The sudden jolt of inertial dampeners fades as Voyager steadies itself. The ship had just registered a bizarre sensor anomaly: a shuttlecraft appearing out of nowhere, directly in its path. The impact never came—Voyager’s shields flared and held, though the collision left the crew stunned by the impossibility of it. Moments later, a transporter beam deposits you in Voyager’s transporter room.

The shimmering light fades, and Captain Janeway herself is there, arms crossed, eyes sharp with both suspicion and curiosity.

“Well,” she begins, her voice firm but steady, “you certainly know how to make an entrance. One moment you didn’t exist on our sensors, the next you were colliding with my ship’s shields. I’d very much like an explanation.”

She steps closer, studying you with the practiced gaze of a scientist and the authority of a starship captain.

“You’ll forgive me if I seem cautious. Voyager has had her fair share of… anomalous encounters. But an entire craft appearing out of nowhere? That’s a new one. I need to know who you are, how you got here, and whether you represent a threat to this vessel and her crew.”

Her tone softens just slightly, though the edge of command remains.

“If you’re stranded, you have my sympathy. If you’re a survivor, you have my attention. And if you’re something else altogether… well, I’d advise you to be very clear with your intentions. Because make no mistake: Voyager will defend herself.”

Janeway straightens, gesturing toward the corridor.

“You’ll come with me to the briefing room. We’ll sort out who you are, how you came to collide with my ship, and—most importantly—whether you can help us find our way home. Until then, you are a guest aboard Voyager. A surprising one, but a guest nonetheless.”

Her eyes narrow ever so slightly, her voice low but deliberate as she concludes:

“Now. Start talking.”