ACT THREE
FADE IN:
INT. ENTERPRISE – BRIEFING ROOM
1ST LIEUTENANT SUN CHEN enters the room, leading their four prisoners: Danik, Keyla, Kuroda, and OsMorri. They are followed by SERGEANT MAJOR JACK HAYES and two other SFs, all dressed in full combat gear. They keep their plasma rifles trained on the aliens.
We change angles to see Captain Archer sitting at the head of the table, looking very upset, and flanked on either side by Sub-Commander T’Pol and Major Reed. Ensign Sato stands slightly behind Archer, and quietly translates everything being said.
ARCHER
(harshly)
So am I dealing with pirates, or mutineers?
Danik and the others exchange glances; all of them look forlorn and resigned to whatever fate awaits them.
DANIK
[I guess you could call us mutineers.]
Archer’s disposition does not change, not in the least.
ARCHER
Then whose ship is that? Whose jurisdiction are you under?
DANIK
(growing angry)
[That ship was owned by the Orions, as were we.]
Archer loses a little of his anger to confusion. He looks at Sato for confirmation of her translation and she nods.
ARCHER
(slightly uncomfortable)
I think we may have a translation problem here...
(beat)
Maybe I should contact these Orions and ask them about you.
Keyla’s eyes grow wide.
KEYLA
(terrified)
[No! Don’t, they’ll kill us! They’ll do horrible things to us!]
ARCHER
I may not agree with other cultures, but it’s not my place to dictate how they treat their prisoners, and if they still use capital punishment…
Danik laughs, somewhat sadistically.
DANIK
[Do I have to spell it out for you?]
(beat)
[They’d kill us just for being escaped slaves and sell our bodies for food. But since we killed our Orion slave masters, they’ll torture us first, in the most sadistic manner they can think of. And they’d make you their slaves for your trouble.]
(beat)
[They view all other species as livestock, hew-men, you would be no different. You should thank whatever deity you believe in that you haven’t made contact with the Orion Syndicate yet, and pray you never do, because once you do they will hunt all of you until they have enslaved or killed all of your kind.]
Everyone in the room is clearly taken aback by this revelation; even one of T’Pol’s eyebrows is raised.
ARCHER
I hope you’ll understand that I won’t just take your word for it. I’ll hear you out, but I want evidence to back it up.
OSMORRI
(grimly)
[The computer core might have something on it, but it got damaged during the takeover.]
REED
Just how did you manage to overthrow them if they’re so terrible?
DANIK
[Because they’re also arrogant.]
OSMORRI
[It wasn’t easy. These things they put in our skulls might help us to communicate, but they also act as punishment devices.]
(beat)
[But since they were arrogant enough to enslave a brilliant engineer like me, it was only a matter of time before I figured out how to disable their remote link to these devices.]
KURODA
(cynically)
[And since they’d gotten used to being able to control us at the push of a button, we had surprise on our side.]
REED
It all sounds a little convenient to me, Captain.
(beat)
Surely the Orions had other weapons if they were actually slave masters.
Wisely, Hoshi doesn't translate this but Danik reacts anyway.
DANIK
(angry)
[You don't believe us! I can see it in your eyes! Don't you remember the bodies in the hold?!]
Reed and Danik glare at each other.
ARCHER
I believe it would be prudent to give them the benefit of the doubt, Major.
(off Reed’s unfavorable reaction)
But before I’ll grant asylum, I want to make sure the evidence backs up what’s been said this time. I won’t make the same mistake twice.
(to Chen)
Put them in the brig for the time being.
Chen looks at Reed for confirmation, which he gives, along with a disapproving look for good measure.
CHEN
Yes Sir.
Chen exits first, followed by the others in the same order they entered.
ARCHER
Major Reed, I’m placing you in charge of this investigation. Find out what happened on that ship.
Reed straightens and faces Archer.
REED
I’ll get to the bottom of it, sir.
Archer nods, and Reed quickly turns and walks briskly out of the room. As Reed leaves, Archer grudgingly looks in T’Pol’s direction, but he makes a point about not looking up at her face.
ARCHER
I’d like you to coordinate with Commander Tucker; see if you can repair their computer core and find any records that would corroborate their story.
T’POL
And if I find evidence that does so?
ARCHER
Then I’ll deal with that when it happens. I’ll probably grant them asylum and try to get them someplace safe.
T’POL
And if these Orions come looking for their escaped slaves?
Archer glares at her, losing his patience.
ARCHER
You let me worry about that. You have your orders, Sub-Commander.
