Changes: Unexpected (episode)

Revision as of 17:22, 17 February 2009

When Trip Tucker assists an alien vessel with repairs, a "friendly" encounter with one of the crew leads to rather unexpected consequences.

Summary

Various systems throughout Enterprise are malfunctioning. It is soon discovered that this is caused by a cloaked alien ship which is using Enterprise's plasma exhaust to replenish its teraphasic coils because its own engines are malfunctioning. The aliens deeply regret the incident and Captain Archer graciously offers to help them. Commander Tucker is sent to the alien vessel to assist them with the repairs.

At first, Trip Tucker has an unpleasant experience as he adjusts to the ship's environment: refusing to rest after going through a three-hour decompression makes him feel nauseous and feverish. However, he finally accepts the suggestion to rest a little and begins to feel better soon afterward. The female Xyrillian engineer on board the ship helps Tucker recuperate. Between repairs she also shows him around the ship and introduces him to some interesting features of their technology: notably a kind of holodeck where various environments are simulated. She also plays some sort of a "game" with him whereby both reach into a pool of pebbles that enables them to read each other's minds. It is an interesting and enjoyable experience for Trip. When the coils come back online and thus the repairs are concluded, Trip finally returns back to the Enterprise, having thoroughly enjoyed his three-day trip.

File:Voroks battle cruiser-fore, Unexpected.jpg

Vorok's battle cruiser

After the Xyrillian starship leaves, Tucker discovers a strange growth on his lower arm. He thinks it is an allergic reaction but after being examined by Dr. Phlox, he learns that it is actually a nipple and that he is pregnant. After being asked some rather uncomfortable questions by Archer and T'Pol about his stay on board the alien vessel, he states that the only thing that could come close to having had physical contact would have to be the pebble "game" he played with the female engineer. The doctor tells him that apparently the "game" served to transfer genetic information to him. Tucker is not biologically related to the embryo but is merely being used as a host to grow the embryo, as it is typically done by the Xyrillians. However, not knowing enough about the process, they cannot do anything about it. They realize that they have to find the Xyrillians to find information about the gestation process. While searching for the Xyrillian ship, a hormonal Trip finds himself irritated frequently. He grows another nipple, eats a lot and is sure that T'Pol told everyone about his pregnancy. Finally, they discover the Xyrillians hitchhiking on a Klingon battle cruiser as they did with Enterprise.

After a difficult explanation of the situation to the Klingons who find all this very amusing, the Klingons decide not to destroy the Xyrillian ship if the Xyrillians promise to share some of their technology, in particular the hologram program, with them. Tucker can then go back on to the ship to get some answers. When he explains his situation, Ah'len apologizes, saying she didn't know that was possible. After examination, she finally concludes that the embryo could safely be transferred to another host – it is also revealed that the embryo is a girl.

As they depart, T'Pol informs Tucker that he may be pleased to know that after some research she found that this is the first recorded incident of a Human male becoming pregnant – "just how I always wanted to get in the history books", Tucker responds.

Log entries

"Captain's starlog, supplemental. We've spent eight days looking for the Xyrillian ship. But so far, we've... had no luck."

Deleted scenes

There was one deleted scene presented on the season one DVD release of Enterprise. The scene number indicates the scene's original place in the episode before being cut.

Scene 44

This scene takes place in Enterprise's situation room and shows Tucker (who is not feeling very well), T'Pol and Reed discussing whether or not they are actually tracking the stealth alien vessel. Tucker attempts to dismiss himself, only for T'Pol to recommend a meal, revealing she has been told that Rigelian sausage, which has recently been prepared by the ship's chef, is notably "succulent". Tucker replies that he plans to lie down for a while but, as he waits for the turbolift door to open, Reed comes up with a faster way to detect the alien ship's plasma trail - by modifying Enterprises UV sensors. He asks for the engineer's help to do so, but Tucker, about to vomit, rushes to a door in the situation room, opens it and exits. He can then be heard to vomit.

