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Hearts Astray

Chapter 18

It was well passed midnight when The Doctor discharged Kathryn from sickbay, but, despite the late hour, the first thing she did was call a senior staff meeting. They all arrived promptly, except Tuvok who was commanding the bridge, and as soon as they were all seated, Kathryn addressed them.

"Thank you all for coming so quickly, especially at this late hour. I know you all have work to do, or sleep to catch up on, so I won't waste time on small talk. I've called you here because I want to hear all your thoughts on this anomaly. This is the third time in a year that we have encountered an anomaly of this type, and each time it has struck us. The first time, according to Commander Chakotay, it shattered Voyager into different time-frames. In that out-of-time experience that we can't remember, we helped him to put Voyager back into temporal alignment. Four months ago, a similar anomaly struck us, but our deflector dish self-activated at the exact moment of the strike and deflected it. None of us knows how or why the deflector dish self-activated, but we conclude, especially because I was plagued by strange dreams that night, it was due to another out-of-time experience. Now, today...or yesterday rather as it's passed midnight...we've been struck again. Not once, but twice. Our deflector dish caught the first strike, but the second hit us and sent me into temporal chaos. Chakotay was also at the scene of the strike, which was my quarters, and recalls an out-of-time experience. In this experience, he recalls I told him I believe the anomaly to be intelligent and trying to communicate with us. My feeling, and his, is that the anomaly is indeed intelligent and trying to communicate with us. The question is, what is it trying to say?"

Tom was the first to respond. "I don't think it's trying to say anything, Captain. I was just kidding earlier when I said it might be intelligent. I think these anomalies are just temporal phenomenon that are common in this region of space. We may run into a million before we're through."

"I hope not," Harry joked, "or we'll be doing nothing but fixing the deflector dish."

"Our situation is hardly a joke," Seven said. "We are in serious trouble. If the anomaly is hostile, it may destroy us any moment."

"Then give us some background info, Seven," Harry retaliated. "You always know so much about everything. Tell us what these anomalies are."

"I cannot," she answered. "I did not assimilate knowledge of these lifeforms as a drone."

"Lifeforms?" The Doctor asked. "Does that mean you believe they are intelligent too?"

"I am of that opinion," she replied. "But it is merely an opinion. In fact, I believe this anomaly is the same anomaly that struck us before."

Kathryn spoke now. "That it is haunting us? I've thought that too."

"But it looks completely different to the other two," Tom argued. "Well, maybe not completely, but it's certainly a different color. The first was pink, the second was a rainbow of colors, and this one is green."

"Appearances can be deceptive," Kathryn replied. "Who's to say it doesn't change colors regularly?"

Just as she spoke, the green light of the anomaly changed red. They all turned to the windows, through which the anomaly could be seen, and saw that it was now ruby.

"Wow," B'Elanna exclaimed. "It heard us and changed! It must be listening to everything we say!"

Harry glanced at Tom. "Still say its not intelligent?"

The anomaly then changed into the anomaly they had first encountered, then into the second, and then back into the third.

"It is the same anomaly," The Doctor cried. "And it is trying to communicate. I knew it was up to something when it struck the Captain, I just knew it. Why strike her of all people?"

Now a swirl appeared on the edge of the anomaly, a rippling circle like a whirlpool, and then it changed into a wormhole.

"Another wormhole," Harry exclaimed. "You must have been right, Tom, even if you were joking. It wants us to go in."

"But why?" Seven asked. "Where can it possibly take us?"

Suddenly, Tuvok spoke over the comm. "Our systems have all come online, Captain."

"Acknowledged," she said.

"Shall we flee?"

"No. But standby to make a sharp exit at my command."

"Yes, Captain."

As the connection terminated, Kathryn spoke. "I think you are right, Harry. The anomaly wants us to enter the wormhole. And I think the reason it wants us to enter is because it wants to take us home."

"With all due respect," Tom said, "that's a hell of an assumption. What makes you think it?"

"Something Chakotay said," she replied. "He told me that I had told him in this out-of-time experience, that the anomaly took me somewhere I wanted to be. That's what it was trying to tell me, that's what it's been trying to tell us, that it can take us where we want to be. Where we want to be is Earth."

Tom turned to Chakotay. "You've said nothing so far, Chakotay. What do you think?"

"I agree with the Captain," he answered. "I think the anomaly is trying to help us. I think it's been trying to help us for some time. That would explain why it struck me the first time, and the Captain subsequently. It may have initially thought I'm in charge of Voyager."

"I can see the logic in that," Seven said, "but I share Mr Paris's skepticism. If the anomaly is trying to help us, not destroy us, why did it time-fracture Voyager?"

"I don't know," Chakotay answered, "But I've given it a lot of thought over the passed few hours, and I think it's just been trying to tell us something. By time-fracturing Voyager, we learnt it is a temporal anomaly. By taking the Captain to a place she wanted to be, it told us it can take us where we want to be. This anomaly clearly has the power to manipulate space and time and I fully believe it is capable of taking us home."

"But it's so...disorganized," Tom said. "Don't get me wrong, I'd love to believe it can do what you're saying, but why not try a more direct approach?"

