Letters
Concept by Rick
Edited and compiled by Cybermum
Written by: Voyager Season 7.5 writing staff

Epilogue

The monthly exchange through the datastream proceeded smoothly as usual, and shortly the final part of the process was underway. In fact, Harry was just about finished with his rounds. This particular duty, which he'd taken on a few months earlier, ranked as one of his favorites.

As much as he enjoyed filtering and interpreting data, in this case he was now happy to let Seven focus on decrypting the official Starfleet transmission while he helped Neelix deliver the personal letters that had come through the datastream.

The best part about delivering the letters was seeing the reactions on the faces of his crewmates and friends. Joe Carey's open delight at the monthly letter from his wife and sons, Captain Janeway's smile of anticipation at the letter from her sister, Karen Jarvis's quiet pleasure at the letter from her fiancé, who had waited for her and was determined to keep doing so for as long as it took, Tom's casual acceptance of a letter from his parents that didn't quite hide his eagerness to read it, Tuvok's impassive response to his letter from home that was no more believable than Tom's feigned indifference-they were just a few of the hundred- thirty something reactions that greeted him each month. He loved watching them all.

The delivery rounds generally took him from an hour to two hours to complete, depending on the number of letters received, and how many minutes he passed chatting with this crewmate or the other. Neelix handled the large group of off-duty crew who always gathered in the mess hall, while Harry took care of those currently on duty. Over the past hour and forty minutes he'd worked his way through the ship in his usual pattern, from the top-the bridge-all the way down to engineering. Now he had only one letter left in his possession, besides the letter from his parents that he planned to read after his shift while he relaxed with a hot cup of Darjeeling tea.

Harry spotted his final recipient in the far corner of engineering-or at least part of her, in the form of one boot protruding from the entrance of a Jeffries tube-exactly where Mulcahy had said she'd be. He called out in greeting as he approached, "Hey, Maquis."

B'Elanna mumbled something-probably a curse-as she repositioned herself in the tight confines. Then she stuck her head out of the Jeffries tube. "Hey, Starfleet."

Harry held out a PADD. "This last letter's for you."

He could tell from her expression that she wasn't expecting a letter, though she looked curious as she took the PADD from him.

"Reg?" he asked as she activated the display. B'Elanna and Reg Barclay had been exchanging technical information and "talking" engineering back and forth for several months now.

B'Elanna stared mutely at the display for several moments, her expression one of mild astonishment. Finally, she shook her head. "It's from my uncle."

"The one on Qo'noS?" Harry knew that uncle-K'nar, or something like that-had sent B'Elanna confirmation of her mother's death a couple months ago.

B'Elanna nodded slowly. "He wants to know about my life here."

"That's great," Harry replied, though he couldn't tell from B'Elanna's bemused frown if she was pleased about it or not. Still, he was glad someone in her family wanted to keep in touch with her.

B'Elanna shrugged, though her effort at nonchalance was less than convincing. "I'll read it later," she said gruffly as she shut off the PADD. Then she gave Harry a crooked smile. "So, are you still mad at me?"

It took Harry a second to realize that she was talking about the datastream. He shook his head. "I was never mad, exactly." Just a little disappointed that he'd had to put off his video letter. "But I am curious to know why you needed so much space this month."

"I'm working on a...theory," B'Elanna said, being evasive again. "But as soon as I figure out if it's viable, I promise I'll tell you all about it."

Harry decided to wheedle a little. "I don't suppose you want to give me just a little hint about your mystery theory?"

B'Elanna cocked her head. "You want to get home faster, don't you?"

Harry's eyebrows rose. Something to do with propulsion then. "How much faster?"

B'Elanna grinned. "A whole lot faster, Harry."

He was all in favor of that possibility. "You know I'll do anything I can to help."

"Don't worry, when-if-the time comes, I'll take you up on that offer. Now, I've got to get back to work." Clearly having said all she was going to say, B'Elanna set the PADD containing her uncle's letter aside- carefully Harry noticed-and disappeared back into the Jeffries tube.

The idea of getting home much faster than the twenty-five or more years still facing them put a spring in Harry's step, added to the one that was always there on the day the letters arrived through the datastream. Getting home had always been the crew's top priority, and it still was. In the meantime, their regular contact with the Alpha quadrant brought them all a great measure of comfort. True, the contact was long distance in the most literal meaning of the word, and it wasn't the same as physically being with their families and friends back home. As the "next best thing" though, it was pretty darned good.

Harry passed several engineers he'd spoken with a few minutes earlier. Some of them were still avidly reading the letters he'd delivered, and he smiled at a job once again completed to his immense satisfaction. Then he left engineering and headed back to his regular post on the bridge, whistling a low tune all the way.

Addendum: Harry (Rick and Christina), Chakotay (Andra Marie), Kathryn Janeway (Rocky), EMH (Jamelia), Seven (Penny and Rick), Tom Paris (Jamelia), Neelix (Christina), Tuvok (Rocky), Naomi (Cybermum), Noah (Penny), B'Elanna (Rick and Juli17) Prologue and Epilogue (Juli17), interludes (everyone)