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HEARTS ASTRAY

CHAPTER 33

14 MONTHS LATER

In her office at Starfleet Headquarters, Kathryn completed a summary of a meeting she'd just attended and then replicated herself a cup of coffee. It was raining outside, a heavy downpour that beat against the windows, and a gusty wind was groaning. For a while, Kathryn looked out at the gray city, then she sat on a couch to finish her drink and collect her thoughts before tackling the mountain of reports awaiting her attention. On the coffee table before her was a picture of James, Korby, Zak and Ruby, and Kathryn carefully picked it up. The quads were sitting before a white backdrop and were dressed in cute bunny costumes of blue, yellow, green and pink. Ruby was laughing, as were James and Zak, but Korby, the wimp of the bunch, was crying. They had come on in leaps and bounds since leaving hospital and were now plump toddlers with rosy cheeks and dimples. The boys were, as Q had predicted, the image of their father. They had his nose, eyes, even his lips. Ruby also had his eyes, but her lips and nose were definitely Kathryn's.

Suddenly, the door chime played. Kathryn put down the picture and got to her feet.

"Come in!"

The doors to the office opened and Tuvok came in. He was now working under Kathryn as a general security officer.

"Good morning, Admiral," he said.

"Good morning, Tuvok," she replied. "How was the conference?"

The Vulcan had just returned from a week long conference on Starbase BX5.

"Informative. However, the accommodation was most unsatisfactory. Due to an overbooking of guestrooms, I had to share with three Ferengi."

Kathryn raised an eyebrow. "Ferengi? What were they doing there?"

"Trading. If their chatter did not keep me awake, then their snoring did."

"I'm sorry to hear it," Kathryn said, trying hard not to laugh. "Next time, I'll make sure you get a room all to yourself."

"Thank you, Admiral. I would very much appreciate that."

Kathryn gestured to the couch. "Please, sit down. Tell me about the conference."

"Some other time," he replied. "I have a meeting to attend in approximately ten minutes. I just wanted to report in with you and ask if there has been any word from Neelix."

At these words, a sadness filled Kathryn's eyes. "I'm afraid not," she said.

It had been over three months since they'd last heard from Neelix and there was much concern for his safety. After what had been a very happy start to his new life on the Talaxian settlement, events had taken a downturn. First he and Dexa had split up, then the settlement had come under attack from the miners. A number of Talaxians had been killed and Neelix himself was seriously injured. Fortunately, he recovered, but since the break-up with Dexa he had not been his usual self. The sparkle in his eyes had gone and he seemed lost and lonely.

"I see," Tuvok replied. "I did not expect there to be, as logic dictates Mr Neelix and his fellow Talaxians have perished in another attack upon their settlement, but I hoped."

"And keep hoping," Kathryn answered. "I'm not accepting that Neelix is dead and neither should you. Our loss of connection with their settlement doesn't necessarily mean it has been destroyed. Their communication system may be down or they may have abandoned the settlement."

"You are correct, as always, Admiral. We must not assume the worst."

"Never, Tuvok. Never."

A bleep sounded and then the computer spoke. "Incoming transmission. Admiral Paris."

"I'd better take it," Kathryn said. "See you later, Tuvok."

The Vulcan left and Kathryn made her way over to her desk. Quickly, she switched on her monitor and accepted the transmission. As soon as she did, Admiral Paris's face filled the screen.

"Good morning, Kathryn," he said informally.

"And to you," she replied.

"How was your weekend?"

"Good. We spent it in Florida and took the kids to the beach."

"Sounds like fun."

"It was. Of course, most of the sandcastles we built were flattened by our terrors, but they all had a great time." She paused. "But I gather you're not calling to ask about my weekend."

"No. We've just received word from the missing starship USS Zeplar. They're stranded in the Zeigel Zone. Will you take charge of the rescue mission? There's no one more qualified."

"Gladly. The Zeigel Zone is hardly the Delta Quadrant. We should have them home in weeks."

Bleeps blared again and then the computer spoke. "Urgent incoming transmission. The Doctor."

"Excuse me, Sir," Kathryn said to Admiral Paris, "but I have an urgent incoming transmission. I'll put you on hold."

"Very well," he answered.

Kathryn put him on hold and then accepted the second transmission. As she did, Admiral Paris's face was replaced with The Doctor's.

"At last I get someone," he said sarcastically. "Are you alone?"

