chapter 63

 

 

Kathryn tugged her dress uniform jacket down, straightened the sleeves, and regarded her reflection in the mirror critically. This was the last time she’d be wearing this uniform for several months, and while she was mostly gleeful about it, there was a part of her that felt oddly sad.

The last three days had been even more packed than the previous week and a half, something she wouldn’t have thought possible. But Necheyev was apparently determined to get as much out of her as she could, even keeping her after hours for additional one-on-one debriefings. On top of that, the speeches and interviews in Beijing, New Delhi and Sydney had completely destroyed her internal clock; she’d had to leave the house at two or three every morning and transport to the other side of the globe into full daylight. By the time she had returned home last night, she’d been utterly exhausted.

On the other hand, Lynne had accompanied her to two of those speeches, making a compromise between her need to be on a mountain somewhere and Kathryn’s need for her wife. It had made the travel and the stress so much more bearable. There were times when it actually felt like they were on Voyager again, going planetside together. Kathryn supposed she shouldn’t feel nostalgic for those years, but the truth was that since Lynne had come aboard, there had been many times when she’d enjoyed true happiness despite being lost. She had rarely felt like that in the month they’d been home.

But this morning had been perfect. She’d slept for ten hours and opened her eyes to find Lynne still in bed with her, an intentional gift from her wife who never needed more than four hours of sleep. Lynne had been reading, quietly waiting for her, and Kathryn had discovered that a good night’s sleep plus the sight of Lynne was all that was needed to eradicate two weeks worth of stress. They made love, with Lynne showing her most tender side, taking such sweet care of her that Kathryn nearly cried from the sheer comfort of it. She had needed it so badly, and as always, Lynne knew.

There was no better way to start a six-month leave.

She’d also had a wonderful heart-to-heart with Revi today, who continued to amaze her with her quiet strength. Of all things, Revi had invited her mother to the party. She’d said Dhara needed to “get the hell out of the house,” but her casual reference couldn’t hide her concern. Revi had a very divided heart when it came to her mother, but they were both reaching out for each other despite their pain—or perhaps because of it.

Every single one of the Maquis was attending the party. Since they’d been living under travel restrictions, none of them had gone very far away, so it hadn’t been difficult for them to return for this final celebration. Sending out her message to them had been one of the highlights of her entire career. It wasn’t often that a person could say, “Congratulations, you’re free,” to more than two dozen people.

A large number of her Starfleet crew were coming as well. Though many were already scattered to the far reaches of the Federation, most of those who were not prevented by scheduling conflicts had returned, anxious to celebrate this final victory. And perhaps, like her, anxious to see familiar faces again. A few declined for no stated reason, but she hadn’t expected everyone to have the same fond memories she did. In fact, she was surprised by the attendance numbers. It was going to be a big party, and she was glad Neelix had taken charge of the preparations. Just as Revi had predicted, Neelix thought he’d died and gone to the Great Forest. Kathryn must have fielded nine calls from him in the preceding days as he stressed over food and decorating choices, but she understood that for him, this kind of stress was the very foundation of joy.

And for her, the foundation of joy was the woman coming through their bedroom door right now, resplendent in the white dress uniform she’d last seen a month ago at their Starfleet reception.

“Hi, sweetheart,” she said warmly. “You look absolutely gorgeous.”

“Thank you. You, on the other hand, look a bit intimidating with all those medals.” Lynne stepped up to her and slid her arms around her waist. “And very, very beautiful, all at the same time.”

Kathryn leaned in for a kiss. “My offer to get you a few medals still stands. I think I’d have no problem pushing through the recommendations.”

“Nah. They’re just a pain to put on. I’ve seen you messing around with yours.” Lynne gave her an easy smile. “How about you be the medal wearer in our family, and I’ll be the one to take them off of you.”

“That’s a deal,” Kathryn whispered, drawing her head down. For once Lynne’s hair was loose, and she happily buried her fingers in it, holding her head close as she put all her passion into their kiss. By the time they separated, Lynne was breathing more rapidly and looking at her with brilliant green eyes.

“You really need to think about whether you want that perfect uniform to stay that way,” she said in a low voice. “Because if you do, then you’d better stop this. I won’t be held responsible for wrinkles or missing medals.”

“So this morning wasn’t enough for you?”

“Oh love, we have a lot of catching up to do. This morning was just the tip of the iceberg.”

“Kathryn, do you think—oh, sorry.” Gretchen was standing in their doorway, looking slightly embarrassed. “You know, this door can be shut when necessary.”

“It wasn’t necessary,” said Lynne, keeping one arm around Kathryn’s waist as she turned. “We were just talking.”

“Right. I know that kind of talking. For me it usually resulted in getting pregnant.”

Lynne laughed, while Gretchen raised an eyebrow at Kathryn. “More than you wanted to know, Goldenbird?”

Apparently she hadn’t kept the discomfort off her face. “No, I’m fine,” she said. “I’m perfectly aware that you and Dad had sex twice.”

That set both Lynne and Gretchen laughing, but a moment later Lynne stopped and said, “Goldenbird?”

Kathryn groaned. “Mom!”

Lynne looked over at Gretchen. “Goldenbird? Where’d that come from?”

“It was her childhood nickname. Her father gave it to her, because she had such blonde hair then, and was always flitting about after him.”

Kathryn cringed under Lynne’s smiling look. “That is so cute,” said Lynne. “Can I call you that?”

“No, you may not. And thanks a lot, Mom.”

“I can’t believe you never told her.” Gretchen was unapologetic.

“Yeah, I can’t either. Why didn’t you?”

“Because it never came up! I don’t recall you telling me that your dad called you ‘squirt’. I had to hear that from your parents.”

“He called you squirt?” asked Gretchen. “What kind of a name is that?”

Knowing fingers pinched her in a very ticklish spot. “Hey! Stop it!” Kathryn shoved Lynne away, laughing. “Don’t you wrinkle my uniform.”

“You only wish I’d wrinkle it now.” Lynne put on a haughty expression, but it couldn’t last. Turning back to Gretchen, she said, “He started calling me that when I was little. In my time it was an affectionate term for kids. And when I got to be taller than Mom and only two centimeters shorter than him, he still loved to use it.”

“You were always his little girl, no matter how tall you grew,” said Gretchen with a sage nod.

“I was.” Lynne’s smile held a familiar sadness, and Kathryn couldn’t bear it.

“You still are,” she said, wrapping her arms around her once more.

“You’re not going to kiss again, are you?” Gretchen hid her eyes. “Okay, go ahead.”

They smiled at each other, then shrugged and came together for a kiss if only to justify Gretchen’s precaution.

“Are you done?”

“It’s safe, Mom.”

Gretchen looked up, her eyes dancing. “Thank god. So, I came in to ask if you thought I should wear my blue scarf or the red patterned one with this dress.” She held up the scarves in question.

“Red,” said Lynne.

“Blue,” said Kathryn at the same time.

Gretchen rolled her eyes. “I should have known.”

“Let’s ask Barney,” said Lynne, letting go of Kathryn and walking over to the little box in the corner of the room. “Hey, buddy.” She leaned down and reached into the box. “Barney?”

Alerted by the abrupt change in her tone, Kathryn started across the room. Lynne looked back, her expression one of total panic. “There’s something wrong with him!”

By now Gretchen had joined them, and they all bent over the box to see Barney backed into a corner, shivering and looking very sick. “We have to take him to the vet,” Lynne said, her voice shaking. “Now.”

“All right,” said Kathryn, sliding into command mode. “I’ll take you there. Mom, please go to Voyager ahead of us and let everyone know we’ll be a little late. We’ll join the party as soon as we know Barney’s all right.”

“No,” said Gretchen decisively. “I’ll take Lynne to the vet. You go to Voyager.”

That did make more sense, though Kathryn was extremely reluctant to leave Lynne at a time like this.

Lynne stood up, holding the box in her arms. “Kathryn, go. It’s more your party than anyone else’s. Gretchen?”

“Come on,” said Gretchen, striding out of the room. Lynne followed without even saying goodbye, a clear sign of her distress.

“Well, shit,” Kathryn said to herself, hurrying after them. That damned kitten had better be all right. She could not even imagine Lynne’s devastation if anything happened to him.

Gretchen and Lynne were out the door in less than two minutes. Kathryn didn’t think Lynne would have even put on a coat if she hadn’t been there, holding it out with one hand while reaching for Barney’s box with the other. When the door shut behind them, the house felt far too quiet and lonely. Molly came padding out into the hallway, curious about the bustle, and Kathryn hugged her with a sense of melancholy. What a day for this to happen.

She shrugged her own coat on, said goodbye to Molly, and headed down the path to the guest house. Revi and Seven were already waiting, and even in her worry Kathryn couldn’t help but notice how good they looked in their dress uniforms.

“Where’s Lynne?” asked Seven, shutting the door behind them.

“She and Gretchen had to go to the vet. Barney’s sick.”

“Barney’s sick!” Revi stopped on the steps. “What’s wrong with him?”

“I don’t know. He was shivering and nonresponsive when we looked in on him.”

“That could be anything. Were his eyes dilated? Was he breathing more quickly than normal?”

“I don’t know, Revi, I’m not a vet!” Kathryn held up a hand. “Sorry. I’m just really worried. Lynne is so attached to that kitten that I fear for her if anything happens. You should have seen the look on her face.”

“It could be any number of things,” said Revi in her soothing doctor’s voice. “A viral infection, bacterial—all young animals are prone to those kind of things because they’re still building up their immune systems. And Barney had a rough start. He might just need a quick hypospray and a day of being spoiled and he’ll be just fine.”

“God, I hope so.”

They piled into the larger hovercraft and lifted off, with Kathryn achingly aware of Lynne’s absence. In her pleasant imaginings of this trip to Voyager, she’d never considered the possibility of Lynne not being there. And since Revi and Seven were picking up Dhara before coming to the ship, she would be making her final transport alone.

But when she materialized in the cargo bay of Voyager, she couldn’t help but feel her spirits rise. The place was already packed with people, all of whom roared with happiness upon seeing her, and in seconds she was deluged with Maquis wanting to thank her, Starfleet crew wanting to talk to her, and Neelix offering her food and trying to explain what each of the appetizers were. Of course everyone wanted to know where Lynne was, and sympathized when they heard, but the overall mood was simply too celebratory for anything to dampen anyone’s spirits for long. People were already dancing to the smooth jazz tunes being played by a trio in the far corner. For a moment Kathryn expected to see Harry Kim playing with them, but this trio had been hired from outside. None of her crew were doing anything but relaxing tonight.

Neelix had done himself proud with the decorations, festooning the shuttle bay with banners and blinking lights, and even hanging a wall of colored tapestries in front of the shuttles, disguising their presence and making the bay feel more like a reception hall. Kathryn complimented him on both the décor and the food—which really was quite good—and smiled as he nearly levitated with happiness. Excitedly, he told her that he was now taking a culinary class and learning all about the tastes and preferences of different Federation species. He hadn’t yet decided whether to sign up for a stint as bartender on one of the Sovereign class ships, or stay planetbound and open his own restaurant. Kathryn assured him that she was certain he’d be successful, whichever path he chose.

Chakotay shouldered his way through the crowd, tugging Phoebe behind him by the hand. Kathryn took one look at that and promptly picked up a drink from the table.

“Kathryn!” he cried, a delighted smile on his face. “It’s so good to see you again.”

“Hello, Chakotay,” she said, submitting to the hug. The kiss on her cheek surprised her, though. “You look tanned and happy. And I see you found a date.”

“More like she found me.” He looked at Phoebe fondly, and Kathryn wondered if Neelix had something a little stronger hidden away somewhere.

“I decided not to wait for an invitation,” said Phoebe. “So I invited him instead.”

“I was going to ask,” Chakotay protested.

“Not quickly enough. You’d better move faster than that, Commander.” Phoebe gave him a smile unlike anything Kathryn had ever seen from her.

“I can move very fast when I need to.”

Now Kathryn was wondering why they’d even come over, when they seemed perfectly happy to be talking to each other. Fortunately, Revi, Seven and Dhara transported in, giving her the perfect reason to excuse herself and make her way over to the beam-in point. “Dhara, welcome to Voyager,” she said. “I’m so glad you could come.”

Dhara looked immaculately groomed and extremely nervous. “Thank you,” she said. “I really wanted to meet some of Revi’s friends. And see where she spent the last part of her journey.”

“Not in the shuttlebay, Mother.” Revi put a hand in the small of her mother’s back and gently guided her to the refreshment table as the others followed. “But maybe I can arrange for a special tour later, if I can get permission from the captain?”

“By all means,” said Kathryn. “Just stay out of Astrometrics, Engineering and Cargo Bay Two.”

“You mean I can’t show her my old bedroom?”

“Where was your bedroom?” asked Dhara, an appetizer halfway to her mouth.

“Our alcoves were in Cargo Bay Two.”

“You slept in a cargo bay?” Dhara was horrified.

“No, we regenerated in the cargo bay. We slept in our own quarters. Actually I had some of the nicest quarters on the entire ship, thanks to Kathryn making me CMO. The only quarters bigger than mine were hers and Lynne’s.”

“And she deserved it,” said Kathryn. “She was the best CMO I’ve ever had.”

Revi ducked her head, while Dhara beamed with pride. “I’m not surprised,” Dhara said firmly. “Whatever Revi does, she does to the best of her ability.”

“That’s very true,” Seven agreed, also beaming at her partner. To Kathryn’s surprise, a flush pinked Revi’s cheeks, and she had a feeling Seven wasn’t talking about quite the same thing Dhara was.

“Speaking of doctors, I think I see my former colleague.” Revi indicated the beam-in point with her glass, and Kathryn turned to see the Doctor already delightedly talking with the nearest crewmembers, while Lieutenant Barclay stood nearby, a happy smile on his face.

“I’m so glad Barclay could come,” said Kathryn. “We owe that man a big debt.”

“Do we ever,” Revi agreed. “And Tom and B’Elanna, too—they’re the ones who found the mousetrap. Are they here yet?”

“I haven’t seen them,” Kathryn began, but just then she realized that she did see them, on the other side of the cargo bay, talking to a full Klingon woman who could only be B’Elanna’s mother. “Oh, my god, look at that. Miral is here!”

“That’s B’Elanna, our chief engineer,” Revi explained to Dhara. “And Tom is her husband, also our pilot. B’Elanna thought her mother was dead, and only found out when we had our first contact with the Federation that she was alive after all. This is the first time she’s seen her in more than twelve years.” Revi hesitated, then finished, “They didn’t get along well before Voyager was lost. B’Elanna hadn’t spoken with her mother for five years before that. I imagine this is quite a reunion.”

Dhara watched them keenly. “So they’re even worse than us.”

“Counselor Troi would tell you to be careful of your phrasing,” said Seven. “They are not ‘worse’ than you. But they do seem to be forging a new relationship…just like you.”

Kathryn looked at Seven in surprise. “You’re learning a lot in your sessions.”

“I listen,” said Seven archly. “And assimilate.”

Kathryn shook her head with a smile. “Where did you assimilate that sense of humor, I wonder?”

“From you, Kathryn.” Seven raised an eyebrow. “Where else?”

Despite her concern for Lynne and Barney, Kathryn had a wonderful time as she circulated through the party. There was so much joy in the air; everywhere she looked she saw smiles and laughter, people clapping each other on the shoulders and backs, wine glasses being clinked together. It was a true delight to be here, and even if she hadn’t known a single person in the room, she’d have been happy just from absorbing the general mood. Even Tuvok seemed to be enjoying himself, as much as a Vulcan could enjoy anything.

