Changes: Carbon Creek (episode)

Revision as of 19:07, 1 February 2016

Template:Realworld

T'Pol tells Archer and Tucker a story about her great-grandmother and two other Vulcans, who crash landed in a small Pennsylvania town in the year 1957.

Summary

TPols one year toast — T'Pol, Captain Archer, and Commander Tucker toast

Jonathan Archer, Trip Tucker, and T'Pol are informally celebrating T'Pol's official one-year anniversary on board the Enterprise. Despite T'Pol insisting that she is only carrying out her duties and that a toast or a celebration are not needed, Archer tells her that it is indeed a special occasion considering that the previous record for a Vulcan serving on a Human ship was just two weeks. T'Pol corrects him, stating it was only ten days. Archer goes on to tell her that he has been filling out her annual crew evaluation. He points out that in her record he noted that while she was stationed in Sausalito, she took a five-day leave to visit an old mining town in Pennsylvania called Carbon Creek. T'Pol tells him that she went there for personal reasons. Both Archer and Tucker wonder what kind of personal business T'Pol could possibly have in Pennsylvania. She tells them that she went to Carbon Creek because she wanted to visit the site of First Contact between Humans and Vulcans. This comes to quite a surprise to Archer and Tucker, who both insist that first contact took place in Montana in 2063, over a century later.

Sputnik I — *Sputnik 1* in orbit of Earth in 1957

Encouraged by her dinner companions, T'Pol begins the story of the first Vulcan-Human contact that took place in 1957 in Carbon Creek: A Vulcan survey ship is performing a survey from Earth orbit after the recent Sputnik I launch by Humans. Unfortunately, after three weeks of surveying, they experience impulse manifold problems and are forced into an emergency crash landing on Earth, or more precisely, near the small town of Carbon Creek in Pennsylvania. Their captain dies in the crash, leaving T'Mir (T'Pol's second foremother, which she explains is her mother's mother's mother) in command of the two other surviving Vulcans. Their subspace transceiver is damaged in the crash and so they have no way of knowing if their distress signal has even been transmitted. To make matters worse, their emergency rations are used up within a week. After five days without food, their situation grows so desperate they decide to investigate all their options and pay a visit to the town nearby. Mestral and T'Mir disguise themselves by stealing clothes from a backyard clothesline and agree to limit their interaction to Humans as much as possible so as to not contaminate their culture.

They wander around town, somewhat confused as to all the things they observe, until they find a restaurant and bar where they learn they can acquire food. They have no currency to pay for the food, but this problem is resolved when Mestral decides to accept a challenged wager, from Billy, on a game of pool. If Billy wins, T'Mir must have a drink with him; if Mestral wins, he wins a quarter per ball. T'Mir protests, but Mestral assures her that s is simply a game of angles, and wouldn't even present a challenge to a Vulcan child. Finally, T'Mir relents. After a rough beginning to the game, Mestral rallies back to win.

While T'Pol is telling her story, a much-amused Tucker can't help but question it. He states that two Vulcans thrown into a bar, hustling for a game of pool, and then walking out with an armload of TV dinners seems more like an old episode of The Twilight Zone. While he and Archer have a good laugh over this, T'Pol continues with her story.

The three Vulcans, realizing that they cannot go on relying on gambling, begin taking whatever employment they can find while they wait for a rescue vessel to arrive. However, as the weeks pass, it seems less likely that their distress call had been received. Coming to terms with their situation, the three build a life for themselves. T'Mir takes a job at the bar that they visited earlier, which is run by a woman named Maggie. Stron has taken on a job as a plumber, using Vulcan technology when no one else is looking. Mestral takes a job in the local coal mine where Billy works, becomes very interested in and fond of Human culture and technology, and makes new friends. He even becomes romantically interested in Maggie, much to the dismay of T'Mir, who refuses to engage in a more meaningful relationship with Humans. Stron, on the other hand, is very unhappy about his situation, complaining about the trivial nonsense of Humans he is exposed to every day, such as being compared to one of the three Stooges; as a warp field engineer, he finds the situation intolerable.

T'Mir states that if they remain there they will die, because Earth seems to be on the brink of self-annihilation. Mestral, however, doesn't believe her, saying that if she spent a little more time observing Human behavior she might not have such a pessimistic view of them. He states that, despite their weaknesses, Humans possess great potential, such as empathy and compassion. Furthermore, he becomes more reluctant to take orders from T'Mir, stating that it was about time they realized that their mission is over and that no one will come to their rescue.

Even if T'Mir is not willing to make deeper contact with the Humans, her opinion changes when she has a conversation with Maggie's son, Jack, who shows interest in meditation and astronomy and has a desire to learn. Jack is one of the few Humans T'Mir doesn't find repulsive and crude.

Later, when an accident in the coal mine traps twenty people, Mestral wants to use a particle weapon to free the trapped men. Stron and T'Mir are both initially reluctant to help save the miners because they fear being exposed. However, T'Mir eventually ends up helping Mestral free his friends.

