Author Notes: This is a self-insert into the world of Star Trek: The Next Generation- and perhaps further down the road other things. First things first, I do not own, claim to own, or am capable of owning Star Trek itself. That is property of Paramount Entertainment and this entire fanfiction is being written as an inspired and derivative work of fiction based on this.

Now, on with the show ladies and Gents!

-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-

I awoke in a panic.

This isn't surprising unto itself; I had been having night terrors for almost a month at this point. However it was the lack of pain that caught my attention. I hadn't been the best to my body you see, and well- even groggily waking up I was realizing that I didn't hurt. This was the first sign that something was wrong that I couldn't quite place. Color it as human paranoia, but I felt that if I didn't hurt that clearly meant I had died.

Which was unfortunate, as I had a Pathfinder game to run today. Seems I wouldn't be around for that.

Of course trying to sit up presented a challenge, as I appeared to be restrained to a table of some sort. I hadn't realized I was laying down on anything. It was comfortable, but being restrained didn't sit well with me. I tugged.

This caused a shocked gasp from my right, and a blurry shape hurried into my field of view. Now, I could panic; in fact I should be panicking incredibly badly right now. But I wasn't.

Yet another worry to add to the pile.

A soft hand touched my arm and squeezed gently as I felt a gentle pressure to my neck, and I relaxed. The voice from the blur (which I was starting to realize was to my right) had a soothing voice that I couldn't quite understand. It was just on the edge of my hearing, like being underwater. This just caused my eyebrows to furrow some and I leaned back, sighing through my teeth.

"Fiddlesticks."

Oh; that hurt. My voice hurt to use and I realized that I sounded different- more bass to my voice despite it being relatively light. I tried to bring my hands to my face and failed; I had forgotten about the restraints.

The concerned voice from the blur to my right was now aimed toward a red and fleshy looking blur to my left. However, I turned my head to look at them both in curiosity, and -

Another press of an object to my neck, and I chuckled with a smile before fading into unconsciousness.

-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-

Sickbay, U.S.S. Enterprise - Stardate 41174.5

Doctor Crusher looked down at the man strapped to the sick bed with some worry. While his vitals were good- excellent even- and he seemed to be all in one piece? The length of time he'd been in suspended animation led to some worries about what he was.

"The sequencing of his DNA is remarkable; quite well done. No side effects of normal gene tampering, either." A rueful smile graced the Doctor's lips. "Not to mention his resistance to most sedatives." She would never admit just how close she'd been to using Andaran Tranquilizer on her patient, and was thankful it hadn't come to that. "Lieutenant Yar, this man is an Augment," she stated calmly, looking up at the yellow-breasted security officer with a worried smile.

Due to the nature of how they had acquired their guest, Lieutenant Yar had already been concerned. He had been adrift in a cargo hauler that had been all but destroyed thanks to a graviton wave from a collapsing oort cloud. The man was an enormous security risk and it was now exponentially worse due to the fact he was an Augment. The Eugenics Wars weren't a fresh memory, but they were a scar on the human Psyche. "I see," she muttered to herself. "He seems really out of it, even for being heavily sedated. You're sure?"

Doctor Crusher sighed through her teeth and worried at her lower lip a moment as she moved over to read over the vital diagnostics on the bed's scanner again. "Fairly. There is a lack of tampering that seems a bit out of place- his height for example. But-"

The chief medical officer's hand flew along the pad, and with a few swift finger strokes the display was on the wall panel. "If you look, you can see that his body structures all seem to differ significantly from a baseline human's. Through radiological scans alone, the density of his bones and muscles caused me some confusion. I'd say he's almost a different species with the sheer amount of modifications needed for such a thing to be possible."

Not one to be idle, the Lieutenant kept a steady eye on the patient while she listened to the doctor and frowned. "Beverly, just what is he? He's an Augment, but they just left some things there? That doesn't match up with how Augments like Khan did things at all."

Doctor Crusher just gave a small smile. "It might mean he was a late-term Augment, which explains the height. Though… " she trailed off thoughtfully before she continued again. "It's hard to tell the body's age due to how his modifications almost seem to keep him in his prime. He might be a teenager- or he might be in his fifties. Not to mention his ability to just heal through almost three hundred years of cryosleep induced freezer burn."

