Star Trek: Enterprise (2001–2005): Season 1, Episode 10 - Fortunate Son - full transcript

Hauled down in the corner
of the end zone... touchdown!

I'd like to see you
make that catch

with the gravity plating
at Earth sea level.

I doubt you could throw the ball
ten meters on Earth.

One more reason not to go.

Did you find out

what was causing
that vibration in Module Two?

The cargo handlers
at Jupiter Station...

They didn't balance the load.

Shaw and I, we, uh...
we trimmed it out.

Keep an eye on it.



Bridge to Captain Keene.

We're under attack, sir.

It's the Nausicaans.

Drop out of warp,
charge the plasma cannon...

♪ It's been a long road ♪

♪ Getting from there to here ♪

♪ It's been a long time ♪

♪ But my time is finally near ♪

♪ And I will see my dream
come alive at last ♪

♪ I will touch the sky ♪

♪ And they're not gonna
hold me down no more ♪

♪ No, they're not gonna
change my mind ♪

♪ 'Cause I've got faith ♪

♪ Of the heart ♪



♪ I'm going where my heart
will take me ♪

♪ I've got faith to believe ♪

♪ I can do anything ♪

♪ I've got strength
of the soul ♪

♪ No one's gonna bend
or break me ♪

♪ I can reach any star ♪

♪ I've got faith ♪

♪ I've got, I've got, I've got ♪

♪ I've got faith ♪

♪ Faith of the heart. ♪

Archer.

Sorry to disturb you, sir,

but I have
an incoming transmission

from Starfleet Command.

It's Admiral Forrest.

Put him through.

Yes, sir.

Admiral... good to see you.

You, too, Jon...
what I can make out.

We're getting ready to deploy
the first subspace amplifier.

Should clear up reception a bit.

Whatever you have to do
to keep those reports coming.

The scans of that comet
were incredible.

Something tells me
you didn't call

at 4:00 in the morning
to talk about comets.

I hate to do this to you, Jon,
but we're turning you around.

Sir?

We picked up
an automated distress signal

from a cargo freighter...

The ECS Fortunate.

The nearest Starfleet vessel

is three weeks away
at its maximum warp,

but you could be there
in a day and a half.

What's the problem?

We're not sure.

They're not responding to hails.

I'd like you to check this out

give them any assistance
they need.

We're on our way.

Forrest out.

I think our day's going to start
a little early.

The Earth Cargo Ship Fortunate.

Y-class freighter,
maximum speed: warp 1.8,

crew complement: 23.

Not counting newborn babies.

Ensign?

I grew up on a J-class.

A little smaller,
but the same basic design.

And one thing I can tell you
is that at warp 1.8,

you've got a lot of time

on your hands between ports.

That's how my parents
wound up with me.

Do you have
any helpful information

on this vessel beyond its...
recreational activities?

For example, what kind
of weapons they carry.

Well, typically nothing more
than a low-yield plasma cannon.

But most freight-haulers
would've upgraded

the first chance they got.

Why's that?

Think about it.

You're a dozen light-years
from home

with 20 kilotons
of dilithium ore in your hold,

armed with nothing but a popgun

for shooting oncoming meteors.

What would you do?

I'm reading hull damage.

Their warp reactor's off-line

and most of their
primary systems are down.

Any other ships in the region?

None, Captain.

Open a channel.

Fortunate,

this is Captain Jonathan Archer
of the Starship Enterprise.

Fortunate, please respond.

Their com systems may be down.

I'm reading 24 bio-signs.

Have Dr. Phlox meet us
in the Launch Bay.

Easy does it.

There's a lot of debris
out here.

Aye, sir.

Some of it doesn't appear
to be from the Fortunate.

On the bright side,

I'm only picking up
inorganic material... no bodies.

Main hatch is damaged.

No chance we'll get
a positive seal.

There should be an auxiliary
hatch on the port side.

Permission to come aboard.

Granted. I'm Matthew Ryan,
First Officer.

Jonathan Archer,
Captain of the Enterprise.

Sorry we couldn't meet
under better circumstances.

What happened here?

Nausicaans. They
tried to board us.

We managed to fight them off,

but not before we
took a few bruises.

Nausicaans?

Pirates, sir.

They've been
attacking freighters

in this sector for years.

My parents had a
run-in with them once.

They were lucky to
come out of it alive.

Your parents ran freight?

Still do.

An old J-class...

The Horizon.

I've got repair teams
standing by. What can we do?

Oh, we can handle this
ourselves, Captain,

but thank you.

If you didn't need our help,

why did you send out
a distress call?

