**This is an alternate universe story set nearly 30 years after Voyager's initial return to Earth from the Delta Quadrant. It is purely fictional. I own none of the original characters nor any rights to the television series. This is an extensive story with multiple parts, so allow yourself to explore the 'what ifs' of an idea that could have transpired way back in 2379!**

Location: Open Space in the Alpha Quadrant

Commander Kate Janeway was currently drifting aimlessly inside of her escape pod somewhere deep in the recesses of the Alpha Quadrant. Drifting in and out of consciousness, she wasn't sure if she was ever able to successfully send out a distress signal asking for immediate assistance from any nearby Starfleet vessel, let alone plot in the coordinates to the nearest space station within the navigational guide of the pod. Coming back in to a semi-conscious state, she attempted to sit upright in the small seat within her escape pod and record a semi-audible distress signal.

"This is Commander Kate Janeway calling any Starfleet vessel, please respond."

Silence. There was not even the slightest hint of static over the communication lines. She had no real clue of her precise location, but she nonetheless programmed her escape pod to the coordinates of Deep Space K-7, the Federation space station that situated itself along the border. If no Starfleet vessel intercepted her or God forbid some enemy ship, she would float defenselessly towards Deep Space K-7 with the hope of arrival at some point. She refused to panic. She was stronger than that and was taught to remain calm in any situation. Nonetheless, she sent out another communication.

"This is Commander Kate Janeway of the USS Excalibur sending out an urgent message to any Starfleet vessel. Current location unknown. Last known location was departure from Capella IV aboard the Shuttle Sequoia en route for Deep Space K-7. Shuttle was destroyed in a Borg attack. I am the sole survivor having escaped in a pod. Requesting immediate assistance. Janeway out."

Sitting back in the seat, she gazed out the view port in front of her at the black mass speckled with stars. Never in all her life had she felt so alone, yet to some extent, she was accustomed to feeling alone. Inside she cursed her commanding officer for all but abandoning her and her crew man. Her crew man…

She froze in place and stared out the view port. Ensign Blakeley Adley had accompanied her after the mission to Capella IV or was it really a mission as much as a death trap instigated by her commanding officer, Captain Mackenzie Calhoun of the Excalibur. She would save those thoughts for her personal log entries. Unfortunately, it would be her word versus Calhoun's since Adley had been tragically killed when the Sequoia sustained heavy damage prior to destruction. That guilt would remain with her for a long time, but she had to rely on her ancestral roots to sustain her, but even that was shrouded in such secrecy as she was not really certain at times who she herself was.

Born Kathryn Shakonohey Janeway in early 2379 on the Cherokee Indian Reservation in the Great Smoky Mountains region of North Carolina on Earth, Kate's life was a complete mystery. She grew up under the watchful eye of Lottie Walker, whom Kate was given to upon birth. Kate's childhood was characterized with timidity yet bravery. In many ways, she was ostracized by the Cherokee children, yet her stubborn streak compelled her to reach for the stars and push forward, even if that meant facing whatever battle came before her alone.

Little Kate, as the Tribal Chief often referred to her as, always knew that she was different from the other Cherokee Indians. She didn't have their same skin color, nor their eye color. She had the long flowing dark hair, the natural athleticism and build of a Native American, but it was obvious to everyone in Cherokee Nation that Little Kate was born from the 'white man', as they so often referred to them. While they did adopt her in to their culture, even from a young age, Little Kate often felt out of place.

Little Kate remembered vividly the day that Ms. Lottie told her about her birth mother. She told her in great detail that Little Kate's mother was a brave woman who everyone revered and admired. She held a very prestigious position within space exploration. While that information meant little to Kate, she always remembered it and assumed that was why she often found herself spending countless hours down by the mountain streams staring skyward toward the heavens. Yet the reality set in with Little Kate realizing that she knew nothing whatsoever about her father, and the limited information about her mother and her decision to give her up often gnawed at her.

The Cherokee were good to her and she learned many valuable lessons from them – in particular patience. The Tribal Chief watched with great curiosity as Little Kate struggled with patience as a young child, and he took her under his wing and sought to bring that out in her. Knowing that she was half Native American, albeit not from the Cherokee Tribe, he still adopted her as one of his own. He took her on countless hunts and taught her many valuable skills including hunting and killing her own prey, and the utter act of patience in stalking and waiting to attack the prey. Little Kate developed in to one of the most feared individuals within the Cherokee Tribe. Children, who once made fun of her, revered her and wanted to be like her, yet she often kept to herself reading a book or studying some new subject.

