Exile

zealousgirl’s SPECIAL EDITION

MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!

EXILE
Production 058
First Air Date: Oct 15, 2003

Director: Roxann Dawson
Written By: Phyllis Strong

Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with Star Trek or Paramount. I do this for amusement and not for profit. Be forewarned that this will be seen through the biased eyes of a proud Tuckerite!!! (and, a Trip/T’poler!) I will try to focus on what is happening with Trip in these spoilers. Please check Li’s Trekpulse review for more details.

About ‘EXILE’: I enjoyed this episode, but it definitely does not rank as one of my favorites. We don’t get to see Trip until half way through the show – but of course he’s as adorable as ever, especially his mission with Archer. I did like the fact that this was Hoshi-centric – it’s a shame that we don’t see more of her. And the Hoshi/Malcolm shipper in me was happy for the few scenes between them. Tarquin reminded me of the alien on ST: Voyager who came to the ship in the form of a hologram, fell for Tuvok and tried to lure him off the ship to be her companion. So the premise was a bit unoriginal, but entertaining none the less.

Synopsis (from StarTrek.com):

From light-years away, a powerful telepathic alien, Tarquin, mentally contacts Hoshi and convinces Archer to let the ensign briefly visit his isolated planet in exchange for crucial information on the Xindi.

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“Trip-centric” Enterprise REVIEW

Hoshi is in a tank top and shorts, and looks like she’s getting ready to go to bed. Standing in her bathroom, she hears a voice whisper her name. She steps into her main quarters, but no one is there. Then we hear the voice again, asking if she can hear him. She looks puzzled, but says nothing. Then the voice says, “Can you see me?” And she turns around to see a man standing in shadow in the corner of her room. She runs to the comm. and calls for security. Malcolm answers and asks her what’s wrong, but she does not answer. The man is no longer there and she is perplexed.

***********************************

{Command Centre}

Archer finds T’pol working. She had been trying to map out a pattern for the spatial anomalies based on the data from the man made sphere that they had encountered a few episodes back. She determined that it is likely that a second similar sphere is also emitting similar gravimetric fields, and it is the interaction of these fields with the 1st sphere that results in the anomalies. She suggests locating this second sphere (which coincidently is not that far from their current location), and then gathering info on the field emissions so that they can predict where anomalies will occur. Archer agrees to set a course.

{Bridge}

Hoshi is discussing the events in her quarters with Malcolm. He has not been able to detect any intruders or anything else out of the ordinary. She is adamant that she didn’t imagine it, but he tries to convince her that she is under a lot of stress and maybe that’s why she had the ‘hallucination’. He does promise to keep an eye out, none the less.

{Sickbay}

Phlox is unable to find anything wrong with Hoshi, including neurological problems or the presence of some mind-altering agents. Hoshi tells him that she has felt like she is being watched for the last few days; as well as hearing voices. She is not happy that this may all be in her head.

Phlox in his usual optimistic manner tells her that he’s always been jealous of being who have been able to hallucinate when under stress; on Denobula, it is not uncommon, and actually considered a healthy way of releasing nervous energy. He states that he always seems to keep his stresses bottled up inside.

Hoshi, uncomfortable with the conversation, excuses herself to go work on the Xindi database.

{Command Centre}

Hoshi is working on translating some of the Xindi database, alone. She again hears someone whisper her name. Then all the monitors in the room change so that they are all displaying the same planet (looks M class), and the voice keeps repeating, “This is where I’m waiting for you”.

Hoshi calls Malcolm to come, but is interrupted by the same man standing in the shadow in the corner of the room. She spins around the room, trying to figure out where he went because he disappeared almost immediately. Then the monitors now all are close-ups of Hoshi’s head. She demands to know how he came on the ship (she is panicked). The voice says that he is no where near the ship. He tells her that he can help with what she is searching for.

Hoshi runs out of the room, and then is seemingly transported to another place – almost looks like the inside of a stone castle although it seems to have much more warmth (amber hue, lavish items around). She runs down a corridor, and then pushed open a set of double doors, stepping out into a snowy exterior on a terrace built into the rock face of a large mountain.

She is startled by Malcolm tapping her on the shoulder, asking her if she’s OK. When she spins around, she now back on Enterprise in the corridor outside the command centre.

