Disclaimer:
This story is based in the "Star Trek" universe. The use of anything related to "Star Trek" in this series is not intended to infringe upon the rights of Paramount Pictures. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise.
All other content or otherwise are works of my own imagination. All events are fictitious in nature.
Any similarities to persons living, dead, or otherwise are purely coincidental.
This story contains strong themes of homosexual content, if this offends you in any way, please refrain from reading further. If you are not of legal age to read this, please leave now. Ok as well before we start this is based on the series Star Trek Voyager but with a twist from the original story line and i hope you like it.
Chapter 2: The Re-Launch
I stood in the apartment looking around and realising how bare the place looked. I hadn't realised it when we first moved in, probably because I had been so busy with work but now everything was coming together. In 3 days Voyager would be re-launched. Kathryn had given Chakotay our first orders and that was simply a shakedown cruise to test out all the new systems and get used to the ship again. After 6 months it would be nice to get back out there, but this time there was a difference. This time I was the ships first officer. Tom and I had just finished packing up the apartment and were one of the last few people to moving back on board the ship. I was thankful that a lot of the original crew had opted to stay and come back aboard some in new positions but many of them back in their old jobs. "Ready to go?" Tom asked me. I looked at him and smiled. "Yeah." I replied. "Carter to Voyager 13 cargo containers and 3 people to beam on board." I said over my commbadge. Tom had Matthew in his arms, who was wide awake and looking about the place. He was growing up so quickly. He had an adorable little head of fine blonde hair and dressed in one of his cute little outfits. We dematerialised in a blue hue of lights and rematerialsed on Voyager in Transporter Room 1 looking straight at Luke. "Luke can you beam our containers to our quarters." I said to him. "Sure Jack." He replied. I smiled and we left the transporter room and headed straight for the turbolift. I wasn't officially back on duty until the morning so it gave me plenty of time to set up our quarters and then head up to my office and set that up as well. It felt weird having my own office now. Chakotay, I knew, was on board but he wasn't on duty until the morning we left. "Deck 8" Tom called out as we entered the turbolift. Family quarters had been built and established on board for me and Tom and also for B'Elanna and Tom Paris so that we had a bigger area to live in. The turbolift stopped on Deck 8 and we rounded a few corners before arriving outside our quarters. I smiled to myself as I saw the marking on the door to identify who's quarters they were. `Quarters of Commander J Carter (First Officer) and Lieutenant T Walker (Chief Engineer)'
I entered the code into the panel and the doors opened. I knew of course what our quarters were due to look like having assisted in the design of the family quarters, but the size of it still made me shocked. They were huge. As you walked in front of you were 3 huge windows looking out of the port side of the ship. You had the units in front of the windows for display purpose with a sofa built in and next to that you a free standing 2 seater sofa and then two chairs so that it was set up in a square under the centre window. You also had a table and chairs similar to my last set but this one was set up for 4. You had two desks right by the doors, one for me and one for Tom. By the table was a replicator on the wall and an arch. Standing in the middle of the room there were two arches one to the left that lead into mine and Tom's room and another on the right that lead into Matthews's room. Going through the arch on the right and into Matt's room I could see that the room was all ready to be set up and you had his little storage room for toys etc. with a big window. Going back out of that room you went back into the main area and through the other arch into mine and Tom's room. We had a large double bed, two chest of drawers, a door leading to the wardrobe and then on the back of the wall was another door that lead to the bathroom and entering there, you had the sonic shower to your left, the toilet and sink and then you had the bathtub which I had specifically asked for. "These are the best quarters ever." Tom said in amazement. I smiled and looked at Matthew who was fast asleep and then said "Well why don't you put Matthew down on the sofa and we can unpack his bits before he wakes up and then at least we have his bits done." I told him. He smiled and said "Let's get to work."
