“Fusion” is episode seventeen of season one of Star Trek: Enterprise.
Captain Archer is showing T’Pol a book in his ready room. His first astronomy book, and the cover is the Arachnid Nebula. Which is also now on the captain’s monitor, as it’s less than a light year away. Reed contacts him; there’s a ship approaching and Hoshi says it’s using Vulcan frequencies.
On the bridge, the captain says it’s not like any Vulcan ship he’s seen. T’Pol states the class has not been used in a long time. The ship hails them and a Vulcan asks if this is the Enterprise. He, Tavin, is the captain of the Vahklas. He smiles.
Archer thinks they weren’t sent by the High Command. No, they are a civilian ship. You could say they are on a mission of exploration. The captain thought Vulcans weren’t interested in exploration. They are not typical Vulcans. Tavin would like a favour; their propulsion and life support need repair and they’d be grateful for any assistance.
Tavin and another Vulcan, Tolaris, dine with Archer and T’Pol. Tavin wants to try Archer’s dish, not the Vulcan dish prepared. Archer warns him it’s meat. Tavin says it looks delicious. No, not a typical Vulcan. Tavin explains they left Vulcan 8 years ago and are not exploring space, but themselves. T’Pol says they are V’tosh ka’tur, ‘Vulcans without logic.’ Tavin says that isn’t entirely accurate. They live with logic but attempt to balance it with their emotions. T’Pol doesn’t think that’s possible. Tavin thinks T’Pol must experience a great deal of emotion, being on a human ship. Archer says that the repairs are going to take 3-4 days; would the Vulcans object to coming with them to explore the nebula? Not at all.
Trip is in engineering with the Vahklas‘s engineer, Kov. Kov is curious; he has heard stories about human mating rituals and eating and sleeping habits. Trip offers to help clear up his misconceptions.
T’Pol has a list of what Tavin needs, including the recipe for chicken masala, which she gives to the captain. She has been too busy to get to know them. Archer thinks she’s been busy avoiding them. T’Pol says they are not the first to try what they are doing. All have failed; it’s dangerous. The captain doesn’t think they seem dangerous, but he could be wrong. He can’t order T’Pol to spend time with them, but suggests she keep an open mind.
T’Pol is approached in the empty mess hall at night by Tolaris. He seems interested that she’s drinking a human beverage, mint tea. Tolaris asks how long she’s lived amongst humans; it’s affected her in ways she doesn’t realise. T’Pol concedes he may be right. Sometimes she drinks camomile tea too. Tolaris thinks she has a sense of humour; a concept most Vulcans don’t grasp. He suggests she’s more attached to staying with humans too; her emotions are closer to the surface than most Vulcans and easier to read. T’Pol has yet to meditate tonight. Tolaris says they still meditate.
The Vulcans offer to help survey the nebula to do it faster and Archer suggests T’Pol goes onto their ship to monitor the data. T’Pol is surprised they have a statue of Surak, given they reject his teachings. They don’t; they disagree with how it’s interpreted. The original texts say that Surak wanted Vulcans to master their emotions, not purge them. There is more to life than logic and reason. T’Pol felt that way once. Tolaris suggests she not meditate tonight.
Trip is in the mess hall with Kov, correcting his misconceptions about American football. Trip also asks about a more delicate subject. Kov states he means sex. A little loud. Kov is perfectly willing to talk about Vulcan mating rituals.
Admiral Forrest contacts the captain. He heard they had Vulcans as guests and Ambassador Savol approached him to ask a favour. The son of one of the ministers in the High Command is onboard the Vulcan ship. Kov. They had a falling out 9-10 years ago and he’s now dying and would like to speak to his son. The Vulcans let Archer keep his science officer, referring to “Shadows of P’Jem”; it wouldn’t hurt to return the favour.
The Vulcans of the Vahklas are different to any other Vulcans that Archer has encountered. But T’Pol is right; what they are doing is dangerous. And T’Pol herself falls victim to it.