Archer/T'Pol Moments List - Fallen Hero

I was lucky to get the opportunity to see this episode again. I took advantage of that and made more scene directions than usual.

Archer, T�Pol, and Trip are in the captain�s mess. T�Pol makes an unusual suggestion.

Archer chokes on his food and wipes his mouth.

Trip: Excuse me?

T�Pol: I asked if you...

Archer: We heard you. What makes you think we're suffering from a lack of sexual activity?

T�Pol looks from man to man as she speaks: Starfleet forbids officers from fraternizing with subordinates. Unless you've been violating regulations...

Trip shares a look with Archer as he says: Those regulations don't apply to you. Have... you been suffering?

T�Pol: On Vulcan, we mate only once every seven years.

Trip looks at Archer�s reaction: That's a hell of a dry spell.

Archer: Why are you suddenly so curious about this?

T�Pol: It's my understanding that your mating ritual is effective in easing tension.

Archer knits his brows and looks down (in disbelief?).

Trip: That hasn't always been my experience.

Archer: And you think that we need our tensions eased?

T�Pol: Efficiency's down three percent.

Archer: Mm-hmm. We've all gone about ten months without a break. I think it's normal for people to get a little sloppy.

T�Pol: Perhaps it's time the crew takes shore leave.

Trip: Well, I like the sound of that.

T�Pol looks at Archer who is sipping from his coffee cup: I took the liberty of locating a suitable planet approximately nine days from our present location. It's called Risa.

Trip: What's your idea of suitable?

T�Pol: It's tropical, with an abundance of pristine beaches. You'll find more information in the Vulcan database.

Archer: Is it, uh, populated?

T�Pol: Yes. By a humanoid culture receptive to easing tension.

Archer smiles and looks at Trip who is also smiling behind his cup of coffee.



Trip walks on to the bridge in a colorful Hawaiian t-shirt. Archer is standing close to T�Pol�s console leaning very close to her as if he was talking with her. He and everyone else can�t help but notice Trip�s shirt. Archer stands up but stays by T�Pol�s side.

T�Pol: If you're wearing that to impress the women on Risa you may as well stay on board.

Trip: Rule number one: you've got to be seen to get noticed. And I plan on getting noticed.

Archer: Don't say she didn't warn you.

Trip: Figure out your itinerary yet?

Archer: I think I'm going to pass.

Archer walks across the bridge to the console Trip is behind.

Trip: Captain, you need this as much as I do.

Archer: Nobody needs this as much as you do. (He laughs.) The ship will be nice and quiet. I've got some astrometric surveys that have been piling up. It'll be a good chance to get some work done.

Trip: We're going to a planet with over 200 registered Nuvian masseuses and you're going to sit in your cabin with a bunch of star charts?

T�Pol doesn�t look up from her console as she pushes buttons on her console and talks.: Mr. Tucker has a point.

Archer slowly turns around. A bemused look is on his face.: You think I need a massage?

T�Pol: The safety of this ship depends on its captain being at his most efficient.

Archer turns back to Trip who raises his hands both his hands as if to say �Don�t look at me.�
Archer clearly outnumbered heads back to his chair to sit.: I suppose I could read those surveys on a nice beach.

Enterprise is ordered to pick Ambassador V�Lar up from Mazar. T�Pol thanks Hoshi for volunteering her quarters and make sure they are �Spartan� enough. Archer comes into Hoshi�s quarters and thinks her as she leaves. T�Pol hands him a list of protocols for dealing with V�Lar and they go over them.

Later Archer, T�Pol, Trip, and V�Lar dine together. V�Lar informs the men they are dining with the two oldest people on the ship. V�Lar retires to her quarters. T�Pol escorts V�Lar to her quarters and has a conversation with her. V�Lar says something true about Vulcans: �They're our emotions as well. We simply hide them better.�

Archer senses something about V�Lar is bothering T�Pol and talks to her about what is bothering her. He walks up to her and starts walking beside her in the corridor. I love this conversation. Archer speaks to her like she�s a friend none of the �my species is better than yours� vibes from conversations earlier in the season is in this conversation from either of them.

Archer: T'Pol.

T�Pol: Captain.

Archer: Is there a problem I should be aware of?

T�Pol: I assume you're talking about Ambassador V'Lar.

Archer: You were a bit abrupt with her.

T�Pol: If you believe I was rude I'll convey my apologies.

Archer: I don't pretend to understand Vulcans I never have. But I wouldn't be a very good captain if I didn't know when something was bothering my science officer.

T�Pol: It's uncommon for a Vulcan to commit a crime.

Archer: Uncommon, but not unheard of.

T�Pol stops walking her hands still clasped behind her and turns to directly speak to Archer.

T�Pol: Unheard of for a person in Ambassador V'Lar's
position.

Archer: We don't know what she's done.

T�Pol walks away from Archer.

T�Pol: It doesn't matter. If she were innocent she would have insisted
on staying to defend herself.

Archer: You seem to know a lot about her.



T�Pol stops walking again and turns to Archer speaking to him face to face.

T�Pol: I've met the ambassador before though she clearly doesn't recall. It was many years ago on Vulcan during my early schooling. She had just negotiated the Treaty of Ka'Tann and I traveled a great distance to see her.

Archer: Was it worth a trip?

T�Pol: The ambassador inspired me to choose a direction in my own life.
A path that led me to the Science Council and eventually here.

Archer looks down and to the side briefly: I've had a few heroes in my life. It's never easy when one of them lets you down.

T�Pol deadpans: Vulcans don't have heroes.

Archer his tone makes it seem like he�s not entirely convinced: No, I'm sure they don't.

