“Desert Crossing” is episode twenty-four of season one of Star Trek: Enterprise.
The Enterprise, after the events of the previous episode, “Fallen Hero”, is once again heading to Risa. Captain Archer is packing and narrating his personal log when T’Pol contacts him from the bridge. There’s a distress call coming from a vessel about 2 lightyears away. Captain Archer agrees to alter course.
Captain Archer is speaking to the ship’s owner, Zobral, who thanks him and asks if the Enterprise answers every distress call they get. If they can. Zobral promises to make a meal in the captain’s honour tomorrow. There will be a Geskana match too. Zobral warns the captain he is easily offended and Archer agrees.
The captain tries to convince Trip to come. Trip doesn’t like deserts; they suck the life out of him. Archer reminds him what a great time they had when they spent two weeks in Australia. This was their survival training and that isn’t how Trip would describe it. Archer manages to get Trip to, reluctantly, agree.
They land a shuttle at an encampment in the Cygniai Expanse, and are greeted by Zobral. He has prepared a feast for them. They chat about Earth, meeting new cultures and if they ever thought of turning back. Once, when they encountered a hostile species with more firepower in “Silent Enemy”. Zobral tries to give the captain a tapestry, which Archer says is too big, then a Suliban item. Outside, the Geskana match is starting and, after watching, Trip and the captain agree to participate.
On the bridge, Hoshi reports the Enterprise is being hailed by a city on the far side of the desert. The man says that the Enterprise launched a small vessel several hours ago and it landed at an encampment. He, Chancellor Trelit, wants to know why. T’Pol explains. Trelit tells her they will most likely never see their captain or chief engineer again.
Trip and the captain are playing Geskana and nearly score. Then T’Pol contacts Archer. She needs to speak to him, alone. T’Pol says that, according to Trelit, Zobral’s people are terrorists. They attack civilian targets in the city. Archer doesn’t think they seem like terrorists; T’Pol says until they are certain, he should return to the ship.
The captain is telling Zobral they need to return. Zobral knows that the Enterprise was contacted, though, and says what they were told isn’t true. He wants to explain the real reason. Captain Archer has a reputation of being fair and being a man of great integrity. Zobral is certain he will want to help.
Zobral explains there was a caste system in the city and his people were forced to wear certain clothes in public. The caste system was abolished, but the Torothan clan never abided by the treaty that was signed. After ten years of fruitless trying, Zobral’s people realised they’d have to attack until their voices heard. Zobral wants Archer’s help against the Torothans. Not just the Enterprise‘s weapons, but Archer’s wisdom. Torothan cruisers start to bombard the camp and Zobral has heard how Archer liberated the Suliban in “Detained”. He wants them to hide during the attack.
The Enterprise is unable to contact the surface due to jamming and the Torothans warn them that a shuttle will be attacked. With the encampment being attacked, Captain Archer decides he and Trip need to go out into the desert. All told, not his best idea. Hoshi talks to T’Pol about how the Vulcans handle these sort of situations. The Vulcan High Command has directives; at some point Starfleet will need them as well. Zobral has got a rather exaggerated idea as to Captain Archer’s capabilities.