episode3x14b

We get a flashback to three days earlier. Captain’s Starlog, December 12, 2153: “We’ve returned to the site where the Xindi were testing the prototype weapon. An analysis of the debris may tell us more about it.” A Xindi ship appears in the system. There are three lifesigns aboard. Enterprise attacks the ship and disables its engines. Archer hails them. Degra is on board and orders that the ship’s computer core be erased. When Archer and crew board the ship, Hoshi finds a log containing a letter from Degra to his family. There’s a reference to a planet visited earlier called Azati Prime. Trip is looking at the engines. Archer tells him to: “learn everything you can.” Degra is in the Brig and Archer questions him about the weapon. Just then there’s a malfunction in the ship’s system. The radiation from the debris field is starting to affect the ship. Archer orders the ship out of the field but to stay close by. In Sick Bay, Phlox suggests to Archer that he could erase the memories of the three Xindi. Later, the “stratagem” to fool Degra unfolds. The crew work together on the plan. Phlox will implant sub-dermal tranceivers into Archer so the crew can communicate with Archer while he is with Degra in the shuttle but Degra won’t hear them. T’Pol et al will also be able to watch what goes on in the modified shuttle. Archer tells T’Pol he needs to have a good story to tell Degra and needs her help to make one up. Back in Sick Bay, changes are made to Degra’s appearance. Phlox puts a bloodworm into Degra and says there will no side-effects except for cleansed lymphatic system.

Back to the present and the modified shuttle where Archer tells Degra they are going through some spatial anomalies. We see that on Enterprise, they are using a hydraulic system to shake the shuttle. Archer tells Degra: “We’ll never make it through this field in one piece.” Degra asks if they can go around it but Archer replies that they: “don’t have enough fuel” and should: “send a distress call.” Degra suggests that they could use a com channel used by high-ranking primate officials and that the Insectoids probably don’t know about it. Degra wants to enter the com frequency himself as he doesn’t want Archer to know it but T’Pol is monitoring and gets the code. Meanwhile, Reed tells T’Pol a Xindi ship is nearby and will arrive in six hours. Hoshi tells T’Pol that the sensors on Xindi ships can pick up Enterprise’s presence well before six hours. T’Pol orders the ship re-enter the debris field.

In the modified shuttle, Archer chats with Degra. They talk about family. Degra talks about how he values chlidren and about when the weapon was first tested on Earth he wondered how many children died. Just then the com beeps. They are being hailed. It turns out to be Thalen, one of Degra’s colleagues. On Enterprise, we see that it is Hoshi who is talking but her voice is being altered to sound male. He asks where Thalen is. He replies that they are on Azati Prime and that Naara and the children are there. Archer asks for the coordinates. Degra is reluctant to give them out. Archer lets him punch them in. Meanwhile, Hoshi is able to download them. Archer notices that Degra: “encrypted the navigation controls.” T’Pol contacts Archer to tell him the coordinates lead to a red giant. Archer asks Degra how long it will take to get there. T’Pol replies 3 weeks and that it would be a substantial detour if the weapon isn’t there. The shuttle starts shaking. The radiation from the debris is affecting the hydraulic