T�Pol and Archer share a long look before being interrupted by Reed.


Later after the first attack by the Mazar, T�Pol talks to V�Lar.

V�Lar: Sub-Commander. Have you tried iced tea?

T�Pol: I don't care for it.

V�Lar: Captain Archer certainly does. It's flavored with passion fruit. An appropriate ingredient for him, don't you think?

T�Pol: It was the captain that I wanted to speak to you about.

V�Lar: He's a most intriguing man.

What is V�Lar getting at? I like her observations.

T�Pol: He deserves to be told the truth.

The conversation continues. During the conversation. T�Pol tries to convince V�Lar to trust Archer. The subject of Archer�s feelings about Vulcans is brought up.

V�Lar: You believe Captain Archer can be trusted?

T�Pol: Yes.

V�Lar: Even though he clearly doesn't trust us?

T�Pol: He's... resentful.

V�Lar: Why?

T�Pol: He believes we held back their development of warp technology.

V�Lar: We've kept many things from them all for good reason.

T�Pol: But situations like this only reinforce their resentment. If we expect to continue
our relations with humanity we have to earn their trust.

The conversation continues. V�Lar speaks of her previous meeting with T�Pol where T�Pol �spoke her mind� �bluntly� about V�Lar�s negotiating tactic. She then tells T�Pol the truth.

The doorbell tone sounds.

Archer: Come in.



Archer is sitting up in bed. Porthos is between his legs. Porthos playfully jumps up and wags his tail at Archer as Archer messes with his ears. Archer moves Porthos to his lap and starts petting him before T�Pol comes in. T�Pol stands in front of Archer�s desk with her hands clasped behind her.

Archer: Something wrong?

T�Pol: I took the liberty of speaking with Ambassador V'Lar.

Archer says �Go on.� to Porthos when he takes him from his lap and puts him on the bed. Porthos obediently jumps down from the bed. Archer places his hands back casually between his outstretched legs.

Archer: Any luck?

T�Pol: The ambassador and I spent the last two hours talking. She's even more remarkable than her reputation suggests.

Archer nods: I don't doubt that. (He moves to sit fully facing her on the bed. Placing his hands in his lap.) But it doesn't affect my decision.

T�Pol: I believe it should. She's not guilty of the crime she's been accused of.

Archer (appears to be putting on shoes): She told you that?

T�Pol: The charges were fabricated to get her off Mazar and divert attention from her actual mission.

Archer: Which is?

T�Pol: She can't reveal that. (Archer sighs making T�Pol becomes more forceful in her voice.) But she's convinced me that it's critical we help her accomplish it.

Archer says softly: I'm sorry, T'Pol (turning around to reach for something he says louder) but I'm going to need more than that.

T�Pol: She also told me that if we return her to Mazar she'll be killed.

Archer stands up.

Archer: By who?

T�Pol: She wouldn't tell me.

Archer: But you believed her?

T�Pol: Yes.

Archer: Why?

T�Pol: I can't accept that she'd sacrifice a lifetime of accomplishments with an act
of criminal misconduct.

Archer: It happens all the time.

T�Pol: Not to her. We must take her to the Sh'Raan.

Archer (walks over to the desk while he�s talking and picks up something by T�Pol, then walks back to the bed facing away from her): You're asking me to put the lives of everyone on board in jeopardy based on your talking to this woman for a couple of hours?

T�Pol walks over to him and stands directly behind him: Captain... (Archer turns around.) Since I've served aboard Enterprise I've never asked you for anything. I'm asking for this now. Don't return the ambassador to Mazar� Please.



Archer looks away from her considering this. T�Pol watches him waiting. He looks back at her and simply nods.

T�Pol: Thank you.

T�Pol leaves. Archer watcher her leave then furrows his brow. He turns around looking like he�s considering what just happened and the consequences of it.
The Mazarite ships attack Enterprise again. V�Lar comes to the bridge and talks with Archer in his ready room. She tells him why she didn�t tell him the truth before and then explains what really happened on Mazar. Archer hatches a plan and then implements it. Enterprise continues the race to the rendezvous with the Vulcan ship. Enterprise makes it and the cool looking Vulcan combat cruiser helps them repel the Mazarite ships. Archer and T�Pol say goodbye to V�Lar before she leaves for the Vulcan ship.

V�Lar: Thank you, Captain. I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused you and your crew.

Archer: We're glad we could help.

V�Lar looks from Archer to T�Pol: I sense a great bond between you. A bond of trust and respect but also... a bond of friendship. (T�Pol looks at Archer. Archer looks up at her.) I think it bodes well for the future relations of our two peoples.

V�Lar puts her hand out to shake Archer�s much in the same way she did when she boarded Enterprise.

Archer says with a smile: Good-bye, Ambassador.

Archer hands V�Lar her small bag.

V�Lar turns to T�Pol and says: Live long and prosper.

T�Pol bows in respect to V�Lar gently closing her eyes. T�Pol watches V�Lar as the airlock doors closes behind her. T�Pol closes Enterprises airlock and the scene cuts to an exterior of Enterprise.


My thoughts: LOTS of A/T�P conversations in this episode. I love how they talk to each other with respect and none of the Vulcan/Human tension of earlier episodes. I think V�Lar�s statement fits the impression I got. Rewatching this episode it did feel like they built bond of trust, respect, and friendship since Broken Bow. That does bode well for humans and Vulcans if two people as prejudiced as they were in Broken Bow can build a bond like that between them. On thing I wanted to see is if Archer and T�Pol had any conversation about what V�Lar said. I love how the episode ended, but the �shipper in me wanted to see that.



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