ACT FOUR

FADE IN:

MONTAGE – REED'S MEMORY

A. Reed pats Hoshi's arm. She's caught in her hallucination of dying in pain. Reed assures her she'll pull through this and he won't leave her until it's over. She whispers her thanks, gripping his hand when he offers it to her. Archer walks up to the opposite side of the bio-bed, giving her his hand. Reed looks down.

B. Reed stands at Trip's bedside, listening to his friend beg not to be left to die alone. Reed quietly reassures Trip he isn't leaving. Reed glances back when he hears the Sickbay doors open and looks back down.

C. Reed is crouched beside Archer in Archer's quarters, on hand on Archer's shoulder. Archer is muttering about the crew turning on him. Reed repeatedly assures him that the crew would never turn on him. The room goes black.

D. Reed is thrashing at the water, screaming for help and slowly drowning with each breath. He sinks below the water's surface, looking up as he reaches for the surface.

E. Reed sees the marble in his hand that changes into a phase pistol that he raises to take aim.

F. Reed, with five other crewmen, aim phase pistols at the MARBLE sitting on a stand at the opposite end of a storage bay. They fire and destroy the MARBLE in a small shower of sparks. Reed smiles gratefully, turning his head to look at the other crewmen.

G. Reed lets out a content sigh, looking at each of his fellow crewmen and friends. His eyes stop on Archer.

END MONTAGE

INT. BRIDGE

The bridge is quiet. Everyone is busy with work and no one is talking. Archer looks up and notices Reed is watching him. Reed offers a smile that Archer returns. Reed turns back to work and Archer looks back at the PADD in his hand.

MAYWEATHER
Captain, I'm detecting a ship approaching. It's a Klingon Raptor.

Archer looks up at the view monitor.

HOSHI
They're hailing us, sir.

Archer almost successfully hides his anxiety and nervousness.

ARCHER
Full halt, Travis. Respond, Hoshi.

HOSHI
(swallows hard)
Are you sure... sir?

ARCHER
Yes.

Hoshi looks back at T'Pol for a second opinion. Archer looks at Hoshi.

ARCHER
Hoshi, I gave you an order.

Hoshi turns back to her controls and opens a channel.

Archer stands in front of the Captain's chair. A Klingon Captain appears on the view monitor.

ARCHER
Can we help you?

KLINGON CAPTAIN
You have something of ours.
Return it immediately.

ARCHER
What do we have that you think is yours?

KLINGON CAPTAIN
A round device.

The Klingon Captain holds his hand up to show the size of the device, which is the size of the MARBLE.

KLINGON CAPTAIN
It is colored--

ARCHER
Metallic black. It contains a
psychotomimetic drug mixed with
an unidentified drug that stimulates
hallucinations based on the
victim's worst fear. Correct?

KLINGON CAPTAIN
We demand it returned.

ARCHER
Sorry, I can't do that.

Archer walks to stand next to helm.

KLINGON CAPTAIN
If you do not return it--

ARCHER
We destroyed it.

The Klingon Captain springs to his feet.

KLINGON CAPTAIN
YOU WHAT?

Archer lays a shaking hand on the helm. Trip rises to his feet behind Archer.

TRIP
Our captain ordered that damned
device destroyed! What the hell
was it supposed to be used for?

T'Pol crosses the bridge to stand at Archer's right hand side.

T'POL
And what is your exact need for
such a powerful drug that
stimulates human and Vulcan's
worst fears? Now that we know
whom this device belongs to, it
raises further questions that I'm
sure the Vulcan High Command will
be asking the Klingon High Council.

KLINGON CAPTAIN
It's classified. Return it immediately.

MAYWEATHER
Perhaps you're hard of hearing!
We destroyed the device. We used
it for target practice.

REED
And whatever you intended on
using it for, it wouldn't be wise
to implement it. You can be
assured we won't keep that device a secret.

KLINGON CAPTAIN
If we meet again I will--

T'POL
We will not allow you the
opportunity to fire on us before
we open fire unprovoked.

The Klingon Captain opens his mouth to respond.

HOSHI
Oh, I think our conversation is over.

Hoshi closes the channel. Mayweather works the controls.

MAYWEATHER
Going to warp three and resuming
course, Captain. The Klingon ship
is not pursuing.

There is a brief, uncomfortable silence.

MAYWEATHER
Speaking for all of us, Captain,
I hope that we didn't handle that wrong.

ARCHER
You all handled it perfectly.
Return to your duties.

Archer returns to his chair. The bridge crew returns to their duties without another word.

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT FOUR

WGA # 901930
Written by A. Rhea King