Truth and ConseQuences
By Christina and Rocky

The gray-haired man took his hand off the akoona and opened his eyes. He looked disappointed-or upset.

"Is something wrong, Father?" asked the young girl who was sitting on the floor next to him.

He forced a smile. "No, Shani, everything is fine." He gathered up the items from his medicine bundle and rose. "Why don't you ask your mother if she needs any help preparing our evening meal."

"All right," she said, heading toward the kitchen. His smile faded as soon as she was out of sight.

Shani was back in less than a minute. "Mother said she doesn't need me-can I go down to the river? Mother said it's all right with her as long as you don't mind."

"Go ahead," he said. "But make sure you're back before dark." He watched her skip happily out the door, then sighed heavily.

"Chakotay?" A Bajoran woman stood in the doorway. "What's the matter?"

He didn't meet her eyes. "Nothing, Lara."

Lara came over and put her arms around him. "You can't fool me that easily, my dear."

Chakotay inhaled sharply. "I suppose you know me too well."

"After so many years of marriage, I should hope so!" Lara said teasingly, then sobered. "Tell me what's troubling you."

Chakotay moved out of her comforting embrace and went to the window. "Look out there-what do you see?"

"What do you mean? I see the other homes in the village."

"Look toward the other side of the river. Do you see trees, grass, healthy crops?"

"Chakotay-"

"Dorvan is almost a complete wasteland," he said, pain evident in his voice. "With all our hard work, we've only been able to restore a pitifully small area-nearly 20 years after the Cardassians first blasted the planet with their thermalite weapons. Everything from the plants to the animals to the microbes in the soil was wiped out. In addition to the people. Do you know how many thousands died?"

"You're not telling me anything new," Lara said quietly. "I grew up during the Occupation. I know what those monsters were capable of. At least they eventually got a taste of their own medicine-Cardassia Prime was practically leveled by the end of the Dominion War."

Chakotay swung around, his fists clenched, his face contorted by a wave of anger. "And yet the Federation allocated scarce resources to help Cardassia rebuild, while we were given nothing! Nothing! Everything we've achieved-pitiful as it is-has been solely through our own efforts, our blood and sweat and tears! Cardassia's victims still suffer, but those responsible for it receive free food, medicine-"

Lara raised her voice to be heard over his tirade. "Chakotay, calm down. There's no use letting yourself get so upset-"

At her words, his arms dropped to his sides. "I'm sorry," he said. "I shouldn't be taking this out on you."

Lara looked deeply into his eyes. "What caused this sudden outburst, Chakotay? After all, the situation isn't new. It's been like this for over a decade-as long as we've been living here."

He didn't answer for a long moment. "I was meditating earlier. My spirit guide took me back into the past, showed me a vision of Dorvan of long ago. The way I remember it when I was a small boy. The fields were green, the sky was blue. There were birds singing, and insects buzzing. It was all so beautiful, so peaceful...my friends and I were laughing, playing some game. I could see their faces...it was all so real." He paused. "And when the vision ended, I realized that it would never be that way again."

Lara blinked away her own tears. "Chakotay, I'm so sorry." It was her turn to hesitate. "But it's not exactly true, that Dorvan will never be restored."

He pulled her into his arms, cradling her against his chest. "Oh, Lara, I know. Over the course of a few hundred years, the planet will eventually recover. This small part we've reclaimed is the seed from which it will all spring." He sighed. "But it won't be in my lifetime."

She was silent, listening to his heartbeat. "It could be," she said finally.

"What do you mean?"

Lara lifted her head. "If we had access to the large-scale terraforming machinery, we could accomplish in months what would normally take years."

Chakotay laughed. "If! Why not wish for a magic talisman out of the ancient legends while you're at it?"

She refused to treat it as a joke. "As you said, the talismans are the stuff of legend, but the terraformers are real."

"They may as well be legends, for all that we could hope to get one," Chakotay said.

"The Federation has them," Lara pointed out.

"And you think they'd just give them to us?" Chakotay said incredulously. "Haven't you been listening to me? The Federation has given us *nothing* since the first colonists came back. What makes you think they'd be willing to help us now?"

"You could ask them, Chakotay."

"Why would they be willing to listen to me?" he said dismissively. "I have no friends among the Federation."

"Remember that Starfleet captain, Janeway?"

His mouth tightened. "What about her?"

"She's an admiral now, was promoted shortly after the war ended. I heard her name mentioned in a recent news report. The reporter said she's one of the most influential voices in Starfleet today, even in the Federation itself. I'm sure she'd be able to help us."

