CHAPTER 3

Shannon's perfume still lingered in the air when Janeway returned to her quarters. She looked again at the padd in her hand that belonged to another time and tenderly ran her fingers over it. She wanted to keep it, a small momento of the daughter she had borne in that time, had loved and reared. But it could fall into the wrong hands and she wanted no cloud overshadowing the crew's return to Earth. As far as they and everyone else was concerned, she had just changed her mind, decided the offer was worth taking. There was only one thing to do with the padd. She took it over to the recycler.
"Computer, recycle."
She watched as the padd dematerialised, disappearing forever.
The door chime sounded. It was a moment before Janeway responded. "Come in."
The doors opened and Chakotay came in. He went over to her. "We can't take Voyager into that nebula," he said. "It's much too dangerous."
Janeway turned away from him. "I know," she said quietly. "I know how dangerous it is. But it's a risk we have to take."
"But why? Why risk the lives of everyone on board? I know we're going to be travelling through dangerous space for a while, but it's a thousand times safer than taking us into a Borg infested nebula."
Janeway turned sharply to him. "Safer? No part of this damn quadrant is safe!"
"It's too risky, Kathryn. I know you want to get this crew home, know how much you want that. But we can't do this, not this..."
"We have to, Chakotay. I can't tell you why, but I'm asking you to trust me, to believe me when I tell you it's..." She paused for emphasis, "better than the alternative."
She knew he would understand those words and he did. "The temporal prime directive?"
She nodded. "Please don't make this any harder for me than it already is. I need your support on this one."
He hesitated, but then smiled warmly. "You have it."

*****

Seven lay unconscious on a biobed in sickbay. The Doctor put a hypospray to her neck and slowly she woke up.
"The operation was successful," the Doctor said kindly.
Seven sat up. "I...I feel the same."
"The difference will be subtle," he continued. "It will be your response to emotion that will change, rather than the emotions themselves. You will find it easier to express emotion, will find your emotions discover you rather than you discover them."
Seven climbed off the biobed. "I am most grateful, Doctor."
"Don't mention it," he smiled. "Though," he said, putting down the hypospray. "I'm not sure you will thank me for the timing."
"What do you mean?"
"The Captain has decided to ignore everyone's advice and accept the Zyranth offer. I believe she is discussing plans with Storvorak at this very moment. The cooler the head as we travel through that nebula, the better."
Tuvok's voice interrupted. "Tuvok to the Doctor."
"Yes, yes," the Doctor replied, "Seven is available for consultation now." He sighed and turned his attention to Seven. "You have been in demand all afternoon."
"In that case, please ask her to report to the Bridge immediately."
"No need for a relay," Seven replied. "I'm on my way, Tuvok."
"Well," the Doctor smiled, "I'm glad to see you are still your old bashful self."
"As you said, Doctor," Seven replied, making her way to the door. "The difference will be subtle."
As she reached the door, she suddenly turned to him. She smiled tentatively and then more confidently as he smiled in return. She then left and the Doctor watched with holographic tears in his eyes as the silver doors shut behind her.
*****

"I'm so glad you've changed your mind, Captain," Storvorak said, accompanying Janeway into her Ready Room.
"There's just one modification I would like to make to your proposal," she said, turning to him.
"What do you suggest?"
"That we attempt to achieve both our goals together; the destruction of the hub and the return of Voyager to the Alpha Quadrant." She paused. "My concern is that once we have entered a transwarp corridor, the Borg will detect us and follow us through to the Alpha Quadrant, endangering my homeworld and the Federation. But, if you attack the hub only seconds after we have entered the aperture, that will divert all attention from us to you. We will be acting as a mutual distraction. Our presence in the aperture will cause the Borg to focus on that, reducing the chance of them detecting the presence of your fleet, and your attack on the hub will protect us."
"It would indeed be a mutual benefit," Storvorak replied. "However, it is possible that a shockwave would follow you through an aperture or that the transwarp corridor would collapse before you made it to your destination."
"A ten second interval between us entering the aperture and you attacking the hub would be sufficient to enable us to stay ahead of any shockwave and to make it through a transwarp corridor before it collapses." She paused. "I can't risk an attack on the Federation. If I am to use the hub to get Voyager home, it has to be with the assurance that the Borg will not follow us through, and the only certainty of that is for the hub to be destroyed once we have entered the aperture."
Storvorak was a moment in answering as he contemplated. Then he smiled. "Then we give you that assurance. We planned to destroy the hub in a few weeks time, but we can easily reschedule."
"How soon?"
"Today."
"So soon, would that be possible?"
He smiled again. "I'll make it possible."
"But it would take us several days to travel fifteen light years. I think tomorrow would be soon enough to begin."
"We have technology to get there faster."
"What kind of technology?"
"A Karlova. It works very much like a transporter only we use it to travel quickly through space. It can send a ship as far as 50 light years in seconds."
Janeway's eyes shone with new found hope. "Maybe we could use that technology to get home instead. We could try and adapt it to send us greater distances or just make as many jumps of 50 light years as we needed to..."
Storvorak shook his head. "The Korlava is a thousand times the size of this ship and requires vast amounts of energy to operate. There's no way of operating it away from Zyranthium. The best we can offer you is the cloaking technology."
Janeway's eyes dulled but she tried to hide her disappointment with a smile. "And we're very grateful."
"You're just fearful for the safety of your crew," he said gently.
"Yes," she replied. "But I have every faith we'll succeed."

