A Historical Context to the Voyage of Kathryn Janeway, Captain and Mistress

Diary, romance, psychological case study, pornography. For many, they are merely the sexual excursions at the edge of humanoid experience that their dust jacket suggests. The sales records of certain Ferengi publishers certainly demonstrate their popularity. But 'The Secret Logs of Mistress Janeway' as they are known, are much more. The private recollections of Kathryn Janeway during her time as captain of the Starship Voyager provide a unique insight into a unique individual. They are tales of humanoids coping with profound isolation and hardship.

It is not the intention of this introduction to either analyze the Logs, or explain the nature of the dominant/submissive lifestyle. The material speaks for itself. Rather, it is to provide a context with which to better appreciate the nuances of the situations and the participants.

Of all the many unusual aspects of Voyager's saga, perhaps none is more ironic than its origins. The greatest journey in the history of deep space exploration was the accidental byproduct of political intrigue. In 2370, the United Federation of Planets and the Cardassian Union signed a treaty designed to end decades of hostilities. A demilitarized zone containing the colonies of both sides was created. In the face of a perceived betrayal at the hands of their own government, several Federation colonists rebelled, forming the Maquis, a paramilitary organization dedicated to the independence of the colonies in the DMZ from either Federation or Cardassian control. The Maquis drew many of its members from the ranks of sympathetic Starfleet officers, as well as adventure seekers of all stripes.

Thus, when the Starship Voyager left the Federation outpost Deep Space Nine for its maiden voyage in 2371 it was not for science or exploration, but to track down a Maquis ship that had vanished in an unstable region of space and arrest its crew. Instead, Voyager was abducted by a powerful alien entity known as the Caretaker, and deposited in the Delta Quadrant on the far side of the galaxy along with its Maquis prey. Both ships had suffered heavy casualties. Now stranded in a completely unknown and often hostile space, the two crews joined forces and began the 70,000 light year journey back to the Alpha Quadrant and home.

Commanding Voyager was Kathryn Janeway, an experienced and respected officer with a background in the sciences. She was also a devout hedonist, and unknown to most, leading a double life as the principal dominatrix at The Club, a very exclusive resort. The boorish reader may see only a woman obsessed with her own desires. Given the situation, this judgement is unfair. It is a testament to Janeway's self control and dedication to duty that she waited as long as she did before she began the pursuit of slaves among her own crew. One should also note her absolute discretion and ability to separate her lives as Captain and Mistress. Although she had a fiance, Mark, at the time of her departure, theirs was an open relationship.

Chakotay was attracted to the Maquis partially because of his sympathy for the underdog as well as to the Native American colonists whose heritage he shared. After resigning his commission in Starfleet, he became captain of the ship Voyager had been assigned to pursue. He accepted the post as Voyager's new first officer and helped the Maquis crew members assimilate to Starfleet standards. Despite his prominence in the Logs it must be understood that Janeway never considered him her slave.

Tuvok was for many years Janeway's tactical officer. His Vulcan heritage for logic and discipline made him an excellent intelligence analyst. It was for this reason that he had been asked to infiltrate Chakotay's crew, setting in motion the chain of events that resulted in Janeway's pursuit. He is married with four children. Tuvok had known for many years about his captain's extra-curricular activities, but has chosen not to become involved.

B'Elanna Torres always blamed her short temper on her mixed Klingon and human parentage. She abandoned Starfleet while still in the Academy, eventually ending up as Chakotay's chief engineer. Janeway allowed Torres to retain this position on Voyager, over the objections of the existing staff.

Tom Paris, like Torres, spent much of his life adrift. He had an uneasy relationship with his father, Admiral Paris. Ultimately this led to a short stint with the Maquis, quickly followed by prison. He was released into Janeway's custody to help locate Chakotay's ship. Afterwards he became Voyager's helmsman.

Harry Kim was fresh out of the Academy when he found himself first stranded far from his family and friends and then asked to operate the key Bridge assignment, Operations.

Starfleet Emergency Medical Hologram, or the Doctor, as he is more commonly known, was a safety system introduced on Voyager as a supplement to a starship's typical medical staff. After the death of Voyager's own medical team, this emergency system was pressed into full time duty. With time, the program has adopted, gaining greater refinement and responsibility, accepted by Voyager as both a crewmate and sentient being. The Doctor exists at the periphery of the Circle, more than a passive observer, but less than a member.

Neelix was a Talaxian merchant when Voyager encountered him not long after its arrival in the Delta Quadrant. He was asked to stay on, first as a guide, then later as a cook, morale officer and ship's ambassador. He eventually deduced the existence of the Circle, and was sworn to secrecy.

Kes, Neelix's Occampan girlfriend, agreed to leave her people behind and travel with Voyager to Earth. She served as nurse, and explored her developing telepathic abilities under Tuvok's instruction. Eventually, Neelix's jealousy drove a wedge into their relationship.

Seven of Nine began life as Annika Hansen, the only child of two scientist attempting a detailed study of the Borg, an extremely dangerous cybernetic group mind composed of millions of individual collected from thousands of different species. Eventually their ship was discovered and young Annika was assimilated into the Borg Collective. Her body covered in biomechanical implants, her strength, endurance and intellect were greatly enhanced. Once joined with the greater Borg consciousness, she was given a new name, Seven of Nine. Eighteen years later she was separated from the Collective and convinced by Captain Janeway to pursue an identity as an individual.

Mistress Barrows is the holographic simulation of Tonia Barrows, Dominatrix Extrordinare and trainer of Kathryn Janeway. The original Barrows left a career in Starfleet over one hundred years earlier to operate The Club, a very exclusive sexual retreat that catered to the rich and powerful. Created as a personal advisor, the program later developed sentience, as well as considerable resourcefulness and cunning. Originally designed as to replicate the appearance of the older Barrows that Janeway knew, the program has since adapted a more youthful visage.

The Ensign was a former Maquis crewman who was brought into the Circle as a present for a depressed Janeway. Little is known of her true identity, although it has been narrowed to one of four candidates.

The official logs of the Starship Voyager catalog all of these adventures and countless more. The record runs for thousands of pages, and includes observations from more than seventy of her hundred and forty odd crew members. Yet aside from those actually involved with the Circle, most notably Tuvok and Neelix, there is almost nothing to indicate the deep human drama playing out amongst the command staff. Even within Janeway's official logs, her discretion is absolute. What does this tell us about the relationship between 'normal' life and 'unusual' sexual lifestyles? If the Secret Logs reveal nothing else, than it is the possibilities of what may exist all around, just below the surface, just past perception, just beyond assumptions...

The Secret.

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