Star Trek: Enterprise s03e09 Episode Script

Any last words? Go to hell.
Didn't know Skags believed in hell.
It's been a long road Gettin' 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 And no one's gonna bend or break me I can reach any star I've got faith I've got faith Faith of the heart Who's paying for the box? I hope you're not planning to bury him in the cemetery.
His people don't bury their dead.
But I wouldn't expect you to know that.
I'm sorry I didn't get there in time to stop them.
What difference would it have made? He'd have gotten a trial.
And the same people that lynched him would have been sitting on the jury.
Bethany he killed a man.
Self-defence or not, that's a hanging offence for a Skag.
What have you got? I've confirmed that they're human.
Their DNA is a perfect match.
Looks pretty authentic, Captain.
Right down to the spittoons.
And the hangings.
If these people are from Earth how the hell did they get here? Archer to Enterprise.
Report.
We've scanned 90% of the surface.
The human settlements are clustered within a few hundred kilometres of your location.
About 6,000 people.
And the aliens? Fewer than 1,000.
Their closest encampment is 10 kilometres northwest of your present position.
Any signs of technology? Energy signatures, vessels? None, sir.
Our quantum scans put the earliest structures at over 250 years old.
That sounds about right.
But they're all constructed of materials indigenous to the planet.
Acknowledged.
I want you to check out that alien settlement see what you can find.
No telling how anyone would react if they find out who we really are.
- Keep a low profile.
- Aye, sir.
Morning.
Can I help you folks? I hope so.
We need a horse.
What happened to yours? - Excuse me? - It's a long way from the next town.
How did you get here? Our horses perished several miles north of your town from heat exhaustion.
Yeah.
You're lucky the sun vipers didn't get you.
Or those Skags.
Come on.
This one here, only four years old.
Good stock.
$20, she's yours.
Sounds kind of steep.
I don't suppose you'd be interested in a trade.
Well, that depends on what you've got to trade.
I haven't seen one of these in years.
Look, I know it's not worth a horse but we only need him for a couple hours.
We just want to ride out and grab our gear.
We'll be back before you know it.
How about I leave my gun for collateral? You got yourself a deal.
Here, buddy.
Go on.
Come on, girl.
Do you have any experience riding these animals? - I've seen every John Ford western.
- Who? Look, how hard can it be? Better hold on.
Afternoon.
What can I get you? I'm passing through town.
I was hoping I could sit in here for a while till it cools down.
Coffee's on the house.
- Thanks.
- Where you headed? My brother's got a ranch down south.
He said he could set me up with some work.
What's he raising, bluehorns? How did you know? The land down there is not good for much else.
See the resemblance? Yeah, I do.
You're not telling me you're related to Cooper Smith? He's my ancestor.
I'll be damned.
Yep.
You're looking at the only direct descendant of the man who overthrew the Skags.
I bet you've got some stories.
Got a few I could tell you.
- You boys still at it? - Just getting started.
- Looks like it's not over.
- Friends of yours? Not particularly.
How about a little service? What'll it be? Anything but that rotgut you were pouring yesterday.
Why don't you join us? You know I'm not allowed to do that, Mr.
Bennings.
It's Deputy Bennings.
And I can bend a local ordinance if I choose.
Have a seat.
I imagine you could use a drink after what happened last night.
Let's raise a glass to the dearly departed.
To dead Skags.
Drink up.
I thought you people could hold your liquor.
Your friend had a few in him the night he killed Clay Stanton.
He didn't drink.
Beg your pardon? - I'd better get back to work.
- No, wait a minute.
I don't think I heard you right.
You're telling me that a sober Skag had the nerve to shoot a man? I find that hard to believe.
Maybe you could demonstrate.
Pick it up.
Shoot me.
Right here.
Between the eyes.
This is your golden opportunity.
Don't pass it up.
I know you'd like to kill me.
That's what all you Skags want, isn't it? Go ahead.
Or maybe you need to finish that drink first.
Excuse me.
Do you think I could get some more coffee before you shoot him? Who the hell are you? Name's Archer.
Well, Mr.
Archer you could learn a thing or two about manners.
I don't like being interrupted in the middle of a conversation.
I'll keep that in mind.
Is there a problem here? I was just having a drink with our friend Draysik and this gentleman decided to butt in.
I saw you this morning at the undertaker's.
What's your business here? Just passing through town.
This Skag a friend of yours? Just wanted him to get me a cup of coffee.
It's a little hot for coffee today, don't you think? Maybe you're right.
Been a pleasure.
Keep an eye on him.
Make sure he leaves town.
And, Bennings leave the Skag alone.
I'd estimate this vessel's been here for at least two centuries.
Where are you going? The Captain said to learn whatever we could.
He also said to keep a low profile.
I plan to.
Didn't mean to startle you.
What do you want? My name's Jonathan Archer.
I saw you this morning, paying for that man's casket.
I don't know where you're from, Mr.
Archer but around here no one refers to a Skagaran as a man.
If you'll excuse me.
Can I help you with that? I'll manage.
