"Captain, I am reading faint human lifesigns in the cometary cluster up ahead," announced Lieutenant Tuvok.

"Human? Are you sure? Wait, never mind, I know. Feed the coordinates to the transporter room and have them beam the person aboard."

"Transporter Room to the bridge. Captain, the lifeform we beamed aboard is in a state of cryogenic suspension. He's already been rushed to Sickbay."

"Thank you Transporter Room. Chakotay, you have the bridge. I'll be in Sickbay, meeting our new guest."

~*~

Janeway walked into Sickbay to see a normal-looking human being laying on one of the biobeds. He was about six feet tall, she estimated, and fairly young--in his twenties or thirties. His hair was curly, and long enough so that it had something of a fuzzy appearance. He was wearing a strange shirt, long-sleeved, with a panel in the front that was secured by eight white buttons. The odd blue shirt was paired with a pair of gray slacks that flared out at the very bottom. On the man's feet were white shoes with rubber soles--gymshoes, she remembered from her Earth history class. The Holodoc was feverously working to revive the man.

"Doctor, what's this man's status?"

"He was beamed out of his cryogenic container to Voyager's normal temperatures and he began to thaw too quickly. I instated a forcefield so that I can gradually revive him. He should be awake within an hour or two."

Once the Doctor mentioned it, Janeway noticed the slight glimmer of a forcefield around the patient.

"Very good Doctor. I'll be in my Ready Room. Notify me as soon as he's ready to talk."

~*~

"Captain's Log, Stardate 49965.3, we have discovered a human being trapped in a cometary body in the Gammaris Sector. Perhaps if he can shed light on how he got here, we can use that information to discover a shortcut home."

~*~

Alerted by the Doctor, Janeway strode into Sickbay to see their visitor sitting up on a biobed and gazing around the room with some interest.

"Hello. I am Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation Starship Voyager. Who might you be?" She held out her hand.

"Starship? I've dropped right into the middle of Star Trek! I'm Micky Dolenz. I don't suppose you get The Monkees out here?" He took her hand and shook it warmly. He had a huge grin on his face as he spoke.

Janeway shook her head, "I've never heard of The Monkees or Star Trek. What are they?"

"Television shows. Don't tell me you've never heard of TV!"

"Heard of it, yes. But television disappeared from Earth around 2046."

"You say that like it was a long time ago. What year are we in now?" Micky quavered.

"Twenty three seventy one."

"Woah, groovy man! Over four hundred years in the future!"

"What year are you from?"

"Nineteen sixty seven. The last thing I remember is trying out a quick home perm kit while stuck in a standstill traffic jam. What happened?"

The holodoc passed by at that moment, putting away tools he had used to revive the 20th century human. "That 'home perm' kit apparently had some chemicals that you are highly allergic to, which caused a quick, fast and highly deadly allergic reaction. You were frozen with primitive 20th century cryogenic techniques. Luckily, I have enough experience and skill to repair all of that damage, and I also inoculated you against any further allergic reactions to that particular chemical. However, I would not recommend you try and more 'home perm' kits in the future."

"Probably no longer made. I mean, it's a four hundred year old brand!" He laughed, but there was a hint of sadness in his voice.

"No, and there are better ways to keep those curls than chemical concoctions like that. You'll get a chance to use them, as we have no feasible way to return you to 1967."

"You haven't heard of our show, but you know what a perm kit is? Wonders never cease."

"Well, Mr. Dolenz, as soon as the doctor gives you a clean bill of health, perhaps we can discuss a job for you on the ship."

"The holodoc passed by again, putting away some PADDs, "He's free to go whenever he's ready and make sure to turn my program off when you leave." He strode into the office and sat down at the desk.

"I'm ready, and please, call me Micky. So, Cap'n, when do I start?" Micky hopped up off the bed and landed hard, then lost his balance. Janeway caught him. "Woah, wha--my legs! They're the same length! How'd that happen?"

Janeway frowned, "That's perfectly normal, Micky."

"Not for me. I had Perthese disease as a child, and one leg is 1/4 inch shorter than the other."

The holodoc stuck his head out of the office, "I corrected that for you. Simple lengthening of the bones in the shorter leg."

Micky stared into space a moment contemplating that. "I guess I'll have to adjust. What's the difference--I'll be adjusting to tons of new stuff, it seems." He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I'm ready to go now, I think." He took a few tentative steps around Sickbay to satisfy himself he could walk, stopped and took off one shoe, removing some foam pads, and put the shoe back on. "Where's the garbage can?" Janeway took the foam pads and threw them in the disposal.

"Computer, end Emergency Medical program. Come, I'll show you to your quarters first, then we'll discuss touring the ship and a duty assignment for you." She gestured for Micky to walk out before her.

"Awesome! Sounds good to me!"

Janeway led Micky to an empty set of guest quarters. She showed him how to trigger the sensor, and then followed him in.

"Wow! Captain, I appreciate it, but you don't need to give me VIP quarters!"

"These are standard guest quarters. Regular crew quarters are only slightly smaller."

Micky stood in the entryway staring around the room in awe. "These are standard guest quarters! Wow! I can't imagine what the VIP quarters are like."

"Much bigger, although, not here. We only have standard guest quarters because Voyager was never designed for ferrying diplomats but rather for deep space exploration."

"Wow. Just how deep?"

"Very deep. Actually, I'll let my first officer explain that. His duty shift is almost over, so I will be on the bridge, if you need me, but as soon as his duty shift ends, my first officer will come give you a tour of the ship--and answer all of your questions."

Janeway quickly showed Micky how to work the replicator and sonic shower, and how to get information from the computer terminal, then headed for the bridge.

~*~

When Janeway reached the bridge, Chakotay was getting ready to turn over command.

