Marauders
From the Encyclopedia of Speculative Fiction - http://encyclopedia.wizards.pro
- You may be looking for Ferengi marauders.
| Image:Quonset mining colony.jpg | |
| Series: | ENT |
| Season: | 2 |
| Original Airdate: | 2002-10-30 |
| Production Number: | 032 |
| Year: | 2152 |
| Date: | Unknown |
| Story by: | Rick Berman and Brannon Braga |
| Teleplay by: | David Wilcox |
| Directed by: | Mike Vejar |
Enterprise discovers a deuterium mining colony that is being controlled by Klingon marauders. The crew trains the colonists to defend themselves and prepare for battle against their Klingon oppressors.
Contents |
Summary
Archer, T'Pol and Tucker make a landing at a small mining colony where they hope to make a trade for deuterium, but the colonists appear unwilling to trade even a small amount despite the fact that Enterprise has detected they have a large reserve. The colonists' leader, Tessic, states they are keeping this reserve for someone else and demands the Enterprise crew to leave immediately as the colonists are anxiously preparing for the arrival of this other ship. By offering to help with repairs to some broken deuterium pumps the crew however manages to make itself more welcome. After further negotiations they strike a deal to exchange power cells and medical supplies in exchange for deuterium, though only if they also manage to help repair the pumps within two days. Upon further inspection of the colony the crew learns how poor the colony is despite its deuterium riches.
While the Enterprise is still in orbit around the colony, a Klingon ship arrives. Archer orders the Enterprise to hide from the Klingon ship, while he and the rest of the crew stay out-of-sight in the colony observing Tessic's meeting with the Klingons. The Klingons turn out not to be interested in any trade with the colony, rather they expect to be simply given all the deuterium reserves. Because of their early arrival and the broken pumps the reserves are not at the expected level and the Klingon leader Korok turns violent against Tessic. Demanding that more deuterium be ready when they return within four days, the Klingons leave. Archer discusses the situation with Tessic, finding out that the Klingons have been bullying the colonists for some time already. While they did try to revolt, several colonists were killed in the attempt and Tessic now simply wants Enterprise to settle its deal and leave before the Klingons return.
After returning to Enterprise, Archer feels uncomfortable simply leaving the colony and wants to help. While T'Pol agrees interference would be allowable in this case, she argues it would only make matters worse for the colonists in the end as the Klingons will simply return when Enterprise is no longer around. Archer however returns to the colony to offer Enterprise's help not just to battle the Klingon's off once, but to teach the colonists some self defence.
After Tessic accepts Enterprise's help, Reed and Sato teach some of the colonists improved fire aim, while T'Pol and Mayweather teach them Vulcan weapon strike avoidance techniques. A plan is also set up to lure the Klingons into a deuterium field trap, which involves moving all of the colony's buildings.
When the Klingons return, the colonists and the Enterprise officers manage to successfully battle them and lure them into the trap, setting the field on fire to block their path. Tessic demands the Klingons to beam back to their ship and not to return as the colonists will be ready for them next time. Korok seems humiliated, denounces the colony's deuterium as worthless and beams back. Before finally leaving the colony, the Enterprise is granted a lot more deuterium than originally agreed to in the deal as a reward for their help.
Background Information
- The evasive techniques T'Pol teaches the colonists are drawn from the Vulcan martial art Suus Mahna, is named after Mike Sussman.
- Among the recycled phasers used by the Quonset are, Jem'Hadar hand phasers, Bajoran phaser rifles, and the Klingon sniper rifle from Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. This is also the first time we see the Starfleet (Earth) phase rifles, which are a reuse of the Jem'Hadar phaser rifles.
- A Kreetassan merchant recommended the colony, this is probably because the Enterprise visited the Kreetassan homeworld in the previous episode.
- The Doctor's osmotic eel (seen in "Broken Bow") is a she.
- This episode was inspired by the feature film The Magnificent Seven, which itself was inspired by the Japanese film Seven Samurai.
Links and References
Guest Stars
- Larry Cedar as Tessic
- Bari Hochwald as E'lis
- Steven Flynn as Maklii
- Jesse James Rutherford as Q'ell
- Robertson Dean as Korok
References
auto-suture; bat'leth; cardio-stimulator; crawler; Deuterium; Deuterium extraction pump; disruptor; Gas giant; hexatriol; Kellenite; Klaang; Klingon High Council; Kreetassan; liter; mek'leth; millibar; Navorkot; neural shock kit; phase-inverter; plasma; Power cell; shib'a lizard; Shuttlepod 1; star system; Suliban; Suus Mahna; Targ; osmotic eel; vascular adhesive.
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