"Orphans of War"
Story by Brian Matthews, Rob Caves, and Nick Cook
Directed by Jennifer Cole
Music by David Beukes
Synopsis:
The battle to drive off the Archein Empire has met with
success - and a heavy price. The Odyssey is missing in action - and feared lost;
and as Starfleet searches for survivors of the latest battle alongside the
Romulans, they discover that there's something that the Archeins have left
behind.
When Lt. S'Ceris recieves a call for help from his Romulan contacts, Captain
Daniel Hunter of the USS Intrepid enlists the help of an old friend to
lend a hand. But when the mission goes sour, it becomes a race against time for
Shelby to save her friends and destroy the last Archein stronghold in Romulan
space.
Review by Roger D. Noriega (*****Spoilers Herein*****)
I believe that Keran Azan was the first cross-over in "The Battle Is Joined" and later James Cawley came to the series and appeared as Captain Calhoun from the Peter David's New Frontier novels.
This episode takes the next logical step and actually has both casts join in adventure that is simply remarkable. This episode takes place just shortly after the first Archien incursion into the Milky Way Galaxy that would mostly have succeeded had it not been for the heroic intervention of the U.S.S. Odyssey in Iliad.
"Perhaps, Captain, it is you that lacks a certain sense of humor?"
- S'Ceris to Hunter
Captain Hunter has been bested by Captain Shelby and both set out to investigate the call from the Romulans of "stuff" left behind.
The Romulans report that automated weapons platforms were left behind and they feel that a Federation ship might be able to get in close because the weapons platforms are rather good in taking out Romulan ships from long range.
That "stuff" turns out to be hostile by capturing members of both the U.S.S. Intrepid and the U.S.S. Excelsior and it becomes a race against time because both ships do not have the power to take out the Archien ship.
Captain Hunter, Lt. Caed of Intrepid and Commander Lefler, Chief Engineer Nostrom from Excelsior were transported off their respective ships and are able to to disable the "indoctrination-labor-ship". The crew is rescued just in the nick of time . . .
"The Romulans are acting as if they did us a favor."
"Get used to it."
- McCabe & Shelby
As soon as the shields on the Archien ship are down, the Romulans come out of cloak and in moments incinerate the Archien ship without regard to the Starfleet crew aboard. Our heroes are beamed off in the nick of time.
The interior of the Archien labor-ship was developed well and did have an "alien" feel to it. The action aboard the enemy vessel was creative and the graphics/animation is definitely improving. There are some nifty special-effects, namely the automated sentry/gun and the use of the communicator to short out to the containment field. Obvious techno-babble, but simple and easy techno-babble (if there is such a thing?).
How about we arm-wrestle for it?"
- Hunter to Shelby
The episode did have some well done interplay between both crews as they seem to have a rapport that transcends the episode. The eye-lines of Shelby did seem off while she was on-screen opposite Hunter.
The episode music was well-utilized. The direction was, well, what can you say? Nothing memorable. Yeah, I know the limitations in the HF production, but some creativity must be coming, if not already being shown forth. What sells this episode is the people. The story is not spectacular, it is the familiarity between the two main characters and their history together.
With a running time of 12:31, the adventure gets right down to business and keeps moving to its conclusion without much waste of our time.
Obviously, being ground-breaking in that both series are utilized, and the decent story - it is worth your time.
Episode on YouTube: Preview Part One Part Two Bloopers
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