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Real world article
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Daniels sends Archer and T'Pol to 2004 Detroit to follow three Xindi-Reptilians who are creating a biological weapon.

Summary[]

Teaser[]

A Human in Detroit, in 2004, returns home at the end of the day and starts to relax when he receives a phone call. Nervous, he answers and hears someone asking if he's made "his selection" yet. The man confirms and asks if his payment is ready, which is confirmed. The man is warned to be careful with the sedative, since he almost killed his last "selection." The person on the other end of the phone is a Xindi-Reptilian.

Act One[]

Later, the man, Loomis, follows through with his plan. He picks up a prostitute under the pretense of wanting her services. She recognizes him as a worker at a blood bank, and he also reveals he remembers her name and blood type. Soon, he stops at the side of the road and sedates her. He brings her into an abandoned factory on Carpenter Street where several other sedated people are lying, apparently kidnapped earlier. He picks up his payment and leaves.

In 2153, it's the middle of the night on the Enterprise NX-01 as Captain Jonathan Archer goes into the galley, along with Porthos, to eat. There, Temporal Agent Daniels appears. Given the change in Enterprise's mission, Archer confronts him immediately on being absent and demands information on the Xindi weapon. Daniels responds that doesn't know anything about it, as there is no record in the 31st century of a conflict between Humans and Xindi, so everything that is happening is the result of temporal incursions. Archer also notes that the Suliban controller from the future had told Archer about the weapon being built, to which Daniels says there's no reason to disbelieve it.

Jonathan Archer leaves Charles Tucker III in command

"Try to stay out of trouble."
"You too."
"Here's the duty roster."

As for the current conflict, Daniels says it will take time before his people can detect what new events are unfolding in Archer's time. He is therefore here for another reason: three Xindi Reptilians from Archer's century have been detected on 21st century Earth, and Daniels needs Archer's help. He gives Archer a communicator and "temporal tags" he can use to mark anything from their time for Daniels to bring back. He is allowed to bring one person with him, and he chooses T'Pol, who is still skeptical that time travel is possible. Archer tells Trip Tucker where they're going and leaves him in charge of Enterprise.

The captain and T'Pol walk through the corridors and are instantly transported back in time to Detroit.

Act Two[]

Archer and T'Pol start their mission, which requires a bit of knowledge about 21st century technology and customs. Fortunately, their hand scanner can interact with various electronics of the time. They then "borrow" a Dodge Ram truck by unlocking it with the scanner to begin searching to find the Xindi hideout. Later, they "borrow" some money from an ATM using the scanner in order to re-fuel the truck. They eventually find the factory by the three Xindi biosigns inside. Archer tells T'Pol to set her phase-pistol on kill since stun hasn't seemed to affect the Reptilians much.

Meanwhile, Loomis has found another "selection" and goes to the person's apartment with a story of how he was sent to bring the man back to the clinic. The man agrees, and Loomis sedates him and drives him to the factory. While observed discretely by Archer and T'Pol, Loomis enters the factory. Inside, Loomis has no trouble bringing the man to the bed, but sees his payment is missing. His contact, the Xindi, is partially obscured by shadow when he informs Loomis he'll be paid the last payment when he brings the last two blood types by the next day. Loomis wants to wait because there are news reports about people going missing and he is worried about being caught since they can all be connected to the blood bank where he works. The Xindi instead offers him a double reward, and he agrees.

Loomis goes back to his apartment to contemplate his increasingly harder task. Archer and T'Pol follow him and, when Archer knocks on the door, Loomis fears the worst and bolts out the window and down the fire escape. Archer pursues, but T'Pol is ready on the ground and uses her Vulcan nerve pinch to subdue Loomis.

Act Three[]

Archer interrogates Loomis in his apartment, tied to a chair. Loomis initially denies everything, except making a few extra dollars on stolen drugs from the clinic, and asks for a lawyer. Archer then lets him know he's serious by punching him, and that gets him talking. Loomis thinks the Xindi is a doctor working on an experimental vaccine that he doesn't have approval for. He believes the doctor won't hurt anyone, and, indeed, insists that he just saw the whole group and they're fine. The "doctor" wanted eight people, one of each blood type, and is still missing AB-positive and B-negative. He always stays in the shadows, so Loomis never saw he was an alien. Archer informs him he'll make one last delivery – Archer himself, who has B-negative blood.