T’POL
And I shall carry them out, Captain, but as your first officer, I am obligated to inform you of any possible ramifications that your decisions may have on this ship and its crew.
And on that, T’Pol turns on her heel and exits before Archer can think of anything to say back. After a BEAT, he stands and activates the comm. panel on the wall.
ARCHER
Archer to Tucker.
TUCKER (COMM. VOICE)
Go ahead.
ARCHER
(with a sigh)
I hate to do this to you, Trip, but I need you to work on the aliens’ computer core … with…
(distastefully)
The sub-commander.
BEAT
TUCKER (COMM. VOICE)
(reluctantly)
I guess I can do that; she has proven useful before.
ARCHER
And she knows her way around a computer.
TUCKER (COMM. VOICE)
Yeah….
(beat)
I’ll do my best, Cap’n.
ARCHER
(smiling)
I know you will. Archer out.
INT. ALIEN SHIP – CARGO BAY
Doctor Phlox kneels next to the body of one of the Orions. It isn’t a pretty sight, there are ugly bruises and cuts all over his mangled body, and pieces of metal appear to be randomly stuck into his skin all over his head and upper torso. Dried green blood covers the deck, which Phlox has been careful to avoid as he runs a scan over the Orion’s body.
Major Reed steps into the frame, and we pan up to see him better. He looks down, watching Phlox work. We change angles to over his shoulder to see more of what he sees. We can see a few other med techs working in the background.
REED
How’s it coming, Doctor?
PHLOX
So far, the most common causes of death have been blunt force trauma, deep lacerating wounds resulting in massive hemorrhaging, or a combination of both.
REED
What other causes of death were there?
Phlox finishes his scan and stands up.
PHLOX
A number of the, uh, non-Orions died from wounds caused by a small yield disruptor.
REED
(curious)
Disruptor? I've heard the sub-commander reference that weapon before. What exactly is it?
PHLOX
A directed energy weapon infamous for causing the vaporization of its victims at higher settings.
REED
A powerful weapon then.
(beat, looking over the bodies)
Why weren’t any of them vapourized then?
PHLOX
(somewhat distastefully)
In my experience, disruptors are typically used at lower settings.
REED
Could that be the cause of all the burn marks in other parts of the ship?
PHLOX
(shrugging)
I suppose. I’ve been focusing on running forensic scans on the bodies in the cargo bay.
Reed pulls out a scanner and activates it, showing Phlox the display.
REED
I took the liberty of running a few scans.
(beat)
Didn’t know what to make of it; I haven’t ever seen a weapon have that effect before.
PHLOX
(nodding, grimly)
Yes, I know that signature all too well.
REED
Thank you, Doctor. And might I say that I appreciate having someone with your knowledge and experience around.
PHLOX
(grimacing)
More than I’d like unfortunately.
(beat, off Reed’s concerned look)
Suffice to say that I saw my fair share of this
(motioning to indicate the bodies that surround them)
During my time in the Denobulan infantry.
REED
(slightly uncomfortable)
I see….
(beat)
Well, I’ll let you get back to work, Doctor.
Phlox nods absently and moves on to the next body. Reed takes one last sweeping look of the room, turns, and leaves.
INT. ALIEN SHIP – COMPUTER ROOM
Like the Navigation Room, the Computer Room is fairly small, and dominated by the large computer core. T’Pol works on one of the many interfaces; lines of text scroll down the monitor for her efforts, while her scanner sits unobtrusively to the side.
We hear a grunt and an electrical short and pan down to follow T’Pol’s eyes and see that Tucker has opened an access panel and is partially inside the computer core itself. A few wisps of smoke from the short make their way out of the access tube and dissipate.
TUCKER
Dammit!
T’POL
Commander, it will only hamper our progress if you continue to cause more damage.
TUCKER
(frustrated)
Look, I’m trying my best here; computers aren’t exactly my specialty.
The engineer fumbles around in his toolbox for a different tool and uses it to apply force to another part of the computer’s innards.
T’POL
There are computer specialists on board Enterprise. Why did Captain Archer assign you to this task?
TUCKER
(grunting with effort)
Probably because he trusts me.
(beat, putting tool down and digging for another)
Besides, I thought you were something of a computer expert yourself.
T’POL
I am a science officer; I have received extensive training in many areas of that discipline.
Tucker finds the tool he’s looking for and smiles to himself.
TUCKER
(wryly)
I’ll bet…
(beat)
But, all the same, if I can’t get this working again pretty quick, I think I’ll call in Chief Gomez and one of his people to help out.