"But why would she be willing?" Chakotay asked.

"Because she owes you a favor. You've told me more than once how you saved her ship, out in the Delta Quadrant. If it weren't for you, everyone on Voyager would have been killed."

"You're forgetting something, Lara," he said bitterly. "Right after I saved her ship-at the cost of my own-she promptly threw me and the rest of the Maquis in the brig and then glibly handed us over to the Federation authorities as soon as Voyager returned home. That's how Janeway showed her gratitude."

"Chakotay-"

"No, Lara. I know you mean well, but we won't discuss this any further." He strode toward the door of their cabin. "I'm going out. I'll be back before dinner."

Act 4

"What about Tuvok?" Kathryn asked, though she dreaded to hear the answer.

"What about him?"

"Is he dead, too, in this reality?"

"Your crew does seem to be having singularly bad luck, don't they?" Q agreed, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Rest assured, however, that your Vulcan sidekick is still alive...if you can call it living."

Kathryn looked at Q aghast. "What's happened to Tuvok? Is he ill?"

"No, no, nothing like that," Q reassured her. "What I meant is that he went into politics after his resignation from Starfleet. He became quite a prominent figure in the Vulcan planetary council."

Kathryn breathed a sigh of relief, not just for Tuvok's sake but for her own. Perhaps this little journey Q had insisted on taking was over and she could go back to-

"Shall we check on some of your other little friends and see what they've been up to lately?" Q asked rhetorically.

The corridor was filled with barely recognizable Borg machinery. There was an odd, low-pitched humming sound in the background. A pile of corpses off to the right told the story.

The Royal Complex was dying.

A short distance away, in the central chamber, two members of species 8472 stood next to another pile of corpses. Nearby, four surviving drones stood in a semicircle around the prone figure of their Queen.

Responding to a sudden signal, two of the drones swung around and moved in the direction of the tripedal aliens. But their gait lacked the smooth precision that was the hallmark of the Collective. The drones stumbled; the shots they fired were wild and failed to hit their targets. Instead, they exploded against the walls, further damaging the battered junctions.

After advancing less than a meter, the two drones collapsed, their corpses shriveling as they fell. Neither one of the aliens had moved. A third drone fell. The last drone, who might have once been a Human female, lunged at the two 8472 with her assimilation tubules but fell short of her target. Her intended victim fired a single shot, vaporizing her completely.

With a loud hiss, the Queen tried to stand. She managed to get to her knees before collapsing. The two 8472 took a final survey of the dead drones and moved away. The lights flickered and then the room was plunged into total darkness.

"And thus falls the once mighty Borg," Q said. "They should have remembered the old schoolyard lesson of bullies-someone bigger and badder eventually comes along."

"I don't think I want to meet anyone worse than 8472." Kathryn turned to face him, a sudden thought bursting full-grown into her mind. "Are they a threat to the Q Continuum, as well? Is that why you're so concerned about them?"

"Bah. Of course not," Q scoffed. "Does the word 'omnipotent' mean anything to you?" He rolled his eyes. "But with 8472 in total control, imagine how boring our lives would become. You lower lifeforms are so entertaining."

"It's nice to know we're good for something," she replied, letting her voice drip with sarcasm. "Are we done yet?"

"Almost," Q said with a smirk. He held up two rectangular pieces of paper. "Next stop Alpha Quadrant. All passengers are required to have tickets their tickets stamped and ready."

"Admiral Janeway," the woman behind the transporter console said as the decorated veteran of many battles stepped off the transporter pad. "Welcome aboard the Strident. I'm Captain Jenny Delaney."

"Thank you, Captain," Janeway said briskly. "Have you heard from Starfleet Command?"

"They've approved the mission. The Strident and the Forester will be ready for departure in the hour."

"Very good." The Admiral glanced curiously at the officer standing before her. "Delaney? The name seems familiar."

Delaney smiled briefly. "Yes, ma'am. My sister and I served under you on Voyager almost twenty years ago."

Janeway nodded. "That's right. What was her name? Margaret?"

"Megan." Delaney frowned. "She died in the first wave of attacks by these aliens. As so many others did."

"I'm sorry for your loss, Captain."

"Thank you, ma'am." Delaney cleared her throat. "Off the record, Admiral, what are our chances? Is there any hope at all that we can defeat this enemy?"