*****

A view of the hub filled the screen in Astrometrics. Janeway studied it, absorbing every detail. Seven entered. "The cloaking technology has been integrated into the ships systems."
Janeway turned to her. "Has it been tested?"
"Yes."
"And?"
"It works." She bridged the gap between them. "I've also had the technology fitted to the Delta Flyer, every shuttle, and escape pod, just incase we need to make an emergency evacuation. I've instructed Ensign Cattrall to modify the cloaking frequency so that if the Borg do manage to decipher Voyager's cloaking frequency, they would not at the same time discover our other vessels."
Janeway smiled deviously. "And neither would the Zyranth be able to detect us without deciphering the frequency. Good work."
Seven smiled warmly at her. Tears welled in Janeway's eyes and she put her hand to Seven's cheek. "You smiled, Seven," she whispered, "you smiled such a beautiful smile."
Tears welled in Seven's eyes. "Anneka," she whispered. "I choose to be Anneka."
A tear ran down Janeway's cheek and she drew Seven close. Seven tentatively responded and then held her tight.

Tuvok entered the room and Janeway and Seven drew away from each other.
"The Zyranth are ready to begin, Captain," he said.
Janeway nodded and wiped away her tears. "Then let's do it," she said. "Let's get Voyager home."

*****

Storvorak's face filled the Bridge viewscreen.
"Our ships have all been transported to the nebula, Captain. We're preparing to transport you now."
"Acknowledged," Janeway replied. She turned to Tuvok. "Mr Tuvok, engage the cloak."
He worked the console. "Cloak engaged."
Janeway turned back to Storvorak. "Ready when you are."
Storvorak smiled warmly. "Good luck, Captain."
Janeway smiled in return. "You too."
He then began countdown. "Transporting in five, four, three, two, one..."
Janeway closed her eyes.
When she opened them, it was the nebula she saw on the screen before her.
"Alright," she said, addressing the crew, "you all know what to do, all know the plan." She turned to Tom. "Mr Paris, take us in."
"Yes, Ma'am."
As Tom followed her order, she took her seat in the captain's chair.

Within minutes, they were inside the nebula. The beauty was spectacular, but all attention was on the legion of Borg cubes surrounding them.
"We're going to have to reduce speed," Tom cried, "there's just too many."
"Go as fast as you can, Tom," Janeway replied.

Onwards they continued through the nebula. At last, the Borg transwarp hub came into view. Janeway gazed at it. It was enormous, spreading like a parasite across the pulsating white core of the nebula. She stood up as they got closer. Apertures of flashing blue light sprawled before them, hundreds of apertures. If they took the wrong one, miscalculated their position by just a fraction, they could end up in another distant part of the galaxy, further from Earth than they were at present.
"Are we on course, Tom?"
"Aperture 100905 directly ahead."

Suddenly, Seven cried out.
Janeway turned to her. She had her hands over her ears and her breathing was rapid.
"What is it?"
"I can hear her..." she cried... "The Queen.. She knows...knows we're here..."
Janeway swallowed and cast an anxious glance at Chakotay. She saw her own desperation mirrored on his face.
"We're being surrounded," Tom cried. "We have to stop..."
Tuvok then called out. "We're being hailed, Captain."
Janeway could hear her heart thump in her mouth as she turned to the view screen.
"On screen."
The Borg Queen's face filled the view screen. She had a strange smile on her face, a glow of satisfaction. "Captain Janeway," she said with chilling calmness. "Welcome to my nebula. I wondered how long it would take for you to discover my treasure. It is the envy of many species, including your new found friends." She almost laughed. "Oh yes, I know all about them. I have observed them come and go for years. A very primitive and chaotic species, not at all worthy of assimilation. They would only detract from perfection."
Janeway looked around at the crew. There was fear on every face. She struggled not to cry. This was her doing, all hers. The crew had made it clear how they felt about entering the nebula. She should have listened to them, should never have risked this. She should have opted for the Gamma Quadrant. Why hadn't she opted for the Gamma Quadrant? She had learnt long ago that it never paid to take short cuts.
"What is the matter, Captain? Thought you could make it through my little nebula without my knowing?"
"You won't assimilate us," Janeway said as firmly as she could. "We'll destroy ourselves before we give ourselves to you."
"Noble, but unnecessary," the Queen continued. "I will allow Voyager to pass safely through the aperture so long as I have something in return."
"What do you want?"
The Queen smiled. "I want you, Captain Janeway."
Seven stepped forward. "Take me..."
Janeway turned to her sharply. "Keep out of this!"
"Don't worry, Captain," the Queen smirked. "I am not interested in your little prodigy anymore. She is neither human or Borg. She is imperfection. But you, you are humanity at its greatest. You will be a useful subject, a worthy equal."
Janeway didn't hesitate with her response."Alright. You have a deal." There was no other choice, no other way out for the crew.
Chakotay turned to her desperately. "Captain..."
Janeway ignored him. "My life for the safe passage of Voyager through the hub."
Chakotay seized her. "You can't do this. We'll fight our way out. We'll find another way."
Janeway looked up at him, tears welling in her eyes. "There is no other way, Chakotay."
His hold on her tightened, bruising her. "I won't let you do this."
"My mind's made up." A tear ran down her cheek and her voice fell to a whisper.
"Now, let go of me, please."
There was such infinite pain and longing in her eyes that all Chakotay could do was release her. He watched through blurred vision as Janeway turned back to the viewscreen. The Queen smiled. "I knew you would be reasonable. Now, lower your shields so that I can transport you."
"No," Janeway said firmly. "If I do that, I render Voyager defenceless. I will raise shields around my ready room only."
The Queen nodded. "As you wish."
Janeway turned to Tuvok. "On my command, Tuvok." She then looked around at her beloved crew for the last time. The fear in their eyes was accompanied with infinite pain now. At last her eyes met Chakotay's. They were wet with tears. "Don't," he whispered... "Please."
She stepped closer, put her hand on his shoulder. "Just get our crew home, Chakotay. Just get them home."
Before tears overwhelmed her, she turned away, and as quickly as she could made her way to the Ready Room.

