October 17th 2415
"Rear Admiral's Log: Star Date 392206.007. Five years ago a two week long survey mission in the Badlands undertaken by the U.S.S Apollo turned into a five year long journey home through the Gamma Quadrant. For five years we have struggled to return home to the Alpha Quadrant. We built a fleet after the ship was duplicated and merged with the fleet sent to find us to stop the Cardassian Empire from unleashing the C.I.S.S Supernova upon the Alpha Quadrant. That was two thousand lightyears from the Bajoran Wormhole and two years ago. We crossed the Bajoran Wormhole just a one week ago and now, after five painstakingly long years in the Gamma Quadrant, we have returned to the Alpha Quadrant. We're home."
All across San Francisco fireworks were being shot up into the night sky to celebrate what everyone had been waiting to happen for so long. For four years it had been the talk of both the Quadrants. It was all anyone spoke about. Apollo this. Apollo that. It was something that they had all been very excited for. Gathered in the streets and on the Golden Gate Bridge were crowds of thousands of people, waiting to see the five ships they had heard so much about. Then finally, they saw them. Flying above the city were the five ships of the Gamma Quadrant Exploration Fleet: the U.S.S Sanctuary; the U.S.S Exodus; the U.S.S Georgiou; the U.S.S Diamond; and most famous of them all, the U.S.S Apollo. As the crowds finally saw the five famous ships fly just above the Golden Gate Bridge, they immediately started cheering that the latest ships to go down in history had arrived in their beloved city. After five years of being missing in the Gamma Quadrant, they had returned home.
Docked in Star Base One, just above the planet, were all five ships of the Gamma Quadrant Exploratory Fleet. After flying over San Francisco as part of their return tour, all five ships had been docked to Star Base One. Assembled in the main hanger bay were hundreds of civilians who were friends and relatives of the first one hundred crewmembers of the U.S.S Apollo. All of them waiting for the shuttles containing their beloved ones to land. Then finally, ten shuttles entered the hanger bay from outside. All of them deactivating their thrusters as they landed. When the shuttles finally landed, the civilians already knew exactly who this would be. As the doors to the shuttles opened up, Starfleet officers of various races, species and cultures walked out and many of the families assembled in the hanger bay immediately recognised some of them as relatives or friends who had been missing for five long years on the Apollo. They started running forward right away into each others' arms, overjoyed and relived to see each other again. Within a few minutes, officers were at long last reuniting with the families they had been waiting to see for so long and now their wait was finally over. William was the first of the senior officers to be reunited with his family. He looked all around him and finally saw a Starfleet Captain with a balding head. It was his father. The two of them immedietly ran into each others' arms as William's father started saying with tears in his eyes "My son. My son, my son, my son. I missed you so much!"
Voq was the next one to find his family. As Voq passed a Bajoran officer tightly hugging his ten year old daughter as she cried in his arms, Voq saw a familiar face. It was Rejac. His brother who had been the first to voice support when he chose to join Starfleet. Rejac walked forward and said the famous Klingon words "Qapla'." Voq repeated them and the two shook hands with one another. Glad to be reunited after five years. Laren was looking all around for her family. Her brother Antos had written to her that he would be there with his wife and three children, but she was starting to think that they weren't there. Then suddenly, she heard a voice call out "Laren!" Laren looked to her left and saw them. Antos was with his wife, his two sons and his daughter and they were all running straight towards her. Laren ran towards them as well and tightly hugged her brother upon seeing him at long last. Then Laren saw her six year old niece, who was but an infant the last time she saw her. Payoto did not recognise her aunt because she was only a year old the last time they met. So she pointed at Laren and asked "Whose that Daddy?" Antos motioned his hand at Laren and said "This my dear is your Auntie Laren." Laren immediately picked up Payoto in her arms and said "Oh I missed you my little mechanic."
