Chapter 6~ Contact
Over the last few months. Voyager had managed to update all ships in the fleet using the technology he had. But as he cruised at warp seven. He had taped into an abandoned sensor network and had managed to detect a Federation ship in the alpha quadrant. He relayed the image of the ship to Tempest, thinking maybe he knew something. But Voyager suspected that if he didn't know, no one with him knew. Tempest frowned as he examined the image. "He's familiar certainly. I've seen him once or twice in the "Thruster's Aweigh" before his commissioning ceremony." "He looks similar to Voyager." Proxima commented. "Well that is because I am one of the newer species, its likely he is bred using the advances that Intrepid and I have." "I've forgotten his class but he's certainly brand new. He's probably your age now Voyager." "Hmm? Intrepid? He is a few months older. This new ship must be at least a year of age. But, it is incredibly exciting to see this ship." "We should find a way to contact him. Everyone back home probably thinks we're dead." "I have been trying. I haven't had any luck. The message I send just degrades and is sent back at me." "What about that insufferable anomaly you carry?" Val pointed. "What anomaly? Oh I know. I could send my Medical Hologram, a holographic system wouldn't degrade as quickly." "That could work." "I only have 8 minutes before that ship goes out of range of the sensor net I am using." He said working quickly and using the net work to send the hologram to the new ship. "Now we wait."
Back in the alpha quadrant, Prometheus managed to free herself from the romulans and was joined by Enterprise along with the Akira and two defiant class ships that came to help her. The doctor told enterprise and Starfleet command everything that Voyager had gone through in the last four years, including the ships he was joined by, which naturally included Val Jean, the ship he was supposed to bring back. But Tempest, Proxima, Challenger, and Crusader were with him. "You are not alone anymore Voyager." Enterprise told the doctor. "I can't believe he is still alive. And with Tempest and other federation ships as well." Prometheus smiled. "What are you going to do to help them?" A Defiant class asked. "Everything I can." She replied.
He nodded, and over the next few days, Starfleet compiled a letter from everyone's family and friends before sending them and the doctor back, one message was particularly troubling, and it was from an arrested Maquis stating that during the war with the Dominion. The Cardassians and their allies slaughtered the Maquis. Val and her crew were the among the last besides those few humans that were in a federation prison. Tempest was reluctant to give it to her. In private he share the news with Voyager. "I don't think I should tell her." "And what happens if she finds out we withheld it from her." "We need everyone at a hundred percent now Voyager. This kind of news could break her, send her into a depression that'll take weeks if not months to emerge from." "I suppose. I just don't feel right about lying to anyone." "I know and if you want to tell her you may. I won't order you not to." Voyager sighed. "I get your concerns. But I honestly believe that she should know." "Then you tell her." "I intend to." He said and headed over to the small raider. "Val There is letters for you and your crew as well. Tempest was concerned about letting you see them, but I felt you deserve to know." He said and uploaded them to her computer core. Her eyes widened as she read. "No, n-no." She whimpered, tears filling her eyes. "Voyager it's not true! Please, tell me it isn't true!" She begged. Voyager didn't reply, at least not right away. "Val I am sorry." She wailed, leaning into his hull as her own shook with her sobs. He let her do so, just staying quiet. She clung to him, desperate for the contact. "It'll be okay. I am here for you." "T-Thank you Voyager..."
Voyager cruised at impulse with the rest of the fleet. He had been spending a lot more time with Val after she had learned of her friends fates. Proxima remained at the center of the formation, while Abbe, Challenger, and Tempest took up positions around her and Voyager. Val, for her part never left Voyager's side for long. Even in the brief times they had where they stopped and rested, Val could be found snuggled tight into the starship's side with him curled around her. The light cruiser sighed as he watched her. "Are you okay?" She responded with a purr, the happiest Voyager had heard from her in weeks. "Well you seem a lot more cheerful then the last few days." He smiled. "Thanks to you." She replied, licking his cheek. "Me? What have I done?" "You haven't just saved my life. You've saved my soul." She murmured. "I owe you everything Voyager." "I just told you the truth. Val." "You did more than that. You showed you trusted me with it. That's something no Federation ship has ever done." He smiled and leaned over to nuzzle the smaller ship. "I never did know how many ships did the Maquis have?" "Thousands." She replied, leaning into the nuzzle. "We could've rivaled you in numbers. But the Cardassians were better armed, better trained and better supplied." She sighed. "Thousands? That is a lot of ships, probably more then The Federation, Klingon and Romunlan fleets combined. But we do have a lot more actual starships."