"I am," Kathryn answered. "What's the emergency?"

"I'm stuck babysitting your quads."

"How come? Where's Tal Celes?" Tal Celes was their nanny and had been for the last year. The Bajoran had married Lieutenant Dieter Willis, a fellow officer on Voyager, and they were living in an apartment in New York City. Dieter was currently working on a small starbase that was within commuter distance of Earth, whereas Tal Celes had left Starfleet to pursue 'other avenues'. Usually, Tal Celes had the help of an assistant nanny called Macy, but this week Macy was on vacation.

"At home, resting," The Doctor informed her. "She summoned me two hours ago after she collapsed in your kitchen with excruciating stomach pains. To cut a long story short, the pains were caused by a hemorrhaging ectopic pregnancy. Fortunately, the embryo was still alive when I arrived, so I was able to freeze it and then correctly implant it, but her life hung in the balance for a few minutes and I've signed her off work indefinitely. That means you are without a nanny and I'm stuck here. I've tried to call Chakotay, as I know how busy you are, but he's in a meeting and the receptionist, who seriously needs a course in social skills, refused point blank to disturb him. I then tried to call your mother, as she's listed as an emergency contact, but she's not in. I then tried your neighbor, also listed as an emergency contact, but she was going out. That leaves only you, Admiral. And please don't say you're in the middle of something important because so am I. I have sick people waiting for treatment and lives to save."

"I would never put my job above my children," Kathryn answered. "I'm surprised you think I would. If there's ever an emergency involving them, or any member of my family, you are to contact me immediately. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Admiral," he said, somewhat humbly.

"I'll be home in about ten minutes. Janeway out."

The connection closed and Admiral Paris's face reappeared on the screen.

"Is everything ok?" he asked.

"I'm afraid not," Kathryn replied. "Tal Celes has fallen ill so we're without a nanny. This means I have to call it a day and go home. I'll probably be off for a few days so you'd better get someone else to take charge of the rescue mission."

"Agreed. But are you willing to consult?"

"Absolutely."

"Then I'll ask Admiral Frazer to lead. Now, I'll let you go as you must be eager to get home. I hope Tal Celes is better soon."

"Thank you."

"Admiral Paris out."

The connection closed and the screen went blank.

Ten minutes later, Kathryn was home. After informing Admiral Vale of her situation, so that all urgent matters could be delegated, she arrived home by transport. She materialized in the hallway and found The Doctor in the lounge. He was reclining in an armchair, his feet upon a stool, and was listening to classical music.

"For someone in jail," Kathryn said, "you seem to be having a good time."

At the sound of her voice, The Doctor jumped to his feet. "Admiral...When you said ten minutes, I thought you meant half an hour."

"Evidently."

"You know music relaxes me. After the stressful morning I've had, I need to relax before I overheat my emitor."

"I thought you said holograms don't get stressed."

"Normally, they don't, but four screaming infants is enough to stress a borg drone. You're indulging them far too much, Admiral. When they first started their hysterics I thought they were coming down with Teringa Flu, but a thorough examination, for which you don't have to thank me, showed there is nothing wrong with them. It's a good thing I don't get headaches or I'd have a migraine right now. You need to be tougher with them, Admiral. You need to teach them who's boss. They will never stop their tantrums if you indulge their every whim."

"Where are they?" Kathryn asked, ignoring his rant.

"In their cribs. That is, James, Zak and Ruby. Korby wouldn't stop crying no matter what I did, so I beamed him and his crib to your bedroom so he wouldn't egg on the others. You know what they say about bad apples! That did the trick. The others calmed down and I've left him to whine alone. That's the only way to teach him that we're not all at his beck and call."

"Oh Doctor," Kathryn said, "putting him alone is the worst thing you could do. He's such a nervy little thing and hates to be alone. A cuddle is usually all he needs to settle."

"Which is exactly where you're going wrong, Admiral. If he gets cuddles and kisses every time he kicks up a fuss, he'll kick up a fuss all the time. You've got to toughen him up."

"I appreciate your opinion, Doctor, but if I was as small as him and a grouchy man as big as you was scowling at me, I think I might cry too."

"I'm not grouchy, Admiral, and I never scowled at him. Quite the contrary, he was the one with the face like thunder. All I did was put him in his crib and tell him to stop crying. But did he? No. He just screamed louder. And as for James, well, all I can say is that he needs to learn some manners. When I started to sing, hoping it would amuse them, he threw his teddy at me. If you and Chakotay don't improve your parenting skills, then you're in for big trouble as they get older, big trouble."