More people were beaming in every minute, and she envisioned a queue at the Starfleet Headquarters transport hub. The shuttlebay was rapidly becoming a sea of Starfleet uniforms, which made the arrival of Alison Necheyev and Elise Hamilton all the more striking. Elise wore a richly patterned dress jacket over a pair of dark pants and boots, and if there was a shirt beneath that jacket, it didn’t show in the diving neckline. Alison was a little less daring in white pants and a camel-colored blazer, but her neckline was also designed to draw the eye. Kathryn headed over, and as she drew closer she noticed that the scarf around Alison’s neck was the same pattern and color as Elise’s jacket—a clear visual statement that they had not merely arrived together.

“Welcome to the biggest social event in San Francisco!” she said.

“You aren’t kidding,” said Alison, looking around with a smile. “Wow. This place is already hopping.”

Elise was also observing the room, but her face was more serious. “Incredible. Look at them.”

Alison took her hand, a quiet gesture that told Kathryn a great deal about their relationship. “I had to drag her here,” she confided. “She’s still a little nervous about how she’ll be received.”

“Elise, unless you tell everyone you meet that Melanie Hamilton is your mother, they won’t even know who you are,” said Kathryn. “And even if they did know, the people in this room learned a long time ago not to judge others except by their own actions. Yours have not been anything to be ashamed of.”

Elise shot her a look that Kathryn could easily interpret; she’d seen it enough times on Revi’s face. “Thank you. I’ll try to keep your advice in mind. Where’s Lynne?”

“At the vet. We’ve had an emergency with Barney.”

“Oh no!” Alison clearly understood the import. “Is he all right?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t heard from her yet, which is worrying me. But it’s only been forty-five minutes, so I’m trying not to get ahead of things.”

“God, nothing had better happen to that kitten,” said Alison. “Lynne would be destroyed.”

“That’s pretty much the literal truth,” Kathryn agreed. “But let’s not go there just now. I need to take you to B’Elanna, by the way. I haven’t made it over there myself yet, but she called earlier this week and made me promise I’d get you together. She was a little upset with me for not telling her you were the one who had Barclay’s team screening all the Foundation reports. Seems she feels she has some ground to make up now.”

“She does?” Alison frowned in confusion. “No, she doesn’t. She was perfectly friendly and very fair the night we found that transmitter in my office.”

“Well, she seems to think she could have done better. Shall we go over and give her a chance?”

“Sure. But we’ll need to swing by the refreshment table first. It looks to me like it’s groaning under the weight of all that food. If we don’t help, there might be a collapse.”

Kathryn chuckled, stepping back and sweeping an arm in the direction of the table. “You have an engineer’s eye.”

“I have a physicist’s eye. Even better.” Alison winked and led the way to the table, still holding Elise’s hand. Kathryn swung in behind them, but stopped halfway there when her commbadge chirped. She tapped it.

“Janeway.”

“Kathryn?” It was Gretchen. “I can barely hear you.”

“Hold on, Mom. Let me get to a quieter spot.” She reached out for Elise’s sleeve, as she was closer, and said, “I have to take a call. See you in a few minutes?”

“Of course,” said Elise. “Would you like us to load a plate for you?”

“No, thank you.” Kathryn hurried through the crowd to the shuttlebay doors, finding the silence in the corridor nearly deafening. “Whew. Okay, Mom. What’s happening?”

“First of all, Barney is fine.”

“Oh, thank god.” She leaned against the bulkhead in relief. “What was wrong with him?”

“He picked up a virus somewhere. I hardly know how it’s possible, given his lifestyle, but Dr. Landross says it’s not unusual. He also gave me the name of the virus, but don’t expect me to repeat it.”

“That’s fine, I don’t need to know. I just need to know that he’s okay.”

“He is. He’s had a shot, and some extra vitamins. Dr. Landross says he’ll be a bit shaky for a few more hours, and then he should be bouncing off the walls again.”

“Great. So are you on your way over?”

“Well, that’s the problem. Lynne doesn’t want to come.”

“What?”

“She feels very strongly that she should stay with Barney until he gets past the hard part. I offered to catsit, but she’s having none of it. Dr. Landross even offered to keep him—he said we could pick him up on our way back home. But Lynne doesn’t like the idea of Barney here at the vet all by himself when he’s sick and miserable.”

Kathryn groaned. “Mom, there’s an entire shuttlebay of people here waiting to see her. They know she’s the one who negotiated that amnesty. She can’t stay home!”

“I understand that, and you understand that, but Lynne is in full kitten mother mode. My arguments are exhausted, so I think it’s time for you to try.”

“All right. I’ll call her. Thanks, Mom.”

“Make it good, Kathryn. That woman is even more stubborn than you, which until now I did not think was possible.”

The moment they signed off, Kathryn tapped her badge again. Since this wasn’t an intraship call, she gave Lynne’s FedComm ID and was soon rewarded with her wife’s voice.

“Hamilton.”

“Hi, sweetheart. I’m so glad Barney is okay.”

“Yeah.” A long sigh. “Me too. That scared the shit out of me.”

“I know. It scared me too. But I hear he’s going to be perfectly fine.”

“Yes, eventually. But he looks so pathetic. I can’t leave him.”

“I know exactly how you feel. But I really wish you would come. He’ll be fine with Dr. Landross. The way he’s feeling right now, he probably won’t be all that aware of who’s looking after him. And you have over a hundred people in the shuttle bay right now who want to see you.”

“I know, but…”

“Lynne, this is your last chance to see them. The travel restrictions have been lifted on the Maquis—you know they’re going to be all over the quadrant by this time tomorrow. And by the time we get back from our leave, I’m sure that half my crew will be on other starships. This is it. If you don’t come tonight, I really think you’ll regret it for a long, long time.”

“God, Kathryn, it’s not that I don’t want to come!”

Kathryn put a hand to her forehead. “Do you remember when you had the Tankaran flu and I had to leave you behind to negotiate that stupid trade agreement?”

“Barely. I wasn’t too alert that day.”

“That’s my point. I worried myself sick over you all damn day long and when I finally got back to the ship, you didn’t even know I’d been gone. You slept through it.”

After a long pause, Lynne said, “Are you hitting me over the head with an object lesson?”

“Yes. Barney will be under expert medical care with Dr. Landross, just like you were with Revi. And you can come here and worry yourself sick over him, and when you get back he won’t even have noticed. So you might as well come here and not worry yourself sick. You can leave him in the hands of a professional, whom you trust, and enjoy the last great party of the Voyager crew.”

She waited several seconds, and when she heard the sigh she knew Lynne was coming.

“All right. You’re right. But I can’t guarantee that I won’t worry myself sick.”

“That’s your prerogative as a mother. But I’m betting that once you get here, you might be surprised at how good a time you manage to have.”

“Yeah, yeah.” She could actually hear Lynne’s smile through the comm link. “Okay. Gretchen and I will be there in about twenty minutes.”

“Great. We’re all looking forward to seeing you.”

They signed off, and Kathryn headed back into the party, feeling a lot better about their evening. Alison and Elise were still by the refreshment table, talking to…was that Harry? With a wide smile, she headed straight for them. “Harry!”

“Captain!” His grin was blinding. “You look fantastic. Congratulations on the amnesty, that was quite a coup.”

“Congratulate Lynne, she’s the one who did it.” She set her glass down and pulled him into a quick hug. He’d always been her favorite and it was truly a joy to see him now.

When she released him, his grin was even wider. “So where is Lynne?”

“At the vet. Did you hear we acquired a kitten?”

“Alison was just telling me the story. I only wish there were security logs of you and Lynne hiding from a marauding kitten in the barn.”

“If there were security logs, Lieutenant, you wouldn’t have the clearance to view them.” Kathryn picked up her glass. “Anyway, Barney caught some kind of virus, so Lynne and Mom took him to the vet. He’ll be fine,” she added, meeting Alison’s eyes and seeing the relieved nod. “But Mom reports that Lynne is now in what she calls ‘full kitten mother mode’. I had to talk her into leaving him and coming here.”

“But she is coming?” asked Elise.

“Yes, she and Mom are on their way. They’ll be here in twenty minutes.”

“Good. Because I have a little something to say to her about that amnesty.”

Kathryn looked at her sharply, but relaxed when she saw the smile. “Do you know, I actually forgot that she hasn’t dealt with the board on that yet. We’ve been a little preoccupied.”

“Yes, I can see why. Don’t worry, I’m still on her side. She might need to tread a bit lightly at the next meeting, though. I can give her some ideas on how to pitch that for minimum fallout.”

“That would be wonderful, Elise, thank you!” She hadn’t expected that.

“Well, she’s going to need allies. Especially with Adele already hating her on sight.” Elise flashed a rakish grin. “Though there are other people on that board probably liking her more for that exact reason.”

God, the politics would never end. “I’m sure she’ll be grateful for the insights,” said Kathryn. “But don’t talk business to her too much, all right? This is a night for celebration.”

“I understand.” Elise lifted her glass and clinked it to Kathryn’s. “To happy endings.”

Harry and Alison joined in, and they drank a quiet toast.

“Where’s Celes?” asked Kathryn.

“Over talking to the Delaney sisters.” Harry glanced across the shuttle bay. “I, uh, do have some news of my own, Captain.” The blush gave his news away long before he said, “Celes and I are engaged.”

“Well, congratulations!” Happily, she gave him his second hug of the evening. “She’s a sweet woman. I think you’ll be very happy together.”

“I think so too.” His blush intensified, and Kathryn gave him a moment to recover by turning to Alison and Elise.

“Tal Celes is another member of my crew. She and Harry didn’t get together until the last year of our voyage.”

“Wow, another Voyager wedding,” said Alison. “I’m beginning to wonder how any of you got anything else done.” She winked at Harry. “Congratulations!”

Elise joined in, though of course she didn’t know either Harry or Celes from Adam. Nevertheless, her innate courtesy made her congratulations sound as sincere as if she’d known them for years. Kathryn watched her with a new eye, thinking about her as a partner for Alison. Two very strong and independent women, with demanding careers and probably conflicting goals at times…she smiled. Sounds familiar.

“Speaking of Voyager weddings, let’s go say hi to B’Elanna and Tom,” she said.

Alison looked over at the chief engineer. “B’Elanna is engaged too?”

“Not anymore,” said Harry. “Married with a baby on the way.”

“What else did you people do on this ship?”

Both Kathryn and Harry had to laugh at that, and the foursome made their way over to B’Elanna and her family. She turned, seeing them approach, and her face split into a wide grin as she closed the last few steps and hugged Kathryn. “Hi! Kahless, it’s so good to see you again! It feels like it’s been months. Harry!” She let go of Kathryn and went into Harry’s arms, both of them laughing. Tom was next, slapping Harry’s back affectionately and then looking with interest toward Alison and Elise. Kathryn introduced them to both him and Miral, observing with amusement that Tom was trying to hide his appreciation. He might be married, but he still had the eyes of a flyboy. And just as clearly, B’Elanna saw it but felt no threat, as she simply smacked him on the arm while returning to her mother’s side. “Everyone, this is my mother, Miral,” she announced. “Mother, I’d like you to meet Captain Janeway and our friend Harry.”

“How do you do,” said Miral in the oddly formal cadence of a Klingon trying to meet Human social standards. “I’m pleased to meet you.”

“I’m delighted to meet you,” said Kathryn, shaking her hand. “And so glad you were able to come. It’s a long way from Kessik Four.”

“It was…worth the flight,” said Miral, looking at B’Elanna with obvious pride. “To see B’Elanna here, with the respect of so many people…”

“Including the very deep respect of her captain,” said Kathryn. “B’Elanna became one of my most trusted officers, and she saved all of our butts too many times to count.”

B’Elanna looked a little embarrassed as her mother beamed at her. “I’m not the only one who saved Voyager,” she said. “Mother, Alison is the woman I was telling you about—the one who suspected the sabotage and made sure we got a warning. And I never got a chance to thank you,” she added to Alison. “If I’d known the night we were in your office, I’d have been a little more vocal in your defense.”

“As I recall, you’re the one who told Seven I was innocent until proven guilty,” said Alison. “How much more vocal could you get?” She looked around in confusion as Kathryn, Tom and Harry all laughed loudly. “Did I say something amusing?”

“Don’t pay any attention to them,” said B’Elanna, smacking Tom on the arm again. “And don’t believe any of the stories they might tell you.”

“I must thank you as well, for saving my daughter.” Miral held out her hand and Alison reached for it automatically, her face showing her surprise as her forearm was clasped in the Klingon warrior gesture.

“I only got a warning to them,” said Alison. “I’m not the one who found the problem.”

“No, but B’Elanna tells me they would never have looked for a problem had they not had your warning. Do not dismiss your courage,” said Miral, squeezing Alison’s arm once more before letting her go. “Not many have the strength to act on their instincts as you did. Had you not acted, the p’tahk responsible for that cowardly act of sabotage would have won, and everyone in this room would have died far from home. Melanie Hamilton should have had enough honor to face her enemy rather than hiding behind sabotage and assassins.” Her face clearly showed her disgust for such cowardice.

With an uneasy glance at Elise, B’Elanna said, “To be fair, Mother, if Melanie had faced her directly, Lynne would have kicked her ass across all four quadrants.”

Kathryn laid a light hand on Elise’s shoulder, offering her silent support while she waited to see whether Elise would acknowledge her relationship with Melanie. Klingon culture visited the dishonor of the parents onto the children, and she would not allow Miral to think that Elise had not acted to counter that dishonor.

Elise took a casual sip of her drink and said, “Melanie Hamilton’s biggest mistake was not her failure to face her enemy. It was the fact that she saw enemies where there were none. And I don’t believe that’s a failing limited to Humans, is it? I understand it’s quite common among the great houses of Kronos.”

Miral’s brows drew together, then relaxed as she smiled. “You speak true,” she said. “There are feuds among the great houses that have gone on for so long now that no one can remember why they started. Good warriors and statesmen die because they refuse to step back and learn who their enemies really are. Do you study Klingon politics?” she asked curiously.

“I have business connections on Kronos,” said Elise. “It’s in my best interests to have some understanding of the political situation.”

Kathryn patted her shoulder and dropped her hand. It looked like Elise needed no one to fight her battles for her.

“Hold on,” said B’Elanna, interrupting Miral’s next question. “I just realized that someone’s missing from this reunion. Where’s Lynne?”

Kathryn explained, for what now felt like the seventeenth time, and then Harry told them that they had to hear the story of how the kitten was found. After much prodding, Kathryn told the story, embellishing it just a little bit for dramatic effect, and had all of them laughing except for Miral. But then, full Klingons rarely laughed at any story that didn’t involve glory, and there was precious little glory in Kathryn and Lynne hiding while their hired security officers dealt with the threat of a kitten. For a moment Kathryn had a glimpse of the vast differences between B’Elanna and her mother, and she swiftly turned the conversation toward a different story—one in which she could rightfully paint B’Elanna as a heroic character.

They were in the middle of yet another story from their journey when Kathryn saw a transporter beam shimmering across the cargo bay. With a happy twinge in her stomach, she waited for the two forms to materialize and raised her arm to wave Lynne and Gretchen over. God, Lynne looked gorgeous in that uniform. She saw Kathryn, waved back and started into the crowd.

At that moment, a male voice boomed out over the ship’s PA system, quickly reducing the conversational roar to absolute silence.

“…computer has detected the lifesign of Lynne Hamilton,” said the voice. “You will take her to Transporter Room Two and use the transport coordinates that you will find programmed on the console. The end of this message will activate Voyager’s autodestruct sequence with a ten-minute countdown. The moment Lynne Hamilton is delivered to those coordinates, I will recall the autodestruct. I do not wish to harm any innocents. But if she is not delivered to those coordinates before nine minutes and fifty seconds, there will be no recall of the autodestruct. This is your only warning.”

The message ended, immediately followed by an all too familiar chime from the computer. “Warning. Self-destruct sequence has been initiated. Warp core overload in nine minutes, fifty-five seconds.”

Lynne stared at her from across the bay, and for just a second Kathryn saw nothing in the room but her. Then her awareness came back, along with her instincts, as she realized that every face was turned toward her expectantly. “Computer, cancel self-destruct sequence, authorization Janeway theta nine zero nine.”

