13. Under New Management

## February 2006

**Date:** 2392.07.07

**Location:** U.S.S. Solstice, which is docked at DS Delta One

**Summary:**

The U.S.S. Solstice arrived at Deep Space Delta One on 2392.07.06, and the crew enjoyed a day of shore leave on the starbase in the Delta Quadrant. The next morning however, about a quarter of the Solstice's crew didn't return to the ship and when Commander Jalando tried to contact some of the missing crewmembers, they seemed to be very unwilling to return.

Lieutenant Vrass, Doctor Kato, Ensign Cartwright, Ensign Mera and Ensign Bell have gone back to Delta One to find the missing crewmembers and to determine what is going on exactly. This isn't proving easy, as the few people they encountered on Delta One so far don't seem to know anything about the Solstice's crew.

On Pandora Station, Captain Kane asked reporter Darnena to find out some more about the anti-transwarp protests, after they quieted down rather suddenly. Darnena overheard some people talking about something that was going to happen soon, but was nearly attacked by them when they saw her, so the protesters' plan still remains a mystery.

## March - June 2006

**2392.07.07:**

On board Delta One, the Away Team started looking around. After an encounter with Lieutenant Arquette and Ensign Gatto (which went totally wrong because the Solstice tried to beam Ensign Gatto back... which didn't work) the Away Team had to run for their lives. Just before they got captured though, they discovered some strange atmosphere and energy readings in a cargobay on deck 26...

Having lost contact with the Away Team, Commander Jalando on board the Solstice is running out of options. Not only did the Solstice have to face a Delta One crew who are insisting that they'd go away and leave the crew behind, but they also had to face the possibility that it's not the Delta One crew who was acting weird. . . but the Solstice crew.

Nevertheless, Jalando and Counsellor Tek realised they had to do something. They decided to talk to Delta One again, hoping to reason with them. Captain Tugg though, merely repeatec that it's Jalando who doesn't respond to reason. Tugg also 'suggested' that the Solstice go away from Delta One. But Jalando wasn't willing to do that: he wanted to get his team out of there, so he ordered the Solstice crew to send out Delta One's prefix code. . .

But alas, Delta One was faster than the Solstice. As a result, the Solstice's shields went down, and Delta One started firing phasers. Warning shots at first, which came closer and closer every second. Forced with only one option, Jalando ordered the Solstice to leave the area.

Arriving at an area about 0.1 lightyear away from Delta One, the Solstice encountered a Kazon ship from the Xongar sect: a sect which is on relatively friendly terms with the Federation. This ship's Captain, a man named Brellek, agreed to help the Solstice crew to determine which crew was acting weird. . . Delta One's or the Solstice's. Knowing they'd at least get some certainty about this situation, the Solstice set a course back to Delta One.

Once they arrived, the Solstice received a covert transmission from Lieutenants Vrass and Vok. They've found a way to communicate, and quickly informed Jalando, Tek and Brellek about the strange readings on Deck 26. Shocked, Brellek told the crew that he has heard of an entity which controls the crew, and lives in an hydrogen/sulphide atmosphere: exactly the kind of atmosphere in that cargobay. And what's worse: according to the stories Brellek heard, this entity will want to 'terraform' a planet to suit its needs. And it just so happens that Talax is the closest planet. Billions of Talaxians would die, if that entity were be allowed to continue.

Certain that it's not the Solstice crew who were crazy, Jalando once again tried to convince Captain Tugg, Lieutenant Arquette and Ensign Gatto about what he has just found out. But alas, again they didn't believe him.

In an attempt to convince the Delta One crew that an entity is controlling them, Commander Jalando and Counsellor Aslam beamed on board the Starbase, trying to reach Deck 26, where this entity was located. Unfortunately, Lieutenant Arquette and Ensign Gatto managed to stop the Solstice officers from reaching their location. A verbal battle followed, and with every passing moment, it became more and more apparent that Mr. Arquette and Ms. Gatto would not listen to the Solstice Officers.

That was, until Lieutenants Vrass and Vok, who had made a daring escape from their so-called guest quarters, disrupted the atmospheric controls inside the cargobay where this entity lived. The entity's control over the Delta One and Solstice crew who had been infected, lessened, and eventually disappeared when the entity reverted to a smaller form. This entity was then brought on board the Solstice, behind quarantine fields, to find bring it to Pandora Station for studying. The Delta One crew returned to normal, although some of the tension between the Solstice and Delta One crews remained. . . since all still remembered what happened.

**2392.07.08:**

The USS Solstice jumped to Transwarp, a day later than planned. OPS Arquette came to apologise to Commander Jalando, and vice versa. All seemed to be well. . . but what the crew didn't know, was that an offspring of the entity now in the Solstice's quarantine bay (called 'the Overlord') survived, and was holding on to the outside of the Solstice, only to let go somewhere along the journey back to Pandora. . . to continue its existence.

**2392.08.24:**

Engineer Ta'agk scared some of the crew by crawling through the Jeffries tubes. It would seem that the crew didn't like encountering a 'monster' like him in the early hours. . .

Also, Reporter Darnena discovered that she has a disease which will cause her to die. Not immediately, but in the near future. According to medical estimations, she has 3 to 7 years left. She asked Doctor Vok not to tell anyone. . .

**2392.08.28:**

Captain Kane, preparing for his final days as Captain of Pandora Station, received word that Commander Jalando wouldn't become his successor, and that the current FO of Pandora Station would be transferred to the USS Odyssey, as First Officer. The latter was not happy about that at all.

**2392.09.15:**

As one of the final acts of being Captain of Pandora Station, Captain Kane promoted Lieutenant Arquette to Lieutenant Commander. The Chief of OPS would also transfer, and become Chief of Operations on board the Odyssey. With him would go Communications Officer Gatto and XGO Underhill, to fill both their positions on board the Intrepid Class Starship.

**2392.09.18:**

Both Arquette and Gatto were fully aware that this was their last night on Pandora Station.

**2392.09.19:**

Commander Jalando and the man he was sent to replace, Captain Denebris, talked about the Odyssey, Jalando's leaving, and the Valkyrie: the place where Captain Denebris will go to. Reluctantly, Jalando walked around Pandora Station one last time, to say goodbye. The following morning, he would have to report to the Odyssey. 2392.09.19 would be his final day as First Officer on board Pandora Station.

Also on the 19th, Lieutenant Commander Arquette and Ensign Gatto entered the Transporterroom to say goodbye to Transporter Operator Dran, and to beam to the Odyssey. A new chapter had begun for these officers. Goodbye Pandora, hello Odyssey.