A/N: Sorry it so long to upload this chapter. I'm taking a few courses, so my time is divided between those and writing these chapters. Do not worry, I'm still writing but it would take time between writing the chapters and uploading them to the site. In the meantime, enjoy. Cheers.
Vantage, two hours into hyperspace.
Seven looked out the window of her quarters at the blue and white tunnel- the walls pulsing with light- as the ship flew smoothly through this region of subspace.
"Are you sure about this?" Seven remembered Janeway asking after she returned to the Enterprise. Seven had submitted her request to leave the ship to Chakotay, who then submitted it to the Captain. Even he asked the same question.
Seven remembered standing with her hands behind her back as she glanced at Chakotay while Janeway lowered her head back down to the PADD in her hands. The older woman walked up the steps in her ready room, and then took a seat. Seven could see that the Captain was surprised at the request, Janeway's expression also showed a hint of sadness as she reread the reasons that Seven gave for requesting leaving Voyager.
"I cannot thank you enough for everything you did, Captain," Seven said as Janeway looked up at her. Seven stopped speaking at the expression on Janeway's face. A flood of emotions threatened to consume her as she stared at the Captain, and then at Chakotay who was looking back at her, and then back at Janeway. "I… I feel… I feel… I feel so many emotions at one that…" Seven had tears well up in her eyes before she looked away shaking her head, "I don't know why I'm crying, I…"
"You're human now," Janeway gently said with a smile before she got up from the couch and then walked back down the steps and gently placed her hands on Seven's shoulders, "emotions come with the territory."
"I'm afraid," Seven said looking back at Janeway, and then at Chakotay, and back at Janeway once again, "I.. I know what Starfleet Intelligence is capable off… I know what Section… I… I mean…."
"We want you to stay," Chakotay said, repeating the same thing he told her when Seven handed him the request, "but if this is your choice, then you have our support."
"And if you do stay, then I swear that I will do all I can to prevent anyone from harming you," Janeway whispered gently squeezing Seven's shoulders, "you are a member of my crew, you are a Federation citizen, and… and you are my friend. I swear they won't harm you."
Back in the present day, as Seven stared at the tunnel outside, she remembered thinking to herself that there wasn't a lot that could be done to protect her. Even if Starfleet Intelligence wouldn't interrogate or question, as it were, a Federation citizen against their will, Section Thirty One most likely would do something like that. In the end, Seven opted to leave Voyager. However, she left a video message for her Aunt on Earth explaining everything- including why she felt a need to leave.
'She'll probably think I was crying too much when I made the message,' Seven thought, giving out a chuckle, as she looked out at the tunnel. After the message was finished and transferred to a PADD, Seven prepared to depart the ship with Janeway by her side. Seven was packing whatever little items she had in Cargo bay Two with the Captain by her side. A few moments later, with a metal case in her hand, the two of them walked out into the hallway.
"Just so you know," the Captain said looking at Seven, "the senior staff wanted to give you a goodbye party. But given that the…"
"Organizing a farewell party would be an inefficient use of the crew's time," Seven interrupted with a serious look on her face as she turned her head to Janeway. "the ship is still damaged in many decks, and…"
"There's the Seven I know," Janeway whispered before nudging the woman with her elbow.
"Because it is true," Seven nodded her head, "there is no time for a farewell party."
"Well, the senior staff will still be saying goodbye to you at the transporter room," Janeway said as the two of them entered a turbolift. It would be a few seconds later that the turbo-lift doors opened once again, and tears immediately welled in Seven's eyes. The Voyager crew lined the hallway, all at attention as soon as the doors opened. Seven turned her head to Janeway once again and gave a small smile when the latter said with a smile on her face, "oh, did I say the senior staff? I meant everyone wanted to see you off too."
Seven turned her head towards Janeway and took in a deep breath before a small smile formed on her lip and nodded her head, "thank you, Captain." Janeway gently then placed her hand on Seven's shoulder, and the both of them stepped into the hallway together for the last time.
