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Kathryn Tells All

As Kathryn stood in the briefing room waiting on her staff arriving she couldn't help but feel a sense of pride at their achievements over the years, together they had overcome challenges that very few other crews had done before and in some cases things that had never been done before. The thing that made her most proud was how they worked together through the years. Now Starfleet had recognized them and now there was project Voyager she was absolutely thrilled about this...

Interrupting her thoughts Chakotay said "Kathryn I know Starfleet (pauses and takes a long breath) doesn't this just seem too good to be true too perfect no recriminations not even against the Maquis"

Holding up her hand to stop him Kathryn replied "Chakotay I shared your concerns but it would really hurt Starfleet to go against any Maquis after the war and the actions taken by Starfleet and the Federation during the Bajor occupation and the way they allowed colony's like your own to be given to the Cardassian's. Chakotay I have never told you this before and I was probably one of the few Captains aware of this but after Wolf 359 and how badly that went only made these feeling's deeper among the command and federation councils. They know we have slipped we are stagnating not moving forward we still make advances but 80 years ago we could do warp 9.999 and all we have really done is make warp drives more efficient we have improved and built upon existing technology we knew about the Borg for at least a year before Wolf 359 but we were unprepared nothing we had had got off the drawing board and it was only thanks to the ingenuity of the Enterprise staff and Picard's situation as Locutus that saved us that time. Hard as they have worked since then The Intrepid and Sovereign Classes are our best, built to beat the Borg but even now it would take most of the fleet to disable a single cube. Now my future self told of the devastation wrought to earth and Vulcan before they even got as far as they have now the Borg invaded the alpha quadrant another twice in her Timeline it took the combined efforts of our best, the daystrom institute and the entire Vulcan science directorate to create the technology to beat back the Borg with this seems to have given us the kick we needed Starfleet and the Federation are going to use this as a way to lead the way cooperation, invention a zest a to create a spark to drive us into a better and more productive future unseen since the beginning of the Federation. They are pulling out all the stops they have recalled Captains Scott and Spock to active service they and myself feel that with their help we are even more likely to succeed Admiral McCoy is heading up the medical research part of the project he Bashir and Crusher have been building on the Doctors research in Nano probe and chronotron medicine with breathtaking results he has would have been unable to take part if it had not been for their findings so far they have been able to stop and even reverse ageing and are looking at re-growing body parts better than our prosthesis and artificial organs as we know they are they are still not as good as the real thing".

"I don't know what to say while agree that what was done is wrong what's bad enough for them to take this attitude with the Maquis".

after a tense pause Janeway took Chakotay's hand and replied "Well it...(Large sigh)… an awful lot has been discovered about underhanded and illegal action of both Starfleet command and The Federation council they basically railroaded Admiral Neychayev into making all the compromises in the treaties allowing her believe that the Borg were just about to attack and a looming attack from the unknown species that Riker and Picard found possessing Starfleet command and we needed good relations with Cardassia and not a new war to help fight off the Borg and the parasites. They had made out to her and several others that it was top secret stuff above even her level, of course until all this came out she had a less than stellar reputation with certain people. That was just one of their shortcoming's and both you and me know what else they got up to, whether it was just a few renegade officers or a people at the top everything has been revealed. In the Federation there have been huge upheavals in both the Federation and Starfleet".

Sighing Janeway broke off as Chakotay asks "McCoy I thought he was back on reserve only active for a few months to help for and after Wolf 359".

"He was" Janeway replied "his general health was very poor for him to be active for just 2 months took considerable resource but he can get things done better than many other Admirals he really is Starfleet's most experienced human Admiral but even then there was only so much we could do for old age but due to his rank and record he has never fully retired he always kept an office and worked on research and advised when he could that's how he got a hold of the Doctors work and both he a Crusher were literally able to de-age him by 90 years in the end. He was immediately reinstated to active service and is in charge of the research they are doing Crusher has been promoted to Captain for her work as they have just developed a cure to Irumodic Syndrome".

"WOW"

"YES"

"Why Irumodic Syndrome and not other types of neurological diseases Kathryn"

"because Jean Luc found out he was going to develop it during the temporal incursion a few months before the Enterprise D was destroyed, well Beverley is very close to him and well he is the best we have his loss would have been incomprehensible, they are also confident in treating most others now"

Just then everyone sidles into the briefing room and sat down they just sat there no talking no nothing (Kathryn hoped she hadn't broken them), the atmosphere was almost electric they were so curious, as they watched Janeway and Chakotay. Janeway just smiled and passed out pads to everyone. She looked at each of their facing still astounded by how far they have come in the last 7 years.

