Chapter Text
Prologue
It happened once a month, in a pattern established nearly a year earlier; the
atmosphere on Voyager underwent an abrupt change, and a sense of fervent
expectancy gripped the crew. Duties were still performed as usual, orders given
and followed, briefings attended, reports filed and logs recorded. Off-duty
companionship in various forms was sought and shared, holodeck scenarios played
out, parties to commemorate birthdays, holidays, and other special events
planned, talent nights and sporting competitions arranged, and bets placed on
everything from which department would rank highest in Seven's next unannounced
efficiency survey, to who would win the current week's pool or velocity
tournament. But, superimposed upon it all, a new focus emerged as the moment
approached when the datastream window would open and letters would again be
exchanged with those back home in the Alpha quadrant.
The increased level of anticipation and purpose always took hold a day or two
before that moment. The crew in various numbers retreated to quarters, or sat
with a cup of coffee or tea in a quiet corner of the mess hall, or found a
comfortable chair at one of the observation windows with a view of the vast
expanse of space that still separated them from old friends and family. Then,
PADD or pen in hand, they composed the letters they would be sending home, or
added finishing touches to letters they'd been preparing since the last
datastream transmission.
Once finished, those letters were gathered and transformed into data bits ready
to be transmitted through the datastream. After the transmission was completed,
and the incoming data was received and decoded, the letters that had come over
twenty-five thousand light years in the opposite direction to Voyager were
distributed among the crew. The element of delay was always present-the
incoming letters responding to the news, gossip, personal revelations and
requests contained in the crew's letters from the previous month's
transmissions-but each and every missive was enthusiastically welcomed
nonetheless.
The letters were read and reread, and filed away to be answered in turn in the
next month's outgoing letters. Then the crew returned full attention to their
duties and lives on Voyager, until the moment approached when communication
would be reestablished once more.
That moment was again at hand.
--------------