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In “Fortunate Son”, we get a glimpse into the universe that the Enterprise NX-01 finds itself. Shipping freight is still a productive profession, and piracy is rampant. Starfleet is dismissed by families that have been hauling dilithium across light years for decades. When a distress call summons the Enterprise to a freighter under attack, Travis Mayweather must confront the fact that he is of two worlds. Archer helps him with a strange speech that only sorta feels connected. But anyway…
The Wikipedia plot summary for “Fortunate Son”:
“An Earth freighter with a crew of 23, ECS Fortunate, is attacked by Nausicaans and Enterprise is sent to help. When they arrive, the freighter is relatively unharmed apart from Captain Keene, who is lying unconscious in the ship’s infirmary, but the rest of the crew are secretive and reluctant to provide explanations. While helping repair Fortunate, Sub-Commander T’Pol detects a Nausicaan bio-sign. It transpires that Commander Matthew Ryan and his men are secretly torturing the captive for his shield access codes. Ryan admits the Nausicaan pirate is their prisoner, but refuses to let the Starfleet personnel see him, and Captain Archer threatens to retract his assistance to Fortunate.
Ryan seemingly relents, but as Archer and his away team enter a cargo section of the freighter, the cargo pod is suddenly jettisoned with the away team inside. Before Fortunate warps away, it attempts to damage Enterprise in order to delay pursuit. Enterprise recovers its people and begins pursuit of the rogue freighter. Meanwhile, Fortunate arrives at the asteroid used by the Nausicaan pirates, but discover the acquired shield codes are useless. The pirates attempt to board the freighter and rescue their captured crewman just as Enterprise arrives and begins to engage the Nausicaan ships.
Archer is soon able to broker a temporary truce: if they can return the Nausicaan captive, the boarding party will stand down. Ryan is uncooperative until Ensign Mayweather intervenes, saying that Ryan’s motivations are not about preventing future attacks on Earth ships; they are about personal revenge, and doing so simply exposes other freighter crews to revenge attacks as well. Ryan relents. Later, Archer and Captain Keene of Fortunate discuss Ryan’s actions and his demotion to Crewman 3rd class. They agree Ryan acted rashly, but Keene also muses that acting on their own is the primary motivation his people are out here — to both challenge and prove themselves.”
In this episode of the podcast, Wes and Clay discuss “Fortunate Son” – both the episode of Enterprise and the song from Creedence Clearwater Revival. Plus! They talk about space football, refusing a drink, and awkwardly bringing up all the sex you’ve been having!