounds.

[The crew looks at each other.]

ARCHER: (to Reed) Get to the armery. Start distributing hand weapons. Pose security teams at -

[A signal catches his attention. He looks down to Mayweather.]

MAYWEATHER: Sir, another vessel just dropped out of warp. They are on an intersect course.

ARCHER: Let's see it.

[Mayweather pushes some buttons. Another vessel appears on screen.]

SATO: They are hailing us.

ARCHER: Put it up.

[Sato pushes some buttons.]

ALIEN: Atata viura.

[Archer drops his head and sighs with relief.]

T'POL: Captain?

ARCHER: He's from the same species as the murdered crew. (to Sato) They must have picked up your distress call.

ALIEN: Auri tua.

ARCHER: Tell him the ship above us killed the crew of the cargo vessel. They are about to do the same to us.

[Sato pushes some buttons. The alien walks over to his com station.]

SATO: I told him what you said, but I doubt it made any sense.

ARCHER: What do you mean?

SATO: This isn't exactly spanish we're dealing with here. I'd be lucky if I'm getting half of the vocabulary right.

[The first vessel catches the Enterprise with a tractor beam.]

REED: They've locked on to us with some kind of stabilizing beam.

ARCHER: Use the impulse engines. Get us the hell out of here.

MAYWEATHER: I can't, sir. Their beam is disrupting all of the pulsing systems.

ALIEN: Vialo avaya. Vilas uran to kala.

SATO: Seems he got the part about killing the cargo ship crew, but he believes we did it, sir. At - at least I think he does.

T'POL: Tell him we sent the distress call. Why would we kill his people and then do that?

[Sato pushes buttons. The alien looks up from the com station.]

ALIEN: Nura ti. A tara nos rone.

SATO: I think I understood this, but he says, the distress call came from his ship, not ours.

ARCHER: We needed their frequencies. Going there was the only way to find them.

[Sato pushes buttons.]

ALIEN: Vi tvoras avaya ti.

SATO: Something about DNA scans. He wants to know why we were there two years ago.

ARCHER: Two years ago?

SATO: He probably means two days, sir. The phonetic processor is still having trouble locking on.

ALIEN: Afta hos burat.

SATO: I'm not certain, but I don't think, he's gonna help us.

REED: They are 50 meters above us. 49.

ARCHER: The pumps. (to Sato) Tell them to run scans on the bio pumps that are hooked up to the corpses. They'll see they are not our technology. Have them compare the power signatures to the ship that's about to land on our roof. (to Reed) Where are they, Malcolm?

REED: They stopped at about 10 meters.

[The vessel docks to Enterprise with two giant "feet". A huge drill comes down to the hull.]

SATO: I'm having trouble with the word pump, sir, I've got the processor searching for synonyms.

ALIEN: Urah. Ata hot.

SATO: The translator is not making a whole lot of sense to him, sir. He's getting frustrated. I think he's running out of patience, captain.

ARCHER: Then forget the translator. Do it yourself.

SATO: Do what myself?

ARCHER: Talk to him.

SATO: That's impossible, sir. I - I, I haven't even learned their basic conjugations.

T'POL: Talk to him, Hoshi, it doesn't have to be perfect.

SATO: You don't understand. I don't even know how to say "pump". I'll get it all wrong. It'll - it would just make things worse.

ARCHER: Things can't get much worse.

SATO: (desperate) Sir.

[The drill starts to enter the hull.]

REED: Captain. They started drilling into the hull.

[Archer walks over to Sato.]

ARCHER: Hoshi. Hoshi. I need you to do this. We all do. That's why you're here.

[Sato gathers her strength and walks towards the screen.]

SATO: Uta - doey - ura.

ALIEN: Atais? Vinas alo.

[Sato looks uncertain.]

ARCHER: Again.

SATO: (louder) Uta lura ista. Ureme mista vor.

ALIEN: Itova vovala?

SATO: Ista to, to amas turas da. Ventil, ventil no so min. Ura, uta, uta do yura.

ALIEN: Sitara?

ARCHER: What did he say?

SATO: Latura dey.

ALIEN: Emos ovava.

[He nods.]

SATO: To nika.

ALIEN: Aista.

[He turns away.]

SATO: Dey.

ARCHER: Ensign.

[The communication ends. The second vessel turns against the docked vessel and fires.]

REED: They are targeting the vessel above us.

[The docked vessel is hit so that the tractor beam breaks up. The giant 'feet' are losened and the vessel moves up.]

MAYWEATHER: We got impulse back.

ARCHER: Move us away.

REED: Captain. I may be wrong, but I think I've got the scanners aligned. Permission to load the torpedo.

ARCHER: Granted.

[The torpedo hits the vessel and causes some damage. Archer turns to Reed. Reed smiles happily. The other vessel fires some more shots until the enemy vessel explodes completely.]

ARCHER: Nice of them to wait until we got clear. All stop.

[Mayweather pushes buttons. Archer sighs and walks down to Sato.]

ARCHER: I think we may have just made a friend.

[He looks to her.]

ARCHER: Thanks to you.

===

[Enterprise flies to a planet.]

ARCHER: Captain's starlog, May 6th 2151. After helping them recover their dead crewmen we had a chance to spend some time with the Axinor. It turns out they are androgynous and live over 400 years. I look forward to meeting them again under better circumstances. Before we resume our course I have agreed to make a brief detour.

[Phlox and Sato are walking on the planet's surface. Sato kneels down and opens a little box. She takes the worm out.]

SATO: This isn't exactly like the place you came from, but it's close enough. It's not that hard to adapt. (She pauses.) You're gonna do just fine here.

[She sets the worm down on a rock and smiles up to Phlox. He smiles back. She rises and they leave.]

THE END

TRANSCRIBED BY FRIEDERICK FOR
TWIZ TV.COM - FREE TV SCRIPTS DATABASE