Title:  Past Resurfacing (9/?) Author:  CatHeights Pairing: VOY (P/T, K, J, C) Rating:  R ------------------------------------------------------ Feedback: CatHeights@yahoo.com Archive:  If someone wants to fine by me as long as you drop me an e-mail letting me know where it is archived. ------------------------------------------------------ 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. ------------------------------------------------------       "Computer, end program," Tom said.   The image of Dr. Chaotica vanished along with the rest of the black and white world of Captain Proton.   Tom and Harry still dressed as Captain Proton and Buster Kincaid ran down the corridor of Deck VI to the turbolift.       "Bridge," Harry said when the entered the lift.  "I wonder what is up this time."       "Don’t worry, Harry," Tom said briefly brandishing his ray gun and grinning.  "Captain Proton always saves the day."       "This is the color version, Tom," Harry said.  "Phasers are much more effective," he finished just before the turbolift doors slid open.  The two men hurried to their stations.   Tom gazed at the forward view screen in amazement.  How the heck did we end up in the middle of an asteroid field, he thought.  The ship lurched again sharply enough that Ensign Baytart fell out of his seat.  Tom who had barely remained standing, slipped into his spot at the conn.  His fingers flying, he tried to maneuver Voyager through the field.  Tom vaguely heard Chakotay ask Baytart if he was all right, but he didn’t pay attention to the answer.  All his concentration was on flying Voyager.        "Tom," the Captain said, "Do what needs to be done to get us through this field."       "Yes, Ma’am," Tom said.       "Harry, how far does the field extend?" the Captain asked as she gripped the edge of her chair.  Tom deftly avoided a huge rock that had appeared in Voyager’s path.       "I don’t know Captain," Harry said.  "Something must be wrong with the sensors.  I’m not even reading an asteroid field out there."       "Recalibrate the sensors," the Captain said coming up to Harry’s station.       "All systems are operating properly, Captain," Tuvok said.  "I do not believe we are in an asteroid field. This debris we are calling asteroids looks as if it is appearing instantly and rapidly in front of the ship," Tuvok said.       "I agree with that," Tom said through gritted teeth.       "I believe we may be under attack," Tuvok said.       "By whom?" Chakotay demanded.       "I do not know," Tuvok said.  "I detect no life signs in the area."       "Harry, send out a standard greeting," the Captain said.       "Aye, Captain," Harry replied, but before he could send the message the asteroids disappeared replaced by the image of a medium-sized planet.       "What?" Tom exclaimed.       "All stop," the Captain ordered as she walked past her chair to stand behind Tom.  "Harry don’t send that greeting yet.  Scan that planet for life signs."       "I’m not reading any life signs, Captain, but scans do indicate vegetation on the planet," Harry said.  "I ‘m also picking up a number of ships in orbit on the far side of the planet, but if our scans are correct, the ships are not occupied."       "Derelicts?"  Tom asked turning to look at the Captain, but it was Tuvok who answered.       "Very likely, Mr. Paris," Tuvok said.  "Scans do not indicate any power signatures."       The Captain walked back to her chair and sat down.  "So where did our asteroids go," she asked as she glared at the view screen.       "Maybe it was just some sort of holographic projection," Harry said.       "Unlikely, Mr. Kim," Tuvok replied.  "Voyager’s shields would not have been affected by a holographic projection.  However, I am reading a power source from the planet."       "What type of power source?" the Captain asked.       "Unknown," Harry replied.  "Sorry, Captain, but it’s nothing we’ve come across before."       "Maybe that power source generates a force field which appeared to us as asteroids," Chakotay suggested.       "Possible," the Captain said.  "But why did it suddenly let us through the field?"   No one had any answers, so Janeway continued, "Tuvok can you pinpoint the exact location of that power source?"       "Yes, it is in the eastern hemisphere of the planet, in the center of a small continent.  There are a number of edifices in the area.  Sensors cannot determine if any of these structures are emitting the power source," Tuvok said.       "Climate?" the Captain asked.  She wanted answers to this little mystery.       "It’s an M class planet," Tuvok said.  "4 oceans, 9 continents.  Curious, Captain, the planet seems very hospitable to life, but yet we are detecting nothing higher than plant life."       "You said there were buildings in the area of the power source.  Any other structures on the planet?" the Captain asked.       "Many, Captain," the Vulcan responded.       "If there are buildings then there were higher life forms, at least at some point," the Captain said as she paced the bridge.  "I wonder if that power source is shielding us from picking up any life form readings."  She looked at the Commander and said, "Why don’t we see if we can get a better look at that planet?"  Chakotay looked at her inquiringly as she said,  "Captain to Astrometrics."       "Yes, Captain," Seven replied.       "We’re receiving a number of contradictory readings from the planet below.  Scan the planet to see if there is any shielding in place, particularly one that would block life signs," Janeway said.       "Understood, one moment," Seven replied.  "Captain, I’m not detecting any sort of shielding around the planet, nor do I detect any life forms.  There is a power source generating a large amount of undeterminable energy in the eastern hemisphere of the planet.  I have located the exact coordinates of the power source and am transferring them to you now."       "Thank you Seven," Janeway said and then turned to Chakotay.  "Well now at least we know exactly where to find this power source.  Chakotay, let’s go over these coordinates in my ready room.  Tuvok, you have the bridge.  All senior staff should remain at battle stations for the moment," she said as Chakotay followed her into her ready room.       "You want to send an away team down to investigate that power source," Chakotay said as soon as the doors to the Captain’s ready room had closed.       Kathryn smiled wryly at him.  "I take it you have some objections to that course of action," she said.       "I’m not sure it’s worth the risk of investigating.  What do we have to gain?  Maybe this time it would be best to just move on," he said even though he knew by the gleam in her eye there was no way for him to convince her to just let this mystery remain.       "You’re assuming we’d be allowed to leave," she said.       "What would stop us?" he questioned waiting to hear what leap her mind had taken.       "Didn’t you find it odd that the asteroids disappeared only when we were right outside of geostationary orbit of this planet?" she said pointedly.  "Someone or something wants us here, and I want to know why."       "The scientist in you wants to know why a class M planet, filled with vegetation and buildings, would have no signs of life," Chakotay said grinning.       "And you aren’t wondering the same thing?" Kathryn demanded.       "I do find it curious, but I don’t think satisfying that curiosity is worth tempting whatever might be out there," Chakotay said.        Kathryn sighed.  He could be so unadventurous sometimes.  Besides, she was almost positive that they wouldn’t be allowed to just leave.  Lately it seemed like she was constantly ignoring his counsel. They just couldn’t seem to agree on anything.  She had to admit that right now she was pretty annoyed that he seemed to be hinting that she was taking another unnecessary risk.  Still, the last time she had been so annoyed at him, she had ignored him completely and left Tom in the brig for thirty days.  Guilt stabbed at her.  She told herself again that Tom was fine, no damage done, but the thought that she had somehow been responsible for his reliving the Caldik Prime accident filled her with guilt.  She pushed it aside.  He had disobeyed orders, and it was within her rights as Captain to punish him.  Besides, what’s done is done.  Tom had moved on and so should she.  That guilt, however, tempered her annoyance at Chakotay and she decided she should take his concerns into consideration, sort of.       "Your concerns are noted, Chakotay," Kathryn said as Chakotay mentally sighed.  His concerns were always noted recently, but never acted upon.       "And I think you’re right we need to be a bit more cautious before sending an away team," Kathryn continued as Chakotay looked at her in surprise.  "Now I’m not abandoning the idea, but I think we need to find out a little more information first."       "Let’s take a closer look a those derelict ships on the other side of the planet and see what information we can glean from them.  After that, I’ll test my theory that something has no intention of letting us leave anytime soon.  If I’m right, you’ll take an away team down to the power source to see what it is.  If I’m wrong, and I suppose it is a possibility, slight but possible," Kathryn said with a grin.  "I’ll call a meeting of the senior staff and ask Seven to join us and we’ll discuss options."       A huge smile spread across Chakotay’s face.  Maybe things are returning to normal, he thought.  "Sounds like a plan to me, Captain.  Shall we see if we can shed some light on this mystery?"       Kathryn grinned back at him.  "My thoughts exactly," she said as they headed back to the bridge.       "Mr. Paris," she said as stepped onto the bridge, "Take us to within 5,000 kilometers of that wreckage on the other side planet."       "Aye, Captain," Tom said as he laid in the course.       She took her seat as did Chakotay, and then said, "We’re going to see if we can figure out what is going on here."       Chakotay couldn’t keep a small grin from slipping on his face as he noticed the eager expression on the Captain’s face as she waited for the next clue in her mystery to appear.  She just couldn’t resist a puzzle. Nothing wrong with that, he thought, particularly when she was willing to hear discussion on solving that puzzle. That was the Captain at her best, working with her crew to solve some sort of enigma.       Janeway couldn’t remain seated.  She stood up and took a position behind Tom as he maneuvered Voyager closer to the wreckage.   She’d have some answers soon.       "Captain," Harry Kim said.  "We’re within visual range of the debris."       "On screen, Mr. Kim," the Captain said.       "We’re at 5,000 kilometers, Captain," Paris said absently as he stared at the destruction in front of him. A junkyard of ships floated before Voyager, many missing parts of their hulls and even more scattered into multiple pieces.   Of the ships somewhat intact their designs were not familiar to Tom.  He also noticed that no two ships seemed to be of the same design.       "Captain," Tom said.  "None of those ships seem similar in design."       "Mr. Tuvok?" the Captain said questioningly.       "Mr. Paris’ observation is correct.  The ship designs vary widely.  Captain, there are no signs of damage from weapon’s fire on any of the debris.   I can make no conclusions as to what damaged those ships."       "Understood Mr. Tuvok," the Captain said recognizing the Vulcan’s subtle warning.   "Let’s test a little theory of mine," she continued looking at Chakotay.  Taking her seat, she said, "Tom, back us away from the planet slowly.  I have a feeling our asteroids may return, so be prepared to return us to our current coordinates at the first sign of their appearance."       "Aye, Captain," Tom said.  "Engaging impulse engines."       Silence filled the bridge as Tom slowly backed them away from the planet.  Although the Captain was expecting the asteroids to reappear, their sudden appearance and consequent jarring of the ship’s shields still almost knocked her from her seat.       "Reversing course," Tom said as he tried to avoid the asteroids while returning the ship to right outside the planet’s orbit.  Just as quickly as they had appeared, the asteroids disappeared.        "All stop," the Captain said while looking at Chakotay.  He gave her a slight grin and a nod acknowledging that yes she was right.  "Commander, take an away team down to the planet and find out what that power source is and what it’s generating."       "Aye, Captain," Chakotay said.  "Kim, Paris, get back in uniform and meet me in Transporter Room 2."       Harry and Tom followed Chakotay into the turbolift.  As the doors closed, the Captain heard Tom say, "Stay tuned to see our heroes face the UNKNOWN POWER SOURCE."  She shook her head with a slight smile.  The smile faded as she gazed at the planet.  Who are you and why are you trying to keep us here, she thought.  She didn’t know the answer, but she would find out and soon. TBC