Dislcaimer- I do not own Star Trek, or any of its characters. That right belongs strictly to Gene Roddenberry (lucky guy!).
Author's Note- I'm not so great when it comes to writing Harry, so this story is giving me a little practice. I'm still trying to…expand, my writing style, so hang in there.
Young Ensign Kim- that's what I've been called for 7 years now. Now we're home after 7 years of being lost in the Delta Quadrant, and everyone has their plan. Everyone has someone to go home to, some lover to return to after being gone. Some of us have new lovers to return to the Delta Quadrant with- Chakotay and Seven, Tom and B'Elanna, and even the Captain has new interests with Vice Admiral Possate.
I strode down the halls of Voyager for one last time. I have so many memories of this ship- it has become my home. Now that Voyager was back to where we call home- the Alpha Quadrant- everyone is preparing to go their separate ways. Janeway was staying at Starfleet Headquarters, Chakotay had been given a command position, and all of the passengers were going back home to their families and friends. Everyone had their plan- all except me.
I walked into the mess hall. How many hours have I spent in there, working all night, talking to the Delaney sisters, or relaxing with Tom and B'Elanna? I walked into the kitchen. Starfleet had given Voyager a good cleaning, and made every repair possible. I reached into the cabinet where Neelix usually kept his snacks for the crew. It was empty. The whole kitchen was empty. Even Neelix's pots and pans were gone.
After the mess hall, I made my way to my old quarters. I had cleaned them out last week. They seemed so empty. Once again, Starfleet had out done itself- my quarters were cleaned to perfection. My room was rearranged. I looked on the floor, in the bathroom, and under the bed to make sure I had gotten everything. It was then that I noticed a holo image of the senior staff sitting on the desk. I picked it up to examine it.
I remember the day we took that holo image of the staff. The Doctor was the one who convinced all of us to have it taken. He told as that we would want something to remember each other by when we returned to the Alpha Quadrant. Seven refused to let her hair down, no matter how much Chakotay begged. Tuvok insisted we all stand in a logical formation. Tom wanted the crew to look relaxed. B'Elanna wanted to stand by Tom, but Seven thought it most efficient if she stood with every other crew member that had a gold uniform. After half an hour of fussing around, the Captain told everyone to stand still and shut up. The picture came out great, and even Seven admitted that she looked perfect.
Tom and B'Elanna offered me to come with them. Tom said I would like the real Paris. I politely declined, but I might change my mind if my luck doesn't change.
I grabbed the holo image, and made my way to my last stop- the Bridge. It was exactly 20:00 when I stepped out of the turbo lift- the same time my evening shift started.
The Bridge was still the same Bridge it had been for 7 years. Starfleet hadn't cleaned it yet, and everything was exactly as it had been in the Delta Quadrant.
"I told Starfleet to leave my Bridge alone, that I'd tell them when it was alright for them to clean it."
I turned around to see Captain- I mean, Vice Admiral- Janeway step out of her ready room.
"You want to know something strange, Ensign? I came all the way from the Delta Quadrant, just waiting for a cup of fresh coffee. Imagine my shock when I discovered that I had come to grow on my old replicator's coffee!"
I smiled, and looked at the floor. I knew this was going to be my last goodbye to the Captain, even though I would probably see her again at Headquarters.
It's hard to explain. Even though I might see the Captain again, it won't be the same. She won't be Captain Janeway. She'll be Vice Admiral Janeway. She won't be the Captain whose crew is stranded in the Delta Quadrant. She'll be the Vice Admiral whose crew made it home safely, and separated to fulfill all of the things they said they would do if they ever got home.
"Vice Admiral, I just want to say-" I started, but Janeway cut me off.
"Ensign, have you realized that I call you Ensign, even though you are promoted to Lieutenant? Don't you ever let me hear you call me Vice Admiral. You can just stick to Captain. Besides, Captain has a better ring to it, don't you think?"
Once again, I smiled. The Captain had a way of making me smile, even in the most depressing situations.
"Captain, I'm leaving for my parent's house as soon as I'm finished with my goodbyes. I just wanted to let you know that-" I could feel the tears coming, but I held them back. I was still in uniform, anyways. "I just wanted to let you know that you have been the greatest Captain an Ensign could ask for, and that it was an honor being stranded with you for 7 years." After I had finished my short speech, I just stood there. I could tell the Captain was getting ready to respond. I gave her all the time she needed.
"Ensign," she started, "You have been a great joy to me in these past 7 years. Even though we joked with you about being young, it was your youth that pulled us through. I don't know what I'm going to do once my crew is gone." Tears started to flow from her eyes. I couldn't help but cry myself. "Ensign, you can change rank, hair style, or location, but I forbid you to change your heart. That's an order." With that final statement, Captain Janeway walked away into the turbo lift, and I was left all alone on the Bridge.