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Summary - An outbreak of practical jokes onboard Voyager quickly escalates into a life threatening situation. This is a work in progress,feedback would therefore be gratefully appreciated!

Trick or Treat

Momac 2002

Prologue

Bridge.
USS Hartford

'Captain…'

The young ensign manning the ops console hesitated for a moment, his eyes scanning the data displayed beneath his fingertips. Nerves warred with excitement as he relayed his findings to his commanding officer.

'… long range sensors are picking up an obstacle in our path.'

Captain Harry Kim, Commanding officer of the USS Hartford smiled to himself as he watched the earnest young man stumble over his words. An image flashed into his mind of another young ensign, fresh out of the Academy, who'd signed up for what turned out to be the longest three week mission of his life.

It had been many years since Voyager's triumphant return to the Alpha Quadrant and time had been kind to him, limiting its touch to a sprinkling of silver in hair that had once been jet black. It was the weight of command that had carved the frown lines into his forehead and tempered his enthusiasm for the unknown.

'On screen.'

All eyes turned towards the view screen where a dusting of stars decorated the barren expanse of space. The minutes dragged out as an uncomfortable silence descended on the bridge.

'What exactly should we be looking for, Ensign?'

The question came from the Hartford's first officer, Commander Jack Shaw. The frown that accompanied it had the young man in question breaking out into a cold sweat.

'Sensors indicate an unidentified object at bearing…'

Harry stared at the view screen; his attention riveted on a faint smudge on the far left of the screen.

'Computer…magnify sector 24B.'

The image jumped, bringing the smudge into sharp focus.

Harry's heart began to race, the relentless beat echoing inside his head. Oblivious to his surroundings, he stared horrified at the small box spinning across the screen. It was exactly as he remembered it, right down to the small nick in the face of the dial that dominated one side; a dial that even now glowed softly against the backdrop of space.

'Captain…is there a problem?'

Harry tried to answer but words failed him.

'Doctor to the bridge!'

It took every ounce of willpower Harry possessed to tear his eyes away from the view screen but he was no longer the naive young ensign he'd once been. He was a Captain now, responsible for the lives of over a hundred crewmen and he'd be damned if he was going to let history repeat itself.

'Belay that order…'

Ignoring the concerned looks directed his way, Harry focused his attention on his security officer.

'Lieutenant Carey, lock phasers on the target and prepare to fire on my mark.

'Captain, I…'

'That's an order, Lieutenant.'

The young man swallowed nervously, his eyes flitting between the two men standing in the centre of the bridge.

'Aye, Captain…target locked in, phasers armed and ready.'

'Fire!'

It was all over in the space of a heartbeat, the explosion flaring bright for a second before fading forever as the remnants of the box scattered to the four corners of the universe…