Enemy Unknown, Part 3
From Hidden Frontier
| Star Trek: Hidden Frontier episode | |
| "Enemy Unknown, Part 3" | |
| |
| Episode no. | 1.03 |
|---|---|
| Season | Season 1 |
| Release Date | 2000 |
| Writer(s) | Rob Caves |
| Story Elements by | Rob Caves and John Whiting |
| Director | Jason Munoz |
| Year | 2377 |
| Stardate | 541xx.x |
| Episode chronology | |
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Contents |
Episode Summary
Synopsis
The Excelsior leads a task force after the Grey, but her crew quickly realizes they got more than what they bargained for!
Preparations
Lieutenant Commander Jason Munoz and Captain Ian Quincy Knapp are discussing battle arrangements. A task force is on their way to the Devron system, where they will meet the USS Excelsior to try to engage a Grey ship. By making the Excelsior the bait, they hope to lure out the Grey ship and try to establish peaceful communication with them. If that attempt is unsuccessful, the fleet will warp in and attempt to disable the ship. Seeing no reason for further delay, the Captain orders the Excelsior to depart Deep Space 12.
En route to the Devron system, the senior staff hold a meeting to discuss the Grey before their upcoming confrontation. When asked why the Grey attacked the Iconians, Rayvan (Gregory Allen) explains that he doesn't really know, just that the Grey will capture entire crews and leave the ships intact. Dr. Henglaar asked if the Iconians were a Type III civilization, which they were as the Federation would be considered a Type II civilization. Knapp then asks why the Grey are attacking if they are so advanced, to which Rayvan responds that they may be a resource to exploit. Munoz jokes that they may be food for the Grey, but Knapp thinks it's an "interesting hypothesis". Whatever the motives are of the Grey, the first important step is to establish a communication with the grey.
Counselor Elbrey indicated that she and Rayvan have been working on a method of communication. If they are able to isolate one of the "Aliens", she might be able to seperate their thoughts from the background noise the Grey generate. It is Elbrey's conclusion that this background noise is what prevented her from reading them before. Rayvan adds that they theorize that the noise is the work of a complex hive mind (similiar to the Borg), but if both Rayvan and Elbrey work together, they should be able to block out the noise.
Upon the Excelsior's arrival at the Devron system, Knapp orders the fleet to prearranged coordinates, while the Excelsior moves to the edge of the Briar Patch. Knapp then inquires of Chief Engineer Robin Lefler if she is ready. Lefler is reluctant but states she is ready to make ship look like it is suffering from systems failure. Also throughout the ship, low-level forcefields are put in place that should prevent the Grey from using a psionic attack. To further combat the Grey's psionic attacks, Assistant Chief Engineer Lieutenant Toby Witczak has created personal emitters for each member to wear whilst the bridge remains unshielded to lure the Grey into launching an attack there.
The Lure
Once everything is set, Knapp orders Lefler to begin venting drive plasma and disengage the engines to allow the ship to drift. Ensign Rawlins uses the Kobayashi Maru distress call to make the Grey think they are stranded. It is also confirmed that the fleet in waiting will hear everything that goes on.
While waiting for the Grey to come out, both Lefler and Witczak are talking about the darkness. As Lefler always lived on starbases growing up, she never got used to the dark. Witczak mentioned that back at the Academy, he often had to work in the dark.
Like the moon on a cloudy night, a Grey veseel leaves the Patch towards the Excelsior. Lt. Martinez confirms the Grey has scanned them and is headed straight for them. Knapp prepares the ship for emergency retreat on a moments notice. As anticipated, the Grey send an alien to the bridge as it is the only place it can go to. Once the Grey is aboard, Knapp has the ship power up her engines. The Grey ship realizes what is going on and powers their weapons for an attack. During this time, Knapp attempts communication while Elbrey tries to read its mind. Everything is a jumble to her until she realizes that the alien has no emotion -- it is just a simple being, a footsoldier. After further speculation regarding the Grey and an attack by the enemy ship, Knapp calls for the cavalry, to which Rawlins replies that they are already en route.
The Battle
When the fleet arrives, Knapp tells the fleet the goal is to disable and not destroy. That being said, the fleet starts commences firing on the Grey ship. During the battle, Martinez makes mention that the Grey are unable to regenerate their armor outside the Patch and that their shields are mostly to prevent transporter activity. Owing to the damage their ship takes, the Grey set course for the Briar Patch in hopes to regenerate their armor. Knapp orders Ensign McFarland to intercept, and prevent them from entering in the Patch. Unfortunately, they were not fast enough and the Grey appear to be able to regenerate their armor within minutes.
