Lost In Time
A routine mission on an idyllic paradise planet suddenly turns into a nightmare for two of Voyager's crew. Will they survive, and how will the experience change them?
"It sounds like paradise down there!" Ensign Harry Kim exclaimed as he studied the readings flashing across his Ops console.
Voyager had detected the planet nine hours earlier. Initial scans revealed it to be an uninhabited planet, but rich in plant life, and possibly foodstuffs.
"Any ships in the area that might claim this planet as their own?" Janeway asked.
"I am detecting no other vessels within scanner range, Captain," Tuvok replied.
Janeway nodded to Chakotay.
"Commander, assemble your team."
"Tuvok, Paris, Kim, you're with me," Commander Chakotay ordered as he headed for the turbolift.
The three officers fell in behind him. Some moments later, they and about twenty other Voyager crewmembers, materialized right in the middle of a vast field. The moment his eyes had adjusted to the sunlight, Harry Kim took a moment to absorb the scenery around him. They were standing atop a carpet of green dew kissed grass dotted with myriad flowers of various hue.
"Wow!" Kim blurted.
Tuvok raised an eyebrow.
"Mr. Kim's grandiose observation notwithstanding, this planet does appear to be aesthetically pleasing," the Vulcan observed non-chalantly.
"Alright we'll divide into teams and meet back here in two hours," Chakotay commanded.
The crew all began to pair off in small groups and headed off in different directions, tricorders scanning the landscape. Ensign Kim fell into line behind Chakotay, and followed the first officer in the direction of some distant caves carved into a hillside. Chakotay led the way as they began exploring one of these caves. Flicking on their wrist lamps, they ventured slowly into the mouth of the cave.
Kim's tricorder suddenly bleeped.
"Commander, I'm reading some strange energy fluctuations about two meters ahead. I'm not sure what to make of it," Harry reported, studying his tricorder with a furrowed brow.
Chakotay took out his own tricorder, and pointed it in the direction Harry had just scanned. The readout fluctuated. There definitely was something very odd about this cave. His commbadge suddenly chirped to life.
"Voyager to Chakotay, how are the away teams progressing?" Janeway asked.
"We're nearly through, Captain," he said as he followed Kim deeper into the cave.
"Very good," she replied. "I'd like to start beaming up the first..."
The comm signal suddenly distorted and faded. Chakotay tapped his commbadge again.
"Captain, your comm signal is breaking up. Repeat your last. Captain? Chakotay to Janeway."
There was no response. Chakotay and Kim exchanged curious glances.
"Try yours," Chakotay directed.
Harry tapped the metal badge affixed to his chest.
"Kim to the captain. Do you read?"
Still nothing. Only static.
"Let's head back the way we came," Chakotay suggested.
The two turned around, and began to retrace their steps. Soon they reached the mouth of the cave. Ensign Kim was still scanning.
"Commander, this is strange. I'm not reading any signs of the away team."
"Maybe there's something in these caves that blocks our sensors and comm links," the first officer replied. "Let's move out into the open."
The two moved well past the mouth of the cave, and into an open field. Just a few moments ago this field had been crawling with Voyager crewmembers scanning with tricorders. Now it was eerily empty.
"Chakotay to Voyager. Please respond."
Only static answered him.
"Sir," Harry said even as the color drained from his face. "I'm not reading any other lifesigns within scanner range aside from ours. I'm not picking up any signs of the ship in orbit either. I don't understand."
A quick check of his own tricorder verified everything Kim had just told him.
"How is this possible, sir?" Kim asked. "They wouldn't have just left without us, and I'm not detecting any kind of alien cloaking technology or any other ships in orbit. It's like they just disappeared."
"That strange energy source we found in the cave might have something to do with all this. Let's go back and have a closer look," Chakotay suggested as he led the way back into the dark gaping maw.
Kim's senses all rallied together and heightened their awareness as he dutifully followed the commander back into the cave from which they'd just recently egressed. He wasn't sure if his mind was just playing tricks on him or whether this cave had suddenly just become much more foreboding, but he couldn't ignore the fact that suddenly his skin seemed to be crawling with fear. He was so fixated on his fears that he wasn't paying much attention to where he was going, and felt himself bump into something. Breaking his mind free of the dismal thoughts he'd been ruminating, Harry realized that he'd just bumped into Chakotay's back.
The tattooed first officer looked up and swiveled his head to the side to Harry.
"S-sorry, sir," Harry stammered.
Chakotay was still scanning.
"I'm not reading that energy fluctuation anymore. Whatever it was, it's gone now."
"It doesn't make sense, sir. How can the away team and the ship be there, and then not be there?" Kim asked, puzzled.
"I don't know," Chakotay admitted.
The two officers looked at each other, clearly at a loss to explain the mystery of why they were suddenly stranded...
To be continued...