"I'll bear that in mind," Kathryn said.

"See that you do. Now, I'd better get going. Things to do and people to see." He hit his commbadge. "The Doctor to S.H.Q.T.S. Beam me up."

In seconds a blue transporter beam engulfed him and he disappeared.

When he was gone, Kathryn told the computer to cease music and then she went upstairs to the nursery. It was now full of toys and teddies, and along the wall opposite the mural were the quads' cots. Usually there were four, but now there was only three. They were beautiful cots, all handmade by Chakotay, and were in the quads respective colors. To Kathryn's surprise, Ruby and Zak were fast asleep. Ruby was sprawled out, a pink diaper under a white dress, where as Zak was curled up with a teddy. James, the energy ball of the bunch who didn't sleep much at the best of times, was sitting up playing with a toy. When he saw his mother he put down the toy and smiled with gagas. Kathryn smiled back and then picked him up with a kiss.

"Have you been a naughty boy for The Doctor?" she asked as she carried him out of the room. "Have you? Because he's not at all impressed with you. And neither am I. How many times have I told you not to throw things, hmmm? I know The Doctor's singing goes through the ears, but that is no excuse. You must be a good boy and not throw things."

She took James into her bedroom, where The Doctor had said Korby was, and sure enough he was there in his cot. The poor little mite was sitting up in a green suit and had cried so much that his face was red and blotchy. He started to cry again when he saw his mother and held up his thin little arms.

Kathryn put James into the cot and then picked Korby up.

"My poor darling," she said. "Has The Doctor upset you? Take no notice of his rants. The rest of us don't. There, there. Don't cry, honey. Mommy's here. Everything's ok."

She rocked him until he was calm and then put him into the cot with his brother.

"Now, you two play nicely while I get myself changed. Then we'll go downstairs, Zak and Ruby too, and have ourselves some lunch."

The two boys smiled happily at her and then played together as she changed.

After lunch, Kathryn played with the quads in the lounge, and then put them to bed for their afternoon nap. Ruby and Zak were a while drifting off, as they'd already slept, but eventually they joined their brothers in the land of nod. While they slept, Kathryn tried to catch up on some work in the study, but as soon as she sat down, bleeps bleeped and the computer spoke.

"Incoming transmission, Commander Tuvok."

"Accept and display."

For Tuvok to be contacting her during emergency leave, he had to have something important to say. She could only hope that something was good news about Neelix. On the wall before her, a large screen illuminated, and then Tuvok's face appeared.

"Hello, Admiral," he said. "There is an old Vulcan saying that trouble always doubles, and I'm afraid it is proving true for you today. There has been an incident at The Academy involving Commander Chakotay. While he was giving a lecture to first year cadets, one of them, I believe a human female, shot him. He has been admitted to our sanatorium and The Doctor is treating him now. More than that I cannot tell you, but I gather his condition is critical."

At this news, Kathryn's face paled. The phaser, if that was indeed what the cadet had used to shoot Chakotay, had obviously been set to kill so her shot must have killed him. On arrival at the sanatorium, the Doctor had clearly revived him, but for him to be in a critical condition he had either suffered organ failure, brain damage, or both.

"I see," Kathryn said quietly.

"The Doctor will contact you at the first opportunity, but if you wish to be at the sanatorium, but have no one to take care of your children, then I am willing to look after them. I can make up for the lost work hours tomorrow."

"That would be most helpful," Kathryn replied. "My mother is away, my assistant nanny too, and my sister is busy with an exhibition in Montreal. But are you sure?"

"I am."

"Then thank you, Tuvok. I accept your offer."

Half an hour later, Kathryn was at the santatorium. The Doctor was still attending to Chakotay and no one but him could update her on his condition. All she had learned, courtesy of a nurse, was that Chakotay had indeed been dead on arrival. While she waited for news, Admiral Paris came to see her and told her that the cadet responsible was being interrogated and assessed. From preliminary questioning, it appeared that her motive was hatred of Maquis. Her father, a Starfleet officer, had been killed in a conflict with a Maquis ship and she resented the fact that a former Maquis like Chakotay was a celebrity while her father was dead. In Admiral Paris's opinion, the girl would most likely be certified mentally unbalanced and transferred to a psychiatric facility.