"Chakotay, I'd like you to give our visitor, Micky Dolenz, a tour of the ship. He's in the guest quarters on Deck 7. He's from 1967--and he seems to have quite a few questions."

Chakotay beamed, "I bet. I'll do my best to answer them. I'll go right now, unless you need me for anything."

"No, go ahead. He's going to be staying with us a while, so I'd like to get him comfortable and acclimated as quickly as possible."

~*~

Chakotay rang the buzzer to the guest quarters. Having read a lot about his own ancestors gave him an appreciation for those who had lived in earlier times. The door opened to reveal a young man sitting at the desk eating some red-colored food that Chakotay couldn't identify.

"Hello. You must be the first officer. I'm Micky Dolenz." He stood up and approached Chakotay, hand outstretched. Chakotay took the offered hand.

"I'm Commander Chakotay. Captain Janeway asked me to show you around the ship."

"Groovy man! Oh, um, is there someplace in here I can store my chili so it doesn't spoil before I get a chance to finish it?"

"Chili?"

Micky gestured toward the food, "My favorite food."

"Well, we could stop by the Mess Hall first. I'm sure Neelix won't mind storing it in his refrigerator for you. And along the way I'll explain why we need a Mess Hall along with the replicators."

"Okay!" Micky picked up his chili and followed Chakotay out the door.

~*~

"Voyager was originally assigned to chase down a group of Maquis--space pirates, in a sense. They were chasing my ship, as a matter of fact. We ducked into an area of space known as the Badlands, because of the instability in that area of space. In there, we were grabbed by a beam of some kind and pulled to a point in space 75,000 light years away."

"Wow! That's a long way. How long did it take?"

"It was instantaneous--due to a technology we don't have access to or even understand. Voyager, looking for us, was drawn to the same place. Our ship was destroyed in battle, so my entire crew moved to Voyager and became part of her crew. We also took on two natives of this region of space who have been helping us as we head for home."

They entered the Mess Hall, which was very quiet, seeing as it was mid-shift. Neelix was puttering away behind the counter, working on one of his culinary concoctions for the crew's dinner.

Neelix then looked up to see the two men, and he left the kitchen area to greet them.

"Hello Commander Chakotay! And you must be our newest guest! I'm Neelix, Chef, Guide, and Chief Morale Officer."

Micky smiled, "Well, hello. News travels fast around here. I'm Micky Dolenz."

"I make it my job to know everything that goes on around here. Now, what's that you have there?"

"Chili! Commander Chakotay said I might be able to store it here while he shows me the ship, so it doesn't spoil."

"Why certainly! Maybe later you could show me how to make it--like I say, everyone deserves a little taste of home!" Neelix took the dish, covered it, and stuck it in the refrigeration unit with a label marked "Micky--chili."

"Sure thing! I'll come back later," Micky promised.

Commander Chakotay then said, "Well, as long as we're here, let's start your tour of the ship. This is the Mess Hall. Since Voyager's power reserves are very low, we cannot rely on replicators for our sole source of food. Thus, Neelix has offered to be our Chef and he serves meals here. Each crewmember gets a certain number of replicator rations a week, which they can use for replicated food once a week, or save to replicate larger items. For instance, Ensign Kim saved his rations and replicated a clarinet, since his was left back on Earth."

Micky folded his arms and nodded his understanding. Neelix scurried over to the counter, "Here, try a Talaxian fruit fluff--tonight's dessert!"

Micky took the offered pastry and bit into it. "Mmmm... kind of like a Sweet Tart! Yummy!" Neelix beamed--he loved getting compliments on his cooking.

Chakotay guided Micky out of the room, "I promise I'll bring him back at the end of the tour, Neelix. Next stop--the bridge!" Chakotay lead Micky to a turbolift and once inside instructed it to take them to the bridge.

"Commander--is all of Neelix's cooking that good?"

"Actually, no. His cooking is always interesting, but sometimes he uses exotic spices, including this one root that the crew doesn't like very much. But, we don't have the energy resources to replicate food for the entire crew, so we're stuck with him. He tries, though. He likes to try and make crewmen's favorite foods, such as Plomeek Soup for Tuvok or a cherry pie for Ensign Radner."

"And he offered to make chili for me."

"Yes." The turbolift stopped and they stepped out onto the bridge. "Well, here is the bridge, the command center of the ship. From here, most of the ship's functions are controlled. Over there," he pointed to a door over to the starboard side of the bridge, "is Captain Janeway's Ready Room. This is the Tactical Station, where our Chief Security Officer, Lieutenant Tuvok, sees over all of the security measures in place on the ship."

Tuvok turned toward the pair at the mention of his name. "Live long and prosper." He gave the split-fingered Vulcan salute. Micky returned it, "Same to you, Lieutenant." Tuvok raised an eyebrow with a quizzical look.

Chakotay stepped in to make introductions, "This is Micky Dolenz. And, over here is the OPS Station, and this is Ensign Kim. Ensign, Micky Dolenz." Micky and Kim shook hands. Chakotay repeated this at all the other bridge stations, introducing Micky to Lieutenant Paris, Lieutenant Carey, and a couple of science ensigns.

~*~

Chakotay took Micky through some of the science labs on Decks 2 and 3, showed him Sickbay briefly, made a brief stop in the botany section and the cargo bays, then headed for Main Engineering.

~*~

Lieutenant Torres was running around Main Engineering frantically trying to coordinate the repair of a dented plasma valve. Micky took a couple of steps inside Engineering, following Chakotay, then stopped. He stood still, staring up at the warp core in awe. "Wow!" he whispered. Chakotay noticed just then that his charge was no longer following. "Yeah, it's amazing, isn't it? Come on, let me introduce you to the lady in charge."

Chakotay managed to corral Lieutenant Torres. "B'Elanna, I'd like you to meet our new visitor, Micky Dolenz. Micky, this is our Chief Engineer, Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres."

