The Delta Quadrant

Title: The Delta Quadrant
Author: Mrgan Faye
Rated: PG
Disclaimer: Paramount owns everything......probably even my comp....so don't sue me, because I'm just a kid goofing around between episodes of The Show.

Notes: Wow, a third Voyager Story. Never thought I'd be writing Voyager.......but I've become addicted to it. MANY thanks to SaRa for actually inspiring this one. Enjoy.





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The tiny infant looked up at her father and giggled. At 4 months old, the newest member of the crew, L'Ayla Paris-Torres, knew her father and could make him smile no matter what mood the pilot was in. Tom, who was grinning at his daughter, finished dressing her for the party. Captain Kathryn Janeway was hosting a gathering on the holodeck to raise the low moral.
Tom shook her rattle in front of her, and she attempted to grab at it, kicking and laughing at the newest game her Daddy was playing.

"Tom, is the baby ready?" B'Elanna asked, peeping into the changing area. Tom looked up, smiling at his wife. "Gods, Tom, you are going to spoil her when we get home, aren't you?"

"She's going to know how much we love her," Tom retorted. "Not spoil her. Didn't your father play with you as a baby?"

"Yeah," B'Elanna smiled sadly. "Come on, we're going to be late." Tom handed B'Elanna the diaper bag and took his baby in his arms.

"B'Elanna, I want more kids." B'Elanna stopped dead and turned to face her husband. "Oh, come on. Don't look at me that way. You know how much you love being L'Ayla's Mommy."

"I do, but I'm not in a rush to carry another child for 8 months, and then wake up at 0300 hours and feed her, then have to leave duty six *times* a day so my infant can *suck* on me to eat. If you want another baby, *you* have her."

"I'd make a wonderful Mother," Tom said, pouting playfully as they walked down the corridor towards the holodeck.



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The ship was quiet, except for the holodeck. The party was going nicely. Kathryn had danced with all of her senior crew, including Tuvok, who made arguments the whole time. Seven of Nine and The Doctor spent the evening musing, as the two good friends often did, about the crew and their actions.

"Seven," the Doctor said, softly. "I have found a way to remove all of your implants with one surgery, and you'll be all human." Seven looked  up.

"Doctor," she began.

"And it won't be painful. I've been working on it for the last three months while you've been regenerating or on duty. As of last week, everything was possible."

"I am not certain I'd be willing to go through with it. Not yet." The Doctor frowned. "Doctor, if I am human, I wish things to remain the same between us. You are a dear friend and I don't wish to become anything less. Promise me it will not change our relationship?" The doctor took her hand and squeezed lightly.

"I swear on my subroutines. You'll be able to have a real personal life. You'll have quarters, and a uniform and be able to love."

"I do not wish to change, Doctor." Captain Janeway sat with the two. "Hello, Captain."

"Seven, its a party. Call me Kathryn."

"Yes, Captain." A small smirk appeared on Seven's face.

"Very cute, Seven. The conversation looked to serious over here. You two need to lighten up and enjoy yourselves. After tomorrow, we're in for a long haul. Once we enter the next system, we're going to have four months of unfriendly territory. I want *everyone* to relax and have as much fun tonight as possible, because its going to be a long time before we can have a night out again for a long time."

"Understood, Captain," The Doctor stood and held his hand out for Seven. "Would you care to dance, Mon Cherie?" Seven arched an eyebrow, and took his hand.

"Kathryn," Chakotay called, as soon as the Doctor had lead Seven away to dance. "We've got a problem," he started.

"Oh? What is it?"

"I...Uh....."

"Report, Commander."

"I need a dance partner, and you seem to be the only one *not* dancing with someone."

"Nonsense, I see 28 women not-" He put his finger to her lips gently.

"I don't see anyone else in the room, Kathryn." Kathryn allowed herself to be lead away to the dance floor. Chakotay could always talk her into anything like this.


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The ship was rocked my a torpedo. Harry Kim flew over his panel just before the consol behind him gave way and exploded. He landed on his feet next to his captain.

"Ensign, report!"

"Last thing I saw before the consoles blew up was 14 Kazon Vessels. We're surrounded, Captain."

"Captain, I suggest we turn tail and get the hell out of here," Tom yelled from his station.

"Do it!" Another blast tossed the ship sideways. "REPORT!"

"We lost helm control, and the warp core!" Another explosion took out their weapons.

"Captain, I suggest we board the escape pods and find a planet near by."

"Tuvok, do you honestly think that the Kazon won't shoot down the escape pods?" Kathryn screamed over the noise of the ship exploding in various sections. Suddenly, with one last explosion, Kathryn found herself standing with her entire crew in what looked like a Star Fleet Headquarters' Holodeck.

