Odyssey Squadron
The Odyssey Heavy Explorer Squadron is a formation centred around the starship USS Odyssey, the prototype of the Odyssey-class explorer. It is currently under the command of Fleet Captain James Preston McCallister. The squadron was assigned as a deep space expeditionary force within the Delta Quadrant. Assembled at the end of 2400, the group was ordered to proceed to the Swallow Nebula region beyond the Gradin Belt.
The squadron was assigned directly to Fourth Fleet Operations; it also worked closely with the Delta Exploration Initiative. As a result, the main base of operations was originally located back in the Alpha Quadrant at Starbase 38. Before the end of 2401, Deep Space 19 became its main base of operations. Working in tandem with one another, the primary goal of the squadron was to re-explore the areas that the USS Voyager visited during its seven-year journey through the distant quadrant.
After spending almost two years in the Delta Quadrant, the crew of the USS Odyssey became experts in the Gradin Belt area, which gave them the experience and knowledge of the regions to explore the Delta Quadrant further and lead the squadron.
All of the ships assigned are deep space explorers. Each is capable of long-term assignments; however, when working together, they support one another to ensure they share resources to complete their mission.
History
2401+
The Odyssey Squadron was commissioned by Director of Fourth Fleet Operations, Vice Admiral Zack Marshall-Bennett and supported by Admiral Vailis, Director of the Delta Exploration Initiative. Initially, five ships were assigned as a small group, as Starfleet were unaware of what to expect when they arrived in the Swallow Nebula region.
The USS Themis and the USS Triton were initially located in the Alpha Quadrant at Starbase 38, undergoing extensive refits to prepare them for their new assignments. Eventually they were ready to move through the Barzan Wormhole and rendezvous with the Odyssey and the USS Bellerophon (which already had been in the Delta Quadrant). The four ships met at the Markonian Outpost before beginning their first joint mission, a simple survey of an unchartered system on the far edges of the Gradin Belt
The squadron's first mission involved it detecting a Borg interlink frequency, which was investigated. After discovering the crash remains of a Borg ship, the squadron helped several drones reclaim their individuality and prevented one of them from attempting to use a spatial trajector to return to the Collective.
Over the next fews months, the squadron made several diplomatic inroads in the Swallow Nebula region. This included further diplomatic exchange with the Benthans. Starfleet ordered the squadron to return home ahead of the upcoming Frontier Day celebrations. McCallister was annoyed at the delay, but the ships all returned home.
It did not take long for the entire squadron to be embroiled in the Dominion Lost Fleet incursion in the Deneb Sector. With other ships in the Fourth Fleet, the squadron responded and defended the Federation worlds in danger. The squadron responded to a distress call from the Divinum colony. Though it appeared the Dominion had used a metagenic weapon against the entire population, after further investigation, the squadron found that all of the colonists had been captured in transporter suspension. Working with elements from the Cardassian Union, they were able to save the colonists and later participate in the defence of Farpoint Station. Sadly, though, Captain Rio Canção gave her life to save the colonists. The Bellerophon was heavily damaged during this conflict and taken to Avalon Fleet Yards for repairs.
When Frontier Day celebrations started to go wrong, the Borg commandeered the Odyssey, Themis and Triton. All three crews had to find a way to survive. Sadly, though, the Triton sustained significant harm when the Titan-A used its prefix codes against it. The Triton was abandoned and left to drift before the incident was resolved. The Triton was taken to the San Francisco Fleet Yards for repairs. While at Avalon, the Bellerophon was almost assimilated. Those unaffected by the Borg DNA modifications overloaded and destroyed several systems, rendering the Bellerophon useless.
Because both the Bellerophon and Triton could not return to active duty in the short term, Starfleet reassigned the USS Constitution to the squadron.
In late 2401, the entire squadron returned to Federation space after almost six months of exploring the Swallow Nebula region (and other parts of the Delta Quadrant). The Odyssey had been badly damaged, the Themis had dealt with a significant temporal incursion, and the Constitution had been pulled across the Delta Quadrant before finding a safe way to get home. Seeing the squadron's potential, Starfleet ordered all three ships to Deep Space 19, one of Starfleet’s hubs in developing strong, effective, long-range communication with their deep space explorers. There, the squadron was expanded. The Bellerophon and Triton were now fully repaired, while the USS Orion and USS Destiny were also assigned.
Leadership
- Executive Squadron Commander: Vice Admiral Jaret Taila
- Squadron Field Commander: Fleet Captain James Preston McCallister (2400+)
- Squadron Deputy Field Commander: Captain Cambil Bexa (2401+)
Composition
Current Assignments
- USS Odyssey - Odyssey-class heavy explorer - the flagship of the squadron, the Odyssey has already established as a presence in the Delta Quadrant after two years. Though almost like a floating small starbase, the Odyssey has the most advanced technology in the fleet and is able to coordinate their work, effortlessly. Alongside all of the extras that comes with the class of ship, the Odyssey will act as the main hospital ship if required. She boasts an impressive sickbay that can provide state of the art medical assistance to anyone in the fleet if required or deal with mass triage.
- USS Telemachus - Aquarius-class light escort - assigned to the Odyssey since mid-2400, the Telemachus has been assigned to the Cadet Training Unit assigned to the flagship. On occasions, when the cadets are unable to participate in a mission (due to the danger) the more seasoned officers from the Odyssey take over.
- USS Themis - Ross-class explorer - the Themis is a brand new ship, recently built at the Devron Fleet Yards. The Themis contains specialist teams from the Starfleet Corps of Engineers assigned to her to assist in the maintenance of the expeditionary force as well as deal with any other engineering matter that arises during its time in the Delta Quadrant. With her industrial replicators and large cargo bays dedicated to storage for important parts, components and resources, the Themis can extend the lifeline of the squadron while they are so far away from Starfleet. The Themis also has a full squadron of Valkyrie-class fighters. When needed they can provide further defence to the squadron.
- USS Constitution - Constitution III-class explorer - a brand new vessel that joined the squadron mid-2401. It continues what the Bellerophon and Triton started by having crewmembers from both ships now serving on it.
- USS Triton - Luna-class light explorer - The Triton has served Starfleet’s Fourth Fleet for many years now. Being a Luna-class, the ship has the most diverse crew in the force, with only one third of the crew being humanoid base. The ship is primarily assigned to scientific missions. The Triton was left at Earth after it was heavily damaged during the Frontier Day disaster. Once it was repaired, it was sent to Deep Space 19 to be re-assigned to the squadron.
- USS Bellerophon - Intrepid-class light explorer - just like Voyager, Starfleet wanted an Intrepid-class ship to assist with the squadron's explorative efforts. As one of the original ships built back in the 2370s, the vessel received a major overhaul and refit prior to joining the others in the Delta Quadrant. Unfortunately, the ship sustained significant damage during the Lost Fleet incursion and Borg uprise on Frontier Day. The ship was to remain at Avalon for repairs. After it was fixed, the Bellerophon headed to Deep Space 19 to meet up with others in the squadron.
- Deep Space 19 - Unity-class starbase - Deep Space 19 operates as the the link for the Odyssey Squadron back home within the Federation. Vice Admiral Jaret, it's commander, sends the squadron it's orders and assignments via datastreams when they are in the Delta Quadrant.
- USS Formidable - Defiant-class escort - the Formidable is assigned as the support craft to Deep Space 19.
- USS Orion - Sagan-class light explorer - one of the newer ships assigned to the squadron.
- USS Destiny - Vesta-class explorer - one of the newer ships assigned to the squadron.
