Surak...
Admiral Maxwell Forrest's Personal Log.
I've arrived on Vulcan, hopeful that the High Command is finally ready to conduct joint missions with Starfleet.
Admiral, the High Command will tell you its decision at the proper time.
After all we've been through, I'd rather hear the good news from you.
The High Command hasn't included me in their discussions.
They're not telling their own ambassador to Earth what they're planning?
Welcome to the club.
Admiral, I know you find our reluctance to share technology
and discoveries restrictive.
I can think of a few stronger words than that.
We don't know what to do about humans.
Of all the species we've made contact with, yours is the only one we can't define.
You have the arrogance of Andorians, the stubborn pride of Tellarites...
One moment, you're as driven by your emotions as Klingons, and the next, you confound us by suddenly embracing logic.
I'm sure those qualities are found in every species.
Not in such confusing abundance.
Ambassador.
Are Vulcans afraid of humans?
Why?
Because there is one species you remind us of.
Vulcans.
We had our wars, Admiral, just as humans did. Our planet was devastated, our civilization nearly destroyed.
Logic saved us.
But it took us almost 1,500 years for us to rebuild our world and travel to the stars.
You humans did the same in less than a century.
There are those on the High Command who wonder what humans
would achieve in the century to come,
and they don't like the answer.
We're not the Klingons.
We only want to be your partners.
To do what the nations of Earth have learned to do:
to work together in common cause.
Unfortunately, the future of relations between our worlds is not mine to control.
[ distant explosion rumbling ]
[ second, closer explosion ]
Captain!
Here!
That's another game -- 21-2.
Time to switch sides again, Doctor. Certainly.
This is a most enjoyable sport.
Reminiscent of Octran fertility contests.
Captain...
I've just spoken with Starfleet Command.
Except we're fully clothed, which is probably for the best.
Captain's Log, Supplemental.
Enterprise has arrived at Vulcan as ordered.
Three days after the bombing of Earth's embassy, the death toll stands at 43,
and I've lost my friend, Admiral Forrest.
Vulcan authorities still have no lead on who's responsible.
I'm sorry to keep you from your family, but I'm going to need you on the investigation full-time. That's where I prefer to be.
Your mother and husband will understand?
My mother hasn't responded to my communiques.
It's not unusual for her to become lost in her work. As for my... husband,
our arrangement remains unchanged.
Captain Jonathan Archer,
I regret we meet under such tragic circumstances.
I'd like to introduce Administrator V'Las.
Administrator...
I wasn't told to expect the head of the High Command. Captain Archer, all of Vulcan grieves with you today.
12 Vulcans died in the blast, Ambassador.
To that end, this is Stel, Chief Investigator of our Security Directorate.
Captain, we now have suspects.
Andorians?
Why would they attack our embassy? To create conflict between Earth and Vulcan.
They do consider us allies who stand against them.
So far, we've done our best to remain neutral,
and the Andorians know that.
They have nothing to gain by attacking us.
You have other suspects?
Syrrannites.
I've never heard of that species. Actually, they're a small group of Vulcans.
They follow a corrupted form of Surak's teachings.
Surak I've heard of.
He's the father of Vulcan logic. Even after 1,800 years, we consider him the most
important Vulcan who ever lived. So why would these Syrrannites want to attack our embassy?
It's hardly an act of logic. They've been vocal about their opposition to government, but always peaceful.
Over the past year, their leader-- a dissident named Syrran-- has become a dangerous zealot.
Captain, I trust you to keep this matter confidential. We don't share it lightly.
But recently, on our world,
there have been instances of violence against non-Vulcans.
Though we have no conclusive proof, there are signs
that Syrrannites might be responsible.
Is there any evidence connecting Syrrannites to the bombing?
Your embassy is officially considered to be on Earth soil.
We've preserved the site for you to investigate. If evidence is there, the Chief Investigator
and I feel confident you'll find it.
I intend to.
Lieutenant, here's the junction room.
Schematics say the secondary security bank's right in there.
Ah! Still in one piece.
There's a weak power signature under this mess. It's probably an emergency light
running on batteries.
There's something here. Some kind of surveillance recorder.
Lieutenant...
The timer might be broken,
but that bomb's armed. Don't move.
The slightest vibration might set it off.
Reed to Enterprise.
I need an emergency transporter lock.
Two to beam up on my mark.
Acknowledged.
Why not beam the bomb out of here? If there's a gravity switch, it'll detonate in the matter stream.
Enterprise to Reed. The transporter's locked. Do you need assistance?
Negative, Enterprise.