After almost 3 hours we had managed to set up Matthews room, put all his toys and clothes away, set up both ours and Matt's bathroom, arrange the living area and set up the main area with pictures and decorative objects and we were in the middle of sorting out the bedroom when Matthew began to cry. I looked at Tom and we both smiled. "He's awake and very hungry by the sounds of his crying. Come on we'll take a break." I said. I went straight into the living area and picked him up, "What's wrong with my little man eh?" I said to him and he just continued to cry down my ear. "I know baby you're hungry aren't you." I said again. I loved him so much and I hated hearing him cry. I looked at Tom who was just getting a bottle from the replicator and also picked up a rag for me to use when it came time to burp him. I got him in my arms and fed him his bottle and he soon quietened down and was content drinking from his bottle. "Babe do you want anything?" Tom asked me. "Sure I'll take a coffee." I replied. At that moment the door chime went off. "Come in." Tom said. The doors opened and in walked Chakotay. "Sir." I said. "At ease Jack I just thought I'd come down and say hey." He said. "Well come in and have a seat." I replied. "Thanks." He said. He sat in one of the chairs. "Can I get you a drink sir?" asked Tom. "Sure I'll take a coffee, and it's not sir, it's Chakotay I'm off duty." He said smiling. "Sorry." Tom replied. "So how have you both been?" he asked. "Fine, busy what with the overhaul and everything but we have managed to squeeze some shore leave in and relax." I replied. "That's good to hear. Oh by the way Kathryn sent me your command test scores, nicely done Jack I'm glad I selected you as my first officer." He said. We continued to chat for a while longer before he left and we went back to sorting out our bedroom. Matthew had been fed and burped and was happy to be back asleep in his crib. After another hour we had our bedroom set up and Tom had hung some pictures on the walls in both the bedroom and in the living room. The three I really wanted up were up in the living area and that was Matthew not long after he had been born, a picture of me, Tom and Matthew at my mum and dad's and also mine and Tom's wedding picture. I smiled to myself and was so happy that everything was finally set up in our quarters and it felt so much like home.
After all that was finished we decided to take a walk up to the mess hall with Matthew. We entered and saw the place about half full with members of the crew just chatting or eating and then I noticed one person who wasn't a member of the crew sat at a table on her own drinking coffee. "You just can't stay away can you?" I said as I approached her. "Jack, you know me I lived off the coffee on this ship for 7 years and nowhere else makes it the same." Kathryn replied to me. "May we join you?" I asked. "Of course I could use the company." She answered and then spotted Matthew in his carry and picked him out and held him and he looked at her and smiled. I looked at him and then her and said "Hey Kathryn, looks like you can be our new babysitter." I said jokingly. She laughed and said "Anytime, I just can't get enough of this little cutie pie." I went to the replicator and got me and Tom a coffee each and sat back down. "So how are things?" she asked. "Going well, the crew is almost back on board and we are pretty much set and ready to leave." I explained. "That's good to hear. Because I have just given Chakotay the nod to get this ship back into space. You have two days to get this ship ready." she said. I looked at her and smiled. "No problem." I told her.
2 DAYS LATER
"The time is 06:00 hours." The computer said aloud. I got up as did Tom. I went straight into Matthew who was wide awake and looking around and looking at mobile which was spinning around above him that had little toys on it, one of them being a mini Voyager which I loved. I picked him up and got him a bottle and fed him, he drained it in no time so he must have been hungry. I burped him and got a lovely bit of sick on my shoulder which I wiped away with a rag. I the n bathed him and got him dressed into a cute little outfit. It was great being on board this ship now. When it was discovered that several members of the crew were coming on board as either couples with children or single parents with children it was decided between me and Chakotay to get a day care centre designed and built on board with 3 members of the crew being people who would look after the kids. It was a good idea, and made my life a lot easier. By the time I got him dressed Tom was out of the shower and dressed and drinking a coffee. I handed Matthew to him and went and jumped in the shower myself and got myself ready for the day to come.
