Star Trek Voyager: Season 2

The Thaw

"Chakotay to Marie. Please report to cargo bay 1."

I stopped typing my report.

"I'm on my way."

I stood up, straightened my uniform and made my way to the cargo bay. When I walked in, I saw a ring of stasis pods. I walked over to Chakotay.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"We received what we believed to be a distress call. It turns out that we stumbled across an automated beacon. When we beamed the people aboard, we found 2 dead and we can't wake the others up."

My eyes went wide and I said "Wow. That's a lot to take in."

"That's not the craziest thing- their minds are active."

"Active?" I asked.

He nodded and said "They're in an artificial environment."

"Woah."

He smiled and said "Come on, let's go to briefing."

-----

"The system was supposed to bring these people out of hibernation four years ago. However, it wasn't left entirely to the computer. The programmers obviously wanted the people in the system to decide for themselves when it would be safe to come out. This was accomplished by a subroutine that periodically displayed atmospheric conditions to them." Harry said.

"So they should have known years ago that the biosphere had recovered." The Captain said.

"Exactly. This subroutine has remained available to these people since it was activated four years ago. It's literally an escape hatch." Harry added.

"Perhaps there is a malfunction." I suggested.

"No. That's what's so odd about this. As far as I can tell, it's working perfectly." Harry said.

"Why can't they get themselves out then?" I asked.

"I don't know." Harry replied.

"Maybe they like it in there." Tom said, smiling.

"I don't think so."

We all turned to the monitor and saw the doctor.

"Doctor." The Captain said.

"The two victims died from massive heart failure, and there was evidence of prior neural trauma."

"I'm sorry. What does that mean?" Neelix asked.

"It could be evidence of extreme fear."

"Maybe it was caused by the panic that accompanies a heart attack." Neelix suggested.

"The readings suggest an extended period of mental stress." Kes added.

"Sounds like we ought to get them out right away." Chakotay said.

"Surely, Commander, you're not suggesting we simply unplug them?"

"Why not?" he asked.

"Because you have three brains whose survival has depended upon careful monitoring by a sophisticated computer system for nineteen years."

"The Doc is right. I have no idea how to disconnect them without causing neural damage. I just don't know the system well enough." Harry said.

"They know the system. Why don't we ask them how to proceed?" Tuvok asked.

"How can we do that? Implant a com-link into their brains?" Tom asked sarcastically.

"We already have a means of communication. The two unoccupied pods." Tuvok stated.