T’Pol raises her eyebrows slightly, then goes back to work on the computer interface.
We change angles and focus on Tucker as he takes his tool and applies it to a part of the computer’s innards. It makes a hissing sound, like a soldering gun, and Tucker inspects his work with satisfaction. He repeats the action on several more locations within the crawlspace.
The engineer smiles as the computer starts to hum, building up its power level. He extracts himself from the crawlspace and gives T’Pol a grin.
TUCKER
I don’t know if I’m good or lucky, but I’ll take either one.
T’Pol raises an eyebrow.
T’POL
“Luck” is an illogical concept. Your education and training allowed you to affect repairs.
Trip continues to smile broadly.
TUCKER
Why thank you, Sub-Commander.
(beat, before T’Pol can respond)
So, how long do you think it will take to access their internal sensor logs?
T’Pol directs her attention back at the interface she’s working at.
T’POL
Unfortunately, it will likely take at least ten-point-five hours to sift through these records in order to find relevant information.
Tucker starts to work at another interface.
TUCKER
If we can even manage to make heads or tails of this.
(beat, checking translation on padd)
This translation matrix is based off of the verbal pronunciations; they don’t match up with what’s written here.
T’POL
Indeed. However, I believe that my scanner may assist our progress.
(beat, of Tucker’s questioning look)
I have been able to decipher several base-line commands.
Trip looks uncomfortable.
TUCKER
That’s a nice toy you have, but I think it’ll take us a lot longer than ten and a half hours if we have to depend on that.
(beat)
We should focus our efforts on downloading the core’s memory and give it to Ensign Sato; she’ll have a better chance of translating this than we will, even with that Vulcan hardware of yours.
T’Pol considers his assessment for a BEAT.
T’POL
Agreed.
T’Pol begins to work again, but stands to the side slightly, allowing Tucker to stand next to her at the interface to help her. Neither of them looks particularly happy to be so close to each other, but their work soon makes them forget.
We change angles to see Reed enter the room. He waits a moment, but Tucker and T’Pol are too engrossed in their work to notice his presence. He clears his throat to attract their attention.
TUCKER
How goes the investigation, Major?
REED
Forensic evidence appears to support the aliens’ claim for the most part so far, but they did leave out the fact that they had directed energy weapons on board.
(beat)
How’s the computer coming?
T’POL
Commander Tucker was successful in repairing the memory pathways, but we require Ensign Sato’s linguistic skills to decipher the information we are retrieving.
TUCKER
We’re working on copying the computer memory right now so she can look it over.
REED
(confused)
Why not just use that portable alien to English dictionary the good ensign gave us?
T’POL
As her initial translation matrix was based on the verbal communication with this ship’s crew, there is no basis for the written language.
REED
I see.
(beat)
I’m about to return to Enterprise, is there anything you’d like me to report to the captain?
TUCKER
Not much to report right now, Major; just what we told you.
REED
I’ll pass it along, Commander.
Reed starts to leave again, but he notices that Tucker and T’Pol are quickly engrossed in their work again. He allows himself a small smile.
REED
(dryly)
You know, the two of you work rather well together when you’re not arguing.
The two of them turn to look at him, each giving him their own version of “huh?” before exchanging looks with each other as if they think the other knows what Reed means.
None of them has a chance to follow it up, however, as suddenly all of their communicators go off at once:
ARCHER (COMM. VOICE)
All hands to General Quarters.
Reed’s face slackens and he quickly turns and rushes out of the room. Tucker and T’Pol only hesitate a moment before following him.
EXT. SPACE
From an angle just over Enterprise’s starboard nacelle, we can see the newly arrived ORION INTERCEPTOR. Though it’s actually slightly smaller than Enterprise, the green-hulled ship still manages to look menacing.
INT. ENTERPRISE – BRIDGE
The commander of the Orion Interceptor, HARRAD-SAR glowers at the crew from the viewscreen. Archer stares right back at him from the command chair. 1ST LIEUTENANT GEORGES PICARD sits at Tactical, and LIEUTENANT RAKEE GARLA sits at Science in place of the regulars.
Hoshi turns to Archer, her face showing the severity of the situation.
ARCHER
Well? What did he say, Ensign?
HOSHI
(nervously)
He told us to surrender ourselves and our ship, and that we’re now the property of the Orion Syndicate.
An alarm sounds from Tactical.
PICARD
(off console)
They’re arming their weapons, Sir!
ARCHER
(grimly)
Battle stations.
The klaxon begins to sound as we…
FADE OUT.
END OF ACT THREE
Continue to Act Four
