Enterprise is back at planet Vulcan for the second time this season to begin the second trilogy of episodes in a row. "The Forge" is the first of a three-part epic about a Vulcan Reformation which has been teased since mid-summer by executive producer Manny Coto, and it was scripted by two of the most prominent authors of Star Trek literature.

Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens are now staff writers on Star Trek: Enterprise, after establishing (as a couple) one of the most impressive resumés of any writers in the Star Trek world. They are most well-known for collaborating with William Shatner on a number of novels featuring the continuing adventures of Captain James T. Kirk, the latest being "Captain's Blood" and the newest coming out next year called "Captain's Glory." Besides the Shatner books, Judy and Gar have written several other Trek and other science-fiction novels, as well as four non-fiction books about the making of Star Trek, including "Star Trek Phase II: The Lost Series."

Their expertise in Trek lore will show through in the script for "The Forge." In the story, Earth's embassy on Vulcan is bombed, killing 31 humans and 12 Vulcans. A complex investigation ensues, and evidence points to a religious faction known as "Syrrannites," a group following a revolutionary interpretation of the teachings of Surak, the father of Vulcan logic (introduced in the Original Series episode "The Savage Curtain"). After T'Pol receives a clandestine lead, she and Archer embark upon a treacherous journey through the Vulcan desert known as "the Forge," following the same path Surak took in ancient days to attain enlightenment.

This episode will be a Trek trivia-lover's dream. It brings together practically everything we know about Vulcan culture and history from past shows, with numerous references pointing to "Amok Time," "Journey to Babel," "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock," "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home" and many others. (Quick, what is Kiri-kin-tha's First Law of Metaphysics? Anyone?) The script even owes itself in no small measure to the animated episode "Yesteryear" written by D.C. Fontana — when Spock goes back in time to meet himself as a child — and that is where the term "Forge" is first used. ("Vulcan's Forge" was mentioned in DS9's "Change of Heart" and has been utilized a number of times in Trek novels including a book of that name by Josepha Sherman and Susan Schwartz). Among other things, the Earth embassy is located in the city of Shi'Khar, which in "Yesteryear" is identified as Spock's hometown.

At a July UPN press party, Coto spilled the beans to STARTREK.COM about the three-part Vulcan arc. "If you've watched Enterprise and you watched the old series and Next Gen, you know that there's a difference between the Vulcans of our era and the Vulcans of later eras," the producer said in our interview with him. "Our Vulcans lie, our Vulcans are monolithic, our Vulcans are not pacifistic. What we've done is develop an idea: What if an individual appears on Vulcan who is saying to the populace that we have strayed from the teachings of Surak? This individual is like a Martin Luther. And he spawns a Vulcan civil war." Coto continued to explain that the Vulcan High Command is likened to the Catholic Church of medieval times, and the pacifistic movement threatens the planet with political instability. But by the end of the trilogy, "we will begin to see Vulcans approaching what they were in the later eras. We'll see the beginnings of a new Vulcan." (Related story.)

In a separate interview we conducted with the Reeves-Stevens, which will be posted later this week, Judy and Gar didn't reveal any specifics about "The Forge," but they did talk about it in general. "We've come in [to the staff] just in time to start working with the other writers on what's called the 'Vulcan arc,' which is really going to be a big, major piece of Enterprise, and of Star Trek. It's really exciting," said Garfield. "The enthusiasm in the room when Manny leads us through these story break[ing] sessions is really wonderful." Judy adds, "It's very infectious and this is just a wonderful time to have joined them."

Vaughn Armstrong is back again as "Admiral Forrest," and Gary Graham, as you might expect, returns as "Ambassador Soval," and in fact this episode deepens his character a great deal. Michael Reilly Burke reprises his role as "Koss" from this season's first trip to Vulcan, "Home."

There is another very exciting guest star in this episode. We get to meet the Administrator of the Vulcan High Command — the de facto world president — named "V'Las," and he's played by Robert Foxworth. Foxworth is familiar in Star Trek as "Admiral Leyton" in the DS9 two-parter "Homefront" and "Paradise Lost." But Gene Roddenberry fans will recognize him as the android "Questor" in the 1974 TV movie "The Questor Tapes," the pilot of a series which never came to be. Foxworth's "Questor" was the progenitor of Brent Spiner's "Data." (Rumor has it Foxworth will make a cameo appearance in the upcoming Questor remake, which has been delayed but is still on track for production.)

Production on "The Forge" began Tuesday, September 14, and ran for the usual seven work days through last Wednesday. The first three days were spent on standing ship sets, especially Sickbay, where a number of extras were made up as some of the human casualties of the embassy bombing. The Launch Bay set was converted into a basketball court for one scene for which the entire principal cast, minus Jolene Blalock, practiced their hoops during lunch on the last day of the previous episode (related production report). At the end of the third day, shooting began on sets depicting certain interior portions of the Vulcan desert scenes, namely a Refuge Cave, and the T'Karath Catacombs. Day 5 was spent mainly on the Embassy sets, specifically the Entrance Hall where the explosion takes place, with lots of extras dressed as 22nd-century diplomats, Starfleet officers, embassy guards and Vulcans.

The final two days of the schedule took place at a location depicting the Forge itself. Scott Bakula, Blalock and guest star Michael Nouri as the Syrrannite "Arev" joined the production crew at an industrial site north of Simi Valley (in Ventura County, northwest of Los Angeles). The expansive land there is reddish and rocky, but in many shots the landscape will be enhanced with optical effects. (The actual location used is owned by a mining company called P.W. Gillibrand, but there are a number of adjacent industrial firms. At the turnoff leading to the location serving as the Vulcan desert, one of the signs on that corner reads "Vulcan Materials Company." Heh.)

Besides extending the landscape, visual effects will be used in the exterior shots for a number of plot points including an electrical storm called a "Sandfire." There will also be a Sehlat. Remember what that is? We learned from "Journey to Babel" that Spock had a pet called a Sehlat — a large teddy bear with six-inch fangs. And in "Yesteryear" the animal was visualized in animation. Well, a less-than-cuddly wild Sehlat attacks Archer and T'Pol. But we will only catch brief glimpses of the animal, its presence depicted mainly through off-screen sound effects. (On a TV budget, it's hard to create a believable-looking fully articulated creature ... especially a furry one.) What we do see of the animal will be mostly digital, but the makeup department did create a physical "Sehlat Paw" that enters frame at one point.

"The Forge" was directed by Michael Grossman, who cut his teeth on Enterprise with last season's "Hatchery." This was the Reeves-Stevens' first script ever for a Star Trek show (not counting video games). They do have other experience in genre TV fare including the animated Flash Gordon and Batman in the 1990's.

The three-part Vulcan saga is tentatively scheduled to air the three Fridays from November 19 through December 3.

The complete cast list is posted in Episode Detail.