"Captains Log: The time has come for us to get a demonstration of our brand new Holographic Replicator. The engineering team has been build this for months now, and they've made high promises about what this technology will be able to do."
"Welcome everyone, glad you all could make it." B'Elanna announced. "We've turned Holodeck here on Deck 6 into our cutting edge, Holographic Replicator. We can now replicate anything that our holodeck can imagine, and it will exist in outside in the real world. No matter what the size or the scale, if our holodecks can dream it, we can produce it."
There was a brief applause from the crowd. "Before we demo the technology, are there any questions?".
A crewman asked, "My chair just broke on me, could I just come here, request a new one and take it back to my quarters?"
"Well lets find out", B'Elanna replied, "Computer: one standard crewman's chair". The chair was produced, and the crewman took it with excitement.
"What about living things", someone asked, "I wouldn't mind having a pet or some new friends". The crowd briefly laughed.
"It can't produce living things, were not that advanced yet, but the Doctor is going to have a field day producing a host of artificial organs."
Someone else raised their hand for a question and B'Elanna addresses them. "How much resources does it take to produce something?", they ask.
"The beauty of this is that each production is made up of pure photosynthetic charge." B'Elanna explained. "So we don't need massive amounts of cotton to create a t-shirt. It uses Voyager's natural energy source to create anything, and to keep it in existence for a long long time.
Then Captain Janeway spoke up, "This means, that I can order a glass of water, and I don't have to find the nearest ocean to replenish the replicator?" There was brief laughter from the crowd.
"That's right", B'Elanna replied "This Holographic Replicator has enough energy to create anything from a glass of water, to an entire ocean itself."
Happy with B'Elanna's response, the Captain replied, "Wow, well in that case, lets do just that: Computer, water for everyone. I'm thirsty."
The crowd laughed and cheered as they went to get their drinks of water and to socialize.
Chakotay and Janeway are having dinner together, later that evening. They discussed various topics.
Eventually, Chakotay mentions, "That was an impressive demo today of the Holographic Replicator".
"Yes," the Captain replied, "Wait until Starfleet hears about this back home."
"Speaking of home", Chakotay repsponded, "I was thinking. Our first project should be a warp field enhancer. It will allow us to use less power when in warp, and in theory, should get us home faster."
The Captain replied, "Yes, but I was thinking that we need new and better shuttles. We've lost a lot of the ones we did have, and the ones we have left are all damaged in some way. "
"Shuttles are nice, but who needs shuttles if we can increase our rate of getting home by 30, maybe 40 percent."
"Believe me, I want to get home just as much as anyone", the Captain replied, "But if being out here in the Delta quadrant has taught me anything, it's that resources and allies can get you home far faster than any advanced piece of hardware can."
Chakotay mumbled under his breath between eating "You've sure proven that…"
The Captain paused taking in his remark, "Excuse me? Commander?"
Chakotay sighed, "Sorry Kathryn. Its just, well, some of my old friends showed me a diagram of every diversion we've been on since arriving in the delta quadrant. They showed me that we'd be a good two years ahead of schedule had we avoided any unnecessary diversions such as explorations or alien investigations. I think a lot of them are hoping this technology will help them get back home sooner."
"Well sorry to disappoint some of your old Maquis, Chakotay, but we need to get back in one piece and who knows what dangers lay ahead. We'll need all the resources and allies we can get."
The two of them continued to eat their meal. "Speaking of diversions and resources, does this meal taste like it has just too much juice in it?" The Captain asked.
"I wasn't going to say anything, but yes. I don't know how much liquid got into this pasta, its starting to look like chicken noodle soup."
The captain laughed, "I don't know what happened, I make this meal all of the time."
Then, Tuvok came in over communications, interrupting their meal.
"Tuvok to Captain Janeway"
"Yes, Tuvok"
"Sorry to interrupt your dinner, but we have an unexpected emergency on Deck 6. The Deck seems to be flooding"
"Flooding? On my way"
Chakotay an the Captain head for the turbo lift to get to Deck 6.
The Captain and Chakotay are in the turbo lift heading for Deck 6.
"We haven't had a flooding incident aboard a start fleet vessel in over 80 years." Chakotay comments.
"It's definetly not something we're used to.", the Captain replies.
Tuvok boards the turbo lift on their way up.
"Any more information on whats going on up there?"
Tuvok responds, "Several crewman have called in reporting having to wade through the corridors to leave the deck"
"Any ideas on what caused it?" Chakotay asked.
"Unknown. But we were getting the reports as early as four hours ago. We thought they were minor incidences and sent repair teams to investigate it."
"What's the damage report?", asked Captain.
"There have been some reports of material damage as well as crew injuries, but nothing catastrophic or fatal so far."
The turbo lifts stops at the deck.
