These Are the Voyages . . . ( episode ) In hopes of receiving some help before making a difficult personal decision , Commander William T . Riker of the " Enterprise " - D observes a holodeck simulation of the final mission of the original starship " Enterprise " , as commanded by Jonathan Archer , in the days immediately preceding the birth of the United Federation of Planets over two centuries earlier . ( " Series finale " ) Summary . Teaser . In 2161 , the bridge officer s of the spacecraft have a casual discussion on the bridge of their ship , Captain Archer exiting from his ready room midway through the conversation . The officer s mention both an upcoming ceremony – the signing of a charter between the members of an interstellar alliance , for which Archer is busy writing a speech – and the similarly imminent decommissioning of " Enterprise " , which Archer intends to postpone until after the charter has been signed . Following a vocal command that signals all senior officer s to report to the bridge , a bearded William T . Riker – having been quietly sitting at " Enterprise " s engineering station , dressed as a 22nd century Starfleet ensign of the command division – states a directive for a computer to " freeze program " ; the environment of " Enterprise " s bridge and the other officer s therein are actually hologram s , and Riker ' s instruction was to the computer of the real ship he is aboard . After Riker saves and ends the simulation , the resultant change in his surroundings and uniform reveal he is , in fact , serving as a Commander and is in the holodeck of the , which he promptly exits . Act One . On board the " Enterprise " - D , Riker is seated with Counselor Deanna Troi in the Ten Forward lounge . He is reluctant to speak about his personal dilemma , as it is highly classified . When Troi asks about the holoprogram she recommended , Riker admits he is unsure how the simulation will help him but the counselor sarcastically replies that that is why he runs a starship and why she is a counselor , to which Riker smiles . While later walking through a corridor , they continue to discuss the holoprogram , Troi advises Riker to skip ahead to when an Andorian contacts " Enterprise " and suggesting that he assume the sociable role of the vessel ' s chef , the only crewmember who came close to being a counselor on the ship back then . Riker agrees to remember Troi ' s advice . Arranging to have supper together , the pair depart , Riker stepping into a holodeck while Troi proceeds to a turbolift . On the simulated " Enterprise " bridge , Archer is shocked when Shran signals the ship , as the Andorian was believed to have died three years earlier . He says certain people , including Archer , had to think he was dead and appeals for Archer to repay a favor . As Riker watches from the engineering station , Archer wordily refuses to aid Shran , due to the closeness of the ceremony date , until the Andorian reveals that former associates of his have abducted his daughter . After Archer agrees to rendezvous with Shran , Riker freezes the program , advances it by an hour and switches it to objective mode . Passing through a door , he heads into the captain ' s ready room . There , Shran complains to the captain about his predicament , implying that the reason he faked his own death was due to the disreputableness of his former allies , who mistakenly believe he has stolen something of theirs and who have taken his daughter to Rigel X , a trading outpost with which Archer is familiar . Shran appeals for help with his daughter ' s recovery . In the captain ' s quarters , Riker witnesses Commander T ' Pol object to the possibility of aiding Shran . Archer retorts to her objections , reminding T ' Pol that Shran helped him gain access to the Xindi weapon and that she has never trusted Andorians . Ultimately , T ' Pol relents . Archer asks her to visit the galley as the ship ' s chef is about to prepare the crew ' s final meal . After T ' Pol exits , Archer assures Porthos that the chef has promised at least six varieties of cheese . Posing as " Enterprise " s chef , Riker has a lengthy conversation with T ' Pol in the galley , who is unenthusiastic about both selecting a dish – although Riker has already begun to make plomeek broth for her – and the ship ' s detour . Riker defends Archer ' s decision to help Shran , assuring T ' Pol that the vessel likely won ' t