Janeway took a deep breath. "Vulcan fell last week, and we haven't heard from Qo'noS for almost three days." She shook her head. "These aliens make the Borg and the Dominion look like minor threats. Their bioships have managed to do what no other force has ever accomplished, namely penetrate the Federation's innermost lines of defense, leaving nothing but destruction in their wake. Their shields are nearly impervious to our weapons. I won't mince words, Captain-the situation is very grave. We've sent distress signals to our allies, but we don't expect a response. The entire Alpha and Beta Quadrants have been overrun."

Delaney's eyes met the Admiral's unwaveringly. "What is our plan, ma'am?"

"These aliens create singularities, allowing them to cross from fluidic space into our own, at any point they choose. Our mission is to access these *tunnels* and attempt to destroy them from the inside. If we're successful, we'll trap them permanently within fluidic space." The Admiral added, "And ourselves, as well."

Delaney nodded. "Understood, Admiral."

"I have the coordinates for our rendezvous with the Enterprise. Captain Barclay is expecting us by 0800 hours tomorrow morning."

Kathryn turned to her guide in consternation. "Q-the Federation is on the brink of destruction? How did this happen?"

Q nodded. "It was quite a tragedy, but it's all your doing, you know. I had been so fond of Captain Picard, too. I'll miss his enthusiastic defenses of lower lifeforms such as yourselves. But that's life. And death." He started to snap his fingers, but stopped. "To think that within the next few weeks the glorious history of human exploration will have gone to the dogs..." He grinned suddenly. "Yet another quaint expression. Someday, I'll have to tell you about the time I impersonated a dog."

Kathryn shook her head. "You are impossible. We're talking about the end of my people-of all sentient life in the galaxy-and all you can do is talk about your life as a dog?"

Q laughed. "Not just any dog, but one privileged to travel on one of the earliest starships. But that's another story. Maybe when you're in a better mood?" He made a sweeping motion with his right hand. "Very well. Operation Bitter Seed is about to commence."

"Bitter Seed?"

"While we were conversing, the Forester and Strident have rendezvoused with the Enterprise and certain modifications have been made. Perhaps we should go to the bridge?" He snapped his fingers.

"Admiral Janeway, we've located a singularity," the young ensign said from the tactical station. "One thousand kilometers off our port bow."

"Notify the other ships." Janeway stood. "Tell them to get ready to follow us in."

Captain Delaney exchanged glances with the Admiral. "Helm, bring us in closer, to a distance of one hundred kilometers. Shields at maximum. Commander Torm, any sign of the enemy?"

"No, Captain. But they've been here recently. The tactical probe we launched earlier reports that Sector 51 has been obliterated."

Janeway turned to address the bridge crew. "I don't have to remind anyone that this mission is vital to the survival of all sentient life."

"Engineering is standing by," Delaney said quietly.

"Captain..." The helm officer looked concerned. "Admiral. We're in position now."

Janeway nodded. "Go ahead, Captain." Delaney quickly entered a command into her console.

The center of the viewscreen displayed a tight swirling pattern, which rapidly enlarged. The ensign at the helm gulped visibly as the ship entered the singularity.

Kathryn blinked her eyes several times when she found herself sitting at a table in an empty white room. There was no other furniture. Glancing from side to side, she realized she couldn't see any walls.

"And so it ends," Q said softly as he sat down beside her.

"They were defeated? What exactly was Operation Bitter Seed?"

"A biological weapon somewhat similar to the nanovirus you developed and deployed in the Borg Civil War in your reality. But without your Doctor's brilliance-all the Mark I Emergency Medical Holograms were consigned to mining duties, you know-and without Icheb's contributions, it wasn't quite as effective. Too little, too late." He hesitated. "I figured you would prefer not to stay for the *bitter* end. Of course, if you insist-"

"No, that's all right." She closed her eyes. "In my reality, this never happens, right?"

He waggled a playful finger at her. "Never say never...but you are correct, Kathy darling. Because you chose to destroy the Array, none of the things I've shown you will come to pass."

Kathryn closed her eyes, weak with relief. She was very glad she was sitting down. Several minutes of silence passed before she trusted herself to speak. "The Federation will survive?"

"Talk about a one track mind-yes, it survives. But it will be tested many times." He laughed. "Now that's a good one. Time." She looked at him, wondering just what he'd thought of now. "Sorry, that's a joke I can't explain to you in this *time* and place."

"Q," she said sadly, thinking of all the loss and devastation she had witnessed-that he had shown her. "I can't stand around and do nothing. I'm a Starfleet Captain, it's not in my nature-"

"Or your job description," he said glibly.

