By:AW

Published in Unicorn Press. Editor: Nancy Border & Pat
Hayden.

You can buy it from Unicorn Press @
http://members.aol.com/UnicrnPrs/press.htm

Disclaimer: You know it, I know it, I don’t own idea
of Star Trek: Voyager. I just own the story.

Date With Destiny I

1. Destiny Revealed

Captain’s Log: Stardate 57257.1. It has been six years, three days since we’ve been in the Delta Quadrant. We have tried a slipstream flight before to no avail, but both B’Elanna and Seven’s resourcefulness never ceases to amaze me. The Transwarp coil we acquired from the Borg lasted twenty thousand light years before we fell out of the conduit. It brought us a good fifteen years closer to home. B’Elanna has been working on this with Seven in private, and to everyone’s surprise has managed with extra material, spare parts you name it to create a new type of drive. I commend them both and after so long, we’re finally going home. The crew will finally get the recognition they deserve and let’s just hope that the Alpha Quadrant we left behind is still there to greet us and offer us a home once again.

Kathryn Janeway exited her ready room. They had tried and failed with this type of technology before, and this time, they had tested it down to the nanosecond. Down to the smallest components. It would work, they would get home, and the thought was almost overwhelming.

“Status?”

Harry Kim looked up from his console. He could see the twinkle in the Captain’s eyes. The happiness and wonderment was there, but he also saw tiny glimpses of fear. Maybe it wasn’t fear; maybe apprehension was a better word. Anyway, whatever it was, it would soon be eased, and they would be home. The only thing left to ask was: Is the Alpha Quadrant home anymore? “The new Transwarp technology is online. It is working at peak efficiency; the deflector has been boosted 54% to allow for the integration of the technologies. According to the calculations Seven and I performed the amalgamation of the Transwarp technology with the technology we’ve collected from the dismantled Quantum Slipstream Drive should improve efficiency and speed by about 18% Captain.”

A smile graced Janeway’s porcelain features. They were going home. After all this time, they were going home. “Alright Harry. We’ve done this before and we can do it again.” She looked around, she was missing her Commander. “Commander Chakotay to the bridge.”

Commander Chakotay… now there was a topic she could really get into. For six years the both of them had been holding their feelings at bay. They had discussed this only last night, the possibility of finally getting it together. Of timing and life decisions and everything finally being right… and it was. Now was the time, and she wasn’t going to give up her last chance at happiness.

She watched as Chakotay took his seat to her left. She felt safe now, she felt ready… this is why it hasn’t worked last time they had tried a slipstream flight… he has been missing from the flight and from her life, and now he wasn’t.

“Commander Tuvok, is everything ready?”

“Yes Captain.”

“Harry how’s the deflector look?”

“Just fine ma’am.” She couldn’t help the grin spreading across her face.

“Janeway to engineering. B’Elanna how’s the drive looking?”

“We’re ready to go down her Captain.” She sat down in her chair trying to look calm and collected. The Captain’s mask went up, but her senior staff knew she was struggling with nervousness and with anxiety. Chakotay let out a small laugh. Janeway spun around and turned a steely gaze in his direction, but her eyes were laughing along with him.

“Mr. Paris. Engage.”

Paris’ hands flew across the consoles with precision she had come to expect from him. Sometimes she took him and most of the crew for granted. She heard him saying the words, the last words spoken in the Delta Quadrant.

Paris tapped the panel a few more times and Janeway felt the ship lurch, the subtle movements of her ship the movements she would know anywhere and any time. Paris piped up. “Transwarp in ten, nine, eight…”

She heard him utter the words which ended their quest for a way home, and which made everything she had every hoped for a reality. “…one. Transwarp speed now.”

Kathryn felt nervous…the last time they had done this they had died, and they hasn’t…time paradox. She couldn’t think about this now…she had to concentrate on the mission at hand. “How’s the deflector geometry Harry?” He made a few calculations and looked up to the Captain. “Everything looks okay Captain.”

She grined from ear to ear. Life would be okay…she would live to see the Alpha Quadrant. She would life to love someone like she never done before. She was going to finally live…she had already given herself completely to this man, without ever having shared the physical. They had gone beyond that, they had shared a heart and a soul, and most importantly they had shared a life together. In one way or another they had always had always would…no matter when, no matter how, fate was on their side.

TBC in Chapter 2: The Next Chapter

[Main Page] [Fanfic Main Page] [Date With Destiny Main Page]