ST: V 1

"Okay," I say to myself, "time for a new plan. First, I need to acquire the skills that Rob mentioned. Buying them as a book from the shop is feasible, but why pay when I can get them for free from a highly advanced civilization?" With these thoughts in mind, I make a sharp turn and head back to the apartment where I find Olivia lazily munching on some chips and watching the last few episodes of a magical girl series.

"Hey, did you choose a world already?" I inquire, pleading to whatever god hears me not to be the magical girl one.

"Oh, hey! That was fast. Did you finish your talks with the librarian guy?" she responds before adding, "I didn't, but I have a few set to the side."

"I did, and he told me a few concerning things. Mind if I leave you here for half a day and go to the Sci-Fi world?"

"What did he tell you?" She asks, raising an eyebrow. "And which one do you want to go to?"

"Star Trek. As for the talk, it's nothing that should concern you at the moment, but long story short, there were quite a few deaths, and there is a guy stronger than me who's using unconventional means to advance, and we might need to fight him in the future."

"Alright," she shrugs, without any complaint. "So, what do you even want from that place?"

Her answer catches me off guard, but I stop as I realize she knows about the world I want to visit. "Wait! You know that world?" I perk up surprised.

"I stumbled upon it while going through the heap of DVDs and remembered you mentioning it, I watched a few episodes but to be honest, I'm not a fan of that world," She explains. A small smile forms on my face, because she remembered I liked the series

"There's almost nothing to gain from that place. I'll just be jumping in, learning a few things, using magic to help them out, and getting a replicator or a schematic of one."

"That was the box thing that made food right? What are you planning with it?" she asks.

"Great question," I say, grinning. "Integrating it with magic. Replicators are matter converters that reorganize organic and inorganic matter by rearranging subatomic particles."

"Did my system translation function stop working, or are you really speaking English?" she asks, confused.

Chuckling at her question, I try to simplify. "Energy goes in, stuff comes out. It can not only make food but anything that it has the pattern to." I say. My simplified answer seems to have helped her understand what I'm planning.

"So you're planning to enchant it so that it can make stuff out of magic?" she asks, impressed.

"Not just that. I plan on making it programmable so that we can scan stuff from other worlds and create it anywhere we want," I explain, my smile growing wider. "If I succeed, we'll have a device that can scan materials and replicate them instantly using only mana."

"We could make money out of it!" she exclaims excitedly.

Although slightly disappointed that her first thought was money, I continue after a sigh. "We could, but we could also create anything we'll ever need."

"Okay, I'll let you go alone, but promise me you won't do anything reckless. Stick to the WWOD ruleset!"

"The what now?" I ask, feeling a bit perplexed.

"Whenever you're about to blow up a planet or accidentally summon a demon into a world, just ask yourself 'What Would Olive Do?'" She jabs a finger into my chest. "If Olive wouldn't do it, then you shouldn't either!" She explains, crossing her arms.

"That only happened once!" I protest.

"And who's to say it won't happen again?" She retorts, pouting.

"Fine, I'll follow your rules." I concede though I know deep down that I'll likely disregard them as soon as I enter the world.

"Good. Do you need anything before you go?" She offers, gesturing towards the kitchen.

"No, I'm good, but thanks to the offer," I reply, planting a kiss on her cheek. "I'll just drop off some stuff from my inventory and head out."

After depositing a plethora of crafting metals, I had a handful of inventory slots still available, I left a few items that I know I might need still inside.

"What are you going to do while I'm gone? Want to check out a random world, or go back and check on the girls in DanMachi?" I inquire, giving her a quick peck on the lips.

My question makes her perk up, but she quickly shakes her head. "I can't babysit them all the time. I'm on vacation. I plan on staying indoors and binge-watching all the shows you've set aside for me." She answers with a grin.

"Okay, see you in a few hours or a day at most." I hug her tightly, saying my goodbyes, then make my way down to the floating book on the pedestal.

"Index!" I greet the golden book. "I need the world for Star Trek: Voyager."

{Coming right up.} He flips through himself and with a bright light shows off the world's information.

[Star Trek: Voyager]

World Tier: 1 (Low)

World Language: English

World Systems: None

Doomed: In the year 2367 the Borg assimilated a race of highly advanced alien species, capable of higher warp speeds. In 4 years 60% of the Delta, 20% of Beta, and 15% of Gamma quadrants were assimilated. Currently, there is nothing that could stop them from their galaxy-wide conquest.

"Tier one only? Weren't there supposed to be god-like, all-knowing aliens in that world?" I inquire.

{I selected a version of the world without their interference. However, if you desire...} His voice trails off.

"No, no, this is perfect," I interject, eagerly asking for the book.

A red and black book featuring the federation symbol appears on the pedestal. "Wait, the world books can have themes?" I remark in surprise.

{Not many of them do.} He replies, and I swear the book seems to shrug. Excitedly, I open the book and am disappointed to find only five quests.

