Countdown ( episode ) With help from some Xindi factions , the " Enterprise " crew attempts to stop the arming of the Xindi weapon . Summary . Teaser . Ensign Hoshi Sato awakes on the Xindi - Reptilian warship after having been beamed off the while it was engaging the Xindi - Reptilian and Xindi - Insectoid ships guarding the Xindi weapon . She realizes she is in the clutches of Commander Dolim , who compliments her linguistic abilities in translating the Xindi - Aquatic language . He wants her to translate the encoded Aquatic launch codes , having her forced into a chair for some procedure . Act One . The with the away team returns to the " Enterprise " with data from the Delphic Expanse sphere . Sub - commander T ' Pol immediately orders to incorporate the data into the ship and meet her in the command center . Ensign Travis Mayweather asks what happened in their absence , and the team learns the bad news . When they leave the launch bay , Major Hayes learns from Lieutenant Malcolm Reed what happened to Corporal Hawkins . On the planet , Captain Jonathan Archer meets with Jannar and the Xindi - Primate councilor , who inform him they are trying to locate the weapon . With three sets of codes needed for activation , and the Aquatics apparently not taking sides , the Reptilians and Insectoids are likely going to try bypassing the command sequences , which will take time . Archer now sees why the abducted Sato . While T ' Pol and Tucker work on the sphere data , T ' Pol needs to remind Tucker to focus on the task at hand , rather than letting Sato ' s fate be a distraction . Archer arrives , and the two report they believe four of the spheres are control spheres for a common energy grid to all spheres . It ' s so far unclear if they are a single point of failure , which , if so , they can disrupt the entire grid with a single strike . Dolim has Sato injected with neural parasites to ensure her cooperation , while " thanking " her it . Meanwhile , Archer , Jannar and the Primate councilor have located the weapon , but also find more ships have joined them and , despite equal numbers , they are armed better than their force , so they are no match . Archer proposes to convince Kiaphet Amman ' sor that the Aquatics should help . They agree to meet and , after a bit of waiting on their ship , Amman ' sor and another arrive to hear Archer . He asks them to intervene , as his officer was abducted to help translate their launch code . The Primate councilor reinforces that they could succeed . Amman ' sor responds that they will not act rashly just because the Reptilians decide to , but Archer points out the decision will be made for them . The Aquatics end the conversation and leave , but Archer makes a final plea , asking if the Guardians have told them where their new homeworld will be . If it ' s in the Delphic Expanse , the spheres will make it uninhabitable for anyone . Archer promises he knows of a way to disable the spheres , and will help them do so . This stops the Aquatics from leaving . Act Two . Sato , working under the influence of the parasites in the core of the weapon , is supervised . Dolim arrives for a progress report , and the guard says she ' s been working toward her goal . Dolim takes her head and asks to confirm if she understands what she is to do , and doesn ' t believe her . When he orders her prepared for another injection , she runs and , when cornered , tries to jump over the railing , committing suicide , but is caught by a Reptilian . As she ' s taken away , the guard sits down and realizes she hasn ' t actually made progress , rather , she ' s added another layer of encryption . After the injection , Sato gets really under its influence and eventually she unlocks the third code , giving the Reptilians full access to the weapon . With Archer ' s promise to disable the spheres , the pressure is on Tucker and T ' Pol . It ' s taken its toll , though , as Tucker dismisses each of T ' Pol ' s suggestions , as they present too much risk to the ship . T ' Pol , uncharacteristically , exhibits frustration and takes it out on him . He confronts her about it and decides to leave to engineering to work , but T ' Pol stops him , admitting she ' s been emotional and has had difficulty keeping a lid on it on her own . Tucker understands and promises to be there to talk to her when it ' s all over . The female Sphere - Builder contacts Dolim on his ship , and is happy to hear they have the weapon , but disappointed to hear the difficulties in activating it . Dolim subtly confronts her by asking if she could get the activation codes herself , due to her apparent ability to look back in time . She says it ' s impossible , as they only see large changes in the timeline . Dolim is skeptical of her abilities , but relents when she is