Three months later, a Vulcan survey ship finally contacts them, saying their distress call made it to Vulcan through a Tellarite freighter. The three are taken by surprise at this new development, yet know that the time has come to finally say goodbye. When T'Mir says goodbye to Jack, he tells her that he cannot go to college after all, because he and Maggie can't afford the tuition. T'Mir decides to sell the Velcro found on board the crashed Vulcan ship at a patent office in order to be able to anonymously help out Jack with his college tuition.

Mestral, however, has decided that he doesn't want to return to Vulcan, not wanting to let the chance slip by to study an emerging species at the verge of countless social and technological advancements. T'Mir at first protests, but soon accepts (and respects) Mestral's decisions, telling Captain Tellus from the Vulcan rescue ship that Mestral had died in the crash together with the captain.

TMirs purse — T'Pol takes out her ancestor's purse

Back on the Enterprise and in the present, Archer and Tucker are speechless at what they are hearing, for this new information shakes to the core their long-held beliefs about first contact with Vulcans. T'Pol says that the event is very well documented in the Vulcan archives, but maintains the ambiguity by saying that she just told them "a story" like they had asked her to.

Later in her quarters, T'Pol takes out an old, vintage purse, holding it up in reminiscence of her great-grandmother's story and time on Earth.

Memorable quotes

"Every school kid knows that Zefram Cochrane met the Vulcans in Bozeman, Montana on April 5th, 2063. I've been there. There's a statue."

- Tucker, after T'Pol tells him and Archer that First Contact with Vulcans actually happened in Carbon Creek in 1957

"T'Mir was your great-grandmother? I'd be the last person to question your math, but... aren't you missing a few generations? Sputnik was two hundred years ago."
"Don't forget how long Vulcans live."
"Rig-ght... (Tucker turns to face T'Pol) Just how old are you? (he turns to face Archer) It's gotta be in her record..."
"Trip - that's classified information."

- Tucker and Archer, discussing T'Pol's age

"Some type of combat, no doubt."
"I believe it may be an entertainment."

- T'Mir and Mestral, observing a group of Humans listening to a baseball game on the radio

"Currency?"
"Yes. The paper appears to have value."
"What can I get you?"
"Do you have anything that doesn't require currency?"

- T'Mir and Mestral, upon first contact with a Human, Maggie

"You folks married?"
"No, we're... business associates."

- Maggie asks T'Mir about her and Mestral

"The game is based on simple geometry. It wouldn't challenge a Vulcan child."

- Mestral, describing a pool game

"Cryogenics... do you suppose they've experimented with protein replicators?"
"Why didn't you ask the merchant? You seemed eager to engage everybody else in conversation."

- Mestral's thoughts on frozen dinners receive an acid response from T'Mir

"Two Vulcans stroll into a bar, hustle a few games of pool and walk out with an armload of TV dinners. Sounds like an old episode of The Twilight Zone!"

- Tucker

"I'd hate to see Humanity destroy itself."
"That makes two of us."

- Mestral and Maggie, after watching the testing of nuclear weapons in White Sands, New Mexico on TV

"Oh, God."
"Please, I- I was simply surprised. It was - very pleasant."
""Pleasant"?"
"Wasn't than an appropriate response?"
"Well, it's been a while since I kissed a man but still I was hoping it'd be a little bit more than "pleasant"."
"I did say very pleasant."

- Maggie and Mestral, after she impulsively kisses him

"You sit for hours each day in front of this idiotic device..."
"I'm doing research."

- T'Mir and Mestral, on TV

"I need to go now. I Love Lucy is on tonight. "

- Mestral

"It's unfortunate that you'll be leaving these people without experiencing one thing they have to offer."
"Such as? Alcohol? Frozen fishsticks? The constant threat of nuclear annihilation?"

- Mestral and Stron

"They revel in violence. They devote what little technology they have to devising ways of killing each other."

- T'Mir, and her pessimistic opinion of the Human race

"Do you realize you've just rewritten our history books?!"
"A footnote, at best."
"Footnote!? This is like discovering that Neil Armstrong wasn't the first man to walk on the moon!"
"Perhaps he wasn't." (Tucker groans.)

- Tucker and T'Pol, regarding the importance of the story

Background information

Story, script, cast, and production

This episode was shot before "Shockwave, Part II", though aired after.
In reality, Velcro was invented by George de Mestral. This is where the character of Mestral got his name. Also, De Mestral's Velcro patent was granted in 1955, two years before Sputnik and the events depicted in this episode.
As evidenced by the episode's script, this installment had the working title "Population: 612". The final draft of the teleplay was issued on 18 September 2002.
Although credited, Dominic Keating (Lt. Malcolm Reed), John Billingsley (Dr. Phlox), Anthony Montgomery (Ensign Travis Mayweather), and Linda Park (Ensign Hoshi Sato) do not appear in this episode. This is the first episode of the series in which Keating, Montgomery, and Park do not appear.
The Season 2 blooper reel includes an alternate take of the final dinner table scene (after the conclusion of T'Pol's story), which the actors performed as if the characters were inebriated, including Jolene Blalock as T'Pol. The take broke down when Tucker actor Connor Trinneer began laughing.
In this episode, the television program I Love Lucy is mentioned by one of the Vulcan characters. In reality, Star Trek: The Original Series was a Desilu production, filmed at that studio, which was owned by Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball, the stars of I Love Lucy a decade before.
The Twilight Zone is also mentioned by Tucker; UPN originally aired "Carbon Creek" immediately prior to the debut episode of a new version of Twilight Zone. Ira Steven Behr was an executive producer of this incarnation of the series.
Scenes of the town were filmed in Crestline, California. ^{(citation needed • edit)}

