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Nine Months – Voyager Part 3
By Kudara
Disclaimer: Star Trek Voyager and all who sail in her belong to
Paramount/Viacom and no infringement of copyright/trade marks is
intended.
Rating: Mature
Feedback: Always welcome, feedback is what encourages me to keep
writing. Please let me know what you like and what you dislike
about the story.
Revision History: 01/10/06; minor revision 01/05/07
Note: For more information about Henry Janeway and Shannon
O’Donnell, please see Voyager episode 115 “11:59”
Summary: The former captives meet up with Voyager.
**************************************************************
Chapter 44 - Stardate: 53018.3 (Jan 7, 2376 4:30 pm)
It had taken two days of discussion to hammer out the basics of
how Amazonia would be governed. A civilian led government with
control over the defense force, executive, legislative and
judicial branches, absolute separation of church and state
insisted upon by Lee, and a basic draft of a bill of rights for
its citizens. Elizabeth Janeway had been volunteered to be the
first governor of the colony, and she had even graciously agreed
to accept.
Of the first day, several hours had been devoted to getting
everyone to agree that the new colony needed a defense force.
Finally, they had gotten a unanimous vote for it’s formation
with the understanding that its primary role would be as a
defensive force, emphasis on the defensive, and secondarily for
peaceful exploration when they were able to start producing
starships. In short, it was to be based upon the roles that
Starfleet performed for the Federation, plus other duties that
were more planetary oriented.
B’Elanna and Seven, after a long discussion about what they
wanted to do in the new colony, met with Elizabeth. They wanted
to help build the colony, but more than anything else they
wanted to help design and build the colonies future starships.
The newly minted governor had smilingly agreed, and had promptly
accepted them into the Amazonian Defense Forces, both at the
rank of Commander. B’Elanna was to head up the Engineering
Department, Seven the Theoretical Research Division, both would
be answering to Tanya Montego the new Commander of the Amazonian
Defense Forces.
It had only taken Evelyn a few hours to come up with a series of
suitable uniforms for both civilian and military use. The dress
uniforms bore a startlingly close resemblance to what used to be
termed a Mess uniform. All of the United States military
services had used variations of the same style, short waist
length jacket, white mess shirt, cummerbund, and striped
trousers.
Evelyn had chosen a dark navy blue as the color for the jacket
and pants, arguing that white and formal dinners were disasters
just waiting to happen. The Defense Forces version had gold
stripes on the sleeves denoted rank, and the piping, cummerbund
and trouser stripe were scarlet. The civilian government version
had no rank, and the piping, cummerbund and trouser stripe were
gold. The new uniform only awaited an official function for it’s
unveiling, fortunately there was one scheduled the very next
day.
********************
Commander B’Elanna Torres stared at herself in the mirror one
last time; Evelyn had certainly outdone herself with designing
the dress uniform.
“It fits perfectly, and looks wonderful on you, stop preening,”
Sabrina teased her, straightening the scarlet cummerbund of her
own Defense Forces uniform in imitation of the half-Klingon.
“Just wait till you see the Starfleet dress uniform, you’ll
understand,” B’Elanna chuckled.
“Speaking of which, we’d better go to the transport room to meet
them,” Sabrina reminded her, checking the time. The two of them
strode into the transporter room a few minutes before B’Elanna
and Seven’s Voyager guests were scheduled to arrive.
Elizabeth walked in right behind them “Well, I’ll give it this;
it’s a lot more comfortable than the Marine dress jacket.” she
commented, wearing the civilian version of the uniform, with its
gold cummerbund and trouser stripe.
B’Elanna who had seen a sketch Evelyn had made of a jacket she
had described as a Marine dress jacket had to agree. The Marine
jacket had looked very nice, and very uncomfortable. The bridge
signaled and B’Elanna stepped to the controls and coordinated
the transport with Voyager.
“Captain Janeway,” Elizabeth greeted her as Kathryn Janeway
stepped of the transporter platform.
Elizabeth and Kathryn Janeway had been exchanging correspondence
for the past few days. Voyager had been coordinating data file
transfers from Voyager’s computer core to the Artemis, and
B’Elanna and Seven had been compiling and transmitting to
Voyager the upgrades they had discussed during their captivity.
The two women hoped that the information would prove useful to
Starfleet Engineering.