"You're not making me feel safer, Doc. Look, he's a clear danger to the crew- obviously we need to get him in a secure holding cell!" Ground out Yar, with a huff. "If you'll even let me!"

"I'm just stating the facts here, Tasha; calm down. He isn't a danger. He's sedated."

Another voice piped up, making the Doctor groan.

"Oh wow, did I get abducted?" There was a pause. "Cool…"

Both Beverly and Tasha turned their attention to the patient who was now staring with a dopey grin on his face at the ceiling. The man was clearly still somewhat out of it but obviously not reacting poorly to any of this at all. For a few moments both women were snapped out of it and was the first to speak.

"Technically yes?" This rankled her sense of Federation Pride to admit, but he was correct in a way.

The man himself just chuckled gormlessly. "Hurr, aliens have gotten me. Cool… Hey, uh, could I get some water? I feel like I haven't had anything to drink in a bajillion years."

Beverly gave the man an odd look, but directed one of her nurses to replicate a cup and water. She hated to admit that she had some trepidation in having her nurse get close to him at all, but the nurse put the cup to the man's lips and he took a sip.

Paused.

A sip.

Paused.

And he then took a deep pull of water that nearly drained the cup before leaning his head back. "Thank you… ah- I can't really see at the moment but it's starting to focus. How're y'all speaking English if you're aliens?"

Tasha couldn't help but snort, even though her eyes focused like lasers upon the man before her, but Beverly kept her face straight; the nurse was the only one that giggled. The floundering confusion on the man's face eventually made the doctor take pity on him.

"We're human."

"... Oh," He paused for a moment. "... Cool. So we are the aliens…Awesooooooooome…"

And that's when he passed right back out.

By this point it was rather hard for anyone to keep a straight face - despite the obvious danger that an Augmented Human like the fellow in binders clearly represented. But with his attitude being so strangely down-to-earth while clearly inebriated? It was hard to resist smiling a little.

That said, Beverly did have a general air of annoyance as she watched his vitals once more. Concern creased her forehead as she sighed. "Goodness, it seems he's eating through the sedatives at an alarming rate; his blood pressure and heart rate just spiked."

Tasha shared a worried look with the nurse. "I'll have some of the Security Team come down. They'll keep you safe." Acting even as she spoke, the chirruping chime of the badge rang. "Ensign Nguyen, Ensign Royce, come to Sick Bay immediately. Non-Emergency."

Two 'Aye Lieutenant's later and Lieutenant Natasha Yar just gave the strange, sedated man in the bed a glare that could melt someone into a puddle if weaponized. "Making my job harder…"

-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-

Clearly an Alien Ship Probe Place, Alien Ship - Stardate 41175.2

I awoke again.

This was starting to get a little repetitive, but at least I was able to see clearly this time. I realized I was now in a different room that was rather delightfully pastel. It smelled clean and disinfected but not overwhelmingly so. I saw a redheaded woman in what was obviously a lab coat.

I stared hard for a few moments; if she turned around and I recognized her that would be worrying on so many levels. Namely because it felt like I was retreading someone's self insert, but also because I forgot Mr. Chaos' rules of when you find yourself in another universe. Namely, not to panic.

Boy was I panicking.

Before the redhead could turn around, a rather pleasant sounding man's voice came from where I couldn't see. "Doctor Crusher, your patient's awake."

"Oh?" Turning around the woman was, well, not exactly how she looked in the show. That was an actress with makeup, and this woman was clearly someone who understood less was more. I could easily wax on, but she had some features that just looked better in person- along with what was obviously a slighter frame than the actress.

This made me wonder if she was just another timeline's version, but the good Doctor recognized that I was able to see her. "Our mystery man awakens. I'm Doctor Crusher. I will be giving you a quick scan to see if you're even fit enough to be sitting up. You were frozen for quite some time."

My eyebrows furrowed some, and I spoke in as witty a way as I could manage.

"... Huh?"

This got a rather amused snort from one of the men in the room, but he quickly suppressed it after Doctor Crusher shot him a glare. "You've been frozen for a while; Cryogenic Stasis? Probably sent to space?"

I leveled her with the best incredulous look I could manage. "I don't remember that. I just remember falling asleep, and, well, then I woke up here."

This got a raised eyebrow, even as she scanned over my head slowly, "I see."

