Captain’s Log Stardate 8978.26. We have diverted from our colony transport mission to investigate what appears to be a duplicate of the Sol Star System. I do not enjoy having one hundred and nine colonists aboard my starship longer than necessary, but it’s not every day you find a copy of your home planet.

“Confirm your sensor report, Mr. Spock,” the captain of the Starship Enterprise ordered.

The tall Vulcan bent over his sensor equipment, but everyone knew it was merely a formality. Mr. Spock was never wrong – the image on the viewscreen was accurate.

“Sensor report confirmed, Captain,” Spock said a moment later. “We are orbiting Earth, Class-M, population … two billion, seventy-nine million.”

“A duplicate Earth,” Kirk corrected. “Earth – the real Earth – is two hundred light years behind us.”

“We have encountered other duplicate Earths before,” Spock correctly observed.

“How many can there be?” Kirk wondered. “And we’re just one ship, out of a fleet of seventeen exploring this region of the galaxy. It’s almost like someone is building Earths one after another … but why? Why Spock?”

“Perhaps some sort of quest for the ultimate truth, Captain,” Spock said.

“Captain,” Lt. Uhura interrupted, “I’m detecting radio signals from the planet. Faint –- multiple channels, sir, but … it’s odd …”

“How is it odd?” Kirk stood from his command chair and stepped over to his communications officer’s post, directly at the rear of the round-bridge.

“Sir, it’s as if there is – or, rather, was – an entire network of communication relay stations, audio and visual, yet, they aren’t being used, I’m only detecting automated signals. No live programing, as best as I or the computer can tell.”

Kirk turned towards the viewscreen. The Enterprise was in a high orbit, approaching the Asian subcontinent over what was, on the real Earth, the Indian Ocean. Here, for all Kirk knew, it was the Slaribartfast Ocean “You detected satellites, Mr. Sulu, didn’t you say?”

“Hundreds, sir,” the helmsman confirmed. “Astrophysics is running simulations now to verify this, but it seems that at least a third of these satellites are in varying stages of decaying orbits.”

“How is that … Spock, any evidence of a nuclear exchange?”

Spock arched an eyebrow. “That would explain the deteriorating satellite orbits, Captain, the population would have no way to adjust them without the use of ground-based control stations. However…”

“Yes, I know, if there was a nuclear exchange on that large of a scale, would there be over four billion life forms? And would there even be buildings or structures on the planet to be broadcasting – even automated signals?”

“Wiological veapons, Keptin?” Chekov asked.

“The population count would seem to indicate otherwise, Mr. Chekov,” Spock said. “Nor do our ships’ sensors indicate any poisons in the atmosphere inconsistent with the early 21st century on your own planet Earth, Jim. It is a mystery – in addition to not using their broadcast technology, it would appear that many of the populations’ forms of mass transit – air, ground, sea – are not in use, nor have been in some time.”

“Captain?” Uhura interrupted. “I’m detecting some radio traffic, sir, not an automated signal, either.”

“Where’s it coming from?”

“The North American continent, sir, I’m having trouble pinpointing it beyond the Pacific Northwest. It sounds like … I don’t know, sir, the voice – male – keeps saying that they’re safe, to head for them, bring supplies.”

Spock and Kirk exchanged a knowing look.

“We won’t find answers here,” Kirk scowled. “Sulu, keep all science departments studying this planet. Why is the population not utilizing their technology? What is going on? It makes no sense. Chekov, ask Lt. Commander Giotto and two of his security men to report to the Transporter Room, and page Dr. McCoy to join us. Spock, with me – we’re going down.”

*END TEASER*