*****

Inside her Ready Room, Janeway leant back against the door and fought to suppress the torrent of emotions overwhelming her. She wiped away her tears, tried to take deep breaths to calm herself. This would work, the crew would be saved. She had to believe that, had to fight the fear inside that this was just a game the Queen was playing and the crew would be killed or assimilated anyway. Outside the window she could see Borg cubes everywhere. They were all watching, all waiting. She looked around her Ready Room, cast everything to memory one last time, and then hit her combadge. "Janeway to Tuvok. Lower shields."
Shields lowered and she dematerialised.

*****

When she rematerialised, the Borg Queen was standing before her.
"Welcome to your new home."
Janeway looked around, looked up. Silver structures seemed to stretch for infinity all around her. She had to be deep inside the hub. To her right was a large viewscreen. It showed Voyager's Bridge and again tears welled in her eyes when she saw her beloved crew, her friends, standing at their stations. The Queen turned to face them. "You may resume your journey."
The image on the screen faded as the transmission ended and was replaced with an external view of the ship. Amongst the Borg cubes were dozens of Zyranth ships, their cloaking technology useless. The Queen's fingers spidered over the image. "So kind of your new friends to offer you protection." She stepped closer to Janeway. "But their visits are becoming more and more frequent and I don't like that. As they are not worthy of assimilation, I may have to destroy them instead." She tipped her head at an angle and skimmed her hand sensually over Janeway's hair. "But we won't worry about that today. Today we shall get you acquainted with your new home. As a human you have such specific needs. We may have to find a way of modifying them but still keep your individuality intact. Perhaps I should partly assimilate you." She circled Janeway slowly, ran her eyes over her body. "But I need to learn everything about human nature and that includes the physical aswell as the mental. There is only so much pain a human being can tolerate before he or she will cave in to demand. The human will is weak. Human beings are weak. And their greatest weakness is love. It is so easy to manipulate a human when they love. You would rather have died the worst death a human could die than give yourself to me, but for the love of your crew, you gave yourself without hesitation. Love. It is the emotion you regard above all others, the emotion you regard as your strength, but that strength is your weakness. It will always make you vulnerable, will always be your defeat. It is better not to love. It is better not to feel. Emotion is irrational, chaotic, unpredictable. It detracts from reason, detracts from purpose." She came full circle and her face flew to the viewscreen. Voyager was still stationary. "They have not moved. Why have they not moved?"
"Perhaps because they have just lost their captain," Janeway said, trying not to betray her fear. This seemed to pacify the Queen. "And now are like motherless little children." She turned again to Janeway. "That is why it is better to be governed by one mind, one thought. No division, no hesitation."
Janeway stared at the screen and willed for Voyager to start for the hub.
"But, I must confess, individuality has its attractions too. I am billions of voices, but billions of voices are my voice, my thoughts. I have no one to talk too, no one to challenge me, no one to...stimulate me. But not anymore, now I have you. I have searched long for an equal, someone to be my companion, my lover."
At last Voyager began to move towards the aperture. Janeway's whole being sighed in relief. She watched as it drew closer and closer to the aperture and then disappeared into the blue portal. She closed her eyes, let the emotion engulf her. Voyager was going home. Her mission was complete.
"They are gone," the Queen said.
Janeway opened her eyes and almost gasped when she saw the Queen's cold eyes looking into hers. The Queen touched Janeway's face. "I am all that you have now."
Suddenly the hub began to shake.
The Queen drew away. "We are under attack."
Janeway met her eyes with boldness. "It looks like you underestimated the Zyranth."
The silver structure began to collapse and both Janeway and the Queen were thrown to the floor. Gigantic bolders crashed all around them, the sound deafening, and ferocious flames appeared out of no where. Janeway crawled away from the flames, away from the smoke that was choking her. Through the black smoke, she saw the Borg Queen squirm on the floor. She raised her hand to her mouth and almost heaved when she saw that the Queen's body was broken in two. Her lower body was trapped beneath a bolder but she had divorced herself from it and crawled about on her arms, her spine trailing behind her. She span around faster and faster as she desperately tried to find an escape from the consuming fire. But she was trapped. More bolders fell and the flames rushed towards her. The Queen screamed in absolute agony and her tortured cry echoed all around. Janeway turned away, buried her head in her arms and waited for death to end this horror.