emphatic about hurrying up , as many timelines favor the other Xindi species and Humans . T ' Pol and Tucker inform Archer on their initial plan to use the deflector dish to disrupt part of the control sphere , but they don ' t have the details worked out . Archer leaves them to it , and invites the Primate councilor on board . He relates that the Aquatics ' excessive deliberateness usually kept the Council together , and is part of the reason why Degra had them build the weapon . Archer brings up the topic of a future weapon , even in their current success , but the councilor promises that there ' s a future where they cooperate together . Soon , Archer learns the Aquatics have sent six ships . Amman ' sor hails them , promising help in exchange for Archer ' s . The crew continues in high gear to prepare for the assault " en route " . Hayes prepares a rescue mission for Sato in the armory when Reed arrives to give his report on Hawkins ' death . During the discussion , Reed asks if they have a problem , as Hayes seems to dismiss him . Hayes admits he doesn ' t like putting his people in someone else ' s command , but Reed insists he felt his responsibility for Hawkins . Hayes also notes they no longer feel like outsiders on the ship , and this puts the two in agreement . At dinner , T ' Pol , Tucker and Archer talk about what they ' ll do after the mission is over . Archer wants to get back to their mission while T ' Pol , surprisingly , considers formalizing her service with Starfleet . Tucker chuckles and wants to be there to see Soval ' s expression at seeing her in a Starfleet uniform as Archer is informed they ' ve arrived at the coordinates of the weapon and its force . Act Three . As the weapon begins to arm , Dolim is informed of a massive fleet consisting of " Enterprise " , the Aquatics , Arboreals , and Primates that has arrived to intercept them . Dolim orders Kolo to stay there while sending a patrol to engage them . When the Aquatic ship releases the " Enterprise " , Dolim orders them to target it , but the Aquatics protect it . Reed happily targets the weapon ' s primary generators , getting several shots off . Soon , T ' Pol finds Sato on one of the Reptilian ships and Archer orders Hayes ' team to be beam ed there . They arrive and , with , Money , and Richards , Hayes boards the Reptilian vessel to rescue Sato . They stun one Reptilian and blow open the door to Sato ' s cell . Sato is unconscious , and they can ' t get get a hold of " Enterprise " , so Hayes carries her back to the beam - in point . The Sphere - Builder s , meanwhile , see that their pawns are losing for many timelines and decide to act : they use the spheres to create spatial anomalies near the weapon , forming a barrier and disabling several Aquatic ships and an Arboreal one . " Enterprise " , inside the barrier , gets a little leeway but the ship is rocked , disabling the transporter . Hayes ' team is forced to hold their ground as Tucker works on it . He gets it back up soon , but can only transport two at a time . He gets them all , but Hayes is shot through the torso just as he ' s the last one through . He collapses on the transporter pad and is taken to sickbay . The arming sequence soon completes , forcing Archer to order the ship closer , despite the anomalies . However , it departs into a subspace vortex with one Reptilian and one Insectoid ship , heading for Earth . Act Four . Reed goes to see Hayes in sickbay to thank him for bringing Sato home . Hayes , seeing his eventual death , tells Reed to use McKenzie for the MACO team ' s lead . Reed doesn ' t want him to give up , but he soon succumbs to his injury , despite Phlox ' attempt to restart his heart . Jannar and the Primate councilor inform Archer that the weapon will reach Earth in ten hours and they can ' t reach the weapon in time . Even though Degra ' s ship is faster , it ' s not well - armed . Archer intends to use the ship to board the weapon and destroy it from the inside , but the two emphasize the Aquatics decided to help them on a condition . Archer orders T ' Pol to execute their plan to disable the control sphere while he and the MACOs go to the weapon . Reed then goes to that team and , after regretfully informing them Hayes didn ' t make it , asks for volunteers to board the weapon . They all step forward . Reed picks Woods , and Forbes . Archer gets Sato ' s status . Phlox says she ' s stable , but has undergone severe neural trauma . Archer needs her with him on Degra ' s ship for information , but Phlox points out the potential harm to her . Archer has no choice , and orders her there in 20 minutes and for him to teach Reed how to treat her . Phlox objects again , but Archer demands it . While in the vortex , the Insectoid captain contacts Dolim , angry as he realizes