Kathryn spoke. "How more direct can you get, Tom, than a bolt out of the blue? Chakotay's right. This anomaly has been trying to help us for a while, but we misunderstood its signals. That's not our fault. We didn't know it was giving any. But we know now. And now that we know what it's been trying to say, the question is do we trust it? Do we fly Voyager into that wormhole?"

"I say we do," Harry said.

"And me," B'Elanna agreed. "I know it's a risk, but we've taken worse."

"Like when?" Tom asked. "I can't believe you're considering this, B'Elanna. Think of Miral."

"I am," she argued. "How can you say I'm not? That wormhole's a way to a better life for her!"

"In where, Stovokor? Because that's where she might end up if we go into that thing! I say we forget about this, Captain, and get the hell away from this anomaly while we still have the chance."

"I concur," Seven said. "Even if the anomaly is trying to help us, its help cannot be depended upon. If we take Voyager into that wormhole, we may be destroyed or deposited anywhere in the universe. The anomaly seems to me infantile. Its attempts at communicating are immature and ineffective, to say the least, and if it has been trying to help us, its attempts have been haphazard. I say we do not trust it with the lives of our crew."

"How can you say it has been ineffective in communicating?" B'Elanna asked. "We've got the message, haven't we? How would you communicate if you were one of these anomalies?"

"I have a question," The Doctor stated. "If the anomaly has been trying to help us for months, the first attempt being when it struck us first, how did it know we needed help?"

"Good question," Tom said. "I really think we're building this anomaly into something it isn't."

Chakotay spoke. "Maybe it learnt everything it needed to know when Voyager was time-fractured. Or maybe we had a previous encounter with the anomaly that none of us can remember."

"That's the most likely explanation," Kathryn said. "Sometime before that first strike, we must have encountered the anomaly in what is now an out-of-time experience. It learnt then that we're trying to get home and it's followed us because it wants to help us."

"We have to trust it," Harry declared. "We have to. We've waited seven years for a chance like this."

"But what if it's a trap? Tom cried. "What if its just trying to fish us in?"

"For what reason?" B'Elanna asked. "Besides, if it wanted us it could get us."

"Well, it's done a good job at trying. If it's friendly, why mess with our systems and sensors?"

"To communicate," B'Elanna argued, "that's all. By disabling our systems, and then enabling them, we get to know what it wants. Like we know now that it wants us to go into the wormhole because its made our systems come online again. It hasn't harmed Voyager, at least not majorly. There's nothing wrong with our sensors. I've been working on them all night and can find nothing wrong. They just keep shutting down. I think because the anomaly doesn't want us to leave until we've got its message."

"I agree," Kathryn said. "I don't believe we have anything to fear from this anomaly. I believe it's a friendly lifeform that is just trying to help us. My gut instinct is that we trust it, that we fly Voyager into that wormhole. But I won't make an alone decision this time. I don't regret destroying the array to save the Ocampa, but I do regret making that decision alone. We'll only fly Voyager into that wormhole if everyone in this room agrees that its a risk worth taking."

"Then we may aswell just turn our backs and run," Harry cried, "because there's no way Tom and Seven are going to agree to it!"

"I think it should be a majority decision," B'Elanna said. "That's fairer."

"Ok," Kathryn conceded. "We'll vote on the decision process. Hands up all in favor of acting on a majority decision."

Everyone raised their hands.

"Then the majority vote will swing it," she declared. "So, hands up all in favor of taking Voyager into that wormhole."

B'Elanna, Harry, Chakotay and herself raised their hands, but Tom, Seven and The Doctor did not.

"Then we have a majority of one," Kathryn concluded. "Let's put it to a second vote. If any of you want to change your mind, now's your chance. Put up your hand if you are in favor of us taking Voyager into the wormhole."

The same hands went up, but this time Tom added his. "I don't want this to divide us, B'Elanna," he said. "Your decision is my decision."

B'Elanna smiled gratefully at that. "Thanks, Tom."

Then Seven also put up her hand. "I too will support this decision, despite my reservations, as I trust your judgment, Captain."

At this, The Doctor sighed and raised his hand. "Far be it from me to be the black sheep. But, if we end up in the belly of some astronomical beast, don't say I didn't warn you."

Kathryn smiled. "Your reservations are noted, Doctor." She then looked at her senior staff with moist eyes. "A full house in favor. Looks like we have a journey to prepare for."

"The trip of our lives," Harry smiled. "The one that will take us home."

"No," B'Elanna argued. "The trip of our lives is the one we've been on for the last seven years. Nothing will ever compare to it. And I'm glad of it, Captain. I'm glad we got stranded."

"Me too," Tom said. "Whatever happens, I'm not sorry. These years have been the best of my life."

"And of mine," Seven added. "I'm glad you did not return me to the Borg, Captain. I'm glad I had the chance to recover my humanity and share this journey with you."

"So are we all," The Doctor said. "You have been a great asset to this crew, Seven, and I am proud to call you a friend."

Harry spoke now. "I could also say I'm glad for the last seven years, but I won't because this is starting to sound like final curtain farewells."

