Apparently I should've checked out private sector work years ago. Stark Industries is a lot more willing to take chances than Starfleet. There aren't nearly so many pesky little rules holding down the research or testing here.
Currently I'm stretching my brain around trying to recreate a slipstream drive with using 21st century technology. It'd be a fun project, if I weren't working on it because I'm desperate to get back to my ship and I wish I had some of my old cohorts from Voyager here. Seven of Nine and Commander Tuvok aren't exactly a
joy to work with, but they know their business.
It's strange. Last time I got launched millions of miles away from where I started and knew it was going to be years before I saw home again (if I ever did at all) I didn't care. There was nothing waiting for me on that earth that really mattered to me. People talked about going "home" - but it was never home to me, not really. Then I was on Voyager, and after a couple of years, it really
was home. I had friends there. I had family there, basically. And now I'm here, and I finally understand why my friend Harry was always so nuts about getting back to Earth, and why he was so stupidly optimistic about getting there again.
It's a little weird for me, too, seeing all the people here who feel like I did about being on Voyager. That sense of "Well, home was lousy, so maybe I'll make a better home here." I don't feel that here, but I recognize the feeling. I remember feeling that way. So, all you folks who are trying to start over here...I hope it works out for you as well as it did for me. And for me, I hope that cube sucks me up and puts me back on my ship where I belong.