“Command code not recognized. Warp core overload in nine minutes, fifty seconds.”

“Computer, state all personnel currently holding recognized command codes for Voyager.”

“Admiral Alynna Necheyev and Captain Kathryn Janeway hold currently recognized command codes for Voyager.”

She wasn’t surprised that Chakotay’s and Tuvok’s codes had been stripped, but it left her fewer options. “Will the command codes of Admiral Necheyev be sufficient to cancel the self-destruct sequence?”

“Negative. Self-destruct sequence will not respond to currently recognized command codes for Voyager.”

Make that one option. A self-destruct sequence could not be manually cancelled; it was intentionally designed that way to prevent an enemy from stopping the sequence and taking the ship. If the computer would not respond to any recognized command codes, then the only way to keep the ship intact was to dump the warp core. But that only worked in space, where the ship could get away from the core before it blew. Here on the ground, the outcome of the overload would be the utter destruction of not just Voyager, but the entire city of San Francisco—and its two million inhabitants.

But to take Voyager from total shutdown to full power and liftoff required eight minutes. And they needed not just liftoff, but enough time to fly through the atmosphere and get far out of Earth’s orbit, away from all satellites and shipping lanes. It could not be done.

There was no alternative.

“All right, people,” she said in a voice designed to carry to all corners of the room. “I need everyone not critical to liftoff and flight operations to stay right here. All critical personnel, report to your stations at once. Seven, go with B’Elanna to Engineering and make sure that core is ready to be dumped on my mark. Tom, you’re at helm. Harry, get Admiral Necheyev on the comm and route the call to the bridge. We’re going to need emergency clearance through all shipping lanes first, and emergency beamoff of everyone in this bay second. Tuvok and Chakotay, I need you to coordinate the beamoff. Let’s go!”

The critical crew immediately headed for the shuttlebay doors, with Kathryn, Tom and B’Elanna right on their heels. As they neared the doors, Kathryn found Lynne striding beside her and stopped short. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“With you.”

“Lynne—”

“Not negotiable,” said Lynne tightly. “If he gets you and not me, he wins bigger than he ever dreamed. I won’t let it happen. We’re wasting time.”

“Shit!” Kathryn turned and jogged for the doors, with Lynne at her elbow. She had no time to argue.

 

 

-----

 

 

Alison watched the doors close behind Kathryn and Lynne, her pulse racing from the adrenaline rush of hearing that announcement. Part of her couldn’t believe it was happening, but from the reaction of the crew, it clearly wasn’t a joke or a dream. This ship was about to blow up.

“Alison…”

She looked over to meet Elise’s wide eyes. “It will be all right, Elise. These people are professionals.”

“They can’t get this ship off the ground in nine minutes, can they?”

Alison wished she knew more about the limitations of ship designs. “I’m not sure. Maybe, but they’re going to have to cut a lot of corners to make it.”

“What will happen if they don’t make it out?” asked Miral.

“If the warp core blows in Earth’s atmosphere? Armageddon. Far worse than having it blow right here in San Francisco. But Kathryn won’t let that happen.”

“So they have to get it past Earth’s satellite orbit,” said Elise. “And they probably won’t have time to dump the core.”

Alison nodded slowly, the reality of the situation just now slipping past her instinctive disbelief. “I think…I think the people who went through that door won’t be coming back.”

Elise let out a sound of pure agony, and as Alison reached for her she turned away. Miral stared at her in shock. “My daughter is going to die?”

“If they don’t get this ship out of the danger zone, the damage to Earth will be incalculable,” said Alison. “They all know it. And they all know that a handful of lives is a small price to pay for saving the rest.”

“Heghlu‘meH QaQ jajvam,” said Miral, a fierce look coming over her face. “Today is a good day to die. My daughter will die a glorious death, in the defense of her people. She will meet the greatest warriors in Sto-vo-kor and hold up her head with pride!”

Elise spun in place. “Your daughter will die an unnecessary death! She’s going to die because of greed and revenge!”

Miral shook her head. “It doesn’t matter why she dies. It only matters how.”

Elise stared at her in disbelief. “Then you may be the only person on this ship who can find a benefit to this disaster. I congratulate you.”

Commander Tuvok came up next to Alison. “Dr. Necheyev, we will be beaming people off the ship in groups of six. Please join those individuals—” he indicated two men and a woman in Starfleet uniforms— “maintain your group, and stand in the line there.” Shifting, he pointed across the bay. “Do you understand?”

“Yes,” said Alison. “Thank you, Commander.”

He nodded, then went to the next cluster of people. Alison grabbed Elise’s hand and led her little group to join the Starfleet crew. “You folks really know how to throw a party,” she joked weakly.

“Don’t worry,” said one of the men. “Captain Janeway will take care of this. She always does.”

“That’s what I hear,” said Alison. She looked up at Elise, her next sentence dying in her throat. The words did not exist that could address the devastation on Elise’s face.

 

 

-----

 

 

By the time Kathryn, Lynne and Tom reached the bridge, Admiral Necheyev was already on the main viewer. “What the hell is going on?” she demanded with no preamble. “Voyager is in self-destruct?”

“A parting gift from our Cardassian friend,” said Kathryn. “It activated as soon as Voyager’s computer recognized Lynne’s lifesign. We can’t shut it down. We’re throwing out the checklist and getting this ship off the ground, and I hope to god none of your technicians have disconnected anything we need. Tom, how long before liftoff?”

“Six minutes,” said Tom, his fingers flying over the board.

“Admiral, I need clearance for a straight shot out of here. And you need to get any civilians away from the grounds around this ship. I also have about ninety people still in my shuttlebay who need immediate transport off the ship. That’s not counting any of your staff.” There were almost certainly technicians still on Voyager, but if they remembered an iota of their training, they’d already used the transporter rooms to get off the ship. She hadn’t dared to try that option—running people between the shuttlebay and the transporter rooms, while simultaneously trying to coordinate a reverse transport from Starfleet, would have been an even bigger disaster than the one she already had on her hands.

“One moment.” Necheyev turned away from the viewer and began typing in a furious series of commands while barking orders to someone on another terminal. Kathryn checked the countdown on her chair console and cringed.

“Tom, six minutes is ninety seconds too long. Shave something off the checklist.”

“I’m already down to the critical items.”

“Then drop some! We don’t have time!”

Necheyev turned back to the screen. “I’ve sent out the orders. I hope the city police can get the grounds cleared in time. And as far as I know, no critical engine components have been deactivated. Hold on, I’m sending over the coordinates for your liftoff trajectory and post-orbital flight.”

“Got it,” said Tom a few seconds later. “Course input.”

The engines came online, sounding sluggish as they powered up from their one-month rest. Kathryn had a sudden thought. “Janeway to Kim. Are the shuttle bay doors shut?”

“They are now,” said Kim. “The first batch has already been beamed off. Everything’s under control here.”

“Beamoff of noncritical personnel is underway,” Kathryn said.

“We’re not going to get it done in time before your liftoff,” said Necheyev. “Our cargo transporter is down for weekly maintenance; who’d have thought we’d need it on a Saturday night? Okay, who’s in orbit, come on, come on…” She looked at another terminal. “Not big enough…oh, thank god. The Independence just entered orbit this afternoon. Captain, you’ll be paced by the Independence until they finish the job or you give the word for them to break off. They’ve got multiple transporter rooms plus several cargo bay transporters. They’ll be able to get everyone that doesn’t make it off here.”

“Understood.” Kathryn called Kim and relayed the information. The engine hum began climbing up the sound register as the power built, and she drummed her fingers on the chair rest, listening to Necheyev snap orders to the captain of the Independence and chafing at her inability to do anything more.

“This is why he smiled,” Lynne said from Chakotay’s chair.

“Who?”

“Gohat. When he was dying, he looked me in the eye and smiled at me. I thought it was because he was escaping. But he knew he would still win in the end.”

“He’s not going to win.” But she had her doubts.

“Bet you’re sorry you talked me into coming.”

“No, I’m not. You would have boarded this ship at one time or another. I’m glad it happened now, with all of us here to deal with it. It could have been so much worse.”

“Thrusters firing,” said Tom. “I did two short bursts in case the grounds haven’t been cleared. That should scare off any civilians.”

“Good idea, Tom. Janeway to Torres. Are you in position?”

“We’re going through the release sequence now. The warp core will be ready to jettison in three minutes.”

“I really hope you can do it thirty seconds faster.”

“Only if we bypass every safety protocol, which might cause it to blow sooner.”

“Do it anyway.”

“Understood.”

She felt a very slight shift of balance just as Tom said, “We’re off the ground. Bringing up landing gear.”

On screen, Admiral Necheyev ordered Starfleet Transport to cease operations after the next batch.

Kathryn imagined the struts coming up into the belly of her ship. She wished they didn’t have to wait for this stage, but going through the atmosphere with their struts hanging out would accelerate their destruction considerably. She glanced at the scrolling numbers on her console, closing her eyes briefly at the doom she read there. They were not going to make it.

“Janeway to Kim. How many left?”

“Twenty-seven.”

A tiny vibration of the plating under her feet told her the struts were in place even before Tom announced it. “Lifting off,” he said.

Kathryn put their forward sensors on the main viewer and switched the call to Necheyev over to her chair console. The Golden Gate Bridge was coming closer and closer, and Tom didn’t have enough time to clear it. For the second time in history, a starship flew beneath the bridge. But this time there were no crowds and no fireworks.

 

 

-----

 

 

“We’re in flight,” announced Commander Chakotay to the remaining people in the cargo bay. “We can’t transport in the atmosphere, so all operations are suspended until we break into clear space. The Independence will do a mass transport the moment it’s safe.”

Alison cast a worried glance at Elise, whose hand was trembling in hers. “They’ll get us off,” she whispered. “They’re good at this.”

Elise gave her a look of scorching disdain. “Do you honestly believe I care about whether I get off this ship?” She jerked her hand out of Alison’s and walked straight for the shuttlebay doors.

“Elise…” Alison went after her, reaching for her hand again, only to have it yanked away as Elise broke into a run. “Elise!”

Commander Chakotay intercepted her at the doors. “Ms. Hamilton, I need you to get back in line.”

“No!” She tried to go past him, but he sidestepped—and was taken by surprise when she suddenly shoved him to the side and went through the doors. Both Chakotay and Alison were hot on her heels.

Perhaps driven by fear, Alison got to her first, pushing her straight into a bulkhead with her body. “You are not doing this!” she said, grabbing for Elise’s wrists.

“Get back in there!” Elise said furiously. “You don’t have time for this!”

“No, we don’t! So come on!”

“Ms. Hamilton, I understand that you’re frightened,” Chakotay began, only to be silenced by the iciest glare Alison had ever seen.

“I am not frightened. I’ve never been so clear-headed in my entire life. And I refuse to beam off this ship.”

“Why?” asked Chakotay in astonishment. “Do you want to die?”

“She deserves it!” Elise looked at Alison, her glare crumbling into that same look of devastation she’d worn earlier. “Alison, don’t you see what’s happening? They couldn’t stop it. Lynne’s going to die anyway. And there is no punishment big enough to make up for that. Except one.”

“Please don’t,” Alison whispered. “You’ll be punishing me, too. And I haven’t done anything.”

Elise stared at her, unable to speak.

“We don’t have time for this,” said Chakotay. “Ms. Hamilton, you’re leaving, now.” He seized her arm, yanked her away from the wall and twisted the arm behind her, wrenching a cry of pain from her that broke Alison’s heart. “Let’s go.”

Alison trailed behind them, horrified at Elise’s treatment but knowing it had to be done. They were down to the seconds now. And indeed, when they reentered the cargo bay, half of the remaining people were already gone.

 

 

-----

 

 

Kathryn watched her chair console, waiting for the very moment that they cleared enough of the atmosphere to begin transport. The viewscreen was dark, the forward sensors blinded by their passage through the atmosphere. It was the graphs on her console showing outside gas measurements that gave her the information she needed. The lines sank steadily, and in her peripheral vision she saw the viewscreen reactivate, but they weren’t there yet. She focused on the console. A little more…a little more…there. She dropped the shields.

“Janeway to Independence. Begin transport now. Get all life signs except those in engineering and on the bridge.”

“Transport underway.”

She looked up at the screen, seeing the massive ship already pacing them. It was going to be close, but at least they’d get everyone else off the ship.

“B’Elanna, you’ve got twenty-five seconds.”

“Dammit!”

“I need a better answer than that.” They were still in the danger zone, and the seconds were flying past.

“We’ll be ready.”

“I hope so.” There really wasn’t anything else to be done. Either the core could be ejected in time, or it couldn’t.

Lynne reached across and took her hand. “I love you for love’s sake only,” she said quietly, paraphrasing Kathryn’s favorite poem.

“In this life and beyond,” Kathryn answered, squeezing her hand. For a few precious seconds, she let herself sink into the most beautiful green eyes in the universe.

“Voyager, transport is complete. We’ll stay with you as long as we can.”

“Thank you, Independence,” she said, still looking at Lynne. They would not have time to beam off, but then she’d already known that. Once before, she had stood still and counted the seconds, waiting to see if she would live or die. But that had been on a Borg ship, with Lynne lost to her. Here, sitting on her own bridge, holding Lynne’s hand…she was content.

“Full impulse!” Tom announced.

Kathryn dragged her eyes from Lynne’s, but never let go of her hand. Watching the readouts on her console, she held her breath as the countdown and the time to open space converged. Four seconds before zero she called, “B’Elanna, now!”

Either she could, or she couldn’t…

“Warp core away!” came the response, and Kathryn raised the shields, hardly able to believe it. She put the aft sensors on the viewscreen and watched the explosion, a silent blossoming of light and power. It was beautiful, in a way. And it was far too close.

“Brace for impact!”

The shockwave swept outward, roaring toward them and hitting their shields with enough force to tilt Voyager nearly sixty degrees. Her safety belt cut painfully into her chest and shoulders as she lost her grip on her chair arms, but when the ship stabilized she was still in place, breathing hard from the exertion. A quick glance showed both Lynne and Tom still in their chairs as well, though considerably shaken up. She probably looked the same.

“B’Elanna, report.”

The response took just a little too long, setting her heart thumping painfully in her chest.

“We’re all right. Both of us. Got a bit tossed around, though.”

Kathryn laid her head on the back of her chair and took a moment simply to breathe.

“Independence to Voyager. Everyone all right over there?”

“We’re fine, thank you. A little shaken up, but no injuries. Thanks for your help, and for sticking by us.”

“Our pleasure. We’ll escort you back in.”

She signed off, then contacted Admiral Necheyev’s office. The admiral came on screen immediately, her relief plain to see before she cleared her throat and said, “Well, Captain Janeway, you just saved me a ship. Not to mention a city. But you did lose a warp core. So…I suppose we’ll call it even for that, and for the lost Cardassian.”

Kathryn gave her a tired smile. “In that case, I’d like to start my leave now, before I rack up any more debt. These payments are a killer.”

 

 

-----

 

 

Alison sat on the cargo bay floor next to Elise, watching as Revi passed a humming component of her Borg arm over Elise’s shoulder. “I do apologize for the Commander,” Revi said. “It’s not necessary to tear muscles with a hammerlock.”

“Don’t bother,” said Elise. “He did what he had to do; there were only a few seconds left. I don’t blame him.” She looked up. “Why did you come with us?”

“Pardon me?”

“Lynne stayed with Kathryn because she was sure they weren’t going to make it. I heard her. But you left Seven behind.”

Revi never paused in her ministrations. “Because I’m in constant telepathic contact with Seven. I knew exactly where they were in the process of dumping the core, and Seven was certain they would do it in time. I trusted her.”

“Wow,” said Elise. “Constant contact? That’s handy.”

Revi smiled. “It can be.”

“Are you part Betazoid?”

