S1E6 · Where No One Has Gone Before

The Enterprise meets with the USS Fearless to bring aboard Mr. Kosinski (Stanley Kamel), a Starfleet propulsion expert who plans to run tests on the warp engines to improve their efficiency. Along with Kosinski is his assistant, an alien being from Tau Alpha C who is referred to as the " Traveler " (Eric Menyuk). As Kosinski and his assistant explain the tests to the engineering crew, Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton), also invited to watch the tests, quickly grasps what the tests are to accomplish, and the alien shows admiration for Wesley's problem-solving abilities.

The test is started but quickly goes awry when the Enterprise gains an incredible boost of speed, surpassing the known capabilities of warp engines. Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) orders a halt, and once stopped, the crew finds themselves on the far side of the M33 Galaxy, more than 2.7 million light years from the Milky Way. Though Kosinski is initially pleased with the results he believes to be from mistaken parameters, he is reprimanded by Picard, and is suggested to simply redo the process to return home. Wesley warns Commander Riker (Jonathan Frakes) that during the warp test, the alien appeared to phase out of reality; when Kosinski starts the second test, both Wesley and Riker observe the alien phasing out, appearing even more tired. The Enterprise again bursts into incredible speeds, and when it stops, the crew cannot determine their position. Picard demands that Kosinski get the crew home.

While Kosinski, his assistant, and the engineering crew work on how to reverse the process, the rest of the crew start to experience lifelike visions of their past, an effect of the strange space around them. After experiencing his own vision of his mother (Herta Ware), Picard surmises they have arrived at the theoretical Outer Rim, one of the oldest parts of the universe, and issues a Red Alert to wake the crew from their visions. Picard learns from Riker that Kosinski had nothing to do with the warp jumps, but instead it was the result of his alien assistant, who has taken ill and moved to Sickbay.

Dr. Crusher (Gates McFadden) cannot determine the alien's biology and is unable to treat him. When Picard arrives, the alien explains he is able to channel pure thought into reality. He brought humans to the Outer Rim, which bestows similar effects on anyone within it, to see if they were ready to experience that. The Traveler, speaking privately to Picard, reveals that he travels looking for prodigies in science, such as Wesley, and that Picard should nurture him. Returning to engineering, the Traveler asks Wesley to help him return the Enterprise to known space.

As they concentrate and start returning the ship to home, the Traveler completely phases out and disappears. The Enterprise suddenly stops, and the crew is relieved to find themselves at the same location before their first warp jump in Federation space. After the incident, Picard promotes Wesley to an acting ensign on the Enterprise for his performance.