THREE YEARS LATER:
Captain's Personal log
Today as I sit here in my Ready Room my mind is filled with many thoughts: My family, my friends, and my ship. But mostly my thoughts are drawn to the fact that today is the eighth anniversary of us being stranded in the Delta Quadrant. Those eight years have been filled with so many changes for this small group so very far from home. Or better, so far from what we used to call home. That definition has changed over our time here. We have now come to accept this small vessel as home. We have accepted it as all that we may know as home for a very long time. Many things have happened on this journey to help us accept our fate.
Our numbers have grown by 12. Eleven children have been born to us since little Naomi, 7 years ago. My own three children, Leiryn, Naelani and Kolopak, who is no surprise even at four months of age, so much like his father. Tom and B'elanna have two children, a boy and a girl, Michael and Emily. And Harry and Annika, good Lord it's so strange to think of her by that name. We've known her for so long as Seven. Well, I ramble ... They are expecting their first child in just a few months.
We started out on this journey a group of strangers, mistrustful and wary but now with the last eight years behind us, with the shared sorrow, the shared joy, the shared hardships we have become a family bound together by ties that will last a lifetime. With every day that we spend on this journey the hope of ever seeing the Alpha Quadrant again grows fainter and fainter. We search every day for a way to shorten our journey but even though the hope fades with each day we spend here our resolve to make the best of our situation grows.
We have made a home and a life together here on this tiny ship and even though we may not see the Alpha Quadrant within our lifetimes, our children will and they will be well prepared to continue the journey..."
The chime of the intercom interrupted and Kathryn sighed. "Pause log." she told the computer and then "Janeway here."
"Captain could you come to the Bridge, please. There is something that I think you will want to see." Chakotay told her.
"On my way," she replied.
Kathryn rose from her chair and crossed over to the bassinet that sat just to the side of her desk. She stopped and smiled softly at her still sleeping, son. Reaching out she pulled the crib blanket up over his shoulders and brushed a gentle hand over the top of his dark head.
"Sweet dreams precious boy." she murmured before stepping away and heading for the door.
She stepped out onto the bridge. "Report?" she ordered as she stopped in front of her first officer.
"Why don't you tell her, Harry," Chakotay said with a smile.
"Tell me what, Harry?" Kathryn questioned as her eyes turned to the young Lieutenant.
"The sensors are picking up Virdiron radiation about 200,000 kilometers ahead."
"A wormhole?" she asked him.
"I think so but I can't be sure until we get a little closer."
"Well then," Kathryn said with an impish grin and sat in her chair. "Get us closer, Mr. Paris."
"Yes, Ma'am," Tom responded with a grin.
Several minutes later they arrived. "Report, Mr. Kim."
"It's a wormhole all right," Harry replied.
"Well let's find out just what kind of wormhole this is," Kathryn stated. "Let's send in a class one probe and see what kind of readings we get."
Chakotay gave her a smile and nodded before pressing link on his console. "B'elanna?"
"Commander?"
"We need a class one probe launched."
"Okay, give me a minute," she replied and then came back a minute later. "Probe launched Commander."
"Readings, Mr. Kim?" Kathryn asked after the probe had entered the wormhole.
"The event horizon appears to be stable." he started "'and the wormhole is approximately 1200 kilometers in length."
"Is it wide enough for Voyager to pass through safely?" Chakotay asked.
"Yes, Commander I believe it is."
"Now the only question that remains is, to where does it lead?" Kathryn spoke in a soft voice.
Almost as though he had heard his Captain's softly spoken question, Harry reported.
"Captain my readings are showing that the other end of the wormhole opens into...The Alpha Quadrant." he finished with a catch to his voice.
Kathryn turned her head and met Chakotay's eyes seeing in them equal amounts of surprise and hope. "Time index Mr. Kim? What year is it?" Kathryn asked recalling the last time they had encountered a wormhole to the Alpha Quadrant and found it opened up 25 years into the past.
