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Kes woke with a start, sitting bolt upright, her heart pounding and her skin clammy with sweat.

'Computer, locate Captain Janeway…' she asked, pushing back the covers and struggling into her robe.

'Captain Janeway is on the Bridge…'

############

Janeway looked round as the turbolift door hissed open to see Kes step out onto the bridge, her hair still tousled from sleep.

'Kes?' Janeway asked, standing up as she walked over. 'Is everything alright?'

'…can I speak to you, Captain?' she asked and Janeway nodded.

'Of course. Mr Kim, you have the bridge…'

'Aye, Captain,' Kim said and Janeway lead Kes into her ready room, gesturing towards the couch and taking a seat opposite her.

'What's the matter, Kes?' she asked, kindly and Kes hesitated.

'I…had a dream. I saw…an explosion. There were…bodies burning…I saw myself, Commander Chakotay and Tuvok in the ruins of a city, talking about where you and Tom…died… it was just a dream, but it felt so real. I'm sorry…I shouldn't have bothered you…' she said and Janeway squeezed her hand gently.

'My door is always open to you, Kes…'

'…thank you, Captain. I'm alright,' she said, standing up '…I'll…just go back to bed…''…good night, Kes…'

############

'The time is 08:30 hours…' the computer announced and Kes rolled over with a groan, sitting up and rubbing at her eyes. Pushing back the covers, she headed for the sonic shower, emerging a few minutes later having changed into a dark blue minidress and grey leggings. Exiting her quarters, she made her way to sickbay where Dr Fitzgerald was already at work. Dark haired with a serious demeanour, he was standing next to the biobed where Ensign Nijishima was lying.

'Ah, Kes,' he said, without looking round. 'Please bring me the osteogenic stimulator…'

'Yes, Doctor,' Kes said, retrieving the case from storage and selecting the tool, running through it's diagnostics as she handed it to him.

'Thank you,' Fitzgerald said, activating the stimulator and moving it slowly over Nijishima's calf. 'This will regenerate the bone, but it will still take 24 hours to fully heal. I'm signing you off duty until then and recommending light duties for the next 12 hours…'

'That will not…' Nijishima began, but Fitzgerald cut him off.

'Doctor's orders, Ensign. Are we clear…?'

'…yes, Doctor…'

'Good. Kes, please prepare a dose of metaropan…'

'Yes, Doctor…'

'This will help with the pain and should let you get some rest,' Fitzgerald said, pressing the hypospray directly to his neck. 'I'd advise you to return to your quarters…'

'Yes, Doctor…' Nijishima replied, Kes helping him off the biobed and escorting him to the door.

'Will you be alright getting back to your quarters?'

'I'll be fine,' Nijishima said. 'Thank you…'

'Alright,' Kes said, watching him walk away before heading back into sickbay.

'I'm due in the conference room,' Fitzgerald said. 'Please continue to assist the Doctor with the crew physicals….'

'Yes, Doctor,' Kes said. 'Computer, activate Emergency Medical Holographic Programme…'

'Please state the nature of the medical emergency…'

'…there's no emergency, Doctor. Dr Fitzgerald asked me to assist you with the crew physicals…'

'…very well. Please prepare the requisite personnel files…'

'Yes, Doctor…'

############

'…nghnn…oh, what was that…?'

'What's wrong…?'

'…the pain…in my abdomen…it's different…sharp…oh, God…'

'The baby has shifted position and it's exocranial ridges have lodged in the uterine wall. This is a rare complication, but it's been known to happen in human-Katarian pregnancies…'

'Can we reposition the baby…?'

'No. It's spinal column is too fragile. I don't want to risk nerve damage. If we don't deliver the baby now, it's ridges could perforate the uterus and cause internal bleeding. Kes, prepare for a foetal transport…'

############

'…Kes? Kes, can you hear me…?'

Kes opened her eyes to find herself lying on the biobed with the Doctor, Dr Fitzgerald and Captain Janeway standing over her.

'Doctor…what…what happened…?' she asked, struggling to sit up. 'How's Ensign Wildman? Is the baby alright…?'