“No, part Borg.”

“Her father is Human,” said Dhara, who was watching the process with fascination. “But I’m beginning to think it would have been better if he had been Betazoid.”

Revi chuckled. “I think that’s probably the worst thing you could ever say to him.”

Alison listened to the conversation silently, her stomach still roiling from the panic she’d felt when she’d understood Elise’s intent. It was slowly morphing into something else, now that the crisis was over and the captain of the Independence had told them Voyager was safe, but she was trying to tamp that down.

They were the only ones left in the cargo bay, all the others having accepted the captain’s personal invitation to adjourn to the lounge on deck ten. Alison, who’d seen the pain Elise was trying to hide, had wanted to take her to the sickbay—but then Revi was there, asking what had happened and assuring them that she had the tools to take care of it. And indeed she did, built right into that amazing cybernetic arm. Her mother seemed just as mesmerized by it as Alison was, if not more so, and Alison wondered if she’d never seen it before now.

“All done,” announced Revi, pulling her shirt sleeve back down. “How does it feel?”

Elise rolled her shoulder, then gingerly put her arm behind her back to test it. “Good as new. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. It’s the least I can do to make up for the way you were handled. I’m going to go give Chakotay a piece of my mind now.”

“You really don’t need to on my account—”

“Oh, but I need to on my account.” Revi stood, picked up her jacket and slid her arm into it. Her mother held up the other sleeve for her, and Revi paused for just a moment before thanking her and pushing her other arm in. “The Commander has been a little overzealous once before. He tried something like that with me once and got himself thrown across the room as a result.”

“You threw that man across a room?” Elise was shocked. “He’s not a lightweight!”

“Neither am I. Part Borg, remember?”

“Good lord. Remind me never to mess with you.”

Dhara looked vastly amused for some reason. “I do wish your father could be hearing this conversation,” she said. Revi looked up in surprise, and something passed between them that Alison didn’t understand.

“Shall we head for the lounge?” Revi asked.

Alison spoke for the first time. “If you don’t mind, I’d like a word with Elise. We’ll join you in a few minutes.”

Revi looked back and forth between them, then nodded. “We’ll see you there. Mother?”

Elise wouldn’t meet her eyes as they waited, listening to Revi and Dhara walk out of the cargo bay. The doors slid open, then shut, and still Elise did not look up. Alison gave up trying to hold it in.

“Don’t you ever, ever do anything like that again! To me or anyone else. Do you understand me?”

“Alison, I don’t think—”

“No, you didn’t think! That’s the problem!”

Elise finally met her eyes, her own stormy. “I don’t need to hear this right now!”

“This is not just about you! All right? Maybe you don’t need to hear it, but I need to say it. That was the most cruel thing you could ever do to me! Now, I know you’re upset about your mother, and God knows you have the right to be, but your life is precious! It’s also the most precious thing in my life right now, and I really don’t want to be starring in my own personal tragic love story. How could you?”

Elise dropped her face into her hands as her shoulders began to shake. “I’m sorry…”

The sight effectively torpedoed Alison’s fury, and she immediately gathered Elise in her arms as her own tears rose. “God, you scared the hell out of me,” she whispered. “How could you think of throwing your life away just for revenge?”

“It wasn’t revenge!” Elise wiped her eyes and looked up.

“Then what was it?”

“It was…” She fell silent, and Alison nodded.

“You said she deserved it. Are you really going to try to convince me that wasn’t about revenge?”

“I thought it was justice,” Elise said in a tiny voice.

“Not for you. And not for me, or for Lynne. She was willing to die for love. You were going to die for anger. And I would never, ever have forgiven you for it.”

Elise tucked her face into Alison’s neck and wept so silently that Alison only recognized it through the shuddering breaths. “I don’t know what to do anymore,” she said, her voice muffled as she burrowed into their embrace. “I just can’t handle it. I thought I’d put that in its place, but every time my guard is down it comes out and kicks me again. I’m angry at her, angry at myself, and the only bright light in my life is you, and now you’re angry with me too…”

“Elise, no, no, shhh…” Alison squeezed her tightly. “I’m not angry with you.” A snort indicated Elise’s disbelief, and Alison rephrased. “Okay. Two seconds ago I was furious, but now you’re breaking my heart. Listen, please…I was angry because you just tried to kill yourself right in front of my eyes, and it made me feel that you place no value on us. None at all. And that really hurts me.”

“What?” Elise lifted her head. “No value?”

“Well, what am I supposed to think?”

Elise considered that, her breathing coming back to normal as her mind worked. “Okay, you’re right,” she said at last. “I wasn’t thinking. I guess I just snapped. But, Alison—I place more value on us than anything else in my life. Please believe that.”

“If that’s true, then you’ll promise me right now to never do anything that boneheaded again. You have every right to be angry with your mother. She betrayed your trust. And you’ve been going through your days doing your damnedest to set that aside, but it doesn’t work that way. You’re just going to have to let yourself feel it. It’s the only way you’ll get through it.”

Elise shook her head miserably. “I can’t.”

“You can’t what? Be angry with her, or promise me?”

“I promise never to do anything like that again,” Elise said immediately.

“Thank God for that.” Alison kissed her temple, tasting salt and feeling her heart break a little more. “And thank you. So why can’t you be angry with her?”

After a long pause, Elise said, “Do you remember the morning after we first made love?”

“Like I could possibly forget?” She had no idea where Elise was going with this, but if ever a woman needed to talk, it was her. So she simply held her and waited.

“We were having such a lovely, sweet time in bed, and I just wanted to lie there with you forever and enjoy it, and then you told me about how you and your aunt play the ‘need to know’ game. How you keep things confidential from her because of your job, and vice versa, and how you had to dance all around that when you were first dealing with your suspicions about Voyager.”

“I remember. I wanted to lie there forever, too. But you had to shower and get some food in your stomach.”

“No, I didn’t. I just had to leave.”

Though hurt, Alison took a deep breath and tried to keep her voice steady. “Why?”

“Because when you said that about your aunt, it was like a knife in my heart. I didn’t live up to those standards. I didn’t keep things confidential from my mother. So I don’t have the right to be angry with her. Not without being equally angry at myself. It’s my fault. Those fucking bastards almost got Lynne after all. Even after every damn one of them died, they almost got her, and quite a few innocent, incredibly courageous people besides, and it’s my fault. I have nowhere to go with that.”

Suddenly Alison saw her actions in a whole new light. “Oh, Elise. It was justice, wasn’t it? You were trying to redeem yourself.”

Elise pulled away from her, straightening and wiping her cheeks. “I can never make up for it,” she whispered, her gaze on the floor.

Alison ducked her head, trying to catch her eye. “You already have.”

“When?”

“When you gave Lynne and Kathryn the one tool they needed to put an end to this.”

Elise shook her head dismissively. “The recording? That hardly counts.”

“The recording that tore your guts out and left you shivering for half a goddamned day? You couldn’t get warm again, not even after one of your boiling showers, not even sitting practically inside the fireplace. Just how much do you think you have to suffer before you’ve paid a big enough price?”

Another head shake, but this one was subdued. “I don’t know.”

Alison reached out for her hand, rubbing it between her own and noting that it was far too cold. “You aren’t the only person who makes mistakes. And that’s all this was, a mistake. You didn’t betray Lynne. You made a simple and very understandable mistake in judgment. She’s already forgiven you. I think it’s time you forgave yourself.”

Elise let out a mirthless chuckle. “That’s a tall order.”

“You know, I am really starting to hate your mother.”

That brought her head up. “Why?”

“Because she’s the one who pounded this stupid concept of perfection into your brain. You can’t deal with not being perfect. But nobody is perfect.”

“You’re pretty close,” said Elise quietly.

“No, I’m not. Here’s my confession. Do you remember our first night of making love?”

That earned her a very small smile. “Like I could possibly forget?”

“Right. And we had a conversation in the wee hours of the morning, and you told me that when I get angry, I know how to hurt a person.”

The smile vanished. “I remember.”

“I hurt Lynne because I was angry with her.”

Elise’s eyes widened. “What did you do?”

This was actually harder to say than she’d thought it would be. “We were at the Presidential Office, getting ready for our meeting with Gutierrez, and when we went through the security check, Lynne shocked the hell out of me by pulling two huge knives out of her boots.”

“Whoa.” Elise’s eyes were even bigger.

“Yes, that’s what I thought. And then I started to think about whether she’d been carrying those knives when she came bursting into my house the day of that second assassination attempt, when she was so angry and had me pushed up against my living room wall. So I asked her, and she said yes, she carries them all the time. She said she and Kathryn would be dead now if she didn’t. But I didn’t hear that second part. I just heard the yes. And I got furious at thinking that she’d carried weapons into my house in that kind of mood. So I asked her point blank if she would have killed me.”

Elise sucked in a breath. “Jesus Christ, Alison.”

“And she cried,” Alison said, still pained by the memory. “I made her cry, because I spoke in the heat of anger and didn’t think it through, and I hit her in a place that has never healed. And I felt about this big.” She held her forefinger and thumb a half centimeter apart. “We had a little talk afterward, and she really put some things in perspective for me. That woman is amazing. But the point is, everyone makes mistakes. Of the two of us, I think I hurt Lynne more. Your mistake wasn’t personal. Mine was, and on top of that it was cruel. And the worst part is that I didn’t even fully realize it until days later. That night in bed with you, actually.” She gave Elise a tentative smile. “You’ve already taught me a few things about myself. Not all of them are things I particularly wanted to know. But you make me want to be better than I am, because of the example you set for me.”

“But…” Elise was confounded. “That’s exactly how I feel about you.”

“Does that mean I’m an okay person?”

“Of course you are. What kind of a question is that?”

Alison ducked her head, looking up at her. “Then it means you must be an okay person, too.”

She could see that she’d given Elise a lot to think about, and knew it wasn’t all going to happen right now. And her butt was sore from sitting on the deck, and if they stayed here much longer, Revi might send out a search party.

“Come on,” she said, rising to her feet and pulling Elise up with her. “Let’s go get a drink. God knows I could use one.”

“I could use five.” Elise wiped her cheeks again and smiled ruefully. “Where’s that Starfleet kerchief when I need it?”

Wordlessly, Alison drew the scarf from around her neck and gently dabbed at Elise’s cheeks and eyes, soaking up the few tears that hadn’t already dried. Two more leaked out in the process, and as she went back to get them she said, “Is this a ploy to keep me here?”

“No. I just…” She took a deep breath. “Thank you for taking care of me. Again.”

Alison looked into her eyes, amazed all over again at how intense they were. “The day will come when I need someone to take care of me. And I am so glad to know you’ll be there.”

“I will,” Elise whispered, and Alison knew it was a promise.

 

 

-----

 

 

Voyager was directed to dock in Earth Station McKinley—ironically, the same shipyard it had been originally launched from. Kathryn found a certain symmetry in that, even as she recognized the pragmatism of Starfleet’s decision. They weren’t about to bring Voyager back to Earth until it had been checked top to bottom for any more Cardassian surprises. As it was, Necheyev was already breathing fire in the corridors of Starfleet Headquarters, demanding to know how an outside source could have rigged a ship’s self-destruct sequence and locked out the command codes. It was a breach of security with potentially devastating consequences to the fleet, and had just become the single highest priority at Starfleet Intelligence.

But that wasn’t Kathryn’s concern anymore, and Necheyev made it clear that she was not to worry about it. Specifically, she ordered her to “make sure that party lasts as long as it needs to.” When Kathryn pointed out that their party location probably had food and drink spattered from the deck to the ceiling, Necheyev made a humming sound and then told her to wait. Two minutes later she called back to announce that their party had now been moved to the forward lounge of the Independence, with the enthusiastic agreement of her captain. Starfleet Headquarters would directly beam up the crew on Earth who still wanted to join them.

“I do have one last duty for you before you begin your leave, Captain,” she added. “I want the names of every person who launched with you and maintained their posts. Whether they remain in Starfleet or not, they’re taking a medal home from this.”

“With pleasure, Admiral. I’m sending that data now.”

They signed off, and Kathryn happily sent the report straight to Necheyev’s office. She looked up to meet an amused smile from Lynne.

“Don’t,” Lynne said.

“You were here, too.”

“I didn’t have a duty to perform. I just wouldn’t let you leave me behind.”

Kathryn shrugged. “Too late. I already sent the report.”

“So I’m going to get a medal for being a passenger? Great. I’ll be sure to frame it and hang it on the wall.”

“And every time I look at it, I’ll remember the day you walked into almost certain death with me, just so that I wouldn’t go there alone.” Kathryn would not let her minimize it.

Lynne’s expression shifted. “Don’t make it sound so selfless. I walked into it with you so that I wouldn’t be alone.”

“Do you really think there’s a difference?”

Before Lynne could answer, Tom announced that they were approaching McKinley, and Kathryn busied herself with docking preparations. It was odd, but watching the sides of the dock begin sliding past her ship gave her a stronger sense of coming home than when she’d landed on Earth last month. This was where it had all begun. Though Voyager had been built at Utopia Planitia, the official launch had taken place right here. This was where she had taken command, where Necheyev had formally turned over the command codes to her, and where she’d first sat in this chair knowing it was hers and no one else’s.

Voyager came to a smooth stop in the exact center of the station, and the docking clamps began locking on. “Nice flying, Tom,” she said. “All the way through. I don’t even want to know what you dropped off that checklist to get us off the ground in time.”

“No ma’am,” he said seriously. “You really don’t.”

She called B’Elanna to inform her and Seven of their arrival, and asked them to shut down any stations that had been left active by their tiny crew. Then she powered down her own console and, with a final glance at the scene outside, turned off the main viewer as well. The three of them rose from their chairs and walked to the turbolift doors, turning by unspoken agreement for one last look.

“Do you know, I think this ship is the biggest hero of all,” said Kathryn.

“I second that,” said Tom. “I’ll never fly another one like her. Voyager is special.”

Kathryn felt Lynne take her hand and squeezed it in gratitude. “Goodbye, old friend,” she whispered, scanning the bridge from one side to the other and trying to commit every detail to memory.

When the turbolift doors closed, shutting off her view of the bridge, she had a lump in her throat that could not be swallowed. This time it really did seem final. Somehow she knew that she’d never captain Voyager again.

 

 

 

 

---

chapter 64

 

 

Alison could not believe this crew. So far as she could see, every single person who’d beamed off on Earth had reappeared, and now the whole group was partying like nothing had happened, the laughter and conversation just as loud as it had been before all hell broke loose. She herself was barely capable of doing more than holding Elise’s hand and watching everyone else, her body occasionally shivering with a delayed reaction to the danger they’d all been in. Elise seemed to be in the same frame of mind, despite having downed three shots in a row immediately after their arrival at the lounge.

Revi and Dhara appeared in front of them, and the concern on Revi’s face was easily read. “Hey,” she said. “Are you two all right?”

Alison nodded. “Just coming down off the adrenaline high, I think. I don’t understand how you people can do this.”

Revi scanned the crowd. “You mean party like they might die tomorrow?”

“Exactly.”

“I know what you mean,” said Dhara. “I’m having a little difficulty with it myself. Starfleet people seem to be a breed apart.”

“The Voyager crew in particular is a breed apart,” said Revi. “These people lived seven years of a life you can’t imagine. I only shared the last fifteen months of it with them, but that was enough to understand. When you know that you might never get home, and you stand a pretty good chance of dying a violent death long before you get there, you learn to take every bit of happiness and squeeze it for all it’s worth. We’re okay. Voyager is okay, San Francisco is still intact—these are things to celebrate. But mostly, they’re celebrating the fact that once again, they’re alive and free.”

“Life is precious,” said Elise, drawing a sharp glance from Alison.

“Yes, it is,” Revi agreed. Her head lifted then, and she looked toward the lounge entrance with a wide smile. “We’ve got company. HEY!” she suddenly shouted to the crowd, waving her arms for attention. “The heroes return!”

