Chapter Ten
Upon her return to Voyager, Janeway spent the next day and a half preparing her report to Starfleet. After transcribing her observations to secure files, she sent them via subspace to Starfleet Headquarters. Far more quickly than she expected, she received a call in her ready room on the Captain's Priority Channel from the Head of Starfleet and the Federation President. The Head of Starfleet, Fleet Admiral Tsubak said, "I personally briefed President Fenley on our first contact with the Jedi named Armis Rau as well as the reports from the captured hardware and its subsequent reverse engineering, so don't be afraid to speak your mind Kathryn."
President Fenley said, "I was most fascinated with Captain Picard's report as well as the reports from the captured hardware Admiral Janeway. When Admiral Tsubak briefed me that we had reestablished contact with Jedi Rau, I was eagerly waiting on your report. I've already called for a special session of the Federation Council to debate this matter and take a vote to formalize relations tomorrow morning. Having read your latest report now, I want your personal thoughts and feeling on this matter. Admiral Tsubak wasn't kidding when he said to speak your mind Admiral. So let's hear it."
Janeway took a breath and said, "We should definitely formalize relations as soon as possible Madam President. There is so much we could learn from each other. The medical, engineering, general technologies and trade benefits to both galaxies are phenomenal. For example, they have had faster than light travel for literally millennia; we've only had it for a little over two hundred years or so. They have vessels that are decades old, maybe even centuries and they're still perfectly serviceable. Captain Chakotay mentioned that we have a hard enough time just getting twenty years of service life from a front line starship. If we can learn how they can get so much service time from a vessel, the fiscal savings from introducing new classes of starships as often as we currently do, could be funneled into further explorations of our galaxy. Medically, the New Republic and Imperial Remnant have something called 'bacta'. From what little I've been able to read about it so far, it's some kind of benign bacteria that is harnessed for its medicinal properties. It's capable of faster healing and no scarring of almost all but an instantly fatal injury. Clearly, a more thorough fact-finding mission would net considerable results but those are the first ones that come to mind."
The President said, "What of their government? Can you tell me anything more than what your reports do?" Janeway said, "They use Representative Democracy just as we do but theirs is much, much larger and older, than ours." The President said, "I saw where your report mentions six million forms of communication and over one thousand member worlds in their Galactic Senate. That is something I would love to see for myself someday. At any rate, what else can you tell me Admiral?"
Janeway said, "For right now, without a first-hand account from an Ambassador of our own, I can't provide much more than I have. If you like, I'm sure a visual transmission could be arranged for you to speak with Jedi Rau directly." "That won't be necessary at this time thank you Admiral," the President said. She continued, "What can you tell me of the Jedi themselves Admiral?" Janeway said, "I'm not qualified to answer that Madam President as that I've only met two of them, Armis Rau himself and his friend and fellow Jedi Ryu Jayks. Armis himself is well spoken and humble. Ryu seems rather quiet and hesitant to speak unless he has something specific to say. According to Jedi Rau, Deanna Troi is Force Sensitive and has been offered the opportunity to train as a Jedi. Also, Captain Riker-Troi informs me that Jedi Jayks has a distant cousin by the name of Michelle Karú, a Chief Petty Officer on board the Titan. It seems that Jedi Ryu's father, a man named Ronin Jayks comes from earth originally and somehow traveled to that galaxy, lived, married, had a son and passed away."
The eyes of both faces on the viewscreen widened considerably at this information. Janeway continued, "As to whom our Ambassador should be, I truly believe Captain Picard would be the best choice and if the Federation Council votes to formalize relations, my official recommendation is that he should be allowed to do so. Also, as I mentioned in my report, Jedi Rau is of the same mind as me. In point of fact, it was his idea to begin with. I also recommend that if Deanna Troi and Michelle Karú choose to, they should both be allowed either early retirement or an extended sabbatical so that they can go and train as Jedi. Jedi Rau has already indicated that there are no doubt many more people in our galaxy that are Force Sensitive and could be trained though it will take several years before that becomes a reality. For more detailed information on the Jedi, an official representative from the Jedi Order would have to be sent to speak to the Federation Council."
