Some episodes begin already rolling. This plot trick exchanges a shaky setup for more story (and I've noticed, often involves a moon survey). Unexplained Helix-like energy readings don't seem like enough to possibly tease the captain of a formidable starship out to explore in a tiny vulnerable shuttle but that's our captain in action.

Anyway, Archer and Mayweather are captured and detained along with some non-modified Suliban, in a detention center pretty small to guard a group about the size of NX-01's crew (hmmm). Sufficient time is spent establishing the dire plight of these non-Cabal Suliban, a tricky balancing act what with everything else going on, and we learn a few details about Suliban history. (Perhaps it was just a lighting effect but it seemed these Suliban lacked the multicolored pattern found among the pebbling on Silik and Sarin.)

Dean Stockwell turns in a complex performance as the camp's commander, Colonel Grat. Maybe not all Tandarans are like him but he at least seemed convinced that his detainees need protection from danger. His paranoia grows as the action unfolds but is never really explained, though he sure knows alot about Suliban Resistance Cells and Temporal Cold Wars and other hush-hush things. (Great line - "Have you ever been to ... Oklahoma?") However deep his confusion, I got the impression he was simply trying to do his job justly.

Mayweather gets a meaty role too, forcing the effort to see past his preconceptions. (Maybe not meat but rather gruel, to match his hilarious aping of Tucker's twangy, "Make a good valve sealant.") His post-torture makeup was excruciating and (at times) he at least appeared to need a shave. Archer must have borrowed a razor from the otherwise hairless inhabitants, and it wouldn't be "Enterprise" if he didn't get his own beating too.

Up on the bridge Reed teamed up effectively with Hoshi to find the captain. (And either Hoshi is not as good as she thinks at concealing signals or else Starfleet Headquarters is not so well protected!) T'Pol and Tucker quickly go along with the captain's exception to his policy of non-interference, including a clever trick of info-jamming the Tandarans to hide Reed's transport.

Bakula and Stockwell, acting together, argued the rights of the detained impressively and may have planted a better solution in Colonel Grat's future. This would be an unexpected but interesting plot development out of this escape - these refugees (in a rag-tag fleet!) freed by the human hero Archer may eventually turn the tide against the Cabal.