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:::Stardate 55457. 3

"Hello, Neelix! Happy Prixin, Dexa and Brax! We're here at my parents' house to celebrate the holiday you brought to all of us! Miral, honey, wave to the Doctor so he can take your picture to send to Uncle Neelix. That's it! Mom, Dad, you're hosting this party! Why don't you come on over here and wave hello to our friends on Talax II!"

"Hello, Ambassador. As you can see, my son and all of his friends from told us about the holiday you always celebrated on Talax and on Voyager. We decided to throw a party to commemorate the day here, too. Captains Janeway and Chakotay are co-hosting it with us. Your Doctor is taking these images so we can send them to you in tonight's datastream. Doctor, why don't you turn your imager towards yourself so you can send our friends on Talax II your holiday wishes."

"Thank you, Admiral, I will. (Dizzying spin, ending upon the smiling face of the EMH) There we go. Hello, there, Neelix. I hope your whole family is watching this with you. Dexa, how are you feeling? Is your pregnancy progressing well?"

(husky groan from out of the picture)"Doctor, please! No diagnostic interviews today. We're here to have fun."

"Oh, yes. Sorry about that. Captain Janeway is right. I'll have to submerge my curiosity about Talaxian pregnancy symptoms for the time being. But Dexa, expect a message from me in tomorrow's datastream. Now, where were we? Oh, yes. Let me introduce my friend Miranda Hendrickson. She's an opera singer. Say hello to Neelix and his family, dear."

(rapid swing from the Doctor's face to that of a very beautiful, very blonde human woman) "Hello, Neelix! Hello, family! I hope you're having a wonderful holiday. Do you say, 'Merry Prixin?' or just 'Happy Holidays'? (prolonged pause) . . . Darling, I haven't the faintest idea what else to say!"

"You did just fine, Miranda."

"Hey, Doc, point that thing back over here so the rest of us can get into the picture, huh?"

"I was only following your father's directions to the letter, Mr. Paris. Can't you see that? However (view swings back to a group of Voyager crew), here's our merry little group. We invited all of the Voyager crew still in the Sol System, but not everyone could come. Harry? Seven? Tell Neelix how your Delta Flyer Project is going."

"Doc, you should ask Tom and B'Elanna about that. They're leading that project now, remember?"

"Oh, yes. Thank you, Lieutenant Kim. That probably would be a more politically correct thing to do . . . "

"Doc! Skip the sarcasm and just record . . ."

Icheb sighed deeply and shook his head as he paused the recording they'd sent to Talax II in last night's datastream. "I thought the Doctor was only supposed to record the party, not monopolize the whole thing."

"In the old 2D cinema days, they had a person called an editor who clipped out the best bits of film and patched everything together to make a movie. I wish we had someone like that we could call in today." Tom began to laugh. "Honestly, Icheb, you can't be surprised. Look how he narrated the entire 'Tour of Starfleet Academy' recording you made for Mezoti. He barely let you get a word in edgewise. Even when you ran into Professor Reagan, he took the introduction away from you. And he didn't let Reagan say very much, either."

Icheb shrugged, a rueful grin on his face. "You're right. I guess I forget what he's like when I don't see him for a while."

"Either that, or you're fiercely repressing the memory."

Icheb laughed along with Tom before they resumed viewing the very Doctor-centric recording of their Prixin party. Even the Doctor couldn't completely ruin the collection of images that would preserve the event for everyone who attended, however. The Doctor, true to his word, had sent a copy of his opus to everyone who was there, as well as some who couldn't make it to the admiral's home that day. When they reached the end of what amounted to a love-letter from all of Neelix's friends from Voyager to their one-time chief cook and morale officer, Icheb said, "Once he got out of his own way and just let everyone speak for themselves, he did a nice job with this recording, Tom."

"I thought so, too. When B'Elanna and I watched it last night, she sniffed away a few tears when the captain started talking about how the crew is scattering every which way. She's upset at the way Voyager has been dissected by the engineers at Utopia Planitia. She's afraid everyone in her department will have left for other posts before we're able to get back on board."