The upshot of this was that Captain Janeway was aware of
Elizabeth’s new position. “Governor Janeway,” she greeted her,
“You’ve met my First Officer Commander Chakotay, my Security
Officer Lt. Commander Tuvok and the Doctor, may I introduce my
Helm Officer Ensign Tom Paris and my Communications officer
Ensign Harry Kim. Mr. Neelix is our Morale officer, and this is
Ensign Samantha Wildman and her daughter Naomi Wildman.”
“Good evening, it is a pleasure to meet all of you.” Elizabeth
greeted them. “I’d like to introduce my new Defense Forces Head
of Engineering, Commander B’Elanna Torres and Communications
Officer Lt. Sabrina Gentry.”
“Congratulations on your posting Cmdr. Torres,” Captain Janeway
said to B’Elanna after a moment’s pause. An almost sad
expression crossed her face for a moment then it disappeared
replaced by a smile.
The other Voyager officers stepped forward after the Captain and
extended their congratulations as well, though she could tell
that they were dismayed by her posting. It made it that much
more final that she would not be returning with them to Earth.
“Thank you Captain Janeway,” B’Elanna acknowledged. “I’d like to
thank all of you for coming, Seven and I appreciate it,” she
thanked them. “We should be getting to the meeting room, or I’ll
be late for my own wedding,” she joked.
“Who’s performing the wedding?” asked Chakotay interestedly as
they walked into the Artemis’ huge meeting room. The huge square
room had been divided into two spaces for the wedding, one open
area for the reception, the other space arranged to present a
chapel like appearance. The chairs had been placed to either
side with a walkway in the middle, and a raised platform for the
ceremony at one end.
“Lee is,” answered B’Elanna absently looking around at who was
already present. Finally she noticed their puzzled looks.
“Sorry, the Reverend Elizabeth Scott,” she didn’t wait to see
who would make the connection, “and yes, she’s that Elizabeth
Scott, the first president of the Church of Conscious Design.”
“Oh Lee’s not going to be happy with you,” Elizabeth commented
laughingly.
The initial stunned looks from several of the Voyager officers
faded into confusion, “Why would she not be pleased?” asked
Chakotay.
“She wasn’t pleased when I told her about her picture being up
in just about every Deist Meeting Hall.” B’Elanna winced just
remembering. “She thinks it’s pretty silly to attribute the
growth of Deism to her, when the philosophy was around long
before she was even born, and will let you know her opinion if
you mention it.”
“Are you gossiping about me B’Elanna?” Lee’s distinctive voice
came from behind her.
“Of course,” B’Elanna turned and gave the diminutive woman a
hug.
“Mind the robes,” Lee chided her, as she straightened the gold
colored stole she was wearing. “And be polite and introduce me
to your friends.”
*********
B’Elanna and Lee’s relationship had changed rather abruptly one
day from acquaintances to friend and councilor; B’Elanna had
needed someone to talk to about her guilt over the idea of
leaving Voyager stranded in the Delta Quadrant if they chose to
colonize. She had originally intended to talk to Maria, but the
Hispanic woman had been busy and Lee had been available.
With Lee’s assistance, B’Elanna had finally come to the
conclusion that no matter how guilty she felt, she could not
make a choice that would ultimately harm her unborn daughter.
Yet, she still felt that she was abandoning her friends on
Voyager. She and Lee had discussed these feelings during a
second meeting. To her own surprise, B’Elanna had opened up and
talked about her own childhood, her anger toward, and feelings
of abandonment by her father.
That was when she found out why Seven held Lee in such high
esteem. Pointing out her own seven year old daughter’s behavior,
Lee had bluntly told B’Elanna that she could expect similar
things from her daughter as well, once she was born. Lee
informed B’Elanna that she would hear ‘I hate you’ from the
half-Klingon’s own daughter many, many times over the course of
raising her.
Lee used as an example Virginia’s short temper tantrum the day
before when her daughter had been frustrated, angry and afraid.
B’Elanna had been in the area and had listened frozen,
remembering her own past, as Virginia ranted at her mother. Then
she had watched amazed as Lee talked to her daughter calmly in
reply, and then pulled the girl into a hug when Virginia had
started to cry.
Using that incident as a starting place, Lee had finally gotten
B’Elanna to think about her father leaving from an adult
viewpoint, instead of the childish one she had held onto for so
long. No, she had never thought that Virginia actually hated her
mother; she had seen from the child’s face what she was feeling.
No, she would never consider leaving her own child if they said
that in a moment of frustration and anger. At the end of that
session Lee had left her with the task of considering why her
father might have decided to leave.