Earth, Sunnydale, a day later; 0930 hours.
Even though Josie met two heroes of Slayer lore in Buffy and Faith, she still couldn't believe that there were more out in the galaxy, 'not in this galaxy… not in the Milky Way, but in another galaxy.' Josie walked through a hallway of the school towards her homeroom class where her students were waiting- a few hours after the last Kull Warrior fell, this returned much to normal with the Federation Security Services cleaning up the bodies of the dead Kull warriors. It would be a few hours after the last Kull fell that the remaining ships over Earth left for Pegasus, but not after Josie introduced Buffy, Faith, and Willow to her watcher and the Coven in Devon.
"Good morning kids," Josie said stepping into her classroom. The door slid shut behind her as she glanced at the students taking their seats after they had been excitedly talking about the threat that passed them by yesterday. She smiled at the students while hearing mumbled 'good mornings', "I hope everyone's excited about today's lesson."
Josie smiled at the groans that emanated from the students as she put her bag on the desk. She then reached in and pulled out her PADD from her bag, and then activated it.
Looking back up at the students, Josie said, "Now, I know we had an incident yesterday in San Francisco," her eyes swept over the children who were looking back at her before she continued, "and now that it's over, I've been told to continue our original lesson plan." Josie then put the PADD down on the table while her students took out their own PADDs. She walked around the table and then gently sat down on the top of her desk and said, "I know that none of us were during the milestones that changed the way we view this world and the galaxy at large. I know none of us were present when Zephram Cochrane made his first warp flight, or when the Luna Base was established, or the first Warp 5 flight of the NX-Class Enterprise. We missed those pivotal moments in history."
The students looked at each other and nodded their heads. Josie then remembered what she and the others in the Coven were told, 'the truth about everything. I thought it was ridiculous but.. but it was the truth.' Josie smiled before continuing, "I have a feeling that we're in another milestone. Another point of historical significance that we should be proud to be a part off."
"And if that historical significance is equal to the historical significance of the Xindi attack?" one of the students, a male human, asked after raising his hand. "After all, yesterday we were invaded."
"We are still part of that history," Josie said with a smile as she recalled Willow telling her that the Vantage managed to sneak a worm into the Federation Global Network so as to wipe out all mention and pictures of Josie herself while she was helping to take down the Kull Warriors on the grounds of Starfleet Command, "and I have a feeling that we'll learn more about who we are, where we're going, and where we come from." Josie then took in a deep breath before she picked up her PADD, "and now, let's pick back up from where we finished yesterday."
As Josie began her class, she thought back to the day she said goodbye to Buffy, Faith, Lisa, and Willow. The blonde Slayer handed her a circular grey coloured device which had a recessed button in the middle, "If you ever need us to help save the world?" Buffy told Josie as she handed the Earth based Slayer the device, "press the button and we'll know you need help."
But before Josie could ask more about the device, Lisa added, "it releases a subspace SOS signal tuned to the frequency that Slayers in Pegasus use to communicate. The Midway Station will pick it up, and then we'll know that you'll need help."
"And we'll be back," Faith said nodding her head before nodding at Buffy and Lisa, "all of us will be back." And with a smile on her face, Josie was back to teaching her students.
Starfleet Command, a week later.
Janeway was exhausted. Her command of Voyager and their experiences in the delta Quadrant were being scrutinized and audited by everyone in Starfleet Command, Starfleet Security, and Starfleet intelligence. The last of whom were not happy when the Captain allowed Seven to leave Voyager for the Vantage, and then to Pegasus. In her log, she explained that Seven was a member of the crew, but she wasn't a Starfleet Officer. And thus, Janeway couldn't command her to stay on the ship… that she was free to leave if and when she liked.
