Markonian Outpost
The Markonian Outpost is a trade outpost located in the Gradin Belt. A hub of commerce and diplomacy for a myriad of peoples, governments, and organisations, it has maintained independence across its centuries-long history through ensuring its destabilisation would be unprofitable. It is owned by the Markonian Corporation, who oversee the station's management, and who in 2400 reached a formal agreement with Starfleet to house offices and a limited staff from the Delta Exploration Initiative aboard.
Business Aboard
All of the Gradin Belt, from heads of state to independent traders, are not only welcome at the Markonian Outpost but usually find it essential to secure a diplomatic or commercial foothold aboard. This varies from permanent offices and consulates of corporations and governments to simple visits, and the outpost is favoured as neutral ground for even the most fraught diplomatic negotiations. The bars and conference rooms of the Markonian Outpost have seen it all, from the humble beginnings of what are now the most powerful corporations to the signing of treaties between powerful and bitter enemies.
This renders the outpost's independence essential. The management carefully curate contracts, investments, and personal relationships so no power of the Gradin Belt would think of trying to seize control, lest they make a myriad of enemies who stand to lose. The outpost is too far from the territory of more aggressive and uncaring governments like the Devore Imperium to be a tempting target for such an isolationist power, and too well-defended to become hunting grounds for Hirogen parties.
As such, order is carefully maintained aboard. While station security is far from draconian, the owners know the outpost must be seen as safe and secure, and that external feuds cannot be brought aboard. Troublemakers, especially the violent, are quickly apprehended and arrested. Wherever possible, station security will liaise with a visitor's ship captain or superior and allow them to enact discipline to maintain positive relations, but if necessary they will extract any due fines to cover damages or firmly instruct a ship to leave. Unpaid fines, repeated trouble, or a refusal to curb troublemakers will see the management taking their most extreme measure: permanent banishment from the Markonian Outpost.
Leadership
The Markonian Corporation owns the outpost, and it is their only business holding. By now the board of directors is hugely diverse, which helps maintain their political independence - no species or political alignment is over-represented, and it would be bad business for the governments of the board to be set against each other. Peace is far more profitable, and the Markonian Corporation makes a tidy sum from fees to berth ships and hire facilities, rent from owners of on-board businesses. Even contracts and trade agreements made aboard owe a cut to their hosts, so long as they meet a certain threshold - the management cannily does not concern itself with the business of single ships, to encourage such low-level trade to flourish and grow.
Most of the board of directors do not concern themselves with the outpost's management, and those who do tend to focus only on high-profile visitors where there is great profit to be made. The day-to-day of the Markonian Outpost is thus overseen by the station manager, who holds the board's trust and speaks with their voice, making his judgements law. The current station manager is Shivolian named Fictieff, whose jovial and easy manner belies a canny sense for business and a keen nose for trouble. It was Fictieff who led the Markonian negotiation to establish Starfleet's foothold, and they remain positive and supportive of further business arrangements. They are an ally to Starfleet, so long as it remains profitable.
Starfleet Operations
Relations between the Markonian Outpost and Starfleet were positive since the USS Voyager visited in 2376, where they welcomed visitors aboard and enjoyed the station's sights and opportunities. Starfleet was thus warmly received when they re-established contact in the 2390s, and starships have consistently docked and traded for shore leave, resupply, and making contacts. Vast swathes of Starfleet's knowledge of the present political makeup of the Gradin Belt comes from contacts - or even simply conversations - aboard the Markonian Outpost.
In early 2400 an agreement was finally reached to establish offices of the Delta Exploration Initiative aboard, though with the irregularity of contact with the Alpha Quadrant it was some months before this came to pass. Now the DEI has taken possession of a suite of offices aboard with twenty permanent staff. This permanent base of operations is mostly a point of contact for starships in the Delta Quadrant, though science and diplomatic officers pursue Starfleet's interest in learning more of and building bridges in the Gradin Belt. The team has at their disposal a single New Atlantic-class runabout, the Charles Bukowski, should they need to leave or travel. A Bolian, Commander Drezt, leads the team; she is a seasoned diplomat and logistician, and her priority is ensuring the Markonian mission is able to negotiate support and facilitate communication for starships in the region.
In Play
- The Markonian Outpost is visited by a hundred species every day, and all are welcome so long as they keep the peace. This makes the station hugely diverse in both visitors and permanent residents, and even people who might somewhere else be enemies put that aside to do business aboard. It is somewhere anything from a hundred light-years away can be acquired - for the right price.
- Threats to the outpost are dealt with in an uncompromising manner by station security, and those who test the outpost's hospitality will find themselves ejected. But it is a big station, and some places are better patrolled than others. The Markonian Outpost isn't a hive of scum and villainy, but it's nowhere near as secure as a Federation starbase.
- The Starfleet presence aboard is small. They'll give Starfleet crews the latest news, help them find their way around and make connections if they need something aboard, and act as a communications hub. They are guests who hold offices and use the facilities to build more relations with the locals - it is not an enclave and the Markonian Outpost is not a Starfleet base or ally.