With a hundred and forty Starfleet officers and about twenty or so natives surrounding it, the monster backed up a little bit. It roared defiantly and stomped its many feet on the ground.

Led by Chakotay, everyone began pelting rocks at the creature. Those with spears rushed at it, screaming themselves hoarse as they did. Tuvok needled it with arrows from his bow. And Janeway held her spear upright before her, watching it glow brighter and brighter, until a perfect spear of golden energy began to form on the tip. She channelled energy into the sphere until it grew bigger than her head, then she hauled back and flung the sphere at the monster.

The creature shrieked as the golden ball of energy hit it square in the chest and spread throughout its body. It lowered its head as its whole body twitched and spasmed, and the crew took that opportunity to stab it in its beady eyes. It howled in pain.

The spears and rocks kept coming at it. Another bolt of energy hit it in the face. It screamed again.

"We're wearing it down!" Kathryn's voice rang out across the battlefield. "Keep going!" With a surge of newfound strength, the people rushed at the monster, screaming wildly.

The monster lashed out with its bulky tail and sent several people flying backwards. Others quickly surrounded the creature again and beat it back with their weapons.

Another energy pulse flew towards it, but the creature saw it coming. It whipped its tail around and batted the pulse away. Janeway had only a second to dodge out of the way, leaving the pulse to shatter the rockface behind where she had stood. She breathed a sigh of relief as she picked herself up.

"Keep pushing it back!" she shouted. "Either it leaves or it dies!"

She paused and leaned heavily on the spear she held, breathing deeply as she struggled to remain standing.

"Kathryn?" Chakotay was at her side.

"I'm fine," she said. She lifted the spear and began channelling once more.

"We've had enough losses for today!" The spear glowed brighter. "This ends here…" She levelled the spear like a javelin, "…and now."

She hurled the glowing projectile at the monster and a ground-shaking roar split through the air.

The creature began to stagger, the spear lodged squarely in its throat and still glowing brilliantly. A shout of triumph rose up from the gathered crew, Starfleet and alien alike, as they rushed at the monster and shoved it over the edge of the cliff into the lava below. A last, strangled cry rose from the depths and then the monster was no more.

Everyone shouted and cheered in triumph and Kathryn heaved a sigh of relief. "It's over," she said.

Chakotay hugged her close. "You were fantastic," he murmured in her ear. He pulled her aside, away from the rambunctious crowd around them.

"I want to talk to you," he said. "I've been thinking about what you were saying about not feeling like you were a good enough goddess. I think you're wrong."

"You're biased though."

"Hear me out, first. What exactly was the child's prayer that brough you into this world?"

Kathryn frowned as she thought back to the memory of that day, long ago. Slowly, she began to recite the words the child had written. Chakotay nodded along.

"I think you might have misinterpreted the intentions behind your life's purpose," he said. "What you did out there had nothing to do with knowledge or wisdom. You rallied the troops and led us to victory. You made us believe in ourselves when everything seemed hopeless. You've been a source of inspiration and courage ever since I met you. Think about it a little more and think about what you have accomplished not just here and now but throughout our entire journey home." He kissed her forehead and turned to leave.

What had the child asked for? Maybe it really was about more than just wanting to do well in school, Kathryn thought.

"I feel lost and hopeless," the child had said. "They tell me I'm useless and I get bullied a lot. I need someone to help me. Please come to my aid. I want someone to help me be better off so I can be happy."

What the child really wanted was to know that everything would be alright, she realized. Her true calling wasn't about knowledge or learning at all. The emotion that sparked her existence wasn't a desire to learn. It was a desire to feel less hopeless.

And what had she done for the crew, really? She had been the voice that refused to let them quit. She had been the candle in the window, guiding them home. And when faced with mortal peril, hers was the voice leading them to victory.

"Captain?" a voice interrupted her thoughts. She looked up to see B'Elanna standing nearby. "That was a hell of a job you did out there."

Kathryn smiled. "Thank you."

"If you don't mind my asking, how the hell did you do all that? What… Who are you?"

"I…" Who am I really? "I'm a Goddess," she heard her voice saying, and a broad smile broke through her words, "of Hope."