The doors slid open, revealing Kathryn, Lynne, B’Elanna, Seven and Tom walking in. The roar that rose from the crowd was deafening, and it grew into sheer pandemonium as people shouted, applauded, tapped glasses with utensils, and generally made as much noise as they possibly could. Revi strode forward to meet Seven, enveloping her in a happy embrace and kissing her as if they had no audience at all. Which, Alison mused, they really didn’t. People were too focused on their own sense of joy to notice one tiny celebration of it.

Her own eyes were glued to Kathryn and Lynne, who were holding hands and managed to keep that grip even as they were mobbed, laughing and giving one-armed hugs to Gretchen, Phoebe, and then their friends, until finally the sheer volume of people pushed them apart. She felt the pricking of tears behind her eyes at the scene. Though she had no real part to play, she understood that this was a moment of legend, and she was fortunate to be here as witness.

“I wish my mom could see this,” said Elise as she watched. “Maybe then she’d understand.”

Alison doubted it, but she squeezed Elise’s hand and dropped a kiss on her cheek. “What’s more important is that you understand.”

People in the crowd were calling for the story, and finally Kathryn raised her hands, quieting them down. “Well, you know that it takes eight minutes to get Voyager in the air from a powered-down state, right?”

An enthusiastic chorus of ‘rights’ answered her.

“Tom did it in four and a half.”

Another roar, and Tom’s back was slapped by half a dozen people around him.

“I asked him how many critical things he had to drop off the checklist to accomplish that, and he told me I really didn’t want to know.”

Though Alison didn’t see the humor in this, apparently everyone else in the room did. Kathryn had to wait for the laughter to die down before she could continue. “We cleared the atmosphere with twenty-five seconds left to get the rest of you off Voyager and dump the core,” she said, and Alison felt the shock of realizing just how close it had been. “I informed B’Elanna of this fact, and her response, as usual, was to swear at me.”

More laughter, and Alison began to realize just what was happening here.

“But also as usual, B’Elanna and Seven had it ready. They dumped the core four seconds before it blew. We had a bit of a rough ride through the shockwave, and Neelix, I’m very sorry, but your beautiful party spread is now on every surface in the shuttlebay. Whoever flies those shuttles the next time is going to be picking hors d’oeuvres from the seat cushions.”

Another roar of amusement, and this time even Alison smiled. It was impossible not to absorb the sheer sense of joy from this crowd.

“For those of you who staffed your posts—I’m so proud of you that I hardly know how to express it. You’re not even on duty and you acted with pure professionalism and amazing courage. I want you to know that my last official act before going on leave was to send all of your names to Admiral Necheyev. She says you’re not going home without a medal.”

Shouts, catcalls and whistles rose from the crowd, and Kathryn was mobbed once again. The music started up—with some surprise, Alison realized it was the same jazz trio who had beamed off Voyager—and the party swung right back into action. She watched a few couples head to the dance floor and wondered if she could manage that with Elise. The idea was very appealing, though she wasn’t yet sure her legs would carry her through a dance. When she turned to ask Elise what she thought, she found her intently watching one point in the room. Even before following her gaze, Alison knew she’d find Lynne at the other end of it.

“She’s all right,” she said. “Everyone is.”

“I know,” Elise answered, but her voice wasn’t normal and her grip on Alison’s hand was too tight.

As if sensing the eyes on her, Lynne looked up and smiled at them. She said something to Kathryn, who nodded in response, and began to make her way over.

“You two look a little overwhelmed,” she said when she arrived. “Don’t worry, Voyager parties are always like this. Have another drink, it’ll help.”

Elise seemed frozen in place, and Alison tried to carry the conversation for them. “I think we’ve already had four or five drinks between us. So far they haven’t sunk in.”

“Adrenaline,” said Lynne. “It neutralizes synthehol. What you need is the real stuff, but I’m betting you have to have a personal relationship with the bartender here to get that.”

“Would you like a drink?” Alison asked. “I’d be happy to get you something from the bar. Maybe I can strike up a personal relationship.”

Lynne smiled. “Don’t make any romantic mistakes on my account. Besides, I can’t drink. Well, I can, but only my own special formula.”

“Really?” Alison seized on any topic to get them away from what she knew was killing Elise. “Why not? Do you have an allergy?”

“Sort of. My cortical implant doesn’t tolerate alcohol or synthehol. I get completely raving drunk on half a glass.”

“That’s the Borg implant in her head,” Alison told Elise. “Essentially this woman is a walking database with a very good memory.”

“And in my memories, you were a little more talkative,” said Lynne. “Are you all right?”

Elise stared at her. “I, ah…no, I don’t think so.”

“I’m really sorry.” A cloud darkened Lynne’s face. “I might have known those bastards would find a way to ruin the best thing I had planned. I’m seriously upset that everyone else got pulled in as well.”

“Why do you keep apologizing to me?” asked Elise sharply.

Alison squeezed her hand in warning. “Elise is feeling responsible,” she said, trying to defuse the tension.

“I’m not feeling responsible, I am responsible. It’s a little hard to think of it as a small mistake when there are consequences like these.”

Lynne watched her thoughtfully. “You know, you’re starting to scare me, because I’m actually seeing a family resemblance.”

“What?”

“Elise…” Lynne sighed. “There are some things I can’t tell you, and I don’t know if you’ll believe me without the history, but the blame for this whole gigantic mess is on my shoulders, not yours. A year and a half ago I made a choice that seemed to be the right one at the time, and sometimes I still think it was, but some of the consequences have been just awful. Mind-blowingly awful. My choice is what led to all of this. Your decision to tell your mother about me is only a tiny part of that. And I can see just how hard you’re beating yourself over the head with it, because believe me, that’s a Hamilton family trait. Please, stop it. You are not responsible.”

Frowning, Elise said, “That makes no sense. How could you possibly have caused all this?”

“It doesn’t make sense because I’m not free to give you the details. Just…trust me on this one.” She waited a moment, saw the extreme skepticism, and said, “Okay, let me try it from this angle. On a scale of one to ten, one being a white lie about liking Alison’s outfit when you really don’t, and ten being your mother trying to kill me, what you did was about a two. A two. Not a big deal. I’ve committed a couple of seven point fives in my time with Kathryn, so I know the difference. You need to let this go or it will eat you alive. And it’s not worth it.”

Elise gestured helplessly. “I want to let it go, but look at you! You almost died—along with all those others!”

Without another word, Lynne pulled her into an embrace. “I didn’t,” she said quietly. “See? I’m right here, and I’m fine. So is everyone else. Nobody died except four Cardassian assassins. And you, Cousin Elise, have got to stop freaking me out like this. Because I can’t believe how much you’re like me. How the hell did those Hamilton genetics stay intact for eleven generations?”

Elise wrapped her arms more tightly around Lynne’s back and laid her head on her shoulder, appearing for all the world as if she might never move again. Lynne looked over the top of her head at Alison, who nodded slowly. Yes. That’s exactly what she needs.

Closing her eyes, Lynne rested her head against Elise’s, their dark hair mingling as they held each other. Alison watched, fascinated by the physical dichotomy between the two women. Lynne was half a head taller, much broader-shouldered, and though her hair looked black from a distance, against Elise’s true black it was instantly recognizable as a dark brown—with streaks of silver that gave her a dignity she would probably laugh off if Alison ever mentioned it. Elise was by far the more dignified, yet beneath her manner was a very similar sense of humor.

And from what she knew of both of them, they carried the same sense of responsibility, family honor, and high self-expectations that made them great friends and sometimes difficult lovers.

So different, and yet so alike. They really were family, weren’t they?

 

 

 

 

---

Epilogue

 

 

“How does it feel to see them coming to life?” asked Elise.

“Fantastic.” Alison shut the door of the hovercraft behind her and leaned against it, looking up at the two houses. “I can’t believe how much has changed all of a sudden. It was like that with my house, too—weeks and weeks and weeks of what looked like nothing at all, and then boom, it seemed like two months of work got done in five days.”

A dragonfly flitted in front of her, distracting her with its blue glitter as it zigged, zagged and darted off again. A moment later it returned, hovering nearly in front of her face before suddenly swooping up and over her head.

“I think that’s good luck,” said Elise. “Now, if it had landed on you, we’d be counting on some very good luck.”

Alison turned, shading her eyes against the late afternoon sun as she looked into Elise’s smiling face. “I don’t think I need any more good luck. I have all I can handle right here.”

Elise stepped closer and nuzzled her throat. “Mmm. You, sun, warm skin…I love this combination. And you smell wonderful.”

“So do you.” Alison lifted her chin, giving Elise all the access she wanted. When they’d first gotten together, she’d known Elise was tactile. Just how tactile had been a pleasant surprise, and she loved being the object of so much physical affection. Funny how she’d never known how much she craved that. Now she had no idea how she could live without it.

Elise planted a final kiss on her throat and straightened. “So, shall we go have a look?”

“Which one first?”

“Lynne and Kathryn’s,” Elise decided. “I want to see the fireplace. Lynne said it turned out beautifully.”

“God, I hope so. I think she cares more about that than any other part of this house. I swear, I slaved over this design and she hardly even noticed the rest of it.”

“That’s not true and you know it. If she hadn’t noticed the rest you wouldn’t have had to change the window design in the living room three times.”

Alison laughed. “Good point, though to be fair I think one of those times was actually because of Kathryn. At least we got it settled before construction began. Barely.”

They crunched across the gravel of the landing pad and picked their way through the mounds of dirt around the base of the house. The stairs and wide front porch had been finished since their last visit, and after checking it over they both leaned on the front railing and looked out at the view.

“You were right,” said Elise. “It’s the perfect height for us.” She indicated their forearms on the railing. “Which means the side railings must be the perfect height for Lynne.”

Alison looked at the higher railings on each side of the porch, smiling at the way this little design touch had blended so well. “That’s one of those things I’d never have thought of on my own. But Lynne’s pretty aware of things like that.”

“Comes from living a lifetime a head higher than the rest of us.”

They fell into a comfortable silence, looking out over the lake and listening to the buzz of insects. This valley was one of the loveliest places Alison had ever seen, and though she adored her own house, there were times when she came over here and felt just a little bit envious. Lynne and Kathryn were going to be able to come home on a summer afternoon like this one, make dinner, and sit here to eat it while the sun set behind the mountains and evening fell over the lake. Incredible.

Then again, she could hardly think of two people who deserved it more. Unless, of course, it was the other residents of the valley. In the process of helping Seven and Revi with their own design, she’d learned a lot more about their personal histories. There were times when she wondered how they could possibly have survived…and times when she saw glimpses of ways in which they hadn’t. Both of those women were missing parts of their lives they could never recover. But they had changed a great deal in the last five months, Revi in particular. Alison had formed a special friendship with her, which she dated back to the day of Voyager’s last flight—and the moment when Revi had dragged Commander Chakotay over to apologize to Elise. Defending or protecting Elise was a sure way into Alison’s good graces.

Elise tapped her sandal against the lower railing. “Shall we?”

“Mm hm.” Alison turned toward the house. “Oh, look, they put in the door molding!”

“That’s a huge improvement.”

“It’s always the smallest bits at the end that make the biggest difference.” Alison admired the molding for a moment before punching in the key code. The door opened onto a spacious slate-floored mudroom, a practical feature that Lynne had insisted on. She’d wanted more than just a hallway; she’d wanted an entire room to deal with wet coats and snowy or muddy boots, and of course to store her skis and climbing gear. She and Alison had designed the room with a decorative drain running the length of the wall by the entrance, where the coat hooks and shoe benches would go. Cupboards and shelves designed specifically for her gear lined the other walls, allowing her to store everything she needed while maintaining a classy appearance. The warm tones of the wood combined with the slate flooring had made this one of Alison’s favorite places in the house. Funny, that. She’d never expected to like the mudroom.

“I want this in my house,” said Elise. “I don’t know why every house doesn’t have one. Why do we all stumble around in our foyers and hallways, lining up boots by the door, when we could have something like this?”

“Because most of us think in terms of appearance instead of practicality.”

“True. And God knows Lynne’s all about practicality. It’s probably a good thing she married a Starfleet captain.”

“Soon to be an admiral,” Alison reminded her, leading the way through the arched doorway into the living area.

Elise smiled. “I wonder how the celebration is going?”

“I just hope the weather holds for them. Oh, look at it!” Alison stopped in delight. “It’s gorgeous!”

“It is. They did a fantastic job.” Elise put an arm around her waist as they admired the newly completed fireplace. Though the actual opening for the stove insert was a standard size, the rounded river rocks that made up the fireplace, hearth and chimney extended all the way to the ceiling, making it the central focus of the entire first floor.

“I have such great memories of finding these,” said Alison. It had been a day-long project, with all six of them spreading over the area around Lynne’s old home. The original foundation rocks had been easy, but the rocks from the main part of the fireplace and chimney could have fallen and rolled anywhere. Once they’d found the first few, buried surprisingly deep, Seven had calculated a dispersal pattern, marked the area, and dispatched them all with tricorders and shovels. Damn if she hadn’t been exactly right about where those rocks would be.

“Me too,” said Elise. “I think that’s the day Lynne made me part of the family.”

“No, it’s not. She made you part of the family when she hugged you on the Independence. I saw it in her eyes then.” Alison leaned in and kissed her cheek. “That was when she realized that you’re just as stubborn and hard on yourself as she is.”

“Hamilton family trait,” said Elise lightly. A little too lightly, and Alison paid closer attention.

“You saw your mother today,” she guessed.

“How do you always know that?”

“Because you’re always just a bit…off, after you see her.”

Elise walked across the room and crouched down, running her fingertips over the smooth stones of the hearth. “She thinks my relationship with Lynne is based on spite.”

“You know that’s not true.”

“I know. It’s just hard. I want her to give me a little more credit. I’m not trying to punish her, for God’s sake!”

“Honey…” Alison walked over and sat on the cool stones, reaching for Elise’s hand. “You may not be able to convince her on this one. She invested everything into getting rid of Lynne, and she lost her bet. Along with her freedom, and now she feels like she’s losing you. If she allows herself to believe that Lynne really is worthy of your affection, then she has to let go of everything that drove her to that point. And she would have to accept the fact that her choices could have killed you. She may simply have too much emotionally invested to let that happen.”

A familiar grief shadowed Elise’s eyes. “There is such a thing as too much Hamilton stubbornness. If she would just let go, we could work through this and be a family again. Or at least a semblance of one.”

“I know how much you want that,” Alison said softly. “And I really hope it happens for you.”

“But you don’t think it will.”

“I don’t think you should count on it.”

“Right.” Elise sat on the floor, draping her arms over her upraised knees. “That’s what I thought you’d say.”

Alison sighed. “I just hate seeing you repeatedly set yourself up for disappointment. It hurts me every time you come crashing down again.”

“That’s okay,” said Elise with false cheer, “it hurts me even worse.” She dropped the attitude and shook her head. “I don’t know how not to hope. Honestly, I wish I could be a little more cynical when it comes to this.”

Alison instantly felt like a clod. A cynical one. “If it sounds like I’m telling you not to hope, then I’m sorry. That would be a terrible message from me, especially since that’s one of the things I love most about you.”

“What, that I keep banging my head against the exact same brick wall?”

“No. That you keep expecting the best of people.”

Elise smiled then. “Sometimes it works. I found it in you.”

“Yes, and it’s been a hell of a burden. Now I’m always trying to live up to my own best ideals. It’s exhausting, I tell you.”

The humor was having its desired effect, to her relief. She really couldn’t bear it when Elise was down like this, and she was usually down every time she saw her mother. Alison wished she would simply stop visiting, but of course that would never happen. Elise could no more cut off her mother than she could cut out her own heart, and Melanie Hamilton knew it. Sometimes Alison truly hated that woman for the damage she’d done and was continuing to do, but in her more charitable moments, she could understand that Melanie was holding on to the one thing that mattered most to her. After all, it was the one thing that mattered most to Alison, too.