that the anomalies appearing just when they needed them was more than good luck , and starts to realize that Captain Archer may have been correct about the Guardians building the spheres . After the communication ends , Dolim has the Insectoid ship immediately destroyed . Archer and team leave T ' Pol and Tucker to board Degra ' s ship , and they wish each other good luck . Memorable quotes . " " She ' s surprisingly strong - willed . . . for a primate . " " " " We ' ll see how defiant she is after our surgeons have finished with her . We ' ll have the launch codes soon enough . " " " " Before your primate brain is too badly damaged to understand , I want to thank you for helping us destroy your world . " " " " Have these Guardians told you where you ' ll establish your new home world ? The one humans are destined to destroy ? Is it here , in the Expanse ? In case you haven ' t noticed , the Spheres are turning it into a trans - dimensional wasteland . None of you will be able to survive . You say the Guardians have helped you . Have they ever tried to disable the Spheres ? Because we ' ve found a way . Help me save my people , and I can help you save yours . " " " " When this is all over , if you want to talk . . . I ' m all ears . " " " " Commander , I can ' t access the arming matrix . She ' s added a layer of encryption ! " " " " You ' ve seen more than enough detail to learn how to meddle in our affairs – to turn the Xindi species against each other . " " " " Everything we ' ve done has been to protect the Xindi . " " " " Then finish what you ' ve started , if . . . it ' s within your power . " " " " I knew Degra for many years . He could be difficult . . . uncompromising . We argued often , for instance , when he insisted that we meet with you . But when Degra spoke , only a fool would ignore him . He believed that there was a future between your people and ours . When this is over , I intend to see if he was right . " " " " When we first came aboard " Enterprise " , we definitely felt like outsiders . " " " " If I contributed to that , I apologize . " " " " My point is , none of us feel that way anymore . We ' re all part of the same crew , no matter which uniform we wear . Don ' t worry about Ensign Sato , we ' ll bring her home . " " " " I ' ve considered formalizing my service with Starfleet . " " " " I may be able to pull some strings . . . get you out of basic training . " " " " Can you imagine the look on Soval ' s face when he sees her in a Starfleet uniform ? Please , let me be there ! " " " " I said I was considering it . " " " " The Guardians will not let us fail . " " " " Doctor ? " " " " I told him I was ready for duty . " " " " I ' m afraid he ' s a bit of a mother hen . " " " Heh . How ' s Ensign Sato ? " " " " Her bio - signs are stable . " " " " Thank you . For bringing her home . " " " " All in a day ' s work . " " " " We ' ve got less than ten hours before this weapon reaches Earth . The captain wants to take a team aboard to destroy it . I don ' t imagine the Reptilians will make this easy for us , but that ' s why you ' re here . That ' s why Major Hayes picked each one of you for this mission : because he knew you ' d get the job done . I need three volunteers . " " " " The anomalies worked to our advantage . " " " " We were fortunate . " " " " It was more than good fortune . The Human claims the Guardians control the Spheres . " " " " He also started a civil war between our species . " " " " He didn ' t kill Degra , you did ! " " " " Degra was a traitor . " " " " I ' m no longer certain of that . " " " " Then it ' s a good thing we already have your launch codes . " " " " Bring me back a piece of that weapon - a souvenir . " " " " With pleasure . " " " " Open the vortex . . . Set a course for Earth ! " " " " I expect you to keep him in line . " " " " I ' ll do my best . " " Links and references . References . 602 Club ; automated defense mechanism ; avionics ; cardiostimulator ; ; civil war ; cryptologist ; deflector array ; deflector pulse ; Degra ; Degra ' s ship ; Earth ; EPS conduit ; ; heart attack ; impulse reactor ; injection ; interspatial manifold ; Jaina ; joule ; ; Kolo ; kilometer ; logistics ; ; Naara ; neocortex ; osmotic eel ; Piral ; ration pack ; Santa Claus ; senior tactical officer ; Soval ; Sphere 41 ; Sphere - Builder ; spitting ; squadron , Starfleet , Earth ; Starfleet Quartermaster ; steak ; stun baton ; stun grenade ; subspace energy ; tactical alert ; Temporal Cold War , thermal chamber ; timescape ; Vulcan ( planet ) ; Vulcan High Command ; Xindi , Xindi - Arboreal ; Xindi - Aquatic ; Xindi - Aquatic cruiser ; Xindi - Aquatic scout ship ; Xindi - Arboreal starship ; Xindi - Insectoid starship ; Xindi mission ; Xindi neural parasite ; Xindi - Primate starship ; Xindi - Reptilian warship