Biorifle The Xindi - Reptilian biorifle weapon was an example of biotechnology , a rifle - type energy weapon . Systems . The biorifles typically fired yellow bolts of energy . ( , " et al . " ) A direct hit from a biorifle itself was survivable by a Human , at least temporarily . ( ) A biorifle could also be connected to a Xindi - Reptilian grenade launcher . ( ) The biorifle ' s power cell was a pair of techno - larva e . Their neural pathway s modulated the rifle ' s power output ; Doctor Phlox considered this system the most sophisticated example of biomechanical engineering he had ever seen . The top of the rifle could be easily lifted up , exposing the larva e . If either of the two organisms was removed from the weapon , a new one grew almost immediately to replace it , which made disarming such a weapon very difficult . The organisms could be killed with a sustained burst of delta radiation . Omicron radiation , however , caused the organisms to thrive . The biorifles worked on a rotating modulation that self - destructed when accessed by other species . A countdown began before detonation , which emitted audible ticks and was displayed on a triangular readout at the top of the weapon , directly behind ( from the user ' s perspective ) the compartment which housed the twinned organisms . The countdown was accompanied by a steady increase in the biorifle ' s energy levels , to the point where the weapon overloaded . ( ) History . Biorifles were used by Xindi - Reptilians when , in 2153 , they invaded the starship and battled with officers aboard the vessel . Since the battle resulted in a Xindi - Reptilian being left on the starship , a biorifle was also left on board . The weapon ' s range , power output and how the Starfleet crew could defend against it were topics of interest to Captain Jonathan Archer , who hence gave orders for the rifle to be disassembled and studied . ( ) Commander Tucker conducted multiple scans of the weapon , discovering it contained organic components , which led him to involve Phlox in the examination . Once the doctor determined that delta radiation could kill the eel - like lifeforms , Tucker theorized Reptilian weapons could be very quickly rendered harmless , if the Starfleet officers rigged up portable EM emitter s . Phlox argued that the amount of radiation required would be extremely dangerous to any Humans in the area , but Tucker continued to regard his hypothesis as a viable starting point for a workable defensive strategy . Having learnt all they could from examining the workings of the biorifle , Tucker and Phlox proceeded – somewhat criticized by T ' Pol ( due largely to the weapon ' s untested nature ) – to test the device by attempting to fire it at a target on board . The weapon didn ' t allow Tucker to use it and instead began a countdown to self - destruction , so he speedily beamed it off the ship before it detonated . ( ) " In an alternate timeline wherein Jonathan Archer was infected with memory - degrading interspatial parasite s , biorifles were used by teams of Xindi - Reptilian intruders aboard " Enterprise " as they forcibly made their way onto the ship , for instance following several months in which the vessel had unsuccessfully searched for the Xindi weapon while under T ' Pol ' s command . Though two Reptilians dropped their own rifles when they were consecutively shot to the ground by MACO s , another Reptilian used his rifle to shoot down a security officer guarding Archer ' s quarters . The same Reptilian subsequently used the weapon to destroy a panel outside Archer ' s quarters , thereby accessing the otherwise locked room . However , an ensuing battle between Archer and the Reptilian trespasser caused the latter combatant to drop his rifle . He was about to pick it up again when Archer attacked and killed him . " " Rifles were also used by Xindi - Reptilians who violently boarded " Enterprise " in 2165 of the same timeline . One shot struck a console on the upper level of engineering and caused an explosion which threw Phlox , who had been standing near the console , over the railing to the lower level , where he then lay motionless and unresponsive to Archer checking him . More direct strikes from the Reptilians ' rifles gravely wounded T ' Pol and Archer before the ship exploded and the timeline was subsequently reset . " ( ) Appendices . Background information . In the final draft script of , the rifles of this configuration were described as " formidable , exotic - looking weapons " , which fired " boomerang - shaped pulses of energy . " This form of rifle was designed by junior illustrator Berndt Heidemann . ( text commentary , ENT Season 3 DVD ) He stated of the weapon , " " They [ the producers ] said it ' s gotta be something " alien " – we don ' t want your typical handle / clip / trigger . And they wanted a rifle with something organic with it – they wanted to add that part of the Xindi , as if they utilized some organics in their technology . It has the flip - top , the whole front comes off , the front slides forward – this was definitely more than your usual gun . And Brannon [ Braga ] really liked ' s art , and he wanted some Giger - esque things on it . " " ( ) The back cover of ENT Season 3 Blu - ray shows a biorifle being fired by a Xindi - Reptilian , an image from ( though the blast from the weapon is visually accentuated in the picture ) .