Continuity

This episode bears some similarities to VOY: "11:59". In both episodes, a main character tells a story to other main characters about an ancestor of theirs on 20th century Earth. In both cases, much of the episode is set on Earth of the past, centered around the main character's ancestor (who is played by the same actress).
Tucker mentions the statue of Zefram Cochrane, as described in Star Trek: First Contact.
This episode takes place on the first anniversary of T'Pol's assignment to Enterprise. It is also revealed that the previous record for a Vulcan serving on an Earth starship was ten days.
This episode has one of the few on-screen depictions of a Vulcan drinking alcohol.
Mestral is also seen eating a pretzel with his hand, which was noted as a contradiction of statements made by T'Pol in "Broken Bow", regarding Vulcans not touching food with their hands (hereafter, T'Pol herself was seen on occasion breaking the apparent taboo, as well). Taboo aside, Mestral may have simply been trying to act "Human," so as to remain relatively inconspicuous.
Although it has been established that Vulcans are apparently not supposed to tell lies, Mestral lies to T'Mir about his "date" with Maggie. Also, towards the end of the episode, T'Mir tells the Vulcan rescue team that Mestral died as well and his remains were cremated, when in fact, he had chosen to remain on the planet. However, before the Kir'Shara was discovered (as is depicted in the fourth season outing "Kir'Shara"), it was not against Vulcan culture to lie. Furthermore, some Vulcans were known to engage in deception afterwards, such as Valeris' involvement with the Khitomer conspiracy or Tuvok when infiltrating Chakotay's Maquis crew.
Mestral's Vulcan claim that the Human game of pool is a simple exercise in geometry echoes what Tuvok says to Tom Paris in VOY: "Jetrel".
Despite Tucker's shock at the revelation that extra-terrestrials had visited Earth more than a century before the official First Contact, extra-terrestrials had visited Earth even further back than that. Guinan, an El-Aurian, was living in San Francisco in 1893, as established in "Time's Arrow" and "Time's Arrow, Part II", while "North Star" and "The 37's" established that hundreds of Humans were abducted from Earth by the Skagarans in the 1860s and again by the Briori in 1937.
Archer suggests Mestral could have lived on Earth for 100-150 years. Given that length of time, it's possible he could have lived long enough to see the official First Contact between Humans and Vulcans in 2063.

Awards

This episode was nominated for a Hugo Award for "Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form".

Releases

As part of the ENT Season 2 DVD collection
As part of the ENT Season 2 Blu-ray collection

Links and references

Starring

Scott Bakula as Captain Jonathan Archer
Jolene Blalock as Subcommander T'Pol and T'Mir
Connor Trinneer as Commander Charles "Trip" Tucker III

Guest stars

Co-stars

Previous episode:
"Shockwave, Part II"

Star Trek: Enterprise
Season 2

Next episode:
"Minefield"

