Olen Rhinehart

Olen Rhinehart
Name:	Olen Rhinehart
Rank:	http://www.startrekfreedom.com/images/pips1/tealensign.jpg Ensign (SG)
Awards:	http://www.startrekfreedom.com/images/rib20.gif
Gender:	Male
Species:	Human
Age:	26
Position:	Counsellor
Ship:	USS Champlain (NCC 2170-C)
Status:	Active

Olen Rhinehart is a ship's counsellor aboard the USS Champlain under the command of Captain Edward Wolfe. He is currently under the authority of chief counsellor Lieutenant Alosar. He is a quiet and retiring man, much given to contemplation and reflection rather than action. His lifelong passion has been the study of philosophy, and by virtue of that, the acquisition of surer and more certain knowledge - not only of himself, but of the world around him. He also takes a keen interest in theology, which often seems anachronistic in these most humanist and secular of times. Although maintaining no particular religious faith himself, Rhinehart believes that the religious texts, and the ideas of theological scholars - thinkers such as St Thomas Aquinas, Subramuniyaswami and Nagarjuna - have much left to teach us yet.

USS Champlain

Rhinehart's first assignment is as a counsellor aboard the 52nd Fleet's newest vessel, the USS Champlain, a modified Galaxy Class explorer. The ship's overall mission is to explore the largely unknown Beta Quadrant of the galaxy, in support of the 52nd Fleet's ongoing war against Admiral Doenitz. He made rendezvous with the vessel on Stardate 2407.02.24, ahead of its official launch. Its first mission was to investigate the Federation colony Ivor Prime, which was believed to have been the target of a Borg attack some 30 years previously. It was to be assessed for suitability to house refugees from the conflict with Doenitz.

Deep Space 5

En route to Ivor Prime, the Champlain was diverted to the Doenitz-loyal space station Deep Space 5, in order to capture it for Admiral LoDona and the 52nd Fleet. Ensign Rhinehart's post-mission report below details his role.

Title: Post-Mission Report

Stardate: 2407.03.05

Author: Ensign (JG) Olen Rhinehart

Division: Counselling

S/N: DB-766-104

Report begins:

A small team led by Captain Edward Wolfe, and including myself, was tasked with the liberation of space station Deep Space 5 from the command of Captain U'Gaeth, who had declared himself loyal to Doenitz. My role on the team was that of negotiator, and my mission profile was to facilitate the handover of the station and U'Gaeth's surrender with a minimum of bloodshed.

We were to infiltrate the station covertly, and to that end, our shuttlecraft was disguised as one of the station's own, heavily damaged and in need of assistance. Ensigns Frazier and Sullivan were to be beamed aboard on approach, exploiting a small shield flaw, and disable the station's shields entirely, allowing the shuttlecraft to dock with the station. From there, Frazier and Sullivan were to make contact with the station's FO, Anne Tilden - a LoDona loyalist - and support her in taking command of the station.

Captain U'Gaeth

Myself, Captain Wolfe and Ensign LaQua were to covertly capture the station's communications centre, allowing LaQua to scramble the universal translators, effectively neutralising the ability of station security to co-ordinate efforts against us. From there we were to proceed to the command module and persuade the Andorian Captain U'Gaeth to stand down and allow us to take him into custody.

With this aim in mind, I researched and compiled a dossier of media coverage, eyewitness accounts and 52nd Fleet reports detailing the genocide committed by Admiral Doenitz – paying particular attention to his sacking of Andoria, Captain U'Gaeth's homeworld, and capital of the Andorian Empire.

My plan was to use this material to undermine U'Gaeth's loyalty to Doenitz by confronting him with the horror of what had happened to his people, and then guarantee the safety of his family in exchange for his peaceful co-operation.

We made our way to the communications suite without incident, leading us to believe that we had not yet been discovered. However, as soon as we were inside, the doors were sealed, trapping us, and toxic gas was pumped into the room through the ventilation ducts. While Ensign LaQua worked on the translators, I was ordered by Captain Wolfe to attempt to plug the vents while he tried to open the door. I improvised a method of blocking the vents using bandages from an emergency medical kit, but picked up an injury in the process. Ensign LaQua succeeded in disrupting communications, and Captain Wolfe abandoned efforts to open the door, since security forces had been dispatched to our location. Instead we made our escape into the station's Jefferies tubes. I was forced to utilise emergency painkillers in order to continue and not jeapordise the mission.

After a lengthy climb, we found ourselves at the command module where LoDona-loyal Fifth Columnists were in a protracted firefight with U'Gaeth's forces, having tipped their hand. Pinned down by phaser fire, we joined the battle - until I spotted U'Gaeth attempting to escape to a turbolift. Assisted by a Fifth Columnist, I was able to stun him and bring him to cover.

Upon reviving him, Captain U'Gaeth was initially hostile and refused to co-operate. However, once he was shown proof of Doenitz's crimes against sentience, he was quickly pacified. At this point, I became aware of the price that my plan had exacted – we had taken the station with a minimum of bloodshed, but U'Gaeth's will was utterly, perhaps irrevocably, broken.

Deep Space Five

At that point, the station passed into the hands of Commander Tilden, and we departed aboard our shuttlecraft for the Champlain. There, the stress of the mission and the pain of my injury quickly overwhelmed me and I passed out. Upon waking in the Champlain's sickbay, I learned that I had suffered a severe allergic reaction to the emergency painkillers I had used. I also learned that the Champlain had been involved in a protracted stand-off with the Doenitz-loyal USS Wyvern. However, details of this encounter remain unknown to me at this juncture.

Recommendations: Captain U'Gaeth is now in 52nd Fleet custody charged with, among other things, sedition and treason. I make the recommendation that he be carefully monitored in the days and weeks to come. The knowledge of the Andoria's devastation – as well as his own poor judgement in siding with Doenitz – will prove difficult to come to terms with. I consider him a high suicide-risk, and he should be allowed contact with his family with all possible haste in order to avert that possibility.

Mission Outcome: Success

Report Ends

As a result of his actions on this mission, Rhinehart received a promotion to Ensign (SG), and was awarded a Captain's Commendation.

Ivor Prime

Mission underway. Report pending.

Hobbies

Rhinehart is more interested in intellectual pursuits than physical. He is a quick study, and keenly interested in all branches of knowledge, although his specialities are philosophy, theology and psychology. He enjoys writing - although his relationship with his keyboard is sometimes fractious - and is currently working on a secret literary project where he unburdens some of the angst he often feels towards himself. He is a connoiseur of tea, and spends inordinate amounts of time grooming his beard, of which he is justifiably proud. In fact, he has often considered writing a monogram on the psychological and philosophical implications of beard-growing. Coincidentally, he avoids social gatherings if at all possible.

As of this writing, he is still settling uneasily into shipboard life, taking longer than most to feel comfortable. Being socially awkward, he feels he has not capitalised on opportunities to form friendships, something he plans to address in the immediate future. However, he has grown particularly close with the Champlain's Ops chief, Lieutenant Brianna Frazier - although their relationship has had a rocky beginning, to say the least.

Awards

Received the Captain's Commendation for his part in the liberation of Deep Space 5, 2407.03.05.