“Kir’Shara” is episode nine of season four of Star Trek: Enterprise.
At the Vulcan High Command, V’Las is explaining that the Andorians are taking defensive positions at Paan Mokar. They believe that the Vulcans are going to retake it, because of unmanned probes being sent in with false warp signatures. V’Las has kept this need to know as their forces are instead being prepared to launch an invasion of Andoria. Kuvak does not believe this is necessary. V’Las claims that the Andorians have reversed engineered the technology from the Xindi probe taken in “Proving Ground” and will mount the technology on their ships. Even though Captain Archer destroyed the probe.
Captain Archer, T’Pau and T’Pol are taking the Kir’Shara found in the previous episode, “Awakening”, to the capital. It is the only record of Surak’s true teachings.
On Enterprise, Reed is reporting the progress on repairs to Trip. He’s also uncertain about detouring to Andoria when they’ve been ordered to Earth, and betraying their closest ally. Reed suggests they shouldn’t get involved; Trip says they already are.
Soval enters and Trip leaves. Trip is concerned that the Imperial Guard won’t trust them. However, Commander Shran might listen. But he doesn’t know where Shran is. Soval may be able to help there. Trip says the crew, and himself, are unsure they’re doing the right thing. Soval tells Trip he’s doing what Archer would. That’s what Trip keeps telling himself.
On Vulcan, T’Pol wants to go to the transport coordinates, not knowing Enterprise has been forced to leave orbit. The captain says they need to go to the High Command to stop the war between Vulcan and Andoria. He knows V’Las is preparing an attack; he thinks some of Syran’s memories must have been transferred. There are forces trying to undo everything Surak taught, and unless they fail, Vulcan will be torn apart.
V’Las is informed by Kuvak that several Syrannites have been captured. And that Archer is apparently carrying the Kir’Shara. V’Las says it doesn’t exist. Kuvak says the Syrannites claim to be following Surak’s true path; if the Kir’Shara is real, it could prove them right. V’Las dismisses Kuvak, then orders the remaining Syrannites found and eradicated.
Enterprise has arrived at a nebula, one that Soval says Andorian ships are hiding in. The nebula is hailed, and eventually Andorian ships comes out. Shran is brought aboard and told about the upcoming attack, and the apparent use of Xindi technology. Shran says that Archer destroyed the probe before it could be examined. Soval says that fact was conveniently omitted. Shran says the Imperial Guard will retaliate; it will be a disaster for both their worlds. Soval; says that’s why Shran must intercept the fleet. If V’Las sees resistance, he will call off the invasion. Trip confirms he believes this. Shran needs to check with his superiors.
T’Pol and T’Pau are talking; T’Pol is concerned that the captain may be injured permanently. She gets snappy and apologises; her mother’s death affected her more than she realised. T’Pau says it was a great loss. She can share her experiences of T’Les with T’Pol. T’Pol explains she was forced to participate in a meld in “Stigma” and was infected with Pa’nar syndrome. T’Pau explains that there is a cure; it’s been known since Surak’s time. Pa’nar syndrome is caused by melders who are improperly trained. And T’Pau can easily cure it.
Shran has Soval beamed off Enterprise to interrogate him. He’s not convinced Soval is telling the truth. Soval says they spent weeks arguing the treaty; did he ever mislead Shran? He did not. But Shran needs to be sure, given that Soval is a loyal Vulcan. The Andorians have developed a way of lowering a Vulcan’s emotional threshold. He has no desire to permanently hurt Soval, but that can happen. He needs to know the truth. Soval tells him to increase the setting and get it over with. Enterprise has detected Soval’s absence and found him on the Andorian ship. The Andorians head into the nebula and Enterprise follows.
Captain Archer is finding it amusing that he is the one who got Surak’s katra. He’s also getting a better understanding of Vulcans as a result. Shran is not enjoying interrogating Soval, like he would once have, and is struggling to believe Soval really is telling the truth. War is coming between Andoria and Vulcan, and there are more plots ongoing as well.