B’Elanna had struggled with the task, but in the end she had
been surprised by the answers she wrote down. Primary among them
had been that she would leave because she was hurting her child
too much by fighting with the child’s mother. Right after
writing that down, she had cried in Seven’s arms for the first
time. It was a major turning point in her life, and since then
she had went back to Lee several times to discuss her feelings
about her father and mother.
************
“Elizabeth Scott, meet Captain Kathryn Janeway, Commander
Chakotay…” she went on and introduced everyone.
“Well, hopefully I’ll have time to talk to you after the
ceremony, but I must be going.” Lee excused herself and glanced
meaningfully at B’Elanna.
“I think that’s my cue as well,” B’Elanna grinned, she had
starting feeling slightly nervous earlier, but now she could no
longer ignore it.
As they walked up the middle isle Sabrina, took firm hold of her
arm and whispered in her ear, “I have Christina and Brenda
stationed at the door if you try and run for it, so don’t even
think about it.”
As it was meant to, it startled a laugh out of B’Elanna,
relaxing her, “Didn’t I say something similar a two weeks ago at
your wedding?” she grinned at her friend. Like Sabrina was doing
for her now, she had stood as best friend for Sabrina at her
wedding with Anuhya.
“And for much the same reason,” laughed Sabrina.
“Hey, you were looking a bit grey for a moment, not a good color
on you.” B’Elanna joked.
The rest of it was a daze of memory for B’Elanna. Making sure
Mary had both of the rings. Waiting for the first appearance of
Seven, and then watching stunned as Seven appeared in the long
antique-white wedding gown that Evelyn had designed for her, so
radiantly beautiful it took her breath away. Naomi,
concentrating intently on making sure to scatter the flower
petals evenly before Seven and Elizabeth, who was her escort.
Finally they reached the end of the isle and Elizabeth placed
Seven’s hand in B’Elanna’s, and they stepped up on the raised
podium in front of Elizabeth Scott.
Of what Lee said during the ceremony, one thing stood out in
B’Elanna’s mind, “Cleave together during times of trouble,
selflessly lend each other your strength, your courage, your
honesty and love, and though you may be bowed and bloodied by
adversity, you will overcome it together.”
B’Elanna clearly recalled sliding a ring on Seven’s finger, and
Seven placing one on hers, then Lee was stating, “Before this
community, I now pronounce you married.”
They stepped toward one another, and B’Elanna’s lips met Seven’s
in a long loving kiss. Slowly they parted staring into one
another’s eyes for long moment, then smiled in joy at one
another, before turning and facing the gathering. Traditional
rice was thrown at them during their walk back to the end of the
isle much to Seven’s bewilderment. As Seven had stated to
B’Elanna earlier, the half-Klingon was not male, and did not
need any supernatural assistance in making her pregnant since
she was already pregnant.
After fifteen minutes of accepting congratulations from people,
B’Elanna watched with a smile as Seven, noting Naomi staring
longingly at the other children playing, walked over to her and
offered to introduce the half-Ktarian. Seven and Samantha spoke
for a moment then Seven took Naomi’s hand and lead her over to
introduce her to Virginia and Mary.
“She’s really changed a lot from how I remember her on Voyager,”
Chakotay commented as he came over to her.
B’Elanna nodded, watching as Seven listened intently to
something Virginia was saying to her. “She loves children; you
should see her with Karen’s youngest Heather,” she pointed out
Karen who happened to be holding Heather at that moment.
Maria walked up to them, “Tsk, tsk, lost her already to a
younger woman.” She teased B’Elanna.
B’Elanna laughed, “I can see that happening quite frequently.”
She nodded to Chakotay as he waved at her and then drifted away
to talk to Captain Janeway.
“She is a very loving person, you are a lucky woman B’Elanna
Torres,” Maria informed her.
B’Elanna smiled softly watching her wife, savoring the fact that
she could now use the word in her thoughts to refer to the
blonde. “Believe me I know that,” she replied to Maria.
Tom Paris stepped into her line of vision, “Nice wedding
B’Elanna,” he congratulated her.
“Thanks Tom,” she replied and watched as he gazed at Seven.
He turned back toward her, “I didn’t really understand why or
how two days ago,” he admitted. “Even though you told me about
it, about how your perceptions of her changed, how you two
became friends. I didn’t really get it, but seeing Seven here,
how relaxed she is around everyone, it is like seeing a
different person.” He trailed off.
