Date: 28 May 2014 15:42 Title: Chapter 1
Don't know much about Voyager, so didn't get the little references to the mistakes they all made, the reasons for why things turned out the way they did, but it didn't matter. This was easy to folllow and written in beautiful, evocative prose. I could smell the rich earth of Indiana, hear the crops rustling in the breeze, feel the fur of the dogs warmed by the summer sun, hear the cats purring and roughhousing in the barn.
This really did seem a fitting end for Janeway - once a captain, always a captain. Born and bred to lead, to bring others into the fold, and to find solutions to a number of problems, no matter how small.
But the kicker was the ending. I believe Chakotay was doing the same thing- trying to find meaningful, important activities to fill his days, telling himself that that was all he needed; that these would somehow fill those empty spots he had become so adept at denying - just as Janeway did.
The air of anticipation - on both their parts - was palpable at the end. I must admit, though, I'm glad you left it vague. Let the reader decide what happened during that meeting, and what promise, and future it led to for each of them. Perhaps everything, perhaps nothing, but at least the constant niggling thought of 'what if will finally be answered. Beautifully written. Kudos my dear. :)
Date: 10 Dec 2013 06:23 Title: Chapter 1
I fucking love this. Every word. It's not quite what I did with her in my universe, but it feels real. Believable. And wonderful. J/C forever. <3
Author's Response: Thank you! I'm glad it's held up; I wrote it ages and ages ago.
Date: 09 Sep 2013 23:43 Title: Chapter 1
Yay Janeway & Chakotay finally find their true calling for each other in at least one verse, always felt the writers miss a trick there during the show.
This is an very interesting idea and you done a good job painting the scene of what Janeway does to avoid been idle, how she does make a difference no matter how small to try and keep the federation ideals alive post the dominion war and by doing so she inspires others to do the same.
A true heroine whatever she does, I like this story a lot.
Author's Response: Thanks so much! It was a fun piece to write.
Date: 19 Aug 2013 17:55 Title: Chapter 1
I've never been a big Voyager fan (I'm sorry!) but I did appreciate the unique relationship Janeway and Chakotay had as they were forced to learn to work together very quickly for the good of both their crews. And I do have to agree with CeJay, it seemed strange for someone so entrenched in the uniform, at least from what I thought, to see the word "resignation" associated with Janeway. But, like he pointed out, you gave a very perfect explanation I had never even considered for that time period that meshes perfectly with the feel of Gibraltar that I think he has been trying to build up and I feel like I missed; that Starfleet has been wounded so greatly they're hesitant to continue to boldly go forward, instead content to focus on safeguarding the borders, keeping new and unknown out. You present it in a way that makes me wonder if she might have even led the way for (or perhaps followed) Picard to leave as well.
Wonderful descriptions of the scenery, especially in the winter. Reminded me of Christmas at my grandparents' farm in Michigan, and was exactly how I remember those cold nights.
Chakotay coming up the drive was perfectly done. He always did seem to be somewhat hesitant when he approached Janeway personally, which was odd given his very headstrong attitude professionally. A very sweet moment that, yes, offers much to us to think about where these two go from here. How does their relationship change after this reunion? I almost wish there had been one line for him to say at the end, but it adds to that element of "what happens next" by letting us fill it in.
Again, never a big fan of Voyager, but I certainly enjoyed this very much. A nice, heartwarming piece to read today.
Author's Response: I never was either, but I always did think there was a ton of untapped potential there. Janeway, especially, was an embodiment of potential. And thank you; the fears after the war would have to change how the Federation looked, and for the people who went into Starfleet to be explorers and not soldiers, I can only imagine how hard it would be. Thanks so much for the detailed feedback!
Date: 16 Aug 2013 05:00 Title: Chapter 1
Janeway no longer in Starfleet? Resigned? Inconceivable!
Or at least that's what I thought at first until I read this story and you created a perfectly good rationale for her, and probably many others as well, no longer able to recognize or agree this very much changed and paranoid Starfleet.
The ending was a bit of pure shipper fan service. But beautifully written in such a manner that allows plenty of different interpretations of where things might go next.
Short, sweet, excellent.
Author's Response: LOL! It was written as a gift to a shipper, so I was playing to the crowd. But it's a ship I sail myself, so I can't really say my arm was twisted. Thank you. I like taking things and seeing how they'd work, and this was one.