Captain Kathryn Janeway took a deep breath as the turbolift approached the bridge. In a few more hours Voyager would be in Earth orbit once more – if all went well. A palpable air of excitement pervaded the entire ship as the time of departure neared.
The turbolift doors opened and she stepped out onto the bridge. To her complete lack of surprise everyone was at his or her stations already. There was a slight difference on the bridge though in that both Dr Brahms and Lieutenant Commander LaForge were on the bridge over by the main engineering station waiting to monitor the interdimensional drive once it was activated. Down in engineering B'Elanna would be keeping an eye on the EPS system making sure that they didn't suffer any unexpected overloads – since the entire EPS system would be under much more strain than normal once the ID drive was activated.
"Chakotay are we ready to go," Janeway asked moving down to her command chair.
"Aye captain," Chakotay replied. "All systems are operational. We can leave as soon as the orbital station releases the birthing field and gives us departure clearance."
"Harry hail the station," Janeway ordered. "And request permission to depart."
"Aye captain." For a second there was a pause. "The Taelons have granted us departure clearance. They are deactivating the birthing field."
"Clear all moorings," Chakotay ordered. "And bring impulse engines on line."
"All moorings are clear," Lieutenant Commander LaForge said from the engineering bay. "Impulse engines are on line."
"Tom take us out one quarter impulse power," Janeway ordered.
"Aye captain," Tom replied as his knowledgeable hands danced across his console. With the faintest of shivers Voyager gently broke away from the space station orbiting Ya'sa'ra with small puffs from her ion manoeuvring thrusters. Then the impulse engines came on and Voyager rapidly accelerated until she was clear of the orbital station.
"Set course for home," Janeway ordered.
"Course already plotted captain," Tom replied with a smile he knew off by heart already what his captain's order was going to be. She'd given it to him enough times in the past. Janeway turned to where Lt Commander LaForge and Doctor Brahms were waiting at the engineering station.
"Bring the interdimensional drive on line." For a good couple of minutes the two busied themselves over the controls. Then there was a humm of power through the ship as the interdimensional drive came on line.
"ID drives on line," Geordie reported.
"Tom take us home," Janeway ordered.
"Aye captain," Tom said with a smile as he pressed the controls on his console. For a second nothing happened other than an up scaling whine that could be heard throughout the ship, then with a jolt Voyager jumped into interdimensional space. The whine died back down to the normal background humming of the ships systems as Voyager hurtled down a tunnel of shimmering, multicoloured light at speed that until just two weeks ago would have been unthinkable for a Federation ship.
*****
Observation DeckYa'sa'ra Orbital Station
Da'an and Liam Kincaid stood alone on the observation deck of the orbital station watching as Voyager pulled clear of the station, hovered in space for a few minutes then went interdimensional.
(They are finally on their way home,) Da'an said telepathically to Liam. (I am pleased that we were able to help them.)
(As am I,) Liam replied. (Has the Synod reached a decision on whether to go to Earth again yet or not.)
(Not yet. I hope that they do. I would so like to see Earth again.) Liam smiled slightly at the wistfulness in his old friend and mentors mental voice. Da'an had always loved Earth. Its beauty had never been lost upon him. Liam remembered frequently Da'an standing before the virtual glass windows in the Washington DC embassy just watching the city outside, sometimes he'd be watching the people, sometimes he'd been watching the weather, and other times he would just be admiring the view out over the city. Of course these days Washington probably wasn't like what it used to be. The Washington DC they'd known had been one of the first cities to be blown off the face of the Earth in the nuclear holocaust of the Third World War.
(Do not worry Da'an,) Liam assured his friend softly. (The doorway between the Human and Taelon worlds has been opened once again. And this time it will never be closed. Now both races are ready for an equal relationship.) Da'an looked curiously at the Kimera hybrid standing next to him.
(How can you be sure my friend,) Da'an asked his protégé not really expecting an answer. Liam could be very mysterious sometimes. It was due to his Kimera heritage combined with the mystical edge he'd inherited from his mother Siobhan Beckett.
(I feel it Da'an. This meeting was fated to happen Da'an. The circle has closed it is now time for Humans and Taelons to meet again and go foreword together – as equals.) Da'an nodded and didn't ask Liam to elaborate on his feeling. Over the centuries Da'an had learned to trust Liam's instincts – he had never really known them to be wrong.
(We should get back to work Liam,) he said finally. Liam looked one last time at the empty space where Voyager had been.
(Yes Da'an we should,) he said finally. With that the two old friends left the observations deck to return to their duties.
*****
U.S.S Voyager Four Hours Later
Cheers resounded around Voyager's bridge as they dropped out of interdimensional space to the sight of Earth filling the view screen. Discipline broke down but for once Tuvok paid it no mind as bridge crewmembers laughed, shook hands and hugged each other. Similar scenes were being played out throughout the ship as crewmembers saw Earth on their monitors or through view ports for the first time in years and for Neelix the first time in his life.
Finally after a few moments the euphoria of finally being home wore off and the crew pulled themselves back together. Then a faint hint of sadness gripped the crew for they all suddenly realised that this last flight into space dock was probably the last time they would all be together.
Up on the bridge the incoming signal chirp sounded from the operations console.
"We are being hailed by Starfleet Command captain," Harry Kim reported.
"On screen," Janeway ordered straightening up in her chair slightly. Beside her Chakotay did the same in the first officers seat. The view screen changed and pulled in the image of Admiral Alynna Nechayev – now advanced to head of Starfleet Command – appeared on the screen. From the looks of it she was in the – recently rebuilt – main Starfleet control room in San Francisco.
"Captain Janeway quiet a theatrical way to arrive," Admiral Nechayev said softly. "Welcome home."
"Thank you admiral," Janeway said.
"Tell me why do you have a very big hole in your primary hull?"
"It will all be in my report sir." Admiral Nechayev smiled slightly.
"I look forward to reading it," she answered. "In the meantime proceed to the main orbital fleet docking facility." On the screen Nechayev nodded to someone not in line with the screen. "I will contact you're families and the president to inform them of your return. Once more welcome home Voyager. Welcome home." With that Admiral Nechayev disappeared from the screen just as the turbolift doors opened and Admiral Paris accompanied by the Doctor, Lieutenant Torres and Neelix came onto the bridge.
"Tom you heard Admiral Nechayev put us on course for the main fleet docking facility," Janeway ordered.
"Aye captain," Tom responded engaging the impulse engines. As they moved towards one of eight massive space stations orbiting Earth nearly a dozen starships fell into escort formation around them forming a guard of honour for Voyager's short flight into the space station.
As the space station grew larger and larger on the view screen until it completely dominated space ahead of them Janeway leaned back in her chair and smiled. Chakotay sitting beside her put his hand on hers.
"Well Kathryn," he said softly. "You did it." Janeway smiled slightly and looked over at the big Indian who had been her rock for the last seven years.
"No Chakotay," she replied equally softly squeezing his hand gently. "We did it. We got our crew home." Chakotay did smile at that and gave her hand a squeeze back in return. Then they settled back to watch as Voyager passed through the massive space doors into the interior of the immense space station. It was good to be home.
That's the end of this particular story. The story continues in When Worlds Collide 2 coming soon.