| The
infinite blackness of space is interrupted for the Enterprise crew by the
discovery of a beautiful new world a natural Eden of unexplored mountains,
rivers, wildflower fields and forests. Dismissing T'Pol's cautious advice
to conduct scans and tests from orbit before commencing any surface exploration,
Captain Archer orders an away team and shuttlepod prepped. Joining Archer
on the team are Crewmen Cutler, an entomologist, and Novakovich, a botanist,
along with Commander Tucker, Ensign Mayweather, and T'Pol. Even Porthos,
Archer's dog, comes along for the ride. The landing party takes in the fresh
air of the virgin world before splitting up to pursue their specialties
and enjoying a day of exploration amidst uncountable new species of exotic
plant and animal life. At day's end, T'Pol, Cutler and Novakovich request
permission to stay overnight to study nocturnal life, while Tucker and Mayweather
ask to stay for the sheer fun of camping under the stars. After a relaxing
evening of stargazing and ghost stories around a fire, the campers retire
to their tents, but are unable to sleep as a sudden and fierce windstorm
envelops them. Retreating to the safety of a nearby cavern, the decision
is made to wait out the storm before attempting a risky shuttlepod landing,
and the crew settles in. Noticing the food packs were left behind, Mayweather
volunteers to go back and retrieve them. Pounded by vicious winds and intense
darkness at the campsite, Mayweather sees three looming humanoid figures
in the shadows, and double-times it back to the safety of the cave. As T'Pol
uses her scanner to confirm there are no lifesigns in the vicinity, suggesting
Mayweather imagined the figures, Novakovich hears strange alien whispering
coming from the tunnels at the back of the cavern. As his fear and panic
build, Novakovich is unwilling to stay in the cave only to wait and be attacked,
and runs wildly out into the storming darkness. Following behind, Tucker
and Mayweather are unable to locate the inexplicably irrational Novakovich,
and during their search they see alien faces and bodily movements from within
the very rocks and cliffs themselves, before being forced to turn back by
the dangerous storm. Archer communicates to Tucker that he and Lt. Reed
are coming to the surface in a shuttlepod to attempt a rescue. T'Pol uses
the time to explore deeper into the tunnels with her scanner, attempting
to verify the alien voices Novakovich heard earlier. Her fear escalating,
Cutler is unwilling to be alone and follows after T'Pol, only to imperceptibly
observe a meeting between T'Pol and two unknown alien figures. Once the
group rendezvous back in the cavern, the mood is extremely anxious and tense
as Tucker and Mayweather describe their alien sightings. T'Pol reports no
lifesigns within the tunnel systems, but Cutler accuses her of lying, describing
the meeting she observed between T'Pol and the unidentified aliens, which
T'Pol denies. Tucker supports Mayweather and Cutler, as he himself saw the
alien rock-creatures, and suspicions run high as T'Pol is confronted by
the rest of the team. Archer and Reed arrive, but unfortunately are unable
to land the shuttlepod in the extreme winds, forced to leave the crew to
wait out the storm in the cavern. Onboard Enterprise, Ensign Sato reports
that Novakovich's bio-signs are erratic, and Archer hears the crewman screaming
incoherently, so he orders Reed to attempt a risky bio-transport. Novakovich
materializes onboard Enterprise, but rock and twig debris from the storm
have fused into his body. The crewman is treated and stabilized by Dr. Phlox,
who discovers that his bloodstream is filled with a potent psychotropic
compound called tropolisine. Apparently he contracted the hallucinogen from
the local pollen that was kicked up by the winds. Trying to communicate
this discovery to T'Pol, Archer finds out that Tucker is pointing a phase
pistol at T'Pol for suspicion of treason. Tucker is extremely volatile as
he states to Archer that he always knew T'Pol was there to sabotage Enterprise.
Archer orders Tucker to lower the phaser, explaining that the "aliens" were
hallucinations caused by the pollen. Though highly skeptical, Tucker begrudgingly
follows the order, but he continues to vehemently accuse T'Pol of conspiring
with the hidden aliens, while Mayweather and Cutler pass out. Meanwhile
Dr. Phlox reports to Archer an unexpected complication: this specific form
of tropolisine breaks down into a deadly toxin within the bloodstream, and
it may be too late to save Novakovich. But there may be time for the crew
on the surface, so Archer explains to Tucker and T'Pol that Phlox is preparing
ampules of inaprovaline that will be transported down for them to inoculate
themselves. But Tucker is more violently paranoid than ever and on the verge
of shooting T'Pol. While Sato and T'Pol converse in Vulcan, Archer plays
into Tucker's delusions and "admits" that T'Pol was meeting with the "rock
people" for a top-secret mission, tricking him into lowering his weapon.
T'Pol immediately stuns Tucker with her own phase pistol, then collects
the medication and inoculates herself and the unconscious crew. The morning
brings sunshine and a gentle breeze, leaving the delusions and paranoia
behind. A regretful Tucker admits to T'Pol that he needs to challenge his
preconceptions about Vulcans. After learning that Novakovich is going to
be fine, the stranded crewmembers gather their gear and help each other
through the beautiful morning toward an awaiting shuttlepod. |