{Sickbay}

Phlox examines Hoshi and finds nothing wrong. Malcolm states that he has not detected any nearby ships or any intruders. Hoshi replies that the alien is not close by, and that she is not imagining things. Archer condescendingly says that it is a possibility that it is all in her head, but she remains firm in her belief.

Archer asks Phlox to keep Hoshi under surveillance in Sickbay for now, and asks Malcolm to post security teams in key areas. Both leave.

Hoshi asks if she can feed some of Phlox’s pets, as she is ready to sleep yet. She casually talks to Phlox who is behind her. She explains that it was strange how the alien communicates with her; it was like he was inside her, looking through her eyes, experiencing what she’s experiencing. “Talking to him is like talking to myself. Does that make any sense?”

Suddenly, Phlox is in front of her, and says that it makes perfect sense. He tells her that listening to her thoughts has been very pleasurable (his eyes seem bluer than usual, and his grin is sorta creepy). He tells her that he has been studying her for many days.

Hoshi asks Phlox (who is obviously either possessed by the alien, or is a projection for Hoshi only) why study her. The alien tells her that there are few who possess the ability to process his telepathic abilities. Suddenly, she is again transported back to the residence on the alien planet. The alien now in human form asks her to come visit him, and ‘bribes’ her with information on the Xindi.

{Captain’s quarters}

Hoshi relays the aliens request for her to visit to Archer. He is suspicious of the alien’s motives (as I would be too, especially in the Expanse). Hoshi defends the alien, saying that she senses that he is not trying to trick them. The fact that this alien may help them find the Xindi is reason enough to at least check it out. Archer contacts Travis, and tells him that they are making a slight detour.

[we see Enterprise change course, then later one of the pod leaving; this lands near the aliens cliff side home]

Hoshi, Malcolm and Archer arrive at the doorstep of the building; Hoshi leads them inside and to one of the rooms where they find Tarquin, the alien – his back turned so that we can’t get a good look at him. He is not happy that Hoshi did not come alone. Archer explains that the captain is always part of first contact missions, as per Starfleet regulations. Tarquin’s response is that he is actually pleased that all three were able to come. He turns around to face them; Hoshi looks a bit squeamish at his appearance; he is no longer in the human form but rather a grotesque alien with short tentacle like projections coming off his head at various points.

***********************************

They get right down to business. Tarquin says that he knows that Enterprise is searching for a weapon that could destroy their home planet. He thinks he may be able to find it, if they can bring him an object that belongs to the Xindi. He explains that all objects have an imprint of those that use it, and with his telepathic abilities he can sense this.

Malcolm notes that they did not detect any other biosigns – Tarquin confirms that he is indeed alone. His only contact with the outside world has been through telepathy.

Archer agrees to send down an object possessed by the Xindi. But Tarquin has one more request – he wants Hoshi to stay with him for the few days that it will take to work on the object. Archer says that that is inappropriate – but Tarquin says that that is the only way that he will work on this.

{back on Enterprise}

Hoshi is trying to convince Archer to let her stay with Tarquin, for the sake of the mission. Archer is leery, and thinks that Tarquin is hiding something. Malcolm suggests that Enterprise stay in orbit while Hoshi is on the planet. But Hoshi says that there is little time to waste when 2 things (getting info on the Xindi from Tarquin and investigating the sphere) can be done at the same time. She tells him that she can take care of herself.

{Back on the planet}

Archer presents Tarquin with a piece of the weapon from the Xindi weapon that was found in the crashed probe on Earth. Before leaving, Archer has a few private words of warning for Hoshi, and asks if she has her phaser with her. She promises to keep it under her pillow.

{dining room on the planet}

Tarquin has prepared a meal for Hoshi based on what he was able to determine from her memories (includes pizza, fries…) Hoshi is visibly uncomfortable with all this. He shows her what’s for desert, a local delicacy which is kinda yucky looking. She says that her stomach is feeling a little unsettled. This makes Tarquin laugh as he knows that this was the excuse she used to use with her grandmother, when she didn’t want to eat one of her noodle dishes.

Hoshi wants to know more about him. He explains that he was exiled from his home planet because of his rare gift of telepathy, which is considered dangerous to others. He then makes a toast to ‘solitude’, and tells Hoshi that she would know something about being alone since she spent much of her childhood alone. Hoshi is not happy with this discussion and Tarquin apologizes for knowing so much about her.