On the way, Loomis seems very nonchalant about the whole thing, suggesting they stop to get some fast food. Loomis and Archer get hamburgers while T'Pol looks on in disgust. At the warehouse, T'Pol waits in the car while Loomis brings Archer in. Archer pretends to be unconscious as Loomis sets him up and informs him of the Xindi's schedule during the day. Loomis leaves to re-join T'Pol. After she fires her "raygun" into the car door to prove it is real, Loomis then agrees to drive to the next location. Loomis is worried that the doctor will come after him if Archer is caught. He lights a cigarette to calm himself, but, alarmed, she tells him to put it out. Unfortunately, Loomis has a plan, as when T'Pol leaves the car, he reaches for a switchblade knife which was hidden in the seat, keeping it in his pocket.

Archer lies still long enough to allow his blood to be taken, then gets up and searches the area. He finds the Xindi around a bio-reactor, which fits the information Rajiin gave them. To prevent spreading whatever the Xindi are making across the city, T'Pol suggests finding the temporal beacon, preventing them from going back to the future, rather than destroy the reactor. Archer, from a hiding spot, uses his scanner to record the scene, then fires, stunning one of the Xindi. The other two fire back, take a component with the virus from the reactor, and flee.

Act Four[]

Archer pursues the two remaining Xindi down an alley. He gives T'Pol their location and she then orders Loomis to drive there. Loomis, however, interprets her orders as their plan failing and, afraid of the consequences he'll find if they fail, Loomis beeps the horn to warn his associates and tries to stab T'Pol. As they struggle inside the car, the Xindi pause and Archer stuns another one of them. T'Pol catches Loomis' arm and stuns him, then joins Archer in the pursuit.

The last Xindi finds a ventilation fan on the top of a nearby building and prepares to release the toxin, still able to do a lot of damage even though he can't return to the 22nd century. Archer and T'Pol arrive soon and engage him in a firefight. T'Pol covers Archer as he sneaks up on the Xindi from the other side. He catches the Xindi and asks why they need a second weapon, to which the Xindi says directly they will not allow Humans to destroy them. He turns to make a final lunge toward the container and, despite Archer firing on him, tips it over toward the fan, but Archer catches it.

Archer and T'Pol bring the three Xindi and their equipment back to the Enterprise's command center using the temporal tags given to them by Daniels. They arrive back on Enterprise seconds after they left, so they catch Tucker just as they had left him. Leaving Tucker confused, Archer orders Malcolm Reed to store the equipment in cargo bay 2 and takes the virus sample for Phlox to examine.

Back in 2004, Loomis is arrested by police officers from the Detroit Police Department for abducting the six people. He starts babbling about lizard people and ray guns and they assume he is on drugs.

Memorable quotes[]

"We just traveled ninety light years back to Earth?"
"And 150 years into the past."
"Forgive me if I'm not entirely convinced."
"You will be."

- T'Pol and Archer, after stepping through the command center door into 21st century Detroit


"Have you ever operated a vehicle from this period?"
"I can pilot a starship!"

- T'Pol and Archer, just before departing in their stolen Dodge Ram


"People used to go to jail for this."
"We'll return what we don't use."

- Archer and T'Pol, after Archer uses 22nd century technology to take money from an ATM


"This gonna take long? I don't wanna miss Conan."

- Lawrence Strode, to Loomis


"You're a veggie. I forgot. Why don't you take a fry? They're probably okay."

(T'Pol looks at Loomis' French fries in disgust, then at him)

"Have it your way!"

- Loomis, to T'Pol


"Why would anyone on the street be interested in acquiring methohexital?"

- T'Pol, to Loomis, after scanning the drugs and discovering they were sedatives and not recreational drugs


"What are you doing?"
"I don't know about you honey but I'm a little tense, you know what I mean?"
"Extinguish that now!"

- T'Pol, reacting to Loomis lighting up a cigarette


"You two better keep your word."
"You've been abducting people for money and you're questioning our honesty?"

- Loomis and T'Pol


"Those creatures – the lizard people – they're around here somewhere. You gotta find 'em!"
"No problem. We'll get right on that."
"Be careful. Be careful. They got ray guns."
"Yeah, ray guns. Got it."

- Loomis and his arresting officer

Background information[]

