Chapter Text
Prologue:
Utopia Planitia Shipyards, Mars—October 1, 2380, Stardate 56750.6
The shipyards at Utopia Planitia were a vast hive of activity. At any given time, between ten and fifteen ships could be found in various stages of construction. Major ship refits were occasionally done at the Mars facility—particularly ones involving the replacement of aging warp drives—but maintenance-related activities were mostly shunted to McKinley Station. Utopia Planitia, long a center of research and development, was in the business of producing brand new starships, to augment and increase the size of the fleet.
Captain Kathryn Janeway watched as the ensign's hands flew smoothly over his controls, guiding the small shuttle easily among the never-ending stream of support ships and repair pods. At regular intervals they passed some large vessel, covered with the tentacles of supply lines and power cables. Idly, Janeway wondered how the shuttle pilot was able to navigate in the absence of stars, then chided herself for her foolishness. Even in space, courses were set by computer, by mathematical precision. But still...
All I need is a tall ship and a star to steer by. The feeling of wonder, the thrill of exploration evoked by those words, could not be denied.
Janeway glanced over at her companion. Admiral Hayes sat relaxed, a PADD on his lap. He looked up to meet her eyes and smiled.
"Almost there, Captain."
Janeway smiled back, at what she hoped was the message implicit in those words. It had been nearly a year since Voyager's triumphant return. Almost immediately, it seemed, the excitement of their homecoming had given way to the slowly turning wheels of bureaucracy, to review boards and talk of court-martials, prosecutions, and pardons, and finally, the crew—together for eight years—going their separate ways.
Janeway herself had been given an Earth-bound assignment, to teach at the Starfleet Academy for a period of "six months," according to Hayes, while he and the rest of the brass figured out just what to do with her. Janeway could appreciate his quandary. In the eyes of the public she was a hero, but to many of her fellow officers—and more importantly, her superiors—she was a maverick who couldn't quite be trusted to operate within the confines of the chain of command.
The six months had already stretched to eight, with no end in sight, no official word yet from HQ. Janeway had to admit she found the teaching enjoyable, the interaction with her students rewarding, but part of her yearned to return to space. In the last few months that yearning had increased, become a palpable ache. Despite the pleasures of living on Earth, of being close to Chakotay as he completed his degree and began his own academic career, something was missing.
Then, unobtrusively, almost casually, a communiqué had arrived from the Commander-In-Chief, asking her to report to Utopia Planitia. No further details were given. Janeway had heard the rumors—that the team at the Warp Propulsion Lab had finally made progress on the transwarp drive; that a prototype had been developed and tested; that a mission was already being planned to take advantage of the almost unlimited potential of transwarp and explore the far reaches of the galaxy. Her sources of information were better than most; she knew how much was fact and how much fiction. But nothing had been confirmed. Until now.
The shuttle banked sharply and entered an enormous chamber, set apart from the rest of the shipyard. A slender ship was anchored there, its elongated, spoon-shaped saucer section rising gracefully from its midsection. Twin warp nacelles were attached to the aft section of the ship, with a third nacelle set perpendicular to the others. Whether it was a trick of the light, Janeway could not say, but it almost appeared as though the ship shifted restlessly beneath the cables tethering it to the dock, as if it strained to be free to soar among the stars.
The shuttle approached the vessel from the starboard side, skimming across the large hull. Janeway leaned forward in anticipation, and her breath caught sharply as the bold lettering came into view.
U.S.S. Voyager II NCC-75700.
Hayes hadn't failed to notice her reaction. "This is the latest vessel of the enhanced Intrepid Class. Longer and more powerful than the older ships of that type, and as you've no doubt guessed from the additional nacelle, capable of transwarp." He gestured at the ship through the viewscreen. "She's a beauty, isn't she?"
Janeway nodded slowly, never once taking her eyes off the ship. "She certainly is." With an effort, she turned to the Admiral. "Of course, it seems a bit strange seeing a ship with that name in the Alpha Quadrant."
Hayes laughed. "I agree. Which is why this beauty isn't going to be here much longer, not much past the time it takes to finish getting her ready for her great adventure." He glanced at her expectantly. "So, Kathryn, what do you think? Ready for another mission?"