Kim was silent as he analyzed the probe data. "I'm picking up a Federation comm signal very close by and according to the signal. The year is 2379, eight years from the time we left the Alpha Quadrant...Just as it should be." Harry responded with a grin.
Kathryn returned Harry's smile then turned to look at the man sitting next to her.
"Shall we proceed through?" he asked quietly.
"Not just yet. I want to be absolutely sure that it's stable before we take the ship through. Keep at those readings, Mr. Kim."
"Yes, Ma'am."
On the other side of the wormhole:
William T. Riker, Captain of the USS Enterprise E turned from his quiet conversation with Fleet Admiral Jean-Luc Picard when Data called to him.
"Captain, I am picking up Virdiron radiation directly ahead. It appears to be a wormhole."
"Is it stable, Data?"
"Unknown, Sir." the android replied and then. "Captain our sensors are reading a probe traveling through the wormhole. Sir, it has a Federation signature. I do believe there is a ship on the other side."
"Where does the wormhole originate?" Riker asked as he stood up and moved to stand behind Data.
"According to these readings, it originates in the Delta Quadrant." Data replied and then turned his head to look at Riker.
"Could it be Voyager?" Riker asked hopefully.
"That is a very distinct possibility."
"Can you hail them?"
"I can try."
After several tense moments, Data said. "I have used the probe as a signal enhancer. It should be strong enough to carry our signal through to the other side."
"Good work. This is Captain William Riker of the Enterprise E. Can you hear us, Voyager?"
In the Delta Quadrant:
"Captain?" Kim said his voice full of surprise and hope. "We're being hailed from the other side. It's the Enterprise E."
Kathryn gave him an equally startled look and then turned to Chakotay. She flashed him a hopeful smile and he returned it, taking her hand in his.
"Let's hear it Lieutenant," she ordered softly.
"Yes, Ma'am," Kim replied and activated the comm channel.
"...I repeat, this is Captain Will Riker to Voyager, do you read?"
"Do we have visual?"
"Yes, Captain."
"Put it on screen."
Will Riker's handsome face appeared on the view screen. He still looked the same as when Kathryn had last seen him with the exception that he was now clean shaven and after eight years his hair was now shot through with grey. Kathryn choked back her joyous tears and stood up.
"This is Captain Janeway. It's good to see you again Will." she smiled.
Riker stared momentarily at the trim woman in Command red, then his face lit up with a huge grin.
"Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes." he chuckled.
Kathryn turned her head to look at Picard who stood slightly behind Riker. "Hello Jean-Luc." she smiled.
"Kathryn." Picard returned her smile. "You're looking well. How is your crew faring?"
"They are all well. We've lost a few of our numbers on this journey but the rest of us have come through this ordeal just fine. Though we are all space weary and worried that this isn't going to work. I just want to get my crew home."
"I know," Jean-Luc responded softly. "We'll do everything we can to get you home, Kathryn. I promise.."
Kathryn nodded then turned to look at Harry. "Readings Mr. Kim?"
"The wormhole is stable and its diameter will allow Voyager to pass through. But I can't be sure what effect our engines will have on it nor what the turbulence, if any, will be like."
"Captain Janeway, if I may?" Data said and drew Kathryn's attention back to the view screen.
"Yes, Data?"
Data turned slightly so that he could address Riker as well. "I volunteer to take a shuttle through the wormhole and test it. Once through I would be able to guide Voyager back through."
"All right Data." Riker said with a short nod. Data returned his Captain's nod then turned to face Kathryn.
"If all goes as planned I shall see you in a few minutes."
"We'll be waiting," Kathryn told him and watched as he turned and strode from view.
The minutes ticked by at a snail's pace as the Voyager crew waited for the Enterprise shuttle to clear the wormhole. Several minutes later the wormhole blossomed and the shuttle flew out.
End Chapter 2 TBC