"Isn't there anything I can do to save this universe? Prevent all those deaths?"

He shook his head in exasperation. "Haven't you learned by now that you can't control all events? And that's in your own reality, let alone here." He stood up and took her hand. "Which reminds me-are you ready to go home?"

"Yes...No, wait..." No sooner were the words out of her mouth than Kathryn found herself enveloped in the swirling mist once more.

Act 5

She was on Voyager.

That was the first thing Kathryn noticed. There was no mistaking the faint hum of the warp engines in the background, even a certain indefinable scent in the air. But there was something different...

As she looked around, she recognized she was in the holoprogram of Sandrine's. Having witnessed the scene with the 'other' Tom Paris in the actual bar, she was aware of subtle differences. But was she actually here or just 'observing' like she had earlier?

She noticed a vaguely familiar-looking young woman in the science blue uniform at the pool table, poised to make a shot. Kathryn picked up a cue and strolled over.

"Captain," the woman stammered, "Is my time up?"

"No. You're fine," Kathryn said, raising a reassuring hand. "I was hoping to get in some practice. Ensign Lily Ford, isn't it? Xenobiology?"

The younger woman smiled. "That's right. Xenovirology actually, even if the paperwork says biology."

"Ah." Kathryn looked at the table. "Are you planning to play in next week's tournament?"

Lily smiled. "Yes, ma'am. I was pool champion of my graduating class. I haven't had much opportunity to play recently, though."

Janeway tapped her commbadge. "Janeway to Commander Chakotay."

"Chakotay here. Yes, Captain?"

"I'm having a meeting with the Xenovirology staff, so I'll be a little late for my shift. You have the bridge, Commander. Janeway out." She looked at Ensign Ford. "Rack them up."

Lily hesitated. "Ma'am, I'm on duty in fifteen minutes."

Kathryn laughed. "Ensign, you're having a meeting with the captain...I don't think you'll get in trouble."

Lily smiled in return. "Interesting definition of meeting." She quickly finished racking the balls. "I believe you go first."

"No," Kathryn said confidently. "I'll clean up."

Ten minutes later, Kathryn had to concede that not going first was a mistake. Ensign Lily Ford was an excellent player.

"So," Chakotay whispered, as she took her seat on the bridge. "Another successful meeting?"

"That depends on how you define success," Kathryn said as she leaned a little closer to him. "Ensign Ford is a talented officer-or a very lucky one."

Chakotay chuckled. "I suppose I shouldn't mention that Lieutenant Paris has hired her as his pool teacher. He's bound and determined to beat you in next week's tournament."

"If he thinks his pride is hurting now..." Kathryn grinned. "I hope you don't mind covering the beginning of the shift for me these last few days."

Chakotay nodded. "Well, those meetings with the Xenovirology staff are very important, aren't they?" he asked innocently.

Kathryn nodded, keeping a perfectly straight face. "Ever since that incident which caused the gelpacks to become infected, I've felt we needed to 'beef up' our biology departments."

"Right, blame it on the cheese," Chakotay muttered under his breath.

"What else-" Janeway began.

"Captain," Harry said, interrupting the conversation. She could hear the urgency in his voice. "I'm detecting two Kazon vessels on an intercept course."

"Red alert," Kathryn said. She glanced at Chakotay and shook her head. "Lieutenant Paris, go to warp eight. I'd rather not fight them today."

She shook her head as the two ships set off in pursuit. "Captain," Harry said, "There's a third ship straight ahead."

"Maje Cullah has wised up," Chakotay said. "Definitely a change in tactics over the past week or two. He's decided there's strength in numbers-and hopes to surround us."

"So it would seem," Janeway said, "But I don't intend to get caught in his trap." She stood. "Lieutenant Paris, set a new course, heading zero-forty-five. Lieutenant Tuvok, I want a complete sensor sweep of the sector."

"Long-range sensors indicate three more ships are approaching, Captain," Tuvok said as the nearest ship fired.

"Return fire," Janeway said. "And concentrate on Maje Cullah's ship."

"Hoping he'll take the hint?" Chakotay asked.

"I think he's too dense to even know what a hint is." She looked at the screen. "Prepare to fire aft photon torpedoes, spread pattern gamma chi. The sooner we get out of this 'box' the better."

The other Kazon ships fired. Voyager shook; the lights blinked and emergency power came on.

"What's the status of our shields?" Chakotay asked sharply.

"Down to 72 percent," Tuvok answered.

Kathryn gritted her teeth. "Keep firing." She watched as a small Kazon ship exploded. The others continued their attack.

