- Enterprise is planning a trip to the relaxation planet Risa, when it gets an urgent request from the Vulcan High Command. They must pick up ambassador V'Lar who has fallen in disgrace. Apparently she misused her position during negotiations on the planet Mazar and has been evicted. After Enterprise picked up V'Lar and is on its way for a meeting with the Vulcan warship Sh'Ran, suddenly a Mazarite ship appears. They want V'Lar for further interrogating. When captain Archer wants to discuss it first with Starfleet Command, they open fire.—Arnoud Tiele (imdb@tiele.nl)
- After ten months without a break, Sub-Commander T'Pol notes efficiency on board Enterprise is down (and suggests that it might be due to lack of sexual activity amongst officers), and suggests shore leave on Risa. Captain Archer agrees. En route, Archer receives a transmission from Admiral Forrest (Vaughn Armstrong), informing him of a Vulcan Ambassador to Mazar in need of extradition. With the closest Vulcan star-ship over a week away Enterprise is ordered to retrieve and deliver her to the Vulcan cruiser Sh'Raan.
T'Pol creates a list of protocols to be followed by the crew in the presence of a Ambassador of V'Lar's distinction.. This includes no laughing, no hand shakes and no chit chat.. Arriving at Mazar, Archer and T'Pol are surprised to hear the Ambassador V'Lar (Fionnula Flanagan) has been expelled for abuse of her position and criminal misconduct. The Mazarite had handed her over as soon as the Enterprise enters orbit around the planet. V'Lar is pleasant and tells T'Pol that she does not intend to defend any charges against herself. Archer is called to the bridge and speaks to a Mazarite captain (John Rubinstein) who requests (That Mazarite Government has changed their mind) that V'Lar be returned for further questioning. Archer stalls for time to contact Starfleet, but the Mazarite ship opens fire. The Enterprise's phase cannons disable the enemy ship's engines, allowing Enterprise to escape at warp 5. Confronting V'Lar, Archer finds her unwilling to reveal more, stating that it is a matter for Vulcan High Command only. Archer then orders Ensign Mayweather to set a course to return to Mazar.
Later, after speaking with V'Lar in private, T'Pol persuades Archer to continue the rendezvous with the Sh'Raan (T'POl says that she has never asked anything of Archer and is asking for this one thing), but Enterprise immediately comes under attack from three Mazarite ships. Archer opts for flight but even at Warp 5, the Mazarite ships still gain steadily. V'Lar suddenly confesses that her reputation was intentionally sullied by the Mazar Govt and Vulcan High council to make the Mazarites criminals believe she would no longer be a credible witness against corrupt officials. V'Lar offers to surrender herself for the safety of the crew, but Archer refuses.
Again stalling for time (He knows that the Sh'Raan is due to arrive at the rendezvous location in 53 minutes), Archer asks Sato to send a message through to the Sh'Raan to arrive without delay (The Mazarites were jamming their frequencies but V'Lar helps Sato to get the message through).. The Enterprise's engines overheats and it drops out of warp. The Sh'Raan is still 10 mins away. Archer informs the Mazarites that V'Lar suffered injuries and is in critical condition, allowing them to board Enterprise. The Sh'Raan arrives and threatens to destroy the Mazarite ships unless they surrender immediately. At this point, Archer's ruse is revealed, and V'Lar appears unharmed. A grateful V'Lar tells Archer and T'Pol that their bond of trust and friendship bodes well for future human-Vulcan relations.
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