"I kind of remember preparing for a game of Pathfinder. Ah- we were doing this to pass the time, you see…" I paused. "In the year Twenty Twenty Two."

Now, this got the Doctor's attention- namely because she didn't understand what 'Pathfinder' was. "Is that a game Augments played on Earth during your time?"

I had to scoff, "Well, no. I'm not an Augment. I can't be."

Doctor Crusher's expression of confusion said it all. "How so?"

"Well, first of all- ah, Doctor Crusher?" I held back a grimace; my throat still ached like hell but it was getting better. "Those don't exist because that's in the realm of science fantasy and science fiction?"

"You're quite clearly genetically manipulated, Sam," Was her rather blunt response to my questioning statement. Which caused my eyes to widen in alarm, "Yes, I do know your name, Samuel O'Bannon…"

"Doctor… that…" I swallowed. "That isn't my name."

She blinked owlishly for a moment. "What?"

One of the security personnel spoke up, taking a step forward. "Doctor…?"

"That isn't my name!" I repeated lamely then took a deep breath and steadied myself, grimacing once more at the pain in my throat. "That isn't my name. I'm sorry but my name is John. This…"

Doctor Crusher looked like she was ready to get another dosage of sedatives, so I just shook my head a little. "Doctor, I'm trying to not freak out at all of this. Okay? I really am. You're telling me that I am several hundred years in the future, everyone I know is gone, I'm… I'm…"

I gave a low shuddering sigh and brought my hands up to my face. Tears started to blur my vision; they burned my eyes, and my throat ached savagely. My breathing was ragged and it hurt to pull air through my nose. All at once, the panic of my current situation finally hit me. My body had entered fight or flight in reaction to all the stress, and the collective emotional onslaught broke like a dam as I started to cry.

What? You can't blame a guy for being absolutely flabbergasted and horrified in equal measures! I was in another universe! I was in another time! Sure, I might get to see my family again if Timey Wimey shenanigans happened as they are wont to do in Star Trek, but right now I was incredibly vulnerable and feeling hopelessly lost. I wasn't in my own body, I wasn't in my own time - hell. Let's say that I needed to relieve some of the pressure.

I was absolutely freaking out. Sorry again to Mr. Chaos. Personally I blame the drugs, but the entirety of the situation hit me like a freight train on steroids. Words flowed as fast as the tears rolling down my face. "Everyone I know is dead. I never got to see my niece and nephew grow up. I never got to spoil grandbabies and be a man my dad would be proud of. Now I'm here, and you people are freaked out enough by my existence to point your laser projectors at me the moment I wake up - despite being strapped down to a medical table, no less!"

I laughed a cracked, watery laugh. "I'm sorry." Oh God. My voice was starting to crack again and it was just too much. "I'm sorry…"

It took a few minutes of me sobbing into my hands before I started to feel better . The hysteria started to taper off now that I had gotten a few things off my chest and out into the open.

What?

In the time it took me to process that the crying had helped, I realized something. This new body adapted quickly to stress. In the resulting clarity, I slowly became aware that everyone in the room had been silent while I had my breakdown.

Silence, especially on a federation ship, was deafening. I started to worry until I noticed that I had brought my hands to my face. This motion had broken the restraints, as well as the medibed. I stared at the limp and now-useless confinement, and then at everyone else.

With phasers pointed right at my vitals, two thoughts became extremely clear to me. One, accidentally freeing myself had proven this new body to be quite honestly one of the physically strongest creatures in this series. Equally important, dare I say more so, was number two - I really, really didn't want to get shot.

I really didn't want to get shot at all.

I promptly held up both of my hands, wincing as one of the diagnostic cuffs that had been restraining me fell and bonked me right on the noggin. "Please don't shoot?"

The nurse was aghast but the Doctor acted quickly and snapped at the security detail. "Take your phasers off him, he's fine! Goodness. Now, S- John? John, you're okay." She approached me slowly, as if I were an animal about to bolt and run into a hedge. Admittedly I felt this way, and when she touched my arm I flinched.

I didn't move for a moment, and then I breathed a sigh of relief through my nose and just put my other hand on hers as gently as I could.

"You're real."

Oh fuck this wasn't a fever dream.

Oh fuck this wasn't a fever dream.

"Yes, John; I'm real. We're all real. You really are in the future." Her words were kind, and I was thankful for her kindness in this moment. Everything seemed to be calming down, if only just a little.