After almost an hour of waiting, The Doctor finally appeared. Kathryn stood up as he entered the waiting room and asked the question she wasn't sure she wanted an answer too. "How is he, Doctor?"

"Out of danger," he answered.

At these words, relief consumed Kathryn.

"As you know," The Doctor continued, "phaser fatality almost always results in some degree of damage to the brain and primary organs. The Commander's case is no exception. Several of his organs failed as a result of the shot and he suffered moderate brain damage. His organs I have managed to repair, and by a process of deep neuro-regeneration have repaired most of the damage to his brain, but as a result of the remaining damage, he has some paralysis in his left side. I believe he will make a full recovery, but it will take time and a course of physiotherapy. He will need to stay here for a couple of days, but then he can go home. As he will need care and assistance, I suggest a holo-nurse."

"May I see him?"

"Of course. But before you go in, do you have any more questions?"

"No," she answered.

"Then I will go and update Admiral Paris."

"Could you update Tuvok too? He's at my place." Tuvok was no doubt more worried than his calm exterior suggested and, as he was looking after the quads, he deserved a priority update.

The Doctor raised an eyebrow. "Babysitting?"

"Yes."

"Then expect a mad house when you get home. If I, with my infinite depths of knowledge, couldn't control the quads, there's no way Mr Vulcan can."

"I wouldn't be too sure of that, Doctor. Tuvok has raised several children."

"Who were no doubt angels compared to your devils. Now, don't keep the Commander talking too long. He needs to rest."

With that, The Doctor left and Kathryn made her way into Chakotay's room. It was small, square, but had a large window that overlooked San Francisco. It was still raining outside and a wind was still blowing. In a white bed opposite the window, propped up on pillows, was Chakotay. He was attached to several machines and appeared to be sleeping. Quietly, Kathryn made her way over to the bed, sat in a chair beside it, and took his right hand in hers. As she did so, his eyes fluttered open and he squeezed her hand.

"Kathryn."

"I'm here, Chakotay."

His eyes closed again, but another squeeze of her hand told her he was still conscious.

"You had me worried," Kathryn went on. "But you're going to be just fine."

"I'm just...glad to be alive," he said, his words breathy. "But I...don't want to be a burden. Until I'm...on my feet again...I want to...go to a rehabilitation center."

At these words, tears filled Kathryn's eyes. "You could never be a burden, Chakotay. I love you. As soon as you're well enough to leave this place, you're coming home."

"But you...won't manage. Not with...Tal Celes ill."

"We'll get a supply nanny. I've already requested one and will start interviewing tomorrow. As for your needs, a holo-nurse will suffice."

"But..."

"No buts. You're coming home."

A wan smile crossed Chakotay's lips. "Then it looks like...I am. But I must...lay in a condition."

"Ok, if you must."

"That it's on a...trial basis only. If you...can't manage, I go to...the center. Deal?"

Kathryn squeezed his hand. "Deal."

It was dark by the time Kathryn got back to Manor House, but as soon as she materialized in the hallway, the lights came on. Kathryn took off her coat, hung it up, and then made her way to the lounge, where she hoped to find Tuvok. But as soon as she approached the lounge, Tuvok stepped out of the room.

"Admiral," he said. "Welcome home."

"Thank you, Tuvok," she replied. "How have you coped?"

"Very well. I have fed the quads, changed them, and put them to bed. They are not all asleep yet, but hopefully soon will be."

"Fed, changed, and in bed, " Kathryn smiled. "I'm impressed."

"Thank you. But caring for infants is hardly new to me. I have cared for my own children and for my children's children."

"As I told The Doctor. But still, I'm impressed. Looking after four toddlers is hardly a walk in the park. But you'd better watch out. I just might have to add you to my babysitters list."

"Please do. I will gladly look after them any time. But I doubt you will be in need of babysitters."

Kathryn frowned. "How so?"

"You will soon discover. But first, I would like to extend my sympathies regarding Commander Chakotay. The Doctor has informed me of his paralysis. I hope and pray he makes a swift recovery."

"Thank you, Tuvok."

"Now, come with me into the lounge. Someone very special is waiting to see you."

Kathryn followed Tuvok into the lounge and her heart leapt for joy when she saw Neelix standing before the fireplace. He was wearing a typically hideous outfit of blue and orange squares and looked exactly as she remembered him.

"Neelix!" she exclaimed.

