Disclaimer: see chapter one. Last I looked I don't own the characters from STVoy, mores the pity. Enjoy!

Reminiscences

The 'family' collectively spoke about their travels through the Delta Quadrant, how they felt about it then and how they viewed their long journey now. They spoke of the people and fellow crew-mates they'd lost both at the start and along the way; the people/aliens they'd met, traded with, fought against both without and within their vessel. The natural interstellar sights they'd encountered, puzzling mysteries, investigating murders and trying to keep to the Starfleet ethos of the Prime Directive. Robin listened eagerly, lapping up this new information like the proverbial sponge; knowing this was the sort of information that the viewing masses were really after about this lost vessel's journey and not Starfleet's and the FNN's executives PR schedule with just the command team, half of that team having currently done a complete disappearing act.

He asked gentle pointed questions when things stalled at times in the collective narrative, especially when the person speaking became lost in their memories and recollections. It was the next comment that caught him by surprise.

"There are times when I wish we were still out there on Voyager," noted Henley with a soft sigh. Many of her fellows nodded in silent agreement.

"Surely not! Borg, Hirogen, Kazon, and those organ harvesting – Vidiians!" he said astonished, listing off their encounters with these new named aliens from the Delta Quadrant.

"Maybe," she admitted looking round her friends and family, seeing in their faces the same wistfulness that she herself felt and had quietly voiced. "At least we knew who our enemies' were, most of the time," she added, disturbed by where her thoughts were taking them. "Boredom was often our biggest problem, not the attacks, voids, interstellar phenomenon and the like," she paused unsure how to continue.

"Those things that Mariah listed were merely interludes that distracted us from the mundane," noted Torres carefully giving the woman a quiet smile.

"Keeping the ship running at peak efficiency, to necessitate repairs, acquire spare parts, fuel, supplies, etc; were always our top priority," said Icheb, his tone decisive.

"No conveniently placed Federation Star-bases handy to run to if things got decidedly sticky and lick our wounds," noted one voice a little sourly.

"Crew morale and general well-being also took top place. Not that the yearly round of personnel medical examinations ever took top priority in the crews eyes!" the EMH added, his eyes sad looking. His comments though caused a few faces to smile tentatively.

"I thought the Captain's main goal was to get the ship and her crew here to Federation space!?" puzzled by the general sad demeanour of the quiet reflective crew around him.

"It was. That was her promise from the very beginning," said Kim looking somewhere into the distance. "Home; Set course for home!" he added quietly.

"We were home. Voyager was – is our home, our collective, our family!" Seven said; the deep conviction in her tone startling her crew-mates a moment and then they smiled in agreement with her grateful that she'd been true to self and given a voice to what they'd all been thinking and yet avoiding up to that point.

"Now some in Starfleet seem intent on breaking up this family."

"To what purpose we have no idea."

"It all stems back to that question asked of the command team," noted a sour voice.

"You do know the question was asked after that glance between them," said Robin softly.

"I did wonder," noted a new voice.

"Captain... I mean Admiral!" Kim greeted startled, still trying to process what Robin had revealed and watching as the woman who'd led them for seven years joined them with her male aide – Elliot in tow.

"Like to explain?" Seven prompted her words sharp.

"At that very first FNN interview, we were asked if we'd mind answering a very personal question. We both just glanced pointedly at each other, something that was almost second nature I suppose," she paused unsure.

"As if you knew what question was coming?" asked the EMH gently.

"The Admirals in the de-briefings had already asked it," she admitted quietly recalling the times it had come up. "More than once too!"

"You didn't say or do anything, did you!" Torres said, looking intently at Janeway her former CO.

"What could we say, B'Elanna that we hadn't already said officially," she sighed. "I had no idea that they'd changed things around," feeling somewhat betrayed by the very organisation she'd been brought up in, taking a seat on the blanket next to a very quiet former pilot.

"Did you get Dad's report about Chakotay?" he asked.

"Yes and no," giving her aide a pointed look, which had him squirming and blushing in embarrassment. "Elliot here, had been instructed to keep me in the dark as to what was happening with you all, including keeping you physically from my office door," she revealed. Many of the crew gave the young man some unfriendly glares. "Don't worry Owen and I have talked him round," she said with her trademark grin.

"The Admiral had no knowledge of the bounty put out on Cmdr. Chakotay's head," Elliot said carefully in his own defence.

"Bounty? Why would anyone want to do that?" asked Dalby, as mutterings of disbelieve erupted among the family.

"We've been trying to find out, but without much success," Janeway informed them sadly.

"Everything within the Admiral's office is being monitored. So we've resorted to some very unconventional methods of communications," noted Elliot holding up the notepad of paper and a pencil.

"Novel!"

"You're very quiet!" said Kenneth Dalby to Robin Hood.

"I suppose," he admitted cautiously.

"You know something, don't you!" suggested Icheb softly.

"Maybe," he said looking a little alarmed. "Nothing conclusive," he added quickly as the elite security guards shifted closer to the main group, making the young man uneasy.

"I think we'd better lighten the mood," Paris said getting decisively to his feet and gently took the pad and pencil from Elliot. He wrote a few words and then gave it to Kenneth who read it and added something, whilst verbally suggesting a physical sports game for all to play.

"Don't, Elliot," she whispered softly in his ear, having got to her feet, thus halting him from saying or doing anything that would alert others and the security guards as to what was really happening.

"Anyone thought to bring a ball of some kind?" Tom asked loudly across their extended family.

"I have," Naomi piped up. Three others acknowledged they'd brought such an item, thus they set about using them whilst the notepad and pencil discreetly did the rounds within the Voyager family. If the extended family were puzzled by this, they didn't let it show as they followed their loved ones lead and joined in the general fun and games being played.

=/\=

It was late afternoon before things settled down again with the Kimtones playing their musical instruments adding a genteel air to their gathering as they continued to converse with each other, about all manner of things, but especially the revelation of the FNN interview and that question and glance.

Elliot worried as to where the notepad had gone, yet Janeway wasn't concerned, so he relaxed with her, but also kept a wary eye on the elite security detail; a detail that had changed at least four times over the course of the day. When the current change had arrived the high ranking officer approached Seven of Nine and tried to lead her away. Her strong voice cut across the hubbub, causing it to quieten a bit.

"I will return with you when I say," she admonished him coldly. "My companions and I have been denied access to our family since being placed in your jurisdiction," she revealed pointedly, causing the officer to back off a little, hearing the murmurs of disbelieve and anger pulse around them.

"Us three wish to remain whilst allowed to do so," speaking for Icheb and the EMH, who both nodded confirmation to her statement.

"Why do I get this feeling some in Starfleet Admiralty don't trust any of you!" noted Elliot softly to Janeway.

"Probably because they don't," she acknowledged, saddened by what she'd just witnessed, the elite guard moving back to their perimeter stance.

"Yeah, being away from Starfleet central control too long," added Paris his tone somewhat mocking, watching as Seven re-joined the Wildman's and continued their game of Kadis-kot.

Ayala returned from his ramble around their group and handed the notepad discreetly to Paris who slid it carefully into Miral's diaper bag.

"Time for a sing-song, Harry," he called to his friend,

"OK!" smiling as he put his clarinet to his lips and began to play a lively tune that had everyone in the 'Family' grinning. Janeway smiled broadly and started the song off. It wasn't long before all were singing, including Elliot and Robin Hood; all that is except the elite security detail, they just smarted silently at the rowdy song sung with such gusto and joy.

=/\=