Deep Space Nine

Constable Odo was a member of a shapeshifting species called the Changelings and he once said, “Laws change depending on who’s making them. Cardassians one day, Federation the next – but justice is justice.”  He was found as an infant in the Denorios belt, near the Bajoran wormhole in his gelatinous state as one member of a group of one hundred newly-formed Changelings that the Founders sent out from the Gama Quadrant to gather information while they explored the Milky Way galaxy.  The Changelings were very different from the Solids because they had the ability to change shape, and many worlds hunted and persecuted them because of this.  They were driven out from many planets, which gave the Changelings a legitimate grievance for holding a grudge against all of the Solids.  They could take any form, ranging from humanoid or other aliens to an insect or an object or fire or fog or even a soap bubble.

Changelings thought that they were superior to Solids, because they were not restricted to one shape and they wanted to be in control, because they felt that whatever they could control wouldn’t be able to hurt them.  The Changelings created the Jem’Hadar, a race of genetically engineered humanoid-reptilians who served as the military arm of the Dominion.  The Jem’Hadar were all addicted to Ketracel-white and they needed frequent doses of the drug to survive.  If they did not get this drug, they would go crazy and start killing everyone.  The Vorta were in charge of distributing the Ketracel-white to the Jem’Hadar as they pledged their allegiance to the Founders.  If a Vorta was killed, they could be replaced with a clone that retained all the memories of their predecessor.

Deep Space Nine functioned as one of the service centers that spaceships engaged in exploration of the farthest reaches of the universe could utilize.  DS9 had a gallery of characters including Captain Benjamin Sisko, Quark, a Trill Jadzia Dax, the Klingon Worf, chief engineer O’Brian, the doctor Julian Bashir, Kira Nerys, the villain Dukat, and a tailor a spy Garak who always had a secret.  Deep Space Nine would often jump into a parallel reality or alternate universe that included the same characters who acted differently.  Quark was a Ferengi who operated a bar on the station and he was motivated only by profit.  He could be described as being unctuous, because he was often a kiss-ass full of praise, but it was obvious that he was insincere.

Odo did not know his past and he had trouble with social integration which resulted in him having a grumpy personality, not being able to make friends and hating parties.  He built up a reputation as being an honorable man and a neutral arbiter by settling many squabbles on Deep Space Nine.  Odo found the face, the hardest shape to conquer, but he chose to retain solid form most of the time, however he was required to return to his gelatinous state every 16 hours to regenerate. Along the weathered, winding trail, he eventually became more human and he eventually developed a personal relationship with Kira Nerys.

Written for Roger Shipp’s Daily Addictions prompt – Jump, for the Daily Spur prompt – Ability, for FOWC with Fandango – Grumpy, for October Writing Prompts – Along the weathered, winding trail, for OctPoWriMo 2019 – Changeling, for Ragtag Community – Unctuous, for Di’s Three Things Challenge prompt words – Secret Face Soap, for GC and Susan’s Weekly Word Prompt – Service centers and for Word of the Day Challenge Prompt – Gallery.