In her early teens, she met with the Tribal Chief and told him it was her desire to leave the Eastern Band of the Cherokees and join Starfleet Academy. When he questioned her on her reasons and motivations for doing so, she replied honestly that it was in her genes. She was a natural explorer, she reveled in nature. It was her passion to explore outside of the Smoky Mountains. But deep down, the Tribal Chief suspected that Little Kate wanted to find out more about her birth mother, and he suspected she wanted to be as great a leader as she had been.

Prior to her departure from the Cherokee land to head to Starfleet Academy in San Francisco, Tribal Chief Jarrett Crowe met privately with Little Kate.

"Little Kate, I know your capabilities and talents, and I know you will excel at Starfleet and you will make us proud. But deep down, I know you also want to know more about your family. I pray that your reason for joining Starfleet isn't exclusively for finding your birth mother. We've never known much about your birth father aside from the fact that he is Native American, albeit not Cherokee. You are one of us. I know you may not have always felt that way and you may have often felt excluded, but you make us proud and don't forget you always have a home here. The Spirits will guide you where you need to be and will always be with you no matter what comes your way. Always remember this proverb, 'Don't let yesterday use up too much of today.'"

With those words in mind, Kate packed up what little belongings she had and headed west to start her training at Starfleet at an age that shocked most everyone else. She'd never left the Cherokee lands, but she allowed the stars to guide her where she needed to be, and ultimately, she knew those stars would guide her for the rest of her life.

Location: Bridge of the USS Voyager

"Captain," Lt. Harry Kim stated, "We are picking up an audio distress signal."

"Play it, Lieutenant," Captain Chakotay of the USS Voyager ordered of his junior bridge officer.

Over the communication system on the bridge of Voyager, the message transmitted: "This is Commander Kate Janeway of the USS Excalibur sending out an urgent message to any Starfleet vessel. Current location unknown. Last known location was departure from Capella IV aboard the Shuttle Sequoia en route for Deep Space K-7. Shuttle was destroyed in a Borg attack. I am the sole survivor having escaped in a pod. Requesting immediate assistance. Janeway out."

For a brief moment, the entire bridge crew was completely silent. No one wanting to utter what they each were all thinking – Commander Janeway?

Lt. Commander Tom Paris exchanged quick glances with Lieutenants Harry Kim and B'Elanna Torres, as well as Lt. Commander Tuvok, who had just recently returned to Voyager to assist with them in the latest mission, before they all settled their eyes back on their Captain, Chakotay. They couldn't help but notice the look of possibly shock and confusion that was etched upon his face. The irony of this all was surreal. Were they trapped in some sort of time warp travel or could there really be another Janeway out there?

In the brief moment of silence and exchanged glances, B'Elanna personally couldn't help but notice the expression that was written upon her friend and boss, Chakotay's face. They all briefly thought of their former commanding officer, the formidable Captain Kathryn Janeway who valiantly led Voyager for seven years while being trapped in the Delta Quadrant. She had now been promoted to Vice Admiral at Starfleet, which moved Chakotay up to the commanding officer position upon Voyager.

Snapping back to reality, Chakotay barked, "Lieutenant, lay in a course for the last known location of the escape pod and see if you can pick it up on sensors for a more precise location. Let's go rescue this Commander. I'll be in my Ready Room, but keep me informed," he added while leaving his chair and heading in to his private office.

Shortly after logging in the coordinates, Paris spun around in his chair.

"Okay, I'm just going to say it, but Commander Janeway? Does anyone else have anything to say?"

Harry Kim was the first to respond, "I don't know, Tom. Maybe Captain, I mean Admiral Janeway had a niece who joined Starfleet that was named after her or something."

Tom raised his eyebrows and cocked his head to the left. "Really, Harry? She never mentioned anything about a niece."

B'Elanna replied, "Well, it's not like we talk to her as much as we used to, Tom. She is a Vice Admiral now and while we do see her occasionally, it's not that we often get to discuss life with her. A lot has transpired in the years since our return from the Delta Quadrant. Maybe it was a surprise to her."

Tom shook his head, "Nope, I just don't buy it. B'Elanna, can you pull up Starfleet personnel records from that work station?"

Before B'Elanna could respond the Vulcan Tuvok piped up, "I do not believe that that is proper Starfleet protocol, Mr. Paris."

"Well, Tuvok, I'm going to beg to differ. It just so happens that this Commander Janeway sent out a distress signal. Why did the Excalibur not come to her rescue? If we're going to intercept someone, don't you think it might be a good idea that we find out a little bit about who we are going to rescue?"

