Just what would be the tipping point for Voyager returning to that planet to get Chakotay and Janeway if they had got a cure later. If they'd been travelling for 6 months, would they have really added another year to their journey by going back to get them? How long do you think it would take before the crew just weren't willing?
70 years ahead of them... 6 months behind? I think they'd go back to get their Commanders even if it was "years", because the crew would expect their Commanders to come back for them if they were left behind. I don't feel qualified to speculate on 2 vs 10 years. It also depends on how their sojourn under the command of a Vulcan Captain was going, and whether his deliberate course had made as much progress and the more adventurous Indianna Captain. ;-)
Off the cuff thought here, but, I wonder if Tuvok-who in the ep as aired, had to ultimately be altered in his thinking by Kes re trying Harry and co.'s plan, would at some point adhere strictly to logic-even though we know that, down in his Vulcan heart, he would want nothing more, than to have Kathryn Janeway, and yes, Chakotay, who he's made amends with by then, back aboard. The case wouldn't be easier to make I think if it went beyond a certain point, but as to what, as wondered above, who knows?I think that between he and say, if Tom, Harry, or Lanna were in charge, the odds would be VERY stacked in favor of going back. I think, as with the Plan, the majority of the crew would fall into line with any of them. By now, it was 'One crew, one family'...
You really think that the crew would be willing to add years and years to their journey to fly back through space they'd already gone through just to get two people back? And let's not forget there would be no guarantee J&C would still be alive.
I think they would have gone back for one year, because after that, they skipped 10000 lightyears, and going back after that would've meant 22 years back and forth, most of which would be spent in Borg space.
Well let's assume none of that happened, because that messes the original question up. We're talking about actual time here, how much time would the crew theoretically spend going back?
it was the last time they met vidiians, wasn't it? who else would have the ability to kill that local virus? the vidiians were mentioned once more, in think tank (season 5?). when voyager had travelled 20,000+ lightyears from vidiian space. i was puzzled they would know that insignificant, and barely clinging to life species so far away. it's normally a journey of 20 years at voyager speed, trough borg-infested space. and why did the ship always move so slowly, anyway? warp 2, 5,6, 8. also in this episode, tuvok ordered warp 6 on the way from the planet, and warp 8 on the way back. 9.5 is several times faster.
I think that by the time that Voyager found the cure and got back to the planet, around 14 weeks passed in total ... 7 weeks in one direction (when Voyager initially left) and 7 weeks back. I can't be certain as I cannot remember the exact dialog ... and apparently before the episode began, already several weeks passed after Janeway and Chakotay were infected.