Stand by.
I'm going to attempt to scan it. Attempt?
Yeah. If I had
designed that bomb,
I'd rig it to go off the instant
a sensor beam made contact.
Look on the bright side.
If it detonates,
we'll never know.
Steady.
There's Vulcan DNA on these controls.
So much for blaming Andorians.
Boosting scan resolution.
That can't be good. Oh, damn.
Enterprise, mark.
Enterprise!
According to the Vulcan Genome Registry, the DNA on the bomb's controls was left by this woman--
T'Pau.
Since you had her DNA on record, does that mean she's been arrested before?
The Registry records DNA from all Vulcans at birth.
Do you know anything about her? T'Pau is a well-known Syrrannite.
All right.
We've got a solid start.
Now we need to find her. Captain, T'Pau
is Vulcan.
The Security Directorate will take charge of the investigation. Of course.
Vulcan sovereignty.
Lieutenant Reed and Commander T'Pol will work with you. Their assistance isn't required.
Chief Investigator,
43 people died in the bombing--
12 Vulcans and 31 humans.
We want her as much as you do. This is now a Vulcan security operation.
We'll inform Ambassador Soval of any developments that concern you.
[ door slides open, then closes ]
His death is a loss to both our worlds.
If you're lost, Ambassador, I can direct you to your shuttle.
He saved my life...
in the explosion.
He could have saved himself.
He always put...
the mission first.
The last time we spoke, he was anticipating the prospect of joint missions,
Humans and Vulcans working together.
We have to make that possible.
Despite the High Command.
It makes no sense
to think the Syrrannites are responsible for this... outrage.
We have DNA evidence. Recheck everything, Captain, question everything,
and don't let them keep you on Enterprise. The answers you need are on Vulcan,
and however far you have to take
this investigation,
you have my support.
[ door com beeps ]
Enter.
It is agreeable to see you.
What is the purpose of your visit?
Does a husband need a purpose to visit... his wife?
Your message was cryptic.
By necessity.
The Syrrannite threat has brought new security measures into effect.
Private communications are no longer private. You have something to tell me that the authorities shouldn't hear?
Something to give you.
Your mother asked me to deliver it personally.
She told me that it's been in your family for generations, and now it's your turn to care for it.
Why didn't she give this to me herself?
The new security conditions.
They've forced your mother into hiding to avoid arrest.
My mother?
She's a Syrrannite.
A Syrrannite?
And she never told you? What's important is that she's disappeared like the others,
facing unjustified arrest.
Like T'Pau. No. There's a difference.
My mother wants me to find her.
It's called an IDIC.
Looks old.
It's been modified.
This is a desert called the Forge.
The route's the one Surak supposedly followed.
1,800 years ago?
Syrrannites follow the same path today, seeking enlightenment.
And you think your mother is somewhere along that path? She told Koss this was a family heirloom,
but I've never seen it before.
She didn't want Koss to know about the map.
With any luck,
we can use this to find your mother...
and T'Pau.
Captain, have you seen the reports on this place? It's a hellhole. It's a Vulcan desert.
I expect it'll be hot. It's got electrical sandstorms. Geomagnetic instabilities so
bad, technology won't work. So, no communicators, no scanners, no phase-pistols.
We can't even beam you into it. You're going to have to walk in. I'll be careful. You've got Enterprise.
You and Malcolm keep the investigation going up here, and whatever the Vulcans tell you, believe the opposite--
present company excepted.
Ambassador.
This shows the gaps in our satellite surveillance, when beam-ins can't be detected.
I'm thinking we're not exactly cleared to have this. Have what, Commander? All I see is
a Starfleet data module.
Right.
Captain, what if something goes wrong down there? It already has.
Energize.
This site is called "Gateway,"
where Surak supposedly began his journey into the Forge.
You keep saying "supposedly."
You don't believe Surak did the things they said he did? He brought logic to Vulcan,
in an age we call the Time of Awakening,
but his writings from that period no longer exist. There must be some record of him.
Over the centuries, his followers made copies of his teachings.
Let me guess, With the originals lost, whatever's left is open to interpretation.
You find this amusing? I find it familiar.
We should get moving.
I thought technology didn't work here.
The dampening field only extends a few hundred meters above the ground. Patrol craft can fly over it,
but their sensors can't see us.
No wonder the Syrrannites like it here.
We're being stalked. [ jaguar-like screech ]
What the hell was that? Sehlat.
Run.
Higher ground.
Higher. They won't climb.
How long before it starts to lose interest in us?
Days... at least.
They're very persistent creatures.
