Strategem

[paulinem]

Probably not an often thought of episode, and there are so many moments in this that tug at my heart, but this scene got me thinking...

ARCHER: You're the one with a family. You want to see them again? Try to seal the rupture. I'll see if I can close off the coolant tanks. (collapses as Degra seals the gash with a mini welder. Once he's done it, he shares the oxygen with Archer as the air clears)
(later, as Degra sleeps, Archer gets a hypospray from its hiding place and injects him)

[Command centre]
ARCHER [on monitor]: T'Pol. 
(she presses a button and the shuttle's doors open)

[Cargo Bay two]
PHLOX: He should remain unconscious for at least two hours. 
TUCKER: The son of a bitch designed the weapon. 
ARCHER: Keep an eye on him. Trip. (they leave)

then back to the Command centre

Just for a bit of fun, or not...

What did Trip and Archer do in between these two scenes? Did Archer take Trip aside, knowing that he would be ready to kill Degra, and calmed him down before it got to that point? Or, and yes I have my slash goggles on, did they do something else?

[jespah]

Eek - if the shuttle's rockin' ....

[tish]

yYs, there were quite a few times Archer needed to quell the rising of Trip's emotions, and in most cases, Trip would be calmed, since he has such respect for Archer.

I also love how Trip always knows when Archer needs to vent, and he is not afraid to enter the lion's den, so to speak, if he believes it is in Archer's best interest to talk it out.

Plus all the times one or the other would reach out to, or silently communicate with, the other to get a message across. Only a very deep friendship/relationship can have such a connection.

That is why Archer's withdrawing in the Expanse, when Trip was hurting so much, was so poignantly sad. I know that the 5th-7th seasons would have resolved that separation, had we been given it.

Thank you pauline and allee and thomas for ENT S5 and the Relaunch Books.

[Hummingbird2]

Over at HoTbbs, Aprylrae wrote a lovely little missing scene for this episode. Unfortunately, I can't remember exactly where it is (somewhere in Archer/Trip, I think) .

[paulinem]

yYs, there were quite a few times Archer needed to quell the rising of Trip's emotions, and in most cases, Trip would be calmed, since he has such respect for Archer.

I also love how Trip always knows when Archer needs to vent, and he is not afraid to enter the lion's den, so to speak, if he believes it is in Archer's best interest to talk it out.

Plus all the times one or the other would reach out to, or silently communicate with, the other to get a message across. Only a very deep friendship/relationship can have such a connection.

That is why Archer's withdrawing in the Expanse, when Trip was hurting so much, was so poignantly sad. I know that the 5th-7th seasons would have resolved that separation, had we been given it.

Thank you pauline and allee and thomas for ENT S5 and the Relaunch Books.

You're welcome, Tish! And, thank you, that's one of the things I wanted to address in S5. There was still remnants of a rift between Archer and Trip in season 4 (I'm thinking Daedalus where he ignored Trip's advice) that I think would make good fodder! It's actually something I'm working on in ep 15!

Also, maybe Archer sought out Trip because felt dirty after talking to Degra. And needing Trip's friendship/love Archer they went somewhere quiet so he could 'get' clean (for want of a better word!?

Over at HoTbbs, Aprylrae wrote a lovely little missing scene for this episode. Unfortunately, I can't remember exactly where it is (somewhere in Archer/Trip, I think) .

Ooo... Sounds like something I'd love to read! Do you have a link to the site so that I can cruise through to see if I can find it? I'd appreciate it!

[mareel]

Also, maybe Archer... felt dirty after talking to Degra.

I have a somewhat different take on this. I love this episode and see in it the beginnings of the respect Jonathan developed for Degra. He didn't feel good about doing this – getting information by deception and memory-tampering – but it was necessary for the mission. He learned a great deal, not only about Degra but about Xindi society, during the time he spent trying to get the information he needed.

Fortunately he and Degra were later able to move past this duplicitous beginning and develop a real trust.

[Hummingbird2]

http://houseoftucker.com/bboard

I hope that helps, Paulinem.

[paulinem]

Yay! Thanks, Hummingbird!

[Hummingbird2]

You're welcome, Pauline!