Chapter 1 – Meeting Owen and Pheobe

Thirteen years in the past voyager was half-way through a three day course to an interesting M class planet which, if the scans were correct, had mineral deposits similar to that of Voyager's outer shell which had taken quite the battering over the last year.

Captain Janeway was in her private quarters when she received the call that the ships had received some unexpected young humans. Rather surprised she ordered that they were be taken to the medical bay for routine scans and that she would meet them there.

"How ever did they get here?" exclaimed Captain Janeway as on entering she saw the sight of two very scared human children sat together on the edge of the medical bed holding hands tightly as the Doctor scanned them for a third time and went to get the equipment necessary for a full blood sample – he was struggling to make sense of the results he was receiving.

"They materialised in our transporter bay. I tried to trace the origin, but it kept on reverting back to the transporter room," answered the ensign. "They were both sobbing when they came through, they were scared stiff." The captain could see that clear enough herself. "They weren't wearing any clothes so I immediately replicated them something basic to wear."

"Thank you ensign that will be all, run a full scan of the transporter readings and have them sent to Ensign Kim and Commander Tuvok – tell Commander Tuvok to report to the medical bay." The ensign nodded and left the captain in the medical bay with the two security guards stationed at the door.

The Captain made her way through to where the children were sat in the medical bay. Their backs were to her. She didn't want to frighten them so she walked around the edge of the room so that she would come gradually into view from a safe distance. The moment the children's eyes caught sight of her she was nearly knocked against the wall and into the Doctor's equipment as the boy and girl threw their arms around her and refused to let go. She had no idea why but her instinct was to immediately pull them closer to her.

"Please don't not want us," whispered the little girl, the slightly younger of the two. Kathryn was knocked aback. She let continue to hold onto her as she knelt down and tried to look at them both sensibly – it was as if they knew her. The boy she saw looked about twelve, his hair was a dirty blonde, short and ruffled, his large light blue eyes which were brimming with tears that he was fighting against. The little girl on the other hand had shoulder length tasselled dark red hair and a pale complexion like her brother, her eyes were different though – they were a light hazel. For the captain, looking at the little girl was like looking at an image of her younger self. And the little boy – she could see some of her features in him also, his jaw and his chin, they were hers. She was speechless.

"I can help you there," spoke the Doctor aloud. "These are indeed your children," he informed her. "Only they are from the future, thirteen years and five weeks to be precise."

The captain was of course shocked but she didn't let it show, if these were her children they needed reassurance and comfort from her – she wouldn't let them be afraid any more than they already were.

"Hello," spoke the captain softly, her hand stroking away the wetness from the boy's cheeks and another hand tucking a lock of hair behind her daughter's ear.

"They've journeyed a long time back into the past, to even before they were conceived; your son is twelve years old, and your daughter is ten," continued the Doctor.

"I-I don't know what to say," spoke the Captain honestly as she got up from the floor – two uncertain pairs of eyes locked on her. Never had she been trained for anything like this, she didn't think she ever could have been prepared for it.

"I suppose a start would be to say what our names are," helped the sandy haired boy, and she couldn't help but smile at that.

At that moment Chakotay entered the room followed by Tuvok, they too were stunned at seeing the two children. The little boy shrunk back slightly and grabbed hold of his sister's hand again.

"I suppose you read the scans," spoke the captain. "The Doctor has already confirmed; they are from the future. And my children were about to tell us their names," she said, giving the boy a smile and encouraging him to continue

"I'm Owen and this is Pheobe," spoke the boy nervously.

"Captain, do you think it is wise to speak to them?" interrupted the Vulcan. "The temporal directive is at risk by anything they divulge to you. Even by something so simple as their names. I recommend we concentrate on getting them back to their time – and only on that-".

"We can't go back though," spoke the boy quickly. The captain looked at him with alarm. "Our future...our parents...the ship it's gone. We were sent back to a place in time, before we were born, to live with you and to prevent the same future from happening again. The trans-time transporter technology was given to you by a race which only ever transported their own organic cells; it took B'Elanna and you three weeks just to modify it enough to be inclusive of our organic material, it wouldn't work on an object or other material. It had to be a human being," explained Owen. "We are an anomaly, because we arrived before our conception we will never be created, that's why we will be able to exist alongside you. But the future has already been changed so there is nowhere for you to send us back to. It was one way. That's why they picked now, so we wouldn't have to live out our lives along duplicate selves. It was the only logical option," finished the boy looking at the Vulcan. Tuvok raised an eyebrow at the explanation.

"Your parent's logic dictated that you should alter thirteen years of history in this quadrant to save voyager and the crew? It is irresponsible and not even within the usual wide parameters of risk allowed by Captain Janeway."

"Yes but the Captain Janeway in their future is actually a mother. I think I can see myself being very irrational in those circumstances."

"We are not here to alter history for the worse," spoke Owen. "We're not stupid, we know what must remain the same but there are lots more innocent lives we can also save – we know all the ships mission logs by heart. Dad used to read them to us."