While the Grey regenerate, the battle continues and soon the USS Katana begins to lose its shields. The Excelsior attempts to extend their shields around the Katana, despite a warning from Ensign Barrett that extending the sheilds will strain the engines. Knapp orders it anyways. This comes too late, as it appears the Katana is now under Grey control. Soon other ships and losing their shields and Knapp orders them to retreat. Now the Grey ship is at full armor and both the Grey ship and the Katana are heading deeper in the patch. Knapp orders the remaining fleet to follow the Grey ship. Munoz reminds the Captain that it is not tactically sound to pursue the rescue of one ship at the risk of a dozen more. Knapp responds that this isn't just about rescuing one ship, but rather they are collecting as much information on the Grey as they can.
The Grey ship retreats deeper in the Patch. Munoz asks why, given their near-invincibility inside the Patch itself, the Grey doesn't press their attack. With no answer to that question, Knapp contacts sickbay for any information that Henglaar or Elbrey may have uncovered. Elbrey describes the mentality of the footsoldier as that of a child. Given Knapp's need to know more, he requests Henglaar to revive the alien to attempt further communication. Elbrey tries to ask it for the reason the Grey attacks, the response she gets is that they need their energy and resources. When she tries to get more information, she indicates that it lacks that information and demands to be returned. Rayvan is told to return to the bridge.
Knapp Captured
The Grey once again leave the Patch and Knapp orders the fleet to engage the enemy and prevent it from entering the Patch again. McFarland reports that they Grey seem to have figured out who the lead ship is and begins to focus its damage upon them. During the attack, Ensign Ro Nevin makes note of a whole in the Theta band of the Grey ship's shields; Rayvan suggests that it might be a window.
Captain Knapp, feeling there is no more to be done, orders a retreat. The Grey continue to attack, eventually breaching the Excelsior's shields. Instead of boarding the Excelsior, the Grey instead decide to capture Knapp. Munoz orders the shields be brought back up and that Barrett search for the Captain. The shields are brought back online. While Barrett can locate the Captain, he cannot transport him.
Rayvan tells Munoz of a potential weakness found by Ro, but he will need help to take advantage of it. Rayvan contacts Henglaar and asks whther the hole in the theta band could allow them to transport victims while their shields are up. Dr. Henglaar mentions that he wouldn't know an alpha band from a theta band. Rayvan suggests the notion of creating a psionic inhibitor that could cause disruptions of the signal. Dr. Henglaar requests the help of Witczack, which Munoz promises and instructs the three of them to make this a top priority.
Back on the Excelsior, they recieve a Knapp's order to surrender. Munoz, realizing that the Captain is under the Grey's influence, tries to stall for time. While they wait, Munoz sends a message regarding Knapp's order to the new Captain in charge of the fleet. They send the message in the open to show the Grey they are doing as they ask, but only playing along in hopes to buy more time. The Captain has stated they will arrive in 30 minutes. They Grey are now convinced and lower their shields. Witczak finishes the inhibitor. Munoz orders the attack that makes use of the theta band weakness and retrieves Knapp. The fleet moves faster, arriving within two minutes. The attack appears to have dazed the Grey, but not for long, as they begin to attack again. They do not stay for long and leave in quite a hurry. Knapp is certain they will be back. With a job well done, they head home.
Backchannel
While not mentioned on camera, we are given the impression that Knapp has slept at least once since the attack. He goes to Elbrey where he meets her dog, Mr. Scott, and begins discussing a dream he has. Only, it doesn't seem like a dream, but rather a back leakage channel between the Etherals and their victims. Either way, he describes seeing a large metal sphere surrounding a star, similiar to a Dyson Sphere discovered by the Enterprise-D which is patrolled by Grey ships. Knapp's theory is that this sphere is where the Grey live and that for some reason, the star at the sphere's center is failing.
The episode concludes with a drink in Ten Forward between Lefler and Witczack, their work on the bio-neural gel pack replacement being completed and having survived another crisis.
Background Information
- This episode marks the final appearance of Lieutenant Commander Jason Munoz as the Excelsior's Executive Officer.
Memorable Quotes
- Elbrey (to her dog, Mr. Scott): "You didn't just think that. Bad boy!"
- Elbrey: "...no one comes to see the ship's counselor unless they're troubled about something."
Production Notes
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Cast
Regular Cast
| Actor | Role |
| David W. Dial | Captain Ian Quincy Knapp |
| Jason Munoz | Lieutenant Commander Jason Munoz |
| John Whiting | Doctor Henglaar |
| Barbara Clifford | Counselor Myra Elbrey |
| Gregory Allen | Rayvan |
| Adrianne Lange | Ensign Jenna McFarland |
| Mike Johns | Commander Joseph Johns |
| Matt Kruer | Lieutenant Toby Witczak |
| Tyler Bosserman | Ensign Andrew Barrett |
| Anthony Diaz | Lieutenant John Martinez |
| Arthur Bosserman | Ensign Ro Nevin |
| Kelly Jamison | Lieutenant Commander Robin Lefler |
| Tristan Clark | Ensign Brad T. Rawlins |
| Betty Bainton | Ensign Amelia Hanley |
Guest Stars
| Actor | Role |
| Jason Munoz | "Grey" |