"Minor damage to Cullah's ship," Harry said. "Captain, they're concentrating their fire on our port side."

"Ensign Kim is correct," Tuvok said. "Shields are down on the port side to 65 percent. I am attempting to reroute power."

She nodded as Voyager fired again, and then glanced at the tactical display in front of her.

"Captain, I am unable to reroute power," Tuvok reported a few seconds later. "Shields are failing in that area. If we sustain any more hits, a hull breach is imminent."

"Evacuate the area," Janeway ordered as the ship lurched suddenly. She landed heavily on her left side, but managed to break her fall with her hand. She pushed herself up with her other arm, wincing as she flexed her left hand.

"Captain, are you all right?" Chakotay asked as he helped her up.

"Fine," she said through clenched teeth. "Lieutenant Paris, at the first sign of an opening, get us out of here."

"Yes, ma'am," Paris said. "Almost there...now!" The ship shook as Paris' hands flew over his console, but within moments, space ahead of them was clear.

"There are still three Kazon ships in pursuit, Captain," Tuvok said.

"Fire at the lead vessel," Janeway said. "They obviously need a little discouragement."

"The Kazon have broken off their attack," Tuvok reported a few minutes later. "We are no longer being pursued."

"Damage report," Janeway said. A wisp of hair had come loose from her bun and she absently tucked it behind her ear.

"Captain, there was an explosion on Deck five, section two, the science labs," Harry said. "The fire suppression system is off-line."

"Get a damage control team over there right away," Janeway said. "Anyone injured?"

"Three casualties reported. No word as to the severity of the injuries yet," Harry answered.

She glanced at the main viewscreen, and then stood, cradling her injured hand. "Maintain yellow alert, Commander. I'll be in Sickbay."

The Doctor quickly ran his mediwand over her, then made a tsk-tsk sound. "And it only hurts when you laugh?"

"Actually it hurts when I don't laugh, too," Kathryn replied, telling herself that at least the EMH appeared to be trying to rectify his poor bedside manner. "How are the others?"

"Ensign Seska suffered second degree burns on her hands and arms; Kes is with her now." Janeway opened her mouth, surprised; Seska was assigned to Engineering-how did she happen to be in the science lab? Before she could ask, however, the Doctor resumed speaking. "Ensign Wildman was very lucky-she just has some bruises. Her fetus is fine as well." He picked up the internal tissue regenerator. "And as for you, Captain, just minor damage-in addition to spraining your wrist, you also broke your middle finger."

Kathryn looked around, noting that aside from herself, Seska and Wildman, there were no other patients present. A terrible certainty grew inside her, but she had to ask anyway. "The report said there were three casualties from the science lab explosion-"

The Doctor looked away for a moment. In a corner of her mind, she was amazed at just how much emotion the hologram could display, but the major part of her was focused on the news that was sure to come. "Who was it?" she asked quietly.

"Ensign Lily Ford," the Doctor said. "She'd gone into full cardiac arrest at the scene; she was dead before we could transport her to Sickbay. I'm sorry, Captain, there was nothing I could do."

Kathryn went over to the biobed where Samantha Wildman was struggling to sit up. "What happened, Ensign?" she asked gently.

"We were trapped in the lab by the explosion. If Seska hadn't arrived when she did..." Samantha shook her head. "She was able to pry the doors open...Lily told me to get out, but then there was a second explosion. Lily saved me, Captain, but at the cost of her own life..."

Kes placed a comforting hand on Samantha's back as the woman started to cry.

The Doctor nodded. "It was the second explosion which started the fire. Seska was injured attempting to pull Ensign Ford from the flames." He placed the regenerator back on the table. "Give the hand a few hours before you try to use it."

Janeway nodded numbly. "I'll make a note in my official log recommending citations for both Ensigns Seska and Ford," she whispered.

Q laughed. "Too bad Seska didn't stick around to receive that citation."

Kathryn shook her head. "Two weeks later her true identity as a Cardassian spy was revealed and she fled with the Kazon. But...Q, what I just experienced-that isn't what happened."

He rolled his eyes. "Kathy, Kathy, Kathy...Humans." He tapped the side of his head. "Sometimes I wonder why I even bother." He let out a long exaggerated sigh. "You complained about not making a difference...You can't change events in the other universe, but you could make one, inconsequential difference in this one. See to it that you make the most of it." He snapped his fingers.