*****

Everyone on Voyager's Bridge stared at the scene of open space before them on the viewscreen. Federation ships were everywhere, and there, clearly visible in the distance, was the planet they had all waited seven years to see. Tears shone in everyone's eyes and they all battled between the conflicting emotions of joy and grief. For a long time no one spoke, no one moved. At last, Tuvok spoke from the Captain's chair. "Ensign Kim, disengage the cloak and hail Starfleet Command."
"No," Harry replied. "Not yet. Let's wait, please... a few more minutes."
There was such desperation in Harry's eyes that even Tuvok's Vulcan heart was moved.
"Very well," he replied. "We will wait."
A few more minutes was all it would take for the transwarp corridor to collapse.

*****

Chakotay's brow was dripping with sweat as he maneovered the Delta Flyer through flames. He yelled desperately into his combadge. "Do we have her?"
The Doctor's voice responded "Yes. Yes we have her."
Chakotay breathed deeply in infinite relief.
On the viewscreen before him, apertures beckoned. They were collapsing, falling away, but several were not yet effected. He increased speed and at maximum warp took the Flyer into an aperture.

Janeway stirred on a biobed. She opened her eyes, tried to focus on her surroundings, but everything was a blur. Slowly the mist before her eyes began to clear. The image of a familiar face began to form above her.
"Doctor?"
"That's right, Captain."
She tried to move, to speak, to ask what was going on, but her body felt as though it was still on fire and her chest was heaving. She felt a cold sensation against her neck, and slowly her chest loosened and the pain began to subside.
"Commander Chakotay and I stayed behind on the Delta Flyer to rescue you. Thanks to Seven's idea of modifying the cloaking frequency, we were able to leave Voyager undetected by the Borg. We managed to trace you and transport you here. You're suffering from Asphyxiation and burns but you're going to be just fine."
"Where...where are we?"
"I don't know, Captain. The Commander was going to try and take us through the aperture after Voyager, but he may have had to take us out of the nebula." He put the hypospray against her neck again. "Now, I'm going to put you to sleep so I can I treat your burns."
Mist covered her eyes again and soon she was asleep.

Chakotay wiped the sweat off his brow as he piloted the Delta Flyer through the transwarp corridor. The passage way was becoming narrower and narrower. If they didn't reach the other end soon, he would have to exit the corridor or they would all be crushed to death as the corridor collapsed. 30 seconds....25...20... Still the corridor stretched out long before them. 15 seconds... It was no use. He would have to exit the corridor... He steered the ship sharply to the right and ploughed through the pulsating blue walls of the aperture. For a moment the ship shook violently and he thought it was going to explode, but then black replaced blue. They were in open space. Chakotay took deep breaths, calming himself.
"What happened?"
Chakotay turned to the Doctor who had made his way to the cabin.
"I had to take us out of the transwarp corridor. It was going to collapse...no time."
The Doctor put his hand on Chakotay's shoulder. "You did well, Commander, remarkably well."
"How's the Captain?"
There was such dread in Chakotay's eyes as he asked, such fear and pain. "She's going to be fine, Commander," he said gently.
Chakotay buried his head in his hands, the relief overwhelming.
"We got her just in time. She's suffered Asphyxiation and some third degree burns, but I'm in the process of treating them. She won't be scarred." He looked out at the space before them. "Are we still in the Delta Quadrant?"
"I don't know where we are," Chakotay replied. "If I took the right aperture, we should be somewhere in the Alpha Quadrant, but where I just don't know. It's going to take me a while to locate our exact position as some of our systems were damaged when I took us out. In the meantime I'm going to send out an automated distress call to Voyager, just incase they're nearby. You finish treating the Captain."
"Yes, Commander."

*****

The Voyager Bridge crew watched on screen as the transwarp corridor disappeared. Harry closed his eyes, clenched his fist, and tried to hold back the tears, the growing anger of grief. Tuvok's voice once again broke the silence.
"Ensign Kim, I repeat my request."
Harry didn't respond, couldn't respond.
"Ensign Kim," Tuvok repeated.
Seven interrupted. "Wait...we're receiving a message." She worked her console. "It's an automated distress call...from the Delta Flyer."
Harry looked up, hope replacing despair, and worked his own console. "0.324 light years away," he cried. "Two lifesigns... and the Doctor." Happy tears welled in his eyes. "They made it."
Tom smiled joyfully. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's respond to their message and go get them!"

