The Andorian Incident

"The Andorian Incident" is the sixth episode (production #107) of the television series Star Trek: Enterprise. Captain Archer and Commander Tucker, after finding the Vulcan star maps incomplete, talk Sub-Commander T'Pol into taking a trip to P'Jem, a Vulcan monastery. When Archer, Tucker, and T'Pol arrive at P'Jem, they find the Vulcans have visitors: the Andorians. As one of the most significant of the first season episodes, the events of "The Andorian Incident" would continue to resonate into the fourth season. This would, in particular, affect T'Pol and her family.

Plot

On board the Enterprise, Archer tells T'Pol that he would like to visit the Vulcan monastery, P'Jem. Unbeknownst to either of them, the monastery has been captured by Andorians. On the trip, T'Pol explains the strict protocol, but when they arrive, they find evidence of the Andorian attack. A Vulcan monk tries to send them away but Archer spots the reflection of an Andorian. Although the away team manage to subdue the Andorian, they are captured by a larger group of armed Andorians, led by Shran.

Shran interrogates Archer asking if they have brought more surveillance equipment for the Vulcans. He believes that the Enterprise is too well-armed just to be visiting, believing their presence confirms his theory about the monastery. The Andorians lock the away team with the Vulcans monks who explain that Andoria is the neighboring system to Vulcan and that they have negotiated a peace treaty. However the Andorians believe that P'Jem holds a long-range sensor array. The monks say that the Andorians have visited twice before and left within a day both times. The arrival of the Enterprise has made them more suspicious.

When the Enterprise attempts to contact the away team, Shran warns them not to interfere and destroys the communicators. The monks take Trip to an ancient transmitter in the catacombs, passing a door that leads to the Reliquary, where the most precious artifacts are kept. After repairing the transmitter overnight, Trip manages to send a signal to Enterprise to tell them to sit tight.

Reed and some security guards transport into the tunnels, taking out most of the Andorians with explosive charges and phaser fire. Shran escapes into the Reliquary, where a firefight reveals a large circular door. Archer manages to open the door, which reveals the long-range sensor array. Now, the Vulcans have been exposed, Archer lets the Andorians go with T'Pol's palm scanner as evidence of the deception and the Enterprise leaves.

External links

• The Andorian Incident at the Internet Movie Database
• "The Andorian Incident" at TV.com
• The Andorian Incident at Memory Alpha (a Star Trek wiki)
• The Andorian Incident at StarTrek.com