Ensign Jodem Tal had been missing for far longer than everyone else on the Apollo. Mainly because a year before he had been assimilated by the Borg at Vega Colony and de-assimilated two years later at the Concordian Union. He had not seen his family for six years and wondered how they would react upon seeing him with his Borg implants. Finally he saw his parents pass by a Human woman reuniting with her daughter after five years and they both froze in shock and horror. Jodem thought it was for the best that they not see him with his Borg implants until he returned home. So they were genuinely shocked to see him with a Borg implant sticking out from where his eye once was. It took a few moments for them to recognise him before they ran over to him and his mother said "Jodem. My son. What have the Borg done to you?" as she placed her hand on the implant to feel it so that she would be sure that she wasn't hallucinating. Jodem sighed and said "They ruined me. But I'm myself again. It's all going to be fine."
Alisha had not seen her mother, her two brothers and her younger sister in five years. They had been so proud of her when she became first officer and had encouraged her to try and make captain one day. She had missed them so much and was glad that she was about to be reunited with them at long last. Immediately after stepping off the shuttle she saw them. Looking for her. She started running towards them right away and called out "Guys!" They all looked over in the direction they heard her shout from and started running to her right away. As Alisha embraced her mother she said "I'm so sorry that that single mission in the Badlands took so long." Alisha's mother let out tears as she said "I know. I know."
Rear Admiral Ethan Rivers was the last to step off his shuttle. He walked off the shuttle with two of the most important people in his life. His wife, T'Vrell and their son Lucas. Lucas was three years old and found the place he was in to be very strange and bizarre. He had spent all of his life on the Apollo and had only ever been on a planet a few times over the last year. Lucas also wondered why all of these people were together and what was going on. All he knew was that he and his parents would no longer be living on the Apollo and neither would his soon to be born younger sister. Ethan looked around the crowd for any sign of his mother, father and T'Vrell's parents. He had been waiting to see them again for so long. Then he heard a voice say "Ethan?" Ethan looked ahead and he saw his mother exit the crowd with his father and T'Vrell's parents. Finally after five years, he and T'Vrell were reunited with their parents.
Ethan's mother had tears in her eyes as she ran over and said "My son! After all these years!" Kumiko was in tears as she tightly embraced her son and said "I have missed you so much Ethan san." Ethan could tell that his mother was overjoyed that he had returned. But also devastated that they had been apart for five years. Kumiko then saw T'Vrell and said "I take it that you would be my new daughter in law?" T'Vrell took two steps forward while holding Lucas' hand and said "Yes. It is a pleasure to finally meet you." It was then that Kumiko then saw her grandson in person for the first time. He was a spitting image of his father at that age and had pointed Vulcan ears that he got from his mother. Kumiko immediately scooped Lucas up in her arms and said "I love you already by the way."
While Kumiko was holding Lucas, Ethan was looking straight at his father who he had not seen in person for years. True they had seen each other on the communications, but they had not been in the same room since the day they had the mother of all arguments. The reason for the severe straining in their relationship was because Samuel had refused to support Ethan's desire to join Starfleet while demanding that he support him at an important event. This had caused them to not talk in years and they both seemed like strangers to each other now. But the two knew that they now had a chance at rebuilding their relationship, so Ethan shook hands with his father and timidly said "It's great to see you again." Samuel made a small nod and said "Yes. It is." T'Vrell's parents had spoken with Kumiko and Samuel many times since they heard that Lucas was born. Both of them were full believers in Surak's philosophy of logic and T'Vrell's father, Kopor, demonstrated this when he said "It was a logical choice for you to see the illogic in your refusal to give your blessing to Ethan when he expressed his desire to join Starfleet. I am curious by the way. Why did you choose to illogically not give him your blessing?" Samuel knew that now was the time to finally explain and said "Because my father was in Starfleet."
Ethan almost gasped at what his father had just said. He honestly thought that his father was joking. But then realised that he was being serious by the look on his face. Shocked at what he had heard, Ethan asked "My grandpa was in Starfleet? But you said that he died in a hovercar accident." Samuel had a face of great shame when Ethan mentioned that lie. Knowing that he had to confess the truth, Samuel said "Your grandpa joined Starfleet right after he finished school. He worked his way up to Lieutenant Commander and would've become a captain. But then..." Samuel was silent for a moment. He spent that moment remembering what had happened. He then said timidly "He was killed during a fight with Orion pirates in the Vulcan Sector. I feared the same would happen to you."