"Pleased to meet you. Now, if you don't mind, I've got a plasma valve to fix."

B'Elanna ran off, leaving Chakotay and Micky behind. "She's very sociable," Micky said, with a hint of sarcasm.

"She just gets that way when she's busy or in a bad mood--it's her Klingon side. Let me warn you now--don't get on her bad side ever and steer clear whenever she's in a bad mood. Since she's busy, I'll give you the dime tour. This is the warp core, which allows us to travel through space at faster than light speed."

"You've got to be kidding! Nothing can travel faster than light--Einstein said so!" Micky cried, then folded his arms with a smug look on his face.

"Yes, he did, but in 2063, Zephram Cochrane proved him wrong when he developed the transwarp drive. Over here are the control panels where various systems on the ship are monitored and controlled, including Warp Drive, Impulse Drive, Shields, Plasma Vents, and so on. Let's move on--B'Elanna can give you a full tour when she's in a better mood."

Micky gave the Warp Core one last glance and then followed Chakotay out of Engineering.

When they reached Micky's quarters Chakotay sat down on one of the beds and Micky sat down on the other.

"So, now that you've seen the ship, do you have a preference for where you'd like to work on the ship?"

Micky grinned, "Engineering!"

Chakotay laughed, "Any reason why?"

"I like working on models--I'm... or I was... working on a working gyrocopter. I'd also like to learn the physics behind the mechanics of that drive."

"Are you any good with Physics? The mechanics of the Warp Drive and Cochrane Physics are not very easy!"

"I love Physics! If it hadn't been for The Monkees, I'd have begun to work on a Quantum Physics degree."

"Well, then, I'll talk to Captain Janeway right away. Do you have any more questions, or are you going to go give Neelix his cooking lesson?"

"That's right. Um... I don't have any questions right now...."

"You can always contact me through the intercom system... I'll see about getting you a combadge in the morning, and I'll also send some information to your terminal for you to study."

"Sounds great. Thanks so much, for everything."

"That's what we're here for. Feel free to call if you have questions." Chakotay shook hands with Micky and then left the room. Micky followed suit a few minutes later, heading for the Mess Hall.

~*~

Neelix was hunched over a computer terminal when Micky walked into the Mess Hall. He looked up at the sound of the door swooshing open.

"Ah, hello Micky! How did you enjoy your tour of the ship?"

"It was great! This is a really groovy ship. And I worked up an appetite for the rest of my chili."

"Why certainly!" Neelix scurried over to the kitchen area and pulled out Micky's chili. "Would you like this warmed up?"

"Yes, please." Micky leaned on the counter, looking very nonchalant on the outside while inside his stomach churned with nervousness over adapting to this new situation. Neelix warmed the chili, poured two cups of coffee, and brought a plate out to one of the tables.

"Do you mind if I try some of this?" Neelix asked.

"No, not at all! Please, join me."

Micky sat down and started eating while Neelix spooned out some more chili onto another plate and sat across from him.

~*~

After they had finished, Neelix led Micky over to the computer terminal. "I looked up some chili recipes in the ship's computer. This Louisiana one sounds very interesting."

"But way too spicy. Besides, Mike gave me a Texan recipe that's out of this world... uh, I mean...."

"I understand. So, what's the recipe? I'd like to add it to my collection."

"Sure..." Micky started rattling off a list of ingredients.

~*~

Captain Janeway and Commander Chakotay met in her Ready Room to discuss a duty assignment for their newest crewman, actor Micky Dolenz, frozen in space since 1967.

"I asked him if he had any preference as to where on the ship he'd like to work and he said Engineering. He's very interested in Physics."

Janeway sipped her coffee thoughtfully. "Well, I'd like to see if he can handle the physics of Warp Drive first. I'll upload some basic texts to his terminal, and once he gets through those, then I'll make a decision."

"Yes, Captain."

"Also, have stores issue him a combadge right away."

"Yes, Captain. Are you going to have dinner now?"

"Yes, in fact, will you join me?"

"I'd love to."

Janeway and Chakotay left her Ready Room together and headed for the Mess Hall.

~*~

When they reached the Mess Hall they found Micky and Neelix, both in wildly-patterned aprons, cooking together behind the counter. Micky looked up as they walked in.

"Hiya Captain! Would you like a taste of Mike's famous Texas Chili?" Micky beamed, obviously proud of his and Neelix's cooking experiment.

"Why not? That sounds interesting."

"It's the best food on Earth!" Micky boasted as he spooned some chili into a bowl, placed a spoon in it, and handed it to the Captain. "How 'bout you, Commander?"

"I'd love some," Chakotay replied, and Micky spooned out a bowl for him, too.

Janeway and Chakotay tentatively tried the strange food. Looks of delight crossed both of their faces.

"This is wonderful!" Captain Janeway exclaimed. Micky and Neelix both beamed.

Just then, B'Elanna, Tom Paris, Ensign Kim, and the Holodoc walked in. Paris headed straight for the counter.

"So, what's for dinner Neelix?"

"Texas-style chili!"

Over the next few minutes Neelix and Micky were busy filling plates and pouring coffee for everyone. Once the dust settled, it was mainly the senior staff in the Mess Hall. Janeway and Chakotay sat together at a table by the window, B'Elanna sat in a corner working on a PADD while picking at her food, Tom and Kim sat and chatted with the Holodoc, and Neelix and Micky took a break from the stove to enjoy the fruits of their labor.

~*~

Suddenly there was a flash of light and everyone looked up in surprise. In the center of the Mess Hall stood Q.

"Hello Kathy. How are you and your little band of misfits?"

Janeway glared at Q. "What do you want Q?"

"Kathy, Kathy, Kathy. Why do you automatically assume I'm here for a reason other than to gaze upon your fair countenance?"

