It was fourteen hundred hours when Tuvok alerted all hands that they were about to break orbit, and to prepare for entry into transwarp. Chakotay and Kathryn, after having a short nap with the children, left them in Gretchen's care and made their way to the bridge. Again, they were honored when the entire bridge crew rose to their feet, and all Kathryn could do was suppress an amused smile and say "At ease". She nodded to Tuvok, who surprised her when he and Tom rose from their chairs and gestured for her and Chakotay to take them.

"Oh, no Tuvok. We couldn't. It's been so long and I don't know anything about transwarp…"

"We won't be going to transwarp until we clear this system. Please, Captain. It would honor me if you and Commander Chakotay took your rightful place on this bridge."

"Well…all right. Thank you, Tuvok. But only until we leave the system."

"Of course." Tuvok turned to Tom. "Commander, the helm, if you would."

Tom's face all but lit up. "Of course, sir." Kathryn could swear he was almost gleeful when he relieved the helmsman. Tuvok took his former place at tactical, and privately pondered why it felt so right to be there. Harry moved from Tactical to Ops. Kathryn gazed around and had to fight the tears pricking at her eyelids. It was almost like old times.

Chakotay sat in his chair and wiggled around a little. "Still feels the same." He grinned at his wife. "Go on, Captain. It won't bite."

She gave him her patented Janeway glare, which of course didn't work anymore. His grin only grew wider. She ran her hand over the familiar contours of the captain's chair, relishing the feel of it after all these years. It was like an old friend to her. She eased herself into the chair, and she could feel herself connect with her ship once more. How had she been thinking of giving this up? She had only sat in the chair and all her old instincts sprang to life.

"Commander," She said, her voice confident and strong and every bit as commanding as it had been the last time she sat there. "Do all departments report ready?"

Chakotay's fingers flew over his console as if they had never left. "All departments report ready, Captain."

"Mr. Paris, prepare to break orbit. Lay in a course…" she glanced at Chakotay and smiled softly. "Lay in a course for home."

"Course laid in."

Kathryn gazed at the image on the viewscreen. The planet revolved slowly, and it looked so similar to Earth that it made her want to weep. But of course, it wasn't Earth. It wasn't home, not really. She felt Chakotay's hand slide on top of hers, and she turned to him with a grateful smile. She was sad, but she imagined that maybe he was a little sadder. He had raised their children on that world. He was truly saying good-bye to a home. She squeezed his hand. "Are you ready?" she whispered.

He turned now to look at New Earth. A small sigh escaped his lips. "Yes. Yes, I'm ready."

"Mr. Paris…Warp 4. Engage."

"Yes, ma'am." Tom said cheekily. Kathryn smiled.

She felt the familiar power of the warp engines coming to life through the decks. It was a feeling one never really forgot, no matter how long they were away from it. It was as if no time had passed at all. She and Chakotay were in their command chairs, right where it seemed they had always been.

The ship was seconds away from warp when the first shot was felt.

Voyager lurched with the blast, and sparks flew across the bridge. It had been years since any weapons fire had damaged the ship, and years since her crew had seen combat, but they immediately launched into action. Kathryn leapt from her chair, and Chakotay bellowed "Shields up, red alert!", while Tuvok began to compensate for the damage and Harry attempted to get sensor information on the ship which had fired.

"What happened? Who fired on us?" Kathryn shouted over the din. She coughed as she took in a whiff of smoke from an EPS conduit which had exploded. The shot had certainly been effective.

Harry's face paled and he looked up. "Five ships just de-cloaked off the port bow. The configuration has been updated, but they appear to be Viddian."

The silence on the bridge was punctuated only by the red alert klaxons. Then the ship was hit by another volley of firepower. "Evasive action! Target their weapons and shields!" Kathryn ordered. In the back of her mind she wondered if the children and her mother were all right, but she immediately shut that voice off. Now wasn't the time.

"Direct hit to the lead ship. No effect." Tuvok said.

"Initiate attack pattern Omega. Tom, try to get on the other side of those ships. See if you can use the planet's gravity against them."

"Aye, Captain."

Tom flew Voyager in a graceful arch around the Viddian ships, and Tuvok fired phasers and quantum torpedoes as he did. The last time the Viddians encountered Voyager, the ship had only been equipped with photon torpedoes. These Viddian ships, which seemed to be familiar with Voyager's systems, were unprepared for the force of the torpedoes and two of them immediately broke off their attacks. But the other three were still coming.

The fight continued, with the three Viddian ships pounding on Voyager, but with Voyager returning superior firepower. Tom evaded much of the weapons fire, and it seemed as if they were making headway, when all of a sudden three new ships came out of warp.

"Tuvok?" Kathryn shouted.

"The ships appear to be Kazon."

Chakotay felt as if he was going to lose his breakfast all over the bridge. He looked at his wife, and saw something rare in her eyes: fear. His children's faces flashed in his mind.

"We're being hailed." Harry said quietly.

"Captain, we must keep up the appearance that you are in command." Tuvok said suddenly and forcefully. "If these are Kazon we've met in the past, we can't let them have the advantage of knowing the events of the last seven years. If they know that you are unused to being in command, they would use that information against you, and against the entire crew and the ship."

"Agreed. Onscreen." Kathryn said.

The viewscreen flickered from the damage the ship had taken, then the picture coalesced into a face most of them had hoped never to see again.

"Hello, Chakotay."

TBC

Dun Dun Dunnnnn...