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    Chrysalis
    Chrysalis
    Chrysalis
    Ebook258 pages4 hours

    Chrysalis

    By David Niall Wilson

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    About this ebook

    When the sensors of the U.S.S. Voyager detect abundant plant life on an unexplored planet, Captain Janeway leads an Away Team in search of fresh food supplies. They find lavish gardens inhabited by an enigmatic alien race that holds the gardens sacred. The fragrent blossoms are beautiful, enticing -- and far more dangerous than they appear. One by one, the Away Team begins to fall into deep comas from which they cannot be revived.

    Unwilling to spread the affliction to Voyager, the Away Team is trapped on the planet until a cure can be found, but their investigation is perceived as desecration by the devout worshippers of the gardens. Pursued by a fanactical mob, slowly succumbing to the insidious effect of the blossoms, Janeway faces either a violent death -- or an endless sleep.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPocket Books/Star Trek
    Release dateFeb 24, 2014
    ISBN9780743453721
    Chrysalis
    Author

    David Niall Wilson

    David Niall Wilson is the author of numerous science fiction, fantasy, and horror novels. Some of his titles include Maelstrom, The Mote in Andrea’s Eye, the Grails Covenant Trilogy, Star Trek Voyager: Chrysalis, and the DeChance Chronicles. 

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    • 3/5
      A decent, interesting book. Maybe a little monotonous towards the end, but ultimately worthwhile.

    Book preview

    Chrysalis - David Niall Wilson

    CHAPTER

    1

    ON SCREEN.

    All eyes on the bridge spun to the viewscreen as the image of a large green-and-blue world snapped into focus. Captain Kathryn Janeway gazed at the planet in silence, tracing the lines of the continents, taking in the blue of large oceans. Her brow was furrowed in a frown of deep concentration.

    Voyager needed supplies. They’d gone as long as they could, limping through several sectors without coming in contact with a world that could provide what they lacked, and she wanted very much to believe that this would be the one, if for no other reason that, seeing it there on the screen, she was reminded suddenly, and intensely, of Earth.

    Voyager was light-years from home, so far that the distance hardly seemed real. They’d been dragged from their home quadrant suddenly, without warning, captured by the Caretaker, an extremely powerful being whose sole purpose had been the protection and sheltering of a race known as the Ocampa. Voyager had been pursuing a Maquis rebel ship that had disappeared. It, too, had been dragged to this quadrant, but that ship had not survived.

    Now with the Maquis captain, Chakotay, as her first officer, and a mixed crew of Starfleet and Maquis personnel on board, they were trying to make their way home. With the lack of facilities and support from the Federation, certain limitations had been placed on the ship’s systems, among these the replicator system. It was now necessary to outfit the ship for survival in ways to which Captain Janeway was not accustomed. It was becoming continually more difficult to provide for the needs of the crew.

    It would take nearly seventy years to make their way home, even at top speed, and with the rationing they’d had to impose on their partially defective replicator system, scavenging and trading had become part and parcel of her duties as captain.

    I want a complete scan, Mr. Kim, she said at last, turning abruptly to make eye contact with her operations officer. "If there’s anything we can use, I want to know about it. Get with Neelix to determine what is edible, and have The Doctor do a complete analysis of the air and the water.

    And, Mr. Kim, if there’s anyone down there, we’ll need to know that as well.

    Aye, Captain, Kim replied, turning at once to the panel before him and busying his hands at the controls. She watched him for a second, a smile playing at the corner of her lips, then turned away.

    The others on the bridge were still staring at the viewscreen, and Janeway let her eyes travel back to the world they now faced, as well. The pang of recognition, of nostalgia, returned. So much like home. Considering the light-years that separated them from anything familiar, it was a bittersweet sight.

    There are some odd readings coming from the planet, Captain, Kim said. He seemed perplexed, and his fingers were flying over the control panel, adjusting bandwidths and frequencies. I’m getting a life-sign reading, very low, nearly off the scale, but it spreads out across the surface—like it was covering it. I can’t pinpoint a location. The reading seems to come from everywhere at once!

    Is there any indication that it might be some sort of interference, or a system malfunction? Janeway kept her face carefully neutral.

    None that I can detect. I’ve already run a system diagnostic, and we’re fully operational. There’s no sign of subspace interference. I’ve tried varying the bandwidth and frequency of the scan to both ends of the spectrum, but I get the same reading. It’s as if this life-force permeates the air down there.

