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| Series: | ENT |
| Episode: | 4x17 |
| Original Airdate: | 2005-04-15 |
| Production Number: | 093 |
| Year: | 2154 |
| Date: | December 27 |
| Written by: | Manny Coto |
| Directed by: | Allan Kroeker |
| Harrad-Sar's ship | |
While T'Pol and Trip develop a psychic bond, Captain Archer receives three Orion slave girls as a gift for negotiating with the devious Orion Syndicate.
Summary
While en route to the Berengaria star system to scout prospective sites for Starfleet's first starbase, Enterprise is intercepted by an Orion Syndicate ship, captained by Harrad-Sar. He invites Captain Archer aboard his vessel in the name of "smoothing relations" between their peoples; Lieutenant Reed expresses his misgivings, given their last unfortunate encounter with the Orions.
In engineering, Commander Tucker is treated brusquely by Kelby, who feels that his promotion to chief engineer may be threatened by Trip's continued presence. T'Pol volunteers her services to help with the engines; she asks Trip if he has been experiencing intense daydreams.
Scantily clad Orion slave girls dance for a Starfleet away team
On the Orion ship, Archer and Reed are tempted by three Orion slave girls, who dance scantily_clad in front of mesmerized Enterprise crewmates. Afterward, Harrad-Sar offers Archer the coordinates of a planet rich in magnesite; he proposes to broker a deal between Starfleet and the Syndicate for mining operations. As a token gesture of good will, he gives Archer the three slave girls – Navaar, D'Nesh and Maras.
As Enterprise travels to the coordinates to examine the planet, T'Pol reports numerous disruptions due to the presence of the women; she also reminds Archer of Starfleet's official stance on slavery. The crewmembers seem obviously distracted by the women: the men begin competing with one another, and headaches are common throughout the ship, as well as numerous skirmishes and challenges to authority. Navaar works her way closer and closer to the captain, while D'Nesh has chosen Kelby as the object of her affections.
Enterprise approaches the planet
Enterprise reaches the planet and, as promised, detects significant amounts of magnesite. Archer orders the phase cannons to fire and destroy a small, unknown vessel, but Reed refuses the order. Kelby, who is obviously under the spell of D'Nesh, is convinced to sabotage the ship's engines; he succeeds, but is subsequently subdued by Trip.
In sickbay, Doctor Phlox reveals that Kelby is suffering from escalated levels of adrenaline, brought on by pheromones from the Orion slave girls. These pheromones are accelerating the crew's metabolism, causing aggression and delusional behavior; Phlox himself has been affected, he says, forcing him to rely on stimulants to counter his interrupted sleep cycle. Only Trip and T'Pol are uneffected.
The slave girls are imprisoned in the brig, and a search of their quarters turns up a communications device, which they have been using to speak with Harrad-Sar. Archer confronts them, and they nearly convince him to release them, but T'Pol brings the captain to his senses. T'Pol tells Trip that he is uneffected by the pheromones because, since Trip and T'Pol have "mated", he is bound psychically to her, and thus he enjoys the immunity granted by her Vulcan physiology.
With Enterprise's engines disabled, Harrad-Sar returns to claim his reward – the Enterprise and Captain Archer. After a brief battle, the Orion vessel hooks Enterprise and begins towing her away. Harrad-Sar reveals that he himself is the slave, a slave to the Orion females on Archer's ship. Having convinced their guards to let them escape, the Orion females now emerge from the turbolift onto the bridge.
Enterprise fires a positron burst at Harrad-Sar's ship, disabling it
Navaar persuades Captain Archer to have T'Pol arrested; Archer complies and orders Lieutenant Reed to arrest the Vulcan. Reed draws his phase pistol and begins to carry out the order, but is stunned unconscious by the phase pistol of Commander Tucker, who also stuns Archer and Ensign Mayweather. He signals T'Pol, who uses the ship's deflector to send a positron burst through the grappling line to Harrad-Sar's ship, disabling it. The Orion females, after one final (failed) attempt to woo Trip, are sent back to their ship.
T'Pol kisses Trip
As Enterprise warps away to continue its mission, T'Pol and Trip discuss their future together. When Trip puts her on the spot, T'Pol asks him to remain on board as part of their crew. He promises to consider it and turns to leave, but T'Pol pursues him, embracing and kissing him "passionately". Trip agrees to stay, and reveals that he had made an official request to transfer back to Enterprise three days earlier.
Background
- Orion slave girls were also featured in "The Cage", while the Orion Syndicate played a part in DS9 episodes such as "Honor Among Thieves" and "Prodigal Daughter".
- Both William Lucking and Cyia Batten appeared on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine playing Furel and Tora Ziyal respectively.
- Tucker mistakenly calls Kelby by the rank of lieutenant.
- This episode reveals that Orion slave girls are so irresistable because of pheromones they release that acclerates the metabolisms of males of many species, including their own, by raising adrenaline production to dangerous levels.
- T'Pol mentions that a Vulcan survey team had made note of a species of flying reptiles on Berengaria VII. The reptiles being over 200 meters in length and breathe fire. This is a nod to the TOS episode This Side of Paradise, where Spock mentions seeing a dragon while visiting Berengaria VII.
- The 'mysterious' ship that attacks Enterprise in said to be an unknown configuration however, if closely examined it is the same configuration as a Nausicaan raiders from Fortunate Son.
Memorable Quotes
"Of course, creatures such as these come with troubles of their own; women are the same throughout the galaxy, aren't they?"
- - Harrad-Sar
"Bridge to Captain Archer.... Bridge to Captain Archer...?"
- - T'Pol, over comm
"Please release us..." (Archer's hand strays toward release button)
"Captain!" (Archer regains his senses)
"I'm obviously not the only woman with power over you."
- - Navaar, T'Pol
"There's a long-held belief that when a Vulcan mates, there's a shared psychic bond."
"We didn't mate."
"Oh...." (rolling eyes)
- - T'Pol, Trip
"I'm immune to the pheromones because of my Vulcan physiology."
"And you're making me immune."
"Apparently."
"Well, I don't know whether to be relieved or, (sigh,) really worried."
- - T'Pol, and Trip
"... but it's truly out of my hands; we're both slaves to the situation.... Yes, Captain, you've been operating under a misconception; it is the men who are the slaves, not the women."
- - Harrad-Sar
"Commander Tucker, I'm impressed. I'm beginning to see who is the true master of this vessel."
"Oh, save it! Captain Archer runs this ship, and you're sweet-talking the wrong guy. Let's go!"
- - Navaar, Trip
Links and References
Guest Stars
- William Lucking as Harrad-Sar
- Cyia Batten as Navaar
- Derek Magyar as Kelby
- Crystal Allen as D'Nesh
- Menina Fortunato as Maras
Co-Stars
- Christopher Jewett as Crewman #1
- Duncan K. Fraser as Walsh (credited as "Crewman #2")
References
Berengaria VII; Columbia; Deltans; Dragons; Gorn; Gorn Hegemony; Harrad-Sar's ship; Horizon, ECS; Meridor; Orions; Orion slave girls; Orion Syndicate; Piracy;
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