"Hello, Admiral," he smiled.

With happy tears in her eyes, Kathryn closed the gap between them and hugged him.

"Oh Neelix," she said. "It's so wonderful to see you. We've all been so worried."

"It's wonderful to see you," Neelix replied. "I've missed you, all of you."

"And us you," Kathryn said, drawing away. "But what are you doing here? How are you here?"

"It's a long story," he answered. "But I'm not alone. There's someone else who wants to say hello."

A slim woman with long curly blonde hair stepped out from beside the tall, protruding, chimney and Kathryn gasped when she saw that the woman was Kes. The Ocampan was wearing a figure hugging blue outfit and looked nothing like the old Kes who had come to Voyager to be revenged. This Kes was much younger, about the human equivalent of a forty year old, and there was no trace of anger or bitterness in her kind eyes.

"Hello, Admiral," she smiled.

Kathryn said nothing, just stared incredulously at the Ocampan.

"I can see from your face," Neelix said, "that you're amazed and confused, so was I at first, but this really is Kes and she really is young again."

"That's right," Kes said. "A lot has happened to me since I left Voyager. Not only have I learnt so much about my abilities, but I've learnt how to use them and control them. The Kes who came to Voyager wanting to be revenged on you all wasn't me. Four years ago, as I was on my way back to Ocampa, I temporarily lost control of my shuttle and got pulled into an anomaly. It expelled me after minutes, but it also expelled another me. Somehow the anomaly duplicated me and my ship completely. The other Kes was exactly like me to begin with...she had my memories, my thoughts, my goals...and we decided to fly home to Ocampa together. But after a few weeks, she began to change. She was still like me, still had my memories, but she was angry all the time and wanted to use her powers to hurt people. When I opposed her, she turned them on me. I don't know why she became so angry, so bitter, but I do know that she wasn't me. Maybe there was a being living in the anomaly that deliberately duplicated me so it could take corporeal form. The other Kes's powers went far beyond my own and she could do things no Ocampan has ever been able to do. One day I tried to stop her killing an alien crew for their ship, but she got the better of me and left me for dead. Somehow the crew were able to fight her off and when I came around, on their ship, my counterpart was gone. I never saw her alive again. Once I was well enough to leave the ship, I resumed my journey for Ocampa and arrived there a year ago. On the way I found my counterpart's shuttle and she was dead inside. I put her body out into space and traded the shuttle for dilithium crystals."

"You see, Admiral," Neelix said, "the nasty Kes really wasn't our Kes. I always thought she wasn't. Kes would never hurt anyone." He turned to Kes. "But go on, Sweetie."

"When I got to Ocampa," Kes continued, "I started to write about my experiences, so that other Ocampans could rediscover their suppressed abilities, and I studied the works of the ancients to better understand our abilities. It was while I was doing so that I made an incredible discovery. Our ancient people didn't live only nine years. They lived for ninety. Every year, from the age of one, they would undergo Rincarzo. This is a regenerative meditation ritual that would renew every cell in their body and extend their life expectation. The reason my people have only lived for nine years is because they stopped doing the ritual. As a result they've aged prematurely and died before their time. I decided to try the ritual, as there was nothing to lose, and, to my amazement, it made me half as young as I was. I hoped everyone else would want to do the ritual too, but no one did. You know how closed minded my people are, how stubborn. I was put in prison for sorcery and would have remained there if a sympathizer hadn't helped me to escape. He got me to the surface, which is being developed for habitation, and got me a shuttle. I left Ocampa and haven't been back since."

"Isn't it wonderful, Admiral?" Neelix interrupted again. "So long as Kes keeps doing the ritual, she'll live as long as us."

"It certainly is wonderful," Kathryn smiled. "And to have you here. We've all missed you. Very much."

"I've missed you all too," Kes replied. "When I left Ocampa, I wanted nothing more than to find Voyager, so I could be a part of your crew again, but since doing the ritual my powers have weakened considerably so I wasn't able to use them to find you." She paused. "I didn't quite tell you the truth when I left Voyager. I told you I left to explore my abilities, but that wasn't the whole reason. I also left because I'd become aware of how fast I was aging in relation to the rest of you. That made me feel like an outsider, like I didn't belong. In only the blink of an eye to you I would be dead. How then could I really be a part of your crew? How could I have a meaningful relationship with Neelix? I couldn't. Or at least, I felt I couldn't. I'd come to the point were I didn't feel alive anymore, I felt like I was dying. But being young again, having the prospect of a long life, changed all that. However, as I had no way of finding Voyager, I had to explore other options and ended up joining an alien crew. I wasn't unhappy with them, as they were kind people who made me feel very welcome, but my life on that ship just didn't compare to the life I had on Voyager so I left. Then, a few weeks ago, the same thing happened again as happened four years ago. As I was flying my shuttle, I got sucked into an anomaly. It was a beautiful anomaly, all the colors of the rainbow, and when it expelled me, it left me thousands of light years from where I was. There was another ship near by, a lone ship like mine, and guess who was onboard."