'You collapsed, Kes,' the Doctor said. 'While you were compiling the personnel files…'

'And…Ensign Wildman…?' she asked, the Doctor exchanging glances with Fitzgerald and Janeway.

'Ensign Wildman…isn't here, Kes,' Janeway said. 'And she isn't pregnant…'

'No,' Kes said, shaking her head as the Doctor opened his tricorder. 'She was in labour and the Doctor and I were helping her…'

'Your neural activity is elevated,' the Doctor said. 'I'll need to run some more tests…'

############

'You're losing, Tieran. Why won't you admit it?'

'I will admit that you surprised me. Who would imagine that such fierce determination existed in that deceptively frail body…'

'Don't continue to underestimate me. Release me or I'll force you out.'

'My dear, why should we be enemies? Why waste the energy on conflict when we could achieve so much more by co-operating?'

'You're contemptible, Tieran. I won't be any part of your plans…'

'You're already a part of them. You and I have killed together, remember. And you will continue to serve my will. You really have no choice. Wouldn't it be wiser to join me, to take advantage of all I have to offer. You may find you enjoy having power. I assure you, it is the finest aphrodisiac there is…'

'That may work with others, but it won't with me…'

'So, you insist on making this a battle. How foolish…'

'It's a battle that I intend to win…'

'Brave words. You've been an annoyance to me, nothing more…'

'I've been more to you than that and you know it. I've been fighting you with every bit of strength I have and it's wearing you down. You're becoming more unstable every day. The headaches alone are almost more than you can stand…'

'I've suffered pain all my life. It's going to take more than headaches to stop me…'

'I know all about your life. I know about your suffering. It doesn't justify what you've become. You're a monster, Tieran. And I have no compassion for you…'

'And I don't ask for any. What I need from you, I already have. Your body and your mind…'

'You may have my body, but you'll never have my mind. I won't surrender it….'

'Resist and try to fight me, but eventually, I will defeat you. I haven't existed for two centuries to be brought down by a child…'

'You're already deteriorating and it's only going to get worse. I'll find every little crack in your defences, you'll feel yourself crumbling from within, your sanity slipping away. I won't stop until you're broken and helpless. There's nowhere you can go to get away from me. I'll be relentless and merciless, just like you…'

'Tanis has shown me the next level. The psychokinetic manipulation of matter…'
'That is a large step for someone whose mental abilities are still undisciplined. Nevertheless, I am intrigued…'
'May I?
'Please…'
'He showed me how to use the fire in my mind…'
'Fascinating. However, I would advise caution in exploring this ability until you have mastered the…'
'I have to stop the fire. How do I stop the fire? Tuvok, Tuvok! Tell me what to do! Tuvok!'

'To be honest, I never want to see that part of myself again.'

'To which part are you referring?'

'To the part of me which got pleasure from destroying the plants in the airponics bay. To the part of me that was tempted to go with Tanis. I never realized I had such dark impulses.'

'Without the darkness, how would we recognize the light? Do not fear your negative thoughts. They are part of you. They are a part of every living being, even Vulcans.'

'You?'

'The Vulcan heart was forged out of barbarism and violence. We learned to control it, but it is still part of us. To pretend it does not exist is to create an opportunity for it to escape.'

'Wait till you taste this cake. Seven layers of Jibelian fudge, and the icing is made from pureed l'maki nuts, Kes's favourite…'
'Now make a wish and blow out the candles…'
'What do I wish for?'
'Anything your petit coeur desires, ma cherie. And with a figure like hers, she'll probably get it too…'
'Okay, I wish for…'
'Don't tell us! The wish has to be a secret if it's going to come true…'

'Kes, please listen to me. We think you're being affected by a swarm of space dwelling life forms. We're doing everything we can to get away from them. And when we do, you'll probably start feeling better… Are you saying that's not what's wrong with you? Kes, please let me come in. Tell me what it is. Maybe I can help…oh. Shhh. It's going to be all right. Now, tell me. What is happening to you?'

