Megan Hartley

Lazy, crabby, and hard to motivate, Lt. Megan Hartley is considered one of the less friendly members of the Explorer. But people usually give her a wide berth, since she can spread their atoms in an instant with the transporter. Hartley has served as Transporter Chief aboard the Aerostar and Explorer. She was one of the first Starfleet crewmembers to travel to the Federation of Fun, an alternate universe Federation where everyone is achingly happy ("Happy to See You" [VEX]). Hartley's carreer aboard the Explorer, after the Aerostar's destruction, was uneventful up until late 2375 when she was briefly transformed into a brain-eating zombie ("If I Only Had a Brain" [VEX]). At the end of that year, she was made Chief Engineer of the Explorer when Lt. Commander Richards left to write for a Klingon soap oper ("Prior Engagements" [VEX]). She continued in that position for six months, during which time she was bopped on the head and got the impression that she was a superhero ("The Caped Engineer" [VEX]). Later in 2376, after returning to her post as Transporter Chief, Hartley traveled secretly with Mirk, Gellar, and Ford, aboard the Escort, back in time to 2374, when the Aerostar was first launched. Ordered by the Directors to do so, Hartley and Mirk were ordered to make sure Aerostar never made it to the Delta Quadrant. They almost succeeded, but when they finally returned to their proper time, they found they'd simply ended Hartley and Gellar's relationship and caused Peterman and Baxter to love Lacrosse. At the end of 2375, Hartley and Mirk, on shore leave at Earth, had a drunken near-kiss in a New Orleans hotel room, and were kidnapped by Lucille Baxter for the purpose of eradicating the Starshine Kids ("Down to Earth" [VEX]). After that failed, Hartley and Mirk went on to found Maloxitarianism, a religion dedicated to the Directors ("If they Could See Me Now [VEX]). After that failed, Hartley and Mirk went on to date ("Shine On You Crazy Cult, Part Two" [VEX]). Their first sexual experience re-invigorated Mirk's powers and led to Irma Wilson's defeat ("Blink of an Eye" [VEX]). Hartley regained her post as Chief Engineer of the USS Explorer in late 2377 when Lt. Commander Richards became first officer of the Explorer. She instills fear in her staff to this day.