The Seventh

My thoughts: One of the criticisms I've heard of Seventh is that T'Pol is weak or too emotinal in this episode. In my opinion she has a good reason to be. The memory block in her head broke down and she started remembering killing someone. When viewing the episode again, I felt she fought to retain control. Luckily, she brought Archer along as someone she could trust. This episode Archer is her compass in the storm. In other episodes she reverses the role and is his compass. The theme of the episode in my opinion is trust. Trusting someone enough to reveal a secret and to accept help from them.

Hover your mouse over the pictures for my attempts at humor.



Archer is eating toast and drinking coffee over in the wraparound chair in his readyroom. He has a PADD in his left hand, and a napkin drapped on his right leg. He eats with his right hand.

Archer: Come in. Good morning.

T'Pol enters.

T'Pol: Captain.

Archer: Toast?

T'Pol: No, thank you.

Archer: What can I do for you?

T'Pol (She's very stoic throughout their conversation): Admiral Forrest will be calling you this afternoon, sir.

Archer: Oh, really? (Archer stiffles a laugh with his closed mouth.) And how would you know that?

T'Pol: I was contacted by the Vulcan High Command last night. They've requested my services regarding a matter of security.

Archer (sets down his PADD): And they've already asked Admiral Forrest?

T'Pol: He should be contacting you this afternoon.

Archer (sips his coffee): "A matter of security"?

T'Pol: The Admiral will inform you that Enterprise will be asked to alter course to the Pernaia System where I will need a shuttlepod and a pilot for three to five days.

Archer (Wipes his mouth with the napkin):  Hmm. (Stands up and walks over to stand beside her.) You didn't answer my question. What kind of matter of security?

T'Pol (doesn't look at him as she speaks.): A Vulcan ship will rendezvous with the shuttlepod when my mission is completed.

Archer (looks down as he talks): They're sending you to get somebody... somebody you'll be handing over to the Vulcans. Why you?

T'Pol (finally looks at his face): Admiral Forrest will be contacting you this afternoon.

Archer (walks back to his chair and sits. Sips his coffee.): Thanks for being so enlightening. (Looks up at T'Pol who hasn't left yet.) Dismissed.

T'Pol exits the ready room.


Archer's quarters. A water polo match is playing on the computer screen on Archer's desk. Archer sits crosslegged on his bed in a loose pair of pants and a t-shirt. He's bouncing a yellow water polo ball off of his bathroom door. Porthos is sitting on Archer's couch watching Archer. The door chimes.

Archer: Come in. (T'Pol enters and stands near Archer's desk. Archer says the rest of this sarcastically.) If the Vulcan High Command doesn't approve of the water polo match I'm watching I'd be happy to find another.

T'Pol: Your orders to bring me to Pernaia came from Starfleet not the High Command.

Archer: What can I do for you?

T'Pol: I have a personal matter I'd like to discuss. (A whistle blows on the water polo match. Archer is distracted "by the TV" and looks around her momentarily to see what happened. T'Pol steps over to block his view. Archer turns off the game from a control panel on the shelf over his bed.) Before I joined the Science Directorate I was assigned to the Ministry of Security. I was trained in reconnaissance and retrieval.


Archer: Move over, Porthos. Let the lady sit down. (Porthos immediately jumps down from the couch.) Sounds like this is going to be good. Come on, sit down. (T'Pol sits with perfect posture on the couch. Archer speaks with a softer voice and gives her his full attention.)  How long ago are we talking about?

T'Pol: I completed my training 17 years ago.

Archer: Go ahead.

T'Pol: Are you familiar with a planet called Agaron?

Archer (Archer moves his ball lightly from hand to hand between his legs.):  They're close allies with the Vulcans, right?

T'Pol: Not always. Agaron was a very corrupt world. When their leaders were first trying  to forge an alliance with Vulcan
they asked for our assistance. That was nearly 30 years ago. (Archer blinks and looks down.) Hundreds of our agents were surgically altered and sent to infiltrate the most criminal factions of Agaron society. Eventually, they were instrumental in the overthrow of those factions.

Archer (Pushes his ball aside and moves to sit on his bed facing her.): You're not going to tell me... you're one of those agents.

T'Pol: I'm not that old, Captain. After the alliance was formalized the Vulcan agents were recalled. They all returned voluntarily... all but 19.

Archer (raises both eyebrows and cocks his head to his right): I guess even Vulcans can fall prey to temptation.
       
T'Pol: The Ministry of Security sent a team of newly-trained operatives to retrieve them. I was only able to apprehend five of the six fugitives assigned to me.

Archer (leans his head back slightly for a second as his mouth forms a silent "ah" of realization. ) : So, tomorrow, you get to pick up number six.Why couldn't someone else do it? Why you?

T'Pol: The Ministry considers it a matter of honor.

Archer:  (Nods his head as he says) How very Vulcan. (He looks back at her fully) So... why have you decided to tell me all this?

T'Pol: I'd like you to come with me.
         
Archer (His head dips down as he says): What?

T'Pol:  The man I'm being sent to apprehend is (both her eyebrows raise on her forehead) extremely dangerous. It would be wise for me to have assistance.

Archer (Leans forward and blinks a few times): You said there's a Vulcan ship coming. I'm (his head looks to the right then back to her as he says sure) sure they can provide all the assistance you'll need.
      
T'Pol: I'd prefer it if you'd come with me, Captain.

Archer (expressively says): Why?