'Did the Doctor tell you he found something growing on my back?'
'Yes, a growth of some kind…'
'It's, it's the mitral sac. It's, it's where my child would grow. I'm going through the Elogium, the time of change, when, when my body prepares for fertilisation…'
'Humans go through the same kind of process. It's called puberty…'
'But I'm too young. Much too young. It usually happens between the ages of four and five. I'm not even two yet…'
'Listen to me. All your body's metabolic activity has increased. It's possible your reproductive processes are being accelerated as a result…'
'I'm not ready…'
'We're going to get you through this, Kes. The Doctor will monitor you constantly…'
'But you, you don't understand. The Elogium occurs only once. If I am ever going to have a child, it has to be now!'

'I've been thinking about everything that's been going on, and I know what I have to do. It's time for me to leave Voyager…'

'Oh, Kes.

'Something important is happening to me, and I want to explore it. But I can't stay here any longer. I'm a danger to all of you…'

'We're going to get to the bottom of this. The Doctor's already working on a new approach…'

'Everybody thinks that what's happening is a medical condition. That's not it at all. I'm going though a transformation. I don't know how or why, but every cell in my body is telling me that I'm changing into something more…'

'What if it's not true? What if you're simply being swept up in the excitement of something you think is happening, but it's not real? On the basis of a feeling, an intuition, you're asking me to let you go, quite likely forever? Kes, I just can't do that…'

'It's my decision. My fate. Would you really try to stop me?'

'No. But argue with you? Even plead with you to reconsider? Absolutely, for as long as it takes…'

'It won't work. Look at me, Captain. I'm the same Kes you've always known. I haven't lost my judgment. I'm not under some alien influence. I believe something crucial is happening to me and I want to see it through…'

'You've lived most of your life here. Voyager has been your home. And you've been a vital part of this family. Oh, I'm going to miss you…'

'Lieutenant Stammets. Welcome to Starbase 1...'

'I was ordered to come here, Commander. During a crucial stage of my research, by the way...'

'I apologise for the inconvenience, Lieutenant. Please, follow me. I'll explain everything in my office...'

'This is the USS Discovery. She was found adrift nearly two months ago. She's equipped with an experimental drive system that uses the spores of the fungus prototaxites stellaviatori to enter a subspace dimension known as the Mycelial Network...'

'I don't see what this has to do with me…'

'Discovery's manifest lists you as a member of her crew. We also have security footage that shows you onboard...'

'That's not possible...'

'We... have a theory that Discovery comes from an...alternate timeline. We were hoping that you would be able to help confirm, or reject, that possibility by giving us your insights into the Spore Drive's operation...'

'...alright. I'll take a look, but I can't promise anything...'

'Lieutenant Stammets, what did you mean when you said that you know what happened...?'

'The events that I was talking about...the return to Terralysium...the jump to Pahvo...The Doctor thinks that they were caused by heightened neurological activity, but they feel more like...memories. Or...ghosts of memories. Commander, your theory about Discovery being from an alternate reality is correct...'

'That...seems...unlikely...'

'I think I can prove it. Commander Musiker, check Discovery's logs for missions to Pahvo or Terralysium...'

'...Computer, are there any files in Discovery's logs with references to Terralysium or Pahvo…?'

'Working. Affirmative. 237 files identified that meet the requested criteria...'

'See…?'

'Assuming we accept this, how do you explain these...memories...?'

'If I was Discovery's navigator, it's possible that exposure to the spores has triggered some form of...genetic memories...'

'...alright. Lieutenant Stammets, thank you for your help. You're to remain in Sickbay until Dr Yoneda is satisfied to release you. Regardless, everything discussed here today is classified. Is that understood...?'

'Yes, Admiral...'

'Good. Commander, follow me...'

'Yes, Admiral…'

'...how do you explain this, Commander…?'

'It appears that Discovery was being used as a bridge to provide access to the Mycelial Network for prolonged interstellar travel. It's possible that this caused the network to destabilise...'

'And that's what caused Discovery's appearance...?'

'There...may be more to it than that. If the Mycelial Network connects to alternate realities, there's no reason to assume that that damage would be contained to just one...'

'What are you saying, Commander...?'

'...I'm...not sure, sir. Theoretically, it's possible that the aftermath of the collapse may have resulted in the creation of an entirely new reality. It would explain the conflicting logs from Discovery and Stammets' unreal memories...'

############

'Captain, she's coming round,' Kes heard the Doctor say and she struggled to open her eyes, finding herself again lying on the biobed.

