"Captain, I've been studying the debris left behind by the Doomsday machine. Based on the rate of disspersion on the rubble, I estimate we are only one hour behind it. There is an object ahead beside the trail of debris. I'm just getting sensor readings now..." Spock broke off his sentence and he looked into his console's viewer while pushing nearby buttons. "A small, single person craft of Earth origin. It has the name Ranger 3 on its side."

"Bring it aboard the hanger deck with the tractor beam" ordered Kirk, "and let's take a look at it. Scotty, Bones, you're with me and Spock. Let's see what we have." All entered the turbolift and were soon in the hanger bay looking at the ship.

"Definitely of Earth origin, Captain" said Spock. "By my estimates it appears to be of a type built in the 20th century. The name Ranger 3 appears in records as a ship that was lost on a mission. However, there seems to be much newer technology that has been added on that is definitely not of that time period."

"My readings indicate one life form on board, Jim" added McCoy. "But the levels are pretty low; my guess is some type of suspended animation or cryro-freeze. Still humanoid though."

Scotty was examining the entry to the ship. "Looks like the whole ship is one giant low-temp stasis vault. The controls would have gone here, but they seem to be missing."

"Mr. Scott, could you adapt this to work?" Kirk held out the thermostat Hooper had given him. "Aye captain, I think I kinna make it work." Grabbing a tool kit from a wall cabinet, Scotty set about modifying the device to fit the connections on the outside of the ship. "That should do it captain, you can control the environment of the interior from the panel now. I'm sure the good doctor knows the best way."

"I'm a doctor, not a...oh wait, I am a doctor. Let me bring the temperature up properly, we don't want to kill the occupant just after we save him." McCoy did just that, programming the thermostat to bring the temp up gradually while he monitored the vital signs.

Shortly after, the thermostat beeped and the door to the ship unsealed with a hiss, sliding open to reveal a rather sleepy pilot standing at the doorway. He yawned, braced himself and took a deep breath before stepping gingerly down to the hanger floor. He walked over to the Enterprise crew and addressed them. "Is one of you gentlemen Captain Kirk?"

"I am" said Kirk, looking at the pilot's uniform name tag, "Captain...Rogers?"

"Call me Buck" said the pilot. "Glad to make it. Theo and Dr. Huer tried to assure me I wouldn't have a problem finding you, but you can't tell for sure when time travel is involved."

"Fascinating Captain Rogers" said Spock, "you claim to have traveled in time. Your ship seems to have some added equipment not available when your ship disappeared."

"It's a long story. I somehow managed to be frozen until I was found in the 25th century. I work for the Earth Defense Directorate now, and they sent me back to your time to bring you something." He unzipped a uniform pocket and fished around inside, pulling out a key chain and a cookie which he handed to Kirk. "I have to get back to my own time now; Wilma would kill me if I made any time paradoxes by sticking around too long. Be so kind as to drop my ship back where you got it, and they'll pick me up in a couple hundred years after the autocontrols freeze me again. Let me tell you now gentlemen, it's no fun being a Popsicle." With that, he climbed back aboard his ship and the door resealed. The thermostat indicated that the systems recycled and were once again cooling.

"Popsicle, captain? I am unfamiliar with the word" said Spock.

Kirk shrugged. "I don't know, maybe some type of animal."

...

Later, in the science lab Spock relayed his findings to Kirk. "Analysis of the items is complete, captain. One item is a cookie of the flavor oatmeal and raisin; it's in fairly good condition, although it seems to have become somewhat freezer-burned. The other is a key chain, with two keys attached. There is a fob on the ring with the words 'Quark' and 'Incinerator' on it."

"Some new weapon Spock?"

"Unknown captain, but a Quark is a subatomic particle and could be the basis for a weapon."

"Maybe we'll have Chekov try the cookie later" grinned Kirk.

The com issued a hail signal followed by the voice of the chief Helmsman. "Mr. Spock," said Sulu "the debris trail has vanished!"

"All stop, Mr. Sulu" Kirk ordered. "Spock, let's go see where we are."

Arriving on the bridge, Spock hurried over to his console and ran a scan of the area. "Readings confirmed, captain. Either the Doomsday machine has stopped leaving debris behind or someone has swept the area. What are your orders, Captain?"

"Continue on present course, it's the best option we have for now." And indeed it was the best option, because in a few minutes they came across a large vessel with 'United Galaxy Sanitation Patrol' painted on the side. Uhura established communication with the ship.

"Betty II speaking. Our science officer Ficus tells us that we can answer your question about the debris. Please beam over to our aft section, where the captain will speak with you."

Kirk and Spock beamed over; McCoy was busy with Chekov, who was still in sick bay feeling ill from eating the Scooby Snack.

"Hello Captain Kirk, I'm Captain Adam Quark. I understand that you were following a trail of debris that disappeared. I'm sorry captain, but I was sent out here to clean up the trail left behind by a ship. I stopped at this location only because my hold is full and I need to incinerate it since I'm out of sanitation bags. However, I seem to have lost the key to activate the furnace."

"In a rather odd coincidence, that may not be such a big problem Captain Quark. You might find this of use I suspect." Kirk handed the key ring over to Quark. "Will that help?"

"I don't know how you got it Kirk, but that is exactly what I need." Quark inserted the key into a keyhole, turned it, then inserted a coin in a slot nearby. The ship shook for a moment as the furnace kicked in, and the debris began to be reduced to nothing.

Quark turned back. "It seems like a large ship came through this area recently, and left a trail behind that could be a navigation danger to other ships. I was sent on a mission to clean up the area from the moon all the way to the edge of the region. I only got this far when I had to stop because the full hold. After the reduction process is finished I can continue picking up."

"Do you know where the large ship is now?" asked Kirk excitedly.

"Sure, it's at the moon like I said. There is a rogue moon that is traveling through the system right now. It seems to have been blasted out of orbit from its home planet by some nuclear accident on its surface. They're at 'Moonbase Alpha' on the moon's surface. I hope to take Betty I there in a little while. Or is it Betty II? I don't know..."

"Thank you Quark, looks like we helped each other out. Spock, we know where we're going now. Back to the ship."