The President said, "Thank you for your observations Admiral Janeway. Is there anything you would like to add in closing?" Janeway said, "The only other thing I can think of at this time is that Captain Picard's suggestion of offering to purchase the abandoned Cardassian space station Empak Nor be pursued for our use as a waypoint on our side of the rift between our galaxies. From what Commander Worf mentioned about the hardware and software difficulties with DS9, while it might make better sense to build a station from scratch, by being able to use Empak Nor, we benefit by having a fully built facility ready to go and if we put a full size detachment of the Starfleet Corp. of Engineers on station, we should be able to bring it fully online in a fraction of the time it took to get DS9 functional."
The President said, "Thank you again for your observations and report Admiral Janeway. I'll be in touch after the debate and vote. Good day." The President's image vanished leaving only Fleet Admiral Tsubak's on the screen. He said, "Do you think she'll endorse the alliance Kathryn?" She said, "I haven't the foggiest idea sir. Since you said for me to speak my mind, I think she'd be at least ten different kinds of xenophobic fool not to. I truly believe this to be the essence of a win-win scenario. Hopefully the Federation Council will see it the same way." Fleet Admiral Tsubak said, "I agree with you on all counts Kathryn. I'll do what I can on my end to help the alliance go through. Talk to you later then. Fleet Admiral Tsubak, out." Janeway sat back in her seat, with her fingers under her chin and turned to face out her viewport and ponder the stars for a time.
Meanwhile, back on the Titan, Michelle Karú contacted her family back on earth. Her parents came onscreen, "Michelle, what's wrong? Are you sure it's okay to speak to us directly like this? When the Starfleet Security detachment showed up on our doorstep, we feared the worst only to be brought to a secure communications room." Deanna Troi rotated the screen to face her as she sat on the Captain's side of his desk in the Captain's ready room. She introduced herself and said, "She has permission from Captain Riker-Troi so don't worry about it. Before I can let Michelle talk to you though, regulations require me to tell you that everything you are about to hear from Michelle is to be held in the strictest of confidence because it concerns matters that are quite literally of galactic interest." When both people onscreen said they understood completely, Deanna rotated the screen on the Captain's desk back to face Michelle. She said, "I just wanted to say that I've made a decision just recently, a big one, and I wanted you to know." Her mother said, "Know what dear?" Michelle said, "Do you remember what you told me about the Message? How it would make sense when the time came?" When her parents nodded yes, Michelle said, "The Message just became clear to me a few days ago. The inter-family legend isn't a legend anymore. It's true, all of it's true. I've met and spoken to my cousin Ryu Jayks. He's the son of great grandmother Elizabeth's younger brother who left earth in the 21st century and sent the capsule with the Message."
Both of Michelle's parents were visibly shocked by this news. Her father said, "Are you sure honey? I mean, how is that possible? The message is around three hundred years old." Michelle said, "I thought the exact same thing until Ryu activated the Message without asking for the code. He examined the capsule, opened the access panel and entered the code as if he had programmed it originally. Then he showed me the same message. It was stored in his droid's onboard memory. For Ryu, his father, is recent memory for him, distant legend to us. Evidently, time flows a little differently between his galaxy and ours. Anyway, he came aboard to give me this. It's mentioned in the legend somewhere too isn't it?" She held up the lightsaber to the viewscreen. Her parents' eyes widened again when they saw it.
Michelle said, "He also told me about the Force and offered to take me with him to be trained in its use. If I can do it, surely others of our family can as well. I'm going to go with him. I'm going to meet his family and train as a Jedi." Michelle's mother said, "What about Starfleet? Will they let you do that?" Michelle said, "Even if I have to resign, I'm going to do this. It just feels so, so . . . right that I do. I just wanted you to know my decision. I don't know how long I'll be gone, but I'll come back some day and then you can meet Ryu too, and his family." Her father said, "If you feel it's the right thing to do, then do it. Take this chance. Experience everything you can and come back to us when you're ready. We'll be here even if we have to leave our own 'Message' to do it. Never forget that we love you."
Michelle smiled and said, "I know you do. Pappa, take care of mamma and I'll be back someday. . . I promise."