Before Tuvok could even respond, B'Elanna had summoned Paris and Kim over to her console where she had pulled up the Starfleet biographical information on the Commander.

"Look at this," B'Elanna said pointing to the screen.

The biographical material provided highly detailed information of the achievements of the Commander while as a Cadet in Starfleet Academy, as well as her fast-paced climb up the command ladder and the various service records she had amassed in her career with Starfleet. Those viewing her biography were extremely impressed by her knowledge and skill. She had gone from an Ensign to a Commander in no time gaining the utmost respect and admiration from all levels within Starfleet. Her record was exemplary and it was apparent that she was on the fast track to be a Captain of a Starfleet vessel of her own. But it was the last sentence of the biographical data that captured all of their attention:

Born in early 2379 in Cherokee, North Carolina and raised by the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians, Kathryn Shakonohey Janeway is the also daughter of Vice Admiral Kathryn Janeway.

"Sha, what? How do you say her middle name?" Tom exclaimed over B'Elanna's shoulder.

"Shakonohey," Chakotay bluntly stated from behind the collective trio causing them to nearly jump out of their skin as none of them had even heard the doors to his ready room open. "Mr. Paris, if you can break away from the workstation long enough, you have the bridge."

They all couldn't help but notice how the word Shakonohey had flowed so smoothly off his tongue. B'Elanna, Harry and Tom all couldn't help but speculate. Curiosity was always one of Tom's worst downfalls and he always wanted to know more.

"B'Elanna, can you load a picture of her?" Tom questioned.

"Mr. Paris," Tuvok began, "I don't think that would be highly advisable at this time."

"Tuvok, can you honestly tell us that you didn't know Admiral Janeway had a daughter?" Lt. Kim quizzed the Vulcan.

"Mr. Kim, as you know as a Vulcan, we do not lie, unless it is directly told to us to do so. In this instance, I will not lie either, as no, I have had no knowledge whatsoever of Admiral Janeway having ever had any children. She has never said one word to me about that."

They all couldn't help but sit in silence for a moment.

"She was raised by the Cherokee Indians," B'Elanna mumbled to herself, "Which means that Admiral Janeway did not raise her. She must have given her up for adoption or maybe she adopted her as her own later in life?"

Paris shook his head, "No, B'Elanna. The date is significant. Early 2379, months after Voyager returned home to Earth. I believe she must have given birth to her and given her up for adoption. She is definitely her daughter, but it begs the question as to who her father is."

Before they could all respond, the doors to the turbolift opened and Captain Chakotay strolled on to the Bridge causing Lt. Commander Paris to retreat to his seat at the helm. To say that Chakotay's mind was spinning was a significant understatement. The woman from who he spent seven years serving under, one of his best and closest friends and quite likely the only woman he had ever loved, although he had never told her explicitly, had a daughter and had never told him about it. The year of birth was significant, as was her middle name, although it could have been bestowed up on her by the Cherokee. Rattled out of his thoughts, he heard B'Elanna ask him a question.

"I'm sorry, Lt. Torres, but did you say something?"

"Well, I guess I've been married to Tom too long because curiosity has bitten me, but just what does Shakonohey mean?"

Chakotay knew that while B'Elanna was probably probing for information, he also knew she was concerned about him and likely knew he was speculating himself.

"It is a Cherokee word which means 'The Land of the Blue Smoke'."

Before the bridge crew could respond or probe any further, Mr. Kim's station notified him that they had picked up a distress beacon coming from an escape pod. They initially tried to hail the pod, but upon receiving no response, Chakotay instructed them to lock on a tractor beam and pull it in to one of Voyager's empty cargo bays. Chakotay messaged sickbay and ordered the Doctor to meet him in Cargo Bay Two immediately before turning to B'Elanna and motioning for her to join him, as well.

B'Elanna, Chakotay and the Doctor stood back as members of the security team opened the door of the escape pod. Upon peering inside, Chakotay saw a sight that he was not quite prepared for – a young Commander slumped to the side in her seat with blood seeping from the side of her head. Under careful observation, the Doctor entered the pod and slightly shook the Commander attempting to assess her injuries and hope to awaken her. The Doctor and his crew slowly removed the Commander from the escape pod and lay her on the floor of the cargo bay performing some initial triage.

B'Elanna could see Chakotay's expressions and knew what he was thinking, as she was likely thinking the same exact thing. The Doctor injected a hypospray in to the Commander's neck which slowly caused her to come to from her unconscious state. A noise slowly escaped from Chakotay, one that B'Elanna did not miss.

Taking a step closer to the Commander, Chakotay stood above her and said in a bare whisper, "Kathryn?"