I don't own Star Trek, Mass Effect (Andromeda), the Gamer, or anything else I referenced here.
As a little foreword, English is not my first language, therefore please have some leniency, my biggest problem will probably be to stay in the same timeframe, if I shouldn't, don't kill me for it.
The story I write now was certainly not my first story, but it's the first I post here. Who knows, maybe I will post the others one day.
I am entirely motivated by praise and interaction, so leave a review and I'll probably write faster.
Chapter: 0 – Introduction
In an endless Field of white lies a human male in a sleeping position, slowly he began to wake up and groaned. „Arg, would someone shut off the lights! It's way too early for crap like this."
Suddenly a pair of legs in white clothes stepped in reality right next to him, „Yes, the lights are always too bright for those who live their lives in the shadows."
„What the..." the man blinks a few times and when he sees the endless void he is in, he starts to rise to his feet. 'Where the hell am I?' he pinch himself in his arm, „Ow..., okay no dream." then he looked to the figure in white, who was difficult to see with the light as strong as it was.
(Change Point of View from third person to first person.)
„You are dead Michael. But fear not, I'm here to give you another Chance, for a price of course." The Light all around seems to get weaker, less overwhelming and I began to recognize the figure who was standing there with a smirk on his face. "Q!?"
"Oh, I'm impressed, most people of your world and time normally call me John de Lancie." I just shrug. "I mean, John de Lancie is a great actor, one of the best as far as I see it. But in the end, he is still only human. You are, on the other hand, a being of practical omnipotence of an alternate Reality. Which is, after the Multiverse Theorie, certainly a possibility. Therefore if I wake up in an endless void like this, know it's not a dream, and meet a guy who looks like you, who tells me I'm dead, then I conclude that you are Q."
"Hah, magnificent, finally I find a human who is actually able to logical conclusion." Q was walking closer to me, "Now tell me, since you were able to do that, what do you think, why you are here?"
I blinked and paused for a moment, 'Okay, if I know one thing then that Q rewards those that amuse or impress him.' I collected myself for a second. "Well of what you said and the fact that you are here and not another almost omnipotent being, like Lucifer, Oma de sala, the Librarian, or Ophis. I would guess that I died and you used that situation to recruit me for a new life within a version of the Star Trek Universe, after your visible age I would guess the era of TNG, DS9, and/or possibly Voyager. For what, I would guess, provided my and the Fantheory is correct, to prepare mankind for the future. Why me especially... I have no idea, I'm certainly no one important."
Q was clapping his hands, "Bravo, very impressive and you're right. I reward those that amuse or impress me." Q took a few steps back and spread his arms. "To explain the few uncertainties, yes the fans and you are correct, it is my chosen duty and my will to help as many as I can, even if most will never recognize me for it and some have to die." Q becomes quiet at the end of the sentence and for a moment I thought I saw a trace of sadness in his eyes.
"To fill in the holes of your conclusion, the variant you saw in the TV-Series was one of the few where my interventions were enough, in most alternative timelines humanity fell, sooner or later. Most of the time because of their arrogance and/or complacency. Sometimes I wasn't able to show them the Borg because they didn't exist, sometimes Picard was not willing to jump over his shadow." Q went right back to his usual self, "So I have to take more drastic measures to reach an acceptable result."
"So, you are sending agents in those timelines. People who died in other Realities. Preferably people with enough foreknowledge to change or at least rattle up things. Now I know at least why you choose people from my universe and my generation." I concluded.
"Yeah, but to be fair you are not my only recruit and I'm not the only recruiter. Also as you already guessed to change the timelines in the right way I have to send the 'chosen ones' in the right era, which means I can only choose people from your Generation, plus minus one, but your Universe for a different reason."
"Let me guess, my universe is one of the few where no other almost omnipotent exists who could be angered by recruiting me?" I intervened. "Yes" "Ha, I knew it, god isn't real." Q only rolled his eyes. "Sorry" I shrugged. "No, not in this universe at least, but there are others where they are."
Q getting his posture right again. "Let's get back to the topic. Let's see, one of the few possible recruitable universes, right Generation, ah yes, then there is also of course always the will of the person."
"As I already said there are other recruiters, a few you even mentioned." my eyes widened. "In the beginning, there had been some confrontations, but with time we all decided on a few ground rules we all would follow. Not only to ensure there will be no bigger conflicts, but also so that no one force a 'Chosen' to do something he/she/it doesn't want. The free will part."
