^{search engine keywords: Star Trek Voyager Caretaker USS Voyager Maquis Kathryn Janeway Chakotay Delta Quadrant Starfleet Tom Paris B'Elanna Torres, Tuvok, Neelix, Kazon, Kazon-Ogla}

    

Back on Voyager's bridge, with the other Kazon ship still attacking, Janeway has made the decision. Janeway: "Mr Tuvok, ready the tricobalt devices." Tuvok: "Aye, Captain." Janeway: "Open a channel to the Kazon." Kim: "Channel open." Jabin, via comms: "Be advised, Captain, I have called for additional ships." Janeway, via comms: "I'm calling to warn you to move your vessels to a safe distance. I intend to destroy the Array."

Jabin is shocked. "You can't do that." Janeway, via comms: "I can and I will. End transmission."

Kim: "They're increasing fire, Captain. Shields are holding." Janeway: "Move us 400 kilometres from the Array, Mr Paris." Paris: "Yes, ma'am." Torres rushes towards Janeway. "What do you think you're doing?!" she demands furiously. "That Array is the only thing we have to get back home!" Janeway: "I'm aware everyone has family and loved ones at home they want to get back to. So do I. But I'm not willing to trade the lives of the Ocampa for our convenience. We'll have to find another way home." Torres: "What other way home is there?"

She appeals to Chakotay. She demands: "Who is she, to be making these decisions for all of us? He rests a restraining hand on her shoulder. "She's the captain," he replies gently.

Tuvok: "The tricobalt devices are ready." Paris: "We're in position." Janeway says firmly: "Fire."

Voyager fires the tricobalt devices at the Array. There are several massive explosions which light up space around in a spectacular burst. Small pieces of the Array float off into space.

See also Slideshow: 18 screenshots: Destroying the Caretaker's Array
(not in image tallies)

tricobalt device hits the Caretaker's Array and it explodes (opens in a new window) (330Kb. Approx. download for 56K modem 62 seconds)

Everyone is sombre. They can only begin to ponder the full consequences of Janeway's fateful decision which has stranded them in the Delta Quadrant.

Kim: "The lead Kazon ship is hailing us." Janeway: "On screen." Jabin, via comms: "You have made an enemy today." He ends contact. Tuvok: "They are withdrawing, Captain."

On the desk in the Captain's Ready Room is a framed picture of Janeway, her pet dog and her fiancé. She stands by the window, looking at the stars, thinking of home which is so far far away.

The door signal sounds. door signal Janeway, on her way to her desk, says: "Come in." standard doors Paris enters. Paris: "You asked to see me, Captain." Janeway: "Mr Paris, you have a problem. I've invited Chakotay and the other Maquis to become part of this crew. It seemed the only reasonable thing to do under the circumstances." Paris: "Will you provide a bodyguard for me, Captain?" Janeway: "It seems you already have one." Paris: "I do?" Janeway: "Mr Chakotay said something about his life belonging to you. He'll be taking responsibility for your safety." Paris: "I think I'm going to enjoy this." Janeway: "Don't be so sure. He'll also be my First Officer. Everyone aboard this ship will report to him, including the Lieutenant assigned to conn."

	The realisation dawns on him and he says with surprise: "Me?" Janeway: "I've entered into the ship's log on this date that I'm granting a field commission of Lieutenant to Thomas Eugene Paris." She proffers her hand. "Congratulations." They shake hands.
	Paris is delighted: "Erm, for the first time in my life I don't know what to say." As they head toward the Bridge, she tells him: "You've earned this, Tom. I'm only sorry your father won't know." Paris: "Oh, he'll know." The door opens. "When we get back." He leaves.

As Paris leaves, Kes and Neelix enter. Neelix: "Ah, Captain, we were just coming to see you." Kes: "We've supplied your ship with water, Neelix. It's ready to go." Neelix: "Well, you see, that's what we wanted to discuss. We'd like to go with you." Janeway: "I'm sorry, this isn't a passenger ship." Kes: "Of course not. We won't be passengers." Neelix: "We'd be valuable colleagues." Janeway: "Colleagues?" Neelix: "Whatever you need is what I have to offer. You need a guide? I'm your guide. You need supplies? I know where to procure them. I have friends among races you don't even know exist. You need a cook? Oh, you haven't lived until you've tasted my angla'bosque. It will be my job to anticipate your needs before you know you have them. And I anticipate your first need will be me."

Kes: "Captain, we both want very much to be part of your journey." Janeway is surprised at the turn of events, but at last willingly agrees.

Later, on the Bridge, Janeway addresses the crew. "We're alone, in an uncharted part of the galaxy. We've already made some friends here," she walks past Neelix and Kes as she says this, " and some enemies."

"We have no idea of the dangers we're going to face, but one thing is clear, both crews are going to have to work together if we're to survive."

At this Kim exchanges glances with Ayala who now wears the uniform of a Starfleet lieutenant.

Lieutenant Paris watches, while Torres, now in a Starfleet engineer's uniform, looks on too.

"That's why Commander Chakotay and I have agreed that this should be one crew, a Starfleet crew." She pauses by Chakotay, in Starfleet uniform but wearing a Maquis rank collar pin. "And as the only Starfleet vessel assigned to the Delta Quadrant we'll continue to follow our directive: to seek out new worlds and to explore space."

"But our primary goal is clear. Even at maximum speeds it would take 75 years to reach the Federation. But I'm not willing to settle for that. There's another entity like the Caretaker out there somewhere who has the ability to get us there a lot faster. We'll be looking for her, and we'll be looking for wormholes, spatial rifts or new technologies to help us. Somewhere along this journey, we'll find a way back." Having finished her address, she orders the new conn officer: "Mr Paris, set a course - for home." Paris: "Aye, Captain." end part of Janeway's speech Download zip file of Janeway's complete speech

Voyager's warp nacelles fold up, there is the flash from the warp engines, and the ship jumps to warp. The journey begins!