Disclaimer: All characters, vessels, and science belong to Paramount with the exception of Sarah Janeway, Admiral Nicolas Gates, and anything else that I made up.

Author's Note: A little reminder: You will NOT find out who Sarah's father is UNTIL towards the end of second season so please be patient. Just wanted everyone to know. :) And please, if you review, write one for each chapter so I know you read all of them. You can miss a lot if you skip one, and this story's pretty involved. Thanks!!

I apologize for any mistakes in regard to Janeway's career timeline and/or child growth and development. I've had to make some changes in order to fit all my new ideas in.

Anomaly

'Trial'

Sarah Janeway sat nervously outside the room where her mother once again was asking something for her daughter. She didn't want to be the cause of strife, but somehow, deep down in her soul, she knew without a doubt that she absolutely must be on that ship when it left for the Badlands. She couldn't have told anyone why—she couldn't even tell herself—but she just knew that she had to.

The door opened partially and her mother's hand beckoned her into the conference room. The little girl's knees shook but she carefully smoothed her long-sleeved red shirt and black slacks and brushed back the small curls that kept trying to escape from her neat ponytail. Trying to appear calm, she walked slowly into the forbidding room.

Her mother patted her shoulder for encouragement and Sarah walked bravely to the front of the table where four admirals sat. "Let's clarify the situation," said Admiral Archer. A little of the apprehension left her. She'd seen him before.

"You are requesting to join your mother on the U.S.S. Voyager when it leaves for the Badlands."

Sarah nodded and replied, "Yes."

Another admiral, an older man with grizzled hair, added, "Are you aware that this mission is of a combat nature and therefore allows for no civilians to be on board?"

"I'm fully aware of the regulations, sirs," Sarah replied, trying to hide her nervousness.

They seemed impressed with her outward demeanor and choice of words and she felt herself slightly relaxing. Somehow, she seemed to know just what to say and felt ready to face anything.

"So you know the regulations, but you are still requesting to be on board?"

"Correct."

"Please explain."

"I'm afraid, sir, that I can't. I just know that I have to be aboard Voyager when it leaves."

"Are you sure you don't just want your mother to stay home?"

Sarah shook her head firmly. "No, that's not it all. She needs to be in command and I need to be onboard. I don't know why, exactly, I just know it to be true."

The four admirals turned away from her and talked among themselves for a while. When they turned back, Admiral Sanchez-Peron, a middle-aged man with bright red hair, said, "This is a highly irregular situation."

"I won't be in the way. I could stay in our quarters for the entire mission," Sarah promised, half-pleading.

Admiral Hudson slowly shook his head. "I'm afraid if you can't give us a reason—"

Oh no, Sarah thought. He's going to refuse my request. I thought I knew what to say!

Just then, the conference room door opened and a male voice was heard to say, "Sorry I'm late. Hope I didn't miss anything."

Sarah heard her mother gasp and she quickly spun around to see who it was. She found herself stunned speechless. The man with the chess set from Washington, D.C.!

She was even more surprised to hear her mother address him as Admiral Gates. No wonder she was shocked, she thought. Admiral Nicolas Gates was one of the top admirals Starfleet had ever seen. In addition, he was a leading authority on human psychology and a professor at Starfleet Academy. What's he doing here? she couldn't help wondering. And how'd I end up playing chess with him?

"Ah, Admiral. Good to see you," Admiral Hudson was greeting him.

Gates, however, was ignoring the welcome and was staring at Sarah. She gave him a nervous little smile.

"I know you," he finally said. "You're the little girl who beat me at chess that day in D.C.!"

"Yes sir," she replied.

He turned around to look at her mother. "And Captain Janeway's your mother? I should have known, though I didn't recognize her out of uniform." He shook Kathryn's hand. "That's a fine daughter you've raised, captain."

"Thank you, admiral," she replied, a little startled.

Sarah remembered the day she had met him well. Her mother had taken her to Washington D.C. for part of their vacation together. While she was looking at some maps, Sarah had wandered over to a picnic table where a man was sitting by himself with a chess set. She was somehow drawn to him and asked "Need someone to play with?"

He had looked up from his coffee, a little startled. "How old are you?"

"Almost four."

"You know how to play?"

She nodded.

They began to play. It was much more fun than playing a computer, Sarah realized. She watched her opponent carefully, judging where he was going to move and when. They played quickly, the soft click of the ivory and ebony pieces the only sounds they heard. Eventually, with a look of disbelief on his face, he made the only move he could—a fatal one, for as soon as he pulled his hand from the board, Sarah slipped her piece into place and quietly declared, "Checkmate."

He sat for almost a minute, staring at the board. Sarah bit her lip, afraid he was angry. Suddenly, he burst out laughing and stuck out his hand for her to shake. "Excellent job, young lady! If anyone had told me I was to be beaten at chess by a little girl, I would have said they were crazy."

She smiled and shook his hand. "Thank you for letting me play," she said. "It was fun."

Just then, Kathryn came running up. "I've been looking for you!" she told her daughter. To the man, she said, "I hope she wasn't bothering you."

He responded, "Not at all. Not at all. Thank you for the game!" as the two of them walked off, Sarah waving a goodbye.

And now, The Chess Man, as she'd come to call him in her mind, was standing before her in a Starfleet uniform wearing the admiral's five collar pips.

"Well, have you made a decision yet?" he demanded of the other admirals.

"We had almost decided—" Admiral Hudson began to reply, when Admiral Gates interrupted him.

"Good. I say she goes onboard."

Everyone looked up at him. "What?" Sanchez-Peron asked.

"Sarah is not your average child. At three and a half, she beat me at chess, a game of which I'm considered a master. She has an extremely high I.Q. and maturity level." He looked at her. "She reminds me of a thirty year old trapped in a four year old's body. It wouldn't surprise me if she had a more sensitive sense of intuition." Looking back at the admirals, he concluded, "I really think she should be allowed to go."

Sarah was stunned. A man she barely knew was pleading on her behalf. And by the serious looks the board of admirals was giving each other, he'd made a point.

Finally, they looked up and Admiral Hudson cleared his throat. "Since this is an irregular case with no precedent, we've decided to allow Sarah Janeway to join her mother's mission."

Sarah felt a huge smile come across her face. "Thank you!"

Admiral Sanchez-Peron asked, "You'll stay out of harm's way and not get in the way of the ship personnel?"

"Consider me hidden like a mouse," she promised.

"And your daughter won't interfere with your mission or your command duties?" Admiral Hudson inquired of Kathryn.

"No sir," she responded.

"Good. Now, we have to get you a crew, so if you'll excuse us…" With that, the admirals filed out of the room.

Grinning, Sarah stuck her hand. "Thank you very much, sir."

"My pleasure."

"Yes," Kathryn chimed in. "Thank you."

He waved his hand. "Like I said, not a problem. This young lady is truly unique. I think she knows what she has to do, even if she can't put into words the reason why." Looking Kathryn in the eye, he added, "If you need a reference for her Starfleet Academy admission, don't hesitate to contact me."

He shook Sarah's hand again. "I expect great things from you, Sarah Janeway. I hope to see you again."

As she watched him go, Sarah couldn't help feeling that she had placed herself on a path—a path she didn't know the end to, but one that would shape her destiny and the destiny of those around her.

Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed this installment. Now that you have all the background you need, the next chapter will be 'Caretaker, Part 1'. Exciting, isn't it? Please take the time to write a review, even if it's short. I appreciate all your support!!