That didn't make her many friends. Starfleet Intelligence wanted to study Seven- more specifically, they wanted to know what information she had on the Borg. However, Admiral Paris and several of the others did agree reluctantly that Janeway was in the right… that Seven was free to leave off her own free will. It had taken six months for the senior staff you be questioned, investigated, debriefed, and then released. The Marquis who joined her crew were pardoned for their previous transgressions due to the recommendation of Janeway's own logs that showed how dutiful and brave the Marquis were under her command.
It wasn't long before everyone, bar the senior staff, received new orders and new assignments while Voyager was undergoing a refit that would take another four months to be completed. The door to her quarters on the still slightly damaged Starfleet Command campus slid open, and she walked in.
"Lights, medium intensity," Janeway said as the door slid shut behind her. This was her quarters for the last few months since returning to Earth. Janeway walked over to the replicator and ordered a cup of coffee. She was due to meet Chakotay, Neelix, Kim, Paris, B'Ellana, and the Doctor in her quarters at fourteen hundred hours so that they could accompany each other to Starfleet Operations for a final debrief.
This was to be the most important debrief since Janeway and her crew returned to the Alpha Quadrant. Today was the day that Janeway and the others would be meeting with the new President, the new Federation Council, and members from each branch of Starfleet to discuss the Tau'ri issue. She had already submitted her reports and her ships logs, as did her crew, on their time in Atlantis. She was also aware that Starfleet Intelligence had gone through the data that was given to them by Willow and General O'Neill on the background of the Stargate Program, the Goa'uld, the Ori, and the Wraith. This even included their mission reports, and personnel files.
As Janeway sat down, with the cup of coffee in her hands, she shuddered at the memory of seeing a holographic representation of a Wraith. It was only two days ago that the data, which included several mission reports, was given the Holodeck treatment; and several Starfleet officers including Admiral Paris, Captain Picard, Data, Kim, Chakotay, Riker, and Janeway had seen the viciousness of the Wraith. They saw holo-representations of the aftermath of cullings where emancipated bodies lay on the ground like dried up husks. The group had also seen the Tau'ri battles against the Goa'uld, the Ori, and even the Lucien Alliance.
Janeway was aware that the civilian branches of the Federation government had seen the holo-reports as well. And she wondered what they would think of the Tau'ri. 'What would have happened if the Tau'ri hadn't found the Stargate?' Janeway thought as she leaned back on her couch, 'what if we encountered them the first time we achieved warp travel? What if the Goa'uld discovered and attacked the Vulcan's if they encountered each other? What if… there are so many what ifs.' Janeway sighed and closed her eyes while grasping the warm cup in her hands, 'now, what will the Federation Council do? Will they lodge an official protest against the Tau'ri since their campaign against the Goa'uld was what brought the latter to attack Earth again.' Janeway then sighed again before leaning forward and wondering if Ambassador Spock discovered something at the Vulcan Science academy.
'Either way, we'll find out later today if we'll take up the offer by General Rosenberg to have a meeting.'
Ocampa, six months later.
Kes knew that there were a little under four years left before the stores of energy, food and water in the massive underground complexthat housed the Ocampan people. Kes was lucky to have gotten back into the city thanks to a gap in the security field that was supposed to prevent any of the Kazon who were still searching for the city from finding an entrance. Once she went through, Kes made certain to seal the entrance for the foreseeable future. After sealing the gap, the elderly Kes made her way to the city. Over the two years since she had returned, the female Ocampa made a home for herself once again among her people.
As the only one they knew who had been out of the city and then returned, her stories were always favoured among the children. However, there were some adults who felt that Kes' stories about her adventures on Voyager, the people she met, and the action she had seen, could very well encourage others to venture out into the barren surface where the Kazon still existed.
"One day, we will have to leave this city," Kes would say to the Council of Elders every time she was brought before them after telling her stories to children and anyone who felt she shouldn't be speaking of the outside world, "the Caretaker has only given us so much before we either starve or go thirsty." Kes would stare in to the eyes of anyone who spoke up against the possibility of leaving the city, "I am already old and will probably be in the ground, dead, by the time the Caretaker's energy stores have run out. What will we do then?"