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{realworld}}
-{{sidebar episode|
+{{sidebar episode
-<!-- See [[Memory Alpha:Episode data project]] -->
+|<!-- See [[Memory Alpha:Episode data project]] -->
 |          aSelf = Carbon Creek (episode)
 |         sTitle = Carbon Creek
@@ Line 34: / Line 34: @@
 == Summary ==
-[[File:TPols one year toast.jpg|thumb|[[T'Pol]], [[Jonathan Archer|Captain Archer]], and [[Charles Tucker III|Commander Tucker]] [[toast]].]]
+[[File:TPols one year toast.jpg|thumb|T'Pol, Captain Archer, and Commander Tucker toast]]
-[[Jonathan Archer]], [[Charles Tucker III|Trip Tucker]], and [[T'Pol]] are informally celebrating T'Pol's official one-year anniversary on board the [[Enterprise (NX-01)|''Enterprise'']]. Despite T'Pol insisting that she is only carrying out her duties and that a toast or a celebration are not needed, Archer tells her that it is indeed a special occasion considering that the previous record for a [[Vulcan]] serving on a [[Human]] [[starship|ship]] was two weeks; whereupon T'Pol corrects him, stating it was only ten days. Archer goes on to tell her that he has been filling out her annual crew evaluation. He points out that in her record he noted that while she was stationed in [[Sausalito]], she took a five-day leave to visit an old [[mining]] town in [[Pennsylvania]] called [[Carbon Creek]]. T'Pol tells him that she went there for personal reasons.  Both Archer and Tucker wonder what kind of personal business T'Pol could possibly have in Pennsylvania. She tells them that she went to Carbon Creek because she wanted to visit the site of [[First Contact]] between Humans and Vulcans, which in fact did not take place in [[Montana]] in [[2063]], as many believe, but over a century before.
+[[Jonathan Archer]], [[Charles Tucker III|Trip Tucker]], and [[T'Pol]] are informally celebrating T'Pol's official one-year anniversary on board the {{NX|Enterprise}}. Despite T'Pol insisting that she is only carrying out her duties and that a [[toast]] or a celebration are not needed, Archer tells her that it is indeed a special occasion considering that the previous record for a [[Vulcan]] serving on a [[Human]] [[starship|ship]] was just two weeks. T'Pol corrects him, stating it was only ten days. Archer goes on to tell her that he has been filling out her annual crew evaluation. He points out that in her record he noted that while she was stationed in [[Sausalito]], she took a five-day leave to visit an old [[mining]] town in [[Pennsylvania]] called [[Carbon Creek]]. T'Pol tells him that she went there for personal reasons.  Both Archer and Tucker wonder what kind of personal business T'Pol could possibly have in Pennsylvania. She tells them that she went to Carbon Creek because she wanted to visit the site of [[First Contact]] between Humans and Vulcans. This comes to quite a surprise to Archer and Tucker, who both insist that first contact took place in [[Montana]] in [[2063]], over a century later.
-[[File:Sputnik I.jpg|thumb|left|''Sputnik 1'' in [[orbit]] of [[Earth]] in [[1957]]]]
+[[File:Sputnik I.jpg|thumb|left|''Sputnik 1'' in orbit of Earth in 1957]]
-T'Pol begins the story of the first Vulcan-Human first contact that took place in [[1957]] in Carbon Creek: A [[Vulcan survey ship (20th century)|Vulcan survey ship]] is performing a survey from [[orbit]] after the recent ''[[Sputnik I]]'' launch by Humans. Unfortunately, after three weeks of surveying, they experience [[impulse manifold]] problems and are forced into an emergency [[crash landing]] on [[Earth]], or more precisely, near the small town of Carbon Creek in Pennsylvania. Their [[captain]] dies in the crash, leaving [[T'Mir]] (T'Pol's second [[foremother]]) in command of the two other surviving Vulcans. Their [[subspace transceiver]] is damaged in the crash and so they have no way of knowing if their [[distress signal]] has even been transmitted. To make matters worse, their [[emergency ration]]s are used up within a week. After five days without food, their situation grows so desperate they decide to investigate all their options and pay a visit to the town nearby. [[Mestral]] and T'Mir disguise themselves by stealing clothes from a backyard clothesline and limiting interaction to Humans as much as possible so as to not contaminate their culture.
+Encouraged by her dinner companions, T'Pol begins the story of the first Vulcan-Human contact that took place in [[1957]] in Carbon Creek: A {{dis|Vulcan survey ship|20th century}} is performing a survey from [[Earth]] [[orbit]] after the recent ''[[Sputnik I]]'' launch by Humans. Unfortunately, after three weeks of surveying, they experience [[impulse manifold]] problems and are forced into an emergency [[crash landing]] on Earth, or more precisely, near the small town of Carbon Creek in Pennsylvania. Their [[captain]] dies in the crash, leaving [[T'Mir]] (T'Pol's second [[foremother]], which she explains is her mother's mother's mother) in command of the two other surviving Vulcans. Their [[subspace transceiver]] is damaged in the crash and so they have no way of knowing if their [[distress signal]] has even been transmitted. To make matters worse, their [[emergency ration]]s are used up within a week. After five days without food, their situation grows so desperate they decide to investigate all their options and pay a visit to the town nearby. [[Mestral]] and T'Mir disguise themselves by stealing clothes from a backyard clothesline and agree to limit their interaction to Humans as much as possible so as to not contaminate their culture.
