The responding mechanical voice was unfamiliar, reminding Admiral Paris that this was a Cardassian turned Bajoran station rather than Federation-built. "Captain Sisko is in the mess hall of USS Voyager."

Specifically, he was there in dress uniform perpendicular to Commander Chakotay in the previous generation thereof. Even a stickler like Owen Paris understood. Upgrading from the long shirt in division color except for black shoulders, to the gold-trimmed white coat, was understandably low amongst Voyager's priorities. Uniform rollouts throughout the fleet often took years even in normal times.

A Human lieutenant, Harry Kim according to Admiral Paris' memory of the personnel files, was minding the door. "We have visitors! Admiral on deck!"

"At ease before you hurt yourself. Now where's my son?"

"Over here with your daughter-in-law and grandson."

"Good to have you back, and in better shape than you left." His father was proud of him for something, after a lifetime of being dismissed for being not good enough!

"Looks like a very new grandson," Julia Paris said.

B'Elanna agreed. "Sure is. I've had a hell of a week even compared to my shipmates."

Tom's mother and sisters were not the only civilians who'd come aboard. John Torres promptly met the grandson named after him.

It was fairly obvious what was planned in this room, and the mother and sister of a notably absent individual took up positions not far inside the door. The tune the band started playing dispelled any lingering doubt. It had been played at Human weddings for over half a millennia. Wagner placed it in Lohengrin after the ceremony, but it had morphed into the most common selection for the bride's entrance music, an irony the Doctor had repeatedly pointed out during the preparations.

It was written for multiple female voices, hence the 'chorus' in 'Bridal Chorus', as the EMH had also said multiple times. He set himself to a higher pitch. The Doctor had become so much more than medical software, including an opera singer. Seven and Sofia Alighieri would be his vocal accompaniment, Harry would play with a blueshirt bassist, command division drummer and a fellow in yellow on the keys. Seven had not deassimilated the Borg ideal of perfection, and was one of many to see similarities between math and music. She was working on adding emotion to her superb technical proficiency.

Crewman Juliette Jurot was in non-Betazoid wedding attire this time. Ensigns Alighieri and Miller were amongst those who had not objected to such accidentally-on-purpose behavior. Nor did Seven of Nine, who had on occasion been Third of Three. Harry wished her experimentation hadn't had a relatively large sample size.

Kathryn had played dress up on the holodeck at times, and everyone was stunned by her doing so for real. This included the girl who had helped her with it; like her mentors, Naomi was learning to find no conflict between intellectual strengths and stereotypically feminine behavior. Seven had been offered the role, but countered that it was inefficient to serve as both maid of honor and one of the musicians. A toddler said something simple to which there was no disagreement. "Mommy so pretty!"

"My little girl's little girl," the elder Gretchen Janeway said.

Kathryn turned to the voice she hadn't heard in five years. What a big day to see each other again for the first time in half a decade! "Mother?" She then turned again. "Neelix, we have … some extremely welcome visitors …" Captain Janeway said as she daubed more happy tears. "Prepare enough refreshments to double what you already have out."

"Aye captain." Being a cook and relentlessly helpful, a wedding reception was a time to shine. He had been pleased to hear that Captain Sisko was an amateur chef. So much in this and so strongly seasoned, he'd pointed out.

Neelix did not need to get more alcohol; Martok had already supplemented the bar more than enough. So too had Jacques Richard, who intended to toast his son's safe return with one of Earth's finest vintages, the 2305 Chateau Picard. It had been a good decade for wine.

"This waited only because I could not much perform my own wedding. In Chakotay I found a caring and considerate man as well as a fine first officer. We were stranded on an away mission towards the end of our second year in the Delta Quadrant where it became clear how we felt about each other." His consideration and attention she had felt like returning, and that line had not been uncrossed. "After that, I was reminded that word travels fast on a small ship." Tom Paris had put the gossiping much less delicately. Oh shit, Chak got the captain knocked up. Harry had wondered if that was Tom having a dirty mind, but the truth had soon been evident.

"If this ship was the crew's body, then this room is not only its stomach but its soul. I could think of no better place for this ceremony. Many of our gatherings have been held here." Diplomatic receptions … No one wanted to think of the funerals, but them too. Janeway proceeded to provide a happier example. "The words Captain Sisko is about to say I've said here for Sofia and Sarah, later B'Elanna and Tom…"

Ben began to recite those words, and not the abridged version Ross had used for him and Kasidy. "Since the days of the first wooden vessels, all ship masters have had one happy privilege: that of uniting two people in the bonds of matrimony…"

"I was an angry man, not at peace with myself," Chakotay said. Even with full pardons for the ex-Maquis crew, he didn't wish to elaborate on what he had been doing. "Awed by her, serving with her, I found that peace. My sister wishes to perform a ceremony according to the customs of our people, but that is for later and this is now. I would not mind getting to marry Kathryn again." Sekaya was mollified by the promising mention. She understood that these were the ways of her new sister-in-law's people, and that this ceremony had needed to be arranged relatively quickly. She just hoped her brother wouldn't become further assimilated. She did not utter that word, knowing it was a curse to those who had faced down the Borg. She knew there were some things she did not know as a civilian, but Dorvan V had been exposed to some Cardassian horrors she didn't want to discuss, and not just because today was a happy day.

"Welcome to the club, Chakotay," Tom said. Earlier this week, the first officer had offered the helmsman similar congratulations upon becoming a father. The whole Federation would remember Miral's birthday but Chakotay and Kathryn's anniversary would at least remain in the hearts of the low three digits present.