Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek: Voyager or any of the characters therein; I just really really really wish I had been on board...

Notes:

This is not a romance, nor is it just another Voyager story. This story is for every true fan who mostly watched Voyager for the adventure but saw the sparks in the very first episode between Janeway and Chakoay (or at least in Parralax) and thought "Ah!" and then saw the whole series and realised they were never going to get the fireworks started (yes, I have the whole series on dvd and have seen it numerous times and still wonder what went wrong [and what's the deal with Chakotay and Seven?] ) and then went back to the start and did not go "Ah!" in anticipation the second (and third, and fourth...) time around and thought "Aww..." and gave a big sigh. Got that? And especially for those who thought 'Resolutions' was a great episode.

The initiative for this story – and a great deal of the story-line – go to my husband. Also: he is the one that kicks my behind whenever I claim to have writer's block (or any other excuse)!

Chapter 1

"...I can tell you a story, an ancient legend among my people..."

Chakotay could hardly believe it, yet he knew that what he was seeing on the view-screen was the truth. The readouts on his personal screen confirmed it: they were looking at home of the 'Lost Ones,' a group of his people that had been rumoured to have gone with the 'Sky People' all those centuries ago. Part of him had always believed it was only a legend – but then, he had spent years in discontent with the ways of his people. Had it not been for Kolopak's incessant insistence that he learn the stories and ways of his people, he probably would not have ever known about the rich background he was born into.

He wondered if his dad had ever believed the tales of the 'Lost Ones.' He could probably ask him on one of his spirit journeys, but deep in his heart he knew it was not the real Kolopak he encountered on the journey. The journey was always inward, into his own heart and the answers lurking there.

Besides, he needed to share this moment with someone living and real. How could they have suspected that this routine mission would lead to the discovery of his own people? A race of people from earth living in a forgotten sector of the Alpha quadrant on a lush green planet?

He looked at Harry Kim. He was luitenant now, but even more than ever did he guard his space at Ops. Seven years he had been Ops-officer on Voyager while they had been stuck in the Delta quadrant. Now, not under Janeway, but serving under Chakotay, the not-so-very-young-anymore Harry was still the Ops-officer of Voyager. In fact, Harry had been one of the first to petition Starfleet to re-commission Voyager (after an over-enthusiastic Reggie had convinced them Voyager should be decommissioned and made into a national monument). By that time Janeway had been promoted to admiral, but a generous Starfleet had offered Chakotay the job of captain. Harry had been the first to sign up.

"Harry," he now asked his young officer and friend, "would you believe that the tales of the 'Lost Ones' are more than seven hundred years old?"

Harry looked up. He put on his agreeable face – the one he used even now when he knew an officer needed a reaction from him, but he was not too sure what it was. "Yes, Captain. It does seem truly...momentous," he finished. He smiled at Chakotay, waiting for a reaction. Inwardly Chakotay sighed. He really liked Harry, but he suspected Harry was going to spend his entire life being surprised by life.

Finally Chakotay gave the now-anxious Harry his answer, "Yes, it does."

He looked back at the view-screen, aware that should he even glance at Harry the luitenant would start giving him information from his own scans. Instead he considered the man next to him. The tall, dark Vulcan had not moved a single facial muscle in more than ten minutes – when he had reported in his dry tone his findings on the cool M-class planet. Some of those on Voyager had been Chakotay's requests, some had been sent by Starfleet. A rather surprising number had volunteered. Some of the volunteers were friends that had been with him in the Delta quadrant. Others had been people that had seen Voyager as a beacon to man's destiny in the stars (the first request Chakotay had denied had been Reg Barclay). Chakotay had personally asked Tuvok if he would consider the post as First Officer on Voyager. Perhaps by now he could have been captain of his own ship, but the Vulcan had once more surprised Chakotay by accepting.

He wondered if Tuvok understood the wonder of the moment. He looked at the silent Vulcan. He looked back at the view-screen. Once more he glanced at his First Officer. Another sigh as he looked front again. Tuvok would definitely not understand.

"Is there something amiss, Captain?" the Vulcan suddenly asked. Nine years they had been on the same ship, and still Chakotay often forgot the Vulcan's perceptiveness.

"Ah, no, Commander."

"Very well." Tuvok returned to his own perusal of the planet. He might be perceptive, but not where emotions were concerned.

Paris might have understood, Chakotay continued with his thoughts. But the luitenant was on Earth this mission – his and B'Elanna's kid was turning two and he was not the kind of husband that let things like that slip – not with the half-Klingon as wife. He smiled at the thought of the cocky pilot and his feisty engineer-wife. They were an odd couple, but it seemed everything was working out wonderfully for them. It even seemed as if B'Elanna had finally found peace within herself since knowing Tom. Tom – and Voyager.

Voyager – the beginning of a new life for so many of them. Yes, they had all lost much, but they had gained so much more.

And then he realised the one person who would understand how he felt right now was the one person he valued above all others; his best friend and the person he still expected to see every time he came onto the bridge, sitting on the chair he occupied even now.

Well, Voyager was due back at Jupiter station for routine maintenance (still something B'Elanna got lyrical about every time they docked) in two days. In fact, the planet was discovered on their route home from the diplomatic mission they had been on. Perhaps there he'd contact Kathryn Janeway and ask her is she could spare a weekend to come back with him. She would understand, he knew. And the system was not so far away that they could not take a shuttle and investigate over a weekend. Yes, he would ask Kathryn. Even Kolopak would have agreed.