"Nothing wrong with some sentimental reflection," Kathryn smiled. "But there'll be plenty of time for that when we get home. So, let's get ourselves there. Doctor, you return to sickbay, just incase we have casualties. Seven, return to astrometrics and chart our position as best as you can in the space we end up in. We may not end up on Earth's doorstep. B'Elanna, go to engineering. We need our Chief Engineer there incase of an emergency. The rest of us, to the bridge. Once we're all at our stations, I'll make an announcement to the crew. Then we'll power up engines and make our bid for home."

In less than twenty minutes, all was set for their trip. All systems were operational, including sensors, and Voyager was ready to fly. From her seat on the bridge, Kathryn told the crew what was happening, and then gave Tom the command to fly Voyager into the wormhole. On the viewscreen before her, the green wormhole swirled rapidly, and grew bigger and bigger as they got closer to it.

"Distance to the wormhole, Mr Paris?" she asked.

"3,000 kilometers," he answered.

Suddenly, the wormhole flashed orange and then changed into an array of colors.

"What's happening?" Harry asked in concern.

"I think it's welcoming us," Kathryn answered. "Maintain course, Mr Paris."

Voyager reached the edges of the anomaly now and the ship began to shake from turbulence.

"We're almost there," Tom said. "300 kilometers."

"Maintain course," Kathryn said, gripping the sides of her chair as they were jostled about.

"Now we're going in," Tom announced. "Four, three, two...we're in!"

All went black on the viewscreen and then extreme turbulence began.

"Shields are down 10%," Tuvok cried. "20%"

"We are losing structural integrity," Harry yelled. "Damage to five decks...six..."

Voyager seemed to be ripping apart at the seams, cracking up under the pressure, and smoke filled the bridge.

"Shields down to 40%" Tuvok cried, trying to keep himself upright. "30%"

A violent jolt sent Kathryn flying from her chair, but she picked herself up and climbed back into it.

"How much further, Tom?" she cried, unsure if Voyager could take much more pressure.

"I don't know," he cried. "We're flying blindly!"

Then the turbulence eased and green light filled the viewscreen.

"We're through!" Tom cried.

The light faded as they flew out of the anomaly into black space, and then all was still. Kathryn got to her feet and span towards Harry.

"Our position, Mr Kim."

"I'm trying to get a reading," he said. "Our systems are damaged." He worked the console, every second seeming like an eternity to the waiting bridge crew. Then he spoke the words they'd waited seven years to hear. "The Alpha Quadrant. Approximately one light year from Earth."

For a moment, no one spoke, no one moved, and then a murmur of excitement filled the bridge.

"Are you certain?" Kathryn asked, hardly daring to believe it.

"Yes, Ma'am," he smiled. "We're home."

Tears filled Kathryn's eyes and she saw them brim in Chakotay's eyes too. After seven long years, they had done it. They had got their crew home.

"The anomaly," Tuvok declared. "It has gone."

"It has," Tom confirmed. "There's no sign of it."

"Too bad," Harry said. "We never got to say thank you. Not that we could have exactly, but you know what I mean."

"I do," Kathryn replied quietly. "But it knew. I'm sure it knew our gratitude."

Suddenly, there was a bleep.

"We have an incoming transmission," Tuvok said. "Starfleet Command."

Kathryn turned back to the viewscreen. "On screen."

Immediately, the face of an elderly male Admiral appeared before her. "This is Admiral Bryan Maine speaking to you from Planet Earth. We have detected your arrival in this sector following a temporal rift. We are unable to identify your ship. Please identify yourself and your ship."

"I'm Captain Kathryn Janeway," Kathryn answered, "and our ship is Voyager. We've been stranded in the Delta Quadrant for seven years, but I'm sure you know all about that. The temporal rift was a wormhole we used to get back."

"I have never heard of you or your ship," the man replied. "What year are you from?"

"2378," Kathryn said. "We got stranded in 2371."

"Then that explains it. This is 2370."

Kathryn's stomach sank and she was silent for a moment. Then she found her voice. "2370?"

"That is correct, Captain. Stardate 47995.3."

Kathryn glanced at Tom, then at Chakotay, and saw her own mortification on their faces. They had got home, at long long last it seemed they had achieved their goal, but they were too early. Eight years too early.

"I see this news disturbs you," the Admiral said. "And it is indeed disturbing. Are you able to use the wormhole to return to your own time-frame?"

"No," Kathryn answered. "The wormhole has gone."

"Then I will call an emergency meeting. Your displacement in time must be corrected or the future is at stake. Report immediately to Starbase FX-10 and communicate with no one on the way. To do so will infringe the temporal prime directive and will incur severe penalties."

"Understood, Sir," Kathryn said quietly. "We will go there now."

"As quickly as you can. Earth out."

The connection terminated and the viewscreen went blank. As it did, Kathryn summoned all her strength and addressed Tom.

"You heard what he said, Mr Paris. Take us to Starbase FX-10."

Tom did as she said and in seconds Voyager was on her way.

END OF CHAPTER 18