At some point during all of this, I think one of the Ensigns assigned to keep an eye on everything had alerted the Chief of Security to me waking up. Namely because Lieutenant Yar chose that moment to bust right the God-damn hell in, as much as one can bust in through sliding doors. Now that I could see properly, she was a rather impressive person, and not what I had expected. She was short, waspish, and had a pixie cut that would make my sister jealous. Goodness that was a woman! What was happening was no televised serial, so there was no use in comparing anyone to actresses; but she was far more slight of frame than Denise Crosby and looked a damn sight more well-built. Wiry muscles were already reaching for her Phaser, so my hands went up once more.

"Please don't shoot," came my recent mantra, unbidden and immediate.
Her eyebrows twitched, her lips pursed, and I felt my asshole pucker as she looked all but ready to turn me into fine particulate. Fortunately, as the Doctor was right there and my hands were up, she just growled at me to "put your arms down." Having apparently prevailed upon her 'not shooting a dude in the chest' feelings that day, I happily obeyed.

"Alright. Since you're finally awake, Funny Man, let's hear it. You think you're superior to everyone in the room, yeah?" Blunt as she was, it was clearly a statement meant to goad. "Because I don't think you are. You're weak!"

I stared at her in confusion at the proclamation. "Uhm… I did just fuck this bed up. Purely by accident, at that…"

"So?"

"... Clearly 'weak' is the wrong word?" I asked with a slight and obviously nervous smile. "I'm not weak."

The woman's eyes narrowed at me. "Answer my question."

"Uh, I have no idea if I am or not." This was said with an honesty only the truly ignorant had, and right now? I was ignorant as all get out. "I don't think I said I was better than anyone?"

Yar gave me an exceptionally stern glare and moved right on giving me a look that could turn a person to stone. "You didn't. Yet."

My eyes looked from the Doctor, to the Lieutenant, to the security detail, and then back to the Lieutenant. "... Unless I suddenly grow a megalomaniacal need to say such things,and I truly hope I won't, I am not planning on ever saying that. This isn't even my body."

That brought Lieutenant Yar up short. "What."

"I wasn't born in the body of-" here I paused to look down at myself, "uh, what appears to be a short Space Marine." The Lieutenant was on the back foot now and looking at me with bewilderment at my terminology. I frowned, not knowing what words or phrases were confusing.

"What is a Space Marine?" She asked with vehemence in her voice.

"Uh, there was a science-fantasy game that took place in the forty-first millennium where mankind is still at war. They basically are uhm… genetically… modified… huh." I had to stroke my chin. "... Am I a Space Marine?" The question was quietly asked more to myself than in response to Yar.

"Damn it, answer my question." Yar snarled, still in the dark.

"Space Marines are uh- uhm…" Damn. This was harder than they made it sound in self-insert fanfics. "The term is from a science-fantasy role playing game, and you really shouldn't worry about it. It's something people played in the twentieth century!" My hands were expressive and the other chunk of the bio bed fell off my arm and onto the floor with a loud thump.

"Tasha, stop trying to interrogate him," muttered Doctor Crusher. "I swear, she's caused more damage than that incompetant tech did. Now; hold still."

That was a tricorder in her hand. If I wasn't reasonably sure that Lieutenant Yar would shoot me on the spot for the sound I made, I would have been geeking out right about then. Like, holy guacamole, real futuretech that I could see and sort of feel!

This. Was. So. Damn. Cool.

With that, the Doctor smiled and motioned for me to sit up. "Alright John, you've got a clean bill of health."

Tasha was staring at me intently as I looked to the doctor. "All my bits and bobs in place?"

"Mhmm; though you might find some surprises with your new body." She paused, "Now, John, ship policy is to have you confined to a guest quarters-"

"DOCTOR!?" The exasperated tone of voice from the Security Chief summed up her feelings on the matter.

"I am not having a man who just woke up in an unfamiliar time confined to the brig, and I can't keep him in medical indefinitely either," Beverly argued.

Before this could get too out of hand, I piped up. "I agree with the…" I pretended to size up Yar and frowned. Now was time for a bit of fun, I decided. "... cute spitfire there." Tasha spluttered in shock, outrage, and maybe even a little bit of actually being flattered. I like to think that anyway. "I should be confined to the Brig until someone of higher authority can decide what to do with me."