Elise was looking at her with a much brighter sparkle in her eye. “You don’t look all that exhausted to me.”

“Boardroom face. I’m very good at hiding it.”

“Yes you are, in the boardroom. But not with me.”

“No. I don’t hide anything with you.” She saw that register with all the impact she’d intended.

“I do love you,” Elise said quietly.

“I know. I feel it every time you look at me like that.” Alison shifted off the hearth and knelt on all fours, meeting Elise in a soft, very sweet kiss. “And I love you too,” she whispered.

Elise lifted a hand, gently tracing the planes of her face. “You know, you’re only one rung below Lynne on Mom’s shit list. She’s figured out that I’m serious about you. For all her talk about me settling down and starting a family, I don’t think she ever really prepared herself for it happening. She’s not pleased to lose my exclusive attention.”

“She’d better get used to it. Her job is done. She raised you and now she needs to let you go.” Alison sat back on her heels, caught Elise’s hand, and placed it on the center of her chest. “My job is just beginning, though.”

“I hope you don’t see it as a job. Your pay is terrible.”

“I take it out in trade. And I happen to consider it a fantastic bargain.” Alison lifted Elise’s hand, kissed the back of it, then clasped their fingers together. “Which reminds me. I have something important to ask you, and for some odd reason, it seems appropriate to ask you here.”

Elise’s brows drew together. “All right. You’ve got me curious.”

Alison took a deep breath. She’d been wanting to ask this for, oh, five months now—and every time she talked herself out of it. But it was starting to make very little sense to go on the way they were.

“Will you live with me?” she asked. “I know it’s not fair to ask you to give up your house, but you always seem so happy in mine that I’m hoping it won’t be too big an adjustment for you. And I’m getting tired of dividing our time and our wardrobes, and I miss you so damn much when we’re not together…I’ve been trying not to put any pressure on you because you’ve had such a hard time these last few months, and I—” She stopped, her heart sinking at the way Elise was shaking her head. “I mean, we don’t have to do it now,” she hastened to add. “We could do it later. I just want you to know that the invitation is there, and…” Her voice trailed off as the smile spread across Elise’s face.

“I would love to,” Elise said simply.

“You would?”

“I would.”

“Then why were you shaking your head?”

“Because you were so cute the way you were trying to sell it to me. I don’t need to be sold on the idea, Alison. I’d have moved in with you the day after Voyager’s last flight if you’d asked. Of course, it would have been a colossal mistake; I haven’t been the easiest person to live with since Mom’s arrest. But I’d have done it anyway and damn the consequences. There’s something about seeing death pass so closely that puts things in perspective. I’ve known since then that I would spend my life with you if you’d let me. So—” She gave an elegant shrug, the gesture completely at odds with her glorious smile. “I’m glad that maybe you’ll let me.”

Alison’s spine slumped. “You’d have moved in with me five months ago? Jesus Christ. I’ve been wanting to ask you for five months. I thought it was ridiculous. I thought I’d send you running in the opposite direction.”

Elise chuckled. “I guess we’ve always been on the same page, even when we didn’t know it.”

The reality began trickling through Alison’s nerves. “You’ll live with me?”

“I’m just going to sit here until your brain processes that. I’m sure it won’t take long.” Elise looked so beautiful, and so happy in her acceptance, that Alison’s heart threatened to implode right there in her chest.

“You’re right, it won’t take long.” She pushed herself onto all fours and bumped purposefully into Elise, knocking her onto her back and immediately straddling her. “I love you,” she said fervently, and promptly stopped her from answering. It was such a sweet moment that it took the more socially-oriented part of her brain several minutes to get her attention and point out that perhaps it really wasn’t appropriate to be making out with her partner on Lynne and Kathryn’s new hardwood floor. Pulling away, she dropped a final kiss and raised her head. “Maybe we should take this somewhere else.”

“You think?” Elise smiled up at her. “I’m way past the stage of rolling around on a hard floor. Come to think of it, I never went through that stage.”

Alison dismounted, allowing Elise to sit up. “I was referring to the fact that this particular floor isn’t ours.”

“Oh.” She laughed. “Kathryn would be rather dismayed at the idea. But Lynne would just find it amusing.”

“Let’s not find out. Come on, I want to see if they finished the bedroom window seat, and then I want to take you home. Our home.” Alison felt a happy little buzz just saying the words.

“You’re in a hurry. Didn’t you want to check out the progress on Seven and Revi’s house first?”

Actually, Alison had been so overwhelmed by Elise’s easy acceptance that she’d almost forgotten there even was a second house in the valley. Just as she opened her mouth to respond, Elise raised a hand.

“Listen. I think we have company.”

Alison heard it then, the quiet hum of a hovercraft engine. They rose and went out to the front porch, watching as the craft settled on the landing pad next to their own. Revi was out of the passenger side almost before Seven had powered down the engines. “There they are again!” she called. “Seven, I’m telling you, we need to post no trespassing signs. The riff raff are here practically every day.”

Delighted to see her friend, Alison trotted down the steps and met her halfway for a hug. “Welcome back! God, it’s good to see you. How was Venice?”

“Wonderful. The food was fantastic, the weather was great, and Seven’s mind was thoroughly blown by the entire concept.”

Seven came around to offer her own hug, while Elise embraced Revi and then turned into Seven’s arms. “What concept?” she asked Seven. “A city underwater?”

“No, a city underwater that wasn’t designed to be underwater. I still have difficulty understanding the Human penchant for living in places that are so clearly inhospitable to their needs.” Seven smiled, something that she did more and more these days. “However, I agree with Revi. It was a wonderful visit.”

“It must have been,” said Alison. “You two look tanned and relaxed.” Actually they looked amazing. Seven in shorts and a tank top was a sight to send the most staid heart fluttering, even more so because of her utter disregard for how anyone might view the implants laid bare by her choice of clothing. The first time Alison had seen them, she’d been hard pressed not to stare rudely. Now they just seemed exotic and rather sensual, completely appropriate to the woman who wore them so easily. Lynne wore hers almost as easily, though Alison now understood just how difficult a road that had been for her.

But for Revi, who had always worn long sleeves over her Borg arm—to see her in a tank top was nothing short of shocking. Alison ran her fingers down the arm, a liberty she’d earned after one very long and very difficult conversation the previous month. “Finally give up hiding?” she asked.

“It was hot in Venice. I didn’t feel like covering up.”

“You are so full of shit.” Alison loved the smile that was gracing Revi’s face. “You actually did this in Venice?” At the nod, she promptly hugged her again. “Good for you! Damn, Revi. Counselor Troi is going to be so proud of you.”

It wasn’t that Revi was ashamed of how she looked. That was a road she’d never had to travel, unlike Lynne. What she was ashamed of was what she’d been forced to do, and her Borg arm was vivid, unsparing evidence of it. It was also a head-turner, attracting attention in a way that her ocular implant never did. She lived with the expectation of being questioned and judged about just what she’d done with that arm, so she kept it covered most of the time. Alison had asked the obvious—why she didn’t replace it with a more natural prosthetic, like the one she’d designed for Lynne—and learned a great deal about the built-in tools the arm contained. The muscle regenerator she’d used on Elise was only one of more than half a dozen complex medical tools it provided, and as long as Revi was going to remain in the medical profession, such an advantage was one she was loathe to give up. As she’d said to Alison, she had already saved a life with it once. If the time ever came when she needed it, but didn’t have it, and someone died as a result—well, Alison understood Revi well enough by now to know she’d have a hard time recovering from that scenario.

Which was why Counselor Troi had been working with her to focus on the positive aspects of her arm, while acknowledging and putting away the negative associations. It was a microcosm of her entire Borg experience, and what she could apply to the arm, she could apply to all of it. For Revi to cast aside her own self-judgment and bare that arm to the world—especially in a crowded city like Venice—was a spectacular leap.

“She already called Counselor Troi on the Enterprise,” said Seven with visible pride. “After we returned from our first day of walking through the city. Revi went uncovered from the time we left in the morning until we came back to our room that night.”

“And did anyone say anything? Was anyone rude?” asked Elise.

“Oh, yes,” said Revi. “Lots of staring. A few comments. But the funny thing is—and this is something I never thought about—most civilians don’t recognize this as Borg. This isn’t the Delta Quadrant; people don’t have instant recognition of all things Borg. And I just never considered that. Unless a person is familiar with Borg technology, this just looks like a rather horrifying prosthetic. I think more people pitied me than anything else.”

“That’s ironic,” Alison said, and Revi nodded.

“Isn’t it? And when I talked to Counselor Troi she just got one of those little knowing smiles. I said, ‘You knew this would happen, didn’t you?’ and she said yes, but it wouldn’t have done any good to tell me. I had to learn it on my own. She also said that the reactions of others had never been the point; the point was me feeling enough at ease with myself to risk those reactions. That woman is insufferable sometimes,” she added.

“Because she’s usually right?” asked Seven with an arch look.

“Exactly.”

“You must find me very difficult to live with, then.”

Alison and Elise laughed, while Revi held up her arm menacingly. “Don’t make me zap you.”

“Zap me and you’ll be testing the water temperature in that lake. With your entire body.”

“You two already sound like an old married couple,” said Elise. “Hard to believe it’s only been a week since the wedding.”

“A wonderful week,” said Seven. “I’m so glad Revi ceased resisting.”

“I wasn’t resisting.” Revi rolled her eyes. “You make it sound like you dragged me to the altar. I was just keeping to our original agreement. But it did make more sense to get married while we were still on leave.”

“Well, we want to hear all about the honeymoon,” said Elise.

Alison nodded. “You definitely need to come to dinner after you get settled in.”

“We would enjoy that,” said Seven. “Your house?”

“Our house,” said Alison, wrapping an arm around Elise’s waist. “I just asked Elise to move in, and she agreed. You’re the first to know.”

“Well, congratulations!” said Revi with a bright smile.

“Does this mean you’re engaged?” asked Seven.

Alison cleared her throat delicately. “No, this is just the first step.”

Seven frowned. “Revi and I were engaged for six months before we moved in together. Kathryn and Lynne were engaged before cohabiting, and so were B’Elanna and Tom, and Harry and Celes. Is this not the normal pattern for a relationship?”

“Ah, not necessarily. Sometimes people live together first to decide whether or not they’re compatible.” Alison was finding this conversation awkward in the extreme, and Revi was giving her no help at all as she stood there, arms crossed over her chest and a wide grin on her face.

“But is that not the purpose of engagement? To offer a commitment period that enables both parties to determine whether they wish to proceed into the marriage?”

“You’re exactly right, Seven,” said Elise. “But I think Alison already used up her store of courage asking me to move in.”

“Thanks a lot,” said Alison. “I didn’t hear you asking me anything.”

“Well, that’s true. So, will you marry me?” Elise’s tone was so normal that it took Alison several seconds to comprehend what she’d said.

“What?” It was an instinctive stall for time, since she was too shocked to answer. Revi and Seven were now watching with extreme interest, and Alison felt as if she’d been abruptly dropped into a surreal alternate world.

Elise turned, clasping both of her hands and holding them as she looked into her eyes. “I suppose I could have planned this better. I don’t have a ring, and I always envisioned this moment involving a romantic dinner with candlelight, and both of us dressed to knock each other’s eyes out, but…suddenly it seems to be the right time. Alison, I told you the very first night we spent together that you had my heart. In five months that hasn’t changed, except to get stronger and deeper. Seven’s right, moving in with you is essentially an engagement. If it didn’t feel that way to me, I wouldn’t do it. So why not make it official?” She squeezed Alison’s hands, her gray eyes glowing in the late afternoon sun as she added, “I love you. I’d like to announce that to the world, if you’ll let me.”

Alison still had no voice. She had rarely in her life been shocked speechless, but Elise had managed it. And while she stood there, trying to get her frozen brain working again, Elise’s smile slipped and she let go of Alison’s hands. “On the other hand, maybe it’s too—”

With a quick lunge, Alison recaptured her hands. Seeing the light go out of Elise’s face had focused her like nothing else could. “Yes,” she said clearly. “I’ll marry you.”

The transformation swept over Elise’s features. “You will?”

Alison was sure of herself now. “I will. You just got a little ahead of me, that’s all. It took me a few seconds to catch up.”

With a brilliant smile, Elise stepped into her arms, seeking her out for what soon turned into a rather passionate kiss. And while they were wrapped up in each other, Alison heard a chuckle.

“Good job, Seven,” said Revi. “You got us here just in time.”

 

 

-----

 

 

“Three words, Admiral. We’d be delighted.”

Kathryn felt the smile split her face as she watched Lynne working on the last pitch. “B’Elanna, that’s fantastic news! You’ve just made my whole week. Maybe my month. Except I’m not an admiral yet.”

“Details. You will be in a week. I’m going to have to practice calling you that, or I’ll be making embarrassing mistakes in public.”

“Well, for that matter, I’m going to have to practice too. Every time someone says ‘Admiral Janeway’ I’ll be looking around for my father.”

“I think he’d be very proud of you.”

“I think he would be, too.” Kathryn took a moment to bask in the thought. “And he’d be envious of my job. He never had the kind of fun I’m going to have. I can’t believe how well this has turned out.”

“Tom and I are thrilled. The only reason we didn’t get back to you sooner is that we didn’t get the message until now. It took us all of twelve seconds to discuss it and come to an agreement.”

“Twelve? I’m insulted. I made you such a great offer that it should only have taken nine. Speaking of which, if you’re going to call me Admiral, then I should be calling you Lieutenant Commander.”

B’Elanna laughed. “That’s taking a little getting used to as well. Though it is fun to outrank Tom again.”

“He’ll get there. Especially with this job.” Kathryn was glowing with happiness—B’Elanna’s call had made this a clean sweep. “Do you know, I’m still pinching myself. Harry’s on board, Seven, Barclay, Tuvok, now you and Tom…it’ll almost be like senior staff meetings on Voyager.”

“I’ll miss Chakotay, though.”

“We couldn’t drag him away from the Academy with a shuttle tied to each leg.” Privately Kathryn was relieved that Chakotay’s desires had led him to a teaching position at the Academy. It kept him far out of the community she’d be working in, and the impending crash of his relationship with Phoebe would not affect their professional relationship. And the crash was coming soon; she could see it. Phoebe was starting to realize that Chakotay was not entirely content with who she was, and their arguments were getting more and more common. Kathryn hoped she’d never figure out exactly why Chakotay wasn’t happy. Ironically, the situation had drawn her and Phoebe closer together, as her own protective feelings came swarming up to the surface. Phoebe might be a pain in the ass, but by god she deserved to be loved for herself.

“True. He always said he wanted to teach. And I think he’ll be good at it. So you got Seven to agree? Did she have to accept a commission?”

“No, thank god, because Seven in the actual chain of command is just not a good idea. She’ll be a private consultant. Which means you can’t give her orders.”

“As if I would ever presume.”

They both laughed, remembering many times when B’Elanna had made just that presumption—none of which had turned out all that well. Kathryn saw Lynne rappelling down and said, “B’Elanna, I’m so glad you called, but we’re going to have to pick this up later. Lynne’s on her way down and I’m about to haul myself up an eighty-degree pitch.”

“Where are you?”

“Well…do you remember creating a very special holodeck program for Lynne? When she proposed to me?”

A pause. Then: “You’re on the mountain?!”

“We’re on the mountain.” Kathryn watched Lynne with a growing warmth in her stomach.

“So she finally got you there. That’s fantastic. Do you have a single muscle in your body that doesn’t hurt?”

“No.”

B’Elanna laughed again. “Yeah, that’s what happened to me on Tsia. That woman feels no pain. And that was before she had Borg implants in her legs. I can only imagine how she is now. My condolences.”

“Oh, they’re not needed. I’ve been training for months. And yes, I’m sore, but it’s worth it. I’d climb a mountain every day to see Lynne like this.”

