1.17 "Fusion" Trivia Quiz

Answer: Arachnid Nebula

The Arachnid Nebula is on the cover of Archer's astronomy book, which is entitled "The Cosmos A to Z", with the further description:

"Your complete guide to the heavens
Stars - Planets - Nebulae - Galaxies
Including the Terra Nova expedition"

The Arachnid Nebula is a fictional nebula created for "Star Trek: Enterprise", while the other three options are real nebulae. And you may remember the Terra Nova expedition from Episode 6 of this season, appropriately entitled "Terra Nova".

Captain Jonathan Archer was played by Scott Bakula, while Jolene Blalock played the part of Sub-Commander T'Pol.

Answer: The Vahklas

The Vahklas is a Vulcan civilian transport that left Vulcan eight years previously. After making contact, Captain Tavin asks for some technical assistance. It turns out that their ship has seen some wear and tear over the past eight years. Commander Tucker finds that their propulsion and life support systems need several days' worth of repair.

Commander Charles 'Trip' Tucker III was played by Connor Trinneer, and Captain Tavin was played by Robert Pine.

Answer: Vulcans without logic

The term 'V'tosh ka'tur' is not what this group of Vulcans call themselves, but rather it is a term used by the Vulcan elders to refer to any Vulcans who disagreed with the ancestral teachings.

The crew of the Vahklas believe in a different interpretation of Surak's teachings, one that does not involve the suppression of emotions, but rather, finding a balance of emotion and logic. With the volatile nature of Vulcan emotion (if not kept suppressed by logic), T'Pol believes their practices to be dangerous and foolhardy.

Answer: If Humans really mate year-round (with anyone they choose)

Trip quickly sets Kov right on his misconceptions about humans, and has a few questions in return, especially as concerns the Vulcan sex drive - only every seven years?

A later conversation also requires Trip to explain that football is just a game, and not a barbaric practice where they try to murder the quarterback.

Kov was played by John Harrington Bland.

Answer: More than eight billion kilometres

With this new information, Ensign Sato suggests that a correction should be sent to the publishers of "The Cosmos A to Z" so that they can release a revised edition of the book.

Captin Tavin offers the help of his translinear sensors to analyze the nebula, and Captain Archer assigns T'Pol to work on the Vahklas to coordinate the results with those of the Enterprise sensors. Despite her reluctance to spend more time with these emotional Vulcans, she does as Archer requests.

Linda Park played the part of Ensign Hoshi Sato.

Answer: Visiting a jazz club on Earth

T'Pol's dreams are turbulent and she finds herself in San Francisco following the sound of jazz music into a club called "Fusion". Her dream shifts between the club, conversations with Tolaris, mating with Tolaris, and the Arachnid Nebula. After waking, she is extremely disturbed and she goes to see Dr. Phlox and requests 25 milligrams of inaprovaline to help her restore her balance.

John Billingsly played Dr. Phlox, while Tolaris was played by Enrique Murciano.

Answer: His father

It turns out that Admiral Soval has learned of the Enterprise rendezvous with the Vahklas, and he takes the opportunity to pass on a request from Kov's dying father. Apparently the two had a falling out nearly a decade ago, and Kov's father is seeking an opportunity to reconcile.

When Archer brings the news to Kov, however, the engineer has no interest in speaking with his father, stating that he said his goodbyes already many years ago.

Archer later speaks with Trip to get him to try to talk to Kov about reconciling with his father, which Trip reluctantly agrees to try to do.

Answer: True

While the mind meld is something already known in the world of "Star Trek", its first appearance in the prequel "Enterprise" series is interesting in that it is presented as a technique that T'Pol is not aware of. By the 24th century, the mind meld is in more common use amongst Vulcans, but in the 22nd century, it is still considered to be a deviant practice defiant to the ancestral teachings of Vulcan society.

And, of course, it provides a double meaning for the title of the episode.

Answer: He throws Archer across the room

The mind meld worked, once Tolaris convinced T'Pol to relax, but when she became uncomfortable with the process, she tried to pull away. Tolaris basically forced the mind meld to continue until T'Pol managed to force a separation. After Tolaris left her quarters, T'Pol collapsed.

Captain Archer manages to goad Tolaris into attacking him, showing that he is not as 'in control' of the emotional balance he claims to have. Archer pulls out a phase pistol to prevent further aggression from Tolaris, and tells him that his friends are no longer welcome aboard the Enterprise.

Answer: Yes

As Kov is leaving the Enterprise, he comments to Trip that his father is actually doing better, and may yet live for a few more years - he knows this because he contacted his father after speaking with Trip the previous day. He then thanks Tucker for encouraging him.