One of our younger crew members
panicked,

hit the emergency beacon.

With our com down,
we had no way to tell Starfleet

to ignore it.

Where's your Captain?

He was wounded in the attack.

I'm in command
until he's back on his feet.

I'm sorry
we took valuable time away

from your mission.

Mr. Ryan,
I'm a physician.

If your Captain
or anyone else is hurt,

it wouldn't be right
for me to leave

without seeing them.

He's got a lot more experience

than any freighter medic I know.

We've come an awfully long way.

It would be a shame to turn
around without lending a hand.

Is he going to die?

Not any time soon.

The Nausicaan weapon disrupted
his neural pathways.

I've started him
on a cortical regeneration,

but it'll take some time.

How long?

Two days, maybe three.

Since we have
to stick around, we...

might as well help you get
your ship up and running.

That's all right.

I understand you're used
to doing things on your own,

but we're here.

Use us.

We might be able to upgrade

your hull plating, your weapons.

Couldn't hurt the next time
you run into these Nausicaans.

The sooner you're back at warp,

the sooner that cargo
you're hauling

gets to where it's
supposed to go.

You're letting them
send over more people?

A few engineers, that's all.

We can't have people
crawling all over the place.

We'll keep them where
they're supposed to be.

And what if they find it?

What do you want me to do,
throw them off the ship?

Anything?

Keep at it.

I want those codes.

Trip will get
a kick out of this.

It's older than he is.

The Quartermaster won't have
anything like it,

but Engineering should be able
to make one for you.

We've got our own machine shop.

I'm sure your guys have
their hands full.

We're happy to do it.

That's a transporter.

Enterprise came
with all the trimmings.

I've read about them.

Have you been through it?

Not yet.

Most of the crew's afraid,

but I'm kind of curious
to try it out.

They say that
for a split second,

you can actually feel yourself
in both places at once.

Why do you think
I want to try it?

So, you were on the Horizon?

I was born on her.

Halfway between
Draylax and Vega Colony.

How do your parents feel
about you leaving?

I've still got my sister

and her husband
aboard the Horizon,

but I know my dad expected me
to take over at some point.

Then why'd you leave?

I had to figure out

where I wanted to spend
the rest of my life,

and I was pretty sure it wasn't
on the Draylax-Vega run.

Besides, the Horizon didn't have
transporters to play with.

These valve seals are shot.

We'll have to synthesize
some new ones.

Give me about 40 minutes?

If you want,
our resident boomer here

can give you a tour.

Thanks.

I've already seen
most of the ship.

You missed the best part...

The only warp 5 engine
in the Fleet.

I've heard about it.

Once they get installed

in the next generation
of freighters,

they'll change
a whole lot of things.

Even with a warp 3
engine, you'd be able

to cut a five-year cargo run
down to six months.

Warp 1.8 works just fine for us.

Any faster, and there'd be
no time to enjoy the trip.

Save room for dessert.

Homemade ice cream.

You eat this well all the time?

Chef's the best in Starfleet.

I heard the Captain
had to call in

a lot of favors
to get him on board.

It's good you stayed away

from the resequenced meat loaf.

They still haven't
gotten that right.

Resequenced?
This tastes real.

That's because it is.

Know the last time
I had a steak?

18 months ago.

All we got left now

are hydroponics and nutri-paks.

I remember those.

What did we used to call them?

"Mystery Meals."
"Mystery Meals."

My dad was a pretty good cook.

He could do magical things
with those nutri-paks.

Whenever it was
someone's birthday

and my mother would bake a cake,

we knew better than to ask
what it was made of.

Didn't stop you from eating it.

No way.

Your parents on the Fortunate?

No.

They were on
the, um, North Star.

Were you on board?

Yeah, I was one
of the survivors.

I went to the Fortunate
after that.

I'm sorry.

Running freight's dangerous.

You ever think about doing
something else?

You mean join Starfleet?

Food's not bad.

Was this premeditated?

Buy me lunch and give me
the recruiting pitch?

No,

but you've spent
more time in space

than most Starfleet Captains.

There are three more NX-class
ships on the drawing boards.

They're going to need
experienced people.

If Starfleet gets
all the good crews,

who does that leave
to run the freighters?

Don't worry.

Not everybody's going to go.

You did.

You think leaving the Horizon
was easy for me?

That I just took off
because I got tired of the food?

That ship was my home.

So, why'd you leave it?

Why did you abandon your family?

Being in Starfleet

is the best thing that
ever happened to me.

My parents weren't happy I left,

but they respected my decision.

Did they?

