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Stardate 55073.4 Personal Log Entry, Cadet Icheb Hansen
The fate of the Maquis was finally announced today. I'm so relieved. They all received pardons from the Federation president for any actions taken against the Cardassians. Admiral Paris told us Starfleet and the Federation Council had insisted upon this from the beginning. Since crimes were committed on all sides during the conflict, dropping the pending charges was the only sane way to settle things. Otherwise, the trials could go on for years. Even the Cardassians said they wanted it all over and done with. One exception was made, however. A charge of genocide could not be made against any of the Maquis, although they still could be made against some Breen and Cardassian individuals. When I heard this, I understood the Equinox Five were lucky they'd been dealt with so secretively.
The reason it took so long for the decision to be announced was the Cardassian government's reluctance to release all of the Maquis prisoners they were still holding. They claimed they didn't have any in custody, but a Bajoran special forces group unearthed proof that a substantial number of Maquis remained in a prison in the Gamma Quadrant. When the evidence was presented to the Federation Council, the Cardassians finally gave in. The Maquis have been repatriated. The pardons were announced once the released prisoners reached Bajor.
So, if the Cardassian agent Seska, who pretended to be Bajoran when she entered Chakotay's Maquis cell, had still been alive, she probably would have gotten off, too. B'Elanna's still bitter about her. She thought Seska was her friend and felt betrayed when Seska's true identity was revealed.
The agreement covered all the Maquis in custody, including those who were in Federation prisons. Chakotay has already made arrangements to visit his friend Sveta. She'll be released from the same prison in New Zealand where Tom was incarcerated before Captain Janeway had him placed in her custody for "just a few weeks." This also means that some Maquis who are still in hiding may be able to come out into the open. Tom's mother knows several from her charity work on Bajor.
I was glad to hear there was one other pardon issued. Tom's general discharge from Caldik Prime has been expunged. That clears the way for him to return as a regular Starfleet officer. He's already put in his request for reinstatement. He wrote it up while he was waiting to hear if he'd be allowed back in. B'Elanna says that she'll sign up again, too, as long as they waive her last two years of Starfleet Academy classes. I can't imagine having B'Elanna in one of my Engineering classes. She could teach them! Seven told me she's pretty sure Starfleet will agree, based on her extensive practical experience as chief engineer of a Starfleet vessel.
Seven told me that as soon as their parental leaves end, she expects B'Elanna and Tom to join the Delta Flyer shuttle project. The group is adapting the Delta Flyer to become the new standard shuttle for all Starfleet vessels. Starfleet Command was really impressed with how strong and useful they would be, compared to the shuttles they've been using. If B'Elanna doesn't reenlist, Seven expects they'll hire her as a civilian consultant anyway, which is Seven's official title. She promised to let me visit their work site during my spring break. Since I have experience working on the construction of the Delta Flyer II, they might let me participate while I'm there. I'd love to work with my mother and my friends again, even if it's only for a few days.
One thing I'm a little sad about. Tuvok, T'Pel, and Asil are leaving for Vulcan tomorrow. I want Tuvok to be healed, of course, but I was hoping to spend a little more time with Asil than I've been able to, as busy as I've been with my classes. She told me I should visit Vulcan if I get the chance - eventually. She anticipates she will be helping restore her father's health for the next several months - maybe even longer. Her mother tried to convince Tuvok to go to Vulcan long before the pardons were announced, but he refused. He said he had to testify on behalf of many of the crew, and he didn't want to leave until he knew if his recommendations had been accepted by the authorities.
Asil also told me something which I'm not supposed to tell anyone else (although Tom knows). Her father had looked into the records of what happened at Caldik Prime some time ago, before Tuvok's mental state deteriorated. He noted that Tom was seriously injured in the crash himself, which I hadn't known before. When he made his false statements, Tom hadn't fully recovered physically or, possibly, psychologically. Commander Tuvok insisted on testifying in person when Tom's pardon was discussed. Perhaps his current condition made him more sensitive to issues of mental capacity, but Tuvok suggested that Tom may have been suffering from memory issues and/or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder at the time he made his initial statements. There is no indication in the court records these possibilities were considered when Tom was thrown out of Starfleet, although he came forward voluntarily to "correct the record." Tuvok believed they should have been. I would like to think that Tuvok's insistence on testifying helped Tom gain his pardon. Knowing this only increases the respect I have for my former tutor. If the opportunity ever presents itself, I would be happy to serve under him.