    Well, get a lock on it. Janeway turned from Mr. Kim’s console and slapped the communications badge on her chest. Mr. Neelix, to the bridge.

    There was a moment’s silence, then Neelix’s cheerful voice floated out from the computer’s speakers. But Captain, I have this wonderful N’llanthyan stew on the stove! The leaves are of a delicate nature; they must be stirred at precise intervals to insure there is no loss of flavor. The crew has been looking forward to it.

    Very well. Janeway stormed off the bridge and into the lift, her face a mask of stoic perseverance. Neelix was an invaluable asset to her crew under their present circumstances, but at times it was difficult to remind herself of this. Despite constant reminders, Starfleet protocol would never be listed among his strong suits. On the other hand, N’llanthyan stew was one of his more edible preparations.

    She entered the mess hall quickly, moving directly to where Neelix stood behind a shiny metal counter, his chefs hat perched jauntily to one side and an apron dangling from his neck. The room had undergone a remarkable metamorphosis since the day he’d commandeered it for his galley. Somehow, anachronistic as it was to be cooking over live flames on a starship, he’d managed to make it comfortable and pleasant. He was a man of many talents, but one of his primary joys in life seemed to come from the time he spent cooking.

    Captain, Captain, he called out. So good of you to come down. I assume we are near to Urrytha?

    We are, she answered curtly. We came within scanning range about fifteen minutes ago. That is what I wanted to talk to you about. I thought you told me there was no life on this planet?

    He turned to her with a quizzical expression on his dappled shiny face. There is none that I am aware of, Captain, he answered. Have you discovered someone?

    Not exactly. Janeway quickly described the strange readings they’d taken from the planet’s surface, and Neelix, listening intently as he continued to stir his stew, grew thoughtful.

    You know, Captain, he said at last, there are rumors about this planet among my people, stories I was told as a child, but that I never paid any attention to. The stories were sort of magical, tales of huge stone temples and ruined cities. They spoke of a race who lived here once, quite an advanced civilization, from all accounts, but I was told that they died out many, many years ago. Frankly, I’ve always thought them nothing more than legend.

    What kind of stories, Mr. Neelix, and why didn’t you tell me this when you mentioned this planet?

    I’ve never encountered anything but plant life in this area, Captain, Neelix assured her. The planet has a substantial supply of Blort roots, and I only thought to avail myself of them while we were nearby. They make a pot pie of marvelous texture, you know.

    I’m certain they do. Janeway smiled slightly. Neelix was infectious, and despite her ire at his lack of attention to detail, he was hard to remain angry with. But that doesn’t answer my question. The stories?

    Well, Neelix said, "my grandfather used to tell a story about this planet. He told us he’d come here as a young man with a few of his friends . . . purely an exploratory visit, mind you . . . and they found the most remarkable ruins.

    "They found them in the middle of a jungle, as he told it. Grand ruins with huge stone pillars and temples, lush gardens—but there was no evidence of a society that could have developed them. All signs of civilization had vanished, leaving the ruins to mark their passing. I’ve visited this planet myself on several occasions, and I’ve seen no ruins, nor any sign of habitation.

    I’m afraid that that is all I can recall, Captain. My grandfather told a great number of stories, but, really, no one took him seriously. He could really spin a tale, as they say. I remember once he was telling us about a female from the Edanis sector that . . .

    That will be all, Mr. Neelix. Janeway spun toward the door, but before she exited the mess hall she added, "And thank you. That stew does smell delicious."

    Neelix watched her go, his hand continuing its steady stirring motion, but his eyes were far away. It was a strange voyage fate had cast him into—a wanderer with no home guiding a crew who’d lost theirs.

    He knew, better than most, in fact, how low they were getting on supplies. Part of his job in running the mess hall was to make certain that it was well stocked. He’d been making do with very little for quite some time, and the crew was getting a bit tired of the same old meals.

    Neelix felt a sudden pang of loneliness, remembering his own planet, his people, who’d been destroyed in an apocalyptic battle, and found himself wondering where Kes had gotten herself to. No doubt she was locked in with The Doctor, studying. The medical knowledge seemed to come very easily to her, and the work kept her mind at ease—much as his cooking did for him.

    The thought of his slight blond love brought the smile back to his face, and he brought the ladle to his lips, giving the stew a taste.

    Ah, he said to no one in particular, perfect.

    *  *  *

    Janeway made her way back onto the bridge and called out, Any luck, Mr. Kim?