"Do you honestly think they'll ever let her fly again, Tom? I know Starfleet wanted to study all the improvements, but I've heard a couple of professors say the only time they'll let you take the helm again will be to park Voyager on the Presidio so they can turn it into a museum."

"I've heard those rumors, too. According to Dad, there's a lot of controversy about turning the ship into a museum. Captain Janeway is adamantly against the plan, although she won't tell anyone why. B'Elanna's heard they've taken all of the Borg and Admiral Janeway additions apart to study them. She's afraid they'll never put everything back together right. I don't think they will be able to, unless B'Elanna, Seven, and Harry are there to tell them what to do. I think that may be why the Utopia Planitia people want her to visit next week. They say it's to answer questions about how she kept the ship running for seven years without ever pulling into a Starfleet dock for repairs or systems upgrades."

"A lot of hard work!"

"You can say that again."

"Seven told me she's been asked to go up to Utopia Planitia with B'Elanna and Harry for those meetings. Why didn't they invite you, Tom?"

"Well, besides needing to be here to take care of my daughter and ride herd on the Delta Flyer Project staff, I'm not an expert on Voyager's systems. I helped out whenever we had to make repairs, just like you, but that was under B'Elanna's direction. If they need me to explain anything about the Delta Flyer, I'm their man. But hey, that's why I've got the job I have right now."

"Yeah, I can understand that. How much longer is that project going to last? You were able to build the Delta Flyer II in a couple of weeks after the original was destroyed by the Borg. Why is it taking so long now?"

"Icheb, have you heard the old Earth expression, 'Too many cooks spoil the broth'? That's why. We have all of these engineering gurus wanting reports every few minutes about what we're doing. We have Harry writing them up, but that takes time away from the project as a whole. And then the bigwigs got the bright idea to include the Folding Space technology into the shuttle, along with the standard warp and impulse drives. We've actually figured out where we're going to fit that in, but, and here's the really big 'but': the propulsion geniuses - or is that genii? - anyway, the propulsion experts still have a teensy-weensy bit of work figuring out that technology. They say they've got the basic science worked out, but they haven't been able to build a working model of the drive yet. Until they do, we can't put it into the Delta Flyer shuttles, can we?"

"In other words, it's a bureaucratic mess."

"Icheb, you're catching on. I'm proud of you, my boy." Tom's grin was infectious. Icheb still looked up to Tom when the subject had anything at all to do with flying or navigation. He knew how lucky he was that Tom had been his tutor. Icheb qualified to fly shuttles at warp the first time he was tested, and Tom deserved much of the credit for his success.

"Well, Icheb, I guess I'd better get home. B'Elanna and Miral should be back from visiting Marla and Aimee by now. She'll be looking for me if I don't turn up soon. Before I go, though, how are you doing here in your suite all by your lonesome?"

"Lonely," Icheb said with a chuckle, although it wasn't really funny. "I'm glad I'm finally starting my summer classes this week."

"What are you taking?"

"I should have taken a Xenobiology class and a command track elective this past semester, but I was making up a couple of freshman courses I missed. I didn't have room in my schedule for everything, so I delayed these two until the summer session. They're more intense in the summer, because the session isn't as long as a normal semester. But since I'm alone here, I'll have plenty of time to study."

"Who do you have for Xenobiology?"

"Admiral Virdian. I understand he's excellent."

"He is. He began teaching here during my senior year. I'd already taken the courses he taught, so I never had him. Everyone who did said he was tough but fair. I hope that's still the case. I heard he was devastated when he lost his husband at Wolf 359."

"That happened years ago."

"Yes, it did, but that doesn't mean he's gotten over it yet. Some people never do get over a loss like that."

"For his sake, I hope he has," Icheb replied.

=/\=

Stardate 55552.7 Personal Log Entry, Cadet Icheb Hansen

We celebrated Naomi's sixth birthday at a party at the Wildman apartment this afternoon. It's hard to believe Naomi is only six. To look at her, anyone who didn't know her genetic history would presume she's at least thirteen. Since she's lived primarily with adults all her life, she acts older, too. She's very aware of this and always tries to act the part of a very mature adolescent. Every now and then, though, her true age peeks through.

