Time to stretch the ol’ retcon muscles (in preparation for AOTC). It’s possible that it was supposed to be an Earth dog. It’s not inconceivable, given that Earth has been engaged in interstellar trade for decades, that a few dogs could have made it out farther than humans. They breed faster than humans, and could be sold as trade goods. While it would be a spectacularly unlikely coincidence for someone who had happened to acquire one of those dogs to wind up in the villa adjacent to Archer’s, we already know that his neighbor wasn’t there by chance. Someone presumably went to some trouble and expense to send her there to play on his sympathies and pump him for info. Maybe they provided a dog as another piece of the charade–another reason for Archer to empathize with the woman.
I have this deep, dark suspicion that Mr. Incomprehensible-Language-Guy was just making shit up as he went along in order to get Hoshi into bed.
On the other hand, she was the only one whose shore leave was even remotely enjoyable.
The implication was that they didn’t let everyone get a shot at shore leave, staying long enough for the entire crew to go down in shifts. Why not? Also, it seems like a bad idea for so many senior officers to hit the beach at once. (Of course, that’s an old problem for Star Trek–way back in the original series, they were always sending landing parties with the captain and the first officer into potentially hostile environments.)
Trip and Malcolm should definitely stay the hell away from leisurewear.
Rue Deday: It isn’t parallel evolution. In TNG episode “The Chase”, we learn that all humanoid evolution in the Alpha quadrant, and possible the galaxy, was directed by the first race to develop space travel roughly 4 billion years ago. Finding themselves alone, they seeded planets with their dna, coded to encourage evolution along a certain path. Essentially, all humanoids in the Alpha quadrant share some dna.
In TOS episode “The Paradise Syndrome”, we learn that a race of extraterrestrials called “The Preservers” abducted humans from earth thousands of years ago and seeded them on planets around the Alpha quadrant. Thus, many of the alien cultures encountered by the crew of Enterprise are actually direct descendants of humans.
I’m glad I wasn’t the only one who thought Mr. Mysterious language guy was laying a line on Hoshi. I said as much to my wife about half way through the first scene, and was surprised when this wasn’t revealed at the end. Bah! I still say it was a line, but I also suspect Hoshi knew so, and didn’t mind because it was a clever, subtle one, and besides, he was polite and charming.
I think this post earns me title of Star Trek geek of the day.
I could have been wrong, I was posting my take on their conversation while escaping. I missed about 15 minutes because our neighbors stopped by for a short visit.
Saitou: I was thinking the lady & dog were Suliban and the animal transmogified over there, but Archer sent her scan to the ship; like Obi Wan in Star Wars I.
Again, very boring but perhaps they are setting the scene for future things.
