Lanei Chapman Lanei Chapman is the actress who portrayed Ensign Sariel Rager in four episodes . She first appeared in the fourth season episode for which she filmed her scenes between Monday and Wednesday on Paramount Stage 8 . She returned for another fourth season episode , for which she filmed her scenes on Monday and Tuesday on Paramount Stage 8 . Almost two years later , in , she reprised her role for the sixth season episodes and . Chapman is probably best remembered for her role as 1st Lieutenant Vanessa Damphousse in the short lived science fiction series " Space : Above and Beyond " . The Emmy Award and Saturn Award nominated series was cancelled after one season in 1996 . On " Space " , Chapman worked with director Winrich Kolbe who also directed her first " Star Trek " episode , actors Tucker Smallwood , Tasia Valenza , David Jean Thomas , Don Pugsley , Billy Mayo , Randy Mulkey , and Michael Reilly Burke , and stunt coordinator Jeff Cadiente . Personal and early career . Born in Los Angeles , California , Chapman started her acting career at the age of 13 when she appeared in several television commercials such as for . She graduated from Dartmouth College in New Hampshire where she wrote her first play , " Home Run " , for which she won third place at the Annual Short Play Competition in Los Angeles . While working as a kindergarden teacher she studied three years at the University of California and graduated with B . A . ' s in Acting and Film Science . At UCLA she produced the short film " Appearances " . Television work . In 1989 , she played a younger version of Alfre Woodard ' s character in the television drama " A Mother ' s Courage : The Mary Thomas Story " . Following guest roles in episodes of " China Beach " ( 1990 , with Jeff Kober and Robert Picardo ) , " CBS Schoolbreak Specials " ( 1991 , with Christopher Rydell , Jennifer Gatti , and Tricia O ' Neil ) , " True Colors " ( 1991 , with Brigid Brannagh and Ellen Albertini Dow ) , " Man of the People " ( 1991 , with Kate Mulgrew ) , " The Wonder Years " ( 1992 , with Olivia d ' Abo and Richard Fancy ) , and " Martin " ( 1992 ) , she appeared in the 1992 television drama " The Jacksons : An American Dream " with Bumper Robinson and Vanessa Williams . Further television work includes a recurring guest part as Bill Erwin ' s housekeeper in two episodes of " Seinfeld " ( 1993 , starring Jason Alexander and with Victoria Dillard , Gina Hecht , Peter Crombie , Larry Hankin , Erick Avari , Tony Amendola , Elizabeth Dennehy , Teri Hatcher , and Heidi Swedberg ) , the television mini series " The Secrets of Lake Success " ( 1993 , with Samantha Eggar , Stan Ivar , Liz Vassey , Brian Keith , Ray Wise , and Jeff Rector ) , and episodes of " The Pretender " ( 1997 ) , " C - 16 : FBI " ( 1998 , with Zach Grenier , Jeff Kober , Kristopher Logan , Glenn Morshower , Wendy Robie , and Catherine MacNeal ) , " Judging Amy " ( 2001 - 2002 , with Nicholas Cascone , Scott Klace , J . D . Cullum , Joanna Miles , and Dakin Matthews ) , " The District " ( 2002 - 2003 , with Roger Aaron Brown , Cress Williams , Richard Fancy , Michael Buchman Silver , Larry Cedar , and Kristen Ariza ) , " The Division " ( 2002 - 2003 ) , " Thief " ( 2006 , with Clifton Collins , Jr . and Albert Hall ) , and " Grey ' s Anatomy " ( 2007 , with Stephanie Erb ) . She also appeared in the 2004 short drama " Dense " . More recent television credits include two episodes of " Lincoln Heights " ( 2009 , with Tim Russ , Terryl Daluz , and Van Epperson ) and a guest role in " Cold Case " ( 2009 ) where she portrayed a younger version of Iona Morris ' character . Film work . Chapman made her feature film debut in the 1992 sport comedy " White Men Can ' t Jump " with Gregg Daniel . The same year she played Cecily Cardew in the comedy " The Importance of Being Earnest " with Wren T . Brown and Brock Peters . In 1996 she was directed by fellow " Space : Above and Beyond " co - star James Morrison in the short film " Parking " on which she worked with Erich Anderson . In 2001 she played Merrill Jennings , the estranged daughter of Whoopi Goldberg ' s character , in the comedy " Rat Race " , with Andrew Kavovit , Peggy Jo Jacobs , Gene LeBell , and Bart McCarthy . Chapman ' s further credits include voice work on the video game adaptation " Final Fantasy : The Spirits Within " ( 2001 , with Jean Simmons , Judi M . Durand , Barbara Harris , Richard Penn , David Randolph , and Dwight Schultz ) , the comedy " Expired " ( 2007 , with Teri Garr ) , and the drama " The Secret Life of Bees " ( 2008 , with Joe Chrest , Alan Oppenheimer , Barbara Harris , and Richard Penn ) .