"Don't you have a child to take care of Q?" Chakotay asked.

"He's with his mother today," Q whined.

"Q, if you have no business here, than leave," Janeway sneered.

"Ah, but I do have business, fair jewel. I've been keeping my eye on you, and I think perhaps you and your intrepid crew are ready for a little reward but I want to make sure so... " he snapped his fingers...

~*~

... and suddenly the crew found themselves on a sunny beachfront sidewalk. People were walking along the wide, wooden sidewalk, some flew by on skateboards or roller skates.

Janeway heard a cry of delight from Micky, "Home!" She made her way over to him, noticing that his apron had disappeared and he was in different but similar clothes. A look told her that her whole crew that was there were similarly attired. Doing a quick headcount, she counted Chakotay, Paris, Kim, B'Elanna, Neelix, and the Holodoc.

And Micky. "Captain, I'm home! 1967! I'm home."

"Don't get too comfortable. This might all be just an illusion. Q likes to play games."

"I do not! Well, an occasional round of Canasta or Peek-a-boo with the little one but that's all. Kathy, I'm ashamed that you'd think that of me." Q came up from behind Micky wearing clothing similar to what her crew had been attired in--rainbow shirts that came to their knees, jeans, moccasins, and plenty of beaded necklaces. Q, however, was wearing no shoes, and looked like a beach bum. He walked off, leaving Voyager's crew to figure out what they had to do to get Q to return them to the ship.

~*~

Janeway turned to Micky. "Well, Mr. Dolenz, it looks like we're very lucky to have you, if this is really 1967."

Micky beamed, "Sure looks it--but let's find out for sure--wait right here while I go buy a paper." He dug through his pockets and, finding enough money, walked up to a nearby newsstand and purchased an issue of the San Francisco Cronicle, and then as an afterthought, bought a copy of the latest San Francisco Oracle from a young hippie hawking it nearby. He returned to the group from the future with wide eyes.

"Wow! Captain, we landed here just in time for Monterey!"

"Monterey? What's that?" B'Elanna spat out.

"Only the best music festival ever! The Monterey Pop Festival. Today is June 11, 1967--the festival was from June 16 through 18, 1967, at the Monterey County Fairgrounds--about a hundred miles south of here. Jimi Hendrix, the Who, the Mamas and the Papas, Janis Joplin, Otis Redding, the Grateful Dead, Buffalo Springfield, all the greats! Oh, Captain, we have to go to that!"

"Mr. Dolenz, we don't know what we're doing here yet, and until we find that out, we won't be taking time to go to a music festival, understood?"

Micky's goofy grin faded and he mumbled, "Yes, ma'am."

But as he said that, Q popped in yet again to drop a flyer about Monterey into Janeway's hands and say, "Oh, Kathy, you really should go! It's not often you get to experience such an important historical landmark!" Micky's face brightened again as Q popped out. Chakotay took the flyer from Janeway and examined it carefully.

"Well, it seems like Q does want us there... what do you make of this, Mr. Dolenz? Is it authentic?" He handed the flyer to Micky. Micky looked closely at the flimsy piece of paper.

"Yeah, it's real all right. I had one of these in my dressing room--so did Peter. The only problem is getting there."

"And you! Were you at this Monterey thing?" Kim asked.

"Uh, yeah--I sure was! I had the best time! You shoulda seen the groovey feathered headdress the costume department found for me. Wha? What's wrong?" Micky looked around to find the crew all giving him strange looks.

"If you were there, we have to make sure you don't run into you, or anyone else running into you and thinking it's the other you--the you in the headdress... am I making sense here?"

"Crystal clear. Well, I can wear a disguise... um... well, I can grow a beard--nobody'd recognize me that way!"

"Unfortunately, without access to my surgical tools, growing a beard is about all that can be done to disguise Mr. Dolenz's appearance, and we do need him, as he is knowledgeable about this period in history," the Holodoc dryly commented.

"So now we need to find a place to stay, and a means of transportation to get to Monterey for the acid test!" Paris exclaimed.

"Um, Tom--it's not an acid test. It's a pop festival. I don't even think the Pranksters were there, although Stan the Man did bring acid there...."

"And none of you will be partaking in it as those substances were very dangerous," the Holodoc scolded, causing both Micky and Paris to pout.

"Where can we stay? There's still six days before the festival and we can't just stand here until then," Chakotay asked.

"There's always Hippie Hill!" Micky replied.

"What kind of sleeping arrangements are there at Hippie Hill?" Janeway asked.

"None. It's a hill in Golden Gate Park--where all the hippies hung out, thus the name, and lots of people camp out there. We won't look at all out of place because most people on Hippie Hill have very few possessions or money. And, we can get free food from the Diggers," Micky explained.

"Well, considering the fact that we have nothing on us, not even a single tricorder, this Hippie Hill might be the best place for us to go," Chakotay said to Janeway.

"For the time being, yes, especially since it's getting late. Lead on, Mr. Dolenz."

~*~

After a long walk, the Voyager crew reached Golden Gate Park and the famous Hippie Hill. Micky led the crew to a slightly secluded spot, stating that until he grew a beard, they had to be careful so that he wouldn't be recognized. They all settled down and got comfortable for the night.

~*~

The next morning, Neelix woke the crew up early and then he, Ensign Kim, and Tom Paris left to get some breakfast for the group from the Diggers. They stayed in their secluded corner, surrounding Micky to try and prevent recognition. Over breakfast, they discussed the next step.

"We can't stay here forever, especially if we're to be at this Monterey in five days," Chakotay began.

"And there's the matter of transportation. We can't exactly walk a hundred miles," Paris added.

"And there's also the matter of getting tickets--it's already sold out so we have to figure out how to sneak in, or else get in legally, somehow," Micky finished.

