Malcolm gets a breakfast invitation from Captain Archer, but the security chief finds himself nervous the whole time. A call from the bridge saves Malcolm from the awkward situation, and then plunges him into a deadly one – the Enterprise strikes a mine which has somehow been cloaked, remaining invisible until it’s too late, causing major damage to the ship. A second mine adheres to the hull, giving the crew an opportunity to study it and learn how to detect other cloaked mines, but this one is still live and could blow at any moment, destroying the Enterprise. Archer orders the ship brought to a halt and Malcolm insists on going out on the hull to defuse the mine. When he tries, however, it springs an additional attachment to fasten itself even more tightly to the Enterprise and lances through Malcolm’s leg in the process. Archer suits up to help him, but while the captain is outside the ship, T’Pol has to deal with a new problem – the minelayers have returned, identifying themselves as Romulans and insisting that the Enterprise withdraw from their territory immediately or be destroyed.

written by John Shiban
directed by James Contner
music by David Bell

Guest Cast: Timothy Glenn (Med Tech), Elizabeth Magness (Injured crewmember)

Notes: Minefield actually adheres quite closely to established Star Trek continuity. It was mentioned in Balance Of Terror (1966) that no one in Starfleet had seen the face of a Romulan prior to that incident involving Kirk’s Enterprise, but no one mentioned whether or not the Romulans’ ships had been seen before.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

The crew of Serenity helps a small town on Triumph fend off a group of bandits, and are rewarded with an evening of celebration. When they depart the next day, they discover that they have another passenger on board: a girl named Saffron who claims to be Mal’s wife. Book confirms that part of the party the night before was actually a wedding ceremony. At first the crew is amused by Mal’s plight. But as he tries to maintain his composure and reassure Saffron that she shouldn’t take his negative feelings toward marriage personally, tension starts mounting aboard the ship. Jayne seems desperate to trade for Mal’s “prize,” Zoe is none too pleased with Saffron’s matrimonial example, and Inara is considerably tenser than usual. When Saffron almost seals Mal’s fate with a kiss, the truth comes out. The innocent bride is playing them all, and leading them right into a trap.

written by Joss Whedon
directed by Vondie Curtis-Hall
music by Greg Edmonson

Guest Cast: Christina Hendricks (Saffron), Benito Martinez (Boss), Erik Passoja (Bree)

Notes: This episode features Book’s introductory narration.

LogBook entry by Dave Thomer

After the Romulan mine incident, the Enterprise is limited to warp 2, the crew has lost use of a major portion of the ship, and long-range communications are down. Archer reluctantly sends out a call to any nearby ships for aid, a message is received pointing the Enterprise toward a space station. The station is completely unmanned, and Archer has to barter with a computer for repairs. The repairs begin immediately once a price is agreed upon – in this case, warp plasma – and the work is not only performed with tremendous speed, but it’s up to or beyond Starfleet specifications. A remote probe even repairs Malcolm’s leg from the injury he sustained while trying to defuse a Romulan mine. But though it seems like a bargain, the station’s computer decides to increase its price – and it’ll cost a member of the bridge crew his life.

written by Mike Sussman & Phyllis Strong
directed by Roxann Dawson
music by Dennis McCarthy

Guest Cast: none

LogBook entry by Earl Green

A visit to the homeworld of the protocol-obsessed, easily offended Kreetassans goes badly – very badly. Trip is mildly annoyed when this means he won’t be able to barter with the Kreetassans for a replacement warp plasma injector, but Archer insists on looking elsewhere for the vital part. But just when Archer thinks his day can’t get any worse, it does – Porthos, who went to the Kreetassans’ planet with the landing party, has suddenly fallen ill due to something in the planet’s atmosphere. Dr. Phlox isolates the dog and begins treatment, but reluctantly admits to the captain that Porthos could die. Archer is enraged by the thought that the protocol-bound Kreetassans didn’t bother to cross-check their planet’s atmosphere against the genetic samples provided in advance for all visiting crew members (including the captain’s dog). When the Kreetassans then demand an apology for an act of sacrelige (namely, the fact that Porthos relieved himself on one of their most sacred trees), his concern for man’s best friend becomes Archer’s worst enemy.

written by Rick Berman & Brannon Braga
directed by David Straiton
music by Paul Baillargeon

