Well, it's the third episode, and they've already run out of planets to search for (grin). So they are having a staff meeting and poor Dureena is apparently the lucky victim to sit next to Max, who for some reason, is trying to eat his glasses frames.

Galen strides in, and proceeds to give a sales pitch worthy of the "Music Man", and "There's trouble in River City, and T rhymes with C, which stands for Crusade ..." or however that song goes. He then finishes up his sales pitch with an almost boyishly eager "So shall we go?"

Dureena is not impressed and informs Galen so ...

"My people are taught to avoid crossroads. Also beaches, cliffs, pits, caverns ... and wells."

"Where do you go on vacation? Another part of the room?" asks Max, which causes Dureena to get defensive. (Way to go Max!  Quick trivia question ... Where do/did Dureena's people go on vacation? Do they have travel agents?)

Galen proceeds to try to charm Dureena into agreeing to his scheme, and Max asks the infamous question about the magic rock "So you have a magic rock ... ?"  Galen is not happy with Max, and his eyes narrow threateningly. (Way to go Max, Insulting a technomage ... What's that quote that comes to mind?  "Be wary of wizards for they are subtle, and quick to anger." from Tolkein?) [Editor: I'm not sure where it came from originally, but in the Babylon 5 episode "The Geometry of Shadows", the technomage Elric says "Do not try the patience of Wizards, for they are subtle and quick to anger."]

Okay, Max has proceeded to antagonize two of the other three people in the staff meeting, so Gideon decides to settle things and gives Max a dirty look.

"Alright ..." Max sighs, and puts a hand over his face as though to say "Why me?"  "But in deference to common sense and Mr. Eilerson's concerns (Max proceeds to brighten up, as somebody obviously appreciates him) ... Which for once are the same thing ... " (Max proceeds to glare, as he's aware that Gideon was leading him on) They'll set a time limit.

So, they continue on into hyperspace when they meet up with the silly, energetic and over amorous Fen. (Is that a comment on us Fans? :D)  The bad boys of Crusade are busy staring at the scene, while Max is excitedly trying to convince everyone to launch mini-cams and scanners. Gideon says no. Galen advises them that the Fen are barely sentient and will pretty much leave them alone.

Wrong.

Apparently, one of the Fen latches onto the Excalibur and begins to ... Well ... Let's say that TNT got their Group Alien Sex on the Bridge Scene okay?  Max rightly comes to the conclusion, that the Fen are not eating them, but are instead ... "odd chewing rhythm?" Max again looks really embarrassed, and puts his hand over his face, plainly thinking that he is going to die on a star ship that is being humped by jelly fish.  What will IPX say about that? Galen looks embarrassed at this first contact situation, and tries to convince Gideon that it's really NOT that bad. Gideon, rightly, doesn't agree with that idea.

(Note- when Crusade is picked up by another channel,  Dae Kim, Brooks, Cole and Woodward, all need to practice the trademarked Star Trek Group Rock scene, as the wild eyed, bad boys of Crusade were all rocking to  totally different rhythms. Take a look at the scenes, and you'll realize that yes, Madame Max is quite correct.  Someone was rocking to the basso nova ... Well you get the idea.)

Galen, being a wizard, commandeers the ship for a personal reason (Whether his reason was right or wrong, can be discussed on the Galen web sites ... But that's another good moral question to ask).  They finally arrive at the Well of Forever, Galen zips off the ship and Gideon is in hot pursuit behind him.  Max wants to come along (Can you blame him? He is an archeologist!) and Gideon tells him to stay on the bridge, and advises John Matheson "If he [Max] tries to leave the bridge, restrain him!" (Do I hear any volunteers from the studio audience?)

Max then convinces Matheson to do some surface scans, just for the captain's own good.  Matheson is obviously torn by the fact that what Max is suggesting REALLY MAKES SENSE to the captain's personal security *while also giving Max and IPX information on the Well* and apparently agrees reluctantly to the surface scans.

Max is ecstatic! There's gold in them darn hills ... Okay, wells.  And Quantium 40! And Diamonds! And ... Well ... let's be honest, he's like a little boy in a candy shop until Dureena throws reality in his face. "It's a place of glory ..." and she doesn't want it destroyed by IPX. Max is indignant, as he wants to send it to the Russian Consortium for a xenoarcheology review. (Think of this, if these races were able to get to the Well of Forever, apparently they were significantly advanced enough to possibly have a cure to the Drakh Plague, right?  On a side note, look at the height difference between Dobro and Brooks).

Galen proceeds to quote Shakespeare, and drop off Isabella to her new resting spot.  He and Gideon return to the ship, where Gideon orders the crew to leave the spot. Max is livid, and wants to know why? For the very first time ever in a Crusade episode, we hear the soon to be infamous quote "SHUT UP MAX" first spoken by Matthew Gideon.

Max asks Galen to say something ... And Galen only says ... "Good-bye"
 
 

Comments?

Does Max really deserve to be told to shut up? After all, he is just doing his job.

Max Factor-

4 1/2 Maxes out of 5. :D Sardonic, caustic, and all that good stuff!