    We’ve scanned the entire surface, Captain, Kim answered, but no matter how I configure this, I keep coming up with the same readings. It seems as if there’s something alive down there, at least that’s what the life-sign would indicate, but there’s just no way to know where it is, or what. It’s possible that the life-form we’re seeking is very insubstantial physically, but very spread out, or even that there is some microscopic creature so rampant that it reads as a single entity. The only other thing I could think of is that someone might be jamming our signal in some way, causing a false reading.

    Mr. Chakotay, Janeway said, turning to her first officer, any thoughts?

    I’m not certain on this one, Captain, he admitted, I’ve never encountered anything quite like this. Something is blocking our efforts, but there may be a few more ways to configure these scanners that we haven’t tried. I know we need the supplies, but I’d like to get a better reading on the planet before we proceed.

    Agreed. Janeway nodded curtly. Get Torres up here and see if there’s anything she can do. Neelix tells me there may be a primitive agricultural society on this planet, which might be one way to explain these readings. If this is true, we need to stay clear of them. The last thing we need is to frighten off the inhabitants. Mr. Tuvok, will you assist?

    Gladly, Tuvok replied.

    As Kim and Tuvok continued to reconfigure the scanners, the captain headed for the door. Commander Chakotay, you have the bridge. I’ll be in my ready room if you find anything.

    Aye, Captain, Chakotay answered, nodding. He was already bending over the scanners beside Kim, lost in the problem at hand.

    As the door slid shut behind her, Janeway relaxed her shoulders a bit and let out a heavy sigh. Moving to the comfortable chair behind her conference table, she fell back into it heavily. She took her responsibilities as captain very seriously, even more so now that she had to hold together the loyalty and respect not only of her own crew, but of a crew of former rebels as well.

    She needed to keep a bold face on in the presence of the crew, even when her own heart and mind were down. To most of them, she represented the promise that they would find their way through this, that they would see home and their loved ones again. It was not an easy burden to bear.

    Seeing the blue and green sphere of Urrytha had bothered her more than she’d let on. It was very much like Earth.

    Most of the time she was able to shunt her feelings aside and concentrate on her job, on the work at hand, living from moment to moment, but it didn’t always work. As the heaviness descended on her heart, she realized that this was developing into one of those times.

    There was a sudden tone, indicating that someone was requesting to enter the space, and she sat up quickly, straightening her hair.

    Enter, she called out sternly.

    Lieutenant B’Elanna Torres, the chief engineer, stepped quickly into the room, and the door slid silently closed behind her.

    Yes, B’Elanna, what is it?

    I’m not sure, Captain. We haven’t been able to isolate the source of that life-force reading, but a visual scan has picked up signs of a primitive civilization. We started with the forested area, but the scanners couldn’t penetrate the foliage. That was where the life-force seemed strongest. When we expanded the range, that is when we found the settlements. There is every indication that there are natives down there, somewhere, a very basic agricultural society, no space travel, but we can’t locate any beings of any sort.

    Are the settlements near to where we need to harvest Mr. Neelix’s roots? We have to get some food on board here, or we’ll all be trying to fry bits and pieces of our boots.

    That’s what is strange about this, Captain, Torres continued. The settlement we located is in a desolate isolated region of the planet. All of the vegetation seems centered in one or two locations—almost like oases, but the natives have gone out of their way to avoid settling near those areas. There is water in the jungles and an abundance of plant life, even a few lower-level species of animals . . . just no clear sign of intelligent inhabitation. Certainly nothing that could explain the readings we are getting.

    Are you telling me, Lieutenant, that these . . . people—whoever or whatever they might be—have built their homes as far as possible from the most obvious sustenance on their planet?

    That is how it appears, Captain.

    Tell Mr. Paris to bring us in a bit closer and get that area with the vegetation on screen. I want a look at these ‘oases,’ and I want some answers. We can’t just go barging in on these people if it’s a problem of our own that’s keeping us from locating them.

    Yes, Captain, Torres replied. But, Captain, those jungles are thick with overgrowth—we’re not going to be able to get much more than the tops of the trees.

    Noted, Janeway acknowledged, already heading back into the world of her own jumbled thoughts.

    B’Elanna exited the ready room purposefully, and Janeway stood, straightening her hair once more and smoothing the fabric of her uniform.

    When Janeway made her way back onto the bridge, they already had the lush gardens of planet Urrytha on the viewscreen. Torres hadn’t been kidding. From above, it looked somewhat like the rainforests on Earth. They could see the lush growth atop trees that soared hundreds of feet in the air, patches of huge ferns and flowering plants that reached several times the height of a large man. The colors were bright and vibrant.

