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The infinite blackness of space is
interrupted for the Enterprise crew by the discovery of a
beautiful new world — a natural Eden of unexplored mountains,
rivers, wildflower fields and forests. Dismissing T'Pol's
cautious advice to conduct scans and tests from orbit before
commencing any surface exploration, Captain Archer orders an
away team and shuttlepod prepped. Joining Archer on the team are
Crewmen Cutler, an entomologist, and Crewman Novakovich, a
botanist, along with Commander Tucker, Ensign Mayweather, and
T'Pol. Even Porthos, Archer's dog, comes along for the ride. The
landing party takes in the fresh air of the virgin world before
splitting up to pursue their specialties and enjoying a day of
exploration amidst uncountable new species of exotic plant and
animal life. At day's end, T'Pol, Cutler and Novakovich request
permission to stay overnight to study nocturnal life, while
Tucker and Mayweather ask to stay for the sheer fun of camping
under the stars.
After a relaxing evening of
stargazing and ghost stories around a fire, the campers retire
to their tents, but are unable to sleep as a sudden and fierce
windstorm envelops them. Retreating to the safety of a nearby
cavern, the decision is made to wait out the storm before
attempting a risky shuttlepod landing, and the crew settles in.
Noticing the food packs were left behind, Mayweather volunteers
to go back and retrieve them. Pounded by vicious winds and
intense darkness at the campsite, Mayweather sees three looming
humanoid figures in the shadows, and double-times it back to the
safety of the cave. As T'Pol uses her scanner to confirm there
are no lifesigns in the vicinity, suggesting Mayweather imagined
the figures, Novakovich hears strange alien whispering coming
from the tunnels at the back of the cavern. As his fear and
panic build, Novakovich is unwilling to stay in the cave only to
wait and be attacked, and runs wildly out into the storming
darkness. Following behind, Tucker and Mayweather are unable to
locate the inexplicably irrational Novakovich, and during their
search they see alien faces and bodily movements from within the
very rocks and cliffs themselves, before being forced to turn
back by the dangerous storm. Archer communicates to Tucker that
he and Lt. Reed are coming to the surface in a shuttlepod to
attempt a rescue. T'Pol uses the time to explore deeper into the
tunnels with her scanner, attempting to verify the alien voices
Novakovich heard earlier. Her fear escalating, Cutler is
unwilling to be alone and follows after T'Pol, only to
imperceptibly observe a meeting between T'Pol and two unknown
alien figures.
Once the group rendezvous back in the cavern, the mood is
extremely anxious and tense as Tucker and Mayweather describe
their alien sightings. T'Pol reports no lifesigns within the
tunnel systems, but Cutler accuses her of lying, describing the
meeting she observed between T'Pol and the unidentified aliens,
which T'Pol denies. Tucker supports Mayweather and Cutler, as he
himself saw the alien rock-creatures, and suspicions run high as
T'Pol is confronted by the rest of the team. Archer and Reed
arrive, but unfortunately are unable to land the shuttlepod in
the extreme winds, forced to leave the crew to wait out the
storm in the cavern. Onboard Enterprise, Ensign Sato reports
that Novakovich's bio-signs are erratic, and Archer hears the
crewman screaming incoherently, so he orders Reed to attempt a
risky bio-transport. Novakovich materializes onboard Enterprise,
but rock and twig debris from the storm have fused into his
body. The crewman is treated and stabilized by Dr. Phlox, who
discovers that his bloodstream is filled with a potent
psychotropic compound called tropolisine. Apparently he
contracted the hallucinogen from the local pollen that was
kicked up by the winds.
Trying to communicate this discovery to T'Pol, Archer finds out
that Tucker is pointing a phase pistol at T'Pol for suspicion of
treason. Tucker is extremely volatile as he states to Archer
that he always knew T'Pol was there to sabotage Enterprise.
Archer orders Tucker to lower the phaser, explaining that the
"aliens" were hallucinations caused by the pollen. Though highly
skeptical, Tucker begrudgingly follows the order, but he
continues to vehemently accuse T'Pol of conspiring with the
hidden aliens, while Mayweather and Cutler pass out. Meanwhile
Dr. Phlox reports to Archer an unexpected complication: this
specific form of tropolisine breaks down into a deadly toxin
within the bloodstream, and it may be too late to save
Novakovich. But there may be time for the crew on the surface,
so Archer explains to Tucker and T'Pol that Phlox is preparing
ampules of inoprovaline that will be transported down for them
to inoculate themselves. But Tucker is more violently paranoid
than ever and on the verge of shooting T'Pol. While Sato and
T'Pol converse in Vulcan, Archer plays into Tucker's delusions
and "admits" that T'Pol was meeting with the "rock people" for a
top-secret mission, tricking him into lowering his weapon. T'Pol
immediately stuns Tucker with her own phase pistol, then
collects the medication and inoculates herself and the
unconscious crew.
The morning brings sunshine and a gentle breeze, leaving the
delusions and paranoia behind. A regretful Tucker admits to
T'Pol that he needs to challenge his preconceptions about
Vulcans. After learning that Novakovich is going to be fine, the
stranded crewmembers gather their gear and help each other
through the beautiful morning toward an awaiting shuttlepod.
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