it seems to me like everything fits fine. Jennifer lien and a few other actors had three year contracts, others had a full seven year contract. After three years her contract was not renewed, she left the show. What missing pieces are there?
and does it really matter? it was so many years ago, everyone involved has moved on. And in my opinon the show got much better season 4 on so perhaps the change was for the better.
I have heard many people say that Lien was never comfortable in front of the camera and she was not upset to go, even the other actors said that
Immediately after Kate Mulgrew filmed her scenes of the first four episodes of
Star Trek: Voyager's fourth season, she remarked, "
She'll probably be a big movie star, you know? I'm sure it's happened for a reason." Mulgrew also speculated, "
It may be good [for the series] in the long run. I trust my producers on this level, because they are good people, and they're looking at the welfare of the show." (
Star Trek Monthly issue 33, p. 20)
During the
fifth season, Dawson reflected, "It was hard losing Jennifer. It was something that I guess just happened, and I think Jennifer needed to move on as well.
anyway, like I said, if the actors themselves said something happened a certain way, that's what I'll believe since I wasn't there myself. If you think the actors are lying and covering up some conspiracy that's your business, either way I still have a show that I love

Well, nothing new here. I've seen this many, many times, those kind of statements. Not only in the movie business.
I can go back all the way to 1963 when Pete Best was fired from The Beatles (the reason was that the others wanted Ringo Starr as drummer because they liked him better). It was there, all the statements about "mutual agreements" and everybody's happy. Many, many years later, Pete Best revealed in his biography how sad, angry and deprssed he was for many years after being kicked out from the band.
There are many similar stories.
Not to mention that I've seen it myself too. "Don't write it or say it to anyone but we actually kicked X from the band, he's such an a**hole!" Then meeting a really angry X the next week: "Those pigs! I'm a better songwriter and guitar player than Y and he can't stand it, therefore he and the other cowards fired me!" But officially, it was all "mutual agreement" and everybody's happy.
Ever since I started to investigate the "Lien case" back in 1998, there are too many things which doesn't fit in. It's too much official gloss painting on the wall. Especially compared to cases where there has been someone who left of their own free will, just like in the "NCIS Caitlin Todd case" I've mentioned before.
As for Mulgrew, she has showed her discontent with the firing of Lien many times. Just look at the season 3 DVD extras.
Beltran has also stated that Lien should have remained in the show.
Personally I think that the show lost a lot when Kes was kicked out. I don't think that the show was better in the later seasons which is a reason that I only own the season 1-3 DVD:s.