    Computer, she said, magnify the image by a factor of one hundred.

    The image shifted. Suddenly blossoms that had been nothing more than a splash of color were clear. Large insects of several varieties were flitting about from flower to flower. A bird soared across the screen, then spiraled down into the trees below. Nowhere was there a break in the greenery large enough to make out the ground, although in a couple of places rivers were visible, blue ribbons cutting through oceans of green, overhung with branches and dangling vines.

    No sign of anyone in there, Captain, Tom Paris reported, though there could be an army hiding under those branches, and without full use of the scanners, we’d never know it. He added, One hell of a place for an ambush.

    You’re certain there is nothing we’re overlooking here? she asked, knowing the answer, but unable to make it all fit together in her mind. Paris’s comment about ambushes had left an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach.

    Quite, Tuvok cut in. We have run every type of scan we are capable of, and we have taken the visual through most of this vegetated area. If there are native inhabitants on this planet, they are even more adept at hiding themselves than they are at building dwellings and raising crops.

    The door to the lift opened, and Neelix entered the bridge, a big smile pasted across his face. Taking in the landscape on the viewscreen, he turned to the captain and winked. There they are, Captain, Blort plants . . . a garden full of them. Those roots will solve our problems for some time to come, and I can prepare a large variety of dishes from them . . . some quite exquisite.

    I’m more concerned with these inhabitants we can’t seem to locate, Mr. Neelix. Your roots may have to wait. It is possible that they have some naturally shielded hideaway that we have been unable to scan. I don’t want to beam down there and scare these people into a new religion, nor do I want to take an away team somewhere that I can’t be certain is safe.

    I can understand your concern, Captain, Neelix rejoined obsequiously, and yet I myself have visited this very jungle in the past and met no one. It would be embarrassing to find an entire race of beings who’d taken me for a god. . . .

    There was some general laughter, but Janeway did not share in it. Noticing the seriousness of her expression, Neelix changed tacks. Captain, we have to have those supplies. With what we have available, we have a week, two at best, and that is on the paltriest and blandest of diets I can imagine. Our water supplies are also getting low.

    I’m aware of the status of our supplies, Mr. Neelix, Janeway assured him, though in truth she hadn’t wanted the others to know just how bad things had gotten—not yet. The situation was not yet out of hand, but there were shortages that would not be ignored much longer, in that, Neelix was correct. "I guess that we’ll just have to take our chances.

    Mr. Kim . . .

    Before she could finish her order, B’Elanna let out a small cry. Captain, I’ve got something.

    Her fingers danced across the control console, and the viewscreen shifted to a scene of rocky crags and cold stone. Vegetation was sparse, but in the background they could just make out some sort of village.

    What is it, Lieutenant? Janeway asked, moving to Torres’s side and glancing down at the monitors.

    This is the settlement I told you about, Captain. There were no inhabitants earlier, but a small group of humanoid beings has appeared, B’Elanna replied excitedly. I don’t know how we were missing them before, or where they might have come from, but there they are.

    "It would appear that the inhabitants are living in that bleak place, Janeway mused. Well, there’s no accounting for taste. Mr. Tuvok, I want to form a landing party and get down there as soon as possible. We’re going to need Neelix for his roots, and I’d like Mr. Kim to accompany us, as well. I’ll lead the team."

    Do you think that is wise, Captain? Tuvok cautioned. It is my duty to remind you that your safety is a paramount concern.

    I am aware of the importance of my safety, Mr. Tuvok. The Captain smiled. But there doesn’t seem to be much of a danger down there, and I’ve been cooped up for too long.

    Tuvok didn’t answer her, merely nodding, but his disapproval was floating just beneath the surface of his eyes. He entered the lift and made his way to the lower decks to choose the rest of his team, feeling uneasy, but unable to pinpoint the exact reasons why.

    Janeway stood for a few moments, watching the screen in silence. Finally, turning quickly, she headed toward the lift. She had preparations of her own to make before beaming down to the planet’s surface.

    Commander Chakotay, she called out behind her, you have the bridge.

    CHAPTER

    2

    THE LANDING PARTY MATERIALIZED IN a clearing that was surrounded on all sides by lush green ferns and towering trees. Birds flitted between the branches, their songs blending with the buzzing whir of insects and the soft sigh of a breeze that ruffled through the foliage above their heads. It was as if the entire fertility ration for

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