Doctor Crusher was surprised with this; after all the Brig was meant as a punishment. I gave a lopsided grin. "Doctor. I'm a strange man in a powerful, augmented body who woke up from unintentional cryosleep. I'm surprised I wasn't already in the brig."

Tasha pointed at me with a snarl, "WHA… did you… uh… what?" Confusion won out over indignance at being called 'cute'.

"Do y'all not have medical suites in the brig?" It was a serious question, and I had to admit my curiosity at the discrepancy.

"Well yes, we do. But the equipment isn't as diverse down there," Doctor Crusher admitted with a bit of a grimace. "Hence why you were brought up here instead."

"Ah. I have to ask; did you do a full body scan of me?"

The Doctor nodded.

"Good, did you see anything different or odd about my physiology?"

She nodded again.

"May I have a copy of that as reading material while I wait for someone to release me from my holding cell?" I asked with a smile.

"I don't think that will be a problem." There was a frown. "You don't have a PADD so that makes it a bit harder; replicating one will take too much power for what we're allotted I'm afraid. However, I can make some Flimsi copies and hand them off. If Lieutenant Yar is alright with waiting?"

Tasha's face still had a flush of anger and all but murder in her eyes, so she ground out a curt "fine" in response to the Doctor's request.

I didn't wink. She might actually shoot me if I did that. I slowly got to my feet and realized I was actually shorter. Slowly I explored my new body with my hands, feeling out just what sort of a frame I now occupied. I was a big boned guy in my first life, but now? I could feel the definition and muscular movement that was different from the body and locomotion I was used to.

Thankfully the Federation gave their patients pants and a shirt to wear instead of a gown, so I looked down as I slid on the shirt and frowned. Save on my head, I was quite hairless. This little discovery made me frown incredibly deeply. "Uh, Doctor?"

"Yes?"

"Will I grow body hair at any point?"

She paused before answering. "You should, why?"

"Oh thank God; I was thinking I'd look like a little kid for the rest of my life and be smooth." This actually got a snort from the two security personnel- which was silenced with a glare from the Lieutenant.

"You put a lot of stock in that?" Stated the doctor, as the last sheet of Flimsi finished printing. "Interesting. You're acting far older than what the age of the body scans as."

That small revelation caused me to pale. "H-how old is the body?"

"Oh it's adult; around twenty or so." She smiled, "Don't worry you're not going to be tossed back into school, if that's what you're worried about."

"I'd hope not," Muttered Yar. "That's too close to the kids the civilians have on the ship."

"Anyway, here you go John. This should tell you most anything you want to know about your physical state." The sheets of Flimsi were… flimsy. Which I suppose made sense. They also weren't clear like they had been portrayed in the show. The sheets darkened when your eyes looked directly at them, and it made sense now how people could read them.

Lieutenant Yar motioned for the two men who'd been at the door to sweep in and flank me. I didn't react to their 'prisoner transport' formation, and Tasha motioned with her head to walk with her. "Alright, I have to ask why you really agreed to the brig."

Walking and talking was a time honored tradition in Star Trek so I obliged, "Well," I sighed through my teeth while shaking my head, "I was going to answer as if this were a joke- but I happen to agree with your assessment that I am a danger- until your Commanding Officer or the Captain says I'm not."

That got a surprised glance back. "Really?"

"Aye, uh- this isn't the body I was born with. I'm surprised I'm even walking. Last night I was a man that was balding, overweight, and planning out a session of a Role Playing Game with friends. Today I look like…" I motioned to, well, myself.

She squinted at me for a moment. "Weird. And not as unusual as you'd think."

That actually surprised me. "Really?"

"I'll see if the Captain will let you have materials to read." She didn't smile but her expression was less severe, "You're a surprise, John. I thought you would fight tooth and nail to not be locked away somewhere…"

It took considerable self control to not roll my eyes. "Lieutenant, I was a shut in before this. Trust me… I want to gather my thoughts. All of this?" I motioned to her, the walls, then the Turbo Lift. "Honestly, it looks like some of the wildest fiction I've read. The uniforms, the fact that you have plastic and carpet everywhere, 'laser' weapons- I do know those are 'lasers' because I am that big of a nerd."