"Well, here we are, lets find out what we're working with".
The turbo lift door opens. Water immediately begins crashing into the lift and slowly begins to flood it.
"Computer, Close the turbo lift doors!", Chakotay shouts. The turbo lift doors close, leaving the three of them with water almost to their knees.
"This is worse than I thought" The Captain mentions. "Tuvok, I want you to order an evacuation of Deck 6 and then erect a high level force field around the deck. That should stop the flood from spreading throughout the ship.
"Aye Captain".
"Chakotay, as soon as we get on the bridge, I want you to assemble a team to investigate how this could have happened. I'm going to head to Engineering to talk with B'Elanna and see if there's something she can do to stop the flooding"
"Aye captain"
The turbo lift continues back down. The captain gets off and heads towards engineering. She enters and sees B'Elanna
"Captain", B'Elanna says, "Glad you're here."
"Do you have any idea what is going on with my ship?"
"No clue, captain. I've been monitoring the systems since the reports and all major systems seem normal."
"Is there any way to slow down the flooding?"
"We could shut off all the power going to that deck."
"We can't do that", the Captain replied, "we need the force fields theere so the flood won't spread."
They both thought of any other options. "Is there any way to drain the flood from Deck 6?"
"As a matter of fact, there might be. There's an external access portal on that deck. If we open it, it will allow the water to drain out, and ideally the water should be ejected out into space."
"Great! Let's do it!", the Captain replied.
B'Elanna began operating the controls. "But there's one problem. Because of where the portal is, we'd have to pitch the ship at 45 degree angle so that the water can flow towards the external portal."
"Rotate the ship?" the Captain replied, "That would have us halfway walking on wall wouldn't it?"
"Sort of, but hopefully not for long."
"There's got to be another option." the responded. "I don't like the idea of us crawling around the ship."
They began to look for other options. Tuvok called in on communications.
"Tuvok to Captain"
"Go ahead",
"The flood is beginning to break through the forcefield."
"What?" the Captain replied, in disbelief.
"I repeat, the flood is beginning to break through the forcefield and into the lower decks."
"Impossible! Water breaking through the forcefield? What's going on?"
"Let me try to increase power to the force field.", B'Elanna said.
"There's no time", Captain said, "and something tells me that's not ordinary water. Go ahead with your original idea and tilt the ship."
"Red alert!" The captain shouted. She then made a ship wide announcement, "This is the Captain. All hands brace for impact. The ship will be tilted at a 45 degree angle to help drain the incoming flood."
B'Elanna made the necessary controls and Voyager began to tilt at an angle. The crew, along with loose objects, were shifted to the side uncomfortably.
B'Elanna and Janeway getting used to their new positioning, "It looks like its working, the water is being drained outside at a slow but steady rate"
"Good!" the captain replied, "What about the source of the leak?"
"The leak is still spewing out water."
"We've got to stop the source of that leak."
The Doctor then calls in, "Captain, are you alright"
"I'm fine Doctor, how are the patients on your end?"
"A lot of patients have been coming in, but its been nothing I haven't been able to attend to."
"Great. Actually Doctor, we may need your help elsewhere. How well can you sustain yourself underwater?"
"A great deal intact. My program is designed to sustain in multiple environmental conditions."
"Good to hear, I want you to swim to Deck 6 to see whats going on, and to stop the leak if possible."
"Swim? and mechanical repairs? Well, I've never done that before. Well, perhaps theres—"
Tuvok cuts in on communications. "Tuvok to Captain"
"Go ahead?"
"Are you still in engineering?"
"Yes, why"
"Be advised that a massive flood surge is headed your way, as well as toward the bridge"
"Understood"
The Doctor overheard. "Captain, are you all going to be alright?"
"We'll be fine. Head to Deck 6 to see if see what's going on."
The captain instructed the engineering crew, "Everyone, lets evacuate Engineering"
They went to the door to leave. As it opened, they saw the massive flood approaching in the distance. They ran back inside.
B'Elanna ordered the computer, "Computer erect a high level force field around engineering."
The force field went up. The engineering crew could see the flood trying to crash in.
B'Elanna worried, "I don't think this field is going to hold. It'll probably break like the other one did."
The force field began to tingle in reaction to the waves. Eventually it collapsed completely and the water came crashing in
"Speak of the Devil!" the Captain reacted, "Everyone climb up as high as you can!". The Engineering crew began to climb as high as they could to avoid the flood.
Suddenly, before the flood could get to high, the flood was restricted by a new force field
"It stopped!", B'Elanna reacted, "But how?"
"Looks like a new force field went up after the other one collapsed"
"And it appears to be much stronger, but how, who created it."
"I don't know", the Captain answered, "But I'm glad its here".
The crew just stared and observed the mysterious force field as it pulsated at a steady and comforting pulse.