-They wander around town, somewhat confused as to all the things they observe, until they find a [[restaurant]] and [[bar]] where they learn they can acquire food. Mestral decides to wager T'Mir's companionship with a human, [[Billy (Carbon Creek)|Billy]] on a game of [[pool]] in order to provide his crewmates with local currencies so they can purchase food, much to her protest.  After a rough beginning to the game, Mestral rallies back to win.
+They wander around town, somewhat confused as to all the things they observe, until they find a [[restaurant]] and [[bar]] where they learn they can acquire food. They have no currency to pay for the food, but this problem is resolved when Mestral decides to accept a challenged wager, from {{dis|Billy|Carbon Creek}}, on a game of [[pool|pool.]] If Billy wins, T'Mir must have a drink with him; if Mestral wins, he wins a quarter per ball.  T'Mir protests, but Mestral assures her that s is simply a game of angles, and wouldn't even present a challenge to a Vulcan child. Finally, T'Mir relents. After a rough beginning to the game, Mestral rallies back to win.
-While T'Pol is telling her story, a much-amused Tucker can't help but question it. He states that two Vulcans thrown into a bar, hustling for a game of pool, and then walking out with an arm-load of TV dinners seems more like an old episode of ''[[The Twilight Zone]]''. While he and Archer have a good laugh over this, T'Pol continues with her story.
+While T'Pol is telling her story, a much-amused Tucker can't help but question it. He states that two Vulcans thrown into a bar, hustling for a game of pool, and then walking out with an armload of TV dinners seems more like an old episode of ''[[The Twilight Zone]]''. While he and Archer have a good laugh over this, T'Pol continues with her story.
-The three Vulcans, realizing that they cannot go on relying on [[gambling]], begin taking whatever employment they can find while they wait for a rescue vessel to arrive. However, as the weeks pass, it seems less likely that their distress call had been received. Coming to terms with their situation, the three build a life for themselves. T'Mir takes a job at the bar that they walked in earlier, which is run by [[Maggie]].  [[Stron]] has taken on a job as a [[plumber]], using Vulcan technology when no one else is looking. Mestral takes a job in the local coal mine where Billy works, and becomes very interested in and fond of Human culture and technology, and makes new friends. He even becomes romantically interested in Maggie, much to the dismay of T'Mir, who refuses to engage in a more meaningful relationship with Humans. Stron, on the other hand, is very unhappy about his situation, complaining about the trivial nonsense of Humans he is exposed to everyday, such as being compared to one of the [[Moe Howard|three Stooges]]; being a [[warp field engineer]], he finds the situation intolerable.
+The three Vulcans, realizing that they cannot go on relying on [[gambling]], begin taking whatever employment they can find while they wait for a rescue vessel to arrive. However, as the weeks pass, it seems less likely that their distress call had been received. Coming to terms with their situation, the three build a life for themselves. T'Mir takes a job at the bar that they visited earlier, which is run by a woman named [[Maggie]]. [[Stron]] has taken on a job as a [[plumber]], using Vulcan technology when no one else is looking. Mestral takes a job in the local [[coal]] [[mine]] where Billy works, becomes very interested in and fond of Human culture and technology, and makes new friends. He even becomes romantically interested in Maggie, much to the dismay of T'Mir, who refuses to engage in a more meaningful relationship with Humans. Stron, on the other hand, is very unhappy about his situation, complaining about the trivial nonsense of Humans he is exposed to every day, such as being compared to one of the [[Moe Howard|three Stooges]]; as a [[warp field engineer]], he finds the situation intolerable.
-T'Mir states that if they remain there they will die, because Earth seems to be on the brink of self-annihilation. Mestral, however, doesn't believe her, saying that if she spent a little more time observing Human behavior she might not have such a pessimistic view of them. He states that despite their weaknesses, Humans possess great potential, such as empathy and compassion. Furthermore, he becomes more reluctant to take orders from T'Mir, stating that it was about time they realized that their mission is over and that no one will come to their rescue.
+T'Mir states that if they remain there they will die, because Earth seems to be on the brink of self-annihilation. Mestral, however, doesn't believe her, saying that if she spent a little more time observing Human behavior she might not have such a pessimistic view of them. He states that, despite their weaknesses, Humans possess great potential, such as empathy and compassion. Furthermore, he becomes more reluctant to take orders from T'Mir, stating that it was about time they realized that their mission is over and that no one will come to their rescue.
