Sleeping Dogs (Enterprise)

ST episode
name =Sleeping Dogs


series =Enterprise
ep_num =13
prod_num =114
date =January 30, 2002
writer =Fred Dekker
director =Les Landau
producer =Dawn Valazquez
guest =Michelle C. Bonilla
Vaughn Armstrong
stardate =unknown
year =2151
prev =Dear Doctor
next =Shadows of P'Jem

Sleeping Dogs is the 13^th episode (production #114) of the television series "".

ynopsis

T'Pol, Reed and Hoshi are stranded on a Klingon ship sinking into a gas giant. Archer tries to convince a captured Klingon to help before the away team is crushed by the intense pressure of the planets atmosphere.

Plot

Teaser
Hoshi and Reed are in the armoury. Hoshi is practising with a phase pistol on a holographic moving target. Reed reports that Hoshi had a hit-to-miss ration below 50% in the ten-second test. Hoshi is used to the EM-33, a particle weapon where the user had to compensate for particle drift when firing. Before they can go again, the "Enterprise" drops out warp near a class 9 gas giant. Reed and Hoshi were expecting the ship to stay at warp for the next few days. Hoshi leaves for the Bridge.

Act One
T'Pol reports that a probe from the "Enterprise" has entered the atmosphere of the gas giant. Hoshi plays back the EM telemetry and Mayweather calls the noises 'siren calls'. His father used to amplify them whenever their freighter flew past a gas giant. At that moment, T'Pol picks up a power signature in the lower atmosphere of the gas giant, complete with several bio-signs.

Reed reports to Sickbay with a cold. Phlox recommends bedrest but Reed insists that Archer wants him to go and investigate the "Somraw". Hoshi goes to see Archer in the Ready Room. She implies that the Away Team will need a translator for the "Somraw". Archer says that T'Pol has just assigned her to the Away Team, so her timing is perfect.

The shuttlepod arrives at the "Somraw". Its descent rate gives it a survival time of one hour at most before the hull is crushed by atmospheric pressure. The "Somraw" has a breathable atmosphere so the Away Team unlock the helmets from their environmental suits. T'Pol and Hoshi recoil at the terrible smell - Reed can't smell a thing with his cold. The ship is in darkness. T'Pol detects three bio-signs, all weak. Three unconscious Klingons are found on the Bridge. T'Pol says that they should be left with the ship in order that they die at their posts. To die in such a manner assures them a place in Sto'Vo'Kor; rescue would incur dishonour. In the Galley, the freezer door opens from the inside and Bu'kaH, a Klingon female emerges with a look of intent on her face.

T'Pol reports to Archer that there are an additional nine bio-signs on board the "Somraw". She continues that scans detect residual elements of a carbon dioxide-based neurotoxin. Archer gives the Away Team 20 minutes to do something for the Klingons before they have to leave. At that moment the comm signal is lost in interference. The Away Team discuss their next move, then hear a noise in the corridor. Bu'kaH has been observing them. Reed draws his phase pistol and goes to investigate. Bu'kaH jumps Reed from the shadows as he finds the Galley, knocking him over before escaping. T'Pol and Hoshi run up, their shots missing Bu'kaH. A moment later a low rumbling sound is heard. "That is our shuttlepod taking off", says T'Pol.

Act Two
On the "Enterprise", Archer tries in vain to hail the Away Team in the shuttlepod. Trip then picks up a signal, Bu'kaH broadcasting a message. Trip ties in the Universal Translator and they hear a message that the "Somraw" has been attacked by the "Enterprise" and a request for any Klingon warship to respond. Trip manages to trap the shuttlepod with the grappler and it is brought in to Shuttle Bay 1. Bu'kaH jumps the Security team in the Shuttle Bay but is subdued by two phase pistol shots. Archer then tells the Bridge to prepare to take the "Enterprise" down to rescue the Away Team.

On the Bridge of the "Somraw", T'Pol recommends learning how to pilot the ship to achieve a stable orbit, as there are no escape pods to use and the EM interference makes comms signals useless. Hoshi begins to translate the consoles, finding Engineering, Tactical and Helm stations. Archer hails to say that they are coming to get the Away Team but the pressure is too much for the "Enterprise" and they are forced to move away.