Optional Quests:

[Home Sweet Home | Description: Return Voyager to SOL. | Reward: 4,000 WP]

[Scourge of the Galaxy | Description: Destroy the Borg. | Reward: 10,000 WP]

[Stranded| Description: 70 years to get back to the Alpha quadrant is too short of a time, never sounds better. | Reward: 3,500 WP]

[New Overlord | Description: Help the Borg assimilate the galaxy. | Reward: 10,000 WP]

[Domain | Description: Subsume the world. | Reward: 1,000 WP]

"Only a handful of quests? That's surprising. Any particular reason for that?" I ask the book.

{If I had not selected a version of the world where the Borg were already dominant, there would have been more quests available. Would you like me to search for another version with more quests?} the book responds.

"No, that's alright. I'm interested in the technology more than the quests."

'Hmm... Let's try a different approach this time.' After transforming my attire into something more comfortable, I beamed a wide smile as I bid farewell. Placing my hand on the book, I exclaimed, "Enter!" With my enhanced perception, spatial and temporal senses, thanks to my Affinity skills, I can feel the world slowing down around me as a bubble of energy envelops me. As the bubble fully formed I could feel a strange sensation from it, as if there were additional energies present beyond spatial and temporal. However, I couldn't quite identify them. But before I could delve deeper into that topic, my train of thought was interrupted by the appearance of the system screen.

{World "Star Trek: Voyager" selected.}

{[Background System] activated}

{Please state your changes.}

"No story changes. Location, U.S.S Voyager, bridge. Time, an hour after they arrived into the delta quadrant." I state.

{No changes requested.}

{Placing spatial and temporal coordinates at the requested time and location.}

{Transporting user in. 3...2...1...}

{Good Luck!}

A sudden burst of blinding light overwhelmed my vision, leaving me momentarily disoriented. As my eyes slowly adjusted to the brightness, I realized that I was standing on the bridge of a massive starship, the U.S.S. Voyager, which was stranded a staggering 70,000 light-years away from Earth. The entire crew seemed to be on edge, as their arrival to the delta quadrant was a bumpy ride and I could feel the tension in the air as they cautiously pointed their phasers at me.

Suppressing a smirk, I raised my hands in surrender, fully aware that I had just caused a stir on the bridge. The blonde captain stepped forward, her eyes fixed firmly on me as she approached with purposeful strides. Her finger jabbed into my chest, her voice rising in anger as she spoke.

"Who are you and what the hell are you doing on my ship?!" she demanded, her tone laced with hostility and suspicion. I couldn't help but find the situation amusing, and I fought to keep a straight face as I replied.

"I'm just a traveler passing through," I said, my voice dripping with amusement. "And I couldn't help but notice that you guys are in a bit of a bind."

Her eyes narrowed, her finger still pointed at me accusingly. "What are you talking about?" she asked, her voice filled with suspicion.

"Well," I said, my eyes scanning the bridge as I spoke. "You're stranded, what, at your highest speeds seventy-something years away from home? That's quite the predicament you've found yourselves in."

The captain initially reacted with surprise, but her demeanor quickly turned hostile. "How do you know about that?" she demanded.

"I have my ways," I replied casually. "I came here to offer my assistance, in exchange for a few things."

There was a glimmer of hope in the captain's expression. "Do you know how to get us back sooner?" she asked, her desperation evident in her voice.

"I have a few tricks up my sleeve," I said with a smirk. "But before we continue, can we lower the guns? I'm not here to cause any harm. However, if anyone decides to shoot at me, I will use lethal force to defend myself."

Captain Janeway stepped forward, still suspicious. "Is that a threat?" she questioned.

I chuckled, intentionally increasing the tension in the room. "No, it's a promise," I said, releasing a sliver of my mana, making the world around me tremble and the crew to break out in a cold sweat. Despite her trembling legs, the captain held her ground and after careful consideration signaled to her security personnel. The phasers were lowered, and she turned back to face me. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Kathryn Janeway, captain of the Federation's Intrepid-class starship, USS Voyager. However, I have a feeling that you already know this," she said, giving me an assessing look.

"I am indeed familiar with your ship and crew. In fact, I am a huge fan," I replied, offering her a courteous bow. "My name is Andrew Thompson, and I am at your service."

The captain's curiosity was piqued. "Alright, Mr. Thompson, I'll bite. What do you want from us in exchange for helping us get back home?" she asked with a smile.

I grinned in response to her question. "Just a few things, nothing too extravagant," I replied.

(Janeway POV – later that evening)

"Captain, are you seriously considering giving in to his demands?" questions my first officer.

"I don't see that we have any other options," I respond, glancing around the conference room at my other commanding officers. When no one offers any ideas, I turn to my chief engineer. "Did you discover how he materialized on the bridge?"

"I've thoroughly reviewed the sensor data, and there were no signs of transporter technology or any other technology we're familiar with. There were no energy signatures - he just appeared out of thin air," B'Elanna explains.

"Could it be a malfunction with the sensors?" I ask, hoping for a simple explanation.

"No, Captain, I've already run multiple diagnostics on them, and they're working perfectly," B'Elanna replies, shaking her head.

I sigh, realizing that we might be dealing with an alien race with abilities we don't understand. "What did the sensors say about the energy he emitted?" I ask, still feeling the cold shiver from when he released his power.