Or were they just saying
what you wanted to hear,

so you wouldn't feel guilty?

Commander Tucker should be done
with my valve assembly by now.

Thanks for lunch.

Come on.

Why is power being rerouted

from internal sensors
to the weapon systems?

Maybe you didn't notice.

We were in a battle.

The battle is over.

I'll remove the bypass.

Uh, that's all right.

You can just leave it.

Ready or not, here I come.

Have you seen Nadine?

No.

Have you seen Nadine?

I'm sorry, I don't know
which child is named Nadine.

Thanks.

I just told him the truth.

T'Pol to Archer.

Go ahead.

The repairs are
almost finished, Captain.

Acknowledged.

But there is something I need
to speak to you about

in private.

Those engine parts Mr. Tucker
gave you working out okay?

Some of the connections
were off by a few microns,

but they should be fine.

Good.

Dr. Phlox tells me Captain
Keene's condition is improving.

Well, he's still unconscious,
but the burns are healing.

Thanks to your doctor.

Anything else we can do?

Thanks, but, uh,
we're anxious to get underway.

Good-bye, Captain.

There's one other question
I'd like to ask you.

Are there only humans
on board your ship?

I think one of the kids has
a Tenebian skunk as a pet,

if that's what you mean.

It isn't.

T'Pol's scanner picked up
a Nausicaan bio-sign.

Are you saying
we've got a stowaway?

You know that's not
what we're saying.

Why don't you tell us

what's going on over there?

Well, what are you
talking about?

My bio-scans indicated
this Nausicaan was injured.

Okay.

Not that it's any
of your business,

but there is a Nausicaan aboard.

He's my prisoner.

What gives you the right
to take prisoners?

They have been
attacking our ship

for months, stealing our cargo.

They nearly killed

my Captain.

Now, what gives them
the right to do that?

I want to see him.

And what would you do, hmm?

Take him back to Nausicaa?

They'd probably
give him a medal.

What do you plan to do with him?

That is my business.

Starfleet doesn't have
any jurisdiction

over what goes on
aboard my ship.

You're right.

But there is one thing
I do have jurisdiction over.

Archer to Tucker.

Go ahead, Captain.

I want you to remove
all the spare parts

and equipment you installed
on the Fortunate.

Sir?

You heard me, Trip.

You wouldn't do that.

Watch me.

He's in there.

Where?

He's tied up over there.

I'm reading one bio-sign,

but it's not Nausicaan.

Don't do this.

Get down.

Under the circumstances,
I defer to your experience.

Ryan?

You're making a big mistake.

Go.

Captain, there's a breach.

Ryan!

What was that?

What the hell's
going on over there?

There are four bio-
signs on the module.

It's the away team.

Tucker to Captain Archer.

Are you all right?

We're fine.

I don't want
the Fortunate leaving.

Understood. Hail them.

No response.

They're charging weapons.

Polarize the hull plating.

The Fortunate
has fired its weapons.

Trip, report.

They're getting
a little trigger-happy, sir.

Stand by.

Load starboard tubes
three and four.

Target their engines.

Aye, sir.

They've jettisoned our pod.

Their warp drive's
coming on line.

Fire.

Enterprise to Archer.

How you doing, Trip?

We're okay, sir.

We didn't take too much damage,

but the Fortunate
just went to warp.

Follow them.

Captain,

considering our rate
of decompression,

I'd suggest Enterprise
retrieve us

as quickly as possible.

Belay that, Trip.

Send a shuttlepod
over here to pick us up.

We've sprung a leak.

On our way.

We're trying
to track their warp trail,

but their plasma cannon

knocked out
our long-range sensors.

How long till they're
back on line?

Mr. Tucker says
at least four hours.

We don't know where they are,

but we know
who they're looking for.

The Nausicaans.

Ryan's after revenge, sir.

A very primitive emotion,

but it would explain
his irrational behavior.

It's rational to him.

Those pirates attacked his ship.

That's his family.

If we want to find
the Fortunate,

we need to find the Nausicaans.

The frequencies.

You're not very skilled
at interrogation.

I could give you some lessons.

Give me the frequencies.

You know my shipmates
will come for me.

I'm counting on it.

That wasn't so difficult,
was it?

You nearly killed him.

Remodulate the weapons.

What about the Nausicaan?

Keep him locked up.

We might still need him.

We've got what we wanted.

Let's just get him off the ship.

How?

An escape pod.

Mm-hmm. So his friends
can pick him up?

And he could tell them

to change their
shield modulations?

What was the point of all this?

I've been asking myself
the same question.

