Currently in a well-lit room, fitted with metal benches and tables to seat around 30 people, a young man's world is colpsing around him as he stared at the brown slop on his pte.

  "Admin, what is this shit? I mean it has no taste and no texture to it! You can't feed people...this!"

  Victor gestured to his pte.

  >This is a nutrient paste containing everything the Commander needs to function optimally. The ck of fvour and texture is by design, so that it can be eaten as fast as possible.<

  With a loud sigh Victor forced the liquid down his throat, a firm believer in not wasting any food.

  "Alright, I get it, but you can't feed someone this kind of shit unless it's an emergency. Can you make normal food?"

  >No Commander, I am unfortunately not able to provide you with any, as you call it, real food. I can however provide you with reconstructed raw materials, such as rice, flour and various fruits and vegetables from your former pnet. I can also provide you with an array of seasonings. Animal protein is not avaible currently though.<

  With a raised eyebrow Victor noticed the slight change in Admin's speech as it, or better she, seemed to get more human by the minute.

  Deciding not to mention it, he quickly agreed to the offer of raw ingredients and seasoning, although menting the absence of meat.

  His hunger now sated, Victor switched his attention to the report compiled by Admin.

  First came the state and resources of the Herald of War:

  Organic substances for consumption (food) for 21 days — 30kg

  10 sets of basic diver armour and weapons, consisting of 1 Assault Rifle, 1 High Penetration Revolver and 2 fragmentation grenades.

  1 basic settlement pod, apparently strapped to the belly of the ship.

  Ammunition for bombardments: 300 600mm HE shells, 12k 70mm gatling shells, 10 Penetration missiles, 200 250kg bombs, 50 500kg bombs, 10 pure fusion bombs.

  Ammunition for space combat: 300 600mm AP coilgun shells, 10 high yield torpedoes and 5k 12.7mm PDW ammunition.

  Two Clones (Victor)

  Fuel (E-711): 3 jumps

  Frowning, Victor spoke his thoughts out loud:

  "Enough ammo for now I guess, depending on what we face on the surface, but I'm worried about the clones...I could use more, just in case. Hey Admin, how expensive is it to make a new clone of me?"

  >Commander, it costs roughly 200kg of refined organic substance to build a new clone of you.<

  "Shit, too expensive....alright, I need to harvest more on the new pnet I guess. Other than that, Admin, what is the settlement pod, or what does it contain?"

  >The settlement pod contains the center building of any outpost built on a pnet. Said building contains a secondary core of mine, ample defences considering the state of this universe, a cloning chamber and your personal accommodations. The pod also includes 5 builder drones and 50 sets of basic army gear, consisting of clothes, armour, AR, secondary pistol and 1 fragmentation grenade. All of slightly lower quality than the diver equipment. Just to preface the next question, it is not possible for the Commander's forces to harm any diver, or the Commander, since anyone who wants to wear that armour is fitted with an assistance chip, helping them and preventing betrayal.<

  Grinning at that information, Victor thought about the possibility of one day owning his own high sci-fi pnet, just then realizing what else Admin had said.

  "So you have already conducted a survey of the observable universe, or did you get the info from U.C? Please summarize the technical level of the current universal popution and send me a few good pnets to settle on, preferably with other humanoid, sentient races besides humans."

  It took Admin all of 0.0000000001s to fulfill her Commander's wishes. And instantly, for Victor, a new screen appeared in front of him, together with the voice of Admin.

  >I received the information from U.C after the Commander agreed to its terms.<

  Nodding, Victor started to read.

  State of the Universe.

  Technology: Average: Feudal Age | Peak: Information Age | Low: Paleolithic Age

  Pnetary popution: Average: 15 million individuals | Peak: 14 billion individuals | Low: 3 individuals

  This universe has an energy form not found in the previous one. In accordance with the Commander's memories it will now be called Magic. Most races are in some form able to make use of said energy. The U.C has confirmed that the Commander and all other humans that will reincarnate will not be able to use magic. As to the strength and weaknesses of Magic, those are currently unknown and will have to be investigated. On the point of other races besides humans, there are too many to count, but a few that coincide with the Commander's memories are: Elves, Beastkin, Dwarves, Fey, Dragons, Merfolk. All of those races, together with humans, possess pnets with peak technology solely under their control. The vast majority of pnets are a mix of races and technology, the tter due to the "interference" of magic.

  "Well, shit."

  Taking a slow and deliberate breath, Victor stated his thoughts out loud in the hope that Admin might add something to them.

