_____
"Set a course... for home."
Chakotay acknowledged the order with a silent nod of his head and a softly spoken "Aye, Captain."
Captain Kathryn Janeway watched on the viewscreen as numerous Starfleet vessels surrounded Voyager as a sort of honor guard, then drew a deep breath.
"Tuvok, what is the current stardate?"
"It is stardate 54973.4, Captain."
She paused to think, to calculate. "Mr. Kim, open a shipwide channel."
"Yes, ma'am," said the not-so-young-anymore officer. "Channel open."
"Attention crew of the Starship Voyager, this is your captain speaking," Janeway began. "It is my privilege, it is my honor, it is my greatest pleasure to inform you that after six years, ten months, seven days, five hours, and forty-four minutes... we are home."
On the bridge, and on every one of the ship's fifteen decks, there were shouts of joy. Of triumph. Of relief. The crew celebrated by hugging each other, laughing, crying -- and in some places, ordering champagne and other celebratory beverages from the nearest replicator.
Suddenly the intercom system began to play a song; Janeway could only guess as to who had selected it, but she didn't complain. Didn't order the music to be turned off. She just sat in her chair as they flew toward the Earth none had seen in nearly seven years and listened, a small smile of relief and satisfaction on her lips.
Yes, *this* is the ending they should have had. Celebratory without being schmaltzy.
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