"The computer couldn't comprehend it. The energy he gave off doesn't follow any laws of physics that we know of," B'Elanna reports.

I consider the possibility of parallel universes and timelines, as the Federation had a lot of run-ins with visitors from them. "Could he be from a parallel universe?" I ask, looking to my team for answers. They all shrug, except for B'Elanna.

"No, Captain, that wouldn't explain how he's able to exist in our universe with that kind of energy. If it were inside his body, he should have disappeared the moment he appeared here," she explains.

"Is it dangerous to the crew in any way?" I ask, concerned.

"I can't say for sure. The sensors can't analyze them, as if they are higher dimensional particles. Without a sample, I can't run any deeper analysis," B'Elanna admits.

"Doctor, what can you tell us about this man?" I asked, eager for any new information.

"According to my sensors, he's a human with a mixed Asian and Caucasian heritage," the doctor replied.

The revelation was met with stunned silence from the rest of the officers.

"Do you have any theories about how he could have gained such powers?" I ask.

The doctor nods thoughtfully. "It's possible that he may have been exposed to some kind of advanced technology or experimental procedure. But without more information, it's difficult to say for certain."

I frown, feeling frustrated at our lack of answers. "We need to find a way to neutralize his powers."

My chief engineer, B'Elanna, speaks up. "I might be able to develop a dampening field that could disrupt his energy signature, but it would take some time to test and refine."

I nod, grateful for her suggestion. "Do it. And in the meantime, we need to keep a close eye on him and make sure he doesn't try to cause any trouble."

I turned to Tuvok, our security officer. "Did you find any hidden equipment on him that could produce that energy?"

"No, Captain," Tuvok responded. "He had nothing on him except for his pajama bottoms and fluffy pink slippers."

I couldn't help but chuckle as I remembered his appearance. "Tuvok, what did you make of his personality when you escorted him to his quarters?"

"He appeared to have no regard for protocol and was quite confident. It's concerning, Captain. I've stationed two guards outside his quarters, but given his ability to appear wherever he wishes, it may not be enough to keep him contained."

Paris spoke up. "Captain, if he can really get us home, why don't we just give him what he wants? We have spare replicators that we could offer."

I shook my head. "It's not just the replicators, Paris. He's also demanding information that the Federation would never allow us to give away. We can't risk our integrity for a shortcut home."

My first officer interjected. "But if he's as powerful as he seems, why is he even negotiating with us? What's stopping him from just taking what he wants?"

I considered the question for a moment. "Perhaps he has some sense of morality or fairness?"

My first officer let out a bitter laugh. "Captain, he's taking advantage of our desperate situation. He's not someone with a good character."

I couldn't help but agree with that, "Alright, we need to come up with a plan," I say, addressing the group. "We cannot just give in to his demands, but we also cannot risk any harm coming to our crew."

"What if we try to negotiate with him for something less than what he's asking for?" suggests my chief engineer. "Maybe there's something we can offer that he would find valuable, but wouldn't compromise our security."

"Agreed," I nod. "But we need to be careful, we don't know what he's capable of."

"Captain," Tuvok speaks up. "I recommend we increase security measures and have a team on standby in case he tries anything."

"Good thinking," I reply. "And we'll also have the doctor take a closer look at his physiology. Maybe there's something we missed that could help us understand his abilities."

As we begin to formulate a plan, the tension in the room begins to dissipate slightly. However, the underlying feeling of unease remains as we grapple with the unknown entity that has infiltrated our ship.

Suddenly, an alarm blares through the ship, interrupting our discussion. Tuvok's comm beeps and he suddenly stands up. "Captain, he's moved!" Tuvok's voice reverberates through the room. "He's not inside of his quarters!"

As a sense of dread grips me, I bark out the order, "Red alert! All hands to battle stations! Tuvok, assemble a team to find him and intercept him but do not engage unless absolutely necessary. We cannot jeopardize the safety of the rest of the crew!" With that, Tuvok leaves the room, and I turn to the others. "Everyone else to the bridge, keep an eye on him and keep me informed. Move out, NOW!" They scramble out of the room, and I can only pray that things don't escalate into a dangerous situation.

As I stood there, trying to regain my composure after the intense meeting, a wave of existential dread hit me. It felt like something was clutching at my heart, making it difficult to breathe. As I turned around, I felt a pair of eyes on my back and my fear skyrocketed when I saw the man from earlier standing there smiling. I couldn't help but wonder how long he had been watching us.

Before I could ask him anything, he spoke up, answering my unspoken question with a casual ease that sent shivers down my spine. "From the start of the meeting," he said, his smile widening. I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease around him.

Suddenly, his demeanor changed. The smile vanished from his face and he spoke in a tone that brooked no argument. "I wanted to do this in a peaceful way, Jeanie, but it seems I'll have to implement some drastic measures," he said, his voice cold and menacing. And then he spoke a single word - "Imperio."

I tried to resist whatever he was doing to me, but it was too strong. I felt myself losing control, my mind clouded and my thoughts becoming jumbled. The last thing I remembered was the man's cold, unfeeling eyes staring at me as I slipped under his control.