“Countdown” is episode twenty-three of season three of Star Trek: Enterprise.
In the previous episode, “The Council”, Dolim killed Degra and, with the Insectoids, stole the Xindi weapon and kidnapped Hoshi. Hoshi comes around on the floor and asks Dolim what he wants when he enters. Dolim was impressed with her linguistic abilities; Aquatic is difficult to master and, despite speaking it his entire life, it doesn’t come easily. He needs some coded data translated. Dolim has confidence in Hoshi’s abilities and, if she refuses, her has no further use for her. Dolim says to get her ready for the procedure. Another Reptilian says she’s surprisingly strong-willed… for a Primate.
The shuttlepod has returned to Enterprise. T’Pol tells Trip they need to access the data; Trip tells them what happened. Hayes asks Reed about Hawkins; Reed explains what happened. Hayes would appreciate a full report.
In the council chamber, Captain Archer asks where the weapon is. They’re trying to track it but it’s difficult to track within a vortex. Archer is concerned that they are heading to Earth but Jannar reassures him that the weapon cannot be deployed as yet. It needs three sets of commands to initiate the arming species, and each Xindi species has one. Neither the Arboreals are the Primates are going to give theirs and the Aquatics don’t tend to take sides. Dolim could attempt to bypass the codes but it will take time. Archer now knows why Hoshi was taken. He’s told cooperation may not be something she can choose.
Trip and T’Pol are working on the data when the captain enters the command centre. They’re discovered four Spheres that appear to be integral to the subspace energy grid. They may be control Spheres and it’s possible that damaging one could disrupt the grid.
Hoshi is being injected, in her head, with parasites to make her more compliant.
The weapon is detected only four lightyears away. The propulsion system needs to be offline when it’s being armed. Jannar says more ships are meeting the weapon. The captain says they have equal numbers, but he’s told he may have noticed the Reptilians and Insectoids are more belligerent and their ships are armed accordingly. The Aquatics might be able to match them; their ships are more powerful but they are still not convinced. The captain says that was before Degra was murdered and the weapon stolen. He wants to talk to them.
The Aquatics do agree to meet and tell the captain they need more time to decide. He says they may not have the time, explaining Hoshi. The captain also asks if the new howeworld promised by the Guardians is in the Expanse, because the area is being turned into a transdimensional wasteland. They have found a way to disable the Spheres.
Dolim is told Hoshi has got past the first layer of encryption. He realises she’s faking compliance and she tries to kill herself but fails. She managed to add another layer of encryption, though.
T’Pol and Trip are arguing in the command centre. T’Pol is being tetchy because Trip is shooting down all her ideas. Because they’d get blown up by them is his response. She wants him to make a suggestion. Trip says he will continue in engineering. T’Pol calls him back. She’s been slightly emotional. He’s noticed. She apologises. It may take some time to regain control, especially on her own. Trip offers to help when she needs it and they get back to work.
Dolim is speaking to the Sphere Builder. He wants her to break the encryption. She says it isn’t possible. He seems unconvinced by this.
Trip and T’Pol tell Archer they think they have a way to knock out the Spheres. It needs more work. The captain tells them the Aquatics might want proof. Trip hopes the captain didn’t make any promises. Well…
The Primate is telling the captain that the Xindi won’t build another weapon, because he believes in Degra, and how long it takes the Aquatics to decide things, when Reed calls from the bridge. Six Aquatic ships are approaching. They took only three hours to decide to help.
The Sphere Builders decide they need to intervene to ensure that Earth is destroyed. Everything hangs on the finale episode, “Zero Hour”.