Minefield (episode)
From Memory Alpha, the free Star Trek reference.
| This article is written from the Real World point of view |
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| "Minefield" | ||
|---|---|---|
| ENT, Episode 2x03 Production number: 029 First aired: 2 October 2002 | ||
| ← | 28th of 97 produced in ENT | → |
| ← | 28th of 97 released in ENT | → |
| ← | 656th of 726 released in all | → |
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| Written By John Shiban Directed By James Contner | ||
| Unknown (2152) | ||
Enterprise strays into a Romulan minefield and is disabled by a cloaked mine. While deactivating another mine, Reed gets pinned to the ship's hull.
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[edit] Summary
Archer invites Reed to breakfast, hoping to become better acquainted with his armory officer. Reed, however, seems reluctant to discuss anything other than work. Just as Archer's getting frustrated, T'Pol alerts the captain that an uncharted system has been detected and one of the planets is Minshara class. As Enterprise enters the planet's orbit, it is rocked by massive explosions, damaging sections of the ship and injuring several crewmembers, including Hoshi Sato. Reed is able to discern that the ship has been hit by an alien orbital mine, which has attached itself to the hull. As the mine has the power to disable Enterprise, Reed suits up and heads out to defuse it. Uncertain that Reed will succeed in his task, Archer suggests an alternate plan to Trip Tucker – detach the section of hull plating surrounding the mine, allowing it to drift away. Tucker notes that this will expose a good portion of the impulse manifold, but Archer tells him to get started on it anyway – the captain will consider the plan a last resort.
As Reed works, he suddenly becomes aware of a strange alien starship de-cloaking nearby. The ship hails Enterprise, but the universal translator can't quite get a lock on the strange language, and Sato is out of commission in sickbay. The aliens begin to fire warning shots at Enterprise, so Archer orders Travis Mayweather to move them out of harm's way – slowly, so as not to injure Reed, still hard at work on the hull. Mayweather must also be careful not to collide with any of the other mines in the field.
Reed begins to make some headway in his efforts to disarm the mine, but just as he's making progress, the motion from Enterprise jostles the mine. A spike thrusts out of the mine and through Reed's leg, pinning him to the ship's hull. Hoping to disarm the mine and save his officer, Archer heads out to the hull. With Reed unable to reach the mine, Archer must depend on him for instructions to disable it. Reed thinks it is too dangerous, but Archer insists that he's a quick study.
Meanwhile, Sato is translating the mysterious alien language from sickbay. The aliens have ordered Enterprise to leave immediately or be destroyed – they have annexed the planet in the name of the Romulan Star Empire. Only T'Pol has heard of this species, and she reveals that they are an aggressive, territorial race. Archer orders Sato to compose a response explaining the crew's desperate circumstances.
Out on the hull, Archer works painstakingly to deactivate the mine. He also tries to engage Reed in casual conversation, but it doesn't seem to calm the armory officer's nerves. Rattled, Reed reveals that he doesn't believe socializing with superior officers has any place on a starship. Archer, however, points out that the crewmembers all have to depend on one another, and that Enterprise's mission is not a typical one. As they continue to talk, it becomes apparent that Reed is prepared to sacrifice himself for the ship. Archer, however, is determined to save both his officer and Enterprise.
On the bridge, the crew is being hailed yet again by the Romulans, who insist that Enterprise leave. The Romulans know that Reed is trapped outside, but demand that the ship jettison the section of hull plating. Complicating things even further, the mine re-arms just as Archer believes he's defused it – he is forced to quickly reset it again. Reed ascertains that they will now have to dismantle the entire mine, but there's no time. Reed once again volunteers to sacrifice himself, even going so far as to disconnect his air supply hose. Archer, however, won't have it, and quickly attaches the auxiliary air hose from his own suit to Reed's.
Desperate, Archer comes up with one last-ditch plan, and requests two shuttlepod hatches and a plasma torch. Tucker detaches the section of hull plating, and, as they drift away, Archer uses the torch to free Reed from the hull. As the mine begins to arm itself, Archer and Reed grab their shuttlepod hatches and launch themselves out of harm's way. The mine explodes. As the Romulans descend on Enterprise, Archer and Reed make it back to the ship just in time for T'Pol to order the ship to warp speed. Enterprise makes a safe getaway as the Romulans do not pursue, and Archer and Reed are left to ponder their ordeal (it takes the mine 34 seconds to explode).
[edit] Memorable Quotes
"This isn't a visit to the principal's office, Malcolm."
- - Archer, trying to calm Reed at the captain's breakfast time
"Please sir, may I have some more?"
- - Reed, mimicking Oliver Twist after having been injected with an analgesic
"So you were saying at breakfast that you didn't follow any particular sports?"
"Well I haven't started following any since breakfast, sir."
- - Archer and Reed, disarming the mine
"They say they've annexed this planet in the name of something called the... 'Romalan Star Empire'?."
"Romulan. It's pronounced 'Romulan'."
- - Sato and T'Pol
"Detach the hull section and leave this system immediately. We will not tolerate espionage!"
- - Romulan Captain
[edit] Background Information
- During breakfast, Archer mentions that England has made it to the final round of the World Cup, revealing that Great Britain still encompasses its constituent countries and that the World Cup has survived into the mid-22nd century. He may be referring to the Women's World Cup since the World Cup should take place in 2150. It is also possible that Earth's Third World War (or another event) caused the postponement of the World Cup and the dates to be different from what would be expected.
- This episode represents the first appearance of a Romulan ship on the series.
- The Romulan mine prop was later reused as the reactor of the Xindi superweapon. (ENT: "Countdown")
- In one scene, Reed references Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens when he says, "Please, sir, may I have some more?", after Captain Archer medicates him with an analgesic.
- This episode takes place two episodes after Captain Archer learns the name of the Romulan Star Empire (ENT: "Shockwave, Part II"); he apparently did not tell his crew about it, as Ensign Sato mispronounces the word "Romalan."
[edit] Links and References
[edit] Main Cast
- Scott Bakula as Jonathan Archer
- John Billingsley as Phlox
- Jolene Blalock as T'Pol
- Dominic Keating as Malcolm Reed
- Anthony Montgomery as Travis Mayweather
- Linda Park as Hoshi Sato
- Connor Trinneer as Charles "Trip" Tucker III
[edit] Co-Stars
[edit] Uncredited Co-Stars
- Evan English as Ensign Tanner
- Hilde Garcia as Crewman Rossi
- John Jurgens as a command civision crewman
[edit] References
Boridium; Clement, HMS; football; Hutchison; minefield; Romulan mine; World Cup
| Previous episode: "Carbon Creek" | Star Trek: Enterprise Season 2 | Next episode: "Dead Stop" |