"Well everyone I am sure you must be bursting for this briefing, as you know last night I had a call from Admiral's Neychayev and Paris Live on subspace. (Seeing there questioning faces she elaborated) Seven and B'Elanna, some time ago made changes to our subspace communications array to give us better range. Lt Barclay was able to use the technology to upgrade the Midas array, now had we still been at or previous location this would have allowed them to send us data via subspace in about 2 days but given our new distance it allows for live communications but only via the Midas array. Now My future self coming back with all this technology has caused quite an upheaval at Command, now that they have decided to seize the opportunity..."

After a briefing that lasted a full five hours with many "wows" "Ahs" and even a couple of arguments the general consensus was this was even better than any best case scenario ever thought off by anybody.

"Now everyone while we are all thrilled about Starfleet's plans we still have to get home, B'Elanna how are you coming with the Warp Core upgrades from my future selves Shuttle"

"I have a team upgrading the Warp core now Admiral it should be completed in 10 hours but Myself, Icheb, Seven, Tom and Harry have been discussing some theories regarding the new technology and the Slipstream drive we believe we will be able to use it is increase structural integrity allowing us to travel in slipstream for short periods of time".

This got everyone attention but Chakotay spoke up first "but did you not say that it would never be possible for voyager to travel at slipstream again without extended stay in dry-dock to fix damage done by our first trip in slipstream" this time Seven spoke up.

"You are correct Captain but the Armor brought back by the Admirals future self actually increases our structural integrity by 500% although a journey in slipstream will damage and degrade the armor. all we will need to do is let the Armor generators recharge between jumps now this combined with advances in structural Integrity fields Starfleet has sent us and the extra output of power from the Upgraded warp core will allow us to jump between 100 and 200 light years at a time hope fully increasing as we collect more data with at most one week between jumps to allow the radiation from Subspace to fade as it will have a deleterious effect on the hull if we do not do this and if allowed to build up would be catastrophic"

Janeway spoke next" B'Elanna Seven how long before we can try a test flight"

"Admiral if you will allow Harry, Tom, Icheb Seven and myself we should be ready to have a test flight within 3 days it will mean double shifts but I believe we can do it." B'Elanna advised.

"Admiral to err on the side of caution I would advise we procure materials to permanently armor more delicate parts of the ship although the chances of us losing armor while in slipstream is small it can still happen and this would protect the shop long enough to re-initiate the armor or drop into normal space" Seven continued on.

With a nod and a smile Janeway gave the okay "Seven B'Elanna assemble your team I want regular updates" turning to Sam she said "Sam with Seven otherwise engaged I need you to take charge in Astrometric's

Taking a step back she addresses her entire senior crew "Now everyone I know having live contact with your families and friends is wonderful but our capabilities are still limited we can't just call earth they need to initiate contact we will be allocated 15 minutes personal time a week live communications per crewmember but can send pre-recorded messages everyday with no limits I ask that you speak to your crews and make them are these limits are for a reason we can only have two active Comm channels open to earth at any one time one will be for Starfleet use only and. I will consider personal request's for more time in certain circumstances." Dismissing them with a nod she called back Tuvok.

"Tuvok a moment please". Motioning got him to take a seat she continued "Tuvok Admiral McCoy and Captain Crusher are working with the Doctor on Neurological disease they have already succeeded in curing Irumodic Syndrome. The Doctor is confident that he can halt and even reverse some of the damage already done and may even be able to heal you."

"That is indeed most welcome news Captain, I must admit I had my doubts that I could have been healable upon our return to earth even if we are only 6 Months away". Even Tuvok with his Vulcan Logic seemed to be slightly emotional with this news. "I know Tuvok I know you may still wish to wait on a fal-tor-voh but both you and I know that things don't always go to plan on this ship and I need you both as an Officer and a Friend, and I really do not want to explain you illogical actions to T'pel upon our return". Kathryn seemed ready to cry by this point as she Dismissed Tuvok and decided that a spar in the Holodeck with a Kingon, that might just help her vent a little.