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Trip is alone on a test mission
aboard Shuttlepod One, trying out the latest autopilot upgrades.
Suddenly, he is fired upon by an alien ship and must make an
emergency landing on a nearby moon. It's nighttime, and Trip
attempts to repair the transceiver in order to contact
Enterprise. While he's working, he is suddenly attacked by a
mysterious alien. Trip retreats into his shuttlepod, but quickly
notices that the alien interloper has stolen his transceiver.
Meanwhile, Archer has mounted a
search for Trip. As Enterprise attempts to track him down, they
are hailed by an Arkonian ship and ordered to leave the area
immediately. T'Pol warns Archer that the Arkonians are a
territorial species, and that Enterprise should proceed with
extreme caution. Apparently, relations between the Vulcans and
the Arkonians have been contentious for many years. Archer tells
the Arkonian captain, Khata'n Zshaar, that he will not leave
until his missing crewmember is back onboard. Khata'n Zshaar
admits that one of his crew is also missing, and was most likely
piloting the alien ship that fired on Trip. Archer proposes that
the two crews work together in order to find both missing
crewmembers. The Arkonians agree, but T'Pol advises that Archer
remain cautious.
Down on the surface, Trip has managed to trick the alien, an
Arkonian named Zho'Kaan, into leaving his own campsite so that
Trip can retrieve the transceiver. Unfortunately, Zho'Kaan
realizes the ruse, and attacks Trip, rendering the chief
engineer unconscious. When Trip wakes up, Zho'Kaan demands that
Trip fix the alien's transceiver. The repairs are slow-going, as
Trip and Zho'Kaan cannot understand each other without the
universal translator. They rely on gestures to communicate,
however, and eventually learn each other's names. Trip also
learns that Zho'Kaan has some unusual abilities. When Trip is
injured, Zho'Kaan hisses some strange fluid onto his arm,
healing the wound. The two still do not trust each other,
however. Frustrated with the alien transceiver, Trip sprays
shuttle fluid into Zho'Kaan's face and gains control of the
situation.
On Enterprise, the crew works to locate Trip. T'Pol has learned
that the moons they are searching experience extreme changes in
temperature — in the daytime, the temperature can rise as high
as 170 degrees. Alarmed, Archer realizes that they need to find
Trip before the sun rises.
With Zho'Kaan as his prisoner, Trip has returned to his spot
near the shuttlepod and is attempting to repair his transceiver
using some of the alien transceiver's components. After a few
attempts, Trip concludes that perhaps he needs to take the
transceiver to a higher ground, and asks Zho'Kaan to assist him.
But as soon as Trip unties Zho'Kaan, the alien attacks him and
the two engage in hand-to-hand combat. Eventually, the pair
falls to the ground, exhausted. Too tired to fight, Trip manages
to convince Zho'Kaan that they need to work together in order to
escape the moon. Together, they take the transceiver to a higher
ground and Trip finally manages to make contact with Enterprise.
Unfortunately, dawn is approaching, and as Trip and Zho'Kaan
wait for help to arrive, Trip notices that his alien companion
doesn't seem to be dealing well with the heat. As Zho'Kaan gets
more and more dehydrated, Archer and the Arkonian captain work
to lock onto the officers' positions. Archer tells Reed to
prepare the transporter, but Phlox advises against it: the
Arkonians are extremely sensitive to temperature fluctuations.
Thus, Zho'Kaan's dehydration is causing cellular breakdown.
Despite Archer's urging, Trip refuses to return without Zho'Kaan
— he doesn't want to leave the alien alone. Trip suggests using
a modified Arkonian shuttle to rescue the duo, and Archer agrees
to look into the possibility. The idea works, and Trip and
Zho'Kan are soon on their way back to Enterprise.
Once both officers are onboard and recovering, Khata'n Zshaar
bids Archer farewell — he still doesn't seem terribly friendly
towards the captain, but T'Pol notes that at least Archer was
more successful than the Vulcans in establishing relations with
the Arkonians. Meanwhile, Trip visits Zho'Kaan in sickbay, and
both men express that they are grateful to have encountered one
another.
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