Epilogue:

"Excellent presentation," Aaron Bridgewater, the science reporter for the Federation News Network, said as he shook Kathryn's hand. "Best keynote speech at any one of these shindigs in the past five years. And believe me, I've heard a lot of them."

"That's good to know," Kathryn said, then shook her head at the sense of deja vu she was feeling. She flexed her left hand, momentarily surprised it didn't hurt, then wondered why she should expect it to.

She took a sip of her drink and tried not to sigh too loudly. She was pleased that her presentation on "Astronomical Phenomena of the Delta Quadrant" had been well received, but she really wished that Chakotay could have attended the Federation Geographical and Astronomical Society's gala evening with her.

"Congratulations," said a tall Andorian male striding up to her. Kathryn tried and failed to place who he was. "Amazing speech, Captain! Especially when you described seeing the multiple supernovae-I almost felt like I was there myself!"

"Thank you," Kathryn said politely. She caught her sister's eye, hoping Phoebe would be willing to leave soon. The 'social' part of these type of gatherings was a necessary evil as far as Kathryn was concerned, but Phoebe looked as though she were enjoying herself.

"Hey," Phoebe called out. "Over here." She grasped Kathryn's arm and gently but firmly pulled her away from her group of admirers and led her over to an alcove. "Wait till you see this!"

Kathryn smiled at the childhood memories this simple act brought; Phoebe had always been one for sharing her enthusiasms. Suddenly, Kathryn frowned. There was something about memories...

"Kath, this painting-" Phoebe broke off suddenly at the bewildered expression on her sister's face. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know. It feels like there's something I need to do, or should have done..." Kathryn closed her eyes.

Phoebe laughed. "Did you forget to turn off your replicator? Are you burning the peanut butter sandwiches? Or maybe liquefying another roast?"

"No, that's not it." Kathryn opened her eyes. "Doctor Michelle Ford. Is she here?"

"I have no idea." Phoebe stared at her. "Who is she anyway?"

"A member of the Hawking Astronomical Consortium. Her sister was a member of the Voyager crew..." Janeway looked around, straining to see over the heads of the crowd.

Phoebe exhaled in exasperation. "Well, while you look for your scientist, I see some people that I'd like to talk to." She gestured at the painting on the wall. "Not that I think you're interested, but this is by Geoffrey Wallace. He's here tonight, and I've been hoping-"

Kathryn shook her head. "Sorry. Go, try to find your artist. I'll wait for you."

Phoebe grinned. "You're a good sister." She dashed off. Kathryn smiled. Phoebe was still a bundle of energy.

"Captain Janeway, I wanted to say how much I enjoyed your presentation." Kathryn turned around and inwardly groaned, while plastering what she hoped was a convincing smile on her face.

"Thank you, Mrs. Vanderhosen. It was an honor to be invited to be the keynote speaker this evening." She lowered her voice. "I'm looking for Dr. Michelle Ford. You wouldn't happen to know where I could find her, would you?"

"One of our up and coming 'stars', and such a dear sweet thing besides," Mrs. Vanderhosen giggled. "Come along, I'll introduce you."

Mrs. Vanderhosen clamped her hand on Kathryn's elbow, and steered her toward a tight cluster of people. The crowd parted with alacrity, with several people moving as fast as possible out of that worthy matron's way. Mrs. Vanderhosen didn't seem to notice, or perhaps she accepted it as a matter of course. "Ah, there she is!"

A petite blonde woman was standing next to a much taller man. Though she had never met her before, Kathryn somehow knew instantly that this was Michelle Ford.

"Michelle darling, Captain Kathryn Janeway requested an introduction," Mrs. Vanderhosen said beaming. "I do believe she's one of your fans!"

"Dr. Ford," Kathryn said, holding out her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

The younger woman looked stunned as she took Kathryn's hand. "The pleasure is all mine, Captain Janeway. Talk about fans, I've been an admirer of yours for a long time." She smiled shyly. "My sister Lily served on board your ship. When Voyager returned home last year, we were sent a box containing her personal effects. She mentioned you a few times in her private logs. Something about pool, I believe?"

Kathryn laughed. "Your sister was a hell of a pool player, in addition to being a fine officer. And a hero." She hesitated. "I'd like to talk to you about her, if I may."

Michelle Ford nodded. "That would be wonderful. There's so much I've always wanted to know about what her life on Voyager was like..."

FINIS

The end of "In The Course Of Justice" saw the Voyager crew, together for eight long years, scattering in several directions as each person set off to pursue a different path. Over the course of the next year, what have they all been up to? And is there a possible reunion in their future?