"Then let's start thinking of some ideas, people," Janeway commanded.

~*~

Following the best suggestion the crew had come up with, to get themselves hired as roadies for a band headed to Monterey, the crew split in two and went off in search of some of the bigger SF area bands.

Janeway lead Paris, Kim, and the Holodoc west on Oak, past the Shire School, then they moved two blocks south when reaching Hippie Hill, to Haight and passed by Mouse Studios--a poster gallery, the I-Thou Coffee Shop, and the Straight Theater. When reaching Clayton they decided to head back north to the panhandle to rendezvous with the other group.

Chakotay's group, consisting of B'Elanna, Neelix, and Micky, passed by many more landmarks along the way. They'd gone south on Clayton to Haight and passed the cluster of shops between Clayton and Ashbury, the block that gave the area its name and reputation. They passed the Free Clinic, the Pall Mall Cocktail Lounge (home of the Love Burger), a poster gallery called the Print Mint, Mnasidika--the first hip shop on Haight Street, and the Psychedelic Shop. They stopped to gaze in awe at the famous Haight-Ashbury street sign, then continued on to Haight & Central, passing the Drugstore Cafe and the Phoenix paraphernalia shop which was in the same building as the San Francisco Oracle. While they walked past, Micky quickly ducked behind Chakotay, hiding his face.

"Uh, oh, there's Peter! He can't see me, I'm supposed to be spending time with my mother & sisters," Micky mumbled into Chakotay's back.

Neelix and B'Elanna quietly surrounded Micky, shielding him from Peter's view until he'd disappeared into the Oracle office. Then Micky quickly led them around the corner.

"Sorry about that--I forgot that Peter contributed money to the Oracle and it never occurred to me that he might be there today," Micky explained.

The group then moved a block south and began heading back west on Waller, until they reached Ashbury, and the Grateful Dead's residence.

"Here's 710 Ashbury, the Grateful Dead's pad if I remember correctly."

~*~

When the groups met in the Panhandle for lunch, both were dejected. The Grateful Dead weren't looking for roadies, and Janeway's group had not even found any bands on their excursion. As they ate the group discussed their limited options and became even more depressed.

"At this rate, it will be December and we'll still be taking these handouts and sleeping in the park!" B'Elanna spat.

Micky stood up and walked over to her. "B'Elanna, I know things seem dismal right now but my good buddy Peter always says 'Don't quit just before the miracle' and I think he's right. We still haven't covered a lot of ground. I know for one that Big Brother are always looking for roadies and they live several blocks east of where we've already looked. Chin up, babe, we'll get to Monterey yet."

"Don't call me babe," B'Elanna seethed.

~*~

After they ate, Janeway's group headed north, passing by the Blue Unicorn (the first coffee shop in the area) at Hayes & Ashbury, and canvassed the area around Ashbury, Clayton, and near the University of San Francisco.

Chakotay's group continued their search on Page, heading for Big Brother's pad at 1090 Page. Micky waited outside for fear of being noticed, as did B'Elanna and Neelix because of their distinctly alien features.

Chakotay then quickly walked out with the news, "Pack your things everyone! We start work day after tomorrow. No salary--just room & board, and transportation to Monterey."

~*~

After another narrow escape from Peter (who passed by in his car while they walked up Oak to the Panhandle), they met up with the other group again to give them the good news. They were headed to Monterey!

~*~

The next morning dawned bright and early, and after breakfast the visitors from the future sat down to decide how to disguise B'Elanna & Neelix and keep Micky from being recognized until he grew a beard.

"How about the Diggers' store? Everything there is free," Micky suggested.

"Sounds good. Where is it? Chakotay, Paris & Kim can head there and gather some disguises," Janeway said.

"Um... it's in the park, by Stanyan and Frederick--the very edge of the park, south of Hippie Hill."

"On our way!" Paris chimed.

~*~

Several hours later, wearing hats & beaded headbands, and a scarf for B'Elanna, the three members of the group who needed disguises got their own food from the Diggers in the Panhandle for the first time since they'd found themselves in the past.

They spent the day walking around town and sightseeing, taking some time out to go into a music shop for a quick introduction to musical equipment from Micky, finishing the day with dinner from the Diggers and finding a quiet corner of the Panhandle near the corner of Baker & Oak, going to sleep early to get ready for their new job the next day.

~*~

They awoke bright and early the next morning, refreshed and ready for whatever challenge Q had in mind for them. Micky, who had by now grown a decent beard, led the way to 1090 Page. Janis Joplin opened the door to them herself, wincing from the pain of a hangover.

"Hi! We're your new roadies!" Micky greeted her. They'd decided that, now that he'd grown his beard, Micky should act as something of a spokesperson, since he was most familiar with the conventions of the time. Janis led them inside and punched Chet Helms in the shoulder to wake him up. Obviously, there had been a drinking party there the night before, as members of the band and others were sprawled across floor and furniture, sound asleep.

"Hey Chet--did ya hire new roadies?" Janis asked.

"Yeah... they here?" he asked sleepily.

"Right here," she replied.

"Well, tell them to come back at noon--the band should be awake then and we'll go over what they need to know."

"You heard him. How you cats could be up at this hour of the morning is beyond me."

Micky barely suppressed giggles as they quietly walked out, leaving Janis to crash back on the easy chair she'd been sprawled in before.

~*~

"Just what is so funny?" Paris demanded of Micky, who'd broken down into fits of giggles as soon as they were safely out of the house.

"Oh, it's not you personally. I'm just thinking how funny it is that we've been keeping an early-rising schedule all this time when getting up before noon is practically sacrilege to the hip."

"Well, after spending an entire evening consuming illegal substances and alcoholic beverages, that is entirely understandable," the doctor commented.

"Well, let's go get something to eat. We've got a few hours to kill."