When I was a child, I had one as a pet.
You had one of those? Domesticated.
[ panting ]
They're smaller... slightly.
How "slightly?"
You have Porthos.
Porthos doesn't try and eat me when I'm late with his dinner.
Vulcan children are never late with their sehlats' dinner.
I can believe that.
The Captain asked me to reexamine the DNA from the bomb to see if anyone else might have handled it.
You say you found an anomaly. Mm-hmm. In these chromosomal fragments-- here... and here.
What kind of anomaly? These are telomeres, a genetic "clock",
if you will. Each time a cell divides, they grow shorter. Sure. That's how you tell how old someone is from a cell sample.
Mm-hmm. Though T'Pau's current age is 32 standard years,
her DNA recovered from the bomb has an age of only a few months.
They used the DNA they sampled when she was registered as a baby.
Precisely. The evidence implicating T'Pau is false.
Captain Archer's gone after the wrong person.
And there's no way to get word to him.
Doc, take a look at this.
It's the recording Malcolm recovered from the embassy.
According to the security log, this is when T'Pau's biometric signature was recorded.
Undoubtedly another fabrication. But look.
The guard recognized whoever it was,
and that guard...
...is your patient.
Corporal Askwith. He could be our only chance to identify who really planted the bomb.
He's in a coma. His cranial injuries are substantial. I don't expect him to recover. There must be a stimulant
something to bring him around just for a few minutes. There's only so much damage a human body can withstand.
I don't care about his body, Doc. We need what's in his mind.
[ sehlat screeching ]
Sounds like that Klingon opera Hoshi made us listen to.
[ louder screeching ]
[ sehlat whimpers ]
[ footfalls running away ]
The path is safe again.
That's quite a trick.
You're a human.
Jonathan Archer.
Traveling with a Vulcan.
T'Pol.
Curious.
May we ask your name?
Arev.
That means "desert wind."
Does it?
Why are you here? We could ask you the same thing.
I follow the path of Surak, inmeditation and study.
And you?
I'm on a pilgrimage to study Surak and logic.
T'Pol is my teacher.
I welcome you to walk with me.
But this is no place for your kind.
Turn back.
If it's all the same,
I'll walk with you, too.
This desert's called "The Forge" for a reason.
It will test you and destroy you.
The Plain of Blood.
Some say Surak crossed this expanse when the hot blood of battle still flowed green, but with logic, he cooled it.
Captain, the reflected heat is too hot for you.
I'll stick to the sand-covered parts wherever I can.
I won't need water for several more days.
You'd better protect your eyes from the glare.
My inner eyelids will protect my vision.
My species evolved on this planet.
How long have you tried to understand Vulcan logic? Ever since I met T'Pol.
Very well, student of Surak.
Who said, "Logic is the cement of our civilization "with which we ascend from chaos
using reason as our guide?"
I'm new at this. You tell me. Something more basic then. What's Kiri-kin-tha's First Law of Metaphysics?
I'm familiar with Newton's First Law of Motion.
I imagine they're pretty much the same.
You haven't been truthful about your presence here.
Have you?
Vulcans do not lie.
I've dealt with the High Command.
Vulcans can lie and cheat with the best of them. The High Command does not follow Surak's true path.
No wonder you humans are their allies.
From the questions he asked you,
I believe he's a Syrrannite.
And it's obvious that he doesn't trust us enough to take us to the others. That only leaves one option.
We have to tell him what he wants to know: the truth.
It may be too late for that. Sandfire. [ thunder rumbles ]
[ lightning crackles ]
This man's our only witness.
He's comatose, brain-damaged, and he's human.
A mind-meld is dangerous under the best of conditions,
but under these... Look, I know Phlox says there aren't a lot of Vulcans who can do this sort of thing,
but you've gotta know someone who could at least try. Those who do have the ability
won't risk their careers by publicly attempting what you suggest.
Most Vulcans see melding as deviant behavior.
What's that got to do with it? [ sighs ] Evidence will solve this crime,
not mind-melds.
What evidence?
The DNA on the bomb was planted.
You can prove that? I can.
Ambassador,
I don't know what kind of pull it takes to mess with DNA records on Vulcan, but I think we're looking at a deliberate attempt to hide the truth.
You're suggesting a conspiracy.
One that cost 43 innocent lives.
Aren't they worth a little risk?
The needs of the many.
I can perform the meld.
Over here!
Help me with this.
The sandfire can still reach us.
I know this.
How did you get this medallion? From my mother.
T'Les.
You're a Syrrannite.
The daughter of T'Les serves on a human starship. When did you talk with her?
