A science team in the Arctic prepares to leave for the winter, but they must then stay to investigate a plague of polar mites which infect humans, drive them insane, and then kill them. Meanwhile, a pair of the team members are still dealing with a childhood trauma.
Opening narration
| "Physical scars are evidence of a wound long since healed. But what about the wounds we can't see? What is left behind when there is trauma to the soul?" |
Plot
Robby Archer is in charge of packing up a science facility in the Arctic and getting everyone moved out. But just as they are preparing to leave, a group of researchers go missing in a cave out in the snowy wastes. Only one of the researchers is discovered in the snow after he has apparently killed the other two in the cave. They bring the body back to the compound but are unable to explain why he murdered the others. While in sick bay, small insects crawl out of the corpse's mouth.
The university funding the expedition is concerned about the welfare of the group after such a shocking discovery, so they send Dr. Jack Burrell, a psychologist, to check in with the team. Robby's partner, Rachel Sandburg, gives Jack the tour and introduces him to the rest of the group. When Jack runs into Robby, they have a cold greeting, and he and Rachel argue over Robby's reluctance to see him. Robby explains that they are childhood friends who one day fell through the ice, along with Robby's brother. Jack had to choose to only save one of them, and he let Robby's brother drown under the ice.
Lou, a researcher who is timid and already behaves strangely, is suddenly acting more strange and paranoid than usual. He unravels and threatens to shoot himself in the head with a flare gun. He calms down enough to be strapped down in sick bay for his own protection, but then breaks out and swallows a bottle of pills. The others attempt to help by making him vomit the pills, but he also expels a large quantity of the small, dark insects seen earlier.
The university officials tell everyone that their flight home is cancelled and they must assist their doctor in containing the outbreak. Marcy, another researcher, begins to feel stomach pains and expresses paranoid thoughts about being infected with the insects. Worried that they are inside her, Marcy stabs herself in the stomach with a knife, but the doctor reveals that Marcy was not actually infected, simply driven mad with paranoia. While examining the insects, they discover that they are born pregnant, explaining how so many of the creatures have appeared in the compound. Lou dies of his infection. Robby and Jack continue to argue, and Jack is exposed as a forensic psychologist sent to figure how who to blame for the incident. The doctor begins to exhibit the same strange behavior as Lou and plans to leave the compound to gather more of the insects and consume them by grinding them up, clearly mad. He has also placed insects in Robby's food. They tie him up while they examine the circumstances around who is infected and why. Robby begins to cough up insects, except the insects in him have died, unable to sustain themselves due to some unique aspect of Robby's physiology. They realize that people with high count of red blood cells, like Robby, are immune to the infections. They need to increase everyone's red blood cell count with a blood transfusion from Robby.
The doctor escapes to the cave and Robby and Jack go to the site in their helicopter to retrieve the medical equipment they need for a blood transfusion. The doctor is killed in a fight, and they retrieve the medical bag as the insects begin to swarm into the cave through a crack in the ice wall. They drop explosives on the ice cave from the air during their escape in the helicopter, trapping the insects and preventing further outbreaks.
Back at the compound, they learn that Robby can only give enough blood to save either Rachel or Jack. Faced with the same dilemma that Jack faced when they were children, Robby chooses Rachel, ensuring Jack's death. Later, Robby is considered a hero in the local press.
Closing narration
| "The suffering we conceal and the sorrow we hide may only be fully understood by those who share a common pain." |
Notes
- The title of this episode is displayed on-screen at the start as "Nest" but in some TV guide descriptions is says "The Nest" instead.
- This is the only episode entirely written and directed by the same person: Scott Peters. It is also the only episode that he directed.
- This is one of several episodes in various series including The X-Files that feature the idea of a thawed ancient threat menacing present day people through parasitism. They are generally considered to be at least partly inspired by John Carpenter's 1982 film The Thing but they are remarkably similar to each other more than that inspiration.
Cast
- Robert Sean Leonard as Robby Archer
- Martin Cummins as Dr. Jack Burrell
- Kelly Rutherford as Rachel Sandburg
- Paul Jarrett as Dr. Sean Mauser
- Brenda James as Marcy Newhall
- Jesai Jayhmes as Lou Wolsky
- Brad MacDonald as William Grimes
- Sam MacMillan as Pete
- Guy Demong as A.J.
- Kevin Conway as the Control Voice (voice)