miss the ceremony . In response to Riker inquiring if she misses " Trip " Tucker , T ' Pol is at first unforthcoming , saying that their intimate relationship has been over for six years , but eventually remarks that – as a Vulcan – she does not miss people . She and Riker discuss Trip ' s loyal relationship with Archer . T ' Pol admits that , during her service aboard " Enterprise " , she has come to embrace the Human crew ' s illogical favorance for instincts over automatic compliance with orders , an insight for which Riker is grateful ; freezing the program , he kisses T ' Pol on the cheek and thanks her . Act Two . In the " Enterprise " - D ' s observation lounge , Riker is reviewing the crew complement of the when Troi enters . She soon senses that he is upset about an incident wherein most the vessel ' s crew died , but he is standoffish until they change the subject , he telling her of his progress on the holodeck . Troi is unfamiliar with the " NX " - class " Enterprise " , so Riker invites her to the simulation . The couple survey Archer ' s ready room and the bridge , with both areas empty , the duo commenting on the differences between the vessel and their own ship . As they pace through a corridor , Riker – much to Troi ' s approval – adds crew members to the simulation . In Engineering , Lieutenant Reed worries , to Trip , about the mission on Rigel X . Although Trip is still conducting maintenance tasks , Reed questions the necessity of doing so since NX - 01 is about to be mothballed , but Trip says he wants to , noting that he practically built the engine . He and Reed nostalgically remark on the end of their assignment . Watching them exit , Troi tells Riker she is saddened by Trip ' s unawareness that he wouldn ' t return from the mission . The search effort is then plotted in the ship ' s situation room . Shran indicates where his daughter , Talla , is reportedly being held and talks with T ' Pol , who has created a fabrication of the Tenebian amethyst Shran is accused of stealing . Troi freezes the program , opines that Archer is " cute " and leaves for an appointment with Reginald Barclay . Riker forwards the simulation to when " Enterprise " reaches Rigel X and has the simulation stay in objective mode . As Archer is about to lead an away mission there , Tucker tries to convince him to stay aboard , worrying for his safety . Archer insists otherwise , however , noting that Rigel X both was the first and will be the last place visited by " Enterprise " . On a en route to the planet ' s surface , Riker listens – dressed as a MACO – as T ' Pol recounts to Trip that the chef spoke about them . She hesitantly broaches the topic of their former relationship , admitting that she hasn ' t considered it in a long time . She also worries that they may never see each other again but Trip is adamant that they won ' t lose contact . With the shuttlepod encountering slight turbulence , T ' Pol says that , no matter what , she will miss him . Once Archer – in another shuttlepod – reports that Shran has made contact with his daughter ' s abductors , the shuttlepods begin their final descent to the planet . Shran and T ' Pol later meet with the kidnappers and speak to the group ' s alien leader , who is highly suspicious of the newcomers . Disdainful of Shran , the alien leader oversees that Talla is brought out , Shran finding that she is unharmed and merely hungry . He presents the amethyst and the leader surrenders Talla , who is excited to be reunited with Shran but – on his instruction – accompanies T ' Pol away . The away team , having been hiding on catwalks high above , use the fabricated amethyst to dazzle the aliens with brilliant flashes , allowing Shran to flee . A battle ensues , despite Reed warning the aliens to stand still . The leader causes the catwalk below Trip to give way but , while Reed stuns the alien , Trip is pulled to safety by Archer , the pair exchanging friendly sentiments pertaining to Trip ' s recovery . Act Three . The team arrives in " Enterprise " s launch bay , Archer having agreed to escort Shran and Talla away from the alien pirates . Shran mentions that the aliens ' ship can barely maintain warp factor two and Talla thanks the captain , referring to him as " pink skin . " Alone together , Trip and Archer humorously allude to Trip ' s near - fall , both officers thankful that the captain went on the mission . As the " Enterprise " - D enters an asteroid field , Data contacts Troi ' s quarters , eager to continue a discussion . He misinterprets her use of the phrase " rain check " but she explains they will talk later . Troi is visited by Riker , who is worried that the ship will soon find the " Pegasus " but that he is still undecided about his dilemma . Confidentially , he confesses that the " Pegasus " was equipped with a prototype cloaking device ( outlawed by the Treaty of Algeron ) , that the ship ' s disaster was due to a test of the cloak and that Pressman , the craft ' s former captain , intends to continue the experiment . Riker criticizes the project but , sworn to secrecy , he is insecure about alerting Captain Picard to it . Troi is confident Riker will make the right choice but he is less sure of himself . Again acting as " Enterprise " s chef , Riker consecutively consults Reed , Ensigns Sato and Mayweather , as well as Dr . Phlox , asking them about Trip while they help knead dough . At one point , Riker accidentally refers to Archer as " Picard " but then corrects himself . Archer and Tucker are in the captain ' s mess . They consider the planetary alliance , including its uneasy beginnings , and the upcoming ceremony . With an historically significant bottle of whiskey , given to Archer ' s father Henry by Zefram Cochrane , the holograms toast to " the next generation . " After the vessel shudders , Archer – watched by Riker – learns from T ' Pol on the bridge that a small , unidentified craft is attacking " Enterprise " . Hearing an intruder alert , Archer and Trip rush to confront the invaders : they are the same aliens who captured Talla but have now come for both her and Shran . Archer and Trip are puzzled , due to Shran having said the aliens ' ship was extremely slow . The captain claims that Shran has already left but the alien leader isn ' t fooled by the attempt at deception . Following an order from the leader for Archer to be killed , Trip steps forward , insisting that he can take the alien horde to Shran but asks that the captain – who struggles to stop Trip interfering – is quietened , so one of the aliens knocks Archer unconscious with a rifle butt . Trip arranges with the impatient and anxious alien leader that he will bring Shran to them . The engineer then leads the aliens into a small room that he identifies as a comm station . Bluntly announcing that they can go straight to Hell , he connects two plasma relay s , sparking an explosion that downs the intruders . Archer regains consciousness and works his way through the debris in search of Trip while Riker watches . He continues to observe in sickbay , as a badly injured Trip converses with Archer , apologizing for having had him knocked out cold and expressing enthusiasm for the fact that " Enterprise " will make it to the ceremony on time . Thanks to a hurrying Phlox , Trip , giving Archer a reassuring smile , is moved into the imaging chamber . Phlox looks grimly at the captain . Act Four . A somber T ' Pol is packing away personal effects from Trip ' s quarters when Archer arrives , although she politely refuses help from him . Archer lets her know that Trip ' s parents will be coming to the ceremony and hands T ' Pol a figurine of Frankenstein ' s monster to pack . T ' Pol expresses an eagerness to meet Trip ' s parents , who Archer describes as eccentric . The holographic duplicate of Archer nears a mirror in which Riker is reflected but the hologram does not see him . T ' Pol and Archer agree that T ' Pol ' s mother was also eccentric . Archer tries to explain to T ' Pol the often contradictory nature of emotion s . He also recounts how , when he took command of " Enterprise " a decade earlier , he had the mindset of an explorer , whereas now – faced with Trip ' s death – he has to make a speech about how worthwhile the voyage has been . T ' Pol interjects that Trip would be most eager to agree it has been worthwhile . Riker later visits an event that chronologically took place while the ship was heading to pick up Shran , about an hour before T ' Pol ' s visit to the galley ; Trip now arrives there to talk with Riker , who has resumed the role of chef . The pair make small talk about the crew ' s final meal . Trip details the extremely trusting relationship he has with Archer . Leaving to do some packing , Trip wonders what the chef will do , following the ship ' s return to Earth . Riker is unsure but Trip is confident that the chef will make the right choice . A large crowd is gathered in an auditorium wherein Reed , Sato and Mayweather have been assigned seats that Reed complains about . The trio discuss the career plans of Mayweather and Archer , after which Reed says he – like Mayweather – is planning to stay with Archer . In a waiting area backstage , Archer prepares to present his speech , while both T ' Pol and Phlox try to bolster his confidence . Phlox notes that there are visiting dignitaries from eighteen different worlds and is certain it won ' t be long before the alliance expands . He then gives the captain a wide grin before heading to meet with his three wives , who are in the audience . T ' Pol , on the other hand , prefers to remain backstage , influencing Archer to remark that she has never liked crowds . Just before he heads out to greet the masses , T ' Pol comments that he looks very heroic and Archer turns back to embrace her in a hug . As he strides to the central platform , the spectators applaud and Riker walks up to Troi , watching from a balcony above the crowd . They agree that , although Archer is understandably nervous , he will be fine . Troi considers the historical importance of the event , mentioning that the alliance would lead to the Federation , and Riker finally decides that he is ready to speak with Captain Picard , so the pair subsequently leave the holodeck . Captains Picard , Kirk and Archer can be heard taking turns paraphrasing Zefram Cochrane as all three " Enterprise " s each captain first commanded continue their journeys . Memorable quotes . " " Here ' s to the " next generation " . " " " " You have to help me . . . it ' s my little girl . " " " " All good things . . . " " " " Our brig is bigger than this ! " " " " No fish tank . " " " " How could Archer survive without a fish tank ? " " " " Thanks , pink skin . " " " " Signing documents are easy . Training a new engineer . . . that can be a real pain in the ass . " " " " This is a special bottle of whiskey . Zefram Cochrane gave it to my father the day they broke ground at the Warp Five Complex . " " " " And here we are . . . toasting to warp seven . " " " " It ' s sad . Commander Tucker had no idea he wouldn ' t make it back . " " " " Thanks , boss ! " " " " Any time . " " " " It ' s the biggest day of " our " lives . " " " " I hate to contradict you , captain . You ' re the man they ' re waiting to see . " " " " Data to Counselor Troi . " " " " Yes , Data ? " " " " I was wondering if now may be the appropriate time to discuss the long - term effects of space travel on my positronic net . " " " " Can I give you a rain check ? " " " " You may . . . check me for rain if you wish Counselor , but I assure you I have no water in my . . . " " " " Data , I ' ll get back to you . " " " " You can all go straight to Hell ! " " " " Did Trip ever take a swing at Picard ? " " " " At who ? " " " " Archer . . . Captain Archer ? " " " " Just beyond the next planet , just beyond the next star . . . " " " " I ' m sure you ' ll make the right choice . " " " " I think I ' m ready to talk to Captain Picard . I should ' ve done it a long time ago . " " " " So I guess we ' re through here . " " " " I guess we are . Computer , end program . " " " " Space , the final frontier . These are the voyages of the Starship " Enterprise " . Its continuing mission . . . " " Links and references . References . addiction ; alliance ; Andorian ; Andorian cabbage soup ; ; armadillo ; ; Berman & Braga ; Brazil ; brig ; bridge ; carrot ; catfish ; cheese ; chef ; ; cutting board ; dog ; deuterium filter ; ; drug addiction ; Edosian suckerfish ( Edosian ) ; ; ; fan club ; Federation Charter ; ; gesture ; grammar school ; hick ; holodeck ; intruder alert ; Jhamel ; ; launch bay ; liberator ; linguistic database ; Livingston ; meatloaf ; Mobile ; museum ; objective mode ; observation lounge ; outlawed ; peeling ; ; photograph ; plomeek broth ; poetic justice ; Porthos ; ; promotion ; pulse - pistol ; Rigel X ; senior staff ; Shallash ; shorthand ; " " ; spectral micrometer ; Starfleet Investigative Services ; ; syntho - surfactant ; T ' Les ; tea ; Tellarite ; Ten Forward ; Tenebian amethyst ; time index ; toast ; Treaty of Algeron ; troposphere ; United Federation of Planets ; vegetable peeler ; Vulcan ; Vulcan Council ; warp engine ; Warp Five Complex ; whiskey ; Xindi weapon