by Darrell DumasTEASER
FADE IN:
01 EXT. SPACE – VOYAGER (OPTICAL)
Voyager cruises peacefully through a streaking red hydrogen nebula…
02 INT. BRIDGE
Seconds later. The bridge reflects the peacefulness of the ship… all officers present at their stations… no noise, except for the occasional beep or chime of a control console… the main viewscreen depicts a forward view of the passing nebula… Kim taps at his console a few times, then looks toward Janeway.
KIM
Captain…
Janeway jerks upright, as if snapped out of a trance –
JANEWAY
Yes, Harry?
Kim stares curiously at his console –
KIM
I’m reading something very strange… A gravimetric pocket about five thousand kilometers off the starboard bow.
Now Janeway looks curious, as well as everyone else on the bridge. Janeway glances at Chakotay sitting beside her —
JANEWAY
This deep inside a Class III Nebula?
KIM
I think so… these sensors may be malfunctioning because of the nebula’s interference, but it looks like a pretty consistent reading.
Chakotay turns to look at Janeway –
CHAKOTAY
I’ve never heard of an asteroid or a dust cloud that could stay intact at the heart of a Class III nebula…
JANEWAY
…Let alone retain it’s own gravimetric pocket.
TUVOK
If I may, Captain, the possibility of a spatial mass managing to sustain a gravimetric pocket this deep inside a Class III nebula is implausible, but not entirely illogical. However, the mass would have to be quite large…
PARIS
…And it is. If Harry’s readings are correct, that pocket is nearly 30,000 kilometers across.
Chakotay and Janeway look at each other –
CHAKOTAY
Could it be…a planet…?
PARIS
I don’t think there’s any other ‘logical’ explanation, sir.
Tuvok bobs his brows –
JANEWAY
Well…shall we take a look?
KIM
Well, captain, a planet existing at the heart of a nebula that’s prevented itself from deteriorating, and sustained it’s own gravimetric pocket, long enough to get where it is now… that would hold quite a place in the Federation’s logs.
Janeway chuckles –
JANEWAY
Very well, then. Tom, set a course, full impulse.
03 EXT. SPACE – VOYAGER (OPTICAL)
Voyager shifts its course through the nebula, heading towards the right, and accelerates toward the gravimetric pocket.
04 EXT. SPACE -VOYAGER (OPTICAL)
Voyager passes out of the nebula into the gravimetric pocket. A huge Class I planet comes into view, vaguely reflecting the bright red of the nebula on it’s surface.
05 INT. BRIDGE
KIM
I’ve got a visual…
JANEWAY
(Standing up) On screen.
An image of the Class I planetoid appears on the main viewscreen… Janeway’s excited smile disappears. The excited atmosphere across the entire bridge seems to ebb away…
CHAKOTAY
Is… is that it?
KIM
(Sounding embarrassed) I… ah, I guess so.
PARIS
Not really as exciting as we thought it would be, is it?
JANEWAY
Run a full spectral scan. Get all the information you can on this planetoid. Report anything unusual.
Janeway sits back down, raising her mug of coffee. Paris taps at his console for a few seconds, and furrows his brow –
PARIS
Captain…
Janeway immediately leaps from her seat and strides over to Paris’ console, eager to see any interesting results… Paris is a bit taken aback –
JANEWAY
What have you found?
PARIS
Ah… well, the planet’s pretty much a normal Class I, but there’s one little detail… there’s an artificial satellite orbiting it, and it’s giving off a Federation signal.
Immediately, everyone on the bridge looks toward the nearest console to confirm it –
KIM
He’s right! It’s a coordinate beacon, and it’s coming from…my God!… I think it’s an old photon torpedo capsule, but it’s got sensors and power cells built into its outer hull…
JANEWAY
(Quietly to herself) Not fifteen minutes have passed and it’s already been a strange day. Harry, can you identify the sensors’ signatures? What are they designed for?
Paris seems to want to say something, but is afraid to cut in –
TUVOK
Captain, I have identified the sensor signatures. The technology is several decades old, but it is clear that the sensors were designed for data collection.
PARIS
(Insistently, almost to a rude extent) Captain!
Janeway turns to Tom, somewhat surprised –
JANEWAY
Yes, Mr. Paris?
PARIS
You aren’t going to believe this… but there’s a life sign inside that torpedo capsule. It’s very weak, but it’s consistent. And one other thing… there’s a Borg signature emitting from the capsule as well.
CHAKOTAY
We left Borg space nearly fifty light years behind… I don’t know about any of you, but this is getting so strange I’m not so sure I believe it.
KIM
(Chuckling) I know what you mean.
JANEWAY
Harry, are you within transporter range.
KIM
Yes ma’am.
JANEWAY
Beam the capsule to Sick Bay, and erect a level 10 force field around it. Have the Doctor begin looking it over as soon as it gets there. Tom, scan the vicinity for Borg vessels. I want to make dead sure this isn’t some sort of trick. Chakotay…(Standing up and motioning to Chakotay)
Chakotay follows Janeway into the turbolift –
JANEWAY
Sick Bay.
The turbolift door slides closed.
06 EXT. SPACE – THE TORPEDO CAPSULE
The capsule slowly rotates as it orbits the planet… a large square portal caps the top of one side… Illuminated with blue, one can just make out the form of a human head and arms inside…
FADE OUT.
