PRIME DIRECTIVE: Space may be the final frontier, but I'll never get there by any monies derived from this as Harry Potter and all properties of such are owned by the Dark Lady JKR. All content, characters related to Star Trek are owned by Paramount Pictures, Inc....except maybe some of that stuff that ended up being used in Starfleet Battles which is owned by the Amarillo Design Bureau who used much of their content via the Starfleet Technical Manual by Franz Joseph Schnaubelt and published by Ballantine Books..

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CHAPTER NOTE: This is just all I've got done so far. I'm going through and updating all the previous chapters as well as getting this entire story up on my AO3 site. Just wanted to get this out to let everyone know I'm not dead and I do hope to get this fic finished soon.

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CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR – Orphans

(Episode: ST: VOY episodes Homestead, Dragonteeth, Friendship One & Child's Play)

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PITHY STATEMENT RELATING TO THIS CHAPTER: "Defeat may serve as well as victory to shake the soul and let the glory out." – Edwin Markham – American poet, 1923-1931 Poet Laureate for the State of Oregon – 1852 – 1940

LAST UPDATED ON: 02-04-2024

Commodore's Log, Star Date 52003.4. The Fleet continues to suffer from its good fortune. The addition of all the new ships and personnel from the Second Devorian Battle means we are once again blessed or cursed with many options. Certainly, we have more capability and resources but we now, once again, have more people to try and fit into an already strained system.

Luckily the new Klingons integrated quickly with the former Banished. In regard to our new arrivals, the fact we had Devore and Brenari in the Fleet due to those who came up from Tartarus has helped. Yet the fact remains we have an entire group of people not used to doing things our way along with the hundreds of crewmembers, Federation & Klingon, which are a century behind in technology.

It is bad enough trying to develop a school system for the children when we're already straining to train or reeducate the adults!

Yet we persevere and work every day to keep this hodge-podge of a flying civilization going.

Personally, I think the fleet could do a lap around the Milky Way before getting things finally organized. While the new ships are a strain on an already tenuous supply issue, the growth in our Fleet, and the news of our victory, has gone a long way in making the various systems we visit to be a lot more tractable. I never want to bully anyone for supplies but it is nice that the size and power of our fleet makes those who we visit to be much more interested in trade then eyeing us and wondering if they could try and pirate us.

So far, most places we visit are happy we aren't there as 'Space-Vikings' as well as being even happier that we are quite literally just passing through.

On a personal note, I am worried about Captain Potter. Whatever he and Q discussed upset him greatly. He has holed up on the Ark Royal which he'd previously been spending far less time on due to the needs of his various families. Now, it is rare for him to leave the ship.

Given the horrors Harry Potter has endured in his long life, I wonder what could have shattered him so?

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ASTROMETICS LAB, USS VOYAGER, SECTOR 305, DELTA QUADRANT – STAR DATE 52004.6

Seven turned at the sound of the door to the lab opening. As expected, it was V'Lana.

"Okay, Seven, I'm here. What is so important you called me away from all the training I'm stuck doing?" V'Lana said. Her tone was even but Seven could easily tell that V'Lana would have rather not done this meeting in person.

"I have concerns about Harry," Seven said slowly.

V'Lana cut her off, "You and everyone else. Tell me something I don't know."

Seven scowled, "I believe we have all given Harry enough…space as they might say. I believe now the issue must be pressed. I have calculated that you are the best candidate to visit him and help him return to a semblance of normality."

V'Lana stared at the former drone for a moment before shaking her head. "I don't agree."

Seven's eyebrow went up in surprise, "You doubt my calculations on the social aspects involved?"

V'Lana smirked, "I guess I probably should. No, I don't agree that I should be the one to do it. No, it should be you."

Seven pursed her lips, "I do not believe I have achieved the level of social interaction needed to achieve the desired results. Harry is too important to have someone as ill-equipped, socially, to attempt to bring him out of his depression."

V'Lana laughed, "Beyond that I think you're better at social interaction than you think, I believe you are perfect for this mission. Look Seven, I think Harry needs some tough love and frankly you've got that down without meaning to. You're almost Vulcan in not letting emotions get in the way of your facts. And I know that you love Harry in your own way, but I think you out of all of us connected with him, can be dispassionate enough to be as harsh or as loving as needed."

Seven sighed, "I do not believe I do 'loving' very well."

V'Lana closed the distance between the two women and put a reassuring hand on Seven's shoulder. "You do fine, Seven. You are blunt and often clueless but I think everyone, the children especially, sees the lack of malice and genuine desire to try and be better. For all that we love him, I think the Tri-Anna's can't help but be thinking of how Harry's absence means to us rather than focusing on what he needs."

Seven looked confused, "Who are the Tri-Annas?"

V'Lana chuckled, "I'm rather shocked you haven't heard that slang. The joke is Harry seems to like Annas as he has B'Elanna, Treana and myself, V'Lana."

Seven pursed her lips again, "How odd. I never noticed that."

V'Lana shrugged, "The point is, you have always had a child-like innocence to you. Probably because you went from pre-teen to Borg sex-trap in one jump. You never had puberty and all that kick you around. So yes, Seven, I think you are the perfect person to kick Harry out of his funk."

OoOoO

Alars looked up from his monitor as Seven beamed into existence on the Ark Royal. "Hello, Seven. What can I help you with?"

Seven raised an eyebrow as she stepped off the transporter pad, "And greetings to you Alars. However, I do not require your assistance. I am here to talk to Harry."

Alars frowned, "I'm sorry, Seven, but Captain Potter has given orders that he does not want to be disturbed."

Seven paid no heed to this and walked towards the door. Alars jumped to his feet, "Seven! Did you not understand me? The Captain said he didn't want to see anyone!"

Seven turned slightly as she stopped just shy of where the door would automatically open, "I did hear you, Alars. I am choosing for the best of our extended family to ignore his order. In this case, he must bow to the will of collective. I am sure you have seen this, have you not?"

Alars sighed as his shoulders sagged. Cardassians might be known for their ruthlessness but to their own families, they were true. "I have. Go, I must have been working on the sub-space manifold when you beamed over. Best to take Jeffrey Tube 3 to Junction 9. That's the best way to his cabin to avoid the crew."

Seven nodded. While most of the pilots who flew from the Ark Royal berthed in the other ships of the fleet, it was common for many of them to be on the ship at any one time to pull maintenance, train or be prepping for or returning from patrols. Pilots were notorious gossips, something Seven knew Harry wouldn't appreciate.

With a curt nod to Alars, Seven turned and made her way out the door. She brought up her pad as she looked slightly towards the ceiling, "Computer, transfer a real-time map of all personnel on the ship to my PADD. Command clearance Sigma Nu Two Four Three."

"Command clearance accepted; transferring data," the computer said promptly.

Seven gave a small nod and began to make her way towards Harry's personal quarters. Between Alars' advice and her PADD, Seven was easily able to avoid meeting any of the crew. The only issue was whether or not she could gain access to his quarters. Between his magic and access to technology not commonly available in the Fleet, Seven wasn't sure if she could bypass his security.

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AUTHOR'S NOTES

Tri-Annas: A bit of a meta-joke as I'm married to an Anna!