Broken Bow
The actual launch of Enterprise happened prematurely following the crash of an alien ship carrying a Klingon in Broken Bow, Oklahoma. This incident proved to be a harbinger of things to come for the Enterprise crew — the unexpected. After the crash and apprehension of this mysterious Klingon, Archer and his crew were to return him to his homeworld. This mission, however, hit a few snags along the way. On their journey, a new species, the Suliban, was encountered. This race, Archer learned, was capable of manipulating time. Immediately this raised all kinds of questions: Is this the first time humans have encountered the Suliban? Is it the last, or the first of many encounters? Their first year in space would provide Archer and his crew with the opportunity to begin answering some of these questions. They would go on to learn that not all Suliban are genetically-enhanced, and those that are are part of something called the Cabal, which is a major component of the enigmatic Temporal Cold War. In any case, the Suliban promise to be a force to be reckoned with in the future.

Fight or Flight
Once Enterprise got underway on its mission proper, it was a couple of weeks before anything of note happened. They finally encountered a mysterious alien ship containing a lifeless crew being mechanically drained of vital fluids. The problem here was multi-layered: there was no obvious sign of who exactly was responsible. Would the perpetrators return? Would Archer's crew be next? Should they contact the victims' home planet? Should they just leave and avoid risking their own lives at the hands of what may be a powerful and aggressive life form? This strange phenomenon was an early test for Archer and his crew. In this instance, their patience and cooperation with the victimized alien race resulted in the cessation of a hostile alien's threat.

Strange New World
Soon after, the crew made their first foray to the surface of an unknown planet. But, unbeknownst to them, this simple act of scientific research on a lifeless world would soon turn into a potentially deadly situation, with strange, compelling hallucinations that threatened their very sanity. Archer's crew, on this Earth-like planet, had no idea that indigenous properties would have adverse effects on their mental states. Fortunately, with the help of Dr. Phlox, the crew was inoculated to prevent the hallucinations and they were able to eventually return to their ship; the presence of Enterprise's highly skilled alien doctor proved invaluable.

Civilization
Archer's early explorations would lead to the formulation of what would later become standard Starfleet protocols such as the Prime Directive, the rule of non-interference in underdeveloped cultures. This first year for Enterprise, 2151-2152, was pivotal in the development of what would form the Prime Directive. The crew visited a planet of pre-warp civilization, the Akaali, and found an example of alien interference occurring there without the native inhabitants' knowledge. The Enterprise crew stepped in and managed to rid the society of the interlopers, but it raised questions of cultural contamination when it comes to pre-warp societies.

Dear Doctor
Archer and his crew faced yet another dilemma when they encountered a planet inhabited by two interdependent races, one of which was facing a deadly epidemic. Though Phlox discovered a cure for the disease, Archer ultimately decided that it was unethical to aid the dying race, as it would interfere with the evolutionary course of nature. Similarly, Archer also decided not to get involved in a desert conflict between two factions of aliens; though the captain felt it was a noble cause, he simply could not advocate getting involved in an outside war.

Detained
Archer didn't always take a completely hands-off approach during Enterprise's first year, however. At one point, he encountered a detention camp populated with innocent Suliban — non-genetically enhanced members of the mysterious race who were imprisoned because of the Cabal's reputation. Archer and his crew freed these Suliban, and left them to venture out on their own. Though Archer was convinced that his decision was the right one, he couldn't help but wonder at these innocent Sulibans' ultimate chances for survival. Interestingly enough, Archer's actions here had intriguing repercussions, as other alien species who learned of the incident hoped that he would aid them as well.

Shadows of P'Jem
One of the most prominent threads throughout the vessel's first year in space, however, involved a race humans have been in contact with for quite some time: the Vulcans. With Vulcan Science Officer T'Pol onboard, Archer and his mostly human crew had to get over their distrust of the species, and T'Pol was forced to make some difficult choices. For example, when the crew discovered hidden surveillance equipment underneath the sacred Vulcan monastery of P'Jem, T'Pol stood by Archer as he handed the information over to the Vulcans' enemies, the hostile Andorians. She was later nearly recalled from Enterprise for her actions, but her loyalty ultimately earned her Archer's trust and respect.

Throughout the first year of their mission, Archer and his crew tried to make well-reasoned decisions that would ultimately guide human space travel in the years to come. Enterprise is the first human ship encountering many of these dilemmas, and its crew and captain must set the standard for the future, especially regarding policies of interference in alien affairs, first contact issues, and what to do in the face of alien hostility. This will no doubt be the journey that future captains look to when making choices, issuing commands and creating edicts for generations to come.

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