Chapter 7

Part 1

Captain Ducane had already decided on his next course of action when he was transported back to the Relativity, for it was simply unthinkable that this timeline, so drastically thrown into chaos by the arrival of the alternate reality Enterprise, be allowed to continue. He had almost revealed the devastating effects that the loss of Kathryn Janeway and Seven-of-Nine would have on the Alpha Quadrant, though even if he had done so it wouldn't matter for much longer.

To the Captain's left, at the operations console, sat a fair-haired, attractive young woman who was working quietly, yet appeared far from relaxed. Ensign Paris knew that her Captain's actions could affect her entire life, and he had yet to inform his crew of his decision. If he chose not to right the damage caused by the Enterprise, Paris would never be able to return to the home she knows, or leave the temporally-isolated confines of the Relativity, for if Janeway's death were allowed to stand, Kathryn Paris would never have been born.

Ducane cleared his throat, and the young ensign's head jerked up, her heart pounding and her skin clammy. "I have entered new temporal co-ordinates. Ensign Paris, take the helm. And don't look so worried – we're going to fix this. It's what we do, Ensign," he reminded gently with a fatherly smile.

"Aye, Sir," replied Paris, unable to stop herself grinning as she moved.

"Raise shields," ordered Captain Ducane. "We'll be putting ourselves between the Enterprise and Voyager just before the Enterprise attacks. Their weapons are no threat to us, but I wouldn't like to get in the way of one of Voyager's quantum torpedoes."

The slim man turned to his first officer, a stocky, tough-looking woman whose real name was Lieutenant Eleanor Tuft but had always, since her Starfleet Academy days, been known as Tufty. "Are the modifications to the deflector online, Lieutenant?"

Tufty nodded once. "Yes, Captain. We will be able to open a passage to the Enterprise's reality - after we've tractored them back to the Alpha Quadrant - and push them through, whether Captain Paris -" she flashed a grin at the blonde Ensign who winced in response, "likes it or not," finished the First Officer.

"Good work, Tufty," said Ducane. They had worked together since he became the Captain of the Relativity, six years ago, and the clever, courageous woman had never let him down. "Let's go."

Part 2

"Hail them."

"They're responding, Captain. I'm putting them on screen…now."

The Captain of the Enterprise appeared once again, and she did not look happy, which rather irritated Janeway since it was the Enterprise that had attacked first, without warning or explanation.

"We meet again, Captain…?" The opening was corny from Janeway, but it served its purpose. The other woman's nostrils flared with anger at Janeway's mild tone.

"Captain Kathryn Paris of the Time Ship Enterprise," she snarled, not noticing when the Voyager officers exchanged several long looks across their bridge. "You may think you are clever, hiding in this nebula, but you will not escape again. I have 29th century sensors and weapons at my disposal, Janeway. Goodbye, Captain."

The fair-haired time ship Captain disappeared from the viewscreen, replaced by the dense swirls of nebular clouds, but as the Voyager crew watched a distortion wave rippled through the swirls of orange and red, expanding rapidly.

"What the hell is that?" exclaimed Tom Paris, staring.

Janeway stood, her head whipping round to face Tuvok, the ship's tactical officer and head of security. "Is it a weapon of some sort?" asked Janeway tightly, worry creasing her forehead. The Vulcan tapped buttons on his console, shaking his head.

"I do not believe so, Captain. The distortion did not originate from the Enterprise."

"Captain! I've got another ship on sensors; it's coming from the centre of the distortion. It's – I don't believe it!" Harry Kim's tone was incredulous.

"What is it, Harry?" demanded Janeway, her nerves tingling. Something strange was going on, of that much she was certain.

"It's the Relativity, Captain."

As Harry spoke again, the Wells-class time ship appeared on Voyager's viewscreen, and as everyone stared at the sleek, 29th century vessel a bright flash lit up the surrounding gas clouds as a weapon impacted against the Relativity's shields, followed closely by another. Janeway pulled her thoughts together and for the first time since she had entered the bridge the Captain allowed herself to relax a little as she took her seat once again.

"Hail the Relativity," ordered Janeway, and Kim complied. Ducane appeared on the screen, a decade older than when Voyager last encountered the time ship, but instantly recognised.

Before Janeway could speak, Captain Ducane began in a serious tone. "Captain, please hold your current position. I will contact you shortly." His image disappeared, and for several minutes Janeway waited, her fears and worries replaced by surprise and curiosity.