  • The truck "borrowed" by Archer and T'Pol happens to be the same color and type as the one used by Tom Paris and Tuvok in the episode VOY: "Future's End".
  • Although this episode takes place in Detroit, in reality, most scenes were filmed on the streets of downtown Los Angeles. Notably, the final shot with the police cruisers features hills in the distance; Detroit has no such hills. [5](X) There is also no Carpenter Street in Detroit (only a Carpenter Avenue).
  • There are many references to the 1978 horror film Halloween. The title, and street name, is a reference to Director John Carpenter. Loomis is a reference to Dr. Sam Loomis, played by Donald Pleasence. Lawrence Strode is a reference to Laurie Strode, played by Jamie Lee Curtis. Loomis talks about a "Mr. Myers," a reference to the infamous killer Michael Myers. Loomis drives an old station wagon, much like one Myers drives in the film Halloween.
  • T'Pol asking Archer if he is familiar with driving a truck recalls a similar line in "North Star", where T'Pol asks Tucker if he knows how to ride a horse. In both instances, the officer doesn't, but assumes that their past experience will be sufficient.
  • Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who played Damron in this episode, stated in 2012 to Entertainment Weekly that he only took the role because he needed some money to pay his bills. He recalled the experience of playing a Xindi-Reptilian was not pleasant for him at all, remembering that he had to stick straws in his nose to breathe, was claustrophobic the entire time, and that he couldn't eat. He remembered going to his home in tears and claimed he nearly quit acting because of his experience on Enterprise. (Entertainment Weekly, issue #1201, p. 65)
  • In some scenes between Archer and T'Pol which take place in the stolen truck, the rear-view mirror is noticeably missing. This is a common technique when filming television episodes or movies, so the camera and filming crew do not show up in the mirror.
  • After T'Pol refuses to have a French fry from the burger restaurant, Loomis says, "Have it your way," a slogan used in Burger King advertising.
  • Brannon Braga was pleased with the way this installment turned out. "It was certainly fun," he said, "to get out off the ship and see reptiles creeping around modern-day Detroit." Braga also found it "fascinating" that the episode's main antagonist, at least in his opinion, is not the Reptilians but the Human Loomis. (Star Trek: Communicator issue 151, p. 31)
  • When Loomis shows up at Strode's apartment to pick him up, Strode's apartment number is 602. The 602 is the name of the club in Mill Valley talked about in "Shuttlepod One" and "Countdown", and seen on screen in the flashbacks of "First Flight".
  • The final scene of Loomis babbling about lizard people resembles modern conspiracy theories of alien lizard people taking over Earth.

Links and references[]

Starring[]

Guest stars[]

Co-stars[]

Uncredited co-stars[]

Stunt doubles[]

Photo doubles[]

Stand-ins[]

References[]

1970s; 2002; 2004; 2061; 2154; 31st century; AB-positive; ABS; aerospace engineer; alphabetic label; American Wrecking Company; animal products; apple juice; athlete; ATM; automobile; B-negative; bacon; beer; Beretta 92; bio-reactor; blood bank; blood donor; blood donor's relative; blood type; Blue Zebra; briefcase; Burgerland; Cadillac Seville; Carpenter Street; cent; cheese; Chevrolet Caprice; clinic; Club D'Enrico; combo; command center; cops; Dearborn Gardens; December; Delphic Expanse; delta band frequency; Detroit; disinfectant; Doberman; Dodge Ram; Double Superbeef; drive-thru; duty roster; Earth; external lighting; fast food; FDB; FDB Card; Fiesta Salad; fire escape; folder; Ford Crown Victoria; Ford Taurus; Ford Thunderbird; fossil fuel; French fries; fuel door; Honda Accord; Honda Civic; Hotbox; Humanoid Figure; gasoline; graffiti; hamburger; Heisler; icon; intravenous drip; jail; Jeep Wrangler; ketchup; kill; kilogram; kilometer; lawyer; lettuce; lipstick; Little Tokyo mall; map; Mexhohexital; Michigan; milligram; milliliter; Mitchell S.Y.; money; motion-activated security system; Myers, William; neutronic power source; news; O-negative; O'Brien, Conan; Oshare; Pacheco, Bad Boy; paperwork; parental advisory; parking; parking meter; peephole; penny; phase-pistol; pizza; police officer; Porter Street; pound; prostitution; Rajiin; ray gun; Robinson, Killer; rocket scientist; root beer; Sakura Rent-a-Car; sedative; smoking; starboard; Starfleet database; stun; Suliban; supervisor; Sweden; switchblade knife; syringe; taco; temporal beacon; Temporal Cold War; temporal incursion; Temporal Prime Directive; terrorist; telephone; temporal tag; timeline; time travel; time traveler; tire lock; Toyota Corolla; transmission; Tri-City Speedway; Triple Superbeef; Twenty-Fourth Street; United States currency; vaccine; veggie; vehicle; viral agent; Volkswagen Jetta; Vulcan neck pinch; west; wheelchair; "Workin' Man in tha City"; Xindi; Xindi bio-weapon; Xindi-Reptilian; Xindi-Reptilian ray gun; Xindi weapon

Star chart references[]