T'Pol:  I need to be with someone I can trust.If you don't wish to help me... I understand. (Archer blinks. He tilts his head to his right and presses his lips together considering this. T'Pol sighs and looks down. She looks at him and says.) Good night.

T'Pol stands up and walk to the door.

Archer: What's his name? (T'Pol stops and turns looking at him. His head tilts down slightly, then he clarifies.) The man we're going  to apprehend.

T'Pol: Menos.

Archer (looks down and then at her.): See you in the morning.

T'Pol looks at him silently then turns exiting. Archer blinks then turns his head to his left.


A/T'P have a convo. about Menos in the shuttlepod. They sit side by side during it. After TPol seems to zone out, Archer says "T'Pol" softly the way he does when he's concerned for her .

On the surface Archer,T'Pol, and Mayweather find Menos. T'Pol doesn't believe Menos and cuts off  some straps from around his coat using them to wrap her shoes. Archer watches her do this and looks concerned. He tries to reason with her (and uses Archer's patented soft T"Pol a few times) as she runs out the station and across the platform covered in acid. When she comes back, he stops her with his arms and says...

Archer: That wasn't too smart. You could have been hurt. (Awww.)


T'Pol talks with Menos alone. She remembers killing Jossen. This crumbles the memory block and her emotional control. She runs away from Menos over to where Archer and Mayweather are. Archer stops her with a touch to her right shoulder.

Archer: Where's Menos? (He lets go of her shoulder and looks back to see Menos where they left him, handcuffed to the table. He says to Mayweather) Get back over there.

Mayweather: Aye, sir.

T'Pol seems almost sick with emotion. She leans against a table or some piece of furniture with her arm for support. Her head is down and her eyes seem to be looking inward. Archer grabs her left arm and leads her through the crowd outside the station. He lets go of her. T'Pol stuffs her hands inside her coat pockets, and looks out at the falling snow.  Archer stands to her right looking at her face.

Archer: What happened?

T'Pol: There were seven.

 Archer: Seven what?

T'Pol:  I was sent to bring back seven fugitives; not six.

Archer (Archer steps closer to her): I don't understand.

T'Pol (Turns to him.): Menos had a partner... or a friend, I'm not sure. His name was Jossen. I followed them both to Risa, not just Menos. The day I told you I saw Menos and lost him I saw Jossen as well.They tried to escape. Jossen fell to the ground. He began to reach for his weapon.

Archer: But you fired first?

T'Pol: I'd forgotten all of it... until today.

Archer (Shakes his head lightly): How?

T'Pol: Have you heard of the Fullara?

Archer: No.

T'Pol: It's an obsolete Vulcan ritual where the memory of an event is repressedalong with the emotions associated with it.

Archer:And you had this...

T'Pol: Fullara.

Archer: ...this Fullara ritual performed?

T'Pol: When I returned to Vulcan, I was... unsettled. I resigned my position with the Ministry and sought guidance at the Sanctuary of P'Jem. For months, one of the Elders worked with me to control the guilt to... restrain the despair of having taken a life but the feelings remained.

Archer: Why would you feel guilty if this... Jossen was about to fire at you?

Flashback of Jossen falling down in the jungle and reaching for his weapon.
 
T'Pol: I suppose I was never certain what his intentions were. The Elder had no choice but to perform the ritual. When I left the Sanctuary I didn't remember anything about Jossen or the Fullara.

Archer: When did it start coming back?

T'Pol: When the first call came in about this new mission. Maybe that's why I wanted you with me. What if Jossen wasn't a smuggler? What if he was innocent? Then it wouldn't have mattered whether he intended to use that weapon or not.

Archer (Shakes his head to his left and right once): That doesn't make any sense. What's Menos been telling you?

T'Pol: Menos's ship was filled with injector casings, nothing else. He has a family. Our scans should be able to confirm if he's dying of radiation poisoning.


Archer (Puts his hands on T'Pol's shoulders and leans in to talk to her): What's he been telling you?

Screams come from the door. People race out of the station as a fire burns inside.

T'Pol chases after Menos as he tries to escape. She has her phase pistol aimed at Menos, but is unsure whether to let him go or to fire. Archer catches up to her.

T'Pol: Captain?

Archer (Walks over to her right shoulder): Why did you want me here?

T'Pol: Because I trust you.

Archer: Then trust me. You were sent to apprehend him not to judge him.

T'Pol shoots Menos.


Archer's ready room. Archer is sitting at his desk. The door chimes.

Archer (He looks up from his task): Come in.

T'Pol enters.

Archer (Raises his hand up from his desk for a second): Sub-Commander... am I about to get another call from Admiral Forrest?

T'Pol: No, sir.

Archer (Looks down): Sorry. Dealing with these memories... it's not going to be easy for you, is it? (Stands up in front of her.)

T'Pol: No, it's not.

Archer: If you feel you need a leave of absence...   

T'Pol: That won't be necessary. I was much younger then.

Archer (Raises his eyebrows for a second): You've also spent a lot of time around humans lately.

T'Pol (Also raises eyebrows for a second): You do have a way of putting questionable actions behind you.

Archer (Quickly licks his lips. He tilts his head once while saying this.): When you don't have the ability to repress emotions you learn to deal with them and move on. (T'Pol blinks.) Was there something else?

T'Pol: If you ever need someone you can trust...

Archer: I won't forget.

T'Pol exits.  Archer half-smiles and watches her leave.



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