*****

Chakotay gazed at Janeway sleeping on the biobed before him. A white blanket covered her body to her shoulders but there was no sign of injury as he looked at her now. She looked so beautiful asleep, so vulnerable. But then, she had always seemed vulnerable to him. He took her hand in his and held it tight as the Doctor woke her. Her eyes fluttered open and he squeezed her hand as they rested on his face.
"We're in the Alpha Quadrant," he smiled through tears. "Voyager too. They're coming to get us."
Tears welled in Janeway's eyes.
"We did it," he continued. "We got Voyager home."
A tear ran down her cheek and then she reached out and took the Doctor's hand in her other.
"I should be angry with you both," she said tearfully, "I should be furious with you for risking your lives to save me..." Her voice fell to a whisper. "But thank you."
Chakotay squeezed her hand and she squeezed his in return.

*****

Everyone on the Bridge stood when Janeway and Chakotay entered and Janeway could hardly hold back the tears as the crew applauded.
Harry approached her. "We haven't contacted Starfleet Command or disengaged the cloak yet. We wanted you to make 'first contact'."
Janeway put her hand on his shoulder and nodded in appreciation. She then took her position on the Bridge and Chakotay followed her.
"Alright, Mr Tuvok," she cried, "disengage the cloak and hail Starfleet Command."
Moments later, Admiral Paris appeared on the viewscreen.
Janeway smiled warmly. "Good day, Sir."
For a moment the Admiral struggled with his own emotions. "Welcome back."
"Sorry to surprise you. Next time we'll call ahead."
He smiled at that. "How did you...?"
"It will all be in my reports, Sir."
He nodded. "I'll look forward to it."
The link ended.
Janeway sat down. She gazed tearfully at the view of Earth on the viewscreen and it was a moment before she was able to find her voice. "Mr Paris, set a course...for home."

*****

Crowds waited in anticipation for USS Voyager to emerge from the skies. When the ship finally appeared, the crowd began to cheer and hundreds of fireworks lit the San Francisco sky. Slowly the ship landed. It seemed an eternity to those watching before the crew began to emerge. At last a door opened and silver stairs lowered to the ground. In twos, the crew began to descended the stairs, lowest ranks first.

Inside, the Bridge was almost deserted. Chakotay and Tuvok had left to organise the evacuation, Harry had left to disembark, and Tom and left to join B'Elanna and Miral. Janeway looked one last time around her beloved Bridge. She didn't know what the future held, but she knew that her time as Captain of this vessel was over. Tears welled in her eyes. She loved the ship as dearly as she loved her crew. It had carried them safely across seventy thousand light years in the journey of a lifetime and it had been her home for seven years. She could hear Harry now, telling her they were on the otherside of the galaxy. She could see Chakotay standing before her, an angry warrior aiming his phaser at her. She could hear herself give the order to destroy the array, could hear B'Elanna protest... So much had changed over the years. Two rivalling crews had become one, had become friends, had become a family. The journey had changed all of them, had changed her. She felt a twinge of sadness as she remembered the younger more idealistic Kathryn Janeway who had so eagerly set off from Deep Space Nine seven years ago. She had been so open with her feelings then, so ready to give and receive affection. All these years of having to bury Kathryn away so deep inside the Captain had taken their toll and showing her feelings wasn't always easy now. She hoped she could get to know Kathryn again, could finally set her free.
"Captain."
Janeway turned around at the sound of Seven's voice. She was still standing at her post, a solitary figure in the otherwise deserted Bridge.
Janeway walked over to her. "What is it?"
"Who do I leave with? I have no rank."
Janeway put hand on Seven's shoulder. "You can leave with me."

As the senior crew emerged from the ship, the roar of the crowd rose. The Doctor bowed at the cheers until a sharp 'Doctor' from B'Elanna reprimanded him. She was still rather sore after the birth and clung to Tom's arm as he carried Miral. Chakotay and Tuvok followed, then Seven and Janeway. As Janeway appeared, the cheers of the crowd were deafening. Janeway looked out at the sea of people before her and acknowledged them. At the foot of the stairs, close family had gathered to welcome back their loved ones. Janeway watched as her crew embraced their mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, and children. A lump gathered in her throat as she caught a glimpse of her own mother and sister amongst the crowd. She felt Seven draw closer to her, as though she was seeking protection. Janeway turned to her and noticed she was trembling slightly. "All these people, Captain...all here just to welcome us...Strangers..."
Janeway linked her arm with Seven's. "That's humanity."

B'Elanna and Tom were greeted by Admiral Paris and his wife as they reached the ground and the Doctor was greeted by Reg Barclay. Tuvok's wife and children were waiting for him and Chakotay embraced his sister. As Seven reached the ground with Janeway, her aunt approached her. Seven hesitated but Janeway gently encouraged her to go and greet her aunt. As Seven did, Janeway turned to her own family waiting to greet her. Her mother opened her arms to her and Janeway embraced her tearfully. She then embraced her sister. The excited barking of a dog forced them apart. Janeway turned to her left and saw Molly standing beside her sister. The dog was wagging her tail wildly, hungering for attention. Janeway obliged and laughed as Molly licked her face incessantly.
"I never thought she would remember me," she said. "I never thought."
"When weeks turned into months and she began to realise you weren't coming back," Phoebe said, "she started to pine terribly. She wouldn't eat or drink and just sat in the hall waiting for you to come for her. Mark didn't know what to do for her so we took her in. We thought it might comfort her to hear your voice, so we played one of your many farewells. Her ears picked up and she sat in front of the screen just watching you and listening to you saying you would be home soon. She even barked when you said her name. We've had to play it for her all these years."
Janeway's tears fell into the dog's red fur. "I'm home now, Molly. I'm home now."