We've always dealt
with the Nausicaans

without taking hostages

or beating information
out of them.

If we don't show them
that we're serious,

they're never going
to leave us alone.

How would the Captain

want us to handle this?

I'm responsible
for this ship now

and I need to know that
you're going to help me

do whatever it takes
to protect her.

We've taken enough casualties.

It's time we start
inflicting some of our own.

Captain's Starlog, supplemental.

We've picked up
a faint warp trail

that could be the Fortunate,
but we won't know for sure

until our long-range sensors
are back on line.

Anything?

Mmm...

no.

Try bypassing circuit L-47.

Aye, sir.

I don't know what's
going on with that guy.

I can understand
taking on those pirates.

I probably would have
done the same thing.

But firing on a
Starfleet vessel...

He's got a lot more than pirates
to worry about now.

I never thought
I'd see a Y-class

running from any ship I was on.

When I was growing
up on the Horizon,

anything that happened on
board, you handled yourself.

If someone on the
crew got into a fight,

you just worked it out.

You took care of your own.

If Starfleet suddenly
showed up and told my father

what he could and couldn't
do on his own ship...

Things are changing.

Ryan's going to have
to figure that out.

Maybe he already has

and he just doesn't like it.

Got it.

Sensors are back on line.

Come in.

Do you have a minute, sir?

I think I can squeeze you in.

What's on your mind, Travis?

Permission to speak freely, sir?

Anytime.

I'm worried that we're
not handling the situation

the right way.

Go on.

You know
I'd never question your orders.

You served
on one of those freighters.

I want to hear your opinion.

Maybe Ryan's right.

Maybe this isn't
any of our business.

If he doesn't want our help,
why force it on him?

So you think we should just
let Ryan take on the Nausicaans?

Don't underestimate
a freighter crew, sir.

My father
never ran into any trouble

he couldn't handle himself,
Nausicaans included.

So, what happens
to the Nausicaans?

Sir?

Suppose Ryan finds the ship
that attacked him.

Maybe it's been damaged,
and the Fortunate

is more than a match for them.

What do you think Ryan'll do?

He'd probably try
to blow them out of the sky.

I don't know about you, Travis,

but that doesn't
sit right with me.

Human beings have a code
of behavior that applies

whether
they're Starfleet officers

or space boomers.

And it isn't driven by revenge.

Just because someone
isn't born on Earth

doesn't make him any less human.

You're right, sir.

I suppose
I should understand that

more than anyone.

Any other orders of mine
you'd like to question?

Not today, sir.

Thank you, sir.

Are you sure?

I've seen that hull
signature enough times.

The new shield frequencies?

Loaded and standing by.

I'll bring the cannons on line.

Drop out of warp.

They're just sitting there...

A hundred kilometers ahead,
near a small asteroid.

Put it on the viewer.

They've seen us.

Lay in an intercept course.

Full impulse.

We're closing.

20 kilometers.

Uh, t-they're firing.

The hull plating is holding.

Can you get a weapons lock?

We're out of range.

Then get us into range.

Ten kilometers. Nine.

Cannons locked on target.

Return fire.

Ah, they've gone
behind the asteroid.

I've lost the lock.

This must be where they
off-load stolen cargo.

I'm getting us out of here.

Hold your course.

Ryan...!

We still have
their shield frequencies.

Lock weapons on the first ship,
and fire.

Again.

No effect.

Are you sure you programmed
the right frequencies?

I used the ones he gave us.

Go to warp.

The reactor is off-line.

Full impulse, then.

Hull plating to maximum.

We've lost impulse!

They're hailing us.

Our scans show you have
one of our crewmen aboard.

I assume you're here
to return him.

He's our prisoner.

He won't be for long.

They've latched on to us.

Captain, long-range scans
are detecting weapons fire.

Who's doing the shooting?

It's difficult to be sure
at this distance, sir.

Looks like some kind
of plasma discharge.

I can't rule out
our boomer friends.

Lay in a course.

Aye, sir.

They're in the access corridor,
Section D.

How many?

Three.

Pass out weapons.

We know what they're after.

Why not just let them have him?

We fought them off before.

We can do it again.

That was one ship, not three.

Weapons.

We should pull back!

Go!

It's the Fortunate, sir,
and three smaller ships.

Nausicaans.

Polarize the hull plating.

Drop us out of warp.

Are we in range?

200,000 kilometers ahead.

Put it up.

There are four
Nausicaan bio-signs

on board the Fortunate

and I'm detecting
weapon discharges.

Hail the Nausicaans.

Which ship, sir?

Let's see who answers.

We'd better get him
to the infirmary.