There were never any answers to that question before she was left alone; the people still criticising her for spreading stories having walked away from her. But she still spread the stories of Janeway, Paris, Voyager, the planets she visited, the people she met on those worlds- all her stories were written down by her in her diary… one shared with the other Ocampa in their vast database of stories.
It was one day that she was seated down in a corner of once of the many plazas in the complex where there were children seated around her. They were begging to hear more about her stories of flying through space. Kes chuckled lightly and then leaned forward. She was about to start speaking when she suddenly heard a screeching sound followed by loud gasps from all around her. Kes stood up on trembling legs as the children around her stood up and stumbled back while eyes opened wide, and looking right behind her.
Kes stood up and spun around to find a short haired blonde woman standing with her back to her. Surround the woman were two men in grey coloured uniforms with the woman in a short sleeved blue and red uniform. Kes noticed that the other Ocampa had mixed reactions; some approached the newcomers cautiously, while others stepped back while pulling others, both young and old, back with them.
"Who are you?" Kes asked. She didn't recognize the tell-tale transporter signature of a Federation transporter- this signature had a loud screech before a flash of bright white light instead of the Federations gentle hum. At least not that of Voyager, and then uniforms the three of them were wearing were different than Starfleet. As they turned towards her, Kes noticed the logo of a circle floating above a triangle on their sleeves, "you're not from the Federation?"
Kes narrowed her eyes at each person before settling her sights on the woman in the middle. Before the three of them could answer, Kes leaned forward at the blonde, recognition of her coming into her mind and whispered, "you. I remember seeing you on Voyager."
"Yes," the woman nodded her head as she led the other two walking by her side to Kes, "I remember you as well. I believe you were about to cause a warp core breach in engineering."
"Seven of Nine," Kes nodded her head before fixing her eyes to the former Borg's; the very same woman she was briefed on by Captain Janeway after she returned to physical form. Kes' mental abilities were already at a heightened state, so much so that to live with the other Ocampa, Kes had to learn to put mental blocks into her own mind to control her abilities. Kes made a conscious decision to not scan Seven's mind, but she couldn't get over the thought that something must have happened to push the former Borg away from Starfleet. "You are not wearing a Starfleet uniform."
"I have not been serving on Voyager for nearly six months," Seven said to a surprised Kes, "but before we begin, I should inform you that there have been some unique changes."
Kes glanced at the small logo just above Seven's left breast and then her eyes shifted to the two people next to her. Kes could see that the two men were armed with weapons that were holstered to their hips. Kes couldn't see the weapons clearly but knew enough to guess that they were not phasers, 'another form of energy weapon?' Kes looked away and back to Seven, "has the Federation fallen? Is Captain Janeway…"
"The Federation is rebuilding after a war," Seven told Kes before sighing and then telling Kes the story of how Voyager met the Tau'ri from Pegasus. The stunned Kes found it hard to believe, as did the Ocampans that remained to listen, whereas others had rushed to find the Elders. "It is difficult to believe, but I nearly died after a weapon used against another race of bio-mechanical beings that invaded Voyager interfered with my Borg nanites. My implants failed, and I would have been dead if not for the Tau'ri saving my life. They cloned a new body for me, and transferred my consciousness to this new, human body."
Kes looked closely and realized that the implant over Seven's left eye was missing, 'how could I have missed that,' she thought while saying, "but how do I know that this is all true? You…"
Seven then looked at the man next to her on the left and nodded her head. He reached into his side pocket and took out two tablets. Both were then handed to Kes while Seven said, "one is a message from Neelix. It's about six months old, but his words will corroborate everything I've said." She then motioned to the other tablet and said, "and the other is a proposal from the Pegasus Alliance. They have a proposition for you and the Ocampans."
"What kind of proposition?" Kes asked just as several of the Elders rushed to the group.
"A new home," Seven said as Kes' eyes went wide open.
TBC.