Gretchen held Kathryn's gaze for a long time, and then got up, "Well….I….I realize I can't talk you out of it," said Gretchen, voice reluctant, as she started to move away.

"You sound like B'Elanna," Gretchen said suddenly, as she stopped at the door to the shuttle and looked back, voice becoming warm, "Right before Voyager's first generation died the Doctor offered to put B'Elanna in stasis with us as the highest ranked officer still cognizant, but she refused...she said she wouldn't put the rest of us in danger…..and that she wanted to go down with the ship, like you would've done."

"I wish she'd taken him up on it," said Gretchen, smiling sadly, "I wish she'd never left us. But I understand why she did it. Why being the Captain was so important."

Gretchen walked out of the shuttle, footsteps echoing on her way out.

I haven't left you...I'm still here, Gretchen.


Morning came quickly for Captain Janeway, she managed to get a little bit of sleep, in between worrying about Voyager successfully getting out of The Rift, and her conversation with Gretchen. Her holographic assistant helped her into her chair, and she put on her command jacket and read reports while she waited for her video console to flick on.

"Captain," came Chakotay's face from the console an hour later "We are ready to try to attempt to leave The Rift, on your order."

"What are the latest reports from the crew? Has anything changed in the last hour?"

"It all looks promising Captain," came his firm voice, "No unexpected changes. The path seems to be stable. We're still not sure exactly how it was built, or what it is, but it does still seem to be a Bridge to the other side, one that leads to the Delta Quadrant."

"Do it," said Janeway, staring at the screen.

Not being on the Bridge during this is killing me.

"Setting course now," said Tom's voice from the console, and she saw Chakotay's hand move the video console so that she could see the back of Tom's head and the Bridge's large viewscreen.

"We're off, Captain," said Tom a moment later, "Cross your fingers everybody. We're going to need all the luck we can get."

Kathryn sat with her hands clenching the armrests in front of her as the ship looped through what seemed to be a tunnel. It was pitch black, and she knew Tom was flying on sensors alone.

"It almost looks like we're underground," said Chaktoay.

"Maybe we are," said Harry's voice, "Under the universe."

More time passed, and Kathryn realized her hands were cramping. She forced them into her lap, and continued to watch the viewscreen, trying not even to blink.

"It's getting lighter," said Chakotay, a second before she saw faint pinpricks of light.

"Are those stars?" said Gretchen's voice, in awe.

A moment later it was obvious. The pinpricks of light were definitely stars.

"Yes!" said Tom, and she could see him almost lift out of his chair in excitement, "Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the Delta Quadrant!"

"Never thought I would be excited to be back here," came Harry's voice.

You said it, Harry, said Janeway beaming to herself.

"We made it," came Gretchen's voice, loud and excited, "We made it!"

"Where are we Mr. Paris?" said Janeway.

"One second Captain," he said, pushing buttons on the console, "We're still in the Delta Quadrant, but we're even closer to home than we were before we got stuck in that weird layer of subspace. Looks like we took a very weird and costly detour."

"The only thing that matters is that we're out," said Janeway firmly, "Take stock of our surroundings and report to me in an hour."

"Doctor" said Janeway, clicking the console to Sickbay, "When can you schedule my surgery?"

The Doctor came into view and sighed, frowning deeply, "I can continue looking for a cure as long as you like Captain,"

"And what chance, now that we're out of The Rift, is there reasonably that you'll find one?"

"I…..not much of one Captain."

"And I will continue to be confined to the shuttle bay until we can find a cure? Harboring a fungus that could decimate Voyager at any time?"

"Yes, Captain," he said, reluctantly.

"Then how soon can you do the surgery?" pushed Janeway.

"I….this afternoon is possible, any earlier would be pressing it a bit, I have a couple of appointments…"

"Fine," said Janeway firmly, "This afternoon it is."


Two more holographic assistants with mobile emitters entered Voyager's shuttle bay in the early afternoon. They were carrying a wheelchair and Janeway allowed herself to be helped down out of the shuttle and then wheeled over to the decontamination unit.

The Doctor's face came onto the video console.

"I'll be scanning you again, Captain," said the Doctor, "Of course I've been scanning you daily from the shuttle, but with this type of surgery we need to be, very exact, more than exact really, down to the….."

"That's fine Doctor," said Janeway tiredly, cutting off his nervous ramble, "Do whatever you need to do."

He hit buttons on his console, and lights began scanning Janeway again.

"Hmm," said the Doctor, frowning, "That's odd."

He continued to scan, the minutes passing slowly, as Janeway tried not to think about it.

"Captain," said the Doctor, pressing for her attention, and Janeway looked back at him, brain clearing automatically, "I can't explain this…..but…..the fungal infection is going down…..it's…..well….it's a bit soon to call…..but, I think it's dying."

"What?"

"The rates of the fungus have been steady since we contained most of it in your lower spine, but…it's not only down, it's actively going down, every minute you sit here, it's going down….there's no way I can do surgery with it like this…..we'll have to wait and see what this means."

"What could it mean Doctor?"

The Doctor breathed in deeply, "I….hesitate to say Captain…..I don't want to be disappointed but…I think it's possible that the fungus can't survive in normal space…All of Voyager's first generation crew died of the fungus, but they died in The Rift, Voyager never found a way out, now that we have, I think….it's dying automatically."

Janeway sagged back in her chair, breathing out, "How long do you give it Doctor?"

"At these rates? Half a day, I'd like to quarantine you longer, you'll have to be very clean before I clear you but…well…"

The Doctor looked at her. Is he crying? Can holograms cry?

"It'll be good to have you back Captain."


A week later Captain Kathryn Janeway walked onto Voyager's Bridge. Her crew leaped up and saluted, and when she waved it away, immediately broke into cheers and clapping as she moved across the deck to stand in front of the viewscreen.

She couldn't keep her face from smiling widely as she addressed her crew, "I know, I know," said the Captain, "Believe me when I tell you I am glad to be back. I've missed you, all of you," she said, meeting the eyes of every member of her crew. About 30 of them were currently on the Bridge, and she knew she would see everyone before the day was up.

Neelix stepped forward suddenly, "Captain," he started with his brand of awkward and confident, "Since I'm Morale Officer, I have been given the duty of officially welcoming you back. You'll be pleased to know we're throwing a party tonight, in your honor."

"Very pleased," said Janeway genuinely, smiling widely, "It's good to be home."