Colonel Jennings became the commander of Zero X in April 2067 after its previous pilot Captain Paul Travers was sentenced to death for breach of discipline.
On 22 April, although all had seemed calm for the ship's first countdown procedure since the change in leadership, shortly before the final run-up of its motors Jennings was "overpowered and bundled from the craft". The engines of Zero X then immediately burst into life and the ship raced down the runway for take off. It was believed that the former Captain Travers was behind the hi-jacking but officials were unsure if the rest of the crew were forced to obey Travers' orders or whether they had joined him freely. (PROSE: Mars Ship Hi-Jacked)