Trip is nervous about the arrival of Dr. Emory Erickson, the man who invented Earth’s transporter technology. Captain Archer is a little bit less in awe of the crotchety, wheelchair-bound scientist – Archer, Erickson’s daughter Danica and his son Quinn grew up together, their fathers both demanding pioneers. Erickson has gotten permission from Starfleet to conduct experiments in a new transport technique aboard the Enterprise, a breakthrough which Erickson claims could make star travel obsolete. But en route to Erickson’s destination coordinates for the experiment, something infiltrates the ship, killing a crewman. Erickson, who had previously conducted experiments in that region, says he’s never seen anything like it before. The phenomenon occurs again, and this time T’Pol records a visual record – a record which reveals that the roaming anomaly is, in fact, Quinn Erickson, who Archer thought had died in a transporter accident years ago. Erickson finally reveals that Quinn volunteered to be the first test subject for the long-range transporter, and was trapped in subspace, presumed lost. Erickson confesses that he thinks he’s made a breakthrough, something that will bring Quinn back, and over the senior officers’ objections he pleads with Archer to help him. And despite the fact that Quinn seems to leave a trail of death and destruction with each visit, Archer agrees.
written by Ken LaZebnik & Michael Bryant
directed by David Straiton
music by Paul BaillargeonGuest Cast: Bill Cobbs (Emory Erickson), Leslie Silva (Danica Erickson), Donovan Knowles (Quinn Erickson), Noel Manzano (Ensign Burrows), and Porthos
LogBook entry by Earl Green