It's no trouble.
I'll ask you again.
What do you want? I'd like to learn more about the Skagarans.
Everyone knows about the Skagarans.
- There aren't any where I come from.
- Where's that? Up north quite a ways.
If certain people had their way, there wouldn't be any around here either.
I heard about what you did in the saloon today.
Deputy Bennings has a nasty temper.
Why would you risk getting thrown in jail, maybe worse? I don't think that Skagaran's life is any less valuable than mine.
So, what do you want with me? Well, you are the teacher around here, aren't you? The first Skagaran I ever saw was today, lying in that coffin.
Seems I'd be more likely to get the truth from you than from the men who put him there.
Would you like to meet more of them? It's all right.
Captain.
Bethany, these are the friends I told you about.
You're from up north, too? That's correct.
The children will be here soon.
You said you wanted to learn something, Mr.
Archer.
- You're welcome to stay for the lesson.
- Thanks.
Kind of late at night to be teaching school.
It's illegal to teach Skagarans.
A ship? What's left of it.
We found these in a data module.
Go back to Enterprise.
See what you can salvage.
You're not coming with us? Don't want to miss my first day of school.
Nine times 12.
Don't forget to carry the one.
Yral.
Nine times 12 equals 108.
That's right.
You're doing very well with your multiplication tables.
Tomorrow night we'll start with something a little more challenging.
Long division.
Kret, collect the slates, please.
I brought a friend with me who'd like to learn more about your people.
Who can tell Mr.
Archer how the humans and the Skagarans came to live together? Taliyah? Our ancestors took the humans from their planet and brought them here.
And why did they do that? To make them work.
But the humans didn't want to work for the Skagarans, did they? No, we didn't.
Go on home now.
Go on.
It's all right.
I tried to warn you, Bethany.
Teaching Skags is a crime.
You know that.
No one is being hurt here.
So you say.
But I'm afraid the law is the law.
I thought you could bend the local ordinances.
That's true.
But this is one I have no intention of bending.
Get away from me.
Sheriff gave you a chance to leave town.
You should have taken it.
Get away from there.
Go on now! - Best I can do.
- Thanks.
What's going to happen to you now? Don't worry.
This isn't the first time the Sheriff and I haven't seen eye to eye.
You didn't get to finish your lesson.
I'd like to hear the rest of it.
You know the story.
Everyone does.
Everyone seems to have their own version.
I'm curious to hear the way you teach it to the Skagarans.
That wreck at their settlement.
Was that their ship? They used it 300 years ago to go to Earth to bring our ancestors back here.
They were building colonies, they needed workers.
You mean slaves? It was a terrible crime.
Tell me about Cooper Smith.
That's where the stories differ somewhat.
To the humans he's a folk hero.
Our liberator.
I'm sure that's what you were taught.
But the Skagarans, they call him rahk'tar.
It means "butcher.
" He and his men burned the Skagaran ship destroyed their weapons.
They murdered most of them, entire families.
Have you heard that version? Smith wrote the first laws that kept the Skagarans from going to school owning property, even marrying.
So they could never enslave the humans again.
That's how they justified it.
Men like Bennings are happy to carry on the tradition.
Sheriff wants to talk to you.
- Care for a shave, Mr.
Archer? - No, thanks.
You sure? There's nothing like a barber shave to make a man feel civilised.
I feel civilised enough.
Well, suit yourself.
- Thanks, Henry.
- Any time, Sheriff.
Have a seat.
Skagaran whisky.
It's illegal, but I let Henry keep a bottle around for pulling teeth.
Packs a hell of a wallop.
I thought you were heading south to raise bluehorns.
That's the plan.
Then maybe you can tell me why you were out in Skagtown in the middle of the night.
Is that a crime? My deputy says you and Miss Bethany were teaching those children.
That's a crime.
But if I decided to lynch a Skagaran that would be legal? The law was laid down a long time ago to protect men like you and me.
Protect us from what? Children? You really want those children to learn how to read? How to do their numbers? And then maybe they can learn about how they used to be in charge around here.
How they had guns that could kill a man with a beam of light and that human beings were nothing but their labour force, their property.
Is that what you want those children to learn, Mr.
Archer? You're judging them on something that happened over 200 years ago.
And it's my job to make sure it never happens again.
Now, I'm not saying it's fair.
It's just the way it's always been.
I expect you to be out of town in an hour.
What's gonna happen to Bethany? She's been warned.
She knew the consequences.
Minimum sentence is 10 years.
- Archer to Enterprise.
- Go ahead, Captain.
Any luck with those data modules? Several of them were damaged, but we managed to access some of the logs.
I'm still working on the translation, sir.
I'll meet you at the landing coordinates in an hour.
There's something I have to do first.
I was on my way out of town and realised I forgot something.
What are you doing? It's called a jailbreak where I come from.
It's called that here, too.
Where do you expect me to go? There are other settlements.
- They could use a good teacher.
- Things won't be different there.
Maybe not.
But you won't be spending 10 years in prison.