He's going to be okay.

I told you they'd come for me.

Shut... up.

We're involved
in a rescue operation.

There's a lot of firing
going on for a rescue.

We want our crewman back.

He wouldn't be there if you

hadn't attacked them
in the first place.

Perhaps we have
an opportunity here

to improve relations
between your people and mine.

We're happy with our "relations"
the way they are.

I have a proposal for you.

We'll get your man back...

and then you'll let the
Fortunate continue on her way.

You're facing three of my ships.

We are not interested
in your proposals.

We've scanned your ships.

Mr. Reed?

Fore and aft plasma cannons.

I doubt those shields of theirs
would hold up to our torpedoes.

You're not sneaking up
on an old freighter this time.

This is an NX-class starship.

Take a good look, because you'll
be seeing more of them.

Now...

you can reconsider my offer
or you can take your chances.

If you think you can convince
them to return our crewman,

do it quickly.

Otherwise we'll be forced
to take our chances.

Enterprise to Ryan.

This is Jonathan Archer.

We're 10,000 meters
off your starboard bow.

I know you can hear me.

Why don't you think
about what's best

for your crew
and let us help you?

What a relief.

Starfleet's come
to save the day.

I've spoken

to the Nausicaan Captain.

He's willing to let
the Fortunate go

if you turn over his crewman.

What, and you believe him?

What, you believe that they're
going to let us just fly away?

I've got an armory full
of torpedoes

that will make sure they do.

What about next time,

when another freighter
gets jumped

in the middle of nowhere?
What then?

You've got a chance to stop this
before anyone else gets hurt.

I'm dealing with them
the only way they understand.

One of the Nausicaan ships
has locked weapons on us, sir.

This has gone on long enough.

Now you're putting my crew
in danger.

Release that hostage.

He's my prisoner, and I'm
going to handle this my way.

What are you going
to do, kill him?

You again?

Sir, with your permission?

You think killing one of them
is going to accomplish anything?

What, did your Captain decide

a little boomer-to-boomer talk
would persuade me?

Just shut up and listen to me.

I don't give a damn
about you anymore.

I'm just thinking
about my family.

What have they got to do
with this?

What's going to happen
to the next freighter

that runs into the Nausicaans?

What if it's the Horizon

and they have to pay the price
for your stubborn stupidity?

I'm doing this for them.

The hell you are!

This isn't about protecting
cargo ships.

That is just what it's about.

Don't kid yourself into thinking

you're doing this
for some greater good.

This is about revenge,
nothing else.

The Nausicaan ships
are firing, sir.

Return fire,
starboard tubes three and four.

You don't like me because I left
the Horizon to join Starfleet.

You're afraid
that if more people do that,

there won't be anyone left
to run the freighters.

Maybe you're right,

maybe not.

But if you don't let
your hostage go,

the Nausicaans are going
to kill you and your crew.

Port tubes one and two.

Fire.

And then there'll be
23 fewer people out here

to run those freighters.

No maybes.

Hold your fire!

Take him!

The Nausicaans are
powering down their weapons.

They're moving off, sir.

Need a hand?

Just a little stiff.

Thank your doctor for me.

I've got some Draylaxian whiskey
stashed away...

if you'd like to join me.

I'm on duty.

Too bad.

If you've never had it,

you're missing one of
the galaxy's real pleasures.

I'm reducing
Mr. Ryan's rank

to Able Crewman.

He gets to spend the rest of the
trip purging hydraulic pumps.

If you think he's going
to be a problem,

we could take him back to Earth.

No. We take care of our own.

Besides, that would leave me
a man short.

Understood.

I made him my First Officer

because I trusted him
with my ship.

It's going to take him
quite a while to earn that back.

His intentions were good.

But someone should teach him to
accept help when it's offered.

The ones that grew up out here

feel they have
some special claim,

that this particular stretch
of space is theirs.

If they see another ship

within ten light-years,
they get jumpy.

They're going to be seeing a lot
more ships than they're used to.

Ships get faster.

That's progress, I suppose.

My family's been
on the Fortunate

for three generations.

Now I'm going to need
at least a warp 3 engine

to stay in business.

Maybe that's not so bad.

At warp 3, help's a lot closer

than before.

You won't have to go it alone.

Going it alone's
all we've ever done.

For some of us...

it's the reason
we're out here...

a chance to prove ourselves.

I think you've already
done that.

Well... we'll adapt.

We always have.

But things just...
won't be the same.

Good luck.

Sure you won't join me
for that drink?

Thanks, but... my crew's anxious
to get underway.

Next time.