"Neelix?" Kathryn said.

"Me," he smiled. "I was on my way back to our Talaxian settlement after collecting supplies from the Jakunta. They live on an m-class planet nearby and were eager to help us once they knew we were on the asteroid. And believe me, Admiral, their help has been most necessary. The miners have attacked us constantly and their last attack destroyed our shield and much of our settlement. That's why you haven't been able to contact us. The Jakunta kindly offered us some of their defensive technology, which is very advanced, and I was shipping it back in a very big shuttle they'd given us. In fact, it was so big you could call it a ship. Not a ship of Voyager's proportions, of course, but at least ten times bigger than the Delta Flyer. So, here I was making my way back to our asteroid when a light flashed before me on the viewscreen and all my systems went crazy. Then the light became a pink glow and I saw before me an anomaly that looked a lot like the one that had got you home. But before I had time to study it in any detail, sensors alerted me to a ship nearby. I did a quick scan and found there was only one lifesign onboard, one female Ocampan. I hailed the ship and, to my complete amazement, Kes answered. I couldn't believe it, thought I was dreaming."

"I did too," Kes said. "I was so amazed I could hardly speak."

"But after we both got over our surprise," Neelix went on, "we talked and talked for ages. Kes told me what had happened to her, I told her what had happened to me, and then she boarded my shuttle in hers. We laughed, we cried, and as soon as we were together it was like we'd never been apart. I knew now that the anomaly outside was the wisher one that got you home and I told Kes all about it. As I did it made a wormhole inside itself, just as it did for you, and I guessed that wormhole would take us to you. It had to because with you and our Voyager family is where we both wished to be. Of course, we couldn't just leave then and there, as I had supplies to deliver, so Kes stayed behind in her shuttle and I quickly delivered them. Then I said goodbye to everyone and returned to Kes in my ship. We left my ship behind, so my fellow Talaxians could salvage it, and went through the wormhole in Kes's. It was a bumpy ride, just like yours, and many of our systems blew as we went through, but we got through in one piece. We didn't end up near Earth, though. No, we were nearly a hundred light years away. I didn't understand why the anomaly had deposited us there, because it would take us weeks to reach you, but now I do. It was so Kes and I could get back together. Because we are, Admiral, and this time forever. We made our way to Earth as fast as we could, but when we got within three light years we were intercepted by a security ship. We were questioned, examined, and then escorted secretly to Starfleet Headquarters. When we got there we were welcomed by Reg Barclay and Admiral Paris and then transported here."

Tuvok spoke now. "I could hardly believe my senses when I answered the door to find Neelix and Kes there. I thought I was hallucinating."

"But he wasn't," Neelix went on. "It really was us."

"I can hardly believe my senses either," Kathryn confessed, "but I'm overjoyed...overjoyed."

"So are we," Neelix said. "Being with you all again is a dream come true. Now all we need is employment and a place to live, and we believe we have found both. We've taken the liberty of looking around this wonderful domestic establishment and have unanimously agreed that your attic is the perfect home for us. We need a bedroom, it has a bedroom. We need a bathroom, the bedroom has one. We need a lounge, there's a vacant room. And as for a kitchen, well, it has the most delightful kitchen I've ever seen."

"You need a nanny," Kes went on, "I'm your nanny. You need a nurse, I'm your nurse. You need a housekeeper and a cook, Neelix is both. You need gardeners, we're your gardeners."

"In short," Neelix went on, "it will be our job to anticipate your needs before you even know you have them. And we anticipate your first need will be us."

"So, Admiral," Kes said, "what do you say?"

Kathryn smiled a beautiful smile as a tear ran down her cheek. "I say welcome home."

Neelix and Kes laughed in delight and then joyfully embraced.

END OF CHAPTER THIRTY THREE