~*~

At noon the Voyager group, which had split up, choosing different ways to spend their morning, met up again by the Big Brother house at 1090 Page. This time, Chet Helms opened the door himself.

"Hey. Sorry about earlier but, well, you know, I had a hangover and it was way too early for everyone. We keep late hours around here--you guys are gonna have to stop getting up so early in the morning."

"Well, hey, man--we're just gettin' into the scene. We'll get the hang of it," Micky replied.

"Just dropped out from the straight world, huh? I dig you--I had the same trouble when I first dropped out. Come on in, lemme introduce you to the band.

"This here is Dave Getz, he's our drummer," Chet pointed to a guy still snoring in a corner of the floor, drumsticks in one hand, "over here, snoring up a storm, is our champion snorer and lead guitarist, Sam Andrew. Hey, Jim, get in here!" A handsome young man walked in, "This is James Gurley, our rhythm guitarist and he also does some vocals." The Voyager crew all shook hands with Jim. Then Chet led them into the practice room, "Pete! C'mere! Guys... and gals, this is Peter Albin, our bassist." Everyone shook hands again, then, Chet led them over to the corner of the room. "And this is our lovely lead singer, Miss Janis Lynn Joplin."

Micky quickly stepped up and kissed Janis' hand, "A pleasure my lady."

Janis gave him a look that dripped venom and Paris not-so-subtly grabbed the back of Micky's shirt and dragged him a step back, away from Janis.

"Well, let's get started already!" Janis said.

~*~

Several hours later, Voyager crew felt comfortable with the set up of Big Brother's instruments. While Sam left with Peter to get some booze, as the band had cleaned out the cabinets the night before, Janeway called a conference.

~*~

The crew met in the attic of the Big Brother house. Janeway stood in the middle of the room. Chakotay leaned on a doorjamb near her. The Holodoc stood in a corner, arms folded, while Paris and Kim perched on trunks. Neelix found a velvet-covered footstool (the velvet mostly bare), while Micky sat on the floor, one leg straight out and the other bent back--a very uncomfortable-looking position, but one of his favorite. B'Elanna just paced, much like a caged tiger.

"Update. Does everyone feel ready to perform our assigned duties?" Janeway asked. Everyone murmured positive replies.

"So, we're leaving tomorrow, by car. About how far would you say this Monterey is, and how long will it take us to get there Micky?" Chakotay quietly asked.

"Um, it's only around a hundred miles. Driving, oh, about forty miles an hour average, it would take us about three hours. With this gang, I'd say it might take as long as five hours because I'm pretty sure there are some grass farms along the way--but I'm not positive. I usually fly between Los Angeles and Monterey or San Francisco."

"Grass? What's so special about grass that people would want to farm it?" B'Elanna spat.

"Not that kind of grass. Marijuana--weed, pot, grass, dope, blow," Micky replied, turning on the charm while she was looking in his direction, trying to melt that cold, hard exterior--and failing again.

"So, you're saying that we could easily make the trip in three hours but this band might want to stop to get some drugs and that would cause a delay," Chakotay summarized. Micky nodded in reply.

"What's our time of departure?" Kim asked.

"I asked Chet earlier. He figures he can get the band all conscious and in the van by noon or one PM. We're responsible for getting all the instruments packed up by 11:30 AM, and I'm in charge of driving--since I'll be sober. Tom, I'd like it if you would be my navigator," Micky said.

"Sure thing!" Tom answered.

"Well, then, let's get some sleep," Janeway ordered.

~*~

The Voyager crew got up with their time the next morning. They managed to, with the aid of solid teamwork, get all the instruments carefully packed into the trunk of Big Brother's van by 11 AM. Micky and Neelix then headed into the kitchen and cooked a spectacular brunch, the smell of which woke all the band members and caused them to drift down to the kitchen. Once everyone was served and eating, Micky consulted with Paris over how to get to Monterey in the least amount of time, with the least amount of detours and passing by as few marijuana fields as possible.

~*~

Due to several hangovers, the sheer amount of people being crammed into the van, and the insistence of Dave Getz's that plenty of beer be brought along, the group did not get on the road until nearly 2 P.M. Micky drove along Highway 101 towards Monterey.

~*~

About an hour later, Chet spotted a sign for a marijuana farm. He insisted that a stop was in order. So, Micky reluctantly pulled over and parked in the gravel drive. All the band members and "roadies" piled out and the Voyager crew held back as the band joined Chet in haggling with the farmer for a decent price on some pot. They didn't get back on the highway for two hours.

~*~

When the van reached the outskirts of Monterey, it was after 7 P.M. Once they'd settled into their hotel, it was 8:30 P.M. and few restaurants were open. They finally settled on a short order place, getting greasy burgers and fries, before heading to a bar.

~*~

Past midnight, the Voyager crew supported five tipsy musicians and one very tipsy manager back to the hotel. The band slept soundly, while the Voyager crew held another meeting, to brainstorm about what they might need to do to make Q happy. Then they turned in themselves.

~*~

Luckily, the performances on Friday didn't start until the evening. The band slept in, then headed to the festival.

When they arrived, they were immediately escorted backstage. There, they ran into Micky and Peter. By now, Micky had grown a very full beard and his counterpart didn't recognize him--nor did Peter.

First up was The Association. A popular band with a few well-known hits, they weren't exactly in the psychedelic scene. In fact, the closest they came was a possible reference to marijuana in one of their songs. They were followed by the Paupers, who were added to the festival in order to secure the Paul Butterfield Blues Band and Mike Bloomfield group.

Peter then went onstage to introduce Lou Rawls to the audience, saying that he had "a voice we all wish we had." Rawls did a show more suited to the Las Vegas nightclubs than the Monterey stage. He was followed by a not-so-well-known singer known as Beverly, then Johnny Rivers. After them, Eric Burdon took the stage with the Animals. Simon and Garfunkel, performing folk songs with just an acoustic guitar for accompaniment, closed the first night of the festival.