“I love her,” B’Elanna told him simply.
Tom nodded and smiled, “Yea, you told me that, I guess I didn’t
really believe it. But I do now, good luck, B’Elanna.”
“Good luck to you too, I hope things go well with your father,”
B’Elanna stated.
“Thanks, I suspect I’ll need it,” He replied and took in a deep
breath.
“On a jet plane?” Elizabeth’s incredulous voice drew their
attention, and with a glance at each other B’Elanna and Tom
drifted over to hear what Kathryn and Elizabeth Janeway were
discussing. Seven came up beside her as they approached the two
women, and B’Elanna grinned at her, knowing that the blonde was
just as curious as she and Tom.
“You have determined that you are related?” Seven calmly
inquired as they approached.
Elizabeth stopped staring at Kathryn long enough to nod to
Seven, “Yes we have, her ancestor Henry Janeway was my father
William Janeway’s brother, and my uncle. I went to see Henry and
Shannon in May of 2006 at Portage Creek, Indiana while they were
still building the Millennium Gate.”
Elizabeth turned back to Captain Janeway, “I think we should go
for a walk, we can go to my office and share a glass of cognac
and whatever poison you prefer and discuss this, I’m afraid your
Aunt Martha had a somewhat embellished version of Henry and
Shannon’s first meeting.”
*************************************************************
Chapter 45 - Stardate: 53025.55 (Jan 10, 2376 8:30 am)
Voyager’s sensors had detected the formation of the wormhole 6
light years away the previous day, and had received confirmation
from the Artemis that the Ilanar were responsible. Elizabeth had
told Kathryn Janeway that the wormhole would be formed too far
away for them to determine how it was created, and she had been
correct. Their sensor data included nothing that would indicate
how the Ilanar had managed to create the wormhole.
Now they were 300 million kilometers away from the wormhole
entrance waiting for the probe they had just sent into the
wormhole to exit and send data back. The Artemis had traveled
with them, and was currently at station keeping two hundred
thousand kilometers from Voyager.
“Captain, the probe has exited the far side of the wormhole,
receiving telemetry data now.” Kim informed her. She hid a grin,
if Harry sounded any more intense she would have to look back to
see if he was vibrating with excitement yet.
“Captain,” his voice sounded awed, and she just had to turn
around to meet his dark eyed gaze, “The probe is 10 light years
from Wolf 494, and 17 light years from Earth.”
“I guess when the Ilanar said near Earth they meant it,”
commented Chakotay with a grin.
“And, Captain,” Ensign Kim continued his voice awed, “I’m
picking up a Starfleet vessel,” he paused staring at his board
then looked up at her wide eyed, “it’s the Enterprise.”
Janeway whipped around and stared at the screen intently, “Can
you contact them?”
“Attempting to now,” Harry bent over his console working
feverishly.
The view screen showed static for a few seconds then finally
cleared. Janeway immediately recognized the features of the man
standing in the middle of the Galaxy class bridge. “Captain
Picard,” she paused a moment controlling her voice, “it’s so
very good to see you.”
“There’s a bit of a time delay Captain,” Kim advised her, “Three
point two seconds.”
“Captain Janeway,” Picard smiled, “It seems you found your own
way home.” His smile faltered, “Do you have any information
about this wormhole; my officers suspect it’s not naturally
formed.”
“It isn’t, an advanced race called the Ilanar created it for us.
We weren’t permitted to witness its creation though; they have
their own version of the Prime Directive that forbids it.”
Captain Janeway informed him.
“Captain,” Kim interrupted quietly, “The Artemis is contacting
us.” He frowned at his board, “And the Enterprise just sent
their own probe through. I’ll try and patch the two probes
together it should help cut down the time delay.”
Captain Janeway waited impatiently until Kim looked up and
nodded to her. “Can you patch in the Artemis?” she asked.
“Yes, Captain,” he answered.
Janeway turned around and looked at the screen as it split and
now showed both the bridge of the Enterprise and the Artemis.
“Governor Elizabeth Janeway, we have a communications link with
a Starfleet vessel at the other end of the wormhole, this is
Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Enterprise.”
Elizabeth grinned, “Well I’m glad to see that name carried on, I
was aboard the Enterprise in 2001 when she was an aircraft
carrier.”