The asian fellow behind me snorted, "Just because you're a nerd you could tell?"

"Not everyone's a primitive screwhead just because they're from the past," I shrugged with a broad grin. "And I don't intend to stay ignorant. Well, for very long anyway- with the Captain's permission of course."

As we approached the Turbolift, Lieutenant Yar motioned us inside first with her standing before the door. And we descended…

-/-\-/-\-/-\-/-\-

Brig #12, USS Enterprise - Stardate 41182.1

I had been able to make myself comfortable in the brig about three days ago- despite being 'recently woken up' I didn't warrant much of the Captain's time. Which I understood, he ran the ship and gave the orders. I wasn't about to demand to see the man either.

I used this time to read through the medical documentation I had been given, along with two entire historical volumes, a novel titled 'In Love with Balls, a Tribbling Tale', and an entire physics book. I even pestered Tasha into making one of the guards test me on the knowledge afterward! I made a P+, for Passing Plus; and before I could feel too cocky, was informed that the book and test were Fourth Grade level.

Fiddlesticks.

Reading through the medical records from Doctor Crusher revealed nothing but stellar levels in nearly every biological scan. It was all of it good; extremely good, in fact. My blood pressure was high, but apparently my veins and heart were built to accept the blood pressure effectively to increase the flow to my muscles, and thus I was stronger than before. I also had more elastic blood vessels, so there would be no blockages or issues with circulation in my future.

At the same time my organs were… more efficient. I was startled when I discovered that they had taken biopsies of the matter within the more surprising was that they found the biopsied tissues were almost three times as efficient as a normal human male's in my body's age range. My kidneys and liver could filter poisons out so efficiently that I could drink rat poison and be fine.

I wasn't going to of course.

But I could!

There were some interesting footnotes about my reproductive organs. Their status after cryo was clearly bio sculpting to a severe degree. Reading through that had been enlightening; it seemed that my gonads were capable of panspermia- not that I really wanted to deal with the implications of that right then. That and well, I had become quite familiar with my penis in the last day and a half and I had to say that I was glad it was this body's! But damn do I feel humbled; I was barely average before and now this…?

I was starting to think this was a weird power fantasy fulfillment dream; if I hadn't stubbed the shit out of my toe earlier, that is. I mean, sure, a gag penis was hilarious, but being the owner of it wasn't all that fun. Specifically because as I was relieving myself it was like holding a damn fleshy snake.

I heard the doors slide open- they were about as stealthy as a bell on a cat. Because of the hilarious size of my new dong, it took more than a few moments to stuff in and pull up the pants. I brushed my hands off in the sonic dryer after washing, because that was polite, and took my place at the front of the cell to see who had arrived.I also came into full parade rest, with legs slightly parted and arms behind my back, palms out and fingers touching. I remembered the stance from JROTC at the very least. Take that, Major Ellington, saying I couldn't learn!

Of all the peculiar things I had noticed in this universe, including the rather close resemblance of Tasha Yar to Denise Crosby, was that Captain Picard did not look like Patrick Stewart very much. For one, he was quite a bit younger; his face here was a bit more gaunt, and his eyes were far more intense, intelligent, and almost predatory. But seeing that I was standing at a Parade Rest? He smiled a bit. That's when he looked like Patrick Stewart. "So, I hear that you willingly let yourself be locked in the brig? Quite a bit of trust to put in people you have just met."

"Yes sir, I felt it prudent. Plus," I eyed the guards who looked all sorts of nervous, "it makes the guys with guns less jumpy. As much as I'm making light of the situation, I'd rather not have the situation make me light up."

"Being in the brig certainly gives one a sense of security doesn't it?" Whether he was amused at my candor or simply ignoring my jab at the security personnel was hard to tell. The Captain had a somewhat wry smile on his face when I spoke, although there was a small twinkle of interest in those calculating eyes. "Tell me about the prudent nature of seeking refuge in the brig of all places."

I could lie here, I realized. I could absolutely lie and get on the good side of everything the man had- but I would rather not. Captain Picard was a man I respected and that I'd grown up watching! So, I breathed out. "I'm from another universe entirely."

This was stated fervently enough that Picard raised an eyebrow, "Continue."

"I ah." Wetting my lips with my tongue, I debated how to continue. "Alright, my universe? We never advanced into Augments due to religion stymying progress in that field. We were at war, a long and terrible one; against Terror which is… not relevant to this, but it gets my point across a little right?"