~*~

That night, Janeway calmly reminded the band that they had to perform in the early afternoon, and thus convinced them to skip the drinking for one evening. Everyone went to bed early.

~*~

Morning dawned, dew glistening on the leaves and grass in the fairgrounds. Micky woke up at ten A.M., and by eleven, his overflowing enthusiasm had awoken the rest of the group. Of course, before everyone got up, Micky received quite a few pillows in the face.

They arrived at the fairgrounds shortly after noon. Canned Heat kicked off the afternoon's performances.

~*~

Backstage, a confrontation started up between the film crew led by D.A. Pennebaker and Big Brother's manager Julius Karpen.

"Big Brother will not take the stage until every single one of those cameras is pointed to the ground!"

"But we want every band represented on the video!"

Suddenly, Janeway--setting up Big Brother's instruments with the aid of Micky and her crew, heard a snake-oil-slippery voice in her ear.

"My, my, Kathy dear, it would be such a shame to have Janis' best performance ever be lost to the sands of time. I do wish Julius would change that vegetable of a mind."

"Q," Janeway sneered, "What are you doing here?"

"Trying to give you a hint about what to do. Choose your next few minutes wisely, Kathy." With that, he vanished in a flash of light.

~*~

"Perhaps you should rethink, Mr. Karpen. You could be making a big mistake," Janeway quietly cut in with a tone of voice that, while soft, was every ounce a Captain's order.

"What do you know--you're just a roadie!" Karpen shrieked.

"A roadie with plenty of life underneath her belt," Chakotay quietly countered.

"No. Not without artistic control. And that's final--not a peep outta any of you!" He stalked off, fuming.

~*~

Janeway and company watched from backstage as Chet took the stage to introduce Big Brother.

"Three or four years ago, on one of my perennial hitchhikes across the country, I ran into a chick from Texas by the name of Janis Joplin. I heard her sing, and Janis and I hitchhiked to the West Coast in fifty hours, probably the fastest trip across the country we ever made. A lot of things have gone down since, but it gives me a lot of pride to present the finished product... Big Brother and the Holding Company!"

First up on the set list was "Down on Me," with Janis not only singing the lead in her powerful voice, but playing a percussion piece that sounded something like a ratchet. Jim Gurley let loose on his guitar, but Janis stole the show. Even on the song "Combination of the Two," with Sam taking lead vocals, Janis stood out singing backup.

"We've got one more song," Janis spoke quietly, "it's called 'Ball and Chain.'"

Keeping time with a stomping of her foot, Janis took the Willie Mae Thornton song and made it 100% her own. She stole the show, and the festival.

~*~

Backstage, remembrance dawned for Micky as he watched. He whispered to Janeway, "Man, I think that is why we're here--they never filmed Janis here!"

"Q did seem to be hinting at something like that a little while ago," Janeway murmured.

"Oh, man, you think we blew it?"

"Perhaps not. I've overheard called in cancellations from several groups, including Dionne Warwick and some other group called The Impressions--both scheduled for tomorrow. They might be able to ask for one of those spots to perform for the cameras," Chakotay suggested.

Just then, Janis came offstage in tears. She ran for Janeway's outstretched arms, and for a while, Janeway just held her while she cried.

"Oh, I just gave the best performance of my life and no one will ever get to see it again!"

"Don't worry Janis, I'm sure something can be worked out," Micky said and started gently rubbing her back.

"Yeah, we can talk to Karpen, and the people in charge--see if you can't be given a chance to perform for the cameras," Chakotay added and put a hand on Janis' shoulder.

"Don't cry dear, it'll be okay," Neelix said, and took her hand. Paris walked up and took her other hand in both of his, while B'Elanna, Kim, and the Holodoc just stood by, supportive.

"Thanks guys. You're terrific." Janis let go of Paris and Neelix's hands, disengaged herself from Janeway and quickly hugged each of the group before heading off to find John Phillips, accompanied by Micky and Janeway.

~*~

"John! Did you see what I did out there?"

Phillips turned around, "Yeah, you were terrific!"

"But they didn't record it!"

"What?!"

"Karpen refused to allow Big Brother's performance to be videotaped," Micky explained.

"Come on." Phillips grabbed Janis' hand and led her over to Lou Adler.

"Lou--Janis tells me her performance-of-a-lifetime wasn't recorded!"

"It wasn't? Why not?"

"Because our dumbass manager wouldn't let them film us!" Janis cried.

"Isn't there some way you could let her perform again for the cameras?" Janeway asked.

"Well, I might be able to find you another slot, if you sign the necessary releases," Adler said.

Ralph Gleason, standing nearby, heard the whole conversation. He found Julius Karpen and pulled him aside.

"You just made a huge mistake, Karpen, by not letting the film crew film Big Brother. They're the big hit of the festival and they won't be included in the movie!" Gleason hissed. Karpen just glowered, silent, but obviously was starting to rethink his decision.

~*~

Janis took the papers Adler had given her and asked Janeway to gather the rest of the band and meet back at the hotel to discuss their options.

Janeway delegated the task of finding the band members. "Chakotay--you find Sam. Paris, find Dave. Neelix, find Peter. Kim--you've got James. I'll find Chet. Micky--you wait here for the rest of us with the van, and B'Elanna and Doctor--you accompany Janis back to the hotel." They split up to find the band members.

~*~

Back at the hotel, Janis was fuming.

"The performance of a lifetime, and Karpen wouldn't let it be filmed!" she screeched, dripping venom as she said the name of their manager.

"Yeah, but what can we do?" Dave asked.