-Even if T'Mir is not willing to make deeper contact with the Humans, her opinion changes when she has a conversation with Maggie's son, [[Jack (20th century)|Jack]], who shows interest in meditation and [[astronomy]] and has a desire to learn. Jack is one of the few Humans T'Mir doesn't find repulsive and crude.
+Even if T'Mir is not willing to make deeper contact with the Humans, her opinion changes when she has a conversation with Maggie's son, {{dis|Jack|20th century}}, who shows interest in meditation and [[astronomy]] and has a desire to learn. Jack is one of the few Humans T'Mir doesn't find repulsive and crude.
-Later, when an accident in the [[coal mine]] traps twenty people, Mestral wants to use a [[particle weapon]] to free the trapped men. Stron and T'Mir are both initially reluctant to help save the miners because they fear being exposed.  However, T'Mir eventually ends up helping Mestral free his friends.
+Later, when an accident in the coal mine traps twenty people, Mestral wants to use a [[particle weapon]] to free the trapped men. Stron and T'Mir are both initially reluctant to help save the miners because they fear being exposed.  However, T'Mir eventually ends up helping Mestral free his friends.
-Three months later, a [[D'Vahl|Vulcan survey ship]] finally contacts them, saying their distress call made it to [[Vulcan (planet)|Vulcan]] through a [[Tellarite freighter (20th century)|Tellarite freighter]]. The three are taken by surprise at this new development, yet know that the time has come to finally say goodbye. When T'Mir says goodbye to Jack, he tells her that he cannot go to college after all, because he and Maggie can't afford the tuition. T'Mir decides to sell the [[Velcro]] found on board the crashed Vulcan ship at a [[patent office]], in order to be able to anonymously help out Jack with his college tuition.
+Three months later, a [[D'Vahl|Vulcan survey ship]] finally contacts them, saying their distress call made it to {{dis|Vulcan|planet}} through a {{dis|Tellarite freighter|20th century}}. The three are taken by surprise at this new development, yet know that the time has come to finally say goodbye. When T'Mir says goodbye to Jack, he tells her that he cannot go to college after all, because he and Maggie can't afford the tuition. T'Mir decides to sell the [[Velcro]] found on board the crashed Vulcan ship at a [[patent office]] in order to be able to anonymously help out Jack with his college tuition.
-Mestral, however, has decided that he doesn't want to return to Vulcan; not wanting to let the chance slip by to study an emerging species at the verge of countless social and technological advancements. T'Mir, who has gained an understanding for what Mestral is saying, tells Captain [[Tellus]] from the Vulcan ship that Mestral had died in the crash together with the captain.
+Mestral, however, has decided that he doesn't want to return to Vulcan, not wanting to let the chance slip by to study an emerging species at the verge of countless social and technological advancements. T'Mir at first protests, but soon accepts (and respects) Mestral's decisions, telling Captain [[Tellus]] from the Vulcan rescue ship that Mestral had died in the crash together with the captain.
 [[File:TMirs purse.jpg|thumb|T'Pol takes out her ancestor's purse]]
-Back on the ''Enterprise'' and in the present, Archer and Tucker are speechless at what they are hearing, for this new information shakes their long-held beliefs about first contact with Vulcans to the core. T'Pol says that the event is very well documented in the Vulcan archives, but maintains the ambiguity by saying that she just told them "a story" like they had asked her to.
+Back on the ''Enterprise'' and in the present, Archer and Tucker are speechless at what they are hearing, for this new information shakes to the core their long-held beliefs about first contact with Vulcans. T'Pol says that the event is very well documented in the Vulcan archives, but maintains the ambiguity by saying that she just told them "a story" like they had asked her to.
 Later in her [[quarters]], T'Pol takes out an old, vintage purse, holding it up in reminiscence of her great-grandmother's story and time on Earth.
-== Memorable Quotes ==
+== Memorable quotes ==
 "''Every school kid knows that Zefram Cochrane met the Vulcans in Bozeman, Montana on April 5th, 2063. I've been there. There's a statue.''"
 : - '''Tucker''', after T'Pol tells him and Archer that First Contact with Vulcans actually happened in Carbon Creek in 1957
-"''T'Mir was your great-grandmother? I'd be the last person to question your math, but... aren't you missing a few generations? Sputnik was 200 years ago.''"<br />
+"''T'Mir was your great-grandmother? I'd be the last person to question your math, but... aren't you missing a few generations? Sputnik was two hundred years ago.''"<br />
 "''Don't forget how long Vulcans live.''"<br />
-"Rig-ght...(Trip turns to face T'Pol) ''Just how old are you?'' (he turns to face Archer) ''It's gotta be in her record...''"<br />
+"Rig-ght... (Tucker turns to face T'Pol) ''Just how old are you?'' (he turns to face Archer) ''It's gotta be in her record...''"<br />