With a thump, Lynne landed beside her and unclipped her harness from the rope. Kathryn held up a hand and indicated her commbadge.

“I remember that. When we were on top of that mountain on Tsia, she was…I think giddy might be the word. Almost delirious with happiness. She was shouting and spinning in circles and I remember thinking that it shouldn’t have been me up there seeing her like that, it should have been you.”

Lynne smiled and mouthed the words, “I remember.”

“I know exactly what you’re talking about,” Kathryn said. “I saw her do that on Bliss, during our honeymoon. I’m not sure she’ll be doing it today, though.”

“Why not?”

“Because this time is different,” said Lynne into Kathryn’s commbadge.

“Lynne! Have you been there all this time?”

“Just arrived. It’s good to hear your voice. Were you calling to accept Kathryn’s offer?”

“That’s exactly why I was calling.”

“Great! That’s it, then—Kathryn’s just put together the best team in Ship Design history. Starfleet had better look out.”

“We’re going to have fun, Fossil. Too bad you won’t be there with us.”

“I’ve got my own job. You brainiacs can change the face of Starfleet; I’m going to be busy teaching kids to climb mountains.”

“I’m really happy for you. I know that’s your first love.”

“First and last. Well, not counting Kathryn, of course.”

“Good thing you said that,” muttered Kathryn with a mock frown.

“So I guess I’d better let you go. Kathryn says you’re about to go up an eighty-degree pitch?”

“Yeah. Final technical pitch, and after that we just walk up to the summit.”

“Well, have a great time. I wish I could be there to see your summit dance.”

“No dance today, B’Elanna. We’re here to say goodbye to someone.”

“Oh. Shit, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. This is how it has to be. And…I’m ready for it.”

“I still wish I could be there to give you a hug.”

“You just did.” Lynne smiled, even though B’Elanna couldn’t see it.

“Okay. Well…goodbye, then. And stay safe.”

“We will,” said Kathryn. She signed off and looked up at her wife. “Shall we finish it?”

“After you.” Lynne stepped aside and swept an arm toward the line she’d just set. As Kathryn clipped on, she added, “Congratulations! How does it feel to have the dream team locked in?”

“Feels pretty damned good.” Kathryn found the first handholds, wedged her foot in a small crack, and pushed up. “And by the way, you have two jobs, not one. Don’t forget the little detail about guiding one of the biggest foundations in the quadrant.”

“As if I could. Okay, do you see that ledge about halfway up? On the right?”

Kathryn craned her neck back. “Yes.”

“That’s where I want you to take a break. I’ll come up after you.”

“All right. I’ll see you there.”

In the last few months, Kathryn had learned a great deal about Lynne’s world. She’d thought herself a fairly accomplished athlete and very well-versed in survival techniques, but Lynne was in a different class altogether. Really, her wife should be at the Academy teaching survival courses. There was simply no one Kathryn would trust more if she ever found herself lost in the wilderness, and there was no one she trusted more on this mountain.

Lynne was a stickler for safety, refusing to allow both of them to be on a vertical pitch at the same time. She would not climb up until Kathryn had stepped off the route and removed all possibility of dislodging a rock. Though Kathryn had never questioned this precaution, she’d already seen the necessity for it on one of their earlier training climbs this summer. Her foot had slipped as a head-sized rock pulled away from the wall, tumbling and bouncing down as she watched. Had Lynne been directly below her, their training climb would likely have ended in an emergency beam out. As it was, Lynne—who had been standing on a small rocky apron at the base of the pitch—simply stepped aside and let the rock go past her.

Step by step, handhold by handhold, she pulled herself up the rock face. A little thrill of anticipation zinged through her at the knowledge that their goal was so close. In between their travels, the house design, Lynne’s work at the Foundation, and everything else they’d had to keep them busy, they had managed to spend a significant amount of time training for this. Well, Kathryn had trained; Lynne had simply enjoyed being out with her. And now all of that work was paying off. She was no longer limited to walkup mountains, which opened up a wide part of Lynne’s world to her.

Including this mountain in the Canada Rockies. The place that she had known only as a holodeck program, but which held more significance for her than any other point on Earth. This was where she had promised to bring Lynne’s remains, when they had both known she was dying. And it was where they were bringing the remains of Lynne’s past.

She reached the ledge more quickly than she had expected, then stepped aside and waited as Lynne came up to join her. It was always a pleasure to watch her climb; she had a grace that Kathryn knew she would never acquire, no matter how much time she spent practicing. It was simply innate. Lynne truly did have mountains in her blood, and these last few months had transformed her into a woman that Kathryn had only glimpsed twice before—once during their honeymoon on Bliss, and again at the ski resort before the assassination attempt. She was confident, relaxed, open and vibrantly happy, and Kathryn now understood exactly how much Lynne had given up to stay on board Voyager with her. It wasn’t just her family she had lost. She had also left behind the one thing that brought her real, soul-deep joy. Though she had made every effort, Lynne had never been truly happy in space. Not the way she was here. Nor could Kathryn forget the ultimate price Lynne had paid, in her gradual acceptance of killing and death as a part of her life. Gohat’s suicide had been a wake-up call. She did not want to expose Lynne to any more situations in which she would be forced to make such a terrible choice.

Which was why, when Admiral Necheyev had asked for her decision on whether she wanted her own ship again, she’d said no. It had been easier than she’d imagined. In fact, the hardest part about it had been convincing Lynne. At first she’d tried to keep half her reasoning to herself, but Lynne had sensed she wasn’t getting the whole picture. When Kathryn had admitted the other reasons, Lynne had predictably tried to talk her out of it. They’d argued for days, until Kathryn pulled a few strings and had them both transported directly to the base of Denali. She had pointed at the huge mountain, its top shrouded in clouds, and said, “That is why we need to stay. You told me once that you had unfinished business with this mountain. What you didn’t tell me was that you have unfinished business with all of them. You will never be happy in space and I will never be happy knowing that you’re not really alive. I know the difference now, Lynne. I’ve seen you truly alive. I can’t go back to the way it was before. Maybe you can, but I can’t.”

Lynne had stared at the mountain, then at her, and finally nodded. She had resigned her Starfleet contract the very next day.

A scraping sound brought her back to the present, and she watched Lynne pull herself onto the ledge. “Almost there,” Lynne said. “The last part is easier than what you’ve already done. We’ll be on top in less than ten minutes.” She gave Kathryn a questioning look. “What? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Just admiring your technique,” said Kathryn. For the life of her, she couldn’t get the smile off her face. “You’re so beautiful when you climb.”

Lynne ducked her head. “Okay, now I’m going to be completely self-conscious on that line.”

Kathryn laughed. “Don’t tell me you’re getting shy on me now. Not after a year and a half of marriage. Besides, I know for a fact you’ve had other climbing partners admiring your…form.”

“We’re not talking about the same thing here, are we?” Lynne gave her a knowing grin. “Sure I’ve had other partners admiring my form. Most of whom were guys who thought it would be a great idea if I climbed naked.”

“Well, it’s not a bad idea…”

“You’re such a dog.”

“If I weren’t, you’d be crushed.”

With a chuckle, Lynne said, “It’s true I’ve gotten used to it. You’ve always been good for my self-esteem. But I’m not climbing naked for your benefit, sorry. Too many tender parts to get scraped.”

“That’s okay, I’ve got a good imagination. And a good memory.” She indicated the line. “How about you go first this time?”

Lynne raised an eyebrow. “So you can watch my ass?”

“Well, it would be a change of pace.” Kathryn shrugged. “I’ve spent the last ten minutes looking down your neckline and thanking the gods for v-neck tank tops.”

Lynne’s open laughter echoed off the cliff walls. “You have no shame. Next time I’m wearing a turtleneck.”

“Now that would be a damned waste of a fine pair of—” She was interrupted by the soft lips closing on her own, but still managed to complete her sentence with a physical illustration. Lynne chuckled, kissed her again, then drew back and looked at her with a smile.

“Have I mentioned that you’re my favorite climbing partner in the whole world?”

“At the moment I’m your only climbing partner in the whole world.”

“No, Kathryn—I’m serious.” The smile was gone now, replaced by an intent look. “Remember when I told you about my hike outside Boulder, when I was deciding whether to stay on Earth?”

“I remember.” As if she could ever forget that conversation.

“I told you then that I’d realized I could climb every mountain in the world and it wouldn’t mean anything if I didn’t have you to come home to. What I never guessed was how much it would mean to climb those mountains with you, instead of coming home and telling you about it. Kathryn, this—” she indicated the rock wall at their side— “this is something I fantasized about. I never imagined it would actually happen. But you’ve worked so hard, and learned so much…I don’t even know how to explain it, but having you here, sharing a rope with you—it’s literally a dream come true. My two greatest loves at the same time, and it’s not a shore leave that’s going to end tomorrow. It’s something we can do on weekends now, or whenever you schedule leave. I don’t know how it’s possible to be any happier.”

Kathryn reached up to touch her jawline, basking in the glow that Lynne was radiating. “I don’t think it is,” she said. “I’ve never been happier, either. I have absolutely everything I could ever want in my life.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m positive.” She dropped her hand to clasp Lynne’s. “I loved commanding a starship, but I honestly think I’ll be happier in Ship Design than on the bridge of a Galaxy or Sovereign class ship. When you start getting up in that class of ship, you start being less of a captain and more of a bureacrat with a really nice office. A nice office that occasionally finds itself in very dangerous situations, and sweetheart, I’m done with that part of my life. I’ve come too close to losing you too many times. Even my luck was bound to run out someday. I’m quitting while I’m ahead, and now I get to spend my days doing something that seems awfully close to playing. And when I’m done with a day of playing, I’ll come home at a normal time, and crawl in bed with you, and know that the only thing that will wake me up will be my alarm, not a call from the bridge. This is a dream job, and I’ve managed to take almost my entire senior staff with me. So yes, I’m positive that I have everything I want.”

“Okay,” said Lynne quietly. “I just had to ask one more time.”

“I know. You can ask as many times as you need to. My answer will be the same. I’m not giving anything up.”

“That’s not true. But…I accept that what you’ve giving up is not the most important thing to you.”

“Not by a long shot.”

They looked at each other for several seconds, until Lynne smiled and tilted her head toward the rope. “Ready?”

“I’m ready.”

The second half of the pitch was indeed easier than the first, and before long they were both standing upright again on a wide, gentle slope just below the summit. From here it was just a stroll. While Lynne pulled up the rope and coiled it, Kathryn stepped just out of her hearing range, tapped her commbadge, and said quietly, “Janeway to Comida One. We’re here.”

“Right on time!” said a cheery voice. “I’m beaming it down now. Bon appetite.”

She smiled. “Thank you. Janeway out.”

Lynne hadn’t noticed anything as she stuffed the rope in her pack and swung it onto her shoulders. “Okay! Let’s go see the view.” She turned right, leading Kathryn straight across to a point where a natural path appeared on the boulder-strewn summit. The path was bare rock, almost as smooth as if it were artificial, and Kathryn stopped in her tracks.

“Oh, my god. This is it.”

Lynne nodded silently, and Kathryn was swept back to the memory of the first time she’d seen this place. Lynne had sent her an invitation to Holodeck One, asking her to wear something formal. Kathryn had arrived in a dress and low heels, startled to see the holodeck doors open onto this very path. She’d wondered at the time how Lynne expected her to walk on rocks in heels, but the path had been easy, winding up a slight incline and vanishing behind a large free-standing boulder. Though she hadn’t known it then, behind that boulder stood a formal dinner for two, and a proposal of marriage.

She followed the path with her eyes, recognizing every curve, feeling her throat tighten at the sight of the boulder. This was their mountain, but this time it wasn’t a program. The breeze in her face, the impossibly dark blue sky overhead, the heat reflecting off the rocks—it was all real. She couldn’t wait to get around that boulder and see the view, but at the same time part of her never wanted to move from this spot. One of the greatest fantasies of her life lay ahead of her, and she wanted to taste the anticipation just a little longer.

Lynne put an arm around her waist. “I think I might cry.”

“If you do, I’ll be right there with you. Oh, sweetheart, I can’t believe we’re here.”

“I can’t either.” Lynne’s voice sounded tight. “How many times did I dream about this…”

“We both did.” For just a moment Kathryn thought about the promise she’d made to Lynne on Terellia, and how close she’d come to standing here alone. She really didn’t think she could have survived it.

Pushing the memory from her mind, she stepped onto the familiar path. Slowly they walked toward the boulder, both of them reaching out to touch it as they went past, and then they were there.

It was glorious. One of the things Lynne had said she’d loved about this mountain was that it kept its secrets for the very end. Not until you reached the absolute summit did the view open up, and now here they were, looking into the face of a vast, icy range of mountains that stretched back as far as the eye could see. Though the summer heat had melted most of the snowpack, the peaks were still covered, and glaciers were visible in some of the shaded valleys. The combination of dark rock, blazing white snow and the azure of high-elevation sky was simply breathtaking.

And on a small patch of flat ground just ahead, a table for two stood incongruously, its white tablecloth rippling in the breeze but held firmly down by several stasis containers.

“What the hell?” asked Lynne. A broad smile broke across her face. “I think someone’s been messing with the environment here. I distinctly recall a bare summit last time I was on this mountain.”

“Not the last time I was on it.” Kathryn took her hand. “You brought me here for a lovely anniversary dinner, as I recall. I thought it was time for me to return the favor.”

“Kathryn…god, this is wonderful.” Lynne turned and crushed her in a hug, made a little awkward by their packs. “I can’t believe it. How did you manage it?”

Kathryn couldn’t help feeling pleased with herself. “I found a caterer specializing in wilderness dining. They fly an orbital cargo craft over wherever you want to be, and beam the entire setup down to prearranged coordinates. When we’re done here, we’ll call them again and they’ll beam it up, along with us. So I cancelled the shuttle service you ordered and set this up instead.”

“You are a queen among women. Incredible. This is a lot better than the food I packed.”

“Tell me about it,” grumbled Kathryn, smiling as Lynne laughed.

The meal was excellent, made even better by their hunger and the fresh air, and they happily worked their way through four courses. Kathryn had even thought to send their caterer the program for Lynne’s special gin and tonics, to her wife’s obvious glee. When they had at last eaten all they could, they scooted their chairs together and sat with drinks in hand, simply looking at the view and enjoying each other’s presence. The late afternoon light was warm and soft, taking the harshness out of the snowy peaks and giving the scene a quiet majesty that Kathryn knew she would never forget.

At last Lynne set her glass down, rose from her chair and walked to the pack she’d left on the ground. Kathryn waited, a tiny bit of dread curling in her stomach. This was the moment their climb had been about. She was glad Lynne was finally doing it, but—it was going to be hard.

Lynne returned with a small PADD in her hand. She picked up her glass, took a large swallow, and silently activated the file.

“Hello, Lynne.” Elizabeth Hamilton looked out of the small screen at them, her hair now snowy white and her face bearing the lines of her many years. She looked tired and much smaller than she had in the previous year’s recording, as if she had suddenly aged a great deal. “It’s July 24, 2026. Twenty-five years since you’ve been gone, and I have never been more glad that you left.”

Kathryn glanced at Lynne’s hand, saw the trembling, and gently removed the glass from her grip.

“I debated about whether to tell you the truth,” Elizabeth continued. “Part of me thinks you’d be better off not knowing. But I raised you never to lie, and I can’t lie to you now, even though I know this will be hard for you to hear.” She took a deep breath. “John’s gone. I know you’ve been expecting it; his health wasn’t good these last couple of years. We’ve both lived longer than we expected, and frankly, we’ve lived longer than we should have. This is not the world I envisioned you inheriting when you were a little girl. And I never truly believed that there would be a third world war. But I was wrong. It started this year.