*****

Music and laughter echoed around a luxurious complex as the crew of the USS Voyager celebrated their triumphant return with their family and friends. The Doctor was in his element with all the attention he was getting. Never before had people been so interested in what he had to say. From a corner of the room, Chakotay watched him.
"I'm glad the Doctor's fitting in so well," he said to Ayala who was standing beside him.
"I don't think the Doctor would find it hard to fit in anywhere," Ayala smiled.
Chakotay's view of the Doctor was blocked as Tom approached them.
"Didn't expect to see you here, Tom," he said. "I thought you'd be keeping B'Elanna company at your parents house."
"She wanted me to stay," he replied, taking a glass of champagne that a young waitress offered him on a tray. "She said one of us should be here."
Chakotay and Ayala also took a glass.
"Is your sister still here?" Tom asked Chakotay. "I was hoping to meet her."
"No," he replied. "I think it was hard for her, being around Starfleet and, well, to tell the truth we've never been that close."
"I'm sorry."
"She never understood why I wanted to leave the tribe. She thought by leaving I was rejecting my family, rejecting my culture and heritage. She just couldn't understand how drawn I was to the world beyond our world, how much I wanted to explore other worlds, other cultures. I don't think she will ever really forgive me for not being there when the Cardassians attacked." He paused sadly. "But enough about me. What about you? What are you planning to do now that we're home?"
"I thought I would try my hand at writing holonovels."
"Well," Ayala smiled, "I'm sure Captain Proton will be very popular."
Tom looked around. "Where's the Captain?"
"In a media conference," Chakotay replied.
"Already?"
"Our return is big news. Everyone wants to speak to her."
"There's a lot of interest in Seven too," Ayala added.
They were interrupted by the sound of Barclay hitting his glass from the stage. They turned to look at him.
"Ladies and Gentleman, if I may have your attention please."
Silence descended on the room.
"I would just like to interrupt your party for a moment to give you cause for further celebration. The Federation has just announced that for the great courage and dedication shown by all Maquis members of this crew, no charges will be brought against any of you."
Everyone in the room applauded at that news and turned to look at Chakotay and other former Maquis. Chakotay smiled in acknowledgement and then watched with mixed feelings as his former crew members celebrated.
"Well," Tom said as the applause faded. "That was unexpected."
"Not really," Chakotay replied. "I was half expecting them to do it. They got rid of the Maquis problem over three years ago. If they put us all on trial it would open up old wounds they would rather keep sealed." He paused, contemplating, but then smiled. "But, political or not, it sure is welcome news."
"You can say that again," Tom said. "I know B'Elanna has worried more about what would happen when we got home than she has let on." He held up the glass of champagne in his hand. "To new beginnings."
Chakotay and Ayala hit his glass with their own. "To new beginnings."

*****

Question after question was fired at Janeway as she was interviewed by a room full of eager reporters. Her head was spinning from trying to look from side to side as the questions were asked.
"After you destroyed the array and were stranded in the Delta Quadrant, did you ever think you would see Earth again?"
"Yes," she replied. "I never stopped believing we would make it home and dedicated myself completely to that end."
"Some would say destroying the array was a violation of the Prime directive. What is your response?"
"We were in a position to save an entire civilisation from annihilation by an enemy. We could not allow millions of innocent Ocampas to die."
"Before Voyager was stranded in the Delta Quadrant, you were engaged to be married. How did you feel when you found out your fiance had married someone else?"
"We had no way of communicating with the Federation and letting our loved ones know what had happened to us. We knew everyone would assume we were dead. The first few months in the Delta Quadrant were emotionally hard for all of us. As our loved ones grieved back home, we grieved too. I accepted very early on that my fiance would move on with his life. I hope he and his wife are very happy."
"Is it true that for the first three years of your journey you confined the Maquis to the Cargo Bay?"
"No, that isn't true. We made no distinction between Maquis and Starfleet. We were one crew, one family."
"Is it true that you and Commander Chakotay, former Maquis rebel, have been romantically involved for some time?"
"The Commander and I have long cared for each other, but we have never compromised our professional relationship by pursuing a personal one."
"Now that you are no longer Captain and Officer, will you pursue a relationship?"
Janeway hesitated. "No comment."
"Is it true you used a Borg transwarp hub to get Voyager home?"
"Yes, it's true."
"And that you sacrificed yourself to the Borg Queen in order for Voyager to pass safely through the hub, knowing you would die when the hub was destroyed?"
"Yes," she replied uncomfortably. "My life would have been a small price to pay."
"Will the destruction of the hub have destroyed the Borg?"
"No, but it will have put an end to their dominance in that region of the Delta Quadrant and have saved the lives of millions throughout the galaxy who would have been captured and assimilated."
A Starfleet Officer approached Janeway. "Captain Janeway, thank you for your time in holding this conference. I know you must be eager to return to the company of your family and friends." He turned to the audience. "Let us have only one more question please."
"Starfleet has declared that you will be made an Admiral for getting Voyager home and for your many accomplishments in the Delta Quadrant. How do you feel about that?"
Janeway smiled. "I am delighted, and feel very, very, honoured."

