After the commercials, Quantum cinches up Shran's leg and grouses at him not to move. I don't think Quantum's ever been in more danger of his furrows freezing that way. Shran comments that they are going to die. Stupidly, Quantum whips out his communicator and tries to call the ship. Shran reminds him that they are inside the dampening field. "It doesn't hurt to try," Quantum snaps. No, it doesn't hurt to try -- it just makes you look like an idiot. Since he's waited out his ten minutes, Shran's antennae stiffen and hone in on the skulking Aenar. Another skulker comes out of a snowdrift. She's also wearing a cozy veil around her neck and face. Quantum tells them they need their help. The first skulking Aenar kneels down at Shran's side, takes a moment, and says they will assist them.

Enterprise sickbay. Hm, nice unit. Phlox judges they are ready to put someone in his unit for a test run. He admits that it will be very dangerous. Trip wants to be the first one to try it out. Trip, did you suddenly acquire telepathic abilities in that thick head of yours while no one was looking? No? Then shut up. T'Pol pretty much repeats my sentiments and says that using him wouldn't be a true test of the unit's capabilities. "Well, at least we'll find out if it causes brain damage," Trip says. No, no we wouldn't, Trip. T'Pol and Trip argue a bit, but T'Pol wins. Phlox looks on in concern.

Awesome painting of the Aenar city. It's got all these flat saucer-pods attached to giant stalagmites. The hierarchy of the saucer-pods reminds me of the Apple Core Helix. Aw, remember the Apple Core Helix? I'm not getting nostalgic -- I'm just trying to make all of you cry. Anyway, the city looks like a giant Ice Helix. Which sounds like something a Wonder Twin would turn into. Dude, these inside sets are awesome! They've got those Lucite chairs that look like they were designed by Starck or something from Magis. The Aenars tend to Shran's wound; far from appearing blind, they seem to look right at Shran when they talk to him. Also, they have pupils! Their eyes are totally not the milky white blindness that we saw in Geordi La Bleu last week. I find that really disappointing. It's like they were trying to make it as shocking as possible but then they didn't follow up on it with these Aenar. Sort of stupid, really. One of the Aenar addresses Quantum by his name. "You can read minds!" Quantum doofs. The Aenar inclines her head and says they have a strict law there that prohibits the reading of minds without permission. She knows who he is because the Andorian chancellor contacted them. Quantum tells her to take him to her leader. "We assign our leaders as the need arises -- for this occasion, I have been chosen as speaker," the Aenar says. Sounds like the Cheeseboard Collective, if you ask me. Leadnar finally says that it would move things along if she could just "have" Quantum's thoughts. Quantum looks over at Shran, who frowns and shakes his head. In spite of this, Quantum decides to give Leadnar his furrow combination. "You have an interesting mind, Captain, many facets," Leadnar says. And they're all assholes. "Some of those facets are in conflict," Leadnar says. "That explains a lot," Shran mutters. BWAH! After getting slightly derailed by Quantum's deep-seated obsession with gazelles, Leadnar wades through enough of Quantum's little gray cells to finally agree that the evidence he's collected regarding Aenar involvement is damning. She thinks there's a possibility of it being an Aenar they thought died in an accident but whose body they never found. Leadnar realizes that Quantum will need an Aenar to work his unit, and says she will consult with the others.