  "Seems like we are in some sort of fantasy universe. On the one hand it is good to know that we are the only race with spacefaring capabilities, on the other hand....magic. And I can't fucking use it! Damn...oh well, I have a battlecruiser...just gotta hope they can't summon meteors, or fire magic-fuelled hypersonic missiles at me."

  Not adding anything to her Commander's rambling, Admin stayed silent, and so Victor read the part about his potential new home pnets.

  First, a pnet near the core of the current universe, rich in resources and with average technology and popution. It was confirmed by U.C that it contained a high popution of humans, but also Beastkin. No other sentient races were confirmed. The pnet orbited an M-type star and had 8 other pnets in its sor system, 3 of which contained sentient life. One forest pnet with extremely low metallic resources but high organic resources and the presence of something simir to E-711, the fuel for his jump drive. One pnet closer to the sun, containing a high amount of metals and inhabited by Dwarves. The st inhabited pnet on the outer edges of the habitable zone, containing no great amount of resources, but inhabited by Dragons.

  Noticing the sheer abundance of resources, both in personnel and material, Victor just gnced at the other pnets dispyed. None had the variety in species, or the appearance of something simir to E-711.

  It turned out that the most common species in this universe are humans too, unfortunately for Victor.

  Grinning to himself at the thought of some cute beast girl and elf, Victor decisively chose the first pnet shown.

  >Setting course to chosen pnet. Commander, please follow your HUD and head to the bridge to initiate jump.<

  The voice of Admin startled Victor, as he hoped she had not noticed his lewd expression.

  Doing as asked, Victor walked through well-lit corridors, past doors with very clear signs like: Medbay 2, Biob and a few storage rooms. Apparently heading closer to the front of the ship, he noticed more and more the yout of his new ship. At the back were engineering, maintenance and the engineering b. The section up to the middle was primarily habitation and the mess hall he had just eaten at. Followed by medical and the other bs. The front section housed the bridge and multiple diving rooms.

  Since Victor could not connect the word "diving" with space at the moment, he asked Admin about it. She stated that it was a form of rapid personal orbital entry via a pod. Groups of 4 were considered a squad and would deploy together via individual pods. The Herald of War would then provide support via orbital bombardment, resupply or other means. After a mission a heavy transport shuttle would descend and pick up the squad.

  After her expnation Victor hit his head on the nearest wall because it reminded him of a game he had pyed in his past life, and still he was unable to figure it out.

  Thoroughly embarrassed, he then inquired where the aviation assets were stored and unched.

  >All aviation assets are on the lower deck, the hangar, with exits and entrances to the side of the ship, for ease of use.<

  As Admin expined the process by which the automated shuttles, fighters and bombers were operated, Victor stepped through a door belled "Command Center" and was instantly floored.

  The room before him was circur and roughly 3m across. Steep stairs led down 3m before him and up on the other side of the room. 4 simir staircases led to doors belled "Dive Room", 2 on each side. In the center of the room stood a small pedestal over which was a 25m holographic dispy of the current universe. Surrounding it were 16 chairs, evenly split between left and right.

  Slowly crossing the room while marvelling at the holographic dispy, Victor arrived in front of a door with no bel, when suddenly a bluish light scanned him. After the scan the door opened with a low hiss and he was treated to another astonishing sight — the bridge.

  A half-moon shaped room with the bigger rounded side facing outward, completely made of gss, showcasing the vastness of space. Before the gss wall were 5 round indentations with footholds on the floor — the drop pods for him and his squad. In the center of the room stood 5 chairs, with the middle one being a bit bigger and fancier. His seat. Surrounding the chairs flowed multiple bck holo screens showcasing feeds for the Commander and his squad to supervise other squads. Apparently Admin was showing off a bit, because as Victor stepped closer to the chairs, the holo dispys turned off.

  Silently smiling to himself he stepped closer to the chairs, only sparing the drop pods a gnce, since he assumed them to work simirly to how they worked in the game. After a second to compose himself, Victor sat down on the middle chair, his hands caressing the armrests softly, before he settled in and rested his head on his right hand, gazing out amongst the stars.

  >Commander, the Herald of War is ready to engage jump drive and head to your chosen system. We will be arriving in orbit of the pnet you selected.<

  "Well then... Here we go. Admin, engage jump drive!"

  >Yes Sir! Jump drive engaging! All hands brace for jump!<

  Without a sound or any visible indication, the 300m long ship suddenly vanished from where it had hovered silently in space.