Chakotay is free to petition for reinstatement, but he hasn't told Seven whether or not he's going to do that as of yet. He isn't sure of his future path. Unfortunately, I visited Voyager one day to speak with the Maquis who are still on board, and I walked in on them in Borg Central while they were in the midst of a nasty argument. I wanted to slink away, but Seven told me I should just stand near the door. I heard every word of what was said, and it wasn't pretty.
Chakotay told her he wants to "explore his options" before deciding whether or not to return to Starfleet. I think the main reason Seven got so upset was that he said he's leaving in two days to visit his sister for a couple of weeks to talk over these options with her. Apparently he once told Seven he never wanted to be more than a "transporter trip away" from her, but he hadn't even mentioned this trip to her before he made his travel arrangements. When he saw her reaction, he told her she could come with him. Since her son is living on the Academy campus, she didn't need to worry about me. I don't think she liked the way he phrased that, even if it was basically true, because that's when she became really angry. His suggestion to come with him was an empty gesture anyway, since he's perfectly aware that she must stay in the Sol system for the foreseeable future because of the Delta Flyer project. When Seven reminded him of this (with a sneer, I must admit), Chakotay suggested the real reason she wants to stay is because she's attracted to Harry. Very coldly, she informed him that Harry is living with Libby Byrd, his old fiancée, who was widowed in the Dominion War. That was when Chakotay went a step too far. He said it didn't mean she wasn't still attracted to Harry.
Chakotay doesn't get mad often, but when he does, watch out! And I could say the same about Seven. She was . . . the best word is livid. If she still had an emotional inhibitor chip, she might have collapsed right there. She coiled her left fist (the Borg-enhanced one), but turned away from him instead. Chakotay stalked out after this, fortunately without saying anything else. I tried to have a pleasant visit with her after that, but it was awkward. Very awkward.
When I returned to campus I contacted Tom about what Seven had said about Harry. What I wished I could talk about was Seven's relationship with Chakotay - but that subject, of course, was totally off limits for me to discuss with anyone other than the people who were in Borg Central during the argument.
Tom and B'Elanna know about Harry's current living situation, and they're appalled that Harry is involved with Libby again. They'd believed he'd outgrown her, but Harry's inability to develop a stable romantic relationship with anyone while on Voyager may have been the reason he's turned back to her now. Harry was friends with her late husband, and initially, he simply made a condolence call. Seeing her again reignited their romance. Tom told me Harry clung to the memory of Libby throughout the first year in the Delta Quadrant, which may have kept him from fully adapting to life on Voyager during that period. Worse, from B'Elanna's point of view, is the fact that Danny Byrd, Libby's husband, was B'Elanna's nemesis on Kessik IV during her early childhood years. Despite this, when Harry introduced Tom and B'Elanna to Libby, they tried to overlook the past and take her on her own merits.
Unfortunately, Libby spent most of the visit talking about was how wonderful it must have been for Tom to have an admiral for a father. He got the impression Libby was hoping to wrangle his help gaining an introduction to Admiral Paris. She said very little to B'Elanna at all, which annoyed B'Elanna. She suspects Libby's husband may have related stories about his Kessik IV days which painted B'Elanna in a very bad light. "Harry's just too nice for her, but he's so desperate for someone to love, he's gone back to someone who says she wants him. I think she just wants to be connected to the 'heroic crew of Voyager' myself," Tom told me. In B'Elanna's opinion, Harry and Libby are "mok'tah," or "a bad match" in Klingon. I was glad to finish our conversation because this one was almost as awkward as the one in Borg Central had been.
If this is what "getting home" is like for everyone, I'm sure a lot of us are wondering if we weren't better off in the Delta Quadrant. I'm pretty torn. After what Admiral Janeway disclosed about what happened to "her" Icheb, I know I'm better off here, but it hurts to see how difficult the transition has been for so many others.
At least I'm happy at the Academy. My suitemates have welcomed me from the beginning. I feel comfortable with them all, but especially with Verit. I guess I have an affinity for Vulcans. She's majoring in a science, too, although in her case, it's Exobiology. Austin and Farys are Engineering majors. From speaking with some of the other cadets, I know I'm fortunate. Many of them have horror stories to tell about "the suitemate from Hell."
And I love going to class. Sitting in a lecture hall with a large group of students, studying with my suitemates - it's such a change. I hardly ever experienced that before. Well, I did, for three days on Brunal. And maybe I did before the first time I was assimilated, too, but I don't remember that at all. Up until now, just about the only time I had a class with anyone else even close to my age was when Q Junior was on Voyager. He said he'd come see me at the Academy, and here I am. I wonder if the rest of the Continuum will let him get away from his father long enough to visit me? That would be quite an experience!
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