*****

Janeway's mother and sister were waiting for her when she returned to the party. It took her a few minutes to make it over to them as she was constantly stopped by people who wanted to talk to her. She was glad to at last reach her destination. Her mother offered her a glass of champagne and Janeway gladly took it.
"How was it?"
"Let's just say," she replied with a smile, "it makes fighting the Borg seem like a piece of cake." She took a sip of her drink. "Mmmm...real champagne."
"And you have cause to celebrate. While you were in the conference, an announcement was made. The Federation are not bringing charges against the Maquis members of your crew."
Janeway looked up at her mother, her eyes shining. "They aren't?"
"No, in honour of their bravery and service, they said." She paused. "It's more likely a publicity stunt."
"I don't care what it is," Janeway said happily. "This is just wonderful news, just wonderful..."
Her sister laughed. Janeway turned to her. "What is it?"
"The irony. The only reason you got stranded in the Delta Quadrant in the first place was because you were on a mission to capture the Maquis. You wouldn't have celebrated seven years ago if you had risked life and limb to capture them only to have no charges brought against them."
"No, I don't suppose I would have," Janeway smiled. She then fell serious. "But I was a different person then, we were all different people. I didn't know Chakotay then the way I know him now, didn't know B'Elanna, Ayala, and the others. I was a naive first time captain who believed the Federation and Starfleet could do no wrong." She paused. "No people should have had to suffer the way Chakotay's people suffered at the hands of the Cardassians. I can't imagine what Chakotay was going through."
Her mother put her hand on her shoulder. "Chakotay is a good man. But not all the Maquis were like him, in it for principle. Some were just looking for a fight and inflicted a lot of pain on innocent people."
"I know. I was fortunate it was Chakotay commanding that Maquis ship and not someone who would have killed me and seized Voyager for himself."
The Doctor approached them. "Captain, Mrs Janeway and..." he paused, uncertain.
"My sister, Phoebe," Janeway smiled.
"Yes," he said, "I can see the resemblance now."
He held out his hand to each of them in turn and they both shook his hand.
Janeway turned again to him. "Are you enjoying the party, Doctor?"
"I certainly am, Captain. Everyone is so charming and friendly and so interested in my work on Voyager. Do you know, Mrs Janeway, that there was hardly any disease or injury I was unable to cure or heal? Even on the rare occasions when I couldn't find a cure, such as when the Captain and Commander were both bitten by an insect and had to be left behind on a planet, I managed to obtain a cure from the Vidians."
"All alone of course, Doctor," Janeway teased.
"Well, I had a little help from the Bridge, of course," he added, "but it was thanks to me you were able to return to Voyager. If it wasn't for me, you'd still be on that planet now, probably nothing but skeletons." He turned again to Janeway's mother. "When your daughter was critically injured in a shuttle crash and her cerebal cortex was invaded by an alien, it was me who managed to expul it. When your daughter suffered severe neurological damage after a power surge, it was thanks to my ingenuity that she..."
"Doctor," Janeway interrupted. "A party really isn't the place to tell a mother about the many brushes with death her daughter has had."
"Of course not," the Doctor apologised. "I'm sorry."
Chakotay approached them. Janeway smiled happily at him. "I just heard the news, Chakotay. It's the greatest welcoming home gift we could have had."
He nodded, but there was an unmistakable sadness in his eyes, and he seemed distant, hesitant. "Captain," he said quietly, "something's come up...something... Can we talk?"
Janeway nodded. "Let's go outside," she said kindly. "I could do with some fresh air."

*****

A bright moon shone down on a beautifully cultivated garden. It was past midnight and the garden was almost deserted. Janeway looked up at the moon as she walked with Chakotay. It was a vision she had too often taken for granted in the past, but a sight that meant so much now. They walked through an avenue of trees and reached a secluded part of the garden. There was a small wooden bench opposite a bed of white flowers that glowed in the moonlight. They wandered over to it and sat down. Chakotay had barely said two words since they had left the party and he was still silent now.
"You said something had come up," Janeway began gently. "Is that true or did you just want to speak to me about what we were discussing this morning?"
"Both," he said softly. He then looked up at her. "Professor Anderson has offered me a place on a five year excavation expedition that will be leaving next month for a newly discovered planet in deep space."
Tears welled in Janeway's eyes and she looked away. "I see." She hesitated before asking the next question. "Will you accept?"
"That depends on you." Chakotay took her hand in his. "I love you, Kathryn. I fell in love with you the moment you started giving orders on the Bridge that very first day we met. Over the years I've come to love and need you more than I ever thought one person could love and need another." He paused, every word costing him dearly. "This morning you told me that if we were home, if we were not Captain and Officer any more, there would be a chance for us. I need to know if you meant it."
Janeway broke away from him, stood up. "I don't want to stand in your way, to stop you doing what you've always wanted."
Chakotay stood up and gently turned her towards him. "There will be other expeditions, other opportunities, opportunities here on Earth. All I want is you, Kathryn, just you."
Janeway looked up at him and a tear ran down her cheek. "Then I'm yours."
They gazed deep into each others eyes and Chakotay's tears fell in rhythm to hers. He touched her face tenderly, as though he was touching a precious gem, and then slowly, slowly, brought his lips down to hers. He kissed her softly, gently, kissing her with all the tenderness of his love. Janeway tentatively slipped her arms around his neck and kissed him in return. Then they held each other tight and savoured the closeness that had been denied them so long.