There were a couple of actual children there. Miral is getting so cute. She's also walking, which B'Elanna says is scary. Klingons mature faster than most races other than Ktarians, but she thought that a three-quarters human, one-quarter Klingon might not. Those Klingon genes must be very powerful. Mrs. Paris told me Tom was walking "everywhere" at seven months of age, though, so Miral isn't that much more advanced in her development than her daddy was.

Aimee's a charmer. Although the Doctor has information about the two species which make up her genetics, no one really knows how that mix will work out. Aimee is probably the only child in the galaxy - make that the universe - from those particular genetic pools, since both races are so xenophobic. According to Mrs. Paris, Aimee seems to be developing at a fairly normal rate for a human child. Marla was glad to hear that, since Miral's rapid development was causing Marla to worry that Aimee's was a little slow. Mrs. Paris reassured her that Aimee's level of accomplishments seemed on par with that of both of her daughters when they were two years of age. She pointed out that boys tend to be much more physically active and often do things like sitting up and walking at slightly earlier ages. "But girls often learn to speak earlier," she noted. Aimee certainly isn't slow in that regard. She chatters away constantly, and you can actually understand about half of what she says. The other half, though - she knows what she's saying, because when we ask her to repeat it, she says exactly the same thing. That doesn't mean we understand her the next time. Every now and then Marla is able to translate something because she's figured it out from earlier conversations with her daughter.

I must say, it makes me feel good every time I see Marla and Aimee together. Aimee really loves her mom - and vice versa!

I wish my mom had come to the party. Seven had planned to, but then "something came up" at the last minute at the Delta Flyer Project that she "had to attend to." I think the "something" was another argument with Chakotay. He was there. Harry was, too, but without Libby. Harry made excuses for her, about how busy she's been with her volunteer work with the Dominion War Widow and Widower Foundation; but I think the real reason she didn't come was that she didn't expect it to be worth her while. She didn't know any admirals would be there, since Harry hadn't heard Admiral and Mrs. Paris were coming. If Libby had known that, I have no doubt she'd have been there, sitting right next to him, monopolizing the admiral's attention all night.

Captain Janeway came late to the party, but Admiral Paris and his wife were there when I arrived and were still there when I left. I was glad to have a chance to visit with Admiral Paris. I usually only see him at big affairs, when saying more than a couple of sentences is difficult, or when he's acting in his official capacity as the director of the Project Pathfinder Program. Today he sat down with me, and we had a very interesting chat.

I hadn't known that Admiral Paris had facilitated Gres' transfer to Earth, after Voyager's return. Gres had just accepted a position on Deep Space Nine, but once his wife and daughter were home, he needed to be with them. While Gres had some accumulated leave time, it ran out about a month after we came back. Sam and Naomi weren't ready to leave Earth yet. The Maquis situation was still up in the air, and Gres understood they wanted to remain until the status of their friends was announced. They thought they might need to testify in court, if anyone was indicted and put on trial. Naturally, he didn't want to go back to Deep Space Nine without them. He'd been without his wife for seven years, and he'd already missed too much of Naomi's childhood. He didn't know what to do, but Admiral Paris heard about his problem.

The admiral arranged for a "temporary replacement" for Gres on Deep Space Nine. Colonel Kira, the Bajoran commander of the station, understood Gres' dilemma, too. When Gres' replacement, Lieutenant Commander Chan, said she'd like to stay on Deep Space Nine permanently, Colonel Kira asked the admiral if an "arrangement" could be made to permit Chan to stay. The admiral accommodated the Bajoran commander by finding a post for Gres at Starfleet Headquarters. Needless to say, the Wildman family is very grateful to Tom's father. He told me it was "nothing" for him to do this, but it's made me see another side of the admiral. Tom's told me on several occasions that he gets along very well with his father now. The admiral is clearly ecstatic that his lost son has returned from the dead. Tom's personal evolution while under Captain Janeway's command has healed the rift between father and son.