Ethan now understood why his father had been so against him joining Starfleet. It was because his grandfather had been in Starfleet and had died while courageously fighting Orion pirates. Samuel struggled to hold back tears as he said "Ethan. I am so sorry for not supporting you. I let a horrible tragedy that happened years ago cloud my judgement and it stopped us from seeing each other for over a decade. For that, I am sorry. Can you ever forgive me?" Ethan was not sure if he should forgive his father. It was true that his father regretted his actions, but they couldn't just pretend that what happened all those years ago had never taken place at all. So Ethan said "I'm willing to give you a chance." Although it was hard, Ethan and Samuel were now slowly but surely rebuilding the relationship that they had lost so many years ago. They could only hope that they would not let any prejudices against each other ruin it for a second time.
Just then Ethan heard Lucas say "Who is that Father?" Ethan looked over at Lucas who was pointing beyond Ethan while being held in his grandmother's arms. Ethan looked at where Lucas was pointing and saw Admiral Jorel Quinn walking over to them. As Admiral Quinn arrived, he said "It's good to see a happy family reunited after five years." Ethan agreed and said "Yes. Far too long if you ask me." Kumiko then lowered Lucas to the ground and said "Well I will certainly be getting to know my first grandchild now that he's home. Of course I am hoping that my husband will do the same." Kumiko then cast a glance over at Samuel that made it clear to him that he had better not drive Lucas away as he did with Ethan. Samuel made a silent nod and said "Of course I will my dear." Kumiko then turned over to T'Vrell, noticing her pregnant belly and said "May I?" T'Vrell answered "Yes." and Kumiko placed her hand on T'Vrell's belly to try and feel the kicks from her soon to be born granddaughter. As she felt the kicks, Kumiko looked at Lucas and said "How would you like to pick out your sister's name?" Lucas looked confused as he asked "Why me? Why not Mother or Father?" Kopor knew right away that this meant that Lucas was starting to understand logic. So he walked over to Lucas and said "If you find it logical for one of your parents to pick out the name, then that is what shall happen." Ethan rolled his eyes in amusement and said "You haven't met your grandson for five minutes and your already teaching him what logic is." Admiral Quinn laughed at this joke in unison with Ethan and said "I'm sure he is."
Admiral Quinn then looked over at the U.S.S Apollo that was docked to another part of Star Base One and said "So Rear Admiral. What do you think of the Apollo becoming a museum at the Bajoran shipyards?" Ethan turned around and looked over at the Apollo as well. Despite being a Nova Class ship, it had beaten the odds of long term survival and had successfully returned to the Alpha Quadrant in just five years. It had taken it's place in Starfleet history as a legend that would never be forgotten. Now the Apollo would fulfil it's final journey: it's decommission. Ethan sounded quite forlorn as he said "It's a shame that the old ship is going to be decommissioned." Admiral Quinn agreed and said "It's always a shame when a ship get's decommissioned. But at least take pride in the fact the Federation President has personally authorised for the ship to be turned into a museum and a certain Ada is going to be the museum curator." Ada had been an impressive addition to the Apollo crew. Despite being a Changeling she had proven herself time and time again to be a trustworthy and helpful person. Upon making contact with the Dominion, they confirmed that she was indeed one of the Hundred Changelings. But had been sent out at a later date than the rest. In fact, she was among a few who were genetically altered to possess the characteristics of "solids" as the Changelings called them. Such as the need to eat and the ability to produce offspring with humanoid races and without being connected to the Great Link. When it was decided that the Apollo would become a museum, she volunteered to become it's curator and was currently working on what parts of the ship would be dedicated to what parts of the ship's journey.
