Chapter Text
Admiral Kathryn Janeway is sitting in her quarters on the new ship, the USS San Francisco, where she took command a few months ago. At her desk, she reads through the PADs that have piled up over the last few hours.
"Admiral, a connection for you." It sounds from the communicator.
"Put it through Commander Frank"
She activates the screen and a smile immediately spreads across her face.
"Chakotay"
"Hello Kathryn, how are you?"
He's talking about their second daughter, Ensign Elizabeth Janeway, just graduated from the Academy at the top of her class in the command programme and now on her first mission.
"We're fine, and you?"
"Me too, my dear. I miss you very much. Have you heard from Amkeya?"
"She's very busy."
Her other daughter is a year older than Elizabeth, but she has opted for a career in engineering and is now involved in spaceship construction.
"Well, that sounds good. Take care of yourselves, please."
"We will. You take care of yourself too."
"Yes, Admiral, Chakotay out."
The connection is terminated and Janeway leans back in her desk chair. She misses her husband and her first daughter very much. Only with these three people can she be the way she feels. Fortunately, her younger daughter is here; she had personally campaigned for her to be placed under her command and assigned to the bridge crew. But she also has them here, in her neighbourhood, close to her, albeit at her daughter's request. Although she is already an adult, she still has a close bond with her, which is why a bedroom has been added to her quarters.
Suddenly the door opens and her daughter enters the quarters, her shift is over, but her eyes are fixed on a PAD, which is why she doesn't notice her mother at first, until she finally clears her throat and Elizabeth is so startled that the PAD falls out of her hand.
"Admiral, I wasn't expecting you here."
"Honey, you're not on duty"
Off duty, they talk to each other normally, like mother and daughter. On duty, however, they address each other as admiral and ensign.
"Sorry mum, I thought you were on one of your rounds"
"No, not today. I still have to go through this pile here. And what are you so engrossed in? "
"Quantum mechanics"
At the same time, on another ship, the USS Hamilton, Captain Chakotay is also sitting in his quarters, but by the window, watching the stars go by. He tries to speak to his wife and daughters every two or three days, not always successfully, but often. The contact is very important to him, especially since Kathryn is also commanding a ship again, with his daughter on board.
"Bridges to the Captain"
"Go ahead"
"Can you come to the bridge, we are approaching an asteroid belt."
"I'm on my way"
He takes one last look at the family photo on his desk. It shows him and Kathryn, arm in arm, and the two girls. All four are in private clothes, the photo was taken in their shared penthouse flat in San Francisco. In another photo, his eldest daughter can be seen graduating. She proudly holds her certificate in her hands. The other shows Elizabeth at her graduation. One last picture shows Kathryn with her dog that Chakotay gave her for her last birthday, a little puppy, Irish Setter, her name is Delta, she is of course on Earth with Amkeya.
He finally breaks away and makes his way to the bridge.
"Report!"
"Sir, we are approaching the space station"
"All right, please report that we want to dock."
In the middle of the night, Kathryn is awoken by an inner restlessness. A feeling that she can't describe spreads through her. Perhaps it is a longing for her loved ones. She remembers her last birthday when Chakotay gave her little Delta. What she would give to be able to go for a walk with her now, preferably with Chakotay. But only one more month, then she'll be back on Earth.
"Frank to Admiral Janeway"
"Go ahead Commander"
"Please come to the bridge"
"I'm on my way, Janeway out"
She gets up and quickly changes her clothes, then takes a look at her daughter's bedroom. She has fallen asleep with a PAD in her hand. She smiles, goes to her and takes the PAD from her hand to put it on her bedside table, then leaves her quarters.
Once on the bridge, she immediately calls out
"Report Commander"
"Admiral, we are receiving an unusual signal, several ships are approaching us."
"Origin?"
"Unknown"
"Commander to Captain Chakotay"
"Go ahead"
"We are receiving a distress signal"
"I'm coming"
He runs onto the bridge and shouts
"Who's the distress call from?"
"Sir, it's a Starfleet signature"
"Play it back"
Kathryn appears on the screen.
"Kathryn?"
"This is Admiral Janeway of the USS San Francisco, we urgently need help ....."
You can still see some consoles explode, then the screen goes black.