Is she safe?
You're the human responsible for the destruction of the monastery at P'Jem.
Is that going to be a problem? The High Command defiled P'Jem when they used it to spy on Andoria.
You exposed their hypocrisy. You seem to know a lot about us.
I'm guessing that means you know why we're here.
Your mother is safe with the others at the T'Karath Sanctuary. It's not far.
I'll guide you both there when the storm has passed.
I don't know if this has ever been attempted with a human before.
My mind to your mind...
Our minds are one,
our thoughts are joined.
Yes.
I see what you see...
the embassy.
I'm at my station...
at your station.
So many new people arriving
for the summit.
I don't recognize them all.
But some I know.
A package.
That's all right,
I don't need to see it. Go right through.
Who are you?
Who...?
Ambassador... [ gasps ]
what'd you see?
How long do these Sandfire Storms usually last?
Mm... a day... perhaps two.
I've never seen one this strong.
But we're safe here,
and we're in no hurry.
Maybe we should be.
The High Command believes the Syrrannites are responsible for bombing the Earth's embassy.
That's not our way.
They seem to think that it is. That you and your leader believe in a corrupted version of Surak's teachings.
[ light chuckle ]
Did your mother tell you the story?
Of the IDIC?
"Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combination".
Words that are a mere shadow of its true meaning.
Surak tells us that the story of the IDIC has no end,
but it begins here, at Mount Seleya.
Surak died on Mount Seleya.
His body, yes,
but his katra was spirited away
before the last battle against those who marched beneath the Raptor's Wings,
those who wanted to return to the Savage Ways.
What's a "katra"?
Syrrannites claim it's the "essence" of a Vulcan mind,
that it can be transferred from the body before death,
then stored in some manner.
Some say Surak's katra was found
and now is carried by a Syrrannite,
so all those who meld with him may touch Surak's mind.
Syrrannites conduct mind-melding?
Surak tells us it is the heritage of every Vulcan.
Even those who don't believe in the practice.
A witness?
The guard recognized the person who brought in the bomb we found in the rubble.
The Syrrannite woman -- T'Pau.
No.
It was you.
I would like to interrogate this "witness" myself. You're not getting anywhere near him.
Perhaps I could speak with the guard. I'm afraid he's in no condition to be questioned.
He's in a coma.
Yet he provided an eyewitness account?
We accessed his memories through a mind-meld.
Telepathic evidence is inadmissable. It's not evidence at all!
You allowed this distasteful act to take place?
I performed it.
[ sighing ] Soval...
you've shamed Vulcan...
and yourself.
The law leaves me no recourse.
You'll be summoned to appear before the High Command to account for your actions.
Commander. Doctor.
At one time the High Command was only responsible for the exploration of space.
But that's changed.
I've been told Vulcans have never been explorers. I think you've been told many things about us that aren't true.
[ thunderclap ]
Reseal the entrance!
T'Pol!
[ moaning ]
Easy.
Easy, easy, easy, easy.
Listen.
The storm is gaining strength.
Arev?
[ groaning ]
You must... carry it...
to sanctuary.
Carry what?
[ grunting in pain ]
Tuluk... tu.
[ crying in pain ]
Vokau!
[ screaming in pain ]
You can't go back. I'm not a fool, Commander. V'Las was involved with the attack on your embassy.
He's responsible for blaming it on the Syrrannites. Then why turn yourself over to him?
It's the only chance I'll have to reach the rest of the High Command. What if they're all in on it?
If you really want humans and Vulcans to work together someday, you might start thinking about trusting us.
Peace and long life, Commander.
Right.
Thanks.
[ muttering ]
Arev.
[ disgusted groan ]
[ straining ]
Are you injured? I'm fine.
[ groaning ]
He... said something
in Vulcan...
"Vokau."
"Remember."
Remember what?
I think he...
he punched me.
[ groaning and sighing ]
The storm's over?
[ distant patrol craft roaring ]
The patrol craft are flying again. They sound like they're closing in on this location.
He said we weren't... far from the... T'Karath Sanctuary.
We should keep moving.
After we bury him.
[ distant patrol craft roaring ]
They're following a grid search pattern.
No sensors, but they can still make visual contact.
We have to find cover before the sun comes up.
That way.
There's nothing there. That's where the Syrrannites are.
How do you know?
I'm good for a few more days. Captain, you're not Vulcan.
Right.
It's almost dawn.
We need to find someplace to hide.
No.
Over here.
That won't help us.
[ patrol craft roaring ]
Don't resist.
What do you mean?
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