It seemed that the Relativity had shielded Voyager from attack, and for that she was grateful for she doubted that the Enterprise would have been thwarted a second time. Not a word was spoken until Ducane's face reappeared, this time smiling.

"The Enterprise is standing down, Captain. You are in no danger."

"Thank you, Captain Ducane," replied Janeway with sincerity. "I thought our goose was cooked this time. I assume that you can explain what the hell is going on, because we're all more than a little confused over here."

"I could explain, Captain," started Ducane almost apologetically, and Janeway sensed a 'but' coming. She wasn't wrong. "But I'm afraid that temporal directives prohibit me from revealing most of the answers to the questions you no doubt wish to ask. The Enterprise entered our reality by accident without realising that they had done so. I will return the ship to where it belongs. Captain Paris apologises for the misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding?" thundered Janeway, her blue-grey eyes flashing as she jumped to her feet. "Misunderstanding? You mean how she tried to destroy Voyager and kill us all? That misunderstanding?"

Beside Ducane, Tufty tried to suppress a snort of laughter and failed, leaning towards her Captain and speaking in a loud stage whisper. "Maybe we should tell her she and Seven died the first time round?"

Ducane scowled and spread his delicate fingers. "Ah, yes. But, well, everything turned out alright, in the end. Though my First Officer raises an important issue, Captain Janeway. Please try and refrain from reckless actions in the future, as I may not be able to help the next time you die inconveniently. Also, I'm transporting over a temporal communicator. It will allow you to communicate with me only, Captain, and in the event that you should encounter another time ship I ask that you contact me immediately. Oh, and don't bother trying to take it to bits – Tufty here designed it and she assures me it's impossible to reverse-engineer."

A small, unremarkable metal box materialised on the floor in front of Janeway who picked it up and studied it. There were only two buttons that she could see, along with a small display which showed the device's very simple instructions. She looked up at Ducane, full of questions she knew wouldn't be answered.

"Thank you," said the Captain instead, and her 29th century counterpart nodded in response.

"All the best, Captain Janeway," Ducane said formally. "And don't give up."

With that mysterious last sentence he was gone, and the Relativity disappeared from sight. Janeway's eyes scanned her bridge, taking in the relieved expressions of her crew before finally resting on Seven-of-Nine who, uncharacteristically for the ex-Borg, refused to meet Janeway's gaze.

"Chakotay, you have the conn." Janeway walked off the bridge, not seeing her partner's anguished look as the younger woman watched her leave.

Part 3

The Doctor listened as Janeway recounted the story of the Relativity's arrival in the nick of time, nodding in agreement as she repeated Ducane's words which urged Janeway to be careful. The Captain had been talking with the hologram for almost an hour and, unusually for her, seemed reluctant to leave. Eventually she ran out of words and simply sat, watching the Doctor as he worked. Though there was nobody else in sick bay, there were experiments to conduct and tests to run, but Voyager's Chief Medical Officer kept glancing at Janeway, eventually stopping what he was doing and returning to face his Captain.

Snatching up a medical tricorder, he casually scanned Janeway before snapping the machine shut with a flourish. "Well, you're not ill," the Doctor remarked sardonically, before gentling his tone. "Why are you really here, Captain? And, before you answer that, I'd like you to know that Seven came to see me this morning."

Janeway squeezed her eyes shut and breathed deeply. The hologram allowed his Captain a moment before continuing.

"I've read your medical history, Captain, and I think I understand. What you suffered at the hands of the Cardassians is more than most people could have endured. But you have to deal with it, or it will continue to destroy you."

"How can I let Seven...touch me, after what they did to me?" Janeway choked in a whisper. "She's so gentle, so tender. How can I allow the woman I love to do that, after they..." She couldn't speak, her body shaking with every sob.

The Doctor waited, not wanting to interrupt. It was the first time Janeway had talked about this to him, and it was a significant step. Eventually, the Captain managed to regain a measure of control. "When she tried to go inside me, it all came back, the terror, the excruciating pain, their laughter whilst they took turns to rape me, each time more violent than the last." Finally Janeway raised her head and met the Doctor's eyes.

"I can help you, Captain. But someone else can, too. Seven loves you, and you need to talk to her before it's too late. Trust her, Captain. She will understand, and through talking about it you can work through it together."

Janeway's reply was a long time in coming. She knew that the Doctor was right, but what was certain to be the most difficult thing she had ever done may well turn out to be impossible. "I'll try, Doctor. I don't want to lose her."