"Captain, I commend you on the completion of your training program," Tuvok stated, and walked away.

"Lt. Commander Tuvok, and for the time being, you still *are* a Lt. Commander, I want an explanation *NOW*!"

"Captain, perhaps we should speak in my office later." Seven said. Her implants were gone and she now wore a full Admiral's uniform. "I have *got* too find a food replicater." Seven followed Tuvok out, leaving the rest of the crew in the holodeck.
Kathryn turned to Tom.

"Do you have *any* idea what is going on?"

"No, I have to find B'Elanna and L'Ayla." Tom ran off towards a group of yellow uniforms gathering in one area. "B'Elanna?"

"Tom," she said, falling into his arms. "Where is L'Ayla?"

"Neelix has her." As if on que, Neelix made his appearance, only not so expected. "Neelix?" The Telaxian was Human, and in a Star Fleet uniform.

"Tom, B'Elanna, I wanted to tell you so badly, but Tuvok, Kes, Seven and myself were to keep this classified." The couple could only stare at him. "I think L'Ayla is hungry."

"Captain...Neelix," Tom called. "What about the charges against B'Elanna and Chakotay...and the other Maquis?"

"They were never charged with anything."

"B'Elanna, you knew?"

"No, the never knew anything, Mr. Paris. It was a training program for Kathryn and her crew. You only got as far as the anomaly known as the caretaker. Then you and the Maquis were beamed aboard a holoship and brought back to Star Fleet headquarters." Neelix bid them a good day and left the holodeck.


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Admiral Annika Hansen sat back in her desk for the first time in years. Being the youngest Admiral in Star Fleet History had its advantages. She was also the youngest to enter the Academy. While Tom was 15 when he entered, Annika was barley 12, and graduated after only one year. By her 27th birthday, she was a full Captain aboard a Galaxy Class Ship. Voyager was already in the Holo-Delta Quadrant by then.
Shortly after her thirtieth birthday, she was offered a promotion to Admiral if she were to go on the Voyager Mission as Borg drone Seven of Nine. She was beamed aboard the holodeck 3 weeks after she became Admiral.
The door chime rang, startling Annika.

"Whoa!" she said as she jumped and landed on her back side on the floor of her office. She pulled herself up. "Come!"

"Hello, Admiral," Chakotay said, entering in civilian clothes. Annika flashed a cheerful grin.

"Hi Chakotay! I was just wondering when you'd finally come visit. Wanna get some coffee?" Chakotay had never heard her speak so fast, or use slang words before. He raised his hand to stop her.

"Admiral, slow down. You sound like you've had enough coffee." Chakotay sat down in font of her desk. "May I ask you a question Admiral?"

"Gods, Chakkers, call me Annika! Do I look like one of those uptight yahoo Admirals that gets off on their own authority?"

"Chakkers?"

"Sorry.....I've just always wanted to call you that. I overheard someone call you that."

"No one has ever called me that." Chakotay thought about who might have said the name 'Chakkers' about him. 'It wouldn't be Kat, would it? Nah...'

"I'm Betazoid. I hear what you don't." Chakotay groaned silently. "I heard that. And it *was* Kat......or should I say Captain Janeway. Chakotay, tell her you love her before you and her get your ship assignments."

"I'm not staying in Star Fleet. I'm Maquis, remember?"

"Commander, listen to me. I have pulled every string to get Voyager's crew assigned to Voyager A.  Voyager was destroyed last year because we tried to build in a subspace warp core. Voyager A has it built in, and it works. The crew is 160, but it has enough room and supplies for 500 in case of a Delta Quad Incident. The ship's interior was modified quite a bit, but its still Voyager." The door chime rang again, and Annika jumped. "That's it. I'm disabling that damn chime. COME!"

"Gee, Annika is that *any* way to talk to your best friend?" The Doctor asked, as he entered the office.

"I suppose you aren't a hologram, and the two of you are married."

"Um, No. He's really a hologram, and I am *not* married."

"I just came to inform you that my program is done being uploaded to the Voyager A's computer, Admiral."

"Thanks, Doc."

"You mean there won't be a living doctor? No offense Doctor, but you were only programed for temporary use. Your subroutines were almost ready to shut down."

"Of course there will be, Chakotay. The Doctor will have skills in all areas of the ship and will be used when a crew member is sick, or injured, or needs a night off. He's as much a part of Voyager as you. And we've upgraded the program again. He's a living Hologram. He doesn't need an emitter to get around anymore. As long as the program on Voyager A is intact, he can go anywhere."

"Chakotay, take the position on Voyager A. You're being offered an opportunity for a clean record and the best ship in the fleet! You could Easily beat a fleet of Enterprizes."