*****

The party was still in full swing when Janeway and Chakotay returned. They both took a glass of champagne as they entered the hall, and then, arms linked, made their way through the crowd. For the first time in seven years, Janeway felt completely at peace, completely happy, and knew Chakotay felt that way too. They were stopped just before reaching her mother and sister by Harry who was eager to introduce his parents.
"Captain," he smiled, "I would like to introduce you to my parents."
Janeway turned to them and held out her hand. "Mr and Mrs Kim, I'm delighted."
After they had both shaken her hand, Harry gestured to Chakotay. "This is Commander Chakotay. He was our First Officer."
"Pleased to meet you both," Chakotay smiled, and also shook their hands.
"I am so very very proud of my son, Captain," Mrs Kim began, tears welling in her eyes. "And I know you must be proud of him too."
"Very proud."
"To be put in command at such a young age, to be given such responsibility..."
Janeway shared an amused glance with Chakotay and Harry's face flushed red.
"The night shift, Mom," he said, "I was only put in charge of the night shift."
"No difference," she continued. "Night or day, what does it matter? Command is command..."
"Yes, but the Captain..."
Janeway put her hand on Harry's shoulder. "Your mother's right to be proud, Harry. Over the past seven years you've exceeded my expectations in every way. You've proved yourself to be an exceptional officer and I have no doubt that one day you will be an exceptional captain."
Mrs Kim beamed with pride and wiped away a tear.
"Thank you for bringing him safely back to us, Captain."
Tears welled in Janeway's eyes at that and all she could do was take the woman's hand in hers and squeeze it.
The sound of chiming glass suddenly cut through the air, demanding their attention. They turned in the direction of the noise and Barclay was once more on the stage.
"Ladies and gentlemen," he cried, "if I could have your attention once more, please. Admiral Paris would like to say a few words."
Admiral Paris stepped forward and after a moment of fondly viewing the crowd before him, began to speak.
"The first time I met Kathryn Janeway, she was a young cadet looking for a supervisor for her Junior Honours thesis. There were plenty of Academy professors on offer, but no, Kathryn Janeway wanted me to be her supervisor. Of course, I was far too busy and distinguished to be concerned about a Junior Honours thesis, and politely told her to come back in a year when she was ready to work on her senior thesis. But Cadet Janeway wouldn't settle for that. So I told her to do the impossible, told her to get a thesis proposal to me by 0800 hours on Monday morning, and then I would consider whether I would take her on or not. That gave her only four days to write it, and I believed that was the last I would see of the young, presumptuous, cadet. But there, on my desk at 0800 hours on Monday morning, was the best thesis proposal I had ever read. And so I became her supervisor, and so began our many years of working together. I knew she would make a great captain one day, but not even I could have imagined how great. To find yourself in command of a vessel on the other side of the galaxy, 75,000 light years and a lifetime's journey from the Federation, would be a terrifying experience for any captain, but to destroy an array that was the only known gateway home in order to save the lives of strangers, was an act that took immense courage. For three years we mourned the loss of those on board Voyager, a very personal loss for me as my own son was on board, but as soon as we found out the Voyager crew were alive after all, I knew that if anyone could get the ship home, it was Kathryn Janeway. And now, after Seven years, Voyager is home. No Captain in the history of Starfleet has accomplished what Kathryn Janeway has accomplished by bringing Voyager home. And that is not all she has achieved. For seven years she has guided her crew through hostile alien territory and has made contact with more species than any Captain since James Kirk. In all that time, and in all that she has done, she never forgot what it was to be a Starfleet Captain, and has never wavered in her dedication to get her crew home. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Captain Kathryn Janeway."
Janeway took to the stage to rapturous applause.
"Thank you, thank you," she smiled. "First of all, I would like to say how good it is to be here." She paused as the audience reacted. "If there's one thing we've all learnt over the past seven years, it's the importance of the place we call home. I never stopped believing we would make it home, and the reason I believed it so completely was because I had such a wonderful, dedicated, crew. Captains need to trust their crew as much as a crew needs to trust their Captain, and my trust in my crew was absolute. We were a family, and like every family, we helped each other through difficult times and we rejoiced together in triumphant ones. We laughed together, we cried together, and we even played together on the holodeck. I am so proud to have been Captain of so great a crew and part of such a wonderful family." She paused. "I would like to raise a toast to the most extraordinary journey of our lives, and to those we lost along the way, and to those we found, especially Neelix and Kes, the first friends we made in the Delta Quadrant, and who we will remember with love and gratitude always." She raised her glass. "To the journey."
The crowd echoed in unison. "To the journey."

THE END