1 Centauri; 10 Canum Venaticorum; 11 Leonis Minoris; 13 Ceti; 15 Sagittae; 17 Cygni; 26 Draconis; 31 Aquilae; 36 Ophiuchi; 36 Ursae Majoris; 39 Leonis; 39 Serpentis; 40 Eridani A; 47 Ursae Majoris; 51 Pegasi; 53 Aquarii; 59 Virginis; 61 Cygni; 61 Ursae Majoris; 61 Virginis; 70 Ophiuchi; 70 Virginis; 82 Eridani; 83 Leonis; 94 Aquarii; 96 Aquarii; 99 Herculis; Aldhibain (Eta Draconis); Aldus Prime; Algorab (Delta Corvi); Alioth (Epsilon Ursae Majoris); Alkaid (Eta Ursae Majoris); Alpha Caeli; Alpha Centauri; Alpha Chamaeleontis; Alpha Circini; Alpha Fornacis; Alpha Hydri; Alpha Mensae; Alshain (Beta Aquilae); Altair (Alpha Aquilae); Andoria; Ankaa (Alpha Phoenicis); Arcturus (Alpha Boötis); Babel; Barnard's Star; Beta Caeli; Beta Comae Berenices; Beta Geminorum; Beta Hydri; Beta Pictoris; Capella (Alpha Aurigae); Caph (Beta Cassiopeiae); Chara (Beta Canum Venaticorum); Chi Ceti A; Chi Draconis; Chi1 Orionis; Chi Eridani; Chi Herculis; Chi Leonis; Cor Caroli (Alpha Canum Venticorum); Delta Aquilae; Delta Equulei; Delta Leonis; Delta Pavonis; Delta Phoenicis; Delta Sculptoris; Delta Trianguli; Diadem (Alpha Comae Berenices); Diphda (Deneb Kaitos, 16 Ceti); Earth (Terra); Epsilon Eridani; Epsilon Fornacis; Epsilon Indi; Epsilon Phoenicis; Epsilon Reticuli; Epsilon Sculptoris; Eta Cassiopeiae; Eta Corvi; Eta Crucis; Fomalhaut (Alpha Piscis Australis); Gamma Doradus; Gamma Equulei; Gamma Leporis; Gamma Pavonis; Gamma Serpentis; Gamma Tucanae; Gemma (Alpha Coronae Borealis); Groombridge 34; Heze (Zeta Virginis); Iota Boötis; Iota Carinae; Iota Centauri; Iota Eridani; Iota Horologii; Iota Leonis; Iota Persei; Iota Piscium; Kappa Fornacis; Kappa Reticuli; Kappa Tucanae; Lalande 25372; Lambda Boötis; Lambda Serpentis; Luyten's Star; Megrez (Delta Ursae Majoris); Merak (Beta Ursae Majoris); Mizar (Zeta Ursae Majoris); Mothallah (Alpha Trianguli, Caput); Mu Cassiopeiae; Mu Herculis; Omega Draconis; Omega Piscium; P'Jem; p Eridani; Phecda (Gamma Ursae Majoris); Pi¹ Ursae Majoris; Pi³ Orionis; Pi Mensae; Pi Piscis Australis; Pollux; Porrima (Gamma Virginis); Procyon; Proxima; Psi Draconis; Psi Serpentis; Psi Velorum; Rasalhague (Alpha Ophiuchi); Regulus (Alpha Leonis); Rho Boötis; Rho Coronae Borealis; Rho Puppis; Rho Virginis; Rigel; Ross 614; Seginus (Gamma Boötis); Sigma Boötis; Sigma Ceti; Sigma Coronae Borealis; Sigma Draconis; Sigma Pegasi; Sirius (Alpha Canis Majoris); Sol system; Tau Boötis; Tau¹ Eridani; Tau Ceti; Tau Hydrae; Tau Piscis Australis; Tellar; Terra Nova; Theta Ceti; Theta Cygni; Theta Draconis; Theta Sculptoris; Theta Ursae Majoris; Upsilon Andromedae; Upsilon Aquarii; van Maanen's Star; Vega (Alpha Lyrae); Vendor; Vindemiatrix (Epsilon Virginis); Vulcan; Wolf 359; Wolf 424; Xi Pegasi; Xi Virginis; Zavijava (Beta Virginis); Zeta Fornacis; Zeta Herculis; Zeta Trianguli Australis; Zeta² Reticuli

Unreferenced materials[]

Bethany, Jeffrey; Chicago Bears; Detroit Department of Health; Detroit Lions; Detroit Tigers; Duncan, Jef; Duncan, Jennifer; epilepsy; First Street; New York Jets; New York Mets; Rhode; Smith, Bill, UCLA; West Birch Street

External links[]