"Okay, okay. I'll take it." Chakotay got up and said his good-byes. Together, Chakotay and the Doctor left to tour Voyager A.
Annika leaned back in her chair and put her feet up on the desk. After a minute, she rocked back a little, and the chair tipped.

"Whoa!" she yelled on the way down to the floor, where she and the chair landed with a loud thud. "Doctor? Chakotay? Someone? Help! Aww......damn."


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Tom met his father's look with one of matching resentment. The older man shook the expression from his face and pulled his son into a hug and held him there for a long time.

"Tom, I was so worried about you. They didn't tell me it was a holo training program until they let you out this morning." Tom released his father and introduced the two standing with him.

"Dad, meet my wife, B'Elanna...and this is our daughter, L'Ayla."

"Hello, B'Elanna. May I hold my grand daughter?" B'Elanna smiled.

"Of course. She's been hearing a lot about you the last few weeks."

"Tommy, are there going to be any more little ones?" Owen said, holding the baby close.

"Yes," Tom answered before B'Elanna could object. "Now that we don't have to worry about the Delta Quadrant holes for her to fall in."

"Tom, we'll talk about that in a few years. In the mean time, let's go home."

"Uhh....B'Elanna? Home was Voyager, remember?" B'Elanna frowned. "Dad, can you, um....help us out for a few days until we can move onto Voyager A?"

"No, I can't. The house is yours. I'm living in a nice apartment closer to HQ, and the house has been empty for the last three years." Tom thanked his father and took his wife in his arms.

"B'Elanna, you are going to love this house. Its beautiful. The piano room alone is worth a star ship."


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Kathryn entered her home for the first time in 8 years. There was a form of someone sleeping on the couch. The form sat up.

"Computer, Lights, 50%," it said. The lights flickered on.

"Mark?"

"Kathryn?" Mark jumped over the coffee table and met Kathryn with a hug. "Its so good to see you. Tell me about the Delta Quadrant."

"It was a holotraining program. I was 4 blocks away for eight years," she answered dryly. "Where is my dog?"

"On your bed, with two of her newest litter of puppies. Their 10 weeks old. I kept one female from each litter. You are now the proud owner of 8 dogs."

"Eight dogs?" On that note, all of the dogs came running down the hall, the two puppies scampering behind.

"Molly, Missy, Mary, Mandy, Marti, Maggie, and George."

"George?"

"He was the runt of the last litter, and I kinda grew fond of him. I'm keeping him. The male/female ratio was getting too off balance." Mark looked at Kathryn and took in the changes she had over gone in the last few years. "Kat, I missed you so much. I stopped living when they said your ship was missing."

"So you got engaged."

"You know that was four or five years after you got lost. Anyway, I couldn't marry her. I love *you* too much."

"I'm sorry, Mark, but I've found someone. He's very kind and really cares about me, whether he admits it or not. I just wish I could tell him I'm in-love with him."

"Tell him, Kathryn. I'm going to get my dog and go. Oh, by the way, how long are you home for?"

"We leave for the *real* Delta Quadrant in 3 days." Mark nodded. "I'm taking Molly and the puppy."

"Maggie hates shuttles. What about the other five?"

"My crew will offer good homes. Tom Paris mentioned he wanted to get a dog for his 6 month old daughter."

"Missy is a little over a year old. She is great with kids." Mark picked George up and scratched his ears. "Good-bye Kathryn."

"Good-bye Mark."



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The crew was on Voyager A,  and everyone was at their posts as Kathryn made a ship-wide announcements. A total of 160, one holo doctor, and seven Irish setters made up the Voyager A crew.

"To the crew of USS Voyager A, this is Captain Kathryn Janeway. Most of you served on the Holo training program Voyager Delta, and half way know what to expect on our real voyage to the Delta Quadrant. There will be one difference. This time, we can come home.
"We've lost a few crew members to other posts. Annika is staying on earth in her position as Admiral, and Captain Neelix has his own Galaxy Class ship where he and his wife, Kes will serve. We've also gained 20 new crew members. Lt. Torres has a new assistant chief engineer, Lt. Nog, and there are now two living Doctor aboard, Dr. Beverly Crusher-Picard and Dr. Julian Bashir. Our new ship's counselor is Ezri Dax-Bashir. To the new members of my crew, The HoloDoc is still a member of our crew and is to be treated like the valuable person he is. Do *not* deactivate him and lock out his program anymore, or you *will* placed in the brig, no matter *what* your position is on this ship.
"I want to wish all of you an excellent journey, and tell you all I am Damn proud to serve with you on this mission."

"Comm is closed, Captain," Harry said, smiling lightly.

"Thank you Mr. Kim. Mr. Paris, set in a coarse for the Delta Quadrant."

"Course Set, Captain."

"Engage."


C'est Fini