I *am* glad you're home. But even if I weren't, what else could I do but trot out the expected cliches? I mean, as far as Earth and the Fleet and the Federation are concerned, Voyager is risen from the dead. It's a divine resurrection, by god, and you're the god. And what. . . Captain Kathryn Janeway's *mother* is going to say something to tarnish that? Oh, sure.

A statement. Absurd. But then, so much of Starfleet is. Now *there's* something I'll bet you never expected to hear me say. Still, I find myself thinking that after eight years in the Delta Quadrant, you might just agree with me.

I have to confess, I almost gave into the temptation to write something that would just shock the hell out of everybody, including you.

You see, I actually thought about telling the truth.