"Well, Lou Adler gave me these papers--if we sign these, he can try and find a spot for us to perform again to be filmed."

"Yeah, but Karpen won't dig it," Sam slurred, high on Owsley's Monterey Purple acid.

"Well, just get rid of Karpen," Micky stated matter-of-factly.

"That's an idea!" Peter, also high, exclaimed.

"Well, is it a unanimous decision to sign the papers, and go over Karpen's head on this?" Chet asked. All the band members nodded. "Well, if Karpen doesn't go along with this--and he has to since he's just your manager, then we fire him, dig?"

"Dig. You wanna fill out the forms Chet, or should I?" Janis asked.

"You do it--and I want you to come with me to tell Karpen--it's your performance, not mine," Chet replied.

"Okay." Janis sat down at the desk in the hotel room and set to work. Janeway led her crew to their room and Chet left for his, the rest of the band trailing behind him. Micky, however, stayed behind.

"Anything you need help with babe?"

"No, no. I've got it under control. Thanks anyway," she replied. Micky walked to the door but just as he was opening the door she added, "and don't call me babe!"

~*~

The next morning, the band members who'd had some of Owsley's acid the night before were somewhat groggy but everyone else was wide awake. Janis had the forms ready, having worked on late into the night on them. She sat down Sam, Peter, Davy and James one by one to get their signatures.

~*~

The festival grounds opened at 11:30 AM to performers. Janis brought the papers over to Julius Karpen.

"Mr. Karpen, the band and I have decided to accept Mr. Adler's offer to perform again for the cameras."

"What?! I specifically said that Big Brother was not to be filmed--we have no creative control in the project," Karpen screamed in outrage.

"There is no you in 'we' Julius. You're just the manager, and you have to obey the wishes of the band. You're their manager, not their boss," Chet calmly replied, "And the band wants to be filmed. Do you want to consent to their wishes or do you start looking for another band to manage?"

Karpen glared daggers at Chet and Janis for a moment, looking about to resist, but then submitted. "Fine. Ruin your careers." He stalked off. Janis let out a breath she'd been holding.

"Thank goodness." Chet gave her a hug.

"Come on, let's give these papers to Adler." Chet led her over to Adler and she handed over the papers.

"Thanks... we found a slot for you during the evening performances. So go warm up that lovely voice of yours--we're ready to tape you!" Adler told her.

~*~

Janeway and crew were waiting with the band members at the van. Janis had a glowing smile on her face as she ran up to them.

"Karpen gave in!" she cried as she reached the van. The group cheered.

"You go on at seven. So let's go somewhere and rehearse," Chet said.

~*~

"I'm so nervous. What if I mess up?" Janis fretted backstage.

"Just take a deep breath and imagine the audience naked--trust me, it works!" Micky assured her. Janis cracked up, just as he'd planned.

"And now, Big Brother and the Holding Company!"

Janis went out, smiling. She gave a performance one tenth the intensity of the previous afternoon's but the impact was still just as strong.

During "Combination of the Two" Micky and Janeway jumped as Q snuck up behind them.

"Great job Kathy! I suppose this... hippie... helped but your crew performed admirably. I think you deserve a reward... but first, you have to finish your job." He disappeared in a flash of light.

"Does that mean we'll be going back to the ship soon?" Micky asked.

"I hope so," Janeway answered.

"I'm gonna miss the band... "

"Same here, but it'll be nice to get home."

~*~

After the last performance of the evening--the Mamas & the Papas, Big Brother stayed for the all-night jam sessions that occurred all over the festival grounds. The next afternoon, once everyone was awake, they headed back towards San Francisco.

~*~

As Chakotay and Kim carried Dave's drums into the house, Q appeared.

"Well done Commander! Don't drop those!" Q cackled. Janeway stepped up to him.

"Q, please leave my crew alone. They don't need your incessant teasing while they're working."

"Oh, Kathy, I thought you'd be glad to see me. I'm ready to take you home!"

Janeway's eyes widened, then narrowed as she remembered who she was talking to. "No tricks Q," she told him.

"None. Too bad your hippie friends won't remember much of your visit. Those darn psychotropic chemicals... " He snapped his fingers...

~*~

... and returned Janeway and company to the bridge. Janeway and Chakotay were sitting in their command seats. B'Elanna, Kim, and Paris were in their customary spots at Engineering, OPS, and the CONN, respectively.

Neelix, Micky and the holodoc stood to one side of the command pit. All of them were wearing what they'd had on just before Q sent them into the past, except for Micky. He was wearing an Engineering uniform with Ensign's pips.

And Q. Q, clad in a Starfleet uniform with Captain's pips, stood in between the CONN and main viewer.

"Well, Kathy, I don't give gifts lightly but you did such a great job, I'm going to give you something you'll love." He vanished in a flash of light.

Paris spun around to face Janeway. "Captain! Our speed is Warp 10!" Turning back to look at his displays, he added, "No, wait, we've stopped. We're ten thousand light years closer to Earth!"

"Looks like that excursion was worth it," Chakotay commented.

"And I think Q's given us a subtle hint as to what to do with Mr. Dolenz," Janeway added, looking at Micky's new uniform.

Micky looked down and giggled, "I guess so!"

Janeway turned to B'Elanna. "Well, Lieutenant, I guess you have a new assistant. Micky--you'll report directly to Lieutenant Torres starting at oh-eight-hundred tomorrow. And, I'll be entering a commendation in your record, for the wonderful job you did these past few days, Mr. Dolenz. But, for now, let's all get some rest."

The relief crew filled in the posts on the bridge and the crew that had spent the past few days in the past headed to their quarters for some R & R.

"Captain... why do I get the eerie feeling that we haven't seen the last of Q's challenges?" Micky asked in the turbolift.

"I don't know. Let's just hope that's just a feeling," Janeway replied.