'What…what happened…?'

'You collapsed again,' the Doctor said, consulting his tricorder as Janeway appeared next to him. 'Your neurological levels became elevated, but they seem to be returning to normal. It was almost like your brain was in a heightened state of awareness…'

'I…I saw…flashes of memories…at least they felt like memories, like I was remembering something that I'd forgotten. I saw…myself hurting Tuvok, his blood…boiling…my Elogium…my body changing as my powers grew…I was becoming something else, something more…'

'Those things…never happened, Kes,' Janeway said, gently…'

'Yes, they did,' Kes replied, her voice trembling. 'I remember…another life. Voyager was trapped in the Delta Quadrant after the Caretaker…died…my powers were growing…I was becoming…non-corporeal…I heard a woman, Commander Musiker, talking about something called…Discovery and…a new reality…Captain, what's happening…?'

'This may simply be your body's reaction to space travel,' the Doctor said. 'What you saw may be a side effect. I'll need to keep you in for observation…'

'These weren't…these…memories…feel…felt so real. Captain…do you think what I saw, could those things have happened…?'

'I don't know, Kes,' Janeway said. 'I think it's much more like that the Doctor's diagnosis is correct. However, I'll see if I can locate this Commander Musiker and find out if she knows anything…'

'…thank you, Captain…'

############

'Commander Musiker here, Captain. How can I help you…?'

'Do you know anything about a vessel named…Discovery…?'

'Where…did you hear that name…?'

'One of my crew has been experiencing…visions of what she describes as a…previous existence. She believes that Discovery is connected to what she saw…'

'…Captain, what I'm about to tell you is classified…'

'…I understand…'

'USS Discovery is equipped with…an experimental drive system, the misuse of which may have affected reality at a fundamental level. Apart from yourself and your crew member, how many people are aware of what she…experienced…?'

'Only my Medical Officers…'

'…alright. It is my duty to inform you that any information pertaining to Discovery is classified under Starfleet Directive 145.9 and is to be discussed with no-one else. I'll need to brief Admiral Ross and then I imagine he'll be in contact with you…'

'…I understand. Thank you, Commander…'

############

'Kes…' Janeway said, gently. 'Commander Musiker has…reason to believe that your recent experiences may be…what you say they are…'

'What does that mean?' Dr Fitzgerald asked.

'There…is evidence to suggest that reality itself may have been altered, resulting in the creation of a new timeline…'

'…right…okay…'

'Officially, this matter is classified and not to be discussed with anyone, under any circumstances. That being said, this is…a lot to process and no-one should hesitate to speak to me in private if they need to. I'm expecting Admiral Ross to contact me soon, so I hope to have some more information then. Dismissed…'

'…aye, Captain,' Fitzgerald said, heading back to his office, Janeway turning back to Kes.

'…are you alright, Captain…?'

'…I…don't know, Kes. This all feels…too big to deal with right now. Try to get some rest. I'll let you know as soon as I hear from Admiral Ross…'

##########

'Bridge to Janeway…'

'Go ahead, Mr Kim,' Janeway said, putting down the engineering shift report that she'd been reading.'

'Captain, you have a priority transmission from Admiral Ross on subspace…'

'Put it through, Ensign,' Janeway said, turning her terminal towards her, Admiral Ross appearing on the screen.

'Good afternoon, Admiral…'

'I've received a report from Starfleet Intelligence about what your crew member has experienced. I'm sending Commander Musiker to interview her about what she remembers…'

'…I understand, Admiral…'

##########

'How are you feeling, Kes?' Janeway asked, as she sat down next to her on the couch in her quarters.

'I'm…alright. There are…so many memories, some…painful and some full of joy. I don't… know which hurt more…'

Kes' voice faltered and Janeway drew her into a hug, stroking her hair soothingly as Kes clung to her fiercely.

'We're going to help you through this, Kes,' she said, rubbing her hand along her back. 'Commander Musiker will be arriving in a few days to ask you some questions about what you remember. Whatever happens, you won't have to deal with this alone…'

'…thank you, Captain…'

Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. Any reviews, comments or constructive criticisms are very welcome.