After eating breakfast and dropping Matthew off at the day care centre I proceeded to the bridge. As I stepped off the first thing I noticed was that everyone was at their stations. I looked to my left and saw Harry stood working at Ops. To my right was B'Elanna at Tactical who looked at me and smiled. Tom Paris was down at the Helm, Seven was over at the science station and my Tom was sat at the engineering station. I walked down the steps and looked at the engineering station was ready to sit there and take over but carried on over to the centre of the bridge. I noticed the new layout of the centre chairs. It was similar to that of the sovereign class. A centre chair for the captain, a chair to the left for the executive officer aka me with a console at the side and a chair to the right of the captain's chair for the councillor on board who I was yet to meet. I knew he was on board after I received the final crew compliment on board. I sat in the executive officers chair and looked at the console and reviewed was going on. Everything was ready, the engines were at standby mode and people were all reported at being at their stations. As I reviewed the systems on board the turbolift doors opened I looked over and saw a young, baby faced man walk on the bridge and come down and over to me. "Can I help you?" I asked unfamiliar with this person. "Lieutenant Troy Walker reporting on board sir." He said. I stood up and looked at him in the eye. "Good morning lieutenant it's good to finally meet you." I said shaking his hand. "Good to meet you as well commander." He said returning my hand shake. He took his seat and reviewed his console. I looked at him and said "Welcome on board, I trust you have made yourself comfortable." I said. "Yes very much thank you." He replied. We continued to work and after a short time Chakotay finally emerged from his ready room and sat down in the centre seat. "Jack I trust everything is ready for the launch." He said. "Yes sir, we are all set and ready to launch." I replied. "Good, well I've just spoken to the Admiral and she has given us clearance to launch." He told me. I smiled and worked the controls. "Jack why don't you take the lead." He said. "Aye sir." I replied. I stood up and walked to the centre of the bridge. "All stations prepare to depart." I said over the comm. B'Elanna nodded at me to say that everyone was ready. "Mr Paris, lay in a course and clear our departure with the dock master." I ordered. "Course entered the dock master has cleared us." He said. "Ready thrusters." I ordered. "Thrusters ready." Said Tom. "Initiate launching sequence." I then ordered. "Sequence underway." Paris replied. "Initiate umbilical separation." I ordered. "Seperation complete" replied Harry. "Takes us out ¼ impulse." I ordered. "Aye sir." He said. Slowly Paris worked the controls and flew us out of the spacedock. Once we were clear of the station Tom pushed it up to full impulse as I sat back down. "Okay well we are going to head to the Savoy testing ground to begin our shakedown cruise." Chakotay told us. "Mr Paris, set a course for the Savoy station, Warp 9" Chakotay said. He set the course and pretty soon we were at warp and away we went. After a few hours at warp we arrived at the Savoy station. "Well the warp drive works." I said as I checked the check list. "Now it's time to test the sensor array." I said. "Mr Kim, preform a scan on asteroid Gamma 171." Chakotay ordered. Harry brought the asteroid on the view screen and preformed the scan. "Sensor array is fully operational and the scan is complete. The analysis is complete everything is working fully." He told me as I checked them over and confirmed on the checklist that the sensors were working fully. "Now we have to check the weapons arrays and make sure that the phasers, torpedoes and shielding is working properly." I said. "Red alert, All hands to battlestations." Said Chakotay. "Target the asteroid and destroy it." I ordered to B'Elanna. "Aye sir." She said. She fired the phasers and torpedoes and destroyed the asteroid with great ease. "Target destroyed Jack." B'Elanna told us. "Confirmed. That's the last part of the checklist to complete with the exception of a red alert drill." I announced. "Sir we are picking up a distress call from a romulan ship bearing 391 mark 25." Kim told us. "Stand down red alert, Jack advise Starfleet we are abandoning the shakedown in response to a distress call." Chakotay ordered. I sent the message for the attention of the Kathryn Janeway as Chakotay said, "Set a course for the romulan ship, maximum warp. Engage." The ship flew away at maximum warp.