"Wait – we...I don't even know who your father is actually," she continued though, "-we sent you –

"Tom Paris" helped Owen. Her eyes widened slightly. She struggled, but continued nevertheless with what she was saying.

"-Tom Paris and I sent you from the future back into the past, before I presumably self-destructed the ship, to live your lives out here – with our younger selves, for us to take you in and love you and not return you – because...because we knew that would be impossible..."

"You promised," replied the little girl, speaking for the first time. "We didn't want to go but you made us swear not to move from the transporters, and you promised that you'd always love us – no matter...no matter when we were sent back to. And daddy said that even if you were younger you'd still be you. Where is daddy?"

"Where's dad – is he okay? He is here right?" insisted Owen.

"Your father is in the brig, he has another twenty-eight days left to serve of a thirty day sentence." She spoke slowly, bringing a hand to a throbbing head – how could one man be the cause of so much stress?

"You did very quickly mention that he would be in the brig...you were very annoyed with him about that..."

"The logical reason would be that-"

"-thank you Tuvok, I've already reasoned what the only logical explanation is." Sometime in the next twenty-eight days she would conceive a blonde bright blue-eyed boy in the brig with her recently court-marshalled pilot who was supposedly in 'solitary confinement'.

"We're really sorry," apologised the little girl, Pheobe, she must have named her after her sister.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," she replied. "I'm very glad that you and your brother are here, my future self knows me very well – I already do love you very much," she said, hugging them both very tightly to her. She pressed a kiss to Pheobe's hair and she felt tears begin to prickle in her own eyes. She had never imagined that she would have children. But here they were, vulnerable and so delicate in her arms. She spent a few moments just enjoying holding them close. After a while though she remembered that there were others in the room. She straightened up and turned to Commander Chakotay and Tuvok.

"I suppose if we are throwing the temporal directive out of the window," spoke Chakotay. "Can we ask...do you know us both in the future?" Both officers were glad to see the children nodding vehemently.

"Of course," laughed Pheobe, "Mr Tuvok is our tutor." Captain Janeway felt overwhelmed at the sight of her smiling daughter, she was beautiful, they were both perfect.

"Pheobe, Owen, I need to speak to have a meeting with my senior officers about this...and I need to make a visit to the brig evidently. Is it okay if I leave you here with the Doctor? I am sure he has a lot more scans he wants to run on you." They both nodded, and then hugged her again before she then exited the room with her Chakotay and Tuvok.


No one said anything until they were in the ready room. The captain rested her back against the wall and brought a hand to her neck. It was gradually beginning to sink in and she was a mixture of nervousness and exuberance. Her whole world had changed within the space of an hour. It seemed that everything she knew about herself, had predicted for herself, was wrong. And then there was Tom Paris, the man whom had hurt so deeply and she had believed also so irrevocably, he was the father of their most beautiful children. At present she struggled to think of him without grinding her teeth. She would have to tell him though. Owen and Pheobe would want to see him, and so she would have to face him. It was such a mess.

"Captain, I think they are wonderful," spoke Chakotay, bringing the captain out of her thoughts. "I know this is a shock, and you must be at a loss for what to do – but putting that all aside – they are intelligent, funny and very very brave. I can see why you would have gone to all lengths to save them from that future." The captain smiled at those words.

"Their father though...whatever am I to do about Tom Paris?" she mused.

"I advise you to not release him from the brig early captain," advised Tuvok, she was nodding as he spoke. "It would be a poor example and show favouritism at a time when people will be perhaps doubting your impartiality. People will be watching closely your leadership decisions with the addition of the two new crew members on board. A relationship with a senior officer would be unwise at this particular time."

"'Particular time' – do you think it is ever right?" she asked the Vulcan seriously. "I mean I am the captain of this ship, Starfleet regulations clearly state I should not have a personal relationship with any person under my command?"

"So you and Tom are not...?" asked Chakotay, as tactfully as he could.

"No, trust me this is very, very unexpected. Right now I am furious with him."

"Hate and love are often very closely entwined," stated Tuvok, she looked up at him alarmed – she was rather shocked to hear that statement from the Vulcan. "As for Starfleet regulations, an exception in this case would be allowed regarding relationships, and as the situation is – you and he will naturally have to have a more personal relationship in the future."

"I have to say I am not overly surprised captain – there is something between you two, even though neither of you has dared to act on it. It's why his betrayal hurt you so deeply," added Chakatay.

"So you would condone it?" she asked, purely theoretically. Tuvok and Chakotay both nodded. "I think I need to go and speak to Tom," she stated, finally managing to pull her thoughts together. "I'm scheduling a meeting for 1500 hours of the senior officers. In the mean time I want you two to work on an explanation for how this has happened, include Torres and engineering. For now some discretion regarding the children would be appreciated. I'm going to tell the crew soon, I just want a strategy in place first." She then left the room, and turned on her heel purposefully towards the brig. Herself and Ensign Paris really did need to talk.