It was Archer.
They couldn't have gotten far.
Get Nash and Franklin.
Archer to Enterprise.
Lock the transporter onto my position.
There are two of us.
Drop that, whatever it is.
Did anyone see you transport? I didn't exactly have time to find a secluded spot.
These are volatile and suspicious people.
Your disappearance may have consequences.
I've removed the projectile, but her injuries were extensive.
Will she make it? I believe so, but there are a few things about her physiology - I still don't understand.
- What do you mean? Aren't you familiar with this woman's ancestry? The cranial genes are recessive, which explains her human appearance.
My guess is they came from her maternal grandmother.
She's one-quarter Skagaran.
You heard the stories, same as me.
Cooper Smith said the Skags could move through thin air from one place to another.
Maybe you ought to get your eyes checked, Bennings.
Archer's a human.
- He's working with them.
- You don't know that.
What was he doing out in Skagtown? Why did he stick up for Draysik in the saloon yesterday? 'Cause you were being a horse's ass.
And who was he talking to on that little box he had? It was the Skags.
They helped him escape.
This is what we were afraid of, Mac they'd try to take over again.
It's time to put an end to this.
You have something in mind? I say we ride out there tonight and burn them out.
I guarantee you there'll be plenty of volunteers.
Now you listen to me.
I'm not going to murder those people just because some stranger spooked you with a parlour trick.
Now if I get some proof that the Skagarans are up to something I'll take care of it.
You've always been too soft on them, Mac.
And you've always harassed them while I looked the other way.
And that's gonna change right now.
As long as you work for me our job is to enforce the law.
Understood? Understood.
The story she told you was basically true, Captain.
The Skagaran ship brought them here to provide labour for a colony they were trying to establish.
They apparently found the humans suited to survive in this environment.
There are a lot of reports of disciplinary problems, and then six months after they arrived, the logs end.
They kidnapped the wrong people.
So, what do we do? They're humans.
We can't just leave them here.
We can't transport 6,000 people back to Earth.
Once we've dealt with the Xindi, we'll come back here.
Do what we can to help them.
For now they deserve to know that Earth hasn't abandoned them.
Easy.
We need to talk.
And you were born there? I was born in upstate New York.
Spent most of my adult life in San Francisco, though.
You've heard of San Francisco? Pacific Coast.
Why didn't you tell us who you were? I wasn't sure how you'd react.
We thought we'd better get the lay of the land first.
Well, I can't say I blame you.
A part of me never believed Earth even existed.
I thought it was something people made up 'cause they couldn't stand living here.
You taking us back? We can't.
Not right now.
Anyway, our ship isn't big enough.
Some day we'll come back for you.
You realise it's not the same world your ancestors left.
A lot has changed in 300 years.
You're telling me.
We've moved past things like intolerance, prejudice.
The Skagarans abducted my ancestors, Captain turned them into slaves.
That was a long time ago.
Well, we tend to have a long memory when it comes to that sort of thing.
Captain's been in there quite a while.
I imagine the Sheriff has a lot of questions.
Yeah.
We did what we had to do.
I understand.
But if you do make it back to Earth you're going to have to leave all that behind.
It's all right.
These folks aren't gonna hurt anybody.
This is my First Officer, T'Pol.
She's from a planet called Vulcan.
- Pleased to meet you.
- Ma'am.
Dr.
Phlox reports that his patient is doing much better.
Good.
I thought we'd bring Mr.
MacReady Have your men drop those guns.
Let's talk this through, Bennings.
I never was one for talking.
Trust me, you don't want to fight us, Deputy.
Should've thought of that before you threw in with the Skags.
We're not taking sides here.
Then where did you get that machine and those weapons? These people are from Earth, Bennings.
Earth? You're lying.
I can prove it to you.
Just give me a chance.
Go.
Lay down some fire.
Stay back.
I'll kill her.
Secure the area! Find the Captain! We're up too high to see it, but your town is down there toward the right edge of that mountain range.
How are you feeling? I feel fine.
Not even a scar.
Dr.
Phlox does excellent work.
You must think we're barbaric.
All the things humanity has accomplished building ships like this, travelling to other worlds.
And we're still down there shooting each other.
The progress on Earth it didn't happen overnight.
But it was progress all the same.
You've managed to change.
We haven't.
Even if you could take us back, I don't think we're ready.
It may be a while before we're able to start sending ships here.
My guess is by the time they arrive, they'll find things have changed.
I think you're giving us too much credit.
It's happening already.
I spoke with MacReady.
He agrees that, in light of recent events some of your laws might be a little outdated.
Before people could travel through space to other planets they had to get off the ground first.
Almost 40 years after my human ancestors left Earth two brothers from Ohio became the first human beings to build a successful flying machine.
Their names were Orville and Wilbur Wright.
Would anyone like to see a picture of their aeroplane? - Me.
- Yes, ma'am.
You all would.
Well, here it is, right here.
And you can see, here's Orville Wright and his brother Wilbur is flying the plane.
Now, this is a machine that actually