- While in command of Enterprise because the entire crew is in a coma, Dr. Phlox starts hearing some strange sounds.
- While traveling to Azati Prime, the Enterprise needs to cross a trans-dimensional disturbance phenomenon that could kill the humans. Dr. Phlox proposes to put the crew in coma for four days while the Enterprise travels through the phenomenon in impulse. In the middle of the journey, Dr. Phlox hears weird noises and T'Pol helps him to stay in the command of the ship. When they realize that the disturbance is longer than expected, Dr. Phlox needs to activate the warp engines to save the crew.—Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- On its way to Azati Prime, Enterprise has to pass a region of reconfigured space which will be harmful to the human crew. In order to avoid the dangerous effects, Dr. Phlox advises to put the entire crew in a coma, instead of a taking a too long flight around the reconfigured space. On the 4 days journey, Phlox will assume command of the ship, as he is not affected. Barely underway, he starts hearing some strange sounds.—Arnoud Tiele (imdb@tiele.nl)
- While traveling through the Delphic Expanse, Enterprise encounters a trans-dimensional disturbance that lies directly along its time-sensitive course to Azati Prime and the Xindi weapon ("Stratagem"). This phenomenon appeared out of nowhere and didn't exist previously and is very similar to the phenomenon they encountered at the center of the 5 Gravimetric spheres. The crew also learns that the disturbance causes permanent neurological damage to humans. To avoid a two-week detour, while avoiding the danger to the crew, Doctor Phlox disables the Neocortex of all human crew-members, to survive the four day journey through the disturbance at reduced speed. Tucker was not comfortable going to warp inside the anomaly, and it would have taken only 1 hr to cross at warp 4.
While the crew is sedated, Phlox attends to his extended duties aboard the ship, including caring for Captain Archer's dog, Porthos, who is also immune to the effects of the disturbance. As he does so, he takes the opportunity to compose a letter to an acquaintance of his. Unfortunately Phlox himself begins to become nervous and is easily spooked by regular ship noises. He takes the opportunity to walk naked all over the ship In Engineering, falsely perceiving movement, he becomes increasingly tense and nervous. While investigating a noise he encounters Sub-Commander T'Pol, who is also carrying out duties while the human crew are sedated and, as a Vulcan, has been enjoying the quiet contemplation this situation allows her. She commits to spending more time with Phlox.
Phlox's paranoia escalates to delusions. He thinks something is crawling on the outside of the ship's hull. At one point he believes that two Insectoids have somehow boarded the ship. T'Pol insists there is nothing on the sensors, but humors him by helping with a deck-to-deck search, which reveals nothing. When Phlox almost shoots Porthos (after they went for a walk together and Phlox forgot to lock Porthos back in his quarters), T'Pol reminds him that it is healthy for his race to use hallucinations to relieve stress. Phlox disagrees, until he sees a 'zombie' Ensign Sato (who blames Phlox for her Zombification) and an awake Captain Archer (who says that T'Pol woke him). He finally scans himself and confirms the disturbance is impacting his thinking. He plans to sedate himself and let T'Pol run the ship, but she acknowledges that she is also becoming disturbed and reaffirms her faith in Phlox.
They discover that the anomaly is expanding and that they are ten weeks, rather than six hours, from emerging. Both of them are now easily agitated and distracted, with T'Pol's mind unable to focus on helping as Phlox battles to master the warp drive (He is tempted by T'Pol to wake Tucker, to save the other lives on the ship, but Phlox is not ready to give up just yet)-he succeeds in getting them free. That done, he escorts T'Pol to her room, only to find her sleeping there, having been sedated at the same time as the human crew. His T'Pol hallucination disappears, but everyone is now safe. Phlox sends his unedited letter to his acquaintance, assuring him that he will enjoy the story of his hallucinations.
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