Act Three
In Sickbay, Bu'kaH demands to speak to Captain Archer. She is restrained on a bio-bed. Phlox says that the neurotoxin is present in her blood but that the freezer helped to slow its metabolisation. Bu'kaH will die in a couple of days if not treated. Archer approaches and explains that he was trying to help the "Somraw" rather than raid it. He asks for Bu'kaH's help to rescue the Away Team but Bu'kaH refuses, accusing Archer of trying to steal Klingon secrets.

In the Situation Room, Mayweather reports that the "Somraw" is a Raptor-class scout ship - the schematics were in the Vulcan database. Trip suggests reinforcing a shuttlepod with duratanium braces to rescue the Away Team. Archer tells Trip to get started.

On the "Somraw"'s Bridge, Hoshi finds the Captain's log. The recording states that the ship was damaged in a skirmish with Xarantine "Somraw"s and that the Captain descended in to the gas giant's atmosphere to effect repairs. The Captain then says that it would have been better to be destroyed rather than to fall prey to a disease. Hoshi locates the port fusion injector on a schematic and the Away Team make their way to Engineering to attempt repairs.

On the "Enterprise", Archer and Trip prepare the shuttlepod. Archer debates about whether he made a mistake in asking Bu'kaH for help, as her instincts tell her not to trust him. Trip advocates trying to think like a Klingon instead.

In Klingon Engineering, Reed is becoming dehydrated. Hoshi offers to get some water from the Galley on Deck 4, Blue Sector. T'Pol and Hoshi leave Reed in Engineering. In the Galley, T'Pol and Hoshi find several live Targs chained up. Hoshi feels very anxious and T'Pol says that it is understandable in their situation. Hoshi admits to envying the Vulcan ability to bury their emotions. T'Pol takes Hoshi's hand and helps her to control the anxiety. At that moment, the ship shakes violently. Reed reports that the hull pressure is approaching critical and the ship is about to be crushed.

Act Four
On board the "Enterprise", Archer has been reading the Vulcan database entries for the Klingons. "Death before dishonour", he quotes to Trip, before going to Sickbay to talk to Bu'kaH. Phlox tells Bu'kaH that the neurotoxin was bonded to a molecule in Xarantine ale. Archer asks if the Klingons drank any recently. Bu'kaH says that the ship raided a Xarantine outpost and the ale was part of their spoils. Archer says that if he is telling the truth then Bu'kaH will have let her crew die a dishonourable death for nothing.

On the "Somraw", Reed fires a photon torpedo and detonates it at 3000 metres in an attempt to raise the ship and lower the hull pressure. The shock wave dissipates before it reaches the ship. Reed tells Hoshi to load two photon torpedoes for the next attempt.

On board the reinforced shuttlepod, Archer and Bu'kaH detect the weapons fire and move to investigate. The shuttlepod's sensors are failing to detect the "Somraw".

In the "Somraw"'s Engineering, Hoshi reports that the ship was raised by 200 metres and that a compartment collapsed under the pressure on Deck 3, Green Sector. Hoshi suggests firing all the torpedoes at once - Reed says they should detonate at 800 metres and Hoshi says 500.

Archer detects another shock wave, and the shuttlepod encounters the "Somraw". Archer hails to get a situation report before docking. He and Bu'kaH meet the Away Team at the airlock. Archer tells Bu'kaH that his Away Team risked their lives for her ship and that he isn't leaving until the ship is safe.

On board the "Enterprise", Mayweather detects two Klingon birds-of-prey approaching at high warp, ETA sixteen minutes. Archer hails from the Bridge of the "Somraw", requesting permission to disembark four passengers - the Away Team.

Act Five
Archer enters the "Enterprise"'s Bridge as the "Somraw" hails. The Klingon Captain orders Archer to surrender the "Enterprise" as punishment for violating the "Somraw". Archer faces the Klingon Captain down, telling him that his ship is weak and nearly defenceless and that if he fires on the "Enterprise" then Archer will put him back where he was found. The Klingon Captain snarls and ends transmission before moving off. The "Enterprise" leaves before the birds-of-prey arrive.

In Decontamination, Phlox hails to tell the Away Team that they are now free of microbes and parasites. Hoshi and Reed insist that Phlox should make sure before he releases them and get T'Pol to request that the scans be run again.

"Do you smell that?", asks Hoshi.
"I don't smell anything", T'Pol replies.
"Exactly!", smiles Hoshi.

External links