Disclaimer: Sadly we do not own any of the Voyager characters, ships, plots or universe. They belong to Paramount.

Summary: After a year of being home, Voyager's scattered crew gathers together for one last battle~ but it's not the jolly reunion one might expect… Janeway, Chakotay, Tuvok, Tom, B'Elanna, Harry, Seven, Celes…and some new characters. Enjoy!

Past Re-Visited

By Erin and Rebecca

Chapter 23:

The USS Voyager

Some viewed Reginald Barclay's fixation with the journey of Voyager over the years as admirable dedication. Others called it obsession. But whatever it was, Janeway was glad for it.

            Since the beginning of their voyage, Barclay and his team of researchers had been slowly developing ways to duplicate the technology of the array that banished Voyager to the Delta Quadrant. Reg's early communication models between them were just blueprints compared to their desired result. The process had been slow, and Starfleet had threatened to shut his team down several times when results were not produced. But when Voyager finally came home, development skyrocketed and the project sprang to life. Diagnostics of the hardware revealed a plethora of signatures and data that multiplied their efforts. And after Voyager had been decommissioned and stripped down, it was docked at Barclay's outpost at the edge of sector 001, a fact known by a very select group of people, in the hopes that they could finish their own array. The project was so secret in fact, that Reg and a few key members in the upper ranks weren't even permitted to leave the station. And Janeway was one of only six other officers outside of the team who knew anything about it.

            "You know that you and I are both facing a court marshal when this is through," Barclay said, nervously punching his access codes into the docking panel." Janeway stood behind him, but didn't respond. "Lieutenant Barclay, Reginald. Authorization Beta 3-2-1-9," he said aloud.

            "Authorization confirmed," the giant bay doors were opened and they stepped out onto the observation deck.

            Kathryn was surprised by how the sight affected her. It had been months since she'd been this close, and she'd lived with the knowledge that is should have been longer. The Athena was a fine ship indeed, but it was nothing compared to the sight she now beheld. Docked before her, gleaming amidst the clutter of space walkers, access chutes and repair equipment…was the USS Voyager.

            "Reg…" she whispered.

            Reggie couldn't help but grin, "She looks pretty good huh?"

            "She looks brand new." Janeway was right. Seven years worth of wear and tear on the deck plating had vanished, and the vibrant blue necels glowed magnificently against the blackness of space…beacons in the night. Kathryn kept her eyes on her ship as they walked down the empty observation deck to the crew access tunnels stretching across the rectangular bay. As they traveled several more corridors, each one bringing them closer to the hull, Janeway's stomach tightened like a schoolgirl's on her first date. She'd soon be inside Voyager again. Commanding the ship that had changed so many lives…and would now do so again. Suddenly, she felt something that had been missing since her crew was lost…It was confidence. And it felt good.

            New angles and details came into view and Janeway noticed an addition to the port side near the impulse engines. "That's the coaxial emitter?"

            "Yes Ma'am," Barclay swept his hand down the walkway's pane in presentation, "Commander LaForge's own design."

            Janeway was too distracted by her ship and its new hardware to notice Barclay's name-dropping and simply nodded. "And it will keep Voyager linked to the array's signature?"

            "Barclay hesitated before answering, fear trickling back into his voice as he finally did so. "In theory."

            Janeway turned and glowered as he continued, "You've seen the reports. We've had successful tests across the Alpha Quadrant and a few into the Beta Quadrant. But Captain-"

            "Then it works," she said resolutely.

            Barclay sighed. He tried again, "Captain, you have to understand those are circumstances during which the variable were controlled. This whole mission is dependent upon you finding Suspiria and your crew with absolutely no guarantee you won't get harmed in the process. If that thing is even nicked-"

            "Reg, we went through this last night. It's the only option."

            "No, we never finished this last night. Look, why don't we just hold off…contact Starfleet-"

            "No! Lieutenant for the last time-"

            "Kathryn!" he grasped her shoulders.

            For a long while, they remained locked in a stand still. And then Janeway dropped her guard with a heavy sigh, "Reg, you and I both know that Starfleet will look at this as a failure in diplomatic relations and my crew…its casualties. Efforts and resources will not be spared again to bring them home especially since this time, there is no ship to salvage along with them." Barclay looked down, unwilling to hear his own cynicisms of a bureaucratic Starfleet confirmed by her voice…but she was of course, right. "Besides," she added quietly, "this is my crew…my ship…and my fault. I'm going to find them Reg and you're going to help me."

            Reggie released her shoulder and nodded, an almost approving grin on his face replacing his anxiety. He straightened up and opened the airlock connecting the walkway with the ship. "Good luck Captain."

            Janeway let out a grateful sigh and smiled. "Thank you. The Doctor's already aboard?"

            "Transferred him this morning. He's on the bridge."

            Janeway took a deep breath and extended her hand, "Then let's go to work."

            Barclay clasped on, as if for the last time, and shook, perhaps a bit harder than he'd intended as a bit of his old nervous jitters resurfaced. "See you soon."

            With that, Janeway stepped aboard and watched as the hatch closed behind her. She was home.

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