Enterprise arrives at a strange new world (remember those?) and pays a visit to a peaceful planet-side settlement pumping deuterium. Dressed in sharp desert skivvies, Archer Trip and T'Pol do some respectable dealing only to have their negotiations interrupted by a bunch of turtle-browed bullies. After repairing their machinery, Archer and crew all chip in and teach the pumpsters how to fish.

When Mayweather, back on the ship (remember that?), first announced the arrival of twelve Klingons (a full swarm!), the exciting stage was set for anything to happen. In fact, aware of an arc presumed full of animosity I was prepared to start hating them instantly; instead I'm left disgusted at what easily qualify as the wimpiest if not stupidest Klingons ever. These middling "Marauders" never should have made it off their planet, even if they did have a cool ship like an early bird of prey equipped with external tanks. (Like that screwy "Vulcans are really Romulans" theory, perhaps these are really a cousin species, the Keystone Klingons. And "Korok" the Klingon is so closely named to "Kirok" the Paleface that I still can't stop laughing.)

Despite a brief believable moment with Phlox, observant as ever regarding the medical supplies bound for the settlement, the back half of the episode deteriorated rapidly. Somewhere about the time Hoshi Oakley showed up in the armory, I felt a tongue somewhere in my cheek. T'Pol then kinda capped it, using Vulcan martial arts to teach how to tuck, duck, and roll away from attacking Klingon blades (the new action figure T'Pol with combat clothes and bandana accessory). Then there's the whole Bugs Bunny-ish idea about moving the camp "just to the south." Reed's performance in the "fight" was inexcusably disappointing. Somehow he can't hit a Klingon with a rifle while a native girl can pop one in the head with a rock from several meters away.

It wasn't all bad, just mostly bad. I liked that it set up Archer as a serious dealmaker, not throwing his warrior rep around (except at the end of course!). Obviously he can be quite genteel and cooperative when not dealing with Kreetassans. And Trip had some overdue good time. I really enjoyed the time he had with Q'Ell the little Q'Idd, and was sad that shipboard tour didn't come through. Maybe that way - just maybe - Porthos could have redeemed this episode. Hoping for a treat (or at least a good Mayweather ghost story) for Halloween, instead we're served an early turkey for Thanksgiving.