Chapter Text
Prologue/Teaser:
"Science station?" the captain asked.
Although her mouth suddenly seemed dry, Ensign Samantha Wildman managed to respond, "All readings normal, Captain," without actually croaking the words out like a bullfrog on a lily pad.
This was only the second time Sam had had the privilege of manning this station during the dozen previous slipstream jumps. She was nervously excited, yet thrilled and gratified for the opportunity. To experience moments like these, after all, was the reason she had become a Starfleet officer in the first place. Despite all that happened to her family and the crew of Voyager during the past eight years, she didn't regret her decision to become a part of this mission. This was her life.
As the captain continued checking in with each station before they began, Sam looked around the bridge one more time. Megan Delaney stood at the adjunct Astrometrics station behind the captain, monitoring the ship's position as she and Tom Paris finished plotting the course towards the stars of home. She caught Joe Carey's eye at Engineering and exchanged an encouraging grin with him. Commander Chakotay was alert but calm from his seat to the captain's left. Tom, his hands making small, last-minute adjustments to the helm, spared a quick wink in her direction
Harry Kim was bouncing on the balls of his feet in barely-contained excitement. Finally, he said, "Boy, I can't wait to see Orion from my parents' back yard."
"Be patient, Harry," Chakotay said. "We've got five more jumps to go before you'll be doing that. A lot could happen before then."
"We are back in the Alpha Quadrant at least," Megan observed.
"Perhaps, but I'm with the Commander," Captain Janeway said. "Until we're in orbit around Earth, I'm not going to anticipate which constellations might be whirling about my head."
Commander Tuvok interrupted the conversation as he calmly relayed, "All departments report they are ready to begin, Captain."
All bantering stopped. It was time.
Captain Janeway ordered, "Take us into the slipstream, Mr. Paris."
Sam felt adrenaline rush through her body. If all went well--as it had every other time that Voyager had used the new slipstream drive--in just a mere 120 seconds from now, they would be almost a thousand light years closer to Earth.
While keeping a watchful eye on her instruments, Sam's eyes strayed to the main viewscreen several times, first as the slipstream 'tunnel' formed, and then at brief intervals to admire the sparkling web itself. This 'hole' in space was actually an optical illusion, formed as the light from the stars was simultaneously compressed, stretched, and woven together as Voyager literally slipped along the currents of space. The science wasn't precisely the same as that for transwarp conduits, but the effect was similar. They were falling through space, speeding towards Earth. Home.
Joe's periodic reports from the Engineering station, "All drive systems stable," were reassuring. As they neared the two minute mark, Sam found herself breathing easier. Almost over now. Only four more jumps, and she might find herself wrapped in Gresgrendkrendrek's arms once again.
She apparently wasn't the only one feeling more relaxed. Harry said breezily, "You know, I can just about taste my mom's steamed dumplings now."
"Watch it, Harry," said Tom. "You don't want to jinx us, do you? I can still remember my heartburn after Neelix's last attempt at making your mom's dumpling reci--What was that?"
Sam had felt it, too, a distinct "bump," like a ground car's wheels jounced by a pothole in the road. She had the fleeting sensation that the ship was slipping sideways instead of straight forward, despite the compensation of the inertial dampers. She glanced up at the viewscreen and noticed a rippling effect in the side of the 'tunnel.' Quickly, she accessed her instruments and noted a disturbing energy spike blossoming.
Before she had a chance to open her mouth, however, the ship suddenly began to shake wildly. The slipstream tunnel on the viewscreen shattered into a thousand splinters of light. The stars of normal space momentarily become visible in the widening rifts. Then the viewscreen abruptly went blank.
"Naomi!" Sam cried out instinctively, holding frantically onto her console. But it was to no avail--the ship pitched like an ocean liner in a storm. Down turned into up, as they were thrown into total blackness. Even the emergency lights on the bridge were out.