The Catwalk (episode)

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"The Catwalk"
ENT, Episode 2x12 Production number: 038 First aired: 18 December 2002
←	37th of 97 produced in ENT	→
←	37th of 97 released in ENT	→
	{{{nNthReleasedInSeries_Remastered}}}th of 97 released in ENT Remastered
←	666th of 726 released in all	→

Written By Mike Sussman & Phyllis Strong Directed By Mike Vejar
September 18, 2152
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When a deadly neutronic storm threatens the ship, the crew must take refuge for eight days inside the maintenance shafts of the warp nacelles.

1 Summary
2 Memorable Quotes
3 Background Information
4 Links and References

[edit] Summary

An away team is preparing for a survey on an uninhabited planet when they are contacted by three Takret who inform Jonathan Archer that a neutronic storm is coming right in their direction. They also ask to come aboard Enterprise to take cover from the storm.

Archer asks his senior staff for ideas to protect them from the storm. Even if the storm won't do much harm to the ship, the crew won't survive the exposure to the radiolytic isotopes. While sickbay should be secure enough, it won't hold 83 people. Trip suggests that they evacuate into the catwalk, the narrow service walkway inside of the warp nacelles. Because the nacelles are surrounded by the ships' heaviest armor shielding, it should adequately protect them from the radiation.

Evacuation begins, and by the time Enterprise hits the storm, all the crew is in the catwalk and an emergency bridge has been set up. The crew adapts to its new environment, and, little by little, they get used to the confined space. Archer suggests that T'Pol take the opportunity to get closer with the crew, and develop her social skills. The only people that keep their distance are the three alien passengers.

Just as everything seems to be going well, the warp coils begin to come back online. This is not good since the crew is inside the warp nacelles. Trip goes to take them offline, but on his way, he finds the ship crawling with Takret soldiers that are trying to take over the ship.

Back in the catwalk, Trip informs the crew. The three 'guests' are interrogated. They are revealed to be deserters from the Takret military. They fled when they realized the officers were corrupt, pirating alien vessels, and committing illegal acts.

Since the Takret are immune to the radiation, it seems unlikely that the crew will be able to retake Enterprise by force (the crew only have three EV suits between them). Archer decides to play a deception game. While T'Pol and Malcolm prevent the warp core from coming online, the captain hails the Takret commander. He says that all of his crew are dead and he is going to destroy Enterprise to prevent it falling into the wrong hands. He then orders Travis to head for a plasma eddy on a separate channel.

Since they won't be able to reroute the controls back to the bridge in time, the Takret decide to leave the Enterprise. The rest of the trip passes without incident, with T'Pol deciding to attend a movie night.

[edit] Memorable Quotes

"You're the captain. Can't you order the storm to calm down a little?"
"I'll see what I can do."

- Hoshi and Archer

"What I wouldn't give for a shower right about now. When this hand's over, maybe you can look into building one."
"Would you like a sauna while I'm at it?"
"You knew we'd be stuck in here for over a week. You might have given a little thought to making it tolerable."
"I only had four hours, Malcolm. You're lucky we've got a toilet!"
"Well I obviously underestimated your peoples' abilities when it comes to indoor plumbing."
"You want to take a shower? Build one yourself."

- Reed irritably complaining to a sarcastic Tucker

"Did that guy shoot one of his own men?"
"It's hard to tell them apart in those ridiculous hats."
"The dead man was secretly working for Sheriff Boggs."
"How do you know that?"
"Isn't it obvious?"

- Charles Tucker, Malcolm Reed, and T'Pol, watching an episode of Kung Fu on a movie night.

[edit] Background Information

Scott Burkholder previously played Hilliard in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "When It Rains...". Danny Goldring also starred on DS9 as Legate Kell in "Civil Defense" and Chief Burke in "Nor the Battle to the Strong".
T'Pol mentions to Captain Archer that she participated in the kahs-wan ritual in which she was taken to the desert and left to survive for 10 days, a reference to TAS: "Yesteryear".
It is likely, that the plant- and animal-life on the planet shown at the episode's beginning was killed by the neutronic storm, as it clearly was located in its path and its surface has never been considered as a possible shelter from it.
This is the only episode that Chef is really seen, albeit with just his legs and his hands.