The Doctor was there, too, with the woman he's been seeing lately. He met her at the opera. Miranda sings in the chorus with the San Francisco Opera Company. I'm not sure who suggested they perform a duet. I think it was the Doctor. After they sang together, Tom convinced Miranda to sing a solo. She really does have a beautiful voice. The Doctor was beaming at her while she sang. He also took images of her. Lots of images. And even more of everyone at the party. At one point, when he told Naomi to smile for the camera, she stuck out her tongue just as he snapped the picture. He wasn't pleased, but Naomi and I both thought it was a really funny image, so he wasn't allowed to erase it. He was gracious enough to send Gres and Sam copies of all the pictures he'd taken of the party.

After Naomi cut her birthday cake, Gres said they had something to tell us, and Sam announced she's pregnant again. While everyone was congratulating them, I took Naomi aside and asked if it bothered her that her future sibling had taken over part of her birthday celebration. She said it didn't. "What bothers me is that I'm going to be so much older than my brother or sister. We'll be different generations!"

"Not for long, considering how fast your people grow up," I said. "Your sibling will be an adult, just like you, before you know it." Naomi laughed and admitted the truth of my comment, but it's still jarring for her. For so long, it was Naomi, her mom, Neelix, and the crew of Voyager. "I love my dad and we get along great now, but it's so different living here. I'm used to having lots of people to visit just down the corridor. I liked living in space," she told me.

"Like me," I replied.

Then she confided a "secret." She's taking the Starfleet Entrance Exam in August. I was shocked. I asked her if she was old enough, and she said that since she's Ktarian, she's allowed to take it after turning six. That doesn't mean she can enroll right away. "I might be able to next year, even before I'm seven. Early entrants from Ktaris must pass other assessments to show they're psychologically and physiologically ready, even if they pass the academic exam. They might let me in for the spring session if I pass everything. If they don't let me matriculate as a full time student, I might be able to take some freshman classes for advanced placement. That way I'd be credited with some classes the same way you were."

"You've barely had a chance to get to know your dad. Don't you think that's pushing it a little?"

"Maybe, but that's why it doesn't bother me so much about the new baby. He'll be able to watch my brother or sister grow up in a way he didn't with me. And since they're both serving here at Headquarters, we'll be together a lot, even if I do move on campus. We'll see what happens. If I have a normal Ktarian growth spurt, I really would look like an Academy cadet!"

We discussed the latest letters from Mezoti. Thanks to the datastream service to Talax II, we get answers from Mezoti a few days after we send her a letter. It's great that we can see Mezoti and she can see us; but it's not the same thing as talking to her, the way we can to Neelix. Brax keeps in touch with both Mezoti and Naomi, his "datastream pals." Brax is excited that he's going to have a baby brother or sister, too. I told Naomi how happy I am for Neelix, since he's building his own family inside the asteroid. Naomi said she was happy for him, too, but she looked a little sad when we talked about it. She still misses her Uncle Neelix very much.

When I saw that, I confessed something that I hoped would cheer her up. I told her I used to feel very sad Mezoti would never know about Neelix leaving Voyager to marry and form his own family, or that Voyager came home. Now we're exchanging letters with her at least once a week! "Boy, were you wrong about that!" Naomi giggled. She was okay afterwards, but I must admit, I'm really amazed we're able to exchange our thoughts when we're so far away from each other.

Mezoti and Neelix have both reported that more Borg debris fields have been discovered, but the only intact spheres or scout ships found to date have been ones that have been taken over by the Borg Resistance. Starfleet still isn't ready to assume this means there's no longer a reason to fear the Borg. Naomi has heard that, too, and not just because of her correspondence with Mezoti. Since her parents are stationed at Starfleet Headquarters, Naomi is tied in almost as well as I am with Starfleet affairs. She may even know more than me. Life on campus can be pretty insular.

It was a very nice party. It would have been even better if Seven had decided to show up. And it would have been great if Mezoti had been here to wish Naomi a happy birthday in person.

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