Subject: NEW: Century Bug [VOY, P, T, J) G 1/1 Date: Sun, 04 Jul 1999 22:07:31 -0500 From: Lorelei Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative Title: Century Bug Author: Lorelei Series: VOY Part: 1/1 Rating: G Codes: P, T, J Summary: It’s December, 2399. Can Voyager’s computer handle the century change? Disclaimer: Paramount made the universe, I alter it as I see fit. Note: This story is set in the 29th season, where things are pretty much the same as they were back in season 5. I know it’s a leap, but just bear with me. CENTURY BUG --Date: December 15, 2399-- "The Y-what bug?" snapped an irritable B'Elanna, looking up from the Engineering console. "Y2K," replied Tom. "Or, in this case, Y24C. Don't tell me you never heard of it!" B'Elanna leaned forward with both hands on the console and slowly counted to ten. If ever she needed to put Tuvok's anger-management lessons into practice, now was the time. She carefully thought happy thoughts, and then turned to face him. "This had better be good; *some* of us have work to do today." He held both hands up as if to drop the subject. "Oh, it's nothing. Just don't come crying to me when the computer core crashes!" He made a motion as if to head out the door. She sighed dramatically. "All right, Fly-boy, you have my attention. What in the world are you talking about?" Delighted to have an audience, Tom launched into yet another of his twentieth century legends. This one was even more pointless than Captain Proton, even more archaic than a combustion-engine surface vehicle. He excitedly told the tale of the day when the people of Earth thought the computers were going to stop working, because nobody had thought to make computers recognize more than a hundred years worth of dates. B'Elanna shook her head dismissively. Trained engineers and programmers making computers that would only work for a couple of decades? It would never happen. Besides, this is the twenty-fourth century. Even if his story *were* true, and she strongly doubted it, such a thing couldn’t possibly happen anymore. Tom babbled on, oblivious to B'Elanna's growing skepticism. He had just begun describing a planet-wide shortage of bottled water and something noxious called Spam when she finally pounded her fists on the console and shouted, "Oh my god, shut up!" Taken aback, he did just that. "Tom, you are making no sense at all," she told him more calmly. "This little...science fiction of yours has nothing to do with Voyager." He raised an eyebrow slyly. "Are you so sure?" "What do you mean, am I sure? You'd think I would know Voyager's systems pretty well by now." Tom chuckled a little and shook his head. "All these programs running all the different pieces of the ship... you mean to tell me that every single hardware and software designer expected this ship to last past 2399 without upgrades? Federation programmers are too efficient; they hate wasting memory storing long dates!" "I know how much memory *I've* wasted remembering some long dates of *ours*," she snapped. He smiled sweetly. "Now, I know you don't mean that! But seriously, there are components on this ship that are older than I am. I'll bet you a month's replicator rations that *something* will fail when the calendar year changes. Unless, of course, it's the replicator system that fails," he added ominously. B'Elanna had had enough. "You drive me nuts," she stated. "Get out of here before I have to call security." She gave him her best stony glare, but he didn't miss the grin she was trying so hard to hide. "Okay, Chief, but don't say I didn't warn you!" With that, he bounced out of Engineering. *** --Date: December 31, 2399-- The New Year's Eve party was a tradition on Voyager; after so much practice at throwing these parties, they were getting pretty good at it. This year's party was different, however. Besides the holographic fireworks and replicated champagne, they also had the real-time shipwide diagnostic on a viewscreen which filled one wall of Sandrine’s. Tom Paris had pestered the captain about it for days, whining and sulking and preaching of fire and brimstone. One person had to monitor the ship and spot trouble right when it began, he said. No, she said. The power needed to run the diagnostic would be more than compensated by the replicator rations he wouldn't drink up that night, he said. Janeway relented. At five minutes to midnight, the holodeck was bursting with music and good spirits. Neelix scurried around with trays of drinks, and couples began to gravitate towards one another as the midnight hour drew near. Tom stood alone on the far side of the room, staring at the screen. Janeway sidled up to him, sipping champagne, and handed him a cup of juice. "Have we crashed yet?" she asked innocently. He sighed heavily and set the juice down on a table. "Captain, this isn’t funny. I still say there would have been nothing wrong with being prepared! The first time this happened, everyone panicked and companies spent millions to prepare for it. Then when 2000 finally rolled around, and not so much as a lightbulb went dim, everyone got overconfident and went back to programming two-digit years. Then the whole thing started over again in 2099. In January, three-quarters of the power utilities on the planet were dead for a month!" Tom paused to catch his breath, and waved his arms dramatically. "Every century it’s a gamble, and nobody knows how bad it’ll be until it happens. But the cost of being unprepared is just too high." He checked the time. One minute. B'Elanna joined them. "So, have we crashed yet?" she asked cheerily. "Very original," grumped Tom before returning to his intent study of the viewscreen. B’Elanna gave Janeway an amused grin and then turned to peruse the diagnostic display, more out of habit than concern. The three officers stood silently as the rest of the crew began a raucous countdown. "Five! Four! Three! Two! One! Happy New Year!" Holographic confetti and champagne bubbles filled the air as everyone cheered and kissed and toasted to *this* year being the year Voyager would return home. Tom, B'Elanna, and Janeway kept their eyes on the screen. Tom imagined he'd seen a ripple cross the readout, like a stone in a pond, but none of the ship's systems seemed to have changed status. None, except... He frowned and stepped forward for a closer look. B'Elanna and Janeway glanced at each other skeptically. "Do you see something?" asked the captain. "I don't know... hold on..." He tapped a few buttons and then leaned in to peer at the tiny numbers. "Oh god, it's worse than I thought," he whispered. Janeway turned pale. "Tom, what’s happened?" He swallowed hard and turned to face her. "You know all those old traditional recipes and formulas programmed into the replicators?" She nodded. "Well..." He hesitated and tried to think of the gentlest way to say it. He put a hand on her shoulder. "Captain, I'm afraid we've lost the coffee." The room fell silent as the champagne glass slipped from her fingers and shattered on the floor. __ Feedback, give me feedback! Lorelei -- bint@iname.com