Ethan was proud of Ada for her decision and showed this proudness as he said "She's a fine young woman. I'm certain she'll take good care of the Apollo." Admiral Quinn then remembered something important and said "Would you mind if I had a word regarding the Acadian colonists Rear Admiral?" Ethan agreed and said "Of course." Onboard the U.S.S Sanctuary and the U.S.S Exodus were over one thousand Acadian refugees from the Gamma Quadrant. The Acadians had been through so much ever since their home world was invaded and now over five million Acadian nomads had crossed the Bajoran Wormhole in the previous week alone and an additional fifteen million were expected. Ethan assumed that Admiral Quinn wanted to talk about where the Acadian refugees would be resettled. But then he realised that it wasn't a very private matter.
As the two moved far enough away from the others so that they couldn't hear, Ethan said "This isn't about the Acadians is it?" Admiral Quinn silently shook his head, confirming what Ethan already knew. He then handed Ethan a padd and on the padd was the image of Corjo Prodal and his loving mother Oda Prodal during the boy's second birthday a month earlier. Ethan felt great sympathy for Oda as he said quiet enough so that only he and Admiral Quinn would hear "I feel very sorry for her to be honest. Taken from her life on New Cardassia Prime in an instant and forced to carry that monster's baby. God how did they even get her pregnant with Madred's child when the man was five thousand years older than her?" Admiral Quinn refused to even consider how and said "She did say it was an artificial impregnation using Madred's dna, that's how. But still, I can't believe that she was forced to carry his baby." Not long after Oda was brought onto the Apollo with Corjo, the senior officers had a private meeting with her in which she revealed why she was on the Supernova. Because of her family's history of good health, she had been chosen to bear Madred's heir to the throne. For ten months she had been a prisoner on that horrifying ship and had given birth to Corjo not long before the Apollo arrived. When the crew of the Supernova were shown the truth about Madred and started running for the escape shuttles, she took Corjo and ran as well. But she never expected to be transported onto the U.S.S Apollo and become it's latest passenger. Believing that both her and Corjo deserved a nice and quiet life after all they had been through, they were granted asylum and had been made Federation citizens upon their arrival in the Alpha Quadrant.
Ethan was concerned for her safety. He was also concerned for Corjo. The boy knew nothing of his heritage and neither did anyone outside of Starfleet Command, Starfleet Intelligence and the senior officers of the U.S.S Apollo. Not wanting Corjo to be judged for the atrocious crimes of his 'father' and perhaps even worse, being kidnapped by a True Way holdout and being made a figurehead for a forceful return to power, the senior officers of the Apollo had made a cover story: Oda had been selected as a breeder to produce Emperor Madred's new personal vanguard and was to have five different children from five of the strongest soldiers in the Cardassian Imperial Guard. She had managed to escape thanks to the U.S.S Apollo and was now going to be resettled. Impressed at what Ethan had come up with, Admiral Quinn said "I like the cover story you created. It should allow her to live a safe life while raising her son." Wondering where they were now, Ethan asked "By the way, where did the witness protection program send her and Corjo?" Admiral Quinn then answered "They were sent to the Santa Maria Colony in the Orellius System. They also accepted additional waves of both Bajoran and Cardassian colonists back in the twenty three nineties. It's a nice and quiet colony, has friendly people, beautiful landscape, fresh air and a thriving community. The perfect place for a fresh start." Ethan looked at the padd again and said "What do you think we should do about them now?" Admiral Quinn thought for a moment, thinking back to his final report regarding Oda starting to date a Cardassian man a few days after arriving and said "We shouldn't disturb them. We should just let them move on with their lives." Ethan agreed and said "Of course Sir. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to get back to my family." With that, Ethan walked off to continue talking with his family about his and T'Vrell's return home and to catch up with them on all they had missed. Although Ethan would look back at his memories of his adventures on the Apollo with great nostalgia, he was glad to once again be with his family as he finished walking back to them and started talking with them about what they had missed these last five years. Although Ethan was uncertain about what would happen following the Apollo's decommission and his assignment to a new and more advanced ship, one thing was for certain: it was nice to be home.