Thanks to all of my wonderful reveiwers! I know that I promised longer chapters, but I only got this far before school started up again, and with exams in a week, I don't think that I'll get much writing done very soon. Hopefully, the story will pick back up again next chapter, but until then, enjoy this little interlude.
Janeway had been down in the Astrometrics lab for nearly three hours before she remembered that she had abandoned her guest quite abruptly back on the bridge. She jumped up from her station, quite forgetting her dignity as Captain, and rushed out to the turbolift.
She exited on the bridge and glanced about, not seeing the holographic visitor. Chakotay glanced up and waved her down to her seat.
She settled into her chair, fixing Chakotay with an inquiring gaze. "Where did that man O'Neill go? He's the only proof we have that we've traveled into the past!"
Chakotay looked surprised at the news. "Really? I thought there were temporal particles that accompanied any sort of time jump."
"Obviously not this one." Janeway pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed, glancing at the Commander from the corner of her eye. "You still haven't answered my question."
"Oh. He said he was going to go and talk things over with this friend of his. He seemed confident that he'd be able to help us, at least."
"But he will be back, right? We still need his help here."
"I'm pretty sure he will be. He didn't seem like the kind of guy to leave us hanging here."
Another flash of light interrupted their conversation, and the two stunned officers found themselves face-to-face with a very smug-looking and surprisingly non-holographic Jack O'Neill.
"I'm back!" He grinned cheekily, savoring their moment of confusion.
"How did you get here so quickly? It would take us at least two days to reach Earth!" Chakotay was confused – Earth didn't have that kind of technology in the 21st century.
"Oh, I got Thor to zip me over here. His ship is really fast. That's kind of what I've come here to talk to you about, anyway."
Janeway and Chakotay leaned in, eager to hear anything that might help them.
"I talked to my superior, and he gave me permission to give you the whole story. For a while, we were concerned that telling you guys about what it is we do would disrupt the time continuum or something, especially considering that Tom over here," he waved at the blonde pilot, "was positive that we didn't have the kind of technology necessary to project holographic images yet, but Carter explained that if something was going to happen with the timeline, it would have already, and she's pretty sure you're from an alternate reality instead - a really advanced alternate reality."
As the two officers tried to decipher his long-winded explanation, Jack took a breath and gathered his thoughts. "Listen, General Hammond - that's my boss, by the way – wanted me to bring you all down to our base so that your scientists could get together with our scientists, and we could all work this thing out together. And, as a bonus, on the way down to Earth, you can all meet the guy who made my presence here possible. How does that sound?"
Janeway looked around at the bridge crew for a moment before asking, "Are there any threats we should be aware of in this area?"
"No. Not right now, at least." Jack chuckled at the sight of their stern expressions. "If it makes you feel better, Thor can keep an eye out for any activity around here. He's got some of the best technology around, so I wouldn't worry about your ship out here, if that's what you're asking."
"Yes, that was exactly my concern. I think - if you're sure that Voyager will be safe out here - that we would very much like to join you on Earth."
Jack nodded, obviously pleased with her decision. "Get whoever you think you'll need and stand in a group right where I'm standing in about, say, ten minutes. Thor will transport you to his ship."
Janeway made a note of his position as she spoke, "Agreed. And Colonel O'Neill?" she glanced at him, "Thank you for your help."
"Ah, it's no problem. A friend in need is friend indeed! ... or something like that." And with that last strange remark, he disappeared in a familiar flash of light.
Janeway began issuing orders once more. "Chakotay, go find B'Elanna, Seven, and the Doctor. Explain the situation on your way back to the bridge."
He nodded once and headed towards the turbolift.
"Harry, Tuvok – compile as much data as we have on time travel and put it on several PADDs, one for each member of the crew that is coming to Earth. Tom, find a good place to hide the ship. When you're done, come and stand where O'Neill indicated."
A chorus of "Yes, Captains," came from each corner of the bridges and Janeway settled herself in her chair to wait out the ten minute warning period.
Eight minutes later, by her watch, everyone was assembled on the bridge, debriefed and waiting to go. She had arranged a skeleton crew for the bridge, should anything happen, and had placed Harry in charge, much to his chagrin.
"I'm sorry, Harry," she had said, feeling genuinely apologetic, "but I need most of the senior staff with me as technical advisors. I hope you understand."
He had nodded once, looking a little dejected. "I understand, Captain. I just wanted a chance to be on Earth again, even if it is the wrong century."
Janeway could understand that desire, but she had no time to console him before the crewmembers she had requested began pouring onto the bridge.
The senior staff was on their best professional behavior, but Janeway could tell that most of them were excited to be going back to Earth.
"Now remember," she reminded them, "We have the temporal prime directive to consider. They may think that we're from an alternate reality, but we still have to be careful. There's no need to lie, but don't offer up any information. Most importantly, don't share any of our technology. Just because they're more advanced than we would expect them to be doesn't mean that they're quite at the level we are. We can't risk contaminating their timeline any more than we already have."
Everyone mumbled their agreement with her statement but, despite the somber warning, they couldn't help grinning. After seven years (or more, in some cases), they were finally going home.