 "''Trip - that's classified information.''"
 : - '''Tucker''' and '''Archer''', discussing T'Pol's age
@@ Line 75: / Line 75: @@
 "''Some type of combat, no doubt.''"<br />
 "''I believe it may be an entertainment.''"
-: - '''T'Mir''' and '''Mestral''' observing a group of Humans listening to a baseball game on the radio
+: - '''T'Mir''' and '''Mestral''', observing a group of Humans listening to a baseball game on the radio
@@ Line 105: / Line 105: @@
 "''I'd hate to see Humanity destroy itself.''"<br />
 "''That makes two of us.''"
-: - '''Mestral''' and '''Maggie''' after watching the testing of nuclear weapons in White Sands, New Mexico on TV
+: - '''Mestral''' and '''Maggie''', after watching the testing of nuclear weapons in White Sands, New Mexico on TV
 "''Oh, God.''"<br />
-"''Please, I-I was simply surprised. It was - very pleasant.''"<br />
+"''Please, I- I was simply surprised. It was - very pleasant.''"<br />
 "''"Pleasant"?''"<br />
 "''Wasn't than an appropriate response?''"<br />
 "''Well, it's been a while since I kissed a man but still I was hoping it'd be a little bit more than "pleasant".''"<br />
 "''I did say ''very'' pleasant.''"
-: - '''Maggie''' and '''Mestral''' after kissing suddenly
+: - '''Maggie''' and '''Mestral''', after she impulsively kisses him
@@ Line 122: / Line 122: @@
-"''I need to go now. I Love Lucy is on tonight. ''"<br />
+"''I need to go now. ''I Love Lucy'' is on tonight. ''"<br />
 : - '''Mestral'''
 "''It's unfortunate that you'll be leaving these people without experiencing one thing they have to offer.''"<br />
-"''Such as? Alcohol? Frozen fish sticks? The constant threat of nuclear annihilation?''"
+"''Such as? Alcohol? Frozen fishsticks? The constant threat of nuclear annihilation?''"
 : - '''Mestral''' and '''Stron'''
@@ Line 142: / Line 142: @@
 == Background information ==
-=== Story, cast, and production ===
+=== Story, script, cast, and production ===
 * This episode was shot before {{e|Shockwave, Part II}}, though aired after.
 * In reality, Velcro was invented by {{w|George de Mestral}}. This is where the character of [[Mestral]] got his name. Also, De Mestral's Velcro patent was granted in 1955, two years before Sputnik and the events depicted in this episode.
+* As evidenced by the episode's script, this installment had the working title "Population: 612". The final draft of the teleplay was issued on {{d|18|September|2002}}.
 * Although credited, [[Dominic Keating]] ([[Lieutenant|Lt.]] [[Malcolm Reed]]), [[John Billingsley]] ([[Doctor|Dr.]] [[Phlox]]), [[Anthony Montgomery]] ([[Ensign]] [[Travis Mayweather]]), and [[Linda Park]] ([[Ensign]] [[Hoshi Sato]]) [[Main character non-appearances|do not appear]] in this episode. This is the first episode of the series in which Keating, Montgomery, and Park do not appear.
 * The [[ENT Season 2|Season 2]] blooper reel includes an alternate take of the final dinner table scene (after the conclusion of T'Pol's story), which the actors performed as if the characters were inebriated, including [[Jolene Blalock]] as T'Pol. The take broke down when Tucker actor [[Connor Trinneer]] began laughing.
@@ Line 160: / Line 161: @@
 * Mestral's Vulcan claim that the Human game of pool is a simple exercise in geometry echoes what Tuvok says to [[Tom Paris]] in {{VOY|Jetrel}}.
 * Despite Tucker's shock at the revelation that extra-terrestrials had visited Earth more than a century before the official First Contact, extra-terrestrials had visited Earth even further back than that.  [[Guinan]], an [[El-Aurian]], was living in [[San Francisco]] in [[1893]], as established in {{e|Time's Arrow}} and {{e|Time's Arrow, Part II}}, while {{e|North Star}} and {{e|The 37's}} established that hundreds of Humans were abducted from Earth by the [[Skagaran]]s in the 1860s and again by the [[Briori]] in [[1937]].
-* Archer suggests Mestral could have lived on Earth for 100-150 years.  Given that length of time, it's possible he lived long enough to see the official First Contact between Humans and Vulcans in 2063.
+* Archer suggests Mestral could have lived on Earth for 100-150 years.  Given that length of time, it's possible he could have lived long enough to see the official First Contact between Humans and Vulcans in 2063.
-* Jack's last name is never revealed. Given his obvious intelligence and his fascination with astronomy, it is possible that Jack is actually [[Jackson Roykirk]], who would one day design and build the space probe ''[[Nomad]]''. ({{e|The Changeling}})
-* When Jack's mother notices the money T'Pol left in the tip jar, the money inside was 2000's currency, especially a fifty dollar bill of the newer style that was not in use during the 1950s.
-* While walking into town, Mestral and T'Mir observe men listening to a baseball game on a radio.  Given that ''Sputnik I'' was launched October 4, and the Vulcans had observed the craft for three weeks, then had lived on rations for a week, the earliest that date could have been would be November 4, 1957.  MLB's season had ended that year on October 10.
 === Awards ===
@@ Line 181: / Line 179: @@
 *[[Ann Cusack]] as [[Maggie]]
 *[[J. Paul Boehmer]] as [[Mestral]]
-*[[Hank Harris]] as [[Jack (20th century)|Jack]]
+*[[Hank Harris]] as {{dis|Jack|20th century}}
 *[[Michael Krawic]] as [[Stron]]
