Obligatory disclaimer: Voyager and characters are owned by CBS Paramount.

Author's Note: This chapter begins a slight Deep Space Nine Crossover.

As the group finished their meal amid talk of ship's business, it occurred to Naomi (somewhere in the deep recesses of her mind), it might not be the most correct protocol for a newly assigned Ensign to be eating dinner in public with four of the most senior officers on the Lindbergh. However, the lessons of early childhood are oftentimes the most difficult to dispel. On Voyager the usual restrictions between officers were more relaxed. The senior officers fraternized with the lowliest crewman, not to mention Voyagers "add-ons" who had no rank, like Icheb, Neelix, and Naomi herself. She feared Doctor Franklin would soon renew his inquisition of her, and she was correct. Very shortly after the thought crossed her mind, the CMO appealed to the Chief Engineer in a very jovial manner, "Threm, she has now finished her entire meal, may I please resume my interrogation?"

Hoping this would delay the inevitable, Naomi addressed the CMO, "Doctor, I would enjoy telling you my favorite story of my Dad's, the story about the day he learned of Voyager's survival, but perhaps it could wait until a later date, so as not to bore the others."

T'Phir surprised Naomi by answering her, "Ensign, I think we would all like to hear your story. While we don't all share Todd's" nodding toward Doctor Franklin, "rabid fanaticism, the plight of Voyager is one of the most intriguing events of our time."

"If you are all sure you want to hear it…"

The response was nods of assent all around.

"Well, my father, Greskrendtregk, was stationed on Deep Space Nine at the time."

Threm chuckled, "It really is a small universe isn't it? Did you know the Captain was once stationed on DS9?"

"No sir, I didn't." She began to fear this would take all night if she was constantly interrupted. Although not exactly hesitant to tell the story, she was just a bit tired from all the emotion of the day. Reporting for her first posting, her reunion with Icheb, her growing concern about the ship's gossip, and most importantly, her realization she and Icheb might be more than just childhood friends. She was acutely aware the closeness between them seemed more than strictly professional or companionable. She wanted to go to her quarters and think the events of the day over. However, she realized running out immediately after dinner might convey the wrong impression, it might signify she was too uncomfortable around Icheb to stay in his proximity for an extended period.

Once Naomi resigned herself to her role as storyteller, she was reminded how much this particular tale meant to her and settled in to regale her new shipmates with one of her family's most treasured stories. "Like I said, he was on Deep Space Nine. Keep in mind when my Mom shipped out on Voyager, she didn't know she was pregnant. My parents had been trying to conceive a child and were prepared for the extended timeline and other complications involved in cross species procreation. As far as they knew, their efforts had been unsuccessful. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is as much as I will ever reveal about my parent's reproductive history.

"Voyager had been officially declared lost over a year prior to the morning in question. Dad was in a rather deep state of depression because he was trying to resign himself to the loss of my mother, but was having a difficult time doing so.

"The day before had been my mother's birthday and Dad had resolved to do something definite and symbolic about getting past his pain. He felt putting away the holoimage of their wedding day would be the best way to accomplish this. He had previously taken several images of Mom off display in his quarters, but to him storing their wedding image was the last step in admitting to himself she really was lost forever and he would have to move along with his life without her.

"The way he tells it, he was late waking because he got to sleep late due to the sadness of the previous evening's ceremony. I have always thought he might have been somewhat hung over. My theory is he accompanied the ceremony of putting away the holoimage with copious amounts of Ktarian Ale. Regardless, he was running late that particular morning. After dressing, and before leaving his quarters, he noticed the message light was blinking on his computer but he ignored it so he might make his shift briefing in time.

"Upon entering the ward room, he was very surprised to see the room decked out in party regalia. Not to mention, all his colleagues were laughing and smiling and the briefing seemed to have been replaced with a celebration. There was a huge banner across the far wall which said, "Congratulations on your new baby, Dad." In the middle of the table were a bowl of punch and some party snacks completing the celebratory atmosphere.

"My dad walked up to one of his coworkers and asked, 'Is Vilix'pran budding again? Why are we having a party rather than a briefing?'

"The reaction to which was his coworker laughing, 'You are a funny guy Greskrendtregk. You know darn well this party is for you.'

"As you can imagine, my father was dumbstruck. His immediate reaction was a fit of anger, the likes of which, so he says, he has never before or since experienced. He railed at the room in general, 'What in the name of the cosmos are you beings doing? The sign says Dad, how can I be a father? You all know perfectly well I am a widower. How can you be so cruel? I lost my wife, I lost any chance I will have of raising a family with the woman I love, and you mock my pain with this ridiculous display? Why? What can you possibly hope to achieve?'

"When he paused for breath one of his friends came to him and put his arms on my dad's shoulders. 'You don't know do you? You really haven't heard. We all assumed that you had been notified immediately by Starfleet. How could they not notify you when the news is on all the COMM channels?'

"Well, now my father was really confused. 'What is going on here? Would someone please tell me what is happening?'

"The room fell silent at this point, and he was guided to the table and a chair was pushed underneath him before anyone would answer his questions. The rest of the group got seated around the table and his boss; who, according to Dad, had a huge silly grin on her face asked him, "Greskrendtregk, didn't you get any messages from Starfleet?'

"My dad who had no idea what was going on told his boss, 'My message light was blinking this morning, but I ignored it because I was running late. Last night I had a little private ceremony to formally say goodbye to Samantha…' He left the sentence unfinished because his commander was literally squirming in her chair. "What, what is going on?'"

"In my mind this is the point at which my conviction about my father being hung over is most strongly supported. All the clues were there, and my father really isn't this dimwitted.

"As he looked around the table he realized his commander wasn't the only who was having trouble sitting still. His commander couldn't keep it to herself any longer, 'Starfleet heard from Voyager! They're alive!'"