Title: Past Resurfacing (13/?) Author: CatHeights Pairing: VOY (P/T, crew) Rating: PG-13 ----------------------------------------------------------- Feedback: CatHeights@yahoo.com Archive: ATPS, Paris Nights, TPD. Anywhere else, please ask first. ----------------------------------------------------------- Spoiler Warning: Thirty Days ----------------------------------------------------------- Disclaimer: Paramount owns all rights to Star Trek Voyager, its characters, and the Voyager episodes referred to in this story. The story idea is mine, but I am doing this just for fun, no money to be made. ----------------------------------------------------------- As he followed Harry and Chakotay into the briefing room, Tom noticed that BElanna was already sitting in her normal spot. He slid into the chair next to her with a smile. Heard things were interesting while I was away. His smile was still in place, but his eyes were concerned. He knew that anything that went wrong with the ship, BElanna took personally. She made a small sound of disgust. If you call a complete power drain interesting. His smile faded. No luck in figuring out what caused it, huh? She shook her head. None whatsoever. What about you? How did things go on the planet? Just as interesting, he whispered as he turned his attention to the Captain. Chakotay, Tom, Harry, glad to have you back with us, the Captain said her tone brisk. She wanted answers. I think we all have some experiences to share. BElanna, why dont you start by explaining what happened while the away team was gone and filling us in on any possible causes. Yes, Captain, BElanna said, trying to keep her tone even. She knew the Captain wanted solutions and right now she had none to give. She could feel her blood boiling with frustration. She looked toward Chakotay as she continued. The ship suffered a complete power drain. The drain only lasted five minutes, but when we regained power, almost all of the ships systems were functioning improperly. Circuitry was crossed, and unrelated systems were now suddenly dependent upon each other. For example, I tried to run a diagnostic on the shields, and a comm channel opened instead. Tom saw BElanna clench the hand that was in her lap. Her tone got sharper, and he could see the tenseness in her shoulders. Something was still very wrong with the ship. Weve isolated the problems in each of the affected systems, and my staff is working on fixing all of them. Communication and transporters are working fine. We made those a priority, she said with a nod toward the Commander. Chakotay smiled. And believe me, that was greatly appreciated. She smiled back stiffly, her jaw tightening a bit as she continued, While we can fix the circuitry problems, there is no indication of what triggered those problems or the power drain. Captain, I cant tell you that this wont happen again. Also, there are problems with both the warp drive and impulse drive. Every diagnostic we run indicates that there are no malfunctions. The systems just dont work. We are running scans individually on each part of those systems, and manually going over what we can. So far, weve come across nothing to even hint at what the problem might be. Im sorry to say, Captain, that right now, were not going anywhere. Understood. Good work so far, lets see if there is anything the away team experienced that might shed some light on our problems here, the Captain said looking at Chakotay. I think Im only going to be adding more questions to the table, Chakotay said as he began. The location we beamed to was deserted, yet most of the houses looked as if they had been recently occupied. Their condition made me think that something had happened quickly. Readings indicated that the power source was located at the top of a hill in a huge castle-like structure. As we walked through the structure, things were set as if the place was expecting guests, but still we picked up no life signs. We followed the source to some sort of basement which contained a number of jail cells. Jail cells? the Captain inquired. Yes, and two of them had occupants, both dead, Chakotay said grimly. Janeway nodded, Please continue. At the end of the hall with the cells was a huge door, and behind it we found the power source. We stepped out onto a ledge in what appeared to be a huge cavern. Readings indicated that the power source was all around us. The walls seemed to be of a white luminescent substance. Tom noticed a crack beginning and pushed me out of the way of some falling rocks. With that, the whole structure began to collapse, and we made our way out of the building. We had just cleared the structure, when you commed us, and I believe you beamed us up just before the building exploded, the Commander said. Just as it exploded, Tom corrected. The last thing I saw before we were beamed back aboard was a burst of white light, and then the building seemed to implode Captain, the building itself was extremely odd, Harry