Tarquin assures her that he is not always reading her mind and that he would rather get to know her in the normal fashion. Hoshi excuses herself, as she claims she is tired.

Tarquin shows her to her room, tells her to feel free to wander about since he will be working most of the time, but to avoid going outside as the winds are treacherous. He presents her with a book written in a dead language over 1000 years old.

Before leaving, he tells her that she doesn’t have to feel like she is alone. She says that she’ll be able to keep herself busy, but that’s not what he means. He tells her that he knows that she feels isolated, even when surrounded by crewmates, but that she doesn’t need to.

{Captain’s quarters}

Archer is bouncing a polo ball off the walls (I would hate to have my quarters next to his – how do you tell the Captain to be quiet!). Then the ball seems to go part way through the bulkhead and gets stuck. Archer contacts the bridge to ask if they are getting near the sphere, which they are. He tells them to drop out of warp and heads to the bridge.

Meanwhile, we see warping anomalies all over the ship (lots of cool stuff happening). T’pol says that they are getting reports from all over the ship that there are anomalies. Then we see part of the outer anterior hull warp and then burst, leaving a gaping hole.

***********************

More anomalies are wreaking havoc on the ship; we see this from the perspective of the bridge. They come to a full stop and figure out that this sphere is emitting much stronger gravimetric energy and that they can not get any closer.

Archer contacts Trip (finally!!!) to find out how the engines are. Trip tells him so far so good, but he wouldn’t recommend putting them through much more of this. Archer asks him how long it would take him to refit one of the pods with Trellium D. Trip estimates about 1 ½ days. Archer tells him to get started.

Archer turns to T’pol and suggests she avoid the launchbay for the next couple of days.

T’pol responds “Indeed.” (best understatement of this episode!)

{Planet}

Hoshi is walking around in a very short, tank-style blue dress and high heels. She watches as Tarquin seems to be deep in thought, holding a glowing blue egg-shaped glass. He catches her watching him, and invites her in. He has only seen a few impressions so far so has much work yet. He does know that the Xindi do not trust one another.

Hoshi asks what the glass thing is. He explains that it helps extend his telepathy and that it was a gift from his family. It was what helped him find her. He offers to show her how it works.

Hoshi takes a seat, grasps the glass egg and closes her eyes. Tarquin covers her hands with his and tells her to focus of the shapes. Eventually, Hoshi catches a glimpse of many things from planets blowing up, to landscapes, to even a Xindi-Reptilian – this startles her out of her reverie. She is a bit freaked and leaves.

She is now wandering elsewhere in the house and decides to check out the outside. So still in the little dress, she walks out into the freezing cold, and finds several graves. Tarquin yells at her from behind, that he told her not to go outside. Hoshi demands to know who the dead people are. He tells her that they are his past companions, and that their lifespans are much less than his. He is over 400 years old.

He tells her that his last companion died a long time ago, and that he is so alone. He tells her that he seeked her out just as he did his other companions. He pleads with her to at least consider staying with him. She emphatically says no and goes back inside.

Once inside though, she encounters the human version of Tarquin. He pleads with her again but she firmly stands her ground. He plays on her fears and thoughts. She tells him to leave her alone.

{Pod}

Trip and Archer head towards the coordinates of the sphere, passing easily through a gravimetric distortion detected by their sensors. They look for the cloaking barrier, and after a course adjustment the shuttlepod seems to hit into something.

Trip: “That felt promising.”

(On Enterprise, T’pol tells them to turn again, and that they should be approaching the barrier now)

The pod starts to shake quite violently, and Trip bounces off his chair into the adjacent wall. We see the pod go through the cloak barrier. Inside the pod continues to shake while the power fluctuates, until they finally come out of the barrier and are now face to face with another of the man-made spheres.

Trip tries to scan the sphere. “Ah, hell!” (hey A4T, that’s swear #1) “The sensor relays were damaged.” Unfortunately, they have to go back as Trip needs to fix the sensors from outside the pod. Archer has a better plan – they are going to land on the sphere.

Trip: “We’re not gonna land on that thing?” (he does not look impressed) Archer tells him to get the EV suits ready.

Now the pod is on the sphere, and we see Trip and Archer step out in their EV suits.

Trip: “Not exactly my idea of shore leave!”

Archer: “Get to work. I’m going to take a look around.”

Trip (chuckles): “Don’t get lost.”

