Regeneration
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arctic research team on Earth discovers debris from an alien vessel,
nearly a century old, buried in a glacier along with the bodies
of two cybernetically enhanced humanoids. Once those beings are
thawed for investigation, they come to life and abduct the scientists
and their transport vessel. After visiting the research site, Admiral
Forrest calls in Enterprise to find the transport. On the way, the
crew receives a distress call from a Tarkalean freighter, which
is under attack from an unknown species. Once they track down the
freighter, the crew notes that it is being attacked by a modified
version of the arctic transport. Enterprise fends off the transport
and brings the two Tarkalean survivors onboard. Phlox notes that
they should live, but that nanoprobes from this cybernetic species
have infiltrated their systems. They are being transformed into
a cybernetic hybrid, and the formerly human researchers are most
likely going through a similar transformation. Phlox is attempting
to come up with something that will slow the nanoprobes' progress.
Though Phlox doesn't believes these beings are a danger to the crew,
Archer orders Reed to post a guard in Sickbay. As Enterprise continues
to search for the transport, Archer realizes that there's something
familiar about this incident. He points to a speech Zefram Cochrane
made years ago, wherein Cochrane referred to "cybernetic creatures
from the future." T'Pol is skeptical of Cochrane's comments,
but Archer remains troubled Cochrane said that the creatures' ultimate
goal was to "enslave the human race." Back in Sickbay,
Phlox is attacked by one of the cybernetic beings, who injects him
with some strange tubules. The two altered Tarkaleans also attack
the security guard and escape. When Phlox comes to, he realizes
that he's been infected with nanoprobes. While he works furiously
to figure out a treatment, Archer orders Reed and his security contingent
to scour the ship for the altered Tarkaleans. As they search, the
beings manage to modify most of Enterprise's primary systems. When
Reed finally tracks them down, phase-pistols seem to have no effect
on them in fact, they're able to adapt very quickly and shield themselves
from weapons fire. Desperate, Archer is forced to seal the modified
Tarkaleans off from the rest of the ship and eject them into space.
Soon, Enterprise manages to locate the transport and sets out after
it. While Trip and Reed prepare for the inevitable encounter with
the strange beings, Archer and T'Pol wonder if they'll be able to
save the now-altered humans aboard the transport. Meanwhile, Phlox
has figured out a way to reverse his transformation he will need
to subject himself to an intense dose of radiation. If the procedure
should fail, he warns Archer, the captain will have to end Phlox's
life. The crew finally tracks down the altered transport, which
has increased in size. The transport targets the modified systems
on Enterprise, effectively shutting the ship down. An incoming transmission
informs the crew that they will be assimilated resistance is futile.
But Archer isn't ready to give up just yet. He and Reed transport
over to the ship, determined to shut it down. While there, they
encounter the now-altered arctic researchers, as well as other cybernetic
lifeforms that used to be human. Reed and Archer head for the ship's
EPS manifold, fighting off these lifeforms all the way. They manage
to attach several charges to the manifold, then transport back to
Enterprise. Once they do, the charges explode, ripping through the
vessel. Still, Reed notes that the systems on the transport are
quickly restoring themselves. With Enterprise's weapons coming back
on-line, Archer orders Reed to target the transport's warp core.
Enterprise fires, and the transport explodes. Meanwhile, Phlox has
managed to cure himself using the radiation. His experience has
left him somewhat unsettled, however. He tells Archer and T'Pol
that while he was infected, he seemed to have a connection with
the rest of the aliens, as if he was part of a collective consciousness.
They seemed to be trying to send some sort of message. As Archer
later deduces, the message was actually a set of coordinates the
creatures were telling their homeworld how to find Earth. Though
the danger seems to have passed for the time being, Archer worries
that he's only postponed the inevitable invasion. |
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