- At Dr. Phlox's request, Enterprise attempts to retrieve 3 Denobulan scientists from the planet Xantoras, where the Goverment has ordered all off-worlders to evacuate within 3 days. Tucker, Reed, and Mayweather navigate a series of labyrinthine underground caves in search of the scientists. Meanwhile, Enterprise lends assistance to a damaged ship fleeing the planet. Doctor Phlox faces an ethical dilemma when one of the refugees of the ship refuses life-saving treatment. The patient, an Antaran, holds a grudge against Phlox stemming from a war between their races that ended 300 years ago and would rather die than be treated by a Denobulan. Phlox defies Archer's direct order to force treatment because it goes against the Deobulan code to yield to "the will of the patient."—Meribor
- Dr. Phlox receives a message and asks Captain Archer to rescue three Denobulan researchers from the underground caves in planet Xantoras since the government decided to expel all the aliens due to a civil war. Trip, Reed and Travis travel to the planet with a schedule of three days to bring the scientists to the Enterprise. Meanwhile, the Enterprise helps a ship with a breach in her reactor, and Dr. Phlox faces an ethical dilemma when an Antaran patient, a race enemy of the Denobulan, does not accept his treatment.—Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- At the request of the Denobulan Science Academy, Enterprise goes to extract a group of three geologists (Yolen (Mark Chaet), Trevix (Laura Putney) and Zepht (D.C. Douglas)) from a planet Xantoras, where xenophobic militants have taken charge and decreed that all off-world people must evacuate. The 3 geologists are mapping cave formations on the surface and have already mapped almost 50 kms of it. They have been underground for 6 months and the Denobulan science academy lost contact with it 3 weeks ago. Denobulans have asked Enterprise for help as they are the closest to the planet. Being experienced with caving, Ensign Mayweather is chosen to lead Commander Tucker and Lieutenant Reed on the underground rescue mission. They only three days to return to the surface with the scientists before the negotiated government ceasefire expires.
As the Enterprise nears the planet, it comes to the aid of an alien evacuee transport (who was requesting permission to go back to Xantoras, but was denied), suffering from a dangerous radiation leak. The most seriously injured of the various aliens brought aboard is Hudak (Henry Stram), an Antaran, whose species has a centuries long history of conflict (Although the last conflict was more than 300 yr ago) and animosity with the Denobulans. Though suffering from a fatal case of radiation poisoning, and being the first time the two species have interacted in generations, he immediately refuses help from Doctor Phlox (he says Denobulans killed 20 M Antarans in the last war). Archer orders Phlox to treat him, but he reluctantly declines, since Denobulan medical ethics places the patient's wishes above all other considerations. Archer tries to speak to Hudak to try and get him to provide consent, but Hudak consistently refuses to be treated by Phlox. Archer then orders Phlox to try and find a way to help Hudak..
Underground, the crew make good progress, but Mayweather injures his leg (he jammed his leg in the wall to break a fall which would have led all 3 of them falling into a deep crevice). Leaving him behind, Reed and Tucker soon locate the Denobulan geologists, who are happily engaged in recording the various rare and precious geological features of the cavern. With time running out, Tucker is insistent the group departs, while the scientists downplay the level of the threat (govt change hands very often on Xantoras and they need 3 weeks to finish their work), but finally assent. Meanwhile Archer has to stall for time by threatening to go to war with the Xantorans, while Reed and Tucker finish the rescue mission.
Back on the ship, Using tact and diplomacy of his own, Phlox endeavors to help Hudak, but his initial attempts end in failure (things don't go well when Phlox responds badly to Hudak's insults and blames the Antarans for not being able to put the past behind them). Phlox, for his part, is also upset at the mutual hatred between the two species - but since Hudak refuses to be treated, Phlox must wait. Eventually, Hudak reflects on Phlox's words (Phlox told him the story of how he brought up his five kids to respect life for what they are, without prejudice. He failed when his younger son fell to propaganda and decided to hate Antarans and this created a rift between them. They didn't speak for 10 yrs now) and agrees to the lifesaving procedure. An agreement is then reached in which the three Denobulans are granted passage home aboard the same transport as Hudak.
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