-*[[David Selburg]] as the [[Unnamed Vulcans (20th century)#Vulcan Captain|Vulcan captain]]
+*[[David Selburg]] as the [[Vulcan 20th century captain|Vulcan captain]]
 === Co-stars ===
-*[[Clay Wilcox]] as [[Billy (Carbon Creek)|Billy]]
+*[[Clay Wilcox]] as {{dis|Billy|Carbon Creek}}
 *[[Ron Marasco]] as [[Tellus]]
 *[[Paul Hayes]] as a [[R. Ascher|businessman]]
 === Uncredited co-stars ===
-*[[Doug Wax]] as a [[Unnamed Humans (20th century)#Train passengers|train passenger]]
+* [[Doug Wax]] as a [[Human 20th century train passengers|train passenger]]
-*[[Unknown performers]] as
+* [[Unknown actor]]s as
-**[[Unnamed Humans (20th century)#Train passengers|Two train passengers]]
+** [[Human 20th century train passengers|Two train passengers]]
-**[[Unnamed Vulcans (20th century)#Vulcan Officer|Vulcan officer]]
+** [[Vulcan 20th century officer|Vulcan officer]]
-**[[Unnamed Humans (20th century)#Inhabitants of Carbon Creek|Inhabitants of Carbon Creek]]
+** [[Human 20th century bar patrons|Several bar patrons]]
+** [[Human 20th century tavern customers|Two tavern customers]]
 ===References===
-[[alcohol]]; [[alien]]s; [[apple]]; [[Neil Armstrong|Armstrong, Neil]]; [[annual crew evaluation]]; [[astronomy]]; [[atomic bomb]]; [[baking powder]]; [[baseball]]; [[bean]]; [[beef roast]]; [[Big Creek Manufacturing and Sales Co.]]; [[Bozeman]]; [[Buddhism|Buddhist monks]]; [[Carbon Creek]]; [[Carlsbad Caverns]]; [[chewing gum]]; [[Clabber Girl]]; [[Zefram Cochrane|Cochrane, Zefram]]; [[crash landing]]; [[Crosley]]; [[cryogenics]]; [[deer]]; [[distress call]]; [[Doylestown]]; ''[[D'Vahl]]''; [[D'Vahl type]]; [[Earth]]; [[egg]]; [[emergency ration]]s; ''[[fakir]]s''; [[First Contact]]; [[fish stick]]s; [[Garrett|Garrett, Mrs.]]; [[Gavin]]; [[geology]]; [[geometry]]; [[green beans]]; [[India]]; ''[[I Love Lucy]]''; [[ketchup]]; [[logic]]; [[loitering]]; [[Madeline's Cafe]]; [[Mars]]; [[mechanical engineering]]; [[Moe]]; [[Montana]]; [[movie]]; [[mustard]]; [[neon sign]]; [[nuclear device]]; [[Nyals family remedies]]; [[particle weapon]]; [[Pennsylvania]]; [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix]]; [[Pine Tree]]; [[Pittsburgh]]; [[pool]]; [[President of the United States]]; [[patty melt]]; [[pork]]; [[protein replicator]]; [[pretzel]]; [[quartz]]; [[artificial satellite|satellite]]; [[sauerkraut]]; [[Sausalito]]; [[scouring powder]]; ''[[Sputnik I]]''; [[subspace transceiver]]; [[T'Les]]; [[Tellarite freighter (20th century)|Tellarite freighter]]; [[Tellarite]]; [[Tellus]]; [[television]]; ''[[The Three Stooges|Three Stooges, The]]''; [[Tibet]]; [[Tim]]; [[TV dinner]]; ''[[The Twilight Zone|Twilight Zone, The]]''; [[Undertaker]];  [[Velcro]]; [[vinegar]]; [[Virginia]]; [[Vulcan]]s; [[Vulcan (planet)]]; [[Vulcan High Command]]; [[Vulcan Science Directorate]]; [[Vulcan Space Council]]; [[Vulcan survey ship (20th century)|Vulcan survey vessel]]; [[Vulcan]]s; [[warp field engineer]]; [[waveform discriminator]]; [[Wedgewood]]; [[White Sands]]; [[warp field engineer]]; [[White Sands]]; [[Yellowstone Park]]; [[Zefram Cochrane's statue]]
+[[alcohol]]; [[alien]]s; [[apple]]; [[Neil Armstrong|Armstrong, Neil]]; [[annual crew evaluation]]; [[astronomy]]; [[atomic bomb]]; [[baking powder]]; [[baseball]]; [[bean]]; [[beef roast]]; [[Big Creek Manufacturing and Sales Co.]]; [[Bozeman]]; [[Buddhism|Buddhist monks]]; [[Carbon Creek]]; [[Carlsbad Caverns]]; [[chewing gum]]; [[Clabber Girl]]; [[Zefram Cochrane|Cochrane, Zefram]]; [[crash landing]]; [[Crosley]]; [[cryogenics]]; [[deer]]; [[distress call]]; [[Dodge Half-Ton Pickup Truck]]; [[Doylestown]]; ''[[D'Vahl]]''; {{type|D'Vahl}}; [[Earth]]; [[egg]]; [[emergency ration]]s; ''[[fakir]]s''; [[First Contact]]; [[fishstick]]s; [[Garrett|Garrett, Mrs.]]; [[Gavin]]; [[geology]]; [[geometry]]; [[green bean]]s; [[India]]; ''[[I Love Lucy]]''; [[ketchup]]; [[kilometer]]; [[logic]]; [[loitering]]; [[Madeline's Cafe]]; [[Mars]]; [[mechanical engineering]]; [[meter]]; [[Moe]]; [[Montana]]; [[movie]]; [[mustard]]; [[neon sign]]; [[nuclear device]]; [[Nyals family remedies]]; [[orbit]]; [[particle weapon]]; [[Pennsylvania]]; [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix]]; [[Pine Tree]]; [[Pittsburgh]]; [[pool]]; [[President of the United States]]; [[patty melt]]; [[pork]]; [[protein replicator]]; [[pretzel]]; [[quartz]]; [[artificial satellite|satellite]]; [[sauerkraut]]; [[Sausalito]]; [[scouring powder]]; ''[[Sputnik I]]''; [[statistical scan]]; [[subspace transceiver]]; [[T'Les]]; {{dis|Tellarite freighter|20th century}}; [[Tellarite]]; [[Tellus]]; [[television]]; ''[[The Three Stooges|Three Stooges, The]]''; [[Tibet]]; [[Tim]]; ´[[tip]]; [[tip jar]]; [[tuition]]; [[TV dinner]]; ''[[The Twilight Zone|Twilight Zone, The]]''; [[undertaker]]; [[vacuum cleaner]]; [[Velcro]]; [[vinegar]]; [[Virginia]]; [[Vulcan]]; {{dis|Vulcan|planet}}; [[Vulcan High Command]]; [[Vulcan particle weapon]]; [[Vulcan Science Directorate]]; [[Vulcan Space Council]]; {{dis|Vulcan survey ship|20th century}}; [[warp field engineer]]; [[waveform discriminator]]; [[Wedgewood]]; [[White Sands]]; [[Yellowstone Park]]; [[Zefram Cochrane's statue]]
 ===External link===
-*{{Wikipedia|Carbon Creek (Star Trek: Enterprise)}}
+*{{Wikipedia-quote|Carbon Creek (Star Trek: Enterprise)|Carbon Creek}}
 {{ENT nav|season=2|last={{e|Shockwave, Part II}}|next={{e|Minefield}}}}