added. What do you mean? Kathryn asked, her mind trying to make some sense of it all. It had a very old feel to it that was at odds with the technology inside. Maybe thats just how it was designed, but it just didnt seem to fit somehow, Harry said. What was also strange was that we each seemed to have different reactions to things we saw. Some of us much stronger reactions, Chakotay said as he glanced across the table at Tom. The pilot met his gaze warily, adding, And some of us reacting too mildly. Tom turned his attention to the Captain before continuing. When we came across the jail cells, we noticed some stains on the floor. Harry verified that it was blood. The stains led into an adjoining cell where we found the two dead aliens. Toms voice was steady, even while his mind was recalling another scene. As he gazed down at her, brushing a strand of hair away from her face, his hands felt sticky. He turned them over, looking at them as if they were a strange entity. Blood, they were covered in blood. Her blood, dear god, no, no, no. Damn it, he couldnt afford to get distracted like this, he thought, as he yanked his mind back from the past and resisted the urge to look at his hands. Theres no blood on them and you know it, he told himself. It happened a long time ago and now is not the time to think about it. He had only paused for a moment, and a quick glance around the room reassured him that no one had noticed his lapse. Tom forced himself to continue. Captain, one of the aliens seemed to have died violently, and both bodies were already showing signs of decay. I found the stench in the room to be overpowering, but Chakotay and Harry both smelled nothing. There had to be a scent. He sat up straighter, before continuing a bit defiantly, I dont care what the sensor readings say, something was down there with us. I could feel something watching us, toying with us. It wasnt my imagination. Tom waited for Chakotay to say that he was taking things a bit far, but the Commander said nothing. Instead, the Captain said, Im having the same feeling myself, Mr. Paris, and I dont like it one bit. Her tone was like steel. Tom could feel the tension flood out of him. At least the Captain didnt doubt his sanity. Down on that planet, he had felt like a pawn in somethings game. Seeing exactly what it wanted. His instincts had always been good, and the ease with which Chakotay had discounted his responses, blaming them on silly nightmares, infuriated him. His shoulders tensed as Chakotay started to speak, but the Commanders question wasnt directed at Tom.       What about the building we were in? Do scans of the debris still indicate any sign of the power source? the Commander asked.       There is no debris, and current scans show no evidence of a building having ever existed, Seven said. There is no sign of any power source either.       What? But it did exist, we were in it, Chakotay said.       Tom grinned without humor. Odd, isnt it, Commander? He couldnt resist the gibe. Chakotay gave him a look that clearly said enough.       I went through the previous scans we had made of the planet, and that structure does exists on those scans. Now however, its existence appears to have been erased, Seven said calmly.       The information I download from the away teams tricorders clearly indicates that this building did exist, Tuvok added.       Oh dear, this is very, very strange, Neelix said shaking his head.       Captain, may I add something, the Doctor said.       Of course, please go ahead, she said with a nod.       When I healed a cut on Commander Chakotays head, I noticed that the away teams uniforms appeared to be in perfect condition. As they told me that they had just escaped a collapsing building with debris flying all around them, I assumed that their uniforms would have suffered some damage. However, when I suggested to the Commander that he should have come to sickbay before getting a new uniform, he told me hadnt changed his clothes at all, the Doctor said looking pleased that he was able contribute to the discussion. Well Commander, youre right, weve added a few more mysteries to the plate, Kathryn said her lips twisting into something that was not quite a smile. Now, I want to solve them. Tom, work with BElanna on the impulse drive, make that a priority, then the warp drive. Chakotay, Harry, go through all the ships systems, see if you can figure out what caused the circuitry to reconfigure. Tuvok and Seven, I want you to keep analyzing the data weve gotten from that planet, along with the information from the away teams tricorders. Lets find some solutions. Dismissed. Kathryn sat for a moment as her officers quickly dispersed. Something had her ship captive. She could feel it watching them, and just like Tom had said, she felt like it was toying with her crew. Well, whatever it was, she was going to find a way to put an end to its game. With a glare in her eyes, Kathryn stood up and headed for the bridge. TBC