When we finally arrived at the romulan ship I stood and moved over to the engineering console, where Tom was stood and looked over the console and worked some of the controls to bring up the power relay diagnostic that was just finished and it looked okay. "I have the romulan ship, 200,000 kilometres off the port bow." Harry reported. "On screen." Chakotay said. The viewscreen came to life and there was the romulan warbird moving slowly. "Scan for lifesigns." I ordered. "There are a number of lifesigns on board." B'Elanna reported. "Hail them." I ordered. Harry hailed them but there was no answer. "No response." Harry reported. Chakotay immediately stood up and said "Paris, B'Elanna, Walker your with me." He said heading for the turbolift. "Captain, I don't have to remind you that by Starfleet protocol..." I said before he cut me off. "Good point, it's hard to remember that I'm not the first officer anymore. Jack you lead the away team." He said returning to his chair. "Away team your with me." I said heading for the turbolift. They all joined me in the turbolift as we rode down to Deck 6 towards the armoury and the transporter room. After picking up a medical kit, an engineering kit and then arming ourselves with phasers and tricorders we left for the transporter room. As I entered I saw Luke stood at the controls. "Ready to transport sir." He said. "Energise." I ordered when we were all in position. When we rematerialized in the engineering room of the romulan ship there was a number of romulans running around trying to put out fires or working the controls. "Who the hell are you?" one of them asked. "I'm Commander Jack Carter of the federation starship Voyager, we are responding to your distress call." I said. "I'll take you straight to the commander." He said leading us to the bridge.
"First Officers log stardate 47215.3 after spending over 4 hours on board the romulan ship and assisting them with their repairs, Tom and I were able to help them to bring their impulse engines online but at the expense of their engine core. But at least we were able to help them on their way home. As this was my first away mission as this ships first officer it went down with great success. End Log." I said. The ship was on the way back to Earth having completed a successful shakedown and also assisting a romulan warship. I has just finished making out my away mission report in my office. Wow it felt so weird having my own office that I had designed myself. I looked at the picture of me, Tom and Matthew that was sat on my desk and smiled. "Commander carter to the bridge." Said Chakotay. I left my office and rode the turbolift to the bridge and as I stepped out of the turbolift the first thing I noticed was that we had dropped out of warp. I sat in my chair and turned to Chakotay. I also noticed on the viewscreen that the Enterprise was with us. "What's going on?" I asked. "The admiral has sent the Enterprise to help with the last part of our shakedown cruise and that is to see how the ship handles in real combat situations. So we are going to do a test combat situation. Your husband has just activated the test combat program, the ship will experience real live damage but without the hassle of repairs being made. It's the new holo system that Starfleet engineering has been using for a few months." He explained. "Okay well let's get started." I said. "Voyager to Picard we are ready." Chakotay said. "As are we, good look captain." Picard replied. "Same to you captain." He replied before the channel closed. "This will be a walk in the park, this ship as faced much worse in the delta quadrant." Chakotay said aloud. I nodded and smiled. "Red Alert, All Hands to battlestations." I said. The bridge went crimson red and we were ready. "The Enterprise is coming about, their preparing to fire." B'Elanna said. "Raise shields, Power Phasers, Load Torpedoes." Chakotay ordered. They fired and we were hit. "Return fire, target their engines and fire." I ordered. "Mr Paris, come about to 146 mark 35 prepare to initiate attack procedure Capa 010." Chakotay ordered. Paris flew the ship with great skill as B'Elanna continued to fire multiple shots of Phasers. "They are re-arming their torpedoes and targeting the port nacelle." B'Elanna reported. "Evasive action pattern omega." I said. Paris did so but they still hit us. Consoles exploded and conduits ruptured. "Hull breach deck 9 section 14." Harry Reported. "Seal it." I ordered. "Target their weapons array, quantum torpedoes full spread." Chakotay ordered. "Ready sir." B'Elanna reported. "Fire." He ordered. B'Elanna let rip 4 torpedoes and we hit the enterprise dead on. "Direct hit to their weapons, they have lost both phasers and torpedoes." B'Elanna reported. "Target their shield grid and fire." I ordered. B'Elanna fired again and hit them again. "Direct hit sir, we won. The computer has registered that we have wounded the enterprise to the point where in real life we would have crippled them. The system has shut down." Harry reported. The bridge returned to normal alert status as the Enterprise hailed us. "On screen." Chakotay ordered. "Congratulation captain. Looks like those years in the delta quadrant have paid off." Picard said. "Thank you Captain." Chakotay said. "We will let you continue on your way. Again congratulations Captain. Picard out." He said as the channel was closed. "Well done all." Said Chakotay. "Mr Paris continue on course to earth" I ordered. "Aye Commander." He replied and away we went again to warp. What a great start to the re-launch of Voyager.