Guest Cast: Vaughn Armstrong (Kreetassan) and Porthos

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Frustrated by the bond between old war vets Mal and Zoe, Wash insists on going on a job with Mal. Mal figures a sale of some of the medicine they stole from Ariel will be a safe enough milk run to indulge his pilot. Unfortunately, Niska’s men get word that Mal is in the area; they kill the buyers and kidnap Mal and Wash. As Niska tortures the two men, Mal tries to keep Wash distracted by continuing the argument about Zoe; Zoe, meanwhile, arrives on Niska’s station to try and ransom the two. Niska will only free one; Zoe chooses Wash, but Niska is nice enough to give her Mal’s ear as well. When they return to Serenity, the entire crew chooses to mount a rescue, a plan that has no right to work – but thanks to unlikely contributions from two of the crew, it just might.

written by Cheryl Cain
directed by James Contner
music by Greg Edmonson

Guest Cast: Michael Fairman (Niska), Katherine Kendall (Councillor), Rolando Molina (Black Market Buyer)

Notes: Mal drew Niska’s ire in The Train Job. This episode festures Mal’s opening narration.

LogBook entry by Dave Thomer

When Serenity lands on the mud-farming planet of Canton, Jayne is unusually cautious. A job of his a few years back didn’t quite go smoothly, and he’s concerned the local magistrate hasn’t let go of the grudge. The ruler of this company town has other things on his mind for the moment, like hiring Inara to help his son “become a man.” Mal, Jayne, Kaylee and Wash head into town to meet their contact. They bring Simon along to pose as a would-be buyer; they leave River in Book’s care, which raises its own issues. In town, Mal and the crew run into two obstacles. For starters, their contact has been killed by the magistrate. That wouldn’t be too much of an issue, since an associate has stepped in to finish the deal. But it turns out that botched job turned Jayne into a folk hero, when he dumped a considerable sum of money into the impoverished townspeople’s lap. And when those folks see their hero is back, it puts the kibosh on any chance of Serenity sneaking out of town quietly. Especially when the magistrate lets loose a man who holds an even bigger grudge against Jayne than he does.

written by Ben Edlund
directed by Marita Grabiak
music by Greg Edmonson

Guest Cast: Gregory Itzin (Magistrate Higgins), Daniel Bess (Mudder), Kevin Gage (Stitch Hessian)

Notes: This episode features Book’s introductory narration.

LogBook entry by Dave Thomer

A bleeding Mal collapses onto the deck of Serenity’s cargo bay, one hand desperately clutching a catalyzer for the ship’s engine. As he struggles through the deserted ship to the engine room, he recalls the circumstances that got him into this predicament: Simon’s birthday party interrupted by an explosion that injured Zoe and damaged both the main and auxiliary life support systems; Kaylee unable to repair the systems because of the blown catalyzer; the ship adrift in empty space; the rest of the crew setting out in shuttles in a desperate effort to find help. He also thinks back to the moments that initially brought his crew together. Zoe, first to join up, initially didn’t take a liking to Wash, but that might have been the moustache. Mal’s first engineer brought about his own unemployment when he brought Kaylee aboard for a quick fling. Inara drives a hard bargain for use of her shuttle, but Mal display his own bargaining skills in getting Jayne to come on board. As Serenity’s oxygen ticks away, a miracle appears – another ship, with the catalyzer Mal needs. But it’s no great surprise when the miracle comes with a catch.

written by Tim Minear
directed by David Solomon
music by Greg Edmonson

Guest Cast: Steven Flinn (Captain), Ilia Volok (Markov), Lyle Kanouse (Salesman)

Notes: According to the commentary on the series DVD, the flashbacks to Mal’s purchase of Serenity and initial gathering of the crew take place five years in the past, about one year after the end of the war. This episode features Mal’s opening narration.

LogBook entry by Dave Thomer

A small outpost of settlers is surprised when an Enterprise shuttlepod descends and lands. Archer, Trip and T’Pol greet the settlers, asking to trade for deuterium fuel. Tessic, the leader of the settlement refuses, saying his outpost only has a small supply – which clashes with the full tanks spotted by the shuttle’s scanners from orbit. Archer finally strikes a deal with the settlers, trading some of Enterprise’s power cells and medical supplies for the fuel. When another ship arrives in orbit, Tessic asks the visitors from Enterprise to stay out of sight, and Archer soon learns why – a group of Klingon pirates has an “arrangement” with Tessic. Every season, the Klingons take every liter of deuterium mined, and they pay the settlers back by not harming them. Archer is determined to end the siege, and plans an elaborate trap for the Klingons. He also arms and trains the settlers to defend themselves.

teleplay by David Wilcox
story by Rick Berman & Brannon Braga
directed by Mike Vejar
music by Dennis McCarthy

Guest Cast: Larry Cedar (Tessic), Bari Hochwald (E’lis), Steven Flynn (Maklii), Jesse James Rutherford (Q’Ell), Robertson Dean (Korok)

LogBook entry by Earl Green