************************************

Trip is working on the pod when suddenly sparks come off the panel in front of him and then one of the thrusters ignites; the pod lifts off from the sphere. Trip steps back and Archer comes up to stand next to him. They stare at the pod as it starts to fly away, and do nothing initially (I thought this was hilarious – I would be in a complete panic if I were them!) Archer then asks what happened.

Trip: “The port thruster ignited!”

Archer: “I can see that.”

Trip: “When I was bypassing that last relay, I must have triggered a surge in the propulsion system. Son of a bitch!” (#2 A4T!)

They watch the pod clumsily float away. Trip: “It’s going to be a long time before Enterprise decides to come looking for us.”

Archer asks if they can launch without a port thruster.

Trip: “We can sure as hell try.” (#3!)

They take out their phasers and start to shoot at the pod (at first I couldn’t figure out what was happening).

Trip: “Careful, sir, that was awfully close to the O2 recycler.” (Archer gives him a great look here) Then one of his shots completely misses the pod, “I need to spend more time in the armoury.

Eventually they hit the self-ignited thruster such that the pod just falls back to the sphere, bouncing a few times and coming to a stop just in front of our two heroes.

{Back on Enterprise}

T’pol is pacing, seemingly impatiently. Archer hails them to say that the sphere was exactly where she predicted and that they got all the necessary scans.

{Captain’s log}

Archer states that T’pol is working on the data, while Enterprise is returning to Tarquin’s planet to pick up Ensign Sato.

{Planet}

Tarquin comes to Hoshi’s room (where she is laying on her bed, reading a book). He tells her that Captain Archer has just contacted him and that Enterprise is on their way to pick her up. He tells her that he has figured out a lot about the Xindi weapon. He then asks her again if she will stay – of course she says no. He seems resolved to her decision, and tells her to keep the book as a reminder of him. He says that after he briefs the captain, he will send Archer to her. He says that it has been a privilege knowing her.

Later, Hoshi is getting back into her uniform when Archer walks in. He says that the info Tarquin gave will be invaluable and that he is willing to continue to supply info for as long as possible. Archer thanks her for her help, and then asks her to stay with Tarquin for a while longer. They will come back for her as soon as the mission is over. She is taken aback, but agrees. She first wants to go back to Enterprise to pick up a few things. Archer tells her that there is no need, that he will send everything down. But Hoshi says that she also wants to say goodbye to her friends. Archer says that Travis will understand.

Hoshi finally realizes that this is NOT Archer, since she was thinking of Travis at that exact moment so obviously it is a projection of Tarquin while he is reading her mind.

She gets angry and demands to see Captain Archer.

{Enterprise}

Archer asks to hail the planet, but communication is being jammed. Then all the systems on Enterprise completely shut down.

{Planet}

Furious, Hoshi rushes into Tarquin’s room, where he is sitting at his table holding the glass egg. She demands to know what had happened to her ship. He threatens to destroy Enterprise if she doesn’t stay. He tells her that there is no power on Enterprise right now, and that he will only return the power if she agrees to stay.

Hoshi picks up the glass egg and threatens to break it. He says that that would not change his desire to have her stay as his companion but she then asks him what he’ll do once she has died – he would definitely be alone then. He finally agrees to let her go and to not harm her crewmates.

{Enterprise}

Power comes back. Hoshi hails them and asks them to come get her.

(Captain’s log – Hoshi’s back but without any info on the Xindi)

Archer finds T’pol in the command centre. Unfortunately, the data from the second sphere still does not allow them to predict the pattern of the anomalies. Based on covariant extrapolation analysis, she has determined that it looks like there is at least fifty similar spheres. Archer comes to the conclusion that whoever built these spheres did it intentionally to create the Expanse. T’pol can not comprehend why anyone would construct of web of crippling anomalies.

{Hoshi’s quarters}

She finishes reading Tarquin’s book. Suddenly Tarquin is in her room. She tells him to leave her alone. He says that this will be the last time; he has brought info for the Captain about the mission. He is doing this because they are on a dangerous mission and he does not want any harm to come to her. He still hopes that she may change her mind one day.

{Captain’s quarters}

Hoshi pays Archer a visit, PADD in hand. She tells him that Tarquin came to her quarters and gave her the coordinates of a Xindi colony where part of the weapon is being developed.

THE END

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