"Nice, for what I could read in a few Fanfics, definitely necessary." Q nod wise and sighed. "Indeed, nowadays we make sure to recruit only those who are willing to go through with it, like you and once placed in the universe and timeline, I can't force you to do anything you don't want to."
Q made a pause and began to grin a little."To interact between the Chosen and their patron, a System was created." When I realized what he meant my eyes went wide. "No!? Don't tell me you mean the Gamer System?" Q made one of his shit-eating grins.
"At the beginning, yes." Q made a meaningful pause. "But not anymore. It was way too overpowered. The first chosen became mostly megalomaniacs believing they could be better Gods of their universes than the originals or disinterested in anything but in their fun.
Please don't miss understand me, I have no problem with you becoming either of those, and neither have most of the others." Michael pulled Spock like one of his eyebrows up. "They were just becoming too fast too powerful and in the end didn't solve the problems for what they were sent there in the first place."
"So as soon as I am there, you will not stop me, no matter what I do, but if I do as you want, you will reward me." "And with that, we are at the Quest System. You also will get access to the Markt System. including the Auctionhouse System. And, of course, a way to interact with the systems, in my case it will be a Pad, that will always find its way back to you and no one else can use, except when you allowed it."
"Would you mind changing it, so that no one else can use it except when I allowed it, of my own free will?" Q shows an earnest happy smile. "Very good, only very few realized the problem with that phrasing, done."
Q began to pose as if he were thinking. "So, let's sum up. You managed to impress or humor me 6 times since you woke up. For that, I gave you early access to what I see as the 'Basic System' and the Auctionhouse." Q counts his finger to two and then points at me. "Now, that means you have still 4 favors, choose wisely."
Michael just shrugged. "I guess you will not give me access to the complete Gamer System?" "No, I will not." "Eh, had to try." "Not yet at least, once you managed what I chose you for, I may be willing to."
"Okay, 4 favors, from Q..." Michael began to slow down and considered the next thing he said. "Before I choose, would you mind answering some Questions?" Q began once again to grin. "I consider it." Michael began to grimace. "I guess it's the best I get. Alright, first, When will I get there? Second, from where will I start? And third, what will I start as?"
Q began to count down. "USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D, at what you would call the beginning of season 1, I will personally introduce you." 'Oh great!' "Oh, and Human of course. I will give you a new body since your old one is quite dead. A little younger, a little fitter, nothing too impressive."
"All right, first I want to be a Kahn Era Augment, but without the mental instability." Q began to grin once again and nodded. "Good, second, I want mental protection against psychic abilities of all sources, no matter if it is another Q, the Prophets of Bayor, Nagilum, a telepath of Betazed, or even a mind manipulator of the Ferengis." "Easily Done."
"Now it becomes interesting, everything else already existed in Star Trek, one way or another. Not this one." Q gets curious and his eyes begin to sparkle. "I want the wonderdrug NZT-48, a perfected version, one-time intake effect forever, without the negative side effects."
"An Augment Brain on NZT, now that is a scary thought. A little bit over the top don't you think." It wasn't a Question, but I answered anyway. "The biggest obstacle for what I planned, want to reach and for what you will send me there, will be time and I will need every advantage." Q thought for a moment but then nod. "Alright, I will give you what you want, it will appear a soon you will replicate yourself a glass of water."
"Perfect, now the last favor, a ship, a specific one, the Tempest from Mass Effect Andromeda, of course, refitted with Federation tech and slightly modified, both labs can be combined in one workshop, and the room that gets free becomes a Holodeck. The Research Center can get out, even in Game I always thought the space could have been better used. Oh and the Living Quarters of the Captain shall get his own Bathroom, with a shower."
Q opens his hand and a miniature version of the Tempest appears. "Fascinating little ship, I have to ask, why this one?"
"Different Reasons, for one thing, it isn't too far from the normal Federation style, therefore even though people may look, they will not wonder too much about it. Second, it is small enough that I can fly it alone, if I have to, but also roomy enough so I don't go stir crazy on the long flight between Systems. Third, it's one of the few star ships that has a toilet and a shower."
Q began to chuckle a little. "Agree, it is really impressive how many Sci-Fi ships exist that have neither of those, even though they are built for an organic crew." "Exactly what I mean, sometimes they even forget to include a kitchen or a storage area for the food, after all, replicators are quite rare in science fiction." We both laugh a little at that.
"The ship will wait for you, as soon you reach earth and I will make sure that you will be informed about it." I inhaled a little and shrugged. "Good, well then, those were my four favors."
"Excellent, then let's begin." Q snapped his fingers and we both were encased from light and then gone.
The white void was once again empty.