Rafael Martinez

**Rafael Martinez** is the Commanding Officer of the USS Sally Ride. He is portrayed by Hector Navarro.

## Biography

During his final year at Starfleet Academy, Cadet Martinez attempted the fabled Kobayashi Maru scenario before he was eligible to graduate as a Command officer. During the test, his ship came under attack by multiple Romulan warbirds; they hailed Martinez to demand the ship's surrender, only to have the visual feed changed to that of the Federation News Service while the ship came under fire.

At first thought to be a computer fault, given that holodecks were fairly new at the time, a board of inquiry determined that the program was deliberately altered. Caleb Moore, an engineering student part of Martinez's cadet crew, claimed full responsibility and was expelled from the Academy. While Martinez attempted to also claim responsibility, the board's judgment had been rendered final, and Martinez would have go forward in his career knowing what it had cost. ("I Remember - Part II")

### Epilogue

Rafael eventually retired from Starfleet and married Tanya Moore. They had a son, Caleb Martinez, who eventually enlisted in Starfleet. Rafael is currently a Professor at Starfleet Academy. Captain T'Lan described Rafael in his elder years as a "silver fox".

## Crew Logs

#### Captain’s Log, Stardate 48832.42

Admiral Nash sent us on a distress call out from the Akahrik system, where we were conducting routine ecological surveys. After the relatively calm few months since first contact with the Dominion, and the loss of the U.S.S. Voyager, my crew and I were ready to help those in need. The fact that the body of Starfleet legend, Captain James T. Kirk, was also recently found, cemented in me that anything could happen, on any mission.

We found chroniton waves, or tachyon particles, in the Shi’nora Belt nebula, along with Orion raiders. We were ambushed. The distress call was a trap. Not only that, but the chroniton waves actually affected our ship and our crew. We found our consciousnesses jumping through time, losing precious minutes each jump. My key crew and I were taken aboard an Orion raider named Capo Malgog’s ship. Malgog killed my chief engineer, Lind Xadas. I was unable to save him. I made a mistake. I lost.

We were able to overcome our captors, escape the Orions, and escape the nebula. Lt. Commander Xadas was still dead. I went through the scenario over and over again in my quarters, coming up with no less than sixteen ways I could have played it differently, that could have resulted in Lind keeping his life. That was something Starfleet didn’t prepare me for. The guilt. But now, I’ll carry the memory of Lind with me for the rest of my career. I only hope he’s the only crewman I lose on this ship.

Captain out.

## Behind the scenes

* Based on Rafael's name and Hector's own descriptions, Captain Martinez is of Mexican heritage and Hispanic/Latino.
* As a joke tweet, Hector has stated that one of Rafael's ancestors is Arcelia Silva Martinez: a Human colonial law enforcement officer and a minor character in the award-winning "Mass Effect" franchise.
* Martinez has noted on multiple occasions that he considers James T. Kirk a personal hero and idol.
* Rafael bonded with Tanya Moore when they ran into each other again aboard Narendra Station. The two went on an awkward first date and, though Tanya was prepared to become more intimate, Rafael politely declined. The two are still interested in each other, and are taking their relationship slowly.