Captain Janeway noticed Picard giving Elizabeth a frowning look,
“Captain Picard, meet Governor Janeway a rather distant cousin
of mine, formerly Colonel Elizabeth Janeway of the United States
Marine Corps.”
Picard’s eyes widened slightly as he absorbed the information,
“Pleased to meet you Governor Janeway.” He greeted her in his
cultured voice.
Elizabeth nodded, “Captain Janeway, Reverend Scott has arranged
for a proper send off for you, do you have an estimated time for
your departure?”
“We’re ready to go now actually, we hadn’t expected to contact
Starfleet so soon.” Captain Janeway answered, wondering what was
going on.
“Well then I’ll let her know,” Elizabeth drawled with a grin,
she nodded to someone off to the side.
Janeway waited puzzled for a few minutes, until Elizabeth Scott
wearing her ministerial robes walked onto the bridge followed by
members of the new Defense Force in dress uniform, including
white gloves. Seven and B’Elanna were among them, and with
amusement she noticed when Seven saw who else was in the
communications link with them. Though she couldn’t hear her, she
would swear that the former Borg mouthed, Locutus, before
focusing her attention back on Elizabeth Scott. The group of
women arranged themselves into a small arch around the
diminutive woman, and held up what looked suspiciously like old
paper choir books.
“Mr. Kim patch this through to the entire ship,” Janeway
whispered urgently, suspecting what was about to happen.
Reverend Scott addressed her, “Captain Janeway and the crew of
Voyager, though you do not sail upon the sea this day, there is
a hymn that was in our time traditionally sung for those
embarking on a journey,” she turned back around to face the
other women. She paused for a moment making sure she had their
attention then she lifted her arms and began to direct them.
Eternal Father, strong to save,
Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,
Who bidd'st the mighty ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea!
O Christ! Whose voice the waters heard
And hushed their raging at Thy word,
Who walked'st on the foaming deep,
And calm amidst its rage didst sleep;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea!
Most Holy Spirit! Who didst brood
Upon the chaos dark and rude,
And bid its angry tumult cease,
And give, for wild confusion, peace;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea!
O Trinity of love and power!
Our brethren shield in danger's hour;
From rock and tempest, fire and foe,
Protect them wheresoe'er they go;
Thus evermore shall rise to Thee
Glad hymns of praise from land and sea.
The last notes died away and Reverend Scott turned around to
face the screen, “May our Eternal Creator watch over you and
your crew, Captain Janeway.”
“Thank you Reverend Scott,” she responded.
“You are not accompanying Voyager through the wormhole Governor
Janeway?” inquired Picard, his dark eyes searching.
“No Captain Picard, we have a planet to colonize,” Elizabeth
responded.
“I’m certain Starfleet and the Federation would be very
interested in meeting you,” he assured her.
Elizabeth grinned, “I’m sure they would, but the decision’s
already been made; only Voyager will be traveling through that
wormhole today.” Elizabeth glanced over at something then back
to the screen, “Captain Janeway, the Ilanar have asked that you
complete transit of the wormhole in one hour, they need to close
it as soon as possible.”
Janeway nodded, “I understand, and please thank them for us
again.”
Elizabeth just nodded; she had passed on several thanks from
Voyager already.
She took a deep breath, “Mr. Paris, take us in,” Janeway
ordered.
“God bless and God speed, Voyager,” Elizabeth wished them.
“Good luck, Artemis,” she returned it, taking one last look at
B’Elanna Torres and Seven of Nine, no Seven Hansen now, standing
at attention behind Reverend Scott in their new uniforms. After
the wedding she had understood better why the two women had not
wanted to come back to Voyager. Seven was more than accepted by
her fellow former captives, she was one of them, and had made
several close friends there. No one stared at her implants, or
whispered about her behind her back, or told her that she should
have remained lost.
The last when Neelix had told her about it a few days later had
first infuriated her then the anger had drained away and defeat
set in. She knew that between her own behavior at the meeting,
and those crewmembers hateful words Voyager had lost. Lost the
two women to the love they had found in one another, and the
acceptance they had in their new community.
Five minutes later after a slightly bumpy ride Voyager exited
the far end of the wormhole. Filling their view screen were the
stars of the Alpha Quadrant and the Galaxy class Federation
Starship Enterprise.
“Communication from the Enterprise, Captain,” Kim almost sang in
his excitement.
“Put it through Ensign Kim,” she ordered huskily.
Picard was smiling warmly, “Let me be the first to say… Welcome
home, Voyager.”
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