USS Equinox

File:USSEquinox2375.jpg

The USS Equinox in 2375

The USS Equinox (NCC-72381) was a Nova-class Federation starship in operation in the 24th century. It carried an initial crew compliment of eighty-seven, and was launched in 2371.

Under the command of Captain Rudolph Ransom, with first officer Max Burke, the Equinox was on a short-range exploratory mission in an unknown system's Oort cloud when it mysteriously disappeared shortly after the vessel's commissioning. It was later discovered that the Equinox was pulled into the Delta Quadrant by the being known as the Caretaker, and its crew experimented on.

After leaving the Caretaker's Array, Ransom ordered a course set for the Alpha Quadrant. However, because of the low maximum warp capability of the Equinox, the voyage was estimated to take several hundred years. Shortly after getting underway, the Equinox strayed across the borders of the Krowtonan Guard. In the week that followed, half of the Equinox crew were killed, and severe damage was inflicted on the vessel. Ransom decided to continue on through Krowtonan space, instead of adding a further six years to the ship's journey.

By 2375, the Equinox was in a state of complete disarray. The vessel's warp engines were almost burned out, and essential supplies were at a minimum. It was at this point that the ship made contact with the Ankari, and received their 'blessing', which turned out to be the appearance of a nucleogenic creature. These creatures had a large antimatter content, and, when the Equinox crew attempted to recall another, it was unable to survive in our dimension, and died. After several unsuccessful attempts to keep the creatures alive, Ransom ordered the use of the dead creatures for fuel, and the Equinox was able to achieve unprecedented speeds. It overtook the USS Voyager - also trapped in the Delta Quadrant, but with a significantly faster warp capability - and was within sight of reaching home.

However, the creatures responded to the Equinox crew's experiments by launching an intensive attack on the vessel, damaging it almost beyond repair. In a last-ditch attempt to raise help, Ransom sent out a distress call, which was picked up by Voyager, who drove away the alien attack.

In the course of repairs, the modifications to the Equinox were discovered, and its crew arrested. However, they escaped from custody, and the Equinox fled from its safe haven. The Equinox was eventually caught, but the vessel was destroyed by a warp core breach shortly thereafter, Captain Ransom aboard at the time. Only five crewmembers - Noah Lessing, Marla Gilmore, James Morrow, Angela Tassoni and Brian Sofin - survived.

References

• VOY: "Equinox, Part I"
• VOY: "Equinox, Part II"

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