Memorable quotes

"You should try these blueberry pancakes. They're quite delicious!"
"I've sampled Human food on several occasions. It didn't agree with me."
"Give it some time. The Vulcan digestive tract is highly adaptable."
"I prefer to eat the foods I'm accustomed to."
"There's an old saying: 'When in Fellebia, do as the Fellebians do' "
"It's difficult enough having to smell all of this. Eating it is out of the question."

- Phlox and T'Pol

"I'm not sure if congratulations are in order commander but, you're pregnant."

- Phlox, to Tucker

"Three days. You were only there for three days, and you couldn't restrain yourself."
"I'm telling you, captain, I was a complete gentleman the entire time."
"I imagine that's a question of how you define 'gentleman' "

- T'Pol and Tucker

"One of the first things a diplomat learns is not to stick his fingers where they don't belong."

- T'Pol, to Tucker

"You'll probably feel a bit nauseated in the mornings, so get sufficient rest and exercise and see me at least once a day. That nipple may not be the only surprise your body has in store for you."

- Phlox, to a pregnant Tucker

"I can see my house from here!"

- a Klingon, upon seeing a holographic representation of the capital city of Qo'noS on board the Xyrillian ship

"Perhaps a little lunch might help. I hear Chef has prepared Rigelian sausage. (Tucker groans) Being vegetarian I can't speak from experience, but I'm told it's quite succulent."

- T'Pol, in a deleted scene in which she seems to be teasing (or punishing) Tucker

Background Information

Randy Oglesby (Trena'L) would later play the recurring character Degra during the third season.
Julianne Christie (Ah'Len) previously appeared as Dexa, a Talaxian in VOY: "Homestead".
The Klingon battle cruiser that appeared in this episode was a very much 'unexpected' reuse of the Template:ShipClass model. For more information, see Vorok's battle cruiser.
This is the first known hostile encounter between a Starfleet and a Klingon vessel.
This is the chronological first appearance of holodeck-like technology, which passes into the hands of the Klingons in this episode. It is unknown whether Federation holodeck technology was later developed from this basis, or developed independently.
A script from this episode was sold off on the It's A Wrap! sale and auction on eBay. [1]

Video and DVD releases

UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, Paramount Home Entertainment): Volume 1.3, 10 June 2002.
As part of the UK VHS collection Enterprise 1.1-1.3 Collectors Edition: 19 August 2002
As part of the ENT Season 1 DVD collection.

Links and References

Starring

Scott Bakula as Jonathan Archer
John Billingsley as Phlox
Jolene Blalock as T'Pol
Dominic Keating as Malcolm Reed
Anthony Montgomery as Travis Mayweather
Linda Park as Hoshi Sato
Connor Trinneer as Charles "Trip" Tucker III

Guest Stars

Co-Stars

References

Almack; artificial gravity; bioscan; blueberry pancakes; catfish; chef; chicken tetrazzini; dutara root; Fellebia; Fellebians; Hart; holographic; hologram; inter-species reproduction; Klaang; Klingons; Klingon chancellor; Klingon Empire; Klingon High Council Chamber; mirazine; plasma exhaust; plomeek broth; resequenced photons; Qo'noS; Starfleet database; stealth; Sto-vo-kor; telepathy; teraphasic coils; Thera; vegetarian; Vorok's battle cruiser; Vulcans; Vulcan; water; Xyrillians; Xyrillian starship

Previous episode:
"Strange New World"

Star Trek: Enterprise
Season 1

Next episode:
"Terra Nova"

@@ Line 93: / Line 93: @@
 *The [[Klingon]] [[battle cruiser]] that appeared in this episode was a very much 'unexpected' reuse of the {{ShipClass|K't'inga}} model. For more information, see [[Vorok's battle cruiser]].
 *This is the first known hostile encounter between a Starfleet and a Klingon vessel.
+*This is the chronological first appearance of holodeck-like technology, which passes into the hands of the Klingons in this episode. It is unknown whether Federation holodeck technology was later developed from this basis, or developed independently.
 *A script from this episode was sold off on the [[It's A Wrap! sale and auction]] on eBay. {{stala|9451}}