Picard made a face, stroking his chin as he gazed at me intently. He did look at the two guards before turning back to me, "And what, precisely, is it you wish to do? Surely you want to return to where you are from?"

That got a huff. I did, I really did; but that wouldn't be happening. "I somehow doubt I could. Even if I did manage getting home, then what? This isn't what I looked like. I was fat, in my mid thirties, and bald. My family wouldn't accept me." I realized that as I said this that they would- especially if they knew that I was healthy and happy.

Was I happy though?

Food for thought later.

"I see." Now Captain Jean-Luc Picard was pacing before the cell with a look of contemplation on his face, "Now as for the reading materials. I approve of the history that you wish to learn; seeing how a people evolved socially is a great step forward. But why did you wish for mathematics texts?"

Lieutenant Yar had also been curious and I had answered this twice before so I answered Picard as I had answered Yar. "I probably have a mathematical education comparable to a third or even second grade student in this time period. If I want to even have a semblance of hope of doing my own thing in the universe, be it joining Starfleet or becoming a businessman, I have to learn math better than I had before."

Picard was nodding along with this, "Lieutenant Yar mentioned as much in her report, I'm glad you weren't lying to her." The Captain had to verify the story after all.

"Now." Picard turned to regard me once more. "Why should I let you out of there?"

I actually had to think about this. Truthfully I knew this was a test of character; a good one too. If my augmented body prespired under stress I didn't feel it, but I felt the pressure of being watched like a hawk, and it caused a dark knot to form in my stomach. "You shouldn't."

That answer caused one of the 'sentinels' to gawp for a moment. Even Picard was stunned by the answer and stood silently for a few moments.

"I would like it, you know. I would love to be out of this cell. But you shouldn't let me out of here until you, Captain, are sure that I am safe to be around others." It was simply a truth that I thought needed to be said. "I would do the same in your position."

Picard let me stew for almost ten minutes after walking to the side and speaking to the two sentries that had been on shift. These men had watched me tirelessly and I felt that I hadn't done anything too egregious.

Other than teasing the Lieutenant until she looked fit to sock me in the nose… Oh.

Well fiddlesticks I might have just gotten myself locked in here for a bit if she was actually mad at me.

Fuck.

Needless to say I was surprised when the Captain walked back to my cell and opened the deflector screen. The invisible but strong barrier static'd out of existence and I felt the air from outside the cell come in, putting a big smile on my face. "Why?"

Picard chortled a little bit. " I can tell by how you move and act that you seem to be curious more than anything else. In Lieutenant Yar's report, she defined your actions as 'Not that of a maniac by any definition of the word, but 'extremely annoying''." Those blue eyes looked into my own near slate ones, humor written on the man's face. "Along with the underlined words 'I want him out of my brig'."

I knew I was blushing furiously and trying to make myself look small. He had me there- I had annoyed Lieutenant Yar an inordinate amount just because I could.

So, the Captain began on off, "Ensign Nguyn, with me. Ensign Rhodes, escort our guest to Guest Suite Three-Zero-Two-Four on Deck Three. I believe it should meet your needs wonderfully, Mister O'Bannon."

I was stunned. The guest suites aboard these ships were luxury accommodations, and I was gonna crash in one. Oh man, I was excited!

Ensign Rhodes, a short man with what appeared to be frills along his neck and chin motioned for me to follow him to the Turbolift after the Captain and Ensign Nguyn had left.

"This way, John." Ensign Rhodes' voice was incredibly bubbly, almost like he was talking in water, but clear in its pronunciation. "Considering Samuel isn't your name, is O'Bannon wrong as well, or do you only have the one name? It takes longer to register a room if you only have a single name."

I thought about using my regular last name. I really considered it. However I knew that doxxing myself in the story would be a bad idea so I shrugged, "I like the name Scipio, John Scipio?"

The man sighed, put upon by my antics."That sounds like a fantasy name at best. Why not just use the pod's last name? O'Bannon."

I hadn't thought of that and considered it. I rolled that option around as the Turbolift made its way down and then smiled brightly at Rhodes, "I think I can get used to being John O'Bannon. Let's hope they don't find out I'm Welsh."

My laughter faded out from the brig as we stepped into the lift.