“Bound” is episode seventeen of season four of Star Trek: Enterprise.
Enterprise is heading to the Berengarius system, a potential site for the first in a series of proposed starbases. According to T’Pol, the Vulcan survey states the world is M class with a flourishing ecosystem and no intelligent life. Though there is a flying reptile, some over 200m long. It’s said to breathe fire. There are lingering questions on the accuracy of the report.
Reed reports a ship is on an intercept course. They go to tactical alert and hail the ship. An Orion, Harrad-Sar, answers; he tells them to deactivate their weapons or he will be forced to open fire. Captain Archer convinces Harrad-Sar that they should deactivate their weapons at the same time. Harrad-Sar invites the captain aboard his ship; he has a proposal to make.
Captain Archer has dealt with Orions before, in “Borderland”; he doesn’t want to repeat the experience. Harrad-Sar suggests this might smooth relations between Starfleet and the Orion Syndicate. His hospitality is renowned and he doesn’t offer it to everyone. And once refused, he doesn’t offer it again.
Archer is going to transport across with Reed and two MACOs. Reed is justifiably happy, but the captain thinks it’s worth the risk to have one less hostile species out there.
Trip is in engineering; Kelby isn’t happy to be replaced, even temporarily, whilst repairs are done. He feels it’s a reflection on him and the captain’s confidence in him. Afterwards, T’Pol asks Trip if she can help. With the engine, not Kelby. And once again asks if he’s been having unusual experiences. Essentially, daydreams about her. Once again Trip lies. He wants to know what it’s about. She won’t say.
Harrad-Sar has drinks poured for the captain and says he’s a privateer, earning money from buying and selling. Yes, and plundering, but piracy is risky. He prefers commerce. The captain has acquired a reputation, wanted by both the Klingon Empire and the Orion Syndicate. He thought one such as him would have a more robust appetite. The captain needs to stay quick on his feet. Harrad-Sar says it’s poor custom to discuss business before entertainment. And three Orion slave girls enter and dance as Harrad-Sar tells the humans about them. Once finished, it’s time to discuss business.
The captain tells T’Pol that Harrad-Sar claims he has discovered a planet with enough magnesite to build a thousand warp reactors. Harrad-Sar lacks the infrastructure to take advantage of it, so he’s offering the coordinates in exchange for 10%. He will also help establish a dialogue with the Orion Syndicate. The captain has already accepted and Harrad-Sar gave him a gift he couldn’t refuse. Reed is currently escorting said gift -the Orion women – to quarters, though he’s having trouble focusing.
Enterprise is en route to the planet. T’Pol tells the captain that the Orions are being disruptive with their mere presence. And Archer should tell them they are no longer slaves. Unless Starfleet has a new policy condoning slavery. The crew is certainly having problems focusing. Reed and Travis are lifting painfully heavy weights as a distraction. Kirby is showing one Orion around engineering.
Hoshi heads to see Phlox; she has a headache. She’s not the first to complain of one either. Phlox suggests it’s jealousy towards the new passengers. Then collapses. It must be time for his sleep cycle. Hoshi points out he just finished one.
Trip sees Kirby with the Orion and takes Kirby aside to speak to him. He isn’t happy. Kirby won’t tell the Orion to leave as he isn’t finished talking. He refuses it as an order too. Trip tells him he’s confined to quarters. Or the brig, if he prefers.
The captain heads to see one of the Orions, N’var, to tell her she isn’t property any longer. She ends up kissing him.
The captain is acting erratically, as are all the other men, though Phlox is affected differently. The women are affected too, but in a different way. The only two not affected are T’Pol, because she’s a Vulcan, and Trip. There’s a reason for that. It’s clear that the Orion women are more than just disruptive.