“The bombs have been falling everywhere. Millions are already dead. John saw it coming. Ironically, your investment advice gave him the best evidence of all. He sat me down last year and warned me about it—told me that the companies you had him investing in were the type to make big profits off a war situation, and that’s what he saw all the signs leading to. He said we should move somewhere far from the potential areas of conflict, such as northern Montana, but I refused. I’ve lived in Idaho Springs all my life. When we built our new house, we built it within sight of the old one. Now I wish I had listened. If I had, John wouldn’t have been in Denver the day it was hit.”

Kathryn silently curled her hand around Lynne’s, linking their fingers and wishing she could do more. But Lynne had been expecting this for half a year. She’d said she was ready, and Kathryn could only trust that she was right.

“I went through four months of sheer hell. The guilt has been…hard to live with. And that’s the main reason I debated about telling you this, because I’m worried you’ll tear yourself apart with guilt, too. But you shouldn’t. You couldn’t warn us. And John knew anyway. If anyone bears the blame for him being in the wrong place at the wrong time, it’s me. So don’t you do that to yourself. You gave us everything you could. And in reality, John was fortunate. He was right at the epicenter—he probably never even felt a thing. If you have to die, instantly is a good way to go. And you and I both know he was going to die soon anyway. It’s been very, very hard to live without him, but…it was just his time.”

She paused to take a drink from a clear bottle, visibly gathering herself. “All right. That’s the worst news. The good news is that John had the foresight to move the Foundation headquarters, even if he couldn’t convince me to move along with them. And Richard is turning out to be quite a star, bless his heart. He’s impossibly young still, but John’s training has paid off, and I’m working with him now. He graduated summa cum laude last month, if that means anything anymore. At any rate, he’s now my heir, and practically my grandson. He’s been my lifeline since John’s death. That boy is my great hope. He knows about you, Lynne. When I made him my heir I told him everything, and he came up with a response that simply floored me. He says your story is the beacon that can guide humanity through this time. You are the proof that we will not only survive these dark days, but we’ll thrive. We’ll come out the other side and rebuild our planet, make ourselves better…and then we’ll fly through the stars and explore the galaxy. I’m looking at this horrible mess with a lifetime of memories behind me. This is not a world for me anymore. But Richard—he’s grown up differently. He looks forward instead of back. He was so excited after watching your message, and he says the Foundation is going to be the key. Because we’re the only ones who know. We know what will be. Maybe not in his lifetime, but certainly some time after. And the only way to make sure that the future happens is to work for it now. So he’s going to work for it.”

She smiled, for the first time in her message, and it transformed her face. “Can you believe that kid? How does someone so young get so smart? He’s only twenty-two, and he sees more clearly than I do. It’s just one more sign that my time here is coming to an end. I’m ready to hand this off to Richard, and let him safeguard your legacy. He’s got the energy for it. I don’t. I just wish you could have known him, because you’d like him a lot. I teased him that he spends so much time with me these days that I should just adopt him and make him a Hamilton. And he looked at me in that serious way of his and said, ‘I already am a Hamilton.’ And you know, he is.

“I know you’re probably hoping for the usual gossipfest that John and I used to turn these messages into. I hope you won’t mind too terribly if I say I can’t quite do that this time. Maybe next time. But there is one thing I really want to tell you. Lynne, you did the right thing. I’ve always been happy that you made a choice for love, but now I’m even happier. Because you’re living, right now, in those bright days that Richard is talking about. You’re on the other side of this. If I had known that the world as I knew it would end, and if I’d had the power to bundle you up in a time capsule and send you into the future, I’d have done it in a heartbeat. One of my greatest consolations these days is knowing that you’re happy and loved, and you’re not here seeing everything that meant anything to you going up in flames and ash and radiation. You are exactly where I would want you to be. It’s such a comfort to me that I can’t even express it. I watch that message of yours now, and look at your beautiful smile when you talk about Kathryn, and I think that a mother couldn’t ask for more.

“So…that’s it for this time. I hope next year’s message will be a little easier for both of us. And as Richard says, hope is what will see us through.” She smiled again. “Smart kid. He really reminds me of you.”

The screen went black.

Kathryn tightened her grip on Lynne’s hand, watching for her reaction. But there was none. Lynne simply let the PADD fall flat on her lap while she gazed out at the view. Sensing that words would be unwelcome now, Kathryn gave her a soft kiss on the cheek and sat back in her own chair, waiting.

It took a long time. Long enough to see the shadows of the mountains move; long enough to think of every possible thing that might be going through Lynne’s mind. At last Lynne stirred, raising their linked hands and kissing Kathryn’s gently before letting it drop. Silently she rose and went back to her pack, where she put the PADD away and pulled out something else. A small metal plaque, flashing in the late afternoon sun. With the plaque in one hand and what looked like a laserdrill in the other, she walked across to the boulder.

Kathryn followed. She’d had no idea Lynne had brought anything like this, and while wildly curious, she was not going to interfere in such an intensely personal moment. But she would stay close in case Lynne needed her.

Lynne held the plaque against the boulder and swiftly drilled four holes through its corners. She looked up at Kathryn, her gaze calm. “Will you hold this, please?”

Kathryn accepted the drill, watching as Lynne dug four small bolts from her pocket and threaded one through each corner of the plaque. From another pocket she produced a driver, and in a few seconds she had permanently fastened the plaque to the boulder. “Thank you,” she said, taking the drill back. “What do you think?”

Kathryn stepped forward, getting her first good look.

 

John Hayward Hamilton and Elizabeth Ann Hamilton

Love is not bound by time.

 

“I think it’s beautiful,” Kathryn said quietly.

Lynne let out a soft expulsion of breath. “I miss them.”

“I know.” Kathryn wrapped an arm around her waist. “Are you doing all right?”

“Yeah. I am. I’ve had time to get used to it. And that plaque says what’s in my heart. They’ve loved me across four centuries. Their legacy is this world we live in now. I don’t know, maybe I’m just finding ways to make this acceptable to myself, but it seems to me that it had to happen this way. I had to leave them the knowledge to create the Foundation, so that you could be in the right place at the right time to find me…so that I could go back and leave them that knowledge.”

“Predestination paradox. Yes, I think you’re right. Does that mean you’ll stop beating yourself over the head about your decision?”

With a half-smile, Lynne said, “I don’t know, it’s gotten to be such a habit…”

“Lynne…” She made it a mock growl, and Lynne’s smile briefly flared before dropping away again.

“Yes, I will. Actually Mom’s message helps a lot. I absolutely believe what she said about being glad I’m here. And…I’m not surprised Dad saw it all coming. Funny, I never considered the fact that he’d draw an inference from my investment advice, but it makes perfect sense now. So in a way, I did warn them. And Dad did what he could. But it really hurts to think of Mom living with that guilt, and going through her last years in a world gone insane. The truth is, Dad was the lucky one.”

Unwillingly, Kathryn remembered her own devastation when she had watched Lynne die in her arms. There was not a doubt in her mind that John Hamilton had been the lucky one. That Elizabeth had even managed to keep going, with the loss of her love and a literal Armageddon happening all around her, was a true testament to her spirit.

“Your mom was an incredibly strong woman,” she said.

“Yes, she was.”

“She raised an incredibly strong daughter.”

Lynne turned then, looking into her eyes. “She raised a daughter who had the smarts to make a choice for love. And that choice is my source of strength.”

To hear Lynne say that, after all the pain her decision had caused her, eased something deep inside Kathryn that had ached for a long time. “Funny, it’s my source of strength too,” she said.

They shared a soft, tender kiss, pouring all their love for each other into the gentlest touches of lips and fingertips, and eventually drew back to rest their foreheads together. “Thank you for being here with me today,” Lynne whispered.

Kathryn kissed her again. “You don’t have to thank me. Nothing could have kept me away.”

After a long pause, Lynne lifted her head and looked back at the plaque. “I’ll have to tell Elise that she was right about her ancestor. Richard really did take over the Foundation. It sounds like he was the driving force that got it through the war.”

“And he gave your mother hope.”

“Yes, he did. She obviously loved him. It gives me a new perspective on why he might have changed his name to Hamilton. Elise assumed it was for the power of the name, but sometimes I think she internalized Melanie’s lessons a bit too deeply. Maybe he just did it out of love and respect.”

“Maybe you should tell her that, too.”

“I will.” Lynne lifted the laserdrill. “Come on, let me put this away.”

They walked back to their packs, where Lynne dropped the laserdrill and turned to look at the boulder again. The plaque was brilliant from this angle, reflecting the sun in a golden flare.

“Did you pick the color for this reason?” asked Kathryn.

“Actually, no, but it sure turned out well.” Lynne gazed at the plaque a bit longer, then gave a small nod. “It’s perfect. This is where I needed them to be.”

With the sun’s heat fading, the breeze atop the mountain was turning cooler. They both dug windbreakers out of their packs, and as Kathryn was putting hers on, she was startled by the chirp of her commbadge. She’d meant to set the privacy lock on it for the duration of their time here, but had forgotten in the excitement of getting to the summit. She looked up at Lynne, who gestured for her to accept. With a sigh, she tapped the badge.

“Janeway.”

“Kathryn, we’re back.”

“Revi! It’s good to hear your voice again! How was the honeymoon? And why didn’t I get nightly check-in calls?”

“I’m not even going to dignify the second question. But we had a really wonderful time. The Italians thought a goddess had landed among them when they saw Seven.”

“I think two goddesses landed,” said Lynne. “Their heads are probably still spinning.”

“Probably, but not because they thought I was a goddess. I spent the whole week in short sleeves. Or none.”

Kathryn and Lynne beamed at each other. If it had gone badly, they’d have heard it in Revi’s voice. “And?” Kathryn prodded.

“And it was fine.”

She could almost see Revi shrugging as she said it, minimizing the fact that she had just stepped over an enormous wall. “Well, congratulations!” she said.

Lynne added, “Yeah, we’re both up here grinning like fools. We’re proud of you, Revi.”

“Up there? Oh gods, did I interrupt your celebration? I’m so sorry. Why the hell didn’t you set the privacy lock?”

“You didn’t interrupt anything. We were just about done anyway.” She looked up at Lynne and added, “Lynne said goodbye to her parents today.”

“Ohhh. Lynne…damn, I wish I could give you a hug.”

“Just hold that thought. I’ll come collect it later.”

“Deal. Oh, the houses look beautiful. I can’t believe what a difference a week made. And guess who we ran into when we came by to check on them?”

“A couple of women who can’t stay away?” asked Lynne.

“Those are the ones. And guess what happened while we stood here talking about Venice?”

“Seven unveiled her plan for a complete overhaul of the water gate system.” Kathryn thought that was actually pretty likely.

Revi laughed. “No, but that’s a good guess. I’d tell you to keep trying, but you’ll never get it. Elise asked Alison to marry her. Right in front of us.”

“What?” they said simultaneously.

“Holy shit!” Lynne almost shouted. “I can’t believe it! Good for her!”

“Alison did say yes, I hope,” said Kathryn.

“She did. It took her a few seconds, which I think were probably the longest seconds of Elise’s life, but they’re officially engaged. Elise grew about ten centimeters, and Alison looks a little shocked. But in a good way.”

“That’s the best damned news I’ve heard all day,” said Lynne. “I’m getting all mushy.”

Kathryn looked up, seeing at a glance that she wasn’t kidding. Her eyes were shining with unshed tears, but she was smiling. Resting her hands on Lynne’s waist, Kathryn said, “That’s great news, and I think it came at a great time.” A tear escaped, but Lynne made no effort to wipe it away.

“Well, those two are a great match. Personally I can’t think of anyone else who could handle Alison the way Elise does.”

“Or vice versa,” said Kathryn. She gently rubbed a thumb along Lynne’s cheekbone, smiling at her. “Have they set a date?”

“No, I don’t think Alison’s brain is capable of thinking along those lines just yet.” Revi chuckled. “I’ve never seen her speechless before. It was a sight to behold.”

“I’m sorry I missed it,” said Lynne, her voice now a little husky. “But I’m really glad you called to tell us.”

After a short pause, Revi said, “Well, I’d better let you two get back to your moment on the mountain. Will we see you when you come home, or will you get there too late?”

“No, we’ll be home pretty soon. Keep a light on for us.”

“We will. And Seven’s thinking about making brownies, too.”

“Bribery is not necessary,” said Lynne. “We love you just for yourselves. But brownies are a nice extra.”

“Consider them done. All right, I need to call Mother now. She’s been waiting for news. We’ll see you two in a bit. Sandovhar out.”

Kathryn didn’t move from her spot. “Feeling a little overwhelmed?” she asked.

Lynne nodded, a few more tears leaking out. “Yeah. I think my heart’s just too full right now. What great news about Elise and Alison. I’m so happy for them.”

“Another piece of the family just came together, didn’t it?”

Lynne lowered her head to her shoulder and quietly wept. It broke Kathryn’s heart, but she sensed that this was more a simple release of emotion than what she had dreaded earlier. She had been prepared for Lynne to crumble upon finally hearing about her father’s death, but that time had clearly passed. Lynne was moving on.

They all were.

It was only a minute or two before Lynne lifted her head, wiping her cheeks with both hands.

“Better?” asked Kathryn.

“Better. Just needed to let that out, I guess.” She looked toward the sun, now hovering just above the peaks. “We’ve got about fifteen minutes left before sunset. Shall we?”

Holding hands, they walked to the edge of the summit and stood silently, watching as the late slanting light turned the air orange. The sun touched the peaks, then gradually slid behind them, outlining them in fire. The few tiny wisps of cloud overhead flamed into brilliant color, growing brighter even as the glow of the mountains began to fade.

They stood there long after the brief flare of the clouds ended, long after the mountains shrouded themselves in the advancing night. Not until Venus became visible near the horizon did Lynne finally stir.

“We’d better go.”

“I know.” Reluctantly, Kathryn followed her back to their packs and picked hers up. Hoisting it over one shoulder, she took a final look at the darkening mountains. “B’Elanna did a fantastic job with that sunset she programmed, but I have to say, it couldn’t compare to this.”

“Don’t tell her,” said Lynne, slinging her own pack over her shoulder.

“I never would. She did us such a favor with that.”

Lynne laughed softly. “I remember her expression when I asked for it. She thought I had a hot date. I told her it was the hottest. And I was right.” She turned, looking toward the boulder, but it was too dark now to see the plaque.

“One last look?” asked Kathryn.

Lynne hesitated. “No. We’ll be back. This isn’t goodbye. I thought it would be, but…it’s not.”

She understood. “It’s never really goodbye as long as you carry them in your heart.”

“Then it never will be.”

They looked into each other’s eyes until Kathryn could put it off no longer. Regretfully, she tapped her commbadge.

“Janeway to Comida One. Two to beam up.”

 

 

 

~ fin ~

---

Author’s Note: It’s rather ironic that I wrote the first novel in this series in 2002, and finished the last one in 2009. A seven-year journey…and one that I have been fortunate to share with so many.

Yes, this is the last novel of the Past Imperfect Series, though I suspect the adventures of these women are not at an end. With the best minds of the Federation working on it, the slipstream drive will probably be perfected in a few years—and I really can’t imagine Kathryn not taking advantage of it. Not as a captain, but perhaps as an ambassador to distant regions she knows, and which will now be within easy reach. After all, she did make a few friends out there. And just imagine the ship she and her team will design for such flights!

If you’ve enjoyed this series, and would like others to have the fun of discovering it as well, then I invite you to pop over to my author page on the Athenaeum (eReader users: it’s at xenafiction.net) and rate them. No need to leave comments (though it would be great if you did!); just take a minute to give a numerical rating to my stories. With your help, we can push these books up the Top 100 list and make them more visible to new readers, who might otherwise not give them a try.

And, of course, if you’d like to send me a more personal comment, I am always happy to hear from you!

Thank you for coming with me on this journey...and may your own travels bring the joy and love that every one of us deserves to find.

~ Fletcher DeLancey

 

 

 

 

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