With the Enterprise in need of some materials for repair and fueling of ship's systems, Archer and Trip negotiate with a trader for the location of a crashed vessel, one with all the materials they need. There's only one catch: according to the trader, the ship is haunted!
When they find the ship, they do indeed discover a crew aboard this derelict that carries no life signs. But it's no ghost crew. The crew instead has created a "dampening field" to keep scavengers and raiders from detecting them. Trip agrees to help the crew get the ship's engines functioning again. However, Reed quickly discovers that there are elements of this crew's story that just don't add up...
CHARACTERS
Capt. Archer: Archer actually behaves as a pretty good commander in this episode. This is particularly true early in the episode, when Mayweather is questioning whether they really should behave as scavengers themselves. Archer listens to the opinions of each of his officers, considers them, and arrives at a decision - probably the correct decision given that, as Trip points out, they really do need some supplies. It's not an Archer-heavy episode by any means, but both Bakula and character fare rather well in this installment.
T'Pol: In an early conversation with Trip, she dismisses fear as an emotion that she does not feel. However, once Trip connects with Liana, T'Pol lapses back into the "jealous girlfriend" mode she displayed in Unexpected, indicating that she has some feelings that she would almost certainly prefer not to acknowledge.
Trip: The plain-spoken engineer gets the real meat of the episode this time. Trip's competence as an engineer shows itself once again. His attraction to Liana is also nicely played. Trip remains a total "gentleman" throughout, behaving in a manner that's more paternal than lustful. When he argues with Liana's father late in the episode, he is specifically protective toward her, and a few well-chosen remarks find their targets. He is equally protective toward T'Pol, and the most emotional reaction he gives in the episode is when T'Pol is threatened.
Hot Alien Space Babe of the Week: Annie Wersching is Liana, the daughter of the derelict ship's engineer (Rene Auberjonois). She is instantly drawn to Trip, and her engineering knowledge catches Trip's attention equally quickly. The actress is appealing, bringing sufficient innocence to the part to convey a young woman who has led a particularly sheltered and enclosed life, and she demonstrates a fetching enthusiasm when Trip gives her a brief tour of Enterprise.
SO LET ME GET THIS STRAIGHT...
Here, we get the very reasonable information that Enterprise has sustained more damage during its mission than Archer or Starfleet had ever anticipated. The episode opens with it being made clear that the ship needs some new supplies to "patch some holes." As of the end of the episode, they still have no new supplies. In fact, they have even fewer supplies than before, given that some of their resources have gone toward helping the derelict.
So... Is it still unreasonable for them to head back to base for an overhaul? It sounds more than ever as though Archer had the right idea in turning the ship around in Silent Enemy, and that Archer's mistake in that episode was not continuing the trip home to get those repairs/restocking done when he had the chance. Not that I expect they'll be heading back for home at the start of the next episode. No sir, they're explorers they are. They just keep going and going and going, apparently until the ship dissolves around them and they're reduced to eating Porthos Stew.
And given that they give away at least two protein resequencers in this episode, I'm guessing those resequencers grow on trees. Either that, or chef is going to be assuming more and more of the burden of providing for the crew, with what must surely be ever-dwindling resources...
THOUGHTS
That aside, this was yet another highly enjoyable episode. The fusing of elements of a ghost story with science fiction concepts is rather well-done. The plot isn't anything earth-shattering, but it holds together nicely. Rene Auberjonois is underused through most of the episode, but gets some very strong scenes near the end, when All is Finally Revealed.
There's not a lot else to add. I would definitely like to see the dwindling resources of Enterprise - used here basically to justify the plot - touched on again, because that points to an issue that the crew should need solved, and need solved NOW. Something like that shouldn't be brought up and then dropped (and unfortunately, I have little confidence that anything more will be made of it). But this episode on its own... reasonably standard, I suppose, but enjoyable on its own merits.
Rating: 7/10
Previous Episode: Acquisition
Next Episode: Detained
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